The panic threatens to swamp him, and any coherency in his mental state takes a flying leap, reducing his thoughts to a string of denials. The child he’d been would never openly contradict Shaw, would have resisted passively until the last possible second when either his will would crumble or he would succumb to a panic attack.
He could manage obedience to Shaw again, if it meant Charles would be left completely untouched. He would become that silent boy again and willingly if it would spare Charles. But he is not a child anymore, and he does not have that childish hope that Shaw would choose to be kind to him and content with holding a hostage over his head. He knows Shaw does not choose to be kind. It would be all or nothing, and if Shaw wanted to cut Charles now, he would not refrain in the future no matter what Erik did or didn’t do to please him.
As he said himself, he wouldn’t waste a scientific opportunity, and Erik could count on that.
He’s going to regret this in five minutes, he can already tell.
“Did Emma tell you that he can amplify my power? Not--” and he says it too sharply, too desperately, “--with pain. He’s already made me stronger. He knows how.”
Stronger than you did, he doesn’t say.
“If you want earthquakes, leave him untouched.”
----
"Mmm, tempting." Shaw tips his head to one side, puts one gloved hand against Erik's cheek. Again with the sterility. "But I prefer my methods."
He brushes his fingers over Erik's jaw like he's probing for a break. His touch is clinical more than cruel, at least until he's at Erik's throat. Then he just casually picks him up and sets him to the side. And if his grip was tight enough to leave his little protege gasping for breath, well. It's all part of the game.
__
No other choice then, even as he reflexively grabs Shaw’s wrist in the most basic human reaction to being choked.
Charles, I need you.
It’s not a request, just an expectation, as he shuts his eyes (to imitate defeat, if Shaw looks back) and turns his palms, reaching with everything he is down into the very crust of the Earth. He knows he’s not strong enough to do this a second time, not without Charles bolstering him, and the pain lances like fire through his temples.
He doesn’t care. He’ll shake this godforsaken patch of land into pieces, he’ll sink it into magma or the ocean, and let Shaw get out of that.
---
Charles flings as much as he can spare at Erik. Not to help him - honestly, an earthquake at this point isn't going to make this easier for either of them, but to make sure that Erik isn't going to bloody well kill himself doing it.
Easy, easy, he whispers, and in his mind he's standing behind Erik, hands palm-down against the other man's, fingers curled underneath and against Erik's palm, steady, supporting.
This pain is even worse. Like every nerve edge in his body has been set alight and is burning now, a constant unquenchable conflagration. He thinks maybe he's screaming, but he can't say for sure.
Erik, please--
(I know what this means to you, but you're going to die)
It takes effort - Charles thinks it might well be the hardest thing he's ever done, but he pulls the memory of that frigid ocean over both of them.
The panic threatens to swamp him, and any coherency in his mental state takes a flying leap, reducing his thoughts to a string of denials. The child he’d been would never openly contradict Shaw, would have resisted passively until the last possible second when either his will would crumble or he would succumb to a panic attack.
He could manage obedience to Shaw again, if it meant Charles would be left completely untouched. He would become that silent boy again and willingly if it would spare Charles. But he is not a child anymore, and he does not have that childish hope that Shaw would choose to be kind to him and content with holding a hostage over his head. He knows Shaw does not choose to be kind. It would be all or nothing, and if Shaw wanted to cut Charles now, he would not refrain in the future no matter what Erik did or didn’t do to please him.
As he said himself, he wouldn’t waste a scientific opportunity, and Erik could count on that.
He’s going to regret this in five minutes, he can already tell.
“Did Emma tell you that he can amplify my power? Not--” and he says it too sharply, too desperately, “--with pain. He’s already made me stronger. He knows how.”
Stronger than you did, he doesn’t say.
“If you want earthquakes, leave him untouched.”
----
"Mmm, tempting." Shaw tips his head to one side, puts one gloved hand against Erik's cheek. Again with the sterility. "But I prefer my methods."
He brushes his fingers over Erik's jaw like he's probing for a break. His touch is clinical more than cruel, at least until he's at Erik's throat. Then he just casually picks him up and sets him to the side. And if his grip was tight enough to leave his little protege gasping for breath, well. It's all part of the game.
__
No other choice then, even as he reflexively grabs Shaw’s wrist in the most basic human reaction to being choked.
Charles, I need you.
It’s not a request, just an expectation, as he shuts his eyes (to imitate defeat, if Shaw looks back) and turns his palms, reaching with everything he is down into the very crust of the Earth. He knows he’s not strong enough to do this a second time, not without Charles bolstering him, and the pain lances like fire through his temples.
He doesn’t care. He’ll shake this godforsaken patch of land into pieces, he’ll sink it into magma or the ocean, and let Shaw get out of that.
---
Charles flings as much as he can spare at Erik. Not to help him - honestly, an earthquake at this point isn't going to make this easier for either of them, but to make sure that Erik isn't going to bloody well kill himself doing it.
Easy, easy, he whispers, and in his mind he's standing behind Erik, hands palm-down against the other man's, fingers curled underneath and against Erik's palm, steady, supporting.
This pain is even worse. Like every nerve edge in his body has been set alight and is burning now, a constant unquenchable conflagration. He thinks maybe he's screaming, but he can't say for sure.
Erik, please--
(I know what this means to you, but you're going to die)
It takes effort - Charles thinks it might well be the hardest thing he's ever done, but he pulls the memory of that frigid ocean over both of them.
__
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