Fic: Beneath the Surface (11/ ~14)
Title: Beneath the Surface (11/~14), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Fandom: X-Men: First Class, Charles/Erik
Genre: AU; Drama/Romance
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 7709
Summary: Charles is a young marine biologist and activist that, one day, makes the find of his lifetime. Inspired by this fanart
Warning: There's one minor little thing I might need to warn for, though it's in no way triggery or anything. Due to it being spoilery though, please scroll to the end of the chapter and see the warning in the additional AN.
Author's Note: Still un-beta'ed. Sorry for the really late update this time. I was having a few busy days at work, and then a 3-day migraine killed all my creativity. I hope the rather epic length of this chapter can make up for the tardiness, however ;) The next chapter should follow swiftly again, though after that things will get a bit tricky and require intense planning. I'm not 100% sure I can stick to my 3-day rule beyond that point, but I will try my best.
Light danced on the softly moving surface of the water, silver against the bright blue sky as they walked over the pale, hot sand. Two big towels tucked under his arm, Charles had difficulties keeping up with Erik who seemed eager to finally get into the water, and Charles couldn't blame him in the slightest. When they had arrived at the beach house, they had just quickly dropped their luggage and changed into swim trunks, and even though Charles felt a little tired after the long drive, the excited, expecting mood Erik had shown ever since they had spotted the ocean had been so contagious that Charles felt his own heart beat fast with excitement, a grin on his lips as he followed the other man.
The house was located on the edge of a residential area, no public beaches or vacation resorts near, and so they found the beach relatively empty as they walked farther away from the houses behind them. They would have to be careful; someone spotting a shark fin close to shore might cause a panic and as a result more attention than was good for them, but Erik was fully aware of that, Charles knew. And so, those thoughts were farthest from his mind when they finally reached a good spot and he dropped the towels into the sand, only taking his diving mask and following Erik into the surf, where the white, foamy waves already washed around his ankles.
He only briefly turned and looked at Charles, a smile so radiant and bright on his features as Charles had never seen it before. Then, he waded through the shallow water and submerged a moment later, swimming farther away from the beach with a few strong and quick strokes. Charles hurried to follow, wincing for a second as the cooler water touched his heated skin but not hesitating until he, too, was fully covered by it and swam towards Erik who reached down beneath the water and took off his swim trunks, a little unsure what to do with them now.
Charles laughed. “Give them to me,” he said and, keeping eye contact with Erik, pulled them over his own, receiving a brief chuckle in return. “I don't trust my abilities to throw that far,” Charles said, biting his lower lip as he nodded back towards the beach.
“Are you ready?” Erik asked, holding himself upright in the water only by the movement of his arms. The light reflected on the water obstructed Charles' view, but he could see enough to notice the shape beneath the surface change and shift, human legs transforming into the lower half of a shark, and Charles held his breath for a second. Seeing it actually happen made what still seemed a mystery to him more real, as if until now a part of his brain had still thought it to be some kind of illusion, as if Erik had been wearing a costume just like that mermaid in the aquarium.
“Hang on,” Charles said then and put on his diving mask, adjusting it to fit tightly onto his face so that no water would come in.
Erik crooked his head and grinned. “You look ridiculous.”
“Thank you,” Charles laughed out. “My eyes aren't as adjusted to salt water as yours, you know?”
Erik nodded, and even though there was still a smile on his features Charles could see clearly that he was itching to just dive, to reconnect with his second nature and transform completely for the first time in weeks. Charles didn't want to deny this to him any longer.
“Alright. Remember I can't dive as deep as you and hold my breath that long. So if I have to swim up again you just stay down and wait for me, okay?”
“Okay,” Erik said and leaned his upper body forward, almost as if something was pulling him underneath already. He looked at Charles for another moment, though, an unreadable expression on his features that Charles could only guess to be either a little nervous or grateful, or something else, but he found his heart beat yet a little faster. Only a few moments now. Charles held his breath again.
With one swift movement, Erik dived, and all Charles could see of him from above the surface was the dark dorsal fin and the equally dark tail before Erik moved even lower. Charles wasn't sure weather he should submerge as well, watch the transformation in every detail. It went faster than he would have expected, the dark coloring of the back stretching over light skin, arms drawn to the side of his body, bubbles and waves blurring the image until Charles finally dived and then saw very clearly the perfect shape of a great white shark, smooth and round around the edges, dark from above - so real that for a tiny moment, Charles felt slightly frightened, if not at least completely awe-struck.
Without flippers it took him some effort following the seemingly effortless movement of Erik's body to dive to the same depth, not more than maybe ten feet below, and finally Charles was at his side. He still couldn't believe what he saw, especially when Erik turned his head slightly, his dark, round eye looking straight at Charles. It was both the oddest and most amazing experience he had ever made in his entire life.
Erik's whole body seemed to have grown even further as soon as he had fully transformed. Where the fish tail fit smoothly with his upper body, slender and lean in his human form, he now looked massive, rounder around the belly, though compared with a regular white shark probably still on the smaller side. And also, compared to real sharks, Erik looked so smooth and pristine, no deep cuts and scars that could usually be found especially on great whites from mating and territorial quarrels. The sight was the most awe-inspiring perfection, and Charles realized with a stab of regret that he already had to swim up for air, too excited to force his heart-rate to calm enough for him to hold his breath for as long as he usually could. When he did, he saw Erik suddenly move with such speed, powerful strokes of his body propelling him forward through the water, diving farther and deeper, almost boisterous, and Charles felt a laugh bubble from his chest at the sight.
He took a moment to catch his breath as he almost lost sight of Erik below, but he saw him swimming in a wide turn and coming up from behind him, now slow again, and Charles had to force himself not to giggle at the thought that under normal circumstances even he as someone who had swam with smaller sharks before would probably pee himself in fear.
“Oh God, this is unbelievable”, he chuckled to himself, unable to resist the urge, and saw Erik dive another round, obviously realizing that Charles still needed a moment. Taking a few more deep, calm breaths, he finally managed to push his excitement into the back of his mind.
Then he dived, arms and legs completing a few strong strokes until he was deep below, just a second before Erik caught up with him from behind. He stopped almost completely, slowing down as much as he could, only gliding through the water next to Charles. Almost a little gingerly, Charles' left hand reached out, fingertips feeling the roughness of the sandpaper-skin for the first time as well. Until now, he had never touched a shark without gloves. The feeling was surprisingly pleasant beneath his fingers though; when he let them run with direction of the microscopic teeth, from above Erik's pectoral fin, it was almost velvety. Amazing. Not hesitating any longer, he reached for the large dorsal fin and held on to it, only a split-second later feeling the powerful pull when Erik pushed forward, accelerating quickly and pulling Charles with him without effort.
The water wasn't very deep here yet, and Charles could see the white sand below, patches of see weed covering it here and there, sunlight dancing on the wavy surface. A small school of fish fled swiftly when Erik and Charles approached, their globe formation shifting to a flat swarm as they turned. Somewhere in the distance, Charles could spot something larger hovering above the ground, a cat shark looking for food, unimpressed by the much larger relative swimming above.
Though he had dived many times, especially while still studying, this experience could in no way compare to any previous ones, and he fought the slight burning and pressure in his chest that urged him to come up for air soon. And he noticed that what made this experience so extraordinary was the envious admiration he felt for Erik, wishing he could be like him, if only for a day, diving freely without a mask or flippers or a scuba, to experience what it was like to be truly one with the ocean.
He had to dive up, though, gasping for air as he emerged after what had almost been too long, but did not allow himself to feel exhausted, only taking as many deep breaths as needed for him to be ready to dive again.
They repeated this many times; Erik guided Charles farther away from the beach and toward open waters, always staying close, and although Charles knew that there were a few dangers in these waters, especially when swimming on the surface which he had to do for longer periods after a few dives, he felt as safe as he ever could. No tiger or bull shark would dare to come close to possible prey when a great white seemed to have already claimed it.
He didn't know how long they stayed out on the water, but soon Charles felt exhausted, his lungs aching for longer rest, feeling slightly dizzy, and he knew he had to get back on land, though he wished he could just stay out here with Erik forever. He dived a last time, letting his hand run along Erik's side and pointing towards shore, and a minute later, after he had gasped for breath, Erik emerged, his upper body having shifted back to his human form.
Charles laughed breathlessly as he took off his diving mask. “I'm sorry, but I can't... I need to get back. If you want to stay out for a bit longer -“
Erik cut him off and shook his head, swimming a little closer. “We can go.”
Charles nodded with a smile still on his lips as he looked back toward the beach, noticing how far they had swam out, and the smile faded somewhat. It wasn't an impossible distance for him to swim, but it would take a while.
“One more time?” Erik asked, a smirk on his lips. “I won't dive as deep.”
“Okay,” Charles nodded when, to his surprise, Erik came close to his side and took Charles' hand, laying it onto his back without diving first or transforming completely. It felt odd, fingertips running down smooth human skin and reaching shark skin then, and Charles bit his lower lip, not quite able to stop himself from grinning.
A moment later, Erik moved, and though the speed wasn't as great as when he had been in full shark form they got forward swiftly, much, much faster than they would have if Charles had had to swim. Erik stayed close to the surface, diving up every twenty seconds or so for Charles to get air, and soon they were close to the beach again, the water only about ten feet deep, too close for Erik to allow anyone to see him. If anyone were looking into their direction now, however, all he would see were the heads of two people, swimming in the water on one spot, looking at each other without making a move in any direction.
The grin on Charles' features faded as he looked at Erik, whose eyes squinted against the sunlight as droplets of water fell from a strand of hair in his forehead. Erik's own smirk of joy and excitement, turned into a look of quite different nature, similar to the one he had worn that night of their chess match, and yet different, no haste and insecurity, and Charles also noticed a hint of that earlier look in Erik's eyes, recognizing it for what it was now, feeling his chest grow warm and heavy with the reflected emotion in himself.
Underneath the feeling of warm and affection, of longing, he felt suddenly, inexplicably, nervous and bit his lower lip again. “Will you be able to shift back?”
Erik shrugged slightly, though it didn't seem like he was worried about it. Instead, one hand found Charles' in the water, and their bodies were pulled closer, small tingles creeping up Charles skin from where their fingers touched. And then, finally, with all the longing he had felt the past few days, even more so since this morning, he wrapped his other arm around Erik's neck and brought their lips together. The kiss tasted salty and cool with the water still on their skin, a soft contact of lips as he fought for balance and not to sink. But Erik kept them upright, his lips opening underneath Charles', slowly. His stubble tickled Charles' chin as pleasantly as caressing Erik's shark skin had been, and he inhaled deeply, the scent of ocean water mixed with that of Erik filling his nose, fresh and wonderful.
Parting his lips further, Charles let his tongue slide against Erik's bottom lip, still slowly and carefully, and it felt all the more wonderful when Erik met the touches, exploring eagerly as his warm tongue gently met with Charles', following his movements. Charles could not remember when or even if a kiss had ever felt so amazing to him, despite the gentleness so intense that it sent shivers down his entire body and filled him with a warmth that made breathing hard, especially when Erik took the initiative, his tongue tip running along Charles' upper lip before he sucked on it softly, mouths parting for a second only to resume the kisses right after. When their lips fully crashed against each other, tongues sliding, warm breath exhaled against their cheeks, Charles felt his legs touch Erik's beneath the water, and they weren't able to stay above any longer. Erik had transformed completely.
As they sank, Charles held on to Erik's neck, struggling to keep their lips united for just a moment longer, holding his breath before they finally had to draw apart. Emerging, he gasped for breath, and a laugh escaped his throat while he kicked his feet to remain above. As Erik looked at him, for a tiny second seeming almost surprised that he had transformed back to his complete human form so easily, he laughed as well, eyes squinting against the light, mouth open in a wide smile or relief, joy, surprise, so contagious that Charles felt his chest swell with each of these emotions. And so much more.
He brought his hand to the back of Erik's neck, feeling fingers gently grasp his lower arm as he brought their foreheads together, and he took a short moment to brush another, tender kiss against Erik's lips.
“You did it after all,” he said proudly.
Erik nodded, a hint of that smile still on his lips. “I suppose I should have my trunks back?”
Charles chuckled, having to take another deep breath as he resisted the urge to take a closer look below, a soft shiver running into his gut at the thought of the other man's completely naked body so close.
Erik kissed him again then, his voice suddenly husky and deep when he spoke close to Charles' ear. “I don't mind getting out of them later again, though.”
Charles was quite grateful for the cool water.
~*~
They had barely dried off when they reached one of the guest bedrooms of the large beach house; neither Moira nor the others had arrived yet, and so Charles had not needed to worry about stopping three times on their way, wrapping his arms around Erik's shoulders and kissing him until he was breathless. They stopped again now, still halfway in the doorway of the room, and Erik laid one hand on the small of Charles' back, pulling him close for another kiss, a little more playful this time. Erik wasn't the most practiced kisser Charles had known, but each of the kisses made him weak in the knees as he felt Erik explore, imitate what Charles had done but also following his own instinct. Apparently, he enjoyed nibbling, gentle little playful bites that caused a chuckle to rise in Charles' throat the same moment shivers ran across his back and arms, the fine hairs standing to end as he felt warm breath ghost over his jaw and neck.
It had definitely been a long time since he had last wanted somebody as much as Erik. If at all. Yet he wasn't completely sure about this, not on his own account - hell, if they had been lucky enough to be the only people in the nearest area he would have pulled Erik down above him right on that beach - but for the fact that Erik had, in fact, never slept with anybody. Or at least Charles was pretty sure of that.
Erik seemed to sense his sudden hesitance as he so often did with many of Charles' moods and thoughts. He tilted his head and regarded Charles, his hand never letting go of him, though, holding him still somewhat close as his thumb ran in gentle circles across Charles' skin.
“You don't want this?” he asked, voice lowered both challengingly and a little unsure.
Charles could not help a trembling sigh escape his lips. “God, of course I... But you... I mean...”
Erik merely raised his eyebrows.
“You've never been with anybody before, have you?” Charles finally managed to ask, his fingertips tenderly dancing over Erik's upper arm, the skin now so smooth, slightly cool from being in the water so long, and perfectly soft.
“No,” Erik replied, not even the slightest trace of embarrassment or shyness in his tone or features. Quite contrary. Despite the minuscule smirk on his lips, his gaze was anything but mocking, traveling from Charles' own eyes to his lips and up again. The gaze felt like a caress, tingling shivers running from Charles' face through his entire body, down to his groin.
Not waiting for Charles to say another word, Erik kissed him again, and he pulled him away from the door, standing in the center of the room as he pressed his own body closer to Charles'.
“Oh God,” Charles moaned softly as he felt the hardening bulge in Erik's swim trunks press against his lower belly, feeling a very similar reaction in himself. Erik drew away again, though, his lips busy exploring the skin beneath Charles' jawline as he bent forward, and his right hand went from Charles' arm over his chest, fingers tracing the lines of Charles' muscles, almost as if he was comparing, testing if it felt the same or different as on his own body, traveling lower and lower...
Charles let out a hissed gasp, ending almost close to a whimper when Erik's hand slid past the elastic band of his trunks, and Erik's hand went still instantly as he leaned back to study Charles' face with that curious and piercing gaze of his.
“That's... that's good. You can go on,” Charles managed to get out, his breath already faster and his heart beating quickly in his chest with arousal and excitement. He saw Erik smirk ever so slightly before he leaned in again, kissing Charles' lips, cheek, jaw. His fingers carefully but firmly ran along Charles' entire length, and he felt himself harden completely quite swiftly, his hips automatically rocking against the still somewhat ginger touch. And God, he wanted to touch Erik as well, but all he could do then was to cling onto the taller man's shoulders as the hand fully wrapped around him and stroked up in one slow, firm move.
“Shit,” he gasped again in a breathless chuckle as he briefly buried his head in the crook of Erik's neck. “I didn't think you'd... I mean... how do you...” Charles stuttered in surprise and amazement that Erik was so eager and completely unrestrained.
“What?” Erik asked and stilled his movements once again. “You know, I was fourteen last time I was in human shape. I do know how that works,” he said, nodding down towards where his hand was still wrapped around Charles' cock.
“Oh gosh, I'm sorry,” Charles laughed out, almost thankful for the fact that his swiftly growing arousal was put on halt for a moment while further chuckles bubbled from his chest, feeling slightly stupid now. “Of course,” he said then. “I'm just... just a little nervous, I suppose.”
Erik looked at him and raised his brows. “Funny. I'm not,” he said and, to prove his words, touched his mouth to Charles', his tongue darting out to lick across Charles' lower lip as his hand moved up and down again, thumb flicking over the head.
Despite the low sigh that came over Charles lips, caught by Erik's, he had to laugh softly again, and the fact that they could laugh together even in a situation as intimate as this filled his heart with that wide warmth again that made his breath hitch in this throat with emotion. “I'm sorry,” he smirked. “I just never slept with a human shark before.”
Erik seemed equally amused, though his brow furrowed for a moment as he looked down into Charles' eyes. “Hm, I must confess, I'm not quite sure what to do beyond this point, though.”
There was no question anymore that Erik was eager and willing to find out; Charles was sure of that now, had felt it in all of Erik's touches and kisses so far, and so he reached up to lay his hand on the back of Erik's neck and pulled him close, their lips almost touching again. “Then I suppose I'll have to show you,” he barely more than whispered before he brought their lips together again. Although the touches felt amazing, he wriggled out of Erik's grip, turning his hips until he felt Erik's hand slide out of his swim trunks and instead rest on his side, and they kissed again for a long moment, the touches growing in intensity.
No, there was really no question anymore.
“Wait a moment, alright? I have to go find something,” Charles said before he brushed another soft kiss against Erik's lips, seeing him nod with a slightly quizzical but expecting glance in his eyes.
He wasn't quite sure where he should look first as he left the guest room and made his way towards Moira's with the attached master bathroom. Quickly opening the cabinet and thanking the fact that Moira had become a little neater over the years, he looked between spare tooth brushes, cleansing products, contact lens solution and other cosmetics, desperate to find something he could use as lubricant and ideally also condoms. Though, Charles asked himself it that was necessary. Erik had never slept with anyone, and he most certainly had never gotten a blood transfusion or done anything else that would have been a risk to contract something serious. And Charles did a full check up annually, HIV test included, and he hadn't had sex with anyone after the last. Two.
He therefore wasn't very concerned for the fact that he couldn't find any condoms anywhere in the bathroom, but no proper lubricant, not even vaseline, could be a problem. Damn, why did women always have to use perfumed body lotions and anti-aging creams with questionable ingredients? He bit his lip in contemplation and looked around, throwing his inhibitions over board as he hastened toward Moira's bed and opened the drawer of her nightstand. And closed it again.
Well, alright, that was probably normal, he thought as he opened the drawer again, trying not to look at the blue, dolphin shaped and obviously very personal item that lay there next to a package of baby wipes and, even more surprisingly, a bottle of lube. He would have to think about how to smuggle it back without Moira noticing later.
Any thought of inappropriateness was completely forgotten as soon as he walked back into the guest bedroom, his eyes immediately spotting Erik standing by the bed. The light in the room was dim, the curtains on the window still drawn half-shut, keeping out most of the bright daylight, but he could clearly see the outlines of Erik's lean and muscular body, his broad shoulders and the perfect curve of his well-defined pectoral muscles above equally slender and firm abs. What he could not keep his eyes off, however, was, in a nest of curly, light brown hair, the most perfect - almost ridiculously beautiful - hard cock. Thick and long, begging to be touched.
“Found what you were looking for?” Erik asked, seeming completely unconcerned by his own nakedness and the effect it had on Charles, who only nodded, holding the bottle up before he closed the door - just in case someone did come home while they were busy.
Charles walked closer then, only taking a short detour to put the bottle on the nightstand before he stood in front of Erik again, leaning up to bring their lips together to savor the feeling he had already missed in those few minutes. And although the kiss was tender at first it soon became more intense as he pressed his body fully against Erik, only his hand reaching between and sliding his palm down the hard length, eliciting a faint moan as his fingers curled around Erik's sac. The moan turned into kind of soft growl, the sound seeming to caress Charles' entire body and send further shivers down his spine when he closed his fist around Erik's erection, stroking up two, three times.
It was amazing that Erik didn't seem shy or hesitant in the slightest. Though waiting to be prompted what to do, he was perfectly relaxed, curious but never insecure, and Charles thought that maybe as someone that had lived outside of society all his life it was easier just to follow instinct, never having been conditioned to know shame or a taboo. He had no idea what he had to expect, and maybe that made it all the easier, Charles thought as he felt Erik thrust his hip against the touch of his hand, their lips still united in brief, nibbling kisses.
“Mmmh, come here,” Charles said as he broke the kiss, taking two steps back towards the edge of the bed. He quickly slid out of his own swim trunks before he knelt on the mattress and held a hand out of Erik to follow him. Just a second later, he felt the weight on the bed shift and was caught in a tight embrace again, Erik seeming to never get enough of those kisses either as they both slowly sank down onto the pillows.
He did draw away then, though, leaning up on one elbow and letting his gaze roam over Charles' naked body as curiously as he did everything else. And as his free hand followed the direction of his gaze, Charles felt a trembling moan escape his lips, his breathing quickened as Erik's fingers closed around his erection again. He leaned in and sealed Charles' mouth with his own as he pushed his own body up to Charles' side, creating only little friction but seemingly content with it for the moment, his movements getting stronger and harder. But it could not be enough for long. Neither was the hand around Charles' cock, though far from unpracticed, moving up and down with firm strokes, twisting slightly with each upward pull.
“Okay, wait,” Charles said, chuckling faintly as he noticed how breathless he already was. And this was where it got just ever so slightly awkward again, because Charles wasn't quite sure how much he should explain. “There's... a little more we can do than just using our hands,” he decided then, not all too surprised to see that typical smirk on Erik's features, accompanied by his brows drawn up as if he meant to say 'duh!', though the expression wasn't as prominent now as it had been on previous occasions. Just a tiny hint of something like 'am I thinking in the right direction?', and Charles had to laugh out softly, one hand reaching up to place it on Erik's cheek as he kissed his lips affectionately.
He looked left to the nightstand and reached over for the lube, biting his lower lip as he contemplated for a moment how exactly to proceed. Although it was obvious that Erik was just as aroused as Charles, he waited patiently, still propped on one elbow beside Charles. Then Charles made up his mind. Squirting some of the clear liquid onto his fingers, he pulled up one leg and made to prepare himself, smiling as he saw Erik's eyes briefly widen while his gaze followed the movement of Charles' hand.
He was so aroused already that it didn't take him long to get two fingers in, fingering himself until he felt the tight ring of muscles relax enough to take more, though it tightened immediately as he looked back down to Erik's hard cock in a most exhilarating mixture of desire and slight nervousness. Erik wasn't exactly small, and it had been years for Charles since he'd last been fucked by a man. Yet he wasn't really afraid, and whatever mild pain there might be he was sure it would in no way measure up to the pleasure he would receive, because, God, he just wanted to be as close to this man as possible, feel him move above him, inside him, kiss him and thrust hard into him until they'd both come undone.
Relaxing more, he withdrew his fingers, wiping them briefly on the sheets before he took more of the lube onto his palm, letting it warm by his body heat for a moment before, with a slight smirk on his lips, he wrapped his hand around Erik's erection. The other man moaned faintly, no, growled in the back of his throat, his eyes rolling shut for a second before he looked at Charles, and it was perfectly obvious that his patience was reaching an end. The awareness made Charles tremble with the most pleasant anticipation.
He sank fully back onto the pillows, his knees spread wide as one hand reached for Erik's neck, pulling him close for another kiss and urging him to slide between his legs. “You're ready?” he asked, the question not feeling weird at all despite him being the one bottoming.
“I think I was ready ten minutes ago,” Erik said, a trace of humor in his tone that made Charles chuckle for a second. But only for a second. In the next he felt the full weight of Erik's body on top of him, his legs raised higher to wrap around Erik's torso, the hardness of the other man's cock pressing against his groin.
“Are you?” Erik asked, and Charles could do nothing but nod as he brought one hand between them and carefully guided Erik to enter him.
When he finally did, his hips pushing forward almost a little too quickly, Charles cried out, a long, low sound that pushed all air out of his lungs at the slightly painful but amazing sensation of being filled and stretched so completely, and he could not help his eyes falling shut for a second, only halfway registering the equally drawn out yet much fainter sound that came over Erik's lips. Fully buried within, Erik seemed to need a moment to adjust to the feeling as well, exhaling deep and fast through his nose a few times. Charles opened his eyes again, and the sight above him was so exquisite - the way Erik's brow was in deep creases, his lips pressed tightly shut as well as his eyes - that it, alone, made waves of pleasure run through his lower body.
His hand reached up to caress Erik's cheek again, and they finally locked gazes, Erik's greenish eyes seeming dark in the faint light of the room, pupils dilated. Charles gave him a faint nod, urging him to just follow his instincts, do what he felt doing because no matter what, it would be perfect. It would be them and just right. And so, as Erik's lips parted with another deep breath, he started to move, still somewhat slow but with strong, firm, smooth thrusts of his hips.
Charles wrapped his one arm around Erik's shoulders, his fingers digging into the skin without his doing as the faint, pleasant burning faded and made room for pure bliss. The warmth of Erik's body on him, the way the lean muscles in his shoulders and upper arms tensed with every forward push - Charles had never seen anything more arousing. And even now, Erik leaned in again and kissed Charles, hard and breathless to catch another whimpering moan as he thrust even deeper, faintly hitting his prostate and causing pleasure to shoot through Charles' body.
The kisses traveled lower, over his jaw again and to his neck, and Charles was vaguely aware of something like soft pain there, lips suckling, teeth grazing as the delicious sound of a low groan vibrated against his skin. He could not keep his eyes open any longer, could not keep his mouth closed as with each of Erik's thrusts panted breaths came over his lips.
The muscles in Erik's back tensed with another deeper thrust, hard and yet fluid movements, letting his hips rotate and move sideways ever so slightly every time he was deepest inside of Charles, reaching that spot again and again and...
“Jesus!” Charles cried out, his voice nothing more but a hoarse whimper as the pressure in his lower body became almost painful, that sweet, sweet symbiosis of agony and ecstasy. His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst it open with each rapid beat. He did not, could not care if he was sounding ridiculous, if he was going to scream, because it was impossible to hold back the louder and louder moans that escaped him, meeting the quieter, deeper sounds Erik was making, though they, too, became louder, only numbed by the contact of Erik's lips and Charles' skin, frantic kisses and soft bites that traveled without direction over his jaw, cheeks, lips, back to his neck.
“Oh my God!” Charles winced and panted as Erik reached especially deep, lingering there for a short moment and rotating, sliding his hips with instinctive movements, slightly different to what Charles knew, but that especially seemed to do the trick. Deep in him, pushing up, only to pull out almost completely and then pound into him for earnest.
Little cries and screams of inarticulate sounds, fragments of words at best, forced their way out of Charles' chest, losing all air, unable to breathe for a moment in which his pleasure found his peak. Slowly, tormentingly so, rising up to its climax and lingering there as if he was unable to let go, caught there with no breath, no sound, his eyes pressed shut, his lips wide open until...
A long, loud groan pierced the silence, followed by a hoarse shuddered whimper, and it took Charles a moment to realize the latter had been his, unable to prevent it as his body shook, his muscles twitched with the sheer power of his orgasm. The thrusts had stopped as well, only a few uncontrolled, small movements of Erik's hips before he remained still, collapsing on top of Charles. He was breathing hard and fast while Charles still felt like he could not draw in any air - or maybe he simply didn't notice that he was already doing it, his chest rising and falling slowly in contrast to the rapid beating of his heart. He only noticed then how hot he was, sweat covering his entire body, only cooling him down slightly with no more but a faint gust of air coming in through the half-open window.
Oops.
“Jesus Christ,” he finally managed to sigh, a breathless chuckle escaping his lips as Charles raised a weary arm and wiped his brow.
Erik's breathing seemed to have calmed down a little as well, and he raised his head to look down at Charles, a look so utterly amazing on his features that Charles couldn't do anything but reach up and kiss him, gently and with nothing more but a tender contact of lips this time.
“Wow,” he said and smiled, brushing a lock of moist hair - half still from sea water, half from sweat - out of Erik's forehead. “You sure you haven't done this before?”
Erik's brow twisted slightly, but he did not seem to take the question seriously, a minuscule smile on his lips mirroring Charles'.
“Unless I'm suffering from amnesia, no,” Erik replied, the teasing tone only lasting for a second as he looked into Charles' eyes, his own gaze so warm and full of affection, joy, that it touched Charles like nothing else, causing a knot to form in his throat and his nose to tingle ever so slightly.
He let out another breathy chuckle. “You must be a natural talent then,” he said, grinning, before he gently wriggled his hips, one hand pushing softly against Erik's shoulder to prompt him to slide out and off of him. Erik settled on Charles' side then, head falling onto the pillow, and Charles could easily imagine that he must feel exhausted as well. But not too exhausted to let one hand run along Charles' upper arm, down to his side and back again as they laid facing each other.
“So, spied on some great white sharks mating then?” Charles asked, the afterglow of bliss making him feel almost slightly drunk, careless and a little silly, maybe.
Erik raised his eyebrows but smiled. “I might have seen a thing or two.”
Charles laughed softly, no energy to let more than a breathy sound leave his lips. He sighed then, though, a smile lingering on his lips as he took Erik's other hand in his, close to their faces, and leaned in to brush a gentle kiss against the knuckles of index and middle finger. “No really, it was wonderful, Erik. Amazing even. I can't remember ever having felt that way.” He hoped Erik believed him, even though such words could often sound like a silly and over-the-top demonstration of momentary emotions, becoming meaningless as soon as the next lover came around. This time, Charles meant it with all his heart, not able to imagine being with somebody else ever again.
“Well, I don't have anything to compare,” Erik said, but the way he shrugged faintly, biting his lower lip almost shyly then, finally, spoke clearly of what he must be feeling and thinking, clearer than any words could have. He leaned in again to kiss Charles, just as tenderly and gently as Charles had kissed him a few moments ago, and they both settled to lie closer, their bodies entwined with Charles' head resting on Erik's shoulder.
“Where did you come from?” Charles sighed, almost more to himself than meant as a real question, but it prompted Erik to raise his head anyway, looking at Charles with a quizzical glance.
“Now you're either suffering from amnesia or I don't understand what you're saying.”
Charles chuckled. “It was just a kind of saying,” he explained, letting his head rest back down on Erik's shoulder, one hand entwining with Erik's above his chest. “Just something to express how amazed and thankful I am to have found you, as cheesy as that sounds.”
“Well... I'm lucky that you found me.”
Charles smiled and briefly glanced up, too tired to raise his head fully and steal another kiss, though. He felt his own brow twist then as he thought about Erik's reaction. “Where did you come from, though? I mean... your kind? If you don't mind me asking.”
“I don't,” Erik replied, smiling, and Charles settled comfortably again, closing his eyes for just a moment. “There's a legend, though I'm not sure it is entirely true. It is said that our kind first came into existence a few hundred years ago when the land-walkers from the east first inhabited the lands on this side of the earth. But they weren't the first who had ever lived there,” Erik spoke quietly, the words sounding as if he was narrating something from memory that had been told to him many times. It probably had. “Indians, is what the land-walkers from the east called the others, a proud people that lived in harmony with nature and everything it offered, unlike those that came here to seek riches and fortune. Some of them, however, settled in the New World, as they called it, having fled from the old one themselves, and many of them befriended the Indians, though as it often is with two kinds of people so different, from such different worlds, they were suspicious of each other, too.”
It was astounding how accurate the legend sounded so far, aside from the fact that, as far as Charles could recall, Native Americans didn't have princes and princesses. But Charles was able to place the historic events perfectly, listening intently even though his body felt sleepy.
“One day, a princess of an Indian tribe who inhabited the shore lands fell in love with one of the other people, but he had already promises to marry one of his own kind. They kept their love secret for a long time and met at dusk by the beach where the villagers never went after daylight. The princess loved the water; she never feared it like the new people did, and...” Erik took a deep breath and made a soft humming noise in the back of his throat, pausing for a long moment.
“What happened then?” Charles asked and briefly raised his head, finding Erik gaze down at him with slightly exasperated amusement.
“I'm trying to remember,” he replied. “The princess had a rare ability. Because her tribe had lived so long as one with the lands and the ocean alike, she could communicate with everything that lived in nature, even with sharks whom the new people feared above all else. She taught her lover how to swim with them without facing danger.”
“That sounds very romantic,” Charles commented, wondering if that was a part where the legend drifted from reality.
“Not for much longer,” Erik replied. “One day, one of the villagers saw them together, and the following night they captured them and accused both of them of witchery. They wanted to burn her on a stake, but her father, the shaman of her Indian tribe, called upon the heavens to release a heavy deluge, and it rained for days and days. The villagers got restless and frightened and, seeking a way to kill the Indian princess, decided to throw her off a high cliff. Her lover, who had been pardoned because the villagers believed her to be blamed for bewitching him as well, was there the day she should die, and she spoke to him and them that the sea could never kill her, and she swore she would become one with it, and she would haunt every one of her murderers, and their children and their children, so it would never again be safe for them to go into the waters. The villagers were frightened of her, some even wanted to take her back into their prison and wait until the rains would stop eventually, but the princess h
ad decided her fate, and her lover knew of it. And together they jumped into the roaring surge of the ocean, never to be seen by any human walking on land. But they did not die; they truly became one with the sea and turned into creatures, half shark, half human. And their descendants were just like them, children of two worlds as their ancestors had been in every sense.”
Erik ended, breathing out a soft chuckle and making a waving gesture with his hand. “Or at least that's what I've been told.”
Charles was quiet for a while, not knowing what to say. Like many ancient tales it sounded mystical and unrealistic in many ways, but it was a tale too wonderful and bittersweet to belittle and try to argue away with logic and science. “It's a beautiful story, Erik. Thank you for sharing that,” he said and lifted his upper body, crawling on top of Erik to press the gentle kiss onto his lips.
“Well,” Erik shrugged faintly. “I suppose it's not less realistic than the story your kind tell each other about how man was created.”
“Oh, you know that?” Charles asked.
“My grandmother had a bible, she gave me an overview,” Erik replied. “I wasn't aware you were that religious, though.”
He seemed dead serious, and Charles stared at him for a moment in mild confusion before he saw the tiniest of twitch around Erik's lips. “Oh! You,” he laughed out, shaking his head as he realized what Erik had been hinting at. “Well, I'm not. At least not under normal circumstances. Also, I don't think it's very pious to utter the Lord's name in such a sinful context.”
“Sinful?” Erik asked with that dry humor in his tone and on his features as he brought a hand up to caress the side of Charles' face. “If this is a sin then I suppose we're going to hell. I don't mean to stop this anytime soon,” he said almost smugly, even lustfully as he brought their lips together again. And, as they continued to kiss, feeling the sleepiness and exhaustion fade and being replaced by arousal growing anew, Charles thought that this really was worth it.
~ TBC ~
Additional Notes
1. The 'warning': Bare-backing. I was pondering this for a while but in the end decided that the use of condoms really wasn't necessary. For me, it felt just a tiny bit awkward to put some odd little plastic thingy on Erik who'd have no idea why. That would have required Charles to explain stuff about all sorts of STDs and kinda killed the athmosphere. Charles knows he is clean, he does complete check ups frequently, and Erik has never been with anybody before. He also didn't bite people, if you're wondering about that ;) Though I suppose a shark eating parts of an HIV positive person would not be infected himself. Completely different metabolism and all. Ah well, enough of those unromantic, unsexy biological ponderings.
Secondly (now this is as an afterword, so better read it after you've read the chapter), if you're interested, here is a video of grey reef sharks mating (great whites have not been filmed mating yet, as far as I know). I wanted to make Erik act and move a little shark-like, because that's part of his nature, too. Hope I got that across properly.
And now, because you had to wait so long, a little something on top ^^
Outtakes
Not to be taken too seriously
Raven and Irene enter the beautiful beach house, arms full of grocery bags (and a cute little dress for Raven, some hot lingerie too.. ehem). Hank and Alex are already sitting in the living room on the sofa, after the girls have dropped them off and decided to finish their shopping alone (shopping for lingerie with guys really isn't a good idea, especially when it's not meant to be seen by them).
“Hey guys, what's up?” Raven asks cheerfully as she sets the groceries down, Irene following her and feeling her surroundings with her white cane.
“Oh nothing. Just sitting here, watching TV,” Alex replies. And why is Hank blushing?
“Where's Charles?”
Alex shrugs. “Being mauled by a shark.”
“WHAT???!” Raven yelps and then hears something equally loud from upstairs. “Oh. OHH!”
“Yeah, that's what Charles has been saying too. That and 'Oh my God' and 'Jesus Christ' and... you didn't buy ear plugs, did you?”
But Raven doesn't reply because she didn't hear Alex, her fingers already firmly stuffed inside her ears while she loudly sings 'la la la la laaaaa'.
“Guess that's a no then.”
~*~
“I'm making men gay!” Moira groans and lets her head fall into her palms, propped onto the kitchen table.
“You didn't make me gay yet,” Sean replies with a grin, and Moira doesn't quite know if he's still high or just... weird, as always.
“That's because we never had sex!” she snaps and then realizes it doesn't make things better.
“Oh but we - “
“Don't say it!” she cuts him off and takes another sip of her wine. She should have gone for tequila. What's worst, worse than the fact that her ex-boyfriend is apparently getting his brains fucked out by a handsome and mysterious stranger, is the fact that he actually snooped around in her things. And found the lube. And her vibrator!! She better doesn't mention to anyone that she named the cute little dolphin Charlie. Well, she got him after the break up, alright?
“Hey Raven, pass me the bottle opener please?” the quiet nerd kid says, but Raven doesn't react. She's got the headphones of her iPod in her ears, swaying her head in tune of the music. Moira waves her hand in front of Raven's face and points at Hank.
“Bottle. Opener.” Hank mouths and points toward it, but Raven doesn't seem to get it.
“Just take out the god damn headphones!” Moira snaps, feeling a headache coming.
Raven seems to understand, her hands reaching for the headphones but stopping before taking them out.
“ARE THEY DONE YET?” she yells, obviously not realizing that the rest of them can hear her just fine.
'Oh fuck, Erik... YESSS!!!'
“No,” Moira mouths and shakes her head, leaning over the table to reach of the opener herself.
Can they all just please leave again, she thinks and lets her head fall onto the table with a thud. It's not nearly as loud as the sound of the bed being pushed against the wall upstairs, though.
Chapter 12
Fandom: X-Men: First Class, Charles/Erik
Genre: AU; Drama/Romance
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 7709
Summary: Charles is a young marine biologist and activist that, one day, makes the find of his lifetime. Inspired by this fanart
Warning: There's one minor little thing I might need to warn for, though it's in no way triggery or anything. Due to it being spoilery though, please scroll to the end of the chapter and see the warning in the additional AN.
Author's Note: Still un-beta'ed. Sorry for the really late update this time. I was having a few busy days at work, and then a 3-day migraine killed all my creativity. I hope the rather epic length of this chapter can make up for the tardiness, however ;) The next chapter should follow swiftly again, though after that things will get a bit tricky and require intense planning. I'm not 100% sure I can stick to my 3-day rule beyond that point, but I will try my best.
Light danced on the softly moving surface of the water, silver against the bright blue sky as they walked over the pale, hot sand. Two big towels tucked under his arm, Charles had difficulties keeping up with Erik who seemed eager to finally get into the water, and Charles couldn't blame him in the slightest. When they had arrived at the beach house, they had just quickly dropped their luggage and changed into swim trunks, and even though Charles felt a little tired after the long drive, the excited, expecting mood Erik had shown ever since they had spotted the ocean had been so contagious that Charles felt his own heart beat fast with excitement, a grin on his lips as he followed the other man.
The house was located on the edge of a residential area, no public beaches or vacation resorts near, and so they found the beach relatively empty as they walked farther away from the houses behind them. They would have to be careful; someone spotting a shark fin close to shore might cause a panic and as a result more attention than was good for them, but Erik was fully aware of that, Charles knew. And so, those thoughts were farthest from his mind when they finally reached a good spot and he dropped the towels into the sand, only taking his diving mask and following Erik into the surf, where the white, foamy waves already washed around his ankles.
He only briefly turned and looked at Charles, a smile so radiant and bright on his features as Charles had never seen it before. Then, he waded through the shallow water and submerged a moment later, swimming farther away from the beach with a few strong and quick strokes. Charles hurried to follow, wincing for a second as the cooler water touched his heated skin but not hesitating until he, too, was fully covered by it and swam towards Erik who reached down beneath the water and took off his swim trunks, a little unsure what to do with them now.
Charles laughed. “Give them to me,” he said and, keeping eye contact with Erik, pulled them over his own, receiving a brief chuckle in return. “I don't trust my abilities to throw that far,” Charles said, biting his lower lip as he nodded back towards the beach.
“Are you ready?” Erik asked, holding himself upright in the water only by the movement of his arms. The light reflected on the water obstructed Charles' view, but he could see enough to notice the shape beneath the surface change and shift, human legs transforming into the lower half of a shark, and Charles held his breath for a second. Seeing it actually happen made what still seemed a mystery to him more real, as if until now a part of his brain had still thought it to be some kind of illusion, as if Erik had been wearing a costume just like that mermaid in the aquarium.
“Hang on,” Charles said then and put on his diving mask, adjusting it to fit tightly onto his face so that no water would come in.
Erik crooked his head and grinned. “You look ridiculous.”
“Thank you,” Charles laughed out. “My eyes aren't as adjusted to salt water as yours, you know?”
Erik nodded, and even though there was still a smile on his features Charles could see clearly that he was itching to just dive, to reconnect with his second nature and transform completely for the first time in weeks. Charles didn't want to deny this to him any longer.
“Alright. Remember I can't dive as deep as you and hold my breath that long. So if I have to swim up again you just stay down and wait for me, okay?”
“Okay,” Erik said and leaned his upper body forward, almost as if something was pulling him underneath already. He looked at Charles for another moment, though, an unreadable expression on his features that Charles could only guess to be either a little nervous or grateful, or something else, but he found his heart beat yet a little faster. Only a few moments now. Charles held his breath again.
With one swift movement, Erik dived, and all Charles could see of him from above the surface was the dark dorsal fin and the equally dark tail before Erik moved even lower. Charles wasn't sure weather he should submerge as well, watch the transformation in every detail. It went faster than he would have expected, the dark coloring of the back stretching over light skin, arms drawn to the side of his body, bubbles and waves blurring the image until Charles finally dived and then saw very clearly the perfect shape of a great white shark, smooth and round around the edges, dark from above - so real that for a tiny moment, Charles felt slightly frightened, if not at least completely awe-struck.
Without flippers it took him some effort following the seemingly effortless movement of Erik's body to dive to the same depth, not more than maybe ten feet below, and finally Charles was at his side. He still couldn't believe what he saw, especially when Erik turned his head slightly, his dark, round eye looking straight at Charles. It was both the oddest and most amazing experience he had ever made in his entire life.
Erik's whole body seemed to have grown even further as soon as he had fully transformed. Where the fish tail fit smoothly with his upper body, slender and lean in his human form, he now looked massive, rounder around the belly, though compared with a regular white shark probably still on the smaller side. And also, compared to real sharks, Erik looked so smooth and pristine, no deep cuts and scars that could usually be found especially on great whites from mating and territorial quarrels. The sight was the most awe-inspiring perfection, and Charles realized with a stab of regret that he already had to swim up for air, too excited to force his heart-rate to calm enough for him to hold his breath for as long as he usually could. When he did, he saw Erik suddenly move with such speed, powerful strokes of his body propelling him forward through the water, diving farther and deeper, almost boisterous, and Charles felt a laugh bubble from his chest at the sight.
He took a moment to catch his breath as he almost lost sight of Erik below, but he saw him swimming in a wide turn and coming up from behind him, now slow again, and Charles had to force himself not to giggle at the thought that under normal circumstances even he as someone who had swam with smaller sharks before would probably pee himself in fear.
“Oh God, this is unbelievable”, he chuckled to himself, unable to resist the urge, and saw Erik dive another round, obviously realizing that Charles still needed a moment. Taking a few more deep, calm breaths, he finally managed to push his excitement into the back of his mind.
Then he dived, arms and legs completing a few strong strokes until he was deep below, just a second before Erik caught up with him from behind. He stopped almost completely, slowing down as much as he could, only gliding through the water next to Charles. Almost a little gingerly, Charles' left hand reached out, fingertips feeling the roughness of the sandpaper-skin for the first time as well. Until now, he had never touched a shark without gloves. The feeling was surprisingly pleasant beneath his fingers though; when he let them run with direction of the microscopic teeth, from above Erik's pectoral fin, it was almost velvety. Amazing. Not hesitating any longer, he reached for the large dorsal fin and held on to it, only a split-second later feeling the powerful pull when Erik pushed forward, accelerating quickly and pulling Charles with him without effort.
The water wasn't very deep here yet, and Charles could see the white sand below, patches of see weed covering it here and there, sunlight dancing on the wavy surface. A small school of fish fled swiftly when Erik and Charles approached, their globe formation shifting to a flat swarm as they turned. Somewhere in the distance, Charles could spot something larger hovering above the ground, a cat shark looking for food, unimpressed by the much larger relative swimming above.
Though he had dived many times, especially while still studying, this experience could in no way compare to any previous ones, and he fought the slight burning and pressure in his chest that urged him to come up for air soon. And he noticed that what made this experience so extraordinary was the envious admiration he felt for Erik, wishing he could be like him, if only for a day, diving freely without a mask or flippers or a scuba, to experience what it was like to be truly one with the ocean.
He had to dive up, though, gasping for air as he emerged after what had almost been too long, but did not allow himself to feel exhausted, only taking as many deep breaths as needed for him to be ready to dive again.
They repeated this many times; Erik guided Charles farther away from the beach and toward open waters, always staying close, and although Charles knew that there were a few dangers in these waters, especially when swimming on the surface which he had to do for longer periods after a few dives, he felt as safe as he ever could. No tiger or bull shark would dare to come close to possible prey when a great white seemed to have already claimed it.
He didn't know how long they stayed out on the water, but soon Charles felt exhausted, his lungs aching for longer rest, feeling slightly dizzy, and he knew he had to get back on land, though he wished he could just stay out here with Erik forever. He dived a last time, letting his hand run along Erik's side and pointing towards shore, and a minute later, after he had gasped for breath, Erik emerged, his upper body having shifted back to his human form.
Charles laughed breathlessly as he took off his diving mask. “I'm sorry, but I can't... I need to get back. If you want to stay out for a bit longer -“
Erik cut him off and shook his head, swimming a little closer. “We can go.”
Charles nodded with a smile still on his lips as he looked back toward the beach, noticing how far they had swam out, and the smile faded somewhat. It wasn't an impossible distance for him to swim, but it would take a while.
“One more time?” Erik asked, a smirk on his lips. “I won't dive as deep.”
“Okay,” Charles nodded when, to his surprise, Erik came close to his side and took Charles' hand, laying it onto his back without diving first or transforming completely. It felt odd, fingertips running down smooth human skin and reaching shark skin then, and Charles bit his lower lip, not quite able to stop himself from grinning.
A moment later, Erik moved, and though the speed wasn't as great as when he had been in full shark form they got forward swiftly, much, much faster than they would have if Charles had had to swim. Erik stayed close to the surface, diving up every twenty seconds or so for Charles to get air, and soon they were close to the beach again, the water only about ten feet deep, too close for Erik to allow anyone to see him. If anyone were looking into their direction now, however, all he would see were the heads of two people, swimming in the water on one spot, looking at each other without making a move in any direction.
The grin on Charles' features faded as he looked at Erik, whose eyes squinted against the sunlight as droplets of water fell from a strand of hair in his forehead. Erik's own smirk of joy and excitement, turned into a look of quite different nature, similar to the one he had worn that night of their chess match, and yet different, no haste and insecurity, and Charles also noticed a hint of that earlier look in Erik's eyes, recognizing it for what it was now, feeling his chest grow warm and heavy with the reflected emotion in himself.
Underneath the feeling of warm and affection, of longing, he felt suddenly, inexplicably, nervous and bit his lower lip again. “Will you be able to shift back?”
Erik shrugged slightly, though it didn't seem like he was worried about it. Instead, one hand found Charles' in the water, and their bodies were pulled closer, small tingles creeping up Charles skin from where their fingers touched. And then, finally, with all the longing he had felt the past few days, even more so since this morning, he wrapped his other arm around Erik's neck and brought their lips together. The kiss tasted salty and cool with the water still on their skin, a soft contact of lips as he fought for balance and not to sink. But Erik kept them upright, his lips opening underneath Charles', slowly. His stubble tickled Charles' chin as pleasantly as caressing Erik's shark skin had been, and he inhaled deeply, the scent of ocean water mixed with that of Erik filling his nose, fresh and wonderful.
Parting his lips further, Charles let his tongue slide against Erik's bottom lip, still slowly and carefully, and it felt all the more wonderful when Erik met the touches, exploring eagerly as his warm tongue gently met with Charles', following his movements. Charles could not remember when or even if a kiss had ever felt so amazing to him, despite the gentleness so intense that it sent shivers down his entire body and filled him with a warmth that made breathing hard, especially when Erik took the initiative, his tongue tip running along Charles' upper lip before he sucked on it softly, mouths parting for a second only to resume the kisses right after. When their lips fully crashed against each other, tongues sliding, warm breath exhaled against their cheeks, Charles felt his legs touch Erik's beneath the water, and they weren't able to stay above any longer. Erik had transformed completely.
As they sank, Charles held on to Erik's neck, struggling to keep their lips united for just a moment longer, holding his breath before they finally had to draw apart. Emerging, he gasped for breath, and a laugh escaped his throat while he kicked his feet to remain above. As Erik looked at him, for a tiny second seeming almost surprised that he had transformed back to his complete human form so easily, he laughed as well, eyes squinting against the light, mouth open in a wide smile or relief, joy, surprise, so contagious that Charles felt his chest swell with each of these emotions. And so much more.
He brought his hand to the back of Erik's neck, feeling fingers gently grasp his lower arm as he brought their foreheads together, and he took a short moment to brush another, tender kiss against Erik's lips.
“You did it after all,” he said proudly.
Erik nodded, a hint of that smile still on his lips. “I suppose I should have my trunks back?”
Charles chuckled, having to take another deep breath as he resisted the urge to take a closer look below, a soft shiver running into his gut at the thought of the other man's completely naked body so close.
Erik kissed him again then, his voice suddenly husky and deep when he spoke close to Charles' ear. “I don't mind getting out of them later again, though.”
Charles was quite grateful for the cool water.
~*~
They had barely dried off when they reached one of the guest bedrooms of the large beach house; neither Moira nor the others had arrived yet, and so Charles had not needed to worry about stopping three times on their way, wrapping his arms around Erik's shoulders and kissing him until he was breathless. They stopped again now, still halfway in the doorway of the room, and Erik laid one hand on the small of Charles' back, pulling him close for another kiss, a little more playful this time. Erik wasn't the most practiced kisser Charles had known, but each of the kisses made him weak in the knees as he felt Erik explore, imitate what Charles had done but also following his own instinct. Apparently, he enjoyed nibbling, gentle little playful bites that caused a chuckle to rise in Charles' throat the same moment shivers ran across his back and arms, the fine hairs standing to end as he felt warm breath ghost over his jaw and neck.
It had definitely been a long time since he had last wanted somebody as much as Erik. If at all. Yet he wasn't completely sure about this, not on his own account - hell, if they had been lucky enough to be the only people in the nearest area he would have pulled Erik down above him right on that beach - but for the fact that Erik had, in fact, never slept with anybody. Or at least Charles was pretty sure of that.
Erik seemed to sense his sudden hesitance as he so often did with many of Charles' moods and thoughts. He tilted his head and regarded Charles, his hand never letting go of him, though, holding him still somewhat close as his thumb ran in gentle circles across Charles' skin.
“You don't want this?” he asked, voice lowered both challengingly and a little unsure.
Charles could not help a trembling sigh escape his lips. “God, of course I... But you... I mean...”
Erik merely raised his eyebrows.
“You've never been with anybody before, have you?” Charles finally managed to ask, his fingertips tenderly dancing over Erik's upper arm, the skin now so smooth, slightly cool from being in the water so long, and perfectly soft.
“No,” Erik replied, not even the slightest trace of embarrassment or shyness in his tone or features. Quite contrary. Despite the minuscule smirk on his lips, his gaze was anything but mocking, traveling from Charles' own eyes to his lips and up again. The gaze felt like a caress, tingling shivers running from Charles' face through his entire body, down to his groin.
Not waiting for Charles to say another word, Erik kissed him again, and he pulled him away from the door, standing in the center of the room as he pressed his own body closer to Charles'.
“Oh God,” Charles moaned softly as he felt the hardening bulge in Erik's swim trunks press against his lower belly, feeling a very similar reaction in himself. Erik drew away again, though, his lips busy exploring the skin beneath Charles' jawline as he bent forward, and his right hand went from Charles' arm over his chest, fingers tracing the lines of Charles' muscles, almost as if he was comparing, testing if it felt the same or different as on his own body, traveling lower and lower...
Charles let out a hissed gasp, ending almost close to a whimper when Erik's hand slid past the elastic band of his trunks, and Erik's hand went still instantly as he leaned back to study Charles' face with that curious and piercing gaze of his.
“That's... that's good. You can go on,” Charles managed to get out, his breath already faster and his heart beating quickly in his chest with arousal and excitement. He saw Erik smirk ever so slightly before he leaned in again, kissing Charles' lips, cheek, jaw. His fingers carefully but firmly ran along Charles' entire length, and he felt himself harden completely quite swiftly, his hips automatically rocking against the still somewhat ginger touch. And God, he wanted to touch Erik as well, but all he could do then was to cling onto the taller man's shoulders as the hand fully wrapped around him and stroked up in one slow, firm move.
“Shit,” he gasped again in a breathless chuckle as he briefly buried his head in the crook of Erik's neck. “I didn't think you'd... I mean... how do you...” Charles stuttered in surprise and amazement that Erik was so eager and completely unrestrained.
“What?” Erik asked and stilled his movements once again. “You know, I was fourteen last time I was in human shape. I do know how that works,” he said, nodding down towards where his hand was still wrapped around Charles' cock.
“Oh gosh, I'm sorry,” Charles laughed out, almost thankful for the fact that his swiftly growing arousal was put on halt for a moment while further chuckles bubbled from his chest, feeling slightly stupid now. “Of course,” he said then. “I'm just... just a little nervous, I suppose.”
Erik looked at him and raised his brows. “Funny. I'm not,” he said and, to prove his words, touched his mouth to Charles', his tongue darting out to lick across Charles' lower lip as his hand moved up and down again, thumb flicking over the head.
Despite the low sigh that came over Charles lips, caught by Erik's, he had to laugh softly again, and the fact that they could laugh together even in a situation as intimate as this filled his heart with that wide warmth again that made his breath hitch in this throat with emotion. “I'm sorry,” he smirked. “I just never slept with a human shark before.”
Erik seemed equally amused, though his brow furrowed for a moment as he looked down into Charles' eyes. “Hm, I must confess, I'm not quite sure what to do beyond this point, though.”
There was no question anymore that Erik was eager and willing to find out; Charles was sure of that now, had felt it in all of Erik's touches and kisses so far, and so he reached up to lay his hand on the back of Erik's neck and pulled him close, their lips almost touching again. “Then I suppose I'll have to show you,” he barely more than whispered before he brought their lips together again. Although the touches felt amazing, he wriggled out of Erik's grip, turning his hips until he felt Erik's hand slide out of his swim trunks and instead rest on his side, and they kissed again for a long moment, the touches growing in intensity.
No, there was really no question anymore.
“Wait a moment, alright? I have to go find something,” Charles said before he brushed another soft kiss against Erik's lips, seeing him nod with a slightly quizzical but expecting glance in his eyes.
He wasn't quite sure where he should look first as he left the guest room and made his way towards Moira's with the attached master bathroom. Quickly opening the cabinet and thanking the fact that Moira had become a little neater over the years, he looked between spare tooth brushes, cleansing products, contact lens solution and other cosmetics, desperate to find something he could use as lubricant and ideally also condoms. Though, Charles asked himself it that was necessary. Erik had never slept with anyone, and he most certainly had never gotten a blood transfusion or done anything else that would have been a risk to contract something serious. And Charles did a full check up annually, HIV test included, and he hadn't had sex with anyone after the last. Two.
He therefore wasn't very concerned for the fact that he couldn't find any condoms anywhere in the bathroom, but no proper lubricant, not even vaseline, could be a problem. Damn, why did women always have to use perfumed body lotions and anti-aging creams with questionable ingredients? He bit his lip in contemplation and looked around, throwing his inhibitions over board as he hastened toward Moira's bed and opened the drawer of her nightstand. And closed it again.
Well, alright, that was probably normal, he thought as he opened the drawer again, trying not to look at the blue, dolphin shaped and obviously very personal item that lay there next to a package of baby wipes and, even more surprisingly, a bottle of lube. He would have to think about how to smuggle it back without Moira noticing later.
Any thought of inappropriateness was completely forgotten as soon as he walked back into the guest bedroom, his eyes immediately spotting Erik standing by the bed. The light in the room was dim, the curtains on the window still drawn half-shut, keeping out most of the bright daylight, but he could clearly see the outlines of Erik's lean and muscular body, his broad shoulders and the perfect curve of his well-defined pectoral muscles above equally slender and firm abs. What he could not keep his eyes off, however, was, in a nest of curly, light brown hair, the most perfect - almost ridiculously beautiful - hard cock. Thick and long, begging to be touched.
“Found what you were looking for?” Erik asked, seeming completely unconcerned by his own nakedness and the effect it had on Charles, who only nodded, holding the bottle up before he closed the door - just in case someone did come home while they were busy.
Charles walked closer then, only taking a short detour to put the bottle on the nightstand before he stood in front of Erik again, leaning up to bring their lips together to savor the feeling he had already missed in those few minutes. And although the kiss was tender at first it soon became more intense as he pressed his body fully against Erik, only his hand reaching between and sliding his palm down the hard length, eliciting a faint moan as his fingers curled around Erik's sac. The moan turned into kind of soft growl, the sound seeming to caress Charles' entire body and send further shivers down his spine when he closed his fist around Erik's erection, stroking up two, three times.
It was amazing that Erik didn't seem shy or hesitant in the slightest. Though waiting to be prompted what to do, he was perfectly relaxed, curious but never insecure, and Charles thought that maybe as someone that had lived outside of society all his life it was easier just to follow instinct, never having been conditioned to know shame or a taboo. He had no idea what he had to expect, and maybe that made it all the easier, Charles thought as he felt Erik thrust his hip against the touch of his hand, their lips still united in brief, nibbling kisses.
“Mmmh, come here,” Charles said as he broke the kiss, taking two steps back towards the edge of the bed. He quickly slid out of his own swim trunks before he knelt on the mattress and held a hand out of Erik to follow him. Just a second later, he felt the weight on the bed shift and was caught in a tight embrace again, Erik seeming to never get enough of those kisses either as they both slowly sank down onto the pillows.
He did draw away then, though, leaning up on one elbow and letting his gaze roam over Charles' naked body as curiously as he did everything else. And as his free hand followed the direction of his gaze, Charles felt a trembling moan escape his lips, his breathing quickened as Erik's fingers closed around his erection again. He leaned in and sealed Charles' mouth with his own as he pushed his own body up to Charles' side, creating only little friction but seemingly content with it for the moment, his movements getting stronger and harder. But it could not be enough for long. Neither was the hand around Charles' cock, though far from unpracticed, moving up and down with firm strokes, twisting slightly with each upward pull.
“Okay, wait,” Charles said, chuckling faintly as he noticed how breathless he already was. And this was where it got just ever so slightly awkward again, because Charles wasn't quite sure how much he should explain. “There's... a little more we can do than just using our hands,” he decided then, not all too surprised to see that typical smirk on Erik's features, accompanied by his brows drawn up as if he meant to say 'duh!', though the expression wasn't as prominent now as it had been on previous occasions. Just a tiny hint of something like 'am I thinking in the right direction?', and Charles had to laugh out softly, one hand reaching up to place it on Erik's cheek as he kissed his lips affectionately.
He looked left to the nightstand and reached over for the lube, biting his lower lip as he contemplated for a moment how exactly to proceed. Although it was obvious that Erik was just as aroused as Charles, he waited patiently, still propped on one elbow beside Charles. Then Charles made up his mind. Squirting some of the clear liquid onto his fingers, he pulled up one leg and made to prepare himself, smiling as he saw Erik's eyes briefly widen while his gaze followed the movement of Charles' hand.
He was so aroused already that it didn't take him long to get two fingers in, fingering himself until he felt the tight ring of muscles relax enough to take more, though it tightened immediately as he looked back down to Erik's hard cock in a most exhilarating mixture of desire and slight nervousness. Erik wasn't exactly small, and it had been years for Charles since he'd last been fucked by a man. Yet he wasn't really afraid, and whatever mild pain there might be he was sure it would in no way measure up to the pleasure he would receive, because, God, he just wanted to be as close to this man as possible, feel him move above him, inside him, kiss him and thrust hard into him until they'd both come undone.
Relaxing more, he withdrew his fingers, wiping them briefly on the sheets before he took more of the lube onto his palm, letting it warm by his body heat for a moment before, with a slight smirk on his lips, he wrapped his hand around Erik's erection. The other man moaned faintly, no, growled in the back of his throat, his eyes rolling shut for a second before he looked at Charles, and it was perfectly obvious that his patience was reaching an end. The awareness made Charles tremble with the most pleasant anticipation.
He sank fully back onto the pillows, his knees spread wide as one hand reached for Erik's neck, pulling him close for another kiss and urging him to slide between his legs. “You're ready?” he asked, the question not feeling weird at all despite him being the one bottoming.
“I think I was ready ten minutes ago,” Erik said, a trace of humor in his tone that made Charles chuckle for a second. But only for a second. In the next he felt the full weight of Erik's body on top of him, his legs raised higher to wrap around Erik's torso, the hardness of the other man's cock pressing against his groin.
“Are you?” Erik asked, and Charles could do nothing but nod as he brought one hand between them and carefully guided Erik to enter him.
When he finally did, his hips pushing forward almost a little too quickly, Charles cried out, a long, low sound that pushed all air out of his lungs at the slightly painful but amazing sensation of being filled and stretched so completely, and he could not help his eyes falling shut for a second, only halfway registering the equally drawn out yet much fainter sound that came over Erik's lips. Fully buried within, Erik seemed to need a moment to adjust to the feeling as well, exhaling deep and fast through his nose a few times. Charles opened his eyes again, and the sight above him was so exquisite - the way Erik's brow was in deep creases, his lips pressed tightly shut as well as his eyes - that it, alone, made waves of pleasure run through his lower body.
His hand reached up to caress Erik's cheek again, and they finally locked gazes, Erik's greenish eyes seeming dark in the faint light of the room, pupils dilated. Charles gave him a faint nod, urging him to just follow his instincts, do what he felt doing because no matter what, it would be perfect. It would be them and just right. And so, as Erik's lips parted with another deep breath, he started to move, still somewhat slow but with strong, firm, smooth thrusts of his hips.
Charles wrapped his one arm around Erik's shoulders, his fingers digging into the skin without his doing as the faint, pleasant burning faded and made room for pure bliss. The warmth of Erik's body on him, the way the lean muscles in his shoulders and upper arms tensed with every forward push - Charles had never seen anything more arousing. And even now, Erik leaned in again and kissed Charles, hard and breathless to catch another whimpering moan as he thrust even deeper, faintly hitting his prostate and causing pleasure to shoot through Charles' body.
The kisses traveled lower, over his jaw again and to his neck, and Charles was vaguely aware of something like soft pain there, lips suckling, teeth grazing as the delicious sound of a low groan vibrated against his skin. He could not keep his eyes open any longer, could not keep his mouth closed as with each of Erik's thrusts panted breaths came over his lips.
The muscles in Erik's back tensed with another deeper thrust, hard and yet fluid movements, letting his hips rotate and move sideways ever so slightly every time he was deepest inside of Charles, reaching that spot again and again and...
“Jesus!” Charles cried out, his voice nothing more but a hoarse whimper as the pressure in his lower body became almost painful, that sweet, sweet symbiosis of agony and ecstasy. His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst it open with each rapid beat. He did not, could not care if he was sounding ridiculous, if he was going to scream, because it was impossible to hold back the louder and louder moans that escaped him, meeting the quieter, deeper sounds Erik was making, though they, too, became louder, only numbed by the contact of Erik's lips and Charles' skin, frantic kisses and soft bites that traveled without direction over his jaw, cheeks, lips, back to his neck.
“Oh my God!” Charles winced and panted as Erik reached especially deep, lingering there for a short moment and rotating, sliding his hips with instinctive movements, slightly different to what Charles knew, but that especially seemed to do the trick. Deep in him, pushing up, only to pull out almost completely and then pound into him for earnest.
Little cries and screams of inarticulate sounds, fragments of words at best, forced their way out of Charles' chest, losing all air, unable to breathe for a moment in which his pleasure found his peak. Slowly, tormentingly so, rising up to its climax and lingering there as if he was unable to let go, caught there with no breath, no sound, his eyes pressed shut, his lips wide open until...
A long, loud groan pierced the silence, followed by a hoarse shuddered whimper, and it took Charles a moment to realize the latter had been his, unable to prevent it as his body shook, his muscles twitched with the sheer power of his orgasm. The thrusts had stopped as well, only a few uncontrolled, small movements of Erik's hips before he remained still, collapsing on top of Charles. He was breathing hard and fast while Charles still felt like he could not draw in any air - or maybe he simply didn't notice that he was already doing it, his chest rising and falling slowly in contrast to the rapid beating of his heart. He only noticed then how hot he was, sweat covering his entire body, only cooling him down slightly with no more but a faint gust of air coming in through the half-open window.
Oops.
“Jesus Christ,” he finally managed to sigh, a breathless chuckle escaping his lips as Charles raised a weary arm and wiped his brow.
Erik's breathing seemed to have calmed down a little as well, and he raised his head to look down at Charles, a look so utterly amazing on his features that Charles couldn't do anything but reach up and kiss him, gently and with nothing more but a tender contact of lips this time.
“Wow,” he said and smiled, brushing a lock of moist hair - half still from sea water, half from sweat - out of Erik's forehead. “You sure you haven't done this before?”
Erik's brow twisted slightly, but he did not seem to take the question seriously, a minuscule smile on his lips mirroring Charles'.
“Unless I'm suffering from amnesia, no,” Erik replied, the teasing tone only lasting for a second as he looked into Charles' eyes, his own gaze so warm and full of affection, joy, that it touched Charles like nothing else, causing a knot to form in his throat and his nose to tingle ever so slightly.
He let out another breathy chuckle. “You must be a natural talent then,” he said, grinning, before he gently wriggled his hips, one hand pushing softly against Erik's shoulder to prompt him to slide out and off of him. Erik settled on Charles' side then, head falling onto the pillow, and Charles could easily imagine that he must feel exhausted as well. But not too exhausted to let one hand run along Charles' upper arm, down to his side and back again as they laid facing each other.
“So, spied on some great white sharks mating then?” Charles asked, the afterglow of bliss making him feel almost slightly drunk, careless and a little silly, maybe.
Erik raised his eyebrows but smiled. “I might have seen a thing or two.”
Charles laughed softly, no energy to let more than a breathy sound leave his lips. He sighed then, though, a smile lingering on his lips as he took Erik's other hand in his, close to their faces, and leaned in to brush a gentle kiss against the knuckles of index and middle finger. “No really, it was wonderful, Erik. Amazing even. I can't remember ever having felt that way.” He hoped Erik believed him, even though such words could often sound like a silly and over-the-top demonstration of momentary emotions, becoming meaningless as soon as the next lover came around. This time, Charles meant it with all his heart, not able to imagine being with somebody else ever again.
“Well, I don't have anything to compare,” Erik said, but the way he shrugged faintly, biting his lower lip almost shyly then, finally, spoke clearly of what he must be feeling and thinking, clearer than any words could have. He leaned in again to kiss Charles, just as tenderly and gently as Charles had kissed him a few moments ago, and they both settled to lie closer, their bodies entwined with Charles' head resting on Erik's shoulder.
“Where did you come from?” Charles sighed, almost more to himself than meant as a real question, but it prompted Erik to raise his head anyway, looking at Charles with a quizzical glance.
“Now you're either suffering from amnesia or I don't understand what you're saying.”
Charles chuckled. “It was just a kind of saying,” he explained, letting his head rest back down on Erik's shoulder, one hand entwining with Erik's above his chest. “Just something to express how amazed and thankful I am to have found you, as cheesy as that sounds.”
“Well... I'm lucky that you found me.”
Charles smiled and briefly glanced up, too tired to raise his head fully and steal another kiss, though. He felt his own brow twist then as he thought about Erik's reaction. “Where did you come from, though? I mean... your kind? If you don't mind me asking.”
“I don't,” Erik replied, smiling, and Charles settled comfortably again, closing his eyes for just a moment. “There's a legend, though I'm not sure it is entirely true. It is said that our kind first came into existence a few hundred years ago when the land-walkers from the east first inhabited the lands on this side of the earth. But they weren't the first who had ever lived there,” Erik spoke quietly, the words sounding as if he was narrating something from memory that had been told to him many times. It probably had. “Indians, is what the land-walkers from the east called the others, a proud people that lived in harmony with nature and everything it offered, unlike those that came here to seek riches and fortune. Some of them, however, settled in the New World, as they called it, having fled from the old one themselves, and many of them befriended the Indians, though as it often is with two kinds of people so different, from such different worlds, they were suspicious of each other, too.”
It was astounding how accurate the legend sounded so far, aside from the fact that, as far as Charles could recall, Native Americans didn't have princes and princesses. But Charles was able to place the historic events perfectly, listening intently even though his body felt sleepy.
“One day, a princess of an Indian tribe who inhabited the shore lands fell in love with one of the other people, but he had already promises to marry one of his own kind. They kept their love secret for a long time and met at dusk by the beach where the villagers never went after daylight. The princess loved the water; she never feared it like the new people did, and...” Erik took a deep breath and made a soft humming noise in the back of his throat, pausing for a long moment.
“What happened then?” Charles asked and briefly raised his head, finding Erik gaze down at him with slightly exasperated amusement.
“I'm trying to remember,” he replied. “The princess had a rare ability. Because her tribe had lived so long as one with the lands and the ocean alike, she could communicate with everything that lived in nature, even with sharks whom the new people feared above all else. She taught her lover how to swim with them without facing danger.”
“That sounds very romantic,” Charles commented, wondering if that was a part where the legend drifted from reality.
“Not for much longer,” Erik replied. “One day, one of the villagers saw them together, and the following night they captured them and accused both of them of witchery. They wanted to burn her on a stake, but her father, the shaman of her Indian tribe, called upon the heavens to release a heavy deluge, and it rained for days and days. The villagers got restless and frightened and, seeking a way to kill the Indian princess, decided to throw her off a high cliff. Her lover, who had been pardoned because the villagers believed her to be blamed for bewitching him as well, was there the day she should die, and she spoke to him and them that the sea could never kill her, and she swore she would become one with it, and she would haunt every one of her murderers, and their children and their children, so it would never again be safe for them to go into the waters. The villagers were frightened of her, some even wanted to take her back into their prison and wait until the rains would stop eventually, but the princess h
ad decided her fate, and her lover knew of it. And together they jumped into the roaring surge of the ocean, never to be seen by any human walking on land. But they did not die; they truly became one with the sea and turned into creatures, half shark, half human. And their descendants were just like them, children of two worlds as their ancestors had been in every sense.”
Erik ended, breathing out a soft chuckle and making a waving gesture with his hand. “Or at least that's what I've been told.”
Charles was quiet for a while, not knowing what to say. Like many ancient tales it sounded mystical and unrealistic in many ways, but it was a tale too wonderful and bittersweet to belittle and try to argue away with logic and science. “It's a beautiful story, Erik. Thank you for sharing that,” he said and lifted his upper body, crawling on top of Erik to press the gentle kiss onto his lips.
“Well,” Erik shrugged faintly. “I suppose it's not less realistic than the story your kind tell each other about how man was created.”
“Oh, you know that?” Charles asked.
“My grandmother had a bible, she gave me an overview,” Erik replied. “I wasn't aware you were that religious, though.”
He seemed dead serious, and Charles stared at him for a moment in mild confusion before he saw the tiniest of twitch around Erik's lips. “Oh! You,” he laughed out, shaking his head as he realized what Erik had been hinting at. “Well, I'm not. At least not under normal circumstances. Also, I don't think it's very pious to utter the Lord's name in such a sinful context.”
“Sinful?” Erik asked with that dry humor in his tone and on his features as he brought a hand up to caress the side of Charles' face. “If this is a sin then I suppose we're going to hell. I don't mean to stop this anytime soon,” he said almost smugly, even lustfully as he brought their lips together again. And, as they continued to kiss, feeling the sleepiness and exhaustion fade and being replaced by arousal growing anew, Charles thought that this really was worth it.
~ TBC ~
Additional Notes
1. The 'warning': Bare-backing. I was pondering this for a while but in the end decided that the use of condoms really wasn't necessary. For me, it felt just a tiny bit awkward to put some odd little plastic thingy on Erik who'd have no idea why. That would have required Charles to explain stuff about all sorts of STDs and kinda killed the athmosphere. Charles knows he is clean, he does complete check ups frequently, and Erik has never been with anybody before. He also didn't bite people, if you're wondering about that ;) Though I suppose a shark eating parts of an HIV positive person would not be infected himself. Completely different metabolism and all. Ah well, enough of those unromantic, unsexy biological ponderings.
Secondly (now this is as an afterword, so better read it after you've read the chapter), if you're interested, here is a video of grey reef sharks mating (great whites have not been filmed mating yet, as far as I know). I wanted to make Erik act and move a little shark-like, because that's part of his nature, too. Hope I got that across properly.
And now, because you had to wait so long, a little something on top ^^
Outtakes
Not to be taken too seriously
Raven and Irene enter the beautiful beach house, arms full of grocery bags (and a cute little dress for Raven, some hot lingerie too.. ehem). Hank and Alex are already sitting in the living room on the sofa, after the girls have dropped them off and decided to finish their shopping alone (shopping for lingerie with guys really isn't a good idea, especially when it's not meant to be seen by them).
“Hey guys, what's up?” Raven asks cheerfully as she sets the groceries down, Irene following her and feeling her surroundings with her white cane.
“Oh nothing. Just sitting here, watching TV,” Alex replies. And why is Hank blushing?
“Where's Charles?”
Alex shrugs. “Being mauled by a shark.”
“WHAT???!” Raven yelps and then hears something equally loud from upstairs. “Oh. OHH!”
“Yeah, that's what Charles has been saying too. That and 'Oh my God' and 'Jesus Christ' and... you didn't buy ear plugs, did you?”
But Raven doesn't reply because she didn't hear Alex, her fingers already firmly stuffed inside her ears while she loudly sings 'la la la la laaaaa'.
“Guess that's a no then.”
~*~
“I'm making men gay!” Moira groans and lets her head fall into her palms, propped onto the kitchen table.
“You didn't make me gay yet,” Sean replies with a grin, and Moira doesn't quite know if he's still high or just... weird, as always.
“That's because we never had sex!” she snaps and then realizes it doesn't make things better.
“Oh but we - “
“Don't say it!” she cuts him off and takes another sip of her wine. She should have gone for tequila. What's worst, worse than the fact that her ex-boyfriend is apparently getting his brains fucked out by a handsome and mysterious stranger, is the fact that he actually snooped around in her things. And found the lube. And her vibrator!! She better doesn't mention to anyone that she named the cute little dolphin Charlie. Well, she got him after the break up, alright?
“Hey Raven, pass me the bottle opener please?” the quiet nerd kid says, but Raven doesn't react. She's got the headphones of her iPod in her ears, swaying her head in tune of the music. Moira waves her hand in front of Raven's face and points at Hank.
“Bottle. Opener.” Hank mouths and points toward it, but Raven doesn't seem to get it.
“Just take out the god damn headphones!” Moira snaps, feeling a headache coming.
Raven seems to understand, her hands reaching for the headphones but stopping before taking them out.
“ARE THEY DONE YET?” she yells, obviously not realizing that the rest of them can hear her just fine.
'Oh fuck, Erik... YESSS!!!'
“No,” Moira mouths and shakes her head, leaning over the table to reach of the opener herself.
Can they all just please leave again, she thinks and lets her head fall onto the table with a thud. It's not nearly as loud as the sound of the bed being pushed against the wall upstairs, though.
Chapter 12