Les Misérables | Regulus A. Black [1]

Chapter Fifty-Seven

[Chapter Fifty-Seven]

When Éponine asked him to sit down, Regulus could feel the sudden onset of nerves. Despite being on Death's doorstep the night before, she appeared to be in good health, and even more so, a good mood. However, he couldn't help but feel the stiffness of his body as he took the empty spot beside her. She wore a smile, but there was a certain jitteriness to her movements that he had yet to see from Éponine. And Regulus knew that Éponine could put on a brave face if necessary, so the question remained, was she really happy or was all hell about to break loose?

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Regulus asked her in a quiet voice. "If not-"

"Regulus, trust me, I'm fine," she said, "in fact, I've never felt better. Really. I wasn't feeling well last night, but I'm happy right now."

Regulus didn't want to question her happiness, but he couldn't help but wonder if there was something else that needed to be addressed. But before he could ask, Éponine turned to face him on the bed and grabbed both of his hands gently. As per usual, her hands were cold unlike the rest of her body, so naturally, Regulus held onto hers to warm them up.

"I swear your hands are always cold," he muttered, " it's a good thing you have me around."

When he looked up, Regulus expected Éponine to either blush and look away, or something to show signs of embarrassment. However, she only looked at him wearing a soft smile. Clearly, there was something she had to say to him.

"You know, Regulus, back when my parents first told me that I had to marry you, it really did feel like my life was over. Not to sound dramatic or anything, but I thought once I didn't have to marry your brother that I was going to be free to do the things I wanted to do. But then it was announced that we were arranged and well, we didn't get along very well before, did we?"

He didn't dare answer the question, unsure of where Éponine was going with the conversation and feeling even more nervous than before.

"But over the summer and over the holidays, you proved to me that you weren't the person I thought you were. You weren't just doing things because your parents were telling you to do them. You became so supportive of me and everything I wanted to do. I've got to experience so many things and actually make my own decisions, because of you. I wanted to take a moment and thank you for everything that you've done. You made me realise that my parents don't need to determine everything in my life. But I want to take it one step further...hopefully, with you."

No matter how many times Éponine had rehearsed what she wanted to say in her head, she felt like she wasn't getting her message across to Regulus very well. It didn't help that he looked absolutely petrified at the moment.

"Regulus, you don't even know what I'm about to say, and already you look like I'm hovering over you with a knife!" she laughed.

"Well, can you blame me? First, you were sick enough to be brought to the Hospital Wing last night, then you come up to me saying we need to talk and you're talking about how you didn't want to marry me before! What am I supposed to think, Épi? What am-"

Suddenly, it was like Éponine could hear all the times where she had started rambling off when she was nervous. It was so odd to experience the role revearsal where she was clearly the confident one and Regulus had become the timid. She quickly squeezed one of his hands in hers.

"Regulus, what I'm trying to tell you is, I don't want my parents or even your parents to determine our entire lives together. I don't want to live up to their expectations. I want us to have our own goals and our own expectations. I don't want to marry you because I have to, I want to marry you because I love you. Do you get what I'm saying?"