[IC] Day 67, Afternoon

[thexfactor]

[ sometimes, future megalomaniacs like to have dates. ]

Comments

[thexfactor]

I -- Yes. Why not. To Ometotchtli?

[grandstanding]

Sure.

[thexfactor]

. . .

[ okay then ]

[grandstanding]

Unless you'd rather stay here a while longer.

[thexfactor]

No, let's go.

[grandstanding]

[packs up the container before standing]

[thexfactor]

[ getting up as well, dusting his clothes ]

[grandstanding]

[casts another look at the waterfall before they start heading back]

[thexfactor]

All right?

[grandstanding]

Yes, fine.

[he is]

[thexfactor]

[ timeskip to Charles' room where he turns the shard over in his hands ]

[grandstanding]

[Erik sits next to him, but doesn't speak.]

[thexfactor]

No time like the present.

[ he puts it in ]

[grandstanding]

Wait a minute--

[except it's too late, that shard is in]

[thexfactor]

. . . I . . .

[grandstanding]

Charles?

[thexfactor]

I can't feel my legs.

[grandstanding]

[his gaze flicks downwards to Charles' legs - not that he can see any difference, of course he can't - before he looks back up to Charles' face. a sense of consternation blooms to life across his mind.]

You can't... not at all? There's nothing else?

[thexfactor]

I-I -- I can't feel them. I can't move them.

[grandstanding]

[Erik stares at him for a long moment. then he's up, and moving to snatch that shard out of the mirror.]

[thexfactor]

[ he's trembling now ]

[grandstanding]

[he tosses the shard onto the dresser, then grabs Charles by the shoulders, leaning down over him.]

Look, there's something wrong with it. You just need to take it back to the Echo.

[thexfactor]

[ he nods, numb ]

[grandstanding]

We'll fix it.

[thexfactor]

[ he doesn't know what else to say, so he just leans into his arms, placing his head on Erik's chest ]