Grantaire stormed through the door mad, he has tears streaming down his face. His left cheek was red and slightly swollen. He went straight to the fridge and grabbed the 6-pack that sat in his fridge. He swallowed down the first of the beers and tossed it aside. Opening the second one he grabbed a paintbrush, dipping it in scarlet paint he wiped angry streaks across the painting of Enjolras seated on the easel. His vision tinted red from tears blurred as tears built up in his eyes and streamed down the cheek. He felt a small hand rubbing his back and the soft voice of his best friend cooing telling him it would be ok. She took his hand and pulled him to the couch and wrapped her arms around him letting him cry.
"It'll be ok R" she said quietly kissing his head. She stroked his dark curls as he cried into her chest. After awhile he calmed down. The soothing pull of Éponine playing with his curls calmed him down.
"How's things with Marius?" He murmured.
"The usual" Eponine grabbed a beer and opened it. "He goes on and on about how perfect Cosette is" she downed the bottle.
A few hours later both Éponine and Grantaire were a few bottles past drunk. Grantaire straddled her before kissing her.
"I need it Éponine. I need you to fuck me." She nodded and pulled Grantaire back down into a kiss. Soon clothes were off and Grantaire slid into Éponine. He rocked his hips and soon was brought to an orgasm. He collapsed on top of his best friend breathing heavily.
When he could breath again he thanked Éponine before falling asleep in her arms.
Éponine sat on the bathroom floor staring at the pregnancy test. Shaking her head she stood up on shaky legs and reached for her cell phone. Dialing his number she sat upon the stool.
Grantaire picked up and heard Éponine sobbing.
"Ill be right over" he said quickly before hanging up. Éponine cleaned up the waste from the test and went into the living room and laid on the couch. When Grantaire arrived he went straight to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"What's wrong sweet heart you can tell me." He murmured into her ear making her cry harder.
"R... I'm p-pregnant... Y-you're... Y-you're the father." He stared at her in shock.
"N-no I can't be the father. Are you sure?"
"Your the only one I've had sex with in a year! Of course I'm sure!"
Grantaire sighed shaking his head. He couldn't be a father he didn't have the income for it. He was just a struggling artist chasing after someone who would never love him back. He stood up.
"I-I need to think." His voice quivered. He walked out hastily.
Grantaire paced the hospital waiting room with a worried expression Éponine had been in labor for forty hours already and there was no sign from the doctor. Many of the Amis had been in and out but only Grantaire stayed. Jehan sat watching Grantaire pace.
"You should rest. Éponine will be fine."
"She shouldn't be in labor this long! What if something's wrong!"
Jehan was about to speak when the doctor came out of the room.
"Nicholas Grantaire?" The doctor asked.
"That's me" he responded instantly
"We are sad to say Ms. Thenardier did not survive the pregnancy. How ever the baby did. The baby is a healthy baby girl."
"P-Ponine is... D-dead? N-no!" Grantaire started freaking out. Éponine couldn't be dead. She just couldn't.
"I am very sorry. Sir but I need to get back to the ward. The baby is in the nursery if you would like to see her." The doctor left leaving Grantaire and Jehan alone in the waiting room.
"R... I'm so sorry..." Jehan didn't know what to say. He put his hand on Grantaire's back and rubbed it softly. "I'm so sorry"
Grantaire jerked away. Tears streamed down his face. Jehan backed up a few steps lost and confused he didn't know what to do but didn't want to leave Grantaire in a state like this. He texted the rest of the group and they all came.
"'Ponine is gone" Grantaire sobbed and melted into the hugs of his friends. Enjolras stood off to the side watching his oldest friend in this time of need not knowing what to do. Grantiare had always infuriated him. They had been thrown together when their mothers were best friends. They were forced to spend time together. Enjolras had never really cared for Grantaire but he also never really not cared for him. He was indifferent. Comberferre came and stood next to him.
"You should at least talk to him. Tell him you're sorry." Combeferre said leaning against the wall
"Why should I?"
"He's your friend. And he needs you right now"
Enjolras sighed quietly and re-did his pony tail. He walked over to Grantaire and wrapped his arms around him. Grantaire froze and didn't hug back. He jerked back dazed and looked at Enjolras.
"Come with me to see the baby?" Grantaire asked. Enjolras shook his head. Before turning on his heels an leaving.
Grantaire carried the carseat with the tiny baby girl in it into the Musain and sat in the back like he usually did. Jehan skipped back and scooped the little infant out of the seat.
"Little Felicia is getting so big!" Jehan smiled and rocked the three week old infant. Jehan liked to help with the baby when ever he could and would knit her all kinds of blankets and clothes. She was spoiled by the Amis who all seemed to love her as much as Grantaire did. Everyone except Enjolras that is. Enjolras avoided her as much as he could. Enjolras had never much cared for kids and there being a baby in the group definitely wouldn't change that. He did worry about Felicia however. Grantaire could barely keep a goldfish alive for more than a month. He wondered how Grantaire would manage to keep an infant alive. The rest of their friends had gathered around Grantaire and little Felicia. Enjolras cleared his throat calling the meeting to order. Combeferre sat in his seat next to Enjolras' seat he was cradling Felicia in the crook of his arm and was cooing at her. Only Enjolras knew that when Éponine was alive that Combeferre had been seriously asking her out. That was before they found out she was pregnant. Now all he had left of her was this little brown eyes, brown haired beauty who looked like the perfect mixture of both her parents. Combeferre loved Felicia almost as much as Grantaire did. Felicia fell asleep sucking on her pacifier on his arms. Enjolras started the meeting he was relieved when Grantaire didn't argue with him like he normally did. Grantaire was back for the first time since Felicia was born. Though he had frequent visitors all whom were concerned with both Grantaire and Felicia's well being he preferred being alone. Enjolras had not visited yet and he didn't plan on visiting anytime soon. After Enjolras finished his speech he sat next to Combeferre who has unwillingly given up Felicia to Courfeyrac who was singing a filthy song to the infant. Grantaire had a bottle in his hand and was laughing with Fueilly and Bossuet. Grantaire wasn't drunk surprisingly and kept a very close eye on Felicia. Enjolras turned to Combeferre and asked him about the speech. Things were interrupted when they heard a loud wail from behind them. They turned to see Felicia crying. Grantaire rushed to her and picked her up but she continued to scream. Grantaire looked lost and hopeless. He went to the bathroom and when they came out Felicia was asleep. He excused him self and went home. He settled Felicia into her crib once they got home. Once he made sure she wasn't going to wake up he went to the living room and broke down crying. He couldn't do this. Felicia was to much. He loved her but he didn't have what it took to be a father. He fell asleep on the couch only to be awoke by Felicia's cries.
Grantaire would occasionally stop by the meetings and he would always have Felicia with him. He fought less with Enjolras on those day. He was to focused on his child. One meeting day a few months after Felicia was born Grantaire didn't come to a meeting. This wasn't out of the blue but Enjolras wanted to ask him to create a poster for their upcoming rally. After the meeting was over Enjolras gathered his stuff and took the bus to Grantaire apartment. He stood outside Grantaire's flat and could hear Felicia crying from outside the door. He knocked then walked in. He watched as Grantaire paced back and forth rocking the baby as she wailed. Grantaire's hair was everywhich way and his clothes were wrinkly. He looked as if he hadn't slept or shaved in days. He had stubble growing and bags hung under his eyes. When Grantaire saw Enjolras he rushed towards him. "Please take her for just a moment! I really need to shower and she hasn't let me sleep in days. Please Enjolras!" Before Enjolras knew what he was doing he took the small child in his arms and almost instantly she calmed down. She gazed at Enjolras with a smile and reached out to grab at his long hair. Grantaire looked relieved.
"I'll be right back I'm just going to shower" he went off to the bathroom when he came out he was freshly shaven and smelled less like a sewer. He still has bags under his eyes and was trying not to fall asleep. Felicia happily sucked on a pacifier and soon was falling asleep in Enjolras' arms. Enjolras sat on the couch and Grantaire say down bedside him.
"Thank you. I know you didn't come to help with her but I really appreciate it Apollo. You really are a god aren't you?" Enjolras didn't answer instead he gently handed over a sleeping Felicia and gestures Grantaire towards the bedroom. Grantaire nodded and walked Felicia to her crib. Once he got her settled he turned around to find Enjoras standing in the door watching him. He blushes slightly and walked out. Closing the door behind him. They sat on the couch again.
"I wanted to ask you if you would make some posters for our next protest. If you had some time." Enjolras told him.
Grantaire thought about it for a few minutes. "One condition. You come over and watch Felicia while I make the poster. Should take about a week."
"No! You know I don't like babies R! I never have!"
"Then no poster. That's my deal. Take it or leave it"
Enjolras sighed and eventually agree to watch Felicia so that r could make the poster. They agreed to meet the next day at three.
When Enjolras arrived the next day Grantaire was making a bottle in the kitchen. Felicia was on the floor playing with toys. Grantaire turned around and smiled when he saw Enjolras.
"Ah the almighty Apollo kept his word!" He laughed and scooped up Felicia from her perch on the floor. Handing her over to Enjolras then handing him the bottle he explained all about how to feed an infant.
"She is only three months so you still need to support her head but not as much as you would had she been a new born. I'll be in my art room. Call if you need anything. See you in an hour." Grantaire walked to the back of the apartment leaving Enjolras alone with the baby for the second time in two days. He sat on the couch and fed her when she finished eating she started whimpering. Enjolras didn't know what to do. He checked to make sure she had a clean diaper and wasn't hurt. Soon her whimpers turned into cries that grew louder and louder.
"You need to burp her! Hit her back with a little force!" Grantaire called out. Enjolras did as he was instructed and Felicia smiled a toothless baby smile at him. Enjolras couldn't help but smile at her. She was absolutely adorable. She had chocolate brown eyes like her mother and a thick head of curls like her father. Her nose was round and she had big wide eyes. She resembled her father more so than she did her mother. Enjolras bounced her on his knee and sand quietly to her. She smiled the entire time enjoying Enjolras. About a half hour into his time with her she started yawning. Enjolras laid her in the crook of his arm and she fell asleep almost instantly. Placing her in the playpen and gently laying a blanket over her tiny body he put her down for a nap. When Grantaire finished painting he came out to see Felicia napping and Enjolras watching over her with a small smile on his face.
"You can head on out now if you want." He said quietly not to wake up the sleeping infant. Enjolras nodded and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" He asked. Grantaire nodded and Enjolras left.
Over the week Enjolras grew to love Felicia as much as everyone else did and on his last day of watching her while Grantaire worked he arrived at their apartment. He came in with out knocking and found R playing with Felicia and Felicia giggling like mad. Enjolras felt a flip in his stomach as he watched the happy little girl. He looked at R whose face was bright as he blew raspberries on her little belly. He smiled and watched to two play. He watched Grantaire and it was then that Enjolras finally understood how he felt about Grantaire. How he had alway felt about him. Enjolras ran out and shut the door loudly behind him. Grantaire looked to the door in confusion and looked at the time. Confused and slightly hurt he realized it was Enjolras who had come by. Grantaire called Cosette and she quickly came over. When she arrived Grantaire stormed out and go the closest bar he could find. He drank till he couldn't drink anymore. Stumbling out of the bar he walked into an alley before he passed out. It was a few hours later Enjolras found him here he had gone to talk to Combeferre who had calmy listened and explained to him that Enjolras was in fact in love with Grantiare. Enjolras raced back to Grantaire's apartment and Cosette told him where to find him. He carried Grantaire back to his flat and laid him in his bed. Sitting at his desk Enjolras read waiting till Grantaire woke up. When Grantaire woke up he was sober again. He looked around the room not recognizing it. He turned to the door as it opened and there Enjolras stood with a cup of tea.
"You're awake. Good. Grantaire I need to talk to you"
Grantaire nodded still confused.
"I love you R I have ever since we were little kids. I know you probably won't believe me but I really do. I was upset when you became a father cause unconsciously I was jealous that you would have sex with other people. This past week I fell in love with Little Felicia and when I saw you two playing this afternoon I realized I loved you too. I want to be with you and..." He was interrupted as Grantaire's lips met his. He melted into the kiss.
"You talk to much Apollo and I can think of much better uses for those lips" Grantaire chastised before kissing Enjolras again. He pulled the blond man to the bed and soon they had clothes laying everywhere. They fell together like two matching puzzle pieces. Grantaire would later say it was the best sex he'd ever fell asleep together wrapped in each other's arms.
It didn't take long for the two of then to start dating. They fell into it easily. Enjolras would watch Felicia as much as he could and sometimes he would go over to Rs apartment just to be with Grantaire. At meetings Grantaire still sat in the back but as long as Enjolras wasn't giving a speech Felicia was on his lap. The rest of their friends where happy for them. One day after a meeting Grantaire invited Enjolras over and they went to his house. Once Felicia was put to bed Grantaire and Enjolras sat on the couch curled into each other's arms.
"Move in with me please. I love you so much I want to spend as much time as I can with you and Felicia loves you to." Enjolras agreed and a few weeks later he moved in with Grantaire.
Enjolras and Grantaire both stood outside the preschool room watching as Felicia settled in. Her long brown curly hair pulled knot pigtails and she was wearing a baby blue dress with her nice shoes. She laughed gleefully as some of the other kids played with her. Enjolras squeezed Grantaire's hand and he responded with a smile. The cool metal of the ring that symbolized marriage was still cold againt his finger. They had gotten married a month before Felicia stared school and the entire group celebrated. Felicia was the flower girl and loved her Daddy and her Papa. They were as happy as any family could be.
THE END
