Chapter Text
Cosette took her first steps towards the garden hesitating for a moment before straitening her shoulders and pulling on her white night gown. “I am not afraid” her voice was quiet and only held a trace of the fear inside her. But she stepped forward and out of the house. For a week now there had been a light in the shed but she knew it wasn't her papa sleeping in there any more. She had no idea why he didn't want any of the nice things that she only dreamt about having before- In that place. But now he’s staying inside now on a soft bed, someone was in the shed. She didn't tell her papa because he’d take them away again and there’s someone she wants to see again. A small boy she thought it was a boy but he was so small it was hard to tell but when he looked at her she knew those eyes she still had them no matter how nice it was here. So she could be brave.
She was light, still small from that place but she was getting bigger and her head wasn't dizzy any more. But she could still move silently. Her papa hated it when she moved silently suggested getting a bell for her like a kitty so she wouldn't scare him. She thought that was silly because moving silently was all she could do. She doesn't remember the times when she used to have loud footsteps when they brought attention and attention was never a good thing there. Especially at night if she was to take a little something, just to keep warm, to get a little food. Even Eponine learnt to be quiet then she was scared of that man too. Part of her wondered if she was always scared.
Slipping up next to a hole in the shed she couldn't see anyone big she wasn't dumb, she knew to get papa if a big person was in the shed. But she didn't want to worry him he always had trouble sleeping at night especially when it was cold. She didn't understand why when he woke up he said it was hot as hell below. When her eyes caught on movement there was someone in the shed. She peered closer the lump of rags was moving. Waiting, she was good at waiting she had beaten the cat at staring once, for the lump to move when she saw his face. It was the boy the tiny boy from before, he looked even tinier now all curled up. Clothes hanging from his skeleton frame, bruises on pale skin. She doesn't have to be brave now. She knows him the tiny boy with sad eyes.
Her thoughts stopped for a moment. A way for her to be like her papa he took her in now she can do the same for this boy. Moving around to the door she pushed it open on its creaking hinges when he suddenly moved his arms flying up towards his face, as his face turned away. His voice was high and terrified words flying out his mouth to fast for her to understand them but the word sorry was repeated over and over again.
“It’s okay.” Her mind was blank all she could think of was why was this child was crying when she came in. She stopped just inside closing the door behind her; maybe he was scared of the dark. Her papa was scared of the dark too though he never wanted to light candles just for him. But the boy just kept up the barrage of words before pausing and looking through the gaps between his fingers.
“I’ll just go. I'm sorry.” Up close she could see even more marks on the boy and the way he shook under her gaze. “I'm sorry I won’t come back please don’t tell anyone I'm here I'm sorry.” She doesn't know why he’s so scared she shut the door so the dark can’t get him. She steps forward noticing the way he shakes even more, she stops and sits down. She thought it was just the size of everything that made him look small. The way she always does, papa says she’ll grow into the world carving her own space in it, but this boy is even tinier like the wind was going to carry him away.
“It’s okay. I was looking for you anyway. I'm glad you’re here. My name’s Cosette.” At the sound of her voice the boy flinched his head covered in matted dark curls hunched further into the curve of his neck. Waiting for him to respond she stared at him. Maybe he didn't know that papa says you should introduce yourself to people. She wasn't allowed to before; the only people who saw her scared her more than that man. “You should introduce yourself.” With this the boys head lifted slightly his blue eyes staring at the floor.
“I'm Grantaire.” His voice was quiet like he didn't want to disturb the air with his voice, which Cosette found very odd because he kept saying sorry but she knew his name now. She wanted to ask why he was in her shed but she knew his eyes and the nights where she couldn't stand to be in their house any more. The way that anywhere else even if it was colder was better than there.
So she moved past him watching the way he flinched and grabbed the blanket that she had put in here in case papa decided to sleep outside in the shed again. So he wouldn't have to be alone out here. Pulling it out she placed it over Grantaire’s shoulders she decided to talk to her papa tomorrow about why he flinches so much. Papa knows everything. She curled up in a ball wishing that she had brought something with her but she met the boy so maybe she’s only allowed one wish. (She never thought it was possible to be taken away from there, never thought to wish for it. She’s glad she didn't because papa is better than anyone else who would have taken her, and now she gets to talk to the boy- to Grantaire. Maybe she won’t be all alone in the big house with only her echo to talk to when papa goes away.)
She felt something cover her, to see Grantaire placing the blanket over her when he was still shivering. Tilting her head letting her brown curls fall over her shoulders she looked at him. “I can go you don’t need to stay here. Why did you give me this?” He was holding on to one edge of the blanket rubbing it slightly between his fingers like he’d never touched anything this nice before. She still does that too from time to time, not quite used to having anything. Part of her thinks one day everyone will realise she’s not right for this part, a bundle of rags pretending to be a pretty doll.
“You’re staying here and I'm staying here. We’ll just have to share okay?” Her tone suggested that this was not a question more of a statement. Waiting for a timid nod she pulled him under the blankets and closed her eyes. Waiting for him to relax she wondered if she should go get her papa to carry him inside. But then she reasoned to herself if papa sleeps out here then it must be okay, I’ll grab him in the morning. Letting his breathing calm her she waited till Grantaire fell asleep before pushing more of the blankets over him. She meant to go back to the house to drag another blanket outside he was still so cold, but her eyes were heavy she just wanted to rest them for a minute when she fell asleep.