Eponine hasn't done it in so long, but spying came easily to her, it was a game she's mastered. Enjolras attention was torn between the awe he held for Eponine's talent in being stealthy, and the feel of her small hand on his wrist as they followed Marius, easily blending into the shadows.
They have followed Marius to a small quiet street, while keeping their distance. He lingered close to a vast expanse of bricks and vines, and stopped in front of a barely noticeable gate where he pulled one of the bars and disappeared behind it.
Eponine dropped Enjolras' arm and scuttled to the gate where their friend disappeared to, he awkwardly followed behind. "This is not his house, I gather." He heard Eponine mutter, "This is no good, I can't see from here."
Enjolras, quite confused as to how they've managed to end up in this situation, was left to stare, speechless, as Eponine started to climb a small tree without difficulty despite her skirt. Upon reaching the height of the wall, she moved to perch herself on the hedge. As she realized Enjolras still had his feet on the ground, she motioned for him to join her.
When he finally made it next to her, he was well beyond annoyed. It was not only because he found this whole thing ridiculous and childish, he was also not pleased at Eponine's attempts at suppressing her laughter when he slipped so ungracefully as he was climbing earlier. "What on earth are we doing here?" He hissed.
"You are no fun. Now hush! I want to see this girl Marius is so distracted with." Her smile gleamed in the dark as she turned her body slightly with her hands firmly planted on the wall, so she could see the faces of the two figures seated on a bench. Enjolras could not help but indulge her.
There were hush whispers exchanged between the two. They caught a couple of sickeningly sweet lines that made them both cringe. Just as they could barely hear them, Eponine thought it safe for her to whisper, "Enjolras?"
"Hmmm?"
"Have you ever been in love before?" knowing about his stand on women and relationships, she added, "Even a little?"
Enjolras, having not heard this question in a long time, not since their earlier days as The Amis, knotted his brows. Eponine continued to look at him demanding an answer. "No." He didn't even bother to explain.
"Not even a little taken by a pretty face?" She coaxed. "A charming smile? A witty line from a mademoiselle?"
"No." he answered immediately without thinking, growing more annoyed than he originally was. Pretty faces were by no means a scarcity to him, especially in recent years with his mother's attempts at finding him a suitable fiancé. And although he did appreciate beauty, and has once or twice appreciated a line from one of those women, he had never thought of any of them fondly. Just as he felt confident with his hasty answer, an image flickered in his head and made him look away.
"They say it's quite a beautiful thing, falling in love…" her words were quiet, her gaze landing once again on the lovebirds on the bench.
"Have you?" He carefully returned his gaze to the woman sitting merely inches from him. Eponine shook her head as response.
Just when Eponine was about to give up at getting a look at the face of the mademoiselle, one of her hands lost its grip, making her lose her balance, and almost falling to the ground on the other side of the wall had it not been for Enjolras' strong arm which swooped to encircle her waist, pulling her close to him, as the other caught on a nearby branch to steady themselves. Their eyes locked, both wide with panic. She felt their chests rising and falling as one, finally realizing that her hands flew to grasp his coat to steady herself. They sat there for another heartbeat.
And if that was not enough to urge them to leave, the mention of a name had made Eponine tense before hurriedly making her way down. Enjolras did not miss the look of recognition in her eyes when Marius uttered the name: Cosette.
Eponine knew he saw everything, so just as Enjolras fell into step with her again; she spoke stiffly without sparing him a glance. "Don't ask."
Five nights had passed since that night at Rue Plumet.
Five nights had passed without her seeing any of the Amis. Despite their inquiries made through Gavroche, she has stayed away from the cafe.
Five nights had passed without her seeing Enjolras. Though she knew he wouldn't bring it up because she told him not to, she couldn't stand facing him with a heavy question hanging above them.
But truly, the reason why she stayed away was simply because of her fear of the chance of seeing the root of her worries in the flesh.
It took Eponine a lot of effort to put the other night's encounter in the back of her head, and when she realized it was an impossible task, she came back to the house at Rue Plumet the other night without Enjolras, and confirmed that the girl who Marius had fallen in love with was no other than the girl who used to work in their little inn years ago; a segment of her past threatening to mingle with her present.
Past life mingling with present life, wasn't something she ever wanted to deal with.
She entertained the idea of detaching herself from Marius and the Amis. She was contemplating on shutting herself out: no more meetings to attend, no more goofing around with Grantaire and Courfeyrac, no more gossips with Chetta and Elodie, no more arguments with Enjolras… Enjolras! No more conversations and walks at night?
She didn't want that, yes, that was safe. But she wasn't so keen on safe, anyway...
No, although she would find it hard to explain out loud, she knew she didn't want to give it up.
She realized that she now held a certain fondness in her heart for the young revolutionary. The man who could so easily push her to the edge of her patience and temper, can just as easily take her mind to a journey with his words and the stories he shared with her. His captivating voice and his elusive smiles were becoming a vice she welcomed. Despite the warning bells ringing in her head, she allowed the thoughts of their wanderings to decide for her.
They were arguing about Voltaire and Rousseau, Eponine taking the side of the first and Enjolras of the second. So engrossed in their heated discussion, they had failed to take note of the heavy clouds above them and the clap of thunder from afar. It was too late when both realized that rain was upon them. She had tried to run for cover, she heard his footsteps falling a little bit behind her but then Enjolras had stopped, a silly grin on his face that she's never seen before. She remembered questioning his sanity, just before he said, "Had I known earlier, I would've saved myself from so many arguments. Had I known earlier that it only takes a little fall of rain for you to run away like that." The look on her face must have been hilarious because he began to laugh, and he tilted to face the heavens welcoming the raindrops with a smile. "A little fall of rain can't ever hurt you, Eponine." She felt her heart flutter.
She found herself wondering whether the weird sensation in her chest then was because of the memory of the sound of his laughter or the smile on his face or the way he uttered her name… she still hasn't figured it out. She shook her head and reasoned furiously that it was simply because of the chilling rain.
It was a cloudless night, and the stars shone brightly. She had somehow dragged Enjolras inside a park closed for the night, climbing over the wall. All his protests were petty, and he surrendered when she had said, "And you call your self a rebel!?" They ended up on the grass, where they laid side by side watching the stars. He had taken into telling her about the constellations and when he asked, pointing to a certain spot, if it were the one she wanted know about next, she had moved her head close to his and placed her small hand on his as she directed him to the right one. The jolt she felt at the contact got her distracted enough that she couldn't recall anything except the way his breathing hitched for a second before beginning his tale.
She could feel the rush of blood to her cheeks, a blush appeared on her face, but before she could chastise herself for it another memory rushed in.
They were walking near the Opera one night, a beautiful waltz rang through the air. She had started to dance about her arms out stretched holding on to the invisible partner as she moved, ignoring the look she was sure Enjolras was wearing at her ridiculous show. She had shut her eyes close, a small smile appeared on her face. And then just as the music climbed, she felt a hand on her back and another in her palm changing her simple steps into an elegant display. Her smile had gone full grown, as the music moved them. When the song started its decline, she opened her eyes and found him looking peacefully at her. "I would have never figured you to move a woman's body with such grace." She had told him, he replied with a captivating smirk, which stirred funny feelings in her.
She felt a shiver run through her spine, suddenly missing the feel of his hands on her.
"Now how did that happen?" She had asked herself, trying to ignore the whirlwind of emotions wrecking havoc inside of her. It made her giddy and it made her want to scold herself; she felt blissful and yet guarded still when she was with him. All this things were scaring the wits out of her, yet she's never felt so alive before. "Stop being silly, Ponine! Damn it. Stop -"
"EPONINE!" Madame Laurice shook her out of her reverie. "Dear child, where have your thoughts taken you?"
"I… I…" She stuttered, deeply disoriented and embarrassed to be caught at it. "Sorry."
"Perhaps I should have asked to whom?" The old woman raised a brow and laughed, as Eponine blushed some more. "You better get going, we're done here today. Go."
Eponine managed to mumble another apology before kissing Madame's cheek goodbye. Once again alone with her thoughts, she realized that she really didn't have much of an option, so with her mind firmly decided she trudged on.
Whatever threat Cosette's presence brought was by no means more important to what she would have to sacrifice if she decided to go the other way. Five days after that night, she finally convinced herself that staying away wasn't an option. And besides, Cosette might not even remember her, and Enjolras has learned when to stop asking questions.
"Perhaps it won't turn so bad." Eponine whispered to herself as she made her way to the Musain.
There is some sort of deep powerful magic lacing Ramin and Hadley's voices because before I started listening to them, this chapter was a thousand words shorter. And I was about to pass it up as it was, a thousand words less.
Now, let me know if the magic has done any good, or not. Should I go on?
Thoughts? :)