@magnetiik
Aside from the giant multiversal mess that recently landed on Earth Prime's doorstep, things with the school and the X-Men were going well. Charles had full faith in his team to show the world that their mistrust in mutants was unwarranted, but he knew that Erik didn't feel the same.
They never seemed to feel the same about much of anything nowadays, it seemed.
Of course it was a disappointment that Erik didn't show up with his Brotherhood (or whatever they were calling themselves) back at the briefing, but Charles was trying to not let it get to him. He had work to do, and it was senseless to let his own feelings fester and turn into an ugly resentment. That wouldn't serve anyone any good.
But months. They had gone months now without speaking. And after weeks of telling himself that it was fine, or sinking himself into other things to keep his mind busy, a telepathic message made its way to him that he couldn't ignore.
It's been awhile, my friend. Rematch in the park. You know where to find me.
It made Charles sick, to be as on edge as he was as he made his way to Central Park, to the same isolated park bench that he and Erik had shared plenty of sleepless nights at, talking themselves into circles. Things were just so different now, so wrong. But he put on a brave face anyways, even as he wheeled up to see Erik sitting in that same, familiar spot, with a small wire table set up that held up a chess board. Their chess board.
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks, hm?"
Vulnerability was not something that Erik could afford to have. It was for that exact reason that meeting Charles was so infuriating— to find someone he connected with in such a meaningful, intimate way and know that life would not give him the grace to let it flourish. It felt doomed from the start, and it was perhaps his greatest mistake to let it happen at all.
But if there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that the past could not be changed. It could be replayed in his mind as many times as he saw fit— analyzed and agonized over, but not changed. The tragedies that lay scattered behind him stayed exactly as they were, cast in stone as a reminder.
Maybe it was a tad bit dramatic to describe his relationship with Charles as a tragedy, but it often felt that devastating at times. Erik couldn't ignore how strong their pull towards each other was, and that scared him. It was like they were destined to meet, and had it happened when he was younger he might have even called it an act of God. But with his faith gone, torn from him, he didn't know what to call it. He was connected to the push and pull of the universe, to the very forces that bound everything together, and so he had to believe that maybe the universe had some say in how people found each other. That counted for something.
And so, even though Erik did his best to convince himself that they were better off staying away from each other, he found himself giving in to that connection he still felt. It was frustrating and ironic to be the one who could normally control the forces of magnetism, to bend it to his will— but he couldn't seem to break the hold Charles had over him.
Erik set everything up and was waiting for him as he arrived. Everything was meticulously placed, set up with care in order to seem perfect. Nothing out of place, all while putting up a front. He knew that it was ridiculous to act so aloof when he was the one that made the effort to reach out, but it was a matter of pride. And the fact that he wouldn't dare let Charles know he was excited to finally see him again after months apart.
Upon hearing his friend's greeting, Erik turned slightly to the side while a subtle smirk pulled at his lips. "Is that disappointment I hear in your voice, Charles? I thought that you would enjoy this bit of nostalgia— if that's what we can call it." Nostalgia felt like too definitive of a word to use, like it implied that something had ended. But maybe that was the more truthful way of viewing their friendship. Something ended and was replaced, and now they had to forge a new path.
After a few moments he turned around fully, keeping his expression as even as possible when his eyes finally landed on him. "..I wasn't sure that you would actually come." It felt strange to be seeing him again, and he did his best to tamp down the almost giddy feelings he felt swirling around in his gut. "I am glad that you did."
