Let the Right Ones In, Let the Wrong Ones Go

by poisonanon

Charles Xavier is a smart, young boy that is bullied daily by Sebastian Shaw and his friends. Then a boy moves into his apartment complex next door. His name is Erik Lensherr, and he likes playing with metal.

Charles was hiding in the bathroom for the seventh time that week. He had heard footsteps outside, voices, and he grabbed his book bag and fled into the nearest stall and locked the door at the same time the outer door opened. He crawled onto the toilet with his legs pulled up to his chest so his trainers wouldn't be seen from the stall. He tried not to breathe.

"Pig-gy?"

Sebastian, of course, with Janos.

"Hey Piggy, are you in here?"

Charles kept still, knew that they would find him eventually. They always found him. At least Azazel wasn't with them. Azazel scared him the worst, even if the boy did the least to torment him. But something about him scared Charles half to death. Azazel would taunt him the worst, embarrass him, but Sebastian just beat him up and then he would leave. Better to just get it over with. So in a way he got lucky today.

"Piggy, we know you're in here."

They checked his stall. Banged on it until the wall shook. Charles wrapped his arms around his legs and clenched his teeth, so he wouldn't scream.

"Little Pig, if you don't open the door, we're going to have to get you after school. You don't want that, do you?"

Yes, it would be worse if they had to get him after school. The punishments were always worse later on. But Charles couldn't move, couldn't force himself to open the lock, so they continued with attacking the door.

It was quiet for awhile, and Charles exhaled. Then they started to attack with more blows and kicks to the door. Charles should open it, go to them, before they got too mad, but he couldn't.

"Pi-ggy?"

He had raised his hand in class. Charles read a lot, he was a lot smarter than the other boys. Sometimes he knew things the teacher didn't, and that wasn't allowed. He wasn't allowed to remind people of his existence. Sebastian had a lot of reasons for hurting him. Too ugly, too skinny, too stupid, but Charles knew it was because he existed and Charles wasn't allowed to be seen. He wasn't allowed to exist. So Charles didn't know why he just shouldn't open the door and have their fun.

Then the door swung open, and Charles knew the reason he didn't open the door is because that wasn't the way the game worked. It was the thrill of the hunt, and they would get mad if he gave in too easy. After they caught him, the fun stopped and the seriousness set in and his punishment was more of a duty.

"Squeal piggy, squeal," Sebastian ordered, and Charles started to grunt and whine. Sometimes they would just make him squeal and then it would be over.

"Fucking pig, go on, squeal some more."

Charles scrunched up his eyes and curled his fingers into his palm, concentrating hard, and he squealed and squealed and opened his eyes and they were gone.

He stayed put then stared at the floor. There was red spots littering the ground, and he looked at his hands and saw that his fingernails and cut his palms. He ran to the sink, he felt sick, and he washed his hands and grabbed paper towels to wipe the blood of his hands. He looked back at the stall and decided to leave his blood on the floor. Let somebody think someone had died here. Let them wonder how someone had been killed here.

Because someone had.

And for the hundredth time.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sebastian and the others left him alone for weeks after that. Charles's demeanor brightened up considerably. He felt like going to hang out with Alex. Or Sean. Both of them were pretty nice, he had been to their houses a couple of times, but the thing of it was, they called Charles when they had nothing to do, not the other way around. And besides, his mother had told him to come straight home, because of the boy that had been murdered another town over. That had probably been the reason Sebastian had not chased him home after school, because of the murderer. But the fact that Charles felt brave enough to hang out with Alex and Sean was good enough for him.

His mother ignored him when they were at home anyway. He had yelled at her a little the night before, because when she told him he wasn't allowed out of the house except for school until the murderer was caught, Charles just rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever."

"Do you want to be killed?" His mother had shrieked at him.

"The boy wasn't even killed around here anyway," Charles shot back.

"And you don't think he would buy a train ticket here?" His mother shouted back, "I mean it Charles. You're not allowed out of the apartment complex."

Charles just looked at his dinner, imagining what would happen if the killer came here.

He imagined if his next victim would be Sebastian.

When he went to sleep that night, he thought about how would it be like if he was the killer. How easy it would be to cut Sebastian.

Charles wondered how it would sound if Sebastian squealed.

He shook himself, because it was wrong, no matter how much Sebastian had hurt him. It wasn't right, and he wouldn't be any better. There was a role reversal in Charles's head, and he was standing over Sebastian and Sebastian was crying and Charles's had that look on his face, and then Charles shot out of bed. His heart hammered against his chest and he swore he wouldn't ever look like that. Ever.

He felt something crash outside, so Charles ran to the living room and pulled the curtains back a little.

There was a man carrying a trunk, and it looked like he had dropped it.

There was a boy standing next to him.

The boy's jaw was set, and he was big, bigger than Charles, and Charles almost thought he was an older kid, like 16, if not for how youthful the boy's face was. He was probably Charles's age, eleven or twelve.

They didn't see him, and the man, most likely the boy's father, was struggling with the trunk a little and moved past his window, into the house next door. These were the new neighbors his mother was telling him about.

Charles crawled back into his bed, thinking about the boy. Maybe they could be friends, and they would go to the same school. And maybe he would protect him from Sebastian.

Charles went to sleep with a smile on his lips.

-x-x-x-x-x-

There was another one the next day, but nowhere near their town. Charles heard about it through the papers this time. It provided little details, only that it had taken place in the woods on the outskirts of the city. Charles scanned quickly for the name, but it had not been Sebastian Shaw who had been killed, just an unknown boy named Jonny and that the girl who had found him had to be treated for 'extreme shock.' Charles frowned a little. The scene must have been bad, the boy had probably been mutilated or something, if the girl had to be treated for 'extreme shock.' Normally the newspapers just wrote 'shock.'

He stopped at a small shop before he went home. He didn't have any money on him, but he was good at stealing. It made him feel good. Like it was something he had control over. He pocketed some candy and a small knife-just in case. It would be good practice if the murderer showed up. So he could be safe. And maybe he'd show it to Sebastian and then he'd leave Charles alone.

The boy next door didn't come out, and he didn't go to school. Charles didn't think it was odd, perhaps his dad hasn't filed all the proper paperwork at the school yet, but Charles hopes he'll get to meet him soon. There are no other kids at his apartment complex, and Charles was terribly lonely.

When he got home his mom had dinner ready for him, and he ate Mac n cheese with her while she complained about her day, and then he went to do his homework and he read a little until his mom called him to the living room. She was a little excited, telling him a new episode of Dr. Who was on, but Charles squinted at the TV and knew it was only a rerun.

"I'm going outside to play," Charles said.

"No," his mother frowned, "You're not going out-"

"I'll just be in the courtyard-" he was already walking towards the door.

"And nowhere else."

"Bye mom," he shut the door behind him and ran to the jungle gym. It had just snowed over night, and he already felt the cold, but he strides over to the tree next to the playground.

He pulled out his knife and struck it against the tree. It sunk in like it was going through butter. Charles smiled a little. There was no way the killer was going to get him now.

He heard something behind him, and Charles felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He wheeled around and his heart was beating fast. The killer? But no. Just a boy. Not just any boy though, THE boy, the one who had moved in next door.

Charles stared a little longer than necessary. He was big, with big arms but he wasn't monstrous. He seemed just right for his size, a slender build, a slender waist. He had brown hair, like it was rusting, and even from the distance he could see big green eyes gazing at him. There was something strange about him, he looked angry. He was very….pretty. But there was something about him. He wasn't wearing a hat or coat or gloves. Just a blue turtleneck and a light black jacket. He didn't wear shoes.

"Hi," Charles said, his voice sounding smaller than he thought.

The boy said nothing. Charles wondered if he was scared. Of himself maybe? Because of the knife? But the boy was big enough to knock Charles flat. He wasn't as big as Shaw, but he was close enough.

"I said Hi-"

"I heard you," the boy cut him off. His voice was very strange. Rusty, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

"Why didn't you answer?"

The boy only shrugged, looking at him with angry, sad eyes, but Charles somehow felt that those eyes weren't for him.

"You're eyes-" Charles stepped closer, "Did you know that green eyes like that are a mutation?"

The boy said nothing, so Charles continued, "Yeah-um….I read it in a book, see, green eyes and blue eyes have recessive genes…and um…like…if only you're mom or you're dad has them, then it's unlikely that you'll have them, then if you have both."

"My parents don't have green eyes."

"Oh." Charles gasped a little, "Then, maybe a distant relative has green eyes, which makes that REALLY special, so it's like, a one in a million chance that you have them. It's pretty groovy."

The boy walked closer to Charles, frowning, "We can't be friends."

Part of Charles felt hurt. But it turned to anger and Charles just stared at his feet, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," the boy said, "I'm just telling you how it is."

"Well…your eyes are stupid."

"Yeah?" The boy's face twisted into a smirk.

"Yes." Charles frowned, "Go away. I don't want to be your friend anyway."

"I'm sorry, that's how things are," the boy smiled a little.

They were barely a meter apart, and a strange smell was emitting out of the boy. Charles's nose crinkled a little. The boy stepped closer, "You look cute like that." Charles crinkled his nose even more. Sebastian had once thrown a dead cat into his locker. The boy smelled like how the cat did.

"Is that smell you?"

"I guess."

He turned away then, and Charles didn't want him to leave, even if he was being a little mean.

"Aren't you cold?"

The boy stopped to look at Charles, and his face sort of caved in on himself, and he looked much older than he did, like an old man about to cry.

"No."

"How come?"

The boy looked down at his feet, his hands curling into his fists, and Charles could almost feel his anger radiating out of him.

"I've forgotten how."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The next day at school wasn't so bad. Sebastian had tried to trip him in the cafeteria, but he had saw it in time, and avoided the ridicule.

He sat on the jungle gym, waiting to see if the boy turned up again. If he didn't, it was okay. Charles brought out a lot of books with him today that he got from the library. He liked to read Jane Austen. It was his mother's fault really, but Charles's liked enough. Nothing beat his genetics books though. It explained a lot about himself. The reasons why he wasn't so tall and that his hair was a weird color and his weird face and why he was so skinny. Charles liked it all, knowing the reasons he was the way he was. The explanations comforted him.

He was halfway through the newest book that Hank gave him, the grad student who worked in the library. He was dating his cousin Raven. Charles loved Raven, but she was never around. She had pretty red hair, and Charles adored it, because red hair was a mutation, and he never got tired of telling her that.

"You're special Raven! Don't you know how rare red hair is? It's a recessive gene!" But she brushed him off because she hated her red hair and had dyed it blonde and Charles got so mad that he stopped talking to her.

"Hi."

Charles looked behind him and tried looking surprised to see him there, "Hi."

"What're you doing?" the boy asked.

"Reading," Charles answered.

"Outside?"

"Sure." Charles nodded, "It's about genetics."

"You like science?"

"Yeah."

They were silent for awhile, and Charles felt the boy sit next to him, looking over his shoulder.

"Go away."

"You go away," the boy frowned.

"Well, I lived here first. So you go away."

"No," the boy crossed his arms, looking resistant, "Do I smell better now?"

It was true, he did. He smelt like fresh water and shampoo, Charles can even tell his hair looked softer than before. Charles blushed, because he realized it was a mean thing to tell him that the boy smelled yesterday.

"Yeah," Charles replied, looking down at his book.

"What's your name?" the boy asked.

"Charles," he answered, "What yours?"

"Erik." The boy answered, "This still doesn't mean we're friends."

"Oh really?"

"Yes," Erik nodded, "You can't be my friend. But I like you. A little."

"You can't do that," Charles pouted, "You can't like someone and tell them they can't be your friend."

"Well I did." Erik growled, and Charles jumped back, "You're not annoying, like most people."

Erik jumped down from the top of the gym, and Charles winced, because if he did that he would most likely hurt himself.

"I have to go," Erik muttered, but he didn't go back to his apartment, he just ran down the street, out of the courtyard, in his bare feet.

Charles decided he liked Erik too. Even though they weren't friends.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Erik ran and ran and cried to himself, if only a little, because he had almost lost it, and his stomach growled savagely, and it had been too long since that man had gotten him something to eat. The man didn't have a name, but he served his purpose well enough. But he came close. He liked that boy, Charles- with his sad lonely eyes and crooked grin. He probably had lots of friends at school. Tons of them, who wouldn't like him? He was smart, small little arrogant thing, but Erik liked him. The way he had excitedly poured over him about his eyes and genetics, it was pathetic and Erik wondered about that ridiculous nonsense all day, but he like Charles because he was passionate. If Erik could put a finger on what he liked about Charles, it was the fact that he was passionate about something, like Erik was with his metal.

Erik's stomach growled once more, and he felt sick, because he didn't like this anymore than the next purpose, but he had to make sure it wouldn't happen again. Least of all around Charles.

He darted under a bridge and waited.

He heard footsteps clambering towards him, and Erik buried his head in-between his knees and whimpered.

The footsteps stopped, and then the creature called out to him and Erik called back, for help.

The body came up to him, and Erik could smell him, smell the blood in his neck behind the dirt on his skin, and he whimpered again.

The body asked what was wrong, and Erik told him he couldn't feel his legs and the body held him, lifted Erik's body off the ground, and then Erik wrapped his legs around the man's waist and latched onto him. The body took a few steps before he realized that Erik's mouth was anchored to his neck.

When the man protested, Erik let out a screech, and refused to let go, his arms crushing the man's body, and he screamed, flailing his body around, tossing, and banging his body against Erik's to the walls, trying to get him off. But Erik didn't stop until the body was pliant under him, still and cold and dead.

Erik didn't bother to wipe his mouth. He felt sad, but it had to be done. Better the body than Charles.

He ran back home, not even sparing a glance at the man, before going to his room and going through his metal sculptures. He wanted to give one to Charles, maybe Charles would listen to him if he talked about something he liked, Charles seemed like a good listener.

The man stopped in his bedroom doorway and asked him about the blood.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Before Charles went to bed, he snuck some of his mother's homemade cinnamon rolls to his room and sat on his bed to devour it. His mom would get mad, but Charles loved them. He vaguely thought about Erik, and maybe he could get some leftovers to him tomorrow. Erik would love i-

There was a shout on the other side of the wall and Charles nearly flew up in the air. He dived under his covers and pulled the blankets over his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He can hear voices on the other side of the wall, screaming, and it sounded like things were being thrown around, and Charles was terrified. And then he remembered who lived next door. The voices were unrecognizable, and he couldn't make out the words, but he knew Erik and his dad must be having a fight. Maybe Erik's dad was a drunk, or a drug addict. That probably explained why Erik didn't want to be his friend, and why he acted so strangely.

Charles couldn't care either way. That was Erik's dad. Not Erik. So if it meant having to avoid Erik's family, then Charles would do so, it couldn't be much of a problem.

He could hear swears, and sometimes, the words, "Cruel, cruel, so cruel," and there was more banging.

And he could hear Erik's voice, and it sounded softer, quieter, much, more quiet than when he talked to Charles, and Charles wondered if Erik's dad had hit him, and that's why he sounded so quiet. Charles would KILL him if he had hit Erik. And Charles wishes he could just burst through the wall like a superhero, and protect Erik and tell Erik's dad to stop hitting him. And most of all, he wishes he could tell Erik that it was okay.

You're going to be okay Erik, I won't let him hurt you, you're safe, you're okay. Erik Erik Erik.

Sometimes Charles's dad would get like that, before he left. When he drank and then he wasn't Dad anymore and then him and Mom would yell and scream at each other, before Charles's dad left.

At least him and Erik had something in common now.

The next day at school, Charles went in determined. He skipped breakfast and ran to the school library early, and checked out some books about Morse code. Erik would love it. Charles was sure he would, he had too. He checked out his books and carried them to class. While the teacher talked about cells and how phosphates and sugars created DNA, things Charles already knew all about, he copied the Morse code alphabet into his notebook. He'd make two-one for himself and one for Erik. Charles rushed through his, but he was extra neat with Erik's because Charles wasn't sure if Erik could read his writing.

"What're you writing piggy?"

Sebastian had followed him after class and pushed him into the restroom. Janos and Azazel were with him. Sebastian didn't look playful now, he looked angry.

"I said, what'cha writing piggy?"

"Writing what?" Charles lied, looking innocent, naive even.

"Don't lie Piggy, I saw you in class, writing when you're supposed to be PAYING ATTENTION IN CLASS. That's a bad thing you did Piggy, you're supposed to pay attention. Do you want to be a stupid piggy all your rotten life? Huh?"

Charles knew that Sebastian didn't care about class, and whether or not Charles just sat there day dreaming nonsense. This was just something else Sebastian decided he needed to be punished for. It wasn't fair.

"No-"

"No? Is that what you said? I couldn't hear you Piggy."

"No!"

"Well next time, you should pay attention, shouldn't you?" Sebastian's frown turned into a sadistic grin. He pulled out what looked like an antenna from a car, or a radio, Janos and Azazel had similar whips.

"Yes!" Charles said frantically, and wished for someone to come, to help him.

Erik Erik come help me please don't let them don't let them-!

Sebastian wacked him with his whip on his thighs, and it burned like someone had tossed acid on him, and Charles crumpled up and cried. It wasn't long before Janos and Azazel joined in. And they were laughing, striking Charles on the legs until he can feel the blood running down into his socks. They stopped after awhile, after Sebastian ordered Charles to squeal like a pig again.

They stepped away, and Sebastian grinned as Charles stood back up, crying.

Sebastian whipped his arm back and struck Charles across the face.

Charles could feel the blood running down his face, and saw Azazel's furious face.

"WHY YOU DO THAT? HUH?" He pushed Sebastian forcibly against the stalls, and Charles watched with sick fascination as Sebastian had the air sucked out of him.

"YOU EXPLAIN TO HIS MOTHER. IDIOT." And he grabbed Janos's arm and they fled. Sebastian following after them.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

He lied and told his mother he fell off the jungle gym. She believed the lie and told him to be more careful. After dinner Charles rushed down to the courtyard to find Erik there waiting for him. It was snowing but Erik was still avoiding shoes. Charles ran down to him and foisted the papers into Erik's hands.

"What's this?" he asked.

"It's Morse code, see look," Charles and him sat on the jungle gym together while Charles explained how the Morse code worked. "See, A is like this…."and he knocked on the pillar twice, excited and face flushed when Erik smiled at him.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Erik asked.

"Well, my room is next to yours, so I thought we could talk to each other through the wall-"

"You can hear me?" Erik asked, eyes downcast.

Charles felt a little breathless, "Only sometimes."

Erik was silent, but he smiled at the paper Charles handed to him.

He frowned when his eyes caught the X Men band aid on his cheek.

"What's that?" Erik asked.

Charles froze. He didn't move for several minutes, before turning to Erik and flashing a brilliant smile, "Oh this? It's nothing. I just fell today at school."

Erik touched his cheek and caressed the band aid, "Someone did that to you, didn't they?"

Charles's smile dropped. He touched it, but didn't say anything.

"Who did that to you?"

"Nobody," Charles frowned, "Some kids at school."

"Charles," Erik huffed, "You shouldn't let them hurt you. If they try to hit you again, hit them back."

"But there are three of them."

"Then you hit them back three times as hard," Erik forced Charles to look at him, "And don't stop until they do."

"What if I'm not strong enough?" Charles picked up a rock and threw it across the courtyard. He let the silence stretch between them, and Erik jumped off the jungle gym too look at Charles properly, "Then I'll just have to protect you myself."

Charles smiled brightly, his first real smile at Erik's promise, "Really? You mean it?"

Erik smiled, nodding his head, "Yeah, I mean it."

"Does this mean we're friends now?"

Erik didn't even have to lie, "Yes. We're friends." He pulled something out of his jacket pocket, "Here, I made something for you." The structure was made of metal, looked recently melted, and took the shape of a spiraling staircase. Charles recognized it immediately.

"Is that a DNA statue?" Charles exclaimed excitedly, taking the thing in his hands and treating it like it was precious glass, "That is so cool! How did you know? How did you make it? THIS IS SO GROOVY!" Charles tittered for awhile, literally bouncing around where he sat just gazing at the sculpture back to Erik, who was beaming at him with a full row of teeth. He almost looked like a shark. A very nice looking shark.

"You said you liked genetics, and well, I make things. I've got my own boiler in my room, and I just collect metal and melt it down. And stuff." Erik smiled excitedly. He knew Charles would love it.

"Wow! Can I come over and watch you make something? Please? This looks so….wow!"

Erik nodded, laughing slightly. Not even the man was interested in his metal. Told him it was too distracting. But Charles seemed generally interested. It was the first time Erik felt like showing off. He mostly kept his sculptures to himself, never mind actually having someone watch. But Erik wanted Charles to watch. If it made him happy.

"This is so cool," Charles giggled excitedly, "This is definitely going on my nightstand," and he blushed because he realized he was getting hyper, "Hey….um, do you want to hang out sometime? Somewhere in town?" His blue eyes grew wide, Erik could hardly say no to them.

"Yes," Erik nodded, "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Charles nodded, "Tomorrow. I'm going to show you everything. You'll have a blast, I promise."

"Careful Charles," Erik grinned, "You're making it sound like a date."

Charles's smile dropped and he blushed furiously, "Haha, no, it's just hanging out. Y'know. Guy things."

"Guy things," Erik agreed, "I can't wait."

Charles laughed again, and suddenly felt like he should impress Erik, if only a little. "Wanna see a trick?"

"Sure."

"Okay, watch this."

Charles climbed to the top of the jungle gym, crawling on top of the bars. He swung his legs over and hung upside down. He let go and flipped in mid air and landed on his feet.

"Bravo!" Erik cheered laughing, and Charles felt butterflies in his stomach.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The next day at school, Sebastian didn't show. Charles assumed he was either sick or ditching. He hoped it was the former, and that he was puking his guts up or something.

Azazel and Janos came up to his desk before the teacher came.

"Hey," Azazel asked, with his thick accent that Charles could never name. Janos almost never spoke.

"Hey Azazel, hey Janos," Charles said quickly, wanting to look back at his book.

"How's your cheek?" Azazel asked, gesturing to Charles's cut.

"Its fine," Charles brushed it with his hand, "Really."

"Good," Azazel nodded, "I like X Men too." Janos nodded and they went back to their seats.

Their behavior usually confused Charles. He honestly didn't know if they did that just to mess with his head or just because they were indifferent to him. Or maybe they were concerned he might snitch.

"Hey Charles," said an excited voice and he turned to see that it was Moira. Charles suspected that she had a crush on him, but she made no move to indicate that she did. She had just moved to their school a few months previously and wasn't very aware of how he was treated. Charles wasn't sure how he felt about Moira, but knew he wouldn't be allowed to have her as a girlfriend. That meant being noticed, and that wasn't allowed. Emma had been the one to point it out to him anyway, but she meant it as a warning.

Emma was Sebastian's girlfriend, and Charles wasn't sure if he liked her or not. They had been friends the previous year, he had her for class and he didn't have Sebastian, so he didn't torment him as much. Emma behaved in a way that suggested she thought she was too good for everyone, even Sebastian, and Charles almost respected it. They had lots of projects together and although Charles did the bulk of the work, Emma didn't sit back and goof around. She never took part when Sebastian decided to hurt Charles. And she often stopped it, for selfish reasons. Like she wanted him to take her out, or buy her things. But it always went appreciated by Charles anyway, even though she didn't do it for Charles's sake.

It didn't matter anyway now. Charles's thoughts were far away from them. He was more concentrated on Erik, and what they were going to do that night. Charles planned on going to the arcade, so he could show Erik all of his favorite games, but Charles didn't have a lot of quarters on him. If he stole from his mom's purse, they could go see a movie together, but Erik might think that they WERE on a date. And then Erik would probably call Charles a girl and not want to be his friend anymore.

But Charles shook his head at the notion. No, Erik wasn't like that. Charles had the impression that Erik could care less about what they did. Erik would love it anyway. Charles smiled a little and he couldn't wait for class to end, something he dreaded. Because Sebastian often waited for him. Charles didn't care if Sebastian crawled out his bed to come to school to hurt Charles anyway. Not even the looming threat of what Sebastian could do to him could make Charles feel bad.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"What do you want to do?" Erik asked when they met outside in the courtyard.

"Um…we could go to the arcade, or the movies."

"Let's go to the arcade," Erik smiled, "You look like you want to go to the arcade."

"Yeah," Charles nodded, "And then next time we could go to the movies. Or we can go visit Hank and my cousin. They're reaaaallllyyyy cool. And nice. You'd love them."

"Okay," Erik nodded, but he looked like he didn't care to go see them. Charles ignored it. They walked to the arcade and talked the whole way there, chattering excitedly. Their topics ranged wildly, from genetics to Jane Austen to girls and cartoons and movies. It was the most either of the two had talked to anyone. When they reached the arcade Charles tried to impress Erik by kicking the pinball machine's ass, but Erik was the impressive one, tackling all the fighter games with ease, and taking almost all the first place's in the store.

It was getting late and Charles knew his mom would start to worry if she looked out the window and saw that he wasn't in the courtyard, and sure enough when he looked at the clock it was almost ten, and they decided to head back.

They were barely out the door when Charles caught a glimpse of Sebastian and Azazel. Charles darted to Erik's side and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go this way," he tugged at his arm, taking the shortest way he knew, the sooner he was in the courtyard, the sooner he could get away from Sebastian. If he tried to call him out on it the next day Charles could always claim he didn't see him.

"Charles…." Erik gave him a sad look and then he heard the footsteps behind him and Charles froze in Erik's arms.

"HEY PIGGY!" Sebastian called, "Who's your friend here?"

Charles turned to face them, and instantly felt sick. They had the whips again. Erik stood in front of him protectively, Charles still latched to his arm. Charles tried to tug him back, he didn't want to see Erik get hurt. And even though Erik was big, Shaw was bigger and Azazel was especially bigger. And they had the whips.

"I asked you a question piggy," Sebastian laughed, "Who's your friend?"

"Erik Lensherr," Erik told him. His voice was loud, and it cut through the air.

"I wasn't talking to YOU." Sebastian took a step towards them, sizing Erik up and liking the height difference.

"Well, I was talking to YOU," Erik said, voice louder, standing up to full height. That cowed Sebastian. No one had ever talked to him that way before, except perhaps his older brother.

Azazel stepped forward to Sebastian's side, and he calmed, "Well no one asked your opinion you little shit," Sebastian sneered, "We just want to have a little chat with little piggy here, huh piggy?"

Charles remained silent, and he knew that was bad. Sebastian always wanted an answer. And he was right. Sebastian's features turned ugly, and he marched towards them.

"What did I say Little Piggy? Do you want me to make you squeal pig?" Charles could only think, 'No, no squealing, not in front of Erik, not that,' and he shot his arms towards Charles, but Erik swung, and he swung hard.

Blood flashed before Charles's eyes, and he saw Sebastian take a step back as he covered his nose.

"Mother FUCKER!" Sebastian screeched, "YOU FUCKING WHORE! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU." He ran towards Erik, arms raised in attack, but Erik grabbed Sebastian by the front of his shirt, and raised him till his feet were off the ground, and Erik tossed him like he was a ball. Sebastian fell back and landed on his ass, head hitting the asphalt. Azazel made no move towards Erik, only giving him a respected gaze before kneeling down to help Sebastian. Erik looked like he wanted to do more damage, but Charles pulled his arm back, "Erik, ERIK, stop, let's just go home okay? Let's go home."

Charles almost felt like crying.

When they got back, Erik stopped Charles in front of the jungle gym.

"Charles, you okay?" he shook Charles's shoulder and he moved in for a hug.

Charles clings onto him, muttering, "Thank you," over and over again. Erik shook his head before pushing Charles away, holding him by the shoulders.

"Don't you listen to them," Erik told him, "They're stupid and you're not a pig," he brushed a strand of hair out of Charles's face, "You're more like a rat anyway. A lab rat. An adorable one."

"Well, you're a shark," Charles rubbed his face, feeling more flattered than embarrassed, "Instead of making angry faces, you should smile, because you have a sharky smile. That would scare them off, definitely."

Erik shook his head, leaning his head until his forehead touched Charles's, "I only smile at people I like," and he flashed his biggest smile yet at him.

"Really?"

"Really," Erik laughed, before tilting his head and capturing Charles's lips with his own.

Charles froze, not at the prospect at the fact that this was Erik, the boy that swore they wouldn't be friends, or the fact that Erik was a boy, but the fact that this was his first kiss and he hadn't the slightest bloody idea what to do.

He thought that the lips ought to move more, and Charles's bottom lip quivered at the thought, but Erik didn't really do anything. Their lips were just solid on each other, and it was nice. Charles let his eyes slide shut and they stood like that for awhile. Lip locked and freezing, Charles more so than Erik. It wasn't until they needed to breath did they move away.

Erik moved in again, just a small peck and then he smiled and said, "See you tomorrow."

Charles crawled into bed, and then turned to look at his blank wall. He curled his knuckles into fists and knocked.

E.R.I.K?

Then some knocks in reply.

C.H.A.R.L.E.S?

Y.O.U. G.E.T. T.H.I.S?

Y.E.S.

C.O.O.L.

C.H.A.R.L.E.S.

Y.E.S?

I. L.I.K.E. Y.O.U.

I. D.O. T.O.O.

G.O.O.D.

I.M. G.O.I.N.G. T.O. B.E.D.

S.W.E.E.T. D.R.E.A.M.S.

Y.O.U. T.O.O.

That night, Charles dreams about kissing Erik.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

He wakes up with the thought that this might be wrong.

Boys don't kiss other boys. Boy kissed girls. Boys are supposed to like girls. Charles liked Erik, he really did, but he wasn't sure if he liked him the same way he would like a girl. It was different.

Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe people could like each other equally. But then again, he had never felt this way about another girl like the way he feels with Erik. And then again, he hasn't felt this way about anyone, so Charles thinks it's too early to make assumptions. It's not like he doesn't know about gay people. The first time he heard about such a thing was back in third grade when Sebastian called him a fag. Of course, Charles had lived in Britain until he was nine, so he had thought that Sebastian was calling him a cigarette for some reason, until he learned that it had a very different meaning in the states.

It had always meant a negative thing in elementary and in middle school. Of course, Charles knows it's an entirely different thing in high school. He had seen enough girls and on occasion boys walk out of the neighboring high school holding hands and kissing each other.

In any case, Charles had no idea what to do about it.

But quite frankly. He didn't give a shit.

Charles liked that word. He could say it forever. He didn't give a SHIT.

Erik liked him. And that's all that mattered really. Erik liked him, and Charles liked him back, and if Erik liked kissing him, than Charles could deal with that. If kissing a boy is the very small, and enjoyable price of having a relationship with someone that didn't involve them shoving your head down a toilet, than it was just a price that Charles was going to pay.

But even Sebastian couldn't let Charles have this. He had been noticed by someone. And there wasn't a damn thing Sebastian could do about it. But there was something he could do about Charles.

As regular school goes, it was mandatory for the administration allow at least one day a year that the students be excused from class to a supervised field trip. This year, there field trip would be going out to a nearby lake and learning to ice skate, not that anybody needed much teaching. That day was the day.

And it was also the day that Sebastian decided he had enough of Charles.

"Hey Piggy," Sebastian grinned from behind Charles, "What's that you're holding?"

Charles had skated away from everyone else, Sebastian knew he was stupid, and he was holding some sort of metal pole in his hands. Sebastian watched him picked it up from the edge of the lake where the water met the land, and it was hiding amongst the grass.

"I asked you a question piggy."

"Hello Sebastian," Charles turned to look at him, and Sebastian knew something was wrong.

There was no fear in Charles's eyes, and yet there wasn't any hatred either. It was like he was being brushed off for more important things.

Charles was treating him like he didn't matter.

His blood boiled. Azazel and Janos didn't notice, but of course, they were idiots too.

"Not so tough now, are you piggy," Sebastian bluffed through his teeth, "Not with your little boyfriend around to protect you."

Charles kept silent, but the grip on the pole tightened. Sebastian grinned. There was some anger hiding behind those innocent blue eyes after all.

"Did I say something wrong piggy?" Charles frowned, "Don't like it when I talk about your ugly boyfriend?"

"He's not ugly."

Charles didn't look like he slipped up, it sure as hell didn't sound like he slipped up. It sounded and looked like he sure as hell meant it. Sebastian grinned.

"Fag," he smiled, "Fucking piggy is a fucking fag."

Sebastian circled around Charles, taunting, "Well, sorry about insulting your boyfriend. He's quite the charmer, isn't he? I didn't mean it when I said he was ugly. You can tell him I said that, while you blow him like the pig you are."

"Shut up," Charles told him.

Things just got worse.

Charles held the pole upright in his hands, and a sort of desperate fear shot out of them. What Sebastian didn't know is that fear is always more dangerous than anger.

"I say that you put that fucking pole down, and then you're going for a swim." Sebastian took a step towards Charles and Charles held the pole up higher.

"No."

"No? NO? Listen hear piggy, if you think you're hot shit just because you've got a boyfriend to protect you and fuck you, then you're fucking wrong, because I don't see him here, and I'm going to shove that pole up your ass if you don't give it here. Now." The words came out rushed, unsure, and that hesitation made Charles grip that pole a little harder.

"Get over here piggy!" And when Sebastian shot towards Charles, Charles swung with more force than he ever dared.

He hit Sebastian on the side of the head. He didn't move for a full ten seconds. And then his hands went to the side of his face where he started to bleed, covered his ear, crumpled to floor and let out a god awful wail.

Charles dropped the pole, looked at Janos square in the eye, who didn't say anything, and muttered, "I'm sorry," and Charles ran.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"I hit him!" Charles exclaims excitedly when he meets Erik later that day. Erik looks happier, or healthier-sort of. His skin isn't as pale as it was before, his eyes are less sunken in and his smile is brighter.

"What happened?"

"We were ice skating, and I found this really big pole, and Sebastian started yelling at me, and then when he went up to hit me I smacked him with the pole!" Charles jumped up on the jungle gym where Erik was sitting. Erik smiled at him warmly. "He started to bleed from his ear, and then he was taken to the hospital."

"Did your mom say anything?"

"No, the principal called earlier but she hasn't said anything yet."

Erik laughed a little, before leaning over to kiss Charles's cheek. "We should do something to celebrate," Erik grinned, "You've grown your balls."

Charles shoved him, "They're bigger than yours," he laughed.

Erik laughed with him, before jumping down from the jungle gym, "Well, since you've already taken me out, this time I'm treating you." Erik held out his hand for Charles to hold.

Charles took it.

They ended up going to the movie theatre. It was a new zombie movie, which Charles loved. Erik couldn't seem to stand them, but when Charles started commenting about the ridiculousness of the whole movie, Erik cheered up a lot and they ended up laughing throughout the whole thing. Like how blood doesn't squirt quite like that or flow that heavily. It was also the one movie that Charles didn't care to see the ending too, because Erik leaned over and kissed Charles until he couldn't breathe.

Erik held his hand throughout it, because he leaned back after the first peck to ask why Charles was shaking. Charles knew in the back of the head though. Because no one had ever been this close to him without hurting him. No one had worshipped him like this, not like Erik did. No one made him feel like a bird was flying around in his stomach. No one had ever gotten this close to Charles. And Charles had a feeling that no one had ever gotten quite as close to Erik. And he was scared to death of losing it.

Instead Charles laughed a little, and said, "No one has ever kissed me like this before." And Erik laughed a little before taking Charles's face in his hands and kissing him like he was glass and he would shatter in a million pieces. Like he was something precious.

When they went home, Charles crawled into bed, ready to knock on his wall to tell Erik goodnight, when he heard a knock on his window. Erik was there, crouched on his windowsill, and of course Charles ran over to open it, his apartment was on the second story.

Charles opened the door, but Erik made no move to crawl in.

"Erik?"

"Say I can come in."

Charles didn't know if Erik was playing a game, and he shook his head, confused, "What are you doing out here?"

"Say I can come in and I'll tell you."

Charles nodded, and then added, "You can come in."

Erik crawled in, and wrapped his arms around Charles. He kissed him lightly and then looked around his room.

"That your bed?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," Charles nodded, holding Erik's hand and leading him to the bed.

"So why are you here?"

"I wanted to visit you. See your house."

"Why didn't you use the front door?"

Erik was silent, and then saying out of the corner of his eye, "I didn't want to meet your mom. I-"

He looked at Charles, "I don't think she'll like me."

Charles said nothing, just looking at Erik as he silently studied his room. Charles wondered to himself why he never invited Erik into his apartment. Charles brushed it off when Erik's thumb brushed over his hand, "I like your room. It's very….you."

"Nerdy you mean?"

"There's nothing with being nerdy. It's better than being stupid. Besides, nerdy fits you. You lab rat."

"Shark," Charles laughed, "I'd like to see your room one day."

Erik glanced around the room, "Yeah, one day."

Charles was tired, and he even though he wanted to stay up all night just talking to Erik, his mother was a light sleeper, and she'd eventually hear them.

"You want to spend the night? Just sleeping? I'm kind of tired."

Erik nodded, "Sure," and soon they slipped under the covers.

Charles faced his door, just in case his mom came in, he could cover Erik with a blanket and pretend he was the only one in the room. He didn't even want to hear the scolding he'd get if there was a naked boy in his bed- naked?

"Are you naked under there?" Charles asked when he turned to look at Erik and saw him a tad shirtless.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, my clothes smell a little, want me to leave?"

"No…it's just weird."

"Don't look. Just face the door." Erik's hand came out of the covers to hold Charles's hand. Erik stared at the back of Charles's head, saw his care going up the nape of Charles's neck. Charles continued to face the door.

"So, um….are we…..together now?"

"Weren't we always?"

"No…like…" Charles paused, "Like when boys and girls do it, boyfriend and girlfriend, except we're both boys, so we're like….boyfriend and boyfriend. Together."

"I don't know….."

"What do you mean? You've been snogging me like I provide oxygen. People just don't kiss each other without being together."

"They don't?"

"No," Charles breathed, "Don't you….like me?"

"NO!" Erik almost shouted, and then quieted his voice, "Sorry, no, I like you a lot Charles. Maybe more than I should…."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Erik sighed, "Nothing. ….What do people do when they're….together?" He heaved, "Is it different?"

"No, not really," Charles knotted his forehead, "It's pretty much the same. We hold hands, and kiss already, it's just more….official. And you don't do it with anyone else. You only do it with each other. Because it's special. So it's not altogether too different from what we've done already."

They both lay in silence for awhile. And then Charles felt Erik slide up closed to him, he could feel the ghost of Erik's lips on his neck, "Then okay. We're together."

Charles smiled, and he swore he could feel Erik smile too.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

When Charles woke up the next morning Erik was gone.

When he padded into his living room, his mom was watching the news crying.

"Mom?"

"Charles," she sniffed, before turning towards the television. Someone had been killed that morning. A jogger out on their morning run. But the man had been caught. Some old man…

Charles felt like all the air had been sucked out of him. That man, he looked familiar. His name was something unpronounceable in German but Charles swore that he saw him before.

That was Erik's dad. ERIK'S DAD. Erik's dad had been a murderer? A killer?

"Mom?"

"I recognize him," his mother whimpered, "He moved into the complex just last week. I saw him eating in the lobby downstairs. That killer lived here."

"Mom?" she was shaking now, hysterical. He had only ever seen her this way every time his dad would leave them in a fit of rage.

"He could have come into the apartment, while you were sleeping, he could have taken you from me, and no one would've known."

"Mom, I'm okay, I'm here-"

"No you're not," she cried into the handkerchief she was holding, "You're somewhere else Charles, and I don't even know who you are anymore," she turned to face him, "I got a call from the school. Yesterday. About what you did to that boy."

Charles couldn't force any words out. He wanted to cry with his mom. He really did. He wanted to say that she never knew him. Not really. He wanted to tell her all about Sebastian, and Azazel, and Janos, and the things they did, the things they said, and he wanted to tell her she shouldn't worry anymore, because he was strong now, and Erik was here, Erik could protect him now-

But he didn't. His mother couldn't know about Erik ever. Erik's dad was a killer. And Charles knew how she was. How she thought. She wouldn't let him see Erik anymore. That was her way of dealing with things.

"I was scared." The words tumbled out of his mouth, like a croak, and his mother looked like her world was coming crashing down on her shoulders.

"Charles….." she pulled out a lighter and cigarette, even though she had quit years ago.

"I'm going to miss the bus."

Those were the last words he was ever going to say to his mother.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Erik was hungry. And the man had been careless.

He went out three times, and each time he failed. Erik knew it would come to this eventually. The man had grown old.

Normally Erik didn't necessarily mind. Once one was gone, he'd have to get another. But then they'd have to leave.

Erik should have been careful. It was Erik who had been careless. Because he didn't want to leave. He didn't want to leave Charles. Erik also knew he couldn't take Charles with him, because no matter how strong Erik was, Erik couldn't protect Charles. Not always. Not during the day when Charles needed him most.

Erik had been sloppy, and that was his fault. He knew that this would happen, and he did nothing to correct the problem.

So now he had to deal with the fall out. First things first. He needed food. He needed food that night.

Which was too bad, because Erik had been planning to invite Charles over, now that the man was gone. The man couldn't look at Charles with his small black eyes. He knew how men were. Especially that man, who he had to string along for twenty years of promises. Promises that Erik would never go through with. Promises like the ones he was giving to Charles.

Except this time…..he was actually going through with those promises.

Erik would never admit it. He had never kissed anyone. Or liked anyone. Not since his mother. Not since that man.

Charles was the first human ever who had cared. Who didn't help Erik to gain something else. Who wanted Erik's company for their own reasons. Charles wanted Erik around because Erik was Erik. Although Erik had a sinking suspicion that Charles wanted Erik around partly because he was lonely, but that was okay. Erik wanted Charles around because he was lonely too.

Erik was confused on the other hand. Friendship was one thing. Kissing him when Erik was old enough to be Charles's great-great-great-great-great grandfather was another. Not that Erik was going to stop either way. Erik like Charles. Erik was going to have what he liked. Not that Erik's mind had advanced since that day. Probably because he was twelve. And twelve year olds were…..confused. Their brains hadn't reached a stage where they understood anything fully. Erik wished he had been older when that day happened. Maybe he could sort out how he exactly felt about Charles. How far these feelings went, and if he wanted them to continue.

But he could sort out his thoughts later. Now, he needed to wait. For the night.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Erik was gone that night, but there was a note attached to his door after Charles trudged back up the stairs.

Don't worry about me

I had to do some shopping

I'll be back later.

-Erik

P.S. I really like you. Leave your window open.

So he had the night free, so to speak. It was still early. His mom was passed out on the couch again.

Maybe it was time to return his books, and pay another visit to Hank.

The library was only three blocks from the complex, and it rarely closed. Mostly because Hank practically lived there studying and researching. And if Hank was there, Raven was most likely there too, making coffee or doing her nails.

It took him ten minutes to get there, and then he hammered on the doors because Hank always let him in even when the doors were locked. Sure enough, Raven came trudging up and opened the door.

"We're clo- Oh hey Charles! Kind of late, don't you think?"

"I got the night off," Charles grinned cryptically, "And I need to return new books, and check some more out. Is Hank in?"

"Yeah he's in the back. Have you eaten dinner yet? We ordered pizza."

"Sure."

"How's your mom?"

"Drunk."

"So nothing new. Come on in. Hank's actually finishing up for once. His thesis is on genetic mutation."

"Like in my books."

"Yeah, but it has a lot of brainy words in it. Kind of puts me to sleep. Oi! Hank! Charlie's here!"

"Hi there Charles." Hank smiled from his desk, "Give me a moment. I'm just about done. Get him some food would you Raven?"

"Sure sure. But this doesn't make me the woman in the relationship."

"Never has."

Raven cornered Charles in the office kitchen.

"Alright nerd, spill. I don't think I've seen you genuinely smile in years. Did that asshole Shaw kid fall into a well and break his neck?"

"NO!" Charles laughed a little, shrugged off Raven's hands off his shoulders.

"You should tell me where he lives. I'll go over his house and knee him in the balls for you."

"I don't think that'll be necessary Raven."

She crossed her arms and leaned back into the fridge.

"You used to talk like that. A long time ago. Before all this…..shit happened. Something's changed. I like it. I like it when you talk older than you are."

"It's nothing Raven. You shouldn't fill your head with such silly ideas."

"Something IS up! I know it is. Let me guess- Oh!" Raven smirked, "You got a girlfriend don't you? I bet its Moira. When you do projects together she's always staring at you with googly eyes."

"It's not Moira-"

"AHA! So that's it. You've got a girlfriend, I just have to figure out who it is."

"It isn't a girlfriend either Raven." Charles muttered something before taking a bite of pizza.

"What was that? Didn't catch it."

Charles mumbled and took a drink of soda.

"Charles, so help me god I'm going to go over there and-"

"It's a boy," Charles finally announced.

Raven stood silent for a moment, trying to process what had just come out of her twelve going on thirteen cousin's mouth.

"A boy?"

"I've got a boyfriend," Charles nodded, cheeks flushing, "His name is Erik. He moved into our apartment complex." Charles sighed at Raven's expression, "I wanted to tell someone."

"Oh," Raven finally smiled, "You know what? That's awesome. This is fantastic. Hank! Hank! Get in here! We have to celebrate!"

"Celebrate what?" Hank called out, and he popped his head into the room.

"Charles here….has got himself a boyfriend."

Hank sputtered for a moment, before finally smiling, "Hey that's great! Good for you Charles. I guess those mutation pick up lines worked huh?"

"Knock it off," Raven smacked him on the shoulder, "Well, now I have to meet him and tell him I'll crush his penis in a vice if he hurts you."

"Don't!" Charles shouted before he realized she was joking. He laughed too, before turning to Hank and asking him if he had any books on the properties of metal.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Charles was walking back with an arm full of books. Raven had given him advice about dating. And Hank just told him to agree with everything that Raven said. So far that was the best advice he had ever gotten.

He was just crossing the street when he saw someone run across it.

"Erik?"

Erik stopped and his eyes widened like dinner platters. He had something dripping out of his mouth. Something red.

"Erik? Are you hurt? What are you doing here?"

"Charles," he gasped shakily, "Run. Get away."

Charles could see Erik's eyes from the distance. His eyes were ringed, and bright, almost yellowish from the usual blue green.

"Erik? I don't understand what's going on."

"RUN NOW. GET AWAY FROM ME!" Erik screamed, but it didn't sound like Erik at all. This voice was scary, guttural, angry and hungry. It sounded like a monster's voice. An old, ancient monster.

And then Erik broke out in a mad dash, running past Charles. Charles saw him run into someone's house.

Charles heard someone scream.

And so Charles ran.

Charles did not leave the window open that night.

But Erik was there regardless. Charles opened the window but didn't invite him in.

"Can you leave me alone? Just for the night."

"I'm sorry. Did I scare you?"

Charles looked down at the floor, "A little bit."

"I didn't want you to see that."

"I don't know what I saw."

"But it was bad, wasn't it?" Erik said sadly, "I wish I could explain it to you, but I can't."

"This whole time you've been pretending."

Erik didn't bother to stand up for the statement.

"You're pretending to be human. But it's just….a lie."

"Charles," Erik reached out to touch him, but Charles jumped back, "Don't touch me."

Erik's eyes grew big with remorse.

"You're…..a liar."

"I'm sorry."

"Did they die?"

Erik could only nod.

"I want to be alone tonight. If that's okay with you?" Charles didn't even feel scared. He just felt angry. Angry and stupid.

"I'll see you tomorrow Erik. Maybe."

And so Charles closed the windows on Erik.

And that was that.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Everyone at school ignored him. But it wasn't because Sebastian was making him. It was because everyone knew Charles had wacked him so hard across the head he may be deaf in one ear, and no one wanted to get on the bad side of a delinquent. Charles was far from caring. His mind was too busy wondering about Erik. And what Erik was.

Charles couldn't condone the fact that Erik was killing people. But maybe he had picked it up from his father? The one that had been caught killing people.

But Erik just couldn't get the image out of his head. Of Erik's eyes and the red substance that was most likely blood dripping from Erik's mouth.

Erik had a name for what he was, but somehow, it was different. Erik was a different sort of creature entirely, because Erik didn't talk like he was hundreds of years old, and Charles doubted he can turn into a bat.

Erik still lied. Did it matter? Charles would have lied. But he would have told Erik. Especially since they were together.

Charles was about to go out when he heard a knock at the door.

He opened it and Erik was standing there, wearing clothes that were too big for him and a sad expression on his face.

"Can I come in?"

Charles looked at the ground, and then nodded and stepped back so Erik could walk in.

"You have to say I can come in."

Charles was silent for a moment, thinking it over in his head. "What will happen if I don't say it?" he asked, "If you just come in anyway?"

Erik shook his head and stepped back.

"I want to see," Charles asked, "Please. I want to know what happens."

Charles was only curious, Erik knew that, so he held his breath and padded into the apartment. He looked down at his bare feet, and then turned to face Charles, silent and still.

After a moment, nothing happened, and Charles whispered, "Is that it?"

Erik solemnly shook his head, and waited.

His body started shaking, like he was scared. His fists curled up into balls and his mouth pulled back in a tight line, gritting his teeth. He looked like he was going to pull apart, fly away in a million pieces.

And then suddenly, blood blossomed out of Erik's every orifice. His nose, his eyes, the pores in his hair and skin, his ears. They ran down his face like someone was poking invisible knives into Erik.

Charles screamed, "Stop! STOP! It's okay! Its okay, you can come in! You're invited! It's okay to be in!" And then he grabbed Erik and held him tightly for good measure.

Finally Erik sighed and the bleeding stopped, but the blood didn't magically disappear.

"Thank you Charles," Erik sighed.

"Why did you do it? What if I didn't say anything? Would you have died?"

Erik just sighed again, "I knew you wouldn't let me."

Charles felt the patches of warm blood on Erik's body, and he stepped back. His clothes were ruined.

"You can take a shower in the bathroom," Charles told him, "My dad has some old clothes here you can wear. I'll be right back."

Erik quickly showered, and soon all traces of the blood were gone. He walked out into the living room, naked, when Charles walked in.

"It might be big but-" The words died in Charles's throat when he caught a glimpse of Erik.

"Er….er….um….uh…..he-here….." Charles handed the clothes to Erik, blushing scarlet. Erik didn't seem to think much of it, and he changed right there in the hallway. When he was done, they sat together on the floor, on either side of the coffee table.

"Are you a vampire?" The words fell out of Charles's mouth.

Erik looked down at his hands, "No," he said quietly.

"But you….kill people. For blood."

"I have an unusual….illness," Erik explained, "I need their blood to live. Or else I'll starve."

"Have you tried eating other things?"

"My body doesn't digest food. I get sick and throw up," Erik murmured, "I don't like doing it. But I have too."

"Is your dad a vam- have the same illness?"

"He's not my dad. And no, he just helps me get food."

"Oh," Charles looked down, "Are there more like you?"

Erik sighed, "I think so, but not many. I've only met two."

"How old are you Erik?"

"I'm twelve," Erik answered truthfully, "But I've been twelve for a very long time."

"Is this why you can't come out during day time?"

"Yes," Erik nodded, "I was careless once, and I fell asleep with the curtains open. My arm started to burn really badly. I got third degree burns. They didn't go away for weeks."

"So you sleep during the day?"

"Yeah, in the bathroom."

"Why?"

"It's safe. I sleep in the tub. It's like a room inside a room. I feel protected in there."

"Do you like me?"

"Yes," Erik answered with no hesitation, "I like you a lot Charles. I don't ever want to leave."

"Don't," Charles slid over to Erik's side of the coffee table and kissed him.

It was the first time Charles initiated a kiss. And he didn't lead for long, because Erik took control over it, tangling his fingers in Charles's hair and tilting him back. There was no tongue, which Charles felt was odd, but then he realized it was just because Erik was different. Erik may have been older, but mentally, he was the exact same person from many years ago, and Erik's affection just didn't go that way. It wasn't the animal lust you see in Hollywood movies where the characters tore wildly at each other. These kisses were chaste, and promised more.

Erik sucked at Charles's bottom lip, gently sliding his lips in a soothing manner of Charles's. Charles opened his mouth and gasped, and Erik swallowed him whole. And Charles finally mentally decided to himself, 'Fine, fine. I love him. He's beautiful and kind and I love him.'

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Charles's mother came in abruptly after Erik and Charles had moved to Charles's room so Charles can show Erik the books he picked up on metal, and then they tossed the books aside when they realized that snogging each other silly was much more entertaining.

When they heard her call out, Charles jolted up and his teeth crashed against Erik's. Erik had to roll off of Charles from the bed, as Charles hissed, "Hide!"

Charles then proceeded to dash out of the hall, saw his mother carrying groceries. She said hi, and then she ignored him once more. He nodded and then dashed to his room to find Erik gone.

He called out to him, and then he heard giggling at his window. Charles opened the door, peered to his left, and saw Erik from his apartment window, laughing with a wide smile on his face.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Erik promised.

"Bye," and Charles went to get ready for bed.

He knocked on his walls when he was sure his mother was asleep.

E.R.I.K?

Y.E.S?

C.A.N. I. G.O. T.O. Y.O.U.R. H.O.U.S.E. T.O.M.O.R.R.O.W?

S.U.R.E.

I.T.S. A. D.A.T.E.

W.H.A.T.E.V.E.R. L.O.V.E.R. B.O.Y.

S.W.E.E.T. D.R.E.A.M.S.

Y.O.U. T.O.O.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sean and Alex had asked him about Erik that day. They were pretty excited about the whole thing, but they were full of smiles anyway, so Charles saw no reason not to tell them, at least a little bit.

"Emma said that Sebastian was cone-cocked by your new friend."

"He has to be huge. He's huge right? Like a high schooler?"

"Emma was jazzed up about the whole thing. Said it was about time someone kicked his ass."

"Has he been teaching you moves? Why doesn't he come here? I want to see him beat down Sebastian."

"What's his name?"

"Erik Lensherr," Charles told them, "It wasn't a big deal. Erik gets irritated easily."

"So what? How old is he?" Sean asked.

"Twelve. He's homeschooled, that's why he doesn't come here."

"So he's your new neighbor Xavier?"

"Yeah, he moved like two weeks ago."

"How'd you meet?"

"Fighting," Charles smiled, "We had a conflict of interests."

"Aw man, Charlie, don't use big words like that. I'm not a brainiac like you." Alex grinned.

Charles laughed, and then Sean snuck in, "So, everyone says you're boinking him too…."

"Shut up!" Alex smacked Sean across his front, "Hey Charlie, don't listen to people's bullshit. It ain't their business."

"You're only saying that cuz your brother is-"

"I dare you to finish that sentence Cassidy."

Charles stood between them, urging them apart, "Hey, make love, not war guys," and he smiled.

"Well, it's nice to see you smiling Charlie."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Erik's apartment was bare. But it was filled with tiny metal sculptures. Charles peered at every last one, and Erik smiled proudly behind him, telling him how he made them. Of course, Erik was lost in thought at the night before. The night when Charles found out about what he is.

Erik had seen what happened on the news. He always watched it before the man went out. They had a talk before he left.

'You're different now,' the man said, 'Ever since you met that boy….you've been different. You want to play now. You walk like a child. I see it. You're loose limbed and not so serious. This will make you careless.'

Erik hadn't noticed the change, but it was true, he wanted to play. They had played hide the key a few nights ago. Erik was unhappy when the man didn't share his enthusiasm for the game. But it didn't matter anymore. Because that night the man had been caught, and Erik was all alone. That man use to tell him that he loved him. Called him leibling.

Erik called Charles that. Erik knew what that meant, and once Charles gave him a wide smile and asked him what it meant. Erik didn't tell him, he was too embarrassed, but he wasn't ashamed to use the word. His own word. Because he couldn't say THAT out loud. Those words had been ruined for him, but he liked calling Charles leibling, because that's what Charles was. Mein Leibling.

Erik hadn't felt like a child in a long time. Not since that day.

Erik went to the back room and dug up some money. He always had a lot. More than he knew what to do with. People were always giving him money. He never used any of it, but he figured he could spend it on Charles.

They had been together for about four days now. Almost a week. It had been two weeks since they first met. It almost felt like forever ago.

Charles and he walked out of the apartment together, hand in hand. It was only six, and it was already dark. They took a bus to another nearby city, filled with lights. They walked down the street holding hands, while Erik glared at anyone close enough to look at Charles.

Charles had told Erik about his eyes the first day. But Erik, in his opinion, had thought that Charles had the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. They shined far brighter than any hue of blue, and Erik was powerless against him. And Charles was slowly coming out his shell, and Erik soon learned he was powerless against anything that Charles did. Like when Charles asked to go get ice cream, Erik didn't even say anything yet, before he turned his lips into a pout and his eyes cast the look of a downtrodden puppy, and it was the first time Erik realized just how red Charles's lips were. Erik said yes, how could he say no to that? And they walked to the shops and looked at all the interesting things there was to see. Like the toy store and the comic book store, and Charles chattered on excitedly about some comic book called the X-Men. And they sat on a bench and Charles started singing a song called, 'That Spells DNA,' and Erik was trying to keep up, failing at learning the lyrics. Then they looked at all the people around them and gave them names and families and stories. They giggled and played rock paper scissors. Charles won eight to two, and Erik feigned anger, asking, "Can you read my mind?" and Charles shook his head, "I just get a picture in my head, but maybe I could."

They walked home but it took them longer than usual because Erik would pull Charles to the side and kiss him, and they would continue walking and Charles would pull Erik down to kiss him back.

Charles's mother was already asleep when they walked in. Charles invited Erik in again, and they went to sleep on his bed. They talked throughout the night, telling stories to one another that they finished each other's, and they fell asleep with their arms curled around each other.

Charles couldn't be happier.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The next morning was Saturday, so Charles had the day off. He snuck out of his apartment into Erik's. Erik had told him before he went to sleep, "Come over tomorrow, the key is under the mat. I'll be asleep. Don't go to the bathroom. I'll try to wake up early."

Charles padded into the apartment. Him and Erik had been up almost all night, talking. He curled up on the couch with a blanket that had been left out, and fell asleep again.

There was no reason to be awake when Erik wasn't.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Erik dreamt about that night, the night Charles found out. When the man got caught. Erik had visited him in the hospital, and the man had offered his neck to Erik. Erik took it, because he was hungry, and he couldn't hurt Charles. But Charles….Charles was in constant danger anyway.

It was more of a nightmare. He lied awake in Charles bed, long after the other fell asleep, and thought about things that were going to happen.

Erik had messed up. Panicked, that night. When he saw Charles walking towards him. He could see Charles's body on the ground. Charles's neck split open, with rich, dark blood flowing from an open wound.

Erik was terrified, and in his terror, he killed a woman. He ran to the nearest house, but he didn't go inside, he wasn't that stupid. A woman was walking towards her door. He killed her just as she knocked, but in his frenzy he had ignore the man that opened the door.

The man had seen him.

The man was going to figure it out. He was going to find out who he was, sooner or later.

And then Erik would have to leave.

Leave Charles.

He couldn't sleep peacefully that day.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Charles could hear someone at the door. Knocking. Charles jumped up in fear, and hid under the table in the kitchen. It had a cloth over it, and Charles curled up into a ball. Perhaps the person would leave. He would leave when he saw no one was home.

The door opened. Charles let out a silent cry. He could hear his footsteps, wandering around the house. Charles could only silently pray. Let the man leave. Make him leave. Make him leave.

The man did not leave.

The man checked every room in the house. He tore down the papers in the front room. Light shone through. Charles wanted to scream.

It wouldn't be long until he found the bathroom. Oh god Erik Erik Erik Erik don't let him find Erik-

The man was here to kill vermin. That's what he thought in his head. Kill the vermin who killed his wife. Killed her like a piece of meat. He went out looking for the boy, and he had spotted him getting on the bus. Laughing. Laughing with another boy. Pretending to be something else, and not the vermin he was.

He opened the bathroom door, Charles peered under the table cloth and saw that the man had a gun in his right hand, as he peered into the bathroom.

Erik Erik he was going to hurt Erik and Charles couldn't move. Couldn't speak. He was so scared. So scared. Why was the man here? Why did he have a gun? Because of what Erik was? Because of what Erik did?

The man padded into the bathroom, and saw the paper on the window. He pulled off just a tiny sliver, and looked down to see the blankets in the tub. He pulled off one blanket, one after the other. Charles finally worked up enough courage to come out from under the table.

The man pulled out another blanket and reached out to pull out a pale arm. It hit the sunlight and Charles could see it burn.

"NOOOO!" Charles shrieked, "DON'T DO THAT!"

The man jumped up, letting go of Erik's arm, and turned to face him with a gun trained at Charles's head.

"JESUS!"

In that second, Erik had woken up, scared, confused, and hurting. To see a stranger pointing a gun at Charles.

The man didn't stand a chance.

Erik was on him in two seconds. He screamed, letting out a guttural roar, and he proceeded to rip the man apart, limb by limb. Charles was too dumb stricken to move. The man screamed, cursed, but finally he stopped after Charles heard his neck snap. The man could only let out breathy moans, and Charles padded to the bathroom door, and slammed it shut.

Charles curled up in the back room where there was no sunlight when Erik came out five minutes later.

He was a mess. He was covered head to toe in blood, and it already started to dry and form rivers on his skin. The clothes were ruined. But despite it all, Charles still let Erik wrap his hands around him. Erik kissed his cheek and Charles cried silently.

"I didn't want you to see that," Erik cooed to him, "I didn't want you to be a part of that,"

"Is he dead?" Charles hiccupped.

"Yes," Erik stroked his hair, "You saved my life, Charles. Thank you."

Charles only cried harder, and Erik squeezed him tighter. Erik let Charles bury himself in the crook of his neck. And Charles sobbed.

"Was it because of what you were?"

"Yeah," Erik sighed.

"What's going to happen?"

"I have to go," Erik helped Charles slide away from him, and Erik peered into his eyes, drinking the image in, memorizing it.

"I have to leave now. And I can't come back. But if you want me to stay, I'll stay. But if I stay, I'll die."

"I don't want you…." Charles wiped away his tears, his throat was burning, and the tears only kept coming, "I don't want you to die. I want you to be alive Erik."

"Then go to sleep," Erik whispered. "Go to sleep. I'll kiss you and talk to you in German and sing to you and kiss you some more until you go to sleep. When you wake up, I'll be gone. And you won't ever see me again."

"Can I go with you?"

"Only if….you…..let me…"

"No," Charles could already see it in his head, blood dripping out of his mouth. And that look on his face. The look he promised himself he would never look like.

"I know," Erik sighed, "I know. I wouldn't let you anyway."

"Erik…" Charles cried and they lied there together, holding hands and kissing gently. They both removed most of their clothes and traced each other's scars. Erik kissed each one, as if erasing the pain that went with it, or giving it a new, sweet memory, and he spoke to him in hushed whispers in German, and when Charles asked what each thing meant, Erik answered truthfully, "It means you are my love. My treasure. I will see you in my sleep every time I close my eyes. My mouth will remember each kiss you give it, and my eyes will always remember your blue eyes and your lips and your smile. And I will cry the day you die, and I will never be happy again, I'll never love anyone like I love you. I want you to be happy."

It took three hours for Charles to finally go to sleep. He tried to will it off, tried to avoid it. Maybe he wouldn't sleep again, and that meant Erik couldn't leave him, and couldn't die.

But sleep finally claimed him, and Erik stole himself from Charles and vowed to never return again. Because the next time he came back, it would be to finally die.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Charles slept through Sunday and on Monday Sebastian had come back to school. His ear had needed fifty five stitches, and he glared at Charles from his seat. But Charles looked past him with dead eyes. He didn't care anymore. He didn't care about anything.

Charles decided to run away, and he ran to the subway. He could take the train and go visit his dad perhaps. He couldn't go back to his apartment, and look at the jungle gym where he first met Erik and where Erik first kissed him.

Charles bought a ticket and got on the train, and then he saw Sebastian, Azazel, and Janos get on. Charles chickened out and got off at the next stop. Perhaps they wouldn't see him.

They did.

They corned him on the stairs, and forced him back to the tracks. Charles could hear the train coming. No comments, no insults. They just grabbed him and forced his head over the track.

"Let me go!"

"You need to be somewhere in a hurry?"

"LET GO OF ME! LET ME GO!"

"Not likely,"

And the train was coming fast, Charles could hear it coming, he struggled, and silently cried, gritting his teeth.

"You're going to die, you understand?"

And then Charles realized, 'Oh god, it's not for fun. They're serious, they're really going to do it."

The train was coming, he could feel their hard hands on the small of his back, where Erik used to put his hands when he dipped Charles back and kissed him, and Charles screamed.

It was a wail, a sad, broken, sobbing wail, and the train came and it rushed just inches away from Charles's face.

ERIK!

That was the only thing Charles could think.

They tossed him on the floor after, like trash. Sebastian sneered, and then leaned close, "Things are going to be different around here, understand?"

Charles nodded shamefully, and when they left he looked down and saw that he had pissed himself. He didn't care. He trudged back all the way home, took a shower to get the stink off of him, crawled into bed naked and cried.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

His mom was sober that night, and she tried to talk to Charles. Charles ignored her. It was the ol switcheroo. She ignored him, he ignored her. She yelled, and cried, and finally she told him she loved him. He wishes he could say the same thing, but he doesn't love her anymore. Not really.

Charles went to the apartment next door, but the key was gone. Erik had taken it with him, wherever he was.

He called Raven that night, and told her that him and Erik had broken up, and she squawked, "That little shit! I'll kill him!" and Charles laughed and cried and told her that he had moved away with his dad, and he was calling because he wanted to tell her that she couldn't meet Erik anymore even though he promised her that she could.

Charles didn't do homework. He stole some cigarettes from his mother's nightstand and smoked them out his window, and then decided they left ashes in his mouth and threw them away.

Charles doesn't know how many more days he can take of this.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The next day of school is swimming day, and everyone is in the pool. It was mandatory to attend, and at five thirty, the sky was already dark. Charles usually hates swimming days, because sometimes Sebastian steals his clothes and Charles has to walk home in his swimsuit. But he can't bring himself to care. Not anymore. Maybe if Sebastian started beating him again than it would take away the pain of not being around Erik anymore. Around Erik, he was happy. He was his old self again. He knew it was his old self, the part that wasn't scared or nervous, the part of him that was brave.

Sebastian had an older brother. He did drugs and beat up kids, sometimes he beat up Sebastian too, and he was in a gang. He wasn't happy that a little squirt like Charles could do what he did to his brother, had made him deaf in one ear.

Janos and Azazel lit the dumpster outside on fire, and the teacher left in a panic, and once he was outside, they locked the doors and ordered everyone out of the pool.

Soon it was just them and Charles.

Sebastian's older brother walked over to where Charles was in the pool. He beckoned him over, and Charles knew they would catch him if he tried to get away.

He swam over and Sebastian's older brother grabbed him by the hair.

"Here's how it's going to work Charlie," he growled, "You took away my brother's ear. Now, see this?" he pulled out a knife, "I figure I'll just use this to cut out an eye. And eye for an ear, eh? But, I'll cut you a deal. If you could hold your breath for five minutes, we'll just kick your lily white ass and leave it at that."

He smiled. And that look on his face appeared. The look that scared Charles half to death if it was on his face.

"Take a deep breath," and he held Charles's head under the water.

A minute went by and Charles was starting to have problems.

He struggled, and let out bubbles of air escape, and then he knew.

This wasn't Sebastian. This was someone who had no qualms with killing.

This time. This time, Charles was going to die.

Charles stopped thrashing.

But he was so scared. So scared of dying but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

The minute turned to two, and Janos turned to see someone hammering on the windows. It was a boy, a boy with green eyes and a mouth full of teeth. A sharky mouth.

"Let me in!" he screamed, "Say, 'Come in!'"

Janos didn't know what possessed him to do it, but there was something about him, a wild desperation, that he could only find himself nodding, and said, "You can come in."

And then the world was covered in blood.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Charles took a deep gulp of air when he felt himself submerged over the water. Someone was grabbing him, and hoisted him up. Charles was laying face first on the concrete, and he could feel someone's hands shaking him. Charles could smell the blood on the floor. He turned his eyes to the side and saw Sebastian's lifeless eyes staring back at him. He could hear whimpers from far away, and he could see Janos and Azazel curled up in a corner, terrified out of their minds. Sebastian's brother was nowhere to be seen.

Charles looked up at the hands caressing him, and was greeted with familiar eyes and a wide smile, dripping blood.

"Erik," he gasped silently.

"I couldn't leave," Erik shook his head, "I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave you. Not to die."

And Charles surged upwards, and wrapped his arms around Erik's neck and kissed him fully. He didn't care if anyone saw. The whole world could see. Let them look.

Erik took Charles by his shaking hands, and together they walked out of the pool, out of the school, and into the night. Far away where no one knew them.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Charles sat alone on the train, with a trunk under his feet. He had other bags on the carrier above them. They're going to Westchester, out of New York City, into the countryside. It'll be night by the time they get there.

The ticket man had asked Charles if he would need any help with his trunk. It was a big trunk after all, and he was alone.

"I'll have someone help me when I get there."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you for asking."

The man walks away, and Charles gazes out the window.

From inside the trunk, someone knocks.

Charles reaches over, and knocks back.

The End

Epilogue

Charles doesn't see much of the day anymore. He convinces Erik to sleep with him in the bedroom of the apartments they move into that they thoroughly cover with butcher paper and boards. They wake up in the same position every night, with Erik curled over Charles protectively while Charles nuzzles Erik's neck.

They go out at night, and it's only every so often that Erik leaves Charles alone to eat. Charles has taught him to control his hunger, and not to let his hunger control him. Erik feels more like a child now even when he was a child.

Erik tells Charles the truth eventually. He is over two hundred years old, and his family was taken away and tortured before he was turned. He used to be angry about it, but Charles teaches him to let go. And finally, he does.

They made love once, but it wasn't an experience they were ready to indulge in again. It was a childish experiment that children have, young and curious. It happens when they wake up together one night, close and hot, and Erik leans in to kiss Charles properly and before they know what's happening, they begin to rut against each other slowly. Charles is still young, and he finds the whole ordeal odd, while Erik can't help but agree with his twelve year old mentality that he rather just touch Charles in the most innocent of ways and hold hands and kiss him gently. Neither of them can find the ideal of this forbidden, adult thing, and decide to leave it at that.

They have one accident.

It happens on the night of Charles's thirteenth birthday, and Erik neglects feeding to make the night perfect. While Charles shows his appreciation, they begin necking and soon it grows heavy, and Erik can't help himself and he bites Charles.

Part of him is mortified. The other part strongly suspects that Erik wanted to do it.

Of course, due to Charles's nature, he doesn't speak to Erik for weeks. The thought of him feeding on a poor innocent soul makes him sick and depressed. Of course, hunger wins over anger, and Charles knows if he doesn't eat, he'll die, and then he can't wake up to Erik's face anymore.

Erik helps him, Erik is always helping him. He easily forgives Charles and soon everything is alright again.

Time passes, and neither of them changes. Soon Charles's mother dies and Charles knows that soon after Raven will die and Hank will die and everyone who had ever known Charles and saw him not as a sad, bullied boy, but an intelligent, eccentric child will die, and Erik will still be there.

Erik is still there to listen to Charles talk about genetics and Erik is there to hold Charles while he cries because he can't grow up and be a professor at Oxford one day and Erik is there when Charles freaks out and attacks an innocent girl and feeds off her and he sobs for days and Erik is there. Erik is there when they are holding hands one night, under a tree watching the stars and Erik finally tells Charles, "I love you," out of the blue like it's the most natural thing in the world to say, and Charles smiles when Erik turns away shyly and says, "I love you," back.

Years turn to decades and decades turn to another century or two but neither is keeping track anymore. The world outside changes and they don't. They stay indoors and play and hide from the rest of the world because they aren't lonely anymore. They are always enough for each other.

This is why Charles loves Erik.

Because Erik stayed.

Erik stayed.