Author's Note: The summary of this story is the prompt that inspired it. TwilightBrightStar and I decided to each do our own story with it. This one is mine (obviously).

Oh, and not that it's really much relevant to the story but, in my head, Charles and Erik are 16, Anya is 10 and Raven is 12.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be.

Anywhere with You

They jumped him in the hallway. Of the fucking elementary school. While he was picking his little sister up. They followed him to the fucking elementary school and dragged him into the art room and started pounding on him.

"You're not supposed to smoke," Anya said tentatively, looking up at him anxiously, worrying her lower lip with her teeth.

Erik glanced at her, willing his hands to stop shaking as he took a long drag of his cigarette. "And you're supposed to mind your own business," he snapped, feeling instantly bad when his little sister flinched. "Sorry," he muttered, taking another drag before obediently stamping the cigarette out. "Better?"

"Are you okay?" Anya asked softly, her eyes on his split lip and what Erik suspected would be a hell of a shiner.

"Fucking peachy," Erik muttered, only realizing he had cursed when Anya's eyes widened. Shit. His mother was going to kill him. She hated it when he cursed around his little sister. Thought it would corrupt her or some shit. Charles was the same about cussing around Raven, though, so Erik figured it must be a thing. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he said once they were outside of their small cramped apartment.

"Aren't you coming in?" Anya asked.

"I'm going to stay at Charles's tonight. Tell Mama for me, okay?" Erik said, itching to get another cigarette.

"I want to go to Charles's!" Anya immediately objected. "Can't I come? Charles wouldn't mind and Raven and I wouldn't bother you guys anyway!"

"No! Besides, it's a school night. Get inside, Anya!" Erik snapped, his temper flaring and God, he just wanted to get a fucking ice pack and not talk to anyone but his best friend for the rest of the fucking night. Was that so much to ask?

"I hate you!" Anya huffed, turning with dramatic flair and stomping toward the door.

Erik rolled his eyes and waited until she had disappeared inside before turning and beginning the long walk to the upper class neighborhood of his best friend's home. He hadn't actually asked Charles if he could spend the night but he knew Charles wouldn't turn him away. He would actually probably send a car for Erik if Erik texted and told him he was coming, but…

Lighting another cigarette Erik inhaled deeply. His nerves were jumping like crazy and he was still fucking shaking, anger and agitation coursing through him. He would use the walk to calm down some. Feeling jittery he ran a hand through his hair and cursed when it caused a shower of glitter.

Fucking assholes. There had been metal all over that fucking room and he had wanted so badly to do something to defend himself but he was only at Baird's School of Higher Learning because of a scholarship and his position was more tenuous than most. Plus, if he had used his abilities on the human students, even if he hadn't hurt them like he had wanted to, he knew it wouldn't have ended well for him. Word would have gotten back to the school that he had attacked them, the poor defenseless humans and even though the whole incident hadn't even happened on Baird's grounds, had happened at his sister's school, Erik would have been the one punished. Expelled most likely. Just like those snotty nosed privileged jerk offs had wanted.

He was still ten minutes away from Charles' when it started to rain. Because it was that kind of day. By the time he arrived at Charles's house (if you could call it a house; Erik was pretty sure his entire apartment building would fit in the foyer) he was drenched and still unannounced (which Erik was sure Charles's mother would love).

Erik dragged himself to the door and knocked. If, when he answered, the butler was at all surprised by Erik's appearance he didn't show it. "If you will just wait here I shall fetch you a towel and notify Master Xavier of your presence," he said, closing the door behind Erik.

"No need, Randolph. I'll take it from here," Charles said, jogging down the stairs, his eyes on Erik and a concerned look on his face.

"Very good," Randolph said, nodding and exiting.

"Erik. Are you all right?" Charles asked immediately.

"I've been better," Erik admitted, wincing as Charles took his arm and gently tugged him toward the stairs.

"What happened?" Charles asked intently.

"Alec Gabriel and his three cronies happened," Erik said bitterly, allowing Charles to lightly shove him into the private bathroom only Charles and sometimes Raven used. "They tailed me to Anya's school and jumped me in the art room."

"I take it that somehow explains the glitter," Charles commented lightly.

"Shoved me into a supplies table," Erik grumbled.

"And you didn't fight back because you believed you would be blamed for it even though you weren't on Baird grounds," Charles stated more than asked as he rummaged around in one of the cabinets.

"Are you in my head, Charles?" Erik demanded.

"No, my friend, just a deduction," Charles said softly, removing a first aid kit and opening it up. "Though your surface thoughts are quite loud at the moment."

Erik deflated, sagging down to sit on the rim of the tub. "Sorry, Charles," he muttered. "I'm just... a little on edge."

"You do know, of course, I would never have let you be expelled for this," Charles murmured, moistening a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. "Dab your lip with this," he instructed, holding it out. "I'm going to have a look at that eye."

"I've had worse," Erik said even as he allowed the examination. "And what are you saying, Charles?" he asked, quirking a brow at his friend. "I thought using your powers to make people do things, or not do things, was wrong? An abuse of power?"

"Oh, I'm sure the headmaster would listen to reason," Charles said vaguely. "And a person who is merely defending themselves and has to suffer unfair consequences for it is also wrong and an abuse of power."

"That's the way the world works, Charles," Erik said.

"It doesn't have to be," Charles said softly.

"Idealist," Erik snorted, rolling his eyes affectionately.

Charles smiled, patting Erik's shoulder as he stood from his examination. "Your eye is almost entirely swollen shut," he remarked. "If you'd had something cold to apply right away that might have been avoided but there's no help for that now. You might as well shower, try to get rid of as much of that glitter as possible, though I suspect it will be with you for days, and get warm. After you can use an ice pack for the eye."

"Yes, Mother," Erik sniped playfully, grinning when Charles rolled his eyes at him.

The shower had four separate shower heads so there was water from every direction and the water pressure was perfect. It was exactly what his various aches and pains and bruises needed.

Erik decided he could live in this shower and be happy.

When Erik finally emerged from the shower the couch in Charles's large bedroom was made up as a bed and Erik sighed, suddenly feeling guilty. "I don't need to stay, Charles. I should go home."

"Don't be ridiculous, Erik, of course you're staying," Charles said, handing him an ice pack from his mini refrigerator, his tone suggesting that any other option was simply ludicrous.

And that was that.

They spent the evening watching movies and eating popcorn. Raven joined them until she had to go to bed and then it was just the two of them again, side by side.

Erik smiled to himself, reflecting that this, right here, right now, was why Charles was his best friend. His only friend. Erik felt like he belonged here with Charles and while it still sometimes baffled him it was also unmistakable and ineffable.

"Of course you belong here, my friend. Wherever I am, I promise you, you will always have a place," Charles said, sincerity vibrating through every syllable.

"Charles," Erik said fondly, moved and unsure how to respond and he couldn't even bring himself to object to the clear intrusion of his thoughts.

"You are not alone, Erik. Always remember that. You are not alone," Charles murmured.

"I know, Charles," Erik agreed.

-End.

A/N: I'm afraid it turned out rather more angsty than I thought it would when I first read the prompt. Ah well. Hope it was enjoyable. Reviews, as ever, are love!