Marvel's New Magneto

"So, you pushed them so hard they ended up like helpless little piglets?" Jean and Ororo both shook their heads, clearly disapproving of Erik's training methods.

They were in a lounge reserved for the X-Men, where the two women had been drawn out by the noise earlier. After training ended, they invited Erik and Selene for afternoon tea.

Selene politely declined—she had recently gotten hooked on a soap opera about a vampire romance and made sure to watch it every afternoon. That left Erik alone with two beautiful women.

The afternoon sun streamed through the sheer white curtains, filling the room with warmth. The heat had a soothing effect, making the exhaustion of the day melt away. It was almost enough to make them drowsy, but the sweet honeyed tea helped keep them awake.

Sitting around the table, the three of them chatted comfortably.

"They've been living too comfortably for too long," Erik said. "They're soft, like overcooked pasta. I had to give them a wake-up call, get them used to pressure."

"Not just a wake-up call," Jean teased. "You also handed out some 'benefits,' didn't you?"

She knew more than Ororo did. While Storm was still embarrassed about their misunderstanding that morning, Jean had been watching from the window. She might not have caught every detail, but she had seen enough.

Erik smiled knowingly. "A little trick to help with fatigue. Ororo, you could do it too." He swirled the tea in his porcelain cup, recalling the firm, youthful bodies of the students he had worked on.

Ororo frowned. "What are you two talking about?"

"Massage," Erik said, setting his cup down. "After training, I gave the students a massage to ease their soreness."

"You can do that?" Both women looked intrigued. Sometimes, it felt like there was nothing this man couldn't do.

"I only know the basics," Erik admitted. "But with my ability, I can subtly adjust their bioelectric fields, helping them recover faster. I don't want them to fear my training. Stress followed by relaxation allows for better conditioning."

In Eastern traditions, people believed in energy meridians and pressure points—key areas along the body's core that, when stimulated, could improve physical well-being. Erik didn't know much about professional massage techniques, but his unique vision allowed him to see the body's magnetic fields in a way no one else could. Even his crude methods had impressive results.

His students could testify to that—after grueling training, they had been completely drained, but a session with him left them feeling refreshed. What was once dreaded training suddenly didn't seem so bad.

Hearing this, Ororo was intrigued. She glanced at Jean, noticing her expression was unusually interested.

"Can I learn too?" she asked.

Erik nodded. "Of course. Though it's a bit different from your usual skill set, it just takes practice."

That answer was enough to spark Ororo's curiosity. She had grown up on the streets of Cairo, doing whatever it took to survive. It was only with Professor Xavier's help that she had learned to control her abilities and embrace ideals like honor and responsibility. Now, she was drawn to the idea of using her powers in a more delicate, healing way.

"I never knew abilities could be used like that. You're full of surprises," Jean said. Then, after a pause, she added, "So... does that mean Selene has experienced your 'benefits' too? Could we try it as well?"

She leaned on the table, looking directly at Erik.

Ororo was stunned.

Erik met Jean's gaze, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Of course. I'd be honored."

---

The women's bathhouse was much better than the men's.

Unlike the cramped, military-style showers Erik was used to—where there wasn't always hot water—the women's bath had a spacious marble tub. When it was filled with warm water, steam rose in gentle waves, creating an inviting atmosphere.

He and the two women sat in the water, wrapped in towels.

Ororo felt like she was dreaming.

She had assumed Jean just wanted a massage like the students, but things had quickly escalated. Under the excuse that massages worked best after a hot bath, Jean had led Erik into their private bathhouse—a place even female students rarely entered. Now, he was sitting in the water with them, completely at ease.

It was almost too much for Ororo to handle.

She wasn't sure what had gotten into her—was it Jean's teasing glance that challenged her, or was it something inside her that she couldn't suppress any longer? The silent tension between them turned into an unspoken competition, drawing them toward dangerous territory.

The air felt charged, thick with something she couldn't quite name.

Ororo clutched her towel tightly. The water's buoyancy made her body feel weightless, and the lingering heat from the bath played tricks on her senses. It reminded her of something—of dreams she barely remembered but couldn't forget. She tried to focus, but the warmth was relentless, wrapping around her like an invisible touch.

And now, there was alcohol.

Jean had brought drinks. Because, apparently, sharing a bath wasn't enough—she had to introduce alcohol into the mix.

Ororo sipped her drink, using it as an excuse to hide her flustered expression.

She glanced at Jean again. There was something different about her tonight. Normally, she was calm, kind, and rational. But now, she was intense, almost predatory. Her deep red lips, her dilated pupils—there was a heat in her gaze that Ororo had never seen before.

A quiet alarm rang in Ororo's mind.

Without thinking, she shifted closer to Erik and drained her glass in one gulp.

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