we're doing this
Started on Twitter as a thought.
Now not only is there a story, but there's gifs.
UNTITLED (for now)
by fireworkfiasco and amaliak
( Read more... )
Now not only is there a story, but there's gifs.
UNTITLED (for now)
by fireworkfiasco and amaliak
( Read more... )
Erik had caught sight of the Doctor now, his brows furrowing.
"Charles, where have you been?" Erik asked, his voice regaining an edge that Charles didn't like. He was curious, but Charles knew to leave well enough alone. Erik didn't trust easily, and invading his mind once was violation enough, so he tread carefully.
"I can't tell you," Charles said carefully and watched as Erik's face darkened further.
"You. Can't. Tell me," Erik was punctuating the words carefully, and even without reaching out with his mind, Charles was hit by the waves of pain and anger all tightly held back by Erik's control. There was a time when the whole room would be rattling with the energy, but Charles had to remind himself that this was a different time and place. That was all over now.
Erik's jaw tightened, "Do you know what these four years have been like?"
Charles really didn't, frowning at the turn of the conversation. He glanced at the Doctor who'd perked up at Erik's question, maintaing a careful distance.
"Four years?" Charles asked. "How long have I been gone, Erik?"
"What's the year?" the Doctor interrupted, not backing down as Erik leveled a glare at the intruder.
"1971."
1971.
The Doctor frowned as Charles reeled with the information. "That can't be right," the Doctor was saying, "TARDIS wouldn't have---" He stopped mid-sentence. "Hmmm. Accidentally on purpose, then."
"And are you?" Erik asked, sizing up the stranger that had arrived along with Charles.
"I'm the Doctor," answered the man, joking and smiles set aside at present. That was the only explanation he'd offered.
"It's alright, Erik, he's a friend," Charles reassured him, but Erik didn't seem keen on backing down. "Erik, what's happened?"
Erik looked back at Charles, his eyes clear in the musty room. "You've been gone, Charles. Disappeared right off the face of the Earth four years ago."
Charles glanced at the Doctor, who shrugged. "Oops."
******
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They'd managed to get themselves settled in the library, Charles noting that it seemed to be the only place with life in the whole place. He was burning with more questions, things he wanted to simply each out and understand, but he held himself in check. The Doctor hovered about, with a look of someone that was trapped between the fight or flight response but ultimately sat in one of the arm chairs, present, but separated from the events unfolding before him.
"Erik," Charles started, "What's happened to the school? Where are the children?"
Erik frowned, confusion evident on his features. "What school?"
"The school that was here, the one that you and I started. For mutants," Charles felt an anxiety building in his chest. There was nothing in the memories from this Erik that he'd looked at earlier about the institute.
Erik didn't answer right away, as if waiting for something. "There's no school here, Charles. Never has been. Just a house. Empty since you left."
Charles didn't realize just how much of a blow it was for him to hear that. He thought of all those children he'd been helping, how now...he'd never known them, they'd never come. He didn't realize just how much it would hurt to know they were probably still out there alone.
"What about Raven?" Charles went on, thinking of his almost-sister.
"Off saving the world, I suppose," Erik answered, his voice holding a note of disappointment. "Mission after mission with her intended."
Charles' eyebrows shot up. "What?"
"With Harkness, Charles. At the Institute," Erik replied, growing exasperated and Charles conjured up the word 'Torchwood' once more. "You remember him, I'm sure."
Charles put this aside, simply relieved to know that Raven was safe for now. Erik was looking at him, more specifically at the wheelchair, his features holding something that Charles identified as guilt. Charles thought of the young boy who'd he'd just seen, someone who had wondered about the pain involved.
"It doesn't hurt," Charles said quietly, Erik's gaze breaking away to far end of the room. "Not anymore."
"Did they do this to you?" Erik asked carefully.
Charles wasn't sure whom he was referring to. "No."
Erik glanced at the Doctor who was still watching them intently. "You'll have to forgive me, Charles. But I think that I've earned myself some answers now too."
"Of course, old friend. Anything," Charles said with an easier smile.
"If they didn't take you," Erik asked. "Where have you been for the past four years?"
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The Doctor stood up then, glancing towards the door as if hearing something. Without another word, he dashed outside, believing fully that his beloved TARDIS was disappearing without him. Charles hoped he wouldn't be too upset when he realized it wasn't true.
"Erik," Charles said quickly, coming to a decision. "I have something to confess, I'm afraid."
Erik was looking at him coolly, sitting very still across from him. The light from the sun was moving imperceptibly across the carpet. Now that Charles had Erik's attention, he wasn't sure how to begin. "I'm not the Charles that you knew."
The other man remained silent.
"I don’t know how to explain it exactly,” Charles went on, “This travelling that I’ve done...with the Doctor...Can you imagine what you would do if you were told that you could go anywhere? Anywhere in time?”
Erik didn’t reply, his gaze intent on Charles. Charles leaned forward a bit, dropping his voice just an octave. “What if you could go back and change something? One thing? Even if it meant that everything else that you knew would change?”
“What have you done, Charles?”
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