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“Raven, for last time, please, I’m begging you, I will not cover you, not again, not now” Charles was saying on the phone. His sister Raven was too busy, again, to take the turn and guide another tourist to visit the city she was one of the best in the area, because, thanks to her mutation, she was perfect to the demands of the clients. If they wanted a woman, man, old or young, she was always able to cover the turn and spend days with visitors, usually, helping them with the translation and accommodation. She was great, but that made the clients looking for her more often and sometimes, the company had reservations in advance. Sadly, she couldn’t duplicate herself when two clients was asking for her. But, luckily, Charles sometimes used to cover her, he was glad to help her for a couple hours, but with the time, the clients used to be more demanding, and Charles couldn’t help her more. He was a teacher in the university, the new teacher with few classes and free time, but not always. The last client was a woman, Moira, an arrogant actress who wanted him more than a guide. She wanted to him pass for the laundry and errands that he didn’t want to do.
“No Raven, the last one was very annoying, and I don’t know if I FIT to your client expectative” he added.
“C’mon Charles, he is a German business man, he just wants someone to help him as a tourist guide to go to some places and that is all” she said. “Charles, I have to go, you need to pick him in the airport in 20 minutes. Bye. Love you” she finished the call, without let Charles the chance to say no.
All right, Charles, you need to run and go to meet another smug man who can’t find his own ass on the map. Charles said for himself and took his keys to drive to the airport.
There, he was on time, at 8:00, but no signals from his client. Raven had sent him a message saying the guy should be there at that time ready to go in the parking area, but no one was there. One hour more and Charles was tired of waiting. He took the phone to call to his sister and say that he had gave up. “Raven, what the hell, your guy is not here, I’m sure that he took his millionaire ass away from here—” “My millionaire ass was waiting for the service in the wrong parking, My apologies” said a voice of a man behind Charles. He could smell the mix of the cigarrette and expensive cologne. Charles ended de call without even listen what was Raven saying. He was trying to figure out some good explanation and don’t lose the client.
“Raven will kill me” he said and turned to see the client and say something to help himself.
When he saw the client, all the words had escaped from his mind and the last brain cell was trying to control the deep blushing on his face. Now he knew that he had to solve this situation, because he saw that the man seemed important and he was too good to lose.
Calm down, calm down
“I’m sorry, mister?...”
“Lehnsherr, but you can call me Erik” he said with a big smile offering his hand to shake as a greeting. His presence was elegant with a white clean shirt, jacket and dark jeans.
“Oh. Is this not used to do here” he added, while he saw that Charles hadn’t made a move.
“Oh no, please. I’m sorry, it was my mistake, I was waiting… someone else” he said and both shook hands to try to break the evident tension in the area. Charles was impressed that he was able to say a complete sentence there, because, for some reason, he forgot why he was so angry and what he was to do.
“Oh, so you are waiting to another client” Erik said.
“Oh no, yes, no. damn” he said. “ I believed that the client was a German old man expert in some kind of business…” “Ich bin Deutsche. Ich kann es dir beweisen” he said. “And I’m not too old, but I’m doing my best to be good in my job, I can sure you”, he added.
Charles wanted to die there and disappear. Even if he didn’t using his powers, he could feel a big amount of respect and kindness coming from this man. It was too much, because why he was being a good person, there was Charles, being an idiot in a blue shirt and jeans.
“Sie scheinen Deutsche zu sein. Wieder mein Fehler” Charles said with a smile, with the hope that friendly attitude could make the things better.
“Wow, you have a good accent, mister…" “Charles, you can call me Charles” Charles said.
“Great, nice to meet you Charles, I hope don’t bother you, I can promise that I will not be a difficult client”, Erik added.
“Oh please, I can assure you that you are not a bad client”, Charles assured. “It’s just, sometimes, the people uses to be complicated” he mentioned.
“I totally understand. The humans, people, can be difficult to deal”, Erik said while he was handing his bag to put it into the Charles’ car. Charles immediately noticed that and he tried to do the same and they almost got hit at the same time, Charles tried to solve the situation, same like Erik, and both were involved in a uncomfortable moment. Charles just wanted to palm himself in the face, he was being a bit dummy in front of someone who was just gentle.
That situation was funny to Erik and he smiled even more. “Don’t worry Charles, I can do it, you don’t need to do this, really”
“Really? The last client that I had, she wanted to me pick her clothes from the laundry”
“I don’t know why the people is like that” Erik said while he was sitting the bag in the trunk of the car.
“Seems like you are a good person. Again, my apologies for make you wait. If you have time, we can pass for a coffee in the way to the centre, I invite you”, Charles said more relaxed thanks for the good energy that he could feel from this German. Both of them were in silence a couple of seconds, while Charles was wondering if he was doing it well, Erik’s bag almost fall from the car, but then it stopped. Charles saw the metallic bag floating in the air and was put in the same place.
“Oh” he just could say that. He knew that with the actual legislations that “controlled” the mutants, some people don’t were so public in the demonstration of the mutation.
“I’m sorry, maybe I should have mentioned before. If you are not okay with this, it’s perfectly fine, I can call a taxi”
“Please, Erik, it’s ok, you don’t need to apologize” said Charles inside Erik’s mind
“I’m sorry if I said it in that way, I should have asked first, but I believed that you should know that you are not much different than me” Charles added closing the door of the car
“It’s good to know it. You never know when you are in front of the wrong people” Erik said while he was walking around the car.
Charles felt more confidence knowing that Erik was a mutant too.
“I have my first meeting at lunch, we can go for the coffee, and let me invite you the dinner” Erik said. Charles just smiled more while he was driving.
“I will take that as a… yes?”
“Sure. And let me show you the city. You should visit some good places”
“Thank you. In fact, this is not the first time that I come here, but, certainly, is the first time that I don’t feel like a total foreigner”
“I know. It’s difficult to fit here. When we came to this country, Raven and I were alone with no friends for a while. Oh, Raven is my sister, by the way”
“Let me guess. You are British, don’t you?”
“Yes. We came here when my mother passed away”
“I’m sorry to hear”
“It’s ok. It was long time ago. Long story”
“I’m sure that you have more friends here, you are a gentleman”, Erik said, and that caused a big laugh from Charles.
“I don’t have many friends, more when they know that I’m telepath. For some reason the people feel naked around me” Charles said and immediately he realised that was a bit, inappropriate. “Oh shit”, I’m sorry if I’m being an asshole” he said and Erik just laughed. Charles was sure that his words caused something in Erik, because the sensations, from soft pink turned in a warm red. Charles could feel the emotions in colours, or something like that. When the people had strong emotions, they used to radiate neon colours, when they are angry, for example. For Charles was just an indicator, because he learnt to put walls to avoid read the people, even in that involuntary way. When the people were in calm and peace, the colours were soft. And in Erik’s case he could feel peace and calm.
When they were in the favourite Charles’ café, they ordered, a black coffee for Erik and a coffeelate for Charles.
“You speak English very well, I was thinking that I needed to get in touch with my knowledge of German. The people who uses to ask for this kind of services is not bilingual”
“It’s the first time that I asked this kind of services. My partner in the company, Az, He had told me that he had met a gentle person months ago. I was thinking that I could have the same luck”
“This company is successful, because we don’t make differences. Some people tends to avoid give services to mutants. But in this company, they are different”
“I can see. You are very gentle and kind. I’m sure that you are very famous with the clients”
Charles started to feel like the warm colours was going from Erik surround to his cheeks. Charles hated, HATED to be unable to hide his reactions when someone was being like Erik, so charming. It’ was a torture. Now he was who was feeling naked and exposed in front of him.
“I should confess something. Please keep the secret”
“I promise” said Erik.
“I just helping to my sister, the company know that sometimes I take the turn of my sister when she needs to study, but I don’t really work there”
“Wow. So should be my lucky day then” Erik said and Charles felt like the lucky boy was him.
They continued chatting till was time to Erik's meeting. Charles drove to the west of the city, where it placed the big multinationals. Just the very important people was there to close contracts. The city centre was reserved for the not too important decision levels.
“Thank you Charles. It is possible for you to come here in about three hours” Erik asked.
“Of course, your wishes are my… oh shit, I’m sorry I feel like I’m being an idiot” he said and Erik laughed.
“You are being amazingly… kind” Erik replies as he was leaving the car.
Charles couldn’t stop of seeing him walking into that building, a big structure, cold and arrogant. Charles couldn’t avoid to feel just dark shadows there and some neon vibration, he tried to put his walls higher and decided to leave.
He was driving thinking what to do in three hours. Maybe eat something light. Charles already was thinking in the dinner that Erik had offered. While he was waiting in the restaurant to take his sandwich, he remembered a local place of souvenirs, and he went there, without thinking twice. He drove some minutes and found the place.
He walked into, trying to find THAT thing that he had seen weeks ago when he was there with Raven. When he found it the seller asked: “What do you want to put in the card?, we have a big variety of love cards that could be perfect for this”. Then Charles realised what he was doing. Was he going too fast? Too fast for what?. But that side of his soul, the part that could feel something good coming from Erik, was pushing him to buy a simple gift for Erik, as a thing that make him remember this day.
Charles saw the time and the three hours already had past. He got in the car and drove back to the building.
In the other hand, Erik couldn’t wait to finish the boring meeting before. Some German rich directors where there, but Erik knew how to convinced them to finally make them sign a contract. He saw the time and he was 30 minutes before out of the building. *If only Az would told me about this before, I could have been here sooner*, he thought. He was rejecting the idea of go to America because the past experiences were nothing pleasant. Boring people, long meetings. Erik used to travel around the world to keep the family business stable. His trips were all similar, but he never found someone who were able to call his attention. He had a few friends, and nothing else. In this kind of trips, during the hours in planes, he realised how lonely he was.
Then he saw his cell phone, Charles was already ten minutes late. Could he decided to go away and don’t go back to Erik?, the dinner was too much? Made he something wrong? Erik was thinking in more possibilities every minute that Charles was not there. And now he realised that he was just with his portfolio, while his bag, with his passport were in the car.
“Du bist ein Idiot Erik” he was repeating, knowing that he was lost in this situation.
Sudden, he felt a mass of metal approaching very fast, and when he saw it, he remembered how to breathe to see Charles driving like crazy to the front of the building.
“I am so sorry Erik, I lost the notion of the time, and I came back as soon as possible” Charles babbled trying to explain himself and don’t give an even more wrong first impression to Erik.
“It’s totally fine Charles, I was trying to figure out how I could get back to Europe”
“Oh shit, I totally forgot to take you to the hotel first, as Raven had told me. I must be the worst guide ever” Charles admitted.
“Please, don’t judge yourself so hard, I’m not being the best client either, I forgot to inform you what my schedule was. I don’t even know if you have time”
“Erik, please stop, this seems a competition, and I should say that the client have always the reason. Let me take you to the hotel first, and then you can decide what to do. I’m all yours today— “Charles realised what he was saying and the red cheeks was there again. “grrrrr” barked for himself, and the only thing that Erik could do is laugh, wishing to listen this man more often.
“Well, we can go to the hotel, and then you could be a guide for visit the places that you want to show me, believe me when I say that this seems like the first time that I’m seeing this city, I have never been here like this before” he confessed and took the place beside Charles.
The way to Erik’s hotel was quiet, Charles definitely was more relaxed. In the other hand, Erik was more confident, chatting about everything. In some point Erik realised that he was sharing parts of his life that were rarely known for the people. He told about how his mother prepared the best strudel for Christmas, how he found that he wanted to follow his father steps in the company. And Charles told how his life was in England, how he grew up with Raven. It was so easy for them just chat, none of them noticed how much they were sharing.
“Well, here is your hotel sir, I promise you that I will wait for you here I’m not going anywhere”, Charles assured.
“I will be here soon” Erik said and left the car. Charles sighed involuntarily. He ignored the reason, but for first time in a while he felt a real peace in freedom. After a few seconds, Erik was back. “Sorry, I forgot my bag. Again. Did you mind” he said showing the trunk of the car. Charles “Oh, I’m sorry, sorry” Charles replied and both of them laughed again.
“Now I am going inside, I…” Erik babbled. “I will back soon” he ended and got into the hotel.
“Du wirst nie müde, ein Idiot zu sein, oder?” Erik said. “Excuse me?” asked the receptionist. Maybe Erik said it louder that he thought.
After a couple of minutes, he was back, showered, and with a more comfortable outfit, jeans and a sport shirt was perfect for the sunny afternoon.
Charles couldn’t hide his smile when he saw him again. “You are back” he affirmed. “I mean, where do you want to go?”
“As you said before, I’m all yours now, so you decide… Charles” Erik replied. Charles was starting to love how sounded his name pronounced that way, so sexy? Shut up Charles and he discarded the thoughts that he was having.
Charles took him to go to the park, to the Cristal Museum, inside the park, that was a museum for contemporaneous art and the walls was made by crystal. Big metal structures were holding the crystals around.
“This is a wonderful place Charles, I wish I could have been here before”, he confessed. “But I like more now that I’m in good company” he added. Thanks for the shiny sun on his face the slightly pink on his cheeks were not too evident.
“This is one of the first places that we visited with Raven. We had been arrived that week, so we were exploring the city” Charles shared watching the lights, the rainbow highlights though the crystals everywhere.
“Thank you Charles, thank you for everything. Today is so surreal. I never imagined what surprises had the destiny” Erik said staring Charles face, and for first time, Charles felt absolute confidence on himself and he just smiled.
“Don’t thank me too soon… this sound like a— “ *goodbye* he thought but he refused to say it loud. “This sounds good, I am really enjoying this day. I feel like I have been met you for years” Charles admitted.
Erik was in silence a couple of seconds, Charles just started to feel more warm colours, and no. He decided to ignore the rest, that was too intrusive and he decided to focus on the beautiful place. “You know what, you promised a dinner and I’m already hungry” he said, maybe too fast but that helped to Erik to star walking.
“You are right, where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know, there is a cute restaurant. The cuisine is delicious” Charles said happily. Also he was hungry for real, so was good go to dinner. In other hand, he hated the fact that the moment of the goodbye was closer and closer.
The sky was orange, and every minute was darker, so they drove till the restaurant that Charles wanted to go. It was a small place, warms and clean.
“This is the place. You will love the pasta here. I suppose that you are used to more elegant places—“ “What are you saying! Some of that elegant places give you a single carrot with drops of something that you can’t identify. That is not real food”
“You are right, I don’t know how the people can live with that”
“I prefer the homemade food, the rest is just for image”
“I can see that you keep your image very well *coughs* I mean, you are a business man, all elegant and— “ “Charlie!, is nice to see you” *thanks lord* Madame Tracy said joyfully. Charles was one of his best clients, sometimes he used to buy food and eat at home with Raven, and sometimes they were to eat there. Charles was so grateful, that she came, because he was starting to lose his coherence.
“Madame Tracy, nice to see you dear, this is my… *shit not again*”
“I’m his friend Erik, I heard that you prepare the best pasta and I want to taste it myself” said Erik with a big smile.
“Charlie, you must come here sore often with such a wonderful gentleman” she said.
Charles just smiled, even when he wanted to die knowing that this was the only time that he would be there.
But, even if Charles had this bitter sensation, he was determined to enjoy every second, because he knew that Erik was someone who deserved keep in his mind.
The pasta with vegetables and cheese was served, the smell was delicious. Erik started eating the delicious food. Charles was totally sure that Erik was enjoying his meal for the almost obscene sounds coming from Erik. Charles tried to let that thoughts apart, because he could feel that the enjoyment of his friend was authentic.
“Charles, we should come here more often, I never had so creamy pasta in my entire life” Erik said conversationally, while Charles was enjoying his own plate.
“She prepares amazing dishes. In winter, you can have the best cocoa with cookies in the country. This place is a peace of heaven” Charles added.
“I’m sure you are right, it feels like heaven right now” Erik said, and Charles couldn’t wait more, he wanted to finish this as soon as possible, because if he waited more, he wasn’t sure that he would be able to don’t look sad for saying goodbye.
“Erik, you have been a wonderful person, and seems like you enjoyed this day, even if I started a bit silly, I wanted to give you something to remember … “ *me*. Charles stopped for a second while his brain was looking for the correct words to say “…to remember this city, in a good way” he ended saying and took a metallic box from his pocket. The silver box was elegant and he left it on the table.
“Charles… Charles, you shouldn’t”
“I hope you like it, Is like I think that you could distract yourself in the long hours in planes around the planet” Charles was saying while Erik took the box very carefully to open it and he discover a puzzle of magnets, were small balls and bars to construct any imaginable object. Charles saw the way how Erik was examining the pieces. “Oh, I should knew before, is too silly. You can control the metals, so you don't need something like this…. I’m sorry if you don’t like to keep it —“ “Perfection. It’s just perfect itself, all my life I felt that the people would avoid to have metal close to me. When I was kid, I and my powers were starting to show up, the teachers in the class took me away of any metallic objects. In the lunch hour I was the only kid who used plastic spoons to eat, and that was weird, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere”
Charles could clearly feel the warm colours coming from Erik, some neon colours was there too, he felt so lucky to do the correct thing at least once.
“Charles, believe me, I will never forget this and what means to me” Erik said. Both of them was staring each other. “I’m happy you liked it. I wanted to give you something to remember that you are not alone Erik” Charles said into his mind, as a way to share his powers too, a way to show him that there was nothing to fear.
“Oh boy, you two are so sweet that I had to give them the dessert. I just made this cake that I will hope you enjoy” said Madame Tracy handing two pieces of delicious chocolate cake.
Erik was the first who looked down on the table, and Charles was relieved for that because he made a bitter sweet expression, and his eyes were already red.
Erik cleared his throat and started with the cake. Charles made the same and they enjoyed the sweet flavour.
“This was a perfect ending” Erik said while they were on the way to the hotel. "The cake was a sin", he continued. It was almost midnight and Charles was driving slower than usual.
“I’m really happy you liked this day. Raven would killed me if I lost some client. I felt like I was the one who enjoyed this too much” Charles said and he decided to stop there.
“We are lucky then Charles” Erik said and the car stopped. For some seconds none of them said a single word, Charles wanted to say more things, ask a number maybe, or something to keep in touch with him, but could be too much for Erik, so he decided to just shut up.
Erik wanted to ask a number, oh wait, he was checking his metallic box for cards made for clients only. That cards had all the ways to contact him. But, as a brilliant he is, he forgot the fucking box in his portfolio.
“Du bist ein Genie” Erik murmured.
“Of course you are" *and good looking too* Charles said. Erik laughed to that “I was searching for something… but never mind” Erik said “It’s was a pleasure Charles….” “Francis Xavier” Charles replied and offered his hand. Erik doubted for a second and he shacked his hand. “It’ was a deep pleasure Charles Francis Xavier” he said and left the car.
In the moment when the car’s door closed, Charles felt all that peace and peaceful sensation vanishing. Erik walked into his hotel and Charles drove the car back to his house.
At that hour, it was too late so Raven was already sleeping, Charles felt a mixed feelings, a deep joy and satisfaction, but he also felt so so sad and stupid, he wasn’t able to ask a fucking number to maybe text Erik in the future. But at least, he loved the fact that Erik felt that connection too, and the gift was perfect to remember that moment.
Charles didn’t bother to turn on the lights or change his clothes. He just took a blanket and decided to sleep to stop his wild thoughts and feelings.
The next morning Charles decided to wake up not too late, he was the week free in the university, but he wanted to run in the park to burn all his energy. Raven had to leave first, because she left just one note stick on the fridge.
“Dumbass
I had to leave earlier. What the hell you did with the German client. He already paid in advance for all the week. Hank says that you can’t say no because is a huge amount of money, so good luck with your business man. I hope the meetings don’t be so boring, he said that he has a busy agenda.
Xoxo Raven
Pd, he is waiting for you at 9:00 in his hotel, DON’T BE FUCKING LATE FOR GODS SAKE”
Charles was smiling like an idiot until he saw the clock in the kitchen. It was already 9:15, he was already late. Again. But he was having a couple of ideas to compensate his important client.
The palace is in Madrid
