It is believed that every child, somewhere throughout their childhood, picks someone to see as a role model; someone to look up to and someone to learn from. It was the same for Gavroche.

When he was 8 years old, two years ago from now, he had been sick, very sick. Weak and afraid that he wasn't going to survive, he had left his elephant and made his way through the market towards the hospital, hoping that there would be someone that would treat a gamin like him. He hadn't made it that far, instead collapsing in a narrow cold alleyway. He could barely move, barely keep his eyes open. He thought this was it; no one would care anyway, if he was to die then. When he was finally going to give in and allow his eyes to close, he felt someone kneel beside him and wrap his small body in a warm coat, speaking softly to him.

"There we go petit, it's alright" He had said as Gavroche strained to open his eyes to look at him. It was a young man, dressed in fine clothing with neat dark brown curls and eyes of the same colour. "My name is Courfeyrac"

Courfeyrac had spoken to him gently, running a hand up and down his back and comforting him until Gavroche knew that he could definitely trust him. He would he would take him to safety, that he had friends that could make him feel better. He felt safe for the first time in years when Courfeyrac had moved forwards and taken him into his arms, cradling him against his chest as he carried him.

Courfeyrac had been his best friend, and his role model, for that day onwards.

….

Leaving the warmth of the bakery and stepping out in the winter cold of the market, Gavroche held the recently purchased loaf of bread under his arm and held his coat tighter around his body as he rushed back through the crowds to meet Courfeyrac at the fruit stall. As he approached the stall where he always met his friend, he saw the young man with a young girl. He stood confidently with a cheeky smile on his face, leaning forward to kiss the girl's hand and smiling as she blushed, the pink of her cheeks clashing with the dark red of her hair.

Gavroche was used to seeing Courfeyrac with young girls. Grantaire told him that Courfeyrac was a 'tom cat', he needed young girls to thrive. It appeared that Courfeyrac always had a young girl following him around, admiring his dark eyes, neat curls, and boyish ways. Gavroche chuckled to himself, watching Courfeyrac buy a flower from a passing little girl and offer it to the young lady with a large smile. He always seemed to know what to do to make the girls smile and blush. Gavroche watched until the young lady had walked away before running to Courfeyrac "Flirting again?" He said with a cheeky smile.

"Spying again?" Courfeyrac chuckled ruffling his hair playfully. "You know me 'Roche, the young mademoiselle's just can't stay away"

"Because you flirt" Gavroche said jumping up onto his back.

"You'll understand when you are older, there is puppy love and flirting and then real love" Courfeyrac said in way of explanation as he held the boy on his back. "I flirt, you had a puppy love, and Marius believes that he is in true love. Haven't you seen other people flirt, or just me?"

"I've seen you and Grantaire flirting with the pretty girls, you flirted with Cosette" Gavroche argued "And some of the older boys on the street, they flirt with some gamines"

"Exactly, it's normal" Courfeyrac chuckled. "Surely, you've seen little girls out there on the streets that you like, that you think are pretty. It can't all be about Cosette? I started flirting when I was younger than you"

"And this is why Grantaire calls you Tom cat" Gavroche giggled, taking Courfeyrac's hat and setting it on his own head. He thought to himself about the girls that he knew, the girls who lived in the slums around his elephant and tried to join in with his gang. Some of them were pretty, even though they had limp hair and dirty faces unlike the angelic Cosette. He blushed to himself.

"Look at you Roche, a handsome boy, the girls would love you if you just talked to them rather than treating them like another one of your boys" Courfeyrac said lifting him down as they reached the café. "Be brave"

"I don't know how to talk to girls" Gavroche said blushing as he pulled Courfeyrac's hat down to cover his face, running up into the café and climbing up onto his windowsill.

Courfeyrac laughed chasing up after him and climbing up to reach him. The café wasn't busy, with only Grantaire at the bar and Enjolras at the table. "Of course you do, you talk with Cosette all the time"

"I just do what I see you do, like give her flowers and kiss her hands" Gavroche said shyly, leaning against Courfeyrac's side as the young man climbed up to sit next to him.

"Then do that with girls your own age, they would like it" Courfeyrac chuckled. "Come then, there must be some little girl that you like, some pretty little lady…"

Gavroche blushed, playfully pushing Courfeyrac away "Courf, stop it, you're embarrassing me". He thought about all the little girls, and the few that followed his gang. There was Annabelle, who could run as fast as he could. Then there was Leola, who could get anyone to give her anything in the market. That was the name but a few.

"Look at this cute little blush" Courfeyrac laughed "So there is a girl, or girls?"

"I'm not saying anything" Gavroche replied "And don't call me cute"

…

"Gavroche, please let me come along to the market today?" Leola begged, tying her thin threadbare shawl around her shoulders. She was a pretty little girl, about a year younger than Gavroche, with long tangled brown hair and large eyes. She used her cute looks and sweet attitude when she begged, able to get even the angriest looking rich man to give her a sou. "If I got some money, we could get some sweets"

"Fine Leola, come on now, stay close" Gavroche said with a smile and extending his hand to her.

She blushed. "Such a gentleman" She smiled copying what she saw the rich girls do as she gave a wobbling little curtsey before taking his hand and running into the market with him.

Gavroche, having taken in everything that Courfeyrac said, watched Leola cup her hands in front of her and look up at the rich as they passed with a pleading expression. He smiled, sneaking across the square and grabbing a long stemmed pink flower from a little stall.

"Merci Monsieur, my stomach shall be full tonight" He heard Leola smile to an elderly gentleman who had pressed a silver coin into her outstretched hands. She came running to him. "What can we buy with this?"

"Bread or you can get some sweets if you like" Gavroche smiled, seeing her face light up at the idea of sweet treats

"Oh Gavroche, can you imagine. Bon bons and sugared almonds" She beamed clutching the coin in her hands as she rocked back and forth on her feet in excitement.

"Oui" Gavroche smiled. "And here, for you, for a job well done" He added holding out the flower to the young girl.

"Gavroche, merci, it's beautiful!" Leola gasped taking the flower and smelling it. "Am I special Gavroche? Like the ladies we see, in their pretty dresses?"

"Oui Mademoiselle, an angel" Gavroche smiled, copying what he had heard Courfeyrac say many a time to many different young ladies.

Leola blushed crimson.