Checking Up On You

[François Laffont]

Felix’s return brought many different feelings to Franck. Joy, of course, to see his friend again, but also pain and some resentment at the fact the boy left without so much as a goodbye and returned without any more warning. One day, he was just gone. It hurt Franck, but he accepted it. After all, he graduated and Franck was aware of the future drawn for his friend. He assumed he left to work with his father. Besides, so many things happened that he didn’t have much time to feel bad about it.

His return sure surprised Franck. He held it against the boy however that he found out more through rumours and a text message from Erika. Even if Felix feared he might be too upset to see him, he would have wished to find out from the guy himself. He did ignore this when he finally met with him again. His happiness at seeing his old friend outweighed whatever pain the secrecy caused him.

He was glad they could renew their friendship. He was also glad there were no ill feelings between he and Erika She was married now and happy. No way would this stir some drama. He wouldn’t let his words cause it again. And so there was no reason why they couldn’t move on. From what he remembered anyway, Felix had accepted before leaving Bellefonte that it would never happen. There was, however, someone else who had history with Felix and Franck was curious to know how it affected her.

He didn’t think texting Elsa Bellefonte would be a good idea. He would then have to explain why he wanted to see her and he didn’t want to look like he was checking up on her. He doubted she’d like it. Instead, he went looking for her and found her eventually, outside. “Hey,” he said as he reached her. “How are you doing?” That was a nice ice-breaker. Now, all he needed was for her not to dig through his thoughts and find out what he really wanted to ask her.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa Bellefonte sat near a tree, a book in her hand, enjoying the warming weather. Her hair curled down in loose curls over her face, hiding the earnest, yet somehow peaceful expression. Some tasteful makeup seemed to have been applied, drawing out her eyes and making her seem perhaps a bit more like her twin, even among those who, like Franck, could tell them apart simply by looking.

And she looked up at Franck as he approached. "Hello yourself," she said, her voice cool, her lips twitching into something of a half smile, her brows raising. "Did someone send you to check up on me now?" her voice had more of a teasing edge to it now, and her smile had a bit more of that old confidence though seemingly reshaped.

"I'm doing quite well, actually," she said, nodding. "As you can tell quite well." She let her mind extend for a bit, giving Franck enough of a nudge to realize what he was doing. She paused, raising her brow. "So there's actually something you want to ask me, hmm?"

Well, this should be interesting, to say the least.

[François Laffont]

At first, Franck seriously wondered if, maybe, he got the wrong twin. It wasn’t just the makeup. Elsa was not the kind to appear disheveled either although this might be a little more Erika’s type. Last time Franck met with Elsa Bellefonte, the girl was pretty defeated and now... now, she was far from it. Not that she was full of energy or anything, but she was happy. Had Franck been able to see the emotions as well as feeling them, he’d probably say she was glowing or something. It wasn’t like he’d expect flowers to grow at her approach and see her suddenly break into song for everyone to follow along, probably with some choreography and a few birds chirping. Elsa always appeared to him as one who kept her emotions under control and if he was taking this in account, it meant she was in a good mood. In a very good mood.

Even her smile made him doubt but it wasn’t like there weren’t other details that could tell the sisters apart. She didn't even have a ring. “We’re friends, aren’t we? If I want to know how you’re doing, I don’t need anyone to tell me to ask you,” he pointed out. With a movement of his hand, he pointed at the ground next to her, the question he was asking her written all over his face, if he could sit down with her for a moment.

He smiled to her as she pointed out he should know how well she was. “I don’t think I need to be an empath to tell. It’s good to see you like that,” he replied. He meant it and no doubt she believed him. Franck had been ready to carry her around, had she let him, when she didn’t know if she could go on. If he had been ready to do that at her worst, he was ready to rejoice at her best.

Then came the question. Well, of course she would know about this. She probably even read it in his head, if she had not guessed it already. “You know he’s back, right?” Yes, he was playing the pronoun game but he really figured she knew who he was talking about.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

The mention of their "friendship" had Elsa smiling. She was tempted to make a snide comment about it, since it had often been said that neither really knew what they were to each other. however, she still felt like she owed Franck (and most of her social circle) some leeway and, well, this was something that she'd practically propositioned not hat long ago.

So she just nodded and gestured for Franck to take the spot next to her. No, no you most certainly did not have to be an empath to notice that there was a decided change from the moody, near-drunk that Elsa had been a few weeks ago and the normal girl she was now. If anything, Elsa looked almost too relaxed to be herself, as if someone had broken some sort of wall to let a piece of her roam around freely.

So much so that she actually laughed a little at his comment. "We'd better hope so. Otherwise I slept with his double," she gave him a sly smile at that, clearly expecting the comment to get some sort of reaction from him. After all, if he was acting coy about Felix being here, then he probably hadn't heard about what was going on between Felix and Elsa... or what wasn't going on...

[François Laffont]

Franck saw the smile, got what it implied. So she found it amusing that he considered them to be friends? Well, never mind, he still believed they were. If Elsa didn’t want to believe Franck was there for him no matter what, she really knew nothing of him. They were more than simple acquaintances or friend of a friend (though here it would more be sister of a friend). Therefore, Franck considered them to be friends. As simple as that.

He sat next to her as she allowed him to. Obviously, she was ready to offer him a few minutes of her time. Franck did seem to realise he didn't ask her if she had time for him before coming over. He was glad that she did. As he sat down, he studied her a bit more. He tried not to use his power but it was hard not to when he had no off switch. Still, she looked significantly better. Again, Franck did feel like she barely looked like herself. He didn’t think it was a wrong thing, since she was obviously happy, but it was a bit strange. If something could be pleasantly strange, this had to be it.

He startled at her comment. He didn't know what to expect but he sure didn’t expect that. There didn't even seem to be any sarcasm or some sort of ‘mind your own business’ message implied. Well, perhaps a little, but not as much as one would suspect Elsa could give you. “Oh, well, I...” Was it that strange to find Franck at a loss here? Not really. “I didn’t expect you to say that,” he admitted, laughing it off. He looked at Elsa. So it meant..? “Are you guys... seeing each other?”

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa quirked a brow. "Well, we've certainly seen each other, if that's what you're asking. The lights were on," she remained dry the whole time, her half-smile seeming to creep ever upward with each passing word. Yes, she did get some pleasure out of seeing the poor Frenchman squirm. Honestly, everyone always seemed so surprised. They seemed to forget that Elsa was remarkably cavalier about the whole actually having sex part. It just took her a good deal more to actually get to the point of attraction.

And around her friends? Or at least people who deserved to know?

"If you're wondering why I'm not coy about it: stop and think. If I wasn't upfront, you'd find out anyway. This way," Elsa gestured, "I get to see your initial reaction and know that I controlled the flow of information. Though," she tapped her fingers, looking away, "I probably should have checked with Felix first... though he did know what he was getting into..."

[François Laffont]

Franck was pretty sure he blushed a little at her teasing. It was sort of weird for him to hear her talk like that but then she had to go suggestive, even though he technically was the one who started it. “You know what I meant,” he said with a light chuckle in his voice. He didn’t care the tone she used because her emotions were nowhere near as dry as it. “Is it just something that happened once, or more than that?” Whatever it was, he thought it did good on her. Franck would never suggest that the solution to one’s problem is that they need to get laid but he was ready to admit that, in this case, it worked.

“I suppose so,” he admitted as she explained why she didn’t hide it from him. It was true that something like that was bound to come out at some point. People loved to gossip about the Bellefonte sisters and when you were so close to everyone involved here, you had even more chance to hear something about it. He didn’t think Felix was the kind to go into details but if he ever grew feelings for Elsa, he doubted it was something he would keep from him.

“You mean, that people would think he...” Franck stopped though, realising this might not be a clever thing to say, even if Elsa must have expected people to assume he was with her only because he couldn’t get her sister. It was silly to think that though. Not only Franck didn’t believe it was like Felix but Elsa would know, thanks to her power. “Not that I thought he didn’t want you. Something did seem to be starting before he left...”

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Oh, how Elsa was thoroughly enjoying stretching this out. "Three times, technically, though only on the one occasion for now." She couldn't help but continue to sound fairly businesslike and slightly amused, yet still wholly Elsa. She just had a bit more of that confidence in her now. Didn't stop her from being her, nor did it stop her from listening as Franck continued.

His comments had her humor diminishing slightly, and she knew he'd likely feel the emotional shift. "It's possible," she admitted. "Though he keeps insisting otherwise..." She let that trail off. Franck knew her well enough to know that she'd always doubt it, even with Felix, who was very hard to doubt. The whole thought of being his second choice... it still haunted her to some degree, made her wonder.

Elsa waved a hand. "It did. It was. It is now," she offered. "I'm more focused on what I have with him, not on what my sister does. She's married now, after all." Elsa couldn't help but say that with a bit more conviction than was strictly necessary, as if she weren't just saying it to convince Franck. She looked back at him.

"I've also reconnected with several of my friends and am working on getting an official meeting of the Student Council, in case you were wondering about details not related to my love life." Not quite a subject change, but she did want to give some more information in there.

[François Laffont]

Franck laughed again but the blush was even more apparent on his face. He did get it was not something she was ashamed of, Franck wouldn’t be ashamed of sleeping with someone he liked either, but he certainly wouldn’t say it so bluntly. Sometimes, he felt like he was the only one unable to talk of this without any discomfort. It seemed so easy that Franck thought she might even tell him where they did it, how they did it and how long it lasted. Details he certainly wouldn’t mind her to keep to herself.

As expected, her mood was not as merry after he blurted this out. He could just slap himself for it. Then again, it was not like she wouldn’t think about it. Surely it came to her mind at some point, what people might say. Their opinion mattered little and Franck didn’t want Elsa to start thinking they might be on to something. “You know Felix,” he argued. “I can’t see him showing any attraction to you just because of who you look like. It’s not like him to do that. He could have changed since he left but I can’t believe he changed that much.” Still, she could doubt and Franck didn’t think he could do anything about it. He had a rather romantic view about love, one that he knew not all shared. This could just be a sexual attraction thing and whatever else it could be was only in his head.

“I mean, I suppose that I could talk to him and pick up whatever emotion he has when I mention your name but I’d rather not. It’s better if it comes from you.” Not to add that, again, he thought he might be seeing romance where there was nothing really. Though, from the way she mentioned it, he doubted he was all that wrong when he imagined something was there. Not to add that he just sensed how Elsa felt about Felix. But, just like he didn’t want to tell how Felix might feel about her, he didn’t want to point out exactly how she felt about him, even if it might be confusing to her. He wanted to let it go the way it was meant to go. “Well, whatever it is you’re having, I think it’s doing a lot of good. I’m totally for it,” he replied, giving her an amused smile. He didn’t have the pretention to think his opinion mattered to Elsa when it came to this. Still, she was happy, even she must see how everyone who cared even just a little bit about her could only rejoice at this.

He nodded, trying to get a little more serious as she brought up the student council. He couldn’t help another smile though at her last words. “To be honest, it wasn’t really your love life I was interested about. I just wanted to make sure this was not too much to handle at once. I’m glad it isn’t.”

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, Elsa did know Felix. Though strangely enough, hearing this argument from Franck, hearing him reason it out, laying it so flatly... it mattered considerably more than what she'd convinced herself, or what she'd thought previously. As Franck said: he could delve into someone's emotions, figure out precisely what they were thinking. Elsa did selfishly think about taking him up on his slight offer, to have him read Felix at just the right time. Though she'd already seen bits of his mind: how would his emotions really be all that different?

"I imagine Dirty Laundry is going to run with it one way or the other," she said dryly, knowing that she was relying on old defense mechanisms, attempting to shift the conversation away. She smiled ruefully, nodding slightly. She was better now, better, but she was still herself. She liked that self, always had to some degree. No reason not to keep it going.

"I'm handling things," Elsa reiterated, smiling and looking to Franck, "and I don't intend to simply wallow in my own love life. Well," the smile turned slightly coy, "maybe during Spring Break, but other than that..." she looked away. "There's too many moving pieces out there, Franck. Too many loose ends. Something is going to come back to us, and I believe it's going to come sooner than later."

[François Laffont]

Franck didn’t think for one second that his opinion on who Elsa was seeing would matter. Even if he was someone more important to her, like her twin brother, she’d probably tell him to go to hell and let her do what she wanted. And she’d be right. Franck didn’t come to her to tell her what he thought of this. He only wanted to know how she was dealing with Felix being back and if she was getting over losing the job of co-headmistress. He could see she was fine with Felix being back which meant this might not cause any terrible drama. Even better, it changed her mind off the other matter. So everything was good. He could be a friend and reassure her that these feelings she felt had to be shared and that she shouldn’t fear them. It was the most he intended to do about her love life. Because more wouldn’t be right. Even if he considered it not to be a bad idea to give them just a gentle push in the right direction. But he shouldn’t think that.

“There’s no way this isn’t coming out. But you don’t have to care. You read what they wrote on your sister, did it change your opinion about her?” Erika had always been the blog’s favourite victim. She didn’t ask for all of this attention and Franck often believed it only threw fuel to the fire but there was little they could do about it. “I might just have to try being scandalous, get the spotlight off you,” he let out. He had a little smirk but it vanished pretty fast as he realised it was more something he said to Erika. He wasn’t sure how Elsa would take it.

He laughed a little as she talked. “Yes, enjoy Spring Break. You’ll go to the trip or you guys intend to stay here?” Franck too wanted to enjoy the break. “It’s good to see you back on tracks. But are you really fearing something would happen? After all that had happened...” Weren’t they allowed a break6 One that lasted more than a week?

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, no way indeed. Elsa had to nod at that. She was braced for it, and, well, she did agree with Franck's assessment. She could recall what her sister had said, had practically insisted, what everyone kept insisting. Other people's opinions didn't matter: it was those who you cared about. It sounded like such sound advice, and Elsa did struggle to take it. Though at the same time, she couldn't help but feel like that was such a naive way to look at the world, a way that would result in tragedy of some kind.

She laughed for now, nodding. "Yes, we're both going," Elsa said. "As is Erika and her husband, and most of the people I know," she had to half-smile at that. As if they both didn't already know that the vast majority of the school had been quite eager, particularly given that they were essentially offering a free cruise to a "party country."

Naturally a sobering thought had to follow the uplifting one, leaving Elsa sighing again. "I can't shake the feeling, no. Most of our enemies: SPECTRE, Kaur, whoever got SPECTRE's attention, even the hidden ones... they're all still out there," Elsa gestured, "and I'll not be happy until they're all dealt with." And who knew how long that would take...

[François Laffont]

Franck might be naive in his way of seeing the world but he refused to change his view of it. He wanted to believe the best out of people, that things could get better and everything. He worked really hard on making those around him feel the best they could. If he didn’t have that, if his beliefs were all shattered, he might just lose it. He didn’t think he was obliterating the darker aspects of life, he chose not to dwell on them and think that they could be overcome.

He was not surprised to hear that Erika was coming to the Spring Break. It was very much like her. It might be a little less like Elsa to come. Not that Franck didn’t think she had no idea how to have fun but it might be a little too wild for her. “I might have to be careful when the others will get too wild. I don’t want to lose it completely,” he replied with a light chuckle. He wasn’t too worried about it though. Even if it was to get too intense for him, he could still leave to a calmer area. Besides, he wanted to have some fun and that included going a little out of character and just enjoy the moment, no matter how crazy. He didn’t intend to drink however. That wouldn’t be wise.

She claimed she couldn’t shake the feeling something bad might turn up. And said feeling sure showed up, overpowering everything else before calming down slightly as she worded it out. It made him more serious, resisting to shiver from the chills it gave him. “Were the other schools warned for Kaur? She cannot seriously stay in place after what happened,” he let out. Yet, somehow, he wouldn’t be surprised if she managed to. “You know how much I hate violence, even when I understand it is justified. I only wish they could see we are no threat. There are people far more dangerous than us.” Okay, now he might be naive.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa laughed a little at the thought of their being too wild, shaking her head. Perhaps some of the people they knew, mutual friends and all that, but Franck and Elsa? Elsa's version of wild clearly involved morose self destruction, and she couldn't see Franck doing much besides standing to the side and smiling as Frank or Erika or someone went absolutely wild beside him.

Shame they couldn't just focus on that like they were normal students. Because like it or not: they weren't. They were mutants, and that meant that there were people out there who wanted to harm them in one way or the other. Elsa could see the shivering. She had to sigh at Franck's question. "I don't know," she admitted, raising a hand helplessly and dropping it just as limply. "I'm not the headmistress any more, remember? There was talk about making sure to do what we could but, well," she gave Franck a look that was half bemused, half-disgusted, "she is in a position of authority in another school. She has quite a few contacts. Plus," she flicked a finger, holding it up, "we only have circumstantial evidence that she did anything more than sleep with a few of us. Hardly enough."

Elsa lowered her hand, looking to it. "Wouldn't it be nice to just be normal for a while?" she mused aloud, smiling ruefully as she gave the long held thought air.

[François Laffont]

It was true that the idea of them being wild was hilarious. The wildest he did probably was to sleep with Jasper and Casper. In retrospect, it was very out of character of him but he had been in a phase where he just needed to break from his mold and they offered him that. Usually, Franck was amongst the least wild people around. He knew a couple of wild people, and would stick around while they went crazy, but he remained in control of himself for the most part. He doubted there would be anything he could do that people could hold against him. If there was, then he’d be so sorry about it that it would be impossible to hold a grudge.

She reminded him she was no longer running this place and he looked down. Suddenly, he missed having no one in a high position of authority. And then she talked of why Priya Kaur was untouchable. “I don’t get why she decided to do that. When I think about it now, I understand she tried to have me sleep with her and when she found out that I was gay, well, she made me ashamed of it so I wouldn’t talk. If this was just this need to sleep with people and young ones, I’d get. I’d be disgusted but I’d get it. This though...” But Elsa must be thinking the same, it was not worth going on about it. Not to add that he recalled in what state that put her.

He sighed, fully agreeing with her there. “I know. I’d love to be able not to feel anything for a day. But we can’t and the best we can do is to accept it and show we are not dangerous. Because if we fight, even to defend ourselves, they hold it against us.” Franck suddenly had a laughter that was not as joyful as what you’d normally hear from him. It was bitter. Something you might not expect from the boy. Still, he smiled. “At least you’re just a mutant. I am a mutant, French and gay. It’s a good thing I’m so friendly or else I’ll be dead by now.” Now, he was exaggerating with the dead thing but she’d get it.