Chapter Text
‘’Hey Jes!”, Kaz greets and tries to smile in the most kind manner he can. Even though his muscles aren’t used to that, he can manage a half – decent grin, he decides, when he sees a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. ‘’I went through my old books and was wondering-‘’, he stops when he suddenly feels how tense the atmosphere is. Wylan gives him a look that he can’t quite read – anger, disappointment, hurt? He still isn’t sure when the boy huffs and walks away in annoyance, closing the door to the kitchen with a big bang, even though Jesper’s outstretches his hand to stop him.
‘’Have I interrupted something?”, he asks, trying to keep his voice calm and light. Kaz wasn’t used to facing lovers’ arguments. People slitting each other's throats or beating each other? Sure. Gang rivalry? Every day, but a couple having a disagreement wasn’t a common occurrence in his world. Even thought he had enough sense to realize something was off, he had no idea how to comfort his friend.
Jes huffs, then makes an incomprehensible gesture and turns to Kaz. ‘’Sorry mate, Wylan and I were having a...difficult conversation, let’s call it”. He sighs and sits on a chair, looking distressed and hurt. If Kaz wants to be honest with himself, he must admit he doesn't know what to tell him.
‘’Do you want to tell me what happened?”, he settles on, deciding it’s better to say anything than nothing. He tries to reassure Jes with a smile and sits on the sofa in front of him, placing the books on the table. That seems to work, because Jesper takes a breath and begins.
‘’It’s so dumb’’, he laughs a little, but it’s not a rich, loud sound Kaz is so used to. ‘’It seems that...'' he sighs, trying to gather his words, his cheeks flushing red, ‘’That Wy is jealous of you”. He shrugs and opens his arm in a sort of ‘’there you go” gesture, prompting Kaz to speak.
If only Kaz knew what to say. ‘’Jealous...? Why would he be jealous of me?”, Kaz tries, he really does, to make some sense of it. He decides more information is needed to understand the puzzling situation. ‘’Like, he thinks we spend to much time together, or what?” The thought rolls through his mind quickly – yes, they hang out a lot, still less than they used to, but a lot. He doesn’t really know if that’s too much or not. Jes has been around for such a long time, that Kaz doesn’t really see his presence as some unusual event.
‘’Yeah, and he also implied I, like, have a crush on you?” He said that in a tone implying ridiculousness, and Kaz has to agree, his expression puzzled. Although he cared for Jesper a lot more than he was willing to admit (either to himself or someone else), he has definitely never seen it as romantic. He could never replace Jordie – Kaz’s heart skipped a beat at the memory – but over the years he began to view Jes as a brotherly figure.
‘’Have all of the saints left him? That’s really stupid, even for him.” he answers finally, cursing himself a little for sounding so cold. Great way of comforting a friend, Brekker.
Jes gives a little chuckle and places his hands on his lap. ‘’Right. Imagine us in a relationship.” They both have to laugh at that.
‘’We would have killed each other in a few days”.
‘’Or drive each other insane, I can’t stand you a few days a week, let alone all the time”. He grins smugly as they go back to their regular banter.
‘’I wouldn't bear coming home from a tough job and then having to deal with your bullshit.” Jes shoots back, but sparks are dancing in his eyes. Guess he has somehow managed to cheer his friend up.
‘’And with guns involved, neither of us would survive a week”, he chuckles fondly and Jes nods a little.
Then Kaz remembers Wylan in the other room. He didn’t need to be a relationship expert to know they needed to do something about him. ‘’Shouldn’t you talk to your boyfriend, instead of me? We know this is ridiculous, but he seems to think otherwise”.
Jes shrugs again. ‘’I thought I'd give him a moment. He didn’t really look like he wanted to talk to me, as you have seen.’’, he remarks, voice drowning in cynicism. He goes quiet for a moment, and Kaz starts to awkwardly wonder what to say, but then Jesper’s face brightens up.
‘’You should talk to him, not me!”, he states as he jumps up from the chair.
Kaz gets up too, but only to step back and put his hands up in a defensive gesture. ‘’Come on, Jes, we both know I’m not the best person to give relationship advice, let alone calm someone down.” He was the worst one, if he was being honest with himself.
‘’No, no, listen,” Jesper continues without acknowledging him, ‘’He was hesitant to believe me earlier, but he thinks of you as responsible and reliable, so if you assure him, he’ll understand.” Kaz sighs. Jesper had a point. If there was really – he outstretches the word comically, even in his head – something going on between them, of course Jesper would be the one to lie about it, but him? He would have had no reason, he would have wanted to break them up, to have the other boy all to himself. "Please, Kaz," Jesper pleads, voice uneven, "I- I really care about him, I can't lose him over something that's not even real, I-I love him so much, you know-"
He sighs dramatically. He does know, not only from Jesper's words, but mostly from his behaviour. The shy and sweet boy has changed Jes a lot, and, Kaz thinks, for the better. He wasn't as reckless as he used to be, caring more about his own well being for Wylan' sake, Kaz supposes.
Not that Kaz loved Wylan that much. The younger boy's timidness and delicacy made him roll his eyes more often than not, but he definitely wasn't the worst choice Jes could have made.
"All right, let me play a couples’ therapist for your little boyfriend”. Jes grins at him, and gestures down the corridor.
***
Wylan is sitting on the kitchen floor. Tears roll down his cheeks and he shudders every time he can hear muffled voices coming from the other room. Even now, he thinks, he pays more attention to Kaz. They are laughing and having fun when I- Suddenly, he can hear irregular steps approaching and the sound of a cane hitting the floor. Before he gets the chance to wonder who it belongs to, the door opens widely, showing a figure dressed in black in the door frame. Wylan can feel his face heat up and redden. Why does he, of all people, want?
‘’Hi.”. Kaz greets politely, ‘’Can I come in?” He lets himself in before Wylan can deny him, a gloved hand closing the door on his way in. Wylan wipes his face with the back of his hand. He doesn’t want to give Kaz the satisfaction, doesn’t want him to see him as even weaker than he is in Kaz’s mind already. He straightens his back and tries to keep his expression cold and uncaring.
‘’What do you want?”, he tries to sound nonchalant, but fails miserably, his voice cracking a little. He can swear Kaz gives him a sympathetic look, but shakes the thought off.
‘’Listen...”, Kaz begins, but he seems to be struggling with his words. ‘’Jesper has told me about, um... the argument that you two had”. Wylan huffs. Of course Jes can’t keep their business private, of course Kaz has to be involved. Kaz ignores him and continues, ‘’I just wanted to assure you... We’re completely, one hundred percent platonic, there’s nothing... inappropriate, let’s say, going on.”
Wylan tilts his head a little. He, for sure, was not expecting that. On one hand, Kaz seems honest and earnest, but on the other, can he really believe someone he mainly knows from being a liar and a manipulator? He would need some more than just Kaz’s word.
‘’So what are you doing here today? What do you want from us?” Wylan asks, and he knows he’s being insecure and dramatic, but he can’t help himself. He observes the man in front of him. With coal - like dark hair, sharp cheekbones and lean body, he couldn't deny Kaz was attractive. He wouldn't say he fits Jesper's type, but he does, apparently.
"If you hadn't stormed off the second you saw me, and instead stayed like a grown adult, you would have noticed that big and definitely visible stack of books that I have brought with me. I wanted to ask if Jes wanted them, but somebody - Wylan hates the manner that Kaz says this word in - decided to have a temper tantrum."
"
It wasn't a tantrum!", Wylan insists and curses himself for not sounding stronger. He's crying again and, through his long lashes, he can see the other man releasing out a long breath. He's way past caring what Kaz would think. He feels betrayed, ridiculed and lonely. He only wants his boyfriend to hold him, and then he remembers his boyfriend has chosen someone else and just bursts in tears. He hears Kaz take another long breath, then feels cold leather touch his shoulder.
"Come on, Wylan, it's all right", Kaz mumbles in what, Wylan supposes, is his attempt at a comforting tone. "Okay, I apologize, it was not a tantrum, it was a perfectly reasonable reaction". Wylan scoffs at that, he can't tell if Kaz is being sarcastic or sincere. "I'm not great at this, as you can see, but do you think you could stop crying and focus for a moment?"
"Yeah", Wylan manages, and wipes his eyes again. He lifts his gaze and meets Kaz's. Black eyes watch him carefully, and he can tell Kaz analyses possibilities of how to proceed with this. "As you have clearly noticed, I spend quite a lot of time with that boyfriend of yours" Kaz begins, his tone casual, but insisting. Wylan wonders where he is going with this. "And do you know what he's talking about most of the time?"
"Guns?", Wylan responds without a second thought, startling a laugh out of Kaz.
"Well, yes, but other than that?" Wylan only shakes his head, confused, and Kaz continues. "You, idiot. You. It's really annoying and I tell him to shut up multiple times a day, but he doesn't care and I have to suffer through all of that." Wylan gives him a puzzled look. He has no idea how to feel about it. So Jesper talks about him a lot, huh? That should mean he does care about him, right? Kaz isn't finished with his speech. "All the time - Wylan did this, Wylan said that, Wylan is so great, me and Wylan, you get the drill. Annoying as fuck, but if it does tell me anything, it is that he loves you. A lot." A shiver runs through him, as Kaz says the last few words. "And I'm just a friend to him. You know Jes, he's very - overly, I'd say - warm and touchy, but he's not doing anything out of the ordinary with me"
He does feel reassured, to be honest, and would love to believe his boyfriend's friend, but has to ask. "And you…you also see him as a friend, only?" His voice shakes, as he tries to look Kaz in the eyes, looking for signs of dishonesty.
"I'm going to say it very slowly, to make sure you're understanding" And Kaz, in fact, says slowly," Yes, Wylan, I see Jesper as a friend. No, I am not planning to steal your boyfriend. There, you good now?" Kaz asks, sounding a little impatient, and Wylan thinks he will get up and leave the room, but the older boy turns to him and begins again.
"Listen kid, I'm not your enemy, okay? I know you don't like me that much, and the feeling's mutual, but let's keep it civil between us, for Jesper's sake, all right?" Kaz tries to smile and outstretches his gloved hand. "So, what do you say, cease-fire?"
Wylan takes it, shakes it and returns the wide smile. He can do it for Jesper. Him and Kaz don't have to adore each other, but they both love Jesper, and Wylan is determinated to show him that,"Cease-fire.", he says.
***
Jesper practically burns with worry. He is pacing around the room, glancing at the kitchen door every few seconds. What are they doing there? He wonders if his imagination is playing tricks at him, or did he just hear Wylan crying? If so, should he go in there? Oh saints, he knows Kaz isn't the best with conversations about feelings, what have they done-
As he begins to panic, the kitchen door opens. Kaz and Wylan - both alive and in one piece, which is a success itself - leave the room, chatting quietly. Jesper can just stand there, staring at them in question. When Wylan notices him, he gives him a smile, a bright and wonderful smile that Jesper loves the most in the world, then runs up and kisses him deeply. Jes can barely comprehend what's happening, but he deepens the kiss and places his hand at Wylan's waist.
Just as he starts to lose himself in affection, he hears a deep groan coming from another side of the room. "That's how you thank me for saving your relationship? By making out in front of me? If that's a subtle invitation to something-"
Jesper and Wylan detangle from each other quickly, although Jesper's big hand stays on Wylan's hip. "You can only wish it was. For a "thank you", I can offer you some tea to cure our hangover. I'm still barely alive because of yesterday."
"I guess I have to accept this way of payment", Kaz rolls his eyes again, but smiles and begins to walk to the kitchen. Wylan squeezes his hand reassuringly and follows the other boy.
Jesper stays in the same place for a short while. He looks at his best friend and his boyfriend walking hand in hand, and smiles to himself.