The Xavier Institute requires all sorts of administrative tasks to continue running smoothly. Bills have to be paid, of course. But then there's the matter of purchasing supplies, dealing with parents, and even the simple things such as keeping all of the students fed. Luckily, the skills one learns as a princess are just as suited to making sure that a school runs smoothly as making sure that a kingdom does.
That doesn't mean Crystal always enjoys it.
Seated at a desk in the room she'd shared with Erik, she pinches the bridge of her nose between her fingers, pushing a ledger aside for a moment. Balancing the bills is exhausting in its own way.
*
The window springs open with a soft pop. Outside the sky is a dull gray, clouds sweeping past to hidde the brilliance of an afternoon sun. Wind whistles past the window, singing of the passing day. It's surprisingly calm right now, really, even with the curtains rattling.
A moment later Erik is there, floating outside. He is in his uniform right now, his helmet tucked under his arm, blue eyes watching Crystal intently as he enters the room silently, cape fluttering. "Am I interrupting? I can come back when the power bill has been dealt with." Erik's expression is… Calm. COnfident. Wherever he's been for over a month it seems that it went well.
*
Crystal's head snaps up when the window opens, one hand already extended. The papers on the desk rustle with the hint of a breeze held at the ready, then the air itself settles as she finds the new arrival is not in fact an intruder. "Erik." There's a world of warmth in the sound of his name, even more in the curve of her smile as she pushes out of the chair to meet him. "Are you back for long, or just stopping in?"
*
"I am not sure, to be honest. I would have used the door but I didn't feel like announcing my presence to the entire school." Boots strike the floor and Erik walks into the room with long, purposeful strides. The window latches behind him and the curtains draw neatly back into place. His helmet is simply released and floats away toward the closet. "I didn't come back to teach a class. Have you been well…?" A brief moment of obvious concern. Erik is in a mood but even so he isn't quite as cold as he might have himself appear. Not if you listen closely to his voice. There's a pause afterward and Erik frowns briefly as he tilts his head slightly to the left. "Also, I had expected Xavier to have contacted me by now. Is he away?"
*
"Busy with his own projects, I think," Crystal answers with a rueful smile for Charles' sake. "Or maybe he's finally decided to take Moira away for a vacation. Either way, things run smoothly enough here." Thanks to her efforts, at least in part. She steps toward him, reaching a hand for his chin to draw him down for a kiss. "I'm fine. Glad if you're going to be back for a bit, at least. I've missed you."
*
"Charles, go away for a vacation? Well, stranger things have happened recently." Erik takes a split second to comply with Crystal's touch against his jaw. He leans in and kisses her gently then, even if hsi movmeents are still a litle stiff. The kiss is held for a moment before breaking and afterward Erik takes a deep breath. Slowly. "I've missed you as well. I planned on coming back sooner, but…" He frowns faintly then slowly shakes his head.
"Enough of that for now. I don't have any plans to leave immediately." Erik lifts his hands and tugsoff his right glove before moving so that bare skin can brush against Crystal's cheek. "I started to think I've been wasting my time, gallivanting about the world. I left too much behind. Did I miss anything important?"
*
"Mmm. Loaded question." There's a glimmer of amusement in Crystal's eyes as she turns her cheek to his hand, reaching up to take it with a gentle squeeze. "The world hasn't come to an end, at least. Lorna could likely use a bit of support, though. Ever since that incident with the unsavory sorts in Mutant Town, she's been…on edge. She's flirting with a dangerous line, Erik, and it's one thing when you do it, but I don't think she has the…constitution for it just yet."
*
"Aside from you, of course," Erik offers, tilting his head slightly as he does. The smile that follows more teases the edge of his lips and corners of his eye, then sI'll talk to Lorna. Guide her. She always seems to run hot…" He takes a deep breath then and exhales in a measured way, returning the gentle squeeze with one of his own. Strong hands, more calloused than one would expect of a man who can do most any work entirely with his mind.
"I should be there for her more. For all of them, really." There's a pause as Erik considers this statement ofor a second, letting hang on the air. He's obviously deep in thought. There's a grave air about him, a severity that accompanies some of his worst moods. "The incident in Mutant Town. Things have bene getting worse, haven't they?" It isn't really a question. "It's time I do something about it."
*
"All of them," Crystal echoes, a note of laughter in her voice as she steps back. It's not that she's ever really asked about the unique nature of his family situation. But she's never really felt the need to, either. She doesn't exactly have much room to talk when it comes to odd family situations.
"Mutant Town has been just fine, thank you," she shakes her head, shooting a briefly warning look in his direction. "Although I've had a few thoughts of my own recently."
*
"Oh? What sort of thoughts?" Erik might seem to dismiss that look but the fact he changes subjects is an acknowledgment in itself. Crystal steps back from him and he doesn't follow, instead lifting his arm as she moves back until he is finally forced to release her hand. "Tell me about them." He's removing his other glove now.
*
Crystal returns to the desk, leaning against the edge of it and stretching her legs out in front of herself, ankles crossed. "It had occurred to me that options for those with powers are…somewhat limited. The school here offers one path, the Frost Academy another. But for those who can't go to school or don't need to? There are so few options. Perhaps they learned to control their powers on their own, but if they didn't, then they're at the mercy of people like this Brotherhood. Which, to me, sounds like little more than a gang."
*
"The Brotherhood itself seems to be a place for mutants like that. People who never had a home offered to them and so banded together to protect themselves usng what they've learned ont he streets?" Erik frowns faintly. He moves up behind Crystal now, leaning over her genty and placing his hands on her shoulders. His cape detaches itself from him and floats over toward the closet, which opens. At least he doesn't leave his clothes strewn about. Slowly he begins a gentle, deft massage, starting using his thumbs. "They need that guidance as much as anyone, I think. But what are you suggesting?"
*
Crystal glances over her shoulder, arching a brow. "They're glorified terrorists, Erik. I know-" She pauses, lips pursing for a moment as she considers her words. "I know you and Charles' relationship with Raven is complicated, but the Brotherhood has been nothing but combative in anything I've seen of them. And not just to people without powers. They're not showing people how to live with their powers and be a part of the world. They're showing people how to go up against the world using their powers. There's a difference."
Sighing, she reaches up to push a hand through her hair. "Terrigenesis is so much easier than uncontrolled evolution. But. It occurred to me that people could use someone to help them through their powers. Learn to control them, develop them. Without the political ideology of the Brotherhood or the need for a school like here or the Frost Academy."
*
"But they're not wrong, Crystal. Misguided, yes. Violent. Uncoordinated. But they're trying to do something. You're certainly right the political ideology… But if someone tries to push you into a ghetto you push back. Someone needs to show them there's a better way. Then perhaps it can be more. Young, impressionable mutants can't be faulted for reacting with hostility in a world that shows them no kidnness.
Erik lets those words hang in the air, keeping his head tilted slightly to the left as he does. His hands continue work their way along Crystal's shoulders with firm, deft touches. It isn't anything more than a mmassage, it seems. "Terrigenesis has its benefits. But evolution doesn't wait for simple solutions. Setting aside the Brotherhood… Arey ou thinking of going out on your own? To teach…?"
*
"I was thinking of showing those young, impressionable mutants that they don't need to be afraid of their powers," Crystal answers, letting her head fall forward as he works at her shoulders. "How to own them, to treat them as a part of who they are. Perhaps if they don't feel frightened or ashamed then they won't feel the need to be quite so…militant."
*
Erik's hands do eventually drift slightly lower. "That sounds like a wondeful idea," he informs her seriously, his tone softening slightly while he does. "I can't think of anyone who would be better at it. They've already shown they can fight for their future… Perhaps we can arrange it so that they do not have to." As he muses Erik also takes the moment to draw a deep breath. "If you do go someone will need to keep an eye on the school while Charles is galivanting about."
*
"The school will be fine. There is a staff here, after all." Crystal's smile curves at that, amused. "Besides, with Lockjaw I can make it into the city easily enough. I can't stay in the city," she adds, smile fading away. "The pollution…It's something I'll have to figure out how to balance if I'm going to spend a good deal of time there. It's just that in Attilan, shepherding people through the change, through learning who they are and what they can do, is an important part of life. Everyone should have that, not just those who are lucky enough to be found here, to come to this school."
*
Erik frowns faintly, tsomething that is probably more easily felt through his fingers than actually seen. It's a definite shift in the gravity of the stern man's presence, even while he's taking a deep breath. "I agree," he states simply. "It's likely to be dangerous. You're sure to cross paths with the Brotherhood… You should bring me along when youd o. Just- to be safe. As far as the school goes," Erik continues a slow, measured tone. "A staff is good but the school needs guidance. Vision. Protection. Actually.. I was thinking that I might take over as Headmaster while Charles is away."
*
Crystal quirks a brow, straightening up and turning to face him. "That's a new direction for you." She sounds surprised, though not exactly disappointed. More curious than anything else. "I thought you were too busy with other things to be ready to settle down and really tie yourself to the school here." Her head tilts as she reaches for his cheek once more, searching his features. "Did something happen while you were away?"
*
"A lot of things. ANd not enough, at the same time. I left things half finished here. Look at the situation with the Brotherhood. And the Friends of Humanity are still burying their heads somewhere near here?" Erik meets Crystla's gaze when she turns toward him. DOesn't react overtly to having his cheek touched but tight muscles do slowly unclench, second by second.
"We need to be more proactive in dealing with these issues, for the good of mutants everywhere. New York City is just the start. It's- part of why it is so important for us to reach to the Brotherhood. We can still do a lot of good. And reach out to the ones who still haven't heard of us at the same time." Erik takes a deep breath finally. "I wasn't sure when I arrived but the more we've talked… In any case if I decide to leave I am sure Charles will return eventually. Moira or not."
*
"I'm quite certain he will," Crystal agrees, crooking a finger beneath his chin and pushing up on her toes to claim another gentle kiss. "That, though, can wait for the morning, I think. Why don't I draw us a bath, you can tell me about where you've been and what you've been doing."
*
"Do you really want to hear that story?" Erik asks, a smile working its way across his lips as he asks. "It's full of terribly boring old men and harrowing ours spent… Searching mountains." That last statement is made with a perfectly dry delivery and a beat passes before Erik nods once. Then he leans in andkisses Crystal more firmly to join the gentler ones she's given him thus far. "A bath sounds wonderful. A month apart is a month too long."
*
"I will accept other tales," Crystal chuckles, humming her approval as she leans into his kiss. "I'm glad you're back. Safe." Still, there's something searching in her eyes when she looks back up at him. She knows there's a darkness inside of him, she always has. But then, the question is just how far beneath the surface is it? She lets her hand fall to his chest, patting once as she stands. "Bath. Food. Then all the rest of the concerns of the world."
*