First encounters
It was an extremely slow day in the café Mussain. Grantaire has observed far too many people that had wondered in and out of the café while he silently sipped on his almost empty bottle of wine. He was bored and was craving to sketch something other than a bottle or bartender but there was nothing that he had found inspiring. There was a bunch of students that had walked into the café and Grantaire knew about a handful of them and had spent a bit of time with them during the breaks of their seminars since they had all attended the same university.
One of his friends had noticed his jaded face as he passed. His name was Joly and Grantaire knew that he was on his way to his Les Amis ABC society meeting, this group was one that Grantaire offered little, if not no interest, to but everyone knew this.
"Grantaire," Joly said as he took the seat next to Grantaire, "Why the long face?"
"I am broke and lack inspiration to draw anything other than my wine bottle." Grantaire smiled.
"Come and join us, you might even find some inspiration among friends," Joly smiled as he patted Grantaire on his arm.
"I do not share the same views as you lot," Grantaire laughed.
"But my friend it's a free bar back there."
With that, both men rose and Grantaire had collected his things. Had he known sooner that the wine back there was free, he would have joined much sooner.
The room was filled with students that were so full of passion that you could clearly see such a thing in their eyes. Any artist would have loved to sketch such a thing but not Grantaire. He still could not find anything worth his time or his paper until he finally laid eyes upon man standing by the window, looking out onto the streets of Paris. The man's blonde curls softly fell to the side of his face when he had turned to face his fellow students. Grantaire could feel the man's eyes on him, and never had he felt more intimidated in his entire life.
The man locked eyes on Grantaire as he started to walk towards him. Grantaire could feel his heart pounding and it almost felt as if his heart wanted to burst out of his chest. The man came so close to Grantaire, so close that Grantaire thought that the man could hear his heart racing. Coufeyrac pulled the man to the side to which Grantaire finally allowed himself to breathe.
"Who is that man?" Grantaire asked with his cheeks burning red.
"That is Enjolras," Joly said as he poured a cup of wine, "He is our leader and he is probably wondering why on earth you are here."
"You hold my reason in your hand," Grantaire laughed as he filled his own cup with wine.
The man who Joly had identified as Enjolras had stood in the centre of the room, demanding the attention from his fellow students but as soon as walked into the centre of the room, he was all Grantaire could look at. As the man started to give a speech about some reveloution that they were planning, Grantaire's hands glided across his paper to sketch the man himself but he was not done by the time the speech had finished but his concentration was still on the man, known as Enjolras.
By the time the students had started to clear out of the café, Grantaire had finally finished his quick sketch. He had looked at the drawing for a good five minutes before he had come to the conclusion that he was not satisfied with what was on his paper.
"That is quite a likeness," The blonde haired man said as he towered over Grantaire.
Grantaire was lost for words, his sketch was done but yet he still felt as if it was unfinished but there was nothing else to be done to it.
"It's not yet done," Grantaire stuttered.
"What more can you do?" You have done me justice with that sketch," Enojolras smiled as he took the sketch from the table.
"I have not," Grantaire smiled shyly, "My hands cannot draw such beauty."
Enjolras seemed quite taken a back with Grantaire's words. He had never met anyone who was so forward as the man in front of him.
"You confuse beauty with passion." Enjolras said while handing him the piece of paper.
"I do not," Grantaire smiled again, "It is you that confuses the two."
Enjolras stood there, in front of Grantaire, silent, trying to observe the man in front of him while Grantaire simply admired the man.
"Why are you here? Do you believe in the cause?" Enjolras said trying to sound much more serious.
"I do not," Grantaire laughed, "But it seems I have a reason to stay."
"And the reason is in your hand it seems." Enjolras said rolling his eyes at the cup of wine.
Enjolras started to walk away while Grantaire looked into his other hand. It was the hand that had held the sketch of Enjolras. Grantaire put the glass of wine down and smiled to himself. He knew that he could not do anything that would benefit Enjolras' revolution but the best he could do was to watch from the sidelines. He looked at the sketch that was in his hand once more and thought to himself that yes, now he did have a reason to stay and that reason had nothing to do with the wine, but rather the living Apollo that stood in front of him.
