Enjolras Will Rally the People (rallythepeople) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2019-10-26 21:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | !completed gdoc, ~2019 october, ~25 points, ~~enjolras (rallythepeople), ~~grantaire (unhookingstars) |
Who: Grantaire and Enjolras
What: Moving day!
When: Saturday
Where: Their new home
Warnings: Excessive fluff
Status: Completed gdoc
On the plus side, with a little help from their friends, their few belongings were all in the new house. On the minus side, they had purchased a rather large home with the intention of growing into it. Currently, there wasn't much to grow into and they had spent a great deal of their savings on the house itself.
Still, Enjolras was proud. Even if the two of them arguing about how to put together their new bed frame might not be the best start to a new home together. Or maybe it was best this way. It was kind of fun, even if they couldn't agree what IKEA meant by part A and slot G.
"I was never a builder," he admitted, though his boyfriend was probably pretty sure of that by now. Especially after he had stripped two screws and almost pierced his hand twice. "It just wasn't something I ever had to learn." Still, he grinned with pride when he got one of the legs on just right. Finally.
***
He stopped tightening the small screw which was supposedly enough to hold together the leg he’d just assembled, and gave the man a look. “No one has ever accused you of being a builder, Apollo.”
And yet with only two arguments, three missteps, and a bit of cursing, they’d managed to get it finished. “It looks a bit funny without the mattress and the nice bed linen it had in the store.” But they’d get there.
For now, they just had their couch, a side table, and this bed. That was almost it as far as furniture was concerned. Still, they’d both made do with far less in the past, so this was nothing they couldn’t manage. Besides, they’d just built a bed in their house. The thought alone was enough to leave him reeling. How had this become his life?
***
He grinned, the expression a bit sheepish. "I build a damn fine barricade, thank you." He sat back, his weight on his hands. It was one of the first times he'd been able to joke about the events that led to their deaths and he was still feeling it out. The nightmares were coming less often and he knew a lot of that was falling asleep curled up with the brunet by his side.
"When is the mattress supposed to get here? I don't know how long the two of us on a sofa will be comfortable. I might have to make you sleep on the floor." The words were teasing, of course. Hell, he'd sleep on the floor for days if he had Grantaire beside him. It was their floor. In their house. That they had purchased together. It was surreal but also the most overwhelmingly happy feeling.
***
He liked the picture Enjolras made in that moment, relaxed and casual, even if he did look a bit tired. In that, he felt the same. "And ruined a perfectly good piano in the process, I might add," he pointed out with an amused look. He thought it important that the blond seemed prepared to speak lightly of it.
"They said three days at the outside. That is not so bad. I can sleep on the floor for a few nights." They had their pillows and blankets. They could make do.
Pulling himself to his feet, he held out a hand for his partner to take. "Come on. We have earned some time sitting on that sofa, I think."
***
"It was old and out of tune anyway," he scoffed, though he had never actually seen the instrument before that day. He also didn't have a lot of experience tuning pianos. Some, yes, but of course his great love was still his violin. Which was now tucked safely in the "guest" bedroom. Having a third room had made more sense in the long run, but at the moment it just held various odds and ends until all of their furniture was placed.
He took the hand in his, lacing their fingers together before giving himself a push to his feet. He groaned and sighed. "We have to do this for every new piece of furniture, don't we?" At least it would be a slow process. And yes, maybe there was a hint of whining in his voice. But he obediently followed his boyfriend into the other room, dropping on to the couch and holding out his arms for the artist to join him.
***
"That piano probably had years left in it." Of course when he'd sat and ghosted his fingers over the keys it had been in ruins. Which was a shame, but he wasn't going to get further into that. He didn't want to upset his boyfriend with talk that could be misconstrued as serious.
Before he joined Enjolras he stopped by the kitchen. He wanted a drink, water this time not wine, and got two bottles from the fridge.
At his boyfriend's wordless invitation he joined him on the couch, leaning into him so their sides were pressed together, his head coming to rest on his shoulder. He offered him one of the waters. "It doesn't all have to be furniture we have to build. The other stuff will just be more expensive."
***
His nose wrinkled at the thought of spending more money. When he had turned his back on his family's riches, he hadn't had a house to fill. But then, he hasn't had a gorgeous man in his arms. It hadn't even been something he could have considered. Which might have explained a lot about his history.
Uncapping his bottle, he downed half the water in a single chug. It had been a long day. "Do we have money to order a pizza? Because I don't know about you but the idea of making anything right now sounds exhausting." It really did. He was already tired but it was way too early to go to bed. Or go to floor.
"Did we do the right thing? Buying already? We could have just gotten another apartment together. Or I could have moved in with you full time, maybe." Even if his words didn't express his doubts, his tone of voice would.
But not once did his doubts include a life without Grantaire.
***
"I am fairly certain we can go to the extreme of ordering a single pizza." He was only teasing a little, because money would be a bit tight for a while. They would hardly be destitute, but there couldn't be any frivolous purchases. He was just glad he'd previously stocked up on a few art supplies.
He wondered if Enjolras would consider wine or whisky frivolous. Probably.
He pulled his phone from his pocket to make the order as they spoke. "If we had not done it now, we might have missed the chance to get this place. And at such a good price, too. We can make it work, Enj. The apartments were too small for sharing full time." They needed their own space as well. This house afforded them that.
***
The two bedroom apartments were a thing they could have done. Rather than buying an entire house. But he couldn't deny, he loved the house. And sure, it had stretched their budgets nearly as far as they would go. But they had seen several houses and this was still the best deal, especially for the size.
"When it gets warm again, we'll get a grill. Have a proper time of it outside and all." Maybe he would be better at grilling than at cooking. He'd always done well at cookouts during hunts.
Nestling into his boyfriend, he looked at the order he was placing. "What are you gonna get on it?" He wasn't overly picky on most foods and honestly whatever Grantaire wanted would be fine with him.
***
“That’s a good idea. We have plenty of space for it.” In fact, he was a big fan of their new outdoor space generally. He had lots of ideas for things he wanted to do. Far, far down the track when they could afford it again.
He turned his phone so Enjolras could see the screen better. “I have not decided yet. I was seeing what they have. How do you feel about chilli on a pizza?” He knew his partner enjoyed spicy food generally, but he wasn’t sure how it would be on a pizza. He thought it could work, though.
He scrolled down the list of options they had available. “Something with meat, or vegetables? Or both?” He turned his head to consider the man for a moment, their faces close. “You sounded properly American there for a moment, you know. ‘What are you gonna get on it’,” he mimicked with a smile, before kissing his cheek somewhat impulsively.
***
Enjolras laughed but caught that smiling face with his hand before he could pull away, kissing him tenderly. "I am properly American now, after all. I blame working with the kids." English had always been the strongest of his other languages. It had been difficult to learn but didn't quite require the sounds that German did. And Latin was beautiful but so unnecessary.
"Perhaps one meat and one vegetable. A balanced meal. Someone I love a lot told me that's important." He nuzzled into the brunet's neck adoringly, his words murmured there. "And I like the crushed peppers on pizza, so why not chili?"
***
He happened to love those tender little kisses a whole lot. “I like that. And that you like working with them so much.” The Enjolras he had once known, so severe in his passions, he could never have imagined working with children. But this one? So gentle and prone to sweet gestures? It was easy to picture.
“And then we will have leftover pizza for lunch tomorrow. How clever of you.” He scrolled back up a bit. “Okay. A vegetable one with chilli, and then this one with sausage because it sounds pretty fantastic.” A few more clicks and the order was done, the phone set aside. “I like this room a lot. It has a nice feel about it.”
***
"I meant on the same pizza, you're ridiculous." But he wasn't going to complain about extra pizza. Extra pizza meant he didn't have to pretend he could cook even more. That was definitely going to be a thing in this house. Unless Grantaire fell head over heels for bagel bites.
"When we have a few more places to sit we can invite people over. Have a small party, maybe. Or a big one, I don't know. Volunteer to hold Food Club one month or something." The idea of being able to have their friends and loved ones over was half the appeal of owning a home to him. Small apartments made entertaining much more difficult. "And I may take some extra shifts so we can decorate for Christmas." This year might not be much, but by the next Christmas, he certainly hoped to have a properly decorated home. Some of the ones he had seen so far were amazing.
***
“Yes, that is true. But you already knew that about me,” he reminded him cheerfully. He shifted so he was sitting sideways on the couch, pulling his feet up onto the cushion and leaning further into Enjolras. He could happily stay like this all day. Or, at least until the pizza got here. They’d done well today, even if they didn’t have a bed to sleep in yet, technically. It had proven to be a good spot for Cami to hide, for now. She was still a bit uncertain about the new space.
“Allison seems to want to try it in new places each month, and it needs to be big enough for a lot of people.” Their outdoor space fit that description. “And I would like to have all of our friends around for a housewarming.” Which was also an excuse for a party, and he never took exception to the idea of a good party.
“I was thinking the same thing,” he admitted with a laugh, taking one of Enjolras’ hands in his and curling their fingers together. “I cannot wait to decorate for Christmas.”
***
Enjolras shifted sideways so Grantaire was leaning against his chest. He brushed his fingers through that unruly dark hair. Sometimes, or even most of the time, he couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that this was his life. He had changed a lot since Paris. He couldn't help wondering how much of that was just natural changes and how much came from a second chance at being alive.
"A housewarming? Those exist on more than just TV?" But it did sound nice. It would definitely have to wait a month or two though. "Maybe around Christmas. We should be able to get a few more chairs and things by then." Especially since they'd gotten very good at bargain hunting. He was even on a mailing list with coupons and everything!
He gently lifted their joined hands, kissing Grantaire's knuckles gently. "Do you know how much I love you?"
***
He settled against that strong chest with a contented feeling he struggled to find in situations that didn't involve this man. "You're so silly. Of course they do." He had never really thought he would have occasion to have one but here they were.
"We can wait and see how we are doing. Christmas can be expensive." Especially if you had plans to buy your partner all the presents and make him a nice dinner, maybe. He couldn't say that though, he knew he would only hear objections.
"Well…" He drew the word out, pretending to consider the question as he smiled at the kiss to his fingers. "You do tell me a lot. I suppose I must." He turned his head just long enough to kiss his jaw. "I like hearing it so much. Before you ask." Because he knew Enjolras. That would be the first thing he'd take from that.
***
"It doesn't have to be very expensive," Enjolras protested, but already he knew he was lying. Of course he wanted to spoil Grantaire. And he'd want to give at least somewhat nice things to Elena and Shosanna. And Cosette would need a gift as well. And tiny things for his favorites at the group home.
"Okay, maybe we'll wait until after the new year," he said with a laugh, bending his head to nuzzle into his boyfriend's neck.
Mmm, and then there was that kiss to his jaw. He knew he didn't experience the same sorts of urges as others, but moments like that did cause the slightest stir deep in his stomach. The sort that he knew if he let it grow on it's own, might actually lead to something. For now, though, he was content to keep playing with his boyfriend's hair, laughing softly. "I didn't intend to tell you any less so I'm glad to hear it."
***
He hadn’t immediately responded when Enjolras said it didn’t need to be expensive, and was glad of it when he amended his words. “I just think it would be nice. To have a celebration with our friends, of some kind.” That would involve gifts, and food, and drink. Not to mention decorations.
He reached a hand back to cup the blond’s cheek when he nuzzled into him. The smile was about cemented onto his face at this point.
“I hope you do not mind hearing it from time to time, either. Because I love you. Very much. Though I am not sure that is enough. There should be better words for it. I love you is not enough.”
***
"I'm afraid we don't have Jehan here to wax poetically with words that might take the place of love." But he also didn't want to replace love. He was head over heels. Something he truly hadn't thought possible. It was kind of amazing.
He turned his face to drop a kiss into the artist's palm. Honestly, he was so glad he had demanded they have an entire space where Grantaire could paint. Maybe he didn't need a studio, but Enjolras still wanted him to have one.
"I think I love you works just fine." He had no qualms against the phrase.
***
"Few could manage to convey something as beautifully as him. Or as passionately as you, I might add." It was something he had always admired in Enjolras. Something he had been so captivated by.
Following that little kiss he lowered his arm again to take his boyfriend's hand again, so his arm was wrapped around him.
"It may be fine. But you deserve better than fine. You deserve every possible word to convey how very much you mean to me."
***
"Taire, my love, I don't need words. I just need you." He knew his boyfriend would call him cheesy, and maybe he was. He hadn't ever known he was allowed to be so open and loving. This felt new, but also wonderful. It was such a far cry from the cold, almost always angry man he had been before his death.
He loved having the weight of the brunet against him. Snuggled in tight, his arms wrapped around him. "The only thing I'm passionate about right now is you," he teased gently. And adoringly. It was hard not to adore the man in his arms. "I'm so glad we did this. Made a home together."
***
The words, cheesy though they were, left him feeling warm inside in a way a glass of wine never could. Which...well, there was an interesting thought. “You are only permitted to say such sappy things from time to time,” he said with a hint of teasing to the words. “Only sometimes, mind you. I will not allow it often.”
There was that warm feeling again. “Mon Dieu, stop. You are passionate about plenty, and we both know it.” The man could not go without his zeal for change. It made him who he was.
That didn’t mean he didn’t quite adore the thought of being someone’s passion. It was new and a little overwhelming but still wonderful. “So am I, Enj.”
***