[He can't help but feel irritated. He had done that with others; an element of it snuck into his showdown with Kitty and Kurt. Erik's not sure what he would have done with Adelina had she asked, but it's a moot point now. It lends some backbone to his argument.]
No, I would have just refused to tell her. [Not much of an ask, considering how hard it is to talk about it at all.]
[He grimaces, though less at Tempest than himself. Adelina was still someone he cared for, though in a more distant way than he had before coming back. For that reason, he had resolved not to say anything too dire to her. Some people were inextricably bound up in his disaster of a life. Adelina hadn't needed to be one of them.]
[maybe she should elaborate. Explain why she brought it up. But that means admitting to things she hates to admit to] . . . it was not meant to be a judgement, you know. Regardless of how you answered.
[He picks up his glass and sips at it, for something to do. The question itself was loaded in that direction, he thinks. Or it would be from most people.
"No. You're not going to horrify me, it's not going to make me budge." Charles had said once, and the thought twists his lips a bit.]
[again, it isn't said unkindly, simply a statement of fact. She finally picks up her glass, but still she doesn't drink. She watches it instead of him quiet almost to the point where she might not even continue.
[Adelina had had a calming effect on him, she always had. He had tried to terrify others away - Maya, Schooler, Wrath - but never with her. Somehow, he'd known it would be pointless.]
The ones closest to us never do know when to stay away.
[she had tried with her team, and at one point, even tried with Ampere. Lace had been one of her first attempts, and not even literally killing the girl had changed anything]
[He had tried it with Charles, with Magda. Just about the only person he knew he'd never attempt it with was his own daughter. She hadn't lived to see how terrifying he could be. He sips at his drink again.]
[she sits back in her chair, glass in hand, quiet for a bit. Somehow, this hadn't gone as planned. She had just wanted to drink with him and try to distract them both from the things on their mind.
Of course, it hadn't worked when she tried with Charles. So why would it work now?
She finally huffs out a noise, annoyed and directed at herself]
We have before. [those times where they'd take advantage of available drinks. She knows that was a lifetime ago for him, though; in a way, it was for her as well]
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No, I would have just refused to tell her. [Not much of an ask, considering how hard it is to talk about it at all.]
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I was just curious. [she reaches across to pat his hand, apologetic in action and tone]
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You do know that if I ever ask something you do not want to answer, you can tell me to shut my mouth, yes?
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[maybe she should elaborate. Explain why she brought it up. But that means admitting to things she hates to admit to] . . . it was not meant to be a judgement, you know. Regardless of how you answered.
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"No. You're not going to horrify me, it's not going to make me budge." Charles had said once, and the thought twists his lips a bit.]
I doubt it would have come to that, with her.
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[again, it isn't said unkindly, simply a statement of fact. She finally picks up her glass, but still she doesn't drink. She watches it instead of him quiet almost to the point where she might not even continue.
Finally, she takes a breath, and just says it]
I tried to do that with her, once or twice.
That is why I asked.
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I never did with her. She ended up seeing some memories at one point, and there was little I could do about it.
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[her lips quirk, wry] I still tried.
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The ones closest to us never do know when to stay away.
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No, they don't.
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Of course, it hadn't worked when she tried with Charles. So why would it work now?
She finally huffs out a noise, annoyed and directed at herself]
This was not what I intended. I apologize.
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Not somehow end up discussing them.
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For that to work, we'd have to drink in silence. [It might be a lame joke. Maybe.]
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I think we can manage it without complete silence.
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Hopefully.
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You have, a bit. But so has Charles. So have I.
The important things have not changed, though.
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