A/N: Here is a little something to say thank you to everyone who is still reading, and an apology for the delay in getting this chapter up. I am really not a sexytimes writer, but I hope I've done this scene a little bit of justice.

Edit: I have upped the rating on this fic, just to be safe. Warning: naughty stuff ahead!

Chapter Twelve: New Game, New Rules

It seemed that no one had noticed how Erik stared at Charles as they returned to the university campus. The students were too busy discussing the evening together, or in Sean's case, trying desperately not to vomit on his shoes. Every now and then Charles had looked up and caught Erik's eye, but the haze of alcohol did not let him see what he should have seen. Even when they had been finally left alone, and Erik's hand had found its way to the small of Charles' back, still Charles did not notice.

Now back at Charles' flat, the early morning silence was deafening. It was broken by the clang of Charles' door key hitting the kitchen table. Erik watched Charles slump down on the sofa, leaning back on the pillow he had given Erik to sleep on. He closed his eyes for a moment and Erik had ample time to look at him, this time, without one of the students disturbing his watch. For the rest of this very long night, Charles was all his, and he was showing no signs of wanting to get up and leave. Falling asleep maybe, but leaving, no.

Walking over to join him, Erik stood before him, waiting for Charles to open his eyes. He hoped he hadn't succumbed to alcohol-induced darkness, because watching Charles all night long and being unable to get, as close to him as he would have liked, had been really frustrating.

As Erik waited, he considered that there really wasn't anything holding them back from each other now. No more excuses, or conversations to hide behind. All that had needed to be said, had been said already, maybe more than once. They both knew what they wanted from each other, and neither was making promises that they were prepared for a relationship of any serious nature. Charles had made that perfectly clear, having not hidden the fact that he was seriously commitment phobic. But despite all of this, they were comfortable with each other, and Erik was hoping that alone would never change. No matter what else might.

Charles eventually found some energy from somewhere and looked up, his eyes still bright underneath his dark lashes. He seemed surprised to find Erik standing in front of him, looking down from above, and a blush settled across his cheeks. Immediately he straightened in his seat, looking uncomfortable. Suddenly Erik lowered himself to his knees, and Charles found himself staring directly into his eyes. Erik's hands were now running up his shins, slowly over his knees and creeping upwards over his thighs.

"What are you doing?" Charles asked, his question sounding more like a demand in his surprise. He tried to move backwards out of Erik's touch, but there was nowhere to go.

Erik's first reply was to dig his fingers into Charles' legs, and stop him from moving. The action took them both by surprise, and Erik loosened his grip immediately.

"What you should have let me do before," Erik answered after an anxious pause. "You going to undo your button? Or are you going to make me do it?"

Charles swallowed hard and looked down at the band of his trousers. The metal button suddenly seemed very imposing. He knew exactly what Erik wanted to do to him, and he'd never felt so nervous. His shaking hand reached for the button, and he somehow unhooked it free. He could feel Erik's eyes burning the back of his fingers, and he could think of nothing to say, and could do nothing but follow Erik's instructions.

Again there was another pause, where Charles felt certain he had ceased to breathe. He could find nothing comfortable on which to rest his gaze, and didn't dare meet Erik's eyes again.

"Now are you going to let me blow you, or are you going to pretend you are better than this?"

Charles saw that he was grinning; Erik's hands had stopped at the top of his legs, his fingers digging in again, making Charles feel vulnerable. Finding his pounding artery and pressing upon it, giving Charles a perverse feeling of pain mixed with something more erotic.

"I hope you know what you are doing Erik," Charles mumbled, Erik's thumb was now making circles dangerously close to… any moment now and…"Erik!" Charles wasn't sure why he had called out. He was still fighting with his own confused feelings, which were shouted many different things.

"Oh, I'm sorry Charles," Erik said sitting back on his heels, and taking his teasing hands away. "You're right, you should go to bed."

His completely straight face made Charles falter. He hadn't really wanted Erik to stop, but he'd been unable to hide his shock and awkwardness about what was happening. But now, he was too embarrassed to ask Erik to continue. He couldn't read anything in Erik's eyes, and not for the first time in Erik's company, the idea to read the other man's mind suddenly occurred to Charles. The thought alone made him blush even further, and he sighed.

"I suppose you are right," he said, pushing himself up until he was standing. As he stood, he caught sight of a smirk that had appeared on Erik's face, but not quickly enough to realise what was happening.

Erik's hands were on his hips, fingers dipping in behind his trousers' waist, and sharply tugging them down. Charles was startled once more, and his hand shot out towards Erik's shoulder to keep his balance. How he was completely exposed before his friend, and realised he'd walked right into that trap.

"I know what I am doing Charles, don't worry," Erik promised. It was not the first time he'd seen what Charles had been hiding from him, but it was the first time he was able to properly get his hands on him. Pushing up his shirt, Erik pressed a kiss to Charles' navel, feeling him shudder slightly at his touch.

Charles closed his eyes, as Erik continued to kiss him; his tongue running past his navel, travelling down, causing Charles' skin to tingle. Gently Charles ran his fingers through Erik's hair, finding it hard to believe Erik was really there, doing this, making his heart race in an erratic beat. Perhaps this was a dream? Or a hallucination? Maybe someone would come and wake him up in a minute and Charles would find himself face down in a gutter somewhere. He wished now that he hadn't so much to drink. Perhaps then he might have been able to stand without his legs shaking, or could partake with a little more enthusiasm, rather than standing shell-shocked as Erik touched him. As it was, all his remaining energy of the night could only be focused in one direction, keeping himself from collapsing into his friend.

"Sit down before you fall down Charles," Erik said gently, pushing Charles back into the sofa. "I don't want to rush."

Oh God, Charles thought. I'm completely out of control. He was so hard now that it was beginning to hurt, and yet he felt terrified at the inevitable prospect that Erik would soon have him, enveloped in his mouth.

Erik was kissing him again, moving further and further down until his tongue met the tip of Charles' cock. Charles' hissed, his head hitting the cushions behind him, his face tilted towards the ceiling. Erik knew that he had him now, there would be no more feigning to be honourable, and denying what they both wanted from each other. Erik appreciated the sentiment, but he was grown man, if things didn't work out, then he'd deal. What mattered right now was this, that Charles had completely surrendered himself to him, and that Erik could finally taste him.

Except Charles didn't 'taste' any better than anyone else Erik had ever met; the bitterness still coated his tongue. For all the alcohol Charles had been sinking since they had first met, it was a wonder the man didn't just explode pure vodka into Erik's mouth. To be honest with himself, being on his knees sucking cock wasn't exactly Erik's favourite pastime. But he'd surprised himself by how desperate he'd been to get inside Charles' pants, and realised his heart has never truly been in it before.

This time was different. This time it was Charles. There was no limit to the things he wanted to do to Charles. The thoughts alone making him blush and go weak at the knees, and suddenly the reality of what he was doing took on a whole new meaning. It was turning him on too, and that was something that had never happened before. Erik didn't know what had happened to him, they were both changing, together.

"I can hear you, you know," Charles revealed, his voice rushed through hurried breathing.

Rather than apologise for his internal monologue, Erik turned his thoughts away and pressed Charles further into his mouth. He let his tongue lick Charles all along his length as he pulled him back out, and then back in.

Good? Erik asked, letting the question take up the whole of his mind. He let his own excited feelings rise for Charles to feel them, to know that he was enjoying himself too.

"Yes," Charles replied shakily. Erik confused him more than ever, his feelings ran contradictory to his thoughts. He could hardly believe that he was as special as Erik was trying to make him feel. He didn't deserve this.

Erik's hands were pressing into his hips so hard that Charles was sure that he was bruising. The action kept him firmly planted on the sofa, as if Erik expected him to try and escape at any moment. It also prevented him from moving in time with Erik's attentions, and the restriction only made him ache even harder. He knew he was close.

You're going to pay me back in kind, aren't you Charles?

Charles heard the teasing question, and found that he'd managed to edge a little closer to Erik. His hands were now in Erik's hair, he was gripping him without even realising he'd moved. He wanted desperately to push himself further into Erik's mouth. That hot tongue was teasing him again, and all of a sudden he felt himself begin to shake, his legs trembled and his hands slipped from Erik's hair to his own thighs.

He felt one of Erik's hands leave his hip, and find his, their fingers linking together. With more freedom, Charles couldn't help but arch his back. He closed his eyes, a wave of panic overcame him as he realised he was about to come. He'd come right in Erik's mouth, and was sure from what he'd overheard in Erik's mind, Erik wouldn't like that.

"Oh, Erik I…"

Erik's tongue left him, a second before Charles finally tipped himself over the edge. Having tried to fight himself, it only resulted in making his orgasm last for longer. For a moment he was sure he'd blacked out, until slowly the world before him came back into focus, and he found that Erik was no longer kneeling in front of him, but sitting beside him of the sofa.

"I thought I'd lost you there for a moment," Erik remarked. His eyes were shining, and now coming out of his haze, Charles realised that he was still completely exposed, whilst Erik still looked immaculately put together.

Hurriedly Charles pulled his clothes back on with trembling hands.

"So, what am I going to do with this?" Erik asked, he held up his hand. Charles flushed as he realised it was sticky; Erik had caught him in his hand, rather than his mouth. Charles had guessed right, but now he was being teased once more.

"Well I suppose I can think of a few things… but we'll leave the kinky stuff for now, hey Charles?" Erik said, standing and walking into the open kitchen. Charles watched him wipe his hands on a tea towel.

"Please put that in the bin Erik," Charles said. He was all for being open-minded, but that tea towel had now lost all of its innocent charm.

"Such a waste," Erik said, doing as Charles instructed. The flip bin lid swung on its hinge for a moment, before coming to a stop. They were silent again. "You don't look very satisfied Charles…"

"It's just… You shouldn't have done that Erik, you didn't enjoy it…"

No, that's just it Charles… I did. Maybe too much. "But you look as if you're not going to let me touch you again," Erik said, finishing his thoughts in words. He walked closer to Charles; he bent slightly and touched Charles' face, stroking his fingers down the side of his face.

"I'd do anything for you Charles," Erik promised. You just have to let me. "You are going to let me, aren't you?"

Charles smiled, but he couldn't shake the small doubt that kept eating at him, that he didn't deserve to be treated so well. It had always been him on his knees, always trying to prove himself. No one had given to him what Erik had, and then expected nothing in return. He didn't know how to react, but with nervousness.

He nodded and Erik smiled.

"Good, now go to bed Charles."