grievous mistake
An X-men: First Class drabble
by mew-tsubaki
Note: The X-men characters belong to Marvel Comics, not to me. Something a kinda angsty… -.- Read, review, and enjoy!
- ^-^3
A shout—not quite a scream, but more than a measly yelp—came from behind Erik, and he momentarily froze.
Only one person had been so closely behind him.
Time seemed to slow down as Erik turned and saw Charles reaching for him, his face contorted with pain. Erik watched in horror as Charles fell to his knees, and the metal magician cursed all the powers that be that his feet refused to carry him faster than a light-year to his friend's side. But he did catch Charles, and he cradled his head in his lap.
"Charles—Charles—Charles—" Gott in Himmel, he couldn't even get past his name! This was bad, this was very bad, and this—Erik snapped his head up and barked at Moira, "This is your fault! You were shooting at me!"
Moira's face crumpled, but she said nothing.
Erik looked down at Charles, who cupped his cheek. "Charles…"
It was hard for Charles to breathe. "Erik, we both know…it wasn't…her fault…" Charles took a deep breath. "It…it was yours…"
The metal magician fought his sobs as he pressed his forehead against Charles'. "Yes… I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…!" After all, Erik had been deflecting her bullets, sending them flying in many different directions—but he hadn't meant for this to happen!
Charles gave him a wan smile. "I… I'll be all right, Erik…"
"But you—"
"…it's my back…"
Another wave of regret hit Erik. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…," he whispered.
"Erik…" Charles turned his face in towards Erik's chest. "Erik, please…"
"Ich liebe Dich," the taller man breathed. He hadn't said those words in…forever, it felt. But he also felt he'd never meant them more. "Ich liebe Dich, Charles. Ich liebe Dich." He didn't care that the others could hear his words—no one else here spoke German. Yet Erik knew the telepath could hear his screaming thoughts. Hell, Charles might've even studied some German once upon a time, the busy little bookworm he was.
"…I know."
Erik held on to Charles more tightly, hoping this was all a very bad dream. It was so damn cliché to confess your true feelings at such a dire moment!
"Erik…"
"…I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"…me, too…"
Erik paused, his vision blurry as he looked into Charles' eyes. He saw regret in them, too—but for wha—?
"Ich…liebe Dich…"
The metal magician went cold. How had it come to this? Charles—his closest friend…his only friend…and now they both knew the truth. But at what cost? This…this wasn't going to work. Not with Erik around, being the cause of Charles' problems and annoyances.
Charles was better off without him.
Erik cleared his face of his emotions and put Schmidt's—his, now—helmet back on, and motioned for Moira. Moira took his place and Erik prepared to leave, beckoning to the few others who had decided to join him.
Yes, Charles was better off without him. Moira should take his place.
…
But could she? Erik still thought to this day that that was his biggest mistake.
- ^-^3
Awwr. :( Sooo sad… I love Cherik…! I hated that ending, with Erik leaving his side… I guess this turned into a thoughtful look at the scene on his part. Oh, and "Ich liebe Dich" is German for "I love you." A little tacky/cliché, I guess, but still…! And "Gott in Himmel" is "God in Heaven." :)
Thanks for reading, and please review! Check out my other fics if you liked this~ And reblog this fic on tumblr to show your support!
-mew-tsubaki ;3
2022 note: Oh, jeez. This 2011 fic just…yep. I still agree with my A/N, but coming back to this to edit (just a bit) and it strikes me more that, if they had professed their love or smthg, Erik's departure would've hurt a looooot more. So have some feels. ;w;