Eponine had known loss. Of course she had, friends died, people died. That was the way of their world. But not him, not that poor little boy who had made the very most of every moment he lived. No no that was too cruel. It took a moment but the tough as nails Eponine, the gutter rat who knew her way around, she broke. Right there, in a world she barely understood she shed tears for a boy she had barely known beyond jokes and sarcastic comments on her family. He'd always been so bright, so streetwise and so utterly convinced his life was what he made of it. And to die on those dammed barricades.
"No..." she muttered in what could only pass for a strangled sob. "He went out there? I mean...I did too but...he was so young, just a boy, and he thought so much of what you all were doing but he..." Why had they let him go? Why had they let him near the barricades at all? She'd snuck her way back in, more for Marius than her belief in their cause but she'd wanted to be there with them. If death was their fate then she would die because without Marius what was life at all. But her life was meaningless, Gavroche had so much to give.
Facing him when he'd leaned into her, Eponine's eyes met Enjolras' and she quickly lifted a hand to wipe away the tears. Tears were weakness, Montparnasse had told her that once. Only to be used to gain advantage in a con, in a robbery. No sense in them in real life. And she'd listened. "I'm sorry." she said out of habit before focusing on what he was saying. Wish that Gavroche could be here, and all the others that died. Wish that they could find the future we have. Leave Marius to his happiness. He deserves to be happy. Cosette too. Her childhood was harsher than mine in many ways. There are things about that girl you do not know."
"I wish they could be here. Grantaire would like it here I think. He'd fit right in. But don't assume that even without Cosette Marius would love me. Even before her, he never...I'd accepted it Enjolras. I was a friend to him and he saw nothing else of me. He cared for me, but not like that. I knew it was only in my mind. But I figured that was better than nothing. He could be blind as he liked but I'd love him and it would mean I'd loved even if I had not been loved."