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“A long time ago, you saved my life. Then you offered me a home.”
“I’d like to do the same for you.”
It was almost poetic that the place where Charles and Erik made peace was a café called ‘the old friends’, located in the famous city of love. No matter how much they’d fought and disagreed over the years, their friendship and mutual respect remained far too strong to ever allow them to drift too far apart. Two sides of the same coin, always destined to find their way back to each other.
Charles had never imagined he’d be here again, staring eye to eye with his best friend, accepting his offer of a home. The school was in Hank’s more than capable hands for now, and after all he’d been through recently, a break or retirement was more than necessary. After losing everyone, all they had left was each other.
As usual with them, the tension was palpable. The intense stares, longing looks when the other was turned away, brief touches that burned into skin. Maybe now, after all this time, there would be an opportunity for it to become more tangible.
Erik’s little island almost resembled a commune, mutants living in harmony together, everyone training and working. Most of their homes seemed to be made from colourful shipping containers, amongst crop fields and trees. At first Charles had believed the pathing had been installed for his arrival, but it looked way too worn down to have been installed recently. Maybe Erik had built this place long ago with the hope he’d visit one day.
The majority of mutants there seemed to recognise him, or have their memories jogged when Erik introduced him. He’d ended up with a crowd of younger mutants around him at some point, all seemingly fascinated by his wheelchair. They’d clearly never met a mobility aid user before, and Charles indulged them.
“It was his fault actually,” he’d laughed, making Erik shift uncomfortably on his feet.
“Friendly fire,” Erik said, biting his lip. “A grave mistake I regret to this day.”
They continued to chatter amongst themselves.
“Mr Xavier?” one of the children asked. “Are you Magneto’s secret husband?”
Charles had almost burst into tears of laughter at that, meeting Erik’s awkward gaze. “That’s funny, my dear. In a world where that’s legal, he’d have to take me out to dinner first.”
Erik had actually smiled at that, turning around to try and hide it as if that wasn’t pointless around a telepath. The amusement was practically emanating from him, not a single sign of discomfort at the joke to be found.
“Come along, Charles,” Erik interrupted, clearly not wanting any more questions along that line from the youngsters.
Probably not a great idea having metal in his wheelchair, because Erik was making it roll along behind him the next moment.
Charles waved to the mutants, sighing at the man ahead of him. “I can push myself, you know.”
“Of course,” Erik released control, and Charles chuckled, propelling himself behind him. “My apologies.”
“It’s fine, Erik,” Charles smiled at him. “Feel free to pull me along on your magnetic leash. Perhaps ask before you do, though.”
Erik scoffed at that comment. “First you imply I should take you on a date, then make comments about me having you on a leash? No wonder they’re getting the wrong idea about us, old friend.”
There it was again, that familiar tension that had always been between them. It felt like coming home, back when they’d first met and were making jokes like these all the time.
Then of course there was the time on the mutant-recruiting road trip where they’d both had way too much to drink, and woke up the next morning naked in the same bed.
It had never been mentioned again, and sometimes Charles thinks it was a figment of his imagination pulled from his own desires.
“Anyway,” Erik said before Charles could think of a response to that. “I’ve yet to show you the best bit.”
“And that might be…?” Charles almost rolled into the back of Erik’s legs as he stopped suddenly. Before them, the path led to a small cabin hidden among a copse of trees. Charles frowned in curiosity, Erik’s surface thoughts brushing his mind despite not making any attempt to read it. That happened a lot when his friend was feeling a strong emotion.
“Your home,” Erik smiled a little, although it was obvious he was hiding something. “If you choose to accept it.”
Charles brushed a hand down his face, his heart swelling with affection. “You built this?”
“We did,” Erik looked back over in the direction of the other mutants. “It’s been here quite some time, actually.”
“Erik,” Charles grinned, trying to hide his blush. “Are you implying you’ve been waiting for me to join you here?”
Erik scoffed, making his way up the ramp to the main entrance. “No, that would be ridiculous. Come on in, meine Süße.”
As Charles followed him up the ramp, he couldn’t help but chuckle. He’d really have to catch up on his German vocab, it’d been far too long and he’d like to know whether Erik was secretly insulting him in his native language.
(He wasn’t. It translated to ‘my sweet one’.)
There was a beautiful front porch that led to the living room. It was cosy and spacious, a stone fireplace with sofas and a little coffee table. Two large windows with the view of the island. Erik had even gone so far as to make the front door power-assisted (he couldn’t pretend this place was built for anyone other than Charles, unless he was hiding other disabled mutants around). Charles appreciated the thought, although the chair was pretty much Erik’s fault in the first place.
“Plenty of books for you to get through,” Erik gestured to the bookshelves along the opposite wall. They had all been lowered for Charles to reach.
“This is…” Charles wheeled around to the other side. “Erik, it’s beautiful.”
His eyes did fall upon the chess set on the coffee table however, neatly set up for the start of a game.
The sofa was far too big for one person.
He said nothing.
“I’m glad,” Erik smiled, once again turning himself away self consciously. “The kitchen’s through there, the bedroom is that way.”
Charles smiled back, peering round to see the little kitchen then heading down the hall to the bedroom. It was pretty small but very cosy, a double bed next to the window and a doorway leading to the bathroom.
“Make yourself at home,” Erik leant against the doorway. “I’ll be at my place if you need me.”
“I might have a shower, actually,” Charles said, transferring himself to sit on the large bed. “Please don’t tell me you’re staying in one of those things over there. And you’ve given me… this.”
“It’s perfectly livable,” Erik said. “We all manage.”
“Erik,” Charles leant back on the bed. “I will not be staying in this luxurious cabin whilst you live in a shipping container.”
Erik raised his eyebrows.
“There’s plenty of room for two in here,” Charles patted the large bed. “Now go do whatever it is you do whilst I clean myself up.”
“Very well,” Erik went to leave, but almost tripped over his own feet when he caught Charles taking his shirt off from the corner of his eye. Charles noticed, but chose not to mention it.
-
Sitting by the fire in the dimly-lit cabin, with Erik cooking him dinner was not at all how Charles expected his evening to be spent.
His new pyjamas were soft on his skin and the mug of tea hot in his hand. Erik sat beside him in his signature turtleneck, only inches away despite the size of the sofa which gave them plenty of room. The food was good and the conversation as well, the TV box playing a random programme in the corner and rain hitting the windows.
They’d migrated to the table with the chess set, glasses of whiskey between them and more intense gazes. Charles made the first move, leaning back in his wheelchair to take a sip from the glass. Erik looked so beautiful right now, his messed up hair and small amount of stubble in the light of the fire. He almost wanted to end this tension right here and now, but seeing how long it would take Erik to make the first move would be much more entertaining.
“Is there something on my face?” Erik smirked, moving a piece then leaning back in his seat. He took a long sip from his glass, a trail of whiskey slipping down his chin.
Charles chuckled, trying not to follow that trail. “Just deep in thought, trying to figure out your next move.”
“I knew you’d cheat.”
“I never said any telepathy was involved,” Charles moved his knight. “I don’t need my mutation in order to beat you.”
Erik tutted, moving another pawn with his mind. “It’s not looking good for you so far, my friend.”
“Hmm,” Charles moved a piece to protect the knight Erik was threatening. “You seem awfully sure you’re going to win this time.”
Erik rolled up the sleeves of his turtleneck, taking another sip of whiskey. His tongue darted over his lips, in an almost deliberate manner. He was leaning back, legs apart and the bottom of the shirt riding up on his stomach.
Even if this little show was deliberate, Charles would not be distracted by something as trivial as seduction. He was determined to win, countering Erik’s next move with ease.
This went on for about an hour, their game getting more and more intense. At this point they were both more than tipsy, and Charles had noticed Erik had given up on trying to distract him. He grinned, making the final move to lock Erik’s king in a checkmate.
Erik sighed. “I guess you were right.”
“Good game, my friend,” Charles emptied his glass. “I’m afraid it’s quite late and sleep is calling me.”
Erik followed him to the bedroom, where the elephant in the room slowly began to show itself.
“Help me into bed, will you?” Charles extended an arm, a small smile on his face. Oh, the sweet trick of pretending to be helpless in order to be held by Erik. The truth was, he was perfectly capable of getting himself into bed, he’d done it a million times, but it was kind of funny to see Erik splutter a little and rush to his side.
After Erik had tucked him in, he retreated to the bathroom to get himself ready. When he returned in a similar set of pyjamas to Charles, his smile was reserved and there was a small blush on his cheeks.
“I’ll take the sofa then,” Erik said, the disappointment practically radiating from his mind.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Erik,” Charles laughed. “Come on in, there’s plenty of room for two.”
Erik sighed and chuckled, almost sprinting for the other side. Then they were facing each other, with only moonlight on their faces.
“Always so eager to get me in your bed, Charles.”
“As if this place was ever designed for only me, my friend.” Their hands brushed under the duvet and Charles almost took Erik’s hand in his, but hesitated. “The years we wasted fighting when we could’ve had this.”
Erik hummed in response, and Charles could feel he was holding words back, but he was too tired to pry. Having his face as the last thing he saw before he fell asleep definitely contributed to one of the most peaceful sleeps he’d had in the past few decades.
-
Maybe Erik had thought he was completely knocked out, but Charles had indeed felt the kiss pressed onto his forehead before he was left alone in bed. He’d been half-asleep at the time, early in the morning slipping between dreams and consciousness. Perhaps that was what had caused his semi-lucid dream before he woke to involve him and Erik kissing each other on a picnic blanket.
Although being back around Erik was making him overjoyed, the guilt about Raven and Jean, Hank and the school began eating him alive once more while he was having breakfast. Curious as to where Erik had vanished, as well as looking for a distraction from his thoughts, Charles decided to take a stroll to the main area of the island.
Stray thoughts of the mutants around him filled his mind like background noise as he got closer. Some were in the community kitchen and dining hall, others were milling around outside their living spaces. Charles got distracted, ending up in a conversation with a lovely woman who’d asked about him, that he didn’t notice Erik coming up behind him and laying a hand on his shoulder.
Charles glanced over his shoulder and smiled, Erik was covered in a thin layer of sweat and under the light of the morning sun he looked even more beautiful than usual, if that were possible.
“Good morning, Erik.”
“Charles,” Erik squeezed his shoulder, removing his hand much to Charles’ disappointment. “Sofia. I’m glad to see you’re making friends.”
“Your-” Sofia coughed awkwardly. “uh, friend, he’s a nice man. Very different to you, Magneto.”
“Please, call me Erik,” he ran a hand through his messy hair. “Indeed. Charles is my closest friend. I’d like it if you all got to know him.”
Charles had to hold back a laugh, Sofia definitely thought they were a couple. Drawbacks of being a telepath, although everyone he’d met seemed to share that assumption.
“I’m certain my daughter would love to meet him, actually,” Sofia smiled. “She’s a teenager, quite antisocial, but obsessed with genetic mutation. You’re a professor who knows all about it, you’d get along quite well.”
“Was a professor,” Charles said sadly. “Yes, indeed, I’d love to meet her.”
For several hours actually, Charles sat outside Sofia and her daughter’s home talking about his thesis with her. Her daughter was called Ava, and had straight up asked him the second they met if he was Erik’s boyfriend. Charles had laughed at that, stuttering over his words and quickly changing the subject, because what even were they at this point? And why did everyone seem to think they were a couple?
Ava had been instantly distracted, asking him all kinds of questions and telling him about the book she was writing on genetics. The two were back and forth, going on for so long that Erik had ended up leaving, patting Charles’ back before he went off with the other mutants for some made up reason.
The afternoon had involved him moving between the greenhouses and the crop fields, helping in whatever way he could with the farming. As he chatted with the others and passed seed packets to them, he could feel Erik’s mind not too far away. He was clearly nearby, and from his surface thoughts Charles could tell he was being watched. Fondly.
He was deeply surprised he’d been accepted here so easily, despite the obvious conflicting views between them. They were still mutants, still his own kin. Still Erik’s family.
Dinner was in the communal hall tonight, Charles sharing a table with Erik, Sofia and Ava. He’d learnt that Ava’s mutation allowed her to read people’s emotions, not quite to the degree of his own telepathy involving thoughts. Maybe that explained the way she was whispering in her mum’s ear when he and Erik had caught each other’s eye again.
As the sun set, they’d gone off on a walk together through the trees and fields. It had however got to a point where the paths had ended, so Charles had accepted Erik’s offer of levitating his chair above the grass as they reached a clearing that looked off into the sea.
Charles had a feeling Erik came to sit here often. He pulled two books out of his jacket (how big were his pockets?) and handed one to Charles.
“Fancy some reading?”
Charles smiled. “You really do know the way to my heart.”
Their eyes met once again, not leaving each other for a length of time considered uncomfortable for platonic friends. Not an ounce of discomfort showed from either of them, just pure affection.
They sat together in silence, engrossed in their books until the sun had set completely and they couldn’t make out the words on the pages anymore. At one point, Erik’s head had ended up on Charles’ leg, and he hadn’t even noticed for about half an hour until he adjusted his book and ended up hitting Erik’s head.
The sky over Genosha was completely clear, stars twinkling above them.
“Should we head back?” Charles asked. “It’s getting a bit chilly.”
Erik sighed, shrugging off his jacket and passing it to Charles. “I don’t need it, I’m used to nights like these.”
Luckily the dark hid Charles’ blush as he shrugged Erik’s jacket on. “I’m flattered.”
“Come sit with me,” Erik patted the spot next to him. “I can recognise a few constellations up there.”
Charles chuckled and with Erik’s help, moved himself off his chair and onto the grass. Then they were lying down next to each other, Erik describing the constellation he’d spotted.
There were a few that Charles had recognised himself, when he’d looked through his father’s telescope in the past. He found he could do this all evening, listening to Erik ramble on beside him. At some point, he’d taken Erik’s hand in his, and their fingers had twisted together.
It was quite late in the night when they headed back, Charles had almost fallen asleep on Erik’s shoulder. The interior of the cabin was nice and warm, the fireplace lit up in the living room.
“Good first day, mein liebling?” Erik grinned, tossing his shirt onto the sofa. “They seem to like you.”
(My darling.)
That term did sound quite familiar to Charles, and he chuckled to himself, he’d need to look that one up in the dictionary to make sure it meant what he thought it did.
“Quite a community you’ve built here, my friend,” he said, rolling towards the bedroom and trying to avert his gaze from Erik’s lean chest. “Yes, they’re lovely. Mind getting me a cup of tea?”
“You could make me get you one without even asking,” Erik smirked, tapping his fingers to his temple. “I could be at your every whim.”
“Every?” Charles raised an eyebrow teasingly. “Oh, Erik, don’t give me that kind of power.”
“I trust you,” he disappeared round to the kitchen before Charles could respond. He was beginning to think Erik wanted him in his mind. Which went against what he’d said in the past, but also he’d said things like he just had multiple times as well.
Whilst Erik was brewing his tea, Charles was getting himself undressed alongside thumbing through the German dictionary he’d found on the shelf.
Erik certainly hadn’t been insulting him.
Charles blushed, cursing himself for acting like a besotted teenager.
-
His first week in Genosha had been… something.
There were ups and downs. He’d been spending his free time drafting a letter to Hank, writing then rewriting it. When Erik wasn’t around, he’d think about his friend and miss him dearly, sometimes shedding a few tears. He wasn’t going to allow his and Hank’s decades long friendship to end just because he made a mistake.
He’d added a few candles with pictures of Raven and Jean to the mantelpiece above the fireplace. Sometimes he’d sit by them and whisper to the pictures as if he were talking to his sister and his friend, apologising to them, or updating them on his life right now.
There was the occasion where he’d watch, and sometimes join in with Erik as he trained some of the younger mutants to control their powers. He’d gotten a lot closer with Ava, helping her write her book, and she’d even hugged him once, which Sofia had said that she very rarely did. It was a great honour, and his heart twinged as he mourned the kids he’d once taught at his school.
With the help of some of the mutants who maintained the greenhouses and crop fields, he’d made himself a little herb garden out the back of the cabin. Tending to that was one of the highlights of his day, and he’d noticed Erik watching him fondly from the porch.
Then there was Erik. Every morning Charles would wake up to a steaming cup of tea by his bedside, even if Erik had left before he’d awoken. Of course they’d ended up bickering or arguing over a game of chess, or sometimes in public areas which had led them to go off into a corner somewhere so as to not show themselves up in front of everyone. But neither could stay angry at the other for long, and they’d ended most evenings with a nice walk through the fields. The tension was still buzzing, and Charles almost wanted to say fuck it, but part of him was still convinced that this with Erik wouldn’t be forever.
It all seemed too good to be true, like in a moment it might all go sour. Things usually ended up that way between him and Erik.
But on mornings like these, when Erik wasn’t up early doing whatever it was he did, Charles forgot all about those thoughts. Waking up with Erik’s arms around him was all he’d ever dreamed of.
“Mein schatz,” Erik mumbled sleepily as they both slowly regained consciousness. Charles smiled at that, taking Erik’s hand and pressing a soft kiss on his knuckles.
“As much as I love this,” Charles said, looking at the clock beside his bed. “Erik, my darling, it is midday.”
Erik swore in German, sighing and holding Charles closer. “I already know what they’ll all be assuming.”
“Like I said, you’ll have to buy me dinner first,” Charles smirked, rolling over to face him. “I’m not one to get to third base before the first date.”
Erik stumbled, almost left speechless, not expecting Charles to flirt with him at all. “Charles?”
“Hmm?”
They were inches away on the pillow, gazes intense and Erik’s hand on Charles’ waist. Charles’ heart was pounding, he knew his besotted look must be obvious, and Erik was radiating nerves and looked incredibly flustered.
“I never actually thought I’d get this far,” Erik mumbled, avoiding Charles’ eyes. “I’ve never actually, you know, I don’t know how it works. Is it the same as with a woman? How do you ask another man on a date?”
Charles grinned, laughing a little. “Erik, are you asking me out?”
“You could just read my mind,” Erik grabbed his hand, pressing it to the side of his head. “Go on, save me the embarrassment of stumbling over my words like a fucking teenager.”
“If you insist, darling,” Charles held his fingers to Erik’s temple, not expecting to be smacked in the face by a tidal wave of affection the second he entered Erik’s mind. He saw Erik’s love, in the casual touches, the longing glances, long before he’d even moved here with him. Love painted every one of their interactions, and even when Erik wore the helmet, Charles realised it was partially because there were parts of him he’d hidden so far down, and if Charles found those parts he’d never be able to complete his mission for mutantkind.
His heart was beating dangerously fast, overwhelmed by the intensity of Erik’s feelings. He’d been trying, in his own clueless way, to flirt with him the entire time he’d been here. And it seemed he certainly did remember their night together all those years ago, and it was one of his brightest memories.
Charles pulled back gently, not being able to cope any more. He realised his eyes were wet, there were tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Erik…” Charles wiped his eyes.
“Charles?”
He sniffed. “Why didn’t you say something sooner, you idiot?”
“I’ve always loved you,” Erik shuffled closer so they could feel each other’s breath on their faces. “But I could never let myself have you. I feared if you returned my affections, I would never be able to achieve what I wanted for our kind. I couldn’t be selfish.”
“Have you ever allowed yourself to be happy, sweetheart?”
“Whenever I have, it’s been taken away,” Erik’s hand was now on his cheek. “It’s not a luxury someone like me deserves.”
“Erik, you’re a good man, I’ve always told you,” Charles placed his hand over Erik’s. “Of course you deserve to be happy. Sometimes I feel as though I am undeserving. But this - this, us, I’ve waited far too long to deny it now.”
Erik’s lips brushed over his. Charles had had enough of holding back, and that was all he needed to surge forward and kiss him properly. He felt Erik gasp against his lips, and kiss him back passionately, holding onto him as if he’d disappear any second. They were both smiling into the kiss, Erik rolling half on top of him and slipping his tongue into his mouth. Charles didn’t even remember the last time he’d kissed anyone, let alone someone who he felt this strongly about.
When they broke apart to breathe, their noses remained pressed together, breaths mingling between them. They were both grinning like lovesick idiots.
“I love you,” Charles whispered, kissing him again briefly. “Please don’t leave me this time, Erik. I don’t think I can lose you again, not after this.”
“I’ll always come back to you,” Erik kissed his cheek, down his neck and around his collarbone. “Meine sonne und sterne.”
Charles laughed, carding his fingers through Erik’s hair. “You’re going to have to teach me all these German endearments of yours.”
Erik reached the hem of his pyjama shirt. “My sun and stars.”
“You’re a romantic, then,” Charles began shrugging off his shirt. “Good thing I am too, my darling.”
“Shut up,” Erik blushed, kissing across his bare chest, hands on his hips. “Charles, I-”
“Yes?”
Erik hid his face in Charles’ stomach, mumbling to himself in German. “I don’t want to make this awkward-”
“You’re going to ask if my dick works, aren’t you?”
Erik sighed, trying to hide his embarrassment. “I was simply wondering what our options are for- you know-”
Charles chuckled. “Yes, I would like to make love to you, Erik.”
“Of course you’d describe it as ‘making love’,” Erik said, kissing down to the pyjama pants. “So?”
“I did say I’m a romantic,” Charles tugged insistently at Erik’s shirt. “At first, no. I couldn’t finish at all. But it has been a while, and whilst I’ve regained some sensation there, it’s not the same as it was before.”
“So if I touch you…” Erik moved his hands down his thigh. “You can still get hard?”
“More like, physically instead of mentally,” Charles exhaled sharply. “You’d have to touch me, precisely there. I can’t get it up by thinking about it.”
“Oh no,” Erik began pulling his waistband down. “Whatever will I do?”
“Darling, I hate to ruin the mood,” Charles sighed, pissed off at his disability for cockblocking him. “But the first thing I have to do when I wake up is go to the bathroom.”
“Oh,” Erik sat up. “Well, we can always continue afterwards?”
Charles smiled. “I apologise, I am enjoying this, but my brain doesn’t send me signals of when to go, so I have to, you know-”
“Of course,” Erik pulled him in for a kiss. “I’ll use the time to get myself ready.”
“You’re a tease,” Charles grinned at him before transferring to his chair.
-
It’d been so, so long, Charles had forgotten what this kind of connection with another could feel like. Especially since he’d never before let himself use his telepathy during sex, making up for his slight loss of feeling by sharing what Erik felt. Erik was riding him, breathlessly kissing him between moans, sweat dripping from his forehead as they moved together. Well Erik did most of the work, Charles concentrated on bridging their minds together and digging his fingers into Erik’s hip, throwing his head back and moaning so loudly the whole island would almost definitely hear.
It was overwhelming, the pleasure from both of them, they’d come moments apart, Erik biting into his shoulder and spilling on his chest and Charles arching up, gripping Erik so tight as it washed through his upper half at such an intensity he almost blacked out for a moment. It took a while for them to come down from their highs, sweaty bodies tangled together and arms wrapped tightly around each other.
They allowed themselves to have a lazy morning, exchanging soft kisses and just laying in each others’ arms. Erik had joined him in the shower, helping Charles wash himself on the stool beside him. Then, because it was basically lunch time already, Erik cooked him a brunch substitute meal and they sat together by the fire, leaning into each other.
Charles wore one of Erik’s turtlenecks, partially because it smelled like him, and partially because he wanted to hide the obscene amount of hickies on his neck from the kids today. They would never hear the end of it from them.
“Game?” Erik asked, looking towards the chess board on the table. Charles smiled, looking up at him from his position on his shoulder.
“We can’t hide from them forever, you know.”
Erik sighed. “I still haven’t thought of a suitable explanation for our sleep in.”
“Their assumptions will turn out to be correct,” Charles smirked, leaning in for another kiss. When they broke apart, Erik was giving him the fondest look and it made his heart leap in his chest.
“The kids don’t need to know that,” Erik said. “We can say we were… wrestling. Sparring. Fencing. Something along those lines.”
Charles held back a laugh. “Erik, darling, you can’t be serious. Yes, I’m sure they’ll believe you were wrestling with the physically disabled man.”
“Fuck,” Erik muttered. “That really does make it difficult.”
-
“Professor!” Ava ran up to him the second he rolled past her place. “You’re late today.”
“Indeed I am,” Charles tried to keep a straight face. “You see, I started quite an interesting book last night, and I simply had to finish it when I woke up.”
Ava raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to hold in her own laughter. Erik wasn’t far behind him, organising a training session with a few other kids.
“A book on mutant anatomy?”
Charles groaned, forgetting that teenagers were a lot more knowledgeable about this stuff than he realised. “Ava! I don’t want to have to tell your mother about-”
“I can feel it,” Ava said. “You love him. Magneto.”
“I suppose I’ve never been able to hide that,” Charles said, turning to Erik.
Ava was smiling to herself. “Professor, if boys can like boys, can girls like other girls?”
“Yes, of course, my dear. Why do you ask?”
Ava shuffled awkwardly. “I have a friend. She lives across there. I think I feel for her like you do for Magneto.”
Charles smiled, putting a gentle hand on her back. “You’re only young, I think you should go for it. Ask her on a date.”
“What if she hates me? I don’t have any friends, everyone thinks I’m annoying because I don’t shut up about genetics and I’m not the most sociable and-”
Charles chuckled, his fingers on his temple. “Go on, love. Next time you see her. I’m certain she won’t hate you.”
“Professor,” Ava said warily, bursting into giggles. “That’s cheating!”
Charles tutted. “I didn’t do anything. No influence, simply a little poking around.”
“I hate you!” she screeched, running off into the field with some others. Charles smiled to himself, watching her jump around and flap her hands with joy.
“You’re so good with them,” he heard Erik’s voice behind him. “It’s endearing.”
“Erik,” Charles turned his chair around, gasping when he saw what Erik was holding. “Are those-”
Erik grinned, twiddling his thumbs awkwardly over the bouquet of assorted flowers in his hands. “Yes, Charles, they’re for you. The lovely old man with the flower patch allowed me to pick them.”
“Oh- wow,” Charles glanced around, and no one was looking in their direction. “I’ve never been given flowers before. Thank you, my love.”
He took them in his hand, then realised it may be awkward to wheel back to the cabin one-handed. Erik laughed and took them back, walking beside Charles on the way back to the cabin.
“How’s Ava?” Erik asked, as they headed up through the porch. “She seems very friendly with you.”
“Such a sweet young lady,” Charles smiled, watching as Erik found a vase for the flowers. “I do believe she may have a date soon.”
“Young love,” Erik said wistfully, placing the flowers by their chess board. “Reminds me of us, back in the day.”
“We have a lot of lost time to make up for,” Charles said, smiling as Erik leaned down to kiss him. He’d never get tired of this.
“Why not start now?” Erik took his hand, kissing his knuckles. “Come on, liebling. The kids are waiting for their professor.”
Him and Erik side by side, as they always wanted. Charles hoped this would last forever.