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Post by Jacky on Jan 19, 2009 16:24:15 GMT
"Sure. Claire can bring me!" Anouk shared a grin with Claire, feeling as if she joined the conspiricy to make sure her mom and Roux would be alone. She grabbed her backpack quickly, even. "Let's go."
Roux glanced over to Anouk, his eyes full of curiosity. "Where's Pantoufle?"
"Oh.." Anouk hesitated, "He doesn't exist anymore. He was just a story.." She said it in a convinced way, as if she really believed it. Her imaginary pet was part of that 'magic' that her mother had forbidden. So when the magic went, so did Pantoufle.
She still missed him though. Terribly. And sometimes she was sure he was waiting in the shadows for a moment that he could return...
Together with Claire, Anouk headed out of the door which fell shut behind them.
Roux looked back over to Vianne. "Just a story..?" He asked, his gaze falling down to the mug of chocolate again.
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Post by Jacksblackpearl on Jan 19, 2009 16:37:24 GMT
"ehm.. yes" She answered, a bit less secure than her daughter "first she let him go, letting a kangaroo run free cause that's what then need.. and later on he became just a story" she mumbled "..Kids" was the only thing she added, as if it would explain all oddities. "You will stay a bit longer, right?" she said all of a sudden "You don't mind being alone with me do you ? Claire will come back soon" she wanted to make sure she wasn't a burden to him. She couldn't force him to spill out the beans, though for the past few days she wished she could..
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Post by Jacky on Jan 19, 2009 16:43:49 GMT
He smirked slightly, though there was little amusement to his smirk. "I'm sure we'll be okay." He told her. But inside, he knew he was already crossing a line. Physically, by being nearer to her than he should, but also mentally. He was talking to her again - something he'd vowed himself not to do. ...He gave in too easily. But he couldn't help it. He was drawn to her inexplicably.
It was silent for a little while, until Roux spoke up again. "Your chocolate changed." He said, carefully eyeing Vianne.
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Post by Jacksblackpearl on Jan 19, 2009 16:49:37 GMT
and so he noticed..
"I know" Vianne nodded, admitting it immediatly. "I eh.. I haven't been completely honest Roux." she put her own mug down and sat up straight, looking into his eyes "I've changed.. we've changed, the chocolaterie.. my life has changed too" She took a deep breath, hoping that she wouldn't scare him with what she was about to tell...
"When you left Lansequenette everything was quite alright, but after a while the Combte(?) fell back into his old pattern and he wanted us out of the village again. He tried everything, and eventually he accused us.. me of murdering Armande" She shuddered while thinking back about that period in time.
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Post by Jacky on Jan 19, 2009 16:54:54 GMT
As she told her story, Roux kept his eyes set on Vianne. He was perfectly silent, listening to what had happened seriously. His fear, the mysterious border that he kept her at, fell away as he listened. And, unlike she might've expected, this didn't make him back down. He could easily finish his chocolate, leave the three francs and get out of there. Instead, he drew his finger over the rim of the cup as he thought about it.
"...So, that's why you left." He concluded carefully. "But why did you change?" He didn't take her eyes of her. "...Where did the sashets at the door go? Where did Pantoufle really go?" He didn't want to press her into telling anything. He was just worried about her.
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Post by Jacksblackpearl on Jan 19, 2009 17:03:20 GMT
"there's no more magic around us" She said, not sure he would understand "The family recepé consisted out of magic, my ancestors were different from others, so are Anouk and I..." she felt tears welling up into her eyes but she couldn't allow herself to break down in front of him. He'd easily distance himself again if she made a wrong move. She leaped further into the story "And Armande kept coming back for my chocolate, the chocolate I made with love.. and magic" she admitted "So I guess..in a way I am responsible for her death, and now.. now Anouk's giving up her dreams, her pantoufle, she's unhappy, that's what changed in her.."
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Post by Jacky on Jan 19, 2009 17:17:35 GMT
So it was magic that she used for her chocolate. Family recipe, magic, or just charm. She could call it whatever, but he'd always known. She was different.
Roux frowned a little as he watched her crumble down little by little though. "Vianne.. You're not responsible for what happened to Armande. She wanted things this way. It was her life, her choice. And you... you just made the last part of her life a little more magical."
When he saw tears well up in her eyes, he instantly put down his cup of chocolat and got of his seat. He moved to her side of the counter and put his arms around her, embracing her.
He shouldn't. For a million reasons, he shouldn't. A million and one now.
But he still felt protective of her, and couldn't let her break down.
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Post by Jacksblackpearl on Jan 19, 2009 17:41:56 GMT
Vianne was surprised about Roux's action, getting up and embracing her. The surprise soon faded though and she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him back. It could make him go cold again, it could push him away or threaten him, but right now it just felt like the right thing to do. She gently hugged him back, feeling comfortable in his familiar embrace. "We had to move again, and again. Things had to change, Roux... otherwise they'll find out and .. ' she took a deep breath "The police is still looking for me, despite what I say, I can't prove that it is not my fault Armande died. I'm as good as guilty." She said in a whisper, loud enough for him to hear. She closed her eyes and sulked a bit "It's difficult denying what you are, not able to live your life like you normally would. It's horrible"
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Post by Jacky on Jan 19, 2009 18:14:42 GMT
Roux held Vianne closely as she whispered her story. He slowly breathed in the scent of her hair. She smelled like vanilla, patchouli and cacao. Having her close close against him, smelling her, made it hard not to let his thoughts wander back to better times, when he could hold her and didn't have to worry about messing things up. He tried to keep a straight head though, and comfort her in the meanwhile.
"How's Anouk dealing with it?" He asked softly.
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Post by Jacksblackpearl on Jan 19, 2009 18:19:41 GMT
"Not, how can she ? She's having to deal with grown-up things.. she can't be a normal child" she said, fighting against the tears that were coming. "She'd rather not go to school and feels ill all the time.. gosh you see what she does. She rather skips school to be go to the river... Sometimes I can't handle her, she's becoming so distant. I'm losing my babygirl and I am responsible, I can change it, but the people around me don't let me" She mumbled and pulled back a little, drying her eyes "Oh, look at me going on, crying on your shoulder while you've a hard time with god knows what yourself" she whispered, staring into his eyes, looking deep inside of him.
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