Resistance is Futile (X-men: First Class, Erik/Charles)

It had been Charles’s idea to share a room. One with double beds, thankfully. Not that he would have minded sharing a bed with Charles, but the burgeoning attraction Erik felt for Charles would have made things awkward, to say the least. He’s not sure how much, if any, of it Charles’s has picked up on. For a telepath, he’s surprisingly oblivious. Erik isn’t used to guarding his thoughts. His usual stoic demeanor had always been enough of a wall between him and the outside world, so it’s strange for him to have to go further than that, to guard what he thinks as well as his expression.

Still, he can’t help the surprise that flits across his face the first night of their trip when Charles casually starts stripping five minutes after they enter the room. They’d been driving for hours, putting as much distance between themselves and DC before stopping for the night and all Erik wanted to do was go to bed. He’d stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth and emerged to find Charles with his shirt off, busy undoing his pants, a pair of pajamas laid out on the bed next to him. Erik promptly found more things to do in the bathroom until he deemed Charles decent enough.

He can tell already that the trip is going to be a test of his resolve. It’s hard to resist sneaking peeks. Charles obviously doesn’t mind Erik looking, otherwise he would have waited until the bathroom is free but Erik doesn’t trust himself not to act on his urges. There’s only two ways that would end, neither of them good. Either Charles would reject him, which would add a whole new layer of awkwardness to their trip, or he wouldn’t and Erik isn’t the type that can give Charles the relationship he’d eventually want.

Erik isn’t the type to form attachments. He prefers one night stands in foreign cities where the other person doesn’t know his real name, let alone where he’ll be heading in the morning.

It’s better for them both if he just buries his feelings and ignores his attraction. They won’t be on the road that long. Erik can handle it.