sirenspull_logs | (no subject)

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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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!