Kissing in the Rain
Erik stretched out in bed, a book propped open in front of him. Gentle rain splashed against the window, and the blazing fire in the grate crackled and popped as it warmed the room. It was summer, but the room was cold from the rain. Erik was on vacation, and he was visiting his best friend, Eponine Thénardier, at her father's inn in Paris, their hometown. It was late, and they had spent the entire day talking, catching up after almost a month of being apart. They had retired late, but even after the long day, Erik couldn't sleep. So he had decided to read a book. After about five minutes, there was a soft knock on Erik's door. "Come in." Erik called quietly, marking his place and setting the book aside. The door opened, and Eponine entered the room. She was tall with pale skin, large, brown eyes, and long, brown hair. She was wearing a short-sleeved, white shirt, a long, tan skirt, a brown belt, a tan cap, tan boots, and a long-sleeved, tan trench coat. She smiled gently at Erik, closing the door behind her, and then she walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge of it. "Hey Erik." she said gently. Erik smiled at her. "Hi Eponine. I'm glad you're here, but I thought you'd already gone to bed?" "I couldn't sleep." Erik nodded. "Neither could I. So I've been reading." He nodded at the book on his bedside table. Eponine nodded. Erik looked at her outfit. "Are you planning on going somewhere?" he asked gently. Eponine blushed slightly. "Well… no… not exactly… I was actually wondering if you wanted to go for a walk with me…" Eponine blushed deeper, looking down at her hands. She peeked a glance at Erik, who was looking at her gently, his eyebrows raised slightly. "In the rain?" he asked. Eponine nodded. "Yes. I like walking in the rain, and I thought you might want to come to." She looked at Erik, who grinned. "Sure. I'll come. Just let me get my cloak and boots." "Okay." Eponine said with a smile, as Erik slid out of the bed. Eponine's heart sped up slightly as she examined Erik's handsome profile in the glow of the fire. He was as tall as she was, and very muscular, with pale skin, long legs, long, slender fingers, short, brown hair, and brown eyes. He was wearing a long-sleeved, black shirt, long, black slacks, tall, black boots, a long, black cloak, and a white, half-face mask that covered the right side of his face. Eponine knew why Erik wore the mask, and she had seen the skin underneath it. The skin was pink, raw, and deformed… And it had been since Erik's birth… When Erik had put his cloak and boots on, Eponine stood up, and Erik took her hand as they left the room (making Eponine's heart skip a beat). They walked down the hall, down the stairs, across the bar/restaurant, and out the front door. A gentle rain was still falling, and a light breeze ruffled Eponine's hair. Still holding hands, the two set off down the street, leaving behinf the dark, dreary tavern. The rain dampened their clothes, skin, and hair, but neither of them cared. They walked close together, keeping their fingers entwined, and just enjoying each other's company. The streets were deserted, and everything was dark and peaceful. Eponine gently rested her head on Erik's shoulder and breathed in. He smelled like parchment, ink, and candle wax. The smell was familiar, and it calmed and relaxed her. Eponine and Erik had been best friends for almost four years now, and she was developing a crush on him. She hadn't said anything, however, because she hadn't wanted to ruin their friendship if the feelings weren't mutual, and because she was afraid of being rejected… She had wanted to spend more time with Erik, that was true, but she also wanted to see if he felt the same way about her that she did about him. When Eponine laid her head on Erik's shoulder, he released her hand and slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He gently kissed the trop of her head, breathing in her scent. She smelled smoky, like her father's tavern, but Erik didn't mind. It was her, and he was sure that he loved her. When they reached a corner, they both stopped walking at the same moment, and turned to face each other. Erik chuckled softly, and Eponine giggled. But then they both turned serious… Both of their faces were wet from the rain, and so was their hair. Erik gently reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from Eponine's face, making her shiver at the touch of his skin against hers. Without much thinking on his part, Erik leaned in and gently kissed Eponine… The kiss was warm and gentle, and also wet from the rain. Eponine slowly kissed Erik back as he gently pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She melted against him, knowing she could trust him to not let her fall. After about a minute, they pulled away slightly, and just stood there in the rain, eyes closed, holding each other tightly. Finally Eponine whispered, "Erik?" Erik whispered back, "Yes?" Eponine took a deep breath. Then she whispered in his ear, "I love you." Erik smiled and kissed her hair, feeling his heart melt in his chest. "I love you too." he whispered back, giving her a gentle squeeze, and bringing her closer to his chest. Eponine smiled and buried her head in the crook of his neck. She had never been happier in her life, and she wished for nothing more than to have this moment go on and on forever. After several seconds, Erik pulled away slightly, looked Eponine in the eyes (making her heart melt), and then leaned in and kissed her again… Both Erik and Eponine knew that Eponine's parents would never approve of this, thinking that if she had a boyfriend she would forget about her duties at the tavern, but neither of them cared. They loved each other, and they were willing to pay any price to be together.