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Wylan was hot. Like, literally, he was sweating, even wearing just a t-shirt and shorts like Jesper had suggested, an outfit poles apart from his usual style. He knew that it was warm in Novyi Zem- he'd visited the country with his father once on a political trip, but that was in the winter. After growing up in Kerch where it almost exclusively was rainy and muggy, he wasn't used to or prepared for this kind of summer heat. But Jesper thrived in it. He looked at home in a vest and shorts, the bright sunshine beaming down on him as they walked through the jurda fields together. Wylan supposed that was because he was at home.
Jesper had wanted to bring Wylan to Novyi Zem with him for a while. Colm had been begging Jesper himself to visit since the auction, but he didn't want to without Wylan, and they had to make sure that his father's business wasn't going to collapse the moment he went into jail. That took some time, Jesper helping Wylan sort through all the necessary papers and the two of them going to many many meetings together, trying to ignore the looks he got from the other members of the Merchant Council when they saw Jesper reading for him. It had been a stressful and emotionally draining few months, and now Wylan was more than happy to run away with Jesper for a bit.
"Not far now Wy!" Jesper shouted back to him, stirring him from his thoughts. He had run a bit ahead of Wylan, running his hands through the jurda plants as he went, his fingers beginning to stain a slight rusty colour as they hit the blossoms.
"Whatever you say Jes!" Wylan yelled in reply. It was not the first time he had heard those words. They had been walking for a while now- probably not as long as Wylan thought but the heat was making tired. However, after just a few more minutes and a small jump over a fence, a house came into view. Jesper's smile grew and he took off in a sprint. Wylan rolled his eyes and jogged after him.
Standing in the doorway of the farmhouse was a pale, freckled man with broad shoulders and dark red hair. He was laughing as Jesper practically jumped on him to give him a hug. Wylan smiled as well. It was nice to see him be so affectionate with his father, especially since the last time they'd seen each other there'd been no chance to act any such way. And when Wylan finally reached them, Colm Fahey pulled him in for a tight hug as well, one that nearly knocked the breath out his body, for more reasons that one. Wylan stood frozen for a moment, before slowly wrapping his own arms around Colm, a small smile on his face.
"Hi Mr Fahey." He said as he stepped away, moving next to Jesper and putting a slightly shaky hand in his. Jesper squeezed it without a second thought, and extremely comforting gesture.
"Oh please son, I think we're well past 'Mr Fahey' don't you?" Colm said with a beaming smile and a glint in his eyes that mirrored Jesper's. "Both of you come inside, you must be tired and hot from the walk. Wylan, I can't believe he insisted you walk through all the jurda fields."
"Well I didn't want him to miss any of the views Da! It would be an injustice to Novyi Zem!" Jesper protested, dragging Wylan through the front door after his father. Wylan smiled as Jesper and his father continued to bicker lovingly but there was a deep feeling inside him, something he didn't like. It was everything Wylan never got to have. But he pushed it down and instead admired Jesper's childhood home.
It was bright and colourful, traditional Zemini artwork all over the walls and plush furniture in the living space, which led into a simple little kitchen with a huge window overlooking the most important part of the Fahey property, their jurda farm. Miles of orange blossoms sprouting from the ground. It was beautiful and Wylan couldn't help but smile. It was nothing like his home back in the Geldstraat. This felt lived in and loved. His house was cold and empty despite being inhabited by the Van Eck's for years.
"You two boys can put your stuff upstairs. I've only just started dinner so it won't be for a while yet. Jes, why don't you show Wylan around the farm?" Colm suggested from the kitchen where he was looking into a pot that was sitting on the stove. Whatever it was, it smelt delicious and Wylan realised just how hungry he was from the walk.
"Thanks Da! See you in a bit!" Jesper pulled Wylan again by their joined hands, this time up the stairs for them to quickly throw their bags into Jesper's old bedroom, and then out the back door into the rolling fields of the farm.
Jesper breathed in deeply and sighed, his eyes falling shut and a wistful smile on his face. Wylan looked up at him, a pink dusting on his cheeks. Jesper really was beautiful, especially with the sun shining down on his face.
"The air is so different here than in Ketterdam. It's so much fresher. And the sky..." Jesper looked up for a moment before moving his gaze to Wylan and raising a hand to rest on his cheek gently. "Your eyes have always reminded me of these skies. I'm so glad I finally get to show them to you."
Wylan could have giggled like a school girl. No one knew how to do compliments and flirtations quite like Jesper Fahey and Wylan constantly felt ridiculously lucky to be where he was. Jesper leaned in a kissed Wylan gently, smiling against his lips when Wylan pulled him in closer and wrapped his arms around his waist.
"You're beautiful." Wylan whispered when they pulled away, voicing his thoughts from earlier.
"I love you." Jesper said, eyes shining. Wylan felt butterflies in his stomach. That was a new thing between them, only just recently whispered in the dead of night as they laid together in bed holding each other close and Wylan couldn't hold back his emotions any longer. It was new, but so welcome.
"I love you too." Wylan said back with a beam. "Now come on, show me everything farm-boy."
Jesper rolled his eyes, then took off through the fields, waving occasionally to the few people working around them. He began talking quickly, spouting out as much information about jurda and farming as he could remember from his youth and telling Wylan all of his favourite stories from his childhood living there. It was certainly a lot of information all at once but Wylan wasn't going to tell Jesper to slow down. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen the man this full of child-like joy and wonderment before. And he sure as hell wasn't going to be the reason it stopped.
"And Da was so mad, he'd spent all morning picking the blossoms, then one stray bullet from me hit the wheel of the wheelbarrow and sent them all flying." Jesper was laughing as he recalled an old tale. He had lead Wylan over to a large tree just to the side of the crops and sat down underneath it. "It took forever for Mama to calm him down, I was terrified!"
"I can't imagine Colm being scary." Wylan said, settling down under the tree as Jesper put an arm around him, allowing him to cuddle closer into him, practically lying on his chest. It was nice to find some shade under the tree and have some privacy to just sit and be with Jesper.
"Oh you haven't know him as long as I have." Jesper said with a wink. He then sighed and looked up at the flowering branches. He smiled. "My Mama planted this tree just after I was born. We'd measure its' growth on my birthday every year to see how it was aging, just like me. And my Mama, she would make the flowers blossom for me in the winter if I missed them." Jesper ran his hand through the grass and Wylan watched with wide eyes as tiny flowers followed the trails of his fingers.
"You've been practising!" Wylan grinned. He plucked one of the small flowers and held it gently in his hand. "It's amazing Jesper."
"Nothing like what she used to be able to do." Jesper sighed, leaning his head back against the trunk with a thunk. "Mama would have wanted me to be a better Grisha than this. You know, doing the big heroic stuff like her, being able to fight with this power."
"Jesper, we wouldn't have survived the Ice Court without your powers." Wylan said, sitting up straighter and putting his hand on Jesper's shoulder. "We'd still be rotting in those cells if you hadn't made those lock picks for Kaz."
"Oh I'm sure he would've figured something-"
"Give yourself some credit Jes. You're brilliant."
Jesper looked down at Wylan with slightly stunned eyes, as if Wylan hadn't told him that a million times before. Maybe it was just different because of where they were, what they were talking about.
"S-Still, I should be doing more than this. I'm stuck on kids stuff, coins into keys, spoons into ri-" He stopped then, eyes going wide and lips closing into a thin line.
"What? Spoons into what?" Wylan asked, slightly amused at Jesper's face.
"Well it's just... I hadn't meant to bring it up because I was saving it for later on during the trip or even a much later date, not that it really needs a date because it doesn't need to be anything serious or a promise of anything big, unless you want it to of course, it was really just me trying to make something so I could show you how much I- But it's silly and maybe it should just-"
Wylan knew that once Jesper started rambling like that he had trouble stopping, so he silenced him the best way he knew how. He cupped Jesper's face in his hands and kissed him hard. It was almost like Jesper kept trying to talk at first, before melting into the kiss and wrapping his arms around Wylan's neck. They just kiss for a moment, enjoying the feeling of being with each other, holding each other tight in the warmth of the setting sun.
"So... you got me a gift?" Wylan mumbled against Jesper's lips when they finally separated. Jesper snorted and leaned his forehead on Wylan's.
"Yes." Jesper reached into his pocket, pulled out a little box and handed it to Wylan. He pulled away from him to allow Wylan more room to open it and started playing with the hem of his shorts anxiously.
Wylan lifted the lid and inside was a simple band of silver. However, when Wylan picked it up to look closer, he saw that there was a design etched onto the metal; sparks and bullets and swirls, all so intricately placed. Wylan was lost for words completely in awe. He looked up at Jesper again, his mouth open slightly in shock of how beautiful the ring was. Jesper looked embarrassed.
"It took me forever to get all those patterns on it. I don't know if you've noticed but our quantity of spoons has kind of dwindled over the past few months." Jesper chuckled nervously, waiting desperately for Wylan to say something. "Like I said, this doesn't have to be the promise of anything big you know it's just... I love you so much Wylan. I know we haven't been together long but I can't imagine my life without you and I'm not good with words so I thought I'd make something and I know it's not much but-"
"Jesper it's gorgeous." Wylan finally managed to breathe out. "This is... the kindest thing that anyone has ever done for me." He put the ring on his finger, and revelled in the fact that it was the perfect size. "Jesper Fahey, I love you so much."
"Wylan Van Eck, I love you too."
As cliche as it sounds, when Wylan grabbed Jesper's face and kissed him harder this time, the cherry blossoms began to fall around them and with the ring snug and at home on his finger, Wylan realised this is what true love felt like.