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The drive to their therapist was icy. Charles refused to look at Erik nor did Erik want to communicate with him in any shape or form. When they got to their therapist’s office, the atmosphere remained all the same. They sat a meter apart, like little children who had just fought in middle school and proclaimed to cease their friendship right then and there.
“What happened this time?” their therapist, Rita, asked. She was no longer surprised at the two mutant’s outbursts.
“Erik forgot to close the pickle jar this morning, or anything for that matter.” Charles casually remarked, flashing a toothy grin at Rita.
“It was one time.” Erik was seething, his jaw clenched and unclenched. At least the exercises were working for his anger management issues, probably.
“Really? If I recall correctly, that’s also what you said about the jam from last Tuesday.” Charles whipped his head in Erik’s direction, finally looking at him.
“Do you really have to nitpick over my mistakes? Is that your job now?” Erik cackled. Oh dear. Rita might want to get somewhere safe.
“I was wearing a white wool vest, Erik. It was my favorite one.” Charles wasn’t smiling anymore. Rita writes something in her notebook.
“Now now, gentlemen, calm down. I’m sure Erik didn’t mean to ruin your favorite sweater Charles. Couples often get fussy about small problems within their relationships because they don’t want to talk about the big ones. Let’s talk about that shall we?”
Silence. Both men were too arrogant and prideful to say anything. Rita could feel a heavy migraine developing. She doesn’t get paid enough to deal with this
“I’ve got one, you don’t care about what I think. You always decide on your own about what’s best for us” Charles remarked.
“Everything I do IS for us. You’re the fool for not realizing it.”
“Ha? Ironically enough, you don’t seem to understand what US means, Erik.”
“As if you would know that? Always snooping around my life. You’ve been reading my mind secretly haven’t you?”
“I promised that I wouldn’t read your mind Erik! And you’ve been doing things that are just-”
“Just what? Too real and logical for your posh ass?”
“Is it really for us you, Erik? You know what, you win. I’ve neither the energy nor the will to put up with for even a second longer”
Charles left the office. Erik was dumbfounded, he had never been the type to leave mid-conversation and stomp off somewhere else. He was fierce and never backed down, that was one of the many reasons why he loved him so much.
All Erik could do was watch Charles’ back as he left. His eyes followed the way the fabric his suit’s folded as he moved, his ears so used to the sound of his footsteps. He would come back, right? Before he could get back, Rita forced him to sit down.
“Why do you love Charles?”
“I don’t have to say this to you.”
“Unfortunately, as your therapist, yes you do. And mutant or not you’ll have to tell me”
“... It’s everything.”
“There’s more isn’t there? Go on.”
“It was the first time he smiled. I don’t know exactly why, but I liked it when he smiled. After that, it just sort of happened. When he would dance, I wanted to dance, or when he laughed I wanted to laugh. He wanted to make me live not for revenge but to be happy, to be with him. That’s all I know.”
“That’s lovely. You know, many of my clients love their partners quite a lot, just like you. But that love can be suffocating and do more bad than good.”
“You’re saying?” Rita pushed his buttons. Good, he needs to be emotional for him to realize
“I’m saying that making decisions without consulting your partner can hurt how Charles feels and make him think he’s not adequate enough for you. Now I know you think he’s overly adequate, but please remember that you can’t do everything. Sometimes smaller things like closing the jar lid can do a lot to ease his worries.”
“In short, it’s my fault.”
“No, not really. It’s both of your faults.”
“Wow, you’re an amazing therapist” Erik sarcastically replied, emphasizing on the amazing bit. He didn’t have time to play mind games, he already did enough of that with Charles
“Do you love him?”
“What? You just asked why I loved him and now you’re asking if I love him?”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then is trying to communicate properly going to stop you from loving him, if not improve your relationship?”
“No.”
“Good. Oh time’s up for today. Do think about what we talked about. I look forward to next week’s session!”
“You’re terrible at your job”
“Thank you for reminding me of the obvious, now please go fetch your husband. He’s most likely sulking at the moment.”
Erik finally left the stuffy office, making a mental note to tell Charle’s that they should stop going to her. When he found his husband, he was sitting on a park bench staring at a lake.
“Next time can you run away to somewhere that isn’t half an hour away”
Charles didn’t acknowledge him, didn’t even look his way. Erik sighed and sat down beside him. They were quiet for a few minutes. Finally, after reflecting on what their therapist said, Erik caved.
“Let’s try again.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry for being an asshole of a husband. I should’ve been supporting you instead of dragging you around.”
“No. I’m sorry too. I was nitpicking, there’s just been so much happening lately and I suppose I’ve been stressed?-”
“I know, I know. So let’s try again, okay?”
Erik’s voice was soft, soothing. He carefully cupped Charle’s face gently tilting his head to look at him. He was serious. He wanted to be better for Erik, he wanted to be someone that he could depend on.
“Okay, let’s try again”
Charles leaned until their foreheads bumped. Erik was warm, comforting. Everything that he wasn’t when they first met. They would get better, little by little. It didn’t matter how long. They would love each other even if the world fell apart.