Hello! I don't really have anything to say, except I loved Samantha Barks before it was cool, just putting that out there.
I've had a question asked that I feel like I should answer. "Patria" means "motherland". In this case, Patria refers to France, Enjolras' one and only love, for now ;) just thought I should clarify
"En-jol-ras," Enjolras said slowly, drawing out the pronunciation carefully.
"That's too hard!" Pierre wined, "make it easier!"
"I can't just snap my fingers and change my name to please you," Enjolras mused, "It's not that simple, you will simply have to learn to pronounce it correctly."
"Nonsense," Eponine said, coming up behind Pierre, "What does Annette call you? Enjy?"
"No," Enjolras said quickly, "That's ridiculous, no one would ever call me such a-"
"That's perfect!" Pierre said, "I must go tell Nicolas of your new name, Enjy!"
"Thank you so much for that," Enjolras said as the light haired little boy ran off in search of his brother, "Now your brothers are calling me that infernal name as well."
"Now really, you must learn to take some teasing, you're far to sensitive for someone your age," Eponine said, "what would you like for supper?" She scanned the various street vendors and shops around the market.
"I know how to handle some teasing, but I have never met anyone quite like you Thenadiers," Enjolras said, "and I haven't an opinion, I usually eat at the cafe anyhow."
"Then why did you accompany us?" Eponine asked.
"I seem to recall you hiding my law books and not telling me where you put them until I agreed to come with you," Enjolras said.
"Me?" Eponine said, dramatically feigning innocence, "I would never! But I believe if you look for them in the cupboard in the kitchen, the one with the sugar, you may find them."
"Of course," Enjolras said, "Why didn't I look there?"
"A man never would," Eponine laughed, a laugh that didn't quite reach her dark eyes, "I personally believe it's a perfectly normal place to keep law books."
"Marius doesn't give enough credit to your wit," Enjolras said, laughing in spite of himself.
"And you're given too much credit on the contrary," Eponine replied, "I thought you were the man of marble, never cracking a smile. Nothing to distract you from your beloved Patria!" Eponine gesticulated with her hand to further exaggerate her point.
"I've never had a distraction before," Enjolras admitted.
"So I'm a distraction?" Eponine quipped, raising a teasing eyebrow.
"I must admit, having the company of someone other than an inebriated Grantaire brings about a different side of me," Enjolras said, pulling out his watch, "I must be getting off to the meeting, I prefer to arrive early and review my notes."
"Always working," Eponine smirked, rolling her eyes, "I will be cooking, don't eat at the cafe."
"Alright," Enjolras said, "I suppose, I just hope you're a good cook." Eponine stuck her tongue out at him and smiled, a smile that didn't rid her eyes of their lingering sadness, but a genuine smile nonetheless. Enjolras turned to walk towards the cafe, stopping at his flat to retrieve his books. He liked it when she smiled, she did it so seldom, unless in a condescending way.
"Nicolas, Pierre, Gavroche, 'Zelma!" Eponine called over the heads of the crowd, "Come, we must be going!" Gavroche reached her first, followed closely by Nicolas and Pierre.
"Yes," Gavroche said, looking warily over his shoulder, "We should be gettin' along," He turned to face Eponine's accusatory glare, "I didn't take nothin'! But we should still probably leave." Eponine rolled her eyes, shaking her head and taking Nicolas' hand,
"Come on," Eponine said, "I have a job to secure."
"You're getting a job?" Azelma asked, "A real one, not an indecent one?"
"Yes a real job," Eponine said, "You and I are not living that lifestyle anymore, I'm tired of selling myself night after night, and I know you are too."
"I'm not complaining," Azelma said, covering Nicolas' ears and making sure Pierre and Gavroche had run far enough ahead, "But we both know you have stopped whoring around because you have new clothes, and there's a chance your beloved Marius will give you a second glance now."
"That's just a convenient effect," Eponine said, "I have Pierre and Nicolas to take care of, I need real money from a real job, and I expect you to get one too."
"You mean you don't plan on living with Enjolras indefinitely?" Azelma said sarcastically, grabbing Pierre's hand to stop him from ogling at a candy store window, "Come Pierre, we don't have time! But in all honesty 'Ponine, what do you plan to do?"
"I plan to stay only until I've saved up enough so that I may afford rent," Eponine said, "I'll be damned if Pierre and Nicolas end up living on the streets like the rest of us have."
"Oy, 'Ponine, where we goin'?" Gavroche asked.
"Here," Eponine said, stopping outside a textile factory, "You boys run along and play in that park," Eponine said, pointing across the road, "Stay together, we'll come find you when we've completed our errand."
"Eponine," Azelma said as they entered the large granite structure, "What about Father? And Montparnasse?" Eponine bit her lit, lightly running a hand over her collarbone, where her cut resided,
"I'm not sure."
XXXXXXXX
Pierre crouched in a tree, hiding as best as he could from his brothers. His brown eyes scanned the ground thoroughly, keeping a keen eye out for Gavroche's cap. His mouth curved to a mischievous smile as he watched Gavroche pass under the branch he was perched on. Suddenly and quickly as the wind, Pierre pushed the large pile of snow that accumulated on the branch above him, yelling as his red hands shook the branch to cause the snow to fall.
"Ahhhh!" Gavroche yelled as the snow dripped into his undergarments, "No fair Pierre!"
"Why not?" Pierre asked, leaping from the tree, "If there are any, you neglected to tell Nicolas and I the rules." Suddenly a small pile of snow hit Pierre from behind, soaking his hair and falling down his coat.
"I win!" Nicolas yelled, running up to his brothers, "I win, you lose!" Gavroche grabbed a handful of snow in his hands and threw it at Nicolas, hitting him square in the face. Nicolas tumbled over, his face turning red from the cold.
"Pierre already got you Gavroche!" Nicolas said, fighting the urge to cry, "You can't do that!"
"No he didn't!" Gavroche said, "Now I've won!"
"You're lying!" Nicolas said, his bottom lip trembling, "I won, and you're just being mean."
"Am not!" Gavroche said, turning to Pierre, "I win, fair and square, right Pierre."
"That's right," Pierre said, "Nicolas, you lost, now stop being a baby."
"I'm not a baby!" Nicolas said, standing up and stomping his foot, "And you better stop lying, or I'll tell Maman!" Pierre frowned, pushing Nicolas back into the snow.
"She's not our Maman!" Pierre yelled, throwing more snow on the little boy, "Our real Maman will come to get us, she promised!" Nicolas began to cry,
"I don't want to!" He wailed, "I want to stay with Maman and Sœur!"
"Don't call her that!" Pierre yelled, pushing Nicolas again, "She's not Maman!"
"Stop it Pierre!" Gavroche said, helping Nicolas to stand, "Don't push him again!"
"You're mean!" Nicolas sobbed.
"Nicolas! Pierre! Gavroche!" The boys heard Eponine calling for them, she and Azelma must be finished. Nicolas bolted at the sound of her voice, crying and calling out for her. Gavroche ran to follow him, Pierre went slower, not looking forward to facing Eponine.
"Nicolas what's the matter?" Eponine said as Nicolas came into sight.
"Maman!" He cried, winding his arms round her neck as she knelt down, sobbing into her shoulder.
"What on earth?" Eponine asked, pulling him back to look him in the eye, "Darling, what's wrong?"
"I won the game, but Gavroche lied and said that he hadn't been got by Pierre, but he had, and he hit me with a snowball right in the face. Then I said I would tell, and Pierre pushed me down because I call you Maman." Nicolas said.
"What's wrong with calling me Maman?" Eponine asked, "I rather like it."
"He said that you aren't our real Maman, and that our old Maman is going to come and get us." Eponine felt the air leave her lungs, suddenly her stomach weighed a ton.
"Do you want that?" Eponine asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.
"No," Nicolas said, "I want to stay with you! Please let me!" Nicolas flung his arms around Eponine again, a fresh round of tears wetting her shawl.
"Of course my darling," Eponine said, holding the little boy close to her, "I'll never, ever send you away." By this time Gavroche had appeared, slowly followed by Pierre, who looked very guilty indeed. Eponine gathered Nicolas into her arms and walked over to them, giving them a stern look.
"I want you both to apologize to your brother, immediately," Eponine said.
"I'm sorry," Gavroche mumbled, looking at his boots
"I'm sorry Nicolas," Pierre said quietly.
"Gavroche," Eponine started, "When the game is through, you don't keep playing, and we never throw snow at the face."
"I'm sorry," Gavroche repeated.
"And I don't want to hear of you being unfair, that is unacceptable," Eponine was actually quite surprised by her stern tone, she had no idea she was capable of really being a mother.
"I'm very sorry," Gavroche said, "It'll never happen again."
"Good," Eponine said, "Now Nicolas, you must accept Gavroche's apology, and allow the matter to drop."
"I 'cept your apology," Nicolas mumbled.
"Pierre," Eponine began again, "I never want to hear of you pushing, hitting, or in any way harming your brothers ever again. You know better than to say such unkind things and upset your brother so."
"I'm sorry Nicolas," Pierre said.
"I 'cept your apology too." Nicolas replied.
"Good," Eponine said, "I don't want to hear of this now, it's over and done with."
"Yes 'Ponine," chorused the three boys, Nicolas replacing "Ponine" with "Maman".
"Nicolas, Gavroche," Eponine said, letting Nicolas down, "Go with Azelma back to the flat and change clothes, maybe if you ask nicely Yvonne may make you some cookies and milk. Pierre, I wish to talk to you." Gavroche and Nicolas ran to join Azelma, who took their hands and led them towards Enjolras' flat.
"Are you going to yell some more?" Pierre asked Eponine. Eponine smiled slightly, taking his hand and leading him down the path.
"No," Eponine said, "I just want to talk to you."
"There's no need of that," Pierre said quickly, "Honestly, I haven't any desire to rehash what was said. It was said only in the heat of the moment, and as we already agreed, it's in the past, and all is forgiven."
"You're rather finely versed for one so young," Eponine remarked. Pierre shrugged.
"I've always been that way," Pierre said.
"Pierre, I know that what you said was not in the heat of the moment," Eponine said, "one as level headed as you doesn't simply lose their temper during a spat with their brother. There's subtext here, read it to me."
"I don't like the way he calls you Maman," Pierre admitted, looking at his boots, "We have a Maman, a very good one, but we lost her."
"I know you did," Eponine said, "And I'm sure you love her very much."
"I do," Pierre said, "I know you're my sister, I don't doubt that, we all look alike, but I'm not ready for you to be my mother."
"You don't have to be," Eponine said, kneeling down to Pierre's level, "I love you, and I want you to be happy. You can just call me 'Ponine, if you'd like. But Nicolas is still very small, in a few years he'll barely remember your old Maman, and Azelma and I will be the only form of parent's he'll ever know."
"I know," Pierre said, "It was rash of me, I really am sorry."
"I know you are," Eponine said, ruffling his hair, "But don't let it happen again, if you need to talk, I'm here." Pierre grinned, giving her a hug,
"I love you too," He whispered in her ear.
XXXXXXXX
"To revolution!" Enjolras finished strongly, throwing his fist into the air for emphasis. His comrades cheered loudly, banging their mugs of ale on the tables in front of them. Enjolras joined a table at which Grantaire, Joly, Marius, Combeferre, and Coufeyrac were sitting.
"Especially good tonight!" Coufeyrac exclaimed, slapping Enjolras on the shoulder.
"Yes!" Grantaire slurred, "Enjolras, fending of the entire French Army with only the eloquence of his words!"
"Oh, knock off Grantaire," Combeferre said, "Go back to your bottle." Grantaire grasped his chest, feigning offense, as the entire table roared with laughter, even the marble Enjolras cracked a smile.
"I had best be getting off," Enjolras said, "Eponine will have my neck if I miss supper, she wants to prove she's able to cook."
"You aren't even sleeping with her and she's got you on a leash!" Grantaire chortled, raising his mug, "At least in marriage you get occasional sex!"
"Bide you tongue Grantaire," Enjolras said, a spark of anger felt at the insult at the expense of the young woman he had come to call a friend, "Sober up or shut your mouth."
"Touchy," Grantaire grumbled, shakily standing up, "Mind if I come? I need to pick up a few items I left at your flat after I moved in with Combeferre."
"Yes, thank you so much for dumping the fool on me Enjolras," Combeferre called, "I truly appreciate it!"
"Fine," Enjolras said, "you may come, but keep your head on, there will be children about."
"I'll be a perfect gentleman," Grantaire said.
XXXXXXXX
"I don't fully understand why you were so adamant about cooking," Annette said to Eponine as she helped her wipe down the kitchen counter, "However, this smells delightful, you seem to have done a good job."
"Thank you," Eponine answered, "When I was young, my mother used to make Azelma and I appetizing food, not the slop they gave to the customers."
"I don't mean to be rude," Annette said, "But I've noticed that your pronunciation has been getting better since you started staying here. I mean to say you've lost much of the street jargon you used to speak with. Gavroche and Azelma too."
"Really?" Eponine said, laughing slightly, "I hadn't noticed, I suppose being around you and Enjolras has done that to us."
"Yes, Enjolras does speak so eloquently, doesn't he?" Annette sighed, "He's intoxicating to watch really, he has such a way with words."
"Do I detect a small bit of infatuation from you Annette?" Azelma teased, entering the room in just enough time to hear her comments of the residential Revolution leader.
"What?" Annette said, blushing fiercely, "Of course not! What would give you such an idea?"
"Don't get all riled up," Eponine said as Azelma laughed, "We won't breath a word."
"But you may want to get a hold of yourself," Azelma said, "Pierre has just announced that Enjolras is outside the window, accompanied by Grantaire. I've just come in to get another set of dishes and cutlery to set out."
"Wonderful," Eponine sighed, "Grantaire's coming. Annette, lock the liquor cabinet, will you, and hide the key someplace Grantaire will never get it."
"I can't think of many places Grantaire wouldn't go to for alchohol," Annette said as she pulled the key from the lock.
"I can," Azelma said, grabbing the key from Annette and dropping it down her own bodice, "Not even Grantaire has enough gall to go there for his liquor." Annette again went pink as Eponine laughed at her sister's impudence.
"Oh my 'Zelma, what am I going to do with you?" Eponine asked.
"Why what has she done?" Enjolras asked, walking into the kitchen. His movements were hindered by Nicolas and Pierre clinging to each of his legs.
"Eponine, would you kindly remove your brothers?" Enjolras asked casually. Annette and Azelma burst into another round of giggles at his nonchalance, and Enjolras smirked.
"Certainly," Eponine said, also jesting, "Boys, remove yourselves, you look ridiculous." Both boys let go, laughing merrily.
"I'm hungry 'Ponine," Pierre said, "Is supper ready yet?"
"Yes it is," Eponine said, "Everyone sit down, we're ready to it." The flat didn't have a large enough table to fit everyone, so Nicolas, Pierre, and Gavroche sat on the floor while Eponine, Azelma, Annette, Grantaire, and Enjolras sat around the table.
"This is good!" Nicolas said, met with general murmers of agreement.
"Yes," Enjolras echoed, "Quite good actually, I'm impressed." Eponine looked quite pleased with herself indeed.
"What's this?" Grantaire asked, holding up his glass of clear liquid.
"Water," Azelma answered.
"What?!" Grantaire asked, putting down the glass as if it had bruned him, "What are you trying to do to me? Give me a heart attack?"
"I hardly doubt drinking something other than alcohol will kill you," Eponine smirked, "Besides, Enjolras doesn't have much liquor anyhow."
"I happen to know there's some absinthe in the liquor cabinet," Grantaire said, pulling back his chair.
"How did you know?" Annette asked.
"Because it's mine," Grantaire answered.
"That's what you needed to get?" Enjolras exclaimed, "You truly are ridiculous. You know that, correct?"
"I prefer passionate," Grantaire said, coming up behind Azelma's chair after unsuccessfully trying to open the cabinet.
"I think you're just a drunkard," Azelma said.
"And I think you should give me the key," Grantaire said
"We've hidden it," Azelma said smugly, "You couldn't find it if you tore up the flat from floor to ceiling."
"Don't do that," Enjolras said.
"I don't have to," with one swift movement Grantaire reached down Azelma's dress and retrieved the key, "It's right here," Grantaire pecked Azelma's cheek, which had turned a deep pink for the first time in her memory. Azelma stared after him in silence, her mouth dropped open in shock.
Seems Azelma has meet her match. ;) Reviews please!