The Party: Gabriel & Julian

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Gabriel flirts, Julian is oblivious.


If this was how mutants always partied, Gabriel was all-in.

When he'd made the decision to move to Westchester, he expected to be bored out of his mind, with frequent trips to the city breaking up the suburban monotony. Now he was at a two-day bash at a one-percenter's house, surrounded by the kinds of things he'd have been able to pawn for plenty of dough if he was still in that sort of business. Life was ironic sometimes.

Sighing, he turned his back on his host's finery, took a look at his near-empty wine glass and made his way toward the booze. At least he could get his money's worth out of that.

Julian was behind the bar, overseeing the delivery of a new crate of wine, which the party was using at an alarming rate. He cracked a bottle and poured himself a glass, taking a taste of the California white. It tasted like sunshine and home and made him wonder how much of the wine consumption had been his fault.

He noticed the latino approaching and poured him a preemptive glass. Holding it out to him, "Xavier's, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Gabriel nodded in thanks as he switched his glass for the one being offered by their remarkably handsome host. What was it about the Xavier's network that attracted the hottest echelon of the gifted? "For now anyway. I'm new." He glanced down at his wine, then extended his hand and flashed a charming smile. "Gabriel Cohuelo."

"Julian Keller. Good to meet you," Julian shook the man's hand and took another sip of the wine. "I ran out of wine- this is from a store a few blocks away. Can I get your opinion of it?"

"Out of wine already?" Gabriel grinned, unable to keep from teasing. He swirled the wine in the glass, since that's a thing he'd seen people do, then took a sip. "Crisp." He nodded approvingly, wishing he knew more about wine adjectives so he could impress the other guy in some way. "Tastes expensive. Better than the cheap swill I usually pour."

With an eyebrow raised, Julian took another taste and gave a nod, then turned to the staff and gave several quick instructions before turning back to Gabriel. "So you serve drinks? I take it your ability isn't being able to make the perfect appletini," he gave the other man a wry smile. "What do you do, Mister Cohuelo?"

Huh. He had a nice smile too. "Oh, I'm a bartender," Gabriel answered rather earnestly, figuring he'd obscure some of the less-savory details of how he earned his living. Then he caught Julian's expression. "Oh, you meant — sorry!" He winced a little. "Still getting used to the whole 'everyone's got a hidden talent' thing. I'm a speedster. I think that's how Jean described it. And you...?"

Julian gave him a sympathetic look, "You've met Doctor Grey-Summers? I'm so sorry." Then continued with a chuckle as several bottles floated off the wall behind him, glowing green as they settled on the counter with an emphatic thud. "Telekinetic, like her- but I lack the good doctor's telepathy, thank goodness," he picked up a bottle and grabbed a glass from under the counter. "Speedster, hmm? That's cool, how fast can you go?"

Gabriel nodded approvingly as Julian mentally placed the bottles back down. "Can't say I've ever measured," he admitted, "but I'm pretty fast. Fast enough to get out of trouble, anyway." He grinned before bringing the wine glass to his lips.

"If you're ever curious, they'll let you use the danger room to find out," Julian accentuated his feelings about the name of that room with an eye roll. Leaning forward on the counter, his sleeves rolled up and coat lost to the earlier hours of the party. "Are you going to be living there?"

Gabriel couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as Julian assumed the position of a model in a magazine ad or something, which was suspiciously pat. Maybe that was just the swagger that came with a trust fund. "Looks that way, at least for now. It hasn't been that long, but I already miss the city. Although they say that it gets better with time." He shrugged, then placed his glass down on the counter. "Danger room?"

"A giant room in the mansion's lower levels that can be used for powers training. Users holograms and robots to kick your ass," Julian finished his glass and set it aside. "It's really all above my head, but it can take a beating and-"

He stopped talking and looked over Gabriel's shoulder, "Dammit." Julian pushed himself off the counter and rose one hand toward a group of revelers by the pool. The host's eyes glowed green and the group toppled into the water. Thankfully no one seemed hurry as they surfaced laughing and splashing a short time later.

Julian leaned back on the counter, muttering, "Damn unicorns."

Gabriel snorted as he watched the group fall into the water. "Sorry, did you just —" He picked his glass up again, shaking his head with an amused smirk on his face. "That was pretty awesome."

"Gotta keep this place unicorn free, my friend. Those things are terrible," Julian poured himself another drink. "So, you're enjoying yourself then?"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, now both confused and concerned. "Sorry, wait — 'scuse me —" he snatched the bottle of wine out of Julian's hands, then re-upped his now-empty glass. He looked over his shoulder to the pool pod, then turned back to Julian. "Dude," he leaned in a little conspiratorially, "are you high right now?"

Was he high? "Damnit," the pixie dust and Megan's little happy-hour came back to him. Of course he'd been dusted, "Apparently quite high. There's no unicorn over there?" he pointed near the bar on the other end of the party. "I mean, I know there shouldn't be, damnit, Megan." He sighed, "Functionally high I guess...unless I'm actually naked, running through Central Park and only think I'm at the party." Julian didn't think that was the case, but the thought was concerning- he'd spent part of his young life (he thought) fighting against drug dealers.

"I don't think you are, man. I feel pretty real. But we can probably make that part of the party happen later, after you've had more to drink." Gabriel grinned and took a healthy sip of his beverage. "Wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen in that park, either. Not by far."

"Wouldn't that be a photo for page six," Julian smirked. "'Millionaire, playboy, streaker arrested in park for trying to ride the zebras' I'd worry what my family would think, but as won't be happening, I think they will be okay."

"Page Six?" Gabriel tilted his head, giving Julian a once-over. "Huh. So you're a famous rich kid. Guess I can cross that off my Species of New York bingo card." He smirked back. "And a playboy to boot? You got a reality show deal yet?"

"Maybe after this party," he motioned around the room. "There's several minor celebrities here, trying to make their way up the social ladder. I'm not trying to get a show though, I'm trying to form a network of people who will look to me with the best way to spend their money to make more money." Julian took a sip of his drink, "Despite what it looks like, I don't have all that much money- I need a revenue stream soon, or I'll be like several of my other guests." He pointed to several people around the room, each of them seemed to be near a group of age-peers who were all laughing and having a great time- but each of them were on the outside of the group looking in. "Their trust funds ran out, their parents cut them off, they actually don't have any money- but they still want the lifestyle, you know?"

"Can't say I do, personally," Gabriel said a little flatly, "but I get the whole outside-looking-in thing pretty well. And I kinda sense the type." His eyes had followed Julian's finger, and he'd recognized a little of himself in every person. Though that could easily be chalked up to the insecurity of a completely new life situation. "So you really want to be one of those investment fund people?" Gabriel turned back to Julian, looking a little skeptical. "Sounds boring."

"Do you also consider escaping to an unnamed, private Carribean island whenever you want is boring?" Julian smirked and took another sip, "It's really the little things."

"Yeah... I grew up middle-class in El Paso and work in the service industry in one of America's most expensive city. So I'm not even sure I understood any of the words you just said." Gabriel smirked back. "If you're going to try and show off, you'll have to do better than that."

Julian laughed, "Fair enough." He thought for a moment, then stood back up and hooking a thumb into his vest pocket, "So what will you be doing at the mansion? I assume they're not opening a bar in the school."

"Oh, uh..." Gabriel scratched the back of his neck. "Still unclear. I mean, I've still got my old job waiting for me, I'm just taking sort of an extended break while I figure out travel and everything. But if you're asking about my long-term plans?" He gave an exaggerated shrug, spilling a little bit of his drink on himself. "Whoops."

The host snapped his fingers at the bar tender, then gave a nod to his guest. The bartender quickly swung over the bar and began dabbing off Gabriel with a towel, while Julian topped off his glass. "I'm afraid I am needed elsewhere- party business, you understand. I will see you around, Gabriel." He began to walk away, then stopped and turned, raising his glass, "Oh, please enjoy the party."

"Oh," Gabriel blinked as Julian walked away, wondering if he'd inadvertently said something to disappoint the older guy. He hoped not. "Yeah, thanks." He raised his glass in response as a rather handsome blond bartender continued to pat him down, well past the point that was necessary. He turned to find the man's blue eyes meeting his, and he grinned. Maybe it would turn out to be an enjoyable party indeed.