A Heart Full of Love: An Eposette Love Story

Gavroche-Eponine

"Eponine, I have to get home," Cosette said. "My father is probably worried sick."

Eponine sighed. She knew that what Cosette said was true, but she wasn't sure if her girlfriend could make it by herself.

"I'll help you," Eponine offered. "Like you did for me."

Cosette shook her head. "I can make it myself, I swear. We all need to get home, and then this terrible night will be over."

Eponine reluctantly nodded. "Just be careful," she advised.

Cosette stood and hobbled away. As Eponine watched her, she heard quiet footsteps approaching her.

"'Ponine," Gavroche said softly. "Who's that?"

Eponine hesitated. "A friend."

Gav stared at Cosette's diminishing figure. "Did father hurt her? How?"

"Yes," Eponine replied. "She was protecting me."
Gavroche suddenly looked angry. He seemed to be realizing something.

"He's never going to stop, is he?"

Eponine looked solemnly at her little brother. She shook her head. "No."

Gavroche turned to face Eponine, his face showing that he now knew something he hadn't before.

"I understand it now," he said. "Why we need to rebel. I didn't really before. But I do now. If you tell the cops about father, he'll go join the chain-gang, and we'll be all alone. You'll lose the house and we'll all be even hungrier. There's no winning."

Eponine examined her brother curiously. "What are you saying, Gav?"

Gavroche had a queer expression on his face. He breathed deeply.

"I need to join them. The Les Amis."

Eponine's eyes widened. "Gavroche! No! It's too dangerous!"

"I can fight," Gavroche insisted. "I'm strong and you know it."

Eponine did, but this was too far. "No, Gav, you're to little. Little people can't fight!"

Gavroche looked offended. "Little people can too fight! We'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up!"

"Gavroche-"

"I'm going and you can't stop me!"

Eponine tried to grab her brother but he was too fast for her, especially with what her father had done to her legs.

Gavroche was gone, and Eponine knew she had to stop what he planned to do.
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The summer heat was broiling as Eponine tried to make her way back to the café. She hadn't been there since January, and couldn't quite remember its location.

Eponine worried that Gavroche would hide from her if he saw her at the café, so she had disguised herself.
She knew a homeless man who enjoyed dressing in girls' clothing, so she had traded her short white frock and long brown skirt in exchange for his plain shirt, trousers, and trench coat.