Eric x Charles

Not again

"I'm not doing it again!"

Erik looks up from his book with an interested sort of alarm. That's Alex's voice raised, shouting really, as he stomps down the corridor. There's no shortage of raised voices in the house, but usually the volume is due to teasing or merriment or the childish arguments than only housebound teenagers and children can come up with. There's anger in Alex's tone now, a barely contained frustration that has Erik simultaneously curious and wary.

"I'm sorry, Alex," Charles' voice echoes after him. "I honestly didn't expect--"

"I'm done!" Alex shouts and then, because Erik is not particularly lucky, he stomps into the library and slams the door behind him.

He looks as surprised to see Erik as Erik is to see him, though Erik hides his shock behind his detached facade while Alex prefers to gape openly.

"Sorry, Erik," he says. "I didn't realize you were in here."

"Clearly," Erik says. He's curious as to what the ruckus is about. He and Charles have had long discussions about Alex's abilities, his limits, and the best way to push him. Charles had insisted that his genial confidence was the way to go, cited all the progress made before Cuba, but Erik wasn't entirely convinced. This, perhaps, is the proof he needs to attempt his own training methods.

He doesn't want to ask, though, so he returns to his book and waits. He barely finishes another sentence before Alex sits down across from him and says, "It's just that the professor is crazy."

"Is he?" Erik asks, not looking up from his book.

"I mean, have you seen him behind the wheel of a car?"

"I--what?" It's not often that Erik is thrown for a loop, but he's finding it happens with increasing frequency now that he lives with six teenagers and three children. He blames the non-linear nature of their minds as well as Charles, because some days it's just easier to blame Charles for everything about his life now, bad and good.

"He's insane!" Alex says. "I think he must have mind-whammied the instructor to get his license in the first place. And he thinks he can teach me--"

"Charles is teaching you how to drive?" Erik asks. The pieces click into place, starting with a conversation over last night's dinner about who would be running into town to pick up groceries this week.

"Not if I have any say in it," Alex mutters. "Have you ever seen him drive?"

Erik has seen Charles drive, mostly on long, empty roads in the American midwest. His attention has the tendency to wander and he has trouble remembering to keep his eyes on the road. He's also a bit of a speed demon. Erik didn't mind it, but then, whenever Erik is in a car, he's ultimately the one with the most control over the vehicle. He can see how it would be a problem for a boy who doesn't know how to drive in the first place and has fairly alarming issues with control.

"I suppose it might seem a bit...." Erik searches for a word.

"Life-threatening? Dangerous? Horrifying?"

"Intense," Erik says, and Alex snorts.

"Whatever, man," he says. "I'll just have Sean or Raven or Darwin teach me."

"Who do you think taught Raven to drive, most likely?" Erik asks, and Alex visibly pales. Then, for reasons beyond Erik's comprehension, he says, "I can teach you."

He not the only one shocked by the offer, if the face Alex makes is anything to go by. He squints at Erik, as if he thinks it's a trick, but before he can ask any more questions, the door to the library swings open again.