katikat | Fic rec: X-Men: First Class

"Fallout" by gryvon | Charles/Erik | Post-movie | Erik and Charles stopped one nuclear war, but the humans were determined to start another one. | ~4.700 words

His teacup rattles against the table, dancing towards the edge. He reaches out for the children as the first wave hits him. Pain. Fear. Burning. Death. So much death. Buildings gone. People gone. Oh, God, the pain. Hurtshurtshurts. He fights to keep the children from feeling any of that but some of it still bleeds through. His mind stutters out Cellar. Hurry. and then he's doubling over in pain, screaming along with the people at the center of the blast. Their pain doesn't last long but for each one that dies, there's always another ready to fill the void in Charles's head.

What a great story! Love the ending.