#mariposette

“What’s so funny?” Cosette asked Courfeyrac, turning back around. 

“Oh, just something ‘Ferre said.” He replied smoothly, gesturing to his phone. 

“Where is he today, did you say?” Marius was genuinely curious. It wasn’t like their friend to miss days. 

“In Paris, the lucky sod. Apparently he’s visiting the Bastille, or something like that. He’s back on Wednesday, though.” 

“How interesting!” Cosette said, smiling. “What did you do over the weekend, Mari?” 

Marius thought. What had he done? “Oh, nothing much. Lots of homework.” 

Courfeyrac groaned in sympathy. “You can say that again.”

“I could never study Law, the amount of homework you two have to do. Art is far more my speed.” 

“You’d be a great lawyer, though, Cosette.” 

Was that a blush he saw? “You really think so? Well,” she laughed, “I doubt it, but you’re sweet to say so.” 

Marius felt himself going red. In haste he changed the subject. “What did you do?” 

Cosette paused. With distinctly pink cheeks, she said “Oh, I went to the new theme park out of town with a …friend of mine. You might know her- Eponine Thenardier?” 

Marius turned around at speed, and locked eyes with the girl in question, who gave him a cheery wave and a decidedly smug grin. He cursed mentally, then turned back to Cosette, ignoring Courfeyrac who was in fits of silent laughter next to her. 

“That Eponine? Yes, we’ve met.” 

“Oh, good! We could all meet up at some point, if you two are already friends.” Cosette beamed. 

He was saved from answering by the bell. “Courf, we’d better go. It’s Mr Cena, and you know he hates late students.” Marius said, glad of the excuse. 

“Ah, he does at that. Come on, then.” 

The two stood up. “See you later, Cosette.” Marius called. 

“See you!” 

 Eponine was walking to her next class when she heard footsteps behind her.

“Ep! Wait up!”

She turned and smiled at Cosette. “Hey, Sette. Was that Pontmercy I saw you eating with?” 

Cosette drew alongside her and matched her stride. “Marius? Yes. He’s sweet.” 

Eponine imagined Marius falling off a cliff. “Yeah, I suppose. You coming to World Religion too? I thought you did philosophy.” 

Cosette sighed, a mischievous grin on her face. “I did, until my dear brother got into an argument with the teacher. He was entirely justified, so I backed him up, and we both got kicked out. He’s doing poli-sci instead, but I thought I’d join you.” 

She wasn’t blushing. Certainly not. “Aire might have a heart attack.” 

The other girl laughed. “True.” 

Eponine had never particularly been fond of WR, but with Cosette as her deskmate it took on a whole new light. She had to keep herself from laughing most of the class. That was, until the subject of next month’s dance came up. 

“Are you going?” Cosette had asked her. 

She cursed every god she could think of. “Maybe, not sure yet. Are you?”

“Probably, but no-one’s asked me. Then again, I can always tag along with Chetta and her boys.” 

Eponine refrained from dancing in the aisle. “No-one’s asked you? Wow, I’m surprised. You’re amazing.” Too much, too much. But Cosette was slightly pink as she thanked her, so maybe it was alright.

After class, they were walking down the hall together when Cosette let out a shout.

“Damn! I’ve got to meet with the vice-principal- now! Sorry Ep, see you later!” She dashed off. 

Eponine, shaking her head fondly, continued to her next class, thinking about how best to ask Cosette to the dance. 

 Marius was headed to meet Enjolras in his first free period the next day, when he overheard a voice that sounded very much like Eponine. He stopped and listened. 

“..So, Ponine, when are you going to ask her to the dance?” came a girl’s voice he didn’t recognise. 

“Later today? We’ve both got free period now, so I might find her soon and ask her. No time like the present, right?” 

Marius froze. Eponine couldn’t ask Cosette, he was going to ask her first! 

His brain was working out what to do when Eponine and the other girl rounded the corner. 

“She’s probably in the library, we’ve a project due for Art.. Ep?” 

Eponine had frozen as well, eyes locked with Marius. She knew he had heard, and he knew she knew. There was a silence, before Marius turned on his heel and sprinted towards the library, Eponine immediately pursuing him. 

The two drew level, skidded round a corner, dodged in perfect sync a younger student emerging from the library, and crashed to a halt in front of Cosette’s desk. 

“Will you go with me to the dance?” they hurriedly said simultaneously. Eponine elbowed Marius, who shoved her back. 

Cosette looked somewhat startled and somewhat amused. “Yes.” She replied with a smile. 

Marius looked from her to Eponine, who had done the same. “Who?” they both asked and then each glared at the other. 

She smiled wider, a glint in her eyes. “Both.” 

Cosette spun Eponine around and was spun by Marius in turn. It was.. Interesting dancing with three people, but they made it work. She shot a wink at Musichetta from across the floor. Now, all she needed to do was make the two of them realise they liked each other as well, and everything would work out. 

She looked back to find her two dates looking into each other’s eyes, and smiled mentally. Maybe it wouldn’t take as much work as she thought.

“...And that, Vic, is how your mothers and father got together.” Grantaire finished his story, smiling at his nephew. The boy blinked up at him. “What about you and Uncle Enjolras?”