A Broken Mind: Cherik

Eight

"Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth, but there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget: a singing compulsion, a whispered "Listen," a promise that she had done gay, exciting things just a while since and that there were gay, exciting things hovering in the next hour."

Erik knew that he had probably frightened Charles more than he intended to with his plans, but they were good intentions were they not? If the professor was willing enough to reach into his mind and see why he was returning, perhaps he wouldn't be as hostile...

As the German progressed in the shadows in the direction of the school, he figured that wearing any sort of metal or part of his armor might not give off the correct aura he was hoping to represent so he discarded what he could and ended up buying some more smart clothes, a cap accompanying the outfit for identity safety reasons.

When Lehnsherr found himself walking up the drive of the mansion, he paused in the shade of a tree and listened. There wasn't a single cry of laughter or voices from any frolicing children... That was eerily odd and he picked his gaze up so that he could squint at the windows, no classes in session.

Not a soul. Not a sound.

Charles was expecting him, then. Which mean he had gotten the letter.

The German puffed out his chest slightly, trying his best to recite what he planned on saying to Xavier after all this time- he was a man in love, he couldn't be stopped anymore!! But when he reached the front steps, his eyes widened as his primal instincts kicked in and he ducked just in time as Hank bounded out, a savage snarl erupting from his throat.

Now Erik may have liked to forget most things when it came to the pain of remembering his happiness with Charles, but one thing that he absolutely didn't forget was how McCoy- as Beast, of course- nearly drowned him and bashed his head open when Lehnsherr tried to kill Raven. He wasn't proud of what he'd done to his most loyal companion, but he had believed it was for the greater good of all mutantkind...

"Ah- it's a pleasure to see you again as well, savage," he smirked as he drew himself up again and raised his hands, showing that he meant no harm. Of course that was a mistake since the movement of his hands signaled that he was about to bend metal and before he knew it he was pinned down on the steps of the mansion. He grunted and struggled to break free, but the Beast was far overpowered and looked like he was about to murder Erik then and there but suddenly he froze up as if he'd been placed on "pause".

Charles was here.

Erik panted heavily as the Beast then slowly climbed off of him and was released from his momentary mental freeze, growling deeply and glaring at the German still, but Erik wasn't paying attention to him anymore. His eyes were being pierced with the most radiant and defiant blues he'd ever seen... Oh, how he missed those eyes!

"C-Charles..."

He quickly rose to his feet again and pulled off his hat out of respect for the professor who had wheeled himself into the doorway, not emerging any more since he could risk falling down the steps. But also because he'd be closer to Erik than he'd already wanted to be...

"Why the bloody hell did you send that ridiculous letter..." Charles whispered with his knuckles turning white from gripping the armrests so tight on his chair with pure rage. "You need to leave here, now. I've done all I can to protect you and you cannot possibly imagine how much that's cost me! Y-You have no right to come here after all you've done!"

Erik let the professor exhale shakily after he finished, the both of them knowing that this was far from over no matter what he said. He took a small step up but the moment he moved, Charles beckoned Hank inside and seemed just about ready to slam the door in the German's face. Before he could do so, Erik shot out an arm and easily prevented Xavier from doing so, a more pleading look in his eyes.

"Charles, please... This isn't just about-" The German would have said "us", but he knew it was too soon for that. He sighed heavily but pushed the door open just a tad bit more, Charles not being as strong didn't have a choice. "Your home is in danger and you could lose everything- please, just let me talk to you... I'm trying to save you from losing your school..."

That seemed to catch Charles a little off guard but then to Erik's surprise he opened the door a little so that he could enter. He wasn't looking at him, however, and glared off to the side while his precious eyes glistened with unshed tears of unmistakable heartbreak.

"Only about whatever's going to happen to my school... I can tell you're not lying since I've already looked into your bloody mind, but mark my words, Erik..." Xavier looked back to Lehnsherr seriously, making the German nod slowly. "If you do anything to hurt me or this place, I won't hesitate to stop you. Permanently."

A threat...

Well, Erik expected nothing less from someone as broken as Charles, but perhaps it was fair enough. He sighed heavily and fingered his cap. As long as Raven stalled and distracted the brotherhood, this shouldn't endanger Charles or his students... But if the band of mutants found out about his secret love or the fact that he was going to help the professor, all of them were in peril.

"If you planned on calling the authorities on me, you would have done so months ago."

That seemed to spark something inside Charles and Erik could have sworn he could see the ghost of a smile, but it was erased from Xavier's face immediately.

"Do take this seriously for once."

"I always have, Professor. You just take it far more seriously than I."

With the banter pleasantries underway, Erik felt a little more confident that Charles might just believe and listen to him. But, he could only hope...