☭ POST WORLD WAR II, the world was a confusing place. Between the United States and Russia, the threat of nuclear war plagued the minds of everyone. The former allies fought with shady, backhanded trade agreements, showing off which nation had...
✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*chapter twenty — my child, no matter what; 2441 words ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
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[ 1974 ]
ANASTASIA BRUSHED THE LAST OF THE DUST OFF FROM HER HANDS. Many of the books in Charles' library had been untouched, leaving it vulnerable to a thick layer of dust that coated much of the spine. Anastasia had removed each of the books one by one, cleaned them, and then shelved them using the Dewey Decimal system. Behind her, the door opened, Charles wheeling through.
"Anastasia," he greeted, stopping by the table with the chess board. "I was hoping we could talk."
Anastasia grabbed a book off from the pile next to her and carefully placed it on the shelf in front of her. "I already told you, Erik is off in Poland. I made sure that as long as he didn't tell anyone or show off his powers, no one will recognize him."
Charles nodded. "I remember. I also remember saying that it was a good idea considering it would keep him from hurting anyone. You're clever like that, Ana. No, this is about Theo."
Anastasia froze, one of the books falling from her grasp. "What about him?" she asked, bending down to pick up the book.
Looking at her knowingly, Charles sighed. "Something is wrong with Theo."
This part was true. For the past couple months, Anastasia had noticed a change in her child's behavior. After the events in Washington D.C., Anastasia returned back home to a child that despised his own father. The kid had always known who his dad was, and wanted to meet him properly — the two had a brief encounter in France before Anastasia intervened — but now he wanted nothing to do with Erik. He had a strong distaste for his biological roots, and wanted to put enough distance between them as possible. He didn't even want Anastasia to bring him up in conversations when he was in the room. And any book he read where the father played a major influence on the child, he promptly tossed him.
But that's not what Charles was talking about. Not in this moment. As Charles brought more and more kids to the school, Theodore grew more and more distant from everyone. He cowered in his room, choosing to read during his free time rather than go out with the kids his age. At first, Anastasia brushed it off as social anxiety. He spent the majority of his childhood with his mom and uncle. Other kids were always absent from his life. Theodore had also grown distant with Anastasia.
"He's just a kid," Anastasia said, brushing off Charles' worry.
The telepath tilted his head at her, giving her a look she could not decipher. "You know it's more than that."
Anastasia sighed. Waving her hand, the remaining books floated through the air with support from her psionics and placed themselves properly on the shelves. She walked passed Charles and threw herself face first onto the couch, groaning into the cushion.
