Light A Way

52

Sitting in the foyer of the hotel, Elsie idly sat in the coffee area reading a newspaper. Sure, it was in French and she didn't understand the language, but she thought it was best to be doing something. Or else she'd just be sitting here watching everyone who walked past in their everyday mundane life routines. Sniffing lightly she flicked the paper and reached out for her cup, drinking the coffee slowly she looked up and over the paper when there was a chuckle. 

"You look quite comfortable there."

"Out of everyone who had to get up first and meet me, why you?"

"I'm sorry I'm not Charles." Erik said with mock sadness while sitting down in the seat opposite to her. Elsie shot him a look while putting the paper to one side, holding lightly onto her cup she merely looked to him.

"I must admit, for someone who was kept below ground in a prison cell, you are looking quite good." Elsie had to state it.

"The perks of being public enemy number one. They have little choice but to look after me. Sure, they wished me to suffer...but did any of them truly have the drive to? No. Because though mad, and wishing me dead too, they lacked strong wills to basically do anything." Elsie sniffed again and drunk some coffee over his response, it couldn't be a simple reply could it? "But thank you, all the same. I have to say you aren't looking bad for someone who was kept with mentally unstable humans."

"The perks of being a wanted criminal. They had little choice but to look after me. The English would've slated into the American police force if I was ever sent back in bad shape. I'm rather sure they wanted me dead, but being a pet mutant had its perks. I'm still alive."

"Only just." Erik frowned slowly, it was clear that Erik was privy to what exactly went on behind closed institution doors. Elsie wasn't sure how she was meant to feel about him probably having more of an idea on the torture she endured than Charles, Hank or Logan. But then, she had never really ever had trouble with Erik, in a way they oddly got along quite well.

With a sigh she nursed her cup and nodded slowly. "Only just." Elsie smiled stiffly and slouched back in her chair. "Oh for pity's sake, what is it? You're giving me that look." She said shortly while rolling her eyes. Erik stretched his long legs out in front of him, his hands crossing against his stomach as his blue eyes were seemingly fixated on her. Elsie frowned, she could put up with being stared at for only so long.

"What look?" Erik defended pathetically, mainly because of his general smug tone.

Elsie put the cup down on the table between them and placed her hands in her lap. "The look. You know...the look you often have when you're plotting, scheming..."

"I never realised I had a look such as that. Should I be concerned that you've been watching me so much?" Erik asked, a smirk appearing on his face. That would drive Charles slightly mad, Erik was certain of that. 

Elsie was sure if she was still drinking should would've spat her drink out. Instead she laughed and shook her head. "I haven't been watching you! God no...I just remember mannerisms quite well." Waving a hand at him, she nodded her head. "So, why are you giving me the look for?"

"I was merely thinking that no mutant should be kept as a side project of a madman."

"But it was because of that that I'm still alive..." Elsie trailed off and looked at him curiously. "You sound like you're speaking from experience here, Erik." 


"Did you think I was joking when I said we had more in common than the obvious?" He stated in a quiet cynical whisper. It was rather clear it was something he wasn't exactly comfortable bringing up. But yet there was a cool confidence lingering somewhere. As ever, Erik was rather confusing to her.