Red. All he could see was red; all he could taste and smell and touch was red. It tasted like copper and death and it felt like sudden finality.
Jesper started crying as he cradled Wylan in his arms. Someone had shot him, the bullet making a clear hole through his skull. Wylan's blood and Jesper's tears matted the merchling's hair down as the life in his eyes turned glassy and cold. His whole body turned cold and heavy until holding him hurt too much. It burned Jesper's arms under the weight, but he refused to let go of Wylan — his Wylan — his lovely, perfect Wylan.
He woke up thrashing, the sheets of his bed tied around his legs and pulling him onto the floor. He landed with a hard smack and his head began to throb. But at least the wood floor was cold. It felt nice on his hot, clammy skin.
His bedroom door opened, and Wylan marched in with a bright white candle in hand. He swore and knelt down to Jesper's level, his small hand on Jesper's shoulder.
"What happened? Are you alright?" Wylan asked.
"Wylan!"
He didn't care how insane he looked. He pulled Wylan into a tight embrace, his head falling into the crook of Wylan's neck. Wylan hugged back instantly.
"What's wrong?" Wylan murmured.
Jesper didn't answer. Instead, he pulled away just enough to hold Wylan's face in his hands. He was alive and he was okay. Oh Saints, he was okay! Jesper had the sudden urge to cry.
"Bad dream again?" Wylan guessed.
Jesper just nodded and hugged Wylan again. He thanked every Saint in the sky that he was there with Wylan now, despite his stupid mistakes in the past and despite Hardee and Flemming and Jan Van Eck.
"Hey hey hey, it'll be okay," Wylan cooed. He shifted out of Jesper arms, but still gave him a soft smile. "Everything'll be just fine. It was just a dream. Let's just get you back to bed, okay?"
Jesper nodded and let Wylan guide him back onto the bed. Wylan sat beside Jesper, helping him lay back down and murmuring for him to just breathe. It was relaxing to say the least until he noticed Wylan shift. He slowly began to stand up, but Jesper grabbed Wylan's wrist before he could move any further.
Wylan stopped to look at Jesper curiously. Jesper just chewed at his lip nervously, not sure if he had the courage to say what he really wanted to. Usually he'd never ask something like this of Wylan, but enduring another night in here alone seemed impossible.
"Can you... stay?" Jesper asked. "Please?"
"I..." Wylan sucked in a breath. Slowly, silently, he nodded. "Yeah, I can stay. Let me just blow the candle out first."
Jesper loosened his grip on Wylan's wrist and let him slip off to the drawer across the room. He hooked his finger through the candle holder and brought it to the nightstand beside the bed. Wylan silently slipped into the sheets before glancing over at Jesper.
"Good night, Jes."
"Good night, Wylan. And thank you."
Wylan nodded and turned around to blow the candle out. The room darkened in an instant, and it took some time for Jesper's eye to adjust to it. Eventually, he managed to make out Wylan's body on the other side of the mattress. He looked stiff, uneasy, and millions of miles away from Jesper. But at least he was here now, where Jesper could see him and know that he was safe.
He closed his eyes, finally ready to try again for the night when Wylan quietly whispered, "What was your dream about?"
It was a simple enough question, but it caught Jesper off-guard. He sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his blankets.
YOU ARE READING
A Study in Music Theory (Wesper AU)
FanfictionIt looks like Jesper's luck has finally run out. He seems to be owing a lot of people a lot of money, and unfortunately for him, the Dregs don't seem to be paying enough to fuel his addiction. There's only one person in Ketterdam more desperate than...
