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Enjolras had always been an early riser. Combeferre believed it was because even his subconscious needed something to do and sleeping just couldn’t cut it. It didn’t matter if there was nothing to do, he would find something. Combeferre once found Enjolras sorting the towels by manufacturing date. He chose not to disturb whatever strange “me time” Enjolras had found for himself.
This being said, it was seven o’ clock in the morning and Enjolras was already fully dressed and making coffee. He had no intentions of waking Combeferre up and was shocked when he entered the living room yawning. Combeferre was one to rather enjoy sleep and got as much of it as possible.
“Going somewhere?” He asks, noticing that Enjolras was nearly pacing and looking ready to leave with car keys in hand.
“Yes. I had forgotten there’s something I need to get done today so I probably won’t be home until later tonight.” Enjolras says casually while taking a sip of his coffee and pouring the rest into a portable cup.
“Alright. Did you get the times for the court case about the woman in South Carolina? The attorneys were asking if we could help with some testimonies on behalf of those who support her position.”
Enjolras nods. “Yes, I already have testimonies from women like her called in and I have half of our defense written up. I’ll send you what I have later and you can look it over and add your input.”
On the ball as always.
“Sounds good, I’m going to go back upstairs and see if Eponine is still asleep or if she wants breakfast. I’ll see you tonight.” Combeferre leaves as Enjolras heads out the door. It wasn’t until Combeferre had his hand on his door that he realized what day it was.
Enjolras started out by heading to a local liquor store and bought a bottle of Captain Morgan Black Rum. He also picked up a packet of cheap cigarettes and a lighter, as he wasn’t one to typically smoke. Enjolras then made his way to a local grocery store and purchased a shot glass and two flowers, poppies. He also bought one more thing and made sure that he held it as still as possible as he made his way to his car.
By the time Enjolras had finally gotten there, it was nearly ten o’ clock in the morning. He hadn’t been trying to go as slow as possible but he realized he was stalling himself. He made his way down to of the walkways before finally reaching his destination with purchases in tow. He hadn’t been there in sometime and he noticed a flower crown had been placed on Grantaire’s headstone.
Jehan’s doing, no doubt.
He placed the bottle to his left and set the flowers against the headstone and lit a cigarette as he sat down. There was no one in sight so Enjolras didn’t worry about prying eyes. He wouldn’t care if people were there anyway. He finally pulled the lid off the final item and lit the candle on top.
“Happy Birthday, Grantaire.”
He poured a shot for himself and poured the rest of the bottle out into the ground. He held the shot glass in his hand while he took a drag from the cigarette and, very quietly, said,
“Make a wish.”
As if by some sort of force, the wind blew, on a rather windless day, and blew the candle out and Enjolras couldn’t help but smile as he drank his shot. Enjolras stayed there for a while. He would mindlessly talk to Grantaire’s headstone about how life had been without him, what the Les Amis were doing and how dearly he missed the other man. Enjolras spent the rest of his day there, he ate some of the cake even though it was chocolate, Grantaire’s favorite, not his.
When the started to go down, Enjolras had nearly smoked the whole pack of cigarette’s. He stood and stretched. Enjolras looked at Grantaire’s gravestone for little longer before patting the top of it as he would a friend on the shoulder and left with his hands in his pockets, leaving the empty bottle with the flowers inside.
Grantaire was sitting alone at his bar in the kitchen. He had been staring at the same drink in his hand for thirty minutes with no real urge to drink it. He sighed and looked back at the clock for the eighth time that day. He finally chose to empty the contents of the cup into his stomach and go to watch t.v. He didn’t expect his phone to ring, it seemed a little early for Combeferre to call, he answered anyway.
“Happy birthday.” It was Combeferre.
“Oh…wow. Thanks. I honestly didn’t think you knew.”
“I know everyone’s birthday. Give me a little credit, I do have to keep track of all of you every year.”
It was true. Combeferre was the DD most of the time and, more so, the one who chose where to go in terms of “safe birthdays.”
“Hm. Never thought of it that way. Thank you. That really means a lot ‘ferre.”
“I thought you might think that, but I would be a terrible friend if all I did was call you.”
Grantaire wore a puzzled expression and although Combeferre couldn’t see it, he could gather enough from Grantaire’s silence.
“Go check outside your door.” Combeferre orders.
Grantaire made his way through his leaving room and out his door to find a box waiting for him.
“Combferre. Seriously? You know…”
“I didn’t have too? Yes I did. Shut up and open it Grantaire.”
Grantaire chuckles and opens the gift quietly. His eyes go wide and smile spreads slowly across his face. The gift Combeferre had sent him was a picture of he and his friends from nearly three years ago. When things were easy and everyone was smiling. The box also had some paints and a pair of socks.
“Socks?”
“I imagined you had lost most of yours by now.”
Combeferre had to be part psychic.
“Thank you. ‘Ferre. Seriously thank you, as birthdays go this one is pretty crappy but, thank you so much.”
Combeferre smiles.
“Anything for a friend.”
Grantaire’s heart lurches and tears come to his eyes before he can help them.
“I’ll call you tomorrow or something, ok?”
“Ok. Happy birthday, Grantaire.”
“Thanks.”
Grantaire hangs up the phone and wipes the tears away. He gets out a set of nails and a hammer that the house had in it when he moved in. He nails the picture to the wall above his t.v. in his room and just smiles at it for a few minutes. He puts the tools back where he found them and decides to put on his new socks and use the paint Combeferre bought for him.
He decides to paint Combeferre and Eponine. He missed Eponine dearly and, when he could, he hoped to be able to give the painting to Combeferre to show just how much he appreciated his gift, even if it wasn’t the most expensive. He was a tough guy to buy things for, he knew this, and yet Combeferre tried anyway because Combeferre was all he now…well and Javert but that doesn’t really count. At all.
Combeferre sets his cell phone down and Enjolras enters a few minutes later. Combeferre can smell smoke on him, but he doesn’t mention it.
“You get everything you needed to get done today?” Combeferre asks carefully. Enjolras smiles, it’s not joyful and more than a little tired but it’s still a smile.
“Yeah. I think I did.”
Enjolras heads up to his room as Combeferre calls out,
“WE’RE HAVING JAPANESE BY THE WAY IF YOU WANT YOURS.”
Enjolras immediately comes back out and grabs his food and collapses on the couch. Japanese food was his only weakness. Enjolras eats quietly and contentedly. Combeferre smiles at him. Eponine walks in, still dressed in her waitress uniform from the Musain, and looks at Enjolras and smiles. He smiles back and she takes a seat next to him with her own food in hand.
“Did I ever tell you about Grantaire’s sixteenth birthday party?”
“I believe you have failed to ever mention it actually.”
“Well, it was Grantaire’s so obviously, it got very out of hand very quickly…”
Combeferre enters the kitchen and grabs his own food and goes to the fridge. He pulls out a tiny chocolate ice cream cake and grabs three forks. When he comes back, Enjolras and Eponine are laughing over some outrageous story involving Grantaire. When Eponine sees Combeferre, she immediately gets quiet.
“’Ferre.”
“Chocolate again.” Enjolras whispers with a smirk.
“I thought instead you both acting like I don’t what today is, we celebrate it in his honor. It is his birthday after all.”
Eponine stands and kisses Combeferre softly. Enjolras just smiles at him.
“Thank you.” She says softly and takes her place back on the couch.
Combeferre lights some candles and he tells them to all close their eyes. He blows out the candles softly and they begin the cut the cake. It is simple and it, despite the circumstances, is happy. They all talk about how Grantaire would have loved it anyway, because he would have.
“I’m heading to bed. I have to work on that case early tomorrow, good night. And Combeferre,” Combeferre looks up from his Teriyaki Chicken, “Thank you. Thank you so much.” It was the second time Combeferre had heard that, it hurt him to think about the difference in their meanings.
“Anything for a friend.” Enjolras and Grantaire were so vastly different, but no one realized just how alike they could be.
Eponine was finishing her third piece of cake when Combeferre turned and his arm around her.
“Wanna watch a movie?”
“Nah. I actually want to get into bed.”
“Oh, ok. I’ll put up the dishes and…”
“With you, Combeferre. Right now.”
“Oh. OH.”
“Yeah, so…”
“Let’s try not to traumatize Enjolras too badly.”
“He’ll live.”
Enjolras is awake the entire time. Even Grantaire’s Ipod on high as he hides under the covers isn’t enough to block the sound of his friend’s sex life. When it finally ends Enjolras is skeptical and falls asleep with the earphones in with the volume as high as it would go. When Combeferre finds him in the morning, it’s wonder he isn’t actually deaf.