Nathan and Jean-Paul

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Nathan and Jean-Paul spend a lazy afternoon on the dock teaching Askani and talking Elpis.



"Not quite," Nathan said, squinting at the sketchbook Jean-Paul held up for his perusal. "Getting there, but you're not making the angles quite sharp enough." He handed over his own, for comparison; the first verse of 'All Along The Watchtower' translated into Askani and written in their script made for a pretty good practice exercise, if he did say so himself. While Jean-Paul examined the differences between the two, Nathan lifted his glass of lemonade and took a sip. It was warm out here on the dock, but pleasantly so, with the breeze off the water. Nice just to be outside...

The speedster sat on the planks beside Nate's (very well cushioned) deck lounge, his back against one of the dock pilings and his sketchbook propped up against his knees. They'd started this activity about a week gone, to give Nathan something to do that involved him not trying to wheedle paperwork out of Cammie. Jean-Paul had to confess, it was...relaxing for him as well. Something to do for its own sake, with no consequences attached for failure, save smart remarks from a man who was a veritable fount of them anyway.

"I should get you to translate my damn education theory textbooks into Askani," he snarked good-naturedly. "It might make them easier to understand. How are the ribs holding up?"

"They only hurt when I breathe," Nathan said, not quite mischievously, and took another sip of the lemonade. "Seriously, not so bad. I've kind of gotten used to the ache." If not to the catch in his breathing that didn't seem to want to go away.

"Mmm. So long as it does not get to the point where it has gotten good for you." Jean-Paul frowned, using the edge of his pencil to widen the downward sweep of a glyph he'd copied dozens of times already with seemingly little improvement. "I put in my order for textbooks last night, then realized it was the highlight of my evening. Jake needs to get back from London before I do something desperate."

"I've never known anyone else for whom boredom was the kiss of death," Nathan teased gently. "Too bad Ray's on Muir this weekend. You could always babysit. That would kill the boredom. Of course, then she'd probably make you have a tea party with her and the giant walrus, just to be sadistic... did you really have to get her the stuffed animal that was three times her size?"

Discussion of tea parties reminded Jean-Paul that he really should send off a letter to Lil, but then he focused himself on the topic at hand.

"Of course I did. It was her birthday and she needed something to distract her from the fact that she wasn't being allowed in to see her father. But you see, I am a cunning elf - by the time Rachel ceased to be totally enraptured by the fact that she had a stuffed toy literally big enough for her to ride, you were able to have visitors again." A perfect, razor-edged angle appeared on the page. "By the way, several of your ties were sacrificed to make a bridle for Koo Koo Katchoo, so do not bother looking for them. Do not worry, I only used the ones that should have been burned anyway."

"None of my ties were that bad," Nathan protested, but his smile was a little sad. It bothered him, that he'd missed her birthday again. He'd tried to make it up to her, but she was of an age where she would remember this sort of thing, and that wasn't the sort of early childhood memory he'd wanted to leave her. "Thank you, by the way. For taking her out that day."

"They were indeed that bad. But you are welcome. I decided that would be a more more productive use of my time than waiting for Amelia to turn her back so that I could lecture the injured." The scratch of pencil on paper stopped. "I have been wondering...you will have more time for Elpis once you are back up to snuff, will you not?"

"I didn't willfully collapse my lung, you know," Nathan muttered, then squinted at Jean-Paul, considering the question. "I didn't tell you what Joel said, when he was here the other day. He wants me to take over his job. Be the public face of Elpis, finally."

"Yes, but it makes me feel better if I pretend I can frighten you into not doing it again." Jean-Paul flipped the sketchbook shut, drumming his fingers on the leather cover as he looked up at Nathan, blue eyes curious. "And what did you say? Should I be glad I got rid of those ties?"

"I said I'd think about it. I'm not sure I'm ready." Nathan made a face, gazing out at the lake. "It involves a lot of Being Seen. Which is an option, if I'm not going to be going out with the team anymore, but it is kind of contrary to old habits."

"You do have a commanding presence, even outside of the armor," Jean-Paul said, managing to keep a mostly straight face. "And it would be a change of pace, but a worthwhile one. One that involves smiling and shaking the hands of people you would like to spill drinks on, but still..."

"How did you do it?" Nathan asked, quite seriously. "Be a public figure, I mean..."

"Honestly? The first time around involved a lot of learning to not give a damn about what other people said or thought, the second always having an answer ready, and the last time a combination of the two." Jean-Paul stood and stretched, feline lazy, before leaning against Nathan's chair. "Somehow, I think you can handle that."

"The first possibly easier than the second. Joel seems to think I can do it. He even thinks my tendency to yell is not such a bad thing. I wish he'd tell Angelo that," Nathan grumped.

Jean-Paul laughed softly, letting his eyes trail out over the tiny waves on the lake. They were barely more than ripples, gleaming fractures across the surface of the water. "So long as you watch who you are yelling at. The ones with their wallets out get the camera-worthy smile."

"I have some time to think about it. I haven't told Moira yet. This was always the plan, though," Nathan conceded quietly. "Someday." He supposed he just hadn't expected it to come as soon as it had. Pausing, he gave Jean-Paul a diffident look. "I've... wanted to ask you something for quite a while. There just wasn't the right time, or opportunity..." At the inquiring look, he shrugged uneasily to himself and went on. "I'm wondering if you might be interested in doing more work with Elpis, if something interesting comes up. I'd like to do more with the sport program idea, maybe... there are a couple of other possibilities, too."

"I am going to have to stop taking the long way around in these conversations with you if you are going to beat me to the finish line." Jean-Paul turned his gaze from the water to grin at Nate. "That is close to what I was wondering. I would like to help, but I do not think my talents lie in office work. If you have some other use for me, the sports program or whatever else I can fit around my classes, I would like to give it a shot."

"Why don't we say for sure on the one, and I'll keep my eye open for other opportunities that might be a good fit?" Nathan suggested after a moment, unable to help a smile. "Or, I mean, if you see or hear or read about anything you think might be worthwhile... I have a limited amount of attention span, you know. It's all the concussions."

"I will keep an eye open." Really, Jean-Paul was terribly pleased that Nathan had made the offer before he could ask about it. If Nathan wanted him working with Elpis again in general and sports program in particular, that was one more reassurance that he was no longer kicking himself for the Moldova ambush. "I suppose it is a bit late to bring it up," he said lightly, bracing himself for a telekinetic shove into the lake, "but I should probably warn you that I do command quite a high speaking fee."

"I'll give you your speaking fee," Nathan growled, his lips twitching helplessly. "Or, you know, literally give it to you then take it back out in cooking, later on..."