The sky was a perfect blue. Clear, barely any clouds – just a hint of white painted across the azure – and the sun was shining brightly. A fresh breeze came in across the ocean. Tiny flowers were blooming everywhere, a rage of colors among the gray stones. The sea was calm, almost peaceful, and near the horizon a fishing boat was silhouetted against the sky.

Charles sat outside the Westchester lighthouse, enjoying the fresh air, the hint of salt and sea in the air. The lighthouse had just been recently renovated, now a bright white with a red roof. It had been left empty for decades, the beacon no longer necessary for ships' traffic, but with the revival of Westchester as a village to live, the lighthouse had been reopened as well. While its beacon no longer shone, it was now a place to live in. A young man had moved in, a Cursed whose ability it was to control elements. Not unlike Storm, Ororo Munroe, but his abilities were linked to water.

Watching the man in question, Charles kept a close eye on matters. Liam Kee had come to Xavier manor six months ago, following the hope that he could live somewhere he wouldn't be cast out of the community because he was a mutant. Charles had told him that everyone was welcome, either at the school or the town. Liam had chosen the lighthouse and had taken to renovating it. It had been months and while it looked good from the outside, he still had a lot of work to do on the inside. At least water and electricity worked.

Right now he stood at the bottom of the rocky outcropping that was the end of the small peninsula with the lighthouse at its very tip. The sea was still calm, but just in front of him, a whirlpool had opened and was steadily growing. Charles smiled, aware how much Liam had learned. From creating gigantic waves that usually were his only way of defending himself, he had now learned to use his powers with more control.

Someone slipped down onto the sunwarmed stone beside him. Charles glanced at the tall, dark dressed man, felt a hand brush over his back, then his concentration was back on Liam.

The whirlpool collapsed and suddenly there was no water there any more. It was like looking down a well to the bottom of the ocean. Liam smiled and Charles mirrored it.

"He's learning," Erik remarked.

Elbows resting on his knees, hands hanging loosely, his sharp eyes were on Charles' student. He appeared casual, but he was far from it.

"Very quickly now that he can train," the other Shifter agreed. "All his prior usage was out of panic to defend himself. He was never shown the finer nuances of his powers."

Erik looked at him, those gray eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. "Like many."

Like himself. Charles had opened his mind to his potential, his full potential, and he was still learning his limits. So far he had struggled with some of the exercises he had set himself, but he had always managed to take another step.

Charles let their minds touch, a soft brush over his senses, like fingers interlacing with his, like a kiss, a gentle caress over his face, and Erik almost leaned into the non-existent touch. A burst of affection ran through Charles' mind and he shivered, aware of just how deep their connection was. Well, he had always been aware of it, had actually initiated the whole thing, but it astounded him just how much Erik had let happen. He hadn't fought him; maybe he had verbally exploded for a split second, had been angry that Charles had established the connection without asking first. But it had really been brief; after that they had simply slid together as if it was only natural.

The wind tousled his lover's hair, made it unruly and wild. Erik looked younger, relaxed, free. Charles had seen the other man so often, but he could never get enough of that sight, of the shields falling, the masks evaporating, only Erik and no one else reflected in those deep sea grays.

A pillar of water rose and Charles turned back to his student. Liam was playing the water fountains like a conductor, letting them twist and turn, jump and splash back into the ocean. Foam bubbled on the top of perfect waves, smoothing out into nothing but gentle water lapping at the rocks.

Erik leaned back onto his elbows, face into the sun, eyes closed behind his shades. The wind picked up the dark strands, playing with them, and Charles watched him, mesmerized despite knowing this man so well by now. Erik was handsome; beautiful. He was perfection for the other Shifter. He was lean and athletic and deadly and fast and so wonderful; he was Charles' anchor, balm on his telepathic mind, a calm center of iron control that let the telepath come down from a psychic high. Sometimes he wondered if he wasn't taking more than he could possibly offer the other man in return.

::I could ask the same:: Erik's voice was suddenly in his head. ::You've got a predator linked to your little rat self.::

Charles laughed. ::You think I'm prey?::

What he heard was almost a purr. ::Mine, of course::

He leaned over the other man, looking into the eyes hidden behind the shades. ::Yours. And my question still stands: do I take more than this could possibly give you?::

Erik curled a hand around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. ::Don't you think I'd have already complained?::

::Hm, you have such good manners::

The Shark smiled when they parted. ::Do I detect a hint of irony?::

A spray of droplets had Charles laugh and sit up, grinning as he caught Liam's slightly embarrassed looks. "Sorry, Professor!" the elemental Cursed called.

A wall of water rose behind him, perfectly shaped, stable and impressive. Liam flicked it away and smoothed the seas again.

"Uh, I think I've got enough for today."

"Tomorrow?" Charles asked.

"Sure. Same time?"

The telepath nodded. "I'll be here."

With a quick glance at the other Shifter beside his teacher, Liam disappeared.

Erik smirked. "Think I scared him away?"

"No. He didn't feel afraid. More like he didn't want to interrupt."

x x x x

The Shark ran his hand over the left thigh of his lover, then kissed him again. Charles tasted the warmth and the ocean on Erik's lips, the wildness of the sea that was the waterbound Shifter's second home. There was salt on his skin and the taste of the infinity that was the Atlantic. Charles was landbound, had never been a waterbound Shifter, but everything inside Erik recognized him as the perfect mate, the only mate. And when they were in the water together, nothing could compare.

The sound of the waves, the warmth of the sun, the breeze, it all mixed in with the presence of his lover, his adorable rat, and he felt possessiveness rise. Ever since Charles he had found an inner peace that had never been there before. Even the bouts of anger when Logan was his asshole self, when he deliberately tried to get a rise out of the Shark – and usually got it – couldn't destroy this.

::I've got everything because of you:: he told the other man. ::I've got you. I never knew it, but I needed you. You are part of me::

Charles looked at him, wonder on his features, and he reached over to run explorative fingertips over Erik's skin. It was like cool trail of fire for the waterbound Shifter. It aroused him, it calmed him, it had him hyper-aware of everything around him, and then again only of Charles Xavier.

He caught that hand and interlaced their fingers, laying back once more and drawing his lover with him, a solid weight on his chest. Charles folded his hands under his chin, resting on the muscular chest, gazing at Erik with a faint smile.

"Is this foreplay to get me to swim?" he asked playfully.

Erik grinned, running his fingers over the sweater-clad back. Charles used one hand and pushed the shades up his nose, smiling more.

"It is, isn't it?"

The Shark slipped a hand under the sweater and found naked skin. It was warm enough to forego additional clothing and for himself, who was used to a lot colder temperatures, it was downright hot. Add Charles to that, he was feeling hot and bothered.

"Hm, maybe," he teased. "Would you come with me?"

"I did bring my diving suit."

Back at the lighthouse. Charles had brought some essentials along for training with a water elemental. If Liam had decided to go out into the ocean or up the ante on his training, Charles would have changed into the protective suit.

Erik felt a spike of Want. Charles clearly picked it up because he sat up. Erik mourned the loss of the solidity that was Charles, but the promise of joining him in the ocean was just too good.

"Let me get changed." The other Shifter rose. "I'll see you in a minute."

Erik watched the smaller man leave, admiring the easy grace of his lover, the way he made his way up to the lighthouse with an agility that spoke of his Shifter side. He had admire it before, especially in bed, where Charles was far from meek or inexperienced. He was rather adventurous and endearingly experimental. Some might call it kinky.

The Shark got to his feet and slipped out of his clothes, then dove into the ocean. The cool water enveloped him and he cherished it, felt his spirits soar as he dove and then resurfaced. Still human, still breathing air, he grinned widely as Charles reappeared. Dressed in a black and yellow neoprene suit he looked even more his slender self. The material was thick enough to insulate him against the cold, but it did display the long, lean lines of his body very nicely.

Charles slipped into the water and closed his helmet, opening the oxygen tanks on his back. Erik hadn't thought he would be diving in his rat form, though it wasn't an unusual occurrence. Shifting, the shark swam around his partner, gently nosing up to him. Charles chuckled and brushed across the sensitive organ, then grabbed the offered dorsal fin.

And off they were.

x x x x

Both men returned at sundown, looking happy, relaxed, and completely at peace with themselves. Anyone looking at Erik Lensherr that moment wouldn't have believed he was a dangerous, lethal Shifter who would kill anyone who threatened what he loved and protected.

The sun painted a deep orange over the water, the clouds that had come in burning in purple and orange and a dark blue. Charles looked up into the evening sky, the breeze drying his hair and the droplets off the neoprene. It was still warm, a perfect summer day. He had enjoyed it, like he enjoyed every swim with his partner. Summer usually came in a burst of warmth and blooms and sunny skies, only to be chased away by the autumn storms that threatened to bring snow too soon for many who lived here.

Right now there wasn't a whiff of changing seasons.

Erik picked up his clothes and pulled on his pants and shirt for decency. He didn't care who saw him, but he knew it was good manners. Charles peeled out of the diving suit and stored everything at the lighthouse. Liam wasn't there, but the door was open. He would have to refill the oxygen tanks before the next dive, but not tonight.

"Hungry?" he asked his lover.

Erik grinned. Charles only rolled his eyes when he caught the very clear thoughts.

"Food, Erik. Rosa said to come over if we wanted something. She has leftovers."

"Do we look so starved that the woman wants to feed us every time we come here?" the Shark grumbled.

Charles chuckled and slipped both arms around the narrow waist. "I think you're just perfect."

Erik framed the smooth face, placing a gentle kiss on the reddish lips. The salt had him flash back to the hours spent together in his own element, of the trust and the love Charles had given him, of the heavy center of calmness the little rat represented for him.

"You're hungry," he murmured, licking at the tasty lips.

He could feel it. A light rumble of Charles' stomach and the anchor told him the rest.

"I could eat. We can take it with us."

Charles had a place to sleep in town since he spent a good amount of time here each month. It was a clear offer and Erik was very much looking forward to the small house that was overlooking the bay. Big enough for two. Cozy. Their own.

So that's where they went, laden with more food that even a 'growing boy like you', as Rosa called Erik, could safely eat. That Rosa thought that Charles was underweighed and needed more food was amusing; that she had forced him to eat a sweet roll while she watched had been hilarious. Charles usually complained that he was gaining a small belly. Erik had no complaints and found the softer body compared to his own harder lines very pleasant.

From the quirked eyebrow his lover had picked up on that and he smiled back, letting lust bleed into his reply. Charles cleared his throat and pushed open the door.

"One track mind," he murmured, depositing the boxes of food on the kitchen counter.

Erik ran an openly appreciative eye over his partner's backside. "Can you blame me?"

Charles scowled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're in heat."

"With you around, constantly."

"Oh, that's bad, Erik. Really bad."

He laughed, throwing his jacket over the soft white couch. The windows were floor to ceiling, overlooking the bay, showing them the last of the spectacle of sunset. Erik had no eyes for the natural beauty. He regarded Charles with new hunger, make a quick motion with his hand to lock the door and close the curtains.

x x x x

Dinner came later. Much later.