They always said he brought home too many strays...
Some days, the library felt suffocatingly small. Even the vast space within the mansion felt constricting to Xavier. Too many walls, too many doors. He just needed to get out into the open air, unrestricted and unrestrained. He could do so at the mansion, but then the familiarity of it would have trapped his mind there
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He let the coat slide from his shoulders, pulling it around to his front and holding the warm fabric out by the tips of his fingers. compassionate cobalt eyes watched, without directly meeting the other mutant's brilliantly bright hued eyes. He had no desire to challenge the other mutant, but it was unhealthy to be out in the cold in such a state. Surely the other mutant's shivering could attest to that fact.
"You look chilled to the bone, my friend." His voice was soft and low, each word held and placed down after the other. Xavier knew felines well, and though this mutant was clearly not actually a cat, his reactions and stance spoke sharply of a feline psychology. It was strange, but in the darkness, Xavier could nearly mistake the image of his face for a surprising likeness to his own. More than likely just a trick of the lights, though.
"Come along. You can have it. It is only going to get frightfully colder as the night progresses." Digging through trash cans, a sinking feeling gripped at Xavier's insides, heavy and uncomfortable. Of course. He must be half starved at least, out in the park, alone and without a shred of clothing to protect himself from the cold. It was a miserable thought. One he knew he was not going to be able to let go.
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Slowly, with a thoughtful wrinkle of his nose, he took the coat, wrapping it around his shoulder, a loud rumble of a purr emitting from deep in his throat, a clear sign of satisfaction. Maybe this one wasn't so bad?
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"There, that's better, is it not? Warmer, yes?" His words were still as warm and soft as ever. He wanted to reach out, touch, run his fingers through the feline mutant's hair, but he resisted. It was the purring, he was certain. So like a contented cat.
"Are you hungry? Would you like some food?" Did he even understand Xavier's words? He hoped so.
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But he could repeat, and his voice was scratchy and faint from years of disuse. "Warm. Hungry." was all he replied, stepping closer to Xavier, sniffing the air around him tentatively.
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"I won't make you stay, but I have plenty of food to spare. You don't have to dig through the trash." He still had fish in the fridge. He wondered vaguely if Charles liked fish. He certainly seemed to take on many other feline attributes. His scientific curiosity was getting ahead of him again.
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Glancing up, Charles offered his own weary smile, tail twitching slightly as he showed off his canine teeth, sharp as ever.
"Safe?" He croaked out, blushing slightly at the awful sound of his voice.
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"It is very safe, my friend. No one can hurt you there. I promise you that." Turning slightly, he gave a gentle pull on the hand in his own. "Let me show you. If you do not like it, you can leave. You can keep the coat. Come, let me get you out of the cold."
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Pulling the coat tighter around him, Charles lets his tail swish calmly, denoting his general satisfaction in the whole situation. He begins to follow Xavier, staying a slight step behind him just in case.
After what seemed like an eternity to Charles, they come upon the sprawling mansion. His eyes widen, pupils contracting into thin feline slivers of black. He begins shaking, the memories of large buildings with glass on the outside and white, white, white on the inside. The smell of disinfectants comes to mind as he suddenly stops in his tracks, ears flat against his hair, and a soft growl rumbling in his chest.
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"Sh, it is all right." The reaction struck a familiar chord in Xavier. He knew that look far too well, and the idea of it angered him greatly. To think that anyone would hurt this magnificent creature before him. "No one is going to hurt you. Not while I am here. Look at me. Everything is all right. You are safe here." His voice was full of calm determination and confidence. If he had to, he would bring food and blankets out to him.
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Nodding softly, resolve set, Charles begins to march towards the front door, only to realize he had no actual idea of where he was going. Turning around, he flashed a smile to the telepath and held out his hand, beckoning him this time.
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"I will make you something to eat. Relax. You are safe here. I will not let anything hurt you. I promise." He put a kettle on for tea, turning his attention to the fridge to find suitable food, his hand paused just before the bottle of cream for tea.
Glancing over his shoulder, he set on of the tea cups before Charles and filled it halfway with the cream. Was cream as bad for mutants with feline attributes? A little would not be enough to harm him, and he looked like he could use the treat. It was only as he set the cream down that he began to really remember that Charles was naked but for the coat Xavier had given him. He turned on his heels to hide the flush that warmed his cheeks, resuming his search for something to make Charles to eat.
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And the faint scent of cream made him perk up, suddenly very attentive to whatever Xavier is doing, as the smell is wafting from him.
"...Ch-Charlesss." His 's' was a bit of a hiss as he smiled brightly at the man's back.
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"Charles." He repeated softly, smiling over his shoulder. The way he said it was endearing. Then a thought occurred to him and he paused again, half way through cutting the sandwich. "Is that your name?" No. It couldn't be. The feline could have been his twin in looks. Was it really possible he shared the same name?
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"Hungry..." He all but meowed before actually meowing, though the sound doesn't seem as foreign from his mouth as it would any normal person.
Getting off the seat, which was slightly uncomfortable for his tail, Charles pads over to stand beside his rescuer. Leaning closer, soaking in the body heat, he watched the other cut the sandwiches. Being so close, Charles mouth nearly watered with the scents wafting from the simple meal, his feline pupils dilated to cover nearly his entire iris. Another soft mewl.
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"I will make you more if you are still hungry afterwards." He was trying very hard not to notice how exceptionally naked the feline was. Those meows were startlingly fascinating. As was everything about him.
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