So yeah...not on speed, I just wrote a lot of this beforehand and it's flowing for now so I figure might as well post it before I hit one of my dreaded creative roadblocks. We'll see how far I get :)

Glad you like it still. We'll see about Charles' backbone once he realizes he is actually in danger. And I guess then we'll see about Logan and Victor's motives too^^

More stuff with the kids is coming up, I actually wasn't going to write much about them but now it's kinda fun.


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Before Cohen can finish his sentence, Erik has grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and slammed him into the next wall so hard that the man cries out in pain.

His knuckles are white, jaw clenching as he wrings Cohen's collar, making the man choke and gasp for air.

"That was an extremely stupid thing to say." His voice doesn't sound like his own. Hard, alien, bone-chillingly cold.

Charles freezes, something about the sound twisting his insides painfully. He cannot see Erik's face but Cohen's face is red and frightened. The frantic look in his eyes makes every alarm bell in Charles' heard shrill.

"Mr. Lehnsherr!" The principal fumbles with the phone, possibly to call the security guard at the gate.

"Hang up the phone," Erik snaps at him and the man stills mid-motion, face white.

Charles snaps out of his shocked stupor about half a second later. "Erik!"

He dashes forward, pulling at Erik's arm to get him to let go - nononono- this cannot be happening-

Has Erik lost his mind? There will be repercussions for this, Cohen could sue, he could get hurt- what the hell is he thinking attacking him - ?

He pulls at Erik's arm harder, but it's like trying to move a boulder, his motion seemingly not even registering. Cohen's face is turning worryingly purple and Charles starts to panic.

"ERIK!" he shouts.

And finally, finally, Erik seems to hear him. He blinks slowly, like he's becoming aware of what he is doing, then his hands fall off of Cohen collar and he takes a step back. The art teacher collapses against the wall, sputtering incoherently.

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Charles leaves the office feeling shell-shocked. He is functioning, taking Pietro's little hand when Erik makes no move to do so and walking them over to Jean's classroom. School is over by then and they pick up the girl, Erik silent in his shadow the whole time.

There is so much Charles wants to say, ask, yell possibly...his emotions are in utter turmoil after what just happened. But he knows he cannot do any of it here, not unless he wants to upset the children and damage both of their reputations at this school even worse. God knows, it probably bad enough as it is. The principal's let them go for now but Charles just knows he will have to face the consequences of this tomorrow.

"Let me drive," he says after he's buckled both kids into the back seat of Eriks car.

"I got it Charles," Erik shakes his head but Charles takes the keys out of his hand with a sharp look.

"You're upset. You shouldn't be driving."

Erik's face tightens."I'm not-"

He breaks off, looking at Charles' face and likely seeing how close the other man is to losing his forced calm. He hands the keys over wordlessly, indulging his fiance's grapple for control in a situation that is long beyond fixing.

They drive to Erik's apartment in silence.

The entire ride Charles is brimming with tension, barely keeping it together for the children's sake. Erik seems impossibly calm impossibly fast after how he lost control in the teacher's lounge. Charles is not sure if it helps or if it upsets him even more.

He just cannot get the image of Erik attacking Cohen out of his head, the sheer aggression and violence in his actions. So unexpected, so unlike anything he's ever seen in his usually so calm fiance. He feels like someone has pulled a very comfy rug out from under his feet.