【ER】Golden Rule

"Use my tissue, will you?" was all Enjolras said.

No "I'm so happy for you", no "You look so bad", no "Why are you crying".Enjolras just unzipped his briefcase in a little panic, lowered his head and rummaged through tissues.Grantaire watched him move, half of him felt that Enjolras didn't understand what he just said, what kind of stone, what kind of Tantalus—maybe Enjolras hadn't read fairy tales— But the other half of him felt that even if Enjolras didn't understand his metaphors, he understood everything.Looking at the actions of the blond man, he suddenly felt very relieved, and couldn't help but smile like this.

"It's strange how you laugh and cry," said Gavroche, standing beside them, kicking small stones that did not exist on the ground.He didn't ask Grantaire why he was crying either.

The guard standing at the door of the waiting room watched them quietly, perhaps observing or distracted.Did he recognize them?Grantaire doesn't know, but doesn't care anymore.Enjolras took out a tissue, held it up and pressed it to the corner of Grantaire's eyes, wiping his tears.He just rubs it once before stopping, staring at his hands and Grantaire at him—they're all startled.Enjolras looks intimidated by his own movement, and Grantaire is intimidated by how unthinkingly he does it.

"I thought you meant 'use my tissues' instead of 'use my hands'." Grantaire said hesitantly, not knowing why he said it.

"I, uh," Enjolras said, "I'm sorry."

He took his hand away, took another tissue and handed it to Grantaire.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said, taking a half step back.

"Don't apologize," Grantaire said, "You didn't make me uncomfortable."

He stared at Enjolras' half-step back with some regret, but at the same time he breathed a sigh of relief.He raised his hand and wiped his messy face with a tissue himself.Enjolras' actions just now were much gentler than his own.He wiped off the water marks on his face, crumpled up the tissue, and then thought about the feeling of Enjolras' fingers pressing his face through the tissue just now.It was the same way Enjolras had pressed his fingers to his face that night before they kissed.Thinking about it now is like recalling a dream.From their reunion until now, Enjolras has not mentioned a word about what happened more than a month ago.Of course, Grantaire didn't mention it himself.There is no "long time no see", no "sorry", no "I still think you are good, shall we try again" or "you are so annoying, please leave quickly".Maybe they tacitly hit the delete button for that night?Maybe Enjolras just didn't care at all?He thought, stuffing the ball of paper into his pocket.At this time, Enjolras suddenly opened half of his arms, as if wanting to give him a comforting hug - but in the end he just squeezed his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Enjolras asked cautiously.

Grantaire blinked at him.Clumsy Enjolras.Sweet Enjolras.He held the small ball of paper in his pocket and gave a short laugh.

"I'm fine," he said with a shrug.

They walked out of the house together.The guard looked away, probably losing interest.Grantaire couldn't help but wonder how many people like this, how many things like this are happening in this place every day.

After they left the prison, they went straight to the nearest gas station restaurant.Enjolras and Gavroche had lunch, and Grantaire had his first meal in more than ten hours before they returned to the road.For some reason, there were several times more cars going back to the city than when they came here. Grantaire spared a long way for this. By the time the sky gradually darkened, he had already started yawning profusely.Enjolras was refreshed by the previous nap, and he glanced in Grantaire's direction every five minutes, as if to make sure that he would not lead them into the forest by the roadside because he fell asleep.

"Play a song, Gavroche," Grantaire said finally. "That blaring music you picked when we came—what station was that? I need some serious sound for my brain."

The kid behind him grunted and grabbed the back of his seat to get closer to him.

"There's no music stations at all," he said. "Just a bunch of boring talk shows. Believe me, that just makes you sleepier."

"Are you sure?" Grantaire said, "I can receive at least dozens of frequency bands. Are you sure there isn't a single music station at this time?"

The little boy next to his ear let out a snorting snort.

"I'm sure," he said inscrutably. "Are you asking me why? I've listened to them all. All the usual channels, every time of day—I've listened to them."

Grantaire chuckled lightly.At this moment he thought the boy was bragging.

"Twenty-four time slots a day, dozens of channels each time?" He shrugged. "Jesus, boy, you want me to believe you have nothing else to do."

As soon as he said this, he regretted it.For Gavroche had evidently fallen silent.He looked in the rearview mirror and saw the kid let go of his grip on the back of the seat and fell back into the chair again.His little face was set tight and his jaw was raised—Grantaire recognized that expression from long ago, when they were in high school, when Grantaire asked Éponine why she didn't eat lunch, That's the look on her face.The expression of a child who is both inferior and proud, and trying hard to look like he doesn't care.

"We don't watch TV," said the Thenardier boy at last.

"Oh..." Grantaire said softly.Either Éponine doesn't want to pay for the TV channels, or Éponine doesn't have a TV at all.Either way, it was enough to make him feel terrible.He suddenly understood why Gavroche had been growing like a sofa cushion in front of the TV that day in his house.

Gavroche shrugged in the rearview mirror.

"Television is boring," he said condescendingly. "Only stupid kids watch TV. Why turn on the TV and see stupid faces on the screen when people listen to the radio and know everything?"

"Of course." Grantaire said softly.He squeezed the steering wheel tightly, feeling his knuckles turn white.

Enjolras glanced at him quietly from the passenger seat.

"Éponine has an evening shift tonight." He said suddenly, "Gavroche, do you want to go tonight, um—Grantaire—stay at home for a while?"

Grantaire froze.

"I..." Just as he was about to say something, he turned his head and used half of his eyes to see what Enjolras was thinking—however, he saw Enjolras blinking at him.

"I know I promised to keep an eye on you today." The blond man continued, "but I may have... to work tonight. I'm afraid I'll have to stay with my files and I won't be able to do anything with you." He Turning to Grantaire, his voice was calm and his expression was as usual—if Grantaire hadn't faced this man too many times in court, he would never have noticed that he was obviously acting on a whim and improvising, "Would you like to look after the man?" Him, Grantaire?"

Grantaire raised an eyebrow at Enjolras from an angle Gavroche couldn't see.

what are you doing?He spoke with his eyes, or he wished he had.

Enjolras was still looking at him—but he blinked twice.A look of slyness and encouragement fluttered between his eyelashes.

Oh—Grantaire raised both eyebrows.He understood what Enjolras meant.

That's right you, he said with his mouth.

"Of course." Grantaire said while looking at Enjolras distractedly, raising his voice, "It's not that I don't have other things to do at night. But in order to help Eponine, I can still use Estonia The meeting with the president was turned off."

Gavroche looked at them suspiciously.He sat up again in his chair, gripping Grantaire's seat back again.

"I don't need anyone to take care of me," he said. "I'm not a kid who doesn't know anything."

"But maybe you can take care of me?" Grantaire shrugged, and continued to make up under the affirmative gaze of Enjolras - Enjolras might have a way with children, who would have thought? “I was going to watch — you know — Game of Thrones tonight, the third episode of the season tonight. I hear it’s going to be bloody. I’m thinking about watching it, but maybe someone Accompanying me will make me braver?"

Gavroche wrinkled his nose.He looked at Grantaire with a measuring look. (His eyes visibly light up when Grantaire says the show's name, however)

"You sound so frustrating," the boy said. "It'll just be a bunch of stupid blue corpses running around, nothing to be afraid of."

Grantaire shrugged.

"I'm scared," he said. "The last time—when they sewed that wolf's head on a man—I was so scared that I couldn't sleep all night."

Gavroche whistled contemptuously.

"That's basically four seasons ago, man. You dare not watch it after that?"

"Honestly, never again," said Grantaire. "Help me, little Monsieur Thenardier. I really want to. Will you protect me tonight?"

He heard Enjolras chuckle beside him. (The sound almost made him laugh too, if he hadn't been scowling in feigned horror.)

Gavroche was silent for a moment.Grantaire can feel his hands digging at the leather chair by his ear.

"Okay—okay." He said after a while, "It's all your fault. You know I hate watching TV shows. It would be more fun if I went to the park to play with those accordion guys."

Grantaire smiled.His grip on the steering wheel relaxed a little.He could feel Enjolras turning his gaze back to his chair.If Gavroche had not been watching them from behind, he would have given Enjolras a high-five.

"Thank you so much," he said.

Gavroche did not recline in his chair.Grantaire could feel his brown eyes rolling between them.

"If I go with you," he said, "what about this fellow? Enjolras? Is he with us?"

Grantaire felt his smile stop.

This question sounds like a problem.

Why not?He almost said yes.But then he realized that it meant having Enjolras walk through his door again after more than a month... into the room where he used to be in Grantaire's pajamas, holding his coffee mug, sitting The house reading the newspaper behind the dining table.The house where they walked up the stairs hugging and kissing.The house where he stood on the porch and yelled to Enjolras, "I don't want any more of this"...

"I can go back by myself, if you don't mind." Enjolras broke the silence, "I was going to find a place to work, I should go back..."

"I..." Grantaire was about to say something when Gavroche suddenly kicked the back of his seat hard, interrupting him.

"Come on! He won't mind, will you?" he yelled.Through the rearview mirror, Grantaire saw the boy roll a huge white eye, "When you fell asleep in the car this morning, he almost burned a hole in your face with his eyes! Mr. Serious , you are such an elm head."

"Gavroche—" Grantaire yelled in horror.The last thing in the world he wants is to make Enjolras feel like a pathetic pervert who'll still stare at him even after he breaks up with him (if they've ever been together) - yet, confuses him The thing is, Enjolras looked even more shocked than he was.His ears were red, and then the red spread to his neck.However, his expression was not so much offended as surprised and pleasantly surprised.

"...Uh. Sorry, I shouldn't be sleeping in your car." The red-faced man coughed and said with some uncertainty, "I'm really...too tired."

Grantaire was taken aback.He was trying to understand what kind of person would apologize in return after knowing they were being watched. (Especially, uh, Grantaire thinking about why he couldn't help staring at him at the time: Enjolras' face as he slept against the car window was like a perfect 3D-modeled angel, while And so real, palpable, and unguarded, anyone lucky enough to see this scene will find it a boon rather than an apologetic rudeness.)

"Uh. Of course, it's nothing." All he could say was to devote a little energy to watching the road.Enjolras was visibly relieved that he didn't feel sick from his gaze, "You do look tired." Tired, fragile, very human, very lovable.he added in his mind.

Enjolras moved his body in the passenger seat.

"You look tired too... I was just about to say that," he said. "Are you sure you're going to drive all the way back like this? Don't need a break?"

Grantaire glanced over at him.

"Are you going to change the car with me?"

"Uh, no. I can't drive," Enjolras said.

Grantaire raised an eyebrow at the slowly darkening sky outside the car window.

"Of course. I've been curious for a long time." He couldn't help but say, relieved by the change of subject. "You take public transportation everywhere. What made you live in this country but didn't learn to drive? Does your social revolution also include energy saving and emission reduction?"

"No," Enjolras said defensively, "I've just been too busy—"

"Busy about promoting social change." Grantaire nodded.

"Busy at work—" Enjolras protested.

Grantaire was laughing before he could stop himself.He has to admit, there's a tinge of nervousness to his laugh, but that's probably because he's finally relaxed.Ever since he met Enjolras in the morning, he has been in a tense state.He couldn't figure out Enjolras's attitude towards him now - given what he said to Enjolras during the last quarrel, the other party should have every reason to hate him.As for Azma's claim that Enjolras had been talking about him—it was a little too dreamy for him to believe.Yet at this moment, to be able to sit peacefully with Enjolras and make up some nonsense with him to make a kid have a good evening, or to make fun of him like so long ago--that's a touch real feeling.At least Enjolras didn't hate him that much, Grantaire thought, and he could still sit here seriously and argue with himself.

"Grantaire..." Enjolras glared at him because of his unintelligible laughter.

"...Shhhhhhh," Grantaire said.He had had enough of laughing, and he straightened up and looked at the forest road in front of him-the orange and purple sunset covered the sky.It was almost six o'clock, he looked at the time on the dashboard, "Enjolras, look."

As soon as he finished speaking, the electronic numbers on the dashboard jumped to "18:00".The street lights on both sides of the road were all turned on at the same time, like a string of stars, lighting up the dark woods on both sides of the road.

Grantaire heard Enjolras make a small gasp beside him.

"Pretty, huh?" he said. "My favorite little trick. Every time I'm driving on the interstate at this hour, I say to myself 'Look, Grantaire,' and they light up Already. It's like I know a little magic."

Some lighting magic—he thought to himself.It's like my life is very dark, but I can still find a way to make some light.It sounds kind of pathetic, but since the brightest light source he's ever known is sitting next to him right now, and he's just unburdened himself a little from the years, he doesn't mind it at the moment.His light source was quietly staring at the road in front of the car, he didn't know if he was simply admiring the beautiful scenery or thinking about his words.They were peacefully silent with each other for a while, just watching the street lamps, the forest and the sunset fly by outside the window.

"So..." After a while, Enjolras suddenly said, "Did you really look at me all the time?"

Grantaire almost bumped into the barrier because of it.he tries to talk...

"Come on, there's kids in this car!" Gavroche—whom Grantaire had completely forgotten about—screamed behind them, "so should we go to Grantaire's house or not?" go?"

That's why Enjolras is still sitting behind his dining table working past nine o'clock at night, amidst the hacking sound coming from the television in Grantaire's living room—yes, of course, Enjolras Larry is really working.He took out his laptop from his briefcase, along with a stack of papers that had been sorted and stapled together, and spread them out on Grantaire's large dining table, holding a marker pen as he read and thought, watching the noisy Background sound is nothing.

Grantaire sat on the sofa with Gavroche.The boy was dangling his dangling legs excitedly because of the TV show, but Grantaire was absent-minded because of Enjolras in the restaurant.After the fifth nonchalant glance back at what was going on at the table, Gavroche seemed a little overwhelmed.

"Hey, Grantaire." He nudged Grantaire, his eyes still focused on the screen. "Do you have anything to drink at home? Beer, Coke, orange juice? Whatever. Go get it." I'll get you something to drink. I'm dying of thirst!"

"You still have at least ten years before you can drink legally, brat," Grantaire said, getting up from the couch with amnesty. "I'll get you a can of orange juice or something."

Gavroche didn't even bother to look back at him.

"Pick slowly," he said.

Grantaire swallowed.He didn't know how much the boy saw, or if he knew everything.Is it that the children of the Thenardier family have been tempered by life to have the talent of insight into people's hearts, or is it too obvious for him?

He paced into the dining room.Enjolras was looking at something at the computer behind the dining table. There was a stack of papers spread out beside him. The format looked like an indictment, with a lot of circles drawn and smeared on it with a marker.Grantaire deliberately walked past him, opened the refrigerator, and rummaged through it, his eyes fixed on the swirls of Enjolras' blond hair—and the indictment on his desk.

Courfeyrac said the prosecutor's office rejected their case.Then this must be a private prosecution, which is still in the revision stage and has not yet been sent to the threshold of the district court.Grantaire lowered his shoulders a little, wanting to see what stage Enjolras was in.Several pages of legal databases are open on his computer screen at the same time, and dozens of cases are placed on his desktop by related searches.Hey, Grantaire thought, he's seriously writing his freshman year of law school legal writing class...

"...Uh...!" He exclaimed, several beer cans stacked together, were swept out of the refrigerator by his hand, and smashed to the ground one by one.Come on, you shouldn't be staring at Enjolras.Grantaire squatted down in embarrassment, frantically cleaning up the mess on the ground.

"...Are you all right?" said Enjolras' voice.

Grantaire raised his head and saw that the other person turned to look at him, as if he was also startled by the sound of the bell palm.

"Uh... uh. It's okay," Grantaire said, trying to stand up steadily with about seven or eight beer cans in his arms. "It's okay."

Enjolras looked at him.

"There wasn't so much alcohol here before," he said.

"Ugh," Grantaire said.Yeah, he thought, before—during the fortnight you were here—there wasn't so much wine.It was one of those rare times when he was happy being sober.But then you were gone, and I needed wine again.

A soda can fell out of his arms and hit the ground again.

"Sorry." Grantaire sighed.

Enjolras watched him for a while.

"I'm not blaming you," he said.

"Of course." Grantaire said softly.He wobbled closer to the refrigerator with the remaining wine in his arms, trying to put them back safe and sound.For some reason, Enjolras' gaze was still glued to his back.

"Do you want to see it?" Enjolras said suddenly when Grantaire closed the refrigerator door.

Grantaire froze, then turned to look at him.

"what?"

Enjolras shook the stack of documents in his hand at him. "Private statement," he said. "You were not there on the day I went to the prosecutor's office, but I guess Courfeyrac told you—they are not going to prosecute, so I want to represent Gavroche in a private criminal prosecution. I am preparing to send Materials for going to court...perhaps you want to see it?"

Grantaire pursed his lips.He stared into Enjolras' blue eyes, trying to pick out a clue—what was he trying to do?Is this some kind of "see if Grantaire's rotten" conscience test?

"...Uh, no." He finally waved his hand.He did care about the case, he thought, especially after hearing all of Eponine's stories, meeting the round-faced junkie, and seeing how Azma's eyes lit up.But it's really hard to respond to other people's expectations—especially for him, after so many years... It's so hard. "No."

Enjolras breathed out softly.

"Because you 'don't want to get involved anymore'?" He said mildly, looking a little disappointed, but just put the file back on the table calmly, "It's okay, I understand."

Grantaire looked at his profile.

"Yeah." He said softly.

He looked away, took a box of orange juice for Gavroche from the cabinet above the refrigerator, then squatted down to pick up the can of beer that had just rolled on the floor, and pulled the tab.Enjolras no longer looked at him.His eyes turned back to stare at the screen again, one hand holding the mouse to manipulate the page, and the other hand twirling the marker pen in thought.Grantaire lifted his chin and took a sip of his beer, trying to pass behind him.However, the documents on Enjolras' desk still caught his attention.Just look at it, he said to himself.Take a look at how Enjolras is going to write his complaint, then walk back to lie on the sofa and forget about it all.He leaned forward a little, and saw clearly the charges Enjolras had written on the paper, and then...

"... oh. No, no—it's not okay," he said softly.

"What's wrong?" Enjolras whispered in his ear.

Grantaire almost jumped up in fright.

He turned his head and saw Enjolras resting one hand on his chin, looking at him expectantly.

"...uh," he said, licking his lips dryly. "It's not a big deal, I'm not—I didn't mean to look. I just happened to think, uh, I..."

He didn't finish talking.Because Enjolras laughed—not mocking or funny, but utterly frank relief and surprise.His blue eyes lit up, and his lips parted, even showing a bit of his teeth.It felt like a sun was lit in Grantaire's living room.He picked up the stack of papers and handed it to Grantaire.

"Take it," he said firmly.

Grantaire swallowed hard.Who can resist such Enjolras?Especially when he had this "I know I read you right" look on his face again.He put the beer can and orange juice on the table, reached out and took the papers, rubbing the edges with his fingers.

"I think some things can be changed." He said softly.

Enjolras looked at him.He doesn't look annoyed.

"Like what?"

Grantaire took a long, soft breath, then let it out.

"Look here." He said, pointing to a line in the private statement, "Why didn't you write intentional harm?"

Enjolras approached him, turning his head to look at the document in his hand.

"We don't have enough evidence," he said. "It's easy to refute. The defense lawyers just have to point out that our evidence is insufficient to remove a reasonable doubt..."

Grantaire gave a quick laugh.

"Stop, stop, Enjolras, wait a minute," he said, holding out a forefinger, "you're...you're thinking in defense terms. I'm going to give you a prosecution line: from the most felony possible start."

Enjolras looked at him suspiciously.

"What?" he said. "Why?"

"It's easy to be refuted." Grantaire said slowly, gradually relaxing because of Enjolras' trust.Realizing that he actually has more experience in one aspect of judicial work than Enjolras, he couldn't help but smile hesitantly, "Often the initial charge is to be able to compromise later. If you don't have [-]% Be sure to get a felony conviction, and bargain with the defense. You bring up a misdemeanor as an alternative, and they're likely to admit a portion of your evidence in order to get you to prosecute a misdemeanor..."

"You're talking about a plea bargain." Enjolras frowned at him.

Grantaire smirks at his expression.

"Yes," he said, "I'm sorry to expose you to the dishonorable part of judicial work, Apollo?"

Enjolras sighed.

"Go on," he said.

Grantaire shrugged.I have to admit that this kind of trick is also one of the things he hates most about his job, but since he picked up this draft of the confession, he still intends to give Enjolras some advice.

"Actually, it's not accurate to say plea bargaining," he said. "After all, your case is still in the filing stage, right? Even the judge will bargain with you on what charges are appropriate. When the judge thinks your charges are too serious, there are two ways." Choice: [-]. He recommends you to change to a misdemeanor. [-]. He gives you permission to borrow judicial investigation resources to collect more evidence. Either way is good for you, after all, there is no public opinion when you start your self-prosecution. Police support. Besides, if your charges are too light, there is no way back in the bargain.”

Enjolras thought for a moment, as if weighing whether to accept his suggestion or reiterate the criminal law.

"Okay." Finally he compromised (after all, Gavroche's justice is substantive justice at this moment, right?), and crossed out the original line with a marker, "Is there anything else?"

"I suggest that you file a lawsuit with a civil tort lawsuit at the same time..." Grantaire rubbed the corner of the paper and continued.Enjolras turned to him, holding a marker in his hand, and circled and corrected on the piece of paper.If Grantaire looked down a little, he could see his fluffy blond hair brushing gently around his wrist, and his pale eyelashes fluttering with his breath in the shadows of his eye sockets.How strange that is, he thought.After their long tit-for-tat, he was actually working with Enjolras.The fact that it feels so natural and light makes it all the more strange.He changed his posture slightly, put his elbows on the back of the seat next to Enjolras, slumped down, and lowered his upper body so that the documents and the other party's line of sight were more even.He stretched as he continued, however, he soon realized that Enjolras hadn't been silent for a while.

"Enjolras?" he said.

He waited three seconds and Enjolras did not respond.

"... Enjolras?" He asked again, turning his head to look at the other person.However, the blond man's face was wearing a strange bewildered expression at the moment: he was indeed staring straight at Grantaire, who was sprawled on the back of the chair, but his eyes were distracted - his mind was wandering.

Grantaire frowned in bewilderment—Enjolras?Mind wandering while discussing work?

"What are you looking at?" He couldn't help asking.

The man next to him was shocked as if he had just woken up from a dream.

"...what?" he said, eyes wide open, looking like he almost jumped out of his chair, "uh." He paused, "...sorry." He added, stuttering shockingly, a flower Red clouds drifted over his cheeks. "I didn't...cough. Sorry. I just lost my mind." He coughed again. "What did you say?"

Grantaire looked at him a little surprised.He raised one eyebrow.

"So tired?" he joked. "I thought you were looking at my ass."

Enjolras stared at him.

"Shut up," he said.

Grantaire's eyes widened.

"Are you really looking at my ass?" He was shocked and almost threw the paper in his hand on the ground.

"Now you should read the file." Enjolras sounded gnashing his teeth.His face looked even redder.

"Uh," Grantaire said, rubbing his nose, "Okay, okay." He tried to recover from the shock. *Enjolras* was interested in his *sex appeal* - Enjolras was *still* interested in his sex appeal.He opened his mouth, and now his mouth was even dry, and he even forgot what he was going to say. "I……"

He leaned down on the chair and approached Enjolras, trying to remember the next part of his sentence.Enjolras didn't dodge, which directly made Grantaire's efforts in vain - because he couldn't think of anything, except for the endless blue in front of his eyes...

"Grantaire!" Gavroche called from the living room, "can I have a drink?"

Grantaire snapped awake.

"Hmm. Uh... sorry." He straightened up quickly, "Here we come!" he called to the living room, and then turned to look at Enjolras.

"Sorry." He said again, put the file in his hand back on the desktop, and pointed in the direction of the living room, "I guess I have to... pass."

Enjolras looked at him.

"Of course," he said.If he didn't look normal, Grantaire would have thought he was somewhat disappointed.He nodded, picked up the orange juice box with one hand, and reached for the beer can with the other hand, but it was empty, and almost knocked the beer can over...

"Be careful," said Enjolras, reaching out to catch it.He hands the can to Grantaire.

"Thanks," Grantaire said.

For some reason, Enjolras smiled.

"thank you too."

"for what?"

"Thank you for reading the documents for me," Enjolras said.His fingers were still on the can, touching Grantaire's fingers.

Grantaire pursed his lips.For some reason, he felt himself laughing too.

"It was my pleasure," he said, without any sarcasm this time.

TBC