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Erik isn’t at the library today, and everyone is thrown off. It has become clockwork to expect Erik’s arrival at exactly 2 pm at the library, after his morning classes are finished. Now though, Emma is warily eyeing the door, Azazel is anxiously tapping his foot against the floor, Angel is valiantly attempting to read her book to no avail, and Charles is failing to re-shelf books. They don’t know when it happened, but they all have gotten so used to Erik’s overbearing presence in the library that now that it’s gone, it seems to have taken a part of the library with it. The library’s other tenants seem to agree, some of the usual students becoming uneasy after the bell over the door didn’t sound his arrival. As much as Erik scares them, he has become an integral part of their daily library experience.
Charles’s phone vibrates in his pocket, causing everyone to simultaneously jump at the sudden noise. Charles hurriedly pulls it out of his pants and taps the home button. His phone lights up, revealing a new text message from Erik.
‘Going to be late to the library; will be there around 4.’
Charles sends back a quick ‘Ok :-/‘ to properly show his discontent. It’s not like Charles is a control-freak or anything of the sort, but he’s so used to having Erik willingly share his whereabouts that now it just feels… weird. No matter though, Erik never wastes his time, and if whatever he’s doing is worth his time, then it must be important.
He slips his phone back into his pocket after seeing the small ‘read’ notice. Azazel fake coughs in the most obvious way possible after Charles is back to actually re-shelving books.
“He said he’ll be here at 4.” Charles answers.
A audible sigh escapes Azazel and everyone else within earshot. “Geez, I thought he got hit by a truck or something. Or murdered by Shaw.” Azazel blabbers, finally letting his constant foot tapping cease.
“No.” Charles responds, “He’s doing something. And before you ask, I don’t know what it is.”
“I bet he’s slashing Shaw’s tires.” Azazel snorts, “Not like the guy doesn’t deserve it. The asshole ruined my party two weeks ago.”
“You’re a child, Azazel.” Charles banters. “And Erik wouldn’t waste his time on Shaw.”
Azazel nonchalantly shrugs and goes back to his comics. Emma closes the door to her office, returning to work. Angel finally manages to move past the first paragraph of her novel. Charles is finally reshelving. Everybody— including Charles— has relaxed at Erik’s text. At least for the next two hours.
+++
There’s a real backpack on Erik’s back and nobody thought a backpack on someone’s back should stress them out so much but OH BOY does the backpack on Erik’s back make everyone worry to death. Nobody has seen ever seen Erik with a backpack, let alone own one, except maybe Charles, but even HE hasn’t seen Erik using a backpack before. The peace they had achieved in those measly two hours are shattered to little bits as Erik rushes up to his usual spot on the third floor with Charles in tow, apparently in a rush. For all anyone knows, Erik could have a bomb in his backpack and blow the entire building up. Or sixty knives. Or a horde of clowns. Narnia? Every single human being currently existing within the confines of the library walls pray together that Charles will be their lord and savior once more and conjure out rainbows and sunshines from the depths of Erik’s evil bag of death and decay.
+++
“Erik!” Charles gasps as he’s dragged up to the third floor. “What’s the rush?”
“Shhh..” Erik mumbles, pace quickening. “I have to show you something.”
“Erik if you’re about to pull a sledge hammer out of your backpack and break all the windows like you joked about yesterday while drunk, I will hate you forever. And ever. And EVER!” Charles screeches as the library rules allow.
“Don’t worry, I’m not.” Erik smirks. Not the evil, mean-eating, shark teeth smirk; the giddy one where Erik is about to checkmate Charles in two turns. “It’s better.”
Charles decides against pushing any further, especially since he’ll get to see in about thirty seconds anyways. Instead, he spends the rest of the trip up the stairs eyeing the backpack Erik supposedly owns and wondering if it’s actually moving or if all those weird stories about Erik being the king of demons or something are finally getting to him.
Charles follows Erik over to his favorite section and ducks behind a shelf to avoid the other library-goers’ stares. Which is even more unnerving, since nobody normally dares even look over. Erik motions for Charles to sit next to him as he pulls the backpack onto his lap. Charles cautiously places himself next to Erik, uneasy about all the sneaking currently happening. Erik takes his sweet time unzipping the backpack, forcing Charles to anxiously wait beside him.
“Hurry up, would you?” Charles complains.
“Sh… You’ll scare him.” Erik scolds.
“Wha- Oh my god.” Charles gasps. “Erik, where’d you get him? ”
Adoring eyes poke out of Erik’s backpack, along with a cute little snout and lolling tongue. Erik snuck a puppy into the library. A tiny, fluffy, German Shepherd . Charles resists the urge to melt into the floor as those eyes look up at him with pure happiness. “He was in the parking lot in a box that said ‘take me’. So naturally, I took him.” Erik explains. “We’re keeping him.”
“Most definitely!” Charles squeals with joy. “Ohh.. he’s so cuteee.. Cuter than you!” Charles happily pets and scratches the dog, who has no objections. Erik scoffs at that last comment but wisely decides to ignore it.
“I had a dog as a kid.” Erik begins, “And my mom forced me to train him. I’m sure I can do it again.”
“Of course you are, did you think I’d do it?” It’s Charles’s turn to scoff, “I’m at the library all day! Besides, I don’t think he’s allowed in here. Though there’s no explicit rule against him.”
“You think you can convince Emma to let him be the library mascot?” Erik queries.
“Most definitely.” Charles grins, a little too much like Erik’s. “She won’t be able to resist.”
+++
Charles leaves Erik in his little corner to do his work (whose already two hours behind his usual schedule) with the backpack in his arms. He continues to ignore the — now blatant— stares of the other occupants and rushes down to Emma’s office. He skids to a stop right in front of her door, and knocks twice before peeking past it. He can hear her sigh (in relief or in annoyance?) from inside and sees her wave him in.
“This won’t be good.” Emma blandly states while staring at the backpack. “Every memory I have of you being in this office is du to Erik. What’s in the bag? Better not be a cat.”
“No… but it’s a dog…!” Charles awkwardly smiles and shrugs his shoulder up. At the sound of ‘dog’ the little puppy pounces out of the backpack (that Charles somehow forgot to zip back up) and onto the floor. The look of absolute horror crosses Emma’s face at the sight of him.
“Charles. No. Absolutely not.” Emma grinds out. “No dogs in the library. You already have one mutt, why another?”
“B-but… Look at him!” Charles stammers, picking up the dog off the ground and holding him to Emma’s face. The dog sticks his tongue out and licks Emma right in the nose. If Emma wasn’t Emma she should’ve screamed right then and there. “Isn’t he adorable?”
“No. He is evil, like his father.” Emma spits in disgust. “There’s no way Erik’s little devil spawn gets to stay in the library.”
Charles didn’t want to do this, but now he must. It is a technique Charles goes to great lengths to avoid deploying, for it is the most brutal skill he possess. He begins by shaking at the most minuscule amount, barely noticeable. “But Emma…” He stammers once more, bottom lip wobbling. He bats his eyes once, then twice. Emma has taken notice by now, and Charles makes his shaking more pronounced. He visibly clutches the dog closer to his chest and adds a sniffle for effect. Emma, who already knows what’s to come, hardens her face in preparation. But they both know she’ll cave. Charles sniffles again, and lets the tears flow out. He purposely curls into the dog, who’s unaware of the current Erik-level manipulation happening at this very moment. Charles mumbles the smallest “Please?” and looks Emma right in the eye, forcing a flinch.
“Ok ok. He can come into the library. Just stop this emotional abuse.” Emma tilts her head away in defeat, instead opting to go back to work. “Now get out of my face.”
“Oh, you are the best Emma!” Charles beam, all notions of sadness escaping him. “Thanks!”
Charles slips back out of her office as quickly as he came in, and after he closes the dog, he gives the puppy a little fistbump.
+++
“Let me join your glorified arts and crafts club Alex.” Erik can’t believe he’s actually trying to join this damn club after two years of actively avoiding it. “I need to make something.”
“Oh really now?” Alex smirks, victory in his sights. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Just shut up and give me the forms.” Erik groans, wanting this conversation of end already. Alex coolly shrugs and digs around the mess that is his desk for the member application. Erik angrily taps his foot against the hard floor while he waits.
“Here, asshole.” Alex throws the application at Erik like it’s a ninja star and shoos him out of his ‘office’. After a moment of thinking, Alex asks, “Why are you joining anyways?”
“We got a dog and I want to name him Peanut Butter but Charles won’t let me get that carved onto a collar so I’m just going to make one for him.” Erik’s face is so serious Alex can’t help but laugh.
“Jesus man, Peanut Butter? Really?” Alex chokes out.
“Yes.” Erik’s minute scowl just makes Alex hack out laughs louder.
Alex honestly responds, “Whatever floats your fucked up boat.”
+++
Peanut Butter dashes up the stairs, collar jingling as he goes, up to the second floor to be with Charles. Most days he spends either eating food with Azazel or messing with the library goers, rarely visiting Erik (Mainly due to Erik’s extreme concentration on his homework and projects, he didn’t even notice Charles once!). Today though, Peanut Butter has decided to play guard dog with Charles. What that really means is Peanut Butter follows Charles around all day and stares at anyone Charles tries to help. He initially began to growl at them, but after multiple scoldings from Charles he’s finally learned to not be loud in the library.
When Charles questioned Erik about Peanut Butter’s behavior, Erik just mumbled ‘like father like son’ and laughed to himself. Charles just sighed in exasperation and kissed Erik on the cheek.