markedformore: (byronic: by avictoriangirl)
Erik Lehnsherr ([personal profile] markedformore) wrote2012-05-25 10:53 pm
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Four days in jail. It's not a hardship to Erik. In fact, the room is much better than his current one at Charles' home given the current state of the walls. He's whiled the time away by sitting against the wall and scratching lightly at the bandages on his arm, nudging an old coin along his knuckles before he does it again. He carves his thoughts into a singular minded path and the days pass with ease.

He has been in so many cages before. This is simply one more.

When the gates of this particular hell open on the fourth day, Erik gathers his things and steps past the bars, not expecting anyone to have come to greet him. Charles has visited, but Erik had requested that he be permitted to be released on his own. Clad in the simple white t-shirt and sweatpants he's been permitted, he feels like a lab rat who has now had all his tests completed. It's why, when he is standing outside of the prison, that he feels utter disappointment ravage him when he sees who has come to collect him.

"Billy," he greets evenly.
halfscarlet: (006)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-05-28 06:23 am (UTC)(link)
Billy isn't sure what to say.

Oh, sure, he could start with 'hey, how are you?' or maybe 'how was jail for the past four days?' but even with time to think about it since hearing that Erik had landed in jail, he's simply confused. Not surprised, because he knows there's probably a deep well of rage down there that Billy's barely seen a bit of, but he sees Erik this young as a chance to steer him down the right path.

Like knowing the future and being his grandson means Billy has some sort of duty to make sure Erik is okay. It would make sense to leave that sort of thing to Xavier, but they'd been friends once before and look how that turned out.

He shifts on his feet, uncertainty in his face as he looks up at Erik. "Hi."
halfscarlet: (052)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-05-29 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Voluntary," Billy answers. He sighs and lets his hands fall to his sides instead of standing with them across his chest in a stance he's seen in his mother way, way too many times. He frowns at the bandages on Erik's arms. "Are you okay?"
halfscarlet: (032)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-05-29 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
"That's so not why I'm here," Billy responds, and before he thinks about it, he continues, "I thought you weren't in the Boarding House anymore?"
halfscarlet: (025)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-01 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, I don't know," Billy says before he can help himself, "it might have something to do with you being family and that I might actually care about you."

Which is kind of strange to say out loud, but it's been so ever since his hesitance about Erik had been wiped away with that trip inside his head. Painful as it had been to experience, Billy didn't think anyone could walk away from that without caring for Erik even a little bit.

If only he didn't make it so difficult.
halfscarlet: (052)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-04 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
If family was all about keeping each other safe because telling them something would hurt them, then--

--well, okay, Billy would be guilty of it, but still. It kind of sucks to be thought of someone that needs to be shielded from something. It's not like there's much Erik can do that will shock him. Personally, now, maybe. Intellectually, he knows the sorts of things Erik can be capable of if he keeps going down the wrong track.

"I believe you made a mistake and you've paid for it, but...you can't decide what you want or don't want me to know because you think it'll be better for me."
halfscarlet: (003)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-12 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Not if your family can take care of themselves," Billy points out, but he takes Erik's answer for proof that he has at least gotten through to him. However little that may be.

He's more interested in the bandages, however, and refuses to come up with any host of reasons for them being there until Erik explains.
halfscarlet: (024)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-12 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
Billy isn't exactly sure what he'd expected when the bandages came off, but the sight of the wounds make his stomach churn. He knows what wrist restraint wounds look like, had lived with them long enough to magically heal them away, but he still hasn't forgotten what they'd looked like.

He shifts forward, bringing a hand up to hover over Erik's arm. His voice is hushed, but tense and full of worry -- and anger. "What happened?"
halfscarlet: (065)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-12 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Billy lets his arms drop to his sides, as he takes it in. He's had a glimpse of the sort of pain Erik's been through, and he knows from personal experience that being confronted with something like that is just another one of the island's M.O.'s. That doesn't make it any easier to take.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, unsure whether that's the right thing to say, but he is. "Did you at least tell someone else? Like Xavier?"
halfscarlet: (007)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-14 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
That isn't really the point; Billy just wants to know that Erik's told someone about it, and Xavier just seems the logical person, considering how close they are.

"I just meant..." Billy sighs and shifts his weight, aware how silly he's going to sound. "You don't have to keep things from everyone. And I know you don't want to tell me everything, but..." He trails off and shrugs, not sure where he'd been going with that train of thought.

"You can tell me stuff."
halfscarlet: (023)

[personal profile] halfscarlet 2012-06-19 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm going to worry no matter what," Billy says, which is the basic point he's trying to get at. He lifts his chin and gives Erik a shrug. "So you should probably tell me stuff in the future just so I know what I'm worrying about."

Not that the line ever worked on any other adult Billy tried to get to see him as something other than a kid that needed protecting, but it's always worth a try.