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I'm so done, turn me over...
Faolan does not have to hear it directly from Laurent or his older brother to understand that the younger man is not happy about this arrangement for him to become his bodyguard. He had made that quite clear from the expression on his face all the way to the fact that he stayed in his brother's office after Faolan had been dismissed. No doubt to make another attempt of an argument to talk his brother out of this decision.
For what it is worth, Faolan can't say that he's exactly happy with it himself. But Laurent's brother had been right. Laurent needs this protection, heading so far away from home as he is. And it isn't as though Faolan is the only man in charge of the brother's safety, and the other guards are perfectly capable of picking up whatever slack may be created by the hire of a new guard in his absence. It's only one year, anyway. Well, and the time that will be required to establish them in Recolle, plus the time to return. But it's not that long, in either his or Laurent's lives. It will surely not be that bad. Surely...
Of course, the only one thing he can be sure of is that Laurent does not want him. Not him, nor anyone. He cannot say that the younger man sulks about it exactly, but the time spent between that first meeting and when they are scheduled to make their departure is... Tense. Faolan tries to be understanding. Though Laurent is frequently away at school, he is generally home on weekends. Though Laurent is hardly a child, Faolan doesn't know whether Laurent has ever gone abroad without his brother, and certainly not for as long as he has planned. The pair of them are as close as siblings can be. He knows not being able to see each other for that year could be rough on the younger man.
After they find a new hire as Faolan's replacement, Laurent's older brother does his best to reassure Faolan that he will be fine. Faolan has been perhaps too severe in putting him through his paces to make certain he is the right man for the job. There is no doubt Laurent is receiving equal, if not further amounts of reassurance from his brother himself, though whether any of it sticks Faolan has no chance of knowing. He does his best to stay out of the younger man's way. He'll be seeing enough of him sooner rather than later as it is.
For before they know it the day is upon them. Faolan says his own goodbyes privately, to the other men in security, though their relationships are mostly professional and the most emotion out of them is a shake of his hand and a clasp of his shoulder. As well as the pronouncement that he is a lucky bastard and that he'd better enjoy the nice cushion in his salary accompanying his promotion. As well as the company, for that matter, if he catches their drift.
Faolan isn't certain that he does, though he thanks them for their congratulations anyway. Taking his bags -- he's packed everything he owns, yet they are still pathetically light -- he brings them out to the car before waiting for Laurent in the front of the house. It is not long before the younger man appears, accompanied by his older brother, the pair of them with Laurent's bags in hand. They probably could have had some of the other hired work in the house help to carry, but Faolan recognizes this is an important moment between the pair of them, and so he does not point this fact out to them and instead hangs back to give them their privacy. Hanging back as Laurent's older brother takes the younger man in his arms and holds him close against his chest for a long moment, murmuring words that are too quiet for him to pick up across the space, before he steps back and ruffles the younger man's hair. He pointedly does not look to see whether Laurent's eyes are red or not, nor whether there are the same dark circles underneath them he knows there were beneath his own when first he left home as this.
He simply waits until Laurent's brother has squeezed Laurent's shoulder and raised his head to smile and nod encouragingly across the way at Faolan. He waits until Laurent himself takes a step back and turns toward him as well before he speaks up, offering if there are any bags that he might carry out to the car for him.
Laurent gives him a long, steadily assessing gaze, before he picks up his laptop case, leaving the rest of the bags where they lie, and walks out to the car without another word. The answer to Faolan's question is fairly obvious, after all. It's sitting in the pile of bags at his feet.
Faolan sighs, and casts a glance back to the older brother, who smothers a laugh behind his hand at Faolan's expression.
"You'll be fine," he promises Faolan gently, as he steps forward to help him gather the remaining items together. Somehow, as they pack the car, as Faolan folds himself into the seat beside Laurent and the young man steadily ignores him in favor of reading from the book in his lap, Faolan himself remains less than certain of that.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The trip from France is largely uneventful, which works well in Faolan's favor. Laurent spends most of the time reading or looking out the window, and Faolan in the next row over (in first class of course) spends most of the time keeping an eye out for Laurent himself. It makes the trip go slower than if he were traveling alone and he could perhaps entertain himself with the in-flight movie or a book of his own, but he's been on duty since the minute they left the Duvere estate, and he takes his job seriously.
Much to Laurent's chagrin.
"You can stand down, you know. I don't think anyone's going to try and kidnap me off the plane mid-flight," Laurent says at last, not even bothering to pick his head up from the book in his lap. He knows that Faolan's attention will be on him anyway.
Faolan offers the younger man a shrug. "That's what they would want you to think," he replies. "Anything to let your guard down." There are in fact any number of ways that a person might come at Laurent or steal him away, despite being in flight. Faolan knows. He's been through the training, and he's looked over the plane once already.
Laurent raises his eyes to him at this, giving him another long gaze that Faolan is starting to think is the younger man's way of expressing he thinks this whole thing is rather farcical, without actually coming out and admitting as much. "Are you going to insist on escorting me to the restroom, then?" he asks. "It's just there, you know. Or will you have to come in with me as well. Perhaps someone will want to break in to the toilets while I'm in there just to catch me in the nude."
Faolan glances down the row at the indicated restroom. It really is quite close to where they are sitting. "I..." he starts to say, but Laurent cuts him off.
"We are to receive a meal on this flight. Perhaps you will you tackle it out of the poor stewardess's hands, test it for drugs, and demand her for her full job background before you are satisfied that it is safe enough for my consumption?" That cool, steady gaze remains fixed on Faolan.
"I--" Faolan tries again, finding himself almost flustered by the younger man's undressing of his duties. "I would not go so far as that. You are free to use the facilities on your own. I have a clear view down the aisle. And I have already spoken to the stewardess. There will be no need for tackling."
Laurent keeps those cool blue eyes pinned on Faolan for a moment longer, before he rises to slip off down the aisle and out of sight. Only once the toilet door is closed does Faolan feel like he can breathe once more.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For what it is worth, Faolan can't say that he's exactly happy with it himself. But Laurent's brother had been right. Laurent needs this protection, heading so far away from home as he is. And it isn't as though Faolan is the only man in charge of the brother's safety, and the other guards are perfectly capable of picking up whatever slack may be created by the hire of a new guard in his absence. It's only one year, anyway. Well, and the time that will be required to establish them in Recolle, plus the time to return. But it's not that long, in either his or Laurent's lives. It will surely not be that bad. Surely...
Of course, the only one thing he can be sure of is that Laurent does not want him. Not him, nor anyone. He cannot say that the younger man sulks about it exactly, but the time spent between that first meeting and when they are scheduled to make their departure is... Tense. Faolan tries to be understanding. Though Laurent is frequently away at school, he is generally home on weekends. Though Laurent is hardly a child, Faolan doesn't know whether Laurent has ever gone abroad without his brother, and certainly not for as long as he has planned. The pair of them are as close as siblings can be. He knows not being able to see each other for that year could be rough on the younger man.
After they find a new hire as Faolan's replacement, Laurent's older brother does his best to reassure Faolan that he will be fine. Faolan has been perhaps too severe in putting him through his paces to make certain he is the right man for the job. There is no doubt Laurent is receiving equal, if not further amounts of reassurance from his brother himself, though whether any of it sticks Faolan has no chance of knowing. He does his best to stay out of the younger man's way. He'll be seeing enough of him sooner rather than later as it is.
For before they know it the day is upon them. Faolan says his own goodbyes privately, to the other men in security, though their relationships are mostly professional and the most emotion out of them is a shake of his hand and a clasp of his shoulder. As well as the pronouncement that he is a lucky bastard and that he'd better enjoy the nice cushion in his salary accompanying his promotion. As well as the company, for that matter, if he catches their drift.
Faolan isn't certain that he does, though he thanks them for their congratulations anyway. Taking his bags -- he's packed everything he owns, yet they are still pathetically light -- he brings them out to the car before waiting for Laurent in the front of the house. It is not long before the younger man appears, accompanied by his older brother, the pair of them with Laurent's bags in hand. They probably could have had some of the other hired work in the house help to carry, but Faolan recognizes this is an important moment between the pair of them, and so he does not point this fact out to them and instead hangs back to give them their privacy. Hanging back as Laurent's older brother takes the younger man in his arms and holds him close against his chest for a long moment, murmuring words that are too quiet for him to pick up across the space, before he steps back and ruffles the younger man's hair. He pointedly does not look to see whether Laurent's eyes are red or not, nor whether there are the same dark circles underneath them he knows there were beneath his own when first he left home as this.
He simply waits until Laurent's brother has squeezed Laurent's shoulder and raised his head to smile and nod encouragingly across the way at Faolan. He waits until Laurent himself takes a step back and turns toward him as well before he speaks up, offering if there are any bags that he might carry out to the car for him.
Laurent gives him a long, steadily assessing gaze, before he picks up his laptop case, leaving the rest of the bags where they lie, and walks out to the car without another word. The answer to Faolan's question is fairly obvious, after all. It's sitting in the pile of bags at his feet.
Faolan sighs, and casts a glance back to the older brother, who smothers a laugh behind his hand at Faolan's expression.
"You'll be fine," he promises Faolan gently, as he steps forward to help him gather the remaining items together. Somehow, as they pack the car, as Faolan folds himself into the seat beside Laurent and the young man steadily ignores him in favor of reading from the book in his lap, Faolan himself remains less than certain of that.
The trip from France is largely uneventful, which works well in Faolan's favor. Laurent spends most of the time reading or looking out the window, and Faolan in the next row over (in first class of course) spends most of the time keeping an eye out for Laurent himself. It makes the trip go slower than if he were traveling alone and he could perhaps entertain himself with the in-flight movie or a book of his own, but he's been on duty since the minute they left the Duvere estate, and he takes his job seriously.
Much to Laurent's chagrin.
"You can stand down, you know. I don't think anyone's going to try and kidnap me off the plane mid-flight," Laurent says at last, not even bothering to pick his head up from the book in his lap. He knows that Faolan's attention will be on him anyway.
Faolan offers the younger man a shrug. "That's what they would want you to think," he replies. "Anything to let your guard down." There are in fact any number of ways that a person might come at Laurent or steal him away, despite being in flight. Faolan knows. He's been through the training, and he's looked over the plane once already.
Laurent raises his eyes to him at this, giving him another long gaze that Faolan is starting to think is the younger man's way of expressing he thinks this whole thing is rather farcical, without actually coming out and admitting as much. "Are you going to insist on escorting me to the restroom, then?" he asks. "It's just there, you know. Or will you have to come in with me as well. Perhaps someone will want to break in to the toilets while I'm in there just to catch me in the nude."
Faolan glances down the row at the indicated restroom. It really is quite close to where they are sitting. "I..." he starts to say, but Laurent cuts him off.
"We are to receive a meal on this flight. Perhaps you will you tackle it out of the poor stewardess's hands, test it for drugs, and demand her for her full job background before you are satisfied that it is safe enough for my consumption?" That cool, steady gaze remains fixed on Faolan.
"I--" Faolan tries again, finding himself almost flustered by the younger man's undressing of his duties. "I would not go so far as that. You are free to use the facilities on your own. I have a clear view down the aisle. And I have already spoken to the stewardess. There will be no need for tackling."
Laurent keeps those cool blue eyes pinned on Faolan for a moment longer, before he rises to slip off down the aisle and out of sight. Only once the toilet door is closed does Faolan feel like he can breathe once more.