Throw your mask away

[François Laffont]

Ellen could claim all around that Franck was nothing but a pain in her... to be polite here, let’s say side, the fact remained she still came to talk to him on occasions. Oh, those were rare, Franck often ended up being the one doing the talking first and there probably was a lot of complaints on how randomly confusing their mutual friend Frank could be, but they were spending some time together. On occasions. Franck had no idea how she portrayed him to the few acquaintances she might have who didn't know him. That basically meant her roommate, Ashley. Franck knew of her. Her name might have slipped in the conversation at some point, something Ellen surely regretted considering what emotions must have come through her when it happened and Franck’s faculty to pick it up. Franck had always been curious to see this girl but Ellen was so much in the closet that she probably even denied the closet’s existence. Forcing his way into her home to see her would not be the wisest thing to do.

So you could wonder what he was doing here then, actually making his way to her residence. Maybe he should have called her, asked her if she wanted to pick it up at his place or where he worked or at school... anywhere she might not feel like he was intruding on her private life. But he didn't. It was so small, a trinket. She took off her bracelet at one point, he could not even remember why, and forgot it. He found it back in his things and wanted to return it to its rightful owner. He didn’t even need to enter the house. In fact, she didn’t even have to open to him, he could just place it in a mailbox or something, if there was anything like that next to her door. He still thought it was worth coming here. Perhaps he could also try and reason with her about the things she held against him. Seriously, it was not like he wanted her to flirt with the ladies, just talk, be social and, more importantly, be pleasant. It was not like he could walk around a club and try and pick the ‘uglier’ ones. That would be just so rude. Besides, it might not be the uglier ones that talked to him while he picked up their drinks. If she didn’t want him to find people to join them at their table, maybe she should stop forcing him to get things for her.

He parked near her place. Too late to back down now. But why would he? He was doing nothing wrong. In fact, he was doing something nice. He was bringing something back to her. He walked up to the door and rang the bell. In case the bell was not working, he also knocked. And waited.

[Ashley Benson]

In many ways Ashley had grown blissfully unaware of the world around her. She was incapable of fully understanding where she fit into the big picture in spite of having a few years to figure it out. Instead, she greatly preferred to focus on the here and now. She was no longer the scared, timid girl who was brought to Bellefonte and hidden away for fear of what she might do. She refused to remain that tortured soul burdened by a life stripped away in the most bloody, horrifying way possible. She was now a young woman well into college. She lived off campus with another woman who made her feel as though she could take on the world. Her life was modest and she would forever dance along a tightrope but for the first time in years Ashley could say she was truly happy.

The knock at the door was met with silent curiosity. The relatively modest apartment rarely received visitors and the few that did come by were always there with Ellen. It almost seemed as though Ellen feared Ashley speaking with anyone else when she wasn't around. Of course that couldn't be the case, though Ashley still had her suspicions.

"Who is it?" Ashley called through the door as she peeres through the peephole

[François Laffont]

Franck didn’t know Ashley much, other than her name and how she made Ellen feel. She was almost a ghost. Not a lot of people knew of her and Franck didn’t want to poke around and have people wonder why he suddenly took an interest in her. Ellen would never forgive him if he shared her private life with the rest of the world. And he didn’t think like this was something to do. So he ended up knowing very little about this girl, other than her name and the fact Ellen liked her a lot. He knew why Ellen didn’t want him around her. It was not that he would spoil her in any way or upset her. Only Franck was able to sense exactly how Ellen felt about her and that she would never allow anyone to know. She was a very guarded person, even more with her emotions.

He knew she might not be pleased to see him around. She might even suspect he came only to have a look at the place and Ashley. She was not entirely wrong. Still, he had an excuse to be here so he didn’t feel too bad about it. If she didn’t want to open the door, he could still leave the bracelet in her mailbox or even on the floor before going away. Would be a shame but he could do that.

He heard a voice asking who it was. With a door in between, it was hard to tell who said it exactly but he could swear this was not Ellen’s voice. It could also just be his imagination since he wanted to see Ashley so badly. Curiosity and all. “Hi, it’s Franck. Hmm... Ellen left something and I wanted to bring it back,” he explained digging in his pocket to get the bracelet out. He didn’t know if she could see it well enough through the small hole in the door but it was there. He just hoped he didn’t look too much like some sort of predator waiting for her to open the door to attack her. He didn’t think he’d ever look the type for that but you just never know.

[Ashley Benson]

Franck

The name resonated with Ashley and she nodded even though he couldn't see. Ellen was a private person, to say the least, but Ashley remained the one person (as far as she knew) Ellen had no problems speaking with. Ashley knew Franck and had even gotten a bit of why Ellen had been upset with him in recent days. Thankfully, Ashley was also smart enough to see what Franck had been trying to do, even if it did involve sending girls at Ashley's girlfriend (or roommate, whatever). Ashley smiled, again a useless gesture from the other side of the door. Rare was the opportunity to meet someone who'd known Ellen longer than her.

After a long pause that saw Ashley mulling over all this in her mind, she realized she'd been standing in silence while Franck waited expectantly on the other side of the door. She started, letting out a short, "Oh!" in response and unlocked and opened the door, slowly, at first, and peeked out from behind it. "Sorry." She said sheepishly before stepping backward and opening the door fully so Franck could enter. "You're Franck." She said abruptly before offering an awkward smile. "I've heard a lot about you." She admitted. "Please. Come in."

[François Laffont]

Normally, in presence of someone, Franck could sense their emotion, making, in a way, their thoughts known to him. He could have known what Ashley felt from hearing his name. Except there was a door blocking the way, making it impossible for him to sense anything. He couldn’t even tell if she was still behind said door now that he gave his name to her. He waited patiently for a moment but more than enough time had passed for the girl to open him up yet she had not done so. Or told him to leave. “Excuse me, still here?” he asked, giving a gentle knock on the door again as he still waited for her to open up.

That must have brought her back from whatever place the train of her thoughts took her. He answered to her apology with a smile and a brief nod. So, this was Ashley. Well, Franck could see the appeal. Sure, he did not feel any physical attraction for the girl but that did not stop him from seeing she was beautiful. Her eyes, particularly.

“O-Yes,” he answered as she repeated his name, about to say it in French. But that wouldn’t be too hard to understand for her, surely. And she was now inviting him. Unlike her girlfriend (or roommate, he was not sure what they were exactly), she was hospitable. And she heard about him. “Good stuff I hope?” he said, trying to make it sound pleasant. He was not expecting an answer though. If Ellen spoke of him to her, she probably complained. Yet she spent time with him of her own free will so she could hate him as much as she liked to say. “I’ve heard a little about you. You’re Ashley, right? It’s nice to meet you.” And he smiled again to her with another brief nod.

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley did look, at first, as though she'd zoned out a bit while Franck had been waiting for her to open the door. It remained all too easy for her to lose herself in her own mind at times and the unexpected visit from the young man whose name she'd heard so many times but whose face had never been revealed had succeeded in sending her off into her own plane. She was back now, though, and smiling to the handsome man who was stepping into the apartment she shared with Ellen.

"Well..." Ashley frowned then, her brows furrowing in thought. "It's all from Ellen so..." She trailed off before offering a soft chuckle and a resigned shrug of her shoulders. She suspected Franck knew Ellen possibly better than the blonde girl knew herself and certainly more than Ashley. Whatever she had with Ellen was a fairly new development. So much of Ellen's life remained locked away inside the young woman's mind. "But I don't pay attention to much of what she says." Ashley laughed at that, a soft, almost gentle sound emanating from her. "Yes. That's me." She said, almost surprised someone else knew her name. "Hopefully what little you know has been good, too." The reply came almost awkwardly as Ashley struggled at times with talking to people. "Or-" Her brow furrowed. "What do you know?"

[François Laffont]

Franck had grown used to what meeting up with someone could do on him. It had been hard when he first got his power, being such a people person and not being able to deal with their presence. Now, he was used to it. It could be hard at times and there always came a moment when he felt like prying on something he really, really shouldn’t have picked up but he also learned to accept it was something he could not help. If there were still times when he felt guilty of this, he could deal with his power a lot more.

Besides, there was nothing in this girl right now that should make him ashamed he picked up. She was a bit curious about him. Alright, maybe a little more than curious but Franck knew the curiosity he would show had nothing to do with hers. He was just as curious if not more to meet her than she was to meet him.

He laughed as she pointed out it was Ellen who talked of him to her. “Then I hope you know how to read between the lines,” he replied. Ellen could complain a lot but Franck was also able to tell that her judgement was not always as cruel as it sounded. He chuckled, actually liking the humour this girl had. “Good thing she’s not hearing us,” he added, able to imagine very well the things she’d think of them for saying such things about her.

Franck intended to nod as she wished he heard only good stuff but something about her shifted a bit. It was small but he perceived the change within her and it prevented him from nodding. What did he know? “That you’re name is Ashley and you live here with Ellen. Isn’t it right?” Oh, he picked up a bit more but he was not sure if it was his place to say it.

[Ashley Benson]

A sheepish smile touched Ashley's lips as Franck spoke. She offered an almost apologetic shrug of her shoulders. There was no hiding the fact that her relationship with Ellen was kept largely a secret. Ellen didn't often (or ever) speak of the finer details of it and Ashley lacked much of a social life outside of the blonde woman. Regardless, Ashley was by her nature a private person. She preferred being alone or spending quiet moments with Ellen. Given the chaos she'd emerged from in recent years it was a remarkably normal and boring life Ashley chose to lead. "I guess Ellen doesn't talk much, does she?" That was simply who Ellen was and Ashley loved her anyway. "But that's about all there is to it." She confirmed with a perhaps too hasty nod. "Ellen asked be to be her roommate a few years ago." Had it really been that long? "Wish there was a more exciting story to tell."

Ashley shut the door behind Franck and turned to face him. She stood silently for a moment, just awkwardly watching him before something seemed to flash in her mind and she started. "Oh!" She let out a soft exclamation and moved forward, her eyes focusing on the young man as she gestured toward the kitchen table. "Please, have a seat." Her brow furrowed, though, as she went through a list of polite things to do with company. She still wasn't wholly comfortable around people as a whole, let alone playing the role of a gracious hostess. "Can I get you something to drink?" She asked as her hands fidgeted nervously.

[François Laffont]

Ellen being Ellen, these two could be married that Franck was certain she’d keep it to herself. She wanted to keep her private life private. Franck understood that but she was sometimes going a little far with that. Sadly for her, it was very hard to hide what tender feelings she may have for the girl around him and Franck picked up what she’d like to keep hidden. He had no idea how much she said to Ashley though, regarding his power or what he knew so he preferred to say they were close without explaining just how close he figured these two to be.

“Not really,” he admitted. Anyone who had seen and talked to Ellen could tell as much. “But I could still pick up a few things here and there,” he added. He was the last one who could judge someone on their preferences and seeing Ellen happy was just too rare and precious to care who put her in that mood. Ashley decided to go with the roommate story too. He didn’t know if Ellen ever told her what she said to people regarding their relationship. He supposed there weren’t that many people who cared anyway. “She likes you though,” he said. He then considered it might make her uncomfortable so he felt the need to add “She isn’t close to a lot of people but you’re definitely one of those to her.”

She could have kicked him out after he gave the bracelet. He wouldn’t have minded. Well, maybe a little, but he wouldn’t have made a fuss about it. Instead, she invited him in. He smiled, liking this girl more with each passing minute. Or second, since he was not sure how many minutes had yet passed here while they discussed their mutual friend. He sensed nerve taking over her. He was able not to let it affect him too much but he wanted her to relax. “Sure, if that’s not a bother. Don’t feel forced to make a coffee if that’s a bother, I can just take water. I’m... I’m not interrupting anything though, am I? f so, you can just kick me out, it’s alright.”

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley's brow furrowed a bit. She knew Ellen 'liked' her. Obviously she wouldn't have been living there if that hadn't been the case. But to have someone else see it was a little startling. She almost didn't know how to respond. Ellen kept her cards close to her chest while Ashley feared she had a habit of tipping her hand too easily. Rather than try and deny anything to dig herself deeper into a hole, Ashley merely shrugged and offered a sheepish smile. "I'm just lucky, I guess." She said with a faint laugh that felt just a little to nervous to be completely genuine.

"Um." Ashley paused and glanced to the kitchen counter. "The coffee pot is ready for the morning already anyway." She said, gesturing toward it while she turned her eyes back to Franck. "It's not a bother at all." She almost went to ask him one more time before she took it upon herself to step across the kitchen and press the button to start the coffee pot. "Ellen is... particular about her coffee." She admitted with a trace of amusement touching her features. Of course, Ellen was particular about just about everything, something Ashley never failed to tease Ellen about. "The coffee pot is probably the most extravagant thing in this apartment."

"I didn't have anything going on." Ashley said now moving to take a seat at the kitchen table while the coffee pot gurgled and sputtered behind her. "Ellen's not going to be home for a couple hours. I was just playing with the cat." Which she realized was a dreadfully childlike thing to say. It had sounded so bad she nearly winced upon getting the words out. "As long as I'm not keeping you from anything... it's nice to have company."

[François Laffont]

As expected, Franck’s words caused quite an effect on Ashley. If Ellen was with Ashley, he figured she was mutant. He also seemed to vaguely remember her from school, but it might as well be someone resembling her. No. Knowing Ellen, she must be with a mutant. Not that she really had something against non-powered people, he hoped so, but he thought it made more sense. “I’m an empath, you see. So I know you mean a lot to her,” he explained with a little nod to make this even more clear. “But don’t let this affect you in any way. Whatever your relationship is with her, I don’t want to push it in another direction.” After all, Ellen always denied they were together. Maybe she was telling the truth. Franck was certain of the contrary, or at least that Ellen wanted it. It was hard to know for Ashley, since this was the first time he met with her.

She claimed that coffee was ready anyway. “Oh, well, if that’s no burden, I’d like one, sure.” It was actually nice to have a cup of coffee that he did not pour himself. He never objected when friends suggested they had a coffee together but he was working at Cool Beans so it was not exactly his first choice when he planned something with friends.

He followed her to the kitchen. It would have been awkward for him to wait for an invitation when she had already let him in. He shared a smile with Ashley as she gently teased Ellen. “She knows just what she wants,” he agreed with her. “Or, to be exact, she knows what she doesn’t want.” That seemed to suit her better. Ashley mentioned the coffee pot but Franck paid little attention to it, focusing more on the general aspect of the place, trying to see if he could read Ellen in it. It was hard to tell as he was not even sure what could relate as an Ellen decoration.

He smiled again as she told him she did nothing but take care of their pet and appreciated the company. He sat in front of her to keep her company. “I’ve got nothing really. Some studying, of course. College always have more studying for you to do,” he said with a light chuckle. “I’m glad I could meet you. But I don’t know if I should still be here when Ellen comes back. It depends on her mood then, I suppose.” He didn’t want Ellen to think he came here precisely because he knew she would not be home. How was he supposed to know that anyway? Oh right, phone. But he didn’t think about that. And he did not just invite himself to see Ashley. Well, that was not the only reason. “You’ve known Ellen for long?”

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley's brow furrowed at the admission of Franck's powers. He didn't leave much open to interpretation. He knew how important Ellen was to her. Ashley suspected that was a tepid, respectful way of putting it. If Franck was able to read just a fraction of the surge of emotions that swelled her heart whenever she looked at Ellen then he most assuredly knew the true extent of her feelings. However there was something that tugged at the back of her mind. She studied Franck for a long moment before her lips parted and she spoke in a calm, even tone. "Does that mean you know... if I'm just as important to her?" She asked warily.

A thin smile then emerged at the mention of Ellen coming home. It wasn't so much simply because Franck had spoken the name as it was the strange and alien way so many people talked about her. Ashley wasn't blind or ignorant. She'd seen the way Ellen treated others at times and had voiced concerns on numerous occasions to her. Ashley had also been privy to more than a few choice words thrown Ellen's way from former classmates. She's long accepted that the young woman who had welcomed into her life and shared a home with had a 'reputation', to put it lightly. It still brought out more than a faint hint of amusement to think of people fearing the reaction of the girl who Ashley could placate with little more than a smile and fingers running through blonde hair. "It'll be fine, Franck." Ashley reassured. "Ellen won't mind. I promise."

[François Laffont]

Considering that Ellen knew what he could do, Franck figured it was best to come clean with Ashley. Ellen couldn’t claim he tricked the girl there if she knew what was going on. Ashley was perhaps a little more confused in her emotions than some but it was not the first time Franck dealt with that. Normally, he associated it with nerves. And if Ashley was not used to receive visitors at home, he could understand how his presence could bring that out of her even if she was happy to see him. It was not hard for him to know her feelings for Ellen too. He only had to bring her out in the conversation and no matter what they were talking about, there was still a little something going on. And, of course, Ashley had to ask if the same could be said on Ellen’s side. He smiled at her and maybe that was enough to comfort her. This was a tricky question he wouldn’t answer though. “I think I’ll let her tell you about it.” It was safer. Saying that Ashley was her whole world might be close to the truth but that would still result in quite the punishment on his person. Even if the consequences would be good for her. It was how Ellen operated.

He returned the smile Ashley so nicely gave him as she assured Ellen wouldn’t mind. “I’m sure she wouldn’t. Tomorrow, she’ll act like it was nothing. But I’m not so sure she’ll forgive me right on the spot,” he said. He laughed after that though, showing how worried he was about all of this. Ellen could be cold, true. She also knew how to manipulate and hurt others. And, let’s face it, it was not really hard to hurt Franck and she knew all of his weak spots or at least enough to cause a lot of damage if she wanted to. But Franck didn’t think she was a bad person at heart. He wanted to believe people could change for the better. It was a hard and slow process and he doubted Ellen would ever become a female version of himself but she was discovering a new way of living that did not involve destroying others.

“I hope you don’t mind that I take her out sometimes? I told her she could invite you but she told me you don’t like crowds?” Although this definitely was a statement, it sounded more like a question coming from him. Still, he tried to say it with as much tact and kindness possible. He didn’t mean to pry into their lives. Okay, a little. But he didn’t want her to consider him nosy.

[Ashley Benson]

Ashley's brow furrowed and she frowned as Franck gave a vague, unsatisfying answer. She hadn't really expected him to divulge such personal information, regardless of what he may have already known about the nebulous and mysterious relationship she and Ellen shared but the denial was met with a certain sense of resignation. She offered a shrug and nodded, understanding Franck's reluctance even if it didn't help her any. She issued a low sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure I know the answer." She admitted, her eyes lifting to focus on Franck for a moment. "But sometimes I don't know. She's so... guarded. Even with me."

"If she comes home unexpectedly just let me handle her." Ashley replied, a thin smile touching her lips. She'd never wish Ellen to change, though she did know how aggressive she could be, especially when it came to her personal life. Still, there was little worry in Ashley's gaze. She didn't fear Ellen in the slightest, had no reason to. "Trust me."

A single brow quirked at Franck's question. Ashley's lips parted to respond, though no words came out at first. She closed her mouth then glanced down to the table in front of her as she pondered this. Ellen hadn't mentioned anything about going out, though in all fairness Ashley rarely asked or had reason to worry. "I... don't mind." Ashley said finally, a shy smile touching her features. "As long as you're not trying to hook her up with anyone it'll do her good to get out." The second part of the question was a little more difficult to answer. Ashley shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "She's right." Ashley admitted, though it was obvious that wasn't the entire story. "I wouldn't say no if asked." She gave a sheepish smile. "We've never gone out before."

[François Laffont]

Franck was a tad surprised to see how Ashley really wished to know. Didn’t she already? It seemed so obvious to Franck... but Franck always knew those things. And even when he did, it was sometimes confusing. He gave her a soft smile as she admitted that she should know the answer. He nodded at her words. Ellen was very guarded. Too guarded. “She’s with everyone. But you matter for her. She hasn’t invited a lot of people to her place, let alone to live with her,” he reminded her, mainly to cheer Ashley up and help her know just what she meant to Ellen. “If you want to know exactly though, I really think it would be best she answers that.” Ellen would no doubt be very angry to find out Franck told Ashley, although he figured she might be also a little grateful because he knew how to say it better than she did.

He nodded again as Ashley took charge of Ellen should she come home early. It would be easier. And Ashley could definitely win her over the fact than him. He couldn’t see Ellen being mad at Ashley, at least not for long and certainly not over something like that. “You know, I’ve never heard how you two met,” he let out. He was quite curious to know how this reserved girl ended up being the person who mattered the most for the ice queen.

When Ashley mentioned hooking Ellen up with someone else, he eyes widened. “That’s not really what I’m doing,” he defended but clearly felt a little uncomfortable about this. “It’s just... crowds can be rough on me too so I like having people near me that I can focus on, to quiet the crowd. And Ellen isn’t very comfortable with guys around. So I bring ladies. But I can’t say she’s exactly much more comfortable around them...” He believed that summed it up. He just wanted her to be social. He was very social and didn’t go to clubs in order to hook up with someone for the night, or to drink, so finding people to dance with and talk to was really all he had left. And, let’s face it, Ellen might not be anyone’s first choice when it came to that.

He could tell there was more to it than just not being good with crowds but he left it at that. He smiled though as she gave him an opportunity to invite her someday. “We should do that eventually then. Maybe not clubs, but something. If you’d like it of course.”