It is an incredible power of will from Erik to push through along the bond like this and into the memory. For a moment, little Charles blinks owlishly at him, before reaching with his hurt hand to touch and explore Erik's face. There is a sense of wonder in him, as if he can't believe the man is real and he touches everywhere, temple, forehead, nose, cheeks, mouth and even his eyes. Charles' smile touches young features before then sadden, though the pain in his wide blue eyes is not for himself but rather for Erik.
Not before it got worse he says, voice still young.
Were he not drugged at this point Charles would have drawn them both out and away from what comes next and for a moment the child's face becomes a riot of pain as the adult mind struggles against Hank's cocktail.
No, nononononono... he doesn't want Erik to see this next part, hell Charles doesn't want to see this next part, he doesn't want to remember this but the cocktail is too strong and it pulls him under, pinning him into his own mind.
Suddenly the child bolts upright in the chair and throws his arms around Erik's neck, clinging to him for all he's worth, as inwardly Charles' mind does the same to the bond.
I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry, child and adult are both repeating over and over as he drags Erik with him and they are tumbling once more, the frames of the dream shifting around like shards of metal caught on the whim of Erik's powers.
Charles' father is dead and Sharon is courted by the seemingly charming Kurt Marko but Charles is not convinced. His instincts, those strange voices in his head, are screaming at him that Marko isn't what Sharon thinks he is and seven year old Charles is desperate to protect his grieving mother.
Unlike the clarity of the first dream these come as snapshots, throwing Erik into the scenes as if they were movie clips.
"Mother, please listen to me. He doesn't love you," Charles is still small for his age but his eyes burn with a passionate fire, his young face screwed up in concern as he stands in his mother's room pleading with her to just hear him.
"Charles, that is ENOUGH!" Obviously they have been talking for awhile and Sharon is done with it. She is sitting at her vanity in her dressing gown, a half empty bottle of vodka by her right hand as she brushes her hair with a silver paddle brush.
"No, Mother it is not enough. I'm telling you, Mr. Marko is not interested in you..." he means to finish with like you think he is but Charles feels a flash of horror as he realizes he's once again said the wrong words in the wrong order.
Half drunk, Sharon is in no mood to be told she is not desirable, even if that's not at all what her son means. The alcohol does not slow her reflexes as she is up from her chair and advancing on him, brush raised.
"Do.Not.Talk.To.Me like that you little..." her adjective for her son is mercifully drowned out by the explosion of pain as the cold flat of the brush lands a stinging blow across his cheek.
Charles stands beneath the blow, knowing that it will be worse if he tries to retreat or stop her. He can feel her anger, and he can do nothing to stop it from bleeding over to Erik [I'm sorry!] it is twisted within her grief for Brian, who's eyes Charles has and who is gone and she misses Brian so much and Charles aches for his father, even as he soaks up his mother's soul consuming grief.
Truthfully, he'd rather be hit by the brush than her emotions but he has no control over either.
1/?
Not before it got worse he says, voice still young.
Were he not drugged at this point Charles would have drawn them both out and away from what comes next and for a moment the child's face becomes a riot of pain as the adult mind struggles against Hank's cocktail.
No, nononononono... he doesn't want Erik to see this next part, hell Charles doesn't want to see this next part, he doesn't want to remember this but the cocktail is too strong and it pulls him under, pinning him into his own mind.
Suddenly the child bolts upright in the chair and throws his arms around Erik's neck, clinging to him for all he's worth, as inwardly Charles' mind does the same to the bond.
I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry, child and adult are both repeating over and over as he drags Erik with him and they are tumbling once more, the frames of the dream shifting around like shards of metal caught on the whim of Erik's powers.
Charles' father is dead and Sharon is courted by the seemingly charming Kurt Marko but Charles is not convinced. His instincts, those strange voices in his head, are screaming at him that Marko isn't what Sharon thinks he is and seven year old Charles is desperate to protect his grieving mother.
Unlike the clarity of the first dream these come as snapshots, throwing Erik into the scenes as if they were movie clips.
"Mother, please listen to me. He doesn't love you," Charles is still small for his age but his eyes burn with a passionate fire, his young face screwed up in concern as he stands in his mother's room pleading with her to just hear him.
"Charles, that is ENOUGH!" Obviously they have been talking for awhile and Sharon is done with it. She is sitting at her vanity in her dressing gown, a half empty bottle of vodka by her right hand as she brushes her hair with a silver paddle brush.
"No, Mother it is not enough. I'm telling you, Mr. Marko is not interested in you..." he means to finish with like you think he is but Charles feels a flash of horror as he realizes he's once again said the wrong words in the wrong order.
Half drunk, Sharon is in no mood to be told she is not desirable, even if that's not at all what her son means. The alcohol does not slow her reflexes as she is up from her chair and advancing on him, brush raised.
"Do.Not.Talk.To.Me like that you little..." her adjective for her son is mercifully drowned out by the explosion of pain as the cold flat of the brush lands a stinging blow across his cheek.
Charles stands beneath the blow, knowing that it will be worse if he tries to retreat or stop her. He can feel her anger, and he can do nothing to stop it from bleeding over to Erik [I'm sorry!] it is twisted within her grief for Brian, who's eyes Charles has and who is gone and she misses Brian so much and Charles aches for his father, even as he soaks up his mother's soul consuming grief.
Truthfully, he'd rather be hit by the brush than her emotions but he has no control over either.