XMFC/Kiss and Control

[guideshapelead]

The next morning, Charles is awake far earlier than he normally would be, for once not having to be woken up by Erik's insistence. He's quiet and distant throughout breakfast, and with no classes first thing he quickly withdraws himself to his study.

It doesn't matter what Erik or anyone else says, he's still in turmoil over what he had almost done to Emma. He no longer trusts his own control. His powers have never truly scared him before now.

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[guideshapelead]

Charles rolls his chair to the edge of the sofa, staying where he is rather than moving onto the sofa at Erik's side. He wants to be able to get away quickly, just in case.

[diecastking]

Erik looks into Charles' eyes.

"I'm ready when you are."

[guideshapelead]

"What are you expecting me to do?" Charles asks back. He doesn't know what he's meant to be training.

[diecastking]

"What do you need?" Erik asks curiously.

He has always tried to move larger objects, but he knows he could use work on multiple objects and complex shaping. But what do telepaths do?

"Would you like to start with movement? Memory?"

[guideshapelead]

"Movement," Charles answers, if only because he really doesn't want to playing around with anyone's memories, particularly Erik's.

[diecastking]

Erik nods and throws up his walls. The ones he used to keep Emma out when she kidnapped him at New Year. The walls that kept Charles and the children safe.

It's strange without Charles touching his mind, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.

[guideshapelead]

Charles feels the separation just as keenly, frowning at the sense of loss he feels. Hesitantly, he reaches for those walls, but doesn't press too hard at them.

He knows Erik wants him to try and tear them down, but it feels... rude. Wrong.

[diecastking]

Erik feels the brush of Charles against his mind, but keeps him out. He needs to provoke Charles into acting.

In a split second, he lunges for Charles' chair, his knife flying from his belt to his hand.

[guideshapelead]

"Erik, what are you doing?!" Charles yells, hands going to the wheels of his chair on instinct to try and move himself backwards.

//Stop// The command breaks through Erik's walls, panicked.

[diecastking]

The command half-works: Erik's arm spasms, the knife falling, but he still hits the chair and knocks Charles backwards a few inches.

Erik rolls onto his back and tries to catch his breath.

"A good first effort, liebe."

[guideshapelead]

Charles just stares at Erik for a moment, stunned by what's just happened.

"What if that hadn't worked?!"

[diecastking]

Erik looks up at Charles from the floor and resists the urge to sigh.

"You really think I could hurt you, Charles?"

He gets up and returns to his place on the sofa, rechecking his walls. "Again."

[guideshapelead]

Charles still looks more than a little dubious, but as his heart rate returns to normal he manages to accept the idea of Erik's training style.

This time, his push against Erik's walls is more forceful.

[diecastking]

Erik pushes back, thinking of thick metal walls protecting his mind. He feels a pang of regret that he didn't bring his helmet, but that will have to wait until another day.

This time, Erik unleashes his power on Charles' chair, focussing on tearing it apart.

[guideshapelead]

//Erik! Stop!//

Again, the command is involuntary and panicked as Charles feels his chair shudder around him. This time, however, he follows up the command with a stronger push, less terrified for his life than before.

//Stop at once//

[diecastking]

Erik feels his head go strangely empty.

Blank.

. . .

[guideshapelead]

Charles' chair stops shaking beneath him, and for a moment he feels happy with himself, proud that he's managed to stop Erik through his shielding.

Then he realises he now can't hear anything at all from Erik, and panics again.

"Erik?"

//Erik? Are you still there?//

[diecastking]

Nothing.

Erik is stopped.

[guideshapelead]

//Erik?!// Charles is even more frantic now.

//Erik, talk to me!//

[diecastking]

Erik stutters to life.

"Yes, Charles?"

[guideshapelead]

"Oh, God..."

Charles rolls forward to press his hands to Erik's cheeks.

"I went too far. I'm so sorry."

[diecastking]

Erik frowns. He doesn't exactly remember what happened, but obviously Charles stopped him.

"I'm fine, liebe. That was good - you stopped me."

[guideshapelead]

"No..."

Charles looks close to tears as he pulls away.

"I'm not doing any more of this."

[diecastking]

Erik follows him, kneeling in front of Charles' chair.

"Charles, stop. This is exactly what we need to train. We now know you can stop me - you have to refine it to stop me in the way you want."

[guideshapelead]

"I did more than stop you, Erik!" Charles yells.

"This is... too far. Too dangerous."