THE X-MEN FIRST CLASS KINK MEME: PROMPT POST

[iambickilometer]

You know why you're here. You've seen the movie. You're asking yourself, "So where was the gratuitous Emma Frost as White Queen in a corset? When did Mystique totally make it with Beast? WHY IN HEAVENS DID XAVIER AND MAGNETO NEVER MAKE OUT

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The God Boy and the Soldier (5/?)

[tawabids]

Throughout that autumn and into the first months of winter, their strange conversations continued without either of them setting eyes on each other again. They mulled over philosophy, theology and history and played chess with the board in Erik’s apartment (Charles insisted he wasn't cheating, but it was hard to believe he wasn't reading Erik's mind). Charles raved about genetics and the theories he’d read on human evolution. Erik borrowed as many books on the subject as he could and read them aloud, with Charles a knowledge-hungry eavesdropper in his brain, until they both fell asleep. The boy could only touch the outside world through Erik, and in turn Erik felt a new thrill of excitement and glee at the mundane - the colour of the trees, children playing hopscotch on the sidewalk, the taste of pepsi cola - when it was broadcast by Charles.

Sometimes Erik almost convinced himself that Charles really was nothing but a voice in his head. At other times - especially when the isolation and boredom dragged the boy into bouts of lingering gloom - Erik knew for certain that Charles was as human and complicated as himself. On rare but terrible nights, Charles talked about killing himself rather than spend another day locked in this blank box.

“You mustn’t, Charles, don’t you dare do that,” Erik barked. He was so frustrated at being unable to physically restrain his friend that all the metal in his apartment began to rattle in frequency with him. “I understand why, I swear, and I wouldn’t blame you - but let me be selfish, promise me you’ll stay for me.”

I will, Charles replied, though it sounded like it took all his energy to raise his voice about the shouting depression that he was trying to shield from Erik.

Occasionally Erik finished his work and found he couldn’t raise Charles’ voice. Sometimes he panicked, thinking his friend had broken his promise, or that something even worse had happened. On one occasion he even got in his car and drove almost to the gates of the facility, filled with rash plans of breaking into the research section, before his friend’s voice broke over him and told him to go back. Inevitably it turned out that Charles was simply asleep, or doing tests for Shaw, and Erik could relax at last.

Shaw was convinced that Charles’ powers went much further than mere communication, that he had the potential to plant thoughts in the minds of others and control their will. Charles privately agreed, but only to Erik. He was afraid of what Shaw would make him do if his powers grew stronger and at the same time afraid that if he didn’t prove useful, Shaw would simply dispose of him.

I’m trying to fake small improvements, he told Erik. But he knows I’m not cooperating, I can hear impatience growing in his mind, and he gets so angry…

“Give him what he wants, Charles,” Erik demanded. “Don’t let him grow bored of you. He’ll kill you on a whim.”

Better than turning me into his weapon, Charles replied at once, and Erik felt his own thoughts grow stony. At once, Charles poured apologies down on him, genuine remorse filling Erik up like a cloud until he found unexpected tears on his cheeks. I didn’t mean it like that, Erik! It’s not your fault! You were just a child! Charles babbled.

“Don’t apologise, Charles,” Erik said firmly. “I have enough self-blame for the both of us.”