Enjolras's P.O.V
I sat at my usual table with my friends. There was great chatter amongst them that day. I attended the Pompeux bouche academy for gifted boys. Yes it's as traditional as it sounds. Go ahead and call it the dead poets society school. We may as well be that. Our group was somewhat like the dead poet's society now that I thought about it. We didn't really like the way most people ran things and only liked one class, which was our first that day. But that was hardly the topic at hand.
"Did you hear?"
"What?"
"We're getting a new student today."
"Really, what's he like?"
"No idea, just that his last name starts with a...T. I think." I tried to block out their extensive conversation and was happy when the bell rang. I briskly walked to debate class and sat down with Grantaire at my side. He may be a condescending, cynical asshole, but he was still my best friend. Except perhaps Combeferre.
"Oi Enj, what do you think this new guy'll be like?"
"Hopefully not as annoying as you." I joked. He put a hand to his heart.
"You cut me deep Hugo." I rolled my eyes, smirking. Just then the door opened and our teacher, Monsieur Valjean, walked in with someone behind him that I couldn't make out. I realized then that it was the new boy. Valjean went up to the podium and the new boy stood behind him. I began my assessment of him, even if I couldn't see him. Given he had yet to show his face and was literally hiding behind the teacher(not that I was one to judge), he was probably shy. Not only that, but he seemed a little lanky.
"Good afternoon boys. Now, before we begin, as you've probably heard, we have a new student among us. Monsieur Gavroche Thenadrier." I paused a little at that name and lookedto Grantaire, who had the same look on his face. It was one rather familiar to us, our group of friends that is. Our group often hung out at a cafe in town in the evenings. La Musain. And there was always a little boy that came by when we were there. Courfeyrac has basically adopted him. But he was barely an 8 year old, he wouldn't be in a high school. "Go on now, don't be shy." Valjean's kind voice snapped me out of my thoughts. My eyes widened and my pen dropped. The boy in front of us was definitely not Gavroche. For one thing. He had hair, I mean our Gavroche had hair, but not locks. Not chocolate brown waves that went past his shoulders. Not doe brown eyes that almost seemed to shine in the electric light. I couldn't stop myself from staring. I mean, I was bi, maybe I was starting to find attraction in this guys. No, that's crazy I hadn't even spoken to him. His eyes were dropped to the floor, but I could still see them, almost glaring up at me. "Monsieur, why don't you take the seat by Enjolras?" He headed up to my row and I shoveled over on the bench.
"Hi." He finally spoke softly once Valjean began teaching. His voice surprised me, it was high, as if puberty wasn't quite finished with his voice yet.
"Um..hi." I whispered back to him. He smiled a little.
"I'm Ep- Gavroche." He stumbled over his words a little but I brushed it aside.
"Enjolras." I shook his hand. Another thing I noticed. His hands were one, incredibly dirty, two, extremely calloused, and slightly wounded, and three, they were also incredibly dainty. We spent the remainder of the class exchanging small talk through whispers or notes. When the bel rang, we moved on to our next class, and the next one, and so on and so forth. I soon found out that, because he had nowhere else to go, he would become my roommate. I would be sharing my originally single room, but seeing as it was with him, I had no problem with it.
Later that night, we were about to head down to dinner and we were in our casual clothes. I zipped up my red hoodie and checked to make sure i didn't have any pen marks on my face. I looked to Gavroche, who was reading on his bed. He wore rather baggy clothes. They were obviously much too big for him. I considered offering him one of my shirts, but remembered the last time I did. SO I decided on something else. "Hey Gavroche." He did respond. He was absorbed by the book. I smiled and tapped his bony shoulder. He jumped and looked up.
"Huh?"
"Wanna come down to the cafe with me and my friends?" I asked. He seemed to brighten up at this.
"Really?"
"Sure." I shrugged. He smiled at me and nodded.
"Alright." He stood up, then frowned."Crap, I didn't pack my wallet." I mentally raised an eyebrow at his unpreparedness. I brought my wallet to class and he left his at home? Eh, it wasn't my place.
"Don't worry about it, we always share the bill anyway. I don't think Combeferre or joly have paid once in three years." I assured him. He nodded and I walked down the stairs with him. We chatted some more and I'm pretty sure I almost made him pee his pants with a joke or two.(There are good ones okay) I smiled as we reached town. I opened the door for him.
"Merci monsieur." He smiled. I grinned back.
"Not a problem." i looked to the guys."Excuse me everyone." They all looked to me. "I'm sure you guys have been wondering about the new student. Well, allow me to introduce monsiuer Gavroche Thenadrier. Yes the same name as our Gavroche."
"I'm right here Enj!" Gavroche said(Our Gavroche.) He seemed to have a look, not of fiendliness, but one of confusion. "um, this is my..cousin." He said tentatively."Our parents were kind of stupid and didn't know they were giving us the same name, would you excuse us for a minute?" The two boys left and I went to sit down with Combeferre.
"Hey, what's up with you, you seem..confused." I said, resting my elbows on the table.
"It's nothing, just thinking about Gavroche, the new one." He waved me off. I looked at him.
"Why you thinking about 'im?" I asked.
"..No reason, just thinking about him." He sighed and looked at the menu. I shrugged and brushed it off before doing the same.
Throughout the next few weeks, Gavroche began to really integrate into the school. He was a big part of our group and was constantly making everyone laugh. He became sort of my third best friend after a while. My train of thought continued as I walked through the empty hallway. Unfortunately Gavroche was not getting along with everyone. Professor Javert seemed to hold a deep loathing for him, but then again, he hated everyone. But Javert wasn't his only enemy. A group of bullies known as the Patron Minette had taken a bit of an interest in him, and not the good kind. We tried to keep them away but it didn't help that the leader, Montparnasse was on the good side of many of the teachers. He constantly harassed Gavroche, throwing bits of paper at him, calling him rater insulting nicknames, the whole shibang. Luckily he hadn't done anything violent. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices.
"Please, stop it Parnasse, leave me alone."
"What're you gonna do Ponine? Gonna call for help, oh wait, nobody here can know."
"I said stop it!" My breath hitched. It was Gavroche. But, who was Ponine? I turned the corner to see something I had never longed to see. Gavroche was on the ground, his hair spread out around his dainty face on the ground. Montparnasse was above him, kicking him in the side.
"HEY, LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I yelled, running forward without thinking. I punched Montparnasse in the stomach and took the time in which he was..disposed, to get Gavroche away from there. I didn't think twice before picking him up and running back to our room, which was luckily not too far. We finally got back to our room.
"You didn't have to do that, I could have handled myself." He protested as I set him down on the bed. I raised an eyebrow.
"Your welcome." I was about to go back to my own bed, when he grabbed my wrist.
"Um, Enj, there's something I need to tell you."
"Uh, okay, shoot."
"...Never mind, I'm gonna go get some food."
"Alright, be careful."
"Yeah yeah." He walked out the door. I sighed and went into the shower. I looked down at my red knuckles, glad that they had yet to bleed. I walked back out when I was finished, wondering whether or not all my underwear was in the wash, to my dismay, it was. I went over to Gavroche's dresser and opened the drawer, only to be met with a horrifying sight. Panties. Cotton. Panties. Why the hell would Gavroche have women's underwear in his drawers?! Was he some kinda pervert?! I spent the remainder of my time alone getting in to my pyjamas, and trying to get that image out of my head. When Gavroche came back with a plate of food, I waited until the plate was down, and then yelled at him.
"WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE WOMEN'S UNDERWEAR IN YOUR DRAWERS?!" He jumped and fell backwards over his bed.
"DUDE! WHAT THE HELL, WHY WERE YOU LOOKING THROUGH MY DRAWERS?!"
"THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT!" He sighed and sat on his bed.
"Enjolras, remember that thing I wanted to tell you earlier?"
"What does that have to do with anything."
"Please, just, don't freak out." He rolled his shirt up and my eyes were met with the sight of a bra.
". . . . You're a, you're a-"
"I'm a girl, yeah." She shrugged. I suddenly found a blush creeping up on my cheeks."Also, I think Combeferre knows."
"Well, you're still my friend, you're just, a girl among boys."