Clara wiped her hands as she turned back to her frava in the pot before picking up her homemade sauce and slowly started to pour it in. She glanced up to see Erik was setting up the table just as she emptied out the last of it. She cleared her throat as she picked up one the pot with one hand and the plate of meat in the other.

"Here, let me help you with that" Erik said as he rushed over to pick up the pot from her hand.

"Thanks… " Clara slowly said as she watched him closely as if she could see into his thoughts if she stared hard enough.

"What did you make tonight?" Erik asked as he set down the plate in between two chairs at the table.

"Pan-seared Chicken with Herbs De Provence" Clara said as she couldn't help but sit up a little taller after saying that.

Erik raised his eyebrow, "You learned that from your chef boyfriend too?"

"Nope" Clara answered as she picked up her utensils, "I learned it from a cookbook… the first time around I burned the chicken and had just the frava to eat that night"

"Did you burn it with or without your powers this time?" Erik asked.

"Without" Clara grumbled.

Erik did a side nod as he mumbled, "I won't say anything, just that your food is delicious now"

"Thank you" Clara smiled.

They ate in silence for a little while as Clara enjoyed the comfort of the quiet between them. Clara slowly glanced over to Erik who seemed into his food as she wondered about his attitude lately. She has always wanted him to act with more affection toward her but never really thought that he actually would give her what she wanted. Erik glanced up but Clara quickly dropped her eyes down as she picked up her glass and drank some water.

"Going into town was interesting" Erik started.

Clara scoffed, "Yeah, it's a small town"

"I like it" Erik told her, "It's peaceful here, almost like you're worlds away but also within reach"

"There really isn't a place like this in the States" Clara shrugged, "You chose a great hideout well"

"I knew you would fall in love with it" Erik told her, "I never thought I would"

Erik picked up Clara's empty plate as she watched him go over to the sink and started to clean up. She didn't know really what to do but to get up with her cup of water and make her way over to the TV. She flicked it on as she watched absentmindedly while keeping her ears perked up to Erik behind her. Maybe it was because they were always constantly around other mutants that he didn't feel the need to be affectionate towards her. But why all of a sudden change now?

"Clara?"

"Yes?" Clara snapped awake as she turned and noticed Erik was watching her before he repeated, "I asked if you wanted to have some wine"

"Oh, yes, that would be perfect" Clara nodded.

A moment later, Erik came up to her and handed her a wine glass as he sat down next to her on the couch. He leaned back and draped his arm over the back as Clara had her body moved to face him as she sipped her wine. He glanced down to his drink and slowly twirled it as if contemplating something before taking a sip. Clara turned back to the one english speaking channel out in Poland which she had to add the people were horrible at pronouncing even the simplest of words. Even though she knew Polish, she liked to switch back to this channel where she didn't have to constantly figure out what the person was trying to-

"I forgot about moments like this"

"What?" Clara turned and looked to Erik still glancing down to his wine.

"I forgot about the simplicity of life" Erik swallowed, "And the comforts of home"

Clara remained quiet as she watched in astonishment, Erik also known as Magneto, was actually opening up to her after knowing her for ten years of her life, "The only times I remember being this content was when I was with my mother back in our neighborhood, my father always working but it never mattered because we shared a special bond. My mother was there with breakfast when I woke up, was home whenever I came back from school, and always sang me goodnight as I drifted off into sleep. That's why I felt a connection with you, when I found out about how you woke up in the middle of the night and both of your parents were taken from you I knew it wasn't just chance that brought us together"

Erik glanced over to her, "It was fate"

Clara dropped her eyes down to her lap where her cup of wine was as the fire danced off reflections on the crystal. She felt a rough hand on her soft, small, and delicate ones making her look up to see him still staring at her.

"I've always been on the run" Erik told her, "When I was in the camps, I would avoid Shaw because he was obsessed with my powers. Then when we were released, all I ever have known was to hide and hunt because I felt hatred for the man who ruined my life. Even when I found Charles and the X-men, I never was complete. I wanted to be because Charles was like a brother to me, the first person I could call a friend after all of this tragedy that has happened in my life but I couldn't. It was already drilled into me that we would never be safe even though we were the ones with the abilities and were superior"

"That's why I came here" Erik gripped onto her hand, "That's why I seeked you out; because out of everyone that I have ever met, you were the next person that I felt safe around. I know it may seem difficult to believe considering how all the times I have let you in was when we were in bed together. I knew Charles would try to change me so I didn't stay with him but of all my years of knowing you, you've never once tried to change who I really was"

Clara licked her lips and asked, "What am I to you, Erik?"

Erik opened his mouth to speak but then placed one hand on the side of her face and leaned in, catching Clara's breath in her throat as he gently kissed her. She kept her eyes open and saw how easily Erik had closed his eyes as his lips lingered on her own before she closed her own eyes and kissed him back. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she realized that this kiss was completely different from all of the kisses they have shared. This kiss wasn't telling her that Erik wants to fuck her right now, it was saying that he wanted to kiss her to show how much he truly cared about her. Erik's lips moved away from hers as he still hovered over her lips before Clara slowly opened her eyes.

"You mean more to me than you will ever know" Erik whispered.

"Then why did you keep it hidden for so long?"

"Because I was afraid of letting you in" Erik told her, "Everyone that I have ever loved has been hurt or killed because of me. I didn't want that to ever happen to you"

Clara felt herself dumbfounded again as Erik slowly looked from her eyes back down to her lips before he leaned in once more. This time Clara was ready as she kissed from right away as she melted into his embrace. She found it slightly foreign to her how gentle Erik was to her as she was used to his kisses being so hard that they would hurt her lips from time to time. But this was something that she found that she could get used to very quickly. She just hoped that Erik felt the same way.