Chances
It was 5:30 in the morning and as far as anyone was concerned, Charles Francis Xavier had not changed his morning routine despite his disability. To the other X-Men, Charles was simply not a morning person. Today was different though, having been almost 2 months since the incident that changed his life forever, he had just now realized how much he missed Erik's company. Charles had been home for about a week, and though he had been happy to leave that white and uncannily sterile room, he missed Erik, though he would not show it, he truly missed Erik.
Suddenly a loud commotion was heard, jerking Charles from his thoughts. In the kitchen, Hank had walked into Erik, who was begging to talk to Charles. He was not demanding as Hank had expected him to be, but begging as he was being held against the wall.
"Please, Hank, I'm not going to hurt him, please, I only want to talk to him," Erik begged.
Hank growled at Erik, who flinched, choosing not to fight back.
"Hank, Please, I'm begging you, and you know I do not beg. I only want to speak with Charles," Erik begged.
Hank backed off, not happy about it, but he backed off. Erik stood slowly, not wanting to provoke any fight from Hank. Erik slowly walked away from the wall.
"Where is Charles," Erik asked once he found his words.
"He's in the study, but one telepathic plea for help and I'll be in there," Hank warned.
Erik nodded in agreement, then walked down the hall to the study. He silently entered the room and saw Charles across the room, staring out the window. Fighting back tears, Erik took off the helmet and set it on the ground by the door. As the presence of Erik's mind was detected, Charles turned around. Erik moved closer, close enough to see Charles' facial expression. Erik saw the fear and anger in Charles' eyes. Each of these details made it harder to hold the tears back. Erik fell to his knees in front of Charles.
"What do you want Erik," Charles asked.
"Charles, I see what I have done to you and I'm trying to say I deserve whatever hate and anger you feel towards me. I have been a horrible friend. I know you probably don't trust me, and I deserve it. I'm trying to say I'm sorry," Erik spoke slowly and evenly sa tears fell down his face.
"I appreciate the apology, but you won't make it right," Charles said coldly.
"Please, Charles, I'll make it right if you allow it. Just give me a chance. I'm not leaving," Erik begged, tears flowing freely now.
"Erik, I don't trust you," Charles said even colder than before.
"Charles, please give me a chance to make it right. I promise not to leave," Erik begged.
He stood, walking across the room, picking up the helmet. Charles was sure the other man was going to put it on, but Erik only crossed the room towards Charles. Erik set the helmet in Charles' lap, turned and left the room, leaving a very confused Charles behind him. Erik walked to his room and sat on the bed, a few minutes later, he was up and staring out of the window. Several minutes later, Erik decided to go back downstairs. He stepped in the kitchen to find Hank attempting to cook, and ultimately failing miserably.
"Hank, let me take over before you kill yourself," Erik said.
"You'll poison Charles," Hank responded.
"I'll use ingredients found here," Erik promised.
"Alright, fine," Hank said, a bit relieved to give up the cooking.
Erik smirked as he took over chopping up the vegatbles. While waiting for two dishes to finish cooking, Erik decided to bake brownies. After everything with the exception of the brownies were done, Erik smiled.
"If Charles wants to eat, he can come get it," Erik said before Hank had a chance to speak.
"The doctors said Charles should rest," Hank argued.
"Better he ignored the doctors," Erik said.
His thoughts were proven correct because before the brownies were finished baking, Charles joined them in the kitchen, though he refused to talk to Erik.
"Hank, you cooking has improved," Charles said.
"I didn't cook it, Erik did," Hank responded.
Charles stared at Erik for a few minutes then shrugged.
"Thank you Erik. It's better than Hank's cooking, and definitely better than the hospital food," Charles said.
Erik laughed, he couldn't help but do just that. It was a big improvement from about an hour ago. Charles was actually smiling, not a forced and fake smile like earlier, but a genuine smile. This caused Hank to smile, happy to see that Charles was finally happy. Though he knew it only took an hour for Charles to get used to his presence, some of the others, it would take weeks. After eating Erik walked out the back door and sat on the small stone structure that he leaned on after successfully moving the satellite dish receiver only months ago. Erik was staring off into space as it began to rain softly. Charles decided to go talk to him. He made his way out of the back door, but then his brakes malfunctioned and he was sent racing down the hill. He crashed into the barrier, causing Erik to fall off of the little wall. Once he realized what had happened, Erik jumped back over the wall and ran over to Charles. Charles was pinned against the wall, his wheelchair having fallen on top of him. Erik quickly moved the wheelchair off of the other man.
"Charles, are you okay," Erik asked, almost frantic.
There was no reply, but a small wimper of pain from Charles as Erik rolled him over.
"Charles, please, answer me. Are you okay," Erik said, his voice growing frantic.
"I'm so sorry Erik," Charles muttered.
"For what Charles? Why should you be sorry," Erik asked.
"For the way I greeted you earlier. I'm a weak man and I greeted you as such," Charles said, tears in his eyes.
"Charles, don't worry about that. Now let's get you inside before you get sick," Erik said, putting an arm around Charles' back and his other arm under Charles' knees.
Charles was shivering as Erik carried him through the house. After making it to Charles' room, Erik set the soaked and freezing cold man on the bed. Erik turned as a shivering and more than slightly disoriented Charles attempted to undress himself, but Erik ultimately had to undress Charles. Erik noticed that Charles' cheeks had turned a bright shade of red and that Charles would not lift his eyes from the floor.
"What's wrong Charles," Erik asked.
"I'm too weak to even undress myself," Charles said, his voice shaky.
Erik wrapped his arms around Charles, as much trying to warm him as to comfort him. Erik said nothing as Charles cried on his shoulder. This was not the Charles Xavier Erik knew, it just wasn't like him to cry at much.
"Charles, this is not how I know you. Leibling, you're not weak, I promise," Erik spoke softly.
Charles buried his face deeper into Erik's shoulder. Immediately, Erik knew that was the wrong thing to say as it made Charles cry harder.
"Charles, I'm sorry. That wasn't what I meant to say," Erik said, stroking Charles' hair.
Charles clung to Erik's tee shirt and cried.
"Why did you come back," Charles asked through the tears.
"You want to know the reason I came back," Erik asked, a bit stunned.
"Yes," Charles responded.
"I can't live without you," Erik said as he dried Charles' tears.
A few minutes later, Charles fell asleep on Erik's shoulder. About 5 minutes later, Erik laid Charles down and covered him with the blanket. Before Erik could leave the room, Charles grabbed his hand. Slightly stunned, Erik sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Charles to say what he had to.
"Thank you for coming back Erik," Charles said, the exhaustion showing in his voice.
"You're welcome leibling," Erik responded, smiling to himself.
"What does leibling mean," Charles asked sleepily.
"I'll tell you when you wake," Erik responded, tucking the blanket under Charles' chin before turning out the light and leaving the room.