The last of the self-indulgently fluffy fics written for my best friend during her last week at uni before Christmas.
I actually researched as much as I could about prison systems in the UK, although I took liberties in the visitation. Sorry if details are wrong and annoying, I tried my best!
If you wanna come cry over the babies with me, you can find me on tumblr, just go check out my profile.
There's little to do when incarcerated, it's hardly a holiday camp. Hours upon hours of time to kill, stretching out almost endlessly and with no real routine to it. So, without all that much entertainment, rumour spreads like wildfire. And this rumour in particular caught attention all over the shop. Lehnsherr had a visitor. Azazel heard it first, the luck of proximity. Having a habit of appearing without anyone hearing his approach meant no one had noticed he was nearby when the message was given. Lehnsherr had a bloody visitor.
No one really knew where Lehnsherr came from, rumour had it he just appeared one day, let loose from solitary and into gen pop. Neither was it known what he did to get put away, although popular opinion was it'd been a murder. He looked the type, too, tall and imposing, with a scowl that sent fearful shivers skittering through even the toughest inmates, and a smile even worse. You didn't question him about it either, that was probably the worst thing you could do. You left Lehnsherr alone. No exceptions. That's not to say he'd specifically done anything untoward to, well, any of them really. There was just this aura about him that screamed danger.
Some of the older inmates might have been able to tell you about him, but he wasn't a topic often discussed. And besides which, if anyone bothered to look into it, it was obvious they wouldn't hold a murderer in a Cat. B prison. But rumour has always been more fun than fact, and he was one scary motherfucker. Which is why the news was so shocking. Who the fuck in their right mind would visit that arsehole? He wasn't exactly known for making friends, or even really talking to people. Just stuck to himself and glowered at anyone who annoyed him. Or worse, those few poor souls who made themselves innocuous enough to get near him were rewarded with that sharks smile. Poor young 'Banshee' Cassidy, only in for growing weed, had yet to get over the sight.
Rumour was banded around often, but truth was often far less fun, and as such far less sought after. Which is why it was only Azazel who took a vested interest in the events, and who ultimately wanted to watch the outcome. Lehnsherr had a visitor, this was history in the making.
Unfortunately, it looked like the great reveal was not to be. He'd snuck up to watch the proceeding, watch as visitors entered and took their places, waiting for the inmates to be wheeled in, but no one there could possibly have been for the mighty Lehnsherr. Havok's little brother was there, flanked by what must be his foster father bearing an almighty frown. And dear Riptide, recently released and probably back in Gambit's little ring, here for orders to doubt. There were a few others he didn't recognise, not surprising considering family reunions weren't common here, let alone broadcast. He could guess a majority of them though, it was something he was good at. Except for the guy off in the corner, who the hell knew what he was here for? He didn't look like the type to be visiting fucking prison except on some charity case or another, all flowing hair and cardigans and were those elbow patches? Yes, they seemed to be elbow patches. There was nowhere this guy belonged less than the visiting room of some shitty little prison, so why the fuck was he here? In any case, it didn't look like anyone here would be for Lehnsherr and wouldn't that be a grand spectacle to watch? There was a reason the tables were bolted down after all.
It came as one hell of a shock, therefore, when Lehnsherr strode in at the tail end of the group and headed straight for Mr elbow-patches in the corner.
Charles was visiting. That was all he could think, Charles was coming here, he could finally touch him, kiss him, and just fucking hold him again. Sure there had been letters, complete with adorable little pictures the twins had drawn for him, but it wasn't the same. And besides, he always felt vaguely uncomfortable writing, like his words were never good enough. Charles was so much better with words, sure he knew how to inspire a crowd, but he didn't make them feel like Charles did, he was hardly the orator of the two. Charles' letters were always brilliant, he kept every one tucked away in places prying eyes wouldn't find them. And now Charles was coming.
And ok yeah, maybe he could have made an effort to get to know people here, maybe he could have fitted in but fuck it he didn't care. Keep your head down and do your time, that was his plan. Yes, ok maybe that wasn't the best thing to tell his people-loving fiancé, but hell, if he had to be separate from him for that long, he was going to do whatever it took to stay as sane as he could. For them. For Charles and the twins, the poor little twins who might not even remember him when he gets out. No, Charles would make sure they do, Charles would look after them and teach them everything they needed because Charles was a good man, a stunning human being and, most astonishingly, Charles loved him.
It was with the kind of light-hearted joy that only being reunited with the love of your life can bring, that Erik marched straight into that visiting room and kissed the last few months out of him. He shouldn't have really, wasn't the best thing to do by any means but he was here finally. Of course, the last thing he was expecting was for it to be comfortable, and obviously it wasn't. They were surrounded by families trying to make everything seem like normal, like one of them wasn't incarcerated. But he was here, so everything would be fine.
They settled into their seats, when Charles turned to him with teary eyes. "I should be in here too, it's unfair that you're the one taking the brunt of this sentencing" he muttered, taking hold of Erik's broad, coarse hand in both of his "I helped with the protest, it wasn't your fault it escalated. I should have stayed, I shouldn't have run"
"I'm glad you're not here Charles" he soothed, hooking a finger under Charles' chin to look him in the eye "I can handle myself, but the twins need a father"
"I am so sorry I couldn't bring them, we really should have gotten them passports months ago" he sighed.
"We weren't going travelling then and there Charles, we wanted them to be older. And we could never have guessed that this would have happened"
"I'll try my best to get the paperwork sorted, to have them here next visit"
"That you're here is enough for me Charles, that my family is safe is what is important" Erik comforted with a soft smile, fingertips brushing the tears from his cheeks.
"We miss you Erik, so much" he sniffled, dipping his head so his hair hung down to hide his face.
"I know love, I know. I've missed you and the twins more than I could ever have imagined, but Charles, I'll be out before you know it" He tucked a lock of hair back behind Charles' ear.
"I spoke to Emma the other week"
"Oh yes? And what did Ms Frost have to say?"
Charles looked into his eyes then, a watery smile trebling on his lips "They, they're focussing their efforts on Shaw, she says they can get him Erik"
"That's fantastic Charles" he crowed, pressing a kiss to his palm.
"I didn't want to tell you until I was sure, and then I didn't want to write because, well letters just seem so impersonal and-"
"Come on love, spit it out"
"She said she can get you off! Or at least get your sentence reduced, she's working on it but you can come home! Maybe not this month, maybe not even this year, but, Erik you can come back to us"
It took barely a thought for Erik to pull him into his arms, muttering "Charles I- I don't know what to say" into his hair.
"A simple I love you would suffice"
"I love you Charles, so fucking much"