A/N: Sorry for the delay but my gerbil broke her leg a couple of hours ago, so understandably things have been a bit hectic. Also, chapter 1 of the story is up! It's called "Madness" and you will see why later on in the fic :) For now, hope you enjoy! It's a bit long, but hopefully that makes up for the too-short ones that have been cropping up. Definitely want to write more ab the Amis in this, any suggestions?
Prompt (thank you Guest!): Imagine Enjolras and the rest of the barricade boys telling Marius that Eponine is in love with him.
"Grantaire, you're drunk, go home."
"Mmnkrdeunk!"
"What?"
Grantaire spoke a bit louder. "MMNOTDRUNK."
Joly sighed. "I was wrong, you're absolutely hammered. Go home."
Marius chuckled as Grantaire responded by falling on top of Joly, who was protesting heavily. Éponine was sitting next to him, also laughing, her hand resting right next to his. She suddenly had the urge to grab it, but didn't, trying to show some self-control around him for once.
Enjolras looked up from his book and shook his head, although a hint of a smile could be seen.
Musichetta perched across from Éponine and Marius, observing the action and doing her best not to laugh at the sight of Joly's flailing limbs under Grantaire, who by this time had passed out.
Courfeyrac and Combeferre were discussing whether or not to help him or not. They got up as if they were, but instead walked straight past the two men and left, both giggling like teenage girls, Musichetta following before she collapsed into a heap of laughter.
Feuilly soon took their places, perching on the windowsill with a book about the history of Poland. Éponine had once tried to decipher it but failed miserably, and was watching with a tinge of envy, although that was soon replaced by a yell of "will you get this creature OFF OF ME!" coming from Joly.
Enjolras was the one to take pity and dragged Grantaire off of him, although the others were shouting at him not to. Marius rolled his eyes and smiled at Éponine, who felt a blush rising and turned away, pretending to be interested in the floor.
"Do you think he knows?" Lesgle asked Jean Prouvaire, who had been watching the two for quite a while. Jehan replied in the negative, although his eyes didn't leave them. "He's clueless" came the short reply.
Éponine looked up at the time. "I should go, it's getting late" she said miserably. Evenings with the Amis were the highlight of her day, as something entertaining always happened, usually involving a very drunk Grantaire and a very irritated Joly or Enjolras. Marius stood up with her and kissed her cheek, causing some "oooooh!"s from the Amis and a profound blush from Éponine.
Jehan turned back to Lesgle. "He doesn't know he loves her either, the fool."
Lesgle just nodded, and went back to his writing. Éponine said goodbye to everybody and soon departed, a hand reaching up to touch the cheek Marius had kissed.
Not long after she left, Grantaire had managed to awaken himself and was staggering around, almost keeling over every time he turned a corner. "SHE LOVES YOU YOU BLIND FOOL!" he yelled, getting a stern look from Enjolras and a worried one from roughly everybody else.
Marius frowned. "How drunk are you?"
"I MAY BE DRUNK BUT I KNOW LOVE WHEN I SEE IT!" Grantaire yelled, with a pointed look at Enjolras when he reached the end of the sentence. Enjolras rolled his eyes and turned to Marius.
"Hate to be the one to break it to you, but alcohol boy just so happens to be right" he said casually, before returning to the corner.
Marius stopped still. "Are you serious?"
At once, everybody piped up.
"Deadly." (Enjolras)
"Very." (Feuilly)
"Have you ever heard the marble statue tell jokes before?" (Joly)
"Honestly Marius." (Lesgle)
"I would have thought you'd notice by now." (Jehan)
"If you don't want her, I'll take her." (Bahorel)
"OF COURSE HE IS YOU VAGABOND!" (Grantaire)
Marius' eyebrows went further up his forehead then he thought was humanly possible. Éponine loved him? How? For how long? Did she still? What?
Did he love her?
Lesgle rolled his eyes. "I reckon you like her as well."
"LIKE? HE BLOODY LOVES HER, THE TWIT, HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW IT YET EITHER!" Another pointed look at Enjolras.
"Well? Do you love her or not?" Jehan piped up, ever the romantic. Marius seemed shocked by the question, his mouth opening and closing again a few times.
"I-I-I suppose I do."
A round of cheering came from the Amis, and Marius gave a small, almost shy smile in return.
"WELL GO AFTER HER THEN, YOU PROVERBIAL SPOON IN THE SINK!"
Marius nodded and got his coat, an odd wave of nerves rushing over him. Normally he wouldn't dream of doing anything like this, but today was different. He knew she felt the same.
Breaking into a run, he soon caught up with a skinny figure who could only be Éponine.
" 'Ponine!"
Éponine turned around, shocked. "Marius?"
"I, um, have something to say."
"Yes?"
"I know you love me."
Éponine groaned. "Oh. Mon. Deiu. Please tell me you're joking, you shouldn't know, you weren't supposed to know, I, I, I don't know what to say, I-"
She was silenced by a finger resting lightly on her lips.
"Come here."
Éponine was speechless as Marius drew her into a tight hug. His breath ghosted past her ear, causing her to shiver slightly. "If it's worth anything, they also helped me realise that I too love you."
She looked up. "You really mean that?"
"I do. Now lets get inside before we both catch pneumonia. I'm supposed to be seeing Joly tomorrow and he'll kill me if I get him ill" Marius smiled. Éponine chuckled and nodded, leaning against him and wondering if she'd heard him right or not. Was this a dream? A fantasy? Had Grantaire got her to have a few drinks? She wasn't sure. All she knew was that she was bloody well going to make the most of it whilst she could.
As they reached Éponine's door, she turned around and hugged him again, testing to see if he really meant it. When his arms encased her shoulders and his lips kissed the top of her head, she knew he did. Stepping backwards, she leaned up and kissed him quickly, chastely, giving him plenty of opportunity to step back and end it.
Instead she felt herself being drawn closer, the kiss deepening. Éponine responded as best she could, not used to tender affections that didn't result in her getting taken advantage of. But she trusted Marius more than she trusted anybody else, and knew that he wouldn't pressure her into anything.
She eventually broke their embrace, staring into his eyes for a bit before smiling, giving him another peck, before slipping into her door, leaving both of them in a bit of a daze, lying asleep on their beds dreaming the same dreams and thinking the same things.
