[ There were not many he would tolerate seeing him weak like this, anymore than a detached and primally defensive part of him could stand watching himself regress, exposed, beyond the image of his aged self, inside just a mortified child again. Rogue was one he would accept - and more helpfully, one whose voice could reach him, even in much worse states than he was in now.
He heard her, as if miles away, then closer, but as if underwater. Enough of the mind fog lifted that he could see through his eyes again, immediately checking around himself, ready to attack. But no one was attacking him, and the person landing beside him is Rogue after all, thoughtful enough (or wise enough from experience) not to touch him just yet. He blinks away his last mental images of her, also fighting what he feared would be both of their final battle as their mutant state fell.
Rogue was alive. She was alive! She, who understood him, and spoke with a frank sort of empathy - a contrast to Charles on that front. She, who could touch none, but could share touch with him. She, who agreed to become Queen of Genosha only to change her mind. To her credit, also she who stayed to fight. Whatever her heart had decided about the men interested in her, to Erik, her devotion to mutant-kind had not wavered. He admired her for both, even if one of those choices hurt him, and even if he was not the least surprised.
He closed his eyes to steady himself, focused his breathing, and spoke her name before reopening them. Magneto sounded relieved. If she had been Charles instead, somehow alive, he would have hurled the man and his fancy chair toward the ocean. Or at least, he would have wanted to. ] Rogue... You are alive. I feared everyone was dead.
...Where are we?
[ Because taking information from their captors at face value was not going to happen. Not today, not yet, anyways. ]
no subject
He heard her, as if miles away, then closer, but as if underwater. Enough of the mind fog lifted that he could see through his eyes again, immediately checking around himself, ready to attack. But no one was attacking him, and the person landing beside him is Rogue after all, thoughtful enough (or wise enough from experience) not to touch him just yet. He blinks away his last mental images of her, also fighting what he feared would be both of their final battle as their mutant state fell.
Rogue was alive. She was alive! She, who understood him, and spoke with a frank sort of empathy - a contrast to Charles on that front. She, who could touch none, but could share touch with him. She, who agreed to become Queen of Genosha only to change her mind. To her credit, also she who stayed to fight. Whatever her heart had decided about the men interested in her, to Erik, her devotion to mutant-kind had not wavered. He admired her for both, even if one of those choices hurt him, and even if he was not the least surprised.
He closed his eyes to steady himself, focused his breathing, and spoke her name before reopening them. Magneto sounded relieved. If she had been Charles instead, somehow alive, he would have hurled the man and his fancy chair toward the ocean. Or at least, he would have wanted to. ] Rogue... You are alive. I feared everyone was dead.
...Where are we?
[ Because taking information from their captors at face value was not going to happen. Not today, not yet, anyways. ]