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The heavy, cloying scent of firewood slunk through Erik's nose and permeated his mind, pulling up a sense-memory from so many lifetimes ago Erik hardly recognized it. It was hazy from time, like Erik was watching events unravel through a foggy night. He relaxed against the fold-out chair he was sitting in, lacing his fingers together and laying his hands over his stomach as he rested his head back. Closing his eyes, Erik did something that he'd rarely allowed himself to do over his lifetime and welcomed the memory that was edging alone his consciousness.
Erik didn't often allow himself to think about his childhood. Many of the memories he had of that time were tinged with pain, an old, aching hurt that reminded him of all he’d lost. Even the happier memories were all so, so very bittersweet that he often did his best to stay away from them altogether. Erik didn't have time to remanence, not as he hunted down the monsters who'd plagued him with aching memories.
As Erik relaxed and let the soft chatter and quiet laughter of his mutant colleagues fall over him, he focused on the hazy memory that smelt like campfire and felt like joy, allowing the emotions to settle in his chest and draw a smile onto his face.
Then, he felt the familiar brush of Charles' psyche against his own. He readily let Charles in like he’d been doing for weeks, learning his mind on the road as they came together. Charles always was and always would be welcome in his mind, and Erik pulled him in without a moment of hesitation. Charles' thoughts were tinged with curiosity. Erik pressed the memory to the forefront of his mind, allowing Charles to feel the swirl of emotions that were settling heavily in his chest.
He felt Charles wrap himself around the memory even as he dived deeper into Erik's mind. Erik kept his eyes closed and watched with growing wonder as the image sharpened under Charles' patient prodding. With his help, the hazy memory came to life behind Erik’s eyelids until he could clearly see the moment playing out behind his eyes with crystal clarity. His heart ached sharply but Charles was there with him, their minds twined together as Erik watched his Mama and Papa stroke a fire in their fireplace, laughing as the three of them huddled together on a cold evening, sharing a blanket as a young Erik watched the fire happily while they snacked on fresh berries.
Erik let himself sit in the memory with a smile on his face, replaying it again and again with Charles there with him, the presence of him in his mind softening the ache in his chest. By the time he blinked his eyes back open, the night was dead around them, the fire made of only the last few burning embers. The others had left him and Charles behind, no doubt giving them privacy that Erik sorely appreciated. His eyes were burning with tears and as Erik slowly came back to himself, he realized that his face was wet with tears.
He turned his head to find Charles still sitting on the grass with his legs folded under him, his own face wet and his cheeks flushed darkly. He was gorgeous, with eyes shining beautifully, and he was still in Erik's mind, a steady embrace of their thoughts that kept Erik from succumbing to the overwhelming feeling of yearning that was rising in his throat.
“I love you,” Erik said suddenly, putting voice to the tremulous force of feeling he felt swirling in his chest.
He pushed himself from the foldable share and dropped himself to the grassy ground to straddle Charles' lap without a single thought to hold himself back, not when he'd just experienced a moment that would have otherwise been lost in his memories, and all because of Charles. Erik wiped away Charles' tears, cupping his cheeks as he drew him up into a familiar kiss. Through his mind, Charles pressed, I love you too, and kept kissing him back.