Ghosts (X-men ficlet)

[jadesfire]

This story is part of my multi-fandom Halloween costume for karaokegirl's Come as you aren't party, being held all this week. The index of stories can be found here

Title: Ghosts
Fandom: X-men, comicverse
Characters or Pairing: Xavier
Rating/warnings/spoilers: G/none/for character deaths, but given that this is the X-men, nothing's set in stone…
Word Count: ~190

Summary: Charles sometimes wonders if anyone else can see them



Ghosts

Trade all your heroes in for ghosts in for ghosts in for ghosts
They're always the one's that love you most love you most love you most

Charles sometimes wonders if anyone else can see them. He hopes not. They walk the halls silently, coming and going unseen, invisible to all but him. He knows that they are not really there, that they are just echoes of lives past.

Lives gone.

John Proudstar inhabits the upper landing by what used to be the boy's dorms, long since turned into individual rooms, walking past the new doors with long, restless strides. Douglas Ramsey, hunched over a not-quite-there computer down in the den. Sean Cassidy, smiling and leaning against the banisters as though waiting for someone.

He even sees those who should not be here, in any sense. Colossus, sketch pad in hand, sitting by a top floor window, looking out at the garden. Psylocke dancing through her daily exercises on the lawn. Jean, sitting and talking softly with Scott in the den.

None of them look at him. Sometimes he wishes they would, that they would turn and meet his eye and offer him- What? Forgiveness? Understanding? Anything to at least acknowledge that he is there, that they see him as he sees them. Because he will always be seeing them.

Comments

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

ooh, very angsty- I love that he's not even sure what he'd like them to offer him

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*nods* This one was not hard to find the angst in...

Thanks!

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Oh, Charles.

I'm glad I can't see his ghosts. Maybe it's because he has the ability to go out-of-body that he can perceive them.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*nods* that's the kind of thing I had in mind, but he could equally just be imagining them. I kind of like the ambiguity :)

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

Ooh. I wasn't sure I would know enough of the fandom to understand this, but I'm glad I read it. Wonderful job setting the mood and the scene. Places are so important to memory.

And I think it's a good analogue of what it must be like for old teachers. Students move through in an unending cycle, but many leave their marks on the places just the same. Hopefully the students haven't died or literally left spirits, of course, but I think walking through a school after teaching there for 40 years would be like moving through a forest of ghosts.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

That's definitely the kind of thing I have in mind. I've been wearing my old college scarf lately (because it's the warmest one I've got!) and I think it's made me all nostalgic.

Thanks :)