cinq: there's a pain goes on and on (open)

[untamedantinous]

The cafe is generally empty, this early in the morning. Enjolras is grateful for that; he did not sleep well and is in no mood for company. He looks --not quite as tired as he had upon his arrival, but certainly rough, unshaven and bleary. It has been slightly over a month since their unexpected visitors, the two friends he had longed most for, and he still sees them in his dreams. Last night's were particularly vivid; he had been out with his musket before it had gotten dark, the lingering smell of gunpowder had done him no favors. There was Combeferre with three bayonets to the chest, still trying to help a guardsman despite it all; Courfeyrac standing at his side as the national guard advances upon them.

They are all covered in blood and gunpowder. Everything is, even him, though he was unwounded at the time. At the end, everything had gone silent. It was strange, to be surrounded by so much blood and gunfire and all the chaos that comes with a battle; and yet Enjolras had felt as though he was moving through a haze. He feels similarly now, sitting in a dark corner of the cafe with a mostly drunk cup of coffee nearby. He would rather be awake than chance more dreams. Perhaps someone will come along and distract him from this bout of melancholy.

Comments

[az_fell]

"The dreams, still?" Aziraphale looks at him with a faint frown. He supposes he can't simply offer poor Enjolras angelic intervention every evening going forward. That's a bit not the point of free will. "Is this place treating you well aside from that?"

[untamedantinous]

"It is, yes, I am learning many things." He tries for a smile, though it's a little shadowed. "The dreams do not happen all the time, only every so often."

[az_fell]

"I'm given to understand that that is roughly the nature of dreams. I don't often sleep," admits Aziraphale. "It's privilege of divinity."

[untamedantinous]

"Would that I didn't need sleep," he replies with a rueful smile. "I would get much more done."

[az_fell]

Aziraphale becomes genuinely curious at this. "What needs doing around here? This building provides for most needs, doesn't it?"

[untamedantinous]

"It does, yes; but I keep myself busy regardless. I write, and I read to Temeraire, and cook -- Laertes and I are teaching ourselves how to use the printing press on the first floor."

[az_fell]

At that, of course, the curiosity persists, but it is joined by some equally genuine, and excited, interest. Aziraphale leans a bit closer to Enjolras. "What sorts of things are you planning to print?"

[untamedantinous]

"Well, we are still learning it; but whatever needs printing. We have been making labels, we might print more of Mlle. Tress' pamphlets for the information tables --ah, any writings I might come up with. I only ever paid for their services at home, it is interesting to learn something new."

[az_fell]

"Oh, Mlle. Tress! She does work too hard, doesn't she? It would be kind of you to make it easier on her."

[untamedantinous]

"She does! Like a number of my friends." And him, too, but he does not say that. "I intend to. We also intend to try and help Mlle Susan with her organization project and make labels. Though the library seems to defy any sort of order."

[az_fell]

"Oh, the library." Aziraphale groans, a bit theatrically but also sincerely. "I've tried to tame it countless times. I'd like to impose order on it. There's order in my bookshop at home.¹"

¹Order incomprehensible to anyone but him, but still.

[untamedantinous]

“You and Mlle. Susan both. I do think I have found at least three or four copies of The Social Contract in there. Not that I especially mind multiple copies of that.”

[az_fell]

"Well, there must be countless different editions." This is even more interesting to him, of course. "Do you wind up with a different one each time? Or are they all the same?"

[untamedantinous]

"I am certain there must be, but I think they are all the same? I have been reading one to Temeraire, and I gave others to Claudius and Laertes, so they might read them." He hasn't particularly checked, but he would not think to.

[az_fell]

Aziraphale really is trying to play the kind and benevolent angel in this interaction, so he manages only a brief glance of vague horror about the fact that Enjolras said I think about the matter of whether he has been giving out the same edition of a book each time. "Well," he says, with great bravery, "I shall have to ask them. Temeraire is lovely, isn't he?"

[untamedantinous]

Aziraphale is truly the bravest and most benevolent of angels. Enjolras is, alas, unaware of the horror his statement has caused; as he basically has most of The Social Contract memorized anyhow. "Yes," he replies, brightening some. "He is quite well-read, too, for a dragon. I did not think they would like reading so well."

[az_fell]

"Oh, yes," says Aziraphale, more happily now. "I admit I'd never met a dragon until him, but I'd anticipated more rampaging and pillaging, based on the rumours and literature. Don't tell Temeraire I said that!"

[untamedantinous]

“Oh, I shall not,” he replies with some amusement. “He says his mate is of a much different temperament than him, perhaps she does the rampaging.” Though it is easy to imagine Temeraire would be a formidable opponent, even at his current size. “If we had had him at the barricades, perhaps we might have succeeded.”

[az_fell]

"Perhaps." Aziraphale's expression softens a bit. He knows all too well the specifics of Enjolras' fate. "He's demonstrated a remarkable ability called Divine Wind to me -- we ran a brief experiment far out into the woods here."

[untamedantinous]

"Mm, yes, he has told me about it, but I have not seen it. It sounds quite formidable. He has also said his mate breathes fire, I am sure between the two of them, doing battle against them must have been quite terrifying."

[az_fell]

"Ugh, battle," says Aziraphale delicately, with a laugh. "Not my favorite way to pass the time. I prefer to appreciate the heroics from afar when possible."

[untamedantinous]

"Indeed not, but sometimes it is necessary. Temeraire has of course seen a great deal more than I have."

[az_fell]

"Sometimes, yes." Aziraphale softens a bit. "Will you ask me if you need assistance with those dreams of yours? Divine intervention, if you will."

[untamedantinous]

He huffs out an unamused chuckle. "I do not know if I am deserving of all that, but -- yes. I will, should they come again."

[az_fell]

Aziraphale isn't in the business of deciding who and isn't deserving, thank you very much. He reaches to pat Enjolras' hand. "As I said, I rarely sleep. I'm usually in the library at all hours. Do let me know."