Word Count: 2422

Chapter Five: You're a rent boy, aren't you?

Charles was seriously starting to annoy Erik now. They were meant to be fleeing, but Charles was suddenly more interested in his phone. It got to point where Erik had to take hold of Charles' elbow and drag him along. It didn't help that back in the restaurant everyone was still playing a warped version of 'stick in the mud'. Erik wondered if Shaw was still frozen to the spot, or if he was now hot on their heels? He hadn't heard Charles' weird ventriloquist voice since the restaurant, so it seemed that it didn't happen by accident, but that Charles had to concentrate to push his voice into Erik's mind. The ease to which Erik had decided that Charles must had telepathic powers surprised him more than anything else tonight.

"Hurry up Charles. I don't know what kind of magic mojo you are working on Shaw, but I'd rather not be here when he comes-to," Erik insisted as he pulled Charles through the back corridors of the club and out towards freedom.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Charles replied, his tone was devoid of any emotion, and his face was blank. He put his phone away and stared up at Erik with no hint of being effected by what had just happened.

The thing with drinking, was that everything at the time of the event seemed like the best idea ever. Using telepathy on Erik had been dangerous, and with the danger there in lay the excitement. That had been part of the appeal, and having Erik deal with his revelation had been nerve wracking. But he wasn't ready to make this easy, he would let Erik come to his own conclusions, either face reality or ignore it. Charles had had no possible way of knowing how the man might react to him now, not unless he went delving into his mind once more. Which was something he wasn't prepared to so.

Erik hadn't really reacted at all, at least, not like so many had before him. He had just accepted the situation, and seemed more alarmed at being potentially chased by Shaw than by Charles. But Charles couldn't let his imagination get the better of him, Erik might just be saving his emotions for when they were alone, where he would demand Charles leave his life immediately. Charles had lost many a potential friend, just by showing them who he truly was. The pain at being constantly rejected caused him to bury a part of himself deep underneath the mask he always wore for the world at large.

For Charles, one of the allures of being around drunken people on a Saturday night was being able to disguise his power in their muddled minds, and listen to people's thoughts without them ever realising. Most people believed that they had been drinking too much, and never realised what an extraordinary occurrence it was to hear someone else in their head. Some people panicked, and it only reconfirmed to Charles that he needed to keep his gift to himself.

It wasn't a toy, or a joke, to be inflicting something unwelcome on people around him. But after a few drinks, Charles found he couldn't control himself as well as before, and the guilt he usually felt, disappeared. It was the most exhilarating thing in the world, letting loose what he normally kept under control. But it was wrong, Charles knew this, and in the sober light of day he kept his powers in check, ashamed of them, and hidden away. He pretended to be human like the world wanted him to be.

He was a bad person, and Erik was surely coming to the same conclusion. At the end of the weekend he would feel guilty, but come Friday, the desire to let go once more took over again. After years of holding back, it had suddenly caught up with him and the desire to stop hiding had gotten worse. Charles had once thought that ignoring his powers might make them go away, but it never had.

"Don't give me that crap," Erik warned, holding the door open to the cold night air. "You might be able to ignore the fact that there are frozen people back in that room, but I can't."

"You think that is to do with me?" Charles felt the warmth of Erik's hand on his arm, and realised he had been waiting a long to feel it. He wished that Erik would just forget what had happened.

"I know it is. Don't even try to lie. Your little push me pull me routine might work on Shaw, but it will get you nowhere with me," Erik said playing the game himself, his words cold, his actions warm, as he pulled Charles in closer to him.

Charles bit his bottom lip. He wished he could turn back the time, and take everything back. He should have just gone home with Shaw. The man would have soon gotten bored if Charles started agreeing to everything he wanted, and eventually Shaw would throw him away like he did everyone and everything else. But it wasn't what Charles wanted anymore. Coming to London had long since stopped being about just having a good time, it had become the excuse for seeing Erik. It was time to start being honest. And in seeing Erik, it seemed he lost control over everything he had been holding back on for so long. But perhaps it had taken too long to realise this.

"I don't like doing it Erik. I can't control it very well," Charles replied, her felt as if his voice was shaking along with his body. "Maybe I could, if I wasn't so ashamed of being able to do it in the first place."

Erik scowled. He turned to look up the corridor they had just hurried down, expecting to see Shaw, running after them. But it was empty. The steady boom of the bass echoed out into the street, showing no signs of stopping. The night was still young for many people; they were going to be here until the dawn broke. But although they had not been followed, Erik still felt uncomfortable and nervous. He was sure he was acting ridiculous, considering Charles had never really required rescuing, however random his claim over the 'control' over his telepathy powers might be.

Checking around them once more, Erik pulled Charles out into the night air and around the corner of the building. He heard someone yelling after them, but he ignored it.

"That is the most stupid thing I have ever heard Charles," Erik said, pushing Charles against the wall. "You're being unnecessarily reckless. How can you be ashamed of something so amazing?"

Charles stared up at him. He hadn't fought against Erik's forcefulness. He still felt stunned by Erik, and all that happened tonight. Erik's words felt like a dream, something he had needed to hear for all of his life. But in the cold light of the day, would Erik still think the same?

"You are most unusual Erik," Charles said looking up at the taller man, his eyes unable to look away from Erik's lips.

Why should Erik be so accepting? Why wasn't he frightened? There was something in Erik's eyes, but it wasn't fear. Charles was certain that if they stayed like this any longer, Erik would move forward and kiss him. His breath hitched expectantly, as Erik's hand, which had been holding him against the wall, brushed lightly down towards his face. Charles looked down to where their fingers were touching, Erik's fingers linked in Charles' left hand. He felt as if his blood had changed, into something new fizzing through his veins, destroying any trace of normality.

His face was hot, and as he looked up he saw Erik's gaze was fixed on him. There would be no denying it now. They had been waiting for each other.

"Charles! There you are. Why are you guys round here?"

Erik stepped back immediately. It was Raven. Although the moment was lost, Charles had to concede that knowing Raven was safe was the better outcome. She'd obviously gotten his text.

"Oh," she said, grinning. "Were you like gonna… blow him or something? Because I can come back in a few minutes if you'd like?"

Charles could see that Erik looked uncomfortable around Raven's sense of humour. Unless she'd just hit very close to the mark? In which case, dark alleyways aside, Charles wouldn't have been opposed to the suggestion. Maybe that was the alcohol talking and he should go home and sleep it off. Continue this with a clear head.

"Raven…" Charles began in his most older-brotherly voice. "Find a taxi. We're leaving."

The back of a black cab had never felt so roomy before. Especially when Raven ended up sitting next to Erik on the main seats, and Charles had ended up on one of the fold out seats, after having been speaking to the driver through the plastic divider. Erik suddenly seemed so far away, and no amount of longing looks could bring him closer. Whether Raven was aware of the atmosphere or not was debatable. Erik doubted she would have cared either way.

"This fare is going to cost a fortune," Erik complained after they had made a detour at Raven's request for McDonalds. "She didn't even get anything decent, just a milkshake and chicken nuggets."

Raven scowled at Erik. They were already driving in the opposite direction to the flat to take Raven home, and the fast food detour was only making things worse. Erik refused to look at the taxi metre in case he was sick.

"Don't worry Erik, it's on me," Charles replied. It was the least he could do after ruining Erik's night, then forcing him to endure a stupidly long taxi journey around London, with the world's most miserable looking driver.

Erik folded his arms. He looked Charles up and down, his look lingering. Charles always seemed so serene, the way he moved was full of self-confidence. His face was always so full of expression, and although they often fell short on conversation, everything Erik had ever needed to know was in Charles' eyes. But once again Charles was covered with his expensive clothes, with no obvious explanation as to how he afforded them. It all came back to Erik's first conclusion. If Charles was meeting people like Sebastian Shaw, he was obviously charging a lot.

"Charles, let's quit the bullshit, yes?" Erik said, narrowing his eyes as he regarded Charles. "You're a rent boy aren't you?"

There was silence for a moment, where both Charles and Raven stared at Erik, their eyes wide and disbelieving. Erik continued to scrutinize Charles, until the silence stretched and he wished he hadn't said anything at all. Suddenly Raven snorted her drink out of her nose, the spray of strawberry milkshake landed all over Charles' leg. He jumped back immediately looking disgusted, and as she started laughing hysterically.

"That is by far the funniest thing I have ever heard!" she said, hiccupping through tears of laughter.

Charles looked completely appalled. This was fast becoming the worst night ever. Not only had he revealed his abilities to Erik, Erik had found out about him and Shaw and now he been covered with milkshake. To top it all off, Erik thought he sold himself for money. Life couldn't get much worse.

"I most certainly am not!" Charles exclaimed outraged. Even Erik's slightly guilty expression couldn't appease how angry he was right now.

"No," Raven added, slowly bringing her laughter down to a snigger. "He gives it away for free."

"Be quiet Raven," Charles warned.

"So, where does you money come from then?" Erik demanded angrily. He was starting to feel annoyed himself, and felt like a complete fool. The shock on Charles' face at his suggestion made him wonder how he could have ever considered it in the first place.

"He's a professor of genetics," Raven supplied, still grinning from ear to ear. "Duh Erik. Haven't you worked that out yet, normal people don't read all those boring genetics magazines."

"Thank you Raven," Charles said in a clipped tone.

"Sorry," Raven said, she leant forward and brushed Charles' leg with a paper napkin. "But honestly, this double life thing is getting kinda old. At least tell Erik the truth. I mean, look what you made him think you did for a living!"

Charles sighed. Raven was right. It was stupid to keep pretending, especially now. And more so, since keeping secrets had only made it worse. Exactly what had Erik been imaging he'd been doing? Then again, the whole Shaw thing had probably not helped the situation. God only knew what the man had told Erik about him, obviously nothing good.

"Fine. Raven is correct. I am a professor of genetics," Charles admitted, sounding defeated. This time Erik laughed.

"That's even more ridiculous than the rent boy career. At least my theory makes sense."

Charles stared at him once more.

"No really! I work at Oxford University," Charles insisted feeling a bit insulted.

Erik stopped laughing, after sensing that this wasn't a wind up after all. The jokes had finished, and he was being told the truth at last. Oxford University, Erik thought, that rung a bell. He thought back, and realised he'd seen Charles on the university website, uploading something. But, that still didn't answer everything. Charles being a genetics professor was a little far fetched, but Erik was going to let it slide for now. He seemed rather young for such a job.

"So, who is Hank?" Erik demanded after pausing to digest the bizarreness of the conversation.

"Hank?" Charles asked, once again completely taken aback by the strangeness of the questions.

"Yeah, Hank, who was all, 'let's meet up! Kiss kiss, love Hank.'"

"Have you been reading my emails?" Charles demanded. "Those are private."

Erik shrugged.

"You left them open," he said uncaringly.

Charles frowned. He wanted to take his frustration out on something. But Raven was now grinning out of the window, and Erik was stony faced.

"Hank is one of my students, he was asking for a tutorial," Charles explained. "Seriously Erik, do you still think I am a male prostitute?"

"I don't know what you are," Erik replied. Slowly he smiled, and Charles felt a fire start on his skin, creeping over him. "But you are certainly interesting."