Chapter Text
Jesper‘s feet carry him across the creaking wood floor of the Crow Club towards Kaz‘s office. The familiar weight of his revolvers strapped around his hips eases his nerves marginally, but his hands still ghost across the pearly handles absentmindedly like it‘s a vice.
Since he‘d found Wylan with that terrible bruise on his face a few days ago, Jesper had not only been back at the Van Eck mansion every night, but also slowly formulating a plan in his mind. A plan to get Wylan out.
Unfortunately, that particular occurence would require the help of the Bastard of the Barrel. Jesper hated to admit it, but unlike himself, Kaz had both the brains and the skills to extract a person from a merchant‘s mansion without starting a war with the council. Now he only had to get Kaz on board.
He raps his fist against the heavy door to Kaz‘s office. Kaz won‘t ask him to come in, but in all the years working with him, Jesper knows that the curtesy will make Kaz much more perceptible to his proposal. He pushes the door open and steps inside the dark room. Kaz is sitting at his desk, his bad leg extended to one side, as he writes on a piece of paper. His skin is pale against the black of his shirt and waistcoat. In this light, he really could be mistaken for a vampire.
Jesper strides acorss the room and lets himself drop into the chair opposite Kaz unceremoniously. He lets his forearms rest on the sturdy arms of the chair in an attempt to portray casualness. Kaz looks up at him with a raised eyebrow, his lips pursed in near irritation.
„What business, Jesper? You look like someone spit in your coffee.“
Jesper slumps in his chair. „Was it you, Kaz?“, he glares.
Kaz fixes him with a blank expression before returning his eyes to whatever papers he has neatly laid out in front of him. Jesper huffs, but tries to swallow down his pride. He did come here for help after all. In all the years he has known Kaz, he‘s learnt that one thing about Kaz Brekker is he gets straight to the point. So he chooses to take that same route now.
„What can we do to get Wylan out of the Van Eck Mansion, away from his father?“
Kaz‘s scribbling stops, and for a moment Jesper isn‘t sure if Kaz has heard him right with the way he sits frozen. Jesper has never been a very patient person, and wound up as he is, he feels annoyance flare up behind his eyes again.
„Well? Don‘t tell me you‘re surprised by his last name, Kaz. I know you, and there is no way that you didn‘t know who you were buying explosives from.“
Kaz finally looks up at him again, his eyes so dark they might as well be black. „Of course I know about Wylan‘s… ancestoral ties. I‘m just surprised you‘d ever bring this up. It‘s not like you to be bold, especially since you‘ve been sneaking off to his window regularly for months now.“ Jesper stares at him with venom in his eyes. Kaz just waves a dismissive hand.
„Oh, come off it, Fahey, you‘re not very good at being secretive and we both know it. Also, Wylan told me you two had met weeks ago.“
Jesper supposes that was fair. He hadn’t really thought about Kaz being aware of his entanglement with a merchant‘s son, but then again, nothing ever got past him. He was Kaz Brekker at the end of the day, it was his job to know what was going on in his ranks.
„So you know Van Eck beats him and keeps him holed up in that house?“
„There isn‘t much I don‘t know when it comes to dirt on members of the council, Jesper.“
„Why aren‘t you doing anything about it then? He could become a proper Dreg.“
Kaz‘s expression is unreadable as he slowly puts down his pen and folds his gloved hands in front of him on the table.
„Surely you realise I cannot simply remove the son of one of the most influential members of the Kerch government from his home. Even for me, that would have repercussions. Wylan is welcome to join us, I‘d be glad to have a decent demo man on hand all the time, but I can‘t be the one to get him out.“
The worst part of this conversation is that Jesper knows he is right. Kaz‘s standing in the Barrel, in all of Ketterdam really, was secure, but messing with the council openly like this could and would end in disaster. Still, he had to do something.
He scoffs and shakes his head before pushing up from the chair without another word. He had to think. He strides out of the room with urgency in his steps but still obeys when Kaz yells after him to at least close the door.
-
That‘s how Jesper finds himself on the roof of a warehouse in Fifth Harbor. He‘s leaning on the grimy brick parapet, letting his gaze glide across the traffic on the water. He wants to go to Wylan, beg him to just come with him, be with him, leave his father behind. But he knows how that conversation will go, and he can‘t even fault Wylan for being stubbornly rational. Of course he couldn‘t just leave and hope his dad would let him be. Even Jesper realised that.
Jesper keeps circling back to that night he‘d found Wylan with that bruise on his face. The wild, scared look in his eyes. The way he‘d shrunk away from Jesper. Even thinking about it now made Jesper‘s insides seize up. How many times had Wylan hidden bruises from him?
He‘s pulling at his fingers absentmindedly, trying to find an easy way out. There had to be something he could do to help Wylan.
„What‘s got your panties in a twist then?“, Jesper swears and almost jumps out of his skin as Inej comes to stand next to him, one corner of her mouth pulling up into a smug expression.
„Saints, warn a guy.“, Jesper clutches his chest where his heart is beating up into his throat.
„You should have your guard up more, Jes.“, Inej offers pragamatically. Her fingers twist at her braid.
Jesper sighs. „Did Kaz sent you to check on me?“
„Of course not. He told me about your talk and how you‘d probably be pondering somewhere.“
„Well, that‘s practically the same thing in Kaz language.“
„I suppose so. You know you can‘t save Wylan, right? He didn‘t ask you to save him.“
Another sigh leaves Jesper. „Yeah, I- I wish there was something I could do. Nej, you didn‘t see what his father does to him. There has to be a way to make Van Eck pay for what he‘s doing. Wylan is so- he‘s so good, and kind, and so intelligent. He‘s-“, Jesper halts, not sure how to articulate just how much Wylan doesn‘t deserve any this.
Inej places a small hand on Jesper‘s shoulder. „Oh Jes… You love him.“
And there it is. Inej had hit the nail right on the head. Jesper loves Wylan. Sometime between breaking into the Van Eck mansion to steal a painting and returning almost daily to spend time with the wonderful stranger he‘d met on that first night, Jesper had fallen head over heels in love. It was really quite like him to do something reckless like that. His Da would probably give him a gentle scolding for picking someone as complicated as Wylan Van Eck. The thing is though, Wylan‘s situation might be complicated, but falling for him had been as easy as breathing.
It was the way his lips curled up whenever he spoke about something insignificant that had made his day. It was the way his blue eyes sparkled with mirth as he matched Jesper‘s wit flawlessly every time. It was the gentle hands that squeezed Jesper‘s wrist to reimd him know to take a breath when he was rambling without preamble. It was the fact that Jesper kept orbiting back to Wylan, because he made him feel more alive than anything or anyone else ever had.
Jesper barks out a wet laugh, he hadn‘t even realised he was crying.
„Yes. Yeah, I really do.“, he wipes a hand across his cheek, trying to stop the tears from running. „What am I going to do, Nej?“
And Inej folds her delicate arms around his neck and hugs him tight, holding him together, as he cries into her shoulder. After a minute, he pulls free from her hold and straightens his coat. Inej watches him with an apprehensive look on her face.
„You make sure he knows, Jes. Make sure he knows someone is there to catch him when he falls.“
-
A few hours later, Jesper stalks along the side of the house towards Wylan‘s window. He‘s anxious. He doesn‘t really know why. Nothing has changed. He‘s still going to see Wylan, like he‘s done almost every single day over the past three months. Somehow, he feels his heart beat heavier in his chest, like there‘s a weight attached to it.
The curtains are drawn shut, so he knocks on the window, three short raps followed by two longer ones. It doesn‘t take long for a familiar head of curls to pop through the sheets of fabric and shoot him a quick smile through the glass before opening up.
Jesper steps inside and holds out the bag he‘s been carrying here from the harbor. Wylan eyes the offering curiously and Jesper watches as he realises what is hidden in the grease stained paper bag. Jesper looks at him fondly as he pulls out on of the caramel waffles and takes a bite.
He sits down on Wylan‘s bed, kicking off his shoes and waiting for Wylan to come sit beside him. He scans the way Wylan walks, the shade of his skin, the glint in his eyes, for any signs of distress or injury. The bruise on his jaw is still visible, a faint yellow-ish shadow ghosting across his face.
„How was your day, love?“, Wylan asks him through a mouthful of Stroopwaffle. Jesper is glad his dark skin hides the way his cheeks flare up at the nickname.
„The usual, really. Had a talk with the boss, and with Inej. She says hi by the way.“ Wylan nods and drops down on the bed next to Jesper, knees brushing.
„How about you? Anything fun?“
Wylan scrunches his nose as he considers the question, and Jesper positively swoons. „Did some chemical compound work, nothing else really. Father wants to see me later tonight, you can‘t stay long, Jes.“
Jesper‘s face falls, un unease immediately settling deep into his gut. Wylan‘s gaze softens and he reaches out to take one of Jesper‘s hand in his and pulls them into his lap.
„I‘ll be fine. Promise.“, he says quietly.
Jesper regards him for a moment, letting Wylan play with the rings on his fingers. He takes a deep breath and scoots closer, so close that their limbs overlap between them.
„Wy. I don‘t want to push you. It‘s just… I hate knowing you‘re here with him. That I can‘t protect you. Not that you need my protection, I know you can handle yourself, just…Wylan. I really care about you.“, he looks down at their intertwined hands, even as Wylan‘s fidgeting stops. He feels exposed, vulnerable, and he is too scared to look at Wylan right now.
A gentle hand comes to rest on the side of Jesper‘s neck and he shudders at the intimate contact. „Will you please look at me?“, Wylan whispers softly.
Jesper obliges, grey meeting blue, and Wylan looks at him with such tenderness it makes his eyes burn.
„Jes, I promise. It‘s going to be okay. Trust me, please.“ And as if to seal the deal, Wylan leans in.
Jesper doesn‘t know who closes the gap between them first, and he doesn‘t care in the slightest, because Wylan‘s lips are on his, Wylan is kissing him. It‘s like a light in the dark, a punch to the gut, a blazing euphoria sizzling in his stomach. Wylan cups his face tightly, while Jesper‘s hands grip at his waist urgently. Their chests are pressed together, as if they could merge their ribcages into one. Jesper has never felt this way in his life.
Jesper breaks their smashing of lips, panting against Wylan‘s mouth. Their foreheads rest together and one of Wylan’s hands twists into the hair at the back of his neck.
„Darling. I -“, Jesper starts. He feels like if he doesn‘t get the words out right now he‘ll probably explode. But Wylan shuts him up with another bruising press of his lips.
„I know. I know, love. Please tell me tomorrow? I just want this right now.“ Another kiss, gentler this time, almost like a promise. Jesper kisses back, mind blissfully empty as Wylan pulls on the short hair at his nape. He groans into his mouth at the feeling, heat pooling low in his stomach.
Wylan eventually pulls back and lets go of Jesper, who blindly chases the feeling of his hands on him. Wylan‘s face is flushed, his shirt crumpled and his hair wildly messy from where Jesper had raked his hands through it. He’s clearly just as affected as he is. Wylan squeezes his hand.
„You should go.“, he says, voice hoarse. Jesper nods, even though every cell in his body is screaming at him to stay, to keep kissing Wylan until his mouth hurts.
Jesper can‘t resist fully and surges forward once more to press another kiss to the corner of Wylan‘s mouth. When he pulls back, Wylan smiles at him weakly. It doesn‘t quite reach his eyes.
-
Jesper‘s hands twitch at his sides. This morning, Kaz had sent him off on a wild goose chase throughout the Barrel all the way to the University district, only for him to come up short. His steps echo through the streets as he slinks back towards the Crow Club. It‘s quite a walk. His hands slide over his revolvers, the familiar weight at his hips grounding him and keeping him sane.
All he can think of is Wylan. Wylan‘s hand in his hair, Wylan‘s lips on his, Wylan‘s blue eyes when he asked him to trust him. Wylan alone in his room after Jesper left, about to go to his meeting with his father. Jesper‘s grip on his guns tightens.
His thoughts are disrupted as his eyes catch on the headline of a newspaper. The news boy waves the soggy paper around wildly, trying to attract customers to take a copy from him. Jesper‘s feet halt abruptly as he registers the words. His vision goes white. Somehow he‘s aware of his fingers digging out a coin from his pocket, throwing it at the boy, and ripping the newspaper from his hands. Jesper stares at the words, watching the ink splotch around the edges as raindrops fall on it. His ears are ringing, he can‘t breathe. This can‘t be real.
Van Eck heir dead in boating accident
Wylan Van Eck, 19, has died in a tragic boating accident on the Belendt route, his father‘s secretary confirms. Councilman Van Eck has requested to respect his family‘s privacy during this time of grief.
Jesper‘s vision swims. This can‘t be real. The world tilts on its axis, Jesper‘s trembling hands drop the paper to the wet cobblestone. He‘s faintly aware of the news boy yelling at him, but he doesn‘t really hear what he‘s saying. His body goes on autopilot, pushing through thr crowd roughly, and running towards the Crow Club as fast as he can.
-
Inej is at the front door and she looks like she‘s ready to stab Jesper if he doesn‘t calm down. She puts a hand to his chest, her face hard, as she firmly pushes him back.
„Jes, listen to me. Kaz has thrown everyone out. You cannot interrupt his meeting right now.“
She keeps him at an arm‘s length as he glares at her furiously. This is good, he thinks. Anger is good. Anything to keep him from falling into the dark pit that‘s ripped through his heart.
He shoves Inej‘s arm away and sidesteps her, pushing open the heavy double doors despire her protests. He strides through the empty bar and runs up the stairs to Kaz‘s office, Inej hot on his heels. He doesn‘t bother knocking this time, just throws open the door with a loud thunk.
Kaz is standing by the window, arms crossed behind his back. Jesper feels Inej behind him, lingering in the doorway. Jesper is about to open his mouth to spit at Kaz whether he‘s read a newspaper today when his attention gets caught by the figure sitting in the chair across from Kaz‘s desk. Dark brown curls, dripping from the rain, and wet clothes hang from the lean frame of a young man. Jesper‘s heart slams against his sternum so violently he‘s sure he‘ll pull a muscle. The boy in the chair slowly turns around to face him, and Jesper‘s knees buckle. Even before he hits the floor, a sob that feels like it‘ll rip open his chest emerges from his mouth, and he buries his face in his hands.
Gentle hands wrap around his wrists and tug them away from his face. Jesper dry heaves, as Wylan rests his forehead aganist his own. Wylan is here, in Kaz‘s office, at the Crow Club, not dead in the canals.
„You‘re- you‘re dead.“, Jesper hiccups, grabbing at Wylan‘s arms where he can reach to make sure he‘s real and here with him.
Wylan laughs wetly. It‘s the best thing Jesper has ever heard.
„I faked my death. Well, he did try to actually have me killed this time, but I made it out. Obviously. Kaz made sure that word got back to him I fell overboard and drowned.“
Jesper pulled back to stare at Wylan. He looks at him with a sheepish smile, but there are tear stains on his face as well. He looks exhausted.
„What the fuck.“, is all Jesper says. Wylan chuckles again.
„I promise I‘ll explain it all later. But Jes, I‘m free. I don‘t even have to be a Van Eck anymore.“, Wylan‘s full on crying now and Jesper tugs at his arms, making Wylan fall forward into his chest. He breathes him in. He still smells like fresh sheets and candle wax.
Someone‘s pronounced coughing makes them startle apart. Kaz regards them with an almost bored expression. Inej has moved to sit perched on the window sill behind him.
„As touching as this is, please refrain from doing whatever this is here. Hendricks, I assume you‘ll be housing with Jesper. Meet me back here tomorrow and we‘ll iron out the details for your work shop and employment with the Dregs. Welcome to the Barrel. And now get out of my office.“
-
Wylan stands in the middle of Jesper‘s room at the Slat looking utterly lost. His shoulders are pulled up to his ears and he glances around the room nervously. Jesper still can‘t believe he‘s here.
„I‘ve been to your room many times, how is this different, Wy?“, he says, trying to break the ice. Wylan glances over his shoulder to where Jesper is leaning with his back on the door.
„Sorry, it‘s just…I think i‘m finally coming down from that adrenaline high. It‘s been quite a day.“
Jesper’s chest constricts and he takes two long steps to meet Wylan. He takes one of his hands and carefully pulls him to his unmade bed, motioning for him to sit. He makes his way over to his dresser and fishes out some clean clothes for Wylan to wear. He had left behind everything he owned at the mansion, and they couldn‘t really go back for any of it. The only thing Wylan managed to take was his satchel and his flute case stuffed inside.
Jesper hands him the clothes wordlessly and turns around again to busy himself with his revolvers to give Wylan some privacy. They were about to live together, but still, Jesper didn‘t want Wylan to feel uncomfortable. Back still turned, he clears his throat.
„Tell me what happened? Please?“
He hears Wylan exhale shakily. „You can turn around, love. Let‘s talk.“
Jesper sits down across from Wylan on the foot of the bed, trying not to let the sight of Wylan wearing his clothes affect him. It is hard, with the way the silky shirt frames his collarbones. Wylan smirks knowingly.
„Eyes up here, Fahey.“
Jesper looks down at his hands, smiling. He loves this. The effortless banter, the way it‘s so easy for them to fall back into their rhythm. Still, he needs to know what happened for Wylan to be here with him.
„Jes, please believe me when I say that I wanted to fill you in. When you came to see me last night, it took everything in me not to tell you what was about to happen. It was Kaz‘s condition for his support in getting me out. I am so sorry, I‘d hoped you wouldn‘t see the papers.“, Wylan reached out for one of his hands and Jesper grabbed his in both of his own.
„Darling, it‘s okay. Just tell me now. Please.“, he gave Wylan an encouraging smile.
„My father told me a few days ago that he was sending me to music school in Belendt, like I‘d always wanted when I was younger. I immedieately knew something was off. So I went to Kaz, and we looked into it, and sure enough, my name was never enrolled at the school. It was obviously some kind of trick to get rid of me.“, Jesper‘s hands tighten on Wylan‘s.
„So Kaz drew up a plan to help me get out. Really get out, not just run away. The men on the boat my father had prepared tried to fight me, but before anything could happen, I went overboard. I played dead in the water until the boat passed, then swam to the shore and made my way back to the Crow Club. Kaz had Inej scope out the mansion to make sure the hit men reported my death to my father, which they did. So, now I‘m free. I don‘t ever have to go back.“
Jesper is equally baffled and in awe. „Wy, that‘s… I don‘t really know what to say. Wait, why Hendricks?“
Wylan smiles. „It‘s my mother‘s maiden name. Actually, I also have access to her accounts, at least the ones that have always been separate from my father‘s. I had to sign half of the money over to Kaz, for getting involved, but I still have plenty of it. I can buy some new clothes so I don‘t have to wear your hideous shirts forever.“
Jesper pinches his wrist for that. „So, now you‘re one of us? Here to stay?“, he asks quietly.
Wylan nods and looks at him with an expression so open it makes Jesper‘s heart crack all over again. He pushes himself up and crawls towards Wylan, whose eyes immediately darken at the sight of Jesper on his knees before him. He pushes into his space and their mouths find each other like magnets. Jesper hovers above Wylan who is sprawled out on the pillows, arms wound up around Jesper‘s neck. One of Jesper‘s hands roams Wylan‘s side and sneaks underneath his shirt to touch the arm skin of Wylan‘s waist.
„Wait, I have to tell you something.“, Jesper pulls back and looks at Wylan seriously. He quirks an eyebrow at him, smoothing his hand along Jesper‘s jaw.
„Well?“
Jesper beams and leans down to press a kiss to Wylan‘s mouth again.
„I love you.“