When morning came, Erik was rather aware to the fact that he was not in his room, and he was not alone. His head tilted to the side and looked to where Valeryia was sleeping peacefully. He frowned slowly, this wasn't right. He slowly sat up and her eyes opened and she just looked to him. Erik stood and straightened his clothes out and turned to look down at her. She hadn't moved really, though her eyes had followed his movements.

He looked about the room for some inspiration before realising that really, what was the point? He might as well be honest on the matter here, no matter how it may be taken. "I shouldn't have kissed you." He said simply, her eyes blinked slowly. "Likewise you shouldn't have kissed me. You're a confused girl trying to make sense of this world that you've found yourself in, this isn't helping you at all on that matter. If anything, it'd be making it a whole lot more confusing."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Erik."

He looked down at her as she simply yawned and buried her face against the pillow. She shut her eyes and got comfortable again and looked like she was just going to go back to sleep. Honestly, considering her mood swings did tend to go from placid to rage in seconds, he wasn't expecting this simple reaction. With a nod of his head though, even though she couldn't see the action, he turned and unlocked the door and left the room.

He made his way along the corridor and back to his room without any incident, thankfully. He didn't even want to contemplate over what excuses he'd have to crack out for the sake of avoiding the blatant truth. That was honestly something Erik didn't want to admit to.

After showering and finding some clothes in the wardrobe he moved back out of the room. The only thing present to see to wear was either the clothes he wore to Russia, the clothes he had bagged up from the base, or this tracksuit. Sticking his hands in the grey hoodie pockets, he made his way downwards. It wasn't early morning so perhaps he wouldn't be the lone person to be up and about?

His thoughts were apparently right when he walked into the kitchen and saw Sean eating left over pizza for breakfast. Erik just frowned and looked at him curiously, "What?" Though the word actually came out a lot more muffled because of him currently eating.

"I didn't say anything," was Erik's reply as he pulled a mug from the cupboard and took to filling it up with coffee. Much needed coffee.

"You didn't have to," Sean said while turning in his seat to look at where Erik was standing. "You said all you needed to with one look. What's wrong with you?"

Erik frowned, he looked over his shoulder as he filled the mug up as much as he could. "Why is it you think there's something wrong with me?"

Sean pressed his lips together and waved his hand in a so-so action, "Getting vibes."

Erik raised an eyebrow, picking up his mug he turned and commenced leaving the room. "I don't want to know," which he didn't, that's why he was opting to exit. He sighed and went to tentatively drink his coffee only to stop when he saw Valeryia jumping down the stairs, she saw Charles at the other end of the corridor and ran towards him. Erik just stood and watched them, she seemed remarkably happy, she smiled and animatedly talked to Charles about something, and he in return turned and pointed back to his study. She smiled a thanks and ran off again.

"Erik!" Charles put his hands in his pockets and noticed him just standing there in the corridor.

Erik drunk some of the coffee at last and frowned down at the smaller male. "Charles." He responded a little clipped.

Charles looked at him worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"You're the second person to presume there's something wrong. There isn't. Should there be something wrong?"

Charles held his hands up in defence. "Good morning to you too," he smiled and walked past him to go to the kitchen.

Erik looked from where the two had been conversing to his retreating form. Turning he walked after Charles, "What was wrong with her?"

Charles smiled, "Who said there was something wrong with her?" He asked while eyeing Erik up and down. "Unless you've said something to her?"

"We talked," Erik admitted while putting his spare hand back into his pocket. What was the point of even lying? He could easily lie to Charles, but he seemed to have a skill – without using his powers – of knowing when he was lying to him. So, Erik opted for the truth.

Charles's eyes widened, he looked pleased by this sudden snippet of information. Erik just leaned against the counter as he took to getting himself a drink too; Sean was still eating pizza in the background and looked at them both before attempting to offer some left-over slices. "No, you're all right there, Sean." Charles declined kindly with a wave of his hand. Surely there was something more to eat for breakfast than leftovers? Regardless Sean looked like he was enjoying his meal, so Charles decided to just leave him to it. He turned his attention back to Erik, "Good though, I am glad."

"I bet you are." Erik muttered while lifting his mug up to his lips and slowly drinking. He narrowed his eyes over the rim and at Charles when he looked confused.

"It is good, maybe now you two can stop clashing? Though I guess this has lessened already without you two having a little heart to heart," he rubbed a hand to his chin in thought before filling his mug up. He smiled and happily took the now full item into his hands. He sighed contently and turned to look at Erik, he was just standing looking at him plainly. Charles smiled and awkwardly moved around him and left the kitchen, Erik sighed and followed after him.

"So what did she want?"

"You're very curious as to what she does, Erik." Charles smiled and had it in mind to return to his study, Moira and Raven were in there and no doubt Valeryia too now.

Erik sighed, "Curious."

"Yeah, okay," Charles nodded and shrugged, he stopped and turned to look up at his friend. "What exactly did you two talk about to cause you to suddenly be so curious?"

Erik frowned, looking about he looked downwards eventually and into the steaming liquid in the mug. "The past." Charles looked suddenly serious, but he nodded understanding. Though he had hoped they would see their similarities for what they were, it didn't mean talking about such a topic would be easy, for either of them.

"She wants to go shopping." Erik looked up confused at that. Charles smiled and shrugged as he idly walked to his study. "She has no clothes, but come to think of it all everyone else has is what you're wearing." Charles glanced at Erik before turning into his study. "Have you decided when you're going to go?" He asked while looking at the three females, Raven was positively excited about this, Moira seemed a bit more reserved and Valeryia just smiled and nodded her head. Charles walked over and sat on the edge of his desk, "I was thinking," he paused, Moira turned in her chair and looked at him. "Maybe we should all go?"

"Is that wise?" Moira asked, she wasn't worried about them going out as a collective group; but more wouldn't it be best to go separately to avoid any suspicions? She had no idea if they could be found here, or if this place could be found, but wouldn't it be best if someone could stay and look after the place if it did? On second thoughts, she thought going out altogether was genuinely a bad idea. They'd all get split up, she knew it, she could sense that already.

Charles drunk some of his coffee and smiled. "Yeah, why not?" He continued to smile, Moira rolled her eyes rather certain that he may have listened in on her thoughts. "Come on, get ready." He said suddenly sounding quite enthusiastic about this all.

Raven shot to a stand and pulled Valeryia up with her, the two talked quickly away with each other, Raven had plenty of clothes here but she was excited for the prospect of shopping with another girl, and to try and see what clothes would suit the orange haired girl by her side.

It just so happened that the first shop which they came across they disappeared into, Moira begrudgingly sighed and walked quickly to go find them; she wasn't wholly pleased to see her thoughts had come true. She glanced over her shoulder at the group of males standing looking quite sympathetic for her. "I'll find you, go," she rushed after the sudden flash of orange hair and hoped it was Valeryia and not someone else with vivid hair such as hers.

----

Charles was enjoying a moment of peace in one of the small cafes which were situated in this mall. Being suddenly tapped on the shoulder he turned and smiled, "Valeryia! Where's Raven and Moira?"

She shrugged and sidled around to sit. "I don't know. I lost them and felt hungry so I came here, and low and behold here you are."

"Did you get all that you were looking for?" He asked noticing the small collection of bags which were now around her feet. The CIA were definitely spending their money wisely here. He couldn't help but smirk at that really.

"Yeah, I did." She crossed her arms on the table and leaned her chin on her arms. She looked up at him from over a pair of sunglasses that Raven had loaned her. She got rid of the contacts which concealed her bright eyes. She had no other way to disguise her abnormally coloured eyes other than glasses.

"Do you know where anyone else is?" Charles asked, she shook her head quickly before sitting up and looking happily at the waiter who appeared by their side. Clearly noticing that Charles now had company he came over and asked her if she wanted anything. Charles hadn't ever seen Valeryia's expression light up like it did at the prospect of hot chocolate and chocolate cake, but there she was looking like an excitable child.

"I don't," she answered eventually once the waiter left. "I just spotted you by chance." She shrugged and rolled her hand in thought before leaning her chin against it.

"Can I ask you something?" Charles watched as she nodded and picked up the fork which was on the plate which was suddenly placed in front of her. "Your little chat with Erik...it didn't end badly, did it?"

"What's he said to you?" Her eyes narrowed as she paused in eating.

"Nothing, he just seemed surprisingly curious this morning." Charles commented. Curious, might as well use the one word Erik did.

Valeryia sighed and placed her hands on the table. "I kissed him, Charles."

He was drinking at the time and choked slightly. She looked apologetically at him. "W-what? Why? When I suggested him talking to you I didn't mean..."

"He looked hurt, Charles. So, hurt, and sad. It's weird, he's always so smug looking, and sarcastic. To see him look like that...it was like a completely different person. I don't know how to comfort, I'm not even going to sit here and admit to you that kissing him was a wise idea, but it stopped him looking so sad. Only he ended up kissing me in return, and well, his form of kissing..."

"I don't need to know too much detail, Valeryia. Honestly, I am quite all right without knowing some particulars."

"You did say you were here if I ever needed to talk. And you did ask, and I am talking because I am troubled."

Charles shifted in his seat and looked at her with a small frown. "Troubled, by what?" Her eyes flicked up to look at him plainly. "Erik." He frowned more, trust him to try and solve something only to make it worse, without even trying, or doing anything.

"It didn't mean anything to him, Charles. Not that I am particularly caring on the matter. One kiss doesn't mean a lot, even more so considering...but, because he took such a simple moment a step further any neutral ground we had is now gone." She ate some of her cake and drunk some of her drink and looked at Charles with a small smile. "I understand we are similar, but he's more emotionally unstable than myself. He called me confused. I'm not as confused as everyone seems to think. I understand a lot more than I think anyone realises."

"You are perceptive, it was one of the first things I noticed about you." Charles agreed quietly and looked over her shoulder with a smile. "There you are!" Valeryia turned and smiled up at Raven, "Valeryia said she lost you."

"Actually, Valeryia walked away and we got separated." Raven corrected with a grin as she sat down and looked with a wide smile at the cake which was almost gone on Valeryia's plate. "Whatever that is, or was I am having some." She looked around for a waiter to flag down. "So! What were you guys talking about? You looked rather serious from the distance I have to say."

"Your brother was just saying I'm perceptive." Valeryia smiled and lifted her cup to her lips.

Raven smirked and looked at Charles with a knowing look. "Oh was he now?" Charles looked with wide eyes and shook his head slowly. For once he wished Raven didn't see him stating a character trait as flirting.