Ink and Insurrection || Enjolras

05. Something to believe in.

Paris, France
1832

        The last year, the Les Amis' rallies gained attention. With Jo's words and Enjolras' passionate delivery, the people were hooked. They still had lots of convincing yet to do, but it was all coming together.
        Today, the streets were filled with beggars as Jo ran, hand in hand with Gavroche, a young street urchin who was apart of their rebellious group.
        The pair of them pushed through a crowd of people, just in time to hear Enjolras speak.
        "Where is our so called King? The one who's supposed to look out for us, where is he? We have to fight if we want change!" His voice was loud over the cheers of his audience.
        "There is only one man, General Lamarque, who speaks for the people here below!" Marius added, but Courfeyrac was quick to whisper something in the blonde leader's ear.
        Jo watched as Enjolras' face fell in disappointment, "Lamarque is ill. They say he won't last a week. With all the anger in the land, how long until the judgement day? How long until the barricades arise?"
        It was then that they were stopped by the police. As the crowd ran, they shouted, 'Vive La France!'
        Jo locked eyes with Enjolras but they both were separated by the crowd. Each Les Amis knew to gather at the Musain and that's what they did. Soon everyone was there.
        "Jo!" Enjolras called out and the girl turned to face him, "Can you write something about the rally today? I think we should start selling it to the press. It won't be long until our barricade rises and the more people know, the more supporters we will gain."
        Jo nodded, "I'll start as soon as I get home." She turned to leave but Enjolras grabbed her wrist.
        "I have something to help." He began leading the girl upstairs to the meeting room and as soon as her eyes met what he was to show her, she gasped.
        "Enjolras, you didn't!" There on his desk sat a beautiful new typewriter. It was painted black and the key's looked so fresh. She wrapped her arms around the man beside her and thanked him profusely.
        Enjolras let out a small laugh, barely noticeable but she heard it. She let go of him and examined her present. She couldn't stop smiling. He had just got her an amazing gift for doing nothing! He was so perfect, but she refused the speak of that topic and he thought she had moved on and forgotten the topic.
        "I'll go home and I'll write the story now." She picked up the typewriter but let out a grunt. Wow, was this device heavy.
        "Here," Enjolras seemed to pick it up with ease, "I'll help you bring it home."
        Together they walked and set her new typewriter up on her desk, much to Amelie's surprise - who had spent the day at home - Enjolras then left, explaining he had work to do.
        So, Jo sat at her desk and brushed her fingers over the keys.
        "I'll read in my bedroom. Gives you space to think." Amelie removed herself from the room as Jo thanked her.
        "What to write?" She began typing as she read out loud, "'A new battle is brewing. Having just recovered from the French Revolution in 1789, the city of Paris may be due another one. The students have risen and want change.' And if I could just write about it." She ripped the paper out with a sigh, "Come on, Jo! These boys are counting on you. Oh, you poor boy."
        Her head dropped into her hands as she thought up what to say, "Come on, this isn't some story, this is real life! This is your chance to get recognised. Do this for him, come on." She couldn't think of anything but his face, his stupid face! Ugh! She needed to think of what to write, not just about how good he looked delivering the speech! "Think about it, Jo! These boys they're ready to storm the streets of Paris."
        Suddenly she began typing, "'A modern day David  is poised to take on the rich and powerful Goliath. The swagger of one twice his age, armed with nothing more than a few nuggets of truth, the Les Amis stand ready to face the behemoth King!' Now that's how you turn these boys into legends!"
        She stood, pacing the floor to think, "Picture it, a handsome, heroically characteristic, fearless leader. So, maybe he's a little cocky, and stubborn but oh, he's handsome." She paused, realising what she was saying, "Stop it, Jo! Stick to the task!"
        So, she sat back at her desk and she wrote. She wrote many drafts for many hours until she had compiled a handful of stories to show Enjolras.
        "Amelie!" She called out to her sister, "I'm heading downstairs to show Enjolras my copies, I'll be back soon."
        After hearing a hum come from Amelie's room, Jo rushed down the stairs and knocked on the door belonging to Enjolras.
        The blonde leader swung his door open and Jo almost forgot how to breathe. His hair was messier than usual and he only wore his black trousers and his linen shirt, which seemed to have four buttons at the top undone, exposing the top of his chest.
        "Ah, you've written something?" He stepped to the side, allowing her to step into his apartment, "Here, I'll make some tea."
        "You've got a nice place." Jo called out as she glanced round his apartment. The layout was the same as hers but Enjolras had more belonging scattered around, seeing as he had been living there longer.
        "Thank you." He appeared with two mugs, he placed them on the coffee table in front of them and sat down, "Let's see this story then."
        Jo, still standing, handed him the draft she intended to use.
        "'The children's Crusde'?" Enjolras read out, questioning the name.
        Jo snatched the paper from him and began reading, "'For the sake of all the kids in every sweatshop, factory, school, and slaughter house in Paris. We beg you... join us.' With those words the revolution will stop being about the students. These words challenge our whole generation to stand up and take a place at the table."
        "'The Children's Crusade?" This time, Enjolras' tone was one of hope.
        "Think, Enjolras. If we publish this - my words, with perhaps a drawing, I can write home and ask Charlotte to send one - and if everyone read it and gathered to show their support, or better yet, joined us at the barricades! That's something no one, not even the King could ignore."
        "Jo, you're amazing!" Enjolras stood from his seat, smiling at her, "This will surely get the public's attention. We just need that picture as soon as possible."
        He wanted to say something. Something about the way her hair shone in the moonlight, only highlighting her features. Or the way she looked so beautiful in her red dress.
        "Stop." Jo stopped by the door and turned to face Enjolras, "What's this about for you? And I don't mean 'The Children's Crusade'. What's this about? Am I kidding myself or is there something..." he indicated between the two of them and Jo chuckled.
        "Of course there is!"
        "Well don't say it like this happens every day!" Enjolras was nervous and unsure and Jo could sense it.
        "Oh, Enjolras..."
        "I'm not an idiot. I know girls like you don't wind up with guys like me. And I don't want you promising something you'll take back later. But standing here tonight... looking at you... I'm scared tomorrow's going to come and change everything." His tone was soft, yet Jo could hear him doubting himself, "If there was a way I could grab hold of something to make time stop. Just so I could keep looking at you."
        Jo took a step towards Enjolras and said, "You snuck up on me, Enjolras. I never even saw it coming." She sighed, continuing, "From the moment I first met you, I thought I knew what love was. I thought it was a restraint. Something that would weigh me down. But meeting you, every feeling was so unclear, yet so secure. I don't know what that means, but I'm sure it has something to do with why I felt so compelled to kiss you. I didn't believe in love, but you gave me something to believe in. If I'm honest, that night I ran from Louis because I couldn't think of anything but you. I realised it was you and not him. So I ran and I kissed you and since then I've wanted to kiss you, but I never knew how you felt."
        "To me, you were just a stranger who walked in with Marius and you'd be gone the next day. But when you insisted on being a member of the Les Amis, I knew you were different, special. Ever since that day, I wanted to kiss you. When you kissed me that night, I wish you'd had it again but you ignored me and I doubted what it meant to you. I know it's forward, but I love you, Jo. I've loved you since you kissed me and I'll love you until my dying day."
        "You love me?" Enjolras grew nervous, but he nodded anyway, "I love you too, Enjolras. So much."
        Nothing more was needed to be said, Enjolras grabbed her face and placed his lips on her in a mix of need, want and passion. He was made for her and she was made for him and they loved each other.