"Alright, investigation team on figuring out what the heck happened with Enjolras! First meeting!" Eponine exclaimed. Jehan frowned,
"Why am I on this again?" He asked softly, staring at Eponine, Gavroche, and Azelma, who were sitting on the other side of the pavilion table. They were currently all meeting in the park, Gavroche keeping everything confidential by chasing away any stranger who dared approach the four.
"You have a few connections from your Montparnasse days, right?" Eponine asked him. Jehan shrugged,
"I mean, yeah, I guess," He replied, twirling a strand of loose hair nervously in his hand.
"Then congratulations, you're part of the team," Azelma said sarcastically.
"Why isn't Montparnasse here himself?" Jehan asked.
"He doesn't really want to, and I don't know where he is," Eponine answered with a shrug. Jehan tilted his head,
"He is your boyfriend, shouldn't you know where he is?" Jehan questioned, Eponine shrugging once more.
"Anyway, let's get down to business!" Gavroche declared, Eponine nodding.
"Alrighty, what do we know so far?" She asked, Azelma taking out a notebook.
"He most likely had something slipped to him by someone who holds a grudge against him." Azelma read, Gavroche sighing,
"This is impossible! Like, 90 or so people hold grudges against him!" He exclaimed.
"Then we'll track down each and every one of them," Eponine vowed, Gavroche smiling,
"Like detectives!" He grinned.
"Alright, Azelma, you're on notes, we need a list of people who don't like him," Eponine demanded, Azelma nodding, and taking a pencil out of nowhere, hand at the ready.
"Nearly every Senator there is." Jehan offered, Azelma scribbling that down. Gavroche scrunched his nose in thought,
"Maybe some of the Patron Minnette. They really don't like im', specially' after he said street gangs should be discouraged." Gavroche reported. Eponine nodded,
"It's a possibility, you got that down Azelma?" She questioned. Azelma nodded, and the next few minutes were spent trading names back and forth, each more unlikely than the next.
"Okay," Eponine finally declared, "We're getting nowhere, and don't you have Enjolras soon, Jehan?" Jehan glanced at his watch,
"Oh, yeah, I'd better head home." He said, Eponine nodded,
"We'll start going through the suspects, in the meanwhile. Azelma will call you if we find anything important." Eponine directed, Jehan nodding. Jehan smiled, giving Gavroche and Azelma a fist-bump, and Eponine a hug, before departing. The names swirled in his head. Why would anyone wish to hurt another human being? Jehan had never understood that. He was lost in his thoughts, as he often was, as he crossed the street, approaching his house.
He had purchased the tiny house two years ago, which he thought was absolutely lovely. It was painted a cheery yellow and had a cottage-like appearance. He had hung flower boxes in the window, and there was a beautiful stream trickling a few meters away from the house. The forest was lush and buzzing behind it. Jehan loved it. He made his way inside, sitting down at his kitchen table, and picking up a sheet of paper, frowning at it.
A sudden knock on the door startled him, and he stood up, nearly banging his legs against the table as he did so,
"Coming!" He called, making his way to the front door. He opened it, and, sure enough, was greeted by Combeferre and Courfeyrac, Courfeyrac holding Enjolras hand, and Combeferre handing Jehan a large bag.
"We're here to drop off the child!" Courfeyrac said in a sing-song voice.
"Come in," He invited, standing aside so his three friends could enter the small living room of his house.
"Alright," Combeferre began, getting right down to business. "He had everything he needs in this bag… Courfeyrac will be around to pick him up at 3. He may try to fall asleep at some point, but don't let him, we're trying to save the sleeping for night. He only eats applesauce, but feel free to try him with something else, keep him away from roads, or any other place he could injure himself heroically-" Courfeyrac cut into Combeferre,
"In short, don't kill the child." He concluded, Jehan giving a warm laugh,
"I've got it, don't worry," He reassured them. Combeferre nodded, hugging Enjolras, Courfeyrac doing the same.
"Oh, and he has slight attachment issues, but those shouldn't be a problem. Bye." Combeferre said, he and Courfeyrac gone before Jehan could say another word. Jehan blinked,
"Well, I suppose that's that," he said, Enjolras' eyes widening.
"Where are they going?!" Enjolras squeaked. Jehan bent down meeting the child's eyes,
"They're going to work." He explained, Enjolras pouting,
"Go with them?" He asked hopefully, Jehan shaking his head,
"No, Julien," He murmured, tears filling Enjolras' eyes. Jehan could feel tears watering in his own eyes at the child's panic. Maybe he really should be "manning up" like Bahorel always told him to… Acting like a supposed "man" had never been one of Jehan's strong suits, though. Jehan picked up Enjolras, meeting the blue eyes of the once fearless leader, and holding Enjolras tightly to his chest. Jehan always seemed to have a calming effect on other people. Courfeyrac had called it "magic", and Feuilly had called it "Jehan being Jehan." Enjolras sniffled, now done freaking out, apparently. Jehan let him down on the ground, letting him explore the house, with Jehan closely following him of course.
"Hm, you want to go outside," Jehan suggested, after Enjolras had been poking around the corners for about an hour. Jehan's house honestly wasn't that big, but Enjolras seemed to find it immensely interesting.
"Outside?" Enjolras questioned, Jehan nodding in confirmation. "Okay." Enjolras decided, Jehan taking Enjolras hand. He would have to keep an extra close eye on Enjolras, because of the stream. Combeferre and Courfeyrac would kill him if he let their best friend drown. Enjolras seemed just as fascinated with the outdoors of Jehan's house as Jehan had been the first time he'd seen it, running around in the flower field like some sort of person in one of those strange commercials, though obviously a lot less gracefully. He peeked curiously at the stream, Jehan smiling, and letting Enjolras dip his fingers gently into the water.
"It is cold!" Enjolras shouted, pulling his hand back. Jehan burst out laughing.
"Fishie!" Enjolras suddenly exclaimed, pointing at a fish, which darted through the stream at top speed.
"Mhm, that right there's a minnow. He probably lives at the lake nearby, and ended up in the stream," Jehan explained. Enjolras frowned,
"I think it is a girl." He claimed, Jehan raising his brow,
"And, why is that?" he asked, Enjolras smiling,
"Cause' everyone calls stuff boys, so it is a girl," He explained. Jehan burst out laughing again. Enjolras looked offended at being laughed at. Jehan finally stopped, shaking his head,
"Of course you were advocating for women's representation at three," He murmured, Enjolras grinned,
"Maman always says that girls need rep… Rep-pre… Repre…" He struggled to pronounce the word,
"Representation," Jehan finished for him, Enjolras nodding,
"Yes!" He exclaimed, waving at the minnow, "Goodbye fishie." He said as it swam off. Jehan turned his head towards the edge of the woods, and froze,
"Enjolras, be very still, and quiet," Jehan said, pulling Enjolras to his side, and pointing in front of him. A doe had brought her young fawn out to the stream, and was drinking, whilst the fawn skipped around at her feet, occasionally nibbling on a branch, or mimicking their mother. Enjolras went completely silent, his eyes locking with Jehan's, sparkling with utter adoration. After about a minute, the doe gently nudged the fawn, ushering it on and out of sight.
"Wow!" Enjolras exclaimed, Jehan smiling widely,
"Yeah, the fawn's definitely out of season," Jehan observed, rather in touch with the patterns of animals around him. He didn't have the heart to tell Enjolras that it probably wouldn't make it through the first snow. The death of any creature greatly saddened Jehan. He remembered one time crying over a dead sparrow and her baby, and burying them afterward. The gravestone, adorned with flowers, still stood.
"I like deers." Enjolras declared.
"Deer," Jehan gently corrected him, Enjolras not paying attention, instead focused on the flowers in front of him.
"We can pick a few to make flower crowns," Jehan suggested, Enjolras squealing and nodding. Jehan stood over him, instructing him on how to gently remove the flowers from the ground. Once they had a variety of different colored flowers, Jehan showed Enjolras how to braid them together. In the end, Jehan had a few beautiful flower crowns, and Enjolras had a few of what looked more like flower mops then anything. He was still very proud, to say the least.
"Probably about time to go inside. Have some applesauce?" Jehan offered, Enjolras nodding enthusiastically. Jehan picked up the flower crowns, about to lay them down on stones to stay, but Enjolras stopped him.
"Can I give one ta' Ferre and Courf?" He asked, Jehan nodding,
"Of course, Julien," He replied, grabbing two of the crowns and taking them with him. He managed to get Enjolras to eat a cup of applesauce, and ate a sandwich himself, checking his watch. 1:00 pm. Two more hours. Enjolras began to blink slowly, appearing to drift off to sleep. Jehan shook him lightly, Enjolras whining,
"I am tired, Han." He complained, Jehan ruffling his hair.
"I know, but Combeferre said to keep you awake." He said. Enjolras frowned, forcing his eyes to stay open.
"C'mere, I have a good poetry book for kids," Jehan said, picking up Enjolras, and taking a large book off of his bookshelf. He sat down on the couch, Enjolras in his lap, and began to read out loud. Enjolras seemed to enjoy it. It had beautiful, intriguing illustrations, and Enjolras would occasionally point to a word and read it, apparently having been taught by Combeferre how to read some. And then, there was a knock on the door. Jehan collected Enjolras things, quickly placing them in his bag, before he answered the door, balancing the child on his hip. Courfeyrac was standing there, smiling. Enjolras smiled as well, reaching his arms out towards Courfeyrac. Jehan transferred the boy to him, Enjolras looking up excitedly at Courfeyrac.
"Courf, Courf, there was deers and fishies," Enjolras exclaimed, Courfeyrac grinned,
"Sounds like you had fun," He said, kissing Enjolras' cheek, and giving Jehan a warm look,
"Thank you so much for helping out with him," Courfeyrac said, Jehan grinning,
"Oh, it was no problem, I quite enjoyed it, actually. We had fun, right Julien?" He asked, Enjolras bobbing his head,
"Right!" He repeated, pausing for a second, "Crowns," He told Jehan, Jehan nodding, and taking out the flower crows they had selected for Courfeyrac and Combeferre.
"This one's for you," Jehan said, giving Courfeyrac the yellow one, "And the blue and purple one is Combeferre's." Courfeyrac grinned, ruffling Enjolras hair,
"You certainly were busy," He remarked, "Combeferre will love his," Enjolras grinned, leaning forward in Courfeyrac's arms, and kissing Jehan's cheek.
"Thank you, Han." He said, Jehan smiling,
"You're welcome, Julien." He replied, as Courfeyrac turned around after Jehan handed him the bag, heading out to his car. Jehan walked into his house, exhaling slowly. The day had honestly been a lot of fun to him. New words were bursting inside of him, threatening to spill, and Jehan made his way to his table, sitting down, and glancing over the paper he had been looking at previously. No. Its thoughts didn't convey his new emotions. He crossed them out with a charcoal stick that was laying beside the paper, and new words were etched onto it.
Tiny hands and tiny fingers, yet they know their path from birth
Never must they question, what they must do
Sent from High, sent from the world
They carry the weight of many
Tiny hands and tiny fingers, a loved one's blessing
And the world's fear
For they are not ready for them
Tiny hands and tiny fingers, will someday do great things
And will die for those that doubt them
Their heart never as small, as their tiny hands and fingers