I can't believe that this story has received 42 reviews and I am only on chapter nine! I want to thank you all! I especially want to thank those who read and review every chapter; it feels so good to have continuing support. Thank you GGCharms, Kayframe, DaisyGirl18 and Freedom Rose
I saw an edit on Tumblr that fits this story so well and the words used have given me inspiration for this. The edit consisted of two images, one of Courfeyrac and Gavroche in the café then an image of Courfeyrac carrying Gavroche's body paired with the 'Suddenly' Lyrics 'Trusting me the way you do, I'm so afraid of failing you'. I thought it was beautiful and fitted this story to a tee.
Anyway, on with the story! This chapter starts Gavroche's road to recovery which of course allows for some Courfeyrac and Gavroche fluff, with some Eponine in here too.
Gavroche was limp in Courfeyrac's arms, the last of his energy being used to hold onto the young man's waistcoat in one tiny hand. He whimpered, pain surging through him. With his eyes only half open and full of tears, he was not completely aware of what was happening around him. He wanted to sleep, but remembered Courfeyrac's request. To stay awake for him. "Courf? 'Ponine?" He whimpered.
Breathing back tears, Eponine ran to Courfeyrac. "Gavroche, oh petit" She gasped placing a gentle hand on his arm and using the other to brush his hair away from his face, the little face she still saw as being adorable and cherub like, round and framed with golden hair. "You're safe now, you're safe". The injured and afraid little boy stared at her without a word, comforted merely by knowing she was there.
"Joly!" Enjolras called. "We must get him to his bed, he is weak and bleeding from the back wounds, we believe he was whipped with a leather belt, with a buckle"
The young doctor nodded quickly, holding up his bag of medical supplies in his hand. "Take him to the side room, remove his shirt so we can see his back and put a blanket over his legs, he must not get too cold. Jehan, prepare a bowl of warm water and bring it through with a number of rags" He said, calmly giving out the list of orders whilst attempting to stay calm himself. "We need to get him cleaned and his wounds wrapped".
Courfeyrac nodded listening, carrying Gavroche through to the side room where the gamin had leaved for a number of weeks before. Eponine followed hurriedly, along with Enjolras and Combeferre. As Courfeyrac laid the injured child down and removed his shirt, Joly took a quick look at Enjolras and Combeferre's injuries. He gave each of them the help they needed before turning to Gavroche. "And it was his father who did this to him… is he a beast?"
"Yes, the worst sort" Eponine said, wiping tears from her eyes as she held Gavroche's hand carefully, not looking away from his face. "He has hated Gavroche since he was born, thought he was worthless"
Joly nodded, looking up as Jehan came in with the bowl of water. The shy young poet looked at the little boy with wide eyes. "I wish him well, may the Lord look down and do well upon him" He said putting the bowl down on the cot beside the whimpering boy.
"Indeed, now I must work so please may this room become less crowded. Eponine may stay of course, and Courfeyrac, we all know Gavroche will remain comfortable and calm if Courfeyrac is with him" Joly said soaking rags in the warm water and carefully wiping the dry blood from Gavroche's face. Enjolras, Combeferre and Jehan left the room silently. "Fey, can you sit him on your knees and hold him up so I can clean and wrap his back?" He asked.
Courfeyrac nodded, leaning down to Gavroche and kissing his head. "You heard the doctor now, ami, and come now you can lean on me. You can rest soon, I promise" He said softly, smiling when Gavroche slowly opened his eyes and looked at him, placing a hand on Courfeyrac's shoulder so the young man could pick him up. Courfeyrac carefully picked up the boy, feeling his body tense in pain. "There we go" He whispered positioning Gavroche so the boy's head was resting on his shoulder. He brushed strands of blonde hair stained with red away from his face, the simple gesture comforting him immensely. Eponine watched in silence, marvelling at the fact that her brother had someone who cared so greatly for him despite him being no relation to himself. Courfeyrac knew Gavroche now better than she did, know how to comfort him and how to keep him calm.
"Careful now, I fear he has broken ribs by the look of the bruises on his chest" Joly said, trying to be as careful as he could as he cleaned the wounds from the belt on Gavroche's back. He tightly wrapped rag bandages around Gavroche's thin body, covering the wounds and holding his ribs in place. "This is all we can do for him now; he is weak and needs to rest. I will go to the market and buy him a new shirt and jacket. Stay with him, don't leave him alone. We must hope he doesn't develop an infection"
Eponine nodded. "Merci Monsieur Joly and I ask you please to thank Monsieur's Enjolras and Combeferre also on my behalf, on my brother's behalf. He is in no fit state to thank them himself" She said sitting down beside Courfeyrac and kissing Gavroche's bruised cheek softly. "Rest Petit frère, no need to be afraid" She whispered
Joly gave her a smile. "I shall send them your message Mademoiselle" He said with a slight bow before leaving the room to go to the market and then the hospital for more bandages.
Gavroche, barely awake, slowly brought his hand up to Courfeyrac's cheek. "Safe with you, aren't I?" He breathed, his head heavily resting on Courfeyrac's shoulder. "With you and 'Ponine"
Courfeyrac smiled softly nodding and kissing his head as he laid him down on his side on the soft bedding. "Of course petit, always" He smiled sitting beside him with Eponine on the other side. "Rest now, dear Gavroche. We will stay here with you". Gavroche gave a little smile, pushing one hand under his head on his pillow and holding Courfeyrac's own hand with the other. Wincing a little as he got himself in a comfortable enough position, he allowed his eyes to finally close as he fell asleep quickly in exhaustion. Courfeyrac smiled watching him.
"Merci, that doesn't cover what you have done for him Monsieur Courfeyrac but Merci" Eponine said lifting the blanket over her sleeping little brother. Having lost him for four years, assuming he was dead and giving in to the possibility that their own papa had murdered him, Eponine did not want to let little Gavroche out of her sight. She had been so afraid in the time when she waited for the three young men to return, so many horrible moments overcoming her mind, that she was incredibly glad and put at ease to see him sleeping so peacefully despite the obvious injuries.
"I did not rescue him, so to say, I found him. Locked in a narrow cupboard, he was. But no, I did not contribute to the effort. Enjolras and Combeferre engaged in a fight with your father and I am assuming one of his henchmen, a young man called Montparnasse. "Courfeyrac replied looking across at her as he kept a gentle hold on Gavroche's hand. "They deserve more thanks than I"
"But Monsieur, look at you. You care for him, you look after him. More than our parents ever did. He needs someone like you" Eponine said, tears in her eyes. "I barely know him now; I spent four years not knowing whether he was alive! You know him better than anyone. I can see, even if this state, Gavroche looks up to you more than anyone. He sees you as the hero, you saved him when he was sick and you have saved him now"
Courfeyrac shook his head, looking at the little boy looking so weak and needy. "I may have saved him that first time Mademoiselle, but I failed him this time. I am failing him now"
"How? You are helping to look after him now; you took him back from our papa, saving him?" Eponine stressed wiping her eyes as she looked at him with a confused expression.
"I let him go back to the streets; I should have kept him here! I should have kept him with me" Courfeyrac said, his own brown eyes, usually so playful, full of tears. "If I had insisted he come and live with me like I wanted too, this would have never happened! He needs to stay with me now!"
"Do not feel guilt, what happened was not your fault. My papa is a beast of a man" she replied leaning over and kissing his cheek. "Do not feel guilt, just help him recover now. And maybe, now this has happened, he will want to stay with you"
Courfeyrac blushed slightly at her kiss and nodded. "Merci dear Mademoiselle, I will do all in my power to aid his recovery. I am no doctor but I will support him. I care for him greatly, as if he were my own" He said. "And I hope so"
"You are better for him than our papa ever was and that I am sure of Monsieur" Eponine said with a small smile. "I must go, I have work to do". She did not dare to mention that she had to go home to her parents, to help them with that night's crime. He would have stopped her, she knew it, but she knew that if she didn't go she would be beaten also. "Do not leave his side tonight, if he wakes, he will need you"
"I promise Eponine, Gavroche is safe with me" Courfeyrac said wiping his tears as he stroked Gavroche's hair gently. "You stay safe, oui?"
"Oui Monsieur Courfeyrac, I will" She said giving Gavroche a kiss on the temple before leaving. "If he asks for me, tell him I shall come tomorrow"
Courfeyrac nodded watching her leave before turning back to Gavroche. "I really want you safe, Mon petit frère, I do hope you wish to stay with me now" He whispered, getting his thoughts out even though he knew the boy was sleeping. With a sigh, Courfeyrac carefully moved to lie down beside the gamin, keeping hold of his hand. It was not long until he too was asleep. And it was hours later when he was roused from his sleep.
And there we are… Courfeyrac has had his heart to heart with Eponine… How sweet? Gavroche's recovery will probably run into a couple more chapters before the drama of the approaching revolution comes into play. I would really like your feedback on this chapter so please review You know where the button is
I saw on Tumblr that someone on Twitter asked Fra Fey for his description of Courfeyrac's relationship with Gavroche in the movie and this was his answer
'A guardian of sorts. He would have known Gavroche for a long time and taken it upon himself to look out for him'
How cute is this?
