#Combeferre is probably having the most fun in this fic because he gets to play with modern things like running water and cameras etc

[combeferres-mothematics]

barricade day fic!!!!!!?? ?? tell us moooore

😭😭😭 The fact that this appeared in my inbox less than a minute after I reblogged that is greatly amusing to me.

So, the basic plot of the fic is Les Amis die at the barricade, then wake up in modern times. I'm not sure whether to call it time travel or reincarnation, so I've just been referring to it as a bit of both. Because they definitely died, that's very much a thing that happened, but they're also waking up in in the 21st century as adults, full memory of what happened at the barricade and before, and they have never seen a lot of the 21st century stuff. (I am having So. Much. Fun. with this plot point and I've barely even written anything in the 21st century 😭I need to finish the 19th first aaaaaahhhhhh)

The first nine chapters are each from the POV of one of the boys covering the events of the barricade, from them heading down the street after the funeral (Or, in JBR's case, Preliminary Gaieties), to their deaths, and then a short snippet from when they first wake up in the 21st century.

In the 21st century they're also split up into different cities, I have them two to a city at first, aside from Feuilly Yes, I know I am slightly evil who's alone. Of course, they may not be close to each other in the city, but the pairs will run into each other by chance, aside from ExR, who are much closer than the others (They died holding hands, so I factored that into the time travel logistics)

I haven't decided on the places they'll be quite yet, but I do have my pairs mapped out. :D

Bahorel and Prouvaire are together, as are Courfeyrac and Bossuet, and Combeferre and Joly.

This is so far what I have, (Yes, this is how I realized that Courfeyrac dies 5th out of 9th of the Amis). The Chapters for Bahorel, Prouvaire, and Combeferre are finished, and Enjolras needs one more scene that I have to choose. (I have too many options and not enough room)

And the word count is only counting the words in the actual chapters, with the scenes for later chapter's I have written, I'd say I'm about 11,000 words so far. They're all contained in the 'snippets' section of the document though because I'm trying to finish these nine before adding more.

But alas, Combeferre accidentally terrorizing people by being WAY too excited about their digital camera is much too funny not to write now. (In context he is also still very much in the clothes he wore at the barricade at that point, and they are none too pretty... 😭)

[pilferingapples]

OK my random question for you to think over is— If you could schedule some bonding time between Jean Valjean and any one of Les Amis, which Ami would you choose? Who would he click with/who would help him out the most/who would be the best most helpful Buddy for him to have ??? Or would you need to pick multiple Amis?

(This may or may not be related to a future fic idea I have planned. I have asked myself this question but currently do not know the answer, so I am curious about your thoughts! You always have great Les Amis takes)

OK before I get into this, I want to be clear that I think Cosette does an AMAZING job with Valjean's emotional Everything, but (a) she's a kid (b) she's HIS kid (c) no one person, no matter how close or important, can ever supply all of another person's emotional needs, even if they're a lot less traumatized than Valjean to start (d) a major problem with Valjean is Social Isolation, which only people Besides Cosette can alleviate (e) that is just the start of the issues that Cosette can't and should never have to handle alone! So no consideration of adding Other Friends to Valjean's life should be taken as an insult from me to Cosette (and I know you wouldn't , but people get weird). Cosette is a star.

Also: I am in all of this assuming a setting/ series of events leading to Acquaintance that does right by both parties ; importantly, that means Valjean is sure, somehow, that none of these men are romantically interested in or romantically interesting to Cosette. Maybe it's post- marriage, maybe it's an AU, maybe Whatever. Valjean's not doing his Lion With a Dog routine about it.

OK THAT SAID, let's Consider:

Enjolras: if they met outside a barricade, I can see them getting along very well! Unfortunately, that's because without pressing political action or conversation be thrown at them, I can imagine them both just sitting quietly and reading or being lost in their thoughts for as long as they're hanging out. Even GIVEN a political topic, like..Valjean is not gonna argue with anything Enjolras says and Enjolras is already gonna say it and they are just...gonna continue to Agree and then go back to Quiet Reading Time. Parallel Play For The Cats. Valjean will think Enjolras is a pleasant young man, Enjolras will think Valjean is a restful older gentleman, they will go to the library at the same time every Wednesday and nod hello and read in chairs near each other and never talk. Probably exactly the kind of interaction Valjean wants, and not at all what he needs to get out of his routine.

Combeferre: a very strong option!! assuming they've gotten talking about Nearly Anything, Combeferre can find the Fun Conversational Trivia in any subject. I bet Valjean would LOVE to hear about how steam engines work and the latest discoveries about bees or rubber or tinctures of opium. Valjean might be willing to tell him Cool Gardening and Metallurgy Knowledge and Combeferre would LISTEN. Combeferre is sharp and cutting about Interests and Ideas, but shows no signs of being someone who wants to get more emotional or personal with people than they're already setting up. This could be a great Hobby Buddy friendship and that's something Valjean really needs! Potential Issues: if they DO run into the sort of conversation where they're debating ideas, Combeferre does not seem to have an Easy Mode. IDK how much Valjean would be willing to enter Debate Thunderdome about politics or social issues; I worry greatly that he would shut down in Automatic Defense System Mode. But if they can work around that, Combeferre could be so good for getting him interested in the outside world!

Prouvaire: Much as above for Combeferre, except Prouvaire is already something of a gardener, DOES have a Gentle mode for debates, AND is goth, which would surely speak to Valjean's " some alive people like to be in coffins too" soul. Also lbr we know Prouvaire is on the 420 Crew in any era and it might do Valjean some real good to get baked once in a while. Strong potential here.

Feuilly: HE'S LIKE THE SON VALJEAN MIGHT HAVE KNOWN, or the grandson really-- as I recall, we've done the math and figured out that Feuilly really might be in the right age range to be one of Valjean's nibling's kids. I don't know how much Valjean has ever considered international politics but I bet he would deeply resonate with the plight of refugees and the displaced, which after all is a lot of the real issue. And maybe from there they can even get into how this is all systemic and Valjean might start to understand how he's not Uniquely Horrible if these injustices happen to so many people!!! A Little !!! Possibly!! Either way,they can get earnest and emotional over just wanting everyone else to have a better deal than they got. Go Team Lower Class Orphans Too Good For This World !

Courfeyrac: listen Courfeyrac's a delight and all but..he's just very bourgeois student. He is. Even assuming we're in the best situation where he and Valjean are talking politics and social issues enough for Valjean to NOT just mentally write him off as Standard Student Guy, I suspect Courfeyrac's many charms are just the wrong ones here. I'm not saying they can't get along, I think Courfeyrac can probably get alone with nearly anyone,but this is gonna be one of the harder options for any real connection.

Bahorel: you know I was all ready to go on a big ramble about how this could go multiple ways until I remembered the ONE THING, THE ONLY THING that gets Valjean to really open up and talk about his past is watching a younger man make horrible life choices that could get him arrested, never mind about trying to get Valjean to open up, Valjean is gonna trauma-dump on Bahorel so hard in the first fifteen minutes of them actually hanging out. And unlike Montparnasse, Bahorel pays attention and gives a damn about other people, and he is SO ready to get into how the legal system is pure evil and screws everyone over. Hating the legal system is a major component of his personality! I had honestly not really realized it until making this post but wow this will, eventually, be So Good for Valjean's mental health. (I am perhaps being a little silly here but I do think, on consideration, that Bahorel's over the top Everything would be on balance kinda reassuring for Valjean; plus there IS the goth factor XD Bonus points if it's a Better Post-Barricades setting where Bahorel's taken in Gavroche and they can bond over Unexpected Child Acquisition)

Legle: For Legle, see Courfeyrac, I'm afraid. You KNOW I love Bossuet so very much but he speaks 90 percent in too-smart-by-half puns and references and his entire social presentation depends on knowing how to parlay a bourgeois social skillset into Endless Crash Space. He's super weird and an incredibly good guy For Real but I don't know if Valjean would put enough effort in to realize that! Like with Courfeyrac, I feel like this would just be a Polite Acquaintaceship. Open to being convinced otherwise though!

Joly: ..ok I know Joly is also Student Guy as heck, but he's also direct and enthusiastic and overtly sweet in a way that Courfeyrac and Legle aren't. I can see Valjean enjoying his company somewhat the way he enjoys Cosette's actually-- here's someone who will be cheerful and chattery about things that he, Valjean, does not really know or care about. I still don't know if they'd connect on any deeper level but I could buy Valjean actively noticing and enjoying Joly's company.

Grantaire: HAAAAAHahahahhahaAAAAAHHHAHAHAHAHAH *runs out of breath* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAAAAAA hahahaha nooooo. No. Nooooooooo. Grantaire talking to Valjean would go about like Grantaire talking to Javert in the I Mis Miniseries. Grantaire will talk! You cannot stop him unless you are named Enjolras! Valjean will nooooot care.

...Writing this up has made me reflect on what I think Valjean really needs out of a potential friend and it's - someone to do the talking - shared interests, or new interests they can be enthusiastic about while he nods ahead - a willingness/ ability to get HIM to talk at least sometimes ?? maybe?? - shared goth vibes or at least the ability to understand that sometimes u__u you just gotta be in a coffin now u__u - ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY overt disdain for The Rules this is why Fauchelevent was SO good for him but I think he also needs someone who is not in life debt to him! he needs to know he can socialize with Kind New People and Not Explode!!

....and this is a long post so I'm gonna save more Valjean rant :D I am pretty sure you and I will discuss later anyway!! Thank you for the random question!

[oldbookist]

i sometimes hear people say that writing canon era fic is intimidating because...it's historical, and research is hard.

and it is true that most of us who write canon era fic REALLY enjoy the research part. (i love it so much i just end up not writing. lol.) research is fun!

but to be honest it is completely possible to write perfectly adequate canon era fic and do zero outside research.

why? because les mis is fucking encyclopedic. i mean, it's fiction, so i perhaps wouldn't cite it in a history paper, but i think it's a perfectly acceptable source for writing, you know, Les Mis Fanfiction.

and les mis is really, really good for providing insight to what actual daily life was like for people back then, because that was hugo's time. that was the culture and city he knew in his youth, much of which had already disappeared by the time les mis was published.

if you're writing about les amis, there's a wealth of information to be gleaned that gives you a fundamental idea of what their lives would be like: they come from the south to study in paris. they're classically educated, and know latin and ancient greek. they're probably law or medical students. they live in rented rooms and hotels. they get around by hired carriage, omnibus (horse drawn bus) or mostly by walking (which is partly why canes were fashionable). for fun, they go out drinking with friends, go to public balls, go to the theater, skip class, play billiards or dominoes, read novels, stroll in the park, or attend public lectures; they care about politics, fashion, girls, gossip, science, art, puns etc.

for politics: want to know about louis-philippe? got it covered. courfeyrac and combeferre's opinions on the constitutional monarchy? yep. bonapartists? obviously. secret societies, street orators, secret codes, ammunition and arms stockpiling: all referenced. want to know about the cannon? combeferre's here for you.

barring super specific topics, a good many questions you may have about canon era are answered or implied in the text. (and sometimes even then--i was once trying to find out when the polytechniciens got breaks, and having no luck, i opened les mis and. ah. enjolras says wednesdays.)

now that being said, one thing les mis is not so good with is the specific timeline of major political events, presumably because readers would already be familiar with those. (1830 is...a thing that happened guys.) so you may have to pull up a wikipedia page for that if you don't know.

but you really can't go wrong with referencing les mis while writing les mis fanfiction. i feel like that is kind of the point, actually.

go forth and write with confidence, my brethren.

[pumpkinspice-prouvaire]

tagged by @gemsofthegalaxy thank you v much this one is so fun!!!

"Copy the first few lines of your last ten fics, note any fun observations, then tag a few more friends."

I’m deciding to go for all WIPs in the hope that one of these will spark joy and I’ll start writing again

tagging @aromantic-enjolras @p-trichor @vamillepudding @a-rose-remembered @lessnearthesun @earthbound-in-doubt and anyone else who sees and wants to join in!

1. Untitled mob au

“Enjolras wonders, when his morning alarm starts going off, why he keeps setting said alarm for six am, when he knows he isn’t going to get out of bed at that time.”

He used to be able to, but he’s found it a lot more difficult since- 

Grantaire, beside him, groans into his pillow. “Turn that fucking alarm off,” he grumbles, hand reaching blindly out for Enjolras. 

(If I’m going to start a fic with established ExR you best believe it’s gonna have so much domestic fluff in it)

2. The completely ridiculous Dancing with the Stars AU I unironically considered for a while

Courfeyrac, predictably, laughs for roughly three minutes when Enjolras tells him. Enjolras knows it’s three minutes, more or less, because he alternates between giving Courfeyrac an unamused stare and checking his watch, while he waits for him to stop losing his shit.

(yeah, I don’t know if I could live with myself after this one, folks...)

3. ExR Friends to FWB to lovers 

The first time- As is the case with most things for the two of them- it starts with an argument. 

It’s-Well, technically, the meeting hadn’t ended when the two of them started yelling at each other from across the table- But for the sake of time Grantaire will call it the end of the meeting.

(I miiiight use this if the Take My Hand Big Bang runs again this year who knows)

4. ExR aromantic Enjolras (who doesn’t know he’s aro yet) 

Eponine leaves her bike abandoned against the wall after skidding to a stop outside Bahorel’s apartment building. She takes the stairs two at a time and knocks frantically on the front door until it opens. Bahorel and Jehan are standing in the doorway, both looking supremely concerned. 

(It’s a 500 Days of Summer au with non linear narrative so this is like day 290 or something)

5. Hunger Games AU

“We’re all very excited to have you on board,” the Head Game Maker tells him as he leads him through the plain white corridors of the Game Makers headquarters, “Some of our most talented Game Makers retired after the success of last year’s games, going out on a high note, you understand. We’re very much looking forward to getting a fresh perspective from some of our newer recruits.” 

(this AU is going to be long but I am determined)

6. Eposette Killing Eve au

It’s a sunny day in Vienna, and Eponine is sitting under the shade of a restaurant parasol, enjoying an ice cream sundae. 

(maybe when the final season comes out I’ll finally have the motivation to write this. Maybe not. Probably not tbh)

7. JBM travelling Europe fic 

"Okay, I know it's maybe a bit late for me to ask," Grantaire asks as they walk through Gare de Lyon, "But are you sure about this?"

Bossuet adjusts his rucksack, wincing when the straps dig into his shoulders. "You know, your total lack of faith in me is kind of insulting."

(this would be cute as fuck tbh)

8. Eposette band au

“I need a favour.” 

Cosette can always count on her brother to be straight to the point. She sets her watering can down on the tiny balcony table and pushes her phone more securely under her ear. “What’s up?” 

(ok so I was listening to a lot of Maneskin and then I was like u know what Eponine deserves to play the bass and here we were.........)

9. Time loop au 

It’s 10.33pm on the night of Grantaire’s 30th birthday, and he’s in the bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror.

(I have SO much of this written and then I abandoned it because I SUCK)

10. Jehan/Courfeyrac get together fic

“Okay, and I think that’s time for today,” Enjolras looks at his watch, then glances at Combeferre for confirmation, who nods. “Unless anyone has anything to add?”

(lol this is not a compelling opening line)

[gascon-en-exil]

Octopath Traveler, Dimidue, Enjolras

Whew, that’s a lot.

001 | Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Favorite character:

Primrose, her story is among the more compelling and the content is surprisingly honest in its maturity for a T-rated JRPG.

Least Favorite character:

Lyblac for having next to no relevant setup for the person who’s technically the game’s central villain. The whole ending is just painfully clumsy.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

I don’t read much fic for OT, but any combination of the male travelers,  Alfyn/Zeph, Olberic/Erhardt, and Therion/Darius all have their moments.

Character I find most attractive:

Olberic, he’s barely even past his prime and he’s a knight, yummy.

Character I would marry:

Probably Olberic again. Therion is inconstant, Alfyn is a country bumpkin, and Cyrus would be deeply annoying after a while and likely wouldn’t understand sex.

Character I would be best friends with:

Primrose, because we know all about those kinds of men.

a random thought:

Would have liked to see more of the dark cult in Ophilia’s story, and more on Orsterra’s pseudo-Catholic religion in general.

An unpopular opinion:

H’annit’s dialogue doesn’t sink her character for me, although she’s not someone I would have been much interested in in the first place. It’s ridiculous and clearly artificial, but not the worst thing ever.

My Canon OTP:

Alfyn/Zeph, lategame no homo sidequest or not. They carry each other’s satchels all game, which is both sweet and possibly the strangest allusion to ball play ever.

My Non-canon OTP:

Any of the aforementioned pairings among the male travelers, although I don’t care for how Alfyn/Therion is the overwhelming fandom favorite.

Most Badass Character:

How many scenes does Olberic basically solo? That said, I think H’annit is overall the strongest character.

Most Epic Villain:

Simeon, for staging a play about his ex as she’s coming to kill him, and then making the boss fight a part of that play. It’s such a thematically resonant set piece for the final boss of her story.

Pairing I am not a fan of:

Zeph/Mercedes, an obvious last ditch effort to attempt to prove that Zeph isn’t Alfyn’s boyfriend.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another):

Just...everything about the combined final boss.

Favourite Friendship:

Olberic and Alfyn, even if they’re not having sex. Good simple tank/healer fun.

Character I most identify with:

Primrose, again. Fallen aristocrat forced into sex work and obsessed with vengeance? I don’t really get her hints of lesbianism for the same reason I don’t get Dorothea’s in FE16, but that’s beside the point.

Character I wish I could be:

Probably Cyrus for that cushy teaching gig in the largest city on the continent.

002 | Send me a ship and I will tell you:

When I started shipping them:

Had my suspicions as early as the Blue Lions promo video when Dedue’s dislike was revealed to be anyone hurting Dimitri. Started shipping them hardcore as soon as the text dumps started coming in, and the canonical backing has only grown since.

My thoughts:

My followers know how I feel about Dimidue. It’s a nearly perfect iteration of the lord/knight dynamic I always enjoy in FE, with not one but several variations depending on route that all call back to previous pairings in meaningful. While I understand why it remains underrated (Dimileth, mostly unfounded hangups about the racial dynamic and power imbalance, Dedue’s just not that conventionally attractive) it’s downright criminal that this pairing and its broader implications for Dimitri’s character go so so frequently ignored.

What makes me happy about them:

I am not by nature a very romantic person, but their interactions can be so tender that it’s hard not to find them insufferably cute - ferocious murder husbands though they are capable of being.

What makes me sad about them:

Misinterpretations of their dynamic that stem for people not reading their supports very well and/or making assumptions based on their respective skin colors that don’t hold up to close scrutiny vis-à-vis the actual dynamic between Faerghus and Duscur.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me:

Not much, but the occasional assertion on Twitter that only fanon Dimidue is acceptable because canon did them dirty. Do these people even read their supports and other interactions? “Dedue can’t think for himself in canon” my svelte French ass.

Things I look for in fanfic:

Solid writing as always, but I really like it when fics capture them as equals in private even in they keep up the professional relationship for the general public. Fics where they get a big wedding and everyone acts like there’s nothing at all unusual about it might be better wish fulfillment, but they don’t work as well for the setting in my opinion.

My wishlist:

Combination with the other male Lions for an OT5. There’s already porn of it, now someone other than me write it. All your favorite paired endings in one!

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

The game offers easy alternatives in Felix and Ashe, plus the aforementioned Lions orgy. Not Byleth, that’s for sure, with Dimitri because it’s clumsily written and has weird thematic implications or with Dedue because I’m pretty sure he’s not into women all that much. m!Byleth with either of them just feels like a solution to something that wasn’t a problem.

My happily ever after for them:

Their Azure Moon ending, although hopefully Dimitri won’t die too young and they’ll have many years together to adopt a bunch of orphans like in the ending tapestry and have a happy little family where no one dies violently. They’ve earned it after all they’ve been through.

003 | Give me a character & I will tell you:

How I feel about this character:

In book canon he’s a glorious if very pointed allegory for the values of the Revolution, which can be hard to relate to an actual human and even harder to translate into adaptation...so for the most part they kind of don’t.

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character:

Grantaire to complete the allegory, but all of Les Amis are fair game for a big gay orgy.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character:

Combeferre and Courfeyrac form a fantastic triad with him even if they’re not romantic, and a solid friend dynamic.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

I strongly lean into Hugo’s androgynous descriptions for my mental picture of what Enjolras looks like, and I believe his natural feminine characteristics are intriguing and just about essential elements of his character although again they’re dropped from almost all adaptations.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

More Amis interactions are always good, especially for the ones he doesn’t spend as much time around in canon like Bahorel and Prouvaire.

Favorite friendship for this character:

Combeferre and Courfeyrac, see above.

My crossover ship:

None really? I don’t do crossovers much.

[writteninsunshine]

You Know I Love You Too Much To Be Crushed Like That - Combeferre/Courfeyrac - SFW

Title: You Know I Love You Too Much To Be Crushed Like That

Author: Reno

Fandom: Les Misérables

Setting: Various

Pairing: Combeferre/Courfeyrac

Characters: Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Grantaire, Enjolras, Joly, Jean ‘Jehan’ Prouvaire, Dog OC: Porkoy

Genre: Romance

Rating: K

Chapters: 1/1

Word Count: 1351

Type Of Work: One-Shot, Gift for Punkocalypse

Status: Complete

Warnings: Gay, Slash, Yaoi, MLM, Unrequited Love, Pining, Five and One, Grantaire has good advice, Side Grantaire/Enjolras

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything.

Summary: Five times Courfeyrac proved his love, and one time Combeferre proved his own.

AN: Hey guys, it’s me again! Just thought I ought to say, if you want vague updates and to talk to me more, I have Twitter and Tumblr, too! Twitter is Sunnywritings, and Tumblr is Writteninsunshine! I also have a writing Discord that is currently pretty dead. xD I can PM it to people who want it on FFN, for everyone else, it’s here: https://discord.gg/FyaWw25

I have fanfic requests up on my tumblr! Link Here: https://writteninsunshine.tumblr.com/post/633894090732421120/requests-open

So, this is a gift fic for @punkocalypse, because we really ended up liking this ship. I hope that you like it, honey! At any rate, I really enjoy writing these fics lately, and I’m so glad that I’m finally getting some writing done. Hope you like this, guys!

I should probably mention that I’m terrible at poetry and so it’s a bad poem. I’m so sorry.

Les Misérables Fic Masterlist

You Know I Love You Too Much To Be Crushed Like That

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The first time, he was drunk. 

So drunk he could barely stand, could hardly keep his eyes open, but he managed to storm the table Combeferre had taken up with Joly and Jehan despite this. With both hands on the table, shaky arms barely holding him up, he forced his eyes open to stare directly at the object of his overwhelming desire.

“What are you doing?” Combeferre asked with a raised eyebrow, only getting an odd grin from his friend.

“I love you,” Courfeyrac told him with conviction, only sending both of Combeferre’s eyebrows into his hair. Joly and Jehan snickered, awaiting Combeferre’s response.

“You… Do, do you?” He asked, then held up a hand to stop Courfeyrac’s response, “How drunk are you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Wine was called Liquid Courage, wasn’t it? He couldn’t admit such a thing while he was sober.

“You’re too drunk to know any better.”

But he wasn’t.

If he doesn’t believe you, don’t give up hope. Grantaire had told him with a little smile, Prove yourself to him. If I can do it, so can you.

The second time he couldn’t say it.

Courfeyrac was painfully sober as they waited in line at the cafe to make their food and drink orders. It wasn’t like him to spend the night absolutely plastered as Grantaire often did, but he’d been doing it more often lately. Since his initial rejection, it helped to soften the blow, even if only a little bit. Still, he was thinking about Grantaire’s words, about not giving up so easily. Not proving Combeferre right when he said that he couldn’t, and didn’t, love him.

“What do you want?” Courfeyrac asked, finally, when there were only three more people ahead of them. “I’ll buy, you can go on up.”

“You sure about that?” Combeferre returned with a raised eyebrow, head tilting slightly. When he only got a definitive nod in response, he answered. “Coq au vin and wine.” It wasn’t like there was much more to drink, “Anything is fine, but red is preferred.”

“Of course.”

When it was finally delivered by an antsy Courfeyrac, Combeferre regarded him with a small smile and a soft thank you. The pair ate in silence while they awaited Enjolras and his newest speech, no doubt written in a manic state during one of his various law classes. Most likely, it would be in response to something ‘insensitive’ that a teacher had said, but that always lead to a night to remember. At least, for most. Grantaire usually walked away only knowing that Enjolras had graced him with his presence.

The third time, he couldn’t stop staring.

Combeferre had been sipping wine with Joly, talking about something that Courfeyrac didn’t really care about. It was something simple, a small part of life that was just on the side of annoying, but the words didn’t seem to reach his ears. Instead, he was focused on the drip of wine down the other’s chin, Combeferre’s lips moving and forming around his words so precisely. 

It was beautiful, the red tint to his lips, the soft shine on them, and he was going crazy thinking about how soft they looked. Without thinking, he finally shot forward and, in the last second, he reached his hand out instead of his puckered lips. Smearing the wine against Combeferre’s lips and wiping it away, he didn’t seem to notice the odd stare it earned him.

“Courfeyrac?” Combeferre asked, turning to look at him, bewildered.

“S-sorry.” He murmured in response, cheeks on fire. “You had a….” His voice cut out and he looked away, but not before he saw a rare hint of a smile.

The fourth time, Courfeyrac was beside himself.

Combeferre had needed someone to walk his dog one evening, because he had class and Enjolras was otherwise busy. The Briard, known as Porkoy, was a shepherd dog and couldn’t sit still around five o’clock. Courfeyrac offered himself up before he had realized just what he was getting into. The dog could be a terror when he wasn’t entertained, and he knew it would make Combeferre much happier to have him worn out when he got back from class.

That, of course, signed him up for a nearly eight kilometer walk around Paris with a dog that wasn’t his. Of course, he was occasionally stopped, asked about the dog, and told the questioning party all about him. A couple women used the dog to flirt with him, but he was so focused on his love for Combeferre that, for once in his life, he just played it off. It was strange to him, to be honest, not to be interested in a potential lay, but he had to remind himself that he had to prove his love to Combeferre, and nothing would stop him from doing it. He’d been working too hard to mess it up, now.

When he finally brought the dog back, Combeferre was so thankful that he gave him a long hug, and it left him feeling more than love-drunk when he left the apartment to walk to his own, calves ablaze.

The fifth time, Courfeyrac was dying for more affection.

He had been good, a perfect gentleman. Laying all the ground work for so long, he only hoped that he could be loved someday. Unfortunately, he found himself at a disadvantage. He’d been drinking with Grantaire since the two of them had eaten dinner together, and he was feeling like confessing again.

He had written a poem, as well, and slipped it over to the other when Combeferre was talking to Jehan.

The sun in the sky wishes

It burned half as bright as you

Love is a word that could never compare

To the things that I feel in your light

I want to make words, to create things that fit

But nothing seems to work and all I can do

Is say that I am absolutely enamoured by you

Combeferre read the note after a moment, blinking a little before looking over at the other. Courfeyrac had been putting in the time and effort to prove himself, and he smiled at him sweetly. Their hands touched and Combeferre rubbed a thumb over his knuckles. Courfeyrac melted in his seat, dumbstruck and happy with their hands intertwined.

Combeferre was not a man that showed a lot of affection. He was not the most romantic person in a room, he often had a hard time expressing things that weren’t his deeply held opinions. But, when it came to Courfeyrac, his heart had softened. The confession had been drunk, but even when he was sober, he did his best to try and give what he could. These thoughts brought him to helping Courfeyrac home after a night of drinking.

“You were great tonight.” Courfeyrac was saying, drowning in the scent of the other’s cologne. Combeferre shook his head with a smile.

“I hardly said a word.”

“Yeah, but you kept Enjolras from punching that guy.”

“Someone has to keep him out of prison for bar fights over politics.” And that someone was usually Combeferre.

“You still did great.” Courfeyrac babbled, nuzzling his face into the other’s shoulder. When they made it to his doorstep, the door was unlocked and Combeferre grabbed his wrist. Pulling him in for a slow, gentle kiss, he cupped the other’s face to hold him in place. When they pulled back, Courfeyrac happily stared at him, leaning back against his door.

“I might be falling for you.” Combeferre admitted, “You’ve been doing so much…”

“I wanted to prove to you that I love you.” Courfeyrac replied with a blush, happy to be in the other’s warm embrace.

“You’ve been doing so well.”

“You’re the greatest.”

“Hardly.”

“To me, you are.”

“You really are blinded by love.”

“All I can see is you.”

“You should get to bed.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now, off with you.” Courfeyrac headed inside, crashing on his couch and thinking of nothing more than being held on it by the other man. He should have invited him in.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: I hope you liked this, guys. I had a lot of fun with it! I honestly have been so happy with how much I’ve been writing lately. See you in the next one!

[oscarlovesthesea]

11 facts meme taggity thing + 16 facts about me or whatever these things are called

the amazing @gay-trash-cats always tags me in things and then I forget which is how I ended up owing them 27 facts about me. Let’s see! (This thing was so long I needed to make a cut :O)

1.I love my friends, online and real friends alike. They’re amazing people and there is almost nothing I wouldn’t do for them (almost because I’m excluding stuff like genocide or killing a kitten? sorry friends I love you but cats are the best)

2. my favourite sport has always been horse riding and I’ve done it for 9 years, even doing competitions at national level. between studying a lot and not really having the money for it I haven’t been riding in like 8 months now which is probably the longest I’ve been without it in years and I am actually feeling like I’m going through withdrawal. 

3. speaking of riding, the first horse I ever really got attached to was this tiny and full of rage Shetland called Caramella (Candy). The two horses who taught me the most were called Perla (Pearl) and Daimon. When I started competitions I first had a crazy pony I loved very much called Asterix, then moved on to this super sweet mare called Ghira, then to a black cutiepie (who was probably the best one in terms of technical abilities) called Kibor. The only actual horse (meaning, not pony) I’ve had for long was a beautiful mare called Actionmaid Z, but since her name was too long I called her Arwen.

4. in 9 years of riding, I’ve only had one bad fall, from this huge horse called Amadeus - it was before I got Arwen and he was scared of everything and definitely too big and strong for my tiny arms, so when a car passed in front of us (the car, funnily enough, contained my best friend’s boyfriend) and he got scared I just splattered to the ground, cracking a few ribs. I’m an idiot and I just got back up and completed the jumping routine I was doing ignoring the fact that I could barely breathe, which probably made it worse, but at least I didn’t go through “fall induced trauma” or whatever. i swear i’m done with the riding facts

5. my friends Clelia and Ionita are horrible people who got me into anime and then told me all the characters who died in Death Note when I was only three episodes in. I’m still not over it.

6. I’m Italian even though my skin is like a ghost’s . I was born in Rome but I moved into the countryside when I was about four, which was possibly the best decision my parents ever made. I still live really close to Rome though so I still go at least once a week.

7. I am currently living in Scotland, near Edinburgh, where I’m staying with a host family. I arrived about four months ago and I’m going to stay at least until June and I’m loving every second of it.

8. I have a dangerous addiction for brownies, crisps, parmesan and ham. I’m serious, I need help.

9. In theory, I speak Italian, English, French and Spanish, but even though I can understand and make myself understood I’m not really confident about my Spanish and my French.

10. To be honest I’m not really confident about my English either especially because when I’m tired I tend to mess up the grammar and mispronounce things

11. which reminds me, I find it incredibly hard to say the word ‘references’. I don’t know why.

12. I love acting and I’m a huge theatre nerd. I’m going to apply for an acting academy this year even though I’m definitely not gonna get in but one at least makes a nice experience right?  but it took like five different people to convince me to do it.

13. my musical taste is the weirdest shit because it goes from Italian folk music from the ‘60s/’70s, which is what my parents made me listen to as a child all hail Fabrizio de Andrè to musical theatre with little to nothing in between.

14. my favourite musical is Les Mis (as pretty much everyone who has opened this blog even just once knows), followed by Next to Normal and Jesus Christ Superstar. I do love Hamilton but I can’t manage to choose where to rank it.

15. I can’t stand love stories. Meaning, I can’t read a book where if you take away the love story you have nothing, but I do enjoy them if they are of some addition to the plot. At the same time, pointless romanitc subplots are the least interesting thing in the world (I’m looking at Sharon Carter in Civil War and pretty much every James Bond movie ever made).

16. Shinya Hiiragi is my actual son and I’m going to protect him.

17. I actually have a full battalion of fictional sons and daughters that I adopted because I just have mum instincts with anyone and  anything. I think the latest addiction was Ciel Phantomhive.

18. Every year I take part in a Harry Potter themed camp which is a lot of fun because we’re all friends and huge nerds and we just love each other. I went for the first time at the first edition of it when I was 14 or 15 and it probably changed my life.

19. there I met my friend Franz who is like a big brother to me and looks A LOT like Shang from Mulan.

20. I am the actual definition of mum friend which is pretty fun but also a bit stressful lol

21. my favourite character from Les Mis is Enjolras because I see a lot of myself in him. There is also a bit of Jehan Prouvaire in me and I guess some Combeferre as well.

22. throwback to those good old times when the SuperWhoLock fandom seemed to rule Tumblr, I actually wrote a SuperLock fanfiction on an Italian website. I only need to publish the last chapter which is already half written, but the thing hasn’t been updated in two years.

23. I don’t really play videogames but I bought Life is Strange about a week ago and even though I’ve only had time to get to the beginning of episode 2, I’m really enjoying it.

24. I am currently reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and I’m loving it. Aziraphale is the cutest thing, I swear but sometimes I feel like I’m reading a Castiel/Crowley crack fic. The book is amazing though!

25. I’m definitely a cat person and my biggest aspiration in life is living on my own, on an island, with infinite amounts of tea and cats everywhere.

26. My grandmother was a quite renowned writer in Italy (at her time), and her books won quite a lot of awards. My mum is a writer as well but she doesn’t really feel confident about it and has never published anything but i’m determined to get her books published because they’re great and she deserves it.

27. I am a huge nerd and I can’t choose a favourite between sci-fi and fantasy. I love space facts but I also LOVE dragons and unicorns (dragons especially. I have a collection.)

Ugh, I didn’t think I was going to manage to come up with enough stuff... whoever has read everything will be given a virtual toast, I swear. I’m tagging @unicorn-gureshin, @gureshin-trash, @sjexokm and @sparkleofstardust. Enjoy!