Scott and Jean, Escape to New York

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott's fiendish plan turns out to be fairly simple, but quite enjoyable, involving dinner and a night at a hotel. At dinner, he and Jean plan to plan other things. Theirs is a strange marriage.


Parking had been a little more distant than was really ideal - not surprising, given the area of New York - but Scott really hadn't minded. It gave him an excuse to gloat shamelessly every time someone gazed admiringly at Jean (and enviously at him) during the short walk to the restaurant.

Jean, for her part, was pretty much ignoring the glances, much more interested in simply being there with him. "You, love, are the best. I believe I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating."

"I'm not the best," Scott said, but smiled. "If I was the best we'd have done this weeks ago. My planning has definitely not been as sharp as it should be." The restaurant was housed in a historic brownstone, and they headed up the stairs and inside, to where they were greeted by a quietly attentive maitre d'. Scott gave him his name, then grinned at Jean as the man checked in his reservation book. "I figured I had to outdo myself to make up for it."

"You've been understandably distracted. It's forgivable." Although the fact that he'd managed a reservation at a place like this meant he had been putting some thought into making up for it, for certain. She smiled as the maitre d' found nodded at them and summoned a waiter to show them to their table. "And this place would make up for much," she added, glancing around.

"I researched it," Scott said, putting on his Best Earnest Face. It dissolved into a smile almost immediately. "You're terribly surprised, I know," he said.

"Oh yes, absolutely shocked," she agreed, leaning to give him a peck on the cheek before turning back to the waiter and smiling as he gestured them to their table. "But if your research leads to places like this, well, as usual I have no objections."

They were settled, with menus, and had ordered drinks before Scott spoke again. "It was actually the proximity to the hotel that sealed the deal," he said, proving that he did indeed remember the specific details of the conversation they'd had about ways to have vacations without having to leave the state. "I figured we could afford to spend the night away from the mansion. Ororo thought it was a great idea."

Jean's grin widened momentarily. "See, now I'm feeling slack - I've not given nearly enough thought to all this." An airy hand was waved to encompass the room. "Life outside the mansion."

"Well, it's not as if the last little while's been conducive to remembering that the world does not revolve around us for the sheer joy of making us miserable," Scott pointed out, opening his menu. "Wow, this does look good..."

"No, that's true," Jean agreed, paging idly through the menu herself. Too many fabulous looking choices. "Makes it all the more wonderful that you took the time to get us out of there for a bit." Glancing up, she smiled at him. "But then, I could continue singing your praises for hours."

The smile she got in return was of the sort that would have had their students who hadn't yet discovered the joy of the opposite sex groaning and looking away. "Now, do I make a fool of myself and start with the 'No, I love you more!' routine?"

"No, no, I'm pretty sure this is my turn to gush. You can be sappy at me later. No hogging the sap."

Scott had made the mistake of taking a sip from his water glass, right at that moment, and nearly choked with laughter. "Anyhow," he said mirthfullly, once he had caught his breath. "I think I know what I want. Given that I pored over the menu while I was researching the place."

Jean glanced back down at the menu, then looked up and nodded. "I could fake being ready to order, I think. Spontaneous, snap decisions are clearly what is called for."

---

"Okay," Scott said, watching her. "The dinner was amazing. But I think the dessert menu is slightly evil." Jean had ordered the chocolate trio and was apparently determined that not a single speck of any of the three little desserts was going to escape her. The faces she was making were entertaining, to say the least. "That's going to be the high point of the evening, isn't it?" He made a slightly tragic face (entirely put upon, of course). "It's all right. You can be honest."

"The chocolate is good," Jean said, eyes fluttering briefly closed again as she took another little bite, savoring the full, rich flavor. "The chocolate is even great. But." Looking at him again, she grinned brightly. "I'm pretty sure the high point of the evening is yet to come."

"I can feel the ego reinflating as you speak," Scott said with a chuckle. He'd ordered dessert too, a slice of more than respectable cheesecake. Although the ice cream that came with it was rose-flavored, and a bit odd. "Of course, now you've set the bar high..."

"Well, you have always liked a challenge..."

"It inspires me." Scott took a sip of his coffee. "You know, the best being yet to come and all, this is still just a faux mini-vacation. We really need to plan some time to get away this summer," he said, more than a little wistfully.

"Well, we still have all of August and most of July left," Jean said, considering. "What would you think about going, I don't know, to Europe somewhere? Picturesque, with good food."

"Yeah, we've done the tropical thing, haven't we?" Scott looked thoughtful. "Tuscany's pretty. You and I have both seen Moira and Nate's honeymoon pictures."

"We have. Which is not to say that we shouldn't do it again. But variety and spice of life and all that." There was still a few traces of cake left on her plate, and Jean warred between her dignity and the desire for more chocolate before, somewhat reluctantly, setting down her fork. "I think there are very few places in Europe that could not be described as pretty, but yes, Tuscany's lovely."

"Why don't we do that, then?" He reached across the table and took her hand, now that she'd given up on the fork. "Seriously. Plan for it now, and we're more likely to follow through. That's the problem, you know. We say we'll plan, and we don't, because we're too busy reacting."

Jean laced her fingers through his and smiled. "Early August, then? Time enough for your research drive to find some place wonderful, but not so much that we have to start worrying about next year's classes yet."

"I think that sounds perfect," Scott said softly. He couldn't have told her why he felt so urgent about it, but maybe it was just getting out, alone with her, for the night. Couples did things like take proper vacations, after all.

And early August would mean there'd be enough time between this and her plans in September that she'd been working on... Amusement at her own surprise brought a sparkle to her eyes, but she kept the thought itself carefully hidden. "Of course, the mention of next year's classes hints at discussion of work, which I think should not be allowed tonight. Agreed?"

He squeezed her hand and then let go. "No work. Absolutely none," he swore, and then grinned. "Although I might need you to distract me properly if I backslide."

"Oh, I think I can manage that, yes," Jean said. The little cup of desert coffee was empty, too. That was sad. "Hmmm. If you're done, want to go for a walk?"

"I think the quality of the dinner demands it."

The service was as good as the food; it was only a few minutes before they'd settled the bill and could leave, heading out into the warm New York evening. "You look beautiful," Scott said, as they reached the sidewalk. "In case I hadn't mentioned that. That dress has got to be one of my favorite things in your closet."

Jean caught his hand in hers and lifted it to press a kiss to his knuckles. "You don't look half bad yourself, love." Of course, part of that was the relaxing of some of the stress that he carried so often. "I'd say we're rather a matched set."

"Picked the tie to match the dress," Scott said with a perfectly straight face, then turned his attention back to where they were going. The sun had set, and while his mutant powers gave him a sort of substitute depth perception, it wasn't infallible.