Archive of Our Own ^beta

It’s been two days now, and Courfeyrac’s home has never been cleaner. Everything is spotless, the laundry is hanging over every surface to dry, the dishes are stacked high and spotless. Everyone who has visited has commented and he just smiles and nods to the sofa, where there's the tell tale folded up blanket with the neatly placed pillow over it. The only real mark that Marius is staying with him. 

“Are you going out?” Courfeyrac catches Marius just about to leave for his evening German class. Marius nods, still slightly shy around this tactile and most generous individual. It’s only been two weeks since he’s moved onto Courfeyrac’s sofa, but he’s certain now that the guy isn’t an axe wielding murderer. He’s just not sure how he’s ever going to repay such kindness.

Courfeyrac looks at his new friend up and down for a moment. “Hold on.” He holds a hand up asking for Marius’ patience before making his way to his own room. Marius waits, subconsciously jigging on the spot in nervousness. He doesn’t want to be late. Soon Courfeyrac comes back.

“Wear these, you’ll freeze otherwise.” He orders, but his tone is of soft amusement as he hands Marius the expensive parka, gloves and a woollen hat. Marius takes them, but only after protestation that he’ll be fine in his jumper and holey gloves.

He is glad to have someone like Courfeyrac when it begins to snow as he makes his way to his class.

To see Courfeyrac debate is a sight indeed! Marius stares in awe, watching the to and fro between Courfeyrac and Combeferre like a tennis match. He said he was never going to another meeting again in his life, but somehow Courfeyrac coaxed him to try it once more and Marius gave in; and my, how glad he was! Courfeyrac speaks with animation, he is all hands and gesticulations; his tone of voice reveals more than his words ever could. But his words!

He might not have been on the same level as Enjolras, but he was close. The back of his neck was coloured red from the effort of articulating his arguments. Combeferre’s calm and cool manner doesn’t faze him in the slightest, and Marius knows that if he were in the opposite seat he’d quiver under the steady scrutiny of Combeferre’s calculating gaze. The first impressions of Courfeyrac is that the guy was a dandy, a party animal with an insatiable enthusiasm for anything. But oh, he was all those things and more. He was intelligent, and well spoken, and generally brilliant. Courfeyrac threw a piece of paper into the open fire at his point reached a crescendo, he caught Marius’ eyes and gave the most wicked grin.

Marius didn’t realise Courfeyrac could see the screen of his laptop. He didn’t realise Courf would see that he was too heavy into his overdraft. Courfeyrac hadn’t realised his friend was in a dire straight with his cash flow as well as being homeless and in an argument with his grandfather. They stare at each other a little awkwardly at first. It is always difficult to discuss money with friends; especially if one has a lot of it, and one without a penny to their name.

“Marius..” Courfeyrac begins, pressing a hand onto his shoulder, a thumb stroking gently. “You must remind me to reimburse you.” He begins.

“For what?” Marius asks, slamming the lid down on his laptop quickly.

“Well, for everything you have done for me.” Courfeyrac looks around quickly. Marius has cleaned and he’s certain that Marius is the one who takes the bins out too. Marius opens him mouth to argue but Courfeyrac presses on. “I would be so lost without you. This flat would have gotten lonely if you hadn’t so generously agreed to stay here.” Marius opened his mouth again, to protest that Courfeyrac was the generous one, but Courfeyrac shushed him with a well placed smile.

“Only until I find somewhere else.” Marius managed to utter, despite not having looked at a place in a long time. He was beginning to quite like it here.

“Of course.” Was his friend’s reply. Without another word Courfeyrac leaves, and later when Marius puts on his jacket, he finds a wad of money in his coat pocket. He is left wondering how Courfeyrac managed to get it in there, and wonders what he did so right that god above would send him such a guardian angel.

Halfway through the film, Marius began to snore. It seemed Avatar just wasn’t Marius’ cup of tea, or maybe Courfeyrac boring him with his social justice point of you had sent him off to a deep sleep. Courfeyrac switched off the film, and sat for a moment taking the last few months in. How they’ve fallen into such an easy routine. How he literally couldn’t picture a life without Marius in it in some way, shape or form.

He looked to his friend now, black hair carefully combed, that fell about his ears in tufts. It looked so soft. His red lips, and cheekbones that made him look like he was carved by Michelangelo made Courfeyrac sigh even without the added aura of innocence Marius just gave off. He adored this guy. Everything about him. From the way he half bows when Enjolras speaks to him, to how he always went over the top, to his hard work and dedication; Courfeyrac adored everything about him. His eyelashes were long and dark and cast shadows down his face. He gently shook Marius awake.

“I think I adore you.” Courfeyrac admitted, having to tell him there and then of his feelings. Marius smiled blearily.

“Yes.” He agreed shyly. There was not much else for them to say. And so they sat together for a while, each smiling when they thought the other was not looking.

Marius gets a text of a naked torso when he’s in the library trying to do his language paper and nearly chokes on air. He looks around guiltily to make sure no one saw what was on his phone. Two seconds later another message buzzed.

Courf: Thinking of a tattoo on my hip thoughts?

Marius pauses and stares; trying hard to think up something witty to respond.

U shld get a tramp stamp lol

Courf: Only if you let me get your name done ;)

Marius doesn’t understand why he’s blushing, but he is. This is typical playful Courf, but maybe it’s because Marius is over tired and bored of sitting in the library. Before he can reply, his phone buzzes once more.

Courf: What about on my thigh? I would want a tat somewhere I could see.

Marius tried not to snort loudly, but he failed, and quickly pressed his lips together and put his head down to avoid anyone looking at him.

Marius: How oft do u look at ur thighs?

Courfeyrac just responds with a picture. It’s his thigh with ‘Marius’ written in biro on the soft skin there. It’s not very artful, but then again Courfeyrac is awful at drawing but the blood rushes not only to Marius’ cheeks but also his nether regions. Oh gosh, this is terrible. He can’t will himself to look away from the picture though. He can see Courf’s boxers short that he’s pushed up, the bright yellow in the corner of the screen contrasting nicely with the tan skin and-oh god oh dear he can’t be thinking about this stuff he can’t be having an awkward boner from a stupid bored roommate texting him stupid pictures.

They were supposed to be working together, but Courfeyrac had the mad idea that for every one hundred words they write, they should down two shots each and now the work lay forgotten on the table, as they were getting drunker and drunker. Marius, of course, was drunkest. 

“What’s the…the word?” Marius asked, gesturing wildly as though he was trying to clutch as the word that evaded him.

“Word!” Courfeyrac giggled. Marius smiled but shook his head. “Tell me more about the word.”

“It’s like…” he paused, and ran his fingers through his hair. Courfeyrac’s breath caught in his throat because, wow, he shouldn’t be allowed to do that. “like a feeling.”

“Love?” Courfeyrac pressed, saying the first word that came into his mind. Marius slumped against him and Courfeyrac near had a brain aneurism.

“No.” He sounded disappointed. “Well, yes, but also no.”

“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.” Courfeyrac shifted slightly, so that Marius’ chin wasn’t digging into his shoulder, they automatically moved so that Courf now had his arm resting on the sofa and Marius tucked into him. It didn’t feel weird, Courfeyrac was constantly described as ‘cuddle monster’ and over the months, Marius had come to understand why. It was impossible to do anything without being attacked with arms crawling their way from behind to squeeze you with affection before going off to do their own thing.

“It’s like.. affection…” Marius carried on, following his train of thought and trying not to think about how nice Courf's hugs actually were. 

“Adoration? ” Pressed Courfeyrac, tracing patterns into the carpet with his index finger in an effort to keep himself awake. Marius shook his head as best he could against Courfeyrac’s chest.

“Adulation?”

“No, it’s like.. when you like someone so much..” Marius was getting desperate to find the word, and you could hear it in his voice.

“Oh! Like a crush?” Courfeyrac grinned down at his friend, certain he’s found the word.

“More than that.” Marius mumbled.

Courfeyrac was silent for a moment. “I could get the thesaurus. I have one somewhere.”

“It begins with an s” Marius exclaimed, sitting up and resting a hand on Courfeyrac’s outstretched legs to keep him sat down. “S---Sm…something.” He leaned back down, his memory exhausted.

Courfeyrac thought through the list of words he knew beginning with s. Knowing Marius, it could even be in another language and then they’d be lost all night. “Why do you need this word?” Courfeyrac asked, resting his chin on the top of Marius’ head. Marius snuffled happily at the warmth, at the stage of drunkenness where he was far too cosy to not fall asleep.

“Hmm-oh.” He yawned. “I was just thinking. About us. And I couldn’t think of the word.”

Courfeyrac was silent for a long moment, thinking, his heart was thudding do hard he was surprised he wasn’t going into a cardiac arrest. He knew how he felt for Marius, and the one word to describe it was Smitten.

Marius wakes up first. Courfeyrac had bullied him into his bed the night before simply because he hadn’t pulled on his night out with his friends and wanted a cuddle. Marius wasn’t complaining, the bed was more comfortable than the air mattress and much warmer too. But now he was uncomfortable because Courf’s arms were wrapped around his middle, their legs were tangled, there was no way for Marius to get up without waking his friend. What made it even more awkward was that he could feel Courfeyrac’s morning glory pressing against him.

What does one do in these situations? Marius has never been in one, and so he sort of just stays still. But his mind runs away with him, and he’s sure he’s half asleep still because he starts imagining this being an every day thing. Him and Courf in bed. Spooning. Spooning leading to other things, maybe. He started feeling less uncomfortable and more embarrassed. He wasn’t supposed to have these feelings for his best friend!

Courf stirs, and bashes his head lightly against Marius’ back. “I feel awful.” He croaks. Marius turns in Courfeyrac’s arms so they are face to face. Courfeyrac stares for a fraction too long before smiling his trademark grin.

“You look awful too.” Marius snarks, proud of his comeback. Courfeyrac is proud of him too because he ruffles Marius’ hair.

“Takes one to know one.” Courfeyrac’s hair is sticking out at every angle, his eyes are a little bleary with sleep and there are small bags under his eyes. He is the most glorious sight.

Marius sighs. Courfeyrac mimics him.

“I like you so much.” Courfeyrac says simply. Marius is always in awe at how easy he finds it to just, find the right words. Marius grins, before he takes in Courfyrac’s expression. He’s really serious, not how he is when he usually admits his feelings for his friends. Then he is all smiles and sing song tones.

Marius smiles shyly, unsure of how to continue. “I like you too.”

“Of course.” Courfeyrac responds, and kisses Marius’ forehead. “We are very intimate friends.” He gets up and slopes to the bathroom, and Marius sighs and burrows his head into the pillow. Not intimate enough.