Eponine had fluttered around the flat, cleaning everything in her sight. She had made Enjolras sit, telling him that he needn't move around to much since his wounds were still healing. He tried to use the same excuse for her but she blew him off, saying she felt twenty times better and she "simply didn't care."

She did look a lot better. Her walking was still a bit labored but she had a spring in her step he hadn't seen before. She was even humming a song quietly when she worked.

The day passed quickly, Enjolras realizing halfway through that he didn't mind not doing anything, he was just as happy being in the room with her. Eponine Thenardier.

At the end of the day when the light started to fade he rose, Eponine had finished cleaning a while before and had picked up one of his books. She was looking through it carefully, her eyebrows furrowed, a wrinkle in the middle from concentration.

"Eponine." He said, she looked up. The fading light causing shadow on one side of her face. She looked so beautiful, and he was surprised how many times he had thought that over the past twenty four hours.

"Would you care to join me on a walk?" He asked, a smile grew onto her face, almost bringing light into the room.

"Why of course!" She said laughing, a peculiar look on her face. "Are you sure you're up for it?" She asked, almost as an afterthought. He nodded.

"We need to get out of this place for a bit, I'm getting sick of it." It was true, the place had become extremely dull. Every paper, book, crack in the wall was boring. Old.

"Okay then." She practically jumped from the seat, beaming still. He laughed too, taking ahold of her hand and pulling her from the room. The stairs were rickety but still useable and they nearly waltzed down them. Each just happy to be there, to be alive, to be leaving the boredom of their flat. Their flat.

Of course it was their flat. They had moved in together. How could it not be? He beamed almost to himself at the thought, wondering if she had come to think the same thing.
-

Eponine liked the feeling of his hand in hers. It was strong, protective. She liked his hand on her hip as she trampled down the staircase, nearly falling out of the rush to get out of the building. She liked his laugh as they both tripped on the last step, one right after the other, ready to breathe in fresh air. She liked him, she realized, as they finally caught the first scent of the night.

"Wow." He whispered, looking around. Wow was right. In the time it had taken to recover it was as if the whole of France changed without them knowing. In the time of a night, almost. Banners seemed to hang out of every window on their street. The flag, some blood red, others looking hand-made.

They were everywhere, children ran around the ground, playing. Mothers and fathers smiled as they watched. It was near nighttime and the street was as busy as ever.

"Look." She whispered back, smiling as a kid- obviously homeless- fell and was helped up by a policeman. She could hear Enjolras breathe out next to her, his grip on her hand tightening.

"Come on," he murmured, leading her towards the river. She held onto his arm with her other hand, letting her head rest on his shoulder. This was easy. Easier than anything she had ever felt. How did she not realize this before? Of course Marius was the answer, he was always the answer.

The water was smooth and calm, falling beneath their feet as they walked along the bridge in silence, happy to just be there in the moment. A bird called in the distance, reminding her of that morning... Seeming so long ago now.

"Enjolras, can you promise me something?" She asked, a spur of the moment.

"Yes, 'Ponine?" He asked, turning to face her. He looked so beautiful to her, amazing and kind and so beautiful.

"Never leave me again." She whispered. His eyes widened a bit in shock but then he smiled. She was risking her heart, her heart being broken. She was asking him to be with her, to stay with her. It seemed an easy thing to commit to. But knowing him and his ways she knew it wasn't. He was determined for his Patria to win the battle. Determined to fight for his country.

He captured her jaw in his free hand, staring deep into her eyes with a sort of passion. It took him a while to answer.

"As long as you promise to never leave me." He whispered back, before pressing the sweetest kiss upon her lips.