Marie and Angelo, Sunday morning

[x-traction.livejournal.com]

Marie goes to talk with Angelo first thing in the morning about her date with Doug.

As soon as Marie woke up, she threw on the first shirt, pants and gloves she laid her hands on and ran to Angelo's room. A little breathless upon her arrival, she knocked and only then noticed that she had put on one green glove and one blue one. "Skin? You awake?"

There was a pause, then the door opened to reveal a half-dressed Angelo with a sleepy dog at his side. "Em! Hey. Yeah, I'm awake - what's up?"

"Can Ah come in?" At Angelo's nod, she entered and closed the door behind her. "So Ah don't know if you heard about it through the rumor mill or not, but Ah…Ah went on a date."

Angelo blinked. "I... don't get as much of the rumour mill these days. So, uh... good for you, who with?"

"With Doug," she said and held up her hand to stave off any immediate comments from Angelo. "And yes, Ah know, the timing isn't exactly ideal."

"Yeah, uh... he didn't break up with Angie all that long ago, but you know that..."

"Ah know…and Ah'll admit, he caught me a little off guard when he asked. Ah never imagined Ah'd say yes." She settled into an armchair, pulling her knees up and wrapping an arm around them.

"Since you did... I figure this whole thing's really what you want?"

Marie thought for a moment before responding. "Ah'm not sure what Ah want. Ah never thought any of this would happen. Ah know that Doug has always been sweet to me and is a good friend. Ah know that Ah had a really good time with him last night." She paused again. "An' Ah know that Ah trust him."

"Sounds like as good a start as any", Angelo pointed out. "But friends doesn't mean anythin' more, unless you want it to."

She nodded. "Ah know. An' Ah'm not sure if it does mean anything more yet…but it might, an' Ah'm thinking it's worth finding out." She closed her eyes and replayed the kiss in her head. How long had he been planning that?

"Then it probably is," he told her with a crooked grin. "There's Angie to think about, though. 'specially since he has to work with her."

Her eyes reopened as she was jarred back to reality. "Ah don't know what to do there. Talk to her? Avoid her? We hadn't really done more than pass in the halls since Ah got back and now she's moving out. And…the fight where they broke up. She said Doug was still pining over me."

"Can you avoid her forever?" he pointed out. "Might do better to talk to her an' get it over with."

"An' what exactly do Ah say? Hey Marie-Ange, haven't really talked to you since Ah've been back, but heck, Ah'm dating Doug now. How are you?" She sighed in exasperation.

"...well, I'd say break it to her a little bit more gently than that, but yeah, that's the general idea." He offered a faint grin.

The smile Marie offered in response was weak at best. "What about a phone call? Or better yet an email?" she asked hopefully.

"A phone call would work. Email... I'd say only to set up where an' when to meet her. Go for somewhere public," he advised.

"Public, huh? Worried about me or her?" she quipped before burying her face in her hands.

He winced slightly. "Hey, now. Whichever way it goes, 's not the end of the world. They'd already broken up before any of this happened, an' all..."

"Ah know. Just a bit awkward is all." She had to admit, she'd been relieved at the message that Marie Ange was moving out – the timing on that couldn't have been better. Of course, the fact that she was moving to Doug's current residence was a whole other issue.

"It'll work out", he said confidently. "One way or another, it'll be okay."

"How are you always so sure? We all always say that, say 'It'll work out' or 'It'll be ok.' How do we really know it will?" she asked, twisting the cloth of her gloves.

"...'cause what else are we gonna say, Marie? Yeah, you're gonna have a screamin' fight with Angie an' the thing with Doug'll end badly? Hardly."

She rolled her eyes at him and was reminded of why she'd come to speak with Angelo. He knew best how to convince her to do the things she already knew she needed to do, but needed a push for. "Well if you're gonna be all logical on me, Ah guess Ah can't argue with ya." She looked him up and down and shook her head. "Now how 'bout you finish getting dressed and we grab some breakfast?"

"Sounds good", he said with a more genuine grin, pushing himself up. "That little place we found in the city last time, or stay right here?"

She made a face at him. "City for sure, my treat if you drive." She stood and walked the door. "Meet you downstairs in ten. Ah'm gonna go put on some clothes that match."