Nobody Can Get a Tan in the Moonlight
Charles yawns as he walks down the hall, trying to ignore the buzz of minds surrounding him for the sake of worsening his headache. He’s moving towards the bulletin board in the sea of posters to the right of him. He’s only had two classes for the day, yet he was completely exhausted. Arriving at the board full of advertisements from students like himself. Broke. The only difference was their ads were actually catching the eyes of others. His own tear off flyer offering tutoring sat, untouched.
Charles is a very intelligent young man. He knows this. Tutoring is the only thing he can offer, but apparently it’s the only thing other students don’t want to pay for.
He felt his eyes tear up. Absolutely pathetic. He thinks to himself as he furiously rubs at his eyes. He blames the exhaustion for his reaction. Charles rips the advertisement off the wall, crumples it up, and throws it into the trash can with maybe just too much force. He was really hoping to make some money off of tutoring so that he could be out of Hank's hair. He'd lost his own apartment three days prior and was staying with Hank now.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Charles continues down the hallway. Judging from the looks he was receiving, he was projecting his disappointment and anger. While he could care less, he blames that on the exhaustion as well. All he wanted to do was go back to Hank's apartment and sleep. Forever. While walking down the steps in front of the school he fishes his phone out of his bag, to call Hank to let him know he was finished with class. Charles has no car, he never learned to drive. At the time it never seemed important so he simply set it aside.
Once he sees the text he’s received half an hour ago he suddenly wishes he could drive.
From: Hank
I’m so sorry Charles but you’ll have to find another place to stay tonight. Something has come up and I won't make it home tonight.
Where on Earth was he going to stay? Has Hank suddenly forgotten that Hank and Alex are his only friends. Little did Charles know Hank's mind was otherwise occupied at the moment. Little did he know that Hank was sitting in his apartment with tears pouring down his face whispering "No, no, no." over and over to himself. Little did he know that Hank was blue.
He can't stay with Alex, Alex wasn't even in town. He was visiting his boyfriend Armando. Can this week get anymore shittier? He thinks.
Charles has no idea what to do, so he does the only thing he can think of. He has nowhere to go, but he just walks. He descends the remaining stairs and just walks down the street, and the next, and the next.
***
Charles was neither dressed nor prepared for the cold that came with the dark of the night. He was wearing an insignificant amount of layers, compared to his usual attire. Of course the day, well technically night, he has to walk across town is the day he decides to wear a mere button down shirt with a navy sweater and tweed.
Charles was undoubtedly unprepared for the amount of times he’s heard the thoughts of men looking for company tonight. He’s had to send off three men with the thought, I am not a hooker! Leave me alone, before they even had the chance to roll their car windows down fully.
He fixes each man a glare as they roll their windows back up and drive off without a word.
He couldn’t help but be deeply offended that these people are thinking he is a prostitute. Not that Charles thought poorly of sex workers, no he would never. It’d be a lie if he were to say he didn’t consider joining the business once or twice. He’s got no money, and it deemed a quick way to get some cash.
He's been walking for at least two hours now when another car is pulling up to his left. Charles hadn’t noticed because this- man, a mutant too, his mind supplies him- isn’t thinking vulgar things as the others were. He wonders what the man is actually thinking, but doesn't look any further into his mind. He stops once again and turns to glare at the person on the other side of the lowering window. Charles crouches down to get a better look at the truly astonishing man. He has a strong jawline and steely grey eyes and was wearing a charcoal grey suit that fit his broad shoulders rather deliciously.
No, Charles is wrong, which he rarely ever is. This was not a man, he was in the presence of a god. He loosens his shields subconsciously.
Charles originally planned on telling this handsome man something along the lines of “Piss off.” But all words have managed to escape him at the moment. He suddenly feels self conscious, he's wearing tweed for god's sake. Charles stop being ridiculous, you don't even know this man.
-poor kid, out here at this time of night in the cold. He's adorable too. Maybe he'll allow me to drive him to a shelter-
Charles breath hitches and blood rushes to his cheeks. This divine man thinks he's adorable. Wait- shelter? Charles thinks bewildered. Did this man in front of him think he was homeless?
"Excuse me, but I am not homeless." Charles states even though it's not the truth because, yes technically he is homeless. Brows furrowing the man thinks I didn't say that out loud did I?
"No, you didn't. I'm a telepath." He sheepishly replies.
"I'm Erik." The god like man says, leaning forward.
"...Charles" he says slowly. "Can I help you?"
"No uh, I was thinking more, can I help you? Could you use a ride?" The man- no Erik, questions. Charles doesn't reply verbally, just shakes his head no. Erik tilts his head and asks "Are you sure?" with a frown.
Charles is quiet for a minute while he looks over the top of the car at the mostly empty street. When he finally speaks again it's a mumbled and incoherent reply that has Erik asking what he's said.
"I- I've got nowhere to go." Charles mutters, refusing to meet Erik's eye. Instead of the "So you are homeless?" Charles expected, he just gets silence. Erik is obviously thinking about something. Which he is. Erik is thinking I can't let this kid stay all alone in the dark, something bad could happen. What happens next is considerably bad.
"You could... stay with me. For the night." Erik is as thoughtful as the night is long. He's known for thinking everything through, very thoroughly, but he's barely registered the words coming out of his mouth before it's too late. "Only if you want." He adds, putting his hands out in front of him to show that he's, innocent? Charles stares at him dumbly. What options does he have really? Stay out all night walking around aimlessly or go home and sleep in a complete strangers house.
"Are you serious?" Charles asks dumbfounded. "I wouldn't want to burden you or anything." Charles flushes.
"I don't want you to be out here all night in this weather, I'd like to help. You won't be a burden." Erik grins, and Charles admits even though the gesture was meant to be friendly, it was quite unnerving. If Charles were to describe anyone's smile as being murderous, it'd be Erik's. Of course he doesn't say any of this out loud.
"How am I supposed to know you aren't just saying that so you can bring me somewhere to kill me?" Charles says skeptically and unnecessarily because Erik's surface thoughts show his intentions are pure.
"You're a telepath Charles, Aren't you?" And without warning the door swings open, causing Charles to stumble back a bit to avoid being hit. Is this what Erik's mutation is? Telekinesis? Charles has never met a telekinetic before. Erik notices Charles' confused stare and explains "I can manipulate magnetic fields. It's my mutation."
"That's amazing." Charles voices, earning another grin. Giving up, Charles steps forward and sits down in the car, pulling the door shut. Erik starts driving again, inevitably to the nicer parts of town. During the car ride Erik tells him about himself. Charles gets that Erik is a wealthy CEO of his own architectural company. All Charles says to Erik is that he attends the local college. They pull up to an exorbitant looking building, Charles suspects that the cost of one room here could buy him his entire old apartment building. Charles awkwardly clambers out of the car and follows Erik into the building. Charles honestly isn't surprised when the inside of the building is even nicer than the outside.
He honestly isn't surprised when Erik leads him to the very top floor of the building. Of course this man lives in a penthouse. Once the door is unlocked Erik turns and gives another creepy grin and enthusiastically says "Welcome to my home."
Charles gives a small smile back and walks into the apartment, Erik in tow. It's rather roomy which was expected, apart from the random metal objects and planning sheets thrown everywhere it's very tidy. The walls consist of long windows that give a beautiful view of the city below them. Most of the windows have window seats. Charles has always dreamed of having window seats, he could see himself sitting, looking out the window with a book in hand. There are two glass doors that lead outside where an oasis shaped pool and bar are.
There's a door to his right which he assumes is the main bedroom. In front of him is a living room with a nicely sized flat screen T.V. and two large sectional couches. A wall separates the living room from the shiny appliance filled kitchen. There's another door down the hall that he has no clue what could be. Maybe Erik's murdering room. The rest of the apartment is just open space, there's a glass dining table with papers scattered over it next to the kitchen island.
"There's the guest room where you'll be staying." Erik breaks the silence, and points to the unknown room to the left. "You can borrow some clothes to sleep in if you'd like." To which Charles accepts. Erik nods and walks to the door on the right leaving Charles to stand alone staring at the apartment in awe. When Erik comes back he's holding a t-shirt and pajama bottoms which are surely not going to fit him.
"Thank you." Charles says once he's realized he hasn't thanked Erik at all yet. "Thank you, for everything."
"It's no problem, really. I have to work in the morning so I'm going to head off to bed. Please come get me if you need anything." Erik replies and walks back to his bedroom.
This is how Charles finds himself in a complete strangers house. Laying in the most comfortable bed he's ever been in, and in too large clothes that smell amazing. Honestly Charles what are you thinking? He scolds himself mentally as he rubs at his face.