Jamie bounced on the balls of his feet, looking out over the large crowd. He'd never been so nervous and excited over an event in his entire life. Behind him, Jean-Paul gave a sniff and adjusted his sunglasses.
"Well," said Jamie, turning to them. "What d' you think?"
Warren looked around, and while striking in his fitted sweater and tailored pants looked decidedly uncomfortable. Bobby was looking to his side, where a rather presumptuous blonde was staring him down with an interested smile. He shifted his weight, his hip bumping Jean-Paul's. The older mutant wrapped an arm across his shoulders coolly, and sent a threatening glance.
"Umm..." said Warren, wings twitching in the harness beneath his jacket.
Jamie's face fell. "You don't like it."
"It's not that, it's just..."
"Remind me why you had to drag us all with you on this crusade?" drawled Jean-Paul.
Jamie looked down at his hands, fingers twining nervously. "I didn't want to come alone," he mumbled.
"Better watch what you say," remarked the other, and Jamie's head whipped up, eyes wide and face flushing darkly.
Bobby stared at him, mouth slightly agape.
Jean-Paul shrugged. "You may've glorified this little outing in your minds, but the simple fact is, there's no better place to find a fuck buddy."
"Jean," grumbled Bobby, flushing slightly.
"Oh, not to worry," he replied, pulling Bobby closer with a quick jerk of his arm. "No one's going to touch you."
Jamie swallowed at the possessive tone and looked sideways at Warren.
"Well, we're already here," Warren said, with a dismissive sigh. He tossed his head, simultaneously straightening and strengthening his resolve. It did little to actually displace the hair in his eyes however. "And we promised we'd accompany you." It looked like he was taking Jean-Paul's advice about wording. "So, let's mingle."
Jamie smiled, and turned back around looking over the sea of booths and tents. "What do you guys want to do first?"
There was an amused snort from Bobby, a weary sigh from Warren, and when he looked over his shoulder, Jean-Paul was smirking.
"Better keep an eye on him Worthington, nes pas?"
Warren stifled a groan and padded over to Jamie, taking him by the arm.
"What'd I say?" Jamie asked, as the elder mutant dragged him away.
They spent the next few hours wandering the streets. Moving from booth to booth and generally wasting time. Jamie was careful to stay close to Warren and the others, fearing being alone in this new environment, which was incidentally how they'd all ended up here in the first place.
Jamie had wanted to experience a pride gathering, and asked Jean-Paul to go with him. Jean-Paul had answered ? roughly translated - 'hell no' in that articulate way of his. So he'd asked Warren, who'd agreed, but went to recruit Bobby after. Bobby thought it'd be fun, and once he'd agreed, Jean-Paul had no other choice but to join them, because in his words, there was no way 'the three of you can last a half hour in the seductively sedulous atmosphere.'
Jamie still wasn't completely aware of what exactly he meant by that, but he was starting to get a good idea. Spilling a beaded necklace between his open palms, he blinked at the man running the booth as he leaned over and whispered, "If I had a boyfriend as hot and loaded as yours I'd make him take me somewhere nicer than a street fair to buy things."
Jamie choked, and mumbled in reply, "He's not my boyfriend..."
"He's not?" replied the booth keeper, eyeing Warren hungrily. "That's nice to know..."
"But, we're roommates!"
The booth keeper looked Jamie over and smiled. "Okay kid, I get it. Here, have a complimentary sticker."
"No!" cried Jean-Paul, throwing his arms out. "I refuse to stand idly by while you puncture a hole in your body!"
"Aww, come on!" Bobby replied, turning. "I thought you liked piercings."
Jean-Paul's nose bunched. "They're about as appalling as tattoos." He folded his arms across his chest. "And you'd look horrible with one."
Jamie realized the comment alone was what made Bobby march determinedly over to the chair and plop down into it. Jean-Paul looked furious, and stood there tapping his foot, much like a parent who'd had just about enough of their child's tantrum.
Warren was looking over a sheet of tattoo designs, and trying his best to keep out of it.
"Nice going, honey," said a young man, moving to stand by Bobby and slipping on sterile gloves. "It's good to be your own person every now and then. What'll it be?"
Bobby looked up at him and smiled. "What's the most appalling?"
The body artist laughed, as Bobby met Jean-Paul's icy stare.
"Bobby," said Warren finally, turning toward them and leaning into one hip. Jamie caught a couple stopping to point him out on their way by. "Maybe it's not the best idea."
"Why not?" replied Bobby, with a shrug. "If I don't like it, I'll fill it in."
Warren sighed.
Jamie knew when Bobby had his mind set on something, he was more determined to see it through then if you asked him to do it. Bobby was going to get the piercing.
"Why go through the pain only to fill it in?" replied Warren.
"What pain?" Bobby countered, cheekily.
"Come on, Bobby..."
"No, let him," said Jean-Paul. "If he wants to flaunt his reckless stupidity, let him."
"You let him talk to you like that?" asked the body artist.
Bobby smirked. "Of course," he replied. "Means he cares."
Jean-Paul gave a disgruntled sniff.
"Well, maybe ? if you're into that. But you could do much better, 'f you ask me."
Bobby folded both arms over his chest, and met his eyes. "Why? What 's your boyfriend do?"
"I'm currently looking."
"Ah," replied Bobby.
Jamie watched him hop out of the chair.
"You know, I don't think I want one anymore."
"Are you sure?"
Bobby trotted over to Jean-Paul, and playfully threw both arms around his neck, dangling like one of those bedpost monkeys. "Yea," he replied. "Thanks anyway."
"Well, if you ever change your mind," the artist replied, holding out a business card.
Bobby leaned over to take it, slipping it into his pocket.
Jean-Paul met the other's eyes, and Bobby gave a delighted laugh.
"I've had enough of this outpouring," he sniffed, and turning, walked off, Bobby trailing along, his arms around Jean-Paul's neck and shoulder.
The man sighed, and turned to Jamie.
"How about you?"
"No parental consent," Warren remarked, and dragged him off.
"Well," said Jamie, as they drove back to the Institute in Warren's new car. "Today was fun, wasn't it?"
Warren and Jean-Paul were both quiet. Warren looking out at the road, and Jean-Paul staring out at the landscape.
"You know...I think it'd be kind of fun to have a Mutant pride parade," commented Bobby.
"Gay mutants?" asked Warren, eyes flicking up to look at him quickly through the rear view mirror. "Or did you mean mutant pride?"
"Hmm," said Bobby.
Jamie got comfortable in the passenger seat and looked at his sticker, as Jean-Paul expressed his negative opinion to the idea, which Jamie already knew would lead to some kind of fight.
He smiled to himself, remembering the day. They may not have done much, but he'd had fun. Besides, everyone they'd come across had thought Jamie was Warren's boyfriend. He could only hope it sunk in through Warren's objections.
He was so focussed he failed to see Warren glance over at him and smile.