This is how Les Miserables would go if Eponine had not died at the barricade. It is how I want the love story between Eponine and Marius to go and it points in her favor. Multi-chapter fic.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Les Miserables or their characters.
Setting: It starts with the day before Marius meets Cosette.
Marius' POV:
"..and we are expecting a large turn-out for the rally tomorrow, we should have no problem letting the general hear our voices, maybe even get him rallied up himself…" I finished while looking down at the layout for tomorrow's endeavors.
"We've been through the plan enough already! It's a rebellion for god's sake, not the queen's wedding." Joly shouts as entering the room, patting me on the back. I roll my eyes at the young boy.
"He is right, Marius. We know what we must do. No more talk, it's time for action." Enjolras spoke while nodding his head approvingly. I nodded back.
Everyone dispersed into their own little groups in the café and I walked outside, headed out to the store with Joly.
"Ey, mate, look over there! It'nt that your little street girl?" Joly exclaimed while pointing across the street.
I peered to where he pointed and indeed saw whom I was expecting; Eponine. Eponine, how do I explain who she is to me? I met her when I ran into her family on the street and she had an emotionless expression and attitude. She remained that way for a while before she finally opened up a bit. I must admit I felt sympathy for the poor roamer for she was a street girl who came from a poor and disgusting family with a reputation for trouble. And, in many cases, that's just what Eponine was, trouble. But for some reason, she always stayed by me. She always gave me a dirty, crooked smile that made her dirty nose crinkle and eyes shine. She looked at me in a way that invited me in, so I became her friend. She really isn't as bad as the rest of her family, she is misunderstood by a long shot. She has an attitude of untrusting and scarred, but tough, fearless. She will do anything is the stubborn git puts her mind to it. And for that I admire her, but as I said, that's gonna get her into some troublesome places.
Eponine is gross, dirty, uncleansed, a street girl, homeless, tricky, cold, but what more could you expect from someone that lives a life such as she? She may be all those things, but she is not ugly, she is a beauty, she is most possible the best kind of friend one could have. She can become so happy, and when she is happy she is wonderful. When she is mad she often shuts people out, but Eponine doesn't often get mad….mostly sad. She likes to be alone when she is sad, or so she has told me.
But for my feelings toward Eponine? She is a friend. I have known her for a while but do not know her too well for she always must go see her father and work, or it is that I cannot be seen for too long around such life as low as that. But she is a friend, a great friend, one of whom I can ask anything from. She is beautiful…but she is different.
"Yeah that's her," I reply at last, "But she is not my 'street girl'"
"She lives on the street don't she?"
I nod
"And she's your friend right?"
I nod
"Then she is your street girl. Nothing bad 'bout it…just saying" Loly finishes, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides," He continues, "It's obvious she is in love with you." He says smiling before running off to his home, leaving me with a knitted brow.
In love with me? Ponine? No way! She would never. She is a friend, she is just a friend. Out of all the boys to fall for she would surely not fall for me.
I glance once more over to her sitting on the side of the pavement, now eating an apple, and I happen to catch her eye.
She immediately stops eating and gives me a beaming smile. Crooked and crumples nose as always. I nod her way and give a quick smile before jogging up her way. She stands up, throwing away her apple and dusting off her skirt even though it's useless. That is permanent dirt. Once she is done she smiles shyly up at me. I laugh at bit and stand there with my hand in my pockets.
"Hello Monsieur Marius" She says in her low and smooth voice, almost as if she is whispering.
"Afternoon, Eponine. How are you?" I smile.
"Much better now, father wanted me to help him with some large plan of pretending I'm sick and dying but I refused. He got a bit angry and so did my mother, so I came here. And now here you are!" She finished with a smile. I looked at her with sympathy again. Her smile faded…
"Well, why didn't you do it? Your family needs the money Ponine…" I trail sadly. She rolls her eyes and huffs.
"Because I'm tired of being played for a poor rat and playing people like they are poor fools! I want to be better than that…"
"But you are poor, Eponine."
"I know!" She yells loudly. "I know." She whispers again, her voice cracking as she puts her head to face the earth.
I place my hands on her shoulders, and she looks up at me sadly.
"I'm nothing right?" She asks bitterly, "I'm ugly aren't I? You look at me and you don't see a girl, you see a rat. You see dirt. You see ugly. You look at me and you think 'that poor wretch' 'oh, woe is her, let me just be her friend and I can feel as if I've done my service to the world' You and the rest of the town hate me…you hate me.." She says, mostly to herself in the end.
I shake by head vigorously. "No, Ponine, you're wrong. So wrong…."
There is a long silence where she just stares at the floor.
"I have to go, father is already too angry….I'll be there tomorrow you know? At your rally. I made time for you…." she sighs, looking at me with hopeful eyes, "Goodbye Monsieur Marius, till morning." She farewells and begins to stalk off.
"Oh Eponine!" I call after the poor girl, she turns around with a surprised look.
"Yes?"
"You're beautiful…truly. I'm proud to be your friend." I admit honestly.
She looks at me with a her mouth agape, awestruck. "Th-th-thank you Monsieur."
"No Eponine, thank you. Till Morning." I say before I turn back on my way. I glance over my shoulder to see she is still there looking my way with a wistful smile on her face, which looks as if she is daydreaming yet again.
All I can think of for the rest of the night is tomorrow's rally and Joly's words of
She is in love with you.
NEXT CHAPTER UP ASAP!