These are a collection of vignettes from Azazel's point of view, which deal with the events in Living a Life Unexpected and A Normal Life.
~&Q~
He could feel her eyes on him, but didn't turn. He continued his work, sharpening his knives for the upcoming mission. She simply stood behind him, not interrupting, as if waiting for him to turn. Finally he did.
"What is it, Mystique?"
The blue woman took a seat behind him, her body language timid. It was odd, he'd not seen her this way in a long time. Her time with the Brotherhood had hardened her greatly, and right now she seemed to be closer to the girl who'd first joined years prior. "I wanted to come see you."
"You see me," he responded, going back to his sharpening. Their relationship was so odd, so hot and cold. In a way, he preferred it like that. She fought the same battles he did, he didn't want to become too close to her. It could compromise them. At the same time, they found comfort in each other frequently. They were and weren't a couple. He enjoyed her company but he didn't love her. In his work, he had no time for love. He had some semblance of a family far away, who he'd visit when he could. They weren't near this war, and he liked it that way. They were what he needed, not this.
"Yes," she hedged, playing with her fingers. "Magneto took me off the mission, you know."
"He did?" Azazel lifted a brow and turned to her again. This was an odd strategic move. Mystique's powers were invaluable, as were his. They were never removed from a mission.
"Yes," she responded, not meeting his eye.
"Stupid of him," Azazel turned back to his work. "You can get inside, find information. He expect us to go in blind?"
"I'm not fit for duty," she told him.
He shook his head. "Magneto makes stupid decisions. Not fit. How are you not fit?"
"Because I'm pregnant."
Azazel felt the blood rush from his face as her statement settled in. Pregnant? He turned slowly to her, eyes wide. Mystique's own eyes were full of fear. "It's why my powers have been so out of whack. And why I've been so tired. I'm pregnant, four months is what they're telling me."
"You are-" he let out a huge breath, feeling punched in the gut. He dropped his knives and his hands moved to rub his eyes. "How can this be? We have been careful-" he paused as he went over their sexual encounters in his head. They had been careful, hadn't they?
"I don't know," she shrugged, looking down. "But it happened. I'm pregnant, going to have a baby."
"A baby," he let out another breath, as if the revelation that a baby would be the result of this pregnancy was a surprise. He felt unsteady and was grateful he was already sitting. She was having a baby, she was having his baby. He would be a father. "Ebanatyi pidaraz."
"I don't know what to do here," she started.
His head snapped to her. "What you mean?"
"With a baby. What the hell are we going to do with a baby, Azazel?" tears formed in her eyes. Azazel saw the girl from the past more clearly now.
He shook his head. Deep inside him he felt a resolve. What were they going to do? The answer was simple. Raise the child. He'd long ago given up the concept of ever getting married and having children. It seemed unreasonable in this world. He had little desire to marry Mystique, but he wouldn't abandon her. And he certainly wouldn't abandon the child. This baby had no choice, he was put there by his parents. While Azazel would have happily never had children, never brought a mutant child into this world that was so unfair, he would take care of one who was given. "We will have baby and take care of it," he moved to her side, tenderly caressing his hand through her hair.
"How on Earth are we going to do that? In a place like this?" she lifted her hands to indicate the Brotherhood. It was not an ideal place for an infant, that was sure.
"We go somewhere else. The three of us," his hand moved to her stomach. "I can take job that will get us money. And we leave here, find our own way."
"I can't just leave Magneto," she shook her head. He was angered slightly by this admission, but he knew how much Magneto meant to her. He decided not to argue, rather wait. Once the baby was born, she'd make the right decisions. Whether they stayed or went, they'd do right by the child.
"We will figure out," he said gently, his hand still rubbing over her stomach. "Moya rebenok."
As he sat beside her, his mind wandered back to a long forgotten conversation with Margali. As young adults, first truly coming into their own, just after she'd started dating Johan. Discussing their intentions for their lives to come. He'd filed this conversation and everything attached to it away long ago as an impossibility, but now it seemed to fit. She told him, she looked forward to marrying one day, and hoped Johan would be the one. They'd have two children, a boy and a girl, and life would be perfect. Azazel remembered his own thoughts on the future back then, meeting a woman who he'd spend his life with, and filling it with children. As many as they could have. He'd let go of these domestic goals a long time ago, as he watched her meet hers completely he was sure his were destined not to be. He was on the cusp of forty and had no intentions, and now he would be a father in a matter of months. His mind wandered to a small house in the hills, large sprawling property, filled with the laughter of children. Would they be blue or red? Maybe some blue and some red. Maybe purple. Who knew? But he let himself have the fantasy right now, because for the first time in over a decade, it seemed possible.
~&Q~
Hope you enjoyed! I have many more to come. If anyone has had something they wanted to see, had a question about anything, leave it in the reviews or PM me. I enjoy writing these vignettes by suggestion, it's a great exercise, especially when dealing with writers block on the main fic. I won't guarantee every suggestion will be written, but I will do my best!