this lovesick melody|(sodapop/dallas) INACTIVE

[ÉPONINE THÉNARDIER]

Éponine was far out of her usual stomping grounds. She needed to get away. Harlem was usually the part of New York that she didn't visit, but not for any particular reason. Not like Kings, which she stayed away from at all costs. No, Harlem was just that place that was outside of her scope of visitation, because it was so far away from everyone she knew and everywhere she felt safe. That was why she was there now. She need to get away from all that she knew, at least for a little while. The misery of her life had been hanging over her like a cloud lately, and it had been weighing her down. They said that Harlem was the place to go if you wanted to let go. That's exactly was Éponine wanted to do right now. Harlem was colorful, unlike the monotonous brown and gray tones of Brooklyn or Queens. She might have gone to Manhattan, but whenever she was there people would look at her disdainfully, like "How dare you come across my path and sully my picture of what the perfect city is supposed to look like?" No pity, just disgust.

Éponine had walked and walked for miles until she managed to hop over a barricade in a subway station and climb aboard a train. After that, the trip had gone much more quickly. When Éponine climbed out and the sun hit her face again, she squinted against it. She felt like some subterranean creature who was blinded by the sun. She came out onto the street and almost immediately her ears were accosted by the loud and not completely unpleasant music that came from almost every street corner. It was deafening, which was wonderful. It drowned out all the depressing thoughts that were cycling on repeat in Éponine's mind. Wandering like a lost spirit, Éponine crossed the busy street and found an empty bench outside of a tattoo parlor. Beside her was a trombone player who was doing his thing, getting lost in his music. Éponine closed her eyes and drifted off.

She wasn't sure how long it was before she was stirred into consciousness by the familiar tenor of a voice. While she hadn't fallen completely asleep (that was stupid and dangerous), she had been off in dreamland. She was surprised when she heard something familiar in this part of town. She cracked open one eye and raised a dark eyebrow when she caught sight of one dirty, but very attractive young man not much older than her. "Now, Dallas, what do ya zink you're doin' all ze way up 'ere? I'm guessin' Sodapop's around?" Éponine said with a smirk. She knew Dallas and Sodapop just by being around. She wasn't sure what to call them, acquaintances maybe, but she knew she could crash with them if she needed a place to stay. That created a bond that couldn't be labeled. Éponine straightened up on the bench and pulled her hat lower over on eyebrow, crossing her legs as if she were posing, even though she wasn't.

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[sodapop]

Harlem was a huge step up from East Windrixville, it was a whole lot more lively every where you turned someone was playing some type of instrument, and the smell of warm food sailing out of the restaurants was enough to make anyone die right there in the street. That weekend afternoon Sodapop had been horsing around with his buddy Dallas Winston, getting people worked up throughout the city. They'd been out and about since early that morning and had smoked through their last pack of Kools, Soda had volunteered to go get more at a run down mini mart a few blocks down.

A quick two minute stop turned into mission impossible when he found out the smoking age here had been raised to nineteen, so he sat outside for a good thirty minutes before finding someone who would buy them for him. He had to give him five extra bucks to do it, but it was worth it. On his way down the sidewalk a familiar voice came from the alley where he left Dallas, Éponine Thénardier. Man it had been a long time since he'd last seen her, a good month or two.

"Now, Dallas, what do ya zink you're doin' all ze way up 'ere? I'm guessin' Sodapop's around?"

Sodapop rounded the corner returning to Dallas with a pack of cigarettes and tossing one at him, "'Course I'm around chérie," He said in a poor attempt at a french accent and throwing in the only french word he knew, he lit a cigarette and held the pack out to Éponine, "So how've you been kid? Long time no see."

[yolanda7h]

Who's bright idea was it to go to Harlem anyway?

Dally wasn't really complaining, though. He didn't really care, it was just something to do. Even Dally had to admit it was nice to have a change of scenery from old Windrixville. Man, sometimes he got damn right tired of that place. It's probably what motivated him to crash with some friends further into the city. And they did some wild stuff, so wild that its partially the reason why he got into jail. But Harlem was a different animal, yet a perfect place to just let loose.

For most of the afternoon they just goofed around, smoking. Mostly, Dally liked getting those street performers worked up. Especially the saxophone players, they just got on his nerves. The sound of that thing just made him want to punch a wall. So yeah, he got a lot of laughs from messing with those guys. Dally didn't think that was ever going to get old.

They finally ran out of Kools and Soda went to go get more. Right when he left he noticed some one, a girl, lying on a bench. Just wanting to mess around, he walked up to the bench and immediately saw that it was Eponine. Jesus Christ, it's been a while since he'd seen that girl. Granted, its been a while since he'd seen anyone since he'd been in the slammer. 'Guess now was as good a time as any to start catching up.

Before he could obnoxiously attempt to wake her, she woke up herself.

"Now, Dallas, what do ya zink you're doin' all ze way up 'ere? I'm guessin' Sodapop's around?"

Dally gave a smirk back. "Now what makes you think that, mm?" he asked in his signature deep voice. She sat up and Dally took the opportunity to plop down next to her, an arm resting on the back of the bench behind her. "You don't think I came here to enjoy the music of..." He looked around and saw the trombone player next to them. "That guy over there?"

He glanced at Eponine, his narrow eyes showing his sarcasm, just to see the undoubtedly incredulous expression he expected from her. He then looked up and saw Soda, and he caught the cigarette he threw at him.

"Course I'm around chérie,"

He laughed a bit as he removed his arm from off the bench to grab his lighter. "Right, 'course he's around." With this cigarette in his mouth, his voice got a bit muffled as he paused to glance at Eponine. "But I'm a good liar, ain't I?" He grinned as he proceeded to light the cigarrette.

"So how've you been kid? Long time no see."

Dally took a long slow drag of the cigarette before turning to Eponine again. "Yeah, I bet you've been busy getting into trouble, haven't ya?" He leaned over closer to her briefly, looking around her hat which was tilted over one side, to get a good look at her eyes. "Is that why you hiding under that thing, huh?" He grinned, leaning back, taking another inhale of his cigarette.

[ÉPONINE THÉNARDIER]

Éponine, Dallas, and Sodapop went back a long ways. She had met them not long after she first arrived in New York eight years ago. Well, maybe it wasn't that far back. No, it wasn't. She hadn't met them until she was about fourteen, which was almost four years ago now. Her parents had relocated them to a shanty in East Windrixville, and naturally she had encountered the duo. She'd been fleeing her father's drunken wrath and had almost literally tripped over Dally while running. Thought she'd been suspicious at first, she'd found the guys pretty accommodating. They'd treated her sister all right, so that earned them some points in Éponine's book.

Her family hadn't stayed in East Windrixville for long, but Éponine had tried to keep in touch with them as often as she could. She tried to keep track of when Dally was in the slammer and when he wasn't, just so that she knew when she could or could not seek him out. She could usually get the news from Soda or one of the other Greasers. She didn't really care that Dally was in and out, because he kept going in for random reasons that weren't all that serious. No assault and battery or anything like that as far as she knew. She was good with it. It was only because she was so good at getting out of slippery situations that she first got herself into that she didn't end up in jail as often as would have otherwise.

She grinned when she saw Sodapop come out and approach her as well. He had a pack of cigarettes in hand. At his downright awful attempt to do French, she stuck up her middle finger and waved it at him, sticking her tongue out as she did so. He was such a douche sometimes, but it was kind of cute. "Aw, I'm doin' shitey, as usual, Soda. 'ow abouts you?" Éponine said. She winked just as Dally took a seat beside her and hung his arm behind her shoulders. She'd almost missed his comment about the music, but she replied in jest with a short laugh. "What, Dally? Don't ya like 'is lil' melody?" She was personally indifferent, as music had never been one of her favorite pass times. Her mother had been a terrible singer and Éponine had asked her to stop singing lullabies at an early age.

"Gimme one a zose," Éponine said, snatching a cigarette without waiting for a reply. "Light me up." She smirked as she listened to Dally accuse her of causing trouble. "I ain't been causin' as much trouble as I 'ear you 'ave," she teased. "The 'at just keeps people from runnin' away screamin' when zey see my miserable face." She rolled her eyes, wagging the cigarette between her lips impatiently as she waited for her turn at the lighter. She didn't smoke as a habit, but it was sure nice to light up and get her mind off of things once in a while. Her father, inebriate that he was, disapproved of smoking. Don't worry, Daddy. I'm not addicted yet.

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[sodapop]

The sound of the trombone was beginning to give him a headache, he was playing some odd tune that was vaguely familiar. Sodapop didn't listen to music that often, whenever someone flicked on the radio he'd try and tune it out or just talk over it. Music held the same meaning to him as movies and books, he just couldn't see why people enjoyed it so much.
Éponine stuck her middle finger up at his french, Sodapop waved it off, "Same to you." He said sarcastically.

"Aw, I'm doin' shitey, as usual, Soda. 'ow abouts you?"

He gave a fake frown and patted her head sympathetically, "Still gotta look after Pony, and keep him and Darry from tearing each other heads off," He smiled, "The usual."
Éponine quickly took a cigarette from him, he raised an eyebrow slipping the pack into the pocket of his jacket. He didn't know she smoked, he only offered out of habit. So many people told him smoking was a bad habit, and even wondered why Sodapop had picked up on it. He wondered that too, he didn't drink so why'd he smoke? He took the cigarette out of his mouth and dropped it on the ground putting it out by scrapping the sole of his sneaker on the embers.

"The 'at just keeps people from runnin' away screamin' when zey see my miserable face."

Sodapop perked up a playful smile growing on his face, in one swift motion he leaped up on the bench and snatched Éponine's hat right off her head, then placing it on his own. He smirked, "I happen to like your face Eps," He said, "This pet dog you wear on your head is what makes you look miserable."
He took the furry cap of his head and held it in his arms like he would a cat and began stroking it, chuckling as he did.

[yolanda7h]

Dally puffed away at the cigarette, listening to the conversation. That goddamn trombone player was getting on his nerves. Whose bright idea was it to have people out on the streets playing instruments? It sounded like horseshit. Thats why he never thought to go down Harlem anyway. It was just stupid. He couldn't even hear himself think.

"Aw, I'm doin' shitey, as usual, Soda. 'ow abouts you?"

Dally smirked at Eponine. Her accent always amused him. No matter what she said, she always sounded like she needed to be on some bad foreign soap opera or something. Oui oui, sacrebleu! and all that shit. Strangely enough, it made Eponine just that much hotter for some reason.

After the little exchange with the hat, Dally's smirk turned into a stifled laugh as Soda petted the thing. "Soda's right, Ep. Geez, you should get that thing tamed. Doesn't that thing bite, man?" He laughed again and stopped himself with another inhale of the cig. "And as far as me and trouble, well at least I'm not ashamed to admit it. Fuck, I'll tell you my whole criminal record." Another inhale and he put his arm on the back of bench again behind Eponine. "So own up Ep. What kinda shit you been gettin yourself into, huh?" He asked half teasingly.

"By the way," He said before Eponine answered. He gestured to Soda with the cigarette between his fingers. "You need to let smarten up, man. Let that Darry verses Pony shit go. I say let them fight it out. Knock each other out once or twice. Get it out of their system. That'll straighten all that shit out. Right, Eps? I mean--"

That damn trombone. He couldn't even finish his goddamn sentence. He turned around towards the guy. "What the fuck man? I can't hear myself think and you sound like a fuckin dying elephant! Get outta here!"

The trombone player stopped abruptly. "Can't you move somewhere else? I ain't doin no harm--"

"You're killin my ears, that's what you're doin. Now get the fuck outta here man."

There was a second of tense silence as they looked at each other. After that, Dally started to get up as if he was fixing to knock him out and the guy quickly start packing his stuff. "Alright, alright! Jesus Christ, man!" The guy promptly left and Dally sat back down. He smirked and then started laughing.

"Fuckin....wow. That guy..." He shook his head. "I would've given him a fuckin dollar to shut that thing up," he laughed a bit and worked on the cigarette again.

[ÉPONINE THÉNARDIER]

Éponine had to admit that the shenanigans of her fellow gutter rats was significantly lifting her mood. She had been honest when she'd told Soda how she'd been doing. Ever since that disaster that only barely qualified enough to be called a ball, she hadn't been in the best of moods. The whole thing had been one hugs mistake. Éponine should have known that she could never pass as a high-class girl. She needed to learn just to accept the life that was given her, as crappy as it might be. It was just her lot in life. It wasn't a lot, but it was a life. She supposed that was all she had a right to ask for.

She hadn't really been listening to Soda's reply, but she was taken by surprise when her leaped up onto the bench beside her and stole her hat. She growled in anger as she jumped up after him, attempting to steal her hat back from off of his head. She was very possessive of her hats. Given the choice between hats and shoes - and this was a choice that Éponine had to make too often - she would rather choose a hat. She was never happy when she lost a hat. Thankfully, this particular hat, one she'd acquired last winter, had lasted a very long time. Even though it was warm wearing all the fur in the summer, it gave her an inexplicable sense of protection. She was kind of pissed that Soda stole her hat, but she couldn't help but laugh when he began stroking it like a pet. She stopped and rocked back on her heels and let Sodapop have his fun.

She looked over her shoulder at Dallas as he spoke. "Nah, it doesn't bite," she said with a wink. "But I do!" With that, she lunged at Sodapop and seized her hat from Soda with a growl. She pretended to bite his neck like a vampire before pulling away, hat in hand. She waved it in the air a little, taunting him, before placing it firmly back on her head. She plopped back down on the bench next to Dally and reclined, her neck resting where his arm was on the back of the bench. She listened to him advise Soda to leave well enough alone when it came to Ponyboy and Darryl. "'Ere, 'ere," she said, lifting a finger into the air. "'Elps 'em build character. Dad always let me and Zel battle it out on our own. Sometimes Gavroche would join in, just for fun. It's just what kids do!"

By the time she'd finished speaking, she'd decided to answer Dally's question about her own personal ... um, shit. "Dally, ya don't need to tell me anyzing about your criminal record. You're a local legend. Last time I seen Gavroche, 'e sounded like 'e was about ta form a cult in your name. Kinda sad, really, that 'e'd wanna worship toe fungus like you!" she nudged him playfully with her elbow. "Az for me, I betcha you ain't never gonna top my B.S.! Yeah, last week I got myself invited to a fancy 'igh class party, I did! On accident. The bloke just wanted arm candy, story of my life, ya know. Got myself a fancy dress and mask and everyzing! But we get zere and 'e dumped me on some buddy a 'is, 'oo was 'igher zen ze Empire State Building. 'E followed me out to the pool for 'oo knows what reason, and zen 'oo shows up, but Fagin? That scumbag snuck into ze party and was probably tryin' ta lift some junk for 'is shop. So zen everyzing comes out, I zink. I zink ze bloke was too stoned to really get what was goin' on, and I managed to get out wiz a good meal and wizout gettin' arrested. So I went from 'igh class for a day to back 'ere in ze gutters wiz you two!"

Éponine was trying not to make a big deal out of it. If they thought she was lying, that was fine. She sort of wished she was lying, so that she wouldn't have to think back on it all the time. Against her wises, she was pretty torn up about it, but she wasn't going to let on to Sodapop and Dally. They were her crew, some of the only people she could ever rely on. Living in the dirt brought people together far more than money did. Éponine was definitely starting to realize that. She was immensely relieved when Dally shooed the trombone player. She hadn't chosen this bench for his dulcet tones. In fact, they'd been getting on her nerves just as much as they'd been getting on Dally's, but she had been raised not to talk to strangers like Dally did. Most of the time she didn't listen to this rule, but sometimes instinct got the better of her.

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[sodapop]

Suggesting that Soda should just let his bothers beat the hell out of each other was exactly what he'd expect Dally would suggest. Dallas really had no family to speak of, he didn't understand what it was like, he couldn't say the same for Éponine, he didn't know what her home life was like. But from what she said it didn't sound to grand.
"Maybe I shouldn't ask you guys for suggestions." Soda said in a way he thought sounded serious, "Your not particularly the helpful type."

"Nah, it doesn't bite.. But I do!"

Sodapop looked up from the hat to see Éponine lunging at him, he tried to pull the hat away from her but she snatched it to quick. Then playfully she pretended to bite his neck, when she let go he waited a few minutes before saying, "Ouch... you know Eps," He stuck his tongue out playfully. "You can suck it vampire!"
He stopped laughing once his sides hurt then decided to listen to Éponine's interesting story about being invited to a high class party as some guys date, "Wait is it that party that was in the paper? The catapult ball or something that starts with a C?"
He didn't read the paper, but Pony always found something interesting in that rag. Something interesting usually involved deaths, parties or the mayor being spotted at a local hot dog stand. Boring. Yeah, he definitely had better things to do than read the paper.

[yolanda7h]

Dally, ya don't need to tell me anyzing about your criminal record. You're a local legend. Last time I seen Gavroche, 'e sounded like 'e was about ta form a cult in your name. Kinda sad, really, that 'e'd wanna worship toe fungus like you!

Dally smirked. There was something pretty cool about making a name for himself. The more he heard stuff like that, the better. People just looked at him differently. That knowing stare, that automatic recognition from people that he wasn't going to fuck around with anybody. The talks around Windrixville about what he did and what he didn't do. It was proof that he was looking out for number one--making sure that people know what he was about before they even thought of trying anything.

Because of Eponine's fungus comment and the nudge, Dally playfully punched her in the arm. "Heck, you're the main one who should be bowing down in front of me--matter of fact, how about you bend down. Gives me a better view." He grinned playfully and mischievously.

"Maybe I shouldn't ask you guys for suggestions. Your not particularly the helpful type."

Dally rolled his eyes. "Come on. Eps got it right. Let the kids battle, man. Toughens them up. I mean, after all..." He finished the last bit of the cigarette, dropped it on the ground, stepped on it as he stood up, approaching Soda. "You hung around me long enough right? Now look at ya." He came around behind him, grabbed his shoulders and shook him a bit violently, letting him go with a shove. While he was a bit off balance, Dally grabbed the pack of Kools from his pocket.

As he took out another one for himself, he listened to Eponine's story. After she was done, he looked up at her, mildly impressed. He'd never want to go to those kind of parties even if he had the opportunity. To many fuckin fakes and Soc-like wannabes in one place, someone would probably get hurt. By him. He couldn't stand people like them.

"Look at you. Life of the party. Did you take a hit of whatever that guy was on? Bet that made the party that much more interesting," he said.

[ÉPONINE THÉNARDIER]

Éponine thought it was pretty cool that she could have buds like Dallas and Sodapop who were fairly decent to her. They were Greasers, sure, but they weren't corrupt. Dally just took on crime for the thrill and because he didn't know any other way. That didn't bother Éponine as much. It was people like her father and Petit Mignon who were just lowlifes. Despite his rough edges and his need to piss off the police, Éponine couldn't truthfully say that Dally was a bad guy. Sodapop was the same. He was a good guy. Both were victims of circumstance, rather like Éponine. The people she was normally around made circumstance their victims. It was kind of refreshing to be able to come hang with Dally and Sodapop with no strings attached.

"Some view! I ain't about ta bow down ta you, Dallas Winston! You'd better not catch me with a stick pin, else I'd pop zat big 'ead a yours before ya knew what 'it ya!" Éponine teased, rolling her eyes. She mimed popping a balloon. He was such a player, but a harmless one. She didn't fear for her "virtue" around him. She knew he was mostly talk, and that was okay for a change. She also knew that he wasn't the only girl he picked on. Still, it was kind of a symbol of status if Dally noticed you enough to pick on you, so Éponine didn't mind. She knew that a bunch of kids like Gavroche, his buddies, and the boys that Fagin occasionally took in all looked up to Dallas as a hero. Whatever suited them was fine, in Éponine's opinion. Personally, she had no hero. Heroes had always let her down in the past, not that she'd had many.

She couldn't say she was sympathetic to Sodapop's situation. Honestly, she was kind of envious that his family was close enough to fight. The only sibling she had that she felt close with was Azelma, but the others were like strangers to her. Sometimes she wasn't sure that Soda knew how lucky he was. She felt bad that he'd lost his parents, but at least Darry was willing to do his best to keep them all together. She realized that she should probably have that determination, but she wasn't as smart as Darry to be able to handle that. Anyway, Gavroche was doing fine on his own, and so was Azelma, as far as she knew. She wished she could take better care of her sister, because she really wanted to, but she didn't have the resources. Azelma had her own set of friends to take care of her when she needed it. As far as her other two brothers, Éponine barely remembered their names, never mind what they looked like or what had happened to them.

It pleased her that the guys didn't chew her out like they thought she was lying. It was a bit out of this world that she'd gotten the chance to go anyway. It was hard to believe. Still, she didn't like being called a liar, especially when she was telling the truth. If she was actually lying, it was a different story. Still it did seem like Dally was a bit skeptical. He seemed to be accusing her of being high and making some of it up. She didn't quite understand, but she figured her guess was close enough. "Ya know I don't do drugs, Dally," Éponine said, glaring at him a little. "I needs ta keep my 'ead clear 'round folks like you. Could get myself into trouble!" She winked and stuck her tongue out. She reflected on the utter mess Mercutio had been at the ball. "I could only imagine what I would be like 'igh! Prolly not a pretty picture!" She rotated her finger at her temple, making the universal 'cuckoo' sign. "I'm countin' that neizer of you know what bein' 'igh is like," she said, giving them each a meaningful look. She couldn't pretend to have any jurisdiction over them at all, but as their friend she kind of wanted to look out for them, even if they didn't need it.

[ooc: I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this! >.< ]

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