【ER】Golden Rule

The next morning, Grantaire was woken up by a knock on the door.He snorted and threw the covers off his head, and it took him a moment to realize who would be able to knock on his bedroom door.

"...what's the matter, Enjolras?" He mumbled, suddenly sober at the thought that he was shirtless and the room was in a mess like a gust of wind, "...uh. Wait, don't come in .What happened?"

The voice outside the door froze for a moment.

"...Just to tell you that I have ordered lunch." Enjolras' voice said, "It's almost twelve o'clock. You can get up... and have something to eat."

……oh.Grantaire thought, yeah, it's almost twelve o'clock.In the past two days, Enjolras has almost adapted to his routine of "starting at noon every day". He has learned to buy breakfast in the supermarket in the city instead of expecting Grantaire to get up and cook, and he has no difficulty He was used to Grantaire going downstairs slowly to start cooking after he finished eating cooked food in the microwave.So far, they haven't had a single lunch together.What's going on today?He scratched his chin and stood up from the bed.

"Thank you." He said hesitantly, "I'll pack up and go downstairs."

There was no sound outside the door, so he could only guess that Enjolras nodded.About ten seconds later, there was a creaking sound from the stairs outside the door, and he presumed that it was Enjolras who went downstairs after nodding his head. ...You nod and I can't see!He cursed in his heart, took out a T-shirt from the chair and put it on his head, washed up briefly, and slipped down the stairs.

Enjolras was sitting at the end of the dining table, and he seemed to have been up for a long time and washed up.There are a few takeaway lunch boxes on the dining table, which seem to be Southeast Asian dishes such as fried noodles and spring rolls.Seeing Grantaire going downstairs, Enjolras' eyes widened slightly, and he stood up from the chair.Grantaire was taken aback by this gesture, and he looked Enjolras cautiously (he looked nervous for some reason) before leaning over and pulling the chair across from him.

"...What's wrong, Enjolras?" He glanced at the other party inexplicably, "What did you do, why is this posture? Did you book my guest room?"

Enjolras gave Grantaire a look with his blue eyes.If Grantaire had to describe that look, it would be as if Enjolras lied to the jury in order to win the case, but then immediately decided to apologize in advance because he was worried that the jury would find out his secret.The knuckles of his beautiful fingers curled up against the edge of the table, crushing the tablecloth there.

"... last night," he said, looking away, then back at Grantaire, "I'm sorry last night. Thank you for... bringing me back."

"...Oh." Grantaire said, looking at him for a while, rather inexplicably, before recalling what he was talking about in his half-drowsy mind.Last night, in that bar.The picture came back to his mind along with the memory.He thought of Enjolras sitting beside him, holding an angular glass beaker, a spherical ice cube floating in the amber liquid.He drank silently, the light on his blond hair was changing colored spots, and the light on his mouth was the alcohol he just drank... Recalling what happened last night, Grantaire endured He couldn't help raising his head to look at Enjolras.It wasn't the first day he realized that Enjolras was good-looking, but after yesterday, for the first time, he looked at him with lustful eyes.He stared at his blond hair, his overly straight nose or overly beautiful lips, and his smooth neck lined in a cotton shirt...

"...uh." Grantaire coughed softly, and looked away, "Just that? It's okay. It's not a big deal." He shrugged and said, thinking about how it's not worth it Jorras thanked him by inviting him to lunch with much fanfare.Perhaps the Angel of Justice had never been drunk?His eyes drifted to Enjolras' hands resting on the table again, remembering that those hands had eagerly pulled his wrist yesterday, he couldn't help but gently touched his wrist bone with the other hand.Stop it, Grantaire, he thought, don't lick your own lips just because you remember how his thumb brushed your wrist.You don't have to be *that* interested in Enjolras unless you want him to sue you for sexual[//]molest[] molestation.

Enjolras still looked at him, he didn't seem to relax because of Grantaire's words.That kind of look made Grantaire couldn't help but raised his hand and touched his mouth to make sure that he really licked his lips.

"...I yesterday..." Enjolras said carefully, "What did I do yesterday?...I remember what happened before I walked to the sofa with you."

"Wow. Before the couch," Grantaire couldn't help but say, "so you remember pulling the nurse's sleeve like a kindergartener—"

Enjolras' look of shame and indignation made him stop.It's like Grantaire read a love letter he wrote in middle school (if he actually wrote that kind of thing in middle school instead of a community waste sorting bill)...Grantaire took two seconds Only then did he realize that Enjolras blushed without alcohol.

"...well, well," he said, touching his nose, "you didn't do anything else." Except almost got into a fight with someone, he thought.But Enjolras didn't have to know that, did he?He lazily looked away, recalling Enjolras pushing him angrily in the night.Ah, he was still shaking his fist.Thinking of the naive and angry expression on the other party's face at that time, Grantaire couldn't help but chuckled softly.

"What are you laughing at?" Enjolras immediately asked, "Did I say something?"

"No, no, you didn't say anything." Grantaire waved his hands and said, not understanding why Enjolras was so anxious.Talking back to people or mumbling the names of a few cases is not a big deal.Oh, the case—a possibility caused a twinge in his heart. "Hey, you're not worried about leaking something to me, are you?" he said bitterly, "Don't worry, I'm not that The kind of guy who would get his opponent drunk and get to the bottom of the case."

"Of course not!" Enjolras interrupted him, looking relieved and flustered, "No, that's not what I meant." He paused for a moment, then looked at Grantaire again, as if Confirming the authenticity of his answer, "...so I really didn't say anything?"

Grantaire sighed.

"Don't worry, I didn't say anything," he said, relieved that Enjolras had denied his words.He pulled out his chair and sat down at the dining table, "Hey, why are you so nervous? Do you have any dark secrets? For example, the roommate you claimed was on a business trip was actually murdered and buried under the house by you?"

"Grantaire," Enjolras warned.

"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore. Let your little secret stay in your stomach with this table of Thai food." Grantaire raised his hands in surrender, "Can I eat now? Anyway Say, thank you for ordering lunch."

"Of course." Enjolras said, looking a little more relaxed.He sat down across from Grantaire and started pouring chow mein onto his plate. "Lunch because... I thought I might need to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" Grantaire said, feeling like he was choking on the shrimp. "You? To me? Apologize? ... for what?"

Enjolras was silent for a moment.He pushed the noodles away from his plate with a fork, then lowered his eyes to the food.After a while, he raised his head and looked at Grantaire as if making up his mind.

"I was...too arbitrary," he said, uncomfortable and dignified, as if at a swearing-in ceremony. "I followed you yesterday to see... what would happen to you after a trial like that. If you Feeling down after something like this, I guess you're not too bad in your nature-"

"'Not too bad'? Ha...!" Grantaire couldn't help saying, feeling offended, "Why, Enjolras, did you follow me yesterday to conduct a moral review? Maybe you saw My conscience-stricken satisfies you, 'not too bad'...! Maybe you should give me a medal for my soul that hasn't landed in the mud--"

"Listen to me," said Enjolras sharply.Surprisingly, he doesn't look as annoyed by Grantaire as he used to.He put the fork lightly on the table, crossed his fingers, rubbed one thumb against the knuckle of the other thumb, and seemed to be considering how to choose his words. "What I'm trying to say is that I shouldn't have called you ... 'disgusting' in that old man's case. That's a serious quality charge and I shouldn't have said that just because of how you behaved in court .It goes against even... my logical upbringing. I think I owe you an apology."

oh.Grantaire thought.oh.Enjolras remembered that.He remembered the scene from their first confrontation.He remembered that he had trampled on Grantaire's admiration and courtship so mercilessly... and now he actually apologized seriously to Grantaire for it.The realization made Grantaire's mouth dry, as it had when he first saw Enjolras glow in court.He's been too used to letting his self-esteem and sense of honor be scattered in bottles that get him thrown out of court for a long time... He never expected Enjolras to change his mind-let alone It was an apology to him.

It took him a while to find his voice.

"...'over-extrapolation'*. Right?" He smiled, raising his eyes to Enjolras. "Yes, that's a logical error. You don't get a mark on this question."

Enjolras was stunned.He carefully studied Grantaire's smiling face. "Is that what you mean you don't mind about it anymore?" he said in a voice that seemed all too pleasant with hope.

"Shall I print a 'Don't mind' glass stand for you?" Grantaire said.Of course, he doesn't mind.At least not a little bit now, "Written in TimesNewRoman font* on the back, the defense lawyer Mr. Enjolras was forgiven after bullying his colleagues—"

He was surprised to see Enjolras smiling.

"Grantaire." He cut him off in a resigned and forgiving voice.

"Okay," Grantaire said. "If you don't want medals, do you like banners?"

"Grantaire," Enjolras warned again (Grantaire found himself enjoying him calling his name over and over again), "I didn't say that meant I approved of everything you did in court .”

"Of course, of course, Almighty Angel of Justice," Grantaire said.He lowered his head and picked up a spring roll with a fork.He didn't expect any more approval at all...

It was enough to know that Enjolras no longer regarded him so lowly.

None of Varjang's cases were scheduled to appear in court for the next week.Grantaire dedicates part of his energy to helping Marius move forward with another assault charge, and spends the rest of his time idly preparing an inactive robbery charge.Enjolras went out earlier than him every day, presumably his personality had already given him twice as much work as Grantaire.In the short time they spend together each day (usually at night, when Enjolras is not shutting himself in his room with piles of papers), they get along in a friendly and peaceful way.Enjolras tells Grantaire that he has asked someone to replace the windows and install new locks in his house; Grantaire, out of obvious selfish considerations, persuades him to wait until the Valjean case is over before moving back live.Enjolras was somehow impressed by this flimsy rhetoric, and he agreed, bringing more of his clothes and daily necessities, and ordering another dinner as a token of thanks.

Courfeyrac came once on a Thursday night, and when Enjolras opened the door, he had the look on his face that was akin to seeing a bulging sock on Christmas morning and discovering a copy of The Spirit of the Laws inside. As wonderful as a five year old.After 10 minutes of bullying Grantaire in a voice that wasn't at all afraid of Enjolras hearing, he was finally convinced that Grantaire wasn't unprofessional enough to date the opposing lawyer (for some reason, he looked a bit disappointed) .Afterwards, he treated them to an Italian restaurant, and Grantaire drove him home alone after the meal. Before getting out of the car, Courfeyrac suddenly turned his head and patted Grantaire on the shoulder.

"You haven't had a drink before court lately, have you?" he said.

Grantaire nodded.With Enjolras at his side like a god of law, he really didn't have much courage to put the bottle in his briefcase.

His friend smiled at him.

"Why?" he said. "Enjolras had a good influence on you, didn't he?"

Grantaire opened his mouth, then closed it again.yeah, why?He thought of Enjolras apologizing to him, and Éponine's weary face.Maybe he wasn't always doing the wrong thing either.At least, this time maybe he could help Eponine.Even Enjolras did not criticize this.

"I just think..." he murmured, "maybe I do the right thing sometimes."

Such a clean life continued until Friday night.Grantaire was sitting on the sofa very bored, humming to a book of "The Best Collection of Italian Boat Songs".Enjolras thought he was too noisy and went back to the guest room to read, so Grantaire decided to sing "Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia" louder.Just then, his doorbell rang.

"Who's out there?" He put the music on the sofa and asked, standing up.

"It's me! Eponine." A woman's voice sounded from outside, and for some reason, there was a shrill child's voice vaguely mixed in, "Grantaire, open the door for me."

"You really need to learn how to call me first sometimes, don't you?" Grantaire said.Although he regretted it as soon as he said this - in the days of their friendship, Eponine never needed to call him in advance when he came to see him.

He went to open the door, and saw Éponine standing in front of it.She was wearing the uniform of a cashier at a supermarket chain, whether it was because it was too big or because she had grown thinner—the shoulder line of the dress slid almost to her elbows, and her shoulders looked thinner It's like poking it out of the fabric.Her eyes flickered subtly as Grantaire looked at her dress.Obviously, she didn't want Grantaire to know what her job was.Grantaire thoughtfully averted his eyes and looked beside her - a boy was standing there.Eponine's hand tightly clutched his collar, as if to prevent him from slipping away.The boy was only as tall as her legs, and on his back was a backpack with his grade sticker on it—ah, a boy in first grade, but he was much taller than most first graders. Students should be thin and small.He looked no more than five years old, with matted black hair and brown eyes that stood out large and protruding from his too thin face.If you have to say it, he looks a bit like Eponine, but more accurately, he looks more like——

"This is Azma's son." Eponine said with a sigh.

Grantaire froze.

"Azma?" he repeated.

"It's my sister," said Eponine, with a wry smile. "You forgot her name, didn't you?"

I don't.I haven't had a day, Grantaire thought.Even though I was so tempted to get drunk on the name, throw it in the ocean, and let it float away from my memory.But he ended up just repeating again: "Azma's son?"

Eponine sighed again.She looks even smaller again in front of Grantaire, and Grantaire doesn't like her mourning over her pride. "Yes, her son. The name is Gavroche," she said. "You remember, she was pregnant. She was born in the fourth month of what you say ... 'outside prison' Son, before going to jail." She shook her head, and the boy started pushing her legs, looking like he was about to jump down the steps and run away, but Eponine pulled him back. "...he's stayed with me since then. I babysit him in my free time, but now that I've got a new job with night shifts and weekends, I just don't have time to—"

"... so you're going to send me to the lawyer who sent my mother to jail?" the boy interrupted suddenly, unable to free himself from Éponine's hand, he gave up pulling her sleeve and looked up at Grand. Thiel, "What are you going to do next, Madame Épone Thérardier? Send me to prison too? Or invite me to hell for tea?"

"Shut up!" Éponine snapped, grabbing the strap of his schoolbag and shoving him towards her. "If you call me that again, I'm going to beat you."

"Then you can go to the NHA and explain why you abused children, ma'am!" said the child rudely, and Grantaire was surprised to find that although he was only a tiny bit old, his accent and words had already resembled those in the park. Those homeless black bums are just as rude.

"Wait a minute," he said dazedly, "are you going to put him with me? Or after he knows that I'm—" Knowing that I'm one of the culprits that caused him to grow up helpless, he thought, But didn't say it.

"I'm sorry, Grantaire," said Eponine, "it's just the weekend—I really can't help it. You know those welfare agencies might take him away if he's left alone for too long... I Been on the radar of a child welfare agency for a long time and they don't think I'm fit to take care of this child. Please, I can't let Azma's child be taken away. I used to have other shifts with me besides me, but now ..."

Ah, someone else, Grantaire thought, that would probably be the Thenardiers.This is also understandable, now that Mr. Thenardier has just passed away, his wife must not have the energy and mood to take care of the child. "But now your mother can't take care of him?" he asked.

Éponine hesitated for a moment. "Well," she said vaguely. "Anyway, Grantaire, I don't have anyone else I trust. I'll pick him up on Sunday night, if you'll help..."

Grantaire heard footsteps behind him. "What happened?" Enjolras said behind him, and Grantaire could hear him approaching—and stopped beside him. "... Ah, Mademoiselle Thenardier," he said in a tone of polite surprise.

Éponine looked up at him. "Enjolras?" she said, frowning. "You still live here."

The skinny kid looked up at him too.

"So you're going to give me up to two men, eh, Eponine?" he said bluntly, "Is that why the walls here are painted like a queer fairy castle? "

"'Queer' is not a word that should be used as an insult," Enjolras interjected immediately.

Grantaire rolled his eyes helplessly. "Please, Enjolras..."

"I painted this house, you bastard." Eponine reached out and thumped her nephew on the head—the faint pride in her tone touched Grantaire instantly.He realizes how happy Éponine is that he still has these doodles from their school days...

"Anyway... Grantaire," she said with a breath, "and Enjolras." She added, "Can I put him here? I know it's really troublesome, if you refuse me It's nothing, but..." She shook her head, "Forget it, it's okay if you reject me. Maybe the welfare agency treats him better, right?"

Grantaire doesn't know what to say (and Enjolras doesn't seem to have figured it out yet).He sighed softly and knelt down in front of the child.

"Well, Gavroche?" he said tentatively, hardly daring to meet the boy's eyes.Those brown eyes are too similar to Azma's.Years ago, when he sat in court and looked at Azma sitting behind another table, the haggard woman looked at him with those same eyes. "Would you like to stay with me for a weekend?"

The child did not speak.His eyes, too shrewd and mature for his age, looked at Grantaire and rolled them at him.

"I'll go out into the street and steal," he said suddenly.

Grantaire froze for a moment before realizing what he was trying to say.

"Stealing is wrong, isn't it?" he said, looking at the kid, "but I'm not going to send you to jail for that."

"I get into fights with those sons of bitches sometimes," the kid added, "if they laugh at me."

"Fighting doesn't sound good either," Grantaire said, "but you don't go to jail for fighting."

The kid fell silent and looked away.It took a while before he looked up at Grantaire again.

"Can I paint your walls too?" he said.

Grantaire bit his lower lip.He almost laughed.

"Okay," he said. "Street management couldn't get me to change my walls. You did."

"Then I can stay here temporarily for a weekend," said Gavroche.

Grantaire looked up at Éponine.He nodded at her.Eponine smiled as if she was about to cry.

"Thank you, Grantaire, thank you," she repeated, looking at her watch as if trying to hide her panic. "I'm going to... I have to go to my shift. Thank you."

She also waved to Enjolras, turned around and left in a hurry.

"Well, Enjolras," Grantaire said, "I'll explain to you in a moment. Can you help me tidy up my study? I might have to add a camp bed there."

---

*Here Grantaire is joking about a type of Logicflaw in the entrance examination questions of the Faculty of Law. The Chinese name of this type of flaw is my flipping (?)

*here Grantaire is joking with the standard text font for writing legal opinions and working papers