A Franc or Two - Les Misérables [IN EDITING]

To Sleep - Chapter 43

By the time you had arrived at Enjolras's house, the both of you were drenched from head to toe- and this time, it wasn't because you actively chose to run around in bad weather.

You soon found that you arrived at a decently-sized house. It wasn't too extravagant (though, knowing Enjolras, that fact wasn't too surprising), but it definitely seemed a lot more like home than anywhere else you'd been.

"Come in, Mademoiselle," Enjolras said, pushing the door open. You noticed that, even with beads of water dotting his face, he was still beyond gorgeous- and you felt yourself practically melting with the way in which he looked at you. The fact it had nothing to do with lust made it that much better. "My apologies for the mess."

The moment you had entered the inside, you had to chuckle a little. His definition of a mess was- well... practically spotless.

"Don't worry about it," you muttered.

As Enjolras closed the door behind him, you noticed that the first thing he did was take off his coat, loosen his tie, and practically collapse on the couch.

"My bedroom's that way," he said, already resting his eyes as he let out a long sigh. "Feel free to go through my wardrobe for something comfortable to wear."

"Thank you."

His trousers and shirts were far too large on you, but you didn't at all mind.

It was the thought that counted.

Naturally, you felt as if it would only be kind to bring him a change of clothes (so he wouldn't have to sleep soaked to the skin), and as you did, you noticed that he was already looking off to sleep

"Monsieur..." you whispered, holding the clothes in your hands. "I brought you something to change into..."

Enjolras's eyes flitted open before catching your moonlit silhouette, and you held the change of clothes out for him to grab.

"Here," you said, smiling ever-so-slightly. "Sorry if I have wretched taste. It was the first thing that I grabbed."

"Oh, be quiet- that was sweet of you," he said, a combination of exhaustion and gratefulness audible in his voice. "Thank you."

You noticed that he stood still for a moment, as if waiting for you to do something, and you just stood there a little awkwardly.

"You can return to my room, if you'd like," he said. "Since I'll be sleeping out here, it'll be easier if I just change..."

Your frowned a little.

"I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed," you said. "I don't mind the couch at all. It seems comfortable."

"You wouldn't rather have a bedroom?"

"Nope."

"Well..." Enjolras mutyeted, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts "It wouldn't be chivalrous to ask you to sleep on the couch."

"Well, unfortunately for you," you retorted, heading over to the couch and allowing yourself to fall onto it. "I'm already laying here."

Enjolras went silent for a moment, and without even changing, he went back over to the couch and sat down right on top your legs.

"And I'm sitting here," he said, letting out a soft sigh as he leaned back a little. "I'm not moving until you do."

"Get off, Enjolras!" you chuckled. "I can't get up if you don't!"

"That might be problematic," Enjolras chuckled. He shifted off of your feet for a moment, so you could pull them away, though he gave a chuckle when you didn't get up.

"Come on," he said. "I'm not going to make you sleep on the couch."

"You don't have to make me. I'm willingly choosing to do it," you said, shutting your eyes and tucking your legs up a little. "And besides... I can just tell that you need it more than I do."

"That's too bad," Enjolras said. "Because I'm also using my free will to stay here- whether you do or not."

The both of you went silent for a moment, both because you were at a loss of words and more exhausted than you would have thought...

But again, neither one of you moved.

"You suck," you muttered, giving a soft chuckle as you laid your head against the armrest. You shifted to lay down more comfortably.

"You're the one who isn't leaving," Enjolras muttered, sounding much more tired and defeated. He didn't make a move to leave, either. "It's not that I don't enjoy your company, but... It isn't exactly appropriate to be sleeping in the same bed."

"Sleeping in a bed together doesn't necessarily mean sex," you said bluntly, opening your eyes for a couple moments and looking up at the ceiling. You let your eyes flutter shut again. "I mean... While it's often associated with it, that doesn't always have to be the case."

Enjolras went quiet for a few moments.

"Are you asking me to sleep with you?"

"In a non-sexual way... I wouldn't mind," you shrugged. "I trust you enough to know you won't try anything, and... Besides."

Enjolras waited for a response, but you still had to word everything in a way that didn't sound suggestive.

"I mean, even though I've slept with hundreds of men in the past few months, I've... It's one of those things where I could be surrounded by people and feel as if there's no one i can talk to, you know?"

"Sure," Enjolras said. You noticed he seemed a little more awake. "But... what's this have to do with me?"

"Well... now that the topic's up, I guess it has a little bit to do with you," you said with a slight shrug. "Most times, when I wake up next to a man, it's because I slept with him- always because... Not because we gave ourselves to each other, but because he wanted to keep taking more than I could give... I just want something that doesn't have to do with sex, if that makes any sense."

Though Enjolras went quiet again, you had a sense that he had nodded, and forgot it was difficult to see him in the moonlight.

"That makes sense, I suppose," he said. "But, knowing you, this might just be a plan to get me up and about... so I'm not leaving this couch."

You frowned a little. Before you could overthink it, however, Enjolras just chuckled and continued on.

"No, I'm kidding- I just don't feel like getting up right now... But, if you are so inclined, you can feel free to join me right here. I won't mind."

A/N: Subtle Waitress reference there! We STAN a delirious author. I'm running on zero sleep, btw! ANYWAY, the chapter after this is going to be low-key depressing (okay, high-key, but like-) just a heads up. LOVE YOU ALL, AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME!