「 The Professor & I 」Charles Xavier Love Story

(12) Hank McCoy

Lynn's POV

Somewhere along the way, Charles' arm had snaked itself from my shoulder down to my waist as he slowly walked me back. Naturally, I, too, slipped mine around him, enjoying the feeling his warmth against myself. Faster than I imagined, we arrived at my room and Charles stretched out his free hand to the knob. I stood in his embrace as he opened the door, revealing Raven awake under her covers.

The moment she noticed our presence, she propped her head up on her elbow and looked at us with a sly expression. I returned her a glare and started to remove Charles' cardigan when he suddenly puts a hand on mine.

"Keep it. Stay warm," he insisted, worry apparent in his tone, with his arm still wrapped around me. "Both of you," he reiterated, now turning towards Raven.

"Already am," Raven sang as she gestured towards her quilt.

"Are you sure?" I asked Charles and he simply nodded at me with a sweet smile, affirming his decision.

There we were, staring into each other's eyes as if the world no longer mattered, until Raven interrupted us.

"Good night, Charles," she said with a smirk.

Charles breaks eye contact with me when he registers her voice and I looked away sheepishly at the same time.

"Good night, Raven," he replied, looking briefly towards her before coming back to me.

"Good night, Charles," I whispered, reluctance hopefully not obvious in my tone.

"Good night, Lynn," he mumbled, pulling me into a tighter hug and pecking me lightly on my temple. I followed to return his polite gesture with a light kiss to his cheek that always felt so perfectly smooth and soft.

He slowly released me and I walked into the room, feeling his hand lingering on my back for as far as he could without moving from his place. A smile spreads on my face even when I was closing the door on him because I heard him in my mind.

Sleep tight, he thought before he left.

Smiling to myself, I changed into my night gown and carefully put on Charles' cardigan again before I climbed into my covers.

"So, where have you love birds been?" Raven asked curiously as she turned over to face me.

"We are not love birds, Raven," I clarified in a stern tone.

"And you're sleeping in his coat," she scorned.

"Have you seen what he's been doing with Moira?!" I snapped back, pulling Charles' cardigan tighter around me, taking in whatever was left of his warmth and smell it had, to comfort myself.

"Have you seen what he's been doing with you?!" Raven disputed fiercely. "He doesn't hug or kiss me the way he does with you," she tried to convince me.

"That's because you don't let him anymore!" I retorted. "Raven, I know what you've done for me and I'm grateful. But I'm not sure I'm ready for this," I admitted dejectedly as I sat up in bed, pulling my covers with me as I faced myself towards her.

"What happened?" She probed as she sensed my uneasiness.

"He took my hand," I answered softly.

"Charles held your hand? Seriously?!" Raven exclaimed excitedly.

"Not in that way," I shook my head and her expression turns confused. "I was cold. He just rubbed them to warm me up. But I pulled away," I revealed sheepishly and she waved her arms frantically as if to ask why.