"Enjolras!" Éponine gasped, squeezing his hand tight.
"My hand," He forced a painful chuckle from his lungs. He glanced up at Éponine, giving her a grimacing smile.
"Sorry." She loosened her grasp, smiling down at him and brushing her fingers through his hair.
"You are an angel," He struggled, covering his mouth as he coughed painfully, tasting the salty iron in his mouth.
"No, I am just worried about you." She brushed her hand across his cheek. "How do you feel?"
"Like I have been shot." He smirked, closing his eyes and taking in deep slow breaths. "I heard you talking."
"With the doctor?" Éponine asked, tucking a loose strand of her dark hair behind her ear.
"No, when you were trying to comfort me." He sighed, opening his eyes slowly. "You are sweet."
"I only said those things because a dying man needs hope to believe to survive."
Enjolras stared for a moment before nodding slowly, "I understand."
Éponine cringed, that wasn't entirely what she meant. "But, Enjolras," She cupped his cheek again, "Look at me. I only said those things because I thought.."
"I was dying?"
"No!" Éponine held to his hand tightly. "Yes, but no. I only meant to comfort you. I'm not adverse to the idea of us. But, you still might die. The doctor said that only time will tell with your wound."
"You don't want to become invested in another hopeless case?" Enjolras coughed again, licking his lips as he tasted blood again.
"Your lips," Éponine touched her finger to the crimson stained skin. "You're bleeding."
"I'm fine. Help me up." Enjolras tried to push himself up, but found himself too weak. "Help me up."
"Enjolras," Éponine warned, helping him up nevertheless. "You are going to cause yourself more injury."
Enjolras leaned heavily against her, letting his head rest against her shoulder as his body sagged under its own weight. "Just get me somewhere before it starts raining anymore."
Éponine gave a little smile as she stumbled across the ground with him, she could hardly keep up with his weight. She started to lose her hold of him, "I can't."
"Yes you can." Enjolras replied, he wrapped his arm around her waist, "Just get me somewhere out of the rain." He looked around the rubble and ruins of the Barricade, "There's an abandoned house that we used furniture from to build the bari-" Enjolras' words were broke off by a cough that wracked his body.
"I'll take you there," Éponine replied, trying to surge on towards the building. He was heavy in her arms, not nearly as heavy as the guilt that she was carrying about her feelings for him. She couldn't discern whether or not the feelings were true or purely induced by the high running emotions.
They'd barely got into the dilapidated old building by the time the rain started to fall down in heavy torrents. Enjolras laughed painfully, letting Éponine leave him against a wall as she shut the front door. "Just in the nick of time."
"It seems like that's the running theme for you and I." Éponine smirked, shaking her arms to alleviate the pain from supporting his weight.
"Sorry."
"I'm fine." Éponine waved her hand before stepping towards him, "Are you in any pain?"
"Yes." Enjolras gasped, pressing his hand against his wound. "I need you to help me get to the settee in the other room."
"Of course, of course." Éponine replied quickly, helping him move again. "Through here?"
"Yes." Enjolras nodded, feeling his vision blur as the pain increased. "I don't feel wel-"
"Enjolras!" Gasping Éponine let him slump down onto the settee, his head lolled to one side as he groaned in pain. "Come on Enjolras, you can't go now. Not after everything."
"Éponine." Enjolras breathed, trying to focus on the face that was only inches away from his face. "Oh 'Ponine."
Éponine chuckled, holding his cheeks between her hands. "Stay with me. Tell me something I don't know."
"Dorian."
"Dorian?"
"My name's Dorian Enjolras." Enjolras tried to laugh but the only sound that escaped his lips was a strangled gasp.
"Dorian Enjolras," Éponine smiled, meeting his dark eyes. "Not that bad of a name."
"Your eyes are brown."
"They are." Éponine blinked, stroking her thumb across his cheek bone.
"Like mine." Enjolras closed his eyes, feeling a strange warmth spreading through his body.
"Hey, Enjolras or should I say Dorian stay with me. Your eyes are closing dangerously. I will not have you dying on me now." Éponine slapped her hands against his cheeks as gently as she could, jarring him back to consciousness. "Well, look now, I can see your eyes."
"I understand what you said earlier." Enjolras nodded his head slowly. "I understand if you want to take this slow. It's happened so suddenly." He leaned up, trying to catch her lips.
"Well, now I know for certain that you're injured." Éponine laughed, pressing a finger to his lips. Her eyes were intense as she shook her head. "I thought you were all about rigid structure, adhering to the laws of life, and being committed to your country first."
"I've given my blood, sweat, and tears for my country. I've nearly died for my country. I deserve a small reward."
"I can't. I'm sorry." Éponine shook her head again, but despite her words she leaned in just a fraction closer to him. She rested a hand on his leg to support herself as she ghosted her lips against his. Why was she kissing him when she said she couldn't do this? Why was she allowing this to happen when she had so many doubts about them?
It could only be the fact that she thought he might not make it. She couldn't bear to hurt him anymore than he was already injured. Giving into such a simple request, a request she was used to giving into nearly every evening of her life, seemed so monumental when she looked at Enjolras. To agree to kiss him felt serious, yet to kiss Montparnasse for a few coins felt like nothing.
"No?" Enjolras grimaced as he sat up a little straighter, supporting his weight on one arm as he wrapped his other around the back of her head. His fingers knotted in her dark mass of curls, urging her closer.
"I'm going to hurt you accidently if you keep this up." Éponine laughed, pulling away from him before she lost her grip. She pressed a kiss to his cheek, moving to sit beside him on the seat. "You just need to rest right now."
Enjolras gave into her gentle touch as she tugged him towards her chest, letting him rest his cheek against the swell of her bosom, like a tired babe. He was letting his emotions get the best of him, something he rarely did and could only equate to the fear of dying alone. Just like Grantaire had always annoyingly teased him about. He wanted to defy his, no doubt, deceased friend and prove him wrong. He had always fancied the dirty urchin, in her own outcast manner she was beautiful.
Éponine took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together and giving him a reassuring squeeze. "When you're much better we can discuss things. Things about us."
"Are you afraid this is all fuelled by the war?"
"Yes." Éponine breathed, meeting his eyes again.
"So am I." Enjolras shuddered, pain wracking his body again.
A/N: So after 4 months I've updated (: Sorry for the wait. I lost my muse for this story. So bear with me as I get back on track.