A/N: Howdy my fabulous readers! Thank you to those of you have reviewed and given me some things to consider! To those of you that haven't: Do it! It helps to have some constructive criticism. Plus, it also helps to motivate me to update more often! Just so you guys know. Enjoy chapter seven!
Disclaimer: I do not own Les Miserables and I never will!
Chapter 7: Enjolras
I stepped out of the café into the chill of the night. I pulled my jacket onto my goose bump covered arms. Music and laughter filled the air, seeping through the bricks behind me. As I began to walk away, I noticed someone stumbling up the street, carrying another someone in his arms. The way he walked was awkward, as though he was a machine, not used to moving fluidly. I turned to walk the other way, not really inclined to get involved, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard my name.
"Enjolras!" The male called. "Enjolras!" I turned around, and instantly recognized Marius. Looking closer, I realized the someone he was carrying was Eponine. My heart started to beat faster in my chest for reasons unknown to me. What happened?! I began to sprint toward them.
"Marius! What happened?" I asked my voice wavering ever so slightly. I looked at Eponine, her face streaked with tears and her eye puffing and bruising slightly. I noticed the faint outline of a dark bruise forming on her cheekbone.
"Where is Joly?" He asked, his eyes wild.
"Inside." I said pointing back at the café. I'll take her, go get Joly." He looked uncomfortable, but he shifted Eponine into my arms, her body limp, and ran toward the café. I cradled her in my arms, feeling like I was holding a porcelain doll. She was so fragile and it was as though the tiniest movement would hurt, or even break, her. My arms tensed around her body.
"Marius?" She asked faintly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Where is Marius?" I gently shushed her, as one would shush a crying infant.
"He went inside for a moment." I gently shifted her weight, pulling her against the warmth of my body. "Don't worry, Eponine." I began to walk carefully toward the café, wanting to get her out of the cold. She shifted in my arms to look up at me, and for the first time I noticed the rip in her thin dress.
"Enjolras," She said, sighing. She looked up at me, her brown eyes bloodshot and tear filled. She reached up and cupped my cheek gently, despite the shaking of her hand. I could tell she was cold. "Thank you."
"Let's get you inside. Then you can tell me what,in the name of all things good, happened." I held her close to me as I stepped into the café right as Marius was running out with Joly on his heels.
"Enjolras!" He exclaimed as he almost ran straight into me, almost causing me to drop Eponine. "What're you doing?"
"Getting her out of the cold," I answered confused as to why he was getting so worked up over me bringing Eponine inside the shelter of the building. I shifted her gently and let her stand on her own, the fabric of her dress slipping offer her shoulder. "Now, you're going to tell me what happened." I said pulling the fabric up over her exposed shoulder lightly.
Her eyes fell instantly to the ground. She sighed heavily and I raised my eyebrows at her, awaiting her response. IN front of here she was wringing her hands nervously, and my curiosity only began to rise. "Well?" I asked. "Are you going to tell me now, or while I'm walking you home?" I reached out and caught her chin gingerly between my thumb and forefinger, and cautiously pulled her face up to look at me.
"They—They came out of nowhere." She said, her voice barely audible over the noise of the café. Tears welled up behind her lashes, and rage exploded inside my skull when the puzzle pieces fell into place. Her ripped dress, her bruised cheekbone, her tears… She had been attacked.
"Who?" I managed between my clenched teeth. My muscles tightened as my body stiffened. The hand that hung at my side balled into a fist so tight, my knuckles were beginning to turn white.
"I don't know," she said, a single tear slipping down her cheek. Marius stepped forward to comfort her, but I put a hand on his chest, stopping him abruptly. I moved expertly in front of him, and wrapped her in my arms, folding her tightly against my chest. She curled into me, her face buried in my chest as her body shook with the force of her sobs. I cradled her head gently with my hand and held her tightly against me, trying to make her feel safe. I gently stroked her hair and whispered in her ear that everything was going to be alright.
"Monsieur?" she asked quietly, her voice sounding broken. "I never knew that you weren't so rock hard and ice cold."
I chuckled weakly and held her against me, trying to warm up her shivering body and soothe the pain that lingered in her voice. I looked down at her, and brushed a gentle thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tears that had managed to find their way out of her brilliant brown eyes. "I guess I'm not!" I smiled and rested my chin gently on the top of her head. "'Ponine, let's get you home. I'll walk with you this time." When she nodded, I pulled away slowly and took her soft hand in mine.
