Chapter Text
Charlie smiled as he was joined at the dinner table by a man with dark skin and smiling eyes.
‘Hello, Darwin,’ he greeted him.
‘Hello, Charlie,’ Darwin smiled back.
‘Oh, my name is not Charlie anymore,’ Charlie said cheerfully.
Darwin blinked.
‘It’s not?’ he asked, mild curiosity entering his tone.
‘No,’ Charlie shook his head. ‘It’s Charles.’
‘Oh,’ Darwin smiled. ‘Hello, Charles.’
‘Hello, Darwin,’ Charles replied.
They were still smiling at each other when another figure entered the dining area. Darwin’s eyes lit up.
‘It’s Havok!’ he said joyfully. His smile dipped slightly when he saw that Havok was walking towards an empty table. ‘Oh, he will be on his own.’
Charles turned, his face serene, and saw Havok walking past.
‘Good afternoon, Havok,’ he greeted him pleasantly.
The blonde boy paused and turned to face him.
‘Good afternoon, Charlie,’ he replied. He then turned his face to Darwin and his smile widened even further. ‘Good afternoon, Darwin.’
‘Good afternoon,’ Darwin smiled back.
‘Will you sit with us?’ Charles asked. ‘It is good to be together.’
‘Being alone makes us sad,’ Darwin agreed seriously.
‘Then I will sit with you,’ Havok inclined his head, before taking a seat next to them.
They all then calmly began to eat their food.
‘I enjoy our meals,’ Darwin said, carefully spooning up the peas on his plate.
‘Eating nutritious meals is important,’ Charles said, nodding. ‘It helps us be at our best.’
‘I always want to be at my best,’ Havok said earnestly.
‘Me too,’ Darwin agreed.
‘Do you, Charlie?’ Havok asked politely, looking at Charles.
‘His name is not Charlie anymore,’ Darwin informed him.
‘Oh,’ Havok paused, taking this information in. ‘What is it?’
‘It’s Charles,’ Charles said with a smile.
‘Oh,’ Havok nodded. ‘Hello, Charles.’
‘Hello, Havok,’ Charles replied.
They continued to eat their peas.