Revolution could take a lifetime to make realitt but how easy it was for men to fall out of favour with each other in the midst of it. That was their story. It didn't matter who had done what or the water under the bridge...even after all of that their cause, their purpose had remained the sam. Ironic really. They'd travelled their separate ways only to wind up within blocks of each other far from the France they called home.

Jean-Marie had stumbled on his former brother in arms location by chance, a whisper from a set of eyes, a warning more than anything. Even those eyes understood that there was history there and if need be wanted to make sure Jean-Marie wasn't heading for a knife in the gut from his own side. Save the blood for the cause after all.

As with so many things Jean-Marie had chewed and brooded over how to move forward with this particular problem. He was a man of internal conflict and a consistently running inner monologue which was even more grim than what escaped his lips. Michel was a potential distraction...but for all their baggage he was also a worthy contact to have, a good hunter with a shared purpose, to find those who had escaped the justice they deserved in France. Perhaps foolishly Jean-Marie decided to risk the blade to the gut and send a message to his former bedmate.

There was no guarantee he would show of course and as he sat in the neutral ground, a grim drinking establishment which made the streets of Paris look half decent Jean-Marie sat in front of two drinks. His expression was pensive but that wasn't anything unusual. Jean-Marie was never really known for his smile, at least not to the ones who knew him in passing.

His attire was travel worn, his dark hair in unkempt jet curls with just the barest hint of creeping grey flopped atop his head with the same betraying flecks of white dusting his unshaven face. He hasn't dressed up, then had he ever? Clearly he wasn't looking to make any sort of heart aching, trouser tightening impression on Michel...this was business which in his experience was much easier to do if you didn't try to hard to be what you weren't. Michel would be irked by that sentiment, he was always far more charming than Jean-Marie after all.

His own drink was already nearly gone and his intense stare was already eyeing up the one he'd purchased for his possible guest. It would be Michel's fault naturally. He shouldn't be so eager to show up fashionably late.

@Atrice

Michel had been quite surprised when he had received the message from his… acquaintance, Jean-Marie Delacroix. He could barely remember for how long he’d known the other man; it seemed to be somewhere in a distant past, when he was nothing but a young man, not even leader of the gang yet. And Jean-Marie had been there. Somehow they had kept roaming in the same circles and of course both of them joined the cause of the Revolution when it came. They had a lot in common, probably because part of their story was the same and they even had some of the same reasons to follow the cause.

For Michel, the cause had ended up with him being sent to Venice a few months ago. Here he worked as a spy and debt-collector, among other things. He had many informants all over the city, keeping him updated with names and gossip about the French nobles who had escaped to Venice. Michel knew he was close to getting a few of said nobles; he had made friends with one and was infiltrating the man’s unhappy little family to make the nobleman murder his wife, so Michel wouldn’t have to do it.

Besides the work, he was quite busy in Venice. One of his first tasks here had been to seek out one Bruno Cremonesi, who owed debts to people who worked for the Revolution. Bruno was unable to pay his debts and eventually became Michel’s partner-in-crime and lover – and now not even just for the sake of pleasure, but because Michel had fallen in love.

Perhaps that’s why the note from Jean-Michel made him so surprised. He had a history with Jean-Marie. They had been partners of sorts in the past and even lovers at some point, although none of them would ever speak openly about it. And they had also parted ways in a less pleasant way. It was obvious why he would see Michel, as Michel knew Venice well by now and had all his informants… but why Venice?

Michel showed up at the tavern Jean-Marie described… to find out why he was here. The note had just arrived today and Bruno was busy elsewhere; else Michel would have informed him of the meeting. But now he’d just have to tell him later. The other man sat by a table alone, when Michel entered, but there were two drinks on the table. He inhaled a breath and approached the other, handsome as ever, but also just a memory from his past in France. It all seemed so far away now…

“Jean-Marie, how good to see you.” Michel said with a smile to the other man, once he was close enough, “How… peculiar to see you here though.”

@Jess

He arrived. Well, that was the first surprise although you'd never have guessed it by the look on his face which as ever didn't particularly change. Jean-Marie was good at sullen and enraged but the other expressions didn't make much of an impression.

"You needn't pretend you are happy to see me Michel, as good of an actor as you are." He was certain some hostility remained but who knew? It was a long distant past now for both of them and Jean-Marie had no doubt Michel had moved on. Repeatedly.

He wanted his head towards the chair, catching the bartenders attention for a pre-emptive refill. Alright, it wasn't that pre-emptive on his part given his glass was already dry.

"Not so strange. We always did have the habit of walking similar paths...and I am guessing your purpose in Venice isn't so different to mine." The difference was that Michel was likely playing his talents of subterfuge where Jean-Marie was liable to swing into Venice like a sledgehammer, aiming directly at any of those who had managed to escape France.

"I'm guessing of course. Perhaps you've retired and are running a quaint little bakery with a plain but loyal wife and s gaggle of children hanging off her tits." Jean-Marie said in a deadpan tone but there was a sense that it was a good natured joke...that he didn't genuinely believe Michel was capable of resigning himself to such a boring and terrible fate.

@Atrice

Michel grinned at Jean-Marie’s words, “And why would I not be happy to see you, mon ami?” Michel replied, “You are the loyal sort after all, are you not?” He added and it was impossible to tel whether he was angry or just joking. But the did take a seat opposite Jean-Marie at the table, seeing that the other had already bought drinks. Well that was kind of him. When did Jean-Marie ever buy him a drink before?

Then Michel had also called it peculiar to see Jean-Marie here, but he said it was not so strange, because they had that habit of crossing paths. And of course they were here for the same purpose. Michel nodded quietly and picked up his glass of wine to swirl it a bit in the glass and inhale the scent of it. Not the best wine at this establishment, but who would have thought it was? Perhaps he had gained a few new habits after all…

But Jean-Marie went on and tried to make his own little joke, which Michel actually laughed at. And then he thought about how Bruno always thought he was so serious and needed to relax… well if that was the case, then Bruno should meet Jean-Marie. Then he’d see someone serious. On the other hand, they should not meet. He did not think Bruno would enjoy meeting Michel’s former bedmate, even if they never had what he had with Bruno and on top of that, there was no way he was going that way again. He could be friendly with Jean-Marie and work with him, but that was all. Even if the bastard was still as handsome as ever.

“If you think I’d do that, then I think you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.” Michel said, once he had finished laughing, and he looked at Jean-Marie with a spark in his eye. Well the other made him laugh, perhaps this was not as bad as he thought it would be.

Then he turned serious again though, “So, since we’re here for the same purpose and cause, I have to wonder… are you here to simply collect them or… dispose of them?” Assuming of course that Jean-Marie would easily know who ‘them’ were.

@Jess

The wine was swill but then they were French and by their nature usually thought anything other than a fine French vintage was trash. Okay, maybe that was just his opinion but he was happy to project those opinions onto other people. But...drink was drink. Jean-Marie's unofficial motto these days, along with all the revolutionary slogans obviously.

Perhaps Michel had learnt some of his seriousness from Jean-Marie because the man was practically a professional. He joked but they were so completely flat in their delivery that most who didn't know him took it to be an out and out insult. "I kid of course. You'd only have the wife if there was a cock attached. I know you well enough to know you'd miss that too much to have a woman."

The glass was refilled and the meeting was going rather well all things considered. There was a temptation to genuinely delve into what Michel had been doing all this time away from him but...this was business. Best not dirty that just yet.

The question was an awkward one. In the eyes of the Revolution he held some considerable clout but that came with s caveat of ruled that he was eager to ignore now he was so far from the taskmaster. He wasn't meant to be hunting them down like a dog and ripping them to pieces but Jean-Marie more than anyone had reasons for wanting them all dead.

"Official line is that anyone found should be captured, returned for trail and executed publicly...but naturally there will be casualties and those that resist." Michel would know the kind of bloodlust Jean-Marie harboured. He had seen it many times before and it was there in his dark eyes now. No amount of hunting had served to bring him the peace he wanted. But that was revenge for you. Nobody really win in the end.

@Atrice

When Jean-Marie mentioned the idea of Michel retiring with a bakery and a wife and kids, Michel laughed and said Jean-Marie didn’t know him at all, if he thought that would happen. And the other did of course joke, which Michel had already guessed. He shook his head at Jean-Marie’s words though, “I don’t mind women, they can be… convenient and useful. Just not for proper pleasure. But I don't have to tell you that, do I?” Honestly the idea of marriage had never crossed his mind though, he had always been too busy to consider that and gaining and heir wasn’t his top priority either. He had no fortune to pass on to the next generation. All he hoped to leave behind was a better France than the one he grew up in.

Now they sat here talking though, Michel had to clear something up. And since he hated to beat around the bush and preferred to get straight to the point, that’s what he did… asking why Jean-Marie was here and what he planned to do.

His old partner with benefits spoke of how people ought to be captured to return to France for a public execution, but there would be casualties. And when it came to Jean-Marie, it would most likely be the latter, Michel thought to himself. For him however, it was more a mix of the two. He did wish to send those nobles back to France. It wasn’t always so simple though and since they did just need to be removed from life sooner or later, sooner was sometimes the better choice.

So Michel nodded, “Naturally… there are both.” Michel replied, tasting the wine, “And there are big fish to catch here in Venice. Do you already have names, or do you want them?” He wondered next, because if Jean-Marie wanted work, he could easily get it. It was only nice that someone else from Michel’s old team had been sent here, because Michel had kind of felt like he was buried in work sometimes and Bruno complained they never had time for fun. Michel lived and breathed for his cause though.

@Jess