Work Text:
Montparnasse felt like he didn’t belong. He hadn’t been one of Les Amis, he didn’t really understand why he was with all of them. But he was, and it was clear that his rescuers didn’t intend to abandon him. They had healed him and fed him, and oh fuck it was nice to be fed. He was given his own bed, too. He spent a lot of time in his room eating, regaining his strength, and trying not to think about Claquesous.
There was a little knock, and Montparnasse’s door opened. He assumed it would be Cosette to bring him more food, but it was a different woman that stepped inside.
“Eponine? You’re dead!”
Eponine chuckled dryly. “Quite the welcome.” She walked with a cane, leaning heavily on it, and made her way to the bed. She sat down beside Montparnasse.
“You were shot. I saw it.”
“Cosette’s papa. He might be a sorcerer of some kind.” Eponine said.
Montparnasse snorted.
“He’s somehow fixed everyone, even Claquesous.”
“Claquesous is alive?”
Eponine sighed a bit. “Barely. But yes. But I’m here to see you, not talk about him.”
“I am glad to see you.” Montparnasse said. “Really didn’t think we’d make it.”
“And now we’re here, in Marius’ house. And he’s fucking married.”
“I was going to ask…”
She sighed again. “Look, I don't want to talk about him. I’ll talk about Cosette, she’s very sweet, and her papa is lovely and perfect, but I don’t want to talk about Marius.”
“You brought him up, ‘Ponine.”
“Are you going to tell me how you got snatched up with all those revolutionaries you mocked?”
It was Montparnasse’s turn to sigh. “Point taken.”
“Cosette’s happy you’ve been eating well. She said you looked like a skeleton when you arrived.”
“And why didn’t you visit when I arrived?”
“I didn’t know what to say.”
Montparnasse shifted in bed, lifting his blanket. “Come cuddle. Like we used to during the cold nights.”
Eponine smiled and obliged, sliding herself into bed beside Montparnasse, tucking the blanket over them both. “I’m very glad you’re not dead. Now I won’t feel like the odd one out.”
“We can laugh at Enjolras’ speeches together. I know he’s going to be giving speeches the moment he’s strong enough to.”
Eponine groaned. “Oh fuck, it’ll be like living in one of his meetings!”
The both of them chuckled. Montparnasse leaned his head against Eponine’s chest, and she stroked his hair.
“He starved me. My father. He was my father. Enjolras is my brother. Half brother, but still. Same shitty fucking father.”
Eponine nodded. “I’ll listen, if you need to talk. Lord knows I understand having a shit father.”
“He fucked us, he fucked all of us. Jules and I fucked as children. We fucked a few times while with Papa again. We were both miserable. We were all miserable, except Grantaire, maybe. He was miserable inside. But his cock was happy.”
“I heard he woke up this morning. Enjolras is with him. He kicked Bahorel out. He seemed to have been eating well, at least.”
“Eponine, do you think I’m soft? Emotionally?”
“I think right now you’re distracted and still recovering.”
“That’s hardly an answer.”
“The answer doesn’t matter.” Eponine continued to stroke Montparnasse’s hair. “It doesn’t matter what other people think. It doesn’t matter what your father thought.”
“Eponine-”
“I’ll love you until you can love yourself. We’ll work on it.”