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Who: Eponine Thenardier and Byakuya
When: 29th June (forward-dating)
Where: An alley in Sector 9
Summary: Byakuya will offer to give Eponine 'Lady Lessons'
Warnings: Shouldn't be any, I don't think...

Eponine wandered. She always wandered; she found, that after all these years, she simply couldn't stay sat down, inside, any more.

And she found too, that she couldn't relax. Eric and Alan were lovely, of course they were, and so good - everyone had been - but it made her uncomfortable. What if it was a trick? What if she suddenly found herself cast out, with no money and nowhere to go? She had been hoarding her money that she had earned, but still she found herself more and more often, back in the darker, the more
depressing districts; those that reminded her of home.

She had chosen sector 9 today, and was wandering through the dark alleys, constantly on guard against the lurking dangers from the foreboding men waiting in the shadows. But they didn't bother with Eponine beyond a whistle or catcalls which she ignored. She had done quite well today; there had been a man's corpse, fresh and bleeding in the street, which Eponine had quickly relieved of his wallet and his ring. And now - was that a man further up? He looked rich - too rich for this district. Someone else would have his wallet if Eponine didn't act quickly. She stiffened, before creeping towards him, keeping well into the shadows of the buildings. And then, once she was close, her bare feet making no sound on the pavement, she reached her hand into the man's trouser pocket as gently as she could, in the hopes of finding a wallet there.

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He didn't understand what she was asking. The eyebrow twitched again. He said nothing, waiting for her to explain. He was looking for people, but it was for people to help him improve things down here. It was to help him look after the less fortunate.

"Girls?" He doesn't care if they are men or women. Women are just as capable as men in many areas.

"Oui, Monsieur. Girls. Girls who -"

She approached, a strained smile on her face. "Girls who know what men want, and will give them everything they desire. Just... five..."

What was the currency? "Dollars? More if you need longer than an hour, Monsieur."

Suddenly, he understood. Byakuya's eyebrow was going to fall off his head. Honestly. He just stared at her for a moment, unable to comprehend anything. She was far too young, too small, to be working in a trade such as...

"Come with me."

He was used to being obeyed, and turned away. The wind picked up his hair as he headed toward a small place he had learned about in his wanderings here.

She smiled and bobbed a curtsey before following wordlessly. Oh god, how she wished he'd said no... Still, the money would be good. She forced a smile onto her face.

He led her toward a restaurant that he'd stepped into several times. They served a wide variety of food and he found their jalapeño poppers quite delicious.

"Wait here."

He stepped into the restaurant and stepped out a few moments later with two bags. He motioned for her towards a bench near by.

"For you." He set the one bag down and then settled onto the bench, studying her.

Well this was... unexpected. She had done as she was told, waited, and then sat, without questioning. But when he handed her a bag - more food?
She did appreciate food, but money would have been better.

"You wish to pay me in food, Monsieur? If you wish to come back to my house, it will cost you more than food."

Byakuya was glad that he wasn't eating anything. Despite his stoicism, he would have choked. Instead, he managed to look at her. "I am not buying your services."

It was much more blunt than he normally spoke. He didn't want to give the wrong impression, however.

"I wish merely to speak."

No reason not to cultivate someone, now was there?

"You are not?" It was Eponine's turn to be surprised. "But... you bought me food... you... Why do you want to talk to me?"

She couldn't help but feel disappointed though. He could have provided her with good money.

Byakuya waited to swallow the breaded pepper before he spoke. "You are often down here. You know people?" He could tell she belonged down here more than he did. It wasn't hard.

He glanced at her. "You should eat."

She picked a pepper out, looking at it curiously. She'd never seen one, let alone tasted one. She bit into it cautiously, and nearly spat it back out. But, food was food and Eponine could never pass up food...

"I have been here, Monsieur. A lot, though I do not really know these people. I know who to avoid, which men will not pay after..." She shrugged. After several bad experiences, she had begun asking for the money before she provided the pleasure.
"You must be careful. They will slit your throat as soon as look at you."

He was most amused by her assumption that he could not handle himself. "I am aware of the dangers." And he was, actually. Being a noble at home meant he had to be.

He thought for a moment. "You are a Newcomer?"

"So am I, but being aware will not always save you, Monsieur."

She nodded at his question. "Just a month ago it was, that I was brought here, though I still do not understand it. And you?"

"I am well versed in self-defense." He could handle himself against just about anything, even without Senbonzakura.

He inclined his head. "Well over a year, now." He didn't explain dying and going home and returning. That was unimportant.

"Then you must know this place very well, Monsieur."

She put her hand back into the bag, and pulled out something - she still didn't know what it was - covered in bread crumbs. She began to eat it; whatever it was was sweet, and she enjoyed the taste much more.

"Some areas." He conceded. It was the lower districts he was unsure of.

He watched her eat, silent for a moment. "You should not work here." Meaning, she was much more at risk than he was of being hurt. He wondered if Unohana would help him take the girl under her wing. "You have a place to stay?"

She smiled at that.

"Oh Monsieur - I do not work here all of the time. I work for Xino E. Mao too. But here... well, these places attract those who want to pay me..."

She shrugged. Fact of life. Besides, compared to her Paris, Sector 9 was practically a palace.

"I do have a place. Monsieurs Alan and Eric - you know them, perhaps? - they are letting me sleep on their chair. Most people here are very generous."

He didn't like that, but it didn't show on his face. "I am not familiar with them, no."

He didn't know all the newcomers, though most he recognized by face.

But she was sleeping on a chair, and that didn't sit well with him.

"You enjoy this work?" No judgement, simple curiosity. He couldn't believe she did.

"With Xino E. Mao? It is fine - I take their messages where they tell me. I can read, you know."

This last bit is added with a faint note of pride.
"This? Here?" Another shrug.

"It is a job, no? And I get a lot of money from it. And here, it is good. I can keep the money."
At home, her father had taken any money she had earned.

No, it was not a job, but he wasn't about to tell her that. However, he took note of the pride in her voice and did not press the issue.

"You have no other prospects?" He couldn't believe that. There were many amongst the newcomers who would have offered her a job. At least he hoped so.

"Xino E. Mayo are good employers. They give me money. I do not know who else would have me."

She felt distinctly awkward. "Monsieur, the respectable, they do not like to employ the likes of me. I am the devil himself, I am afraid."

Byakuya twitched an eyebrow. "How so?"

Because he looked respectable. He was respectable. Mostly.

She looked down at her skirt. She had washed it now, but it was still tattered and faded.

"I am a bad girl, Monsieur. You know what I do. And I steal and beg and lie and cheat. I have seen murders and helped to hide the bodies. Not here. At home. Nobody wants a girl like me, Monsieur. And I do not blame them really. I would not want me."

There were some here that had done worse. He didn't know it for certain, but he suspected. Still, if they could integrate into society, then so could she.

"Yet you read. To do that means you can learn anything." Her past was just that, her past. She could chose to move beyond it, or have it hold her back. "If you learn, you can leave that past behind."

"I know lots of things, I do. Don't judge a girl on how she looks, Monsieur. The devil himself is clever, no?"

She smiled again. "I would like to learn. Marius let me look at his book sometimes... Maman used to teach me to read when I was little and we were rich. I have just never forgotten."

He conceded the point with an incline of his head.

"What would you like to learn?" He very rarely asked direct questions. However, he wondered if she would mind learning from him. He could use another assistant, especially one well versed in handling the lower sectors, where he had no friends and was more often defending his life than getting any work done.

She wants to be a lady. More than anything. But she has no idea how to set about it.

"To spell... Mine are often wrong, I think. And to read in different languages. Like Marius and the students."

Perhaps, if she knew, she would be able to impress Marius and he'd fall in love with her.

Byakuya thought about it for a long moment. It might take delicate handling.

"To spell, the solution is often in writing and reading." He took a moment, his eyes flicking around just in case. "Both merely take practice. I am a teacher."

It wasn't an overt offer, but one, if she chose to take it, he would follow through with.

It wasn't something she recognised as an offer at all. Who would really offer to teach Eponine anything? She wasn't worth the bother, surely?
Still, her eyes lit up before she flicked her gaze back down to focus on the grease-stained paper bag.

"I do not have the time to practise, I am afraid...or I have not... I do not have a book or a pen. Marius lent me one once though."

"A book, paper and pen would be easy enough." Because, he had tons. "You do not walk the streets at night?" Because if she did, she was about to find herself shadowed.

He hoped she would accept his offer. He wanted to help her.

... In some ways, she reminded him of Hisana.

She shook her head, though it was with reluctance.

"I like night time best. I used to walk sometimes when everyone else was asleep and the streets were quiet and I could think. But here - Monsieur, surely you know of the monsters? I met some, I did. They were waiting in the shadows for me and I had to run. I can run fast, though, so they didn't catch me. But since then -I am not afraid, Monsieur. But I do not want to spend my nights running."

He thought for a moment. She didn't recognize his offer or she was ignoring it.

"Then you can study at night." Because, why not? If she had a safe place to be, then there wouldn't be a problem with studying once the sirens went off. Best time to do it, honestly.

"I can provide the materials."

"You will give me books, Monsieur?"

Books were expensive. And paper and ink. Why would a stranger give them to her? Though - it was starting to become usual, wasn't it? People just giving her things. Eponine didn't understand. Not really. But she didn't care either.

"I think I would like that, Monsieur. I would like to show people that I could have been clever."

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Sorry! Had no power last night!

Not a problem! I'm also sorry; been at work till now!

And I failed due to being Mom all day!

Re: And I failed 'cos I'm lazy!