Then, I very much look forward to it! I do like walking with you, like we were last night.
(She'll take that as an invitation, then! Albeit hesitantly, she lets her head rest on his shoulder, savoring the contact in case he wanted to push her away.)
I have had to very much in the past. Azelma is the only family I have, apart from my mother and father. And I doubt they would want me calling them family. That's all right, though, I don't really want to call them that either.
(Oh, this was *wonderful*. Being with her like this. Marius reached an arm around and gently drew her closer to him. There was no hesitation at all this time.)
That must be...difficult. I'm glad that you and your sister are here together and safe.
(For some reason, hearing that makes her heart soar. Maybe it was silly, but to know that Monsieur Marius had enjoyed his time with her made her very, very happy. As did him drawing her close. She sighed softly in contentment, nestling into his side and making herself comfortable.)
As am I. Things have been so much better here, and not just for me. And it wasn't so difficult. One just need to know what to do. And I did.
(Ooh, that felt wonderful. She had never been held like this before, not by anybody. And she couldn't have begun to imagine how good it felt.)
I knew how to get by. Where to steal from, who was more likely to give out food, where to find clothes when we really needed them...I found them out quickly enough.
(She nuzzled a little into his shoulder on impulse.)
I do not need to know them now, though. It's rather strange...but good, I think. I just need to learn other things.
(It made his heart ache to hear her talk about stealing food and to remember the conditions she'd had to endure. He held her a bit more tightly, briefly making the embrace a two-armed one.)
You'll never have to do anything like that again. Not any more. I'm sorry I asked; it must be painful to talk about.
You're learning new things already. Administrative skills. How to operate technology. How to sign up for classes. I think you're adapting better than I did.
(He wasn't going to tell her how long it had taken him to learn to use a smartphone. No one needed to know that.)
It's all right, Monsieur Marius, it wasn't your fault. Besides, I don't mind talking about it. I am not ashamed of what I did.
(She did what was necessary, after all. And what helped her and her sister. And she'd done it without any help from anyone. She had a right to be proud, she had always thought.)
Oh, yes. Well, I suppose if I do not choose a major, I can always continue being a secretary. The work is not all that hard.
You have no reason to be ashamed! Never be ashamed. You're a rare person, Eponine, and I mean that in the best way. ...But I'm glad you didn't mind the question.
Perhaps you could check out the course offerings and then make a decision? Something might strike your fancy.
(He coughed as she asked her last question, and as luck would have it, he'd just taken a sip of wine. He set the wine back on the coaster.)
Ah...trouble? I wouldn't say trouble, exactly, but there was a definite learning curve. (A steep one.)
(Rare. No-one had ever called her that before. In fact, she'd spent most of her life under the impression that she was common street trash to everyone else. But, with Monsieur Marius calling her rare, that had to mean something.)
I suppose I could. I have not really looked into things just yet, but there is no better time like the present.
(She had to look at the things Enjolras sent her when she got home anyway. Looking up as he coughed, she tilted her head a little)
Are you all right, Monsieur Marius?
(She giggled a little.) That is all right. I am having a bit of trouble too. I have seen such things being used, but I never had them for myself.
I didn't mean to press you about the courses. It just...makes me happy that you've got the opportunity to fulfill a dream.
Oh, I'm fine! Pardon me. Some wine went down the wrong way, that's all.
(She had the most joyful laugh. It always made him smile.)
Are you having trouble? But you use a computer in your job, don't you?
(He thought about it, didn't want to look foolish in front of her, but decided to tell part of the story anyway.)
Technology isn't exactly intuitive for me, either. When I first got my phone, I entered a classmate's home area code incorrectly and ended up phoning a bank in Ohio six times in a row. I kept hitting Redial by mistake instead of End Call.
(He was blushing; he could feel it. Why had he thought telling her that would be a good idea?)
(It was such a relief that she smiled and laughed instead of looking disapproving! He really had to stop second-guessing himself...at least around Eponine. She accepted him as he was. He grinned a bit, bashfully, and hugged her a bit tighter.)
That's kind of you to say! I keep hearing people say how easy phones are to use, but they weren't for me. The bank's receptionist was most annoyed.
Ah, there's so much I want to ask you, Eponine. But I don't want to bother you.
(She smiled expectantly up at him, looking rather happy.)
Hm...I like to read. I borrow books from my friends, since Azelma and I don't have many.
(She was proud of her ability to read. It was something she had kept, even through her years of poverty, and it had helped quite a bit.)
I...yes. Of course, Mon-...Marius.
(How odd it was to refer to him so casually! She had never had a chance to before, in the past. She snuggled a little closer to him, enjoying being so close to another person.)
(Simply hearing his name - with no honorific - on her lips gave him a slight frisson of pleasure. He kissed the top of her head, speaking quietly into her hair for a moment before straightening up again.)
Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Oh, I love books. Do you have a favorite? What are you reading now?
(She nuzzled close as his lips touched her hair. He was so gentle, so different from the men in Paris.)
It is no trouble.
Hm. I don't know if I have read enough to have a favorite. I am reading The Phantom of the Opera now. It is very good...a little odd, but good.
(She wasn't about to tell him that Les Miserables had been the last book she looked at. So, she lied a little and chose the book she had read on the plane a few weeks ago.)
(He was beginning to care less about discussing books and more about the 'Ponine currently snuggled into his shoulder. She was very distracting in a very good way.)
The Phantom of the Opera? Is that a ghost story? I read a lot of nonfiction, but I should really make more time for fiction. That is...I assume it's a novel from the title.
(He leaned down and kissed her ear. Just a little.)
Not really. It is about a man who is deformed and lives in the cellars of the Opera Garnier. He falls in love with a singer and tries to kidnap her away. It is very good.
(She giggled a little as he kissed her ear. Without knowing it, Eponine was a rather tactile person. Love and affection, for her, were felt through touch.)
Ah, it's set in Paris! And what an unusual plot. I'll have to give it a look, thank you. I do like romances.
Hmm. (It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his mind on books.)
Aside from coursework, I've been reading biographies. The founders of this country led rather (he nipped gently at her ear) interesting (again, softly - his mood had turned playful) lives.
(He tucked back a strand of her hair he'd dislodged. Even her ears were pretty.)
It is! But, after our time, I'm afraid. It is too bad, I should have liked to go to the theater. It is described so beautifully in the book. I have never seen a play before.
(She let out a soft little shriek as Marius nipped at her ear and giggled. Her eyes were sparkling by now, and she squirmed a little in his grip.)
Oh, did they? (She was finding it hard to concentrate too.)
(He smiled as she wriggled and loosened his grasp. It was hard not to cling to her.)
I'd love to take you to the theater, if you'd like to go! I can't take you to the Garnier, since we're no longer in Paris, but it's been too long since I've seen a show. Come to think of it, I think they've made a play out of that book you mentioned. I thought the title sounded familiar.
(He was regarding her steadily; found it difficult to look away.)
Mm-hm, they did. Lead interesting lives.
(He took one finger and turned her chin so that she was facing him. He wondered if she'd let him kiss her again.)
Oh? It would make a good play, I think. But with music! There must be music, for the Phantom is a great composer.
(Clearly, she was way into this story. She moved her head with his finger, gazing up into his eyes. Well, if they were...like this, she knew what was to be expected. Leaning up, she pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips.)
Mmm. Nothing. Nothing at all. Forgot what I was going to say.
(He pulled her close and kissed her firmly on the lips, on purpose this time. God, she felt good in his arms. He'd asked her more about that story later, but now was not the time.)
(She was glad to do so. Her hands gripped his arms as they kissed, gently sliding up to his shoulders. If only her past self had known that one day her Monsieur Marius would be kissing her this way. Eponine wondered if that would have changed things.)
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 04:50 am (UTC)(She'll take that as an invitation, then! Albeit hesitantly, she lets her head rest on his shoulder, savoring the contact in case he wanted to push her away.)
I have had to very much in the past. Azelma is the only family I have, apart from my mother and father. And I doubt they would want me calling them family. That's all right, though, I don't really want to call them that either.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:02 am (UTC)(Oh, this was *wonderful*. Being with her like this. Marius reached an arm around and gently drew her closer to him. There was no hesitation at all this time.)
That must be...difficult. I'm glad that you and your sister are here together and safe.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:05 am (UTC)(For some reason, hearing that makes her heart soar. Maybe it was silly, but to know that Monsieur Marius had enjoyed his time with her made her very, very happy. As did him drawing her close. She sighed softly in contentment, nestling into his side and making herself comfortable.)
As am I. Things have been so much better here, and not just for me. And it wasn't so difficult. One just need to know what to do. And I did.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:14 am (UTC)(He rested his cheek on her silky hair. This felt...right. Good.)
Oh? How do you mean, know what to do?
(She always seemed to know what to do. He felt lost more often than he cared to admit.)
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Date: 2012-07-07 05:20 am (UTC)I knew how to get by. Where to steal from, who was more likely to give out food, where to find clothes when we really needed them...I found them out quickly enough.
(She nuzzled a little into his shoulder on impulse.)
I do not need to know them now, though. It's rather strange...but good, I think. I just need to learn other things.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:29 am (UTC)You'll never have to do anything like that again. Not any more. I'm sorry I asked; it must be painful to talk about.
You're learning new things already. Administrative skills. How to operate technology. How to sign up for classes. I think you're adapting better than I did.
(He wasn't going to tell her how long it had taken him to learn to use a smartphone. No one needed to know that.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:35 am (UTC)(She did what was necessary, after all. And what helped her and her sister. And she'd done it without any help from anyone. She had a right to be proud, she had always thought.)
Oh, yes. Well, I suppose if I do not choose a major, I can always continue being a secretary. The work is not all that hard.
You had trouble? How so?
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:45 am (UTC)Perhaps you could check out the course offerings and then make a decision? Something might strike your fancy.
(He coughed as she asked her last question, and as luck would have it, he'd just taken a sip of wine. He set the wine back on the coaster.)
Ah...trouble? I wouldn't say trouble, exactly, but there was a definite learning curve. (A steep one.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 05:58 am (UTC)(Rare. No-one had ever called her that before. In fact, she'd spent most of her life under the impression that she was common street trash to everyone else. But, with Monsieur Marius calling her rare, that had to mean something.)
I suppose I could. I have not really looked into things just yet, but there is no better time like the present.
(She had to look at the things Enjolras sent her when she got home anyway. Looking up as he coughed, she tilted her head a little)
Are you all right, Monsieur Marius?
(She giggled a little.) That is all right. I am having a bit of trouble too. I have seen such things being used, but I never had them for myself.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 02:28 pm (UTC)Oh, I'm fine! Pardon me. Some wine went down the wrong way, that's all.
(She had the most joyful laugh. It always made him smile.)
Are you having trouble? But you use a computer in your job, don't you?
(He thought about it, didn't want to look foolish in front of her, but decided to tell part of the story anyway.)
Technology isn't exactly intuitive for me, either. When I first got my phone, I entered a classmate's home area code incorrectly and ended up phoning a bank in Ohio six times in a row. I kept hitting Redial by mistake instead of End Call.
(He was blushing; he could feel it. Why had he thought telling her that would be a good idea?)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 04:34 pm (UTC)It is happy for me too, Monsieur Marius. Especially now that I have you here too.
Well, I suppose, yes. Computers are not too hard for me, not at all. But, other things can be.
(She listens rather attentively to his story, laughing a little at the end.)
Phones are hardest, I think. Especially when they can do so much! I thought they were only for talking to people.
(She's fooled around with Enjolras' phone a few times, but her's is much simpler in design.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 06:13 pm (UTC)That's kind of you to say! I keep hearing people say how easy phones are to use, but they weren't for me. The bank's receptionist was most annoyed.
Ah, there's so much I want to ask you, Eponine. But I don't want to bother you.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 06:30 pm (UTC)(It's in her pocket right now, actually. She doesn't like to leave it at home, just in case Azelma needs anything.)
Oh, you make ask, Monsieur Marius! I don't mind.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 06:39 pm (UTC)All right, if you really don't mind! Two questions.
What is your favorite thing to do?
And. (He leaned a little closer.) Do you think you might be able to call me "Marius" without the "Monsieur"?
I hope I'm not mistaken, but we seem to have moved from "vous" to "tu". And - and I'd like it if you could.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 06:56 pm (UTC)(She smiled expectantly up at him, looking rather happy.)
Hm...I like to read. I borrow books from my friends, since Azelma and I don't have many.
(She was proud of her ability to read. It was something she had kept, even through her years of poverty, and it had helped quite a bit.)
I...yes. Of course, Mon-...Marius.
(How odd it was to refer to him so casually! She had never had a chance to before, in the past. She snuggled a little closer to him, enjoying being so close to another person.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 07:13 pm (UTC)Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Oh, I love books. Do you have a favorite? What are you reading now?
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 07:21 pm (UTC)It is no trouble.
Hm. I don't know if I have read enough to have a favorite. I am reading The Phantom of the Opera now. It is very good...a little odd, but good.
(She wasn't about to tell him that Les Miserables had been the last book she looked at. So, she lied a little and chose the book she had read on the plane a few weeks ago.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 08:26 pm (UTC)The Phantom of the Opera? Is that a ghost story? I read a lot of nonfiction, but I should really make more time for fiction. That is...I assume it's a novel from the title.
(He leaned down and kissed her ear. Just a little.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 08:32 pm (UTC)(She giggled a little as he kissed her ear. Without knowing it, Eponine was a rather tactile person. Love and affection, for her, were felt through touch.)
Do you have a favorite?
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 10:56 pm (UTC)Hmm. (It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his mind on books.)
Aside from coursework, I've been reading biographies. The founders of this country led rather (he nipped gently at her ear) interesting (again, softly - his mood had turned playful) lives.
(He tucked back a strand of her hair he'd dislodged. Even her ears were pretty.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 11:06 pm (UTC)(She let out a soft little shriek as Marius nipped at her ear and giggled. Her eyes were sparkling by now, and she squirmed a little in his grip.)
Oh, did they? (She was finding it hard to concentrate too.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 11:30 pm (UTC)I'd love to take you to the theater, if you'd like to go! I can't take you to the Garnier, since we're no longer in Paris, but it's been too long since I've seen a show. Come to think of it, I think they've made a play out of that book you mentioned. I thought the title sounded familiar.
(He was regarding her steadily; found it difficult to look away.)
Mm-hm, they did. Lead interesting lives.
(He took one finger and turned her chin so that she was facing him. He wondered if she'd let him kiss her again.)
'Ponine...
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 11:46 pm (UTC)(Clearly, she was way into this story. She moved her head with his finger, gazing up into his eyes. Well, if they were...like this, she knew what was to be expected. Leaning up, she pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips.)
Yes, Marius?
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 11:48 pm (UTC)(He pulled her close and kissed her firmly on the lips, on purpose this time. God, she felt good in his arms. He'd asked her more about that story later, but now was not the time.)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-07 11:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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