untamedantinous: (we got a barricade yeah)
Lucien Enjolras ([personal profile] untamedantinous) wrote2024-02-24 07:18 pm
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open: don't let the wine go to your brains

It shouldn’t be this hard to prepare for a meeting. He’s done it countless times before. However, this time, it somehow is difficult. He’s never really had to set things up at times like this; and he knows as well as anyone else that he is not the best at social niceties. Granted, this meeting is in a much more well-appointed cafe than any he had ever been accustomed to holding space in in Paris. At least they have the benefit of a larger space. Consequently, Enjolras has spent much of the day of the eighth of Menestheus preparing, a little uncertain of how to plan a social gathering that is not immediately centered around planning a revolution. He is trying his best, at least.

Most of the tables and chairs have been pushed a bit more to the center of the room; the couch is arranged off to the opposite side. There are even various pillows scattered about, should anyone choose to sit on the floor. Arranged on a few of the larger tables and the counter there is a modest spread of food: of course, some of Laertes and Galahad’s pastries; but Enjolras has also procured what amounts to a few charcuterie platters: sliced sausages and meats, a selection of (mostly French) cheese, and various sliced loaves of bread and crackers are laid out for perusal, and spreads to go along with them. In an effort to provide multiple options of entertainment, Grantaire has set up a table somewhat near the food, with an assortment of wines and liqueurs. Off to one side, there are a few pots of brewed coffee, cream, sugar, and whatever else anyone might like to add to their beverage of choice. If anyone is drawn to the liquor cabinet, they will find three cups filled with various pieces of paper sitting atop it.

Enjolras himself is lingering on the couch with a glass of wine and some bread. He’s not sure how many people were even informed about this gathering, though he had done his best to advertise. If no one arrives then perhaps he will try again another time; but at least a few in attendance other than himself and Grantaire would certainly be welcome.
futaille: (Default)

[personal profile] futaille 2024-03-01 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
He kisses back before laughing a little and ducking his head just slightly. "Well enough, I suppose, although aren't the maenads all women?"
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-01 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
“Comfortable is precisely why I like it,” he responds, but suddenly he’s not sounding convinced. In his experience describing someone’s look as ‘comfortable’ is often a backhanded compliment.
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-01 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
“Sounds like a nice life,” he responds.
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-01 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
“I guess? I’ve had male worshippers too, you know.” Maybe most of them preferred different classifications. He shrugs. “If you’re hoping for a rigid understanding of gender roles I’m afraid you’re talking to the wrong god, my dear.”
sagramore: (Default)

[personal profile] sagramore 2024-03-01 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Sagramore laughs. "Oh, I was miserable. I'm far happier here."
futaille: (snark)

[personal profile] futaille 2024-03-01 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
And that's a little laugh. "That's fair. I can only judge from what I've read, although I can hardly speak to the accuracy."
lanselos_du_lac: (questioning)

[personal profile] lanselos_du_lac 2024-03-02 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
At this, Lancelot does sigh. He gives Magnus a long look, then takes up his glass to take a healthy sip of bourbon. When he sets the glass down again, he is sitting forward in his seat. If he is going to deal plainly with Magnus on this, he does not intend to hold back.

"Very well. My answer for you is some," he begins. "I cannot recall the order in which you gave them to me, but I shall group them in my own way."

He takes a breath. "I did not seek or read Odin's Plan: How to Have a Successful Afterlife because it does not pertain to me. I am not dead, and whatever afterlife I may have is unlikely to look similar to yours. Along the same lines, Who Moved My Cheese seemed to me ridiculous nonsense -- I did not understand the story or its relevance or how 'business' might function, and so 'twas useless to me."

Lancelot does not, let's be clear, give Magnus space to step in or respond. He barrels on.

"Two of the books you listed have to do with... self-esteem or managing things that have happened to you that have caused harm. I cared not to think on that in ways that asked me to write down my thoughts about -- well. I have things I must come to understand. I will not do so in a book, and I cared not to think on it any further in this way. Moving on: I came to some understanding of what are considered to be the Seven Heroic Qualities but found I needn't learn anything more. When I had my vigil and took my vows as a Knight in the service of the High King, I dedicated myself to similar qualities and have tried to live my life by those. I have failed, often enough, I am sure. But I continue to use that code to guide my thoughts and actions."

He takes a very quick sip of his drink. He has no intention of letting Magnus cut him off, because he knows that Magnus is looking for some weakness and he would prefer to get out everything he is thinking.

"This brings us to the matter of women, respect-- feminism," which he says very carefully. "Introduction to Feminism for Dummies did not seem to be something the library could provide. No matter. I did read The Second Sex and The Feminine Mystique." There is no need to say here that both of these gave him a considerable amount of questions for and discussion to have with Susan, but that is a very nice fringe benefit. "I think from these, I understand your meaning when you speak of feminism, and while I could find nothing I disagreed with, nothing that felt wrong, there was much that was hard for me to understand in terms of..." He squints, seeking the right term. "There are several hundred years to come, for me, before any of these are written. There are pieces of the world, a future world, I cannot understand. Here I would seek Susan's knowledge, but-- that isn't the point. I found interesting Beauvoir's points on monogamy; I think I agree. On homosexuality as well. I had not quite the same terms or understanding, but that is useful."

A tiny pause. "Still, the main concern with these is women and their lot in life. It was helpful for me to see, in each, experiences women have that are unlike my own. I had some small sense of it -- or rather, I recognized it as I read -- but the details had escaped me until then. The ways that our culture or laws, or expectations, or marriage may create a prison for women. In my time, it is rare for a woman to choose her own husband. The Queen does, I am sure, love the King, but theirs was not a love match and the Queen did not choose him. In my world, women are oft treated as possessions and exchanged between men -- I understand, a little better, what that may feel like. I understand some, I think, of why Guinever was so often angry. That was hard for me, because so often it felt she was simply angry at me for what I had or had not done, and because I love her it was my desire to do whatever might bring her happiness. For this understanding, I thank you. I can see, now, that I have had many advantages as a man that were not available to the women I knew, and I can see a little of how those limitations, the lack of ability to direct one's own life, may have led those women to certain actions."

At last he pauses, picks up his glass again, and says, "Does that appease you? Have we found common enough ground?"
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-02 12:27 am (UTC)(link)
"A few thousand years of people, most of whom never met me, writing their own accounts of things they weren't even born yet for gets you some pretty wild accounts of things."

He takes a sip of his drink before continuing, grinning, "Unless what you've read makes me sound cool, then it's correct and you should absolutely believe it at face value."
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-02 12:35 am (UTC)(link)
"That seems to be something of a theme among our fellow residents, unfortunately," he says, thinking about two somebodies in particular. "Les Misérables, some might say."

It's Dionysus, he's the some who might say.
sagramore: (Default)

[personal profile] sagramore 2024-03-02 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
"I beg your pardon?"
futaille: (Default)

[personal profile] futaille 2024-03-02 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
"I will keep that in mind. The more drama the better, then, and obviously?"
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-02 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Don't worry about it. I'm glad life is treating you better here! It is, I suppose, quite a marvelous place to live."
summerdude: fanart by cookiecreation (da) / cookiesketches (tumblr) (knight practice)

[personal profile] summerdude 2024-03-02 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
The entire time Lancelot has been talking, Magnus has been leaning back in his seat, arms crossed, brow furrowed. There's a moment where he kind of wishes he had a pen and paper, so he could take notes, but -- his mental notes are good enough. There's another moment where he wishes Qi Yan was there. She's so good at asking thinky questions, especially ones that are sneakily feminist.

"No," he says, grudgingly, after waiting a minute to make sure Lancelot didn't have anything else to say. His objective here was really about the trauma workbooks, and Lancelot just dismissed those out of hand! "But thank you for answering my question." He fidgets for a moment, playing with a hairband that he has around his wrist, thinking, trying to set aside his knee-jerk distaste for Lancelot so he can really parse what he's saying long enough to respond in detail. After all, he's not going to let Lancelot be the bigger man here!

Finally, he sighs. "Galahad told me a little bit about what Camelot was like," he says. "The, like, violence and stuff."
Edited 2024-03-02 00:52 (UTC)
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-02 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
"The more drama the more wine people need to get through it, it's a win-win for me."
futaille: (smirk)

[personal profile] futaille 2024-03-02 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
"And the reverse can also be true, too. The more wine, the more drama gets caused."
vineleaves: (Default)

[personal profile] vineleaves 2024-03-02 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
"And then you need more wine."
futaille: (Default)

[personal profile] futaille 2024-03-02 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
"A neat little circle. An ouroboros, constantly feeding itself."
timebethine: A greyscale picture of a white man with curly brown hair; his collar is askew in the wind. He has a serious expression. (Default)

[personal profile] timebethine 2024-03-02 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
"I could not carry off the color, but it suits you."
lanselos_du_lac: (thoughtful)

[personal profile] lanselos_du_lac 2024-03-02 02:07 am (UTC)(link)
Lancelot manages not to frown. If that did not appease Magnus then he has no idea what might. He takes another sip of his drink -- it's nearly gone and he's beginning to wish he had more.

He responds, "Did he? And what did you make of it?"
summerdude: fanart by cookiecreation (da) / cookiesketches (tumblr) (knight practice)

[personal profile] summerdude 2024-03-02 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
Magnus sighs. "Do you know about the Vikings?" If Lancelot had bothered to read Odin's book, he sure would, but apparently it wasn't relevant to him.
Edited 2024-03-02 02:17 (UTC)
lanselos_du_lac: (offput)

[personal profile] lanselos_du_lac 2024-03-02 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
"Aye, of course."
Edited (Oops, icon) 2024-03-02 02:27 (UTC)
sagramore: (Default)

[personal profile] sagramore 2024-03-02 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
"Quite marvelous. There's no work to be done except what pleases me, I have a dog and a husband and three or four other lovers besides, and this place produces infinite alcohol. How could anyone be melancholy?"
summerdude: fanart by cookiecreation (da) / cookiesketches (tumblr) (knight practice)

[personal profile] summerdude 2024-03-02 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
"What do you know about the Vikings?"
lanselos_du_lac: (seriously)

[personal profile] lanselos_du_lac 2024-03-02 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
Lancelot gives him a flat look, "Ere I came here, I lived in Britain. I know enough of Vikings."

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