JP and Alex (it works because Kari said so)

[thenorthstar]

Jean-Paul is having the worst year of his entire life. And he has had some terrible years. He thought there would never be anything worse than the year his sister was tortured, saved, and then begged to come home to hide where she felt she belonged - just when Jean-Paul was trying to make a life in New York.

But things had gotten better. Jeanne-Marie was stronger, sometimes. And Jean-Paul had found the purpose he'd always longed for in sports. Skiing suited his mutation but didn't totally draw from it; it was like he finally had a way to channel this thing he couldn't bear to live with.

And he did it. He won gold.

And he was outed as a mutant, stripped of his medal, and all but exiled.

Jean-Paul didn't know how to come back from it; his pride was too great for this blow.

So, New York. Again. So, museums, and coffee alone, his sister too afraid to venture out unless she was too comfortable to venture out.

Usually the park wasn't his thing, but there he was at Madison Square Park, relishing the brisk chill of oncoming fall, idly watching squirrels, clutching a cup of (bad) coffee. Trying to learn to be still.

Comments

[thenorthstar]

Alex had grown up. And grown up wel, it seemed - into a good-natured, reasonably sensible adult. He'd made peace with his issues about the city at least, and that wasn't nothing. It was a nice kind of energy to be around.

"What is it you do again?" he teased - he knew full well the answer. "Archaelogy? Biology. Architecture."

[secondsummers]

"The only biology I've studied is the overactive metabolism of a certain beautiful Quebecois," he retorted. "So have dinner with me. We can go out, or we can get takeout and head back to my apartment. Whatever." Alex might have made his peace with the city, but that didn't mean he had an overabundance of friends there.

[thenorthstar]

"That is not," Jean-Paul said, barely bothering to hide his pleasure, "The biology you've studied. The most interesting? Probably. The most attractive? Potentially. But I'm sure you're conducting biological experiments all over the city."

Just for a moment, a real smile broke over Jean-Paul's face. Alex wasn't turning his back on him. "I'll have dinner with you but I don't want to go out."

People still stared.

[secondsummers]

"I haven't been back long enough for all that," Alex countered with a laugh. "Not all of us are as fast as you are, Jean-Paul." Alex had missed him and his ego. Not a lot of people could be the exact opposite of modest and manage to make it charming. "My place it is, then," he pronounced, standing.

[thenorthstar]

"You move at a good pace," Jean-Paul replied, approvingly, and resisted standing and striding at a faster pace, just to show off. "Is your place clean?"

[secondsummers]

"Well, it's still got unpacked boxes, but I'd never let you see it if I thought it would lower your opinion of me," he teased, though it was entirely true.

[thenorthstar]

"So you are very new. When did you get here?" Boxes he could handle. Maybe he could rearrange the furniture to his own liking, as well.

[secondsummers]

"A little less than a month ago. I was doing fieldwork with my undergrad advisor until then." And he'd maybe been putting off coming back to New York as long as possible. Still, he'd wanted to get settled before classes and things started. "What about you? How long have you been back?"

[thenorthstar]

"I'm glad you're back," Jean-Paul replied, as offhand as possible, but deeply sincere. His warmth was something else. Something Jean-Paul had been lacking. "I've been here a few weeks. Trying to decide if I should stay."

[secondsummers]

"Well, you know which way I would vote on that, if it were up to me."

[thenorthstar]

Jean-Paul glanced at him, happy about that answer. But it wasn't the only factor. "That's your answer, but I have to live with a scandal, and I don't know if this is the right place to be." The staring was obviously happening less than it did at home, but he was still so aware of it.

[secondsummers]

"I know." Alex had been the subject of a lot of staring and speculation before, and it wasn't a great feeling. He couldn't blame Jean-Paul for wanting to minimize that. "Though I'm having a hard time picturing you hiding out in a small town somewhere where you wouldn't be recognized."

[thenorthstar]

"So am I," Jean-Paul admitted, with the slightest smile. "I would be too restless. I much prefer the idea of melting into a bigger city. It's just that I don't know if this is the city."

[secondsummers]

"What about Jeanne-Marie? Is she here with you?" Considering what she was like the last time Alex had seen the twins, he didn't think Jean-Paul would go anywhere without her.

[thenorthstar]

"She's here. She doesn't really go outside. I don't know if-" he was pained "she would be happy anywhere."

[secondsummers]

Alex reached over and squeezed Jean-Paul's hand as they walked. "I'm sorry. I wish it were better for her. For you both."

[thenorthstar]

The gesture was deeply, deeply appreciated. "So do I. I worry about her... she's always worse when she can sense that I'm not alright."

[secondsummers]

"I can't blame her. It's distressing seeing someone so beautiful in pain." He was flirting, a little, to try to cheer Jean-Paul up, but that didn't make it any less sincere.

[thenorthstar]

"You try telling her that and see how she takes it," Jean-Paul said, but oh, he was pleased.

[secondsummers]

"No thank you! Your sister awes and intimidates me."

[thenorthstar]

"I awe and intimidate you."

[secondsummers]

"Absolutely."

[thenorthstar]

Jean-Paul smiled, and reached a hand up to stroke the back of Alex's neck.

[secondsummers]

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to forget to feed you," Alex warned, eyes fluttering shut for just a moment.

[thenorthstar]

"I'm sure you can find creative ways to nourish me." He leaned over, pressed a quick kiss to the side of Alex's neck.