Hey! Here's a new chapter! Quick poll: would you guys rather have frequent updates and shorter chapters, or longer chapters and longer periods between updates? Please say in your review! (And yes, this is partially shameless bribery to get more reviewers).

The moon had reached its full peak in the sky as Marius yawned for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night.

"Really, Marius, if you're that tired, then go to bed," Eponine admonished him.

"No. I think I'll stay right here. You always seem to get into mischief if I'm not watching you. Consider this a preemptive strike."

Eponine rolled her eyes before scooting over in her bed, patting the space beside her. Marius looked at her blankly and she huffed in exasperation.

"If you insist on watching over me like I'm an infant," the contempt was evident in her voice, "then at least don't sit in that chair all night. You can hardly be comfortable."

She had a point, Marius granted as he sat down next to Eponine. He leaned forward when he felt something hard and pointy poke him in the back from behind one of her pillows. Withdrawing a thick volume on botany, he chuckled, looking at Eponine in amusement.

"Some light before-bed reading, 'Ponine?"

"That's where that went!"

The exclamation elicited more chuckling on Marius' part, and peals of laughter on Eponine's.

"Marius?"

"Yes?"

"When did you first decide to become a scholarly person?"

Marius stopped, thinking for a moment.

"I don't know if it was so much a decision, as a change over time. With everything I learned, it seemed there was another subject I didn't know about."

"When did you decide that you wanted to go into law?" Eponine leaned on her side, her head resting on one hand, propped up by her elbow on the bed.

"When I first saw how much of a difference I could make."

"Mm," Eponine made a sound of contemplation. Marius decided to turn the tables on her.

"What have you always wanted to study?" Eponine looked surprised at the question.

"I…don't know."

"Why?"

"I suppose…I've just never thought on it. My father didn't exactly believe that an education for his daughter's-or even Gavroche-was so important. And it's hard to learn when you have no books, so you have to be creative."

"Meaning…?" She grinned at him impishly.

"Meaning snatching books from you and gleaning what I could before you noticed." Marius shook his head.

"Rapscallion."

"Bibliophile."

"Where did you hear that word?"

"Mrs. De'Laroah taught it to me. It sounds sophisticated, doesn't it? Bib-lio-phile," she sounded it out slowly.

"Very," he teased. "You're a regular philosopher of knowledge, 'Ponine."

She popped his arm again.

"Don't be rude!"

"You're the one who spoke of stealing my books for your own purposes, if I remember correctly."

"Hey!" She said defensively. "I never stole anything from you! I snatched them, yes, when you weren't noticing, but you always got them back!"

"When I caught you!"

That threw her for a moment.

"…you still got them back."

XXXXXXXXX

Mrs. De'Laroah, listening from her perch at the door, smiled. She maintained, to herself, that she was merely chaperoning two young adults-children, really. And she was not, at all, spying.

The interactions between the pair could always bring a smile to Mrs. De'Laroah's face. Their personalities were really too similar for unspoiled harmony, but out of the conflict of their relationship, there was perfect understanding of the other.

Eponine, like Marius, was head-strong and stubborn, prone to fight over flight. In any fight or quarrel between them, it was even chances of one or the other winning. Either Marius would win, leaving Eponine steaming, flustered, and plotting her revenge, or Eponine would win, leaving Marius tounge-tied, agitated, and yet surprised with his friend's abilities of argument.

And though there were moments that were less than…pleasant…it didn't harm the pair's relationship. If anything, it strengthened it.

The two fit together like a hand and glove, even though they couldn't see it. Each was determined enough to keep the other in check, but at the same time, they could comfort each other. They worried about each other, and would be willing to do anything for the other.

Eponine's unsullied loyalty to Marius had proven that on her part, and Marius' devotion to Eponine's well-being had proven it on his.

Okay, guys! That's where I'm ending it for right now. It's 12:30 in the morning, so I kind of lied to Elphaba-wannabe about having a chapter up on what would now be yesterday, but oh well. Please forgive me? *puppy dog eyes*

This is kind of a little teaser chapter, I realize now; but have no fear! PenAndInkPrincess is here! There will be plenty more plot movement before this is finally over, believe you me. And I've already planned how this whole thing is going to end…now it's just a matter of getting there.

Well, for now, please review and stay tuned for the next installment!

Goodnight-er, morning? Um, or Good-just-past-midnight-leaving-the-exhausted-author-flustered-and-continuing-to-type-despite-the-fact-that-it's-all-been-reduced-to-nonsensical-statements-that-even-she-can't-figure-out-because-she-really-needs-to-get-to-sleep? Yeah…let's go with that. Why not?