A Franc or Two - Les Misérables [IN EDITING]

Christmas [Part II] - Chapter 22

"Happy Christmas, [Y/N]," Jehan smiled. As per usual, his handsome self was clutching a book in his arms, and you could just about tell that it took every bit of nerve he had to come up and say something. That was simply because he still fell victim to the remnants of his blush.

"Jehan!" you exclaimed, covering your mouth to keep from spitting everywhere. "What're you doing here? Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you, too!" he said, then blushing when he realized that he had wished you a merry Christmas twice. "My apologies."

"What for?" you asked with a smile. "It's a pleasure seeing you here!"

"Oh, it's just... Nevermind," he said, realizing that an apology for wishing you a merry Christmas twice would have been a little strange. Then he realized that he sort of did have something to apologize for. "Oh, hell— I didn't get you a gift."

You shook your head and smiled a little.

"Please don't worry about it," you said, eyebrows furrowing a little when Jehan seemed genuinely embarrassed that he hadn't gotten you anything. "You had no idea I was going to be here."

"Yes, but I could have at least had something for when..." he paused. "I could have given you something yesterday, couldn't I?"

...that was only yesterday?

"Well... I completely forgot to meet you," you said. "So I suppose we're even."

Jehan hardly seemed satisfied with that answer, but after a moment, he lit up.

"Wait a moment!" he exclaimed. A few heads turned into his direction, but many people resumed conversation ("Bahorel, I dare you to eat that whole shaker of salt!—" that was followed by an agonized groan). Jehan paid no mind as he flipped through the pages of his book, scanning through his pages quite quickly.

"Good to see you, Jehan!" a man— whom you recognized as Marius (the man Eponine fancied) said, passing by and patting him on the shoulder. Jehan hardly muttered a reply, as he seemed quite focused on whatever he was looking for.

Marius seemed preoccupied, too.

"Sorry I'm late," he said as he sat down at the table with Gavroche and Eponine. He had taken your seat, but you didn't have the heart to tell him off and risk making Eponine upset. "My grandfather's been watching me like a hawk lately..."

You didn't have the chance to eavesdrop anymore when Jehan practically leapt in his spot.

"Here!" he said. You moved over behind him, just to lean over his shoulder (since you assumed that he was going to read something to you,) although he picked up a flattened rose from the page.

The rose was fairly small— and, considering the fact that it was most definitely not alive, it was a bit of a surprise that it still held such a red pigment.

"A rose?" you blinked, smiling a little... had your mother not used to press flowers all the time, you would have thought it was quite an odd gift— but thanks to your mother's dedication to that, you understood it's meaning completely.

"It's a pressed flower," Jehan smiled. For a second, he seemed pleased with himself, but he suddenly realized you might have not understood what it meant. He closed his book with an even more timid expression on his face. "I mean, it's unorthodox to have a flower like this, but—"