he wishes he could feel what charles is feeling. wishes there was a way to transfer all that dark energy into himself. it would fit him better anyway. erik doesn’t like the way it’s effecting charles, doesn’t like the way it is starting to loom and attach itself to the telepath. and erik would know the looks of it. he and that kind of power have been friends many of times. he knows what it can make you feel. as if you’re unstoppable, untouchable. but he also knows what it leaves behind once you want to be free of it. the regret, the devastation.
and if charles is already feeling some type of way from killing a threat; erik doesn’t want to know what it looks like when charles realizes what he has done to someone innocent. because erik knows what it will do to him, what it’ll make him feel and if letting the dark consume him won’t completely destroy him seeing the aftermath of it all will. charles has always been that light that brings him back from the darkness of the world; and if just this once he has to be that for him, then he will. but not for himself, not because he owes the other his life ( that goes without saying ), but for charles. because despite everything erik has done, charles is always able to find the good in him, reminds him that there is more than anger and pain inside. and erik will remind him of the same.
erik listens as charles explains what he is feeling inside and he’s immediately reminded of the time right after he lost his family, before apocalypse found him, how he quickly spiraled back into the magneto persona. then charles came to him, asks him to come home but erik ignores, until the absolute last minute. after most of the world is crumbled. erik hopes he can get to charles, that he can stop what has already started before it gets worse. that charles won’t ignore him and if only they can stay here. in this moment then erik knows there’s a chance. there’s hope that he is able to save charles from himself. and he can not stop the guilt that surges through him. guilt that he wasn’t able to do more to defeat the supergiant.
he leans into the touch, turning his face to brush his lips against the hand on his face. “you don’t have to apologize, liebe.” he says softly, turning his gaze back to blue eyes. “ just think of it as payback that’s long over due ─ i did drop a stadium on you once.” the tone is teasing and light. erik tries to get him to think of something else. but he can tell how much pain charles is in, how it’s bothering him. he takes a deep breath before letting it out. “it’s ok liebling….” he says, moving up to press a gentle kiss to the other’s forehead. hands moving to cup his face, fingers moving to wipe at the tears, green-blue eyes piercing into those of charles’ now dark blue ones. “whatever is going …. whatever it is, we’re going to handle it TOGETHER.” erik puts emphasis on the last word, because no matter what he isn’t leaving chales side.
charles has gone beyond contemplation , and he can’t deny the gentle touches. the soft words. comforts that string along the hopes of redemption. he’s tired. he knows it very well , but there’s something vastly different about this form of it ; this form of exhaustion did not come from the loss of things. this was not something that revealed itself because of broken bones , guilt or mourning. this rose from death - feeling it unfold in the palm of his hand , course through his body ... that subconscious telling him he needs it. ‘ you need the power, ‘ charles flinches slightly, brushing that thought away. this exhaustion grants him energy - becoming that attraction he’s finding it so hard to say no it. he knows the pull that erik is capable of , this softer side - one on the outside might not believe if they heard of it.
the words pull him in - they keep him , and he’s so close to forgetting everything else. he is ... but the nudge that presses into his mind serves as only a reminder ... a reminder that he just cannot. there is no rest. there’s not a place within him that doesn’t think, that doesn’t crave the power that shielded - that covered them. but these sweet nothings , he’ll listen to. if charles was to be lost for a moment , if only one - it was right now. to glimpse mentally , charles was reaching for the shape of a triangle - the shape of a square ; they both represented two entirely different things. he would soon choose a path - and live in it. seeing erik finally gave him clarification. charles hadn’t felt the intuition to not kill anymore. there was a light - everything lost had transferred to one end of the scale for equal balance. he remembers within his mind , seeing a door ajar - something waits.
charles will reach to trace his fingertips slowly along the jawline of the other , as he has before - blue eyes searching for something more. listening. wondering what to say next. he still stands with a heavy heart , words heavier - refusing to leave his throat. he presses a slow kiss , one that stings from time. each term of endearment makes his heart flutter , but with each small feeling soon was followed by a twist of pain. in a satisfactory manner , he leans closer - a trail of affection to follow the other’s jawline ; until he’s close to his ear. “ let me take care of you - “ he begins. he pulls him absolutely closer. “ nothing will happen to you , i promise - “ and he leans back slightly to return the gaze , knowingly and with a view to the beauty of the storm.
the darling tones never cease to hook him - and he believes erik knows that all too well. he could also believe that they’d be able to do this together - where erik hadn’t pinned the supergiant event onto him like a haunting ghost. this ... balance he felt within his heart , because this felt better - and so did he. one should easily mistake the influence of the power , though charles , naive ... has looked to that exact place - the leftover as if it was the support that kept him from falling. within the contents of his mind , the door is open completely wide. he takes those steps. “ so you’ll do this with me ? “ a smile , one of relief graces his features. “ erik this power - it’s ... we’ll be able to leave this place so soon - but i .. i need to keep it. “
