Hi! This is my first fanfic in a while, and I hope you enjoy. The story holds the same basic plot as the novel, musical, and movie, but there will be definite changes and outcomes. I would love to hear what you guys think :) Enjoy!
Chapter One
Waking
The cool September air wafted through the open window; the sounds of a waking city filtering through into the large room.
Marius Pontmercy sat up, ruffling his messy hair and squinting his small green eyes. He slowly got out of his bed and put on a t-shirt before walking out to the kitchen where his grandfather, Monsieur Gillenormand sat.
"Bonjour, Marius."
"Bonjour, Grandpére."
Marius gazed outside at the beautiful city. Men, women, and children bustled about, the sounds of cars putting along and the rings of bike bells punctuated the Saturday morning chatter. Marius and his grandfather lived in the wealthiest part of Paris, in a beautiful penthouse apartment.
For most of his life, Marius has lived with his grandfather and attended an all boys academy in the city. Only recently had Marius begun to explore the other people in the city, those who were not as wealthy, those who were fierce and vocal about their disagreements with the French government. A knock on the door sounded.
"Marius! Open up!" a deep voice sounded.
Marius quickly strode over and unlocked the door. Enjolras and Courfeyrac, two fairly new friends of his, stood outside bouncing with excitement. "You have to come to the café," Courfeyrac whispered, so that Marius's bourgeois grandfather would not hear him. Marius glanced back quickly at his grandpa, who was looking up from his crossword puzzle.
"Grandpére, it's Arthur. He needs help for his exams. We're going to the library," Marius lied, speaking of his rich friend from the academy.
"All right. Not in that state, however," his grandfather replied, before returning to his puzzle. Once Gillenormand began a puzzle, he would not lose focus until it was finished.
Marius knew that his other friends would not care about his outfit of a t-shirt and blue jeans, but the Pontmercy boy had a reputation among the bourgeois. He quickly ran to his room and put on trousers and a blazer, washed up, and combed back his ashen blond hair.
"Goodbye, grandpére!" Marius said before dashing out the door.
The three young men walked down the corridor and into the gated elevator.
"God, you look so rich," Enjolras scoffed, flashing his white grin. Marius smiled at the jest. His blazer and trousers did look quite out of place next to Enjolras's jeans and worn leather jacket, and Courfeyrac's dusty button-down.
The elevator reached the apartment complex's lobby. An elderly woman dressed in mink smiled warmly at Marius, but was clearly displeased with Enjolras's and Courfeyrac's presence in the lobby. The three dashed out the door and down the street.
"Everyone's at ABC," Courfeyrac said as they made their way down the crowded streets. The further and further Marius went out of the rich district, the fewer greetings he got from socialites. It was as if the air was changing. The stiff collared men and delicate women turned into weathered, gruff men, and fierce, hardy women. The light air turned edgy and electric.
The men turned a corner and onto a dank off-street. There was the ABC Café. Through the windows one could see a group of mostly college-aged young men boisterously chanting and having some drinks. The café was not very special to most, but this group of around fifteen had made it theirs.
When the trio entered, they were greeted with cheers. "Look who decided to show up!" an already inebriated man called. Grantaire, who was notorious for his drinking and his temper. He hobbled over to Enjolras and patted him on the back, sending a sharp glare to Marius as he did so. It seemed as if Grantaire was growing jealous over the bond that Marius was forming with Enjolras.
"Ah, off to the theater are we, Pontmercy?" Grantaire jeered, mimicking a bourgeois tone. Enjolras sent him a warning glance, and Grantaire backed off. The men settled in, and Enjolras stood at the head of the table.
"Men!" he boomed. "The time to attack is coming soon. We will have no choice but to rebel against the fascist ways of our government." Enjolras had the capability to hold a room. No one spoke; they all stared intently at their leader. "A week from today, we will rise!" The crowd cheered, clinking their mugs of beer.
Enjolras stepped down and grabbed a drink himself, before joining his closest friends.