The Roadtrip

It'll be ok

The adults (Erik and Charles) instructed the others to meet at them at the tills ten minutes after they had gotten into the shop. Peter (being Peter) decided to speed off to a different shop and swipe some unique sweets however because he got so emersed in browsing the racks of sugary treats he was late.

"Peter where have you been?" Asked Charles calmly.

"Of all the stupid things to do, don't you dare go off on your own without again." Erik fumed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." Peter responded quietly.

Erik didn't respond. Peter felt awful - just as things had started to go well he screwed it up.

"Can we go get food now?" Hank asked impatiently.

Erik nodded then walked out of the store, feeling, downcast Peter followed him only to hear the familiar sound of Charles' wheelchair approaching him.

"Come to lecture me?" Peter sighed.

Charles ignored Peter's comment and stated "he cares about you, don't worry he'll come around."

Peter looked over at Charles and gave him a pained smile. Charles smiled supportively before speeding up slightly to get to Erik.

"It'll be ok Peter." A voice said as an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Peter blushed as Kurt gave him a one armed hug.

"Thanks Kurt." Peter mumbled, hugging the boy back.

Kurt smiled at him as they walked into the restaurant. Admittedly, Peter still felt sad that he had disappointed his dad but at least Kurt made him feel a bit better.

Kurt and Peter sat in one side of the table while Erik, Raven and Hank sat in the other. Since Charles had elected to stay in his wheelchair, he was sat at the end of the table between Erik and Peter.

The tension was thick and uncomfortable and Peter wished that the booth he was in would open up and swallow him whole. The awkward silence was deafening. Thankfully their foot came pretty quickly after they had ordered it which was a huge relief. As they all dug into their meals, everyone began to relax slightly. It's a miracle what a good meal can do.

"While I was in the shop, there was a little girl not much older than four who asked me to help her look for the M&M's." Kurt laughed slightly as he turned towards Peter.

"That's adorable." Peter responded with a grin.

"She was very chatty, she told me that her name was Nina." Kurt stated.

Suddenly everyone's cutlery became squashed and the salt and pepper shakers vibrated violently.

Erik stood up and strided out of the restaurant without saying another word. Carefully, Charles put his cutlery down and announced "Leave this to me." Before he followed Erik's lead and rolled out of the door.

"What did I say, did something happen, will Erik no longer want me on the roadtrip?" Kurt asked.

He had began to hyperventilate, his hands shaking and his breaths starting to speed up. Peter wrapped Kurt into a hug and whispered, "don't worry, it wasn't your fault, it'll be ok Kurt."

"It wasn't your fault Kurt." Raven stated reassuringly.

Hank was too focused on eating his dinner to have noticed the exchange that had just occurred.

Erik was breathing heavily as he lent against the truck. Nina. The name of his deceased daughter still filled him with rage, pain and suffering. He missed her.

"Erik." Charles called softly.

Startled, Erik almost gave himself whiplash as he turned around to face Charles. Without saying a single word, he helped Charles into the car, chucked his wheelchair into the boot and climbed back into the driver's seat.

"I can't even hear her name without causing a scene." He croaked.

Charles lent over and wrapped his arms around Erik before whispering "it's alright, I'm here."

Erik didn't say anything, he merely lent into his lovers embrace and sighed. As Charles softly caressed Erik's hair, Erik whispered "when Peter disappeared, I had a flashback to the night...the night Nina was killed. When Kurt said her name so casually it made me feel as though I had failed her."

"You didn't fail her Erik." Charles announced.

"I don't want Peter getting hurt, especially since I love him as a son." Erik mumbled.

"We'll keep him safe." Charles responded.

Erik glanced over at his husband and gave him a small smiled. Charles rested his hands in either side of Erik's face, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears that had been shed, before leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips. Erik moved one hand onto the back of Charles' head and smiled into the kiss.

"I love you Charles." Erik whispered.

"I love you too my darling." Charles smiled lovingly.

Erik pulled Charles closer to him and held him tightly, every so often placing a gentle kiss to Charles' head. Charles would press kisses to Erik's lips to remind him that he loved him so much and no matter what hardship he went through, he would be by his side.

"It'll be ok, don't worry Erik." Charles whispered.

"It will be ok, so long as I'm with you." Erik murmured.

"Well I'm going to be here forever so you needn't worry." Charles responded before pressing a kiss to his husband's lips.