Thank you all reviewers! Sorry it took so long to update!
Lazy Lynx
2
Kurt walked into the apartment building slowly, a package of food under one arm. It had been almost three weeks since Remy had been found drugged to the point of unconsciousness, two days after Milana got up and left everything and everyone.
And here he was, bringing food and convincing Remy to eat, the young man so out of it he was frequently taking overdoses and nearly killing himself.
The X Men, after discovering that Milana had left, had had mixed feelings about what to do with Remy. Some wanted to help him for Milana's sake, and others just wanted to ignore him, saying it had to have been something to do with him that made her leave so suddenly. Kurt had been in the second category until Milana called and begged for news of him, which was right before they found him the first time.
Kurt then decided that it would be a sin to let the man continue on like this and began the painstaking process of watching Remy, finding it harder than he could have ever imagined. At many times he wondered how his daughter had done it for so long before she gave up.
As he got up to the apartment door he started searching for his keys when he heard a good-natured voice hail him.
"Hey, can I help you sir?" Kurt turned and saw a dark-skinned man with long, straight hair and friendly dark eyes looking at him.
"Oh, hello," Kurt said. "I vos just looking in on Remy."
"Oh," the man said, looking sad suddenly. He held out his hand. "My name is Jackie, I'm Mil- well I was Milana and Remy's next door neighbor once, but that's been cut down to Rem."
"Kurt Vagner," Kurt said, nodding and shaking his hand. "I'm-"
"Milana's old man," Jackie nodded. "She told me a lot about you when she was still around. You can take the image inducer off, no one around here is going to bug you. Sheesh, there aren't that many people around anyway." Kurt nodded, turning off the inducer and starting to dig for his key again, noting how Jackie seemed to not even notice his different appearance, leaning forward and grabbing the handle, the door swung open.
"I took out the lock yesterday," he explained as Kurt gave him an interested look. "One time I heard a crash and almost didn't make it inside before Remy fell out of the window, stoned as usual. I just got permission from the landlord, so now anyone can get in quickly."
"Oh," Kurt said, nodding and walking into the apartment. It was silent but for the blaring television, as usual, and the by now familiar smell of pot hung in the air.
Jackie followed Kurt in, shutting the door behind him as the two men walked down the hall and into the living room, seeing Remy's feet sticking out from behind the armchair, beer bottles and other garbage all around on the floor.
"Remy?" Kurt said, setting down the food and walking over. He found Remy passed out, hands spread out wide with tear streaks covering his face as usual.
Kurt sighed and with Jackie's help got the Cajun off the floor and on the couch, throwing a blanket over him to ward off the cold before Kurt turned up the thermostat, the only reason they had this option was because Xavier had agreed to pay for Remy's rent and heating at Kurt and Milana's request.
"Man," Jackie said softly, speaking with the unconscious Remy. "You're going to kill yourself one day, bro, 'cause me and Kurt can't watch you 24/7, and you're never going to get clean again unless you want to."
"You are friends vith Remy zen, not just neighbors?" Kurt said after a moment of silence. Jackie nodded.
"Me and Remy have been friends since he came here, and after Milana finally decided to show her face around here we became good friends too. I never thought she'd leave, but I was worried about her."
"I don't even know vy she left," Kurt shrugged. "She vill not tell me, but I know it vos not because she got tired of caring for Remy." Jackie looked surprised, but then he sighed.
"Remy got drunk and high one night, even worse than usual, and came home. I'm not really sure what happened, but I know he hit her," he said sadly. Kurt was stunned by the news, and looked over at Remy, who had a troubled look on his face.
"He- he hit her?" Kurt breathed.
"He barely remembers any of it," Jackie sighed, crossing his arms. "But the next morning, when he found out what he had done, he realized how bad it was getting. He left immediately to go check himself in a clinic, but when he got back Milana had left. I took him to chase after her, but even though he caught her before she got on her plane he couldn't convince her to come back, and I had to bail him out of jail for nearly killing the security guards who grabbed him after he jumped the checkouts."
"He checked himself into a clinic?" Kurt said, eyebrows shooting up. "Zen vy is he not sober, or still zere?"
"Because he lost Milana," Jackie said sadly. "He'd never consciously hurt her- but when he found out he did he tried to fix it. But then she left, and now he only deals with that by forgetting why he hurts so much." Kurt nodded, but just then Remy groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
"What de-" he stopped when he made out Jackie and Kurt's forms, then he groaned again. "Not now, please," he whispered, closing his eyes and falling back on the couch.
Obviously as well rehearsed as Kurt, Jackie grabbed one of Remy's arms and slung it over his shoulder, lifting Remy up and half supporting, half dragging him down the hall he put him in front of the toilet just as the vomiting started.
Sighing Jackie sat on the sink counter while Kurt stayed outside the door, wincing with every hurl and saying a short prayer for the boy.
"You done yet?" Jackie asked. In response Remy keeled over, falling between the toilet and the wall. Jackie jumped off the counter and picked him up again, putting him over the toilet bowl just as the last gag and vomit came out. Then Jackie put the lid down and flushed, picking up an ashen faced Remy and putting him on the bathtub wall, holding him steady.
"Kurt- could you hand me a wash cloth?" he asked. Kurt nodded and entered the room as Remy sat limply, his head bowed. Kurt turned on the warm water, soaking a wash cloth in the water and then wringing it out and handing it to Jackie, who took it and wiped up Remy's face before throwing it back in the sink, clasping both hands firmly on Remy's shoulders.
"You're never going to get her back doing this," he said. Remy let out another sob, but was too hung over to push the man off. Kurt sighed and took one arm while Jackie took the other, and together they lifted him up and directed him to his own room, putting him into bed. Kurt walked over to his closet and opened it, to his surprise finding all of Remy's clothes clean and hung up.
"I did our laundry yesterday," Jackie said.
"Ah, I vos about to do it today," Kurt replied. "Don't vorry about it next time, friend."
"Fair enough," Jackie nodded as Kurt got some of the clean clothes and put them on Remy's night stand. Remy lay on his back staring at the ceiling, his hands shaking.
"Listen to me, Remy," Kurt said, bending down and speaking softly but affirmatively. "You should go to sleep now and sleep off ze alcohol, zen get up and out of zose clothes, and I vill make you something to eat, nien?"
"Don't want food," Remy moaned as usual.
"Zen ve can have a talk," Kurt said, patting him on the shoulder and standing, finding Jackie already at the door. Once Kurt was out Jackie shut it and looked at him.
"He's not going to quit," he said softly. Kurt nodded and walked into the living room, starting to pick up the beer bottles. Jackie began on the trash.
"He vill not quit unless he realizes zat it vill not help him," he said. "It is vot I came to talk to him about today."
"Today and every day," Jackie nodded and sighed. Then he smiled at Kurt. "But who knows, maybe if both of us keep talking one of us will get the magic words, huh?"
"Ja," Kurt smiled as well as they finished cleaning up and straightened the room, turning off the TV and collapsing into the chair or couch.
"Are you angry, now that you know why Mil left?" Jackie asked suddenly. Kurt looked over at him.
"Are you?" he asked. "You knew my daughter almost as vell as I, and Remy better."
"I'm mad sometimes," Jackie admitted, rubbing his temples with his hand. "But then I come in and find Rem hanging out the window, completely wasted and ready to end it all, and I can't be mad anymore."
"Vy not?" Kurt asked. Jackie looked at him.
"Because we're all human," he said. "We screw up, make mistakes, drive away the best things in our lives. 'That which does not kill us makes us stronger', and when Remy decides to realize that then he still has a chance to make things right."
"Zen you do know how I feel," Kurt nodded. Suddenly his phone went off, and he took it out of his pocket and answered quickly.
"Dad?"
"Milana?" Kurt said, sounding surprised and happy at the same time. Jackie straightened in his chair, then waved a hand in mock uncaring and leaned back again.
"Hey," Milana said. "Your reception's all fuzzy, where are you?"
"Taking care of a friend," Kurt said.
"Oh... is he doing alright?" Milana asked. Both of them avoided using Remy's actual name.
"No," Kurt said regretfully. "His heart aches for vot he lost." There was silence for a moment, and Kurt wished he could give her a hug.
"In other news, California isn't really such a bad place," Milana said in a fake cheerful voice, obviously trying to turn the conversation. "Lots of sand, and water, you know. It's full of sharks, but the trick is to go in after the other people and not during Shark Lunch Hour-"
"Milana," Kurt interrupted, smiling sadly. There was a moment of silence on the other end.
"You don't understand," she said softly.
"I met your friend Jackie," Kurt replied. "He told me vot happened."
"He also says you need to call him," Jackie said, putting his hands behind his head and his long legs on the coffee table.
"He also says you need to call him," Kurt gave him an amused smile.
"I hear a parrot," Jackie arched an eyebrow and put a hand to his ear.
"He's there with you?" Milana said.
"Ja," Kurt said. "Vould you like to speak vith him?"
"I have to tell you something first," Milana said. "That's why I called."
"Anything," Kurt said.
"Dad," Milana said, taking a deep breath and then letting it out. She groaned. "I think I'm still in love with Remy."
"Oh," Kurt said, not surprised at all.
"I know he hit me," Milana blanched. "And I know he's still really into all of that... stuff, but I don't get it; why? I thought getting away and everything would fix that-"
"Milana," Kurt cut her off kindly and she sighed.
"I know, daddy," she said softly. "Love never dies. But I can't still love him- everything I want is against that."
"Vell, it is up to you," Kurt said. "But love hardly ever makes sense." Milana sighed again.
"Can I talk to Jackie?" she asked.
"Of course," Kurt said, holding the phone out to Jackie.
"Hey Lannie," he said cheerfully. "How's the new homeland?"
"Hey Jackie; big. And warm," Milana said. "I want to ask you something, and get an honest answer."
"I'm an honest man," Jackie said, and he could almost see her smile.
"Do you think there's any chance of Remy... cleaning up?" she asked.
"Oh jeez," Jackie said, taking a deep breath and then blowing out. "Seriously? I don't know. He took it real bad when you left, Lannie, the guy loves you more than anything."
"Jackie-"
"No, listen to me. I think maybe if you'd talk to him, he could clean up. As it is, I don't think he will. I'm not saying go out with the guy again, or even that he's worth it, it's up to you to decide that stuff. But maybe he will, if you tell him to."
"Jackie," Milana sounded pained. "I spent over a month trying, he won't listen to me."
"Maybe not, but you leaving? Hit home with him. Anyway, I'm just stating the facts, it's up to you to make a desision," Jackie looked up and saw Remy, eyes unfocused and leaning heavily on the doorframe, having heard Milana's name mentioned. Jackie tossed the phone to him, and the small device hit him in the forehead, but the Cajun managed to catch it before it hit the ground.
"What-?" he said.
"It's Milana," Jackie said in a low voice. Remy's eyes went wide and he put the phone up to his ear
immediately.
"Petite?" he said breathlessly. Kurt looked over at Jackie.
"Vy-"
"Just checking," Jackie said, shaking his head.
"Remy?" all three men heard Milana's startled voice.
"Petite," Remy moaned, shrinking down the wall, his head hung.
"Why did-"
"I'se sorry," Remy interrupted her at once. "Petite, Lan- I'se sorry, so sorry- I'se never meant to-"
"To what?" Milana said, biting her lip as she leaned on the smooth wooden bar countertop. She heard Remy give something between a sob and a moan, and then she put her phone down and hung up.
Putting her head in her hands she tossed the phone on the counter top and sighed as it bounced over the edge, rubbing her temples. Remy had been hung over, she could hear it in his voice.
"Hey- if there's one thing that I can't stand, it's seeing a good looking girl with a sad face," said a kind, friendly voice. Milana looked up from between her arms and saw the young man behind the bar grinning at her, throwing at white dish towel over his shoulder. He had long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and amber skin, and his dark eyes seemed to catch Milana's in a hold for a moment.
"Really," she sighed, forcing herself to sit up.
"Yeah," the man said, handing her the phone. "Girls with your face are they who determine if we're going to have a sunny day or a cloudy day." Milana looked up wearily and attempted a smile, unsure as to whether or not it actually came through.
"Looks pretty clear to me," she said, looking out over the beach, where the tourists who liked to swim earlier were already getting out, the beach slowly filling with the usual crowds.
"But look over there," the young man pointed off to the distance, where some clouds had gathered. "They wait to see if you are truly sad or not, flower." Milana didn't reply, instead leaning back and out of nervous habit rechecking her image inducer, a silver bracelet with a blue stone set in it, a gift from her father for her birthday.
"Can I get you anything to drink, at least?" the young man asked. Milana sighed.
"Do you have any coffee?" she asked. The man grinned and nodded, a moment later setting a coconut cup full of coffee down in front of her, then putting a small umbrella in it. Milana arched an eyebrow.
"Looking for a smile," he shrugged, then laughed. Milana shook her head, biting her lip again, and he grinned. "Aw, c'mon flower, not even a little smile? I'm sure it would drive those rain clouds away." Milana bowed her head, then looked up and smiled, trying not to laugh.
"There!" the young man said, sighing out of happiness. "I think we have a nice day today. What's your name, as I would hate to offend you by calling flower again?"
"Milana," Milana said. "And there aren't too many nicknames that could offend me, I was known as 'little' for a while."
"Little?" the man repeated.
"Well, the French word for little anyway; petite," Milana shrugged and the man chuckled, holding out his hand.
"Well no one said the French were that sane - begging your pardon if you are French - my name is Miguel."
"Nice to meet you, Miguel," Milana grinned.
"And what a day it will be," Miguel chuckled. Then he paused. "Say, Milana?"
"Yes?" Milana said, looking up from her coffee. Miguel looked around, then leaned forward towards her, resting on his elbows on the countertop.
"I'm having a difficult time with something... a girl something, and I was wondering if you could give me your advice?"
"Shoot," Milana shrugged. Miguel nodded, still smiling.
"You see, there is this girl, pretty little flower, who I want to ask to go on a walk, later today. See, she threatened my work place with rain clouds, and I've only known her but a few minutes," Miguel paused, looking at her beseechingly. "What should I do?"
Milana's eyes dropped and she laughed softly, then looked up again.
"As her if she has a boyfriend or husband first, then ask her about that walk," she shrugged. "Girls are pretty straight forward, usually."
"Thank you," Miguel said, then straightened and rolled his shoulders. "So, miss Milana," he said, clearing his throat.
"Yes?"
"Does a pretty little flower like you have a boyfriend or husband that I should be aware of before asking you to go on a walk with me later?"
- - -
"She hung up on me," Remy said, eyes closed tightly. "She jus' ran away again."
"Yeah man, you've said that a couple of times," Jackie sighed, looking at his friend on the couch. "Been repeating that actually, for about half an hour."
"She'll never forgive me," Remy put a hand up to his eyes and was obviously trying hard not to cry, and Kurt sighed as he set some heated food in front of Remy.
"She knows zat you have not given up ze poisons yet," he said. "She vill not talk vith you until you have."
"These are all Remy has now," Remy said in a small, defeated voice.
"No man, these are the easy way out," Jackie replied, eyes narrowed. "I should know, I was once just like you, look at me now, still not that far in life but a hell of a lot happier for it. And you would be too if you could get it through your thick skull that Lannie still loves you."
"She can't," Remy said miserably.
"No, you can't love yourself, and that's a whole different ball game. Problem is, they're really closely connected," Jackie sighed and stopped talking for a moment, and Kurt decided it was time to get his two cents in.
"Remy," he said, sitting down on the coffee table and putting a hand on the man's shoulder. "Listen to me. I know you know you have a problem, I know it, so vy are you not getting any help? Jackie told me you checked yourself into a clinic, vy did you not return after Milana left? If anyzing, I vould think her leaving vould give you more reason to quit ze drugs, yet you became even vorse. Look at me now, and tell me vy."
Remy slowly brought his eyes up, and Kurt could see the tears welled up inside.
"If Remy don't got Lan, what does he have?" he said in a broken voice. A tear slid down his cheek as he groaned. "I'se nuti'n but an old t'ief, I'se nothing. But when de petite was here- when she loved me, it all clear, an' I know dat I'se here to protect her, an' t' make her laugh. But she's gone, I hurt her, an' now? I'se nobody but de old t'ief. Dat's nut'in. I'se nut'in wit'out Lannie."
Kurt closed his eyes and rested his head on one hand, then looked up at Remy, who was staring at the ceiling again.
"She's not lost yet," he said, squeezing Remy's shoulder. "But you have no chance of seeing her again, staying on ze drugs. It vill take time, and it vould be hard- but my daughter vill never look at you again vhile on drugs, and being like zis. If you love her, loving yourself does not matter, and you vill at least try to get better before you kill yourself."
"Nice speech," Jackie whispered behind him, reclining in the chair. Kurt nodded without turning his head, watching Remy closely. For a while he said nothing, then finally looked at him, his eyes gleaming dully.
"I want to get better," he whispered. "I want to show Lan- I want to tell her I'se sorry." Kurt smiled.
"Zen you can start by changing those clothes and eating somezing," he said, standing and offering a hand to Remy. "Little steps first, ja?" Remy nodded and took his hand, getting to his feet and then slowly making his way to his room.
Once he was gone Jackie and Kurt stared after him for a moment, then looked at each other and grinned.
"Guess we both got our brownie points for today, huh?" Jackie said. Kurt nodded.
"Yes, but it vill be hard for him," he sighed.
"Rem'll make it," Jackie said. "He's tough, and he finally found something to fight for."
"Yes, I just hope he is up to it," Kurt said.
- - -
"You're joking!" Milana shook her head and laughed, kicking the sand lightly as she walked, every once in a while a larger wave crashing and sending warm water flowing over her feet. Miguel walked beside her, swinging his arms slightly and looking around.
"Really, you have to be pulling my leg," he said, looking at Milana.
"Nope," she chuckled. "It's true. New York is actually really boring."
"Can't be," Miguel groaned. "I was going to go there this winter. I can't go anywhere boring!"
"Well it's fine for a while," Milana shrugged. "Night clubs, malls, you find those nice little places to eat or hang out. But after a while it's like- everything's the same. Maybe because everything's different, I don't know," she laughed again.
"But then you want to see someplace different," Miguel nodded. He smiled at her. "I think it's the little kid in all of us."
"The little kid?" Milana said, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Miguel shrugged. "When we were little kids we dreamed of someplace different, someplace exciting. You know, running around playing those fantasy games, pretending to be knights or cowboys or treasure hunters. I don't know, maybe that was just me-"
"I think it was just you," Milana nodded, and they both laughed.
"Probably," Miguel said finally. He shrugged again. "I don't know, it just seems like I've never wanted to stop going new places. It's how I got here."
"From where?" Milana asked.
"Utah," Miguel nodded as if deciding. "I grew up in Utah."
"Wow, big move," Milana raised her eyebrows and laughed again.
"The best," Miguel said eagerly. As an after thought he added "The only, but the best. What about you, flower? Ever move?"
"No," Milana shook her head, not responding to the memories talking with him was bringing up. She didn't talk about where she grew up unless she could absolutely help it, preferring to being considered having grown up in New York.
"So you're just visiting here then?" Miguel said.
"Oh," Milana's eyebrows shot up again and she smiled. "No, no. I'm out here, you know, California's the place to be, right?"
"Have a place yet?" Miguel asked.
"It's a very nice... hotel room," Milana laughed. Miguel chuckled.
"Well, I know a few open places, reasonably priced by California standards, so kind of pricey," Miguel said.
"Cool," Milana nodded.
"Hey, you hungry? There's a great hotdog stand up here, my treat," Miguel said, pointing up the beach suddenly. Milana shrugged.
"Sure, I've been dying to taste a California hotdog," she said. Miguel offered his hand, and suddenly Milana paused. She knew that her image inducer wouldn't keep anyone from feeling her fur, but how would Miguel react if he knew? For all she knew he could like her now, but find out about her being a mutant later and hate her, it had happened to her plenty of times before.
"Not big on the touchy thing?" he said, snapping Milana out of her thoughts. Milana suddenly got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, and knew that wherever this relationship was headed, it couldn't go any further without her telling Miguel what she really was.
"Um, actually...." Milana stopped walking and sighed. When she looked up again she found Miguel still smiling. Milana shook her head. "Miguel...."
"That is my name," Miguel said slowly, still grinning. "And if my memory hasn't defected, you're Milana." He chuckled and Milana nodded.
"It's just... I have something to ask you. Do you want... do you want to take this to the next level?" Milana said slowly, looking at him. Miguel grinned and ran his fingers through his hair, smiling sheepishly.
"Well I was going to wait until after the hotdogs, but..." he grinned and shrugged at Milana. "Do you?"
"Well that's kind of the thing-" Milana said unhappily.
"Oh no," Miguel groaned. "Let me guess, you're married?"
"No," Milana smiled, shaking her head. Miguel winced.
"Lesbian?"
"No," Milana rolled her eyes.
"Living with your parents?"
"I'm a mutant," Milana said, shaking her head again and closing her eyes, not wanting to see the disbelief and then anger or hatred that was so common in humans.
"Oh," Miguel said slowly, and she opened her eyes. He didn't seem angry or like he hated her, just mildly surprised.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Why?" Miguel asked, looking up. "Hey, it would be like you hating me for being Mexican ...you don't, do you?"
"No," Milana laughed and smiled. "But you see, it's more like an appearance thing for me."
"Oh?" Miguel said, looking her up and down. "Um... you woke up one day and your hair was bluish?"
"No, well, I was born with that- what I mean is, I kind of have... fur," Milana said, shrugging. Miguel arched an eyebrow, seeing her human flesh exposed by her bikini top and sari, and she sighed again. "I have an image inducer that hides the fur, you know, so I can walk down a street without being shish-ca-bobbed by an angry farmer with a pitchfork. Here," she said, holding out her arm. Miguel reached out and touched it, then stroked it, a smile creeping across his face again.
"Feels soft," he said, eyes twinkling. "Comfortable."
"Yeah," Milana said.
"Well... can I see it sometime?" Miguel asked, then groaned and hit himself on the head. "I must sound like a real idiot, huh?"
"No, not really," Milana grinned. Miguel put both hands on her shoulders.
"Hey," he said gently. "I promise, I won't hate you for being mutant if you won't hate me for being Mexican." Milana laughed.
"But I have a tail," she said, looking up at him. He arched an eyebrow and looked up.
"My inner man would have me saying something about tails, but being unwilling to get slapped in the face so early in the day...." Milana started to laugh again and he grinned, mock bowing and offering his arm. "I say instead, how about those hotdogs?"
- - -
"Well look who it is, Mr. LeBeau if I recall?" the gray haired doctor greeted Remy, Kurt, and Jackie as they walked in. The doctor nodded, sighing. "Yes, I remember the eyes and that wonderful 'I've got to do something about this' look in your eyes. So you decided to come back?"
Remy didn't answer, sinking into a chair and putting his head in his hands.
"Or not," the doctor shrugged. He looked at Kurt, who walked closer, and smiled. "Hello, my name is Doctor Rish, I'm one of the doctors in this facility."
"Kurt Vagner," Kurt nodded, shaking the doctor's hand. "and zat is Jackie..."
"James," Jackie replied.
"Oh, zat is James-"
"No," Jackie laughed. "My name is Jackie James. My parents had a thing about names starting with J, they were Joan and Jason."
"Oh," Kurt said, raising both eyebrows and looking back at the doctor, smiling sheepishly. "Vell... zat is Jackie James. Ve are friends of Remy."
"And you brought him back here," Dr. Rish said, nodding.
"Vell, he decided to come back himself," Kurt shrugged. Dr. Rish nodded.
"So he really wants to get off the drugs?" he asked. Kurt nodded, and Dr. Rish smiled. "Well then, that will make it much easier. I'm not sure for who, but it will be easier. I assume he won't be running off again?"
"Well that's the thing," Jackie said, jumping up and rushing over. "You see, he didn't mean to run off last time, his girl was running away and he had to catch her. Well he found her alright at the airport but she got on the plane anyway and he... got depressed and ended up not making it back. He's back though, until he gets off the drugs, because he really loves his girl and can't see her again unless he's clean." That said Jackie turned and marched back to Remy, sitting next to him again.
"Why'd you say dat?" Remy said wearily. "Why you tellin' de doc 'bout Lan?"
"Because then he'll know what you're working for, and he'll be able to remind you if you need him to," Jackie said. "Trust me man, it works."
"Yeah," Remy said softly as Kurt continue talking with the doctor.
"Hey," Jackie said, punching Remy's shoulder lightly and playfully. "You made the right choice, for everyone, and especially for yourself. It's gonna look impossible now, but just remember, you're doing this for yourself and Milana."
"Right," Remy nodded. "For Milana."
"Oookay, we'll just work on the 'for yourself too' part later," Jackie shrugged.
- - - Two Weeks Later - - -
"And the part where they fell off the cliff? And he was going to kill his own brother? I was scared," Milana shivered and giggled, walking into her new apartment and looking around, sighing.
"Yeah, had me scared too," Miguel laughed. "And all the dying in the beginning, how did it get a PG rating?"
"It was a good movie though," Milana smiled.
"Yeah, Brother Bear was at the top of my list to go see," Miguel said, grinning.
"Now you're making fun of me again," Milana said, laughing as she playfully threw her coat at him. He grabbed it and hung both on the rack, almost tripping on a box of Milana's clothes that Kurt had sent up. More boxes were floating around the living room, but Milana didn't seem to notice as she fell down on her couch as Miguel turned on the lights.
"Wow," she sighed, looking around. "Wow."
"Wowie," Miguel agreed, chuckling as he sat down next to her. She sat up and looked at him eagerly, one leg dangling over the side of the couch.
"Isn't it great? My own apartment," she beamed. "All my own, the whole thing."
"Except the door. You technically don't own the door," Miguel said, and Milana rolled her eyes.
"Whatever," she said, leaning back on the couch. Miguel smiled, raising a hand and stroking her normal looking cheek.
"So I was wondering, flower, if you might show your true colors tonight?" he said. "I've felt your fur for... forever, but I still can't see it. Not to mention that tail of yours." Milana groaned slightly.
"Can't we, can't we keep that until later?" she asked softly, enjoying his hand on her cheek.
"Flower, I've been falling in love for two weeks and haven't even seen the girl I'm falling in love with," Miguel said gently, making Milana look up with wide eyes. Then she sighed and looked down, carefully turning off her image inducer.
Immediately the pale, smooth skin disappeared, and she looked down at her purple hands.
"Hey," she said, looking up. Miguel was still smiling, his eyebrows raised.
"Purple, how fitting," he said, still stroking her cheek.
"How?"
"Well, you've always been a bright little flower on the inside, and now I see that you are as bright on the outside as you are in," Miguel shrugged, and Milana smiled.
"You really don't think it looks that bad?" she said timidly.
"You look gorgeous," Miguel said, leaning forward suddenly and kissing her deeply before pulling away slowly, grinning at her. Milana's eyebrows shot up.
"I- I'm glad you like it," she said, smiling shyly. Miguel chuckled, then kissed her again before putting his mouth next to her ear and whispering.
"I love it, and I love you," he whispered.
- - -
"Remy?" Jackie walked into the small room above the clinic that Remy had been staying in, finding Remy sitting on the window sill with the window open, the sun shining down on his face and a picture in his face.
Remy turned and smiled when he saw Jackie.
"Hey," he said.
"Wow, a smile, a real one too," Jackie said. "Haven't seen one of those in a while."
"I'se been sick for a while," Remy sighed, looking at the picture in his hands. Seeing Jackie's questioning eyebrow he handed it to him. It was a picture of Remy and Milana, sitting together on a lawn with their arms around eachother, both laughing and leaning on the other.
"Nice pic, wish I was that photogenic," Jackie said, handing it out to him.
"It keeps Remy going," Remy said, taking the picture back. "I don't t'ink it's so hard, lookin' at her smilin' at me."
"That's real poetic," Jackie said teasingly. Remy snorted. "So how's the rehab been? I'm sorry I wasn't here more, you know, work and keeping the landlord convinced you're still living there and all."
"It's hard," Remy admitted. "Didn't t'ink I'd get through de firs' week, but dey give me gum, you know," he laughed.
"Oh yeah," Jackie said, rolling his eyes. "How many packs have you gone through today?"
"Too many," Remy groaned. "But it's gettin' better... I t'ink... I hope."
"It is man, trust me."
"I try," Remy sighed, leaning back on the glass.
"Well look at it this way," Jackie said, sitting on the end on Remy's unmade bed. "A few weeks ago I walk into your room and find you by a window, and I find you by a window now. The difference? Last time you were drunk and stoned that you should have been dead, getting ready to jump out of the window and insure a very long fall to a very short end. And now you're sober and clean, sitting by the window, enjoying the sun and looking at a picture of your girl."
Remy smiled and nodded.
"My girl," he repeated, looking back at the picture.
- - - Month Later - - -
Milana woke up slowly, yawning and stretching as she sat up slowly, walking to the bathroom and yawning again as she turned on the warm water and wet a towel, using it to rub the sleep out of her eyes.
Sighing contently she walked to the kitchen she hummed, pausing when she found a pair of boxers on the floor. Rolling her eyes she bent down and picked them up, looking back to the bathroom and shaking her head, hopping into them as she reached the refrigerator.
"Everybody loves eggs," she shrugged, taking the carton out and turning on the frying pan. When it was warm enough she cracked the eggs over the pan and threw the shells out just as there was a knock on the door.
"Huh?" Milana said, looking up in surprise at the clock. It was only nine o clock, why would anyone be knocking on her door?
There was another knock and she shook her head.
"Just a minute!" she called, wiping her hands quickly on a towel and hurried around the counter, opening the door and a split second too late remembering the image inducer still on her nightstand.
She turned to run and grab it, then froze when she saw the tall, brow haired man in her doorway, grinning uncertainly with his hands in his pocket.
"Hey petite," Remy said, biting his lip.