Come Home (Cherik fanfiction)

Chapter Sixteen

Charles

Raven was as enthusiastic about Charles being out of the room and being able to use his telepathy as she was wary about it. He hadn't really expected that, what with her new confidence. Feeling her bubbling excitement simmer under the blank wall she usually kept up around him, he started asking questions right away. About the house, about her life, about literally anything but the room and Erik.

The missions were good. She oculdn't tell him much about them, really, though, because she didn't know what was off limits and what wasn't. She didn't get to thoroughly detail all the violence she had been partaking in, and he wanted to reprimand her, but she looked so happy at her accomplishments, he just didn't have the heart to.

Emma made her happy. Raven didn't share too much information on that either because Charles was her brother, not a random friend. He didn't want to be scarred for life. But she did inform him that she was happy and that they were serious. Emma loved her skin and adored her while Raven cherished Emma, and while it was all sweet enough to give Charles cavities, he was very happy for his sister.

It was when they were headed towards the kitchen from the other end of the house that it got tense and it was obvious they were avoiding the subject.

Are you going to stop avoiding it now? Raven sent him tentatively. He could tell she was both glad she could do this with her brother again, but also fearful it would be taken away from her.

He sent waves of reassurance before he spoke.

"Would you like to stop avoiding it?" he countered, twisting around a little to catch her eye. "You'd know better than I would why I was able to push through the alloy."

She sighed. "It's . . . . you cannot tell Erik I told you this . . . But the alloy's temporary. It's supposed to be, anyways."

Charles raised an eyebrow, deciding to speak his direct thoughts this time. "Why would I be put in a temporary holding room if Erik didn't trust me to brainwash the rest of you?"

He could hear Raven's cheekiness. "Oh, Charles, if only you weren't so naive . . ."

Charles pursed his lips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," she started, taking a turn at the final end of the corridor. "If you would maybe squint, you could see that you are the only one that Erik trusts. Since I've been with him, he has hardly said a kind word. Not that he's been cruel," she rushed, knowing that if she let his mind wander too far, she would get blamed for the fight that would ensue. "But he doesn't talk like he used to. He doesn't really use adjectives. You left, and suddenly, the world was black and white; no room for grey areas."

Charles blushed, sinking back in his chair a little bit. He didn't know he could mean so much to a person.

Of course he and Raven were close, but half of the memories he had given her were false, and the other half he had pulled from a hidden place in her mind and simply bled himself into it. And she didn't even know that, so the devotion was almost false on her part.

And he hated that.

With the children, he could see where they might be grateful or look up to him, but he knew that one day they would move on in the world and forget him.

But Erik . . . What had he done for Erik? Surely he wasn't the man's only friend, especially now? Gratitude being paid for saving his life? Hardly. And Charles didn't even think of that anymore.

So much had changed since then . . .

He had done nothing for Erik, really, except what his character was entitled to.