When You're Broken On The Ground

Chapter 15

Trigger Warnings: intrusive reporters, harassment, a gun is mentioned, depressive thoughts, mentioned suicide, mentioned repression.

Word Count: 1325

Emile rushes into his house, locking the door with a gasp and finally allows himself to collapse to the ground in defeat. Reporters had surrounded his building all day, yelling at him when he pulled up and shoving microphones in his face when he left. They even tried to harass clients, most of them not even his! 

One of the receptionists, a protective genderfluid person by the name of Valkyrie (nickname Val when female, Vale, pronounced veil, when male) had run out and pushed her way (today was a female day, she'd texted the work chat early that morning) through them to pull him safely through the crowd. Once clients started coming and she saw them getting harassed, she pulled out a hand gun and threatened to sue every single of the reporters for harassing them. Needless to say, the reporters did not harass any of the clients after that. Val still walked every single client to and from the building, glaring threatening at everyone with in a ten foot radius.  

Unfortunately she was forced to leave before Emile, as he insisted he would lock up and yes, she should go, she doesn't want to miss her friends' hang out does she?

Yeah, he should have let her lock up. The reporters, emboldened knowing the scary person with a gun had left, shoved recorders and cameras in his face as he walked to his car. He drove away, not letting himself yell or cry until he got home. So here he is, at home, slumped against the door, sobbing.

Why is it always like this? All he wanted was to work today! Help people just like his family, people who were anxious, had past abuse, suffer from depression. Show couples ways to understand each other and communicate their often complex feelings they may not themselves understand. It usually made him happy, but with this it just made him feel awful.

His clients are already dealing with a lot and having to put up with reporters because of him is hurting them. It's all him fault, he should have known this would happen, should have been more careful. 

He always messes things up, just look at his life. His mom abandoned him and his dad after he was born, his dad struggled with gambling all his life because of being a single father, Emile tried to commit suicide after Thomas and the others'..., then his father killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning, and now this! 

He's cursed.... and he's going to ruin Remy's life soon, he just knows it.

A key clicks into the lock above and to the right of Emile's head. Someone tries to open the now unlocked door, but can't because of Emile. A pause, and then a voice filters through the wood. "Emmy?"

Emile startles, leaping up and out of the door's way. Remy swings it open and stares, taking in the tear-streaked mess that's Emile. His signature sunglasses are nowhere to be seen.

"I'm sorry Rem-"

He's cut off when Remy drops his bag at the door, kicks it closed, and hugs him tightly. Emile reciprocates, sobbing into his fiancé's shoulder. 

"Shh, it's okay, I'm here," Remy murmurs into Emile's hair. "What happened Emmy?"

"I just-... and they... and the patients!" His words dissolve into sobs, hands clutching at Remy's dark brown leather jacket. 

"So the reporters didn't listen to our request and instead harassed you and the patients at work?"

Emile nods, still hiding his face Remy's shoulder. Said fiancé gathers up the crying man and carries him to their bed, dimming the lights as they go past the switch. 

Remy sets Emile down, sitting next to him after grabbing a box of tissues. "Tell me exactly what happened after you left this morning."

The therapist hiccups and blows his nose, shaking slightly. Remy looks on encouragingly, giving Emile time. "Um," he starts shakily, "so I-I drove to work like normal, but when I parked I was swarmed by reporters. I-I think I hit a couple with my car door so I could get out..." Emile starts picking at his nails, a tick he has to keep him from getting overwhelmed. Remy notices and holds out his hands to Emile, silently telling him to hold on to them if he needs it. Emile looks up from his lap and grants Remy a small smile as he grabs his hands. "An-anyway, Val saw what was happening and pushed her way through so she could help me get into the building. One of the interns had seen what happened and gave me a coffee before I went into my office."

"That was nice of them."

"It was, I think their name's Phin. Regardlessly, I was working in my office for the rest of the day, but during my lunch break James told me about how the reporters had tried to interrogate some of the patients coming in and how Val pulled out a gun-"

"Concealed carry?"

"Yeah."

"Nice, remind me to have Patton bake some cookies for her."

"Okay. Well, she pulled out her gun and shoved her way through them and threatened to sue everyone there for harassment. They stayed away from everybody after that but Val still walked everyone in and out of the building."

"But...."

"I told her I'd lock up because she was supposed to be meeting up with friends from middle school today."

"So what happened?"

"They swarmed me and shoved microphones in my face." A couple new tears start following the trails of their predecessors. "They kept yelling things at me, stuff about my dad and you guys. You in particular." His breathing is speeding up.

Dreading the answer, Remy asks nevertheless. "What specifically about me?"

"Do I know about your insomnia, how long have we been dating, how did you react to my attempted suicide, am I still su-suicide-" His breath hitches, fingers gripping Remy's hands in a chokehold. 

Remy quickly gathers Emile up into his arms. "Hey hey, it's okay, it's going to be okay. I'm here, you're here, you've been clean for years. It's okay, it's going to be okay."

"But it's not," Emile chokes out. "Everything bad always happens to people around me! My mom didn't even want me an-and my dad k-killed himself a-an-and-d I tried to k-kill myself t-too..."

"And look at this life you've managed to build in-spite of all that," Remy argues gently. "You met us. And because you tried to commit suicide," he harshly blinks the memory away, "we were able to get you to a therapist who helped you stop repressing so much. And now look at you: famous therapist and engaged to be married. I don't know about you but I'd say the future looks pretty good from here."

Emile giggle-sobs, wiping his tears away. "I-I guess so. Plus, you'll be there with me so I guess it can't be so bad, right?"

"Right as aways Emmy." Remy leans in and kisses Emile softly. "And you'll always have me."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what." 

They smile at each other for a bit before Emile asks an important question. "Can we watch some Steven Universe now?"

Remy laughs and kisses Emile again. "Of course sweetheart." Emile blushes and giggles. Remy grins and then picks up him up bridal-style, carrying him into their living room.

"Remy!" Emile yells, squirming. "You can't just do that!"

"Aww c'mon Emmy, why can't I hold my fiancé?"

Emile stutters about with no answer, settling to pout as Remy sets him down in the sofa. Remy chuckles as he grabs the fluffy blanket and tosses it over Emile. "C'mon Em, you know you love me."

Sighing, Emile smiles contently. "I do."

Anyways hope y'all are staying safe in the crazy thing we call our world. Love you guys, gals, and non-binary pals platonically!