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Night has fallen by time they land on Genosha. Erik relaxes once he feels the helicopter connect with the island’s surface, Charles’ head shifting on his shoulder with the slight impact.
“Charles,” Erik’s breath hot against Charles’ ear, “Darling, we’re here.” Charles shifts lightly on his shoulder, peeking one eye at the man he’s currently using as a pillow.
“I suppose so,” He hums, moving to stretch before reaching for his wheelchair.
Erik helps him out of the chopper even as Charles shoots him an annoyed glance and projects something about not being helpless.
Despite the small town being coated in darkness, Charles can tell it’s quite homey and functional and yet still obviously entirely off the grid. The island is painted in pale moonlight, allowing Charles to take in some of its features. There are multiple fields off to the side of the dirt road and he can vaguely make out the silhouettes of houses in the distance.
“Does anyone outside of the government even know this exists?” Charles ponders, moderately impressed with what they’ve managed to make the place.
“Not to my knowledge, we try to keep it that way. We go out looking for new residents enough that the population is sustained, plus, word gets around.”
“Most think it’s a fairytale, the children used to take about it sometimes.”
“And you never thought to validate its existence? Think I’m going to steal your precious students do you, Professor?” Erik laughs at that, imagining Charles’ annoyance if he began persuading his pupils to leave the school.
Charles fixes Erik with a look and they fall into silence. Most everyone is asleep at this hour and the ones who aren’t can’t be bothered to leave the warmth of their homes. It’s peaceful at night, moonlight glazing their surroundings and crickets chirping. After a few more minutes they reach Erik’s house, which could be better described as a cabin on stilts. Before he even has a chance to consider how he’ll get up the stairs Erik levitates his chair to the top.
“If you don’t stop that I’ll be gone by the morning.” Erik smirks as he’s unlocking the door.
“What, this?” He motions for Charles to enter as he holds the door for him, “This is me being a gentleman, Charles.” Charles rolls his eyes, but wheels himself in the door anyway. The cabin’s modest, a small table, basic necessities.
“That’s bold of you.” He smirks, eyeing the single bed shoved against the wall. Erik chuckles.
“Hell, I got you this far, didn’t I? Plus, you looked rather comfortable passed out on my shoulder a few minutes ago. Figured you enjoyed sleeping that close to me. But, really. You have to sleep somewhere tonight, I need you to not be sleep deprived when I introduce you to everyone tomorrow.”
“They’ll think of me weak. They must already,” He spits. Erik’s face softens, taken aback by the sudden hostility. “Poor Professor X couldn’t even stand beside his own X-Men.”
“I can assure you, they do not see you in that light.” Charles’ brow doesn’t un-furrow, perplexed by that in which should not concern him. “These people aren’t soldiers, Charles. I have provided them a home, as I intend to do the same for you if you’ll allow.” Charles’ vision scathes over the small cabin, this is where his friend had been for the last few years, hiding, no, he had a home and now he intended to offer it to himself who was undeserving. Not for the first time, he questioned why he agreed to come with Erik. He could have found a life in Paris and yet his friend had come to collect him.
All those years wasted, his gaze flickers back to Erik as the thought entered his head. He had nearly forgotten how willing their minds were to connect, always seemingly a lost part of each other. “I want this,” Erik speaks up again, pushing off the wall he’s leaned against to walk towards Charles. “How can I convince you to stay?” he’s looking down at him now, eyes bright, knowing. Slowly he kneels in front of the other man.
“Don’t you patronize me, Erik.” His words are laced with venom, as they so often are when directed at the other. Erik shakes his head, wrapping his hand around the other’s to bring it to rest upon his temple.
Look, he sends, eyes fluttering shut to allow Charles to take over, focusing when he hears that little trademark gasp that is so overwhelmingly Charles’ and his alone.
Crisp yellow fields laced with the green of trees. Children laughing, people milling. Everything is as it should be. Makeshift houses lining the roads, the center of it all. One house is warmer than the rest. two men, older sat at a table together, a chessboard set between them, a child bursting in. The warmth wells.
Charles pulls back as if he has been burnt, tears welling in his eyes. Erik brings a thumb to his cheek to wipe them away, a clean slate.
“You once told me I had to be the better man. now I am facing you with that. Stay, please. If even for a few days, that’s all I ask, Charles. If you choose to leave, then so be it. We’ve managed to get by this long without each other.” Charles can only stare, his mouth hovering open with words unspoken. Peace. Erik wants peace. Charles can feel it flooding his brain, overtaking the uncertainty.
Maybe we finally want the same thing. He sends. He cannot bring himself to speak those words, too reminiscent of that godforsaken day in Cuba; he can still feel the phantom bullet being ripped from his spine.
My friend, Erik’s breath hitches, I think we might. Erik shifts forward on his knees, catching Charles around the neck to brush their lips together. Charles is just as Erik imagined, all soft skin and heart, never disappointing, never deviating, the perfect juxtaposition to his own brash nature. Erik slips his hands underneath Charles’ legs to lift him, slowly standing once he has a handle on him, using his small stature to his advantage.
“What are y-“ Erik cuts him off with another kiss, long strides carefully covering the small room. He lays him down gently, falling next to him, back against his plain wall, head resting on Charles’ chest, which convulses with laughter.
“To think, I was convinced you brought me all the way here for a quick fuck.” Erik props himself onto his elbow, looking down at Charles in disbelief. Charles couldn't possibly think that, could he? He flops back beside him with a huff.
“If that’s what I was looking for, I would have fucked you in Paris.” His blood is running hot and Charles knows it. He can feel him poking around inside his skull; although, sometimes he swears that is Charles' intention. “Get out of my head,” he growls lowly, unimpressed.
“Hush, darling. I am well aware you brought me here because you actually give a damn whether I live or die, believe me. I wouldn’t have come otherwise.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Erik scoffs, turning to face him. “I’m not so sure of that.”
“You don’t trust me? After all these years.” Erik’s demeanour doesn’t lift; although, Charles is smiling, rolling to his side to face his now angry counterpart. Erik’s eyes flicker from the ceiling to Charles as fingers scathe over his chest.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been this close.” He intertwines his fingers with Charles’. “I never thought you would forgive me, after everything. I’ve done so many things, unforgivable things, I know that. I can never forgive myself for…” he trails off, absentmindedly chewing at the corner of his lip.
“Paralyzing me? Making me a murder?” Charles supplies. Erik lets out a slow, shaky breath, finally daring to look at the other man.
“Yes.”
“Is that what you’ve brought me here for? An apology?” Charles snorts, rather unimpressed.
“Maybe. Although, if I’m recalling things correctly, you tried to fight me the last time I tried.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be such a dick.”
“Ah, yes. The answer to all our problems isn’t it.” he hums, shifting onto his side to face Charles.
“Fuck off, Erik.” he rolls to his other side as if he’s going to get up, but they both know he can’t really go anywhere, as Erik carried him across the room. Erik snags an arm around his waist all the same, pulling him back to his chest. Charles is content with allowing Erik to hold him, relaxing into the man behind him. “You know, if you weren’t so hell-bent on revenge, we could have done this more often. I wouldn’t have minded that at all. Sometimes I needed someone to tell me I was making a fool of myself and everyone else associated with me. Hank tried, but it’s much easier to ignore his pleading than yours.”
“You think I would have pled with you?” Erik chuckles, “I think you may be getting my personality mixed with your own. Knocked you back into shape is more like it. You know, for a man as intelligent as yourself, Charles, you can be incredibly dense.” Charles sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I swear, if you start ranting about the humans then I’m actually going back to Paris.” He fixes the other man with a stern look, only half-joking.
“Schätzchen, I’m hurt!” Charles can’t see his face, but he knows it’s too exasperated for his own good.
“If you think you can just say some words that sound sweet that I don’t understand and get away with this, you would be sorely mistaken.” Charles huffs, although he settles further into the warmth of Erik’s chest.
“You’re ridiculous. You know that, right?” Burying his nose into the back of Charles’ neck, his arms wound around him tightly.
“Go to sleep, you idiot.”