5 Nights In A Shark Tank

Wedensday- Night Three

Charles was once again standing by Erik’s locker. Today he only had a single rose. This time in white. He wasn’t going to ask him to prom again, no. But he was going to ask him out for burgers after school. He would say yes, right? They did kiss yesterday.

 

Erik came around the same corner he had on Monday, only this time he noticed Charles right away. “Hey.” He said nonchalantly. “Asking someone else today?”

 

Charles blinked and took a second. “No,” he started slowly. “I was going to ask you out to the burger joint after school today.”

 

Erik froze. “I already told you no, Charles, I will not go to that stupid dance!” He slammed the locker shut and crossed his arms.

 

The younger teen jumped a bit. “Okay. I know. And I said forget the dance. Hence why I just asked for burger joint. Sorry, did I miss something? Was there a miscommunication in that kiss or...?”

 

Erik was shocked, “I was hysterical! That didn’t mean anything! It may as well have been you taking advantage of some drunk chick!”

 

Charles would have laughed he wasn’t about to scream. “First, you kissed me,” he stated slowly. “Second, no, no, no that did mean something. I didn’t just... Just do all that for nothing Erik.”

 

Erik paused, “Okay but….but I… Well just…” He couldn’t think of a clever comeback. “God, I was not properly functional! And you took advantage of my… My problem!” he turned around.

 

“Advantage of your problem? Erik, I’m trying to help you! I would never take advantage of you and you know that,” Charles argued, suddenly feeling tears prick at his eyes. “You just can’t admit you like me because you’re scared you’re going to... To fuck it up,” Charles bit out, not really meaning to sound angry. “And you’re not. I won’t let you,” he added before turning around and storming off for a change. “Come talk to me when you’re functioning properly!”

 

Erik stood there in silence for almost a minute before sinking to the floor. The bell rang but he ignored it. He felt so mixed up. He was angry at Charles, for taking advantage of him, angry at himself, for playing victim, but at the same time, all he wanted was for Charles to be there, to hold him, use his gentle calming voice to tell him it would all be okay, but no, that was just one more thing in his life he fucked up, one more person who genuinely cared for him whom he had driven away, one more potentially important person he had ruined, Charles Xavier, the sweetest, most genuinely caring person on earth, and he had ruined even that. He was so determined to save Erik, to fix him, to make him better, and he had ruined it. He stopped the pointless effort to suppress the pools of tears pushing at the back of his eyes.

 

Soon there was a clicking of heels signaling the very familiar female friend Erik has.

 

“Erik?” Raven Darkholme called out, worry in her voice.

 

Erik stood. He didn’t know how long he had been there but the next bell had rang, so at least fifty minutes. “Oh… Hi Raven…” He tried to conceal the fact that he had been crying.