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The scars were there. Still red, but no longer so thick. They were jagged, two of them, one larger, one a thin line branching off from the main injury. It had occurred when Charles had Shifted shape while the shot wound had already started to heal.
Sleeping in anything but pajamas wasn’t Charles’ style, but the sudden heat wave that had hit Westchester had changed that; he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt to bed. That t-shirt had ridden up over night, showing a lean back, pale and muscled, interrupted by the scars.
Erik looked at the injury that had happened half a year ago. He still remembered the shock of hearing about Charles being shot and his own substantial rage. He hadn’t given in to it, had been with his lover to protect him, to see him through the pain and the confusion and then the healing.
Charles moved a little and Erik watched the shirt slip over the scars. Hidden from sight once more, but never out of his mind.
Never, never… never at all.
One day he would find those responsible and he would make them pay. He was a Shark. He was a predator. He killed his enemies and he protected what was his. Charles was his. His lover, his mate, his alone. No one had any right to harm Charles.
The other Shifter moved again and mumbled something. Erik felt the telepath’s mind reach out and he opened his own, letting him anchor. Charles was probably not even aware of doing it.
Instinctual.
It warmed him, honored him, made him so proud. Erik in his Shifter form would be a danger to the forest rat that was Charles, though in a natural habitat both animal forms would never cross paths. The two humans had, though. And they had found something very special, something strong, unbreakable.
Charles was waking and Erik leaned over him, kissing the nape of his neck, warm and slightly sweaty from the heat. It was early morning and today promised to be as hot as yesterday, but Erik already had plans.
Involving water.
Lots of water; like the ocean. And the two of them swimming.
“Swimming, huh?” Charles mumbled, blue eyes cracking open. A smile graced his lips.
Erik smiled back. “Yeah.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“A good plan.”
He kept nuzzling the other’s neck. A light bite had Charles hum. Erik bit a little harder. The other Shifter turned onto his back, eyes filled with warmth.
“Didn’t get enough last night?”
“I can never get enough of you.”
“Insatiable.”
“You are just too delicious.” Erik nuzzled the hollow of Charles’ neck.
“Do I have to be worried now?”
“Hmmm…”
Charles slipped his hands into the tousled, dark hair of the Shark. “Me being prey…”
“Mine.”
“Yours,” Charles confirmed, fingers playing with the hair, carding, raking, through it.
Erik teethed a special place, the skin reddening but not breaking. His mind reached out to the metal everywhere in the room, focusing on the ornamental addition to the wooden head of the bed. The metal flowed under his command, crawling like tendrils of himself, an extension, over the mattress.
“Erik…” There was a light hitch in the telepath’s voice due to the fact that Erik’s hand was in a strategic position. “It’s too warm…”
“Really.”
Because Charles was interested. Very interested. The tendrils brushed over the smooth skin, curling around the slender arms and immobilizing them gently over Charles’ head.
His lover. His. Only his. Possessive need rushed through him like a fever.
No one would ever hurt him like that again. Charles was his and whoever had put the scars on him, he would pay one day. Erik wouldn’t forget. He could only chase the memories away for now, take possession of the one being he loved so much it was impossible for him to put it into words.
The blue eyes regarded him with trust and need and love.
Complete trust despite the almost submissive gesture.
But Charles was anything but submissive. He was anything but prey. He was more powerful than Erik could fathom. If this went too far, one thought was enough, one sharply placed command…
::I trust you:: the telepath sent.
It humbled him. It made him want to worship this being with everything he had. The predator was nothing, the Shark was no one, beside this man.
Erik removed the flimsy obstacle the shirts represented and wrapped his hand around Charles’ dick, stroking leisurely, grinning more when his lover arched into the friction. It wasn’t that warm yet and the breeze coming through the window was helping, but the flush to Charles’ features had nothing to do with the weather. Blue eyes widened, the lips glistened wetly where he had run his tongue over them and those sounds… Erik would have to be made of stone not to react to the needy little noises, the way Charles’ mind pushed at him, how the lithe muscles moved to his touch…
He claimed that mouth, diving into the kiss, wanting more and needing more. He slid his own hard length against Charles’, trying to keep them close together. Charles jerked a little, stuttering a breath, whispering his name.
Sliding down the semi-bound man, Erik ran a teasing tongue over the straining hardness, delighting in the sounds he drew from Charles. With a thought he commanded his metal extension to turn his lover around, drawing a yelp, then a deep moan when he paid attention to the more than ready hole with his fingers.
The scars were bright against the pale skin.
Erik leaned down, kissing them, teasing, caressing, tracing each one.
Charles had stilled, his breathing harder, very much aware of the significance, and he urged Erik on. Quietly, calmly, accepting the need for the Shark to examine the marks. They would never disappear, only whiten with age.
Erik slipped two fingers into him, spreading them. Charles’ hands clenched into fists and his ass lifted.
“In me,” he managed. “Please!”
Erik was so close, he didn’t really hear the words, only understood the need, and he pushed into the tightness of his lover. Charles arched against him with a hiss. They had slept together last night and he had been prepared, but no new lube had been added. Erik stilled, his brain kicking into gear and realizing that he hadn’t…
::No, please, now, move:: Charles begged. ::Move!::
Because the telepath was logged firmly into the pleasure, into the lust, and he needed this now. He needed it like he needed air. Hands clawed at Erik, pulled him closer, bodies slick with sweat sliding against each other.
Erik pushed deeper, drawing an appreciative moan. Blunt nails dug into his skin and his hips drove forward once more.
Pleasure sparked through him. Pleasure and almost rabid list. The need to feel it. The hunger for Erik.
He couldn’t last long like that, the pace hard and fast and almost punishing. Too brief, too intense, the orgasm ripping through him and his mind sliding away as he felt Charles’ as well.
So gorgeous. So wonderful. All his. His lover, his mate. No one else. He wanted to protect this man, wanted to keep his safe and from harm, but Charles wasn’t a weak human. He wasn’t a weak mutant either. He was strong and his own person, never to be cuddled or belittled.
Erik was insanely proud and terribly scared in one.
Metal unwound and Charles turned onto his back, looking breathless and sated. Erik looked at him in the stunned amazement he had come to associate with facing this man. He reached out and splayed his hand over the other Shifter’s stomach, feeling every heave as Charles breathed.
::I love you:: Charles sent.
Erik smiled, caressing the hot skin. ::I love you. Come with me? To the beach?::
To cool off. To swim. To be there together, near Erik’s element. Be with Erik in the water…
Charles caught the idea and chuckled. “As long as you stay human.”
The Shark stared at him, flabbergasted. “What?!”
Charles sat up, grinning. He reached for the unshaven face, brushing their lips together. “I want you, too. In the water. But human.”
Erik was shocked that his lovely rat Shifter would even think that he would want…
And then he caught the laughter.
“You little…!” he exploded, eyes dancing.
Charles Shifted into what Erik was about to call him, swiftly evading the pillow hurled his way, and the chocolate brown forest rat dove through the open window and onto the roof. Erik had a moment to be terrified, then he jumped toward the window. They were on the second floor, for crying out loud!
He hadn’t counted on the fact that the roof sloped a little underneath and the rain faucet was the perfect way down. Charles looked like was having fun as he slid over the tiles, then neatly down the faucet like using a fireman’s pole. Laughter echoed through Erik’s mind and he shook his head.
If not for public decency and shocking the children in the manor, he would have run to the beach naked. As it was, he pulled on a pair of sweats, then followed Charles, who was waiting for him on a boulder, looking smug.
“You are one kinky rat,” Erik remarked.
::Just adapting to my environment::
The rat Shifted and Charles leaned back against the boulder in all his glory, looking smug and rather suggestive. Erik stepped over him, leaning down to claim that tempting mouth.
“You really want to swim naked?” he murmured, pulling the smaller man against him.
“You prefer the furry version?” came the tease.
A fresh breeze came in from the ocean, cooling their skins. Erik enjoyed the smell of the salt and the sea, and he would love to be in the water with Charles.
In the end they made love on the beach, the waves gurgling gently around them as they lost their momentum and flowed over the wet sand. There was sand everywhere and washing it off proved to be almost too erotic for the Shark. Erik had to fight himself not to take Charles once more. Not that his loveable little rat did anything to discourage him.
Not at all.
*
The sun was already setting. Erik’s skin was dry again, warm from spending so much time outside. He rolled onto his back and pushed himself up on his elbows, smiling when he found that Charles had taken his own precaution against sunburns: he had Shifted. Erik tanned but didn’t burn. Charles was pale by nature and when he did take on a little color it was usually with a burn beforehand.
Erik reached over and tickled the fur on Charles’ stomach, drawing a twitch from the small paws. The rat yawned and suddenly Shifted. Charles kissed his lover, tasting of the beach, the ocean, the waves and the wind. His hair was messy and Erik smelled the salt and the sand in it.
“Weather’s changing,” Erik said, gazing at the innocent clouds just over the horizon. “We’ll get another Low.”
“Ororo mentioned it,” Charles replied, scratching dry sand off Erik’s skin. It flaked off easily. “We should go back.”
Erik felt a flicker of… hunger. He grinned. Charles was hungry, which was no surprise since they had skipped a meal. He kissed him again, then stood and pulled on his sweats. Charles, who had come here in his Shifter form, was still naked.
The Shark raised an eyebrow and his lover chuckled, then shifted back and scampered over the beach. Erik followed.
Food sounded good. Food and coffee, then some more time with Charles. Yep, that sounded not bad at all.