(no subject)

[markedformore]

With Charles' current rate of progress on the house, Erik begins to realize that he will be living in a new home within a matter of weeks. It will be a strange return to the status quo -- sharing rooms amidst those that he trusts the most, but without the addition of their abilities or the need to train. When all is stripped away, Erik finds that all he wishes for is to be surrounded by those he loves and cherishes.

This, of course, brings him to a difficult situation. He knows that Billy and Teddy know little of him -- perhaps they know of Magneto, but not of Erik Lehnsherr -- but he will not forgive himself if he does not at least offer a new living scenario. He's going to build up to it, however, and has made sure to linger where Teddy will be. Perhaps this will soften the disappointment of a rejection, if it does not come directly from Billy.

Comments

[wasafreak]

"Billy knows everything about me," Teddy replies, a smile flickering over his mouth, but not finding purchase enough to last.

"He was there, when my mom was killed. He tried to save her."

[markedformore]

For a moment, Erik encounters a brief and sharp pang of jealousy that Teddy had someone there with him, but that doesn't dull the trauma of the encounter. Perhaps it even makes it worse. "Does it help?" he asks, unable to look up. In order to ask this question, he must avoid all eye contact. "Does having someone who loves you unconditionally help abate the grief?"

[wasafreak]

It's a hell of a question, and he hesitates.

"I don't know. Yes, in some ways. He's always there, and I know he'll always be there, so it... There's still a, a hole, I guess, where my mom used to be, and nothing can."

He has to stop for a moment, unprepared for how hard it is to put into words, for the way his throat closes up. He clears it, and casually swipes at the tip of his nose, the shoved his hair off his forehead a little.

"Having Billy makes everything better," he says, "and that includes dealing with that kind of... grief."

[markedformore]

"Then I'm glad that you have Billy in your life to help you," is Erik's reply, the jealousy flaring up again -- louder, this time, perhaps because he knows he will never have that given the fact that he is certain he would never deserve it. "I take it this means you two will be remaining in your own home, then?"

[wasafreak]

"Well, we don't... talk about it," Teddy says, "I don't talk about it. It's just... knowing that we're there, I guess."

He shoved his hands in his pockets, pressing his lips into a firm line for a moment.

"I can't say a hundred percent because it's not just my decision, but. We had kind of... a few rough months, and we're settling into living together without anyone else around- his parents and his brothers, and- Probably. We'll... probably stay."

[markedformore]

"I understand." He does, too. If he had found some kind of stability on that level, he would put down roots and urge them as deep as they could possibly go. "You'll revisit the idea if anything changes, though?" He leaves unspoken the fact that Erik's door will always be available to them -- to family.