#14: Calm

Rating: PG-13

Notes: Teenage boy antics in this one. Oh those kooky mutants!

"Oh, my God, Erik is gonna kill you!"

Sean paled. "It was an accident!" He fumbled with the shattered vase, hands and knees on the carpet and his face almost as red as his hair. "I didn't mean to break it!"

"Maybe we can arrange it so that he thinks he did it." Alex's eyes darted from side to side like they did when he was playing pinball, alternating between the window and the door. "I mean, he's always smashing stuff around in his sleep, maybe we can hide it until tonight and then stick it by the bed so he sees it when he wakes up."

Sean looked up at him, impressed. "Wow, you really were a criminal."

"Guys," Hank coughed nervously, "We really need to do something. I think they're back from the store."

"Shit!" Alex dropped to the floor to help Sean, gathering up the pieces of pottery into his t-shirt. "We have to get rid of this somehow until we can figure out what to do."

"Your plan wasn't half bad, actually." Hank rubbed his chin. "We could probably get away with that."

"Wow. Seriously?"

"Yeah, it's a good plan. I know for a fact Erik's a heavy sleeper; he mentioned it once when he was talking to Raven and I overheard. We should try it tonight."

Alex blinked. "I'm just amazed you'd consider something so… rule break-ey."

"I just don't want to die."

"Good reasoning." Alex and Sean clambered up from the floor, the broken shards of the vase cradled in their arms. "Now let's get out of here."

"Charles, have you seen that Ming vase in my room?"

Charles glanced up from his book. Erik stood in the doorway of the study, arms crossed over his chest and brow furrowed. "No, sorry. Maybe it got moved during cleaning?"

"Maybe." Erik sat down across from him, settling into the armchair comfortably. Charles smiled at how familiar the gesture seemed- at how Erik seemed to fit so perfectly into the study, into the house. "Are you going to bed soon?"

A spark flickered through Charles eyes at the thought Erik sent his way. "If you keep that up, definitely. Your room or mine?"

"Sean, are those bunny slippers?" Alex whispered.

It was dark in the hallway outside Erik's bedroom, but everyone could still tell that Sean was blushing. "They were a present from my mom."

"Whatever. Alex, you take the left flank. Sean, you take the right." Hank gestured like a football coach, his large hands moving wildly. "I'll carry up the rear. That way Alex can make sure Erik doesn't wake up while Sean plants the vase on the floor. I'll keep watch for anyone who might come down the hallway."

Sean and Alex glanced at their companion. "Wow, you're getting really into this."

Hank grinned lopsidedly. "I like planning things."

They crept into the room as quietly as they could. The hinges squeaked when Sean pushed them too hard, the floorboards creaked under the weight of Hank's feet, and too much light slipped in, illuminating the bed like a spotlight. The three boys froze as there was a rustle of sheets, but Erik had only pulled more of the comforter over to his side of the bed, cocooning himself in orange cotton.

Sean knelt by the windowsill, where the vase had been before, and began to artfully arrange the shards of china on the floor. Hank had one hand on the doorframe, playing sentry and gazing out into the long darkened hallway like a bespectacled hawk.

Alex stood over the bed, examining Erik. "This is crazy. When he's sleeping, he almost looks… calm. You could swear he was non-homicidal, he looks like a puppy."

Sean and Hank joined him, the vase placed on the floor. "Yeah." Sean stroked his chin contemplatively. "Dare I call him … snuggly?"

"No." Hank shook his head vehemently. "This is just too weird." He squinted at the bed, leaning forward. "Doesn't it look awfully lumpy in there to you?"

The lump on the bed rolled over suddenly and glared at them. Hank and Alex clapped hands over Sean's mouth simultaneously to stop him from screaming.

I suggest that you boys leave, now. The irritated voice of a very rumpled Professor Xavier growled in their heads. Some of us are trying to sleep.

"I am so, so sorry, Professor, we didn't mean to-"

Hank. Charles sighed, running a hand through his hair. It's fine; we'll talk in the morning. Just… please go away? It's eleven thirty at night.

They started backing out the door. "Right. Yes. Sorry…"

Erik sat up, muttering blearily. "Charles? What's going on?"

"You're dreaming, darling. Go back to sleep." Charles patted his arm gently as the students gaped. Erik nodded and fell back against the pillows, snoring softly.

Sean, Alex, and Hank ran out into the hallway and didn't stop until they got back to the dormitory wing. They leaned against the walls, panting.

"We never speak of this again." Alex commanded. "Seriously, never."

Sean forced his face into a mask of seriousness, making his voice deeper. "These three young men have just returned from… the Twilight Zone."

"Thank you, Rod Serling." Hank wiped a hand across his brow. "I'm with Alex. That was just too weird for words."

"I feel like I walked in on my parents."

"It could have been worse. They could have actually been having sex."

Sean paled. "Can guys do that?"

Alex draped an arm over his shoulders, steering him towards the room. "Oh, buddy. Let me tell you allllll about prison…"

Hank raised an eyebrow.