CW: Gross men being gross but not graphic

"The fuck you still asleep for!" Éponine jolted awake. She sprang to her feet quickly forgetting about her swollen ankle. A sharp pain reminded her suddenly and she fell to the hard cold ground with a crumble. "Get up you lazy girl! You've wasted the whole day, quit actin' like a princess." Her mother spat at Éponine as she lay at her feet.

Éponine must've slept longer than expected. She looked around the room with panic. Her sister had given her milk of the poppy, that was the last thing that she remembered. She looked down at her clothes. Her sister had dressed her shift, it looked clean for the first time. Next to the bed sat a small pile of folded laundry. Éponine examined her ankle. Azelma must've wrapped it in a linen cloth for her while she was sleeping, how kind she was, Éponine thought. The swelling had gone down but it was still rather painful to put weight on it. Éponine turned to her younger sister, who sat huddled terrified in the corner, a red mark across her cheek. Éponine's heart sank. "Azelma how long was I asleep..I'm so," she trailed off as their mother interrupted.

"At least a day and a half I oughta bet. I caught you're sister here trying to get youse clothes washed. Who do you think you are wasting money on that and then sleeping a full day? You're nothing but a brat!"

Éponine used her arm to lift herself off the floor a hobbled to a ratty red cloth arm chair near the dying hearth. Éponine reached behind her head a grabbed her jacket hanging above and reached into the pocket retrieving a portion of the stash she had stolen from the tall blonde stranger. Her mother hastily snatched it from her.

"What's this you've got?" She sounded excited, forgetting that she had just screamed at Éponine.

"It's my keep, enough for the whole week at least. I feel that I have the right to sleep and for once have clean clothes since as I did injure myself caring for your family." Éponine pointed to her swollen ankle glaring back at her mother. Her mother rushed to her feet, kneeling before and yanked her sprained ankle hard. Éponine yelped back in pain.

"Oh my poor baby!" Her mother rubbed her ankle with exaggerated sympathy as she tried to win back her daughter's favor. Éponine looked at her mother in pure confusion. Madame Thénardier, Éponine's mother had once looked quite a bit like Azelma, but much older. Her face was wrinkled, her hair had large patches of grey and white that danced throughout her ratty ginger hair. Her eyebrow were merely a few loose long strands of white hair framing her eyes, to combat this she took dark kohl drawing two exaggerated curves giving her a permanently shocked expression. Éponine shared the same nose as her mother and her sister. Slender, petite and small, that sloped down like the hills in the valleys. Azelma and thier mother shared the same eyes though, emerald green that glistened in sunlight. Though their mother's youth and light had faded significantly from her eye through years of turmoil and sadness.

"I'm fine! Leave me be! That includes yelling at me or Azelma!" Éponine shouted at her mother. Her mother backed away cowering in fear.

"You cannot speak to me this way, just because you got lucky with some sailor," Her mother screamed back in Éponine's face. Éponine felt her hot smelly breath in her face. It curled her nose in disgust. She desperately wished for the courage to spit in her face, give her a taste of her medicine, but she knew it would be no use. Father would be home soon and not even money would not get her out from under his wrath. She dug her nail into palms in a fist and swallowed hard staring at her feet. Tears threatened the corners of her eyes but she fought them with all her might. Éponine just kept staring at her feet occasionally blinking trying to let the sadness wash over her with no effect, like a study boulder in a rapid river.

Éponine felt helpless, she couldn't help sister and she couldn't help her brother. Her parents refused to respect her or even care for her, and despite all this she was still the one managing to bring home the most money nearly every week. She desperately wished she could run away today, tell her mother off and take Azelma far from here. All in good time she thought to herself. That was the only thing that could stop her from crying. The dream that soon they would all be together and they would all be safe.

"APOLOGIZE IMMEDIATELY!" Her mother screamed at her once again getting right in her face. Éponine kept looking down at her feet refusing to let her mother make her cry.

"I apologize." She said feeling as meek as ever. Her mother stumbled away counting the francs Éponine had given to her.

Azelma rushed over to Éponine. Éponine kissed her red cheek gently and hugged her sister, still trying to remain strong and not let her sister see her cry. Azelma brought over a large stick with handle, a small crutch. Éponine had seen many beggars both ones who needed it and those who didn't using them on the streets. "Where did you get this little fox?" She cooed Azelma's nickname. She was called so for her auburn curls and ability to walk without making a sound. Éponine remembered playing hide and seek with Azelma in their giant house when they were spoiled children. Finding new hiding places everyday in their family's inn. Azelma would cheat whenever Éponine was close to finding her by tip toeing around to a new hiding spot without anyone noticing.

"You know me, I snuck around back into the doctor's storage. Now you can get around a little easier, and who knows, maybe you'll make a few extra francs begging with it!" Azelma grinned triumphantly and Éponine beamed back with pride.

"Thank you, sister! You always take such good care of me, when I should be the one caring for you," Éponine replied attempting to hide the shame that she had not been able to protect her sister from their parent's temper in the past. She prayed soon that would all change.

Azelma helped her sister get up from her chair using the crutch. Éponine then dressed herself in her brown skirt and makeshift corset. Éponine grabbed a hat and jacket to help keep herself warm. She then walked out the door of the single bedroom. She hobbled to her sister gave her quick kiss goodbye and then without saying anything to her mother in the adjacent kitchen she left on her single crutch for both fresh air and to see how long she had truly been asleep for. It was nearly evening of next day she realized in shock how much time had passed. No wonder her mother was so angry with her, she thought, somehow Azelma must've covered for her at some point allowing her the sleep she desperately needed.

It was late April and the nights will still rather cold and dreary, especially as the factories turned in for night and the last plumes of smoke blocked out the remaining glimmers of sunlight. The smog burned Éponine's eyes, she hated the city and longed to return to the countryside where she lived as child, though she knew it would never be. The city was the only true place to find quick cash, no matter the scheme.

Éponine's stomach growled loudly. Now she had another problem, she was starving. Not eating for day and a half will do that to a person. She desperately did not want to turn to ask her mother for food, not after their last interaction. No, she thought, if I can make it to a nearby cafe I can buy an actual meal. She checked her pocket and realized all her money was still in the house either with her mother or beneath the floor boards safely waiting for later. There's no way Éponine would risk digging it out while her mother was home, she'd rather starve.

Perhaps Gavroche would take pity on her, as she was his main source of income. Éponine decided she would hobble through the streets and attempt to find her brother for free meal. It wasn't often that she asked him for help in return, but she knew once she told him of her plan to find them all a home, he'd be far more inclined.

Éponine repositioned her crutch straightened her hat with determination and hobbled on her way to look for Gavroche in this large dangerous city.

Éponine wandered the streets aimlessly. It had been hours and she still had not found Gavroche. Still starving and still limping on her single crutch Éponine continued to hobbled down another alley to the last hiding spot she though Gavroche might be. Night had settled in long ago and it was nearly midnight. Éponine started thinking she would probably have better luck sneaking back into the apartment and stealing leftovers without waking her parents than finding Gavroche at this point.

After another unsuccessful attempt at finding Gavroche, Éponine finally started the long walk back to her parent's house. The crescent moon was high in the sky and though if was a starless night there was enough light to guide her long trek back.

She was only about ten blocks from her house before she reached the docks. Some prostitutes were finishing up their night, very few just beginning. Men both wealthy and poor; soldiers, police, and sailors all had flocked to meet the ladies of the night. Éponine kept her head down hoping her limp and lack of eye contact would deter the men from approaching her. But to her dismay one spotted her, and before long began following her.

"How much for you? Fille mince, I want you." The man's words made her feel sick to her stomach. Éponine just kept walking. Maybe her would let up and leave her alone after a couple blocks.

But the man did not. He continued to follow her down several blocks. Éponine continued to hobble on her crutch as fast as she possibly could. Her arm supporting her weight was burning but she knew better than to slow down and let the man catch her.

"I won't hurt you, I just want to talk!" The man had picked up his pace and was on her heels at this point. Éponine knew she couldn't outrun him. She looked to her left and then her right. She saw an opportunity to escape through an alley she grabbed her crutch in both hands and sprinted on both feet into an alley on the left. She was free, that was until her sprained ankle betrayed her once again. She lost her footing on the uneven cobblestone street and in a quick foul swoop the man had caught up to her and pinned her to the hard stone wall.


Enjolras sat arms crossed at the crowded table the sound of mugs smashing together in celebration bellowed throughout the cafe, yet Enjolras managed to tune it out in his sulky mood. Enjolras had spent the last day in a state over his lost income. He had yet to find a solution to the new budgetary issues facing l'ABC and he was dreading the thought of asking his parent's after his last interaction with his father over a year ago.

The boys of l'ABC were 'celebrating' as they called it though Enjolras had no idea why. Nothing of importance had occurred in their fight for revolution and he felt many of them were just searching for reason to drink rather than improve the beloved nation.

Enjolras excused himself wordlessly, he walked down to the ground level of the cafe and exited the french double doors. Out there sitting on the steps with his head between his legs was Gavroche looking green as can be. Enjolras chuckled. The boy had tried once again to act like the men and failed miserably. Enjolras popped back in the cafe only to grab a water from the waitress and give it Gavroche.

"Are you feeling all right, Gavroche?" Enjolras said lightly rubbing his back. He knew Gavroche liked to be treated as a man but he was still only a lad, and Enjolras couldn't help but have empathy for the young boy who tried so desperately to grow up too quickly. He could understand having to grow up before one is truly ready, despite Enjolras having a very different background than the young boy. Why he couldn't be much older than his youngest sister. Enjolras shrugged off the thought of his family, again not wishing to remember the painful memories of his past.

"Ayyyy." He cried but stopped there unable to continue the words.

"You have a place to sleep tonight?" Enjolras said, he was a bit worried for the boys safety in such a state he wouldn't have his usual wits to survive on the street.

"Right here is fine," he slouched back further against the steps of the cafe. Enjolras bit his lip, he knew he couldn't leave the boy here with only a drunken sleeping Grantaire around to protect him.

"Come stay the night at my house," Enjolras said allowing the boy to rest his head on his shoulder.

"Don't know.. I ain't your charity case y'know... and I'll be fiiii-" the boy trailed off slowly falling deeper into his tired drunken state facilitated only by the support of Enjolras' broad shoulders.

Enjolras knew he shouldn't give the young boy the choice between safety and the streets. He scooped him up in his arms. Gavroche's sleeping body reacted awkwardly to the caring gesture as if it was the first time the boy had been held in anyone arms. Enjolras had no trouble carrying the skinny child back to his apartment several blocks from the cafe. He used extra care not wake the boy as he slept in his large arms and it wasn't long before Enjolras had managed to make it to his home.

Enjolras set Gavroche's sleeping body on his large velvet couch. He grabbed the boy's dirty sabots and threw them to the side of the room. He then grabbed an extra pillow and warm blanket and tucked the boy in for the night.

Enjolras didn't wish to wake him, but still having work to do he left Gavroche there sleeping knowing he'd be safe in the locked home, for once having a comfortable warm place to sleep.

Enjolras returned to the cafe, he had to speak to Marius now. There was no more delaying it. Enjolras found him quickly, though he seemed rather drunk. Enough so that he'd be easy to convince but not so much so that he wouldn't remember any arrangements they'd make tonight.

"Marius, let's talk. It's important." Enjolras grunted at him interrupting the merriment of his friends.

"Oh Enjolras can't it wait? We are celebrating!" Grantaire cried out with a laugh.

"What are you celebrating? We have no money for weapons. We are months away from any action whatsoever!" Enjolras snapped.

"Haven't you heard? Marius is in love!" Courfeyrac exclaimed with delight.

"Once again? And who is it this time? Another empty headed beauty like the last one and the one before?" Enjolras couldn't contain his words as they flowed out of him like venom from sharpened fangs. For years he had watched his friend Marius come back every month with another devoted love that he swore was his lost lady love for all eternity only to never speak to her again within the month.

The men roared with laughter at his harsh words, knowing there was some truth to them though the delivery was unnecessarily cruel. Marius turned red both with anger and embarrassment. "It isn't like that this time. It's different... Her name's Rosalind and she's gorgeous." Marius cooed at the sound of saying her name.

"Anything else you know about her?" Enjolras chuckled. He was still determined to get Marius alone so he could discuss the future of l'ABC with him, but it would prove more difficult than he thought.

"That's enough! I don't have to explain myself to you! You don't even like women," Marius responded with an uncharacteristic drunken slurring of his words. Enjolras assumed it was meant as an insult as Marius and all the men at the table laughed, but he didn't particularly care. So what if he didn't bother distracting himself with women? From what Enjolras could see so many of his friends spent most of their time complaining about them rather than complimenting them anyways. Besides Enjolras, though charming found it incredibly hard to relate to others. At least with the men of l'ABC they had a common interest of a future republic, but most women he met he had absolutely nothing in common with and he had no genuine interest in changing that.

"Marius, please let us speak outside. It really is important." Enjolras said with sincerity this time. Marius knew he was serious and finally left with him to discuss plans outside the cafe.

Marius stumbled as they reached the exit of the cafe. He managed to catch his balance grabbing on to Enjolras' forearm. "Woah there!" he exclaimed stabilizing himself.

Enjolras rolled his eye trying to keep his short patience once again. "Perhaps you should head home its rather late anyhow?" Enjolras thought maybe walking him back would be a good way to ask him for the favor.

"I'm quite all right, I just need to walk it off okay? Let's go." The two men headed on their way for walk around the block. Enjolras occasionally offering his arm to support his friend as they stumbled along the streets of Paris on this chilly spring night.

"Marius, I need to talk to you about the future of the l'ABC," Enjolras said with a sigh. "As you know we lost our funding and no longer have access to weapons."

"I believe you lost our funding, somehow." Marius laughed at him and Enjolras winced, he was afraid this would happen.

"That's enough. You know I was taken advantage of. You of all people should know how one can underestimate pretty girls." Enjolras was referring to the numerous times he had picked up Marius off from the rock bottom of heartbreak when he fell so hard and so fast for nearly every beautiful woman he met.

An awkward silence fell among the pair. The two strolled through the city streets taking in the various sounds. It was relatively quiet except for the crickets chirping and the occasional braying of an unseen farm animal. And every now and again a drunk man or group of men would stumble by shouting with glee.

"That's enuff playin' coy girlie!" The distant unknown male voice broke the silence. His words made the hair on the back of Enjolras' neck stand straight up.

"Please! I've asked you several times to leave me alone!" a female voice responded pleading loudly with the unknown man. Enjolras looked at Marius for answers but Marius did not even seem to acknowledge what was happening.

"Marius we need to do something..." Enjolras was scared he didn't know what to do but he knew he had to help the woman. Enjolras looked down an adjacent alley, 40 or 50 meters away two shadows lurked, one considerably taller than the other. He could barely make out their shapes but Enjolras saw the owner of the male voice towered over the much smaller female shadow, pushing her against the wall.

"It's only a squabble with prostitute, likely over price. Why should we get involved? It'll just work itself out," Marius responded nonchalantly. His mouth snarled in disgust as he said the word prostitute. This surprised Enjolras considering Marius had no issue with the men who used prostitutes, many of which were their mutual friends, even Marius partook on occasion. Enjolras was shocked and disgusted by his words. How could Marius boast his passionate love for womenkind while not even bothering to help a woman in desperate need?

The large male shadow shoved the girl against the stone wall once more, even harder than before. He groaned loudly, "you're going to give me what I want. I'll pay you well don't worry, little one."

The girl let out high pitched scream and yell for help. Enjolras stopped in his tracks grabbing Marius by the shoulders. "You know it is the right thing to do, Marius. Help me with this and I promise I will stop bothering you about your love life."

"Fine," Marius replied ambivalently.

Enjolras leapt into action. "Hey!" He yelled. "What do you think you're doing? Leave her be!" The man looked back at Enjolras in shock. The girl slowly began to wriggle away. Enjolras kept stomping towards the man, attempting to make his already large frame at 6'4" more intimidating than it already was. Enjolras clenched his fists, until his knuckled turned white preparing for whatever was to come.

"This has nothing to do with you. Go back to your lover," the man chuckled as he pointed to Marius who stood behind Enjolras, looking very unsure what to do next. The man and Enjolras stood about fifteen yards from each other. Enjolras still could not make out anything other than shadows in the dark alley light.

"I will. Once I'm positive this woman is safe. You clearly do not respect her asking you to leave her alone," Enjolras spat at the man. The man lunged towards Enjolras, going for the stomach and attempting to tackle him to the ground. "RUN!" Enjolras yelled at the girl. She ran sprinting down the alley. Marius also followed Enjolras's instructions though Enjolras had intended for Marius to help defend him against the disgusting man.

Distracted from the abandonment by his friend Enjolras fell to the cobblestone ground from the hard tackle. He chuckled a little to himself and Marius' quick exit. The amusement was quickly wiped off his face as he felt to cold hard fist of the man pound into his jaw with violent furry. Enjolras winced in pain, still trying to process his surroundings.

Boom. Again another fist blew to his head, this time heading for his nose. Enjolras heard a large crack echo throughout the alley only to be drowned out by him crying out in sheer agony. The man pulled his fist back again for another blow, Enjolras still incredibly dazed reacted clumsily turned his head slightly to avoid the third punch. The man missed, just grazing Enjolras' ear. The man screamed in pain as another loud crack echoed throughout the alley as his fist came into contact with pavement.

Enjolras used his strength to lift his arm to the man's neck and squeezing. The two rolled around in the alley fighting for dominance until finally, Enjolras pinned the man. Enjolras landed three swift blows as hard as he could to the man's face before the man lost consciousness. Enjolras hovered above the man's unconscious body panting. Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead and began mixing with the blood from his wounds.

Enjolras stood up and dusted himself off, still cautious of the passed out attacker. He looked around for Marius, though Enjolras knew he was already long gone. So much for backing him up, Enjolras thought.

Enjolras head was throbbing, his speeding heart beat echoing in his mind. He was shocked by how quickly his punches had subdued the man. Enjolras clearly didn't know his own strength. Enjolras was frightful of his brute strength and short temper that he still could not control. He worried about the terrible acts he might be capable of committing in the name of his beliefs if he could not control himself. He shook the thought from his mind in the same way he shook the blood of the man off his fists.

Enjolras had seen enough action for the night. It was time for him to head home.


Éponine panted violently once she was finally safe enough to catch her breath. She had lost her crutch during the escape, oh well she thought better to lose a crutch than her honor.

"Is this yours mademoiselle?" Éponine whipped her head around to see the most gorgeous man she had ever seen before, nay it was the very man of her dreams. It was her green eyed neighbor that she had already dreamt so dearly of. Éponine blushed quickly forgetting the chaos that had just occurred. She looked to the gentleman's hands. He was holding her crutch, how kind of him, she thought. Not only had he saved her from danger he had gotten her crutch for her as well.

"Why yes um thank you," Éponine was suddenly very aware of how she appeared, her ratty clothes, crutch, and dirty face. She took the crutch from his hand trying hide her insecurities with a squirm. "I must thank you for saving me, if it wasn't for you I don't know what I would've done," Éponine said with pure admiration.

"Oh it was nothing," Her beautiful neighbor replied casually.

"I am Éponine! It is nice to finally meet such a gentleman in Paris." Éponine extended her slightly dirty hand. The man looked annoyed but still took it gently only to quickly release it back to her.

"Marius, Maris Pontmercy" He said with a smile, his smile dazzled her and put a flutter in her heart. "I believe, why you look rather familiar... Do you live at Gorbeau house?"

Éponine was flattered but embarrassed he remembered her while she was dirty and sitting outside the slum her family inhabited. Still to be remembered as a lowly peasant was still better than not being remembered at all.

"Yes... sir I believe we may be neighbors," Éponine replied shyly.

"Well as your neighbor allow me to walk you home," Marius said. Marius did not grab her arm or hold her hand escorting her, but together the two walked learning about each other's extremely different lives, but similar childhoods. Éponine read certain streets signs as they passed, trying to impress Marius though he hardly caught on. Instead Marius began discussing a woman he knew named Rosalind. In fact, it wasn't until they reached Gorbeau house that Marius finally ceased bragging about her.

"Thank you again, Monsieur Pontmercy. I don't know how I'll ever repay you," Éponine batted her long dark eyelashes as the man. In the moonlight, Éponine could only catch glimpses on shimmer within his green eyes, but still, they melted her heart and brought deep and unyielding tightness in her chest. Heat flooded her face still her cheeks scorched, reminding her just how she felt during her dream that very morning.