Fallout from clone maddness

[aberranthubris]

WHO: Charles and people who were involved with his rubbish clone
WHERE: Around, home, hospital, etc.
WHEN: Following week from clone bullshit
WHAT: Let's talk!
WARNINGS: TBA



HOSPITAL

a. right after being admitted to the hospital for a severe case of concussion

Dizzy and confused, that's what he felt. Laying in the bed and staring at the pleasantly green and white walls. He didn't have much of an idea what had happened. It felt like a truck might have hit him, or something really heavy in any case.

Someone had brought him in. He didn't remember who or how. But her he was, sitting in a blue pyjama between crisp white sheets. He had tried to send Erik a text message. Then one to Jean as well. Maybe they'd know what was going on.

b. summoned by a text message/phonecall

Once Charles learned a little bit of what happened in the past few weeks. He picked up his communication device and started sending texts to everyone he had been in contact with in the past months, reaching out and asking if he had been acting strangely, if they had encountered him and the encounter had left them thinking that he was perhaps acting a little weirdly.

He would rather handle any confusion and apologies in a timely manner. Come meet him in the hospital and let's talk!

HOME

c. after being discharged

He has a loaned chair from the hospital, a manual one, and he's pushing himself into the house a few days later. He wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. The staff agreed only because he promised to take it very easy and not strain himself.

It's a little bit hard to keep that promise in the light of things.

Come see him, bunt him back to bed, maybe.

Comments

B.

[dr_eldarov]

[Anatoly had the same approach to this as he did to delivering most bad news, which he had done a lot of in his time as a doctor: go in, do it, leave very, very quickly. He had no desire to make this awkward or prolong Charles' suffering, particularly when he wasn't sure Charles had really recovered enough for this conversation to begin with.

Although, that said, his first instinct was to look Charles over to gauge how bad the damage was.] Are you going to be alright?

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles was pretty well battered, his face was bruised purple, one of his eyes almost swollen shut and his mouth broken with a split lip. There were several scratches and cuts here and there on his body, but the worst definitely was his face and the bump and cut on the back of his head. His middle section would also look pretty gruesome, but it was hidden by layers of clothes and blankets.

He sat on the hospital bed and waved at Anatoly with a small smile. ] They assured me that I will live, [ he said softly, because he didn't want to speak very loudly. His headache tended to return at loud noises. ] Please, take a chair, come sit. How are you, my friend?

[dr_eldarov]

I have healing powers, you know, [he said softly as he sat down, frowning at the state Charles was in.] I cannot promise you a full recovery, but I can try to ease the worst pains, at least. And I am, compared to most right now, doing relatively fine, all things considered. I'm uninjured, at any rate.

[aberranthubris]

Oh, of course. Thank you for any effort you put forward my recovery. [ Charles reached out to squeeze Anatoly's arm gently. ] It seems to be quite a bit of a madhouse out there. I'm glad to know you weren't caught in the middle of it.

[ Then he plunges in with a worried frown, struggling to sit up a little more, not just propped up by the bed and pillows but on his own volition. ] You met him, didn't you? My clone.

[dr_eldarov]

I was mostly trying to aide my housematein dealing with her clone; other than fretting over her like the second father she never asked for, I did unfortunately little. Medical treatment first, personal discussions later.

[He avoids the question as best he can, placing his healing hands gently on the worst of Charles' injuries - and he's not amused at the moment that this place gave him a literal healing touch, because touching Charles is something he doesn't want to do. A faint silvery glow surrounds his hands as his fingers brush over Charles' face, trying to repair as much of the damage as he can. In the end, all Charles is left with are some light bruises. The split lip takes a few extra seconds, and then Anatoly realizes he just caressed Charles' lip with his thumb and knows, the same way he knew when he saw an enemy regiment coming during the Great War, that he's going to have to man up and face this.]

...your clone and I talked, yes. Twice. [He shoves his hands in his pockets, leaning back.] He did not share your morality when it came to reading minds, which made things rather uncomfortable, although the first time around I was too stunned to process things. I should have realized you would never conduct yourself as he did. For that, I am truly sorry.

And while he was very definitely influencing the minds of everyone in an entire building, and he had made... [oh Hashem help him what's the modern, non-offensive phrasing for the clone's actions?] romantic overtures towards me before, that is no excuse for my having, during my second encounter with him, having kissed him.

[His contempt and disgust for himself are evident in his voice, but his body language, from how he's hunched his shoulders to how tense his fists are, read as utter fear of Charles' reaction. He isn't just anxious, he is ready to run, and if he weren't so high-strung he'd probably be on the edge of crying.

With a humorless chuckle, he adds,] It's alright if you hate me now or think I am perverted. I do, too.

a

[incogneto]

[ Erik had been waiting in Charles's room for a day, then two days. He calls into work and they tell him to stay, wait until his friend wakes up. Then come in.

He stays by Charles's side and falls asleep in the chair and wakes up with a bad neck and a reminder that he's fifty years young and has grown grandsons.

He tears himself away for a moment to take a brisk walk around outside, get some sun, make himself a cup of coffee with that awful dispenser machine they have in the hallway.

He gets a text. ]

Hey.

[ He walks back in the room, with two styrofoam plates holding slices of awful hospital cake. ]

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles looks like a man that had a little too much fun playing tag with a professional hockey player. His face is blue and purple, one of his eyes almost swollen shut and his mouth broken with a split lip. There are more cuts and scratches all over is body but his face is definitely the most gruesome of them all. That and the bump and cut at the back of his head.

He brightens considerably when he sees Erik, confused but relieved. He doesn't remember much about anything since the attack. It will come back to him eventually but for now he's in the dark. ]

Erik... What's going on?

[incogneto]

[ Ooh, he does not look good. But. Erik's seen him come back from worse.

He's been that worse thing that Charles came back from. So.... he's not terribly worried, though he does go over to fuss at Charles to nonverbally tell him to relax. ]

There was a clone of you. Incomplete, I... should've guessed it right away. He kidnapped you so he could make everyone lower their inhibitions while you were out of the way. Jean and I stopped him, someone else had already brought you to the hospital.

[ He offers a smile ]

You were out a few days. We've been taking turns keeping watch. I think I might have to install a tracker.

[aberranthubris]

[ There are barely any shields in his mind right now. He's trying to keep the effort to minimum like the doctors said he should. So Erik is bleeding through very loud and very clear. ] I'll be fine, [ he says aloud, reaching over to squeeze Erik's arm. ] Like you just thought, I've come back from worse.

A clone? [ Charles just stares at him for a moment. ] An actual...

How?

[ The comment about a tracker gets a small amused snort out of him but he's more focused on what Erik is saying before to really quip back anything.

And he will be following the line of Erik's thoughts about the clones is Erik doesn't block him. ]

[incogneto]

[ He's not, and going to briefly give an overview about how Heaven Scent was not exactly what they said they were and maybe reprimand Charles a little for sending his DNA through the mail... ]

People might. Confuse the two of you for awhile, but I think everyone will be... accepting, knowing there were so many clones around.

[ He moves his arm from Charles's grip, only so he can hold his hand and squeeze it back. ]

But you can worry about that later. You need to focus on resting.

A.

[glassfall]

[That someone had been Cinders, probably. Those thugs had been the first people she'd ever fought in her life - if one counts "screaming at fire, shooting at her a few times and then running away in a panic" as fighting. Either way, she'd won, and the cab driver had obligingly driven them to the hospital. He'd made quite a nice bit of money off Cinders, too - especially as he hadn't asked many questions.

Now, Cinders is here, with some Casablanca lilies. She smiles at Charles, relieved to see him awake.]

Hello.

[aberranthubris]

[ He remembers her! From the network post. She's the one with a fire based ability. He had reached out for her at some point but she never showed up to train with her powers.

Charles tries to reach up to rub a hand over his eyes but realises that his face is bruised purple and he really shouldn't be doing that. ]

Uhm... Hello, [ he tries with an awkward clearing of his throat. ] Would you happen to know why I'm in a hospital?

[glassfall]

[Actually, she had - but, unfortunately, she had run into his clone. Not that she knew that, of course.]

Yes! You're here because I brought you here. You're heavier than you look.

[She jests, but she still needed help to get the poor man inside the cab.]

[aberranthubris]

Oh. [ Charles' brows furrow as he tries to remember any of this happening. She has obviously been supporting him at some point but he can't remember any of it. ]

I am very thankful for your assistance, Miss Cinders. Where did you bring me from? What happened to me?

[glassfall]

I brought you from a warehouse. You had been kidnapped.

[She fidgets, uncomfortable. She had hurt people in order to save him - something she'd never done before in her life.]

C. and I know I'm late but I'm sorry.

[pale_blue_arrow]

[Brendan drops by unannounced, because he's still new at this whole having-friends thing. He never had a phone at home - he couldn't afford it and his parents couldn't be trusted to pay for one - so the thought of texting ahead didn't occur to him. But he comes with his backpack laden down with food, in an attempt to make sure Charles knows he gives a shit without having to actually say it.

He considers letting himself in because he's that kind of asshole, but settles for actually ringing the doorbell like a halfway civilized person. He even brought a notebook he's taken to scrawling some of his thoughts in, though calling it 'writing' would be a stretch. It's more of a bundle of half-attempted poems and remembered moments, but maybe it'll help show Charles that Brendan is doing fine in the aftermath of all this.

Well. Fine for Brendan, anyway. That term was pretty relative.]

no problemo!

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles is still taking it very easy with his shields. He hears Brendan's thoughts a long time before he rings the bell, which is why the door is actually propped open and he calls from inside: ] Come in! I'm making tea.

[ Once Brendan is inside, Charles wheels himself back a little to give him a wave from the kitchen. ] And close the door. Come in, come in.

I'm glad to see you. How are you doing? [ He's in a manual wheelchair, moving slowly through the tea making process in order to keep himself from putting too much strain on himself. He's also not wearing the usually immaculate clothes that he does, but a pyjama, slippers and a cardigan on top of that. ]

[pale_blue_arrow]

You're supposed to be taking it easy, [Brendan grouses at him by way of greeting, entering with a critical eye for signs Charles hasn't. He's pretty sure the hospital wanted Charles to actually rest, in a bed or something, but he's not surprised Charles isn't. He shuts the door and comes into the kitchen, giving Charles an exasperated look.]

You got the shit beat out of you. How I'm doing is irrelevant as fuck right now. [Setting his backpack on the kitchen table, he begins taking out food in various Tupperware containers, save for the lasagna, which he brought over in a glass container with a plastic lid due to its' weight.] Pretty sure you're not supposed t' be making tea and all that right now. Figured the least I could do was make sure you weren't gonna try to cook on top of whatever other doctor's orders you're ignoring.

[There's banana bread, there's garlic bread, there's lasagna, there's mashed potatoes, there's almond chicken, and there's enough gingerbread cookies to feed several people.] I'm doing kinda better now that I made stuff. And now that I have visual confirmation you're among the living. How're you holding up?

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles manages a sheepish laughter as Brendan gives him a very Brendan like lecture. ] You're right, absolutely right. I shouldn't be up. But I can't just lay down all day long. I feel fine.

[ His brows arch curiously at all the food and he rolls over to peer into the containers. ] Did you make all this? I am impressed. Though, Erik frets over me enough that I will not go hungry. I managed to finally convince him to leave me alone for a little bit.

[ He smiles and reaches up to grab Brendan's hand, squeezing it. ] I'm alright. I really am. Just worried and tired. Tell me that awful clone didn't find you, too.

[pale_blue_arrow]

[This is actually a step up for Brendan in terms of lecturing. At least he's not yelling. Then again, he worked that stress out through cooking, so maybe that'll be his new go-to for this. He gives Charles an unamused look.] I once told my friend Brian I felt fine before going home, collapsing from internal bleeding and throwing up blood. You're gonna have to do better than 'fine' to fool me.

Yeah, I did. [He shrugs, not sure how to deal with praise.] I made all the food in my house that wasn't take-out, I can do more than the ghetto chicken noodle soup thing. And your live-in boyfriend seems like a nice guy, but I make better garlic bread than him. Trust me.

[Brendan draws breath just a bit too sharply. His first thought is that this is the price he pays for having made a cut on his hand. His second is that he wishes he had whatever immunity his mother had to people noticing that sort of thing.] 'm okay. Ran into a clone of the guy I had a crush on here. Not you, though. Your clone stayed away from me.

For Wanda

[aberranthubris]

It would be rather curious if the clone hadn't reached out to Wanda as well. Of course it had. Charles was quite convinced of it in fact.

When he's released from the hospital and Erik brings him home, he takes a day or two to just sleep away the dreadful exhaustion that the whole ordeal put him through. But it's the third night back at home and he finds his way to Wanda's room, sitting outside her door in his much slimmer and smaller manual wheelchair as he reaches up to knock.

"Wanda? It's Charles. Could I have a word with you?"

[divaricate]

The sleeping is understandable. She looks up to the door -- she's been sitting on her bed, writing in her journal -- and opens the door with her telekinetic powers. "Sure, come on in." She offers him a half smile, closing her journal and setting the pen aside. "How are you?"

[aberranthubris]

He smiles in return and pushes the wheels forward, sliding into her room. It's a little bit of a narrower space than the rest of the house, which makes it hard to navigate with the chair but not impossible.

"I'm relatively well, thank you," he says as he comes to a halt and folds his hands on his lap. "We haven't had a chance to talk for a while. I hope you didn't get hurt during the time there was trouble. Are you well?"

[divaricate]

"Physically unharmed, yeah. Emotionally.. I'm still waiting to level out for various reasons." That gets a laugh -- if a more cynical one. "I may never trust the summer months again." Back home, here, it didn't matter; it seemed the most shit hit the fan during them. "But that's not.." She waves a hand. It's not important. She tries to get off that train of thought.

"What's on your mind?" There's probably something hilarious about a telepath asking another telepath that question, phrased in that way,

[aberranthubris]

"You know, if you need someone to talk to, you can always talk to me," Charles promises with a small smile. "I don't know what happened but it's always a little easier to deal with these matters together rather than by lonesome."

He chuckles at the way she frames the question, amusement clear in the crinkles that appear around his eyes.

"I wanted to ask you if my clone contacted you in these past few weeks. He caused quite a lot of trouble with my immediate circle and I wanted to make sure you weren't one of them and if you were, hoping to set that record straight."