Ansel stood back and watched as Lucio bounded forward, willing and eager to acquire food for them both. There was something fiercely charming about the way Lucio strove to provide for Ansel whenever they were together. Both men knew it was no secret they each had their own stacks of cash, neither man wanted for anything. But Lucio, who would appear to the average person as the "trophy" in their relationship, was independent, demandingly so, and was consistent in his assertions that he should pay. Petra, while independent in her way, often fell into the classic stereotype that Ansel, being the man, should provide. Initially, Ansel hadn't minded. He considered the amount of money he made to be excessive for a middle-aged man with no children. However, when Ansel stood quietly, inhaling the fresh air and watching as Lucio ordered a variety of seafood for them to enjoy, he couldn't help but feel a bitterness toward Petra that he had only mildly entertained before meeting Lucio. Lucio treated Ansel like someone he enjoyed, someone he wanted to please. Petra seemed to see him more as a means to an end.<br/><br/>The picnic tables near the water were quaint. Ansel found a simple joy in sitting there with Lucio, watching the water shimmer in the waning light. The silence didn't bother him, as Lucio's presence was tremendously calming for the professor. He started on the oysters, a theme for them it seemed, and let himself wander through his own floating thoughts until Lucio spoke up.<br/><br/>Ansel made no reply to Lucio's presumption. A part of him most certainly wanted to know who his lover had been with, who had defiled Lucio's sublime body with his fetor? But then Ansel had to ask himself what would he do when he found out? Would it be easier to accept once a name was attached to the lingering aroma, or would it incense Ansel even further? It didn't matter, as Lucio continued on without confirmation either way from the professor.<br/><br/>"James?" he scoffed, shoving a piece of lobster meat into his mouth and chewing slowly before continuing. "Too much<i>cheap</i>cologne, more like. That man is a walking advertisement for Axe Body Spray. If I wasn't sure it'd kill him, I'd wager that the man probably drinks the stuff." There was a tinge of bitterness to Ansel's voice, but a playful quality about it as well. He found it difficult to remain jealous of Lucio's tryst when the one he had been entertaining was one of the most socially awkward individuals he had ever come in contact with. The fact that he could even make such a deal with Lucio was somewhat impressive in itself.<br/><br/>Ansel didn't see James Buckley all that often, perhaps once a month if they happened to pass one another in a hallway by coincidence. This did make Ansel feel a bit better, as he didn't have the mind to properly imagine a scenario in which the two interacted that didn't end with Ansel's fist in James' face.<br/><br/>"Lucio, I . . . You have your job. All I ask is that when you're with me, you're with me. For however short or long that may be." Ansel set down his utensils and took hold of Lucio's hands, bringing them up to his lips and kissing the top of each one. "And maybe carry a lot of really strong breath mints with you."