Continuing onwards.

[helpmeguideit]

from here.

"That sounds like a good choice anyway, I think she'd like it." And it was probably healthier than syrup was. "I have an idea of how difficult it was." He had a pretty vivid memory of the incident, after all. There was nearly as much syrup as toddler in the room.

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"Whatever possessed you to think syrup and a toddler were a smart combination, Charles?" The question was genuine, but held a note of teasing. Just a note. "that girl can make a mess of anything given the chance."

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"It's my first time dealing with a toddler is what possessed me," Charles offered, almost pathetically. "She's an artist." Despite the mess, it was quite a fond memory for him. "And I learned my lesson."

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Erik chuckled softly and patted Charles' shoulder with fondness. "Pancakes, then. They're far less messy than waffles." He paused for a moment, simply enjoying the quiet moment they had. It wasn't often enough they were able to just sit and talk without something to interrupt them.

"She'll be surprised to see you first tomorrow, Charles."

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"She'll give me the, 'where's Erik' routine," Charles said. He was alright with the routine, though. It didn't happen very often and Erik usually appeared so quickly that she barely had a chance to ask above the breakfast food. "After she eats breakfast, of course."

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"I won't even interrupt," he promised with a nod. "You can spend all of breakfast with her. As soon as you put some food before her, she'll forget about me for a few minutes." Erik would just spy from the hallway.

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Charles laughed. "I'd like that, Erik." And he truly would enjoy those few moments with just him and Anne bonding. She had such positive feelings around her -- it was so much like standing outside during summer. It was warm and positive and peaceful. "And when she's done, you can interrupt. All you want."

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Erik smiled and nodded in silence. He didn't mind allowing Charles a bit of face time with Anne. She was as much his ward as Erik's. A change in routine would certainly brighten her day, especially since she hadn't gotten a proper goodnight from Charles last night.

"I wonder... Do you think we'll be able to take her out soon? There's a museum I'd like her to see."

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"I think you could take her out whenever you'd like," Charles said. While he really wanted to keep Anne safe there forever, he couldn't lock her up in a tower. He was certain there were rules against things like that. And that wasn't the sort of parent he wanted to be, either. "She'd like to go see a museum, probably."

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The answer earned an immediate and curious tilt of Erik's head. "Oh? You won't be joining us?"

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"If I'm invited, I'll join you." Charles got the impression that it was something that Erik and Anne would do while he was busying himself with schoolwork.

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"Of course you're invited," Erik chided in mildly irritation. As if he wouldn't be invited. "Anne adores whatever time she can spend with you, Charles, as do I."

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"I have to assume that these things go on while I'm busy," Charles said. "Would hate to make a promise to her and then have to break it. But we'll find a day I'm less busy. A weekend."

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Charles made a good point. It wasn't as if his school was fully staffed at this point. Nor could they simply hire someone to look after the children for an afternoon. Erik pressed his lips together in thought.

"Make a field trip of it?"

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"A field trip would work," Charles said. It would be a very interesting field trip, too, considering their assortment of people and how likely they were to be accepted by most of society. "There are other children who would like it, I'm sure."

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"Since the classes are small, it could work out," Erik mused. "Hank, Raven, and Anne are the only among us who would stand out on-sight. With a group, chances are they'd endure less harassment."

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Charles' facial expression shifted slightly. "No one will be harassing Anne. Or my other students." If they harassed her (or his other students, of course), then they would at least be earning a spot in Charles' memory. "But definitely not Anne. She's a toddler."

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"Hence the benefits of going as a group," Erik reiterated. "Museums aren't often visited en masse and individuals are less inclined to be rude or violent toward a group." Erik paused and breathed out a sigh. "You've never had to think like that, have you?"

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"Erik, I can make people forget their own name. Of course I never had to think like that," Charles offered, perhaps his tone had a bit of a tease to it. "It would be a fantastic idea. I like it."

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"I envy you that," he muttered. "Shall I ring the museum to set something up for the students?"

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"Envy it?" Charles pondered on that for a moment before moving off onto the next thing. "Yes, that would be great. I can even start letting the students know that this is soon." He didn't think anyone would back down on the chance to be out of his house for awhile. It was nice to be able to see things that weren't the walls of a house.

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"Now that that business is aside," Erik murmured, leaning in to drop to a whisper and still be heard. "Come to bed. I'm going to wake you early to take Anne her breakfast."

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Charles smiled, nodded and tilted his head slightly to look at Erik. "Bed does sound fabulous." And then there was the idea of laying in bed comfortably next to Erik that was much more appealing than sleeping on a hardwood desk.

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"Finish up, then," Erik murmured. "I'm not going to leave you here to get caught up and fall asleep. I demand my time with you."

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"You will have your time," Charles said, setting down a pen on a desk. He figured he would have to reread his last one as it was. "You don't even have to demand it."

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That was all the signal Erik needed. He pulled Charles' wheelchair away from the desk and carefully guided it around toward the door. He'd never admit it, but Erik looked forward to his nights with Charles. Just knowing the man was laying beside him helped Erik sleep better than he had in almost twenty years.

"I won't keep you up too late," Erik teased once they were en route to Charles' bedroom. "You've an early day tomorrow with Anne."

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"I'll take your word for that," Charles said. Erik never did if there were things to attend to before classes. Tonight was one of those nights. "I do." And the thought pleased him. It was easy to sleep when they were in bed together. Charles, now, felt spoiled and didn't think he could truly sleep on his own anymore.

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"I promise," he added quickly, humour evident in his voice. "No talk of politics, no discussions on social injustice..." He paused and though Charles' couldn't see the clearly questionable look on his face, the intent was evident. "No engaging in other activities. Just sleep."

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"Just sleep." It was just as good to Charles as any late night discussion to fall asleep comfortably next to Erik. "We can save that for tomorrow." What he was referring to, he left open to interpretation.

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"At your leisure," Erik crooned. If he was completely honest with himself, he rather enjoyed their late-night discussions in bed. They were often the same sorts they'd have over chess, with the added benefit of being tucked in for the night. It would take a very heated debate for one of them to storm off in those instances.

Erik paused when they arrived at Charles' bedroom to open the door then guide the chair in. The doorways were a little snug if he careless, something more prone to happen after a long day of looking after Anne and (marginally) the other kids. Another pause in their momentum and Erik closed the door.

Their night time routine was just that: routine. He'd learned that there were many things Charles could do on his own and a small few that he couldn't, but Erik never presumed help was needed or wanted until Charles made it clear. Early on, there was more aid given in the simple act of changing out of his clothes and into his pyjamas. There was much less now as they'd figured out the most efficient ways.

Only after Charles was tucked neatly and comfortably in bed did Erik change his own clothes. Though he had a room of his own where his own things lived, he kept some pyjamas in Charles' room as well. Once changed, he flopped (yes, flopped) onto the bed and scooted over until he bumped into Charles.

"Comfortable?"

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Charles was comfortable against Erik, and in the end, it mattered most if Erik was comfortable. Charles had always been able to sleep wherever he was at the time. He had been said to have fallen asleep standing up when he was very small. "I am," he said. He let hand rest comfortably on Erik's shoulder as he could feel himself drifting.

Could be le fin unless you want breakfast antics with Anne.

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Erik hummed in content. He shifted to reach over and turn out the light before settling in for sleep. One arm draped lightly across Charles waist where it rested only a moment before the raised higher to lay across the man's ribs. It was important to Erik that Charles was able to actually feel those gestures before slipping off into sleep. He couldn't say why, but it mattered.

"I'll wake you once I've cooked breakfast for you and Anne," he murmured quietly. "Sleep well."