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Les Amis, or more specifically Enjolras, have been invited to speak at a conference on youth activism. It’s set over a long weekend, so Enjolras (and his plus one) will fly out Friday morning, and fly back Sunday afternoon.
Picking a plus one turns out to be easier than he expected. Combeferre and Cosette come to a decision on their own and approach him with it – the three of them will organise the materials together, and then Combeferre will stay on campus to begin preparations for their next rally, while Cosette accompanies Enjolras. During the conference, Enjolras will handle the speeches, Cosette will attend the social functions, and they’ll co-run the workshop session. Enjolras could not have planned it better himself, and he is especially glad that to have someone handle the networking side of things.
Grantaire insists they go out as a group to celebrate, and although Enjolras is not normally one for going out on a school night he agrees.
“It’s Thursday, Enjolras,” says Grantaire, “it’s basically the weekend already.”
It’s nice actually, sitting under the heater with his friends, leaning against Grantaire’s shoulder as he listens to them talk over the top of one another. Grantaire presses a kiss to the top of his head, and Enjolras smiles. He’s going to be very busy for the next month preparing for the conference on top of his usual commitments, so it’s nice to have one night of peacefulness like this.
And he is busy. He barely sees anyone besides Cosette and Combeferre out of classes, drafting and editing and making additions to the speech and the workshop. They don’t postpone Les Amis meetings, but he spends the time getting the group’s input on possible workshop topics and doing practise runs of his speech.
They have three days left before the conference, when Cosette brings Grantaire and Marius to their planning session. Grantaire kisses Enjolras lightly (which still makes something jolt in his chest a little, every time Grantaire does that) before he sits down next to him and pulls out his sketch book.
He looks over questioningly at Cosette. She and Marius have pushed their chairs close together, and although he can’t see it, Enjolras would be willing to bet that they’re holding hands under the table.
“Not that I’m not happy to see you both,” says Combeferre, “but why exactly are you two joining us today?”
Grantaire grins, tying his hair up loosely. “Do we need a reason to spend time with you fine people?”
“If it’s all right that is,” adds Marius, “I mean, we’ll just work on things quietly, but if you’d rather we go, it’s understandable.”
Between Marius and Cosette’s puppy eyes and Grantaire slightly wounded expression (only in place for a second before he hides it behind a grin, but Enjolras is learning to spot these things), Enjolras really has no choice. Combeferre sighs, which Enjolras knows is a sign that he agrees with Enjolras’ assessment.
Grantaire is incredibly well-behaved during their entire session, only interrupting with small suggestions here and there (Marius seems to be content to read and make notes with one hand). Enjolras’ leg feels warm where it’s pressed against Grantaire’s under the table.
Combeferre excuses himself after a few hours to study for an upcoming test. Grantaire taps his pencil against Marius’ notepad to get his attention.
“Marius,” says Grantaire, “don’t you have to go return those books to the library? You should probably go before it shuts.”
“That is quite the coincidence,” says Cosette brightly, “I have some things I need to return too. If we’re done for the day?” she adds, looking to Enjolras.
“You may as well, we can’t really do much more without Combeferre,” says Enjolras.
Marius and Cosette depart, arm in arm, Cosette talking softly into Marius’ ear. Grantaire coughs.
“Yes?” says Enjolras, raising an eyebrow at him.
“I was thinking, since you can’t really work on anything properly without the others, maybe you’d like to go to dinner?” Grantaire is smiles, fingers taping on the table as he talks.
Enjolras pauses. He doesn’t really feel in the mood for a dinner out, having to deal with other people while they order. On the other hand, Combeferre will have gone back to their apartment to study in peace and quiet, so that’s out as an option. Which leaves going to Grantaire’s.
“Only if we can get take away,” says Enjolras, “I don’t feel like dealing with restaurant rules right now.”
Grantaire smiles blooms into a grin. “Absolutely not a problem. There’s a take away place near here that’s pretty good, or –“
“Actually,” says Enjolras, “I was thinking we could just take the food back to your house. If that’s all right?”
“Oh,” says Grantaire, “oh, um, yes. That could definitely work.”
He sends a text to Cosette, asking her how long she and Marius were planning on being in the library. She replies a few minutes later, we’re heading back to mine to do some reading. You boys have fun!
He does.
The next morning Grantaire makes breakfast, but they get distracted half way through eating it. Enjolras doesn’t mind, pancakes taste just as good cold, and it isn’t too hard to get maple syrup out of his hair (Grantaire helps him with that too).
He gives Grantaire a lift to class, and they run into Cosette and Marius as they’re leaving the car park.
“Good morning,” says Cosette, eyes lingering on the scarf that he’s borrowed from Grantaire.
He most certainly does not blush, although his hands do come up to fiddle with it a little, making sure his neck is adequately covered (and really, he’s going to have to have words about Grantaire’s use of teeth in the future).
“Good morning,” Grantaire grins at Marius, “how’d you go with the library books yesterday?”
Marius turns a little pink. “Good. Thank you for reminding me.”
“That’s okay, I know sometimes you forget to do these things in the moment.” They grin at each other.
Enjolras’ phone chimes. “Combeferre is waiting for us in the café.”
“All right,” Cosette kisses Marius, slipping her hands into his pockets she does so to bring him close.
Grantaire slips his hand into Enjolras’ back pocket, turning him around to give him a goodbye kiss of his own.
They are both ten minutes late to meet Combeferre, and he still feels slightly breathless when they arrive. The next twenty four hours rush by as they pull everything together. The entire group are there to see them off on Friday morning, waving at them sleepily from the gate, holding cups of overpriced airport coffee.
“Wait,” says Grantaire, catching his hand before he can pick up his bag, “I made you guys something. Don’t look at it until you get on the plane though.”
Enjolras is curious, but he doesn’t unfold the paper until the plane starts around the runway. He’s not a great flyer, and he’s glad for the distraction. Cosette leans over from her seat by the window to look.
It’s a sketch of Les Amis, black ink but with one colour on each of them – purple flowers threaded through Jehan’s hair, bright blue for Courfeyrac’s bow tie, maroon for Bahorel’s scarf, forest green for Combeferre’s glasses frames, brown for Eponine’s cap, bright red for the fan in Feuilly’s hand, green for the four leaf clover on Bossuet’s t-shirt, blue for Joly’s book (A Guide to Residency in Family Medicine), yellow for the scarf around Cosette and Marius necks, sea green for Grantaire’s beanie, and himself in the middle of the group, golden-haired.
“That’s very good,” says Cosette
“Yes, it is,” he says.
He looks at the sketch until they land, and it’s the calmest he’s ever been on a flight.