9 + Julian and Quentin
We have to do a group project about ancient Rome and I really don’t appreciate that you’re making me do all the work, so I’m making you buy me food to make up for your douchiness
“You really are dumber than you look.” Quentin said, shoveling handful of chili fries into his mouth. “You really don’t know anything about math? You’ve been here forever.”
“I don’t know why you have such a problem with it Quentin, not all of us were born with genius level intellect or whatever.” Julian responded, and took a sip from his ice-cold water. “Don’t eat like that, you’ll ruin your shirt.” He slapped Quentin’s hand away from the fries and used his telekinesis to give him a fork.
“I know. But the stuff we were doing for that ancient Rome stuff was so basic, how did you not know that?” He begrudgingly took the fork from Julian and continued to eat the fries. “Did Frost not teach you anything?”
Julian leaned back into his seat and then traced the frost on the outside of his cup. “No, The Xavier school was different, at least after the riots you started. We had classes based more on fighting rather than actually studying. And then M-Day happened so,” Julian waved his metallic hand in the air. “You know. We didn’t have enough time to study things like maths and science unless we really needed to.”
“That’s sad.”
“It’s not as sad as much as it circumstances. The Jean Grey school is a much better environment for students.” Julian responded in his matter of fact way. He grabbed one of the tissues next to Quentin with his telekinesis and then wiped Quentin’s face with it.
He really hated how sloppy Quentin was with his eating habit. He understood it was partially due to the fact that Quentin cared more about the process of eating food rather than how he ate it. Something about needing fuel for his brain or something like that. Julian wasn’t listening when he tried to explain it to him.
“Do you want me to tutor you?” Quentin asked and then slowed down his eating, finally straightening out his back. “Because it seems like you just didn’t know anything, rather than you were being a douche about it. Do you even know how to read?”
That earned him a kick from underneath the table. Julian obviously had a large, but easily bruised ego, and someone like Quentin insulting him wasn’t doing him any favors. Quentin rubbed his leg with the back of his foot, Julian’s kicks hurt when he actually meant them. It didn’t help that he was wearing his boots.
“Why would you waste your time tutoring me?” Julian said, picking at the salad in front of him. It was obvious that Quentin had hit a nerve. “I’m not saying you have better things to do, but I’m just telling you that stuff doesn’t stick with me. Maths and science just aren’t my strong suit. I’d be better off just buying you multiple lunches and having you do my work.”
“I’m graduating next semester. Aren’t you supposed to be graduating too, Keller?” Quentin asked. He wasn’t sure with the way that Julian had phrased his response. Quentin usually didn’t feel bad for people, but man did he feel bad for Julian. Even his salad looked sadder than usual salad looked.
“I don’t know. It’s all up to Pryde.” Julian shrugged. “I might be held back. I know Glob and Benjamin are graduating.”
“Jesus, you’re so depressing when you open up.”
“Says the loneliest man on campus.” Julian said in defense of himself, obviously feeling too vulnerable to continue this conversation. He sat up, and then crossed his arms. “Anyway, we’re totally getting an A on that project.”
“A+, and that’s only because I did all the work. You did nothing but the calligraphy.”
“Yeah, because your handwriting is chickenshit.”
Quentin didn’t even want to correct him.