Work Text:
It is a warm Tuesday night, several hours before sunrise, and Jasper and Eva sit in their library. As on most nights these days, they are surrounded by books, maps, and many loose papers, clearly organised around the room in some way, though perhaps not one anyone other than the two who organised it could fathom.
Half-heartedly earching though texts about their latest theory, Jasper seems to be explaining, with many a comment as to the incompetency and bad decisions of his coterie as to be expected, about the fiasco that was opening night at club Maharani.
"You where compulsed!?" Eva gasps, fully engaged in the story.
Jasper smirks and chuckles a deep, guttural chuckle.
"Well yes. to dance, and not the first time either. It seems it takes compulsion for me to dance." Jasper jokes. Thinking about it, though, Jasper can’t remember the last time he did dance of his own free will.
Although the library is relatively spacious, the only seating in the room is a relatively small, deep red settee. Its curved back mirroring the circular room, as though it was made for it. Several lamps glowing a warm low light are placed the keep the room free of shadow, yet still comfortable. Flowers decorate every surface, the side tables on either end of the settee, the semi-circular table, once more mirroring the room in balance to the seating. Flower-filled vases can even be spotted as paper weights on particular piles of books, clearly forgotten halfway to their destination in leiu of an idea or possible new theory.
Eva, head tilted to her right, smiles a fond smile.
"So that's what it takes then. You have to want a secret so badly you are willing to dance under compulsion? Or have to be forced? I..” She pauses, thought evident on her face. “..what a shame."
Jasper's eyes look up from the book he was reading immediately.
“A....a shame?"
"Yes. It's always been a fantasy of mine, to dance with someone, in a library like this one in fact. Particularly to 'Ave Marie’. The song feels like rain. And I would love to dance in the rain but the books would get wet so...Anyway I guess I'll have to find someone else to dance with, I would have asked you but....well."
As Eva has been speaking her smile has increased to one with more cheek and tease, but with enough sincerity to know she means what she says.
Jasper, on the other hand, sits stock still, mouth moving with no sound coming out. If he was human, his cheeks would surely be blushing a deep red by now, but as it is his pale skin stays shallow.
"..I…ummm…."
"No, its ok” Eva interrupts, shaking her head as though resigned to the fact, but still with a sparkle in her eyes suggesting teasing.
“I can find someone else, you have your...Jasper where are you going?"
In the several months Eva has lived with Jasper, the library has changed in more ways than the red settee. There is also now a collection of vinyl on one of the shelves. It’s strange, the bookshelves where full before, but somehow, even with all of the books Eva had added to the collection in addition to the vinyl, there is enough space to accommodate them.
Next to this rather large shelf of what appear to be pristine vinyl is a beautiful old record player. It is this player that Jasper walks towards. Not replying to Eva's question he picks up the current vinyl, some blues music they were listening to earlier, and places it with the ease of a practiced motion in its sleeve and back on the shelf. He runs his fingers over the vinyl covers, almost searching with his fingertips for what he requires. His hand suddenly pauses and he smiles, a sneering and happy smile showing is sharp fangs. Plucking this selected cover off the shelf he quickly places the vinyl on the mat, pausing only when he is about to pick the needle up.
Jasper looks up at Eva, and she looks back, having been watching with the same smirk, and perhaps growing fondness, since he got up.
Though really, is Eva ever not watching Jasper. Jasper is certainly always watching her, often caught doing so by Eva herself, watching the same. Whilst maintaining eye contact Jasper picks up the needle and places it on the vinyl, the music crackling and beginning to play. Eva's eyes close reflexively, her shoulders releasing unknown tension as the first notes of ‘Ave Marie’ play.
"Oh Jasper" She whispers in disbelief and hope.
He walks over, still silent and looking at Eva, whose eyes remain closed even as she places the book on her lap to the side, uncurling herself from the cross-legged, blanket covered position she was in previously. Jasper carefully drapes the black and white crocheted blanket over the arm of the settee, making sure to take care in the process. Eva, when not reading and often whilst doing so, has spent many an evening, ball of wool on the floor next to her, mindlessly crocheting away so create this intricate lace patterning, black and white woollen threads melding together in what can only be described as artistry.
But right now, Eva’s hands aren’t in furious creation, holding hook and thread. Right now, Eva’s hands are holding Jasper's.
Gently wrapping his left hand around hers, he moves with slow intention, not rushing but clear in his purpose. His right hand starts in hers too, before slowly traveling up her arm as he guides her to stand up. His fingers trace up her arm, as hers in turn trace his. They mirror each other instinctively, already dancing a slow sway as they get closer and closer to each other. Jaspers’ hand reaches Eva's waist as hers reaches his shoulder, and they slowly pull each other in, almost falling into each other's embrace.
Jaspers thumb slowly moves over the vertebrae in her lower back, and Eva chuckles, quickly realising he is counting up and down her spine to the music, to make sure his steps are perfectly timed. Eva pulls him closer at this realisation, her smile now hidden in his neck as she nuzzles in, Jasper leaning his head on top in return. They slowly dance to the song, the only sounds the crackling music and their shuffling feet.
They dance till the end of the song, and the next, and the next, dancing through the night in a soft embrace. When the vinyl finishes, Jasper moves to towards the player, picks out a new album from the shelf, switches them over and replaces the needle for the music to start again, all one handed whilst still dancing to the intermittent quiet with Eva in his arms, humming a rich, quiet tune in lieu of the music as he does so.
"Thank you, Jasper" Eva whispers after some time, and many songs later. A single tear runs red down her face as she speaks, one not of sadness, but of overwhelming contentment. Jasper pulls Eva impossibly closer, not seeing the tear but knowing her need for as much closeness as possible, he feeling the same.
"Anything for you my love.
Even this.
Especially this."