Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

[brokenoptimism]

Charles stared up at the once welcoming silhouette of the Mansion apprehensively. It had been so many long and harrowing months since he had been here before it, and he was surprised to see it still in tact. He had rather thought the CIA would have destroyed it

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[kpcalmntelepath]

No operatives here, only Charles. The children had gone out for the evening, in secret...Or what they thought was. Most of the had projected so loudly, he almost said something, but decided a quiet evening in the study would be just the thing to clear his head.

As soon as he curled his pale fingers around the door handle, Charles turned towards the vague direction of the front door. Narrowing those baby blues, he shot a telepathic stream to figure out who it was. It certainly did not feel like Erik, or any of the children, so who?

Even though he was worried as to the identity of the intruder, who seemed very familiar with the layout of the mansion, Charles decided to enter the study none the less, and made himself vaguely comfortable in his favorite armchair, eyes fixed on the door. The route this person was taking would bring them to the study soon.

[brokenoptimism]

Charles had intended to make this trip simple and quick. He froze, hand still on the door handle as worn blue eyes fell on a pair of crystal blue twins. Confusion flashed briefly as his brows knit together, his walls flashing up even stronger than before.

This was a trick. It had to be a trick. His expression set into a frown as he debated his options. He would make himself vulnerable trying to reach this look-a-like's mind if it was some form of trick. Then another possibility occurred to him that had his eyes widening slightly.

"Raven?"

[kpcalmntelepath]

A few emotions flickered across Charles' face as he watched with great scrutiny what appeared to be his identical twin. Brows furrowed, he tilted his head ever so slightly, weighing out the options before forcing his own mental walls to reinforce.

Setting his expression to his usual easy smile, Charles shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Though I was about to ask you the very same question." His voice echoed through the space between them. For some reason, he couldn't force himself into an assertive or aggressive position. Perhaps it was the shock of staring at himself, or perhaps it was something more subconscious. Whatever it was, Charles remained in his chair, legs crossed one over the other, hands steepled at the finger tips as he studied the form in front of him.

[brokenoptimism]

Wariness and learned caution remained at the back of Charles' mind as he made his way forward, slowly. He was watching the image of himself with a mixture of fascination and disbelief that were only barely veiled in his expression. It was like looking at a photograph of his past.

"What are you doing here." His voice mirrored the others almost perfectly, though his held a quality of weariness to it. He was still reluctant to reach out mentally, even as he drew nearer to the illusion? projection? perhaps they had drugged him again? other man. "Who are you?"

Had he shown his hand too soon in mentioning Raven? Of course it was not her. He would have sense her if it had been. She could fool the eyes but not his mind. How strong had Emma's abilities been? Surely not enough to produce an illusion of this quality while he had his mind blocked.

[kpcalmntelepath]

Charles gestured the stranger(?) to sit, all the while smiling that calming smile of his. Hopefully they can settle this like adults.

His eyebrows shot up slightly at the questions, and before he could help it, a soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Well, I live here. I even grew up here, some years ago." His tone was light, though through the set of his shoulders, Charles was anything but joking right now. As he spoke, every word was calculated and every gesture a practiced ease, hiding his cautiousness behind pleasantries.

"And my name is Charles Xavier, how do you do?" Still as pleasant as ever. "May I ask what you are doing here, and who you might be?" Crossed legs uncross then cross the other way. The only sign of fidgeting he has given off.

[brokenoptimism]

Xavier's eyes scanned the familiar chair with a frown, the pleasantries forgone in favor of caution and suspicion. He did not sit, though he did move around behind the chair, resting his arms against the back of it. He fixed Charles with a serious and calculating stare

[kpcalmntelepath]

"I assure you, my friend, that I am neither an illusion nor a trick of the mind." His smile faltered ever so slightly, "Though perhaps it is I who is finally gone mad?" This was wondered aloud more to himself than..his..other self

[brokenoptimism]

The reactions from his other self drew the smallest quirk of a smile to his lips. The expression grew into a soft chuckle as his strange double spoke the ponderings of his own mind. If the other man was another telepath besides himself, powerful enough to see past his walls, then there was no point in keeping them up, was there?

"It would be a rather curious experiment, don't you think? Perhaps we aught to put it to the test...?" He was reluctant to truly remove his barriers, but at this point he had little to lose. He let the blocks around his mind slowly lessen and disappear, eyes fixed on the twin pair across from him.

"Some would agree with you quite firmly, on the science fictional nature of our own abilities." He tapped his temple softly, a faint shadow of that teasing grin on his lips.

"Very well. I suppose there is not much more for me to lose by doing so."

[kpcalmntelepath]

Charles stared in amazement at the man before him before closing his eyes and lowering his own walls. Opening those pale blues, the telepath smiled brightly, licking his bottom lip in a vague action of concentration

[brokenoptimism]

For his own part, Xavier locked onto the emotions behind Charles thought as much as the similarities in their organizations. It was as though he were revisiting an old friend, welcoming him back with warm and open arms. So much hope still, in spite of everything they had both been through in their younger years, it was the remains of that optimism that had been stripped from him that left him staggered when he pulled away. Had he really been so naive positive of the future he planned to help shape

[kpcalmntelepath]

"Quite." He breathed, licking his lips once again, bringing the sheen back to those red hues. He was actually slightly surprised by the utter organization of thoughts within the other's mind.

"I never figured a telepathic mind to be so organized, though it makes sense. We always try to distinguish our thoughts from others'." Charles ran his hand through his hair before motioning once again to the chair, "Please sit...Charles." It wasn't that it was his name that made him pause, it was that he was addressing himself.

"Thankfully, the children are out right now, otherwise we may have a lot of explaining to do." His teeth worried the already red bottom lip into scarlet.

Pausing slightly, he let out a huff, "I'm sorry, how rude of me. Tea?" The professor raised his eyebrows in query.

[brokenoptimism]

"Tea would be lovely." How strange to view his quirks from an outsider's perspective. Xavier barely registered Charles' words more than to respond. His eyes were focused with such intensity on his doubles every move and action. The trace of his tongue over his lips as he put together thoughts. The worry of scarlet lips as a troubling notion crossed his brilliant mind. The still tangible ebb and flow of thoughts within thoughts that he could just brush against with barely an effort. It was marvelous.

"It is refreshing to be able to navigate them without the chaos and shouting inherent in the minds of others. Even Emma Frost's thoughts, though sharp and precise, were no where near as easily navigable as our own, though perhaps intentionally. His tongue brushed over his own lips again and the action drew a soft laugh as he realized what he was doing.

Slowly he moved around from the back of the chair, though he still made no move to sit. Sitting put him at a vulnerability he did not feel comfortable with just now.

[kpcalmntelepath]

Shifting and leaning forward in his chair, Charles went about preparing his double a nice cuppa, made just right by delicate hands with much practice. Otherwise what sort of gentleman would he be? Setting the cup aside to let the leaves seep for about two minutes and 38 seconds, the young Xavier sat back, regarding what the man across from him said.

"Miss Frost's mind was entirely too reflective and bright with a cold light for my liking." He chuckled before glancing at the tea then back to the Charles in front of him.

"...What happened?" He hadn't pried when he entered his twin's mind, but the general slight disorder of it made him speculate something was amiss. The cautious set of those baby blues, identical to his in nearly every way, as he regarded the suspicious double in front of him had somewhat startled Charles and he wanted, needed, to know more.

[brokenoptimism]

A softly bitter smile graced Xavier's lips as he watched the tea, rather than his twin. It was hard to face the brightness of his past optimism without some twinge of - what was it? Remorse? Regret? Pity? No. Just a different point in his life. An earlier point, perhaps, less wise to the world, but still him.

"A rude awakening to the way the world truly is." He glanced around the mansion somewhat grimly. "One I fear you are not far from learning yourself." Perhaps he had hit his head and this was all just his minds way of reconciling with his past. It did not feel like a dream. The thoughts and feelings too vividly singular from his own mind to be the creation of a dream.

"Sometimes the world does not quite live up to our hopes, my friend..."

[kpcalmntelepath]

Charles watched his twin for a moment before taking a small sip of his tea. Setting the cup and saucer down on the small coffee table, he leaned forward in the chair.

A long pause, pregnant with the tension of the younger telepath, finally dissolved with same said telepath's sigh. Straightening his back, he picked the cup up once again, simply holding the delicate china in his equally delicate fingers.

"...I...Am starting to slowly learn this myself." He offered a small smile, "Though I'm sure my hardships at the moment are none to what you must have faced." The young professor was sincere in every action, word and thought, though the latter was closely guarded still, letting through only surface thoughts and feelings.

[brokenoptimism]

Xavier's thoughts were equally guarded. A general sense of sorrow and regret shielded them thickly, swirling through and around his mind like a fog.

"I am sorry to say I agree... You will have to face many more yet." He wanted badly to lie to himself. To tell him everything would work out exactly as their optimistic minds had hoped for. He had lied to himself for far too long before this. Doing so now seemed, well, pointless.

"Let us find a different topic to discuss, perhaps?" He brought the cup to his lips slowly, taking a long drink of the warm liquid and letting it seep through him.