X-Men Oneshots

Between Minds and Metal (Charles Xavier & Erik Lehnsherr)

Y/N stood at the edge of the vast lawn, her hands clenching into fists as the cool evening breeze tousled her hair. Behind her, the grand estate of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters loomed like a silent witness to the emotional storm brewing within its walls.

Inside, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr were waiting, each of them with their own claims, their own desires—and she was caught in the middle.

The tension had been mounting for weeks. Ever since Erik had returned to the mansion, bringing with him that familiar intensity and a new fire in his eyes. Charles had grown increasingly wary, his calm exterior barely masking the jealousy simmering beneath the surface.

They had once been friends—brothers, even—but now they stood on opposite sides of a line that seemed impossible to cross.

And Y/N was the unwitting catalyst.

The door to the mansion creaked open behind her, and Y/N's breath caught in her throat as Charles stepped outside. His presence was calm, composed, but there was an edge to him tonight. His eyes found hers immediately, a soft plea buried within them.

"Y/N," he called gently, taking a few steps toward her. "We need to talk."

She didn't move. She couldn't. The weight of everything between them was too heavy, too complicated. Before she could respond, the door slammed open again, this time with much more force, and Erik emerged, his posture rigid, eyes ablaze with determination.

"Talk?" Erik sneered, his voice laced with disdain. "Charles, you've been talking for years. Maybe it's time for action."

The two men stood on either side of her now, the air between them crackling with unspoken tension. Y/N felt the heat of their gazes on her, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to crumble under the weight of it.

"Y/N doesn't need to be dragged into our conflict," Charles said, his voice steady but firm. "She deserves peace, not this constant battle between us."

Erik scoffed, stepping closer. "Peace? You think hiding her away in your mansion, trying to protect her from the world, is what she needs?" His eyes darted to Y/N, softer now. "You're more than what he wants to make you, Y/N. You're powerful. You don't need protection."

Y/N's heart hammered in her chest as the weight of their words pressed down on her. The tension between Charles and Erik had been palpable for weeks, but now it was out in the open, and she was standing at the center of it all.

Charles turned to her, his voice filled with a quiet desperation. "Y/N, I know Erik's vision is tempting. He makes it sound like freedom, but it's dangerous. You could lose yourself in his world of violence and vengeance."

Erik's jaw clenched, his fists tightening. "And Charles would have you lose yourself in complacency. He talks about peace, but how long can you sit idly by while the world tears itself apart? You're stronger than that, Y/N."

Their words were like a tug of war, pulling her in two different directions. She had grown close to both of them in different ways. With Charles, she found safety, a deep intellectual connection that made her feel understood on a soul level. With Erik, she felt the fire of passion, a magnetic pull toward something wild and unrestrained, a part of herself that she didn't always know how to control.

She had to make a choice. But how?

Ending One: Choosing Charles

Y/N closed her eyes for a moment, her heart aching with the weight of her decision. When she opened them, her gaze fell on Charles, and the pain in his eyes mirrored her own.

"I can't deny the connection I have with you, Erik," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "But I know that I'm not ready for the kind of life you lead."

Erik's expression faltered, the fire in his eyes dimming as he stepped back. He didn't say anything, but the tightness in his jaw told her all she needed to know. The weight of her choice hit her like a tidal wave.

She turned to Charles, who was watching her with quiet hope. "With you, Charles, I feel like I can be myself. I feel safe."

A soft sigh of relief escaped Charles' lips as he stepped forward, taking her hands in his. "You will always have a place here, Y/N. You don't need to fight for love or protection. I've loved you from the moment I realized what you meant to me."

His thumb brushed over her knuckles, the familiar warmth of his touch grounding her in a way that Erik's fire never could. It wasn't that she didn't care for Erik; she did. But with Charles, she could see a future, one built on mutual understanding and peace.

Erik's voice broke the silence, low and bitter. "You're making a mistake."

Y/N glanced at him, her heart heavy. "Maybe. But it's the choice I need to make."

With a final, lingering look at Erik, she turned back to Charles, who pulled her into a gentle embrace. The world outside might still be chaotic, but for the first time in weeks, she felt like she had found a measure of peace.

Ending Two: Choosing Erik

Y/N's heart pounded in her chest, her eyes flickering between the two men standing before her. Charles, with his quiet strength, his promise of peace, and his gentle heart. And Erik, with his passion, his fire, his relentless drive for freedom.

She took a deep breath, her decision settling like a stone in her chest.

"Charles," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've given me so much—safety, guidance, love. But I need more than safety. I need to live."

Charles' eyes widened, a flicker of pain crossing his face. "Y/N, please..."

She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Charles. But with Erik, I feel alive. I need that fire, that passion. I need to fight for something."

Erik's gaze locked onto hers, intense and burning, and for the first time in weeks, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You won't regret this."

Charles stepped back, his hands dropping to his sides, his expression pained but resigned. "I only ever wanted what was best for you, Y/N."

"I know," she whispered. "And I'll always love you for it."

Without another word, she turned to Erik, who stepped forward and pulled her into his arms with a possessive fierceness that made her heart race. His lips brushed against her ear, his voice a low, gravelly promise.

"With me, you'll never have to hide who you are."

Y/N closed her eyes, her heart pounding with the thrill of what was to come. With Erik, her life would be anything but safe. But it would be hers, and that was all she had ever really wanted.