Hey everyone! So! Three stories going at once, in true Sarahbob style! ;) I was planning on writing a fourth one, a Courf/Cosette one, and indeed I will, but I must finish these three before I work on that one or I fear these Superbrothers! fics will never get done. But! Keep an eye out for that C/C fanfiction sometime in the future! Thank you all for your support!

~Rosey

Chapter Two:

Enjolras would have been lying to himself if he had said that he wasn't afraid that Etienne Combeferre would return the following day. For his entire life (which was quite long, let's not forget...five years now), people would come in to watch after him, and after a day, they would never return. He never quite understood why, though the words "pretentious" and "stubborn" were often yelled as the caretakers would walk out of the house. He had to admit, it felt a little different with Combeferre... Perhaps because Combeferre was closer to his own age? He wasn't sure... All he knew is he hoped... He truly did... That the bespectacled boy would be back as he promised to be. But the blond tried desperately not to get his hopes up. After all, hopes rarely came true. He knew that, even at five years old.

And so, of course, it came as rather a shock to the little blond when, at exactly the time Combeferre promised he would come back, the door cracked open and the older child walked into the room with a smile on his face. "Hello."

Enjolras turned around, blinking a little in surprise. "Hello. You came back."

Combeferre nodded, walking into the room and closing the door behind him. "Well I said I would."

The tiny blond looked immensely relieved for a split second before clearing his throat and pointing to the chair the other boy sat in the day before. "You may sit."

"Thank you," the sandy-haired boy smiled, going to sit.

Enjolras watched him wordlessly with wide and serious blue eyes, resuming his position on the floor, cross legged. Combeferre looked back at him calmly, his hands folded on his lap. "Yes?"

The smaller child pointed to his bookshelf. "You may read one of those, if you like."

Combeferre got up to examine the books, smiling. "Which one do you suggest I read?"

Enjolras pointed to one that read A Child's First Book About France on the spine. "That's my favorite."

The taller boy smiled and pulled out the book, moving back to the chair. "Alright. Then that is the one I'll read."

Julien nodded seriously and went for another book, sitting back on the floor and sticking his tongue out a little in concentration as he reads, his face adorably serious. Etienne smiled a little at the adorableness before going back to his own book.

The two read on in silence for several minutes, in surprising comfort for two people who had never met before yesterday. It took about fifteen minutes until Enjolras began shifting uncomfortably from his place on the floor, clearing his throat, his face scrunching up a little. Combeferre looked up patiently, watching the child squirm uncomfortably before the tiny blond finally found his voice. "Ummm... Ferre?"

"Yes?" the other child asked kindly, setting aside his book.

"Umm..." Enjolras looked up, almost sheepishly. "Bet you don't know what S-A-L-A-R-Y means."

Combeferre smiled a little at the clever phrasing. "Salary means how much people get paid for their jobs."

Julien nodded solemnly. "I knew that."

"I'm sure you did," Combeferre nodded back with equal solemnity.

"I did," Enjolras said stubbornly, crossing his arms. "I just...forgotted."

"That's fine," Etienne smiled warmly.

Julien bit his lip. "Umm... Is forgotted the right word?"

"Forgot," Combeferre said kindly.

Enjolras turned bright red. "Oh."

The bespectacled student grinned and had to resist ruffling the blond's hair. "That's alright. It's easy to get words mixed up."

The blond nodded seriously, his eyes wide. "There's an awful lot of words, you know. I want to be able to make them sound well. Good. Goodly?"

"Good."

"I said that," Enjolras snapped a little. "I did not ask for help."

"Oh. I am most sorry," Combeferre apologized seriously, his eyes growing a little behind his glasses.

Julien nodded just as seriously. "I forgive you."

"Thank you," Etienne's eyes were quite solemn.

Enjolras looked up, seemingly surprised that Combeferre thanked him. "Umm... You're welcome."

What follows is possibly the reason that Combeferre and Enjolras grew to be as close of friends as they were. Though a million other things tightened this bond, the next few minutes was the time that bonded them... The time the link was forged. Enjolras looked back down at his book, and Combeferre did the same. After about a minute of silently reading, Enjolras looked up at Combeferre curiously. The bespectacled boy turned a page in his book, not looking up. Julien, eager to try and keep up with the older boy, quickly turned the page in his own book, though not done yet, just to stay on the same pace as Etienne. The bigger boy smiled a little down at his own book, and waited until Enjolras finished reading his new page before turning the page of his own, causing the tiny boy to look up, excited, thinking he was actually in pace with the other boy. Combeferre just kept smiling down at his own book, keeping his pace slow. Enjolras quickly looked back down at his own book, continuing to read.

After a few minutes of his patient, kind act, Combeferre looked up at him. "What are you reading, Julien?"

"French History 1600-1650," Enjolras replied, also looking up, leaving out the For Children at the end of the title.

"That's quite impressive," Combeferre smiled.

"I love France," Enjolras said seriously, his eyes wide.

"I can tell," the bespectacled student chuckled warmly.

The blond bounced up and down a little on the ground, almost looking like a normal five-year-old child. "Do you like France?"

Combeferre's smile grew wider at the cuteness. "Yes I do."

Enjolras settled down a little and nodded more solemnly. "Then I might like you. Maybe."

"Well then," Etienne held back a another chuckle. "I might like you as well. Maybe."

"Really?" Enjolras's eyes grew bigger than normal.

"Probably," Combeferre said in an obviously joking tone. "I haven't decided yet."

Enjolras smiled a little and looked back down at his book, burying his nose in it. "You should decide soon so I can decide too."

"Alright," the older boy laughed. "I will try my best."

XXXX

Twenty minutes later, Combeferre subtly set aside the book he had been reading, having finished it several minutes ago since it was a book for much smaller children. He glanced over at Enjolras, who was still working through his own book, looking a little frustrated. The blond glanced up when he felt the other boy's eyes on him, and his brows furrowed a little. "Ferre?"

"Yes?"

"Ummm... I'm not done yet," he mumbled, sounding ashamed.

"I know," Combeferre replied with gentle patience.

"You are."

"Yes, I am."

There was a very long pause, and then Julien spoke again. "My book's longer though."

"Yes, it is," Etienne smiled kindly.

Enjolras was very quiet for several moments before looking down and tossing his book aside with sudden distain, bringing his knees to his chest. "My father told me that was an easy book. He said I should have it read in fifteen minutes."

Combeferre furrowed his brows, secretly angry with this man he had never met. "Well he's wrong. You're a much faster reader than most children your age."

Julien said nothing, looking away, his eyes shaded with anger towards himself. Etienne bit his lip. "Enjolras? Is something wrong?"

Enjolras quickly shook his head. "No. I'm fine."

Etienne rose an eye brow. "Did you get bored?"

The blond shook his head, still not looking up. "I don't get bored." His eyes travelled to the giant book by his bookshelf he had shown Combeferre the previous day, looking almost longing.

"You like me to read that book to you?" Combeferre asked kindly.

Julien squirmed a little. "Um... You may read the words in there out loud."

Etienne smiled a little at the phrasing. "Well. Alright then. If you permit it."

"Yes," Enjolras nodded solemnly. "I permit it."

Combeferre got up and took the book off the floor, going back to his chair and opening to the first page. "Gulliver's Travels. Chapter One."

The tiny boy settled on the floor at his feet, looking up at him with wide eyes, taking in every word thirstily. Little did he know just how important that book would grow to be to him. All he knew at the moment was that this Etienne Combeferre made him feel smart and safe, and that was all he wanted.

Wow! That chapter was hard to write, for some reason! Well, anyway, I hope you all liked it, and please REVIEW! :D

~Rosey