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Pietro knows that Lehnsherr doesn't like their new place of stay. There's a gleam of displeasure and perhaps apprehension in his eyes. Too bad for him that the abandoned psychiatric hospital is the best place to stay at for now. Pietro just tries to ignore him.
If he were honest with himself, he'd say that the hospital reminds him of Trask Industries and their endless tests more than he'd like. It brings back memories of pain, yes, but he's also expecting Spyke's happy little voice to sound anytime he's falling asleep. It's a bittersweet feeling.
Thankfully, there's nothing. He doesn't think he could handle facing that particular demon.
So Pietro prepares dinner, wordlessly gives it to Lehnsherr and takes his own portion. He never gotten quite comfortable in silence, his instinct to ramble, connect, remind himself that people were people and not just statues, have always gotten the best of him.
That instinct doesn't fire up with Lehnsherr. He finds that anything he'd like to say can be misinterpreted, anything Erik says in response reflects their sore past and sets Pietro off. Maybe it's better that they're quiet.
He still talks more than he did when he was alone. It's an improvement, even if a minor one. It helps him not go crazy.
There are plenty of beds in the hospital, but Pietro still prepares just one for Lehnsherr. He'll settle on the floor next to him. In case the Sentinels come tonight, he can't spare a second to run across the room. One second is a difference between life and death, freedom and prison.
Also, the occasional gentle hand in his hair after a nightmare wasn't bad.
But he'd rather rip his tongue out than give Lehnsherr another weakness to use. He was Quicksilver, he didn't need to be comforted after a bad dream like a child.
Except for when he did
That wasn't a thought he could face in the daylight.
This time it's Lehnsherr who wakes up with a soft gasp. Pietro awakes at that noise too. "Nightmare?" He says quietly from his sleeping bag.
There's no response.
If Lehnsherr wishes to ignore him, it's fine, he can. But Pietro sits up anyway to look at him, make sure that he's okay. He was just an old man now after all.
Lehnsherr is staring off into nothing, his breath hitching in his chest. Pietro can see the goosebumps rising on his skin. It makes his skin crawl with unease.
Pietro raises to his feet and waves his hand in front of Erik's face. It still takes Erik half a minute and a thousand years, before he focuses again. "I apologise for waking you."
Pietro shrugs. "Hardly your fault." He sits back down at sleeping bag. "Nightmare?" He asks again, obliviously.
"I fear that this place brings back certain memories."
Pietro humms quietly. "How come?"
Erik stays quiet for so long that Pietro isn't even expecting an answer anymore. But then he gathers the strength and responds hoarsely. "I have a particular dislike for the color white."
Dislike for the colour white. Such a banality. But Pietro knows what it's like to be haunted by banal things. Like a name. "Any reason why?"
Erik's eyes flash with pain and Pietro regrets asking for a second. "My..my cell was mostly white."
Right, Pentagon. Erik hasn't talked about that demon yet, but Pietro doesn't find it surprising. To be trapped for so long underground, without access to his mutation, must've been maddening. He doesn't know what to say so he hums again.
It's the wrong thing to do. Erik's face hardens and Pietro feels like an asshole for a moment. He was never good with feelings. Much less feelings containing Erik.
He can see Erik in the rising sunlight clenching his fingers into the bedding. He has a sudden desire to stop him before he hurts himself.
He reaches out his hand to comfort him but Lehnsherr flinches. Pietro lets his hand drop. He's so stupid. Of course Lehnsherr would rather avoid him. Pietro looks away when Erik looks at him.
"I shall.... check the perimeter." Erik offers quietly. Pietro nods. He also feels the desire to stretch his legs, but the more he moves, the hungrier he is. "Don't be long."
He looks around the white room and realises he feels a little claustrophobic there anyway. He checks the time. Lehnsherr could be out anytime from ten minutes to an hour. A foolish thought climbs into his mind. What's Lehnsherr's favourite colour?
He ignores the little impulse for the whole day, but the next morning he can't resist anymore. He disappears before breakfast. Before Lehnsherr returns from the perimeter check, Pietro is done.
He falls down on the sleeping bag, tired and hungry. He deserves a rest now. He eats two raw potatoes, because cooking them would take another thousand years and they can feed him just as well as cooked ones.
He's resting on his sleeping bag when Lehnsherr comes in and looks around in surprise. He can see the question in his eyes.
He doesn't want to explain himself. He sits up a little straighter and does his best to seem casual. "White was boring and we'll have to stay here for a while." He can hear the hesitation in his voice and curses himself for it.
Erik keeps studying him for a while. Pietro contains the urge to squirm. This isn't the scornful look. This one is much gentler.
Pietro couldn't stand a thank you. Thanking would mean he did it for him. Which he didn't. The white made him uneasy too. It's not for Erik.
Lehnsherr eventually looks away from him and back at the blue painted walls. He hoped he got the right colour and based on his father's reaction, he did. "Blue is much better." He agrees quietly.
Pietro smirks and lays down on the sleeping bag again. At least there's something he can do right. He doesn't need words for that.