"I dink my node id broken," said Riptide.
From his corner in the room Mystique saw Azazel roll his eyes. Angel was applying gauze to Riptide's face, dabbing away at the dried blood. She'd become very versatile with patching up members of the Brotherhood who became injured. Since they'd expanded she'd only had to deal with the 'inner circle' of members, but it didn't mean that her skill was any less appreciated.
The smell of blood and alcohol was turning her stomach. She put a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes, hoping that she could disguise her nauesea for thoughtfulness. When she opened them again she saw Azazel smirking at her. Mystique wanted to say something, but she couldn't in front of all the others. With a flick of his tail he turned his attention back to thier injured 'brother'.
Sitting next to Riptide and watching intently was Erik. He was angry at the failure of the most recent mission; she could tell by the way his eyebrow was furrowed. The arsenal that they would have taken was supposed to supply them for the next year. Instead many members had been locked up and they didn't have a single handgun to show for it and many members had been locked up. He was silent; but she knew Riptide would have hell to pay later.
"It's nearly shattered," Angel said, "How did you manage this?"
"Girl kicked me in the node," he said.
"A girl kicked you in the nose," Erik repeated coldly, "Please, please tell me that this girl was, in the very least, one of us."
"She wad," said Riptide, "She wad wid the X-men."
"With the X-men?" asked Erik.
Riptide nodded.
"Dere was dis weird-looking girl wid de normal boys," said Riptide.
"Charles' pets have gained another member then," said Erik.
"Nod just thad," Riptide said, "She was bending metal. Like you."
There was a deep pause. Erik put rubbed his temples and Mystique could tell that Riptide had only dug the hole deeper for himself. In her experience Erik was very 'kill the messenger' and having someone out there who was exactly like him was probably like a punch to the gut. She shared a glance with Angel; this was bad.
"Interesting development. I would appreciate it if you would all leave now," he said, "I need to have a discussion with Janos."
Mystique detached herself from the wall. Angel got up and all but scurried out of the room. She had been on the receiving end of Magneto's wrath before and had no urge to even be near him when he was angry. Feeling tired Mystique walked out. Azazel filed out behind her and they closed the door. There would be fireworks that night.
Angel rounded a corner and disappeared from the hallway. Almost immediately afterwards Mystique felt a hand on her arm and was enveloped by black smoke. Coughing she looked up and saw that she was in Azazel's room. He was watching her with a speculative look as her hand swatted away the smoke.
"I am not in the mood for this tonight," she said.
"Oh, you were thinking that?" he grinned, "Well, perhaps later if you're lucky."
"You're disgusting," Mystique coughed.
"You said it first," he shrugged, "But you have been keeping secrets, da?"
She made a face while her heart skipped a beat.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, heading for the door.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her flush up against him. His free hand slid down to her stomach. Azazel leaned in so that his lips touched her ear.
"Do not lie my Raisa," he whispered, "How long until I am to become father?"
Mystique could have screamed. How did he know?
"I don't-"
"You do."
"Even if I were pregnant," she said, fighting to keep her voice under control, "It doesn't mean that it's yours. It could be Erik's."
He laughed.
"Do not be silly lubov moya," he said, kissing her neck, "I am not stupid. Now, when is our child to be born?"
She wanted scream but there really wasn't anything she could do now. If he already knew there was no point in keeping it a secret.
"Seven months," she said.
"Kakya vstrecha!" Azazel said pleasantly, "How wonderful."
Mystique shoved him away.
"No, this is not wonderful," she snapped, "I'm pregnant and…and…"
"And?" he asked.
Angrily she threw her hands into the air. Tears were welling in her eyes and she didn't want to cry. If she did then he would have won.
"I don't want to be! I don't want this child!"
His expression went from playful to hard in an instant. Suddenly she realized how her words must have sounded.
"I don't mean it like that," she said quickly, "I would never…I mean…but…"
"Very good," said Azazel, "As long as we have that settled."
Although his expression was terrifying she couldn't help but take offense.
"We?" said Mystique disbelievingly, "There is no we. There is no us. There is me and my baby. This has nothing to do with you!"
Azazel quirked an eyebrow.
"Oh, is this some new power Raisa, some quirk of mutation?" he asked, "Of course! No, no father needed. All you and no one else."
"You're so damn infuriating," she said.
"Come come," smiled Azazel, "You must admit that the rebyonak is at least half mine. Logic."
"I don't know what that means!" she snapped, "I don't know Russian and you know it!"
"It means child," said Azazel, "Our child. Half mine, half yours. Half your genes, half mine. And I hear I might be the one to give him his mutation. So maybe he's more mine than yours."
"That's not true!"
"Perhaps it is," he said, "What do you think of that?"
Mystique folded her arms and turned away. He came up behind her again but didn't touch her this time.
"What were you planning on?" he asked, "Telling fearless leader that it was his? That might work, until my rebyonak was born. That would be strange. What would you say if he had tail or teleported? Hmm?"
"I wasn't going to do that!" Mystique said, "Erik deserves more than to raise another man's child thinking it's his own."
Azazel laughed again.
"Then that is settled too," he said, "And I am glad of it. But what were you going to do; child must have a father."
Anger was mixing with despair now.
"That's not necessarily true."
"But if you tell Magneto it's not his then you must identify someone," insisted Azazel, "What was the plan?"
"There wasn't a plan, okay?" she snarled, turning around to face him, "I don't know what I'm going to do about this baby. Alright? Are you happy?"
Azazel tilted his head.
"Da."
She knew enough to know what that meant. Mystique lashed out her hand to strike him but he caught it.
"Now now," he said, "As it happens I do have a plan. Would you like to hear it?"
Irritated that she couldn't even strike back she jerked her hand away.
"It's not like I have a choice," said Mystique, "If I try to run you'll just catch up and teleport me back."
"Da," he said, "Now sit down."
Mystique flopped back on the bed and watched him through narrowed eyes. Azazel spread his palms out wide as though he were trying to sell something.
"Now, here is plan," he said, "Go to him as soon as possible. Tell him that it's nothing really, but you'd like to stop seeing him."
"But I don't-"
"Ah," he said, "Just listen. And you will go separate ways. Then, maybe a month later, you let it be known that you are now seeing me. We go together for a few weeks. Then, lo and behold you are pregnant! Kakya vstrecha!"
"Stop saying that," she mumbled.
"You can make yourself look less pregnant, I know," he said, "And then we will retire for a bit. We can say the child comes early, lie about his age, something like that. We can work that out. But we can raise the rebyonak together properly. No one will know when he was concieved. Good plan, da?"
She mulled it over in her head. Uncertainly she said;
"Are you…proposing?"
To her surprise he seemed to be considering it.
"If you want Raisa," he said, "We will decide this later. But do not give me an answer right away. I know you still fawn over him."
For the first time in her conversation she heard something approaching bitterness and anger in his voice. It shocked her deeply. Suddenly Mystique realized that she wasn't just cheating on Erik with Azazel. She was also cheating on Azazel with Erik. The revelation was terrifying.
"But it will work," he said, "Think about it, will you?"
Disconcerted Mystique swallowed and nodded. He smiled.
"There's my Raisa," said Azazel.