Chapter Text
“Special delivery!”
Charles rolled his eyes at the words his husband sung as he sauntered into the kitchen. Husband. It was a word Charles, himself, was still getting used to. Even after two months of being married. The word sent a wave of warmth from his belly all the way to the tips of his fingertips and end of his toes. How he fell so in love with such an angry German who could kill with a certain look and fell perfectly into the INTJ personality type, he would never know.
Said German then came waltzing into the room; His jeans clinging to his hip bones for dear life, a-shirt tightly fitted, and hair somehow perfectly in place despite the fact that they hadn’t unpacked their brushes yet, Charles was sure.
“Now I remember…”
“Remember what, schatz?” Erik asked as he put the box he had in his hands onto the kitchen counter.
“Why I fell in love with you.”
“It was the accent, ja?” he asked, his accent getting strong just to prove a point.
“Yes, the accent,” Charles couldn’t help but purr at the man, tipping his head back and puckering his lips.
“I spoil you,” Erik pointed out, but still stepped behind him and delivered a kiss to his waiting lips.
Erik’s arms wrapped around his waist and a sharp pointed chin dug uncomfortably into his shoulder, but Charles couldn’t think of himself anywhere else. He took the spatula and slid it under the pancake, shakily lifting it up to flip it, causing it to close like an omelet and him groaning. The spatula was taken out of his hand and Erik worked the second pancake, flipping it perfectly. How he did it perfect every time, Charles would never know. How he did everything perfect, it seemed, he would kill someone to know. But, it was just a trait that came with Erik Lehnsherr.
“I hate you,” he grumbled with as much affection as he could.
“Ich liebe dich,” Erik murmured into his ear, causing a shudder to run down his spine. Oh, the effect he had on him.
“What did we get in the mail?” he managed to ask straight.
“Another wedding gift.”
“Another one? They are aware our wedding was two months ago, aren't they?”
“Better late than never… we can never have too many blenders.”
“Ugh… another blender?”
“From your aunt, she sends her apologies for missing the wedding and hopes that blended fruit will make up for her absence.”
Charles rolled his eyes.
“On a more serious note, I might take all of these blenders back for refunds and buy you a decent cooking book.”
“Hey!” Charles huffed, swatting at him with the spatula. “I cook well.”
“You burnt soup.”
“I cook okay!”
“You burnt our bread!”
“I can make cereal!”
Erik laughed and finally released his body so he could get two settings for the table. Charles shook his head, muttering under his breath why he dealt with the man, and in German to boot. He really did spend too much time around Erik. Turning his focus to breakfast, he put the few pancakes he made onto a plate and took said plate into the dining room where Erik currently was. He put the plate in the middle before grabbing the pitcher of orange juice for them.
Charles smiled as his husband pulled a chair out for him, like a perfect gentlemen. As if he hadn’t already fooled Charles into thinking he was an angel long enough to get a ring on his finger, he thought jokingly. He reached up to pour their orange juice while Erik gave him the two perfect pancakes while serving himself the two messed up ones. Oh, yes, Erik was plotting against him in some way.
“I still can’t believe we got this house…” Charles admitted as he scooted and settled into his chair. “There wasn’t a murder or anything here, was there?”
Erik rolled his eyes. “No, darling. I promise.”
“... I don’t trust that tone.”
And, there was that shark-like shit-eating grin.
“Oh God, it was a bloodbath…”
“Charles, there was no murder,” he shook his head, the grin still in place and that didn’t make Charles feel better. “Emma got us the deal. She’s great at negotiating.”
“So, in other words: she gave them that stare and they were so scared that they’d turn to stone, in a moment of panic, they agreed to a much lower number?”
“Exactly,” Erik said before biting into his pancake. “You really like it here, don’t you?”
Charles hummed around his food, chewing thoroughly as he thought over the question. “I do. But, that’s not why I’m excited. I’m excited because… because this is the start of our lives, Erik.”
“On the contrary: I was born thirty years---- ow!” Erik hissed at the swat.
“The start of our lives together!”
Erik snatched his hand up to kiss the knuckles. “Our lives.”
Charles couldn’t help but smile, yanking his head back with a playful roll of his eyes. “Think about it, Erik… this is the house that we’re going to live in for years to come. The one our children are going to grow up in. We’ll be waking up every morning next to each other…”
“You’re going to cry, aren’t you?”
“Shut up,” Charles said as he wiped under his eye. “I’m not crying… I’m happy.”
“Mein schatz,” Erik said and so loving that Charles actually came close to tears.
He waved off the whirlwind of emotions and turned back to his pancakes, stuffing them into his mouth and ignoring the look he was getting from Erik. One day, he mused, Erik was going to get his face stuck in one of those looks. And, by God, Charles was still going to love him.
“When do you start work?”
“Hm?” Charles hummed, coming out of his thoughts. “Oh, I don’t know… I was thinking August, like every other professor at the University,” he teased.
“Okay, stupid question.”
“Not stupid, just unintelligent.”
“That means the same thing.”
“Damn, I always forget you have higher than a second grade education in English.”
Erik snorted.
“When do you start your job, honey?”
“Honey doesn’t make up for that,” Erik pointed out. “Next week. I have an orientation day where they show me around the garage in two days, but that should only take an hour or two.”
“Exciting.”
Erik rolled his eyes. “Until then, we have to work on getting everything unpacked.”
“I think the heat of it all is going to be unpacking all of those blenders.”
“Mein Gott… your family loves fruit…”
“You know what they say about a man who eats a lot of pineapple,” Charles purred.
“Suggestive. Naughty,” Erik swatted his head gently with the paper as he stood up to take their plates into the kitchen. “Let’s finish the bedroom today, at least, then work on the living room.”
Charles stood up and finished his orange juice and Erik’s before carrying the plate and pitcher into the kitchen, wrapping the remaining food up for later and sticking it into the fridge. The orange juice, he poured the remainder into a glass to finish before they got to work. He planted himself up on the counter and watched his wonderful husband do the dishes for him, thinking up ways to convince him that tomorrow morning, he would be needed to make breakfast and do the dishes. He didn’t think he’d have to do much convincing with lips like his.
“What’s that wicked smirk?”
“I’m thinking…”
“About?” Erik asked as he turned to him, closing the space between them to settle between Charles’ opened legs.
“You,” Charles purred back.
Charles raised his arms to wrap around Erik’s neck, meeting him halfway for a quick kiss that turned to two, then three, and finally Erik kissed him with more force. Charles couldn’t help but let a small moan escape into Erik’s mouth, his legs slowly wrapping around the German’s waist as he pulled him closer. The feeling of Erik’s fingers teasing down his side sent a shiver down his spine and his own fingers to rake through the short brown hair, tangling into it and holding onto it for dear life.
Somehow, he gathered his wits and gently shoved the German off of him. “You have work to do.”
“I have work?” Erik asked as he wiped his mouth off. “We have work, liebling. I’m not doing all the labor so you can watch over me.”
“I’m a supervisor!” Charles pouted.
Erik snorted and took his hand to guide him off the counter and into the living room, where every box that hadn’t been unpacked yet sat. Piles and piles of boxes, and looking at them covering up their hardwood floors. It was a little depressing to think that they’d never get everything unpacked. Or, Charles thought they wouldn’t because at that moment, it seemed like they wouldn’t.
Taking a deep breath each, they both got to work. Box after box, Charles sorted what goes where while Erik carried them upstairs to the master bedroom. Once everything was sorted, Charles headed upstairs and stole a kiss from a particular German before he took to unpacking the boxes said German carried.
It was tiring, but necessary work. Time went by slow, but fast at the same time. When Charles looked down at his watch, his eyes almost popped out of his head. His tummy was growling and he could hear Erik’s cranky German curses from down the hall and that signaled it was time for lunch. Actually, lunch was over-due for four in the afternoon.
“Erik, I’m starving!”
“Poor dear,” Erik cooed as he made his way down the hall to lean against the door.
“Help… dying… starvation…” Charles gasped, falling against the bed, his mouth hanging open and limbs thrown everywhere.
Erik slow clapped. “Why ever did you choose Genetics over Theater?”
“I hate you, pity me,” Charles pouted at his husband.
“Pity granted. Come, we’ll go into town and get something to eat.”
“Ah, another reason I love you!” Charles cheered as he jumped up.
Charles and Erik met at the door, sharing a look as they stepped outside and Erik set the security system. Once they heard the system go off, they both bolted for the car. Erik, rarely played games. Only doing so when the need to win overcame him. With that need, gentleman Erik was gone. No matter how much he pouted, it didn’t stop from Erik sticking his tongue out at him childishly over the fact that he reached the car first.
With a roll of his eyes, he opened his own door and slid into the seat, putting on his seatbelt. Charles leaned over as far as he could to rest his cheek against Erik’s cheek as they pulled out of the driveway. Living on the countryside had it’s perks and disadvantages. Yes, they were a good twenty minutes from town, but that twenty minutes held scenery that every time they passed it, Charles almost choked on the beauty of it. He had a long drive to the University (roughly an hour) every day, but how could one complain when he had Erik to get home to? Their nearest neighbor was ten minutes ago, not very neighborly but perfect for privacy. Charles gave a small smile as he thought about how perfect life was going to be from then on.
“I spy with my little eye… something blue.”
“Water from the stream,” Erik rolled his eyes.
“Your turn!”
“I spy with my little eye.... something that takes my breath away.”
“Hmm… the wildlife?”
“No.”
“Uh… the view itself?”
“No.”
“Me?” Charles blushed.
“No. Me.”
“Hey!”
Erik chuckled and turned his head to kiss the top of Charles’ head. “Of course it’s you, schatz.”
Charles shook his head, wrapping an arm around Erik’s waist. He wet his lips and turned his view to the town that was in distance from over the ledge. It was a sight that clearly jumped out of a painting. He wondered what it would look like covered in a blanket of snow, the thought coming to him as he watched a few flakes hit the passenger window.
“Erik, snow!”
“That tends to happen after fall, you know.”
“Erik,” Charles chuckled into his shoulder. “Just be careful, okay? I hate driving in snow… and we’re on this ledge.”
“It’s barely any at all,” Erik assured him. “I’ve asked in town, they salt the ledge the most to avoid accidents.”
“That’s relieving…” Charles breathed. “I bet the town is going to be beautiful covered in snow… and our land, can you imagine? It’ll be a perfect blanket without any tread marks!”
“Charles, you are entirely too happy today,” Erik told him.
“Hmmmph, I’m just… today is going to be great, you know? I just have this feeling…”
Erik brushed a kiss to the top of his head and whispered ‘I love you’ into his hair. Charles couldn’t help but smile and tighten his arm around him.
“Where do you want to go for our anniversary?”
“Anniversary?”
“Our first,” Charles corrected.
“Thinking ways ahead?”
“It’s less than a year. Not so bad. I’m just…”
“Excited?”
“Happy. Blissfully,” Charles sighed into his shoulder.
“Don’t jinx us. We’ll talk about it in a few months.”
“Jinx?” Charles repeated, rolling his eyes. “You’re paranoid.”
“It’s not… that I think anything is going to happen, of course it isn't. You’re stuck with me.”
“Gladly,” Charles murmured, nuzzling his shoulder.
Charles smiled and gently pinched his side as they pulled into town and found a parking spot on the side of the street. Charles sat in his seat straight, unbuckling his seat belt and grabbing some change from the compartment to put in the meter after he stepped out into the street.
He paid the meter up for a good few hours, not planning on going home for a while. It had been some time since they had a day to themselves. After the week of their Honeymoon, they’d been… simply too busy to enjoy each other’s company. House-hunting, working, packing, unpacking. It was tireless, but when Charles thought back on it, utterly worth it.
“You get lost too much,” Erik murmured against his temple.
“Sorry, I have a million things going on inside of my head,” Charles admitted, taking Erik’s hand to walk down the street with him. “Where are we going to eat?”
“Hm… a cashier told me about a bistro up on Main that’s worth a try?”
“You were talking restaurants with a cashier? Cheating isn’t supposed to come until the passion in our sex life is gone,” Charles all but pouted.
Erik shook his head. “You’re ridiculous,” he said lightly.
“You love me though, don’t you?”
“Terribly so. Isn’t it tragic?”
“Oh so tragic, baby,” Charles said, hitting his chest with his hand.
It wasn’t a long walk to Main street, the town itself wasn’t that big. Just as Charles always imagined living in with a family---- it was a small enough town that everyone knew everyone. One where he could feel safe raising children. The bistro wasn’t hard to find either, the name of the restaurant was just Bistro. A nice little joint with a wine bar, and if it weren’t just nearing five, Charles would suggest having a glass. He saved that for later.
“Thank you,” Charles said to Erik who pulled the chair out for him.
“You’re welcome,” Erik said before taking a seat next to him and reading over the menu. “What looks good?”
“Umm… I don’t know, I might get a burger and fries. And, a coke.”
“So, burger, fries, and a coke?” A waitress asked, sneaking up on them.
“One order,” Erik corrected. “I’ll take the pasta and water, thank you,” he spoke as he handed their menus over.
“You needn’t rush her off,” Charles chided.
“I didn’t, we ordered.”
Charles rolled his eyes. “How did I fall in love with a meanie like you?”
“My butt.”
“What about it?”
“It’s pretty cute,” Erik admitted.
“Oh, right,” Charles agreed with a snort. “Do you remember when we first met?” he asked against his shoulder.
“Of course I do,” Erik snorted.
It was a wonderful memory, now that Charles thought back on it. Then? It hadn’t been so wonderful. They roomed together in University and… immediately had it out for one another. They were always at each other’s throats, ordering each other around, and trying to best one another on exams and in shared classes.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Your cute butt.”
“Told you,” Erik said proudly.
Charles smiled fondly. “You were so cute in school. You had the temper of a five year old.”
“Had?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, you still do. I must be immune to it at this point.”
“Mhm, just never forget it.”
“Our children are going to be demons,” Charles worried.
“Cute demons, yes.”
“Very cute demons,” Charles agreed.
Charles settled into Erik’s side as they waited, both of the just enjoying each other’s company. Tired from his work earlier, Charles almost fell asleep against his husband, but Erik took his hand and intertwined their fingers, squeezing just in time for their food to arrive. He sat up straight and both of them dug in.
“Mm, this is delicious,” he said in awe.
“Do you want a bite?” Erik asked.
“Please?”
Erik lifted his fork and held it over, feeding Charles not just one, but a few bites of his food.
“Mm… I could die happy right now.”
“I hope you don’t, despite that,” Erik admitted with a chuckle.
Charles couldn’t keep the smile off his face as they ate together.
After their nice meal, they paid and left out onto the streets, looking up and down as they tried to think of what to do. When they spotted a movie theater, they gave one another a look before Erik was taking Charles’ hand and leading him across the street to go inside. Charles knew what kind of movie Erik would pick, but he still let him go off and get the tickets while he got a small tub of popcorn and two drinks.
“Peek-a-boo,” Erik purred, wrapping his arms around Charles.
“Hello, horror movie, right?” Charles asked as he watched the young girl scoop out the popcorn.
“You know me so well.”
“I do. Just know: I’m not going to let you go during the movie,” he all but promised.
“You’re my husband now. I have to deal with you being a scaredy cat.”
“I am not a scaredy cat!” Charles claimed with a chuckle.
“Mhmm,” Erik hummed, not sounding convinced at all.
“Come on,” Charles nudged him, taking the tub of popcorn and his own drink to carry into the theater.
They chose a seat in the back so Erik could throw his legs up and nobody would be bothered. Not that many people were in the movie theater. Charles even threw his own legs up and shifted in his seat to lean against Erik for the movie.
It wasn’t that bad of a movie. Not that scary, either. Only a few jumpy scenes got him, all of which Erik won’t let him live down for the rest of his life, but if he did, he wouldn’t be his Erik. When the lights came on three hours, a tub of popcorn, and two sodas later, they hardly noticed.
By the end of it, the movie had lost interest as Erik and Charles focused on one another. Lips locked, and embarrassingly, Charles happened to be clinging to his husband and almost in his lap. Erik mapped his mouth out with his tongue, causing the younger male to groan and pull him impossibly closer.
Charles felt like a teenager, especially with the usher shined his flashlight and whistled for them to get out. With swollen lips, Charles pouted as he was led out by his husband. Heavily, he leaned against Erik. One might assume he was drunk, and perhaps he was on love, but he nor Erik questioned in.
The town was even lovelier at night. Very few people roamed the street, but the open sky lit the whole town nicely, and soft music played from the restaurants. It was a romantic scene, Charles muse, and looking up at Erik, he knew his husband agreed.
“It snowed a lot,” Charles finally spoke up, looking down at the slush they were treading through.
“The first snow is rather ugly…”
“I think it’s pretty. I bet it will be on the way home, you know, less cars and people.”
“I just hate snow.”
“I don’t see how. You lived in New York, like that’s ten inch snow territory during winter.”
“My point exactly,” Erik chuckled, wrapping a tighter arm around Charles.
“Mm. Come on,” Charles ordered.
He slipped his hand into Erik’s and hurried over to a bench that sat near a playground, dropping down and scooting over to Erik for his body warmth as he looked up at the clear sky. There were very few stars, but to a boy who is from New York---- a clear sky seemed like Mona Lisa in the flesh.
“In Germany, we lived outside of town…”
Erik rarely spoke of his childhood. Too many painful memories. Charles turned his gaze to his husband, laying his cheek on his shoulder.
“Every night… the sky was filled with stars. My mother would tell me stories from the constellations.”
“Your mother sounds creative.”
“She was,” Erik admitted. “She would have loved you. You straighten me out.”
Charles chuckled, hiding the blush with his smile. “I don’t know. I think she would have killed me for stealing her son.”
“Probably, but she would have done so lovingly,” Erik teased.
Erik and Charles watched the sky for a while, relaxing from the day. Every so often, Charles turned his attention to Erik who seemed so content. It was rarely that he ever saw his husband lost in thought. Charles was the dreamer of the pair, Erik choosing to stay in reality and oh so serious a majority of the time. It was… nice. He had an idea of what Erik was thinking about, but he didn’t want to bother the man by asking him about his mother.
He didn’t want to disturb Erik at all, but his stomach said otherwise as it growled under Erik’s palm.
“Hungry?”
“A little… more tired, really.”
“How about we get some dinner to go and we head home? We can watch some television before bed,” Erik suggested.
“That sounds lovely,” Charles hummed, leaning up to give Erik a quick kiss before they stood up.
Walking back into town together, they went past the bistro towards the car, stopping just some down the street at a small Italian place, the smell of the pizza attracting Charles and his hungry stomach. He couldn’t help but pull his husband towards the restaurant, who followed oh so willingly.
“What do you want?”
“Just get a small pizza and some kind of dessert?”
“We have whipped cream at home.”
“Erik, we have nothing to go with that whipped cream.”
“I have you,” Erik purred into his ear.
Charles face warmed up and he squirmed out of Erik’s hold, ignoring his husband’s chuckles as he walked away to order their food. The man had a dirty mind and… Charles loved that. Now in a hurry to get home quicker, he began looking around for something to distract him. He walked out of the restaurant to lean over the ledge and look down at the small pond they had built in, admiring it for a moment before his eye caught something else.
He smiled at the sight of the older couple enjoying their meal on the deck of the restaurant. They looked like they had been love for fifty or more years and so content with each other. Charles rested his chin in his hand and sighed softly, thinking that it could be him and Erik sometime in the future. He had no doubts.
“Liebling?” Erik hummed, rubbing his side. “What are you doing?”
“Look, they’re so cute,” he said, pointing to the couple.
Erik chuckled and kissed the back of his head. “You’re cute. Now come, I have our food. We need to get you fed and in bed or you’ll be cranky.”
“You jerk,” Charles snorted, turning away and clinging to Erik’s arm as he was escorted to the car.
Charles was more tired than he thought. He almost fell asleep during the walk, if that were possible. He heard the door click and opened his eyes, sliding into the seat when Erik ushered him. The food sat in the backseat after Erik climbed in, climbing over Charles to put his seatbelt on for him.
“I’m so lucky to have you…”
“I have to make sure you’re safe,” Erik smiled, kissing his forehead and starting the car, pulling into the street and getting them turned around so they could head back.
Charles’ cheek pressed against the cool glass and he must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes, he had the fear of falling at the sight of the cliff. Immediately, he calmed when he felt Erik’s hand on his thigh. He took a few deep breathes and shook himself awake, his hand finding Erik’s.
“When did I fall asleep?”
“Right when we got in the car,” Erik told him with a smile. “Can you turn the radio on?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Charles said as he reached forward to turn the radio on, scrolling through the channels until he found one he liked.
“Don’t be sorry. We’ll be home soon, then you can eat and take a bath.”
“I’ll fall asleep in the bath,” he snorted.
“And, I’ll dry you off and carry you to bed.”
“I’m so spoiled,” Charles said with a grin, resting his forehead against the window. “Be careful, I don’t like this snow.”
Erik rubbed his thigh. “I told you, they salt the road,” he said, trying to soothe Charles.
“I know I just…” he trailed off with a shrug.
“I know,” Erik assured him. “Like I said, we’ll be home soon.”
Charles let out a yawn and took Erik’s hand again, rubbing it between his own to warm it up. He was almost asleep thanks to the soothing music coming from the radio, until his husband jerked his hand back to turn the volume up.
“Oh God.”
“Nope, just me,” Erik said with that damn grin.
“Erik, no. I’m too tired for this,” Charles admitted, not able to stop himself from smiling as the song neared it’s chorus.
“I can’t stop. I have to----”
“Erik, no,” he ordered, covering his ears.
“Here it cooooomes!” Erik sung.
“Erik!” Charles huffed.
“Take me home tonight,” he cried out. “I don’t wanna let you go until you see the light.”
“Stoooop!”
“Take me home tonight, listen honey, just like Ronnie sang: be my little baby!” Erik continued to sing.
Charles swatted at him before covering his ears. His blood running cold when the felt the car slide on the road. “Erik!”
“Shh, liebling,” he shushed him, trying to reassure him though his arm still shot out to hold Charles back against his seat. “It’s okay. It was just a swerve.”
“I told you to be careful, this snow----”
“I know. I told you, they salt the roads. It’s okay,” he promised him.
Charles took a deep breath, turning the radio down and leaning over to rest his head on Erik’s shoulder. He held his hand and squeezed his tightly. The car wasn’t swerving, as Erik assured him it wasn’t, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t on edge. Erik was an excellent driver, but driving was the only thing Charles was more paranoid about than Erik.
He managed to calm down in time for them to come to the end of the ledge. He nuzzled into Erik’s shoulder. “I love you,” he told him with a small smile. He felt Erik’s hand squeeze his own and then the next minute went in slow motion.
The lights shining in front of their car at the turn, the loud sound of breaks rang through the air before blood rushed to Charles’ ears, blocking everything out. He felt the pressure of Erik’s arm shoving him back against the seat, not helping when the car came into contact with the other. His head jerked forward before hitting the seat hard enough to make him see spots.
By the time he could blink, the car was swerving enough to make him sick and then, he felt like he was falling because they were. Right over the ledge their car went, landing on the ground on Erik’s side before flipping over. Charles crouched down and covered his head. He couldn’t even tell if he was yelling, or if Erik was talking. He couldn’t hear the glass breaking around them, the car tumbling down the hill they were on.
The last thing he saw before everything went black was Erik’s hand gripping his seatbelt tight enough for his knuckles to turn white, keeping Charles pressed tightly against the seat.