Disclaimer – I own nothing of Les Miserables or the song Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars. I do own my original characters and the plot. 'Nuff said.
Italics are song lyrics and thoughts.
A/N: I used to hate this song, but now, it's kind of growing on me. It also feels good to be writing fan fiction again – the last story I posted on here was Suddenly – my Austin & Ally fic.
Summary: Modern-day Les Miserables story. AU: A week before Halloween, Courfrayac and the other Amis are helping the Art Club when Courfrayac falls head over heels for a girl in the club. Set to the song Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars. Rated T because I'm paranoid. One-Shot.
Genre: Romance/None
Rating: T
Courfrayac entered the art classroom and smiled at his friends. Everyone was there, including Cosette and Eponine. Courfrayac laughed as the entire room filled with the high school students singing along with The Monster Mash.
"Is this after-school art club?" a voice asked. Courfrayac looked over his shoulder and smiled as an extremely beautiful girl entered the room.
The girl had shoulder-length blonde curly hair and piercing green eyes hidden behind silver-framed glasses. She stood a little taller than Courfrayac. She clenched her pink shoulder bag as if her entire life was in it.
She was wearing a cute black T-shirt with an outline of a Jack-O-Lantern in orange and tight blue jeans. On her feet, she wore sneakers.
"Yeah, come on in Belle," The art teacher told the girl, ushering her inside the room. "You can have a seat next to Courfrayac. Courfrayac, could you wave?"
Courfrayac waved his hand in the air as this angel – this vision – came over to him. She smiled as she sat next to him.
"Hello." She greeted him, her voice like warm honey.
"H-Hi." Courfrayac greeted her back, watching her get something out of her shoulder bag.
"So, what are we doing?" the girl inquired, looking around the room. Courfrayac continued to stare at her as her eyes met his, "what?"
"You're really pretty, that's what," Courfrayac told her, smiling at this angel next to him. She blushed a deep pink, making Courfrayac laugh. "I'm Richard Courfrayac, but please, call me Courfrayac."
"I'm Belle." The girl – Belle – told Courfrayac.
"Okay, class. Finish your paintings and let's get going!" the art teacher announced a few minutes later.
"Where are we going?" Belle asked, brushing her hair over her shoulder. She saw kids gathering their bags and talking amongst each other.
"We're painting the windows of the pizza place. Come on!" Courfrayac told her, grabbing her arm. Belle shook her head and stood firm. "What's wrong?"
"I need to ask my mom first. Can I borrow your phone?" Belle asked Courfrayac. He nodded and handed her his cell phone. She dialed her house number and was on the phone a total of five minutes before handing the phone back to Courfrayac. "I can go, but only for a little while."
"I could give you a ride, if you want." Courfrayac told her, leading the way to his car. Belle smiled as she got in the passenger's seat.
Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars
Look like they're not shinin'
Her hair, her hair falls perfectly
Without her tryin'
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday
"Did I tell you how beautiful you are?" Courfrayac asked as they drove to the pizza place.
She blushed, making Courfrayac laugh. He reached for her hand and took it in his, his fingers wrapping around hers. She didn't pull away, like Courfrayac thought she would.
They were one of the first ones to arrive. Courfrayac leaned over and tried to kiss her when she moved her head.
"Courfrayac, no. I'm not ready." Belle told him. Courfrayac nodded and brushed her cheek with his hand.
The following day at school, Courfrayac was talking with Marius, Cosette, Eponine and Enjolras about the Halloween Dance when Belle entered the school, looking around.
Courfrayac excused himself and looked at Belle. She wore a long white skirt and a nice green top.
"Hi! You look beautiful!" Courfrayac told his new friend, smiling at her.
"I – I do?" Belle asked, blinking at him. He nodded and led her over to his friends. He introduced her on the way to Belle's locker.
"Yeah. You always look beautiful." Courfrayac told her, watching her get her books out of her locker and put them in her shoulder bag. It was too bad that Belle didn't see what Courfrayac saw – he saw a really attractive, beautiful, kind, loving, funny, amazing person.
Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment her,
She won't believe me
And it's so, it's so sad to think that she
Don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay?
I say
After the two of them had been friends for a while, Courfrayac asked Belle out. Of course, she said 'yes' and the two of them were inseparable.
The two of them were at Courfrayac's house. His mother was working late, as was his father, so the two of them had the house to themselves.
Courfrayac kissed Belle's cheek, placing his hands on either side of her small waist. She returned the kisses and felt Courfrayac climb on top of her.
"Let me know if I hurt you." Courfrayac whispered in Belle's ear. She nodded as she felt Courfrayac straddle her. She continued kissing him as he removed her shirt. He sat her up so he could remove her bra.
With shaking hands, Belle unbuttoned Courfrayac's shirt and watched it fall to the floor. She kissed his chest as she felt him remove her skirt and felt him place a hand between her legs.
"You doing okay?" he asked, continuing to touch and kiss her in the right spots. Belle nodded as she felt him remove her underwear and slowly, gently enter her.
They continued their make out session for a while longer. He smiled as Belle looked up at him, kindness in her eyes. He kissed between her eyes and got off of her.
"My parents will be home soon, so I better take you home." He told Belle, helping her get dressed. He kissed her temple as they exited the room.
The following day, during his free period, Courfrayac brought his guitar and sat in the choir room, looking at a notebook on the chair next to him.
He strummed a chord and hummed, looking at his notebook. He didn't notice Belle standing outside the room, arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the doorframe.
"When I see your face
There's not a thing that
I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops
And stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are." Courfrayac sang, making notes in his notebook.
Belle smiled and walked off to her next class as the warning bell rang. Courfrayac scrambled to get his things together and sprinted to his next class – photography.
The photography students went their own ways, but Courfrayac went to the gym, where he knew Belle was.
He opened the door and saw Belle, Cosette and Eponine playing indoor soccer, since it was raining that afternoon. Belle was playing goalie and the other girls were playing forwards.
Courfrayac took pictures of Belle blocking goal after goal before turning his attention to Cosette and Eponine. They smiled for the camera and went back to playing.
Courfrayac snapped a few more pictures before returning to photography to develop his film. He smiled as the pictures of Belle appeared, showing her blocking goals and laughing.
Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them
All day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh she hates but
I think it's so sexy
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday
"So, Belle, do you have a date for the Halloween Dance?" Marius asked as he, Courfrayac, Enjolras, Eponine, Cosette and Belle, along with some of Courfrayac's other friends, sat around a large lunch table.
"Courfrayac and I really haven't talked about it yet." Belle answered, poking her spaghetti. She then turned to Courfrayac, who was stuffing his face, "what about going as Romeo and Juliet?"
"Whatever you say, sweetie, but I am NOT wearing tights!" Courfrayac told her, his voice muffled by food. Belle rolled her eyes and finished her food.
Oh, you know, you know, you know
I'd never ask you to change
If perfect's what you're searching for,
Then just say the same
So don't even bother asking if you look okay
You know I'll say
The seniors were now graduated and starting college. Belle and Courfrayac felt their relationship to be stronger than ever.
Belle shared a dorm room with Cosette and Eponine, while Courfrayac shared a dorm room with Marius and Enjolras.
When Marius, Enjolras, Eponine and Cosette went on a date, Courfrayac entered Belle's room. He instantly went to her and kissed her, his hands on either side of her face. She returned the kisses as Courfrayac led Belle to the bed and instantly climbed on top of her.
The two of them were naked and under the covers. Belle was currently asleep while Courfrayac held her in his arms. He ran a hand through her hair, singing in her ear as he gently kissed it.
"When I see your face
There's not a thing that
I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and
Stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are." Courfrayac sang quietly. Belle smiled and turned on her side, facing Courfrayac. He kissed her forehead and looked into her beautiful green eyes.
The students were done with college and started lives of their own. Courfrayac proposed to Belle and she said 'yes'. She kissed him as he placed a beautiful engagement ring on her left ring finger.
The two of them were married in late summer of the following year. They honeymooned in Hawaii and Belle discovered she was pregnant the final week of their honeymoon.
The way you are
As the months passed, Belle didn't feel like herself. She had gained a ton of baby weight and at the same time, she had to watch what she ate.
At Belle and Courfrayac's six-month doctor's appointment, it was discovered that they were having a baby girl. They agreed on the name Sara Jennifer for their little one.
It was discussed that Belle was going to have a natural birth. Courfrayac kissed Belle's temple as he drove to the couple's apartment, anxious to meet the new addition.
"Soon, your mommy and I will meet you." Courfrayac told Belle's stomach. Belle laughed and went to lie down on the couch.
The way you are
"PUSH!" the doctor told Belle. She had been in labor for almost ten hours and felt like she was getting nowhere. Courfrayac was holding Belle's hand, encouraging her. Marius, Cosette, Enjolras and Eponine were in the waiting room, anxious to hear about the newborn.
Belle let out a final grunt as soft crying filled the air. Courfrayac smiled and kissed Belle's temple before cutting his daughter's cord.
"She's beautiful, just like her mother." Courfrayac told Belle, tears streaming down his cheeks as Sara was placed in Belle's arms. Belle kissed her husband again as she was taken to a hospital room.
He waited until Belle was settled in her room before going to tell his friends about Sara.
"She's absolutely beautiful. She was 7 pounds, 9 ounces and 20.1 inches long. She's going to be in the nursery tonight, but you guys can come see her." Courfrayac told his friends. They all stood up and followed him to the observatory. "She's in the last row on the left-hand side."
"Courf, she's beautiful!" Marius told his friend, hugging him. Courfrayac smiled and looked at his new daughter. He then looked to his friends. Unfortunately, neither Cosette or Eponine could have children, so Courfrayac felt he was rubbing this in his friends' faces.
"I'm sorry about rubbing this in your faces – I know that both Cosette and Eponine can't have children." Courfrayac apologized.
"Actually, I'm about three weeks pregnant. Marius must have some magic in him or something." Cosette told Courfrayac.
"Enjay and I are also expecting – I just found out the other day." Eponine told her friends, smiling at Enjolras. He kissed her forehead and brought her closer to him.
After a while, the four of them left and Courfrayac went to Belle's hospital room. He sat in the chair next to her and stroked her hair.
The way you are
It was now Sara's first birthday. Eponine and Cosette were there with their young children. Cosette had a daughter named Rose and Eponine had a son named Henry.
Belle was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on Sara's princess birthday cake. She smiled when she felt Courfrayac come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist, his lips gently biting her skin.
"Courfrayac, not now! Later, I promise." Belle told him, lighting the 1 candle that was in the middle of the cake. She then led it out to the living room where Sara, Rose and Henry were playing.
Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Sara. Courfrayac helped his daughter blow out her candle as Cosette, Eponine and Belle brought in Sara's presents.
After a while, everyone left. Belle put Sara down for a nap while Courfrayac cleaned up the kitchen.
That night, Belle and Courfrayac laid in each other's arms. Courfrayac brushed Belle's hair out of her face as she slept.
"Girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
When I see your face
There's not a thing that
I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are." Courfrayac sang in Belle's ear. She smiled and turned over so she was facing him. He kissed her passionately and things just got better from there.
A year later, Belle delivered another little girl that she and Courfrayac named Anna. Unfortunately, Belle died shortly after Anna was born.
Belle's memorial service was held when Anna was two-months-old. Courfrayac couldn't stop crying as Belle's coffin was lowered into the ground. Cosette held Anna when Courfrayac stepped forward to toss a handful of dirt onto Belle's coffin.
"And when you smile
The whole world stops
And stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah." Courfrayac sang softly, the tears streaming down his cheeks.
At the reception after the service, Courfrayac sat at a table by himself, other than Sara and Anna. He had his girls and he knew that nothing could take them away from him.