It was dark, but he knew the way. He had no desire to be stopped by anyone and so he went carefully, but those who had already been stopped by fate were fair game. A watch here, a ring there, a few coins over here, and then, something unexpected.
When he pulled the opulent cloak aside, gleefully anticipating what riches he might find, the body unexpectedly twitched backwards into a crouch and pulled the cloak up under its eyes. "What do you want?" it growled. "Why are you here?"
"Nothing, no reason. I'll just be going," said the thief, trying to calculate if the man looked weak enough to be incapacitated by a swift kick.
"I don't think so," said the man. "You have seen me, and that cannot be allowed."
"I haven't seen a thing," whined the thief, edging slowly towards backwards, hoping to be able to disappear into the sewer system.
The man dropped his cloak, revealing a hideously disfigured face. "Now you have," the warped mouth shaped.
The thief had looked on many horrors without blanching, but this was unforeseen and simply too much. He turned to flee, but inexplicably, his feet went out from under him. He hit the bottom hard, his nose filling with muck and his head bouncing back with the impact. Tremblingly, he shifted to his side and attempted to scissor his feet, only to find his legs were roped together.
The damaged face was mere inches away from his.
"You're mine, now, little man," cackled the cloaked figure. "Ugly prize though you may be, I think we're a nice match, don't you? It's quite a life we'll lead together, here in the sewers, don't you think?"
Thenardier tried to smile as if pleased, his mind churning over possible escapes from this madman. Unfortunately, he might have to bide his time. He might have to do a great many unpleasant things, but he would come out of this. He always had.
"Yes," he murmured, trying to look seductive. "Quite a life indeed." He slid his hand slowly up the thigh of the other man.
The twisted face twitched in what might have been a smile.