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Characters: Enjolras, Les Amis, Other Friends (I'll edit those last two things as we head in here!)
Date: Christmas Eve- Early Morning
Location: The Cafe the boys tend to congregated at, Wood Sector
Situation: Réveillon is celebrated as part of the French Christmas traditions. And it's Christmas Eve here, so... :D
Warnings/Rating: Will Update!

Somehow, even in as strange a place as the turtle can be, and even in a time of such great sorrow as the loss of the Empress (a term he'll stubbornly use with his last breath), and the departure of Jehan, Christmas has managed to make its way around again, and this past year...when Enjolras thinks of it is nothing short of astounding. For him, it meant the rebellion, death, being born again, and all of the adventures here, finding his place with Etienne, growing closer to others than he allowed himself in life, and while he's not given to outward expressions of his sentiments, still finding that difficult in many cases, it bears some celebration nonetheless.

On Christmas, in France, after the midnight Mass, the one time a year Enjolras could drag himself to church, comes Réveillon, a time for staying awake, gathering close and, admittedly, overeating and drinking. Who could say otherwise of a meal that traditionally hosts thirteen desserts? Here, on the Turtle, some things were not able to be found but even so, the spirit of the thing is good enough, and, he managed to find a local equivalent to citron that, well, it's a miracle it hasn't all vanished by this point, because it's really good. In any case, it's set up in the cafe, along with a meal that may not be totally traditional but works out well, regardless.

So, here they are, old friends, and perhaps some new, on Christmas Eve, a little earlier than usual with no Mass to run off to, and warm and comfortable and here. That bears some celebration with friends, doesn't it?

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Has he so?

[Enjolras cannot help but smile at that news, because he knows that that, and Amon, mean a good deal to Marius, and it is good to see his pleasure. ]

Your studies in what exactly? The magic you mentioned or something else? As for books in the library, well. We all might purchase and donate some, yes? I found a good deal of mine for sale when we last made landfall. I could perhaps find a way to make a copy that does not include my notes if those could be included.

[Oh!

Marius's spine straightens up a little at the mention of books. He really does wish to inquire further about which books Enjolras had recovered, but his shyness overcomes him, even if his wide eyes reveal that his curiosity hasn't been completely silenced by it.

Still, he does not ask. Instead, he answers,]

Charter Magic, as Mlle. Sabriel calls it, as well as... [A soft gasp escapes him as he only now realizes his earlier slip. He hesitates; Temeraire and he had agreed to keep their lessons between themselves. However, Enjolras is not one to gossip, and Marius is not one to lie. And so,] the Kedan's mother tongue. Do keep this between us, Enjolras; M. Temeraire is not keen on making it known that he is teaching me.

[Noticing Marius's eyes there, Enjolras can't help but smile, a little. It IS Christmas, after all, and he does wish, in the new year, to avoid so much drama with the man. ]

I've passed along my Rousseau, with some of my notes, but there are a few others as well if you would like to look through any of them. I daresay you will disagree with quite a few of the arguments and comments I've scrawled throughout them...[the idea of Marius actually writing in books seemed somehow wrong to him, as it was.] ...but you are still quite welcome to take a look. Some philosophy, political works... [A tiny eyedart here,] The Organt , which does have its valuable moments...

[And let's face it. He'd find Marius's reaction to some of the other content of that work to be absolutely hilarious, so he might very well talk up his fondness of the poem just to see his reaction. It's useful the way people seem to think Enjolras hasn't much sense of humor in times like this. And he is nodding as Marius continues.]

That certainly seems valuable, and you have the head for language, certainly. And not a word of course. I'd not do that to one friend, let alone a pair of them.

[Marius's shoulders relax, and a small, soft sigh of relief escapes him at Enjolras's assurance. He's progressed his studies far enough that it would be a great pity for him to be forced to stop, after all—although, now that he thinks of it, Enjolras or any of his other friends are not the type to discourage him from his not-quite-so-legal studies.

He cants his head to one side. He has read a great deal of literature. The Organt is not one of them. He hesitates only for a second, due to timidity, then pushes himself to ask, with a little shyness,]

Will you allow me to borrow them?

[Stopping someone from pursuing a field of study that they are doing well in and seemingly enjoy or otherwise find valuable? Enjolras would not dare. He might privately mock it in his own mind, but there are things he does not say to people themselves usually, and, well, honestly? Marius reading more things is good for him. It's good for all of them. Not only that it gives Marius some form of distraction, but also because the language studies seem especially useful.

And too, Temeraire seems as if he must be good for Marius as well.

And at least the copy of the Organt Enjolras recovered here has his notes from his first reading of it and then on, so it's not as if the 'disgusting' and 'vulgar' parts, nor his notes on them can be ignored. He's smiling, a little, at Marius's question there.]

Of course, you might. You will find I have marked them to my own...sentiments but if you do not mind ignoring my angry scrawling in the margins, please feel free.

I also have a gift for you, in light of...you have tolerated much from me since I arrived here, Marius. To thank you for your continued patience and offers of friendship even when I do not deserve them and to say that I hope that they continue. It's a bit foolish, I admit...

[But he IS handing over a clumsily wrapped small bundle with a few toy soldiers in Napoleonic uniforms inside. He had them painted at one of the vendors here, thinking Marius may appreciate the sentimentality or at least be amused enough by them.]

Edited 2014-01-11 03:22 (UTC)

[It's not extremely difficult to catch the way Marius's face lights up at that, though not without an underlying uncertainty at the mention of 'angry scrawling in the margins.' But then his expression turns into one of genuine surprise, rounded eyes and raised eyebrows, at the gift.

He takes it in his hand and runs his fingers through the creases in the wrapping, an embarrassed blush forming on his cheeks. His eyes stay fixed on the bundle when he responds, guiltily,]

I-I'm afraid I cannot return the deed in kind; I have not bought anyone gifts.

[Because he had used up all his savings betting on copies of Napoleonic-Era Le Moniteur during the auction last landfall. :|]

[There IS a look on Marius's face at the mention of the writing, so Enjolras feels like he must explain a little, and he's eyedarting, with a tiny smirk.]

Writing my thoughts in books proved to be something that was, well, a good deal easier than what I used to do. You saw me at fourteen. I used to get myself into all sorts of trouble, when it came to school.

After the time I told the Monsignor that it seemed one could not reign innocently even from the pulpit, well. I learnt to write my thoughts instead of speak them. Hopefully they are not TOO distracting for you. And they've smeared a bit by now. You should be able to ignore them.

[Or, perhaps not, and he'll have scrawled something to make Marius something more of a Republican yet. He won't hold out the hope of that, but it certainly would be nice. And then it comes to the matter of the gift, and he's shrugging a little.]

Oh it's nothing so grand as all of that. Just a token really, that I thought may be amusing for you. Though...if you wished to do something...

Would you give Eponine some show of kindness tonight? I know that you cannot return her feelings, obviously. But she IS still quite in love with you.

Edited 2014-01-11 04:15 (UTC)

[Marius's raises his head then, his eyes slightly wide—it is becoming a common expression to him in this particular conversation, it seems; not that he is aware of it himself—at Enjolras's explanation. He supposes it is not a bother, really. It will hardly be the first time he has seen scribbles on books, although from what Enjolras describes his experience might me slightly more unusual than most. But perhaps he might know more of Enjolras, as well.

The statement about Eponine, however, catches him completely off-guard, and his grip instinctively tightens on his yet-unwrapped gift.]

Oh.

[He flusters, darts his eyes to one side, then fixes it on the whorls on the wooden table.]

I...

[He isn't really certain of how to react to that. Of course, he should know it. He kissed her forehead, skin damp and cold against his lips, after her confession—

He squeezes his eyes shut and wills the visions away. It takes him a moment to even his breathing and steady the beating of his heart.]

What must I do, then? I am at a loss, Enjolras.

[That's certainly true at that. There's a good deal of the early Enjolras between those pages, and well, it IS somewhat revealing. It's probably not the sort of thing one ends a friendship over, at least?

But then, more importantly, Eponine, and the subject arises and Enjolras is at a bit of a loss himself as he sees that look in Marius's eyes. He seems so lost. He did consider, at the barricade itself, that Eponine was actually the girl in question, actually. From the way she had clung to him alone, certainly. Now that the truth is so much more complicated, Enjolras does find himself at a loss for how to proceed.

His friendship with Eponine dictates that he should tell Marius to seek her out romantically, to attempt to love her because Cosette is not here, and because Eponine does deserve a happiness in her life. But his friendship with Marius, and his desire to see HIM happier does not lie with Eponine, not truly.

Would that sort of encouragement not only make Marius disappointed and awkward in the end, and lead to trouble for them both with Eponine being hurt again? Truly that would not be the act of a friend to either of them, would it? ]

I...am rather at one myself for advising you. I have never faced the same thing as you do. I have never been loved by anyone before my arrangement [And that is all that he will speak of it here, lest it cause chaos to brew between them again] took place, and surely not by anyone else but Etienne. It is hard to place myself in this position, actually.

Edited 2014-01-11 07:19 (UTC)

[Marius raises his head at Enjolras's response and cants his head a little to one side. A sudden whiff of guilt brushes against him then, upon noticing Enjolras's reaction to his query. He bites his lower lip, silent for a second or two before he says,]

Forgive me; It was not my intention to trouble you with it.

[Then, searching for something else to turn their attention to, his eyes land on the present in his hands, and he unwraps it with an almost child-like anticipation. When he sees the contents inside, his cheeks turn a bright crimson.]

It is no trouble, it is just...

[Enjolras does, actually, wish he could help. It's an odd state of affairs he finds himself in. Dare he suggest to Marius that he might love another? He cannot in good conscience force anything like that, beyond what he's already mentioned. Interfering otherwise, seems wrong. However, he can also not suggest anything that may hurt Eponine. It's as though he is trapped in the middle somewhere, and that is worrying, really. ]

Well, I do wish I were able to advise you further. Perhaps Courfeyrac. I would think that people often fall in love with him.

[As Marius unwraps the package, his smile is almost shy.]

I had thought, given your father and your interests that some sort of trinket representing that..silly though it is, of course.

Oh! But it is wonderful, Enjolras. I will cherish it.

[Everything about his movements says that every single word has been truthful, from the way he pulls the gift a little closer to him to the equally bashful smile as he raises his eyes back to Enjolras.]

Oh good then.

[And Enjolras's smile in return is a bit awkward but, certainly there and sincere as well.]

I had hoped. I...coming to know you better has been good for me. Not always at the time, but you have inspired me to thought on many things. I would hope we can continue that, in the year ahead.

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