From England

Paris, France. Ever since managing a small branch of his father's wizarding company, Damien had missed being abroad except for business meetings and such. He had missed completing the last term of his formal wizarding education in France all because of his father's impatience. For a successful businessman like Henri Mauvais, he was certainly impatient when it comes to his own children. Against Damien's wishes, he was hauled back to England where his family were foreigners anyway, and yet he was forced to call the country his native land.

He wasn't able to graduate along with the rest of his year, and Damien thought it was something he will never forgive his father about. Indeed, he had followed the man's orders to the letter, but his mind had been elsewhere, and his heart.. never mind his heart.

Damien had kept contact with Julian and the rest of the Eaux in his year, and even formed a healthy, long-distance romantic relationship with Claire Thibault until a couple of years ago. He had come across Julian during one of the pianist's visits to London (no doubt, for a woman) and they were able to keep contact as well, even to this day.

It was no surprise that he was able to receive a wedding invitation from someone he had 'affiliated' with in London several years ago. Damien was surprised to hear that Maria Doloresta was to marry that Daniels bloke despite her running off to England to study. Ah well, it was all good, no need to fret. And it's funny to think she remembered to invite dear Monsieur Mauvais. Or was it that idiot Julian who suggested it?

Nevertheless, he came to Paris, a week before the said event. He needed the break so he seized the opportunity to leave hazy London and meet up with one of his best friends in the world, where friends were scarce, and real friends are one in a billion.

Julian was right on time, rounding on the corner towards Cafe Estelle where Damien should be waiting. True, Damien was lazy, but he was always prompt, and Julian never expected the now English businessman to get rid of that positive trait.

And there he was, already seated and waiting. In Julian's defense, Damien was tad early and that wasn't the pianist's fault at all. Julian strode across the room and raised a hand to draw Damien's attention to himself. Never mind that he drew others' unnecessary attention as well; it nearly happens everytime.

"Mauvais, long time no see," Julian greeted the dark-haired rogue, a contrast to Julian in almost every way. Julian removed his sunglasses as he sat down, neatly pocketing it inside his light-colored jacket.

"Monsieur Auriole, indeed, it has been a long time," Damien replied, surveying Julian and noticing how his best friend, sometimes cousin, had hardly changed at all. He was still the same light-hearted creature that he knew when he was young. Was there anything in this world, that is, apart from women, that would dampen Julian's spirits?

"Coffee, and nothing else," the man replied to a server who had approached after Julian had sat down. Damien lazily gestured towards Julian in an attempt to draw the server's attention from himself, thereby avoiding any suggestions that might be blurted out to change his meager desires.

"Same," Julian said to the server, "and something to go with it, whatever you suggest," he added, then watched as the server left them alone to deal with their requests.

"You're early for the wedding," he then remarked. Considering Damien's schedule the last time he had heard of the man (two weeks ago), flying or flooing or even apparating to France to attend a wedding that will occur a week after had a slight chance of success.

"Is there any business venture that's lurking around the corner?" It was the old man Mauvais that would make sure every trip abroad by his sons would lead to some work-related success or attempt. If Damien had gone to Paris on his own will and purpose, why, Julian would be very surprised, and very proud of his best friend's defiance.

"Never compare me with my father, Julian," Damien muttered darkly, clearly annoyed that his father's way of doing things was starting to attach itself to his reputation. Business was business, and what Damien came to Paris for was not labeled in that sort.

Pulling a white and blue envelope from one of the magical pockets hidden inside his business jacket and chucking it upon the table, Damien said, "So whose idea was this?"

His tone was slightly mocking, as if he considered the whole idea of Maria Doloresta settling down with Jacob Daniels as a prank of some sort. Not that he was uncapable of believing it could happen, but Damien wasn't an admirer of settling down, especially if it's too early in his opinion. He thought Julian shared the same ideal, and yet he looked as if he was eager to see his other best friend get married.

"Right, sorry," he hastily replied. He should have known Damien would pull off a miracle if he wanted to.

So whose idea was this?

"Not mine, in the least," Julian answered with a laugh, glad to see a glimmer of the old Damien surface from the man in front of him. He frankly hated the fact that London was eating Damien to the core, the man unable to express his youth because he's tied down by the responsibilities of the business world. And having an older brother to be compared with wasn't a fun thing either; it's either he competes adeptly with the older son or he loses his pride.

"If you want to know, Jacob had proposed again several months ago, and he was successful this time," he shared fondly, relishing the memory of Maria's revelation that took place right here in this cafe they were in.

"Everyone thinks it's about time, you know," he added, taking the envelope and pulling out the wedding invitation. He read the name to which it was addressed, a small smile forming on his mouth.

"Oh, and I suppose you're going next," Damien then replied with clear scorn. That one was undoubtedly impossible and thus, a big joke, if ever. He leaned back against his chair as the server returned with their coffee and Julian's something-to-go-with-it, which turned out to be a chunk of chocolate lava cake.

Damien refrained from raising an aristocratic brow at the server's 'suggestion', deeming it a mercy not to say what was on his mind. He instead focused on his coffee; a good thing it was... adequate.

"I imagine you're a regular here." It was not a question. Only regulars give enough trust to the servers' choices, but then again, Julian was the kind of person who'll eat anything that isn't poisonous.

Oh, and I suppose you're going next,

Julian laughed, especially at Damien's look of disdain at the statement. His laughter was smothered by the arrival of the coffees and cake; the dessert earning a bemused look and the server given a slight chuckle, courtesy of the amiable musician.

"I'm not so sure I can finish this," Julian muttered to himself when the server went away. "But if Faye were here right now.."

I imagine you're a regular here.

Digging through the chocolate overload, Julian nodded while answering, "You can say that, or at least, the owner knows me quite a bit.

"I've played here quite a lot of times, just for kicks," he explained, gesturing towards the piano in one part of the room. "One time I used it to pay for a meal when I forgot to bring wizarding money with me."

Damien took the time to take another sip of his coffee while Julian contemplated his cake. Hearing Julian talk about snippets of his experiences with such ease was a refreshing change; in London, Damien talked to people on their guard all the time. It was nice to stop weeding out what he can believe and what needs careful interpretation. With someone he considered a real friend, he was happy to be at ease and just listen.

One time I used it to pay for a meal when I forgot to bring wizarding money with me.

"Ahh, music," Damien said appreciatively, but one can tell something sarcastic was to follow, "Gabriel's perpetual savior against washing cafe dishes."

"How is the Monticelli, by the way?" he remembered to ask, for it was a topic that used to rattle Julian almost all the time. He wondered if, after the woman from London, Julian was still secretly enamoured of his half-Italian 'foster' sibling. Julian never really admitted his feelings for Elise to Damien, but the dark-haired wizard was certain of the fact.

"Have you proposed to her yet?"

Ahh, music.. Gabriel's perpetual savior against washing cafe dishes.

"Shut up, Finn." If they were to use middle names now, Julian would never hesitate calling Damien by his most hated name.

How is the Monticelli, by the way? Have you proposed to her yet?

The thing with Julian is that he's easy to read. One can instantly know if the topic was sensitive or not. Just wait til the former Eau is eating, then instantly bring up the topic after his first spoonful. If he chokes on his food, then it's the wonderful sign of emotional tension that Eaux like Julian were fond of keeping to themselves.

To help bring down the choking fit to a minimum, Julian carefully sipped his coffee lest he burned his throat in haste.

Right. Better not say anything that might expel the chocolate out of his mouth.

"You know, that is quite the old story, my friend," Julian said after a while, his pale cheeks still tinged with blush, either from the warm coffee or the topic of the moment.

Julian never failed to amuse him. Damien was thinking that having fun at Julian's expense was a treat he deserved, especially for being stuck most of the time in foggy London. He knew it was hardly fair for his friend to be made fun of all the time, but knowing Julian's generosity, Damien knew that he wouldn't mind that at all.

"I see, so you're still beating around the bush, or visiting other parks," he concluded. "When will you ever approach the ice cream cart?"

Damien thought, since Elise was already a young woman by this time, Julian would have stopped seeing her as a child supposed to be treated as his foster sister. He never understood as to why Julian perpetually hesitated when it comes to matters of his heart and Elise, while it had never been hard for him to be with other women. Damien was near to concluding that Julian was a coward when it comes to this particular young woman. It had been what? Nine years?

"Let's not talk about that right now, Damien," was the answer that came from Julian. As much as he wanted to approach the ice cream cart, Julian was mortally afraid to find it empty, or more disappointingly, filled with other flavors that he did not particularly want.

The chocolate overload had impressively numbed his taste buds. He morosely consumed the rest of the cake, unable to appreciate the taste while his mind traveled elsewhere.

Damien watched as Julian grew pensive and silent, consuming the chocolate cake as if it were a tasteless plop of mashed potato. He figured it was time to drop the topic and go back to the original one, which was the wedding and Damien's whole week ahead, to be spent in Paris or somewhere else in France.

Retrieving the wedding invitation and hiding it inside his jacket pocket, Damien said, "I'll be sure to attend the wedding, but don't tell Doloresta just yet. And you're right, I can easily just schedule a quick trip to attend the wedding and immediately return to England, but the truth is, I've decided to take a small vacation in France."

"So, am I to spend this vacation by myself or you're going to accompany me?"

He refused to worry about what his father would say. Damien was never the conventional Mauvais son; he felt the need to rebel against the tyranny of Iron-Fist Henri every now and then. Vela and his mother will surely understand, and if his older brother Hector was anything like him, he would definitely see where Damien was coming from.

"Accompany you, of course, at least for the first few days," Julian replied, recovering himself. It slightly annoyed him how the mere mention of his unexpressed feelings for Faye could put his mood down several notches. Appalling the situation may seem, it was not right to dwell on it when his company was needed.

"Couple of days before the ceremony would be busy though, and I'm required to stay in Normandie for the weekend until the wedding day itself. If you want, you can come with me then, or would you prefer taking my mother out on dates while I'm gone?"

The suggestion was rather amusing, for Damien had considered Julian's mother as his own; Madame Auriole reminding him of his own mother especially during the times when Damien would join Julian's family for the holidays. Julian's mother was equally fond of the man, treating him as her own son and it was not surprising if Damien were to dote on the lady.

"Lovely idea. I'm pretty sure I can make your mother a happy woman," Damien replied promptly, finishing his coffee and waiting for Julian to do the same. He had called for the server for their bill and paid for it promptly, so he can drag Julian out of the cafe as soon as he's done.

Frankly, he was excited to see the rest of the Aurioles; Damien can never forget the acceptance that Julian's family had made him feel during the times he had been with them.

"Sometimes, I'm amazed by your brilliant suggestions. I never would have thought of visiting your family on my own, and would have gotten bored in Paris before the wedding ceremony," Damien offered as thanks for Julian's thoughtfulness.

"Now hurry up." As soon as the last sip of coffee was gone, Damien stood up and hurried Julian out of the cafe.

Lovely idea. I'm pretty sure I can make your mother a happy woman,

It was even more amusing to see how Damien started acting like a spoiled son at the mention of Julian's mother. Gone was a slightly conceited, laid-back and arrogant English businessman, and Julian can see once more the sixteen year old Eau student who happily helped out Antoinette Auriole in the kitchen after one breakfast morning, a couple of days before Christmas. If Julian can read his friend right, Damien was very much eager to see his family. Along with that, Julian began plotting the best way to leave for Nice at that moment.

Sometimes, I'm amazed by your brilliant suggestions. I never would have thought of visiting your family on my own, and would have gotten bored in Paris before the wedding ceremony,

Surprised at this generosity of compliment, Julian wasn't sure if he wanted to believe it. The former Eau wiped his mouth with a clean table napkin and downed his coffee, suspecting that a demand would soon follow the compliment.

Now hurry up.

There it goes. All Julian could think of as he was unceremoniously dragged out of the cafe was how ruthless Damien can be. Ruthless, really.