The lumpy couch didn't suit Erik at all. Raven had protested, insisted that he could have the bed, but he didn't allow that. He felt she deserved a good night's sleep, more so than him. The apartment around him was in blackness, the sounds of traffic sounding through from the road below. He watched the ceiling blankly, eyes tracing the repetitive beam of light which glided across the ceiling before the strip disappeared as the car outside passed. But it wasn't long before another drove by, and that light started all over again. A low sigh exhaled from his lips, a hand rising to massage his aching eyes.
True, he yearned for sleep, but it wasn't coming. He rubbed his stubbly jaw with his knuckle, drifting off into thoughts once more. Contemplating over who this person was who was following Raven and why. What made Raven decide to try and find him? How come she still stuck by him after he did the worst to her? He blinked and looked up over the top of his couch when he heard the door of his bedroom open. Raven was stood there, rather loosely clothed in silky indigo dressing gown that hung off her curvaceous form haphazardly. She had the appearance of someone who had quickly got themselves out of bed, but still managed to look alluring. The neck rested wide on her shoulders, the short hem gracing her thighs. He regarded her with a slow sweep of his eyes before he settled his head back on the armrest, clearing his throat.
"Can't sleep?" he asked the blackness. She pushed forward from the doorframe moving along with a tiredly trudging grace towards his kitchen area that gave him his answer. His eyes followed her stealthily. "I wasn't aware you brought other clothes," he said, noting her night attire.
Raven had stopped at his sink, filling up a glass of water. She peered over at him through tousled strands of black hair before she shook them out of her face, bringing the glass to her lips. She took a slow sip, then leaning back on the worktop. "I came prepared," she told him quietly. "My suitcase was already in your bedroom when you got in."
Erik merely smiled to himself knowingly, continuing to watch her. Raven took another sip from the glass of water, bringing it from her lips to nurse it in her folded arms. She turned her head to stare out of the large windows that overlooked San Francisco Bay, bringing one leg up to rest the underside of her foot on the cupboard door behind her. The action caused her silken dressing gown to split open a little more prominently – and it was already shorter than knee-length. Erik came to the conclusion she was as carefree about her body as she was when she was blue-skinned. So used to walking around naked, modesty wasn't well kept when it came to Raven.
It was peculiar how he had spent years alongside a naked woman, and never really noticed how bare she really was. Yet now, when she was covered and revealing small amounts, it was all the more prominent. He scolded himself in his head, eyes turning to the ceiling. "Why can't you sleep?" he asked the ceiling.
"Why can't you?" she shot back without missing a beat. He glanced over to her, noting the same sultry smirk on her lips that he recognised even now.
He tightened his folded arms against his chest, continuing to lie awkwardly on the two-seater. He was also still in his day clothes – not a comfortable night. "I'm thinking," he replied, breathing out a steady sigh.
Raven inclined her head at him in response. "Bingo." He glanced back over to her to see that she had gone back to her glass of water. Becoming increasingly negligent, the top of her dressing gown was now becoming slack. She placed the empty glass down on the stainless steel draining board with a sharp sound. His eyes quickly snapped to her face to find her looking straight at him. "Oh, good. You remember where my face is?" Erik's eyebrows rose at this remark. He didn't even have chance to respond when Raven rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "I have got clothes on underneath," she assured him with a hiked brow as she pushed forth from the kitchen counter and retreated her steps back towards his bedroom.
Once more, Erik's eyes followed her path, "Of course," he answered to show he didn't doubt her.
Just as Raven reached her bedroom door, she took hold of the top of her dressing grown, and with her back to him, she promptly pulled the top down to her waist to expose her naked back to him. "Oops, I lied," she said casually as she continued into the room and kicked the door shut with her heel. Just as the door closed to, he caught her glancing over her shoulder with a burning smirk erotically crafted on her plump lips.
"Hm," Erik commented to the ceiling as he blinked. He smirked a little, however.
His Mystique was well and truly back.
Erik woke the next morning to the sound of a running shower. He blinked his eyes slowly, which felt just as bad as before he fell to sleep. He breathed out a groan, sitting up on the couch and staring out at the window to see the glorious sunshine beat down over the stretch of water. He stood up from the couch, glancing over to the closed bathroom door. He wanted to have a wash and a shave and waking up to having a woman hogging the bathroom wasn't something he was used to. He meandered to his bedroom to see that Raven had made his bed and left the room tidy for him. With a satisfied little nod he headed towards the kitchen, preparing himself a cup of coffee.
The coffee was made and half-drunk, and Erik was staring at the shower door moodily. He checked the clock on his wall. 10.25. She had been in there for twenty minutes. He knocked back the rest of his coffee, placing the empty mug next to his plate of warm toast. He then skulked over to the bathroom door where he rapped on the surface smartly with his knuckle. "Raven?"
There was a quiet shuffle before the door opened and a damp Raven flashed him a smile. "Morning," she said pleasantly, slipping by him clad in naught but a white bath towel. He turned, staring at her and her nerve.
"You're turning more human every day," he told her quietly.
"Can't a girl enjoy a shower?" asked Raven with a challenging lift of her brow.
Erik folded his arms as he regarded her with a curious eye. "Raven, are you often going to wander around my apartment wearing as little as possible all the time?"
The same smile spread across her lips again, "Of course," she answered simply. "I could wear even less if you wanted."
Erik raised a hand in indication that she didn't need to, "Raven, it's 10.30, let me wake up first."
"Aw," said Raven softly, her lips pouting, "he's going soft in his old age." She disappeared off across the room before he could reply with the exclamation. "Hey, you made me toast!" Her smile remained as she peered over at him through dripping strands of black – it was further evidence he going soft. Clearly.
Erik just mouthed silent words at her before he shook his head in disbelief and headed into the bathroom, promptly locking the door behind him.
Raven smirked as she helped herself to the toast, their teasing but affable nature back as it used to be. Even still having their moments in which harmless flirtation was tossed back and forth and Raven left Erik speechless. This was how it was when it was just these two, without the rest of the Brotherhood present. This was their relationship. She licked butter from her fingers with a smile. It was back how it should be.
Her Magneto was well and truly back.
Now all they both needed were their powers.
An update! Not much happening yet, but it's getting their pair back together and showing what their relationshp is really like behind closed doors! More to come, so keep an eye out. Please leave a review.