[ 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. ]
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. )
[ 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. ]
( 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.
( 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. )
[ 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. ]
Yes, Erik. ( he hasn't forgotten about his offer to help him in the shower. he wasn't thinking he'd join him, but judging by the playful waggle of the man's eyebrows, erik's obviously hoping that he would. well, he's still on the fence about that. charles had been prepared to get soaked with his clothes on, not with his clothes off. the idea of being naked together in the shower has him feeling slightly nervous. )
I just don't want you slipping and cracking your head open. ( he slides his arm around erik's waist as they head up the stairs together. ) You are trouble, you know that? ( it's only a small complain. for the most part, charles happens to like erik too much for his own good. despite the fact erik's stayed put so far, he still thinks it's only a matter of time before he decides to leave. it's not something charles wants to dwell on. in fact, he hates thinking about it, but it's partly the reason why he's been hesitant to take this a step further. he's a fool attempting to guard his own heart from a man who already owns a great chunk of it. )
[ Erik leans on Charles a little bit, hearing the hesitation in his voice but still thinking that they're all right. After all, they've never done this before, so his nervousness could be for a myriad of reasons.
He would still prefer to wait and make it a romantic outing when they first make love, but they don't have to do too much today, especially since Charles will most likely be berating Erik for not watching out for his neck. ]
I am. And I won't. But you should help me make sure.
[ Once upstairs, he wastes no time in disrobing, feeling comfortable, only feeling a little bit in pain. Nothing out of the normal. ]
( charles is barefoot but remains fully dressed otherwise in his blue cardigan, shirt and jeans, though he's rolled up his sleeves as he's testing the water in the shower, making sure that it's just nice for erik -- warm. he turns around to take a quick look at him, frowning slightly when he spots the dark bruise on his hip. so sean hadn't been exaggerating when he'd told him the two had a bit of a scuffle in the kitchen. it's at the tip of his tongue to ask erik if he had said something to upset hank, but decides against it. he's not looking to blame either one of them for this. )
Alright, come on. Let's get you cleaned up. ( he simply goes to lean on the wall next to the shower at first, arms crossed over his chest, keeping close enough that he can reach erik in case he suddenly feels faint, concerned about that because they did release him from the hospital a day earlier than necessary. ) Ah. ( he smiles warmly at erik, meeting his eyes. charles knows what he's thinking. or he can make a pretty good guess. ) Were you hoping I'd be of more help? ( he reaches for the bar of soap then, offering it to the man, waiting to see what he'll do. )
[ Well, Charles does have him at a disadvantage. Erik's fully nude now, with his clothes neatly folded and draped over a chair. Aside from the bandage on his neck, he's got plenty of little scars. But other than that, he knows he looks good. He keeps a good form. He was kind of hoping that he'd be able to get Charles interested.
Apparently not. ]
Maybe just a little.
[ But he does take the soap, and starts to wash himself with it. ]
I'm feeling fine, though. I won't just fall down and hit my head. Promise.
( he raises his eyebrows slightly, but instead of leaving erik to his own devices, charles steps away from the wall, the water from the shower hitting him on the shoulder, soaking his sleeve. ) The thing is, I believe you said you’d be fine before I left the house the other day. ( he reaches for the bar of soap, taking it from erik's hand. )
It's not that I am not interested, you know. It’s just… ( he gestures to the bandage on erik’s neck. ) I am very concerned about you. And that sort of overrides everything else I’m feeling or should be feeling. So please don't take offense that I'm not wanting to get naked with you. You are gorgeous. ( he works the soap into a nice thick lather with his hands before depositing it in the plastic tray and helping erik in the shower. charles gives his arms and his shoulders a nice rub, getting rid of any tension there, letting erik lean against him if he wants. )
I did. I am fine, Charles. It's only a little wound.
[ But he appreciates Charles being here, as he might demonstrate from leaning into him, even though he's clothed. Erik's kind of a menace, but he's a cute one. ]
Offense taken anyway, because you needn't worry about me, Charles. I've survived worse than a fight with Hank.
[ And he does heave a long sigh when Charles rubs his shoulders, and Charles might be able to physically feel the tension leave his body. He gets a whiff of the cologne that's hanging between Charles' chest and his shirt, and it makes him feel safe and cared-for. He doesn't bother to mask those thoughts, or how much he cares for Charles in turn. ]
It's not just a little wound. He almost tore your throat out. ( erik's poor neck had to be stapled, so it's not just a few stitches and it might even leave a scar. charles lets out a slight shake of his head. erik downplaying this latest injury of his isn't making charles feel less worried. he's now convinced he has to pay twice as much attention on erik just to make sure he doesn't get into anymore trouble because the man seems to think getting into altercations with people isn't a big deal. in fact, charles thinks erik actively seeks them out for no good reason. )
I'm not having you strain your neck and risk having you bleed all over again. Do you know the doctor was against letting you leave? If I hadn't convinced him that you'd be properly cared for back home, you'd still be there. ( ranting now as he picks up a loofah, he adds more soap to it before he scrubs erik's back with it. he sucks in a breath to calm himself before murmuring an apology against erik's temple. he then shuts up and makes quick work of giving erik a thorough washing from head to toe before shampooing his hair. )
You know, Erik. I think this might be the longest shower you've ever taken. You're always so quick about it. ( whereas charles takes at least thirty minutes. well, if not more when he needs to shave. he gives the man's scalp a good massage as he works the shampoo in. at this point, charles' clothes is thoroughly soaked, but whatever. he's not minding it one bit. he just wants to get erik cleaned up and ready for a good lie down in bed. )
[ He takes quick showers because he doesn't know what else he's supposed to do in them, besides soap up, wash up, and leave. To his credit, this means that he never uses up all the hot water, but also that he always needs to shower before Charles does. ]
I'm meeting you in the middle.
[ But then he places his hands on Charles' chest, over his heart, feeling the warmth of him underneath. ]
You should take this off. It's soaked. You'll catch a cold if you wear it out of the shower.
[ This may or may not be a thinly-veiled excuse to get Charles naked, but if Charles isn't going to sexualize Erik's naked body, there needn't be a reason for Erik to sexualize Charles'. It's inconvenient for him to help him shower while he's dressed, and Erik's pretty sure his belt is real leather and his pants are real wool and those are awful things to get wet like this. ]
Promise I'll be good.
[ For whatever Erik's promises are worth. He does want to prove that he's just fine, but he can do that without attempting to flirt with the man again. In any case, he doesn't want to argue with Charles over how he is, medically. Erik's fine. His body is built to withstand all manners of scars, and Charles doesn't have to fuss, but Erik will let him because he likes it. ]
Promising you'll be good is also what you said before I left. ( but he does start removing his clothes and tossing it off to the side onto the dry floor of the bathroom. he might as well just take a shower too because they're already at risk of using up all the hot water and he doesn't want to take a cold shower. besides, it's not like he minds getting naked as long as erik behaves. )
Does this smell good to you? ( he takes a brand new bar soap and lathers it up, letting erik have a sniff of it. ) Raven says it's vanilla and bourbon. She bought a whole basket of different smelling soaps at the farmer's market last weekend.
[ Erik, for his word, is good, and doesn't ogle Charles and keeps his eyes and thoughts to himself. He does however, join Charles in the lather party and tries to help him clean too, so long as he's already here and they can both take up all the hot water in the house. ]
No.
[ He wrinkles his nose as the heat of the water makes the smell grow stronger and perfumes the whole shower. He can see why Raven would like this one so much. ]
Not a big fan of vanilla. It's too sweet.
[ He prefers woody scents, even floral or laconic scents are fine, but vanilla? He smells like a slightly boozy cupcake. And Charles smells like straight buttercream, creamy and soft. ]
Maybe this works better on Raven. Could I wash your hair?
Only if it won't hurt you to do it, then yes, please. ( he makes a face at the scent of vanilla and bourbon everywhere. too late now to switch soaps so he'll just wash it off as best as he can. he's definitely returning that one to raven so it won't go to waste. ) I'll have you pick out the ones you like and the ones you don't like later. ( charles isn't too fussed about soaps. but he does like to go with his usual scents. changing things up and being too experimental isn't his style. while erik's fussing with shampooing his hair, charles will just sneak a peek between erik's legs before he looks up at him, a bit of a cheeky smile in place. )
When you're all healed up, Erik, do you want to sleep with me?
[ Erik's not entirely sure what he expected Charles to say, especially when he's about to complain that he's being very good and Charles is not upholding his end of the bargain because Erik might not be able to read minds but he isn't blind, either --
-- And he's not expecting to hear that.
His hands twitch in Charles' hair, as he rubs shampoo through it. ]
Yes, I thought that was obvious.
[ He has tried very hard to keep his lewder thoughts under lock and key, but as they grow closer, those become more invasive, though he keeps making sure to distract his fantasies as soon as they start straying. It's difficult having a crush on a telepath. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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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?
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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. )
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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. ]
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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. )
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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. ]
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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. )
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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. )
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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. ]
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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. )
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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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I just don't want you slipping and cracking your head open. ( he slides his arm around erik's waist as they head up the stairs together. ) You are trouble, you know that? ( it's only a small complain. for the most part, charles happens to like erik too much for his own good. despite the fact erik's stayed put so far, he still thinks it's only a matter of time before he decides to leave. it's not something charles wants to dwell on. in fact, he hates thinking about it, but it's partly the reason why he's been hesitant to take this a step further. he's a fool attempting to guard his own heart from a man who already owns a great chunk of it. )
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He would still prefer to wait and make it a romantic outing when they first make love, but they don't have to do too much today, especially since Charles will most likely be berating Erik for not watching out for his neck. ]
I am. And I won't. But you should help me make sure.
[ Once upstairs, he wastes no time in disrobing, feeling comfortable, only feeling a little bit in pain. Nothing out of the normal. ]
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Alright, come on. Let's get you cleaned up. ( he simply goes to lean on the wall next to the shower at first, arms crossed over his chest, keeping close enough that he can reach erik in case he suddenly feels faint, concerned about that because they did release him from the hospital a day earlier than necessary. ) Ah. ( he smiles warmly at erik, meeting his eyes. charles knows what he's thinking. or he can make a pretty good guess. ) Were you hoping I'd be of more help? ( he reaches for the bar of soap then, offering it to the man, waiting to see what he'll do. )
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Apparently not. ]
Maybe just a little.
[ But he does take the soap, and starts to wash himself with it. ]
I'm feeling fine, though. I won't just fall down and hit my head. Promise.
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It's not that I am not interested, you know. It’s just… ( he gestures to the bandage on erik’s neck. ) I am very concerned about you. And that sort of overrides everything else I’m feeling or should be feeling. So please don't take offense that I'm not wanting to get naked with you. You are gorgeous. ( he works the soap into a nice thick lather with his hands before depositing it in the plastic tray and helping erik in the shower. charles gives his arms and his shoulders a nice rub, getting rid of any tension there, letting erik lean against him if he wants. )
I should have probably run you a bath instead.
you have the record for most edits lmao
[ But he appreciates Charles being here, as he might demonstrate from leaning into him, even though he's clothed. Erik's kind of a menace, but he's a cute one. ]
Offense taken anyway, because you needn't worry about me, Charles. I've survived worse than a fight with Hank.
[ And he does heave a long sigh when Charles rubs his shoulders, and Charles might be able to physically feel the tension leave his body. He gets a whiff of the cologne that's hanging between Charles' chest and his shirt, and it makes him feel safe and cared-for. He doesn't bother to mask those thoughts, or how much he cares for Charles in turn. ]
omg! look, look. i edit with love, k. dwi. ;;
I'm not having you strain your neck and risk having you bleed all over again. Do you know the doctor was against letting you leave? If I hadn't convinced him that you'd be properly cared for back home, you'd still be there. ( ranting now as he picks up a loofah, he adds more soap to it before he scrubs erik's back with it. he sucks in a breath to calm himself before murmuring an apology against erik's temple. he then shuts up and makes quick work of giving erik a thorough washing from head to toe before shampooing his hair. )
You know, Erik. I think this might be the longest shower you've ever taken. You're always so quick about it. ( whereas charles takes at least thirty minutes. well, if not more when he needs to shave. he gives the man's scalp a good massage as he works the shampoo in. at this point, charles' clothes is thoroughly soaked, but whatever. he's not minding it one bit. he just wants to get erik cleaned up and ready for a good lie down in bed. )
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I'm meeting you in the middle.
[ But then he places his hands on Charles' chest, over his heart, feeling the warmth of him underneath. ]
You should take this off. It's soaked. You'll catch a cold if you wear it out of the shower.
[ This may or may not be a thinly-veiled excuse to get Charles naked, but if Charles isn't going to sexualize Erik's naked body, there needn't be a reason for Erik to sexualize Charles'. It's inconvenient for him to help him shower while he's dressed, and Erik's pretty sure his belt is real leather and his pants are real wool and those are awful things to get wet like this. ]
Promise I'll be good.
[ For whatever Erik's promises are worth. He does want to prove that he's just fine, but he can do that without attempting to flirt with the man again. In any case, he doesn't want to argue with Charles over how he is, medically. Erik's fine. His body is built to withstand all manners of scars, and Charles doesn't have to fuss, but Erik will let him because he likes it. ]
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Does this smell good to you? ( he takes a brand new bar soap and lathers it up, letting erik have a sniff of it. ) Raven says it's vanilla and bourbon. She bought a whole basket of different smelling soaps at the farmer's market last weekend.
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No.
[ He wrinkles his nose as the heat of the water makes the smell grow stronger and perfumes the whole shower. He can see why Raven would like this one so much. ]
Not a big fan of vanilla. It's too sweet.
[ He prefers woody scents, even floral or laconic scents are fine, but vanilla? He smells like a slightly boozy cupcake. And Charles smells like straight buttercream, creamy and soft. ]
Maybe this works better on Raven. Could I wash your hair?
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When you're all healed up, Erik, do you want to sleep with me?
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-- And he's not expecting to hear that.
His hands twitch in Charles' hair, as he rubs shampoo through it. ]
Yes, I thought that was obvious.
[ He has tried very hard to keep his lewder thoughts under lock and key, but as they grow closer, those become more invasive, though he keeps making sure to distract his fantasies as soon as they start straying. It's difficult having a crush on a telepath. ]
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