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ax_mainNolan takes his new friend Felix out for shopping, lunch, luxury, and subtle probing regarding his lack of electronic history. You know, like you do.
Nolan truly had the best possible boyfriend. Shaun hadn't seemed to have a problem with the thought of Nolan spending the afternoon visiting high-end fashion boutiques in the city, while Shaun was busy with other things, all for the benefit of another man. Fashion Week had been fantastic, but it was about time Nolan take Felix out and ply him with wonderful items of clothing. About time Nolan try this new approach of asking people first. (And, possibly, hacking them later.)
The afternoon had been a whirlwind of polite smiles and gentle suggestions, of colorful clothes and daring accessories. Nolan had paid for all of it, of course; he was genuinely happy to have someone who had no issue letting him treat them as much as his heart might desire. He respected people with principles - including, of course, his glorious boyfriend - but he liked to give. And Felix, it turned out, did not mind receiving in the slightest.
Their bags were waiting in the car as they sat down in an exclusive little Japanese restaurant, the sort where menus did not display prices. Their table was in a small nook, protected from any eavesdropper, offering a small bubble of intimacy. After ordering, Nolan took a sip of his Perrier, looking crisp and elegant in a light floral jacket the rest of his white and cream-colored outfit allowed to shine as the marvel it was. "Enjoyed your day?" he asked Felix with a pleased little smile.
"Exceedingly," Felix answered, settling into his seat after a quick, assessing glance around. It was reassuring to have a moment's peace after such a dazzling day. When he'd gone shopping before, the experience had been significantly more muted -- limited to the places Felix's allowance could afford -- and when he'd come out to Fashion Week it had all seemed like a glittering, magical vision that wasn't quite real. Today had been very different indeed. Felix now had first-hand evidence that the world of New York (no longer Yorkland) was actually real, along with skyscrapers and sports cars and subways and so many electric lights that Felix had to believe it was all running on some kind of magic. Also, the electricity was oddly very loud. Only now in the quiet of the restaurant did Felix realize that he'd been suffering through a constant assailing of high-pitched buzzing all day.
All of this unceasing newness had been easy to set aside, however, because of the company of the fellow across from him. It was terribly odd, Felix thought, how Nolan decided to positively shower him with gifts, but clearly expected nothing in return. He did not, in short, want to fuck Felix. That left Felix unsure of his role in this interaction. What seemed to please Nolan best was if Felix dressed himself up and expressed his very honest and sincere -- and sometimes fashionably critical -- delight over the entire experience. So, as that came very naturally, it was exactly what Felix had done.
"You are generous almost to a fault," he added, reaching for the glass of water on the table so that he would know what to do with his hands. He assumed a relaxed but attentive posture, idly wondering what in the world they had just ordered. He'd not had the chance to research the place before they arrived. "I predict my roommate is going to be envious, but of the clothes themselves or the buying of them, I can't say."
"It might be both," Nolan replied with a bit of a smile. He did not know Dorian Pavus personally, but that guess didn't feel like a big risk. "Although I'm sure he's had this sort of experience before." Either Felix was an incredible actor, or this had been new to him, Nolan believed. Just like technology, and a lot of other things Nolan took for granted. Sheltered indeed. "You could invite him along next time, if you're so inclined."
"But then I would not have your undivided attention, Nolan," said Felix prettily, with a smile to match. "And you and Dorian are both something of fashion icons in your relative... societies, aren't you? At least, I've seen photos of you both in similar magazines online." In the weeks since he'd joined the rest of the world, Felix had learned a whole host of new words and phrases, thanks to the very helpful search mechanism on his device. "What is it like, to have everyone in the world know who you are?"
"Fortunately, I'm not quite that famous," Nolan stated with a dry smile. He appreciated the way Felix shifted the conversation back around to him; Nolan knew how difficult his chosen path actually was. But what if he failed? He always had plan B to fall back on. Either way, it would wait until they had eaten enough to take the edge off of their hunger, at least. No one wanted potential revelations on an empty stomach. "But just famous enough that it's always welcome, finding someone who doesn't know me."
Though Felix had read some of what he found about Nolan Ross, it was true that he didn't understand the full impact that NolCorp's technology had on the world, nor quite how astounding it was that Nolan was as young as he was. "Then I oughtn't read those articles, and just look at the pretty pictures?" Felix laughed, his odd eyes nearly glittering. "They are awfully small on my device's screen, and I've been told it's 'weird' to look up photographs of my neighbors on the school's computers.
"Not that I mind being called weird," he added. "If they're uncomfortable with me, it's their own problem."
"You ought to read whatever you want to read," Nolan answered, easily dismissing the notion of limiting Felix's access to information. He followed that up with a slight curve of his lips. "And look at pictures of your neighbors wherever you like, of course. Like you said." If people were uncomfortable with Felix, it was their problem. He turned the stem of his water glass between his fingers. "Some of the photographers involved would hate to think you couldn't appreciate them in their full glory."
"Appreciation is very important for artists," Felix agreed. That photography was art, Felix had understood immediately. It was the creation of beauty and meaning in a visual form. Of course it was art. "And their subjects. It looks wonderfully enjoyable, wearing gorgeous clothes and sitting for a portrait. Do you enjoy it, being made into art?"
"I enjoy being pampered, dressed stylishly, and turning people's expectations on their heads," Nolan replied, head tilting to the side as he spoke, and remembered past photoshoots. "Not to mention what they manage to do to my cheekbones." Being made into art was right, for all that the phrasing did not set Nolan completely at ease. He was hardly going to show that, not without understanding first what it was about it that made him uneasy.
Felix's eyes nearly lit with perfect understanding, and he nodded. That did sound divine. "You do have fantastic cheekbones," he agreed whole-heartedly. He sat forward, leaning in to the conversation, though his hands remained politely within his own sphere of personal space. "The world is visually obsessed, isn't it? Everyone we've seen today, aside from the shop attendants, have been photographing everything. I think a few people were even photographing us, which seems incredibly rude to me. People have always stared at me, it isn't that. If they stare, they deserve whatever they get. It's the idea of people having a permanent sort of copy of me without my say-so."
"Another byproduct of celebrity, or hanging out with one, I'm afraid," Nolan remarked with a brief apologetic expression. "That and forums dedicated to wild guesses about my personal life. One of many reasons why I like the Hamptons so much. There are a lot fewer candid photographers over there." Perhaps because celebrities, minor and major both, were so numerous there that people were more used to their presence, and less likely to bother them. Nolan grew quiet for a second, then suggested, "Don't think of it as a copy of yourself. It's nothing but the surface of your identity, in one moment, from one angle."
That turned Felix's small smile thoughtful, as he appreciated the way Nolan crafted the words. "I suppose that's all that photos are, of anyone. Still... the Professor was very clear that I'm in charge of how I look and what sort of things about me appear out in the world. It doesn't seem right that just anyone should be able to look at me without my being there in front of them." He didn't sound terribly concerned, but there was a slight edge of discomfort there. Felix did not mind being stared at, but he didn't want to be stared at in absentia. As if he wasn't even real, or wasn't actually a person.
Nolan didn't look it, but he grew thoughtful at Felix's words. This was the clearest hint yet that perhaps something darker than Nolan had imagined lay in Felix's past. Unless, of course, this was another act, breadcrumbs left to distract Nolan. But could the Professor be had in such a way? Nolan wished he knew how much the Professor actually stuck to the ethics he taught. Tessa certainly wasn't encumbered with them, and he very much doubted that Betsy Braddock was, given her past occupation.
"We can call them out on it, then," Nolan offered, his tone having lost its dry edge. "Whoever tries to snap a picture next. I'll handle it."
Nolan's shift in tone, step by step from above-it-all humor, to a hint of gentle quiet, and then right on in to decisive defender, was a marvel to listen to. Felix couldn't smooth away his initial surprise that Nolan would step up for his comfort like that. He almost instantly understood what Nolan's special fellow saw in him -- beyond the pretty face, and all the money.
"Would you?" Felix asked before he remembered to mold his words more carefully. Very easily, he leaned his chin on the back of one elegant hand and met Nolan's eyes, in a way that would have been flirty if Nolan hadn't been so thoroughly off the table. As it was, Felix more looked like he was exaggerating for amusing effect. "For me?"
Nolan's eyes narrowed slightly at Felix's early response, only to crinkle with amusement at the exaggerated act the redhead followed it up with. "I have a reputation to maintain. Nolan Ross, wielder of snark to protect his privacy."
"A powerful weapon, in the right hands," Felix assured him with a healthy dose of faux solemnity. Then he shifted his hand so he was propping up his chin in the palm in a more natural, less contrived pose. "Privacy is sort of difficult to come by, isn't it?"
"Small price to pay," Nolan assured him, and leaned back in his chair as he noticed waitstaff heading their way, bearing plates. He hadn't noticed until now that he had been engaged enough in the conversation to be leaning forward slightly; a testament to how good of a conversational match Felix and he were. "For meals like the one we're about to have, among other things." Many other things. Nolan was aware of every positive aspect of the life he led, as he was aware of the privileges that had paved his way, and aware of how much he had still had to work to get there. Every luxury still felt hard-won, and he relished them.
Felix sat up as well, sliding back into perfect posture as soon as he was aware he was being observed by someone other than Nolan. He had been taught to ignore anyone who could be considered the help, as Malkar had a specific disdain for anyone lower on the social order than himself. Instead, Felix watched Nolan with an interested tilt to his head, and then focused curiously on the dishes before them. "It certainly looks like luxury," he affirmed. "Where shall we start?"
Nolan, by opposition, smiled politely at the waitstaff, and thanked them for their help, before turning back to Felix. He reached for the lacquered black chopsticks by the side of his plate and held them up in the appropriate manner. "Have you ever eaten with those?"
Felix mirrored Nolan, picking up the sticks in the same way. "I can't say that I have." He didn't seem embarrassed by this, but more curious about how one ate with pretty sticks. At least, he had noticed, there was a discreet roll of silverware tucked at the edge of the table. Probably as a backup in case he couldn't figure this out. "Show me?"
So Nolan did. The meal passed by pleasantly, conversation centering on Japanese cuisine, the day's shopping, fashion in general, and other mundane topics, such as, most recently, what Felix made of his classes. "Any idea what you'll want to focus on after high school?" Nolan asked, genuinely interested, as they waited for their desserts.
Though Felix was not especially coordinated, he was a very quick learner. And, maybe a tiny application of invisible magic helped a bit. Surely no one would notice that his chopsticks were a touch more 'sticky' than usual. The food was totally unfamiliar, but the delicate flavors and orderly presentation of the dishes intrigued him, and he tried a bit of everything, especially the sushi.
He sat back with a cup of the green tea that smelled faintly of flowers, after having chatted with scholarly enthusiasm about all the interesting things that Xavier's had to teach. "Goodness, I hadn't thought about it," Felix answered frankly. "I don't suppose 'wizard' is a viable occupation. Just, you know, living in some great tower and making discoveries and doing spells all the time?" It was said with a tiny smile, very lightly, but Felix's gaze was honestly curious.
Nolan's lips twisted into a small smile. "Not in this world, no," he answered, because he had to. Throw in some political intrigues, a little spying on behalf of the Sorcerer Supreme, and this was a remarkable account of Nolan's life in Yorkland, after all. Even as he made his answer, he watched Felix closely, although he wasn't certain what it was he was looking for. "Research positions do exist, but I'm not certain the academic world will warm up to the thought of mutant studies, much less magical studies, all that quickly."
Perhaps they could be encouraged, however. Something to consider. Fortunately, since he had launched the mutant scholarship, he had met quite a few influential academics.
Felix's gaze snapped to sharp focus when Nolan said 'this world.' So far, he hadn't met anyone who had much understanding that there were other worlds, except for TJ, who didn't seem to mean the same thing so Felix hadn't said a word to her. That didn't change the fact that there were two people at the school with horns and tails and skin colors that Felix would normally have associated not with mutants but a completely different race entirely. And neither of them seemed to know it. Indeed, none of the students seemed to know about the place Felix had come from, so he'd kept it entirely secret. Otherwise, they might think he was crazy.
"From everything I've read and heard, there's no one who could teach me, anyway," Felix responded. And thank the whole entire world of spirit for that fact. Malkar, as far as Felix could discern, did not even exist in this world.
"There are others with magic," Nolan remarked, ignoring the fact that he had been someone with magic. Nolan didn't know what to do with that knowledge, those skills he no longer had. More often than not, it felt too unreal to contemplate. But once in a while, he caught himself trying to cast something. "You might be able to learn from each other?"
"The adults are pairing me with someone named Caleb for... training." The way Felix said 'training' had a faint hitch to it, only noticeable because Nolan was paying such close attention. "I'm looking forward to that, I suppose. I think he's shy, but someone told me he's very smart, too, which is the primary thing a wizard should be."
"It is," Nolan agreed with a nod, and confidence in that truth he would not felt if it weren't for Yorkland. "I've never met him, sadly. Are you feeling nervous about it?"
Felix blinked twice, quite unaware he'd given any indication that he might be uncomfortable. Was Nolan hinting, perhaps, that Felix might be behind Caleb in magical talent as he was behind some of the other students his age in certain academic subjects? "Not at all. I'm perfectly certain I can keep up."
Nolan smiled slightly; of course that was where Felix's mind would go. Nolan did not doubt that either. Felix's mind was sharp. Everything about him was sharp, actually. "You seemed uneasy at the thought."
For the first time, Felix wasn't ready with a response. He attempted to cover it by drinking his tea. "I... no. No, it's... the word training," he finally said, his words falling back under his control again. "One 'learns' for the joy of it, the simple desire of expanding one's mind. One 'trains' for something. Or... is trained for something."
And that was the exact moment when Nolan decided not to ask.
It wasn't the first time Felix's words hinted that whatever lay in his past was traumatic. But it was the first time he so visibly faltered, in a way that Nolan could not believe was an act. Or, perhaps, would not believe. Nolan wanted to believe that Felix guarded his past for his own, personal reasons, and not for any nefarious ones.
Given Caleb's own history, Nolan surmised that the Professor, once again, knew exactly what he was doing, pairing the two of them up.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Caleb felt the same way," he ventured, his tone halfway between conversational and something quieter, to give Felix the option to choose how to respond to his remark without having to wrench the conversation either way.
Sometimes Felix felt like there was a clamp on the back of his tongue, and even if he had wanted to tell some truths, he would not be able to. He didn't want to, because that part of his life was better left dead and buried. Still, it nibbled at him that, perhaps, there was more going on in his mind than he knew about. At least at this moment Nolan was not pressing him to find out.
"One cannot spend long at the school without hearing rumors that a number of one's fellow students spent time under the auspex of nefarious persons," Felix said, consciously or unconsciously building up a wall of words, sounds, and syllables to distance himself from the reality of it. "The professor assures me that isn't the case here, but is the intention all that matters when a small handful of adults are attempting to build more powerful children?"
"Intention is everything, I think," Nolan replied, mildly surprised that Felix would keep the conversation centered on the original topic, but not letting it show. Perhaps it should not be that surprising. Or perhaps Felix did not realize how much it was saying about him. While it was a common concern of new students, there was a context of little hints that made it telling, in his case. "They're attempting to give us control of our gifts." It was so rare for Nolan to include himself in any collective encompassing the students, and it chafed to do so, but it was right, in this instance. "Not take it from us."
Felix had intended his commentary to possibly refer to Caleb, but had somehow neglected to make that connection clear. He didn't realize that he'd revealed anything about himself, as such. After a quiet moment, he said, "The adults all have been kind. It's very clear that learning control, as you said, isn't optional, but they do seem to really believe it's for our safety and... and happiness, I suppose." Felix tipped his head, and observed more lightly, "Though I haven't seen you in those unflattering sweat clothes heading to any sort of training. Are you already a master of your craft?"
That, of course, was fair play. Nolan acknowledged the conversation turning around on him with a dry smile and a respectful nod. "I would hardly be spending as much time at school as I am," he remarked. He would still be spending some time at school, to see Shaun. "No, the answer must lie elsewhere, Felix. Perhaps my pride and vanity won't allow me to be seen in sweat clothes."
That inspired a laugh from Felix, bright and sweet, but not too loud, not enough to attract attention. "Is that so? It has nothing to do with looking your finest for your lovely gentleman friend?" he suggested, his tone relaxed and easy now.
Shaun was lovely, but 'gentleman friend' was such a minefield of an expression that Nolan had to look amused, too. "Two sides of the same coin, really. Ah, here's dessert."
And indeed, here came a tray full of sweet Japanese candy, all looking colorful and inviting.
Felix sat forward, interested in yet another new experience. "I shall be thoroughly spoiled by the time we return to school," he told Nolan approvingly.
Nolan's smile was no less approving. "Mission accomplished."
Nolan truly had the best possible boyfriend. Shaun hadn't seemed to have a problem with the thought of Nolan spending the afternoon visiting high-end fashion boutiques in the city, while Shaun was busy with other things, all for the benefit of another man. Fashion Week had been fantastic, but it was about time Nolan take Felix out and ply him with wonderful items of clothing. About time Nolan try this new approach of asking people first. (And, possibly, hacking them later.)
The afternoon had been a whirlwind of polite smiles and gentle suggestions, of colorful clothes and daring accessories. Nolan had paid for all of it, of course; he was genuinely happy to have someone who had no issue letting him treat them as much as his heart might desire. He respected people with principles - including, of course, his glorious boyfriend - but he liked to give. And Felix, it turned out, did not mind receiving in the slightest.
Their bags were waiting in the car as they sat down in an exclusive little Japanese restaurant, the sort where menus did not display prices. Their table was in a small nook, protected from any eavesdropper, offering a small bubble of intimacy. After ordering, Nolan took a sip of his Perrier, looking crisp and elegant in a light floral jacket the rest of his white and cream-colored outfit allowed to shine as the marvel it was. "Enjoyed your day?" he asked Felix with a pleased little smile.
"Exceedingly," Felix answered, settling into his seat after a quick, assessing glance around. It was reassuring to have a moment's peace after such a dazzling day. When he'd gone shopping before, the experience had been significantly more muted -- limited to the places Felix's allowance could afford -- and when he'd come out to Fashion Week it had all seemed like a glittering, magical vision that wasn't quite real. Today had been very different indeed. Felix now had first-hand evidence that the world of New York (no longer Yorkland) was actually real, along with skyscrapers and sports cars and subways and so many electric lights that Felix had to believe it was all running on some kind of magic. Also, the electricity was oddly very loud. Only now in the quiet of the restaurant did Felix realize that he'd been suffering through a constant assailing of high-pitched buzzing all day.
All of this unceasing newness had been easy to set aside, however, because of the company of the fellow across from him. It was terribly odd, Felix thought, how Nolan decided to positively shower him with gifts, but clearly expected nothing in return. He did not, in short, want to fuck Felix. That left Felix unsure of his role in this interaction. What seemed to please Nolan best was if Felix dressed himself up and expressed his very honest and sincere -- and sometimes fashionably critical -- delight over the entire experience. So, as that came very naturally, it was exactly what Felix had done.
"You are generous almost to a fault," he added, reaching for the glass of water on the table so that he would know what to do with his hands. He assumed a relaxed but attentive posture, idly wondering what in the world they had just ordered. He'd not had the chance to research the place before they arrived. "I predict my roommate is going to be envious, but of the clothes themselves or the buying of them, I can't say."
"It might be both," Nolan replied with a bit of a smile. He did not know Dorian Pavus personally, but that guess didn't feel like a big risk. "Although I'm sure he's had this sort of experience before." Either Felix was an incredible actor, or this had been new to him, Nolan believed. Just like technology, and a lot of other things Nolan took for granted. Sheltered indeed. "You could invite him along next time, if you're so inclined."
"But then I would not have your undivided attention, Nolan," said Felix prettily, with a smile to match. "And you and Dorian are both something of fashion icons in your relative... societies, aren't you? At least, I've seen photos of you both in similar magazines online." In the weeks since he'd joined the rest of the world, Felix had learned a whole host of new words and phrases, thanks to the very helpful search mechanism on his device. "What is it like, to have everyone in the world know who you are?"
"Fortunately, I'm not quite that famous," Nolan stated with a dry smile. He appreciated the way Felix shifted the conversation back around to him; Nolan knew how difficult his chosen path actually was. But what if he failed? He always had plan B to fall back on. Either way, it would wait until they had eaten enough to take the edge off of their hunger, at least. No one wanted potential revelations on an empty stomach. "But just famous enough that it's always welcome, finding someone who doesn't know me."
Though Felix had read some of what he found about Nolan Ross, it was true that he didn't understand the full impact that NolCorp's technology had on the world, nor quite how astounding it was that Nolan was as young as he was. "Then I oughtn't read those articles, and just look at the pretty pictures?" Felix laughed, his odd eyes nearly glittering. "They are awfully small on my device's screen, and I've been told it's 'weird' to look up photographs of my neighbors on the school's computers.
"Not that I mind being called weird," he added. "If they're uncomfortable with me, it's their own problem."
"You ought to read whatever you want to read," Nolan answered, easily dismissing the notion of limiting Felix's access to information. He followed that up with a slight curve of his lips. "And look at pictures of your neighbors wherever you like, of course. Like you said." If people were uncomfortable with Felix, it was their problem. He turned the stem of his water glass between his fingers. "Some of the photographers involved would hate to think you couldn't appreciate them in their full glory."
"Appreciation is very important for artists," Felix agreed. That photography was art, Felix had understood immediately. It was the creation of beauty and meaning in a visual form. Of course it was art. "And their subjects. It looks wonderfully enjoyable, wearing gorgeous clothes and sitting for a portrait. Do you enjoy it, being made into art?"
"I enjoy being pampered, dressed stylishly, and turning people's expectations on their heads," Nolan replied, head tilting to the side as he spoke, and remembered past photoshoots. "Not to mention what they manage to do to my cheekbones." Being made into art was right, for all that the phrasing did not set Nolan completely at ease. He was hardly going to show that, not without understanding first what it was about it that made him uneasy.
Felix's eyes nearly lit with perfect understanding, and he nodded. That did sound divine. "You do have fantastic cheekbones," he agreed whole-heartedly. He sat forward, leaning in to the conversation, though his hands remained politely within his own sphere of personal space. "The world is visually obsessed, isn't it? Everyone we've seen today, aside from the shop attendants, have been photographing everything. I think a few people were even photographing us, which seems incredibly rude to me. People have always stared at me, it isn't that. If they stare, they deserve whatever they get. It's the idea of people having a permanent sort of copy of me without my say-so."
"Another byproduct of celebrity, or hanging out with one, I'm afraid," Nolan remarked with a brief apologetic expression. "That and forums dedicated to wild guesses about my personal life. One of many reasons why I like the Hamptons so much. There are a lot fewer candid photographers over there." Perhaps because celebrities, minor and major both, were so numerous there that people were more used to their presence, and less likely to bother them. Nolan grew quiet for a second, then suggested, "Don't think of it as a copy of yourself. It's nothing but the surface of your identity, in one moment, from one angle."
That turned Felix's small smile thoughtful, as he appreciated the way Nolan crafted the words. "I suppose that's all that photos are, of anyone. Still... the Professor was very clear that I'm in charge of how I look and what sort of things about me appear out in the world. It doesn't seem right that just anyone should be able to look at me without my being there in front of them." He didn't sound terribly concerned, but there was a slight edge of discomfort there. Felix did not mind being stared at, but he didn't want to be stared at in absentia. As if he wasn't even real, or wasn't actually a person.
Nolan didn't look it, but he grew thoughtful at Felix's words. This was the clearest hint yet that perhaps something darker than Nolan had imagined lay in Felix's past. Unless, of course, this was another act, breadcrumbs left to distract Nolan. But could the Professor be had in such a way? Nolan wished he knew how much the Professor actually stuck to the ethics he taught. Tessa certainly wasn't encumbered with them, and he very much doubted that Betsy Braddock was, given her past occupation.
"We can call them out on it, then," Nolan offered, his tone having lost its dry edge. "Whoever tries to snap a picture next. I'll handle it."
Nolan's shift in tone, step by step from above-it-all humor, to a hint of gentle quiet, and then right on in to decisive defender, was a marvel to listen to. Felix couldn't smooth away his initial surprise that Nolan would step up for his comfort like that. He almost instantly understood what Nolan's special fellow saw in him -- beyond the pretty face, and all the money.
"Would you?" Felix asked before he remembered to mold his words more carefully. Very easily, he leaned his chin on the back of one elegant hand and met Nolan's eyes, in a way that would have been flirty if Nolan hadn't been so thoroughly off the table. As it was, Felix more looked like he was exaggerating for amusing effect. "For me?"
Nolan's eyes narrowed slightly at Felix's early response, only to crinkle with amusement at the exaggerated act the redhead followed it up with. "I have a reputation to maintain. Nolan Ross, wielder of snark to protect his privacy."
"A powerful weapon, in the right hands," Felix assured him with a healthy dose of faux solemnity. Then he shifted his hand so he was propping up his chin in the palm in a more natural, less contrived pose. "Privacy is sort of difficult to come by, isn't it?"
"Small price to pay," Nolan assured him, and leaned back in his chair as he noticed waitstaff heading their way, bearing plates. He hadn't noticed until now that he had been engaged enough in the conversation to be leaning forward slightly; a testament to how good of a conversational match Felix and he were. "For meals like the one we're about to have, among other things." Many other things. Nolan was aware of every positive aspect of the life he led, as he was aware of the privileges that had paved his way, and aware of how much he had still had to work to get there. Every luxury still felt hard-won, and he relished them.
Felix sat up as well, sliding back into perfect posture as soon as he was aware he was being observed by someone other than Nolan. He had been taught to ignore anyone who could be considered the help, as Malkar had a specific disdain for anyone lower on the social order than himself. Instead, Felix watched Nolan with an interested tilt to his head, and then focused curiously on the dishes before them. "It certainly looks like luxury," he affirmed. "Where shall we start?"
Nolan, by opposition, smiled politely at the waitstaff, and thanked them for their help, before turning back to Felix. He reached for the lacquered black chopsticks by the side of his plate and held them up in the appropriate manner. "Have you ever eaten with those?"
Felix mirrored Nolan, picking up the sticks in the same way. "I can't say that I have." He didn't seem embarrassed by this, but more curious about how one ate with pretty sticks. At least, he had noticed, there was a discreet roll of silverware tucked at the edge of the table. Probably as a backup in case he couldn't figure this out. "Show me?"
So Nolan did. The meal passed by pleasantly, conversation centering on Japanese cuisine, the day's shopping, fashion in general, and other mundane topics, such as, most recently, what Felix made of his classes. "Any idea what you'll want to focus on after high school?" Nolan asked, genuinely interested, as they waited for their desserts.
Though Felix was not especially coordinated, he was a very quick learner. And, maybe a tiny application of invisible magic helped a bit. Surely no one would notice that his chopsticks were a touch more 'sticky' than usual. The food was totally unfamiliar, but the delicate flavors and orderly presentation of the dishes intrigued him, and he tried a bit of everything, especially the sushi.
He sat back with a cup of the green tea that smelled faintly of flowers, after having chatted with scholarly enthusiasm about all the interesting things that Xavier's had to teach. "Goodness, I hadn't thought about it," Felix answered frankly. "I don't suppose 'wizard' is a viable occupation. Just, you know, living in some great tower and making discoveries and doing spells all the time?" It was said with a tiny smile, very lightly, but Felix's gaze was honestly curious.
Nolan's lips twisted into a small smile. "Not in this world, no," he answered, because he had to. Throw in some political intrigues, a little spying on behalf of the Sorcerer Supreme, and this was a remarkable account of Nolan's life in Yorkland, after all. Even as he made his answer, he watched Felix closely, although he wasn't certain what it was he was looking for. "Research positions do exist, but I'm not certain the academic world will warm up to the thought of mutant studies, much less magical studies, all that quickly."
Perhaps they could be encouraged, however. Something to consider. Fortunately, since he had launched the mutant scholarship, he had met quite a few influential academics.
Felix's gaze snapped to sharp focus when Nolan said 'this world.' So far, he hadn't met anyone who had much understanding that there were other worlds, except for TJ, who didn't seem to mean the same thing so Felix hadn't said a word to her. That didn't change the fact that there were two people at the school with horns and tails and skin colors that Felix would normally have associated not with mutants but a completely different race entirely. And neither of them seemed to know it. Indeed, none of the students seemed to know about the place Felix had come from, so he'd kept it entirely secret. Otherwise, they might think he was crazy.
"From everything I've read and heard, there's no one who could teach me, anyway," Felix responded. And thank the whole entire world of spirit for that fact. Malkar, as far as Felix could discern, did not even exist in this world.
"There are others with magic," Nolan remarked, ignoring the fact that he had been someone with magic. Nolan didn't know what to do with that knowledge, those skills he no longer had. More often than not, it felt too unreal to contemplate. But once in a while, he caught himself trying to cast something. "You might be able to learn from each other?"
"The adults are pairing me with someone named Caleb for... training." The way Felix said 'training' had a faint hitch to it, only noticeable because Nolan was paying such close attention. "I'm looking forward to that, I suppose. I think he's shy, but someone told me he's very smart, too, which is the primary thing a wizard should be."
"It is," Nolan agreed with a nod, and confidence in that truth he would not felt if it weren't for Yorkland. "I've never met him, sadly. Are you feeling nervous about it?"
Felix blinked twice, quite unaware he'd given any indication that he might be uncomfortable. Was Nolan hinting, perhaps, that Felix might be behind Caleb in magical talent as he was behind some of the other students his age in certain academic subjects? "Not at all. I'm perfectly certain I can keep up."
Nolan smiled slightly; of course that was where Felix's mind would go. Nolan did not doubt that either. Felix's mind was sharp. Everything about him was sharp, actually. "You seemed uneasy at the thought."
For the first time, Felix wasn't ready with a response. He attempted to cover it by drinking his tea. "I... no. No, it's... the word training," he finally said, his words falling back under his control again. "One 'learns' for the joy of it, the simple desire of expanding one's mind. One 'trains' for something. Or... is trained for something."
And that was the exact moment when Nolan decided not to ask.
It wasn't the first time Felix's words hinted that whatever lay in his past was traumatic. But it was the first time he so visibly faltered, in a way that Nolan could not believe was an act. Or, perhaps, would not believe. Nolan wanted to believe that Felix guarded his past for his own, personal reasons, and not for any nefarious ones.
Given Caleb's own history, Nolan surmised that the Professor, once again, knew exactly what he was doing, pairing the two of them up.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Caleb felt the same way," he ventured, his tone halfway between conversational and something quieter, to give Felix the option to choose how to respond to his remark without having to wrench the conversation either way.
Sometimes Felix felt like there was a clamp on the back of his tongue, and even if he had wanted to tell some truths, he would not be able to. He didn't want to, because that part of his life was better left dead and buried. Still, it nibbled at him that, perhaps, there was more going on in his mind than he knew about. At least at this moment Nolan was not pressing him to find out.
"One cannot spend long at the school without hearing rumors that a number of one's fellow students spent time under the auspex of nefarious persons," Felix said, consciously or unconsciously building up a wall of words, sounds, and syllables to distance himself from the reality of it. "The professor assures me that isn't the case here, but is the intention all that matters when a small handful of adults are attempting to build more powerful children?"
"Intention is everything, I think," Nolan replied, mildly surprised that Felix would keep the conversation centered on the original topic, but not letting it show. Perhaps it should not be that surprising. Or perhaps Felix did not realize how much it was saying about him. While it was a common concern of new students, there was a context of little hints that made it telling, in his case. "They're attempting to give us control of our gifts." It was so rare for Nolan to include himself in any collective encompassing the students, and it chafed to do so, but it was right, in this instance. "Not take it from us."
Felix had intended his commentary to possibly refer to Caleb, but had somehow neglected to make that connection clear. He didn't realize that he'd revealed anything about himself, as such. After a quiet moment, he said, "The adults all have been kind. It's very clear that learning control, as you said, isn't optional, but they do seem to really believe it's for our safety and... and happiness, I suppose." Felix tipped his head, and observed more lightly, "Though I haven't seen you in those unflattering sweat clothes heading to any sort of training. Are you already a master of your craft?"
That, of course, was fair play. Nolan acknowledged the conversation turning around on him with a dry smile and a respectful nod. "I would hardly be spending as much time at school as I am," he remarked. He would still be spending some time at school, to see Shaun. "No, the answer must lie elsewhere, Felix. Perhaps my pride and vanity won't allow me to be seen in sweat clothes."
That inspired a laugh from Felix, bright and sweet, but not too loud, not enough to attract attention. "Is that so? It has nothing to do with looking your finest for your lovely gentleman friend?" he suggested, his tone relaxed and easy now.
Shaun was lovely, but 'gentleman friend' was such a minefield of an expression that Nolan had to look amused, too. "Two sides of the same coin, really. Ah, here's dessert."
And indeed, here came a tray full of sweet Japanese candy, all looking colorful and inviting.
Felix sat forward, interested in yet another new experience. "I shall be thoroughly spoiled by the time we return to school," he told Nolan approvingly.
Nolan's smile was no less approving. "Mission accomplished."
