Relationship?
Title: Relationship?
Rating: PG
Pairing: Carlos/Reiko
Disclaimer: RPF so if you don't like that, don't read.
AN: Continuation from Artistic Expression, Cry Me A River, What Now?, New York and No Longer Hidden.
“Ok, so what is this one supposed to say?” Reiko turned to her date and raised an eyebrow.
Carlos tilted his head sideways, acting like he was trying to figure the painting out. Reiko teasingly punched him in the shoulder nearly toppling him over. “Ass.”
“What? Ya asked me so I was tryin’ to be thorough.” He rubbed at where she’d hit him but was smiling back as she chuckled softly. They were at one of the many charity art shows that went on. Celebrity dinners, openings, conventions, the list went on and on. Reiko couldn’t help smiling a little wider at him remembering that it was an event just like this that had brought them together. She used to hate these things. Not so much anymore.
“You thirsty? I’m gonna go get a beer.” He was half turning toward the bar in the back when he asked.
“I’ll take a glass of wine, thanks.” She never took her eyes off him as he made his way through the crowd, stopping a few times to say hello to someone he knew or was a fan. It was hard to take her eyes off of him at any given moment really.
“I should have kept my eyes on him like you do. Then maybe he wouldn’t have disappeared on me.” Reiko turned toward the voice and the cold words hurled her way.
“Hello Sharisse.” She refused to sink to the other woman’s level but she wasn’t overly courteous, either. “Enjoying the show?”
The ex-Bernard continued to stare at her coldly. “Which show would that be? The charity or the way you hang all over my husband?”
Reiko sighed and did her best to keep her tone even. “He’s not your husband, as you well know.”
“Oh that’s right. And whose fault is that exactly?” The woman had leaned closer but Reiko refused to give her the satisfaction of stepping back. Before she could say anything, though, another voice just as cold as Sharisse’s came from behind her.
“That’d be your fault, actually. Or have you forgotten the many, many fights we had that usually started because you didn’t like what I did for a living?” Carlos had walked around her as he spoke and handed Reiko her wine. “We tried, Sharisse. It wasn’t working and you know it. So can we please just let it go.”
“It didn’t work because of her.” The woman didn’t point, but nodded in Reiko’s direction. Still, they were starting to make a scene. “We were about to have a child and all of a sudden you’re shooting all night long.”
“I hadn’t gotten the 24 job when we’d found out about Natalie” his voice dropped lower but not because he didn’t want to draw attention. “And don’t you dare bring her into this.”
“I didn’t put her in the middle of this. You did, the minute you decided to have a fling with her.” Again she nodded in Reiko’s direction.
“I didn’t have a fling as you put it. I never once cheated and you damn well know I didn’t.” Carlos took a deep breath and looked around them quickly, seeing the number of eyes on them increase every few seconds. “This is neither the time nor place for this. You want to fight about this again, you know where to find me.” He turned to Reiko and slipped his arm around her waist, moving them into one of the other hallways.
“Reiko...” As she set her wine down on the closest surface they passed, she turned when her name was spoken, even if it was against her better judgement. “What are you going to do when he pushes you to the side, just like he did me?”
Again, as Reiko was opening her mouth to respond she was cut off by Carlos. “She doesn’t have ta worry about that ever happen’n. I never loved you like I love her.” The look on Sharisse’s face let Carlos know he’d hit his mark and for a moment he hated seeing it. He did not want to hurt her. She was the mother of his child but he couldn’t let this continue. “If we’re done,” he waited to see if she’d respond but she stayed silent. “Have a good evening, Sharisse.” He turned back to Reiko and nudged her forward around the the doorway. “Come on, sweetheart.”
Carlos wasn’t exactly sure where they were going. He just knew he had to get them as far from his ex-wife as possible. He spotted a set of patio doors that lead to a balcony. “Here, let’s step outside for a few. I think we both could use some fresh air.” He opened one of the doors and allowed Reiko to go ahead of him. Luckily they were alone. He really didn’t want to have to deal with anyone else right now.
Reiko was shaking. She wasn’t afraid of the other woman but this wasn’t the kind of situation she’d ever found herself in. But that really wasn’t the reason she seemed to be unable to speak. She watched as Carlos paced for a few seconds before going to lean on the banister of the balcony. He didn’t say anything, just stared out over west Hollywood. Neither said anything for a while. Finally he turned and looked like he was about to speak when it was her turn to cut him off.
“What you said...inside...” she took a deep breath, trying to push forward “...inside before we came out here. Did you mean it?” She stood there, arms crossed over her chest, ready to hear him say it was just to make his ex-wife stop. There were a million things she was expecting. The truth wasn’t one of them.
Carlos took slow steps towards her until he was close enough that his words sent his breath across her face. “Yeah. Yeah, I meant it.” Reiko’s eyes widened and she at first looked confused and it made his eyes soften. “Reiko, I know we haven’t...Jesus this wasn’t the way I’d played this out in my head.” He gave a nervous laugh and dropped his eyes to their feet. “I never did cheat on my wife.” Reiko watched him struggle to get out what he was trying to say. She just stared at the curls on the top of his head since he wouldn’t look at her. “Physically, I never cheated. Emotionally...that one I have trouble denying.”
Reiko’s eyes glistened as she tried to keep herself from crying when his words started to sink in. “The minute I saw you...dangerous...you were dangerous and then the bastards had to go and throw us together.” Carlos finally raised his head and moved closer so he spoke softly into her ear. He pulled her closer to him. “I was fine, Reiko. I could handle it. But then I went and touched you.” One hand came up from her waist to move her hair aside; his lips brushing against her neck. “I had no choice but to love you.”
Reiko finally stopped being the recipient of everything and reached up to move his lips to hers. “You have no idea...God, Carlos, I’ve loved you--”
He didn’t let her finish as he pulled her as close as possible. She didn’t need to say anything else. They didn’t need to speak anymore. The kiss they shared explained everything they needed to know.
Rating: PG
Pairing: Carlos/Reiko
Disclaimer: RPF so if you don't like that, don't read.
AN: Continuation from Artistic Expression, Cry Me A River, What Now?, New York and No Longer Hidden.
“Ok, so what is this one supposed to say?” Reiko turned to her date and raised an eyebrow.
Carlos tilted his head sideways, acting like he was trying to figure the painting out. Reiko teasingly punched him in the shoulder nearly toppling him over. “Ass.”
“What? Ya asked me so I was tryin’ to be thorough.” He rubbed at where she’d hit him but was smiling back as she chuckled softly. They were at one of the many charity art shows that went on. Celebrity dinners, openings, conventions, the list went on and on. Reiko couldn’t help smiling a little wider at him remembering that it was an event just like this that had brought them together. She used to hate these things. Not so much anymore.
“You thirsty? I’m gonna go get a beer.” He was half turning toward the bar in the back when he asked.
“I’ll take a glass of wine, thanks.” She never took her eyes off him as he made his way through the crowd, stopping a few times to say hello to someone he knew or was a fan. It was hard to take her eyes off of him at any given moment really.
“I should have kept my eyes on him like you do. Then maybe he wouldn’t have disappeared on me.” Reiko turned toward the voice and the cold words hurled her way.
“Hello Sharisse.” She refused to sink to the other woman’s level but she wasn’t overly courteous, either. “Enjoying the show?”
The ex-Bernard continued to stare at her coldly. “Which show would that be? The charity or the way you hang all over my husband?”
Reiko sighed and did her best to keep her tone even. “He’s not your husband, as you well know.”
“Oh that’s right. And whose fault is that exactly?” The woman had leaned closer but Reiko refused to give her the satisfaction of stepping back. Before she could say anything, though, another voice just as cold as Sharisse’s came from behind her.
“That’d be your fault, actually. Or have you forgotten the many, many fights we had that usually started because you didn’t like what I did for a living?” Carlos had walked around her as he spoke and handed Reiko her wine. “We tried, Sharisse. It wasn’t working and you know it. So can we please just let it go.”
“It didn’t work because of her.” The woman didn’t point, but nodded in Reiko’s direction. Still, they were starting to make a scene. “We were about to have a child and all of a sudden you’re shooting all night long.”
“I hadn’t gotten the 24 job when we’d found out about Natalie” his voice dropped lower but not because he didn’t want to draw attention. “And don’t you dare bring her into this.”
“I didn’t put her in the middle of this. You did, the minute you decided to have a fling with her.” Again she nodded in Reiko’s direction.
“I didn’t have a fling as you put it. I never once cheated and you damn well know I didn’t.” Carlos took a deep breath and looked around them quickly, seeing the number of eyes on them increase every few seconds. “This is neither the time nor place for this. You want to fight about this again, you know where to find me.” He turned to Reiko and slipped his arm around her waist, moving them into one of the other hallways.
“Reiko...” As she set her wine down on the closest surface they passed, she turned when her name was spoken, even if it was against her better judgement. “What are you going to do when he pushes you to the side, just like he did me?”
Again, as Reiko was opening her mouth to respond she was cut off by Carlos. “She doesn’t have ta worry about that ever happen’n. I never loved you like I love her.” The look on Sharisse’s face let Carlos know he’d hit his mark and for a moment he hated seeing it. He did not want to hurt her. She was the mother of his child but he couldn’t let this continue. “If we’re done,” he waited to see if she’d respond but she stayed silent. “Have a good evening, Sharisse.” He turned back to Reiko and nudged her forward around the the doorway. “Come on, sweetheart.”
Carlos wasn’t exactly sure where they were going. He just knew he had to get them as far from his ex-wife as possible. He spotted a set of patio doors that lead to a balcony. “Here, let’s step outside for a few. I think we both could use some fresh air.” He opened one of the doors and allowed Reiko to go ahead of him. Luckily they were alone. He really didn’t want to have to deal with anyone else right now.
Reiko was shaking. She wasn’t afraid of the other woman but this wasn’t the kind of situation she’d ever found herself in. But that really wasn’t the reason she seemed to be unable to speak. She watched as Carlos paced for a few seconds before going to lean on the banister of the balcony. He didn’t say anything, just stared out over west Hollywood. Neither said anything for a while. Finally he turned and looked like he was about to speak when it was her turn to cut him off.
“What you said...inside...” she took a deep breath, trying to push forward “...inside before we came out here. Did you mean it?” She stood there, arms crossed over her chest, ready to hear him say it was just to make his ex-wife stop. There were a million things she was expecting. The truth wasn’t one of them.
Carlos took slow steps towards her until he was close enough that his words sent his breath across her face. “Yeah. Yeah, I meant it.” Reiko’s eyes widened and she at first looked confused and it made his eyes soften. “Reiko, I know we haven’t...Jesus this wasn’t the way I’d played this out in my head.” He gave a nervous laugh and dropped his eyes to their feet. “I never did cheat on my wife.” Reiko watched him struggle to get out what he was trying to say. She just stared at the curls on the top of his head since he wouldn’t look at her. “Physically, I never cheated. Emotionally...that one I have trouble denying.”
Reiko’s eyes glistened as she tried to keep herself from crying when his words started to sink in. “The minute I saw you...dangerous...you were dangerous and then the bastards had to go and throw us together.” Carlos finally raised his head and moved closer so he spoke softly into her ear. He pulled her closer to him. “I was fine, Reiko. I could handle it. But then I went and touched you.” One hand came up from her waist to move her hair aside; his lips brushing against her neck. “I had no choice but to love you.”
Reiko finally stopped being the recipient of everything and reached up to move his lips to hers. “You have no idea...God, Carlos, I’ve loved you--”
He didn’t let her finish as he pulled her as close as possible. She didn’t need to say anything else. They didn’t need to speak anymore. The kiss they shared explained everything they needed to know.