A/N I have come up with a plan, mwahahahahaaaa! The first reviewer for this chapter will get a Les Miserables Oneshot of their choice. Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed! You guys are awesome!
Disclaimer: I don't own Les miserables or any of the characters. Though the characters are epic I did not come up with them and you guys know it!
The summer morning air blew in lightly through Eponine's slightly cracked bedroom window, causing her to wake slowly from her deep sleep.
"It's to early to get up." She mumbled into her pillow, talking into the silence of her empty, old, house. "Enjolras, shut the window and come lay down with me." Her half-asleep self did not register the words before they left her mouth and as soon as she realized she sat up jerkily in her hard bed and covered her mouth with the palm of her hand. She hated when this happened, at times when she was so caught up in doing something absentmindedly she would reach for his hand, or ask him a question or look over her shoulder to see his amused smile only to be met with silence, and emptiness.
She forced herself out of the bed, a sick feeling forming in the put of her stomach. It was a terrible way to wake up, though she preferred it over waking up during the same nightmare that never seemed to leave her alone. She made her way to the front room and stretched her stiff limbs out, each of them cracking the more she moved. When she reached the kitchen she opened one of the deteriorating cabinet doors and pulled out a glass cup, poured some water into it from her one pitcher and drank contently, trying to distract her mind from how she had awoken.
Shuffling her feet against the damp wooden floor, she walked back to the front room and sat down in one of the two chairs that sat facing each other. Biting her bottom lip, she wiped the rim of her glass cup with her right thumb and glanced around the room.
It was lonely, when it got like this. When the room only held ghosts of the words Eponine and Enjolras used to share.
The truth was she would sit like that for hours, simply thinking, at times. And she would at times loose herself in the memories that filled the household. Unable to pull herself out of the deep thoughts that so often caused her to drive herself to painful tears.
She looked towards the desk that he sat at so often, almost always consumed with his work when he sat there. He would sit there for hours at a time on some days, his blonde curls framing his exhausted face as he would look back and check on Eponine who would be curled up in her chair reading a book which was filled with fiction, and romance, unlike the rebellious political ideas of the Rousseau books that littered Enjolras' desk along with his hard-worked on speeches and pamphlets that would be handed out at the next protest. He would smile tiredly and eventually put up his work to take his place next to her and hold her close against his chest until the two of them drifted off into a easy sleep.
She had rose to her feet and was making her way to his long-abandoned desk when there was a rapid knock on the door then was followed by, "Uh, Eponine? You in there?" Grantaire's voice traveled easily through her thin door despite the fact that he sounded self-conscious and unsure when he spoke.
"Just one second." Eponine called in the doors direction as she placed her cup down on the closest clear surface and wiped her eyes hastily to get rid of any traces of tears that may have appeared on her tired face.
As she reached the door she opened it slowly, out of a habit she stood in the crack of the doorway where she had opened it.
"Taire, what can I do for you?"
Grantaire looked better rested than he had the last time she had seen him and he had shaved the scruffy beard and put on what looked to be his best jacket. He smiled nervously and his eyes sparkled as he watched her expression carefully, "It's been a week. It's time for Apollo's next letter!"
Eponine, realized quickly that he was right. Her face lit up in a genuine smile and she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside then pushed him towards the chairs that sat facing each other. "Sit until I finish getting dressed then we can head down to the Cafe together. It shouldn't take to long."
Grantaire's eyes never left Eponine's excited face and he nodded at the sound of her voice ordering him around. He sat down in the closest chair and looked up to see Eponine's smile had vanished and she was wringing her hands anxiously.
"Eponine, is everything alright?"
Eponine swallowed hard and nodded a little. "Mhm, Taire, could you sit in the other chair while you wait?"
She looked down at the chair he sat in and bit down on her lip. That was Enjolras' chair. She knew Grantaire didn't mean any harm, but it was Enjolras' and it felt wrong having someone else sit in it.
Grantaire didn't as why she needed him to move to the opposite chair but only nodded politely and moved into her chair then looked up at her, waiting for her approval which she gave him with a small, smile.
It only took Eponine a few minutes to dressed, and ready before Grantaire and herself went to the Cafe Musian. Once they arrived there, they made their way to where the friendly, stout, woman always stood. Eponine did not say anything but reached her hand out, grinning as she waited for the next letter.
The woman placed the letter in Eponine's hand and smiled at the sight of the two young adults smiles. "Good morning, you two."
Grantaire and Eponine grinned and replied at the same time, "Good morning."
As Eponine immediately began to retreat to the back room with her letter, Grantaire held back and ordered a bottle of wine for himself. Not realizing this until she had nearly made it to the back of the cafe Eponine absentmindedly called for Grantaire using his lesser-used nickname, "R, hurry! I'm going to open it without you if you don't get in here!"
The woman paused as she handed Grantaire his bottle of wine and glanced at him confusedly, "Sweetheart, did someone else come with you?"
Grantaire shook his head and took the bottle of wine. "No, Why?"
The woman reached underneath the counter where she kept Eponine's letters and shook her head slightly, "She was calling for R. And I have letters for him.."
As the woman held up a cream colored envelope with a capital R on the front, Grantaire felt his face pale and his heart beat quicken. "Those-those are for me. They're mine. I'm R." He stumbled over his words and grabbed the letter quickly from the woman's hands. "Th-thank you."
Forgetting his wine bottle on the bar counter, Grantaire walked to the back room with his eyes wide and hands shaking. Eponine was already sitting in a chair she had pulled up next to Grantaires and her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
"Are you ready to read it?" As Eponine looked up she saw Grantaire staring down in awe at a letter he held in his hands which were shaking uncontrollably. When he looked up, she saw that his eyes were full of unshed tears which trickled down his cheeks quickly.
"Apollo wrote to me, Eponine. He-he didn't hate me." The last words were chocked out through a strangled sob that escaped Grantaire's throat as he looked at the letter once more.
Eponine extended her hand in a invitation to hold Grantaires, which he accepted and sat down in his chair next to hers.
They held hands as they opened their letters and began to read them,
Eponine's read;
Dear Eponine,
We had a meeting today and me and the boys got into a few arguments, tried out different plans, and joked around for much longer than we should have. I know it's out of character, but I've had at least one to many drinks tonight. So please forgive my sloppy handwriting.
You're asleep right now, you fell asleep in a chair while we were all in a discussion of one of Rousseau's finest works. How you could fall asleep during such a riveting conversation I'm not sure. But you did. And now I'm writing you this letter while I'm sitting down next to you. My word, you're beautiful. You keep mumbling in your sleep, Eponine. You keep saying my name. How sweet is that?
Oh, the guys all say hi. They're all saying I'm over here writing in my 'diary'. Man, I'd like to punch a few of them right now. Is this how alcohol makes people feel all the time? How do you drink it? More importantly, how does Grantaire survive with the amounts he inhales.
I can't really think straight right now. But I kind of wish you were awake right now. Because the guys are saying that drunk me is far more fun then sober me. I think they're wrong, but you might agree with them.
I keep seeing black spots in front of my eyes, Eponine. And I'm trying to remember what this letter was supposed to say but I can't. I just want to write about how beautiful you are. You look so happy, and content right now. I think we're going to stay here for the night. Because I can't bear to leave you. And yes, just so you know the guys are planning on staying as well. Even little 'Roche. Though I would rather he didn't see me like this. Because I don't really remember everything I've done but I'm nearly certain everyone else will.
I'm sorry for the crumby letter but I can't seem to focus. Please forgive me.
I love you more than anything my sweet, beautiful, and very tired girl.
All my love, my dear Eponine.
~E
Grantaire's read;
R,
I don't know how to start this letter, but um if you're reading this then that means you survived the barricade and I didn't. Don't worry, I'm not mad at you. I'm actually quite pleased that you survived. You deserve to live.
This is going to be really hard for me to say, because I am a naturally prideful man and that is one of my many flaws, but I'm going to attempt to apologize to you. Here it goes…
I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you. I'm sorry for calling you winecask and other terrible nicknames. I'm sorry for tearing you down for your drinking, when I should have been trying to encourage you to PUT. THE. BOTTLE. DOWN. (I still would appreciate it if you would do as I ask.)
I'm sorry for being a leader, before being a friend to you. And I'm sorry for being a crumby one at that.
Now, I know that apology should be far longer, and more personal, but I can't find the words..
Can I ask something of you, Grantaire? Please take care of Eponine, if you are alive. She's going to need someone if I'm not there for her and I trust you to do that. Please walk her home and wherever else she needs to go. Please remind her not to stay up to late reading, and please hold her when she cries. Please remind her to be herself and to stand up for what she believes in. Please help her to reach the dreams she will keep secret unless you ask about them and please tell her how much I love her, if she ever asks you.
Thank you Grantaire. For taking care of her while we're all separated. For being a friend I can count on and for coming to the meetings I so know you hated at times. Please know, though that we enjoyed having you more than you will ever imagine.
That's it for now.. There are more letters. If I can bring myself to write them.
~Apollo
P.S.
Thank you for believing in me when no one else did.
The two of them sat in silence for a long while after they finished their letters, then as they made their way home that night, Grantaire made sure to keep her close to himself so that no harm would come to her. And when he dropped her off, just before the door closed he called with a hint of urgency and pride in his tone, "Don't stay up to late reading, Eponine."
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A/N Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please remember to Review, favorite, and follow! Also remember that the first reviewer for this chapter gets a Les miserables oneshot of their choice!