Dandelions and windows.

[irma_boissy]

Despite the fact that everyone in the house asked and wondered who left those dandelions,  (and even some of them suspected that they were for Irma), Irma did not say a thing.

Even if she knew everything about them and didn't even need to guess who was the mysterious gentleman who left them. 

It had been Monsieur Grantaire. 

Maybe she was waiting for another visit of his, maybe not, but the next two nights, she had barely slept.

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[irma_boissy]

Irma rarely acted on impulse (that was for the twins), but was a woman who lived by the phrase Actions speak louder than words . That was the very same path of thought that made her take work as a boot-embroiderer to support her family.

One very member of it, the one who wasn't there anymore, her father, comes back to her mind, reciting Shakespeare again as he used to do: Speak, cousin, or stop his mouth with a kiss, and let not him speak neither.

Maybe it's not that bad of an idea. But first she should speak, nonetheless.

"Then, would my blessed mind if I ask him for a favour?"

[fitofgrandair]

'My blessed'... How quickly she had picked it up! How flawlessly she employed the phrase! Flustered though she is, the girl knows how to regain her footing, and his smile broadens at her words, at her felicity for playing along.

Whatever is to come - and he could be mistaken, but Grantaire suspects that it will not be utter rejection - she is at least continuing to color this pursuit most wonderfully.

"Anything, ah, anything; please do! Speak! Command."

[irma_boissy]

"Close your eyes first" she says, a mischievous smile starting to form on her lips. "Then I shall ask for the rest."

It was certainly necessary. And her very own way to continue, and not leave (even though a part of her cries don't do it she does not pay attention).
And in a certain way, her very own way to ensure he won't.

[fitofgrandair]

"As you will, dear lady."

There is nothing to do save submit, and Grantaire shuts his eyes, amusement still written across his expression. He has his expectations, of course, and cannot think her practiced enough to have some other trick in mind. It is nevertheless a pleasure to hear the coyness in her voice and to offer himself as such to her mercy; predictable as it may be, the scenario is to be relished through the earnestness of her own actions.

[irma_boissy]

Approaching him, she whispers to his ear.
"Come look for me in this very same place tomorrow in the early evening." she says, a hint of a promise in her lips and words. Her very own way of saying yes to those proposals. Saying yes to being his.
Before he can say anything, she kisses him. According to her it's not as chaste as the first kiss, but it tastes even sweeter, thinking about what is to come,

[fitofgrandair]

Lovely girl; she has managed to surprise him, making of the anticipated (but no less welcome) gesture a greater promise, an acceptance - so it seems - and a smiling sign of more to come. He knows how to read such signals, grasps the invitation in this talk of tomorrow, and understands that a kiss in lieu of the slap he almost certainly deserved is the surest sign of welcome. She may play it coy if she likes, but Mademoiselle Boissy has bound herself to him. And though it is destined to be a brief affair, for the moment it stands steadfast.

The kiss is bold, if unpracticed, her lips sweeter for their inexperience. "Doubt not that I will be here, rooted to the spot, your servant waiting for your call.

"Indeed, 'doubt thou the stars are fire; doubt that the sun doth move; doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt' that I remain, and that you, Irma Boissy, now hold captive my senses, my reason, my wish."

And it is little enough time to wait. A day and a half... What cost is that to achieve such sweet reward? For a girl who so persistently betters his expectations, Grantaire is willing to play with patience.

[irma_boissy]

It fills her with a joy she is barely able to contain. (after all, in the end, she is someone who knows little of the world.) He understands what she means, he actually... he 's going to come for her tomorrow and...and...
She's about to reach and give him a goodbye kiss, when a question, not from her or him, but of two voices that are awfully familiar, interrupts her.
"Irma??"

[fitofgrandair]

It's a shame to see her interrupted, and a greater shame still to realize that the interruption is directed at the girl. She has been singled out, she has been recognized, and a dim alarm of potential warning urges him to take care. Meeting anyone associated with an object of brief dalliance can add excess ties that may make breaking off more of an ungraceful struggle.

This, then, might be about the time to take his exit, though he'll hold his ground for the moment and take measure of the scene. Glancing periodically at the approaching figures - male, which could mean several things (none of them especially hopeful), and dimly familiar, though he can't yet place them - he favors Irma with an expression of mock despair, colored by the hint of a more genuine smirk. "It appears my lady is popular. Ought I to be jealous? Are there rivals I must needs fend off?"

[irma_boissy]

"Not rivals." she says, partly amused, partly distressed "Brothers."
Though they don't seem angry. More like... Surprised. And terribly amused by the whole scene.
As they stop in front of them, Irma has no option but to say.
"Monsieur Grantaire, these are my brothers René and Martin"

[lesgemeauxboissy]

And with a very proper and graceful manner, they bow towards the couple, though Martin adds:
"What a surprise, dear sister."
And René:
"And a small world indeed, Monsieur Grantaire."

[fitofgrandair]

Grantaire manages to keep from blenching or otherwise revealing his unease. Brothers. Of course. He ought to have suspected when she'd already made mention of them, but had preferred to ignore the signs.

And now, here they are. Wondrous. Family is always best avoided, and to make matters more complicated, he has seen these boys before; the greeting confirms his suspicion, though he still cannot quite recall the encounter. Encounters? René. Martin. They could...

Ah. Ah.

The names. The faces. It had been at the Cafe, and they had spoken for a time; rather, the twins (and how could he have forgotten twins? how could he not have made some connection?) had largely listened while he spoke. They'd shared a bottle. And god knows what had been spoken. Beyond that... He may have seen them elsewhere, or at a distance in the Cafe.

Well. There isn't any way to duck out now without raising an alarm. Linger, play along, and he might be able to keep the situation under something like control. Because a bit of chaos, while well and good, is liable to prematurely destroy this dalliance with Mademoiselle Boissy.

Nodding to one boy and then the other, Grantaire smiles. "So my limited experience reveals, time and time again. Mademoiselle Boissy, I have heard you speak well of your family, but I hadn't realized that these particular paragons." There is enough of a smirk to suggest that he recognizes his exaggeration, enough warmth to suggest that the sentiment expressed is not entirely untrue.

[irma_boissy]

Suddenly Irma feels strangely confused by all what is happening. And uneasy (sending her brothers a look that says You two should not be here, what are you doing here). She only hopes that her brothers don't ask for any further explanation from her.

"So... I take you knew my brothers already, Monsieur Grantaire?"

[lesgemeauxboissy]

René and Martin on the other hand are terribily amused. Their sister knows the Grand R, and if they are not wrong it looks like it is more than a mere acquaintance. (Did you actually kiss him or are our minds deceiving us? Both their looks ask).

"He does." Martin replies.
"Even though it only was a brief encounter. But we shared a bottle of wine." René adds.

[fitofgrandair]

"A magnanimous gesture, and one that has not been forgotten." Not entirely, not far enough. Why they should have remembered, Grantaire can't imagine; when had that even been? And those glances the boys continue to exchange-- It is of course impossible to know their exact meaning, but the slyness, the questioning delight point toward suppositions.

And, oh, if this family talks...

Well. He'll need to take it for what it is. The recognition of her family need not mean much; it wouldn't be the first time his name has been shared as such. And the situation is humorous, in a way. If he weren't in the middle of it, Grantaire would doubtless be making mock in earnest.

Instead, he takes Irma's hand, keeping his eyes on her as he continues to speak. They've an inkling; why not offer further evidence? "Indeed, the very fact that they deigned to speak with such a wreck as I showed wondrous kindness; a trait that shines stronger still in their sister. There is nothing more valuable than the company of another."

[irma_boissy]

It shouldn't be like this. If you tell Mother or Helène I will kill you two.
Of course she would have told them. But when it was appropriate. And it wasn't now. These first moments with Monsieur Grantaire should have been for her and her alone.
But still, she smiles back at him, a small hint of nervousness creeping towards the happiness she feels when she's with him.
"I am sure that my brothers would agree that far from kindness moving them, they found you a most interesting companion for their evening."
So does she, for the two times they've met.
She also happens to know that the reason they chose to speak with him was because they've always been great admirers of les Amis of the ABC, and they thought of it as an opportunity. Not that she's going to tell it.

[lesgemeauxboissy]

The twins look back at her with looks that vary from total innocence to OH SHIT NO DON'T TELL HIM WE WILL NOT TELL THEM and back to total innocence.

"And we weren't wrong." Martin adds "You proved to be most interesting."
"To us most unexperienced alumni of life."

They barely disguise their surprise (at least in the eyes of their sister) at the gesture, which prompts them to exclaim in unison:
"Ah, so those flowers were from you, Monsieur!"

[fitofgrandair]

"Here I must stand silent, for such a remark - ought I to say 'accusation'? - may only rightfully be met by the lady who has received the flowers. If, indeed, there were flowers to be found."

He squeezes Irma's hand just slightly, his expression partly knowing, partly tending toward something that might appear as bashfulness. Playing before a family requires especially careful adherence to the role at hand. Whether the boys believe it or not...

That much may depend partly on what they have heard and chosen to credit. If they had spent enough time around the Cafe, they may have heard much to weigh against this... Or they may even, more absurdly, have heard that he is the most devoted of lovers. Then again, they may have heard that he is a man of much solitude, not easily turned by a pretty face. At times, the inconsistency of rumor can prove a blessing.

[irma_boissy]

"I am afraid my brothers are not in need of me meeting their remark." she says in a joking tone "They are quite clever, you see."

She hopes that they are clever enough to understand that they should be going away right now. Still, she smiles most adoringly towards Grantaire. If they see, it doesn't matter. They will not tell as she will not tell of other things.

And if they have to talk, it will be tonight.

"Still, it was the most lovely present I've ever received"

[lesgemeauxboissy]

Martin nudges René slightly with the elbow and they both smile a little, amused smile. Their sister, with Monsieur Grantaire. This could open many good prospects for the family (specially for them, what with their aspirations of becoming members of Les Amis). But then, there was the problem of what they have heard of him.
With a very small nod, they decide they will keep an eye on the two. And God help him if he ever harms their sister.
"Quite original indeed." René says
"Even though our darling Mother didn't happen to think the same." Martin adds "If it weren't for our dear Irma, she almost throws them away."

[fitofgrandair]

"I am gratified to hear that my lady stood her ground and preserved my poor offering in the face of adversity. It appears I must add courage to the count of your virtues."

The conversation is proceeding smoothly enough, but Grantaire is beginning to feel the tug of edginess. Irma seems to have a close rein on her brothers and their questions, but isn't isn't especially keen on undergoing further examination. It is best not to risk giving too much away or becoming overly familiar with any family members.

There is a simple enough route to slipping away from the encounter.

Taking both of Irma's hands in his own, he offers a smile that quickly becomes apologetic. "I am a fortunate man, indeed, but am also a man bound to perform his role in the world. You must forgive me, Irma; I must take my leave from you. The studio calls, and from time to time, I find it advisable to heed the cry... Though I will no doubt be distracted, my thoughts lingering with the lady who gives such pleasure."

After kissing her hand, Grantaire releases her, moving before he can be delayed. "I will think of nothing save tomorrow.

"And it was a pleasure meeting your clever brothers - I should say 'meeting your brothers on new terms.' Adieu, gentlemen. Au revoir, Mademoiselle."

With a quick bow, he takes his exit.