AN: A couple weeks ago I became totally obsessed with the E/E ship, so fic means a lot to me. I would normally never write something that contradicts the original way something was written. I have nothing against it or people that like writing that way, it's just the way I am. But, the beginning of this story will be an exception and is crucial for the way this story is going to progress. It's nothing too drastic, well it might be depending on who you are but I just couldn't let them live on in this life, anyway. This fic flows back and forth between point of view of Enjolras and Eponine. And, I'm really proud of how I know this will turn out so please keep reading!
Eponine's heart was torn to pieces every day, every time he looked at her. Enjolras's heart was torn to pieces every day, every time she looked right through him. For, she was a miserable damsel in distress that was in love with a man named Marius who had never looked twice at her. And, she couldn't help but show the misery upon her face. For, he was a miserable revolution-thirsty schoolboy who was in love with a girl named Eponine who had barely spoken to him. And, like the stone of a statue he never, not even once showed the misery upon his face.
Enjolras had first met Eponine at the café weeks before the barricades had arisen, when she had been waiting for around for Marius. Enjolras hadn't been sure what someone like her, all dressed in rags, underfed and covered in filth, was doing here. The words "street trash" echoed in his mind but he instantly pushed them out because there was something so captivating about this one girl. She was brewing over the brim with this light and beauty that no one else in the café seemed to see. Along with this certain pureness there was an element of warrior, strength and inner lioness that Enjolras adorned on the spot. He had never particularly been interested in or attracted to any woman. So, when he looked into the misty brown eyes of Eponine Thenadier he felt something completely new and alien. But, never the less he accepted this feeling and began to nurture it without a second thought. She was obviously looking for someone and couldn't find them by the way she was looking this way and that with such disappointed eyes. Enjolras suddenly felt a duty to help her.
"Are you looking for someone, Mademoiselle?" he asked still keeping his poker face intact but for the first time in a long time there was a small smile beginning to creep it's way past the unmovable stone.
She immediately looked ashamed which made Enjolras feel ashamed. "Yes monsieur, his name is Marius Pontmercy. Do you know him?" Her voice was gentle and full of light but there was also certain roughness to it, all of which Enjolras was intrigued by. But, when she said Marius's name he couldn't help but feel a great jealousy because there was a certain twinge in her voice as she said it that he wasn't a fool enough to know she cared for him.
Something within him broke when he realized this. Maybe it was his heart but Enjolras never would have admitted to something like that, not even to himself. Yet still feeling a great need to help this woman he continued. "Ah, Marius. Yes, I do. I'm sure he'll be along in a minute. Don't worry."'
"Oh, I won't monsieur." she assured him.
"Please call me Enjolras. Everyone else here does." He begged wanting to hear his name be spoken by that voice of an angel.
Before replying, she looked around once more, not for Marius but because she knew she didn't belong among middle-class people. "Well, I'm not everyone else here." She meekly addressed.
"I don't care." He responded with such certainty it even surprised himself. Eponine was so touched by his kindness she barely knew what to say.
"It's nice to meet you Enjolras… I'm Eponine."
Eponine. Eponine. What a beautiful name! The word shone with the same beautiful light she did and seemed to echo in the very essence of his soul. "Eponine." He echoed, another smile just edging into view but, then Marius walked up the stairs into the café and he had lost his light. Indeed, it shone much brighter than before but it shone for Marius, not for him. Marius and Eponine immediately struck up a conversation. He could see that to Marius, Eponine was just a friend and her light was unseen by him. This outraged Enjolras. Being blind to this woman's pure beauty should be a crime. But, there was a part of him that was relieved, too. If Marius didn't love Eponine back there was hope for him yet. Their words were completely within hearing distance but Enjolras had zoned them out. He would've thought himself to put up a fight if he ever came close to something like falling in love, if that's what he was experiencing. But, he did no such thing. Enjolras just went back to his apartment to think, passing the chatty pair as he left and taking one last look at Eponine. A mere day ago all he had ever cared about was freedom, fighting for Patria. And, he still cared about it just as much but, in a different way. Now, when he fought, he would fight for freedom, which he had always been doing but so he could share it with Eponine. They could prosper in this new world to come. For, he was certain that unless Eponine and her every bit of her light was his, ultimately there was no point to live. And, if he could have Eponine but not live in the free world he wanted either, there was no point to live. He would win the heart of this lioness and his Patria one way or another.
When Eponine first met Enjolras there was something about him she really felt drawn to. He was so kind and polite to her. She knew he probably treated every woman this way but she still felt touched to the bone. If she had only known he had never treated any woman that way. And, there was something so spectacular in his eyes. It was a light, a light that shone like the sun with all its warmth. And, it showed that this man, reserved as he was had great passion within him. His face was so much like a stone statue but Eponine could see that he saw right through her, but still didn't judge her for her crime. Loving Marius. It was true, anyone with smarts enough like Enjolras could see it, the way she followed him around like a lost puppy so much. And Eponine knew she did but there was nothing she could do to stop herself. Eponine wanted to be with Marius more than anything. She wanted him to love her. Compared to everything else she wanted in the world, that was all Eponine wanted. The gamine looked at Enjolras once more as he passed her to leave and wondered if she had done something to offend him and felt ashamed once more. She probably had. Enjolras had been so kind to her, which she adored. Eponine continued her conversation but needed to catch Enjolras another time and apologize.
The next time Enjolras and Eponine met was several days later but it was about time because Enjolras was having a tough time focusing on anything other than his beautiful light when he wasn't planning revolution with his fellow men. The time was almost here, the barricades would arise soon. The excitement grew inside him but the expression on his face didn't change. It wasn't long now until he could live out his days with Eponine. After days of considering it he knew he was in love with Eponine Thenardier. Only a minute he had shared her presence but still, it had been enough that he knew he'd love her for the rest of his life. A minute before Eponine had walked into Café Musain that would have seemed like a crime. But, he knew he loved Eponine and France in very, very different ways. So, when he walked up the stairs to the café and saw her standing, flying more like it by the wall it was the happiest surprise of his life. Enjolras immediately approached her, not wanting to waste but a moment.
"Eponine!" he beamed as he approached her each step swifter than the last. She broke into a smile as he reached her.
"Enjolras! It's nice to see you again; we didn't really get a chance to talk the other day."
"Very nice indeed, are you looking for Marius again?" he questioned wanting to do anything at all possible to help her.
"No, actually I was looking for you." She established slowly. That was the most harmoniously amazing thing he had ever heard said. She had come here….. to see him. Once again, another tiny smile began edging into view this one reaching farther than ever before. She saw the slight expression change, which was a lot for Enjolras and explained. "The other day when we first met you left so soon after I had stopped talking to you….. and you had that look on your face…. I don't… I just thought I might have offended you and I'd like to greatly apologize if I did, because believe me it would never have been my intention and-
"Offend me?!" he was astonished. If the poor woman only knew that he had fallen in love with her! Grabbing her hand in his and stroking it with affection he assured her "Eponine, you could do no such thing. Never!" It took her a moment but as soon as Eponine looked into Enjolras's eyes she saw that beautiful light again and truly believed him. Maybe, he didn't treat every woman this way… maybe she was special. Maybe. Eponine let herself consider and relish in the thought that Enjolras cared for her as he continued to hold her hand in his for several more moments. It was all she wanted, to be cared for. But, as soon as he let go she painfully crushed the thought. How could a handsome man like Monsieur Enjolras care for her? He could have any girl he chose, any girl at all and he would never even think of Eponine in that way, she knew it. Besides, what was she thinking? Eponine was in love with Marius. Yes, he didn't love her back which was painful. But, she had gotten used to the pain and if she made the same mistake twice Eponine didn't know if she could cope any longer. If she had only known that letting go of her hand was the last thing Enjolras had wanted to do.
"Thank you. That means a lot." Was all she could say before she began to enjoy being with Enjolras far too much than she should.
Enjolras was enjoying this immensely. Just being in the same room as the girl who had been in his dreams for days, whether he was asleep or awake it did not matter, was a spectacle beyond this world.
"Well, I better leave you to your men." Eponine flashed a quick smile hiding her pain and began to walk away but Enjolras grabbed her arm.
"You should stay!" he needed her to.
"I couldn't, I'm sorry but I just couldn't." she wanted to say, she really did but allowing her to mingle with this man was not a good idea. She began to retreat to the stairs but Enjolras followed suite. He couldn't let her get away.
"Don't tell me I offended you." He called after her when she was half way down the stairs at one last desperate attempt to keep her here, or at least hear that voice, the voice of an angel once more.
She paused in the doorway and said with a small smile. "You could do no such thing. Never."
AN: I hope you liked it so far and by the next chapter it'll get better. I'll have one more chapter of them in this universe before things change. Any LOST fans out there? Well, I'm going to make this basically, exactly like the alternate universe minus the bomb thing. And, if you aren't a LOST fan don't fret there's no need to look up what I'm talking about this won't be a crossover everything will make sense on its own I promise. I hope you enjoyed, and I will try and have the next chapter up soon!