A/N: This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Julie (fyeponinexenjolras on tumblr) who practically shouted at me to put Courfeyrac/Jehan in.
For clarification (I will be putting a post on Tumblr about her in the not too distant future), Musichetta runs a really popular cafe just off of campus. She knows everything about all the barricade boys (and Ep) because they all go to her for advice if they need it. She is one badass lady.
9. You may only join him if you agree to duet with him for What is this Feeling? from Wicked.
Jehan sighs quietly as he adds a small flower to the end of his plait, wishing he was less of a coward. Since Courfeyrac's performance a couple of weeks ago, he has thought of little else. The memory of the way he belted out the bridge makes Jehan's stomach flip and he groans miserably, eliciting angry stares from the librarian. Jehan gathers up his things and mutters an apology as he hurries out. He needs a chai latte, now.
Musichetta looks up from the counter as he wanders in.
"Mon petit poète, what on earth has got you looking so miserable?"
Jehan slumps in front of her. "Men."
"Sweetie, it's not still Courf is it?" He nods solemnly and she tuts sympathetically.
"I don't know what to do Chetta."
"If you don't want to just take a deep breath and do it, why don't you try wooing him a little?"
He looks up. "Do you really think that will work?"
She smiles and nods. "For starters, try taking him a cappuccino for after one of his lectures. Ask to hang out and watch shitty TV with him tomorrow."
"Chetta I don't know what I'd do without you." Jehan fishes in his satchel for change, but Chetta just shakes her head.
"No charge. For the cappuccino or the chai latte I've already got Jenna to make."
"Chetta are you sure? If you keep giving us free drinks you're going to go out of business."
She laughs. "Poète, you boys are my best customers. Besides, it's about time something happened with the two of you."
Jehan accepts the drinks gratefully and leaves the café with a fresh smile on his face.
He waits outside the lecture theatre anxiously, waiting for the students to file out. When they finally do, he almost misses Courfreyrac in the sea of bodies.
"Courf!"
The boy turns around and breaks into a wide smile when he sees Jehan, who swears his heart stops.
"Hey Jehan. You thirsty by any chance?" He gestures to the two cups.
"Oh! One of these is for you. Compliments of Chetta."
Courfeyrac takes the proffered cup as though he is being handed liquid gold.
"Jehan, you are a god amongst men."
Jehan blushes furiously. "I didn't make the coffee."
Courfeyrac shrugs. "Walk with me to my next lecture?"
Jehan almost jumps upright. "Okay."
The two boys wander shoulder to shoulder through the maze of buildings. Éponine passes them, clearly in a hurry, but Jehan still notices the twinkle in her eyes and the small smile that crosses her face.
"I'll see you later?" Jehan starts. It's a question directed at him.
"Yeah, sure." He waits for Courfeyrac to completely disappear before he squeals noiselessly and claps his hands in celebration. He half runs all the way back to the house, making a mental note to write Chetta the most beautiful poem he possibly could.
When Courfeyrac finally gets home, Jehan is engrossed in a poem and doesn't hear the other boy until there is a soft knock on his open door. He jumps a foot in the air.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to come and say thank you for the coffee again. It was really nice of you."
Jehan beams. "It was no trouble. I know how much you hate your Greek Literature lectures."
Silence stretches between them. Jehan takes a deep breath. "Doyouwanttohangouttomorrowev eningandwatchshittyTVtogethe r?"
Courfeyrac frowns. "Pardon?"
Jehan blushes again. "Do you want to hang out tomorrow evening and watch shitty TV together?"
"Normally I would love to, but tomorrow is Musical night, and I finally found a decent bootleg of Hairspray to watch. Maybe some other time?"
"Yeah, maybe." Jehan tries to keep the disappointment out of his voice, and his gaze drops back to the paper in front of him.
By the next morning, Jehan has a plan. He walks quickly from his lectures into town and buys a copy of the Collector's Edition of Chicago, then he goes straight to the Musain.
Chetta goes to make his latte as soon as he walks in, but he makes a slashing movement with his hand and walks over to her.
"I need a massive favour."
"That sounds ominous." She chuckles.
"Will you be able to make me coffee at half 7 this evening?"
"For you, poète, anything. Why do you want coffee from me so late? Surely by then you'll just grab a cup of Éponine's?"
Jehan smiles shyly. "Courf doesn't like Éponine's coffee."
"Ah." Chetta returns the smile. "I'll be ready."
Courfeyrac almost punches the wall when the knock on the door comes halfway through Ladies Choice. He rolls his eyes and takes a slow calming breath before answering.
Jehan cowers under his glare. "Don't hurt me! I brought a peace offering!" He holds up a large takeaway coffee and a collector's edition of Chicago. Courfeyrac is completely taken aback, and blinks a few times to make sure he's not dreaming.
"Thanks." He says, taking the gifts from Jehan, setting them down on his desk. "So, er, I'll see you at dinner?"
"Yeah. Hope you enjoy the coffee."
Courfeyrac shuts the door and throws his hands up in frustration at his inability to interact properly with the one boy he fancies. On the other side of the wood, Jehan mirrors his actions.
3 days later, Jehan notices an extra note underneath Courfeyrac's last addition. He grins, and then his smile disappears as he panics.
He walks over to Éponine and Enjolras's bedroom and bangs on the door.
"Ep, I need your help!"
Enjolras opens the door, brow furrowed with worry. "Are you okay Jehan?"
"Yes, fine, I mean, no not really, but it's not an emergency. Where's Éponine?"
Enjolras relaxes. "She's doing a sitting for R. They're in his room."
Jehan grins. "Thanks Enj."
He rushes up the stairs, but knocks on Grantaire's door with a little less urgency.
"Ep?"
He pushes inside. Éponine is lounged against Grantaire's wall, draped in a silk sheet. She looks absolutely incredible and Jehan momentarily forgets why he's there.
"Ep, I need your help."
She goes to speak and Grantaire interjects without looking up from his canvas.
"Don't open your mouth. I'm painting your face now."
She makes a tiny movement with her hand, encouraging Jehan to go on.
"You need to help me rehearse What Is This Feeling. Courf put up another note on the fridge and I have to duet it with him if I want to sit in on Musical night."
Her face stays impassive under Grantaire's orders, but her eyes light up with excitement.
"Come and see me when you're done, I'll be dancing round my room to Laura Marling." Jehan skips off, twirling happily up the second flight of stairs to his bedroom.
Éponine and Jehan rehearse the song over and over again, counting down the days until Courfeyrac's next musical evening. Jehan's voice grows more confident by the day, and even Enjolras, who objects strongly on the grounds that both of them have exams to revise for, is visibly impressed.
"I just think you're taking this a little too seriously. "
"Oh shut up Enj, I've been waiting for Courf and Jehan to get together for almost 3 years now. We can't take this seriously enough." She turns her attention back to Jehan, who has just finished the song. "You've got an incredible set of pipes on you!" Éponine says.
Jehan grins. "If this doesn't grab his attention, I think I'll just give up."
"Trust me love, it will."
Courfeyrac trudges home in a foul mood. Jehan has barely spoken to him since his royal fuck up two weeks ago, and he is falling his Archaeology module. At least tonight, he has The Jersey Boys to look forward to.
He slams the front door and makes to stomp up the stairs, but Éponine blocks his path.
"You aren't going anywhere sunshine. There's someone that wants to talk to you first."
Courfeyrac raises an eyebrow.
"Just turn around you idiot!"
He does, and all complaints that were forming on his lips die instantly. Jehan is standing with an iPod in his hand and a small smile on his face.
The others wander in from the dining room and kitchen and watch intently.
"You ready?" Jehan asks. Courfeyrac nods, knowing exactly what is coming. He puts his bag down and waits for a moment until the track starts.
"Dearest darling Momsy and Popsicle."
"My dear father."
"There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz"
"But of course I'll care for Nessa,"
"But of course, I'll rise above it,"
Courfeyrac can't help but grin. Jehan is really giving it some, and it takes all his willpower not to burst out laughing when he turns to Courfeyrac and practically spits the word "blonde" at him.
The song goes into full swing and the two boys throw themselves into the performance. Cheers come from the small audience, and Jehan is encouraged even further.
Éponine and, surprisingly, Combeferre, join in with the Chorus's lines. Courfeyrac can't stop smiling now.
"Loathing truly deeply, loathing you, my whole life long!"
"BOO!"
Courfeyrac screams in response and the room erupts with applause. Jehan takes a flamboyant bow and Courfeyrac follows suit.
Jehan turns to Courfeyrac. "Was that acceptable?"
He grins. "It was phenomenal. Come on, we've got the Jersey Boys to watch."
Courfeyrac pulls a beaming Jehan by the sleeve up the stairs.
They settle down in the nest of blankets, and if Jehan notices Courfeyrac snuggling closer to him than was necessary, he doesn't say anything.
As the play reaches the interval, Courfeyrac turns his head and looks at Jehan, inches from his face.
"What do you think?"
"I love it. It's amazing."
Jehan meets his gaze and before Courfeyrac can draw breath, Jehan's lips are on his and his world has been flipped upside down and fireworks explode in his head.
The moment passes all too quickly as Jehan pulls away and almost trips up trying to rush to the door, mumbling apologies and making a hasty exit. It takes Courfeyrac all of 3 seconds to snap out of his reverie and jump to his feet.
"Jehan!"
He bursts out of the door and grabs Jehan's wrist halfway down the stairs.
"Jehan, wait!"
The other boy turns to face him and Courfeyrac kisses him before there is any chance of protest.
He can hear Éponine whooping from the living room and some of the others cat calling but he really couldn't care less. He runs his hand down Jehan's plait and smiles. This was more perfect than he ever could have imagined.
Eventually his need for oxygen means he has to surface. Jehan is wearing a similar grin and Courfeyrac is vaguely aware of money changing hands downstairs.
"Let's go," he murmurs. "We've still got the second half to watch."