XMFC/Where's Scott?

[diecastking]

The fire is roaring in the grate, the drawing room an insulated haven from the chilly expanse of the mansion. Despite Hank and Alex's experiments with capturing Havok power, the old building remains draughty and difficult to warm.

However, Erik is perfectly content. He is sitting on the sofa, Charles sprawled across his lap in a position that would've been completely impossible only a few months ago. He rests his elbow on the arm of the sofa, a book of philosophy open but it's his lover who holds his attention, his hand softly caressing his hair.

Charles has never looked more content, more relaxed. The only sting in the tail is that Erik cannot feel his happiness, one step removed from the intimacy they once shared.

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[diecastking]

Erik's smile turns wicked, as he reads on.

"'Sex is as important as eating or drinking and we ought to allow the one appetite to be satisfied with as little restraint or false modesty as the other.'"

[guideshapelead]

"What are you reading?" Charles laughs again, trying to read the cover of Erik's book from his position on his lover's lap.

"Or will I regret hearing the answer?"

[diecastking]

"A treatise on the Marquis de Sade," Erik says triumphantly, waiting for the blush to bloom on his lover's cheeks.

[guideshapelead]

"...oh," Charles blinks, proving that he is far from too old to blush. "The one who wrote about... that."

[diecastking]

"Sex," Erik prompts, wearing an obscene smile.

"And giving his name to a remarkable school of thought. Would you like to borrow it?"

[guideshapelead]

"You can keep it," Charles quickly averts his gaze back to the hearth.

"I have a pile of books awaiting my attention as it is."

[diecastking]

"Perhaps I could read it to you. A little...bedtime reading?"

Erik leans in flirtatiously, though something nags at the back of his brain.

"Isn't it Scott's bedtime?" he says.

[guideshapelead]

"He's with Alex tonight, isn't he?" Charles frowns. He can't simply cast his mind out for the answer, any more, though he assumes that their little boy will be safe under someone's supervision.

[diecastking]

"He should've brought him in by now," Erik says, carefully shifting Charles forward so he can stand.

"I'll go check on them."

[guideshapelead]

Charles lets Erik go, though doesn't make to follow him. It doesn't need the both of them to make sure Alex is being a responsible big brother.

"Don't be too long."

[diecastking]

"Why don't you read the Marquis while I'm gone?" Erik winks at Charles, before going in search of their son.

He finds Alex in the kitchen, removing some baked goods from the oven. "Where is Scott?"

"Isn't he with you?" Alex asks.

[guideshapelead]

"He was in the garden with Hank, earlier," Sean adds from his seat at the kitchen table.

"Probably with him, or Raven."

[diecastking]

Hank and Raven appear at the kitchen door - Hank's fur is wet and Raven is wrapped in a variety of towels.

"Scott's not with you?" Erik says, his anxiety starting to mount.

[guideshapelead]

"We were swimming," Raven shakes her head.

"We thought he'd come in to find you and Charles."

[diecastking]

Erik leaps into soldier mode.

"None of the perimeter wires have been tripped," he says, reaching out to their metal signatures. "He can't be far. We will divide the house and grounds between us."

[guideshapelead]

"Couldn't we just get the Professor to...?" Sean starts, trailing off when he realises why his idea is a stupid one.

Concerned by how long Erik is taking, Charles appears in the doorway at that moment. "What's wrong?" he frowns, taking in the host of concerned faces.

[diecastking]

"Scott is missing," Erik says tautly.

"Hank, Raven - the grounds. Sean, Alex - upstairs. Charles and I will search the downstairs rooms."

[guideshapelead]

Charles pales.

"He won't have gone far..." he tries to reassure himself, and the rest of the room. "Probably just gone up to his room."

[diecastking]

"You can start there," Erik tells Alex, who is already pushing past Charles and racing up the stairs, yelling for his little brother.

"I will start in the west," Erik says to Charles, urgency in his tone and movement.

[guideshapelead]

Charles nods and moves off, heading first to the swimming pool. The chances of Scott being there are slim, with Hank and Raven coming from there moments earlier, but it's also the most dangerous place he could be on his own.

"Scott!" he calls for his little boy, but can't hear or see him anywhere.

[diecastking]

Erik moves through the rooms at lightning speed, enlisting any students he sees in helping him search. Soon, the whole school is looking for Scott - but no one can find him.

Eric is increasingly frantic as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. "Scott!"

[guideshapelead]

Soon everyone is back in the hall, no sign of Scott anywhere.

"What do we do now?" Alex demands, white as a sheet.

[diecastking]

Erik looks to Hank when he really wants to look at Charles.

"We need a better method of searching."

[guideshapelead]

"I have nothing," Hank shrugs. "I can make some sort of sensor, but it would take... all night, at the very least."

"What about you?" Alex is less polite as he rounds on Charles. "If you stopped being so selfish you could find him in five seconds flat."

[diecastking]

"Alex..." Erik warns, but he finally meets Charles' eyes. Silently begging for him to see reason.