Erik waited eagerly for Charles to get him. Erik changed his shirt several times. He didn't want the permanent numbers on his arm to show.

Not only was he gifted but he was different. Erik was afraid that Charles would hate him for that too. He would hide his arm as much as he hid his gift.

"Erik?" Charles asked as he knocked on the door. "It's Charles."

Erik grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys. He opened the door and tried not to smile so big. "Hi," Erik said as he walked outside.

"Hello," Charles smiled, "Where did you want to eat? It's on me."

Erik locked his door with his key, which was weird for him, "We could eat at that Italian place down the way."

The drive was nice but short and the slightest bit awkward. The two sat at a small table in a corner and the waiter put a candle made from an old wine bottle on their table as he did with every other couple. Erik noticed and Charles noticed that Erik noticed.

They didn't say anything because they both pretended it wasn't a date but they both wanted it to be. "So what do you do?" Erik asked as he took a sip of his drink.

"I own Secret Stories," Charles said proudly. "On Main Street."

Erik had to think, "The book store?" He thought that place was empty. "That explains why he's dressed like a librarian," he thought to himself.

Charles nodded, "I've been working on a book too but it's not coming along too well."

"What's it about?" Erik asked as the food came out.

"It's about this man who is different from everyone else," he started, "See he has this ability that pretty much controls his entire life, but he doesn't want his ability to be something that distracts him from being him. He just wants to find someone like him."

Erik began to eat, "I hope he finds someone."

"Me too," Charles sighed. The two ate in silence for a little bit longer. "What do you do?" Charles asked as he covered his mouth afraid food would be in his teeth.

"I just bartend," Erik said humbly. "I haven't been able to do much else. Can't really find anything else."

"Well everything happens for a reason I suppose," Charles said not knowing how much Erik hated that saying.

Erik bit his tongue trying not to freak out. "Everything happens for a reason? A reason?! So I suppose my mother was killed in front of me for a reason!" Erik began to rant in his mind.

Charles wasn't listening but it was so loud that he might as well have been shouting it. Erik's grip on his fork began to bend it and it snapped in half and the metal stabbed his hand and sliced his finger.

Quickly Erik dropped the broken fork and pulled back from the sudden cut. "Ah!" Blood began to drip on the floor. Charles quickly ran to his side and grabbed a napkin and held it.

"Oh god! I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Charles felt responsible.

"Yeah," he said holding his hand over top of Charles'. "It's fine."

A waiter came over and gave them more napkins. He apologized for the fork and Erik said that it was his fault. The manager gave the two their meal for free hoping that they wouldn't sue.

Erik looked down to see he was practically holding Charles' hand and pulled away. "I'm sorry," he said as he placed his hand on his lap.

"It's fine," Charles smiled. He pulled the cloth away and saw that the bleeding had gone down. "This needs to be cleaned and a stitch."

"I can do that at my apartment," Erik said.