Javert stood by the door, fully dressed and stared at Valjean. The man was moving about in the kitchen, with his back to him. Javert hoped this was because the older man was nervous about something, rather than because he did not want to look at the other.
"Valjean? I have to be going."
"Ah? Oh, yes. Yes. Of course."
The man smiled demurely at him, folding his arms across his chest in an oddly vulnerable way. Javert blinked. Valjean was the strongest man he knew, to see him acting so... scared was definitely strange. Javert moved over to him and wrapped his arms around those strong shoulders.
"I- I'll see you later, right?" He stuttered, before cursing himself inwardly for sounding so insecure.
"Yes, please. If- If you want you can come over after your shift?" Valjean blurted out. Javert grinned; it was a pleasant thought.
"I do 12 hour shifts, and I will need to go home first but I can come over later."
Valjean nodded his head, running his fingers over the silver buttons of Javert's uniform before leaning in for a kiss. It was soft, sweet and something Javert wanted to experience every day before he headed out to work. He grinned, before pressing his lips to the older man's in a less chaste expression of his affection.
"I shall give you a ring when I am finished work, just to check you haven't had anything come up."
Valjean smiled and nodded, allowing his hands to squeeze Javert's arse lightly. They kissed again, and Javert headed out, fastening his cape as he moved out the apartment block and into the rain.
He wondered if they would be able to go out together. He had never been jealous of people before, never felt envy at their ability to go out on dates with others, to sit in a darkened cinema together, or across from each other at a restaurant. He wondered if he would be able to do the same with Valjean. The man was nearly twice his age; Forty five years to Javert's twenty four. Would they be able to cuddle up together in a public place?
He had never wanted to before, with anyone, and yet now he wanted to let everyone know that Valjean was his. He wanted to keep all those who looked at the wealthy business owner that the man would only be with him now and that everyone else could fuck off. He didn't care that he was still so poor he was living in a mangy flat with three other men, who he believed were students, though he did not actually talk to them if he could avoid it. It did not matter that he was still living on rice and noodles, even though he had a full time job, due to his mother's refusal to get a proper job.
He was not latching onto Valjean for his money. It was not that he was in love; Javert was pretty sure he did not know the other man well enough for it to be that, but he certainly had some emotional attachment to him.
He sighed as he battled his way through the stormy weather to where he lived. He had been planning to put fresh clothing on, and to put his own underwear on rather than continuing to wear Valjean's, but perhaps he ought to just head into work. He was so damp now it would make no difference.
The police station was actually very quiet and Javert walked his usual beat, ignoring the jokes Girard flung at him, thinking of sending another night at Valjean's. The bad weather continued, and they received a call to go to Gorbeau House and speak with a man named Jordenette.
Before they headed out, Javert asked for all available information on the man, but there was not much; just various reports on a weedy but violent man and his loud, aggressive wife. There was not much else; they did not have a full name; though it was likely 'Jordenette' was an alias. Apparently there used to be a number of children with them, but these had recently left.
Once they reached the dingy place, they silently approached the house. Girard was now silent; he was a mocking bastard most of the time, but he knew how to do his job, and he knew when to shut up.
"Who are you?" Came a whispered voice. Javert turned, hand resting on his weapon as his eyes scanned the area. A skinny young girl crept out and moved slowly towards them, casting fearful glances at the house.
"I am Javert, this is Girard." He pointed to his badge. "We are agents du police."
He did his best to smile reassuringly at her, though he was not comfortable with children. Girard placed a hand on his shoulder and took over.
"May I ask who you are?"
"Azelma."
"Azelma? That is a lovely name. Tell me, Azelma, do you live here?"
"Sort of." Javert raised an eyebrow, trying not to scoff at her reply, but Girard smiled again at her.
"What do you mean by that, my dear?"
"I try to stay with my sister."
"Do you? Who is she?"
"Éponine. She is 18 now, so she can live on her own."
"Where does she live?"
"A few blocks away. It's not as nice as this, but our parents are not there." Javert frowned. Even he lived somewhere better than this, and his money mainly went to funding his mother's gambling habits.
"Who are your parents?"
"I'm not sure I should be telling you."
"Of course you can. We are part of the police, remember?"
"I am Azelma Thénardier. But we use different names. Sometimes we are Brujon, or Babet. Right now we are Jordenette."
"Your parents go by Jordenette? Where are they?" interrupted Javert impatiently. Girard cast a reproachful look, before focus his attention back on the girl with a kind smile.
"Thank you. Do you have any other siblings?"
"Gavroche and the boys are out. But Maman and Papa are upstairs. Do you want me to get them for you?"
"No, no. Please can you wait here a moment?" she nodded, her skinny head bobbing like a doll's.
Girard stood up and faced Javert.
"I want to see where this Éponine lives."
"We should just call it in and be done with it."
"No. We have no evidence on them right now. We need to collect that, besides, the girl is here. We can't do a raid with no backup and a child hanging about."
Javert scowled. The girl looked like she could survive on her own anyway, but he didn't argue.
"I'll go have a word with them, nothing confrontational. You go see where this girl lives."
Girard frowned at him for a moment, as though debating the decision before nodding his head.
"Be careful."
"You too. I'll call you when I'm done."
Javert decided to make his way along all the apartments in this house. One at a time, he knocked. Several did not answer the door, but a couple of people did. He asked about the activities, and the neighbours, being carefully not to mention anyone's name. It turned up some information on the Jordenette family, or the Thénardiers if that was their real name.
The second last door he came to, a large woman answered the door. She took one look at him and should back into the apartment.
"There is a flic at the door. What have you done?"
"What? I've done nothing." A tall, gangly man ambled over to them. He put on a sickeningly false smile as he looked at Javert. "Officer. Always a pleasure to see the law at work."
"Yes." Purred the woman behind him. Javert wanted to take a step back, feeling immensely uncomfortable, but he had the law on his side and this was his job. He stood tall and scowled at them.
"I am sorry officer," drawled the man, "but we don't have the time to stop and chat. Work, you know."
Javert nodded his head, making up his mind to investigate properly. He turned and left the building quickly; in doing so, he missed the man knocking on a neighbour's door and telling the man to follow him.