Even Metal Bends

She finds and corners him in the subway station after the attempt on her life leaves her with a crippled leg. But what actually happens in those close quarters isn't quite what either of them expected. Raven/Eric Days of Future Past.

"It's been a while since we've been this close."

Erik Lehnsherr spoke so softly, so comfortably while trapped behind the edge of her blade that she momentarily wondered if that past few hours had even happened. If she had misconstrued the blatant attempt on her life by the man she'd held most dear. Had even chosen him over –

No. This wasn't the time for regret. She needed answers and fast.

"Good thing we haven't." she replied coldly. "'Cause who knows how long you've had my murder on your mind."

"Since a few hours before my actual attempt." He said casually. Logically. "When a mutant sent from the future told me that the humans would use your DNA to create weapons capable of eradicating our entire species. I did what I thought was best… given the circumstances."

"The circumstances?!" She pressed the knife harder against his neck. "What, they didn't get the chance to slit me open like the rest of our brothers and sisters so you thought you'd beat them to it? And now you think you're gonna finish the job? Well, I –"

"No," he cut her off. "No, they have your DNA. Your blood was on the sidewalk, and they wasted no time collecting it."

"And who's fault was that?!" she yelled. A lesser women would be shaken with the amount of anger surging through the blue-skinned figure before him, but he was thankful that she didn't. For the sake of his carotid artery.

"Mine." He sighed. "I know. The danger was real at the moment, but you have nothing to fear from me now."

She bit her lip, weighing the probability of a peaceful chat versus another coldblooded attempt at killing her.

"Swear it." She demanded.

"I swear that I'll never harm you again." He vowed, blinking down as her weapon left his neck before locking his gaze with hers. "I missed you."

It damn near brought her to tears, those words. But she knew better than to trust him while her leg still ached from a bullet that was under his control.

"I left you for a reason, Erik." She told him harshly, letting the knife slip from her fingers and clatter onto the ground. "And you've just reinforced that reason today."

He stepped forward. She stumbled back.

"What flaw is so glaring that you chose to run away instead of fight at my side?" he questioned, a fire starting to burn behind those calm eyes.

"You're too reckless." She said without hesitating, shaking her head as the words left her mouth. "I left Charles because I can't stand doing nothing and gambling on peace while our brothers and sisters die, but you…" She narrowed her eyes at him, done with just wishing for a change. If she wanted a future with him, she'd have to fight. And, summoning every fiber of courage she had, Raven was about to do just that.

"You're just the other extreme, Erik. While Charles spends ages debating morality and banks on the decency on an indecent species, you just do things without giving any thought to alternatives or – "

She was fast, he realized… much faster than he ever remembered. Before he could so much as process what was occurring, she had morphed into Raven and brought the knee of her injured leg up into his abdomen. The wind was knocked out of him, and as he doubled over the smell of blood filled his nostrils.

Her blood.

The blood he had drawn.

"Repercussions." She hissed, tilting his chin up with the back of her hand. Wanting him to see her hate and the rage that his betrayal had caused.

"Don't I?" he responded, the corner of his mouth rising in a smirk. She recognized it as a threat, but milliseconds too late, as he gripped her wounded leg hard and caused her entire system to flood with pain. She couldn't put up any resistance against being spun around and pressed bodily against the concrete wall. A part of her wondered if it would have even been worth it… she might be quick, but Erik was strong. In close quarters like this, she'd given him staggering upper hand by yielding her weapon.

And then scolded him for making bad choices.

"Mystique," he rumbled softly into her ear. "You are still to person I care about most in this entire world."

He felt her chest rise and fall with a sneering laugh.

"Oh, Magneto. That's the only part of me you care about."

That comment made him turn her back around, his hands caging either side of her head.

"You are Mystique." He whispered, fiercely. "She is you. Have you forgotten that, my dear? Have you lost sight of who you are?"

"Don't be ridiculous." She practically spat, shaking his grip from her scalp. Those hands then went instinctively to her waist. Not holding her in place or threatening her, just… there. As they so often used to be.

"I know who I am." She continued, trying to ignore the familiar tingling brought about by his softer touches. "It's people like you that try to define me with just a word. Is all I am just blue skin that can change into whatever I like? I'd be worthless to you without my powers, wouldn't I?"

"What does it matter?" he scoffed, his voice becoming low and angry. "You'll never be without your powers."

"But Beast's serum – "

"Temporarily suppresses a gene, but it can only hide the truth of who you are."

"There are thousands of genes, Erik." She answered back with impatience. "I'm not the product of one, I'm all of them. My taste in music, my sense of humor, and what you call a dangerous addiction to macaroni and cheese." She smiled at him, noting the way his lips began to rise before he steeled his expression once again. "You obsess over that one gene. Some humans reject it. But you're all just screwing over the rest of the goddamn person."

She hadn't noticed her voice rise until she was yelling at his face. That stone-like, infuriatingly handsome face that masked the gears whirring in his head. The Erik she knew was reckless, yes, but even she'd admit that he was one of the most cunning and dangerous men on the planet. Even without his powers, she'd have killed to see what this man could accomplish if given a motive and a task.

"But I'm arguing with a wall." She concluded, because after several seconds of holding his gaze and seeing nothing but a dark, empty expanse, she was coming close to tears. And that was one thing she'd never let him see.

With a strength that came from somewhere beyond her muscles, she pushed him away and slipped from the phone booth. Her hair turned charcoal black as she slipped into the crowd of strangers, and her flesh quickly shifted into that of a girl she remembered from high school. One of the nicer ones that got her to stay for at least a year and a half.

She didn't have to look back. She didn't have to care about him anymore. In this skin, she was as good as invisible.

A chameleon in a crowd. Undetectable. Free.

She wove her way to the platform, rocking on the balls of her feet while waiting for the next subway train. She tried not to think about the last few minutes, but her mind arrogantly buzzed with all sorts of concerns. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on the background noise instead. The footsteps, the chatter… the footsteps getting way too close…

"Gotcha."

The hand on her mouth prevented her from screaming. His voice purred into her ear, telling her he meant no harm, rubbing the sides of her arms comfortingly. Erik somehow knew how scary this was for her. Not just his presence, but being seen. Nobody saw her like this. Nobody.

"H-how?" she managed to stammer.

"Your skin changes, but your walk, the way you carry yourself… all the same." He told her smoothly, taking her hand in his.

"B-but… even Charles…" she trailed off as the train screeched into the station, causing or perhaps only worsening the goosebumps spreading across her deceptively human skin.

"That's because he only concerned himself with your humanity. Not the mutant." He explained, squeezing her hand a bit tighter. "It's an interesting notion that you brought up. I might be willing to give it a chance."

They boarded the train seemingly nonchalant. Or at least Erik did… holding tightly to Raven, who had her mouth hung open in shock.

"Are you really doing this?" she asked minutes into the ride, letting her head rest in the crook of his neck.

"I almost lost you today." he answered quietly, stroking her hair.

It was all he needed to say.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! I might go for a multi-chapter Raven/Erik, but I wanted to test the waters with this one. Please R/R if you have a chance. It's a greatly appreciated.