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 Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:20 am
Julien was pacing, looking down at the carpet as he went over everything in his mind. The cupcakes were made, and though the mix had been from a box instead of from scratch, they tasted pretty good. He'd frosted them, of course, and had sworn to Mireille that any cupcake fights would only happen outside. The pickles had turned out just right, a soft sweetness tempering the vinegar taste into something smooth and cool. Chilled as the pickles were, they had an almost refreshing feel.
On top of all that, Julien had tugged out a few craft books, spreading them over his room with paper and markers, promising Mireille that he and Toulouse could go create stuff until it was time for snacks. And at her insistence, he'd pulled out a full set of extra clothing as a 'just in case' for each of them. But neither of those thoughts really remained foremost in his mind. The art supplies were merely an excuse so that he could get Toulouse somewhere relatively private. He just wasn't quite ready to talk to Mireille about his suspicions... not when he didn't know for sure. This was just... too big for him. He needed someone who'd understand.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 12:53 am
Toulouse stood in front of the steamy bathroom mirror, gazing intently at himself. He could still see the scratch marks down his arms. They weren’t red and angry anymore and had just faded out to a dull pinkish white. The skin around the half healed wounds had become slightly puckered. He sighed. It looked like it would be long sleeves again. Damn it. He couldn’t stand the look of the things and he didn’t want anyone else to see them either, least of all Julien. Especially Julien. Toulouse didn’t want to frighten the child with his horror stories.
“Toulouse you lazy goose, hurry up.” Felicity called from upstairs in the kitchen. “You don’t want to be late do you?”
“I’m being fashionable.” Was all Toulouse said as he hurriedly pulled on and buttoned up his long sleeved, white collared shirt. It was nice enough and felt soft against his bare skin. He liked it. He ran a fine combed brush one last time through his blond hair with something akin to quiet excitement. He was going to see Julien today. Just the thought of it made Toulouse smile.
Ten minutes later, Felicity and Toulouse were out the door and headed on the city bus to Mir and Julien’s house.
“I really should think about borrowing my brother’s old car.” Felicity commented just as they finally made their way up to Mir’s front steps. “I think it may cause you a lot less grief.”
“I doubt it. Even without the people, I don’t like being around a lot of metal you know. I think I told you that many times before.” Toulouse ignored Felicity’s furious replies and rapped smartly on the front door a few times.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:08 am
"I've got it," Julien called out as he moved to answer the door, summoning a light smile to his face just before he pulled it open. Spying Toulouse and Felicity on the other side, the smile warmed, and he stepped back to let them in. "Hi," he offered. "Mireille is..."
"Right here, Jules," Mireille chuckled, stepping in from the hallway and smiling at the two. "I'm glad you could both make it. Julien's been putting all sorts of things together for the two of them to do, and I thought you and I could have a coffee and chat?" she suggested to Felicity, grinning. "Jules promised to keep all food fights outside," she added with an impish twinkle in her eyes.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:18 am
“Hello Julien. Hello Mir.” Toulouse said a bit formerly until a smiled brightened his face. “Thank you for having us over and I’m ready for whatever food you have in your arsenal to throw Jules.” He winked happily at Julien and stepped into the house followed by Felicity.
“Coffee sounds delicious! What a blessing too since I seemed to have run out of it this very morning. And, I totally condone all food fighting. I like seeing Toulouse get messy.” Felicity bobbed a happy smile, excited to be over at Mir’s house. She had never been before and she loved seeing other people’s homes.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:22 am
"Food comes later," Julien said firmly, reaching out to catch Toulouse's hand. "We made pickles from scratch. I think you'll like them. They're sweeter than the pickles from the park. And I made cupcakes, too, but you have to share them," he added, drawing Toulouse gently toward the stairs to his room. "Let's do some stuff, first, though, okay?" he entreated.
Mireille watched Julien take charge and chuckled softly. "They should be just fine up there," she noted, leading Felicity around the corner and into the living room on the way to the kitchen. "Jules was very anxious to have Toulouse visit," she added. "I'm glad we were able to coordinate this."
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:31 am
“Share? What is this share you speak of? There is no such thing when it comes to chocolate.” Toulouse smiled amiably, letting Julien tug him towards the stairs. “What’s the rush? Shouldn’t you show me around first or something? I feel strange just trouncing through your home like this.”
Felicity gazed a fleeting glance towards Julien and Toulouse as she followed Mir. “Yes me too. I think Toulouse missed Julien also. He does like him so much. It frankly surprised me. He’s never taken to someone so quickly.” Felicity laughed. “You have a beautiful home by the way. “She admired, “Did you decorate yourself?”
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:45 am
Julien waited until they were mostly up the stairs, then looked back at Toulouse, his smile faded into a far more serious look. "I'll show you around," he promised quietly. "But... I'd really like to talk first? Something's happening, and... I'm not really sure what to do," he said, opening the door to his room and stepping back to let Toulouse go in first. "You remember more of the past than I do. You might know what I'm supposed to do, and how to do it." He kept his voice soft, loud enough for Toulouse to hear, but not really chancing Mireille or Felicity overhearing. It wasn't that he didn't trust either of them... but he'd seen the way Mireille's sleep wasn't always quiet, and the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes from stress. He didn't want to add more to that unless he had no other choice.
"Thank you," Mireille smiled. "I did some of it, yes, but the previous owners did a lot, too. How do you take your coffee? Cream or sugar?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 2:04 am
“Don’t look so serious. You’re face might freeze that way, then we’d have a real problem.” Toulouse replied jokingly, trying to quell the tumbling in his stomach and the suddenly somber atmosphere.
Toulouse stepped into Julien’s waiting room. He hoped it was nothing too serious. Children shouldn’t have to worry. It wasn’t fair. Toulouse vowed he would do anything in his power to keep Julien from worrying. “I’ll help you as best I can, but I really don’t see what I could possibly do for you. I remember the past but only bits an pieces. It’s like a book with the pages missing.” Toulouse placed his hands on his hips, inspecting Julien’s room. It was open and bright, just like it’s occupant. Except, at the moment, said occupant was looking worried and a little round eyed in apprehension. “What is it that you need to talk about?”
“I’ll take it black please. It’s a little too early in the day for sweet things. At least for me.” Felicity smiled. “That’s so lucky. About your house I mean. It was the same for me. My father had it completely furnished before I moved in.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:34 am
Julien sat down on his bed, the bedclothes properly made and quilt drawn up to offer a soft invitation, large enough for both boys to fit easily. He gestured for Toulouse to follow him. "I think... I can do magic," he murmured, not quite looking at the golden boy as he spoke. "When we were at the park... you hurt your arm, didn't you? But it got better really fast?" He stopped there, not wanting to try to explain about Mireille just yet.
"Black it is," Mireille nodded, taking a mug with the picture of a blue-eyed, siamese kitten on it and pouring the bitter liquid into it. She handed the mug over, and then, in a mug covered with hearts, she poured in more coffee before adding sugar and cream in liberal quantities. "I haven't lived here all that long, really," she said, her voice thoughtful. "But I like it a lot. Of course, having Jules join my life was a blessing."
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:49 pm
Toulouse gazed steadily at Julien for a long moment. “You mean,” He said carefully piecing together the information. “That you can heal? Is that what you’re saying?”
Toulouse hopped nimbly up on the bed next to Julien, thinking. It wasn’t strange for a Fey child to exhibit some sort of random magical ability, but to have an actual hand of power manifest itself before puberty? It was rare, but not unheard of. He had to find out more before he could make any kind of accurate assumption. “What else have you done beside heal me Jules?” Toulouse asked seriously.
“Thanks.” Felicity grasped the warm mug and took a sip of the delicious coffee. It hadn’t even been one morning without it and the redhead had already missed the taste of it. She had to admit secretly to herself that she was a hopeless java freak. “I’m glad you like it round these parts. People are pretty friendly. I grew up here, so everyone knows me. Julien is a little ball of sunshine, isn’t he? It makes me smile just to look at him.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:07 pm
Julien relaxed a little as Toulouse took him seriously, nodding solemnly to the boy. "Mireille cut her finger a few days ago," he said, holding his own hand out to Toulouse as he reached for a pen on his bedside table. Carefully, he used the liquid ink to draw an upside-down U over the pad of his pinkie. "Like that... just sliced it almost off. It was really bleeding when she did it, but by the time it was bandaged up, it was hardly bleeding at all." He paused, sticking his finger in his mouth to wet it before rubbing it hard against his other palm, trying to erase the line before Mireille could see it. "I felt so tired afterward... it was worse than when I run and play all day, and I couldn't get enough to eat at all!"
Mireille set her mug down on the table near Felicity, then moved to get a small plate of cheese and crackers she'd made for the two of them to snack on, setting it between them before sitting down. "I'm not very good with people, really," she admitted, then smiled. "But somehow, the ones Jules guides me to and I seem to get along just fine."
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:27 pm
“I see.” Toulouse commented, rubbing his smooth chin. That couldn’t be all of it. Magic didn’t just suddenly happen. You had to think of it, even if it was in a very abstract way. What had his sister said to him about? He couldn’t remember. She was able to heal…so what had she said?
Toulouse pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. “What were you thinking of when you did this? The tiredness is logical. You expended to much energy so you started using up your life force…but the whole healing part doesn’t make any sense at all. I was never a healer, but I can only assume it works the same way as other forms of magic. Did you think anything specific like “make Mir better” or “stop the bleeding?” Toulouse tried to remember back to his training days when he was a boy. It seemed like a million lifetimes ago. The further back in his mind he went, the fuzzier and more frustrating it got. He only remembered everything about his own magic, but healing…that was something entirely different.
“That’s wonderful.” Felicity agreed. “Maybe he’s like a little matchmaker of friends in disguise? That would be neato.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:33 pm
Julien blinked, chewing his lower lip as he frowned in concentration, trying to remember. What had he been thinking that day? "...I wanted to stop the bleeding," he finally agreed slowly. "That's why I was helping with the bandage. To stop the bleeding and keep her safe. But I was focused on the bandage... wasn't I?" he asked slowly, looking over at Toulouse curiously.
"Maybe he is," Mireille agreed, chuckling and nibbling at a piece of cheese. "I'm just glad he seems to get along with everyone so well. He was so insistent on seeing Toulouse again," she grinned, eyes bright. "He wouldn't take no for an answer."
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:45 pm
“Eh…Eh?” Toulouse flopped down backwards on the bed, flinging an arm over his eyes. “That’s what did it I guess. The bandage, since that‘s where your focus was.” He said simply his voice going a little distant. “Don’t do it again okay? Or, just try something smaller next time. I’d be upset if you made yourself sick because of it. I’m glad Mir’s wound wasn’t any bigger though because from the sound of it, any bigger and you’d have probably passed out. Probably. I don’t know though. My magic lies in glamour and curses. I really know very little about the aesthetics of healing someone. I wonder if it’s the same as cursing?”
“I’m glad Toulouse agreed to come so easily. Usually he puts up a fight to go out anywhere. I think he just likes Julien loads, which is definitely a step in the right direction for Toulouse’s people skills.” Felicity laughed, sipping at her coffee some more.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:02 pm
"I didn't mean to try anything," Julien protested, laying down beside Toulouse and staring at the ceiling. "It just... happened. But shouldn't it have also worked for me? I mean, that day in the park, your arm got scuffed up, and my side hurt for days after! Shouldn't I have focused on my side at some point in all this?" He looked to the side, watching what he could see of Toulouse's face.
"I think it's a mutual like," Mireille nodded, chuckling back. "Almost best friends, in a way."
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