Requested by thephantomrevolutionary on my tumblr: RedAmbitions
Prompt: Combeferre/Eponine at book club (warning: I've never been to a book club so there's not a lot of book club and I've never written Ep/Ferre so it might be slightly OOC)
Combeferre always enjoyed book club. It was a place for him to relax but at the same time, debate heatedly about literature (especially when Enjolras could turn any book into a passionate discussion). Jehan had dragged him here against his will almost a year ago. He was apprehensive about it at first. Combeferre enjoyed reading, but he never had time for recreational reading since he decided to have a double major and minors. Besides, he only enjoyed reading in solitude, keeping his thoughts to himself or sometimes posting about it on his blog. He never thought that he would meet people like Enjolras or Courfeyrac in club and actually enjoy sharing his thoughts with people in real life. Even though Courfeyrac is an energetic playboy and Enjolras is dreadful at everyday human interaction not involving debates, the three of them quickly became friends.
Book club was a stable place, where everything stayed the same. The same topics, the same discussions, the same coffee and the same people. Courfeyrac always flirts with Jehan. Jehan always blushes and bakes muffins. Bossuet always loses his books. Joly always fusses over paper cuts. Bahorel always tears the pages. Feuilly always has ragged library books. Marius always talks about romance novel and how realistic they are. Grantaire always loudly disagrees with Enjolras and Enjolras always argues back (and stares longingly at Grantaire when he thinks no one is looking).
Everything was wonderfully the same. Until Marius brought in a girl. Well, a young woman (but still a girl because she is in high school. High school!).
The entire group instantly fell in love with the new girl. Grantaire and her immediately became great friends and Bahorel challenged her to an arm wrestling contest the moment she mentioned that she beat up some guy. The outcome of that contest is something written on the list of things to never, ever be mentioned (along with what happened when Marius first tried to woo Cosette).
Eponine isn't particularly pretty by society's standards. She has tousled, dark brown hair that falls around her shoulders or is thrown up in a ponytail. Her hazel eyes are ringed with black (sometimes purple) eyeliner and smoky eyeshadow. Her voice is noticeably raspy and sometimes she smells like smoke or of cheap perfume. She always has the same combat boots and gold studs in the cartilage of her ear. She is vulgar, loud, rebellious, and wild. She is everything that Combeferre thought he wasn't attracted to.
But through the months she spends with the club, Combeferre learns about the girl named Eponine. The girl who works two jobs to rent an apartment for her and her siblings. The girl who takes the hits instead of her little sister and brothers. The girl who longs to go to college. The girl who loves reading and learning. The girl who does not take pity from anyone.
Combeferre made the mistake of pitying her once, just out of habit, and she pinned him to the wall outside of the cafe. With her face just inches from his own and her hazel eyes blazing, she growls,
I'm not some little girl who needs to be pitied.
And Combeferre learned not to underestimate the strength of women almost a foot shorter than him.
But once, when Eponine was missing from book club, Combeferre finds Eponine crouched in an alley when the clouds are pouring, like the tears on her face. Without thinking, he walks over and holds his umbrella for her and drapes his coat over her shaking figure. She doesn't push him away, instead clutches his shirt and sobs into his shoulder. Eventually, Combeferre coaxes her into his car and drives them to his apartment where he fills his tub with hot water and bubbles for her. When she comes out in one of his big t-shirts and his middle school sweats (because his regular sweats are probably about her height), he wordlessly hands her a mug of steaming green tea.
Do you want to talk?
She shakes her head, her tied up hair spraying water droplets. Combeferre nods and sits next to her on the couch. Combeferre is surprised when she leans against his side and requests,
Can you read something? I like hearing your voice.
Combeferre blushes just a tiny bit and picks up the new book club book off the side table.
Despite her monumental reputation, the Mona Lisa was a mere thirty-one inches by twenty-one inches — smaller even than the posters of her sold in the Louvre gift shop. She hung on the northwest wall of the Salle des Etats behind a two-inch-thick pane of protective Plexiglas.
Eponine sighs. I would love to see the Mona Lisa. Even something small can be so important.
Combeferre feels his heart leap in his chest and before he can stop himself, Actually I'm going to Paris in two weeks and my brother suddenly can't go. And I have an extra plane ticket so, I mean, if you want to, you can come with me. You don't have to of course, but I would enjoy your company.
Eponine looks up at Combeferre and grins. Wow, that's a fancy first date.
Combeferre knows his face is red. Huh? I-um...
Oh thank god. I thought that maybe I was wrong and you didn't like me. But look at you! You're blushing more than Jehan. She smiles.
Combeferre gulps and plays with a thread on his pants. Y-Yes. I like you, a lot. I think you're a marvelous young woman but you're only in high school so I shouldn't want to kiss you. Ah, sorry, that's inappropriate of me to say.
If you want to, then kiss me. Eponine faces Combeferre with a grin.
May I?
Ugh. Men are so slow. Eponine leans in and brings their lips together. Combeferre sits there, not moving, taking in how soft her lips are and how they taste like a hint of smoke, toothpaste, tea and strawberry lip balm (which somehow manages to be an enjoyable combination).
This is like one of Marius' love novels. Eponine has somehow shifted over onto Combeferre's lap. The handsome boy gets the screwed up girl and they live happily ever after.
More like the average, shy guy gets the mysterious girl who is actually amazing. Combeferre says breathlessly.
Eponine laughs. Sure, whatever you want.
I want to kiss you again. And before Eponine can accuse him of being slow, Combeferre tangles his fingers in her damp hair and kisses her again.
~And they lived happily ever after.~
(Until Grantaire decided to bring in his deranged cat on the same day that Courfeyrac brought a puppy for Jehan and neither of them knew that Eponine is extremely allergic to cats and Combeferre is terrified of dogs, even tiny fuzzy ones. And Marius had to choose that day to bring in his kind-of-but-not-really-official girlfriend. But that's book club.)