A/N: So, my second anniversary of being a Mizzie has arrived. Unfortunately, the next few months coincide with the biggest exams of my school life so far. So until May, updates will be few and far between. Plot bunnies can't afford to be high up my list of priorities. Anyway, this is a Courfeyrac/Jehan pairing, eventually. First names, in case it's unclear, are as follows; Gabriel Courfeyrac, Valentin Enjolras, Julien Combeferre, Chris Bahorel, Sam Feuilly, Nic Joly, David Bossuet and Adrien Grantaire (obviously Jehan and Marius are already named). This is Courf's POV.
Valentine's Day was coming up, my favourite day of the year. At the risk of sounding conceited, I always received a fair few, mostly from foolish girls who didn't realise yet that I batted for the other team. I managed to charm a good number of boys as well, of course. I didn't have a date in mind, not this year. Chances are, I'd decide last minute, take someone out for dinner and a movie. Then again, maybe not. I was not what you could call organised, and I didn't need a Valentine.
My little step-brother, Valentin, was the most organised person I knew, except maybe Julien. My mum had married his dad when I was four and he was a year old. But as far as I knew, he didn't have a date either. He, like me, got all the attention a boy could want. The difference was that he didn't want it.
He was downstairs in the living room, talking to Mum about something for school. I went into his room to find a pen - mine had all vanished, and I couldn't risk missing any more homework. His laptop was open on his desk, which was painfully neat for a fourteen year old boy. He was talking to his friend Jehan, a sweet but ditzy boy in most of his classes, and the two had been best friends for years. I knew I really shouldn't, but I read their messages.
V: Are you serious?
J: Of course I am! I can't help it. You don't choose who you fall in love with.
V: ...
J: OK, I know, I know. But you have to get used to it eventually. I'm in love with your brother.
V: Last week, it was Christophe Bahorel. The week before that, it was Sam.
J: But I really like Gabriel. I might ask him to be my valentine. Did you ask about the summer trip to Madrid yet?
V: I'll go now.
No way. Jehan, fourteen year old Jehan with his '60s dress sense and beads and feathers in his hair had a crush on me? He was as non-conformist as they come. He should hate me. I suppose he was cute enough, but he was my little brother's best friend. He was cute, but little kid cute. I'd seen him as an eight year old, splashing around in a paddling pool with Valentin. I babysat him in the summer holidays.
Well, it was just a crush. It would pass. Although I might have to deal with him acting like a lovesick puppy. Valentin was right; he had fancied Chris and Sam and changed his mind in a heartbeat. He'd move on quickly enough, find someone else to fall pathetically in love with and forget about me.
"Gabriel!" Valentin called from downstairs. "Dinner's ready!" I stepped away from his laptop, slipping out of his room. He normally wouldn't mind, but he was spending a few days with his mother and her awful family, so was in a foul mood. I didn't dare risk it. I went downstairs, sinking into a seat at the table. I gave my brother the most nonchalant smile I could manage.
"So will you be back in time for Valentine's day?"
"I'm not writing your cards out, no matter how much you pay me." That had been one time, and he had much better handwriting than me. Anyway, it wasn't the point. If he was still at his mother's house, Jehan would have no excuse to come calling. It's not that I didn't like him, but I couldn't deal with his silly infatuations. He was completely unbearable.
"Just trying to make conversation."
"I'll be back on Thursday night, so yes. But I'm not planning to do anything special."
Valentin left on Monday evening, which meant Mum and Michel - his father - stopped focusing on his somewhat antisocial tendencies and turned back to my overly social tendencies. In less than twelve hours, I was grounded. Not sure what for; could be the state of my room, could have been the bottle of vodka Mum saw on my nightstand, could have been the fact I went to Chris's party and didn't get home until four o'clock in the morning. Either way, I was under house arrest, and was the only one in the house. At ten o'clock in the morning - we had a long weekend, and I was off school until the Wednesday - there was a knock on the door. Surprise, surprise, it was Jehan.
"Valentin's not here." Half of me wanted to just slam the door in his face, but the other half was more polite.
I had expected Jehan to come sooner or later, under pretence of visiting Valentin. "I know," he said. That, I hadn't expected. "I came to see you. I... I want to talk to you. Can I come in?"
I stood aside, let him come in. He was fiddling with his hair, a little braid threaded with purple beads, a magpie feather tied on the end. Everyone had their little eccentricities, but Jehan made no attempt to hide his. I was used to it, but it startled a lot of strangers. He sat on the sofa, stiff and formal, like it was his first visit. He'd been here a million times, even when Valentin was at his mother's. He was like extended family, and yet he looked so nervous.
"I... I was wondering if you had any plans for Valentine's Day?"
"I might do something with Valentin. He's not doing anything, so I might get pizza and go see a movie with him."
"I was wondering if you might want to do something together."
"Sure, you can come with us if you want." I felt bad teasing when he was clearly flustered already, but it was in my nature. I couldn't resist, cruel as it was. Pink tinged his cheeks. I liked him, I really did. I didn't think he'd be a bad boyfriend, but he couldn't be mine. It would feel strange. Part of me hoped he'd cave, agree to do something with me and Valentin, so I wouldn't have to break his heart.
"Oh. I... I actually meant the two of us. Like... like a date." Jehan had always had a very slight stutter, but it was barely noticeable until he got nervous. I steeled myself.
"Look, Jehan, you're great, but we can't do this. You're like a brother to me."
"OK. I'm sure I could find something else to do." Another thing about Jehan is it doesn't take much to bring him to tears. I prayed to God he wouldn't cry. I felt guilty, like I should say something more, but just as I was about to, my phone rang. It was a spam call, but Jehan had slid out while I was on the phone, keen to avoid a scene.
Valentin came back on Thursday, tactful enough that he didn't invite Jehan round. On Friday, a hail of brightly coloured envelopes came through the door, gifts abandoned on the doorstep by shy admirers. Valentin dismissed most of his with a sigh, which meant I got all of his chocolates and sweets. The more he ignored his crowd of schoolgirl followers - and I was pretty sure I wasn't the only gay in the family, so schoolboys too - the more interested they were.
Jehan left me a Valentine, not bothering to make it anonymous, and as bad as it sounded, I couldn't remember what the accompanying gift was. One of Valentin's presents, the only one he payed attention to, was a silver chain holding a golden, sun-shaped pendant. It was absolutely stunning. When I questioned who it was from, he just smiled.
I went out for a little bit, before coming back to pick Valentin up, ready to go out. He wasn't in, so I phoned him. "Hey, where are you? I was going to take you out tonight."
"I know. Jehan told me. I've made reservations at the Musain. I fancy a nice dinner. I'll pay. I've got cinema tickets too."
"Alright, I'm on my way." The Musain was an expensive place, so I dressed up nicely. But when I got there, once again, my step-brother was nowhere to be seen. So, once again, I called him.
"Now where are you? I'm not running around the city after you."
"Last minute change of plan." Yeah, right. Valentin didn't do change of plans. This had been his scheme all along. "I'm out on a date."
"You?"
"Yes, me," he said indignantly. "I'm out with Sam." So Sam had sent him the chain. I hadn't expected the two of them to get together. They'd be sweet, sure enough; Sam was a proper gentleman. Something occured to me.
"Hey, what about me? You dragged me out here."
"I know. I won't leave you high and dry. The meal's paid for, you'll get the cinema tickets delivered with dessert. Just wait five more minutes. Trust me. And promise you won't walk out. Promise you'll see it through."
"What have you done?"
"Promise, or I'll tell Mum where you've been hiding your whiskey."
"Alright, I promise!" It wasn't fair, really. Valentin wasn't Mum's by birth, and yet she still trusted him over me every time. That might be because he always told her the truth, but that's not the point.
I should have expected it, really. But then again, I'd never expected Valentin to mastermind a plot to find me a Valentine. I was too busy coming to terms with that. But five minutes later, the maƮtre d' led Jehan to my table. Of course. He was wearing a too big shirt and a lilac bow tie, but he still looked a lot more formal than usual. Today, he had no feathers, but a blue streak through his hair, tied back neatly. He'd made an effort. If Valentin truly believed we could do this, maybe we could. I'd never known him to have faith in romance before. Equally, that could mean we shouldn't trust his inexperienced judgement, but I was feeling optimistic.
"I... I... Valentin said I should meet him here, that we were going to have a night out."
"He told me the same thing. He's set us up, mon ami, while he runs off with his own Valentine."
"I can go." I could practically see his heart sink. It was only one night, to test the water. It couldn't do any harm.
"Why? We're both here, Valentin has paid for everything, so we have no reason to refuse. Might as well make the most of it, no?"
A/N: OK, so this would have been posted yesterday, but the power went out while my laptop was dead, and I lost WiFi as well. But it's done. A belated Happy Valentine's Day if you celebrate it, and thanks for sharing my anniversary if you don't. Hope you enjoyed!
