Note: I might be adding to the beginning section of this chapter later on. Let me know what you guys think. Thank you for all your reviews!
Combeferre raced home from his class-which he somehow managed to get through after his meeting with Montparnasse-feeling incredibly anxious. He ran up the stairs, nearly slamming into Courfeyrac who was throwing a tennis ball in the air and catching it.
"Hey." Courfeyrac said, with a huge grin, once he saw him, "There you are. How was your day?"
"Fine." Combeferre said quickly, feeling guilty about the pills in his pocket. He sank down on the couch next to Enjolras, who was reading the newest book of poetry Jehan had left for him.
"Hey." Enjolras mumbled, glancing at him quickly, obviously still engrossed in his book.
"Did you turn in your paper?" Courfeyrac asked throwing the ball in the air again and catching it.
"Yeah." Combeferre nodded, he quickly changed the subject, to Courfeyrac's test. He just didn't want to have to face the truth of how badly he did on his paper.
"Alright..." Courfeyrac shrugged, "I mean the stuff that was on it was easy. I'm not worried."
"Of course you're not." Combeferre mumbled. Enjolras glanced at him, biting his lip, frowning slightly.
"How you feeling?" Combeferre asked quickly.
Enjolras studied him for a minute before clearing his throat.
"I made a choice about my chemo." Enjoras closed his book, glancing in between both Courfeyrac and Combeferre. "I am going to stick with the same dosage with more recovery time in between treatments."
"Did you talk to Dr. Jernett?" Combeferre asked almost mechanically.
"Yeah, I called him." Enjolras subconsciously rubbed his legs, "He said he is fine with my choice. I'm scheduled for chemo tomorrow morning."
"As long as you're sure—" Combeferre began, but was cut off by Courfeyrac.
"I'm free to take you. You have class, right, Ferre?"
Combeferre nodded, sighing slightly.
Truthfully, it annoyed him that Courfeyrac was suddenly so enthusiastic about being there for Enjolras. From the start of this entire thing, Combeferre hadn't left Enjolras's side. This wasn't the case as far as he was concerned regarding Courfeyrac. For weeks after Enjolras had been was diagnosed, Courfeyrac was barely around. Combeferre understood that people react to bad news in different ways, but it bugged him that Enjolras hadn't held Courfeyrac accountable for his absence. If anything, their friendship was better than ever. Combeferre often felt like an outsider when the three of them were together.
"I'm not looking forward to it." Enjolras said, sighing.
"It'll be fine." Combeferre said, trying to push down his resentment. He reached out and patted Enjolras on his back reassuringly.
"I know it sucks." Courfeyrac cut it, "But it's one less treatment before you get better."
"Yeah, I know…." Enjolras sighed.
"Hey," Combeferre said suddenly, remembering Cosette, "Is Cosette okay? She looked pretty upset earlier."
"She and Marius broke up." Enjolras said shrugging
"What?" Courfeyrac and Combeferre both exclaimed together.
"I guess things haven't been too great for a while." Enjolras pressed his lips together, "I guess she made a choice."
"I never thought I'd see the day." Courfeyrac whistled loudly, "Well, to be truthful, good for her man. I always thought she was better than him anyway. She's way too hott. Did she say anything else?"
Enjolras shook his head, and then went back to his reading, making it clear he was going to keep whatever Cosette and he had talked about to himself.
Courfeyrac shrugged and went back to tossing his tennis ball.
Combeferre took this as an opportunity to slip upstairs. He went into his room, closed the door and locked it behind him. He sank down onto his bed, pulling out his recent purchase from Montparnasse. He studied the small blue pills, almost afraid to even open the little baggie they had been put in. Montparnasse had advised to start by taking one at a time (he'd been given five) to see how he reacted to them and to do it over the weekend (today was Thursday) so he wouldn't have to worry about classes. Combeferre's heart suddenly started to race and he felt panic stricken over what was in his hand. Part of him was tempted to go flush them down the toilet, but instead he jumped up and hid the pills in his desk drawer, slamming it shut.
The next day Courfeyrac had just brought Enjolras home from his chemo appointment and gotten him to sleep on the couch when there was knock on the door.
"I'll be back." He whispered unnecessarily to Enjolras who hadn't stirred.
"Hey..." He said, once he opened the door and saw Marius.
"Enjolras home?" Marius demanded. He shoved past Courfeyrac, not waiting for an answer and ran up the stairs. "Hey!" Marius went over to the couch where Enjolras was sleeping and kicked it hard, making him wake up with a start, "Get up!"
"What the hell is your problem?" Courfeyrac said, grabbing Marius and shoving him into the wall, "He just had chemo, man."
"I'll tell you what the problem is!" Marius said, pointing through Courfeyrac and at Enjolras, who was sitting up, still looking somewhat drowsy. "He's been hooking up with Cosette!"
"Marius…" Enjolras mumbled, rubbing his eyes, "What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Marius said, trying to push Courfeyrac out of the way, "I know she's came here yesterday and stayed for a long time. It's sure in hell not to see Combeferre. She's in awe of you. She always has been."
"Calm down." Enjolras said, his brain slowly registering what Marius was talking about, "Yeah, she's come by a lot, but I promise you we haven't hooked up."
"Like hell you haven't!" Marius spat.
"She's come over just to talk." Enjolras replied surprising himself how protective he suddenly felt over Cosette. He glanced at Courfeyrac who was looking between the two and still holding Marius against the wall.
"I find that hard to believe." Marius snapped, "You're lying. She never talked to me that much. There is no way that's all you two are doing."
"Maybe it's because you never took the time to listen." Enjolras said sharply and pointedly, "You were too interested in showing her off as yours to listen to what she has to say."
"And of course you always there to listen." Marius replied, "You, our fearless leader, with your ideals of justice and equality. Tell me Enjolras, how's our golden leader doing now? How's it feel to be helpless and weak like all of those you tried to defend? You know, you might want to consider appointing someone else seeing as you probably don't have much time left."
"You bastard!" Courfeyrac flipped, slamming Marius hard into the wall, "Get the fuck out of here." Courfeyrac then dragged him down the stairs, shoving him so hard outside that Marius fell backward onto the pavement. "If you ever say anything like that to him again, I'll drop you on your ass so fast you won't know what hit you."
"Screw you, Courf!" Marius said, getting up, brushing himself off, "Tell Enjolras to watch his back. You can't always be there to protect him."
"You lay a hand on him I swear to god, I'll freakin kill you." Courfeyrac stepped out into the street, shoving Marius once again. Marius stumbled backward, but held his ground. He stood there for a second, before turning and walking away, muttering to himself. Courfeyrac slammed the door behind him, running back up the stairs. He was greeted with the vision of Enjolras, who quite obviously had finished being sick, curl up in a ball, shivering under the blanket. Courfeyrac immediately went over to the couch, and began rubbing Enjolras's arms and back until his shuddering subsided.
"Is Marius gone?" Enjolras finally managed, turning somewhat to face Courfeyrac.
"Hell yeah." Courfeyrac replied, "I kicked his ass to the curb."
"Courf…" Enjolras began, but was cut off by Courfeyrac's rage.
"I can't believe Marius. He's lucky I didn't hand him his ass just now. Who the hell does he think he is? You do know what he said to you isn't true, right? You're doing fine."
"I know." Enjolras said shuddering again.
"You guys aren't hooking up….right?" Courfeyrac asked, after a few moments of silence.
"No." Enjolras shook his head, "I promise you, we aren't. She's in need of a friend. I enjoy talking to her, but I see her like a sister, nothing more." He bit his lip, before he turned to Courfeyrac, "Can you do me a favor? Can you go find Cosette? With Marius as mad as she is, I don't really want her walking around alone. She was supposed to drop by this afternoon after looking at courses to take for school next semester in registrar's office."
"Cosette's going to take classes?" Courfeyrac asked, getting up and grabbing his coat, "That's cool."
"She wants to be a teacher." Enjolras replied, recalling a conversation they had had yesterday. "I told her she'd make a good one."
"I can see that." Courfeyrac said seriously, "Listen, I'll go see if I can find her. I'll be back in a bit."
Courfeyrac found Cosette easily. She was exactly where Enjolras guessed she'd be; sitting at a table in the registrar's office, browsing through a school catalogue. She looked up, breaking into a smile when she saw Courfeyrac.
"Hey." She said welcomingly, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to walk you to Enj's, my lady." Courfeyrac bowed slightly, giving her a smile.
"Well, you're in luck." Cosette said, standing up, "Because I'm just about done."
"You sure?" Courfeyrac asked, "I can wait."
"No, it's okay." Cosette put the catalogue into her bag, "I made an appointment for Monday to talk to a school advisor. I just wanted to be prepared."
"You people and you're being prepared." Courfeyrac said, shaking his head.
"So what did I do to get the privilege of your company?" Cosette asked, as she bundled up, buttoning up her bright blue coat.
"Can't a friend just walk another friend to another friends place?" Courfeyrac asked innocently. Then he cleared his throat, "Enjolras sent me. Marius showed up today. I guess he somehow found out you two have been spending a lot of time together….He was pretty angry about it."
"Marius doesn't have a say in what I do." Cosette replied, "I can do what I want to. However, I do appreciate the concern and the company."
"Well, come on, then." Courfeyrac replied, linking his arm with Cosette's.
When they got to the apartment, it was clear that Enjolras's chemo effects had a strong hold on him. They found him, sitting on the floor, next to his bucket, shivering.
"Enj!" Courfeyrac exclaimed running over to Enjolras. He wrapped his arms around his much paler, thinner friend, and helped him back up on the couch.
"Hey Cosette." Enjolras said softly, offering her a small smile, before leaning back against the pillow.
"Hi…." Cosette whispered, dropping her bag and walking over to him. She reached out and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
"Have you gotten sick a lot, man?" Courfeyrac asked, reaching out and in true Combeferre fashion, lightly brushing Enjolras's forehead, checking for a fever.
"The usual." Enjolras shrugged, rolling over on his side.
"How are your legs?" Cosette asked gently. She knelt down on the floor next to the couch, glancing at Courfeyrac, worry glimmering in her eyes.
"They're fine." Enjolras replied, "Don't worry so much. I'm okay. Besides, you had a big day…Did you get to look for your classes?"
"Yeah." Cosette nodded, "I have an appointment on Monday with an advisor for scheduling."
"That's great." Enjolras smiled again, "I'm excited for you."
"Thank you." Cosette whispered.
"You'll have to keep me posted." Enjolras managed before his eyes started to flicker with exhaustion from being sick. Within minutes he was asleep.
Courfeyrac grabbed another blanket and tossed it over Enjolras before motioning for Cosette to follow him in the kitchen.
"Is he going to be okay?" Cosette said, lingering in the hallway.
"Chemo days are always bad." Courfeyrac shrugged, "He just has to get through it. Tomorrow should be a little better. He'll still be wiped out, but hopefully won't be as sick."
"I hate seeing him like this." Cosette replied, her eyes full of tears. "I don't know what to do for him."
"Just be there." Courfeyrac shrugged, "I mean, honestly, that's what I've learned through all of this. You can't do much else besides show him you care and that you'll be there for him."
"I guess." Cosette wiped a tear away, shuddering slightly.
"Speaking of caring…" Courfeyrac began, realizing this was as good of time as any to ask the burning question that was on his mind since he'd see Marius earlier that day, "Umm…you do care for Enjolras…right?"
"Of course I do." Cosette gave him a strange look, "Why ask such a question?"
"I mean, you care for him….don't you?"
Cosette frowned slightly. She looked as though she were about to cry again, then she looked at Courfeyrac, studying him for a moment or two.
"Is it that obvious?" She finally said softly.
"Kind of." Courfeyrac said, giving her a gentle smile.
"It wasn't supposed to happen…" Cosette began, "I mean, I didn't mean it to happen….It just…I just…He just is amazing to me….I just never met anyone like him in my entire life….He's brave, sensitive…caring…passionate…not to mention very very handsome" Cosette blushed at that last part.
"You think our Enjolras is handsome?" Courfeyrac teased, nudging Cosette gently, "I've never heard that one before."
"Was he always this good looking?" Cosette asked, beginning to smile.
"Well yes…" Courfeyrac replied winking, "I do recall him being quite a strapping young lad."
Cosette burst out laughing.
"I guess you wouldn't really notice." She said, going into the kitchen the rest of the way and putting on some tea.
"So you going to tell him how you feel?" Courfeyrac asked jumped up on the counter.
"No…" Cosette shook her head, "I think it would make things really complicated."
"He's never really had a girlfriend." Courfeyrac stated, "You could always be his first."
"He's never had a girlfriend?" Cosette asked in amazement. "How's that possible?"
"I don't know." Courfeyrac shrugged, "He never seemed interested. I think he had a lot going on."
"Yeah, I heard about that…" Cosette said softly, "Umm…is it true about his dad?"
"All I can say is yes…" Courfeyrac replied, "And that it was pretty bad…but I think it's best if you hear it from him…"
"Oh, I agree." Cosette said quickly, "I just hate that it happened is all."
"Trust me…." Courfeyrac replied, "I hear you."
