Hi. So this is my first fanfic so it might not be as good as others you've read. Also, I just want to let you know that I've tried to keep this as close to what happens in Les Miserables as possible but I did cut some scenes out. (By the way I don't own anything from Les Mis and these characters aren't my own). Hope you enjoy! :)
I cast my gaze around the empty street. The rain caused the cobblestones to glow in the moonlight. From a tavern down the road burst a roar of drunken laughter. I let out an angry huff and marched down the road and burst through the doors to be greeted by a man with curly black hair dancing on top of a wooden table, surrounded by many other drunken men.
I scowled and shouted, "GRANTAIRE!"
The curly-haired man turned to me, a carefree smile stretched across his sweaty face. "ENJOLRAS! COME HAVE A DRINK WITH ME!"
I wiped my wet hair from my eyes and stormed over to my friend. The crowd around him parted without hesitance. They had seen me do this many times before.
"Grantaire get down right now!" I snapped.
Grantaire let out a stream of giggles, leading into a fit of hiccups. I rolled my eyes and took him by the arm, leading him outside.
"Come on Apollo! Have some fun!" Grantaire groaned as the rain flattened down his sweaty curls. He casually took another swig of his cheap wine. I glared at the bottle as if it was the King of France, himself. In one swift movement, I swatted the bottle propelling it to the ground with a crash!
Grantaire's face became suddenly solemn as he looked directly into my eyes. "Enjolras. I'm just having fun."
I frowned. "Grantaire, now is not the time for fun." I spat. "Now is time for Revolution!"
Backing away from me, Grantaire shook his head. "You're so hung up on that damn revolution of yours!" He turned and sauntered away from me, down the dark street.
The rain began falling even harder, in big wet drops, plastering my hair to my face. With a heavy sigh I turned and marched back to Café Musain. I don't need Grantaire for this. The drunk never helped with anything, anyway.
The sound of dim chatter woke me up. I peeled my eyes open and looked around. I was in the Café surrounded by a few of the members of Le Amis. Joly, Combeferre, and Marius sat at a table in the opposite end of the room from me, whispering intensely. I slowly stood and marched over to them. Their talking halted to a stop.
"Enjolras." Marius said slowly.
Silence filled the large room. "What were you discussing?" I asked, dubiously.
The three men exchanged cautious looks amongst one another and turned to look back at me.
"Grantaire came to see us last night." Combeferre said. "He told us that you weren't being rational anymore. You were too exhausted to plan the attack."
Anger pumped through my veins. "AND YOU'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THAT DRUNK?!" I shouted, glaring at all three men sitting before me.
"We think he's right. You've been acting... off lately." Joly said as if I was one of his patience he was diagnosing.
I glared at each man. "You know nothing!" I shouted, storming out of the Café and into the crowded streets.
The sun bore down on me as I shoved past people and towards Grantaire's house. He would pay for this! It was all his fault! Ever since that night a few weeks ago everything had been different...
A quiet knock sounded at my door. I rolled out of my bed and navigated my way around my dark house, my knee colliding with a table. I opened my door to see Grantaire standing there, an empty wine bottle in his hand.
"Enjolras... CanIstayhere?" He asked, his drunken state causing his words to slur together.
Dubiously, I opened the door wider to let him in. Grantaire stumbled into my house, walking directly into the same table I had previously crashed into.
"Couldn't you turn on a blasted light, Enjolras?!" Grantaire asked, after letting out a stream of curses.
"'Taire, it's the middle of the night. Why would I have a light on?!"
Grantaire didn't answer me as he made his way over to my bed, as if it was his own house. In the darkness I heard the creak of my bed as he climbed into it. I rolled my eyes. I would just have to sleep on the floor tonight.
I grabbed my pillow from underneath Grantaire's curly black hair and placed it on the floor next to him.
"Apollo, you don't have to sleep on the floor. Come up here with me." Grantaire demanded.
I sighed as I got up once again and climbed next to my friend. The bed was too small for us not to touch each other, leaving my arm brushing against his.
Due to an exhausting day I fell asleep quickly. I woke up after what felt like only ten minutes of sleep. The sun was peeking through the window, right onto Grantaire's face, making his skin glow. A curly strand of hair hung limply across his forehead. My gaze fell to his lips. Why had I never noticed how perfect his lips were?
All of a sudden, Grantaire's brown eyes fluttered open. Our eyes met and I froze. Before I knew what was happening, Grantaire leaned in close to me, causing our lips to brush together. A sudden warmth enveloped my entire body. I closed the gap between Grantaire and I. Our bodies became entangled with one another. I deepened our kiss, as he ran his hand through my blond hair.
With a jolt I came to my senses and pulled away from Grantaire. I shot out of the bed and back away from him, as if he was a sick animal.
"G-get out!" I shouted, pointing to the door.
Grantaire gave me a look that I would never forget. One of desire, despair, and... love. I closed my eyes and turned my head away from Grantaire's sad face. First there was silence, followed by his slow footsteps fading away from me.
"GRANTAIRE!" I barked as I pounded on the door to his apartment.
After a few more minutes of pounding on his door, Grantaire finally let me in.
"You know," He said (obviously drunk even though it was before noon). "I probably would've let you in sooner if ya hadn't been yellin' at me like that."
I pursed my lips in anger and tried not to think about how good it felt to kiss Grantaire. "How the Hell are you already drunk?" I asked, not expecting an answer.
Grantaire held up the glass bottle for me to see it, (as if I hadn't already), and took a swig of it's contents.
"Combeferre, Joly, and Marius came to me this morning." I said, waiting for Grantaire to catch on to what I was saying. He didn't show any recollection so I continued. "You told them that I wasn't being rational any more?! What the Hell does that mean?"
Still, Grantaire looked confused. Grudgingly, I went on. "If you think I'm being irrational, you should take a look at yourself! First you come into my house, drunk, in the middle of the night. Second, you sleep in MY bed. And third, you... You..." I trail off, not able to verbally bring up what happened.
Grantaire has an amused look on his face, as if all of a sudden he was sober again. "So you're blaming me for that? Don't pretend you didn't have anything to do with it, Enjolras! You could've turned me away at the door, you could've kicked me out of bed, you could've pulled away before I even started kissing you! But no. You didn't. Instead you sent me mixed signals - still are sending me mixed signals! I just-,"
My face flushed and I turned to leave, but before I could slam the door in my wake, Grantaire grabbed my arm. I paused but forced myself to keep going. Wrenching my arm away from him I walked out of his small apartment.
I don't even understand why I bother with him I thought as I walked backed toward the Café. I don't even understand where I'm going. Joly, Combeferre, and Marius all said it. They don't even need me... I have no purpose... I stopped in the middle of the street, people surged around me, as if I wasn't even there. With a heavy sigh I pivoted to the right and peered into a crowded bar that I had peeled Grantaire from once. I hesitantly I meandered into the bar. The rank smell of stale body odor and alcohol filled my nose. I handed a few francs to a man with a full bottle of wine and he handed me the bottle. I took a swig of it, trying to ignore the burning sensation it gave me as it passed through my throat. I had never understood how Grantaire liked drinking so much.
The afternoon slipped into night. One drink turned into two, two drinks turned into four. My actions were blurred and I was unaware of everything that I did. Eventually, the world went black.
With a moan I pried my heavy eyelids open and looked around. I was in a bar... How had I gotten here? Then everything hit me like a blow to my head, increasing my already throbbing headache. My throat burned and I looked around, needing something to sooth the pain. I reached into my pocket to get money, only to find that it was empty. I had spent all of it in my drunken haze. I rubbed my hand across my face. I felt so... defeated. How did this possibly happen to me? I couldn't blame that single kiss for everything. Grantaire was most likely drunk when he had kissed me. I thought, knowing deep down that Grantaire was sober when he had done that. Most likely hung over, but sober nonetheless.
I abruptly stood up and stormed out of the tavern, only to collide with something right outside of the door.
Being in a bad mood already, I snapped "Watch out, monsieur!" I pushed past the person only to realize that their hand was clasped tightly around my shoulder. I whipped around to face Grantaire. Of all people... I thought, pursing my lips.
"Enjolras, what are you doing here?" Grantaire asked, his voice hinted with something I couldn't place... I had never heard him talk this way before... He sounded as if he was... Worried? Yes. He was genuinely worried for me...
"Get lost, Grantaire!" I huffed, shrugging his hand off of me. Without looking back I stormed away from him.
Enjolras, what are you doing? I asked myself. Grantaire is trying to fix your friendship but you just turn him away. Realizing this, I ran my hand through my wavy hair, so unsure of what was happening to me. I sped past all of the beggars and ran straight onto a large stone bridge.
You need to go back and get things right with Grantaire. If you don't, what will happen to the barricade? Who will take over it?
I walked to the edge of the bridge, looking down into the rushing water below me.
But you do understand that there is more to life than the barricade, right?
I was captivated by the way the water roared over itself, a turmoil of confusion. I felt as if my emotions and thoughts had been replaced with angry, rolling rivers, drowning me beneath them.
Why is this happening? What's wrong with you?
I could end all of it, right now just by taking one step more. I wouldn't have to face Grantaire, I wouldn't have to understand any of my feelings for him... But deep down, I already knew how I felt.
You love him. You love Grantaire.
Hot tears slid down my face while peering into the water. One tear made a path down my cheek, off of my chin, and plummeted to the river crashing below me.
If you jump, you'll never get to see Grantaire again. You won't see France set free. You won't see the barricade take place.
I squeezed my eyes shut tight, realizing what I had to do. I stepped away from the edge of the bridge and made my way back toward the center. With haste, I rushed to Café Musain. It was where the members of Le Amis would most likely be... Where Grantaire would be.
It only took me a few minutes before I was standing outside of the old building. Through the window I could hear the sound of muffled voices murmuring over one another. I walked closer, listening intently.
"Men!" Marius barked, over the hum of voices. "Enjolras is not here but that doesn't mean we can't go on with the barricade!"
"But Marius, it isn't the same." Jehan muttered softly. I could barely hear him from where I stood in the street.
Not wanting to eavesdrop anymore, I stormed into the building and snuck upstairs. Hiding in the shadows I looked around the room. Each man had a solemn look upon their faces, looking down at the wooden tables before them. Though I tried not to look at Grantaire, I couldn't help it. He was sitting alone at a dark table in the corner, a glass bottle in his hand. His head was propped up on the table by his hand, a fistfull of his curly hair in his hand. As if he sensed me watching him, he lifted his head up and turned it in my direction. Our eyes locked and I flashed back to that morning in the bed...
Grantaire slowly stood up, never lifting his gaze from mine. I crept higher up the stairs. One by one the men turned their heads to see me. Even with so many pairs of eyes on me, I ignored all of them, except Grantaire. As if we were the only people in the room, we gravitated towards each other. Once we were face to face, we stopped. My eyes darted around his face, drinking in his features as if it was the first time I had seen him. Without thinking about what anybody else thought, I wrapped my arms around him in a tight embrace. I closed my eyes, wishing we could stay like this forever.
"Enjolras! You returned." Marius said slowly.
I grudgingly removed myself from Grantaire's arms and turned around. "Yes. Even though some of you may think I'm incapable of leading this barricade, I couldn't stay away. Patria needs me."
"Vive le France." Grantaire declared, a lopsided smile stretched across his face.
"Vive le revolution!" The men in the room called back.
Many of the members of Les Amis de l'ABC would die fighting, nevertheless, we chanted with smiles, our words full of hope for a better future.
Over our voices, Gavroche's words pierced the air. "General Lamarque is dead!"
Silence fell over the entire room.
"His death is a sign. The time is here! We will raise our barricade tomorrow!" I shouted, once again raising the energy in the room.
Cheers and shouts rang out across the room as men started making preparations. In the midst of everything I decided to talk to Grantaire. I sauntered up behind him as he loaded a musket.
Slowly, I reached up and placed my hand on his shoulder. He spun around to face me slowly.
"Enjolras." Grantaire said, a knowing smile appearing on his suddenly irresistible face. I couldn't help but find myself staring at his thin lips.
"I..." I started, averting my eyes from his face. "I'm sorry... I've..." I trailed off, not knowing how to finished my sentence.
Grantaire inched towards me and wrapped his arms around my body in a tight hug. At first I stood stiffly, unsure of how to react to his display of affection. Eventually I relaxed and hugged him back. The room slowly fell silent and I felt my face flush. I pushed myself away from Grantaire and looked at all the faces staring at us. All of them had blank expressions on their dirty faces (all except for Joly who looked terribly worried for no apparent reason, but that was to be expected from him).
"Come on! The barricade isn't going to build itself!" There was a moment of silence before the typical bustle of the Café resumed.
I turned back to Grantaire and smiled. "Thank you." I whispered quietly.
The next day I woke up as the sun was peeking through my window, just the way it had when I kissed Grantaire... I stiffly climbed out of my small bed and got dressed, all the while thinking about what would happen today at the barricade. I pushed the sliver of doubt to the back of my mind and strode out of my house and into the streets. I had only been walking for a little bit when I heard footsteps coming from behind me. I turned, secretly hoping it was Grantaire.
"Enjolras!" Courfeyrac said, running up to me with Combeferre on his tail. "Today is the day, Enjolras!"
I nodded my head curtly without slowing my brisk pace. The rest of the walk to the Café Musain was silent. There were no words needed to be said.
When we arrived, Bossuet, Fuelly, and Jehan were seated at a table together, laughing jovially with large smiles on their dirty faces. Combeferre, Courfeyrac, and I joined them. The rest of Les Amis de l'ABC arrived in ones and twos. Grantaire was the last to arrive, stumbling drunkenly through the doorway.
I sighed in disappointment. There were bigger things to deal with right now.. Time slowly passed and I went over the final plans for the barricade with the other boys.
"The time is now!" I shouted, taking a flag and running out of the Café, Les Amis de l'ABC following close behind me. We filled up the streets in which General Lamarque's coffin would pass by. We lined up on the streets, waiting patiently. Suddenly the large coffin passed us followed by soldiers on large black horses. As if a signal was given off, the members of Les Amis de l'ABC and I dashed into the street. I raised the red flag above my head, swinging it in the air.
The noise of men chanting swelled through the air. "VIVE LA FRANCE! VIVE LA FRANCE! VIVE LA FRANCE!"
"TO THE BARRICADE!" I bellowed over the other shouts. In a surge, dozens of people started running in the direction of the Café Musain. Adrenaline coursed through my body as people starting tossing chairs, tables, mattresses and anything they could, down from their windows.
"WE NEED AS MUCH FURNITURE AS POSSIBLE." Courfeyrac shouted up to the windows. Even more chairs starting falling from the sky. As quickly as possible I threw everything I could onto the small barricade, making it bigger. Out of the corner of my eyes I noticed a figure standing in the shadows, staring intensely at me. I looked around making sure nobody else was looking at me, and walked over to the shadow.
"Grantaire..." I said quietly.
Grantaire smiled before reaching up and placing his hand on my shoulder. The simple gesture sent a shiver through my body. Figuring everybody would be too preoccupied with the barricade to see us, I pulled Grantaire close to me. His mouth met mine and he gingerly ran his hands through my hair. With one hand wrapped around him, keeping him close, I moved the other up to his face, caressing him gently. Everywhere we touched was like a bolt of lightning running through me. I pressed our lips closer. When we pulled apart we just looked into each other's eyes. Finally Grantaire broke the silence. He leaned close to my ear, his cheek brushing against mine.
"Let's build that barricade."
I smiled, patted him on the back, and turned back to the barricade. Since I had turned my back to it, it had gained twice it's previous size.
"LET'S KEEP IT GOING, MEN!" I shouted encouragingly.
The flow of furniture began to wane and the barricade began to look completed. Once it was finished I grabbed a red flag and climbed to the top of the barricade. I held the flag above my head. The men cheered below me as I drove it in between two chairs. A gust of wind buffeted the flag.
"VIVE LA FRANCE!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air.
"VIVE LA FRANCE!" The men echoed.
In the distance came the rhythmic thud of troops nearing us. I looked down at the men below me, their stricken faces contorted with fear.
"Get ready." I ordered, snatching a musket.
We swarmed to the barricade, positioning ourselves so we could hide behind the barricade and shoot the soldiers at the same time.
"FIRE!" I blared.
The sound of gunshots rang out. I watched as a handful of soldiers collapsed to their feet. As quickly as possible, I reloaded my musket and turned back to shoot again. Gunfire burst back and forth, I searched the barricade for Grantaire. He was nowhere to be found. Fear began to fill my body. Don't be dead... I thought.
The soldiers began to advance, their guns raised and ready to kill. They started to climb up the barricade, shooting while they climbed.
"BACK!" I heard Marius shout. "Back or I blow the barricade."
"And take yourself with it." A soldier snapped.
I turned at looked at Marius with curiosity. He stood at the top of a barricade. he held a torch in one hand and a barrel of gunpowder in the other, slowly inching the two objects closer to each other.
"And myself with it." Marius said, his words barely audible.
Silence had fallen across the barricade and time froze. Marius, don't be a fool. I thought, squeezing my eyes shut.
"RETREAT!" One of the soldiers shouted. They turned at scurried away.
I hurried over to Marius and retrieved the torch from him, making sure he didn't do anything stupid.
"Christ," I heard Courfeyrac whisper under his breath as I walked past.
I handed the torch to Jehan and searched the ground for Grantaire's dead body. I didn't see him anywhere so I headed inside the Café Musain. I climbed up the steps and peered around the empty room. In the table in the corner Grantaire slumped in a wooden chair, his eyes closed.
"Grantaire?" I asked the silence.
As I neared him, the scent of alcohol filled my nose. Thank God... I thought. "Jesus, Grantaire," I said to myself. "I thought you had died."
Not knowing what to do, I sat across from Grantaire and looked at him. The room was dark and his visage was covered in dark shadows. I sighed and stood up, backing away from Grantaire. I guess since he's here he won't get hurt... I made my way out of the Café back to the men at the barricade. They were all seated next to each other, talking quietly.
"Courfeyrac, you take the watch. They may attack before it's light. Everybody keep the faith."
Courfeyrac stood and made his way up the barricade, a musket in hand. I turned and leaned against the wall of the Café Musain, peering at the men in front of me. I tried not to think about how many of them would die in the next few days. I closed my eyes slowly and thought of Grantaire, praying he would live. Eventually, I fell asleep.
I woke up early the next morning as the sun was just peaking over the buildings around me. The other members of Les Amis de l'ABC were sound asleep, leaning on one another and draped over unbroken chairs. Figuring Grantaire would be awake by now. Of course, I was wrong and Grantaire was in the same position I had seen him in last night. I took his gun, figuring he wouldn't be needing it any time soon, and went to wake the men. Suddenly, something hit me. We were the only people at the barricade. The people of Paris hadn't risen.
"Wake up." I demanded, nudging each man. One by one, the barricade came to life.
"We're the only ones left." I announced. First, the men looked confused but the realization of what I had said eventually sank in, leaving them standing in front of me, their faces etched with worry.
"What do you mean?" Marius asked, knowing exactly what I meant.
"We were abandoned by those who still live in fear." I answered.
Silence fell upon the barricade. The familiar sound of many footsteps walking in rhythm filled the streets. I made my way up the barricade and raised my musket. The army made the final bend and appeared in my line of vision.
"Hold your fire." I said softly.
The soldiers stopped, staring blankly ahead at us. Before my very eyes, a shadow darted out from the barricade and approached the soldiers. They raised their guns and fired a shot, purposely missing.
"Gavroche!" Combeferre hissed. "Gavroche get back here!"
Suddenly Courfeyrac appeared next to me. "Gavroche!" He cried as another shot burst through the air. Gavroche doubled over but continued on. The soldiers exchanged a few dubious glances before somebody pulled their trigger. Gavroche's small body lurched with the force of being hit and he collapsed.
Courfeyrac leaped to Gavroche's side and picked his small body up and cradled him. HIs body shook with sobs filled with grief. I turned away from Courfeyrac and back to the army ahead of us.
"You at the barricade, listen to this! The people of Paris sleep in their beds. You have no chance, why throw your lives away?"
I looked down, not able to meet the troubled eyes that watched me expectantly. I am leading these men to their death... I thought slowly. I exhaled, knowing we were already defeated.
"Let us die facing our foes." I announced. "Make them bleed while we can. Let others rise to take our place, until the earth is free!"
The army officer stared directly at me as he bellowed "CANNONS!"
More soldiers marched around the corner, wheeling cannons.
"FIRE!" I called. I aimed my musket at a soldier by the cannon and pulled the trigger. He fell to the ground along with a few other soldiers.
"FIRE THE CANNONS."
With a bang, a cannon collided with the barricade, spraying bits of wood into our faces. I felt something sharp skid past my face. A warm stream of blood began to trickle down my cheek. I ignored it and continued to shoot at the men before me.
From behind me, rang the screams of my friends and schoolmates as they were stuck by a bullet or hit by a piece of the barricade coming loose from the blows of the cannons.
"ADVANCE!"
The soldiers were upon us once again, but this time, Marius was nowhere to be seen. One of them came directly towards me, his gun raised at my face. In a flash, I snatched his gun from his grasp and shot him down with it.
"THERE'S MORE MEN. THERE'S MORE MEN, ENJOLRAS!"
I scanned the scene before me. To my right, Jehan and Combeferre were pounding on the doors of the citizens, begging to get in for shelter. To my left lay wounded bodies, strewn around at odd angles, blood pooling onto the cobblestones, and ahead of me, soldiers poured over the barricade, shooting at every chance they got.
I grabbed Courfeyrac, who happened to be beside me, and dashed inside the Café Musain. We sprinted up the stairs, Joly and Combeferre trailing right behind us.
Silence fell over the room like a blanket. None of us dared to move, for fear of the soldiers finding us. The sound of soldiers filled the Café and below our feet came their voices.
"Must be up there..." One said
Below me I felt the tap of something on the floor. I exchanged nervous looks with the men at my side. This is it. They know we're up here. All they have to do is pull their trigger... I thought, too afraid to even move.
BANG.
Three gunshots split the silence. Joly, Combeferre, and Courfeyrac crumpled to my feet, as if they had been stepped on by an invisible force. Slow footsteps began to make their way up the wooden steps to where I stood. I backed up into the wall just as four soldiers filed into the room that had once been filled with the laughter of Les Amis. I peered down the barrels of the gun, awaiting their shot.
All of a sudden, something moved in the corner of the room behind the soldiers. Grantaire? I thought, swelling with joy.
Grantaire sidled over to my side, completely ignoring the guns raised at us.
"Might as well kill two birds with one stone." He said, surprisingly cheerily considering our circumstances.
I grabbed Grantaire's warm hand and squeezed it tight.
"I love you, Apollo." He whispered in my ear.
My eyes watered as I spoke what I knew were my final words. "I love you too, Grantaire."