I Should Tell You
Angel walked into the apartment she shared with Collins, and for the first time was relieved to find it empty. She took off her wig and dropped it on the counter. Normally, it didn't bother her, but today it was itching.
She sat on the couch and pulled off her heels. They were her favourite this week, sparkly and silver- and exactly the right height for her to be able to look into Collins' eyes.
A shiver of nervousness ran through Angel's body as she thought of her partner. She pulled her legs up to her chest and buried her face in her stockinged knees. How am I supposed to tell him?
Someone knocked on the door. Angel swallowed the tears that were threatening her carefully applied makeup and lifted her head.
"Yeah?"
Mimi opened the door cautiously. "Angel?"
Angel got up and tried to smile bravely at her best friend. "Hey, chica."
"So did you hear?" Mimi's eyes were round with worry.
Angel nodded slowly, "It's not good," she confessed. "He said they'd have to wait for the test results to come back to be sure, but…"
Mimi hugged her tightly, on hand gently stroking her bare head.
"It's okay, querida," Mimi murmured a Angel started to cry. "We're all here for you, you know that."
"I'm scared," Angel whispered.
"It's a scary thing."
Gripping hands tightly, they sat on the couch; Angel curling her legs underneath her.
"It might not even happen, anyway," said Mimi, attempting to cheer Angel up. "I mean, what if the tests come back not showing anything? It could happen, right?"
"Mimi," Angel said softly. "How do I tell Collins?"
"You mean he doesn't know?" Mimi frowned. "But… where does he think you've been going? He must think it's kinda weird you disappearing off to the doctor's every week."
Angel shrugged, more tears queuing up expectantly behind her eyeliner. "I lied. I said I was going shopping, or getting my nails done, or…"
Mimi squeezed her hands. "I think you just have to be brave, chica."
"Can't you tell him?"
"Angel Dumott Schunard!" Mimi scolded. "Don't tell me you're turning into a wimp after all these years!"
Angel smiled faintly. "I don't want him to worry."
Mimi sighed. "Sweetie, he has to find out sometime. You can't have… What did you say they called it?"
"Kaposi's sarcoma. It's… a kind of cancer."
"Yeah. You can't have something that huge and not tell Collins. Imagine if it was the other way around. You'd want to know, right?"
"I would," Angel nodded, and tried to run her hands through her hair before remembering that it was sitting on the counter.
"Where is he, anyway?" Mimi asked.
"He's teaching," Angel explained. "He should be back around…" She looked at the clock, and panicked. "Oh, no, he's coming home soon!" She grabbed Mimi's hands pleadingly. "Mimi, chica, please, can't you- "
"I wish I could," said Mimi quietly. "But this is something you have to do yourself, Angel." She got up. "Come see us when it's over, okay?"
Angel nodded, and as Mimi closed the door she forgot all about her makeup and cried freely.
Once she'd calmed down, Angel took her wig into the bedroom, and almost laughed at the reflection she saw in the mirror.
I'm a mess, she thought, realising in dismay just how waterproof that stupid mascara really was.
She'd just managed to clean herself up when she heard the door open.
"Honey? Are you around?" Collins called.
Angel's heart jumped, and did a few flips just for good measure. She walked slowly to the living room to find Collins picking up her shoes from where they had benn lying next to the couch.
"Hey, sugar." Her voice sounded thick and hoarse. There was no way he could miss the fact that she'd been crying.
True to perfect, adorable form, Collins crossed the room towards her and held her. "What's wrong?"
Angel pulled away, and, taking a deep breath, looked up into Collins' face.
"I have something to tell you."
…
Review? Yes?
Angel/Collins is my favourite couple in the world ever, so I hope I did them justice.
I own nothing. Not a smidgeon.