A Moment

Disclaimer: Marvel's mutants don't belong to me. Not making any money from this.

Thanks to Andraste for editing this for me. I really appreciate it.


When he rolled over, she was already gone. There was a little lingering warmth on the sheets, and a fading smell that reminded him of cinnamon, exotic spices and electricity.

It had been pity, nothing more. A moment of pity toward a man she admired and looked up to like no-one else. He knew, had seen it written clearly across her mind.

It hadn't been physical. He had not even touched her. He had not needed to.

***

She stood at the open window, arms crossed over her chest. A light breeze blew around the room, bringing in the scent of rain where it mingled with that of the flowers growing everywhere in pots and baskets.

She thought about what she had done this evening. Wondered what had possessed her. It didn't matter that he had never even touched her. With him, that wasn't important.

She wondered what he would say, now. If he would say anything. Or if he would pretend that everything was as it had been.

He had been sitting silently in his study again, as he did so often these days. Something about the way his shoulders had slumped, the set of his head, the look on his face had told her that though the masks were still up, though the control was still there, he was hurting deep inside. She had spoken to him. Lightly, of inconsequential things. Jubilee's latest exploits, how well the roses that she had planted last year were doing. He had looked at her for a long moment and had talked of how much he feared, how much he grieved for those that had died.

***

He had offered her wine. They had drunk it slowly, as they talked of other things. Never once mentioning those names. Scott, Joseph, Onslaught. The Twelve. Never once mentioning the things he truly worried about. Legacy. A Dream. The sentinels. Magneto's Genosha. Rather they had spoken of the plans for a team picnic in a few days time, of poetry and music.

She had reached out, placed her hand on his. Kissed him, gently.

***

She had left quietly, stealing out without waking him.

***

He pulled himself upright and slowly dragged his useless legs across the bed. He tugged himself into his chair. He prepared to face the new day.

He had never done that, never allowed his mind to mesh like that with anyone other than Lilandra before. And now, *she* had experienced something that she never should have. A thing that he never should have done.

***

She combed her fingers through her hair and walked slowly out the door. It began to rain, heavy sheets of water bucketing down on the trees and lawn. On the flower beds. Through the open window to pool on the polished wooden floor.

She wondered again, what she would say to him. Did he know that it had been nothing more than a moment's pity? A moment's recklessness? And did it matter?

***

They had never even touched. They had not needed to.

Main Art Archive My Fanfic Email me