Work Text:
It wasn’t the first time Erik had experienced the problem. It wasn’t even the second time. The problem seemed to be a reoccurring one in his life and, by now, he really should know how to handle it. But it was one of the few times he seemed to lose self-control and let his instincts take over.
Over the last decade in the Pentagon, he couldn’t remember the last time he had a decent meal. Sure, he was given trays, but he wasn’t entirely sure it was food that they gave him and even that wasn't on a regular schedule. Nevertheless, he ate enough to keep him alive.
Now though, safely out of the cell he had been living in and sitting in a restaurant with Charles, Beast, and Logan, he couldn’t help himself. He was just lucky it was a buffet they ended up at.
The first plate of food, no one seemed to pay any attention to in the slightest. But as Charles headed for dessert, Erik made his way back through the line again for a second helping. Though, still, he was being followed by Logan and Beast—though he did have a smaller plate the second time.
It was the third plate that Charles looked at him with concern. An eyebrow raised, an uncertain look on his face, as though Charles wasn’t sure Erik should be eating more than he’d already had.
Part of Erik wanted to tell him to mind his own business but he also understood the look. After all, he had been through this before. He knew what he was doing was a terrible idea and if he let himself continue he would end up getting sick. Chances were he had already eaten enough to do that. So why not continue?
It was as he stood up for the fourth time that a hand went out to wrap around his arm. Though it wasn’t Charles, it was Logan.
“Bub, we both know you shouldn’t be doing that,” He said, not looking up from the plate in front of him, not even pausing as he ate his dessert. “I’ve been there and I know you have too. You’re doin’ yourself more harm than good at this point.”
“I’m a grown man. I think I can make this decision for myself,” Erik said, not wanting to admit that Logan was right. “Just a little more.”
“You’re a stubborn idiot whose body is saying you don’t know when you're going to get your next meal. I’m telling you it’s up to you now when you eat again. No more starving and waiting for your next plate of garbage. Sit down and see how you feel in five minutes.”
Instinctually, Erik tried to pull his hand back away from Logan but the man’s hold was stronger than Erik had anticipated. But he also wasn’t trying as hard as he could’ve been. With his powers, he was sure he could get free if he wanted. Instead, he decided to give in, just this once, and sit back down at the table.
Charles was looking at him still and Erik looked back, trying to convey the question of “ What? ” The best he could without saying a word.
With a movement of his head, Charles made his answer clear. The man stood up and walked toward the bathrooms and, a moment later, Erik stood and followed after him.
The second the door is closed behind him, he feels Charles’s eyes staring him down and Erik shifts uncomfortably. There’s an unmistakable anger in those blue eyes still, mixed with hurt and betrayal, even after everything they’d talked about.
Erik couldn’t blame him. After all, he knew he had done so much to hurt Charles. He deserved the anger, even if it felt like he’d spent the last ten years punishing himself for hurting Charles. It wasn’t enough, it would never be enough. Even if Charles did decide to forgive him.
“What?” Erik asked now, as Charles just kept looking at him without saying a thing. It was starting to make him even more uncomfortable, shifting under his gaze.
“What happened to you?” Charles asked in a voice so soft that it seemed at odds with the look on his face. Erik wondered if there were ulterior motives to the question or an answer he was looking for.
“What do you mean?” Erik asked back. The last thing he wanted to do was give away too much information and have Charles worrying about him. He wasn’t looking for sympathy or pity. He hated whatever uncertainty there was between them and wanted it gone.
Charles just looked at him for a moment before answering, “What happened during the last decade? You were in prison, seemingly well-protected. Yet you’re putting away plate after plate of food and wanting more.”
For a moment, Erik said nothing. How was he supposed to answer that? He was given something to eat, but it wasn’t proper food. It was barely fit to eat, something that was very likely to give him food poisoning at any time. But to tell Charles something like that seemed like he could be going too far. He still worried about pity.
“The conditions weren’t ideal,” He replied with a shrug, trying to play it off. After all, it wasn’t the first time he’d been given garbage to eat. Memories of the camps flashed in his mind. But he had done something similar after that, eating until he was sick, seemingly unable to control himself.
Charles looked at Erik and then nodded slowly, “You know, even if I am mad at you, I do still care. You can tell me what happened if you want to talk about it. I never wish pain or hurt on you, darling. You’ve had enough of that to last your lifetime.”
Erik bit his bottom lip for only a second and looked away from the other man before nodding. “Alright, thank you,” He forced himself to say in a quiet voice. He wasn’t going to be able to make himself say anything more. Not just yet. That wasn’t something he was ready to talk about just yet.
A hand wrapped around Erik’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. Erik pulled his hand back a little, enough to get his hand wrapped around Charles’s. “We’re going back to the hotel after this, right?” He asked softly. It felt like he had to say something, to initiate after Charles had offered to listen if Erik wanted to talk and he had basically declined.
Charles nodded, “That’s the plan, yes,” He replied, “Why? Did you have something in mind?”
“Are we sharing a room?” Erik asked, looking down at Charles, wondering when they came to be standing with only a couple of inches between them when they had started with so much more space separating them.
Charles looked up at him and gave a small shrug, “We could be. I sort of thought I’d share with Hank and you could share with Logan, but I had assumed you wouldn’t want to share with me.”
“I think I’d rather share with you,” Erik admitted, “Let the other two share. There are some things I think we should discuss somewhere other than a public restroom and I would rather not have an audience.”
Charles nodded, “Alright, then it’s decided,” He replied and Erik gave a small smile, stepping forward to cover the small gap between them. He leaned down, pressing his lips gently against Charles’s.
The kiss didn't last long before Charles was pulling back and Erik was trying to chase him, not wanting it to end so soon.
“Just a little more,” Erik found himself suggesting again but, as the last time, it didn’t do him much good. Charles shook his head.
“Not right now, darling. Later,” He replied, “We might be in a restroom right now, but it is still a public place and someone could walk in at any time. We shouldn’t be doing this right now.”
And Erik had to admit that he had a point. With a sigh, he nodded and pulled back. “Then we should be getting out of here and soon.”
“I thought you said we were going to talk,” Charles said but Erik could tell he was amused. Even if Erik had turned around to face the door, ready to get out of there.
“We will talk. There’s a lot to discuss. But there are a couple of other things I have on my mind as well. And it doesn’t sound like you’re complaining,” Erik added with a smirk.
Charles rolled his eyes but they made their way out of the restroom and back to the table, both ready to collect the bill and get out of there.