In the dark of the sun room, Charles lies perfectly still with his eyes shut when he hears the door unlock, followed by Erik's familiar footfall. The door is (mostly) closed. He can lie here and pretend he's asleep. He can lie here and wait until morning.
It doesn't work. He can feel Erik's emotions resonating from the next room, and, tentatively, he searches for a glimpse of forethoughts. Any attempts to put this off are promptly abandoned. He can't leave him like this—
That's a familiar thought. Russia is a million miles away, now. And he idly wonders if that's what life will always be like, a constant state of not being able to leave Erik Lehnsherr to his own devices, for fear of what he could do to others and himself.
No, it's not like that, Erik isn't a project, and the inability to leave him alone is, is.
Too many thoughts. It's not like he'll be sleeping with this hanging over his head, anyway.
And so, Charles swings his legs over and sits there for a moment, trying to compose himself for whatever might come next. No, that's not happening either. All he can manage is a quick rub of his face to shake this tiredness, before making his way quietly out of the room. Slowly, he pads along the corridor in his bare feet before pausing to knock at the bedroom door.
no subject
It doesn't work. He can feel Erik's emotions resonating from the next room, and, tentatively, he searches for a glimpse of forethoughts. Any attempts to put this off are promptly abandoned. He can't leave him like this—
That's a familiar thought. Russia is a million miles away, now. And he idly wonders if that's what life will always be like, a constant state of not being able to leave Erik Lehnsherr to his own devices, for fear of what he could do to others and himself.
No, it's not like that, Erik isn't a project, and the inability to leave him alone is, is.
Too many thoughts. It's not like he'll be sleeping with this hanging over his head, anyway.
And so, Charles swings his legs over and sits there for a moment, trying to compose himself for whatever might come next. No, that's not happening either. All he can manage is a quick rub of his face to shake this tiredness, before making his way quietly out of the room. Slowly, he pads along the corridor in his bare feet before pausing to knock at the bedroom door.
"Erik?" It's audible, but not particularly loud.