Chapter Text
Grantaire reckons he’s pretty good at observation (he should be, according to Courfeyrac he’s nearly tied with Marius over ‘love-sick puppy of the year’ award) and if he didn’t know better (He doesn’t) he’d say something was wrong with Enjolras.
He has a certain way about him when he’s agitated, he drums long slim fingers against anything nearby, folders, tables, a knee jittering with nerves. The other hand he brings to his mouth, his chin, occasionally up to his ear where he fiddles with a long healed-over piercing. He doesn’t quite pay attention, watching the room rather than the speaker, lips thinly pressed, then pouty, twisting in a frown. Even when he’s talking himself he stares over the heads of the group, as if the exit sign is more interested in a policy on legal gender than any of them.
He sets his mind to ask him about it after the meeting, then regrets that decision then settles on it again as Jehan kisses him on the cheek and waves him off. And then it’s just the pair of them, packing up their various things on opposite sides of the room. He tucks away a sketchbook, takes a lungful of air and turns around.
“Hey Enjolras-“
“Listen Grantaire,” He doesn’t even turn, but raises a hand first in acknowledgement but then to push roughly through his hair, that’s already coming out of its ponytail from where he’s been doing it all night. “If it’s about the posters Feuilly volunteered and I’m sure they’ll be happy for your input.”
“Well no, it wasn’t…”
“Then what?” Enjolras does turn now, looking beaten down.
“I wanted to see if you were okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re clearly not.”
“Then why even ask?” Enjolras returns to his satchel, shoving in the last of the papers none too carefully.
“To see what the problem was?” Grantaire shrugs. A sigh.
“Some idiot of a cousin told my grandfather I’m Trans so he’s planning to disown me. Happy now?”
“I’m not that much of an arsehole.”
“You’re right.” This time when Enjolras pushes a hand through his hair it actually undoes the ponytail. “I’m sorry.”
“Do you want to actually talk about it? I’m sure you’ve already bent Combeferre and Courfeyrac’s ears with it but… Well you know I understand that feeling and I may not be the best at practicalities but I can certainly tell you all about the fuck you stage.” He grins and Enjolras snorts.
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt.” He admits.
“My place is just down the road if you fancy coffee or something. Unless you’d rather stay here?”
“No, I like the idea of coffee. I could do with something after today.” Enjolras pulls his bag over his shoulder as Grantaire holds the door open.
“Well I can probably provide a few different types of something.”
They talk about menial things as they walk, work, the meeting, their friends. It’s not until they get in and Grantaire settles for making coffee and bringing a couple of bottles out that they start chatting about the reason they’re here.
“How did it happen for you?” Enjolras asks, cupping his mug off coffee that he’s already topped up with a little whiskey.
“I told them I wanted to take my boyfriend to my sixth form prom.”
“Oh… What did they uh…”
“Well the short answer is I didn’t go to prom. The longer answer is they told me I had until Saturday, and that I wouldn’t get anything else from them as long as they lived.”
“My aunt called me up to warn me, good job too because all I got when granddad called was about half an hour of how I was going to hell and what was I doing to myself and how I’d been such a lovely girl and why couldn’t I just stop this charade. Then he topped it off by saying he didn’t want to see me until I’d come to my senses. So…”
“You’ve started doubting everything he’s ever said to you and wondering if he ever meant any of it.”
“Mmm…”
“Yeah I know that one.” Grantaire leans back in his seat.
“How did you cope?”
“I decided to prove them wrong. I was out by Friday evening, managed to find a B&B until I found this place. Started the whole uni thing a little early. And hey, passed with flying colours in art while holding down a job which to be honest I don’t think I could have done if I hadn’t been trying to do the big fuck you thing so maybe I should thank them. And I put it in the local paper too.” He sighs a little hmm noise. “Of course this is a bit different for you but you know… You can’t let him stop you, it’s too late now to change so you just move forward. Prove what you can do.” Enjolras considers it as he tops up their mugs.
“I just want to know… Stupid things like will he still have his photos of me, or will he put my name on cards. It’s all ridiculous. I just don’t know how to process the fact he’s, well abandoned me.”
“Then take as long as you need. To process and figure out coping strategies and all of that kind of crap. I’ll be here, I can help as much as I can. And everyone else too if you ever want to tell them.”
“Thanks. That’s actually kinda helped.”
“Well I just want you to be a bit happier.” Enjolras smiles at this, sipping from his drink.
“That’s really sweet.”
They talk after that, both skirting the subject that’s brought them here and instead discussing the meeting, plans for upcoming events, and for once Grantaire holds his tongue over politics. He only half notices that they keep topping up their mugs, that Enjolras is smiling more now, laughing more, and that he himself can’t help but join in.
“You’ve really helped tonight.” Enjolras leans his cheek on one hand, his knees tucked under him so he can fully face Grantaire.
“Well I’m more than just a good for nothing.” Grantaire shrugs, finishing the last dregs that are only vaguely tinted with coffee.
“I never meant that.” Enjolras murmurs, and there’s a long pause as Grantaire’s lagging brain tries to process. Enjolras is close now, watching him with deep blue eyes that are impossibly sharp all things considered. He’s left his hair down, and it falls around his shoulders in soft waves, and Grantaire reaches out to smooth them back.
Enjolras leans forward, just a little, to place a kiss on his lips.
All of Grantaire starts yelling at that moment, different things ringing round his head in disbelief and shock.
“You’re emotional.” Is the only thing that escapes his lips.
“I want to. I’m sure, if you are.” Grantaire only laughs quietly, pushing his fingers into Enjolras’s waves. Then he brings their lips together again.
~~~
Grantaire wakes up with less of a headache than he should rightfully have. He rolls over onto his side, almost onto Enjolras who apparently seeks heat in his sleep. He shuffles back a bit to better observe the sleeping face, lashes resting on lightly freckled cheeks, hair curling across the pillows and over Enjolras’s hands that are clasped in front of his lips.
He smiles slightly, though he admits he’s a little disbelieving of what happened. He takes the entire thing at face value, they’d both had a few drinks, had both dragged up emotions as they talked. It’s unlikely to be the start of anything, and for once Grantaire thinks he’s okay with that. So for now he’s content to take this in and store it to memory.
Enjolras groans quietly, bringing a hand to wipe across his eyes before he opens them. Then he jumps.
“Grantaire.” Grantaire raises a hand slightly. “Oh… Yeah.”
“Are you okay..?”
“Slightly hung over, otherwise alright. Sorry I jumped, I just forgot where I was for a minute.”
“That’s alright.” Enjolras flops back down with a sigh. “You want breakfast?”
“Coffee would actually be great…” Grantaire pulls on a pair of jeans as he gets up.
“Coming right up.”
Enjolras joins him in the kitchen, dressed in last night’s clothes, hair smoothed as best as it can be.
“Hey um…” He leans against the counter, looking slightly awkward. “I wanted to say thank you, for last night. All of it.”
“It was nothing.” Grantaire offers him a mug.
“It was to me.” Enjolras tells him as he takes it. “I don’t want a relationship so… Well I really hope you don’t think I’ve just used you or…” He takes a sip off the coffee, flushing.
“Of course not. We both wanted it, and I honestly didn’t expect anything more than just last night.”
“Oh, then I’ll just stop talking.” He goes a little redder. Grantaire laughs quietly.
“No don’t, that’d be weird.”
“Can I keep speaking to you about everything? With my granddad and stuff, I mean you were really helpful last night.”
“Of course, just maybe not too much or people might get suspicious.” Grantaire teases. Enjolras smiles in amusement.
“Let them.”