CHLORIS

7. COLORS

Through his eyes, Colleen saw his true, dark colors. He was a man of pain, burned by the flames of anger. Despite what happened that night, she made up her mind to remain silent about it - maybe out of fear, or something else, there's no name for it - until, perhaps, Charles read her mind and confronted her to confess, if she has to.

That morning, Charles spoke through her head again. He informed her to see him in Agent Hall's office. Agent Hall owns the entire facility, also the Cerebro - even though technically it was designed by Hank, the mutant-locating device was still under the ownership of Hall.

Colleen was called to replace Agent Moira MacTaggert who was on duty elsewhere at the moment. Colleen's job was simple. She just sat quietly next to Charles, nodding at the conversation cluelessly while confirming anything Charles had to say.

"Hank turned that radar installation into a transmitter," explained Agent Hall behind his desk. "It's designed to amplify brainwaves so it can enhance your telepathic powers. Helps us find other mutants for our division." He added.

"What if they don't want to be found by you?" Interrupted a familiar flat, cold voice.

All eyes turned at the door where Erik was standing - arrived out of nowhere, as always. Colleen was surprised - both in a good and bad way - but she was more surprised that she wasn't the only one who was surprised.

"Erik? You decided to stay," Charles smiled, "Something I said changed your mind?" He guessed.

Erik noticed Charles once but laid his eyes somewhere else. He eyed at Colleen next as she glared in return at him with a lost look. Next, she understood that she wasn't the only one Erik said goodbye to last night.

Charles did his thing steathily. He placed two fingers on his head and looked into Erik's mind, only to figure out he was wrong. "Oh, something else did," he remarked casually. Colleen felt Charles's eyes landed on her next.

"If a new species is discovered, it should be by its own kind." He stated with both hands in his pockets, "Charles and I find the mutants, not you." He said to Agent Hall sternly.

The agent disagreed immediately, "First of all, that's my machine." He pointed at the Cerebro outside the glass window. He continued, "Second, this is Charles's decision. He's fine with the CIA's involvement, right?" Agent Hall asked Charles.

Charles's eyes darted away from Colleen, to Erik and then Agent Hall and back to Erik. He was reading from mind to mind, but still paying full attention to his surrounding. He answered, "No, I'm sorry but I'm with Erik. We'll find them alone." Erik and Charles shared a powerful look, finally knowing that they are on the same page.

Shortly after that conversation, Erik casually made an exit. Colleen excused herself and ran after him, demanding explanation. "I thought you were leaving," she called him out loudly, turning his head around.

He stopped walking, waiting for her to come nearer. "I changed my mind," he responded briefly.

"Oh, really? Was it Charles? Hey, what was that about?" She sassed. Their distance was only an arm away this time. Their eyes were strongly locked onto each other. She was filled with confusion and impatience, while he was cold and unpredictable, as always.

"Charles only tried to stop me from leaving the building, but he didn't made me change my mind to stay," Erik defended, which set Colleen off even more. She fold her arms and sighed eagerly while thinking about the time she's wasting. "You did," he grunted.

Erik grunted again, "Does that feed your ego that I owe it up to you?" She said nothing. He continued, "What else do I owe you?"

"An apology," she ordered, bringing back the night before when Erik scared her awfully by attempting to hurt her.

He read her expression, the arch in her brows, the sharpness in her pupils to the heavy breath she's breathing out. He finally gave in, "Alright, I'm sorry. I truly am. I never wanted to hurt you in the first place."

Her temper began to cool. For Colleen, it was like watching a giant iceberg melt from his eyes. She swore to herself that she saw truthfulness, that his eyes looked different when he's promising and not lying. She knew somehow there was a warm and sweet surprise center in that hard candy.

Her hands ran behind Erik's neck to caress him. She said gently, "I told you; you had Charles. You had me." She closed the space between their bodies and pressed them together. "We need you, Erik."

For Colleen, it was like watching the iceberg melt from his eyes. She swore to herself that she saw truthfulness, that his eyes were different when he's promising and not lying.

Erik accepted the forgiving sentiment. Without anymore words, he leaned into her face and put her plump lips against his own. For the first time, he tasted her perfumed sweetness in a romantic peck. It was more than just a kiss. It was a promise. His arms wrapped around her waist and squeezed her gently to intensify the action. They embraced each other like vines around a metal rod.