Though he doesn't avoid eye contact—he holds it readily, in fact, during his arrival and initial silence—Erik doesn't make it any easier to achieve. He looks tired. A little bloodshot, even. A walk was exactly what he had in mind, though, so he nods in acquiescence and turns to begin it, keeping to his usual familiar distance (which is to say, not terribly distant at all).

It does take a while, but if Charles is willing to endure some dead air, with only their footsteps and the city's ambience to fill the silence, it will pay off.

"What did they tell you?"

...Not the easiest question, by any means, but he's not quite ready to spill his own guts.