I'm not sure what made me think I could write Charles/Erik, but I had a moment of insanity and wrote this.

First attempt, please forgive me for crappiness. And yes, this is just a subtle Cherik thing but that's how I picture them so yeah.

This was what he wanted. This had been all he wanted for so long. The coin had been so heavy in his pocket for so long and now he could finally, finally, have his revenge. This was all he wanted.

The helmet was surprisingly cool as it slid down over his hair, the presence in his mind vanishing the second the metal was settled. Shaw was frozen in front of him, held still by Erik's telepath as the coin was pulled free and started to float above his hand.

"I'm going to count to three and move this coin."

Everything in him was focused on this moment, the moment he had longed for, as the coin slowly moved across the room. The rest of his words fell from his lips as he focused, forcing the damned piece of metal into the mutant's head and on its deadly path through the man's brain. That was all he could think about. Nothing else mattered for those glorious minutes. She was avenged.

And then, all too soon, it came rushing back. The blood-covered reminder fell to the ground the rest of the world retrieved its place in his mind. The helmet made no difference; he was still there in his mind.

Charles.

He was connected to Shaw. He had been in that bastard's mind as he died. His Charles had felt all of that, had endured all of that. Erik could almost hear his scream. The revenge that had seemed so beautiful a second ago soured. That hadn't been the plan. That wasn't meant to happen. He couldn't have done that.

A million memories flooded his mind, choking him for a second as he remembered everything that had happened. Charles risking himself for Erik. Charles siding with him. Charles helping him with his powers. Charles following him into the building to get Emma. Charles giving him back the memory of his mother. All of it filled his mind and he couldn't take it.

Shaw was dead. This was what he'd wanted. That was all that mattered. That was all. With a simple movement of his hand Shaw was being held up by his wrists, floating just above the ground. This was over now. All of the humans were alike and now that he was gone, Erik knew what needed to happen next.

Looking back on that day, it was a blur after he emerged on the sand. The one clear moment was that sound. Metal tearing flesh. A cry of agony. Sand moving as a body impacted. That act was burned into his memory.

Charles had been in his arms, face tainted with pain he struggled to fight as words Erik wished he could believe were lies broke the tense silence. Missiles were spinning off course, exploding in the air, but that didn't matter anymore. The telepath was what mattered, his telepath.

He wanted to apologize but that wasn't his nature. That wasn't who he was. That was who he would never be. Charles had hoped he'd change. He was wrong.

I actually don't know what this is. Don't kill me, please.

/shamelessly ships as she rolls into the sunset

~Klefan-Lover