Courfeyrac opened his eyes, yawning and blinking. Wait, where was he again? Oh, right. He rolled over on his side, seeing Enjolras and Combeferre asleep next to him. Enjolras was still three. Courfeyrac slipped out of bed, walking on his tip-toes so as not to wake up his friends. He glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was 4:00 am. Splendid.
He walked into the living room, spotting Grantaire laying across the couch, lightly snoring. He smiled warmly, taking a blanket from his own room and laying it across Grantaire's sleeping frame. He went into the kitchen, yawning, and opening the pantry. He took a box of Fruit Loops, pouring himself a bowl a bowl, and sat down at the dining table, eating slowly. It was Saturday, which meant he didn't have any work. He was a History teacher at a middle school, one of his best and worst life decisions at the same time.
A good thing about that decision, was that he didn't have to go to work on the weekends, even if he still did have work. Which reminded him, he probably should get to grading the most recent history tests he had just had returned to him…
"Mhm," Courfeyrac looked up from his cereal, seeing Combeferre leaning against the doorway to his room. He was blinking rapidly, and was only half awake. Both Enjolras and Combeferre took a while to fully wake up, usually. Courfeyrac had an "off and on" switch as Combeferre liked to put it. He basically was highly energetic when awake, and nearly impossible to wake up when asleep. He always woke up fully awake. In his opinion, that made the most sense. The "on and off switch" comment had then led to Enjolras smirking and saying that "Courfeyrac didn't have an off switch." At that comment, best friend or not, Courfeyrac had chucked a book at Enjolras' head.
"You're awake rather early, even for you." Courfeyrac murmured, speaking as quiet as he could get, since Grantaire was still out cold on the couch, and he presumed Enjolras was still asleep in Combeferre's room.
"You are as well," Combeferre replied, his voice barely more then a whisper. Courfeyrac gave him a tender smile,
"Touché, my friend." Courfeyrac responded. Combeferre sat down in the chair next to Courfeyrac, letting his best friend rub his back. Early mornings were one of the few times Combeferre let down his serious demeanor, and allowed himself to lean on others, instead of having others lean on him. And early mornings were usually the only time Enjolras would shut up about freedom, or diversity, or liberty, or whatever the new word of the day was for him. In short, Courfeyrac liked early morning.
"Ack, I'm making coffee," Combeferre finally decided, standing up and lumbering into the kitchen. Grantaire opened his eyes from the couch, sitting up,
"What time is it?" He grumbled, rubbing at his eyes.
"Four something." Courfeyrac supplied, Grantaire groaning.
"To flipping early for any mortal to wake up," He muttered.
"Coffee." Combeferre announced about five minutes later, handing a mug to each Grantaire and Courfeyrac. Both let out murmurs of appreciation. And so, they sat together for an hour or so, in silence. Courfeyrac eventually turned on the TV to some sitcom thing to entertain himself.
"Whelp," Grantaire said finally, "I've oughta be heading out," He stood up, Combeferre smiling at him,
"Thank you, Grantaire, for everything." He said, Grantaire smiling back,
"Anything for my friends." He replied, heading out the door. A few minutes later, Enjolras' door opened, and Enjolras walked into the living room, climbing into Courfeyrac's lap. Courfeyrac stroked his hair, while Combeferre got up, going to the kitchen, most likely to make breakfast.
"I want maman," Enjolras murmured, Courfeyrac giving him a sad look,
"I know, Julien. You just have to be patient," He reassured him. Enjolras frowned,
"I do not like being patientened," He mumbled, Courfeyrac refraining from laughing at Enjolras rather eloquent word choice. Combeferre set down three plates on the dining table, Courfeyrac standing up, and Enjolras following him. Scrambled eggs and bacon. Seemed like a perfectly fine breakfast to Courfeyrac. Enjolras, apparently, thought differently.
"Am not hungry." Enjolras proclaimed, slipping out of his chair, and attempting to make a getaway. Combeferre thankfully grabbed him before he could exit the living room.
"You are to hungry," He replied.
"No!" Enjolras exclaimed, trying to sweep the plate off the table. Combeferre caught his hand, lightly scolding him,
"No, we don't sweep things off the table, that makes a mess." Enjolras pouted,
"Not hungry." He stubbornly repeated. Combeferre sighed, knowing this was a battle he could not win. He poured some applesauce into a bowl, letting Enjolras eat that instead.
"He's going to need to eat something other than applesauce," Courfeyrac told Combeferre, Combeferre sighing,
"I know… Pick up Cheez-Its on your grocery run today, he ate those some when he was younger," Combeferre suggested, Courfeyrac nodded,
"Already on the list," He replied. Courfeyrac and Combeferre worked very well together, each almost seeming to know what the other's move was before he even made it. Almost like they could read each other's minds.
"Alright. I'm still not sure if I like the idea of Enjolras going out. There are other people, which means lots of germs, and he could get lost… Or he could get hurt-" Combeferre began, Courfeyrac quickly cutting him off,
"He'll be fine, Ferre, I won't let anything happen to him." Courfeyrac promised. Combeferre sighed,
"I suppose." He murmured, leaving the living room and disappearing into his bedroom to get dressed for the day. Courfeyrac looked at Enjolras,
"It's you and me for most of the day, buddy. Combeferre's a doctor, so he needs to go work." Enjolras blinked at him,
"Ferre is a doctor?" He questioned, chewing on the end of his spoon. Courfeyrac promptly took the spoon out of his mouth, setting it back into Enjolras hands,
"Yes, he's a doctor." Courfeyrac confirmed. Enjolras smiled,
"Like he saided, member' Courf?" He asked. Courfeyrac nodded,
"Yep, like he always 'saided'." He mimicked, Enjolras giggling. Combeferre walked back into the room, wetting a paper towel in the kitchen sink, before wiping it across Enjolras' face, as the child had managed to get applesauce all over it. Enjolras gave a small whine, as the towel made contact with his skin. Combeferre kissed his cheek, before turning to Courfeyrac,
"I'd better head out." He said, Courfeyrac nodding,
"Were good here, right Juli?" He assured Combefere, Enjolras nodding, despite having no idea of what was actually going on. Combeferre gave the 3-year-old a tight hug, giving Courfeyrac one of the same, before heading out the door. Only a few seconds after Combeferre left, Enjolras began pouting.
"Want Ferre to stay." He voiced, Courfeyrac ruffling his hair,
"I know, so do I. We'll be just fine on our own though. It's about time for us to head out to the store." Courfeyrac said, grabbing the list Combeferre and him had made yesterday and pinned on the refrigerator with a magnet. He lifted Enjolras up, as Enjolras didn't currently have any shoes, and began searching for his bag. He finally found it, and slung the strap over one arm, heading out the door, still carrying Enjolras. He was faced with a problem Grantaire had faced the day before, once he got outside. He didn't have a carseat for Enjolras. Oh well. He put Enjolras in one of the back seats for the time being, and drove down further into town. He finally stopped at the store they usually got groceries and clothes and such from.
He carried Enjolras in the store, looking at the shopping list. Enjolras, on his part, was generally well-behaved in public, much to Courfeyrac's relief. He managed to find all of the items on the list, and bought them in a hurry, leaving quickly. Well, that only took four hours. Enjolras was beginning to become discontented, as they waited to cross the parking lot, and Courfeyrac had to constantly grab onto Enjolras, to prevent the young boy from walking off. A few people gave him amused looks, and Courfeyrac did his best to ignore them. Finally they were able to head home, and they crossed the parking lot to reach their car. Courfeyrac installed the carseat in a way that looked okay (But honestly probably wasn't), strapping Enjolras in.
Soon, they were back at their apartment, in the parking lot. Courfeyrac had parked near the edge of it, and the road was only a few meters away from the car. Courfeyrac lifted Enjolras out of the car, going to the trunk to take a few bags. The Triumvirate each owned their own cars, since life was simpler that way. He looked up from the trunk, and his heart stopped beating for a second. Where was Enjolras?! Courfeyrac scanned the parking lot, panic fluttering in his stomach. Where was Enjolras?! He then turned around, and his eyes widened, as fear struck his heart. There was Enjolras. Heading directly towards the road.
"Julien!" Courfeyrac screamed, Enjolras turning around to look at him, before running right into the road at top speed. Which was not very fast. The world seemed to stand still for a moment, and Courfeyrac rushed forward, reaching the road just as Enjolras made it safely across. A car then barreled past, right in the place Enjolras had previously been standing. Needless to say, Courfeyrac was livid. He looked both ways, before stalking across the road. He looked at Enjolras furiously.
"What were you thinking?!" He yelled, Enjolras wincing. Enjolras bit his lip, before opening his arms to reveal a small turtle nestled in them.
"She would be hurt by cars. So I took her out of road." Enjolras explained. Courfeyrac took a deep breath, clinging on to the last bits of his sanity, before responding.
"Put the turtle down. Turtles are dirty." He ordered, in a commanding tone he had never taken before. He didn't really like it very much either. Enjolras placed the turtle down in the grass, looking up at Courfeyrac with his wide blue eyes.
"Sowwy." Enjolras apologized, Courfeyrac sighing, and thrusting Enjolras into his arms, blinking back the tears in his eyes.
"Oh my God, Julien…" He whispered, ignoring the small crowd the pair had managed to gather for the turtle stunt. He lifted Enjolras up, leaving the turtle in the grass, and carrying him carefully back across the street. They entered the apartment, Courfeyrac instantly ushering Enjolras to the bathroom, and lathering Enjolras' tiny hands with soap. Joly would have a fit if he'd heard that Enjolras had touched a wild turtle.
"You're still the same self-sacrificing Apollo, huh?" Courfeyrac murmured, drying Enjolras hands off with a towel. Enjolras frowned,
"I am not Pollo, I am Julien." He protested, Courfeyrac rolling his eyes.
"Alright, c'mon. Don't think you're off the hook for the turtle incident, though, Ferre will definitely hear about this." Courfeyrac warned, Enjolras simply blinking at him. Right. He wasn't talking to his best friend, who used words Courfeyrac didn't know existed on a daily basis. He was talking to a three-year-old, who most likely didn't understand anything he'd said. Courfeyrac sighed, leading Enjolras out of the bathroom.
"Suppose you're hungry." Courfeyrac said.
"I am not hungry." Enjolras replied, Courfeyrac pulling out the box of Cheez-Its he'd purchased. He opened it, taking one and holding it out to Enjolras, like one would hold out food to a skittish stray cat. Enjolras shook his head,
"No." He replied, Courfeyrac sighing. He then pulled out the applesauce-cups he'd gotten. Enjolras gave a small squeal, Courfeyrac taking out a spoon, and peeling the cover to the cup, before passing it to Enjolras.
"You're going to cause us so much trouble, aren't you?" Courfeyrac murmured, Enjolras grinning at him, a new layer of applesauce coating the skin around his mouth, and some dripping down onto his shirt.
"You're lucky you're cute." Courfeyrac said. Enjolras simply grinned at him, before holding up the applesauce cup, and promptly dropping it on the floor. Courfeyrac muttered a few curses under his breath, turning to Enjolras,
"Sit on the couch, and don't move," He ordered, beginning to clean up the spilled applesauce. Enjolras did as Combeferre said, thankfully, and began humming under his breath. He then paused, tilting his head at Courfeyrac.
"Fey, why did other people not take the turtle to save her?" Enjolras asked, kicking his legs against the couch. Courfeyrac gave him a smile,
"Because not every has what it takes to be a Julien, Julien."
…..
The front door opened, and Combeferre rushed in, instantly greeted by Enjolras running up and hugging him. Combeferre grinned,
"I have returned," He announced to Courfeyrac, who was sitting on the floor, having been helping Enjolras build a barricade with the toy blocks he had gotten. Courfeyrac wasn't sure why they were building a barricade, but Enjolras had insisted, so Courfeyrac had just shrugged and followed along.
"And so you have," Courfeyrac replied.
"How'd it go?" Combeferre asked, Courfeyrac smiling.
"Oh, pretty well. Julien did run across a busy road to rescue a turtle though."
"He did WHAT?!"