Chapter Text
Growing up, this huge castle-like mansion was never a home for Charles. It was a cold and lonely prison filled with pain and neglect. The walls were soaked in terrible memories, of broken bones and aching bruises. Charles could never imagine he could grow to love this place.
But life proved him wrong. As Charles looked around the once hated house, he saw it transformed into a place filled with love and laughter.
Children running down the corridors and playing football on the grounds, adolescent mutants studying in the large library. The once cold home was brimming with life.
"I might not be the telepath between the two of us, but even I can see you are thinking too hard."
Charles looked up from his desk where he was supposed to be grading papers, but his thoughts carried him away a long time ago. Erik was leaning against the door frame, sporting his toothy grin. Charles had to ask him not to use that with the children since it tended to frighten the younger ones.
"There is no such thing, you know," Charles said, lifting one eyebrow. "I was just thinking. It's a wonderful practice, you should try it sometime."
Erik rolled his eyes, but invited himself into Charles's office and sat down on a worn couch. "Ha bloody ha. What were you thinking about?"
"This place. How it turned out to be the home I never had. Even when I could have never imagined it when I had left for Oxford."
Erik closed the door with a flick of his finger and called Charles's chair to himself with his other hand. "For me, home is wherever you are, Liebling."
Charles smiled and picked up Erik's hand to kiss his knuckles softly. There has been a time when hearing something like this from Erik was impossible. But over the years Erik had learned to express his feelings and Charles was really proud of him. Erik still liked to pose as the menacing master of magnetism, but the older children could see through the act with time.
"Anyhow, I came to abduct you from your work," Erik finally said. "We are baking pumpkin spice cookies, and your assistance is required in the kitchen."
Charles smiled and nodded. Grading could wait. "Lead the way, then."