Songs Used: A Heart Full of Love (with some slight changes to fit of course
All Javert could do was watch. He paused in the doorway passively, unable to enter but unable to turn away. Like clockwork, Monsieur le Maire came to the hospital to see this woman. She was horrid to look at—perhaps pretty at one point—but now missing teeth, her hair shaved close to her scalp, her skin tight and pale like wax. But the way he gazed at her…as though she were beautiful…as though she were some precious flower needing nurturing and love to bloom once more.
Javert's chest clenched uncomfortably as he stared at the two. Nearly the entire time Javert had been assigned to Montreuil Sur Mur, he'd been suspicious of the mayor. Madeleine was just too…perfect. There was something familiar about him, as well as the fact that the man seemingly had no flaws. He couldn't put his finger on it completely, but something about the mayor made Javert uneasy. So naturally he'd kept a close eye on him. But this constant scrutiny had started some unwarranted observations.
Like how Javert started noticing the broadness of the mayor's shoulders or the way his jacket strained against large arm muscles when the mayor did any kind of physical labor. Or that the mayor hardly smiled, but the rare times Javert managed to catch one always made the man's face look so young and kind. Or the way the mayor's dark eyes grew lighter for a moment when he laughed. These kinds of observations were distracting and irritating at best, but Javert couldn't help obsessing over even the smallest detail of this man.
So naturally it was easy for Javert to realize something was different with the mayor when he was around this whore. Suddenly Madeleine seemed much more relaxed, much more engaged. His eyes grew soft and he smiled more often than ever. Sometimes his hand would brush over the tiny, thin hand of the girl and they would simply look at each other, as if they were the only ones in the world.
It eluded Javert as to why the mayor would take such an intense interest in this one whore. Did they have a previous past together? Did he merely feel bad for her? No…those emotions were real and strong, Javert could tell. Most of the time Madeleine seemed very distant and withdrawn, his eyes hidden, but with her…he seemed younger, stronger. He stayed by her side the entire time, every day, no matter how busy he was, no matter the weather. His shoulders would lower and he'd sit beside her. Sometimes they'd speak for hours while other times the girl was too fatigued and unwell so she'd sleep and he'd watch her, protectively and silently, his hand brushing over her hand, her short hair, or her sallow cheek.
Javert had wanted to arrest her—still did—and yet the mayor had stopped it. She had yelled at Madeleine, even spat in his face and yet the merciful man hadn't cared. He had carried her to the hospital and stayed. Why?
Javert's gloved hand clenched into a fist as he watched them now. He told himself the only reason he secretly watched was to understand, to find out Monsieur le Maire's secret. What was the connection between the two? Why would the powerful mayor spend so much energy on a lowly girl of the streets? It didn't make sense.
But the way Javert's heart ached, the way his eyes turned away when the two smiled at each, the way his dreams always involved himself and the mayor with no whore in sight, told a different story. Javert wouldn't admit it, couldn't admit it, but it wasn't purely business. Something else brought him to the hospital every day at this time, something buried so deep within himself that the oblivious inspector couldn't find it.
"Fantine…are you comfortable?" Madeleine asked and Javert watched silently as the whore smiled and nodded. Madeleine smiled back, a small lift of his lips and a crinkled at the corner of his dark eyes.
Javert's heart clenched tightly and his eyes narrowed. During the periodical police reports, the mayor always seemed very guarded and distant as Javert discussed the affairs of the city. Javert would try his best to weasel some kind of reaction from the mayor, a smile, a laugh and conversational comment. Something like he did with the prostitute. But it never happened. The mayor was always business-like, quick and detached.
"Monsieur, how's the new school doing?" she asked with a slight smile. She was leaning against the head board tiredly, her body emaciated and her face angular. But still he regarded her like an angel.
"Very well," Madeleine said. "I still have a few papers I have to draw up and some more people I must speak with, but it's going very well."
"If you've got all that work, maybe you should return to it instead of wasting your time with an ailing child," the woman said with a soft smile.
Madeleine returned the smile and put a rough hand on hers. "I love spending time with you Fantine. I can be away from work for a bit to visit. Please don't worry."
Fantine's smile grew and Javert grimaced at how her skin stretched. Javert's sneer only deepened as the two merely gazed at each other a short while. Finally Madeleine spoke up.
"Fantine, I've been meaning to ask." Javert focused on the mayor who suddenly seemed uncomfortable in his chair, his eyes staring into the corner instead of at the whore. "Your child is staying at an inn with a working family. Where is her father?"
Fantine looked down at her hands, her smile gone. "He's gone. I don't know where. He left when I was still pregnant with Cosette. She never met him and I never saw him again." Fantine's eyes seemed to well and then spill over, a small tear trailing down a pale cheek.
Javert resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the classic sob story, but instead bit his lip as Madeleine tenderly wiped the tear away.
"He isn't worth your tears. Any man who'd abandon a poor creature like you isn't worth your sadness," Madeleine said softly. Fantine looked to him then and smiled a smile that Javert hadn't seen before. It didn't seem right on the whore's sickly face. It was a smile of hope and joy, a beautiful thing. A smile of…
Javert's eyes widened when he saw Madeleine returning the smile in a similar manner. They looked like school children, shy and unsure and very much in love.
In love…
Javert's heart pounded in his chest, finding himself childishly jealous of the whore. The policeman's eyes narrowed and his teeth ground together. Jealous of a street urchin!? A prostitute!? What was wrong with him? Yet there were those feelings, feelings of wanting to be in the place of the girl. He wanted to be the subject of Madeleine's tender gazes, he wanted to be the reason he laughed and smiled, he wanted the mayor to relax and enjoy Javert's company instead of acting so reserved and official.
"A heart full of love…a heart full of song…" Madeleine whispered softly to the woman and then shook his head with an embarrassed smile. "I'm doing everything all wrong."
Fantine giggled to herself, putting a thin hand to Madeleine's face. Javert gripped the doorframe tightly to resist pushing open the door and running in there to slap away the offending hand.
"Fantine, I don't know what to say," Madeleine said, his head tilted into the woman's hand.
"Then make no sound," she responded, her eyes bright and her voice delicate.
"I am lost."
"I am found."
Javert listened and watched the two before him, hidden behind the mostly closed door, an intruder on this personal moment. But he couldn't leave. Couldn't look away. All he could do was watch in despair, wishing he couldn't read those looks, wishing the mayor would turn around and go to him instead of the whore.
But they were fixated on each other. They whispered softly, looking in each other's eyes, lost yet found. The whore was enraptured by the mayor, her savior, her hero, her friend, and Madeleine gazed at the delicate creature protectively, gently, kindly, someone who depended so much on him, someone who was always happy to see him.
The Inspector had never seen a whore seem so loving, so trusting and so innocent, like she was still a beautiful young girl, nor had he ever seen the mayor look so happy, so content, so peaceful.
"He was never mine to lose…" Javert muttered sadly to himself.
"A heart full of light," Madeleine whispered, rubbing a thumb soothingly on the top of the woman's hand.
"A night as bright as day," she responded, her entire presence radiating happiness and relaxation. Madeleine repeated her name a few times, as if tasting it on his tongue, loving the feel. Javert noticed whenever the mayor said his name, he said it quietly and coldly, as if afraid to utter it too loudly, as though it were dangerous and sour. "This is a chain that will never break."
Javert's grip on the doorway slackened and then his hand fell to his side. It was pointless. It was all for nothing. The mayor was his superior, someone kind and gentle, while Javert was a mere police officer, someone cold and stiff. Madeleine would only ever see Javert as such. And besides, it was wrong for Javert to think these thoughts. Madeleine was a man so of course some lowly whore had more of a chance. Madeleine would never—could never—love Javert.
"A heart full of love…"
"These are words he'll never say…not to me," Javert muttered, glancing down and straightening away from the doorway. He couldn't watch anymore. Keeping his chin up and his shoulders squared, he turned and left the hospital, intending to do his job and stay away.
EDIT NOTE: So...I'm not sure how I didn't notice this or how it even happened, but the story on put on here was the second chapter from the original "Songs of Javert" story. THIS is what it was supposed to be, all fixed!
Takes place in the Madeleine era, with Javert pinning after the Mayor despite Madeleine having feelings for Fantine (who is NOT a whore, but since its written from Javert's kind of tilted perspective, I had to address her as such). Just a different spin on the amazing love triangle that is "A heart full of love" x3
Hope you enjoyed, sorry the mistake! Comments are always appreciated, as are favorites! ^^
