Charles had been both depressed and lazy. He knows it showed very clearly before in how he dressed and especially in his hair. If feels like it's been forever since he cut it. Standing next to his other self had certainly been very strange, the future Charles had been very well put together and… well, completely bald. He and future Erik had been very helpful is making sure that Charles and the current Erik were finally able to find something like peace.
Their older selves were gone now, returned to their future and apparently comfortable with where they'd left their younger selves. And well, considering that after it all Erik had grabbed hold of him and kissed him quite publicly and thoroughly while his older self smirked at Charles own counterpart Charles found himself thinking that no matter what happened in any universe they'd always end up with each other somehow.
So here he is, months later and they've almost finished setting up the house in Westchester as a school. They have teachers lined up, all mutants of course. They've found several mutants older or uninterested in teaching or learning who are happy to be staff at the house. They are ready to start setting up students. While they do have several family members of the staff and several younger mutants that they've found along the way a small school is not what Charles envisions. He wants to helps as many children as possible learn about their gifts, give them somewhere to study where they will not be judged or persecuted for their mutations. He's going to have to handle this delicately if he is going to win over reluctant parents and children desperately hiding their powers. He supposes if he's going to lose all his hair that it's best to get used to it. He sighs, "I guess I need to finally get a haircut and get presentable if we're going to start enrolling new students and trying to make parents feel comfortable." he says as he brushes his hair behind his ear and leans forward to move his rook.
Erik simply rolls his eyes and he smirks and moves a knight, "Really Charles, you're presentable enough. I can't imagine that your hair will make much of a difference to parents who are worried about their mutant children."
Charles contemplates his next move, "Well they won't all know about their children you know. I think it's best to put forth some effort." Before Erik can reply Alex is at the door calling them down to dinner and the subject is dropped.
When Charles had found him, Erik had been surprised. Even moreso when he'd suddenly been introduced to a significantly older version of himself. And it truly was him, he'd recognized himself immediately in mannerisms and mindset if not in looks.
What was most surprising was how he talked about Charles, Charles and the future of mutantkind. He would like to believe that he had decided to be the better man and to accept that they world was not going to change easily, but that was not true. His older self had appealed to him in the best ways, fear and… love.
He had started with telling him how terribly everything could become if Erik stayed away from Charles. If they did not figure out how to work together and prevent the coming atrocities against their people together. And then he had softened and tempted Erik with what could be between himself and Charles. Erik had seen the possibilities when he had first met Charles, he knew where it could have gone had they not been so preoccupied with finding mutants and hunting Shaw. His older counterpart had told him that he himself had made peace with Charles for a short while and a romance had blossomed there for a time. Erik had found himself again at Charles' side before realizing that they were both too far down their own paths with mindsets that were much too different at that point to reach a compromise that they could both be happy with. His counterpart had said even afterwards they had never truly abandoned each other, but that it could be so much more if an effort was made now.
Truly that was a temptation that Erik found he could not resist. He was not comfortable with this bitter and depressed version of Charles and he knew that he had been a large factor in this change in attitude. He found that once it had been pointed out to him it was not something he could really ignore.
And that is how he found himself sharing Charles bed, helping him setup a school where they would train mutants to control and use their powers, and perhaps to train those who were willing to help their fellow mutants. It was the conversation with his counterpart that had resulted in both he and Charles making a point of just being close sometimes. They had decided that their relationship was not something to be hidden from the staff or students, their affection was not something that they would hide from the people that knew them, they had spent their first few months together after Erik's somewhat embarrassing and physical declaration of his affections getting comfortable with each other all over again.
That is how the little things had started. How when Charles was still unsteady on his feet, Erik had joined him in the shower simply to help his wash up, to wash his long hair and hold him steady while he got clean. How Erik had learned exactly how Charles liked his tea and which tea he'd want when he had a particularly bad or stressful day. This is how Charles had discovered a particular place on Erik's shoulders to dig his fingers into when Erik was particularly stressed and how Charles had learned exactly which foods made Erik happiest when he needed comfort food.
Erik had discovered that Charles had grown his hair out mostly due to laziness. And that for that same reason he had been remiss in taking care of it properly. He's been rather enjoying the hair now that Charles is actually washing regularly and letting Erik brush it. It looks much less messy and Erik knows for a fact that Raven and at least one of the other ladies find it rather dashing now. Erik can't really argue with that.
Erik is brushing Charles' hair when he suddenly brings up cutting his hair again. Charles had mentioned it before but Erik had thought it was ridiculous and had brushed it off. When Charles sighs and says, "Well I'll certainly miss this when I cut it short again." Erik is surprised at how serious he sounds.
Erik likes the long hair. He likes to run his fingers through it and watch Charles relax into his touch. He likes to tug on a piece of it when Charles is being particularly stubborn. He likes to tug on it which he kisses Charles breathless and he likes to wind his fingers through the soft strands when Charles has those gorgeous red lips wrapped around his cock. So he just scoffs and says "Don't be ridiculous Charles."
Lately, Charles has been very good about not unintentionally reading thoughts and clearly misunderstands and thinks Erik means that even when it's shorter Erik will be willing to brush. And while this is true, it is not at all what Erik means. Instead, to make his point Erik pulls out a hairband and pulls Charles hair back for him, securing it in a ponytail.
He brushes his hands over Charles' shoulders, "You have no need to cut your hair in order to be presentable. Have you seen some of the bands on TV? This is perfectly acceptable." and he leans forward and drops a kiss on Charles' neck where it's now exposed then brushes his fingers through the end of the ponytail and grins at him "Maybe just a bit of a trim."
Charles laughs and turns to him with a smile on his face that Erik can't resist kissing. Charles can't always shield as well when he's distracted or touching someone and he doesn't always try to keep his shields steady with Erik. He must catch some of how Erik feels about his hair because he pulls away from the kiss blushing and more breathless than he should be, "Well, I guess I'll just have to keep it long then. But you're right maybe a trim." He allows Erik another kiss before he's standing, "Really now, work to do. Distractions later."
Erik is grinning as Charles tugs him down towards breakfast and what are now the school offices. Perhaps peace has it's perks.