Gokuma

zimothy:

papercutperfect:

Oh my god.

Hyperventilating with want right now.

Charles knew he’d done something to anger Erik again - not just by the way he’d been brushed off since breakfast, but because Erik wasn’t normally a man prone to shooting at crows for longer than twenty or thirty minutes. The crack of a rifle’s shot had been going on for nigh on two hours, a pause between each only when he reloaded.

Charles stepped up to the window, brushing the curtain aside and hiding in its shadow momentarily to watch. Erik would reload and barely lift the rifle for more than a second before firing almost blindly into the air. Glancing to the trees, Charles took note that not a single bird remained - the entire lot of them frightened by the first round of gunfire two hours prior.

Clasping his wrists, Charles pressed his knees against the window seat, trying to mentally construct a list of events that had occurred the day before.

They’d awoken, Erik before Charles to make his usual ride on horseback around the property. Charles remembered eating breakfast with the children when Erik had come bustling into the room - eyes alight with a grin from adrenaline. He’d pressed a kiss to each of their cheeks - including Charles’ - and had gone about dismissing the staff for the afternoon. (The pay was enough for each servant to turn the other cheek when the master would indulge affections upon the children’s tutor.)

Wanda and Pietro had been sent to play in the yard, free of their morning lessons to entertain themselves.

Charles, confused, had asked Erik what the occasion was. Erik had only responded with a secretive smile and a kiss to the corner of Charles’ mouth. One kiss had turned into many, the morning spent necking in the kitchen like young boys until Erik’s stomach had begged for food.

Now, Charles rose a hand to his neck, fingers rubbing idly over the faint bruise Erik had bit into his skin just yesterday.

Erik cursed loudly in the courtyard, fiddling with his gun before bringing it up and firing blindly into the treetops. Charles stepped back from the window, making his way through the manor.

Erik’s mood had lasted until mid-afternoon, fading into a studios expression by the time lunch had rolled around. Charles hadn’t wanted to pry, and occupied himself with going over afternoon lessons with Pietro and Wanda as Erik started to pace the first floor study.

Charles shook the confusion and memories from his  mind, making his way down the stairs and through the doors. He crossed the lawn, a determined spring in his step.

Reaching Erik at the edge of the courtyard, Charles stood next to the small set of steps Erik was atop of. He waited until Erik had fired his most recent shot, watching the brooding man clean and reload his rifle. Charles cleared his throat once, and then a second time.

“Yes, Charles?” Erik rumbled, his voice light - yet impatient. Charles’ fingers tightened into fists at his sides before uncurling in forced calm.

“You’ve been brooding all day.” He stated, ever blunt. Erik snorted, bringing up the rifle and taking more time to aim than he had when shooting unwatched. He fired into the treetops and pulled the rifle back to reload.

“It isn’t your place to question the mood of your employer.” Erik snapped, but his tone was void of any true anger. Charles felt his cheeks heat, staring down at his feet and then looking up at Erik with a scowl.

“Erik, you and I both know that I am more than just an employee here.” He breathed, trying to quell the surge of doubt in his mind and heart. Erik huffed, grinning bitterly at his rifle. He pressed his fingertips against the hot metal of the barrel for only a second and then withdrawing to take aim.

“You won’t be for much longer, I take it.” He rasped. Charles’ breath escaped him like a punch to the gut, eyes going wide. Dread filled him, and Charles had to take a moment to mentally assess the situation. He stepped forward, fingers hovering just a small breadth from the cloth of Erik’s trousers.

“Have I done something wrong?” He inquired, brows pinching in a confused furrow. Erik fired, staring up at the cloud-mottled sky and then back to his gun. He grinned, though deprecatingly and without an iota of joy, and grabbed for another bullet.

“I think it is I who have wronged you, it seems.” Erik tried for a teasing lilt, but the bitterness was so thick that Charles could nearly taste it in the air. Charles pressed his hand to Erik’s knee, startled when the man jerked his leg back and finally, finally, turned to look at Charles.

“Erik, I don’t understand.”

Erik set his rifle down on the ledge, jumping from the top step to be on even ground with Charles. Even then, he towered over the petite man, wiry frame rigid with tension. Charles took a step forward, and Erik moved to the side, passing him to put distance between their bodies.

“I saw the letter on your desk, Charles. I went up to retrieve a book from your room yesterday. It was laid bare - a reply to your request for a change in employers.” Erik turned his back to Charles, keeping him from seeing the shocked expression on the other man’s face. Instead, he clenched his eyes and teeth as tightly shut as possible, taking a steadying breath through his nose and whirling around.

“Do you think me a fool?” He rasped, crowding Charles into the courtyard wall. Charles gasped, stumbling back in near-fright at the sudden energy pouring from Erik. Erik reached out, grasping at Charles’ biceps with a fierce growl. “A fool I might have been - to think that you would so love a man like me. Was it rape? All these months, have you hated being with me? With the children? Was it only to appease me until you could find an escape?”

Charles shook his head, struggling to find his voice in the wake of Erik’s burning fury. “Erik- I-“

“Nothing to say?” Erik laughed, moving to pull his hands back when Charles lurched forward, dragging Erik towards himself by the lapels of his vest.

“Erik- you utter and complete fool!” Charles snapped, internally wincing at his horrid choice of words. The outburst seemed to shock Erik well enough, because he paused in his withdrawal. Charles jerked his arms, shaking Erik with all his might.

“Did you even read the date on that letter!?”

Erik seemed taken aback, his eyes going wide. “Pardon?”

Charles held back the coiling desire to punch the man in his grasp. He laughed, disbelief echoing in the sound as it trickled across the courtyard.

“Erik- that letter was dated six years ago! I’ve kept it for sentimental value, don’t you see?”

“What?” Erik echoed, the bridge of his nose and cheeks starting to flush pink in mortification. Charles laughed harder, relief so suffocating that he choked on his on hysterics and had to press his head dazedly against Erik’s collarbone.

“As if I would ever leave you or the children.” He chuckled. Erik’s hands slowly grasped to Charles’ shoulders, easing him back so the older man could get a proper look at him.

“Truly, Charles? Have I done such a silly thing?”

Charles choked on another chuckle, nodding in relief. Erik’s shoulders sagged, his face breaking into a splitting grin and a booming of laughter coming from deep in his chest. He dragged Charles’ forward, burying his hand into unruly chestnut hair and inhaling deeply.

“Forgive me, Charles.” He breathed, hugging tightly to the smaller man. Charles returned the embrace, chest swelling with the knowledge that everything was fine.

“I shall always forgive you, Erik, even when you least deserve it.” Charles murmured, voice muddled from the cloth on Erik’s chest and shoulder. Erik pulled away to give Charles a somewhat-crooked kiss, mouth sticking to his upper lip for only a fraction as he moved back once more.

“And do you love me, Charles Xavier?”

Charles smiled, one hand rising to cup the strong corner of Erik’s jaw, petting across the faint stubble that came from a day without shaving.

“Always.”

——

I’m sorry, I got progressively high while writing this, but here you go. HAHAHAH

for one of mah darlin AIM friends who asked for a pick-me-up fic today. I forget how many ‘o’s she has in her username so. LOLOLOL

(via zimothy)