Hello, everybody! Sorry it's been a bit… My summer class has started up and it's quite intense! But never fear, I shall continue to update as much as humanely possible!

So without further ado, here's chapter ten! Enjoy!

~Rosey

Chapter Ten:

"This is my bedroom, Julien!" Combeferre smiled happily as he scurried into his room. His eyes were shining as all children's do when showing a new friend their personal space, and he bounced around joyfully as he showed Enjolras his book collection, his teddy bear, his wardrobe. "Make yourself at home!" He began rummaging through a drawer to find pajamas for his little blond friend, and Enjolras scampered to a chair in the corner, pulling himself up into it.

"You have a chair like me!" the younger boy grinned from the armchair. "Only except as this one is yours!"

Etienne had to smile to himself from the dresser. "Yes I do."

Enjolras nodded seriously and pointed to the floor. "And your floor's different than mine, too. It is wooden."

Laughing as he came over from the dresser with the nightshirt, Combeferre nodded warmly. "Correct again."

The little blond took the nightshirt and nodded politely, hopping down from the chair. "Thank you."

The bespectacled child smiled warmly at his little friend and had to resist ruffling his curls once again. "You're welcome."

Little Enjolras hurriedly waddled behind the changing curtain and came out a few moments later wearing the nightshirt that was unquestionably too large on him, the sleeves hanging past his hands, the tail trailing on the floor. Combeferre had to chuckle at how cute the little child looked, eyes shining behind his glasses. "Well. It will do for one night."

At these words, Enjolras's blue eyes grew wide and a little afraid as he twisted the sleeves of the shirt with his chubby hands. "Um… So it will only be one night?"

Combeferre frowned deeply at this and knelt down to his friend's height. "I hope not. But we can go and get your clothes tomorrow."

Julien nodded a little. "Okay." There was another pause, then, blue eyes peeping up through wild white-blond curls. "Shouldn't you get changed too?"

The older child thought for a long moment, then his eyes lit up. "Stay here! I'll be right back!" Etienne raced out the door and returned moments later wearing one of his father's nightshirts, which was far too big on him, fitting him about as well as his own nightshirt fit Julien. "There! Now neither of our clothes fit!"

The tiny blond's face lit up, visibly touched and thrilled at Combeferre's thoughtfulness. "Yes. I suppose they do not."

Combeferre grinned at him and knelt down to the tiny child's height once more, putting a hand on his little shoulder. "So what do we do now?"

Enjolras thought for a long moment, then his face lit up and he bounced up and down a little. "We could read more!"

Etienne arched an eyebrow comically high, a wry smile appearing on his lips. "So I'm reading now?"

Taken visibly aback, little Julien quickly shook his head, blinking widely. "No. No you're… You're saying words out loud."

The elder boy nodded and pulled out Gulliver's Travels, sitting in the chair, adjusting his glasses on his nose. "Alright then. I will continue to say words out loud."

As Combeferre got comfortable in the chair, Enjolras watched him silently for a moment, biting his lip and shifting from one foot to another. He twisted the long sleeves of his nightshirt in his hands and watched his friend with wide blue eyes, curls falling into his face again. Combeferre glanced over at him and frowned a little at the child's obvious discomfort. "Are you alright, Julien?"

Enjolras was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and straightened his back, looking Combeferre in the eyes, although somewhat shyly. "I have decided you may put me in your lap today."

Etienne held back a massive grin as he arched a brow once again. "Oh have you?"

A serious nod from the blond. "Yes. I cannot see the words down here, and the floor is not very comfortable for two people."

Combeferre felt a grin spread across his face and he set the book aside and knelt down to scoop little Enjolras up into his arms, unable to suppress a fond grin when he realized how tiny Julien was in his arms, more hair and nightshirt than actual little boy. The older boy smiled warmly as the blond got comfortable on his lap before resting his chin on Julien's curls and continuing to read. Crickets chirped outside, a light rain pattered soothingly against the windows, and Combeferre's soothing voice was like a lullaby to Enjolras. The small child nuzzled in close to his friend, feeling comfortable and safe and protected, a little smile on his lips. And it wasn't even ten minutes later that Enjolras dozed off in Combeferre's arms, limp and sound asleep against his friend's chest.

Etienne kissed his curls and gently sat aside the novel, scooping Enjolras into his arms and carrying him into the guest bedroom, laying him on the bed and covering him with the massive coverlet. The older child grinned as he watched the tiny boy on the bed curl up closer under the blanket, latching onto a pillow like a vice. Combeferre kissed golden curls one more time, whispering, "Sleep well, little Julien," before stepping to the door and closing it quietly, heading off to his own bed to sleep.

XXXX

It was later in the night, around midnight or one o'clock, that there was a tiny knock at Combeferre's bedroom door. The bespectacled child blinked his eyes sleepily open, sitting up a little and reaching for his glasses off his nightstand, squinting through the darkness towards the door. "Amilie? That you?"

A tiny mop of curly blond hair peeped around the edge of the door, wide blue eyes looking anxiously around the door. "No. It's me, Julien. I… I'm sorry I woke you. I'll go back to bed now…"

Combeferre sat up and shook his head, patting the bed next to him for Enjolras to come sit. "No, it's fine, I'm used to it. Sometimes Amilie gets up and sleeps with me. Is everything okay?"

Julien still hesitated by the door, shifting from one foot to the other. "I'm sorry for waking you."

Etienne rolled his eyes fondly and shook his head. "Just come in here, silly! It's fine!"

The blond took a small step inside, closing the door behind him, sheepishly looking away. "I couldn't sleep."

Combeferre nodded, patting the bed next to him again. "So I gathered. Did you have a bad dream?"

Enjolras hesitated before sitting by his friend, pulling his knees to his chest. "I had… Yes. It was not a pleasant dream."

The older child frowned deeply and laid back into the pillows, bringing his little friend down next to him, holding him close to his chest, not caring that Julien hadn't "permitted" it. Julien didn't seem to care either, silently curling up next to Combeferre. The bigger boy had to smile a little at this showing of affection, kissing golden curls and wrapping his arms tightly around his friend. "You're comfortable?" A nod. "You want to stay here tonight?" A nod. Then Julien's lip began to tremble. It was hardly noticeable, but it was there. Combeferre bit his lip and held him closer, whispering, "Nothing bad is going to happen to you here. I promise."

Julien swallowed thickly and gave a tiny nod, scrubbing at his eye with a fist. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm fine."

Etienne frowned deeply at this, not liking these words coming from such a tiny boy. He was quiet for a moment, then his face lit up slightly. "When I have a nightmare, my mamman and papa tell me a story. Would you like to hear a story?"

Wide blue eyes looked up through messy blonde curls. "Do you know any good stories?"

Combeferre chuckled fondly. "I don't know. I think so. But then again I also thought I made good sandwiches. Lets hope my stories are better than my sandwiches, hmm?"

Enjolras gave a tiny nod against his chest, gripping on tightly to his shirt. "Okay. Yes, please."

The older boy nodded and leaned back into the pillows, thinking. "Once there was a little boy. And he wanted to change the world. But his father said that he couldn't. Well this little boy had a friend, and his friend wanted to help him change the world. So together, they secretly started planning behind his father's back. The boys grew up and when they were old enough, they moved away from the evil father and got their own house. Where they lived and kept on planning to change the world. And then one day they did! They got lots of people to join them and they defeated the tyrants and all the bad guys and then there was peace and happiness everywhere. They boys stayed best friends their whole lives. And they helped each other keep the world from going back to the way it was before. And they lived happily ever after, the end."

There was a very long pause, and for a moment Combeferre thought Julien had fallen asleep again. But then, there was a small voice in the dark. "Your stories are much better than your sandwiches, 'Ferre."

Combeferre smiled warmly and held his friend closer. "Good. Think you can go back to sleep now?"

Julien nodded, closing his eyes and moving closer to Etienne. "Yes please."

"Alright, then."

A pause, then. "Ferre? Promise you won't ever leave me?"

"I promise."

"Okay. Good night."

"Good night, Julien. Don't you worry about a thing. I'm here. I've gotcha."

And with that, the two friends fell asleep in each others arms, feeling safe and loved.

And there's the end of that chapter! I hope you all liked it! I just love the precious baby revolutionaries! Please, let me know what you all thought!

Stay revolutionary!

~Rosey