Summary: X-Men, Mystique/Reader, Soulmate AU, Reader is a ‘mirror’
There’s no marker for soulmates; no flash of colours, no written words or name on your skin; it’s simply a feeling; meant to be special for each soulmate; an unyielding pull towards the other. That’s what everyone says. Mutations seem to not have any effect on soulmates; there is no change in abilities; not alteration of mutations or even the idea of mutations taking the place of soulmates. Each feeling is said to envelope the soulmates when they meet, when they acknowledge each other fully.
While you’ve always loved the idea of meeting your soulmate like your parents did, when your mutation pushes up against your skin and coats your body in a faint shimmer you worry. Your parents are thankful it’s only a mild physical mutation; until you meet another mutant who can float four inches off the ground and your body turns silver for a minute before you hover to match him. They teach you to avoid eye contact; it’s easy enough, most people don’t even notice the shimmer; or if they do it’s passed off as body glitter or a trick of the light.
Of course avoiding everyone’s eyes keeps you at a distance, you barely have friends and cowering around mutants gives them a dislike of you. You think maybe you’ll never meet your soulmate at all.
Your parents come up to visit and they push you into meeting Charles Xavier; he’s giving a lecture at your college and they urge you to go, desperate that he could help you train your powers.
You’re on your way to the lecture hall; when you know something is wrong. You keep your eyes down; it’s the safest. If you don’t look you can’t mimic. It’s what you’d always tell yourself and for the past years it’s worked out really well.
“Look out!” You cringe trying to stop your natural reaction to look up and fail. You can see the piece of metal moving far too controlled to be anything less than a mutant's power. You repeat to yourself to not look and as you see people looking one way you look the other; relieved and hopeful that there’s no other mutants around.
You look up and can feel the tingling of powers. You stare wide eyed into the crowd as people shriek and pull away from you, you catch your arm; it’s scaled and blue and you’re too shocked to do anything until a firm hand grabs your arm.
“Mystique, come on.” The man tugs you back and you can’t even tell him anything before he’s pulling you away and towards another blue skinned mutant whose tail flickers before you can feel yourself transported somewhere else.
“You’ve been acting strange all day; first running away in the fight and then all of this; you’ve barely spoken. I know you’re upset about the fight earlier but running away and giving me the cold shoulder isn’t going to help.” You shrug a little and the man frowns. You had managed to not look up at any of them, keeping Mystique’s form despite the camp being solely inhabited by mutants. You know you'd perfectly mimic her voice but you’re not sure what she would say, especially if she’s angry at this man.
“We’re still going to see Charles; he asked for us specifically. Whatever you’re dealing with, just put it aside.” You nod a little surprised when he pulls you close and Nightcrawler teleports you in front of a school.
“Children with the X gene, as it has been termed, generally inherit their powers from the male lineage in their family history but the X gene can be passed from the female lineage in their family history as well. The male variant of the X gene is the dominant. In simple terms the father plays the greater influence in the mutation.” Charles can already hear the buzzing thoughts and he brushes them off as he continues his speech. He’d been surprised when Moria had asked him and the school to the college lecture; he was even more surprised at the overwhelming amount of minds that were mutants.
He catches Erik sulking in the back and he’s trying his best to not glance at him to make sure he stays till the end; where he repeats that mutation does not make someone bad and that everyone, as the future of the world, cannot let the past happen again.
Charles is relieved when Erik stays; casually walking up to the group as they’ve finished the question and answer portions.
“Ask them yourself when we get back.”
“I’m not going back. Mystique and I got in a fight… I wouldn't want to bring more trouble to you.” Erik steps back slightly and Charles looks unimpressed before Erik sighs.
“Just for dinner.” He assures himself and no one else calls him out in his lie. No one even bothers with correcting the time; it’s not even half past eleven yet.
Dinner is almost an all day event with everyone in the mansion. While Erik had been accounted for; Mystique and the rest of the brotherhood were not; although they were kind enough to start on the dinner by the time Charles and the others made it back to the mansion.
Erik had said he wanted to check over some things at the camp and hadn’t returned to the mansion with everyone.
“You could have gotten pizza?” Scott looks confused by whatever they’re cooking and Azazel raises an eyebrow.
“How are we supposed to know what you want on it?”
“You could have asked Charles.” Scott snaps and Mystique chuckles.
“You get grumpy when you’re hungry; like your brother.” Scott glares and is about to say something when the usual BAMF from Kurt makes everyone look up.
“Mystique?” You don’t know if you should respond, but then another voice interrupts your attempt.
You're about to look down; but someone’s eyes catch yours and before you can turn you can suddenly hear his thoughts and can feel the other mutant’s powers leaving you. You turn looking down already apologizing.
“I’m really sorry I don’t know what happened. I was in the crowd earlier and then I just looked up for one second and then this happened and-” You cringe suddenly overwhelmed by the chorus of voices commenting about you, you close your eyes and try to focus on one voice, the mans you’re currently hearing now.
“It’s okay Y/N. That’s an incredible power you have; mirroring ability; if you learned to control it; it would be useful.” You nod to Charles and Magneto explains the ‘fight’ that he’d been part of; you’re surprised to see the blue woman again; you’re introduced to Mystique and mimic her immediately; she grins a little and you smile back.
“Sorry I can’t control it very well yet.”
“Mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery isn’t it?” She chuckles and you flush slightly.
“Do you think we could try some training; since you’re both here.”
“You need me?” Mystique looks confused and Charles seems to have a conversation with her in their heads before she smiles again and nods towards you.
“He wants to see if you can mimic me when I shapeshift.”
”This will be fun to watch.” You grin at her and she looks a little unimpressed.
“Have you ever fought before?”
“No but you have; I know what you know; a mirror is a perfect reflection.”
“So if I-” she jumps forward and you move back just enough to avoid her foot striking you.
“Oh you’re right this must be fun to watch..” She laughs and strikes out with her hand; you block it and laugh a little breathless. You’re watching her, waiting for her next move when you suddenly feel cold. You think maybe it’s nerves; with how you shiver, but then you realize you haven’t stopped shaking and you’re wondering if maybe you looked at someone else, until you watch Mystique and realize she’s also shivering.
“Dinner’s ready; if you’re all just standing around here watching Mystique and Y/N figure out they’re soulmates can we at least do it inside with food?” As soon as you register the word soulmate the shiver stops and Mystique just grins at you as she offers her hand to bring you back into the mansion.
“You should meet my family; they’re a bit intense.” She laughs at her own comment and you nod following her forward.
