Another Barricade: The Story of Valentin Gauthier

spoilers for the end of the story!

this is The Very Big Sad Scene around the end of this story so if you want to attempt to wait to read it after getting to know the characters better, I suggest you don't read this!

this story is based off of Les Miserables and the French revolution. The two main characters are:
Valentin Gautheir- a sweet, upper class 19 year old, who lives with his parents and younger sister Electa and hangs out with Henri after school most days to teach him what they learned in class today
Henri Lebeau- a charming, lower class 20 year old, who has to work all day and help take care of his three younger siblings all night, since their father (his stepfather) died a few years ago.

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By the time Henri got back to the barricade, the fighting had ended. The soldiers had left, and the rebels were tending to wounds, or to the dead. Henri looked around for Val, but was only met with a few sympathetic looks that made his stomach sink.
[someone who doesnt have a name yet] came over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Your friend, Val, he's, um... He's in the back." a pause. "I'm sorry, lad."
Henri stumbled back, horrible thoughts of what he might see flooding his mind. "No, no... Val!"
He ran into the barricade,  and into the small building at the back of it. "Val!"
A quiet, strained voice responded, "Henri?"
He quickly rushed over to the voice, pushing a box out of the way to reveal Valentin, sitting on the ground, propped up against a wall. He was covered in blood. Val looked up and smiled. 
"Hey, pal."
Henri fell to his knees next to Valentin, tears filling his eyes. "Val... c-cmon, you gotta get up, we.... We're gonna get you to a doctor, okay? You're going to be fine, it's gonna be okay, okay?"
Val just shook his head, sighing. "Henri, don't..."
"No, no, it's going to be okay! Come on, I'll- I'll carry you,"
Henri tried to help Val up, but he grunted in pain.
"Henri, please.... Don't.... It hurts."
"I- I know it does but you gotta get up, we have to get you help, Val, please-"
Tears ran down Henri's face and he grabbed his friend's hand, trying to pull him up again, but he quickly gave up when Val gasped and put a hand on his wound. Henri wrapped his arms around Val, burying his face in his shoulder, and sobbed. "Val, don't.... don't leave me, please... You can't leave me... You're my best friend... What will I do without my good luck charm...?"
Val chuckled and hugged him back with one arm. "You'll do just fine without me... It'll be okay... But... after I die, can you tell everyone how brave I was, and how I died fighting for a good cause..?"
Henri hugged him tighter. "You're not going to die, you... you'll be able to tell them yourself, Val! Don't you dare die on me!"
Val laughed, but it turned into a coughing fit. "Ow... Henri, I... Cmon, stop telling yourself I'll be okay... It'll only make it... harder for you. Listen... You're going to be okay without me, I promise you..." he sniffled. Henri hadn't noticed he was crying- it was hard to tell with the blood on his face. "You're going to be great. You already are great. And... thanks, for being there for me, no matter what you're going through. Keep... Keep up the school work. And remember that.... my teachers are no-nonsense when it comes to late work." he chuckled.
Henri half-laughed, half-sobbed into his friend's shoulder. "I will, Val... Thanks for... everything you've done for me."
Valentin smiled, closed his eyes, and his body went limp. Henri let go of him and sat next to his body, crying, for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he got up, wiping the tears and blood off his face, and started to walk back to Valentin's house, dreading the thought of having to tell his family- and poor Electa- the news.