"They shouldn't have to worry about me," Charles states, and there's almost a growl in his voice. Too out of it yesterday to really realise the attention he'd received, this is really the first time he's truly seen the worry in the face of one of his students. It's something he hates, and it's more than enough to increase his resolution to sort himself out, immediately.

"I plucked them out of their normal lives, Erik," he points out, continuing to rant even as he finds it harder and harder to get breath into his lungs. "I owe it to them to be their protector."