The Memory Tree 2/?

Fandom: XMFC

Title: The Memory Tree

Chapter: 2/?

Rating: G

Pairing: None. Charles/Erik if you squint.

Summary: Every year, Raven comes home for Christmas.

1982

Raven let herself relax back into her normal blue form and smiled across the room at Charles, already waiting in his usual place by the fire.

"Still more comfortable without clothes?" Charles teased, holding out a mug of hot chocolate, perfectly prepared according to her tastes. "I had a devil of a time getting you into them in the first place."
"Why bother when I can make my own?" she teased back, 'changing' into a mirror of his outfit. "Your taste hasn't improved, either."
"Alas, I shall always be an old fart," he chuckled, drinking his own hot toddy as she sipped the chocolate with an expression of absolute bliss. "Besides, it was more for when you forgot to hold the clothes to the same outfit!"
She followed his gaze down at the cardigan which had already changed into a smart blazer and sighed dramatically. "It was the chocolate! You always have the best chocolate..."
~For you? Always~ came the thought into her head and she looked up again, startled, to find his eyes fastened on her face.
~I'll always come home for Christmas, brotherCharles~ She pushed reassurance at his mental presence before nudging his knee with hers warningly. "Charles..."
"Sorry," Charles grinned, ducking his head like a naughty schoolboy being caught out disobeying the rules. He could only hold the expression for a second before he burst out laughing, and it wasn't long before she joined him.

They couldn't help but be happy at Christmas. It was the only day of the year they put aside the personas of Professor X and Mystique and went back to being Charles and Raven - family.