Elsie gave a sudden fidget in the chair then and opened her eyes again. "Have I ever thanked you?" She pulled her legs up and tucked them underneath herself. Placing her hands on her knees she inclined her head and smiled. "Thank you."
"I don't quite see what you have to thank me for. But you're welcome." Charles replied casually with a shrug.
Elsie frowned then and shook her head. "I don't think you quite understand how awful my life was before this started. Though sure...we're all gathered to undertake a seemingly impossible task. Even that is bearable to what my life was. So, thank you...and I am sorry."
"What for?"
Elsie's face sudden lightened up and a sheepish smile appeared on her face. She awkwardly scratched the back of her neck as she looked from the unlit fire to him. "For presuming you were a sexual predator." She said sounding as awkward as her expression and disposition.
"Considering how we approached you, I think you were allowed to think such a thing." Charles replied but then pointed a finger at her. "But no going thinking such a thing again." He wagged the finger in mock seriousness while she just smiled. Honestly, it had to be said, Charles did not think he had seen Elsie smile so much when not in company of his sister. Raven had this aura of just making everyone seem at peace, and happy. It was very hard to be in a bad mood around her. And quite quickly she and her ways had seemingly managed to pry Elsie out of the stoic shell he had first met her trying to hide away in.
She held her hand up then. "I promise you."
"Yes, well, if you go back on your word I will know." Charles said while leaning his chin against his hand and looking to her lightly.
Elsie frowned and looked to her lap. Twiddling her fingers she glanced at him. "Can you not? I stick by what I said...what you can do genuinely terrifies me."
"May I ask why? I could quite easily turn around and say that what you do terrifies me too." Charles asked curiously. He pushed away from his hand and crossed his arms over his stomach as he leaned further back in the chair. He didn't pressure her for a response, but he was curious. Honestly though, when his powers first appeared, he too was terrified of them. What she said didn't surprise him, at all.
Elsie smirked, "Now if I remember rightly, you were quite intrigued. Like a little child in a sweet shop, you were in your element at finding me, let alone with what I can do. Though granted, I will give you that one, even if you weren't serious. Spontaneously combusting is worrying." She sighed and kicked her legs out from underneath herself and placed them over the arm of the chair. Leaning back against the arm behind her she placed her hands on her stomach and looked to him. "Someone's mind is their own. No one has a right to intrude on that. We all think things every day that we wish to keep secret...ever thought of going into the police force? You'd be wicked at finding liars, you seem quite smart too, you've got yourself a winning career right there." She ended up joking with a quiet laugh.
"I'll make a deal with you," Charles said while shuffling forwards and holding his hand out to her. Elsie moved and leaned forwards with a curious look on her face. "I will not read your mind, unless I really need to. And this is only if a dire situation crops up and I have no choice." He said honestly. Elsie looked thoughtful, she didn't wish to dwell over what serious moment would cause for mind invasion, but she nodded slowly when it seemed he wished to continue. "Sound like a fair deal, Elsie?"
"Sure," she tentatively reached out and placed her hand in his and gave it a firm yet gentle shake.
Charles smiled, "You're getting better."
"Hm?" Elsie raised an eyebrow curiously, she didn't know what he was referring to.
"Contact, you're not so hesitant." Charles said slowly while letting her hand go. It was true, she seemed to waste little time to think of following through with the earlier action.
"Stems from trust." Elsie shrugged trying to play this moment off casually, but she ended just looking slightly embarrassed when Charles smirked and raised an eyebrow at her.
"I feel privileged, love." He dodged out of the way of the cushion which was rather promptly thrown his way. "Apologies, Elsie." He said when he just received a pout and a slight glare. She had already said and admitted to how hard it was for her to trust someone and class anyone as a friend. Though he may have joked about it, he did feel privileged.
"Hey, Elsie," she glanced to the door when she heard her name. Seeing Moira, Elsie merely nodded, "Have you seen Charles?" Elsie looked to the chair opposite and nodded.
With a light sigh Charles straightened up in the chair and peeked over the back. "Yes?" He asked casually while standing and tossing the cushion back to Elsie. She caught it and took to throwing it in the air and catching it again. She opted to tune out of their conversation. Or at least she did until she heard her name. Looking up she looked to Charles. "Can I ask a favour of you?"
"I'm not going to like this am I?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not." Charles started to leave the room, he motioned for her to follow. Elsie jumped out of the chair and ran after him, briefly noting the bemused expression on Moira's face as she passed, she ended up by his side.
"I'm not babysitting," were the first words which greeted them as they walked into the study room from earlier. Erik was sitting in the chair nearest to her pack, he didn't seem to regard it, his attention seemed more on a book in his lap.
"Someone has to stay here." Moira commented.
"Food problems?" Was Elsie's penneth as she glanced about the room.
Charles ran a hand through his hair and nodded. Moving from her side he walked to lean against the desk. "We can't all go," Moira said when she noted how he wasn't going to reply to her.
Elsie had turned to regard the bookcases, running a finger across the spines she sighed. Looking over her shoulder she frowned. "Why can't we?"
"Look what happened the last time we left you all alone." Moira said.
This if anything caused the look which was being sent her way to intensify. "Are you thinking we're going to go running amok in a supermarket?"
"Well..." Moira's voice trailed off thoughtfully.
"Let's be honest, I know you seemed interested in doing some sort of team activity, but you were right, Elsie. Grocery shopping is not it, and someone needs to stay here. Erik hasn't volunteered, but nor has he expressed a wish to go out, so he's staying. Just someone else needs to stay as well." Charles explained while rubbing his chin in thought and watching as Elsie seemed to struggle to reach for a book. For the most part it looked like she wasn't paying attention. But she did nod, his words did register.
"As far as a team activities go, surely training together is enough for you?" Erik asked simply while sighing. Rolling his eyes he stood, placed his book to one side and walked over to help her. No one else seemed in mind to aid her so he did. Being reasonably taller than her, he easily pulled the book from the shelf and handed it to her.
"But that's a little boring." Elsie said quietly while taking the book slowly from his grasp.
"How about going to the cinema?" Erik suggested, not being wholly serious.
Elsie eyed him curiously, "Are you offering?" She smirked, Erik raised an eyebrow and gave a half smile while turning and looking to Charles when he abruptly coughed to get their attention. He frowned and looked between the two, Moira stood on the sidelines watching the whole moment with a neutral expression.
"Fine," Erik glanced down at Elsie when she took to opening the book and skimming past the content pages. "If you're up for keeping an eye on the kids, then sure...you shall hear no more complaints from me."
"They'll be fine." Elsie commented while looking up from the first chapter. "Seriously, mother's just worrying over nothing. We do have some self control, you know? One of the team has already called this place home, Alex is too interested in looking over the cars, and he's not likely to go blowing them up. Hank's already trying to find a room to set up as a lab, and Sean is slouching around trying to decide whether to sleep or not, and I just want to sit somewhere quiet and read, not scorch the place up." Elsie said while snapping the book shut and smiling. "Everyone will behave. And if they don't, you can always ground us." Elsie said sarcastically while turning on her heels to exit the room with a smile still on her face.
Elsie just left them all to it and took to finding somewhere to haul up and read. Sitting down, she opened the book up and sighed quietly. She knew no one was going to misbehave, they had more room to do things, they weren't under surveillance, everything was genuinely better here. 'The external world could take care of itself. In the meantime it was folly to grieve, or to think. The prince had provided all the appliances of pleasure. There were buffoons, there were musicians, there was Beauty, there was wine. All these and security were within. Without was the 'Red Death'.-' And that was as far as Elsie got with reading before the book was plucked from her hands.
"Poe? Really? I honestly thought you'd have better taste," Raven commented. She scrunched her nose up at the beginning of the tale. "Seriously...couldn't you have found something less doom and gloom?" She looked down at Elsie as she moved on the window seat. Flinging her legs over the edge she placed her hands on her knees and smiled up at Raven.
"I take it by you hunting me out that you are bored?"
"Well I wasn't going to say anything...but yes!" Raven started off all casual and nonchalant, and ended up exclaiming exasperated. Elsie shook her head and laughed over her friend's slight dramatic moment. "Say," Raven sat down beside her and looked to her with a playful look in her eyes. Elsie tensed slightly and looked at her cautiously. "When was the last time you had a girly night in?"
Elsie raised an eyebrow in thought. "I've...never..."
"What?! No way!" Raven exclaimed, though really, neither had she. She honestly couldn't remember having any close girl friends when she was growing up. In fact her childhood was rather secluded, and when she really, truly thought over it, Charles, at the end of the day, was always her only friend, along with being her brother.
Elsie shook her head, she saw through her act. Reaching out she placed a careful hand on Raven's shoulder. "I get the feeling, and I could be wrong, that you would like to have a girly night in. Not that we could have a girly night out, because it's clear we're not allowed out." She watched as Raven's face formed into one of extreme happiness.
"No more of this though," she waved the book at Elsie and placed it beside herself before leaping off of the seat. Reaching out she grasped onto Elsie's hand and took to tugging her along the corridor.
"So!" Elsie exclaimed as she finally managed to pick up her pace and keep up with Raven. "You're suggesting what?"
"What do girl nights in usually involve?" Raven looked at Elsie curiously.
"Chocolate."
"We don't have any."
"Ice cream?"
"None of that either."
"...Hm...some sort of late night movie?"
"Come on, Elsie, it's three in the afternoon. The late night showing isn't going to be on until ten, maybe eleven." Raven shook her head sadly. She was slowly getting the feeling that this suggestion of girl time was failing.
Scratching her head in thought with her spare hand, Elsie looked at the white long locks entwined in her fingers. Looking to Raven, she smiled, Raven in return looked a little confused. "Hair, makeup, nail painting...eat chocolate, if some arrives, gossip, tell secrets, confess all, erm...hm...then! Then watch the late night movie!"
"And you say you've never had girl time before? I think you're lying!" Raven scolded playfully while pushing open her bedroom door. She walked in and let Elsie's hand go at last. Raven shut the door after her and watched as she simply walked over to the bed and sat down.
"What to do first though? I have to admit, I don't really want to ruin my nails by playing hairdresser."
"Nails last then," Raven clapped her hands excitedly, Elsie laughed and scooted onto the bed more. This was fun, though really nothing had happened, the sheer happiness which seemed to envelope Raven immediately made this fun.
----
It could easily be admitted that when Charles and Moira returned back, both expected chaos. They expected, truly expected, everyone to ignore Erik and Elsie. In truth though, Charles believed in what Elsie had said before promptly leaving the study. They could all behave. They didn't actually need babysitting. It was more of a precaution really, but everyone seemed too tired from the previous events, and the sudden moving into a new premises to play up.
"All seems well," Moira commented while they both rushed into the building. The weather had turned and really, she didn't wish to get more drenched than what she was already.
"Does that honestly shock you?" Charles asked sceptically. He managed to kick the door shut, and it seemed in that instant, the echoing shutting of the door was a signal, a calling, because everyone seemed to appear. It was foolish to think that the few hours they were gone, they had been missed. Oh no, no everyone came rushing out of their little hideaways for the simple fact that they now had food.
"The drowned rat look suits you, Charles." Erik dryly commented while walking past him. The insult was revenge in part for lumping pointless babysitting on him. Erik had spent the few hours in silence, in his room, he had gone from reading to simply pacing, and even venturing out to walk the quiet corridors. Though one corridor in particular was filled with girlish laughing. He didn't want to remotely know what Raven and Elsie were doing. The least he knew, the better he thought he'd be.
But it was clear as to what they had been doing when they appeared. Raven's usual blonde hair had been tightly curled somehow, it now hung in neat tight curls. Whereas Elsie's usual long straight white hair was now completely straight, and this if anything made it appear longer than usual. Raven had the lightest application of makeup on, whereas Elsie had none. Both had their nails painted, and really it seemed like they had made the most of their lazy afternoon.
"Hand," Charles looked confused to the sudden order which came from his side. He was to interested in tearing his drenched coat off and hanging it up, the brown paper bags full of groceries had been taken gently from his grasp by Hank. Elsie looked at him simply, he in return looked her up and down and smiled awkwardly. She looked nice with her hair straight, it seemed to frame her face more. There was nothing outwardly different to her apart from that, she still wore the same baggy navy jumper and dark hole riddled at the knees jeans.
Managing to wrestle his hand out from the damp jumper he was wearing he held his hand out to her. Elsie grasped onto it gently and shut her eyes. Inhaling deeply she exhaled slowly, she could feel the warmth which was slowly coming from her, she was more than sure Charles could too. She cracked an eye open, she glanced to her hand which was glowing a faint white from the heat which she was radiating.
Reaching out with her other hand she placed it against his forearm, he felt dry, well sort of. "At least now you won't catch a chill, hm?" Elsie offered an awkward smile before letting his hand go and taking to walking along the corridor. Looking over her shoulder when there was rushed footsteps, she merely smiled at Charles again.
"Thank you," he looked down at her as she casually shrugged, she gave another smile just as they turned into the kitchen and walked into literal chaos. "Come on, can we at least have some order here?" Charles questioned with a frown. Most of the bags had been emptied, but the contents had been strewn about the numerous counter tops and the table. Upon hearing him everyone seemed to put down whatever they were holding and took to actually putting the food away in the right storage places.
He smiled triumphantly to himself as he placed his hands in his pockets. "Well done," Elsie said from his side before moving fully into the room and taking to helping Alex place numerous things into the fridge.
----
(Edited: 20/June/2019)
(Reedited: 3/Dec/2021)