A Study in Music Theory (Wesper AU)

Eight: The Party

Don't wear any bright colors. That was Wylan's one rule for the party. It should have been easy. Jesper owned more clothes than he probably should for not technically having a job, and yet nothing he had fit the "black tie" attire Wylan was looking for. The closest he had was a black button up with pretty jade buttons and gray slacks he had found in the very back of his drawer. But would that be sufficient?

Jesper put on the outfit and frowned at its simplicity. Maybe he could add some rings. And possibly his emerald drop earrings. They matched the buttons, after all, and they shouldn't be too distracting. If Wylan didn't like them, Jesper would simply take them off. Problem solved.

He glanced out the window at the giant clock two blocks away. The minute hand was two minutes from seven bells. It didn't matter if he looked good or not; he had to go! He quickly pulled on some shoes, grabbed the jewelry, and slipped out of the Slat. There was a wam buzz throughout the cold streets as the first customers of the night came by the shops. The sun was already beginning to set, and businesses began to light their signs. He usually loved watching the world's natural light get replaced with neon imposters, but he simply didn't have the time tonight.

Jesper had never been more greatful for his daily cardio until now. Despite the foot traffic, he made it to the Kerch Museum only five minutes late and with all his jewelry on. Wylan was waiting for him at the gate, nervously biting his nails. He was dressed in a black velvet suit that surely cost more than Jesper's rent. The skinny black tie he wore with his crisp white shirt had the same ruby pin that Jan Van Eck always wore. Jesper silently noted how it strangely went well with his own green accents.

When Wylan saw Jesper, he dropped his hand, a smile of relief on his face.

"Don't look too happy to see me," Jesper said, "otherwise people won't think I'm the handsome bachelor I am."

"You're already making me regret inviting you."

"Really? Because that smile says otherwise." He winked at Wylan, who took it with a shake of his head. "Shall we go inside?"

Wylan held out an arm, and Jesper graciously accepted it. "We shall."

He had been inside the museum before, but never when it was this full. People were dressed in lush fabrics and strange materials Jesper had never seen before. Many women wore black masks with their gowns, as if they were ready to parade the streets of West Stave instead of sit through a boring auction.

"What's this charity event for, anyway?" Jesper asked.

Wylan just shrugged as he scanned the faces in the large, crowded room. "No clue. In fact, I'm not sure anyone actually knows except the Council."

"Then why participate if they don't know where their money is going?"

"To make them feel like good people," Wylan explained. "As long as they donate some fancy amount to some fancy organization, they feel like they did Ghezen's work. They don't really care what happens to it afterwards."

Jesper looked down at Wylan. Always calculating something terrible, that one.

"Where do you think it goes?" Jesper asked.

"Probably into my father's secret account he thinks no one knows about." Wylan smiled at a very surprised Jesper as if nothing was wrong. "Do you want to grab a drink with me?"

They squeezed between people to get to a waiter holding glasses of champagne. It looked like the nice stuff, too, a golden ambrosia with pearly bubbles lazily floating to the top. Jesper took a sip from the cool glass, and it tickled his throat. Why did it taste flowery? He wanted to put the drink back, but the waiter had already left and they were now standing in the middle of the room.