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“Technically, you cannot fire him”.
“I know,” he growls, “but, actually—“
“In no way you may fire him”.
Erik hisses and pushes himself away from the bar. He knows he must look derailed, with furious eyes and hands running through his hair and messing it up. Still, he points an accusatory finger at Raven.
“You always defend him. And you’re always on his side”.
“Am, not! Erik, I’m always in your side, even when you don’t realize it. And that is exactly why I cannot let you fire Charles. Even if you could”.
“If I am so incredibly powerless around here as you keep insisting on, why would you even worry about this?” Charles, as the head of the bar, can only be fired by the restaurant's manager, not unlike Erik himself. Still, much of what the snotty bastard does falls under the umbrella of Erik’s authority as head of floor.
It is, Erik believes, perfectly evident who is in charge at Checkmate . Erik arrived five years ago and, two years later he was already head of floor; with twenty-five servers, runners and, yes Raven, mixologists at his charge on busy nights. Every single one of them was, quite frankly, the worst.
Raven was a public menace, but she had the annoying trait of simultaneously being the only one Erik sort of trusted. ‘Trust’ might too strong a word.
Logan was probably second on the list —although Erik wasn’t about to admit that out loud— but Erik suspects it’s only because he’s so antisocial that he barely gets involved in the rest of the team’s shenanigans.
Charles was supposed to be at the top of that list, or so Erik had dared to hope. He thought he had recognize an ally when Charles arrived two months ago. But since that day Charles has mostly dedicated his time to prancing around, with that self-possessed air and that entirely dashing smile and that haughty accent that ignited Erik’s groin and temper every fucking time.
“I worry ,” Raven says “because you don’t need to fire Charles. He’ll go on his own if you keep yelling at him and treating him as if he were earth’s worst employee!”
“He is earth’s worst employee,” Raven rolls her eyes, but she just doesn’t understand. Erik needs Charles gone . “Raven, he’s often late—“
“For a good reason—“ she interrupts. Raven always interrupts him.
“He’s informal with the customers,”
“He’s a bartender. His job is to be welcoming and charming—“ She explains, as if Erik were an alien from a distant world, were customer service is not a thing. She makes some good points and she knows it, no need for Erik to say it out loud.
“Everyone is straight up rowdy since he appeared,”
“People are happy, Erik.” And Erik doesn’t miss the accusatory edge in her words. “It’s a desirable outcome when people who care about each other work together every day.”
“It’s maddening,” Erik cuts her off. Because he knows where Raven is going with this. “It’s distracting, and not conductive of the quality of culinary and social experience we praise ourselves for offering at Checkmate .”
Raven stares at him dead in the eye, amber pupils growing thin as she takes a step closer.
“You know that’s not true. You know the customers love it as much as we do. Things are so much better since you hired him,” ah, the irony; the decision of hiring Charles had been Erik’s, but firing him apparently was a whole other issue. Much more so when Erik hadn’t given Charles as much as an official warning—a written warning. Verbally, Erik had given him all kinds of warnings every day since the first day they met. But somehow Charles failed yet to be terrified.
Every time Erik thought it was moment to give Charles an official written warning —three of those and he would be out— Erik ended up deciding against it. Caving, somewhat. He hated it.
He had hated Charles the first time it happened—not that he’s fond of him on regular basis— because he thought Charles was doing a number in his mind.
But apparently that was beneath Charles —his fucking highness, Charles Francis Xavier—, and when it happened again, after an incredibly short period by the way, Erik had to admit that if there was coercion involved in his decision of forgoing Charles’s warning, it was from the part of Erik’s own staff, who had all inexplicably— but understandably— taken to Charles. Even Jean and Alex, who were at times closed up and at times volatile. Even Raven, who made it a habit of not looking up to anyone, not even Erik. Even Hank who was the most clueless and socially-anxious person Erik had ever seen. Everyone, including Frost—Checkmate’s other bartender who hated everyone, had embraced Charles’ presence.
“Why don’t you take a day off of your whole ’despicable me’ act? Stop trying to bring all your staff down emotionally so the can reach what you consider the expected level of propriety. Look around you, Erik, everyone is happy except for you. Do you even know how to enjoy anything in life?”
Erik shoots her an almost hurt look, “you’re being unfair, Raven. Of course I want you to be happy at work. But we have certain standards here and—“
“Bullshit.” Again with the damned interruptions. “You’re full of shit and you know it. Charles is good for this place, and good for us. The only thing that’s the matter is that his presence makes you nervous, and you don’t know how to deal with it”. She must be done because she’s already turning towards the exit, red hair flaming down her shoulders.
Erik is, more or less, struck by her words.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Raven?”
“Know what? My shift is done, and you’re hopeless. See you later. Think about what I said”.
As if Erik could do anything else as she walks out.
*******
Christmas season is crazy at the restaurant, and at the Christmas staff party being tonight Erik can barely find time to obsess about what Raven said to him yesterday. Really. He’s much too busy for that.
He spots Charles behind the bar talking to Jean. Well, he’ll be damned.
He’s at their side in three strides. As soon as Charles sees him he offers Erik a winning smile which Erik promptly resist. It is not without its challenge.
“Oh, hey Erik,” Jean greets him. Evidently she’s in a good mood. Erik hopes he’s not about to change that, but if that’s the case it’s too bad.
“Jean, everyone in there are wondering where you are.”
“How nice of you to let her know, my friend, specially when she’s a telepath herself” Charles seems so cheered, even though he has to have sensed that Erik does not come in peace.
‘When do you ever’
Erik ignores Charles’ voice in his head as best as he can, but doesn’t automatically struggle to push him out. There’s a wave of surprise at that fact that is clearly not Erik’s. But other than that Charles’ presence in his head goes quiet, but remains.
“I know, Erik. Charles was just teaching me some cocktails recipes” Jean continues.
“Entirely my fault,” Charles admits, his eyes never leaving Erik’s. “I am too greedy for company”.
“I hope it’s not just anyone’s company” Jean warns him with a smile. Erik wants to barf his eggnog. Jean’s smile is attractive but it’s no match for the one a Charles flashes her.
“That’s enough, Jean.” His tone surprises even Charles, and that reminds Erik to push him out of his head. He cannot really do such thing, but Charles gets the message and backs off.
“Erik, what—“
“I don’t know about you but I don’t want any unnecessary drama at this party and, unless I’m mistaken, you brought Alex’s brother as your date, and that guy is an idiot. I don’t want him causing any trouble because of—“
“Because of what?” Charles cuts him off, apparently unable to wait for Erik to finish.
“Because of this, ” Erik signals in Charles and Jean’s general direction, “because of the idiotic, incessant flirting and the obnoxious innuendo every time you serve any of the staff a drink!” Well, shit.
Jean’s eyes are like plates, and Charles is looking at him as if he had grown a second head. Some of the other staff members have started to peek from the next room, included Raven —the damned girl is to blame for this, and don’t believe Erik won’t make her pay.
His anger at Raven is somehow mitigated when she starts calling people’s attention back to the bulk of the party and away from Charles and Erik.
And Jean. Erik almost forgot she was still here.
She must have picked something up because a second later she’s making her way back to everyone, saying something about looking for Scott and that Charles should come seek her after if he’s not busy.
“Oh, he’ll be busy, do not fear”
Jean, the cheeky little minx she is just laughs. Presumably at Erik.
Of course she’s laughing at you, if you must know. Because you, my friend, are ridiculous
“I thought I pushed you out of my damned head,” Erik all but growls.
“Then stop thinking so damn loud. One can hardly help it”. Charles snaps.
“Listen, Charles”
“What,” Charles makes his way from behind the bar to stand in front of Erik. In the next room, Raven and Alex are karaoking ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, making everyone simultaneously feel the season and, Erik suspects, wish to stop living. “What was that, Erik?”
“I’ve told you. I don’t want any trouble with—“
“With Scott? Of all people, really??” Erik didn’t think Charles was so gullible, but it was worth a shot.
“With no one! But you— “ damn Charles and his pouty mouth and his flushed cheeks. Erik’s mouth is dry. “You keep—“
“I keep what? Would you like me to..” Charles points at the side of his head, his intention evident, but Erik shakes his head.
“You just.. you just keep making fucking everyone in this restaurant fall in love with you, and it’s— it’s terribly distracting. And unbecoming. And bad for business”. Erik rewinds everything he just said. He said everyone’s in love with Charles. He didn’t say he was amongst ‘everyone’. He’s good, it’s all good.
Good. Until Charles takes a couple of steps closer and Erik can feel the heat from his chest.
“I have,” Erik swallows loudly. “A big, huge—“ he can see Charles’ eyes growing wide, and he enjoys it maybe too much.
“A huge what, Erik”. Funny. Charles voice is softer than normal. Almost tender, you could say. Except Erik would never say that.
“Staff. To manage. And you’re not making it easy, Charles. I can’t— work when I know everyone’s sole purpose is to get in your pants, it’s just—“
“Distracting.” Charles quotes him, cutting him off.
“Maddening,” Erik says, and takes a step closer into the warmth of Charles body.
“Are you doing this to me? Charles look at me, tell me the truth” he thinks Charles would never do something like that, but how else..
“This is all you, Erik” And when Charles says it he presses his body against Erik’s. Erik knows Charles can feel his cock twitch under his trousers.
“Charles, what—“ deep breath, because the room is getting blurry. The world outside of Charles’s face and body and mind is getting blurry.
“Mistletoe,” Charles explains, pointing upwards. “I suspect Jean wanted us to have a go, but I’d rather do it with you, if you don’t mind terribly,” Charles flashes him his most winning smile.
“Charles— can you just— please” Erik begs, and hopes Charles understands. He evidently does know what Erik is begging for, because a second later Charles’ mind slips into his, just as Charles hands slip around his waist.
The kiss is overpowering, and when it finally ends, Erik hears cheering, the whole staff, Jean and Raven included are clapping and toasting around the two of them. It’s incredibly mortifying, but Erik is just too dumbstruck to mind. Charles’ eyes sparkle more than ever, and Raven comes running towards them.
“You should see those heart eyes, buddy” she tells Erik, sounding incredibly cheered. “I see you followed my advice for once”.
Charles arches an eyebrow to them, but Erik just says “I’ll explain later, or better yet..” he locks eyes with Charles and pulls him closer again, “why don’t you see for yourself. That is, if you don’t find this very distracting,”
“What?” Charles asks softly, hand coming to rest again on Erik’s temple.
“This,” And Erik plunges again for his mouth.