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Rain pounded against the cement, a rhythmic tempo that echoed through Charles' ears endlessly. He was so, so tired, and the dreary, grey skies felt fitting for how he felt. Cold water had already soaked through his bones and was causing him to shiver. The metal of his chair was incredibly chilling where his elbows were resting on the arms, his hands folded together in his lap in a desperate bid at presenting a stoic looking front.
He wasn't sure if he was succeeding, seeing as how he was sat outside the mansion in his chair and soaked through with freezing rainwater, waiting around for a man like some sort of desperate damsel waiting for her hero to come and rescue her. It was a comparison Charles would have never likened himself too before and found that he didn't like it now, even if he thought it seemed fitting.
After several long minutes, lights appeared far down the road, hovering too-high in the air and making it clear that the reason Charles couldn't hear an engine was because Erik was levitating it down the laneway. The lights got brighter and brighter as the car got closer far quicker than was reasonable. Charles couldn't help but roll his eyes at the reckless danger Erik was putting himself in, remembering with what was absolutely not a fond smile countless arguments they'd had over Erik's use of his mutation while driving during the weeks they'd been on the road together.
Goodness. What had he become? Reflecting fondly over past days? Being summoned by some red-skinned ass hat who had scared him half to death by appearing in the middle of his office as Charles was grading papers, and told him Erik would be visiting him that night (though he hadn't said it nearly that politely)? Honestly, but Charles barely even recognized himself (other than the way he'd managed to inflict a nasty headache just as the man had been teleporting away which, hopefully, would stay with him for at least a few hours).
This wasn't who Charles was. Had never been who he was before. Charles was better this, stronger than this, but there was something about Erik that had always burrowed under his skin and made itself a home there, something that, apparently, even paralysis didn't get out of his system. Even now, Charles sat in the freezing rain and waited for Erik's car to gently set down on the drive in front of Charles, the driver’s side door only a few feet away from him. He held his tongue as Erik stepped out of the car, and the helmet on his head was confirmation of something Charles had already known but hadn't wanted to admit to.
He didn't bother smiling. He didn't even bother wheeling forward. Erik had demanded his presence and Charles, despite how many times he had sworn to himself he would never allow Erik back into his life after the way he'd left him bloodied and heartbroken on that beach, had shown up. That had to be enough, because Charles wasn't sure if there was anything else he could give.
“What do you want, Erik?” Charles asked quietly, unable to push his voice any louder. The words already felt too heavy falling from his lips, and Erik's name scratched out of his throat.
Charles was ready for a great many things. He was ready for Erik's anger, as Erik had always seemed to be angry over something. He was ready for excuses, paper-thin and useless as they would be. He was even ready for pretty words and for Erik to grovel. What Erik did, was probably something he never could have prepared himself for as Erik—
Erik dropped to his knees.
Charles sucked in a sharp breath, since he certainly hadn't been expecting that of all the things he'd tried to prepare himself for. As Erik put them on eye level and looked at Charles with more honesty on his face than he'd ever seen him show, Charles’ heart began racing in his chest and his mind began whirling. The wretched, horrible helmet that had been covering so much of Erik's face slowly lifted off, and Charles sucked in another sharp breath that felt like a revelation for the way Erik's thoughts washed through his mind and settled something that had been lost within him.
And then, the helmet shredded into thin strips of metal that broke apart into pieces so small Charles couldn't even see them through the rain, until there was nothing where the helmet had once been and everything where Erik's thoughts had been hidden from him only moments before. Breathing deeply, Charles did his very best to not burst out into blubbering tears, no matter how badly he wanted to or felt he needed to.
“Erik,” Charles started, and then his breath left him in a rush when Erik pushed forward a tremendous amount of love laced with a horrible sensation of heartache that together left Charles completely breathless and feeling like his chest was going to combust for how full it was suddenly feeling.
Erik reached out, and Charles was unable to stop himself from meeting his outstretched hands and lacing their fingers together.
“I love you,” Erik told him plainly, no pretty words or grovelling apologies. “I've loved you every single moment since I first felt the brush of your mind in the water and will love you every moment until I'm no more.”
You are a ridiculous man, Charles pressed into his mind, unable to speak for the way his lower lip was wobbling and his eyes were still burning, tears no doubt falling from his eyes but indistinguishable from the way freezing rain that was still washing down his face. If you pull out a ring, I'll make you spend the rest of those years thinking you're a house cat.
“ I'll save in,” Erik told him, his mind bursting with light in such a way that made Charles laugh brokenly, wondering how in hell's name he'd ever fallen in love with such a ridiculous man. A shiver wracked through his frame and Erik's smile softened from something teasing into something apologetic as he ran his thumbs over Charles’ knuckles. “I'm sorry you're wet, but I liked the dramatic flair,” Erik whispered, leaning close enough that Charles could just barely hear him.
Charles rolled his eyes at his antics even as he leaned closer, and he sighed happily when Erik's still-warm lips brushed against his chilled ones. Charles pulled back just enough that their lips were only barely brushing together to whisper, “Get me inside and warmed up or you're spending the rest of the night out here.”
This time it was Erik who laughed, tossing his head back and then looking up at Charles with the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. “Anything you want,” Erik promised him, and Charles could feel the unending echo of Erik's promise through their minds.