Werewolf of Justice
By: Aubrie1234
It was a late Thursday night, Javert and Valjean having their normal dinner. It also happened to be Halloween, much to Javert's dismay. Valjean tried to make him happy, but to no avail.
"Javert." Valjean sighed, putting his eating utensils down after trying to cheer up the other for several minutes. Immediately the other Frenchman's eyes shot up at the tone of seriousness.
"Yes?"
"Why do you not like Halloween? I've been trying all afternoon to cheer you up, but nothing has worked!" Javert dropped his eyes back to his food.
"I don't like it because... Well, it's foolish." Valjean's eyebrows shot up.
"You live with a magical Goblin King, Phantom, ex-Commodore, you're dead like the last two, and you think Halloween is foolish?" Javert shook his head, steepling his fingers.
"No, it's not like that. This used to be a normal day, but now it's been made into such a time for marketing. Look out the window and you'll understand." Valjean did so and sighed. Outside the Building he saw kids running around in costumes, so tiny down there that it was hard to make them out.
"Is it really about the money?"
"It's about what we used to do on this day. You didn't dress up to get candy but to avoid the monsters."
"I would be a hypocrite to say monsters aren't out there, human and inhuman, but isn't it a good thing?" Valjean returned to the table, "This is a night for children to have fun, to not worry about the world. Can't you leave it at that?" Javert's silence was his answer. Rubbing his forehead, the older man stood and gathered their plates. Covering them in wrap, he placed them in the fridge for later before going back to sitting with Javert. He left their glasses out, in case Javert wanted to finish.
"Javert, regarde-moi!" The French command made the man look up again, meeting Valjean's eyes, "Would you rather the children be out there with real monsters on the prowl? This is a night for everyone to have fun, including us, if we wanted. As it is, I don't want you to forget the past, but at least give this version of Halloween a chance."
"Some of those kids deserve to encounter a monster or two, if to be taught a lesson." Javert sat up straight, "If I could, I would wish for a monster to keep them on their toes. Jareth, however, doesn't do those kinds of wishes, and I don't want it to be monsters of the mind. Just a small scare is all."
"You're quite frightening already, not that I'm afraid. But Javert, please let it be." Hesitantly, the inspector nodded before moving to the couch, taking out a book from his pocket. Neither of their drinks had been touched. Not wanting good wine to go to waste, Valjean took his time to finish his.
"Save my drink, please." The superintendent wasn't surprised. Pouring Javert's wine into a less-breakable glass, he placed it in the refrigerator as well before joining the man on the couch. They sat back-to-back, one reading while the other just sat there. Javert suddenly put the book on the table, turning his head to Valjean.
"You don't have to-" he paused when he found Valjean asleep. It wasn't the first time. Feeling a smile come to his face, Javert went back to his book. He understood Valjean's worry for him, but he had his reasons. To him, Halloween was a night criminals used to get what they wanted because everyone was hiding. But there was no way he would tell Valjean that, he didn't want to worry him more. He stayed all night, falling asleep himself.
Be careful what you wish for, even if it doesn't involve the Goblin King...
The lights flickered as moonlight shone in. A small fog floated in, not seen elsewhere. It condensed into a upright form, however, who walked over to the two sleeping men. It smiled as it laid a hand on Javert's bare neck. The inspector flinched, but didn't wake. Pulling its hand away, the figure then left in a cloud of fog. Left behind, on the Frenchman's neck, was the symbol of a crescent.
Slowly, Valjean's eyes blinked open. He barely remembered falling asleep. Shifting, he felt his head resting on some sort of fuzzy pillow. Javert must have left it behind when he left. Valjean smiled at the kindness and sat up. That was when he noticed the pillow was no normal pillow. His breath caught at what he saw, fear filling him.
Said 'pillow' was actually a giant gray-brown wolf, easily over 6 ft., possibly bordering on 7, wearing torn clothing. Valjean's head had been laying on the wolf's neck, who had been sleeping until the man moved. Its eyes snapped open, quickly looking around before landing on Valjean. They were a bright blue, almost silver. The wolf blinked, then made a yip, sitting up. That revealed the sight of a white crescent symbol on the right side of its neck, but the man's attention was dragged back to the wolf as it yipped again. It lifted a paw and placed it on his hand, giving him a worried stare. It was at that gesture thing began to make sense.
"J...Javert?" The wolf nodded and Valjean felt his heart clench.
"No... Your wish, it came true!" Javert blinked before looking around. He yelped in surprise when he saw himself, trying to sit up. It was hard to do with his long tail in the way, but managed. His vest and his cravat were the only things not torn, though the tie was tight on his neck. Reaching a paw up, he loosened it slightly. He tried to stand, but as it felt awkward fully on his feet, he raised them so he walked on the balls of them. He had to be over 6' 7'' now, definitely, and could easily touch the ceiling if he wished. Spotting a mirror on a nearby wall, he awkwardly walked to it, surprisingly silent. He ran his paws over his snout as he gazed into the mirror and down his neck, briefly resting upon the crescent. Suddenly, with a snarl, he punched the mirror, shattering it and causing Valjean to leap to his feet.
"Javert!" Despite his fear, he tried to go to Javert's side, but was stopped when he was roared at. Javert's eyes were wild and wide as he breathed, anger flashing in them. At himself or Valjean, the older man didn't know, but it was enough to make him take a few steps away from the werewolf. Noticing this, Javert's ears, long and pointed like Jareth's, drooped as he crouched to all-fours. He looked away from the superintendent, and though the inspector was now an animal, Valjean could see small, almost unnoticable tears appear in Javert's eyes.
"I'm sorry. You didn't scare me, you really didn't." Javert continued to look away, still silent. Deciding to use the same tactic as last night, Valjean said, "Javert, regarde-moi!" Javert immediately looked to him, used to doing so at the command of authority, "You are still a man, Javert, no matter what you look like on the outside. Do not let your appearance change your views. I assure you, no matter what I do, I am not afraid of you." The werewolf held his gaze for a few more seconds before slinking away on all-fours. It seemed Javert wanted to sulk instead of talk, which happened more often than not when he was angry, whether at himself or others. Valjean let him leave, knowing there was nothing else he could do to change the inspector's mind. It was at that moment there was a knock at the door. Going to the door, Valjean was surprised to see Jareth, as he usually poofed in.
"Didn't want to scare you." the king leaned against the doorframe with one arm, Misto stealthily sneaking inside, "Anyway, have you see Javert? Since he didn't come home after your usual Thursday nights, James and Erik sent me over here to check on him."
"He was here last night, but-" There was a sudden crash and barking, hissing, and snarling sounded in the apartment. Misto, who had found Javert, rocketed out of the bedroom where the werewolf had been sulking and ran through Jareth's legs. Javert followed, jaws bared angrily, forcing both men to quickly step aside so they wouldn't be mauled. Whatever Misto had done, it had pissed Javert off greatly.
"JAVERT!" Valjean and Jareth were forced to follow the two, doors opening as the animals ran past. Javert chased Misto outside and had him up a 3-story tree before the chase ended, the werewolf barking and snarling at the cat, who was shaking with either fear or laughter. It became most certainly fear when the inspector began to climb after him, hissing and screeching at Javert.
"That's Javert?!" Jareth exclaimed as they got outside, no one else bothering to follow and see what was going on.
"Yes! Don't ask me why or how, just get him down!" Javert was a surprisingly fast climber, almost to Misto by now. Jareth was tempted to let the cat get his just desserts, but seeing the danger, teleported the inspector back to the ground and into a cage. With a snarl, Javert shook the bars, a more primal anger covering his features. Neither man dared venture closer or go save Misto, who was still atop the tree and shaking like a leaf. He had most certainly learned his lesson for whatever trick he had pulled on the werewolf, and Jareth wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was if it got Javert this mad. That is, if the Frenchwolf was still in his right mind. You could never tell with werewolves...
"Javert..?" Valjean winced as his lover snapped at him, growling lowly. The Goblin King laid a hand on the older man's shoulder.
"Maybe you ought to tell me what happened..."
"...What the forte..?" Erik and James looked into their apartment, blinking to see if they weren't imagining things.
"No, what you guys see here is real." Jareth gave a wave, as did Valjean. Javert, who had sufficiently calmed and was now laying on the couch, glared at them all except the elder Frenchman. He was still in a bad mood and hadn't explained to anyone what Misto had done. He likely wasn't going explain ever, even if he did return to human form.
"If you will please take a seat, I will explain everything again." Valjean laid a hand on Javert's head to make sure he wouldn't suddenly rage or anything of the like. The inspector leaned into his hand, a soft growl in his throat. Hesitantly, James and Erik went to sit at the table with Jareth. As Javert took up the entire couch, Valjean had taken the remaining dining room chair so he could sit beside the Frenchwolf.
"First of all, that's Javert." The Opera Ghost and ex-Commodore blinked at the Goblin King.
"Javert?/You're kidding." they said in unison.
"Ask Valjean then. As surprising as it is, I didn't do anything."
"Is this true?" Erik got right to the point.
"Yes, unfortunately." Valjean sighed, then began his tale, "Last night, Javert wished for a monster than could teach children lessons on Halloween. Instead, this morning, I found him like this. He's still himself, but is more prone to rage than before."
"Don't forget the crescent mark." Jareth pointed out, "I tried to use my magic to change him back, but this type is much too strong for me. The crescent, which is burned into his skin and comes out as differently-colored fur, is both a seal and the calling card of whoever did this. It's preventing me from using my magic on him directly and I can't take it off. I've sent a letter to my father, to see if he can help, but since we have no idea when he'll return..." Javert snorted and looked away, as if to sarcastically say, 'Of course he'll help me. It's not like he hasn't been a gentleman.' Jareth narrowed his eyes, but before things could somehow escalate, James intervened.
"Of course he'll help." he said, "He's helped us before, hasn't he?" A low, threatening growl was Javert's answer. It was obvious that, even after what they had been through together, he still didn't trust Erlkönig completely, much to Jareth's anger.
"But you're certain that there is nothing we can do now?"
"Unfortunately." the fae man answered Erik's question, forming a crystal in his hand, "I don't even know what else this magic could do. Javert may only be a werewolf, or there could be more to it we don't know about." The growling increased in intensity, where Valjean had to keep a grip of the werewolf's fur to prevent him from attacking the Goblin King.
"Javert, please! Calm yourself!" With a glance back at the Frenchman, the inspector did so, though grudgingly. His glaring eyes were riveted to Jareth, who glared back. Seeing that it would be best to separate the two, James, Erik, and Valjean shared a look. Scratching his fur made Javert lean into Valjean's hand, looking away from Jareth and allowing the ex-Commodore and Opera Ghost to drag away a still-fuming Goblin King.
"I'm sure Erlkönig will be here soon." Valjean assured Javert, "You'll be back to normal, or as normal as this place can get." That caused the gray-brown werewolf to snort, which made the white-haired man smile. They continued to stay in that position, Javert falling asleep from the comforting scratching and resting his head on Valjean's lap. As soon as he was asleep the man dropped the smile. There was one thing Jareth had told Valjean that he hadn't told anyone else: If Javert stayed a werewolf too long, he may lose his mind to the beast. The Frenchman didn't want that at all, but how could he prevent it? He couldn't, and that hurt him more than anything.
"Fight this and survive, if only for me." Valjean said before planting a kiss to Javert's forehead. The Frenchwolf's ears twitched, but he didn't wake.
Guess what? After getting hooked on Roommates (AsheRhyder) and Girls Next Door (Pika-la-Cynique), I decided to read and watch the Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. I've read the PotO book, which is a little over 300 pages and have seen the 2004 movie, and I'm now trying to read Les Mis. *eye twitch* The entire, over 1200 page unabridged version. Wish. Me. Luck.
And on a similar note, as I have recently got into the two fandoms, if anyone is out of character here, please tell me. I'm still quite new to PotO and Les Mis, and all I know of them come from the two web comics, along with Misto. And yeah, I support J/JVJ mainly because of Roommates. With what I've been reading so far, it could go from either friendship or love, depending on which direction you wanted to go.
Also, the Thursday night thing is real, as depicted in Roommates; Javert and Valjean meet up every other Thursday night and have dinner together. And yes, I know it's not Halloween, but I couldn't help it! It was perfect for the story! As for Javert being a werewolf, there was a Halloween picture of him dressing up as one (not fully wolf, of course) and he tends to be associated with wolves a lot in the comic.
One more note: This is set after the guys have the shared apartment, but BEFORE the King's War arc. I don't want to drudge up any sad feelings and besides, I haven't finished reading the rest of the comic after the arc yet!
Anyway, please read & review!