It's me again! Hope you're all well :)
Happy birthday Eponine! Not in the chapter, but dateswise, anyway. Prizes for anyone who guesses why I picked this date
Disclaimer: I can but dream, ladies and gents.
It took a while for them to pluck up the courage to stop kissing, but eventually Éponine pulled back and shrieked "SHIT, I have to go to work!" before darting into her room and emerging five minutes later in clean clothes with her hair pulled back. She dashed to the door, shouting "BYE!" behind her.
Enjolras stayed where he was, not moving a muscle. He was determined to memorize everything he possibly could about the morning; the way she wriggled in her sleep; how she had sounded so husky and content and just plain SEXY when she woke up; the feel of her lips on hers, the brand new firework–esque sensations that came with their touch mingling with the inexplicably familiar way his senses were filled with something raw, intoxicating, Éponine. There was no way he was ever forgetting this. He would make sure of that.
Musichetta was rolling out dough for croissants when she heard the door into the kitchen bang. Éponine's here. She stopped rolling, her stomach tying itself in knots with worry: Joly had told her what happened, including how Éponine had broken down and begged, clinging to Enjolras for support. Why the hell would she come in today?! Maybe she just wants to get out the house. And who knew the marble man was king of sympathy, anyway? She turned around, expecting to see a broken woman, ready to offer a hug and a day off but –
"Hey, 'Chetta!" was the chipper greeting from a grinning Éponine.
What? But… what?! "Hi!"
"Isn't it a beautiful day outside? Want me to open up?"
"Yeah… I… Éponine, what's… what's going on?"
"What makes you think anything's going on?"
"Well, I heard about -"
"OK if I tell you something do you swear you won't mention it to anyone, not even Bossuet and ESPECIALLY not Joly?"
"What? Yeah, I –" WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?
"I fucking mean it as well; I will kick your ass!"
Musichetta laughed. "As though you could."
Éponine grinned. "What if I told you that I might be really into someone?"
"Really?!"
"Really really"
"It's not Pontmercy?"
"Credit me with some intelligence, Chet! Also he's engaged"
"True. So who is it?"
"I don't want to say, you'll take the piss"
"So it's one of the guys?"
"I am so not telling you."
"OH MY GOD IS IT GRANTAIRE?"
"WHAT!? NO! He's gay!"
"Oh right, yeah. Jehan?"
"Why the hell would it be Jehan?!"
"I don't know, he just popped into my head"
"You think weird."
"Rich! Hmmm. I need to narrow this down. Ok, when did this happen?"
"Yesterday and today"
"…continuously?"
"Well… I didn't wake up alone this morning"
"FUCKING HELL IT'S COURFEYRAC!"
"He wishes!"
"Bahorel?"
"Ditto"
"Not Combeferre?"
"Nope!"
Oh… hang on. Oh please no… "Oh God, not Montparnasse again, 'Ponine –"
"Huh? Oh, GOD, no. Not after what happened with Az-"
It was like a light going out. The dancing sparkles in her eyes died immediately. Shit. When Éponine spoke again, the false cheeriness was heart-breaking. "It's not him!"
"Ép, I'm so sorry, are you ok? That was dumb of me, I'm really sorry."
"No! No. I just…" she paused for a second, rubbing her forehead. When she continued, it was barely louder than a whisper. "GOD, I'm a terrible fucking person, aren't I?"
"Oh, Éponine" Musichetta walked forwards, wrapping her friend in a tight hug. "You're the bravest and best girl I know, of course you're not a terrible person"
"My little sister hasn't even been d-dead a day, and I come bouncing in here talking about boys, I mean for fuck's sake, what am I doing?!"
"Wouldn't she be happy you're happy?"
"LESS THAN A DAY."
"Everybody grieves differently, it's just –"
"but it's like I'm not even grieving, I forgot. I FORGOT about it this morning since I was with En – with this guy."
"That's ok. You didn't forget about HER, you just… you don't have to think endlessly about it"
"less than a day. I'm fucking heartless."
"Joly says Gavroche is ok, do you think he's heartless?"
"He's ten and they weren't very close"
"You're only twenty. And it's great that someone is making you happy. You could do with a healthy relationship!"
"I… ARGH I don't even know what it is! It just sort of happened, and I let it go, and was totally decided it was a bad idea and to leave it and he said the same and then it was later on and after… and I was so angry and sad and –"
"wait, it happened earlier in the day?"
"Yeah, in… in the café." Hang on… HANG ON…
"SHITTING COCKBALLS IT'S ENJOLRAS!"
He was still lying there, giddy. He played it through over and over and over in his mind, every detail. Then he thought about how different it had been from earlier, in the café; so much softer, less… wall pinning, and yet no less passionate or… well. You know. Enjolras certainly knew.
It took a good half an hour for the old Enjolras overthinking panic to set in. Wait, but she didn't want anything to do with me after that. She as good as told me she didn't want me, that we don't do "that". Maybe she just felt guilty because I'd looked after her all night. Maybe that's her way of saying thank you and it has nothing to do with me at all! And Pontmercy – he's still engaged, that situation hasn't changed at all, she'll feel the same still, right?
I am such an idiot.
Why didn't I just put her to bed?! Why did I get involved?! THIS IS WHY I DON'T GET INVOLVED EVER!
She did kiss me, though.
Come on, it was just a thank you.
But all of us look after her and nobody but me has got THAT.
Because you insist on being peoples' knight in shining armour!
But she kissed me
But PONTMERCY
But she kissed me
But –
"Morning, Enjolras!" the happy morning greeting of his best friend cut off his internal debate. "Why… are you on the sofa?"
"Erm"
"Are those the same clothes as last night… are you ok?"
"I'm fine" he snapped.
"Oh, that's a no then."
"I'm FINE, Combeferre."
"Is it something to do with Éponine?"
"No."
"Is it though?"
"N-" Enjolras sighed dramatically. "FINE. I'm freaking out, I don't know what to do."
He couldn't see but he had a feeling Combeferre was smirking. Dick.
Sorry, it's kind of filler-y but the dreaded block hit and I needed to get something down, and hopefully it's not too boring!
Review? Pretty please! :)