Chapter Text
How.
Why him.
That was.
Impossible.
A man like him.
The Saint. Dead.
Javert couldn't deny the truth anymore. He was not the only ghost in Paris.
Now, his head could not longer deny the evidence in front of his eyes
In every corner, in every street, spirits roamed free.
How could he not have seen it before? I wouldn't know, but this discovery was nothing in comparison of the fact that Valjean was...that Valjean is....
Javert was back at the Seine again.
The river called him. Like a magnet. Maybe this was how it was always meant to end.
Both his body and soul decomposing in the bottom
His feet once more on top of the parapet. It was just one simple step.
And let himself fall and be swallowed
However, before he could take the final step, a frozen claw clenched his wrist and pulled with impossible strength
Javert fell towards the stones of the bridge, whatever he was now, tried to remember the aches of the body.
What was certain was that Valjean was now fussing over him and attempting to help him up
"I saw you there and....I'm sorry I didn't...."
"Stop apologising!
"Sorry I...
"How... Stop saying sorry, now!
As Javert was on his feet again, he could tower over Valjean and grabbed his shoulders in an iron grip
"How dare you to be dead! You were supposed to be alive"
"Nobody lives forever, Javert" Valjean was avoiding his gaze and that was the confirmation Javert needed. A whole set of emotions flashed, and he fell to his knees, the other man following suit
"You were supposed to live" He repeated. "The world was unkind to you, you passed more days hiding than free. And I helped... and now you are dead and looking at me, as if I'm beaten dog. You were dead and still you followed me. Why?
Javert didn't know what he wanted or needed to hear
"I forgive you" Valjean said
"You are wrong in doing so, I can't be forgiven for all the sins I have committed"
"Maybe so, but that also is my case. You will be in Heaven before I"
"Impossible! You belong among the angels"
Valjean huffed, but it was almost a laugh
"You exaggerate"
"You know I don't lie, I'm blunt and rude"
"That's also called the virtue of honesty, you know?"
"Bah...Valjean, what are we doing?"
During the conversation, they had shifted and sat with their backs against the wall
"We are talking"
"That it's obvious. But what is the point of it?"
"At first, it was to distract myself, then you and now...I guess I just enjoy to do it"
"You lie badly" (at the beginning, he just wanted to befriend him to pass the message for his daughter, he was sure of that)
"I tell the truth"
"Valjean. Valjean. What are we supposed to do now?"
"I guess we could just...do what we had been doing this past few days
"You don't want...anything to change?"
"Well, it obviously had to change, I'm not an idiot. But having someone to talk to, be myself, it was...nice. Something I could never had gotten if I was still alive"
Javert made a face
"Don't remind me"
Then, he extended a hand
"I'm willing to start an acquaintanceship with you"
Valjean took it. A cold grip, but somehow it spread warmth all over his arm
"Me too"
And they both could swear that in that moment, the sun raised just above them and the world around them was impossibly white, the people around and themselves with a golden glow
That was so brief that they didn't notice, as they only had eyes for each other