[ Erik's generally good at reading people. But he's also still a little sensitive in certain weak spots. Feeling like offers of emotional connection are being rebuffed is something hard for him to rationalize.

Why he doesn't do it very often. ]

I've known I was a mutant since I was fourteen. I didn't know there was a word for it. I thought I was the only one. It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I met another. And I got married in my forties.

[ He takes a drink of water. ]

Now, why don't you tell me about people you loved who were murdered. Fair's fair.

[ He'll circle back around to the human thing in a moment. ]