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Charles
I slip into a loose pair of jeans, sticking one leg in and then the other. It’s not necessarily the easiest thing in the world with my skin still being damp from the shower, but I manage.
Erik steps out of the shower cubicle, ruffling his hair with his towel. “You used up all the hot water.”
I laugh as I mess with my belt. “Yeah, we did. Don’t count yourself out, love. You played a part in that.”
Erik smiles and wraps a towel around his waist. “If by played a part, you mean,” he pulls me toward him and kisses my forehead, “kissed you silly in the shower and made it hot, then yes.”
Chuckling, I wriggle out of his arms and stroll into the connected bedroom to grab a shirt. “You make me hot just by walking into a fucking room. You don’t even have to try.”
Erik laughs from the bathroom and answers with, “I could say the same about you.”
“Well, aren’t we a pair.” I throw on a white shirt and just as I start buttoning it up, I catch a glance at myself in the mirror and grimace. My hair looks like a sea urchin crawled up there, fell asleep, died in its sleep, then was run over by a lawn mower. “Shit.” I snatch my pomade from nearby and start shaping my hair with it, although I can’t quite get it to where I want.
Erik appears at my side with a pair of grey sweatpants on. He reads the frustration on my face through the mirror. “What is it?”
“My hair. I don’t like it.”
Erik wraps his arms around my stomach and rests his chin on my bare shoulder. “What don't you like about it?”
I squint at my reflection. “I don’t know, I…I guess I just want it to look…good?”
My boyfriend lets out a huff of laughter and he starts messing around with my hair himself. The warmth of our shower, Erik’s breath on my cheek, and him raking his fingers through my damp hair all almost make me fall asleep right then and there, but eventually, Erik makes a few last adjustments and lowers his arms.
“How does that look?”
I scrutinize myself in the mirror. There are few strands that I need to fix, but the shape, the parting of each side, the direction, it’s…good, actually. “Huh. You could be a hairdresser. There are few things I’ll fix, but overall, you did well.”
Erik smooths back a few of my stray hairs poking out. His chest brushes up against my back and I reach up to take his hand in my own. I look over at him and he shifts his attention from my hair down to my face, then my face down my lips. He leans in first, I bridge the gap, and then we are one, inhaling the scent of each other’s shampoo, skin against skin, feeding on each other’s warmth. I clasp his face with both hands, basking in our love and drinking my fill of him. We both pull away at the same time, beaming.
Erik strokes his thumb along my lips. A hot shudder runs through every muscle and I let out a breathy sigh, going back in for another kiss because with the rush of desire he just gave me, I can’t not kiss him again.
Erik reciprocates. He keeps one hand on my face and places his other one in-between my shoulder blades, and I can feel his tough, but soft palm moving against my back muscles.
We make out for a moment longer, but eventually, we come apart. I gaze into his gorgeous eyes and allow my smile to grow larger. “I love you.”
Erik returns my smile. “I love you too.”
I drop my forehead onto his shoulder, letting a content sigh spill out of me. The I love you thing is still new, and yet, at the same time, it feels like it’s always been that way. I feel like I’ve always loved him. Maybe not romantically, but there was always something there.
Erik starts massaging the back of my neck, and I melt further against him, shifting to put my cheek against his shoulder. “I love you.”
“You mentioned that.”
“I wanted to say it again,” I mumble, my voice somewhat muffled by my cheek being pressed against his shoulder. “It feels nice to say it.”
“It feels nice to hear it.”
We stand there, content in each other’s embrace. This is the benefit of a lazy morning. Nowhere we need to be, nothing we need to be doing…and we can be together, exist together, enjoy the little moments together. And plus, we–
The door bursts open. “Charles, great news!”
Instinctively, I jerk away from Erik and whirl toward the voice.
Hank stands in the doorway, a tablet in his hand, and his face falls as he takes in the sight. Me, almost fully clothed but with my shirt only partly-buttoned up, then Erik, who has no shirt on at all and a very obvious towel crumpled at his feet.
“Shit!” I whip two fingers up to my temple and freeze him.
Hank goes rigid. I hurry up to him and close the door, a blush burning across my cheeks. “Goddamn it.”
Erik scoffs. “Charles, it’s fine. It’s not like they don’t already know.”
I rub my face with my hands.
“Why are you so embarrassed?”
“I don’t know! I just…” I smirk, and it deepens my blush. “I…do kind of like romancing in secret…”
Erik chuckles.
“Okay, I’m gonna unfreeze him. Go hide in the bathroom or something.”
“Charles– .”
“Do it!”
Erik obeys, shaking his head in amusement.
I let go of Hank, take a deep breath, and open the door.
Hank
I do the calculations, I map out the location and the amount of space and energy it will need, and then I make the conclusion:
If Charles says yes, I’ll be able to build him his own personal Cerebro. Right in his basement.
The nerdy, dorky scientist in me squeals and I grab the tablet on which I’ve done all the math. I have to show him, Charles has to see this. I’m shivering with anticipation as I bound through the halls, up the stairs, through more halls, up more stairs, and I don’t even feel the burning in my thighs as I zip up to the top floor. My face aches from the huge smile plastered upon it. Wait til he hears about this!
I locate his room and, without thinking, fling the door open. “Charles, great news!”
Charles and Erik spring away from each other from where they’d been…hugging. Behind them there is a drawer of clothes open, Charles’ shirt is barely buttoned up and Erik…doesn’t have one on at all…damn it. Damn it damn it damn it, I should’ve knocked, I–
Charles yelps out a curse, brings two fingers to his temple, and–
Reality abruptly stops and starts like a broken record. Now I’m still at his door, but it’s closed, and I’m about to actually knock this time when Charles opens it partway and smiles at me.
“Good morning, Hank. What can I do for you?”
“I’m so sorry, Professor, I didn’t mean to barge in… Well, I did, kind of, but I wasn’t paying attention and I didn’t think to knock. I did mean to open the door, but I didn’t mean to walk in on you and Erik.”
Charles pokes his tongue against the inside of his cheek. “I…don’t know what you’re talking about. Erik’s not here.”
I give him an amused look. “I’m not dumb, Charles. None of us are.”
“I didn’t say you were, I’m just saying that Erik’s, uh…” he glances back into the room, blushing, “not here. He’s not here.”
“Uh-huh. Sure.”
“Yeah.”
“Yep.”
“Splendid.” Charles clears his throat awkwardly.
I raise my eyebrows at his discomfort. “Charles, we all know. You don’t have to hide or pretend it’s not happening. I mean, sure, you can, but it won’t work.”
“It’s just me, Hank. It’s a lazy morning, I’m taking my time getting ready.” He scratches at his eyebrow in a nervous habit. “We showered and everything, and I– .” He stops short and tries to recover. “I showered, I-I did. Alone. Mmhmm.”
I purse my lips against a bout of laughter. “I don’t know how long you’re gonna keep this up, but this is just comedy at this point.”
Right on cue, a shirtless, nonchalant Erik walks into view in the background.
“Hi, Erik.”
Erik waves toward the door, not even looking up. “Hey, Hank.”
Charles glances back and does a double take. “Erik, what the hell?”
Erik snaps a watch on his wrist and saunters over to Charles. “What?” He kisses Charles on the temple and leaves, continuing to talk from out of sight. “They already know. It’s not like Hank didn’t know I was here. Who cares if they know we’re together?”
Charles plunks his forehead against the door frame, groaning. “Aren’t we technically coworkers, though? Does that make it weird?”
“No, not really,” Erik answers. “I mean, yeah, maybe. But who cares? We’re two grown adults who caught feelings and now we love each other and we find each other really fucking hot– .”
Charles’ face grows a deeper red with each word that exits Erik’s mouth.
“– and we also just so happen to enjoy sleeping together and putting our mouths together, and then– .”
“Ohhhh-kay!” Charles interjects. “Thank you, Erik!”
“Yeah, my pleasure.”
I can’t help but laugh.
Charles winces. “Uh… Okay, so…what-what do you need?”
I compose myself as quickly as possible and hold out the tablet. “I just wanted to share some good news. If you want it, I can build you your own Cerebro in the basement.”
Charles squints at the data on the tablet. After a few seconds, he lifts his head. “Really? You can do that?”
I nod, feeling the earlier excitement return, and the warmth spreads through my whole body. “Absolutely!”
“This is wonderful! If we want to recruit more mutants, this would make it so much easier.”
A now-fully-clothed Erik appears in the doorway. He hugs Charles from behind and plops his chin on Charles’ shoulder, looking down at the tablet.
I clasp my hands at my waist as if I’m giving a business proposal. “I can get started on it right away.”
Charles holds out the tablet. “I mean, if it’s not an inconvenience or a bother to you, go right ahead.”
I have to restrain myself from leaping into the air with a whoop and instead force myself to take the tablet gently. “Of course! Thank you so much.”
“Good luck, Hank.”
I start to back away, but stop after a few steps. I point to both of them and address Charles. “So…are you going to accept defeat?”
Erik glances over at him. Charles opens his mouth to speak, notices Erik looking at him…mutters, “Fuck it,” and goes in to kiss him in front of me. When he pulls away, he turns to face me again. “Yes, I will.”
I smirk. He’s trying to sound annoyed. He’s not succeeding.
“All right, Hank,” Charles juts his chin toward the stairs. “Go get to work. Thanks for sharing the news.”
I quirk an eyebrow. “Yeah, you too.”
Charles scoffs and rolls his eyes. “You are unbelievable.”
I playfully stick my tongue out at him, laughing as I depart. “You two are official now! We’re all going to tease you to no end!”
“Yes, I’m sure you are. Goodbye, Hank.”
The door to their bedroom closes, and I hurry back to my lab downstairs with not just one, but two green lights:
Cerebro.
Charles and Erik.
Both have been green-lit. Both are now real.