December 17th, 1962
Azazel slid into the seat at the table, glancing around. "Our illustrious leader appears to have gone missing again," he remarked, Emma and Riptide sitting across from him.
"He's been doing that a lot in the last couple of months," Emma replied, fluffing her hair.
The demonic-looking mutant nodded, swirling his drink around with one hand. "Does anyone of us know where he goes?"
"He wears the helmet too much," Emma said, sounding petulant. "I can't read him, and even when I can get a read on little Mystique… I can't seem to pin her down long enough to find out if she knows either and it's damn difficult to read her."
"Why?" Riptide asked, sounding mildly curious as he worked his way through the lasagna in front of him.
Emma waved an annoyed hand at Azazel. "The same reason I can't seem to get much of a read on him. Being a teleporter, he's always in a semi-teleported state, which makes him damn hard to get a lock on." Azazel grinned, showing his teeth. "As far as I can tell, she works in much the same way, all her cells constantly ready to change at a moment's notice. It's damn annoying, that's what it is."
Riptide considered and went back to his food, eying Azazel's martini with mild curiosity, as if considering whether he wanted to go through the effort to make himself one or not.
"So, what you mean to say is… we still have no idea where dear Magneto has been sneaking off to?" Azazel remarked, taking another sip as Emma shook her head. "Well that's a mystery. Shaw may have been an arrogant ass on the best of days," the demon continued, earning a glare from Emma. "But at least we usually knew where we stood with him. Do this, here's our plan, our end goal is this. Lehnsherr may pay lip service to the same ideals, but damn me if his footing isn't shakier."
"He keeps us busy," Riptide said, voice still mild.
"Busy is hardly a worthy end goal," Azazel replied. "Sure, we've been doing things. Getting information, killing a few idiots in the military and other places, but he's moving too damn slow to be taking over any worlds."
"He's a baby, starting out," Emma seethed.
"Why are we following a baby then?" Azazel asked.
Riptide replied by giving him a long look. "What?" the demon protested.
"Who else would we follow? Besides, he is young, the closest Shaw had to a protégée, and more powerful than you," the other mutant replied and went back to eating.
"Well, we have one vote in favor," Azazel said.
"We were voting?" Riptide returned.
"He's a bastard," Emma said.
"So was Shaw," Azazel remarked, tail swishing lazily behind him, Martini held loosely in one hand. "He was just more brutal about it. Lehnsherr hasn't let go of his kid gloves yet."
"Are we sticking around until he does?" Emma asked, fluffing her hair again.
The red skinned mutant shrugged. "I don't mind sticking around. He's… interesting. Has a magnetic personality even, one could say. Beside, his little follower is entertaining. Perhaps I don't mind giving him more time. You, of course, are free to leave whenever you like."
"And do what?" Emma demanded.
"Then stay, Miss Frost," Azazel grinned. "But it's hardly any problem for me, one way or another."
"What about that other recruit?" Riptide asked.
"Angel?" Emma snorted and the mostly quiet mutant nodded.
"Hell if I know," Azazel said and shook his head. Riptide shrugged, and fell silent again, finishing his food and rising, leaving the other two. They shared a look and Azazel finished the martini before leaving as well. For a long while Emma just glared at the door, seething at life in its entirety.
Christmas Eve, 1962
A young auburn-haired woman knocked on the door to the mansion. Sean answered the door his brows rising, she spoke before he could, a soft lilt to her voice, "Hello, I was wondering if Charles Xavier was here? I'm an old friend."
Sean eyed her warily, "I think so...come in I'll see if I can find him."
She stepped inside, hazel eyes roaming over the entry way, her attention drawn to the Professor's approach, "Charles."
His blue eyes lit up at the sight of her, "Ra-chel." He rapidly revised as he registered Sean's presence fully, "What a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to wish you a merry Christmas, my dear Charles." She moved over, leaning down to hand him a small package and kiss his cheek very lightly. Her eyes flickered to the wheelchair and regret passed briefly across her features.
He swallowed, reaching over to catch her hand before she could draw back, "It's so very good to see you." I'm fine.
I would hardly callthis'fine', Charles. "And you. I've missed you."
Sean looked from one to the other in confusion, but retreated to finish his wrapping.
Humming something that sounded almost like a Christmas Carol under his breath, Hank emerged from the lab on his way to the kitchen. He stopped short when he saw someone he didn't recognize talking to Charles, remembering his blue fur and hit a side table hard in his haste to back up.
The young woman looked up at the sound, her gaze scoping over him, but she didn't react to his appearance beyond a slight smile. Charles followed her gaze, his relief at seeing her almost palpable, but didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry," Hank started. "I-I... I..." he trailed off, frowning slowly as he considered her.
"It's quite alright, Hank," the Professor replied, watching as his student's expression changed. Damn it.
Still frowning, head titled to the side, Hank slowly approached, leaning toward her slightly. "You..." he started, not sure how to finish that.
She eyed him, but managed not to take a step back, "Yes?"
He glanced from Charles to her. "I'm terribly sorry if I'm wrong and this comes across as being very rude, but as you can probably guess by my appearance I'm not quite human. And one of the things I've been noticing about my changed state is an increased sense of smell... and honestly with Erik floating in here whenever he feels like, it would not terribly surprise me if Raven followed. So... in that case... Raven?"
She glanced at Charles for a moment before sighing and returning to her natural skin tone and hair color, leaving it shifted so she was at least wearing clothes. She felt her brother's thanks at that.
Hank stared at her for a long moment, unable to actually think of anything to say.
She glanced from him to Charles, "I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. I'll be on my way now."
Hank just continued staring at her.
The telepath hesitated for a long moment, "Your things are still in your room if you want any of them." You don't have to leave.
"I..." She bit her lip, "I don't have much use for the clothes, and nowhere to keep the other things..." I'm not going to stay, Charles. I just came by to give you that gift.
He sighed, dropping his gaze, "I'll keep them for you, if you ever change your mind." Please, Raven?
Hank took an abrupt step back and left, heading back for the lab rather than the kitchen like he'd originally been intending.
Raven watched him go, sighing, "Thank you, Charles. Take care." I can't. Maybe we'll see each other again soon.
He offered her a faint smile, "And you, Raven. You know you've always got a-"
She cut him off, not wanting to hear the offer, for fear she'd take it, "I know. Merry Christmas."
-Home here. "Merry Christmas."
The shapeshifter returned to the form she came in and slipped out before she could take a bite of the temptation to stay.
X-X-X
Alex tapped on the door to the lab a couple hours later. He didn't wait for an answer before entering and setting a plate of food down near Hank, "This is a change."
Hank looked up from his microscope. "Hm? Oh?"
"You missed dinner." He motioned to the plate, "Figured I'd bring you some. You okay?"
"Hm? Fine. Why wouldn't I be fine? I missed the time..."
Alex didn't look like he believed him, but he shrugged, "Okay. What're you working on?"
"I'm looking over Raven's cells again," he said, frowning. "Trying to see where the serum went wrong..."
"...What brought that on?"
"Besides the fact I see a stranger and my heart stops beating for a moment?" He looked away again. "She stopped by today."
Alex scowled, "She what?"
"She wanted to wish her brother a Merry Christmas. It's not like she doesn't know where we are. And she did attempt to hide it."
"Still." He paused for a moment, "So what's the purpose of trying to figure out where the serum went wrong?"
"To reverse it," he replied.
The blond hesitated for a long moment, "Hank?"
"What?" he asked, already back at the microscope.
"Well..." He bit his lip, "it's not that I don't think you can get this to happen, after all that brain of yours works better than anyone's I know except maybe the Prof. It's just...what if it goes wrong again? What happens then?"
Hank all but slammed his hands on the table, either side of the microscope. "I don't know!" Alex startled back a bit at that. Hank leaned back, rubbing a hand over his eyes, the other having removed his spectacles. "I'm sorry, Alex."
The younger man moved over cautiously, "Don't be." He sighed, absently moving his hands up to rub Hank's temples from behind before he could think better of it.
Hank stiffened at that. "Alex?"
He realized what he was doing and quickly drew back, "Sorry..." Hank titled his head back to look at him. Alex took another step back, "Sorry. I..."
Hank took a breath and looked at him again. "It... it's fine." He barely managed not to bring his hand up to feel the place where Alex's had been.
"I wasn't kidding the other day," he murmured.
"About what?" Hank asked.
"The blue. You look good, Hank."
The other stared at him for a long moment before looking away. "I look good? How can I look good like this? I can't even go outside. If I ever went into a town, I'd probably be run out with pitchforks and torches."
Alex moved hesitantly forward again, running his fingers through Hank's silky fur, "I can't explain it, but you do." He sighed, "So find something to hide it so you can go out—but not something that risks you like that serum."
Hank swallowed hard. "Why?"
"What?" His hand stilled again.
"Sorry, there were a lot of different questions in there," Hank said softly. "Why would you be concerned about the serum? Why don't you mind?"
Alex drew his hand away from Hank's fur, "Well, look what happened last time, Hank. We're a team, even if we don't always get along. We can't lose you to this."
"Right," Hank said, drawing back ever so slightly without actually moving away. "At that point I wonder why I ever try to continue with science."
Alex frowned, "What?"
"Considering how well my last science project went?"
"The one before that saved lives," Havok reminded him softly, resisting the urge to touch his chest where the adapter usually was.
"Well, I have some success then. And if my next attempt turns out as badly as this one?"
"Science is trial and error, isn't it?"
"And when I don't have time for trials, and mess up?"
"Then we'll be here for you." Hank cast his eyes down slightly. "I just...Do you really want this so bad you'd risk your mind?"
"I don't know," Hank replied softly. "Some days I think so."
Alex sighed, hesitating before nearing again, resting a hand on Hank's shoulder, "Can't you just cover it?"
"I don't know. I'm trying."
"How?"
"I... I've been working with the theory behind an image inducer," Hank said finally. "A creative illusion that would make people think they were looking at something else. But I don't even know if it can be done..."
"But it could be, right?"
"Maybe," he said, looking down again.
Alex let his finger run along the fur on Hank's neck, but he paused realizing what he was doing.
Hank blinked at that again. "Did you have a beloved cat as a child or something that was dyed blue?" he asked without actually thinking any thoughts through.
Alex drew back abruptly at that, "No."
"I... Alex, I'm sorry, I wasn't..."
"No. It's...never mind. If you're hungry I'll leave the food."
"Alex? Is something the matter?"
He shook his head, "No. 'Night."
Hank rubbed a hand over his face. "It... it's Christmas Eve, isn't it?"
Alex nodded, "Yeah."
"Well, is there anything anyone's doing?" he asked finally.
"Tonight? Not that I know."
"Well, I... Thank you for dinner."
He nodded very slightly, "Yeah." Alex turned and slipped out.
Hank rubbed a hand over his face, and turned to the food, eating it before setting aside the old cells and looking over his notes on an image inducer instead.
X-X-X
Erik slipped into the mansion hours later, long after it had gone dark and most people were already asleep.
Charles was already in bed, sitting up reading. He closed his book and set it on the side table, his mind seeking out the new arrival, Erik?
Hello, Charles, he sent over, already heading for the room and slipping inside it, closing the door softly behind him.
In the bedchamber. He looked toward the joining door, "Not that I mind, but what are you doing here?"
"It's Christmas Eve," he replied, closing the bedchamber door behind him as well. "For another forty-five minutes if I'm correct. I wanted to be here."
Charles offered him a gentle smile, "Thank you for coming."
Erik nodded and slid onto the bed, putting his chin on Charles' shoulder. "I'd planned to be here in the morning. I thought I might as well wake up here."
The telepath turned his head enough to kiss Erik's cheek, "I do believe this is beginning to resemble one of the best Christmases I can recall."
"I've only just walked through the door," he said. "What are you reading?"
"Raven came by briefly earlier," he said by way of explanation. "Oh, T.H. White's The Once and Future King. I've only just started it."
"Any good?" Erik asked, glancing at his from his perch on Charles' shoulder. "And did she now?"
He nodded, "It rather is. And she did. She didn't stay long, but she did come by."
Erik pressed a kiss to his neck. "I'm glad. For you, and for her as well."
Charles tilted his head, exposing his neck a bit more, "Thank you. How have you been?"
"Good enough," Erik replied, paying slightly more attention to his neck. "Things continuing as they have been for a while."
"I see there's been an upswing in heists in the tri-state area in the last few months," Charles remarked idly, humming at the feel of Erik's lips on the sensitive skin at his throat.
Erik let out a breath, and pressed another kiss to the skin. "Has there?" he said mildly.
"Mhm. And an anti- mutant coalition seems to have disbanded if some sources are to be believed. Something about missing some integral members abruptly."
"Charles," Erik made a soft sound of protest
"It's not a reprimand, Erik. I don't care for your methods, but I have to admit they're effective."
The taller sighed again anyway. "I still don't want to talk about it... not tonight."
Charles finally nodded, "Very well. I shouldn't have brought it up, anyhow."
Erik shifted again, to draw Charles closer, still kissing his throat. "Some other time."
The telepath reached up to trace a finger over the shell of Erik's ear, "Mm. Some other time."
Erik grinned slightly against the other's throat. "How early are you getting up tomorrow?"
"Whenever the students finally wake. The gifts are already under the tree and Christmas is a day to take off from the day-to-day work." He shuddered very slightly at the tickle of Erik's breath, his fingers tracing down the German's jaw-line and throat, but the angle was awkward enough that he couldn't draw them further and so traced back up.
Swallowing, Erik shuddered slightly, before turning and shifting so that he was sitting across Charles' lap. Charles blinked at the inversion of their normal position, but he didn't seem to mind much, "Hello there."
"Hello," Erik hummed, leaning forward to finally kiss the other.
Charles' hand came up to curl a lock of Erik's hair around his finger, even as his other arm moved around the other man's waist. The support of the oaken headboard behind his back helped a great deal.
Erik tilted his head into the kiss, pressing just a bit closer. The young professor's hand trailed around the other's waist before settling on skirting up his spine. The German shifted again, hands coming up to cup Charles' face. Charles leaned into the kiss a bit more. His hand moved from Erik's hair to the back of his neck, drawing him down a bit further.
Erik pulled back enough to rest his forehead against Charles', stroking his cheekbones.
The telepath smiled softly, "I love you."
Erik smiled softly, leaning back into the kiss, slowing it down to a gentle kiss. "I know."
Charles leaned back a bit more against the headboard, drawing Erik with him. Grinning, Erik followed, not breaking the kiss at all. Running his hand down Erik's side, Charles smiled softly into the kiss.
Finally, Erik glanced up and toward the clock, nuzzling his nose against Charles'. "Merry Christmas, Charles," he said softly.
"Merry Christmas, Erik." He smiled, his eyes lighting, "Thank you."
"For?" Erik hummed.
"Coming. Spending it with me. Being here."
For a moment Erik paused before surging back into the kiss.
Charles' mental laughter rang clearly in both their minds as his hand moved up to rest on Erik's cheek, the other one gripping his upper arm.
Erik grinned into the kiss, drawing Charles down and closer. The telepath's breath hitched slightly at that, but he followed the German's guidance, pressing up against him as best he was able. Smoothing a hand over Charles' hair, Erik gathered him in his arms. One of Charles' hands went back to help him balance just a bit at that.
Erik pulled him down so they were laying on the bed, facing each other. "I do love you Charles."
"And I love you, Erik." He reached out, brushing a hand over the taller man's hair.
"Good."
"I..." He smiled softly, leaning in to kiss the other lightly, briefly again
"You?" Erik asked, running a hand along Charles' spine.
Charles arched at the touch slightly, "Hm?"
"Sorry, did I distract you from whatever you were saying?"
"You have that habit..."
"How complementary, Charles."
"How roguish, Erik," he retorted.
The taller just grinned at that, kissing the other again and moving his hand across the same path along his spine. "Should sleep... who knows when the kids are going to wake up..."
Charles arched against him again, "If that's going to happen you have got to stop that."
"But I enjoy it so much..."
The telepath shook his head slightly, "You're impossible..."
"I assure you, Charles, that I'm very possible.
"Alright then. Insufferable."
"You seem to suffer me well enough..."
"You know what I mean."
Erik kissed him again, tilting his chin back.
Charles pressed against him, smiling against the kiss, This is hardly conducive to sleep.
Well, I was going to suggest it after this kiss... it's not my fault you're so tempting.
The smaller man drew back from the kiss at that, batting at Erik's chest, "We need sleep.."
"We should," Erik agreed, kissing his temple. "I'll try to be good. Let me under the covers."
"I'm not the one laying on top of them and preventing you doing so," Charles pointed out.
"Invite me under the covers then," Erik teased, finally standing and pulling off his shoes and jacket, taking his belt and turtleneck off, before getting under the covers and curling himself around Charles.
The smaller man rested his head on Erik's shoulder, more than content to sleep in the other's arms.
"Try to sleep well, Charles," Erik murmured, kissing his hair.
"Mm. You as well, Erik." Erik nodded against his hair, already drifting off. Charles slipped into a mercifully dreamless sleep.
Meadowlark here! We wanted to thank our reviewers and those of you who have favorited and alerted as regards this story. Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!