Thanks to anyone still reading! We are getting close to Cherik! Promise!

Charles found his mood much improved from Erik's company. Erik was completely serious it seemed when he insisted on a full tour of the house. Charles started in the foyer telling Erik playfully that that was where he and Raven would hang their coats every day since childhood and the fond memories from wiping his feet on the rug. Erik just laughed. They continued down the hall of the first floor to the game room that held the old billiards table that Charles' stepfather had bought along with a poker table, dart board, and an actual out of date pin ball machine.

"So this is what a posh game room looks like? I would have never guessed there would be a pin ball machine."

"Yes, well that was actually something Luther had bought to help win my support for marrying my mother," Charles shook his head and laughed. "He really shouldn't have though because I only played it twice and both those times were so he thought I liked the thing."

Erik scoffed. "If some putts tried to marry my mom and take my dad's place I would probably stop at nothing to make sure he knew I hated him. You would try and be civil."

The two continued down the hall. "He never replaced my father," Charles looked to the floor with a serious set to his eyes.

"Of course not Charles, I'm sorry—"

"No," Charles looked up. "No don't worry. I meant that he could never replace my father but it was okay because he never tried to. Like I had mentioned, Luther and my mother weren't exactly the poster figures for active parents so it was never an issue. I just wanted to learn to coexist with the man honestly," Charles laughed it off as they went into the next room Charles had called the red sitting room.

"Calling it The Red sitting room leads me to believe there are other sittings rooms…"

Charles smiled. "There's one more on the second floor called The Green sitting room."

"Christ. Can't rich people just sit in the family room like everyone else?"

Charles scoffed while he held his chin up and pouted. "Like all of the peasants?"

Erik chuckled while unbuttoning his waist coat and loosening his tie. The next room was Charles' favorite. He opened the door and gestured for Erik to go in. Erik bowed mockingly before entering and then paused with his brows raised.

"Wow."

Charles smiled proudly. "This is my favorite room in the house since before I can remember. Before Raven came I would spend almost all my free time here when I could get away with it. I still spend a lot of free time in here."

Erik felt along the shelves with his hands and Charles let his mind wonder as he took in the sight. He could picture Erik ghosting his hands across his back and chest. Charles turned from Erik and took a deep breath to clear his mind.

"You know I could picture it," Erik called from across the room causing Charles to turn. "You hiding in here under that table," Erik pointed to the table between two of the bookshelves. "Hunched over a book contently reading away a cold afternoon." Erik smiled at Charles with a faraway fondness.

"Still do," Charles laughed. "I guess it's no wonder why I'm terrible in social situations."

"You aren't all that awkward Charles, really," Erik followed Charles out into the hall towards the staircase. "You're actually adorably charming when you want to be."

Charles blushed. "I can't remember anyone ever calling me charming, let alone adorable all in one sentence."

"Then you need to meet more people…maybe not too many though," Erik scanned the hallway paintings.

Charles shook his head as they walked up the steps. "Trying to keep me all to yourself?"

"Absolutely."

Charles felt his heart pound as they entered The Green sitting room. "I can't imagine why," Charles said casually with a lot of effort to sound so. The Green room was almost the exact replica of the Red room apart of course from the color scheme. Erik trailed behind Charles as they went into the hall and into the music room.

"This is beautiful," Erik smoothed his hand over the top of the grand piano that sat in the middle of the room. "Who plays, or played this?"

"I do," Charles rubbed the back of his neck at the look of surprise and a bit of awe on Erik's face.

"So not all reading then eh," Erik smiled.

"No…not just. My father played and when I was old enough I got him to teach me how to read notes and the basics. From there I'm mostly self taught through books and what not. I'm no Beethoven though…"

"I'd love to hear you play some time."

"Maybe when you get me completely pissed. I haven't quite had enough to drink yet."

"Next time then," Erik chuckled as they left the room. Charles smiled at the thought of there being a next time, or the possibility of Erik keeping Charles for himself. He tried not to get his hopes up about the latter. He also tried not to over think whether or not Erik was in fact walking closer and closer to him as the tour progressed.

Charles pointed to the door that music filtered out of. "This is Raven's room where she and Angel are no doubt still awake gossiping over the noise they call music."

Erik snorted close enough for Charles to feel the breath crawl down his neck. "Of course."

Charles swallowed. "The three rooms left in this hall are all guest bedrooms, including the master at the end. They're all lovely really, but mostly unused."

"You don't use the master bedroom?"

"No, I sleep in the room at the end of this hall. The first room here is my study, but I will spare you from that atrocity tonight," Charles chuckled. "These three rooms are more guest rooms but mostly storage on the hall, and the last door is my room which could be a master bedroom in its own right seeing how ridiculously big it is," Charles pushed open the door and Erik waltzed right in as if at home. Charles was always one to make his bed each day and hated a messy bedroom so he didn't much worry about Erik finding a mess.

Erik turned in place slowly before stopping and smiling at Charles mischievously. "This is more contained than I expected."

"Been imagining my bedroom often Erik?" Charles tried not to blush. When had he become so playful? Erik just brought it out of him and now…in his bedroom was not the best time. Charles didn't want Erik to become uncomfortable because he found out Charles had actually thought about them in that very room. Charles took his waist coat off with his tie and put it on a hanger trying to cool his thoughts. He was mentally scolding himself when he missed Erik's comment. "What was that?"

"I said, if often is more than a handful of times in the last three days, then yes."