fade away.

six.

. chapter six

"You can't leave."

August grunted, her arms working feverishly to pack her belongings into a bag. Her dark bangs fell in front of her face, tickling her nose and getting into her emerald eyes.

"Someone has to show the Professor that not everyone in his life can stay put," she grumbled.

Erik's hand took hold of August's shoulder, stopping her from working any further. His misty eyes held sincerity, but his expression was its usual coldness.

"You don't need to be that person, August," he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper.

"You know, I'm starting to question why you're here."

She shrugged Erik's hand off her shoulder, going over towards her bedside to retrieve her journal.

"What do you mean by that?"

August huffed, throwing the book on top of the bed before turning to Erik. "It's not possible for someone to care so much for another after just knowing each other for less than a day! So why is it that you and Professor insist upon my staying? I'm just holding you back from whatever the hell it is you're doing anyway, so just let me leave."

"You're not holding us back, August," Erik protested. "Charles wants you here because you're intriguing, and he just wants to help. Knowing your past, all he wants for you is something good for once."

August stared at him, bewildered by the words that came from his mouth. "He's told you?"

Realizing his mistake, Erik winced. "He may have mentioned some details."

His attempt at covering himself up failed. August saw right through him. She was angry at Charles now. She never thought it was possible for such an emotion to grow so strong. But that's what she felt: a burning hatred. That's classified information, how dare he share it with Erik?

As much as August wanted to forget, the memories clung to her and tortured her thoughts. She doesn't want to be plagued by such hauntings anymore; what's a sufficient way to rid of them?

August sighed. "He sent you here to make me see reason, didn't he?"

Erik approached the topic with caution, knowing that he trudged on dangerous waters. "He just wants to help you. He wants you to be around people that understand when your mutation surfaces. That's all, August, I swear. You don't want to leave, trust me."

August gripped onto a scarf from her bag, her knuckles turning white from squeezing so hard.

There was a knock on the door, stopping August from surmounting to Erik's pleas to stay. She had a feeling that it was the one person she really wished would disappear, so she barely moved a muscle when he knocked again.

Erik sighed, "come in, Charles."

Charles traipsed into the room, and almost immediately, August felt the little sensation in her mind just like every time he was inside her head.

"Get out."

"You know I can't, August."

August spun around, glaring at him. "I think you're lying to me, Professor. Now, get out of my head."

"I do not see how I could be lying to you," Charles shrugged, his blue eyes meeting Erik's quickly. "This isn't something that I can just turn off."

August knew differently, though. "What about Raven, huh? I met her that one night at the pub – she said you were like a brother. If I ever had a brother, I surely wouldn't want him reading my mind every second of the day. Tell me, Xavier, what is she thinking about right now? Can you tell me that?"

Charles chuckled in disbelief, his thumb resting on his bottom lip in nervousness. His blue eyes were a stunningly bright shade today, and they were filled with humiliation and defeat.

August sighed, willing a glance over at Erik, who nodded and left the room. Charles gave him a fleeting look, but Erik seemed unfazed as he closed the door behind him.

She sat on the king sized bed, fiddling with her fingers. Charles shuffled over to where she sat, taking the spot beside her.

"I don't get it," she mumbled. "Why do you insist on reading my thoughts? Why do you need me here?"

"When I was a young boy, I didn't understand that I was different from all the others. I didn't know that I was hearing their thoughts. I had to teach myself; I had to come to terms with my mutation by myself. Then I met Raven. She was like me: different. I wanted to help her understand herself in the way that I had. I just wanted to help her."

August looked up at Charles, feeling the guilt of her actions settling at the pit of her stomach, creating a knot inside her.

Charles had to go through it all alone. What was that like? Did he ever feel abandoned? Rejected? Did he ever stop to wonder if there was anyone else in the world that was just like him? It must have been a horrible time for him.

"I'm so sorry, Charles."

Charles smiled brightly, a piece of his hair falling in front of his shining eyes. August almost allowed a giggle to escape her mouth before stopping it.

"Why are you smiling like that?" she breathed out, her jade eyes flickering over his features.

"You called me Charles," he grinned.

August rolled her eyes playfully, letting out a small laugh. "Shut up."

Charles's grin never left his face and his gaze never faltered from August. He stared at her, a weight lifting off his chest as she smiled. Everything in the room seemed to focus out, except August. She was in full bloom, lighting up beautifully and radiating a certain glow that made Charles feel giddy inside.

"You have a lovely laugh."

And she swore, her heart seemed to skip a beat at his words.