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"A little over to the left! No, that's too much, just a tad bit back to the right. Yes, there, perfect!"
Erik fixed the string of lights to the exact place Charles indicated.
"Thank you, darling. Now for that lamp..."
They were in Charles's bedroom in the mansion - well, it was their room, to be honest, Erik never touched his own bed in weeks, - and Charles insisted to decorate the old room.
He bought a box of fairy lights and small lanterns to put up all over the place. Thankfully, they were the sturdier types, so it wasn't all plastic and Erik could easily hang them by their metal bits.
And Erik was eager to do everything in his power to try to make up for all the things he had done in his pain and anger. He would gladly hang one thousand string lights if it would please Charles. That was the least he could do after everything. Charles of course said he forgave him, but that didn't mean Erik could ever forgive himself.
"I can feel you are beating yourself up again, sweetheart," Charles said softly, rolling himself next to Erik and taking the man's hand in his own. "Don't. Let bygones be bygones. You came back and that's the only thing that matters to me."
Erik gave him a weak smile, fiddling with the lamp in his other hand. "It's just hard to believe I can have this life with you. With all of you. That I deserve a good thing happening to me."
Charles kissed Erik's hand and gently stroked his mind. "You deserve everything, darling. I love you so much."
Erik put the lantern down and wiped away a lone tear escaping his eye. "And I work every day to be worthy of your love."
Charles squeezed Erik's hand before letting it go. "You are. You have always been. Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn't mean they're lost forever. Come, help me get to the bed, and I will show you just how precious you are to me."
Erik could feel a smile pulling his lips. There were times when he thought he will never smile again. He was wrong.