Time After Time || Charles Xavier

Chapter Six

~*~

It was most definitely not a quick word from the officials like Moira said it would be. She, Erik, and Charles have been waiting in the meeting room for an hour now, and the metal chair is already starting to hurt her back. Slouching is a relief, a little uncomfortable for her neck, but it's much better than the position she'd been sitting in earlier. Her eyes slowly start to droop as she listens to the two men talk.

You alright, my dear? Charles's voice startles her out of her dream state. She glances around, looking for him, and finds him sitting across from Erik on the other side of the table. Charles is leaning against his elbow, deep in concentration.

Are you two really playing chess? She stifles a laugh at their intense glares at the chessboard in between them.

We got bored, Charles admits. Erik saw you were nodding off. Didn't want you to embarrass yourself in front of the officials. But in reality, I think he's just trying to distract me.

"That's really sweet of you, Erik, thank you," she smiles.

"I only said something because you looked ridiculous," Erik doesn't even look up from the chessboard, full on concentrated on the game in front of him.

"Careful, or else I might think you actually like me," she snickers as she adjusts to a more comfortable position on her chair that's not attacking her neck. Her muscles are stiff as she stretches out her arms.

"I tolerate you, there's a difference," Erik waves a dismissive hand over at her, and this time, she does laugh. "Can you check if Charles is cheating? I don't fully trust him when we play."

Are you cheating?

I'm not, Charles confirms.

"He says he's not," she says. "But he probably is."

"I figured."

Charles turns to glare at her, and she cheekily waves, and smiles sweetly in his direction.

I think he was more annoyed by your snoring.

I was snoring?

Only a little.

Joking aside, I really haven't slept at all since I got here.

Still paranoid about the cameras?

Yeah, a little. Her eyes dart up to the corners of the room. There were no visible cameras watching them, but she still couldn't shake the unease.

There might be cameras in this room since it's where they have their meetings, Charles admits. But I don't think they would have any in the guest rooms.