Chapter Eight

Making mental notes is not my strong point, seeing how it was almost Christmas vacation when Bruce finally pulled me to the side. He had lightened up the next day after that night with Tony's achievement. Seemed normal again. Even began using his stress ball less and less. Unless I haven't been paying enough attention, which now that he has finally pulled me to the side I am going with that idea. I should be more open to my surroundings. We waited until a group of students passed before speaking in hushed voices. "What's up?" I asked, my voice showing my concern.

He waved a hand and rolled his eyes. "This is no concern of my wellbeing Erik." When I nodded and relaxed he looked down at his feet, playing with the fabric of his shirt. "I know."

I stood there quietly, waiting for him to press on. When he didn't, I slowly nodded and continued to eye him. "You know what, Bruce?" My tone had a small note of agitation in it which I tried to suppress.

Bruce finally stopped playing with his shirt and looked up at me, his features stone hard. "About you cheating on Loki with Charles."

Trying my hardest to keep my features composed, I kept eye contact with him. Though even I knew the silence was the only confirmation he really needed. I drew my lower lip in, nibbling on it a bit as I thought of what to say, and he did not rush me. That's when I realized it. Bruce wasn't mad at me, which I thought finding out something like this he would be. No, instead he was worried. His fidget with his shirt started again as he waited for my reply. Problem was I didn't know what to say. I wanted to be away from him at this point. The full effect of what I was really doing was beginning to break through my subconscious. I sighed and finally broke my gaze from him, running my hand through my hair. "How long have you known?" I asked him, still speaking quietly.

Thinking for a moment, Bruce looked back down to the ground. "Since a little before Halloween."

"How did you find out?" I asked quickly.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked just as quickly, looking up to meet my eyes, a little bit of anger showing. "Loki is a good guy. You two have been together for quite some time."

"Who else knows?" I asked before I could stop myself. Did I really want to know if anyone else knew this disturbing situation?

Bruce crossed his arms. "Tony." He stated plainly. "And I wouldn't be shocked if Steve knows."

I nodded slowly as I thought this over. Stark was a big mouth, so he mustn't have known for long or he probably would have ratted me out by now. But since he knew, I also wouldn't be shocked if Steve knew. Point is, I'll have to tell Loki before he hears it from the wrong mouth. That being any mouth but my own. "Have you told anyone?" I asked slowly.

"No." Bruce said, uncrossing his arms only to shove his hands into his pocket. "But I spoke to Charles about it."

At this my gaze shot up, anger quickly filling me. "You what?!" I struggled to keep my voice leveled.

Bruce took a tentative step back before showing his anger as well. "It's not as if you were doing this alone. You are both at fault. Charles well damn knows you and Loki are together and have a history. And you both went along with this charade anyways." His words cut through me harshly. He was right. "I do believe Charles is sorry for what he did. But that doesn't change the fact that you seem like you were planning to continue with this even after this talk we are having."

I had nothing to say. Wow, for once I am truly speechless. He's right, again. I wasn't planning on stopping. Thoughts of tricking him into keeping this between us flashed through my mind. But at this point I knew it was inevitable. "Where is Charles now?"

"With Loki." Bruce said thickly.

Trying to hold myself together, I began walking toward the dorms. Bruce didn't follow. He didn't even try to stop me. The world seemed to slow down. Time seemed inevitable. And each step felt like I was not going anywhere. The snow seeped its way into my bones. I couldn't feel my feet anymore, making each step an effort of my mind to keep going. Despite the cold snow, it felt hot. I took off my scarf and opened my coat as the dorm building grew closer and closer. Next thing I know I was opening the front door. Forgetting the elevator and taking the stairs. In front of Loki's room door.

Slowly, I placed my hand on the knob, praying silently to myself for it to be locked. For this moment to last forever. Me just standing here in the hall. Contemplating and wondering what is going to happen. Also wondering if Thor was on the other side ready to pound my face in and throw me out of the window. Taking a deep breath, reality seemed to start up again, now time moving too fast. Its as though I was standing at this door for way too long. In truth, I've maybe been standing here for five seconds. Taking one last deep breath, I tried to turn the knob. It turned and the door opened with ease.

The sight before me made me want to close the door and turn around, run back into the snow covered world and forget. Loki sat on the bed, his face in his hands, his body jerking slightly from his sobs. Charles was balanced on the balls of his feet, trying to reassure Loki. The moment the door hit the wall with a light thud, both males looked up at me. Loki jumped up to his feet and looked from Charles to myself. "It's not what it looks like Erik." He said quickly.

I tried to say something, but nothing came out. I slightly shook my head. I didn't understand. What wasn't what it looked like? To me it looked like Charles had just told Loki about our affair. Loki's eye's were filled with tears, Charles face looked full of guilt. I took a step into the room and closed the door. "No, Loki please." I walked over to him, but he shook his head, stopping me in my tracks.

He took a few shaky breath before turning his back on me. My heart broke and I couldn't help but look at Charles who was looking down at the ground. When he looked up at me to meet my eyes, he bit his lower lip, his brows furrowing. "Erik, there's something I need to tell you." He said in a soft voice.

This time I shook my head. "There's no need. Bruce already told me he knows." I turned back to Loki. "Please, let me explain."

At this, Loki turned around, looking confused. "There's nothing for you to explain. I'm the one who has explaining to do."

Charles now stepped up, putting his hands up at both of us. "Stop it, please. I need to speak. Clearly you are both on different pages."

We both looked at Charles. I shook my head and sighed. "There's no pages. It's plain and simple I slept with you Charles. And Bruce knows. And Tony. And probably Steve."

"Woah! Wait!" Loki interjected, throwing his hands up to stop me talking. "You slept with Charles?!"

At this I froze. Did I just rat myself out? I tried to speak but for the millionth time today nothing came out. Instead I just looked too and from Loki and Charles, stopping on Charles. "Is…is that not what you told him just now? Is that not what he's crying over? Didn't Bruce tell you he knows?" I never felt so confused in my life.

Biting his lower lip again, Charles slowly shook his head. "No. I actually just told Loki that sleeping with him was a mistake and we shouldn't do it anymore because Bruce knows and I was afraid it was going to get back to you."

Back track brain, back track and remain calm. I wasn't sure if I heard Charles correctly. But apparently I had. He had slept with my boyfriend. He slept with Loki. And he slept with me. Which means not only was I cheating on Loki, but he was cheating on me. We cheated on each other. With the same person. My gaze shifted from Charles to Loki. I stared at him for a moment, he looked confused still, but now that the truth was being laid out, his eyes watered up once more, an apology began to form on his lips. But I shook my head. "You slept with Charles?" My voice came out cracked.

Loki nodded. "Yes Erik, and I'm so sorry." He stopped to think for a moment and his features turned angry. "But, wait…did you not just say that you also…" His words trailed off as I nodded and we both looked at Charles.

He looked at both of us and shrugged. "Sorry." He mumbled.

0o0o0o

Obviously that day did not end well. In fact, it ended on complete opposite ends. We tried to keep calm and talk things over. Loki and I explaining why we did it. Turns out I wasn't giving him much attention. Not just now but from a long time ago as well. So he sought it elsewhere. I was just being selfish and wanting a go at Charles. My excuse was invalid. Anyways, Charles was conducting an experiment for his sociology class. Topic? Couples therapy. But he didn't expect to actually fall for someone. That someone being me. But he came to like Loki as a friend and didn't want to see him get hurt.

If you ask me, I had the best reason of all. A very honest reason. But I had the most wrong idea. So naturally upon telling our friends, Thor did threaten to punch me and throw me out the window. Steve and Bruce had a two-on-one wrestling match with the big guy. As for the situation itself, Thor demanded Loki leave me. But feeling he had done wrong on his own as well, he decided against it.

Steve made me promise to be a better boyfriend and devote more time to Loki so he wouldn't have a reason to go off and do what he did. Then he made Loki promise to confront me of his feelings instead of hiding them and seeking things elsewhere. Finally, Steve made Charles apologize and keep his studies to the books until he had a license to treat patients. It sure was a good laugh when he asked if he could conduct a study on Steve and Tony. The two were on different pages about the offer.

All in all, I guess it did end pretty well. We all put the case behind us and moved on, treating each other no different. So its ending wasn't bad at all. I take back what I said before. Know what is ending bad? This class that is about to put me to sleep. But finally that beautiful bell sounds and I make my way quickly into the hallway. Down the halls I walk and into the lab to help Tony finish up his experiment. Now that he has the main situation down to a science, all I help him with is mending the metal pieces into the outfit he wants.

Tony sees me approaching and smiles brightly. "Erik!" He boast, running around the lab table and to my side, walking with me the rest of the way. "The pieces came in today for the top half and I finished the sketches. Here, look!" He placed a box and folder onto the table.

I opened the box as he fished through the folder for his sketches. Taking out the metal I couldn't help but run my hands over the smooth hard surface. Metal always made me feel at peace and I couldn't wait to start mending this in a million different ways. "So what are we working on today?" I asked, taking the rest of the pieces out of the box.

"This." Tony said with the biggest smile I ever saw him with.

Taking the papers from his hand I smiled. He finally finished his sketches of his weapon for the military. The top of the page said 'Iron Man' on it. "I'll need to measure your giant head to get that piece right." I placed the papers on the table, noticing the lab table behind Tony's was now occupied. "Hey Charles."

Charles looked up from his book and smiled. "Hello Erik."

We smiled at each other for a moment before Tony placed his hands on Charles desk, moving in too close for comfort. "It's here Charles! The final pieces for my project!" He yelled, throwing up his hands and spinning to face me. "Prepare to mend the metal!" He grabbed the sketches and ran out of the classroom.

I giggled a bit as I looked back at Charles. "Care to join us?" I asked, picking up the heavy metal sitting on the table.

Laughing a bit, Charles shook his head. "I've spent enough time watching Stark go at this project. No, I'm starting a project of my own. Stark made his experiment react to his mind. I'm going to try something similar. I call it Cerebro." Charles smiled as he took out a pen from his backpack. "Have fun Lensherr."

"Same to you, Xavier." With that, I rushed out to follow Tony who was screaming and laughing in the hallways like a maniac.

END

A/N: Thanks for reading this crap! :)