Scott and Jean-Paul

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Jean-Paul broods over his break-up with Morgan and is distracted by Scott.



Jean-Paul blew a plume of smoke into the lingering shadows, keeping his eyes on the brightening scraps of pink sky visible between the skeletal branches of his roost. He should have been running, not smoking begged cigarettes, but he didn't really care very much for what he should be doing. Perhaps he wouldn't even go to class today.

...no, he would. Better to keep busy rather than think too much. Definitely better to keep busy.

Farther up the trail, a runner appeared. Scott's pace was a little slower than the norm; running was no longer his favored form of daily exercise, given the multiple times he'd dislocated that damned knee. Early morning was a great time to think, however, so he tried to do a couple of runs a week, at least.

It was hard not to spot the Canadian in the tree up ahead. Scott came to a stop under it, looking up curiously at Jean-Paul. "I didn't know you smoked."

"Once upon a time. I felt the need to backslide into bad habits today." Wary blue eyes peered down at Scott. "But I did not know you used this path either, so we're even."

Scott folded his arms, looking up at his pool buddy/victim with a mixture of concern and mild amusement. "I don't, at least not in January. Do you not feel cold, either? Or," he couldn't help adding, "is the cold some sort of self-imposed penance for something? You look a little bleak."

Jean-Paul laughed sharply. "No, I am fine out in the cold. It doesn't bother me. If I did any penance this morning, it was getting touch with the Hudsons. I thought perhaps they had heard from my sister." He finished the cigarette and stubbed it out on the icy tree-trunk beside his head. He wanted another, but that was the whole reason behind borrowing just one -- it kept him from tearing through a whole pack. "No luck."

"I repeat - you seem a little bleak. Did something happen?"

"Morgan broke up with me." The words still sounded so unlikely spoken out loud that they teased a wry ghost of a smile out of the Canadian. "I suppose I was feeling...clingy after that and went for the long shot. I would not necessarily be the first person Jeanne-Marie would get in touch with."

Scott had to stop and contemplate that for a moment. "...Morgan broke up with you," he said slowly. "Should I offer condolences?" Clearly it had upset the other man.

"You know, I am not entirely certain. I had a non-sexual non-relationship with her in one skin, and a not-quite-big-brother relationship with her in another and...it's all very confusing. But no, I suppose not. People leave. It happens and it has not killed me yet." He chuckled. "Once that changes, then yes. All the condolences you like."

Scott raised an eyebrow. Sounds like a situation ripe for confusion, he thought but didn't say. "Well," he said instead, "I'm sorry, in any case. But you sound like you could do more with company, rather than sitting in a tree and, uh, brooding."

Jean-Paul snorted. "You're not going to challenge me to a run, are you?" Still, he was out of cigarettes. After a few moments, he tucked his cigarette butt into his pocket and climbed down; flying would have been easier, but he wasn't in the mood for easy. "It was going to happen sooner or later anyway."

"Why?" Scott asked patiently. Keeping it to a walk was perfectly okay with him; his knee was throbbing. "That sounds a little pessimistic."

Jean-Paul kept half a step behind. "It was a ridiculous arrangement. Or half of it was, anyway. Something had to give sooner or later, and neither of us is good with compromise." He shrugged. "Hindsight."

"I think you kind of gave away the problem there," Scott said. "Just with your choice of words. 'Arrangement' never bodes well."

"Perhaps not. Useful advice for the next time I find myself in such a situation." He smirked. "It's not out of the question."

"You're talking to the man whose wife was possessed by herself. I do understand just how... unusual one's social life can get around here." Scott shook his head. "Morgan. Huh. I had sort of gotten the impression that she and Adrienne Frost were involved. Teach me to jump to conclusions."