open: don't let the wine go to your brains

[untamedantinous]

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.

Comments

[futaille]

"Clearly I can say it. I just need to open my mouth and make words happen. But I will concede the point. It was a poor summary of what I said anyway. It's not an illusion so much as I think it will never actually get to where it wants to go."

[vineleaves]

"What, just because they named them after me?" he replies with a joking grin. He's still got his arm around Claudius, completely oblivious.

[peaklordshen]

"Okay, so. First of all, I'm not an evolutionary biologist. Or any kind of biologist, for that matter. But—in your future,¹ this guy Darwin is going to observe some animal behaviors that make him believe that—basically animals evolve into other animals, and humans evolved from animals of the past. Specifically monkeys of the past. Since then, scientists have found all sorts of fossils and other evidence that he's right, which of course pissed off and continues to piss off a bunch of people who think humans were made out of dust and ribs and whatever by God."


¹ Well, present.

[summerdude]

"Huh," says Magnus. He supposes this tracks, based on his conversations with Galahad and, to a lesser extent, Sagramore. "I'm pretty sure in Valhalla they just call it 'proof of valor.'" This, for what it's worth, is a joke. A really bad joke.

[vineleaves]

"Ohhh yeah, that's why we had to limit it to just one day a month." He would further explain that it was similar to laughing gas from a dentist, but he can't remember when that became a thing, and thus is pretty sure Grantaire wouldn't know what he was talking about anyway.

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot absolutely does not grok that this might be a joke. He still looks thoughtful. "Well, since now I understand what you might mean, I will consider the books."

[futaille]

He laughs. "Oh yes, that definitely sounds like something that people would get upset about. But really, when you think about it, humans as monkeys who lost most of their hair makes absolute sense. Traded it in for extra foolishness, I wager."

[futaille]

Correctly ascertained, in fact, but it was close. Another twelve years, sadly. "There must have been quite the line on that one day."

[peaklordshen]

Shen Yuan laughs. "Pretty much. I think it's mostly bullshit we don't have tails. But my point is, like—humans and other real animals exist because we evolved characteristics that help us survive, and we did so over hundreds of thousands of years, and we sometimes still have weird vestigial stuff like appendixes or whatever. But monsters didn't evolve. They were created, like some people think humans were, and so everything about them has a reason, even if that reason is like, some guy somewhere thought it would be cool."

[futaille]

He nods and takes a drink, thinking it over. "All right, but on the other hand... if we're all fictional, we were created for a reason too, so would that make us like monsters?"

[temnota]

"I will admit that it is much more pleasant to be on the sidelines listening in then participating," Aleksander said. "Nearly every cabinet meeting I attended turned into a debate and I hated every minute of it. Such a waste of time and no one listened to me or my advice except when they wanted Grisha power to support their own projects."

[peaklordshen]

This is a great point, actually. "I wasn't sure you got the fictional memo," Shen Yuan admits. "But yeah, I guess? But fictional humans are still created in the image of real humans, as it were, which IMO precludes all the really interesting stuff. Like, nobody's shown up here with cool bat wings for a snake tongue¹ or whatever."

¹ You sure?

[sagramore]

"If they had listened wouldst thou have liked it better, or would it have been never more than a trial?" He nudges against Aleksander's shoulder, a casual intimacy in the way he arranges his body around Aleksander's. "Didst thou hear Laertes there trying to stir up arguments?" he adds, indulgently fond.

[vineleaves]

"It's useful, for certain."

[futaille]

He shrugs. "I heard the speculation and then when Dionysus arrived, he informed me that I'm from a musical play¹. I figure it doesn't matter much here... which just informs my point about metaphysics. That said, maybe someone has bat wings or a snake tongue and just hasn't showed anyone."

¹ Dionysus clearly neglected to note that it was an adaptation, but as R just said, there is no such thing as a god that always actually knows what they're doing.

[vineleaves]

"That's why they weren't all real! Apollo could definitely do real prophecies, I mean, but when you've got people camping out outside you sometimes sort of just..." he makes a vague gesture.

"Generally speaking people were fine with either option they ended up with. If it didn't seem to make sense they just assumed it was the gods being mysterious and speaking in riddles they couldn't figure out. Everybody wins."

[untamedantinous]

"I did not expect that you would, it would be very odd of you to say so if you did."

[futaille]

He chuckles slightly. "Now I don't deny it would be nice if it did."

[summerdude]

Magnus sighs, drains the rest of his root beer, and tosses the bottle in an easy arc directly into the trash can, where it clatters against the walls as it falls. Oh, score.

Then he forces himself not to cross his arms again. Bigger man, he reminds himself. Lancelot is being, like. Surprisingly decent? Horrifyingly. To keep himself from crossing his arms, he wraps his fingers around the edge of the counter, letting it bite into his palms. "Look," he says. "Some of my issues with you are on me and my issues, not on you and your behavior. I'll own that."

[futaille]

That is a delighted laugh. "The gods are inscrutable indeed. A fondness for wine and a talent for nonsense? Clearly I could have been an oracle."

[timebethine]

"Forgive me," Laertes says, with a wry look. "It seems I cannot meet a new friend without turning the conversation toward grim subjects. I swear to you, I am capable of other passions."

[lanselos_du_lac]

A little nod. "I appreciate that admission."

[mothwingofriverclan]

"Right." Mothwing's ears flick in distaste. "So you were just acting on blind orders?"

[tallyyoungblood]

"I got it on purpose," Tally confesses. It feels important to let Susan know she didn't, like, fall off a hoverboard and hit her head. "To try and test an experimental cure for it."

[futaille]

"No, that's not—" He shakes his head and takes a drink of his wine, his gaze flickering very briefly over towards Enjolras before returning to Mothwing.

"There was nothing blind about it¹ and I wasn't taking any orders. The... All of my friends were bound and determined to fight a fight I knew they wouldn't win. I was where they decided to do it. I could have left, but... Instead I just got drunk, passed out just long enough to miss the fighting, and woke up in time to not miss volunteering for the firing squad."

¹ Other than blind drunkenness?