Grantaire sat down at the table where Éponine sat, a smug grin plastered to his face. He seemed disappointed when she only stared at him in response. "Did you sleep with him?"
"Please keep your voice down," Éponine shushed him, looking around to see if anyone had heard him. She couldn't help but be paranoid whenshe had a lot on the line for this deal. "No. Not yet."
"Why not?"
"It's not that easy, Grantaire. It takes time to sleep with someone."
"You do it every night, don't you?"
Éponine shrugged her shoulders, "That's different. The men come to me. Enjolras isn't the sort of man that's just going to allow me to sit on his lap and give him a great evening. He's going to take time."
"We don't have forever. We're on the doorsteps of this war that Enjolras is leading."
"He's teaching me to read and write. He's being kind to me. Why would I try to ruin it? The greatest seduction is applied in small doses over a period of time. Then Enjolras will believe that he was the one with the feelings first. Don't worry Grantaire, I'll sleep with him." Éponine rubbed her eyes, "I am working as quickly as I can."
"Then you'll get your money." Grantaire gave her a proud grin, "Don't act like it's so hard to do."
"I'm not acting like anything. I have a plan. You're the one acting like it should be easy. Enjolras is a very stone like person. He lacks the passion with a woman that he has for his country. Give me time Grantaire."
"What is he teaching you?" Grantaire took a swig of his drink.
"To read and write, every evening after his own lessons." Éponine smiled, turning when she heard the door open to the Cafe.
Enjolras strolled in, map rolls tucked under his arm and several books balanced in his hands. He pretended not to be struggling with the heavy load as he felt the books starting to slip out of his hands. But he soldiered on, glancing up at Grantaire and Éponine a few times.
"Here," Éponine said, trying not to rush to his aid too quickly. "Let me grab a few those." Éponine took a few of the books that were slipping from his hands. Purposely she let her fingers brush his, feeling colour bounce to her own cheeks but there was nothing in his face. "Where do you want these?"
"Just over there at the table."
"Enjolras, you've got yourself a pack mule. Keep her around, might prove useful." Grantaire smirked, raising his mug high. "For more than one useful thing."
Éponine blushed hotter as she sat the books down on the table. Enjolras gave her a calming smile as he joined her at the table. "Ignore him, Éponine."
"Thank you." Éponine said quietly, looking in one of the books. "I still can't read, you know."
Enjolras laughed, "We can start in a little while. I have a few things to get sorted out. Including, running or resident drunk out of here."
"I can picture trying to learn with his insufferable quips." Éponine chuckled, sitting down at the table, flipping through the books and trying to make sense of any of the words that she saw. Her heart was hammering in her chest and it was driving her wild. Why was the slightest look from Enjolras and the lightest brush from his hand enough to set her on fire.
"I'll have you know my drunken ramblings are quite intelligent!" Grantaire shouted, rising to his feet hastily, but I can sense that I'm not wanted here. I'll let you two love birds at it."
Enjolras met Éponine's eyes and rolled his eyes. "Don't provoke him and he'll leave." He muttered, pretending that he was looking in a book. Despite Grantaire's little leading stab, Enjolras seemed unaffected by the comment. There was no hint of a smile, or a change to his colouring, nothing that led her to believe that he felt anything different from amicability.
"He's a talker for sure." Éponine laughed, trying to deflect the sudden heat waving over her body. She couldn't help that she found Enjolras attractive, he had a certain appeal that made her want this plan to work even more. But, she knew that the real reason was that she had to work for this ultimate ending. He wasn't treating her like a common whore, there for his needs and only that, he treated her like a woman. An unlearned woman that he was well aware of her occupation, but he treated her like a friend nevertheless.
"He says a lot of things, most need to be ignored." Enjolras gave a stiff laugh, as he pinned a map up on the wall.
"So what are you working on?" Éponine asked, moving after him. She wanted to keep the distance between them close, "Is it plans for the war?"
"Yes. Just different variations for the Barricades." Enjolras motioned towards a sketch on the map. "I'm not sure this one will work, however." Enjolras glanced to his side, noticing just how close Éponine was to him. Not to say that it was a bad thing. There was something unusually comforting about having another person so close. But there were more pressing matters that did not involve falling prey to an attractive woman's feminine wiles.
Éponine glanced up at him, meeting his eyes. If she was bold she would lean up and kiss him with as much passion as she suspected it would take knock the leader off of his feet. But she couldn't do it. Somehow kissing him this soon in the game felt like it was going to ruin everything. "What do you plan to teach me today?"
Enjolras watched Éponine stepping away from him, feeling the warmth of another human vanishing from his side. "I was hoping to help you with reading. Basic words, that will help you in everyday life."
"That would be nice." Éponine smiled broadly, sitting back down at the table. She wished she could see inside of his mind, see what sort of thoughts were moving through his brain. Was he giving in at all? Was he starting to doubt his ridiculous philosophies? "I cannot wait to be able to read and write with ease."
Enjolras patted her on the shoulder, letting his hand linger there. "Before long you'll be able to do just that."
"Thank you. Truly, you've been a Godsend." Éponine smiled up at him, feeling that familiar blush creeping across her skin.
"Perhaps you've been a Godsend as well." Enjolras laughed, as he turned back to his work.
If God were Grantaire, then yes. Grantairesend.