I ran a rough finger over the white candle wax hardening against the wooden table. The tingling sensation of the warmth still lingering in the smooth substance reminded me to feel and to think; I made an inarticulate groan and pulled myself from my stupor. I had risen to the poetically simple sentiments of Enjolras, the relentless enthusiasm of the young man made me lift my head and gaze with difficulty through the candlelight. I could see the clarity in those blue eyes when at last the long lashes lifted to stamp his words with that earnest expression; quite clearly Enjolras was sober. The others were not, the dark words of their leader did not make a sombre mood but neither did his words inspire them beyond a dull mumbling of agreement.  

The empty bottle rattled as I placed it down, and when I cleared my dry throat to speak a cough rattled in my chest and made the gathered wince. "You…can't predict what will happen after" I stated finally. A brooding expression came over Enjolras when he spoke it was with a hint of sadness "No, but we can try and steer it...if we wait for the right moment. The people will be behind us." I shook my head, feeling my dirty hair teasing back over my shoulders. Enjolras looked sullen and then his eyes narrowed, "You believe in this as much as we do."

A set of arms came around Enjolras; he remained still looking coldly at me. Arms of shapely tender flesh cradled him "Enjolras, have a drink. It's been a long day." He appeared to take no notice of these words, there was no solace for him in anything; not the embraces of pretty girls and not in the cheap wine lay out before them. The political talk was soon embraced by the frivolities of the innocent young minds speaking freely with their friends of anything that poured from their inebriated minds. No one spoke to me in a lightly mocking tone now, no hidden jokes about the drink, they were all delightfully drunk.

"Le..let…me walk you home…Enjolras" His pale lips pressed together and then broke into a smile as I stood on the second attempt, I wrapped an arm heavily around his shoulders grabbing a half full bottle was we reached the door. He took it from me and pressed it to his lips, drinking deep from the sour wine. A slight shiver passed through him, though whether from the bite of the cold air or the bitter wine I couldn't tell. I patted him on the back, shoving him forward. With a chuckle from me we moved out into the night, the darkness brought a chill but Enjolras did not tremble beneath my arm. He was too proud for such things. I knew that soon he would begin to speak of my earlier words, of how wrong I was. Soon I would reassure him, that I was at his side whatever I believed of their foolishness.  

"I don't need you to walk me home. You're more drunk than I, Grantaire," he said eventually. I stumbled over a dislodged paving stone, as if to prove his point.

"We are walking each other home then." I muttered.

"If it can be called as such…" he said sullenly, I smirked, he always took this tone when drunk. It made him pouty and childish, highly amusing after the proud insistent Enjolras of earlier in the evening.

"Oh be qui-" I stopped in my tracks, blinked because something solid had moved in front of me.

"Good Evening, Gentlemen." Said the Inspector.