#sabrestique

Summary: Mystique comes to Sabretooth's rescue, and finds him drugged so badly his healing factor can't keep up.

The grill belches pale smoke into the clear blue sky, and the old boombox that Sabretooth hauled out is playing 'oldies'.

Oldies, now there's a funny word. The music is still fresh to Sabretooth, the same way it is to Mystique who is sitting by the pool with sunscreen on her nose and a dubious expression.

'Oldies' are songs like 'La Mer', playing on the old radio in the bunker in Berlin, not these guys blessing the rains in Africa. 

The blue sky, the tunes, the smell of smoking meat, the little smile on Mystique's face. It makes the cold war seem far away. It makes the uncontrollable bloodlust seem like it might belong with the 'oldies'.

The song changes.

"Ooga-chaka. Ooga-chaka…."

"Oh no."

Mystique sits up in her beach chair, alarm on her face, and Sabretooth cackles, running over to scoop her up in his arms.

"I can't stop this feelin'! Deep inside of me!"

He sings along in a powerful caterwaul and pulls Mystique in to dance with him, her eyes wide. The grimace on her face wars with a grin.

It makes all the old pain seem far away.

Maybe this time the good times will stick. 

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AO3 | personal archive

prompt list

Sabretooth is so annoying. <3

No text version under the cut.

side note, I’ve decided that my writing project for today is fleshing out my own selfship by answering every question, and I’m having fun so far!

Oh that sounds like so much fun! What a great project :D I'm excited to see it when you're done!

You did indeed spell 'sabretooth' correctly-- its spelled like the sword. ;)

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A night in for Sabretooth and Mystique-- that's something they're both familiar with, and something that's a lot safer for bystanders than a night on the town! 🤣

They order dinner in. They tip the delivery person extra if they don't freak out when the two of them answer the door.

They drink wine, even though it doesn't really affect either of them, and they listen to old music, and sing along. They compete for who knows all the lyrics to the oldest song, and they slowdance in the living room.

They watch movies. Maybe Sabretooth tries to break out something by Dario Argento, or an old swords and sorcery film. Maybe Mystique tries to show him the new James Bond instead.

"Bond's a weenie." "No, you'll like Daniel Craig. He reminds me of you."

And they lay spooning on the couch, Sabretooth's big frame taking up the bulk of it, and Mystique laying languidly in his arms.

And they laugh, and they make dark and offcolor jokes, and they reminisce about the way the spy business used to be. And what the movies get right, and what they get wrong.

And they finish the bottle of wine, and when the movie ends they kiss and they wrestle, and they take turns trying to pin one another down, and one thing leads to the other...

they love their nights in.

Ship: Sabretooth (😼🔪) and Mystique

Essay outline

Time period– X-Factor era (90s)

Broad idea: during this time, Mystique and Sabretooth are technically broken up, and even marginally enemies, but neither is over the other one.

(headcanon) Sabretooth loves annoying Mystique with mushy, goofy music, and would sing it at her at karaoke

The song highlights a staple of their relationship; being very compatible together, but lacking the emotional maturity and communication skills to really connect

More literally, the song focuses on escape and freedom, which is something neither of them have during the X-Factor era, both of them implanted with bomb collars and forced to work for the group.

Sabretooth of course repeatedly tries to get Mystique to run away with him, but she fears what will happen if they do.

Though it takes a while, they both eventually come back to the spark that they had, and get back together, just like the couple in the song.