He's wearing gloves, a simple touch of his hand should have been just fine, it's why she doesn't pull back right away, but then— The rip goes unnoticed until her skin is brushing against his, barely an inch of her finger coming into contact with his arm, but it's enough. Not to jumpstart her mutation, that would have taken a second longer than she gives it before jerking her hand out from under his, but enough to bring on a flood of sensation that she's only heard about secondhand.

The soulmate bond might be rarer now than it had been in the early twentieth century, but it's not unheard of. She'd just never thought... How could she find that person when she couldn't touch anyone? But here he is and—

She can't help but stare at him with something like fear in her eyes.