Eric hauled Mystique down the corridor, forcing her into his room. He shoved her over the threshold and followed her inside. A minute touch of his power had the door bolted, locking them both inside.
Mystique's wild, raging eyes glared at him. "What the hell is the matter with you?" he demanded.
The woman leapt at him, screaming, her fingers curled into claws- she wanted to tear him apart! "What's the matter? Damn you Eric, you idiot, you stupid complete idiot! I've been stabbed for you! I seduced to set you free! I jumped in front of that dart to save you! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" she demanded, tearing at his dark sweater.
Eric's hands gripped her shoulders to restrain her from doing him a serious harm, but Mystique was unraveling. He was thankful that his room was soundproof. "You have nothing to say to explain. I'm right, aren't I? Even after everything I've done for you, it doesn't mean anything because I'm one of them now…"
Mystique's arms fell limp, but her fury and sorrow radiated from her. "Mystique, don't you understand that-"
"Oh, I understand enough," she hissed, wrenching herself free from his hands. "You know I saved you, so by giving my life to save yours, that's earned me a stay at the base, but nothing else. This is the first time we've spoken in months, Eric. You won't even look at me."
The truth shamed him, but Mystique couldn't understand. He had refused to look at her these months out of a sense of horrible, crushing guilt- never disgust. What he felt for her could never be twisted in such a way.
"Even now, you have nothing to say," Mystique continued, her anger overwhelming herself. She had never spoke to him in such a way before.
As her mutant self, she had been calm and adaptable, never showing him disrespect. He had been her mentor and protector for so long, to have his affection withdrawn so easily engulfed her fragile mind with fierce resentment.
"After everything I've done, you can't even look me in the eyes and say 'thank you', or that you're sorry for all of this? You haven't touched me since the day it happened," Mystique spat. They had never been lovers, though it wasn't for lack of desire, more lack of courage and opportunity. A horrible thought occurred to her. "You touch Callisto, don't you? That's why she grins at me, that's why you take her with you whenever you leave. It should have been me, Eric."
This, finally, moved him to speak. "I've never touched Callisto-"
"You expect me to believe that? You're a liar and a coward, Eric. I hate you with everything I am- do you hear me? Mystique hates you!"
Ericrushed forward then, clamping his hands over her shoulders.He shook her, hard, and pushed her back until her head banged into the wall of his bedroom. For a moment, she saw stars from the impact.
"Stop this, stop it! You've gone mad, damn it! And even as mad as you are, you're right. It should have been you. It should have been Mystique, but you're not Mystique anymore- can't you understand that? You're not one of us, you don't deserve this life, this torture that I've been putting you through!" Eric shouted.
They were close- steely blue and fiery green eyes burning, breath mingling in the air between them, ragged. Mystique spoke first. It seemed to Eric that she had weeks of pent up words, all of them released upon him now. He expected another mad rant, but she was short. "I am still Mystique."
The cool blue eyes burned at her. His voice was commanding. "Show me."
She glared at him, hoping to make him suffer in his arousal. The shirt was the first to go, then the bra, the jeans and shoes, and lastly, her panties. Mystique stood before him as she always had in the past- completely nude, the only weapon she'd ever needed being her body.
Eric came closer, the steel gaze drilling into her. Warms handscame to reston her hips, drawing her forward.
She woke late the next morning. Sunlight was seeping in through the bedroom window, and she remembered what had happened in the night. Eric had happened. She rose from the empty bed and went to the mirror. He had bruised her hips, thighs and breasts.
It hadn't been the gentle tenderness she had imagined when she was younger, when she was still caught in the flowery, silly infatuation she'd developed in their first years together. No, there was no gentleness in the night before. It was how she knew it would be. Eric had never been a gentle man. It had been rough. He'd hurt her.
Andwhere was he now?
She didn't bother to search the base.
Eric, Juggernaut, Multiple Man, Callisto, even Pyro- they were gone. She had been expecting it, but somehow John's leaving pained her more so than even Eric's. She didn't love John, or wish to take him as a lover- but he had been a friend to her these past months. Even Cain and Jamie had been friends.
She didn't bother to pull on the clothes she'd stripped the night before. The base was empty, she left the room naked. Her movements lacked grace- her bruised body and destroyed pride wouldn't allow it. There was a note for her on the table in the living room.
'I'm sorry. You don't deserve this, find a good life. I don't love you. I never did. My end is near, I'm sorry...I lied, I do love you. Don't try to find me. Goodbye, Raven.'