[ Ned's relief is palpable. He lets out a long breath, taking a longer sip of his tea, grateful that Charles is so in control of his ability. It would be one thing if he couldn't help it, like River, but it's still easier if Ned knows he has some places where he can hide. ]

That's an awfully big thing to say, considering you hardly know me.

[ He would like to believe Charles, he really would. Maybe if he were younger, if he'd met him earlier on, he would have been able to accept it. But Ned's been alone with his self-loathing for a long time, and a reassuring word or two aren't going to wipe it all away. He doesn't really feel like talking about his self-esteem at the moment; not when he still has so many questions about mutants. ]

So if different mutants have different powers, have you ever met anyone with mine?