A/N: This is actually almost an E/É fic in the sense that I saw their interaction as the focus but don't worry, I'm a total E/R shipper and there's still only E/R fluff. I am obviously not Victor Hugo and do not own Les Miserables. oh and this is only my second fic ever so go easy on me (joking) Enjoy! X
P.S. See what I did with the title? :P
Apollo-gise
The minute they heard the knock on the door Eponine and Grantaire knew who it was. Even when trying to be gentle Enjolras was still forceful; his knock was tentative yet firm. Eponine rolled her eyes and scoffed as she pictured him on the other side of the door, angel faced and docile. She felt her eyes narrow as she envisioned those golden curls falling in his blue eyes as he hung his head. When neither of them made for the door another knock came. Eponine looked over at her best friend, still curled in a ball on the couch, clutching a pillow to his chest. Her heart broke when his sad eyes met hers. She could tell he was struggling internally, fighting the urge to forgive and willing himself to resist.
"Answer for me, Ponine?" he said meekly, anticipating her disapproval.
"R, come on! I know we all joke that he's your Apollo but hat doesn't mean we think this worship is healthy and-"
"Eponine, please," Grantaire tried to sound resolute but it came out pleading. In case Eponine thought he just wanted her to spare him the lecture Grantaire quickly added, "just open the door." She huffed in defeat, crossed their small flat and slowly opened the door.
There he stood, exactly as she had pictured. He was leaning against the door frame looking up at her through those full lashes. She stood for a moment, watching him squirm which was a rarity. He nervously pushed a blonde curl from his eyes only for it to fall right back again. His usually austere, marble face was soft as he looked up at her in shame.
"Eponine I know you must be furious with me bu-"
"You bet your arse I'm furious. I'm beyond furious, Enjolras, I'm-" Eponine trailed off and balled her fists in frustration. She couldn't believe he actually expected forgiveness after doing this to Grantaire again. "You've gone too far this time, E, way too far." Enjolras nodded timidly and lowered his eyes again.
"I know and I fully understand that I have absolutely no right asking you for anything after hurting your friend so."
"Cut it out, E, your charm is just pissing me off, it's not going to help you here," Enjolras sighed and screwed his face up in anguish. He really hadn't been trying to charm her he just didn't know what to say. "God, you look pitiful. I've never seen you look pitiful before." Eponine was amazed.
"Please, Ponine, just tell me how he is."
"How do you think he is, Enjolras?" Eponine hissed, leaning forward to spit the words at him, "The absolute love of his life, his very reason for existing has once again let that lethal tongue of his run away with him. I cannot believe you've done this to him again! You and I know better than anyone that R is one of the most insecure people in the world. He already feels you're too good for him so who the fuck do you think you are belittling him? Screaming at him in front of everyone? Making a fool of him in front of his friends? The worst part is that he doesn't even care about any of that, all he cares about is you and your stupid opinion."
"Eponine, I know I insulted him-"
"You did a little bit more than that, Enjolras. Christ, I wish all you did was insult him! You burned him. You called him out on every little flaw and insecurity, every little thing he hates himself for. You have to understand something, when you choose to love Grantaire you have to love all of him and you have to be there when he's a prick, when he's a slut, whenever he does anything because of his insecurity. Instead, you chose to use them to intentionally hurt him and that is a dick move, Enjolras. Do you even realise what you've done? God, I cant even look at you any more! Go on, piss off." Eponine went to close the door when Grantaire called out.
"Ep, what's going on?"
"It's Apollo. The sun god has deigned to descend from Olympus to grace us mere mortals with his presence," Eponine flashed Enjolras a sarcastic smile as she yelled and Enjolras rolled his eyes.
"Let him in," came Grantaire's small reply. Eponine's eyes widened slightly, shocked by just how lenient Grantaire could be.
"R, you don't owe him anyth-"
"Ponine, please!" Eponine paused for a moment, disappointed. She turned back to face Enjolras and fixed him with a final murderous glare before shifting only slightly. Enjolras sighed slightly and squeezed past her before she slammed the door behind them.
"I'll leave you two alone." Eponine said, reluctantly before trudging halfway up the stairs.
"Grantaire-" but that was all Enjolras could say before Grantaire raised a finger to his lips and then gestured in the direction of the stairs. After a few seconds of silence they heard a frustrated huff and Eponine's bedroom door closing. Enjolras watched Grantaire roll his eyes and his expression lightened slightly and only for a minute before growing dark again. Enjolras felt guilt mount inside of him as he took in Grantaire who was still in a ball clutching the cushion, only now he was sitting vertically on the couch. He looked broken. Enjolras silently willed Grantaire to get angry at him the way Eponine had, anything but this defeated silence. He wanted so badly to just wrap Grantaire in his arms and kiss that sadness away but truthfully, it was he who didn't feel worthy.
Eponine was right, he did the unspeakable: he had taken all the deep, dark secrets that Grantaire had trusted him with and he had thrown them back in his face. Yet again he'd lost his temper and grown wild and ferocious, unleashing the full force of his venomous words on the man he loved. How could he possibly accept Grantaire's forgiveness?
"Grantaire," Enjolras felt the word catch in his throat and his voice faltered. For the first time Enjolras didn't know what to say. This was a war he didn't believe he could win. He didn't know how to make it better. Allowing Grantaire to forgive him would riddle him with guilt but he knew that if he walked away now Grantaire would only see it as confirmation that Enjolras didn't want him, didn't love him.
Grantaire tore his eyes away from the patch of worn carpet he'd been mindlessly staring at. Enjolras' face was twisted up in anguish. His lips were parted slightly, failing to form words and his brow was furrowed, ruining the marble surface of his forehead. Grantaire couldn't bear to think that he'd caused Enjolras this pain. Just as he was about so say something (what exactly, he didn't know, he just wanted to break the tension) Grantaire saw a glassy tear roll down that perfectly statuesque face and before he knew it he had close the space between them and kissed Enjolras hard, cupping his strong jaw in his hands. Enjolras faltered only for a moment before winding his arms around his boyfriend's waist and deepening the kiss.
The two soundlessly pressed words of apology to the other's lips, tears flowing down their cheeks.
"I'm so sorry. I love you so much."
"I know. I love you too. Oh, God, I love you, E." Enjolras' alabaster hands held either side of Grantaire's face and he placed soft kisses to his forehead, his lips, his jaw, his eyelids and finally he kissed away every single tear. At some point they had moved to the couch and Grantaire was splayed on top of Enjolras as they continued to kiss.
Eponine swore she'd have to pace her room one hundred times before she would allow herself to go downstairs and check up on her friends. By ten she was fed up. By fifty she had bitten all her nails down to nothing. By seventy-five she had cracked. She practically threw herself down the stairs and burst into the living room only to find a discernible tangle of limbs spread across her couch.
"Oh, for Christ's sake!" she lamented, "Actually, you know what? I'm not even surprised. You two are about as strong as tissue paper. Pontmercy has more endurance than you two. Ugh, you know what? I give up." She paused, expecting them to untangle themselves ashamedly and begin apologising but when that didn't happen she found herself yet again, not surprised.
"Jesus, get a room now and preferably not one where I eat. There had better be no bodily fluids on that couch because I swear, golden boy, you're paying to clean it." while Eponine ranted Enjolras had positioned Grantaire on his lap and the two were trying their hardest to suppress laughter. Grantaire had his lips pressed to Enjolras' golden curls and Enjolras was blushing slightly. Eponine stared incredulously, taking in their delighted expressions. She knew this wasn't right. She knew that they knew this wasn't right but she couldn't help the feeling of warmth that spread over her seeing her two best friends so content. How was it they could be so dysfunctional and yet somehow functional? Apollo and his Dionysus.
"Get out of here now," she quickly added. No way was she going to reveal her acceptance just yet. The two scurried past her on the stairs, hand in hand, both pausing to press a kiss to her cheek as they passed.
Eponine sleepily stumbled into the corridor, finally accepting she really did "have to go" only to find herself standing in front of a Greek god. Enjolras looked glorious in the moonlight that was pouring in through the landing window. The marble expanse of his faultlessly toned chest looked incandescent and... was that a halo? Oh, nope, the moon was bouncing of his hair so it was practically glowing. In nothing but a pair of red boxers he looked immaculate and Eponine felt her jaw drop slightly.
"Oh, hi, Ep. I wasn't expecting a queue," Enjolras laughed nervously and shifted in place. Eponine heard herself fumbling to form a sentence then trail off. She shook her head, forcing herself to focus before crossing her arms across her chest and resuming her disapproving expression. But she quickly sighed and relaxed her stance. Enjolras was beautiful. He was smart and charming and annoyingly close to perfect in every way. Grantaire deserved someone like this. She began to smile as the thought of Grantaire with this avenging angel crossed her mind. She knew Enjolras loved her friend dearly and she knew he would die before letting any harm come to R.
Eponine moved towards Enjolras and he recoiled slightly in fear before she pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Enjolras sighed in relief before returning her embrace.
"You love him?"
"More than anything."
"Not more than me," she warned.
"No, I know," he laughed lightly.
"And you are aware that I will end you if you fuck up again?"
"Frighteningly aware, I promise."
"And you also know that I love you very much as well?"
"Likewise, Ponine." Enjolras replied and she could hear the smile in his voice. She reached up to whisper the next part in his ear.
"I really am happy for you two." The two friends smiled at one another before kissing each other on the cheek once more. Enjolras went to return to Grantaire's bedroom but Eponine only moved to lean against the wall. Enjolras was half turned and craned his neck to fix her with a questioning stare.
"Just taking in the view," she offered, innocently, "Go on, off to bed." she gestured for Enjolras to turn as she shamelessly gawked at his rear. Okay, now she knew for a fact that Enjolras divided his time between college, the Corinth, her flat and the library, where the hell did he get an ass like that?
"By the way, if you two ever consider a threesome I volunteer wholeheartedly." she called after him, and heard him chuckle melodically.
"I'm jealous," Eponine confessed jokingly to the empty landing before setting her jaw in frustration and vowing that tomorrow she would find a man.
