Cherik; a secret cup of tea amidst their war upon each other
Charles had given up trying to find his way into Erik's mind after the beach, which was why it shocked him so when suddenly one day he was there. He was sitting on the steps of the Smithsonian with 2 cups of tea and a chess board sitting beside him.
They had been here before, long ago, during their hunt for other mutants. Before they found Shaw, when he and Erik had still been on the same side, before the dammed bullet that had left him almost confined to this chair. He sent a message back "20 minutes, I'm a bit slower than I used to be. Wait for me"
About 22 minutes later he wheeled over to the bottom of the stairs before slowly easing himself out the chair and pulling himself up the stairs with a limp. He noticed Erik watching him, he expected that, what he didn't expect when he looked up was to see tears in his eyes. As Charles sat down beside him Erik broke his stare, looking down at his feet then back up to the other man. "I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you Charles! Physically or mentally."
"Erik, you are here now, let's not dwell on the past. In fact, why are you here?"
The metal bender took a long sip of his tea before talking again. "You were right Charles, killing Shaw didn't bring me peace. I still have the same nightmares I had before, we still aren't accepted and it's worse now"
Charles looked confused, "how can it be worse?" he questioned, refilling his cup then Erik's.
"Because now I don't have you, to make me feel more than the anger, more than the pain! All I did that day was worsen my own pain, and in turn I inflicted pain on you. I would rather Moira's bullet had hit me than you, you must know that my friend. Charles saw the sincerity in his eyes, felt it in his mind, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" over and over again.
They drunk in silence for a while before Charles spoke again "You cannot change the past Erik, no matter how hard you try. I told you killing Shaw wouldn't help you, but now you need to decide where you belong. You told me we were brothers and that we are but as to whether we are on the same side or not, that is your quandary to face my friend. I will always be here, in your head."
With that he finished his tea, limped back to the chair and rolled away. As Erik watched him go he realised that Charles had left a message in his head "I mean it I am always here, so long as you don't put that stupid helmet on again. It's your choice to bring our family back together Erik but I love you enough to understand if you can't."
Erik stood up and went to walk away when in clicked what Charles had said "I'm always here, our family, I love you." He knew what he had to do.
For once he agreed with Charles, tea really does solve all your problems
