(Hi everyone! I feel like I need a sort of fluffy, sweet escape from my quite depressing stories of late. So here's a one-shot of Enjolras and a kitten. Hope you like it, though it might not make any sense...If many of you like it, I might change it into a fluffy two or three-shot.)
Enjolras saw red. Never had Grantaire been able to drive him so mad that he had decided to just leave the Café himself instead of sending the drunkard away. Admittedly, he didn't really know what the fight had been about. Of course it started with sarcastic comments and cynical snorts from Grantaire in the corner, but Enjolras never really let it get to him.
Yes, he got angry, but most of the time he was able to keep his cool and ignore the cynic. Other times he would shout and spew hate filled words in the hope that Grantaire would just leave the Café and he would most of the time have the full support of his Amis.
Tonight though, they had told Enjolras he was being unreasonable and to his surprise most of them bluntly sided with Grantaire. Only Combeferre had stayed silent, not voicing his opinion out loud, but his look had said enough. And God, it just wasn't fair.
He had had the worst day; everyone had seemed to be out to get him. First the disapproving letter from his father that arrived that morning; then the nagging landlady who had insisted on receiving rent right that minute; next his professors who didn't cut him any slack and now his Amis.
The blonde revolutionary refused to look back at his fight with Grantaire to see if maybe he had been unfair or unreasonable. He'd just go home and work and everything would be fine in the morning. The only positive thing of this night was that at least he had been able to finish his speech before his fight with Grantaire had started.
Enjolras was so angry and lost in thought that he almost didn't notice the small black creature, looking at him defiantly and not in the least planning to move aside. When the blonde realized he was about to trample a cat, he made a wrong move in his hurry to avoid the animal and successfully sprained his ankle before crashing to the street.
A frustrated loud curse escaped his lips and he turned furious eyes towards the cat that hadn't moved at all and was now just looking haughtily back at him. "Useless pests", he muttered angrily while pushing himself up again, "Shoo, get out of my way".
With a small limp he resumed his way to his apartment. "Unbelievable", he groaned incredulously when he tried to put weight on his foot. "Can this day really get any worse?" He let out a frustrated sigh and threw another annoyed look back at the cat who had succeeded in screwing up his day even more. The black animal only tilted its head a little in response, pulled out the innocent eyes and let out a small meow, as if it was trying to apologize.
Enjolras snorted and narrowed his eyes before turning away again. "Yeah, I don't think so", he huffed. Am I really talking to a cat now? He sighed and stumbled down the street and round the corner towards his rooms. When he finally arrived back he curtly greeted his landlady with a small nod and then made his way up the stairs, completely unaware of the black shadow that was following his every move.
It was only when he pushed the key in his lock and opened his front door that he noticed the black cat as it darted past him into his apartment and under a cabinet. There it stayed, just out of reach. "Damnit", Enjolras cursed, "This isn't happening".
He threw his books and notes on the table and spent the next half hour trying to coax the animal from under the cabinet, but with no such luck. After another fifteen minutes, the blonde revolutionary threw his hands in the air and snapped at the beast. "Fine, stay there then, see if I care. Just leave me the hell alone."
Shaking his head, he walked over towards his desk and sat down, desperate to just get some work done and forget about today. He managed a few hours of work, before exhaustion caught up on him and he fell asleep with his head on top of his books. It was at that moment that the little black animal tentatively crept out from under the cabinet and silently sneaked towards the blonde.
It jumped on top of the desk and sat down right in front of Enjolras, watching and waiting before finally curling up very close to the blonde's arm; hand and paw only inches away from each other. It took Enjolras no more than a few minutes before the loud purring woke him up. He blinked his eyes open and eyed the sleeping animal warily. His expression turning from angry to annoyed to mellow.
In a way – if you squinted – this animal is just a victim of the corrupt political system in France, Enjolras pondered. Just another innocent creature forced to live on the streets, not knowing love or comfort or happiness. Well, not entirely innocent. He is the reason for my throbbing foot. "And you broke into my apartment", he whispered out loud, causing the animal to wake up from his slumber.
They looked at each other for a minute and then the black kitten nuzzled up against his hand. Enjolras couldn't hold back the small smile that spread across his face. "Might as well get comfortable if we're both going to be useless and sleep", he mumbled as he picked the cat up and carried it towards the sofa.
He dropped the animal on a small pillow and let himself fall back against the cushions. Without really realizing what he was doing, Enjolras started to tell the cat all his irritations of the day. "And then they just all started telling me I stepped out of line, can you believe it? Grantaire isn't even there for the cause, just for the booze!" In response, the cat settled down in his lap and yawned. "Oh, I'm boring you?" the blonde asked.
The animal only blinked slowly at him before letting out a meow and pushing its head against Enjolras'. He snorted and stroked the fluffy black fur. "Well at least you can't talk back at me, so I guess you'll just always agree with what I say." After another few meaningless comments, the cat had fallen asleep and Enjolras followed suit.
When the first rays of light lit up the room, Enjolras became aware of a comfortable warmth in the crook of his neck. Apparently somewhere during the night, the little cat had decided to crawl even closer up to the revolutionary. He patted the animal a few times softly on the head before moving it and standing up.
He immediately winced and cursed under his breath when he put weight on his bad foot. He had completely forgotten about that. He really wasn't looking forward to the fuss Combeferre and Joly were no doubt going to make when he saw them that evening.
Sighing, he searched his cabinets for something to eat – not necessarily for himself, but for his guest – and came up with a small block of cheese. "It'll have to do", he sighed before turning back towards the sofa and crumbling the cheese in front of the cat. His heart ached a little at the sight of the little animal desperately eating all of the food; clearly starved.
"I'll go out later to get you some more", he said heartily. What am I doing? I have a cat in my apartment. I can't have a cat in my apartment! Just get rid of it. But he couldn't. He, Enjolras; the marble lover of liberty; reluctant to show any emotion, could not find it in his heart to throw the little black kitten back on the streets. "You'll just have to be my secret", he whispered, while gently scratching the cat behind its ears, who in response purred loudly.
"I'll call you Rousseau and yes I know it's predictable, but it suits you and it is my decision". Rousseau did not seem to mind and all as he happily searched for more of Enjolras' caresses, which the blonde was glad to give.
Who knew it would only take a ball of fluff to break through the marble mask of the fearless revolutionary leader.
(Okay, I know this really doesn't make any sense, hehe, but it was in my head and I had to get it out. Hope you liked it though… I sort of have an idea for another few chapters, but I'm not sure yet if I'm going to work them out.)