"Did... You just run over a bird?"
"Probably!" Combeferre was starting to regret letting Courfeyrac drive. In all fairness, he probably shouldn't have let him in the first place, but Courfeyrac was a must faster driver than him. Enjolras and Courfeyrac always banded together to complain about Combeferre's "snail driving," whenever the three friends were in the car together.
"Courfeyrac, you're going twenty over the speed limit."
"Your point?" Combeferre was pretty sure that Courfeyrac had his license suspended at one point, come to think of it… Combeferre glanced at his phone, rereading the texts Grantaire had sent him for the thousandth time.
"I can hear you worrying, stop it." Courfeyrac came in helpfully. Combeferre sighed,
"You can't hear people worry, Courfeyrac. And I can't help it!" He protested. Courfeyrac's voice softened,
"Hey, he's gonna be alright, Ferre'." He reassured.
"Keep your eyes on the road, monsieur," Combeferre demanded with a smile, Courfeyrac grinning. Combeferre's smile dropped, and he stared out the window of the passenger seat, out at the mountains, which were beginning to turn red and yellow from the upcoming autumn, the fields, which were still green, and the small shops. "I just know something's not right with Enjolras. I can feel it." Combeferre insisted, Courfeyrac nodding,
"Yeah… You're usually right about these things," He said.
"He just seemed… Off. I don't know how else to put it." Combeferre murmured. Courfeyrac nodded,
"I can turn around, if you want. My parents will understand, they adore Enjolras." Courfeyrac offered. Combeferre looked down at his phone.
"We'll see how Grantaire says he's doing." Combeferre decided. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds, as Courfeyrac fiddled around with the radio stations, putting on something weird that slightly resembled country music.
"What are the chances Grantaire actually showed up?" Courfeyrac asked, Combeferre rolling his eyes.
"I would smack you with something, if my life didn't depend on your already less then desirable driving skills." Combeferre threatened, "Of course Grantaire will show up. Is there anything he wouldn't do for Enjolras?"
"Right, right, just joking. Those two really are oblivious, aren't they?" Courfeyrac said.
"God, yes," Combeferre responded. His phone vibrated. He quickly read the text Grantaire had no doubt sent him, and his face fell. He fired back an answer. "Courfeyrac, Enjolras' sick." He nervously reported. Courfeyrac just gave a simple nod, and slowed the car, looking for an okay parking lot to turn around in.
"I'm really sorry we have to miss seeing your parents." Combeferre murmured, as they safely turned around, heading in the other direction.
"It's fine, I think you actually wanted to see them more than I did. Besides, you and Enjolras come before anything else to me." Courfeyrac said, Combeferre smiling.
"I told Grantaire we'd be there by around 7:00." He told Courfeyrac. Courfeyrac grinned,
"We can make that 6:00."
…..
It was with immense relief that they pulled into the familiar parking lot of their apartment eight hours later. Combeferre opened his door, his feet touching the first solid ground they'd had since their toilet break four hours earlier. He stretched out, Courfeyrac doing the same.
"We'll bring the luggage up later," Courfeyrac said, and they entered the apartment building, going up stairs until they were on their floor. Combeferre took the key from his bag, opening the door to their place specifically. Combeferre and Courfeyrac burst into the apartment.
Combeferre wasn't entirely sure what he had been expecting, but the picture that had waited for him on the couch was certainly not it. Grantaire was there, thankfully, and he was lying on the couch, a small child clutched to his chest. A small child that looked exactly like Enjolras had when he was two or three years old. Grantaire turned his head towards Combeferre and Courfeyrac, blushing,
"I… Can explain. Kind of." He said.
"Good," Combeferre replied coolly. Had Grantaire done something to Enjolras?! But he wouldn't… Right? A million thoughts raced through his head, each more fantastical than the last. Courfeyrac put an arm on his shoulder, some of the tension in Combeferre's body leaving, but most of it stubbornly remaining.
"So," Grantaire murmured, shifting the sleeping toddler into a more comfortable position. "I walked in, to check on him, and I just found him like this. I'm pretty sure it's Enjolras though. He says his name's Julien, he knows both of you, and the only thing he'd eat was applesauce." Combeferre and Courfeyrac's eyes widened.
"It is him," Combeferre whispered. Grantaire gave a small nod and shrug. Courfeyrac simply stared.
"But… That's impossible!" He exclaimed, Combeferre gently removing Enjolras from Grantaire's chest, letting the child rest his head against Combeferre's shoulder instead.
"And yet it happened," Grantaire murmured. Combeferre and Courfeyrac took a moment, for the shock to sink in, before Combeferre began asking questions,
"So, you just found him like this?" He asked, Grantaire nodding. Combeferre sighed,
"Well, that doesn't lead us anywhere…" He muttered. Grantaire nodded, before giving out his own question.
"How does Enjolras know you two, at such a young age?" He inquired. Courfeyrac smiled,
"I've known Enjolras since the day he was born, just a few months after me!" He declared.
"Yes," Combeferre confirmed, "Our parents all lived next door to each other, and our mothers were all best friends. Our fathers couldn't stand each other, though. Anyways, we all grew up together. How old is he, right now?" Combeferre queried.
"Three." Grantaire supplied.
"Ah, okay. I would have been eight then, and Courfeyrac would have been three as well." Combeferre informed. Grantaire narrowed his eyes,
"You're five years older than them?!" He exclaimed. Combeferre blinked,
"Oh, you didn't know that?" He said. Grantaire rolled his eyes,
"I suppose it explains why you're years more mature than us." He joked, Courfeyrac grinning,
"That, my friend, has nothing to do with age, that is simply Combeferre." He said.
"Yes, anyway, I put off college for a few years in favor of helping the community, and so I could go with these two," Combeferre explained. Enjolras stirred from Combeferre's shoulder, making a tiny sound, and opening his eyes. He blinked a few times, yawning, before he looked at Combeferre, without the hostility he had shown Grantaire before.
"Ferre?!" He exclaimed, Combeferre grinning,
"Yeah, it's me buddy, just bigger." He explained. Enjolras broke into a wide smile, Courfeyrac leaning over,
"And it's Courf!" He exclaimed. Enjolras giggled,
"You're very big now." He observed, Combeferre chuckling,
"Yes, Julien, we are." He said. Enjolras snuggled into Combeferre, as warm a look as Grantaire had ever seen from Apollo grace the face of the child. Combeferre held Enjolras close to him, sitting down on the couch. "What are we going to do?" He asked. Both Courfeyrac and Grantaire were silent.
"Well, the others should know about this, first off." Courfeyrac offered, Combeferre nodding,
"I'll call an emergency meeting." He said. He looked at Enjolras. "Now, what are we going to do about the… Situation?" Combeferre asked, Courfeyrac and Grantaire thinking.
"I considered taking him to the ER, but I knew no one would believe me," Grantaire said.
"Yes…" Combeferre murmured.
"Cops?" Courfeyrac suggested.
"Too untrustworthy right now." Combeferre shot down. They were all silent, this time. Combeferre heaved out a heavy sigh,
"We'll just need to take care of him, in the meantime, until we figure out what to do." He decided, level-headed, despite the absolute… Uniqueness, of the situation. Enjolras, who had been quiet throughout the conversation, piped up,
"When we go home, Ferre?" He asked, Combeferre giving him a warm look.
"We can't go home yet." He said calmly, Enjolras frowning. Courfeyrac quickly jumped in,
"But we're all here together! We're going to have a good time." He promised, lifting Enjolras from Combeferre's arms. Enjolras gave him a small smile, and Courfeyrac grinned back at him.
"Did you feed him, Grantaire?" Combeferre quizzed.
"Yep. Remember how I was talking about applesauce earlier? That was what he ate." Grantaire informed. Combeferre gave Enjolras an exasperated look.
"Wonderful, we're starting this trend again," He murmured. Grantaire frowned,
"What trend?" He questioned. Courfeyrac chuckled,
"From the ages 2 to 6 one of the only things Enjolras would eat was applesauce. And I would only eat sandwiches. Needless to say, we drove Combeferre nuts." He recalled, a fond, far-away look in his eyes. Combeferre shared no sort of look, his filled with vexation.
"Out of desperation, once, I literally just put applesauce on bread and gave it to Enjolras. He was not impressed." Combeferre said, a hint of amusement entering his features.
"Didn't he throw it at the wall?" Courfeyrac murmured. Combeferre sighed,
"Yes, he did, and I had to quickly clean it off, while watching both of you, and hope I could finish before my parents came home," Combeferre confirmed. Grantaire couldn't help but let out a tiny snort of amusement.
"So," Combeferre said, pulling out his phone, "An emergency meeting…" He opened the Les Amis group chat.
Les Amis Groupchat:
Combeferre: Emergency meeting in two hours at my place. Those of you who can't make it in person can Skype in.
Eponine: why?
Feuilly: What's going on?
Combeferre: It's easier to show than tell. And somebody tell Bahorel about it, we all know how he always mutes his phone, and never remembers to unmute it.
Feuilly: Done.
Combeferre closed his phone, now focusing all of his attention at Enjolras, who happened to be one of the most adorable children Combeferre had ever seen, what with his cute little blonde curls, and his wide blue eyes.
"Alright, Courf, give him over," Combeferre said, Courfeyrac rolling his eyes, as he passed Enjolras over to Combeferre.
"I went over to Ponine's, got him some clothes. Some of them are a bit big, but it's better than nothing." Grantaire reported. Combeferre nodded,
"We may need more applesauce. We'll start getting things if this doesn't go away in a week." He decided.
"Want to go home, Ferre, tired." Enjolras insisted, squirming around in Combeferre's grasp.
"No, Julien," Combeferre affirmed, Enjolras letting out a muffled sound. Grantaire's eyes widened, as he seemed to realize that the sound was a muffled sob. Enjolras cried quietly into Combeferre's shirt, thankfully not prone to throwing huge tantrums, even at his age. Combeferre, having dealt with Enjolras crying more then anyone else ever had, excluding Courfeyrac, simply rocked him back and forth, Enjolras cries slowly dying down. Combeferre placed Enjolras on the ground, Courfeyrac taking Enjolras and swinging him through the air. This made Enjolras happy once more, and the tears were placed with giggles. Combeferre smiled, noticing Grantaire's wide-eyed look.
"What?" He demanded. Grantaire blushed,
"I've just… Never seen Enjolras cry before, cept' that one time I actually did make him cry, but even then, Courfeyrac wouldn't let me see him at all, even to apologize." Grantaire explained. Combeferre crossed his arms.
"He is three, in an unrecognizable place, probably hungry, and has no idea where his mother is. I think he can cry, thank you very much!" Combeferre exclaimed, Grantaire wincing. Combeferre quickly composed himself, sighing,
"I'm… Sorry, Grantaire. I'm just worried, and on my nerves end." Combeferre murmured, Grantaire smiling.
"It's alright." He reassured.
"Guys." Courfeyrac suddenly said, Combeferre and Grantaire turned in his direction. He was pointing at the couch, which Enjolras had curled up on, falling asleep quickly after. Combeferre's cool disposition melted, and he beamed at the sight, walking over and rubbing his hands down the youngers back.
"Courfeyrac, do me a favor and fetch his sweater?" Combeferre asked, Courfeyrac nodding, giving him a mock salute, and exiting the living room, coming back with the red sweater, which Grantaire had thankfully left on Enjolras' bed earlier.
"Is it really normal for a kid to sleep this much?" Grantaire asked.
"He's probably just exhausted from the excitement." Combeferre said, taking the sweater, and delicately wrapping it around Enjolras' tiny, sleeping frame. Enjolras shifted in his sleep, letting out a tiny squeak. Combeferre smiled, kissing his forehead, before walking into the kitchen, Courfeyrac and Combeferre following. They stayed in there for quite some time, making sure to frequently pop their heads out to check on Enjolras.
About an hour and forty minutes later, there was a knock on the door.