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Chapter Text

“To be honest, I’m not a fan of the new mayor.” Immediately upon overhearing this comment, Inspector Javert stiffened and tried to keep his face calm and neutral. He distractedly but politely dismissed himself quickly from his current conversation and walked over to the coworker who had made this comment. He strode with his usual poise and perfect posture, but was certain that there was a bit more air of authority and purpose in his step as he approached. Good.

“Pardon me, Lieutenant Boucher, but I could not help but overhear part of your conversation here with Lieutenant Caron. You say you are not a fan of Monsieur Madeleine, the new mayor?” Javert stared Boucher in the eye as he said this, his voice suspiciously calm and conversational. His stare, however, was anything but. His pale blue eyes often did not come across as warm or inviting anyway, but they especially intimidated then. Boucher cringed just slightly.

“My apologies, Inspector Javert, but no, I do not care for him.”

“May I be so bold as to ask why?”

“You may.”

“Then do indulge me,” Javert continued, nonchalantly, with a tiny touch of sarcasm in his voice. “Why is it that you do not care for him?” His eyes still locked onto the lieutenant’s, and his mouth attempted a small smile, which presented itself as rather simpering and snide.

“Well, Inspector,” the younger man exaggerated the word in retaliation, “I find him to be too… eccentric.”

Javert did not expect this response, and his eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. “Oh?”

“Indeed. He is strange. He is quiet and almost like a hermit, the way he lives. And I do not care for the new way he runs the town.”

“Is that so,” Javert wondered aloud, his thoughts wandering. He almost forgot he had felt defensive of the mayor a second ago.

“And a man his age, not married, with any family, or seeing any ladies? Highly unusual. I believe he must be hiding something.”

Javert’s attention returned fully at that comment. While Javert agreed that is was unusual and perhaps Monsieur Madeleine was hiding something… some dark past or great secret… he did not want to fully admit that to himself yet or his coworkers. For the most part, he quite liked the new mayor. He did not want to accept the fact yet that he might be Jean Valjean, the dangerous escaped convict. Javert had gotten to know him a little better than many others over the course of the 2 months he had been around, since he delivered daily reports to him. Madeleine had recently taken to inviting Javert to sit and drink some tea with him afterward. Javert initially refused, but eventually succumbed to those warm, amber-colored, pleading eyes. He found it very hard to say no to the handsome older man. Perhaps that was why Javert felt so annoyed at Boucher for insulting him and being suspicious of him. He felt defensive of his mayor. His supervisor, essentially. If anything, at the very least, Javert was an excellent guard dog, always protective of his master, whomever it may be.

“Nonsense,” Javert growled to the lieutenant. “Hiding something! The audacity to say such a thing of the mayor of this town! He could have you out of your job if he so chose. Show some respect, Lieutenant! I will not hear another word against him.” With that, Javert broke eye contact only to whirl around on his heel and march out of the office. Boucher partly feared that Javert was off to report him to the mayor, and his face become a little pale. Lieutenant Caron’s eyebrows had raised significantly during the exchange between the two men, and he gave Boucher a sympathetic look after Javert walked past. Boucher was not the only one to have suffered Javert’s verbal admonitions.

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“You would trust him? The son of a gypsy? Did you know he practices witchcraft?”

“What! Where did you hear that?”

“Everyone has heard that by now! Didn’t you know?”

“Is it really true? I mean, I suppose I could see it, but…”

“Of course it is! Just look at him next time, then tell me you don’t believe – “

“Ladies!” Monsieur Madeleine stepped out of his office and up to the conversation he had the misfortune of overhearing in the hallway with an affable smile. “What fascinating topic are we discussing?”

The women went pale. The one who seemed to have the strong opinion said, “Oh! Monsieur le Maire… you know us women, always chitchatting about something, eh! Just women’s talk, really.”

“I’d love to know what it is you ladies discuss amongst yourselves! You know, I may be Mayor, but I don’t know everything.” Madeleine winked cheekily and kept his tone playfully inoffensive and nonjudgmental, but he was afraid he knew what was coming, based on what he’d overheard.

“Well! If you must know,” the younger, less opinionated woman confided quietly, “I just learned some interesting details about that Inspector Javert.”

Madeleine’s eyebrows raised. “Oh?”

“Indeed! I’ve just been told he’s… a… a gypsy,” she whispered. “And that he practices witchcraft!”

If it was possible, Madeleine’s eyebrows raised even higher. “Is that so?”

“It is, Monsieur le Maire! Personally, I wouldn’t trust him at all. Never know what he might do,” the first woman piped back up and crossed her arms.

“I see. And has he ever done anything to wrong you?” Only one of Madeleine’s eyebrows remained up.

“Well, no, not me personally just yet, but – “

“And do we have any real proof of any of these wild allegations, ladies?”

“Well, it’s common knowledge, isn’t it, Monsieur – “

“Enough! I have heard enough. Inspector Javert is no more a witch or a gypsy than I am, and we have no tangible evidence to back up these outrageous claims. He is doing, and I am sure will continue to do, a fine job of policing in this town, and I, for one, feel perfectly safe putting my very life in his capable hands!” Madeleine’s voice had admittedly gotten a little higher and more heated than he intended during his rebuke, but he didn’t mind too much that it had. Let these women learn their lesson! The mayor would not stand for such contentions against his inspector.

The two women curtsied, their faces down, both reddened. The older woman offered an apology of sorts. “We’re terribly sorry to have upset you, Monsieur le Maire. We had no idea you felt that way for that… man. It’s just that he’s a bit frightening is all, and word spreads so quickly, so there must be some truth – “

“Good evening, ladies,” Madeleine cut her off curtly. And with that, and no bow, he turned and walked out of the building.

Chapter Text

It had been a couple years since Inspector Javert had come to Montreuil-sur-Mer, and over those years, he and Madeleine had formed quite a strong bond. Every day, the Inspector came to make a report directly to the mayor. Every day, Madeleine offered Javert a cup of tea. At the beginning, every day, Javert had refused, staying cold and aloof. But finally the mayor’s patience had won, and Javert gave in, not having anywhere else really to be one afternoon. It didn’t hurt that the mayor had very gentle, welcoming, amber-colored eyes to which Javert felt oddly drawn. There was something about him…. Something about that man that made Javert not want to reject him. It was hard to tell him no. Since the very beginning, Javert had felt some sort of attraction to the mayor. He felt loyal to him, and on more than one occasion, had defended him. Somehow, his presence felt familiar, but he could not place from where or why. Little did he know that Madeleine had also defended Javert’s honor as well, more than once. Javert had an ancestral background that made itself apparent in his appearance, and it made people sometimes very wary and distrustful of him. He had proved himself immensely capable time and time again everywhere he had worked, and in Montreuil-sur-Mer, Madeleine had also seen Javert in action, and saw how very talented the inspector was. He strongly admired him, and had no problem telling anyone off who might not believe in him the way Madeleine did. Madeleine had a conundrum, however. He was the escaped convict Jean Valjean from Toulon, and recognized Javert as one of its former guards. Still, that did not stop Madeleine from admiring Javert, and finding himself oddly drawn to him, despite the inherent danger of such a circumstance. As long as he remained Monsieur le Maire, and kept Javert as a friend, he could forget about his past and continue to fool everyone, including himself. So, over the years, he and Javert formed a close friendship, neither of them acting like they suspected a thing, and both of them secretly defending the other when needed… they never realized the other cared as much as he did. It became obvious to everyone in town that these two were inseparable. If it weren’t for their appearances, one might wonder if they could even be related, they seemed so close.

One day, their relationship took a step further.

“Excellent report as usual, my friend,” Madeleine smiled to Javert.

“Thank you, Monsieur le Maire.” Though Javert was sincere, his face remained passive and straight-mouthed. Madeleine adored that serious expression, though he reveled in the inspector’s far more rare smiles. What did it take to get him to smile more often…? Madeleine often wondered this.

“Care to join me for a bit of tea, Inspector?” It had been years since Javert stopped declining these offers. He simply could not say no to that man’s pleading, soft, all-too-welcoming expression. He was charmed by it, though he could never let anyone know. He could barely admit it to himself.

The two men harbored undisclosed feelings of adoration, admiration, and possibly love for each other. It was getting harder and harder every day to hide it, however.

“I think it would be strange if I declined nowadays, don’t you?”

Madeleine smirked. “Indeed! I recall those first few weeks,” he laughed. “But I’m glad times have changed.” He strode over to Javert, who was already seated in an armchair by the fireplace, and handed him his cup. His fingers accidentally brushed the younger man’s, and he blushed ever so slightly.

Javert’s pale eyes rose to meet Madeleine’s warm ones. “As am I,” he replied earnestly, and took a sip.

Chapter Text

A week later, Javert was out on his rounds, patrolling the town, when he happened to spot Madeleine across the street. Madeleine did not notice him, Javer realized, because he was walking with and talking to a woman. The woman looked to be about his age, maybe younger (maybe more Javert's age), but was dressed very well. The mayor was smiling, laughing, and had her arm on his. Javert knew the man had a daughter, but this woman appeared to be too old to be her. A strange sense of... panic? Dread? .....Jealousy?! arose in him. He couldn't quite place the feeling. He had rarely, if ever, felt it before. He suddenly felt a little overheated, a little nauseous, and a little shaky as he watched them. He felt as though he wanted to laugh, but cry. Strange emotion. He blamed the changing weather, which was becoming warmer every day. Regardless, he decided he did not care for the way the mayor was talking so easily, and laughing and smiling so freely, with her. He knew it was foolish to expect the kind man to only show him those expressions, but it felt wrong to see him sharing such a good time with someone else. Javert did not realize the emotion was definitely called 'jealousy.'

That evening, Javert stopped by Madeleine's office to deliver his report. He was told by his secretary that Monsieur le Maire would be out all day. Javert's strange mood immediately worsened, and he felt the weird sinking feeling in his stomach return. Madeleine must still be out with that woman! Javert's mind quickly put a thought into his head that he most definitely did not want to consider: Madeleine must be dating that woman. That woman might be at Madeleine's house. She might spend the night there. Javert felt himself go pale and excused himself from the mayor's office. He did not want to think about it any more. He quickly walked home and tried to distract himself.

The next day, he did not see the mayor at all until it was time to deliver his report. He nervously approached the office, and luckily, was welcomed in as usual.

"Ah, Inspector Javert! Please, come in, have some tea with me." Madeleine smiled his usual pleasant smile. Nothing seemed to have changed. Javert was wary. Madeleine walked from the entry of his office over to the fireplace where he had a kettle warming.

"I might decline this time, Monsieur le Maire."

Madeleine stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Javert. Javert was still at the door, hat in hands, eyes cast downward.

"Javert, how long have we known each other? Why now with the 'Monsieur le Maire'?" Madeleine laughed, somewhat nervously.

"I do not want to overstep my boundaries, Monsieur."

"'Madeleine.' Just 'Madeleine.' Come now! What is this about? What boundaries? Are we not friends?" Madeleine'e smile began to falter, and he felt himself flush a little. He walked back over to the door, where Javert still stood.

"I tried to deliver my report last evening, but your secretary informed me you would be out all day."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot, I had a-"

"And truth be told, Monsieur, I know what had you so occupied."

"I... I'm sorry? What do you m-"

"I saw you yesterday with a woman on your arm. I did not realize you were courting someone. Forgive my ignorance, Monsieur le Maire. Of course, you would be seeing someone. A man like you, how could anyone expect you to live alone? I did not recall you mentioning it, but I have no right to know everything about your life. We are not friends or roommates, so it should not come as a surprise that you have a life outside of your work."

At that, Madeleine's face completely fell. Not friends? It honestly hurt him to hear Javert say that. They had gotten to know each other so well recently. They were inseperable! Madeleine would have considered Javert a friend! Had Javert never reciprocated the feeling? It had seemed like he had.

"Javert, no, no, that was just a friend of a friend! She is visiting her friend here in town... you may know her? Madame Weiss? Anyway, that was Madame Laronne. She is an heiress from a few towns over, and Madame Weiss used to work for me as my secretary at the factory. She asked me to show her friend around town. It was the least I could do to make a good impression on Madame Laronne of our little town."

Javert relaxed visibly. "Ah, I understand. I'm sure she felt very welcomed. You had not mentioned you would be out of the office, so I assumed-"

"Honestly, it completely slipped my mind. I am very sorry, Javert."

Javert's eyes raised up to meet Madeleine's soft, apologetic gaze. He gave the tiniest of smiles. It warmed Madeleine's heart to see that man look happier. He would do anything to make that expression happen again.

"I believe you mentioned something about tea...?"

At that, Madeleine grinned wholeheartedly and the two strode over to the fireplace together.

Chapter Text

Weeks passed, and every now and then, Madeleine would occasionally be out of the office. It happened more and more frequently as time went on. He would usually inform Javert that he had 'business to attend to,' but lately he seemed to forget more often than not. Javert was unconvinced it was 'business.' He dared not confront the mayor on this, but Javert was certain the man was seeing Mademoiselle Laronne. All signs pointed towards this, and Javert was well known for his observational skills. Every time Madeleine lied about his upcoming whereabouts, every time he forgot to mention he would be away, Javert became more annoyed. He became more distant and detached. Colder. Their once seemingly inseperable bond was rapidly coming undone. He became more sad (though he would never admit it to himself).

On a sunny Monday afternoon in summer, Javert was sitting at his desk when he overheard a familiar voice nearby. Lieutenant Boucher. "Not this gossiping ass again," Javert thought as he rolled his eyes. He caught a few words, however, that caught his attention.

"-thought he was a homosexual, what with all the time he'd been spending with the inspector, but I guess now we know he's not!"

A second familiar voice piped up. "Haha! I bet poor old Javert is crushed!" A duet of inane laughter followed. Caron and Boucher.

"Fucking pricks," Javert muttered to himself. With a slight flush washing over his tan face, anger brewing a terrible storm in his eyes, Javert rose and strode powerfully and quickly over to the two lieutenants. He placed his large, rather strong hands around their throats and pushed them back against the nearest wall. It was possible neither had ever seen the inspector look so furious and simultaneously so chilling. Something about the look in his icy pale blue eyes made them shiver. He was not a man to be reckoned with.

"I swear upon all that is holy, if I hear either of you two dare breathe another word about Monsieur le Maire or myself again," he growled in a low rumble, "you will regret the day you were born." He released them roughly, pushing them both backwards in disgust as he let go of their necks. The two gasped for air, staring wide-eyed at each other, as Javert turned his back and walked calmly back to his desk.

The truth was this: Javert did not want to admit that he had fallen for Monsieur Madeleine. He did not want to deliver his daily reports to him anymore because he felt that odd feeling of jealousy wash over him every time he saw the man now. But he was also angry that the mayor kept up this facade with him... this facade that he had other business to attend to, he was busy, he forgot, etc. If they were truly friends, the way Madeleine seemed to act and talk like they were, surely he could not and would not forget about Javert. Javert felt like he was being abandoned. Like he was not as important to Madeleine as Madeleine was to him. And it was because of some woman. He did not want to admit he was jealous. He did not want to admit he had feelings for another man. He did not want to admit he was unimportant to Madeleine. Javert had had enough of being unimportant and being abandoned in his life. Now that it was happening again, as an adult, by someone he had strong feelings for... it was simply unbearable.

The next day, Madeleine was in his office with his door slightly cracker, and happened to overhear two women in a hallway nearby, gossiping. "As always," he thought to himself with a sigh. Part of the conversation caught his attention, however.

"I thought perhaps they had a relationship, the way they always were together!"

"Well, of course. The inspector must give his report."

"Every day?"

"Well yes, I'd imagine so!"

"Did you know they would spend hours together though? Alone? In his office!"

"Perhaps they had a lot to discuss!"

Madeleine was now completely focused on their conversation, anger and curiosity rising within him equally. Was it possible these two were referring to himself and Javert, right outside his office?! So foolish!! So intiguing...

"I'm sure they did... but I bet it wasn't all business!" Shrill laughter followed. Madeleine blushed.

"Oh now, I'm sure they're just good friends is all!"

"Well! Perhaps now that's all they are. Now that the mayor has a lady friend-"

"Oh, does he now?!"

"Yes, and I've heard she's an heiress from distant lands!" More shrill laughter.

"Ooh, poor Inspector!" Laughter yet again. This was one of the worst things Madeleine had heard in a long while. He wanted to fling open the door and tell them off. He wanted to collapse. He wanted to... cry?

"Yes, he'll just have to find a new man to-"

Madeleine couldn't take it anymore. He walked back to his desk, and slowly sank down behind it. His knees were shaking and felt weak. He felt sickened by what he overheard. The whole town, it seemed, thought he and Javert were more than just friends. He had noticed, he realized, that sometimes when he and Javert were strolling through the square and talking together, some people had given them strange looks. At the time, he'd thought nothing of it. Now he realized the truth. Or had he realized it before, and that was why he suddenly found himself dating Mademoiselle Laronne? "No," he thought. "I really do enjoy her company and her wit." He didn't find her unattractive either, to be honest. But did he not also perhaps enjoy Javert's company? His wit? His quiet nature, his strangely peaceful presence when they sat by the fireplace and sipped their tea? If he was truly being completely honest with himself, he would admit that to himself. He would accept that he had fallen for Javert. But he would not, could not, find it in himself to admit anything.

Chapter Text

Months passed. Madeleine, afraid to associate too closely with Javert anymore, was out of the office more days than not when it came time to deliver the report. Javert left it with the secretary. Javert's reports, though no less thorough than usual, became shorter and more concise. It was almost as though his written tone was clipped with annoyance. Afraid of being labeled as a homosexual and having his town turn on him or criticize Javert any more than usual, he put extra effort into appearing with Mademoiselle Laronne. It was not necessarily a bad thing. He did enjoy her company, her wit, her charm, more and more every day. But to make matters worse and more confusing, he did miss Javert greatly.

A couple weeks later, on a dark September day in the early evening, Javert headed to the mayor's office to deliver his report to the secretary. He no longer planned to see the mayor. He did not anticipate that he would see him. He lost his hope that he might. But if he did, he thought, it might make him feel strange or nervous. Perhaps, or more likely, probably, he would be angry. But mostly just sad. As he handed the folded, sealed note to the secretary with a straight face as always, she thanked him, and he turned and left. He suddenly remembered some paperwork back at the station he could complete at home, so he decided to stop by to retrieve it.

After obtaining the papers he needed from his desk, he walked out, heading home. He looked forward to the solitude after a particularly trying day, especially now as it had started raining rather hard. He tucked his chin down into his jacket, pulled his hat down, and stuffed his hands and papers (neatly folded, of course) into his large pockets. His mind wandered. He thought about the fire he planned to light, the paperwork he planned to work on, perhaps a cup of tea... there was something nostalgic and sad now about that sort of setup to him, but only because he associated his old friendship with it. It's not like he had never lit a fire or drank tea in front of it before. But now there was a sad comfort in it. At the moment, it sounded pleasant, if anything, to simply relax and maybe put his feet up in the comfort of his own home.

When he arrived home, he checked his mail, and found a note from the Prefect of Police. Intrigued, he opened it while he stood outside his door, key already inserted into the lock. It said:

Inspector Javert,

This note is to inform you that your service is required on Sunday afternoon, at 1pm, on September 16. You and a select number of your colleagues have been chosen to provide security for the event of the wedding of Monsieur le Maire. The event will take place at the Chapelle Saint-Nicolas de l'hôtel-Dieu. Please wear your formal military attire. Forces will be stationed outside the building but not permitted inside during the ceremony. You will be assigned your station when you arrive at noon.

Sincerely,

Gisquet

Javert went numb. Married. Madeleine was to be married... in one week. How could he not know? How could he not have been informed? By Madeleine... by anyone?! How had no one mentioned it, even casually... was it that secret of an event? It was going to be public enough that security was needed, apparently! He could not believe it. And the worst part was that, not only had Madeleine not thought to have the decency to at least mention it to Javert in person, but that he had not even invited him. His work had to ask him to provide police presence. He knew he and the mayor had lost touch and perhaps were no longer friends, but... to add insult to injury... it stung to not even have been considered for an invitation. Javert glanced down at the piece of paper in his hand that was now wet from the rain, and felt warmer moisture hit his hand as well as the cool rain. He realized, numbly, that for the first time in 45 years, he was crying.