AN: Sorry about the delays. I'm on a trip. I'll go back to stable update after the New Year. Oh, and I've been working on a new ff. Something different this time. Check the name at the end.
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[Late morning] [Stark Tower]
Mystique stepped out of the bath, wrapped in steam and the scent of jasmine. Her skin glowed a deeper shade of blue in the soft light, the scales along her shoulders catching the reflection like faint starlight. She toweled her hair dry and stood before the mirror.
She still couldn't believe that Tony had actually asked her out. Her first real date.
She stared at her reflection, feeling a strange mix of excitement and panic twist in her stomach. He'd told her before that she looked beautiful in her natural form. He said it like it was obvious. Still, the thought of walking beside him, blue skin and all, made her fingers twitch.
"Get it together, Raven," she muttered. "You can handle lunch."
She grabbed her phone and opened a clothing app.
"Alright, time to dress up," She mumbled to herself as she scrolled through the list.
First a black dress: too formal.
Then a red blouse and heels: too much effort.
A leather jacket and jeans: too rebellious.
A white summer dress: too soft.
She sighed, arms folded, then snapped her fingers. The look shifted to a simple white t-shirt, white pants, and a light jacket.
"That's it," she said quietly. "No drama. Just… me."
She took one last look in the mirror. For the first time, she didn't feel like she was pretending to be someone else. She smiled before walking out.
...
[Lounge]
When she stepped into the lounge, Janet and Wanda were already there, sitting on the couch with coffee mugs in hand. Wanda spotted her first and waved.
"Morning, Raven. You look… radiant."
Janet smirked. "Yeah, someone's glowing. What's the occasion?"
Mystique tried to sound casual. "Nothing. Just, uh, going out for a drive."
Janet's eyebrows rose. "With Tony?"
Mystique hesitated. "Maybe."
Wanda grinned. "Oh, it's definitely a date."
Mystique laughed nervously. "It's just a drive."
"Uh-huh," Janet said, leaning forward with a knowing look. "Rule number one, don't call it 'just a drive.' Own it. Confidence is half the charm."
Wanda nodded. "And rule number two, let him talk. Tony loves to explain things. Pretend you're fascinated, even when he's describing the internal wiring of a toaster."
Mystique chuckled. "He already did that last week."
"Then you're halfway there," Janet said, sipping her coffee. "And if things get quiet, compliment his work. Or his hair. Or both."
"Hair compliments," Wanda said, mock serious. "Always effective. And if you want to make it spicy..." she gestured vaguely with a smirk "...a little teasing doesn't hurt."
Mystique raised an eyebrow. "Spicy?"
Wanda winked. "Playful. Keep him guessing. Men like Tony? They live for the chase."
Mystique rolled her eyes but couldn't stop smiling. "You two make this sound like a strategy briefing."
Janet grinned. "Honey, dating is strategy. Just with better lighting."
They laughed, and for a few minutes, the tension in Mystique's chest eased. She found herself enjoying it—this normalcy, this sisterly banter.
Then her phone chimed. A message.
Tony: "Outside. Bring your best playlist. I'll bring the bad jokes."
Mystique felt her pulse quicken again. She looked at Wanda and Janet, who both gave her matching mischievous smiles.
Wanda raised her mug. "Go get him, blue girl."
Janet added, "And remember... spicy." She gave her a thumbs-up.
Mystique grinned. "No promises."
She turned, walked toward the elevator.
After she left, Janet turned to Wanda with a knowing smile. She raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Wanda asked, trying to act natural.
"Nothing, just thinking. She came late yet got a date. And here you are, hiding your feelings. You do know he got a harem thing going on, right? Why not just go for it instead of beating around the bush? Life is too short. Live it while you can, rather than regretting it later," Janet said before taking a sip of coffee.
"Says the one who always blushes whenever he's around. You've been with him the longest, yet you never tried to approach him? Is it because of your past trauma with Hank?" Wanda asked with a curious look.
"Maybe, I don't know. I do like him, but it's like..." Janet paused for a moment, trying to find the proper words to explain her feelings. "...I'm like 20 years older than him. He has so many beautiful girls around him. He won't even look at an old woman like me, even if I approach him. That's the reality. But your situation is different."
"You do know age is just a number, right? Take the Aegis Serum and remain 25 forever. Or, use your mature charms to seduce him," Wanda said with a wink. "If you do that, then I'll also join in. What do you say?"
She put her cup on the table and extended her hand toward Janet.
"Life is too short. Live it while you can, rather than regretting it later," She smirked.
Janet narrowed her eyes and shook Wanda's hand. "Deal."
"Wait! Deal?!" Wanda wasn't expecting that. She was surprised.
"Yeah, deal. We'll go together, and you can't back out now since this was your idea," Janet said with a sly smirk that said, 'I got you.'
"Ah! Fine. I'll do it," Wanda agreed.
...
[Outside]
Tony leaned against the car, hands in his pockets, sunglasses glinting in the morning light. The second Mystique stepped outside, he straightened and grinned.
"Wow," he said. "You look… dangerously casual. I wasn't ready for that level of style this early in the day."
Mystique smiled. "You're one to talk. That shirt probably costs more than a car."
He looked down at it. "Yeah, but it's breathable. Science-grade cotton."
She shook her head, laughing as she slid into the passenger seat. Tony got in, started the car, and they pulled out into traffic.
"So," he said, glancing at her. "How about we start with breakfast? I haven't eaten, and I'm guessing you didn't either."
"Starving," she said, resting her elbow on the window. "I was too nervous to eat."
Tony smiled. "Good. I mean, not good that you're hungry, but good that I'm not the only one who overthinks before a date."
She raised an eyebrow. "This is a date?"
He glanced at her again, a smirk tugging at his lips. "It's a drive that happens to involve food, conversation, and a woman I really wanted to see. So yeah, I'd say that qualifies."
Mystique looked out the window, hiding the small smile that betrayed her. "You really don't do subtle, do you?"
"Subtle's for people who don't have repulsors," he said. "I prefer direct thrust."
She laughed. "You should never say that sentence in public again."
"Noted."
They turned a corner and stopped at a small Italian café with outdoor seating and a red awning. The smell of roasted coffee and fresh bread filled the air. Tony parked, and they stepped out.
Inside, a waiter recognized him immediately, but Tony just waved it off. "Two coffees, strong. And whatever's fastest with eggs."
Mystique added, "And orange pancakes. Extra syrup."
Tony turned to her. "You're a pancake girl. I didn't peg you for that."
"I've had enough field rations for one lifetime. Pancakes make me feel human," she said.
He smiled. "Can't argue with that logic."
They sat by the window. For a few minutes, there was quiet between them, but it wasn't awkward. Their food arrived quickly since the place was mostly empty at that time. Mystique sipped her coffee, and Tony watched her with that half-smirk of his, the one that always looked like he was running numbers in his head and enjoying them.
"So," he said finally. "You've been handling my meetings, saving the world, and now you're out having breakfast with me. That's one hell of a résumé."
Mystique chuckled. "Yeah, I'm expecting a raise."
"Done. Effective immediately. Double your pay."
"I don't even know what you pay me. I simply transfer most of my funds to Charles to take care of the students."
"That's nice. But I'm sending enough support for the kids and students there. So, try to enjoy life a bit. Spend some money on silly things. You can buy bunnies, a giant teddy bear, or a pogo stick and jump around." Tony said as he took a sip of his coffee.
Mystique almost choked on her coffee. "A pogo stick? Really?"
Tony grinned. "You'd look great on one. Blue blur bouncing through Central Park. Instant viral moment."
She laughed. "And bunnies?"
"Oh, definitely. You look like the type who'd name one 'Murder' just to watch people flinch when you introduce it."
Mystique tried to hold back a smile but failed. "Okay, that one's fair."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "See, that's the thing. You've got this deadly, mysterious, untouchable vibe, but I bet no one's ever asked you to pick between bunnies and pogo sticks."
She stared at him for a second, then said quietly, "No. No one ever has."
Tony nodded, his expression softening. "You know, you don't always have to be the perfect operative. The world won't collapse if you act ridiculous once in a while."
Mystique toyed with her fork, pushing a bit of pancake around the plate. "I wouldn't even know where to start. My whole life's been missions, orders, and pretending to be other people. I don't really know what 'normal' is supposed to feel like."
Tony thought for a moment, then made a fist and held it out to her. "That's where I come in."
She looked at his hand, puzzled. "What are you doing?"
"Today," he said, "we're doing stupid things. Silly things. Things that make zero tactical sense. And by the end of it, you'll know exactly what normal fun feels like."
Mystique looked at him, her guarded composure cracking just a little. Then she smiled, a real one this time, and bumped her fist against his.
"Alright, Stark," she said. "Show me what fun looks like."
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