A Gift All His Own

Grantaire shuffled his way to his corner table in the Café Musain, surprisingly early. Even Enjolras wasn't there, and to Grantaire the whole room seemed to be dead. His plan was to get himself drunk before the meeting of the Les Amis de l'ABC so he could leave before his friends came. Before Enjolras came, to make marks on his map. The one Grantaire gave him.

Gibelotte, getting spider webs in the back room with an old broom, noticed Grantaire and greeted him.

"You're early if you're to go to the meeting." She yawned.

"I'm not going." Sighed Grantaire. "No questions. Bring me wine." He waved Gibelotte off, and she left him with the spiders.

In truth, there was nowhere he would rather be than that meeting. Grantaire loved nothing more than to sit in the corner and listen to Enjorlas talk of liberty. It wasn't what he talked about that snared Grantaire, it was the way words just flowed out of his mouth, the way he lit up. Seeing Enjolras happy was the biggest joy in Grantaire's otherwise intoxicated life. He believed in nothing but Enjorlas.

The date was October third, 1831, a day Grantaire both looked forward to and dreaded. Enjolras would be twenty-two. All the Les Amis had chipped in to buy Enjolras a new red vest, but Grantaire had a gift all his own: his absence.

Enjolras never seemed to like having him around. He belittled Grantaire constantly. Grantaire didn't seem to care, but deep down he really did.

Grantaire had always lived to see Enjolras happy. He considered a day in which Enjolras laughed the best of his life. Grantaire desperately wanted to be the one to make Enjolras happy, and today he'd do just that.

It was nearly time for the meeting of the Les Amis to begin when Grantaire considered himself drunk enough to be on his way. He sloshed into the rain, but not without leaving a note on his corner table:

Dear Enjolras,

I regret to inform you that I have decided to discontinue my association with the brave and most noble Les Amis de l'ABC. Why? It is my birthday gift to you. I wish that I could remain

Loyally Yours,

R

P.S. I will think of you when I am a free man.

Grantaire did not know very well where he was going. He ended up on the balcony of his flat, soaked with rain. The meeting was in progress. Grantaire wished he could see Enjolras' joy, euphoria. He longed for the Café Musain and Enjorlas' speeches.

Peering down onto the earth, Grantaire could see the Café. Feuilly was ambling in, late. Enjolras' mood would be spoiled! He heard himself curse Feuilly, feeling far away and alone. Grantaire could do without the other Les Amis, but without Enjolras he was a bird with a broken wing.

Again Grantaire looked below him, studying the height of his balcony.

"Injured birds can't fly." He observed.

Grantaire already had one foot over the balcony when the Café caught his eye. A small figure was running out of it, paper flapping in it's pinhead-sized hand. Enjolras? No, it couldn't be. Grantaire was just now sitting on his balcony rail, giving the earth one last glance. He closed his eyes and-

The balcony door slammed shut.

"Grantaire!" came a voice.

Grantaire spun around, planting his feet firmly on the ground. Standing in front of him was none other Enjolras, looking majestic.

"Did you like my present? " asked Grantaire, thinking he knew the answer.

"Not in the slightest!" Enjolras exclaimed. "We need all the men we can get!"

"You…want me to come back to the Les Amis de l'ABC?" Grantaire mumbled, looking at his feet.

Enjolras nodded, a phantom of a smile creeping onto his face.