Prompt Post: ROUND TWO

[oakenshields13]

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[Fill] Roses in December (1/?)

[anonymous]

Here’s the third fill for this wonderful prompt. I apologize if it's horrible. Title is inspired but the following quote: “God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” - James Matthew Barrie.

Erik had expected Charles’ near constant presence in the back of his mind to burst into life, reprimanding him for kissing his darling, overprotected, clearly stifled little sister. But there had been nothing and despite himself, Erik was worried.

He knew that he was being ridiculous, but the worry persisted. He managed to push the thought from his mind for almost an hour, tossing and turning in his bed until he finally gave up, pulled on a robe and rushed down the hall back to friend’s room. The door was unlocked. He pushed the door open, but froze on the threshold.

Charles was neither asleep in his bed nor curled up in an armchair reading some verbose academic text; instead he was curled up on the window seat, his forehead pressed against the glass, staring off into the distance.

Which was fine. Charles could do whatever he wanted on the eve before Shaw’s storm and Erik almost left right then and there, but something about the situation bothered him. He leaned casually against the doorframe watching Charles look out on the grounds for several minutes before he realized what was wrong.

Charles hadn’t noticed him.

Throughout their entire acquaintance Erik had never been able to sneak up on Charles, not once. And yet, Charles had no idea he was there.

Erik frowned. Something was definitely wrong with Charles.

“What are you looking at?” Erik asked.

Charles jumped in surprise, reaffirming Erik’s suspicion that the other had not noticed his presence. The telepath automatically turned to look at Erik, but looked away just as quickly, wiping frantically at his face.

He had been crying, Erik realized.

“Ah, Erik,” Charles said after a moment, a painfully forced smile on his face. “I thought you had gone to bed.”

So had I, Erik thought to himself, thinking of Raven. But that was no longer important. Now he was far more interested in finding out what or who exactly had upset his friend to the point that he would cry.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, completely bypassing the non-question.

Charles flinched and rubbed abortively at his face as thought the action could erase the tears Erik had already seen.

“It’s nothing,” Charles said, directing his gaze back out the window. It was a clear dismissal, but such strangely abrupt behavior from Charles of all people only spurred Erik onward.

“Clearly not,” Erik disagreed, his brow furrowing. “Are you worried about tomorrow?”

Charles jerked away from whatever he had been looking at to look back at him in honest surprise. “Of course not, my friend. I have faith in all of us,” he said firmly, his usual spark returning with the force of his conviction.