AVENIR

Chapter 18: For You Mean Everything to Me

A/N: 4:10 of this clip is Grantaire.  Watch it.  Just trust me ;) And enjoy this scene played out at the end of this chapter...

~Vive La France!~

*THUMP!* "owww..." 

I jolted awake.  "Wha?"  I looked around and realized I was sitting in a chair instead of sleeping in a bed.  There were a few scary seconds where I had no idea where I was until I remembered that I was supposed to be helping Enjolras with a speech...and my cheeks turned pink as I realized I must have fallen asleep at his apartment, at his desk.  Sunlight streamed through the windows.  

What will Jehan think when he wakes up to find me missing?

I tried to stand up, but the chair at Enjolras's desk was scootched all the way in, so I only succeeded in falling over sideways onto the floor.  "Owwww..." And that was when I remembered I had heard someone else say ow, and that was when Enjolras stumbled out of the closet, shirt untucked, rubbing his head.

I stared up at him, and as papers fluttered down off the desk to greet me, he stared down at me. 

 Then we both burst out laughing.

It was the first time I had heard him laugh.  It was surprisingly bright, like the rays of sun, yet it also was quiet, like he was embarrassed by it.  It began with a harsh bark at the beginning, then grew slightly softer.  

My laugh was harsh all the way through.  I didn't laugh often. I had no reason to until now.  My life had been a survival of the fittest.  My laugh sounded surprised, like it hadn't been used much.

And then the moment had passed, and I was on my feet, saying "Are you ok?" as he said "Are you ok?" at the exact same time.  "I'm fine," we said simultaneously.  He fumbled to tuck in his shirt, and I went over to him, still laughing.  

"What is this?" I said, looking at his cravat, which was wildly undone.  I gently reached out to tie it for him, and he reached out with firm hands to straighten the red fabric around my neck.

"I tried to not wake you when I got up in the morning; I didn't want to disturb you," he explained.

I looked at his open closet.  "So you got dressed in the closet?"

"Yes, unfortunately there is not much room in my apartment."

"Or you're just modest," I laughed.  "What time is it, exactly, Enjolras?"

"6 AM."

I burst out laughing again.

"What?" he said, frowning. 

"Enjolras, have you ever slept in?  Even once in your life?"

"I rise with the sun," he responded simply.

"Well, that's good news for me," I said.  "I can sneak back into Jehan's apartment, change, and then we can go to the Café Musain to work on the speech.  With some luck, Jehan will never know I was gone."

"Goodness gracious, you won't tell him where you've been -" Enjolras looked mortified.

"Even if I did, why would he care?  I wasn't doing anything wrong, I was just trying to get a head start on the speech!  But no, I don't have to tell him.  Come on, let's go, I should get back. And...I kind of...well, I don't know where he lives.  I lost my way last night."

Enjolras looked at me in a confused manner, but nevertheless, he grabbed his key to the Musain and we left for Jehan's apartment.

Once there, Enjolras watched for police as I scaled back up the building to sneak back in through the patio.  "Please, Avenir, why must you do this?"