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“Charles?” Erik used his powers to unlock the apartment door, forgetting the key that his friend had given him in his rush to get here. They were supposed to meet at the café near the library an hour ago (as they always did), and he had probably texted Charles about fifty-seven times, with no response. There was, yet again, no answer from the man in question, but an air of tiredness hung about the room, and his eyelids started to fall shut. He sighed exasperatedly, walking around the flat in search of his idiot best friend.
As he entered the study, he was hit with a wave of exhaustion; he shook his head, blinking rapidly, and attempted to shield his mind from the drowsiness that was being projected by Charles. Charles, who was currently sitting in front of his laptop—well, perhaps sitting wasn’t the right word. He was slumped over the desk, head in his arms, and snoring softly. The sunlight creeping through the blinds was slowly starting to fade as the sun began to set, and Erik couldn’t help but stare as the last of the light hit Charles’ face, making him look strangely ethereal. The telepath looked younger in his sleep, his brows still furrowed—adorably, Erik’s mind supplied—like he was concentrating on the paper he was supposed to be writing.
Erik smiled softly, taking out his phone and snapping a picture of the scene before him. He walked over to his sleeping friend and shook his shoulder gently. “Charles.” Charles snuffled in his sleep, his hair falling in his face. Erik sighed, brushing the stray lock back over his forehead. “Charles.” Charles groaned as he awoke and turned away from the sun. “Give me a minute, I’m just… resting my eyes.”
Erik rolled his eyes, kneeling next to Charles so that he could be face to face with him. “Charles.”
Charles’ eyes fluttered open. “Oh,” he yawned. “Hi Erik.”
Erik chuckled. “Oh, hi Erik?”
“Mhm,” he hummed, sitting up slightly. He turned away from Erik and reached for his laptop.
“Ah,” Erik tutted, using his powers to push the laptop out of Charles’ grasp. “No, you’re so tired you’re projecting, Schatz.”
“Erik,” Charles whined. He made a half-hearted attempt to reach for the device, eyes closing as he did so. “I have to-” He broke off with another yawn, attempting to stifle it unsuccessfully. “I have to finish this by…” He trailed off as his head slumped down once more, and he jolted up, attempting to fight the urge to fall asleep where he sat. “Erik.”
“Charles,” he murmured, standing up over him. “Come on, off to bed.”
“No,” Charles moaned, putting his head back on the desk. “Just… leave me… here…”
“Charles.”
“Hm.”
Erik looked up and sighed heavily. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Leave me here to sleep,” Charles mumbled, still snarky even in his exhaustion.
“Right,” he said. “You leave me no choice.”
“Hm, I- Oh!” Charles squeaked in surprise—which Erik did not find cute at all—as he was lifted from his chair.
Erik held him delicately, his arms supporting Charles’ back and under his thighs as Charles buried his face into Erik’s collarbone and curled his arms around his neck. He found himself nosing at Charles’ hair and breathed in deeply, receiving a projected wave of contentedness and affection. He set Charles—who had already started to fall asleep again—down on his bed, smiling fondly as he started to leave.
Stay.
He heard Charles’ voice in his head and turned back towards him. Charles’ eyes were closed but he lay facing Erik, the twilight creating a sort of halo behind him. He felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight, and his heart ached inexplicably. Charles’ opened his eyes slowly, gaze searching out Erik’s.
Please?
Erik let out a shaky breath, transfixed by just how striking Charles’ eyes were. They held so much love and hope and wait a second had they always been that blue? He nodded, shucking his jeans quickly and crawling in next to Charles. He soon found his arms full of a tired telepath, Charles completely pressed up against him—his face resting against Erik’s shoulder—their legs intertwined. And as Charles sighed contentedly, it suddenly all clicked.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“Love you too, Erik,” he murmured, lips brushing against Erik’s skin.
“Charles,” he said. “I love you.”
Charles smiled up at him sleepily, communicating everything to Erik wordlessly; a jumble of feelings, images, associated memories. Charles and Erik’s first meeting, bumping into one another, both of them dropping their textbooks and apologising profusely. Their heated debates, covering everything from whether or not tea was better than coffee to mutant politics. Charles, alone on his birthday; Erik showing up at his flat with cake and his favourite movies. Both of them cuddled on the couch together. Charles bringing Erik coffee when he was stuck in the library for days studying for his physics final. Erik threatening to kill Charles’ ex for him when he found out that she had been cheating on him. Charles realising that he was in love with Erik. Erik dating a string of other people. Charles getting sick on the night of the formal and Erik abandoning his date to take care of him.
Charles. Erik. CharlesandErik. ErikandCharles.
“About time you caught up,” he said, and dragged Erik down for a kiss.