A Franc or Two - Les Misérables [IN EDITING]

A Second Job - Chapter 2

A/N: For those of you who don't know, I don't normally put these at the beginnings of chapters— but I just wanted to forewarn you that there's some content in this chapter that involves mentions of sex and sexual assault. Skip ahead if you aren't comfortable.

"The hell took you so long?"

At the moment, you were picking up discarded bottles around the Café, some half-full and others toppled sideways. It was so late that even the candles and torches had started dimming tremendously— you had nearly received the task of scraping the wax off the floor.

"I'm sorry, [Y/N]," whispered Matelote, who was now helping you get changed in the staff room. "Remillard and I just got caught up in the rain!"

"Sure you did," you muttered, tightening your corset and letting your hair down. You glanced in the mirror, staring at the makeup beginning to smear from your eyes, and you let out a sigh as you picked up the rouge from a drawer nearby. "'Remillard' didn't tie your corset all the way."

Matelote looked confused for a moment, but almost immediately afterward, you could just about feel her embarrassment radiating off of her... and thanks to the fact that her lips were also quite swollen, you had a feeling she had been quite... busy.

"Shut up."

You took forever to finish getting ready. Despite the fact that you already wore quite a bit of makeup as a waitress, your... erhm, night job required much, much more.

"How come you don't just work in the factory?" Matelote asked, her eyebrows furrowing as you began to darken your eyes a little. "It's a lot less... erhm, emotionally degrading."

"Someone I knew got thrown out of one," you said, your jaw clenching as you took another look in the mirror. Your lips needed more color. "I don't want to be humiliated like that."

"Yes, but... this—" she pointed to how differently you had dressed— "Isn't going to get you places. It's a lot more humiliating than losing a job."

"It pays well, alright?" you snapped, parting your hair in different ways to test which way looked best. You quickly became frustrated and ran a hand through your hair. "Just... please."

Matelote was one of the only people who knew about your 'side job.' The only other people were the men whom you went away with— but they'd have been with so many women that you doubted they'd remember your face.

Normally, you would thank Matelote for helping you get ready, but it was at times like this when you lacked that gratitude. You didn't exactly appreciate her prying.

"I've got to go," you muttered, lifting up your dress just a little before opening the door again. "See you around."

Matelote held her breath as you walked out, as you briskly walked out the back entrance.

***

Two men later, and you were already exhausted.

Considering the fact that you were among the more popular of the bunch, it meant you would be working much longer than most of the whores— and as you sat inside of a newly-abandoned room, pulling your dress back over your head, you heard a knock come from the opposite side of the door.

"One moment, please," you squeaked, making your way over to the nightstand to clean up just a little bit.

"Erhm... Come in!" you said, trying to beautify yourself up just a little last minute. You sat back down on the bed, trying to mentally prepare yourself for another round of... well, you know, and you took a glance in the mirror across from you to make sure everything was in order. You tensed up as the door opened.