Chapter Text
Hello! Here’s something new I’m trying. Hope you’ll like it!
‘Enjolras, for the love of God, can you please calm down?’, Combeferre sighed, marking the book he was reading before closing it and turning towards his best friend. ‘We’ve been over this for two days now. We’ve covered every possible scenario. You’ll be fine. You’ve known Grantaire for years, you’ve fought countless times, and you’ve never been nervous around him before. Why start now?’
Enjolras didn’t answer immediately. He stood in front of the mirror, pulling a hand through his hair alternating between a side part and a middle part. Today, he was going out with Grantaire. He was going on a date. After months of ignoring emotions he couldn’t quite comprehend, something finally clicked a few weeks ago and in a spontaneous, impulsive burst of action, he had asked Grantaire out. Grantaire had looked at him wide-eyed, shocked even. And then, wordlessly, he had agreed.
As he fumbled with the sleeve of his shirt, Enjolras bit the inside of his cheek. This was a mistake. He didn’t go on dates. He had no idea how they worked. What were they going to talk about? What if he started a fight? What if he said the wrong thing? What if Grantaire pissed him off?
‘Seriously, E’, Combeferre said, walking up and standing behind Enjolras in the mirror. He placed both his hands on Enjolras’ shoulders and squeezed gently. ‘You’ll be fine. Don’t make it any bigger than it needs to be. You’re going to have dinner with Grantaire, and you’re going to get to know him better. That’s it.’
Enjolras finally met Combeferre’s eyes in the reflection, seeking reassurance. ‘But what if – '
‘No what ifs’, Combeferre interrupted softly. ‘Just be yourself. Grantaire likes you for who you are, arguments and all.’
Just then, the door swung open and Courfeyrac hurried in, a wide grin plastered across his face. ‘Oh good, you’re still here. I’m not too late!’
He walked over towards Enjolras, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before ruffling his hair, successfully ruining the side part Enjolras had so carefully created.
‘Damnit, Courf’, Enjolras scowled, turning back to the mirror in annoyance. His reflection now showed a tousled mess of curls.
Courfeyrac grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from his reflection. ‘Enough E, you look fantastic. Keep those curls wild and unkept; it makes you look fearless. R loves that.’
‘Wha- really?’ Enjolras frowned, turning towards Combeferre with one eyebrow raised in question.
Combeferre just smiled and shrugged his shoulder. ‘It’s true’, he agreed.
‘Of course it’s true’, Courfeyrac said happily. ‘So, are you ready for your big night, Sunshine? Got it all under control? ‘
Enjolras sighed deeply, feeling a mix of anxiety and anticipation bubbling within him. ‘I don’t know.. I hope so… I’ve called the restaurant earlier today to check if they received the reservation.’
‘You mean.. after you called them yesterday to do the same thing?’ Courfeyrac asked, his grin widening.
‘Courf, stop teasing him’, Combeferre said, though he wasn’t able to fully hide the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Enjolras blushed. ‘Well yeah.. I just.. I just wanted to make sure.’
Courfeyrac’s grin only widened and he pulled Enjolras in for a hug. ‘Course you did’, he said. ‘I wouldn’t have expected anything else from you. R is one lucky man.’
Enjolras could’ve happily stayed there, enveloped in Courfeyrac’s warm embrace, where it was safe and familiar. The nervous energy that had been coursing through him seemed to ebb slightly in the comfort of his friend’s arms. But when Combeferre cleared his throat and announced the time, Enjolras knew he had to move.
He pried himself loose from Courfeyrac and walked towards the door. Every step felt heavy, as if the weight of his newfound feelings for Grantaire was pulling him back.
‘Go and have fun, E. You deserve it. Make us feel like proud parents, will you?’ Courfeyrac’s voice was a mixture of jest and genuine affection.
Enjolras turned around a last time, meeting both Combeferre’s and Courfeyrac’s eyes. They were his anchors, his steadfast supporters, always there to catch him when he stumbled. He squared his shoulders and forced a smile on his lips. ‘Thanks, guys.’
Then, with a final nod, he stepped out of the door.
As the door closed behind Enjolras, a hush settled over the apartment. Combeferre and Courfeyrac stood in the silence for a moment, both of the caught in the reality of what had just transpired: Enjolras, their unshakable best friend, had just embarked on his first first date, ever.
Combeferre let out a slow breath and shook his head, a fond smile playing on his lips. ‘He’s really doing it’, he murmured, more to himself than to Courfeyrac.
Courfeyrac nodded, his grin a mix of pride and amusement. ‘Our boy is growing up’, he said with mock solemnity, though his eyes sparked with affection. ‘I have to admit, I never thought I’d see the day.’
Combeferre chuckled and sat back down on the couch. ‘Neither did I’, he agreed. ‘But I’m glad he finally realized what we’ve all known for ages. It’s about time those two figure their shit out.’
‘Hear, hear’, Courfeyrac laughed, as he collapsed on the couch next to his friend. He scanned their living room, where the remnants of their date planning session still lay scattered on the coffee table: an assortment of potential conversation topics, a list of the types of wine Grantaire liked and even a small bottle of cologne Courfeyrac had insisted Enjolras use.
‘But man… he was so nervous, though’, Courfeyrac mused. ‘I’ve never seen him like that before. If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think he didn’t want to go out with Grantaire at all.’
Combeferre nodded thoughtfully. ‘Enjolras thrives on control and certainty. This is uncharted territory for him. He wants it to be perfect, but he’s also terrified of making mistakes.’
Courfeyrac hummed. He leaned back, his gaze distant for a moment. ‘Well, R has got more experience with this sort of thing. He’ll understand, I’m sure…’ He trailed off and then pulled out his phone, typing quickly.
‘What are you doing?’ Combeferre asked, raising an eyebrow.
‘I’m texting Grantaire’, Courfeyrac replied, without looking up. ‘I’m not meddling, I promise. I just want to give him a heads-up. Let him know E is really nervous and might need a bit of guidance.’
He hit send and put his phone back down, curling up against Combeferre. ‘There. Now we just have to wait and see.’
Both excited and anxious about the possibility of being late, Grantaire left his apartment an hour ago. And now, he found himself far too early, standing awkwardly at the entrance of the park where he was supposed to meet Enjolras. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the anticipation buzzing through him like an electric current. A part of him still believed he would wake up at any moment now, that this surreal scenario would dissolve into the familiar longing he had grown used to. After all the yearning he had done, he was finally going out on a date with Enjolras.
He’d been in shock when Enjolras had asked him to dinner two weeks ago. In all honesty, Enjolras had more like shouted it at him than asked. They’d been getting along better lately, fighting less, laughing more. Grantaire couldn’t quite pinpoint when the change had happened, but he liked to believe it was after a heart-to-heart they had half a year ago.
That night at the Café, Grantaire and Enjolras had been the only ones left. It was the birthday of Grantaire's late sister, and he had spent the night sketching in solitude. He had made a promise to his sister years ago that he wouldn’t drink on her birthday, so he was sober that night. When Enjolras came to bid him goodnight, his eye had fallen on Grantaire’s sketches of his sister. Instead of leaving, Enjolras had sat down, and they had talked all night. They spoke about family, lost hope, and forgotten dreams.
It had been a good night, one that Grantaire cherished deeply. Still, never in his wildest dreams would he have believed it would lead to him and Enjolras going on a date. The past few weeks, he had been contemplating whether it was a good idea. There were so many things that could go wrong. What if he pissed Enjolras off? What if he said the wrong thing? What if he was too straightforward? He didn’t want to ruin whatever peace or friendship they had been building up until then.
Grantaire let out a deep, shaky breath as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. A message from Courfeyrac. Grantaire smirked, no doubt his friend wanted to wish him good luck. Out of all their friends, there was no one who shipped him and Enjolras more than Courfeyrac.
He unlocked his phone and read the text.
‘Hey R, excited for the big night?! E just left our place. Quick heads-up: he’s pretty nervous. This is all new to him and he wants it to be perfect. But ya know… you might need to take the lead every now and then, alright? Have fun! Keep it decent, I’m counting on you. Loveya!’
Grantaire felt a mixture of warmth and apprehension. He read Courfeyrac’s message a second and a third time. Enjolras, nervous? How? Grantaire had always been the one on the outside, the one pining for someone seemingly beyond his reach. And now, here he was, about to go on a date with Enjolras. The idea that the other man was just as nervous as he was, if not more so, made his heart ache with tenderness. At the same time, he was even more afraid he was going to mess this up.
He pulled a slightly sweaty hand through his curls and typed a response.
‘You do know I’m close to a nervous breakdown myself right? But got it – take the lead. Thx Courf, pray for me.’
He slipped his phone back into his pocket just as he saw Enjolras approaching. His heart skipped a beat at the sight. The man looked as striking as ever, his curls wild and every part of his outfit on point. No doubt Courfeyrac had helped him put it together.
Grantaire wiped his hands on his pants and tried not to question the outfit he had chosen for tonight. There was no way he could ever look as good as Enjolras did, but at least he had tried his best.
‘Hey’, Grantaire said, smiling as he stepped forward to meet him. ‘You made it. You look great!’
Enjolras glanced up at him and Grantaire could die happy then and there when he saw the small blush decorating Enjolras’ cheeks. ‘Uh, thanks… You look great too. Sorry if I’m a bit late.’
Grantaire’s smile widened and he shook his head. "You’re right on time," he said, hoping he sounded reassuring. "But I don’t think you’ve planned a picnic at the park… So where are we going?"
Enjolras gave a small smile in return. "Uh no, picnics aren’t really my style. Although I don’t know what my style is, exactly. I don’t really have one developed yet, I guess. But I’ve made a reservation at a bistro not far from here. It’s nothing too fancy, but I’ve been there a few times with ‘Ferre and Courf. It’s a nice place, they have a decent wine selection. I thought we could walk there together."
Enjolras’ words were rushed, all spoken in one single breath. The man almost had to gasp for air when he finished. Grantaire heart swelled with affection. He chuckled softly and nodded, motioning for Enjolras to lead them on. ‘Sure, that sounds good. Lead the way.’
Let me know if you want a second chapter! Have ideas? Come find me on Tumblr (Sarahbobbie)