#I do think canon grantaire could fit really well with this idea though

[shitpostingfromthebarricade]

Hey hey, i have a prompt, please and thank you, if u're open for those right now. Okay here it goes: ExR (or whatever that parts actually secondary) with E being a politician and R being a reporter for a political satire-show. In the German Bundestag (if you're comfortable with that). It's just ... it's a vibe .. like a heute-show reporter crushing on a little too witty politician like. (In crack-format). I think i need that. I would really appreciate it but also understand if you don't have the time or think this is not up your lane. Hope you have a great autum time. Happy thanksgiving or whatever americans are celebrating this time of year (you're american right?). Toodles

After having read @thelibrarina 's absolutely perfect fanon version of this prompt several years ago, I don't know that I have anything I can add to it. Canon characterizations get a bit rougher because I simply do not believe that Enjolras would be satisfied working within a government he is trying to overthrow.

Hahahah, I am American, but I've only lived there one year since 2016. Happy late Samhain/early Yule! Enjoy the harvest festival, all who celebrate!

[benjaminmoorepaint]

red: the color of...grantaire?

Figured I might do another meta post like the one I did for Marius to address the myths and misconceptions surrounding certain characters, so it's Grantaire's turn!

I'm sure we all know Grantaire quite well...a sensitive starving artist, with his Apollo as his muse, and a cynic who pragmatically points out the flaws in Enjolras's idealism, which they quarrel over.

Let's unpack that!

Grantaire is most likely middle class if not wealthy, he is certainly not poor. We don't know what he's studying (if he's studying at all) but he is nevertheless a quintessentially Parisian bourgeoise "student", much like Bahorel. "A rover, a gambler, a libertine..." As the foil of "severe in his enjoyments" Enjolras, Grantaire is a pleasure-seeker, indulging in the excesses that Enjolras disdains.

Again, though we don't know what Grantaire is studying (and I suspect he's just Bahorel-ing it) he's clearly an educated man, judging by the references he throws into his speeches, and he mentions that he once was a student of Gros.

So is he really an artist? He might have been an apprentice at some point, but it's clear he was not particularly enthused by it. After all, discipline is something that Grantaire…lacks. And because it's Grantaire, you can't completely discount the idea that he made it up just for a pun (though I do find that unlikely.) But it's a triple (quadruple?) play--it's important not to take this quote too far out of context because he's actually saying several things here.

It is a shame that I am ignorant, otherwise I would quote to you a mass of things; but I know nothing. For instance, I have always been witty; when I was a pupil of Gros, instead of daubing wretched little pictures, I passed my time in pilfering apples; rapin is the masculine of rapine. So much for myself; as for the rest of you, you are worth no more than I am. I scoff at your perfections, excellencies, and qualities. Every good quality tends towards a defect [...] there are just as many vices in virtue as there are holes in Diogenes’ cloak.

Gros was a well-known neoclassical painter of the time, and I believe Hugo's inclusion of him here is a jab at the neoclassicists, as Grantaire doesn't seem to care for him.

There's a pun! "Rapin"--term for a painter's assistant--is the masculine of "rapine"--to steal.

So he likely means he stole the apples intended to be painted for a still life, which fits his careless attitude... but he's ironically putting himself down for it too, and at the same time

putting his companions down, saying they're no better than him even if they do have more "good" qualities because each good quality has a corresponding downside, so what's the point, really?

You can see that even in this small sample of his speech that Grantaire often has layers upon layers of meaning in what he says. He's a smart guy! But that means you can't always take what he says at face value, as Hugo says, he's constantly "reasoning and contradicting" himself. So let me invite you further down into what I think his real meaning is here (though now firmly into the depths of my own conjecture, so others may have different interpretations.)

I would speculate that "the rest of you" who he professes to mock refers mostly to a specific person, you can probably guess who. After all, Enjolras is surely the paragon of virtue among them, and you could certainly argue that his good qualities edge on being flaws. I think Grantaire is right about that, and it's a sort of theme we see pop up again and again--the Bishop's generosity does hurt the women he lives with, Valjean's self-sacrifice hurts Cosette, and Javert is someone who's tipped all the way over to his virtues being vices.

But like, man, come on. Seriously. "I scoff at your perfections, excellencies, and qualities." Dude. We all know that you're obsessed with this man.

And you might notice that this is just a whole lot of Grantaire talking and talking over people, never letting anyone else get a word in. It's not a debate, Grantaire never actually debates anyone, let alone Enjolras. The idea of Grantaire debating Enjolras and making him see the flaws in his idealistic revolution is wholly a fandom invention.

The closest we get, really, is Grantaire trying to convince Enjolras to send him to the Barriere du Maine...and Grantaire doesn't come out of that looking so good.

“Do you know anything of those comrades who meet at Richefeu’s?”

“Not much. We only address each other as tu.”

“What will you say to them?”

“I will speak to them of Robespierre, pardi! Of Danton. Of principles.”

“You?”

“I. But I don’t receive justice. When I set about it, I am terrible. I have read Prudhomme, I know the Social Contract, I know my constitution of the year Two by heart. ‘The liberty of one citizen ends where the liberty of another citizen begins.’ Do you take me for a brute? I have an old bank-bill of the Republic in my drawer. The Rights of Man, the sovereignty of the people, sapristi! I am even a bit of a Hébertist. I can talk the most superb twaddle for six hours by the clock, watch in hand.”

I won't bother going too in-depth here since you're probably familiar with all this--Grantaire talks a big game and then fails to follow through. And we see one of two red waistcoats mentioned, neither of which are worn by Enjolras.

Grantaire lived in furnished lodgings very near the Café Musain. He went out, and five minutes later he returned. He had gone home to put on a Robespierre waistcoat.

“Red,” said he as he entered, and he looked intently at Enjolras. Then, with the palm of his energetic hand, he laid the two scarlet points of the waistcoat across his breast.

So yeah, it's actually Grantaire who wears red, at least canonically! I know their popular red/green color scheme comes from the musical, but it might be fun to reverse it sometimes...I think Enjolras would look great in a nice emerald green, and he'd be more likely to wear that, actually.

Why? A red waistcoat like would be a very obvious, in-your-face political statement--perfect for Bahorel, the other red waistcoat wearer, but Enjolras is actually a lot more reserved and less reckless than fandom sometimes makes him out to be. Wearing something that blatant isn't really his style.

The real question is, why does Grantaire, of all people, own one? Why has he read Prudhomme and the Social Contract and the Rights of Man?

Grantaire is not a super sympathetic character. He's a man of means, talent, intelligence...and he wastes those gifts and privileges on doing nothing, he has no aims in life, he does not aspire to do better or make the world better. He may be Enjolras's foil but I would also contrast him with Feuilly, who has spent his life dedicated to improving himself and the world despite the challenges he's faced. He's obnoxious to women, denigrates his friends for their beliefs, and is generally useless. He's given the opportunity to change and he squanders it. He's not so much cynical (because that's a belief) as he is indifferent, which is arguably worse. His indifference can certainly be read as symbolic within the group, their belief versus the apathy of the world.

But, layers upon layers...Grantaire does have a good heart hiding underneath all that. What I've been getting at all along here is that he does care; he may say he doesn't, he may even believe he doesn't, but he does, clearly, care. He says he hates mankind; he loves people. He says he scoffs at his companions; he admires them. He declares himself indifferent, yet he can't help but talk about the sufferings of the world.

Which isn't to say that simply caring absolves him of anything. Up to this point, he's still just been a useless layabout. What does absolve him (narratively speaking) is the first time, possibly the first time in his life, that he chooses to act. He chooses to take a stand. And this transfigures him, as Hugo says.

Grantaire had risen. The immense gleam of the whole combat which he had missed, and in which he had had no part, appeared in the brilliant glance of the transfigured drunken man.

At the last moment, he chooses to believe, and Enjolras finally accepts him.

One last thing: Grantaire never calls Enjolras "Apollo". Furthermore, he's actually the only one who couldn't have called him "Apollo". The only line where this nickname is mentioned is as follows:

It was of him, possibly, that a witness spoke afterwards, before the council of war: “There was an insurgent whom I heard called Apollo.”

Who could have called him that? Not Grantaire, he was fast asleep during the whole thing. So I choose to believe it was Prouvaire…he would.

[flying-elliska]

Headcanons for ADHD characters Masterlist

I was asked for this a while ago and I feel this is a good discussion subject because the canon representation for ADHD is kind of abysmal and is often a caricature or a joke.

usual disclaimer, I'm not a therapist, this is not a diagnosis tool, just for fun, etc etc...basing this on my own experience/knowledge with ADHD and meeting a lot of ADHD people IRL. I'm going off the main symptoms first (inattention and/or hyperactivity, restlessness, impulsivity, problems with emotional/focus regulation, daydreaming, messiness, hyper-focus, fidgeting etc) and then looking at character traits that are not a necessary symptom but often associated (substance abuse and addiction, need to please, sensitivity to rejection, compassionate and creative, thrill seeking, very imaginative, charming and witty or withdrawn and shy or angry and irritable, whimsical and fun and a bit child-like, out of the box thinker, self esteem issues, unstable life, comorbidity with anxiety and depression, very intense feelings, functions better with adrenaline/in an emergency, disregard for rules and problems with authority OR extreme compliance, codependency, perceived as weird, clever in an atypical way, problems in school, extremely good at one specific thing, etc)

Also I found this list with actual canonical representation

BOOKS :

The 'fits to a T so I'm seeing it as my personal canon' list :

note : doesn't mean that the authors actually meant to create representation but it's very likely they at least got inspired by people who did have ADHD (even when the diagnosis itself did not exist) and explained it with 'it's just their personality' OR the story happens in a setting where the label doesn't exist as such. also not meant to be exhaustive.

- Helen Burns (from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë) One of Jane's school friends from the start of the novel, fits the inattentive type to a T : she can't seem to focus or learn her lessons, is constantly daydreaming, describes herself as messy and careless, forgets rules, and is easily distracted. She talks constantly about her own 'defective nature' and seems very sensitive to criticism but incapable of changing. She doesn't defend herself against the nuns' harsh punishments as she thinks she deserves them. She's presented as kind-hearted and compassionate, almost too good for this world, and hyperfocuses on her faith. Apparently sb even wrote an academic article on this. She dies so it's not super fun representation but it is interesting to see in an older book, to push back against the idea that ADHD was invented yesterday by Big Pharma lol.

- Grantaire (from Les Miserables, Victor Hugo) Part of the student revolutionary group Les Amis de l'ABC and resident skeptic, does not believe in the cause but is fixated on the group's idealistic leader (and yeah it sounds very gay, they die holding hands, there is a lot of Symbolism). He spends his time ranting about things that are only vaguely connected, is described as brilliant but incapable of sticking to any one profession or hobby, is an alcoholic, has a creative streak (was a painter at some point), likes wandering around the city, has massive self-esteem issues and is a general mess but does seem to care about his friends. This is not a very flattering portrayal as Grantaire is described as morally deficient but again, interesting in an old book. ADHD!Grantaire is a popular take in the modern fandom (i was in it before I was diagnosed it brought up a lot of Things) and it's very cathartic to see him get actual therapy in fic lmao.

- Luna Lovegood (from the Harry Potter series) JKR sucks but this is probably the most high profile case of a possible inattentive ADHD character so I didn't want to leave it out. She's a daydreamer, she is a big space cadet and seems to live in her own world, she has a very out of the ordinary sense of style, she's bullied for being weird, but she's also very kind and perceptive and cares a lot about her friends, and good at coming up with out of the box solutions. I wouldn't call it good representation, she's described as a wacko whom a lot of characters find cringeworthy but she's also pretty heroic, so. And she does seem to hyperfocus on magical creatures. Plus her father could also have it (and it runs in families).

- Jasper Fahey (from Six of Crows duology, Leigh Bardugo) Part of a young group of thieves with a heart of gold, he's a charmer and a compulsive gambler who quits college and incurs debts so massive he stops talking to his father out of shame. He's also an extremely talented sharpshooter and the scenes where he describes how the whole world slows and the rush of adrenaline when he is shooting sound like hyperfocus to a T. He's a loyal friend but also quite dependent on Kaz, the leader of the group, to keep him in line. He's witty, messy and he likes danger. His boyfriend later in the series, Wylan, is dyslexic and the way they learn to accommodate each other's issues honestly makes them one of my favorite couples ever. I need to reread these books and I am so stoked for the series I hope they do Jasper justice.

- Julian Diaz (from Cemetary Boys, Aiden Thomas) Love interest of the book, introduced as the 'high school resident bad boy', energetic motormouth who can't sit still and actually very endearing, has issues in school and gets bored easily, main problem is that he's a ghost...sort of. The whole thing was very cute and I love that Julian's personality is described as fun and attractive instead of annoying (which is, if you haven't noticed already, a pattern).

- Evie O'Neill (from the Diviners series, Libba Bray) She's a flapper in 1920s New York who ran away from her boring little town to make a life for herself ; she's a party girl and an impulsive thrill-seeker who hates standing still and is always looking for excitement to 'fill the void'. She craves fame and attention and pretty things, she can be a loyal friend but is also frequently self-centered and forgetful, she's street smart, resourceful and very charming and witty. She's also grieving, drinks too much and is definitely depressed. She's obviously meant as an archetype of the era, caught between trauma and excess, but it does come over as very hyperactive ADHD as well. Her powers to read objects also really pinged me as a good metaphor for the ADHD tendency to be overwhelmed by details.

The 'bit more of a reach but there's a vibe' list :

- Emma Woodhouse (from Emma, Jane Austen) Frequently cited as a character with ADHD, I didn't come up with this one but she fits. She's daydreaming, easily bored, has flights of fancy and hyper-focuses on matchmaking, is a bit impulsive and thrill seeking, clever in an unconventional way, described as a bit immature, mix of caring and self-centered.

- Ronan Lynch (from the Raven Cycle, Maggie Stiefvater) Ronan just has Neuroatypical Vibes, even though it's not entirely clear what, and I've seen people label him all sorts of things which is very valid. As for ADHD, he's restless, impulsive, likes to Go Fast and do street racing, he has very strong emotions he doesn't know what to do with, and big self esteem issues esp. at the start, is very all or nothing with people, snarky, drops out of school to be a magic farmer, problems with authority, looks like a scary mean goth but is actually a big softie (but like, with a few people), pulls shit out of his dreams. Is kind of dependent on his best friend at the start too.

- Sherlock Holmes (from the eponymous series by Arthur Conan Doyle) Again a character who has been diagnosed with all sorts of things. The biggest ADHD vibe for me is 'my mind rebels at stagnation' and the way he needs drugs to function outside of the thrill of a case, and the way he hyper-focuses on information he needs to be a detective while completely ignoring common knowledge. Also sort of dependent on his best friend Watson and isn't great at social interactions. Doesn't care much about upholding social conventions either. The RDJ adaptation is the one that has the most ADHD vibes to me.

- Harley Quinn (DC Comics/Movies) Big codependency issues (that's arguably the thing she's most known for) and sadly people with ADHD are often prone to getting into abusive relationships. It depends on the story too but she's very energetic, zany, impulsive, she likes shiny things and bright clothes, she's fun and chaotic and likes to break the rules, she's a criminal but she does seem to have a heart, she's also frequently immature and rash, etc.

What are your headcanons ? I would love to hear if you have some so I can add them to the list. I'll make a TV/Movies list soon.

[ellevante]

Feuilly’s Day

Rated: G, Enjolras/Feuilly, canon era

Things of note: printerjolras, bahorel and courfeyrac twerking, and tea

Summary: Feuilly and Enjolras share a quiet moment together, reflecting on the events of the past week.

uhh I haven’t written a fic in 10000 years and after 3 years of writing dry ass econ papers this is a wild change of content lol gjlgkjfklf

fic under the cut lol

On a chilly Sunday autumn evening, Feuilly and Enjolras sit opposite from each other, using Enjolras’ wide desk as a table for tea. Earlier that day, their friends celebrated Feuilly’s birthday with a showering of gifts and pastries, as well as an energetic song-and-dance performance by Bahorel and Courfeyrac. The celebration ended a few hours ago, with Enjolras insisting that Feuilly rest while he would tidy up.

“What a day has it been!”

“Definitely so,” replied Enjolras with a small smile. “Again, happy birthday, Daniel. You are one of my most cherished friends, and it has been an honor to be your host.” The blond leaned in, and lowered his voice to a near whisper. In moments like this when they were alone, Enjolras would show an endearing, childlike side that reflected his youth. “So, what was your favorite part of the celebration?”

“To pick out one thing is difficult, as spending an entire day off with all of you was more than what I could ever ask for. However, if I really had to pick one thing, it would probably be Joly’s honey cakes. I had no idea the man was such a talented baker! He must have spent hours perfecting it!”

“What about Bahorel and Courfeyrac’s dance? I felt a strange, yet very strong sense of pride while watching it. ”

“That’s a good way to describe it. I have never seen anything so vigorous, yet elegant in my life. I don’t think any opera or stage play in the world could ever match the intensity in their movements.” Feuilly chuckled, lifting the teacup to take a sip. The last month seemed to go by so quickly that before he knew it, the air was getting colder and the leaves changed from green to reds and golds. New year’s day wasn’t that long ago, was it? Time seems to slip quickly when one’s days are filled with never-ending goals that must be met.

“Speaking of theatre, how did that opera that Combeferre and Prouvaire took you to see on Monday evening go? I hope you enjoyed it, as I’ve heard many mixed reviews about the writing.”

“Oh, it was satisfactory. I don’t remember much of it, to be honest. The costumes were lovely, though, reminiscent of ocean waves and starry skies. Anyways, how are things at the printshop? Did that one press finally get repaired?”

“Yes, it did, on Tuesday. I had to make sure that its twin, the one next to it, was able to take on the work of two. I think we managed fairly well.”

“I am glad to hear that. It’s always frustrating when you can’t accomplish anything because of forces that are our of your control. However, you being the apt thinker that you are, found a solution around the problem, which is why the shop is so successful.”

“Daniel, please!” Enjolras giggled, lifting a hand over his mouth. “It’s you who should be credited for the apt thinking! Do you recall how on Wednesday, Lesgles and Grantaire were spared from tripping over the pile of books that Pontmercy left near the door? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw you leaping in to move them in that split second.” Enjolras cleared his throat and moved the teapot to the center of his desk.

Feuilly laughed and shook his head, remembering the little mishap. “I love every moment that I get to spend with you and our friends. Not a dull day ever goes by.”

“Agreed. Friday’s meeting went well, don’t you think? The members from the Cougourde informed me that they enjoyed your presentation on the recent happenings at Warsaw.”

“They, uh-what?! Please send them my regards.”

“You have my word!”

Setting his cup back down, Feuilly turned to look at his companion and noticed that a stray lock of his golden hair was falling into his face. He then reached out and brushed it away, to Enjolras’ surprise. He was sure he heard the other man make a small noise at the gesture.

“Marc, are you getting sleepy?”

Enjolras blinked and shifted in his seat. He had a strange habit of not being able to sit in a chair with his feet on the floor. Right now, he had his legs folded and tucked underneath him, with one foot hooked onto a support. Feuilly wondered if Enjolras was aware that he did this.  

“Maybe…but I think it’s still too soon to lie down.”

“Hmm, perhaps you’re right. It does get dark rather early during this time of the year. It takes a while for me to get accustomed to it, too. Sometimes, my eyes get crossed when I work under candlelight for too long, so if I’m painting a flower bouquet design, it ends up looking more like a bunch of wild mushrooms.”

“A bouquet of wild mushrooms sounds very fitting for the season.”

“I suppose it would be.” Feuilly set his teacup aside, to the corner of the desk. “While it’s not too late, I should probably head back home-

“Wait.” Enjolras untangled his legs from his position and stood up straight.

“Yes?”

“Please stay the night.”

♥

[ilovemybarricadebabies]

Another Round of Fanfic Asks

Again I know that these are supposed to be asks, but I’m taking a break from editing my latest fic and this seemed fun to do. It’s these questions that I’m doing this time.

Behind the Scenes of Fic Writing: 30 Questions for Authors

1. What was the first fandom and/or pairing that you wrote fic for?

I first started writing fanfic for the 2012 CW reboot of Beauty and the Beast for Vincent and Catherine. But these fics have since been deleted. I didn’t write fanfic again until 2015.

2. Do you participate in any writing events or challenges throughout the year? If so, what do you like about them?

No, I don’t. I would like to one day, but right now, I’m content just writing whatever I want to write, whenever I want to.

3. Do you write fics from start to finish, or skip around?

Start to finish. I need to go in order of events or I get all confused.

4. Do you outline before you start writing? If so, how far do you stray from that outline?

I create some form of outline. For the most part, I don’t stray, but every once in awhile it will happen.

5. What is the perfect environment for you to write in?

I prefer to write in the comfort of my own home, but I can write from anywhere. The only thing is that if I’m writing in public, my back and the screen NEEDS to be facing a wall, so that people can’t read over my shoulder and the screen brightness is turned all the way down.

6. If you’re really concentrating, how many words can you write in a day?

I don’t have an exact number, but it’s a lot.

7. Which part of writing do you struggle with the most?

Connecting things from plot point A to plot point B, and so on. This is where writer’s block tends to come in the most.

8. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, share a song that’s been inspiring you lately.

I need background noise while I write whether that be the TV or music. I can’t have silence. But if I’m listening to music it’s either a playlist or a Taylor Swift album.

9. Do you prefer to write AU’s, canon divergence, or canon-compliant fic?

AU’s. I think I would fuck up writing anything canon, especially for Les Mis. I know for a fact that I would never get the voice/language right for writing 19th century France.

10. Do you enjoy writing dialogue, exposition, or plot the most?

Plot first (I spend a lot of time thinking about it), dialogue second, and exposition third. Exposition is the hardest for me.

11. If you could only write angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your life, which would it be?

I love all three very much, but if I have to choose it would be fluff.

12. Is there a trope you haven’t written yet, but really want to?

A story about going away to war, with the love letters, and then the despair/grief when the person you love is MIA and waiting for them to hopefully come home.

13. Is there a trope you wouldn’t write if it was the last trope on earth?

I’m sure there are, but I can’t think of any right now.

14. If you were stuck on a desert island with only two character, which would you pick?

Enjolras and Grantaire, hands down.

15. A Hollywood producer tells you that they want to film just one of your fics. Which fic would you want it to be?

Enemy of Love

16. What is your most underrated fic?

I personally believe it’s Forever Was In His Eyes.

17. What fic are you most proud of?

My upcoming fic, Beating of Our One Heart, because I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.

18. What is a line/scene you’re really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary for that scene.

~~~SPOILER ALERT FOR ENEMY OF LOVE! DON’T READ THIS ANSWER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED!~~~

The scene where Thierry appears to Enjolras as a ghost.

Commentary: This was the scene that spawned the whole story. It was always going to be Thierry that forced Enjolras to admit that he has fallen in love with Grantaire. Forcing him to come to terms that Thierry wasn’t coming back. Without this scene, the story would have been incomplete. This is the scene that is probably the turning point in the story. The point in the story where Enjolras lets go of his dead lover, and sets out to earn Grantaire’s forgiveness, love, and make up for the pain he’s caused him.

19. Who is the easiest/hardest character to write about? Why?

It’s both easy and hard to write Enjolras because my version of him is me half projecting myself on him (the easiest part to write) and the other half is making sure to get his passion for his country, people, and his activism in the story (the hardest part to write).

20. This question was originally what’s your favorite minor character you’ve written, but I’m changing it to who’s your favorite original character that you’ve created?

I have three. Casey from Begin Again. Thierry from Enemy of Love. Cameron from Beating of Our One Heart who no one, but me has met yet.

21. What is the one fic that got away?

I’m not 100% sure what this question is asking, but no fic has really ever gotten away from me.

22. Have you cried while writing a fic?

YEP! I cried writing Forever Was In His Eyes, and I still cry whenever I re-read it.

23. If you had to remix one of your own fics, which would it be and how would you remix it?

Um...I’m not really sure, tbh.

For the next few questions, I’m going to do all of my fics. To avoid spoilers, I’m leaving Beating of Our One Heart off of these lists.

24. How did you come up with title for [x fic]?

Where He Went: The title came from the book, Where She Went by Gayle Foreman (which this fic is very loosly inspired by), so I just changed the pronoun, and voila, I had my title.

Forever Was In His Eyes: This title is a lyric from the song “Cry” by Mandy Moore, but the lyric is originally “forever was in your eyes”, so once again I just changed “your” to “his” and I had my title.

The Enjolras Guide to Weddings and Love: I just took the title of the musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and changed it fit my story.

So Let the Words Slip Out of Your Mouth: A lyric from the song, “The Words” by Christina Perri.

Right Seems Wrong, Wrong Seems Right: Taken from Marius’s line in “Red and Black”.

Somethings Are Meant to Be: E and R were pre-destined mates in this story, so they were “meant to be”.

Poison and Wine: I was listening to the song of the same name from The Civil Wars, and it just seemed perfect for this story.

Enemy of Love: The title came from a quote from episode 22 of season 3 of Once Upon a Time.

I’m Falling, but Who Will Catch Me?: I had the plot planned, so I just took the plot and turned it into a title.

Wildest Dreams: The whole plot is a dream, so...I think that’s self-explanatory.

Begin Again: E and R were being united after years apart, so they are beginning again. Very cliché, but I don’t care.

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: It took forever to come up with a title for this story, but one day I was listening to the song of the same name by Carole King, and it just seemed right.

Never Let Me Go: Grantaire is first with Christian, and then with Enjolras. One of them is abusive; the other is not. Christian is relentless in letting Grantaire go; even though it would break his heart, Enjolras would let Grantaire go if he was asked to.

25. Which idea came to you first in [x fic]?

~~~DON’T READ THE ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED~~~

Where He Went: the conversation on the Brooklyn Bridge, E and R were separated, and Grantaire was a musician

Forever War In His Eyes: the whole fic came at once since it’s based on A Walk to Remember.

The Enjolras Guide to Weddings and Love: I knew there was a wedding and a fake relationship, that was all.

So Let the Words Slip Out of Your Mouth: I knew Enjolras wasn’t able to say I love you, that was it.

Right Seems Right, Right Seems Wrong: I don’t really remember, but what I knew was that it contained a teacher-student relationship and a one night stand.

Somethings Are Meant to Be: E and R were mates and they were going to have a baby.

Poison and Wine: Enjolras wasn’t Grantaire’s soulmate, but they still found love in each other.

Enemy of Love: As mentioned above when Thierry came to Enjolras as a ghost.

I’m Falling, but Who Will Catch Me?: E and R going round and round in a dance of pining and feelings for many and many years.

Wildest Dreams: It was inspired by another fic, so I can’t take credit for the idea.

Begin Again: the moment Enjolras realized that the reason Grantaire left was because he was pregnant and the following conversation.

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: Grantaire had amnesia and he and Enjolras were engaged to be married.

Never Let Me Go: Grantaire had an abusive boyfriend and needed to escape him

26. What part of [x fic] was the hardest to write?

Where He Went: keeping the elephant in the room as long as possible as E and R explored NYC.

Forever Was In His Eyes: This was easy for me to write

The Enjolras Guide to Weddings and Love: this too was easy for me to write

So Let the Words Slip Out of Your Mouth: Again easy to write.

Right Seems Wrong, Wrong Seems Right: Nothing was really hard to write, but I had to grapple with the fact that the type of relationship that is in this story was one that people, as well as myself, deem inappropriate.

Something Are Meant to Be: Not having Enjolras reveal that he loved Grantaire before he was ready.

Poison and Wine: This was pretty easy to write too

Enemy of Love: Enjolras fighting his feelings for Grantaire

I’m Falling, but Who Will Catch Me?: Making Enjolras’s reluctance to be with Grantaire because of fear, and not because he didn’t love him, believable.

Wildest Dreams: Again fairly easy

Begin Again: Again fairly easy.

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: Keeping the dual/alternating timelines straight

Never Let Me Go: the moments when E and R tell each other of their respective abusive relationships

27. If you were ever to do a sequel to [x fic], what would happen?

*Most of these I’ve never thought about what a sequel would be, so...yeah.

Where He Went: A sequel is coming, so I can’t talk about it.

Forever Was In His Eyes: Grantaire being reunited with Enjolras in the afterlife.

The Enjolras Guide to Weddings and Love: E and R navigating the change in their relationship from friendship to romantic.

So Let the Words Slip Out of Your Mouth: They would still be together, but Enjolras still wouldn’t say “I love you” very often.

Right Seems Wrong, Wrong Seems Right: E and R navigating their relationship now that it’s not a secret anymore.

Something Are Meant to Be: Them raising their sons to the best of their ability.

Poison and Wine: Grantaire finally starting to believe that Enjolras loves him, even though they aren’t soulmates.

Enemy of Love: I have no idea.

I’m Falling, but Who Will Catch Me?: Again, no idea.

Wildest Dreams: Them in a relationship, working toward the life in Enjolras’s dream

Begin Again: A sequel one-shot collection is coming, so I can’t talk about it, either.

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: No idea.

Never Let Me Go: The sequel for this would probably be what would happen if Enjolras’s abuser got out of jail early and him coming after Enjolras.

28. In [x-fic], what is a happy, post-fic headcanon you have about [pairing]?

*I’m leaving the ones that have definitive sequels coming off this list.

Forever Was In His Eyes: R and E getting to live together in the afterlife. Finishing up Enjolras’s bucket list with the things they couldn’t do before he died.

The Enjolras Guide to Weddings and Love: E and R going on their first date

So Let the Words Slip Out of Your Mouth: E and R having a lie-in the morning after Enjolras tells him he loves him.

Right Seems Wrong, Wrong Seems Right: This one is more takes place in the fic, but you don’t see it, E and R going to IKEA and picking out furniture for their apartment.

Somethings Are Meant to Be: Them introducing Jace to Sébastien (the new baby) that is mentioned in the epilogue of this story after Enjolras gives birth.

Poison and Wine: This one takes place in the fic before Enjolras comes home with it, Grantaire writing his name on every inch of Enjolras’s skin in Sharpie to make sure his name is somewhere on Enjolras

Enemy of Love: The morning after the fic ends, Grantaire spends it drawing Enjolras in the nude.

I’m Falling, but Who Will Catch Me?: The proposal where the promise ring becomes the engagement ring.

Wildest Dreams: Enjolras explaining to Grantaire what he saw in the dream

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: Their honeymoon

Never Let Me Go: Grantaire finishes moving his stuff from his apartment to Enjolras, then them spending the night christening the apartment that is now officially theirs.

29. Send me a word. If it’s your WIPs, include the sentence and a short summary of the fic.

Since I have no word, I’m just going to choose a sentence from Beating of Our One Heart to use, but there will be NO summary.

Grantaire arrived at headquarters at 8:45 A.M. with coffee in hand, the next morning.

30. Tell us an idea for a longfic you want to write in the future.

This is a story that I already have a basic plotline for, but I want to do a Prince and the Pauper AU where Grantaire is mistaken to be a French socialite and gets swept up in the world, falling in love with Enjolras in the meantime.

[eirenical]

sound for Grantaire, sight for Prouvaire, taste for Enjolras

FINALLY GETTING AROUND TO THESE.  *cheers*  Sorry it took so long!  

(If anyone else wants to send me any, here they are!)

Sound for Grantaire

What’s their taste in music? / (If applicable) What would their taste in music be in a here-and-now AU?

Eclectic.  If it has a good hard beat, he’s probably there.  If it has a raw, grunge kind of sound, he’s there, too.  If he can headbang to it, he’s definitely there.  (It should probably be noted that Grantaire can and has done this even with classical music.)  Lyrics, instrumental, traditional, barely music at all, it doesn’t really matter.  If it can drown out the nonsense in his head, that’s all he needs.

On the total opposite end of the scale, though, I also have a very soft spot for the idea Grantaire loving jazz music.  Because when he’s not trying to drown out the nonsense in his head, he’s desperate for any way he can find to lance and drain it… and jazz and the blues are perfect for that.

Can they sing? Do they sing? (Two different questions!)

Does he sing?  If he’s drunk enough… most definitely.  ;D  CAN he sing?  That depends on the fic ‘verse.  *eg*  Seriously, though, I generally picture him as having a serviceable enough voice; he can carry a tune, but he’s not going to win any singing competitions.  Odds are, it would have been a better voice, but he ruined it somewhat with booze and either cigarettes of his own or too much secondhand smoke from bars.  (In Muet ‘verse, though, because that’s a special case, he was a jazz singer/musician.  And, as you know, he, uh… isn’t anymore.  *eg*)

Can/do they play any instruments?

My headcanons on that one vary.  In the headcanons where he’s a jazz musician, he plays a few–blues guitar, harmonica, piano, maybe a little saxophone, too.  In other headcanons, I’d say he probably dabbled in quite a few; maybe he was seduced by the image of himself as a cool, suave guitar player or a piano man in a bar or a wild man drummer… but those were fantasies, not realities.  He learned enough of each to realize how much work he’d have to put in to actually BE good at them and just kind of… stopped.  No confidence.  But he will whip out that harmonica from time to time and surprise people with what he CAN do, or he’ll sit down at one of those pianos in the park and play a tune that’s maybe a little simple, but sounds anything but.

Dance?

Well, canonically, yes, right?  ^_~  Seriously, though, I generally picture Grantaire as one of those people who is always VERY aware of where his body is.  He’s so used to thinking of himself as a clumsy, boorish oaf, that he goes out of his way to not BE in the way.  He makes himself small; he shrinks away from physical contact unless he knows it’s welcome.  But he hates it.  He hates feeling that self-conscious and alcohol makes him brave.  So, when he drinks he’s freer with his movements and that spatial awareness combined with that bit of bravery… dancing is one of those things he really is good at.  When he can bring himself to do it.

Sight for Prouvaire  (OK, so referring to him as “Prouvaire” usually sends me straight to a Muet place in my head, but I”m going to play this straight for a change.)

What’s their favorite color?

MULTICOLOR.  AS MANY AS HE CAN FIT IN ONE OUTFIT.  Really, though, he doesn’t have a preference.  He loves colors.  He loves bright colors and muted colors, neutrals and pastels, stark black and white.  He’s hardly ever met a color he doesn’t like.  But if he had to pick a favorite, he’d tell you ‘mauve.’  Not because he especially loves the color, but because he loves the name.  It feels dark and heavy and falls off his tongue like stone.  He can’t get enough of it.

Do they have any art on their bedroom walls?

…you could call it that, yes.

When he gets into a writing fever, especially one brought on by melancholy, he tends to fall off the paper he’s writing on.  He’ll end up writing on the desk, on his arms and legs, on his friends, on the walls–wherever it feels right to put the words.  And when he’s filled up his walls, he has Bahorel and Feuilly over for a painting party to cover them over, giving himself a fresh new canvas to write on.  The words are still there, though, and will be there long after he is gone–invisible and forgotten, but still there–and he takes comfort from that.

(If applicable) What would their fashion sense be like if they weren’t limited by money, uniform regulations, animation budget, etc.?

*slightly hysterical laughter*  I think… I think I’m going to answer you this way, because I have a feeling that it’s not only an apt description of how Prouvaire would dress, but that it’s one you’ll appreciate…  ;D

“Do you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek homeworld? ‘The Oncoming Storm’. You may have removed all your emotions, but I bet that deep down in your DNA there’s one spark left, and that’s fear. Doesn’t it just burn when you face me?”

Taste for Enjolras

What’s their favorite food?

This is one of my few actually consistent headcanons across fic ‘verses – Enjolras is a salty food junkie.  If it’s salty and greasy he’s there a million times over.  Fried pickles?  French fries?  Nachos? Grilled cheese?  Mozzarella sticks?  GIVE IT OVER.

How are they at cooking? Do they enjoy it?

He’s… passable.  -.-;;;  He’s not going to poison himself if he has to cook himself a meal, but he doesn’t really enjoy cooking for its own sake.  If Courfeyrac is preparing a meal, though, you can usually find Enjolras in the kitchen with him, helping out in whatever way Courfeyrac will direct him to, and looking on with awed admiration.  Secretly he loves those moments they spend together in the kitchen preparing food.  Partly it’s because he knows how much Courfeyrac enjoys cooking (and how much he specifically enjoys cooking for his friends), and partly it’s because it’s such a small thing he can do to make Courfeyrac happy, and partly it’s because he secretly loves having his friend all to himself like this.  This is their thing and it has been since they were young, and Enjolras wouldn’t change those quiet moments with Courfeyrac for anything.

What’s their coffee order?

Enjolras usually stops in at whatever random place he can get something quick and cheap, anything to get him that jolt of caffeine he needs to keep going when he has a million things on his plate.  As a result, he usually takes it black and strong enough to peel paint, drinking it down as quickly as he can–like medicine.  When he has time to actually drink coffee to enjoy it, on the other hand… he likes his coffee drinks as froufrou as they come, and he’s particularly fond of salted caramel flavored anything.

[somuchbetterthanthat]

What do you think the barricade boys would be like today. Like with everything going on.

I was thinking about this, and I thought “oh my god, I have zero idea, that’s why it’s so hard to really write les amis in modern AU” but, I can try to actually give the beginning of an answer (and I’m ready to hear everybody’s opinions on this, really, because I think, depending our own situations, we’re gonna imagine something different for all of them.). This turned extremely long.. sorry.

I think the easiest to pin down are Feuilly and Grantaire, to be honest. 

Grantaire, would be That Guy who never went to vote to an election because “what’s the point? They’re all the same.” Or maybe, the first time he was able to vote was for a presidential, he voted someone, they didn’t pass (or they did and disappointed him) and he was disappointed and he went “whatever, voting is not as cool as I was told it would”. Grantaire won’t say he avoids the news because the bullshit around him actually affects him, and he totally won’t ever admit how much he loves being friends with people who ARE optimist and who sees humanity’s beauty and want to make things better. Grantaire is also the guy who is Totally in Favour of Women’s Rights, Especially the Sexual Liberation Part of It *wink wink*. He… probably had unfortunate sentences like “girls don’t like the nice guys, they just want assholes” (i mean he basically already say unfortunate things like that in canon). Irma probably said once to him “Dude, you are an asshole, and I don’t see women running to your feet, so shut the hell up.” In my opinion, he’s also a white man in his twenties, with all the blind prejudice it can bring. He’s bi, but not that comfortable with it. 

Feuilly, and dear god will I fight anybody on this if I must, is a STUDENT. (Or was a student, depending on which age you give them). Feuilly still struggles with money, because he’d live in fucking Paris, but Feuilly would NOT struggle to study, because FRANCE’S UNIVERSITIES ARE CHEAP (in comparison to some other countries, I mean), and also there are different financial help for people like Feuilly who don’t have the financial means to pay everything from their pockets. It’s still highly probable Feuilly would work anyway, probably in retail or tutoring!, though. Feuilly would spend his time reading and Getting Angry or Passionate about everything that’s going on in the world, that won’t change in our modern world. It’s not about Poland anymore, but oh man Feuilly would rant hours on the situation of Syrians refugees. He probably sat in baffled, horrified silence after Trump’s election. He makes sure people know about what happens in countries the media aren’t interested in. In fact, I could see him write long articles on international problems. 

To be honest, I really don’t know If I can do this for all of les amis (perhaps not as detailed). A lot of this is only my personal opinions on how they might be in modern France. 

In a world where Law school isn’t the only available school for people who don’t want to graduate for School, what do Bossuet and Bahorel do? I can see them, of course, going to university, again and again, but? Would they really not get a diploma…? I mean, okay, poor Bossuet probably doesn’t because of Circumstances, but for Bahorel, I don’t know - he can still have gone to study Law in the first place, find it filled with Terrible Arrogant Competitive People, went “nope” and just. Tried a lot of other things, accidentally majored and got a diploma in at least two of them, and somehow ends up with the most diploma in the group???? Which is baffling because Bahorel would also clearly be a Stylist. He has a page and everything. People don’t get it. I dunno. 

Concerning politics activity, Bahorel would still be the person who Knows Everybody In Paris, which means he goes from group to group - Bahorel probably knows the most radical leftist you can find in Paris, and he has tried to infiltrate an extreme-right meeting once or twice (but that ended up badly). Bahorel probably is the Main Messenger of l’ABC. He’s also probably very good at corrupting students and making them think “maybe being Far Left is actually quite cool”

Jehan probably is vegan? I have no idea what radical art movement is actually scandalizing the Good Society, but he’s probably part of that in some way (with Bahorel). Street art..? I truly have no idea here, so I won’t embarrass myself trying to say something. He still writes a lot of poems, he’s still very erudite, and he’s probably still very rich. He probably gives a lot of money to charity - for women, children, and animals, and he’s an active participant in at least one of them. He’s very big on the “nature doesn’t belong to human and we should be respectful of it” sustainable development movements. 

… Of course les amis would probably all be for sustainable development cause they’re not idiots but. you know.

I can’t see Joly as anything else than a doctor, and I tend to think he’d go for caring for kids in particular. He’s good with them. To be honest, when it comes to politics, Joly and Bossuet are the hardest for me to pin down - I have zero doubt they’re as invested as the others, but I don’t think they’d have as much “clear” role if you know what I mean? Joly probably organizes things for the children at hospital, like having people come here to visit them and make them laugh (Bossuet would probably help with that, and, in fact, probably so would Grantaire), or making sure they can see That Movie that just got out, etc. Joly would also be highly invested in the cause of nurses, which are having a hard time in France right now. Bossuet, drawing from his own experiences, would probably help people in situation of poverty - homeless people, etc. Perhaps he’d help in Le Refuge, which is an association that helps lgbt kids in France who are homeless. 

As for Joly, I can’t see Combeferre as anything else than a doctor, apart if he’s a teacher. Combeferre could totally be a teacher. however, Combeferre would probably be a family doctor, after trying a lot of different specialization. In fact, Combeferre probably went for medicine after trying a bunch of other things, and probably did at least two years of “prépa” (I have zero idea how to explain what it is. Two years of school that prepares you to a test that will allow you to enter prestigious schools all over france?) in like, physics or something because he used to plan to become a scientist. Combeferre is fascinated by technology and how it can help; probably works on making teleportation a thing during lost hours; has contacts all over the scientist words, and spends a lot of time with Jehan speaking about how we could actually already put into place green energy all over the world. Combeferre also tutors kids, he’s involved in feminist groups, and of all his friends, he is the most socialist while everybody else is pretty far into radical left.

Would Courfeyrac be a lawyer? Honestly, I could see it! There is something about Courfeyrac that feels right about this, choosing to defend the innocent and all, he’s a paladin isn’t he - of course he would be a real life lawyer, not a fictional one, and I don’t know exactly which branches of law exists for him in modern-france, but he would be for the one who comes closest to helping either children, group of people being wronged, etc. He probably also gives free lawyer advice for those who don’t even know perhaps they hAVE rights. Courfeyrac would deal with everything social media in the group, and he would still have an uncanny eye to notice people that might fit and belong in their group. He’s charming in a less intense way that Enjolras might be, which makes him an easy “first contact”. 

 As for Enjolras, well, duh, he’d be a printer. He’d be involved in particular with everything that touches the right of workers, what the EU means for France’s companies, and what generally speaking international market do for workers that might not have a chance to fight against the competitive prices of other countries. Chances are, the printshop would also have an editorial branch to it, too. Which brings me to my point-

I think les amis de l’ABC would have a newspaper of sort: they’d started with a blog, and somehow it turned into a very political, humanist newspaper, of which Enjolras would be the principal editor: all of les amis might write articles from times to times - Bahorel, Bossuet, Courfeyrac and Jehan are the one who find other authors to fill in. Grantaire probably writes the horoscope, and it is mocking and still very PoliticalTM, but the tone is humouristic and there are a lot of puns and les amis are much too weak for puns.  

They would also have a branch dedicated to tutoring students of all ages, particularly in “difficult neighborhoods” (which would go hand in hand with Valjean’s center, which is a vague idea of mine that i like). That’s Combeferre and Feuilly’s responsibilities, though Joly chimes in when he can, as well as Courfeyrac and Enjolras. 

They would, obviously, protest - that’s a French Given. They would be, as I said, very active on social media (Courfeyrac on youtube, please and thank you, videos of Enjolras speaking, etc.). A lot of their stance might be on visibility and education: which wouldn’t stop them from direct action when it needs to happen. Les amis de l’ABC would very much be far left, though I don’t think they would like the idea of two big parties anymore, because that’s a feeling that every french people feel nowadays, i think, or so it feels anyway. 

And while I said “he” all the while in this post, because I put them all from canon to modern era, obviously not all of them would be “he”. Les amis de l’ABC would be boys, girls, trans, non-binary, they’d be white or black or brown-skinned, atheists, muslims, catholics, jewish people, etc. Les amis de l’ABC would be very diverse. Also, probably bigger than they were in canon-era - apparently there wasn’t that much of them because of political restrictions of the time-period, but nowadays they could be as much as they can freely, so, there’s that.  Of course, that doesn’t change the idea that Enjolras, Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Feuilly, Bahorel, Jehan, Bossuet, Joly and Grantaire might be the “core” of their association/group. 

I don’t… actually know if that answer your question at all? I hope so?  

[pilferingapples]

Enjolras! And/or: Doc!

Well that is CERTAINLY A RANGE THERE XD

Enjolras:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life |  the first character I loved in this story and still a fave after twenty years, good for you buddyhotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang|  however hot Hugo says he is, I just want to be pals with him and maybe mess with his hairhogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuff HE IS THE FRENCHEST OF THE FRENCH, THIS DOES NOT APPLYbest quality: bitch he’s basically Jesus      I mean he is...99.999 percent Good Qualities but the one that’s probably most central is his love-based approach to everything. It’s the reason why his love of an Ideal stays healthy and helpful instead of turning into a cage for himself, and why he’s able to find and connect with people who are so different for him, and why no, I don’t think he would have burned out if he’d lived; he’s not monofocusing to make up for something else, this is him being in love,  he’s getting the same fulfillment out of devoting himself to the republic that Marius gets out of devoting himself to Cosette, or that Bishop Myriel gets out of devoting himself to the service of God. ...And I’m gonna digress again, so MOVING ON. 

his worst quality:  I mean it’s a fault he’s actively working to correct, but his narrowness of view is still canonically It.  (I think his era-standard idea of women not belonging in active political efforts fits under this, or I’d say that was it, but it’s more of his general starting narrow idea of How To Revolution.) ship them with:   I really really don’t? I mean Feuilly probably comes closest , but even with that it’s ....pretty much shipping them both with Great Inter/National Justice Together. I tend to get very uncomfortable with stories that involve actual like...kissing And Etc with Enjolras.  But then I am an established space alien. brotp them with:  All the Amis, obviously!  I have a special fondness for stories about him with people besides C&C or Grantaire, just because they’re relatively rarer, but I do find all the relationships there really interesting and fun to read and think about.   And also Marius! No, they aren’t particularly close in the novel, but I feel like that’s one of those missed opportunity things; they have a lot in common, and if Marius had had a little  more time to grow into himself and his own ideas they could have connected really well. ALAS though. needs to stay away from:  pissed off national guards who don’t realize that when you have the leader of a revolutionary cell cornered and disarmed you take him prisoner ,  oh my god, how incompetent are they misc. thoughts:

Doc:

general opinion: fall in a hole and die | don’t like them | eh | they’re fine I guess | like them! | love them | actual love of my life hotness level: get away from me | meh | neutral | theoretically hot but not my type | pretty hot | gorgeous! | 10/10 would bang| cute like a basket of kittens| I need to squoosh his cheekshogwarts house: gryffindor | slytherin | ravenclaw | hufflepuffbest quality: he is the Actual Kindest, as per Ahim, and she would know worst quality: he does have his cranky moods (and I love that those don’t make him Not Kind, it’s just a Mood and he gets to be moody and still be a sweetheart) ship them with:  I don’t at allbrotp them with:  the whole Gokai crew obviously!needs to stay away from:    Super Great Ideas for Pranksmisc. thoughts:  I really appreciated that even when he was having his (justified) episodes of self-doubt wrt to his fighting skills, he never thought he shouldn’t be on the team, because he knows full well that he’s not ON the team because of his fighting skills. Whether he’d ever learned to fight or not, he’s the one person there who got frigging press ganged, and it’s because THEY WILL ALL DIE DROWNING IN THEIR OWN CHAOS if he ever ever leaves. A lot of team shows make a big deal about *saying* that the less combat-proficient members of the team are Essential, but Gokai really made a point of illustrating WHY. (also I swear, if I didn’t have a VERY set headcanon for how Joly looks , Doc would have become it instantly. THE CHEEKS. A MENACE. ) 

[synchronysymphony]

marius or mary sue: an analysis

okay y’all this may be very offensive, so please don’t read it if you like Marius Pontmercy, because I’m discussing the things he does in the book that gave me Issues and it might not be Nice

ok

Marius is, first and foremost, a self-insert for Victor Hugo. This is not textually supported, so I won’t really discuss it, other than to say that since he isn’t given as much of a well-developed personality as, say Jean Valjean, the problematic things he does come off as much worse, because we have no basis for understanding them. That being said, and speaking of Jean Valjean, I can never forgive Marius for his treatment of him. He’s his father-in-law, and he’s never been anything but kind and caring, but Marius decides that because he’s a convict, he should be cut out of Cosette’s life, and left to die alone. Valjean agrees with this, because as we can see in virtually every episode of the book, he’s a self-sacrificing martyr with horrible self esteem. Once Marius realizes that Valjean saved his life, though, he turns right around, because oh! If he saved my life, all those moral objections I was making before don’t count! He must actually be a good person, because he helped me, and therefore everything’s okay! Which of course bothers me, because it seems like he’s always touted as an emblem of good moral sensibilities and all that, but really, he reshapes his moral compass so many times throughout the course of the book, and is actually quite self-serving.  I was raised to believe that we should respect our elders, and of course Marius’s background with his grandfather doesn’t give him that same ideology, but he should still have some measure of human compassion. Here’s a poor, lonely old man, obviously a goodhearted person, since he’s raised Cosette to be so lovely, and Marius ????? takes all the furniture out of the room to make him leave ?????? gosh that’s so petty, and really disrespectful! We would never see Marius treating Mabeuf this way. 

Even worse, though, it really bothers me how Marius treats Cosette, throughout their whole story together. It starts when he sees her in the park, decides he’s in love with her, and begins thinking of her as a sexual object, very much immediately. This is evidenced well in the scene where her skirt blows up and exposes her ankle, and he 1830s slut-shames her for it. He’s mad that some other man might have seen his love (his property) in an intimate way, and is intensely jealous. And of course, at this point in time, he hasn’t even spoken to her yet! (This can be contrasted with Courfeyrac, who’s canonically a bit of a player, but who chooses not to flirt with her) (citation needed -- I’m only writing this from what I remember seeing on some meta post) Marius continues on his path, following Cosette, watching her, even arbitrarily assigning her a name, and completely disrespecting any sorts of boundaries that she might have. In the book, of course, she’s okay with this, but then again, when all of this starts, she’s only 15, and quite sheltered, to boot. I know that at that age, I would have been flattered to have an older man paying attention to me, and would write off anything uncomfortable! After awhile, once his behavior scares Valjean away (understandable -- if I were a parent, I would be very alarmed to have an adult man continually staring at my teenage daughter for hours on end), he decides to break into her garden, because of course that’s what you should do to someone you want to ask on a date. In a modern-day scenario, this would be very weird– Marius, a grown adult, asks his gang-affiliated friend to scope out his crush’s address and give it to him so he can go visit and leave her anonymous love letters in the dead of night. He doesn’t consider that this might be unwelcome, because, again, he believes that Cosette is his love, and therefore belongs to him.  He continues to deny her agency as the book goes on, withholding information and money from her, and not trusting her with any life matters besides being his sweet, obedient wife. This can be seen in the scene when Valjean comes to visit the day after their wedding, and Cosette keeps trying to come in the room, but Marius won’t stop sending her away because he wants to talk about Secret Business with Valjean. Valjean is her father, and in fact, they’re talking about her inheritance, but Marius doesn’t want her input. He then proceeds to gaslight her, pretending that he’s not trying his damnedest to cut her father out of her life, and acting like a good husband, when in fact, their marriage is so full of lies that it may as well be a soap opera. This finally culminates in her reaching her dying father’s bedside, not knowing anything about him, and having to learn about his true life from a letter. However, Marius shows quite little remorse for all of this, so there’s no reason to hope that Cosette will be treated any better now that Valjean’s reputation has been redeemed. 

For some context, I’d like to compare Marius and Cosette to Tholomyes and Fantine. Of course, Marius isn’t as bad as Tholomyes, but they do behave similarly to some extent. Tholomyes consistently lied to Fantine throughout their whole relationship, and importantly, withheld information from her. He made up for it by buying her nice things and taking care of her financially, because of course the life of a parentless grisette is hard. And then he abandoned her, and of course, this is awful, and I wish I could punch him. But, these are all things that Marius does, too! In fact, he’s even less lavish in his treatment of Cosette, because he doesn’t want to use “dirty money,” so he makes her economize rather severely. Now, I wouldn’t say that Marius would leave Cosette, because he thinks that he owns her, and he’s too conscientious to walk out. But it does bear thinking about, doesn’t it? Cosette’s love story is thought to be so wonderful and special, but it’s really somewhat like her mother’s.  There aren’t a ton of other romantic relationships in the novel to compare with for further analysis, other than the Thenardiers (blah) and Eponine and Marius (which I don’t read as totally romantic but ,,,,) and Enjolras and Grantaire (who aren’t really canon, and don’t have much textual interaction), so it could be the case that Hugo thinks Marius and Cosette’s relationship is a healthy one. Still, though, there’s something to be said for partial death-of-the-author, and I think it’s okay to read this through modern eyes as well as with the context of the 1860s in mind. And when we do, we see a really problematic and imbalanced relationship between a naive young girl and an intelligent, conniving, and manipulative man whose preoccupations are first and foremost with himself (I could give examples dw). It seems like a recipe for disaster!

Marius is smart, of course, and he’s brave, and he does do some cool things. As a linguist, I can’t help but admire how he learned two languages in two months! He saved the barricade, which was cool (but also scary, because he proved that he’s just fine with shooting a man and not feeling super bad about it, while Enjolras, the proclaimed “terrible” radical leader, had to execute someone so his friends wouldn’t have to, cried about it, and decided he deserved death for doing so). And I do understand where he’s coming from, because his background isn’t good, and of course he’s missing a lot of input and things like that. But! He does a lot of problematic things, and does not fit well into the progressive ideas of the novel as a whole. In fact, he feels more like an anachronism. While Cosette represents hope, and Valjean represents salvation, and Les Amis represent change, Marius represents... what, exactly? He’s a backslide into the outdated ideals of pre-revolution morality, Napoleonic both in his outlook, and in his characterization. While every other character shows development (even the Thenardiers, albeit in a bad way), Marius remains stuck where he is, as an entitled 20-something whose main ideology revolves primarily around himself. He’s not a good hero to me. 

And so, this is why I don’t like Marius Pontmercy.