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Prom.
Out of all the years of running his school, Charles was ashamed to say he had never thought of prom. Between field trips and clubs and permits and classes, it had slipped his mind.
Besides, his high school didn’t have a prom, how was he supposed to remember?
But when Peter Maximoff, the newly revealed son of Erik, came speeding up to him one day asking about such an event (an idea of which was absolutely Peter’s and definitely not Ororo’s, who definitely wasn't too embarrassed to admit it), he knew he had to do it.
So, at the next staff meeting, with Erik on his left and Hank on his right, Charles proposed the idea.
“Really Charles, prom?” Erik asked, sitting up straighter. After the teary eyed revelation of Peter being his son, he had decided to stick around.
Or more accurately- he hadn’t left yet.
“I think it’s a good idea. Some of the kids were talking about it, and I know some students were looking forward to it before they manifested.” He reasoned.
“I think it’s an excellent idea.” Raven said smiling, “I always wanted to go as a little girl.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, just never mentioned it. Didn’t want you to think I was too girly.”
Before Charles could respond, Hank spoke up.
“Whose idea was this anyway?”
“A student.” Charles cryptically said.
“A student?”
“Yes, a student.”
“What’s the fuss, Hank?” Raven asked, “It’s just a dance.”
“A dance that costs money; tuxes, dresses, corsages, dinner, that all costs money. What about the kids who don’t have families to call home to? They don’t have money for dresses and tuxes.”
“I’ll make a budget, allocate funds.” Charles explained, “And we feed the children, I highly doubt they’ll feel the need for dinner.”
Raven laughed.
“What?”
“Dinner’s part of the whole experience.”
“Is it?”
“Yes! If we’re going to do this, we gotta do this right.”
“I agree.” A voice came from the doorway.
Charles looked up to see the grin of Peter Maximoff, his arms crossed and torso leaning against the doorframe.
“Peter.” Erik said happily.
“Sorry I’m late, I was helping Lorna with some stuff.” He shrugged, not noticing how his father tensed.
The younger man walked to the table and took a seat next to a woman named Alison, whose mutation involved creating light from sound. Charles had hired her to teach music while she waited for her own musical career to take off.
Charles had the utmost confidence in her.
“If these kids are anything like I was at their age, they’re gonna do something crazy.” Peter warned, “They’re going to either spike the punch, or do some drugs, or try to egg someone’s house, or try to find a corner to makeout in.”
“Maybe, but that’s why I have you all.” Charles happily said, the group collectively groaned.
“Come on, it’s not all bad.” Charles smiled, “You’ll be getting bonuses.”
—---------------------------------------------------
When the first poster went up, Lorna Dane was the first student to scope Charles out. Knocking on his door, she carefully pushed it open before being greeted with his smiling face.
“Professor, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” He said, falling into his new habit of studying her face for any traces of Erik.
When she came to the school four weeks prior, a runaway claiming to be Erik’s daughter, Charles knew immediately what she was saying was the truth, the determination and anger mixed with the thundering What if they don’t believe me? What if they don’t believe me? projecting from her mind immediately confirming what she said.
And if the same mutation and determined look in their same-colored eyes on top of that wasn’t enough, a peek into her mind, a visit to her mother and a positive DNA test sure was. Lorna was Erik’s daughter, and currently the cause of his sleepless nights.
“So… I don’t exactly have money for a prom dress, and I don’t want to ask Peter if he can ask his mom for one, ‘cause I don’t know her that well and then I thought, well maybe the Professor can help me, so, does Raven have any old dresses you know of?” She rambled.
Charles hadn’t seen her so unsure of herself in the beginning, she was certain about everything up until it was confirmed that Erik was her father. After that, it seemed like she had no idea what to do, she retreated into a shell, one she only ever broke out of when she was with her new brother.
“I was actually going to set some money aside for you all to be able to purchase dresses and tuxes.” Charles said matter-of-factly, “And I’m sure Magda would help you regardless, she’s a very generous woman.”
Lorna nodded before awkwardly exiting, leaving Charles alone with his thoughts and a stack of ungraded tests.
“She thinks you don’t like her.” He said that night, watching as Erik brushed his teeth from the adjoining bathroom, himself laying in bed with a book in his hands.
“Who?” Erik asked before spitting, turning on the sink to clean the gunk away.
“Lorna.” Charles simply replied, watching as he put the toothbrush up.
Erik froze.
“What?”
“Well, you haven’t exactly given her reason not to. You don’t ask her how her day was like you do with Peter, you don’t offer to help her with her metallokinesis, you don’t ask questions about her ability to manipulate electrical fields, and you’re always with Peter, but practically go out of your way to avoid her, Erik.”
“I don’t avoid her.” He said indignantly, “I give her space.”
“That’s not how she sees it. I mean, come on Erik, don’t tell me you don’t see what I’m talking about.”
“I’m not avoiding her.” Erik said defensively.
“She came all the way from California.”
“To meet a man she’s only heard of, I’m not anything like she was picturing Charles.”
“She already has one absent parent, don’t make it two.”
The older man shook his head as he pulled back the covers and situated himself in the bed.
“I’m not.”
Silence fell over the room as Charles closed his book and set it down on his side table. He glanced over to Erik, the lamplight illuminating his jaw, and shook his head with a sigh.
“You know, you really should just move in here, my room I mean.” Charles spoke, reiterating a conversation they’d had weekly since the day Erik decided to stay. “You’re not even staying in yours anymore.”
“Charles?” Erik asked, grumbling.
“Yes?”
“Goodnight.” And with a wave of his hand, the lamplight went out.
—-------------------
The next morning, Charles awoke to find that Erik had already gotten up, the man always the earlier riser of the two.
As much as Charles would like to claim he rose with the sun, he always did prefer to wake up late, a fact Erik teased him about during their earlier days together, all those years ago.
Transferring himself into his chair, Charles got ready for the day, humming to some song he’d heard Peter playing on the radio the day prior.
As he ventured through the halls, he saw Lorna and Peter talking, both in hushed voices.
“Just ask him, Lorna.”
“No, he’s not going to want to.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.”
Charles promptly made a lot of noise to alert the siblings to his existence. They looked over at him, Peter grinning, Lorna red in the face.
“I’m awfully sorry, I didn’t mean to disrupt your conversation.”
“You’re good, man.”
“It’s alright.”
Charles nodded and headed off, hearing their voices resume once he was a good distance away.
—-----------------------------
As the week wore on, Charles felt the chatter in the school get lighter and lighter as the juniors and seniors began preparing to ask each other to the dance, with varying degrees of grandeur.
Scott, for example, used his lasers to carve a large Prom? into a tree outside of Jean’s window, to which she happily agreed, whereas Ororo simply walked up to Kurt and asked him to go with her, to which he eagerly said yes, spending the rest of the day teleporting around and smiling, tail waving about with whimsy.
It was an entire month until the dance, and yet everyone seemed to be acting like it was happening that week.
“They’re just excited, most of them assumed they’d never get this.” Raven informed him when he mentioned it to her, watching as Erik talked to Peter in the yard from their vantage point on the steps to the school. “When some of them came here, they just assumed the American high school experience wouldn’t apply to them. It’s like they finally get some of that normalcy back.”
Charles hummed in response, watching as Peter and Erik split ways, Erik awkwardly walking towards the two siblings.
“What happened?” Raven asked, crossing her arms.
“Peter has informed me that Lorna is going dress shopping on Sunday, and he… suggested I go with her.” He said.
“And?”
“I’m going.”
“Oh, Erik, this is wonderful.” Charles smiled, pulling the man down slightly to give him a chaste kiss. “She’ll love it.”
“I hope so.” Erik grimly replied, Charles seeing flashes of an imaginary Lorna crying and yelling at him about all his failings as a father, about how he’s no better than her mother, how he should have just stayed home.
“I’m sure she will, my old friend.”
—----------------------------------------------------
That Friday, as Charles’s first class was being dismissed, Raven came barreling in, giddy and laughing.
“What happened?”
“Hank asked me to prom.” She laughed. “With Kurt as his wingman! It was adorable.”
She quickly projected an image of Hank awkwardly standing in a suit, his blue fur on the top of his head gelled back, Kurt smiling in a button-up and slacks, standing to the side as Hank held up a sign with the words, Will You Go To Prom With Me?
“I said yes, of course.” Raven said, smiling. “I gotta find a dress, I’ll check upstairs!”
“You? Excited for a dance?” Charles laughed as kids began filing in.
“I know, if only Sharon could see me now.” Raven called as she left the room.
—-------------------------
As Sunday rolled around, Charles watched as Lorna awkwardly got into the car, Erik in the driver’s seat and her in the passenger’s, her twisting a piece of green hair between her fingers.
The father-daughter duo peeled off and Charles wheeled himself away from the window, right into his sister’s legs. She caught herself with her hand on the coffee table and stood up straight.
“Watching them go?”
“I want to make sure Erik is alright, I know it’s strange for him, having yet another child he didn’t know about.” Charles shook his head, “This hasn’t been easy for him, I worry about her sometimes, her and Peter.”
“Parenthood, welcome to it Charles.”
“I’m not her father, Raven.”
“Well, she’s Erik’s daughter, and Erik is your… boyfriend and-”
“No, Raven, don’t call him that. It makes us sound so… juvenile.” Charles shook his head. “Partner works fine.”
“Okay, your partner, that makes Peter and Lorna your stepchildren.” She grinned, crossing her arms.
“I can assure you that’s the last thing they’d want.”
“I dunno, Professor, you can be pretty chill.” Peter smirked from the doorway to his study.
“How long have you been there?” Charles asked, still amazed that the boy’s mind was too fast for him to read.
“Long enough.” He shrugged.
“Then you can tell Raven she’s being ridiculous.” Charles shot a look at his sister.
“No can do daddy-o, she’s right. You and my dad are a thing, therefore, I’m your stepson.”
The silver-haired mutant laughed at Charles’s now agape face,
“I can’t control the facts.” He shrugged, “And because you and my dad are a thing, you need to make Alison let me do the music. She’s demanding she should because she’s the music teacher, but I say that I should because of my kickass music taste. Besides, we only have three CD’s here, so I think I should be in charge of burning them.”
“I thought we were getting a DJ.” Charles said, confused.
“Yeah, but we need to make sure his music is actually good. Therefore, Alison and I are fighting over it.”
“Work it out you two.” Raven lamely said, “You’re both adults.”
“Maybe, but I’ve saved the world, twice.”
“And Alison’s the music teacher. Just talk it out diplomatically.”
Peter made a disgusted face at Raven before dashing off, leaving a small gust of wind in his wake.
When Lorna and Erik returned, the telepath felt a warm happiness exuding from the man. Lorna entered the mansion first, smiling, a garment bag on a hanger in her hands, happiness rolled off of her too, but there was something else that Charles couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“Hello, Charles.” Erik grinned as he shut the door, seeing the man leaving his office.
“Did you all have a good time?” Charles asked, looking at Lorna.
“It was… wunderbar.” Lorna laughed, Charles looked over to see Erik beaming at his daughter.
“Sehr gut.” He praised.
“Did you eat while you were gone?”
Lorna nodded.
“Good.”
Lorna let out a small yawn before Charles glanced at the clock, 9:42.
“You should probably get to bed.”
Lorna nodded sheepishly.
“Good night, Lorna.” Erik said.
“Good night.” She responded before turning and going up the stairs.
How was it? Charles sent to Erik as they approached the elevator.
Wonderful. We went shopping, had dinner, I taught her some German and she told me about a prank Peter and her pulled.
Charles smiled at Erik as the metal tube began to rise.
Was her pronunciation good?
No. But she’s picking it up quickly, and she really is intelligent. Erik thought with pride.
—------------------------------------------------------------
As four weeks out from the prom turned to three, Charles made a startling discovery. Peter and Alison were standing in the middle of the makeshift stage that was set up in the old Xavier Ballroom, arguing loudly.
“Dance-pop is the future, Peter!”
“No. It’s. Not. I can live with you playing all your disco tunes, but I draw the line at dance-pop.” Peter said gravely.
“It’s better than your rock music!”
“I’m not playing Cher at the prom, Alison!”
“No Joan Jett then!”
“She’s modern!”
“And not all that good. I can appreciate her music, but it’s not for me.”
“Says the girl who likes ABBA.” Peter said defensively.
“Do NOT, speak ill of ABBA.” Alison firmly responded.
“That’s what you get for trashing Led Zeppelin.”
“Should we intervene?” Charles asked Erik, who had entered during the commotion between the two young adults.
“I think they’ll survive.” He said blandly, “Charles, I know you’re already bald, but there’s no use in pulling your hair out over this.”
Charles shook his head, cheeks turning red in embarrassment.
“Don’t worry, it suits you.” Erik said in a low voice, seemingly sensing Charles’s thoughts.
“Really?” He asked before saying in a coy voice, “Do you like it?”
“Oh, yes.” Erik grinned.
“Ugh, can you guys flirt somewhere else? I’m trying to defend the sanctity of music.” Peter loudly yelled, looking at them with disgust.
“Fine.” Erik rolled his eyes. “You’ve graduated school, no use giving you a lesson in biology.”
“If you’re going to traumatize me like this, the least you could do is apologize.”
“I’m sorry, son.”
Charles didn’t miss the smile that briefly crossed Peter’s face before he spoke again, pointing to the doorway.
“Get out.”
Later, as Charles and Erik lay satiated in the former’s bed, Erik’s hand brushing up and down Charles’s arm, Charles let out a sigh of content.
“What is it?” Erik asked, propping himself up on one arm.
“It’s just, after everything, we have this.”
Charles shifted his torso so he could perfectly face Erik, Erik helping him move his legs.
“We have the school, we don’t have to hide our relationship, we have our friends, students… children.”
Charles let that last word linger in the air.
“Peter and Raven told me an interesting thing the other day, they said I was Peter and Lorna’s stepfather. I suppose I wanted to know what you thought of that.”
There was a moment of silence before a deep, rumbly laughter filled the room.
“I suppose you are.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Charles felt a small smile creep up on his face.
“Though I’d let Lorna get to know you better before you start telling her you’re her stepfather.”
“I agree.” Charles laughed.
And not a second later, Erik and Charles’s lips met each other once again.
—-------------------------------------------------------------
As three weeks became two, Charles found himself face-to-face with an annoyed Raven and a sheepish Scott.
“Tell him what you told me.” She ordered.
Scott mumbled something, Raven stared him down, he mumbled again.
“Pardon?” Charles asked.
“I walked in on Lorna talking to her mom on the phone in the living room, and it seemed pretty intense. There was lots of yelling from the other line.”
Charles nodded slowly,
“Did she tell you what was happening?”
“No, she just stared at me while her mom was talking, I only know it’s her mom because she called her that.” Scott took a deep breath, “I figured I should tell you, it seemed pretty intense and well… she’s Erik’s kid….”
“Thank you, Scott, I’ll talk to her about it.”
Scott nodded before exiting the room, Raven and Charles staring at him until he left. Raven then did a 180 and faced her brother.
“What is going on with Suzanna?”
“I don’t know, Lorna doesn’t talk about her often, I don’t think she’s ever even talked to Erik about it.”
“Peter?”
“What they talk about is none of my business unless it has to do with someone hurting themselves or others.”
Charles was silent for a moment before asking Raven,
“Should I tell Erik about it? Or should I let Lorna talk to him?”
“I’d tell him, but let her tell him before he says anything.”
Charles nodded as Raven took a deep breath and crossed her arms.
“I worry about her and Suzanna.”
“Raven-”
“No, Charles. I know not every mom is like Sharon, but not every mom is like Edie either. Sometimes, they just suck.”
“What I was going to say is that I agree.” Charles said, crossing his arms. “Suzanna was so quick to let her come here, I worry there’s more going on than just Lorna being a teenager, and I can tell Erik is too.”
“You should talk about it.”
“Believe me, we will.”
The rest of the day went by in a blur, Charles barely remembering the lessons he taught, the only thing really sticking out to him was a fight two students got into over wearing the same brightly colored tux to the prom.
Highlighter yellow Charles had thought, out of all the colors, highlighter yellow.
“I know, it seems odd to me too.” Erik laughed, staring at Charles through the doorway to the bathroom as he put toothpaste on his toothbrush.
His toothbrush, which had recently taken up space in Charles’s room indefinitely. Along with a couple pairs of Erik’s sweatpants, a robe, a turtleneck and a pair of slacks.
“Was I projecting?” Charles asked, he nodded.
“I heard of the fight through Peter, lucky you were there to break it up.” He said before wetting the toothbrush and beginning to brush his teeth.
“Yes, I found that my mere presence is enough to make even the more rowdy students behave. But don’t get me wrong Erik, they’re still good kids.”
I know, Charles. Erik thought.
Charles waited a few moments, debating the pros and cons of saying what he was about to say, until he decided to just rip off the bandaid.
“I know you know, I just… I wonder if that’s how Lorna’s mother sees her.”
Charles watched as Erik stopped in the middle of brushing his front teeth, the foam around his mouth and wide eyes making him look like an animal with rabies.
“Erik, I was told by Scott that he overheard a rather… loud phone call involving Lorna and her mother.”
Erik slowly nodded, spitting out the toothpaste and rinsing his mouth out.
“Scott said Suzanna was yelling, Lorna not so much.” Charles explained, “Though I don’t doubt there was some yelling on her end, it seemed, from what Scott overheard, very much like Suzanna was the instigator.”
“Fuck, Charles.” Erik said, staring at himself in the mirror with a look of uncertainty. “Out of all the women Lorna’s mother could’ve been, and it had to have been her.”
“Don’t say you blame yourself for this, Erik.”
“I-I could have been there for Lorna.” Erik said, hands clutching the edge of the sink.
“You were on the run from the FBI, you got caught and sent to the Pentagon shortly after you met Suzanna if Lorna’s birthday is anything to go by. Besides, you didn’t know she was pregnant.”
“Just like how I didn’t know Magda was pregnant.” Erik laughed bitterly, turning off the bathroom light manually and walking towards the bed.
“You were there for Marya.” Charles reminded him. “How many… escapades have you had over the years? Perhaps we can track down some of your other children from there.”
Erik shook his head at the attempted joke.
“Not funny Charles. And honestly? Magda, Suzanna, a man named Chris, Marya of course, and a fine man by the name of Charles Xavier.”
Charles laughed.
“I’d say for me, it was Gabrielle Haller back in my Oxford Days, she’s an ambassador now, very career oriented, no children that I know of though. Moira, as you know, and we can safely rule her out, and… well I suppose a dastardly man named Erik Lehnsherr, but you don’t need to worry about him.”
Erik let out a large laugh.
“You are incorrigible, Charles Xavier.”
“I suppose I am.” Charles smiled, watching as Erik laid his head on his numb legs.
“What can we do about Suzanna?” He asked, all whimsy in the room being immediately snuffed out.
“I think asking Lorna about it would be the best course of action, although we shouldn’t spring it on her.”
“I agree, I just… I don’t know what to do, Charles.”
“No parent does.”
“You sound just like Raven.”
“There are worse things.”
Erik grinned before sitting up and laying his head on the pillows.
“Goodnight, Charles.”
“Goodnight, Erik.”
The next morning, as Charles went through his daily routine, he heard a slight commotion from downstairs.
Anyone hurt? He sent to Hank.
Only Scott’s pride, he accidentally dropped something.
Charles nodded, although Hank couldn’t see him, and dropped the matter entirely. Although, when he went downstairs, the usually calm Scott looked as though he was about to explode with rage.
“Are you alright, Scott?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You know I can tell when you’re lying.”
“Yeah.” He shrugged, “Not for me to talk about.”
Scott walked past the man to where Jean and Jubilee were standing, before they set off in the direction of the library. Classes went as expected, Peter and Alison having decided to let the students vote on who should supply the music. Alison’s platform being that she was the music teacher, and Peter’s being that he had a better music taste. According to Peter, a democratic election was the only real way to decide, and it would give kids an hands-on look at how elections worked, preparing them for their future.
Charles gave in when he brought up that last point.
“Who’s winning?” Alison asked at lunch, Charles raised a brow.
“I don’t think it’d be fair for him to tell you that.” Raven said, walking by.
“Fine, he can tell you, and you can tell me.”
“No can do.” Raven grinned, walking towards where Hank and one of the students were having a lively discussion.
Charles looked around the room to see Kurt, Lorna and Jubilee having what appeared to be a delightful conversation, but there was something off about the way Lorna’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“Peter,” Charles called, the man appeared with a gust of wind next to him.
“Yeah?”
“Can you check on Lorna, make sure she’s alright? I know she trusts you, and I’m… worried about her.”
Peter paled.
“Of course, yeah, yeah, no problem, I’ll talk to her after classes get out.” He said, an expression of worry stamped on his face.
“Thank you, Peter.”
“Thank you? She’s my sister, it’s kinda my job.” Peter said before walking at a normal pace out of the room, already fast thoughts undoubtedly flying even faster through his head.
Later that day, once school was out, Charles heard a low talking and sniffling emitting from the library. But as he approached, the talking stopped.
“Is everything alright?” He called out, continuing his approach.
“Everything’s fine, Professor!” Jubilee’s voice called back.
“Yeah, it’s no big deal.” Jean called as well.
“Ve are fine!” Kurt added.
Charles, knowing better than to push it, relented. He hoped it truly wasn’t a big deal.
But of course, it was a big deal.
At dinner, the siblings were nowhere to be seen, much to Erik’s worry.
“It’s alright, I sent Peter to check up on Lorna.” Charles told him.
She seemed slightly elsewhere, I wanted to make sure she was alright.
Charles felt the metal fork in his hand bend.
Peter will tell us if anything’s amiss. He attempted to assure the man, placing a hand on his wrist.
I’m sorry for bending your fork. Erik sent, bending it back into shape.
Don’t be, you’re worried about your daughter, never apologize for that.
After dinner, when Charles and Erik were sitting in the TV room, they felt a gust of wind and Peter was standing in front of them.
“How is she?” Erik quickly asked, giving his son a hug in the process.
“Well, she talked to me and normally, I’d say she seemed fine, but now that you mention it, it seems kinda like an act.” Peter crossed his arms. “She liked the Popeyes though.”
“You took her to Popeyes?” Erik asked, Peter laughed.
“Yeah, personally, I’m a fan, and she seems to be too.” He shrugged, “But back to Lorna, I know her Mom started yelling at her about some pictures. Lorna took a couple of herself and of her grandmother and Suzanna was pissed she took some of her grandma.”
All the metal in the room creaked.
“There's more, but that’s all Lorna would say.” Peter finished.
The next afternoon, Charles was informed by all of Lorna’s teachers that she failed to show up for classes, and when questioned, none of her friends knew anything, worry exuding from them all.
“Peter.” Charles said, approaching the man from behind. He turned and smiled when he saw him.
“What’s up?”
“Can you check on Lorna for me?”
“Why? What’s wrong?” He asked, demeanor completely changing.
“She didn’t go to classes today.”
And with a blink of an eye, Peter was gone, and a few moments after that, the sound of someone running down the staircases echoed through the downstairs hall.
Erik came flying down them, him running out of the door, Peter then appearing beside Charles.
“I can’t find her!” He said, panicked before taking off.
Worry settled in Charles’s heart, and wanting to make himself useful, he set off to check all of the secret passages on the off chance Lorna had discovered one and decided to hide in there.
He checked the downstairs until only one remained, and opening it, he was greeted with the sight of a curtain of green hair covering a face that was currently resting on top of its owner's knees.
“Lorna.” Charles breathed before making sure no one was in the hall. When he confirmed no one was there, he put on the brakes on his chair and leaned forward.
Lorna moved her hair out of her face, exposing her red rimmed eyes.
“Sorry.” She mumbled. “I can leave now.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry I missed class, isn’t that like, grounds for expulsion or something?”
“No, no you’re alright.” Charles said, watching as Lorna wiped her eyes and tucked her hair behind her ears.
And although he wasn’t actively reading her mind, Charles couldn’t help but hear, Mom. Hate. Disappointment. Alone.
“Erik is looking for you.” Charles said, piecing together what happened from those tiny slivers.
Lorna shook her head.
“What is it?”
“He’s just gonna be mad.” She said numbly, “He’s gonna be mad that I skipped class and wasn’t in my room.”
“I think he’d be happy that you’re safe.” Charles countered.
“Doubt it.” Lorna rolled her eyes and tucked her knees below her chin.
“Why do you say that?”
“Mom never was. She was mainly pissed that I did something, or didn’t do something.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve skipped before.”
“And what happened?”
“The usual. She was just pissed I made her look bad, she only asked where I was for damage control. She kept going on about what the neighbors and teachers were going to think, and how I made her look like a bad mother.” Lorna said numbly, staring at the wall. “That’s why she doesn’t care if I stay here, it gets me out of her hair.”
Charles nodded solemnly.
“Trust me, your father is not like that.”
“She said he’s where I got my disobedient tendencies from.” Lorna leaned back against the wall, “Guess she was right.”
“I don’t think you have disobedient tendencies.” Charles said, Lorna huffed.
“I do. And I’m not even doing the bare minimum by going to class at a school I came across the entire country to. He’s gonna be livid.”
“Lorna, I know your father better than most, he’s already lost so much, he’ll be relieved. Not for his ego, but because you are okay.” Charles said calmly. “In fact, he’s gone out looking for you.”
Lorna sniffled as she turned her head away from him.
“He doesn’t even know me.” She softly said, her voice warbling. “Why does he care so much?”
“Because you’re his daughter, and more importantly, you’re you.”
Silence.
“Let’s go find him, shall we?” Charles suggested after a few moments. Lorna nodded, looking at him with her face red, and a few tears running down her cheeks.
Charles offered her his hand as she got up and wiped another tear from her eye.
“If you’d like, we can take a stop in my office, I have tissues.”
Lorna nodded and walked slightly behind Charles, who calmly led the way.
“Let me call Erik.” He said once they arrived, gesturing to his head with his fingers.
She nodded, walking to the corner of the room where the tissues were.
Before Charles could make contact with the man, and before Lorna could even grab a tissue out of the box, Erik came bursting into the office.
“I can’t find her!” He said, out of breath. “Peter can’t either, and I’ve gotten Beast to try and look and-”
“Erik,” Charles calmly said, “Look to your left.”
The man watched as Erik’s brow furrowed before he turned, his expression dropping into one of relief as he ran towards the green-haired girl and flung his arms around her.
Charles made eye contact with Lorna, whose arms were still at her side, eyes wide as if she didn’t know what to do.
A moment later, she slowly wrapped them around his torso, Erik squeezing her tighter. After a few moments, he eventually pulled himself away, looking at her carefully.
“Lorna.” Erik said shakily, putting his hands on her face and studying her for any sign of injury. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah.”
“You look like you’ve been crying.” He said, she shook her head.
“No.” She lied.
He stared her down, she opened her mouth and then closed it again before a strangled sound came out, and a tear fell from her face. Erik’s expression fell before he swiftly pulled her back into a hug.
“What happened?” He asked, Lorna cried harder, Erik began to rub circles into her back, swaying back and forth gently.
“When my mom called yesterday she said-she said she was sending my stuff.” Lorna hiccuped a few moments later, “She kicked me out, for good.”
Charles watched as Erik held her even tighter.
“Why?” He asked, his voice appearing calm, though Charles knew he was anything but.
“She said she’s the happiest she’s been since I manifested, and that I should stay here.” Lorna let out another sob.
“Lorna-.” Erk pulled back to look at the young woman.
“I hate her.” Lorna said venomously, “I hate her so much.”
Instead of chastising her, or agreeing with her, Erik nodded, letting her get it all out.
“Why couldn’t she love me? What did I do wrong?” She continued, “Why wasn’t I enough? Sometimes I think that I’m just the fucked up girl with green hair that everyone sees me as. If my own mother doesn’t love me, then why even bother with any of this?”
She gestured around herself and shook her head.
“I wonder if it might be easier on you all if I was just gone.” She admitted.
Charles felt his blood run cold at the end of that sentence.
“Lorna, look at me.” Erik said seriously, putting his hands on her shoulders, eyes welling up. “You are not fucked up, you are a beautiful young woman with a bright future ahead of her. You’re incredibly smart and talented.”
“You’re just saying that to get me to stop crying.”
“No,” Erik said firmly, “No I’m not.”
“I’m a great many things, but a liar is not one of them. Lorna, you are an incredible young lady who has been through things you shouldn’t have had to have gone through. And before you start, don’t compare your pain to that of someone else. I’m not just saying this because I’m your father, I’m saying this because you truly are a wonderful woman.”
Lorna wiped her eyes before Erik offered her a tissue, she accepted it as he began to speak.
“Lorna, would it make you feel better if you found someone to talk to?” He asked.
“I’m not crazy.” She said defiantly.
“No, you’re not.” Charles readily agreed, “But it might help to be able to… to talk to someone removed from the situation.”
“I-I’ll think about it.” Lorna decided after a moment, still dabbing at her eyes.
“That’s all I ask of you.” Erik said, handing her another tissue.
“Would you like to talk more?” Erik continued, she shook her head.
“Maybe tomorrow.”
And tomorrow they did.
—-----------------------
A week before prom, as Erik sat against the headboard of Charles’s bed, staring at the wall, and as Charles was grading papers, Erik broke the silence.
“Lorna seems to like Dr. Hart.” He said, having driven Lorna to her first ever therapy appointment that afternoon. Dr. Hart was a tall, ginger woman with square glasses who Charles knew from his Oxford days.
“I’m glad.” Charles said earnestly, “Did she learn anymore German?”
Erik laughed.
“Yes, I taught her a few phrases.”
“Such as?”
“Danke, bitte, ich heiße Lorna, ich bin sechzehn Jahre alt, wo ist die Toilette, and the most important, ich liebe dich.”
Charles shook his head with a grin.
“What?”
“You’re such a dad.”
Erik was silent, Charles set down his pen and grabbed Erik’s hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“I wish Nina was here.” Erik whispered.
“I know they would have gotten on wonderfully, and as much as it pains me to say it, sometimes I wonder if I should be allowed to have relationships with them, if it’ll end in tragedy like Nina. Charles, I’m the happiest I’ve been since they died and… and it makes me feel like a horrible person.”
Charles squeezed Erik’s hand.
“Erik, what happened to Nina… I can’t even imagine. But she wouldn’t want you to push away your other children for her, she would have wanted to have a relationship with her siblings, which means she would have wanted you to have a relationship with them. Loving Peter and Lorna doesn’t mean you love Nina any less.”
“I worry they’ll get hurt.”
“They will somehow.” Charles admitted. “I fear they already have. But, Erik, you can help them, you can make sure someone is there if they fall. You can’t do that if you don’t know them.”
“You sound just like Marya.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“You would have gotten on well.” Erik smiled.
“Did she know about me?”
“Yes, I never hid a thing from her. She knew about you, she even wanted to meet you, she always said she wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”
Charles laughed.
“I guess it’s easier with you because… well quite frankly, we discussed what we’d want the other to do if we died, and we both agreed that the other should move on. We just never imagined it would-it would happen with Nina.” His voice was a whisper at the end.
Charles wrapped Erik in his arms and let him cry, Erik eventually falling asleep, Charles not moving at all through the night.
—----------------
When Charles eventually awoke, Erik was nowhere to be found. He went about his morning routine, and went down to the Danger Room where Raven, Hank and all the X-Men minus Peter were training.
As it was Shabbat, Peter wasn’t training with the team, opting instead to spend the day of rest with his father, Lorna having joined them that day.
Scott looked completely exhausted, laying partially on the ground with his head on Jean’s shoulder, her sitting crisscrossed, Kurt to the side, leaning against the wall while Ororo sat down next to him.
“Alright, what’s this then?” Charles asked, Raven immediately bursting into laughter.
“What?”
“It’s just… you.” She said, gasping for breath.
“They’re fine, just a little wiped out.” Hank supplied, scratching his fur, Scott groaning in response.
“A little? You almost killed us!” Ororo protested.
“Yeah, why did you think that setting the Sentinels' difficulty the highest you ever have when Peter wasn’t even here, was a smart idea?” Scott complained.
“You can’t rely on him for every mission.” Raven retorted. “Besides, nobody died.”
“Raven-”
“No, Charles. Now, why did you come down here?”
“Well, I was going to see how X-Men training was going, but it seems that my sister is deadset on killing my trainees.” He said dryly.
“You should be so lucky.”
“Well, please don’t kill my students. It would put quite a damper on prom.”
“You’re one to talk.” Raven rolled her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not in the prom spirit, you’re in the organizing spirit.”
“Someone has to get it done.” Charles said indignantly.
“Yeah, you do realize I’ve taken some of the girls' dress shopping, and I’ve helped Hank with organizing who will watch the younger kids, and I even gave one of the boys one of my old dresses he wanted to wear.”
“Well yes, but-”
“Peter and Alison are in charge of the music, and Hank actually found a really nice lady to do a balloon arch. Charles, relax, get into the spirit of things.”
“And how would I do that?”
“Try on a suit, take your mind off the finances, and ask Erik to the prom.”
“Ask Erik to the-Raven, we’re not teenagers, I’m not going to ask him to the prom.”
“Why not? Hank asked me.”
“Because he knew how much it meant to you, I don’t think Erik is much of the prom type.”
“Maybe it’s not just prom. I’ve seen him leaving his sleeping quarters, Charles.” She said pointedly, Charles noticing the lack of her calling it a bedroom. “He always goes to find you.”
Charles appreciated the crypticness of her words.
“Raven, perhaps we’ve discussed this and he’s declined.”
“Discuss it again.”
Charles huffed in frustration.
“I highly doubt his position will change on this subject.”
“Do it again.”
“Raven, don’t patronize me.”
“I’m not, I’m being serious.”
Charles stared at her blankly, she shrugged.
“Your loss, Francis.”
“RAVEN!”
The room erupted into laughter as Charles blushed furiously.
“I hated it when we were kids, I hate it now.”
“You know you love me.”
“I’m seriously starting to reconsider.”
“That vas sarcasm, nein?” Kurt nervously asked Ororo.
“Yes, yes it was.”
“Oh, good.”
—------------------------
When Charles eventually saw Erik again, it was at dinner, Raven’s words echoing through his head. He kept staring at the man, something the metalbender noticed, and the reason said metalbender kept shooting him confused looks.
“Why do you keep staring at him like that?” Lorna asked quietly.
“Like what?”
“Like a deer in headlights.”
“I’m just thinking.”
“About what?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“It’s alright.” He assured her, which seemed to assuage the young woman, and Charles was left alone to stare at Erik again.
Once all the kids had finished, and those assigned to cleanup had begun their duties, Charles and Erik made their way to Charles’s room.
“How was your day?” Charles asked, wheeling slightly ahead of Erik.
“Good, Peter and I enjoyed playing some board games, he even sat still enough to learn a bit of chess.” Erik said, “Lorna was curious about Shabbat and how it is observed, so we explained it to her. Her mother was a lapsed Catholic, so Lorna didn’t grow up celebrating. It’ll be her first Passover the week after next.”
They reached the door to Charles’s room, and Erik opened it with a wave of his hand before Charles entered.
“I’ll see you in a minute.” Erik said before walking towards his own room.
Charles closed his door and changed into his satin pajamas. By the time Erik came back, in a white t-shirt and gray sweatpants, Charles had already transferred himself onto the bed and opened up his copy of Pride and Prejudice.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Erik quoted, walking towards the bed. “Is that true?”
“Well, I suppose I don’t really fit the single part.” Charles teased as Erik made his way under the covers.
“And the want of a wife?”
“At the moment, I think I’d prefer a husband.”
Erik chuckled before giving Charles a long, deep kiss.
“If we could legally get married that is.” He then added, Charles laughing in response.
“If only.”
“We sound so young.” Erik mused.
“That’s what I told Raven when she suggested something to me earlier today.”
“What’s that?”
“She told me I should ask you to be my date to the prom.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I thought it was already quite clear I was your date.”
“Yes… but it’s not just about the prom, Erik.”
“What do you mean?”
“Move in with me..”
“Charles-”
“Or at least tell me why you’re so apprehensive.”
“I just am, Charles.”
“Can you explain it to me?”
“Charles, I can’t-”
“Erik, please tell me.”
The room was silent, Erik turning his head to the side, facing away from Charles.
“I don’t want to lose you.” He said after a moment, voice nearly a whisper.
“What?”
“Peter, Lorna, you… I can’t lose you all.” He admitted, voice cracking. “If I keep some distance, perhaps you all won’t suffer the same fate as everyone else I love.”
Charles wormed his hand into Erik’s.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He said, “And neither are Peter and Lorna. And even if something did happen, God forbid, wouldn’t it have been better to enjoy your time with someone, no matter how limited, than to have never experienced it at all?”
Erik was still for a few moments before squeezing Charles’s hand and looking him in the eyes, tears filling his own. Charles squeezed back before Erik closed his eyes and let the tears fall.
—------------
Five days before Prom, Charles had the misfortune of delivering the news of who won the election to Peter and Alison. The two young-adults were currently sitting in plastic chairs, Charles in the front of his classroom, looking at the two, wishing that Erik was there to help relieve some of the tension in the room.
But alas, Erik had been roped into helping Hank explain magnetism to the middle schoolers, and it was currently the only time both Alison and Peter didn’t have a class to teach besides their lunch block, therefore Charles was left alone to give the results to the two.
“No matter what happens, you both promise that you’ll treat each other with respect and civility?”
“Yes sir.” Peter nodded.
“I will if he will.” Alison shrugged.
“Alright, both Hank and myself tallied the votes, and we both counted the same amount of votes, and nobody else had access to the ballot box, and-”
“Just tell us, Professor.” Alison interrupted.
“Right, sorry.” Charles shook his head. “You’re tied.”
Silence, then,
“You’re fucking joking, right?” Peter loudly exclaimed, crossing his arms.
“I wish I was.” Charles sighed, opting to ignore the language used.
“What’s the chances of this even happening?” Alison threw up her arms.
“I’d say approximately-”
“Not now, Professor!” Peter cut him off.
“What are we going to do?” Alison groaned, “The kids seemingly like the both of us, if they can’t decide, how can we?”
“And if you say like adults one more time, I’ll kill you dude. I don’t care if you and my dad are a thing.” Peter looked Charles dead in the eyes.
“Noted.”
“We can’t agree on anything, how is it supposed to be cohesive?” Alison complained.
“Maybe we do a trade system.” Peter proposed after a moment of contemplation. “Like, I can play Killer Queen and you can play Dancing Queen.”
“I don’t hate that idea.” Alison said slowly, “But you can’t play Sweet Dreams.”
“Why not?”
“Because every single time that song plays, you won’t shut up about how you saved the entire school to it.”
“Because I did.”
“If we can both choose songs, we should both be able to veto them too.” Alison reasoned, “My first veto is Sweet Dreams.”
“Fine. I veto Funkytown.”
“What!”
“It’s vetoed.”
“Then you don’t get Werewolves of London!”
“You don’t get Angel Eyes!”
“You don’t get You Really Got Me!”
“Don’t bring Van Halen into this!”
Charles slowly left the room, opting to let them sort out their differences alone.
—---------------------
4 days before prom, Charles found Alison and Peter hunched over a list in Alison’s classroom during their lunch block.
Deciding not to disturb them, Charles left the doorway and made his way to the sign-up sheet of the Prom Committee, an idea of Alison’s in order to get the kids more involved by putting up the decorations for prom.
So far, the list was composed of only Jubilee, Kurt, Ororo and a girl named Cecilia, who could create psioplasmic fields.
Making a mental note to remind the teachers to promote the list more than they already were, Charles set off to get some lunch and meet Erik in the study for their daily chess game.
After grabbing some lunch for himself and Erik, he felt another mind in the room, he recognized it as Lorna’s. They seemed to be having an important discussion if Erik not noticing his chair was any indication, so Charles slowly backed away to find Raven, she may not have eaten yet.
—------------------------------------------------------
3 days before prom, Peter and Alison presented Charles and Hank with a list of songs, each one with a scribbled P, or a somehow loopy A, to show who chose what song.
“Is there any foul language in these?” Charles asked, Peter shook his head.
“I checked.”
“Thank you, Peter.” Hank nodded.
“Hey, the two of you wouldn’t happen to know where to buy a tux, now would you?”
“You’re wearing a tux?”
“I lost a bet.” He shrugged, “It’s not my fault Alison’s really good at cards.”
“Feel free to raid my closet.” Hank said, standing up. “In this form I think we’re somewhat similar in size.”
“Fine.” Peter grimaced, “But if I get blue fur all over me, I’m gonna be pissed.”
“What suit are you wearing, Charles?”
“I have a lovely, dark magenta one.”
“Magenta? Like my dear-old-dad?”
Charles’s head reddened.
“It’s okay, professor, I think it’s adorable.” Alison said, smiling.
“Erik is wearing a black suit.” Charles crossed his arms, Peter laughed.
“I’m just messing with you.”
Charles felt Erik’s mind approaching, and verbalized this to the group. When Erik arrived, he quirked a brow at the sight of the four of them, Peter and Alison looking down at Charles and Hank, the latter two sitting behind a desk.
“I’m not sure who is scolding who.” He said, entering and giving Peter a nod.
“Very funny Dad,” Charles felt Erik’s mind spark with happiness at that. “But Alison and I were dropping off our list.”
“Funny to see what you both could have accomplished much sooner if you just worked together.”
Peter rolled his eyes.
“You sound like Mom.”
Erik shook his head, Charles catching the tail end of the memory of when Magda came to the school to see Peter after he got his cast off with his little sister, Agi. The awkwardness and anxiety from both tangible to everyone, not just telepaths.
But as the day passed, they became more relaxed, and both departed on terms of greater respect to the other.
“Magda’s correct.” Erik shrugged.
“Don’t let her hear that, she’ll never let it go.”
“I’ll be sure to tell her next time I see her, which would have been in February, had you let me know about your party.”
Peter turned beet red, Erik chuckling.
“Tut mir leid, mein Sohn.” He said.
“Kein Problem.” Peter said, seemingly attempting to hide in his jacket.
“Ich liebe dich, Peter.” Erik said, walking towards him.
“Ich liebe dich auch.” Peter said before taking a deep breath.
“Du wirst Mama nicht erzählen.” He jokingly asked.
“I won’t.” Erik promised.
Charles couldn’t help but smile.
—----------------------------------------------------
2 days before prom, Jean joined the Prom Committee due to Ororo’s insistence that her telekinesis would speed the process up dramatically.
Charles, on his way to find Jean and give her the itinerary, stumbled upon Lorna sitting in the library alone, head buried in a book he didn’t recognize.
“Lorna?” He called, her head shot up, she spotted him and waved him over.
“How are you, Charles?” She asked, setting the book down beside her on the couch.
“Alright, you?”
“Fine, reading Northanger Abbey, I brought it from home.” She said, Charles immediately perked up.
“I’m currently re-reading Pride and Prejudice.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“Do you read much?”
“Not as much as I’d like to.” She admitted.
“What do you enjoy doing in your free time?”
“I like to study geology and geophysics.” She shyly said, “I also like to paint.”
Charles smiled at her,
“You should show me your paintings sometime, only if you want to, of course.”
Lorna nodded, mind swimming with something.
“What do you want to say?” Charles asked, she laughed anxiously.
“It’s-no, nevermind, I can’t say that.” She laughed, “Dr. Hart said I can’t say that things that I think are stupid anymore.”
“She’s right, you know.”
“That’s what I hate.”
Charles nodded and watched as Lorna began picking at the seams of her jeans.
“Charles….”
“Yes?”
“When I was a little girl, I was always terrified that Mom was gonna marry some guy and forget about me, that they were going to have children of their own that weren’t freaks and that I would just be left alone.” She said, turning to face him.
“You’re not a freak, Lorna.” Charles said, looking into her eyes, Erik’s eyes.
“I know that now, but not when I was a little girl.” She explained, “And… I guess I thought if my dad was somewhere, that he’d have a wife and other kids he cared about more than me. And I think that him being around Peter more than me solidified the idea that he’d love me less, but then… the other day he told me something. He told me about Nina, about how he wanted me to make the decision to pursue our relationship, not pressure me into knowing, as he put it, a monster. He told me how he was afraid I’d get hurt because of him.”
“And I know he’s trying, and I also know it’s hard on him.” She continued. “But I am glad he cares about me.”
“Your father more than cares about you, he loves you, Lorna.”
“I know.” She said, “But it’d be nice to hear it from him.”
“But,” She continued, “the point still stands, I’m glad I get to be your stepdaughter, Charles.”
“I’m glad you’re my stepdaughter too, Lorna.” He said without a second thought.
—----------------
The day before prom, after a particularly hard day with his students, all Charles wanted to do was curl up in bed and go to sleep. However, he felt the familiar hum of Erik’s mind before he entered his room.
He froze.
Erik had what seemed like all of his suitcases sprawled out on the bed, open and overflowing with clothes and trinkets and shoes.
Charles wheeled farther in and was met with the sight of Erik fighting to put a turtleneck on a plastic hanger, annoyance apparent on his face.
“Erik?”
“Hello, Charles.” He said absentmindedly.
“What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He asked, having finally gotten the turtleneck on the hanger in a way he approved of before placing it in the closet. “I’m moving my things in.”
Charles was stunned into silence.
“I wanted to make our room seem a bit more homey.” He said, sitting down on the bed and pushing a suitcase to the side.
Charles remained silent.
“And I thought you were the psychic, Charles.” Erik laughed.
“Our room?” Charles asked slowly, praying that he hadn’t misheard Erik.
“Yes.” Erik grinned, “I quite like the sound of it, don’t you?”
“Ours.”
“Yes, ours.” Erik grinned, “I hope to keep expanding that list you know, that list of ours. Do you?”
“Very much.” Charles laughed.
“Good.” Erik said, kneeling in front of Charles and taking his hands in his. “Here’s to the first our.”
Charles leaned forward and sealed it with a kiss.
—---------------------------------------------------
The day of prom, none of the older students could focus. They were all talking over the lesson, getting lost in their imaginations and seemingly couldn’t sit still.
All of these things combined would have annoyed Charles, had it not been for the fact that today was prom.
The committee had been released from their last classes a half-an-hour early to help with the decorations. Ororo and Kurt setting up decorations that hung from the ceiling and other high-up places, Jean straightening everything out and guiding all the punch bowls and snack trays to their destination.
Cecilia and Jubilee blew up the balloons and turned on the battery-powered candles as well as threw boas and tiaras on the suits of armor littering the ballroom.
“Very good, guys!” Peter yelled, entering with the DJ behind him. “This is our DJ, Mark!”
Mark, a tall, muscular man who couldn't be older than thirty, waved shyly at the group.
“It’s good to meet you, in fact, I have to thank you.” He said, “My brother was in Cairo when En Sabah Nur took over, if it wasn’t for you all, he may be dead.”
“All in a day’s work.” Ororo said, waving her hand around the air as if to show it was no problem.
“Ja, it is our pleasure.” Kurt nodded.
“Regardless, thank you. You didn’t have to do it.”
“Your booth is right over there.” Alison said, showing him to the DJ Booth she apparently borrowed from a friend of hers. “Peter and I have CD’s of approved music for you to look at.”
“Thank you.” Mark nodded, listening intently as Alison showed him the list of songs.
When Peter had his back turned, Charles caught Alison slipping Mark another CD. He didn’t feel any malicious intent coming off of her, quite the opposite actually, so he let it go.
Once the kids had finished decorating, the sun had set and it was almost time for the festivities to begin. Charles entered his and Erik’s room (a phrase that definitely didn’t make him feel giddy, as that was absolutely unbecoming of a grown man) and set out the dress shirt and suit for the night.
Transferring himself onto the bed, Charles felt the hum of Erik’s mind and the sound of his footsteps approaching. The door swung open and a second later, Erik was in sight, he smiled at the sight of Charles, the door shutting behind him, and he approached the man, giving him a quick kiss before opening back up the closet and pulling out his suit. He laid the black jacket out next to Charles’s jacket and smirked.
“Magenta? Peter had mentioned that to me, but I assumed he was embellishing the truth.” He teased, gesturing towards the magenta ensemble.
“It’s a lovely color.”
“I agree.” He smirked, “Glad you do too.”
Once they were both dressed (with only a few, momentary distractions, thank you very much), Hank had already begun signing kids out who wished to get dinner out before the dance.
Peter was standing next to him, wearing a tux that was surprisingly, slightly too big for him. He was fiddling with the bowtie, Raven rolling her eyes, when he spotted the two men coming towards them.
“Hey, guys!” He happily called as they approached.
“Hello, Peter.” Charles smiled warmly, “Has your sister come down yet?”
“Nah, I think she’s going with Jubilee, Ororo and Kurt though.” He shrugged, “They haven't come down either.”
Just then, a loud BAMF! sounded with a cloud of smoke, and Kurt and Ororo were standing before the group.
“Sorry if we scared you.” Ororo said.
“You’re good.” Raven assured them.
“Have Jubilee and Lorna come down yet?” Kurt asked, Peter shook his head.
“You look beautiful, Ororo.” Raven said, smiling and hugging her, her own white dress with a blue flower print swishing around her calves when she hugged the girl, who was wearing a dress with a black halter top and white skirt.
“Thank you.” Ororo smiled as Raven pulled away.
“You look great too, Kurt.” Raven then said, adjusting the boy's black suit jacket, black dress shirt standing out against the white tie.
“I need to take a picture!” Raven smiled, “Of the both of you!”
Erik held his hand out, and from out of the other room came Raven’s polaroid. He passed it to her before saying,
“Be sure to let me and your brother use that.”
“Sure.” She shrugged, taking a few steps back and taking a picture of the two teenagers, Ororo’s arm around Kurt’s neck, his arm on her waist.
“Here you go.” She said, throwing it towards Erik once the picture was printed.
“I guess we just wait here for them.” Ororo shrugged, “They shouldn’t be much longer.”
“Sorry guys!” Jubilee’s voice rang out a moment later, the girl quickly coming into the view of the group, her hair in a crown braid, wearing a pink dress with black lace, and pearl earrings.
Behind her, Lorna appeared, her loose, green waves pulled back into a ponytail, wearing a dark green dress with trumpet sleeves and a sweetheart neckline.
“It’s alright!” Ororo yelled back as the girl ran down the stairs towards her. “Kurt and I only just came down here.”
“Oh, good.” Jubilee laughed, finishing her descent, Lorna on her heels. “We were just talking and lost track of time.”
“It’s easy to do.” Kurt nodded in understanding.
“Well, Lorna, I hate to say it, but I think our dear-old-dad wants to take some pictures.” Peter interrupted, walking over to his sister and slinging an arm around her shoulder.
“How horrible.” Erik dryly commented, lifting up the camera with his own two hands.
“Take loads, Mom’s gonna want these, I never sit still for photos. I’m only doing this for you Lorna, be proud.”
“Thanks, Peter.”
“You’re welcome.”
The two stood against a wall, Peter with his arm still over Lorna’s shoulder, and Erik snapped a quick photo.
“Do something serious.” Jubilee suggested, “Make it look like you’re actually going to a dance.”
Peter and Lorna both stood at a 90° angle, faced the camera, Erik taking a quick photo.
A few more photos were taken, including one where Peter grabbed a tiara off of the suits of armor and placed it on Lorna’s head, and it was finally time for the group to go.
“Send one to you-know-who.” Charles heard Lorna mutter to Peter. “I really want to meet her.”
“She wants to meet you too.” Peter muttered back, “And I will.”
Lorna gave him a quick hug, and waved goodbye to both Erik and Charles, before heading off with the group. Once they were out of sight, Charles turned to Erik and quirked a brow.
“Since the kids are gone, now is it finally the time to party?” Raven joked.
Erik shook his head, polaroid photos in hand, and headed off to the bedroom, Charles following behind. They got into the elevator, silence enveloping them, until they reached their floor and they both exited.
Once they reached their room, Charles watched as Erik picked up the only photo of Nina he had left, a small photograph of the little girl smiling brightly with three robins on her arm. He held it closely to his chest before setting it back down and placing the polaroids next to it.
“My children, Charles.” Erik said quietly, “My beautiful children.”
—----------
Once the teens started coming back, the music began to play, and the prom officially began.
Charles and Erik were currently in a back corner, watching for any… canoodling, as Hank put it, Raven doing the same on the dancefloor, Peter and Alison observing from next to the DJ. As the current song ended and a new one began, Charles saw Ororo, Kurt, Jubilee and Lorna enter.
Erik gave his hand a quick squeeze, and Charles looked up to see a contemplative look in his eye.
“Hey, Professor!” Scott called, walking up to the two of them, Jean on his arm.
“Scott, how are you?”
“Can’t complain.”
“Good, good.”
“Are you going to dance at all Professor?” Jean asked, Charles shook his head.
“Why not?”
“Just not in the mood, I suppose.”
“It’s a dance!”
“Maybe another time.”
Jean shook her head and latched onto Scott’s arm before suddenly bursting out in laughter and burying her head into his shoulder.
“Come on, it wasn’t that funny.” Scott shook his head, grinning.
“It was hilarious.”
Charles, giving Jean the same privacy she gave he and Erik, did not interrupt their psychic conversation, instead looking at Erik with a mix of confusion and amusement.
“It wasn’t aimed at you, Professor.” Jean assured him, “It was more about, well….”
Jean trailed off and gestured at Erik.
“You can’t see me dancing.” Erik finished, Scott guiltily nodded.
“Erik is a wonderful dancer.” Charles defended, memories of humid, summer nights in the very manor they stood in now, full of the two of them hiding away in the study, swaying to the sounds of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra while dreams of a new world swirled around their entwined consciousnesses.
“Then bust a move, let us see.” Scott grinned, wrapping an arm around Jean’s waist.
“I wouldn’t call dancing busting a move, it’s an art.” Erik plainly said.
“Just think about it.” Jean asked, Charles nodded.
Jean and Scott then turned and walked away, leaving Charles and Erik alone in their corner once again. Charles watched as Peter zipped over to his sister, standing right behind her and causing her to jump, a fond smile overtaking his lips.
“They’re wonderful young people.” Erik said softly.
“Of course they are, Erik, they’re yours.”
“Ours.” He corrected, “They’re ours.”
Charles smiled, closing his eyes as the man of his dreams leaned down and kissed him fondly. Smiling, Charles grabbed his hand and placed it on his shoulder, content to watch the night go by.
Eventually however, he felt a pang of anxiety come from Alison’s direction. Excusing himself, he made his way over to the young woman who smiled nervously when she saw him.
It was then that he heard the sound of steel drums.
—------------------------------------
Erik looked around the room, he saw Alison walking up to the DJ, Jubilee teasing Jean and Scott, and Peter laughing with Lorna. The current, upbeat, rock song playing ended, and expecting another upbeat song, he was surprised to hear the familiar sound of a steel drum.
He looked over at Peter who smiled sheepishly, apparently having the same thought he had.
Lorna turned to look at what Peter was looking at, and smiled shyly when she saw Erik. He beckoned them over, and the two slowly made their way over to him, the few kids left seemingly taking this slower song as a time to sit down or grab some refreshments.
Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better
Memories of Nina swirled in his brain, her wanting to have just one more cookie before bed, their prayers every night before bed, him singing her the same song his mother would sing to him. Those nights with Nina, Marya watching on, were some of the first nights he had felt happy in a long time.
Those were nights it sometimes felt painful to remember, the fact that he’d never feel that form of happiness ever again weighed on him.
But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t be happy ever again. Peter and Lorna were proof of that. The fact that he felt happiness after all that had happened was proof of that, proof that maybe that little boy in Düsseldorf wasn’t completely gone.
Peter and Lorna stood across from him, Lorna more to his right and Peter more to his left. Lorna looked slightly confused, but Peter had the same tears in his eyes that Erik was sure he had too.
Nina had sailed away, she had gone to a better place, to the world to come, Erik was sure of that. He’d see her again, she wasn’t gone, she lived on in his memory, and like the song he sang every night, the memory of his children would be passed down to his children, and to their children, and theirs.
All of his children, Peter, Lorna, Nina.
Erik looked both of his children in the eyes and smiled, something he rarely did.
They’d both suffered so much, yet they were so young.
“Peter, Lorna,” Erik said, looking at them both. “I’m so sorry, for everything.”
“Dad-”
“No, Peter, I am.”
“And I… I want you to know that-that I love you very much.” He said, tears threatening to fall. “Both of you.”
Tears were falling from Peter’s eyes at this point, he looked at Erik in a manner not dissimilar to the way he did the first time the man had hugged him.
Lorna looked like she was trying to hold back tears, like she wanted to be strong for Erik.
That broke his heart, his kids should never be strong for him. He’d make sure that they never felt like they had to ever again.
Erik opened his arms, and Peter immediately hugged him, coming in from the side. Erik looked at Lorna and smiled softly, a tear fell from her face, and coming in from the other side, she buried her face in his shoulder. Erik wrapped his arms around his two children.
Erik placed a kiss on the top of Lorna’s head, and then one on Peter’s, who surprisingly, didn’t push him away, even though Erik was sure at least one student was watching them, even though they were in the back corner of the room.
But Erik didn’t care.
He would never forget Nina, never stop loving her. But like Charles said, loving Peter and Lorna didn’t mean he loved Nina any less. And having them all in his life, Peter, Lorna, Charles, Raven and Kurt, truly made each day better than the last, no matter how slight.
Beautiful children, Erik thought, holding onto his two children tightly.
Darling Peter.
Darling Lorna.
Darling Nina.
“I love you both, so much.” Erik whispered over the song, hoping they heard him.
See you in the morning
—---------------------------
Charles watched as Erik let go of the kids, all three wiping their eyes, on the other side of the room, Raven and Kurt hugging. He felt Alison’s mind leap with excitement from where she was behind him.
“How are you Alison?” He asked, he heard her laugh.
“Good.”
“Am I right in assuming that you added this song after we went over the list?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t have a good relationship with my dad, and I knew that Erik just needed a push in the right direction.” She shrugged, “Plus, I hate to admit it, but Peter’s kinda become my friend now.”
Charles smiled, watching as his family, all his family, Raven, Kurt, Erik, Peter and Lorna, left in their separate groups, talking and laughing.
However, Charles felt a panicked brush at his mind from Erik, it was a memory from mere seconds before, of Peter smiling and saying,
Is this a bad time to tell you I have a twin sister?
“Are you alright, Professor?” Alison asked, pulling him out of the other man’s memory.
“Miss Blair, I’ve never been happier.” He said, and he meant every word of it.