Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 16
Chapter 6: Not Really Over
Rogue and Remy stepped into the foyer, shaking off the water from their jackets and smoothing their wet hair back from their faces. Rogue slipped her flimsy suit jacket off and hung it on the coat rack. The water had soaked right through to her blouse until even the camisole beneath it was soaked, and that had become almost transparent.
"Damn rain…" she muttered, folding her arms over her chest to save Remy seeing anything he shouldn't. They might have known each other for several years but he had still never seen her naked, and she wasn't comfortable with him even seeing through her shirt at this moment in time.
Remy hung his jacket up, and glanced in the hallway mirror, "god I look like shit…" he mumbled.
Rogue came up and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her cheek against his left shoulderblade. "Look good to me," she responded blissfully.
Remy savoured that moment, and then moved away, "you're soaking, go get something dry on…"
Rogue smiled a little, "alright," she said, "do you have dry clothes to change into?"
"Not really but I can probably find something in the laundry room," He shrugged.
"We just got a new order in of jogging pants and t-shirts – Jean is forever designing new logo'd sports wear for us," Rogue rolled her eyes.
"That'll do…" Remy nodded.
"Closet under the stairs there," Rogue pointed out, "I'll go get changed, and see you in a bit," she cuffed his chin playfully with her gloved hand, then rushed upstairs, soaking and cold.
Remy grabbed some clothes his size from the cloet and headed upstairs to get changed. His room was unwelcoming and drab, and he couldn't stand it for more than the few minutes he spent in there changing. He pulled on the t-shirt, which he felt fit too snug, and left to head for Rogue's room, unsure if they were saying goodnight for now or if they were going to watch a movie or talk. He knocked before entering.
"Come in…" came her voice soft as honey.
Rogue was sitting at her dresser clad in an outfit not too different from his. Her oversized light grey 'Xavier's Institute' t-shirt was worn over a long sleeved shirt in dark grey. She as towel drying her long hair.
"You always were the only woman I knew who could wear a jogging suit and oversized clothes and still look incredibly sexy," he remarked with a smirk as he stood in the doorway.
Rogue laughed softly, "you look pretty good in that stuff yourself, although that t-shirt is a bit tight…" she pointed out.
"I know…" Remy pulled on the hem, "you can see my nippular area through it and everything…"
"Not such a bad thing," Rogue winked grinning, "how you feelin'?"
"Fine," he lied. Truthfully there were things on his mind that he just couldn't get over, and worries that plagued him no matter how hard he tried to look on the bright side.
Rogue raised an eyebrow, "sure…I can see it. 'Fine' is what's got your face stretched so tightly it looks like you've had a facelift."
Remy sat down on the edge of his bed, he looked down at his hands absently.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, I'm just tired," he responded. "I think I'm going to head to bed, if that's alright," he said softly.
Rogue rested her elbow on the dresser, "that's fine, you do look a little tired," she said softly.
Remy sucked in a breath, "Before I go…" he knelt before her on the floor, taking both her hands within his, he looked up at her, "I want you to promise me something…" he murmured.
"Anything…" Rogue nodded, she felt a little confused now. What was going on.
Remy took another deep breath, and exhaled slowly, he kept his eyes on hers, "whatever you learn…whatever…you find out…you have to promise me you'll believe me…that it was out of my control…"
"What are you talking about?" Rogue asked worriedly.
"Promise me, Chere…" he pleaded, squeezing her hands within his. She heard the crackle of electricity in the vicinity and thought it might be static from the new clothes he was wearing. "Just…promise me."
Rogue nodded vaguely, "okay…"
"No, don't just say okay…say you'll promise me…" he demanded of her desperately, "I need your word, Chere. Promise me you'll believe me."
"I promise…" Rogue said softly, "that I'll believe you no matter what…"
He rested her head against her thighs, closing his eyes, seemingly relieved. Rogue stroked his damp hair away from his face, watching his expression become so peaceful and content for those moments. She found herself fretting now though. What could it have been that he had done that was out of his control? If he was this concerned, it couldn't be good.
He finally moved away, he
kissed one gloved hand, then got up.
"You're not thinking of taking
off again are you, 'cause the way you're talking kind
of reminds me of the last things you were saying to be before you took off
seven years ago…" Rogue got up slowly.
"No…I'm not going to take off…and even if I did…I'd be back…I can't leave you again…" he said firmly.
"Now it's your turn to promise me…" Rogue stated calmly, she looked at him seriously.
"I promise I won't leave," he crossed his heart.
Rogue walked over to her CD player and slipped in a CD, "up for that dance we didn't have earlier?"
Remy paused for thought, he watched her, "okay," he nodded, "perfect way to end an evening, I suppose."
Rogue picked a song and pressed the play button. The soft wailing of guitars filled the room, and chills crept across Remy as she approached him, slipping her arms around him. They swayed over the intro, until the words began to flow. Each word felt like a knife.
And it's always little things
That to the surface brings
The comfort in the pain
The fear behind the smile
We lose along the way
The things we leave behind
Along the precipice
Of things we should not climb
And I'm the first in line
There's an anchor around my heart
Dragging me down
Behind the waves in silence I fall
There's a halo above my head
Spinning me 'round
'Cause I don't know if I'm alive or dead
A dagger in my hand
Bleeding me dry
And it's always
little things
That to the surface brings
The space you need to breathe
Before the curtain call
The light that leads the way
Before you hit the wall
The mountain that you climb
Just to take a fall
For blind among the blind
There's an anchor around my heart
Dragging me down
Beneath the waves in silence I fall
There's a halo above my head
Spinning me 'round
'Cause I don't know if I'm alive or dead
There's a dagger in my hand
Bleeding me dry
And all we have to lose is time
And what lose we leave behind
Stay around and we will shine
This song is hitting me too close to home, did she pick it deliberately? He wondered. Each word seemed to relate to his relationship with Rogue, and that wasn't comfortable. Remy drew his breath, and moved back, "I'm really tired," he touched her hair, "It's been a long day…and I haven't been sleeping well."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" Rogue asked.
Remy nodded, "gotta get used to my own room…despite how…god awful it is."
"Okay," Rogue said, kind of dejected but forcing on a smile. She could see something was wrong. She could still feel secrets surrounding him, but she was too afraid to ask this time what they might be. Secrets had torn them apart in the past, she didn't want to bring up anymore that could jeopardise their relationship anymore.
"Goodnight, chere," he said softly, and he exited the room. As he left the room, he glanced over the banister into the foyer, Kitty and Piotr were kissing softly by the front door, arms wrapped around each other.
A sense of sadness washed over him. Would he ever have that with Rogue? He was beginning to doubt he ever would. Not that it mattered.
Even the absence of Kissing and touch was worth her love, but still, there'd come a day when he was scared it might not be enough for him – or her. After all, it had always been an issue seven years ago when they'd been much younger.
He went to his room and headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth, he was surprised when Bobby entered, and then suddenly remembered what Kitty had mentioned earlier that day. They'd be sharing a bathroom – not that it bothered him.
"Hey…" Remy said casually, squeezing some toothpaste onto his finger, he didn't have a toothbrush yet, it was on his list of things to get. He turned on the faucet
Bobby gave him the coldest look and said nothing, his pale blue eyes were like ice, his eyebrows knitting into a frown, his fists were clenched at his sides. He looked angry.
The room became bitterly frosty, and not just metaphorically. Remy noticed his breath misting in the air. The water in the sink had stopped running, and Remy glanced towards it, the faucet was frosty, and the water coming out of it had frozen solid. Even the toothpaste on Remy's finger had frozen solid.
"Bobby…?" Remy asked, the temperature plummeted so much it became very difficult to breathe, and yet, he felt glued to the spot, his flesh so cold, muscles tight, hair becoming frozen.
And then it stopped, just as quickly as it had begun, the temperature began to grow warm again, Bobby turned, and left, the door leading into his room slamming loudly. Remy stood in confusion, shivering in the cold wondering what had just happened. Had Bobby lost control of his powers…or had it been something else, was there perhaps some reason Bobby didn't want him there? Remy couldn't think of a particular incident that would cause Bobby to dislike him, so he was in the dark.
Remy decided to leave his teeth unbrushed for the night and slipped into his room – which was moderately warmer, still trying to explain to himself what had just happened. But no explanation came, and that night, he knew he'd sleep uneasy.
(THE END: dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuunnn. As usual thanks to everyone who keeps reviewing. Thanks to Aro for the spit/swallow incident – what would I do with out you?)