Valjean smiled as he watched the children run around, giggling. They really were quite sweet. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to climbing into his bed.

He had gotten up this morning to an empty bed. This was nothing new, as Javert always seemed to awaken at dawn. He had shaved, dressed and headed out to M. Thomas' home. He had been clipping back the garden to make way for the growing flowers that were climbing up his wall and fence. He had then eaten the lunch the man's housekeeper had given him and started to pull up the weeds that sapped the life out of the beautiful plants, sneaking up between the cobble stones.

He had then eaten a light broth and headed home. It was still quite early, the sun only just going down in the summer's sky. Valjean stopped in the chapel to say thank you to God for a wonderful day, and to request the continued good health of Javert and himself.

It was quiet in the house when he got home, and he headed up the stairs quickly, unlocking the door once he reached the room.

Inside, it was fairly dark. He could see a lump on the bed and grinned, turning to light a candle.

In the light, the lump on the bed turned out to be more than he expected. Javert was lay facing the door, the corner of the blanket that covered his buttocks doing nothing to hide the fact that he was naked. Valjean took a step closer, staring at the pale skin on display.

"Javert!" He hissed, a deep blush colouring his face. "Javert!"

"Huh?" Javert shifted, blinking sleepily with his mouth hanging slightly open. He was more attractive that he had any right to be.

"Put some clothing on."

Javert just rubbed his eyes, before staring blearily up at him. "Mmm... Right."

Valjean took a step back to glare at the boy as he sat up.

"Will you put the stopper back in my oil?" He asked softly, before shifting awkwardly to the edge of the bed. Valjean was about to demand why he was moving so strangely when he watched the handsome young man lean forwards and reach behind himself.

Valjean flushed again as he realised what Javert was doing. He threw the boy a scrap bit of cloth before focussing all his attention on putting the stopper in the large bottle of oil. For such a large bottle, there was a fair amount missing. Was this what Javert did while Valjean was out working?

He scowled slightly, and then shook his head. No. Javert had a proper job, he wrote letters for people. He must have just had some time off today.

Valjean turned and began to undress in sharp movements. He pulled on his nightshirt and climbed into bed, determined not to look at Javert.

"I'm sorry." He heard Javert's voice. "It was so good I just fell straight asleep."

Javert sounded so miserable, so upset by this that Valjean felt his anger melt away. He turned over to see Javert stood back from the bed, looking over to the candle.

"Do not worry about it." He managed not to sound angry. It helped that he remembered how often he had rubbed himself at Javert's age. "Are you coming to bed?"

"No. I already slept some. I think I'll sit over here and read... something."

Valjean sat up and looked at the boy. He still looked miserable, and actually a little afraid, but he edged around to pick up the light.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You will sleep better without me there anyway." The hesitant voice Javert spoke in, so soft and so frightened was unlike him. Javert was confident in everything he did, or he tried to sound confident in everything.

"I sleep better knowing you are safe beside me. Come to bed."

"How could you? You seemed so disgusted." The boy turned his back and crouched down next to the bookshelf. Valjean sighed. Javert didn't like reading books, there was no point pretending he suddenly gained an interest. He slid out of bed a crouched down beside the young man. His eyes were dry, but he still looked unhappy.

"You enjoyed it?" Javert turned away, so Valjean placed his hands on the boy's shoulders to pull him around and hold him there. "Javert, did you enjoy it?"

The younger man gave a gentle nod, still not meeting Valjean's eyes.

"Then, where is the problem?"

"You." Javert mumbled.

"What?"

"When... When I- I think of you when I..." He was red, and there were tears in his eyes now. Valjean felt his stomach drop out as he stared at the other.

"Oh my..." He whispered, unsure of what to say. "Well... Right."

"You... I'd... Don't hate me. It's just, you used to make me kiss you, and lie with you; now you make me feel safe and I do rather love you... You used to make me feel so loved."

"Hate you? How could I hate you? I... Wait, 'used to'? I don't make you feel loved anymore?" He moved a hand to tilt Javert's face up. The tears were now falling down his cheeks, but Valjean could feel his own tears forming.

"I... Your anger used to be a frightening thing, and I am glad you have found God, and that He makes you happy. However, I feel like I just sleep beside you every night, but you don't see me." Javert was shaking with his emotions now, but Valjean felt numb with shock.

Javert loved him. Javert loved him and felt ignored in return.

"Why didn't you say?" He wrapped his arms around the skinny body and pulled him close.

"We work separate jobs, we don't have much time together so I didn't want to be a bother. My cards just said I need to have patience anyway, so I was trying to. I'm sorry." Javert voice broke slightly in the middle, though it was muffled by Valjean's shoulder.

"You are not a bother. Not now, not ever. You shouldn't have let this run you down. How long has it been bothering you?"

"Just a few years." Javert's voice was calmer now, his limbs relaxing. "My cards told me to wait it out."

"Years? No. If something is upsetting you, tell me. Do not let it go on for years. What cards are telling you this?"

"My mother's cards. My tarot cards." The young man's voice was slurring now as sleep began to take over him. Valjean picked his boy up and put him on the bed before blowing out the candle and lying down beside him.

"Good night. We shall talk more tomorrow."