Charles went away for the summer, and when he came back, a few weeks before school started up again, he was in a wheelchair, unable to move his legs. It was a complete understatement to say Erik was shocked.
The first thing Charles had done when he came back was go to Erik's, expertly wheeling his way inside.
"Hello, Erik!" he called, steering into the living room, where Erik usually was.
"Hey, Charles," said Erik absently. Then it hit him like a brick wall that Charles was actually back. So, with unusual energy, he looked towards the doorway to see Charles...in the new wheelchair. "Oh, mein gott, maus! What happened?"
As Erik crouched down next to him, face filled with concern, all Charles could do was grin and try to explain. Anything to make Erik feel any better.
"Well, we were in England, and I sort of...got shot," said Charles, sounding sheepish, like it was his fault.
Erik's eyebrows jumped up. "What, in the legs?"
"No...my spine. I won't be able to walk again."
Erik was in shock. Charles was only seventeen, and he would never be able to move his legs again.
"Erik, don't cry!" exclaimed Charles suddenly.
Erik swiped at his eyes. He was not crying! Erik Lensherr didn't cry! But when he felt Charles' hand on his shoulder, he started to, feeling miserable. For a moment, Charles had a mental freak out, but then he pulled Erik into the best hug he could manage.
"Erik, I'm okay, really," said Charles gently, wanting the much more emotionally-hardened teen to stop. "I don't want to start crying, too."
Almost immediately, Erik stopped and broke the hug. Charles, in turn, grabbed the taller teen's hand.
"It's alright, Erik," he said.
"It isn't, though, Charles!" said Erik in frustration. "It's not fair!"
"I'll agree with you on that, but it still happened. It's over and done with, and I feel fine."
Erik looked at Charles, sitting calmly in his black wheelchair. He looked the same, acted the same. The only difference was the fact that the little brunette could no longer use his legs.
"I'm not sure if I believe you," he informed Charles. "But welcome back, Charles."
Erik snatched his friend from the wheelchair with ease, holding him up, and hugging him. Half of him didn't want to let go. But knowing he'd have to at some point, Erik settled for something else. He pressed his lips to Charles' in a soft, sweet kiss. Charles was grinning when he pulled away.
"Thank you, Erik," Charles said, leaning in for another kiss. "Thank you so much."
El fin! Alright, so this is just something I wrote in my first period after I finished, so it might not be that good, but I was encouraged to upload due to 'teh feels', as my friends put it.