six: silence before jean-jacques (open)

[untamedantinous]

A wildfire burns quickly and hot until it is extinguished. In some cases, Enjolras' passion has been likened to a fire. Here at the mansion that fire tends to be mostly banked; but the embers remain. It is easy enough to stir it into wakefulness; and Enjolras' dreams of late have done just that. (They have passed, now, but the burning need to do something remains.) So he is in the café as he usually is, sat at a large table with various piles of writings strewn about.

Off to the side, one might note a flier that is still obviously a work in progress, set off to dry a bit while he works on something else. The general air of disarray suggests that he has certainly been here for hours at least, though he does look a good deal happier than he had the last time he had taken refuge in the café. The warmth and fire of his passion has awoken another familiar friend: writing like he's running out of time.¹ It is in truth very much what he would be doing in Paris, and there is a relaxed pleasure that is evident in the way he sits, in making himself feel useful even if it is for goals of his own making.

He has clearly been at it for some time, fingers inkstained and coffee grown cold beside him. There is a copy of The Social Contract open in front of him, and every so often he makes a thoughtful noise, writes a few things down, then turns to the next page. It is truly only a thought exercise that he's working on, a passing fancy to abridge a work that he is already intensely familiar with; but he appreciates the challenge. It is entirely different from the other, more private writings he has been working on, which are kept in a small notebook currently buried under all those sheets of paper. Regardless, the work pleases him --though the coffee does not. He picks his cup up to take a sip, makes a face, and rises to go start himself another.





¹ Wrong musical, same vibes.

Comments

[wickedwit]

When Enjolras returns to his table, he'll find Claudius already there, sitting at the edge with a glass of wine in one hand and the flier in the other. "So this is the work of a revolutionary," he says cheerfully. "You're in your element, Enjolras. It's good to see you motivated."

[untamedantinous]

"Among other things," he says absently, settling back into his seat with his fresh coffee. "Where have you been? It's been some time."

[wickedwit]

"Have you missed me? I've been around, you know," he teases. "You haven't been paying attention. But with your company, I can't blame you -- I saw you at the dance and at the feast, having long talks with Grantaire." Even if they didn't flirt enough at the birthday party for his taste.

[untamedantinous]

He shrugs a little. "I was not in the mood for much company, at the feast. Everything was very good, however."

[wickedwit]

"Art thou ever in a mood for company, dear Enjolras?" teasing and familiar. "I suppose you must be by the first of Menestheus. For a ... 'meeting'? To discuss 'anything and everything'? You're not hiding a revolution any more, you know -- you can say what the meeting's about. It might generate more interest."

[untamedantinous]

"It is only a draft, I just did not know what else to put." He takes a sip of coffee and settles back in to attend to his other writings. "It is --difficult to summarize what went on in our meetings at home; it was not just political discussion. Furthermore, we did not generally use handbills to advertise them, so I am not entirely used to that, either." Certainly he is used to writing handbills or pamphlets, but those are another thing entirely.

[wickedwit]

"I draft the opposite way," he says, thoughtfully sipping his wine as he turns the plain flyer in his hand. "My first draft is a wild garden gone to seed; I weed out whatever's unnecessary in the second. If you're to describe what's best and brightest in your meetings, you might need to write with a little more passion. Perhaps even use an exclamation mark." He smirks. "Or recruit Grantaire. He never lacks for passionate words."

[untamedantinous]

"What's best and brightest in my meetings is not here, if I might remind you," he replies patiently, with a slight sharpness to his voice all the same. "I assure you I am well-acquainted at writing with passion; but it does not seem entirely needful for a handbill." One need only look at the notebook hidden underneath the piles of paper to see that. "It is only seeing if anyone would be interested, anyhow."

[wickedwit]

Claudius grins; he likes Enjolras sharp. Sharpness is a sign of passion. “That’s where you’re wrong,” he says. “If there’s no passion in the handbill, how will anyone know to be interested? How will they understand what you’re trying to create? Your best and brightest may not be here, but certainly they’re your inspirations. Let them inspire you. Think of Jehan’s poetry, Combferre’s science, Bahorel’s love of argumentation.” Lest you forget, Claudius has parasocial friendships with all of them. “Or Grantaire. You really ought to use Grantaire. He’ll enjoy being useful to you.”

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan, passing briefly through the cafe to refresh her tea on her way to finalizing her notes on what to include on her census of residents, lifts the flier carefully with her fingertips to see what it says. Oh, this poor man with his absolute disregard for all but the most utilitarian function of an item! Someone must enable him to see that attention to detail is to be desired in cafe construction and advertisements alike.

As Enjolras returns with his fresh coffee, he will see Susan setting the flyer back down. She will be giving him a look that is kind, yet rich with pity. "You shan't attract many to your little salon with a notice like this, I'm afraid," she will say.

[untamedantinous]

"It is not done yet, only drying." He settles back into his chair. "I will admit it does need something more, but I am not certain what." In the meantime, he's going to go back to his abridging; he is perfectly capable of holding a conversation and writing at the same time. "Also, I do not know if I would call it a salon: that does seem too bourgeois for my liking."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"It requires details," Susan says, pertly. "And you shall need a hook to generate interest. If we were in the real world where things cost money, you might simply be able to attract interest merely by promising snacks or some free drinks, but those are already in abundance here and unlikely to draw unique attention."

[untamedantinous]

"I had thought to include that," he replies mildly. "But as you said, there is little point to offering pastries and drink when they are freely available. Perhaps I shall ask Grantaire to draw something. We never really had need for, ah, handbills such as these at home; our meetings were passed by word of mouth or messenger."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"The hook needn't be food or drink," Susan says. "But 'meeting' is hardly descriptive, and 'expect discussion of anything and everything, debate is encouraged' is far too vague. Respectfully, I rather think that half of everyone here would turn away at the burden of 'any and everything' being on the table for discussion, and even for those interested in revealing the deepest recesses of their souls, that's a promise of far too little structure to engender confidence that it will be an organized event."

[untamedantinous]

He looks a little amused. "I never intended for there to be structure, mam'selle. I also never intended for anyone to reveal the deepest recesses of their souls; I simply wanted a gathering in which we all might talk about anything in particular, with no real ...purpose to it. We would often have meetings like this among my friends at home; which -- yes, regularly were devoted to discussions of our politics and various plans for our cause, but occasionally were not. As you might imagine, if you know Grantaire --these turned into a, ah, controlled sort of chaos. It was more like a river of thoughts than a stream."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Then you ought to say as much in your flyer," Susan says, firmly. "Surely you can see how someone who doesn't know of your personal history with inscrutably-named 'meetings' might see 'any and everything' and assume that you, in fact, mean a debate about any and everything, rather than assuming you mean to recreate a feeling you miss from home."

[untamedantinous]

"Mm. It is, as I said, a rough draft." He had not intended to ask for improvements on it, but -- apparently he's being forced into them, so he will turn his attention back to his coffee for a moment. "I will work on making my meaning clearer, I do apologise."

[futaille]

"Oh, this looks promising," Grantaire chirps delightedly as he enters, making a beeline for the table. "Please let there be something for me to eviscerate. I'm getting out of practice."

[untamedantinous]

"It is a thought exercise, I wanted to see if I might abridge this." He indiciates The Social Contract, open before him. "If you'd like to make yourself useful instead of eviscerating things, however, I've another thing in mind."

[futaille]

"Oh, I could abridge it," he can't help but remark as he takes a seat at the table. Still, though, he sits up straight. "Make use of me."

[untamedantinous]

"I am certain you could make an attempt. I am just as certain it would be nothing like what I am expecting." He settles down and indicates the flier. "I want to add something to that, but I do not know what. Do you have any suggestions?"

[futaille]

He glances at it. "Well. Some life. A list of potential topics, perhaps, some serious, some frivolous, at least if you really mean 'anything and everything'. But make it clear it doesn't have to be limited to the list. I could also decorate it, if you'd like."

[untamedantinous]

"The topics I would choose would likely be of no interest to anyone, save myself and perhaps Laertes and Claudius." He nods, turning back to his latest turns of phrase. "You might, I suppose. We two are the only ones here who have experienced the sort of gathering I would like to see. I know it will not be like that, but it would be a start."

[futaille]

"List those anyway. Just add others. Like..." He leans back in his seat thoughtfully. "Advantages and disadvantages of having arrived here. Comparing home worlds. Fashion. Love. Ridiculous jokes. Food. Games. Plants. Make sure to mention that anyone may chime in on any topic at any time."

[untamedantinous]

"Very well." He sighs and moves to scrawl those down on his flier. "Plants?" He looks vaguely amused. "I was unaware those were an abiding interest here."