The Barricade Girl (A Les Miserables FanFiction)

Chapter Twenty-Four

The rest of the boys leap out of the way to get out of Marius' path. Courfeyrac wraps a protective arm around Gavroche, holding him back from the drama. Gavroche stands with eyes and mouth wide open as he takes in the scene – watching one grown man grapple with another. Grantaire sticks an arm out in between Marius and Enjolras to form a barrier, his beer bottle staying firmly connected to his hand. Marius' hands grip themselves to Enjolras' shoulders, and I run after Marius, trying to pull him off of Enjolras. Shouts and noises come from the boys as they urge the two of them to break apart.

"You just couldn't stop yourself, could you?!" Marius yells, the anger in his voice causing his face to turn red with boiling rage.

"Well, good morning, Marius!" Enjolras jokes, which is very out of character for him. Obviously last night has had an impact on his mood as well as mine. "What are you talking about?"

"She told me what happened!" Marius' voice echoes in the room. Enjolras looks past Marius to look at me, his eyes looking as if they're asking if it's true. I give a small nod, and mouth a 'Sorry' to him.

"It's not what you think, Marius!" Enjolras answers calmly. "Just sit down, and we can talk about this!"

"What is there to talk about?! Just get off my sister and there'll be nothing to talk about!!!" Marius responds, giving Enjolras a slight shove.

"He isn't on me!" I exclaim to Marius.

"Boys...I think we should go downstairs...I think they need a few minutes", Courfeyrac nods towards the stairs, and one by one the rest of the guys file down the stairs. Courfeyrac and Gavroche go last, and as he goes by, Courfeyrac gives my hand a supportive squeeze – he knows exactly what's going on.

"Thank you", I whisper softly to him. He bows his head slightly in acknowledgement of this, and then takes Gavroche downstairs.

"Marius...you said you wouldn't say anything..." I look right at him, hoping he'll see how disappointed I am.

"That was before I found out he kissed you last night!" Marius shouts.

"...It wasn't just last night..." Enjolras confesses.

"Enjolras!" I gasp in disbelief as I turn around open mouthed to look at him.

"What?" He looks back at me. "If he knows now, we might as well just get it all over and done with and telling him everything". He turns back to look at Marius. "I've kissed her five times".

"FIVE TIMES?!" Marius yells in exasperation.

"You counted?" I smile at Enjolras, taken by surprise with this sweet gesture.

"No...I'm only guessing..." He tries to shrug it off to me, and then turns back to Marius. "I kissed her once at the rally, twice in the alley after the rally – that rhymed! – and twice last night".

"You were in an alley with him?!" Marius turns to me.

"We were hiding..." I try to explain.

"From who?!"

"From you...and Grandfather...and you know, to give you a moment with Eponine –"

"Why would I need a moment alone with Eponine?" Marius asks.

"That doesn't matter right now", I blurt out, not wanting to drop Eponine in it with Marius. I'm not sure she'd appreciate me telling Marius how she feels. "But...you know...it happened...so...yeah..."

"Look, Marius...what is the big deal?" Enjolras tries to reason with him.

"YOU KISSED MY SISTER!" He screams. "I've never kissed your sister!"

"I don't have a sister", Enjolras replies.

"Well...if you did...I wouldn't kiss her! But you kissed mine!"

"And I'll kiss her again!" Enjolras raises his voice in a matter of fact way. "I mean...if that's alright with you?" He says gently, turning to me, trying to keep up his bravado at the same time as being sweet to me.

"Sure", I answer quickly.

"You're my best friend! Best friends aren't supposed to do that!" Marius exclaims.

"Oh really?" Enjolras playfully raises an eyebrow and then proclaims "Watch me!" as he scoops me into his arms, leans me back, and places a passionate kiss on my lips. "Good morning..." He smiles at me afterwards.

"Good morning..." I reply, trying to mask the fact that his kiss had taken my breath away.

"GET OFF MY SISTER!!!!!" Marius screams, his face redder than I've ever seen it.

"Marius –" I try to calm him.

"She is not just any other girl! She is not one of your play things! She is not yours to have a fling with and then forget about her! She is my sister, and she deserves a loving relationship! She deserves the best, because she is unlike any other woman in this town!"

"I know..." Enjolras answers sincerely, cutting Marius off.

"Marius...you're my best friend...and so I'm going to be straight with you, and I know you'll understand how I feel because that's exactly how you feel about...uh...blonde girl –"

"She's called Cosette!" Marius enunciates.

"Look...the point is...I'm not going to mess her around. I'm completely committed to making your sister happy! I want to protect her. I want to love her...I'm in love with her. I've been in love with her ever since she first walked through the doors of the Café Musain. On that day, in that moment, this place changed forever...and I changed forever. I would do anything for her...because my world changed when she walked into it...I love her, Marius".

"Do you love her enough to give up the fight?" Marius asks seriously, with no emotion.

"What fight?" Enjolras answers, confused at this reaction to his proclamation of love – this was not the reaction he expected.

"Do you love Juliette enough to give up the revolution for her?" Marius repeats. "Because the revolution is what stands between you and the promise of a long and happy life with my sister..."