Longest chapter yet! :) R&R
For a while they stormed on together, side by side, in silence. His strides were long whilst his footfalls were heavy. She was stubbornly determined to keep up with him but her footsteps were silent and cautious. He secretly admired that, despite having no shoes, she did not falter once.
"This is my stop." She said suddenly whilst coming to a slow halt. He frowned and peered into the park. It was pitch black, the shadows of the trees loomed menacingly over them, and the paths disappeared behind dark corners.
"It's dangerous in there for a lone woman." She smiled bitterly and looked towards the black space.
"It's dangerous anywhere for a lone woman." He sighed in irritation and pinched the bridge of his nose. She had to be difficult about everything. Always correcting him and answering back. So condescending at times. When he opened his eyes, her soft silhouette was barely visible in the moonlight she was already vanishing into the gloom of the park.
"Wait." He growled. He could not believe he was doing this. His better judgement screamed no. His police training told him not to. His own distrustful heart was suspicious. But something inside was more powerful than all of these. They shushed the "No's". She stopped with her back to him.
"Monsieur Javert?" She could not mask the curiosity in her voice.
"That's Inspector." He corrected her. "But I can offer you warmth and shelter for the night." He nearly sneered at himself. Her eyes widened into blue circles and she spun on her bare heel to face him.
"What?"
"You may stay as my guest for the night." He glared at her, his eyes flashing in the moonlight, she could see the green from where she was standing.
"Are you sure that is wise?" She arched an eyebrow and stepped toward him. "I could steal from, or murder, you in the night." Javert tried, and failed, to stifle a smirk. He did not believe her capable of such things.
"Is is so hard for you to accept aid? Call me a fool for attempting to do the decent thing." He went to walk on, away from the park, away from her.
"But you hate me!" She exclaimed. Confusion was written all over her pretty face. In her expression he saw all the things she tried to hide; loneliness, vulnerability, and an insecurity.
"Regardless of how I feel about you," He snapped "If you die pointlessly in the cold, it means more paperwork for me in the morning." He watched as her mask went back up. She narrowed her eyes and approached him.
"So you are only acting so out of character to save yourself the paperwork?" She stared at his stern face, searching for any hint of deception. It suddenly occurred to him that he was not the only one who had trust issues. He nodded stiffly. The frown disappeared, her eyes widened, and a smile blessed her face.
"Thank you." She whispered. He bristled in an instant.
"I am not doing this for you, do not mistake this for kindness, or charity!" He seethed.
"Is it so hard for you to accept gratitude and thanks?" Nicolette smirked. His eyes thinned to slits and strode off in the direction of the police station, leaving her standing at the edge of the park.
"Are you coming, or do you wish to stand there all night?" he barked over his shoulder. She broke into a grin and ran after him.
"Paris is beautiful, do you not think?" Her skirt swished as she danced along beside him. He looked down at her dubiously. "Well, obviously not where I'm from, but around where you live." The Inspector made a nose that was neither affirming nor disagreeing. He led her to a large house and unlocked the heavy door.
"After you." He muttered. This was the first time anyone except his housekeeper had stepped foot inside his house. He was suddenly unexplainably nervous about what she thought.
The house was like Javert; nig, steady, intimidating. And like Javert, she found she was oddly fascinated by it. She walked into the front hall which had heavy wooden frames and made her feel small. A boot rack and a hat stand stood to her left, an over flowing bookshelf to her right, and a staircase directly in front of her.
"I have your books." She murmured. He looked down at her in doubt. "Obviously not on my person," She explained. "But in a safe place." He rolled his eyes and strolled confidently into the next room. She followed him gradually, her mouth open, spinning in slow circles. He had more than she could imagine in her wildest dreams. She gaped at his home, her sapphire eyes flitting in every direction, drinking in every detail.
"Towels." He said gruffly, thrusting white material towards her. She looked at them in awe and took them from him shyly. He watched her stroke the soft fabric. "I'll have my housekeeper draw you a bath." Her eyes lifted to his face.
"How are you not singing and dancing for joy all of the time?" She asked incredulously. He frowned down at her.
"I don't quite follow." His gravelly, deep voice rumbled through the room.
"Look at what you have!" She exclaimed. "What else could you possibly want." He considered all he had for a moment. The people in his circle called him a minimalist who lived without pleasures. Here she thought him equal to a king. The Inspectors eyes gleamed as they bore into hers.
"Good evening Mademoiselle Alliott. I shall be in the study if you should need me." She curtseyed low and smiled.
"Good evening Inspector." He turned away from her and left for his study, but as he walked through the doorway he caught her last two words. They were quiet, almost whispered;
"Thank you." He turned to reprimand her but she had already disappeared.