1964-05-22 - Diamonds are a Psychic's Best Friend
Summary: Emma and Charles meet over lunch to discuss her role at the Institute
Related: 'None'
Theme Song: Diamonds are Forever - Shirley Bassey
emma xavier 


So, it's a fairly cozy Monday afternoon in Westchester County, and the regular lunch crowd has all shuffled off. Leaving one man absently sipping a beer in the corner. This, in fact, would be Professor Xavier, who is a local of some renown given his published works… and probably would have notorious added to his adjectives if the locals were fully aware of /what/ he exactly was doing at the estate. Flashing a grin towards the waitress who offers to top him up, he shakes his head, "Sorry, waiting for someone." Who, and what, he doesn't exactly specify, as he just looks like another thirtysomething taking an afternoon off work. Not a bad idea for a Monday anyway.

*

There's a swirling breeze of fresh spring-nearly-summer air that sweeps in with the arrival of a new customer. Bathed in the glowing sunlight of the afternoon sun, Emma might resemble something of an angel, with her undeniable attractiveness, her white-blonde hair, and her pristine, crisp white dress and gloves. She is, in fact, dressed entirely in white, with white heels and a white clutch. Pearls around her neck and at her ears, she is certainly well-to-do, and her carefully selected perfume and flattering makeup only enhance this aura.

Spotting her lunchdate in the corner, she makes her way to the table and smiles briefly before settling herself in the chair opposite him. "Good afternoon, Charles," she says in her formal, feminine way. "I apologize for being a couple of minutes late. There was traffic," she murmurs as she begins removing her gloves, stowing them neatly in her clutch. "What's good, here?" she continues, her icy blue eyes casting about for the menu.

*

Charles, of course, rises once Emma arrives at the table, "Emma, it's been too long." He smiles easily back at the woman, then sits down once she's seated and shrugs a bit, "Harry's is… well, they probably do have the best hamburger and fries in the state. All my students swear by them." He gets a little bit of a wry expression, "Comfort food, really, but you can't go wrong with it. Though admittedly not exactly New York haute cuisine." His smile remains, as most men would do if Emma was joining them for a lunch, and he adds, "I don't think they have any wine, except for special occasions, though the bartender could probably manage a cocktail depending on what you wanted."

*

Emma's pleasantly neutral expression is only marred by a slight tightening in her eyes as Xavier goes on to list what "Harry's" has to offer. She drops her pale blue eyes to the menu she finds and searches it for something she can stomach. It's true—Emma is entitled as all get out. She's rich and likes to live it to the hilt, wearing the finest of designer clothes, owning the most expensive things, and, of course, eating at the finest of restaurants. Harry's…isn't her kind of place, to say the least.

After a long pause and a deep, slow inhale, she finally closes the menu and smiles faintly. "Well. I suppose it won't kill me to have a cobb salad and some unsweet iced tea, mm? That's what I'll have," she says, placing her order. She watches the fizz of Charles' beer with idle thoughts flowing through her mind as he orders his lunch. "So. How are things?" she asks, lifting her gaze to his as the server wanders off to put the orders in to the cook.

*

Charles smiles a little, though it wouldn't take a telepath to sense her thoughts about Harry's as he says, "The cobb salad is actually rather good. Hank has been needling me a bit about making sure I don't put on too much weight." He does give her an apologetic look, though, and gets down to some business, "Well, the Institute plans are going well, and found a few new students to bring in. Apparently there was a small group that was trying to run an indoctrination center for mutants in New York, complete with psychic shielding to prevent my detecting it." His smile grows a bit grim, "They've been dealt with, or at least that center was."

*

Emma arches a brow at the mention of putting on too much weight. "And, does Dr. McCoy think you're in danger of exceeding your BMI? You look quite fit to me, but I'm no medical expert," she replies, settling in her seat a bit more before taking a long sip of her ice water. She looks askance at the glass as she sets it down and mentions, "Did you know that Henri's is offering berry water, and cucumber water? I find berry water to be quite pleasant, and cucumber water is refreshing but not as much to my tastes. Can berries really be so expensive that other restaurants don't offer them for their water? It's lovely to look at, as well." She waves a hand as she finishes sharing her thought, as though it wasn't really worth mentioning.

Hearing Charles' brief mention of things now past, she lifts her brows slightly and purses her lips in thought. "Well, that's mostly good news. I'm pleased to hear that, outside of that incident, things are going smoothly," she replies, folding her hands in her lap. From the expression on her face, it's clear she's about to bring up something that she finds important. "Charles… When we both agreed to merge, it was with the understanding that I would be part of the scholastic administration. While you are the headmaster of the Institute, I don't like the idea of taking a second chair with my students. Frost Academy wasn't absorbed… We merged, to gather our students into one location, so they might be better socialized with each other, but also have some stability and safety. Yes?" she trails off, tilting her chin slightly as she waits for a response.

*

Charles actually stammers a little, not expecting the fit comment there as he ahems, "Well, yes, I keep my routine pretty regular to set a good example, um, yes, cucumber water actually sounds rather interesting er…" He rambles a little bit, then ahs, business. Business is safe, yes, business.

Charles clears his throat a bit, then nods, "Well, yes, that was our agreement, and I think it was a beneficial one. I mean, I do consider you an equal partner in this endeavor, of course." He pauses, then continues, "What would you like, Emma?" He says it rather plainly since… well, as a telepath he prefers straight talk, and presumes Emma is much the same that way.

*

The flustered nature of Charles' response is humorous to Emma, and her amused smile shows it plainly. She's not about to bail him out of this, enjoying catching him off-guard. She hadn't even intended to do so—she was just sharing her honest opinion. Charles is quite handsome and Emma is secure in her own beauty to be unconcerned about being open with her opinion. In all honesty, Emma could use a date, too, though her lack of romance is attributed to being a workaholic and intimidating to most men.

"It has been beneficial, of course. If it hadn't been, the merge would've fallen through. It's just… I'd rather it be very clear to students that I am your equal, as far as school administration goes. I plan to resume my teaching and I won't brook any snotty attitudes from children who resent having another authority figure added into their equation, so to speak. You can be too gentle, Charles, you know that. I am a complement to you, in that way, because I have never been accused of being too soft," she says rather plainly. She doesn't revel in the characterization, but neither does she seem ashamed of it.

*

Charles actually gets a bit of a sly grin at that, "Why, Emma, I was hoping you were going to say that, because you're right. You are much more of a 'bad cop' to my 'good cop', and I would be delighted if you took up that role at the Institute." He chuckles a bit, "To be honest, I was actually waiting for you to ask, since I didn't want to presume what you wanted out of things. But, I shall iron out the details and we'll get you set up at your convenience." He pauses, and then arches a brow as he did pick up a faint hint of /something/… "Though, if I promise it's a place that has berry water and something more suitable for your tastes, we could discuss things in more detail over dinner?" And with that, he gives Emma a genuine smile, not intimidated so much as respectful of her status.

*

Emma is only a little surprised by how readily Charles agrees. Not that she believes Charles to be a control freak (though, in some ways, he kinda fits that description), but because he's opening the students to her brand of administration, which is much less forgiving than his. "I want to be certain that you're aware of the fact that I won't take it easy on any student," she says, a hint of skepticism noticeable in her expression. "That is, I believe in firm-but-fair…" She trails off and, though Charles would need to exert more effort to overhear the unspoken words in her head, he can tell that there're things she's leaving unsaid. Her placid exterior is only gently mussed by this internal conflict that she's experiencing, showing through her slightly creased brow.

Then, as the food arrives, she is given a reprieve, and she seems relieved for it! Her consternation evaporates as she begins preparing her salad. However, the note in Charles' voice as he asks her out to dinner gives her pause. She looks up from her plate with a whisper of surprise in her eyes. She hadn't expected that—after all, she's eating lunch with him, presently. "Dinner? When?" she asks, setting her fork down and taking a drink of her iced tea.

*

Charles hmms, "Well, if I'm going to be setting up administrative things for the rest of this afternoon… tomorrow evening? If you had a particular spot in mind?" Charles himself did, in fact, order a Cobb salad as well, as apparently he is taking Hank's advice somewhat seriously, despite the beer.
Then he continues, changing off track as he considers a "when?" much more successful than a "no" as far as dinner is concerned, "And yes, I am certain. I do have a tendency to regard the students as my children, and while that can be helpful in some ways, in other ways it can be limiting. Having someone who is firm-but-fair in a way that I can't be would only be a benefit." He doesn't pry with his telepathy, as that would be both rude and pretty easily discerned, as he instead says, "I just didn't want to presume to place you in a spot you didn't want to be in, Emma." And he sounds like he means it, no less.

*

Emma nods her head, taking the opportunity to eat while she listens to Charles speak, considering his words. After a while, she puts her fork down, pats her mouth with her napkin, and drinks more of her iced tea before replying. "Now, Charles," she begins with a playfully reproachful tone. "Who's to say that I don't view my students as my children? I certainly do. But, without going into too much detail about my childhood, I learned that having structure is very important. My parents were quite…absentee. If I hadn't been so driven to achieve for myself, I could very well have ended up a useless dilettante, like so many people I once knew have become. I care very much for my students, even if it doesn't show in the expected fashions," she shares.

It's a lot. Sharing this kind of information with Charles. It's Emma exposing a part of herself to him, in a way. But, if she's going to work with him, he needs to know she's not the sort to punish without cause or concern. It makes her highly uncomfortable, feeling like she has to /explain/ herself and her methods to anyone. It infuriates her. But, mostly because it feels like she's making herself vulnerable. "Anyway," she shoves those thoughts and feelings away. "Tomorrow evening should be fine. I'll have my assistant contact you with the details," she clears her throat. "What sort of food do you like? Other than.." she gestures around the mom'n'pop, American-style place that is Harry's.

*

Charles ahs and actually blushes a bit, "Of course you do. Forgive me, Emma, I didn't mean to imply otherwise. Obviously you care about your students, else I wouldn't have agreed to this shared position in the first place. It's just… well, I suppose…" He pauses, and gives her a bit of a frank look, "My parents were absentees as well, though my father died early, my mother shortly after… and with the students, particularly the first ones like Hank, Scott, Jean, I see in them the family that I never really had." He smiles a touch, "I guess we just approach it in different ways, though I confess to have always admired your drive." At the mention of what he likes for dinner, he then smiles a bit wider, "To be honest, I'm always eager to embrace new experiences, so I will completely trust your judgment in that regard, Emma."

*

Emma smiles, just a ghost of a smile, at the blushing. It's refreshing, in her opinion, to see a man openly admit to his mistake and blush prettily at it. In her experience, in the business world, a man owning his faults is generally only accomplished by grinding facts into his face in a way that he cannot avoid—unless, of course, she applies a bit of her special 'finesse.' She's done it, before, feeling zero compunctions about using her gifts to her benefit. But, there's something quite endearing about this moment.. In a way that makes Emma slightly uncomfortable, now that she's thinking on it too much!

Ahem. Composure.

What a cute smile. "I always say that being open to new experiences is the sign of great intelligence," she says approvingly, sipping from her tea, again. "So, tell me about these new recruits?" she asks, aiming to eat a bit more of her salad. It's always a difficult balance when having a meal with another person, whether business or personal—talking while eating can very easily become uncouth. She sweeps some of her icy blonde hair away from her face as she resumes eating. She tries not to think about how paranoid she is over showing vulnerability at practically every moment of her waking life, because that would easily lead to indigestion.

*

Xavier ahs, recovering his composure a bit, continuing in a far more comfortable subject, "Well, there's three… two for certain, and one that is a rescue from that dreadful assassin training school. Anyway, one of my recent graduates, Sophie Rosseau, brought in her friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth has the ability to manipulate shadows, and has a bit of a dark side. No pun intended." He hmms, "Then there is Cassandra, who I actually encountered myself. She's not a mutant, but she's exceptionally well trained in combat. Apparently her parents indoctrinated her to be an assassin from near birth, and her communication skills are… stagnated. So I thought my talents could help them develop for her, as she has a good soul and didn't deserve what fate gave her." He hmms, "And the third would be Angelica, who can apparently control microwaves. While she hasn't made a decision to join the school yet, the offer is out there, and I think she'll agree to sign on, eventually." He gives a brief summary of each new student, or prospective student, then smiles over at Emma. "Since I returned from my hobbit-hole, I've been a little busy I suppose." Ah yes, a sabbatical/vacation to spend a winter with the esteemed Professor Tolkien and others in England.

*

Emma is attentive to what Charles says as she finishes her salad, dabbing at her lips for the last time before placing her napkin on top of her plate. She considers the new/prospective students and nods. "While I generally feel that we should restrict our institution to mutants and other super-powered beings, I take no issue with Cassandra's admittance. It sounds as though she could really use your assistance, and someone so formidable in combat is always helpful, when the going gets tough," she says, sitting back in her seat.

"What of this dark side of Elizabeth's? Is it something that could be a cause for concern? How dark is it?" she queries. "As for Angelica… If she chooses to turn down the opportunity, that's a shame, but it's her loss. If I'd been offered a chance to go to school with people who had similar struggles to mine, I'd have leaped at the chance, but there is that saying about horses and water…"

*

Charles nods, "Indeed. And I admit, Cassandra's admittance is a bit… unorthodox. But frankly, if any of my students do raise a fuss, I might just let them have a training session with her, and then inform them afterwards that her mutant power is kicking their butt." He grins wryly at that, then shakes his head, "Elizabeth's dark side… it's something that's there, but she keeps it in check. But as long as she's not seriously provoked or put into a life-threatening situation… she'd be a danger to any intruders, more than a fellow student. And regarding Angelica, I do hope she decides to attend the school, but she said first that she needed to see her father. I can't blame her for that in the least." He finishes his salad as well, then nods at Emma, "And whenever you want to come to the school, you're more than welcome too. I'll try to get an office set up this week, which shouldn't be too hard, with the summer and everything we're a bit light in administrative work." And besides, he has more than a few telekinetics to do the heavy lifting.

*

At the joke about Cassandra's mutant power being the kicking of butts, Emma can't help but laugh—she was caught off-guard. She composes herself, though, on the more somber note about Elizabeth's dark side. "What if she were to be angered? Teasing from peers, or admonishment from faculty… The possibilities are endless, especially as a teenager. My concern is how securely she she is able to keep it in check. And, what might happen should she not be able to do so," Emma says, crossing her legs under the table, her foot accidentally bumping against Charles' leg. She murmurs an apology, drawing her legs back against her chair.

At the mention of an office for her, Emma's face brightens. It seems this idea pleases her. "It will be at least as large as yours, yes?" she asks, arching a brow. "I would like to have control over its appointment, and I'll definitely pay for it out of my own pockect, as I have such exacting standards," she says, knowing her tastes to be extravagant. "I'll have movers and decorators in place, so you won't have to worry about any of that stuff. I'll just need all of the dimensions of the room and its location within the building." Already, she's going over color palettes in her mind. The excitement of acquiring new things always puts Emma in a good mood.

*

Charles nods, "We'll be keeping a close eye on her, but it would be best that we train her to use her powers. If nothing else, as much as I hate to have something happen at the school, it would be worse to have something happen where there weren't people nearby that could deal with such things." And that's the rub, as he then follows up with, "And your office will be the exact same area as mine, I promise. After all, I said you were going to be a co-head of the school, and that means we'd be equals. And once I figure out how we'll do the remodeling, I'll be more than happy to let you adorn it as you see fit." Then he gets a bit of a smile, "And, if you don't mind my saying so, you have a beautiful laugh. Though I suspect it doesn't come out all that often."

*

"I can't fault that logic," Emma cedes, regarding the fact that Elizabeth's dark side should be around those who can handle it. "Do you think it might be beneficial to her to have sessions that will test her, teach her to control it better? Very few people can be as trying as I can be, if I put my mind to it, after all," she says with a wry smile. "I might be uniquely qualified to help her, in that way."

At the compliment to her laugh, Emma smiles lightly and lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. "If you laugh easily, smile easily, you're not serious, you're not playing hardball. They'll take advantage of you. They'll underestimate you. While being underestimated isn't a bad thing—in fact, it's often a desired thing… Being disrespected, in my opinion, is not desired. A man can smile and laugh, but a woman who does is weak. A woman who doesn't is a bitch, a ball-buster. But, I'd rather be viewed as a bitch than as being weak. So, no… My laugh doesn't get heard very often, and my smiles are few and far between, depending on my company. Since I'm usually around businessmen, I've gotten into the habit of running on my coldest setting as a default. Sitting here, talking with you… I've thawed, slightly."

*

Xavier shakes his head, "Yes, I'm aware of that double standard, much as it irritates me. And I've tried to set better examples for my students too." Which might explain why he trusted Jean to be running things smoothly in his absence. "It's too bad, really, that you can't be taken seriously for being who you are, and instead have to… well, project something else entirely. Well, I mean, I take you seriously, because you are quite formidable, regardless." He then changes the subject back to Elizabeth, "And actually, considering your level of control, that is not a bad idea. It would definitely approach things from an angle that I could not."

*

Emma smiles lightly and nods. "Well, to be honest, I don't know that this isn't part of who I am, anyway. I've never been the cuddly sort," she admits, thinking back on her life. "Perhaps that made me uniquely qualified to succeed in business as I have. I'm not sure," she shakes her head. "But, the point is, though I may be an ice queen, I know you know there's a living heart that beats beneath my breast," she smiles dryly, knowing how others who've met her would strongly disagree. "I appreciate that you take me seriously, though. I don't mind proving that I'm worthy of respect, but it's nice not having to constantly remind people of the fact," she admits.

*

Charles smiles back, "Well, I'm certain that if I ever felt otherwise, you'd be very quick to remind me, and rightly so." He nods in agreement with her, and continues, "We're all shaped by our experiences, Emma, and I think that is what makes you a perfect co-headmaster for the Institute. And I'll look forward to hearing from your assistant regarding tomorrow evening." With that, as a gentleman does, he does cover both tabs for lunch, since coming here was his idea in the first place. And he, as always, tips probably a bit too generously. But then Harry's does occasionally get… collateral damage from being so close to the school.

Rising to his feet, Charles offers Emma a hand, "May I walk you to your car? Not that you need an escort, but…" He trails off, as if not certain where to quite go from there.

*

Emma, though she won't admit it to herself, feels her frosty little heart thaw a little more as Charles pays her another compliment. Now, it's not that she's unused to receiving compliments - she hears them regularly, both genuine and fake. But, there's something…charming? about Charles. She's not sure what it is, and when she thinks about it too much, it makes her uncomfortable. So, she doesn't think about it, for now. Instead, she stands and puts her gloves back on while Charles pays the check. Harry's prices are very affordable for those with middle-class means, so to Emma it's a pittance - less than she'd tip at a restaurant she frequents. She plans to pay for the dinner the next evening, anyway.

She looks at Charles' proffered arm for a moment before slowly accepting it, "…You may." Walking so close, her perfume is more noticeable, a scent seemingly designed to capture Emma's beauty and general aura. Her driver is waiting at the car - a white Rolls Royce - and opens the door for her when she's near. "I'll.. Well, I'll see you tomorrow evening, Charles. Thank you for lunch," she smiles. And, before she can say anything else, she slides into the lush backseat of the car, sweeping her feet inside after her. The driver closes the door, tips his hat to Charles, resumes his place in the driver's seat, and pulls away, heading back toward New York proper.

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