Chapter Thirteen
"What in the bloody Hell are you doing here?" This is obviously not a polite way to greet a guest at your door, but it is totally natural for meh at 11 a.m. (how did Ah even see the clock, Ah can't unclasp may eyelids for the death of meh) after a casino night. Which ended only five hours ago.
"Ah promised to come to Vegas on your birthday, didn't I?" Angie, the bloody morning person, chirps loudly, or maybe it is just too loud for mah sleeping head. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah, wanna coffee?"
"Won't object, especially if it is Remy's favorite blend. Brother surely knows his way around mind-blowing coffee. So where is he? What did he get you on your birthday?"
"Must be still sleeping," Ah squeeze out of mahself. Coffee… Coffee… Ah need coffee or Ah'll collapse.
Ah move like a zombie towards the kitchen and thus the almighty coffee machine, but Ah stop on mah tracks, stepping into the living room. The sleep is gone in a flash after mah now completely opened, moreover bulging, eyes fall onto the table and its occupant – a huge flower arrangement.
"Uuuuu, that looks expensive… and fresh," Angie comments on the flowers. Ah wish Ah could respond, but frankly, Ah am speechless. Nobody has given meh flowers before and theses white roses are so beautiful in their perfection and purity. Why something like this was given to meh?
"Let's look for the card!" Before Ah even react Angie is rummaging through the flowers.
"Hasn't Remy told you, frangine, it is not polite to get your cute little nose into other people's business?"
Ah ready mahself for a witty combat, but belatedly understand Remy is not talking to meh, he is talking to his real sister. Then how do Ah fit into the picture now?
"Do you like the flowers, chere?"
Ah almost jump out of mah skin, feeling Remy's hand on the small of mah back. Since that night in the alley, Ah've become very conscious of Remy's touches, because even if Ah've admitted Ah want them to head somewhere, at the same time Ah know it won't ever happen. Then why torment mahself so? Ah wish Ah knew.
"You shouldn't have," Ah finally manage a weak response.
"Why not? It is your birthday. The cake will be a bit later."
"Cake? Am Ah a kid or something?"
"Common, Marie, don't be a snob, every birthday girl must have a cake! Listen, why don't we leave Remy to his kitchen and have girls' day out? My treat!"
Before Ah know what's happening, Ah am shoved into the bathroom and then out of the apartment. What the Hell is going on?
…
"So what's up, Angie?"
"Don't you want to spend some girl time with me?" the Dreamthief asks meh innocently.
"Ah don't object to hanging out with you, but why can't Ah get at least six hours of sleep first?"
"Today's special – less sleeping, more partying!"
Ah just deadpan. "You've got to be kidding meh."
"Ah have it all planned out. First we go to a beauty salon, then we'll have a luxurious breakfast, then we go to the movies, then-"
"Hold your horses, Angie. Who is paying for all these?"
"Didn't I tell you? It's mah treat."
"But you can't possible afford-"
"Nonsense! Just forget about everything and relax!"
"But Ah can't, Angie. First of all, Ah must be at work at 4 p.m. sharp."
"Then we have all the time we need, sister."
And so she grabs mah hand and starts dragging meh down the street.
"Are we going there on foot? At least let meh give us a ride."
"Really?" she asks all star-eyed.
"Let meh guess, your brother has never taken you on a ride on his bike?" The blond curls fly everywhere with Angie shaking her head 'no'. She is too excited to speak. What a baby.
We ride to the appointed location with Angie shrieking behind meh with delight. The spa salon is far from bad. Ah politely decline a massage session to avoid unnecessary risk, but the baths are quite nice. Angie is chatting non-stop about the nursing school- Wait, what?
"You are attending nursing school?" Ah ask astounded by her career choice. "With your beauty you can be… anyone. A model, an actress…"
"Well, those are very public professions and I would like to keep a low profile because of… you know, and because of Remy. I don't want to cause him any trouble."
"Speaking of which, whoever asks about you in this city – you are not Remy's sister. You are mah… penpal who came for a visit. You know Remy, but only through meh. You have totally no connection to him. Got it?"
"Yep."
"You are not even going to object?"
"It's no big deal and it's for everybody's safety, so why should I object?"
"You really love your brother, don't you?"
"Yes. I love mah step-parents, but he is my only true family."
"Do you regret leaving your parents? With time they could have accustomed to your power. Ah mean, it isn't dangerous if you can control it."
"It may be so, Marie, and maybe someday I will return to the place I was born, but I am happy where I am now. What about you? Are you happy here? With Remy?"
"Ah… Ah can't answer that," Ah respond, mah eyes searching the depth of the Jacuzzi tub. There are no answers in the swirls of the water. Mah current life resembles them in a way – Ah just go where the current throws meh. It is okay to just live day to day with no greater purpose? But really what greater purpose can a mutant like meh have?
"Marie? Marie, are you there?"
"Oh, sorry, Angie, was just thinking about stuff."
We leave the spa to ride to the next point in Angie's plan. On the way or later in the day, she doesn't point out that Ah haven't answered her question about meh being happy.
…
So where are we now? Ah am at work and Angie is… here too. At least on the territory of the Coliseum. Last time Ah saw her she was at the arcade. Arcade at nineteen? Well, she is a client as any other, she can do whatever her heart desires. Mah, Ah am already proclaiming the company motto in mah thoughts.
Tonight Ah waitress in one of the restaurants on the upper floors. It's one of the best spots to watch the Ying Yang show, which Ah don't bother to watch. Ah don't turn towards the wall of glass that replaces the windows even after Pyro's announcement, "Today, one of our employees is a birthday girl, so we decided to do something special for her." So what, nobody is going to do anything special for meh. But oohs and aahs of the customers pick mah interest and Ah turn to check things out. Thankfully, there is no tableware or cutlery in mah hands at the moment, because it would've surely felt down right after meh seeing 'Happy Birthday, Marie!' blazing across the sky. The sight almost brings meh to tears. But it doesn't.
What does however, is the cake which Angie and Ah get to at ten in the evening. Quite unhealthful, but what the heck, its mah birthday. Angie gives meh the knife, but Ah just can't cut such beauty with interlacing red and white frosting and chocolate sprinkles and whipped cream and… this is just too hard.
"Why don't you take a picture and then we'll cut it."
Ah come out of mah tear-eyed stupor and go for the camera. Ah don't feel mahself at all, more like a lost puppy. Nobody has ever done something like that for meh before. Ah always shined from crowdy parties or get togethers in the Institute because of mah powers. Ah preferred to stay alone in mah room. And Ah was okay with that. Most of the time. For the rest of it, Ah felt yearning for being one of them: laughing, partying, being a part of something. Nobody asked meh to come, Kitty tried, but Ah pushed her away. Nobody dared to just grab meh and force to come. Nobody, until Remy. He is one daredevil indeed, not that Ah complain. So where is this cake of mahne?
…..
Even after such a wonderful day mah sleep is troubled. Angie is snoring beside meh, a barricade of pillows between us just in case. It's not that Ah can't sleep, Ah am waiting for Rem to come home from his night shift. Of course, Ah can do it later too, without risking being drowsy at work tomorrow, but Ah just feel it must be done tonight.
The door squeaks open and a large shadow soundlessly creeps in. That's mah cue. Remy never switches the lights on cause he can orient in total darkness (and not to disturb mah sleep, Ah suppose), but Ah am not so skillful, so Ah switch on the lights in the living room, catching Remy off guard, which is a funny fact in itself.
"What are you doing up?" his gaze goes down for some reason, but then returns to mah face, "Marie?"
"Ah wanted to thank you for your presents: the flowers, the cake, the fire show. It was very… sweet and generous of you."
"You haven't received your present yet, chere."
"There is more?" Can Ah sound giddier or what? Totally shameless.
"Your present from Remy is a wish."
"A wish?"
"You can ask for anything and Remy'll fulfill it to his best abilities. Anything except two things. First, Remy won't leave you. You know about the second."
Get rid of mah powers. Yeah, Ah know that alright. "What do you mean Ah can wish for anything? Ah don't want you to go on a stealing spree only because Ah wished for a rose diamond or something."
"Somehow Remy doubts you'll wish for that."
Oh yeah. Ah doubt it mahself. What if Ah ask for his love, how long will it last? Two nights, three? Or till he tires of meh? What will Ah do then? Because Ah won't bare it if he leaves. When did Ah manage to fall for you, Remy LeBeau?
"Ah want to do something in return for your gifts. If you be so kind as to lie on the sofa?" Gud, Ah am a bunch of nerves. What if it doesn't work? What is it works the wrong way?
"This is getting interesting," Remy remarks, discarding his coat in a fluid motion as only he does. His naughty smirk shows that he understands mah intentions in a completely wrong way. Still he gets down onto the sofa and Ah kneel down to stand beside his face.
"Just promise meh you won't freak out, okay? Ah don't know if it works, but Ah can at least try."
"You've got Remy's full attention, chere."
"Shut it, Swamp Rat, and be still." He complies, but that cocky smirk doesn't leave his lips. No good to be thinking about them now.
What Ah am about to do is totally crazy, but Remy deserves gratitude for today and everything else he has done for meh. His whole body tenses at mah brushing away his long hair that covers his missing eye. Remy doesn't show it, but he is very self-conscious about that particular scar. Maybe because it diminished his handsome features, which Ah bet he is very proud of, or because of the memories connected to the way he got it. While Ah hover above him our gazes lock: mah – determined, his – curious as to what Ah am up to. He'll never see it coming – mah tongue against his scar that is.
Of course, he jerks up at the sudden contact, but Ah push him down onto the sofa. Kinky, Ah know, but back to the matter at… tongue. Upon closer inspection the scar seems to have must more crannies and turns each of which Ah leak very diligently. And why Ah am doing all this, you must wonder. Well, Ah have this theory about Wolverine's healing powers. They are the only powers of his that Ah can absorb since they are in his life force and basically DNA. And since now those powers are permanently mahne Ah can transfer them through mah DNA. Fresh one is better, Ah suppose. Of course, Ah won't be able to give Remy a new eye, but Ah can at least make the surface smoother.
Feeling mah mouth becoming totally dry, Ah decide to end our 'healing session'. "That's it for tonight. You can examine your face later- Oh," but Remy seems to have other plans. And how has Ah ended up straddling him? Before Ah even register what is going on, Remy is assaulting mah neck, which… is… huh… very… huh… nice. And have Ah pressed mahself against him right now? Gud, he has such big hands. They are roaming all over mah body: on mah thighs, on mah back… Mah thighs? It only then comes to meh, in a foggy kind of way, that Ah am wearing nothing but a nighty and knickers!
"Stop… Remy, please, stop," Ah beg, thankful that Ah still have some rationality left, but it is so easy to give into temptation.
"Non, you can torture a guy only that much, chere," he whispers huskily against mah extremely sensitive neck. Gud, if he doesn't stop, Ah am… going to lose it.
"But you can die."
"Remy doesn't care."
"But Ah do." There Ah said it. Now there will be no end to it. Ah already feel how one of his smug smirks is forming on his sinful lips. No, no thinking about that now, which is kinda hard because they are already on mah collarbone nearing that special spot… "Stop it!"
"Pushing Remy away again, chere?" There is so much bitterness in his tone that Ah start to question mah conclusion about the reasons of his actions.
"You are acting at the spur of the moment, that's all."
"What is that supposed to mean?" he asks, pulling meh back towards him. To mah shame, Ah don't resist.
"Anyone can be on mah place."
"Like who?"
"Like that blond assistant manager."
"Who is that?"
"See? You can't even remember women you are flirting with!" Ah attempt to get away and probably into the safety of mah room and its lock, but Remy keeps meh in place. Seems that the time for a serious talk has finally come. Not that Ah can think clearly and Remy's wandering hands don't help either.
"They are hundreds of them, all of them meaningless."
"Ah bet you tell this to each of them."
"Maybe, but Remy means it when he says it to you."
"Give meh one solid reason why Ah should believe you."
Ah shouldn't have said that, because the next moment he does something extremely Remy-like a.k.a. totally crazy – he kisses meh. Head on, no warning, no anything. But if there was any, it blew mah mind anyway. Remy's kiss is nothing like mah first kiss with Cody, it's so passionate, so whole-consuming, but caring and tender at the same time.
Ah reluctantly withdraw, feeling the beginning of absorption. "You don't value your life at all, don't you, Remy LeBeau?" Ah ask, with a goofy smile which is pointless to hide.
"Non, if you are not in it."
Is this a confession? Or just a play of half-conscious man? Ah asked for the truth, but am Ah ready for it? "Ah better go," Ah mumble, the ecstasy of moments ago suddenly gone, replaced by the ever present fear.
"Stay."
"But, Rem-"
"Just stay."
As Ah was telling before, Remy LeBeau is very hard to resist, so Ah position mahself on top of him very carefully, which elicits a couple of chuckles from the live pillow, but Ah elbow him to shut up. Ah summon the infamous coat to cover us. The position is just too comfortable to move. Ah may be a coward, but Remy has courage for the both of us.