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Emma had told him it was a bad idea to date a grad student. He was a grown man who needed someone stable, someone closer to his age was the entire gist of lecture. Charles was too young, he would stray and he would get bored of a frumpy older man. Erik resented being called frumpy but he let it go none the less. Maybe she had been right, but then again it was the probably the fact that he had mentioned Emma’s warning to Charles whilst in an argument that had proved her right.
Charles had gone pale for a few moments, his blue eyes sticking out against his skin before he had whispered harshly, “If that’s what you think.” The fight had gotten quiet after that. Erik deflated all while he fumbled for words before Charles had held up a hand. “No, if you think that way then we shouldn’t be together.” The fight didn’t last long after that. Kept his mouth painfully shut and glared at his younger boyfriend as the man collected his bags. “I’ll be at my sister’s,” he told him, “I’ll grab the rest of my stuff later.”
Erik stares out into the night sky, cigarette held loosely in between his fingertips. When Charles comes back he’s not sure what he’s going to say to make the other man stay, or even if he can. He lets out a low shaky laugh before taking another drag, it’s either laugh or let the tears come. Erik shakes his head, stubbing out the smoke before turning back around. Charles is there, he’s standing in the threshold his hand curling around the metal of the door. His eyes are red and he’s been gnawing on his bottom lip.
“I still think you’re wrong about our age being the problem. It’s merely a difference of opinion and I,” Charles pauses, “I don’t want that to ruin anything.” Erik nods his head slowly.
“Understandable,” he breathes out. He isn’t sure who moves first but soon enough his arms are around Charles and the younger man is returning the favor. The fabric bunches between his fingers, warping and twisting as he pulls the other man closer. “I never want to lose you,” he whispers. In his arms Charles shudders.
“Then why in the hell did you say that? Erik, I know, I know that I’m a child in most of your friends eyes. I tell them I’m going to grad school and they just look at me like they want to pat me on the shoulder and tell me good job, but I stick through it and grit my teeth because it’s your friends,” Charles whispers.
“Because I’m an idiot when it comes to relationships.” Charles laughs, it’s not the full throaty laugh that Erik loves, but it’s a start.
“I couldn’t tell.” It’s Erik’s turn to snort. He pulls the younger man back into the apartment, never really letting him out of the circle of his arms.
“Are you staying?” he asks, afraid to see Charles shake his head sadly. Instead Charles laughs again.
“Of course I am,” he stills looking up at Erik. “I was here for twenty minutes while you were out smoking. More than enough time for me to start packing. I just. I’m not the type to give up on what I want, and neither are you. Do you want me to stay?” Erik presses his lips to Charles’ temple.
“More than anything.” Neither one comments or minds when they spend the rest of the night curling upon with each other on the couch for the rest of the evening, wrapped in each other. Though Erik reminds himself he’ll have to talk to Emma about where she should keep her ideas about his relationship, but those are thoughts he’d rather not entertain when he has Charles back in his arms.