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Post by Javert on Mar 18, 2009 23:12:58 GMT -5
Javert was not hiding.
Paperwork simply needed filing and they were far enough behind on that as it was. If the inspector's current tasks also meant he happened to be avoiding Lambert, it was merely a coincidence.
A good coincidence, but a coincidence nevertheless.
Besides, it was quite common knowledge Javert enjoyed paperwork from time to time. Further proof that it had nothing to do whatsoever with the letter that had by now been burned.
And the fact that the inspector kept an eye on the time certainly was no indication he was waiting for Lambert to leave. No, not at all... it was just that Javert still had other work to do and he valued punctuality.
Yes, that was it...
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 18, 2009 23:17:16 GMT -5
For his part, Jason had come in early to finish up the mound of paperwork on his own desk and was carrying the stack of his older copies under his arm as he fussed with the door and got it open, walking in and taking pause at seeing Javert working through the stacks.
"...have you been in here all day?" he said, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
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Post by Javert on Mar 18, 2009 23:24:43 GMT -5
Oh, brilliant... at least it wasn't Lambert, but this was hardly an improvement.
"Do forgive me for doing my job, Cluont... you might want to try it yourself sometime." Javert glared at his colleague.
Jason didn't share his love for paperwork, which often led to huge stacks of paper laying around, annoying Javert with their very presence. The reports were to be written, evaluated and filed. They provided pleasure, memories of chases and successful arrests... they were to be cherished for the moments of peaceful solitude they provided, not scattered like trash.
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 18, 2009 23:28:42 GMT -5
"Mmhm," he said, as usual ignoring Javert's insults.
He dropped his own stack onto the broken desk that had been set in the small filing room and picked up a couple from the top, moving to put them away.
"Lambert left early today." he smirked, "he was feeling ill. Lovesick, I'd say..."
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Post by Javert on Mar 18, 2009 23:34:19 GMT -5
"Really now? How unfortunate for him..." Javert murmured, seemingly uninterested.
Yes, yes, God, yes!
Or... was Cluont simply pulling his leg? No pun intended, of course.
It would be just like the man to tell Javert something like this... and then the inspector would return to his desk only to find a new sickeningly sweet-smelling letter and possibly Lambert in front of it... on his knees... perhaps with a rose between his teeth.
Now, there was a vision that would haunt the inspector's nightmares.
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 18, 2009 23:48:10 GMT -5
"Yes. And fortunate for you--you can stop hiding now, oh Great and Fearless Javert,"
He went back to the desk and grabbed the next few reports stacked there, turning again to walk the stacks and put them away.
"My god, you should see the way he glares at me, that pup. I'm sure he's praying and counting the days until I retire or take up the teaching position the Academy keeps trying to get me into--just waiting for my desk to open up, he is, so he can sit and make moon eyes at you all day."
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Post by Javert on Mar 18, 2009 23:54:49 GMT -5
"I am not hiding, Cluont, I am working. I'm sure you did the same thing at some point in your life, perhaps you can make an effort to recall it?"
Javert made an extra note on a file before patiently putting it in the right place.
"Perhaps if you bothered to actually do something you will once find someone actually admires you for your achievements and..." The inspector sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "You know what, never mind. Even you don't deserve a Lambert."
Something approaching a smile tugged at the corner of Javert's mouth.
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 19, 2009 0:01:22 GMT -5
Jason gave a derisive snort and came back for more of his stack, leaning against the desk to rest his leg.
After another moment he sighed and straightened--he was getting sick of Javert's constant battering of his work.
"You know, Javert, you spend so much time insulting my work that you don't even see what I do, what I've done. You're so wrapped up in your own overblown reputation you can't see that there are plenty of good men on the force who aren't you. You've got a piss-poor attitude, old man."
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Post by Javert on Mar 19, 2009 0:06:13 GMT -5
"Well, I would sing your praise... but I seem to lack Lambert's gift and can't think of a single thing to rhyme with Cluont." Or Jason, come to that. The inspector just wasn't much of a poet... and he was glad for it.
Javert put away some more paper and then turned to look the other man in the eye.
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 19, 2009 0:10:09 GMT -5
The muscles in the younger policer's jaw danced and he muttered something Xiang Chinese before crossing his arms, leaving his cudgel to rest against the desk.
"Your manners certainly back up your breeding."
Rumor had it Javert was the son of a gypsy whore, after all.
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Post by Javert on Mar 19, 2009 0:18:43 GMT -5
Not a gypsy whore, a tarot-reader, thank you very much... still, it was quite enough to piss the inspector off. If given the chance, Javert would've turned in his own mother in a heartbeat.
There was an old legend. In every litter of wolves, there was one dog. This dog was ordinarily killed by the mother, for if it was allowed to grow up it would devour the other pups. Javert was the human version of that dog. Well, most of the time, anyway.
"Those who speak of what they know, find too late that silence is wise. Let alone those who don't have a clue," the inspector replied coldly.
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 19, 2009 0:23:48 GMT -5
"I've never been one to be silent. If I were, I wouldn't be here."
Jason was no wolf, and no dog-son-of-wolf. He was a lion--wolves, dogs and men fell equally under his teeth.
"Are you threatening me, Inspector?"
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Post by Javert on Mar 19, 2009 0:33:20 GMT -5
"Threaten you, Cluont? That seems quite unnecessary. Your entire life is a testament to your capability to attract misery all by yourself. Now, if you are done being paranoid, there is work to do."
With that, Javert moved to get some more papers from the stack.
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Post by Inspector Jason Cluont on Mar 19, 2009 0:39:58 GMT -5
The younger man pursed his lips and picked up his cudgel, throwing a glance over his shoulder to the closed door of the file room.
The weighted black-laquer wood of the thing came down with a sharp smack on top of the stack of papers, an inch from Javert's hand, and Jason's hard eyes glared at him heavily.
"Just what," he growled "do you mean by that?"
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Post by Javert on Mar 19, 2009 0:45:39 GMT -5
Javert looked up with a kind of calm fury, meeting Jason's angry gaze without hesitation.
"I think you know perfectly well what I mean, Cluont," the inspector said slowly, his voice soft but more than clear in the tense silence between them.
"Your knack for self-destruction is notorious by now, after all."
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