The Les Miserables Challenge!

10. Joly

10. Congratulations you've gotten to #10! This scene must involve Joly and his hypochondriac-ness!

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It was twelve at night when the messanger was beating on their door. Enjolras groaned, rubbing his eyes and lettign Joleigh uncurl from his embrace. 

Knock-Knock-Knock!

"What is going on?" She yawned, sitting up. He swung his legs over the side and stood. "Who is it?"

"I don't know." Enjolras replied, staggering to the doorway. He found a candle and lit it, swadows dancing on the baren walls.  "But I'm going to find out."

"Be careful!" Joleigh hurried after him.

Knock-Knock-Knock!

Not many visitors came at night, well - not the good kind. "Enjorlas - take this!" She handed him a broom. At least it's something to defend with. The man swung open the door, raising his weapon. Joleigh held her breath

The messanger gave him a strange look.

"Um- I have a telegraph." He looked the couple up and down. Joleigh sighed with relief and crossed her arms over her chest as Enjolras dispose of the broom.

"For who?"

"Madamoiselle Joleigh? Which I'm guess is you, miss." The messanger held out a tattered piece of parchment. Joleigh looked at it with surprise. She hed never gotten a telegraph before. The girl took it cautiously as Enjolras tipped the messanger and bid him goodnight, closing the door. 

"How strange..." She muttered.

"Read it then, it must be important." Enjorlas scratched his head, blinking. Joleigh carefully opened the letter and read the scrawled writing. "Well, what is it?" Her fiancé asked when as her eyes widened. "Joleigh?" She looked up and headed for the closet, swinging open the doors and retrieving a long winter cloak. "What are you doing? What did it say?" Enjolras stammered as she hopped past him, pulling on some stockings and a pair of his boots and stuffing the letter into her pocket. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"Get dressed Enjolras." She said, putting up the hood of her wollen cloak. 

"Why?" 

"We're going to Joly's."

"What? Was he the one who sent the-"

"Yes! And we need to hurry!" 

"What's wrong? Has something happened to Lesgles?"

"No, no, no."

"Then what?"

"Joly's sick!" Joleigh exclaimed.

"You can't be serious-" Enjolras was struck to silence. Joleigh nodded frantically at the doorway and tossed him his coat and trousers.

"Come on! God knows how he's acting!"

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It was cold outside, snow was falling in the city, dusting the pavement with white. Lesgles was the one to let them in; his nose was red himself, he probably had a cold from the weather.   "Come in, come in," He pulled them inside and slammed the door shut firmly. Thankfully, their house was vaguely warm. Enjolras and Joleigh unraveled themselves from their winter clothes. Lesgles sniffed and waited paintley for them to do so, "He's not taking it well...I've done everything I could to calm him down, but he just won't, that's why I've got you, Joleigh."   

"Why does he need her specifically?" Enjolras sighed, "Couldn't you have just spared us the trouble and got a doctor or Combeferre or -"  

"No. He said her. Something about knowledge and books and stuff - I don't know! Just please help, he won't shut up." Lesgles smirked and Joleigh nodded, heading for the stairs. Enjorlas went to follow her, but she turned and put a hand on his chest.  

"It would be best if you stay away."  

"Why?"  

"I don't want you catching whatever Joly has."  

"But what about you? Won't you catch it just the same?" Joleigh smiled kindly and pecked his cheek.  

"I've been exposed to much worse than whatever he has. I'll be fine, my love. Trust me." Enjolras took a deep breath and kissed her lightly on the mouth. "I might be a while, possibly the whole night, you can go home if you want to?"  

"No - Lesgles? Do you have a spare bed? A couch?" Enjorlas turned to his friend.  

"Uh - not a bed but we do have the arm chair? I'll fetch some blankets." Lesgles nodded and left with Enjolras to the living room. Joleigh timidly went up to Joly's room, where she could hear wheezing beyond the door. Joleigh knocked lightly.  

"Joly? It's me, Joleigh." She said as calmly as she could.

"Joli?" He sounded bad, his voice like a frog's croak, "Come in." He looked even worse. The medical student was curled up in bed, his head turned to the wall and his blankets bunched up around him. He shivvered on ocasion and his skin was pale and clammy. When he rolled over to face her, his eyes seemed sunken in his head, purple bags swelling, and his nose was red. Joly coughed as Joleigh ran to his bedside.  

"Why have you asked for me?" She sat on the edge and pressed a hand to his pasty forehead.   

"Y-you know how to...you h-have read about disease and illness...m-my books - when I gave them..." His breaths were ragged and slow. He was burning up. "Can you tell me, what do I have? Am I - I going to die? Oh god, I am aren't I-"  

"No!" Joleigh shushed him and strocked his matted brown hair, "No, you've only got a fever." Joly groaned.  

"Are you sure? It feels like I'm dying, I know I am!"  

"You're not." Joleigh sighed and stood, walking over to his bookshelf. She glided her finger over the old books until she came upon the one she was looking for. "See, here - " She pulled out; Symptoms to Common Illness. She flicked through the pages as she made her way back to the bed. "Aha! 'A common fever's symptoms include;  High temperature, sweating, shivvering...' do you have a headache?"  

"Yes."  

"Okay; 'General weakness and dehydration...' That's it!"   

"No, I feel like I'm dying."  

"You always feel like you're dying."  

"But this time, I really do."   

"Sure, sure." Joleigh shook her head in amusement and took his hand. "You're going to need something to drink, do you have any vegetables? I could make a broth?"  

"Joleigh, please-just leave me to die." He always had a thing for the dramatics, again, Joleigh sighed.  

"No, you're going to get better - Enjolras is here to help aswell, so I'll be here all night."  

"You're really going to do that?" Joly asked, smiling, "For me? Even with the posibility of getting ill?"  

"Of course. Now, sit up, you need some movement-"  

"I know, but my head swells when I do."  

"Then let me help." Joleigh helped him sit up, holding onto his arms and then bringing him into an embrace to keep him up. His head nestled into her neck, and he sighed in comfort. She soothed him, rubbing his back gentle as he shivvered. It was going to be a long night.    

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Woohoo! I actually managed to do this! I love Joly, if I had more time I would've been able to write better and possible more cuteness - I just find Joly really cute.

-Kat/Grantaire xx