How to deal with bullying - A Guide by Charles and Erik Lehnsherr-Xavier
1) Ask the child why they decided to bully someone
Peter stood in the middle of the headmaster's study, anxiously shuffling his heart around as he wondered why he had been called.
"Pietro, do you know why we called you to talk?" Erik asked from his perch on top of Charles' heavy ok desk.
Oh no, full name, this can't be good. Peter shook his head, "no dad's, I don't know."
Charles assessed Peter from where he was sat behind his desk, "Pietro, did you call Warren names?"
Their son's eyes widened in panic. He looked down at his feet before glancing up, hoping for his dad's to say something. They didn't. They sat patiently waiting for him to talk.
"Yes, I did." He finally answered.
He knew there was no point lying, how can you lie to a telepath? Even if it's Charles who doesn't delve into the minds of his students.
Erik ran his fingers through his hair, his other hand edged towards his husband. Charles noticed and grabbed his hand, intertwined their fingers and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. After glancing over at Charles, Erik spoke, "Why did you do that Pietro?"
Pietro trembled slightly "I-I-I, he doesn't want to play with me any more. He just wants to play with Kurt and that's not fair?"
The small boy began to cry. Charles sighed, sometimes he asked himself why he became a headmaster. Sometimes Erik asked him that too.
2) Decide on a suitable punishment for the child
"Pietro, you are to go to your room and you are to stay there for the rest of the evening. You will also not be allowed any dessert tonight. You need to think about what you have done." Erik announced after he had stopped fiddling with his hair.
He hated punishing his son but he knew he had to. He didn't want him to become a little shit.
Charles gently squeezed his hand again before letting go and rolling himself over to the small boy who was still crying quietly.
"My dear, you can't be mean to someone because they have friends. I'm sure Warren would have let you play with him and Kurt if you asked." Charles sighed.
"Bullying someone is not the answer." Erik added.
Peter cried quietly, then asked, "can-can I go now Dad, Papa?"
3) Firmly ask the child to apologise to the person they bullied
"Tomorrow, you will apologise to Warren." Charles stated firmly.
"We will be checking to make sure you do that." Erik announced, his eyes glinting with finality.
Still crying, Peter nodded. He hated disappointing his dad's. Looking at the crying boy, Charles' motherly instincts kicked in, he carefully picked Peter up and set him on his lap. He wiped away his tears and gave him a hug, "hey, it's alright Pete, just don't do it again. We're not mad don't worry."
The boy cried into his dad's shoulder, "I'm sorry dad." He hiccuped.
"It's alright my dear." Charles whispered soothingly, gently rubbing Peter's back.
Erik smiled at his husband, you're a big softie Charles.
You're just as bad, I'm just softer with the kids so it's more noticeable Charles grinned.
Very true you're great with kids, I'm not quite as good, I'm only a softie with you.
And I love you for that Erik.
"I'm sorry Papa." Peter whimpered.
Erik stared at his son, crying into his dad's shoulder "it's alright kiddo, just don't do it again. Remember, being mean won't help you."
Peter nodded then clambered off Charles' lap and walked over to hug Erik. Erik knelt down and gave his son a hug "meine Sohn, it's alright, after you apologise, it will all be forgotten."
Peter nodded "yes Papa, may I be excused now?"
"You may." Charles smiled.
The small boy ran out of the room leaving Charles and Erik alone. Erik walked over to Charles and gently squeezed his shoulder, that went a lot better than I thought, our boy definitely learned his lesson.
Yes, he did. Pretty hypocritical though, you of all people telling him not to be mean Charles smirked.
Erik rolled his eyes and hit his husband on the arm. Charles laughed.
You're mean Erik grumbled.
Oh stop being dramatic, now, did you want your second kiss? Charles grinned devilishly.
4) Monitor the situation so that it doesn't happen again
The next morning during recess, Charles and Erik were way past the three kisses that they had originally negotiated the afternoon before. Only after they heard a knock on the door to Charles' office did Erik pull away. He quickly began trying in vain to straighten his turtleneck and flatten his hair so he could give his next German lesson without looking like he had spent the whole of recess snogging his headmaster husband silly as if they were two teenagers.
"Do come in." Charles called, stifling a laugh as Erik grumbled. He reluctantly got up from straddling Charles, giving him one last peck on the nose before retreating to his usual spot behind Charles, leaning on the back of his wheelchair.
The giant oak door creaked open and three small children walked in. Peter was sandwiched between Kurt and Warren and happily exclaimed as he walked in "We made up!"
Eriks smiled "well done boys."
Warren was beaming, his cheeks tinged pink from excitement and Kurt was smiling as his tail swished from side to side.
"I am very proud of you all, now, don't you all have science with Mr McCoy in 5 minutes?" Charles grinned.
The 3 boys nodded then disappeared in a flash of blue as Kurt teleported them to their next class.
"That was a very brief chat," Erik remarked, waving the door shut as he slid back onto his husband's lap, "Charles did you... encourage them to go?"
Charles put his finger over Erik's (utterly delightful) lips. Aren't you meant to be teaching a lesson in five, no, four minutes, dearest husband.
Erik groaned then buried his face in the crook of Charles' neck, I'd much rather stay here with you. His soft hair tickled the sensitive skin on the back of Charles' neck
You know I hate my teachers being late to their own classes Erik, Charles tutted, a wide smile on his face.
"Just one more kiss?" Erik begged, his breath smelt like the cinnamon and sugar due to the Rugelach they shared not that long ago.
Charles chuckled, "if you make me my favourite pancakes for breakfast you've got yourself a deal. Only a quick kiss mind you."
Erik grinned triumphantly and cupped Charles' cheek. He smiled down at Charles before claiming his promised kiss, drawing a delighted moan from his husband's throat. His other hand rested in Charles' hair while his husband wrapped his arms around his neck, allowing Erik to deepen the kiss.
Despite saying that it would only be a quick kiss, Charles knew that that would not be the case. He was correct, Erik ended up appearing 10 minutes late in front of his pupils, cheeks flushed and eyes bright (an extremely unusual sight for them to see). Charles on the other hand, had to briefly go to the bathroom to restyle his hair so that he looked presentable for his next meeting with a student's parents.
Neither of them would feel an ounce of regret as to them, home was when they were with each other (usually snogging).
