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When they heard the sounds of the car arriving, Erik and Alex headed out to help unload the groceries. Raven practically bolted from the driver’s seat, grabbing a bag and heading quickly inside. Charles climbed out gingerly a moment later, holding something that was definitely not on the grocery list.
“What,” Erik demanded, pointing at the creature in Charles’ arms, “is that?”
Charles met his eyes guilelessly. “A cat.”
“And what,” Erik continued in his most icy tone, “is it doing here?”
“Someone left it outside the grocery store in a box with a note saying they can’t keep it, so I picked it up and brought it home.” The fluff in his arms wriggled and turned its face to Erik, ears perked up.
“Put it back,” Erik said. Alex, sensing that things were about to escalate quickly, took a note from Raven’s playbook and grabbed two bags and rushed inside.
“I can’t put it back,” Charles said solemnly. “It was abandoned, and it needs a home.”
“No.”
“Erik, look at it.”
“No.”
Charles sighed, readjusting his hold, and the cat let out a mewl. “We’re keeping the cat. You know I’ve always wanted a cat, and this one is already an adult which means she’s unlikely to get adopted if we send her to a shelter. Now let’s get the rest of the groceries inside before the chicken unthaws.”
Erik was primed to argue further, but Charles did what he always did when Erik was about to snap: he walked away.
*
After putting away the groceries with assistance from some of the students, which became more of a hindrance than help when Scott nearly dropped the eggs, Erik searched for Charles and found him in the living room, sitting on the floor with Jean, Ororo, and Kitty. In the center of their circle sat the cat, looking utterly put out as tiny hands ran over its marmalade fur, as if the weight of the world rested upon its little furry shoulders.
“Can we name him Erik?” Ororo asked excitedly.
Erik bristled and sent her a glare.
“See?” Ororo said, pointing at Erik, “Mr. Erik and the cat make the same face!”
Charles didn’t even bother to conceal his mirth. “It’s a lovely suggestion, but it would be a bit confusing to have two Eriks around, so how about something else? This cat is a little girl, so let’s name her something pretty, just like she is.”
Erik crossed his arms and watched unimpressed as the girls suggested cat names, but the cat looked ecstatic to have finally been spared their attention and she wandered over to Erik, tail held proudly high as she began rubbing on his leg.
Charles was watching, laughter barely restrained. “She likes you.”
“So lucky!” Jean piped in. “I want her to like me too!”
Erik eyed the cat as it shed all over his nice black slacks and said, “Charles, a moment alone, please?”
Charles let his grin fall, and stood, dusting off his own pants. “Yes, yes. Let’s just get Raven in here to watch the girls. How about you all decide on a name while I talk to Mr. Erik.”
Raven appeared soon, no doubt summoned telepathically by Charles and asked, “So did you convince Erik to let us keep it yet?” She turned to Erik to find him still sporting his most murderous glare, and her shoulders slumped. “Guess not.”
“Time for that chat,” Charles said with a tight smile. “We’ll just be in my study.”
*
“Erik, I can’t figure out why you are so against this,” Charles said, taking his seat behind his desk as he always did when he wanted to feel powerful and incharge of a situation.
Erik leaned his hip against the desk, crossing his arms over his chest and doing his best to loom. “First of all, you didn’t ask me-”
“You would have said no.”
“Yes, I think that rather says something about our relationship, doesn’t it?”
Charles looked taken aback. “Are we really going to have an all out fight over a cat?”
“I don’t like them,” Erik said, not even caring if he sounded petulant. “They are cruel, godless creatures who care only about themselves.”
“Now that’s just unfair,” Charles shot back. “Cats are loving, adorable animals who are quite loyal.”
“If you wanted a loving, loyal animal, you should have gotten a dog!”
“Is that what this is about?” Charles asked incredulously. “You wanted a dog?”
“I don’t want any pets! I’m busy enough as is, running this school, taking care of this mansion, and keeping our still woefully immature staff in line. I already have eight children to watch and refuse to take on more.”
Charles furrowed his brow in confusion. “There are only seven students, Erik.”
Erik simply stared at Charles.
“You can’t be serious.”
Erik raised his eyebrows. “Aren’t you acting like one?”
“I don’t want to fight about this,” Charles said, shrugging off Erik’s jab and rising from his chair to stand before him. He tilted his chin to meet Erik’s gaze evenly, and Erik struggled to keep up his ire as he got lost in the unnatural blueness of his eyes. “We made vows, didn’t we, Erik? They said for better or for worse.”
“I am positive they didn’t mention cats.”
Charles moved further into Erik’s space, his hands ghosting up along Erik’s sides before coming to rest on his chest, radiating warmth. “Surely we can come to some compromise?”
Erik narrowed his eyes, “Are you seducing me?”
Charles bit his lip. “Is it working?”
An hour later they emerged from the study, well-fucked and with a ceasefire agreement, but the Great Cat Debate was far from over.
*
The children voted on the cat’s name and she was officially dubbed “Ginger” in honor of her orange coloring. She was a generally calm cat who disappeared for long periods of time only to reappear and demand attention from anyone who would give it. She would slink into the classrooms during class and distract the kids, but Charles took to calling her his teaching assistant and even Hank didn’t mind if she wandered into the lab, as long as she didn’t jump up on the any of the tables and disturb his experiments.
Ginger’s favorite place, however, was anywhere on Erik’s body. She laid across his feet, jumped into his lap, spread out across his desk and over his arms as he attempted to type on his laptop, and on one memorable occasion, planted herself on Erik’s face as he napped on the couch, causing him to splutter awake.
“I don’t get it,” Erik groused from where he was sitting in an armchair, Ginger curled up and purring loudly in his lap. “I don’t even like her. She should sit on Sean or something. Spend more time with her own kind.”
Raven let out a laugh from where she sat nearby. “You are a crotchety old man, Erik. Just admit the cat is cute and you love it.”
Erik looked down at the fluff on his lap and the fluff gazed back with clear blue eyes that reminded Erik far too much of Charles, and damn it all, those eyes were Erik’s ultimate weakness.
*
That night, as they lay in bed thoroughly worn out and sated, Charles half draped over Erik as the sweat cooled between them, Erik heard mewling at their door.
“No,” he said, but Charles was already standing, pulling on his robe and opening the door. Ginger bounded in and jumped up on the bed immediately seeking Erik and curling up by his face.
“I’m naked,” Erik protested weakly.
“I don’t think the cat really cares,” Charles replied, climbing back onto the bed. “It’s starting to appear that I may have competition for your affection, however.”
Erik absentmindedly scratched behind the cat’s ear causing her purr to rumble to full strength. He was still naked, and probably sticky, so after a moment, he gently nudged Ginger to the side and made his way to the bathroom, grabbing a cloth to clean up.
“Hey!” he heard from the bedroom, but the cat had already trotted into the bathroom, sitting back on her haunches and looking up at Erik before letting out a strong meow. He smiled despite himself as he pulled on a clean pair of boxers, nearly tripping as Ginger twined herself between his legs.
When he headed back into the bedroom, she followed faithfully on his heels. Charles was sitting on the bed cross-legged and pouting. “My cat doesn’t like me.”
Erik laughed and joined Charles, pulling him into his arms. “I like you,” he said.
Charles nuzzled into him, finding a comfortable place to pillow his head on Erik’s chest. Ginger hopped up on the bed again, and finding the two of them entwined, seemed to hesitate for a moment, putting one paw on Erik’s shoulder and letting out another small mewl.
Erik sighed and gave in, scooting a bit to create enough space for Ginger to snuggle in between them.
Charles was watching with a gentle smile and a sparkle in his eye. “You love this cat.”
“I love you,” Erik replied, pressing a kiss to Charles’ smiling lips. “The cat’s tolerable too, I guess.”