Little Christmas Moments
Title: Christmas Moments
A Gift For: unforgott3n
Characters/Pairings: Erik/Charles; Mentions many of their “kids”
Rating: PG
Length: 1,075
Summary: Five moments during the Christmas season.
Notes: BB, I didn't manage to fill any of your prompts, so I’m giving you fluffy, almost-kidfic instead. Eventually I hope to finish the Single Dad Au, but it got way too big to get done in the time allowed. I hope you enjoy this instead! <3 (This was originally written for the secret_mutant exchange)
-1-
"I want to have a proper Christmas this year."
The announcement came while they were in bed, Erik reading the morning paper and Charles going over essays handed in by the children. It was just past dawn on December 1st, and Christmas was the last thing on Erik's mind.
"I'm Jewish."
"And I'm an atheist. I still believe the children would enjoy the trappings of the holiday. The little ones especially."
The Xavier-Lensher Institute for Gifted Children had been officially in business for three months. They currently had six children in residence. Ten, when one counted Raven, Hank, Alex and Sean. Technically those four weren't students, and had taken over various teaching responsibilities. The youngest, Ororo, was just seven, and Erik supposed Charles had a point.
"I suppose you'll want a tree and cookies and presents," Erik asked, resigned to celebrating any holiday for the first time in years.
Charles gave no answer except an enthusiastic kiss, and then Christmas was once again the last thing on Erik's mind.
-2-
"A little to the left, Charles," Raven instructed, hands on her hip as she supervised the setting up of the tree.
Erik was on his knees, lost under the branches of the gigantic tree Charles had picked out. The pine needles were scratching his face, and this would make the fourth time in as many minutes that Raven had changed her mind on the placement. If it wasn't for young Jean using her telekinesis to keep the tree from toppling over, Erik and Charles might have been crushed ages ago.
"Stop! That's perfect." Erik heard Charles let out a sigh of relief, and before Raven could change her mind, Erik screwed the stand in place.
"It's done," he said, crawling back so he could stand.
Charles added, for Raven’s benefit, "It's not moving again until New Year's." Then he gave Erik a quick kiss, before hustling Jean off for lunch.
-3-
Erik was deep in thought, wondering what to get for Charles for Christmas, when he felt a little hand tug at his pant leg. He looked down, and was greeted with the heartbroken face of Scott Summers. Normally, Erik would leave problem solving to Charles, who had a knack for knowing what the children needed. But Charles and Raven had taken the girls into town to do some last minute shopping, and left Erik and Hank in charge of the boys. (Alex and Sean were around too, but Erik had long decided the two of them weren't to be allowed in charge of anything.)
"Yes, Mr. Summers. Did you need something?" It came out harsher than he'd meant to. Erik was still learning how to speak to young children, and didn't quite believe Charles when his lover told him he had nothing to worry about.
Scott shook his head, and glanced at his shoes shyly. He still wore the heartbroken expression, so Erik knew there was something on the child’s mind. Scott would let him know when he was ready to talk.
Erik waited, as patiently as he was capable of, and was rewarded when Scott whispered something. It was too low to hear, but with some (gentle) prodding, Scott repeated his request. "I don't know how to wrap, and I have a present for Jean and I want it to be perfect."
Ah. Erik understood. Scott wanted to impress a girl. "Come on then. I'll show you the patented Lensher method of wrapping." Which mostly involved using the metallic-based paper and letting his powers do all the work.
Scott beamed at Erik, and though his eyes were hidden by the special glasses Hank had developed to control the boy's powers, Erik would bet good money that they were shining.
He didn't mind very much, and said nothing when Scott's small hand found its way into Erik's.
-4-
Erik sat amidst the rubbish of Christmas, and tried not to feel as if someone had steamrolled him. He could hear the happy chatter of the children in the next room, but was too exhausted to get up and make sure the chatter stayed happy. Ribbons and bows and torn paper was strewn about the room, and he knew he should make himself get up to take care of it, but his legs seemed to have forgotten how to move. How had he never realized that Christmas was utterly exhausting?
Because you're Jewish, my friend. Charles’ voice was tired, even in his head.
Erik tilted his head up and offered Charles a weary smile. Now I remember why.
Charles leaned down and brushed a kiss over Erik's forehead, before dropping down into the middle of the mess. He wore a truly horrendous reindeer sweater in a shade of green never seen in nature. His hair was sticking up in odd places, and he had bow taped to the top of his head. He looked absolutely adorable, and Erik didn't bother to resist the urge to lean in for a kiss.
"Happy Christmas, Charles," he murmured, his lips forming a tired smile against Charles'.
"Happy Christmas Erik." Charles tucked himself against Erik's side, and the two sat amidst the rubbish for a few private moments before the children came bounding back, demanding cookies and more hot chocolate.
-5-
Later that night, after the children had been put to bed, Erik cornered Charles in their room.
"There's one more present." He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, feeling awkward and not sure what to say.
Charles looked at him in surprise, pleasure tinting his cheeks pink. "If it's in your pants, give me five minutes and I'll be happy to unwrap it."
The response startled a laugh out of Erik, and then he had to kiss the smirk off Charles' face. Long minutes later, Erik pulled back, biting Charles' lower lip gently. "We'll get to that, but I meant an actual present." He kissed Charles again, before pulling back to summon the little box from where he'd hidden it under the bed.
The box floated to Charles, who carefully plucked it out of the air. He gave Erik a confused little look, before carefully picking apart the paper. A small gasp escaped as he opened the box, the little band of gold shining up at him. It was nestled next to a matching band, the meaning obvious.
"Erik..." Charles trailed off, in favor of leaning forward to claim Erik's lips with his own.
When Charles pulled away, Erik tried not to smile too smugly. "That's a yes then?"
"That's a yes." Charles took the larger band out of the box and slid it on Erik's finger, and then allowed Erik to do the same. "Merry Christmas, Erik."
"Happy Christmas, Charles."
Another kiss, then three, and then Charles looked up with a playful smirk. "Now, how are you going to top this for New Year's?"
A Gift For: unforgott3n
Characters/Pairings: Erik/Charles; Mentions many of their “kids”
Rating: PG
Length: 1,075
Summary: Five moments during the Christmas season.
Notes: BB, I didn't manage to fill any of your prompts, so I’m giving you fluffy, almost-kidfic instead. Eventually I hope to finish the Single Dad Au, but it got way too big to get done in the time allowed. I hope you enjoy this instead! <3 (This was originally written for the secret_mutant exchange)
-1-
"I want to have a proper Christmas this year."
The announcement came while they were in bed, Erik reading the morning paper and Charles going over essays handed in by the children. It was just past dawn on December 1st, and Christmas was the last thing on Erik's mind.
"I'm Jewish."
"And I'm an atheist. I still believe the children would enjoy the trappings of the holiday. The little ones especially."
The Xavier-Lensher Institute for Gifted Children had been officially in business for three months. They currently had six children in residence. Ten, when one counted Raven, Hank, Alex and Sean. Technically those four weren't students, and had taken over various teaching responsibilities. The youngest, Ororo, was just seven, and Erik supposed Charles had a point.
"I suppose you'll want a tree and cookies and presents," Erik asked, resigned to celebrating any holiday for the first time in years.
Charles gave no answer except an enthusiastic kiss, and then Christmas was once again the last thing on Erik's mind.
-2-
"A little to the left, Charles," Raven instructed, hands on her hip as she supervised the setting up of the tree.
Erik was on his knees, lost under the branches of the gigantic tree Charles had picked out. The pine needles were scratching his face, and this would make the fourth time in as many minutes that Raven had changed her mind on the placement. If it wasn't for young Jean using her telekinesis to keep the tree from toppling over, Erik and Charles might have been crushed ages ago.
"Stop! That's perfect." Erik heard Charles let out a sigh of relief, and before Raven could change her mind, Erik screwed the stand in place.
"It's done," he said, crawling back so he could stand.
Charles added, for Raven’s benefit, "It's not moving again until New Year's." Then he gave Erik a quick kiss, before hustling Jean off for lunch.
-3-
Erik was deep in thought, wondering what to get for Charles for Christmas, when he felt a little hand tug at his pant leg. He looked down, and was greeted with the heartbroken face of Scott Summers. Normally, Erik would leave problem solving to Charles, who had a knack for knowing what the children needed. But Charles and Raven had taken the girls into town to do some last minute shopping, and left Erik and Hank in charge of the boys. (Alex and Sean were around too, but Erik had long decided the two of them weren't to be allowed in charge of anything.)
"Yes, Mr. Summers. Did you need something?" It came out harsher than he'd meant to. Erik was still learning how to speak to young children, and didn't quite believe Charles when his lover told him he had nothing to worry about.
Scott shook his head, and glanced at his shoes shyly. He still wore the heartbroken expression, so Erik knew there was something on the child’s mind. Scott would let him know when he was ready to talk.
Erik waited, as patiently as he was capable of, and was rewarded when Scott whispered something. It was too low to hear, but with some (gentle) prodding, Scott repeated his request. "I don't know how to wrap, and I have a present for Jean and I want it to be perfect."
Ah. Erik understood. Scott wanted to impress a girl. "Come on then. I'll show you the patented Lensher method of wrapping." Which mostly involved using the metallic-based paper and letting his powers do all the work.
Scott beamed at Erik, and though his eyes were hidden by the special glasses Hank had developed to control the boy's powers, Erik would bet good money that they were shining.
He didn't mind very much, and said nothing when Scott's small hand found its way into Erik's.
-4-
Erik sat amidst the rubbish of Christmas, and tried not to feel as if someone had steamrolled him. He could hear the happy chatter of the children in the next room, but was too exhausted to get up and make sure the chatter stayed happy. Ribbons and bows and torn paper was strewn about the room, and he knew he should make himself get up to take care of it, but his legs seemed to have forgotten how to move. How had he never realized that Christmas was utterly exhausting?
Because you're Jewish, my friend. Charles’ voice was tired, even in his head.
Erik tilted his head up and offered Charles a weary smile. Now I remember why.
Charles leaned down and brushed a kiss over Erik's forehead, before dropping down into the middle of the mess. He wore a truly horrendous reindeer sweater in a shade of green never seen in nature. His hair was sticking up in odd places, and he had bow taped to the top of his head. He looked absolutely adorable, and Erik didn't bother to resist the urge to lean in for a kiss.
"Happy Christmas, Charles," he murmured, his lips forming a tired smile against Charles'.
"Happy Christmas Erik." Charles tucked himself against Erik's side, and the two sat amidst the rubbish for a few private moments before the children came bounding back, demanding cookies and more hot chocolate.
-5-
Later that night, after the children had been put to bed, Erik cornered Charles in their room.
"There's one more present." He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, feeling awkward and not sure what to say.
Charles looked at him in surprise, pleasure tinting his cheeks pink. "If it's in your pants, give me five minutes and I'll be happy to unwrap it."
The response startled a laugh out of Erik, and then he had to kiss the smirk off Charles' face. Long minutes later, Erik pulled back, biting Charles' lower lip gently. "We'll get to that, but I meant an actual present." He kissed Charles again, before pulling back to summon the little box from where he'd hidden it under the bed.
The box floated to Charles, who carefully plucked it out of the air. He gave Erik a confused little look, before carefully picking apart the paper. A small gasp escaped as he opened the box, the little band of gold shining up at him. It was nestled next to a matching band, the meaning obvious.
"Erik..." Charles trailed off, in favor of leaning forward to claim Erik's lips with his own.
When Charles pulled away, Erik tried not to smile too smugly. "That's a yes then?"
"That's a yes." Charles took the larger band out of the box and slid it on Erik's finger, and then allowed Erik to do the same. "Merry Christmas, Erik."
"Happy Christmas, Charles."
Another kiss, then three, and then Charles looked up with a playful smirk. "Now, how are you going to top this for New Year's?"