Everyone rather expected that Mystique's official inclusion into this circle would have caused more waves than it did.
But, in fact, she caused far less problems than Kitty or even Kevin had.
Perhaps that was predictable; she'd spent her whole life learning how to blend into any group she was in, and even if she couldn't possibly have acted like an X-man, she could be non obtrusive.
Even as a prisoner there, she'd been quiet and tried to avoid interacting with them, and now it wasn't that different.
Only real change was she was not avoiding Shine, and she was far more compliant.
Even Scott said he was surprised that she'd accepted the situation so easily, but he supposed it had to do with it being an arrangement this time.
The kids weren't bothered by her either. They all knew she'd helped Kitty out, so they didn't feel scared about someone who would normally be considered a criminal staying around them.
Warren was, of course, not happy with it.
He half considered going home himself.
But here he realized that, in the months he'd been there, he'd gotten used to not being alone, and the idea of going back to it was almost unbearable. He had no life to speak of if he did. Here he had a haven.
He could put up with Mystique for that, he thought, even if he resented her inclusion.
Everyone else accepted it with little to no complaints. Gambit wasn't happy about it, but he kept it mostly to himself, knowing it would get him nowhere to complain.
Kitty, of all things, seemed to find a weird sort of solace in Mystique's inclusion. Perhaps because she was now not the most controversial choice of guests herself. Or maybe because Mystique didn't seem to care about her one way or the other, so she escaped the feeling of constantly annoying other people.
Shine found it amusing to watch Kitty sort of follow the older woman around, though at a distance. She wondered when Mystique would notice it herself. She seemed oblivious to anyone liking her.
Colossus also had no problem with Mystique, so at least two people were not making it awkward.
Compared to the first go-around, Mystique knew she was in a better position this way...but she was not at ease either.
Shine was the one person she seemed able to get along with fairly well...as she just gave up trying to fight with her now.
It was only a day or so into the arrangement when all this had become clear to them, and they actually talked a little about it.
"It's weird, isn't it?" Shine said thoughtfully. "The moment when you realize you went from enemy to an accepted, if not always liked, facet of the house?"
"Why does that sound like you speaking from experience?" Mystique said oddly.
"Didn't I ever tell you how it went for us at first?" Shine said. "Huh....odd, I should have ages ago. Well, you will get a kick out of this story, and I give you permission to laugh at my frustration, because I probably will. The first day I got held at claw point and attempted power drained..."
She told her the whole story, from meeting Kurt, to going after Creed (a surprising turn), and then finding The Way and making some actual friends.
After this point Mystique knew the rest, but by the time she'd been caught, they'd almost started getting along, especially with Scott.
"And then I almost got you kicked out," she said unceremoniously.
