AVENIR

Chapter 17: Defining Love

A/N: Just a reminder: Enjolras still doesn't know that Avenir and Jehan are siblings - he thinks they're in love, and will continue to until a future chapter!

This has been my favorite chapter to write so far.

~Vive La France~

Reading over Enjolras's beautiful words, next to Combeferre and Jehan, I suddenly felt shy.  Shy to give my opinion, because it was such beautiful writing.

"The singing worked out well, we'll continue with that.  The crowd most certainly latches on to that," said 'Ferre.  "We'll have another rally next week, so we should have another song prepared for them.  It will be a huge success!"

"I don't know about that, Combeferre.  In case you didn't notice, the riot was an utter failure -" said Enjolras.

I stared at the floor as Jehan butted in.  "Actually, you left so you didn't see how it ended.  Courfeyrac here," and he brought him into the conversation, "saved it by telling about how he met Avenir...and about me.  Not about my fate but about how our life was in Marseilles.  Anyway, it saved the rally."

"I told them about how we need to join together, as brothers and sisters, no matter our class, color, shape, size...they might even bring some women to the rally!  We could attract more working class students!  Beggars, the downtrodden, les misérables, who really need to hear what we have to say!  The underdogs, who we are supporting!" exclaimed Courfeyrac.

Enjolras stood quickly.  "Combeferre, is this true?"

"Yes, chief, it worked!" 'Ferre replied.  "Empathy is the key here.  We must stop appealing to others like us, the students.  For this is a rebellion of the people.  We all know this.  We need to get everyone on our side, even if it means letting in others who don't look like us to our meetings."

"He speaks the truth!" piped up Jehan.

"I know it," said Enjolras.  "And now the question is, what to do with this speech?  And the next one, and the one after that?  I seem to have lost my talent for appealing to the people."

"That's not true!" I shouted.

All talking ceased.  Once again, I had silenced the room.  Is this how Enjolras felt every time he opened his mouth to give a speech?

I looked right at Enjolras.  "That is so far from the truth, and you know it.  You have been bestowed with the gift of natural persuasion, you can make a crowd go silent."

"Yeah, well, so can you, clearly!" scoffed Grantaire from across the room.  He had another bottle.

I whisked across the room and promptly snatched it out of his hands.  "Grantaire!  Did our conversation mean nothing?" I hissed.

"Avenir!" he laughed.  "What did my root beer ever do to you!"

I looked down and turned the scarlet color of the red flag which hung in the corner.  The label read root beer.

"Amis, please, we are straying from the point!" I continued, casually placing the bottle back on the table and looking over at Enjolras.  "You move people with the emotion and passion of your speech.  You have a gift."

"She's right," added Grantaire.

"Since when did you believe in anything, capital R?" growled Enjolras.  

"I believe in you."

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After that whole scuffle, I told Enjolras that the best place to start was back at the beginning.  We agreed that I'd help him make his speech more applicable to the general populations, and Courfeyrac said he'd stop by and help, too.  At 11 PM, we all walked out and bade each other goodnight.  I gave each of them a hug and a squeeze, and told Gavroche to go straight to bed.  Finally, it was just myself, Marius, Courfeyrac, Jean, and Enjolras.