Towards Redemption [HIATUS]

18. | La Belle |

When Grimm arrives at Vineyard Cafe, Esmae is seated casually in one of the tables, fidgeting nervously. There is an empty glass of water in front of her and she doesn't look like she'd ordered anything else. She didn't even notice Grimm's approach and had let out a squeal when Grimm slid in front of her.

"So?" Grimm leans back and crosses his arms, "I don't have the whole night." He says even though he did. Esmae takes a deep breath and signals a waitress. She pays for the water and gets up, she looks back at Grimm to make sure he is following and leads him out.

She walks past the cafe and the bookstore next to it and crosses over to the other side of the road and pauses in front a carefully constructed building with minimal colors. It gave of a very elegant vibe and Grimm immediately felt repealed. 

Esmae rummages through her bag and pulls out a rectangular piece of paper, a leaflet and hands it to Grimm without looking at him. She has her eyes turned towards the building and a grin on her face. Grimm cannot decide whether it is real or forced.

Grimm scoffs at her and looks at the leaflet. He hisses out a curse. "Fucking hell, Esmae! You want me to join a dance class?!" Esmae winces at his outburst. "It's just a dance class Grimm. Besides," Esmae ignores the dark scowl Grimm directed at her and  skips in front of him and turns to face him, "I've already talked to the owner of La Belle, Fiona and she gave us the go!" She says gesturing to the building they were standing in front of. "I didn't make any payment yet, Fiona said we could take the first lesson for free and decide afterwards whether we want to continue with classes or not." Esmae talks on without much attention to Grimm who is now slowly turning pale.

"I've heard she's a great teacher, everyone who takes lessons from her is full of praise for Fiona." Esmae pauses when she finally notices how silent Grimm is. "Grimm? Are you feeling fine?" Esmae moves towards him in concern and Grimm steps back. 

If he'd agree to the dance lessons, he'd have to touch her, willingly. And Grimm already felt like panicking at the mere thought of possibly hurting her in the process. But Esmae's eyes are wide and so hopeful that Grimm almost considers saying yes. But his paranoia of hurting and possibly tainting Esmae's light held him back.

"Esmae," When Grimm speaks, his voice is hoarse and tortured, "I can't." He says in a whisper and Esmae's smile visibly dulls, Grimm inwardly winces. For some reason, he hated disappointing her. 

"You can't?" Esmae parrots, "Oh, you can't." She looks taken back, as though she couldn't believe what he'd said. "But...but..." She stumbles over words. "I can't touch you." Grimm whispers and Esmae freezes. 

"I'm a fucking horrible man, Esmae." He says and Esmae shakes her head. "I've seen nothing but goodness in you." She argues and Grimm doesn't know whether he should laugh with relief or cry with bitterness.

A tense silence follows and naturally, Esmae is the one to break it.

She takes a breath and nods, as though mentally collecting herself. "OK." She says with an easy smile that makes Grimm's heart tighten. "It's OK." She says again and digs into her bag and pulls out a flier. "Fiona has a sister," Esmae begins, "She takes  three day art classes for anyone who is interested." She hands it over to Grimm who takes it almost cautiously. 

"I don't know if they still have spots open, but it wouldn't hurt to try right?" Esmae smiles, "It's something on my list." She adds just in case. Grimm looks down at it and nods slowly. He could sit at an art class. How bad could it be?

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The La Belle building was a three story complex, Fiona took dances classes at the ground floor studio and her sister, Isabel taught art at the second floor, the third served as a living quarters for the sisters. 

La Belle Tros was the art studio. Isabel was in the middle of class when Esmae and Grimm appeared. Grimm noted the silver band on her left hand ring finger almost immediately. Isabel was a cheery character, a bit eccentric, but Grimm thought she was plain weird in her long skirt and loose blouse while Esmae and Isabel clicked easily.

As Isabel went through the schedule with Esmae, Grimm absently noted that Esmae could probably be great friends with Vince seeing how persistent she was when she wanted something.

"Well, we've got a few minutes until class officially starts, so why don't you both pick out where you want to sit down and go through the supplies I've kept at your tables. Today we'll be going through the basics of sketching, lines and circles, the really basics." Isabel gestures at the neatly arranged chairs, each having one of those large canvases in front of it.

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Grimm found that he enjoyed the classes, it was rather quiet, the only sounds being the gently swipe of pencils on the canvas paper and Isabel's occasion comments on what a student had drawn. There weren't many people either, just four more excluding Esmae and him. And it pleased him immensely as Grimm always hated attention more than anything else.

When class was over, Isabel waved them off and asked them to be present same time the following week and Esmae walks out the door looking a little starstruck. "Did you see those paintings on the walls?" She asks Grimm and he grunts. Esmae continues without losing a beat. "I asked Isabel about them and she said she drew them. They are so pretty." She gushes, apparently quite taken with the woman.

They walk out and Esmae gasps in the middle, making Grimm turn back in alarm. "I almost forgot! Come on!" She says and pulls out the flier for the art class. Grimm stands next to her as she adjusts her polaroid until the sign is visible and clicks a picture. She laughs enthusiastically as she shows him the picture.

Esmae is holding the flier with one hand, her smile bright as the light in her eyes and Grimm looks almost startled. "I quite like this picture." She tells him and Grimm rolls his eyes, knowing rather well that him disagreeing wouldn't do anything to changer her mind.

"Thanks Grimm." Esmae says with a smile that makes Grimm's heart skip a beat. There, that was the reason, he'd do anything for her. Just to see her smile. And god forbid, Grimm thinks as he absently rubs a hand over his heart, he was so close to losing this newly found heart.

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When Grimm stands next to Vincenzo that evening, a gun trained on the man in front of him and bodies littered around the filthy hotel room, he remembers her smile, and the feeling that starts at his chest and spreads when he sees Esmae's smile. And pulls the trigger.

And just before the man breaths his last, he looks right at the two men, the Ring Master and his lion, the men at the top of the city's crime world and utters words that makes them both narrow their eyes.

"He's coming for you all."

And when whoever 'he' was came, they would be ready.

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I've had the worst day ever. I just got my results and they utterly devastated me. Mom nearly fainted and I just feel so fed up and tired of life. I tried so hard but the end result wasn't anything near it. I feel so damn tired. Today is the worst day for me.

But, I decided to type this up since you guys have more than once brightened up a horrible day. So I hope you'll give this chapter the same love you've given all the previous ones.

kisses,

ceelia.

On a side note, I typed this up very early this year but school and other stuff made me completely forget about it. I'm sooo sorry about the slow updates though!