Rumor Has It - CHERIK

chapter eight : conversations

"What, did you buy out the whole store?"

Sean glared at Raven as he dumped the heavy bag he was carrying on the kitchen table.

"Have you seen the children's aisle at the pharmacy? It's terrifying."

Raven snorted and sorted through the various boxes and bottles that Sean had acquired as he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

"Have you seen him?"

Raven looked up. "Since the lab? No."

"Pretty intense. What do you think the Professor did?"

"Talked him down from the ledge, I'd assume." She smiled. "He's good at that."

Three hours had passed since they were ordered from the lab as metal hummed around them. They caught a glimpse of Erik stalking down the hall and taking the stairs two at a time before they ventured back into the room to find Charles sitting exactly where Erik had been standing, staring at nothing in particular.

Raven had seen her brother rattled before, but never had she seen him look so lost. So alone.

As if Sean was reading her thoughts he suggested, "Maybe we should just lock them in a room together."

Raven laughed. "I think you picked the two worst people to attempt to lock in a room. Erik could turn the deadbolt with the flick of his wrist and Charles could order one of us to open it from the outside."

Sean blanched, as if he forgot just how powerful the two men in the house were. "Good point."

It wasn't an entirely preposterous idea, though. Charles and Erik needed to sit down and actually talk, but when one had habit of reading your thoughts and the other a penchant for storming out, the options were few and far between to say the least. She was wondering just how far their stubborn selves would take things when one of the men in question appeared at the door.

xxxxxx

"Raven, be a love and help me, will you?"

Raven's head whipped around to Charles where he sat with a chessboard in his lap.

"Where are you going with that?"

"To the west wing, where I believe we'll find Mr. Lehnsherr destroying a good portion of it."

The look shared between Raven and Sean did not unnoticed by him, but he kept out of their minds.

"Can I carry that for you?" she asked, gesturing to the game.

"Please."

Alex and Hank appeared in the doorway a moment later, freezing when they got there. The blonde looked around in confusion.

"Where's dinner?"

"Where's Danny?" Charles retorted.

"Sleeping. It was Sean's turn."

Sean snorted. "To what?"

"To cook."

"Was not!" he cried, his voice muffled from the cookie was stuffing in his mouth.