Here's an Enjonine one-shot for SummerSnitch's contest! It's my first Enjonine story, and my first story for the Les Mis fandom, and I really love both, so I hope everyone likes it! I'm not sure about it really, so reviews good and bad are welcome!
"If you come back, I'll kill you! You useless bitch!" Eponine's father shouts brandishing a blade of substantial size.
He slams the door in her face, and the gust of cool air that blows from it makes her shiver, cutting through the cheap fabric of her threadbare dress.
She walks away from what used to pass as her home, head held high, until she finds and empty alleyway and can fall apart without anyone noticing.
Eponine sobs into the worn cotton skirt of her dress, feeling confused and alone. She nurses fresh wounds from both her father's fists, and his blade. Her father kicked her out of the only home she's ever known (even if it's a broken one) for not bringing home enough money. She couldn't help it really. Eponine's not particularly sure when it happened, but somewhere on the line, she found she couldn't pick-pocket anymore. She couldn't bring herself to take what wasn't hers. She had gained, oh what was it Enjolras had called them? Oh yes morals.
The boys of Les Amis always talked about these "moral" thinks like they were good, wonderful even, and something everyone needed. Eponine doesn't return the feeling. Whatever they are, they've got Eponine in this situation.
A few days ago, Eponine would have turned to Marius to seek comfort from, but now, the only time Marius will even speak to her is when he asks Eponine to deliver letters to his "beloved Cosette". Even worse, Eponine can't even bring it upon herself to hate Cosette. Eponine knows how her parents, and even herself treated Cosette when they were young, and looking back on it Eponine knows Cosette deserves every happiness in life she can get. Eponine just wishes that Marius didn't have to be one of them.
Without any other ways out, Eponine just tries to find comfort in her thoughts.
Eponine tries to think back on how she got these thoughts in her head, thoughts that it wasn't ok to steal anymore. She finally finds a scapegoat! It was Enjolras! Enjolras and his blasted talk of revolution! Always shouting how all men are equal, and we must be kind and honorable to all, blah, blah, blah. Eponine hadn't even realized she'd been paying attention to the blonde law student!
His speeches of fairness for all had somehow affected Eponine! Oh did she have a bone to pick with him! Eponine knows just where to find Monsieur Enjolras, for he never goes anywhere else. She struts towards Café Musain with a purpose, ignoring the screams of pain sounding from her side.
Eponine takes the steps two at a time, and spots Enjolras right away, hunched over some notes at his usual table. (no one else is there, which is not surprising considering the hour)
"Monsieur Enjolras!" she just manages to shout before the world spins around and goes dark.
…
Enjolras looks up in shock at the sight of a young woman passed out on the floor of the café. She looks familiar to him, and he remembers her name, Eponine, Marius's shadow.
He rushes to her, trying to find what's wrong with the girl. It is then he notices a dark red patch seeping through the side of her dress. It almost seems like she's been stabbed. He could go to Joly- Enjolras glances at the clock and curses under his breath- its two in the morning, there's no way he could get Joly now. He's got to do something though. There's only one thing he can think of though. Enjolras gathers his books in his bag, and gently lifts the Mademoiselle in his arms, careful not to jostle the wound in her side.
He briskly walks towards his flat, thankful for the late hour for Enjolras doesn't want to even think about how suspicious he must look. He sends up a silent prayer of thanks when he finally reaches his flat.
Enjolras quickly rushes to his room and gently puts Eponine on his bed. He finds some old cloth that he tears in strips for bandages, and grabs one of his larger shirts for Eponine, since her dress is ruined by now.
Enjolras tries to peel off her dress while remaining as gentlemanly as possible, which takes quite a while. Eventually, Enjolras finds that there is a small wound on Eponine's left waist, and though it looks like only a scratch, but must be much deeper, for even now it continues to seep blood.
Enjolras does the best he can to bandage the injury and slides his shirt over the still unconscious Eponine. He sits in the chair beside his bed waiting for her to wake, but finds himself yawning over and over, before drifting off to sleep.
…
Eponine wakes with an ache in her side, but in the most comfortable bed she's ever slept in. She turns over, trying to figure out where she is, when Eponine spots none other than Monsieur Enjolras himself. He is sleeping, slumped over in an arm chair beside the bed Eponine is in. "Monsieur! What am I doing here?" she shouts.
He jumps awake and out of his chair, eyes wide. "God Eponine! You frightened me!" he calms down considerably though. "You rushed into Café Musain and passed out! You have what looks like a stab wound in your side as well Mademoiselle! I took you to my flat here and tried my best to bandage you." He gestures towards Eponine's middle.
Eponine looks down and notices she is wearing a man's shirt. She figures that Enjolras must've had to change her clothes, and she blushes a bit, because even as the lowest of street scum, Eponine liked to think she at least had some dignity left (until now that is). "Well Monsieur Enjolras, thank you for your kindness to me, but I cannot impede on you any longer, I must be going."
Eponine tries to get up from the bed, but winces at the pain from her side. "No Eponine! I insist you stay here, at least until you heal a little bit. It is no burden on me. Please do return to sleep, I shall just stay in my chair."
Enjolras rises to goad Eponine back into the bed, when Eponine realizes something. "Monsieur Enjolras I have been sleeping in your bed. I really must not take it any longer. Please just allow me to sleep in the chair. I will be fine there." She sits back up again.
"No Eponine. You are injured, and need to rest in a real bed. I couldn't let you sleep in a chair in this state." He continues to insist.
"I am not that badly injured Monsieur. I've had worse really. But this is your bed rightfully, and I won't be able to rest with you in that chair. I will sleep here only if you at least do so as well. The bed is large enough for us both to sleep with an acceptable distance between us." She gestures to the large queen sized bed that could realistically fit at least three people.
"No Mademoiselle Eponine, I could not. It would be disrespectful." He shakes his head furiously.
After much arguing, and several threats of sleeping on the ground, the two eventually work out that Enolras will sleep on the very edge of the other side of the bed. He climbs in after changing into his nightclothes in the bathroom, mumbling "Improper… immoral…"
Eponine remembers why she came to Enjolras in the first place. "Monsieur Enjolras I need to talk to you!" she says urgently.
He sighs, exhausted. "Eponine, please. Save it for later?"
Eponine frowns, but soon resigns herself over to sleep.
…
The two are both soon fast asleep, a good bit of space between them. Enjolras doesn't make a sound when Eponine instinctively curls into his side. Eponine doesn't move when Enjolras unconsciously wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her into him.
Neither of them notice when they curl into each other in their sleep. They don't notice, or maybe they don't really mind too much.