Eldrick hadn't noticed. Glancing over one shoulder, the tiny falcon-boy tugged his coat tighter, trying to consciously keep his wings from fluttering under the restriction of the clothing. Yes, it made him look a touch more er...rotund, but really he was too young to care about that yet. All he knew was that his wings needed to be kept secret, or he wouldn't be able to keep Eldrick as his daddy. And honestly, he had become quite attached to the historian...he was a good teacher, who read him bedtime stories at night and made the best hot coco. And so, Alasdair, even though he didn't fully understand, did as he said.

It didn't mean that he couldn't be a touch naughty at times. Eldrick had been engrossed in conversation with the parent of one of his pupils, and Alasdair, at his side...had very simply wandered off. There were too many sights and smells to be investigated, and as long as he didn't go far and came right back, Eldrick shouldn't be too upset about it. After all, the Hraapea was responsible, at least, that was what his father had told him more than once after he'd industriously cleaned his room or made the bed, or helped pick up the dishes after dinner without asking. Making his way through the people and their wares, he noticed a very interesting splash of color amidst it all. Getting closer, he reached out to touch the purples and golds that seemed to just beckon his fingers. Were these clothes? They seemed almost too pretty to be put on people.

And when he felt that feather light touch on his tunic, Rico's caramel eyes turned to glance down at...a small child? A child with a patch over one eye, nonetheless. Oh the poor babe...where'd he come from, "Well, hello there, little one." A slight accent tinted his words, lilting them in a rather attractive tone. The 'r's rolled slightly off his tongue too, "Did you need something?" His overskirt jingled slightly, the bells on his wrists as well as the ones on his ankles clinking, making pretty sounds as he turned to face the Hraapea, "I'm Ricardo....Rico Flores. And you are?" Might as well be friendly to the little tyke. Didn't want to scare him.

Oh my. His good eye widened slightly, and the faintest of smiles crossed the child's lips. There was noise too! This man was quite the sensory experience! "I like your clothes." He complimented quietly, not shy, simply straight to the point as he regarded the man. At least he was fairly sure he was a man, but no man that he'd seen wore such a lovely outfit. He seemed a character spun right out of one of Eldrick's bedtime stories, and thus, Rico left Alasdair quite enchanted. "I'm Alasdair Lawrence." He greeted, the words quiet enough, but still definitely friendly...and in all politeness, he offered up a hand for the man to shake.

Oh, he was adorable! Taking that small hand in his own delicate one, he shook it, "Well, Alasdair Lawrence, thank you so much. They're actually the clothes I usually dance in. I just got out of the theatre not too long ago." His smile was honest, and bright, as he watched the boy. He was so sweet, truly, and such an adorable boy, "Would you like something to eat, Alasdair? I have a few extra coin to spare, and if you're on your own, I don't mind offering a bite or two." It was only polite to someone who'd offered him such a compliment.

"I would like to see you dance." He informed, only able to imagine what it must be like with all of those shiny bits jingling about and the colors whirling. This Rico really did seem like a fairy tale character, spun of magic and whimsy. Hmm. Was he hungry? Food sounded good, and Eldrick hadn't yet fed him dinner. "If it issun't too far." He informed, not seeming to deem it necessary to let the other know that his father was close by. Everyone would figure it out eventually, and as long as this fellow kept being this friendly everything would be all right. Besides, his smile was too nice for him to be one of the badduns.

He smiled, "Well, I'll have to show you then. I could even teach you if you like, dear one." Taking the hand he'd been shaking, he led the Hraapea down to a vendor he knew quite well, "Molley love!" A young woman peeked out, and grinned, "Well if it ain't th' diva 'imself. Gracin' us with th' presence o' your company? An' who's the tyke?" He grinned, "I met this little one on the way. His name's Alasdair Lawrence, and I'm buying him one of your good breads, on me." Looking down to the little one, he whispered, "Molley O'leary. She makes the best sweets in town." He grinned at her, "One for me too, love."

He nodded slowly, taking in the situation, before standing on his tiptoes in order to peer over the edge of the stand. Extending tiny fingers to the woman in turn, as he'd been told was polite, his upturned features graced Molley with a tiny smile. "Nice to meet you, ma'am." And he turned back then to eye Rico, fully ready to thank him for the treat as soon as he'd finished introducing himself to the lady. Also, he needed to inquire as to what a diva was...

Ricardo smiled, watching as the red-headded Molley took the kid's hand, "Molley O'Leary. Nice t' meet a tot wi'h some damn manners." She then reached out a pretty sweet bread, "There y'go kiddo. Fresh outta th' oven. Jus' fer you." She set a slightly larger one on the counter for Rico, one less elaborate, that looked like it had some sort of filling, and held out her hand. Laughing, the male reached into his change purse and handed her the necessary money, "So, Alasdair, take a bite. Tell me what you think."

Good eye shimmering at her, Alasdair took the bread carefully, marvelling silently at the warmth of it. Honestly, it looked almost too good to eat, but the mouth-watering scent that wafted up from the treat soon won him over. Nibbling vigorously, his features lit up and he nodded enthusiastically until he'd chewed and swallowed, as per Eldrick's tutelage. "Very good!" He declared, a touch mroe enthusiasm in his voice than before. "Thank you!" That directed at both of the providers present.

Rico smiled brightly, watching the kid's face lighting up. That was what made it worth it, seeing someone so delighted by such a small thing, "Glad you like, Alasdair. Molley's the best in town~" He took a bite of his own, watching the kid, "So did you come here alone, kiddo? Or are you here with someone?" He had to ask....kinda neccessary.

For a moment, he was still far too engrossed in enjoying his warm, and undoubtedly scrumptious treat, and then he realized that the other was asking about Eldrick. Oh. Right, the other would probably have missed him by now. Brows scrunching subtly, he nodded at the other, "M'here with my dad. He's not far." Pushing himself up on his tiptoes, already he was surveying the crowd around him. Hopefully he wouldn't find his parent due to irritated yelling on the historian's part. Alasdair had yet to make Eldrick truly angry, and he wasn't about to start today.

Ricardo looked shocked, blinking, "Your father?" Oh dear....the kid had wandered off from his dad? Hopefully the guy wouldn't get TOO mad that he was hanging out with Rico...Some people did have a problem. Though Rico was a regular dancer, he did take patrons (though they didn't last long between), and it was how he afforded his finer things. Most adults frowned on that, but the man really didn't see the point in settling down yet.

The tiny falcon child nodded at that. "Mmmhmm. You should meet him..." And with that, he grabbed Rico's hand and began to tug him back in the direction from whence they'd come. After all, if he'd liked the dancer, then surely Eldrick would too! And in his personal opinion, the man needed more friends that didn't have pages, even though the stories were terribly interesting....they didn't provide the kind of interaction that the poor man clearly needed. He wasn't antisocial, far from it, just a touch bookish, and the intuitive child had already figured many things out about his guardian...and had his own ideas as to how to augment them.

Rico was shocked as the boy grabbed his hand and dragged him out towards the crowd. It made him nervous, and since the young man, though social, was currently not so sure about this method of meeting a child's father. More than likely the man was married...and...what if his wife was with him? They usually were the ones who objected to a man like Ricardo around their children and husbands....

It wasn't difficult to spot Eldrick in a crowd. The man was tall....a good six feet or so, and Alasdair had more than once been happy for this..in that despite his small stature he usually found some place on which to perch that he could spot his guardian from a mile away. However, being so diminuitive as he was now, it was the historian's pants that the child spotted first, a pair of well-worn courderoys that well-suited the man. "There!" He trilled, still dragging his new friend in tow.

Eldrick whipped around when he heard his son's voice, and there was concern clear in silver eyes as they fixed first on Alasdair..."Alais...you worrie-" and then on his companion. Blinking, he waited for them to approach, the initial scolding that he'd originally had on the tip of his tongue for the falcon child quite forgotten by the colorful display that Rico presented. Oh goodness. Alasdair certainly knew how to pick his friends.

Smiling widely, the boy tugged the dancer forward, "Dad, this is Rico! He's nice, and the sweet-bread lady says he's a diva." Proclaiming this in all innocence, he let go of Rico's hand and went scampering to his father, who scooped him up in a pair of strong arms, where two gazes now regarded the brunette.

"Oh he is, is he?" There was something faintly bemused in the tutor's tone, and he was rather astonished for half a moment, that Alasdair had referred to this lithe figure as male, but after doing a bit of a double take, well, it was believable. What a very strange and flashy individual.

His pale golden face was slightly reddened at the cheeks, especially when Alasdair, dear child, introduced him to his father as a diva. This caused a round of coughing and sputtering, his fingers pressed against his lips. "A-ah...My name is Ricardo Cristian Flores. I'm a dancer at the Theatre. It's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed at the waist, his skirt, and bracelets jingling pleasantly, "You're son is a delight, I must say." Those 'r's rolled a bit more, his accent heavier. Dammit...this man was damn well attractive.

"Ricardo...the pleasure is returned." Well obviously the other had been kind to his son, and Alasdair was a strange, precocious sort of child...one simply had to be nice or possess some ulterior motive to brand him a delight, and Eldrick was inclined to believe the former. "I'm Eldrick Lawrence." offering one dark-skinned hand to the other, he smiled, demeanor friendly towards this new acquaintence. "I'm a historian by trade, but I've taken up tutoring to pay the rent. And of course, you've already met Alasdair."

The boy made a low sound, he too amused by their interaction, and rested his head against his father's shoulder, blinking good eye at Rico, fixated on the conversation now. He ever so much preferred to watch, words an almost optional course of action to the youngling.

He gave Eldrick (such a nice name...) one of his charming smiles, golden eyes studying the other's own. Long fingers wrapped elegantly around the larger man's as he shook his hand, entranced.God....His voice too...Sexy, and smart. Thank the gods he'd never say anything like what he was thinking aloud....he might get slapped. "That's really fascinating. I myself simply dance. It makes more than enough to pay for my home." His smile was bright, sweet, honest, and open, as he fought his urge to charm this man closer to him.../Dammit, Rico....he's probably taken./

"Ah, I see...I 'aven't held a conversation with a professional dancer before. M'sure it must be interesting, being a performer. My mother would have had my hide had I taken up such an interest." Not that he didn't think that such was fascinating. And the male before him was undeniably beautiful. Very pretty for his gender, and that was something that Eldrick liked. But he would not be so forward as to flirt with a stranger he knew next to nothing about. Not just yet anyway, and certainly not with Alasdair perched in the crook of his arm. Ah, and the little fellow seemed to be getting a tad drowsy, perhaps too much running about for one day. "Though ah, it does seem that Alasdair has taken to ya, would you perhaps like to come over in a couple of days for dinner? That is, if y'don't have any prior engagements." Oh his mother would have had a conniption if she knew that he was inviting a dancer over to his house...someone dressed like that she would have announced, was certainly up to no good.

Grinning softly, his face flushed slightly, and he spoke slowly, "Oh dear....I would love to." His voice was a low coo, and he tried not to flirt, although it was terribly hard. The young Dancer smiled at Alasdair, and he said, "And I must offer to have the two of you come watch me dance. Your little one expressed interest." He smiled at him, gently reaching out to touch a small hand, before drawing his touch back.

"A'right then, a deal it is." Eldrick replied with a grin, noting the way that the dancer's cheeks bore that hint of red. Goodness, his mother really would have a fit over such a man...and he could almost here her ranting in his head about it as he let his thoughts traverse down that pathway. "We're over in the tan townhouse on the corner of Traverse and Main. Tuesday sound a'right? I'd chatter with y'longer, but I'm afraid the likkle fellow won't last much longer... When ya come we can discuss seein' y'dance, mmm?"

There was a soft exhale then, from the aforementioned 'likkle fellow', and he waved a hand at Rico. "M'fine..." A protest that didn't really bear any weight to it.

He nodded, "I'd like that. I will see you when Tuesday comes! I'd be delighted to bring something, if you like. I have many foods I can create." Looking to Alasdair, he gently ruffled the little one's hair, "Get him to bed, and let him sleep. I will see you when time comes for us to meet again....Eldrick,"