A/N - As always, thank you for the reviews on the last chapter, I really do appreciate all your feedback - I hope you enjoy this update!
Eventually Eponine took it upon herself to text Joly – Enjolras's cheekbone continued to swell, and she was concerned that maybe his injury needed more expert medical attention that just her haphazard attempt to clean it with antiseptic and cotton pads. When Joly made it over to the apartment he assured them both that Enjolras's cheekbone wasn't broken and that they had done the right thing by icing it. He gave Enjolras some sort of cream to help calm the bruising and some tablets for the pain, which Eponine knew he was downplaying - his facial expression gave it away every time someone even gently touched his wounded face.
After Joly left, Eponine went into the kitchen to get Enjolras some water to take his first round of painkillers. She didn't bother turning the light on, even though it was already pretty dark outside. As she made her way over to the cupboard to get a glass she knocked into an empty plate she had left on the counter the previous night before she went to bed. The sound of the plate hitting the tile floor and shattering into pieces caused Eponine to let out a strangled sounding yell. She spun round in the dark room, terrified that there was someone behind her, terrified that it would be the hooded figure of her father invading the privacy of her home. It only took her a moment to realize that it had been her own arm which was the cause of the accident and the offending sound, but that moment of uncertainty was all it took. Her heart was thudding in her chest and she felt her body begin to shake as the emotions she had been holding in since she saw her father that afternoon came flooding out. She desperately grabbed onto the counter as she felt her lungs struggle in their attempt to get enough air.
"Ep," Enjolras said as he appeared at the door. "Are you-" As soon as he saw her, hunched over the counter and gasping for breath, he ran into the room.
"Breathe Ep, you need to breath," he said softly, gently pushing her hair out of her face.
Eponine closed her eyes and tried to focus on his words, but as she fought to get her breathing under control she felt tears begin to sting the corners of her eyes. Her entire body felt as though it had just fallen over the edge and there wasn't a single thing she could do to try and bring it back.
"Please just try to breathe baby," Enjolras said, continuing his efforts to soothe her.
Eponine felt his hands snake around her waist, exerting just enough pressure to move her slowly down onto the kitchen floor, allowing her exhausted limbs to relax as they hit the surface. Enjolras sat down beside her, his hand moving back to gently stroke her hair as he tried to comfort her whilst giving her body the space he knew it needed. She wasn't sure how long they sat there for, her haggered sobs the only sound filling the room as the lights from the street outside provided the only source of illumination. Eventually her heart rate began to slow down and she was able to regulate her breathing. As she began to regain some control of her body she realized that at some stage she had rested her head on Enjolras's shoulder and that her calming heart rate was matching the pace of the circles he was lightly tracing on the small of her back.
Although she didn't really want to, she lifted her head from his shoulder, the sudden movement causing his hand to stall on her back.
"You OK?" he asked.
Eponine nodded as she pulled the sleeves of her sweater over her hands, using them to wipe her wet face. "Sorry about that."
"You don't need to apologize," Enjolras replied.
"I'm so fucking ridiculous," she said, embarrassed that he had been witness to her emotional collapse, "it was only a plate."
Enjolras knew that it wasn't about the plate, and he knew that Eponine knew that too, but he wasn't going to get into it with her; that really wasn't what she needed right now. "Don't worry about it," he said, "I'll clean it up."
Realizing that she had removed herself too soon from the comfort of his body, Eponine rested her head back on his shoulder, his hand still resting at the base of her back. They sat like that for a few minutes before she felt him resume his gentle movements.
"Thank you," Eponine murmured.
"What for?"
"For being here," she replied.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Enjolras replied. "You just tell me what you need me to do, and I'll do it."
"I hate the thought of him just being out there," she said, "at least when he was in prison I knew where he was, now I feel like every time I turn a corner he's just going to be standing there, that no matter where I go he's going to be there. I can't live the rest of my life like this, constantly just waiting for him to re-appear."
"You're more than within your rights to take out a restraining order against him," Enjolras said. "I'll speak to one of the partners at my firm on Monday, he specializes in family law, he'll be able to help."
"It wouldn't matter if I had a restraining order," Eponine said despondently, "he wouldn't care."
"He's on parole Eponine, you get a restraining order and he comes anywhere near you and he'll be straight back in there. You saw how quickly he ran today, this isn't like before when he just did whatever he wanted and didn't give a second thought to the consequences – he knows that he needs to watch himself."
"I don't know," she sighed. "I just don't know."
"You don't need to make any decisions now," Enjolras said.
"OK," Eponine said wearily.
"Are you hungry?"
"I guess."
"If you want I can order some pizza."
"Yeah, that would be good."
Eponine felt Enjorlas's body shift as he used his free hand to reach into the pocket of jeans and pulled out his phone. She watched as he scrolled through the phone, looking for the number of the pizza place.
It was only now, that she had managed to somewhat compose herself, that she realized just how comforted she had been by his presence - he had known exactly what to do to relax her and as she sat there in the darkness of the kitchen, with her head resting on his shoulder, she realized how safe she felt with him there. She didn't know what to do - their relationship was already a disaster zone, and what had happened with his parents was still fresh in her mind - but at that moment she knew that the only thing she needed was him, and despite the voice in her head that was telling her what she was about to ask was a terrible idea, she couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth.
"Enjolras?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you stay with me tonight?"
"Heard you and Enjolras are friends again after your dad punched him in the face." Grantaire said as he sauntered into the kitchen, looking exceptionally pleased with himself.
"Oh, would you look who it is," Eponine said sarcastically.
Grantaire grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and bit into it as he leant up against the counter. "I text you to tell you where I was."
"Yes, you text me on Friday night," Eponine said, pouring sauce into the pot of pasta she had just drained. "It is now Sunday night. That's two entire days later, you could have been dead."
"You knew I wasn't dead, although I did feel close to God quite a few times," Grantaire said, winking at her.
Eponine rolled her eyes. "Will you be seeing your new friend again?"
"Maybe," he shrugged. "You know me, I'm not really one for making plans."
"That's one way of putting it," Eponine said, continuing to stir the pasta and sauce.
"Is there any of that pasta going spare?" Grantaire asked she he stared over her shoulder.
"I made enough for both of us," Eponine said, "I knew you'd re-appear at some stage today."
He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "You really are the absolute best Ep."
Eponine shook her head. "Make yourself useful and get 2 bowls from the cupboard."
She poured the hot pasta and sauce into the two bowls that Grantaire set on the counter and grabbed two forks from the cutlery drawer. As they walked into the living room he was already shoving forkfuls of food into his mouth.
"So," he said as they sat down on the couch. "Back to your dad punching Enjolras in the face."
"How exactly did you find out this had happened?" she asked.
"Courfeyrac text me when I was on my way home, told me that he saw Enjolras this morning and that his face was bashed in because your dad punched him," Grantaire said. "So I have 2 questions: 1. why isn't your dad in prison? And 2. why did he punch Enjolras in the face?"
Eponine pushed the pasta round her bowl. "My dad got parole, and he punched Enjolras because he had the audacity to tell him to leave me alone."
"Fuck," Grantaire said. "So he's really out?"
"Yup," Eponine replied. "He's really out."
"Jesus Ep, are you OK? Did he hurt you?"
"No he didn't hurt me, and I'm fine," Eponine said. "I mean it was obviously a shock to see him standing outside the building, but I'm fine."
"Standing outside this building?"
"Yeah."
"Fuck Eponine!" Grantaire exclaimed. "Did you stay here by yourself last night? Why didn't you call me, I'd have come straight back."
"I wasn't by myself," Eponine said, finally popping a piece of pasta into her mouth.
She felt Grantaire turn his head and stare at her, but she continued staring into her bowl. "I'm waiting," he said when she didn't elaborate after a few seconds.
"Enjolras stayed with me," she said quietly.
"Here?"
"Yes here."
"Interesting," Grantaire said, stuffing another large forkful of food into his mouth.
"Don't use that tone," Eponine said.
"I'm not using a tone," Grantaire replied, "I'm just glad that you weren't here by yourself."
Just as Eponine thought the subject had been dropped Grantaire piped up again. "Where did he sleep?"
"What?"
"You said Enjolras stayed here, where did he sleep?" he asked with a smirk.
"Seriously R?"
"Eh, I think you'll find that the bed you're currently residing in is technically mine, so if you're going to be having Apollo over for sleepovers in it I believe I have the right to know exactly what happened."
"Nothing happened."
"Ha!" Grantaire said, pointing his fork towards Eponine, "I knew it."
"Nothing happened," she repeated.
"So you slept in the same bed, but nothing happened?" Grantaire asked, sounding highly suspicious.
"Of course nothing happened R – you really think I would have sex in your bed?"
"Hey," he shrugged, "these things happen."
"Firstly we're not together anymore, and secondly I look like a beached whale, the last thing I want to do is be naked in front of anyone."
"You don't look like a beached whale Ep," Grantaire said, the playfulness disappearing from his tone.
"You don't need to humor me."
"I'm not," he replied. "I think you look beautiful, but that's besides the point."
Eponine shook her head. "Just be quiet and eat your pasta."
They ate in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Grantaire piped up again.
"What are you going to do about your dad?"
"I don't know," Eponine replied. "Enjolras thinks I should take out a restraining order against him."
"Can't Enjolras press charges or something? I mean he did punch him in the face."
"It wouldn't be worth it."
"But if he's on parole surely he shouldn't be going around punching people?"
"Well no, he shouldn't," she said, "but if he ended up back in prison because Enjolras pressed charges do you honestly think he wouldn't make him pay for that? He'd just get one of his cohorts on the outside to exact revenge on his behalf."
"Maybe he'll just take the hint and stay away," Grantaire said, trying to sound optimistic.
"Doubt it."
"Well he better not come anywhere near this building again, cause I have much faster reflexes than Enjolras and if he even thinks about coming back here I'll swing for him much quicker than he can swing for me."
"I don't need you swinging for anyone," Eponine said.
"I'm just saying, if the situation arises I will be more than prepared for that asshole."
Eponine couldn't help but smile at his attempt to make her feel protected.
"Ah! There it is!" Grantaire exclaimed, pointing at Eponine's face.
"What?" Eponine asked, clearly confused. "There what is?"
"That smile," Grantaire said, "I thought it would never return."
Eponine scrunched up her face before she burst out laughing – she couldn't remember the last time she had actually properly laughed. "You are such a dick."
"Made you smile though."
Eponine shook her head despairingly as she took another mouthful of pasta.
"So," Grantaire said, slamming his now empty bowl down on the coffee table, " what is the deal with you and Enjolras now?"
"There is no deal."
"But you were bed buddies last night?"
"It was strictly platonic."
"Alright, so you mightn't have fucked, but I highly doubt it was strictly platonic."
"Please R," Eponine said, starting to sound genuinely annoyed, "don't make me feel worse about this than I already do."
"What do you have to feel bad about?" Grantaire asked. "Nothing happened, you don't have anything to feel bad about."
"I feel bad for even asking him to stay."
"Why?"
"Because it was a selfish thing to do," she replied.
"You asked him to stay with you so that you wouldn't be alone just after your jailbird father showed up outside your apartment – how is that selfish? Do you honestly think that he wouldn't have found a reason to stay if you hadn't asked him to? You really think he would have left you here alone after what happened yesterday?"
"Well, no..."
"Exactly. He'd have slept outside the door in the hallway if he'd had to. You're carrying his kid Ep, regardless of what is happening between you two for that reason alone he would want you to feel safe – and if that means him sleeping in the same bed as you then so be it."
"I guess you're right."
"Hey," he said, nudging his arm against her's, "you sure you're OK?"
"Yeah," Eponine said, sounding entirely unconvincing. "I'm fine."