A Stolen Heart

Les Miserable AU - Slow burn Enjonine pairing with a twist...

Disclaimer - I do not own Les Miserable or any of the characters. If I did, it would not have been so miserable.

Eponine was a Parisian girl of only seventeen, yet she was wise beyond her years. A street urchin, a thief, cunning and sly, but bad? No. Although tattered and neglected, her heart was whole and pure. She was resolute in her beliefs and so the calls of Les Amis de L'ABC from above were too much to resist.

She was drawn from her perch in the café musain, where she normally remained for the duration of these meetings, to the stairway where Marius Pontmercy had disappeared not five minutes before. She crept up the timber steps silently in a way only a street rat could and watched from the landing below the room. A strikingly handsome man stood proudly at the head of the long table. She had seen him about the town many times before but never had she seen him talk with such passion swelling in his voice. Eponine was captivated by his speech. The boys sat around him murmuring their agreement until they were shouting in unison. He finished with a final flourish and all around they cheered and raised their glasses. It all seemed a bit pretentious to Eponine though. Leaning forwards, the wood creaked beneath her feet, and his fierce dark eyes locked onto hers. How had he heard her over the roar of the drinking men? Eponine stared back in defiance to his cold glare burning into her skin. The mop of blonde curls adorning his head did not even detract from the intensity of his mien. Just a step in her direction sent Eponine flying. She was gone in a heartbeat, leaving this man wondering if she had ever been there at all.

Eponine shrank into the shadows outside the cafe and waited. She waited almost an hour in the darkness before Marius finally appeared, still looking over his shoulder into the cafe as if he had misplaced something. When Eponine realised that he was actually looking for her, since she usually waited inside, the delight she felt pushed a giddy grin onto her face.

"Looking for something, Monsieur?" She stepped from the shadows boldly.

"Eponine! I thought you had left without me for a moment." Marius smiled warmly at his friend, oblivious to the effect his kindness has upon her.

"But, Monsieur, the streets are far too dangerous for you to walk home alone." She joked as they began to make their way across the cobbled street that led from the cafe. Marius scoffed.

"I must apologise for my lateness tonight, though. Courfeyrac had me engaged in a most interesting discussion after Enjolras had finished." He had a thoughtful yet amused smirk playing on his lips as he recounted the conversation.

"I ventured a look at your meeting tonight, I hope you don't mind. Is that how it goes every night? The glaring man shouts and you all cheer?" Eponine questioned him and he laughs at this.

"Sometimes, Enjolras I believe you are referring to, yes he presents a speech, but often we discuss our plans for the revolt in a less flamboyant manner. Anyhow, what did you think of it?" Marius appears eager to learn the street urchin's opinion on their plans.

"I think you are simply a group of bourgeoise boys playing war. Forgive me if I have offended you, but what do any of those men know of real oppression? Have even one of your friends slept without a bed for but one night?" She surprised herself with her outburst but Eponine was not one to tread lightly on such an issue.

Marius considered this for a moment. The streets were quiet but for the pair's footsteps upon the cobbled road.

"No, I believe not. Perhaps you are right, Eponine, but our revolution, it is all for children of the street such as you."

Eponine warmed to his honest words and withheld her further doubts.

"I suppose. Would you care to divulge the subject of your musings with Monsieur Courfeyrac?" She quickly changed the subject and thankfully Marius did not push the issue any further.