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Charles tried hard not to laugh out loud. First of all it would be terribly rude, second; it would rile Erik up - which while not necessarily a bad thing - in this case would be the wrong move. And third, they really did want to make a good impression on their interviewer.
And why would he be laughing anyway? Well, it was, as it were in most cases, Erik's fault. Because Erik was used to dealing with American journalists, local New York reporters and the like, he tried to keep up the air of dislike for any interviewer that might sit down across from them. However, they were currently in the UK, their interviewer was a lovely young woman named Gladys and where there was often an undercurrent of distrust when they met with the press back home, here they were genuinely welcome - and Charles had assured Erik of this.
The interview hadn't even been planned beforehand. The BBC had contacted them while Charles was spending a week as a guest lecturer in his old haunts around the colleges of Oxford University. Erik had originally come along stating that he didn't want to deal with the school on his own, if Charles was getting away for a week, so was he.
Charles had had no trouble seeing through it. A week away from the kids, whom they both loved; never mind all Erik's gruff comments to prove otherwise, but a week away… yeah. Charles hadn't even tried to persuade him of not coming along. And he wanted to show Erik his old watering holes - he had many fond memories of the local pubs.
Of course the British press had requested interviews and while Charles had been busy with the lectures, Erik had sat through two days worth of talk shows on YouTube, figuring out which interviewers he could trust enough to let them ask questions.
Charles loved him dearly, but sometimes Erik could be terribly paranoid. Of course, considering how the press at home sometimes wrote the worst slander about him, Charles didn't really blame him for that attitude.
The writings had changed when Erik had given them all the proverbial finger and moved out to Westchester with Charles to run the, at the time, fledgling school.
Charles felt that Erik's hostilities towards the press at home should be tempered somewhat. It had after all been a stray column by a local reporter that had made non-existing connection between two of New York's most eligible bachelors that had led to a very existing connection that Charles wouldn't want to be without.
Now, two years down the line, the school growing explosively and another academy planned for the coming year, Charles was as happy as a fish in water. And being asked by his old dean at Oxford to come over for a week long seminar as the guest speaker had been the proverbial cherry on the top.
Even though he wasn't showing it, Charles knew that Erik was happier as well. Not that he'd been unhappy before they'd met, but Charles was well aware that Erik had had a tendency to drown himself in work, in the cause for mutant rights. Which was all amiable, but a man had to rest occasionally, let his hair down.
Looking over at Erik now, Charles couldn't help but smile. The light of the studio, he was sure, was making his own skin pasty white and probably paid him no compliments, but Erik sat near-straight in the sofa, one arm along the back of it, looking like a billion dollar model, while he was getting himself into a good-natured debate with Gladys. She had been Erik's choice for the interview. "She's feisty, young, but with a surprisingly sharp wit and mind about contemporary politics, Charles," Erik had told him in explanation.
It had been a pleasant surprise to Charles to realize that their host was wholly human, not a fellow mutant. Initially when they'd sat down and Charles had realized this, he'd beamed at Erik and the man had actually flushed under Charles' gaze.
It might have had something to do with the rather vivid mental image Charles had shared with him of what exactly he was going to do to Erik later. Good behavior, Charles felt, should always be rewarded. And it wasn't as if spreading Erik out on their hotel bed and blowing him was such a hardship for Charles.
The assistant cleared her throat and there was a call out for them to get ready for the cameras rolling.
Erik sat back on the couch, arm sliding along to rest lightly across Charles' shoulders.
"I'm Gladys Smith, welcome to Newsnight." Gladys smiled widely at the camera and Charles enjoyed the wave of energy coming off her. "Around the world governments are trying to find the right way to handle the cries for equality from the mutant community. I have with me tonight Professor Charles Xavier and his partner through the past few years, Erik Lehnsherr, who are the founders of the Xavier School for gifted Youngsters, and they are about to open an Academy for older students some time next years."
Charles waited for the applause from the studio audience to subside enough to answer. "Thank you very much, Gladys." He shared a quick smile with Erik, who looked a little jittery, but otherwise okay. "And we're delighted to be here tonight."
Gladys seemed in her right element and her enthusiasm helped Charles focus on her instead of the audience. He never quite knew where to turn his attention if the interviewer was too bland.
"Now, I mentioned that governments are struggling to deal with powered humans and mutants, and I know that you have both lobbied within one of the most powerful governments in the world, with much success, I must say," Gladys said to him.
"Well, Gladys," Charles replied, "not every country has been dealing with the ever growing population of mutants as level headed as the British. And even here, I know the government struggled in the beginning. Not at all a surprise as most beginnings can be hard. And when you say we've successfully lobbied within the American government, well-"
Erik snorted and took a sip of his water. "What my friend here is too well mannered to say," Erik leaned back in his seat, his arm brushing over Charles' shoulder, "is that while we may have been successful in many ways, it's been hard work, we lost more cases than we won in the beginning and we've made plenty of enemies along the way."
Gladys bit back a smile. "As Professor Xavier said, most beginnings can be hard."
"Please, it's Charles," Charles interrupted. "I get enough of the professor Xavier on a daily basis - for tonight I'm here as Charles."
This time Gladys smiled widely. "Thank you Charles."
"While Charles is right," Erik said, sharing a knowing look with Charles, because Charles was right more often than not - Erik had learned that over the years. "It's no excuse for any government to ignore the rights of any minority."
Gladys nodded. "And you have worked hard for more than a few minorities in your time, Mr. Lehnsherr," she prompted.
"Please, it's Erik. And yes, I'm Jewish, gay and mutant, not groups that are always met with accept from the general public or governments."
Charles listened as Erik recounted starting up the mutant rights group in New York that was now closely connected to their school, both flourishing from the joint venture. Who'd have thought that their affair would have led them this far along their chosen path and with so much success. Even if it had been mixed in regrets and lost battles along the way. Lobbying was hard work and it seemed, never-ending.
"I have to ask, and feel free to refuse to answer," Gladys shifted in her seat, leaning conspiratorially towards them. "But since you live together and have for a few years now, and your relationship is no secret, are there any chances of wedding bells in the future?"
Charles grinned. "We get that questions every once in a while," he explained, "but we're busy with the schools and we're practically married as it is. And with Erik being Jewish and me being an atheist, I'm not entirely sure how we'd go about it. Religion tends to spark a lot of debate, both positive and negative, I couldn't convert to Judaism, as I would be telling a lie when I claimed to believe and that way lies nothing but trouble. There are of course alternatives, partner registration and a reception, but again, we'd be adding a lot of stress to our work."
Erik sat quietly next to him when Gladys turned her attention to him.
Charles gave him an encouraging smile. When faced with this question, they'd agreed that they didn't need the added stress of trying to plan a wedding, even if Raven very often brought it up and offered to plan it all for them. Which in turn tended to turn Charles pale with fear. His sister was a force to be reckoned with - one that occasionally ran out of control in her enthusiasm.
"If you don't mind, Gladys," Erik said quietly, eying the camera and looking a little worried. Not much, but Charles knew Erik far too well, and there was something he was keeping hidden from Charles.
Charles' thought of 'oh shit' as realization hit, came a split second before Erik slid off the couch and knelt in front of him, offering his hand, palm up and a lovely steel-grey ring floating above it.
"On TV, you rat bastard," Charles muttered, staring at the ring, mesmerized by the studio light reflecting off it.
"I wanted a setting where you would understand for me to do this, I'd have to mean it and you'd have to say yes." The challenging look in Erik's eyes burned straight through Charles and he felt the hot, heavy stirring of arousal. His own as well as Erik's.
"Like there was ever a risk of me saying 'no'," Charles admonished him while he watched Erik push the ring onto his finger. "You idiot," he continued, leaning forward and dragging Erik in for a long hot kiss, the audience applauding in the background. "I'll get you for this." His voice nearly cracked when he warned Erik as he let go of him again.
Erik's wide grin told Charles that he didn't care one bit and Charles realized that he'd just accepted the proposal in front of running cameras. He looked up and found Gladys in her seat, biting her knuckle but radiating both joy and surprise.
"Well, yes," Charles coughed, urging Erik mentally to get back on the bloody couch. "Sorry for the disruption, Gladys. It seems I have to make an amendment to my earlier answer. My part-," he stopped, bit his lower lip and fought back a slightly nervous giggle. "It seems my now fiance has been planning this for a while and was just waiting for the right venue." He mock glared at Erik. "I'm sorry we interrupted your interview for that."
"No need to apologize," Gladys replied, beaming at them. "We're running out of time and there is no way I could have imagined ending it with our congratulations on your upcoming marriage. So do not apologize, we're happy to have had you both here, for answering questions and for the surprise proposal."
Erik grinned back at her and Charles still thought he looked like a demented shark, not that it made him love Erik any less. And he was getting married to the bastard, wasn't he? After the usual answer they had agreed on ages ago, when the question had first been asked by the media. Apparently it had set off a planning process in Erik that he'd managed to keep secret all this time.
And if the media had gone crazy over the speculations before they'd even met and gotten together, he figured he'd have stay away from both Twitter feeds, Facebook notifications and tumblring for the next long while.
But who gave a shit? He was getting married. Though it didn't' mean he wasn't planning his revenge.
Charles' retaliation came just before they went home. When they were approached to be on the Graham Norton Show, Charles said yes before Erik could intervene. Changed their flight tickets to make sure they could do the show without having to rush off for the airport as well.
When that interview aired, Charles felt almost, almost bad about Erik's constant battle to get it off YouTube. Though not bad enough to not re-upload it every time Erik succeeded.