shipping | open + overflow post

[ Technically, they're not in public. It's a private hospital room, and Erik hadn't invited Raven or Hank in. Charles had done that. They are welcome, but Erik had been sleeping, and they had just been... watching him. Plus, it's not like he hasn't walked in on Raven and Hank doing questionable things. ]

I don't need rest. I'm feeling much better. The infection's gone down. It's no longer bothering me.

[ Once they leave, Erik states: ]

I could get changed, myself. But I like you having your hands on me.

[ He gives him a little look, and stands up to disrobe. He might be a little worse for wear, and okay, like, unshowered. But he still cuts an imposing figure, and he's not afraid to have Charles see. Honestly, he's a tiny bit vain. He knows he looks great. ]

( he was in the midst of reaching for the clothes to sort through them since raven brought a few options in case erik's going to be fussy about what he wants to wear when he catches the look on erik's face before the man just lets his hospital gown pool at his feet as he disrobes. charles raises his eyebrows slightly, mouth opening and closing like he's struggling to say something, but really, he was the one who wanted to help him get dressed, so what is he even going to complain about? he settles for a bit of an eye roll as he steps closer to erik. he does give him a good once-over though, just a swift, casual, appraising sort of glance, mostly concerned if he'd hurt himself anywhere else after last night's scuffle with hank. )

You do still have a bit of a fever, so I wouldn't overdo it if I were you. ( he looks him in the eye as he says this. erik might be feeling better right now, but he's probably going to feel like shit again later in the day. ) Here. We've got this t-shirt with two penguins on it. ( he shows it to erik. it's one of hank's bigger shirts that he uses when he's in his beast form. ) I think you'll look absolutely adorable in it. Shall we put this on you, my darling?

Edited (meh. typo. my life.) 2022-09-19 03:58 (UTC)

You didn't bring any of my usual clothes?

[ Charles could have just gone in his wardrobe and picked out anything. Really. Erik wasn't all that fussy about his clothes, from his wardrobe. But he also had coordinated all the pieces to work together, because he is a man with limited closet space, who usually just takes a suitcase with him from place to place. He only has room for two suits and a couple turtlenecks. ]

I suppose I will have to wear the shirt.

Do I at least get my own trousers?

[ He's not getting into Hank's pants. ]

It wasn't me. It was Raven. But yes, I think you do have your own trousers. ( he hands that over to erik, expecting him to be able to put that on himself as he stands on his tiptoes a little in order to pull the large shirt over the top of Erik's head, being ever so careful with that neck of his, not wanting to further exacerbate the injury. he takes the trousers back from erik then, tossing it on the bed because he realizes he needs to get erik's hands through the armholes. ) This seems a lot more complicated than I thought it'd be. I suppose it's obvious now that I've never, in my life, helped anyone get dressed before. Getting undressed though... ( he lets a little playful smile form on his lips. ) So much easier.

Are you alright? ( he finally gets erik's arms through and slowly tugs and smooths the shirt down, looking proud that they'd managed to accomplish that. ) Well, I apologize if you were expecting this to be a sensual, seductive act between the two us. I am all over the place. ( he looks around again. ) You need underwear.

[ Erik looks down. ]

I do.

[ He's looking a bit like Winnie the Pooh at the moment, which honestly, is not really a good look for Erik. And the man could probably pull off a trash bag.

Still, he reaches over for his underwear lest Charles get an aneurysm from touching it, and he puts it on, then goes to figure out his pants. Look, it wasn't like he was expecting things to get raunchy in the hospital room with Hank and Raven outside, but he was at least hoping it might pique Charles' interest. ]

We have plenty of time for that later.

[ He pulls his pants up, and tucks the shirt into the waistband. He does look positively cute, because it's way too big for him. ]

( the thing is charles is very much interested in erik's nakedness, and if they had been anywhere else but here, he might have actually taken the time to appreciate how good he looks without any clothes on. he's not, however, going to entertain doing that sort of thing while they're here in the worst possible place. what little he did see though is now forever ingrained in his mind that he can easily picture the man naked right now even though he's fully dressed. charles blinks, sees erik in that shirt that's way too big for him and he can't help but let out an amused grin as he looks at him. )

I am going to have to get my camera out the minute we get home because you look absolutely darling in that. ( it's a good thing erik's claiming he's feeling all better. surely he wouldn't mind posing for a photograph or two then. he's fairly serious about that. )

Here. ( charles does give him a jacket, helping erik to put it on before they head outside, saving him from any embarrassment. or rather, saving anyone from getting themselves into trouble if they were to give erik a funny look. the last thing he wants is for erik to get into another altercation. )

[ He accepts the jacket, and before they go out of the room, he pulls Charles in to give him a quick, but solid kiss. He's very recently realized he loves this man, and, well. That's a lot for him, there's a lot that's new for him about being in love.

And sometimes it means navigating slightly awkward situations such as this, where he's wearing Hank's t-shirt and had to have Charles put him to sleep at the hospital. ]

I'll erase the film, dear.

[ He won't. But he doesn't exactly want to commemorate the occasion. ]

Ready?

( he's thirty years old, and after a string of one-night stands; with charles having absolutely no interest in pursuing a longterm relationship with anyone, he's finally found someone he actually wants to be with all the time and it just had to be this man, this complicated, somewhat impossible man. it's ridiculous, but he loves being with erik. it's exciting. it's exhilarating. it's fun. and -- as he's pulled in close all of a sudden, he's realizing that erik's kisses are turning out to be his favorite thing in the world. )

One second... ( he brushes erik's hair back, combing it with his fingers. he knows the man cares for his appearance because he always puts in the effort to look good, whereas charles really can't care less right now that he's looking a bit disheveled. he's tired and he just wants to get erik home, safe and sound. )

There. You are ever so handsome. Let's go. ( he steals a kiss from him right before opening the door. once they're outside, charles goes over to raven and places an arm around her shoulder. he kisses her on the temple, thanking her for coming to get them as they're walking down the hall together. charles then lets his hand brush against erik's, catching hold of his fingers for the briefest of moments before he lets go. )

[ Erik has always thought that he would never stay in any one place long, never long enough to settle down, certainly. But Charles has changed him, because he feels for Charles so immensely.

It's dangerous for Charles to take his hand outside of this room, but he feels just a little bit emptier when they're not touching. Still, he says nothing. He ices out any reaction. No one outside the kids can know.

Usually, Erik's the one driving, but he feels like that might not be a good idea, so he leans against the window in the passenger seat instead. ]

Any chance there's leftover pizza in the fridge from last night?

( charles is driving with hank and raven sitting in the back. he reads hank's mind easily enough at erik's question, wrinkling his nose slightly at the mention of leftover pizza in the fridge. that doesn't sound very appetizing, especially for a first meal of the day and at this hour? no, thank you. )

I believe Moira's gone to the trouble of making us a breakfast spread, Erik. ( he cants his head to the side then. ) And Hank's eaten all the pizza.

[ Erik frowns a little bit. He liked that pizza. He was going to eat the rest of the pizza.

But homemade breakfast sounds fine, he guesses.

The drive is mostly uneventful, which is just fine by him, and then when he gets into the house, he tries to walk on his own. Sean makes a joke about his shirt, and Erik rolls his eyes and takes a seat at the table. ]

Charles, do you want some tea?

( erik, ever so stubborn. charles let him walk on his own, but he'd stayed close, just in case the man takes a tumble. erik's still on medication and that might make him feel woozy, but he's glad he seems to have the appetite for breakfast. )

Yes, love. I'll have some tea. ( not that he's expecting erik to pour him a cup because thankfully hank sets about doing just that for all of them. as ambitious as erik is with his attempts to show them that he's fine, he still might have difficulties handling a full teapot, and this one happens to be one of his favorites. the antique white porcelain pot has been with his family since the 1800s. charles thanks moira for preparing the breakfast and sits next to erik, helping him with his breakfast plate. )

Would you like a scone? Or a piece of toast? ( he rests his hand on erik's forearm then. ) I know you're perfectly capable of handling this yourself, Erik, but will you allow me to spoil you for the day?

[ It's so bad that the kids don't even roll their eyes and scoff at how cute Charles is being with him. That means he must look like shit. Or that Hank feels very guilty. Which makes sense, the guy won't even look Erik in the eyes. ]

Fine. I'll take a scone. Mind getting me some lemon curd? Or can I still do that myself? My powers remain unimpaired.

[ He takes a sip of his tea and reaches for the newspaper, because that's the kind of man he is. Raven, meanwhile, always does the crosswords by the time Erik gets to it. And usually leaves doodles in the margins. Today there's a little frog staring back at him next to an article about overfishing in upstate New York. ]

How was your conference, Charles?

It was great. I met Weismann from the Institute for Molecular Genetics. Apparently, he's been wanting to show me his collection of books from the 1850s for ages now. I must have his missed his letters somehow. Hank, you ought to check our mailbox every once in a while. ( he breaks the scone into two pieces with his hands and spreads the lemon curd on it for erik. )

So, the man's got, hear this, the first edition copy of Darwin's On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection. Can you believe it? ( he's so impressed. ) Max has invited me to go over to his house for the weekend over the summer holidays. ( he said yes. like he'd miss an opportunity to check out his library. it's practically dedicated to the study of genetics and biology. ) Of course, I'll bring you along. ( he's learned his lesson about leaving erik to his own devices. )

Edited (;;) 2022-09-21 04:34 (UTC)

[ Yeah, that was it, and not because Erik's jealous by nature and Charles is gushing about this dude's big library and cool book. Erik could've gotten him a first-edition copy of Darwin's book. Totally.

He grumbles a bit because it's hard to hide your thoughts from a telepath, and takes a bite of the scone. It's exactly what he needs. Fluffy, warm, lemony. ]

Guess I won't have to bring anything to read.

Who'll watch the others? Raven?

[ Raven's great, but she's not exactly responsible. Charles definitely still treats her like a little kid, so she sometimes still has those tendencies to be a bit immature and childlike at times. ]

Certainly not. ( he doesn't trust raven to look after the house and the kids. ) We'll just have to figure something out later. ( charles busies himself with getting erik a plate of eggs, sausage, bacon and toast. it's not pizza, but it's savory at least. )

Or maybe you lot could just come along with us. Yes? ( that earns him a resounding no from almost everyone at the table and charles lets out a slight shake of his head, although he's looking very much amused. ) There's nothing wrong with spending time in a library full of books. I am disappointed in you, Hank. ( clearly, raven's been a bad influence on him. ) But this is why I adore you, Erik. You read as much as I do. Or, well, almost as much.

I'm going to help you in the shower as soon as we're done with breakfast. ( quick little thing sent to erik in secret as he bites down on his scone. )

[ Erik nearly chokes on his eggs as Charles sends him that thought. Nobody but Raven notices, who definitely shoots Charles an eyeroll.

He also places his hand over Charles'. ]

The others don't want to go to the library, it's all right. Maybe I'll take you to see some of the sights.

[ Now all the kids are rolling their eyes and busy themselves quickly talking about anything else. It seems to have broken the tension quite nicely, since Erik appears to be in better health, so now they all feel like they can talk away again. ]

Maxwell was telling me he owns acres and acres of land so we should be able to enjoy a quiet stroll around the area. ( charles gives raven a look, imploring her to be nice, please. it might not have worked out for her and erik, but it's not like things aren't going well with her and hank. at least, as far as he's aware. it's hard to keep up with raven's ever changing interests in the men in her life. there was a time when she was constantly trying to get him to agree to go out with her which was entirely inappropriate. he's always thought of her as a sister and nothing more. )

What else did you get up to yesterday? ( he turns his attention back to erik. he'd left them for no more than a day and a half. )

[ To say things hadn't gone well with Erik and Raven was an understatement. She'd been in his bed and he'd told her she was too young and had given her what he'd assumed to be a sweet but platonic kiss, meant to infer that she should try to find a nice man her own age. And with a more similar temperament.

But perhaps he exacerbated things between them instead, because now she seems to be slightly upset that Erik has taken up an interest in her brother, which. Okay, fair, but it wasn't like she hadn't been interested in him either. ]

Mostly we played games. But nobody else wants to play chess with me. Just you, darling.

[ Sean cuts in to explain that it's because Erik's too good at chess and it's no fun to play against him. ]

You won't play me in Risk, either.

( charles makes a little noise in agreement when sean says that erik is too good at chess. he's never been able to beat him. not even when he tries to read his mind. despite always losing though, he still enjoys it, because he does so love the challenge. )

What about parcheesi? Or Snakes and Ladders? I'm sure the kids would love that. ( too simple and childish for erik, he supposes. he sees raven giving him another roll of her eyes. ) What? ( he knows what she's going to say before she even says it. that she's not a kid. ) Well, I practically raised you. ( he swallows down the last bit of his scone before drinking some tea. ) You're always going to be a kid to me. My baby sister. ( and there she goes, grabbing hank's hand and leaving the table. ) Oh, come on. Raven. ( he's not making the effort to get up from his seat though, not really wanting to leave erik's side. he's too tired. he doesn't want to get into another stupid argument with her this early in the day. he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. )

I swear, I don't know what's gotten into her lately.

[ This is a conversation for another time, not in front of the kids, but Erik does loudly think that She's not a child, Charles. She's an adult, even if she is your baby sister. She wants to be seen as a woman.

Which is unfortunate, because she wanted everyone to see her as a grown woman, which is one of the reasons she'd come onto Erik in the first place. But he had no intention of seeing her in a romantic way, which is what she apparently thought she needed, as an adult.

But she'll learn, someday. ]

Should I go after her?

( probing for more answers than he should. that's what charles is doing as he reads erik's mind. and he's not bothering to be subtle about it either because his jaw clenches slightly at the question. ) No. ( erik's not interested in her romantically. well, that's a relief. or things would get rather awkward between them. if he had found that erik had developed even the slightest bit of interest in his sister, charles thinks he wouldn't wish to get between that at all. )

Not unless you want to ruin her moment with Hank. ( he refocuses his attention back on his breakfast, pouring himself more tea. )

I'll talk to her later. ( alex lets out a scoff saying that it better be later. knowing the two, they're probably at it again. ) Right, Alex. Thank you. ( he gives him a weary sort of look. things no one needs to know. thankfully, sean starts talking to them about the 'alfred hitchcock hour' episodes that he's been watching, regaling them with the stories. charles lets out a soft laugh as he listens to sean's exaggerated retellings. he's seen some of those episodes and he's fairly sure half of what sean's claiming happened hadn't happened at all. )

[ Erik's pretty sure of it too, but he listens to Sean talk about the stories because he seems so animated about it. Alex in the meantime, starts clearing up the dishes, because it's his turn to clean. The kids are swell, aren't they? ]

I think you dreamed that one up.

[ He can't help but interject. ]

No need to feel ashamed about it, but I'm sure that only happened in your nightmares, Sean.

[ He quickly pops the last bite of his scone in his mouth so that Alex can take away his plate. Aside from the stitches on his neck, this is a perfectly normal morning with all of them. ]

Thank you so much, Alex. ( charles lets him clear his plate as well. the boys are great and he's really glad to have opened up his home to them. he'd like to talk to erik someday about turning the house into a school for more of these youngsters to learn about their abilities. he's really been enjoying training the new recruits and he thinks erik's been having a good time of it too. he wants erik's support and his help. he doesn't think he can do it all on his own and he believes they'll be able to accomplish so much together.

charles lifts his hand up to sort of ruffle erik's hair when he teases sean, continuing to massage the man's scalp with his fingers as he rests his elbow on the back of erik's chair, listening to the exchange between the two. it's really amusing, and adorable. )

Let's get you upstairs, darling. ( the thought is sent to erik after a good few minutes. moira's left a little while ago. the two boys are off to play a game of tennis outside and it's just them now. charles leans in to press a kiss to erik's lips. he tastes of lemon and strawberries. sweet. charles reaches to get another fresh strawberry from the table and pops that into his mouth before he gets up, helping erik to a stand. )

Edited (le sigh...) 2022-09-22 05:49 (UTC)

[ The kiss tastes sweet, and he loves little moments like this. Since all the boys are gone, and so is Moira, he looks at Charles and waggles his eyebrows a little bit. ]

You were saying about a shower?

[ Because Erik does think he could use one, but he also thinks that they ought to take one together. And maybe he could convince Charles to work off a little bit of the tension that they'd been feeling lately. ]

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