#druwrites

Charles. All he could see was Charles. 

Erik and Charles have one last interview before they go home. The train ride home is not the victory lap that they deserve.

(Cover by the wonderful @connisk! Thank you so much, again!)

Erik knew one thing about the story for sure; even if the Capitol created him, he was no one’s property.

~~~

Erik Lehnsherr’s last reaping was supposed to pass him by easily - as a mutant orphan protecting his kind in the home, his concerns are mostly about finding a job in the mutantphobic district, keeping the kids safe when he moves out and being charged as an adult for regularly hunting outside of the dome.

Everything changes, however, when Charles Xavier, the son of a victor who killed himself, volunteers to save his sister - and then Erik himself gets reaped.

Trapped in the games that represent everything he hates when his very survival depends on him pretending to tolerate them, Erik is starting to feel more and more like he’s part of something bigger than himself and something he can’t control. And it isn’t engineered only by the capitol - but by Charles Xavier himself.

Before he could think twice of how to phrase it though, in his shock he immediately uttered, “you’re not coming with us, Charles.”

Charles’ face immediately twisted into one of outrage, “I beg your fucking pardon, Erik?”

Piotr’s eyes shifted between the impending argument of the two of them, and he stood up, moving backwards slowly, “ummmm, I’ll give you guys some privacy.” 

Charles' plan is revealed. Charles and Erik disagree on whether or not Charles will come with them.

He collapsed in Charles’ arms, the confused boy hugging him tightly to his chest, and he let the rain soak them through, letting their clothes get dirty with the muddy ground.

The aftermath of Piotr's death. Erik and Charles can almost taste victory.

Jean’s district mate has been the furthest thing from his mind ever since the games had started. He remembered that when he first saw Piotr Rasputin he had noticed him for all his tall and muscular glory, his stoic smiles but unthreatening aura - and he remembered that he was intimidated. He immediately marked him as a threat, told himself he should keep an eye out for Rasputin. But since the games started, somehow he slipped his mind, even when Jean teamed up with them - the more obvious, present threat at the time seemed to be the Careerists.

And yet now here he was, threatening to break Charles’ neck in his chokehold. 

Erik and Charles meet Piotr.

“Right now, the districts are seeing the funeral as Erik and Charles saying there is no reason to believe in the games, but we can give them something to believe in.”

Stryker looked doubtful, but asked curiously, “such as?”

Logan took a deep breath. It was now or never. “Young love.” 

Logan is willing to do anything to save Charles. Erik is still cautious about the rule change.

Charles changed many things for him - he gave him the first home he had in years, offered to build with him a family he could protect this time and he made him believe.

No, Erik still didn’t believe in the goodness of humanity or all the specifics of Charles’ cause, he didn’t believe in destiny or soulmates or true love. But he believed in Charles.

~~~

Erik never had a Bar Mitzvah. Charles thinks that it a travesty.

He looked up at the pitch black sky, knowing the rescue should come any minute now. Any minute now. Any… minute… now.

“Erik,” Charles said, and Erik noticed that the ringing in his ears had stopped and Charles’ voice was no longer competing with another to be heard. His voice still sounded muffled, and distant, though. In the light of the flames, he could see clearly that Charles’ face was etched in concern. “What is happening?” he could manage to understand, half comprehending it from lip reading.

Erik could only shake his head and say, “I have no idea.” 

Erik and Charles are the only ones left. An announcement is made.