A/N: This is based on a Tumblr ask from a-partofthenarrative: "Things you said through your teeth - your choice of pairing!"
It was a perfect late-summer afternoon, but as Meg Giry wandered across Central Park on her way home to the apartment she shared with her boyfriend Raoul, she was so distracted with the thoughts that had consumed her mind after she met Christine for lunch that she barely noticed the beautiful weather or the many people out enjoying the park on this Friday before the Labor Day weekend.
Wanting extra time to think about everything before she arrived home, Meg had elected to take the subway to the stop at the Museum of Natural History and walk home across the park, so that she could reflect on the feelings that Christine's news at lunch had unexpectedly given her.
Christine had shown up to their meeting with a huge smile on her face and a gorgeous diamond ring on her hand, and Meg truly was happy for her best friend. Although she had certainly had her doubts at first, she now believed that Erik and Christine were truly soulmates, and getting married seemed the next logical step for them.
However, after they had parted ways and returned to their respective rehearsals, Meg had been unable to stop the doubts that had risen in her mind over her own relationship - doubts that she knew she had been suppressing for a while.
She and Raoul had started off very casually - in fact, she had never really cared for him while he and Christine were dating, but one night about a month after Raoul and Christine had broken up, he and Meg had run into each other, and after a long alcohol-fueled conversation about both of their recent breakups, she had ended up back at his apartment.
Their drunken one night stand had turned into breakfast the next day, which led to Raoul asking her out on an actual date, which then became multiple dates. And Meg had soon begun to see just what Christine had seen in Raoul: she had always known he was handsome, of course, but as she got to know him, she realized he was also kind, intelligent, loyal, and even funny.
When Christine had told her that she would be moving out of the apartment they shared to move in with Erik, Meg mentioned her housing dilemma to Raoul, namely that she was going to have to look for a less-expensive place to live. Naturally, he offered her a gallant solution.
"Why don't you stay here with me for a while? I've got plenty of room, and it'll give you time to find the right situation," he'd suggested, and Meg had quickly agreed, thinking it was the perfect situation.
However, besides a few attempts to look at apartments in the beginning, things had been so comfortable with them living together that neither of them had even mentioned her moving out in months.
Which would be fine if they were on the same page concerning the future, but unfortunately Meg was afraid they no longer were. Even though they had started out with a casual arrangement, with both of them coming off previous relationships, somewhere along the way she had fallen in love, with no evidence that Raoul felt the same.
xxxxx
When she entered the apartment, Raoul met her at the door, leaning down for a kiss which she automatically returned.
"Hi, beautiful," he greeted her, flashing his usual killer smile. "I thought maybe we'd order in for dinner tonight, if you want? That way we can pack and get an early start in the morning."
They had been planning to spend the long weekend at his family's vacation home in Southampton, just the two of them, with none of his other family members present. Meg knew Raoul was unusually excited about it, because he had brought it up several times, far more than he normally did when they spent the weekend there.
"That sounds fine," she replied, but Raoul must have noticed something in her tone.
"Meg? Is everything okay?"
"I guess," she replied. "I had lunch with Christine today. She wanted to tell me that she and Erik got engaged," she continued hesitantly, wondering what Raoul's reaction would be, but he didn't seem upset or jealous, although a strange look crossed his face momentarily.
"That's good, isn't it? As long as Christine's happy?"
"Oh, yes, I'm very happy for them," Meg trailed off, not sure how to express what was bothering her, although she was coming to realize that she and Raoul needed to have a conversation, no matter how difficult it was going to be.
Apparently ready to change the subject, Raoul leaned down to kiss her again. "And, I'm happy for myself, too, because I get to spend the entire weekend alone with my beautiful girlfriend."
Shifting slightly, Meg turned her head so his kiss grazed her cheek. "Actually, Raoul, I'm thinking I might not go this weekend."
She didn't miss the disappointed look that briefly flickered over his face, but Raoul hid it quickly. "Oh, alright, we can stay here then, or go anywhere else you want, Meg."
Looking up at him, she felt a threat of tears. "Raoul, I think we need to talk."
xxxxx
When they had settled on the couch, Meg couldn't help but notice that Raoul seemed to have his jaw clenched tightly as he looked at her - maybe he already knew what the outcome of this conversation would be, she thought sadly.
"So, why don't you want to go away this weekend?" he asked, eyes searching hers.
"I'm so sorry, Raoul, but...I need some time to think. Hearing about Christine's engagement made me realize that you and I seem to want different things."
Stiffening, he replied, "How did you know?"
Deciding not to remark on what seemed like a slightly odd choice of words, Meg answered, "I just realized I couldn't lie to myself any longer, I suppose. I know this was never meant to be serious, but...things have changed, Raoul, at least for me. I've fallen in love with you, and I'm not sure it's wise to continue this. It's not fair to either one of us."
Raoul stared at her in silence for several moments before finally speaking, and when he did, he sounded almost angry. "Meg, are you saying that you think I'm not serious about you?"
After a short pause, he continued, uttering his next words through gritted teeth. "Are you saying you think I don't love you?"
Confused, she looked at him. "It's all right, you've never led me on or made any false promises. I knew this was temporary when we started it - I'm the one that changed the rules."
Now Raoul looked slightly incredulous. "We're living together. I can assure you that I don't take such a thing lightly," he responded, still clenching his jaw as he spoke.
"Please don't be mad. I know that you never asked me to stay permanently, I'm not asking you for anything - I just needed to be honest with you about my feelings."
"Mad at you?" he repeated with a slight shake of his head. "Darling, the only person that I'm mad at is myself, for assuming that you knew just how important you are to me."
Before Meg could tell him again that he didn't need to say anything to try to make her feel better, Raoul rose from his spot on the couch, holding a hand out toward her. "Please don't move. I'll be right back," he said, already striding from the room.
She heard him go into their bedroom and come right back out, returning to the living room and walking straight over to her, but this time instead of sitting down, he dropped to one knee in front of her.
"I was planning to do this over the weekend, but I can't go another minute with you thinking I don't want a future with you," Raoul said, snapping open the velvet box in his hand to reveal a sparkling engagement ring. "Meg, you are my future. Will you marry me?"
Stunned, she gaped at him in shock. This was so far beyond what she had imagined happening that she didn't know how to respond for a moment, but one thing was permeating her surprise - this obviously wasn't an impulsive reaction on Raoul's part, since he already had the ring.
As happiness began to take over, Meg leaned forward and threw her arms around Raoul's neck, pulling him in for a kiss. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!"
Breaking their kiss after a few moments, Raoul pulled back enough to say, "And just so you know, princess, I love you very much. I'm sorry I never said it before - I thought you knew."
Smiling, Meg leaned her forehead against his. "I guess I should have known. You've certainly shown me that you do in enough ways. I suppose I just needed to hear the words."
Just before he kissed her again, Raoul whispered, "Well, you're never going to hear the end of it now. I love you, Meg."
And as their lips met once more, Meg had a feeling that her fiancé wasn't exaggerating.
Raoul was a man of his word, after all.
A/N: you can find me on Tumblr as sloanedestler if you have any fic requests (i have anon asks on, so you don't need an account to request something - just be sure to leave your name if you want me to credit you!) I may be painfully slow filling them, but I will get to them eventually, I promise.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review!