The last remnants of the Statue of Liberty vanished beneath the waves, leaving only ripples in the harbor and the heavy silence of victory tinged with exhaustion. The X-Men stood on the shore, their bodies aching from the battle, but their spirits unbroken.
Jean Grey leaned against Wanda Maximoff, her new symbiote suit pulsing faintly as it worked to suppress the Phoenix Force within her. Storm, Natasha, Gwen, and Talia gathered nearby, exchanging quiet words and soft laughter, their camaraderie shining even through their exhaustion.
But the quiet was broken by a single voice.
"She… she was trying to protect me," Rogue whispered, her eyes wide and her voice trembling. "Mystique… Crystal… she wasn't just using me."
The team turned toward Rogue, their expressions a mix of surprise and disbelief.
"Protect you?" Charles Xavier asked, moving forward with a frown. "Rogue, Mystique is a master manipulator. She deceived all of us."
Rogue shook her head, her cheeks flushed. "But she didn't have to save me. She risked everything, and for what? She didn't need to…"
Wanda stepped forward, her eyes soft but confident. "Maybe because she actually cares about you, Rogue."
Rogue's face turned an even deeper shade of red.
"I mean, come on," Natasha added with a sly grin. "You don't risk your life for someone unless you're seriously into them."
"Oh, definitely," Gwen chimed in, her grin widening. "Mystique's got it bad for you, Rogue."
Talia laughed, nudging Rogue playfully. "Dangerous, mysterious, and devoted. That's basically the dream, isn't it?"
Jean and Storm exchanged knowing glances before Jean spoke up, her voice gentle but teasing. "It's complicated, sure. But love often is."
Rogue's mouth opened and closed like a fish, her face now a brilliant shade of crimson. "I—she—I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Oh, you know exactly what we're talking about," Natasha teased, crossing her arms with a smirk.
"This is ridiculous," Charles interjected, shaking his head. "Mystique is dangerous. She's a threat, not some lovesick fool."
Cyclops snorted, adjusting his visor. "She played you, Rogue. End of story."
Wolverine chuckled darkly. "Next thing you'll tell me is Sabretooth has a soft spot too."
But Wanda wasn't going to let them off the hook that easily.
Wanda turned sharply toward Cyclops and Wolverine, her eyes narrowing. "Speaking of soft spots… Care to explain why you two were sitting on the sidelines during the battle?"
The group went silent, all eyes shifting to Cyclops and Wolverine.
"I'm sorry, what?" Storm raised an eyebrow, her tone dangerously amused.
"Oh, you didn't notice?" Wanda's voice dripped with sarcasm. "While we were fighting for our lives, these two were lounging around, wearing mirrored sunglasses, and watching us like it was some kind of show."
Cyclops coughed awkwardly, while Wolverine scratched the back of his neck, his usual confidence faltering under the scrutiny.
"It was… uh…" Wolverine started, but Cyclops cut him off with a smirk.
"Just enjoy the show, buddy," Cyclops said, quoting himself from earlier, clearly regretting it now.
Natasha burst out laughing. "Are you serious? You were ogling us while we fought?"
Gwen doubled over, her laughter echoing across the beach. "Wow. That's a new low, even for you two."
Talia shook her head, her grin wicked. "Next mission, we'll make sure to bring you popcorn."
Even Jean chuckled, though her cheeks flushed faintly as she glanced at Wanda.
"Maybe they just couldn't handle the view," Storm teased, flipping her white hair over her shoulder with a smirk.
Wanda arched an eyebrow, her lips curling into a playful smile. "I mean, can you blame them?"
Jean blushed deeper, her voice soft but amused. "I'm starting to think they just wanted front-row seats."
Rogue, still flustered from the Mystique conversation, groaned. "Y'all are hopeless."
As the laughter died down, Wanda turned to Jean, her gaze softening. "You know, you looked incredible out there, Jean. Power suits you."
Jean's cheeks turned a brilliant shade of pink, and she glanced away, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her symbiote suit. "Thanks… I had a good teacher."
Storm stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Don't forget about me, Wanda. I'm not done showing you what I can do."
Wanda chuckled, her eyes dancing between Jean and Storm. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Natasha leaned in, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear. "At this rate, Wanda's going to need a bigger bed."
The group erupted into laughter, and even Rogue couldn't hide her smile, though her face remained bright red.
As the teasing faded into comfortable silence, Wanda stepped forward, her expression turning serious as she looked out over the horizon where the remnants of the statue bobbed in the water.
"This battle's over," she said quietly. "But the war isn't."
Jean stood beside her, the symbiote suit pulsing gently as her powers simmered beneath the surface. She reached out, her fingers brushing against Wanda's, their connection undeniable.
"And we're ready for whatever comes next," Jean whispered, her voice filled with quiet determination.
Storm moved to Wanda's other side, her presence strong and steady. "Together."
The team, despite their differences and tensions, stood united. For now.
But just as they thought the battle was over, the inevitable irony of a supervillain revealed itself—he just couldn't leave in silence.
From the depths, Magneto rose out of the water, his battered form floating effortlessly, defiance burning in his eyes. The metal around him rippled with magnetic energy, reflecting the sheer will that refused to let him fall.
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