xp_logs | Manuel & Julian: An Intervention (backdated to May 30th)

Manuel seeks out Julian to get the full story on what is going on with Angel. (backdated to Saturday)

As if he couldn't feel it. Oh he could feel it, he just didn't know the reason for it. So after a day or so, Manuel came around to the most likely person that would answer his question. Naturally he could sense Angel's mixed feelings when he sought her out emotionally, but Julian's sluggish mopey black cloud told him enough that he sought out the male problem first.

Rounding a corner, Manuel nearly ran into Julian if not for the emotional signature he was keeping track of. His hand landed on Julian, snapping him out of his slump and turned him around, directing him to somewhere move private and lecture-like.

"Walking around and looking your most pathetic will not help you in this. What have you done and how do you believe you can rectify it?"

The collision barely phased Julian, the hand clapping onto him just enough to shake him from his daze. There were words being spoken, but between the pain in his foot and the pain in his heart, he didn't hear them. When he figured out Manuel was expecting something in return. With a confused look, Keller responded, "What?"

Manuel left out the complications and by the time they were sitting, he was directly across from Julian, looking him in the eyes. "What did you say to her? What did you do?" he asked slowly. Plain english. Straight to the point.

"Angel you mean," it wasn't a question. A sigh later and he continued, "Esme kissed me, she walked in on it. Now she won't talk to me- or see me...doesn't believe me...yeah. That's about it I think." He sank into his seat slightly, not wanting to talk about this anymore and unsure why he was even divulging this much.

"She kissed you," he echoed and leaned back. "I see." After a long moment, he considered Julian. "Or did you kiss her?" He would not put it past a Stepford to take it one step farther, but he had also been a teenager at one point.

His memory of that moment was still a bit fuzzy, but the answer to that particular question was obvious. "I kissed her." Julian shifted uncomfortably, "I wanted to...but...I didn't want to either."

"And Angel found out," he supplied with a gesture of his hand. "Well at least we know you are not dead," he said as an after thought, referring to the fact that Julian could not ignore his impulses.

"She didn't..." he sighed and leaned forward against the table. "She didn't find out. Angel walked outside and saw the whole thing." A beat of silence passed before Julian continued, "It would have been better if she had barbecued me."

She saw the entire thing. Manuel scratched the hollow of his cheek, if only to keep from letting loose a hearty laugh. This was much worse than he thought. "She will never let you live that down. Never. Once a woman has been victimize," quotations used there. "She will always bring it up." Ah well done Julian, well done. "And she is not speaking to you either - no, she is too dignified for that." He turned his cane, the wolf head staring back at Julian with cold blue eyes that he had recently set into it.

He met the wolf's eyes with his own, "Yeah, that about sums it up." His eyes glanced upward at Manuel, a sparkle of blame in them. It wasn't his fault that Esme had overpowered his will, but that didn't make it Manuel's either. "As for what I'm doing to make it better- I brought her flowers and chocolate the other day, but she wouldn't open the door."

"No she wouldn't. She is not superficial like that. Your actions will dictate what she will have with you now. My advice, stay away from Esme and I will have a talk with Angel." Considering he had a hand in this, it was only fitting that he see them on talking terms. He may have a talk with the Stepfords as well.

Julian scoffed, "What are you going to say to her that's going to get her to start talking to me again, Manuel?" The teen leaned back in his chair and looked away, "It doesn't matter- I don't deserve to get her back."

The temptation to smack Julian over the head with his cane was very great. "Nevermind what I am going to say to her - worry about yourself at the moment and stop walking around like a wounded soldier. It is not a battle you can win outright."

"I think she broke my foot actually," was all he could think to say for a moment. "How would you recommend I be walking around? The girl I..." he wanted to say loved, but knew it was too soon. "Okay, fine. You're right. I'll pull myself together."

Manuel waved a hand dismissively. "Thank your lucky stars it is only your foot broken and not your jaw. That would have been much worse." Manuel stood and hooked the cane beneath Julian's chin, lifting it. "Be a gentlemen and do not grovel. It'll only annoy her." His cane withdrew and he started to walk away. "We will talk later."