video . 9th transformation

[permutates]

[ private to anya, earlier ]

I heard that you were Magneto's daughter.

I guess I think you should know that I know.

[ public, later ]

[ The camera shows the teaching annexe, swings past a few doors and settles on a stretch of wall where - well, there's a door. And beyond is a place where something should probably be. Should definitely be, for anyone who knows the location of the ice rink. Instead, there's a block of blank concrete, behind the open door. ]

The rink is gone.

[ She's heard the voices, over the speakers. She sounds shaky. ]

What's happening?

Comments

private

[permutates]

[ She doesn't think she's ever seen Charles like this. Not even remotely. But there's no hesitation; she knows what to do, and she does it. Simple, even when it's not simple; easy, even when it's hard. She rubs his back, and holds him close. She can't stop the whirl of her thoughts, good and bad, and she doesn't try.

A soft shift, and what she's wearing - "wearing", since she's been forming her clothes herself half the time these days - changes to soft cotton, better for soaking up tears. She's getting good at this. Really, really good. And she's proud of it, too.

Proud of him, comes the thought connected with that. For graduating inmates, for staying by Erik's side. He's so good. And she doesn't think the Barge changed that - for all that he is different now, he is still good. ]

oh this has been spam for a while whoops

[wedonot]

[He closes his eyes and drinks in the emotion like a plant desperate for water. It's rare for him to ask for comfort like this, even though he probably needs it more than people realize, including himself. But it's good, to hear that she does understand parts of this, that she doesn't hate him.

Eventually, he manages a sort of stuffy sniff and scrubs his hand over his eyes, trying to pull himself together.

He still isn't pulling away from her, though.]

I'm sorry. Thank you, for sharing that with me.

[And although she's given him permission to be honest and open with his powers with her, there's still a wall that's gone up, keeping the dark memories safely tucked away from where she can see them. "Talking" is easier than just filtering everything across.] I am glad that we've been given this chance, Raven. I just wish it could have happened another way. I'm afraid of what's coming, and I don't want you hurt the same way we have been.

[There's a flicker of something - a memory - but he nudges it aside quickly. This has to be different.]

[permutates]

[ Her reaction is complicated. She clearly wants to say if I am, I'll handle it - and she does believe that. But that's only one layer of the truth. Part of it is that the chances she's had here make up for thing that could hurt her. And part of it is that she knows that back home, there would have been pain anyway. She doesn't have any options. There are no ways forward that don't hurt, because what she wants isn't something the world is prepared to give.

At least here she doesn't have to pretend, and that's what she settles on, in her mind-answer. She doesn't have to pretend, and that is of immense value to her.

She brushes her hair back from his forehead. We'll be okay, she thinks, and she says, out loud: ]

You need a haircut.

[ Getting a little shaggy there, Charles. ]