we all know Valjean is super big on education, right? I mean, he only talks about it a BILLION TIMES in Shoujo Cosette like dang man we GET IT
but just imagine for me
Valjean appreciates education not just in reading, writing, math, history, whatever
he’s big on self defense also, especially when it comes to Cosette, because heck she will know how to defend herself in every way
imagine him teaching Cosette all he can, and then sending her to these self defense and martial arts classes, and soon she knows mostly everything that anyone can teach her, and her punches and kicks are like lightning and she’s totally ripped underneath all that pink adorableness like imagine being a bully or an evil dude and suddenly this pink whirlwind comes flying at you and suddenly you’re on the ground and you look up and this rosy cheeked blonde girl is standing over you with her fists clenched and she starts reprimanding you like how legit is THAT
so yes, Valjean is a big advocate of education, because no one can take your knowledge away, but that knowledge extends to self defense and you bet Cosette knows every move in the books
AU where instead of making a snap decision and leaving for the Seine, Javert just. keeps returning to Valjean’s house to examine for himself how Valjean can simultaneously be a good person and a criminal. eventually Valjean heads downstairs each morning to find Javert already at the kitchen table, casually reading the newspaper. Javert always greets him with “good morning, I’ll most likely arrest you today”. he never does
there are a lot of cringy school editions of les miserables but nothing tops the one my friends school made where Javert doesn’t take his life, instead he’s shot to death by valjean
¯_( ಠ_ಠ)_/¯ 