driftfleet | (no subject)

[ It's impossible not to smile, Raven already so used to Hank and his habits and the things he says without speaking - she feels warm and content and prickling with her own happiness and she holds onto that, basks in what it means to have her arms around him and not worry about it, basks in being close to him and knowing that she doesn't have to hide how she feels. She might not say it, but she knows that she loves him and she knows that Hank understands how deep her affection for him goes; it's part of who they are, caring without speaking aloud.

Finally, she leans up and gives him a proper kiss against his mouth, quick and soft before she squeezes her arms around him and smiles. ] So I can't watch my boyfriend working out and looking cool? Darn.

[he's had enough time for "girlfriend" and "boyfriend" to settle in his head that it doesn't cause instant panic upon hearing them anymore. He still feels the urge to fluster, that they're throwing the words around easier now, and especially knowing he'd done it by accident at first, but - he can't say he minds. And he'll get used to it even more.

He ruins the kiss by laughing into it at what she says, because it's completely ridiculous and he knows she's serious, too] What, are you dating someone else? Because you won't see that here.

[ They're taking small baby steps towards being completely comfortable with each other, and Raven knows it's not going to be a hundred percent easy, not when they're still working things out and tiptoeing their way around their feelings and what it means. They are working on it, though, and she knows that in time they're going to be able to do and say things without the fluster and without the embarrassment, and she looks forward to that day - because it means they're finally clicked together completely and nothing will tear them apart.

Leaning back, though, she huffs a noise and hits his arm gently. ] If I did you'd know about it, jerk. [ She scans his face all the same, pausing for a moment before she softens. ] You're going to have to accept my compliments one day, Hank McCoy.

[the day he won't fluster when talking about something relating to Raven will be a day to celebrate, because it'll be a first. Still, he likes how far they've come already, especially considering where they started when she arrived, tentative and unsure and simply wanting to look past everything to find comfort in one another.

He grins at the hit and only pauses for a moment, but long enough to be suspicious. It's easy to protest compliments, especially like this. He has to wonder if he'll ever be able to accept them. He smiles, a little self-deprecating] One day, maybe. I'm working on it.

[ When that day comes Raven will be happy, of course, but that doesn't mean she isn't happy now - because she is. She's so happy even if she still has worries and concerns, even if she's still on edge sometimes - she's still learning what it means to be around the family again. It's awkward and new even though it isn't all that new, considering, but she's trying. No one can accuse her of that, to say she isn't trying her best. She is. It's hard and her heart hurts sometimes but it's worth it - it's so, so worth it. They're worth it.

She doesn't comment on Hank and his silence, she just accepts it. She knows Hank. She knows her boyfriend. She adores him and she can accept him just as he is, and she tilts her head up and kisses him gently. She's so glad she same here - even if she feels odd sometimes, even if she feels out of place. She thinks she'll be okay if she can still have this. ] I know. I can see it, every day, Hank.

[a part of him doesn't want to work on it, still convinced he doesn't deserve any of this because of the way their world has been, but their talk the other night helped, too. It's less of a constant thought at the very least, pushed back now so it's just a whisper in the back of his mind, like all of the other things that bother him constantly. All the things he's trying to work on, now that he's been given the chance.

He doesn't think he's been obvious about it, at least, so it's a genuine reaction to lean back and stare at her like he doesn't quite believe it] You do?

[ Hank isn't the only one learning to accept things and grow, and she knows it. She's maturing and changing and becoming someone better, and she knows it - though she wonders if Hank can see it too. She wonders if the changes she sees in herself are noticeable or if it's just her own perception - she's sure Charles would see it if she let him look into her mind. She and Hank are growing together and it's good; she wants to be stronger, to be better, to feel worthy.

Lifting her hand, she lets her fingers brush over his cheek. ] I know you, Hank. I know you're stronger, and you're getting more confident. Maybe other people don't see it, but I've always paid more attention to you. I think I can see it, see you... Becoming who I knew you could be.

[he can see all the changes she's going through; it would be hard not to, with all the time they spend together. He can see it in their conversations, when they start to touch on things that weeks ago, even years ago, would have been off limits or spurned an argument. She's learning to be with them all again and it's an amazing thing.

She knows you. She knows your mind. Charles had said that to him, and hearing something similar coming from her, it takes him a moment to actually respond. But he lifts his hand to catch hers, holding it]

I - [he swallows and looks away, because it's a bit too much to accept but he doesn't want to deny it, either. He isn't sure if he's anywhere close to being what she thought he could, but - ] Um. Thank you?

[it's better than just outright refusing it all together]

[ It's hard to look at him for a moment because she suddenly feels a little bare and vulnerable. She feels like Hank can see into her and she has to blink back her emotions and calm herself down otherwise she'd end up losing herself in her own thoughts - and that's not what she wants right now. What she wants is to be around Hank and encourage him, to make him see what she sees. It'll be a long path, but that's okay. They can walk it together and she can support him - she'll support him no matter what.

Their hands link together as they're used to and Raven relaxes, closing her eyes and leaning against him. Hank is warm and solid and it calms her a little, her expression soft as she lets herself bask in him. She loves this man, she thinks, she loves him and it makes her feel so happy, even if she can't really express it.

It'll take time to get there.

Leaning up, she kisses him again, gently, her arm tightening around him as she holds him, tugging him gently against her body. For now they're alone and she can have this and have him - and she knows it's okay. They're together; they're two people devoted. ]

You're welcome.

[ She mumbles it against his lips. ]

[he lets her tug him closer and just enjoys it for a moment, and it doesn't matter how many times they do this, he has to take that moment to remind himself that it's as real as anything else has been. It's real and it keeps happening and it's amazing every time. She kisses him and it still feels like his first kiss, and it's a ridiculous thought that he can't keep himself from having.

He finally draws back, enough to really look at her and smile. A traitorous part of his mind reminds him that they are in the middle of the gym and while it was rare, anyone could walk in at any moment, and he'd rather not that ruin their time together. But he kisses her forehead and keeps a hold of her hand, because he can. That much he can do regardless]

You really didn't come all the way over here to watch me work out, did you?

[ It seems as though this is something that neither of them will ever get properly used to; there's no way that she's ever going to be one hundred percent used to the way Hank feels in her arms or how warm he is, the gruffness of his voice when he's not on the serum and the strength in his arms. It feels incredible and she wonders if this is what all the stupid love songs had been about all those years; the feeling she gets when she's with him, the contentment and the joy.

She smiles at the gentle kiss, knowing that it's more than she ought to ask for given how public they are; the gym might be as private as they're going to be able to manage, especially at this time on the Iskaulit, but it's not exactly their room. It's still an area anyone can walk in on and she accepts what she can get and welcomes it for what it is. ]

I was going to do a little myself, but I got distracted.

[ Hot boyfriend at one o'clock. ]

[he honestly doesn't want to get used to it, and he probably never will. Not that it's a bad thing; it's always a surprise, something neither of them can or want to predict. It's all happening naturally, what with them working on the more difficult parts, and he likes that he doesn't know what to expect. It wasn't as though he did when they were younger, either, what with how often she'd just do things that threw him off completely.

He wasn't a spontaneous type of person, but he couldn't help but enjoy that there was plenty of it when it came to them.

He resists the urge to make a face, knowing exactly what she means, but he does huff out a noise of weak protest]

I suppose a big blue guy is pretty distracting.

[look he can play along]

[ Shaking her head, Raven is quick to nudge him again, fighting the urge to laugh. ]

You're - honestly, Hank.

[ But she isn't complaining. Really, she's just looking at him and feeling so many soft, fond emotions that it's hard to untangle them - it's hard to do anything except stare at him and know she's in the right place, suddenly, as if she's meant to be here. She doesn't like the idea of Hank being here without her and she's glad, despite the distance between the two of them, that they've found each other here in the middle of space.

If she was here alone she's sure she'd lose her mind.

Tilting herself up, she kisses him again before she huffs a noise, turning her head to look around the gym. Last time she'd been here she had spoken to Erik, and it still gives her a strange feeling somewhere in her stomach, as if she's expecting something else to go wrong. ]

You won't spar with me, will you?

[ Already expecting the answer she heads over to investigate the weights. ]

That's me, honestly Hank.

[he tries not to think about what it'd be like if he was here alone. If Charles or Erik weren't here, if Raven had never shown up - he'd be more of a mess than he's ever been. They were a big part of how he managed to make it through Kyriakos, and Charles was quite literally part of his every day, and the thought of being without that was - it just didn't register.

And Raven being here? For all the issues he had, for all the problems they still had to work out, he hasn't been this happy - ever. In a long time didn't seem right, with the threat of Shaw hanging over their heads the last time he was even this close. There was none of that here. No threats, other than themselves.

He's a bit thrown off by the question and he considers it as she looks around. He - isn't sure he could spar with her, not the way he does it, but it would benefit her, to have a moving target. A punching bag, so to speak, as much as he knew other people hated that he thought of himself that way at times.

So he shrugs, and:] I could try? If you want me to.

You're very funny.

[ It's said dryly, and she shakes her head as she looks him up and down, considering. She doesn't want to spend too long dwelling on the what ifs and the possibilities, not really, because she knows where her thoughts will end up and she's afraid to think about it, afraid to consider what type of person she might have become in the short time she'd been here if Hank, Charles and Erik hadn't been there to soften the raw side of her. She might not be as comfortable as she is, certainly, and there's no way she would ever be as happy.

She wouldn't be able to try, and that's one thing she knows for sure. There would be few attempts to branch out and try to talk to people and anyone she did meet would be given the same bland, dangerous side of her that had carried her through so many years of isolation, so many years of being alone by her own choosing. Raven knows herself, better than she ever had before, and she knows how terribly she would have handled the fleet.

Tilting her head up, she examines him quickly - she knows how strong he is, and fast, and she doesn't expect him to hold back on her account even though she's almost certain he will. She has to learn to fight things bigger than herself, though, especially if she's going to still be alone for a while after the fleet is over, and - well, she might as well start with a target she knows.

Crossing her arms, she raises an eyebrow. ]

Do you think you can take me?

I'm hilarious, thank you.

[he tries not to spend too much time dwelling either, as obvious as he is. Keeping busy, keeping his mind occupied - if he took the time to really consider all of the things bothering him, he'd be an utter disaster, letting his insecurities and worries overwhelm him. And he can't do that, not with so many people here important to him.

All he knows is that he'd probably still be hiding, if he were here alone. Hiding away from people he knew now didn't care what he was. But it's hard to think logically when you're by yourself.

He stands up a little straighter as he watches her examine him, eyebrows raised. He's seen that look before, on Logan's face, on other faces sizing him up to consider how much of a threat he is. He doesn't squirm - he just squares his shoulders a bit.

. . . of course, it's Raven, too. And that allows him to be a little more confident and a lot more of a smartass]

Do you think you can land a hit on me?

[ The problem is that up until now Raven had never stopped to think of Hank as a threat or as a danger; he had always been an ally and a friend, even when she had been separated from them all and fought to be out by herself, only echoing in memories of being mutant and proud. She only knew a little bit about Hank's strength from her own experiences here on the fleet, and she'd been a witness to his agility as she had fled Paris - but it was nothing compared to fighting properly.

Of course, she had sparred Azazel and Angel and even Janos, sometimes, when Erik and Emma were off being leaders and spying and doing whatever they needed to do. Angel had been dangerous, true, and so had the always silent Janos, but Azazel had been the worst; his speed and his teleportation had made her come face to face with her own hesitation, leaving her learning how to shift her body to try and fight back against the impossible.

Erik had helped too. Who else would have taught her hand to hand combat? Who else would she have let close enough to touch her the way she'd let him?

Now, she watches him for a moment before her expression softens into a smile. It doesn't take her long to nod, something sharp in her eyes, and then she's stepping forward. ]

I think we could do best to three touches.

[he's volunteering knowing full well that Raven isn't familiar with everything he's capable of. He's come a long way since what he could manage in Cuba, still unsure of his new body and everything he could do. Now, he knew the limits of his mutation, almost down to the numbers in some cases; how far he could jump, how hard he could hit, how much he could lift. He knew he'd been limited here, but it wasn't nearly as much as Kyriakos. Those limits didn't leave him feeling completely helpless, and nothing would come along to take his powers away, either.

But he'd never sparred with someone else before. Surely not with Charles, who even after began taking the serum could walk and run once more. By then, they'd both been swallowed by their loneliness and bitterness with the world. It was always by himself, and never where anyone could see. Even now, in a place where he could spar with people he wouldn't or couldn't hurt, he still preferred doing it by himself.

It worries him, a little, but not because he'll hurt her - he could never do that. He's worried that he'll impress her. The stupidest worry in the world]

That's fine. [a small smile] I hope you won't hold back.

[she doesn't have to, after all]

[ What Raven knows Hank doesn't realise is that she already knows he's going to be incredible; she's not worried about being overwhelmed by his talent or how remarkable he is. She knows, and she had always known, from the moments in Cuba to when he had fought in Paris, the little things here and there that had proven how far he'd grown. She remembers seeing him in Washington, lifting up rubble and metal to free Charles and then holding her brother as if he was weightless and she'd known that even if he struggled to accept himself he was growing into his gifts.

Her body shifts as she reaches out to stretch, blue overtaking her as she changes from Raven to Mystique; it's easier, even now, to separate the two with names, to let herself think of them as one or another. She's always going to be Mystique but the dangerous parts of herself, the ones that threaten others and make them afraid of her are going to be tucked away when she looks demure and innocent and like she couldn't hurt a fly. It's almost like it's a trap and she's glad to be back in her own skin, feeling more flexible already.

It's not something that makes sense, really, because changing her skin doesn't change who she is, but there's a kind of freedom that comes from being blue that she can't deny nor hide.

She offers Hank a smile in return, adjusting her weight before she nods, once. ]

I never hold back.

[ And then she's shifting, backing away and sliding so she can watch Hank before he makes any movement at all. ]

[far be it from him to say anything about using names to separate aspects of a person. He's started getting into the habit of referring to himself as "Beast" when he's like this, after all, with lack of a better way to explain it. It was a code name and a descriptor, sometimes accurate, and in a way he was glad he still had it, and that it survived over the years. It never failed to remind him of the day they were coming up with code names - a bittersweet memory, but a good one all the same.

He's already warmed up, having been here for an hour or so already, so now it's just a matter of waiting for her to make the first move. He's already familiar with the area so there's no need to assess what's available to him, where he can move and how, so all of his attention is on her. He can't help but feel just a little thrill of excitement; he was going to see up close what she was capable of, and as much as he didn't want to impress her, she was certainly going to impress him. He didn't doubt she could keep up with him.

He just tilts his head, eyebrows raised as she moves back]

We'll see.

[ It is exciting, and Raven can't hide the way she looks over everything and practically basks in it, the thrill of a fight even if it's not a real one. After feeling trapped and cooped up for so long the chance to let herself go, to really feel the excitement and the rush that comes with actually doing something. She can't complain about being able to spend time with Hank and Charles and Erik, not really, but she's never been very good at sitting still and accepting things - she had to fight back somehow and, so, she did.

Her eyes scan Hank and she watches, letting her gaze drag over him. She knows that she could flip over his head if she wanted, or use some of the equipment to push her to one side, but a part of her wants him to make the first move. Considering she issued the challenge, though... She feels as though it's her prerogative to try and make the first hit. She has to consider for a moment, knowing that Hank has sharp reflexes and speed to match his strength if he needs to use it, and it means she has to plan at least a handful of moves ahead.

What she does is move to the side, darting to roll behind a set of weights before she twists and moves forward, sliding against the ground - it reminds her of Paris and she has to stop herself from laughing as she turns, lifting a leg to see if she can hit him in the back of a thigh. ]

[for all the confidence he lacks, and all the uncertainty he has in himself otherwise, when it comes to this he's at least certain in what he's capable of. He's tested his limits time and again, and while actually keeping up some manner of training regiment is fairly new, he hasn't been inactive since Washington or Kyriakos. Not when the world seemed to conspire against them the moment they let the guards down.

He watches her move and she goes low, which means his own response is to go high; he isn't sure exactly how he plans on retaliating to all of this, so playing a moving target suits him just fine for now. And honestly, as much as she's assessing him he's doing the same for her. As a scientist, as someone who admires her, as a fighter himself -

Her leg sweeps for the back of his and he flips backwards over it, a low rumbling noise slipping out. There's equipment there and he's thankful it's the heavy sort, as his feet grasp onto the side of it and a hand grabs the top to perch there. It creaks in protest of the extra weight, but he holds still, watching her. Waiting.

And grinning like an idiot]

[ The chance to actually move her body and do something rather than stagnate and feel like she's wilting away is incredible, and Raven basks in it. She's free to move and shift and twist her body to make up for the inches that the gym floor doesn't forgive and she tilts, using the force of her movement as Hank jumps up to stop herself, to twist and near enough leap to her feet. Her heels press into the ground and she lurches backwards, her eyes darting over his body before she tilts her head up and fights her own grin, the laughter bubbling in her chest. ]

Show off.

[ But it's incredible all the same, and she's sure that he knows just how she feels. She's always had a rather incredible appreciation for Hank's mutation and seeing it in action now is wonderful - but it doesn't stop her own movements. She's going after him, after all, and she intends to get the first hit even if he is showing off by leaping around the gym with all of his strength.

Moving forward, Raven ducks and twists, her hips moving before the rest of her body as she grabs the equipment and uses it to try and force herself up, to swing to try and land herself opposite Hank; she can stand on something a little lighter than him if only because she is a little less weighted than he is, less bulky and more flexible - not that she minds his weight or his strength, of course.

Leaning forward, she breathes out, tilting her head to one side to assess the room. It's small, but there are weights and machines that give room for them to dart and shift and push, and she thinks she can use her new leverage to push forward and leap, to try and slam her elbow into his side. ]

[if only it were showing off. No, he's notoriously bad at doing that, no matter what he knows he's logically capable of. He showed off once for Viva, actually done it purposely, and it was pushing the limits of what he felt about it all. But then again, Viva never had an issue with his mutation, and she'd been the first to call him "cool" that way.

The weights and smaller spaces to dart behind work against him; he's quick and agile but he's still big, and were she to take advantage of that he'd be left to the equipment - or further in, where there's actually space to be doing something like this. But it's open, and it doesn't quite fit what each of them are looking for. The additional challenge of their surroundings adds to the spar, as light as it might actually end up being.

As she moves he waits until the last possible moment to let go of the gym equipment, dropping down as her elbow sails right over his head. A clawed hand catches him and he uses it to roll into a crouch. Technically speaking, the last person he fought was Erik, and that had ended up being pretty one-sided, so he has no experience to fall back on that isn't years old. He was used to people more his size, and Raven was smaller - and quicker.

There's more, larger equipment behind him and he takes off for that. He may as well give her a chase while he's at it]

[ Raven thinks that it's more of a compliment than a complaint; she likes to see Hank's power, his strength - he knows that already - and seeing how far he's come from the first time he was ever blue is marvellous to see. She basks in it, feeling a steady warmth thrum through her, something a little bit like pride as she turns her body and adjusts her weight, prepared to chase him through the gym if that's what it takes. There's something incredibly unique about seeing Hank like this, and she's glad she gets to see it.

When Hank rolls away she slams her foot into the equipment and reaches out a hand to steady herself, practically hanging by her fingers before she turns and drops down silently; a benefit of her mutation, her skin and her flexibility. She has the upper hand here and she knows it, but she doesn't want to take too much advantage, not when she knows things are balanced in her favour against her larger opponent.

Hank heads towards the larger equipment and Raven shifts, ducking behind small racks of weights and the lines of other things that she ignores - replacement punching bags and all sorts of minor extras - so that she can creep around and find him. She pauses as she peeks between two sets of treadmills, turning them on as a distraction before she heads in the other direction, attempting to move to creep up behind him.

When she does, then she can move to tilt her leg forward, to reach out and, with momentum coming from her palm flat on the ground and her body angled towards Hank, try to kick him sharply on the side. ]