A/N: This part is really hard for me to write because I know what I want to happen towards, I just don't know how I want to get to that point. Disclaimer: I do not own Les Mis. I do own Clara though.
Enjolras woke before the sun had even graced the Earth with its presence, but he still woke up after Eponine. The rain was still coming down and it was so thick that Enjolras could barely make out Eponine standing in the middle streets singing to herself again.
It was a melancholy tune that Enjolras didn't recognize, and he couldn't pick out the words. It almost sounded like a solemn lullaby.
When Enjolras attempted to sit up, an uncomfortable wave of hunger hit him so hard his vision blurred for a moment. A pain that he had never experienced before shot up his stomach and all he wanted to do was throw a fit.
He forced himself to stand up, and he entered the sea of rain to reach Eponine who seemed like an oasis in a desert.
"Eponine," he croaked. Eponine spun around to look at him, greeting him with a smile, but it quickly faded away when she regarded him.
"Are you alright?" she asked him with concern. She knew that he wasn't, however. She knew that he was so hungry that he would do almost anything for food. She knew that he had snapped. And it had only taken a couple skipped meals and no warm bed.
"I need to eat something," he said cupping his hands around his mouth to project his weak voice. Eponine had reached this moment of hunger many times in her life, too many times to count. But she also knew that the feeling of hunger would get better eventually. He wasn't in any real danger, he was just so used to eating and this was an abrupt change.
"We will have to wait until the rain clears; there is no way to get food until then," Eponine said with a twinge of regret.
Enjolras took another step, only to be hit with another wave of hunger.
"Yes there is a bloody way to get food!" Enjolras yelled. Eponine took a step back in surprise at his sudden harshness. "I can just go to my flat and get some food! It's easy and it's legal and I'm going."
Enjolras had been like an hourglass; the sand starts out in a large pile and slowly loses bits and bits of sand until suddenly it all just goes away. Enjolras' common sense had just slipped away from him as the hunger began to take its place and the hourglass was reset, only this time the result of the hourglass would result in Enjolras starving to death if he didn't get some food.
It would take a very long time, of course, and Enjolras would definitely get some food in him before that time, but he wasn't thinking straight and he was certain he was about to perish.
"You are leaving so soon? We still have five more days left after today, are you sure you want to just leave?" Eponine said almost surprised that Enjolras had given up so fast, it wasn't like him.
"I can't take this feeling Eponine. I need food, and I have access to it. I can end this hunger," Enjolras said selfishly. Eponine was infuriated at the words coming out of his mouth.
"You can end the hunger for you, but what about people like me? We have to go through this every single day! The people on the streets cannot just simply walk into a flat and conveniently get food from there! We have to steal and do immoral things to get money and food just to survive. You want to fix the problem, but you are too selfish to understand it! Your revolution's purpose is to form a new government for the people, but how can you even begin to do that when you can't get the people to support you and you don't even understand what they go through?" Eponine shouted rage boiling inside of her.
"I understand the predicaments now that the poor have to suffer through. This feeling is horrible and I hope to never experience again," Enjolras said bitterly. Eponine shook her head sadly.
"You think you understand, but you have only felt this intense hunger for about five minutes. Some people have felt it their entire lives and the hunger is even worse for them; some even die from the lack of nourishment. You will not die after a week of not having proper meals every day, you will merely feel uncomfortable. You, Enjolras, are not tough enough to stay with me," Eponine spat.
"I'm sorry Eponine, but I can't even think straight right now. I just need to get some food," Enjolras pleaded. Eponine crossed her arms and stared at him, not responding to him at all. She had a feeling that Enjolras might not last the entire week, she just didn't think it would end so soon.
Enjolras turned and walked away ashamed and starving. He glanced behind him to see that Eponine had already jetted off, and Enjolras felt so guilty it almost made his hunger cease.
Eponine was so affronted by Enjolras' behavior, the small feeling that had been previously brewing in her stomach for him seemed to evaporate. She definitely wasn't in love with Enjolras. She probably had just assumed she had feelings for him because she had spent a lot of time with him in one day and she was so tired she felt something that wasn't real. It also didn't hurt that Enjolras was quite attractive.
Meanwhile, Enjolras trudged through the rain wondering where Eponine had gone off to when he realized that she still had his coat and shoes.
He knew it would make more sense at this point to grab some food from inside his flat since it was right there, but a huge part of him wanted to prove to Eponine that he was tough enough to keep up with her frail little body and that he didn't have to get his way and give in to the hunger.
Turning on his heels, he ran as fast as he could back in the direction that he came so he could find Eponine. He searched for her first in the café (he wasn't surprised when she wasn't there, he just thought he ought to try), then he scouted through the area that was near the café, and when he didn't find her there he searched in the area around the Seine, and finally took off to find her where her father's gang hung around.
When Enjolras was on his way there he heard a girl screaming for help. He recognized that voice. That voice made his blood turn cold and his heart beat faster. It's amazing what affect that voice had on him.
Enjolras ran as fast as his feet could carry him to the direction of the constant screeching from the lady. He knew that they had fought, but he had to admit, he did love her at the end of the day.
The girl's name was Clara.
He turned a corner where he saw her fist fighting someone in front of a horseless carriage. He almost wanted to laugh, he never thought he would see her fight someone. Her blonde curls were messy and wet underneath her perfect pink bonnet, her corset looked like it was suffocating her, and her dress was exquisitely decorated with pearls and bows.
She looked like a doll, and it made Enjolras roll his eyes. She had always been spoiled.
Clara obviously hadn't spotted Enjolras yet because she was calling still desperately calling for help as she wrangled with someone else. Enjolras started moving forward to separate the girls.
Enjolras hadn't paid attention to the girl that she was fighting until the girl let out a cry when Clara scratched her face and left a bloody mark. He recognized the other girl's voice too. And it sounded nice to his tired ears. He now saw her knotted brown locks and her torn brown dress underneath his bright red jacket.
Eponine was in a fist fight with Clara. Eponine was beating up his sister.
"Stop it! Break it up!" Enjolras shouted driving himself between the two.
"Oh, Enjolras, it's so good to see you again! Thank you!" Clara said at the same time as Eponine shouted somewhat angrily, "Of course you're here to save the day again!"
They gave each other strange looks. Eponine was mildly fascinated by Clara; she thought that she might be Enjolras' lover.
At the same time, Clara was disgusted and angry at the gamine. She couldn't believe the little street rat had tried to rob her! She was even more surprised that she seemed to know her brother, Enjolras.
Enjolras was uncomfortable, to say the least. He had never intended to see his sister again, even though he was grateful for her and the money she gave him.
"Ladies what happened here?" Enjolras said with an authoritative tone in his voice. Eponine looked sheepish and Clara looked infuriated.
"This little gamine tried to rob me! I had the carriage stopped for a moment because it was lightning outside and I didn't want the horses to spook, and I told the driver he should leave and stay at an inn until the storm passes over. All of a sudden, the door was viciously swung open and this girl tried to steal from me," Clara snapped with her blue eyes looking crazed.
Enjolras sighed at looked sadly at Eponine. He wasn't mad nor was he disappointed; no he was empathetic for her. And he was shameful at himself for running off and leaving her alone.
"Eponine is my friend and I know she wouldn't steal unless she had to. Let this all blow over. Eponine, this is my sister Clara. Clara, meet Eponine," Enjolras said, cringing as he waited for their reactions.
Neither Eponine nor Clara moved to shake hands. Finally, after what seemed to be years of great silence, Eponine spoke.
"Enjolras has mentioned you. He really appreciated all you have done for him," Eponine said trying to make amends with Clara. Clara sniffed and turned her chin up at Eponine refusing to look at her.
Enjolras groaned. He did not know what he should do in this situation, and he wasn't exactly sure whose side he needed to take.
But he chose Eponine's side. In the end, even if it was unintentional, it would always be Eponine.
"Clara, Eponine was starving and desperate. If she had the food you did the thought of stealing would never cross her mind. But she has to stay alive somehow," Enjolras said delicately. Clara threw her hands up and Eponine looked embarrassed.
"So now you are defending this… this thing? This filth? Enjolras you know that I thought it was harsh that mother and father cut you off from your money, but I did agree with them about politics," Clara said coldly glaring at Eponine.
"Well, if our roles were reversed, you would be stealing from me! If you were this hungry, you would go through drastic lengths to gets scraps to eat just to survive! Do not judge me; you do not know me," Eponine returned just as coldly.
"Well, Eponine, you don't have to resort to stealing," Clara sneered.
"I think I do, actually. As I said, you do not know me," Eponine retorted.
"Clara, I have spent the past couple nights on the streets, and I know that when you reach a point of immense hunger, you do desperate things to quench your hunger such as stealing. Or abandoning a friend," he said directing the last part at Eponine.
She wanted so bad to forgive him, after all if she was that hungry (which she was most of the time) and she had an opportunity for food, she would take it. However, she was Eponine Thenardier and Eponine was not a forgiving person.
"I do not understand the things you do, brother. However, I may as well tell you the reason that I came to visit Paris. I was lonely, Enjolras. I have no friends anymore, they are all busy being wives and mothers while I mope around at home with no man in my life. I came to visit you for some company," she said sadly.
Eponine felt no sympathy for the girl, but Enjolras immediately wanted to help his sister.
"Of course you can stay with me! However, if Eponine would allow, I would like to spend the remainder of the week with her on the streets. You can sleep in my flat, and during the day I can ask my friends to keep you company in the café," Enjolras planned.
Eponine was silent for a moment before she spoke, "I do not mind having you for the rest of the week. I will choose to ignore what happened earlier today."
Clara shrugged and said his idea sounded fine to her.
"I shall wait for my driver to come back. I will see you later, Enjolras," Clara mumbled hopping back in the carriage.
Enjolras turned to Eponine and he began to offer her an apology.
"You don't need to say anything, I told you I will forget about what happened this morning. But I cannot forgive it; not yet," Eponine said with a rough edge to her voice.
Eponine sighed pulling the jacket tightly around her as she thought, This is going to be a longer week than I ever imagined.
A/N: Ugh I was not pleased with this chapter, but I really wanted to have Clara in the story and I thought this was a good way to fit her in. Also, this was my way of slowing down the relationship between Enjolras and Eponine. It will definitely pick up again in later chapters, so don't worry.