time eternal.

eight.

. chapter eight

Landing in Paris was almost surreal for August. She always dreamt of going there, but saving Mystique wasn't how she planned her visit.

Mystique was once known as Raven. August remembers referring to her as such, but then she changed. After Erik left, she turned into a brick wall, always glaring at August when the name Raven slipped out.

Charles seemed neutral, but August could tell that he was holding back many emotions. It was all in his eyes. They were tired, but somehow August could spot everything other than the sluggishness. The way his hands twitched and how he gripped his thighs, the way he glanced around him frantically, the way his lips formed as he spoke. August seemed to know all of his little habits.

"What are you thinking about?"

August didn't need to look over at the owner of the voice to know who was speaking to her. Erik fell into step with her, letting Charles and Logan take up the front and Hank the near rear.

"Him," she replied, no hesitation that stopped her from saying the simple word.

"He's not the same as before," Erik pointed out, stuffing his hands into his burgundy pants.

"Perhaps not," she shrugged. "That doesn't mean anything to me."

"Why not?" Erik retaliated, his anger getting the best of him. "He's a drunk! And completely incapable of doing anything due to his misery."

"Misery that you caused, Erik," August snapped, glaring at the taller man. "I know that you've hurt him deeply, so you have no right to pin Charles up like he's some pathetic-"

Upon the silence, August stopped herself from continuing and looked around her, finding the group staring at her.

August looked over to Charles, who's face was a mixture of shock and admiration, almost affectionate. She didn't feel uncomfortable under the unfamiliar gaze, instead she rather loved it. There was a tug in the pit of her stomach telling her that this was right.

She turned back to Erik and said, "Cuba. You fought against Sebastian Shaw, and you killed him. You paralyzed Charles. You took his sister away from him, you left him alone."

"I was protecting us, the next race of human, the mutants," Erik defended.

"And in doing so, you forgot what truly mattered," August sighed, disappointed in him. "You forgot to be the better man, to have mercy on those people, and to help and support Charles when he lost his legs."

"H-how do you know all of this?"

August looked over at Hank. "I did some research during my hunt for Charles. I don't know much."

"But that wasn't ever recorded, it was confidential," Charles argued. "And the bit about my legs, how-?"

"You said it on the plane," August interrupted. "The medicine you take for your legs. I pay attention to a lot of context clues, and I have a lot of common sense, apparently."

Charles cracked a smile, thinking back momentarily to the time where they first met back in the music shop.

"I do know that you are both mutants. Erik sort of gave that away, and what mutant would want any association with a human? Hence the reason I have in believing that you, too, Professor, are mutant. With that covered, I can't really see why you two would be casually strolling into a record store because you have a liking for The Temptations, so that leaves me to believe you're here for me." she finished. "Oh! Or the owner, but he doesn't look like someone that would do top secret work aside from watching the television all day instead of doing his job."