STRANGER, jesper fahey

CHAPTER EIGHT

She cleared her throat awkwardly, running a hand through her messy hair that was sticking up in all directions like she'd been electrocuted in an effort to look somewhat refined and put together, like she hadn't just been kissed within an inch of her life to the point she was debating having sex in a bloody alleyway, trauma and dirt be damned, pulling herself away from the wall and taking a good couple of steps back away from her sharpshooter, making sure they were completely separated lest she fall back into temptation once more. "That was, uh...that was nice."

Jesper finally looked over towards her, and saints above she wanted him to look at her like that for the rest of her life, like she was something to be awed at, something as beautiful as a piece of art, like she was the moon to his ever burning sun. Like he could see her completely, see right through her to the ruined pit she called a soul, without armour, without her defences and without her hiding behind the name of Stranger.

"Nice? Love, that was fantastic." He laughed, grinning brightly as he made his way over towards her and she had to force herself to stay still, even when his hands reached out to be placed against the small of her wait, fingers tapping rhythmically against her skin to the point it tickled...she forced herself not to lose herself in him, in his adoration, in her lies of romance that all of this was. It was fake, everything about this, about them was simply fake, a trick, and she had to remember that...but why did she feel like it was too late? Why did she feel like she'd already nose-dived into the deep end of her own feelings for the sharpshooter who made her feel more like herself than she ever had.

However, just as Gwen opened her mouth to say something, to say anything, the sound of something like a window being opened assaulted her ears, and just as she was about to look up to see just what the noise was, she was suddenly shoved to the side, tripping over her own to feet as she was forced to stagger away, and when she looked up and over to Jesper to ask just what in the hell he thought he was doing...she found herself freezing as she took in his, quite frankly, horrible state with wide, unblinking eyes filled with horror and disgust as she realized just what had happened.

The sharpshooter was dripping wet, soaked to the bone actually, clothes stained brown as he grumbled and cursed up at the culprit who'd obviously lived above the alleyway as the man shouted back just as viciously, the weathered meaty hands holding a now empty bucket that he'd thrown out of the window...probably to get some form of revenge at their improv shooting session...and Jesper had pushed her out of the way so she didn't get dirty, pushed her away to protect her from her own trauma, and eventually, the man went back inside his home, leaving the couple still standing there, one still enraged while the other was in absolute awe.

"Why did you do that?"

"Couldn't have that pretty dress of yours getting ruined now, could we?" He chuckled as if it was no big deal, but it was, she knew it was, he knew it was...but for her own peace of mind he kept himself quiet, just simply talking his hat off to shake the dirty liquid which he was hoping was just water out of his hair, grimacing just slightly as he took in the state of his once colourful clothes that looked somewhat disgusting and dark now, like he was trying to impersonate a certain Brekker boy...all he needed now was the brooding stare and that dangerous cane he thought to himself amused, unknowing of the turmoil in Gwen's mind as she stared at him.

"Jesper..." She whispered breathlessly, wanting to sob, to scream, to cry as something untouched and warm blossomed inside of her, filling her up until she felt whole again. She repeated his name once more, and when he turned to look at her, still wringing his hat from the disgusting dirty water with his grey eyes filled with adoration...and she wanted to tell him everything once more.

"Yes, love?"

I'm not who you think I am, I'm a monster, I'm the myth that haunts Ketterdam, the killer, the Stranger...this was all a lie, everything, nothing, my feelings for you are real, I want yours to be real too, but I'm going to kill your boss, your friend because I've been offered enough kruge to do so, I'm going to betray you, I'm going to break your heart...I'm going to break mine. She wanted to tell him, she wanted to scream as he looked at her, growing more and more concerned by the minute as she simply stood there and stared at him with her whole body trembling...before she blinked and smiled a smile that was nothing short of devastating.