La Vie en Rose

[Endellion]

He hadn't particularly been the biggest fan of the plane trip out to Paris the first time around. But that trepidation had all been forgotten when they boarded the train from Saint-Lazare to Caen. Now? Even if he did now know why his father had so vehemently felt he wanted to leave this place, there was still a sense of discovery in coming out to France that he took much enjoyment in.

[ Julien Leblanc's memories resumed from Celebration ]

The chill of cold and wind had set in, and snow had began to fall in the very early morning before their arrival, but he had fortunately come prepared for the weather. Julien was in a deep purple coat falling down to just above his knees, with a cream-coloured scarf over his face and matching gloves on. He'd gone with black trousers, because a place known for snow and rainfall hadn't struck him as the best time to wear jeans, and the very same boots that had served him well climbing time and again. The glasses were left with his father. It was bothersome, having to wipe them clean whenever he stepped into some place warm and they fogged up.

The plan had actually been to come earlier in the year, when the weather was better, but his unfortunate accident had put paid to that idea for several months and after that there just hadn't been enough time that they could set aside. Until now.

He really had royally fucked that one up.

Julien knew that when he was around... Any of his family here, really, they would at least be able to guess something was a bit off with him at times. Mom would definitely know. And she would tell him that what happened wasn't his fault, even if the marks he bore on his face that hadn't quite faded yet liked to remind him how careless he'd been.

It was a good thing that she wasn't here then. She would be liable to flip her lid if she knew what Julien was soon to be up to anyway, as he stepped out of the car.

"You have your ticket?"

Adrian looked over at him as the doors clicked shut and locked. It was an agreement of theirs; when they were in France, they spoke French. Sometimes at home too, for those things the two of them didn't want to clue their respective mother and wife in on. Julien had taken to it well, and was fluent in both languages now.

"Of course. You?"

"You know I do, you saw me put it in the glove compartment."

"Saw you put your keys in your pocket once too. That, ah, didn't stop you from losing them five minutes later." Julien saw him roll his eyes as they headed to the entrance of their destination.

"God, I'm forgetful one time and I never hear the end of it." He was smiling all the same.

Coming to this place was for the both of them to relax, Julien especially, so there would be no real dispute between father and son. Where better for an adrenaline junkie in the making to thrive than an place like this one, after all? Even as they went in, tickets presented and verified, he eyed up some of the towering rides that he could see in anticipation.

As it happened, Julien found himself spoiled for choice enough that he couldn't reach a conclusive decision. So he fell back on a tried and true method, turning to look at his father. "Hey. Pick two," he gestured to a board with a map of the park on it put where it was specifically to greet visitors with one hand while fishing a coin out of his wallet with the other.

He obliged the request, thankfully, picking two out as the coin was flicked skyward. When it came spinning back down to earth and was plucked from the air, however, Julien saw something that stopped that train of thought right where it was. Well, someone, but that was beside the point.

"Huh... Hey, would you mind if I go and catch up with Blaise?" It had been a while since he'd last been able to really talk with them, after all, and what better time to do so than when they were alone? When Julien saw the response was a nod, he took off without further ado.

Actually getting to them wasn't all that hard, even through the crowd of people. They always made a habit of standing out, and the particular styles he'd seen chosen in the past weren't exactly common sights.

"Hello," Julien said in greeting, his pace taken down a notch or two to match once he was actually next to Blaise.

[Emprexx Plush]

Defiez le! Their mind automatically translated the phrase to its English equivalent, Brave It! It was curious, no? They were born not more than a few hours away. They'd spent twice as much of their life here than they had in America, and there was no single greater bastion of their childhood than Parc Festyland; Le Paris Granville, Niorty, Drakkar Express, Les Tonneaux, Kaskade, Le Grand Tourni...the picture was clear. They could tell you where near everything in the park was without a map and probably had no less than a dozen stories for all but the most recent additions. It was more familiar to them than almost any other place in the world. Yet it took some effort to keep from interpreting the sights around them through American eyes. A small amount, but effort nonetheless. When they were younger they might have worked to keep that focus, but now it didn't seem worth it. The quaint park did not loom over them as it once was, its rides did not seem so grand, its magic not so mysterious. Such is perspective. They did not mind so much. There were other attractions to keep them occupied.

Their cousin Tilda was hosting them this winter. Raphael and Sabine had taken to Paris on their own and with Blaise's blessing. Blaise had no inclination to spend their vacation with their parents. The families would all reconvene later and in the interim they had freedom for their own, how you might say, activities. While there were many places that they and Tilda could have made their hunting grounds, the pair new one unregistered resource the park had in abundance: fellow bored teenagers in desperate need of a distraction. "Distracting" was Blaise's first goal. It branched out into more fruitful opportunities like "tempting," "intoxicating," "arousing," and ultimately "exhausting." It would not be the first time they'd found a hook-up here, though there was a tinge of nostalgia at the thought it might be the last. Covert liaisons that felt delightfully wicked as a teenager looked a bit pathetic through the lens of adulthood. Ah, the sacrifices they made in the name of propriety.

Their outfit was not as bold as it could have been, but their alterations had helped. The powder blue lace body stocking left little to the imagination even with its carefully padded front. Their sandals wrapped around their legs in bands and drew attention upwards with golden trim. While the blue-green skirt it had been more modest they had shortened it to their knees and expanded the lacy him all the way up their thighs. A lavish faux fur jacket provided some modesty, but only when it wasn't slung over their shoulder as it was now. Tilda never would have let them leave without it despite knowing they were going to take spectacle over comfort every single opportunity.

They had just been about to approach a girl they'd been exchanging glances with in line when a familiar voice interrupted them. Their brow furrowed in confusion as they turned, but it was replaced with a bemused grin once they confirmed him. If nothing else it was less surprising to see Julien than any of their other classmates, they'd discussed their trips abroad in the past. They met him a few paces away shaking their head. "Didn't expect to see you darling. Business? Pleasure? Or have Faith's ambitions finally landed you on the run?" They leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, if you need new papers, I have an uncle who knows a man with connections in Corsica." It was difficult to control their face, not because they wanted to maintain the lie but because they wanted to expose it. Another time with a more gullible target it might have been fun to see how far they could carry it, but they respected Julien. Their exaggerated tone, the curl on the right side of their mouth, and the slight raise of their eyebrows should have been sufficient to clue him in.

[Endellion]

"Corsica, huh? And here I was hoping you might say Sicily."

Blaise had taken well to the impassiveness they liked to maintain, to help stay a step away from people at his guess. It had led to him losing a fair bit of money, between all the times they'd played cards against each other. Being allowed to simply see a lie as what it was had a pleasant meaning to it.

"I'm here for pleasure, as it goes," and a look at Blaise told Julien that he wasn't the only one. Granted, it was of a different kind to what he sought, but between how that outfit caught eyes and the odd charm that they held, he had little doubt that they'd both find what they came here for.

It did quite a good job of catching his too, but Julien kept his looking them over as something of practical appraisement rather than interest, and did a good job of it. Blaise must have been cold in that, by his reckoning, but if it was what they had chosen then he wouldn't concern himself with that.

"So, how've you been? It has been a while."

[Emprexx Plush]

They critiqued his change of destination with a click of their tongue. "Sicily is for kidnappers and drug runners," they said as they shook their head, " your enemies will be political. No better network to avoid them than the Emperor's island, eh?"

Blaise was uncertain that anything they'd just said was true, but they said it with the casual conviction of trivia. It sounded plausible and neither of them were experts in international crime last they had checked. A harmless series of falsehoods if they proved as much and a dash of flavor to their conversation if they were not. More people should embrace interesting lies.

A glance over their shoulder saw the girl retreating with a group, two young children and an older woman. Likely a family. Her posture was defeated, sunken shoulders and dragging feet with a hand reaching for her pocket but not pressing further. They could extrapolate a scolding over the distractions of her phone. Ah, a pity, they could have rescued her. Perhaps they would see each other again.

With other classmates a lingering appraisal would have been taken as a new opportunity, but Julien was a professional. They'd played together often enough to make Blaise wary of the offensive. His attentions wouldn't be unwelcome, but if he had more mundane reasons for taking them in it wasn't worth the effort to push him. He gave too little away to be fun to toy with, especially for as valuable an ally as he made at the table. "Well enough. Playing chicken with senior responsibilities, hiding from family squabbles, you know how it is. My cousin escaped with me, she's..." A quick scan of the surrounding crowd led to a dismissive twirl of their hand. "Occupied. What brings you here?"

[Endellion]

"Well, when you put it that way, I must defer to your superior expertise on the matter," his lips curled up a little more at the left as he said it, "it sounds nice, even. Go take up a new identity, sit around drinking wine and looking out on the sea... Goodness, ah, now I almost hope her ambitions do go horribly wrong."

Julien took the best guess he could at following Blaise's eyes when she looked away and saw the girl as she walked off. By the impression he was left with, she wouldn't know what had hit her. He supposed that was the point, though; they had possessed a nearly concerning skill at picking out vulnerabilities and prising them open for some time now. It was good to face such a challenge in his opinion, but those tended to differ vastly.

"I see. No squabbling on my side, fortunately," or if there had been Julien wasn't aware of it, "and I'm just here to unwind a little, hopefully enjoy some of the rides, you know. Just me and my father here, but he's, ah..." He couldn't see him among all these people. "Off doing his own thing, it seems."

[Emprexx Plush]

Standard vacation logic, though Blaise couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his father's separation. Parc Festyland did not possess much to tantalize an adult audience, so their mind naturally wandered to alternative amusements. Unlikely. It was more plausible that his father had the same sort of nostalgic attachment Blaise did. If they recalled correctly he was from this region so he may have seen more of it than they have. The math to try and work out the range of his birth year and childhood against when the park opened was too much trouble for no reward. The motion passed.

"Have you been before?" They could assume as much, but it kept the conversation moving. "This place was nearly a summer home for my family. Some brother or cousin or hairdresser in my mother's family knew some management in passing when it opened. They have become unshakable sycophants to the park over the years."

They draped their coat over their shoulder and dug for a cigarette. "It's not so terrible. But if you're not familiar, I could make some recommendations."

[Endellion]

That raised eyebrow didn't escape his notice either, and he had his guesses at what elicited it. He had learned to focus on details like that as and when he needed to, for fun or money. Especially for money; fools were often parted with it, and Julien didn't care to be one. There was, after all, a difference between being outplayed and being stupid.

"I am unfamiliar, as it goes. My father was, ah, off in Paris around about the time this place opened. Didn't come here much whenever he was back in Caen, and it's my first time being in this place."

Julien did pay up when he lost, however. It was only fair to be timely; and besides, he was on good terms with the people he sat at the table with more often than not, and it was in his best interests to keep it so.

Though... debts did extend beyond simply being monetary. He had gotten in the way of that prospective catch Blaise had been eyeing, so perhaps a little remuneration would be in order. He had known them for a good long time, and there were worse choices to make than someone he found... as close to truly trustworthy as someone like Blaise could get. It'd just have to be seen.

So his eyes lingered for just a second or so too long to be put down to idle curiosity for sure when Blaise finally fished the cigarette they were looking for out and lit it. The signs would be seen as they were set out, of that he was sure. Really, that was the easy part.

Making sure they were just right was the true challenge. There needed to be an enticement there without just showing his hand right away.

[Emprexx Plush]

To some the ability to read a person was a sort of supernatural art. It required some great insight on the part of the observer. They supposed that was true to the degree, but in their experience finding tells was not an exercise in prying secret information from someone. It was about seeing the ways all people constantly snitch on themselves. Toying with an accessory, a cough, a persistent itch, or a tone of voice were no more universal indicators of a lie than they were the weather. When a person consistently does something before they try to fuck you over, it is not presumptuous to scoot your ass to the wall when you see it. That or find an excuse to bend down.

The double edged sword to knowing someone on an intimate competitive level is that you had to assume they possess the same knowledge. No matter how careful you are someone who observes you for years will learn about you. If you can find your habits you must know that they can as well, and you can be certain that they have at least some knowledge of what it means. If you change it, you can only alter it so many times before they take note of the new pattern. It could become an endless mindgame: I know you know my tell, you know I know you know its meaning, and I know you know I know you know that I'm playing with it. The recursive nature of that reasoning was yet another reason why they should never deal with Sicilians should Julien and Faith find their deaths on the line.

When Blaise closed their eyes on a long drag of their cigarette, that was the sort of game they were inviting. The pause suggested that they were thinking; their expressed family woes, the girl they'd clearly set their sights on, what attractions might be most appealing to him, all and more could demand their full attention for a time. They had seen the shift in his gaze for just a moment, though. They were not so vain as to believe even in this outfit they'd named stakes high enough to crack his composure. He'd let them see that slip. He wanted them to know.

Perhaps their slight smile when they opened their eyes suggested they'd noticed, or perhaps their mind was elsewhere. They were comfortable he'd find the right meaning. "The map is useful for what it is, you wouldn't miss much on your first time. There's a lot that can't be found on it, though. It's a bigger than it seems." Their eyes met.

"Even the staff have lost track of some interesting spots."

Their tone was absent-minded and their stare lasted only a moment before drifting on with another drag. Time was irrelevant if they were playing the same game. They trusted his ability to follow along.

[Endellion]

Ride on the same wavelength or fail. Of all the mind games, this was one of the most complex ones both to think about and play, simply because it could fall into a recursive nightmare of circular logic. A disastrous trap for the inexperienced. But of course, neither of them could simply be dismissed as that.

When their eyes met, he didn't look away until they did. Even then, it lingered for a moment once again. Not too open, but a clear affirmation and a sign of following along. "That's so, hm?"

What Blaise had actually said was of a particular appeal to him too, albeit for more than one reason; including one that Julien was quite sure remained safely locked in his mind. He did so love to ride the line between risk and outright danger.

"That's not very responsible of them, is it now? People could get up to all kinds of things if they knew where to go."

Maybe he moved a touch closer, maybe he didn't. Blaise was an excellent observer. They'd know one way or the other.

[Emprexx Plush]

In the movies it was always the little things that damned someone under observation. Infinitesimal acts of carelessness seized upon by a genius to bring their whole facade crashing down. It made for excellent television drama, but it rarely worked out that way. Tiny details required time, consideration, and a considerable amount of luck to add up to anything. Blaise wouldn't have bothered with them with anyone else here, all that attention was better spent catching the broad strokes and working inwards.

This was a different sort of affair. If they'd read the situation right neither of them were looking for information; they both had already sized up the other's position. Even so, it was a rare moment for them to indulge that subtle brilliance. There was a unique sort of gratification in it, one worth making other pleasures wait. They kept coming back to Parker for it, after all. Julien wore the energy in a noticeably less aggressive, competitive fashion, but if he had been looking to lure them in he'd chosen the right appeal. It wouldn't be accurate to say that getting there was half the fun. No, that would undersell it. Blaise could recall many encounters that left them less satisfied than sparring with him already had.

Now that he'd roused their curiosity though, it wouldn't dull on loaded banter. "Responsibility hardly makes a profitable park. The wildest rides have the highest risks, no?"

When they stepped closer they did not attempt to hide the effort. Every move until now had been a call. They'd prefer to see how he played a raise. "Care for a tour?"

[Endellion]

"Mhm. Life is sweetest when there's a little death waiting just around the corner, after all." Maybe he simply sought to tease, maybe it was more of a hint at things to come. He knew full well the meaning of what he'd said, however, even if the only hints at it were his words and a trace of something in his voice.

It would spoil the whole thing to back away from Blaise, even if he had wanted to. And now they'd moved forward in this little game of theirs.

There was a great deal of motion in places like these too, so it was only fitting. The people, the rides... all spun along in their own ways. And the eye was naturally drawn to it, which would prove very helpful for what he sought to do now. Being a light touch too.

The coin in his hands certainly hadn't been there until he plucked it from the collar of Blaise's jacket, gloved fingers trailing across their neck just a touch slower than they needed to. "I would love a tour." From there, it was rolled over his fingers before disappearing. Julien didn't show empty hands. He wasn't playing tricks on a fool, after all; they knew how such things were done.

[Emprexx Plush]

If their defenses had been lower he might have pulled more than a twitch of their eyebrow with that comment. The innuendo itself was uninspired, anyone could employ a common phrase, but they hadn't expected him to surprise with a raise of his own. The shock was dulled a degree by musing whether he understood the expectations he was setting; it would be a shame if his clever tongue proved disappointing after such promise.

Even so, they could be characterized as...distracted...when Julien slipped closer. Under other circumstances they would have caught on sooner, but maintaining disinterest, composure, allure, and attention all at once was a task on its own. They did not catch the movements that came before the trick. There might have even been some nostalgic delight when the coin was produced, and it would have been so simple to retrace his moves in their mind. They didn't care to try. Even as they stared at it their mind lingered at the delicate trace of his fingers along their neck. If he blinked in the wrong moment he might miss their lips parting with a restrained breath. If he didn't, they might as well have screamed.

They didn't mind the implied concession. Julien was better at getting in their head than they had expected, or perhaps he just had a different strategy. They were used to more direct attention, and he was a welcome change of pace. They shifted their hand as if to take another contemplative drag but brushed their wig back instead. When their hand stretched back out it was empty, for convenience if not for effect. "Allow me to show you then."

[Endellion]

Still composed, barring those little tics. Julien didn't expect any less of Blaise though, and he knew that he'd gotten something past that carefully maintained image. That restrained breath was all the sign that needed to see on its own; with everything else, it was just the cherry on top.

None of what he'd done was exactly mind-blowing, but it didn't need to be. The joy in such things was that using them right made them effective even on experienced observers, and ironically often to greater effect than normal.

When Blaise held out their empty hand, Julien took it into his own. The loaded back and forth was wonderful, but there was a time for words and a time for something else.

He'd live up to the expectations that he'd set as well, of course. Bluffing served no purpose here.

[Emprexx Plush]

Parc Festyland was not as concerned with gauche cartoon mascots as many of its counterparts. It focused on sanitized history, vikings and the like, with its own touches of exaggeration. It had its charm. It also provided opportunity. During the summer the park was full of costumed figures ranging from raiders to dragons, but in the parks last days before shut down these displays were less common. Props and changing rooms became less important, and while officially they were kept under lock and key, people could be careless. Especially underpaid teenagers who occasionally used discarded rooms for the same purpose they just had. As long as they took nothing and were discreet both entering and exiting, there would be little trouble.

Discretion was difficult to maintain once they were inside. Julien's boasts were not unfounded, a surprise which added him to a list of no more than four other men depending on how generous they were feeling. If nothing else it was a first for the park. Normally this was where they made excuses if they felt kind or simply ignored whoever followed behind them if they did not. Even more rarely they would exchange numbers, but they rarely responded. One or two girls kept their interest enough to stay in touch, but Blaise did not go into these rooms expecting to set records. It occupied them, nothing more.

That is not to say that Julien's performance was some supernatural feat. They enjoyed his company, the game had been amusing, and he had broader ideas than a thirty second siege of their cunt. That put him well above many of his peers. They could have guessed as much, but it was more fun to be impressed than disappointed, no? They were here to have a good time. Low standards helped.

Silent thanks were paid to their decision for an upper body rather than full body stocking. The trouble with this outfit, delightful as it was, was that it did not lend itself to speedy removal or recovery. Too fast and you'd end up with tears, slightly slower and you'd have to fight with it to get the alignment right again. If they'd worn something more complex they'd still be wriggling it up from their toes. Not the sort of thing they wore if they intended to remove it with company. At least not in one piece. That was too much of a production for Festyland, though, even if they'd expected an appropriate partner. The careful shifting of their top was enough trouble. Some small, self-conscious voice wondered how they looked to him after everything.

Blaise ignored it. It had nothing of value for them.

There was no one waiting for them on the other side of the door. Their only acknowledgement as they led him back to the park proper was a slight smirk. They could play at preoccupation with not getting caught, but that was secondary to gauging his mood.

[Endellion]

The smirk was met by a more sincere smile as he stepped through the door, back out into open air. Julien felt it a bit more, with his coat set over his shoulders and gloves staying off for now, but he didn't mind one bit.

Such games weren't about winning. Some might regard them as being such, but it wasn't a healthy mindset to take up in his opinion. Much better to aim for ensuring all parties involved walked away satisfied, and Blaise certainly seemed as such. Granted, it could only be on surface level. But given what had happened, he found himself doubtful of the possibility.

"Hmm... ah, if I'd known it would be so fun, I would have done this much earlier."