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 Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:43 am
Julien stretched a bit as he stepped out of the car, looking around for a moment and breathing in the warm air. Here they were, on the very first day of that new pottery class, and Toulouse had promised to join in. He turned, waving to Mireille, who smiled back at him. "I'll come by to pick you up in an hour, when the class is over, okay Jules?" she asked, and he nodded, moving to the open driver's side window and leaning in to peck her cheek. It always made her smile that he was so affectionate, and he really liked seeing her smile.
Heading to the door, Julien peeked inside the room, but there was no Toulouse inside. He turned around, watching Mireille's car pull out of the parking lot, then leaned against the wall just outside the building, waiting for Toulouse. Somehow, he had a sneaking suspicion that the boy might relax a bit more if he had Julien right at his side from the beginning.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:57 pm
“I’m not a child. You don’t have to hold my hand.” Toulouse said for about the millionth time. Felicity had been hovering about ever since they had left the house. “It’s only four blocks away. It’s not too far a walk.”
“It is for someone who is only four feet tall.” Felicity replied with a shake of her head. She was nervous about letting Toulouse go by himself. Goodness knows what he did when she was gone from the house, but at least he was in the house, not in the middle of a rather large town. Felicity was just hesitant to let Toulouse go. She was happy at least that he let her ride the bus with him. He had wanted to go alone at the beginning. “I’m just sorry that the bus stop isn’t any closer.”
“It’s fine, really.” Toulouse waved his hand in irritation, wanting to get on his way. He was vaguely disgusted over the fact that Felicity still felt the need to treat him like a child, even though he wasn’t.
“You sure you don’t want me to walk you?”
“No. You have shopping to do, remember? Goodbye now.” Toulouse said a little forcefully, setting off down the street without another word.
“I’ll meet you here in an hour!” Felicity called out to him, knowing full well that it wouldn’t do any good. Toulouse would come back when he was ready. Oh, well. She did have a bit of shopping that she needed to get done.
Toulouse walked down the street towards the pottery class, hoping that Julien wasn’t there yet, and if he was, that he hadn’t been waiting to long. It was a rather warm day out and Toulouse began to feel a little heated around the collar. He sighed. At least Felicity and finally stopped her hovering. Still, though he hated to admit it, he was a little nervous about being around so many people. As long as they didn’t speak to him, he’d be fine.
After what seemed like a lifetime, Toulouse spotted the pale form of Julien down the street, standing in front of the pottery shop. “Hey! Julien!” He called through cupped hands.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:45 pm
The lanky teen turned, grinning widely when he saw Toulouse and moving to meet the golden boy partway. "Hey there," he said, nodding to the shop. "You ready to beard the lion?" For himself, he was very ready to go in and get started, but he remembered how nervous Toulouse had seemed about things, and his first priority was making his friend feel better about things.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:21 pm
Toulouse, who was running, slammed to a halt in front of an unfamiliar person. “Who are you?” He demanded imperiously, making a face. “I would say that you are Julien, because that’s who I want to see, but Julien is my size!” The guy in front of Toulouse smelled like Julien and looked vaguely like him in a tall, lanky sort of way. Toulouse didn’t like it, not one bit. Why wasn’t he tall himself? What was going how? How did a person just spring nearly two feet in a week?
This new Julien, for that’s who it had to be, made Toulouse nervous and he didn’t trust this new change. It wasn’t bad or good, it was just different. Difference was what cost him so much. Toulouse scowled harder then ever, looking at New Julien from beneath his brows.
[I was wondering if Julien was going to be tall or not. Thanks for the prompt!]
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:29 pm
Julien looked down at Toulouse, noting the scowl and sighing quietly as he prepared to explain. He didn't look particularly upset at the scowl, though there was a hint of his 'you need to be kinder' face that Toulouse sometimes saw. "Toulouse," he said, moving to the sidewalk and sitting down so that he was closer to Toulouse's size. "You know it's me, so why are you glaring so hard? I thought we were ...friends?" He stumbled just a touch over the last word, the mistake barely heard.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:40 pm
Toulouse growled, then growled again, pacing slightly from side to side. “I don’t know.” He said at last, raking a hand through his hair while noting Julien’s soft features. Toulouse was irritated and a bit upset that Julien had grown taller while he had stayed the same. Why should it be any different now? People always seemed to pass him by while he stayed exactly the same. It had been like that since always. “I don’t know.” Toulouse repeated, his anger crumbling around the edges a bit.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:45 pm
Julien watched him steadily, arms draped over his knees as he waited for Toulouse to calm. At the second 'I don't know', however, he couldn't quite resist responding. "Yes you do," he said gently, setting his chin on his arms. "Your heart knows who I am, even if I look different. Trust in that." There was sympathy in his eyes, and no real anger.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:56 pm
Toulouse sighed. When he was right, he was right. It didn’t matter anyway. “Sure, whatever.” He jammed his hands into his pockets. “Sorry Julien.” Toulouse tried to smile a bit and seemed to fail. “You know how it is.” Toulouse didn’t think he did but, again, whatever. There was just too much history to it, to much pain.
“Are you ready to go make some abysmal failures of terracotta with me?” He said after an awkward moment, feeling bad for being rude to Julien. It had just taken him by surprise and he never could stomach surprises.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:01 pm
Julien hesitated, then smiled quietly, reaching out to rest a hand on his arm. "I don't know how it is," he countered gently. "But... maybe sometime you can tell me?" In truth, Julien wanted to hug Toulouse, to push away the dark cloud over the boy's head, but he somehow suspected it wouldn't be taken well. So he held back, allowing himself only to squeeze Toulouse's arm instead.
"I think you're better than you know," he said, standing up and dusting off the seat of his pants before holding out a hand to Toulouse. "But either way, I told you I'd help keep you safe, right?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:13 pm
“Haha. Yeah I remember. But from what?” Toulouse laughed again and it was somewhat sad. “I am seriously boiling out here. Can we please go inside now?” Toulouse grabbed Julien’s hand trying to pull the other boy to his feet. He was tired of talking and wanted to sit down. “Come on!” Toulouse reached with his other hand towards the door of the shop.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:15 pm
Julien raised an eyebrow, padding after Toulouse as he watched the boy. Once they hit the air conditioning, Julien let the door swing shut and tugged Toulouse back a bit. "How long are you going to punish me for something I can't control?" he asked pointedly, though the gentle smile on his face remained.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:26 pm
Toulouse snorted. “I’m not. I never would. Trust me, you would know if I was trying to punish you. I’m not good with things like this.” He admitted removing his hand from Julien‘s to brush it through his hair. “I’m flustered for lack of a better word. Just let me settle a bit. It’s nothing you’ve done. As they cliché term goes, ‘it’s me not you.’”
Toulouse walked further into the shop. There were tables littered everywhere, each with two pottery wheels at either end. The shop keeper was nowhere in sight. “Sorry.” Toulouse said again more sincerely, turning around to face Julien. “If I told you my personality is fettered in some circumstances, would you believe me?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:40 pm
"Oh yeah," Julien nodded, moving to sit down on a nearby stool, searching Toulouse's face. "But I like you regardless, you know. You're my friend, and that's not going to change. I'm far too stubborn to let go of something so important, after all." Cocking his head to one side and offering a half-grin, he added cheekily, "And nothing you can say can change my mind."
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:58 pm
“Oh, you old flatterer. You’re making me blush.” Toulouse lowered his eyes, batting his eyelashes coquettishly. He laughed, meaning it this time. “I like you too and I haven’t liked anyone in a long time. You amuse me and precious little does. I’m glad that you’re my friend, truly I am. I wouldn't want to change you mind” Toulouse sighed, barely believing how quickly Jules could disperse his dark mood and make his heart light.
Toulouse looked around has he took a seat next to Julien. “So where is the lady of here? The shop is open right?”
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:11 am
Julien snorted at Toulouse's teasing, but he also relaxed, his smile changing to something fully open and cheerful. An impish gleam lit his eyes, and as Toulouse sat down next to him, looking around, Julien seized the opportunity to reach out, ruffling the blond hair just a moment while Toulouse's head was turned.
"She's probably handling supplies in the back," he noted, looking around. "This won't be as simple as her setting a chunk of clay down in front of us and telling us have-at. Real pottery often uses water to help the clay stay moist enough, and a wheel for us to use to help shape it. And we'll hopefully have smocks to help keep the clay off of us," he added. "And then there are the knives and other shaping tools... You ready to get your hands dirty, Toulouse?"
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