#Grantaire that does gymnastics like no big

[batobob-blog]

my aesthetic: grantaire might be drunk but he’s still the most impressive person in the room

[serinesaccade]

i lovee shsh SO and was wondering if you could explain what being bonded feels like in that universe and maybe more in depth what grantaire experienced w a one-sided one?

ooh sure hm this is such a good question!!

i (weirdly) view this world’s bonding as a pretty biological setup rather than ~magic~ ABO worldbuilding (though I also like magic). so there's no like. mindreading or being emotionally in-tune from a distance. you can only get bonded during heat or rut and it is supposed to be a permanent thing! you can break the bond but it does hurt and can come w/ side effects.

it affects a lot of things! bonded individuals react pretty strongly to their partner's smell and almost anything else about them once smell gets associated. that doesn't mean they can't be attracted to anyone else or are drawn against their will, emotions and scents are just. amplified. grantaire already had a lot of emotions so. so. for people in a mutual loving bond it's great for mood, feeling secure, for their overall health.

a majority of bonded individuals require extra physical affection, scenting, and um more or their bodies start being stressed, experiencing withdrawal, etc. bonding is obviously considered pretty sacred in most religions and is considered more permanent than marriage by most people. first couple of days after the bond are really critical! because it's usually a heat/rut activity done between couples who are in love or at least... like... in the same room... this isn't a problem. they are together and really strengthening a mutual bond and that's healthy.

honestly, grantaire's heat after he got bonded was just. hell. :'( during the heat he absolutely cried his heart out. enjolras wasn't there, and neither was anyone else. like he was starving, it's similar to a nutrient/sustenance thing and he wasn't with his bondmate and didn't even have someone else there. after heat was over it got a little better, but his whole self was thrown off and the bond was still "starving." all his body hormones and brain chemistry is just wrecked. there's meds you can take for bond withdrawal but unfortunately he had a bad reaction to them.

it was summer so he was out of school, but this is when he stopped doing more hardcore gymnastics. body just couldn't take it and his parents discouraged it now that he was married and they'd never liked the events that tended to be more alpha-oriented anyway or that he was muscular. being physically active is really important to grantaire so he was very sad :(

at some point enjolras' estate sent clothes over and grantaire just sorta. cuddled with the one shirt and tried to make do. he felt super pathetic and it obviously was not the same as having the person. (he is triggered when enj talks about clothing as a substitute FOR SURE). drinking and some drugs help numb him to some of it so he takes those up.

sfsdf so I could go on and on about the years of WUMP but it's all just angsty and shapes a lot of his bitterness and existence. by the time he remeets enjolras his body's settled into its new state a bit/he's learned to manage it. meeting enjolras jumpstarts what had sorta been dormant in good and bad ways. he is having mood swings! he would like to punch enjolras in the face! with an actual fist! and also his lips! does he cry after they scent the first time? 100%! but also he is SO RELIEVED. he just goes home and like sobs hysterically but also does some stretches and body strengthening and a 5-mile run with a vigor he has not had in YEARS. jbm is a lil freaked. he is also completely convinced the scenting will never happen again for like the first ten times they do it, which enj ofc has no idea about. he absolutely has a triggered heat in chapter 2 in that one section and absolutely is sitting there crying eating the sandwiches Enj (who was like. pretty close to a rut despite him being suppressed to shit) prepped. just snottily shoving them in his face while bossuet and joly came in occasionally to cuddle or give him snackies/water. "do u want us to get enjolras now," they had both said repeatedly and he's just "NO DON'T"

the scenting does help him stabilize though! honestly combeferre’s research was right and what would’ve been even BETTER is basically them making a mutual bond right away. like. his body can absolutely tell this is his bondmate and would be a lot happier if enjolras was around/ was mutually bonded. a little bit of the other person’s scent gets embedded both in the initial bond creation but also in the subsequent scenting and cuddling; the bond initiates his body learning how to make a little of enj’s scent and he’s happier and more secure when he can tell it’s mutual and enj smells like him too! they wait a bit. which is good for them as people and for their rl. but once they do mutually bond he does recover from most of his health issues and it supports him getting to a better place mentally. it helps enj calm down too! honestly they are both bearing a lot of scars from their childhoods and mutual bonding is just like. the cherry on top of how their relationship eventually helps each of them be a happier and healthier and better person. 

tw cw for some discussion of homophobia bc I guess i talk about subtext now.

like this whole thing is a big honking weird metaphor about queerness. bonding doesn’t fit perfectly into that but overall is some interpretation of the kinds of trauma queer kids in unsupportive households sustain. grantaire’s situation is very much a twisting of what’s supposed to be this beautiful first love for him! he really loved enj even if it wasn’t reciprocated. he is someone who doesn’t do a good job of fitting the gender role he’s been assigned. his family twisted that love and what should be a loving bond into trauma and shoved him into the role they wanted for him. it can really mess u up. forgetting/erasing isn’t an option for people really! so i wanted him to reclaim it and redefine it. enj was trauma too but obviously different in his experience and journey to being happy.

anyway i kinda wish i had more of a “thrilling” answer for this! i’m glad you asked!

[captainenjolras]

What Les Mis characters are like in my modern AU

Note: I’m big in POC/LGBTQ+ rep so if you have a problem with that get off of my page :)

Enjolras: as expected, he has long blonde hair and pale white skin. He stands at about 5’7. His eyes are a steel grey, almost always holding a dangerous glare in them. Contrary to belief, he is incredibly affectionate with his boyfriend/friends. He was raised Catholic, but left the Church when he was 16.

Grantaire: Grantaire is a young Romani boy. His nose is crooked from his boxing injuries, and his feet are blistered from dancing so much. He has tattoos almost all over his body. His hair is a mop of jet black curls and his eyes are deep blue. He stands at around 5’3. He’s agnostic.

Courfeyrac: Courf is the shortest of the Amis. He stands at 5’1 with curly brown hair and warm brown eyes. He has tan skin with freakles sprinkled across his face. He is fluent in German, Spanish, Hebrew and Greek. He’s a bit chubby and gives the best hugs.

Combeferre: he is the tallest of the Amis, standing at 6’4. He has dark brown skin and cold green eyes. His hair is short and curly, and he wears purple glasses. He’s trans and always asks people their pronouns when he first meets them. He was raised in a Jewish-Christian household, but he’s personally Jewish.

Jehan: they have long orange hair that ends at their waist (often in a braid). Jehan has bright green eyes and freakles on their cheeks. They have a horrible sense of fashion, but they don’t care. They’re non-binary. They’re a very talented writer, violinist and photographer.

Feuilly: Feuilly is a tall Irish boy with short, curly orange hair. He is covered in freakles. He speaks with a thick brogue, and is fluent in Gaelic. He’s an atheist. He grew up in the foster care system, but was never adopted. He doesn’t know much about his birth parents, except for that his mother was from Poland.

Bahorel: he has tan skin and long, chestnut brown hair, which is usually in a bun. He’s a muscular with a few tattoos on his arms. His stomach is cover in stretch marks. He doesn’t shave. He’s street smart and knows his way around the city almost as well as Grantaire does. He can’t sing or dance, but that doesn’t stop him from having fun. He’s a very strong feminist (but then again they all are) and is best friends with Cosette and Eponine.

Joly: Joly is fluent in more languages than any of the Amis. His first languages included French, English and Korean. His moms are Japanese and Korean immigrants, and he is very proud of his heritage. He is Agender. He uses a crutch to help him walk. He is still a hypochondriac, and is trained in first aid. He has seven sisters. He was raised and still is Pagan.

Bousette: Bousette is a tall, lanky sweetheart. He has black skin and a bald head. While he is clumsy, that doesn’t stop him from offering to help everyone with everything. He’s a gymnast, much to everyone’s surprise. He likes to wear makeup and paint his nails. He has his ears, tongue and nose Pericles.

Musichetta: her hair is unbelievably long and curly. Her first language was Haitian Creole. She has tattoos on her arms and a gap in between her front teeth, which she is in no rush to fix. She has a tattoo of a pair of angel wings on the back of her shoulder blades for her younger sister who passed away when Chetta was 15. She’s Wiccan and converted when she was 17. She’s buff and can lift the most weight than any of the Amis. She plays soccer and does archery.

Eponine: Eponine’s is a young, beautiful and ambitious woman. Her first languages were Spanish and Italian. She is very protective of her siblings. She and Grantaire got their septum’s pierced together when they turned 18. She likes to dye her hair and has a new hairstyle almost every month. She does parkour. She and Grantaire are both Grafitti artists. She is tough, but fell head-over-heels for Cosette.

Cosette: Cosette is a sweet looking girl with king blonde hair and blue eyes. She loves wearing flowy skirts and painting her nails. Don’t let this device you; she is the worst Amis to mess with. She is incredibly protective and is trained in hand-to-hand combat. She taught herself how to throw knives for fun. Everyone is lowkey scared of her, but they love her beyond words. She always offers her friends her food and drinks when they look hungry. She was raised by her dads Javert and Valjean.

Marius: Marius is a lanky boy with brick red hair. He is incredibly sweet and always there if anyone needs to talk. He’s aro/ace and loves cuddling his friends. He is an amazing artist and singer. He is best friends with Cosette, Eponine, Courfeyrac and Grantaire. He was raised Christian but converted to Judaism when he was 18. Musichetta likes dying his hair. He’s a bit clumsy and vulnerable, but he’s very strong when he needs to be.

Javert: he is a short, handsome Romani man. He has long brown hair that is often tied back or in a braid (courtesy of Valjean or Cosette). He is transgender. While he is a police officer, he has threatened to resign several times if the corruption in the system is not fixed and always calls out fellow officers for their harshness. He is stern and serious. Unlike his own personality, he has a goofy service dog named Jax that follows him everywhere. He may seem cold but is incredibly affectionate to those he loves. He is an advocate for mental health.

Valjean: Jean is a tall, muscular and caring man. He has silver shirt hair and some stubble which he occasionally grows out. He is a devote Christian, but is not conservative at all. He supports anyone in anything they do. He has a tattoo on his back with three intertwined hearts for his family (Javert, Cosette and himself). He loves to talk to anyone about anything and always listens to what other have to say.

Notes: literally all of them are gay. I’m not changing that. It’s Les Mis.

[stagedoorhighrp]

Grantaire is a self-proclaimed fuck-up. The way he sees it, if he can get others to set low standards for him right off the bat, then it’s easy to exceed their expectations. And, really, that’s his best bet, especially in a school setting. He just can’t seem to thrive in that sort of environment, and he never has. He was actually held back in fifth grade and just barely managed to pass the second time around. Maybe he was too hyper. Or maybe he got bored too easily. Oftentimes, he would find himself getting distracted and fixating on something out the window or doodling in his notebook instead of paying attention. He still does, probably too often. School just feels like a waste of his time, usually.

Don’t let that fool you, though. In areas that aren’t so academic, Grantaire is wildly impressive. A masterful artist, dancer, gymnast, and boxer, among other things, he’s always finding new outlets to express himself and get his emotions out in a healthy way. He has to. His parents are fairly closed-off people who don’t pay him much attention and aren’t big on conversation. They stick to small talk and sarcasm, and while that has given him a quick wit and strong sense of humor, it hasn’t taught him how to open up to people. And, it’s led to a lot of time spent away from home. Usually, he finds a friend’s place to crash in, but he has, on a few nights, snuck into the school auditorium and spent the night in a makeshift bed hidden amongst the rows of seats. Sneaking out is a skill, and it’s one that he’s become rather good at. That doesn’t just mean sneaking out of the house. He can vanish from just about anywhere, unnoticed, in an instant. Oftentimes, he’ll leave a particularly uninteresting class and go to the art room to paint, or up to the track to smoke where there are no security cameras. He once made the mistake of getting drunk during school hours, and that turned into a mess that he’d rather not deal with again. He’s never had an issue with pot, though. Honestly, he’s pretty sure nobody cares. The teachers who've caught on have, on several occasions, tried to warn his parents that he may have a problem. But, they really don’t care. He’s not worried, either. It’s not like he’s an alcoholic or a drug addict or anything. He just finds life more tolerable when he isn’t sober. That’s all.

This year is...probably going to be like any other. He’ll go to class and sit in the back and make jokes or doodle in his notebook or sneak away, and then he’ll stay after school for Art Club and feel really important, then stay after the next day for Les Amis and feel really unimportant. He’ll go along with all of their ridiculous schemes and say “I told you so” when they don’t work, but he won’t ever leave the group and he’ll roll his eyes and laugh if anyone suggests that he should. He loves it there. He loves the people, he loves the atmosphere, he loves Enjolras, and that’s more than enough to keep him showing up every Wednesday, week after week. On his time off, he’ll apply to a bunch of art schools and hope to get accepted into one, and if he does, he’ll have to convince his parents to let him go. So, it’ll be a lot of the same old story, but with any luck, he’ll get the chance to start a new one, too.

But until then, he’s just taking life one day at a time. That’s all a person can do, isn’t it?

Alexandre Enjolras: What is there that can be said about Grantaire’s feelings for Enjolras? He’s basically been head-over-heels for him since eighth grade. While he may not believe in any of his ideas, he does believe in Enjolras. Wholeheartedly. He would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked. Only problem is, he’s really terrible at expressing it. Any time they see each other, he starts an argument or pokes fun at him or tries to get him flustered and throw him off his game. Joking around is easy. Showing affection, especially to someone who he puts on such a pedestal, is not. At least, not for Grantaire. And because of that, he’s 99% certain that Enj hates his guts. 

Eponine Thenardier: For lack of a better description, Eponine is R’s best friend. Her home life makes his seem like a dream by comparison, and she and her little brother spend a lot of time at his place. There’s a secret bag of their things hidden under his bed, so when they need to come over in a hurry or they want to meet up somewhere, they can. And, of course, it helps that their personalities mesh so well together. She’s the only person he has ever really opened up to, and she’s opened up to him, in turn. They know everything about each other. Maybe because of that, they can stay up all night talking about pretty much anything, and they finish each other’s sentences so often that they don’t even realize they’re doing it. It’s fascinating to watch them interact. They once had an entire discussion made up of nothing but facial expressions. 

Connor Murphy: Connor is...kind of terrifying. He’s a talented artist, even if his work is usually a little disconcerting. But, ever since second grade, when he flipped out and threw a printer at the teacher, Grantaire has tried his best to avoid him. And based on the outbursts he’s witnessed over the years, he figures that’s a wise choice. Several people have commented that he and Connor are a lot alike. God, he hopes those people are wrong.