Bridges in Life (Erik x pregnant!reader)

    You had no idea where they had come from, they had just appeared, as if out of nowhere. Within seconds, the whole train station had erupted in terrified screams, the frantic flight of people and the crashing of bullets. Where had they come from?

    You did not know, but you knew you had to get away.

    With a terribly loud thud, all the doors closed as if urged to do so by magic, but you knew better. This was a mutant’s doing and you gulped. There was no telling what they could possibly do…

    “Cease this idiocy!”, a loud voice rang out, reverberating in your bones, demanding attention and everyone fell silent, even the policemen. Panicked, you looked around and gasped when you saw the policemen’s weapons floating in the air, suddenly pointed at themselves, no longer the mysterious group of mutants. At least you guessed they were mutants.

    “Do not think for a second that I would not end each and every human life in this room.”, the voice from before spoke up again, apparently the tall man in their midst was their leader, “But you may go, for now. If you keep quiet like the vermin you are.”

    Fearful, you ducked behind the bench you were hiding behind, hoping that none of them would notice you.

    “Brothers and Sisters!”, the leader again addressed the frightened crowd, “They call you mutants, freaks. When in fact they are the lesser beings, nothing but ants compared to us. Join me and we will have our rightful place.”

    Slowly, a girl next to you got up and timidly went over to the man who had spoken.

    “Welcome to the Brotherhood, Sister.”, he greeted her and she ranked in with the rest of his team behind him. A handful more of the people in the train station got up and walked to them. You were aghast that there were so many mutants in one place. Were they all trying to flee, just like you were?

    A loud blast tore the silence apart and you curled into a ball, hoping to somehow escape the gun-shot coming from God knew where.

    “That was foolish.”, the leader of the group of mutants said to the policeman who had attacked and with a single nod of his head, one of the mutants behind him jumped over to the man. The distance of at least half the hall.

    With one swift motion that looked horribly familiar to the hunched man, he almost casually broke the policeman’s neck.

    Shrieks arose again and people fled, trampling over others… over you. Until something kicked in you had no control over.

    Out of nowhere, some sort of shield appeared around your body. It was blue, transparent and glowed slightly… and it formed your own personal bubble. It was safety. And horror, for you had no control over it. You also could not willingly put this shield down again, so at some point, it simply vanished.

    You braced yourself against being tackled, thrown to the floor, trampled on, ready to protect your middle at all costs.

    But to your immense surprise, the area around you was clear. Only one man was standing there, the leader of the Brotherhood.

    “Come with us, Sister.”, he said and offered you his hand, “And you shall never fear like this again.”

    You nervously bit your lip, insecure about what to do, when the man’s gaze dropped to your belly and the bump you could no longer hide. There was new life growing in you.

    “We will keep you safe and your child as well.“, he promised you and, God forgive, but you accepted his hand. You did not have the courage to tell him that you were by no means a mutant. But apparently your unborn child was.

    These mutants, as much of a band of misfits as they were, they were the only mutants you knew, the only ones able to help you with your child’s mutation. Really, what choice did you have? None.

    So you let the man pull you to your feet, his grip firm, but caring and he led you to a woman in his group, telling her: “Keep her safe. Her and our as of yet youngest brother or sister.”

    “Sure.”, the woman nodded, then addressed you, “Call me Astra.”

    “I’m (Name)…”, you stammered fearfully, but your voice was almost drowned out from the leader’s order, “Astra, get us out of here.”

    “Certainly.”, she smiled and took your hand. Then they all joined hands, an action that left you confused. But then your mind was absolutely blank as the strangest of feelings hit you. You felt as if you were floating, which was impossible. Or so you thought.

    When your feet were planted on solid ground again, you stumbled, taken aback by the impact, and you clung to something so as not to fall. The nearest thing you came to grasp was the leader’s hands and he steadied you, saying: “Careful. Teleportation can be a bit rough during the first few tries.”

    “Teleportation?”, you squeaked, your stomach heaving, but you managed to fight it down. Having survived the first few months of pregnancy, nausea was an old familiar almost-friend.

    The man in front of you smirked: “You don’t believe me? Look around.”

    You did as you were told and you could not hold in a baffled gasp. You were… in some sort of bunker. At least that was what you thought, but the important thing was, you were no longer in the train station.

    “Oh my…”, you stammered and Astra behind you giggled, “You are easily impressed, girlfriend.”

    “I’m… new to this.”, you made an excuse, but the group’s leader gave you a small smile, “You will learn. We are a Brotherhood, we take care of each other.”

    You nodded timidly, unsure what you were doing here. You were no mutant, but now it was too late to say that. And your child needed a mutant to teach him or her to control these powers.

    So you decided to stay.

    Before you knew it, weeks had passed and you had come into some sort of comfortable routine. In your “delicate state”, as the Brotherhood’s leader, Erik, had put it, you were not fit to accompany them on trips to find more mutants, so it was decided that you should do the cooking and the housekeeping as much as you could. A few more mutants joined, sometimes more, sometimes less, but there sure was enough to do.

    The Brotherhood was a rough bunch of misfits, but in a strange, twisted, but comforting kind of way, they were a family, they really did look out for each other. Astra had taken you under her wing, had helped you, as had Erik. As their leader, he had assigned a few grumbling brothers to help you do chores, just to boss them around, at least that was what you had thought at first, until Astra cheerfully knocked you over the head and told you that Erik had done that to protect you and the youngest member, as your growing unborn child was mostly referred to.

    They really were some sort of family and for now, after you had lost your husband to the Vietnam War, they were the only family you had, so with every passing day, you found that they had snuck more and more into your heart. Especially Astra and the young girl from the train station, Jenna.

    But Erik as well, maybe even the most. Whenever he was home in the evenings, you two would play chess. At first just to pass the time as you had been the only at least half-way decent player amongst the others and your matches had been in silence. However, after a few matches, Erik began to talk to you. The first time you had thought it a tactic to distract you, but you soon realised he was sincerely interested, he wanted to know about your life. Even more importantly, you sensed that he needed someone to talk. He needed someone to turn his problems over with, to ponder on them, someone to provide another point of view. And apparently, you did that for him, because he trusted you with more and more information every passing day.

    Amongst all of the Brotherhood, you were the only one able to calm his anger down, apparently, and so you tried, talked him out of a few actions that would have meant the death of humans.

    “You sound like Charles!”, he had snarled the first time you had tried to reason with him and you had answered, “Then I would like to meet him. He seems to be a smart man.”

    This had made Erik glare at you, but you had not flinched and then, eventually, he had smiled at you.

    “Thank you.”, he had said then, “It is good to have someone brave enough to not simply accept orders. It’s refreshing.”

    “Anytime.”, you had laughed and then, over the chessboard, Erik had taken your hand in his. Just for a short moment, a light squeeze, barely more than a soft, yet somehow firm touch. It had seemed like nothing at that time, but since then, you had felt the change, in his demeanour, his voice, his words… the smile he gave you whenever he saw you.

    And there were more, simple, seemingly unimportant occasions when you felt Erik’s touch. When he came home, he would touch your shoulder or rest his hand on the small of your back whenever he looked over your shoulder at the dinner you were cooking for them. These occasions became so normal, that when you felt your baby kick you for the very first time, it seemed only natural to grasp Erik’s hand and press his palm firmly against your belly.

    “Do you feel that?”, you had asked, smiling brightly, but all he had been able to do was nod, absolute astonishment and reverie in his face.

    “Life.”, he had breathed then, smiling at you. All giddy, you unthinkingly hugged him and ever since then, it had also become normal for him to touch your ever growing belly and, when you were alone, to sometimes hug you to say goodnight.

    You should have seen what that would lead to, after all you were evidently no virgin, but at the time, you simply did not.

    One evening, when you were again playing chess with Erik, your baby belly by now so huge you had difficulty to comfortably reach for your chess pieces, you narrowed your eyes at the board, thinking your next move through. There were a few possibilities, but you were still unsure.

    “Come on, (Name).”, Erik smiled, “There is only one move for you to make.”

    “There are a few.”, you protested, frowning, and Erik repeated laughingly, “Yes, but only one that will grant you victory.”

    “Vic-?”, you stared at him, blinking, and he smiled brightly, but you returned your attention back to the board, trying to find this one magical move.

    “You better not be messing with me…”, you threatened and heard him chuckle at this. But then you spotted the move. Of course, how could you have been so blind…!

    “Ha!”, you yelled triumphantly, made your move and looked Erik square in the eye, grinning smugly as you said, “Check mate.”

    He bowed theatrically, then tipped over his king.

    “You are getting much better. And fast.”, he told you, but you objected with a smile, „Don’t lie, you let me win.“

    „Sometimes.“, Erik admitted while he put the chess pieces neatly away, then he looked at you and stated, „But not this time.“

    With a groan, you got up and stretched, your back popping. Your baby did not like that very much, the little mutant kicked you hard.

    “Ouch.”, you complained, hunched over, and Erik was at your side immediately, steadying you as he asked in concern, “Are you two alright?”

    “Yes.”, you reassured him and looked up, expecting him to let go of you, but he did not. On the contrary, Erik’s hands rested on your baby belly, and while he gazed into your eyes, his hands wandered to your waist and he pulled you closer, leaning down to your height. It was good to be held again and when Erik pressed his lips to yours in a kiss, gentle and yet firm, that unique mixture that was Erik, you sighed, holding onto him for dear life.

    You were already out of breath when Erik drew back just about far enough to talk.

    “I have wanted to do this for a long time now.”, he whispered and you sighed, about to answer the very same, but then you stopped yourself.

    “(Name), what is wrong?”, Erik sensed the change in you immediately. You simply took a step back and turned away, needing space to think about how to tell him the truth.

    “(Name).”, he said firmly, but his grip on your chin was gentle when he turned your head so that you looked at him again, “Was that too forward? Is anything wrong? Tell me.”

    “It’s not…”, you began, but stopped yourself again.

    “I need you to promise me something.”, you pleaded and Erik frowned, repeating his question, “What is wrong?”

    “Erik, please.”, you said, tears welling up in your eyes, “Promise me. Promise me that you will take care of my baby no matter what. Teach him or her how to control their powers, keep them safe. Can you do that for me?”

    “(Name)…”, he asked anew, but you stood your ground, “Promise me. Will you take care of my baby if I cannot?”

    “Why would you…?”, he demanded, upset and his grip was a bit too firm when he took a hold of your arms to keep you with him, “Is something wrong with you, are you ill?”

    “No.”, you said and a tear rolled down your cheek. Erik wiped it away with his thumb, but that only made more tears well up.

    “It’s because…”, you sobbed, “What I am about to tell you will make you hate me.”

    “No.”, he said stubbornly, but you nodded, “Oh, I’m sure it will.”

    Slowly, Erik let go of you, took half a step back and looked at your baby belly, whispering harshly: “The child’s father…?”

    “Is dead.”, you said, shaking your head, “My husband died in Vietnam when he wanted to “fly the last of our boys out” and his plane crashed.”

    Erik sighed in obvious relief and reached for you again, but you brushed his hands away and quietly said: “That’s not what I mean.”

    “Then what do you mean?”, he asked, his voice raised and you gulped, but remained stubborn, “Promise me to take care of my child.”

    “I will.”, Erik replied impatiently. You did not really believe it, but you had no choice. This time, it was you who reached for his hands and when you held them in yours, his fingers tightly wrapped around yours, you whispered: “When you found me in that train station, I was running away to hide the power you have seen. But… it is not my power. It is my child’s.”

    Uncomprehending, Erik stared at you and with a sob, you told him the truth you had kept hidden away for months now: “Erik, I am a human. Not a mutant.”

    All Erik did was stare at you. Then you felt his firm grasp on your hands slacken until his arms limply fell to his sides. He was shocked into silence maybe, but you tears fell freely now.

    “Erik…”, you pleaded when you could stand the silence no longer, “Please, say something.”

    You were even willing to accept profanities at this point, although you hoped for something else. What you were not prepared for was the cold, distanced stare that hit you. You shrank away, but Erik roughly grabbed your shoulders and held you in place.

    “You’re… hurting me.”, you said, but all the answer you received was the same cold stare before snarled a question, “Why?”

    “I didn’t know what to do.”, you cried, “I was alone with a baby on the way, a baby with powers I couldn’t possibly understand. I didn’t know any mutants before I met you. I needed someone to help my baby learn what he or she is capable of!”

    His grip tightened, was painful and would probably leave bruises, but you did not fight, you could not fight, however, your child did. The shields you had no control over suddenly flared to life, throwing Erik away from you and knocking him to the ground.

    “I am sorry.”, you told him, “I truly am. I never meant to lead you on. Believe it or not, you mean so much to me. But… I am human. Send me away… kill me if you feel the need to do that, but please keep my baby safe.”

    Erik said nothing, simply stared at you from where he was lying on the floor, so you pleaded: “My baby needs you.”

    Still there was no answer and your desperation, your temper got the better of you; you shouted at him: “Don’t you see what you are doing?! You of all people should know that killing an entire race can never, never ever be the answer!”

    He tried to say something at this point, but did not succeed, so you clumsily knelt down next to him and said: “Don’t you see it? You are planning to do to humans what the War had tried to do to your people. This cannot be the answer, Erik. You and I, we do not hate each other, we never did. Why should this difference change that? Why should a missing mutation change what we feel?”

    He shook his head and rolled away from you, practically jumping to his feet. You followed, albeit much more slowly and you took a deep breath to say goodnight and that you would give him the space he obviously wanted, but a sharp pain all over your belly stopped you.

    Labour pain had bugged you the whole day, but this time… it was different.

    “Oh gosh.”, you muttered, hunched over from the pain. This time, Erik did not come to you and you could not say that you were surprised. Nevertheless you addressed him sharply: “Erik, get me Astra. Now.”

    When he did not react to this, you glared at him and hissed: “My water just broke.”

    This got him started and he was stumbling out the door before you knew it. Seconds later, Astra was standing next to you, having teleported there and she had Toad with her.

    “Carry her.”, she told him and it was the last clear thing you realised. The rest of the night was a bit of a blur, pain, effort, voices telling you something you barely heard.

    “Where is Erik?”, you asked, but you did not catch the answer. Hours later, a sound cut through the hazed state your mind was in; a high wailing… your baby’s first cry.

    “Look.”, Astra cooed, the bundle of blankets in her arm in which your child was crying out the distress from birth, “It’s a baby girl.”

    When Astra handed you the baby, the little face was red, smeared, puffy, but to you, your little daughter was simply beautiful.

    “She is perfect.”, a voice spoke softly next to you and you turned your head, almost believing it to be a hallucination when you saw Erik standing next to you.

    “Erik…”, you breathed, but he shook his head, “Hush, love. It… it doesn’t matter, not with you. I cannot simply stop what I am doing, but I know that you are right in some points.”

    “I know.”, you replied, “I don’t expect you to, just… let me help you, let us think it through together.”

    The rest of the few people in the room probably had no idea whatsoever what you two were talking about, but you did not care.

    “First, though, I need to sleep.”, you said and Erik chuckled, “I thought so.”

    His gaze then went to your daughter again and he gently added his hand to yours, gently cupping her small head in his palm. Without a word, Erik placed a loving kiss on your forehead despite the fact that you were covered in sweat.

    Knowing that your daughter would be safe and that you would have a place by her side, with Erik, exertion overwhelmed you and you drifted off to sleep.