Disclaimer: None of these are my characters, they belong to Marvel.
Author's Note: I swear I will continue this, probably should be about three chapters. It's a bit of a different style than I usually do. Was inspired by my cousin, the songs "Perfect" by Simple Plan, "Honesty" by Rodney Atkins and "When I'm Back On My Feet Again" by Michael Bolton, and a great deal of Cheetos Twisteds. No wonder it's a different style. Blame the Cheetos. ;)
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"Some people will tell you, holding on is hard. But more often than not, the hardest is the letting go." ~Anonymous
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It had not been unexpected when she'd broken off the relationship. Nevertheless, expected did not mean painless. Possibly it made it worse, if anything. It had been easy to read, he'd seen the signs of her drifting to Joseph, but like a fool he'd told himself it was nothing. Deep down, though, he knew his imperfect love for her would not stand the test of time, and she would leave. It was that simple.
Remy would've left had she not broken it so gently to him, so kindly, without any tricks or lies. Perfectly honest. No complex hang-ups, no questions asked, just telling it like it was. It was the kind of favor he'd never be able to return. Not because he couldn't be honest, but because he couldn't be trusted. As much as he always wished it, Rogue never would believe him wholeheartedly.
Not that she trusted him now, sitting at a booth in the local diner. It was plain as day that he was lying about being 'alright'. True, he had dated around with other women, but none of them lasted more than a week. And now she was going to have to break more news to him, wonderful for her and horrifying for him.
"Been a while since we been here t'gether, neh?" He sprawled across the cushion on the booth, taking up his whole side. Rogue smiled, inwardly cursing as she allowed the conversation to steer itself away. "Didn't t'ink Joe would let you go meet another guy."
Joseph didn't mind her here, she knew. He recognized the old passion Remy still held for Rogue, but also recognized that Rogue would stay true to her new lover. Rogue and Joe, they had a future, carefully planned together. "Joe don't mind."
Remy smiled, almost too genuinely, then straightened his posture as a waitress came by.
Rogue continued, deciding to barrel straight into the topic. Nothing subtle about her. "Remy, Ah brought you here t' tell ya somethin'."
"'Was obvious." It had been quite clear that she wanted to speak about important things as soon as she requested the most secluded seats in the place. "Spill."
"Remy, Ah hope you won't be too mad. Joe and Ah...we've decided to have a baby." She lowered her eyes to avoid seeing his initial reaction, which happened to be coughing water over the table.
"Quoi?!" He sputtered some more, choking as he'd attempted to gasp, swallow and say something simultaneously. The end result was one big hiccup. Rogue waited until he ceased, then repeated herself.
"We're going t' have a baby."
"Aint ya gonna get married or somethin' first?" He asked, pushing his sunshades up just enough to wipe watering eyes.
"No, we decided this way was better." Emanating an aura of serenity she did not feel, she started mopping up some of the water.
"Oh." Was that the best he could say? Mentally, he searched for anything, anything he could say that would make it seem that he wasn't fuming inside. "Well...dat's great." The comment was laced with the underlying tone of 'I guess'.
Rogue nodded, seeing through him as if he was transparent. He had no secrets from her.
To himself, he cursed for being so unprepared, so cold about it. Rogue deserved what he'd been unable to give her. At the same time, though, he felt jealousy welling up inside him like bile.
For so long he'd played her heart like a game of poker, holding her as close as possible without deceiving to others the actual nature of his hand. It was that same behavior, the entire secrecy and seclusion of the words he had said, that had given Joseph the upper hand. Whereas Remy would stumble over simple reassurances of his love, Joseph was unafraid to bare his entire soul to the lady.
Yet at the same time Remy had tried to fool himself that he was more deserving. That he had always been more deserving. Maybe, if he tricked himself into thinking it was all just a big mistake, it wouldn't hurt so badly.
And this? This was sealing the gates of hope for him. Once they settled down, made a commitment, then the race was all over. Rogue would belong to Joe, simple as that. Simple as that.
Rogue's voice snapped him from stewing in his personal miseries. "Ah'll have the chocolate sundae supreme and my friend'll have the-"
"Piece o' apple pie, sil vous plaít." The last thing he wanted was to get drunk at a time like this. He'd already said enough.
The caterer offered him a polite grin that he didn't return. Realizing it was a lost cause, she jotted down their order and left.
"Ah know what you're thinkin'." Rogue became serious, leaning across the table to him, eyes narrowed almost accusingly. "Ah borrowed your psyche, 'member? And Ah don't even need that to see right through ya."
Remy cursed himself again for being so blunt. Averting his eyes from her, he thanked God that she wasn't even trying to see his face.
Placing a hand on his, she continued, softly. "Remy, it wasn't you because you aint re-", She paused, searching the space just over his head for the right word. "Reliable. Joseph's gonna stick around, but after Ah borrowed your soul Ah realized you might not. Look at everyone else who's been in your life. You didn't stay with any of 'em."
So there she was, using his past against him yet again.
Her words were true, though. His life had been a lot of running away, never sticking around long enough to take the blow. Just like hers. But he knew that once she had a keystone here, she'd stay. Which was more than he could say.
He didn't notice when the waitress brought them their desserts.
"Please understand." Her eyes stung, seeing him like this. He nodded, slowly, and watched as the minute hand on the clock traced itself halfway around. She joined him in his silence, not wishing to press the issue further. Their solitude together was broken only by the occasional clink of her spoon against the glass bowl. The waitress came back with their tab.
"Your tab?" She asked, delivering the food with a smile.
"Ah'll pay." Said Rogue as she reached inside of her purse. Remy's hand stopped her.
"I'll pay." He managed a slight smile for the caterer. Rogue smiled too, gently, as if showing any more emotion would crack her porcelain face.
After the waitress left, "Thanks."
"De rien."
"Ah gotta go." She rose even as she said it.
"You sure?" Much as he was unhappy right now, it would be worse without her.
"Yeah, Ah gotta get home. Nice seein' ya." After checking to make sure she had her purse, she walked away. Remy looked after her, too exhausted mentally to even take the opportunity to look at her rear. It was his blessing that no one could see the hurt in his eyes through the opaque sunshades.
His sigh sank into a piece of uneaten apple pie.
Author's Note: I swear I will continue this, probably should be about three chapters. It's a bit of a different style than I usually do. Was inspired by my cousin, the songs "Perfect" by Simple Plan, "Honesty" by Rodney Atkins and "When I'm Back On My Feet Again" by Michael Bolton, and a great deal of Cheetos Twisteds. No wonder it's a different style. Blame the Cheetos. ;)
.
.
"Some people will tell you, holding on is hard. But more often than not, the hardest is the letting go." ~Anonymous
.
.
It had not been unexpected when she'd broken off the relationship. Nevertheless, expected did not mean painless. Possibly it made it worse, if anything. It had been easy to read, he'd seen the signs of her drifting to Joseph, but like a fool he'd told himself it was nothing. Deep down, though, he knew his imperfect love for her would not stand the test of time, and she would leave. It was that simple.
Remy would've left had she not broken it so gently to him, so kindly, without any tricks or lies. Perfectly honest. No complex hang-ups, no questions asked, just telling it like it was. It was the kind of favor he'd never be able to return. Not because he couldn't be honest, but because he couldn't be trusted. As much as he always wished it, Rogue never would believe him wholeheartedly.
Not that she trusted him now, sitting at a booth in the local diner. It was plain as day that he was lying about being 'alright'. True, he had dated around with other women, but none of them lasted more than a week. And now she was going to have to break more news to him, wonderful for her and horrifying for him.
"Been a while since we been here t'gether, neh?" He sprawled across the cushion on the booth, taking up his whole side. Rogue smiled, inwardly cursing as she allowed the conversation to steer itself away. "Didn't t'ink Joe would let you go meet another guy."
Joseph didn't mind her here, she knew. He recognized the old passion Remy still held for Rogue, but also recognized that Rogue would stay true to her new lover. Rogue and Joe, they had a future, carefully planned together. "Joe don't mind."
Remy smiled, almost too genuinely, then straightened his posture as a waitress came by.
Rogue continued, deciding to barrel straight into the topic. Nothing subtle about her. "Remy, Ah brought you here t' tell ya somethin'."
"'Was obvious." It had been quite clear that she wanted to speak about important things as soon as she requested the most secluded seats in the place. "Spill."
"Remy, Ah hope you won't be too mad. Joe and Ah...we've decided to have a baby." She lowered her eyes to avoid seeing his initial reaction, which happened to be coughing water over the table.
"Quoi?!" He sputtered some more, choking as he'd attempted to gasp, swallow and say something simultaneously. The end result was one big hiccup. Rogue waited until he ceased, then repeated herself.
"We're going t' have a baby."
"Aint ya gonna get married or somethin' first?" He asked, pushing his sunshades up just enough to wipe watering eyes.
"No, we decided this way was better." Emanating an aura of serenity she did not feel, she started mopping up some of the water.
"Oh." Was that the best he could say? Mentally, he searched for anything, anything he could say that would make it seem that he wasn't fuming inside. "Well...dat's great." The comment was laced with the underlying tone of 'I guess'.
Rogue nodded, seeing through him as if he was transparent. He had no secrets from her.
To himself, he cursed for being so unprepared, so cold about it. Rogue deserved what he'd been unable to give her. At the same time, though, he felt jealousy welling up inside him like bile.
For so long he'd played her heart like a game of poker, holding her as close as possible without deceiving to others the actual nature of his hand. It was that same behavior, the entire secrecy and seclusion of the words he had said, that had given Joseph the upper hand. Whereas Remy would stumble over simple reassurances of his love, Joseph was unafraid to bare his entire soul to the lady.
Yet at the same time Remy had tried to fool himself that he was more deserving. That he had always been more deserving. Maybe, if he tricked himself into thinking it was all just a big mistake, it wouldn't hurt so badly.
And this? This was sealing the gates of hope for him. Once they settled down, made a commitment, then the race was all over. Rogue would belong to Joe, simple as that. Simple as that.
Rogue's voice snapped him from stewing in his personal miseries. "Ah'll have the chocolate sundae supreme and my friend'll have the-"
"Piece o' apple pie, sil vous plaít." The last thing he wanted was to get drunk at a time like this. He'd already said enough.
The caterer offered him a polite grin that he didn't return. Realizing it was a lost cause, she jotted down their order and left.
"Ah know what you're thinkin'." Rogue became serious, leaning across the table to him, eyes narrowed almost accusingly. "Ah borrowed your psyche, 'member? And Ah don't even need that to see right through ya."
Remy cursed himself again for being so blunt. Averting his eyes from her, he thanked God that she wasn't even trying to see his face.
Placing a hand on his, she continued, softly. "Remy, it wasn't you because you aint re-", She paused, searching the space just over his head for the right word. "Reliable. Joseph's gonna stick around, but after Ah borrowed your soul Ah realized you might not. Look at everyone else who's been in your life. You didn't stay with any of 'em."
So there she was, using his past against him yet again.
Her words were true, though. His life had been a lot of running away, never sticking around long enough to take the blow. Just like hers. But he knew that once she had a keystone here, she'd stay. Which was more than he could say.
He didn't notice when the waitress brought them their desserts.
"Please understand." Her eyes stung, seeing him like this. He nodded, slowly, and watched as the minute hand on the clock traced itself halfway around. She joined him in his silence, not wishing to press the issue further. Their solitude together was broken only by the occasional clink of her spoon against the glass bowl. The waitress came back with their tab.
"Your tab?" She asked, delivering the food with a smile.
"Ah'll pay." Said Rogue as she reached inside of her purse. Remy's hand stopped her.
"I'll pay." He managed a slight smile for the caterer. Rogue smiled too, gently, as if showing any more emotion would crack her porcelain face.
After the waitress left, "Thanks."
"De rien."
"Ah gotta go." She rose even as she said it.
"You sure?" Much as he was unhappy right now, it would be worse without her.
"Yeah, Ah gotta get home. Nice seein' ya." After checking to make sure she had her purse, she walked away. Remy looked after her, too exhausted mentally to even take the opportunity to look at her rear. It was his blessing that no one could see the hurt in his eyes through the opaque sunshades.
His sigh sank into a piece of uneaten apple pie.