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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 13:13:13 GMT -5
Grantaire reached out--lunged, more like--and snagged the other man's sleeve above his wrist, nearly falling "his" chair.
"Wait!"
But his wits stopped there and he didn't know what for anyway. His free hand strangled the neck of the green bottle until his knuckles are white, and the fabric of Enjolras's shirt was twisted up in his other fist.
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 13:15:50 GMT -5
*Enjolras looked at him.*
"Why? There's nothing left here."
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 13:20:29 GMT -5
He stared back, pleadingly, but couldn't hold his gaze to those icy blue eyes. His fist gave the man's sleeve a desperate clench and then let go as he dropped his head.
"Just me. Nothing."
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 13:28:30 GMT -5
*He didn't know what Grantaire wanted of him. Everyone else had been easy to figure out, but he'd never understood Grantaire. He hadn't understood why the other man attended the meetings of the Amis when he didn't have faith that their insurrection would succeed, no matter how right he'd been.*
*He hadn't understood then, and he didn't understand now. He faltered for a second before turning around again. He didn't like being unsure of himself.*
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 13:33:30 GMT -5
The bottle was finally tipped up to his lips and three great swallows of courage were taken before he stood up from the chair and blurted out, twice as loud as he'd intended.
"Look, I'm sorry I'm not any of them!"
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 13:39:40 GMT -5
*He turned.*
"I couldn't ask you to be." *He said honestly. Would those afternoons in the back room have been the same without a cynical voice in the background?*
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 13:44:35 GMT -5
"And I couldn't possibly fill any of their shoes. But I..."
He sighed and gave an ungraceful, uncertain shrug.
"I'm something, right? Maybe just a small something, but something all the same."
He wasn't sure he believed it, Enjolras was so far removed from him even in light of their common experience.
"Aren't I?"
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 13:49:49 GMT -5
"You are." *He confirmed quietly, in that way of his which was both soft and intense at the same time.* "You are something."
*Enjolras just wasn't sure what.*
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 13:52:41 GMT -5
That was enough to spark to him, at least a little, and he set the bottle down, grabbing a table and wrenching it back to where it'd been before Enjolras had moved it.
"C'mon, let's clear out the ghosts. This isn't our place anymore."
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 13:56:56 GMT -5
*He began moving the tables back silently. It didn't take him long. With the stony look on his face, he couldn't have looked more like one of the statues of Michelangelo come to life: beautiful, stormy-eyed, and built like a young god.*
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 13:59:23 GMT -5
When they'd got everything the way it was before they'd come in, Grantaire picked up his bottle again in one hand, drummed it against his chest, and then held it out to the other man.
"It's not terribly pleasant without the sugarwater..."
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 14:02:36 GMT -5
*He slowly shook his head, taciturn again.*
"No. I should have faced this a long time ago." *It was the closest Enjolras had ever come to admitting weakness.*
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 14:05:37 GMT -5
Grantaire gave a small smile and pulled the bottle back, then frowned again. He wasn't sure whether it was more helpful or hurtful for Enjolras with him here.
"Do you want me to leave you alone, here?"
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Post by Enjolras on May 9, 2008 14:07:32 GMT -5
*There was an affirmative, almost pleading look in Enjolras's eyes. He'd gotten these men killed; he himself felt responsible for ending the lives of so many men who were in the prime of their youth. He needed time to come to terms with it.*
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Post by Grantaire on May 9, 2008 14:10:57 GMT -5
He nodded and was tempted to set the bottle down and leave it with his comrade, but he knew it wouldn't be appreciated, and perhaps, he didn't want to tempt his friend into drinking something away that he needed to face sober.
After lingering a moment longer, he reached out to give Enjolras' hand a gentle squeeze, mimicing the gesture that'd been offered when they'd been shot.
"Do you want me to...wait outside, or should I just go?"
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