RORY
i told the stars about you
Seeing Remi like that made his heart ache, a feeling both fond and slightly sad: focused on his project, completely heedless of his charm and his cleanliness, charcoal everywhere. For a single moment longer absorbed by his work, until his name broke the spell, and he looked up—smiling that boyish, charming smile. Rory felt his eyebrows draw together, his heart skipping a beat again, thrown back into memories (and acceptance of the fact that Remi would always be boyishly handsome, and that he would always react this way, and that there was nothing wrong with it). The only difference—aside from everything that had happened—was his eyes, the seafoam pale and brittle, so obviously wrong.Then Rory returned the smile, the growing ache in his chest subsiding a little. Times changed—that was the only thing that was certain. "The one and only," he responded, bright and light and something close to a laugh weaving along the words.
Taking care not to upset anything on the way Rory made his way into the shop, crossing over to Remi and his charcoal and his parchment and .. whatever it was floated above it. It looked like some kind of tube, but knowing Remi and his penchant for wondrous things and dreams made real, it was likely something wondrous and dreamy.
Rory placed the cloth-covered baked goods down on a bit of clutter-free surface (possibly having to invent the clutter-free surface in the process), a small smile staying on his face as he studied the Alchemist. He seemed better than the last time they'd met alone.
And the words were on his tongue, crawling along his lips, so tempting to say: I'm sorry I've been such a shit friend. I should've been here for you. I should've done more.
But it felt wrong to make it about himself, or to lead with such an empty apology: sincere, yes, but if that was what he said, he would say it again, and again, never changing, yet always apologizing. Instead, as his eyes hungrily traced the strange object rising from the parchment, he said: "How are you doing?"
Better to move forward, and do better.
