Miserable Rouge! - A Les Mis AU

Elephant Love Medley

Enjolras went up to Grantaire's room and knocked on the door. Grantaire opened the door, then his eyes went wide and closed the door again.

"I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you helping me get the job," Enjolras called through the door. He looked down at the very badly tied bouquet of flowers in his hand. "I also brought you something. And to tell you something else."

"What is it?" Grantaire called back, hiding his face and upper body under a blanket.

Enjolras look looked around. "I don't want to say it out here. Can I come inside?"

"I'd prefer that you don't," Grantaire responded, and the door remained closed.

"Oh, do you need a minute?" Enjolras asked feeling his face quickly heating up.

"No, you're just going to judge me in the state I'm in," Grantaire mumbled. "You're going to think I look terrible."

"I promise I won't judge you," Enjolras said, "I just want to talk."

Grantaire opened the door, and his companion outside tipped his head to one side. "I told you I look bad. I'm not done up for performance."

"No, you look nice. Really nice," Enjolras said quickly, then awkwardly pushed the bouquet towards Grantaire. "Those are for you. I mean, I don't know who else they would be for, but--"

"Come in," Grantaire grumbled, sipping from the bottle in his hand and accepting the flowers. "I wasn't expecting people tonight."

"Sorry for the short notice. I just... wanted to thank you for helping me. I don't really know anyone here, and I'm alone," Enjolras said, even though the voice in his head was telling him to shut up.

"So," Grantaire said, taking out a glass and placing the flowers in it, "You've thanked me for hiring you, what was the other thing?"

Enjolras stared at the floor. "Well... I was thinking about when you thought I was the Duke, you said that you were in love with me."

"Oh, I say that to all my customers," Grantaire said nonchalantly.

"Well, you're a good actor. I kind of thought you might have meant it," Enjolras mumbled, twisting the edge of his coat. He had never felt this silly in life, to think someone like Grantaire might ever be in love with someone like him.

Grantaire's features softened. "Alright, let me explain something. Someone like me can't fall in love with anyone. It just doesn't work that way." He put an arm over Enjolras's shoulder and let him sit down on the bed next to him.

"Why? I'd assume if you found the right person--"

"I'm not going to find the right person, Enjolras," Grantaire sighed, and with his hand against Enjolras's back, he could almost feel his heart breaking. He tugged Enjolras into a hug. "No one is going to love me in their hearts, just in my pants."

"It's not that way to me," Enjolras said, sitting to face him. "I came to ask if you meant it when you said you were in love with me... because I'm in love with you. Not in that way. I just want to be around you and maybe hug but you and kiss you if you wanted to, but I don't want the other thing. "

Grantaire snorted to himself, "Funny, the man who claims to be in love with someone like me is the one who doesn't want to sleep with him."

"Could I stay here some night? Just talking, and maybe other stuff," Enjolras asked quietly. "You seem actually fairly nice. I don't meet a lot of of people like that."

"Well, we don't have anything to do up here other than that other thing," Grantaire replied, "Besides, you have no way to pay for my services."

"But all you'd need is love! I'm not asking anything else from you!" Enjolras pleaded.

Grantaire rolled his eyes. "You are being ridiculous."

"Just one night, in the name of love?" Enjolras insisted, walking between Grantaire and the wine bottle so he had to look at him.

"I'm not going to give in, you know that, right?" His annoyed partner huffed, walking around him to get the bottle and began to pour himself another glass.

"You know, it's funny, how easy it is to fall in love," Enjolras said, thinking out loud, "All you have to do is play the game, find a partner, and you've won."

"You have never been in love, so you wouldn't how love hurts and scars people," Grantaire replied softly, though starting to give in to the bright blue eyes. He wasn't sure if he should've stopped at the last cup, because he was feeling a little sleepy.

"Just let me love you, just a night together. Do you just not love me?" Enjolras asked suddenly, not realizing the possibility until now.

"No, I just know that you won't be interested in me in a day or two," Grantaire responded with an eye roll.

Enjolras followed him across the room to the window, holding up his right hand. "I swear to love you always and forever, near and far, I will be with you."

"Stop, Enjolras, just... stop," Grantaire snapped, then continued calmer, "I hear what you're saying, just stop explaining it, it pains me to hear you talk about things that aren't true. "

"Grantaire, open your eyes! I am standing here, promising my everlasting love. How many people do you think I've done that to? None. I want to live a real life with you, maybe get married if you're all right with that. I really do love you, I think," Enjolras added quietly. He had no idea how these romantic confessions were supposed to work, but he was fairly certain this wasn't what he was going for.

"What has love got to do with it? What is it but a second-hand emotion? Who even needs a heart when it can be broken so easily?" Grantaire sighed, wondering which one of them was going to give in.

"Well, you're breaking mine right now," Enjolras muttered, "Suppose I never met you, we never fell into this weird but wonderful thing called love, and I kept trying and trying to write a half decent love story in order to keep my job?"

All of this is breaking my heart, Grantaire thought as Enjolras lamented, how many hearts can be broken in a two-person conversation?

"Even if I try not to, I can't help falling in love with you, every time I see you," Enjolras continued, trying to take Grantaire's hands in his, and finally Grantaire let him.

"Enjolras, I'm in a really bad place for a real relationship. It's not that I don't love you, it's just... nothing is working out, nothing will keep us together," he explained softly as Enjolras patted his shoulder, inviting Grantaire to rest his head there, which he did.

"I hate to nag you about this, but could we just steal away one night together? Please? You know it would be a day off from your usual customers--that's what you call them, right?" Enjolras asked quickly.

"That is probably the best word for them, yes," Grantaire agreed with a quiet, contented sigh, snuggled against his lover's shoulder. "I don't like saying things like this because it's fairly painful, but I think I could get behind always loving someone like you."

"I would always love you too, Grantaire," Enjolras said, sitting down on the side of the bed with Grantaire next to him, still relaxed. He gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, which seemed to perk him up bit.

Grantaire looked up at his partner and smiled. He looked so pretty in the candlelight. "You're going to be bad for business, I can tell," he laughed, giving Enjolras a kiss on the cheek, "You can stay. Come here." He tugged him in a tight embrace.