Chapter Text
Just five minutes. Five minutes. Collect yourself and then go back in.
Grantaire slipped out between the upholstered French doors to the brightly lit theater lobby. He carefully eased the door closed, ignoring the dirty look from the ushers. Hey, at least he had left during a set change. He’s not that much of an asshole.
Having successfully closed the doors to the theater, Taire turned and surveyed the lobby. He was about to head to a bench when he saw a guy— no scratch that a god , Apollo if he had to guess, in sinfully tight black pants and a suit jacket so crisp and red it made his hair, his beautiful blonde curls pop even more. Whoever he was, this god, was taking a pack of M&Ms from behind the concession stand. Huh.
“Pretty sure you’re not supposed to do that.” Taire called out. The blonde jumped , started badly and turned to Taire and oh that’s not fair because Taire was met with the most gorgeous blue eyes. Deep, poignant blues eyes widened in surprise quickly narrowed.
“Pretty sure you’re not supposed to leave halfway through act 2” the guy scoffed, taking the M&Ms fully into his hands.
“Could say the same to you. And on opening night too.” Taire countered back immediately, a teasing tone thick in his voice.
“I’m the-“
“ And you’re stealing food. Double offense. I win.”
“What game?” Blondie asked.
“Not sure” Taire admitted then smirked, “but I won it.”
The blonde looked at his like he was going to say something then thought better of it. Instead, he turned and sat on the bench Taire was originally aiming for and tore open the bag of candy. He looked tired, no exhausted . His beautifully thin torso slumped back against the wall, wrinkling his jacket.
“So when did you leave?” Taire asked conversationally, sauntering over to where the blonde was sitting and sat down next to him. Because he was feeling bold today. Apparently.
The blonde looked up at him for a minute, seemingly sizing Taire up, as if judging whether he really wanted to take Taire’s bait for conversation. Please, Apollo.
“Half way through act 1.”
“ Wow .”
“What?”
“I mean, why even bother sticking around then?”
“I know some people in the show” he answered, looking back down at the bag of candy.
“I don’t know if it was bad enough to leave act 1-“
“You didn’t like it?” The blonde asked suddenly, this intensity resonating in his voice and making intense eye contact with Taire. Suddenly Taire knew he would do almost anything to get this man to always look at him like this.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You left.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah? So that means you didn’t like it.”
“Oh wise Apollo, you don’t know everything about this mortal plane.”
“Apollo?”
Taire stilled, knowing he was at a two ways street. After a moment, he took a breath and took the plunge. “You remind me of him.”
“The Greek god ?”
“Strikingly.”
There was a moment of pause. Possibly only a few seconds, possibly several years. Taire really couldn’t tell. Enjolras reguarded him with that same look from before, as though he were sizing Taire up, or maybe trying to unravel his soul. “Why did you leave? If you didn’t like it-“
“I did. I really did.”
“Then why did you leave?” The blonde pressed.
This time Taire took a pause, hands playing with each other for a moment before he said, far more quietly than before, “too crowded.”
“Sorry?”
“I...I can’t do big crowds. Lots of people.”
“Oh.” The blonde responded, seeming to process Taire’s statement. Then a look of realization flooded into his expression. “ Oh , sorry I hadn’t- I mean that’s obviously fine- I’m sorry.” He sighed and wow , apparently this guy flustered was even more attractive than stoic intensity.
“No it’s fine, don’t worry. Couldn’t have known.” Taire dismissed and they lulled into an awkward silence for a bit. Only when Taire couldn’t take it the quiet or the blonde’s obvious guilt did he speak up. “I usually don’t go to these type of things because you know, lots of people and all, but I really wanted to see this show.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I saw The Amis’ version of The Tempest and I couldn’t believe it. Blew my mind, really. I don’t know if you saw it but it was absolutely incredible. So when I saw they had another show coming up, I couldn’t not see it, you know?”
“And what about this one then? How does it compare?”
“I mean you can’t really compare Shakespeare with an original play.”
“Oh...yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“I mean like this one’s brilliant, but it’s contemporary. Completely different from Shakespeare. So I really don’t think it would be fair, or possible I guess, to compare them.”
“I see what you mean...and what did, or do I suppose, you like about this one?”
“The writing.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s hilarious, but in a refreshing kind of way. But it hits hard too, I mean the plot’s just masterful. You’re crying laughing at one line then sobbing the next.”
“You really think so?”
“Without a doubt. And I’m pretty sure the guy who wrote it, I forget his name-“
“Enjolras.”
“Enjolras. Directed it as well. Damn he’s a genius.”
“What?”
“He did Tempest too. Seriously, he allows every tech element to breathe, you know? So they all are strong but never over power each other.”
“You’re a tech guy?”
“I paint sets. That’s what I do for a living. I’ve wanted to work with The Amis for a while but…”
“But it’s just never worked out.” Taire shrugged, “hopefully one day.”
“It’ll work out.”
“I hope so. Anyway, the main actor, Courfeyrac, he’s the nicest guy. I worked with him a few years ago.”
The blonde nodded, considering for a moment before asking, “what didn’t you like about the show?”
“Well it’s completely unrealistic.”
“ What?”
“Like I get theatre’s not always reality, but it just seems like the director Elon-“
“Enjolras.”
“Enjolras. Wants to actually to change something with this play.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“It’s a waste of time.”
“Excuse me?”
“Theatre of the Oppressed, activism in theatre, Bretch all that. They want people to think but people go to theatre to escape, to be entertained.”
“Theatre is a reflection, a commentary on reality. It’s a completely viable platform to change-“
“Okay sure, you get people to listen, maybe they’re even moved a little. Then what? They change the world?”
Enjolras outright scowled at him, his blue eyes almost looking alfame as his face grew flush with passion. “Don’t say that with such contempt. The purpose of theatre is to move-“
“Thirty minutes after they’ll forget all about it.”
“So what? You think this play is a waste of time? Why did you even come see it then?” He pressed, his voice so steely cold that Taire started to back pedal. Why was this guy getting so defensive?
“No, no I think the work The Amis do-“
“Then why did you say it’s a waste of time? Because yes, I agree that change is hard to manifest, and even harder to maintain but it is possible. And even if people don’t directly take action after seeing this show it will broaden their perspective, teach them more empathy. And that’s what the world needs, empathy. Theatre is so vast and intricate it can influence people for years, it only takes a moment to change a mind, and opinion. Theatre matters.”
It was silent for a moment, both of them locked in an intense eye contact that seems to suck all the air out of the room. Suddenly, the sound of applause sounded from the theatre, and the double doors opened. A tall, skinny guy dressed in all blacks rushed out. “Enjolras! We’ve been looking for you, you have to make your speech!”
Oh...Fuck. Taire looked to Enjolras, who while he kept his intensity now seemed a bit more embarrassed.
“You’re...you’re Enjolras.” Taire stated, dumbly. The blonde, Enjolras , nodded, looking down.
“ Enjolras ” the man in the doorway urged.
“I’m coming Ferré” Enjolras sighed, braking his eye contact with Taire, standing up and walking into the theatre as he smoothed down his jacket. The double doors closed with a final ‘twunk’ as Taire sat there, dumb founded and kicking himself.