A/N MODERN AU WHERE YOU GET SOULMATE MARKS FROM EVERYONE WHO WILL MATTER TO YOU IN LIFE WHEN YOU'RE BORN BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY MEAN YET. FOR SOME PEOPLE, LIKE THE GROUP ONCE CALLED LES AMIS DE L'ABC, THEY ARE ALSO KEY TO A PAST THEY DON'T REMEMBER.
SO I STARTED WITH EPONINE BECAUSE IT JUST MADE SENSE IN MY HEAD.
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE INCLUDING THE CHARACTERS OF LES MISERABLES, THEIR 'ORIGINAL' CANON LIVES OR THE SYMBOLS OF THE FLOWERS AND PICTURES.
They vary from person to person and you are born with them all. Obviously you don't know who is what mark until years later. She knows that. Marks can be words, or colours, or symbols or flowers. Eponine has flowers.
She knows every one of her marks. She has had years to memorize them after all.
On her back, just between her shoulder blades lies her personal mark. A dandelion, a daffodil and another flower, like a starflower. All joined together dead artistically like Grantaire had designed it. Courage and family honour and new beginnings.
First the ones from her parents- snapdragon and red dahlia on her stomach. Deception. Betrayal.
Then from Gavroche. Birds of paradise on her shoulders. Hundreds and hundreds of the little blue flowers making up wings for her. Freedom.
Next her mark from Grantaire. The great big splodge of bleeding heart and bears breeches covering all her left shoulder. Caring too much. Spurned love. A connection beyond life and death. Bleeding heart had lots of meanings. And bears breeches meant enduring life.
The smattering of tiny white calla lilies on her collarbone just above it was Cosette's mark.
A white tulip and a single coltsfoot appeared on her neck together. They were Cosette's dad Mr Valjean and R's fosterdad Javert.
Marius is the big yellow carnation on her left temple that she constantly covers with make-up and the tiny pink tulip on her right wrist. She always knew it was hopeless. She doesn't remember yet but in another country, in another time, in another life this is where he held her as she died in his arms. Died for him. Where he kissed her goodbye before they carried her away.
Enjolras is red. Fire and passion and blood. Tiny scarlet lillies that leak down the right side of her face. Where the blood of a different Eponine once fell for the cause of a different Enjolras.
Next comes Bahorel. The tiniest of irises on each of her knuckles. Strength. Valour. Defending people. They were perfect.
Courf's mark is the biggest bunch of purple crocuses and larkspur ever. They stretch from her collarbone all the way down to her elbow, completely covering her upper right arm in the flowers.
Jehan is a little bracelet of magnolias. Dignity and elegance. White and mauve interchanging. Innocence and shyness.
A circle of snowdrops inside a circle of aloe vera with a sunflower on her chest. Boussett is the snow drops (hope and overcoming challenges and apparently unlucky to bring into a sick person's room), Chetta is the sunflower and Joly is the aloe Vera.
On her right hand, curled around her thumb is a pattern of red clover. Subtle and beautiful it is Feuilly's mark.
Then there is Combeferre. He left more marks on her than anyone. It shouldn't surprise her but it always does.
A circle of royal blue tulips and white heather surrounding her soul-mark. Respect and trust. Protection.
A necklace of oxeyes daisies and forget-me-nots. Patience and rememberance.
Ivy spiralling up her left arm. Dependence. Endurance. Faithfulness. Orange blossom on the back of her right hand. Eternal love.
It was him who noticed first- the last time around. Him who carried her away. Him who stole her heart and balanced her out quite by accident. But it is this life that matters. This life where they fit and balance and match each other in the most unique way. Him who's mark touches closest to her heart. A single beautiful white chrysanthemum. Truth. Loyalty. Combeferre.
End note: Was going to make this a series but I think it works better as a one-shot...