Title: There's No-One To Blame
Summary: She didn't date. She wasn't going to let someone break her heart so easily. But what happens when a young attractive student asks her to go out with him? What happens when she begins to fall under his spell? What happens if someone asked him to do it in exchange of something?
Note: Sorry for the long wait for another story! I've been going crazy with my school play and I haven't even had time to breath. Probably I won't update until October 15th, the day of the premiere, but I promise I'll try to write some more during my spare time. I would also like to know if you have any ideas you would like me to write about, prompts or something, I'm open to suggestions! A special thanks to my awesome Beta JudyBear236, you really should love her! Let's see if someone can guess in which movie is based this story. So I hope we'll be seeing soon, but if not, I promise that it is because of rehearsals, wish me luck! I guess I'll need it. So no more distractions. Enjoy.
It was a truth universally acknowledged that Éponine Jondrette didn't date. All men brought trouble, whenever a girl let herself fall for a boy, in the end she ended up hurt and alone. Men always break your heart, the only thing they care about is themselves. Of course, they also care about food, drinking, cars, sports and hot girls. But when the time came to truly commit to someone, that's when they left. So that's exactly why Éponine didn't date. She cared enough for herself to not allow an idiot to break her heart. Unfortunately, that was not the same thing her sister thought about men.
Cosette Fauchelevant was the exact opposite to what Éponine was. In the first place, Cosette's golden curls and bright blue eyes were nothing compared to Éponine's dark chocolate waves and mysterious brown eyes. Cosette's porcelain skin seemed to glow under the rays of sun, while Éponine's olive skin made her look like an exotic beauty. Not only physically, but on the inside were they different. Cosette was a sweet creature, peaceful and gentle by nature. Her voice was soft as silk and slightly high without reaching the annoying level. Éponine on the other hand, was fierce and tough, strong and passionate, her voice low and smooth, sometimes raspy and yet alluring. They were the complete opposites, but in each other they had found the best friend and sister they had always wanted.
At the age of nine years old, Éponine was running through the park, a little bundle of sheets held tightly in her arms. Her long hair waved behind her as she ran as fast as she could to get the baby in her arms away from the horrid place they had the bad luck to call home. Although for her, that place would never be her home. As the little girl ran, she wasn't aware of the man in front of her, colliding hard against him and tumbling back. Thankfully, the man grabbed her gently by the shoulders and steadied her. With a gentle smile in his lips and bright warm eyes, that was the moment when she met Jean Valjean. From that day on, Éponine continued to go to the park with Gavroche in her arms, spending the afternoons with Valjean and his daughter Cosette. While Valjean held the little boy in his arms, Éponine and Cosette would play around the park, giggles and laugh surrounding them as they had as much fun as two girls could.
One day, Éponine arrived to the park wearing a bruise in her right cheek and another one in her thin arm. That was the day Valjean asked her if she and Gavroche wanted to live with him. The little girl jumped excitedly, her dimples brightening her face as she said that she would like that very much. To live with Valjean and Cosette, having fun all day, a warm bed, a caring father who would take care of a scraped knee and would hold her when she had a nightmare. Yes, Éponine wanted nothing more but that. She would live with her best friend and her brother! What else could she ask for?
Valjean spoke with her parents privately as she waited in the living room with Cosette and Gavroche in her arms. An hour later, Valjean was carrying their little bags into their new home. It wasn't until years later that he had revealed to Éponine that it hadn't been too difficult to negotiate with her parents; the two had agreed rather quickly to sign the adoption papers. She expected some kind of sadness to take over her, disappointment or anger, but instead she felt nothing. Probably because she never really considered them her parents. They never give her any reasons to.
As they grew, Éponine soon became a young lady with strong opinions about society and the world. She would always say what she was thinking or would engage in long conversations with Valjean about injustice and opportunities. Meanwhile, as soon as Gavroche learned to walk and talk, he became a mischievous child, running around the house and back yard, never getting tired, always curious and eager to learn. The Jondrette kids had found in Valjean the father-figure they were missing, who gave them all the love and protection a father should always give. Cosette and Éponine managed to enter to the University in their city, one of the most prestigious schools of the country, so that meant that they would be able to still live with Valjean and Gavroche.
One of the many things Éponine admired about Valjean was his protective side, how he always acted with the two girls as if he was willing to do anything for them. When they walked together, he would always be sure that the children were in front of him, always making sure that they were safe and protected. Éponine also admired him because of his rules. Rule number one: no dating. Although they were already in college, Valjean didn't give in, and said that not until after they graduated would they be allowed to start a serious relationship. Until then, no dating. Cosette had always hated this rule and had done everything she could to make him change his mind, but luckily, their father was firm and didn't give in to her big watery eyes and lovely pout. She would have asked Éponine to help her convince Valjean, but everyone in the house was aware of her decision of never dating. Cosette, as the good sister she was, respected her choice and continued her campaign against the house policy on her own.
That was until she met Marius Pontmercy. She had hit the attractive student as she walked hurriedly down the hall, late for her class. Her books had gone flying, as well as the girl. The freckled man had hurried to her side, his eyes wide with surprise and worry. Taking the hand he was offering she stood up, her eyes still fixated on the student. Apparently, he was also as dumbfounded as she was, his mouth hanging open as he watched her with awe. They stood rooted to the spot contemplating each other. That was until she realized the awkwardness of the situation and giggled softly, surprising him. He introduced himself and she did the same, and before they went on their respective ways, he asked her if she would like to go out with him some day.
Cosette's face brightened, but before she was able to accept, she remembered the ridiculous rule. Explaining quickly to Marius of this, she apologized and promised to do anything in her power to get her father to allow her to date. After her classes were over, she met Éponine at the entrance of the library. The brunette had gotten a job in the library for some extra credit, and as she was a devoted reader, it was probably the best job she could've asked for. As they made their way to their home, Cosette told her sister every detail about her encounter with the attractive man and her plan to convince their father to change the rule. Éponine listened quietly, already knowing what Valjean's answer would be and feeling a little sorry for her sister.
Valjean arrived home from work before dinner, Gavroche with him. Éponine was lying on the couch reading when the little boy ran up to her and jumped on top of her, trying to tickle her. She laughed and put the book away, grabbing the boy by his armpits and lifting him up, tickling him as he squealed with laughter and rolled onto the floor.
"You are so mean, 'Ponine!" he laughed before kneeling against the couch and resting his chin on her stomach "I just wanted to say hello!"
She rested back on the couch and chuckled "Liar, you just wanted to tickle me. Now go put your stuff away and come back for dinner."
"Someday I'll do it and there's nothing you can do to stop me!" the boy stated triumphantly before standing up with his back-pack and running up the stairs.
"No running!" Éponine called after him.
His only answer was a muffled groan. Éponine laughed softly before opening the book and returning her attention to its content. The sound of heavy footsteps made her look up, her eyes finding Valjean walking into the living room, taking his jacket off. Through the years, the man she had met at the park had aged considerably, as life didn't spare anyone from the effects of time. His hair had some white strands here and there, he had crinkles at the corners of his eyes and expression lines by his mouth. He still was tall and impressive, his eyes still sparkling with their usual warmth and love.
"That boy is really smart" he said with his deep voice, smiling at her tenderly as she sat up gingerly.
The door of the kitchen swung open, and before she could answer, Cosette appeared taking off the apron, a bright smile in her lips "Hi Daddy! Dinner is ready, so come!"
Éponine sighed and stood up, following Valjean into the kitchen. Gavroche came down the stairs and ran to Éponine's side, who placed one arm around his shoulders. The scent of lasagna clouded their senses, making her mouth water as they entered the kitchen, and it wasn't until then that Valjean muttered.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say she wants something."
Éponine giggled but didn't say anything and sat down, cutting a big slice of the delicious meal for Gavroche and then another for Valjean and Cosette. The dinner was simple and comfortable, as they shared what they had done that day. Gavroche, as usual, spoke most of the time, jumping from one subject to another. They listened to the boy's incessant rambling as he spoke between mouthfuls of lasagna. The boy finished and Éponine sent him to do his homework, to which he only groaned but complied. As soon as the boy was out of sight, Cosette leaned forward, a big smile in her lips as she fluttered her eyelashes in an adorable way.
"Daddy, you think I'm a good daughter, don't you?" she asked softly, her cheek resting in one hand.
Valjean raised a brow but nodded "Both of you are."
"So…would you actually think of letting me go out with a boy?" she asked carefully, her hands together in a pleading way.
"Absolutely not" stated Valjean automatically with a shake of his head.
"But daddy! Come on!" she pouted desperately "I must be the only girl on campus who's not dating somebody!"
"Oh no, you're not" he answered with a wave of his hand "You sister doesn't date either."
"Nor do I intend to." Éponine mumbled under her breath before getting another piece of her lemon pie inside her mouth.
"And why is that again?" Valjean asked Éponine thoughtfully as if to prove his point.
She swallowed and stated simply "Men are jerks."
Valjean pointed a finger at Éponine with a knowing glance before turning to face Cosette once more, who seemed as if she would begin crying at any second.
"But that's because she's Éponine!" the blonde squeaked indignantly, before placing a hand on her shoulder and softening her expression "Although you're beautiful, Ép, and a lot of guys would like to go out with you."
Éponine chuckled before rolling her eyes slightly and continued to eat her pie "Not even in a million years."
Valjean's expression seemed to brighten as he clapped slightly and stood up. Both girls moved their attention towards him as he placed his hands at the back of the chair.
"All right, new rule" He said, his eyes twinkling as he paused to add some excitement. "Cosette can date."
Both girl's eyes widened, Éponine's mouth opening with surprise as Cosette let out a little squeal of joy. But that was until Valjean continued, pointing his finger at Éponine.
"When she does"
Cosette spent the rest of the night pleading with Éponine, but the brunette didn't give in, stating simply that her sister was out of her mind. Cosette returned to her bedroom gloomily, vowing to find a way in which she would be able to go out with Marius. The next day, she saw Marius once more, her heart beating incredibly fast as he waved a hand at her and walked in her direction, a beaming smile in his face. She waved back, but her expression dropped as she remembered her undeniable failure in her plan. The student listened patiently to Cosette as she narrated the events of the night before with a sorrowful expression, and it wasn't until the girl had finished that he spoke.
"You say that your dad will let you date when your sister does?" he pondered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yes" Cosette nodded sadly "But I already told you, it's impossible. She won't ever date, Éponine is just too stubborn for her own good!"
Marius' expression brightened mischievously at her words "Stubborn you say?"
"As a mule" Cosette stated simply, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"I know exactly what to do" Marius answered, grinning widely.
Cosette's eyes widened before smiling tentatively "You do?"
"Yes. I'm going to make one of my friends go out with her." He said cheerfully, rubbing his palms together "Go tonight to the Café Musain, just two streets down from the campus. Take Éponine with you, and also a list of what she likes and dislikes. This is going to work."
"Are you sure?" Cosette asked doubtfully, biting her lip.
"Absolutely" Marius grinned, before reaching out and grabbing her hand softly. "I must go, but see you tonight, okay? This is going to be great!"
Cosette stood frozen as she watched Marius disappear. If this didn't work out she was going to be in so much trouble with Éponine, and the least she wanted was to make her sister angry. She was scary when her features darkened and her eyes narrowed. The blonde shook her head and turned to leave, trying to ignore the feeling that she was doing something bad. Instead she tried to remember the feeling of his hand on hers, a silly smile appearing in her lips. Yes, everything was going to be fine.
Enjolras was sitting at a table in the corner of the Musain, a book in his hands as he tried to ignore the laughter of his friends. He still didn't know why on Earth he tried to read in company of these fools, it was almost impossible to concentrate on the words he was reading when Bossuet's booming laugh and Grantaire's drunken words managed to get his attention. But he never gave in, his eyes firmly set in his book, the only sign that he was annoyed being the constant frown in his face. Les Amis had been together since high-school, Enjolras, Combeferre, Marius, Grantaire, Courfeyrac and Jehan being the ones who had founded their little group. Later in college, Joly, Feuilly, Bahorel and Bossuet had joined it, adding a wide diversity to their humble group.
As he took a sip of his dark coffee, he let his eyes travel around the table, watching as Courfeyrac put two straws in his mouth and pretended to be a walrus, earning loud laughs from the rest of the Amis, making even the usually serious Enjolras grin slightly. He hadn't earned the name "Marble Man" for no reason. First of all, his golden curls framed his face perfectly, his angular jaw firm, clear blue eyes capable of making someone shiver under his powerful stare. His Greek nose complimented his face perfectly, his lower lip slightly fuller than the other, expression lines at the corners of his mouth, formed by his passion of talking and expressing his thoughts. He was a natural orator, his voice and words being his most powerful weapon. He had heard many times how Courfeyrac and Grantaire would make fun of the large number of girls pinning after him, but not once had he paid attention to them.
He didn't date. Women were only a distraction from his work and important matters, like becoming the greatest lawyer in the city. His desire to help people had manifested since he was a little boy, at the sight of so many homeless people, living in a world of injustice and discrimination. So that was the reason why he devoted himself to his studies, and engaging in the frivolous act of dating could only lead to trouble and distraction. That was his opinion on the matter, but only until that day when Marius burst through the door, cheeks flushed and eyes wide, scanning the Café eagerly. He spotted his group of friends soon and ran to them, or more specifically, to Enjolras. Pushing Joly so he could sit in front of the marble-leader and earning a whimper from the med-student, Marius leaned forward onto the table until Enjolras looked up, a frown in his face.
"What?" he asked slightly annoyed.
"Do you remember the girl I told you about yesterday? Cosette?" Marius began, scanning Enjolras' face nervously, waiting for some kind of reaction, but the blonde remained impassive.
"How could we forget her?" Courfeyrac answered loudly with a smirk, earning some snickering from the rest of the Amis "You couldn't stop babbling about her 'golden hair that shines like the sun'!"
"Cosette! Her name is like the most beautiful of the poems!" Grantaire mocked, raising the bottle in his hands. "Her voice is like thousands of angels singing!"
The Amis erupted in laughter as the freckled man blushed profusely, looking down on the table and mumbling under his breath that it was the truth. As soon as their laughter died, he looked up to watch Enjolras once more, who was already reading again.
Marius blurted out a sea of words, in which Enjolras could only understand the last lines. "I can't take out Cosette until Éponine starts dating. Her dad has this rule where the girls aren´t-"
Enjolras raised his hand and said dryly. "That's a touching story, it really is. But not my problem."
"Come on, Enjolras!" the student pleaded with wide eyes. "Just listen to me! You are the only one who can help me!"
"You want me to date this girl?" Enjolras scoffed annoyed.
Marius ignored Enjolras' tone and answered with relief "Yes!"
"No." Enjolras snapped.
"What about us?" Bahorel demanded with a hurt expression "Aren't we pretty enough to date this girl?"
The rest of the Amis agreed with nods. Marius sighed exasperatedly and ran his fingers through his brown hair.
"Guys you are all pretty!" he groaned before pointing at Enjolras "But he is stubborn as a mule and Éponine is stubborn as a mule too! So they must be great together!"
"Éponine? Oh what a beautiful name!" Grantaire cheered earning some chuckles from the rest of the Amis.
"Musichetta has a friend named like that" Joly mentioned, his thoughts flying to his girlfriend.
"Like Éponine and Sabinus?" Jehan interjected with bright big eyes.
"I think there's an Éponine in one of my classes…" Combeferre said thoughtfully tapping his chin with one finger.
Enjolras began growing more impatient with every comment, watching as Marius began growing redder and redder, whether it was because he really was blushing or because he was about to rupture an aneurism. The blonde sighed and closed his book with a loud thud, silencing the students immediately.
"Just because she's stubborn doesn't mean that this would work." He declared sternly "And I'm not stubborn."
"Yes you are!" Joly laughed, but soon was cut by Enjolras' deathly glare.
"Do this for me Enj, at least just look at her for one moment!" Marius pleaded, seemingly on the verge of tears. "Cosette is going to bring her so you can see her! Please I beg of you! I'll do anything you want!"
Enjolras shook his head and made a move to open his book again "I don't want anything."
Marius began rambling, oblivious to the fact that Enjolras was no longer paying attention to him. Until he finally blurted out "I-I…I'll talk with my grandfather to get you an internship in his law firm!"
That seemed to catch Enjolras' attention. His head snapped up, eyes scanning Marius' face intently looking for any sign that revealed that he was joking. But he found none.
"You got him" Combeferre whispered with a smirk.
Enjolras rolled his eyes and asked sternly "Are you being serious?"
"As serious as I can be" Marius stated with a nervous stare, fidgeting with his hands. "So will you do it?"
"You'll get me an internship" Enjolras repeated carefully, before finishing almost in disbelief "Only for dating this girl?"
"That's right." Marius nodded "If she goes out with you, I'll be able to go out with my dear Cosette and you'll get your internship, deal?"
Enjolras nodded stiffly before closing his eyes and sighing. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"
And with that, the students burst into cheers. Enjolras rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his book as Marius continued to thank him enthusiastically. The door of the Café swung open and the group became suddenly silent. Confused, Enjolras looked up to see what had happened, only to find Marius wearing a silly grin, looking straight to the newcomers. The blonde raised a brow and moved slightly to his right to see whom the other Amis were watching so intently. He caught sight of a pretty blonde wearing a floral dress and a matching sweater, but he couldn't see properly the other girl standing behind her. He thought that they were Cosette and Éponine.
His suspicions were confirmed when Marius shot up from his seat and ran to the girls, the pretty blonde smiling widely as the student rambled about the weather and nonsense. Enjolras rolled his eyes at the freckled man and continue reading, trying to ignore the fact that the girl he was supposed to go out with was just a few meters away from him. Enjolras had dated, not too many girls and had had a couple of serious girlfriends, but they had meant nothing more for him. He always found an excuse to break up with them, too annoyed by the fact that they seemed to like him only because of his looks. The girls he had dated had been shallow, and he was completely sure that he was not willing to spend time on someone like that. Women only meant distraction, with their mysterious eyes and alluring voices, they only meant to taunt men and confuse them. Enjolras had never met a girl who was willing to actually talk about important matters, and until Enjolras met a girl like that, he was going to stay far away from them. Well, except from Éponine, although he would need to prepare mentally for that difficult task.
"Guys, this is Cosette!" Marius cheerful voice exclaimed as he grabbed the blonde by the shoulders. "Cosette, these are the guys."
"Hi" Cosette chirped, her eyes glowing with joy.
"A pretty name for a pretty girl" Courfeyrac winked at her, which only caused her to blush.
Jehan slapped him not too hard on his head "Don't scare her away! She's Marius friend!"
"Forgive them" Marius said glancing at them with a reproachful stare "Sometimes they can't control themselves. They are a little…childish."
"What are you talking about, lover boy?" Grantaire exclaimed indignantly "You are the one who still eats Lucky Charms!"
Marius cheeks turned a deep shade of red as the rest of the Amis burst out in laughter, alarming the whole Café and a certain brunette who was sitting at the opposite corner reading. Cosette giggled slightly, which made Marius feel at least not so embarrassed, especially overwhelmed by the fact that she had placed her hand on his chest lightly.
"I only came for a moment, my sister is waiting for me." Cosette said with a gentle smile before leaning forward so only the group of students could listen "So…who is Enjolras?"
All heads turned towards Enjolras, who at the sound of his name looked up with a curious glance. When he noticed that the blonde was staring at him, he raised a hand "I am."
Cosette's expression brightened cheerfully before grabbing a folded paper from the depths of her bag and giving it to him. Enjolras took it carefully in his hands before unfolding it slowly. The paper said at one side "Likes" and at the other one "Dislikes", and as his eyes began reading it he was aware of Cosette's voice speaking.
"It's a list of what she likes and dislikes, so you can know how to start a conversation or something like that" Cosette explained. Enjolras' gaze slowly lifted up until he met Cosette's once more. "She works at the university's library, you can see her there almost every day."
"Thank you" Enjolras mumbled before folding the paper and putting it inside his jacket.
"Well, I'll go sit with Éponine, but it was a pleasure meeting you all!" Cosette chirped before waving goodbye and turning to walk in the opposite direction. Marius followed her and sat down with the girls.
It wasn't until later that he finally was able to see Éponine properly for the first time. She was wearing a large sweater and dark blue jeans, her dark chocolate waves hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her skin was an olive color, reminding Enjolras of an exotic creature described in many books. Her eyes were big and round, glowing under the light of the Café, were they brown? He observed her quietly as she walked by Cosette's side, smiling brightly at something Marius had said. He noticed the prominent dimples in each cheek, but of course, she was the kind of girl who would have dimples. Her white teeth contrasted with her tanned skin, her heart shaped face framed perfectly by her hair. She was taller than Cosette, but her body was leaner, the right curves where they needed to be.
Enjolras noticed this during barely five seconds as the sisters exited the Café, Marius opening the door for them. She was beautiful. He groaned internally as she left the place, her laughter still echoing in his ears. What had he gotten into?
The next day, he walked to the library with his messenger bag held tightly. He had spent the night before in his apartment reading the list, intrigued by the mysterious girl who he was supposed to date. He discovered with pleasure that they shared many things in common. Her reading list included from Shakespeare and Jane Austen to Voltaire and Charles Dickens. She enjoyed listening to Jazz and Classical music, but she also listened to Coldplay. She loved Italian food and chocolate ice-cream. Her favorite season was winter and she liked rain. Enjolras felt strangely unnerved to discover that he actually had something to talk about with her. She hated smokers, injustice, discrimination, she was afraid of the dark (although Cosette had put a note by its side saying that it was a secret), she hated math, insects and coconut.
Enjolras entered the library and noticed that she was sitting behind the counter. As fast as he could without making much noise, he walked to the big shelves and hid behind one, pretending to be reading the titles of the books in front of him. He peered from the gaps of the bookshelf, observing the girl as she continued to read, unperturbed. She was surrounded by thick textbooks that that he supposed were the ones she was going to shelve later. He frowned slightly, realizing that he didn't even know what she studied. He had been hidden behind the stacks, feeling ridiculous at the fact that he was actually hiding from a girl, acting as a stupid teenager.
His vision traveled from where she was across the room, to the books he had in front of him. Enjolras knew that she probably hadn't even noticed his presence, so he just remained there, watching her curiously. In that moment, he learned that she had the habit of biting her lower lip. He also noticed that she was reading "Great Expectations." She had in one hand a bottle half-filled with water, from which she took a gulp every few minutes. He repeated to himself his goal of getting to know her, to ask her on a date (which would surely be a complete disaster) and finish this stupid deal. Cursing Marius internally, he took a deep breath, grabbed the nearest book to his reach and marched out from his hiding place.
He arrived at the counter, but she was too engrossed in her book to realize that Enjolras was practically in front of her. He waited, to see if she would notice, but apparently she wouldn't realize that he was there until he let her know. He gave up, and running his fingers through his curls, pushed the book across the service counter and cleared his throat.
"Hello." He said politely, a small smile in his lips.
When Éponine finally realized Enjolras' presence, she froze. Momentarily stunned by the student, she closed her book and stood up.
"Uh, hello" She finally answered with a smile "What can I do for you?"
"I would like to borrow this book" Enjolras stated, pushing the book forward so she could grab it.
"Sure" she smiled, taking the book and opening it to take out the card. He gave her his own student card as she wrote down some stuff in the notebook. "Good book."
He looked up startled, shocked by the fact that he had absolutely no idea of which book he had taken. Quickly, his eyes traveled to the cover which read "The Count of Montecristo". Luckily, he had already read it, not to mention that it was one of his favorites.
"Yeah, it's one of my favorites" he answered with a shrug, a stony expression in his face. "This one is really interesting too."
She smiled as he pointed at her book "I know, I think it's my third time reading it."
"So…you read a lot?" he questioned casually after a moment of silence, feeling his stomach form knots when she looked at him. Why did he felt so guilty?
"Yup" She beamed "That's the main reason why I applied for this job. Extra credit for being surrounded by books."
He chuckled softly and decided that if he wanted to make her go out with him, he needed to start working on it, so he stretched out his hand "I'm Enjolras."
"Éponine" she answered, her eyes sparkling. She grabbed his hand and shook it gently and although he tried to ignore the softness of it, he couldn't help but miss the contact the moment she let go of it.
"So, uhm, Éponine" he said, clearing his throat "Would you like going out with me someday? You know, to…get to know each other?"
"What?" she asked with a laugh "I'm sorry, but I don't date."
Enjolras tried to feign surprise, so he frowned "And why's that?"
"I just don't believe in that whole thing of "dating", it's only a frivolous act in which two people pretend to be interested in each other" she declared simply.
His eyes widened at her statement. Her words…it sounded exactly like him. Trying to hide his evident surprise, he cleared his throat. He had never known of a woman who simply wasn't interested in dating. For all he knew about the opposite sex, what they wanted was to find what they called "true love", live happily ever after and all that nonsense. But Éponine Jondrette had destroyed every single expectation he had about women. Now he was truly interested in her.
"What if it's not a date?" he offered, grabbing the book she was giving him and placing it inside his messenger bag. "What if it's just a man and a woman discussing about certain topics?"
She laughed, a clear crystal laugh "Perhaps."
He couldn't hold back a small chuckle at the sound of her laugh, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched him. For the very first time in a long time, Enjolras felt the need to know a girl more. He wanted to make her laugh once more. He wanted to know what she liked and disliked, not from a piece of paper, but from her.
"So I'll see you around?" he asked, trying not making his voice sound too pleading as he clutched the bag's strap tightly.
Enjolras observed amazed how the curves of her mouth turned up, transforming into a small smile which then turned into a big bright smile, her dimples showing "Of course."
He nodded and waved goodbye, exiting the library quickly. As soon as he was out, the fresh air hit his heated face, and taking in deep breaths he realized that he had never felt this feeling before. This need to go back inside and spent the rest of the day talking to her, listening to her thoughts and opinions, making her laugh and her dimples show. Running a hand through his curls, he began the walk down to his apartment, thinking about when he'd be able to to see her again. Damn you, Marius Pontmercy.
Éponine arrived home that night feeling strange. Her day had been quite normal: she took her classes, had lunch with Musichetta and Cosette and then worked at the library. Although she had tried to forget the student she had met, apparently for no reason, she still couldn't shake off the haunting memory of the sound of his smooth voice and how blue his eyes were. Enjolras, he had said. She had never seen him before, probably because she didn't walk around the campus much, although she had noticed that his card said that he studied Law. Yes, he had everything to be a successful lawyer, not to mention how ravishingly handsome he was.
She ate in silence as Gavroche talked, only talking when Valjean asked her if she was feeling all right. When she was finished, she hurried to wash the dishes and ran to her room. Trying to keep her mind focused on her homework, she almost didn't realize that it was already really late. If Cosette hadn't entered to check on her, probably she would've continued to work on her upcoming assignments all night. The blonde asked her if she was alright, but when Éponine's answer was to ask if she knew which was the Law building, Cosette merely answered with a negative and giggled, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she went out of her room. Éponine fell asleep that night thinking that perhaps she would see him again. Luckily she remembered that he needed to return the book someday.
It wasn't until two days later that he returned. He looked as he had the first time he had come, messy curls, bright eyes and a serious expression. He took another book once more, this time it was one of her favorites: "Love in Times of Cholera." Enjolras stayed for at least another ten minutes as she talked about her favorite parts of the book, the complexity of the characters and some stuff about the author. He listened patiently, truly interested in what she was saying, or that was what she wanted to believe. After she was finished, he asked her once more if she wanted to go out with him, as friends that only want to know each other. She suppressed a giggle by his insistence but said that she still had work to do in the library, shelve some books and correct the inventory.
"I can wait" he said simply, smiling softly at her before he turned around and walked towards one of the many tables.
Éponine smiled and shook her head in disbelief. She could go and grab a cup of coffee with him, it wasn't a date or anything like that, right? As she hurried to finish what Monsieur Mabeouf had asked her to do, she couldn't stop herself from stealing subtle glances at him. He was like a marble statue, if it wasn't for the movement of his chest and the way his eyelashes caressed his porcelain skin every time he blinked, she would have thought that he truly was a statue. His chiseled jaw, straight nose, full parted lips, his subtle chin cleft and bright blue eyes. He was beautiful, for lack of a better word to describe him. He would often catch her looking at him, and she would blush and disappear behind the shelves. She was also aware of his gaze, following her as she walked around the library.
They spent that afternoon talking with each other. Éponine had never thought that such a serious and reserved man could be so passionate and zestful whenever he talked about the things that he liked, such as France and liberty. She found herself caught up in every single word he said, her eyes wide as she took in every single thing he expressed. Also she had the chance to surprise him when she began questioning one of his many statements about the projects of the government, such as the incoming pensions. They were engaged in a heated argument for almost a complete hour, and they would've continued if it weren't for the fact that her phone began ringing insistently. They exchanged numbers and parted ways, a smile in both of their faces.
It was a week later until she saw him again. She was at the music store getting the new Coldplay album. So far it had been a quiet day, it was Friday, and so Monsieur Mabeouf allowed her to leave early. Not that she had plans; normally she would stay at home and relax, read something, watch movies or maybe listen to some music. On Saturdays she would go out with Musichetta and Cosette, to the movies or to dinner. Sometimes it would only be Cosette and she, as Musichetta also had to go out with her boyfriend, was his name Joly? However, that weekend she was going to be alone. Cosette was going out with Musichetta and Joly, or that was what she would tell Valjean. What their father didn't know was that Marius would meet them there. Feeling guilty for leaving Éponine behind, she insisted that she needed to come with them. But Éponine refused kindly, she wasn't willing to spend the night with two couples while she was awkwardly sitting there.
That Friday she decided to spend a little amount of her money on a CD, so after she finally had the album in her hands, she exited the store happily, reading the song list behind. It took her a while to realize that there was someone standing near her car, so it took her by surprise when she heard Enjolras' smooth voice.
"Nice car" he said casually, observing the car with an interested gaze "It's really difficult to get one of these."
Éponine's head snapped up, her eyes wide as she stared at the blonde with surprise. She smirked and put the album inside its bag before saying "Are you following me?"
He let out a sigh and raised an arm towards the building in front of them "I was in the laundry and I saw you so I came over to say hi."
She approached the car and chuckled "Hi"
"And what I said about your car is true" he continued, straightening up and walking to meet her in the middle "This is a really awesome car."
"Thanks, I do believe this car is amazing" she stated proudly, glancing at her 1967 Chevrolet Camaro fondly "You have no idea what I had to do to find this car. In the end Valjean was the one who found it first."
"At least it was worth it, Camaros are the best cars that have been invented." He chuckled, before raising his hand and rubbing the back of his neck "What are you doing next weekend?"
She listened to him as she made her way to her car, opening the door and throwing her bag inside "Not much, probably going out with Cosette and 'Chetta. Well, that is if they don't go out with their boyfriends first."
"Why don't you come to Grantaire's party with me?" he asked, fighting the urge to turn around and leave. He had never been the talking type. "He's a friend of mine and he's throwing a party next Friday, I'm sure Cosette and Musichetta will come, as Marius and Joly are coming too."
"You are friend with Joly and Marius?" she asked surprised. What a small world. When he nodded, she let out a soft giggle, leaning against the open door of her car "I don't know…I'm not much into parties and all that."
"Think about it, I'm not a party guy either but Grantaire has threatened me that if I don't go he will hate me for all eternity" Enjolras rolled his eyes.
She giggled, before running her hand through her hair and hopping inside her car, rolling the window down "You never give up, do you?"
"Was that a yes?" he asked loudly as she turned on the car with a loud noise.
She put the car in reverse and moved the car slowly as she laughed and shook her head "No…"
Enjolras raised a brow and followed her as she maneuvered the car to position it straight. He walked down the street by her side as she continued to move "Well, then it was a no?"
She laughed loudly before hitting the gas "No!"
"I'll see you at nine thirty, then!" he said loudly as she drove away, the only answer her clear crystal laugh.
Enjolras waved goodbye and watched her drive away, a soft smile in his lips. As soon as he realized that he was smiling to himself, he frowned and pursed his lips. What was that? After watching her turn around the corner, he walked in the direction of the laundry. He wasn't sure what hurt the most, being smoothly rejected or knowing that he would have to keep insisting so he could get that internship. He knew that if he stopped a minute to think about it, he should be feeling even worse by the fact that he was only interested in Éponine because it was the only way he could get what Marius had promised him. In other words, he was using her. Enjolras knew that he was wrong, he was not like that. He had been raised to be a gentleman, not the kind of guys who only use girls to get what they wanted. Sighing with frustration, he got his clothes and went to his car. He knew that if it wasn't for this stupid deal, he wouldn't have probably known Éponine. But perhaps he would have. Maybe one day he would've gone to the library and met the brunette, she would have said something about the book he was going to borrow and he would answer. Perhaps he would introduce himself and later he would make her smile. Days later he would see her once more, they would get to know each other more, and maybe, just maybe, they could go further. But he knew that that would never happen. As soon as Marius said that he could stop, he would. He would never see her again, too afraid that she would find out that everything had been a lie. Enjolras rested his forehead on the steering wheel. He was an asshole.
His phone beeped inside his pocket and he moved to get it slowly. He felt his chest tighten when he realized that it was a text from Éponine.
Forgot to ask: Can you help me with an essay about poverty this Monday? You're the only one who will be honest with me.
He closed his eyes and rested his head back on the backrest. You're the only one who will be honest with me. If she only knew what her words did to him. He let out a sigh and texted back an affirmative. He was sure that at that moment, he was the most despicable human being on earth.
That night, she fell asleep with her phone over her chest, opened to the last text he had sent her. They met that Monday at the Musain, he helped her (which she was sure was something for which she would never be able to thank him enough) and after that they stayed for an hour or two, just talking. This ritual continued for approximately a week. He would go visit her at the library with the excuse of returning a book, but then they would begin talking and time would fly, the book forgotten over the counter. Although Éponine was oblivious to the reason why Enjolras continued to look for her, he on the other hand, was beginning to question whether he was doing it just to fulfill the deal or if he really was interested now. He was a noble man, and knew that playing with a person's feelings was wrong, even if sometimes he couldn't control how he acted or what he said. Grantaire had said once that he needed to learn to control what he was saying, because not everyone was made of marble like him.
Éponine was still a bit reluctant at accepting to go out with him, even when their almost daily visits to the Coffee Shop near campus were almost like dates should be. She didn't know if they were friends, acquaintances or just students getting to know each other. Although deep within her she wanted desperately to say yes to his invitations of going out, the rational part of her head continued to scream that it was a bad idea. During that time she also noticed that Cosette was growing close with the freckled student, Marius it was? While Éponine spent time with Enjolras, her sister would hang out with Marius, and wouldn't return to their home until Éponine sent her a text letting her now that she was on her way. She knew that Cosette was the one who was enjoying every available moment with her…well, she honestly didn't know what Marius and Cosette were, but judging by the way they looked at each other, Éponine knew that soon the blonde would be arguing with Valjean once more.
While she worried about her sister, she also had half of her thoughts focused on a certain student. Somehow, Enjolras was managing to occupy and infiltrate her thoughts most of the time. Although she tried hard to focus on her lectures and work, she found herself eager to meet him later at the Coffee Shop. She kept telling herself that she was not developing "feelings" towards him. Nope, she was just curious about him, like she was with any other Law students she had met (which were none). When Friday arrived, she was in her room finishing her homework when she heard the distinct sound of Cosette's cries. She sighed, knowing that probably it was because of that party. Although Enjolras kept pressing her to go with him, she didn't give in. But she had totally forgotten about the fact that Cosette would have wanted to go.
Closing her notebook, she hopped out of the bed and walked out of her room, the sound of voices growing louder as she approached the stairs.
"Come on, daddy! It's just a party!" Cosette pleaded, her musical voice sounding desperate.
Éponine walked down the stairs and found Cosette pouting, arms crossed over her chest. She was wearing a beautiful red dress, her hair up in a simple up-do. She looked stunning, probably Marius would die of a heart attack when he saw her. On the other side, Valjean was standing in front of her, arms crossed and a stern expression in his face. On second thought, she decided that it would be best to not get in the middle of their fight, so she decided to return to her room. Unluckily, she forgot about the loose floorboard that creaked under her weigh. She cursed internally and slowly turned around, just in time to see two pair of eyes fixing on her.
"Do you know anything about a party?" he demanded, looking at the brunette expectantly.
Éponine shrugged and walked down the stairs, making her way to the kitchen. Trying to not feel guilty by the look Cosette had given her, she kept walking.
"Everyone's going to be there!" Cosette whined.
"Éponine is not going, you're not going" Valjean stated simply.
That made Éponine halt to a stop. She turned around slowly to see Cosette bolting to her side, her big blue eyes glinting with unshed tears.
"Come on, 'Ponine!" the blonde begged "Do this for me! Try a college party just once! Be just like everybody else for one day! Just forget about your silly beliefs or whatever and enjoy life! Be a good sister!"
Éponine rolled her eyes "It's just a dumb party."
"Just one night, 'Ponine" Cosette implored sadly, taking hold of the brunette's hand "Just this time, I swear I'll never ask anything like this again. Please, do this for me."
Éponine stared at her, biting her lower lip in frustration. She hated when Cosette used her silly and stupidly adorable doe eyes to make her do whatever she wanted. Although Éponine was a tough girl, she had a soft spot for Cosette. She had been her first true friend, but not only that, she had become her sister. Letting out a sigh, she averted her gaze from the blonde and shook her head.
"Fine, I'll go." She stated dryly "But I have nothing to wear-"
Her sentence died in her lips as Cosette tackled her in a tight embrace, surprisingly strong judging by her petite frame. The blonde laughed joyously as Éponine hugged her back awkwardly.
"You can borrow some of my clothes" Cosette chirped, not wanting anything more than to make her sister go to the party with her, she had never seen Éponine go to one of these events, and by having her and Marius, she was absolutely sure that it would be the best night of her life.
Valjean stared as the two girls disappeared up the stairs. With a soft sigh, he turned back and returned to the living room, picking up the book he had left. Éponine was a good girl, and although she seemed sometimes cold and distant, he knew that the girl was capable of doing anything to make the ones she loved happy. Minutes passed as he continued to read, not aware of the torment Éponine was enduring inside Cosette's bedroom. When the clock struck nine thirty, a soft knock was heard on the door. Confused, Valjean stood up and went to open it. Behind it stood a young man, curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Despite his angelical appearance, his expression was stony and unwavering.
"Good night, Monsieur" the young man greeted politely with a subtle nod "I'm Enjolras-"
"She's not ready yet" Valjean stated severely, scanning the young man from head to toe "She's helping Éponine upstairs."
Enjolras let out a soft chuckle before running a hand through his hair "Oh no, Monsieur, I think you got it wrong. I came here to pick up Éponine."
Valjean stared at the young man mutely, surprise clearly written all over his expression. He of course had noticed that his little girls had grown to become two beautiful women, and of course he knew they would catch the eye of many men. He always believed that the first time a boy would've come knocking on the door looking for one of the girls it would probably be for Cosette. But as always, the brunette had managed to surprise him once more. The one who had sworn to never date, had been the one who was going to date first. Although a quiet voice in his head told him that probably this was Cosette's plan, Valjean ignored it. Before he was able to give the young man a proper answer, the soft creak of the steps returned him back to reality as a soft voice sounded behind him.
"Enjolras?" Éponine asked confusedly, making Valjean turn around and walk towards her, leaving Enjolras standing on the threshold. "What are you doing here?"
The blonde clenched his jaw tightly. Despite his attempts of not staring, he couldn't seem to stop himself. He had always thought that Éponine was attractive, not to say beautiful. She was more than beautiful. His heart stopped for a fraction of second as his eyes fell on her. But he wasn't going to tell her what he thought, she didn't have to know. He believed that she looked breathtaking with that white dress which accentuated her tiny waist, her hair pulled back in a messy bun and her eyes glowing under the light. He would never admit that for the first time in all his life, a woman had left him speechless. Instead, he cleared his throat and gave her a nod.
"Nine thirty, right?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
She shook her head in disbelief. Although her eyes were fixed on the man, she could still feel Valjean's scrutinizing gaze. Not knowing exactly what moved her to, she walked and placed a soft kiss on her father's cheek before hurrying to the door. She grabbed Enjolras' hand and forced him to walk quickly with her away from the house. Ignoring the current of electricity running through her fingers, she tugged at his hand tighter and made him walk faster. She let go of him as they reached his car, standing in front of the passenger's door and waiting for him to unlock it. Growing impatient with every passing second, she turned her face to send him a dreadful glare, getting angrier when she realized that he was smirking at her. He was mocking her.
"Would you mind?" she questioned sarcastically, waving a hand towards the still closed door.
He let out a chuckle "Not at all."
He actually had no idea how his night had come to end like this. At first, she had spent every single second trying to avoid him. Apparently she was mad at him for making her go to this stupid party. Enjolras had sat down, a drink in his hand and decided to just stare at the sea of people passing by. He had actually fulfilled part of the deal: he had made Éponine go to the party, hadn't he? Marius had never specified that he actually needed to be with the girl. Not that he didn't want to, of course he would enjoy engaging her in conversation about anything, and even discussing the weather with Éponine was interesting. But he was actually pretty sure that she was the one who didn't want to see him.
He had tried to find her among the multitude, but she was quicker than him. Whenever he caught sight of a brown and white flash, he would turn around immediately, hoping to find her there, but instead of meeting her eyes, he would sadly realize that she was already hurrying out of the room. Trying to ignore the nagging feeling that he didn't need to be with her, he tried to stop himself from attempting to find her. She didn't want to be found. They caught each other's eye through the crowd at moments, both of them looking curiously at the other, he tried to look as apologetic as he could, she would only sent him a glare. It was strange how he could understand what she meant with just a quick glance, it was her way of saying that she wasn't having a good time. But it wasn't until he noticed the unmistakable bottle of beer held tightly in her hand that he approached to her.
"What is this?" he frowned as she took a large gulp from the bottle, which only caused her to cough from its bitter flavor.
"I'm getting drunk" she answered sarcastically "Isn't that what you're supposed to do at a party?"
He stared at her blankly before rolling his eyes almost imperceptibly "I don't know. I say do what you want to do."
"Funny. You're the only one."
And with that she got lost into the crowd, the bottle held tightly. He frowned as she walked away without another word to him. He couldn't understand why she was acting that way, was it really that bad to go to a party with him? He knew that he wasn't funny nor entertaining, but to simply ignore him? Feeling a little hurt, he sighed and returned to his seat, continuing his observations of the dunk crowd. He could see Courfeyrac flirting unabashedly with a pretty girl, and surprisingly, the girl was flirting back. He also noticed Combeferre standing at the opposite corner with Jehan, both of them looking a little bit tipsy. He spent a long time just scanning the crowd, a bottle in his hand, just that this had remained untouched. He was beginning to consider leaving, perhaps Marius could return Éponine to her house, because he actually didn't believed that the brunette would be willing to get inside his car.
"Look what we have here." Grantaire put his bottle down and gave him a smirk "Has Juliet left her Romeo alone?"
Enjolras rolled his eyes. Of all the Amis, Grantaire was the one who could control his alcohol the most, but that didn't stop him from bothering anyone who was around him. When Grantaire noticed that the blonde wasn't paying him enough attention, he cleared his throat and leaned closer to him.
"You better go for her" he muttered with a mischievous grin, but despite his smirk, Enjolras noticed the worry in his eyes. "You have to return her in one piece, right?"
And with those words, he left. Enjolras frowned in confusion, what did he mean? Just when he was about to ignore the Art student's advice, he heard the unmistakable sound of cheers and what appeared to be wolf-whistles coming from the kitchen. He stood up, a part of him curious and the other dreading that he might have known what was going on inside. It wasn't until that moment that he realized that he hadn't seen Éponine for a long time now. Longer than those few times he had seen her. A knot formed in his stomach as he hurried his steps, pushing people and bumping others, earning a few harsh words in return. But he wasn't aware of all of that, his eyes scanning the crowd, trying to find a flash of brown and white, a bright smile and dimples.
He looked around for her, growing anxious when he failed to see her. He was hoping to bump into her. Cursing internally for letting her go alone all over the place, he realized that he had never felt that knot in his stomach before, the need to know that she was alright. But they were at a college party, and the fact that this was probably her first party made him worry even more. When he finally reached the kitchen, his breath caught in his throat. The scene unfolding in front of him was nothing like anything he would have expected: Éponine was standing on the table, an audience gathered around her as they cheered her. She was swaying her hips seductively, her hair hanging loosely over her shoulders, her up-do ruined. He caught sight of her flushed cheeks and glassy eyes, and just by that Enjolras could tell that she was drunk. He looked at the crowd, noticing that the majority were guys. A rush of anger and frustration swept over him as he noticed the way they were staring at the brunette, who was dancing provocatively before them.
Enjolras watched this go on for a while before he could no longer stand it. In a few short strides, he reached the crowd, and pushing hard to make his way to the edge of the table, he felt the furious thump of his heart inside his chest, his fists clenching tightly. As soon as he reached her, he tried to take hold of her hand, but in that moment she decided to tangle them in her dark chocolate waves. Trying to stop himself from staring at her, he looked away in frustration. The way her body swayed and her hair danced around her was intoxicating him. He wasn't sure if this was her first time drinking, but for the reaction it had had on her, he was pretty sure it was. He groaned internally. This was all his fault. She might still be able to remember what was happening in the morning, and he knew that probably she would hate him. The Éponine he knew wouldn't have done what this Éponine was doing, not even in a million years. The look in the guys' eyes was something that was beginning to ignite a fire inside his chest, the terrible need to punch every single one of them and drag her out of there. If only she could've realized what she was doing and the way that made men react…she would've probably slapped all of them. She would have a terrible hangover the next day, but he still hoped that she wouldn't remember anything..
"Éponine, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice loud enough so she could hear it above the deafening music "Get down from there!"
The brunette laughed overexcitedly, continuing her moves, ignoring him completely.
Something inside of him snapped. He didn't want to be there, he hated parties, he hated having to deal with a bunch of drunk guys and their stupid sense of humor. But most of all, he hated that he had been the one willing to go to the party, and not only that, he had actually wanted to go. Although he would never admit the real reason why it had happened. It definitely had a lot to do with the beautiful woman standing on the table, dancing like she had never danced before. He knew that she didn't like parties either, she had told him, and there was this glint in her eyes the first time she said it that he couldn't identify. Sadness? Fear? So then he had to go on and do what Marius had asked him to, he had practically forced her into this party. At first he thought that it would probably be fun, being with her and talking about anything, making fun of the rest of the guests, eating some pretzels and smiling. He thought that perhaps he would be able to understand what was going on with him. But everything had turned out exactly the opposite and it was all his fault. He didn't want this to happen. So he did the only thing he could: he grabbed her wrist and tugged her down.
Éponine slipped and he moved as fast as he could to catch her, the brunette falling into his arms. He was expecting her to start yelling at him or something the usual Éponine would do. But instead, her head lolled back and she began laughing. Enjolras let out a sigh and helped her get onto her feet as she continued to laugh at apparently nothing.
"Are you okay?" he asked, somehow relieved as the crowd began to disperse.
"I'm fine." She frowned almost imperceptibly and tried to stand up, only to trip over her own feet and almost fall down once more. Enjolras grabbed her tightly by the waist and sighed.
"You are not fine." He stated, brushing some strands of hair from her face and pulling her arm over his shoulders, the other hand still gripping her waist "Let's go."
As fast as he could with the inebriated girl in his arms, they made their way out of the apartment. A part of him was relieved that Marius and Cosette didn't see them, although he would've liked them to see what they had provoked. If it not were for their silly game, Éponine never would have had to come to the party, she wouldn't have to endure a terrible hangover the next day and she would never have met him. But as the fresh air of hallway hit their faces, Enjolras thought that he would still rather be with the brunette than inside that apartment full of drunks. He let her lean against his body for support as they stood inside the elevator. Despite his attempts of not enjoying her closeness, it seemed he couldn't stop himself, tilting his head ever so slightly and inhaling in the sweet fragrance of her hair, the warmth of her body too comforting for his own good.
As soon as they were out of the elevator and of the building, he walked her to the park in front of the building. He had learned (the hard way) that when people drank enormous amount of liquor, it was just a matter of time until they got sick. She let him support her as they made their way to the swings.
"This is so patronizing" she said casually, tilting her head to look up at him.
He groaned as he tightened his grip on her when she lost her balance "Leave it to you to use big words when you're highly intoxicated."
"I don't think so" she answered in a sing-song voice before shoving him away and trying to walk on her own, failing miserably when her knees buckled.
He hurried to her side and grabbed her once more, this time holding her waist and hand. He was not used to this Éponine, so carefree and childish at the same time. He was more used to the reserved and calm Éponine, the one who could kill with just one witty comment or make you burst out in laughter at the other.
"Why are you doing this?" Her voice was softer this time, as if the old Éponine, the sober one, had returned.
He looked down to her, his lips parted with surprise as he realized that he actually didn't know what to say. So he answered the first thing that came to his mind "Because I care about you."
He planted her firmly on a swing before taking the seat beside her. They stayed silent for a while, the only sounds their heavy breathings. The fresh air apparently seemed to wear the alcohol off, the dazed smile disappearing from her lips as she stared off into the distance. It wasn't until then that he realized what he had told her: he had said that he cared about her. Enjolras wasn't the kind of guy that easily said what he was feeling, even more when he himself couldn't understand it. What was happening to him? This was only a deal he had with Marius; as soon as he got what he wanted he would leave Éponine alone. Although he now doubted that he actually wanted to. He moved his gaze to her, a knot in his stomach tightening at the sight of her. High cheekbones and full lips, outlined by the silver light of the moon, dark brown hair dancing with the wind, golden eyes sparkling with the stars. He was lost.
"Why don't you like parties?" he questioned, breaking the silence at last.
"Huh?" she muttered, her now barely glassy eyes fixing on him "I just…I don't like being someone who I'm not, that's what parties are all about. Just look at this stupid dress" She mused fisting her skirt. She remained silent for a long moment until she spoke again "I don't want them to think that I'm a freak, I guess."
"I think you look beautiful in that dress. But then, you always look beautiful. And you are not a freak" he assured her, placing his hand over the chain of her swing, meeting her wide eyes. "And if not liking a party means that you are a freak, I guess we can be freaks together."
She let out a giggle before resting her head over the chain "Well, you know what they say…"
He chuckled and looked up to the sky "What do they say?"
He waited for her answer, only that it never came. Confused, he gazed down to her and found her bending over. Enjolras supported her petite frame with one arm and held her hair away from her face with the other as she expulsed all the alcohol from her system. He rubbed her back with soothing circles, feeling even guiltier than before. When she was done, she straightened and rested her head against the chain, her eyes closing and her lips parted as she breathed. He waited for her to open them once more, but after a while, he began growing worried.
"Éponine? Éponine, come on, wake up." He stood from his swing and knelt by her side, stroking her cheek softly, alternating it with some gentle pats "Open your eyes."
Her eyes fluttered open and he let out a relieved sigh, sitting back on his swing as she straightened slightly, her hand still trapped in his. He still found this drunken Éponine confusing, as if she was letting all her defenses down. Enjolras felt goosebumps all over his body as she stared at him as if she was seeing him for the first time in her life. And he couldn't help but to stare back.
"Hey" she murmured, her eyes sparkling under the lights of the sky, a soft smile in her lips "Your eyes have a little green in them."
Enjolras couldn't stop himself. The curves of his lips turned up slowly, until he chuckled softly and then, a bright smile appeared. It was the first time he let himself be lost in someone else. She smiled back, her dimples showing. Even if he knew that she probably wouldn't remember what happened tonight, he didn't care. Slowly, he leaned forward and placed his lips over the soft skin of her forehead. He felt her shiver and then let out a sigh, leaning into his touch. They stayed like this for what seemed to be hours, even days. He pulled apart and looked down to her, only to find her looking already at him, her eyes sparkling with something he couldn't identify. And at that moment, he realized that it was already too late to escape. He was lost.
Damn you, Marius Pontmercy.