Wake Up The Brother In Me

[François Laffont]

"I'm telling you, it's a good movie. But that best friend's character... I found him too gay, that's saying something." The audience, which meant the two acquaintances of Franck he was talking to, nodded. One claimed that they should know better by now. More was being said, perhaps about the movie or was it about gay stereotypes? Franck was not paying too much attention to it anymore. He saw someone, someone he knew he would end up seeing at the school but whose sight really caught his attention, to the point that no sound near him really seemed to reach him.

"Excuse me," he told his friends before leaving them. He wanted to see Felix Nicholas but he also didn't want to be rude to others. He walked towards the young man that had always been his friends throughout the years, despite the distance that sometimes got between them. He never expected to see him back here. In fact, he couldn't believe it at first no matter how reliable his sources happened to be and that until he saw him walking the hallways of Bellefonte Academy. Only, it no longer was as a student.

He was not sure Felix had seen him approach. "Hello teacher," he said, with teasing in his voice and a wide smile across his face. There was something just too amusing at the thought of his friend being a teacher.

[Felix Nicholas]

Mere months ago, Felix had been clad in a well fitted business suit, his tie being adjusted by his Father's PR manager moments before a conference on Nicholas hotels' stance as a pro mutant establishment... A world of board meetings, false smiles and sipping unnecessarily expensive alcohol... He hadn't expected, back then, that he'd eventually return to perhaps the one place he truly had felt at home. But no longer as a student...

Felix smiled softly, his attention preoccupied by the papers in his hands; Printouts of the day's work plan. He was more then used to planning out schedules, since it was a task he often had to do in order to keep the Academy's station running at optimum efficiency; Although granted, planning out lesson plans was decidedly more difficult. The teacher skimmed through the words, nodding to himself slightly, before he lifted his head sharply at the voice of someone he was all too familiar with. His smile had already widened before Franck came into his view, raising an eyebrow at the Frenchman with a pout, mocking annoyance. "Now, no shouting out in the halls Mr.Laffont or I shall have to give you detention," He spoke in a jokingly authoritative voice, pointing a finger accusingly at Franck.
He however quickly broke character, chuckling a little, before he paused; Francois Laffont... Someone Felix was beyond honoured to call his friend. Felix had missed his smile, his positive attitude... The way he treated all he met with a kind heart. Before he could stop himself, despite knowing how much Franck was weary over physical contact, Felix couldn't help himself giving his dear friend a warm embrace.
"I missed you, man..." He spoke, patting Franck's back affectionately, before pulling back. "... How are you? How's life been in Kalispell without ol' Felix?" He began to shuffle his papers into a tidier order. "You're looking good."

[François Laffont]

Franck went after his friend to tease him a little and greet him back here. He didn’t really check whether he had the time to chitchat or not. That could still be scheduled for another time if necessary. He just wanted to say a quick hello and possibly tease him on how much he changed or not. Because he didn’t seem to have changed all that much. He looked very much like the Felix he remembered. There might be something a tad more mature but he was certain it was only out of his imagination because the guy was now a teacher.

He couldn’t help but to laugh at Felix’s warning. The guy didn't look upset at all about the way he addressed to him. On the contrary, Franck felt nothing but pleasure to see a familiar face. “Wow, I think it would be the first time I’ll get detention for something I actually did,” he joked. He knew his friend was kidding when bringing that up. Oh, Franck knew he’d have to bow to the guy’s new authority under certain circumstances but those did not apply here. And Franck was unable to view him as the teacher he was right now. He was just his friend. Who happened to also be a teacher now. The fact it might be difficult to deal with the two aspects had not reached Franck yet. It was not like he was that much older, or in his class. He didn’t think it would matter that they were friends.

Franck was a tad surprised because he knew Felix had always been paying attention to physical contact but he was pleased by it and embraced the man also. If the feelings were more powerful that way, Franck had grown enough self control not to let it out too much. And even if he did, could he really be happier than he was now? He chuckled softly. “You too. Look at you, all professional now,” he said as he took a good look at his friend. He was smiling brightly. “I’m doing good. Still studying, might have a few more years of that still but I won’t complain about that.” Franck chuckled again and noticed the papers Felix had in his hands. Anything important? “We have to find some time to catch up. I’m curious to know what got you back here. Not that I don’t like it, it’s a lot better than emails but I was not expecting that. Weren’t you working for you father?”

[Felix Nicholas]

The one thing Felix was hoping to avoid when it came to his new title as an educator, was for his younger friends still in the grip of collegehood to treat him any differently. Of course when the need was there he needed them to respect his authority, but he supposed those instances would be few and far between. Thankfully, the Frenchman had already made it clear that he had no intention of alienating Felix due to his new profession. He hoped that would continue... And that Franck could keep the two aspects, friend and teacher, separate. He had every faith his friend would.

Felix gave a small laugh, folding his arms across his chest lowering his head into one hand. "Looking all professional? Now I really do feel old..." He spoke with a mockingly pained expression, before raising his head with a bright smile, nodding as the Frenchman went on to mention his studies, and that he had a good few years of education ahead of him; Franck was going to be great councilor... Or psychologist, or whatever else he turned his warm heart to... And while Franck wasn't in any of Felix's classes, the teacher had every intent on aiding him with his studies as much as he could. Franck deserved to succeed, deserved to have a career he adored. "You'll be as old as me before you know it," Felix joked, before giving a wide grin and a resolute nod. "We really have to! I've not ventured too much into town so far, andI could do with a guide to the newer hip and happening places..." He then trailed off, his smile wavering a touch as Franck brought up the teacher's previous career aspects. He gave a soft hum, tilting his head to one side as he lowered his gaze. "I was," He replied, his tone remaining upbeat, although it was clear that time of his life wasn't favoured. "Although it was more he wanted me to help him do some PR for the company, and next minute he's got me in business suits and attending board meetings. Got myself a little swept up in it."
His Father's reasons for pulling him from Kalispell in the first place Felix felt were well meant, but after a few months he'd begun his old game of trying to mould the young man into his replacement... A role Felix had never wanted.
If he hadn't left the town, if he had defied his Father's pleas for his son to come home... Would things have been different? Would...
Would he have been able to steady Elsa's fears over his feelings for her?
Maybe. Maybe not... It was in the past now, and musing on past mistakes helped no one... Felix simply had to learn from it; Although he was beginning to worry a touch about his track record in romance of ruining everything.

"We really do need to catch up," The teacher continued, bringing a warm smile again to his lips. He paused a moment, pulling back his shirt sleeve to examine his watch, before glancing to his friend. "Have you got an hour or so? I'm still on break."

[François Laffont]

If Felix were to ask that he kept some level of respect and detachment with him while at school, so that this student/teacher relationship could be maintained, Franck would have accepted. Provided he could still get the friend in him when there was no one to say anything against it. Even without such precautions though, Franck had such a nature that his friend wouldn’t even need to remind him to respect his authority, he’d do it naturally.

Felix felt old? Yeah right, he looked like he graduated a minute ago. “Must be the clothes. Start wearing that uniform long enough and you forget you can wear something else around here,” he joked, pointing out at the uniform that, unlike his friend, he was still wearing. At least it was neutral enough to look good. It didn’t have one of those weird colors some schools could make their own. There was some yellow, of course, but not enough to make them all look like canaries in a suit. He laughed at the age joke. “I’ll still be a few months younger than you are,” he replied. Again, the fact this teasing might not be appropriate did not even cross his mind. He was talking to his friend and his friend could take it.

“Yes, it did grew a lot, right? And in such a short time. I would have thought they’d try to keep us contained, not expand around us. It’s nice to see the worse is not always what people can do.” As for the ‘hip and happening places’, he didn’t know if he knew them well but he’d be more than happy to spend an evening at a bar or restaurant with him to catch up.

His feelings changed, finding it a lot harder to remain still like his smile was. He could tell this was not exactly an aspect he would like to bring out. But he did anyway. Because Franck was the one who asked. What he said was simple. He knew it was not all but it was enough for now. “Well, I’m glad you’re back.” He didn’t know what else to say. He’d rather not talk of this if Felix was not up for it.

He was, however, up for a chat, now. Franck’s eyebrows arched up for a second, surprised he’d get the chance to talk now but he still took it. “Sure, I can take the time. You want to head to the cafeteria or you want to show me your classroom? Oh, wait, do I get to see what the teacher’s lounge looks like?” Franck asked on a teasing tone, chuckling even at the end.

[Felix Nicholas]

Felix would have never have asked for his friend to treat him like a teacher... Well, at least not in the same vein as Franck behaved with other members of the Academy's authority. They were friends to Felix first and foremost... The last thing Felix wanted on his return to Kalispell was to feel alienated by Franck while working simply due to his new title. Thankfully, he was showing no signs of doing so, but Felix had enough faith that had he asked it of him Franck would have gladly respected him.
Franck gestured to his uniform, clothing Felix had worn himself not all that long ago... Although it strangely felt like an age. It did feel odd, to be walking the halls of Bellefonte without it, no longer a part of the mass student body. "Hey, at least that uniform looks pretty damn fine," He joked, the comment coming naturally with no thought towards what would be deemed "unprofessional" to say to a student. Felix then blinked, mocking offense at Franck's comment regarding his age, putting his free hand over his heart and giving the other man what could only be described as the look of a puppy dog. "You cut me real deep, Mr.Laffont..." He spoke lowly, before looking away a slightly over theatrical manner. "And here I thought we were friends."

How he'd missed this... With his Father pretty much dictating his life for a while, Felix hadn't had the time for socialising. He'd had his siblings, yes, but the twins were were in their early teens and so their interest didn't exactly match; So the teacher was eager to up his social life now that he found himself in a far more settled position. Franck then went on, commenting on the expansion of their once small town. A number of new establishments had sprung up since Felix had left, proving that despite the uneasy state of the world, the majority wanted to embrace the mutants, choosing to bring their businesses close to one of the schools. There was however a few unsettling changes as well... Felix knew a little of Helios, Drew's security business as it was officially known as... But it was striking Felix as far more like a private army. Something which didn't lay well with Felix.
"We should go out for a night on the town soon," He smiled. "With the drinks on me." His friend then tactfully brushed over Felix's comments regarding his time at home, something he was thankful for; He didn't mind talking about it exactly, but it was more discussing it brought up Elsa and even thought it had been some time, it still brought up uneasy emotions.

"Oh don't push it, Mr.Laffont!" Felix grinned, wagging a finger playfully at his friend. "The teacher's lounge is a great privilege granted to a few... And to be honest, the coffee machine in the cafeteria is far better." He looked over his shoulder in the general direction of the school's main eatery, before looking back to Franck. "Shall we?"

[François Laffont]

If things were to be different between Felix and Franck, it would only be within these walls, he was sure of that. And he didn’t think it would really change that much between them. Maybe it was not exactly how a teacher and student should behave together but they were more than that. They had been friends for too long just to shove that away because one of them was still studying. He knew he couldn’t do that. He could try but that would be weirder for him to treat Felix like a teacher, in the same way he could have treated those who taught him. He was still a teacher though and he was ready to give him the respect he deserved for that.

He looked again at his uniform after Felix’ comment. “True but let’s be honest, I can make anything look fine,” he joked back. He would dare say it was the truth. That is, if he ever dared say that thing while not jesting also. But it was a fact that Franck always made sure to look good. Jesting like they were was so easy for Franck for he could tell for sure that Felix was not taking any offense in this. After all, something would shift in his mood otherwise and since he got nothing of the like, Franck could just laugh at it. “Oh I hope our friendship can take more than different birthdays,” he replied, again with something in his tone that proved it was not too serious. He did not doubt their friendship to the point of fearing this would ever get between them. If the distance had not allowed them to talk with less camaraderie, he knew this would not.

“Definitely,” Franck agreed with him, saying nothing about the drinks. “But I better warn you, I’m still terrible at holding my drinks,” he added with a little laughter in his voice. It shouldn’t come as weird to Felix. Although Franck would rather not recall that one time when he yelled at Erika and kissed Felix. Luckily that too did not affect his friendships, with either of them. In reality, Franck didn’t really care not going to the teacher’s lounge. It was just something he felt like adding, for fun. He didn’t care where they’d sit to drink a coffee and catch, so long as they did it. He nodded to Felix’ question and followed his friend to the cafeteria since it turned out to be their chosen destination. “You've met with the others already?"