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Enj Is Probably Saving Puppies (decidewhoweare) wrote in wariscoming,
@ 2013-12-25 17:16:00

Entry tags:

enjolras, eponine

Who: Enjolras and Eponine
What: Life has to go on and Enjolras is hoping to bring a little light into their lives
When: Christmas morning
Where: The Inn
Warnings: TBD, likely none

No one felt much like celebrating that Christmas. Yes, they'd won the war with Lucifer. He was back in his cage where he belonged. Nightmares that plagued them were their own doing, at least, and not his, and the random bouts of energy and pain, the gifts and curses, the mind games, they'd all come to an end. But their losses had been great. So many taken by the vortex that seemed to be Lucifer's cage. Others dead. Killed by demons or creatures who followed Lucifer. Hexed by witches.

But life had to go on. Enjolras now knew what it was to be on the other side. To be the one who lived through the fight when others had not. And he didn't like that one much better. Still, there was nothing else they could do. They'd mourn, of course. Have a funeral or a memorial or something for all those they'd lost. But the world didn't stop turning. It kept going. Morning happened and suddenly it was Christmas Day. It had been a favorite of his as a child, and the Apocalypse hadn't changed that. So before the battles had all started, he'd helped decorate the Inn, helping to make it as festive as possible. He didn't know for sure when he'd become quite so attached to the Inn. Possibly when he'd become so attached to the Innkeeper. Still, it felt more like home than anywhere else he'd lived, and he had worked hard to get it into the Christmas spirit.

So when he woke up that morning, extra early to help get everything prepared for the day, it still looked as cheerful as it had before. Before they'd lost so many. Before Eponine had lost a friend, before they'd both lost Harry, who'd been so helpful to them in slipping through the demons' defenses. Instead of taking it all down, he left it up, turned all the lights on, burned the candles with the traditional smells of Christmas.

He had been reconsidering his plan. The thing he'd so desperately wanted to do on Christmas Day. He couldn't explain that need for it to be that particular day, but it was something he'd decided on and he couldn't be talked out of it. So despite the darkness in their lives, he'd woken Eponine gently, urging her to breakfast before encouraging her to open her gifts. He'd spoiled her as she'd deserved, with pretty new sweaters, a tea mug, little sentimental bits and pieces. But there was one gift he'd saved. The one he was still, to that moment, hesitating over.

They needed something good to happen. And he hoped this was something good.

"Seems you forgot one, my love," he said with a light teasing to his tone. He nodded towards the tree, leaning further back into the cushions of the love seat as he did. A tiny box sat waiting for her, hidden in the branches of the Christmas tree. A tiny box that contained the ring he'd stressed over for weeks. One conversation with Lee had sealed the deal. Only it had been months and he was still, in fact, stressing. Yes or no, he would go through with this. He'd just faced down Lucifer. He could propose to his girlfriend. Surely he was brave enough, courageous enough for that.

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toldyouiddoit
2013-12-27 09:37 am UTC (link)

Christmas did not feel like Christmas when Eponine had woken up. She hurt, not physically or anything, she felt insultingly fine actually, she thought she probably deserved to hurt more than she did. Rose was gone, in hell, in whatever form she had become that Eponine didn't quite understand, and so many others with her, and more yet dead. And Harry who Enjolras had felt responsible for, she knew.

But her love had tried. He'd made the inn Christmassy and why should he not have. Eponine had spent months talking about it, how she'd never had a proper Christmas that hadn't involved lecherous Santa's and drunken passes being made by Montparnasse. Without schemes and jobs and lies. Enjolras had obviously taken it all to heart and he had done this for her. He really was the best thing to ever have happened to her and she wished so much that she had seen him for the wonderful man he was back at home. Still, this was their life now, tinged with loss as it was, she knew it could be a happy one. They would make it a happy one.

He'd bought her gifts, beautiful things, and she'd gotten him what she thought he might like, clothing, books, well, vouchers for books, she'd tried to find things she thought he'd like but had mostly become confused by the variety of it.

But he'd gotten something else.

Eponine grinned and reached over to inspect the tree, briefly confused as to what he'd meant until she spotted it, nestled there among the pines. A little box. She turned back toward him as she opened it and paused, she may not have been booksmart but she knew a lot of things, and she knew what a ring like that had to have meant.

Enjolras...do you...I..."

Her words failed her as she looked from him to the ring and back again. He couldn't mean it, she'd gotten it mixed up, it was just a gift, he couldn't be proposing to her, that was impossible.

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decidewhoweare
2013-12-27 04:33 pm UTC (link)

He smiled as she searched the tree for her gift, then held his breath, waiting for her to open it. Rarely had he ever felt so nervous. If she said no, he'd be fine with it. He had to be. He'd be patient and wait and ask again someday. But there was no question in his mind that this was the girl he belonged with, hopefully forever, and he would continue to wait for her if that's what it took.

The look of surprise and confusion that crossed her face didn't surprise him. It didn't even cause him to worry. This was Eponine. His wonderful but never truly sure of herself Eponine. A woman who didn't think herself worthy of beautiful, wonderful things and God above, she was. He'd spoil her till her last breath and make her see, in time, how very worthy she was.

So when she looked back down at the ring in her hand, he got off the seat and knelt in front of her, properly on one knee, as proposals were meant to be done. He took the hand not holding the ringbox in his and looked up at her imploringly. "I know the timing isn't the best...but I did already have it wrapped," he added sheepishly. His eyes searched hers. "Sometimes it feels like everything is moving too quickly, and for this time, perhaps it is. But back home, we'd likely have done this by now, and I would have accepted because for once I know, with complete certainty, that I'm where I belong."

Hesitating for only a moment, he took a breath and continued. "I spent a lifetime fighting against the world, fighting against people and situations and circumstances. I never paused to let anyone in, to focus on me. You made me see that having someone else to care for can make me stronger in my pursuits. I wish I'd seen that sooner, seen you for what you were."

He brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles gently. She was beautiful, that part was obvious, but there was so much more to her. The light behind her eyes even in the darkest of moments. Her optimism, her clever wit, her ability to see things under the surface. And the way she loved him, so completely, in return.

"But I have you now," he continued, his heart in his throat, waiting. For what, he didn't know. Protests, anger, confusion, misery. The lingering ghost of Marius Pontmercy between them. Something. Anything. But he continued on. "I don't wish to ever lose you. I love you, more than I ever expected to love anyone. And...my beautiful Eponine, it would be the greatest gift I could ever ask for if you would agree to be my wife."

The words had practically become a speech on him and he released a breath, but his eyes never left hers.

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toldyouiddoit
2013-12-28 07:51 am UTC (link)

Eponine didn't know any words to make what she wanted to say sound right. She still held the ring entirely confusedly as he got down on his knee before her and yes, it seemed he was asking her that. To marry him. He wanted her to marry him. The handsome brave smart man that she had fallen so completely in love with in her time here. The man that understood her better than anyone, he wanted her to marry him. This didn't happen to girls like her, men like him didn't propose to them. But there he was all the same down on one knee saying such beautiful things, taking her hand. Perhaps he was right, and back home this manner of thing would have been done already though she could just imagine him asking her father for permission. Likely he'd wind up punching him and proposing anyway, and she'd have paid actual money to see that happen.

He had finally realised he needed someone, outside of everything he fought for, outside of being the leader, the one who never let anyone truly close to him. He'd gone and done it, let her in, and now he was putting everything out there for her, every feeling he must have felt. She really probably should say something.

"You make me feel clever, and useful and most of all loved. You make me think that maybe I do deserve good things. Maybe there's a chance for a girl like me in a world like this, if not for you I'd never have made this place what it is, never have learned words and numbers and definitely never have wound up an actual respectable business woman. But even before that, even back home when you didn't give me a second look, you made me hope. You'd talk and I'd wonder if maybe one day things could be better, maybe life could change."

She looked down at him, still kneeling, waiting and finally she realised she hadn't actually said the word he needed from her. "Yes" she said, laughing as she spoke, the irony of her being here, with a student of all people not lost on her, her mother would be horrified. Then wonder about what money she could make off of him. But this wasn't about her parents, this was just her, just her and him. She didn't have to be a Thenardier anymore.

"I'd be honoured to marry you, to be your wife I love you, so so much and I love the kind of woman I am in your company."

She helped him to his feet and pulled him into a long and lingering kiss before adding with a grin.

"And I'll be taking your name."

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decidewhoweare
2013-12-28 06:26 pm UTC (link)

He wasn't sorry he couldn't get her parents' permission, her father's blessing. They'd judge him for his money, his mannerisms. They'd probably just steal from him rather than be grateful their daughter was falling into a good life. One where she'd be safe and taken care of. And he'd do his best to see that she was. Oh, it was the Apocalypse and though Lucifer was dead, he knew it wasn't entirely over. There would still be threats, this was a world so unlike theirs. But he'd do whatever he could to keep her safe and protected, but most of all, to know that she was loved. Her father would never stop him from doing so.

His smile grew as she replied, as she described what he did for her. He didn't entirely buy that. She was brilliant. She strived to be more and he truly felt that if it was what she wanted, she'd have achieved it without him. And it was beautiful and if it was her way of letting him down, he did appreciate her being so gentle about it.

But then he heard it. For a moment he wasn't certain, but he did, she'd said yes. Finally said yes and he got to his feet and embraced her firmly. When her lips met his, he closed his eyes, a blissful smile against her mouth. He'd been so worried. So afraid, not only of her usual misgivings about her worth, but the timing of it all. He so desperately wanted to share this with everyone, but the world was so dark right now.

Fortunately, though, they had this one bright spot now. They were alive, they hadn't been pulled back by the Seal, and now they were going to be together forever.

"I love the kind of woman you are in or out of my company," he told her, grinning as he pulled back to look at her. "And I had no doubts about that. This may be the twenty-first century, but you're still my old-fashioned girl. Just one with a brilliant business sense is all." And he knew it had a great deal to do with escaping from the name she loathed. But he'd told her all along she was more than her name and he truly believed that.

His forehead touched hers, looking into those pretty brown eyes. "I love you," he whispered, closing his eyes for a moment to simply let it all sink in. "If nothing else good happens in this entire Apocalypse, at least I've had a second chance to find you."

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toldyouiddoit
2013-12-31 02:32 pm UTC (link)

It felt almost wrong to be this happy, she couldn't help thinking so as they kissed and confirmed their love. Like they were being cruel to those they had lost, to death or to hell. But on some level she knew none of them would begrudge either of them the happiness they hadn't had in their own world. She would always wish a little bit that he would have noticed her. That perhaps things might have been different if he had done. But then she wouldn't have noticed him would she? Eyes for only Marius back then. It was amusing to her that at this moment, she could hardly think of what she had ever really seen in him. He wasn't the man of her dreams as she had always believed, he was the man of someone elses dreams.

The man of hers was standing there, brave and clever and kind as he always had been. But finally both of them had come to this. Had seen through the rest and had found love here in this world that she was still trying to understand.

"Might be, but there are some traditions I like to keep in spite of how things have changed for the world. I'll be your wife so I'll have your name. And we'll face all this together, whatever that blasted seal decides to throw at us next." She paused slightly, thinking for a moment. "One thing though. I would very much like Rose to be there, and so do you mind if we wait until she can be. I would marry you today my love but I know we'll save her. I know it. And when we do I'd like her there with me when I say my vows to you"

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decidewhoweare
2014-01-03 06:06 am UTC (link)

A part of him would always feel he was trying to compete with Marius. It had everything to do with the fact that his friend had won the hearts of two women and Enjolras had just been grateful to find this one. But he also knew that time and circumstance had brought them here. Marius would never have loved Eponine the way Enjolras did, but he never would have found her had they not come here. Circumstance was funny that way. But he was forever grateful.

At her words, he simply pulled her closer, holding her tightly. As if he were afraid she'd be the next to be snatched up. "I love you for your confidence, you know that?" he told her, resting his chin on top of her head. When he pulled back, it was to search her eyes. "I would not marry you today. You deserve the wedding of your dreams. With all your girlfriends helping you plan it, and that includes Rose. We'll wait, as long as we need to. So long as I know you're going to be my bride, I'll wait however long it takes."

His fingers brushed through her hair, already picturing her in the beautiful white gown little girls dreamed of. He wanted that for her, even if she'd be unlikely to want to spoil herself. She deserved something special and she'd get it. And he'd hold on to that hope that their friends would return, that Rose would be able to help her plan and be at their wedding, and that they'd be able to truly be happy on their big day.

He hesitated only a moment longer before giving an affirmative nod. She would get her wedding and she would have her friend. He had to believe that. "I promise you, we'll wait however long it takes. And you will be the most beautiful bride."

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toldyouiddoit
2014-01-06 12:49 pm UTC (link)

He loved her for her confidence. And she loved him for so many reasons she couldn't begin to list. He had given her something she didn't know she'd ever been capable of. A love so unlike what she'd thought it was. She'd thought what she'd felt for Marius was love. But now she understood it as obsession. As a desire to escape from her life and become something better. He had been in her mind everything she could have wanted. But then she'd come here, and realised true love had been under her nose all along. The brave leader of the revolution. The one they'd said would never find love because he already had love for his nation. The one more enamoured of a flag than any woman. She'd never have imagined that it would be him that would be proposing to her, but now she knew she'd not have had it any other way.

"So do you, you do know that? You deserve to love and be loved and to have the world witness that I will be that for you forever. Your wife." And he was of course willing to wait, for everything to be perfect. For Rose to be there with her. He was a good man, the best of men, and he was hers.

"If I am going to be a beautiful bride it is only because I will have you. Because you truly are the best a woman could hope for in a husband." Part of her still couldn't believe it. Couldn't fathom that this was her life. That perfect wedding they were talking about was hers and that the perfect man was hers.

Eponine wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

But there would be time for all that, when her friend was returned. When things found a semblance of normal again.

"I love you. More than I know how to say. And I can't wait to be your wife. Forever."

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