Nathan and Jean-Paul

[x-cynosure.livejournal.com]

Nate finds out that Jake and Jean-Paul are sleeping together. Jean-Paul is smitten. Nate is evil and scheming.



Ordinarily, the sight of someone leaving the brownstone via the windows would have mean absolute certainty that said person was up to no good. Given Jean-Paul's penchant for traveling by flight as often as possible, however, it was only very probable that the speedster was up to no good.

The mental tap on the shoulder got Jean-Paul's attention, and a moment later, he was on the stairs next to Nate.

"So you are stalking me now?" He seemed far more amused by the idea than annoyed.

"Well, actually, I was stopping by to see if Wanda was in and wanted lunch to discuss our mutual reporter-of-concern a little more," Nathan said dryly, glancing at the front doors of the brownstone before looking away, "but Irene can wait. Dare I ask whose window you were slipping out of?"

"You are doing a horrible job of dissuading me of the notion that the world does in fact revolve around me." Jean-Paul resisted the urge to glance back at the window in question. Oh, this was going to be fun to explain. "I do believe that was Jacob Gavin's window."

Nathan's eyebrows hit his hairline. "Jake Gavin's window," he said, almost thoughtful. "Uh-huh..."

"Nathan, you are not allowed to kill him. It would be messy and awkward and would result in your house being painted over again."

"If I didn't kill Jake when I thought he was seducing Dom with cake years ago, back when she was young and impressionable," Nathan said, beginning to rather enjoy the conversation, "I don't think I'm going to off him now. Although, I'm intrigued by the fact that you think I'd have a reason to off him." Trying very hard not to grin, he turned away from the front of the brownstone, nudging Jean-Paul onwards. They could find somewhere to have a coffee. And talk. "Not that it wouldn't be a lot of fun. I suspect he'd be a screamer."

"Oh, yes. Because we two always need logical reasons to be protective of the people we care about. The only reason I even talked to the man the first time was because you were giving him the death glare back on your birthday." Jean-Paul let himself be nudged...and utterly failed not to blush when his friend slipped a certain line into the conversation. "Nathan!"

"What?" Nathan asked innocently. "The man yelps when I look at him the wrong way, what makes you - oh. Oh, no. Innuendo? Not me. Never me."

"Peteux de broue." Jean-Paul shoved Nate lightly, then glanced over, trying not to laugh. "For your information, he squeaks."

Like a rat? Nathan wanted to say, but didn't. He thought that was very good of him. "I've noticed you've been scarce the last day or so," he said.

"Let us do the math, shall we? One handsome, age-appropriate man who does not mind me mauling him all over the bedsheets, plus the fact that it takes me about fifteen minutes to get here from the school if I travel slowly equals..." Jean-Paul trailed off, still grinning. "One absent and guilt free Quebecois."

"I should hope so," Nathan said, his lips twitching. "I may not be Gavin's biggest fan, but from a purely objective standpoint, he's not bad-looking. And you, my friend, look pleased enough with yourself to outweigh all kinds of other factors."

"I must come back down to earth at some point, but, in the meantime, I will just enjoy the feeling while it lasts." Jean-Paul found the discipline somewhere to touch on a topic not relating to Jake, Jake's bed, or Jake's bedroom noises. "Have I missed anything? Any place or anyone important reduced to crater on the lawn?"

"Oh, well, there was the mass hallucination and the manifestation of a sentient spaceship in the backyard..."

"'No, Jean-Paul, nothing of any importance whatsoever has happened. Please do continue to debauch yourself with the lovely Mister Gavin.' Such a good friend, Nathan."

"If we limited our debauchery to the times when nothing was going on, we'd all be living as monks and nuns," Nathan said, highly entertained. "So really, I'm just laying the groundwork for a healthy approach to... whatever you call this."

"For now? Fun, exercise, and mutual admiration. If we can still stand each other in a month or so, who knows?" Jean-Paul tried his best to look somber, but, even minus the grin, it was hard to pull it off in yesterday's clothes and a shirt missing a button. "But I promise, you will have ample warning if you're needed to stand as best man."

"Time to prepare the necessary speeches and all?" Nathan asked merrily, then made a thoughtful face. Speeches. 'Talks'. That reminded him...

"Oh dear. You have had a serious thought." Jean-Paul snagged the cuff of Nathan's sleeve and towed him into the Starbucks looming ahead. He didn't need the caffeine, but social drinking did not have to involve getting drunk. "What is up?"

"Oh, nothing," Nathan said as they got into line. "Just reflecting on what I'm going to say to Gavin the next time I run into him." He gave Jean-Paul an innocent smile. "Not that I intend to be nosy."

"Oh, of course not." Jean-Paul turned his gaze ahead to peruse the tea selection. "Do me one favor? If you must traumatize the man, at least keep it to the level where I can make it all better without the help of a shrink."

"See, I never did any real damage. Not even psychological damage. It's not my fault his nerves are shaky." Nathan was repressing a grin, now. "After all, I'm not all that scary..."