Work Text:
1.
A manilla folder hits Javert’s chest as he walks towards his desk. He takes the folder and looks blankly at the officer who gave it to him
“Everyone has to do one, this is yours” the officer says. Upon seeing Javert’s confusion, the officer elaborates. “The entire parole section has gone to shit. It’s up to us to pick up the slack. You’re lucky you’ve only got the one case.”
Javert blinks at influx of information but the officer continues speaking, trying to get as much information out as quickly as possible
“The guy’s pretty much the model ex-con, one of the Bishop's lot, fully rehabilitated and all that. It’s an easy case. Call him, meet him, talk to him, schedule and the like is in the folder. Your first meeting with him has already been arranged, it’s today at 3pm, room 5”
Javert nods and heads towards his desk. Sitting down he sets an alarm on his phone for the meeting and gets to work on the reports he needs to finish and then he can look at the file.
Javert is in the middle of an overly detailed report when the alarm goes off. He checks the time to make sure he didn’t get the time wrong.
He did not.
Sighing, he finishes his coffee, picks up the file he hasn’t even opened yet and heads to Room 5. As he approaches the interview room he can see that his parolee is already sat at the table. He opens the door and heads inside.
“Hello, I’m Officer Javert and I’m your parole officer for the time be-”
“Hello, Javert”
Javert looks up, sees Valjean sat on the other side of the table and is almost overwhelmed by the memory of their last meeting and it’s aftermath.
“No” Javert spins on his heel and swiftly exits the room, leaving the door to slowly close behind him.
2.
It was two weeks later that another meeting with Valjean had been arranged. Javert had done all he could to try and get the case transferred to someone else but each time he is given a different excuse. Finally his superior tells him to put up with it since everyone else has to do their share until the parole service has been sorted out and that his history with his assigned case would not get him out of it.
Javert stands outside the door to the interview room and sighs. He had hoped never to face Valjean again after being saved by him after a riot.
A hand on his shoulder startles Javert out of his thoughts. “You’re going to have to actually go in there to work on the case”
“I know, Officer Moreau”
“I’m just saying, you have been stood there for twenty minutes”
“I am aware, Officer Moreau.” Javert turns to the officer, who still has his hand on Javert shoulder and glares at him, “Don’t you have patrol now?”
“That I do” The officer laughs and walks away “Enjoy the interview”
Javert takes a deep breathe and enters the interview room. Valjean is sat in the same place his was two weeks ago. Valjean looks like he is about to speak so Javert raises his hand to shush him and takes the seat opposite, fidgeting slightly with the files before putting them on the table.
“Hello, I’m Officer Javert and I’m your parole officer for the time being.”
Valjean smiles and Javert’s breath catches in his throat. It is the same smile Javert saw when he told Valjean that there would be no legal repercussions regarding his interventions during the riots.
“Hello Officer, My name is Jean Valjean”
Javert starts to speak a couple of times before cutting himself off, shaking his head. Finally he works out what to say.
“This is not the job I am trained for so I’m going to be sticking as closely to the guide as I can, it will be greatly appreciated if you can bear with me for this”
Suddenly a great commotion erupted from outside the room and the PA speaker calls for all officers to aid.
3.
Winter came. Four months had passed, along with them four meetings that all were interrupted for one reason or another. From fights in the bullpen to fire alarms and one very concerning occasion when a neighbouring precinct raided them. Although some of the meetings they got through fine, eventually Valjean had convinced him to have their meetings in a cafe he favoured just to stop being interrupted by things like that.
Javert stepped into the cafe, removing his hat and scarf and goes to the counter to order some coffee. As he waits, he scans the patrons for where Valjean is and finds him sat in a corner reading a newspaper. By the time he picks up his coffee and starts making his way to the corner, Valjean has noticed him and has folded up the newspaper on the table. Javert nods at him as he sits in the chair on the opposite side of the table.
“Thank you for having the meeting here” Valjean says, smiling “I think we might suffer fewer interruptions here”
Javert nods, looking around. “It does seem to be fairly quiet here. So how have you been doing?”
“It’s been fine. My job is going well, though I’ve been assigned to a different park for a couple of months so I need to rearrange my shifts with the charities I volunteer for.”
“Just make sure you update the address and the times you are there at the station and it’ll be fine.
Valjean still hasn’t stopped smiling at him and Javert shifts uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. It seems that Valjean is taking pity on him as he carries most of the conversation on his own, talking about the charities he’s helping and his specific duties at work.
Javert finds himself getting lost in Valjean’s words until the sound of a shout and a window smashing pulls him out of his thoughts. Getting up, he turns to find a young man behaving threateningly towards the barista. Javert shakes his head in frustration and goes to try to calm the situation.
4.
Two months later and Javert has gotten used to Valjean’s manner of speaking now and has learned when he should take note of what is being said and when he can focus on other things. Now that he thinks of it, he likes listening to Valjean speak of his life, it provides a pleasant background noise that he finds easy to work to.
He’s working on some minor reports holding the phone trapped between his shoulder and his ear, listening to Valjean meanderingly speak of another meeting he had today when he nearly drops the phone, pen skittering across the page he was working on.
He barely holds back from shouting into the phone
“What did you just say?”
A pause echoes down the line. “... and I finished formalising adopting Cosette.”
Javert holds the phone closer to his ear “When did you adopt a child, Valjean” He whispers, glancing around the office to make sure noone is paying attention to him, “This hasn’t been approved. This isn’t in any of your notes. Did Myriel know about this? How did you get-”
“It’s fine, Javert. It’s gone through. It’s entirely legal. Absolutely nothing to worry about.”
“PAPA!!!” A voice calls in the background.
“I’m sorry Javert, I have to go”
“Do not hang up on me Valjean, We are not done talk-”
~click~
Javert stares at the phone as the dial tone rings out.
A hand takes the phone from him and hangs it up. “Hanging up on you is not a parole violation, Sir. I’m sure he’ll call back soon”
5.
It had been a year since Javert was first assigned to Valjean’s parole case and their meetings at the cafe had become a fixture in Javert’s schedule and he has come to look forward to them. Another change in Valjean’s shifts meant that the next meeting took place while he was at work and Javert was now walking through the park looking for him.
Javert finds Valjean kneeling by a flowerbed, gently parting the flowers so the weeds could be pulled out without harming anything else. Javert stands back for a while, watching Valjean work, his gentleness with the plants a stark contrast with the strength he is capable of.
Clearing his throat, Javert draws Valjean’s attention to him and helps him to his feet.
After Valjean clears the area he was working, they begin to walk slowly around the park. After a few minutes Javert begins to speak.
“It’s been a year since I took your case on and as I am sure you will be glad to hear, this shall be our final meeting. Your parole has ended and you are free of all this”
Javert looks at Valjean with concern, it is not often he does not get a reply from Valjean, indeed it seems difficult for the man to be quiet.
Valjean shakes himself out of his stupor, smiles broadly at Javert while grabbing his hand and bring it to his chest.
“Thank you Javert, Thank you so much, you don’t know what this means to me.”
“I think I have an inkling”
A loud crack breaks the moment and a scream follows as a tree falls. Valjean breaks the contact and runs towards the fallen tree. Javert follows him, to witness the strength of the man who can show such gentleness.
+1.
Javert shifts nervously as he stands in front of a door, he raises his hand to knock. Valjean opens the door, smiling like Javert has brought the sun with him, instead of a semi-cheap bottle of wine.
Valjean gestures for Javert to come inside, “You are early, you usually try to be exactly on time”
“Yes well, I wasn’t exactly keen on those meetings”
“And you are for this one”
“This doesn’t count, those meetings have ended”
“That they have”
After taking his coat, Valjean takes Javert’s hand and leads him to the kitchen, where the dining table was set up for a romantic dinner. Javert sets the bottle on the table and sits down as Valjean brings two plates of food.
Javert hardly pays any attention to what the food is, only noticing that it is some kind of pasta and that he enjoys it, or the music playing softly in the background. All of his focus is on Valjean, the way his eyes light up when Javert says something funny, the movement of his hands as he talks of his work.
Dinner seems to fly by and as the evening grows late, they move to the couch in the living room, taking the wine with them. Their conversation eventually winds down and they are left shyly looking at each other, eyes meeting and then darting away.
Valjean takes Javert’s hand and lifts it to his mouth, gently kissing the knuckles.
Javert sighs and brings his other hand to tangle in Valjean’s hair. Taking a deep breath, he leans in to Valjean and softly kisses him.