American Cultural Experiences
Title: American Cultural Experiences
Author: Renatasaurus
Verse: Pre-X1
Characters: Erik/Charles
Rating: T
Notes: Written for xmenflashfic Challenge #33, Field Trips
Summary: Erik doesn't always appreciate Charles's attempts to find new American experiences for him.
"Think of it as... a cultural field trip," Charles coaxed. "You've never been to an American funeral before. It would be a new experience."
Erik sighed. "Is that the best you can come up with?" He rolled over on his side, facing away from Charles. It was late, but it was too humid to comfortably sleep; instead they rehashed the same argument they'd been having all weekend.
"No," Charles admitted, "But you've already rejected my best arguments. I just don't understand why you feel so strongly about this. James was a fine colleague, and I'm sure..."
"Everyone else will be going?" The disdain was heavy in his voice.
"Well, yes," Charles said mildly. "Everyone else is going to show their respects to the family. It would simply be a kind gesture to attend, and perhaps..."
"Perhaps it will make me more popular within my department?"
"You know, for someone who claims not to be a telepath, you certainly finish a lot of my sentences."
"I only finish the trite ones, my dear."
"I--"
"Charles, you know as well as I do that I want nothing to do with my colleagues. They have nothing to offer me."
"The questionable truth of that aside, I don't understand your refusal. It will cost you nothing to attend this funeral, and it would be a civilized gesture."
"I am quite sure that Mr. Ingersoll's family will have enough on their mind that they will not notice my absence. It's not as though I was a close friend of his. And it will cost me to go. It will cost my time, which is valuable. Transportation will cost money. I will no doubt have to bring flowers, and spend money on something that will be tossed out in a few days. And it would cost me..."
He trailed off, and Charles didn't finish. Erik hated it when Charles did that.
"He killed himself, you know," Erik continued. "I think the official story is that he fell, but not even the dimmest of my colleagues could accidentally fall off a balcony with a four-foot balustrade around it. He killed himself, and I... it would be no walk in the park to attend."
Charles took in a deep breath and reached out to stroke Erik's hair, despite the oppressive heat.
"Erik, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pressed you."
"I fought too hard to stay alive," he replied softly. "I... I have no sympathy for someone who would so carelessly throw away their own life."
Charles said nothing, but continued stroking Erik's hair. They lay together in silence. When Erik spoke again, his voice was tinged with humor, and Charles knew he was forgiven. Erik murmured, "So perhaps tomorrow we could find a different new American cultural experience."
"You know, we still haven't made it out to the Museum of Natural History."
"Yes, that sounds much more... agreeable." He rolled over again and kissed Charles. Erik whispered, "This is one of my favorite American cultural experiences," and the humidity and the dinginess and the difficulty of it all ceased to matter, for the rest of the night, anyway.
Author: Renatasaurus
Verse: Pre-X1
Characters: Erik/Charles
Rating: T
Notes: Written for xmenflashfic Challenge #33, Field Trips
Summary: Erik doesn't always appreciate Charles's attempts to find new American experiences for him.
"Think of it as... a cultural field trip," Charles coaxed. "You've never been to an American funeral before. It would be a new experience."
Erik sighed. "Is that the best you can come up with?" He rolled over on his side, facing away from Charles. It was late, but it was too humid to comfortably sleep; instead they rehashed the same argument they'd been having all weekend.
"No," Charles admitted, "But you've already rejected my best arguments. I just don't understand why you feel so strongly about this. James was a fine colleague, and I'm sure..."
"Everyone else will be going?" The disdain was heavy in his voice.
"Well, yes," Charles said mildly. "Everyone else is going to show their respects to the family. It would simply be a kind gesture to attend, and perhaps..."
"Perhaps it will make me more popular within my department?"
"You know, for someone who claims not to be a telepath, you certainly finish a lot of my sentences."
"I only finish the trite ones, my dear."
"I--"
"Charles, you know as well as I do that I want nothing to do with my colleagues. They have nothing to offer me."
"The questionable truth of that aside, I don't understand your refusal. It will cost you nothing to attend this funeral, and it would be a civilized gesture."
"I am quite sure that Mr. Ingersoll's family will have enough on their mind that they will not notice my absence. It's not as though I was a close friend of his. And it will cost me to go. It will cost my time, which is valuable. Transportation will cost money. I will no doubt have to bring flowers, and spend money on something that will be tossed out in a few days. And it would cost me..."
He trailed off, and Charles didn't finish. Erik hated it when Charles did that.
"He killed himself, you know," Erik continued. "I think the official story is that he fell, but not even the dimmest of my colleagues could accidentally fall off a balcony with a four-foot balustrade around it. He killed himself, and I... it would be no walk in the park to attend."
Charles took in a deep breath and reached out to stroke Erik's hair, despite the oppressive heat.
"Erik, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pressed you."
"I fought too hard to stay alive," he replied softly. "I... I have no sympathy for someone who would so carelessly throw away their own life."
Charles said nothing, but continued stroking Erik's hair. They lay together in silence. When Erik spoke again, his voice was tinged with humor, and Charles knew he was forgiven. Erik murmured, "So perhaps tomorrow we could find a different new American cultural experience."
"You know, we still haven't made it out to the Museum of Natural History."
"Yes, that sounds much more... agreeable." He rolled over again and kissed Charles. Erik whispered, "This is one of my favorite American cultural experiences," and the humidity and the dinginess and the difficulty of it all ceased to matter, for the rest of the night, anyway.