"Are you sure?" said Charles for the eighteenth time, and for the eighteenth time it was superfluous.

Erik said nothing, just grinned his shark grin as he leaned out and surveyed the great sweep of metal before him.

Charles pressed on. "And you just have to do it by jumping off the satellite dish?"

"It worked for Sean, didn't it?"

"Don't remind me. And if you expect me to shove you off, you have another thing coming."

Erik laughed. "Have you no faith in me, sir?"

The telepath rolled his eyes. "I have nothing but faith in you, which in no way means that I am eager to see you smash yourself into a satellite dish."

"Honestly, Charles, are you my partner or my nanny?" said Erik, rolling his eyes in turn.

"Do you want an honest answer?"

They both laughed at that. Erik used the warmth in the laugh to steady and anchor himself, reaching to the lines of force that only he could feel, gathering them and twisting them around his fingers, across his neurons, through his veins. This was where he was at home. With Charles at his side and metal under his feet, he could weave the threads of the world.

He must have been radiating confidence, or joy, or something, because Charles spoke up. "I think you are ready."

"I suppose I am." And with that, and before his partner had a chance to pick up on what he was up to, he grabbed Charles around the waist, ignored the Oh my God Erik what are you doing put me down oh no oh no, closed his eyes, and stepped out into nothing.

When the next fifteen or so seconds failed to produce a resounding and painful impact with reinforced steel, or any sort of falling sensation at all for that matter, Erik opened his eyes. He and Charles were hanging in midair, as steady and peacefully as if they had been doing it since the day Erik's powers had broken through. Magnetism was all around him, tying him to everything, and he was walking it like a net, like a river. Charles was clinging to him in a rather undignified manner, staring around in wonder, because everything was suddenly wonderful.

"Was that panic I heard? Where did all that faith go to, schatz?"

"Oh, I am sorry. I must have lost control when you suddenly manhandled me into gravity no longer existing." Despite the words, Charles' tone is anything but harsh. He's radiating too, smile glowing, words lighter than air.

"Please, Charles, we've always been stronger than gravity." And ten years later they will see a headline in the science section of the Times and remember this and laugh and laugh, but for now there is only them, and the space between their feet and the ground, and the ecstatic happiness in Charles' eyes as their minds reach for each other.

Erik, darling, I am so very proud of you and Charles could get no further in that thought due to being abruptly and insistently snogged.

Oh my God Erik focus please focus but Erik is invincible now, laughing at gravity with this extraordinary man in his arms.

They don't touch down for a long while, and when they do they do it reluctantly, their minds and arms still tangled together.

I think I shall hover everywhere for the next few weeks or so, thinks Erik, laughing again.

You unutterable showoff, replied Charles, leaning closer somehow.

"Groovy mutation."

And with that one chat-up line I apparently lose the ability to ever call you on anything ever.

Well, I'd give you more leeway if it wasn't a chat-up line.

Charles snorts, and they walk arm-in-arm in the general direction of the mansion, feet skimming the tops of the grass as they go.

%%%

Disclaimer: X-Men: First Class and all characters and trademarks therefrom is (c) Marvel, and, by extension, Disney, neither of which are me.