Chapter 14
Charles was rather pleased with the way that Genosh had been organized, and how everything was set up and running. How Erik was running the island.
Maybe Charles was more proud than anything. The man he was living with was entirely different from that angry man he had met thirty years earlier, yet he was still Erik. Much like the way Charles was so far from the man he was when the two of them met but he was still the same man deep down.
Their experience had shaped and changed them. The years had mellowed Erik out but left Charles with the hurt Erik seemed to be carrying around when Charles pulled him from the ocean.
He had tried to leave that behind at the school when he moved to Genosha but he had failed. It served as a reminder that Erik was the only family he had left. Not that he really minded, but it still hurt to know Raven and Jean were both dead and it was his fault and because of that the rest of those he considered family had rejected him.
"Charles?" The words pulled him from his thoughts and he put a smile on his face as he looked up at Erik.
"Sorry, darling, lost in thought. What were you saying?" He asked.
Erik narrowed his eyes, looking at Charles. "Is everything okay, Liebling?" He asked.
Charles nodded, "Yeah, everything's okay. My mind just got away from me," He replied, "So, what were you saying?"
"Are you ready to go?" Erik asked, brushing his fingers through CHarles's short hair. It was finally starting to grow back in a little and Erik was not hiding how much he appreciated it.
Again, Charles nodded, "Yeah, I'm ready when you are," He replied and, after Erik gave him one final look, Charles was allowed to follow him out of their little home.
And there was another thing that Charles would never get used to. Everyone had a smile on their face as they saw Erik. Some waved at him, others stopped to say hello. It was all fine until someone decided to get a little too close and stopped to talk.
The words were whispered, the woman-Charles didn't know her name-leaned in, talking to Erik, a quiet voice directly in his ear. One of her hands brushed Erik's arm. She would laugh at anything Erik said and he would smile.
Charles watched with increasing anxiety, hating to see his partner like this. And it wasn't that he didn't trust Erik. It was everyone else that he didn't trust. It was as though he was invisible, no one saw him when Erik was there, as if Erik was alone out for a stroll, not on a walk with Charles.
He watched for as long as he could stand it before he reached up and wrapped a hand around Erik's, "Darling, I think I'm ready to go back," He said softly. In any other, similar situation, he might have used his powers to tell Erik but now he wanted to pull Erik away from this conversation.
Erik looked down at him and his eyes softened, a smile that seemed to be reserved for Charles only. "Okay, we can go back," Erik replied, saying a quick "Bye," to the woman before turning to follow behind Charles who had rolled on ahead of him.
Back in their home, Charles paused just inside the door and took a deep breath. He waited for the door to open and Eirk to join him. It only took a moment for just that to happen.
There was an infuriating smile on Erik's face, "Everything okay, Schatz?" He asked, playing innocent and Charles reached for his hand, using it to pull Erik down to his level.
"You are mine," He practically growled before slamming their lips together and the sound that left Erik was one of Charles's favorites.
"Can't argue with that, Liebling," Erik sent to him, telepathically and Charles can't help but feel like-
"You planned this," Charles stated, pulling back from the kiss to look up at Erik, who smiled.
Erik smiled at him, "Not exactly," He replied, "But it was a happy coincidence that we ran into her while we were out."
Charles rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. "Bedroom, stripped down, you have three minutes," He ordered and Erik smiled as he rushed off to follow orders.