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 Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:47 pm
Mireille pulled into the parking lot near the park, twisting to glance back at where Julien sat. "Ready for some fun?" she asked brightly, grinning and reaching for the canvas bag full of supplies on the front seat. Julien grinned back at her, slipping from the car. He reached up, adjusting the baseball cap he wore yet again, and feeling it pin his ears to his skull. That'd work...
As he moved for the sidewalk, Mir got out of the car herself, moving around to get the hamper of food she'd brought from the trunk. Sunscreen, her own hat, a blanket to sit on, a filmy, oversized shirt that would act as a sun cover, food... she was loaded for bear. "Lead the way, Jules," she directed, shifting the canvas bag on her shoulder a bit and locking her purse in the trunk, with only her keys and a few paper bills on her.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:36 pm
“I don’t like the park.” Toulouse said for about the millionth time. Felicity just rolled her eyes and gripped her back pack tighter in her hand. If Toulouse said anything concerning the park again then Felicity wasn’t sure what kind of bodily harm would befall the kid. She had a feeling that he liked the park just fine and was just trying to make things difficult as usual.
“Well I do.” Felicity retorted. “Besides, you’re a bit pasty and look like you need a bit of sun. I’m not going to be arrested by child services just because you’re you look like you’ve been living in a box for most of your known life.”
“This is my natural skin tone. Me being in the sunshine won’t change that. I burn to much besides.”
“Whatever. Just stop being such a baby and come on.” Felicity headed across the street from the empty bus stop towards the park entrance. She didn’t look back, knowing Toulouse would follow obediently behind her.
When she heard his light footsteps beside her own, she added, “I’ll make sure to set everything up under a nice shady tree okay?” Toulouse didn’t respond to Felicity, who merely shrugged, already having grown used to the silences that seemed to occupy every conversation that Toulouse took part in.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:42 pm
Glancing around him, Julien's eyes fell on Toulouse and Felicity, and he grinned, waving one hand to them even as he noted them to Mir. "Look. Friends are here," he said, waiting long enough for Mireille to recognize them before darting off. He drew to a stop just in front of Felicity, off to the side a bit so she wouldn't think he was trying to slam into her or anything. "Hi," he offered, as Mir lengthened her own steps to catch up.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:00 pm
“Hello Julien.” Felicity replied enthusiastically as she watched the young boy bound up. What a coincidence that she should run into Mir and Julien on such a nice day. Great minds think alike she supposed. “How are you today?” Felicity turned to Toulouse. “Aren’t you going to say hello to your friend?”
“Bonjour Julien.” Was a Toulouse said while knuckling the rest of the sleep from his eyes. It’s not like it was that early in the morning Felicity thought. She made a mental note of it to make Toulouse go to be earlier, child or no.
“Hey Mir.” Felicity called over the boy's heads.
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:06 pm
"Hi there," Mir called as she approached finally, waving at the two. Julien glanced back at her, then looked at Felicity and Toulouse.
"We're going to have a picnic today. Are you?" he asked, moving to stand beside Toulouse
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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:42 pm
“I’m so glad to see a friendly face.” Felicity exclaimed. “I don’t know too many people around here besides you.” She laughed a little awkwardly, fidgeting with her ponytail. She liked Mir and hoped that they could become good friends.
Toulouse looked at Jules who had come to stand by him.
“Non. But, I’m not sure what we’re doing though. Felicity just woke me up and made me ride the loud, stinky creature called The City Bus. I didn’t like it.” Toulouse said replied not to sound like a petulant child in front of Jules. He was just soo tired. He blamed Felicity for making him get up so early. It was her fault he was sleepy.
“I like your hat by the way.” Toulouse said after a moment, giving the brim of Jules’ hat a good natured tweak. “Is it new?”
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:15 am
Mireille blushed a little, nodding. "We're in the same boat, I think. Since I moved here, I haven't exactly made many friends," she admitted to Felicity, shifting the bag again and nodding to the park itself. "Shall we head in?"
Julien blinked a couple of times at Toulouse's complaint and the followed compliment, then lifted a hand to tug on the brim of his cap a bit. "Yeah. Mireille said it would be better for me to keep my head covered in the sun, since I'm so pale," he said, then looked back at Mireille. "Can we give them a ride home when we're done, so he doesn't have to ride the bus again?" he asked, deciding that the best way to help would be to forestall the problem.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:22 pm
“Story of my life right?” Felicity replied laughing as she began walking to the park entrance. “I’ve lived around here for awhile. I’m always just putting of the neighborhood socials yah know? Oh,” Felicity added, “Don’t listen to Toulouse, Julien, he’s just whining. I don’t want to put you guys out making you drive all the way to the boonies just cause the little prince was a bit uncomfortable.”
“Well if that isn‘t an understated comment!” Toulouse exclaimed shaking his blond head. “How was I supposed to know that oh look at that cute boy was code for I‘m-gonna-pinch-your-cheeks-off?”
“Maybe that’ll teach you to stop being so cute then. That old grandma was just being nice anyhow.” Felicity replied coolly trying not to laugh.
“Oui, if nice just happens to mean killer shark. I bet stuff like that doesn’t happen to Jules cause Mademoiselle Mir keeps an eye out for situations like that. Am I right Sir Jules?” Toulouse asked patting Julien on the back, having fun adding honorific titles to people’s names.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:23 am
'Sir'? Mireille mouthed silently at Felicity, not sure whether to take that bit seriously or not. If Julien had been a knight or whatever in his past life... Well, Mireille really didn't know what it would mean in terms of how to handle him, but so far they hadn't had any issues.
Julien, on the other hand, was considering Toulouse with all sincerity. "No one's pinched my cheeks yet, but Mireille doesn't like large crowds like busses. She says just enough people know her to make them bad."
At his words, Mireille blushed darkly, looking quickly away. "I see a nice shade tree over there," she said, words just a little fast as she tried to push down the sudden feeling of horrible embarrassment at Julien's parroting words. "Let's all go sit down."
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:42 am
“Don’t listen to him.” Felicity whispered to Mir when she saw her expression. “Toulouse gets a little fruity in the morning if he hasn‘t have enough sleep. He evens out about noon. Why, just yesterday morning he asked me if Lady Catherine de Bourgh would have us over at Rosings Park for tea.” Felicity gave a little laugh remembering how shocked she had been when Toulouse had popped that little question. She hadn’t read Pride and Prejudice in ages. “I think he keeps sneaking into the downstairs library and reading all night. I haven’t caught him at it though. Maybe a camera or something might work.” Felicity mused thoughtfully touching a finger to her chin.
“Mon Dieu, shade!” Toulouse cried in exultation at the tree. Felicity wondered why Toulous’ eyes weren’t twirling in fatigue. She didn't think Toulouse had gotten any sleep for the last week, what with his nightmare and all. Ugh, fairies. Felicity would never figure them out, child or no.
“I’ll race you to the tree Julien! Un-deux-trois-vont!” Toulouse took off towards the tree that Mir had pointed out.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:53 am
Julien took off after Toulouse without a second thought, though he didn't seem particularly inclined to push past the other boy. When they reached the tree, Julien coming in second, he flopped down on the ground, grinning widely. "What do you do when Felicity's busy?" he asked Toulouse, panting just a little.
Mireille just chuckled, relaxed out of her selfconsciousness by the way the boys were reacting. "Maybe you should try giving him full access to it when he's awake?" she suggested. "If he doesn't have to sneak, he might be willing to sleep at night rather than sneak and read."
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:41 pm
Toulouse promptly rolled onto the grass next to the smiling Jules, out of breath. “Eh? Oh, this and that. I usually sneak into the library in the basement and read Felicity’s things. You know,” Toulouse said thoughtfully. “I don’t think she’s ever told me not to go downstairs -not like that would stop me- but, I think it irritates her just the same because I do it covertly. I wonder why. Do you like to read Jules?
“I never told him not to go in it.” Felicity replied. “He can get into anything he wants since I usually work during the day. I just think that Toulouse not being able to sleep is the problem. He keeps having this weird dream. Anyways,” Felicity stuttered abruptly while waving her hand as if to dispel bad air. “How have things been going for you and Julien? I have to know where you buy his clothes. They are so adorable!
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:33 pm
"I do," Julien agreed, nodding. "But I'd rather do things with my hands. Mireille's going to get me some books on how to cook. She thinks I'll like it... especially making things like sweets," he said, reaching to pluck a blade of grass and peel it until the softest, palest green of the stem was showing. "I figure if I can learn how, I can make really good things to eat for all my friends."
Mireille nodded thoughtfully, her own mind more on the bad dream than the thought of shopping for clothes. "Actually, I just went to the mall. There are a few children's stores in there, and I didn't really know where else to go. Where do you shop for Toulouse?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:10 pm
“Oooh!” Toulouse cooed. “That sounds positively scrumptious! I know you’ll like it, for sure. I used to do…well, I like cake at any rate. You must invite me over when you become a magnifique chef de pâtisserie.” Toulouse laughed while watching Jules shred a piece of grass. “Hey, do you know how to play the grass whistle?” Toulouse asked picking up his own blade of grass and waving it about.
“Ha, I’m such a loser. I didn’t even have to buy Toulouse any clothing. Cheers to the lazy man’s out I guess. The stuff I gave to Toulouse belongs to my little brother.” Felicity replied in response to Mir. “I don’t think Toulouse would let me take him shopping anyways. He’s a bit of a homebody.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:33 am
Julien laughed at Toulouse's enthusiasm, his eyes brightening. "I'm not going to become a full chef," he assured Toulouse. "I mean, I don't think that's what I'm truly meant to be. But it's something that I like, so I want to learn how to do it." He shifted around to sit just beside Toulouse, peering at the blade of grass in Toulouse's fingers. "Can you show me how?"
Mireille watched the boys for a moment, then looked back at Felicity with a smile. "I don't have any family to grab hand-me-downs from," she said, keeping her voice light and casual. She wouldn't think about the first words... "So I didn't really have a choice. I mean, he couldn't go around wearing only my sleepshirt the whole time."
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