Brainwaves - Charles Xavier

s e v e n

"This is yours?" Sean questioned in disbelief, staring at the massive house in front of them. "No, it's ours" Charles smiled. Evelyn smiled as she looked around the house, it was easily the biggest one she'd ever seen.

"If there's not at least one library in there, I will put water damage inside every single wall in the places that no one can reach" Evelyn looked at Charles, who grinned at her.

"Honestly Charles, I don't know how you survived. Living in such hardship" Erik teased, a smirk on his face. Charles rolled his eyes at the man, a smile on his lips. "Well, it was a hardship softened by me" Raven cut between the two, lacing her fingers with her brother's.

The telepath pressed a kiss to the side of her head and Evelyn couldn't help but smile. The group made their way inside for a tour and Evelyn didn't make it two steps before she saw the exact room she was going to spend the rest of her life in.

Everything around her went quiet as she walked away from the group towards the room, a permanent smile on her face as she saw the walls lined with bookshelves. She ran her fingers along the spines of the books as she walked, not noticing a certain professor watching her from the doorway.

"Hopefully there will be something more interesting than The Engineering and Manufacturing of Rifles" Charles smiled as he slowly walked into the room. Evelyn jumped slightly and turned to him, turning a shade of pink.

"Have you read all of these?" she asked in awe. "Oh god no, not even close" he chuckled. "You are welcome in here at any time" Charles smiled and she looked at him with wide eyes. "Wait, seriously?" she asked. "Yes, of course. Any book is available for you to read" Charles grinned. "Thank you. I've never had this many books before" she smiled, tears in her eyes.

It was that moment that Charles realised exactly the kind of person Evelyn Miller was. Tough on the outside, soft on this inside. She looked like she could take down the world on her own but really, she just wants to curl up in an armchair with a blanket and read a good book.

"Raven will be annoyed that you're missing the tour" he motioned with his head and Evelyn nodded, dropping her hand from the books and placing them in her pockets. She walked in line with Charles, glancing at him occasionally. "Something on your mind?" he asked with an amused smile and she quickly looked away, her cheeks going bright red.

"No, nothing" she shook her head and Charles chuckled softly. "I could just read your mind" Charles teased. "Please don't!" she said rather quickly and he raised an eyebrow.

"Uh...was it just you and Raven?" Evelyn changed the subject and Charles just looked at her. "My father died when I was young and my mother never even looked at me. I was raised by a maid" Charles said sadly. "I'm sorry, that can't have been easy" Evelyn spoke softly. "As Raven said, it was a hardship softened by her" Charles sighed.

"What about you?" he asked. "Uh, only child. My mother died in childbirth, my dad died when I was fifteen and my stepmother was...unkind" Evelyn replied simply, her voice void of emotion. "I'm sorry for your loss" Charles said softly, his eyes on her.

"It's alright. I've had fifteen years to deal with it" she shrugged, a reassuring smile on her face. "Fif...you're thirty?" Charles did a double-take. "How old did you think I was?" she chuckled. "I'm not sure. Maybe twenty-three" he said.

"I wish I was twenty-three. My knees didn't hurt" Evelyn joked and Charles laughed. "I understand your pain" he agreed as they walked up the stairs. "What was your 'code name', as Raven put it?" Charles asked after a moment. Evelyn just raised her eyebrows as she smiled at him.

"Tidal" she admitted and Charles hummed softly. "It suits you" he nodded. "Well, Professor X, let's find your sister, shall we?" Evelyn teased. "Oh god, you're going to call me that constantly, aren't you?" he groaned softly.

"Only if you want me to" she winked and Charles' eyes went wide as his face went pink. "Evelyn, there you are! Come on!" Raven ran up to the woman and pulled her away, leaving Charles standing there in shock.