Grantaire walked home and threw his bag down. Jehan had walked back earlier with Courfeyrac, and was now reading something, while Courfeyrac set newspaper down so Grantaire could paint the walls.
"What are you reading?" Grantaire asked, rolling up his sleeves. Courfeyrac had been over for a paint day before, so he knew how to prepare the room.
"It's a sermon, dating to the 17th century," Jehan said, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."
"Interesting," Grantaire said, picking out his paints, "So, what's it about?"
Jehan took a deep breath, "How we're all sinners and are being dangled over the pit of Hell."
"Delightful," Grantaire said. Courfeyrac was silent as he moved the furniture around.
"Although, it's wrong on a few parts," Jehan said. "Besides, when the Apocalypse comes, those chosen would already be dead. The Apocalypse will destroy the world and make it anew for the chosen to live on."
Grantaire laughed, "Well, have fun living on that world without me."
Jehan's brow furrowed, but he didn't say anything. He continued reading the sermon, while Grantaire started painting the room to look like the inside of a hobbit house.
Enjolras and Combeferre arrived and looked around, "Looks nice," Combeferre said.
"Can you help me move the sofa?" Courfeyrac asked, wiping his brow. The three friends managed to navigate the sofa out of the living room.
Jehan and Grantaire's flat was shaped like a hat. The main part was the kitchen and living room, which were connected. Then there was a long hallway, with several doors. The one farthest to the left was the studio. Next to the studio was Jehan's room. Then, there were the double doors leading to the balcony. The bathroom was next, and at the other end was R's room. All five doors were shut, but they led the sofa to the studio.
Inside the studio was a collection of covered easels, murals on the wall, poems hanging up, and stools everywhere. Combeferre pushed some things off to the side to make room for the sofa and other furniture. Enjolras glanced at one of the easels.
"He's really good," Courfeyrac said, nodding to one of the easels.
Enjolras wanted to take off the covers to one, but he didn't want to invade Grantaire's privacy. Combeferre was smiling, as he watched his friend observe the room.
"First time coming here?" Combeferre asked.
Enjolras nodded, since he had never been invited into the studio.
"Come on!" Courfeyrac had already walked back to the living room.
XXX
Éponine threw her bag on the floor and slammed the door shut of her flat. "What's up?" Montparnasse asked, from where he was lying on her sofa.
"Long day," Éponine said, "Put a shirt on." Montparnasse laughed and stood up. He was only wearing black pants, going shirtless and barefoot. "So, how long are you going to be staying? And is that the washer machine I hear?" Éponine asked.
Montparnasse nodded, "I need to look good, so I had to wash the clothes. And the detectives are still on the case, so I need to lay low for a bit."
Éponine sighed, "Well, I'm not going to be here tonight, neither is Gavroche."
"Why don't you trust me?" Montparnasse asked, gasping dramatically.
Éponine laughed, "I don't trust anyone. Fine, you can stay, but just don't steal anything."
"I gave you most of the things, I'm not going to steal it back," Montparnasse said, lying on the sofa again.
Éponine yawned and went to go check on Gavroche, who was passed out on his bed. "We're leaving in a half hour, get ready."
Gavroche woke up and went over to badger Montparnasse for a ring. Montparnasse reluctantly gave Grantaire a ring.
"Don't lose it," Montparnasse said.
Gavroche shrugged, "Whatever."
When Gavroche was ready, Éponine and he headed over to Grantaire's place.
"Marius is getting old," Gavroche said.
Éponine rolled her eyes, "You're going to be old eventually."
"Never!" Gavroche cried out, which made Éponine laugh. Only a few people could make her laugh, Gavroche being one of them.
When they arrived at Grantaire's flat, the smell of paint was strong.
"Let's air this place out," Éponine said, opening the windows. There were fans placed in front of the pictures.
Grantaire, meanwhile, let Gavroche paint some of the walls. Courfeyrac helped him get the higher parts.
More and more people arrived, and they eventually finished painting. Drinks and food were set up in the kitchen, and Courfeyrac was browsing the DVD selection.
XXX
Marius glanced at his battered, old watch, nervous. Cosette and he had decided to go on a date today. It was his birthday, and Marius was extremely excited.
Of course, no one had actually wished him a happy birthday. His friends were all busy, and he hadn't been in contact with any of them. His grandfather sent him an envelope of money (which he returned) and a card that basically ordered him back home. Mabeuf had given him a book with the original Grimm fairytales.
"Happy Birthday love," Cosette said, walking out of her house, carrying her purse (Feuilly had gotten her stuff for the party earlier).
Marius smiled and kissed her check. They began walking to the garden, talking about their day. They were almost to the garden when Cosette stopped walking, "Great," she muttered.
"What's wrong?" Marius asked.
"I left my phone at the last meeting, and Jehan had brought it to his place for me, but I keep forgetting to get it," Cosette said apologetically. "My Papa wants to be kept updates, so I need my phone right now. Do you mind if I go get it now?"
"No, not at all!" Marius said. They switched directions and walked to Jehan's flat. "So, do you think they're there?"
"At the flat? No," Cosette said, "Jehan and Grantaire have art class right now."
Marius looked down sadly. He loved Cosette and was thrilled to be spending his birthday with her, but he did want to see his friends.
They arrived at the flat and Cosette said he could wait outside. Cosette slipped inside and Marius waited out there for a few minutes. Then, his phone beeped.
Hey, can you come in here and help me with something? :) xxxx –Cosette
Marius put his phone away and stepped into the dark flat. He turned on the light and was ambushed by lights and noises.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Courfeyrac threw himself on Marius and squeezed him tightly. People were shouting and cheering and Marius got thrown into hug after hug.
Éponine and Grantaire came out with a huge chocolate cake and Marius' stomach growled.
"Guess what movies we're going to watch?!" Bossuet cried out, happy.
Marius eyes traveled along the walls. "Lord of the Rings?!" He said, his voice rising in happiness.
"Oh yeah!" Bahorel cried out, high-fiving Feuilly. Cosette vanished to go get changed into something more comfortable, and the Amis began sitting around the TV, as Grantaire cut up the slices of cake.
Éponine was placed next to Combeferre, both of them watching the first movie intently. Their discarded paper plates were in front of them as they listened to Elrond talk. Éponine yawned and rested her head on Combeferre's shoulder, waiting to get to the action. She thought she felt Combeferre tense up slightly, but she was more focused on the sounds around her. Courfeyrac and Jehan were holding their tenth game of thumb-wrestling. Jehan kept winning, and Courfeyrac was determined not to lose this time. Bahorel was lying on his back, watching the movie upside down. He made a comment or two, but he was quickly shushed. Feuilly went into a sort of daydreaming, where it seemed like he was sleeping, but he could snap awake at any moment. Gavroche, having consumed sugar, was running around, being scolded by Enjolras. Grantaire was drinking and quoting the movie, occasionally joined by Jehan. Marius' full attention was placed on the movie, and Cosette was watching it too, having never seen Lord of the Rings (she found Gollum terrifying, even if she wouldn't admit it).
When the first movie ended, they took a break for presents.
Marius got a bowtie from Courfeyrac, a painting of him and Cosette from Grantaire, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying from Bossuet, a book on Waterloo from Jehan, an antique army hat from Gavroche, a Napoleon poster from Éponine, a new watch from Musichetta, cologne from Combeferre, a picture book from Enjolras, a miniature horse figurine from Bahorel, a fan painted especially for him from Feuilly, two tickets to the Arc de Triomphe ("for you and Cosette" Joly explained after Courfeyrac finished laughing), and a laptop from Cosette (Marius didn't have a laptop, and he didn't want his friends buying it for him).
"It's already set up, thanks to Feuilly," Cosette said. Marius hugged everyone in thanks, and grinned at his presents.
"Thanks you guys, these are awesome!" Marius cried out.
Combeferre went and quietly put Two Towers on, so their marathon could secretly continue. Although, Éponine and him were the only two really watching the movie. More cake was being eaten and socializing was being done. Soon, it was getting late and the Amis were already exhausted from the planning. They began to fall asleep, one by one. Bahorel, Grantaire, Feuilly, and Éponine took Marius and went on a midnight drive, and came back running inside the flat and locking the doors shut.
"What happened?" Enjolras asked.
Éponine grinned as she tried to control her breathing. She sat next to Combeferre, "We rode around the back alleys of town, windows down, screaming insults. I'm pretty sure we got Brujon mad."
"That was awesome," Bahorel grinned before collapsing on the ground. Feuilly leaned against the wall and wiped his hair off of his forehead. Grantaire reached for his bottle, but Enjolras took it and swung it out of his reach.
"You'll thank me in the morning," Enjolras said, sternly. Marius, looking terrified, went over to talk to Cosette.
"You still alive?" Cosette asked.
Marius nodded, "that was scary. Seriously, Bahorel slowed down so this huge guy—Gueulemer—almost got us."
"I don't see why my inebriety matters!" Grantaire cut them both off.
Enjolras sighed, "We're your friends; we don't want to see you like this."
Grantaire raised an eyebrow, "I'm always like this, have you even seen me sober?"
"Have you even been sober?" Enjolras shot back. Combeferre got up and hastily tried to calm them both down.
Things quieted down until the sounds of the night was Éponine and Combeferre watching the rest of the movie.
XXX
Éponine woke up to the sounds of an intense debate.
"It's nine in the morning, can't they stop arguing?!" She complained. There was a warm body next to her, and she pressed her face into it. After five more minutes of the argument, she lifted her head up. Enjolras was sitting on the couch, holding a cup of coffee. Grantaire was lying on his back on the ground. Both were arguing. Éponine knew she wouldn't get any more sleep, so she got up and headed into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Cosette was humming happily while Marius was eating chocolate cake for breakfast, "Do you think the cake will shut them up?" Éponine asked, in a sour tone.
Cosette bit her lip, "Maybe, you can try." Éponine grabbed two plates of cake and went back into the living room. She put one plate next to Grantaire and one plate on Enjolras' lap, "Eat," she commanded.
Miraculously, they both shut up and began eating their cake. Éponine was sure she heard a "thanks" coming from the other sleeping Amis.
"Chocolate shuts them up," Combeferre said, chuckling.
"Coffee makes them louder," Éponine said, scowling.
Eventually, Cosette's father came to pick her up and Cosette said goodbye to everyone. Feuilly had to leave to go to work, and the others had plans for the afternoon that was fast approaching. Soon, it was only Enjolras, Combeferre, and Éponine cleaning up the party.
"Do you think Marius liked it?" Combeferre asked.
Éponine nodded, "He did, trust me."
"Where did Gavroche go?" Enjolras asked, looking around.
Éponine shrugged, "He does what he wants."
Enjolras met Éponine with a strong look, "Are you sure that's wise?"
"I'm the one that's been arrested, not him," Éponine shot back. She checked the clock on the wall, and threw her rag down, "Well, I'm going to get lunch."
"I'll go with you," Combeferre said, as he stacked the pillows and blankets against the wall. Enjolras raised his eyebrows and Combeferre hurried out of the door behind Éponine.