(no subject)

[street_sparrow]

The boy is in the bar again - or quite possibly still, unless he went home to stash his bag of leftovers. He's been taking the chance to eat well for the first time in a long, long time, and he might be doing so again now.

Alternatively, he might be clearing tables or some other minor chore, having decided it's the best way to repay Milliways for its generosity for now. He's doing a better job of it than his mother, too.

[ooc: because I've been asked, this is not a permanent reboot and your regular Gavroche service will resume shortly. Just felt like a change for a few days. Existing friends of Gavroche especially welcome to meet little JP here, but open to all.]

Comments

[capture_eternity]

There's a young man at one table that offers the child some pennies for taking away his empty teacup. "Thank you," he says, with a nice smile.

Dorian is never rude to the help or the boot-black; that would be so uncouth.

[street_sparrow]

He smiles back and accepts them. "Thank you, sir."

[capture_eternity]

"I thought nobody actually worked here, unless the bar goes to sleep," the young man says. "So I'm happy to see one of the hidden helping hands. Magic apparently isn't everything!"

[street_sparrow]

"I'm not official. Only been here for a few days, too - but I've only seen rats doing the clearing up."

[capture_eternity]

"Rats?" the young man says. "That's not a nice term for the help!"

[street_sparrow]

"I mean actual rats. Look." He glances around and points to the nearest one.

[capture_eternity]

"Ugh," the young man says, looking at the rats with distrust. "Don't you have rat-dogs?"

Beat.

"You mean they are the cleaning staff here??"

[street_sparrow]

"And the serving staff, 'cept sometimes there's a bartender. I've been watching."

[capture_eternity]

"Hello? Rats?" says the young man, clicking his fingers.

And yes, a rat comes running and stands to attention.

"Can you get me another cup of tea, and a mug of hot cocoa for my young friend here?" he asks the animal.

The rat nods, and scurries away.

"Extraordinary!"

[street_sparrow]

"Very kind of you", he says cheerfully. "I'm Jean-Philippe."

[capture_eternity]

"Hop on a chair, Jean-Philippe, and have that cocoa with me," the young man says. "I'm Dorian."

[street_sparrow]

He scrambles up on a chair, legs barely reaching halfway to the floor. "Nice to meet you, Dorian."

[capture_eternity]

The rat already returns with their drinks.

"Thank you," Dorian says, taking them from the animal's tray and setting them on the table.

"Where and when are you from?" he asks the little boy as the rat scurries away.

[myshootingstar]

Minx can't help but smile at the little blonde dandelion clearing tables, watching him as she sketches a little caricature of him in her notebook.

[street_sparrow]

She gets an impish grin back when he notices her.

[myshootingstar]

She grins and holds the sketch up for him to see.

[street_sparrow]

That gets his attention and he scampers over. "You did that quick."

[myshootingstar]

"It's pretty rough. I'm not a very good artist." She tears the page out and offers it to him.

[street_sparrow]

"Better'n I'd do." At least now. He takes it carefully.

[myshootingstar]

"I'm sure you have other talents. Talents I don't have." She smiles and ruffles his hair.

[street_sparrow]

He pulls away automatically as she touches him.

"Probably."

[myshootingstar]

Minx pulls her hand away. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..." She shakes her head and starts again. "I'm Minx. What's your name?"

[street_sparrow]

"Jean-Philippe", he tells her, already forgiving and forgetting.

[myshootingstar]

"A pleasure to meet you, Jean-Philippe. You're doing a very good job with the tables."

[street_sparrow]

"You too." He shrugs. "It's not so difficult."