Éponine went through her morning classes just fine. She sat by Cosette in Dr. Valjean's class, but today, Enjolras sat on her right side. Azelma sat by Courfeyrac in the row behind them. He assigned them some reading, but mostly the class just talked about their kids and how things were going. When class was dismissed, Enjolras waited for her to gather her things and say goodbye to Cosette before asking if she still wanted to get coffee and lunch. She nodded, and off they went to the union.
She ordered her usual white chocolate mocha, but when she went to pay, Enjolras stepped up to the counter and ordered his caramel macchiato, insisting on paying for both. When they called their names and handed over their drinks, they sat at a table and Éponine thanked Enjolras.
"You didn't have to do that. Just because we are living together doesn't mean anything." She told him.
She might have been imagining it, but she thought his face fell a little. "I was just being nice, but if it offended you, I won't do it again." He said, putting his shield up.
She sighed. "Don't be like that. I appreciate it. I really do. I'm sorry if I offended you by seeming unappreciative." She said, reaching a hand over to set on top of his on the table. She felt and saw him relax.
"I know. I guess Gavroche's words meant more to me than I thought." He said.
She gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?" She asked.
"Don't worry about it. We'll tell you someday." He responded, smirking at her.
"Oh, so you and the kid already have secrets from me. What is a girl supposed to do when living with two boys who gang up on her?" She said, throwing her hands in the air, making both of them laugh. They talked more, not feeling bad about their previous conversation. He told her what he had learned about Rachelle and Gavroche's past. She told him that it sounded kind of like Cosette and Fantine's situation. Fantine hadn't married Cosette's father, and he ran off before he even knew she was pregnant. She didn't have much money, so she worked in a bad factory for the first six years of Cosette's life. When Cosette was three, it got too hard to take care of herself and her child, so Fantine put Cosette in the care of another family, Éponine's family, in fact.
Fantine paid Éponine's father once a month, but her father still treated Cosette very badly. Éponine was her only friend, the only person who was nice to her for three years. The day Dr. Valjean came to get Cosette was the best day of the blonde's life, but the worst of Éponine's. Fantine had gotten sick, and Dr. Valjean promised to bring Cosette to her and take care of her, should the worst happen, which it did not. Meanwhile, their father started treating Éponine and Azelma as he had Cosette. Éponine had it the worst. She took the worst of the abuse and did the hardest jobs so that Azelma wouldn't have to.
When she was thirteen, Eponine's mom had a baby boy, whom neither of the parents wanted. Éponine took care of him for three years before her parents decided to kick him out, saying they didn't want to pay to feed his unhelpful mouth. If it was up to either parent, neither of the two girls would have ever gone to college, instead staying and helping to pay bills in unethical ways. But Éponine was very good in school. She was top of her class, and therefore had gotten a full ride to many universities. She decided to stay close to home, but not too close. The inn her father ran was two towns away, about a twenty minute car ride. She looked out for Azelma the first year she was here, until Azelma could join her. Azelma didn't get a full ride, but she got quite a bit of a scholarship. Éponine helped her get students loans, and was also helping her pay them off. They both worked at a diner near the Musain. Her freshman year, Éponine had applied and had been working there ever since. She had been promoted to Assistant Manager for her hard work, which meant she made twice as much as the regular employees.
When she walked into her room a few days before the first day of classes her freshman year, a blonde blur immediately pulled her into a hug. The blur quickly introduced herself as Cosette. Éponine just stared at the girl for a few minutes before asking if it was really her. When Cosette said "Of course I'm me. Who else would I be?" Éponine asked if she remembered her. Cosette thought for a moment, and then a look of recognition came over her face, remembering her old friend. She hugged her again, before introducing the brunette to her parents, Dr. Valjean and Fantine, who had gotten married in the nine years since the girls had last seen each other.
Over the next three years, they became reaquainted, and lived with each other in the dorms. Cosette always complained about how much Éponine studied and worked, until Éponine finally snapped halfway through sophomore year and explained why she did what she did. Cosette about cried when Éponine told her stories about the last nine years. About what her father had made her do. Cosette never complained again.
Éponine had fallen for Marius first, let that be known. He was in her one math class she had to take that wasn't in the education building. They became friends, and she fell hard. He didn't catch her. Instead, the first time Éponine introduced him to her roommate, and best friend, they fell in love with each other. Éponine never said anything to either of them. She just kept her repressed and unrequited feelings to herself. And now, we are caught back up to the present.
After they finished lunch, Enjolras walked Éponine to her last class of the day and then went to his own.
Éponine went back to their apartment for about an hour after her last class before walking to the elementary school to pick up Gavroche. She had to wait a few minutes for them to get out, but saw Cosette also waiting. She walked up to her friend.
"Hey 'Sette." The brunette said in greeting.
"'Ponine!" The blonde squealed, hugging her friend. "How was your day? More importantly, how was your lunch date?" She asked.
"Umm, good. But it wasn't a date."
"Yes, it was." Cosette said very matter-of-factly.
"How would you even know?" Éponine said. "I don't even remember telling you we were going to lunch."
"Well, first of all, you didn't tell me. That's because you didn't want me to know, because that would be proving that I'm right and you totally want to get with that. Second of all, he waited for you to get your things and say bye to me after class. He waited, Éponine. Not many guys do that for a girl they aren't dating. Thirdly, I happened to walk past the two of you in the union, and you were laughing, and you had your hand on his, on TOP of the table! Could you guys be anymore obvious? But you're adorable, and that's all that matters." She gushed.
"Well, then, I guess I should tell you that he also paid for my coffee…"
"EEEEEE!" The blonde squealed. "He totally has feelings for you. And I know you have feelings for him, even if you don't know it yet." Right then, the kids came tumbling out of the school. The two women quickly picked out Gavroche and Rachelle running towards them.
Each of them handed a piece of paper to the woman picking them up. "We made these today!" Rachelle said. The papers had different colored leaf rubbings covering the whole paper. There was hardly any white space.
"These are beautiful!" Cosette gushed. Éponine nodded her head as the children beamed with pride. "Are you two ready to go?" Cosette asked. They nodded, and started walking back to campus, with the women following behind. They chatted about classes and watched the kids in front of them until they got up to their doors. Cosette and Rachelle went in to their apartment, and Gavroche followed Éponine into theirs. He set down his backpack next to the door, but out of the way, before turning to Éponine.
"Eppy, will you play XBOX with me?" Éponine turned to the boy.
"What did you just call me?" She asked.
"Eppy? Is that okay? Everyone else seems to have a nickname for you." He asked, hesitantly.
She smiled the biggest smile before going over and pulling him into a hug. Shocked, it took him a moment to return it. "Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yes. Yes, you can call me Eppy. And how much homework do you have?" She said.
"Just one math worksheet."
"Okay. Right after dinner you have to do your homework, deal?" He nodded, and they walked over to the couch to set up the game. They chose to play Minecraft. And that is how Enjolras found them an hour later when he got back from class.
"Whoa! Who said you could play my XBOX? Especially without me?" He asked, walking into the apartment and setting down his bag, next to Gavroche's.
"Ummm…" Gavroche looked nervous at Enjolras' serious tone. Éponine laughed.
"Gav, he's not serious. Right?" She said, looking back at the older student, daring him to say he was serious.
Enjolras smiled, and winked at the boy. "I was kidding, Gav. You can play, as long as you as Éponine or I first." Gavroche's face broke out into a grin as he turned back to the game.
"Enjolras, we made so much! You have to look at my house! And my weapon room…" As Gavroche rambled on about what he had done in the hour of playing, Enjolras came and sat on the couch next to Gavroche, and behind Éponine, as she was sitting on the ground. "Do you want to play? I could get you another controller…" Gavroche asked.
"No, that's okay. I'm kind of tired. I'll just watch for a while." He responded. After another couple of minutes, Éponine leaned back, between Enjolras' open legs. "Comfortable?" He asked, smirking down at her.
"My back was starting to hurt, so I decided to lean back. Got a problem, Gabe?" She asked.
"N-Nope. N-None at a-all." He said. She looked up at him, unused to his stuttering. Éponine gave him a questioning glance. "You called me Gabe…" He said.
"Are you complaining? I can continue calling you Enjolras, if you want. It's just that it's so lo-"
"No, it's surprisingly okay. Coming from you." He told her.
"Can I call you Gabe?" Gavroche asked, reminding them that he was still there.
"Sure, buddy. You can both call me Gabe." He said, smiling fondly at both of the other students in the room.
A few minutes more had Enjolras' hands on Éponine's shoulders, softly rubbing the knots out of her back and neck. "Oh, my. That feels wonderful! Ugh!" She said.
He chuckled. "Oh, really? You do feel really tight…" He responded, smirking. She swatted at his right forearm.
"That was NOT okay, especially with a child in the room!" She said.
"I'm not a CHILD!" Gavroche said.
"I was just joking, Éponine. And the guys say I need to loosen up…" He took his hands away for a moment.
"DON'T STOP!" She shouted at him.
"That's what she said." He whispered into her hair, softly enough as to not let Gavroche hear. She swatted his arm again.
"You are insufferable." She told him.
"You make it too easy." He replied.
The three sat in silence for a little longer, just listening to the music and sound effects from the game.
"How did you learn how to give back rubs, anyways?" Éponine finally asked.
"Well, it's kind of a funny story…" He said, uneasily.
"Oh?" She asked, still focused mostly on the game.
"Yeah. I actually learned by trying things on myself. All of the stress of studying law, and before that, trying to be on top of the high school world. I would tense up until I would almost explode, so I just started rubbing my own shoulders and trying to work out unnecessary tension that only made it all harder. You are actually the first person I've tried this on, besides myself." He said.
"Impressive. Can I hire you to do this all the time?" She asked. He didn't respond. "Gabe?"
"Maybe, how are you going to repay me?" He said, smirking, clearly having his own agenda.
Éponine just rolled her eyes and mumbled a, "Nevermind."
A/N: So, how was installment #7? It's another kind of fluffy chapter with some backstory. I just love writing these three. And then when you throw Cosette in, AHH! I love it. Anyways, this week has been my spring break. I've gotten a lot of relaxing in, got a MacBook, which is where I'm sending this update from, but unfortunately not a lot of work or writing... Oh well. If you have a spring break, message me what you did, or are going to do, and if you don't, let me know what you wish you were doing! See you next week, or in your reviews! Love y'all!