A Study in Music Theory (Wesper AU)

Epilogue

"I'm gonna go shower real quick," Wylan said, grabbing his trousers from off the floor.

Jesper kicked the rest of the blankets off and sat up quickly. "Can I join?"

Wylan made a face. "I'm not having your Da catch us again!"

"'Catch' is a strong word," Jesper argued. "The bathroom door was locked, so it wasn't like he saw anything."

"How does that make it any better!?"

"Prude," Jesper muttered as he laid back down.

"When you get us a place of our own, then you can join me whenever you'd like," Wylan said.

"Just a couple more months and I'll keep good on my promise."

Wylan walked over to the bed and kissed Jesper. "I know you will."

He turned and left the room with a little wave. Jesper decided it was probably time to get up too, and stretched. He pulled himself out of bed, fixing the sheets once he was standing. Wylan preferred a neat bed, though Saints knew he didn't feel the same about his desk.

Not that it was Wylan's bed. He technically had his own room across the hall, though he hardly ever used it for sleeping.

Jesper had to give his Da credit where credit was due. The second they came home the day he blessed Jesper's "courtship", he went straight into separating the boys. He tried to act like it was nothing — just something to give the boys a little bit of privacy — but they both knew what it was really for. Still, Jesper didn't mind. He actually found it quite hilarious, and was usually the one to insist that Wylan at least pretend he actually slept there.

Once the bed was made, Jesper got changed. Wylan had been stealing all of his good shirts, leaving Jesper to choose between rewearing a shirt with a little hole in the armpit or the itchy cotton button-up. He decided to go with the latter solely so he could restitch the former one. He threw it over his shoulder and took it with him into the kitchen.

Colm had started his day hours before the boys and was now cooking by the stove. Jesper could smell bacon and coffee; a strange combination but one that Jesper wouldn't complain about. He stood over his Da's shoulder and took the coffee pot from his hands. Jesper poured himself a cup before handing it back to Colm with a big grin.

"Good morning to you, too," Colm sighed.

"Did you feed Vach yet?" Jesper asked as he found his seat.

"That's your job, Jesper," Colm said. The eggs sizzled from beside him. "He's your responsibility, not mine."

Jesper groaned and stood back up again. He knew exactly where this conversation was going, and he'd rather just skip it for today. He gave his Da an unceremonious wave as he slipped on his boots and left for the barn out back. The sun had just crept over the hills, now blooming red like the branches above his head. Fall is here, they said, and fall is here to stay.

He found his way to the barn in the back of the farm with a bucket of wheat in his arms. Jesper opened the door with his foot and let himself in. He clicked his tongue as his Da used to, slowly entering the barn so Vach would see him.

"Good morning, precious," Jesper cooed. "How's my little guy doing?"

Vach Jesper Wylan Fahey-Van Eck — or Vach for short — mooed at Jesper, and Jesper couldn't help but smile. He hadn't meant to get Vach at the market, but the moment Wylan saw the little calf he couldn't help but fall in love with him. And Jesper could never tell Wylan no.

They had argued over his name for quite some time. Wylan insisted he should be named Vach for some Saints-awful and tasteless reason; Jesper wanted something simple like "Milo" or "Sergei." When Wylan refused to back down, Jesper made him a deal: their child's name could be Vach if his middle name was Wylan. Jesper made the proposition solely because he knew Wylan would refuse.