Disclaimer: Les Misérables was never mine to keep. It's Victor Hugo's.
"'Scuse me, monsieur."
"Oui?"
"Is Monsieur Marius around?"
"No."
"Where is he then?" She persisted.
"I don't know, m'selle."
"Do you know where he could be?"
"Try Luxembourg Gardens. He customarily takes a stroll there at this hour." Courfeyrac then turned away from her, accidentally dropping his wallet. This did not escape Éponine's notice. She was tempted not to call the young man's attention and keep the wallet to herself but remembering that he was a friend of Marius, she thought that if she were to rob a friend of Marius, she was robbing Marius himself.
"Monsieur." Éponine called.
Courfeyrac turned to see Éponine retrieve his wallet from the floor.
She placed it on his hand. "You dropped this." And before he could thank her, Éponine fled – determined to accomplish her errand.
0o0o0o0
"Zounds!" Éponine exclaimed when she reached Luxembourg.
Marius' bench was empty, except for an old man gaily feeding the pigeons.
Where could he be? Where else? Where else? Oh! Musain…
0o0o0o0
Éponine surveyed the members of the so-called Friends of ABC as they exit the café. Still no Marius yet still she waited until only the blond monsieur was left. She had the notion that Marius wasn't there but still she had to ask. Just to be sure.
"Is Monsieur Marius around?"
Enjolras turned to face Éponine and shook his head. "He hasn't been here for quite some time." Blast!
"D'you know where he could be?"
He shook his head again and scrutinized the thin frame of the inquirer. She looked so emaciated that he fished out three sous from his pocket and handed it to her. "Here. You look like you haven't-"
Éponine back away, refusing charity, and shook her head. "I need to find him, monsieur." And she left.
She walked past Courfeyrac who recognized her. He then entered the café for he had forgotten something.
"Was she asking for Marius?" He asked Enjolras as he fetched some books from a table.
Enjolras nodded.
"It seems to me that the Bonapartist got himself an admirer." Courfeyrac mused.
"It is none of our business." Enjolras stated.
Courfeyrac agreed. "We have a bigger one."
0o0o0o0
Hotel de la Porte Saint Jacques, Luxembourg Gardens, Café Musain – Éponine nicked all those places off her mental checklist of the places where Marius could be. Where was she to look next? He couldn't be back in Gorbeau House. Hold… could he? Well, she hadn't tried looking for him there. But it was too dangerous, she too was being searched, not by Marius, but by bobbies. She might get caught. Well, it was worth the try… for Marius. Éponine turned to a street, leading to her next destination. She thought of the last time she had seen Marius, he'd been in distraught that time. If only she could comfort him… but it was the Lark he had sought for, not her. Now that she found her, she could make him happy. And that was enough for her.
"Éponine."
She froze, recognizing his voice. Éponine wheeled around to see Marius standing before her. He was looking as handsome as ever. He was even wearing his new coat. Oh, how august he looked. She had always adored his face, his hair, but not as much as she admired his benevolence and humility. She knew he was a bourgeois yet he didn't act like one.
What are you doing here? She wanted to ask him but instead it came out as: "I've been looking everywhere for you."
This seemed to please him. He replied, "And I."
Éponine could not believe it. "Did you really, monsieur?"
"Oui, I was looking for you too. And now I found you."
Marius said this in a manner that, for the first time in years, made Éponine blushed. At that moment, on that second, she looked beautiful amidst her blotched face and tattered skirt.
Remembering her task, Éponine handed Marius a piece of paper.
"What is this?" Marius asked.
"The address, monsieur. The one you asked of me. Now there it is: the Lark's address."
"The Lark?"
"Yes, she. The benevolent man's daughter – Cosette." Even though it has been years since she had last seen her, Éponine still remembered her name, the pathetic creature who was now Marius' beloved; who was now a bourgeoisie, complete with her bonnet and pretty dress.
Marius' brow furrowed, confused. Yet Éponine thought he looked charming still. "I don't know what you're talking about, 'Ponine." 'Ponine! He called her 'Ponine! Oh she could have danced there and then.
"Don't you remember monsieur? You asked me to find her when I was asking what's the matter with you. Oh how glad you were when I offered you my help. Now here I am, helping you." Éponine reminded him, and bitterly adding "Helping you find her."
"Oh 'Ponine," Marius chuckled adoringly. "I think you've starved yourself too long. I don't remember asking you such a thing. Whoever that Cosette is, she does not matter."
"But monsieur-"
"Hush, 'Ponine."
She consented but looked curiously at him.
"It's you who I want." Marius uttered.
If Éponine were a star, she would have shined so brightly at once. She beamed at Marius' revelation. Though lacking some teeth, her dimpled smile was enough to brighten the whole of Paris.
"Do you mean it? Really?"
He then kissed her like nobody else kissed Éponine before.
"Do you believe me now?" Marius asked Éponine, who probably had just experienced the best moment of her life.
"Oui, Monsieur Marius. Oui." Éponine replied before kissing him back. She felt Marius wrap his arm around her, making her feel so secure and protected. Was this how being in love was like? If so, she wanted this moment – him and her together forever and forever.
But before she knew it, he was gone. The vision, the daydream, the fantasy has ended. She was alone in the street again. No Marius, just her. This realization hit Éponine so hard that she had to lean on the wall to prevent herself from staggering. Still hung-over from her intoxicating reverie, she did not notice the guards patrolling the street along Gorbeau house, walking to her direction. One of them was Inspector Javert who had recognized her immediately.
"Seize her."
Éponine, caught completely unawares, was arrested. By impulse, she spat on the guards faces which they returned with a bludgeon on her stomach, instantly knocking her unconscious.
"Filthy hussy," one of the guards muttered as they hauled her from the ground and carried her off to prison.
Not one of them noticed the single tear drop that escaped Éponine's shut eyes.
A/N: To be honest, Marius/Éponine was my first ship but things changed after I read Volume III: Marius, he & Cosette gave me so many feels and so they're my otp now. Hope you like this but tbh I'm not satisfied my writing. I know at the book 'Ponine got Cosette's address when she got out of jail but I sorta tweaked it here. Pardon my amateur writing. Still so not good with it. Thank you very much for reading this though. What can you say about it? Tell me!