InsaneJournal

WHO: Margo and Roman
WHAT: Guess who’s back
WHERE: Margo’s
WHEN: Backdated to Thursday night
RATING: PGish
STATUS: Complete



Roman Godfrey had little ties when it came to people and that was the way he liked it. After Peter had fucked off, he’d made the mistake of falling for a girl. That had lasted, but so did the dreams. Night after night, he killed his best friend’s cousin and woke up with the taste of blood and satisfaction on his tongue. To be fair, running away wasn’t the answer. Roman knew it because Peter had done it to him both in his dreams and in the waking world. Yet Roman had abandoned Margo. Fear had taken over, along with the distinct urge to sink his fangs into Margo’s neck, and Roman had left.

It wasn’t that he was no longer afraid of himself that brought him back to Orange County. It was Godfrey Industries, where his attention was required lest he lose another few million and be forced to drive around in anything less than a Maserati.

He didn’t expect Margo to forgive him. Truth be told, he’d thought about not contacting her at all and fly under her radar. It was a good life, being single. He could go wherever he wanted, fuck whomever he wanted; a freer existence. Then again, Margo hadn’t exactly place restraints on him either. But Roman….well, Roman did have this tie, to one person and that was Margo. He owed it to her to tell her he was back, because he loved her and that little gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach could never go away. He knew it would only get worse if she opened the door, but Roman knocked anyway.

Then Roman stepped back and waited, taking in a deep breath, that gnawing growing tighter by the second.

Roman leaving had been rather abrupt and since then Margo had been spending much of her time working or with Eliot & Felix. She had been trying her best to get over him and not dwell over the possible reasons he’d left, but when a guy up and leaves just after your anniversary, it’s kind of hard to just move on.

She knew that Roman was a complex person and the dreams had really done a number on him, but she still didn’t quite understand the exact reasons that he’d left.

When she heard the knock at the door, she was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine and was tempted to ignore it and pretend she wasn’t home, but something compelled her to answer it. After all, there was the possibility that it was Felix’s sister, but then again Cosima would likely text Felix before coming to the apartment.

Either way, she closed her magazine, got to her feet and downed the last of the wine in her glass before heading towards the door. Roman was the last person she had expected to see upon opening the door and she simply stared at him for a moment or two, her pulse rising at the sight of him then without a word, she slapped him across the face.

It was half expected really. Roman didn’t exactly think she’d take him back into open arms, or even back at all. She slapped him hard enough for his head to turn. There was no retaliation or fanfare about it. Roman knew what it was like to have someone just leave after loving them and needing them. So Roman took it and slowly turned his head back to face her.

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say to her and even then, it sounded shit coming from him. Almost meaningless and insulting.

She hadn’t expected to slap him quite so hard and her palm stung as a result, but she didn’t let it show, “You’re lucky Eliot is away. He’d have punched you.” Eliot wasn’t a violent person, but when it came to Margo, he’d do what he needed to to protect her.

Part of her wanted to tell him to leave, but there was also that part of her that hadn’t thought she’d see him again and didn’t want him to leave yet, “Come in if you want.” She moved aside to give Roman room to come in if he wanted to. The next step was his.

Eliot, on the other hand, would have gotten punched back. Roman loved Margo, not Eliot, so yes, it was a good thing Eliot wasn’t at home lest there be things magically flying around or Roman ending up in another dimension somewhere. From Margo, Roman took the threat of her friend punching him in stride for now and paused when invited in. It was more than Roman had done for Peter when Peter had come looking for help and it was more than he’d do for Peter now.

Margo wasn’t like Roman, though. She was good and deserved better, but after a few moments of hesitation, Roman took the invite and stepped past the threshold into whatever was ahead for him. It wasn’t what he’d expected, he’d just needed her to know he was in town so they wouldn’t just run into each other on the street. Roman was sure this was a stupid idea, but he couldn’t take it back now. All he could do was look at Margo and face her.

“I don’t know what to say,” he stated at length. “I just needed you to know I was in town.”

Crossing her arms under her chest, Margo quirked a brow at Roman; despite the fact that she was in leggings and a t-shirt, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, she still needed to come off just as intimidating as if she were wearing a killer outfit with her hair looking fabulous, “Is that all? You came all the way over here to tell me you’re back?”

She continued to stare at him, gaze steely, despite the incredible urge to kiss him. She needed to stand her ground and show him how much his leaving had hurt her. She was a Queen after all. She couldn’t just give in.

Margo shooting daggers at Roman from her eyes only made him love her more. He was sure it was some deep seated, fucked up psychological issue, but he also didn’t care enough to delve into why it was. Margo was the only one who could test him this way and come out on the other side. After all, he’d killed the last person who’d tried him.

“No,” Roman answered. Maybe he’d regret it and he wasn’t entirely sure why - in fact, he was sure it was stupid - but Roman closed the distance between them, his hand slipping behind Margo’s neck as he pulled her into a kiss. The truth was, he hadn’t come here for this. He’d only come here to tell her he was in town, but Roman couldn’t just stand there and shrug like an idiot, could he. He had to take back what was his and that was what he intended to do just then.

Margo could have stopped him. She could have pushed him away, but she’d missed this. She’d missed the feel of Roman’s arms around her and the feeling of his mouth on hers. In the end, she kissed him back a moment before pulling back, but only enough to be able to look him in the eye, “You think I’m just going to swoon and fall back into your arms?” Had she not still been in his arms, her words might have had more meaning.

Her lack of conviction didn’t go amiss, but even with the heat and taste of her mouth still on his own, Roman didn’t pursue. Yet.

“No,” he answered.

He didn’t know what he thought. When it came right down to it, he wasn’t thinking much at all. There was nothing but confusion and want all rolled up like a perfect storm that was brewing just beneath the surface. “I should go,” he suggested, lest he do something stupid. He needed time and space and so did she, despite the urge to her up against the wall and get those leggings off of her and that stupid ponytail down so he could bury his fingers into her hair.

She wanted to tell him to stay, but even she knew that she needed to figure out how she really felt. She loved Roman, but he’d hurt her and she didn’t want to make any decisions in the heat of the moment. “Maybe that’s a good idea.”

There were things they needed to discuss, but she didn’t think that was going to happen if he stayed. They both needed to cool down and then talk somewhere where there’d be very little temptation. At least until they’d figured things out.

Despite wanting to stay in his arms, Margo took a step back, “I appreciate you letting me know you’re back.”

It hurt, not having her in his arms. She was the only thing that even existed to him much anymore. Her and his sister, but things weren’t the same as they were in Roman’s dreams. Here, his sister wasn’t seen as a monster, didn’t even look like one, but here, Roman was a monster and he knew it. What was most monstrous about him, he couldn’t decide, but seeing Margo hurt made him think bloodlust wasn’t at the top the list.

Roman took in a deep breath, then nodded. “If you’re ever ready, I’ll be around,” he promised her, but he knew it must feel empty. He’d let her down before. What would stop him from doing it again? Not even Roman knew the answer to that, and so Roman moved past Margo, taking a brief moment to pause and breathe her in as he passed. Then he was out the door and in his car that smelled of rich leather and miles of driving. Roman headed to the hotel he was staying in until he could find a good enough place that suited him, but he felt no relief, so he turned and headed to the hospital he knew would have what he needed.