1963-10-15 - Moving On
Summary: Erik finds Crystal burning off steam. Introductions with Hank.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
hank magneto crystal 


The past few weeks have been…awkward at best. Crystal has been trying to spend time with the Asgardian prince, trying to give him a fair chance at making things work. As a result, she's been a little bit distant, struggling with guilt and the right decision for all of this. This afternoon, the cart with the goats showed up to take her into the city.

This evening, she flew back to the Institute under her own power.

Now? Now she's standing at the edge of the lake, half frowning to herself as she tosses fireballs into the water to create satisfying explosions of steam.

*

"Bobby Drake would be terribly disappointed."

The noise was enough to allow Erik a silent approach. He's standing far enough back that, should she turn on him before recognizing his voice, he'd have time to react. A life with so many years training mutants has sort of given him the sort of tact that some might consider insulting. Here? It was commonplace.

Erik is dressed in his armor, a deep red underneath not unlike the clingy uniforms worn by many of the X-Men. His was just… different, somehow. More regal, less utilitarian. The helmet is nowhere to be seen, of course.

*

The fireball in process fizzles out as Crystal spins to face him, bringing herself up short when she sees the armor. "Erik." Surprise. Relief. Curiosity. A faint smile finally touches one corner of her lips. "I was going to come back in. I just…" A sigh, and she smooths her hands over her skirt, rolling her eyes sheepishly.

"The Prince realized he was in love with his best friend the whole time," she summarizes, shrugging awkwardly. "So. That's it, I suppose."

*

After a few long moments, Erik smiles with relief. "Then, I suppose this isn't necessary." The armor begins to drop away, until it rests in a pile stuck together by charged particles.

"I was about to follow you. Challenge him. Not for my right to anyone, but for you to be free of this mess. I realize how… 'macho' this sounds, but I confess; the lack of resolution has helped me to feel anxious for it to end."

He walks closer then, brow furrowed and head tilted. "This frustrates you?" he asks. "Because of time lost, or… political opportunity wasted?"

*

"You were- Erik," Crystal laughs, the tension melting away just like that. Stepping forward to meet him, she reaches up to slip her hands behind his nape and pull him in for a long, grateful kiss. "You're stupid," she laughs afterwards. "I went through a great deal of trouble to not even speak your name around them."

One hand moves to cup his cheek, smile sheepish as she sighs. "No, just my pride," she admits. "He said he loved me. He asked me to try to love him. And I put my own love on hold to try to help him. And in just a few weeks, he realizes he actually loves the woman who's loved him for a thousand years. It's rather a lot of nonsense to have gone through for something that simple."

*

Erik smirks ruefully. "Sometimes, yes," he answers. "Well read… entirely reckless and stupid." He has her in an embrace likened to her own, and a long sigh of relief is breathed out when, unexpectedly, the whole affair is over.

"Now this is why mankind's pursuit of eugenics is fallacy," he tells her. "Who on earth would want to live for a thousand years?" His grin becomes more humored. "I plan to die an old man, in a rocking chair, sipping brandy and doing… crossword puzzles."

*

In the distance, from the direction of the school, a familiar figure can be seen heading casually in their direction. Hank is a tall and relatively slender individual. He has got a placid expression on his face as he strolled through the grounds of the Institute.

*

"That, you'll have a harder time convincing me. Though the completely random choice of what qualifies as better genes here is ridiculous," Crystal snorts softly, pulling back to give his hand a squeeze. "But I agree, living for thousands of years seems…daunting. I'm just as glad not to."

She lets out a slow breath, pushing a hand through her hair and looking out toward the lake. "And just like that, it's over. I told him that I was happy for him and that I hoped it worked out for them, but that he shouldn't ask me to try again if it didn't. Honestly, I agree with his parents. It's past time for him to make a commitment and stick with it. Just as well that it's not with me." Her smile quirks again as she looks to the pile of armor. "I suppose there wouldn't be any harm in you meeting them now. No armor required."

*

Erik turns toward the discarded armor with a lifted eyebrow and a particularly mirthful grin. "All things in time. Who knows? They sound like the type of folk who might have more respect for a man in a good suit of armor." A pause. "Would a cloak be too much?"

Looking up, he catches sight of a familiar face. His grin falters for a moment as he considers whether he's actually seeing who he's seeing. "Probably too much," he admits, before claiming Crystal's hand and urging her to turn away from the lake. "Here approaches someone you should certainly meet."

*

As he closed the distance Hank caught the gaze from Erik and he returned it with a grin and a wave as his path veered off in their direction. "Erik, so good to see you again." The man in the lab coat called conversationally with a broad smile for the both of them. "And this," Hank turned to Crystal, "Is someone I don't think I've had the honor of meeting yet?" Those words are said as he closed the distance and stopped a few yards from them. "Lovely day for a stroll though, isn't it?" He takes a few steps forward to offer his hand for a shake, "Dr. Hank McCoy."

*

"A cloak could be dashing," Crystal muses. "Though perhaps a little impractical. Still, it would cut a figure." Her hand rests comfortably in Erik's, a familiar gesture, as the pair reaches Hank. "A pleasure to meet you, Dr. McCoy," she greets, taking the offered hand in a light, polite grip. "I'm afraid I've been remiss in some of my duties lately, thanks to a bout of politics, but it seems to have passed. I'm Crystal. Charles hired me a bit ago to help out with…Well. Operations, I suppose is the word. I make sure the bills are paid and there's food on the tables."

*

Dashing. The remark earns an upturned eyebrow and a brief wink.

Erik waits until Hank and Crystal have been introduced, before offering some insight. "Hank is chiefly responsible for all of the technological advancements we've made here. More importantly? He's been here since the beginning," he tells Crystal, before gently releasing his hand and walking forward to clap Hank on the shoulder.

"Perhaps of equal importance, my old friend…" He squints a bit, presenting mock annoyance with a single tell in the form of a smirk on his lips. "…where the hell have you been?"

*

Hank's own expression is welcoming and the sincerity in his speech is written with an infectious upbeat tone, "I like to tinker from time to time." Modest smirk aside he looks quite sheepish as he commented, mostly to Crystal, "Cogs in the same machine. Keeping the kids fed must be a full time job!"

"Abroad." Hank answered as he turned back to Erik with a mild half shrug, "I was chasing the secrets of the genome through the African sahara. Dead ends, mostly."

*

"I've seriously considered investing in a chicken coop," Crystal grins back to Hank. "It would at least keep us stocked in eggs, if not quite enough chickens to keep everyone fed. Pigs, though." She winks. Surely she's joking. Probably. The talk of tech and genomes, though, draws a more serious look between the pair. "Perhaps I might be able to offer some…other angles on the genetic front?" she offers.

*

"Well, at least you didn't stumble upon the ancient secrets of the Egyptian Empire," Erik answers. "One of the Methodist students remarked upon her belief that Goliath must have been a mutant." Pause. "Or was it David?"

Humor aside, Erik maintains a satisfied expression when Crystal offers her unique perspective. See an opportunity, take that opportunity. Introducing Hank to Crystal, in Erik's mind, will surely serve to advance their understanding of mutantkind and beyond. "It is a wonderful day," he agrees, but with a brief and meaningful look to Crystal, she might at least understand that he isn't only speaking of the weather.

*

"The bible and other ancient writings are full of gods and wonderous things.. I don't doubt many of them have basis in fact even if we haven't seen other evidence of mutations dating that far back." Hank explained casually as he listened to them with an attentive expression, each in turn, saying to Crystal after, "That is a splendid idea, if Charles allowed a small farm I can see that being a useful tool for the children. We can teach them a sense of responsibility." Hank crosses his arms with a thoughtful nod. "Stables." He commented as he glances off to a likely spot for such a thing across the way.

*

"See? That's what I said," Crystal agrees with Hank. "Responsibility for the students, save us on money and on shopping trips. It might be a little chaotic, but it would certainly be effective. As for pre-history?" She looks to Erik with a wry smile. "I can't speak for mutants, but I do know there were powered people long before the modern age. I wonder if there's a genetic link to mutants," she muses. "That would be a worthwhile test for our scientists."

*

"Well, until you invent time travel," Erik tells Hank, "I'm not sure we'll ever know for certain. I will say, an on campus farm seems like a wonderful idea. The students would benefit from something beyond books, basketball, and Groovy Gary on AM 680."

*

"Mutant kind's missing link. If you will." Hank said, still smiling, in response to Crystal's comments on the possibility of the crossover with other races in prehistory. The way he said that was as light and speculative as the way he's said, 'Stables' earlier. There is an unabashed laugh at the comments about time travel, "That is something I haven't seen fit to put my mind to yet, Erik, so much of my focus has been on other work these last few years but I'm young, there's still time…as it were," He laughs again, "To invent a time machine." The laughter grows a touch introspective, "Nothing wrong with basketball. But yes, nothing wrong with new innovations either."

*

"I'll stop by later," Crystal promises. "Moira might be interested as well. For now, though…" She trails off smoothing a hand over her skirts. "I think a long bath ad a good night's sleep are in order for me. A please to meet you, Dr. McCoy. I'm quite certain we'll meet again." With a kiss to Erik's cheek, she starts back toward the mansion.

*

"Well. When I'm an old man, sipping expensive brandy and doing crossword puzzles? Please don't send me anywhere." Time travel. Certainly it would never be possible.

Erik turns slightly at Crystal's affection, glancing toward her with a quiet smile. "I'll bring chocolate and strawberries," he tells her, before turning back toward Hank after she departs. "Dinner. Soon. There's still some Bitburger I have secreted away, as well."

A flash of his eyes, before Erik as well is departing. A hand reaches out, and the discarded pieces of armor lift, following him until they begin connecting around his frame to form the armor once more.

Easier than carrying it.

*

Hank says his farwells to the both of them in turn, "Look forward to it, nice meeting you…" He called to Crystal as she took off and to Erik he nods in mild agreement, "Dinner. Have a good one."

Once they were gone Hank casually strode off to the spot he'd been eyeballing for a stable in earlier conversation.

*

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