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[road_to_calvary]

 

September...


October...

In one part of the bar, Valjean is sitting by the fire. He has tea, and a book about the cathedrals of Spain. But it is not open; instead he is sitting with his chin on his palm, staring into space and clearly deep in thought.

In his usual secluded booth, Javert also has a book. It is about railways. In contrast to Valjean, he appears to be trying to read it, but is distracted by the itch of a burn on the back of his hand, and also by the effort of not looking towards the fire. He has things to speak with Valjean about, but there are any number of obstacles between this point and that, and he cannot bring himself to make the effort. C'est la vie.


[tiny!tag: Quentin (October Daye]

[OOC: Dialogue at the start of first OOM taken directly from canon. Pick a Frenchman! Or both separately, completely up to you. Post open until about midnight Thursday GMT, and I'm here until about 2am tonight, and all day tomorrow. \o/

ETA: Exhaustion has hit, and I'm done for the night. Catch y'all tomorrow, and thanks for tagging! <3]

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"Greetings, -- Monsieur Fauchelevent," Teja says, for that must be the name he addresses Valjean with in other people's earshot, is it not?

He is here to see if Valjean has anything to say about his message. Teja will admit that he may have been mistaken in person, even.

[road_to_calvary]

'Teja. Good evening.'

He rouses himself with a small smile, and gestures to a note placed slightly under his book on the table.

'Indeed, yes. Thank you. It was very interesting.'

[ostro_goth]

Teja sits.

"Good bishops," he says, "are indeed a thing that may exist. Even those that will help the simple people even though the other clergy does not approve."

[road_to_calvary]

'Well, yes.'

His smile widens a little.

'I am very glad that you see it. Though the things they are debating seem to be very-'

What is the word?

'-well, they are not things that would ever be questioned in my time. But this modern year seems very different, and I am glad there is a Pope who engages with issues relevant to his people.'

[ostro_goth]

"It seems that the Catholic church is unwilling to adapt to the ways people live and love, in modern times," Teja says. "It is generally accepted by civilised people that some have it in their nature to love those of the same gender, that couples will separate and find new loves, and that women need not put up with men that are cruel to them, even if they are married to them. Also, that there are good reasons for not having children, and even that there are people who will change their gender. Physical love is seen as a pleasure, and a thing that will bring couples closer, not mostly for engendering children. Also, they have a huge problem with the fact that secular priests, not just the monks, must be celibate; there are hardly any young ones, and those that are, seem to be the wrong sort. Either the Catholic church catches up with these things, or the world will leave them behind. Most people will choose their loves and families over their faith, or their work."

[electro_kinetic]

"You are seriously into the church thing, aren't you?"

Says the Noriko who is slightly taller than her norm thanks to the heels on her shoes, bending forward a little at the waist to look over Valjean's shoulder at the book's cover.

[road_to_calvary]

'The church thing?' he says, with a small smile as he looks up to her face.

'Good evening, Mademoiselle Noriko.'

[electro_kinetic]

"As in looking at them," she supplies with a small smile. She rests her elbows on the back of the chair. "You know you really don't have to call me mademoiselle," Nori replies, displaying an ease with the language she's definitely downplayed before.

[road_to_calvary]

'Yes, I know. It simply feels rude not to.'

He notices her language, but does not comment on it because it would be rude to do so.

'And yes, I like churches. They are peaceful places.'

He tends to try and find peace outside when he cannot find it inside.

'And how are you? How is your work?'

[heatherandsteel]

Quentin sits on the end of the couch near Valjean with a plate of Halloween decorated donuts and goes through the channels until he finds an Asterix et Obelix movie. He's wearing jeans and a t-shirt that says 'actual Disney prince' and for all that he's relaxed on the couch, he's sitting fairly straight.

When he sits, he nods to Valjean but his thoughts are elsewhere, he didn't sleep well and needs coffee and a movie that makes him think of home.

[road_to_calvary]

Valjean nods back in a perfectly friendly manner, though it is clear he is distracted by the Halloween doughnuts - odd, very odd - and then the movie.

The television in the bar is something he has never considered before, and as it comes on he finds his eye drawn to it. And then he cannot stop staring.

[heatherandsteel]

As the movie plays, Quentin relaxes, its in French and he turns when he sees Valjean staring, he says, "They're going to Rome because of what the local legion did."

The movie wasn't at the beginning when he turned it on but he knows the story since he's read all the comics.

[road_to_calvary]

'...I see.'

Well no, he does not see. What is this thing?

'I am French, I understand the words.'

Just...nothing else.

[fry_sandhu]

Fry comes up to Valjean.

"Bong joor monsieur Fauchelevent."

[road_to_calvary]

Well. He cannot help but grin at that.

But he schools his face into something more solemn as soon as he can, and nods at the boy.

'Bonjour, Monsieur Fry. How are you today?'

[fry_sandhu]

"We did some French at school the other day." Fry says. "We did bonjour and un der twarr. And this week it's half term and I went to Beavers and this is my Halloween costume and you have to guess what it is."

He is wearing a white shirt, a green tie, he has a magnifying glass in his upper shirt pocket and has two silver bracelets on his belt tied together with silver wool.

[road_to_calvary]

The smile remains.

'Un, deux, trois,' he corrects gently, knowing that Fry is perfectly capable of hitting the exact pronunciation with very little effort.

'Well now, let us see.'

The shirt and the tie do not give much of a hint, but the two silver bracelets are unmistakable.

'I would guess that you are certainly a pirate king, monsieur.'

Where's the fun in guessing right straight away?

[gredya]

Gredya can't help it. She just sees Javert and something compels her.

She'll just be approaching very, very quietly--easy to do on four furry feet--and sitting down in the next booth, looking over the top at the back of Javert's neck until he notices.

[never_shall_yield]

It does not take him long to notice. One gets a knack for feeling when one is being watched.

He turns his head - this dog again! - and scowls at it.

'You.'

[gredya]

It's been drizzling a bit outside, too; there's a certain permeating wet-dog smell.

She sits up a little higher and grins at him, panting with soft laughter. It's just...his reactions are always so entertaining.

[never_shall_yield]

He wrinkles his nose in obvious distaste at the smell.

'Where is your owner?'

And then, under his breath, 'they should not let dogs in here without someone to watch them. Why, it could be diseased.'

Valjean

[change_my_story]

The sound of wheels may catch Valjean's attention.

Matilda enters the bar dragging a wagon behind her with a large pumpkin inside. She's a girl on a mission after all. The first thing to do is ask bar for newspapers, which she covers the table with, then asks for a smock to cover her clothes with.

Then she comes across a problem: the pumpkin's nearly as big as she is.

[road_to_calvary]

They do indeed catch his attention, and he swivels his eyes to find the source. When he does, he smiles and watches, and admires her work ethic.

He can see the problem easily enough too, and so after a moment he clears his throat quietly.

'May I offer my assistance, mademoiselle?'

[change_my_story]

She's still considering the pumpkin when he speaks. "Yes, please." He has the same accent as Javert, only his voice is nicer. "I'm trying to get it on top of the table with the paper."

[road_to_calvary]

'I see.'

He walks over, and appears to regard the pumpkin seriously. Then he bends and lifts it, with no more effort than most people would use to pick up an apple.

'There.'

Beat.

'What do you plan to do with it, if I may ask?'