Charles Xavier opened his eyes to a white sterile ceiling. The first thing that dawned upon him was the silence. His head was so empty, he couldn’t feel anyone. He reflexively flung out the barriers of his mind, seeking another human presence. Nothing. His heart began to race and he sat up and surveyed his surroundings. The room was sparsely decorated and looked clinical. The only natural light source was a barred window. He was sitting on an empty bed in the corner of the room. The only other furniture was a plastic chair in the corner, with another corner of the room containing a toilet and basin.
Looking around, Charles’ memories slowly trickled back in. He remembered leaving the mansion to fetch some new teaching materials from town. Aside from a heated debate with some anti-mutant protesters, the trip had been uneventful. He had just left the stationary store when a van had pulled up beside him on the street. He initially took no notice of the van and continued on his way, until someone stepped out and stood in front of his chair. He looked up and saw a tall woman reaching down, the light glinting off the needle in her hand. He remembers reaching out with his mind to stop her, but there was nothing for him to find. That was the last thing he could remember.
Looking around the white room, Charles took a deep breath to attempt to keep the panic at bay. His lack of telepathy was a major concern, as was the fact they had taken his wheelchair. He did not know how long he had been held in this place. His mouth felt dry, but through the window there was the glow of late afternoon sun, so he knew he couldn't have been unconscious for long. He could feel his heart beat faster again as the fear and stress took over. He took another deep breath and tried to focus on the positives. Aside from the lack of powers, physically he was fine. His neck hurt slightly from the injection of what must have been some form of power suppressant, but overall he was okay. He knew someone would notice his absence from the mansion soon enough, and they would notify Erik.
That brought a smile to his face. He knew that Erik would stop at nothing to get Charles back, no matter the cost. He was sure to be tracking Charles down this very second by his ring. Looking at the ring made Charles smile wider. Although their friendship had had a rough start, their intense university debates over how to defend mutant rights had slowly led to more and more time spent together, and as the arguments faded, their friendship and mutual respect grew, though they faced a significant obstacle.
Sebastian Shaw, a cruel and powerful mutant and Charles’ guardian had felt his power over Charles threatened by Erik’s presence and tried to turn the two against each other. Eventually, Erik helped Charles realise that he did not have to put up with Shaw’s abuse, and he and Charles fled England for New York. When Charles’ estranged mother passed, they were able to move into the Xavier mansion and began taking steps towards the mutant school Charles had always dreamed about. Over the years the friendship between them had only gotten stronger, and one day a game of chess spiralled into an argument which ended with an impassioned Erik pressing Charles against the table and kissing him until they were breathless with a different emotion.
Three years later, when Erik proposed, Charles still could not believe that this man he loved wanted him so strongly in return. He was so thankful to Erik for teaching him how to be strong and hold his own against those that sought to use and abuse him, but who had also taught him that it was okay to be weak and held him when his regular nightmares about his time with Shaw overpowered him.
Yes, he knew Erik would come for him.
As soon as the thought entered his head, the door slid open and two uniformed guards dragged a man into the room and threw him into the cell. The man caught himself with his hands and stood up turning around and lunging at the guards. The door slid shut before he could reach them, and he pounded a fist against it in frustration.
“Erik” cried Charles. His husband spun around and looked at him on the bed, his face shifting from rage to surprise, then pleasure.
“Charles! My dear! So good to see you.” He made his way across the room and stood over Charles, looking down at him.
“Now what have they done to you?” he inquired, lifting a hand and gripping Charles by the neck.
Charles was so relieved to have Erik here with him. He felt all his tension evaporate and he lent forward and pressed his face against Erik’s body. Erik brought his hand to the back of Charles’ head and pressed him closer.
“Now, now, it’s all alright. I’ll keep you safe.” Charles nodded his head against Erik and let out a shaky breath before drawing back and smiling up at him.
“I’m so glad you’re here! What happened? How did they get you?” Erik’s face darkened and his grip tightened against Charles’ neck.
“I don’t understand how they were able to. They must have gotten through my defences somehow… No matter. They will all pay.” His grip tightened again, and Charles winced. Erik smiled down at him but the fire behind his eyes continued.
“But that is for later. How are you my love?” Erik moved onto the bed next to Charles and put an arm around his waist. Charles smiled weakly at Erik and shuffled in closer to his grasp.
“Much better now that you are here.” Erik wrapped his arms around him and kissed the top of his head, breathing into his hair.
The doors slid open to reveal the same two guards from before, dragging yet another man into the room. Charles stiffened before breaking out into a fit of trembling. Erik tightened his grasp on Charles as he watched the newcomer scramble to his feet and stare at the couple, a shocked expression on his face. Charles let out a gasp and turned further into Erik’s chest as the man stormed across the room towards them in a rage.
Erik pulled Charles further into his grasp and held a hand out in warning to the seething man.
“You’ll stop right there Shaw, if you know what’s good for you.”
Shaw ignored the threat and continued towards the bed, grabbing Erik and pulling him away from Charles with a grunted “Get away from him you bastard!”, almost intelligible through his rage.
Charles cried out and tried to hold on to his husband, Shaw looked at him in shock and Charles cringed instinctively away from the man who had abused him for so many years, the man who still haunted his worst nightmares.
Shaw threw Erik onto the ground in disgust and aimed a solid kick at his stomach.
“No, stop it!” cried Charles, horrified at all his worst nightmare come to life. Shaw turned away from his attack on Erik and came over to the bed, reaching out for Charles who cried out and moved to drag himself away.
Shaw paused, frowning. He climbed onto the bed, moving towards the smaller man as Charles frantically backed away, his eyes brimming with tears.
“Charles, please stop, it’s me, Erik.”
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Earlier
Erik Lehnsherr was having a good day. His team had made a breakthrough in their investigation into an anti-mutant group in the area, and he was daydreaming about his husband and the dinner they would be sharing that evening. Then, an event took place that was guaranteed to ruin Erik’s day.
He spotted Shaw in his city, when the man knew damn well he was supposed to stay in England if he wanted to live. Erik couldn’t bear to see the man who had caused his Charles so much pain. He was overcome with a fit of rage and followed Shaw to an alleyway. He called upon the metal nearby, preparing to strike when another person stepped out next to Shaw and lifted their hand. The world spun and Erik’s body quivered. He found himself standing where Shaw was and looking at his own body at the end of the alleyway. He tried to make his way forward but was slammed against the wall by an iron bar, the impact smacking his head against the wall. As his vision faded to black, he heard a voice that was eerily familiar call out “now that you’re out the way, I think it’s time for a visit with my beloved…”.
Erik awoke later to a tall women crouched over him holding a syringe. He instinctively reached for the metal to push it away, but his power was gone. He was shocked. Before he could attempt shove her away the needle penetrated his skin, returning him to back into the darkness.
This time he came around in a van, with four guards dressed in white accompanying him. The tall woman from before was opposite him and shot him a tight smile when he met her eyes.
“Sebastian Shaw. It was a real surprise for my organisation to net a mutant as powerful as you at this stage of our testing. The pleasure’s all mine I suppose.”
Erik jerked up at the mention of Shaw’s name and glared at the woman.
“You have the wrong man. How dare you compare me to that monster.” He spat, before pausing. His voice. It was wrong. It sounded like….. no… it couldn’t be.
He looked behind the women and caught a glimpse of himself in the reflective wall of the van behind her. Impossible, but it was true. Somehow he was in the body of Sebastian Shaw. He thought back to the alleyway encounter. He deduced it must have been that unknown mutant, with a power he had never seen before, something that could transfer consciousness. As he processed this, Erik realised the horrific conclusion. If he was in Shaw’s body, then that would mean…
“No! Charles! I have to get to Charles!”. Erik began to struggle against the restraints and found himself held back by two sets of hands, and then the sharp pinch of another needle in his neck.
The third time today that he came to (side note: Erik was not a fan of this ‘lack of consciousness’ thing) Erik was being half dragged along a pristine corridor. The two guards were having no trouble dragging his body in its weakened state along the long corridor of the facility. Erik had a good idea of who these people were. His team has been monitoring this group of anti-mutant activists for months, but their investigation had not unearthed how strong the group was, or the access to suppressants they had on hand. And he had thought his day couldn’t get any worse after Shaw...
The brief glimpses he snatched of the outside scenery allowed him to relax somewhat. This was the group’s facility near Putnam Lake, Logan and Angel would be hot on his tail after he failed to return after his lunch break. Given their investigation into the organisation, this would be an obvious place to begin their hunt, and unlike Erik, Angel and Logan would be prepared for anti-mutant suppressants.
Explaining the whole body-swap issue would be another matter entirely. Erik was confident however that he could think of some way to convince them of what had transpired. The biggest problem would be tracking down that mutant and forcing them to put Erik back into his own body before he could see Charles. He didn’t want to hide things from his husband, but he knew what it would do to Charles to be confronted with the face of his worst fear. He would not allow his husband to experience that. A more pressing concern was Shaw using Erik’s body to get back to the manor and find Charles himself. Erik comforted himself with the knowledge that Charles would feel Shaw’s mind coming and stop him from entering their property, regardless of whose face he wore.
The guards dragging Erik along paused and keyed something into a panel in front of them revealing a door. Erik was unceremoniously thrust into the room, and he fell onto the ground. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. He wasn’t alone. He stood up quickly, turning to the side to confront whatever else this day was going to throw at him.
For a moment his brain could not understand what he was seeing. His gaze was drawn to the sight of his husband. Beautiful, sweet Charles, clearly afraid and curled up in the arms of another man. But not another man, it was himself. He stared in confusion as the man looked back, before smirking at Erik. That look of condescension opened Erik’s mind, and the events from earlier in the day flooded back in. Erik’s body jerked into action, that man was Sebastian Shaw in Erik’s body, and he had his hands on Charles.
Snarling, Erik flung himself at Shaw, ignoring the man’s words and giving in to his body’s desire for immediate violence. He lifted Shaw off the bed and growled “Get away from him you bastard!”. Before throwing him to the ground and kicking him until he stilled. Satisfied that Shaw would not be getting up any time soon, Erik turned to Charles and reached out for him.
He paused at the sight of Charles flinching away, the fear apparent in his eyes. Frowning, Erik shook himself and moved onto the bed, placing himself between Charles and the now likely unconscious Shaw. He automatically shifted closer to Charles, to offer the physical comfort he could see his husband clearly needed. His movements only increased his agitation and Erik realised in his emotion-fuelled state that he had neglected to explain who he was,
“Charles, please stop, it’s me, Erik.”
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Now
Charles blinked at Shaw and continued his attempts to move away from the monster, ignoring his obvious lies. Shaw stopped his pursuit and looked pained, before moving to sit a respectable distance away. Charles glared at him fiercely before looking to his husband on the ground, seemingly unconscious.
“What did you do to him you brute!” he sobbed, attempting to slide himself off the bed towards Erik.
Shaw reached out and grabbed Charles, pulling him back onto the bed.
“Charles wait please I swear it’s me! I can prove it” he begged, sounding increasingly more desperate. Charles pushed against his grasp again, and finding it unrelenting, gave up.
“Fine, tell me your lies, just let me go!” he demanded, giving up on his attempts to reach his husband.
Shaw dropped his hands and moved away again.
“It’s me, something happened this morning, a new mutant, they swapped Shaw and I’s bodies-”
“Bullshit” interrupted Charles. “Utter bullshit, I’ve never seen a mutation with that-”.
“Please Charles, just listen to me!” Shaw begged, taking Charles’ hands into his own and staring into his eyes. “As it turns out, the game was lost before it ever began: I’ve been yours from the beginning.”
Charles gasped, and fresh tears welled in his eyes. He could never forgot those words, the words Erik had said to him...
“Aha!” Charles grinned, triumphant. “I’ve got you now Magneto.”
Erik groaned. “You’ll never let me live that nickname down, will you?”.
Charles shook his head and chuckled. “Only because you blush so beautifully my love.”
Erik cheeks reddened as he looked up at Charles through his eyelashes. “Oh, so I’m beautiful now?”.
“You’re always beautiful.” Charles rolled his eyes. “And stop trying to distract me from my imminent victory!” He slid his rook across the board, taking Erik’s bishop. “I’ve got you now! Checkmate my old friend. You lose.” He smirked at Erik and leant back in his chair, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
Erik sighed. “It seems that way doesn’t it?”. He got up from his chair and moved around to Charles’ side of the table. “As it turns out, the game was lost before it ever began: I’ve been yours from the beginning.” Erik knelt onto one knee, levitating a ring above his palm. “Charles Francis Xavier, would you do me the honour of being my husband?”.
Charles’ eyes filled with tears. He nodded, for once entirely without words, and Erik used his powers to slide the ring onto his finger. Charles pulled Erik off his knees and onto his lap and kissed him, using his mind to telepathically shower Erik in a thousand yes’s.
Erik could see the understanding and belief breaking across his husband’s face. Tentatively, he untangled their hands, reaching out once more, and this time Charles acquiesced. He pulled Charles across the bed, towards his chest. Charles wrapped his arms around him.
“Erik!” he cried. Erik returned the hug and rubbed his husbands back, gently shushing him.
“It’s okay mein leibling, I have you now.” Erik gently pulled Charles’ face up. “Logan and Angel will be here soon.” Charles looked up at Erik’s face and flinched away, putting his face back into his chest. Erik silently berated himself. Of course Charles would not want to look at him, he wore the face of his husband’s worst nightmare.
“I am sorry Charles, I am sorry you have had to see me like this, and sorry I did not kill that vile man before he came near you once more.” Erik apologised profusely. “I promise that-”
The cell door was flung open once more, interrupting Erik. In burst Logan, claws at the ready, and Angel, hovering above the ground, ready for action. The pair caught site of Erik and Charles at the same time, before noticing the body on the floor.
“Charles! What’s happening? Is that Erik, how injured is he? Who’s that guy?” Angel fired the questions in quick succession, moving across the room towards the bed. Logan took a longer look at Charles and Erik, narrowing his eyes before understanding struck.
“Is that bloody Shaw? What the fuck is going on Chuck?” he snarled, crouching down, preparing to leap across the room towards pair on the bed. As he began to jump, his body froze. His eyes looked to the still unconscious body on the floor in confusion, but the figure remained unconscious. Erik turned to Charles, who had two fingers pressed to his temple.
Erik grinned his sharklike grin, which seemed out of place on Shaw’s thin mouth. “Your powers, they’re back.” He hugged Charles against him, and his husband grinned for the first time since the beginning of this dreadful business.
“It appears they are.” He turned away from Erik to address Logan and Angel. “Despite what it may seem, that man on the floor is not your co-worker or my husband. He employed the services of a mutant to swap minds with Erik. You were correct Logan. The man next to me is Shaw, but he has Erik’s mind inside him.” Charles paused and unfroze Logan, seeing that the man would now listen. “I have located the mind of the mutant who possess this power to swap consciousness’. They are being held in a cell two corridors down. I believe I will be able to persuade them to correct this occurrence”. He tapped his fingers on his temple for emphasis.
The room was silent for a moment whilst Angel and Logan processed this development. They exchanged a quick glance, before Logan retracted his claws and stood up straight, ready for action.
“Alright Chuck, what can we do?” asked Logan.
“Angel, head to the lab down the hall. I’ve suggested to the guards that it is time for their break. They won’t be in your way. Help those mutants get out and then meet us in cell four.” Angel nodded in understanding and headed out of the room. “Logan grab Shaw and take him to the cell.” Logan moved towards Erik on the bed and Charles pointed at the body on the ground. “No, not Erik. I said Shaw, Erik’s body”.
“Right, gotcha” growled Logan, rolling his eyes. “Not the most straightforward command Chuck”. He bent over and picked up the limp body off of the ground and made his way out the door.
Erik reached towards Charles, preparing to scoop him into his arms and carry him to their destination. Charles flinched away once more and Erik pulled back, uncertain.
“Logan, wait!” Charles called, stopping Logan in his tracks. “I’ve just realised, it’s more logical for you to take me, as if Shaw wakes up, he will have Erik’s powers, and would easily overpower you. Let Erik take Shaw.” Logan shrugged and walked back across the room, dropping Shaw’s body on Erik’s lap. He grabbed Charles, lifting him up and swinging him into his arms, bridal style. Erik fought against the pang of betrayal he felt, seeing Charles so comfortable with Logan, when he had been so wary of Erik. He knew it was unfair, he knew what he looked like to Charles at the moment. He could not be upset with Charles for the understandable distance he wanted between them.
Erik grabbed Shaw’s body and slung it over his shoulder and followed the others out into the hallway. The weight was easier than he expected. He realised what this must mean. “Charles has regained his powers, and I’m regaining Shaw’s powers. I bet that Shaw will have mine when if he awakens” he cautioned the others. Charles nodded from his position in Logan’s arms.
“We’ll be ready for that eventuality”. They reached the door to cell four at the same time as Angel returned. “Could you get the door please? The code is 2109”. Angel entered the code and opened the door, Logan entered the room first, with Charles, followed by Erik who dropped Shaw onto the ground. There were 3 mutants in the cell, and they appeared stunned at the sight before them.
“Don’t worry everyone. We are mutants, here to rescue you.” Charles smiled reassuringly at them. He gestured to two of the three. “You are free to leave. Angel here can show you the way out.” He turned to the final mutant. ‘I first must ask you to put something right my dear.” They nodded and stepped closer as the others fled with Angel into the corridor.
The remaining mutant turned to Erik and looked wary. “I am sorry for what was done to you. It was not by my own free will. This man-” They paused to indicate Shaw’s body on the ground. “He has my partner captive. He said he would release her.” They looked around the room. “My name is Dayo, I am sorry to have caused you all this hurt. I could not think of what to do aside from giving in.”
Charles nodded. “I understand. He is a difficult man to refuse. He makes you believe that there is no escape.” He paused and shook his head, ridding himself of the bad memories. “I am Charles, this is Erik and Logan. We are-” He broke off as Logan shot him a pointed look. “Right, this is neither the time nor place.” Charles looked to Dayo. “Will you return each mind to its proper body?” He placed his hand over Erik’s. “My husband here and his team work to protect mutantkind. I am sure they will aid in finding your partner.”
Dayo looked grateful. “Thank you for your offer of help. I of course will return them to their true bodies. Here, please-”. Their words were cut off as all the metal in the room began to vibrate. Charles found himself dropped to the ground as Logan was flung across the room.
Shaw, conscious once more, was standing in the centre of the room. “How lovely to see you all again, Logan, Erik… Charles. What a touching reunion.” He raised his arms. “How sad it must come to an end.” He laughed, raising the furniture from the ground. “What a delightful mutation you have Erik. Oh! The things I will do, beginning with your little husband there.” He grinned down at Charles where he lay on the floor.
Erik threw himself at Shaw, furious at the man who had scarred his husband so deeply, the man who Charles was terrified of to this day, the man about whom Charles still awoke from nightmares. His attack was hindered by being struck by the bed, but Erik easily tossed it aside, thanks to the help of Shaw’s mutation. As he closed in on Shaw, Erik was stopped by the only thing in that moment that could have saved Shaw’s life. Charles’ voice in his mind. “Stop my love. I can handle this.” Erik paused and considered Shaw. He was frozen still, and all the metal in the room had dropped. Logan removed himself from the opposite wall and glowered at Shaw.
Charles looked up from his position on the floor at the man who had tormented him and caused him so much pain. “This ends today, Shaw. You were warned. You will never interfere with me or my husband again you hear me?” Charles shook his head. “I know now the depth of what you did to me. And I see what you have done to others.” Charles glanced towards Dayo. “It is time for a fitting punishment for all this harm.”
Charles pressed his fingers to his temple and everyone watched silently as he scrunched his eyes shut, intent on his task. Shaw collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
“I hope you’ve made that permanent Chuck” Logan said with a dark look directed at Shaw.
“I have done something Shaw will find much worse. I have implanted a suggestion in his mind that will grow in power the more committed he is to exerting himself to do harm. He will find himself compelled to do the opposite and help those other than himself.” Charles smiled, satisfied. “I think Shaw will do much unintentional good before he determines the extent of my meddling.”
Logan and Angel nodded approvingly and Erik moved forward. “Charles, mein liebling, you don’t know how proud I am of you for standing up to Shaw.”
Charles gave Erik a brief smile, before his eyes went distant, turning away again. Erik felt ashamed for his continuous efforts to draw Charles’ attention to him whilst in Shaw’s body. He turned back to Dayo, who was watching Charles with a familiar expression of awe.
“Please Dayo, return us to our proper bodies.” The unfamiliar mutant nodded, before lifting their hand, and Erik felt his body quiver and the room shake once more, finding himself suddenly lying on the floor. He sat up and watched Shaw collapse.
“As much as I would like to abandon him here, it would be unjust to leave Shaw in the hands of these anti-mutant extremists.” Charles said, looking at Shaw with a distant expression on his face. Erik disagreed, and thought that leaving Shaw here would be just what he deserved, but he found himself unable to vocalise his dissent in the face of Charles’ careful distance.
“Logan, please take him away and leave him in town. I am quite confident he will find his own way back to England.” Logan grunted at Charles’ direction and grabbed Shaw, and began making his way out of the room, moving out the way of Angel as she flew back in.
She stopped in front of Erik, “the facility’s all clear boss, no more mutants locked up. I’ve also got enough photographic evidence to ensure we can show the public what this group really stands for.”
Erik gave her an appreciative nod, before turning to one of the cots in the room, focusing his powers into crafting it into a sufficient wheelchair for Charles. In other circumstances he may have carried his husband away to safety, but he did not want to unduly impose his physical contact after the events of the day. He reached down and carefully lifted Charles into the chair before moving out of his way.
Angel, seeming oblivious to the tension in the room, started making for the exit. “Come on you two, we’ve got the Blackbird parked up outside, let’s get you home.”
Charles wheeled out of the room and Erik followed behind, wondering how he could possibly make up for all that Charles had gone through.
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Later that evening, Erik awoke to the sensation of the bed shaking. He reached out with his powers, turning the lamp on and realised that the vibrations were coming from Charles. He placed a hand on his husband’s shoulder and gently shook him awake.
“Mein liebling, it’s just a nightmare.”
Charles’ eyes snapped open and he looked directly into Erik’s, before flinching and pushing himself away from his husband. Erik was concerned and reached out again, freezing at the look of terror on Charles’ face.
“Charles, it’s me, I swear” begged Erik, heartbroken at the sight of his husband in this panicked state. Charles looked back at him, breathing heavily, before he lifted two fingers to his temple. Erik watched as slowly his breathing evened out, and his eyes lost that frantic look.
“I know, my love” sighed Charles, wrapping his arms around himself. “Forgive me, it has been a most troubling day”. Erik wanted to reach out and comfort him, but he couldn’t bear to cause Charles any further pain. He turned away so that Charles would not have to see the expression on his face.
“I’ll do whatever you wish Charles. I’ll go and stay at Logan’s for as long as you want. Forever, if I have to. I will do anything it takes to make you feel safe and comfortable. Anything.” He meant it. He hated himself for not stopping Shaw sooner, for not shutting down the anti-mutant activists earlier. Most of all, he hated that Charles would now forever associate his face with that of the man who had hurt him so deeply.
Erik moved towards the edge of the bed and made to stand up when he was hit by a wave of feeling so intense it was truly dizzying. He sat back down and startled when he felt Charles’ hand on his.
“No, my love, I do not think such extreme measures will be necessary” Charles smiled, as his mind projected into Erik’s the depth of his feelings. Erik was overwhelmed by the feeling of love and security that flowed through him, the same as whenever Charles wished to join their minds, despite the events of the day. Erik turned towards Charles and allowed his husband to pull him closer. He listened to Charles’ words, happy with the security of their love.
“I’ve been yours from the beginning as well my darling, it would take a lot more than a day like today to make me give up on our game”.
fin