A/N: Yay! An update! Sorry I lost my weekly mojo. The days are dwindling for me starting college. I move in in 7 days! ONE WEEK PEOPLE. Sorry, I've been excited for this my entire life. Plus I finally updated "Silence" after having not even thought about it all summer. So anyway, thank you once more to my amazing followers, but especially to my reviewers and my every faithful muse ShipperBody! Without further ado, enjoy Chapter Five!
The first night of the unexpected partnership was filled with tension, stubborn personalities, arguing, and awkwardness galore. The endless arguing ended in an unhappy truce. Eponine would take the spare bedroom, but she insisted on not dirtying the bed. Despite Enjolras' eloquent rebuttal, she slept curled in a ball on what she insisted was the most comfortable floor she'd ever laid eyes on. The environment in the apartment did improve, though slowly at first, in the following two weeks. Eponine became more accepting of her new friend's assistance after asserting herself as a makeshift housekeeper. She had bathed herself and even been given a hand-me-down dress by the landlord's daughter so she no longer felt it necessary to sleep on the floor. She cleaned up after Enjolras and Grantaire, when he ever actually showed up (which Eponine dreaded). She even taught herself to cook on the third day of her stay, which helped ease the tension in the small apartment.
Enjolras was at first annoyed when she pushed him into a chair at the table. He had work to do, speeches to write, finals to study for, and a revolution to plan. His anger faltered when she proudly placed a plate of what could only be described as slop in front of him. The way she grinned and crossed her hands over chest made him automatically picture Gavroche. She looked quite pleased with herself.
"See? I told you Eponine knows lots of things," she grinned, half smug and half proud. Enjolras rose an eyebrow in silence before taking a cautious bite.
"Did you put sugar AND salt in it?" he demanded after almost spitting it out all over the front of himself. Her eyebrows knit together as her lips pursed.
"Oh well I didn't know what the difference between the bags of white stuff was so I just put a bit of both in," she shrugged as Enjolras stood, shaking his head. He had to hide a smile then because she had burst out laughing at herself.
"Guess I don't know as much as I thought I did. Sorry Monsieur Marbre," she teased. Enjolras groaned.
"Please refrain from the use of that name," he told her sternly.
"Oy but your friends call you the Marble Man, you know Monsieur," she grinned maliciously. No matter her intentions, Eponine was a Thenardier and the mean streak ran inside her veins as much as it did in both of her siblings and her parents. When she could see that she would not win on that one, she tried again. "What else is it your precious Amis call you then? Fearless leader? Bit bold for me. Mon Capitan? Bit patronizing for my taste. Apollo? Isn't that the name that Grantaire calls you so often? Mm, could work but too ancient to really fit. I suppose I'll have to think on it for now, but I most like Monsieur Marbre," she pretended to be mostly speaking to herself, but she as gauging Enjolras' reaction carefully. He was very guarded, but she could see his veins pulsing with aggravation. She decided to leave it alone for the time being.
"Eponine I believe I requested that you no longer call me Monsieur if you will not allow me to call you Mademoiselle. In any case it is far too formal for our current situation," he replied stiffly, unsure of just how much longer he could keep control over himself. He had made a promise to the Holy Lord that he would help Eponine, even if she didn't want the help, but she was making it increasingly difficult.
"Old habits die hard Mons- I mean Enjolras," she shrugged, still not liking the feel of it on her tongue. "And you must know I'm only teasing. I've got more brains in my head then to annoy the great Leader of the revolution, who knows how to talk to the people into a thundering riot!" she scoffed. Enjolras clenched his teeth, but was secretly very glad that she was not too intimidated or withdrawn to go as far as to tease him.
Suffice to say after that evening she did not make an attempt to cook again. Eponine spent most of her time inside. Though it pained her, she had many reasons. She was still hiding from the Patron Minette, and she was avoiding Marius. The thought of listening to him ramble on about the Lark still brought her so much pain, though she found it odd that the thought of seeing Marius' smiling face no longer brought her the same joy it once had. She tried not to think about it. A world without Marius was a world without hope and without light. The trees became bare and the streets once again filled with meaningless strangers.
Enjolras noticed her unwillingness to join him at the Cafe, and though he found it odd he did not argue against her. It had taken so much effort to get her to simply use the bed. He didn't want to push her back out, risking her living on the streets again. If he was going to help the people of France, it was logical for him to be able to help one of the most destitute. Something in him had changed drastically since Eponine had begun living with him. He rarely let it show on the outside, but little things were beginning to slip through. A small smile here, or a chuckle coupled with a headnod there. Eponine did not pick up on the signs as she spent so much of her time brooding. Finally, reluctantly enough, Enjolras confronted her.
"Uh Eponine," he coughed as he stood in the doorway of her room, where she was staring at his shelves of books. She looked up at him in surprise, having thought he was holed up in his room studying. "It's come to my attention that you haven't left this apartment. I don't really think that's beneficial to you since you seem discontent. Would you come to the meeting tonight?" he stood awkwardly in the door, standing stock straight as usual. Eponine gave him a wary glance.
"I don't think I could sit through it Enjolras, but if you feel as though I am crowding your home you only needed to say so," she stood up harshly, walking toward him as if to exit. Enjolras groaned. He had known she would react that way.
"No Eponine that's not what I meant and you know it! You've been looking for a chance to get out of this deal since we made it. You were going to help me with this revolution, remember?" he put an arm out to stop her. She stopped before she could make contact with his arm. She stomped her foot slightly, glaring up at him.
"Yeah I do. But I also remember telling you to go to the slums. And you haven't done that. It's been two weeks. What are you doing? Still telling those naive students to gather weapons? If that's what you've been doing I have no respect for you," she crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly.
"Of course I haven't been telling them to gather weapons! But I haven't found the time to go into the slums just yet. I've had a lot of school work and we're planning a rally at the meetings if you must know. You would have known that already if you would attend meetings like the rest of the group," he glared pointedly. With a huff, Eponine rolled her eyes.
"Fine. I will come and help you plan your rally, but you have to keep your promise too! It would be a mistake to rush into a fight without considering other options."
"Fine," he nodded in consent. Later that evening, they ventured out together. Enjolras noticed she was skiddish as they traveled quickly and offered his arm. Cautiously, she took it. They approached the Cafe Musain without an issue and made it inside and upstairs to the already crowded private room.
"EPONINE!" Marius shouted, pushing through the students to get to his friend. She put on her brightest smile to hide the internal grimace. Enjolras muttered something about needing to talk to Combeferre before disappearing. A small part of Eponine was saddened, though she shook it quickly as Marius embraced her in a strong hug. She smiled a genuine smile, remembering how loved his hugs made her feel. "Where have you been for two weeks?" he demanded. She shrugged, scuffing her foot on the ground.
"Hanging around with Enjolras, Monsieur Marius. I'm staying in his spare room and helping him keep his apartment clean and stuff," she explained, staring at the ground in shame. Marius cocked his head in confusion.
"You're living with Enjolras?" he choked out. Her head snapped up to glower at him.
"It was my only option on account of me losing my job," she reminded him. He wasn't paying much attention, though, as he pulled a letter out of his jacket.
"Ponine I need you to do something for me. I managed to find Cosette's house and I spoke with her, but her father keeps her inside most of the time now so I have not seen her again. I wrote her this letter declaring my love. Will you read it and then give it to her if it's good enough?" he pressed the letter into her open palm while she blinked in frustration, staring at it.
"I cannot Monsieur Marius," she finally murmured quietly.
"Why not?" he asked, pouting.
"Because I can't read," she sighed, but he hadn't heard her.
"What was that?"
"I SAID I CAN'T READ," she repeated loudly, but apparently it was much louder than she anticipated because all eyes turned to stare at her. She didn't wait but three seconds before turning and fleeing in humiliation. She had just shouted at an entire room full of University educated men that she could not even read at a basic level. As she ran down the block at full speed, she heard Enjolras shout her name. She continued to run, though, completely unaware. But the shouting of her name had caused a different pair nearby to perk up. Luckily, Eponine spotted them before they spotted her and she came skidding to a halt, ducking into the nearest alley and pressing herself firmly against the wall. Enjolras soon ran by, opening his mouth to shout again, but Eponine's arm whipped out and pulled him in, her hand quickly covering his mouth. He glowered down and was about to speak anyway, when a gruff voice was heard nearby.
"I heard her name. Where is that little hussy?" the voice asked.
"She should have had the good sense to leave Paris," a second, younger but slythering tone answered.
"The girls got no sense in her brain at all. If she thinks we ain't gonna find her, she's got another thing comin! We'll get what we're due and what we were promised," the first voice replied hotly.
"You ain't gonna find nothing, Babet. I'll be the one to find her. She's always had a soft spot for me," the younger voice boasted. At that, Eponine flared her nostrils and rolled her eyes. Soft spot her ass.
"Well you let her slip away this time," the original voice taunted. There was the sound of a blade being brandished and then the whimpering of the older man.
"See to it that you keep your mouth shut old man," the hiss was barely audible, but Eponine knew it well. Footsteps in the next moment let her know that both were gone. She dropped her hands from Enjolras, who had been listening in confusion and anxiety the entire time.
"Who were they, Eponine?" he demanded. It was clear that she had recognized them. Otherwise why would she be hiding?
"I guess you could call em my previous employers," she chuckled darkly. "I told you not all the people of the street were good people, Monsieur." Enjolras shook his head in disbelief.
"Let's go home," he suggested, forgetting about a meeting for the first time in his life. He had too much to think about. Eponine nodded silently, not even hesitating to take his arm. They both accepted, at the moment, the solemnity of their situation and began to trust each other, but only slightly. Needless to say, Enjolras did not force Eponine out of the house again.
A/N: Okay so I had a COMPLETELY different ending for this chapter, but I decided I needed to stretch out the E/E interaction a bit more before I gave away my big surprises :) So I guess you'll have to wait another chapter! MWAHAHA! On a side note I need to ask you guys a question...what names do you like best for Enjolras? Man of Marble gets old, Appollo has already been used by an author I very much admire and I don't want to rip said author off, Enjy is obnoxious, but I like nicknames. So any thoughts on that? REVIEWS MAKE ME THE HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD. AND I NEED HAPPINESS. Because I'm performing a very difficult song for the first time in public tomorrow at a sold-out fundraiser! EEK.