Title: Unspoken Words
Summary: Éponine Thenardier felt curious about the quiet man sitting at the corner of the Cafe. But what she hadn't expected was that this beautiful man was special, not like the rest of them all. Soon, she began feeling attracted to him, wishing nothing more than to hear him say what she wanted. But there was something that didn't let him do it. He was deaf.
Note: I'm completely overwhelmed by the great response this story had, I'm speechless. You are all so sweet, you have no idea the amount of feelings I experienced by reading your reviews. To know that you actually think all of that about my writing and this story is overwhelming. You are all so sweet. I wrote as fast as I could to deliver the end of this story, hope it is everything you were expecting for. I'll also would like to know if you have any ideas you would like me to write, anything you would like to read about this lovely ship. A huge amount of love to my beta-reader, Judybear236, without her this would be a complete mess, you are awesome! As always, I would like to know what you think about this one, if you liked it or what you were expecting for. Perhaps I'll write one of your ideas. And to those who read but are too shy to leave me their thoughts, you are awesome too, to know that there's someone out there reading to what I write is the best feeling in the entire world. Let's continue...
She stared at him with wide eyes. Of all the things she was expecting him to do, this one was definitely the last one in her list. A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of his voice. It was everything she had dreamt about. There was a certain warmth in it that made her heart beat faster as the words sank in. He had said that he loved her. He actually loved her. Her heart seemed to stop for a fraction of second as his eyes looked for hers in the darkness. The surprise of hearing her name and the three words she had dreamt about for many nights was overwhelming, and even if she wanted to, she couldn't move. One of his hands coaxed her to straighten up, and she did, feeling her body numb as he lifted himself from the floor and sat at the edge of the bed. Unsure of what he wanted, Éponine turned her cheek against his palm, enjoying the feeling of his skin against hers.
And it was like that, in the shadows, as he pressed his lips against hers softly. An overwhelming sensation rushed through her body at the simple contact, his lips pressed firmly against hers, the soft pressure making her eyes flutter closed before his other hand came to her neck and lifted her slightly. Without wanting it, her hand flew to the back of his neck, tangling itself in his messy curls, inviting him to move closer. At the feeling of her acceptance, he finally let himself lose control, his lips suddenly turning demanding and urgent as he kissed her with all the longing he had been keeping inside. She let out a pleasured sigh, shivers running down her spine as he whispered against her lips countless times "I love you."
His hand traveled to her hair, fingers running through her wild waves as they fought a battle which neither of them was willing to lose. Her hand traveled to his jaw and down his neck, pulling him closer to her, his chest resting against her own before he was finally on the bed beside her. Her heart pounded hard inside her chest, surprised by how perfect their lips molded together. With great gentleness, he pulled away, their lips still inches from the other. She opened her eyes, hazy and unfocused, meeting his, which only seemed to be like hers. Without a second thought, she grabbed his hand, guiding it to rest over her throat. Making sure that he was looking at her, she searched for his eyes before leaning a little bit further.
"I love you" she said, loud and clear.
It worked exactly how she thought it would. The vibrations of her vocal chords traveled straight to his fingertips, making him hear what she was saying. His eyes widened as he stared at her lips motionless, his fingers still pressed to her throat. Slowly, his gaze traveled up, meeting her eyes. They stared at each other for a long time, not needing anymore words to express how they were feeling. Slowly, he began moving closer to her once more, until his mouth was right next to her ear. She shivered once more at his closeness, one of his hands on her waist and the other still glued to her neck.
"I love you, Éponine"
His voice was hoarse by the lack of use, but still it managed to make her shiver in delight as she guided his lips to hers. But just before she pressed them against his, she made him look at her lips once more.
"And I love you even more"
Their lips met once more, making her feel as if she was drowning, but this time, she didn't want to be saved. She wanted to drown in him. They spent the rest of the night in each other arms, kissing the other fervently, making up for lost time. He got to feel the soft texture of her skin against his, the vibrations of her lips making him feel as if he could really hear. She learned that she loved the feeling of his strong, lean frame against her curves. Between whispers and soft kisses, they fell asleep in each other's arms, content smiles in their faces. Because for the first time in their lives, they had heard for the first time.
No one was surprised when they arrived at the Musain that Monday and Éponine informed them that they were going to try being together, as a couple. It baffled Éponine how the Amis had just smiled knowingly before everyone began handing money to Courfeyrac. Enjolras just rolled his eyes, but Éponine made Courfeyrac give her half of what he had won. Being together was something natural for them, as if they had known each other since childhood, it was something normal, something that felt strangely right. They continued to do what they did, with the exception that now he could kiss her without a reason. And she wouldn't stay behind.
If someone would've seen them passing by, they wouldn't' have thought that something powerful and intoxicating was going on between them. When they were in public places, they would barely touch each other. Sometimes it was barely the brush of a hand on a shoulder, perhaps the waist, but aside from that, they wouldn't show any kind of affection. Still, there was that undeniable attraction towards each other. Éponine would always find herself gravitating towards him, or he would steal subtle glances at her.
They had practically jumped the awkward part of a relationship, dating and all of the stuff that might have made them feel uncomfortable. Instead, without knowing it, they had slowly fallen for the other. Éponine couldn't believe that what she had been wanting for months, finally happened. Her most secret desire had come true, and he had been the one to say it first. Finally, she felt that someone needed her, she got to experience what it meant to have someone there for you, that held you in his arms every night, someone who would scare away the nightmares, someone who protected her and loved her exactly as she was. With scars and all.
In public, they barely acknowledge each other, but when they were in the safety of their apartment, their walls crumbled and the love was almost palpable. Their fingers would intertwine as they watched a movie, Éponine curled against him as he pulled her even closer with his arm, his fingers finding her hair and tangling themselves in her waves. Inside their own little world, there were no barriers between them, they needed each other. She became fond of his smile. Whenever she could, she would make him smile. The way his whole expression brightened was priceless. Also she would like to run her fingers through his curls, the soft sigh leaving his lips being her reward.
He showed her that he wasn't made of marble. He was beautiful and magnificent as a statue was, but the way his heart beat faster whenever she was close to him was proof enough to show her how much she meant to him. And he loved her. They would kiss and shower the other with affections, but nothing more. Although sometimes they found it difficult to stop, they always did. Éponine knew that being intimate with him was a big step they would take eventually, and although her body seemed to crave for him, she still didn't feel ready to let herself loose completely in him.
As friends, they both had shared things about themselves that not many people knew. But now as a couple, Éponine didn't want to hide anything from him. She wanted to trust him completely, to know that he loved her as she was, including her past. On a particular night, overwhelmed by how patient he was being with her, she cried. He did nothing but to pull her close and hold her until they both fell asleep. After those nights, they woke up feeling in a way, closer than they had been before before. As the curious girl she was, Éponine would also ask him about his childhood. As a deaf boy, he faced many challenges while growing up, like going to a special school for the deaf. These schools were scarce in the country, so his family had to move to another state so he would be able to go to one. He had friends in that school, but he found his best friends when he met the Amis. At first it had only been Combeferre. He met him at the public library. Intrigued by Enjolras, he invited him to a get-together with his school friends. And that's how he met the rest of the Amis.
They began sharing his bedroom. She would often crawl to bed and wait for him. Sooner or later, he would join her, pulling her into his embrace. Éponine discovered that she began being unable to fall asleep without him. The comfort and warmth that he gave her was something that nothing or no one else had given her before. Also, she became an expert in sign language, which not only earned her the best grade in her project from school, but that also she was able to communicate more fluently with Enjolras. He also became fond of speaking her name. No matter how many times would he say it, she would never get tired of it. Nor of when he said that he loved her.
"I never asked you" she signed as they laid in bed, her body pressed against his and her head in his shoulder "How did you learn to say my name and…you know, how you felt?"
She stared at the ceiling before feeling the rumble of his chuckle, and soon his hands were up, signing in front of them.
"You mean the "I love you"?" He said the three words fluidly alternating them with signs, and although she had heard him say it a million times, the familiar shiver ran up her spine.
She buried her face in his chest and giggled before lifting her hands "Yes. And you just said it to tease me."
"I do like teasing you" he signed back, and although she wasn't seeing his face, she was sure he was smirking. "And Jehan was the one to help me."
Her jaw dropped and she rolled so now her chin was resting in his chest "You mean that it was true that entire thing about the library and Jehan?"
He nodded, a lazy smile stretching in his lips as one of his hands flew to cup her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. As she talked, he rolled them over so now he was on top of her, his hands on her cheeks.
"So I guess I should be thanking Jehan for this." She said thoughtfully, tapping his chest with her finger.
He poked her ribs with a lopsided grin in his face and before she could laugh at him, he had already silenced her by crashing his lips down to hers. The blissful feeling of knowing that someone cared for her was the best thing she could've asked for. Enjolras seemed cold or severe, but underneath that, when he was with her, it seemed that another person came to replace him. But she was not going to complain. He loved her, and she loved him, and life was good.
One of the many things the Amis did together was sports. Éponine hadn't had the chance to see her friends in action. They had formed a softball group, ironically called "Les Amis", since they entered college. They played against other teams of the school or other universities. The last season, they had been eliminated from the tournament when they lost during the semifinals. But now, they wanted to win. What surprised Éponine the most was when they told her that the best player among all of them was Enjolras. Apparently, he had an incredible arm, and he always managed to send the ball flying so far that he even had time to run across the three bases.
He and the rest of the Amis began training every day, and Éponine would always be waiting for him at the apartment. He would arrive home tired, immediately tugging his sweaty shirt over his head and kicking off his shoes before running to the much needed shower. That went on for a month until their first game, which they, without a surprise, won. Bahorel was right when he had told her that her boyfriend was a softball god. Enjolras played with a passion and dedication that left her breathless. Éponine didn't considered herself a very competitive person, but during their games, she began cheering and screaming excitedly whenever he was out on the field, even when he couldn't hear it.
She grew so passionate and supportive of the group that Cosette, Musichetta and she had made some shirts which read "Team Amis" and wore them religiously every match. Les Amis soon defeated all their opponents and managed to get to the finals, which was against the team which had beat them last season. The game had been one of the most thrilling and exciting games of all season. Les Amis were losing by one run and it was Enjolras' turn to bat. Joly was on second base, so that meant that if Enjolras was fast enough, they would win. Éponine watched as Enjolras entered the field, his cap low over his eyes as he twirled the bat in his hand, studying the pitcher carefully. Cheers and encouraging words were being heard in the entire place as Enjolras took his place, lifting the bat in front of him and licking his dry lips. Éponine stood watching in awe as Enjolras prepared himself, oblivious to the entire furor that he was causing in the field, not realizing that they were chanting his name. And probably it was for the best.
The pitcher threw the ball and Enjolras hit it with an incredible amount of force, sending it flying across the field a long distance. The crowd erupted in screams and applause as Enjolras threw the bat and sprinted from one base to the other, unstoppable. Joly crossed the plate before Enjolras and stood waiting for him to join in the melee, joining the audience as he cheered excitedly. Éponine cheered with the rest of the audience, approaching the fence and grabbing it as she followed Enjolras across the bases, until finally, he made it to the home plate. She wasn't aware of the commotion around her as the crowd went crazy, cheering and applauding enthusiastically, she stopped hearing for a fraction of second, her eyes on Enjolras as he slowly stood up from the ground, shaking off the dust and dirt from his pants. His gaze lifted up slowly, his eyes instantly finding hers among the crowd, a slight grin forming in his lips before the rest of the Amis swallowed him in a massive group hug.
Éponine laughed as Cosette tugged her by the hand to the field where the boys were. When they reached them, Éponine laughed as Grantaire, Bahorel, Courfeyrac and Bossuet lifted Enjolras from the ground and threw him up, catching him and repeating the action several times, causing his cap to fall down. Despite his attempt of frowning and escaping from his friends, Enjolras soon gave up and let out a whole-hearted laugh, startling Éponine as she stooped to pick up his cap and placed it on her head with a smirk. She had never seen him as proud or happy as at that moment, his expression bright and joyful as his friends continued to launch him as high as they could.
As soon as they changed from their dirty uniforms, they all went to a bar near the field named Corinth to celebrate the victory. The place was completely different from the Musain, but she doubted that Madame Huchelop was going to stand the loud cheers and voices from the slightly inebriated students. Éponine sat on a stool laughing as Courfeyrac recreated dramatically Enjolras' race while Grantaire narrated it, simulating a sports narrator's low voice. Meanwhile, the blonde rolled his eyes at Courfeyrac's acting, although a slight smirk appeared in his lips. The boys erupted in applause as Courfeyrac and Grantaire bowed, taking their seats once more and grabbing their drinks.
A flushed Marius entered the bar, a silly grin in his face as Cosette followed him with the same expression. The student called everyone's attention, pulling Cosette closer to him as the students turned around to face him. Enjolras moved slightly so he could read his lips properly from where he was sitting, tugging at Éponine's hand so she could be still close to him. Although she didn't know what Marius was going to say, by the look on Cosette's face and the way she gripped her own hand, she strongly suspected what they were about to announce. She caught Cosette's eye and winked at her, wich only caused the blonde to blush profusely before Marius blurted that they were engaged.
The Amis erupted in wolf-whistles and cat-calls as Marius kissed Cosette passionately as if to seal the deal. Many of the students sent Éponine worried glances, but she wasn't able to see them as she was too busy clapping and cheering too. She felt Enjolras' eyes on her as she stood up and marched towards the couple, a happy smile in her lips. Two of her best friends were getting married, why wouldn't she be happy? Marius gave her a bright smile before hugging her tightly, causing the brunette to let out a giggle by his excitement.
"You are next, 'Ponine" he said warmly while he hugged her.
She felt her face blush at his comment but only giggled in response before letting go of him and turning to hug Cosette with equal excitement. What she wasn't aware of was that Enjolras' eyes had never left her, his jaw clenching as she blushed at something Marius had said. As she walked away and let the other students hug the happy couple, Éponine caught Enjolras' gaze, her brow furrowing in confusion when she realized that he was standing straight and tense with his arms crossed, his jaw clenched tightly.
"What's wrong?" she signed.
But instead of answering, he just turned around and walked out of the bar. She blinked with surprise, watching absent-mindedly at where he had just been standing seconds earlier. Blinking away her confusion, she followed him. She ran after him, catching sight of him leaning back against the wall of the building, his arms crossed as he stared at the pavement. She approached him slowly, and he didn't realize that she was there until she placed a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and let out a low groan.
"Leave me alone." he signed, his eyes still closed.
She frowned and grabbed him by the shoulder shaking it slightly and forcing him to look at her. His eyes were troubled, a glint of misery in them.
"What happened?" she insisted once more, her expression softer.
He rested his head back on the wall and let out a sigh "Nothing, just leave me alone."
Feeling frustration rushing through her body, she grabbed him by the chin and forced him to look down to her, her expression hard.
"Not until you tell me what happened. You just stormed out without a reason." she stated.
His shoulders slumped before a sigh left his lips. She dipped her head to catch his eyes, a soft smile appearing in her lips when he finally looked at her.
"It's stupid. I'm stupid, actually" he signed, crossing his arms over his chest in defeat "When Marius hugged you and you blushed I just…I don't know I've never felt it before, this need to punch him and drag you away from him at the same time. I guess I'm going crazy."
He looked down, anger bubbling inside of him when he realized that she was actually laughing, her head back as she laughed with amusement. He raised a brow and crossed his arms once more, fuming. Her laughter died soon, leaving behind an amused sparkle in her eyes.
"What?" he signed, his expression dark.
"Were you actually jealous of Marius?" she asked, a soft smile in her lips, which only grew until he nodded dryly "What do you want me to do to show you how much I really love you? I blushed at something he said, yes, but not because he hugged me."
Enjolras rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment before signing "What did he say to you?"
"He said that…I was next one to get married" she looked at him from beneath her lashes, a soft pink coloring her cheeks.
His eyes widened, the curve of his mouth turning up in half a smile before he reached out to brush her heated cheek with his fingertips, which only managed to make her flush harder. No matter how much it happened, he would never get accustomed to the fact that just a touch from him could make her react like that.
"Now do you understand why I blushed?" she signed with a raised brow.
"Yes I do" he smirked "And I must say that I didn't like feeling like that. I'm not willing to share you."
"I'm all yours. Want some proof?" a mischievous grin formed in her lips before she turned around.
She slipped her jacket down her shoulders to show him the back of her shirt, which read in big letters "Team Enjolras". She giggled at the sound of his laugh, low and husky as he grabbed her by the waist and turned her around, pressing her against his chest.
"So now do you believe me?" she asked him
He didn't answer, but instead crashed down his lips onto hers, sucking all air out of her lungs by the passion of his kiss. She smiled against his lips and circled his neck with her arms, pulling him closer to her. The familiar rush of adrenaline pumped through her veins as she let herself get lost in him once more. She never thought that this amount of happiness was possible, well, at least not for her. She had spent almost all her life in darkness, too afraid of letting anyone in, too scared of getting hurt. But as she felt his warmth surround her, she knew that that would never happen. He loved her, and she loved him. With every atom she possessed.
While their relationship continued to grow stronger, Éponine discovered that sometimes it was necessary for either one of them both to help the other when needed. And when it was about finals, it was her turn to help him. Well, not help him academically, because he was the best student of all the class. She would help him by not letting him become a ghost of a man. Enjolras was a passionate man, dedicated and committed. But the problem was that he didn't understand that even when studying, there were limits. If Éponine wasn't there to stop him, he would've spent those two infernal weeks without eating a proper meal or sleeping what was considered to be necessary.
Thankfully, she was there for him. Although she too had finals, the dedication Enjolras put into studying was something completely overwhelming. She would study as long as she could, but when the clock signaled that it was already well past midnight, she would force herself to close the book and get some sleep. Joly had said that the brain works better when it's rested. Enjolras on the other hand, would've stayed awake all night long, a cup of coffee glued to his hand as his eyes roamed all over the contents of his gigantic books.
The Amis had warned Éponine about how stubborn Enjolras could get about the topic of finals, but nothing could've prepared her for the way her boyfriend reacted. Before the two first exams she hadn't been able to make him sleep for even an hour, but on the fourth day she managed to drag him by the shirt to her bedroom, kissing him hard and making every single thought slip away from his mind. He had fallen asleep as soon as his head rested on the pillow, soft snores escaping from his lips as she studied the dark bags under his eyes. She fell asleep proud with herself, but her joy didn't last long when she woke up the next day just to discover that she was alone in the bed, the blonde sitting in the couch with mountains of books around him.
Those two weeks had been the hardest weeks of all her college life. She had managed to get excellent grades in all her tests, but still, by some evil trick of destiny, she still had one more exam left, even when the rest of the campus had already finished. Enjolras finished on Wednesday, arriving to their place and falling asleep immediately on the couch, too tired to even make it to the bedroom. Meanwhile, Éponine had one exam left the next Wednesday, luckily she was one of the best students of that class, so she wasn't as worried as she was for others. As a way to relieve some stress, Enjolras decided that he would prepare dinner for her that Friday, and then they could relax and watch some movies.
Éponine couldn't wait until the semester was over, although practically she and her classmates were the only ones who still weren't finished. She wanted to be able to wake up as late as she wanted to, spend the nights with the guys at the Musain or at the Corinth, not caring when they would return home. But most of all, she couldn't wait to have all the time she wanted to be with Enjolras. She wanted to be able to be with him all the time, to enjoy his presence, to listen to his soft confessions against her ear as he held her. Enjolras too was looking forward to the summer, but it wasn't until his exams were finished that he said that he wanted her to accompany him to visit his parents.
At first, Éponine had been a little reluctant, not to say nervous. Meeting his parents meant that he was getting serious about her. And of course that was what she wanted, more than anything else. If someone talked about the future, she could certainly picture a future with him. After some pleading and assurances, Éponine finally said yes. It was finally Friday and Éponine had accompanied Enjolras to the market to get what he needed to prepare their dinner. Although he had tried to hide most of the ingredients from her so she couldn't guess what he was going to cook, when he entered the aisle where all the different kinds of pasta were, Éponine couldn't suppress a giggle. She adored pasta.
They returned to their home not being able to talk with each other, both of them busy with carrying loads of bags. As soon as the door was open, Éponine rushed to the kitchen and placed the bags on the table, breathing heavily from the effort. Enjolras followed her swiftly, a smirk in his lips as he placed the rest of the bags on the table. She stuck out her tongue at him and returned to the living room to close the front door. She laughed when moments later she heard the sound of pots clashing together and then a groan from him. Placing a hand on the doorknob, she made the move to close it, but before she was able to close the door completely, something caught between the doorframe and the door, making her look down.
A gasp escaped her lips at the sight of a shoe between the door and the frame. It wasn't until then than the scent of tobacco and dirt filled her nostrils, making her dizzy with the disgusting combination. Her eyes traveled from the long leg to the arm which attempted to push the door further open, until she reached his face, a cold sneer and malicious, hating eyes. Before she could react, Montparnasse was pushing the door open. With all the force she could find, she pushed it back, but he was stronger and yanked it open, sending her stumbling a few steps backwards.
"You thought you would be able to hide from me, 'Ponine?" He said with a frightening smile in his lips.
"What-What are you doing here?" she hissed, her hands shaking despite her attempt of hiding her evident fear "Get out, ´Parnasse!"
He took a step forward, eyeing the apartment while he moved closer to her "I told you your old man needs money. And also there's something your boyfriend and I need to…discuss."
"I don't have any money!" she cried out, her eyes wild.
"I have the feeling you are not telling me the truth, dear" he murmured, one of his hands moving to his pocket "And you know I don't like when you lie to me…"
Her eyes followed his every move. Throughout all her life, she had witness Montparnasse and the rest of the members of his dad's gang do that same movement. She knew that he was about to draw out his pocket-knife. She had to do whatever she was able to prevent that from happening. Most of all, she couldn't let Montparnasse know that Enjolras was right there in the kitchen, only he couldn't hear what was going on. And she thought that it was for the best.
"I'm not lying" she growled, squaring her shoulders "And as I said, even if I had money, I would never give it to you."
"Haven´t you learned from your mistakes?" he mused darkly "I always win, darling. You know that in the end I'll get what I want."
"You are wrong" She snarled "This time you'll be the one who loses."
A low chuckle left his lips, making the hairs at the back of her neck stand up. She was too slow to realize what was going on, as in a blink of an eye, the man had launched himself towards her, one of his hands grabbing a fistful of her hair and tugging at it painfully.
"Either you give me the money, or the next time I see that deaf rich-boy of yours, I will make sure to mark every inch of his throat with my knife" he hissed, one of his hands reaching up to cup at her cheek painfully and forcing her to look at him. "Are we clear?"
Éponine swallowed the whimper of pain that threatened to escape from her lips. Instead, gathering every ounce of bravery and strength she had, she elbowed him as hard as she could on his stomach and spit at him directly on his face. The man stumbled back, letting out a grunt. Taking advantage of the distraction, she sprinted towards the kitchen, but it wasn't long until she felt his arm trap her and yank her back, twisting her whole arm painfully, marking her skin with bruises as his other hand found its way to her throat, choking her painfully.
Trying to fight back, Éponine threw her head backwards, the base of her skull colliding hard against Montparnasse's nose. Her vision blurred with tears as the man let out a roar of pain before he sent her flying against the floor. She tried to catch herself by stretching both hands in front of her, but she couldn't. Instead, her head hit the edge of the table, making her fall unconscious almost immediately.
Enjolras had finally finished the sauce. He was rather proud of himself, not only because this was the first time he would cook for her, but because he could honestly say that it was absolutely delicious. Taking off the apron Joly had given him, he walked towards the living room, a satisfied smile in his lips. But it wasn't long until the smile disappeared completely, his eyes falling on the tall man standing just a few meters away from him. He stopped in his tracks, recognizing the man almost immediately. It was that idiot who had tried to attack Éponine and him. The same idiot Éponine had to fight back, not him.
His blood began boiling with anger as the man turned around to face him, a smirk in his lips. Enjolras clenched his fists, prepared to punch him. Suddenly, he caught sight of something he hadn't seen before. Behind the man, he saw Éponine, lying unconscious on the floor. Absolute terror filled his chest at the sight of her, a thin line of blood running down her temple. His eyes returned to the man, who was now smiling openly at him, a terrible glint in his eye. Enjolras took a step forward, his body tense.
"I just came to talk with you, pretty-boy" the man said, raising his hands in surrender. "Oh, and although you can't actually hear me, I know that you can read my lips. I've seen you do it."
Enjolras frowned in confusion, before moving his hands in a questioning movement.
"You want to know what I want to talk about?" he asked with a sick smile. When Enjolras nodded stiffly he let out a laugh. "Éponine, of course. Just came to give you some advice…from man to man."
Enjolras sent a glare to Montparnasse as he began twirling the pocket-knife he was holding. He was not willing to pay attention to him, but he was willing to do whatever it took to get him out of there and make sure Éponine was safe once more. So he swallowed the anger bubbling inside of him and just stared at him, his jaw pressed tightly.
"I don't know what she did to make someone like you notice her. You'll see…Éponine is nothing compared to you. She has never been someone, and she will never be." Montparnasse stated simply "She's scum, like me. She's dirt and garbage. She's a whore who dresses in nice clothing and pretends to be who she's not."
Enjolras growled, moving closer to him, but stopped in his tracks when Montparnasse raised the knife and pretended to examine it.
"It's curious" he began slowly, his eyes on the knife "How she ended up with someone like…you. What does she sees in you? You are just a rich boy who happens to be deaf. I'm sure everyone had told you that you can do everything, am I wrong? But here´s the fact, pretty-boy…you can't."
Enjolras felt as if he had been punched right into his chest, all air sucked out from his lungs. His eyes widened, but managed to hide his evident discomfort. Taking in a deep breath, he composed himself, unconsciously drawing back his lips until he was snarling.
"You live in your own deaf bubble wherein you have everything and do everything. But in reality, you are nothing. And you will never be able to succeed, because you cannot hear." He said with mocked pity, his brows rising. "And Éponine? She'll leave you. You think she'll stay with someone like you? Who depends completely on her? No, she's smart. She'll find someone better than you, someone who can hear. Because you are just an invalid, whether you like it or not."
Montparnasse took a step back and knelt by Éponine's side, tracing with his knife the contours of her cheek. Despite the absolute terror he was feeling, Enjolras moved closer, afraid that if he attacked the man he would end up hurting her even more. So took a step forward, his eyes cold and stormy as he watched Montparnasse, his hands shaking with anger.
"You couldn't even hear her screams as I taught her a lesson!" Montparnasse laughed with malice before standing up "I must go, but I have one more question. How does it feel to fuck her and know that I taught her everything she knows?"
Letting out a terrible roar, Enjolras launched himself towards Montparnasse. In one swift movement, he grabbed his arm and twisted it, forcing him to drop the knife. As soon as the weapon was on the floor, Enjolras grabbed the man by the neck of his shirt and dragged him across the room until he had him pinned up against the wall. Enjolras couldn't control the fury and rage that was coursing through his veins. His instincts told him to kill the man, punch him over and over until he was lying on the floor. But still, he wasn't a monster. He wasn't like Montparnasse. At the sight of complete terror in the man's face, Enjolras felt his anger decrease, but still it was there.
His normally calm and severe expression had transformed into something completely different. He had a furious expression, his cheeks flushed with anger, his blue eyes storming with fury. His fists were clenched tightly as he held Montparnasse in a powerful hold, breathing heavily. Without a warning, he let go of him, but before he had the chance to compose himself, he punched him straight into his jaw, sending him flying to the floor. Montparnasse stared with wide eyes at Enjolras who stood above him, a deathly glare in his face.
"Leave" Enjolras growled, his voice low and hoarse. For the first time, he had spoken without even knowing if he was saying it right, not caring if he had said something wrong or if he sounded silly. He was furious, and the tone in his voice was just a hint of what he was feeling inside.
Montparnasse's eyes widened, cleaning his bloody lip with the back of his hand and crawled away from Enjolras, standing up and making his way towards the door. He sent the blonde a hateful glare, but still the glint of terror was there. He stepped out and pulled the door closed, leaving Enjolras standing rooted to the spot. Still trying to understand what he had done, he took in a large gulp of air, allowing his hands to shake finally. A tear rolled down his marble cheek before he finally composed himself.
He hurried to Éponine's side, kneeling close to her head and cradling her into his arms and holding her carefully close to his chest. Enjolras couldn't remember a time he had been more scared. She felt so fragile in his arms, so delicate and…life less. Enjolras barely dared to breathe, too afraid of hurting her. Swallowing the lump in his throat he grabbed his phone and sent a text of help to Combeferre. He had never felt so empty, the despair in his chest almost unbearable. Montparnasse's words cut right through him, hurting him in a way he had never felt before.
And although he knew the man had just done it to do exactly that, Enjolras couldn't stop the fear that filled his chest. He had to be strong, right now he needed to be strong for Éponine. He would hide away everything he was feeling, he would try to ignore that uneasiness that gnawed his heart, he would try to forget. Although it didn't matter, the damage was already done.
Éponine had been unconscious for over two hours, resting in a bed at the hospital. When she woke up, she felt a comfortable pressure in her hand, realizing moments later that it was Enjolras' hand holding hers gently as his head rested on the edge of the bed. She tried not to wake him up, but still, the flexing of her fingers caused him to straighten up rapidly, his eyes hazy and heavy with sleep. She gave him a weak smile, which he returned somewhat sadly. It didn't pass unnoticed to her that the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Although the doctor had assured her that everything was all right, they still gave her some pills to prevent the imminent headaches that would be tormenting her for at least a couple of days more. And about the blood which he had seen, it was just a cut right over her brow, just that head injuries tend to bleed profusely. Combeferre had told the Amis that Éponine had fallen down the stairs of their building, not wanting to cause more worries to Éponine and Enjolras. Only Combeferre was aware of the truth, and if he was worried or shocked, he didn't show it. Instead, he arrived with a "Get Well" balloon. The day after the accident, they returned home to find it filled with balloons and stuffed animals from the Amis, a box of chocolates from Musichetta and a huge balloon from Marius and Cosette. Éponine smiled and let Enjolras help her into the room, a nagging feeling inside her chest that something was wrong.
Since they had left the hospital, he had barely glanced at her or touched her, only while helping her move. But as soon as she was on the bed, he would let go of her as if she burned him. As a caretaker, he was perfect. He would check if she was all right, or ask if she was feeling well, he prepared her every meal, checking to be sure that it was all her favorites. He gave her the pain medication and watched her carefully as she made her way around the place. Enjolras was being the perfect boyfriend, but for some reason, she didn't feel as if he was really doing it because he wanted to, it seemed almost like an obligation. Whenever she smiled at him, he would barely try to smile back, his eyes dull and empty as he studied her. Gone was the fire in them, the subtle touches and caresses.
Whenever she began talking about what had happened, he changed the subject, his features darkening. She had no idea what had happened after Montparnasse had thrown her against the table and knocked her unconscious. She didn't know what had transpired between the two men, nor what had happened with Montparnasse or if he had hurt Enjolras somehow. She watched him discretely as he read a book, looking for any signs that showed that he had been hurt. But she didn't find anything, not even a bruise.
The weekend passed quickly, and when Monday arrived, the situation with Enjolras was still the same, if not to say worse. He would avoid her as if she was the plague, only asking her if she was feeling well. Éponine slowly began falling into deep despair, afraid that she had done something wrong and now he was angry at her. The problem was that she had no idea what had happened. She had never seen Enjolras acting this way, the cold looks and distant airs were often reserved for the rest of the world, giggling girls or sometimes Grantaire, but never towards her. She was scared of losing him, and the worst part was that she couldn't do anything to stop it.
She felt that he didn't trust her anymore.
Éponine began to study for her final exam the next days, momentarily forgetting the troubles she had with Enjolras. The night before her exam, she couldn't help her heart from beating faster as he crawled into bed and brushed his hand against hers without a word. For a moment, she felt as if those four days hadn't happened at all, he was by her side, his fingertips slowly touching the back of her palm. But then, she understood why he was doing it. She had her eyes closed and probably he was touching her because he thought she was asleep. She felt something tighten painfully in her chest, trying to fight the urge of opening her eyes and moving closer, burying her face in his neck and placing her hand over his heart. But she couldn't, because now she felt that he didn't wanted her near him. She fell asleep that night soothed by his gentle touch, pretending that nothing wrong was happening, that he would move closer and breathe her name against her ear, that he would hold her and make her feel protected once more.
She returned to the apartment early the next day, finally being able to say that she had finished her semester. Deciding that it was time to settle things between Enjolras and herself, she stopped by the market place and bought the largest box of Reese's she could find and some popcorn. Perhaps they would solve whatever was happening and would spend the rest of the day cuddled watching old movies. With a smile in her lips, she walked to the apartment and opened the door, ready to find him and drag him if she needed to, to the living room. The place was empty, and a frown appeared in her face as she placed the bags on the table and walked to their room. Empty.
A knot formed in her stomach before she hurried to her room, just to find it empty too. Panic began pumping through her veins as she noticed that several of his shirts were missing, along with some books. She ran to the bathroom, only to find his razor and tooth brush missing. Taking in deep breaths, Éponine walked to the living room once more and collapsed down onto the couch, her hands now shaking and her eyes blurry. Had he left her? Hundreds of questions swirled through her mind, making her let out a soft sob. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of a paper lying on the table, an elegant calligraphy which she would recognize anywhere written on it. She grabbed it quickly as her eyes scanned the paper.
I left with Combeferre to my hometown to visit my parents. I'll be back in a week or so, probably even more, I'm not sure. I left your medication in the drawer next to the oven. Hope you did well in your exam. Don't try calling me, I left my cellphone there. See you when I return. Enjolras.
Éponine closed her eyes and tried to calm the furious beating of her heart. He had left without her, even when he had asked for her to come with him, and now she was all alone once more. She had been so stupid and naïve, she had loved with all her heart, body and soul, and now for some reason, she felt she had lost it all. Powerful feelings coursed through her body, feelings she thought she had managed to lock out. Sadness, hurt, pain, sorrow, humiliation, and anger, every single one of them tormenting her. She covered her face with her hands and cried, her feeling numb as she slid down further into the couch, the letter clutched tightly in her hand, all plans forgotten.
It had been two weeks since he had left. She had spent those days locked inside the apartment, dragging herself from the bed to the couch or kitchen. Her eyes were still red from crying so much, dark bags under her eyes, proof that she had spent sleepless nights waiting for him. Éponine walked to and from the market to get food, and when she got home, she just curled up on the bed, without doing anything. The first week it had been almost unbearable to sleep in the bed, his scent surrounding her and making her feel betrayed. The initial anger had vanished, leaving behind a deep sorrow that threatened to overwhelm her completely. The Amis sent her various text messages, and not even once did she answer. One by one they came knocking to the door, pleading her to let them in. But she didn't open the door, not even once. Soon, they stopped going, and although at first she had felt deeply touched by their concern, she thought that it was for the best. They didn't deserve to see her like that. Broken and tired.
By the third week, she had managed to move on a bit. Although she still didn't leave the apartment much, she began spending more and more time in the library, loosing herself in other worlds and stories, trying to find a way to escape from reality. She had grown accustomed to the sadness, and finally she was able to sleep once more in their bed. The feeling of being covered by the white sheets made her feel protected and somewhat isolated, and she could pretend that nothing had happened, that he would return at any moment. Éponine had no idea what had caused Enjolras to act that way, to shut her out and ignore her. Whatever had happened, she was completely sure that she hadn't done anything wrong, and whatever he was dealing with, she couldn't do anything to help him. She wanted to help him, but still, she had no idea how. He had left her, with a pain-filled heart and nothing more.
She would often wonder if he was be thinking of her as much as she was thinking of him. Was he missing her? Was he in so much pain as she was? Did he even care? She didn't know. But she liked to pretend that he did, that he too was feeling as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest. She began sleeping wearing his shirts, comforted by his scent which would calm her down enough to get some sleep. They were rather big, swallowing almost her entire body, but truth to be told, she had never worn something more comfortable. The third week was coming to an end, and still he hadn't returned, as he'd said he would. Perhaps he would stay in his hometown and never return, forgetting her and everything he had here.
The circles under her eyes had vanished slightly, but still the remnants of the sleepless nights were there. It was already late that night, thick silence surrounding her as she lay in the bed staring at the ceiling, the rhythmic beating of her heart and her soft breathing being the only sounds. Éponine had been particularly good that day, she had watched TV and ate a bag of pretzels and an entire ice-cream tub. She couldn't even feel the usual anxiety that always knotted her stomach. She was truly relaxed at that moment. Fleeting thoughts crossed her mind as her eyes began drifting shut. The day before she had had a panic attack when she pondered the idea that perhaps they wouldn't be together ever again, some kind of irreparable damage already caused, and it was all her fault. Her throat tightened and she clenched her eyes shut tightly trying to scare the thought away. It was then when she heard it.
There was the slight creak of the wooden floor just outside the room. She gasped, jumping out of the bed with only his shirt on, her wide eyes fixed on the door. Fear rushed through her body as millions of thoughts plagued her mind, all of them of a possible robbery or even worse, kidnapping. She still was thinking of who could be out there when the door creaked open. She felt all air leaving her lungs as her eyes fell on him. The last person she had thought it would be. The very first person she was hoping to see once more.
His eyes found hers almost immediately, making a shiver run across her spine as her knees faltered. He looked exactly as he did three weeks ago, just that instead of the usual joy she would always find in his eyes, or the fierce coldness she had witnessed for the last days, they were filled with regret and uncertainty. They stared at each other a moment before he entered to the room and closed the door. She blinked furiously trying to prevent herself from crying. What she needed the most was to appear as if nothing wrong had happened, as if her heart had never been crushed and she wanted nothing more but to see him again, for him to hold her.
They stared at each other again, as she tried to maintain her expression neutral, though on the inside, an overwhelming happiness and relief was rushing through her entire body. It was as if those weeks had never happened, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself to him, to feel protected once more. She crossed her arms over her chest, watching him carefully as his eyes revealed the storm he had inside. He raised his hands a couple of times as if he was about to say something, but in the end gave up and dropped his arms down.
"You're back." She stated simply, for the first time, glad that he couldn't hear her voice breaking.
He swallowed, her eyes focusing on her once more before signing "I am."
Éponine nodded, looking around the room so she didn't have to look at him. A few tears escaped from her eyes and she hastily wiped them away before nodding once more. "Good."
Slowly, he walked towards her. She lifted her eyes, making him stop in his tracks. She watched him carefully, the slight frown in his face, the faint stubble growing and still making him look as handsome as ever. His lips were slightly parted as he breathed, his clear blue eyes scanning her face desperately, his messy curls looking even messier and alluring than usual. She noticed how his eyes traveled down her body and up again almost imperceptibly, a faint glint of what seemed to be amusement in his eyes. But it was gone as soon as it came. There were so many emotions flitting through his eyes that she couldn't identify a single one. A part of her mind screamed to her to step back, to not let him any closer. He had hurt her, badly, and now he returned and expected everything to be as it had been? But her heart was saying otherwise, promising her the greatest happiness she would ever feel if she let him in once more.
So for the first time, she followed her heart. Éponine unfolded her arms and opened them to him, a few tears now spilling down her eyes. She saw his expression brighten ever so slightly, the frown disappearing and an almost imperceptible sigh leaving his lips before he closed the distance between them and pulled her close to him. He pressed her tightly against him, his face buried in her hair as he breathed in her fragrance, his muscles relaxing as their bodies molded together. She cried some more, nothing compared to the sorrowful tears of the weeks before. Instead, these tears were of happiness, relief, joy and hope. Because he had returned to her.
She felt him move back, his arms still locked tightly around her waist. His eyes were glassy, but the ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as he brushed away some of her tears with his thumb, taking his time to enjoy the sensation of her skin once more. She relished in the feeling of his hands grazing her face carefully, his warmth making her feel as if her lungs had opened once more and she was finally able to breathe properly. Her eyes fluttered closed, leaning into his touch. He leaned forward once more, his lips making contact with the skin of her forehead.
"I'm…sorry" he breathed, the sound of his hoarse voice making a shiver run down her spine. "I'm sorry."
She looked up at his face and watched as Enjolras held his breath slightly in anticipation of her answer. There was no need to say anything, they both understood everything with just looking at each other's eyes. Without a second thought, she rose on her toes slowly and before she could kiss him, his lips were on hers. He kissed her carefully, his lips warm, soft, and gentle as his hands moved to tangle in her brown waves. Her heart seemed to burst at the subtle touch, transmitting everything he felt inside of his with just one touch. It was light and loving, ending too soon. But she didn't complain as he rested his forehead against hers, gripping each other tightly, afraid to let go, afraid that one of them would disappear.
That night she fell asleep in his arms, pulled closer against his chest. One of her arms was over his chest, trapping him in her embrace, their legs tangled, and her head on his chest. She had missed it, his arms around her, the rhythmic beating of his heart, his intoxicating scent. She had missed it all, she had missed him. But now she didn't have to cry anymore, because finally he had returned to her, and that was all she could've asked for. For the first time in weeks, she felt protected again.
Éponine woke up from the most blissful sleep she had ever had to find herself tangled in sheets. It took her a moment to remember the events of the night before, and as she blinked away the sleep, she was suddenly aware of the warm body by her side. Gazing up, she met his clear blue eyes, that were watching her with the same fierceness she had loved. Enjolras was sitting against the headboard, arms crossed over his bare chest, his messy curls framing his face perfectly. Even at morning, he looked absolutely breathtaking. Brushing her hand through her tangled waves, she sat up, one of her arms propped back for support.
"I missed this, how beautiful you look right now." He signed, one of his hands reaching to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear carefully.
Despite her attempt of not blushing, a soft pink colored her cheeks. She looked down, a shy smile in her lips before she glanced up once more and met his eyes. She knew they had to talk about what had happened, and at that moment, she knew it was the right time. Whether it would hurt her or not. She needed to know the truth.
"What happened?" she signed, her brow furrowing slightly. "Why did you leave?"
She saw him inhale deeply, the same hurt expression appearing in his face once more. Slowly, he placed his hand over hers, grabbing it gently he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles before meeting her eyes once more.
"The night Montparnasse came…he said stuff only to hurt me." He began, before taking in a breath and continuing. "I knew he was doing it just to provoke me, to make me doubt about how much I loved you. And the worst part is that I allowed myself to believe it. I know it was stupid, but I couldn't help but agree on most of the things he said."
She dipped her head, trying to catch his gaze. "What did he say?"
He sighed and ran his fingers through his curls before answering. "That I would never be enough for you…I'm just deaf, and despite everything I try to do, I will never be as good as I would be if I could hear. He said that you would leave me…find someone better, who could hear."
At that point, Éponine had already thrown herself onto him, wrapping her arms tightly against his neck. He circled her waist and held her close, stunned by her reaction. After a moment, she moved back and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"I hope you don't believe that, because it's not true" she said softly, her hand cupping his cheek. "You are the greatest man I have ever met, a thousand times better than Montparnasse. You are extraordinary, you are brave, you are caring, passionate, sweet, gentle, and strong. You are beautiful, Enjolras. You are perfect."
He grasped her chin gently and pulled her face up to his, kissing her with all the love he could feel. His arms wound around her waist as she tilted her head to the side, inviting him to deepen the kiss. His fingernails dug into the sides of her back lightly, near to her hips. He pulled back, their breathings heavy as he gazed into her eyes, his own the clearest blue she had ever seen before.
"Beau…Beau…Beauti- Beautiful"
His voice was low as he continued to whisper the word over and over again, slowly moving closer so their lips met once more. His lips turned more urgent as she pulled him closer to her, his tongue outlining her lower lip, causing a sigh of pleasure to escape from her lips. She moved back, and he remained still, watching her. Slowly, she placed her hands at the hem of his shirt, pulling it over her body and head. A soft blush colored her cheeks at his gaze, and as she placed her hand on his, it was all he needed to crash his lips onto hers once more, making her feel more alive than she had ever been.
She gasped as his lips pressed against her collarbones, his hands pulling her closer to his body, his fingers caressing every part of her he could. As the light streamed through the window, she traced his back with her nails, digging them slightly and wanting him even closer. He was kissing her once more, more gently and slowly, trying to enjoy every second of it. His fingers were running through her hair as her hands touched his protruding collarbones and breast bones, making him shiver in delight. She heard the soft sounds escaping from his lips, amazed by how beautiful each and every one of them were, marveling that she was able to make him feel like that.
He placed a hand behind her neck and pulled her in for another kiss, his body over hers completely, his hips moved against hers slowly, her legs trapping him. As his lips found once more her neck, she let out a pleasured sigh. His eyes then found hers, dark blue meeting brown. One of his hands moved slowly to her throat, his fingertips resting delicately over it, and before she could understand what he wanted, his lips were already showering her neck with kisses, sucking and nibbling slightly, making her tremble and sigh with pleasure.
She kissed him back, making the vibrations of her sighs more pronounced for him. He groaned again, and seized her face, kissing her furiously again. He was listening to her, eager to know how he was making her feel. But she was sure that no words could've described it. The intense feelings coursing through her body were so powerful, making her head dizzy as he continued to cherish her body.
He was moving slowly, savouring the feeling of skin against skin. Her hips rose to meet his every time, his lips next to her ear as he continued to whisper to her. "I love you." A fire, more ferocious than any other was tingling her skin, her hands, gripping his arms tightly, trying to keep him close. His hands moved down her stomach and waist, caressing her skin lightly, as his hips continued to roll against hers. He brushed hair out of her face, and suddenly, her back was arching up, her feet scratching his lower back as he whispered "I love you" one last time, his eyes never leaving hers. The way his name looked as she said it, her lips rosy and swollen from his kiss, brought him to his end.
As the light bathed both of their bodies, he slowly pulled her close against him, his hand moving up and down her spine. Even with the exhaustion they were both feeling, he continued to whisper "I love you", making her smile and reach up to place one soft kiss against his lips.
She brought his hand to her throat and spoke clearly "I love you even more."
He smiled and pulled her against him once more, the silence being the most relaxing and beautiful thing she had ever witnessed. As he continued to caress her back, she thought that she couldn't have been happier than she was at that moment. With the light streaming through the window and the soft chirping of the birds, she was sure that it was the first time she truly enjoyed those sounds. Wrapping her arm tightly around his waist, she admitted that he had taught her how to love. He had taught her how to listen.