Chapter Text
Small flowers bloomed on the riverbank. It was a beautiful day and Erik was glad he could coerce his boyfriend to spend it outdoors instead of the university labs or the library.
It wasn't easy. Charles had put up a fight, talking about the importance of their research and the finals looming above their heads.
"Liebling, it's Saturday. It's a day of rest. A day of peace. Can we not stress about future things just for one day? Or two? You can go back being mad scientists with McCoy on Monday. Please, just let's take this weekend off. We both need to recharge."
Charles wanted to insist, but Erik had a failproof technic of getting his way. He kissed Charles hard, claiming his lips and efficiently stopped him from talking.
"You little demon," Charles whispered when he got his voice back. "You know I can't resist you for long," he kissed Erik some more before adding, "Let's strike a deal. I will take today off, and we can do whatever you want to do. We will study at home tomorrow since the library is closed on Sundays. And I will take a double shift in the lab on Monday since you have work until 8 anyway. How about that?"
Erik contemplated for a minute before taking Charles's hand and shaking it. "Mr. Xavier, it seems like we have a deal."
Charles lifted one of his eyebrows with a coy grin. "It's always a pleasure to do business with you."
Erik held onto Charles's hand and lifted it to his lips. "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine. But it doesn't have to be."
Charles could feel the blood rushing down in his body from the hungry look in Erik's eyes. He bit his lower lip and caressed Erik's mouth and jaw. "Really? And what have you planned for us today?"
Erik wrapped his fingers around Charles's wrist and pushed it away from his face. Focus. He had to focus. He had a plan, and he will make it happen.
"We will go down to the river, and we will have a nice picnic. The weather is lovely and we've been running from class to work all week, so we need a little fresh air."
Charles was still smirking. "Admit it, you only love that stupid riverside so much because it's called Charles. And I happen to know for a fact, that you love going down... to the Charles. Am I right?"
Erik took a long breath and exhaled slowly, using every bit of his self-control to extract himself from Charles's embrace.
"You are a terrible little minx, you know that? This day is mine and we will spend it outdoors. No more temptation from you, foul demon."
Charles's shoulders sagged a bit, but he let go. Nevertheless, the glint in his eyes stayed the same. This wasn't over yet.
That's how they ended up at the Riverbend, under a blooming cherry tree. Erik had first found this secluded spot on one of his morning runs, and it soon became his favorite place. It looked equally beautiful in every season, whether it was under a thick layer of snow in the winter, full with colorful leaves in the fall, or blooming with the awaking nature like now.
They brought a blanket and Erik was sitting with his back to the tree trunk, legs spread with Charles between them arms crossed on Charles's stomach.
Charles was reading aloud, from the study he was working on, and Erik tried to protest, saying that this day supposed to be free from everything related to work, but Charles seemed to be so enthusiastic Erik gave in.
So he just rested his jaw on his boyfriend's shoulder, listening to him going on and on about DNA sequencing, genomes, and a whole bunch of other things he didn't try to understand.
"You do realize I have no clue about anything you say, right?" Erik asked when Charles stopped to take a swing of his water-bottle. "I mean I'm pretty sure the whole of this is groundbreaking and the work of an academic genius, but I am totally lost."
Charles chuckled and turned his head around to grin at Erik. "I am aware of genetics not being your field of study. But reading it out loud helps me put things into perspective. Working out the kinks and gaps in the methods, realizing what I still need to correct. Or is it very boring?"
Erik leaned down to press a kiss on the edge of Charles's mouth. "Not at all, Geliebter. I like to listen to your voice."
"Such a sap," Charles teased before turning back to his paper.
Sometime later, as the Sun reached its peak, Charles put his work back down and stretched in Erik's arms.
"I'm famished. Did you pack something to eat?"
Erik called his backpack to him by its metal clasps and pulled out two sandwiches and two bottles. A soda for Charles and a beer for himself. "Lunch is served, your highness," he said with a wide grin.
"You are the best, have I told that already? Because you are. Such a boy scout."
"My ability to think forward a little bit is hardly that big of a deal, but believe it or not I was indeed a boy scout for a little while."
Charles, who was about to take a sip from his soda, had a coughing fit from laughing at that.
"You what?? Why have you never told me this? Please tell me there are pictures. It's a shame your mother didn't show me them over the holidays."
Erik shook his head with an eye-roll. "It wasn't for long. It was before my powers had manifested. Mom thought it might help me get some friends. She was wrong. Let's not talk about it."
Charles leaned back into Erik's arms, kissing his neck. "I'm sorry, darling," he said while peppering little kisses all over Erik's neck and shoulder.
"Liebling, eat your lunch. I thought you were hungry."
Charles put his sandwich down onto the blanket before turning and wrapping his arms around Erik's neck. "I never said what I was hungry for."
Erik felt a shiver running down his spine and for a moment he almost gave in to the temptation. But then there was a loud sound coming from the roads not far from them, and it made Erik realize where they were. In public. Where people could see them. The cold dread of being found and God forbid prosecuted for public indecency killed the flame of desire in his crotch and he softly pushed Charles away.
"Behave. Eat your sandwich like a good boy, and maybe we will see about later when we are back home."
Charles pouted dramatically but turned back, only rolling his hips a little as he settled back against Erik's chest.
"This is still not good behavior," Erik scolded him but kept his free hand on Charles's knee.
The day passed quickly. After Charles finished reading his paper and put it back into his bag, they just lay down, enjoying the late-spring Sunshine. Charles rested his head on Erik's chest with his eyes closed and his mind gently wrapping around Erik's.
"I love it when you are relaxed. Your mind is always a wonder, but when it's smooth like this it feels amazing."
"I told you having a rest-day is a good idea. You should realize by now that I'm usually right," Erik answered over their mental link.
"Don't let it go to your head, but I admit that you were right this time. That doesn't mean I won't jump your bones the moment we get back home."
There were a handful of very graphic pictures illustrating Charles's thoughts and Erik concentrated to project the image of him rolling his eyes.
"You are incorrigible, Schatz," Erik whispered but he didn't seem to mind it that much.