New Divide

New Divide: 27

“Cosy,” Erik said while walking into the study and smirking towards the sofa. It seemed that Charles was being subjected to being used as a human pillow. Upon returning back to the study earlier on, he had explained President Kennedy's speech to Margo, she didn't question it much she just nodded. It was clear she didn't question much because she was tired. Completely worn out from her days experiences. She had got comfortable on the green upholstered sofa before growing curious over what book he had picked up reading again. It was a few moments later that she had gone to sleep against his shoulder. It was a little while later that his shoulder was starting to go to sleep from the extra weight, and with extreme skill and caution, Charles managed to wriggle his arm out from underneath her and ended up carefully placing it around her shoulders. This now meant that she went from using his shoulder as a pillow to his chest. This also made it appear to turn him more into a human pillow than he was originally. It also made the whole situation – as Erik earlier stated – seem cosy, accidental cosiness.

Managing to turn the page with great skill, Charles looked over the top of it at Erik as he took to sitting on the opposite sofa. He leant back and crossed one leg over the other while entwining his hands and looking to the pair with a smile. Charles returned back to his book, he was wondering whether to register Erik's words and respond to them.

“Poor thing,” Erik said sarcastically. “All worn out.” He paused, Charles flicked his eyes back over the top of the book to look at him. Erik smiled and held his hands up. “You've made up I see.”

“We never fell out and you know it.” He said quietly while shutting the book and putting it on the arm beside him.

“He speaks,” Erik smiled again. He was somewhat pleased to see his sarcastic joking finally got a response from Charles. Charles in return just rolled his eyes and looked towards the open fire in the room. The flames cast a warm orange flow over everything. “Is this all part of her apology?”

“Erik.” Charles sighed and looked back to his friend. He shook his head with a light smile. “Do not take this the wrong way, but be quiet.” As if agreeing Margo let out a quiet murmur while huddling closer to him. This if anything just caused Erik's earlier smirk to reappear, Charles shot him a look. “Don't start.” He said while moving his arm from around her. With slow actions he managed to free himself and lay her down. Standing up he stretched and returned the book he was reading back to its rightful place on the bookcase. There were many tightly stacked shelves in the room. Most of the books he had already read.

Turning he gestured to two chairs which had a small table in between them. Erik moved over and sat down while Charles pottered in the room and returned holding a glass out to him. There was a small drinks cabinet in the room. Erik took the glass and toasted it to him before drinking some of the liquid within it.

Charles sat down and looked to the chess board in between them. It was silent in the room then as they commenced their game.

“Cuba, Russia, America. Makes no difference. Shaw's declared war on mankind. On all of us. He has to be stopped.” Charles said while moving one of his pieces and then leaning back in the chair and looking to Erik as he placed his glass behind him on one of the small cabinets with a lamp on it.

“I'm not going to stop Shaw. I’m going to kill him.” Erik said surely while moving a piece across the board. “Do you have it in you to allow that?” Erik looked up waiting for his answer. Charles didn't answer, he leant back in the chair looking at him squarely. Shaking his head he moved to look at the board in front of him. “You've known all along why I was here, Charles.” Erik said simply while Charles continued to examine which move to go for. “But things have changed. What started as a covert mission, tomorrow mankind will know that mutants exist. Shaw, us, they won't differentiate. They'll fear us. And that fear will turn to hatred.” Erik said surely while Charles glanced up at him.

“Not if we stop a war.” He said quietly. “Not if we can prevent Shaw. Not if we risk our lives doing so.” Charles frowned lightly over this.

“Will they do the same for us?” Erik questioned idly.

“We have it in us to be the better men.”

“We already are,” Erik said sharply. “We're the next stage of human evolution. You said it yourself.”

“No, no!” Charles said firmly, his words were being ever so slightly twisted here.

“Are you really so naïve, as to think that they won't battle their own extinction? Or is it arrogance?” Erik asked while watching as Charles lifted his drink up and slowly drunk some of the alcohol within. His words caused a frown to flit onto his face again as he placed the glass back on the table.

“I'm sorry?” He sounded truly confused.

“After tomorrow, they're going to turn on us.” He paused, out of the corner of his eyes he could see Margo stirring, she peeked over the arm of the sofa and looked up at him. Charles frowned, he wasn't exactly pleased with his words, or the fact that he looked to her quickly as he said them. “But you're blind to it, because you believe they're all like Moira.”

“You believe they're all like Shaw.” Charles countered. “Listen to me very carefully, my friend. Killing Shaw will not bring you peace.” He said firmly trying to get the point of his words across.

“Peace was never an option.” Erik said while looking quickly at the board and then at him. Sighing he patted his knees and stood. “Perhaps we should call it a night?” He looked down at Charles and then looked to Margo who was sitting up now registering what she had clearly eavesdropped. Neither of them really retorted to his words as he left the room.

Turning slowly Charles looked to Margo, she frowned lightly and tilted her head to the side. “Margo-”

“He's right, you know?” She cut him off and looked over to him. She watched as he stood and made his way over to her. He sat on the edge of the dark wooden coffee table and looked to her. “When we first met I said that when someone is confronted with something that they don't understand, their first initial reaction is to test it, take it apart, see how it works.”

“You also said that you have no malice.” Charles said remembering full well this conversation.

“It doesn't mean I am a fan of the human race.” She said while giving the slightest shake of her head. “You said,” Margo leant forwards and looked at him, Charles looked up at her. “You said they cannot all be bad.” She smiled lightly. “I have seen few good people since being in your company. But the bad still outweighs the good.” Charles sighed and looked to the floor only to have her hands gently place themselves against his cheeks and make him look at her. “I asked you a question, which I am going to ask again. You vouch for them?”

“I cannot vouch for the whole human race, Margo. Just like I cannot vouch for all of our kind.” Charles said while looking at her honestly.

She slowly moved away from him. “You are in the company of someone who has suffered by the hands of humankind. I do not know what Shaw has done to Erik, but he has seemingly suffered greatly too by both sides. If you were in either of our situations, you'd be sceptical too.”

“You are looking on the bad side of this.”

“There's a good side?” Margo asked while looking at him curiously.

“There's always a good side to everything.” Charles said while slowly standing. She looked up at him expecting him to further on to his words. Leaning back down he smiled. “With people finding out we exist, it allows us to take the first steps into understanding. That is a good side.”