Javert awoke a few hours later with a start. He too soon remembered the abuse he had withstood earlier that night and closed his eyes tightly as he felt every cell in his body positively ache. He was cold and wet, having fallen asleep still in his drenched uniform, and his entire body was in agony. He opened and closed his eyes a few times, trying to make sense of the night's events.
With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Javert remembered Madeleine promising to return in the morning. He could not find him like this, Javert thought, incapable of even undressing himself. He leaned over and lit a candle on his nightstand, and, wincing in pain as he did so, swung his legs over the side of his bed.
Javert slowly began removing his uniform, inspecting it for damage. Most of it was completely soaked and muddied from the dirty snow, but with a sigh of relief Javert noticed he had not bled on it. Using a clean patch of his undershirt, he wiped his face, and examined what he had rubbed off - mostly dirt, but traces of what looked like blood. Once undressed, he folded the damp uniform neatly, and moved to stand up.
No sooner had he gotten to his feet than he felt his left leg fail beneath his weight. He flung out an arm, grabbing desperately to the nightstand, just in time to keep himself upright. Slowly and deliberately, keeping one hand on the wall to support himself, Javert made his way to his dresser. He placed his uniform on top and retrieved a nightshirt, returning to his bed before donning it.
He attempted to lay back down in bed and found that it, as with the uniform, was very wet from the snow. Figuring he probably did not have the strength to redress his bed at this hour, he leaned over and blew out the candle, attempting to find a position to sleep in that was both dry and comfortable, given his extensive injuries.
When he awoke several hours later, he found the mayor seated at a chair near his bedside, head buried in a novel. Noticing Javert had awoken, he set down the novel and peered at the inspector, as if attempting to appraise the severity of his injuries based on his facial expression alone. "Good morning, Inspector," he greeted, with a nod.
"Monsieur le Maire," Javert returned.
"I've brought you some breakfast," the mayor said, nodding to a plate of bread and jam on Javert's nightstand, as well as a cup of tea.
Javert made to sit up, a small gasp of pain escaping his lips as he did so. He cursed himself, cheeks becoming flushed from showing the weakness in front of the older man. He shut his eyes and started another attempt, before he felt two strong hands on his torso, helping him to place his back against his headboard. He hadn't prepared for the mayor's touch, and felt himself dazed, trying to put from his mind the effect of the man's hands on his body. "Thank you," he murmured. Madeleine passed him his breakfast.
Madeleine returned to his book as Javert ate, seeming not to notice the way Javert picked at his food. After ten minutes, he had scarcely eaten half of his meal, and he turned to the mayor.
"I apologize, Monsieur, but are there not more pressing things you could be attending to this morning?" He asked, quietly.
"I've already opened the factory and explained to the foreman I will be absent most of the day," he said, pointedly. "My chief inspector is injured. That is what I am attending to."
Javert set the plate delicately on his nightstand. Madeleine looked at him slowly, and said, deliberately, and not without hesitation, "I need to examine you for injuries."
Javert started, partly due to his lack of desire for the further emasculation promised by the older man doting over him as if he were a sick child, and partly, though he cursed himself for it, because he was afraid of the way the man's touch made him feel.
"I assure you, I'm fine," he tried, hoping he appeared more confident than apprehensive.
"I've already neglected to take you to a proper hospital, at least let me ensure there is nothing broken," Madeleine retorted. When he saw this had not won over Javert, he added, "You will need to be returning to work at some point, will you not? If you are injured and it is not attended to, you will be out of work for longer."
Javert scowled. He was upset just knowing he would not be able to return to work for at least a few days, and conceded that the mayor did have a point. He closed his eyes and nodded slowly, once, before sliding back down into a laying position.
Gently, Madeleine pulled back the bedclothes. "I'm going to start with your arms, alright?" He said, hesitantly. Javert noticed Madeleine seemed not to want to do this just as much as Javert wanted not to be subjected to it. He was not sure if this was reassuring or upsetting.
Madeleine gingerly picked up one of Javert's arms, rolled up the sleeve of his nightshirt, and moved his rough hand along it, squeezing gently, and examining it closely for bruising. "Let me know if anything hurts," he mumbled. He moved slowly from Javert's wrist to his shoulder, before starting with the other arm.
Every few inches, Madeleine would come across a point where Javert had been struck particularly hard, and Javert would let out a small gasp of pain. At this, Madeleine's hands would go from probing to comforting, applying just enough pressure to the area to soothe the bruise. Madeleine's hands moved deftly up Javert's other arm, and Javert noticed the confidence building within the mayor. Cursing himself, Javert let himself be comforted by the mayor's firm touch.
When he finished with his second shoulder, Madeleine sighed, as if contemplating how to address the issue of clothing. "I'll examine your torso over your nightshirt," he said, unsure of himself, "So I need you to tell me if anything hurts."
Slowly, Madeleine pressed various points on Javert's chest and abdomen, and Javert felt a heat wash through him. Having curled up during the attack, the area was mostly uninjured, save for a large bruise near his kidney where the cudgel had hit him. Javert let out a sharp gasp when Madeleine reached this area.
"Does it hurt?" He asked softly, again applying gentle pressure to the area.
"Just bruised," Javert mumbled.
Madeleine looked worriedly at the area, but did not press the issue further. "I'll check your legs now," he said.
He pushed Javert's nightshirt up to about halfway up his thighs, and once again began examining them as he had his arms. Javert once again found himself becoming almost drunk with the sensation of the man's hands on his bare flesh and cursed the heat emanating from his groin. He shut his eyes and prayed for distraction, mentally going through several prayers about temptation.
"It appears nothing is broken," Madeleine remarked, having finished his examination. He peered at Javert. "Is something wrong, Inspector?" he added, noticing Javert had his eyes shut tightly and seemed to be mumbling under his breath.
"Just - just a headache," Javert lied.
Madeleine stood up and drew the blanket back over Javert. "I will be needed back at the factory," he said, abruptly. "I will return later tonight. Try to rest."
And just like that, the mayor was again gone, and Javert was again laying in bed, all but writhing in agony, cursing himself.