[Fic] Half Shame, Half Glory - Part 8

Jun 30, 2011 00:45

( Part VII)

Part VIII - I've Got You

The sense of déjà vu almost threatens to overwhelm Erik entirely as it has Charles. Then again, he has been testing the boundaries, his sense of self pushing through for a while now and, in all likelihood, Charles has done nothing of the sort.

One hand cradles the face that is and is not the face of his brother and looks up, eyes sharp and will sharper, ready to defend and protect this one chance with every fibre of his being.

They are in the middle of a street somewhere, the clothing, the cars, the alloys all new to him. He can’t recognize the devices the bystanders are whipping from their bags and pockets, but he guesses that they are some sort of communication device. There is the unmistakable sound of sirens in the distance.

“Charles,” he shakes his friend gently, patting the worryingly pale cheeks. “Charles, wake up. We have to leave.”

Eyelids flutter briefly before snapping open, eyes wide and confused. Erik’s heart is in his throat. Blue eyes meet his -

(and he is terrified that it’s not-Charles staring back at him, that after all that he has done and tried to do, that he is here without him, and that this not-Charles will look at him and see Michael and not him, not Erik)

- and his face lights up into a smile as a familiar warmth drapes over his mind.

“Hello again, Erik.”

He laughs, honest to G-d laughs and kisses the insufferable man hard on the lips. It starts surprisingly chaste, but it is more than enough to convey his relief and his gratitude to Charles, who eagerly returns (and deepens) the kiss. Sirens wail and shout obnoxiously as the police round the corner. It is Erik who pulls away from the lip lock.

“As much as I would love to continue this, Charles,” he nods to the astonished crowd, more than a few of whom are taking photos of the two, even as the police advance upon the scene. “Now hardly seems the best of times.”

“Of course.” Charles obligingly reaches for his temple and the world freezes to a halt around them. His eyes flutter closed for a moment, then two, before he is again grinning up at Erik. “There we are. Just another single car accident. Now if you could just...smooth out the bumper, my friend, we can be on our way.

Erik nods and extends one hand (the other still supporting Charles) and extends himself, a quiet thrill of power bleeding from his palm as the alters the magnetic fields around the car, more or less flattening the bumper, making it far less gruesome looking.

“Excellent,” Charles lets out a laugh as the little devices in the people’s hands sputter and spark. “I’d rather not have had those photos of us ...” the man stops and furrows his brows, deep in contemplation for a moment before once again breaking into a ludicrous smile.

“Oh Erik, you won’t believe the things people are capable of doing now! Television is in colour and those are portable phones in their hands, Erik, and the internet!!! My God, you can talk to someone half-way around the world and we’ve been to the moon...”

“That’s wonderful Charles,” he interrupts, hand on Charles’ chest. “You can tell me all about it once we’ve found a place to stay.” The telepath blushed prettily, but otherwise said nothing. Erik hesitates before asking his next question, recalling too clearly how his friend collapsed on the beach - on the street.

“Can you stand?”

Charles blanches a bit before testing his strength. He lets out a sharp yelp of pain that is like a shock of ice water to Erik’s veins.

“Charles!” He is waved off impatiently.

“Just give me - “ Charles lets out another hiss of pain, but Erik can clearly see his left foot twitch. “Oh..” he moans.

“Pins and needles like you wouldn’t believe.”

(Part IX)

slash, charles xavier/prof x, rpf, x-men, erik lensherr/magneto, rps, fic, james mcavoy, erik/charles, first class

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