The Singer’s Secret Recipe: A Tale of ion and Pastries—Cherik Au. VI

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Charles's face lights up as his phone buzzes. He quickly picks it up and unlocks it. He then taps on the message he'd just received, soon realizing that he hadn't changed the name.

Unknown: "Sorry I took so long. I'm a singer."

Charles catches himself smiling at his phone as he types a response to the stranger. He shakes his head, trying to brush off the feeling in his chest. The excitement of talking to the stranger, wondering what they'll say, wondering if they'll be friends. Having not felt a thrill like this in years, he accepts the feeling that it gives him.

Almost as if welcoming both the feeling and the stranger with open arms.

Charles: "Wow, have you released any music? Maybe I can listen to it sometime. (° '~' °)"

Charles hits 'send', catching himself getting more excited. He stops himself from squealing as he does not want to get too excited and make a scene.

“I can't let myself behave like that, not over a stranger.”

He reminds himself, calming himself down just as his friend walks up to his table and takes a seat.

"Charles, what's got you like that?" His friend asks, scooting his seat up to the table whilst making eye with Charles. Curious.

"It's nothing, how was babysitting? Was Kurt good?" Charles asks. Teasing his friend, which earns him a scoff as the friend smiles, clearly amused.

"Daycare worker. And he's a good kid," he answers, watching the smile on Charles's face grow warmer. "So, what were you smiling about? Did that singer you like post something?" He asks, his small smile turning into a smirk.

" 'That singer' has a name, Hank, it's Erik Lehnsherr, and sadly no, he didn't. But it's nothing to worry about, just someone I'm texting, their name is Erik-"

As soon as Charles mentions texting someone as well as his favorite singer's name, they both hear someone coughing. Worry spread to those around them as the person choked until they eventually stopped.

"That's gross. They could've at least turned their head, and someone could've helped." Hank says, whispering to not bring attention to himself and Charles. Charles, however, moves his seat to go and see if the person is ok, which Hank winds up stopping him by pulling him back down, making him sit back in his seat.

"What are you doing?" Hank asks Charles. "I'm trying to see if they need help-" Charles begins before he is interrupted by Hank, "They stopped choking, so that's a good enough sign." Charles shakes his head as he sighs. "What if they still need help?" Charles questions Hank, waiting for his response.

"Then we'll call for help, Charles; we aren't heroes. We can try our best, but even then, there's only so much that we can do." Hank says, causing Charles to be silent, who does not want to argue with Hank on the matter.

Soon the waiter goes up to Charles and Hank's table. Setting their food down and soon leaving the two to enjoy their lunch while they catch up.

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Erik's pov.

Emma: "Why did you leave alone? You must want to be knocked down by crazy fans. =_= "

Erik rolls his eyes, not amused at Emma's text message.

Erik: "I wanted some fresh air and I already told you not to jinx things like that. Do you even listen when I speak? ಠಿ_ಠ "

Erik sets his phone down

Erik hears a noise but tries not to look at the table across from him, not wanting to seem like a creep even though he feels as though he isn't. He picks his phone back up to distract himself, soon seeing two text message notifications.

'Emma: "No, you didn't say anything important other than *but I'll be at work early* but ig you'll say something important soon. (^_^♪) "

.

Charles: "Wow, have you released any music? Maybe I can listen to it sometime. (° '~' °)"

Erik subconsciously smiles at his phone as he reread the text message that Charles, the stranger, had just sent him. His heart skips a beat just as quickly as he breathes, something that he notices, causing him to take a deep breath, letting go of the feeling.

Erik's attention is caught from his phone and 'self to the very table that he tried not to look towards as he heard the screeching sound of the chair moving, soon hearing it again as it moved once again.

Erik tries not to listen in on their conversation, looking around for something to do as to busy himself. Not wanting to be on his phone during all of his free time.

Erik notices a waiter standing at his table with his plate and drink, setting it down before going to the table where a family is seated. Erik, not caring to think of what occasion could be happening, returns to minding his own business. Not being one to be nosy.

As Erik is just about to take a bite of his sandwich, he all of a sudden hears his name being mentioned, his instincts causes him to freeze, finally taking a bite of his sandwich as he looks at the table across him.

“What are they talking about?”

Erik thinks, questioning what he is hearing. Soon, he hears another thing that makes him gag.

* 'That singer' has a name, it's Erik Lehnsherr, and sadly no, he didn't. But it's nothing to worry about, just someone I'm texting, their name is Erik-*

Erik holds his throat as he chokes on his sandwich, tears forming in his eyes as he falls onto the ground. He didn't notice how fast he was chewing, having not paid attention to how he ate his meal.

“Help.”

He thinks, too preoccupied with choking to speak. He reaches his hand out toward the first few people he sees. The two that had just mentioned him.

Erik looks the two in the eyes, one of them with a worried expression while the other looks more disgusted than worried, but something that he doesn't understand is how they could sit there and not do something to help him.

Or so he thought, soon going against his assumption as he sees one of them rise out of their seat, walking towards him to help.

“It's ok, I'll help you.”

Erik's eyes widen with shock, not recognizing the voice in his head as it answers his silent plea. He looks around, wondering who the voice in his head could be from. But as he looks back at the person who had risen, the other one pulls them back down to sit.

Erik, in a desperate attempt, performs the Heimlich maneuver against a chair, saving himself.

Erik then raises his head, catching his breath. He then sees a waitress bringing food to a table nearby, he stops the waitress as she is walking back inside.

"Can I have a glass of water?" Erik asks, out of breath. The waitress backs away, sickened by the smell of Erik's breath, which the latter just waves his hand, gesturing that she doesn't have to get it for him.

The waitress nods her head and turns to go back inside. Glad to not be outside any longer. Erik then walks away, leaving money to pay for his food as well as the extra work that the workers would have to do to clean the mess he had made. Stoic as can be, his anger and annoyance could be felt by anyone nearby.

“I'm sorry.”

Was all that he heard in his head as he walked away. Not bothering to look back and see who said- projected, that.

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Charles pov (again)

"And then me and-" As Hank continues to talk, Charles nods his head, though he isn't listening as he's more concerned for the stranger who could've died in front of him. The thought of what could've happened causes fear and anger to grow for the stranger and towards the people around him and Hank. Towards everyone who was watching and not trying to help.

“You could've helped him, why didn't you? Why are you so selfish!”

As soon as he projects his disappointment, the civilians start to panic, scared. Charles' eyes widen as he realizes that he had just alerted them that a mutant is nearby as well as what power they could have, panicking, Charles then quickly rises out of his seat and grabs his bag, turning to leave.

"I have to go Hank, we'll talk later."

Hank's confusion forms, growing as he hears the sound of Charles voice, yet, the man isn't speaking.

"What? Why are you leaving?? Where are you going??"

Hank quickly rises out of his seat, his eyes wide as he watches Charles's leave. Not getting a response from the latter, not even a single word.

-

Charles gets out of his car, quickly closing the doors and locking them. He runs over to a rather broken playground, one that had been ruined long ago, a time that Charles re all too well. He sits down on one of the only things that remains standing, a swing set's seat.

"Why did I do that?? Do I not have any self-control?" Charles questions himself, feeling as if all of the earth's rain is falling onto him. Feeling shame clinging to him as he stares at the ground, breathing slowly as he tries to calm himself and brush away that feeling.

"What have I done?" Charles asks himself, his mouth agape. Soon he hears something, a faint voice.

"Charles? Where are you?!"

Charles feels a presence nearby, soon feeling multiple. Ones that he already knew.

“At our playground.”

He shares, causing them to find him quickly. "Charles."

"Hello Raven, good to see you." Charles says to Raven, not looking as she walks over to him.

"I can't say that same for you when you're like this, Charles." Raven says as she sits down on the swing seat next to Charles.

"Why would you be here?" Someone else asks, walking around the ruins, looking as she reminisces.

"What I wonder is why you're here Cass, especially why Cain is here." Charles, for the first time, looks away from the ground to now look at Cassandra, who is still walking around.

"I'm here because your friend texted Raven about something being wrong with you." Cain answers Charles' question, standing next to Raven. Charles looks at him and notices Cain doesn't have his headwear on.

This manages to make Charles smile, appreciative that his younger brother would trust him enough to not wear it, thinking that also meant that he trusts Cassandra, but the thought is thrown into a mental trashcan by Charles. Not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Charles? Hello?" Raven waves her hand in front of Charles' face, attempting to get his attention. Which works as he fully snaps out of his head and back into the moment.

"Hm?" Charles hums, responding to Mystique.

"You didn't answer our question." Raven reminds Charles, who then raises one of his eyebrows as he tries to the question. Failing to.

Raven rolls her eyes, annoyed that she would have to repeat what Cassandra had said. "Charles-" she is interrupted by Charles.

"I let my powers slip..." Charles looks down, soon sighing. "I projected onto the people where me and Hank were, shaming them for not helping someone when they were choking."

Silence forms with the only sounds are the four's breathing and the sounds caused by their surroundings. Both Charles and Cassandra takes note of how their younger siblings seem uncomfortable as they do not know what to say.

The four, now all together in the very place where they share very fond memories, all decides to sit in the silence that welcomed itself. Enjoying a moment that they wouldn't know if they'll have again.

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Erik's POV (again)

Erik re-enters the company building. Soon, some of the workers get close to him.

"Erik, which concept would be best? Disco or rock?" One of the people asks.

"Suzie, I told you to call me Lehnsherr, and why is disco an option? The concept idea isn't bad but you'll get very little from it. Rock." Erik answers, not stopping his walk to the bathroom.

"Mr. Lehnsherr!" Multiple people shouts as he walks away. He closes the restroom door once he makes it inside.

Erik turns, and leans against the restroom door, catching his breath. Erik closes his eyes as he lets himself relax.

Soon, Erik clears his mind, trying to process what had happened not long ago.

“I could've died.”

“I'm glad that you didn't.”

Erik jumps, startled by the voice in his head. He turns around and opens the door, revealing Emma on the other side.

"I didn't allow you to read my mind." Erik says, his expression growing cold.

"You never have, not recently." Emma agrees with Erik, even though Emma herself still does so anyway.

"So, tell me what happened." Emma says, gesturing to walk and talk to her, which he does so.

-

“Will anything change when it comes to your recklessness?”

Emma asks telepathically as she looks up at him, resting her hands on her waist.

"Maybe." Erik replies, shrugging his shoulders. Both himself and Emma aren't believing in his words. Not even a little bit.

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~𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑉𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒~

𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑏𝑦 🌧𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑥𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑟🌧

𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒔𝒚

#TheSingersSecretRecipe