So, here is the story a wrote for the awesome Tracy. Her prompt was inspired by the first picture of that photoset seen on Tumblr : post/53162007068/the-power-of-a-glance-has-been-so -much-abused-in.
Enjolras glances out his window and notices Éponine leaning against the wall of the coffee shop/bar/bookstore/restaurant across the street, on a smoke break or her phone or something. He decides it's time to finally give that coffee shop/bar/bookstore/restaurant a shot as soon as possible. Except that he doesn't have the nerve to properly speak to her and just takes his order to go. She keeps fucking up his order on purpose in an effort to make him.
DISCLAMER : Nothing's mine. Even Combeferre...
And, before I forget, a big thanks to my beta, Seredhiel05. If there are still mistakes, that's her fault.
Enjolras
It was Tuesday afternoon and Enjolras was working on an essay that wasn't due for another two months. He had been working on it for more than two hours straight and could feel his concentration decreasing.
Suddenly, a loud voice was heard from the alley. He had specifically chosen this room because it overlooked a garden rather than the street. But a new café opened a few weeks prior and that garden became a terrace. The hubbub was usually not as loud than the voice he could hear at the moment.
Strangely he couldn't stop himself from listening. It was something trivial like, 'going out on a school night'. but he couldn't keep from looking out the window to see who the owner of the voice was.
A young woman was pacing next to the door, her phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, gesturing wildly and sending ashes flying all around her. Once her call finished she put the cigarette in the ashtray next to the window and went back inside.
A quick glance at his watch pointed out to the Law student that the whole thing lasted a good fifteen minutes. He really needed a break!
Almost every day since, a little after four o'clock in the afternoon, she went out a lit a cigarette and called the same person. From what he had understood it was her little brother and she was calling to make sure he was home from school and that he was doing his homework, apparently. She never called at the exact same time, as if to trap the boy. From what he heard from those conversations, he was quite a swindler.
Sitting on the edge of his other window, he was watching her. He was mesmerised by her brown long hair flying in the wind, her big movements, her shadow dancing on the ground. All of this had become his little secret ritual. She was there in the morning too, but, since there were no phone calls, he would sometimes miss.
And, God! He, the one who they sometimes called "Edward Cullen," because of his golden hair and his pale skin, was starting to hate rainy days ! And Thursdays.
Combeferre
Combeferre was just coming back from a whole day of classes, and he was seriously tired! The last one was definitely the most boring class he ever had to go to. He was hardly one to be bored by a professor, but this one was just a giant talking Valium pill.
He went to his flatmate's room to greet him and ask him about the evening's meeting.
The blond man was sitting at his desk; his head stuck against the glass, in the most uncomfortable position, watching God only know what. He didn't react one bit when Combeferre came to the other window to see what was fascinating his friend.
He had to confess that he was quite surprised. Ten years of friendship and five years of flat sharing didn't prepare him for this: Gabriel Enjolras was falling for a girl.
"I didn't know you were such a creeper, Enjolras."
His friend jumped and bumped his head on the glass.
"What?! What are you talking about?"
"You know, normal people… They just go to the girl; talk to her and ask her out."
Combeferre watched his friend consider his suggestion and he could read the inner monologue on his face. Talking to a girl? What for? Small talk? Oh, no! He was not able to do small talk! He could always–
"If small talk is too hard for you, you could always go and order a coffee. Let her do the talking and just… go along."
He ducked just as his friend threw a pen in his direction.
"I'll let you plan the whole strategy, I know you can do it!"
He left the room just before the Code civil crossed the room, narrowly missing him before landing against the wall.
He was still chuckling walking to his room; his friend was definitely an odd one. He was able to talk to the biggest crowd, but unable to say a single word to the one person who interested him…
Muschietta
The guy came into the café after pacing at least a whole ten minutes outside (Ok, she might have been exaggerating, but it was a long time!). Muschietta and Éponine were looking at him trying not to laugh when he came to the counter.
Under his arm he had a messenger bag and three heavy books about… something boring. That seemed to be the only way for him to get his kicks, according to his too serious air. Still, she thought, it should be really easy for him to pick up girls. In fact, while he was walking to the counter more than half of the conversations ceased.
"Don't move, I take care of him." said Éponine, with an enthusiasm Muschietta didn't know she had, coming from her. Don't get her wrong; Éponine was always cheerful and voluntary, but the guy wasn't at the counter yet and she was ready to take his order with her most seductive smile. The one reserved to Marius.
When her friend came back, she could stop herself from teasing her.
"So… You and Blondie?"
"Oh, stop it! I'm just making fun of him. He came in for the first time two weeks ago. He looked like he wanted to sit in that corner but just went in the queue and stared at the menu for like an hour. When his turn finally came up, he just ordered a black coffee. Since then he comes every day, usually in the morning, and starts the same routine. He looks like a lost puppy; I just can't stop myself from playing with him by messing up his orders. Today, I gave him a chamomile tea, he looked more stressed than usual."
"Two weeks, you said? He wasn't there on Thursdays… Do you think ?..."
She blushed.
"No… It can't be!"
"It's kind of creepy."
She hesitated a few second.
"No… No… I think it's cute…"
"Oh, my poor Éponine, I really need to educate you about love. Between Marius and Blondie–"
"Enjolras."
"What? What's for a name?..."
"I don't know, I think it's his last name, that's all I could get from him. And believe me, I tried!"
Muschietta chuckled to her friend's discomfort.
"Are you saying me that you've found someone more stubborn than you are? Oh my God! I think you've found the one!"
"Oh, stop it!"
And she went to the kitchen, blushing more than Muschietta has ever seen her do.
Courfeyrac
Courfeyrac was running in the university's hall. He was late. Again. He knew it was three p.m. but what could he do? Ladies like The Courf' and the last one (Sylvie? Sophie? Oh, who cares!) had exhausted him. She loved it. Loudly. And multiple times. He literally was on his knees.
Hopefully, Pontmercy or Enjolras saved him a seat next to the door, if he was lucky… Yes! He recognised Enjolras' stick up the arse posture from the end of the room. He sat beside him. Luckily, the class hadn't started yet.
"Courfeyrac, you're the worst."
"Hello, sunshine! I think you forgot Grantaire in your list; he's the one who forgot to send the pamphlet to the printer after all… But I love you and forgive you."
Next to Enjolras' notebook was a Styrofoam cup. Coffee, black, no sugar, like Enjolras liked it. It was exactly what he needed to get his head out of his arse. He took the cup and before his friend could say anything, took a sip… And almost spit it out on the back of the redhead girl sitting in front of him. What was that?! It tasted like piss (not that he ever tried)!
"What is this shit?!"
"I don't know… Chamomile tea?"
The professor just arrived.
"Why? Why would you drink that old women's shit?"
He sighed before answering.
"I didn't order it. I went to that new place next to my flat and the waitress just keeps messing up my orders. I don't know why…"
"And you, Gabriel Justice-For-All Enjolras, haven't given her hell for it? Are you sick? " He then started bouncing on his chair. "Or… Is she pretty?"
Enjolras didn't answer, keeping his eyes on the older woman who was now ranting about constitutional law in front of the class. Courfeyrac giggled before searching inside his bag for his own notebook.
Grantaire
Nursing his second (or was it his third?) glass of whiskey, Grantaire was musing about the meaning of life. And it was… booooring! His friends should be here in a few minutes. They were supposed to meet here to prepare for their next rally at 6 p.m. but he was here since around 4.
A few moments later Courfeyrac and Prouvaire arrived. Ten seconds after that a very sexy redhead came to sit in the seat next to him. Merde! Courfeyrac was his usual four years old self while Prouvaire was…
"What's happening, Jehan? You look like someone took your lunch money!"
The younger man gave him a weak smile before picking a pen out from one of his pockets and a torn sheet of paper in another and started scribbling while Courfeyrac was talking about the last news. Finally, the others arrived and the meeting could start!
At the end of it, Grantaire wasn't himself anymore. Or maybe it was quite the contrary, so when Combeferre asked for someone to organise the next meeting, his hand raised by itself.
Three days later, Bahorel asked him if he did his job. He knew that Enjolras certainly wouldn't accept another of his mistakes. His conversation with Courfeyrac about that new café being the perfect stamm* for them came back to his mind.
Enjolras was often complaining about the place they used to go saying it was quite loud and far from ideal. Maybe he would be in his good graces at last!
When he went to the café later that day and saw that only Éponine was there. He went straight to her and asked to reserve a table for the whole group, in a quiet corner, if it was possible.
An hour later, he was still talking with her. He found her quite nice and funny, and she had talked about a room on the first floor that was used as a storeroom but could be used as their new HQ. She just needed to talk to Muschietta first but it shouldn't be a problem.
The bell rang and Enjolras came into the café, a dark cloud hanging over his head. When he saw Grantaire and Éponine laughing while looking at him, the thunderstorm broke, and the blond left without a second glance to them.
Maybe his comeback as Enjolras' favourite person would wait a little. He wondered if they had good whiskey here…
* Stamm is a Swiss word that don't have any equivalent in French or, as far as I know, in English (Even in German, it doesn't have the same meaning). It's your favourite café/pub, the one where you always go with your friends. I'm kind of tired of trying to look for a good translation. And I love this word so much ; it's like a home, but with your friends. I'm just trying to make it enter in the French and English languages. *Evil laugh*
Joly
Joly climbed the stairs to Combeferre's flat joyfully. He just had met a beautiful girl in the street and she gave him the most magnificent smile. He felt like the happiest man in the world.
He rang the bell, still whistling some love song when Combeferre opened with a worried look on his face. Joly's smile dropped.
"What's happened? Are you sick? Or is it Enjolras?"
His friend let him come into the flat.
"I'm perfectly well, thank you for asking. But I think that Enjolras is… broken."
Indeed, their leader was pacing in front of the couch.
"I found him like this half an hour ago. All I could get from him is about Grantaire always ruining things. I tried to call him but he doesn't answer. I don't know if he's already too drunk to answer or if his phone is dead."
Joly went to Enjolras and tried to make him sit on the couch, an attempt that turned out to be in vain. Combeferre continued.
"I tried everything to make him stop. Even talking about Napoléon…"
Calmly, Joly tried to talk to their leader.
"Please, Enjolras, it's not good for your heart to be like that."
They were now both on each side of him, trying to make him sit.
"And all of this isn't good at all for your digestive system. You should stop drinking so much coffee. How many times did I tell you–"
At the second he said the word coffee, something broke in Enjolras and he just went limp on the couch. With a far-away looked in his eyes, it seemed like he was intently reflecting on something. The two medical students looked at each other. Was it improvement or deterioration?
Suddenly he got to his feet.
"This is getting ridiculous!"
And before the others could ask anything, he went right to his bedroom. They heard the sound of the key in the lock of the door and then nothing.
They went to the door, trying to figure out what he was doing. Joly almost fell when the door opened abruptly two minutes later. Enjolras had his coat on and his bag strap in one hand and books under his other arm.
"Where are you going?" A worried Combeferre asked.
"Library. Can't work here."
He was already gone.
"Do you think we should follow him?" Jehan asked to his friend. "
"No… No… I believe I know what the problem is. I can't disclose my diagnostic, though. Physician-patient privilege." He added with a smile "It will cure itself quickly."
It was past midnight when they decided to end their study session. Enjolras wasn't home yet, but that was nothing to worry, though. The library only closed at midnight and was far enough for him not to be back yet.
When Joly stepped out onto the street the girl he had passed by earlier was helping some guy to get out of the café next door; he went to help seeing that he was too heavy for her.
"Grantaire?"
The drunkard raised his head.
"Yep! That's me! How are you, my friend, on this beautiful night?" He was barely able to articulate.
The girl asked if he really knew him. He hesitated a second. Would it ruin his chance with the girl? But as a future physician, he couldn't answer no and abandon his friend.
"Can you get him home?"
"Yeah..."
She accompanied him to the bus stop. Even with the two of them, it was a long way to the street's corner and he wondered how he would do once alone. He thought a second abut bringing him to Enjolras and Combeferre's flat but since it seemed that Grantaire had something to do with Enjolras' anger so he quickly decided against it.
"I'm Muschietta, by the way. Since apparently you'll be using the spare room on the first floor, I'd better introduce myself."
"Oh… Nice. I'm Joly. Well… You can call me Olivier."
Éponine
She hadn't seen Blond– Enjolras since that day with Grantaire. She didn't understand what really happened; did he think that Grantaire and she were flirting or something? Was he jealous? She really didn't know how to deal with all of this!
The bell rang and the object of her thoughts came in with a friend of his. Quite reluctantly, she might add. She went to meet them.
"Hello! Are you R's friends?"
The guy's face distorted itself. God! He was jealous! Oh! Poor guy. She surprisingly wanted to hug him as he mumbled to his chestnut haired friend about leaving. His friend reasoned with him.
"No, Enjolras, Grantaire seems to have found the perfect place for our stamm. You never stop complaining about the fact that we don't have our own place and that people can't find us. That all the other places are either too loud or too small.
"Now be a big boy and say hello to this nice lady and go do good work!" The other mumbled again.
"I know you hate me. And yes, you'll get even with me…"
Éponine couldn't help but smile at their conversation.
"Are we good?"
She led them to the first floor. She watched the guy's face as he inspected the space. Even he couldn't deny that the room was quite adequate for them.
"So, I talked to Muschietta. The agreement is this: you order all your drinks at café and you have the room for free during open hours. If things go well, we might talk about giving you a key."
The taller man agreed for both of them and thanked her.
"My pleasure. I'm Éponine, by the way."
The tall one introduced both of them while the other one kept… sulking?
"Nice to meet you, Combeferre. As for your friend, he's a regular. We have already been introduced. Sort of…" She said with her brightest smile. "I'll come back and take your order when more of your friends are here."
She left the room while Combeferre was trying to cheer his friend up.
"Isn't this room perfect?! Yes… It needs a bit of tidying, but it could be exactly what we needed! Oh, Stop sulking! You know what… I think that girl, Éponine, is much interested in you as you are in her."
She stopped in the middle of the stairs.
"Seriously! She was only looking at you! As if she could hear me but couldn't see me. And when, by chance she was, I didn't get the smiles you got!"
She heard the other answering but not enough to understand it clearly.
"What about Grantaire? Seriously, Enjolras, you don't think that! One day, he'll stop drinking and he'll see that there is something beside one night stands and see that the perfect person has been pining for him for years."
She heard loud voices in the café, startling her. She hurried down the last few steps to meet Courfeyrac who was with four other guys.
"Oh, Hello neighbour! Can you tell me which one of your colleagues has stolen our fearless leader's heart?"
A bit surprised, she stayed silent and showed them the way to the first floor.
"That's not very nice, Éponine. I might stop babysitting Gav' for you if you don't share the gossip…"
One of his friends made him shut up and apologised for him.
"Sorry. He doesn't know what he's saying. Let's go or we'll be late and we'll be subjected to Enjolras' death glare!"
"No worries! We can count on Pontmercy for that. He had a date with some girl in the park or something…"
He didn't see Éponine smile drop while she was busying herself with the coffee maker as he carried on mocking his flatmate.
During the next ten minutes all of the friends, except Marius, were there and she went up to take their order.
When Enjolras' turn came, she couldn't prevent herself from teasing him by standing very close to him and lean even closer.
"And for you, dear, the usual?"
She left the room, almost running, but not without seeing the lovely shade of red of the blond's face.
All of the guys were laughing and, for a second, she felt quite sorry for him. But! Merde! She'll succeed in making him react and, even better, act.
Marius
Marius came into that new café, not exactly sure if he was in the right place. He looked around him and saw nobody. He was fifteen minutes late, but he couldn't see any of his friends. Luck he recognised the waitress.
"Hey, Éponine! How are you? I didn't know you were working here."
She welcomed him with a radiant smile.
"I started a few weeks ago. I believe I had told you, though…"
"I must have forgotten. Say, have you seen any of my friends? Courfeyrac? Or… A very angry blond? Or a quite drunk, angry, black-haired guy?"
"Oh, yes! The social justice bunch. They're upstairs!"
She took the tray full of various beverages and led the way up the old wooden stairs.
When he stepped into the room all his friends started teasing him for his lateness. Courfeyrac wouldn't stop asking questions but he didn't say anything; he knew his flatmate too well.
Surprisingly, no cutting remarks came from their leader. A short glance in his direction and Marius understood. He was staring at Éponine, thinking he was discreet. But, God! He was definitely failing!
He said a word to Combeferre who confirmed his impression. Courfeyrac had talked to him about Enjolras and some girl, the other day, but he hadn't thought a second that it could be their neighbour.
He watched as Éponine talked to Enjolras. The usually calm law student was ardently trying to keep his composure and watching him fail would've been really funny if his anger wasn't starting to show as well…
Once she left, Enjolras called his friends to order so they could start to work at last.
Marius was working with Courfeyrac and Enjolras, trying to compose a law proposition about medical insurances. They weren't five minutes in before Courfeyrac started making some jokes about Éponine.
Marius, helpful as always, offered to give his friend Éponine's number; since he knew her quite well and knew for a fact that she was single. She was a nice girl who deserved to have some fun.
Enjolras acted as if he hadn't heard his friend, who didn't get it and insisted.
"I could talk to her about it. Or… We could double date! I'm sure she would get along perfectly with my girlfriend! So, you'll get to know each other. I know that you're not really the kind of guy who–"
He couldn't finish his sentence before Enjolras left abruptly, without saying a word to anybody. Even Combeferre, who came up to them straight away, wondered what made him leave like that.
"I was just offering my help with Éponine… I don't understand."
Combeferre looked at him with a bit of dismay.
"Oh, Marius…"
Marius started to slowly understand, "Oh. He got it really bad, isn't it?"
Feuilly
Without taking into account Enjolras' dramatic exit, it had been a quite efficient night, thought Feuilly while helping Combeferre tidy up the room. All the others had already left since they had dates and stuff.
While he was collecting all the empty glasses on one tray to take them to Éponine, he asked the medical student about his best friend. He had sometimes seen Enjolras lose it but it was generally during a politician's speech or over some very unfair new laws. Here, it kind of came out of nowhere.
Combeferre knew Feuilly well enough to be sure that he wouldn't go and blab to everybody and explained how Enjolras seemed to have a crush for the very first time in his life. To speak frankly, it even seemed a very Marius-like 'love at first sight'." He not only fell for someone for the first time, but he also fell hard. They would have to keep both their eyes open, to prevent him from… getting himself hurt and to keep people like Courfeyrac from teasing him. It was generally harmless fun, but Enjolras wasn't one to be teased. And who knows what would happen if things went too far.
Feuilly whole-heartedly agreed as he headed downstairs with the dirty dishes.
Éponine was tidying up the counter, and as he helped her fill the dishwasher, she asked him about their group. She seemed genuinely interested that he couldn't stop himself from proposing that she should come to their next rally.
She shyly refused.
"No! You should! It's next Saturday, in the park. It will be nice. It's to create a place to welcome kids whose parents are working too late, to help them with the homework and keep them off the street and such… The city closed the last one a few months ago.
You have a little brother, don't you? There will be games and lots of other fun things to do! Come, it'll be fun!"
"Education, health care… And I've even heard that tall, bulky one… Bahorel?... talking about corruption… Is there something that you're not taking care of?"
Feuilly chuckled.
"Nope. But all of that is The Chief's –Enjorlas'– doing. He's… crazy! We're not even sure he's human. He comes every week with new ideas. It's as if he can't rest until everyone on the planet isn't equally and fairly treated."
She shot him a sceptical look.
"Yeah… I don't know… As much as I like making fun of him (Don't tell any one!), it looks like the stick he has in his arse is stuck high enough to have caused some brain damage… He's so serious. He's always carrying half a dozen of books. He… looks like the perfect daddy's boy, with the trust fund and his job in the family business already waiting for him. He doesn't really seem to care about anything… Or anyone."
He was about to respond when Combeferre went down the stairs.
"Everything's in order. Thanks a lot, Éponine, this place was exactly what we needed." After a pause, "I would be happy to stay and chat a bit but I have to head home before Enjolras breaks all the tableware."
And he dashed off. Éponine glared at Feuilly with an impish smile, waiting for his answer.
"Yeah… The Chief is a handful. But when you take the time to know him he's the most caring friend you could ever have."
She still seemed quite dubious.
"Oh! Just come, have fun with us and you'll see!"
Jehan
It was a beautiful Saturday in the park; there where children running everywhere around them. However, Grantaire was complaining, there was too much laughter, too many noises, too much sun.
"It wouldn't have been an issue if you hadn't drunk a whole bottle of gin last night…" said Jehan, his hand tentatively placed on his forearm. He then looked into his bag. "Here, have some Aspirin, and take a drink. Of water, I mean."
Grantaire thanked him with a growl and Jehan went back to his own stuff.
"So, what's your name, my friend?"
A blond boy, maybe 10 years old was standing in front of him and a step behind him was a brunette.
"Oh, hello! You're Éponine, right?
"Yes, and you are… Jean, the poet, isn't it? R told me about you?
Jehan didn't know how to react: proud of the fact that Grantaire talked about his work to people or worried that he was so friendly with a girl he had met only a few weeks prior? He smiled at the boy.
"And you, who are you? Do you want to play?"
The boy scowled.
"I'm Gavroche, and I'm too old for this."
"Gav', you're the one who wanted to come when Courf' told us about it. Be nice!"
Gavroche followed Jehan while Éponine went over to Marius who was serving drinks a few meters away.
As he was observing Grantaire explain to the kids how to draw comics, Jehan eyes fell on Enjolras' angry look. Following his glare, he saw Éponine laughing at one of Marius' jokes.
Unrequited love. He knew how hard it was, and he had notebooks full of poems proving it.
He wasn't much of a straightforward guy. No, he was definitely the quiet introverted guy, but seeing Enjolras' pain, he decided that he needed to do something.
So, when Marius left Éponine alone to go to that petite blonde with a pink liberty dress he decided it was time to take the bull by the horns!
"Your brother seems to be a lot of fun!"
"He definitely is, but it is a bit exhausting sometimes. Grantaire seems to have domesticated the beast."
"Yeah… Grantaire's the best. He doesn't look like it, but he has a big heart. One day, maybe, he'll realise it and it and will make the right choice." He said with a sigh. "You know who's a great guy, too? Enjolras."
"Oh my God! Why do you all insist on talking about Enjolras' greatness? You're like the fourth person who's talked about it this week! But I have to confess, you're the subtlest of the lot."
"Because" he said, trying to not look at his friend, whom Gavroche had just abandoned to go and watch the baseball game that just started. "Being in love with someone who doesn't love you back is the hardest thing a human being can experience."
"Yeah… That's because you never starved… Or seen your little brother being beaten by your father." She quickly closed her mouth, as if she regretted what she just said.
"Please, don't say it to anybody. I don't want to see any looks of pity from any of you. I'll kill you if it ever happens."
"Well… Ok, so you can only agree with me when I say that unrequited love is the worst thing on earth, then!" He said with a wink. She giggled and nodded. He continued, "You see, Enjolras is a very particular guy. He doesn't seem to bother with feeling. But he does. What I'll say might be cliché, but I'll completely own up to that.
He's the kind of guy who feels things strongly but doesn't know how to deal with it. I have poems, Grantaire has his art. Courfeyrac would tell bad jokes and Marius would talk through the night about what bothers him, even though nobody would listen to him. We all have a way to cope. Enjolras buries them deeply somewhere in his soul. Which usually isn't a problem; he hast the biggest soul of us all."
She kept her eyes on her brother, who was still watching the game with envy, as she listened to Jehan.
"But I think… We all think, even though most of us have known you for only a few weeks that you might be too big for his soul. And we're afraid that you might break him. I know it's crazy, but whatever you're planning on doing, don't play with him… he's not fit for this."
He left her and went to help Grantaire who was having a hard time with some kids who were climbing on his back.
We he looked out to see where Éponine was and he saw her sat on bank, her gaze on her brother.
Gavroche
"Do you want to play?"
Gavroche looked at the too serious blond guy sitting next to him.
"No, I'm good, here. Sweating is for idiots."
"That's a shame. I wanted to toss a few balls around, but I couldn't find a partner." The guys answered falsely disappointed and started to leave.
Shit! He was good.
"In this case…. Be ready to get your arse kicked!" he said as he got up; trying to make himself taller than the guy sitting next to him
They had been pitching a few balls silently for a few minutes when the other asked.
"So, you're the kid Marius and Courfeyrac are babysitting, Gavroche, right?"
"Yep, and you're Enjolras, the guy who wants to get into my sister's pants!" He said as he pitched.
Surprised by the boy's boldness, the blond received the ball right in the forehead.
"Courf' told me. And Courf' never lies, except when he tells Éponine that I ate all my vegetables."
Gavroche could see that the guy was fighting a laugh.
A few pitches later he saw Éponine looking at them and he continued.
"She'll take my Nintendo 64 if she finds out I ever said this to anyone, but she likes you too."
The blond was surprised and the news made him happy, even though he tried to hide it.
"Seriously! She even stopped talking about Marius! Which is cool! But it's only to talk even more about you. All. The. Time. Which is not cool. So… Do something, like in the movies. Have a date with her or something. I don't know, you're the grown-up!"
And he added with a wicked smile. "But if you make her cry, I'll kick your arse so hard… She has had enough already.
Bossuet
The rally had been a success. The kids were happy, the money had been raised and Enjolras seemed really proud of them. Even Grantaire hadn't provoked any scandal, but everyone could see that he had something on his mind; or rather someone.
The meeting wrapped up quickly and they were now all joyfully chatting and drinking. Bossuet was telling everybody how he almost punched his Macroeconomics professor earlier in that day. As he tried to demonstrate it, he knocked over half the drinks on the table, including Enjolras' very hot coffee. Their leader was now completely soaked. He shouted in surprise and immediately went downstairs. Since Bossuet was also dirty he followed him.
He was about to open the bathroom door when he heard Enjolras' voice coming from the kitchen just behind him.
"Yeah… Bossuet can be really clumsy. One time he even…"
"You should take off your shirt, to make sure the coffee hasn't burned your skin" suggested Éponine, who was there as well.
While their leader obeyed she went and ran a tea towel under cold water. Once she came back she froze. Enjolras gently called her name, almost worried, and she raised her head to meet his eyes.
They were now facing each other, immobile. Bossuet was barely breathing; he was about to witness the moment. It was like in the movies, as if the two of them were so made for each other that it was an actual Hollywood moment.
Seconds were like days and Travis' Why Does It always Rain On Me started playing in the little hallway, immediately catching their attention.
"Zut!" He ran back to the first floor, his phone still ringing in his pocket. Once he sat down, he picked up his phone. It was just his mother; he turned it off. He ruined Enjolras and Éponine's moment because of his mother! Everybody would curse him and his decedents for this.
"What's happening to you, Lesgle?" asked Jehan "You're so pale. Are you sick? Have you got a fever?"
As Joly was starting to list all the potential diseases he could suffer from when Enjolras came back, his shirt still wet. It had visibly been washed, its brownish colour diluted.
"I'm sorry" said Bossuet, not exactly knowing which of his offenses he was actually apologising for.
"No hard feelings mate" answered the Blond.
Putain! Being on the wrong side of Enjolras' death glare was the most scaring thing ever!
Bahorel
It was Friday, five p.m. The sun was shining, the girls were wearing short skirts. Summer was coming! The perfect time to have a nice beer on a nice terrace. Bahorel stepped out of the Sciences faculty building. He saw Combeferre talking to a pretty auburn-haired girl, and as he passed by them, the Medical student called him and asked him to have a drink. Bahorel couldn't say no, so the medical student said good bye to the girl and they took the road to the café.
"Where's Joly?" asked the Biology student.
"Oh, hey fever."
"But it rained this morning."
"I know. But I'm pretty sure that his sudden sensitivity to pollen has something to do with his desire to play doctor with Muschietta, you know, Éponine's co-worker."
"Speaking of playing doctor with pretty girls, who's that girl you were speaking with?"
Combeferre tried not to blush.
"Oh, she's just a friend."
"I believe you" Bahorel said, dubiously. "Oh, what's happening with Enjolras? With that meeting yesterday, at 8 p.m., and as it wasn't enough, he had to call us at 6 a.m.!"
"Hey! Don't complain, you could've hung up and gone back to sleep. He was squarely jumping on my bed!"
Bahorel was now laughing hard. He needed a minute before continuing. "Seriously, for almost two weeks, after that night when Lesgle spilled his drink on him, we haven't seen him. No meetings. Nothing. Complete radio silence."
"Yeah… I think every single one of you have called me asking for news, even Marius. Apparently he was avoiding him and Courfeyrac in class. I haven't seen him at home, not even once. I had proof that he was still alive, but he was always gone when I woke up and come back only after I went to bed. One of my sources told me he had practically moved in the library."
"Wow! Bordel! Do you think it's because of Éponine?"
"I'm pretty sure it is. I asked Joly to talk to Muschietta, since she's Éponine's best friend. All he got from her was that something must have happened that night, because Éponine was all weird the day after and that Enjolras never came back to the café.
"Seriously?! He said to me verbatim that 'it was the best coffee in town and he wouldn't go anywhere else again'! You know how he is when it comes to coffee."
Combeferre chuckled.
"I do! I don't even have the right to use the coffee maker at home. I would 'put it out'."
"He fell really hard, didn't he? That's what happens when you hold it back for too long! See me, I'm perfectly well!
What I can't really get is why the sudden change? One day he's all dark and sleeps at the library and the next he's jumping on people's bed, calling meetings at 6 in the morning and has billions of ideas and projects for the group! Just the thought of it is exhausting me!"
They were now at the café and the place was empty. Given the perfect weather, everybody was certainly on the terrace. But neither Éponine nor Muschietta (No surprise on that point, she was certainly 'nursing' Joly) were behind the bar.
Bahorel let out a booming 'Hello' and, suddenly, from behind the counter, Éponine and Enjolras emerged. Both Combeferre and Bahorel couldn't hold a gasp.
Combeferre whispered to his friend "I think we know, now…"
Enjolras' shirt was missing at least two buttons and Éponine was dishevelled. And... Oh, no! Was that a hickey on Enjolras' neck?
Éponine cleared her throat. "And… Hum… That's how we make a cappuccino."
FIN
I hope you liked it. Don't hesitate to leave a comment. Just not about my bad English, I'm aware of that... :/
By the way, you can find one or two other stuff on my Tumblr : LilyIsAWriter.
