Disclaimer: Honestly, does it look like I own anything from the Marvel universe?
Rainy Night
Xavier's Institut was quiet even though a group of guests had been added to the number of mutants already living inside its walls. It'd been two weeks since Apocalypse was stopped, but the whole thing was still too fresh to let pass by. Some of the mutants were suffering from nightmares and couldn't sleep, some, on the other hand, slept more than usual - but all of them were glad for the peace that ruled the mansion.
In the library, three men sat around the table, talking quietly.
Magneto, dressed in normal clothes for once, took a sip from his mug and grimaced when he realized his tea had got cold. Putting it down, he asked: "So you think we could actually cooperate like this, Charles? For some time at least?"
Xavier smiled: "I have no problem with that, my friend. As long as the kids don't start killing each other, that is," he added.
Logan chuckled: "That will happen anyway, Chuck. But don't give up hope," he patted Charles on the back and stood up.
Stretching his arms, he said: "I'll have to leave you, guys, it's getting late and I'm not as young as I used to be," he smirked. "Good night."
The second the door closed behind him, Erik grinned maniacally, shot up, grabbed a chess set from a near shelf and started laying it out on the table. Charles raised an eyebrow at him and then started laughing: "Don't tell me you missed our games so much!"
Erik shrugged: "What can I say? I haven't played properly since we went our separate ways." He finished the game preparations and asked: "Black like usual?"
With a sigh and a smile, Charles nodded and wheeled closer to the table.
Half an hour later, Erik's king fell. He stuck his tongue out at Charles in response.
"So immature, my friend? Tsk tsk. The children are a bad influence, I see," chuckled Xavier. Erik smirked and reached for his tea. Leaning back in his chair, he looked out of the window. His expression suddenly changed from relaxed to surprised. A mix of emotions flashed on his face and he slowly put his mug down.
Standing up, his stare never leaving the world behind the glass, he said: "Will you excuse me, Charles? There is something I...have to do."
Charles raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to say something, but Erik was already out of the door. The telepath considered checking the surroundings of the mansion for visitors, but then he sighed and started picking up the chess figures. He was quite sure he already knew who it was.
A woman made her way through the park around the mansion. She was almost at the gate when a deep voice behind her said quietly: "Raven."
She spun around, hands curled into fists. "What do you want, Magneto?" she hissed, emphasizing the last word. Erik stared at her for a while, aware of her anger and considering how he should go about this. Then he simply replied: "To apologize."
Her whole stance was saying you're hilarious, but he saw something flash deep inside her yellow eyes.
Encouraged by that, Erik took a few steps towards her.
"I've made quite a lot of mistakes in my life, Raven. Turning my back on you was perhaps the biggest one, and I'm sorry. That's what I wanted to tell you. If there's one thing Apocalypse made me realize, it's that the people you care about are the only truly important thing in your life and you should do everything in your power to keep them safe. And yes, I'm aware of how cliché this sounds," he added when he saw her eyebrows go up, "but I think I have the right for that at my age, don't you think?" the corners of his mouth twitched upwards.
"We haven't always seen eye to eye and we've both fought against each other quite a few times, but... I care about you. More than I was willing to admit just a few weeks ago. And I failed you. And for that, I'm sorry."
"And why exactly should I believe your lies, Erik?" Raven asked, crossing her arms on her chest. "What do you get out of me coming back?"
Magneto smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Nothing, my dear. Absolutely nothing. This isn't about you coming back or me having a grand plan for the future. I'm actually planning to stay here for a while, help Charles teach the kids. I think I need the change. This is a fresh start for all of us and I want to use it well. So, like I said, this is me, apologizing. What you do next is entirely up to you."
The defiance and fury in Mystique's posture faltered. It was enough to make Erik speak again.
"Besides, I'm sure your children would be glad to see you."
For an instant, he was afraid that he'd said too much, that she'd pull away and run off into the night. But then she sighed and the tension in her body disappeared, replaced by weariness.
"That I'm not so sure about. It's...complicated."
"It always is with children," replied Magneto, carefully watching her.
"God, why can't you just be your usual high and mighty self?"she exclaimed suddenly, throwing her hands in the air. "It would make this so much easier!"
"I almost killed everyone I care about. That gives you some perspective, Raven."
She scoffed.
"Perspective or not, I don't belong anywhere near my children, they've made that pretty clear, and I've got bad history with everyone inside that house anyway."
Erik laughed, unable to stop himself.
"Bad history? My dear Raven, have you seen me the last couple of years? And the decades before that? As I said, this is a fresh start."
They stared at each other, an uncomfortable silence surrounding them.
As if on a cue, it started to rain. Erik couldn't help but marvel at the way the drops of water splashing against Raven's blue skin reflected the light from the park lamps in the distance, making her look like a rare sparkling gem.
She was one, that he knew. Beautiful and rare and flexible and tough and harsh and cruel and determined. His greatest ally, once.
She could be that again.
He knew he'd like her to.
Raven was the first to break the silence, wiping her face with her hands as she spoke.
"See? Even the weather thinks this is a stupid idea."
Erik raised an eyebrow: "I hate to, eh, rain on your parade, but sudden changes in the forecast are quite usual lately. Ms Munroe's working hard to regain her control, I understand, but it's not that easy."
"No, I was refering to the past," Raven sighed. "Do you remember when I agreed to work with you?"
"Of course. San Francisco. That hotel with the hammock in the garden," smiled Erik involuntarily, memories creeping to the surface of his mind.
"Exactly! San Francisco! The hotel! Sunset! Rain! With a bloody rainbow! And you looking like a damn underwear model with that wet hair of yours!" she pointed an accusing finger at him.
They started laughing at the same time, simply for the sheer absurdity of the situation.
"What I wanted to say," said Raven after managing to catch her breath, "is that I was naïve and idealistic and you were too damn charming for your own good. And look where that got us."
Erik slicked his hair back from his face and smiled.
"I wouldn't say it was such a bad decision, darling. And have you considered that the weather is indicating we should try and start over?"
"Oh, so now the rain is a sign of fate?" Raven raised her eyebrow.
"Alright, I surrender, I'm not the material for a Broadway musical," said Erik, placing his hand over his heart. Then his expression grew serious again.
"Raven, like I said before, I'm not here to force you or to demand anything. I'm here to apologize and to offer a fresh start - if you want it. We can talk, we can keep staring at each other through the rain, we can go our separate ways. Your choice."
Silence.
Then Raven smiled, a shark-like smile that made the hair at the back of Erik's neck stand.
"Kiss me," she said, stepping closer.
That wasn't what Erik had expected, but he wasn't going to complain.
His hands cupping Raven's head, his neck bent at the oh-so-familiar angle, their lips met.
Erik felt something inside him shift and move, a hunger he hadn't felt in years, and as the rain poured over them, he was drowning in the kiss, in the feeling of having Raven close after such a long time.
And then the passion got extinguished in a blink of an eye when something sharp jabbed into his neck and Raven slowly pulled away.
"I cannot trust you," she said as she kept pressing the plastic shard - or whatever it was - to his skin, "not the way I used to. Maybe I'll find a new way, after some time, I don't know. But this is just a reminder that I'm no longer your employee, that you can no longer boss me around, that you don't own me. You might've changed, but I'll be the judge of that. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," nodded Erik carefully. Raven hid her weapon as quickly as she pulled it out.
"Great," she said, the shark-like smile on her lips once more. "Now, let's go inside, shall we?"
Behind a nearby bush, three girls had their fists in their mouths to prevent themselves from making any sound. When the two mutants lifted above the ground and flew in the direction of the mansion, they turned to each other with wide eyes.
Kitty was the first to break the silence: "Not making any conclusions, but it seems like you two are gonna be, like, sisters soon."
She immediately received two jabs in the ribs, each from one side.
Rogue stared at the place Magneto and Mystique just vacated and said thoughtfully: "I've never thought I'd live to see something like this."
Wanda snorted. "YOU tell me something about that!"
"...exactly whose idea was it to take a stroll into the night again?" asked Kitty.
Silence.
"I suggest we get back to the mansion and...try to forget this ever happened. Agreed?" asked Rogue slowly.
"Agreed," said Kitty and Wanda unisono.
That plan didn't exactly work out for the girls, though it was not for a lack of trying from their side. It was simply rather difficult to think about anything else when the first thing they heard in the morning was Logan growling at Magneto about being woken up in the middle of the night by floating above the bed.
Magneto's nonchalant attitude, however, wasn't shaken by the feral mutant's outburst. He simply stepped to the side - and Mystique appearing in the doorway and leaning against the doorframe with one eyebrow raised questioningly left even Logan speechless.
Several arguments followed, some of them quite loud.
But, in the end, things worked out. Somehow.
The Institut adapted to the change with the flexibility it was known for and though it took some time, eventually even Mystique - albeit reluctantly - lent a hand with training of the young mutants, claiming it physically hurt to see the same mistake being done over and over again.
And the world kept on turning.
If you like it then you should put a review to it, right...?
~hervissa :)