
Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/7756468.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      X-Men_-_All_Media_Types
  Relationship:
      Cherik
  Character:
      Charles_Xavier, Erik_Lehnsherr
  Additional Tags:
      Omegaverse, ABO, freakshow_au, Omega_Charles, Beta_Erik
  Series:
      Part 2 of We're_Running_Away_To_The_Circus
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-08-13 Words: 2082
****** Life Is A Circus Act ******
by MV_lit
Summary
     Sequel to Welcome To The Freakshow. I'm splitting this story up into
     two chapters because I keep hitting writers block and feel bad for
     keeping you all waiting so long. The next chapter will have the fun
     fun sexiness. Thank you all for your patience with me.
Upon waking up the next morning, Charles had been concerned that the events of
a few hours previous would cause a dynamic shift between him and Erik. And it
was that concern that sent him scurrying out of Erik’s tent after hastily
dressing once first light hit. He kept his head down as he rushed through the
slowly waking camp toward the kitchen tent.
He was rather surprised to find himself the first of the kitchen crew there.
Regardless, he began preparing for breakfast. It was rather easy, the menial
labor allowing his mind to drift off rather than be stuck in a continuous loop
replaying the early morning’s events.
So lost in his thoughts, he startled upon another of the kitchen crew slipping
into the tent, nearly dropping the bowl of eggs he was scrambling. Pasting a
nervous smile upon his face he nodded his greeting toward the beta who had
slipped in and set to work. The camp had a rotating work schedule, which he
believed would be to his benefit as he would never be working with the same
people week to week, but unfortunately he was in no mindset to play friendly at
the moment.
Luckily, that didn’t seem to bother his fellow workers in the breakfast tent
that morning, they too preferring to keep to themselves as they prepared the
morning meal. Charles was grateful for their silence, as it allowed him to zone
back out and search for the solution to his issue.
By the end of the breakfast rush he had decided upon his course of action.
Unsure whether the situation with Erik was a one time deal or not he would keep
his distance and try to last the rest of his heat by himself. Once the hormones
were no longer heating his blood he would look into opening a conversation with
beta.
For the moment this would be the right course of action, best not to complicate
things more than the already were. With that decision Charles went about his
daily duties, minding to keep distance between him and Erik.
For the most part it was easy, their duties didn’t overlap and Charles was kept
busy enough that the beta wasn’t in his conscious mind. But as it began to
become evening it became evident that he would have to implore another
performer to take over the table for him as he was in no state to be working.
It truly wasn’t too hard, he managed to convince Rémy to run the table for the
night, knowing his roommate was quite the sweet talker, not to mention he very
dearly owed Charles for the stunt he had pulled the night before.
Sighing in relief, Charles had slipped off to his tent, desperate to collapse
into his cot. He had been ignoring the effects of his heat all day and it had
begun to get to him, his pulse pounding in his skull. Luckily, his tent wasn’t
too far off and it didn’t take him long to strip down and slip under the rough
wool blanket.
His senses were heightened in his heat-crazed state and the fabric off the cot
beneath him and the blanket he wrapped tight around his bare form felt abrasive
against his skin, almost painful. He forced himself to close his eyes, the work
of the day quickly pulling him down into slumber. And as he slipped away he
couldn’t be bothered to be concerned with where his roommate would bed that
night. It seemed he had more than enough special friends within the show, there
was little chance he’d be sleeping beneath the sky.
……….
Erik scowled as he finally managed to slip away from the show. Charles had been
avoiding him all day and he was more than a little irritated by the entire
situation. He knew very well what had happened the night before and was very
well aware that Charles had verbally given his consent. Yet he still couldn’t
help berating himself, for how could he know whether Charles had been sober
enough to have truly consented.
He had been in a bad position from the second he woke and found the young omega
in heat, now he feared his actions were irreparable. But then again, he had no
way of knowing, seeing as Charles had avoided him the entire day and had failed
to show up for his task that night, leaving that irritating Cajun boy sitting
there and wasting time chatting up any omega who passed the table.
Cigarette sitting bitter in his mouth Erik spat it out, shoving his hands in
his pockets against the chill and slouching off toward his tent. There was no
reason for him to skulk around in the shadows, he had no one to wait on
tonight.
Even still, as he approached his tent he could feel an odd twisting in his
chest, a hope which he was quick to quash. Hope or not, he truly wasn’t
prepared to slip into his tent and find the naked omega asleep in his cot.
He stood frozen in the entrance to his tent for a long moment before he finally
managed to force himself to move, the icy wind biting at his neck encouragement
enough. Slowly, quietly, he approached the cot.
Crouching down, he set a hand on his shoulder, gently attempting to rouse him.
“Charles?” A hum sounded in the back of his throat and he shifted but didn’t
wake. “Charles.” Erik called to him a bit louder, slightly shaking him.
The omega groaned and rolled over, blearily blinking up at Erik before he woke
enough to shoot up, eyes widening in disbelief. “Erik, what are you doing in my
tent?” He hissed, clearly shocked by the beta’s presence there.
“I’m not in your tent, Charles. You’re in mine.”
“That’s not possible, I’m certain I went to my own—” The omega tapered off as
he took in his surroundings. He could’ve sworn that— but no, here he is inside
of—. Shit.
Nervously, he looked up to Erik uncertain as to what he would find. Oddly
enough, the beta seemed more amused by the entire situation than anything else
if the quirk of his lips was anything to go by. “Oh.” He fell silent for a
moment, looking to where his hands were clasped tightly in his lap before
speaking again. “I-I have to go. If you would please—”
Nodding, the beta stood and slipped out of the tent to give Charles privacy
while he redressed. Quickly, the omega slid from beneath the blankets and
dressed, berating himself the entire time. How could he have been so careless?
Was he just so mindless that he managed to find his way into the tent of the
one person in the camp he was most desperately trying to avoid.
He shook his head sighing as his eyes raked over the mussed bedclothes. He had
no doubts that they were now completely permeated with the scent of his heat.
He would have to trade with Erik until he could wash the sheets for him.
Gathering what little dignity he had left he held his head and and stepped out
of the tent. He found Erik a few feet away leaning against a supply truck,
cigarette tucked between his lips. As he approached he realized that the beta
was deep in thought, his eyes holding a far away look.
Upon realizing the omega was near Erik looked over flicking away his cigarette
and standing, walking closer. “Are you alright, Charles—”
“I’m fine.” He spoke, cutting him off. “I must apologize deeply, I did not
realize— I don’t know why I—”
“Charles, it’s fine.” The beta spoke up, putting an end to the stuttered
apologies. “This place can be a bit hard to navigate, especially once the sun
goes down. I can’t tell you how many times I nearly walked into the wrong tent
when I first came here. You’ll eventually get used to it, I promise.”
Sighing, Charles pursed his lips and fixed Erik with a look. “Why are you being
so nice about this?”
“It was a genuine mistake, it’s fine.” Erik reassured him.
Charles nodded. “I—Your sheets smell a bit. Mine are clean, I’ll go fetch them
for you. I’ll wash your sheets once my heat is done.”
“Charles, don’t worry about it. If you’re so concerned about it you can stay in
my tent until your heat finishes and I’ll keep your tent mate company.” Erik
spoke, trying not to show his displeasure at the thought of being around the
Cajun.
“Are— are you sure? I don’t want to impose.” Charles spoke.
“Oh no, it’s fine. I don’t mind.” Erik replied shaking his head.
“If you’re sure—”
By that point Erik had already turned and begun walking away. “Sleep well,
Charles.” He called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the night.
………..
Surprisingly enough, Charles found he actually did sleep well, or at least
better than he had in his own cot. Unfortunately, his heat had woken him early
in the morning and, desire unquenched, would prevent him from working for the
time being.
Charles had begun to regret his decision to avoid Erik as his heat grew worse
and he was forced to try to relieve his needs himself, not that he very much
could. As the morning wore on he began to believe he would pass out from the
pain of the pressure of his heat, his ministrations doing nothing more than
stoking the flames and he found himself helpless to stop them. Long past the
point of aching, his muscles were trembling as he strained back to try to shove
his fingers deeper into his twitching entrance, nearly crying out in
frustration as even with this angle his fingers fell teasingly short of the
itch inside him.
So caught up in his hormone flooded mind he didn’t notice when another entered
the tent. It wasn’t until he heard a low rumbling growl that he turned to face
the intruder. His eyes widened in fear and he pulled the blanket tighter around
himself, breath catching in his chest as the immense figure of the show’s
Savage Man.
Stricken dumb, he scooted back as far as he could, cowering in the cot. He
could not even find the mind power to prepare himself for what he believed to
be the inevitable. The giant lumbered closer, blond hair hanging in long,
matted strands about his face. There was no way to mistake the gleam in his
beady eyes.
It was the end, Charles thought. He had merely traded one prison for another,
it seemed nothing he could do could prevent him from ending up tied to a
domineering alpha, and this beast would be far worse than any his parents
could’ve chosen.
Charles had given up hope of escape and pressed himself back until the cot
began to tip up. “Get out! Shoo! Shoo! Out with you! This is not your place!”
Looking up Charles found that the blond had whirled around to face the front of
the tent where Erik had slipped through unnoticed. “You heard me, go!” He
spoke, waving the alpha off as one would a pesky dog.
For a moment the omega was afraid the man would tear the beta’s head off and go
about taking Charles for his own, but to his great surprise the hulking beast
headed out the door, slouching off. Once gone, Erik walked over to Charles.
“Are you alright?” He gently asked, crouching down to be level with the cot.
“Yes, I’m fine, really, just a bit frightened is all.” Charles replied, running
his clean hand through his hair and settling back on the cot. “But Erik, how’d
you do that? The man’s easily twice your size. I was certain he’d kill you.”
The beta smiled sharply. “I thought you’d learned of my reputation here,
Charles. People tend to steer clear.”
Scooting to the edge of the bed he wrapped his arms tightly around Erik,
burying his head in the crook of his neck. “Thank you, Erik. I thought—” He
trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air between them. Nothing more
needed to be said, they both were aware of what could’ve happened had Erik not
shown up.
Though surprised, Erik belatedly wrapped his arms around Charles, gently
rubbing the overheated skin of his back. “It’s nothing, my friend. Don’t worry
about it. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
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