Decay - The Matter Maelstrom

Five || Crushes

"So you were being mind controlled the entire time for more than twenty years?" Erik asks as he sits on the couch in front of me, he let us in and made us sit on the couch and chairs in the living room.

"As crazy as it sounds, yes." I say with a nod.

"And what do you want from me?" He turns to Charles, "I don't fight anymore, I'm trying to live life like humans do, like you suggested me to do, Charles."

"We need your helmet, even just a small part of it will be enough." Charles explains, "We need it so we can block Echo out of Lauren's mind."

"You want me to give you my helmet? You think I will do that?" Erik arches a brow.

"Just a small piece of it will be fine." Hank says, "We won't bother you after that."

"Please, Erik." Charles adds.

Erik looks at me then holds up his hand and the helmet flyes into his hand.

I desperetely try to hold back a laugh when I see it.

"Do you put it on when you have to fight Athens, King Leonidas?" I can't help the joke.

"I will not give it to you." He simply says, glaring at me.

"Calm down Achilles, I'm sorry." I roll my eyes at him and lean back against the couch.

"Hm." Erik says before making the helmet float over his left hand, using the other to take out a small piece of metal from it, "Is this enough?" He asks Hank.

"Yes." The man nods and Erik hands the piece of metal to him.

"Do you need anything else?" He asks.

"I do." I say as I look up at him, "I need to talk to you, in private."

Erik sighs and I have the feeling that he doesn't really like me, wonder why.

"Follow me outside." He stands up and I follow him, "So?" He asks once we're outside.

"You killed a lot of people..." He tilts his head to the side, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Are you judging me?"

"I am the last person who can judge you." I shake my head, "What I mean is...You killed a lot of people, less than me, but you did...Doesn't that keep you awake at night? Don't you feel guilty?"

Erik looks into my eyes and I see the hint of a smile on his face, "I do feel a little guilty and some of the people I killed come back in my sleep but me and you, we're different."

"What do you mean?"

"I killed because I wanted to, it was my choice, you however, killed because you were forced to." He explains, "It isn't the same thing, have you ever killed someone without being forced to?"

"I...I don't know..." I say as I look down at my hands, then I remember the healer I killed when I was running away, "Yes, I did, I killed a man without being forced to."

"And does he come back in your nightmares?" I shake my head, "It's because you choose to kill him, you knew what was going to happen and subconsciously knew the effects it will have on you, you accepted it."

"But I still killed a man." I insist.

"Listen, I'm not a psychologist, I don't know how your mind works, I barely know my own mind." He takes a deep breath and looks at me, "I spent my whole life living in anger, now I have a woman I love and she's pregnant, this isn't the life I'm used to but I discovered that I like it, maybe you should try it."

"I don't think I'm the family type." I whisper, even though the idea of having a family of my own has crossed my mind a few times.

"Trust me, I didn't think I was either." He shakes his head and gestures to come back inside, "One last thing...Charles is too good for his own good, don't break his heart."