Jubilee & Jean-Paul, Sunday Afternoon

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Jean-Paul buys Jubilee a chocolate croissant.


Jubilee sat in the rather well appointed cafe, a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of tiny sandwiches laid out before her as she surreptitiously watched Jean-Paul from behind a French newspaper. She'd decided tailing duty was an excellent chance to increase her understanding of the language, and the paper gave her a good reason to be in the cafe.

Jean-Paul was surreptitiously watching Miss Lee's furtive observation and trying to decide whether or not he should say something to her. The paper she was reading was most certainly French, at least. He could tell from the headlines. He wondered if she thought that would make her blend in better. Flagging down the waiter who had served him his danish as well as his espresso, Jean-Paul marked his spot in A Midsummer Night's Dream and asked the man to deliver a chocolate croissant to the woman. Once the food was on her table, he watched the waiter point him out to her, then waved, fingers wiggling just the smallest bit more than necessary.

Jubilee rolled her eyes at him and gestured for him to join her. She should have known he'd spot her being this close. But she had entered before him and chosen a rather out of the way table at the back, allowing her to put her own back firmly to the wall, as well as have a clear view of both exits.

She took a moment to bite into the, admittedly wonderful, chocolate croissant while she waited to see if he would join her.

Taking his espresso as well as his book over to her table, Jean-Paul raised an eyebrow at the woman and said, "Miss Lee." Then he sat down and took a sip of his drink. It was very good, here. "You are enjoying your paper?"

"Mostly, the bits I can read anyhow. Like, I'm totally better at speaking this stuff then I am at reading it," Jubilee noted, gaze moving across his face, seeking out indicators as Doug had taught her. "How's your book?"

"It has not changed," Jean-Paul replied. "The lines are the same." And they were. They just weren't always where his memories told him they should be. "What brings you to the cafe?"

"The food and service, mostly," Jubilee replied, lying with ease. Especially since both were quite good here. "Energy manipulators metabolism, means I need to eat constantly. Any particular reason the lines might have changed, or have you just not read it for a long time?"

"Age, Miss Lee. Age," Jean-Paul replied. "It weakens the mind." He took another sip of espresso, fingertips drumming a slow pattern on the cover of his book.

"You're hardly that old, dude. Where's your sister, by the by? Would've thought you two inseparable before you went to Muir," Jubilee noted, taking another bite of her croissant, a seemingly idle gaze intent for any reaction to the mention of his sister.

"Forty this year," Jean-Paul replied, watching her as nonchalantly as she was watching him. "She is still at Muir, so far as I am aware."

"Now, if you said Ninety, I might say 'Dude, that's so old' but, hey, Forty is like totally the new Twenty." Jubilee replied with an disarmingly impish grin. It was a grin that said 'Look, look at the cuteness that is me, I couldn't possibly be up to anything nefarious or underhanded'. "I'm surprised she let you out of her sight, or didn't expect you to at least check in."

Jean-Paul shrugged. "She is not my keeper, as I am not hers." Half-truth. His hands were still where they rested, almost preternaturally so. His eyes trailed from the croissant to Jubilee's face and then off to the side, casual boredom evident.

"You want to go for a walk?" Jubilee asked, finishing off her croissant. "I meant to do some shopping, figure you could come with."

She didn't mention that being able to watch him without having to worry about him seeing her was a bonus, and it allowed her to get a better read on his mannerisms as well. She hadn't spent the same amount of time around him as say, Morgan or Jake had, but she was a good enough student that she thought she'd be able to tell if something was fishy.

One brow rising, Jean-Paul asked, "You want me to go shopping with you?”

"Hmm, let me think on that a moment," Jubilee replied, putting a finger to her chin in a thinking gesture. "I asked, and you're obviously bored out of your mind right now, so yes, yes I do. Just think, you get to make horrified noises at my choices in fashion, that always makes Marie-Ange happy."

"Thank you for the invitation, but I think I will continue with my reading," Jean-Paul replied, indicating his book. He finished off his espresso, decided to try a cappuccino at the next cafe he stopped in, and pushed his chair back. "But please, do not let my boredom detain you."

"Oh, I won't," Jubilee noted, finishing off her drink and pulling her bag toward her. "Still, if you ever change your mind, let me know."

Same old Jean-Paul, in some ways, as they'd always been somewhat stand-offish with each other. But different as well, and that difference intrigued her. She'd continue her watching for now, although obviously from a less obvious, more concealed distance.

Picking up his book, Jean-Paul nodded to the woman, then headed for the door. There was a likely looking building on the other side of the city that he'd yet to stand atop. If he got there quickly, which he would, he might even be able to get in an hour or so's worth of reading whilst enjoying the view.