Charles manages a small smile as he looks at Erik. At times like this, he wishes he has his telepathy, but it's also good that they're talking this way and he's not just reading his mind. What someone thinks and what they want him to know can be two entirely different things. And just because he can read a person's mind doesn't necessarily make communication any easier. Sometimes it can become even more complicated.
He presses his lips together, frowning slightly as he thinks of how to begin with answering that question. He doesn't like thinking back to that day on the beach, in Cuba. He doesn't like remembering what it felt like to have Shaw in his mind right as he died. For weeks, what happened that day had haunted his dreams at night. When before he was drinking before bed to quiet his mind, he'd started drinking more than usual in an effort to simply forget everything.
"I'm aware that mistakes were made that day. What happened, and how things escalated, was as much my fault as it was yours. Erik, what I said to you, about those men, that they were just following orders. I shouldn't have said that. It was careless of me. I only realised what that meant for you after I'd said it. And for that, I'm sorry." Men following orders had been the reason why Erik and so many others had lost their loved ones.
"Plain and simple, my darling, I wanted you to come back with us because it's where you belong. I don't want us to fight against each other. I know we're bound to disagree on some things, but I hope it never escalates to the point where we can't forgive one another. Because I don't blame you for what happened to me. It was an accident. And I'm not just saying that because I'm able to walk again. I know this is temporary. Still, I'm not going to feel any differently about you when that changes." And hopefully, Erik won't either. He hadn't exactly been the best company during that time when he was paralysed. Sure, he'd been fine for the first week, but then he'd started getting irritable and every attempt to help him was met with a glare, and he had been so stubborn about letting anyone do anything for him because he hadn't liked feeling so helpless.
"The thing is, I just can't imagine not having you around. I mean, I have gotten incredibly spoiled by your excellent skills in the... kitchen." He's definitely not thinking about the kitchen. "Besides, you said you wanted me by your side. I want that too."
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He presses his lips together, frowning slightly as he thinks of how to begin with answering that question. He doesn't like thinking back to that day on the beach, in Cuba. He doesn't like remembering what it felt like to have Shaw in his mind right as he died. For weeks, what happened that day had haunted his dreams at night. When before he was drinking before bed to quiet his mind, he'd started drinking more than usual in an effort to simply forget everything.
"I'm aware that mistakes were made that day. What happened, and how things escalated, was as much my fault as it was yours. Erik, what I said to you, about those men, that they were just following orders. I shouldn't have said that. It was careless of me. I only realised what that meant for you after I'd said it. And for that, I'm sorry." Men following orders had been the reason why Erik and so many others had lost their loved ones.
"Plain and simple, my darling, I wanted you to come back with us because it's where you belong. I don't want us to fight against each other. I know we're bound to disagree on some things, but I hope it never escalates to the point where we can't forgive one another. Because I don't blame you for what happened to me. It was an accident. And I'm not just saying that because I'm able to walk again. I know this is temporary. Still, I'm not going to feel any differently about you when that changes." And hopefully, Erik won't either. He hadn't exactly been the best company during that time when he was paralysed. Sure, he'd been fine for the first week, but then he'd started getting irritable and every attempt to help him was met with a glare, and he had been so stubborn about letting anyone do anything for him because he hadn't liked feeling so helpless.
"The thing is, I just can't imagine not having you around. I mean, I have gotten incredibly spoiled by your excellent skills in the... kitchen." He's definitely not thinking about the kitchen. "Besides, you said you wanted me by your side. I want that too."