One day, the Amis went to the amusement park.
After a thrilling day, night started to set in, and Enjolras, Grantaire, and Combeferre made their way to the ferris wheel. "Sorry," said the lady with the tickets. "Only two to a cart."
Grantaire considered what will happen. He'd take Enjolras up with him, they'd share a cart. And underneath the stars, locked in the privacy of their small booth, he'd proclaim his undying affection at long last. "I don't know what you mean to me," he'd say truthfully, "but I don't think I can live without you. While I can't share your ideals, I would love to share your bed."
"Oh, Grantaire," Enjolras would respond, rather taken aback by the confession. "How I wish you had said something sooner." He would close the gap between them and Grantaire would cup Enjolras' cheek in his hand and kiss him.
Combeferre, on the other side of Enjolras, contemplated his next move. He would share the cart with Enjolras and underneath the stars, he would proclaim his resolve and unrelenting affection for his greatest friend.
"Enjolras," he would start, "we have been comrades in arms, friends, closer than brothers even for so long. We share the same hopes and dreams. We are of a like mindset. I believe it's time for us to be closer than even that. To share in one another as lovers."
"Combeferre," Enjolras would breathe, his voice like a prayer. "I've been thinking the same thoughts recently."
Combeferre would move himself to Enjolras' side of the cart and they would press hands while looking at one another romantically, knowing that their friendship had just passed into the next level.
At the same time, Grantaire and Combeferre grabbed hold of one of Enjolras' arms.
"It will be Enjolras and me," said Grantaire.
"I think I will be sharing this ride with Enjolras," said Combeferre.
Upon realization of what the other had just finished saying and the fact that Enjolras was currently involved in a tug-of-war between themselves, they stopped pulling at their hapless, if very confused, prey and exchanged pleasant if harsh glares that would otherwise render another to ashes.
"Dear friend Combeferre," Grantaire started in a voice that dripped with barely concealed annoyance. "I do believe I called this ride first. After all, you got to go in the bumper cars with Enjolras before."
With a voice like poisoned honey, Combeferre answered in kind. "Citizen Grantaire, I do believe you had your time with Enjolras in the arcade. You may feel free to ride in the cart with the stuffed dog you won for him."
Grantaire's voice started to turn hard. "I think that he would rather go with me, Combeferre."
Combeferre's voice turned leaden. "No, I think he'd rather go with someone who wouldn't stink up the cart with whiskey."
After that, all bets were off.
"As opposed to someone who can only talk about physics and the mechanics of light rails, wood, and speed? You were REAL fun on that last roller coaster ride!"
"At least I wasn't so drunk I vomited over the edge, you uncouth heathen!"
Enjolras, finally having enough of this, wrenched his arms from both of them. "I believe, gentlemen," he said, using the word a bit loosely though he'd never tell either of them such a thing, "that I have the most practical way of going about this."
And that is how Grantaire and Combeferre ended up sharing a cart on the ferris wheel together. Both of them kept to their own side, grumbled through most of the ride, and were very glad when it was over.
Enjolras and his plush puppy, which he named Patria, had a marvelous time in their own cart.
