Erik
On the way to the home of Charles, I couldn't help but realise that someone had been willing to talk to me and be nice. Nobody had ever done that apart from my mother, and that mother-son bonding was ruined years ago.
I shook my head and tried not to think of it. We came up to a house so big, it could've been a small holiday cottage for the Royal family. I looked to Charles in disbelief who just smiled and pulled out a key to the immensely large door.
"Welcome to my little house. It has all your chess playing needs." Charles said, in a TV presenter style. I laughed and followed him inside to this glorious building.
"Anybody else live here? It can't be just you." I told him, taking the seat he was offering to me. Charles said nothing while putting the board down and setting up the game, therefore it must've been a personal question. "Sorry, was that a bit too privacy invading?"
"No, it's fine but there was a bad memory that came flooding back. I do live alone, my sister left a few years ago." He told me, sitting in the chair opposite me, falling in a little. I laughed and helped him back up.
"Sorry about that, my friend. Let's start playing."
We'd played several games and my triumph was going well, until I heard a voice in my head.
"Don't play your next move the way you want it. I have to win this round." I looked up from the board and found Charles grinning like an idiot. He had his right index and middle fingers on his head and he waited for me to make the false move.
He read my mind. I'll definitely have to win now. I thought, then I smirked back at him and moved the piece where I wanted it to go.
"I thought I was alone." I said, summoning the pen and paper over to the table and writing another point down to me.
"You're not alone Erik, you're not alone." He said, clapping a hand on my shoulder and giving me a kind, spirit raising smile. I thanked him and helped pack away the chess set.
Later on came and I wondered when I had time to leave and get the train in time. The other man must've read my mind again because he seemed to answer my thoughts. "You can stay here tonight if you so wish. There's plenty of room and I'm sure there's some of Hank's old clothes that you could have."
"Are you sure," I started, not wanting to disturb anything, "I'm just wondering whether you were planning on doing anything. I didn't want to get in the way." My friend laughed and replied.
"I've lived alone for years now Erik, what possibly could I have planned? Please stay, it'll be great for the both of us." I finally gave in after another ten minutes of protest and agreed to stay the night.
"Just this once Charles, it won't be happening again." I'd warned him, who just agreed falsely and went into the kitchen.
It turned out to be a great night, we sat outside and talked about how boring normal people were and we were learning more about each other as many friends do at the start of their friendship. Then we went inside to sit by the fire and drank sugared tea until midnight came.
"Here's Hank's old room, it has all his clothes and stuff. The bed was made quite recently, so it shouldn't be too bad." Charles told me, as we went upstairs to the rooms.
"I'm sure it's fine, thank you for all this Charles. It has been one of the most eventful days of my adulthood so far." I told my host, before entering my temporary bedroom.
"As it has been for me as well, my friend. You're very welcome. Now I really must get to bed, this is the latest I've stayed up in a while." He answered, then we headed our separate ways and went into the feathery cocoon called bed.
I have good news for you all. I'll be doubling the chapter sizes for you all. Goodbye. ~@lokiismyvillain