A.N.: The chapter theme is "Love Stanks *Yeah, Yeah*" … I'm not sadistic. I just like ruining peoples hopes and dreams of a romantic Enjonine love story. Well… you came to the wrong story…. MURDAR! *Holds up a gun and shoots at the ceiling* … wait what? Just R&R…
There is stuff implied in this chapter. But I made sure not to... well... I hope it's not bad. If it's too much, sorry.
Disclaimer: The only things Hugo and I agree on are death and pain. But He's getting all the credit.
Chapter 12 Dieu, Lui Faire Plaisir
Enjolras grew stronger and stronger everyday. Each day better than the last. Physically. Mentally, he was the same. He was an empty shell of the man Éponine fell in love with. His was stone. Harder and colder than marble. He never said 'I love you' any more.
'Does Gabriel still love me?' Éponine teared up at the thought, 'Did he ever love me? Or was he just desiring a woman's touch?' She tasted burning bile in her throat and on her tongue as she remembered their first kiss. 'I was just a toy. A thing. Why did I let him in? I should've listened to Feuilly...'
Enjolras never looked at her anymore. Not in the same loving way. Éponine felt like Enjolras wanted her to leave. She was ready to. She wanted to. It broke her heart more and more, but she wasn't allowed to talk about that day. He screamed at her about it. So she locks herself away, knowing he won't notice. Because he's colder than ever. And doesn't love her.
'He wanted to die,' Éponine's mind twisted and warped her thoughts and perception around, 'He hates you because he lived.'
One day the struggle and pain was so bad, Gavroche had to pull her away from an opened window she was ready to jump out of. Éponine cried for hours and locked her door. Enjolras never came. He didn't check on her. For all she knew he left.
The gamine lost a lot of weight since the nuns took her in. She was barely eating a thing. She wanted to die so bad. Maybe if she left, Enjolras would be happy. He wouldn't have to worry about someone. He wouldn't feel burdened. He would be alone. Which Éponine knew he liked.
"Now I'm all alone again," Éponine sobbed silently. She felt so guilty. All her friends were dead. Her lover hated her. Gavroche avoided her out of fear, "With nobody else to turn to. But I know he's happy with the lack of company he's keeping…"
'End the pain,' Éponine's head hissed and brought up dark thoughts from deep within that she never knew existed, 'do the world a favor.'
The girl curled up under the window that welcomed a cool breeze that fought the summer heat. But she felt cold anyway. The pain numbed her of all senses except cold.
Marble cold.
She slept curled in a ball and laid away curled in a ball. Éponine felt so weak and worthless. He promised she won't have to go back to the life before. But she felt like she should.
Enjolras groaned and answered his door. A short, elderly nun looked up at him with sad eyes. He instantly sobered up to take whatever news she delivered.
"The girl," the nun began softly, "She is gone." The nun held out a note and Enjolras took it with shaky hands.
'She's gone?' Enjolras felt a pang of guilt, but it didn't last long. Guilt turned into anger and he ripped open the letter.
"'Dear Enjolras;," Enjolras winced slightly as he read out loud, "'I'm not sorry for leaving. You don't seem to wait me anymore. So I'm leaving to make your life easier. You can live on. Or die. I don't care. I'm tired of waiting, but I know you won't come. So I'm leaving. You are not the person I thought you were. Don't bother searching. I'm not going to be yours. I thought I loved you. But it was a mistake'…" Enjolras stopped reading because the flow of tears blinded him.
'She doesn't love me,' Enjolras sobbed.
The pain was so bad, he wished to die right then and there for hurting such an innocent girl. The girl he loved so much. He hasn't seen her since Gavroche returned with Jehan's notebook. But she never went to him. Never came to comfort him. She is in just as much fault.
"Women are stupid," Enjolras pushed the window open and screamed out into the world, "ÉPONINE! I THOUGHT I KNEW YOU BETTER!"
Éponine knew that scream and she heard every word. Enjolras found her note and his reaction shook her to the core. He really didn't love her. It was just a game. The gamine shrunk into the shadows and to the world that called her queen.
She didn't need that son of a bitch. Those words scared her, not because of the meaning. But because she meant them. She sat back in her usual spot in her usual alley. Éponine pulled her dirty, brown cap over her eyes, hugged her thin, bony body, and tried to sleep. The streets were both welcoming and unforgiving. Children fall asleep and never wake up. People murder over a crust of bread. The plague runs through entire alleyways. But Eponine was strong. She just needed to strengthen her heart.
A shadow just as dark as her came into the dim light. He fixed his topper and fixed a button in his dirty coat. The tall man knelt down on his heels and pushed Éponine's cap up. The girl groaned and got a face full of cigarette smoke.
"Lookie here," She recognized the cheeky grin and fake upper class accent, "So you're still alive."
Éponine looked away and pressed herself against the cold wall, hoping to disappear from the snake of a man.
"I don't see that bourgeois boy around," Montparnasse chuckled and glanced around
The poor love him. His image was something most of the poor in Paris want to be. His classy wears and indulgent lifestyle. But many don't know how he became this. Or they chosen to turn a blind eye. He was an assassin and thief. He raped and pillaged. Whole families lost their heirs and their empires fell.
He was just like Enjolras, in a way. They both strive for a higher goal. One is civilized. The other crude. But both graceful with their tongues. And both of them love her. One loved her.
"Where is your boy?" the gang lord's hands rested on her thighs.
"I left him," Éponine shied away from his touch.
"Why?" Montparnasse pressed on. His hands went higher, not crying if she didn't want it. She used to want it. And he doesn't care if she wanted it now. Because she'll like it in the end and come back for more.
"He doesn't," Éponine tried to relax, reminding herself Montparnasse just wanted to help. He needed love just as much as she did. "Love me."
That was enough for Montparnasse. The gang leader knew he had to win her back. No other man could have her. No other man can hurt her. Montparnasse knew what she liked. And so she can have him. And he can keep her.
Enjolras sighed as he took a knife and cut his curls off. He can't stay in convent forever. They were very generous, but there is a fine line between using them and charity. It's against their morals to turn someone away. Even a criminal. But after a while it will look like escape or avoidance. Enjolras accepted what he needed, but gluttony is a sin. He took clothes they let him have. Poor clothes. The fabric was thin and scratchy. The pants had stains and rips. The cap made him look like a boy. But that's all the nuns had that fit him. So he was grateful.
Enjolras changed and tucked Jehan's notebook in the waistband of his pants. He looked like the people he fought for. He tugged on the gray coat as he went out the door to start a new life.
He walked about the streets, hearing and seeing things so strange. Enjolras knew what to do. He learned a few things by walking Éponine.
'Oh God above,' Enjolras prayed, 'Protect her and bring her happiness.'
The former revolutionary knew he needed to find an alley. Someplace relatively dry and away from the main street. He turned down an alley and heard groans and heavy breathing. The poor need to at least have the decency to stay quiet.
"SCRAM KID," a shout made him jump and run off. He heard movement and footsteps behind him.
"Montparnasse," a girl cried out, "What are you doing?"
Enjolras recognized the voice, but his brain couldn't function right. The tall man dressed well chased him off before Enjolras could think.
Enjolras fell and the man nailed him hard in the gut before walking off. The ex-revolutionary grunted and curled up.
His mind began to work properly and Enjolras played the scene over and over.
'Who was that girl?' Enjolras struggled, 'And that name, Montparnasse sounds so familiar,' he groaned in pain as he felt his wound open, 'It couldn't be her…God, please protect her and make her happy…'
End Note: I don't do smut and stuff but yeah… that was me censoring it the best I can. I hope it didn't hurt too many of you. Sorry if it did. Also Don't kill me about this. It will work out in the end. Promise.
