A Heart Full of Love: An Eposette Love Story

Les Amis-Eponine

TW: Physical and verbal abuse

January 1832

Eponine shivered in the frigid, January air. Her barefeet ached on the icy pavement as she slowly walked home. She had already slipped twice, and the second time was starting to leave a nasty bruise on her shoulder.

She hoped Gavroche was okay, and that Azelma had found some wood for the fire.

When she got to the door of her house, Eponine burst inside, thankful to feel warmth radiating from the inside.

"Took you forever," Madame Thenardier hissed. "What were you doing?"

"Looking for, Gav, Mama, since you never do," Eponine replied coldly.

"Ahh that boy can take care of himself. Don't be so rude to your mother, Eponine. Your father wouldn't be so nice if you gave him that attitude."

Eponine rolled her eyes and walked into her room, closing the door behind her.

"'Zelma," she whispered in the darkness.

She heard her sister snore from the other end of the room.

"Well goodnight," Eponine said to her sleeping younger sister, as she pulled a thin blanket over herself and snuggled onto the thin mattress next to her.

She laid her head down and thought of Cosette. It had been seven months since they had met. Seven. Eponine found it hard to believe; it had seemed like time had passed much faster. Over that time, they had progressed far in their relationship. In August, they had started to refer to themselves as girlfriends and in October, on a night almost as cold as this one, Eponine had gone inside Cosette's to get warm.

They had to be quiet, but Eponine hadn't minded.

Now Eponine went into Cosette's house on most of the nights they met, since the garden was too cold, even with blankets.

They did not want to spend more nights apart just because of some snow.
-----------------------
"Hey 'Ponine," Gavroche chirped, running on his short legs up to the Thenardier front door. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Me and 'Zelma just got back from fetchin' firewood," Eponine answered.

Gavroche nodded, but he seemed distracted. Eponine could tell that he wasn't really paying attention to her.

"You hungry?" Eponine asked. "I can sneak you out some bread."

"From your rich boyfriend?"

Eponine blushed. Cosette periodically managed to get Eponine to accept food. Though she tried to decline, Eponine still found herself walking home with a loaf under her arm.

"Anyways I am hungry," Gavroche said. "But I don't need nothin' from you. Courf promised he'd get me somethin' at the Café!"

"Who even is this "Courf?" Eponine asked. "Marius never introduced me."

"Well he's nice enough, but I's only see him when I go visit the Café."

"The one where the students planning the rebellion hang out?"

Gavroche hung his head, but nodded. "But I swear, 'Ponine, I ain't doing that stuff. They just feed me sometimes."

"Then let me come."

"Huh?"

"I said, let me come," Eponine said. "If you're telling the truth, then you don't have anything to worry about."

"No, 'Ponine, no."

"Why not? Are girls allowed there?"

"Yeah, but-"