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The crew wasn't intended to stay late in New Orleans. Technically they weren't supposed to be there at all. Not really anyhow. JP'd been busy more often than not downtown with Lucian and Michael trying to un-fuck-up the botched safe job he was on and was being hunted for in that marvelous catch-22 where he's in neck deep for not taking the thing in question and also because he tried in the first place even though he didn't go through with it. Absolution was messy. The angels weren't even the ones he was truly after absolution from though it had him spooked and even Mama Bonaventure warned him, 'Son you set this thing right' and JP was disinclined to tell her no.
The team was split between staying downtown and staying a lil ways off in the swamp with the Bonaventure clan which was crowded but… ya know they were friendly but fuck if Severin didn't leave for a reason because crowded sort of undersold the situation.
Today was a special occasion as having wrapped business, Mozelle finally agreed to let JP see Amalie before they left town. They set this up for a day everyone else would be busy and she opted to take the 5 year old 'shopping' with her and decided to meet up on the paddleboat the Natchez. At least there they wouldn't have to worry about being snooped on.
Elmo has had a lot of new experiences this trip. A lot of them involve Bonaventures and the management thereof. Like sleeping outside just so you wouldn't get invaded by young kids or tripped over by the older ones. And while he's always worked to avoid people, he'd never before had to avoid quite so MANY people. The Bonaventure house has beautiful new wiring. There's been the bayou, fishing, street fighting, and Severin getting himself fried by Elmo over that alligator thing. In short, it's been fun as hell. Now he goes with his team to see JP's baby girl, and he's too excited for JP to be apprehensive about it at all, as they board the old steamboat.
See, Sunspot was there with the gang just to be sure they at least -tried- not to get into any trouble. Plus he enjoyed the company of the group in and of itself. Regardless, after the team finished it's most recent adventure, Roberto "Bobby" da Costa seemed to be only a little jazzed to meet -another-, but mini, JP.
Either way, he tags along right at JP's side as he wears his brown jacket with a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and boots. though he stifles one of his periodic coughing fits, when he can breathe? He chuckles softly. "So, nervous?" he asks JP
Severin accompanied the group in Severin form, opting not for the alligator on this particular occasion, which might be considered inordinately wise. He is dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt because it's warm in NOLA, and a pair of work boots. He chatters on occasionally with some or another in creole as they make their way to the Natchez which is docked not all that far from Cafe du Monde, conveniently located for easy beignet fetching. He has a bag of them in one hand and a large coffee in the other, and shares the sugary confections with anyone who seems inclined and doesn't care about wearing a lot of sugar.
Vitale honestly hasn't had as much fun collectively throughout his entire life as he's had on this trip. Even the part where Severin terrified them all was fantastic. He's actually felt his cheeks aching from smiling so hard. He's excited as well, to meet JP's little girl, to see JP as a father, a role that Vitale hadn't imagined him in until this trip. Because first impressions matter a lot, Vitale has gotten dressed as fancy as he could for this outing, with the things that he had brought. As if there were ever a moment that Vitale were anything less than business casual. He has been stealing beignets from Severin and the sleeve on his right arm is coated with sugar. What? He has an addiction.
JP actually cleaned up for this event. Miracle of miracles. He went and borrowed a pair of slacks from their brother Pascal that he hadn't worn since a funeral a ways back but they fit alright. He almost 'normed out' in a weird way. Anyone putting their money on some of that motivation being to change Mozelle's mind after she told him 'never again' might be able to buy everyone lunch later. He still had his boots on and that switchblade in his back pocket. That was a certainty no matter how 'almost civilized' he looked. Oh yeah, heeeee was nervous. He looked to Roberto and laughed, "Terrified, mon ami. Terrified." beignets were happening though and that was… needed.
While they stood at the back of deck two JP's fingers drummed the railing waiting for… something to go wrong? but it wasn't and up the gangplank came a woman who never had any business to have business with the likes of Jean-Pierre Bonaventure. It was Ms. Mozelle Delacroix and with her was a small girl in a green sundress all of five with dark hair and dark eyes holding her Mother's hand and looking eeeeverywhere almost hiding behind the woman walking slow enough for the vivacious child to keep up.
Elmo's loosened up enough to have a beignet. What the hell, everybody else is doing it. And he's got chicory coffee—the new love of his life. It's like coffee, except twenty percent cooler. He's loitering with Vitale and Severin when Mozelle appears with her little one. "Oh," he says quietly, without really meaning to. "She made it." He offers Mozelle a shy flit of a smile.
Sunspot patted JP on the shoulder as the man admitted that he was absolutely terrified/nervous, earning a chuckle from the on-again, off-again X-Men member. "No worries, amigo. You've got this. Just remember to stand up straight and don't forget to breathe." another pat to JP's shoulder as he looks around. "On the bright side, it doesn't look like we were followed. This is your deal though, so I'll keep at a respectful distance to make sure nobody feels like messing with your meeting."
He could have bought literally the best security money could buy…after all? Filthy stinking rich. That said? He bets on the X-Ternals.
Severin hadn't dressed up, but then, he'd grown up around Ms. Mozelle Delacroix and she knew him well enough to know that showing up anyway other than he was meant that something was afoot. It was far less suspicious for him to be just as he always was. He lifted a hand to wave to her in greeting, one not covered in sugar, anyway. He'd been smart enough to bring along napkins, and there was a bit of water to dampen them so as not to end up all sticky. He was nothing if not prepared. He gave a little shoulder-bump to Vitale. They'd seen her before, Mozelle that is, but not his niece. Uncle Severin, however, hung back. This was about JP, not him.
Vitale recognizes the lady instantly, the little girl slowly being toted along looked exactly like her mama, but he bets that she's got that Bonaventure mischief in her, all from her daddy. He smiles brightly as he looks at her, but he sticks right beside Severin. This was JP's moment. JP needed to meet his little girl. "She's beautiful, JP." He says quietly, arm pressing lightly back against Severin's own, not daring to be anymore affectionate than that out here in public, especially after what happened last time he'd just /flirted/ with Severin.
JP took a deep breath and headed over alone for a moment and actually had no idea if he was supposed to go over there or not. He looked to Bobby with a nod of gratitude, "He, merci, merci." Still he waited for Mozelle to walk the… long way around to deck two? The boat took off and the mechanic looked sliiiightly confused and it wasn't very long before Mozelle and Amalie showed on the other side of the deck. Mozelle greeted then with one eyebrow arched at the curiosity that was JP not…entirely JP like. "Severin" she greeted back to him and the others she'd only met at passing with a nod, "Jean-Pierre, really looking surprised? I wasn't followed. Besides I could shake a tail better than you ever could."
JP winced faintly. It was the truth of it that stung but even he had to nod alright. He crouched to one knee and arched an eyebrow with an impish grin and asked her «"Do you remember me?"»
Though it was French it was pretty obvious a conversation to follow. The girl though wasn't hiding. She looked up to her mother with a face that was a question, and Mozelle squeezed her hand in return assuring, "It's alright." The child dropped her hand to rest it on the side of JP's face and smiled, and no shit the sun came out. It was entirely coincidence, but hysterically and laughably well-timed. «"You're my papa. You're not mad at me? I couldn't go last time.»
JP kinda hated himself for fucking up the majority of his life through a series of 'someone won't miss this' and poor impulse control. Right now it didn't matter and he scooped that kid up in a hug "Aaaaaah I could never be mad wit' you."
Mozelle smiled watching them, and the man he could have been and wasn't and for her all of what almost was and couldn't be and just smiled in spite of it. It was one of those bittersweet things. "I'm gonna take my book and be at the front. You… two should visit."
JP nodded and while the reality of their moment being ephemeral at best, he had his whole world in arm. «Amalie, you want to say hi to my friends? They're very nice people, aaand your uncle brought you beignets.» Her face lit up with a warm smile. Yes she remembered Severin, "Oncle chat!"
Elmo's having feelings. So many, many feelings, watching JP pick up Amalie, and then the sun conspires to create a moment like a painting. Father and daughter captured in a warm glow, the river and New Orleans behind them. Should've sent a poet. He laughs and glances at Sev, the oncle chat, then comes over to meet Amalie. "Hi, sweetheart," he says to her. "I'm Elmo, a friend of your dad's and uncle."
While Roberto didn't speak French, it was good to see JP speaking with his little girl. Alas, he chuckles a moment as he and the rest of the gang are likely referenced as the little lady seems to recognize Severin immediately. A little pat to the back of Elmo, the resident mad scientist of the group. Either way, he smiles softly to Amalie. "I'm also a friend of your father and uncle…my name's Roberto. But you can call me Uncle Bobby if you like?" he looks to JP in a 'beautiful daughter. You should be proud.' kind of way.
Alas, he keeps back a little ways so that JP can be a father.
Severin flashes a grin a mile wide at Amalie and says, "Ey, ca va ma petit chou?" He brings over the bag of beignets and offers one up to Amalie, reaching out and ruffling her hair. He's actually seen the girl perhaps a little more often than her own father has, all things considered. Gotta keep an eye on the niece. And when you can become a cat.. well. "You grow like the weeds outside your window," he teases her a little bit. "You, me, we see each other soon, n'est ce pas?" Then he gives JP a clasp on the shoulder and lets him have a bit of time with his girl.
Vitale doesn't understand a word of French but it sure sounds pretty and he can assume most of what's being said. He allows Severin and Elmo to move forward. He.. He hangs back. It has nothing to do with being afraid of the child. The Mini Bonaventures would have chased all of that out of him already if it had been that. It was feeling like he was intruding on a moment, feeling like he perhaps shouldn't be here. This was for JP. This was also for Severin. This was very… /family/. So he doesn't move forward. He waves at the little girl though. "You can call me 'V', sweetheart. I'm also a friend of your daddy's and Uncle's." He says and stays his ground.
Amalie wrinkled her nose when she laughed like many a Bonaventure before her at Severin's observation of her getting taller. As a child, well, that was something to be mighty proud of. She tried to follow the names, but they were new and shortening them seemed to help. She waved and had a hundred questions to ask that were all… waiting. For now she just hugged her daddy and murmured "I know it was you who sent me the doll. Santa was sneaky and said it was from him so I could keep her."
That griiiiin JP gave Severin that was pure victory for their winter heist was now in total payoff. The kid was convinced her daddy and her uncle had Santa on their payroll. Yaaaaas!
The walked over to the side table and for the trip out they sat and caught up and she got to show him the drawings she made and he listened with all intent as she talked about the kids she met at kindergarden and what she was building- on her own there was an emphasis on this of importance - and all manner of questions 5 year olds have, well mannered and otherwise.
When the boat turned around he kicked out and he waved folks over and was explaining to her, as the authority on all things as only parents can be to a child, "Well they talk funny cause they yanks. Cept that one. He talk super fancy cause he' imported." He mentioned of the new Yorkers and Bobby.
Elmo flashes Bobby a quick grin when he pats him on the back. Even though he doesn't know him too much, and usually touching from strangers results in static, Sunspot's an X-Ternal. He gets sometimes-touch-Elmo privileges for that. JP waves them over and Elmo comes over to him. "Yanks talk real funny," he agrees. He talks the funniest of all.
Bobby smiles then softly to Elmo, though he has a little shock to him, it's nothing that won't particularly wreck him. THat said, he seems to have that kind of endearing smile as he leans against one of the nearby walls, watching on with that kind smile as JP starts catching up with his daughter, eyes moving then to the other gentleman around the area.
"Anyone up for playing cards so that we arn't staring at them?" he asks then with an attempt at humor.
Severin chuckles over at Bobby and says, "Yeah, let's go over here.." He leads them all over to a table where they get out some cards, have some drinks, and basically chill for a while as JP and Amalie get some time to themselves to get re-acquainted and chat about all the things that kindergarteners have to chat about. It's only when JP waves them back over that he eventually returns as the boat is making its way back toward the dock, crouching down to whisper something to Amalie and giving her a little wink. Then he settles into a chair nearby, sprawling comfortably.
It could be said even if the boat were standing still it was going way too terribly fast. When the boat returned the visit would, inevitably, be over. Until then that kid stayed parked so they wouldn't go away again.
Amalie's a sweet kid. She's kind, she's a sharer and held no punches talking about the stories where she was sick once and her daddy called her using a fake name so her mama made her a fake mustache at her behest to talk to him on the phone like the 'mystery people' do. She was apparently paying more attention to the world around her than she let on. At the end she had to ask if he was coming back or if he had to leave and can she visit. The answer was 'we're workin on it' which… wasn't a whole truth, and those were things that Amalie never precisely agreed to but didn't say no to either?
Letting go was the hardest thing in the world. Mozelle, at least, seemed to at least appreciate that and gave him a hug and the promise of "we'll… talk." Not them, but at least her. JP came away with Mozelle having put a page folded in quarters into his hand. He seemed confused, but hey that was good news right? He let Mozelle carry the tired Amalie off because damn if he'd be able to walk away.
JP dropped his forehead on the back of his brother's shoulder and looked at the paper unfolding it, "Sev, ca fait mal… merde." JP was quiet a moment longer and with everyone else gone he murmured to his fellow X-Ternals, "Weeee might see her maybe sooner than later." There was a kid's drawing in pencil, presumably hers, of the lot of them sitting around the table playing cards. Even the outfits matched what they were currently wearing. Not bad for a kid if she drew it after they met and not before they got here.
Curious indeed.