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]

"Tempting fate. Avoid or no, funny or no?"

[vineleaves]

"That depends. Is Hera involved?"

[futaille]

"Ah, true enough that the tales do not speak well of crossing her, but let's say for the sake of argument that she is not."

[vineleaves]

"I'm proof enough of that. Well, assuming my wonderful stepmother is absent, then..." he thinks for a moment. "Often funny, if you've got a good sense of things. If we're viewing fate as truly something you have no control over no matter what you do, then it doesn't matter, right? Do whatever, the same consequences will happen. Might as well have fun with it."

[futaille]

"Precisely! Better chance of enjoying it, or at least laughing your way through it."

[vineleaves]

"One must be careful not to become too complacent, of course, but sometimes comedy is all that we have to get through difficult moments in life."

[futaille]

"Perhaps so, but not being complacent can carry its own set of dangers."

[vineleaves]

"Of course. But when everyone is complacent it's even worse."

[futaille]

"Well, when everyone is anything, it doesn't bode well."

[vineleaves]

"A fair point, I suppose. I do maintain there's more harm than good in complacency."

[futaille]

"Perhaps that's so in general, but say for example, speaking in hypotheticals, that a particular action is certain to kill you. Maybe in that case it will be less harmful to stay complacent for a bit longer."

[vineleaves]

Ah yes. Hypothetically. A hand moves to the nape of Grantaire's neck.

"I'd say there's a lot of wiggle room between 'doing nothing' and --" putting yourself directly in front of a lot of guns "That. Usually, anyway. There is merit in staying alive to fight another day, if possible."

[futaille]

Yep. Totally hypothetically. No relevance whatsoever. "Ah. Well, in that case, we are in accord."

[vineleaves]

He leans up to leave a kiss on Grantaire's forehead. If you saw him standing on his tippy toes to achieve this, no you did not. "Moving on then to another point! I believe you said something about the rooms changing and whether or not that's a good thing? It is going to make it rather difficult for me to remember directions."

[futaille]

"It does add a bit more difficulty there, even if generally the most used places stay more or less in place. But giving us more rooms to discover bestows more room for discovery. Thus, a positive."

[vineleaves]

"It would be terribly boring if nothing ever changed." Shifting rooms about is a poor replacement for traveling the world, but he'll take what he can get. "I'd imagine the ability of this place to shift rooms around is likely related to its ability to give us , y'know, material objects. Clothes and whatnot. Which is absolutely a good thing."

[futaille]

"Exactly. The ability of generation. Even if it manifests itself in strange ways sometimes, I'd rather have it than not."

[vineleaves]

“We seem to be mostly in agreement tonight, I’m sorry if that throws off your plans to have arguments.” He laughs.

[futaille]

"An agreement is just finding other people on your side in an argument, so that's perfectly fine."

[vineleaves]

"I do feel bad for the elephants." Grantaire had said something about elephants, right? Dionysus takes a sip of his wine.

[futaille]

"Only one of them survived until the end of that war. It's preposterous! That is not the purpose of an elephant."

[vineleaves]

"No! The purpose of an elephant is to be adorable!" Another sip. "Have you ever seen a baby elephant? They're so silly, it's precious. But you're not even supposed to ride elephants, their backs aren't good for it, let alone bring them into stupid wars."

[futaille]

He holds up his glass. "To the memory of the elephants."

[vineleaves]

Dionysus does the same. "To the elephants!"

He drains what's left in his glass.

[futaille]

He polishes off his own as well and promptly refills it.