thecapitol | (no subject)

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Who| Enjolras, Joly, Others!
What| Reactions to a certain conversation between Venus and Courfeyrac in the arena.
Where| at a public viewing
When| Week 5, I do believe
Warnings/Notes| I don't think there are any yet!

Thus far, Joly's first of the public viewing parties as the guest of Enjolras had been...interesting...if he had to pick a polite word to toss at the cameras, the viewers, and anyone else who dared to ask him in public about his impressions of the entire thing. If asked privately, he would have had quite a different thing to say, but such thoughts were a luxury that he could not afford, even as the spectacle of death treated so callously made him want to be sick.

Enjolras's advice during the dream scenario they'd shared had served as a reminder though, and he had played his part well enough thus far, having decided, for the cameras, on an image to sell himself with (playing up the cadence of his mother's speech, dropping puns more frequently than at home, fussing with his clothing more than strictly necessary), which so far seemed to be working well enough, and was managing, with the help of a decent amount of alcohol, to get through everything so far. That was until Venus's mention of Enjolras as her Prince Charming,which set him to snort, which he quickly turned into a giggle, let them think he was a bit of an idiot if they wanted, and then Courfeyrac's question, which was enough to silence him as he glanced toward Enjolras, leaning forward a little, frankly rather curious as to what his friend was liable to do now.

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"Ah Mademoiselle." Joly turned at the voice, sketching a bow in her direction. "Friends, in our case." He nodded toward Enjolras, including him in the explanation, even if he did not quite engage him yet. "And they are discussing romantic tensions, of course." If that lilt in his voice at those words was a bit sarcastic, he sincerely hoped that no one with the power to do anything to him had managed to pick up on that.

"Can anything be greater or more thrilling?" Many things, actually, he thought, and up close, his greeting smile was actually sincere, as opposed to a good half of what was coming out of his mouth just now. "The last of the little alliance and friendship I was fortunate enough to experience in the arena as well, so there is something of a personal interest, I admit. But come, one could hardly expect for you to be interested in such things. Might I more properly make your acquaintance?"

Seeing him clearly now, she was struck by how lovely he was, and by how gentlemanly he seemed in contrast to his prickly blonde compatriot. If this young man was a friend of Enjolras', then he must be one of those men from the old novel... It was such a delicious revelation, and she was pleased. Felicity found herself smiling, opting not to bow or even offer her hand for a kiss, but rather to extend her hand for him to shake.

"Felicity Worthington. But you may call me Fee, monsieur." Her eyes darted up toward the scene being replayed again in slow motion, pausing as the commentators analyzed every second frame by frame. "They don't seem to have much romantic tension between them. It all seems like a fuss over nothing."

Well, he attempted to be gentlemanly, at any rate. Whether Joly always succeeded was left up to a wider consensus. He did have a head for gossip that may not be exactly considered well mannered, even if it was perfectly tolerated and encouraged in most social circles, so there was that. He had also, by now, had some semblance of how to treat a lady beaten into him via his lovely mistress's wire sleeve hoops (or well, thrown at him, actually, but semantics). In any case, he accepted the hand, shaking it rather firmly.

A bit of a surprise, he thought, that she did not seem to expect the kiss, but then, he would hardly force it upon her now.

"Mademoiselle Fee then. It is a pleasure. Thierry Joly, though most commonly Joly only." And then he followed her gaze back to the screen. "Ah, I believe our...good hosts often see romantic tensions early on. A talent, I suppose, if one wishes to look at it from a positive lens."

There was an emphasis on those words that was not quite sincere, even if it was not so broad as his usual sarcasms, evidenced more by a slight tilt of his eyes upward than anything else, though he was quick about it, lest someone see or overhear.

Thierry Joly. How odd. She hadn't recalled him having a first name, but then again, it made more sense for him to have one than to not. She relaxed a bit, intrigued by meeting this strange, literary fellow, figuring that he would no doubt be less obstinate than his golden haired counterpart, and likely more amusing to talk to as well.

"The pleasure is mine, Monsieur Joly, I assure you." She then gestured broadly to the image on the screen. "And who is he? Your friend. What is his name? And her? I do not recall meeting either of them in the Arena."

Less obstinate indeed. In Joly's estimation, it took a great deal to be as obstinate as Enjolras could be at his worst. It was usually, though not always, warranted, perhaps, but even so, there were times when one must find a place to draw the line, even in a world such as this. And Felicity seemed, so far, to match her name remarkably well on top of that.

He could even dare to think that 'Felicity' and 'Jolly', as he had been termed in the past meant that they must be friends, in the matter of names. They fit remarkably, did they not? For the moment, he focused on the screen instead.

"Ah, Courfeyrac is from Paris, with us. And we've met Mademoiselle Venus here."

So that was Courfeyrac. Felicity found her frown growing deeper for a moment at she watched the screen with piqued curiosity. Courfeyrac was quickly forgotten in favor of Venus, however.

"She is exquisite." Fee marveled, lips curving into a tidy smirk. "But to whom were they referring? Surely those two are not...?"

She refused to believe that the pair on the screen were entangled. Nothing in their body language indicated such affections. She turned back to Joly (or Jolllly, as she recalled from the literature) with arms folded across herself expectantly.

That was Courfeyrac indeed. Watching her face, Joly was left to consider that, in his estimation, Courfeyrac, by mere mention had never made a woman frown before that he had seen. It prompted a little curiosity, truth be told, as to the reasoning behind it now. But then, to Venus.

"She is at that." Joly agreed, "Moreso in person." Even now, were he in the arena with her, he would see that, and be somewhat awed. Somewhat, because she had proven to be human too, and someone he might speak to, not simply the astounding and downright gorgeous warrior. "But no indeed. Rather..."

He jerked his eyes toward Enjolras, smirk crossing his face. "Now, of course, he will be among the first to disagree with that assessment but it seems obvious enough so far. Seeing them together after this has ended ough to say for certain."

Her surprise (and contempt) was palpable. Enjolras? Involved with a woman? That notion was positively mockable! Felicity was no scholar, but having read the text, she was astonished that the idea was even being considered, let alone given some weight of truth. Surely this young lady, as ravishing as she may be, was mistaken in her pursuit of him.

"Of course they are not involved," Felicity pronounced, voice aching with some mystery emotion. "He would never do such a thing. The very idea."

Enjolras. And a Woman. Apparently. Joly had, despite the fact that he pretended to believe Enjolras's statements that it was related to the cameras and other aspects of it, rather concluded that, sooner or later, it was going to move in that direction. It seemed Enjolras simply needed more time to warm to the idea, and to not be pushed in any direction there. At least in private quarters. In public ones, well...

"So he says that he would not." Joly agreed, eyedarting a little. "Personally, I do suspect denial, one might see where anyone would be smitten at once, with either one of them, but whether something comes of it...that must be left for everyone to see, I suspect."

Perhaps there was a pool that he could throw his name into for that outcome. It may help detract from other things in future, after all.

"If he says they are not, then they are not." On first glance, it might have even come across as jealousy, the way she protested. She did not mean to sound so insistent, and yet. She had to hold firm to her disbelief. She'd read the novel and she'd met the man, and following both encounters, she still found it next to impossible to accept this truth.

No matter. It was lies, and Felicity knew that. She would not worry about her literary ideals being shattered by these unusual circumstances. Besides, there was another intriguing figure just before her, one she knew even less about.

"Surely you do not find this trivial gossip as appealing as the rest of these people do." She tilted her head at Joly, eyebrow raised.

"I do trust Enjolras to say everything that he believes to be the truth." Joly said, keeping his tone brightly pitched, enough that someone else may overhear. "And it is not within his character as I knew him at home." He added, finding himself glancing about to see if anyone else might hear before letting the act slip a little, leaning in a bit closer.

"Truthfully, I think no woman, even Venus, who is extraordinary, could cope well with the reality of Enjolras. But I do believe they are fond of each other. That is...rather clear enough." And then he was straightening again, as if he'd just divulged some secret, and winking, very broadly.

"Ah but my dear Mademoiselle does trivial gossip not have its place here and now? I intend to make myself the connoisseur of all that may be known. And perhaps, in time, a source."

Her arched eyebrows raised in surprise. "A source? Perhaps it is unwise for me to associate with you, in that case. I fear I may be too set in my secretive ways for such a bold declaration."

In truth, however, Fee was delighted. She did love some delicious gossip, even if she didn't know the people involved very well. She would educate herself, and she would delight in it. She could weave just as pretty yarns as Joly could.

"Let us hear a tasty morsel, monsieur. What other news can you tell me?" She leaned in, a conspiratorial grin on her lips.

"Ah it well may be at that." Joly agreed, smirking a little. "But I make a habit of keeping the secrets of many who have only to ask, of course."

Education was a very good way to look at it. Joly was a naturally nosy person, something he had given up on correcting a very long time ago, and if he could pass along information, well, all the better, especially here.

"I HAVE just been informed that Courfeyrac there has been rather making the rounds amongst most ladies. You may wish to have a care with him, should the pair of you meet. That comes from Enjolras himself, who would not lie." He added, eyes gleaming. "I am surprised he's not tried with Venus herself."

"If your Monsieur Courfeyrac should try anything with me, he will leave greatly disappointed." She squished her face in disapproval, not because he was unattractive, but because she desperately hated the idea of some strange man slinking around her, assuming he could have his way with her whenever he wanted. She was far better than that, romantic inclinations aside. "I am off limits to him, and to every other man in this wicked city."

"Indeed?" Joly found himself raising an eyebrow a little. There were two possibilities here, and the first seemed, well, rather more likely. He supposed, though he had never known any in person, that there were women who preferred the company of women so much as there were men who did the same. Still, by all likelihoods, it was more possible there was a gentleman in the world she came from who waited for her, or that she wished to remain untouched for whatever reason.

Of course it had to be one of those later two options, did it not? All right, so he did wonder, but the first was...not so likely, he supposed, and instead nodded, though in truth, that seemed something of a pity.

"Well, then I do wish you luck with that." He settled on, rather sincere at that. "And I dare day, you could manage Courfeyrac, at that."

She wondered for a moment if he was on to her, fear swelling inside of her for the briefest of flashes. But she felt relief as he seemed to carry on the conversation without missing a beat. She disliked hiding herself, but she was not ready to be judged for it. It was a fine line she was balanced upon.

"I can manage anyone who dares try to manage me."

Ah, that pointed more towards either the first or the last possibility, Joly decided, ruling the middle one out then. Not that it was inconceivable a gentleman would take to being managed in the stead of managing himself, but somehow, he could not see this mademoiselle quite falling for that sort of arrangement after a statement like that.

And he did not somehow suspect that she was one to aim for a religious life or anything close to that so, well. It was too soon to mention anything of his own personal life to her, he suspected, or to further press for detail, so he did neither, and nodded instead.

"Then I pity the person who attempts it, truly."

"Then you are a wise fellow indeed." That nagging feeling in her gut which shouted aloud that she had given herself away would not be silenced. However, she was ignoring it quite ably, pressing Joly for more succulent gossip. "Now that we've established that I am off limits, I should like to know who has been at the mercy of your friend, Monsieur Courfeyrac."

The gossip at this stage was far more interesting to Joly than Felicity's romantic endeavors as it was, so he was only glad to cast the thought aside now with the conversation. He simply made a mental note to not bring up the subject of young men with amorous interests in her, he thought, and that should settle things no matter what the case was.

"Ah well, as Enjolras has just been mentioning, there are a slew of them. I have NOT had names however, but then, I have not been here quite long enough to observe him in this environment. However, if it is anything like in Paris..."

"He had quite the reputation in Paris." She paused, then quickly amended, "Or so I am to presume?" She did not wish to raise any alarms, as she had already done with Enjolras. As amusing as it had been to tease his companion, Monsieur Joly actually seemed to be a kind hearted gentleman. Even Fee was reluctant to bring up his precarious state of being.

"Presume? My dear Fee," Joly grinned at that. "You need not be polite about such things if word of them have reached you here already. Courfeyrac is a big lad, and I am certain his reputation here can handle that gossip. Absolutely true." he added, a grin spreading across his face.

Easy opportunities to talk about his friends worked wonders after all, and he certainly assumed, from what Enjolras had mentioned that the rumors of Courfeyrac, both here, and at home, must be becoming stuff of legend.

Fee found herself chuckling, adjusting her stance so that she stood straight and tall, looking quite entertained in her suit. "You must forgive me. I might not look it, but I am the product of an English finishing school. In spite of my efforts to shake free of my manners, they do make an appearance on occasion."

"Ah that WOULD be something of the problem there." Joly agreed, his eyes sparkling mischievously at her. "We did things a bit differently in my school of course, which did lend us toward some wildness of thought and action. And perhaps a little too much freedom of the tongue."

"That all sounds rather liberal," she said with a smirk. Her imagination was running wild. "I should very much preferred that education to the one we received at Spence."

"Ah it was at that." Good. Her imagination was intended to, and it really would not be SO far from the truth. Most of the brothers teaching them had been too old to bother with policing much and school had been an education in more ways than simply one.

"All in all, rather enjoyable. A pity to hear yours was not so much."