Work Text:
A couple things to know before I share my stories of Charles and Erik.
I don't skulk. At least, I hadn't intended to do as much. But from the moment my brother met Erik Lehnsherr, Charles had been...different. He was more pronounced and much more...aware of his surroundings and constantly attuned to the length of his mental reaches at any given time. Xavier, it seemed, didn't want to offend this mutant – a practice Charles has never gone out of his way to avoid in the past when welcoming a new friend.
But by Charles not being intrusive or sneakily tapping into Erik's subconsciousness, I became increasing intrigued; this sort of thing wasn't something I was accustomed too. So naturally, said curiosities were piqued and, as they say, the rest was history.
History I won't soon forget.
I.
That first time I wasn't wearing that typical blonde mask I'm normally found in, or my natural blue for that matter. I was imitating Hank for the sake of a bet we had made earlier that day during training. He said I couldn't...or wouldn't, rather, and I retorted by-oh what the hell am I talking about? That's not the particulars of a day I'm attempting to tell right now. Not even close.
More impressive truths had been discovered than Hank's gullibility on that stunning wintry evening.
So.
I had been heading towards McCoy's lab, as per my usual daily routines back then, when I heard voices resonating quietly from Charles's study. I use the word voices loosely, as syllables and full sentences were notably absent. Again, not unlikely or out of the ordinary for Charles's room. Nothing too alarm. I figured I would pop in, say hello wearing my polished Hank McCoy skin and wait for Charles to frown at my shapeshifting antics.
Again, nothing out of the ordinary.
But something stopped me as I stepped just outside of the study, causing me to look in through the slightest of cracks between the wooden door itself and the jam it was typically married to. The heat from the orange glow of Charles's always-burning fireplace was illuminating two silhouettes, as though painting them from the birth of its warmth. It was winter, in his defense, and the mansion was never short of baring its inadequacies when it came to the changing of seasons.
I digress.
What I saw then...was what I...thought I hadn't really seen.
Charles's voice was the first thing that caught my attention after the initial reveal. That smooth British accent was lipping out sounds I had never heard from the man I called my brother. I wasn't sure how to feel at first, hearing him in the throes of ecstasy at what would have been our standard dinner time. But...then I saw him. I saw Charles lying behind another man's body on his what was routinely his "reading" loveseat. Now, it actually looked to be a love-seat.
And the man?
It was none other than Erik Lehnsherr. Vulnerable, open, and giving himself up to my brother's hands.
Charles's hips were moving steadily behind Erik, his hands working the magnetic man's hardened center. Xavier appeared confident, wearing that recognized seductive smile as his mouth nipped at Erik's ears; this all damn near sucked the air from within my lungs. I realized just then that I had morphed back into the Raven Erik had always pushed to see more of. My blue and red-tipped nature had returned as I watched their barely over-the-clothes gyrating, unbeknownst to my distracted demeanor. Only Erik was fully exposed for Charles's tightly wound hand, but no other articles of their dress had since been removed.
Perhaps this was their first time with such acts? And I was a witness?
I was a witness.
I realized then that I was shivering. And the pit of my stomach was swimming with...envy. I wanted what they had right now but...where exactly could this have stemmed from? Tough to say for certain.
Why? How was I feeling anything at this moment? I was watching my br...well he's not really my brother now is he? ...And yet I always found him to be nothing but said role. Yet now...the lust, the burn I was melting inside with was...I...the shame of it all forced my my eyes to break away.
But I couldn't keep my searching orbs parted from their union for too long.
I wasn't surprised by what Erik and he were doing...then again, maybe I was. I just hadn't expected Charles to have been so careless with so many new mutants in the house. Careless by neglecting to lock his door. Careless by not hearing me saunter up to his door...and God knows my thoughts are loud enough on most days. Jesus...the way they were moving was...it was nothing short of chemical. As if they were melting into one another; hands and arms and legs and skin and lips and air and fingers...they were all together.
I had never seen anything like it.
I wanted that more badly than I wanted normalcy.
II.
"Another cola, Raven?" Charles voice was never condescending, but a part of me always heard a touch of immaturity whenever he offered to pay for my next humdrum beverage. He simply never trusted that I could control myself – my powers – in the midst of a crowd while the liberating fluids of your everyday liquor coursed through me.
Charles never stopped to ask whether I could properly do such a public feat. Truthfully, I wasn't sure either.
Anyhow. I had a more important agenda that night. Having seen Charles and Erik at the manor not five days earlier, I had made it my own personal mission to...well not to stalk them really, but to keep an eye out for any such reoccurrence. Should it happen. A pub seemed an awfully good place to rekindle any flame they might have been missing since earlier in the week.
So far, things were proving to come along quite accordingly.
I watched Erik smirk the moment Charles walked away, and I followed the German man's eyes as they lit the night's future against my brother's back. My brother? Well, no, how about I don't refer to Charles as a sibling anymore. It's become too...strange to do such a thing, considering the wealth of thoughts that have been plaguing me. So he's just Charles, a very close friend. And Erik is Charles' very close friend.
And I'm their very close, kind of close good friend.
I digress.
Charles returned stocked to his chin with various offerings and the night slipped passed us all. We drank our respective liquids, we danced to our most favorite musical tunes and smiled brighter than we had all damn month; it was a welcomed reprieve.
Right about the time I had been whisked away to the dance floor by a man named Kyle did I notice the true shift in Charles and Erik's demeanor. At the least, I had mentally taken note of such. Charles had...shut me out and cut me off to that typical presence that lain in the back of my mind as a constant. He was planning on doing or thinking or saying something he hadn't desired me to hear – should he lose his grip on the blockade that was always constructed to resist his own flood of emotions to those around him.
It was painfully obvious what was happening now.
I winked towards my oblivious Kyle-dancing partner and shooed myself from off of that glossy wooden floor to meander the outside of pub. I was...skulking now, I admit as much, but by that point my curiosities were clearly getting the best of me. I simply needed to know.
And know I most certainly did.
I discovered Charles wrapped in Erik's lean arms as their bodies were pressed taut against the bricked exterior of the bar. But this night was very unlike the one I had been privy too earlier this week. It wasn't fervent or rushed, but rather considerate and almost...romantic. That was shocking. That was really shocking, in all honesty. I had been expecting an almost violent companionship...a fiery union between the two of them that night, especially after the amount of alcohol they had both ingested.
Nonetheless. My eyes wandered down their connected bodies, searching for the details that really mattered, and what I found nearly had my mind in a dizzying spell of wantneedwhynotme?
I caught sight of both of their hands, with fingers that were laced together tightly, their tongues burying themselves in the opposites mouth, eyes and ears shutting out the bustle of the city as it swirled behind them. Erik was humming something I couldn't discern, while Charles was smiling into their loving-like kiss. It was dreadfully obvious that Charles was using his mind to suss out those throaty sounds from Erik, as knowing a telepath my entire life has surely told me of his talents for mind games and pictorial plays. Charles was good at what he was. And what he was was brilliant and that mind of his...
I gulped louder than I had intended.
If I hadn't known them, I would have assumed so very much from that stolen moment they had been sharing. Yet I did know them, and this sort of behavior seemed anything but usual for the types and personalities of each. Perhaps Charles could be gentle more likely than not, but Erik? I just hadn't expected that.
I had to walk away before their soft-core tryst confused me any more.
Before jealousy got the jump on me. Again.
III.
After what I had seen that night outside of the pub, it's easy for me to commit to these next two cloak and dagger happenstances. And how that ultimately lead to my personal revelations.
The day after our adventurous night out, things were calm inside of the mansion, reserved even. The three of us were enjoying a rather silent breakfast by the time Alex and Sean had rolled into the kitchen, seeking sustenance and Erik's delicious – if not infamous – coffee. I had already two cups drowned by that point, Charles's current standing at three.
"So...Kyle?" Erik questioned, his eyes boring down into my lazy yellow orbs. He nodded just so as he tipped his half drunken cup in my direction. A salute of sorts. "Don't encourage her, Erik." I sighed and rolled my eyes to Charles's irrelevant comment; one meant to be taken as a brother's disjointed concern. Though, Charles was always the one to reign in a situation that would, inevitably, leave him the worse for wear, but Kyle wasn't exactly the news of the morning.
Though it was the only thing we were able to discuss, and thus why it was Erik's conversation starter.
I obliged the light banter that resulted of my romantic whims between them, both agreeing that I move, perhaps, a little too fast when meeting new men. If only they had known I didn't see Kyle past that shared forty-second dance, just before it ended as a result of the on going pursuit to discover the saucy truth of Charles and Erik.
But I couldn't tell them that.
So I indulged them until we broke to begin our day of training. Always training now.
Fifteen minutes later, we were changed, poised and ready to go, the bunkers our first go-to location in the list of to-do exercises for the day. It was intended for me to work with Hank and Charles in perfecting their exterior demeanors while remaining as best a decoy as I was able. Simple work, really.
Hank wasn't there in the bunker though, neither were our tester suits or any other equipment we would need for that indoor training session. Suspiciously. But Charles was there...and lo and behold, the magnetic boyfriend was in tow. I jest in love. I moved quietly now, standing just by the steps that counted themselves up above the heavy entrance doors to the nuclear shelter.
I crouched down, my movements smooth, calculated and with a silence to rival the padded bottoms of a feline's paws. I would not be seen and judging by how distracted Charles had been lately – on account of Erik's large presence, no doubt – I wouldn't be heard either. So I waited for them to move closer towards me while silently hoping they'd continue displacing one another's mind long enough to get this show on the road. As they say.
I wasn't waiting long.
They were nothing if not rushed now – a stark difference from last night's gentleness – as they forced themselves upon the other. Hands were everywhere, fingers squeezing and pulling and gripping and cupping and holding and ohmygod, did Charles just put his finger in Erik's mouth? My mind was pounding immediately with their generated heat and I nearly tumbled right down onto them as they stood by the base of the steps.
And then something marvelous happened.
Charles stopped them by breaking free of Erik's grasp and stood motionless, waiting on an invisible thing I hadn't known was coming. His arms dropped to their sides as Erik's hands rose, two fingers on each landing against the soft skin of Charles's left and right temples. The hot-tempered tips of the German's skin began to roll slow circles against Charles's hair, while their mouths once again connected.
The sound that erupted from Charles was noting short of orgasmic. I watched as the Englishman nearly crumbled beneath Erik's telepathic initiatives, with the taller man clearly communicating mentally. It was...delicious to hear a man like Charles sound so vulnerable; receiving such a precious gift from another who, by all appearances, hadn't looked the type to offer such gifts of that nature. It must have been nothing short of god-like for Xavier.
I rocked on my heels and watched on, my hands holding tight to the metal railing for any resemblance of support and stability. At one point, I had closed my eyes to take in the ambient sounds as they rolled through me, allow myself to feel their exquisite pleasure...but not really, because I was still alone and...skulking. I made to stand and leave them there, knowing full well I would more than likely miss the bigger parts of this show, but for the first time, my presence felt intrusive. As if somehow my mental electricity would corrupt this secret fling they were conducting – this wonderful slice of peace they were experiencing through one another.
And then I heard something I hadn't remembered ever hearing before.
From Charles.
"Erik...I...I need you."
My head had been turned away by the time that small sentence had left Charles's lips, so I wasn't entirely certain as to the precise nature of Xavier's needs. But...but I could tell it wasn't...it wasn't an animalistic desire or one made from the aphrodisiacs of their close-bodied situation. It was literal, visceral. Charles needed Erik in a way he had never needed another. At least in my memory, I had never, never ever heard those words said in that tone, spoken aloud from Charles's mouth in connection with a person he obviously fancied.
This was more than I had originally suspected.
So much more.
As I resumed my actions in leaving, a silent return came from Erik's focused mouth. One that shook me just as much as the formers had.
"I'm here, Charles. I'm not going anywhere."
I had always thought Erik Lehnsherr a flight risk. At least up until that point.
Goddamn, how alone I had felt.
IV.
I had decided to put on a brave face and train with Charles and Erik – together – for the first time since that last time I had caught them. I say caught them as though I hadn't really been intending to find them in the throes, but who am I kidding. Though, in my defense, I had left before the show ended so there's no telling how far that particular amount of borrowed time had taken them.
The training that day was fast, to the point and three hours passed quicker than I thought possible. I was sweating, dirtied with my outdoor exertions and mentally drained from the repeat-repeat-repeat that was drilled into my mind by both of those men. Erik was serious throughout in that "push yourself farther" sense, while Charles maintained a lighter air of instruction, as though he had been a professor his entire life.
Still, I was plenty tired by the end and was desperately in need a proper second wind.
So I waved my best "see you later" expression and hustled the way back up into the vast spaces of the house to shower and change before dinner was promptly served at five-thirty. It was nearing the end of the day's sunlight and while the others were shuffling back in twos and threes, I didn't want to be late for the evening's group meeting post-meal, so I quickened my pace.
God knows how long it takes me to get ready for any occasion, lest this be any different.
I always used, naturally, the bathroom that was personally attached to my own room, but today I was feeling adventurous – seeking a change of scenery. My muscles were vibrating from their vigorous use outside today and I knew the showers down by the gym were the best insofar as where water pressures were concerned. Taking those preferences into account, I headed down into the belly of the mansion to find my own slice of heaven in the silence that would keep and clean me.
It wasn't long before I found myself standing beneath the burning-hot water of the stall's shower head, the steam rising around me and filling my lungs with a chill of winter. I smiled, my mouth opening to allow the droplets to fall into me, but my peace was suddenly halted by the sounds of distant voices drawing closer. I quickly turned the knob into its off position and reached for my hanging towel, wrapping it around me as I shifted stealthily towards the rows of lockers kept abandoned down there.
I wasn't entirely certain as to why I chose to end my bath and hide at the sound of words floating lightly on the wind, but something within me called for those actions and nothing less.
There I now waited, immediately recognizing who was coming in the shower's direction and nearly laughed from the irony of it all. The first time in weeks I had chosen to forfeit my efforts in spying – because let's be honest, I was spying – on Charles and Erik, and here they had found me.
It dawned on me then.
How many times had they come down here to use these showers in the past few months? If ever? Surely, this wasn't a coincidence. This was Charles' home after all, and he knew of these for as long as I've known of their existence. So, forever in a sense.
And now here he and Erik were, towels in hand, arms touching at the tops of their shoulders and about the cleanse the day off. Together.
I warred with myself then, should I stay or should I go? But this situation seemed too package-delivery for me to deny.
I stayed. I was turning into a regular voyeur, for all intents and purposes.
The stall I had been using was the last in the line, so should both of them avoid that one altogether, there was no other evidence that would have given me away.
Perfect.
My hopes paid off. Both men moved in tandem and occupied two stalls next to one another, leaving the curtains open in the back as they undressed and discarded their sweaty clothing. Their bodies were...I...I could do this skulking-thing as job if ever someone needed a profession done such as this.
I was staring at Charles naked right then, and my eyes could have collapsed beneath the weight of how wrong and misplaced my lust had become...but how right everything about Xavier was. Erik mirrored Charles and both began to chat aimlessly as they washed themselves below the high pressured faucets. My body didn't know who to respond to more, who to stare at more, who to want more. So I gave in and watched them both.
Their legs, their perfect (perky?) little asses, the muscles lining their backs, shoulders and necks and calves. What a forbidden sight.
And then, as if somehow a switch had been flipped, both men were facing one another, arms and elbows resting atop the white tile wall that separated them. Erik was nodding for Charles to join him, not three feet away, and Charles's responsive smile was wicked. Knowing.
"Don't mind if I do," I heard Charles say, and my stomach bottomed out.
I knew what was coming now, but wasn't entirely sure I was ready to se-who am I kidding, I was halfway past death waiting on this specific moment, and it was one I was bound to revel in as the minutes, hours and days passed by later.
Their wet bodies joined instantly, Charles's mouth nipping and sucking on Erik's pronounced collarbone, his hands pulling the taller man closer against him still. The German's fingers were twisted in the sopping mess that was Xavier's dark hair, as sounds of pure want emanated from each; I couldn't tell who had wanted whom more but swiftly deduced how unimportant such a fact was just then.
I gulped hard. I swallowed down my growing need to be a part of their union but made no sound or movements. I wasn't about to ruin this for them...or myself.
Erik opened his eyes and dropped his hands to cup Charles's face, tilting the telepath until their gazes were locked. Something was happening.
"I always have you here – inside of me-my mind – how about you take me inside of you now?" Erik's words were smooth and confident, his fingers brushing past Xavier's temples as he made his pitch for sex and how he had hoped it to happen.
Charles's eyes became slits as his smile lit up the entirety of his face, cheeks flushing with anticipation and nervousness. "Yes, yes Erik. Yes," he couldn't seem to get the words out fast enough, but it was just the perfect amount of time to allow Erik the pause needed to lift Xavier up and position the mind-reader's back against the wet-slick tile that was once pitched between them.
Xavier's brow lifted as he took in his current placement and Erik smiled, "I want to see you. Selfish of me, I know," Erik had said, telling Charles of his reasoning. Charles said nothing but placed his hands atop the porcelain barrier to steady himself and add leverage to their positional predicament. Erik also said nothing now, letting the emotions and physicality of their partnership take helm.
I watched on silently as Erik pushed himself into Charles while simultaneously crashing his mouth over those red English lips. There would be no romance now, no gentleness or lighthearted teasing touches. It was passion, raw and unbidden that was bringing these two higher still.
The soft echoes of "yes" and "oh God's" and "fuck" and "come for me" were all that filled the surrounding air that crept its way to me, my hands itching to become a part of their pleasure, if only for a fleeting second. No. That....was...no I would absolutely not, no, not ever do that. That would have had to have been crossing some line that I didn't realize was there. I mean, if I actually crossed it.
Anyway.
I gazed on watching as Erik spread Charles's legs further apart, knees no longer resting up against that lean chest. Erik's one arm was bearing the brunt of Xavier's weight, with the other stroking the hardened center between the mind-reader's legs. Both were eager and yet obviously wanted to prolong this event as much as they were able.
But, it wasn't meant to last long when a fiery desire had consumed two people so entirely, so completely, and before I realized it, the end was upon them.
I heard Erik's cry of ecstasy and watched as Charles came all over his own chest. I watched Erik smile that wicked grin of his as the last orgasmic spasms rolled through his body. I felt Charles in my head as he came, the power of this session exquisite and beyond anything I had ever dreamed possible. I couldn't tear my eyes from them, even if my life had depended upon it. The sounds, the appearances, the goddamn location and the intensity were all too much.
I wanted to explode. I wanted to burst into flames for the dirty, filthy things that were running through my treacherous mind.
But instead I hid and remained still.
Never once bothering to think of how loud my thoughts might have been.
V.
"Raven? Breakfast is downstairs." Charles spoke, his knock light and pleasant against my bedroom door. I rolled over slowly, my red hair covering the unflattering portions of my morning face. "Mmhm..." I whispered, pulling the blanket up just a notch higher than where the sunlight was streaming through. The windows in this place were damn near floor-ceiling in height and the world had seen fit to refuse sleep past a certain hour with such the welcome visible space. Everyday this happened and everyday I did nothing to conceal my annoyance towards such.
Apparently, he hadn't left as of yet, because I heard him clear his throat and shuffle his loafers. Oh Charles and your loafers,. Englishman. "What is it, Charles?" I groggily asked, covering an arm over my eyes. "Erik and I had hoped you would resume your training with us again this afternoon? Only down by the gymnasium this time, as Sean and Hank will be occupying the field today."
Two words rumbled through my head: The gym. THE-GYM.
Only last night had I been in there-NO, I forced myself to cease all thoughts, knowing how easily it would have been for Charles to gather the details and piece them together from the emitted noise of my mind. "Uh...sure, I'll be there. What time?" I sat up then, the adrenaline pumping through my veins at a rapid pace having jarred me awake.
"How about 3:30? That should give you enough time to train and-" Charles's voice was cut off as Erik had slipped his body in front of the telepaths. "-and shower. Or spy on us again. Whichever." A wink followed those words, and I watched in stunned silence as Erik inched his right hand into the left pocket of Charles's trousers. Affection out in the open.
"Isn't that right Charles?" Erik teased, his mouth not half a foot from Xavier's blushing cheeks.
Charles smiled and exhaled with a laugh. "Be mindful of your mutants and their abilities next time, Raven. You never know when a telepath may be around." He tilted his head and returned his eyes to Erik's smirking face, but his mind reached out to me; before I knew it, Charles was presenting me with a lovely serving of how I had been made from the very beginning.
'Whether it be the study-room door, the outside of a pub, the base of a concrete set of shelter stairs or even the private showers of an old gymnasium, be sure to keep those thoughts of yours a touch more quiet. Only to avoid all forms of location proclamation...and goodnatured embarrassment.'
I sat there after receiving his message loud and clear and folded my hands curtly. "I'll be down for breakfast. And I'll be by the gym at 3:30 sharp."
Was there really anything else I could say?
I was terribly awful at skulking.