SHAVE OFF YOUR EVIL BEARD, IT'S TIME TO FIT IN
![]() DARKEST TIMELINE MEME The darkest timeline is a phenomenon when there are multiple possibilities for a situation to turn out and progress forward. Each has a different outcome, but one of those possibilities. One of them is the darkest timeline. The timeline in which everything goes wrong and there's no turning back. The villain gets the weapon that will end the war instead of the heroes, you fuck up someone's food order and they turn out to be the health inspector, the cabin you picked has an axe murderer in it, you come back from a pizza run and the whole room is on fire and everyone has grown evil beards--wait, what? |


Fou-Lu | Breath of Fire 4 | OTA
[Option 2) IDK let's find a meme scenario and rng it?
[Option 3) Pitch me your ideas!]
Charles Xavier | X-men movies
DoFP bad-end
Charles will never forget the day when the secret service man pulled the trigger while he was busy negotiating with Raven. It had gone unnoticed by both himself and Erik. That single gun and a single man, acting out of impulse. There had been nothing to do. Raven had drawn her last breath only a minute later. But the president had survived the bullet that left her weapon the moment the bullet penetrated her body.
Charles had never even been able to get to her before Erik had cleared them all out. He had been laying under a podium, crying, choking on his own tears, feeling her fading just a few feet away.
It had been the reason that pulled him and Erik together. That and Raven's son, Kurt, who had become an orphan the moment they all had lost her. He was barely 7, blue and lacking family who would take care of him. The boy had needed a home and both Erik and Charles had needed something to focus on.
However, it hadn't taken long for the government to give them more than enough work. The Mutant Legislation happened the next year, the launch of new Sentinel program the year after, and the power dampener collar bill was voted on in the senate the same year, accepted and put to action. Every mutant would be fitted with a collar, every mutant would enter a registry and be tracked by the collar.
Fast forward a decade or so, the Xavier school for the gifted has become a safe place for those children who have to learn to live with their collars, for the children's parents to dump their unwanted offspring in and for Charles to keep fighting the good fight peacefully while wearing a fake collar. But that's not all it is. It's also a front for the X-men, lead by Erik Lehnsherr, hiding in the vast properties. The kids, as they have grown up, are often joined to the cause. Of course they aren't left in peace to handle their affairs. They're often visited by the mutant control department, who make it their business to conduct experiments and run tests when they please. The mutant legislation gives them every right to do so, lawfully.
Of course they fight but it's becoming harder and harder to get through with anything with the development of the Sentinels. They raid mutant research facilities, torture chambers really, rescue as many mutant children as they can, try to halt the development of new anti-mutant weapons. There's been talk of a full terrorist war and Charles has tried to speak against it as much as he can. But he has to admit that he lost something that day more than ten years ago when Raven was shot right in front of his eyes. He's not fighting against the idea of full blown war as much as he probably should be.
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A war that he is finding himself more ready to fight in than he'd ever thought imaginable.
Before the loss of his mother, Kurt might have been more open to the idea of humans and mutants trying to coexist together, but after that fateful day and the sudden disappearance of his father not long after, he'd all but lost hope for them ever being able to live side-by-side with them. Then, came the ridiculous laws put into place and honestly, he doesn't even know what he would be holding onto anymore. It's a lost cause at this point.
Thankfully, Charles and Erik have given him a sort of 'job' to keep him occupied, along with the classes he attends at Xavier's. He's an informant, delivering news from Erik to Charles and vice versa under the guise of being 'human.' Hank had set him up with a collar he'd been taught to hack and an image inducer, which allowed him to blend with ease into a group of 'normal' people and as long as they didn't get close enough to touch him, they would consistently be none the wiser.
He appears in the foyer of the mansion with a BAMF, spreading midnight-colored smoke and the scent of sulfur with the teleport. Image inducer still activated, he reaches into the bag at his side and removes the collar there, sliding it back into place around his neck with a disgruntled noise. After it's been 'turned on,' the blue boy goes about deactivating his camouflage, fidgeting with the watch on his left wrist. "Charles!" he calls, squinting at the device then tapping it with his fingers. "I'm back!"
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"Kurt," he calls out, relieved, happy to hear the boy's voice. Charles is now Kurt's legal guardian. It only makes sense given that Raven was like a sister to him. Besides, Kurt needs a proper home. Charles wouldn't have it any other way. In all sense and practice, he's like a father to him now. He's been there for longer than Raven had before she died. "Come help me," he calls out and stops the folders from sliding down from his lap, the pile of them already threatening to avalanche onto the floor.
"How was it?"
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"Coming," he returns, scoffing at the inducer on his wrist and heading in the direction of the telepath's voice. "You know, I'm going to have to talk to Hank about fixing this thing. It never fails to jam up when I put this stupid collar on. Must be interference of some sort." He arrives just in time to see Charles barely keeping a stack of folders on his lap and hurries over to catch a few before they end up on the ground, a somewhat cheeky smirk tugging his lips up while he rebalances the pile. "We need to find a way to make carrying things easier for you."
His shoulders shrug. "Same as always," he mutters, eyes rolling as he takes some of the envelopes to make the load easier for the other mutant. "Erik thinks you should brain blast all of them."
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"He's in a bad mood," Charles warns as he piles the folders on Kurt's arms for a moment while hanging away his coat. Then he reaches back and slides his fingers against Kurt's cheek momentarily before taking half of his load back onto his own lap. "Thank you."
"Hank keeps saying the same thing about finding a better way to transport things. I just can't seem to think that attaching a basket to the chair is a good idea." Mostly it's silly.
He gives a soft sigh as Kurt delivers Erik's message, which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. "Of course he does. And to be honest, I'm inclined to agree with him if this current trend keeps going on."
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"Of course he is." Another huff from his end, head shaking at the comment, but his arms are held out and ready to accept the folders as soon as Charles hands them over. He opens his mouth to grumble about Hank never being in a good mood anymore, but the brush of fingers over a scarred cheek past the illusion of the inducer is enough to make him stop. "... you're welcome," he breathes out, reluctantly allowing the man to take the bundle once more.
"You could hire Jean as a part-time secretary." Kidding--he's kidding.
There's a disbelieving snort at first, though when he stops to think about it: the papers, Hank being upset, Charles' slightly disheveled demeanor. "Wait," he starts, returning cornflower blue eyes to his father figure. "Are you serious? What did they say this time?"
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"I'm afraid she's probably much more interested in other activities," he muses with a small smile. Yes, he knows you're kidding.
Charles just doesn't have much of energy to keep up with the joke. The smile disappears in the next moment and he urges Kurt to follow him. "You probably don't want to know. But I will tell you in any case over dinner. We have plates in the fridge waiting for us. And then you can tell Erik the news tomorrow."
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Poor Charles. He wants to do more to help, but at this rate, he's at a loss when it comes to ideas of what he could offer. One of these times, Kurt's going to make him not work for the entire day and demand that he relax for once in his life. We all die, so no reason to rush to the grave any sooner. God, what a morbid thought.
And follow he does, easily keeping pace beside the chair while struggling with the collar around his neck. Eventually, he shuts it down long enough to smack the inducer with the heel of his palm, forcing the thing to turn off and making the hologram fade away to reveal his natural blue form. He wrinkles his nose, iridescent eyes flashing crimson then narrowing with concern. "No, most likely not, but I might as well. You already know I won't be able to keep myself from wondering when delivering the information to Erik."
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I'm not dying any time soon, he responds Kurt's silent thoughts with a snort of amusement while piling he folders on the dining table and turns to roll his way to the fridge. They have this new kitchen appliance called a microwave oven that will heat their food in a few minutes. It's miraculous how this kind of professional appliances are starting to appear in consumer kitchens.
"You really should stop snooping when you're told not to look," he continues, trying to sound stern. Kurt has been drenched in the X-men project for a long while now and Charles can't fault him for it. All he would like for Kurt to make sure he's safe, not in danger. But these times aren't going to make that possible, are they? "Sometimes the information is classified, you know."
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Thank God, is his answer, along with a brief twisting gesture of his hand. He wants to continue with this part of their conversation, yet something tells him to think better of it and he leaves the thought at that, attention solely focused on Charles moving about the kitchen. He's not sure if he should ask to help or not.
"I don't always snoop. Eesh, have a little faith in me!" The blue boy knows he's being overdramatic, though there have been times when he's probably poked his nose where it shouldn't be. What can he say? Being able to blend seamlessly into the shadows makes for perfect nighttime camouflage; he's even been practicing his mental shielding for when that occasion might arise. "Ja, I know. I peeked once at a classified file and I swear, that was one of those rare times when you and Erik wholeheartedly agreed on something."
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He waved Kurt over to take one of the plates that he had pulled out of the fridge, peeling away the layer of foil on top of the plate. "I think five minutes in the microwave oven should be enough."
He can't help but laugh at the almost indignant excuses that aren't even excuses. "Is that how you measure the level of seriousness? When I and Erik agree, it's necessary to listen?" Now he's teasing.
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Charles motions him over and Kurt follows through, reaching to take the other plate once he's close enough. "Should be. You know, we have all this fancy technology and this thing still blows my mind."
His shoulders shrug as he removes the thin sheet of metal from the plate, the most innocent smile he can manage at this rate coming across his face. "It's not that ridiculous when you think about it."
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Like so many of them are these days.
Charles follows after Kurt to the counter and peels away the sheet of metal from the other plate before setting to wait.
"It is quite remarkable, isn't it?" he says and eyes fondly the microwave. The thing has saved him from so much headache already. How marvellous technology is.
"You should reach those decisions by thinking and not by gimmicks," he says in a mildly lecturing tone that is another joke. He thinks Kurt really should, but to be honest, he doesn't think Kurt would look for something so shallow as to find a perfect halfway street between him and Erik. (Though, if he does, he might be a genius, because it seems to be working.)
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There's only so much Erik 'instability' that he can handle.
"It's not as high-tech as some of the things Hank's made, but it certainly does what it's supposed to do." By reheating food and all that; he can understand that it's faster than an actual oven, so it would make sense why people wanted them.
"I do think. Sometimes, I think too much and look where it's gotten me." Caught between what was supposed to be a 'peaceful' rally that he'd ended up walking away from with a black eye and busted lip. He doesn't actively seek it out, but if he has to disagree with one of them on a certain thing or point out a flaw in the other's explanation, he finds it easier to keep common ground between everyone when he doesn't agree entirely with one or the other. Humans and mutants alike in that situation.
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Hank makes a lot of fantastic things and Charles has always found them marvellous. Microwave is just really simple and makes his life easier, which makes it his favorite toy of the month.
"I doubt there is such a thing as thinking too much when it comes to morals," Charles counters, this time seriously. "You should always be clear where you stand and where your limits lie. This is more important now in times like these than it ever has been before." He reaches for Kurt's hand and holds it in his own, squeezing gently. "I know you have a heart in the right place. And Erik will protect you as the best he can. But don't do something you can't get behind later."
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He glances toward his and Charles' hands, the breath catching in his chest when the older man squeezes. This is one of the reasons why he wants them to be able to work together, why he hopes he's doing something on his end by coming and going between the two of them. They need to stick together in times like these and he wants to know where Charles stands, should Erik decide that eliminating the humans is the best option. Not all of them are alike, despite the popular masses being prejudice against them.
"What would you do if I decided to join with Erik?" Since they're getting serious and all. "That would mean you'd have to find someone else to do all the back and forth," he pauses, his features down-turning and his entire stance wilting. "... who would you have replace me?"
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"Kurt..."
The microwave gives a shrill sound when it finishes and Charles draws in a breath as Kurt busies himself by changing the plates, reaching desperately for something wise to say here.
"It's not my decision," he says finally, looking like he might barf with those words alone. But he's learned his lesson with Raven. You can't stifle those feelings even if they are dangerous. "You shouldn't worry so much about others but worry about yourself, Kurt."
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But the microwave is faster than he is and the loud beep very nearly makes him jump out of his skin. He heaves a breath, shaking his head and going about switching the plates out then resetting the cook time for the second plate to heat up.
"I know," he murmurs, barely audible above the hum of the oven in front of them. Kurt turns his back to the counter and props his elbows up, trying to focus on anything besides Charles' distressed features. "It's not just about me anymore, though. Everybody's lives could be at stake and as long as I'm alive, I'll make damn sure we don't lose anyone."
He is a stubborn little blue.
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He turns his chair and goes to find them some knives and forks.
Anyone could find out that Charles' collar is not real. They could find out that he makes rather horrible, self-righteous decisions while controlling minds here and there, trying not to make it too obvious so he can also keep up with the pretence with the school, have a semi-safe space for all the children. They could find out and he would be thrown into the deepest dungeon they could find. How could he deny Kurt the same right to do what he believes in?
"Just stay alive, for me, please."
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There's no possible way he can let them take the telepath, his guardian, his ... father. Without him, the school would cease to exist, its students and teachers rounded up and sent off to God knows where, unless the Brotherhood could get to them first. That's a plausible idea, but he could never ever leave Charles to his fate; the mutants need him, Erik needs him--
And Kurt does, too.
He inhales sharply then strides his way after Charles, unconcerned by the fact his mentor is busy with something as he plants himself in front of the chair and abruptly leans in to embrace him. Kurt's breath is somewhat shaky, but his words are steady, "I'm not going anywhere." His arms squeeze more firmly, as if trying to solidfy his statement with the hold before he leans back to meet Charles' eyes. "You have to promise to do the same for me. I don't know what I would do if I lost another ..." he trails off then glances away, knowing full well that Charles understands where that was going.
This got far heavier than he'd expected.
He clears his throat, withdraws and moves to straighten back up, doing a quick slide back on his heels to unblock the other mutant's path and reaching to rake a hand through his bangs. "Besides, I can't let you have all the fun."
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It's a strange sort of dilemma he has. Part of him wants to keep fighting the good fight, part of him wants to do all he can to make sure he's always going to be there for Kurt. This is how being a parent feels like? Opposed to being a mentor or an adopted brother.
"I can't promise you that in this time and age but I'll try my best," he says quietly and holds Kurt a little tighter. "But short of them coming up a way to wipe us all out, I can tell you that they'd need to raise quite a bit of hell to wipe me out."
Kurt pulls away and Charles looks at him with a gentle smile, not moving to the forks and knives just yet. "Perhaps having you with him would do good for Erik too."
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The grip around him tightens and Kurt squeezes in response, exhaling a sharp huff at Charles' words. Like hell will I let them take you, is the thought, bold and unashamed; he wants it to be heard, along with a second (verbal, this time) comment. "Until my last breath, I will defend you and this school. I know there are others that would fight by my side as well." All business, except for when Charles smiles at him once he's back on his feet.
He blinks, lowers the hand back to his side and chuckles softly at the suggestion. "You know, I told him that one of these days, the both of you were finally going to come together. I made a joke about you two picking out curtains together," he muses, fingers tapping at his chin, lips quirked with amusement. "I'm almost certain I felt the side of my head burning."
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He nods. "If it comes to it, we will fight." He is starting to think there's no other way, too. The humans have made it pretty obvious that they're not playing. Charles knows that he shouldn't abandon his post where it is, but oh, he hates the idea that Kurt and Erik would be out there without him.
"Did you now?" he asks, mildly amused, the curve over his mouth turning into a little bit mischievous. "You think we should start making nest together? I'd like for him to take me on a date or two first. Perhaps give me a kiss."
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"'The humans may have the better weapons, but we are the more superb species,' or something along those lines." He chuckles at how Erik like that is of him, waving his hand in a noncommittal gesture toward the air. "Perhaps I've been tuning in on those speeches more often than I thought."
Kurt bobs his head in agreement, fangs gleaming in an elated grin at the thought of the Brotherhood and the X-Men finally merging into one. He claps his hands together and lights up when Charles mentions 'dates,' a hint of deviousness coming across his face. "Absolutely," insists the demon-eyed teen, "I could even set things up with a member of Erik's group and the two of us could make sure everything goes smoothly while you two are on your date. Maybe he'll be bold enough to even kiss you first."
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Charles snorts at the teasing, even having enough cheek to look bashful for a second or two. Kurt surely would love for his guardians to become an actual unit. It's not that easy, though. It never is.
But Charles is not beyond joking about it. He's a little bit shameless like that, and Kurt is not a student, he's a member of the family. "You think Erik lacks boldness?" He snorts again. "But you are probably right. I would probably have to woo him."
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His merriment increases two-fold at the sight of Charles' reticence, a vibrant laugh passing his lips. Something like that is sure to take far more dedication and compromise between all of them and although it's not easy in reality, he can dream.
"In certain situations, ja," he confirms, hesitating when the microwave goes off again then moving to go and get the second plate of food. "Of course I'm right. I wholeheartedly believe you would kiss him first."
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"You would, hmm?" he asks, amused and perhaps a little teasing. He gives a prod at the boy's mind, asking him gently if it's something he's been thinking about considering he's so sure Erik wouldn't take the initiative.
"I'd have to somehow trip him first, considering he's tall like a tree."
good lord i'm sorry for my slow
"Absolutely," Kurt insists, plucking up the fork from the set of cutlery. As per usual, Charles should have no problem entering his mind, considering the teleporter feels no need to keep walls up around him. And yes, it is something he's thought about, perhaps more than necessary at times.
"If tripping him doesn't work, you could ask him to kneel - pretend you have something to whisper to him."
don't worry!
"But definitely I could bring him to heel," he says with a wink and then fills his mouth with food before he says anything more condemning.
♥
"Wow, Charles. I was just being playful, but you took that to a whole different level." Not that it keeps him from grinning cheekily before he follows suit and begins to also eat.
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