#i just really love them your honor
*whispers* grantaire thought enjolras hated him until his death
*talks normally* enjolras thought grantaire was passionless cynic and wasn’t worth his efforts
*talks louder* enjolras didn’t trust him with any simple task
*uses outdoor voice* grantaire was unconscious half the battle and never saw his friends die
*screams* THEY WERE SHOT HAND-IN-HAND BUT GRANTAIRE DIED AT ENJOLRAS’ FEET
But…
Enjolrasdid trust him.
Grantaire said, “What about me?” and yes, Enjolras doubted him and questioned him but in the end, he consented to try him.
And yeah, Grantaire failed because he’s Grantaire. He’s a cynic. He’s a fuckup. Enjolras was probably an idiot for trusting him in the first place.
But he let Grantaire stay. He didn’t send him away from Les Amis, he didn’t send him home from the barricade. Grantaire was drunk and ranting and the very last thing anyone needed in that moment and Enjolras let him stay.
And in the end, when it was too late, when everything was already lost and there was no hope left, when Grantaire stood in front of him and offered nothing but his hand and a quiet plea for permission, Enjolras took his hand.
And pressed it.
And smiled at him.
Maybe Grantaire thought Enjolras hated him. “I won’t go to his funeral,” Grantaire grumbled, because he was a dramatic little bitchboy (affectionate). But he showed up anyway. He went to the barricade anyway. Enjolras told him he was incapable of dying. And still he stayed.
Sometimes love is grand declarations. But more often than not, it’s not.
Does it matter, that they didn’t know until the end? Or does it matter more that Enjolras let Grantaire stay, and that Grantaire showed up anyway?
Because I think so.
Grantaire showed up. Enjolras let him.
And to me, that’s the kind of love that matters.
