2. I Believe in You
Enjolras' words are becoming slurred in Grantaires mind. The stress and the alcohol going to his head. The table is littered with empty bottles, aside from the half empty one still clutched in Grantaires hand; the liquid sloshes back and forth in an arc.
Enjolras' is present in the corner of his eye, dancing back and forth like an untamed fire that Grantaire wants to capture and keep to himself. It's only when Enjolras retreats up the stairs and gets caught with a sliver of the sun that seems to set his whole frame aglow, when Grantaire realizes how wrong he is.
He can never capture all that Enjolras is, nor keep it to himself. He's a force that can not be tamed despite his clear cut lifestyle he'd never give in. Enjolras stands for so much as opposed to Grantaire. His life's about a good drink and a nice dream. That's all he can hope for these days and he doesn't know why he doesn't just leave.
He gets very close to though, when Bouset informs him -with a very deep frown- that Enjolras needs him. Bouset looks at him as if Grantaire will suddenly decide to not help in this cause, as though he is such a coward to abandon those he stands side by side with. He brushes away the small sting that Bouset's words leave him with, his mind set on Enjolras once more. He walks up the stairs with a different spring but still paces himself, can't seem too excited or people will start to believe that he actually cares. He just can't have that.
Grantaire sees where Enjolras is huddled in a corner, observing as always. Their eyes meet and it's as though the world spins faster for just those five steps it takes Grantaire to be a breath away from him and then everything stills at a woozy pace. Enjolras signals him over as soon as he's within sight.
The rest of the Barricade Boys watch as these polar opposites interact. They talk and argue and Enjolras complains - as he seems to do an endless amount of nowadays - about Grantaire and how his breath reeks of booze. He questions him on whether he truly believes in anything anymore and that could be the very question that stirs up all these feelings of regret.
"How can you have an opinion when you stand for nothing, believe in nothing?" Enjolras growls, fists clenched as he tries to keep from flat out decking Grantaire.
"You're wrong, dear leader, I believe in something." Grantaire is good at smarting off and laughs at the simple fact that some of the men have paused in their preparations to make sure they are not needed to break them apart.
"Pray tell then, what exactly is it that has the illustrious Grantaire believing? What do you put your faith in?"
"I believe in you." Grantaire mumbles, not used to the biting edge that no longer seems like a joke on Enjolras tongue.
He feels oddly silly as he stands in front of these men and tells Enjolras in no uncertain terms why he's here and alive and by his side. But Enjolras doesn't balk and doesn't question his response, just pushes it aside.
Grantaire doesn't know what bothers him more, the fact that Enjolras doesn't read into what he's saying or that Enjolras might not even care. He drowns himself in drinks and women to try and forget. But no amount of drinking could ever erase the look of Enjolras face in his mind.
He fears he may never escape it.
A/N: I finally got around to updating this. I have it completely up on Ao3 under the title Red and Black. I completely forgot I even had a account so needless to say I've been neglecting it pretty harshly. I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I enjoyed writing it.