Hi guys :)
This is a quick one-shot I had in my head, it's based off a scene in my multi-chapter Singing in the Rain
If you haven't read that, it should still make sense, I think? I hope :L I'd love it if you went and read that one, but you absolutely don't have to :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Les Miserables or either Disney song, sadly.
29th December
Enjolras leaned against the kitchen bench and ran a hand through his uncharacteristically unruly blonde curls. He was exhausted; the apartment was over-run with poor street children, wrapped in blankets, towels, sleeping bags, oversized hoodies, curled up on every available patch of floor, every spare bed-space, every sofa and chair. He'd spent the evening cooking pan after pan of soup to feed them all, washing clothes, and pointing the kids in the direction of the toilet, or the bath, or the fridge. They'd all finally seemed to tire out, so Combeferre had gone to bed, but when one little girl piped up that she wouldn't go to sleep, all the others agreed and it was clear they planned to stay up.
Enjolras had panicked – how on Earth do you make a child go to sleep?! - but Éponine had calmly gone and sat on the only free patch of floor, right next to the window, where the little girl who piped up had been curled up. He watched from the kitchen as she sat down and the girl clambered onto Éponine's lap, hugging her cushion pillow tightly. Éponine's mouth turned upwards in a small smile, her dimples appearing on her freckled cheeks. God, I love those dimples. Apparently sensing some sort of story, the other kids formed a circle around Éponine, cuddling blankets, pillows and each other.
'But Amélie, if you don't go to sleep, you won't dream!'
'I don't WANT to dream! Dreams SUCK! I want to stay awake with you and Monsieur Enjolras and have fun!' A cheer of agreement rang out.
'Me and Monsieur Enjolras need to go to bed soon too, otherwise we'll be all ugly and mean in the morning! Plus, dreams are important, how else can they come true?'
'Dreams don't really come true, Éponine' the little girl replied sagely, with the confidence of a child who feels like a grown-up and knows they are right.
'But of course they do! How do you think I ended up here? I used to be like you, you know!'
'Really?'
'Really really. But I went to sleep and I dreamed about a nice warm bed every night, and now look!'
'But that's wishes not dreams!'
Éponine raised an eyebrow, a small smile still on her lips. Shifting the child's weight she said calmly 'well, we'll see about that'
And then, to Enjolras' delight (not that he would ever say it), she did what he'd had an inkling she might do when the little girl – Amélie, was it? - piped up.
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams, you will lose your heartaches,
Whatever you wish for, you keep.
It was Cinderella, one of Éponine's favourite stories. He'd heard her sing this song when she was working, and once when Jacques (her little brother Gavroche's best friend, a little urchin boy who often stayed with them) was ill and couldn't sleep.
As she sang the next lines, her eyes flickered up to meet his. A strange lump formed in his throat as he held her gaze, the bright brown eyes shining with happiness.
Have faith in your dreams, and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
He'd gotten her a bracelet that said that for Christmas. He could see it on her wrist. The lump intensified.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish WILL come true.
The children started to clap, all smiling widely and demanding another song, making Éponine laugh.
'I tell you what' she called over the din of requests 'I'll sing another song if you all get into your beds and snuggle in?'
There was suddenly a stampede as they all rushed to their beds, except for Amélie, who stayed where she was.
'Everybody in? Excellent. I told you all you've got to dream because it's a wish, right? Well we all know what wishes do, don't we?'
There were some muffled 'no's from the kids.
'Well then, I'd best tell you! Enjolras, maybe you should listen to, in case you've done something silly like forgotten how wishes work' she looked around at Enjolras with a teasing smile, as a few titters of high-pitched child laughter scattered across the room. He returned the smile soundlessly, unconvinced he could speak with the unidentified lump in his throat.
She looked down at the kids again, and then started to sing.
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
Enjolras watched her as she sang, her beautiful, clear voice lulling the room of urchins into sleep. She looked to him like a mother, with her young child curled up on her lap; he was suddenly reminded of Wendy in Peter Pan singing to the Lost Boys. I bet she's never read Peter Pan he thought to himself. Maybe that's a birthday present.
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
He'd seen her act this way with Gavroche and Jacques, tucking them in, telling them bedtime stories, and it never failed to impress him. Éponine hadn't had a mother who would do this for her, she was going purely on instinct, and yet she was an utter natural. An outsider might think she had the best mother in the world as an example, and yet the opposite was true.
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
He had a sudden vision of Éponine cradling a little girl with golden curls and dimples, singing her to sleep, as she leaned against his chest on the sofa. He'd have his arm around her and would play with her hair as she sang. Wait, what? That's ridiculous. Enjolras, you are way too over-tired. Time for bed, you've gone crazy. You don't want to sit and snuggle with Éponine, let alone have a kid with her! What happened to you?!
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true
She finished her song, and he realised most of the kids were sound asleep, including little Amélie. Éponine looked up at Enjolras, catching his gaze with a silent plea for help. He walked carefully through the maze of sleeping tots, over to his room-mate (ROOM-MATE. That's ALL.). Gently as he could, he took Amélie off Éponine's knee, cradling her in his arms as he had once cradled an injured Éponine. Éponine re-arranged the blanket and pillow so it was comfortable, and then Enjolras softly laid Amélie down into her makeshift bed. Éponine tucked her in, kissed her softly on the head, and then looked up at Enjolras, smiling the tired smile of an exhausted, but very happy lady.
'You look exhausted' he whispered to her.
'…Thanks, pal' She laughed
'Not like that! I mean…'
'It's ok, I know, I'm just teasing. I am tired. Bed time?'
'Good idea'
They gently extracted themselves from the sleeping children, and made their way to the doors of their respective rooms. Enjolras expected that that would be it; he'd go to his room, she'd go to hers, but as he opened his door, she whispered 'Enj?'
'Yes?'
She hesitated for a second before suddenly enveloping him in a soft hug. He was initially startled, but then wrapped his arms around the tiny young woman.
'Thanks for all your help today' she whispered softly, her voice low.
'No problem, happy to help.'
He felt her smile. 'I know. Thanks, though.'
'Like I said, it's really fine.'
She pulled back and turned for her room, before turning back on her heel to face him. Leaning up, she kissed him softly on the cheek and whispered under her breath 'goodnight, Enjolras.' Then, she went into her room.
It took a minute or two for Enjolras to recover, so when he whispered 'goodnight, Éponine. Sweet dreams' it was to a room of sleeping children. Pulling himself together, he went into his room to go to sleep.
Hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to drop me a review, I'd love to hear what you think! I've never written a one-shot before, so feedback would be greatly appreciated :)
Thanks!