Chapter 11
Marie put down her menu. She was at a restaurant with Ryan for dinner.
"Umm, I know you don't drink," said Marie, "but do you mind if I order a glass of wine?"
"No," Ryan replied, then looked at her with a curious smile on his face. "I thought you only drank beer?"
"A friend of mine got me into drinking wine with dinner occasionally," Marie said ruefully.
"Ahh."
She felt just a twinge guilty referring to Remy as just a friend, but at the same time, referring to a married man as being anything more than a friend made her feel worse. She certainly wasn't going to refer to Remy as her boyfriend in front of, well, her boyfriend.
"Is there a particular reason why you don't drink?" Marie asked curiously after the waiter took their order. "Or do you just not like drinking?"
"Never tried actually," Ryan replied. "Doctor's orders. I have Crohn's disease."
"Which is?"
"It's a bowel disease. I don't have a very good relationship with food," Ryan said ruefully. "When I was in high school, I lost that much weight they diagnosed me with anorexia. They tried treating me with therapy when something physical was wrong."
"Wow, that must have sucked," Marie said sympathetically.
"Yeah, well, it was a relief when they finally figured out what it was, that's for sure. Anyway, they've got it pretty much under control now. I'm on drugs, the legal, prescription kind," Ryan said with a grin. "Have to be careful what I eat, 'cause some things'll set me off. And it's weird, because what sets me off isn't the same thing that sets other people off."
Marie nodded, figuring she was better off not asking what he meant by 'setting off'. She had a pretty good idea as it was without needing Ryan to confirm it.
"Have to have a colonoscopy every two years," he went on. "That's always fun. Not."
"Aww, poor baby," Marie replied affectionately.
"Anyway, yeah, so alcohol is out." Ryan shrugged. "It's no big deal really. I haven't had any, so I don't know what I'm missing out on."
Marie laughed. The waiter returned with their drinks and set the glasses on the table in front of them.
"So," Marie said thoughtfully, "and if you think I'm invading your privacy or something just tell me to shut up, but you said that they thought you were anorexic to begin with?"
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, I was even skinnier than I am now. I have a lot of trouble putting weight on, and it's not because I'm not eating, even if some days it feels like a lot less hassle. Actually it got so bad at one point they thought I was gonna die."
Marie nodded and she reached across and took his hand, caressing the back of it with her thumb.
"Well, I'm glad they were wrong," she said firmly.
"So am I," Ryan replied with a grin. "I haven't completed all the stuff on my list yet."
"What list?"
"A list of things I want to do before I kick the bucket," Ryan said. "When you get exhausted just getting out of bed in the morning, it helps to have a little motivation."
"Seriously?" Marie asked. "Just getting out of bed?"
"When I'm badly underweight, yeah." Ryan nodded.
"Well, that sucks," Marie said and then went on: "So, what's on your list?"
"Oh there's a few different things. Graduate college. Read certain books," he said, and then offered her a shy smile. "Get a girlfriend."
"Aww. First kiss?"
"Yep."
"Have sex on the backseat of a car?"
"Well, have sex is on there," Ryan said, giving Marie a slightly embarrassed look. "I didn't specify where though."
"A friend of mine told me I had to do that at least once," she replied, and in response to his embarrassed expression: "I was just asking, not propositioning. I umm, think it's a little soon for that. So, what else is on the list? See the Eiffel Tower?"
"Nah, I'm not interested in going to France," Ryan replied. "It's full of French people."
Marie laughed.
"There's only two things I hate in this world," Ryan said dramatically. "People who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and the French."
Marie laughed again.
"Okay," she said. "I know you're quoting something."
"Austin Powers. The third one," Ryan said with a grin. "And technically it's the Dutch, not the French. Actually I'm not really interested in going overseas. I guess I'm a bit of a homebody."
"Plus I guess there's no telling what foreign cuisine will do?"
"Well, there is that, but I have the same problem here when trying out new places too. Sometimes all it takes is just one ingredient. Like, chicken. I can have barbecue chicken from two different take away shops, but one will set me off and the other won't. And I can have friends who'll eat the same chicken that set me off, and they won't have any problems," Ryan said with some disgust.
"Well, that sucks."
"You're telling me."
Marie looked around at the ballroom in apprehension. When the United Guilds decide to put on a Masquerade Ball, they went all out. The ballroom was elegantly designed, with large, floor-to-ceiling windows, beautiful chandeliers and ornate panelling. Everyone was handsomely dressed even with their masks; the men all in suits and the women in their gowns. Bella Donna had been adamant about floor-length dresses.
Marie was in a strapless, black gown, with a long, white silk scarf that was left hanging down her back and a pair of black opera gloves. Her hair was pulled back so her white streak also ran down her back, and between that and her furry mask, she looking a little like a skunk. Jackie's dress was a rich magenta, and her mask was magenta and black. She was also wearing a pair of matching gloves.
At the main doors, greeting everyone as they came in, was a woman whose white gown and matching mask made her look like a swan. It took Marie a moment to realise it was Bella Donna, and the man beside her in black and fuchsia was Remy (looking like nothing in particular, other than handsome). Jackie greeted her mother, and kept her head turned away while Remy greeted Marie with a brief kiss. He would have liked to have made it last longer, but their masks clashed.
"You look beautiful, chère," Remy told Marie once he was done making a spectacle.
"Really?" asked Marie. "I was going for cute."
Remy laughed. "Well, you're very cute, then."
"Thank you."
"And you look gorgeous too, Sunshine," Remy added, smiling at Jackie.
"Merci, Papa," Jackie replied dryly.
"Ahh, Marie," said Bella Donna. "It's good to see you again."
"Thanks, and you too," Marie answered politely.
"Jackie tells me you have a real boyfriend now?" Bella Donna asked, and then continued on before Marie had a chance to reply: "It's very generous of you to grant Remy a pity date."
Remy tugged Marie into him and gave Bella Donna a false smile. "And just where is your date tonight?"
Bella Donna gestured towards a man who was talking to Julien. His clothes and mask reminded Marie of Zorro.
"That poor man," said Remy. "It's bad enough he's saddled with you, but to inflict Julien on him as well?"
Before Bella Donna had a chance to retort, more guests arrived and Jackie took Marie's arm and started pulling her away from her parents, muttering something under her breath that Marie couldn't quite catch.
It was at least half an hour before the bulk of the guests had arrived and Remy and Bella Donna had a chance to escape from each other. Remy would have liked to have located Marie and monopolised her company for the evening, but instead he ended up getting caught up in conversation with other friends. Still, slowly he managed to edge his way across the hall to where Marie was chatting with Jackie and her friends. He walked up from behind and slipped his hands around Marie's waist. Marie, not having expected it, gave a cry of alarm before she realised who it was.
"Oh it's you," she said, looking back at his face over her shoulder.
"Oui," Remy replied, a grin on his face. "Jackie, I'm stealing Marie away from you again."
"Must you?" Jackie asked with a sigh. "Oh fine. But I'm stealing her off you again later."
"Aww, but you get to have her all the time," Remy replied childishly with a wink.
"Umm, I'm a person, not a trophy, or a bag of loot," Marie said.
"I don't know, chère," said Remy. "You look like booty to me."
"Mon dieu. Go, just go," Jackie said, wincing.
"That was the worst joke ever," Marie informed Remy as he led her away from the group.
"Nah, I can think of far worse ones," Remy replied, taking Marie out onto the dance floor and pulling her into his arm like he'd been dying to all night.
"Unlikely," Marie replied.
"Oh yeah? Why did the plane crash into the mountain?"
"No idea."
"The pilot was a piece of toast."
"Umm, okay," Marie replied with with a mild giggle. "That was random. How'd the plane even get in the air in the first place?"
"You're the aerospace engineering student, you tell me," Remy replied with a grin.
"Dork."
Remy chuckled. He lifted his left hand to stroke her cheek gently and Marie felt something strangely hard and unexpected against her skin. She lifted her hand to take his, and noticed the wedding ring on his finger. Right, of course, she should have remembered he'd be wearing it tonight for its "annual outing". Nevertheless, the material reminder that the man she was with was married made her feel sick.
"Symbol of eternal love, my ass," Remy said, having noticed her attention.
Marie made a noise that was a poor attempt at a laugh, and looked away from him.
"Merci for coming tonight," he went on. "You brighten up what is otherwise a miserable occasion."
Marie didn't really know what to say, so she said nothing.
"So... What's with the gloves?" Remy asked, wanting to change the subject. "Are your powers starting to come back?"
"No," Marie replied. "No, I just thought they'd go with the dress. Jackie and I did a kind of trade; I lent her a pair of my gloves, and she leant me her dress."
"Oh?" Remy asked, reappraising the black dress. "This is hers, is it? You had to borrow something, chère?"
"I don't have any floor length dresses," Marie said with a slight shrug. "Good thing we're about the same size."
"Huh, you should have told me, I would have bought you something."
"You've already bought me quite enough clothes, Remy."
Remy shrugged and pulled her closer, putting his lips by her ear (no mean feat with a mask in the way). "You know, she probably stole it."
"Aww man—"
"I think Jackie steals most of her clothes."
"I didn't need to know that," Marie said, pulling a face. "There are times when ignorance really is bliss."
Remy chuckled wickedly, and pulled back to kiss her nose.
"Asking me to pay for something for you doesn't seem so bad, does it?" he asked.
"It's dirty money, though, Swamp Rat," Marie said. "That's just as bad."
"Not necessarily," Remy replied merrily. "I do have some legitimate investments."
"I'm sure there's some sort of catch I don't want to know about."
Across the hall, Bella Donna watched expressionless while a slow song started to play and Remy and Marie swayed together on the dance floor, Marie wrapped up close in Remy's arms.
"That your daughter dancing with Remy?" asked her date, Trevor.
"No," Bella Donna replied shortly. "That's her room mate, Marie."
"He's still with her?" asked Julien.
"He's dating a college chick?" Trevor inquired in surprise.
"Oui, and oui," Bella Donna said.
"Lucky bastard," Trevor said under his breath, and then when Julien jabbed him, quickly added: "But obviously stupid. He cheated on you, after all, Belle."
"Ma sœur," Julien said to Trevor with venom is his voice, "is this finest woman to ever walk the face of the earth. I don't even have to see this Marie fille to know she pales in comparison to Belle. Watch your tongue, salaud, or I'll make sure it doesn't trouble you again."
"Julien, be nice," Bella Donna said, a frown in her voice but not on her face. "Don't mind mon frère, cher. He gets a little protective sometimes."
"Sure, sure," Trevor replied. "I have a little sister too. Well, she's not little any more but—"
"I know what you mean."
A little later on, Remy was forced to leave Marie (Jackie immediately swooped in and stole her away), and make his way to Bella Donna's side. Marie couldn't concentrate on Remy and Bella Donna's speech as she was too busy stewing over Remy's question about her powers coming back. She hadn't noticed any sign of them, although, was it her imagination or had her voices started to get louder again? It had been a year since she took the Cure. Of course, she had good reason to believe it would last longer than that.
Still, she should probably make plans to have another dose before the school year was up. Marie didn't want to risk her powers coming back while she was at Xavier's for the summer. There was no way they'd let her continue taking the Cure. It was all very well and good for them to get on their high horse and tell her she was denying herself, with or without additional comments about 'traitor' and 'coward' (okay, no one had actually said that, but she knew what they were all thinking), their powers were truly gifts. Their powers didn't deny them basic human rights. Their powers didn't emulate mental illness and threaten to drive them insane for real. Marie had no doubts about her decision to take the Cure.
Of course, if last year's deal was any indication, Remy would probably ask for another year as his mistress. Marie chewed her bottom lip. She wasn't sure what she hated more, the fact that she felt guilty, or the fact that she'd started to feel less guilty as time went by. Marie honestly enjoyed Remy's company. She was sure she'd be able to handle everything a lot better if he wasn't so insistent on making out with her (even though she enjoyed that too).
"Happy anniversary," Emil shouted at the conclusion of their speech. "You can kiss her now."
Marie vaguely recalled Emil doing the same the last time she was at one of their anniversary parties, and wondered if it was a tradition of his.
"I'll do one better," Remy replied, and turned to Bella Donna. "May I have this dance?"
"Oui, you may," Bella Donna replied.
Beside her, Jackie snickered and nudged Marie. "He just wants to get out of kissing Maman."
"Does Emil do that every year?" Marie asked as Remy led Bella Donna out onto the dance floor and the music began to play again.
"Pretty much. He's a proud troublemaker."
"I'd gotten that impression."
"I've decided though, if I ever wanted to annoy both my parents at the same time," Jackie said with a malicious grin, "all I'd have to do would be to smooch Emil."
"Oh dear," Marie said, wincing.
"It would be perfect," Jackie insisted. "Maman can't stand him, Papa would freak out about me kissing his best friend, and Emil would probably flip out too, seeing as how he's known me since I was born, and I've slept with his son."
"So, basically, you want to do to your dad with Emil what he's been doing to you with me?" Marie asked.
Jackie considered. "Yeah, pretty much. Except, y'know, I'm not actually attracted to Emil. I actually really like this plan. I must keep it in mind for a special occasion, seeing as how I'd probably only get away with it once."
Marie laughed and Jackie grinned at her.
Rather than going home with Jackie as she had arrived, Marie went back to Remy's place with him. It had been a long night and she was rather hoping Remy would want to go straight to sleep.
Remy's mind was not entirely on Marie when he got home. He headed straight for his bedroom, only peripherally aware that Marie was close behind, and took off his wedding ring on the way. As soon as he walked through his bedroom door, Remy's eyes focused on the jewellery box on the bedside table. He snatched it up, jammed the ring inside, then opened his bottom drawer and dropped the box inside, practically slamming the drawer open again.
"And that's good riddance for another year," he said with satisfaction.
There was a noise behind him, and he turned his head just enough to see Marie in his peripheral vision.
"Go on," Remy said. "Just say it."
"Say what?" Marie asked.
"Whatever it is that's on your mind to say."
Marie was silent for a moment, and finally said: "I know you and Bella Donna have been dealing with this...I don't know, practically my entire life, seeing as how I'm not much older than Jackie. I get that you've got some kind of understanding. I just wish I didn't feel so guilty."
Remy didn't reply. Marie put her bag on the floor, retrieved her night gown from Remy's wardrobe, where he kept it, and then quietly closed the door behind her when she left to change in Jackie's room. She did have to return the dress, and she didn't want to leave it just anywhere, or risk getting it wet in the ensuite.
When she returned, Remy was sitting on the edge of the bed with his face in his hands. As she had changed into her nightgown, he had also changed into pajama pants. Marie made her way into the ensuite to brush her teeth and when she emerged she noted that Remy had turned off the main light and turned on the light on his bedside table instead. She made her way around to "her" side of the bed and laid down next to him. Remy switched the light off, then turned over towards Marie. His hand found her face and his thumb her lips. He leaned over to kiss her.
"Good night," he said.
"Good night," she replied.
He took her hand in his and settled down to sleep.
She was submerged in water with various restraints holding her in place. It was okay, though, she was still able to breathe. She could hear voices outside of her tank, but she was distracted from making out specific words because a motor began. A moment later she could feel thick needles being bored into her body. A hot liquid burned her flesh and bones. She wanted to scream, but the breathing apparatus prevented her. She tried to struggle, to get away, but she was held fast.
"Ahh!" Marie cried out, shooting up in bed.
Remy's eyes shot open. A hand reached out and touched the touch-lamp on the bedside table and he frowned when he saw Marie, shaking and trembling in a cold sweat.
"Marie?"
When she didn't reply straight away, Remy sat up and gently rubbed her back with one hand.
"Chère?" he tried again.
"Just a bad dream," she said finally.
"Must have been one hell of a dream," Remy said. "I can't recall being woken up by a screaming nightmare before. Want to talk about it?"
Marie closed her eyes. She didn't really
"It's just... I just... My voices are never completely quiet," Marie told him. "Nowadays it's just the odd comment here and there, but when I'm not under the effects of the Cure? I hear them all the time, sometimes even when I'm asleep. Usually the worst that happens is I wake up not knowing who I am, but sometimes I relive memories that are nightmare material."
"Like tonight?"
"Mutant experimentation."
"Ahh," Remy said grimly. "Know all about that."
Marie managed a slight smile, although Remy wasn't in the right position to see it.
"Sorry I woke you," she said.
"I'll get over it," he replied. "Are you okay? Did you want me to get you anything?"
"I'll be fine."
"You sure? Water? A hot drink?" he asked. "A big strong man to chase the dreams away?"
Marie laughed and turned her head to look at him. There was a smile on Remy's face, but genuine concern in his eyes.
"That last one sounds good, but where are you going to find a big strong man this time of night?" she asked.
"Good to see you've still got your sense of humour," Remy replied, wrapping her up in his arms.
Marie sighed and closed her eyes again as Remy guided them both back down to the bed. Just having someone there to comfort her was making her feel a whole lot better.
"Thanks, Remy," she said softly.
Remy kissed her forehead and turned the light back off.
"Least I could do, chère. Least I could do."
Remy altered his plan of attack the next morning. As far as his plot to ensure Marie would buy another dose of the Cure off him was concerned, he was fairly certain that the nightmare she'd had pretty much guaranteed she'd be back for more. However, the fact that she felt guilty about being with him could cause a problem. He needed to find a way to make her think that their relationship wasn't all that bad.
He had originally intended on making a longer day of it. Instead, he decided to work with the fact that he'd comforted her the night before. He wanted her to remember that, and he wanted her to remember having a pleasant breakfast and conversation. It would have to be a shorter day, but it was probably better that way. The more he was with her, the more he wanted to kiss and touch her, and even the slightest hint of romance or sex right now would only serve to hinder his plans.
So after an uneventful breakfast and an extended conversation, Remy took Marie home. As much as he would have loved to have laid a passionate kiss on her lips, he instead kissed her hand gently and wished her well.
"Well, umm," Marie said. "I guess I'll call you again in the next couple of weeks and arrange a time to discuss another dose."
Remy nodded. "I'll be sure to answer then."
"No doubt," she replied with a slight smile.
Jackie was rather surprised to see Marie arrive in the dorm room.
"Huh," she said. "I thought Papa was planning on keeping you longer."
"So did I," Marie replied, putting her bag down. "But hey, I'm not complaining about getting out early. Oh, thanks again for the loan of the dress. Where did you want me to put it?"
"Just on the bed will be fine," Jackie replied, going through the wardrobe. "I was about to head out anyway."
Later that day, Remy stood in the centre of a bedroom. In front of him was a bed, and on the wall on either side were a number of sex toys. The bed itself had a multitude of holes built into it for securing things, and people.
Standing in front of the bed was a shapely woman with her black hair tied back and completely clothed in black leather. She slapped the end on her riding crop into her palm while she looked at Remy.
"Close the door," she said.
"Oui ma'am," Remy replied, turning and shutting the door he'd just walked through.
"Did I tell you to speak?"
"Don't recall hearing that, no," he said, turning back to face her.
The woman glared at him. "Yet you continue to speak."
"You didn't tell me to stop either," Remy pointed out, a slight smile on his face.
"Oh?" she said. "Being a smart ass, are we?"
"Well, I am," Remy replied, smirking. "I don't know about you."
"Pants. Off. Now," she commanded with a voice of cold steel. "And hand me your belt."
Marie followed Ryan into his dorm room, and raised her eyebrow as she watched him take great delight in hanging a sock on the hallway side of the door.
"Okay?" she inquired as Ryan shut the door.
"My room mate said we needed a signal so that when we had, uhh, company over the other one wouldn't accidentally walk in on... umm... yeah," Ryan replied, in a mix of delight and embarrassment. "He's always leaving socks on the door."
"Ahh," Marie said, understanding. "And now the tables have turned, huh?"
"Yeah. It's kinda novel."
Marie chuckled
"So umm," Ryan said, looking around the mess that was his room. "Sorry about the mess."
"It's fine," Marie said as Ryan started moving things out of the way. "I've seen worse."
Marie sat down on the bed she assumed was Ryan's, judging from the Star Wars sheets, and then laughed softly when Ryan turned, realised that a girl was on his geeky bed, and started turning a little red. It was funny; he was fine when they were just doing normal, 'friend' things, but as soon as there was any kind of reminder that they were dating, Ryan started getting nervous. Marie patted the bed beside her and Ryan tentatively sat down.
"So," Marie said coyly. "Now that your room mate knows not to come in here, what were you planning on doing with me?"
"Oh, umm, I..." Ryan stammered uncertainly.
Marie laughed again, leaned into him and kissed him. He kissed her back and only slightly relaxed when Marie put her arms around him. There was a little hesitation, and then Ryan put his arms around her as well. Marie deepened the kiss, and Ryan's grip on her tightened, like he wasn't sure what he should be doing with his hands. Marie sat up on the bed so that one leg was underneath her, and then guided Ryan's hand down to her other leg. Ryan left his hand there, not daring to move it.
He was nothing like Remy.
Marie momentarily stiffened at the unbidden comparison. Fortunately, Ryan didn't notice her lapse, nor did he notice Marie mentally berate herself. Of course Ryan was nothing like Remy, and so what if Ryan was unsure of himself when it came to making out? He wasn't married, a thief, or a womaniser, and that was a good thing.
Jackie sat in the restaurant with Remy and Bella Donna a couple of weeks later. It was her twenty-first birthday.
"And what are your plans for tomorrow night with your friends?" Bella Donna asked.
Jackie shrugged. "Some of the guys think I need to get smashed now that I can legally drink. Whatever. We're having a party. Marie's bringing cake."
"You and Marie seem to have become good friends," Bella Donna said, without so much as a flicker in Remy's direction.
"Yeah, we have actually," Jackie replied. "She has some weird ideas sometimes though."
"Oh? Like what?"
"Well," Jackie said, considering, "she seems to think that if you find something that belongs to someone else, you should return it. And you shouldn't even expect anything in return for returning it either. It should be done out of the kindness of your heart." Jackie snorted. "How stupid is that? If they're that careless with their things, they deserve to lose them."
"That's 'cause Marie is what's known as a 'good person', Sunshine," Remy said with a slight smile on his face. "They like to do the decent thing."
"You should probably think about paying attention to some of Marie's attitudes," Bella Donna said, reaching for her glass of wine. "Emulating them may aid you in a future job."
"I guess," Jackie conceded glumly.
"And wasn't that your whole reasoning for staying in the dorms in the first place?" Bella Donna asked. "To get to know average people?"
"Yeah."
"Although, I do have to say, I'm a little concerned about how much Marie knows," Bella Donna went on. "She knows about the Guild, she presumably knows about your mutation, and she knows about your future career plans, right?"
"Well, I never intended on Marie finding out about the Guild," Jackie said with a pointed look at Remy. "That was all Papa's idea. However, if it makes you feel any better, I did hand pick Marie as my room mate."
"You did?" Remy asked.
Jackie nodded. "I knew whoever I ended up rooming with was bound to find out about my mutation. So I hacked into the system to investigate the applicants. You won't believe how excited I was when I found out Marie graduated from Xaviers. I was worried it was going to be a real headache to find an appropriate room mate."
"Xaviers?" Bella Donna asked. "Isn't that the mutant school in New York? The one that tried to recruit you, Remy?"
"Oui," Remy confirmed.
"And you thought one of the X-men would make a good room mate?" Bella Donna demanded.
"What?" asked Jackie. "The X-men are interested in mutant rights, not law enforcement. And frankly, it might have been better for me if they were. Can you imagine the connections they might have? That one guy, Hank McCoy, he's associated with the X-men, and he's the United Nations rep. You never know, Maman, we might still have a profitable relationship."
"Or she'll turn you in," Bella Donna said sharply.
"There are other benefits to being friends with a good person," Remy said, looking at Jackie. "One of them being their loyalty. Just don't involve Marie in any of your jobs—which you shouldn't do anyway—and she will happily bury her head in the sand about what you do. Unless, of course, she or the X-men ever need your services, at which point it's pretty much guaranteed she'll never turn you in."
"Unless she has a crisis of conscience," Bella Donna said.
"Other benefits include always having someone to talk to, who'll keep your confidences, and who'll stick with you through thick and thin," Remy said.
"That's criteria for a good friend, not a good person."
"But good people make the best of good friends. They don't try to rob, blackmail or otherwise cheat you."
"How would you know? You don't have any good people as good friends."
"And you don't have any good friends. Hell, you don't even have friends, only minions."
"Ahem," Jackie cut in. "Remember rule number one? No fighting."
"Désolé, Sunshine," Remy said.
"Also, since Marie is Papa's...mistress," Jackie went on, unable to hide her distaste at that idea, "she's technically a taboo subject. Maman, I get that you're concerned about the security risk she poses, but I promise you, I will keep an eye on her, and if...if I have to, I have to."
"You just be as good a friend to her as she is to you, and I'm sure it won't come to that," Remy said firmly, having noted the reluctance in Jackie's voice at the very idea of having to kill her friend.
Jackie nodded.
"Now," Jackie went on professionally, "it's my birthday, and I don't intend to waste it discussing Guild stuff or the security risks my friends pose."
It was only a few days later that Marie walked into Remy's house once again, this time for a negotiation. She had been putting a lot of thought into it, and decided that she could handle this arrangement a lot better if she could push for 'friends' rather than 'lovers'. She wasn't planning on telling Remy this, of course. She was simply going to start suggesting dates which would conveniently involve doing non-romantic things. Knowing that Remy would want to increase the price, Marie had taken Jackie's advice from the year before and tried to think of all the possibilities and which ones were least objectionable, and which would aid in her scheme to distract Remy from her "just friends" plot.
They sat down on the lounge. Remy put out a couple of drinks for them.
"I don't suppose it's too much to ask if I just offer the same deal we had last year in exchange for a dose of the Cure?" Marie asked. "After all, our relationship quality has improved since then."
Remy chuckled, his glass in hand.
"Nice try, chère," he said. "But I want to see more of you, in all meanings of the phrase."
"Fine," Marie said with a sigh. "Upgrade from twelve dates to fourteen, and instead of wearing a nightgown and bed shorts to bed, I'll wear a tank top and bed shorts."
Marie figured neither of those was a real sacrifice on her part. She didn't think two extra dates would interfere too much with the rest of her life, and her nightgown had a tendency to ride up in her sleep anyway. Remy eyed her like she was in her night clothes already.
"I think we should date every deux weeks during the school year," he said casually.
"Forget it," Marie said firmly. "I can't afford to make that kind of commitment. Especially when I'm also dating Ryan."
"Not that I object to you dating Ryan, as that would be pretty hypocritical of me," Remy said, "but that's not my concern."
"Well, it is mine," Marie said. "And I'll have you know, that I won't even go out on dates with him when I've got a heavy study workload to deal with. Especially when I have lots of exams coming up."
"Eighteen dates."
"Fourteen dates, one of which may be a weekend date."
Remy paused and eyed her curiously. "A weekend date?"
"What?" Marie asked. "You can't mean to tell me that you've never taken one of your mistresses on a weekend away or something?"
"I have," Remy said, nodding his head slowly. "Two weekend dates."
"As long as they're during breaks, and not semesters."
"Fine by me. I'd rather you weren't distracted by school anyway," he said. "As for your sleepwear, I think we should move up to underwear."
"Absolutely not," said Marie, glaring at him.
"Why? You've already just about in underwear," Remy replied, running his eyes over her, as if back to imagining her in her night clothes.
"I retain some modesty in a tank and shorts," Marie said with dignity. "Underwear is too private, and much too skimpy. And if I know you, you'll probably end up buying me some more, which will leave nothing to the imagination."
"Oh?" Remy asked slyly. "So you want me to imagine you like that?"
"Not really," Marie replied, trying to ignore the blush.
"Hmm. Alright, but you have to actually wear the underwear I bought you occasionally," Remy said. "It makes me sad to think of it up in my wardrobe, gathering dust."
"Well, I was hardly going to take it back to the dorm and try to explain to Jackie that her father bought me underwear," she said. "Still, I guess I don't have to take it back in the actual bags, and she's not normally home when you take me home, so I could probably get away with it."
"So concerned?"
"That girl notices everything," Marie grumbled, "even when she's asleep."
Remy laughed.
"Alright," he said. "To recap, you wear the underwear I bought you—"
"Which you're not going to see me wear."
"—which you are under no obligation to show me," Remy went on blithely. "You also wear a tank top and shorts to bed instead of a nightgown and shorts—oh goody, I get to see your stomach as well as your knees. You love me, you really love me."
"Dork."
Remy grinned at her. "I guess I'm still stuck wearing pants to bed?"
"Yep."
"I can't talk you into underwear at all?"
"Boxers or briefs?"
"Boxers."
"They're okay."
"What's wrong with briefs?" he asked mischievously.
"They don't leave a whole lot to the imagination."
"Oh? So you want to imagine—"
"No!"
"You do wonders for my ego, chère," he said, chuckling at the disgusted look on her face. "Okay, I get to wear boxers to bed. We'll also have fourteen dates, plus two weekend dates—"
"No," Marie interrupted firmly. "Twelve regular dates and two weekend dates, for a total of fourteen dates."
"Désolé, I must have misunderstood," Remy replied innocently.
"Yeah, right."
"You wound me," Remy said. "This is why we recap, so that we know that both parties have agreed to the same thing, and so there aren't any misunderstandings. Speaking of which, that reminds me of something I wanted to clarify."
"Yeah?" Marie asked, not without a trace of suspicion.
"Would you agree that kissing is a form of touching?" Remy asked.
Marie blinked in surprise. That wasn't the kind of question she was expecting.
"Umm, well, yeah," she said slowly.
"Bon. And what about licking? You agree that's a form of touching also?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Marie said cautiously, sensing she had agreed to something else as well. "A very wet, sloppy form of touching."
"That's what I thought too. Just checking we're on the same page," Remy said. "Okay, we've covered dates, nightwear and underwear. Anything else you can think of?"
"I don't believe that any further changes to our agreement are necessary," Marie said.
"Then if we're agreed, I'll get you your dose of the Cure," Remy said as he stood up.
"We are," Marie said.
Remy gave a nod and headed off. Marie picked up her glass, thinking over their discussion. She had no doubt that even as she had laid the groundwork for her "just friends" plot, Remy had furthered his plans to seduce her. She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. This was certainly going to be interesting.
Marie sipped her drink. She was much happier about this year's arrangement than last year's. She supposed that was a little strange, given that this year's arrangement required that little bit more of her. She guessed she was happier because she knew Remy a lot better than she had a year ago, and she was more confident she wouldn't lose control of the situation.
Remy soon returned. He sat back down next to her on the lounge and swabbed her offered arm.
"Last chance to back out," he said with a slight smile.
"I'll take a Disney Princess band-aid this time," Marie replied.
Remy chuckled. He injected her, then patched her up and finally disposed of the evidence in his usual way.
"Working yet?" he asked her.
Marie nodded. She had felt the voices fading away into silence once more. "Yes."
"Oh good," Remy said, moving in on her, "now for post-negotiation making out."
Marie didn't even have a chance to laugh before Remy's lips were on hers.
