Miserable Rouge! - A Les Mis AU

The Glittering Emerald

The Moulin Rouge was bigger inside than outside. Crazy lights reflected from one side of the room to the other, and the music was so loud that Enjolras had to cover his ears.

The curtain of the stage opened, revealing a handsome young man in a top hat--in this setting he looked a bit like a circus ring leader--surrounded with dancers.

"Welcome everyone, to the Moulin Rouge! I am your host for this evening, Montparnasse!" The man shouted over the music with a bow. "Outside, it may be raining, I can never tell from here because I have no life outside of this place other than my spouse at home, who is the absolute love of my life, but that's not the point. But inside, it's entertaining, which of course I know for a fact! It is time for the line dance portion of our show--the can-can!" He flipped a sign reading which line dance would be beginning, and the patrons got in formation.

Enjolras was beginning to get used to the loud noise, and pulled his hands away from his ears. The dancers were all over the place, joining patrons and pulling them up to join them dancing.

Courfeyrac grabbed his arm. "We have evaded Montparnasse. You are in the clear."

"And now, our star, the Glittering Emerald, the admirable, the indomitable--Grantaire!" Montparnasse shouted. A trapdoor opened in the ceiling, and a trapeze lowered with a dark shadowy figure riding it like a swing as the audience applauded excitedly. Enjolras clapped politely with a look of confusion, attracting the attention of one of his fellow viewers.

"Do you not know what you're about to watch?" The person said incredulously.

Enjolras shook his head. "I only just moved in here."

"Well, you're in for a treat," his fellow replied as silence ensued.

The person on the trapeze began to sing, "Diamonds are forever, they are all I need to please me, they won't leave in the night, no fear that they might desert me..." The heat picked up as the spotlights moved to reveal the mysterious singer. He was an incredibly good-looking man, with dark curly hair and light blue eyes. He smiled as he began his gymnastics routine, flipping around on the beam, then lowering himself to a table.

"Men grow food cold as we grow old, and we all lose our charms in the end," he continued, sauntering seductively across the table, moving on to the next one, "But square-cut or pear-shaped, these rocks won't lose their shape, diamonds are a lover's best friend!"

Enjolras was completely taken by surprise when Grantaire came to his table, which was almost full. The beautiful, to the extent where it didn't seem real. He squatted down, facing the person sitting across from Enjolras and cupped the surprised woman's face in his hands, tipping it up to face him. Enjolras was as surprised as the woman when Grantaire leaned down pressed a kiss on her mouth, moving in such a fashion that got her out of her chair.

He stepped off the table on the chair, saying nonchalantly, "Thank you, Madame!" The backup singers began the next song in the medley as Grantaire mingled among the club-goers.

"Acting up, drinking my cup, I couldn't care less what you think," he called out, stealing someone's drink and taking a generous gulp then setting it back in front of the man with a little wink. "I don't need no permission, did I mention? Don't pay him any attention, because you had your turn, now you're gonna learn, what it really feels like to miss me!"

Grantaire made his way back to the stage, joining the other dancers in a strange routine involving quite a lot of hip action and waving one hand in the air.

The other dancers soon moved forward so Grantaire and Montparnasse could quickly change costumes. "So which one is Thenardier, le Duke du Thenard?" Grantaire asked.