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( august 1832 )
ONE MORNING, AS THE rising sun shined through the windows and cast golden rays on the dark oak flooring beneath their feet, Enjolras and Corinne both found themselves in the library. He was seated in one of the leather chairs, his face buried in a book, while she was busy dusting off the numerous shelves that lined the wall.
Only a quiet greeting was passed between the pair when she had entered the room to find him already there, but the silence that had since fallen over them was a comfortable one.
Occasionally, Enjolras would pause his reading to look up at her over his book, wondering if she was aware of the soft whistling that fell from her lips. He'd watch her for several moments, studying the crease between her brows as her face scrunched in concentration while also admiring the way her hair seemed to glow in the early morning sunlight, before he'd return his attention to his reading with a small smile on his face.
Corinne wished that she could've paused her ardent cleaning to say more than a simple "good morning" to him, though she forced herself not to do so. The library was, by far, her least favorite of all the rooms in the large home to clean. The countless books that lined that shelves, as well as the statues and other expensive adornments that filled the empty spaces, made it so dusting the room was an absolute nightmare.
She wished to finish her tedious work as quickly as possible in hope that, afterwards, she could perhaps have a moment or two to spend the man she knew was watching her from across the room.
Nearly an hour after her arrival, Corinne was in the midst of wiping away the dust that had collected on the mantle of the fireplace when a lengthy sigh suddenly grabbed her attention. She paused her cleaning just long enough to glance toward its source, only to find that Enjolras had lowered his book into his lap and was looking at her with a slight frown.
"I feel tired just from watching you," he commented, which earned a slight giggle from Corinne. Dusting was not at all a strenuous task! "Take a break, Corinne."
She rolled her eyes though found it impossible to object. It still surprised her that he seemed to enjoy her company as much as she did his, and she felt her heartbeat quicken as she watched his lips curl into a faint smile. "Allow me to finish dusting the mantle, and I will," she offered.
Enjolras nodded his acceptance and picked up his book once more. Corinne watched him for a moment longer before she realized that she was staring a little too openly at his full lips as he mouthed the words he was reading– were they as soft as they looked? Turning away, she quickly swept away the last bit of dust that lingered on the mantle.
