A/N: Another One-shot for you, another prompt from the FABULOUS RThenardier! (Go read her stories, they're awesome!) Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Les Mis. If I did, the Barricade Boys would've lived...
XXX
Enjolras heard his front door slam open, and he groans. If he wanted any privacy, he'd probably have to threaten the Amis with guns.
"Enj? You here?"
Enjolras sighs in relief. It's Combeferre.
"I brought some popcorn. I know it's Friday, and a non-meeting day. I thought you might want some before the rest of the bunch gets here and eats all of yours. And I also called in an order of the usual pizzas. This week, it's on me." Combeferre says, and Enjolras laughs. It was just so Combeferre to do something like that. "C'mon, get off the computer. We have to set up before the Lumps get here. You know how they get if the living room isn't set up the way they like." Enjolras laughs and lets his best friend drag him off of the computer chair he's sitting on and lead him out to the living room.
XXX
The first pair to get there is Joly and Bossuett. Everybody knows that they have a complicated relationship with a girl named Musichetta, who is friends with Eponine. She was dating both of them and they were also dating each other…it just got confusing all the way around. "We come bearing Pepsi®, Coke®, Sprite®, and R's favorite, Dr. Pepper®. "Joly, Bossuett. How are you-I mean, how was your day?" Combeferre revised quickly. He knew what a mess the other question could turn into for everyone involved. "It was really good. Only got a small cut today and it's really nothing more than a paper cut. It's really good today." Bossuett jumped in. Joly then was unceremoniously dragged inside before he could answer.
Barely 5 minutes after they arrived, next came Courfeyrac dragging a less-happy Grantaire behind him. "Hey Enj. We come bearing ourselves, and I come bearing this one. I had to drag him here, so at least pick a movie that he'll want to watch, please?" Grantaire just grunted something close to "Hello" and then shuffled towards the end of the couch. "Yeah, he's had a bit of a bad day. Just, let it be. Trust me." Then Courfeyrac, for lack of a better word, bounced towards the couch.
As Courfeyrac hit the sofa, the door opened again to divulge Feuilly and Eponine. "We happened to show up at the same time." Eponine offered as an explanation. Enjolras just nodded and took the thing of hot chocolate mix from her. Feuilly smiled and offered him a box of popcorn. "Thanks, Feuilly. You know that these ones will eat all of this, right?" Feuilly laughs and nods. "I know. That's why I always bring it. You always run out." The bright-haired boy goes towards the couch, still laughing,
Once again, another odd pair-make that trio-show up at the door. "Enjolras! Are we late? I hope we're not late!" Gavroche says in one breath. "Slow down, Gav." Bahorel says. "Hey. We came bearing this guy and some c-a-n-d-y for the a-d-u-l-t-s. We figured he's already got enough energy." "I have a million ideas for a poem about him-and that was just form the walk over here!" Jehan laughs.
As Enjolras closes the door behind his friends-hopefully for the last time-he looks at the mass of limbs sprawled over his couch. It was going to be an interesting night. He could tell.
XXX
"Grantaire, what do you want to watch?" Enjolras asked tiredly. They group had only been her for 5 minutes and already he was tired. He had put in 2 bags of popcorn, and they had gone through them both already.
Grantaire just grunted in reply.
"'Taire, you're really not helping me any here. I want you to watch with us, and it would mean a lot to all of us if you did." Eponine said helpfully.
"'Taire, I didn't drag you here to sulk." Courfeyrac piped in.
Enjolras hears a sharp sound behind him. He turns in surprise, to discover that it's someone actually knocking on his door. He's so unused to someone actually knocking that the sound surprises him. "Sir, you order three pizzas, one meat lover large, one cheese large, and one half-pepperoni-half-hamburger large?"
"Yeah, that order's ours." Enjolras says.
XXX
"Pizza!" Everyone cheers.
Gavroche darts though their legs and beats them to the front. "M'sieur Gavroche," Courfeyrac says, rolling the 'r' in the back of his throat, "your five-star meal for today." He serves the plate with a flourish. Gavroche giggles, and it's clear and makes everyone smile. The kid had had it rough, especially since he left his parents. They had tried a few times to get him back, and both of them had ended with him injured and in the hospital. The rest shuffle through the line, getting drinks, napkins, and chips from what everyone brought.
Once everyone was actually seated, it was a debate of what to watch. Finally, after a rapidly whispered conversation with Eponine, Enjolras got up and put in one of his favorite movies. The first lines came on, and everyone had the good sense to be silent.
From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bone, it's closer to 4 seconds than 5.
XXX
Halfway through, Enjolras looks around his crowded living room. Gavroche is asleep on Eponine, who in turn is asleep on Grantaire. Grantaire, for what it was worth, is completely absorbed in the movie, not even looking at the Dr. Pepper® in his hands. Combeferre is asleep next to Joly and Bossuett, who are asleep on each other. Enjolras and Bahorel lock eyes from across the room, and they share a smile. At least their friends are predictable. Enjolras looks at the last sleeping Ami, Jehan, who is asleep with his pen and his paper clutched like a security blanket in his hands. Courfeyrac is also absorbed in the movie, as is Feuilly. I'm sure he can relate to it, Enjolras thinks. Unfortunately, the man's upbringing wasn't unlike the one depicted in the movie. Except instead of getting out through a sport, his art and his fan abilities were what got him out from under the thumb of poverty. He now toed the line, but he was getting away from it every day by staying with friends, and hopefully soon splitting an apartment with another Ami. Enjolras points towards the kitchen, leaving those asleep to sleep by the light and sound of a 6-year-old working out a high school senior.
"What do you think we should do about them? They're bound to wake up at some point, and it'll be dangerous for them to drive."
"Maybe we should let them sleep. I'm tired myself."
"We should at least move Gav to a bed, he's too young to be sleeping on a couch."
The three Amis go around and around until finally Bahorel picks up the Thenardier children, both brother and sister, and deposits them gently on the spare bed in the room. They barely stir. "The rest of the lot can stay there. I'm going to claim a space for myself. I'm exhausted." Bahorel says. Feuilly takes Combeferre's bed, and Enjolras finds comfort in his own bed and sheets.. He looks at the clock, and it's barely past 10. He's too tired to consider how much work could be done, and he falls asleep content, knowing that his friends are nearby.