I own nothing related to Les Mis...except a slightly unhealthy obsession :)

She walked down the pathway with her boots making loud clunks, falsely alerting people ahead that there was someone rather large behind them, instead of a small waif of a girl.

Tears began to sting her face, but she fought them back while furiously biting her lower lip. Once outside of the café, she walked even faster, keeping her eyes fixed on the familiar dark streets. Her face grew hot, knowing that she would not be able to fight off the sickening urge to sob for long. "Get ahold of yourself daft girl, what did you expect him to do, swoop you into his arms, and you'd both go walking off into the sunset?" Eponine scolded herself for what seemed like the millionth time.

She'd fought this inner battle before, but it seemed like her heart had somehow managed to win every time.

She made her way closer to the girl Cosette's house, delivering a letter that would most likely eliminate all of her hopes and fancies with the only person in the world she let herself care about. Hope that maybe she would someday finally win the affections of Marius Pontmercy.

Marius…that silly fool…a fool that she could not avoid thinking about no matter how hard she tried. How could he betray her like this for that dainty little Cosette? Just because she was beautiful, delicate, kind, and gentle…everything Eponine wasn't.

Well it really isn't betrayal when you take a moment to think about it. He was never yours to begin with, her mind reasoned.

Oh, won't you shut up! She admonished her conscience while begrudgingly wiping her eyes with a clean sleeve. He probably won't see anything in her, even if I do deliver this,she thought in comfort.

Denial is a sad color on you. You know better than anyone that once he laid eyes on her, he was lost cause for you. There's no turning back the wheels of infatuation, said the other voice.

Dull pain caught in her chest. She knew what was coming between the young girl and boy, but she felt powerless to stop it.

All the while she was lost in her thoughts, Eponine clumsily collided into a taller figure, sending papers scattering everywhere onto the floor. "I'm such an idiot! Forgive me!" she exclaimed, dropping down onto her knees to quickly help the stranger.

The person stood for a moment before recognizing the girl. "No harm done here, mademoiselle."

Eponine paused in her scurrying to look up at the mysterious fellow who had addressed her. She gave him a small smile. "M'sieur Enjolras! What luck to find you here!"

"I could say the same to you. Where are you off to in such a hurry?" he asked with a serious look in his eyes.

Although Eponine ultimately kept her sights settled on her beloved Marius, this other man's handsome face always mesmerized the girl. However, this was a feeling she always kept mum, for she knew no one of his standing would ever look upon her. His daunting aura alone was enough to put off anyone from readily approaching him.

She watched him give many a passionate speech in the café, fully inspiring the frustrated youths that surrounded him with just the power of his words. The student seemed to have great devotion to the nation and his people, something she found to be greatly admired in someone so young who cherished such promising ideals.

Unfortunately, a hard life had made Eponine lose faith in these same ideals a long time ago. She eventually found it simpler to look after herself, due to the weathered spirit within her that had accumulated from the trust and security she had been denied throughout the years. Raised by parents driven by greed and pettiness, it was no wonder that Eponine had found refuge away from her home, and eventually the streets, where she learned the ways of the world around her.

Even though she could not be considered a scholar, it was understood that the girl could not be denied her street smarts from those who knew her well.

Despite all this, Eponine still admired Enjolras's vigor for a greater good, but she never knew what to make of Marius's brooding friend whenever she came around them. In her point of view, he was always distant and a bit intimidating to approach when he was not addressing a crowd.

Perhaps it was her own insecurities that kept her from ever attempting to converse with him previously, fearing that her inferior background would hinder her from ever being able to carry on a proper conversation, especially with a brilliant student who always had his nose in a book.

The young man's voice shook her back to attention.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Hmm? What? Oh yes! Sorry…what did you say?" she admitted while blushing in embarrassment. What a sophisticated way to start off a conversation! She thought to herself.

"I was asking what happened, you look as if you've been weeping?" Enjolras asked uncomfortably, not accustomed to the emotional aspect of consoling others.

"What? No I haven't…It's probably this cold weather that's turning my nose all red," she defended.

"And your eyes?" he jested with a concerned visage.

She looked up at him in wonder…He should smile more often, Eponine thought, but then looked down quickly, cursing herself silently for letting her stupid emotions run wild once again. "Oh it's nothing to worry over…petty urchin troubles, that's all," she said cheerfully.

"Judging from that look on your face, I'm sure your troubles are in no way petty," he said in earnest.

"Well…I appreciate your concern, but I can assure you, I'm right as rain," she said with a small smile, handing him the many papers that were previously tossed onto the floor. "You've been quite busy haven't you," she commented while trying to divert the conversation.

Enjolras took the hint. "Well, yes I have, in fact. There's much to prepare for in these coming weeks,"

"There's word spreading of a resistance, and I'm suspecting that you're the mastermind behind it all," she said curiously.

"Well, I cannot accept full praise. The only way this movement can take flight is if the people rise as one against the tyranny that's been oppressing them for far too long," he said with a slight fire in his eyes.

She stared in amazement again, discovering that she had never felt passion for anything besides one person, a passion that was somewhat similar to this unyielding potency she felt from him. "I admire your trust in the people."

"Do you not feel the same trust?" he inquired, wondering about the perspective of a fellow citizen that could greatly benefit from the better world he envisioned.

"I wish I did, but I've come to find them a bit too fickle to rely on. The majority of us are too selfish to believe in anything beyond ourselves, let alone a revitalized nation," she said quietly.

He stared at her in surprise. What few things he had heard from Marius about her was true, there was more to this girl than one would expect from most illiterate compatriots. "That's a very cultivated remark from one so…" he was at a loss of words, for a change.

"Poor? Yes, I would agree with you, but having to live on nothing but scraps of bread for so long teaches you a few things about the world, doesn't it?" she said solemnly while holding his gaze steadily with her own.

He gave her a worried look from her last statement. He wondered what the emaciated girl must have had to endure already through the span of her short life. He and his peers could never fathom what it would be like to live through the atrocities of poverty, since they all came from prosperous upbringings. He felt pity rise in him at the sight of her starving state in half-tattered clothing.

Yet, there was something disarming about her gaze, as if she stood formidably amongst the flailing currents that threatened to drag her down. It was enough to leave a positive impression upon him.

"You do make an effective point…but faith in each other is what pushes us to work toward a worthwhile tomorrow," he said nervously. It was amazing how she left him perplexed; he never really felt that ambiance before from most women he came across, not to say that he came across women often. They were a perplexing kind, the opposite gender, which he deemed early on in his life too confusing to trouble himself with.

Eponine made no realization of this as she started to walk away from the tall man. "Oh, what do I know, I'm just a fool without a penny to my name. I best be on my way now. I have a small errand to run," she said apologetically. "It was good seeing you. I'll probably be around to hear more from your public appearances," she smiled.

He relinquished a small grin in return while realizing he was holding one of her possessions, which had fallen to the floor from where they collided. "I'm glad to see I haven't bored you to death with my words as some of my friends would claim. I think you dropped this by the way," he said, holding out the letter from Marius and noticing her face fall in annoyance.

"Oh yes, I mustn't forget that," she said with a hint of sarcasm while snatching it away reluctantly.

Enjolras caught a glimpse of familiar handwriting that read To Cosette on top of the parchment. He then immediately remembered the name echoed continuously from his lovesick friend, who had not spared a moment's breath in professing his adoration for a girl whom he knew little of. "I think I should escort you to wherever you are going. It's not safe to be out so late alone," he said.

"Oh, you need not worry about me. I could find my way through these streets even if I were to become blind," she said confidently.

"Still…I don't think it's safe," he said worriedly, wondering why the girl was so comfortable amongst an unsettling scene.

"No offense meant to you monsieur," she dismissed, "but I prefer to walk alone, and the place I need to go to is just around the corner," she lied. In truth, Eponine didn't mind his company, but she felt it unnecessary (and embarrassing) for him to see her deliver a love letter to another woman. A love letter from a man she supposedly loved herself.

He opened his mouth to protest again, but after taking note of her stubborn expression, he then decided to not press the matter further. "Alright, see you soon 'Ponine. Just be careful, and here take this. You look like you haven't eaten in days," he replied, handing her two francs.

She beamed at him gratefully as her growling stomach overpowered her pride to accept the charity. "Bless you, young sir!" She tipped her cap in farewell as she made her way down the street.

"And one more thing before you go…" he said before she was out of earshot. She paused mid-step, waiting for him to finish. "Don't waste your time on him, there are many other men out there that would never let you out of their sight," he gave a solemn nod, before turning on his heel in the opposite direction, leaving her dumbfounded.

She raised one eyebrow in surprise, "And what men are you talking about, monsieur?" she hollered to make sure he could hear.

He turned slightly, flashing her a brilliant smile, before disappearing around the nearest corner.

She scratched her head in confusion. Did he really just do that? She shook herself from the mild-shock, while walking slowly toward the Rue Plumet.

-Hope this wasn't too cheesy. Feedback is much appreciated! :)