Show Wesper meet

Part 20

Jesper's POV:

"So, how does it feel to be a free man again?" 

Jesper laughed as he and Wylan carried crates containing the remnants of the no w completed plan down the steps into Wylan's building.

A vast amount had happened over the past few weeks- being wanted for murder after their arrival in Ketterdam, Kaz's feud with Pekka, this new boy that Jesper was just getting to know. A lot still gnawed at the back of Jesper's mind, especially when it came to Kaz, but it felt like a large weight had been lifted from Jesper's shoulders and he was buzzing to explore his freedom. 

"Amazing!" He said, as the pair descended the steps of the dimly-lit basement, "like the world is full of possibilities."

Wylan smiled, setting a box on his table and carefully taking out bottles stored inside. 

"Such as?"

Jesper thought a moment, leaning on his elbows against the small table. Wylan pushed the crate away and listened opposite him.  

"Decking a night on the town? Club cumulus is often a fun time, and my friend Poppy has a new show at the Blue Paradise-which I've been dying to see, so, uh..."

He watched the boy's face, the way his blue eyes crinkled as he smiled, the messy curls of his hair. He'd been waiting for this moment for a while now: when he could finally clear his name and revel in the usual freedom the barrel had to offer, it was what he loved most about it. Jesper wanted to go out and seek thrills and live as exciting a life as he could. 

He also wanted something more. And he was nervous about what he was going to do about it now.

He'd made his mind up about it at some point during the plan that he couldn't remember, but he was sure of it now, his eyes slowly drinking in the image of Wylan, just a desk across from him. The boy nodded, still smiling as Jesper spoke.

"You could come with me?" 

There. He'd done it.  Tension clawed at him as he waited for Wylan's reaction, despite the easy smile he attempted.

Wylan laughed slightly and disappeared behind the desk.

What did that mean? Had he spoken too soon? Should he have waited for more of a sign? Theses things usually came so easily to Jesper, and he could feel the panic rising as Wylan's head disappeared infront of him. 

He waited in tense anticipation.

Suddenly... "sure!" 

Wylan's head bobbed up a moment to respond, a soft flush against his cheeks as he chuckled. Then he was gone again, and Jesper was suddenly lost in the conversation. Did he feel awkward now? He seemed more nervous than usual, hidden behind the desk as he emptied out a box of vials. 

Jesper rapped on the desk with his knuckle.

Wylan's POV:

"Something's  up with you," Came Jesper's voice above him as he tapped on the wood of the desk.

Wylan was hiding, even if only for a few moments, trying to wrap his head around Jesper. Jesper. Jesper. He'd been thinking this through a long time and the sudden invite from the boy had sent Wylan panicking but also forced his decision that he finally had to address, well, them.

He said, " The night that we first met," he let out a tiny sigh, "well, I left because I assumed that was what you were going to do."

Memories flooded back through his mind at that. The first night they had met.  The way Wylan had left. It suddenly felt so long ago now.

"Oh," Was all Jesper said, leaning back, "okay." 

Bottled up dread now escaped Wylan and he was beginning to think he'd made the wrong decision. He desperately didn't want to upset Jesper but he'd felt for a while that they couldn't just forget about that night. Not after what had happened.

"No, I he- I just thought that someone like you wouldn't want any more."

He'd heard about Jesper long before he'd met him at the tannery. The boy had a certain reputation that Wylan had come to grow wary of but from the moment he'd walked in with his obnoxious waistcoat and flirty charm, Wylan had lost all sense of reason. Wylan's first thought had been that this boy had the most perfectly shaped lips he'd ever seen. And they had been perfect.  He'd thought of their touch more than he cared to admit.

"Especially after  just one night," he continued, "well, I thought it was easier to cut my losses."

Now, Jesper turned away, he walked to a nearby shelf, resting his hand on it as he answered. Wylan waited nervously for the response.

"Yeah, I get it." Jesper said, "yeah, I mean, my reputation isn't entirely unfounded."

Wylan nodded, a tiny rush of electricity sparking through him.

Jesper continued, "I like the chaos. The gamble of barrel life," he said.

 Suddenly he couldn't meet Jesper's stormy grey eyes. The spark rushed through him as Jesper spoke and Wylan attempted to steady himself with bottles around the edge of the table, busying his hands: he didn't know what to do with them. He concentrated on the bottles, focusing his spiralling thoughts on them instead.

"I may have very well left you first."

Oh. He hadn't expected that from the other boy. He couldn't look away then, but nodded silently, letting Jesper finish.

"But, that was before I got to know you."

Heat flooded through Wylan's cheeks, undeniably evident as Jesper moved towards him. 

The boy paused a moment before he spoke.

"I can't make you any promises, or predict what might happen between us," the traces of a soft smile played on Jesper's lips, "but I can tell you that... I'd like to find out."

Wylan's eyes widened as Jesper spoke. The boy couldn't stifle the grin now plastered on his lips as Wylan stared, silently at him. 

Wylan couldn't speak, his emotions suddenly choking him. He turned away, desperate to hide a similar grin threatening his features. The room was silent for a long moment.

Until Jesper broke it.

"You may have gathered this about me, but silences- they really aren't my favourite thing."

In that moment, Wylan plucked up the courage to do something he'd waited far too long for...