The stark light of the morning sun shone vibrantly through the unclosed window and directly into the sleeping eyes of Remy LeBeau. Groaning at the unwelcome intrusion of morning sunshine, he opened his eyes slowly, vainly attempting to shield the light from shining into his eyes with his hand.
Vaguely remembering where he was and how he came to falling asleep on the sofa, Remy looked up from the heap of blue blanket that had somehow gathered itself around his chest - for the girl he assumed he had fallen asleep next to, but was disappointed to find he was sprawled out on the sofa alone.
Flopping back into the cushions and closing his eyes again, he thought back to the early hours of the morning when he and Henry had been talking in the kitchen. It was something that kept him awake at night and invaded his thoughts about ninety-nine percent of the day - the thought of getting married was one thing to worry about, but to an assassin who was the daughter of one of the most dangerous families in North America - it was almost unbearable.
Remy sighed resignedly, nothing would be solved lying around - he needed to get up. Glancing up at the clock on the wall he noted that it was now almost mid day and it would soon be time to meet his father for more worthless and irritating talk over the impending wedding, which would be sure to fail in its attempts to bring peace between the guilds.
Shifting his position in the sofa he finally managed to haul himself out of the comfortable seat and stretched lazily before meandering a little stiffly into the brightly lit kitchen. Squinting his eyes a little against the rays of sunlight invading the small space he grabbed a glass from the draining board by the sink and poured himself a glass of orange juice.
Downing it slowly, he sauntered over to the window and took in the busy movement of the street below. What seemed like hundreds of people making their way to various destinations filled the view from the kitchen window. Remy sighed softly at the sight of them - it was so easy for him to pick out the hopeless tourists wandering through the street, desperately trying to look as though they knew where they were going and what they were doing, but somehow still managing to look completely lost and out of place.
Most other people probably wouldn't have noticed this but Remy did, 'Growing up on th' streets teaches y' a few t'ings' he thought ruefully. He often wandered how his life would have turned out if things hadn't happened the way they had, 'Prob'ly be some drunk livin' in a cardboard box' raised a smirk on his face. He didn't know, but it didn't matter - he had a home and a family and that was more than a lot of people would ever have, he was grateful and appreciative - he just wished that some things in his life had not transpired - such as the imminent wedding looming on the horizon.
Realizing that he had finished his juice, Remy washed it under some water and left it on the draining board to dry. Deciding not to waste anymore time on thinking about what could have happened and choosing to focus solely on what would be happening, he made his way casually - if not a little hesitantly - to the bathroom.
Emerging twenty minutes later onto the hectic road outside of the apartment, Remy tucked his hands in the pockets of his much-favored trench coat and joined the masses of people in their journey to their countless destinations. Passing a few blocks, Remy wondered idly about making a deliberate detour to bypass the café Rogue worked in to see if she was there. He had assumed before he left the apartment that she had gone to work seeming as she was nowhere to be seen. ' Merde! Y' be turnin' int' a stalker' he thought to himself with his customary smirk. But knowing that his appearance at her workplace would only make her mad deterred him.
A few blocks later, Remy found himself standing before the front doors to a very sophisticated, elegant and all too familiar mansion in the Garden district. Dropping his head, he reached unenthusiastically for the small, rounded buzzer situated on the wall beside the door.
Subconsciously, Remy hoped that maybe nobody was in and he could just leave until his brother or one of his numerous cousins were sent to pester him into meeting with his father again. It wasn't that he hated his father or his family, he just didn't want to have anything to do with the approaching disaster that was to be this wedding - unfortunately, he just happened to be right in the center of it all.
Alas, his wishes were not to be and the dark and intricately designed door was opened to reveal a short, plump, darkly-skinned woman dressed in a colorful dress that probably comprised every color of the rainbow on one stretch of fabric with a simple cooking apron over the top.
"Remy, m'boy - wher've y'been". The woman cried as she flung her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Remy chuckled lightly at his tante Mattie's over-zealous reaction to his appearance and returned the embrace.
"Jus' t'ought i'd drop by". He replied. ' Dieu, I t'ink she's gonna crush m'bones' was the real thought going through his head.
Mattie instantly dropped her arms and placed them on her hips. Stepping back, she looked up at the grown man she had cared for through childhood and pulled her most menacing glare possible.
"What do y'mean y' jus' t'ought y'd drop by. Y'could have been dead f' all we knew" she scolded with intent. Remy opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by Mattie dragging him into the foyer and beckoning him to follow her into the richly decorated house.
"Y' pére in th' office. He's been dere f' days now waitin' f' y' to show up". Remy looked at her incredulously, biting back a remark at his fathers seemingly lack of life other than the running of the guild and instead continued to walk beside Mattie to their destination at the end of the hall. They stopped a few feet before the door where Mattie gave Remy another hug and left without another word. Remy faced the door and raised his fist to tap lightly on the door. It was now or never.
"Come in". Was heard and Remy turned the handle of the door slowly and walked into the period and expensively decorated office. His father sat directly in front of him behind a deep, French renaissance style desk leaning back into a plush, green leather armchair.
"Bonjour Remy. Long time no see" His father's authoritative voice easily broke every new confidence that Remy had gained before meeting with him.
"Bonjour Père" he answered simply and walked the few steps over to one of another green leather armchairs situated in front of his father's desk.
"So, how've y' been Remy. We hardly see y' these days" His father began. Knowing full well that if he wanted his sons co-operation he would have to tread carefully.
"Ok". Was the effortless reply. A few minutes of silence ensued between the two - Remy diverting his attention to what was going on outside of the magnificent bay window that covered an entire wall, while his father studied his youngest son slouched in the antique chair before him like a disobedient teenager. The soft squeaking sound of the chair his father was sitting in disturbed Remy's trance and he watched as his father made his way into his line of view - directly in front of the window.
"Now Remy, I know y' been avoidin' me but we have t' talk about dis sooner or later. It's goin' t' happen whether y' want it to or not" he began. Remy looked away, refusing to make eye contact. He heard his father sigh in exhaustion.
"Look, I know y' don't want t' do dis mon fils and I wish y' didn't have to - but if peace is ever goin' t' happen between th' guilds then dis is th' way forward." Remy glanced up at his father in disbelief.
How could his father stand there and tell him to throw his life away like this. Remy tried not to get angry with his father, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
"What exactly did y' want t' talk t'me about?" he asked jadedly.
"Th' weddin's in four weeks time. I jus' t'ought dat considerin' y're de groom y' might want t' know de details" his father replied humorously and handed him a few sheets of paper before sitting back into the green armchair behind the desk and sinking back into the comfortable folds of the leather.
Remy simply glanced over the information displayed on the A4 pieces of paper and looked up at his father.
"Is dat all y' wanted t' see me for?". Remy waited for an answer but seeing that he wasn't going to get one, stood abruptly shoving the information on his wedding into one of the many pockets in his trench coat and turned hastily to the door. Just as he was about to turn the handle of the door he heard his fathers voice once again.
"Henri told me 'bout de girl stayin' wit' y'". Remy remained as he was, only moving his head ever so slightly to allow his father to hear what he was saying.
"I already told him she ain't not'ing t' worry 'bout" he replied in a low, exasperated voice.
"I know an' I trust y' Remy. But I t'ink y' know what I mean" Remy bowed his head slightly. How he wished all this wasn't happening.
"Oui, I know what y' mean, but dere's not'in' goin' on" he answered quietly.
"Jus' make sure not'ing does mon fils" His father admonished. Remy sighed loudly and turned the handle of the door, he needed to get out of here. He felt like he had a ton of bricks resting on his shoulders and being in this grand house wasn't helping.
Walking soundlessly through the halls to the front door, Remy managed to avoid any more meetings with family members and succeeded in making it out of the front door. He needed a drink and fast.
Remy stumbled through the door and cursed as he knocked over the lamp on the sideboard. Refusing to pick the object up he merely stepped over it, slamming the door shut as he did. 'Dieu, maybe y' shouldn't have had all dose bourbons homme' he thought regretfully as he raised a hand to his head in an attempt to stop it from feeling like a wild animal was tearing his brain apart with its teeth.
Staggering a little, he made his way to one of the sofas and collapsed unceremoniously down onto it. His thoughts drifted immediately to the foreboding event that would ruin his life in just a few weeks. Groaning in frustration he lay there for what seemed like just a few minutes, but was in fact an hour and a half, thoughts and situations turning over and over in his brain until the very unattractive sound of his stomach rumbling threw him back into full consciousness.
Sitting up and feeling disappointingly sober again, he ran his fingers through his hair deciding that pizza was probably his best bet. Getting up he dragged himself over to his house mates bedroom door and knocked, knowing that she didn't sleep well and might fancy some pizza even if it was late.
The door opened slightly as Remy knocked taking him a little by surprise. Moving his head a little so that he could see through the gap between the door and the door frame, he searched the dark room for any sign of Rogue.
"Rogue?" he called diffidently, fully aware that she could be asleep. Hearing no answer he shut the door quietly and walked over to the front door, stopping as he reached the fallen lamp that he had knocked over when he came in. Sighing, he picked the lamp up and placed it carefully on the sideboard from where it had fallen.
Stepping back he noticed a folded piece of paper sat further along the shelf and curiosity getting the better of him, reached for it and opened it cautiously. His eyebrows knitting in confusion - almost as quickly as he had picked the letter up, had he thrown it down and marched over to his house mates door.
"Rogue? Chérie y' in dere" he called sounding a little more than unsure. Once again hearing no answer, he boldly opened the door and switched on the light. His eyes widened at the sight of drawers and cabinet doors having been thrown open in haste and emptied of their contents. 'Merde' was the only word he could fathom to sum up what he was seeing as he turned rapidly and ran out of the apartment.