Bah, Humbug

[Darcy I. Pearce]

Bah, Humbug

TAG none
NOTES open!

Christmas. One of the most joyful events year round. Everybody was excited for the festive season--some even had their decorations up since Thanksgiving. So many things to do for Christmas... The decorations, the presents, the food, and of course, the tree.

Darcy felt like Scrooge as she looked up at the tree the town put up. Sixty feet of trinkets on leaves and branches.

She remembered a time she used to love Christmas. It meant her father would be visiting and even her mother seemed a little less bitter. Kendall was the one to take her on sleigh rides and bring her to Santa at the mall. He'd read her stories and they would sing carols together. This was before he married, of course. Ever since Maria stepped into the picture, everything changed. Her father would want to spend time with her during Christmas.

She sighed. The doctor didn't know why she came here. But the festive aura had rubbed off on her. Side effects sucked that way.

I am in control.

She clenched her fists. She didn't like Christmas and these hormonal people around her will not change that. "Bah, humbug," she muttered grumpily, glaring at the tree in front of her.

[François Laffont]

Franck had a love/hate relationship with Christmas. He remembered those of his youth, the pleasure he had at decorating the tree with his mother, at placing the figurines of the Nativity scene. There were gifts piling up under the tree, bright colored paper that just called for him to open them before time. But he never did. There were also the sugar cookies and the visit to the family for the holidays and the choosing of Christmas cards for those overseas. Now he was the one oversea. And he knew his father decorated more for his son’s sake than because they were in the rightful spirit for the occasion. It got a little better as he got friends to buy gifts too but that dinner was always only with his dad. Well, not this year. His father’s lover and her daughter would be present. It could be nice. It had been a long time since they had not been this many for Christmas. Franck both welcomed and feared it.

He went out today to buy some gifts. He didn't know if the ladies would think about him but he thought he should get them a little something. It was symbolic really, since he didn’t know them. And he needed to get something for his father too. His friends also and it was generally at this time of the year that he felt like he knew too many people. Chocolate for all seemed like a goof solution, a little something more for his closest friends. Otherwise, he might as well be working all year only to pay Christmas gifts.

He was not nearly done with his shopping but he considered he was close enough to deserve a break. He had not seen the decorations they put up yet and he thought it would be a good idea to look them up. He was pretty sure he’d invite someone to the ice rink at some point and he wouldn’t go there with bags in his hands anyway, but he could look at the tree and possibly get himself some hot chocolate. Plus there had to be someone around collecting money, clothes and/or food for the poor.

He got himself a chocolate and was walking towards the tree when he recognized someone there. Darcy Pearce was doing the job Franck hoped one day to do. And he found her sympathetic. He thought it would be nice to say hi so he walked in her direction. As he was about to open his mouth however, he sensed something about her that got him to pause and hesitate. “Is there something, Miss Pearce?” he asked. Yes, he finally learned to use the English form for Ms, Mr and Mrs. Only took nine years.

[Darcy I. Pearce]

Bah, Humbug

TAG franck
NOTES none

Darcy jumped slightly at the sound of the voice. She turned to see a male standing before her. Ah, François Guillaume Laffont. Even if he hadn't been interning at the school for the therapist, she still knew quite a bit about him from his files. Besides, a French boy studying psychology at Bellefonte's college can really stand out in her organized memory. Psychology was not very popular, as far as she knew, but she supposed that with his powers of empathy, it seemed a likely course to take on.

He did not seem to get into much trouble--thank goodness--so aside from seeing him around the school a number of times, interactions between them were uncommon. She did not know him very well personally. Still, it was nice of him to approach her. For all they knew, he could be taking her job one day.

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know.

The doctor smiled. Yes, the Christmas spirit was definitely rubbing off on her. She had come across a group of children associating an old Disney film to the season earlier and now she found herself relating her mottos to its songs Those kids sure can belt it out.

Rolling her eyes at herself, she waved a gloved hand casually. "Peachy, dear. And please, just call me Darcy. You make me feel old." She laughed lightheartedly. The two were only a few years apart, after all. Plus, she had always wanted to hear her name in a French accent.

She looked around but it seemed that the boy was here alone. Hm... She knew Franck to be a pretty social person and most people often spent time with their loved ones when nearing the holidays.

And apparently I have none.

So what was he doing here alone? The safest bet would be to say he was Christmas shopping. The thought of it made her think about how much she disliked the season again. Year by year, it became more materialistic. Children, greedy for gifts. Lovers wanted symbols of love. Everyone scrambling to get presents for everyone so nobody felt left out.

What about me?

She was just happy to see her father again. Now that had been taken from her too.

But she kept a pleasant front for Franck, hoping his powers weren't strong enough to detect her emotions. Now, surrounded by so many people, serotonin was raging in the air so that should be enough to mask her somewhat. "The tree's coming along pretty well, don't you think? How are your holidays so far?"

[François Laffont]

Franck knew he was easy to recognize. He had grown into a rather popular figure around the school. When you somehow managed to become friends with pretty much everyone with money or any form of influence within the students, and later the staff, it was easy for you to stand out. If that was not enough, he was French and despite being in America for almost ten years now, he still had not getting rid of his accent. It was not as bad as it used to be, but it was there. Franck also liked to think that his personality played a part in him being well known. But that might not be entirely the case. Still, it was better than to say he was known because he had the right connections.

Franck knew Ms. Pearce. Not very well, of course, but he knew enough. He knew she was doing the sort of job he wished to be doing someday. He could only think she did it well. And that meant he wished to learn from her eventually. That might take some time though. He still wanted to study some more. He never thought twice about the kind of job he wanted to do someday. He had always wanted to help others. He thought that his power just made it the best option possible. Although he sometimes realised it was playing against him. He took certain things too much at heart because he felt them.

Speaking of feeling, she was not entirely in a good mood. In fact, it was almost the opposite. She might not want him to feel it but it was impossible for the young man not to. He tried not to react to it though, but he could not help asking if there was something wrong. Maybe it was nothing major. Maybe she just heard that someone in her family could not be here for the holidays. He was pretty sure it was something like that. She didn’t appear upset enough for it to be major. Still, he felt something and he couldn’t quite shake it off.

She asked him to call her Darcy and shoved it all away. It was there but she had the same method as his, which meant putting on a smile and faking there was nothing. “Alright. Darcy,” he repeated only to chuckle softly as he looked down. It was a little weird to call someone who was in the staff by their first name when he had not known her before. More unpleasant thoughts must have gone through her mind and he couldn’t help the frown to appear on his features. Franck had never been really good at hiding his emotions. He couldn’t relate to those ‘poker face’ since he always knew better and therefore it was really hard for him to make one. The only thing that helped Darcy was how many people there was around them. But he was closer to her so it made sense he could feel her emotions better than that of other. She was still trying to be pleasant so he forced himself to think that maybe it came from someone else around. “It is,” he said, looking up at the hug tree they put up. “I’ve always liked it,” he admitted. She also asked about his holidays. “Good. I think it’s the first time my father is really in the spirit of Christmas in a while.” He smiled at that, pretty happy about it. He knew his dad only pretended for his sake in the past. Not that he didn’t have fun, but it was more for his boy. This year might be for him too. “How about you? Are you leaving for the holiday season?”