A Franc or Two - Les Misérables [IN EDITING]

A Cup of Tea - Chapter 5

You felt a rush of warm air as you walked into Le Café Musain.

"Oh! Hello, [Y/N], dear!" Madame Houcheloup smiled. She was cleaning up after a few costumers, but the moment she saw you, she was quick to shuffle out from behind a nearbt table and rush over to you. She gave you such a tight hug that you couldn't help but give a giddy laugh. She was quick to pepper your face in kisses. "I didn't realize you were coming in so soon! Oh, do come in! It's freezing out there!"

"Oh— thank you, Madame," you chuckled. She helped you forward before closing the door behind you— just so you wouldn't continue ti have the cold air blowing right onto you.

"Oh, it really is so lovely to see you," she smiled. She eyed your face for a moment, paused, and then gently reached forward to wipe off your nose. She continued speaking as she did so. "You do know you don't have to work until much later this week, correct?"

"Yes, Madame." Once she had finished wiping your face, you shook some of the snow out of your hair before pulling out a nearby seat, smiling quite warmly. "I'm just meeting Grantaire for lunch today."

"Grantaire is such a lovely young man," Madame Houcheloup said, clapping her hands together with a large smile. It was evident that she loved him like a son— and probably because he was one of the very few (kind) a regular costumers.

"He is, isn't he?" you said, lips pricking up into a smile as you scooted your chair into the table. If you were being honest, it was sort of a pity that Grantaire drank so much— he was truly a joy to speak with when he was sober. You began to wonder what made him drink so much.

Speaking of which...

Did he even remember he was supposed to meet you?

He seemed horribly drunk when he had made the proposition... But then again, he did remember who had stolen his Brandy.

Madame Houcheloup brought you back into reality.

"Here, I'll go make you up some tea— you must be freezing," she said. She rubbed your back before scurrying off— this time, to leave you alone with your thoughts.

After slumping in your seat a little, feeling the breeze as another costumer rushed inside, you began drum your fingers on the table.

Aside from the soon-to-be afternoon drunks (who, to be frank, Madame Houcheloup was a lot less fond of— but it was clear as to why), there weren't many people here today— and you assumed that it was because the weather wasn't going to be too nice today.

You stole a glance out the window.

The street that was usually swimming with people were now only filled with the lowest people of France— many of which, mind you, you knew by name. A boy, whom you recognized as Clement-Hadrian, had just celebrated his thirteenth birthday by getting a serious case of influenza— and now he was sitting in an alleyway while shivering profusely.

Considering the fact that healthcare was completely unaffordable, it was only through the death of his mother that he knew that Heloise— his nine-year-old sister— had caught pneumonia. She showed he same symptoms his mother had...

The scarce amount of people walking the streets became all but a blur as you pitied the French majority.

You were snapped out of it when someone sat across from you...

Thank goodness Grantaire turned up.

"You alright, [Y/N]?" he asked. He seemed genuinely concerned— his coat was now hanging up as he looked at you, his eyebrows furrowed as he examined your face. "You look really upset."