A Monster In Paris: Promise

Chapter 1

Emile stood at the edge of the curb, anxiously waiting for his ride. He looked up at the clock tower near Paris' city limits. Ten minutes late… He folded his arms glaring at the ground. Hardly a minute more passed before Catherine's engine was wheezing on his shoes.

Raoul opened the passenger door, smiling down nervously at his long-time friend. "Sorry I'm late. I had to make a delivery across town to the Rare Bird." He quickly rolled his eyes. "You know how Lucille is…"

Emile climbed into the passenger seat, slamming the door. He fixed his eyes on the road, internally begging for Raoul to move Catherine forward. "This is the third time this week; you're going to make me late for work."

"Relax, buddy!" Raoul stepped on the gas and headed toward the cinema. "I'll get you there on time. I always do."

Emile leaned back in his seat and heaved a sigh. "I know… It's just…"

"… What is it?" Raoul glanced down at him quickly before turning his gaze back to the road.

"Raoul…" Emile hesitated as he searched for the right words. "Have you ever doubted yourself?"

Raoul chuckled and rested his hand on Emile's shoulder. "Now why would you ask something like that?"

Emile started to blush as he looked out the passenger window. "I just wonder if I've made the right decision…"

Raoul smirked as he noticed his friend's cheeks flush. "This is about Maude again, isn't it?"

"Maybe…" He sighed as he stared out the window.

"What is it this time? You know that I am very knowledgeable about romantic relationships." He batted his lashes in jest.

Emile regarded Raoul in the relative silence available in Catherine's cab. His mind ached as he pondered his past with Maude. Massaging his forehead didn't lessen the pain. "I… don't know if I'm ready to talk about this."

Raoul smiled sympathetically as he returned to the wheel. "You can tell me whenever you're ready."

"Right. Thanks." He glanced down with an uncertain smile.

"Don't mention it! You'll be fine, stop worrying." Catherine came to a shuddering halt in front of the cinema. "Now scoot! She's over there waiting for you." He gave Emile an encouraging nudge and sat back, waiting for him to leave.

Emile looked back at his comrade one last time before jumping out of the vehicle to greet Maude at the entrance of the cinema. Raoul watched as Maude smiled at Emile while they exchanged words. What exactly they were talking about, he was unsure of. Girlfriends seemed to be a major source of drama, at least in Emile's case. A part of him couldn't help but think his friend was hiding something from him, and sharing it with Maude instead. He shook his head as he tried to clear his mind and drove away with a puff of black smoke. He muttered softly under his breath, "He'll be fine…"

"Hey Emile! How was work?" Raoul beamed as Emile joined him in the vehicle.

"Oh, it was alright." He tried to conceal his anxiety with a grin.

"I need to make one last stop at the Professor's lab. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh! No, not at all." Emile rested his hands in his lap and nervously twiddled his thumbs.

Raoul started up Catherine and drove off towards the other end of the city. The two friends avoided words or eye contact as they were bumped and jostled across town. Emile glanced over at Raoul intermittently, abruptly turning to look outside before his companion could catch his eye.

Raoul pretended not to notice, but was becoming increasingly concerned by Emile's unusual behavior. It must be Maude; anything less personal and Emile would have consulted him ages ago. Raoul didn't pry further as they neared their destination. The eccentric automobile came to a rumbling stop in front of the Professor's establishment. "I just need to deliver this peat and then we'll be on our way." Raoul turned to smile at the man next to him, but found his partner deep in thought. He sighed and trudged around the delivery truck to open the back.

The slamming of the side door snapped Emile back to reality. "Wait, Raoul!" He hurried to meet Raoul at the back of the truck.

Raoul grunted as he lifted a large bag of peat out of the back. He hissed through clenched teeth, "What?"

Emile stuttered and found it difficult to raise his gaze from the gutter. "I… I've been wanting to tell you-"

"Tell me!" Raoul snapped with a slight tone of irritation in his voice. He set down the peat and took a breath to calm his voice. "Emile, just tell me. You know I want to help you; I'm your friend."

Emile looked into Raoul's bright eyes and murmured aloud the thought that had tugged at his mind for so long, "I… like you."

"I like you too, Emile." Raoul shrugged as he hefted the burlap bag again.

Emile was caught off guard by his impassive response. "Y-You do?"

Raoul snickered. "I mean why not? You'll always be my friend. Is that really what's been bothering you?"

"Oh…" Disappointment washed over Emile's face. "Raoul, that's not what I meant." He looked up with pleading eyes.

"Then what did you mean…" Raoul's eyebrows leapt up and the bag in his arms dropped to the ground. "Oh…"

His reaction was far from reassuring; Emile started to panic. "Just forget I mentioned it! I knew this was a bad idea…" He buried his face in his hands ashamed.

"Emile…" Raoul kneeled down in front of him and whispered calmly. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"I… didn't want to ruin what we had." Emile looked towards the ground as he tried to keep tears from welling up in his eyes.

"You didn't ruin anything. I always assumed that you and Maude-"

"I can't tell her, Raoul… No one can know about this." Emile pleaded as the mental images of people chasing after them with pitchforks fogged his mind.

"It will be our secret, I promise."