B is for BRILLIANT PLAN (also Boyfriend)

[François Laffont]

Well, at least Frank seemed to get what he tried to say about the stereotype. He almost feared her to think he was into jukeboxes or something. Thinking of things that way, Franck didn’t mind she kept going over about Pokemon type. Except that he didn't know nearly as much as she did. Then again, this fact was not really surprising to him. And as long as she toned down her rant, he could contain it. It was when she was getting too over the top that he had a hard time dealing with her. Her exuberance tended to rub off on him and he wanted to limit just how crazy he could go, even when anyone knowing Frank would excuse him. Because anyone knowing Frank would know better than to blame the French boy for whatever happened.

Franck accepted to put up with her because he knew she was a kind soul and her weird and crazy way of seeing the world was actually refreshing. It made her unpredictable but at least he knew she always did things with good intentions and it mattered more than anything else. Even when she was dressed as a boy to act as his boyfriend. Oh, if she knew all that happened in his life lately. He loved her and never meant to hide anything from her. But he didn’t trust her to keep it a secret. She was able to throw a party, inviting the whole school, to celebrate the fact he lost his virginity. He preferred not to have the whole school knowing about this. They didn’t need to.

He preferred to laugh when she said he wanted to date himself. As long as she didn’t scream it all around. Because that would be weird. “Not myself. You imagine what it would be like, we’d spend an hour asking the other what he wants to do, claiming they don’t mind whatever the other chooses and in the end we wouldn’t do anything,” he said. Yes, she really started to rub off on him. He started to laugh also as she mentioned she could try to imitate him. “Let’s say a guy shaped a bit like me but with a personality a bit more like yours, is that better? What about you? What type is your dream guy?”

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank giggled a bit and rolled her eyes. "You aren't always like that, jeez," she threw an arm around Franck and gave him a hug, leaning over to press her head against him. "Totally being too hard on yourself. but lemme think... dream guy..." Frank tilted her head for a second, "totally awesome fun, likes to hang out and do cool stuff, has a nice tight butt," she leaned over and looked at Franck's before nodding a few times and coming back around, "and probably pretty handsome too. Wouldn't hurt if they were good at the whole sex thing either but y'know, can always teach them."

Frank gave Franck a wink at that, giggling like crazy for a few seconds. She finally sighed and leaned a little more against her friend, looking out at the world as they walked along. "Where are we going again? I totally forgot. Was it to get food? 'cuz I'm kinda hungry and stuff and y'know I could eat anything. 'course, I'm like, always hungry. I think it's 'cuz my power like, makes my stomach digest stuff super fast or something. I dunno."

Frank shrugged and began digging around in her pockets. Chances were pretty good that she'd come up with some sort of food. She always had some on hand... ah, a bag of gummy bears. She popped one into her mouth and began chewing happily.

[François Laffont]

He chuckled and even leaned his head to meet with Frank’s. It might actually help people believe they were a couple, despite the fact Franck could not believe anyone could think that. Of course, he was aware it was a disguise. Maybe someone who had no idea might be fooled at first. “Hey, I can’t say no, might as well get me someone who will ask me a question I can say yes to,” he replied. He was exaggerating of course, and hoped she would understand that. Then he realised he was talking of Frank Cox. You just never know what she might understand from your words. “I’ll bore myself with someone too nice like I am,” he added. Of course, he would need someone nice like himself who turned out to be gay or at least bisexual for him to know for sure. He didn't see that coming anytime soon.

He smirked as she tried to describe the dream guy. “A nice tight butt is always a given,” he let out. What? He had the right to say that. And he clearly would consider it a nice plus to have. He laughed a bit at the mention of sex. She seemed to think he was an expert which he found funny. He preferred not talk about sex, or, to be precise, of his sex life. He didn't feel like telling her about it. One, because it obviously happened a lot alter than she seemed to imagine and second because he was pretty sure the whole school would know about it the next day.

“Yes, Frank, food. You got me out of the house before we could make something to take with us so we’ll have to buy it,” he pointed out at her. He noticed she was digging through her pockets and watched as she pulled out a bag of gummy bears. He stole one from her bag. People could really think they were some sort of couple right now, just what she wanted. “There’s a coffee shop nearby that sells all sorts of sandwiches too. We’ll pick something and head for the park, alright with you?”

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Yeah, you don't want someone just like you," agreed Frank. "Just similar enough that, like, you can hang out and be cool and junk," though Frank had had fun time happy sex with people just because they were cute or because they were friends or what have you. The only reason she hadn't suggested it with Franck was because of the whole gay thing, which she actually did respect. Surprisingly, Frank Cox had boundaries.

They just happened to include dressing up like a dude and pretending to be a boyfriend.

"Awesome!" said Frank, raising her hands into the air. A few gummy bears made an escape while the going was good, but Frank didn't seem to mind. 'Oh, I think we've been there before. It'll work if you want. I mean, you should be picking places where you can totally be seen with me," she nodded and pointed at herself, then moved to link (or relink) arms with Franck. "'cuz you wanna make sure that peeps around here scope you with a total hottie and be all like 'he is so desirable: I want to jump his bones.' I'd totally do you if I were a guy, by the way," said Frank, grinning over at her friend. "'cuz you're just awesome and stuff."

[François Laffont]

He nodded as Frank seemed to understand perfectly what he meant. That almost sounded cruel, but she was not dumb or anything. Franck even believed she was smarter than most people expected, as they judged her based of her exuberance. “I do need to start doing more things because I want to and not because it’s right or others ask me... That makes me sound so clingy,” he said. He didn't mind almost complaining over this with Frank. If she wanted to whine over something she knew she could also do it. He heard her cry over video games or lack of food enough to know he didn’t need to remind her that.

Oddly enough, Franck had started not to mind so much about her guy costume anymore. It was her latest crazy/brilliant idea. It was actually kind of fun, if you didn’t really take it seriously. He didn't even seem to mind as much anymore if people were to see each other together. As long as she didn't want them to make out in public. Even if she were an actual guy, Franck probably wouldn’t feel too comfortable doing that. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of it but he believed there was a certain level of decency you needed to show when you were in public.

“Well, it’s not like there are hundreds of restaurants and this one isn’t too far,” he pointed out when she mentioned they might have been there before. He laughed as she went back to her plan. He doubted someone there would suddenly notice him and want to jump him just because he arrived with someone else, but he liked her candor. He laughed again, kind of unsure how he should take the confession she just made. “Honestly, I’m not sure if I would have stopped you. If you were a guy, of course,” he pointed out as they arrived near the small coffee shop he mentioned to her. He was not too hungry but he would still order something for himself, even if that meant Frank would finish it for him.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Well, if you ever, like, want to do something with me or something, you just have to ask, y'know," said Frank, nodding. "'cuz I know that, like, most of the stuff we do is 'cuz I'm all like 'LET'S DO THE THING!'" And she flailed for a moment there (and yes, she had more or less forgotten the whole "pretend to be a guy thing." Because Frank clearly had the memory of a goldfish, and not a very smart one at that). "so it's cool if you wanna be all like 'let's not do that thing' or 'lets do the other thing' or something sometimes. That's what friends are about, yo."

And there was more nodding. Then they were heading toward the shop, Frank practically bouncing. She let out a bit of a giggle at Franck's response, bumping her hip against his. "Thanks, that's cool. It's actually kinda bumming me out, how, like, none of the guys here are interested in me," Frank frowned, the happiness seeping out for a moment, avery noticeable moment for a particular empath. "I don't get it, like, at all, 'cuz I'm super hot and stuff but, like, I haven't manage to get a single guy here to be all that interested, and usually when they are, they, like, leave and stuff."

Frank sighed, giving Franck's arm a squeeze. She seemed to almost visibly deflate, her expression flat as the wave of depression seemed to hit her hard.

[François Laffont]

Franck didn’t quite like the way he said it. He sounded clingy and no one liked to be clingy. He didn’t think he was. If being around frank proved anything, it was that he was more the following type than the one that glued on someone, refusing the let go. Or maybe the fact he was always down for what others had in mind was being clingy. God, this was too complicated for something this trivial! He chose to ignore it.

“I never really thought about it that way. I mean, it’s not like I’m doing stuff I really don’t want to. But I’ll try to think about that next time,” he told Frank. And yes, he realised she was not being the most macho of guy around here. But since he decided to pretend she was not really dressed up in a guy to be his boyfriend, he didn’t mind. She was just... it was just her latest random decision, not the first and definitely not the last one she shall have in her life. No one really seemed to care anyway. Of course, they probably didn't think she was a guy for real either.

Franck perceived perfectly the sudden down on her normally happy personality. He knew frank enough to tell when her level of happiness was normal (which still meant very high for anyone else) or at an abnormal level. And right now, it dropped. It was only at the surface but he feared there might be more negativity deep down inside of her. He hugged her from behind, despite the fact it would allow him to read her emotions more and even be affected by them. “They probably think you’re too much woman for them to handle. They’re probably right, but they don’t know what they’re missing,” he said at her ear before kissing her cheek. He didn't like seeing her so down. He wasn’t even sure he saw her this down before. He couldn’t let that happen, even if it meant he would start feeling a bit depressed as well. He ordered two coffees in the biggest size they had, one with lots of sugar for Frank and picked a sandwich for himself, letting her choose one. He was ready to pay for one. But if she wanted one of each kind, she’ll have to pay.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Anytime," insisted Frank, meaning it. Sure, she knew that she often drew people nuts and insisted on dragging them around from one madcap adventure to another. Didn't mean she wouldn't pull back on the reins if need be.

Though right now, she was busy fighting off her own doubts for a few minutes. As Franck knew better than anyone: there really was more joy and happiness under the layer of joy and happiness that Frank had. You could drill all the way down to Frank's core and find nothing but positivity all over the place. Yes, there were hints that she really liked attention and all, but she really did believe that the world was a good place and you just had to keep your head up. So this doubt that bubbled up confused her as much as it upset her, the feeling strangely foreign to the bubbly girl.

"Aww, thanks," she said to Frank, turning to look over at him and grin. "But, like, I really am kinda getting a little bummed by it, you know? Like, I don't get it. I'm not like, a slut or anything, but I had a few guys back at St. Bethany and all," Frank sighed and looked toward the thing, watching as Franck ordered. It didn't occur to her that she should say or do something till Franck got ready to pay.

"Hey! I do the paying!" she said, waving her hand and pulling out a card. She would actively reach around Franck if need be. "'cuz one of us is stupid rich," she dipped her voice low for this, realizing that she was supposed to be super manly right now, like, for serious.

[François Laffont]

He was aware that his friend could be hard to follow and even harder to stop. Franck tried enough in the past to know this much. He still didn’t think she would force him to do something he really was not comfortable about. Alright, what she did for that date auction was over the top. But it was Frank, you couldn’t expect any less coming from her. He bet that, had her enthusiasm was not rubbing on him the way it did, maybe she’d get on his nerves more. But Frank was also too adorable for him to be mad at her more than a minute.

Franck knew about doubts and confusion. He lived with his own enough to recognize this. Besides, he was a high school students, almost all of his classmates were made of doubts and confusion. Frank, however, was generally not like that. She was the perfect person to hang around when you felt a bit down because it was impossible not to let her happiness rub off on you. It was contagious, really. She wasn’t as bubbly right now. Had it been someone else, he wouldn’t have minded much but this was Frank and anything less than joy was kind of odd and deserved to be taken care of.

“Believe me, I know how hard it is to get someone. I say we need some cheering up food so how about we add that pastry over there? Chocolate’s always good,” he said. He was mostly talking to the person on the other side of the counter to add this as well as the rest. He knew she wasn’t entirely over this. It took more than chocolate to forget how lonely you can be sometimes. He didn't want to be rude but he could understand why guys were not necessarily going after her. She was cute, no doubt, and had a great personality but perhaps it was a little too over the top. He knew she ought to be a lot to handle. He was still sorry for her though as he couldn’t see why no one could be attracted to her. There ought to be someone who would enjoy this rollercoaster ride.

He laughed as she objected that she should be paying. Her point was valid, she had the most money here, even though he had more than enough to be a sandwich and a coffee for a friend. He ignored the sudden deeper voice tone. He bet the employees must think she was crazy or that it was some inside joke between them. “Well, thanks dear. Let me hold that,” he said as he grabbed the coffees and the bag with their food while she was busy paying with her card.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Chocolate!" squeed Frank, hopping up and down a few times and obviously forgetting that she was supposed to be a totally hunky dude right then. "OH, AND PUMPKIN, 'CUZ IT'S TOTES PUMPKIN SEASON AND ALL!" Which led to Frank waving her hands and ordering a chocolate pumpkin pastry (like you didn't already expect them to have that), a regular chocolate danish thing, some pumpkin spice tarts, and a pumpkin pie cookie. Then she would turn to Franck and ask him if he wanted anything, while simultaneously handing the card over to the teller, who was still just sort of rolling with everything that came out of the oddly dressed... person.

"And you do all the holding," agreed Frank, patting her friend's hand and leaning over to give him another quick peck on the cheek. "You're my boo," she intoned with the utmost sincerity, nodding. It held for slightly longer then expected, before Frank got distracted by the fact that there was now a bag filled with pumpkin.

Which of course she had to grab and start nibbling at immediately, having been reminded of food and possibly that they really should've been eating up sandwichs or something but Frank was more or less beyond the point of caring about specifics because that was just how she rolled, yo.

[François Laffont]

At this point, Frank had forgotten so many times to act like a guy that it was obvious her plan would never work. Well, obvious to anyone but Frank of course, as he was certain she wouldn’t see her late attitude as anything meaningful. The order went from two coffee, a sandwich and a chocolate-flavoured dessert to a whole bunch of other sweets, basically everything that had pumpkin in it somewhere. It was almost a miracle she didn't ask to change their order for the drinks and pick something with pumpkin in it. And, of course, she asked after if he wanted anything, implying to anyone who might have followed this all the way through that she intended to eat all those pastries by herself. “I’m good with what I asked,” he replied. Plus he doubted frank was totally against giving him a small bite off of her pastries, provided there were still any left by the time he asked to sample them.

He laughed as they tried to follow with Frank behind the counter. Well, at least they should think of how good this day would be, financially speaking. They must be begging for this odd little creature to come more often. “Hey, leave some for when we’ll be in the park,” he teased her as he saw her already eating her pumpkin pastries.

He kept the door open for her to leave and he walked with her to the park. He stopped at some point. There weren’t too many people around but they were not completely remote. “You like that spot?” he asked, not really minding sitting on the grass and not on a bench or around a table. He sat down and tried to place their drinks and bags nicely around them while hoping for no ants to come and get a snack. He let out a soft sigh of contentment after he was done. “You can try and be manly all you want in here. There are a few people so you’ve got your audience. But don’t expect a public making out session, I don’t do that on the first date,” he told her. He was mostly teasing. He was in a good mood. The drop of happiness he felt before was gone, even if he expected it to come back at some point. He was ready to play along with Frank’s plan, at least in here.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Awesome!" came out of Frank as Franck agreed to what was asked. And she had totally forgotten about the whole going to the park thing, instead opting to consume the food here. though when Franck finally reminded her of it, Frank waved off his comment. "There's totes gonna be enough to eat later. I'm just nibbling on a bit now," a bit was apparently a pastry that probably would've filled the stomach of a normal girl around Frank's size.

The park looked pretty enough, though of course the moment they got there, Frank started skipping forward and probably would've started singing. Clearly all thoughts about trying to fool anyone into thinking she was a male had left Frank's mind about half a pastry ago.

She flopped onto the grass next to Franck, at least utterly lacking in ladylike dignity as she did (though Frank wasn't exactly overflowing with it to begin with). She readjusted and nodded before gesturing toward the sack, her hands making a "gimme" motion for the food. "Oh, right, manly," she pushed her shoulders up and tried to talk all tough, "and of course you don't put---wait a second, aren't you French? I thought all French people were, like, super easy," Frank paused for a moment, taking a bite of her pastry. "Though I guess my roommate wasn't, but was all shy and, like, from some little rural town in the middle of no where. Well, shy at first, but we became BFFs like super fast and stuff," Frank nodded and took another bite of pastry, another large bite, the kind of bite that would choke a person. "Hey, did you ever say where in France you were from? Have you been to Paris? I always thought it was kinda overrated compared to, like, the area around it," Frank shrugged, then started sipping her drink, again having obviously entirely forgotten the whole manly thing yet again.

[François Laffont]

François knew Frank enough to know that nibbling on a bit basically meant eating the whole thing. In a way, he couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t just the fact she had an enormous appetite, it was also her power, although one might argue she wouldn’t have that big of an appetite without her power. She just had to eat. He knew her now not to worry how she can still fit in her clothes despite the amount of calories she ingested. It was necessary for her to eat a lot more than normal people. He ceased to be amazed by this. He was amazed at how she could talk and eat at the same time still, and that feat sometimes caused him to no longer be hungry, but that was a whole other matter.

Considering that Franck never intended to pretend she was his boyfriend, he had no problem with her skipping around. He actually liked to see her mood getting better. You cannot have a rainbow in shades of black and white, he preferred to have his frank colourful, even if that could be overwhelming at times. He handed her the bag as she gestured for it, making sure their drinks would not fall over and spill on the grass.

He stared at her, not sure whether he should feel offended or start to laugh. “Honestly, Frank, I think you have to review your opinion on French people. I’m not nearly as sexual as you seem to believe,” he pointed out. Of course, having someone to be ‘super easy’ with could help with that statement. He had no problem imagining Frank and her roommate becoming friends. Or more like Frank assuming they were BFFs while the other girl wouldn’t mind tossing that little ball of energy at someone else. He shook his head at the mention of Paris. That was a lot of questions asked at once but he knew just how unstoppable Frank can be at times. “I’m from Tonnerre. I know, kind of ironic, right?” he let out. He wasn’t sure she’d get the irony of being from a town that basically meant thunder when you were actually afraid of thunder but he did and he still savoured it. “It’s kind of a small town like, smaller than here. I did go to Paris after we left but it was only to meet with a recruiter and come here so I didn’t exactly explore the city,” he explained. “You miss your hometown sometimes?”

((and I totally looked at French towns for you so be thankful ))

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Please, you don't have to be modest around me, I know aaaaaaalll about you," cooed Frank, pointing at Franck with a rolling finger and grinning. She probably would've moved to tickling him after that for no real reason (which wouldn't do a whole lot to really work for her plan, but as already stated: she'd pretty well forgotten all about the plan), but Franck had started sharing, which sent Frank into that almost disturbing version where she seemed almost too interested in another person.

"Super ironic," she agreed, nodding, seeing as she actually recognized the word and vaguely recalled something about Franck being skittish or something, though her brain was more thinking that it was kinda ironic that the guy came from a town with a name like that and then happened to be kinda laidback. Soon Frank had another question, and she tilted her head to the side, working her lips for a moment, looking more or less like a rabbit.

"not really? I kinda had less of a hometown and more of a mansion outside of town," she said, gesturing with a wide hand and sort of indicating a place away from where she was. Then she began chewing her food, not that this slowed the conversation or even made her more difficult to understand. "Plus, it was, like, Maine which is probably the most boring place to live in the planet, outside of, like, North Dakota, maybe. Or south. I always forget which is the more boring of the Dakotas. and no," she said, pointing and smiling, "I don't miss St. Bethany, like, at all. It is so much more awesome here. I do kinda wish I could go kidnap a few people, especially dudes, 'cuz, you know, oh! Right," she tossed her head, "I'm a badass hunky dude. Totally forgot." And then she leered, as all badass hunky dudes did, apparently.

[François Laffont]

Franck couldn’t help to show a little smirk as she claimed she knew him perfectly well. If only she knew! But there were things Franck preferred to keep to himself. It wasn’t like he didn’t consider Frank enough of a friend to tell her about these things. He wanted to spare him her reaction. He wasn’t certain what she would do if he were to admit that he lost his virginity only a short while ago, during the camping trip. She’d probably find it unbelievable that he never did anything before. And then she was able to throw a party to celebrate that, or find some crazy and somewhat embarrassing way for the whole school to find out. Probably even go to the twins to make sure they treat her François well, even if that was meant to happen only once. Or anything else, because the moment you thought you knew what Frank Cox would do, she surprised you again doing the opposite. That still didn’t mean he wanted to share with her details about his sex life.

He wasn’t sure she really got the irony but he didn’t really care. It was not even all that funny when you thought about it. Franck did find it amusing but he would have to explain to people and that just took all the fun in it away. He smiled as she gestured, talking about her home. “I wouldn’t really know, never went to any of these places. Isn’t Mount Rushmore in one of those Dakotas?” he asked. If he was right about this, Franck thought it would be amazing. It wasn’t like he really bothered learning much about the history or touristic spots of America.

He frowned for a moment as she brought up St. Bethany. “But, if you’re from Maine, how come they sent you to St. Bethany? Is it supposed to have higher standards or anything?” he asked. If her parents were anywhere like her, he bet they didn’t need a good reason. They could have sent her anywhere because of reasons. He laughed at her attitude and the look she gave him. “If you ever go back there to kidnap dudes, think about your good friend here and bring some gay ones,” he joked.