Work Text:
By the time he was saved, Erik wasn’t even sure how long it had been. In the beginning, every second seemed to last days. But before long that time seemed to melt, running together until he wasn’t sure if each blink took him a second or an hour.
It could’ve only been a day that he was in there but he was thinking it was a week at least. Held in a plastic chamber, the material was bulletproof. Nothing he could break, nothing he could control with his powers. He had been useless and left entirely alone.
At least, when he was in the Pentagon he had a whole cell to himself. A small mat on the floor to sleep on. A time that he could sleep. Had he wanted to or been able to, he could’ve slept all day every day in the Pentagon. But this was different to that. This was a chamber where sleep wasn’t an option. There was no chance for it and, if there was, he was rapidly woken up by a shock, of sorts. Nothing he could control or identify but all he knew was that it hurt. If it didn’t wake him up at first then it only became more intense until his entire body was locking up, his muscles tensing and it consumed him.
Before long falling asleep became something he feared. It was something that became associated with pain and he hated it. The constant worry that he would accidentally fall asleep and be woken up to intense pain. But he was also so tired he could barely hold his eyes open. Slowly, the combination was driving him mad until he didn’t know what was and wasn’t real.
Maybe that was the real reason it felt as though time had melted and blended together. Part of Erik wondered if it had been possible that his brain had melted thanks to whatever was in the chamber mixed with the pain. But he was sure that wasn’t a plausible explanation.
Over and over in Erik’s life, he had found himself in similar positions. Each time it was thanks to the government or someone who was supposed to be protecting. If it was a luck problem then Erik found it difficult to believe there was anyone out there who was more unlucky than he was. There needed to be some serious changes done, something so he could break the cycle he had found himself in.
But maybe it wasn’t going to fall onto him to be the one to break the cycle. At least it wasn’t something he had to do on his own. He was free now and he had help, he knew he would have help. The same help that was always offered to him. The same help he had turned down time and time again but he was beginning to think he was ready to accept it this time. After all, one of these times would be the last time and, right now, the last thing Erik wanted to do was to tempt fate or risk losing it all, especially with how things have been going in his life recently.
“Erik, Erik, there you are,” Charles was saying and he sounded so relieved to have found him. He was released from the chamber somehow, Erik wasn’t even sure how it happened but he fell to his knees as he moved to escape the plastic tube.
The first touch from Charles made him jerk violently back but then he moved to press into it. Not that he was proud of how quickly he moved the second time, wanting to get there before Charles had the chance to remove his hand. He didn’t want to miss his chance, fearing that it would be the only chance he got.
“Easy, love,” Charles said softly, watching him, “You’re safe now, we’re going to get you out of here, don’t worry. It’s all going to be okay. Can you stand? Can you come with me?”
Erik took a moment to process what Charles was saying and that he was being asked a question. As soon as he realized what that question was, he nodded and slowly, unsteadily made his way to his feet. Even standing he felt weak and as though he was standing on water.
“Slowly,” Charles directed once Erik was on his feet. He reached out, gently touching one of Erik’s hands, and, seeing it coming this time, Erik allowed the touch, even pressing into it. He took one step and then another before he became a little more stable.
“The X-Men are waiting for it. Everything’s been taken care of so it’ll be alright to take our time,” Charles was saying, but Erik was only half listening. Part of him was trying to accept that this was really happening, he was being saved and taken somewhere with Charles. That Charles had come for him.
“The jets just outside. It’s not too far,” Charles continued to ramble on, rolling along right behind Erik, following his slow but steady pace. “Once we get there, we’ll need to check you over. Just to make sure you’re alright and, if you’re alright, I would like to know what happened. Why you were taken.”
It wasn’t lost on Erik that he hadn’t said a single word to Charles yet, but he wasn’t sure he could if he wanted to. His throat was sore and he was more than a little thirsty. Besides, he was already thinking about how to answer Charles’s questions. Just in case the man was in his head and looking for the answers. Though Erik knew he wasn’t, he’d be able to tell if he was.
Truthfully, Erik wasn’t sure why him. He suspected who he was had been part of it. A government agency who wanted a mutant. The whole government that wanted Magneto off the streets. It just lined up perfectly and he was kidnapped—for lack of a better word—the first chance they got. He didn’t think it was anything more than that. He doubted it was because of his specific powers or skill set.
Once they were outside of the facility, Erik had to squeeze his eyes closed. The brightness of the sun beating down was working quickly to give him a headache. The sound of the jet wasn’t too far behind. He didn’t remember all of his senses being so, well, sensitive.
“Come on, my friend, just a few more steps. The sun won’t be as bright inside the jet. And neither will the engines,” Charles said, almost shepherding him along. But Erik had another question now. Just who was inside of the jet? Of course, it wouldn’t be just Charles and himself, so who else was there? Who had Charles brought alone on this rescue mission? It wasn’t like any of the X-Men particularly cared for him. But if Charles asked, he had no delusions that they wouldn’t come along.
“There’s not many people,” Charles said, and Erik wasn’t sure if he had read his mind or just knew him that well. Either way would work, Erik supposed. “Hank, we needed him to drive the jet and some extra hands for the mission never hurt. Peter came along, Raven, and Kurt. And myself, of course. I think we make a pretty good team.”
Erik gave a small nod and then followed behind Charles this time, up the ramp and into the jet. As soon as he walked on, he felt eyes on him and hated it. The feeling of the other three staring at him. At least Hank was already back in the cockpit.
“When you’re ready, Hank,” Charles called to him before looking up at Erik. “Come on, the two of us will go get you checked over and you can answer some of my questions. Then I’m sure these three, or two of them at least, will have some interrogation of their own to do.”
Erik had no doubt about that, but that didn’t really mean he wanted to answer their questions. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to his son, Raven, or her son. It was more that he wasn’t sure he was ready for that kind of thing. Answering Charles’s questions would be hard enough but then to answer even more when he was sure he wouldn’t know what to say or how to say it? And he was already so tired too. He would like at least a week to rest before he had to answer anything.
In the back of the plane, with a curtain closed, Erik slowly sat down on one of the seats and Charles rolled over, coming to a stop right in front of him. Their knees were touching as Charles leaned forward just a little.
“Darling, I know this isn’t easy, but I do need some answers. Can you at least tell me how you feel?” It was only a moment later that Charles was moving and then, a moment later, coming back with a bottle of water that he opened before handing it to Erik, who accepted it and took an immediate sip.
After clearing his throat, Erik quietly answered, “I’m alright. Everything feels a little unsteady, I’m thirsty and so hungry the thought of food makes me feel sick,” He added, “But nothing physical. They didn’t…hurt me really.” Even as he spoke, his eyes started to fall shut but the second they did he jerked back awake, looking back at Charles.
“They didn't hurt you?” Charles asked, looking as though he didn’t believe Erik for a second.
“No cuts, scrapes, bruises,” Erik listed off, his voice growing weaker as he started to drift off once again but it didn’t last before he was jerking awake again and opening his eyes fully.
“Okay, but that’s not the only option,” Charles said, reaching out to get the bottle of water, replace the lid, and set it down. “Can I see your arms? Legs?” He asked, “Once we do that you’re going to lay down and get some sleep. If there’s anything else that needs to be done it can wait.”
Erik said nothing, just working in a daze. He pushed his arm sleeves up, and the legs of his pants followed. There was nothing there, he knew so he didn’t bother opening his eyes. He could feel the way he was swaying, drifting off but not fully, keeping himself from fully falling into the abyss he so desperately needed.
“That’s it,” Charles whispered, “There’s plenty of room, just lay down and sleep for a while. We should have an hour or so before we’re back at the school. Decent enough for a nap and then you can sleep more once we’re there. Somewhere more comfortable.”
“Can’t,” Erik mumbled, “Can’t sleep.” Even as he said it, he was edging around sleep, teetering but not giving in, fighting it as hard as he could not wanting the shock to come again. He’d had more than enough of that and knew he didn’t want it again.
“Why not?” Charles asked, reaching out and bushing his fingers through Erik’s hair. It felt good and he leaned into the touch a little.
“The shocks hurt,” He mumbled, not really aware of what he was saying or who he was saying it to.
“We'll talk more about that later,” Charles said, moving away from Erik and making him whine. He almost tried to lean forward and follow the hand but stopped when he almost fell off the chair he was on.
Charles didn’t go too far though, "Come on, lie down,” Charles ordered in a gentle voice from right next to him. A hand on his shoulder guided him down on the couch-like chair. His head was pillowed on Charles’s thighs—the man had moved to sit next to Erik.
“Will you let me help you relax and get some sleep?” Charles asked, his fingers ghosting over Erik’s temple to show what he was asking if he could do.
After just a brief pause, Erik nodded, “Bitte?” He asked quietly. There would be no hope of him getting any sleep right now, no matter how much he needed it. Charles’s help was the only chance he had.
It was a slow spread of warmth, covering him from the inside out. Like walking into his home at the end of a long day. A warm bath when the cold was all he had known. A comfort soup after being in the snow. A nice fire crackling and warming the air but never passing into too hot. It was a feeling that Erik had missed and one that only had positive connotations in Erik’s mind. That, if nothing else, helped to calm him down and comfort him.
“Just sleep, Erik. You’re safe now and not going to get hurt anymore,” Charles was whispering as Erik drifted off to sleep. “I’ll make sure of it.”