Chapter Text
The dorm rooms are being re-painted over the weekend, so Jehan and Courfeyrac are staying over at their place. This naturally leads to Jehan suggesting a slumber party week, which is really another way of saying ‘drink and hang out in our pyjamas all weekend’.
They’re sitting around the kitchen table, glasses and bottles scattered lazily around, and Marius can see the sun setting over the city through the window. The radio is playing in the background, and even though there’s about eight things he should really be working on, Marius feels very peaceful.
“I do the very best impression of myself,” sings Grantaire, “actually, that’s not true, Marius does a better impression of me.”
Courfeyrac laughs, leaning around Jehan, who’s sitting in his lap, to look at Marius. “Really? Let’s see it!”
“No, it’s not that great,” says Marius, “really, you guys don’t want to see it.”
“I do!” says Jehan brightly.
“And me!” says Courfeyrac.
Grantaire grins. “Come on, Marius.”
“All right,” Marius sighs.
He puts down his drink. Then, leaning forward, he dips his hand into the water jug in the middle of the table and runs the hand through his hair, making it stick out wildly and fall onto his forehead. He grabs the pen off Grantaire’s sketchpad and rubs the ink onto his damp hand, and then rubs his hand along one cheekbone, an inky imitation of the paint. Then he stands, takes a breath, and recites the argument Grantaire had given to Enjolras during their last meeting.
Marius has always had a better memory for things he’s heard rather than read, so he’s pretty sure he manages to get it almost verbatim. As he reaches the end he pushes his hair off his forehead dramatically, before slouching back down into his seat.
There’s a moment of stunned silence, then Courfeyrac and Jehan break into applause. Grantaire woof whistles. Marius bows, still seated.
“That was impressive,” says Jehan, “can you do anyone else?”
“He can do everyone else,” says Grantaire quickly, “you should see his impression of Enjolras.”
“That’s not an impression,” says Marius, “it’s a terrible, terrible parody at best.”
“Then I’ll just have to do my impression of your impression.” Grantaire drains the last of his beer, then stands. “Tell me if I get anywhere close to it.”
Grantaire smooths his own hair down roughly, then jumps up on the chair. The impression he does is not particularly flattering, and his own cynicism leaks through in some places. His mannerisms, however, are spot on, every raised fist and sweeping gesture an exact copy.
Courfeyrac, Jehan, and Marius applaud after he sits back down.
“I must thank Marius, who really should show you his own impression of Enjolras one day, seriously, it’s fantastic, and of course, Enjolras, my muse,” says Grantaire. He tilts backward in his chair to pull another beer out of the fridge.
Jehan laughs. “I don’t know if Enjolras would find being your muse for that particularly flattering.”
They laugh, and Grantaire sketches caricatures of Enjolras for them all while Marius does impressions of his professors. Jehan laughs so hard he fall off his chair. Courfeyrac gallantly carries him to the couch to “check his wounds”. Marius, having walked in on them checking each other’s wounds before, decides to let them have some privacy.
Grantaire flips back through the pages of his sketchpad, frowning. Marius tilts his chair to look over Grantaire’s shoulder.
On one side, practise sketches – hands, the curve of a jaw, the strong line of a shoulder. On the other side is a full colour sketch, which is unusual for Grantaire’s sketchpad work. It’s Enjolras, fist raised high above his head, his hair a shining cloud, his eyes glaring out from the page.
“My muse,” says Grantaire, a bitter edge to his tone.
Marius leans his head on Grantaire’s shoulder. “You’re a good impressionist, but a better artist. You should show him, one day.”
Grantaire tilts his head, so it rests on Marius’. “Maybe. But I don’t know why he’d ever agree to see something I did.”
Marius sighs a little. “He will. One day, he will.”
(Later, Combeferre will ask for assistance with the rally, and Marius will think of Grantaire’s sketch, and he will suggest they ask Grantaire to do the poster work.
Enjolras might not see that particular sketch, but he does see the poster design it becomes.)