Anote: First, I love chatting with my readers off site and everyone who made a guess to the identity of Charles' handyman is 100% right. Lol. But anyhow he had to go grab some breakfast after keeping watch over our favorite couple last night but he will be back later in another chapter. Second, in the English language we use the phrase 'sleeping with someone' and 'having sex' to be one and same. In my story they are separate activities. Third and last, thank you to my reader who pointed out the Erik is behaving odd. That's exactly how I want to portray him. Erik hasn't had a good life and is a messed up individual, with some messed up priorities but he does care enough to worry about Charles' safety.

My apologies, enough talk. Do enjoy.

Chapter 10- If you knew me better part 1

'Ow,' was the only response the professor could give.

Erik smiled faintly and opened his eyes, glad that the other man was finally awake. He had had a restless night with a host of unfamiliar doctors poking and prodding him every couple of hours instead of letting him sleep. How did people ever get better this way? It was maddening and at one point he wanted to fling his jug of water at some of them but he stopped himself just in time. For one, he didn't want to wake Charles who had comfortably snuggled up on his chest just below his right arm and two; he thought it MIGHT have been a poor way to express his gratitude to the man who had quite literarily moved heaven and earth to secure his parole.

The patient grunted as Charles unapologetically planted his palm on Erik's chest inorder to heave his sore and cramped body into a semi sitting position. Good thing he didn't have a broken rib because that would not have been pleasant.

It was also a good thing that Erik had been awake for some time as he was easily able to grab Charles' arm as the man started violently when he finally realized where he was.

'Easy,' the older man said quickly. 'We're up a little high here.'

The Englishman's eyes darted around the semi dark room in confusion, 'Why? Where are all the doctors? What time is it?'

'They've come and gone several times actually. You're not a morning person are you?' Erik teased his sleeping companion.

He tried to keep his face blank but inside he could feel his insides twist uncomfortably. The look in Charles' eyes was fleeting but he had seen it. It could have been a look of fear, a look of disgust but it was clear that he had been upset when he opened his eyes and seen Erik lying underneath him. He hoped it wasn't fear, he could handle anything else but the thought that Charles' was possibly afraid of him cut him to the core.

The younger man scrubbed at his head making his hair stand up in unruly spikes. He knew he must look like a fright, because Erik was right he wasn't a morning person at all. No one in the mansion dared to talk to him before he had his morning tea and croissant. But at the moment he was trying to figure out why he was in Erik's bed. He couldn't for the life of him remember how he got here and he also couldn't believe that he had slept through multiple visits by the doctors! Why hadn't Erik shaken him awake so that people wouldn't see them sleeping together?

The two men locked eyes and the way Erik was watching him like a wary animal was doing nothing to settle his growing unease.

'Should I go?' Charles blurted out without thinking.

Of course he didn't WANT to go, but a sudden alarming thought had crossed his mind. What if the man, knowing how Charles felt, had some misguided notion that he HAD to do this; that he HAD to be open and receptive to his touch? That idea was beyond revolting on so many levels.

He felt his heart sink even lower as the other man released his arm almost immediately, 'Do you want to leave?'

Oh buckets! He didn't see that coming and of course he didn't have an answer prepared.

'I asked you first,' he yelped and the professor was mortified to hear himself squeak.

He forced himself not to look away as Erik searched his face with an almost desperate intensity.

'If you have no objections, I would rather you stay,' he answered a little cautiously as if not sure what he was saying would be well received. 'A familiar face close by would be welcome.'

Charles resisted the mad impulse to break out in a song and dance but just to be sure he didn't wear out his welcome, he eased off Erik's chest and propped himself up sideways. The older man had said to stay; he didn't necessarily mean to stay on top of him.

Erik's eyes followed Charles' actions without comment. Now that he was more awake, Charles appeared to be calmer if not still a bit nervous in his presence; not that he wasn't anxious himself. The way his life had shifted so rapidly within a few hours had left him feeling vulnerable and there was a part of him that still thought someone was going to walk into the room and tell him it was all a mistake.

He was sorry that Charles had moved away though. He had liked where the man had been before. Erik usually slept alone so it was a novel experience to share a bed with someone who apparently only wanted to rent his chest as a pillow and borrow some heat. But he had admit to himself, it had been wonderful to feel the warmth of another human being in his arms especially one who he knew cared so much about him. Each time the doctors had left last night he had spent those waking moments savoring the small body pressed close to his. Was it a sad that he couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed such intimate companionship?

'Are you sure that you want me to stay?' Charles pressed anxiously.

This time Erik gave him a hard stare of annoyance. 'If you knew me better Xavier, you would know that I rarely do anything that isn't self serving.'

The moment he said it the older man wished he could take it back. He found that he had been doing that a lot lately in the professor's company; allowing aspects of his personality that he usually kept hidden, to bleed out in normal conversation. However, he pressed his lips together tightly so as to avoid further confrontation, because guessing from Charles' huge smile, the smaller man inexplicably seemed to find favor in a statement that Erik believed most people would consider rude in a house guest.

'How is your head?' the professor asked. 'Forgive me. That should have been my first question my friend.'

Erik waved aside the apology, 'Still hurts like the devil but I will survive. I will be having words with your Dr. McCoy a little later about those painkillers he slipped me at the prisons'

The Englishman stifled a snort of laughter at the other man's disgruntled expression. He did remember! However, Erik wasn't the type of person who had yet learnt how to laugh at himself, so Charles forced his face into a neutral appearance.

'Do you really live here?' was the question the older man selected to ask in return.

'Um...yes. Do you like it?'

'Looks more like a museum than a house.'

'Good lord what a snob you are! I can't help it if I am rich.'

'How do you afford this on a teacher's salary? You're not a drug dealer on the sly are you?'

'Don't be a blooming idiot, of course I am not.'

Erik had been squinting at a nearby painting trying to determine if it was a Van Gogh or not. The brushwork certainly seemed to hint that it was created by the famous artist. He averted his gaze quickly when his head started to pound even worse that before.

'This house has been in my family for generations. Its part of my family's fortune, think British aristocracy, sugar cane and pirates,' the professor explained succinctly but colorfully.

The older man tilted his head to study the man at his side. Among his previous acquaintance, something like being disgustingly rich and perhaps having a title attached to your name would have found its way within the conversation within five minutes of an introduction. In contrast, he had been talking with Charles on and off for two weeks and he had said nothing to even hint at this. Instead he knew the Englishman liked oolong tea, preferred cats to dogs and fretted constantly that no one was taking his lunch time chess tournaments in the teacher's lounge seriously. He didn't know what to make of his little friend who was so very different from the people he normally surrounded himself with!

The smaller man wondered what Erik was thinking as he looked at him. Charles never thought this could happen. He had day dreamed about being in bed with the older man but the possibility had seemed so remote given the circumstances of the man's incarceration but now he was free. Charles heartily wished he could stop this train of thought though because the other man was injured and sick. Surely he was some special classification of pervert for even letting his mind wander close to such fantasies and as he struggled for control of his hormonally overloaded brain, the professor had to clench his fist hard to prevent himself from reaching out to tuck a wayward strand of hair off Erik's forehead. The man was so beautiful that Charles honestly didn't know how much longer he could live like this. Maybe he could manage a few more weeks of pretending that nothing was wrong. The professor had been quite adept at that skill in his previous relationships but even then he knew if a potential partner had been gay or not. However, Erik's habit of suppressing all his emotions except annoyance and anger, made it very difficult to figure out the possibility.

The rational part of him knew that it would be better to know now, while he still had a reasonable chance of getting his heart out in one piece. But the answer could be no and then Charles would have nothing left but cruel disappointment. It was a dilemma that kept him balanced on the painful edge of the knife.

He should just ask.

They were two grown men living in a modern society.

Why couldn't he just open his mouth and ask?

Maybe when Erik was feeling better he would ask.

But it was just one little question.

He should just ask, right?

TBC