Life's Great Happiness (A Les Miserables FanFiction)

Les Amis de l'ABC

A week had passed since Marguerite had stood in front of the Café, a week since she had longed to go in and see the angel speak and be passionate, about what? She didn’t care, she only wanted to look at him regardless of what words escaped his lips. During that week Marguerite received one more black eye, she had broken her right arm and a scar etched onto her left calf. During that week she had met with Montparnasse four times. The two formed a strange friendship for it was strange because Marguerite hated the sound of Montparnasse’s voice and Montparnasse in turn despised Marguerite’s profession and her lack of care for her own appearance. Perhaps they were so close because Montparnasse thought Marguerite to be beautiful and perhaps Marguerite was lonely and just needed someone, it mattered not who that person was.

The reason mattered not for these two young children (because no matter what they had done or gone through that is what they were) were drawn to each other and neither tried to explain it, they simply fell into place beside the other.

A week had passed since Montparnasse had escorted Marguerite to Café Musain and while he wasn't one to get attached, especially to a young woman like Marguerite but he couldn't help but walk past the alley he had once seen her in with her boss the week before for that seven days, he had met her there two of the four times they had met that week and the other two he had met her on the street, he'd seen her and walked over, smiling with a dip of his hat, she smirked and took his arm and then the two sat, ate, argued, laughed even, when they felt like it.

To the eyes of those who saw them the two looked like long-time lovers, basking in the glow of each other without realizing it. Montparnasse watched the prostitute with glee, amusement danced in his eyes. Never had he met such a witty, intelligent whore (he almost felt bad for calling her such a name in his thoughts). She wasn't intelligent about books or words but the world; she saw it as it was, cold and cruel, only existing in vanity and greed. Montparnasse had never met a woman so beautiful, whore or not she was beautiful, blue eyes, dark lashes, perfect lips and her jagged cut short black hair was more charming than off putting.

Montparnasse watched her intently, traced her face with his eyes and smiled.

But what did Marguerite think of the criminal Montparnasse? She thought him to be sly, too cunning and too evil, there was a blackness in his heart, a different kind of black than what she had. He had murdered, she had been killed, his heart pumped with death while hers was broken by life. Marguerite couldn't help but single out all their differences but she was lonely, deeply and unfix-ably lonely so she basked in the glow of Montparnasse's eyes, his spring filled eyes watched her and she watched them watch her with a heavy heart.

'I marvel at you, how might a whore be like you?' Montparnasse asked in wonder, slightly mocking and slightly serious.

'I'd say I'm one in 'million, what whore is like me? I'd laugh If you could think of one.' Marguerite said seriously with a hint of a smirk, it was the fourth day in which they spent with each other.

'I'd say you think too much of yourself but then I fear you'll stop gracing me with your presence.' Sarcasm dripped from the bandit's cherry lips but he smiled as if his words were true.

'This is where I say goodbye; If I never see you again it'll be too soon.' This was the farewell Montparnasse was always met with, Marguerite's full lips picked up in a small teasing smile (one Montparnasse was sure she'd used on hundreds of men but he didn't mind, he was lost in the sight regardless) as she left.

Never knowing Montparnasse watched her leave, watched her every step but, dear reader, have this knowledge: Marguerite wouldn't have cared if she had known.

***

'Mademoiselle! It's been too long! A week and a day it's been!' Courfeyrac chirped as he came across a familiar beautiful face on the street.