I've had this ready for a long time, but I just finally got the time to edit it. Enjoy!
Why had she come? Gavroche had found her and said he needed her help, but it could have waited until morning. Yet, she felt the strong urge to see him, red coat and all. She saw him walking up the steps and she drew back further into the almost invisible shadows. He made it to his door and she heard the lock click.
"I heard you needed me, monsieur."
He turned around looking for the source of the voice he recognized and she stepped forward. His features softened at the sight of her and he opened the door for her. She looked at the door, then at him and moved slowly and cautiously towards it, passing him and entering into the now familiar apartment. He followed closely behind, lighting a candle to illuminate their path. She sat on the chair that was pulled up to the kitchen counter and he stood on the opposite side.
"Are you hungry? Would you care for some soup?"
"I am fine monsieur." she said forcefully.
He sighed, then quickly started a fire and put a the pot of soup he'd made earlier on top. He turned back to Eponine, who looked angry now.
"Monsieur, as I said before, I am not..."
"Don't lie to me" he interrupted her and although he almost whispered it, the strength and power behind it made the statement almost deadly.
They held their gaze until Enjolras returned to the soup. It was another few minutes before he served it. She looked in the bowl then back at him. His face daring her to refuse what he knew she most wanted. She grabbed the spoon and starting eating, slowly at first but as the hot meal went down her throat it became increasingly obvious how truly hungry she really was. Within seconds she finished the first bowl, but Enjolras was ready for that and he handed her an even large second.
He watched her eat hungrily. In the few days since he had last seen her she had accumulated more dirt and grime. Her dress was torn even more and bruises covered her bare arms. Although it was hard to see in the flickering candle light, he saw two hand-shaped bruises around her neck, as if someone had tried to strangle her. He reached his hand out, unable to stop himself, but Eponine pulled back.
"Eponine" he uttered softly. He wanted to ask what happened, but he knew the answer.
"Gavroche said you needed me, so here I am. What do you need help with?" her voice was cold and distant, not willing to discuss the markings on her skin.
He let his hand drop, realizing that if he pushed her she would just close off even more.
"I need your help with the revolution."
"No."
He looked up at her with surprise. He had not expected her to be so decisive.
"Why?"
"I agree, things need to change, but Les Amis has it wrong. You are just a group of young men getting drunk. What change can you bring?"
" We can fight."
"And get killed? Not much revolution in that if you ask me."
"At least we will die fighting." his voice was getting harsher and he could feel anger swell up inside him. After all, it was people like her he was fighting for.
"Then that is where our thoughts differ. You believe that this revolution is worth dying for, I believe its worth living for." she unlike him kept calm.
"So you would just lie at their feet and take it?"
"No. But I wouldn't get killed for it."
There was a moment of silence as Enjolras tried to regain his emotions. When he finally did he asked her a simple question.
"Do your parents know how to read?"
"What?" she said, taken aback by the randomness of his query. When he didn't reply she continued. "No. Why?"
He ignored her question and asked yet another in return.
"How did you learn then?"
"I taught myself. I still don't see your point."
"And Gavroche? Does he..."
"I taught him."
"Exactly!" his exclamation made her jump, "You're wrong. You and I do think alike. You see a problem and you fix it, as do I. There is a problem in France and I wish to fix it."
She looked at him, unsure of how to reply to his well-argued point.
"But you are fighting for people you do not even understand."
He took in her words, and for the second time that day he wanted to tell someone his deepest secret. He longed to tell her, to show her that he truly was devoted to the cause, but he knew he couldn't.
"Then help me understand," he said, taking her hand.
"I should go." she said suddenly, pulling away. She stood up and crossed to the door.
"'Ponine" he was unsure what made him cut off the first sound of her name, but it sounded right.
She stopped at the door, surprised by the new nickname.
"Just come to the meeting tomorrow. Things are changing. You'll see. Our revolution is a worthy cause."
"I'll try" she said before leaving.
Should she go to the meeting? Enjolras had been adamant about her being there and if she was being completely honest to herself, she wanted to go. But she still hadn't gather the amount of money her father had ask for, and things had been rocky since the meeting in the alley with Enjolras. She didn't feel the need to be strangled again. Then she remembered the book, still hidden in the inside pocket of her coat. It would be more than enough to pay off her father and she could go to the meeting. Enjolras seemed to really care for this revolution, maybe, she decided, it would be a good idea to go, just this once.
She made her way to her house, hoping that her father would be there so she could give him her earnings. She found a pitiful sight as she entered the small apartment. Her father, drunk, though she had seen him even worse, was lying on the ground, another women, most certainly not her mother, next to him. She knocked to get his attention. He got up and looked at his daughter, then back to the women, muttering something but getting up, grabbing his pants. They both walked out of the room. Eponine handed him the money and the book. He looked at it.
"What the hell is this?"
"A book." she said rolling her eyes.
She felt a painful sting as the swinging book made contact with her face.
"Do not sasse me girl. I know what this is. What is it worth to me?"
She straightened up, trying to hide her pain.
"Sell it. It should be enough to pay off what I owe you."
He eyed and finally said "It better. Now get your sorry ass out and I don't want to see you again today."
She didn't need to be told twice, and she was already late for the meeting.
She walked into the room full of men. They were all conversing, waiting for the meeting to begin. Marius took the stage trying to get everyone to pay attention, but only a few took notice and the room kept its volume. Then she saw him, in a red military jacket as usual. He was getting on stage, heading towards Marius whispering something in his ear when he reached him. Marius nodded and got off the stage.
Enjolras waited a few seconds as people started to pay attention.
"Thank you all for coming."
A few people cheered but were silenced by the look he gave them. And then he started talking. If she thought she had heard him speak passionately before, it was nothing compared to the way he was vocalizing himself now. His well crafted words sound powerful in his baritone overtones. He moved across the stage, his hands waving dramatically. His speech lasted for another forty-five minutes, but watching him was so mesmerizing that Eponine didn't pay attention to the time. Finally it ended..
"And remember, we are not fighting for them, we are fighting with them."
Everyone clapped and cheered, Eponine included. She moved towards the door, she didn't want to leave, but she felt out of place among the bourgeoisie boys. She almost made it, but Gavroche saw here.
"EPONINE!"
"Roche keep your voice down" she said, but the damage was done. Enjolras, who had been talking with some people, including Marius looked up at the mention of her name, spotting its owner.
He excused himself and made his way towards her.
"Eponine, I'm glad you made it." smiling, but eyeing the small cut the book had made on her face. She turned away, not wanting to see the pity on his face.
"Yes, well it was very informative, but I must go now."
"Right, of course. Well, I hope I changed your mind."
She looked at him and just as simply as she had answered him the previous night, she did so again.
"Yes."
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