Witching About

[Mystique]

Raven shook her head; Abigail had been fine, as usual. "For the most part, no. She had a bit of a protest against eating her apple slices, but we worked it out."

[The Man]

::Xavier nodded in acknowledgment and sipped his tea. Abigail could be a fussy eater at times.::

[Mystique]

Raven nodded. They conversed while he ate his sandwich and drank his tea. The rest of the day passed normally, with the exception of Xavier's leg spasms, which turned out to be painful and needed him to take medication for that rather than his headache.

[The Man]

::For what it said about adaptation, Xavier grew used to the muscle spasms, just as he had to the wheelchair, the occasional headache, and the constant stiffness in his back. Days passed and they grew worse, and eventually, he capitulated and began physical therapy with Henry.::

[Mystique]

Weeks had passed since Mystique had originally begun the spells on Charles. Now he was beginning physical therapy as his legs and spine began to heal. Due to the age spells, he had regressed to somewhere between forty-eight and fifty-one. At least twelve years younger than when she had started. She had feigned confusion and concern for him very well, but it grew harder as she was so proud of her work. And it was never easy keeping something from a telepath.

That evening, after she had put Abigail to bed, she returned to the bedroom to see Xavier reading. "Is your back still stiff?" She asked him, closing and locking the door behind her.

[The Man]

::Xavier was in bed, reading the novel necessary for his literature class. As always his back was stiff; it had grown worse rather than better in that regard, although he and Henry worked on it three days a week.:: "It usually is."

[Mystique]

Walking over to the bed, she climbed on and shifted closer to him. "Maybe I could give you a massage before bed," She suggested, placing her hand on his arm.

[The Man]

"I would prefer a back rub to a full massage," ::Xavier replied after a moment's consideration. He knew that she enjoyed giving them, but he remained sensitive about his lower body.::

[Mystique]

"A back rub it is, then," She said, leaning in to brush her lips against his cheek. She knew he was still sensitive about his lower body. Hopefully as the physical therapy progressed he would become less so.

[The Man]

::Xavier rose to a sitting position and turned his back to her, to make the activity easier.:: "Thank you."

[Mystique]

She shifted closer to him, and wrapped her arms around him gently before she pulled away to begin. Starting at his shoulders, she rubbed gently, then harder, and gently once more. It made sense that his back became stiff because of the healing process. She just wished he was spared that and the leg pains.

[The Man]

::Xavier, too, wished that he had been spared the leg-pains for this peculiar process. He had yet to find a mutant who would have unknowingly healed him partially, which had left both he and Henry confused as to the cause.::

[Mystique]

Raven's thoughts were particularly loud, as they drifted and she didn't focus on conversation with Xavier. She tenderly massaged his upper back, over the seemingly firmer muscles. He seemed at least twelve years younger, with much more energy and less stress. She was glad she could do this for him. He would benefit from it.

[The Man]

::Her thoughts were louder through the physical contact, and Xavier picked a stray one without having intended to. It was curious, and he tilted his head slightly, turning.:: "What do you mean 'do this for me?'"

[Mystique]

Raven's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but think that she wished she had been more careful. "Your massage, Charles," She said slowly. That was a part of it, and her mind was awhirl even though she tried to focus her thoughts on anything else.