XMFC/Accidents Happen

[guideshapelead]

Charles is far from impressed with the drugs Hank's given him. So far, he's taking them obediently, but he has to admit that it's already a struggle to keep up the regime. He hasn't had another seizure, and for that he is grateful, but the cost is almost too much. His concentration is shot; he can barely manage a chapter of a book in one sitting, now, whereas before he'd skim whole volumes. And worse, his telepathy has been weakened to a level which is almost non-existent. He has to try, with all his concentration and mental strength, just to catch glimpses of thoughts aimed directly at him.

His head has never felt so quiet.

As a consequence, he's in far from a good mood as he sits in the drawing room with Erik that afternoon, struggling to do more than watch the flames in the fireplace. He finds the whole thing far more crippling than the bullet in his spine.

Comments

[guideshapelead]

"We'll bring you up some dinner, if you're hungry?" Charles offers. He's sure Raven's made more than enough for Alex and Erik to have their own share.

[diecastking]

Alex wrinkles his nose. "What's she made? Let me look at it."

He marches towards the kitchen to see what Raven's up to. He trusts her most out of all of them, but it's still his kitchen.

Erik sweeps a still-sooted thumb over Charles's face. "Hello."

[guideshapelead]

"Hello," Charles replies, stretching up to try and get his hands around Erik's neck. He wants more than just a brush of fingers over his face.

[diecastking]

Erik bends down and wraps his arms around Charles. "Missed me?"

[guideshapelead]

"More than you can imagine," Charles admits soberly, pressing his lips to Erik in a gentle kiss. The silence inside his head is far worse than any of the aches and pains his seizures leave behind them.

[diecastking]

Erik kisses him, then murmurs in his ear.

"We'll have dinner and then you can show me."

[guideshapelead]

Charles presses their foreheads together before they part, trying once more to force some sort of connection between them. But again there's absolutely nothing.

[diecastking]

Erik moves through to the kitchen, where Raven and Alex are fussing over some kind of pasta.

"Supper and then rest," Erik says firmly. He doesn't intend to delay getting to his own bed tonight.

[guideshapelead]

"Alex, you should be in bed already," Charles scolds softly, not overly concerned but feeling the need to do his fatherly duty.

"Straight to bed when you've eaten."

[diecastking]

Erik gently guides Alex to a chair, as Raven dishes up the tomato pasta.

"Have you asked Hank what happened?" he says to Raven.

"Oh, I know," Alex says, mouth already full of pasta. "It was a new thing he bought in town."

[guideshapelead]

"A new thing?" Charles can't help his scepticism. For all that he doesn't doubt Hank's genius, his 'new things' have previously crippled him, given him seizures and now got rid of his mutant ability.

[diecastking]

Alex nods vigorously. "He called it a...plate-cleaner? Something like that. But he thought it was too small so he started taking it apart and..." He waves his fork. "You know Hank."

Erik shoots Charles a look. "Yes, we do."

[guideshapelead]

"He needs to be more careful," Charles frowns. He knows no real harm has been done, today, but he's very aware that things could have turned out very differently.

"I don't want any more rooms collapsing."

[diecastking]

"I'll tell Bozo," Alex promises, before getting up, saluting them all, and heading for the door.

Raven shakes her head. "What did they give him in the hospital?"

"Painkillers," Erik says with a smile. "I'm heading for bed. Charles?"

[guideshapelead]

"Yes," Charles nods in agreement. He'd feel guiltier about leaving his sister with the washing up if he could reach the sink.

[diecastking]

"Don't mind me," Raven says mildly. "I'll just make tea for my charred blue boyfriend and pretend you're going to separate rooms."

Erik raises an eyebrow but said nothing. He'd suspected as much anyway.

[guideshapelead]

Charles takes the news with far more interest than Erik, though keeps himself from saying anything. His sister and Hank are both adults, something he often forgets.

"Good night, Raven," he manages instead, before following Erik from the room.

[diecastking]

Erik follows, hand on Charles' shoulder as they head to their bedroom.

"Were you not expecting that?"

[guideshapelead]

"Was I expecting it? No. Does it surprise me now that I know? No." Charles answers.

"Considering the adventures of today, it's the least of my concerns."

[diecastking]

Erik frowns at Charles as they get into the lift.

"Are you still thinking about that?"

[guideshapelead]

"You expect me to have forgotten already?" Charles frowns right back at Erik.

"I thought I'd - I could have lost you, Erik. And the boys, too."

[diecastking]

As they step out of the lift, Erik shrugs.

"I've always lived with danger, Charles. I never expected to live this long."

[guideshapelead]

Stopping in his tracks, Charles looks up at Erik with a look of utter desperation across his features.

"Don't... don't say that. Don't ever say that."

[diecastking]

Erik realises Charles has stopped and turns, horrified at the look on Charles' face. He hurries back and places his hand on Charles' cheek.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

[guideshapelead]

"I need you, Erik," Charles looks up into the other man's face.

"I need you by my side."