Prompt Post: ROUND ONE
ROUND ONE
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OVERFLOW AND UNFILLED PROMPTS POST
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Flat view.
Round One: Fills Post (completed Fills only)
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IS CLOSED
| ALL ROUNDS | ROUND TWO >>
OVERFLOW AND UNFILLED PROMPTS POST
Rules post.
Flat view.
Round One: Fills Post (completed Fills only)
Round One: Updates Post (WIPs only)
damalur's firstclasskink on Delicious.
Volunteers always welcome.
Note: Please use the Discussion Post if you want to talk about community alterations or get ( Read more... )
The man seen closer was more handsome than Erik felt he could confidently deal with at that time of the morning. He had his bright blue eyes focused on Wanda even though Pietro was swinging the door impatiently behind her. The man leant against the doorjamb as easily as if he had always been there and Erik felt himself unconsciously swallow.
“Here he is,” Pietro said when he spotted Erik, rudely interrupting his sister as usual. Wanda stomped on his foot and Pietro managed to pinch her once before Erik swiftly moved between them.
“Ah, you do look strong,” the man said and, damn him, Erik could feel a flush rise up his neck. “I mean, sorry, my name is Charles Xavier - your new neighbour.”
“Erik,” Erik said, clasping the out-stretched hand. Charles smiled at him and Erik found himself returning it for no reason he could detect.
“Your son told me that you were very strong,” Charles said, nodding at Pietro.
“Did he now?” Erik asked, looking down at Pietro who shrug.
“I told him that I needed someone to help me with my piano,” Charles said with a similar shrugged. He leant forwards conspiratorally and Erik fond himself mirroring the movement. “I don’t exactly trust my movers - they’ve already nearly dropped it once.”
“I saw,” Erik said before he could stop himself. This time the smile that flashed across Charles’ face was slightly different, pleased rather than pleasing.
“Do you think you could possibly help?” Charles asked. “I think between four of us we should be able to manage it.”
“I shouldn’t leave the children -” Erik said, hesitant.
“Oh, not to worry, my sister can look after them for a while,” Charles waved a hand dismissively and called over his shoulder: “Raven! Stop shouting at those poor men and come here for a moment.”
The blonde woman joined them while Erik was still trying to tamp down the spark of pleasure that had ignited in his chest when Charles said ‘sister’. They didn’t look very much alike at all but they behaved just as sibling-like as Erik’s children.
“Raven, this is Erik, Erik - my sister, Raven,” Charles said, waving between them.
“Only on a technicality,” Raven said, grinning.
“A point of which she never tires of reminding me,” Charles said, rolling his eyes. “Erik has agreed to help us if you mind his children for a few minutes.”
“Sure,” Raven said and Erik realised her accent was American rather Oxbridge like her brother’s. “That’s pretty good of you.”
“Well -” Erik started to say that he hadn’t agreed to anything but Charles’ hand was already wrapping around his elbow and Wanda was handing him his trainers and he was being tugged out the doorway before he’d even registered what had happened.
“Do tell me if I’m being to forward,” Charles said, squeezing Erik’s elbow once before letting go. “I’m afraid I can be somewhat socially awkward at times.”
“It’s alright,” Erik said, taking a moment to push his feet into his trainers. “I’m not entirely awake enough to mind.”
“Excellent,” Charles said, clapping his hands together and laughing. “Now I know the best time of day to ask for a cup of sugar.”
“Does anyone even do that anymore?” Erik asked, following Charles down his path. “It seems a little old-fashioned.”
“You’ll find I can be quite old-fashioned,” Charles said over his shoulder. “I hope you won’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Erik said, absently petting his hair down again. “I like old-fashioned things.”
“Then we shall get along splendidly, my friend,” Charles said, flashing that pleased smile again. Erik felt a small bloom of heat in his heart and fought to press it down again
There was no way he was prepared for this.
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I love kid!fics. This is adorable and amazing and Erik is such a foxy dad. You're doing fantastic things here, and I can't wait for more. <3
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AHHH this is wonderful and lovely so far!!! Thank you Anon!!! can't wait to see how this ends up!!
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“I’m a professor,” Charles said as they joined the two moving men at the piano.
“Sorry?” Erik asked. He wasn’t quite awake enough to follow Charles’ conversation leaps.
“You were, ah, probably wondering what brings me to Oxford,” Charles said. Erik wondered for a moment at the way Charles had edited himself mid-sentence before nodding his agreement.
“Aren’t you a little young?” Erik asked as Charles braced himself at one end of the piano.
“I’m terribly smart,” Charles said with a smile. He jerked his head to his left and Erik joined him, looking for good handholds.
“And modest?” Erik asked, unable to stop himself. Charles retorted with another smile. Erik had never seen someone so free with their smiles.
“That too,” Charles said, nodding to the movers.
The four of them bent their knees and raised the piano slowly. Then began the peculiarly shuffling walk of four men desperately trying not drop something that was probably worth more than they earned in a year.
“My field is genetics,” Charles continued as they made their way cautiously up the path. “The mutations thereof, to be specific, and how they apply to evolution. Evolutionary genetic mutation, I suppose, would be the best way to put it.”
“Right,” Erik said, adjusting his grip slightly as they neared the door. “You’d be working at the Wellcome, then?”
“I have been lucky enough to secure a position there, yes,” Charles nodded, a trace of surprise in his voice. As if it was possible to live in Oxford and not know anything about the University buildings.
“They gave me my own department,” Charles added. “You go through the door first, gentlemen, I’ll guide you.”
“That must be nice for you,” Erik said as they manoeuvred the piano through the wide doorway. Charles laughed.
“There’s no need to pretend interest, my friend,” Charles said, shaking his head. “A little to the left please. Your other left! Raven calls me a bore often enough for me to believe it.”
“No, no,” Erik said, determined not to make a false impression on this ridiculously attractive man. “I’m sure it’s fascinating - but it really is too early in the morning.”
“Well, I - thank you,” Charles said, suddenly flustered. He coughed and looked away from Erik. “Perhaps we could discuss it over a pint or five some time. I’m reliably informed I’m a good speaker.”
“I’m not surprised,” Erik said, mostly to himself, but Charles laughed again and nudged him companionably with a shoulder. Erik fought down a blush and focused on the house.
The hallway was a lot wider than his own, his footsteps echoing on dark wooden floorboards, but light and airy owing to a skylight far above them. Plush carpeted stairs climbed up to the first floor, bordered by an ornate carved banister.
“Through here please,” Charles said to the movers, indicating with his head the wide entrance of the front room. “Raven likes the idea of entertaining,” he added to Erik. “She’s a fine player but I fear if you’re looking for old-fashioned sentiments you need look no further than her concept of the professorial life. She watches too many films.”
Erik had half hoped Charles was the player, sparing a brief thought for those fingers caressing the keys, and in a way it surprised him that it was Raven.
“She gives off a studied air of energy,” Charles said as they set the piano in one corner of the room. “That will do, gentlemen, I’m sure Erik won’t mind helping me shift it when Raven eventually decides where she wants it.”
The movers returned to their lorry and Charles brushed a hand over the lid of the piano.
“The piano is one of the few things my sister allows herself to be patient about,” Charles said, tilting a half smile up at Erik. “You should hear her play sometime.”
“I’d like that,” Erik said, honestly.
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“I,” Erik ducked his head, embarrassed as always. “I’m a sculptor. Metal, mostly.”
“You must be very good to afford such a home,” Charles said, curiosity in his tone. “Would I know your work?”
“I sell under a pseudonym,” Erik said, shrugging. “I do well enough.”
“You’re going to make me find this out on my own, aren’t you?” Charles asked, eyes sparking with amusement.
“That’s - I wasn’t -” Erik stumbled over his words.
“Excellent! I do enjoy a challenge,” Charles said, reaching a hand out and squeezing Erik’s shoulder. “I think I’ll enjoy this one very much.”
Charles bounced out of the room and Erik stared, bewildered, after him
“It is far to early in the morning for this,” Erik said, following him after a moment. Wanda and Pietro were good enough to allow him to sleep on weekends, fixing their own cereal and peacefully watching cartoons until at least ten. This was not supposed to be interrupted by handsome men needing help with pianos.
--
By mid-morning Erik had found himself roped into carrying box upon box into the house for Raven whilst Charles supervised the men outside. Charles had set up a small portable TV in the front room and Wanda and Pietro, still in their pyjamas, were curled up together in front of it. It was an act of consideration Erik wasn’t used to people making for his children and if it had warmed his heart a little more to Charles then that wasn’t entirely his fault.
“I’m taking you all for lunch, by the way,” Charles said as he handed Erik the fifth box marked ‘Library’.
“Sorry?” Erik looked at Charles with confusion. He’d been allowed a moment to change into some more hard-wearing clothes but he wasn’t entirely sure he was completely awake.
“It’s the least I can do for ruining your morning,” Charles said with another easy smile. “It will go some of the way to repaying your kindness.”
“Oh,” Erik said, blinking. Kind was never a label he’d become accustomed to people using for him. “Thank you.”
“Don’t even consider mentioning it,” Charles said, shaking his head, a note of sadness briefly in his tone. “As I said - it’s the least I can do.”
Erik had only met one person in his life who read him as easily as Charles. It had taken Magda years and Charles moments.
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Wanda seemed completely charmed by Charles, a sensation Erik was finding difficult to combat himself. Charles had easy smiles and a bright sense of humour to go with them, the opposite of his sister’s dry wit, and a way with words that Erik could only describe as delightful. The men he’d gone to war with would have found this train of thought hilarious, he knew, but there were no other words for Charles.
Pietro, on the other hand, seemed rather less enchanted and leaning definitely towards jealous. He wasn’t used to anyone other than Erik commanding so much of Wanda’s attention. Heaven help him when Wanda was old enough to start finding romantic interest in people, all Erik could hope is that Pietro would develop at the same time otherwise he suspected World War Three would erupt between his two very gifted children.
As if sensing Erik’s train of thought Charles smiled at him over his tea and turned his attention to Pietro, gently drawing from him details of his favourite subjects at school. Erik barely suppressed some sort of sigh, lazy contentment seeping into his bones.
“You’re not alone,” Raven said beside him. Erik startled slightly, wondering if she’d been talking to him for very long. A touch of her hand to his upper arm and a brief, smiling, shake of her head suggested not.
“Charles,” she said by way of explanation to a question Erik hadn’t even asked himself. “He charms people and he’s really good at it. Pretty helpful when he’s trying to get funding.”
An irrational stab of jealousy cut into Erik’s heart at the thought of Charles leaning into someone’s space, making them the focus of all his laughing attention. Charles’ foot kicked against his own under the table and Charles grimaced an apology at him from across the table.
“He’s - something,” Erik agreed and Raven offered him an odd smile in return, almost as odd as Erik felt.
“He’s been good to me when he didn’t really have to be,” Raven said, stirring her straw around her Coke glass. At Erik’s querying look she added: “Different Dads. He grew up here, I didn’t. There was this whole thing. Anyway, I just - he’s good person. Is what I’m saying.”
Erik didn’t really have any idea what Raven was talking about but he nodded anyway, gratified when some of the oddness slipped out of her smile. She patted his arm again and turned her attention back to her food.
Erik caught Charles’ eyes again, something strange ghosting through them, and felt a small shiver twist down his spine. Something beyond his control had begun that morning and Erik was a little afraid of where it was going to take him.
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So much love.
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SPEAKING OF WHICH, I LOVE WANDA AND PIETRO, THEY ARE SO PERFECT. I LOVE CHARLES AND ERIK AND THIS WHOLE FIC AND YOUUUUUU.
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