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~ 2 months ~
At first he assumes that he has caught a bug. He knows what intense pressure he has been under for the last several months and he merely thinks that his body is starting to respond. After something as punishing as Cuba, despite the successful outcome, and then Erik and Raven both leaving him he probably should be feeling a bit ill.
But when the nausea doesn't stop and the fatigue just grows stronger he must admit to himself that something might be wrong.
“What do you want to do?” Hank asks, pushing his horn-rimmed glasses further up on the bridge of his nose.
“Maybe you could draw some blood and see if you can find what’s ailing me. I prefer avoiding the hospital for the time being.”
Hank nods and sets about finding the proper tools for the venture. Drawing a small vial of blood only take a few minutes. Then he waits. It feels like days go by as he waits for Hank to emerge from his lab with something. It has gone dark and Charles is on his third cup of tea by the time the door opens and Hank steps gingerly through it.
“Well? Am I dying?” Charles asks, hoping some gallows humor might hide the way his hands are shaking.
Hank stays quiet while he takes a seat next to Charles. Carefully folding his hands and resting them on top of the table, he starts. “Charles,” he says, “I want you to know that I checked and double checked the results - “
“Oh,” Charles breathes, “There really is something wrong then?”
“No, not wrong. Just... Charles, I think you might be pregnant.”
He is not sure exactly what happens after that. Maybe he passes out. Maybe he stays conscious. All he knows is that his vision is swimming, his ears are ringing, and apparently, there is a baby growing inside him.
~ Hank ~
It takes another three blood samples, a few hours of vivid discussion, and a peek inside his mind before Hank manages to convince Charles that by some fluke secondary mutation he has developed a uterus and the ability to conceive a child. And now he is pregnant.
Maybe it is because they are both so very well versed within the exciting and complicated world of mutations that they can both move on fairly quickly from there. Charles is pregnant. Now it is up to the both of them to figure out how to handle it.
Though Hank does not dare ask who the father – the other father – is. But he does have a rather good idea. Not that he ever intends to ask. He knows that Charles has enough on his plate to not have to worry about the people who have chosen to leave.
~ 6 months ~
There is no way of hiding it any longer. Charles glances down at his protruding tummy; not even his biggest cardigan can quite cover it anymore. He is most definitely pregnant; there is no way for him to hide it any longer. It is a strange feeling that leaves him distracted more often than not.
He imagines that is why he doesn’t notice Erik until he is right behind him.
“You’re not wearing that ridiculous helmet,” he says, not bothering to turn around; he needs all the time he can get before Erik inevitably finds out the truth.
“It was too uncomfortable.”
It is obviously supposed to be a joke but there is no mirth in his voice.
“Why are you here?” Charles asks.
“I wanted to see you,” Erik starts. “I know you have no reason to want to see me, but I still hope that you will.”
“Actually,” Charles says, slowly turning on the balls of his feet, “I did want to see you. I have something I need to tell you.”
The air is thick with anticipation. Charles keeps his telepathy tightly coiled; he doesn’t want to risk seeing any disappointment – or even disgusted shock – in Erik’s mind.
Though no matter how close he keeps his telepathy he can’t avoid the barrage of shock, surprise and disbelief that meets him when Erik’s eyes drop and land on his stomach.
Silence fills the space between them for what feels like hours. Then finally Erik speaks.
“I… I didn’t. I didn’t know.”
“Of course you didn’t. No one did except Hank and me. It wasn’t exactly something I went about shouting from rooftops.”
“How?” Erik still looks like he could be bowled over by the touch of a feather.
“Turns out I have a very unusual secondary mutation.”
“I think I may have to sit down,” Erik says, before slumping down in the armchair he used to occupy during their games of chess. Charles tries to not let his mind wander but it is hard not to when he is staring at Erik across the chessboard.
“I…” Erik begins slowly. “Is it mine?”
“I will not dignify that with an answer, you utter bastard,” Charles answers.
“I’m sorry,” Erik says and has the good sense to look both sheepish and still completely in shock. “I don’t know what to say. I’m not totally sure if I’m awake or if this is some elaborate dream.”
“I can guarantee you that you are awake. This is real, Erik,” Charles says. “But I can’t tell you what to say.”
“I want this,” Erik says suddenly, getting up from the chair and starting to pace around the room. “I want to be a part of this. I want my child to know me.”
“You can’t take the child to the Brotherhood, Erik.”
“I won’t. We will all stay here. I will come back, Charles,” Erik says and even though Charles can see in Erik’s mind that he is being entirely truthful he doesn’t dare to believe it.
“I have some matters that I need to settle,” Erik continues, oblivious to Charles’ silent worries. “But after that I will return.”
He can see the thought form a split second before Erik leans in and presses a quick, very chaste kiss to his cheek. Then he leaves Charles sitting alone, staring at their chessboard.
~ Hank ~
It is honestly almost frightening Hank to watch one of his closest friends go through something so entirely overwhelming. They talk about it in practical terms. How they are going to handle the birth. How Charles is going to have to alter the minds of the local hospital staff into believing they are performing a regular C-section on a woman.
Still though he never asks the question. They work together as the months pass, trying to start the school that has been Charles’ dream for years. He tries to be supportive any way he can but he decided early to let Charles keep that part of the story to himself.
~ 9 months ~
By the time Erik comes back Charles has nearly given up on him. Not entirely, thought, he would never give up on Erik entirely.
He is sitting by the kitchen island eating a cold slice of pizza when Erik’s mind pops into his awareness. He is too tired to get up and go meet him so he stays in his seat even though he can feel butterflies that have been dormant for months tentatively start fluttering their wings.
Charles?
The voice inside his head sounds a bit uncertain but not unclear; Erik still knows how to project his thoughts directly to Charles.
Kitchen, he answers.
It takes another few minutes before Erik reaches him and those are minutes he dearly needs to calm himself. He is nine months pregnant – ready to pop – and he has been feeling as if his emotions are plastered on the outside of his body lately. But he does not want Erik to see him as frazzled as he is feeling.
Erik’s boots click against the tiled floor and Charles can hear the rustle of his long cape as it swings around Erik’s legs.
“You came back,” he says, as he turns around and meets Erik’s eyes.
“I told you I would,” Erik says. At first his eyes are on Charles’ but they quickly drop to roam the expanse of Charles’ giant belly.
“When…?” he starts.
“I have the cesarean booked for Monday two weeks from now. Hopefully the little monkey won’t decide to show up early.”
Erik smiles and Charles wants so badly to be mad at him. For staying away for so long, for coming back and acting like he belongs, and for every single second of this pregnancy when he has felt like he was in way over his head.
But the look of pure wonder that sparkles in Erik’s eyes shuts him up. As well as the way Erik’s voice shakes when he begins to speak again.
“I know I’ve been away for too long, Charles,” he says. “And I understand if you want me to leave. But please, Charles, please let me be a part of our child’s life. I’ve turned over the Brotherhood to Emma Frost, that’s what took me so long. She runs the show now. No matter what you tell me here I will not be going back to them. I hope you tell me I can stay. But it’s up to you, Charles.”
He knows what his answer is going to be but he still needs to take a few seconds draw the deep breaths he needs to calm his mind.
“You should stay, Erik,” he says, “I would never keep you away from your child. You should stay.”
But when Erik takes a step forward and reaches for Charles’ hands he pulls them back, close to his chest, where Erik can’t touch him.
“Erik,” he says, “I want you to stay, but I want you to stay as this child’s father and as my friend, nothing else.”
He can see some of the light in Erik’s eyes fade but he can’t change his mind. He wants Erik there, but he can’t want Erik.
~ 1 year ~
“Lorna! Look this way, Liebling! Look at Papa!”
Charles chuckles as he watches Erik waving Lorna’s favorite plush monkey in front of her at the same time as the camera he is levitating keeps snapping pictures. Lorna squeals at the entertainment and stretches her chubby arms as far as she can in an attempt to grab her father.
Watching his daughter laugh and jiggle in her highchair he takes a couple of quick steps closer and pushes the remains of her slice of birthday cake well away from her little hands. Then he steps around the table and joins Erik behind the camera. Without really thinking about it he puts a hand on Erik’s shoulder and gives it a friendly squeeze. When Erik turns towards him he smiles at the other man.
“This was a successful first birthday party, don’t you think?” he says.
“The very best birthday party for the very best little girl,” Erik says, and smiles back.
~ 5 years ~
“Papa?” Lorna says as she climbs onto Erik’s lap.
“Yes, Liebling?” Erik says, brushing a lock of bright green hair off her forehead.
“Do you love Daddy?” Lorna asks with all the bluntness of a five-year-old.
Erik stops for a second, wide-eyed wondering what brought this on. Then he asks; “Why do you ask that, Liebling?”
“’Cuz Jean told me that mommies and daddies, or daddies and papas, hug and kiss ‘cuz they love each other. But you and Daddy never hug and kiss. Don’t you love Daddy?”
Erik sighs. “Come here, baby, and I will tell you a secret.” He cuddles Lorna closer and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “I met your Daddy six years ago, and I have loved him very much ever since.”
He smiles at his daughter, fighting the stinging in his eyes, and leans down. He puts one finger gently over Lorna’s lips. “But remember, Liebling, this is our little secret. Just yours and mine.”
She giggles and nods and Erik knows that the concept of a secret might be lost on her – she is so little still – but he hopes that she’ll be distracted by something else soon and forget about it.
Perhaps it was stupid of him to say anything, but he wanted to tell someone even if that someone is a five-year-old. He knows he can’t tell Charles yet.
~ Hank ~
He has been holding his tongue for close to nine years and frankly he is getting tired of doing it. He watched Charles deal with something huge almost entirely alone. Then he watched Erik waltz back into Charles’ life as if nothing had happened. And he had to watch Charles let him and there was nothing he could say about it. And for years he has had to stand by as an ever faithful friend and watch as Erik and Charles has grown closer and closer as he says nothing.
Sometimes Hank wants to scream.
~ 9 years ~
The first thing Charles does when he notices Lorna levitate her very first spoon is smile fondly and discreetly pat himself on the back for being right about her vividly green hair not being her only mutation. The second thing he does is brace himself against the kitchen counter so that he doesn’t topple over from Erik’s excited screech and crushing hug.
“I told you!” Erik woops. “I told you she would be able to control magnetic fields just like her Papa.”
He looks so good, beaming with unbridled pride that Charles wants to kiss him. But before he can act on any instinct Erik has already released him to hurry over to Lorna to give her equally excited hugs.
“Charles,” Hank says behind him. He turns and smiles at Hank who tries to return the smile but Charles can see that it is strained.
“What’s the matter, my friend?” he asks.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Charles?”
Whatever was in Charles’ mind must have been visible on his face as well. Unless Hank also has a secondary mutation no one knew about.
“I’ve known both of you for over ten years,” Hank says. The smile has completely slipped off his lips now.
“And I have never said anything before but right now I’m worried you’re about to make a mistake and I need to speak up. He left you in Cuba, Charles. And then he left you again. After he found out about Lorna. How do you know that he won’t leave again? You and Lorna.”
“Hank,” Charles says, and steps closer to the younger man. “I appreciate your concern, I truly do, but this is my decision.”
“Can’t you see how bad he is for you, Charles?” Hank asks, voice rising. “You have been alone for so long. You deserve better.”
“I am sorry Hank,” Charles says. “I know that you have the very best intentions, but I cannot agree with you.”
“I do.”
They both turn around to see Erik standing behind them and looking between them with steady eyes.
“You what?”
“I agree with Hank. You deserve someone so much better than me. But I am desperately hoping that you will decide to settle for me.”
With that he starts to sink down on one knee in front of Charles, who feels like he has just been hit by an avalanche of different emotions, and a slim gold band floats out of his pocket and into his hand.
“Charles,” he says, taking Charles’ hand in his. “I love you so much, I have since the moment I met you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. With you and Lorna. I know that I have never been the perfect partner but I can promise you that I will love you forever.”
Charles watches Erik in stunned silence. He can feel a tear slowly make its way down his cheek.
“Charles, will you marry me?”
The single tear turns into full on sobs as Charles grabs Erik by the hand and pulls him up and into a crushing hug. He knows Hank is watching them. Lorna is probably watching them too. But he doesn’t care. All he can think of is Erik and how Erik feels in his arms and then the touch of Erik’s lips against his.
When he thinks they may actually be heading towards making Lorna a sibling he pulls back and beams at Erik.
“Is that a yes?” Erik asks, hands rubbing up and down along Charles’ arms.
“That is a resounding yes, my friend.” Charles laughs and pulls Erik back down.
A minute or two later – who knows how long – Erik is the one to pull back. He looks down at Charles with so much happiness in his eyes, Charles thinks he might burst.
What would you say to trying for one more? Erik asks inside his head.
Charles laughs, he doesn’t need to ask what Erik means. “Let’s examine you for secondary mutations first,” he says. “Maybe you can carry the next one.”
~ Hank ~
Hank is a smart guy. Everyone knows that. But when it comes to people and feelings Hank can admit that he can be a pretty dumb guy. And he can admit when he is wrong.
He looks across the room at Lorna and little David playing on the carpet with a metal ball, and he knows. He knows now that when it comes to Charles and Erik and what they have together he is a pretty dumb guy.