No Good Deed
Charles closed the bedroom door behind him, breathing in the silence that permeated the house and the surrounding forest. He turned and sought out Erik, spotting him at the window, chewing worriedly on his thumb nail. Charles limped across the room, ignoring the ache in his lower back, to wrap his arms around Erik's waist. He pressed a soft kiss between his other half's shoulder blades, then leaned his face against the soft fabric of Erik's shirt, inhaling the smell of sweat and cologne tinged with rust that made him think of home.
"It's alright," he whispered. "We're safe. No one will find us here."
XXXX
Life was a balancing act, more so when you lived as a wanted terrorist in hiding, and particularly when you were also in a homosexual relationship in a country that was less than approving of such things. When Erik was at work, he did his best to keep his head down and avoid being noticed. He socialised just enough that it wasn't odd, but kept his distance lest anyone should get a little too interested in his life and begin asking awkward questions. He turned up, did his work, then went home to the tiny apartment that had become a bright light in the bleakness of Krakow. And he was happy, as happy as it was possible to be with all those threats hanging over his head.
Until he saved Jozef Zima.
The factory Erik worked in was old, and many of the machines should have been scrapped years ago. But Gierek's reforms and promises of investment had not yet reached the factory, or its workers. Erik knew, and had known since he started working there, that with little more than a flick of his wrist, he could have the decrepit machines humming like new again, but it just was not worth the risk.
Erik was pouring heated metal into a mould when he heard the commotion. He glanced up just in time to see a one of the huge metal cauldrons which held the liquid metal tumble towards the ground.
And towards Jozef Zima.
Erik reacted instinctively, reaching out a hand. The cauldron froze inches above where Jozef lay on the floor. Erik's eyes widened as he realised what he'd done, and with a twitch of his fingers, it fell to the ground, missing Jozef by mere inches. Fighting the urge to run or start hyperventilating, Erik glanced around. The whole exchange had taken seconds, but he could feel the weight of several gazes on his skin.
They knew.
XXXX
Charles' head snapped up as the apartment door burst open. He relaxed when he saw it was only Erik. But as he watched Erik scrabble for the locks, triple checking each one, before leaning his head against the door, that initial worry grew again. Nina glanced between her fathers, confusion evident on her little face. Charles ran his hand through her hair; it was gesture that meant comfort and safety to her, one that had reassured her from the very first night with them.
"Erik?" Charles called. "What's wrong?"
He used English on purpose. While Nina was learning English quicker than most three year olds could grasp a second language, she was a long way from fluent. And Charles had a feeling this was a conversation not for her ears.
"We have to go," Erik replied.
"What?" Charles frowned. "Erik, look at me. What's happened?"
Slowly Erik pushed himself off of the door, turning to face his family. The sight of Charles and Nina did little to ease the terror that had been brewing since the incident earlier in the day. He was certain it was only a matter of time until the police came barging through the door.
"We have to leave," he insisted.
"Leave?" Charles echoed.
"Krakow," Erik nodded. "We have to go. Now."
"Why?"
"I saved a man at work."
"So?"
"So? So, I used my powers. Some of them saw me; it's only a matter of time until they come after me. We have to leave. Please, Charles. I cannot lose you. Either of you."
Charles saw the fear in his lover's eyes, read each and every one without the use of telepathy. He knew what Erik was afraid of. So he nodded.
"Okay. Okay Erik. We'll go. But where?"
"I don't know," Erik shook his head. "Just away. Not here."
"Okay darling, okay," Charles soothed. He reached forward, taking Erik's hand. "It's okay."
"Daddy? Papa?" Nina's small voice cut through the silence.
"It's okay little one," Charles assured her. He lifted her onto his lap. "We're going to go away for a while."
Horror spread across Nina's face.
"No," she whined. "Don't leave me. Please."
"Oh sweetheart, no," Charles shook his head, pulling her closer. "No, don't be silly. Of course we're not leaving you. You're coming with us. You're our baby girl. We'd never leave you behind."
Nina nestled further into his embrace. Charles kissed the top of her head.
"Now," he continued. "I'm going to give you to papa, because he looks like he could use a hug too, alright?"
Nina nodded against his shoulder. Charles lifted her across to Erik, taking a moment to watch father and daughter curl into each other. Then he turned away and began to pack. Erik needed the comfort; Charles could afford to be practical. Because despite his reassurances to the contrary, he was worried too.
XXX
They left in the dark.
Erik had recently acquired a car for them, a decrepit old Lauda that he'd found in a junkyard that, thanks his powers, ticked over as though it was fresh off the line. Slap on a fresh coat of paint, and no one would ever guess that only a few short weeks ago it had been condemned to the scrap heap. In the darkness, Erik loaded their belongings into the trunk, working quickly and silently. He and Charles had very little; only a suitcase of clothes between them, a box of books, a box of medical journals and a chess set. Nina however, well, they'd spoiled her as much as their savings would allow it.
Once everything was stowed away, he returned upstairs to help Charles down to the car. Outside, he took Nina then offered his arm for Charles to use in shifting from his chair to the passenger seat. But Charles took his hand, squeezing it gently.
Don't be scared, he said. We'll be alright, Erik, I promise.
Don't make promises you can't keep Charles, Erik replied.
Charles tugged Erik down to his level and pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth.
This one I intend to keep. Believe me. Now stop worrying, or you'll give yourself wrinkles.
Erik chuckled. He kissed the top of Charles' head, receiving a smile in reply. After helping Charles into the car, Erik tucked Nina into Charles' arms then took his place in the driver's seat.
Despite his calm exterior, Charles couldn't sleep. Once she was certain they wouldn't leave her, Nina had dropped off in his arms, but Charles remained awake, his mind on alert for any sign of a hostile presence approaching. His hand ran absently through his daughter's hair, feeling the thrum of worry coming from Erik beside him. Every so often, they would reach for each other's hand, gripping it reassuringly. Charles exhaled slowly, then dropped a kiss into Nina's hair. They would be fine. The alternative wasn't an option.
They drove through the night, heading east. Charles wondered if they would cross into Germany. Eventually however, they stopped in the early hours of the morning at a small, run down hotel on the outskirts of Malomice. It appeared on the verge of closing, which could only work in their favour Charles decided. No one would push to hard if they needed the business that badly. He let Erik do the talking, waiting in the car with the still sleeping Nina. When Erik returned, they stumbled into the room, falling into the double bed together after tucking Nina into a make-shift bed on the sofa, for once ignoring the dangers of sleeping in the same bed. Erik pulled Charles close as they drifted off, and Charles submitted willingly to his strong embrace.
In the morning, Erik retrieved breakfast for them all, and the family ate sprawled across the double bed.
"What now?" Charles murmured in English. "We're near the border with Germany, yes? Is that your plan?"
"More of an idea than a plan," Erik shrugged, watching Nina as she ate in his lap. "But when I was out, I saw an advert for jobs at the metal processing plant in town. What do you think?"
"I think this is the last place anyone would ever look for us," Charles agreed. "We could even live out of town, somewhere with space for Nina to run around outside without fear."
"I'd like that," Erik admitted, wiping Nina's mouth with a napkin.
"Alright, you go apply for a job," Charles instructed, "And I will look for somewhere to live. Deal?"
"Deal," Erik nodded.
Charles could see the tension in Erik's frame and leaned over, pulling him in for a chaste kiss.
"We will be safe, darling," he promised.
XXX
The cottage was a few minutes drive out of Malomice in Pruszkow. Surrounded by a forest at the end of a dead-end, it provided the space they wanted for Nina to play and explore, and afforded them all some much needed privacy. Erik remained tense the entire time the estate agent guided him around the property; he hated being away from Charles and Nina for so long when things remained so unsettled. Besides, he'd already decided to take it. He'd fallen in love with it the minute Charles had passed him the brochure the day before.
Only days later, they were finally able to move into their new home. Nina gazed at the cottage with wide eyes, the way Sean and Alex and Hank had once gazed at a mansion in Westchester so many years ago.
"This is ours?" she whispered.
"Yes," Charles smiled, running a hand over her hair. He looked up as Erik joined them on his other side, taking Erik's hand and brushing a kiss across his knuckles. For the first time since they left Krakow, some of the tension left Erik and he managed the first real smile in days.
I love you, Charles projected. He felt the warmth his words inspired in Erik's mind and curled around it.
"Should I carry you over the threshold?" Erik teased.
"You just try," Charles dared.
Erik's head fell back in laughter, doing more than anything else to warm Charles' heart, before scooping Nina up onto his shoulders and leading the way inside.
"Do I really have a room all my own?" Nina asked.
"You do," Charles confirmed. Nina's eyes resembled saucers as she took in this new information, before a grin spread across her face.
"I like living here!" she declared. "I want to see my room!"
"Go on papa, give her the grand tour," Charles urged. He watched Erik lift Nina off his shoulders and place her on her feet, then lead their daughter through the house to the stairs. Charles smiled. They could have so much more freedom here, he realised, away from prying eyes. Nina could call him daddy and he could kiss Erik, without fear of reprisals. Erik could even use his mutation. Charles glanced around. Yes, even though they'd only just arrived, already the house felt like home. He could hear Nina and Erik's feet on the floor above him, the comforting touch of their minds nearby. Opening the nearest box, Charles began to unpack, looking forward to their future here together.
XXXX
Erik covered Charles' hands with his own, revelling in the comfort and warmth between them as he stared out of the window.
"This is our home," he murmured eventually.
"Yes," Charles replied, and Erik felt the rumble of his voice where Charles' chest pressed against his back. "It is."
"We're going to raise our daughter here, build a life here," Erik continued.
"We are," Charles confirmed, kissing the knot at the base of Erik's neck, his mouth lingering there long after the kiss ended. "We are going to live like anyone else, and there is no one to stop us; no one to look at us with disapproval, no one to threaten our safety."
Erik turned without breaking Charles' embrace, slipping his own arm around Charles' shoulders once they were face to face, dipping his face into the crook of Charles' neck.
"We are going to grow old here, together," Charles continued. "We're going to have birthdays and Hanukkahs and passovers here. We're going to welcome our daughter and her eventual family back for Sunday dinners here and maybe even watch our grandchildren playing in the garden here."
"God, I hope so," Erik whispered. His fingers toyed with the top button of Charles' shirt; Charles dipped his head to kiss his hand in permission and Erik began to unbutton the shirt.
"We are going to live here, together, like any other couple in the world," Charles promised. "You and I."
"I love you," Erik murmured and he pushed the shirt off of Charles' shoulder.
"Ich liebe dich auch," Charles replied, tugging Erik's t-shirt over his head. Erik leaned forward and kissed him, tugging Charles towards their bed without breaking the embrace.