The beach isn't completely empty, but its' few occupants have pleasantly gentle thoughts as they play distantly in the sand and on the waves. He shades his eyes from the baking sun above as he lies on his towel, and suddenly Erik eclipses the star as he stands above him.

He's not sure he's ever seen Erik like this. His hair is still slicked, but he's wearing nothing but a pair of light green swim shorts and a slight smile. His eyes are serene. Would you like to go into the water? he asks, and Charles smiles back and extends a hand to his wonderous friend without hesitation, who pulls Charles to sit up before sliding an arm beneath his thighs. He's easily lifted and held in a manner that's a cross between an adult holding a child, and newlyweds crossing the threshold.

With anyone else, this would not be happening. Only Erik is allowed to move him out of reach of his chair, where Charles feels helpless despite his telepathy, and only Erik is trusted to carry him in such a way that would make him feel inferior with anyone else. They walk deep into the water, enough so that the waves lap softly against their chests. No one is looking at the pair, no one cares at all. Charles lets his forehead press against Erik's neck as his lips grow salty from Erik's skin, while he knows his sharp ankles are bumping uselessly against Erik's thighs with the rolling of the ocean.

Erik is tireless as they walk up and down the beach, holding a conversation that no one else can hear. Occasionally, Erik will stop and pull up a coin, a rusted bracelet, an engagement ring from far beneath their feet, handing them to Charles so he can re-assert his grip beneath the other man's thighs. They dip into the water when they get hot, and they both start to burn as the sun makes it's decent across the sky. Later, they will be able to see the patterns of their limbs across each other's bodies, white on red, and maybe they'll be just as pleased and possessive of those marks as they are with their love bites and scratches, despite the ugliness and the pain. Maybe they'll be able to see the bruises where Charles' ankles swung against Erik's body, and maybe Erik's fingerprints will be visible on his Charles' ribs from when the tide tried to separate the two.

Charles will never know. It's but a beautiful dream, after all.