The Things That Make you Happy (e/R)

When we were Kids

"Hold on. The Blond curls?" Éponine pointed out through the phone, calling Enjolras by the nickname she and Grantaire used to have.

"Yes." Grantaire responded. He was still at the hospital, clenching the phone in the waiting room in his hands.

"Oh my god, are you okay?"

"Me? I'm just in the waiting room, why would you be worried about me?"

"Oh come on, R, you can't hide it from me."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?"

"Blond curls. The blond curls. Or, your personal favorite, Apollo?" Grantaire could see her crossing her arms in his mind.

"Yeah I'm okay," Grantaire changed the subject and heard Éponine sigh. "I think I'm all alone here." He continued looking around at the wide white hall, lighted bright, then seeing that his previous statement wasn't true. "Except for Combeferre."

"Well, take care. Call me if I need to come."

"You just stay in bed and get better." Grantaire smiled, reminding Éponine that she was still sick.

"Sure, mom." He heard her chuckle and he hang up.

Grantaire looked over to Combeferre and decided to join him on the bench, Combeferre didn't even seem to notice it. He just stared ahead at the floor, thinking about those years ago.

10 year old Combeferre sat at the table, kicking his legs back and forth while eating his diner. His mother was still in the kitchen, making more pancakes. The house was warm and cosy while rain poured down outside. A knock on the door made him turn his head. Who would knock at this time, it was close to getting dark? Mrs. Combeferre opened the door and Combeferre peeked through to see who was standing outside.

Enjolras. Of course.

The boy was soaking wet, from both rain and tears. He was rubbing his eyes when mrs. Combeferre widened the entrance for him to get in. Mrs. Combeferre asked some questions to the blond, who didn't seem to be listening.

"I-I was wondering if I could maybe stay the night?" Enjolras rubbed his eyes once more and gazed at the warm pancakes.

"Of course, sweetheart." Combeferre's mother answered and gave the boy some pancakes when he was seated.

Combeferre remembered that night very clearly. Courfeyrac lived just across the street and they they had one of those can-phones hanging from their bedroom windows. After he and Enjolras had 'called' Courfeyrac, he too, came over and they had made a whole slumber party out of it. First, they had built a barricade in Combeferre's bedroom as their Homefront. Secondly, they'd secretly tiptoed downstairs, Enjolras up front as leader. They were on the hunt for the cookie jar. Mrs. Combeferre always put it on the top drawer, so the kids couldn't reach it. Their human pyramid had almost worked, hadn't Courfeyrac fell off Enjolras, onto 'Ferre, whose mother had seen everything and gave them one cookie each as consolation.

But, like every one of those, the later in the night, the more deep stuff came out. Enjolras had been pretty quiet about the reason he had come to his friend in the first place. But the three were tired from their pillow fight and were now lying on their back. The lights were finally out, so he spoke.

"My father wants me to protect some code when I'm older."

"What?" Courfeyrac responded, speaking Combeferre's mind.

"He has a lot of money, on some bank or something." He sighed deeply. "And he said, that that account is protected, with an, uhm, with a code. And when father is too old to protect it, I'll have to."

"So?" Courfeyrac asked. He and Combeferre were quiet through their friends' story, though they didn't quite understand what it was about.

"The thing is," Enjolras continued, "a lot of bad people are after it. And they're willing to do everything for it, even kill."

Courfeyrac gasped.

"Father said that's how my mother died."

Combeferre didn't know what to say. The blond never spoke about his mother, probably because his dad didn't either. He stared at the solar system on his ceiling. "Can't you just tell your dad that you won't do it?"

"I tried to reason, yes, but I didn't get very far, so I ran away..."

"Well I'm glad you did." Courfeyrac walked over and hugged Enjolras, who was trying not to cry. Combeferre joined the two to create an awkward group hug, which the three of them were so good at.

"Uhm, Combeferre?" Enjolras asked carefully. He didn't answer.

"Combeferre?"

"Combeferre!" Grantaire shouted again trying to get him out of his daydream. He turned his head to the boy, who sat beside him this time without a phone.

"Sorry.... I thought you were calling to your friend.." He said.

"Yeah. I was. Five minutes ago."

"Oh.." Was all Combeferre could say at the moment. He had just been daydreaming and apparently zoning everyone and everything out while doing that.

Luckily, he didn't have to say anything else, because a nurse walked out of Enjolras' room. Both of the boys in the empty waiting room turned their head to her. 

"He's asleep for now, you can both go home. We can call you if there's any news on mr. Enjolras' condition." She said gently, like it was some sort of protocol.

The two boys looked at each other. Combeferre was the first one to speak. "I'd like to stay here if that's okay." He spoke softly.

"Me too." Grantaire replied to his surprise. There was a moment of silence again.

"Of course. There's coffee and tea in the second hall on the left," the nurse gestured the way while she gave the directions. "and the cafeteria's downstairs."

"Thank you."

The nurse nodded gently one last time before walking off.

The two looked at each other and Grantaire sighed. Combeferre was the first to speak.

"This is gonna be a long night, huh?"

All Grantaire could do was nod in agreement.