High on Misery

[notbuiltforthis]

Who: notbuiltforthis, ironfail, and arethebettermen
What: The rest of the mansion is empty, and Colette has disappeared as well. Drinks to console the pain.
Where: The Avengers Mansion in the room with all the really comfortable chairs that Pepper loves
When: Sunday Evening
Rating: PG-13 because drinking and probably language and things

Comments

[arethebettermen]

[ Charles hasn't been around much as of late. His attention has been on setting up the school and getting the new X-Men team set up. The day that most of the Avengers left Aliunde was noticeable, simply because their thoughts weren't roaming around in his mind (not that Loki's thoughts ever did). Though the disappearance that is eating at him the most was still Colette. While he hadn't let her close, he still saw her as a good friend. Colette was the only one besides Raven from his time period. Having her leave upset him more than he even thought it would.

He receives Pepper's text and heads to the sitting room. He's decided to walk this time, even though his legs are aching because of it. He's been sitting in the wheelchair too much lately and not stretching his legs enough. He pauses in the hallway, leaning against the wall to wince and wait for most the ache to subside before entering the sitting room. ]

Is everything alright, Virgina? [ Yes, he can read minds. But it is still proper to ask. ]

[notbuiltforthis]

[What a difficult question.

In some ways Pepper was certain that some things were as good as they were likely to get. Tony was doing better than he had in years. He had friends, projects that didn't involve poisoning himself or patrolling the world...

But suddenly some of the friends he had made - friends they had both come to depend on - were gone. It had been more than a week. They apparently weren't coming back anytime soon. She hoped Tony didn't feel as if there was some reason he wasn't taken home.

And Charles had been throwing himself into the school with an abandon she recognized as attempting to forget. She could recognize that when she saw it, she'd had far too much practice over the years. He'd seemed more nervous since the arrival of his sister, and that made her worry about him just as much as Colette's disappearance.

She knew he would probably understand all of that, but she only gestures towards a nearby chair.]

I thought you could use an evening away from administrative work, Charles.

[arethebettermen]

I probably could.

[ He sat in the chair that she gestured to and made himself comfortable. There is a glance spared at the alcoholic beverage of a companion she has with her already. In a moment he can understand what's bothering Pepper. She was gracious enough to let him read her mind, but he never stepped more into her mind than the surface thoughts. It was a matter of trust. It was kind enough of her to let him hear her thoughts, and he did not want to step that boundary. His time with Erik and the other mutants had taught him how to respect the privacy of those who trusted him.

Charles leaned forward in the chair. It was more comfortable than crossing his legs. ]

I can tell that you are worried.

[notbuiltforthis]

I didn't ask you to come for me.

[Which is as much of an admission that yes, she is worried as she'll allow herself at the moment.

She scoots forward to pour some of the brandy into a glass for herself, pausing to glance at Charles before filling the second. It's pushed closer to him before she settles back into her chair, leaving the third glass untouched for now.]

How are you?