Chapter 6
Charles sat on his bed, legs stretched out in front of him, shoes and socks off but fully dressed otherwise. He tapped a hand against the sheets nervously as he let his mind drift out down the hallway. He felt Erik but didn’t broach his mind, didn’t try and find the answer he was looking for. He’d spent the day sending Erik increasingly suggestive flashes, sometimes a memory of them stealing a kiss in the hallway. Other times it was a flash of what could be, Charles leaning over his desk to steal a kiss, or Erik taking his hand on the way to class. The last memory he’d sent had been Erik reaching for him across the chess board, their hands tangling and knocking the pieces over carelessly. That had been the second time they slept together, nervous and elated, the hotel room feeling oddly small as they both waited for the other to make a move, to decide that the tension between them was more than just that.
Erik had glanced over at him when he’d sent that memory, nearly dropping the tools he’d been floating over to Hank in surprise. Then he’d smirked, slow and smooth, and given Charles an almost imperceptible nod. Charles had barely been able to focus on his classes and papers after that, mind taken up with Erik, with the memory of Erik and the possibility of having him now, when he didn’t deserve him - Except no. He wasn’t going to think that way. His guilt wasn’t gone, wouldn’t be for years, but Charles wasn’t going to deny himself and Erik a moment of happiness because of it.
Especially not when Erik pushed open his bedroom door, gaze lit up with lust but also something far more vulnerable. Charles met the expression with a small smile, his own nervous excitement spreading across the room. Charles leaned back against the headboard, tilting his head to the right snd liking his lips a few times. Erik watched each flicker of his tongue, striding toward the bed purposefully, gaze never leaving his mouth. Charles glanced at Erik through half-lidded eyes as he brushed a hand along his chest, feeling the line of lean muscles there. He was a bit more solid than the last time Charles had seen him, muscles rippling beneath his touch. “Erik, you got my message.”
“So chess was a euphemism.” Erik smirked a bit as he knelt down on the bed next to Charles, sliding one hand under his jaw, thumb brushing along the pressure point where Charles’ neck met his jaw. Charles let out a little sigh before he could stop himself, shivering as the memory of hundreds of other little touches came over him all at once. Erik kissed him at the sound, short and sweet, but with a promise of things to come. Charles practically moaned into the kiss, feeling strangely overwhelmed despite the lightness of the touch, the ghost of a thousand other caresses on his mouth, on his skin, phantom limbs holding him steady. Erik made a disapproving cluck in the back of his tongue and pulled away. But then he leaned over and nipped the shell of his ear, and Charles let out a sharp moan and the phantoms faded back into his memories. “If you’re in bed with me, pay attention to me.”
“Really, there’s no reason to be jealous, every ghost was you.” Charles grinned lazily as he stretched his arms out, rolling his wrist a few times. Erik just gave him a flat look and then captured his hands with his own, rubbing little circles along his palm. Charles felt himself relax, a tension he hadn’t known was there going out of his frame little by little. Erik’s gaze narrowed at the sight, smile pleased and a bit smug as he leaned over and started kissing the side of his neck. He hummed a bit and Charles groaned as the sensation spread through his chest and warmed him from the inside out. Charles glanced at the headboard, a perfectly nice chestnut that Erik couldn't do anything with. Erik must have caught the morose look on his face, because he stopped kissing his neck, lifting his head up long enough to shoot Charles a curious look. “It would be better, in the other bed.”
Erik furrowed his brow, glancing around the bed as though trying to find what was wrong with it. Charles just rolled his eyes, because really, of all times for Erik to lack imagination and initiative, now was the worst. Erik must have heard his thought because he just scoffed and sat back on the mattress, using the moment to peel off his turtleneck, revealing lean lines of tanned skin and muscle. He reached for his belt, only for Charles to hold a hand up, using his free one to lean over and reach for it himself. Erik moved his hands away, glancing around the bed again. “Why is the other bed better? They look exactly the same.”
“But the other one has all that metal for you to play with.” Charles undid Erik’s belt and gave him a pointed look, purposefully conjuring up an image of the iron headboard from their old bed, of the times Erik had run tips up and down Charles’ back or tied his hands to the headboard while he rode him. Charles unzipped Erik’s jeans with a flourish, looking up at him through his eyelashes, glancing up at him with a wry smile when he noticed he was already hard. “I’m more sensitive to vibrations now, you know.”
Erik raised an eyebrow as he sat back on the bed, shuffling off his jeans and boxers in one easy go. He stood up then, naked and unfairly perfect. His skin was sunkissed with a light dusting of hair, and his arms and shoulders seemed even broader then before. Charles let his gaze linger across the lithe muscles of Erik’s chest and down to the, the defined inguinal crease he’d always been fond of kissing his way across, and finally to that perfect cock. Thick and long, the girth of it enough to make Charles' mouth water. And beyond that were the lean lines of his thighs and ass. God, of course he’d erased Erik from his memory, knowing he wouldn’t get to see him like this anymore. Erik shot Charles a disbelieving look, shaking his head a little as he slid back onto the bed, strong thighs kneeling down on either side of Charles’ hips.
“Yes, now imagine how hard it was for me, remembering you and not having you.'' Erik whispered, words sharp and purposeful, and then he snapped his fingers and all of the buttons of his shirt came undone at once. Erik leaned over and caught his mouth in another lingering kiss, brushing his thumb across his nipple at the same time. Charles moaned, the sound lost between their lips, and then - Then Erik pulled away, until not an inch of them were touching. His gaze was suddenly heavy, the air between them changing into something cautious and a little frightened. Erik met his gaze with a wavering one of his own, lips pursed, the expression entirely wrong on him somehow. Erik should never be so hesitant, so muted. “Are you sure?”
“I always was, Erik.” Charles promised as he bridged the gap between them, taking Erik’s hand between his own, lacing their fingers together. He held Erik’s wavering gaze with a firm one of his own, because he never doubted Erik. He might doubt his methods as much as Erik doubted his own, or how much he could love someone like Charles, or that Erik would stay when their paths diverged again, but not Erik himself. He’d seen the worst things he’d ever done and the best, felt his rage and his love, seen his dreams and his fears. And through all of it, he’d never once thought Erik was anything but good. Nothing would make him doubt that. “I told you, from the moment I met you, I saw all of you. The good and the bad.”
Erik shook his head, gaze filling with unshed tears. But the doubt was gone from his eyes, replaced with relief and a trust Charles felt like he didn’t quite deserve. Erik pressed their foreheads together, squeezing Charles’ hand a bit tighter than before. “And you still dived in after me.”
“And I still dived in after you.” Charles agreed softly, smiling as he felt a tear slide down his own cheek, and Erik leaned over and brushed it away with his index finger. Erik blinked a few times, his own tears gone before they ever fell. Charles let out a huff of laughter and let go of Erik’s hands, pressing his face into the crook of his neck. “We used to be better at this.”
Erik chuckled, breath warm against the shell of his ear. Then he pulled back, a challenge in his gaze. Charles opened his mouth, only for whatever he was going to say to be lost in a sharp gasp, Erik’s mouth pressing against the side of his neck, vibrations starting out almost painfully slow, only to pick up in speed as he made his way down the side of his neck. At the same time he brushed his thumb and index finger across his right nipple, twisting it playfully until Charles was on the verge of whimpering. Charles’ could feel Erik’s cock start to rise again from where it was pressing against his stomach, and even just the feel if it was enough to make Charles' heart start to rise, a prickling feeling to his skin he’d come to learn meant he was turned on. Erik pulled his mouth away from his neck, taking in the look on Charles’ face with a knowing smirk. “That still works then?”
“Very nicely.” Charles admitted, voice lower and a bit more wrecked than he’d expected. Charles leaned over and kissed Erik, his own hands making their way across his chest, tracing the scars there reverently. Erik broke the kiss so he could gasp instead, and Charles pressed his face into the side of Erik’s neck. Charles slid his mouth up his neck until he got to the point where it connected with his jaw, pressing little kisses along the soft skin there. Erik made a sound halfway between a groan and a whine, and Charles kissed there again, tracing his hands along the sharp lines of his hips and then down to his ass. He glanced over to his bedside drawer pointedly, the now year old bottle of lube flying over and landing in his hand a second later. Erik pushed Charles’ shirt sleeves down until they were tangled around his wrists, and Charles let his hands be pushed away long enough for Erik to pull his shirt off entirely. He reached for the button on Charles’ pants, and Charles was the one who froze this time. Erik hadn’t seen him since the accident. “I won’t — it’s only been a year but -“
Erik looked back at him sharply, almost furious as he brought his free hand up to tap against his temple pointedly. Charles swallowed but let himself look through Erik’s eyes, gasping a bit when he saw himself. His eyes were wide and blown, lips red and swollen, skin ridiculously smooth and soft looking, dotted with freckles and scars that only added to his ethereal beauty. Charles pulled back long enough to roll his eyes at Erik, because ethereal , really? Erik just rolled his shoulders, not looking the least bit ashamed of how ridiculous he was.
Charles sighed and slid back into Erik’s mind, feeling a bit more nervous as Erik’s gaze slid down the lean lines of his throat. His face was never the concern. Charles saw his own shoulders reflected back at him, broader than they had been before, arms lithe and sinewy as they stretched out across the headboard. His chest was stronger than before, lean lines of muscle and smooth curves creating new angles Erik couldn’t wait to explore, to find each new sensitive spot and rediscover the old. Erik undid his pants and carefully pulled off his pants and boxers, gaze no less lustful when he saw Charles’ legs, what muscle tone there had been gone. Charles pulled himself free then, sucking in a breath and taking in the passionate look on Erik's face, the way his hands slid back up Charles’ chest, how hard he was already. Erik met his gaze, leaning over until Charles could feel his breath on his cheek. “You're gorgeous, just like this.”
“Erik.” Charles whispered, voice breaking and feeling rather overwhelmed at the way Erik stared at him, so he closed his eyes and kissed him again, reaching his hand down to wrap around Erik’s cock. He ran his thumb over the slit and Erik moaned against his mouth, nails digging into his shoulders. Charles ran his fingers up and down his length, reaching over to run his hand over his balls, speed increasing in time with Erik’s gasps. Charles glanced at his own cock, hard and firm for now, and thought he should take advantage of it while it lasted. He broke the kiss so he could look up at Erik with a wide grin, sliding his hand back to his ass and a finger inside when Erik nodded eagerly. “Care for a ride?”
“So cheesy.” Erik shook his head, trying for disappointed but not quite managing as he shifted his hips, Charles sliding another finger in and scissoring them back and forth. He smirked when he hit Erik’s prostate, the other man hissing contentedly before he suddenly pulled away. He pushed Charles’ hand back long enough to press his body over Charles’ own. He pressed himself down slowly, taking Charles in inch by inch, eyes shut and mouth pressed into a thin line as he slid down Charles’ length. He let out a low exhale as he bottomed out, opening his eyes to meet Charles’ own gaze heady as he started thrusting his hips at an almost languid pace.
Charles opened his mouth, but his words were lost in a low moan when Erik reached a hand up and brushed his nails across his nipples, just the right side of rough. You like me that way. Charles got out in his head instead, though even that thought was red and heavy with desire, his lust making them both shiver. Erik traced the freckles along stomach and up the lines of his rib cage, massaging his skin in a way he hadn’t before. Erik picked up the pace a little more every time Charles gasped or shuddered, his own moans growing louder and more erratic by the second.
Yes, though god knows why. Erik thought back at him as he growled his name out loud, low and rough in a way that meant he was close to coming. Erik grasped his right nipple between his thumb and index finger, roughly twisting it back and forth a few times. He ran his other hand up and down the smooth lines of Charles’ back, massaging the skin along his hips and around his scar, Charles’ upper body jutting forward so it was pressed against Erik’s hand trapped between their chests. Charles could feel the crest of orgasm building under his skin, familiar and new at the same time. Erik kissed the side of his ear then, mouth vibrating against the shell of his ear in time with his fingers moving across his chest, and Charles stilled against him and then found his entire body had gone lax, pleasure wafting over him. Erik’s pace grew more and more uneven, and then he stopped for a second, head snapping back as he came against his chest. Erik looked over at him, body going lax as he pressed his hands on either side of Charles’ head, slowly pulling himself up off of Charles’ cock.
Charles watched as Erik collapsed next to him, both of them sweaty and fucked out. Eventually one of them would have to get up and get a towel, but for right now Charles was content to curl toward Erik, lying half across his body and sliding his head into the crook of his neck. Erik wrapped one of his arms around his shoulders, fingers playing with the hairs along the nape of his neck. Charles let himself sink into the warmth of Erik’s chest and his mind, and for the first time in a year he didn’t fall asleep with a sense that something was missing.
Erik woke up to find Charles pressed against him, his hair brushing against his chin and the navy blue of his pajama sleeve spread out across his chest. Charles had only slept for a few minutes last night before waking up both of them so he could take a shower, still sticky with sweat and Erik’s come. Erik vaguely remembered waking up long enough to nod and press a kiss to his temple, curling back around the space where Charles had been before. Now Erik breathed in the scent of Charles’ skin, sweet and with a hint of citrus from his shampoo, soft to the touch. Charles blinked a few times, letting out a low huff as curled more into the sheets, clearly losing his fight with the sun. Erik snorted and ran a hand through his hair again, shaking his head a little. “Good morning, Charles.”
“We’ll have to tell the rest of the staff you’re staying.” Charles murmured softly, voice heavy with sleep as he curled one hand toward Erik on the sheets. He looked over at him with a half-lidded gaze, smiling lazily and looking like the picture of indulgence. Erik knew it was a lie, Charles’ mind already buzzing with other people’s thoughts and lesson plans, always far more awake than he’d like to be. Still, Hypnos didn’t give up the fight easily, and Charles yawned as he shifted so his head was on Erik’s shoulder. Erik ran his fingers through Charles’ hair, pushing some if away from his face and watching as clarity came into that gaze, sharp and considering. “Sean will be thrilled and Alex will be devastated — he still hasn’t forgiven you for leaving the first time.”
“I’d noticed.” Erik said dryly, and Charles let out a huff of laughter that vibrated against his skin. Alex was never subtle, and his protectiveness over Charles was amusing more than anything else. Besides, they had lessened as time went on and Erik worked tirelessly to make the house better for Charles, Alex’s glares still heated but with more trust than before. They would be fine, with time. He pushed a lock of hair behind Charles’ ear, twisting his head down to meet his gaze more fully. “And the others?”
“Cecelia and Shan will be wary, considering they only knew you as Magneto, but you’ve made a good impression the past few weeks.” Charles mused with a fond little smile, and Erik’s mind was suddenly filled with images of both women. Cecilia Reyes was Hank’s and Raven’s age and a late bloomer, powers not developing until she was well into her twenties. She’d been doing her own activist work long before Charles, coming to the school as a doctor and science teacher, but still working at a clinic as well. She was passionate and determined in a way Erik admired, even more now that he saw her through Charles’ eyes. She was close to Hank, them having their own little world in the lab, and fought with Alex all the time, in a way Charles was convinced meant they’d fall in love sooner or later.
Erik snorted at the idea and Charles gave him a half-hearted glare, the image in his mind shifting to Shan Coy Manh. She was their age and had moved to the US from Vietnam as a teenager, curious and protective of the people around her, especially her family, both her first one and her found one here. She was a telepath, though her powers seemed to function differently than Charles’ own, able to sense outward emotions and possess minds, but not able to share her thoughts like him or create the same kind of illusions. She’d been afraid before coming here, but Charles had taken her by the hand and showed her the beauty in them, how she’d saved her brother’s life and stopped the men trying to hurt him from making a mistake they couldn’t take back, how her empathy was a gift and not a curse. Erik scoffed a little, leaning over to press a kiss to the corner of Charles’ mouth. “You should take your own advice.”
“I was giving her yours, I just changed the wording a bit.” Charles murmured as he glanced up at him, a warmth to his gaze that made something twist in Erik’s chest. Charles pulled his head away from Erik’s shoulder then, sliding his arms beneath himself and pushing himself up until he was in a sitting position. Then he twisted his head toward Erik, tilting it to the right as he gave him a considering look. “Hank, I’m less sure how he’ll react. He doesn’t entirely disagree with you, and he does believe that you want the best for all of us. In your own way.”
Erik raised an eyebrow, meeting Charles’ gaze across the bed with his lips pressed into a thin line. He and Hank had worked side by side the past few weeks creating the security system and building the elevator for Charles, and he’d seen and approved of the safety measures Hank added that Charles never would have thought of, his plans to safeguard the school. He’d also noticed Hank’s annoyance with him, the clipped words and eye rolls, but hadn’t thought much of it. It wasn’t as though Hank had liked him before Cuba either. “But he doesn’t like me.”
“Not especially.” Charles told him with a careless little shrug, grinning as he pushed himself back until was against the headboard. He tilted his head toward his chair, and Erik brought it to his side with a quick flick of his wrist. Charles leaned in, voice dropping an octave as he wiggled his eyebrows. “I think because Raven does.”
“I’m not interested in her that way.” Erik said a bit too fervently, narrowing his gaze when Charles had the audacity to laugh, short and bright, filling the room in a way it hadn’t in what Erik suspected was months.
I know. Charles leaned over, eyes lighting up as he ran a finger across his chest, tracing the bruises he’d left by each of his nipples. Erik shuddered beneath his touch, and shot him a heady look, his free hand coming down so he could run the pad of his thumb along Charles’ bottom lip. Sadly, we don’t have time for that. Charles pulled away just as quickly as he’d leaned in, shifting his knuckles again and twisting his upper body so he was facing the other direction. Erik let out a rather pained sigh, closing his eyes because he knew Charles was right. Charles transferred himself from his chair to the bed with an easy grace, meeting Erik’s gaze once he was in his chair and adjusting his legs. It was very sweet, though, how you tried to let her down easy, before you figured out she already knew you were in love with me.
You weren’t angry at her, for that. Erik cocked his head to the side, raising his eyebrows pointedly. Most people would be upset if their sibling got into bed with their lover, even if it was just a lark or a test, or maybe just Raven’s way of proving herself to both of them.
It was the last one. She wasn’t going to sleep with you. Charles shook his head sharply, wrinkling his nose up at the idea. He turned his gaze away from Erik and toward his dresser, where a photo of Raven’s favorite disguise smiled back at them, beautiful and disingenuous. She wanted to know you preferred the real her to that, even if you still preferred me over all. Charles grinned a bit at the end of his thought, but it didn’t reach his eyes, and every word was colored with shame and wistfulness that had nothing to do with him. Though I suppose it was a test, too, in a way.
“A test of what?” Erik asked in a low voice, even though he already knew the answer. Charles looked away, the shame hotter in both their minds this time, memories of every time Charles had said the wrong thing to Raven burned into their minds. They faded into nothing more than smoke in Erik’s mind, but he knew they were as vivid as ever for Charles.
“Who she’d choose. It’s funny, she knew we’d break up before we did.” Charles mused with a rather pained laugh, looking down at where his hands rested on the sides of his chair. Erik shook his head minutely, because he didn’t think that was it. Not exactly. Raven knew there would be a split, but she thought it would be in idea rather than reality, that eventually Charles would stop fighting them at every step. Erik knew because he’d thought the same thing, before Cuba. Now … Now they were together and Charles was a little wiser than he had been before. Erik glanced at the chair morosely and wished the price of that new pragmatism hadn’t been so high, and that he hadn’t been the one who made him pay it.
Charles met his gaze ruefully at the last thought, reaching over to grasp his hand between his own. He pressed kisses along his knuckles, mouth soft and warm, gaze wry and just a touch chiding. Don’t. You hurt me and I hurt you, but I forgave you and you forgave me. That’s what matters . Erik stilled at that, shaking his head, because of course Charles would think that way. He’d always sought forgiveness where he could find it, chose love over pain or anger when he could. Maybe things would be different if Erik hadn’t come back and if Charles hadn’t forgotten, if they’d spent years apart instead of months - but that wasn’t worth considering. Erik wasn’t going to imagine the broken men they might have become when he had the real, full Charles in front of him. “Did you already call your staff for a meeting?”
“Oh, half an hour ago. We’re meeting them in the study for breakfast in about twenty minutes.” Charles answered with a bright smile at the change in subject, pressing another kiss to Erik’s knuckles. Then he let go of his hand, the warm tendrils still spread out through his mind even as Charles turned around and headed toward the bathroom, calm and soothing as they stretched his mind like they belonged there. Erik sighed at the familiar touch, and wondered if he should break the helmet down and make it into something for Charles, or if that would be too much. It would be a little melodramatic. The thought was soft around the edges, a warm yellow and when Erik craned his neck to peer into the bathroom, Charles' eyes were wet.
“You’re an ass.” Erik told him with a rough laugh, sliding out of the bed and sauntering into the bedroom past Charles to the other sink. Charles shot him a half-hearted glare, the effect ruined by how his toothbrush jutted out of the side of his mouth. They hadn’t quite had this before, this quiet domesticity. Erik thought he could get used to that.
*******
Cecilia was away from the school to recruit a new student, so Erik only had to win over Cecilia and then the boys, and he didn’t think either would be easy. Or at least not as easy as Charles seemed to think it would be, smiling pleasantly and going on about when Erik should start classes to best fit with the holiday schedule to an increasingly bemused Cecilia Reyes. Cecilia gave Erik an unimpressed look when he promised he wouldn’t cause the school too much trouble, and Charles laughed , his thumb brushing across Erik’s own. Cecilia glanced down at their hands and then back to Charles with a raised eyebrow, looking more annoyed than surprised. Erik supposed they hadn’t exactly been subtle. After that Charles really had no choice but to tell her everything, the year with the CIA, the dream they’d built together before it was torn asunder, their hopes for a future where both sides of their cause could work together. Apparently it was moving enough, or at least Charles and his kind smiles and promises to send Erik away if he caused too many problems were. Still, the way Cecilia smiled at him, friendly and curious as she stood up gave him hope. “Erik? I think you being here has been good for the school.”
“Do you?” Erik asked as he narrowed his gaze, not quite able to hide the surprise in his voice. The elevators and the security system were a help, sure, but he hadn’t done much for the students. Hank and Alex hadn’t let him sit in on any of their training sessions, and Charles mostly worked either with the younger students or one on one, and Erik didn’t have much advice for them.
“You challenge him, and God knows someone needs to.” Cecilia shook her head a few times, smiling in bemusement as she shot Charles a look of fond exasperation. Erik couldn’t help but share the smile, thinking that he might have an ally here after all. Certainly a doctor would be able to see the ways in which Charles pushed himself too hard, or when he used Cerebro to the point of feeling sick. And the way Cecilia argued with Alex and Hank and protected the students fiercely made him think that she’d do what was necessary, protect Charles and his children from his idealism. Charles shot him an annoyed look at the thought, shaking his head minutely, so a few strands of hair fell across his face. I don’t need anyone’s protection, thank you very much. Erik just let out a sigh, pushing the hair back from his forehead.
“She does too, for the record.” Charles murmured as he glanced back at Cecilia with a bright smile, gaze warm and amused. Cecilia gave him a playful little smirk, tilting her head to the right, a bit and waving, before she walked toward the door. Erik could hear her whispering to someone, probably a furious Alex, and then she was gone.
“I can see that.” Erik said wryly, smile amused even as he straightened the shoulders. Cecilia was the easy one. She hadn’t been there in Cuba, hadn’t watched Erik leave or Charles erase his own memories. The boys, though Erik supposed they were men now, were a different story.
They came in one after the other, Sean first, smiling brightly and with his curls falling across his face, looking a bit like he’d only woken up a few minutes ago. Alex was next, arms crossed against his chest, shooting him a heated glare and not breaking eye contact even as he walked across the room. Finally Hank came through the door, expression cool and giving away nothing, save a flicker of protectiveness when he glanced at where Charles’ hand was splayed across Erik’s own. Charles just gave him a bright smile in return, sliding a hand under his chin and leaning over as he glanced over at them fondly. Sean returned the smile with a slightly unsure one of his own, glancing over at Erik every so often. Alex and Hank didn’t bother. “You might have noticed that I got my memories back, and that now that I do, Erik and I have decided to give things another go.”
“He left you to bleed out in the sand!” Alex hissed, his voice rising on each other word, and he was up from the couch in seconds, pacing the small space of the study. Charles opened his mouth, gaze apologetic, but Erik pressed a hand against his arm warningly. Nothing Charles said was going to make a difference to Alex. He wasn’t the one who’d broken his trust, who’d hurt the one person who’d ever offered Alex a home and meant it.
“It was a mistake. One I’ll try to make up for the rest of my life.” Erik’s words were steady, no waver to his voice or his gaze as he met Alex’s furious one. Leaving Charles would always be his greatest regret, more than the fight or the bullet. That had been an accident. Abandoning him had been a choice, and it had been the wrong one. He should have been there for the weeks in the hospital, for the surgeries and months of physical therapy. Erik was meant to be by his side when he opened the school up, to see the way Charles’ eyes lit up when he met Jean and Ororo, or how excited he was the first time Warren figured out how to use his wings to lift himself up off the floor. But he was here now, and he would help Charles rebuild that wounded confidence, and turn the school into a sanctuary. Alex held his gaze and must have been satisfied with what he found there, because the wariness that had been there finally faded.
“What happens the next time you and Charles don’t see eye to eye?” Hank asked in a cool voice, words clipped and gaze sharp in a way he hadn’t expected. Erik turned his gaze toward him, ready to give the same answer, or maybe to argue, but found that Hank wasn’t looking at him. He was staring at Charles, expression challenging and protective at the same time, as though he’d send Erik away himself if Charles didn’t give him the right answer.
“We’ll talk, like we should’ve done the last time.” Charles promised as squeezed Erik’s hand purposefully, smile shifting into something sharper and more sure than it had been a second ago. He and Hank seemed to be having a silent conversation, and when Charles tilted his chin up, confident but not smug, Erik was sure he’d won.“I know you’re worried, but I’ve forgiven him. I want him here.”
“You can stay.” Alex said suddenly, the words coming out with bite, as though the forgiveness was just as much of a threat. Erik scoffed a little at the words, shaking his head as he looked over at Alex. He still looked a bit wary, probably ready to turn those lasers on him if he hurt them again. But Erik could see the understanding there too, a kinship that came from a world that had tried and failed to turn them into weapons. Or maybe it hadn’t failed, but they’d made themselves more, used that sharpness to protect what mattered. Charles couldn’t understand, not with his softness and his compassion, and neither would Hank, for all his quiet pragmatism. They would be okay, with enough time. Alex’s grin, small and still a bit annoyed, seemed to promise the same. Alex flicked his gaze over to Hank and Sean, raising both his eyebrows. “What do you guys vote for?”
“I am as long as I never have to train with him ever again.” Sean said with a roll of his shoulders, wrinkling his nose up when Charles and Erik both gave him a flat look. Sean looked over at him, shaking his head and taking a step back, holding his hands up as though in defeat. Charles let out a choked off sound Erik suspected was a laugh, the hand under his chin coming up to hide his mouth. Sean just rolled his eyes and took a few steps back, though Erik could see a hint of a smile on his face. “I’m happy for you guys, but you pushed me off a lot of stuff, dude.”
“I’ll try not to this time.” Erik told him with a wry smile that belied his words, and Sean let out a low exhale, running a hand across his face. Erik’s smile faded as he turned his gaze away from Sean and back over to Hank, whose expression hadn’t changed since he walked into the room. Careful and protective, but not giving away much of anything. He’d grown up in the past year, in a way Erik couldn’t help respecting a little. He raised an eyebrow, tilting his head when Hank met his gaze with a steady one of his own, still not showing his hand. “Hank?”
“He can stay until he crosses the line.” Hank murmured softly, and he flicked his gaze away from Erik and over to Charles instead. Charles met it evenly, his expression careful and considering. Something passed between them that Erik couldn’t quite understand, a wordless conversation that made jealousy spike low in his chest. Except it wasn’t jealousy, not exactly. It was a sense of loss that Hank had been there for Charles when he wasn’t, helped in ways Erik couldn’t. Their bond was a reminder of what Erik had missed, would always be a thorn in his side. But at the same time, he was glad that Charles hadn’t been alone, that his and Raven’s leaving had made Hank his family and not just his friend. Hank’s expression tightened almost imperceptibly, and Erik had no idea if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “Promise me, Charles.”
“Of course. The students will always come first.” Charles’ words were more like a promise, each with a weight that was as much for Erik as it was for Hank. Erik gave a short nod, because Charles had told him as much already, and it only made Erik love him more. They were the same in that way, willing to sacrifice their own happiness and safety for their mutant brothers and sisters, ready to play the martyr.
“And I’m not going to give him a reason to doubt that.” Erik added as he laid his free hand on Charles’ shoulder, a silent promise of his own. Charles might be ready to play the martyr, but he wasn’t going to have to, not this time. The students here were all his mutant brothers and sisters, the people Erik wanted to burn the world to ash for, so he could recreate it in their image. He and Charles would protect them together, would recreate the world with Erik’s strength and Charles’ compassion, and if the day came where there had to be a war, they would face it together. They had always wanted the same thing, they had just been too stubborn to realize it until they’d almost lost each other for good.
“All right, but be careful.” Hank said after a moment, nodding at Charles, before glancing at Erik again. He growled under his breath, blue eyes narrowing behind his glasses as he gave Erik a pointed once over. Erik smiled, slow and sharp, and found he preferred the new Hank. He was confident in ways he hadn’t been before, stronger, and Erik had always liked a challenge. Hank seemed satisfied with his response, because he turned and walked out the door, expression more pleasant than it had been when he walked into the room. After a second Alex and Sean followed, Sean grabbing Alex’s shoulder and whispering something that made him roll his eyes, though he could see the fondness there.
Erik waited for the three to leave before he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Charles’ forehead. Charles grabbed his hand and tangled their fingers together, and his smile was infectious. His energy crackled throughout the study, and Erik expected down the hallways and up the stairs. “So it looks like you’re staying.”
“As long as I don’t push Sean off the roof again.” And then they’re both laughing, Charles burying his face in Erik’s shirt and gripping his shoulders. Erik would stay, and the future would be - it would still be difficult, painful. But there would be moments like this, reprieves from the hard work and the suffering, and that was more than enough.
Charles watched as a few of the older students walked across the yawn, sharing secretive looks and bright smiles. Doug, who could speak every language on command, chatting animatedly with Angelo, who could stretch his skin in every direction. They shared a dorm room, and Charles wasn’t entirely sure they shouldn’t already be inside it, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when he had his school and family, safe and finally whole, the feel of Raven’s mind a reminder of the fact. He turned around to face her as she came out of the kitchen doors, smiling and moving with an almost feline grace. She walked past him to sit on the stone ledge along the wall, the skirt of her red dress flowing out around her and mirroring the sky behind the setting sun. She grinned at him, wide and relieved, and he couldn’t help returning it.
“Erik’s decided to stay. You’re welcome to as well, you know.” Charles said as glanced over at Raven with a playful nod, turning a bit so he could meet her gaze. She grinned back at him, smile warm and open, arms dangling at her sides. For a second Charles was here on a different day, Raven sitting on the railing in the same red dress, grinning conspiratorially at him when she caught him watching Erik longingly. He’d thrown his scone at her and she’d caught it, taking a few bites and sticking her tongue out at him. Charles sucked in a breath and wondered how many other memories of her he’d lost because Erik was there at the edges of them, how many of them were important. Then he shook his head, smiling without any mirth, because the answer was all of them. It always would be.
“I was planning on it. At least for a little while.” Raven grinned at him as she leaned over so they were closer together, gaze bright and affectionate. It clouded after a second, and Raven bit her lip as she glanced past Charles. For once he didn’t think he was the only one getting caught up in ghosts of the past, their specters following them down every hallway. Raven swallowed, meeting his gaze, and he thought hers must have been crueler than his, because she looked miserable. “I’m sorry, Charles.”
“Excuse me?” Charles asked before he could think better of it, blinking owlishly at her and pursing his lips. If one of them needed to apologize, it was him, for a thousand little things he hadn’t even realized were mistakes until she was already gone.
“For leaving. You were hurt and terrified, and I just left.” Raven said in a low voice, a slight shake to her voice. She still didn’t meet his gaze, and Charles couldn’t bring himself to look through her eyes. He’d promised her never to read her mind. He’d only broken that once, and that was to let her go. Besides, he didn’t want to see whatever Raven was looking at, which made her hands clench against the sides of the railing, her knuckles turning a shade lighter than before.
“I couldn’t blame you. Not when I’d failed you. I should’ve told you that you were beautiful, that you were enough, more than enough even when you were blue.” Charles kept talking even as the words pained him, each one slipping out, as though he couldn’t stop them. Now that he remembered everything, the guilt burned in his chest every so often, the memory of those last few weeks before Cuba/ He’d said the wrong thing every time, pushed her away, made her feel like he thought her, the real her, was less. He’d been so focused on protecting her, on making sure the world saw her as normal, that he hadn’t even considered what that was doing to her. Not until he was lying on the sand in Moira’s arms, Raven’s thoughts practically screaming at him. She would’ve stayed, if he asked, but he didn’t want to have to ask and - he’d failed her. He’d failed her in so many little ways, and Erik never had. How could he ask her to stay, knowing that? “Especially when you’re blue. You’re perfect, Raven, just as you are, and I failed you when I made you think anything else.”
“I still shouldn’t have left.” Raven whispered in a shaky voice, and to that Charles could offer no absolution. Not when she’d still picked the cruelest moment to leave. He’d been in agony, pain radiating down his back and coming to a terrifying stop at the base of his spine. But that had been nothing compared to his mind. The way his thoughts and feelings had all fractured, first from Erik sliding on that helmet and cutting him off, only for a coin to split through all the gray matter in his head a few seconds later. He remembered walking out to the beach, arguing with Erik, but all of the memories were still tattered, a mosaic of guilt and terror. Charles wasn’t sure those memories would ever get more clear, a sheen of blood over each one. He knew he’d said the wrong thing, over and over again, until first Erik left him and then Raven and then Moira too, in her own way, and - He sucked in a deep breath and forced himself back into the present, giving Raven a shaky smile. She leaned over and squeezed his shoulder, keeping the pressure even until his breathing stopped being quite so erratic. “You needed me. Us.”
“I did, very much.” Charles finally said with a low exhale, meeting her gaze and reaching a hand out to rest it over hers. He smiled at her, crooked and a little shaky, because no, he couldn’t pretend she hadn’t wounded him as deeply as he’d wounded her. But he forgiven her, and that mattered more than whatever hurt was left. “But it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“No, I guess not.” Raven murmured as she glanced over at him, a slight tension to her voice. She leaned back so she wasn’t touching him anymore. She flickered to her favorite disguise, blonde and pale, and then back to herself with a raised eyebrow. He met her gaze evenly, smile widening when she looked like herself again, the face he used to know just as well suddenly feeling like a mask. “What classes should I teach? Erik told me you’re making him the entire language department.”
“Quite right. I figured you could help with training, to start with. Maybe drama classes.” Charles grinned, a familiar spark to his gaze as he waved a hand out. Raven scoffed but rose to the bait, shifting from Marilyn Monroe to Dean Martin to Rock Hudson, before settling on Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She did a dramatic pose, hands holding out an invisible cigarette holder as she started humming an off-key version of Moon River. Charles laughed, warm and bright, shaking his head when she slowly shifted back to herself, black dress and oversized pearls turning back into blue skin and red denim. He looked up at her, gaze shifting into something more serious and almost a bit wistful. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, but now you don’t have to anymore” Raven reminded him with a bright grin as she leaned over and wagged her finger in his face. Charles rolled his eyes affectionately, pushing her hand off his shoulder. She opened her mouth to say something and then stopped, and Charles didn’t need to turn around to know Erik was in the doorway. He’d felt his mind growing closer, his mind reaching out for Erik’s constantly now that the helmet was gone. Erik’s mind was buzzing in a way it rarely did, nervous, with thoughts bouncing across his mind at an almost breakneck speed. Charles let out a fond sigh, and Raven rolled her eyes affectionately and pushed herself off of the wall. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
Raven sauntered off, leaning over to whisper something to Erik as she passed by. Erik gave her a flat look and Raven smirked knowingly and slid past him through the doorway. Charles waited until she was out of sight before he turned around, glancing over at Erik with a raised eyebrow. Erik took a few quick steps until he was by his side, expression even despite how his thoughts only grew louder with every passing second. Charles slid one hand under his chin, pursing his lips when Eri grabbed his other hand, lacing their fingers together. “You’re excited about something.”
“We finished the elevator next to your bedroom.” Erik told him, voice tight with emotion, bordering on harsh. But the way he held Charles’ hand was the opposite, brushing his thumb across the callouses along his palm almost reverently.
“I told you to do the one for the students first.” Charles reminded him dryly, but he couldn’t stop the way his chest twisted at the words, or the softness of his gaze as he squeezed Erik’s hand. He grabbed Erik’s hand with both of his, leaning over to press featherlight kisses across his knuckles. He’d missed his old room, with the oversized windows that always let the sunlight peek in, no matter what he did with the drapes, its high ceilings and the chess set lodged in the small space between his desk and dresser, all of them covered with papers and books. His new room was nice, closer to his study, but it always felt empty somehow. Maybe it was the lack of sunlight, or maybe it was because Erik’s turtlenecks weren’t neatly folded in every other drawer.
“I didn’t listen.” Erik said with a quick roll of his shoulders, pulling his hands back to offer Charles’ his arm instead. He snorted a little, shaking his head even as he slipped his arm through Erik’s own, letting Erik lead back inside and down the hallway. The sheets that had been spread out on the ground and the tools that had littered the floor were finally gone, replaced with a broad iron doorway. Erik let go of his arm to wave his hand through the air, the two doors sliding open to reveal the bright gray walls of the elevator. Erik caught his eye with a wide grin, a playful glint to his eye. Charles tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow, lips pursed. “Would you be mad if I told you I redid your bathroom too?”
“Hard to be mad when it’s your bathroom too.” Charles smiled over at him warmly reaching a hand out and tangling his fingers with Erik’s own. Erik squeezed his hand and led him into the elevator, waving a hand so the doors closed behind him. Charles grinned and leaned over, pressing a button as he felt Erik press a hand against the back of his neck. The elevator started to move, and Charles reached up to grab Erik’s shoulders, pulling him down into a kiss that he only broke when they opened again.
Erik swallowed as they came to Charles' door - his door, too, now, and he couldn’t help smiling at the thought. Erik brushed a hand along the short hairs at the nape of Charles’ neck, smirking when Charles shivered. He filed that away for later and flicked his wrist so the door flew open so they were both staring at their bed, fresh white sheets and a navy blue comforter spread out on top. Charles pushed past Erik so he could run a hand across his old dresser, shooting a fond gaze over at the papers he’d left there, now free of the dust Erik had found them covered in. Erik watched Charles move through their room, past his dresser and the chess set they kept upstairs, over to the door on the other side. Charles peered inside the bathroom and took in the remodeling he and Hank had done, the shower bench they’d set up and the sink they’d moved down and restructured based on Charles’ notes. Charles swallowed a little, gaze warm and Erik felt the air in the room change, relief and excitement and lust spreading between them.
Charles came back to his side and grabbed him by the waist, pulling at him, and Erik leaned over and caught his mouth in a searing kiss. He unbuttoned Charles’ cardigan and shirt with a tilt of his head, pulling the material down his arms desperately, tossing his clothes to the side. Charles pulled back long enough to lick his lips, and Erik took a step back to pull his own shirt off, throwing it in the pile with Charles. He leaned over and undid his boot laces, taking his pants and boxers off in one go.
When Erik stood back up, Charles had taken off his loafers and was sliding his pants and boxers down over his knees, letting them pool around his ankles for a second before he leaned over to tug them off, stretching his upper body so Erik could see the muscles of his upper back flex, all sinew and soft skin. Erik licked his lips and Charles sat back up and met his gaze, knowing and all the sexier for it. He grasped his shoulders desperately, breaking the kiss long enough to look up at Erik and flick his gaze over at the bed. Erik wrapped his arms around Charles and lifted from the chair with ease, spreading him out across the sheets.
Erik took a second to admire the lean lines of his body, skin glistening in the pale light of his lamp, and Charles stretched out on the sheets, sliding his arms under his head and glancing up at the headboard purposefully. Erik scoffed a little, but the iron frame obediently came apart, tendrils of metal peeling out from the headboard and sliding down toward him. Charles flicked his gaze back to him, licking his lip a few times as the first bit of metal pressed against his neck. He smirked as he climbed onto the bed, leaning over Charles hungrily, taking in those stretches of pale skin, shining under the sheen of the moonlight. Erik tilted his head to the right and watched as the tendril to his left snaked down and wrapped around Charles shoulders, stretching out so the edge of it brushed against his nipple. Erik made the metal vibrate, gentle and languid, shifting and twisting across his skin. Charles let out a low moan, a flush running his neck and his chest, and Erik picked up the speed of the metal, the vibrations coming faster and smoother with every twist of his finger. Charles tossed his head back, upper body shaking and letting out little pants, his own hands reaching out for Erik without finesse. Erik just smirked and leaned in further so his hard on pressed against Charles’ stomach, nipping the skin beneath his jaw at the same time he brought a new sliver of metal down to run down Charles’ back, vibrations matching the pace of his mouth.
Charles whimpered softly, eyes wide and upper body shaking a little, and Erik took pity on him and slowed the vibrations little by little before stopping them completely, pulling them back so he could press himself over him instead. Charles looked up at him, breath still coming out in little pants, eyes blown and licking his lips. He reached a hand up and cupped Erik’s jaw, a playful glint to his eyes as he caught his breath. “See? This bed is better.”
“Certainly more useful.” Erik admitted with a careless shrug, a few bits of metal coming back to life and shifting in the air around them, hovering over Charles, a promise of things to come. Erik grinned and kissed Charles, soft and sweet, sliding his hand down so he could massage the side of his neck and down to his shoulders. Charles looked up at Erik, gaze heady, and then slid his gaze down until it reached Erik’s cock. Charles licked his lips rather pointedly, gaze coy as he ran his thumb over the head. Erik nodded and sat up more fully, angling himself away from Charles long enough for Charles to shift so he was lying on his side. Charles slid his lips around the head of his cock, twisting his tongue around the slit with finesse, and Erik let out a rather needy moan and bucked his hips. Erik let a few coils of metal slide down from the headboard again, spreading around Charles’ back and over his shoulders, the vibrations picking up pace as Charles shuddered, lips shaking against Erik’s cock. “You weren’t lying about the vibrations.”
No, I certainly was not . Charles’ voice was smooth in his mind even as he took more and more of him in his mouth, humming pleasantly along the groove there, one hand massaging his balls with practiced ease. Erik let out an almost pained moan when Charles slid all the way down his cock, tongue twisting in ways he wasn’t sure should be possible. Erik made the coils vibrate a little faster, adding a few more so they were massaging Charles’ back at different speeds and angels, a few sliding up to run across his shoulder blades. Charles pulled off of him and made a choked out noise, the blue of his eyes barely visible when he looked up at him at this time. “Erik!”
Erik just grinned as he sat back and propped himself up on his elbows, glancing down at his lap with a raised eyebrow. Charles let out a scoff, though it could have just as easily been a moan, shifting so his lips were around him again. This time he used the vibrations to his advantage, mirroring them with his lips as he shifted up and down Erik’s length, one hand drawing patterns where his mouth didn’t reach. Erik practically bellowed when Charles did something particularly creative with his mouth, teeth brushing against the groove and tongue darting across the same skin soothingly a second later. “You’re mouth - Should’ve told you more -”
You told me plenty, actually. Charles flicked his tongue out and then slid his mouth down so he was back at the end of him, so Erik could feel a hint of stubble against his thighs, those strong hands massaging his balls just the right side of rough. Erik made a choked off sound, bucking his hips a few times. Some of the metal dancing across Charles’ back started shifting erratically, and Charles shivered, rhythm faltering as he grasped Erik’s waist a bit tighter than before. Erik smirked and made the coils move a little faster, reaching his hand over to scrape a nail along Charles’ right nipple. He moaned around Erik, body trembling as he slowly pulled himself off of him, a bit of pre-come hanging off of his bottom lip. “I won’t be able to concentrate if you keep doing that.”
“Then maybe we could try something else, lovely as your mouth is.” Erik grinned at him and flicked his wrist, the bottle of lube flying over and landing in his waiting palm. He glanced over at Charles and shifted his gaze down his back, gaze careful and measured. Charles gave a short nod, a thrum of lust coming off of him and spreading through both of them. Erik grinned and coated two of his fingers with it lazily, the coils rising and falling with each motion, so that Charles got a new sensation each time. Erik clocked each one, trying to memorize which ones made him flush and shudder, which drew out pleasant hums and desperate moans. He wondered if he could replicate that with his hands and his mouth, and decided he’d spend the rest of his life making sure he did. “After all, we have plenty of time to explore our options.”
“And which option would you like to explore?” Charles drawled as he ran a hand down Erik’s chest, across one of the bruises on his chest and down toward his stomach. Charles pulled his hand back after a second, propping himself up on his elbows. Erik pulled his hands and the metal back so Charles could flip himself over, spreading out on his back and looking up at Erik with a lazy grin. “Put my ankles over your shoulders. And don’t stop with the metal, that’s half the fun for me.”
Erik raised an eyebrow even as he spread lube over his right hand. He stretched Charles out carefully, first with just his index finger, and then adding his ring, and another. All the while he brought the metal back down over Charles’ massaging his back and making little vibrations along his ribcage, and Charles hissed out his name until Erik made them move even faster than before. Once he was satisfied Charles was ready, Erik slid his fingers out of his warmth, grasping his right ankle and sliding it over his shoulder, before doing the same with the left. He met Charles’ gaze at the same time he slowed down the vibrations, to a pace that kept Charles’ a shuddering mess but didn’t quite offer release. “And the other half?”
“Seeing your face when you fuck me.” Charles told him in a low voice, words coming out in pants. He looked up at Erik with a knowing grin, gaze seductive and teasing at the same time, one hand darting out to run along a scar by Erik’s hip. “Really, it’s a bit much. You’d think you’d never seen anything better.”
“I haven’t.” Erik said evenly as he slid into Charles with one easy thrust, his gaze steady. How could he have seen anything sexier than Charles, composed, controlled Charles, coming apart at the seams just for him, only for him. No one else got to see Charles like this, see how he shuddered with each touch or how his skin flushed all the way down to his stomach. They didn’t get to hear Charles mutter his name over and over again like the only prayer he’d ever known, hair messy with sweat and eyes dark with desire. Only he got to see Charles like that, and only Charles got to see him like this, overcome and in love, vulnerable to every touch and kiss, soft where there was usually hardness. Nothing could be more perfect than that, and Charles knew it. Erik grinned as he thrust a bit faster than before, giving Charles a fixed stare. “You’re no better.”
“I have an amazing poker face.” Charles corrected him in a raspy voice, as though he wasn’t coming to pieces beneath him, gaze lustful and mouth swollen, hands shaking where they were pressed against his chest. Erik sped up the paces of his thrust, the coils of metal speeding up along with him, one of them sliding over Charles’ shoulder and brushing his nipple lightly. Charles shuddered and Erik leaned in closer to Charles so he could press his mouth to the other side of his chest, the metal sliding back so it was only caressing his back and rib cage again. He slid one of them down his spine and started the vibrations up again, quicker and shorter than last time, the slight buzzing sound drowned out by Charles’ needy moan. “Erik!”
“You don’t, you look at me - Fuck.” Erik hissed as his words were lost to the feeling of Charles’ around him, hot and tight and perfect, even more so because he thought he’d never get to touch Charles like this again until a few days ago. Never feel the way his body moved against his, how his skin tasted when he kissed the side of his neck, salty with a hint of something citrus from his shampoo. Erik groaned as he moved faster and faster, the metal gliding up and down Charles’ back and around his waist, up his ribcage, reaching everywhere Erik couldn’t. He could feel the vibrations against his own chest, and it made him let out a low whine, hips snapping erratically. “Like - like -”
Like what? Charles moaned as he pressed closer to Erik, even his thoughts were shuddering now, hot and coated with a lust that made them both move a little faster than before, Charles’ mouth pressing against the underside of Erik’s jaw, mouthing the soft skin there. He seemed like he couldn’t get enough of Erik, hands stretching out to run along his chest, nails scraping across his nipples. Erik smirked as he glanced down enough, pulling away long enough so he could push Charles’ hands away and catch his mouth in a searing kiss instead, the metal tendrils on his back stretching out and pulsing against his flushed skin. Charles trembled under their touch, and when Erik broke the kiss to bite his neck gently instead, he went still, throwing his head back and letting out an almost guttural noise before he collapsed against his chest.
Erik groaned at the sight, his own jerks growing more and more erratic, the coils slowly unraveling from Charles’ body as he went still. Then he was coming, voice coming out in pants as he practically collapsed over Charles, only his hands on his ankles keeping them both upright. Erik carefully lifted Charles’ legs off of his shoulders, laying them down back against the sheets. Then he sagged down so he was lying next to him, propping himself up on his elbow. Erik smirked as he leaned over and pushed some of Charles’ sweat-soaked hair from his face, catching his gaze with a heady one of his own. “You look at me like you’ve never loved anyone else.”
“I haven’t.” Charles looked up at him softly, smile shy and vulnerable, the truth behind each word spreading in the air between them. Erik swallowed at that look, so open and affectionate, so pure. Erik felt almost overwhelmed by the emotion in the air, and he pressed their foreheads together, grasping Charles’ hand like a vow. He would spend the rest of his life earning that look, that love. You don’t have to earn it, it’s already yours. Charles' voice was warm and teasing as it weaved around his mind, Charles leaning over to press an exhausted kiss to the corner of his mouth. Charles pressed his face against his pillow, resting his head on his arm so he could look up at Erik. “You should sleep, you’re starting to teach tomorrow.”
“And you have a paper to write on how Warren’s wings function.” Erik said with a wry smile, watching as Charles blinked owlishly at him as he pushed himself up onto his elbows. Erik stretched his arms out in front of him, rolling his wrists a few times as he glanced over at Charles’ desk. It was covered in papers, some from before Cuba that were gathering dust, some new that he’d brought up from the study. He might say he was done with academia, but his ink-stained hands told a different story. “Your mind isn’t worth wasting, Charles.”
Charles met his gaze then and swallowed, torn between hope and insecurity, all the old-new fears about his powers flashing across both their minds, about how the world outside saw them. Erik shook his head, cupping his jaw and holding his gaze, because Charles was wrong. Or half-wrong, as it were. Society did fear mutants, and telepaths especially, thought Charles would steal their secrets and erase their minds, or God knew what else. And he could, but he wouldn’t because that wasn’t who Charles was. His powers were a part of him, defined him just as much as his compassion and his pride and his love of words and tea, and he shouldn’t be ashamed of any of it. Especially not when he preached the opposite to his students. Charles shook his head, hope and sheepishness mixing together in his eyes, and Erik knew he had won. “You have to proofread it then.”
“Of course. How else would I tell you that you were wrong?” Erik asked with a raised eyebrow, grinning when Charles just just gave him a flat look and smacked him lightly with his pillow. Erik let out a throaty laugh, and Charles followed after a second, warm and bright, and Erik knew whatever came next, this would be worth it. He and Charles would rebuild the world piece by piece, would fight every step of the way, together. They would not be strangers again.