Chapter Text
Blackout Cake
Erik Lensherr was the most powerful mutant in Genosha and quite possibly, in the whole world. He was its cofounder, known to both the mutant and human crowds as Magneto, the metallokinetic. He’d shown the humans the extent of his powers when he’d been able to avert a war by manipulating the nuclear warheads away from Genosha in the earlier days, when the mutants had been slowly building the country for themselves. This had cemented his supremacy. He’d even established most of the government as it contained most of his team members. Not to mention that many of his team members were the strongest mutants. There was no challenging his position as number one.
Then he’d started hearing of a Professor X. Apparently this X had pulled some impressive strings to acquire the island for mutants and had helped the infrastructure of the country. He’d also heard that this Professor X was the one who had brought in Hank McCoy, Ororo Munroe, Scott Summers, and the insufferable Logan Howlett for the government. This Professor X was rumored to be more powerful than his Emma and Jean. Erik had been positively baffled at the enormous public backing this supposed strongest mutant had. For Pete’s sake, no one had even seen the man.
Erik knew he had to get to the bottom of this.
---
“Well Erik, I don't think it’s just a rumor,” Emma frowned at him. “This Professor seems to be everywhere. I’ve tried to locate him, but no one who’s met him remembers a face or a person clearly. They just know. It’s actually quite confusing.”
Erik grits his teeth.
“They just know? What if this is just a mind controller?” he asks Emma. Mind controllers are pretty easy to deal with, and Jean was more than enough to bring them in.
Emma rolls her eyes at him. “Sweetie, even I can deal with a mind controller. Maybe this is the work of a much larger group?”
That made sense. A group of people combining their powers to make it seem like there was a singularly powerful person for the sake of uniting the mutant public.
“Even if it was a larger group, they really aren’t doing anything wrong. If anything,” Mystique made her way to the sofa in the room, plopping down. “They’ve improved our image and relations with human governments are better than ever.”
“Then why doesn’t this Professor ever show his face?” Erik exclaimed. “Why is he hiding?”
“Well dear, you don't seem to like him at all,” Emma started. “The last few press meetings have made that very clear.”
“It’s not like I don't like him,” Erik protested. “I just wish he or they would make their intentions clear.”
“It’s not like they haven’t.’’ Mystique argued.
Honestly, whose side where these two on, thought Erik. They were supposed to help him for lord’s sake, not dump all the work on this Professor. He glared at the two women on the sofa. It was really too bad that he needed these two. Maybe Azazel and Gambit would have a different view.
They all met later on the day for lunch. It was customary to have a group lunch when there wasn’t anything important to discuss with the rest of the government. Erik rather liked this, seeing as he could observe the people the Professor had sent him. He hadn’t made much progress, seeing as they all would band together and leave him out of the talk. Erik was reduced to a bystander during these lunches, but it gave him ample opportunity to observe and spy.
Today’s topic was Professor X and Erik was delighted. He would squeal if he could, but he was Magneto to the other people, so he kept quiet and paid rapt attention to the argument. Perhaps the Professor’s contributions to the government of Genosha would speak their views on the man.
“Really?” said Hank, one of Professor’s earliest contributions. He was fiercely loyal to his group and vehemently opinionated about the way Erik handled issues. “The professor only wants to avoid conflict. And I think he’s been doing a damn good job so far.”
Emma scoffed. “But many of the humans still despise us, so I wouldn’t call it a complete success.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Logan snapped. Erik really hated that creature. No tact, no patience, and you couldn’t even kill it. “We’re supposed to be the excellent government that deals with this shit in a way that makes everyone like us. You’re fucking it all up with your stupid press conferences and the way you act at meetings.”
Erik grimaced. It wasn’t his fault that the humans were stupid. Honestly, they thought they could lie to him and cheat him when he had a telepath. Honestly, plastic guns? The chairs and tables always had enough metal to kill them all. Erik thought they acted like teenagers, brash and without thought. It wasn’t his fault he treated them the same.
“I agree,” said Mystique. “Magneto hasn’t been on his best behavior these last few months. But maybe it’s because the Professor’s actions are unnerving. We just want to know if we have an enemy in this man or an ally.”
“Not exactly an ally,” Scott spoke from next to Jean. Erik wanted to throw him across the room and away from Jean. What if the stupid idiot converted her into a mindless minion of the Professor’s? Erik couldn’t risk that, Jean was too strong to lose. “We think you shouldn’t go around scaring the humans then expect them not to get their defenses up. It’s kind of stupid really.”
“I can see that, but they could be plotting behind our backs.” Mystique rebuked and Erik felt proud, finally some cons of the Professor’s strategy were coming out.
“Listen kid,” Logan sighed. “If something was up, there’s no way the Professor wouldn’t know.”
Erik really wants to see how the idiot can recover from being impaled by all the butter knives and forks. How powerful was this Professor that his minions weren’t bothered by the idea of a unexpected attack?
---
Logan comes in a few days later with news of a small-scale attack by the humans on a community near the water. When Erik asks him how he knows this, Logan says the Professor told him. When Erik asks Logan how the Professor knows this, Logan eyes him like the answer is obvious and says, “He’s the Professor.” Erik barely holds back from killing him.
They all prepare for the attack, which is scheduled to happen right at four. Tea time, Erik thinks. He hates missing his tea. The attack, says Logan, is a few submarines with foot soldiers sent to capture mutants for study. Erik feels blind rage at the word ‘study’. Like hell he was going to let the humans succeed. He decides to call on more mutants than he had planned to take with him.
The seaside community is small and is full of mutants with water and air abilities. There are also a few defense mutants posted that join them on the defense as well. Erik thinks they are well prepared, so does Mystique. They lie in wait for the ambush, hidden from sight.
It’s almost time, Emma alerts him.
Erik took a deep breath and calmed himself. He was Magneto now, cold, ruthless, and all-powerful. He would protect Genosha with all he had and kill each and every one of the unsuspecting humans if it meant keeping his country safe.
He feels the first submarine approaching the surface.
They come from everywhere. The humans emerge with stupid plastic pistols but Erik uses the metal from the fences nearby to kill many of the first wave and create a shield for himself. Jean draws out the other submarines from the sea and deposits them on the land, effectively rendering the humans stranded. Logan is knocking out human after human. It’s a K.O. for the humans Erik thinks proudly, even as the second wave rises from the waves.
Hank has designed a serum to knock out the humans for days and he’s putting out humans left and right. Scott and Storm are working on a barrier that protects the houses from the beach battle. There are more humans now, much more than Erik had anticipated. Erik wants to kill them all rather than let them get to Genosha.
Erik, they’ve got Angel, Emma calls out to him.
Then he realizes how stupid he’d been. He'd brought forth mutants of his own for the humans to take for study. He has to get to Angel, he has to prevent them from taking any of his men in addition to not entering the city, he thinks. He should have just gone on defense rather than attacking, Erik laments.
Emma, tell Howlett to retrieve Angel, he projects, and tell the other who aren’t exceptional fighters to go on defense.
Erik hurls rods of metal from the fence into several unsuspecting soldiers.
The beach is now stained red from the blood. There are many human casualties, however hard Logan and the Professors minions are trying not to kill. Erik doesn’t understand where the humans are coming from; he can't sense any metal in the ocean. When he a fourth wave rises from the ocean, he calls out desperately to Emma.
We can't hold them off, he projects to Emma. Erik doesn’t know what to do.
He continues to ward off the previous waves humans, but his metal shield is full of plastic bullets and is starting to give. Just as it shatters, all the humans on the beach freeze.
Erik sees all of them stop and is in awe.
A submarine’s top slowly rises from the water and there is a person on top, projecting a shield around it. Erik realizes that the shield must have been why he couldn’t sense the sub. The mutant on top cancels the shield with a fluid hand motion. Then he floats to the beach and collapses in front of McCoy. Erik grits his teeth and holds back from killing the traitorous mutant. The humans on the beach make their way back to the last sub as if they were being controlled; slowly and without any emotion. Erik would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little bit afraid of whoever was doing this.
As the submarine disappears under the water, Erik relaxes and tracks it until it is too far to do any damage. Emma tells him no one has been taken. He has sent the rest of those who helped in defending the beach back for treatment and rest while he goes in search of a place to eat with the rest of the cabinet members. He really wants his tea.
Erik spots a small café, not far from the beach community. It looks comfy, filled with books and plush couches instead of chairs at the back and out front there is far too much greenery that actually goes well with its latte colored vintage theme. It’s called Westchester and Erik thinks it’s a poncy name for a café. Mystique, Emma, Howlett and McCoy had decided to tag along, so they’re forced to take the couches at the back of the café.
Logan is currently arguing with Emma. Erik doesn’t like having those two in the same room; they had a profound hatred of each other. He doesn’t like interfering with their fights either, he doesn’t want to die yet, thank you very much.
“He said a small scale attack!” Emma snaps at Logan.
“It was small scale, lady.” Logan says. “You were too busy killing to notice that they barely had any weapons.”
Hank nods. “They weren’t trying to kill any of us either. I think they were just trying to get test subjects, which by the way, they nearly did.” He glared at Erik.
“If I hadn’t brought the back up, we would’ve all been the test subjects.” Erik says dryly. He refuses to feel guilty. There had been far too many humans for that to be a small-scale attack, and he thinks he has acted accordingly.
“Hello!” a voice interrupts them. “Welcome to Westchester Café, would you like to order now?”
Erik wants to snap at this man for interrupting their conversation, but he wants his tea. He also can't believe they’ve had to wait this long for service. Yes, he knows the café is crowded, but he’s Magneto for lord’s sake, he’s the president. Erik decides he’s going to be as rude as he can to the waiter.
This is his plan, until he actually sees the waiter himself. The rude comment about showing some respect to the president doesn’t come out, stuck somewhere in his throat as his brain processes the striking man in front of him.
The waiter has wavy brown hair and a fair complexion that highlighted the blush splayed across his cheek. Erik was astounded. He was also very very fascinated in the brilliant blue puppy eyes the man was unconsciously making at him.
“He’ll have the black tea, dear.” Emma orders for him and the waiter turns away from.
Erik then hears snickering, which he knows is from Logan, so he closes his mouth and turns away from the waiter. Mystique is frowning at him and Erik pretends to study the menu to avoid her too. Why can't he admire someone in peace? Moon over, he thinks with a grimace. It wasn’t his fault really, the waiter looked like a cherub, hair tousled like that and pink lips all worried. Erik is a little shocked that he’s noticed all that. A president, he reminds himself, that’s what I am. It won't do him any good falling for any mutant that isn’t strong.
Still, it doesn’t stop him from admiring the waiter’s ass as he walks away with their orders.
“Really, Erik?” Emma asks him, clearly amused.
Erik only grunts. He regrets not focusing on the nametag.
“Charles is quite lovely, I must admit,” Emma continues. “I think he must have a heat related ability.”
Erik thinks the name Charles is perfect for the waiter and soundlessly mouths it, loving the way it rolls off his tongue. He tries it again a few times, eyeing said waiter, but stops when he sees Emma smiling fondly at him.
The waiter is back with their drinks, and sets the black tea in front of Erik delicately.
“Thank you,” Erik says and senses the others are shocked. Erik glares at them, he’s not rude all the time.
The waiter smiles at him. “I'm Charles,” he introduces himself with a smile that Erik thinks is far too dazzling. “Would you like something to eat as well? I recommend the blackout cake, it’s my favorite for this cool weather!” he continues in a cheery manner that draws Erik in and erases some of miserable mood.
“I’ll try it then,” he answers. How bad could the blackout cake be?
Charles beams at him, jotting down his order. Mystique orders apple pie and Emma takes her signature angel cake. Erik is fascinated by the fact that Charles is so cheery servicing others. He continues to watch the waiter, oblivious to the conversation going between the members of his cabinet.
Charles bounds back to their table with their orders sooner than last time, and places the blackout cake in front of Erik. He doesn’t leave however, after setting the cakes in front of their respective customers, but waits. Erik realizes that Charles is waiting for his verdict on the pastry.
He takes the spoon and slowly scoops out a piece of the cake. The cake is colored a dark blackish brown and covered with chocolate crumbs, and as soon as the spoon cuts into the cake, rich and warm chocolate pudding spills forth slowly. The aroma is divine, and Erik savors the bite.
“It’s wonderful,” he tells a worried Charles, and the man breaks out into a squeal. Erik finds it all too adorable. “Did you make this?”
Charles nods, his curly hair bouncing lightly. “It was just an experiment you see,” he explains eagerly. “But many people found it too heavy. I was going to take it off the menu if you didn’t like it too.”
The cake is a masterpiece. Anything Charles made would obviously be a masterpiece, Erik thinks absentmindedly. He thinks Charles’s cake has ruined all other chocolate cakes for him. The man is still talking animatedly about the blackout cake when Erik focuses on him again.
“Charles,” he calls and the waiter turns to him. “Can I take a piece to go?”
The waiter slash baker smiles at him in awe. He says, “Of course you can, dear friend,” and practically skips away.
Erik chuckles at his enthusiasm.
Someone coughs beside him and Erik’s mood is suddenly ruined. He was president! People should respect him more. If wanted to drool over Charles, he was going to, cabinet members be damned.
“That tiny thing?” questions Logan, and Erik scowls.
“It’s not illegal to like someone,” Erik spits out.
“Last I checked, you were president of Genosha and most wanted number one in several human countries,” Hank tells him. “Charles seems like a low level mutant. You don't even like those.”
Erik snorts. “I never said that.”
Mystique raises her eyebrows at him. “Your actions say otherwise.”
“I respect all mutants.” Erik is really annoyed at this point. He really likes Charles, and doesn’t want him to hear this conversation. Erik didn’t really like a lot of people, and his disdain for low level mutants came from the fact that he couldn’t protect them and they couldn’t protect him or themselves. He was public enemy number one in many places, so he couldn’t go around dating low-level mutants either. “Now can you all leave me alone?”
Everyone is finishing up when the adorable thing comes their way with a bag in his hands that Erik assumes has his cake. When he reaches the table, he puts down the bill and hands Erik the bag. Erik smiles at him and nods his head in thanks and Charles blushes cutely.
Emma and the others are outside, getting inside a government vehicle they had called for while eating. Erik stay back to pay the bill. Charles comes by again just as he is doing so.
“Mr. President?” Charles addresses him and Erik blinks.
“It’s just Erik.” He tells Charles. Erik really wants to hear his name from Charles’ mouth and in that accent of his.
“Erik then,” Charles is blushing again and Erik thanks God for creating this man. “I always experiment, so when you drop by again, please do ask for me.”
“I won't let any one else take your place then,” Erik tells him and is amused by how flustered Charles get. “I’ll drop by soon.”
With that, he exits the café, wondering how a much more flustered Charles would look like, seeing as he’d left quite a generous tip.
Erik grinned, shark teeth and all. He was definitely coming back tomorrow, minus the Cabinet members.