Chess in the Facility

[balancingminds]

Charles hasn't been able to find a door but he did find a rather beat up chess set in one of the staff rooms. The board's set up with a problem that he came across in a paper and he's trying to play through it to distract himself from mainly Erik.

He is concerned about getting Cerebro to work properly and Iris but his thoughts keep coming back to Erik, and chess has always been a type of meditation for him. He can focus on the tactics and variations as chess pieces don't have feelings.

Comments

[markedformore]

Erik has been wandering. Around the facility in circles, he has been trying to lose himself, but cannot manage to do such a thing. Instead, he eventually finds himself standing in a doorway, staring at Charles and the chess set and experiencing a mild pang of envy. It's been a very long time since he had a partner to play -- someone who could rival him equally. "Are you winning?"

[balancingminds]

"What, oh, almost. The Queen's in a dangerous position and I haven't found a good way around her yet,"

At the moment the board is set up rather equally, but will change in a few moves. He hadn't expected Erik to find him, he had felt Erik's restlessness but had tried to push it away with his playing.

[markedformore]

Erik peers forward, crouching over somewhat as he regards the board. He makes a flicker with his fingers and taps a space. "Here," he says, assuming the other seat and stretching out his legs. "Can't sleep?"

[balancingminds]

"Yes, chess is like meditation but rather more ruthless, join me?"

If there's a plea to the question, it's small.

[markedformore]

Erik does sit. He gestures to the pieces with a hand as he shakes the sleeve free of his turtleneck and lets his fingers sit poised atop the pieces. "Shall I move, then?"

[balancingminds]

"Do please. Care for some Scotch?" He found a bottle somewhere.

[markedformore]

Erik shakes his head and dismisses the drink. "I'd rather not. I want to be able to sleep tonight," he says, regarding the board. He moves the piece before settling back comfortably, regarding Charles. "Well? Your move."

[balancingminds]

"It helps me at times and I can assist with that,"

Charles leans forward to look over the board and considers his position. Then he moves towards the longer game tactic. There's no certainty that Erik will take him up on the offer to help him sleep but he will always give it.

[markedformore]

Erik keeps his gaze fixed on Charles and not the game, preferring to look at the expression on his face as he plays. "You can assist with that?" he echoes. "I thought we had this conversation already, Charles. That path lies fraught with issues."

[balancingminds]

Charles looks tired and rather worn out, he hasn't been sleeping well,

"Yes, but I'd still rather know that you were sleeping."

[markedformore]

"Why?" Erik demands. After all, he understands why he ought to sleep. It would be a good idea to keep himself rested in order to go after Shaw. "What's troubling you? Go see Iris. Rest. Forget about me, I'll manage."

[balancingminds]

"Because I care and you're rather hard to forget. Your move,"

He takes a longer sip of his drink, which doesn't help that much.

[markedformore]

"Being hard to forget is one of the reasons people must die," Erik chides mildly, studying the pieces and moving a knight without giving it much thought (by all appearances). "It's better if I can fade into a crowd."

[balancingminds]

(OOC: When you get a chance, you're up in the Cerebro OOM.)

Death is something Charles has done all he can to avoid, it haunts dreams and thoughts. He moves his bishop in a way that will protect his king from that knight if there's a need,

"Most people don't look too closely. They take what they see and turn it into what they expect. I've seen it many times when I've commented on something aloud that I shouldn't have known. Sometimes I've been called on it but people shape their worlds."

[markedformore]

"Yes. And what happens when the shape of their worlds is polluted with something they find offensive?" Erik wonders aloud, giving Charles a pointed look. It is his history and one he does not want to forget, but he still remains bitter over it.

[balancingminds]

"Then the world hurts and there need to be ways from letting those ideas cause damage,"

His pain is understandable and Charles doesn't want to see what happened in Germany happen with mutants.

[markedformore]

"Tell me that you can change a whole culture and I will stop living in the fear that we will be persecuted." It is as simple as that, as far as Erik is concerned. "I don't trust the world, Charles. Not when it's given me so little to trust in."

[balancingminds]

"I know"

He says it quietly as he makes the next move. If he could fix the world to make it so Erik felt safe he would. The truth is even with his great power, he can't do that.

[markedformore]

Erik clears his throat and regards the board before him. "I don't see what the point in discussing it is," he notes, somewhat curtly. "You can't change things and when I find what I'm after, I'm sure I'll have all the sleep I need." Whether he's dead or whether his heart is at rest.

[balancingminds]

"Because in time there might be ways to change things. I hope you do,"

He doesn't think that will be enough though, emotions never work that cleanly.

[markedformore]

"Time," he points out. "You say time, Charles, but I do not think you truly have awareness in hand as to how little time comes in as a factor when the emotions of men run as high as they do, spiking with fear and hate."

[balancingminds]

"I do though. I've felt the difference when a group of people shift from uncertain to angry, it terrifies me. I've seen what it can do and wish to keep it from happening again."

[markedformore]

"Then, I'm afraid Charles, you must know decide what you wish to do with your powers," Erik informs him. "Sit idly by? Or perhaps do something. You need not be so passive, you know. You can wield such power!"

[balancingminds]

"Cerebro's a beginning. Do you really want to me to change how someone thinks, Erik? I can do it. I can command you to sleep. I could tell someone how to think, how to act, the danger in that is knowing when to stop. I don't think I'd be a good ruler of men."

[markedformore]

"Yes, Charles," he says, and there they finally reach some kind of ground where they can meet upon it. "I want you to look into the hearts, the darkest ones, and I want you to change their minds. I want you to ensure that life is safe for the mutants out there, the young ones like Raven and like Hank who shouldn't have to grow up fearing their appearances."

[balancingminds]

"And I will, but with my ability as a last resort. Though I'll use it to create every advantage I can. Together we can change their minds and the world for mutants like ourselves and Hank and Raven."

[markedformore]

Yes, it is what Erik wants above all else, but he has been hesitant to tell more to Charles, thinking that he will not be truly as welcoming as Erik is in the face of the action he thinks must be taken. "And how would you do that? Create every advantage?"

[balancingminds]

Charles looks at the board as he answers,

"Find more mutants, make us visible and powerful, a voice that has to be heard and can't be ignored. No mutant should feel alone or wrong because they're not."

[markedformore]

"Visible and powerful," Erik echoes, fondness and affection and pride and joy singing through his veins to hear Charles speak it aloud. This is what he wants. He wants Charles at his side pursuing precisely this. "Finally, you say something worth agreeing to."

[balancingminds]

The joy, Charles can feel the joy and he smiles, its unconscious and easy.

Then he laughs and wants to do something to cross that small distance between them and taps Erik's hand, "Your move."

[markedformore]

Erik does wish, in this moment, that he might do something about that joy. Charles' touch to his hand only instigates further thoughts of that nature and he leans forward, studying Charles' expression for a long moment before he picks up another piece and holds it in the air, still staring at Charles as he thinks.

"You're happy," he observes.

[balancingminds]

"I'm hopeful about what we can accomplish,"

He stays still as Erik studies him, the happiness relaxing him. They will find more points to agree on and they will change the world. He wants to find more ways to fill Erik with joy as well, that will take time but he knows there are ways.

[markedformore]

"Don't worry," Erik assures, given that he is sure the happiness is caused by things other than him, as well. "I'm sure that your happiness will be supplemented. Iris seems a very good woman for you. She knows you deserve to be treated well."

[balancingminds]

The mention of Iris causes Charles to look confused for a moment, he wasn't thinking of her.

Though she does make him happy, his thoughts were all with Erik, "Yes, she's quite generous."

[markedformore]

"Indeed. And she loves you a great deal, though I don't understand why she seems so keen to earn my favour," Erik says dismissively. "As if I could change your mind on any subject, especially one involving love."

[balancingminds]

"She knows you're important to me. Few people can get me to change my mind, but both of you do get me thinking in new ways,"

It's one reason that Charles cares for them both and wants them both in his life.

[markedformore]

"Important to you?" Erik echoes, but it's half dismissive, given that he doesn't think that he's much more than a cog in the machine -- handy to help when it comes to Charles' goals. "Well, she doesn't need to try so hard. If you like her, I will tolerate her."

[balancingminds]

Charles raises an eyebrow at Erik, he hasn't hidden how he feels,

"Yes, we're partners in this."

[markedformore]

Erik makes his move on the chessboard. The joy from earlier has dissipated some as he has been reminded of the situation at hand, but he finds that he can still enjoy the game. "Tell me, what is our next step, then?"

[balancingminds]

"Keep working on Cerebro until we can pinpoint other mutants and contact them. For now that will have to be here but its a place to start,"

It's not as much detail as he'd like but that will come in time. He smiles at Erik's move and makes his own. This is nice, he doesn't know how long it will last but he hopes for more moments like this.

[markedformore]

"And when we find them, will they help us to find Shaw? What do you plan on telling these mutants, Charles?" Erik feels he deserves an answer to this question as it has been his mission for the last few decades and he will not relinquish it so quickly.

[balancingminds]

"The truth, that we're stronger together and that there is another mutant who poses a great danger. We want to gather together to learn and be prepared for whatever Shaw or any others like him might do. Though I expect that you'll be the one speaking about Shaw. We're going to meet each of these new mutants together, Erik, no agents just mutant to mutant,"

Seeing the two of them working together will hopefully send a good message and Charles knows they'll work better as a team. Somehow he'll prove to Erik that he's needed and wanted for all of him.

[markedformore]

"I don't want to discuss what Shaw did to me," he informs Charles, hoping that's made clear. "He was a monster who remains at large and I won't have him haunting my nightmares by allowing him access through conversation of his crimes," he says icily.

[balancingminds]

"I know you don't and we don't want him doing it to anyone else. We don't even know if he'll come after us, but he might. I'm just trying to cover all possibilities,"

He doesn't like hiding what doesn't have to be hidden. Though he does understand why Erik doesn't wish to speak and he rubs the bridge of his nose as he looks over the board. It's also hard not to say anything about those nightmares but now isn't the best time.

[markedformore]

"Now that he knows I'm still out there, I don't want to know what he might have planned for me," Erik says darkly, moving a piece and finding that he has no appetite for the game or this conversation. "I'm growing tired. I should find some rest."

[balancingminds]

They always seem to end up here with what Erik doesn't want to think about or talk about. Including sleep and how he can help but that is put under best unsaid,

"Yes, everything looks a little clear with some rest."

[markedformore]

He rises to his feet, a lingering look given to the chess game. "I'll leave you to your own thoughts, then. I'm sure you'll want time to plan your next steps as well."

[balancingminds]

"Yes, as well as trying to get some sleep. Shall I leave the game as it is? We could continue it tomorrow?"

Erik's a challenging opponent and Charles wants more of this kind of quiet interaction, it feels hopeful.