And They Were Roommates ~ Wesper

Chapter Three

Wylan POV

Wylan had heard footsteps in the apartment, soft as they were. It obviously wasn't Nina, since her snoring was still coming loudly from the living room.

Wylan got out of his bed and walked out of the room, staying in the shadows and watching Jesper rifle through a drawer, which made quite a bit of noise.

Wylan watched as Jesper shoved on his coat, opened the door, and walked outside.

Wylan did the same. He knew it was probably dangerous to go outside in just his thin pyjama pants and an old shirt. He went anyway. What can you say, curiosity got the best of him.

He shrugged on his threadbare coat, the one that he'd found abandoned in an alleyway while living on the streets. Good times.

Jesper walked faster through the rain-slick streets than Wylan did. Damn his long legs.

Wylan had to run to keep up, and he almost slipped at some point.

He followed Jesper until he stopped near a bar. Not just a bar. The Crow Club. There were rumours of people going in and never coming out, and weeks later being found dead in the forest. They were only rumours, though. But Wylan certainly wasn't going in there.

He turned around, started walking, and promptly tripped over his own feet. Right next to the feet of someone.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry- Hold on, let me-" and then he looked up. It was a girl, probably a few years older than him. She had bronze skin and her dark hair was pulled back into a braid.

She smiled and helped him up. "It's fine. What's your name?"

"Wylan Hendriks," he said.

"Inej." She looked down from his face. "Your clothes don't seem suitable for a club, assuming that's where you're going."

Wylan flushed. "I was- uh, I was following someone, but there's no way I'm going in there."

"Who may I ask, were you following?"

"My... friend, his name is Jesper."

Inej frowned. "I know him. Really tall, dark skin, flirty?"

"Yeah."

Inej sighed. "He shouldn't be in there. I'll bring you back to your apartment."

They started walking back, Wylan stumbling through his own thoughts. Why shouldn't Jesper be in there? I mean, it's just a club.

"You know," said Inej, startling Wylan. She moved so quietly you could barely tell she was there. "I can tell that you're wondering what I meant. Don't look into it too much, Jesper will tell you in his own time."

That confused Wylan even more. When they made it back to the apartment, Inej stopped and gestured for Wylan to go on in.

"It was nice meeting you, Wylan."

Wylan gave her a lopsided grin. "It was nice to meet you too, Inej."

He entered the building, eyeing a big "The Slat" sign hanging next to the currently empty receptionist desk. Or at least, that's what he'd been told it said. It was kind of creepy at night. He walked down the hall. This place was pretty old, judging by the creaks heard whenever he took a step.

"Hello."

Wylan jolted and turned around.

It was the landlord, Mr Brekker. Wylan didn't know his first name.

Wylan sighed in relief as he realized it wasn't a serial killer and that he wasn't the unluckiest person ever.

"Oh. It's just you. I thought you were, like, a murderer or something."

"Who says I'm not?"

Wylan's eyes widened.

Mr Brekker chuckled darkly, before leaning on his cane a little and asking, "What are you doing up so late? Sneaking around?"

"I, uh-" Mr Brekker made him nervous. "I was walking outside."

"In your pyjamas?" Mr Brekker raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, someone already made a note on that," Wylan grumbled.

Wylan made to walk back to his room before Mr Brekker grabbed his arm. It felt weird, leather on skin. "I know who your father is."

Wylan paled and his throat went dry.

Brekker released his arm and walked away.

Wylan was shaking. He didn't want any connection to his father. Wylan sat down, drew his knees up to his chest, and pressed his face into his knees. Deep breaths, Wylan.

Wylan sat down for a second, just breathing.

And then he cried. He cried for who knows how long, all he knew was that he sat out there for way too long. It was probably unhealthy. Wylan stood up, wiping the rest of his tears from his freckle-covered skin, before walking back to the apartment room, 221b.

Nina wasn't on the couch, but he smelt smoke coming from the kitchen. Fuck.

He ran in to see Nina fussing with the waffle maker.

He panicked. "What the hell are you doing?"

Nina looked over, equally panicked. "I don't fucking know, but I was just trying to make some fucking waffles!"

Wylan ran over and unplugged the machine before it burst into flames. "I'm actually going to throw that out."

Nina snorted. Wylan snorted. Soon they were both laughing their heads off, clutching their sides in a messy, smoke-filled kitchen. Once the bouts of laughter had ended.

Nina wiped tears from her eyes, before standing up straighter. She sighed. "How the hell are we going to explain this to Jesper? It looks and smells like we decided to set a carpet on fire."

Wylan snorted. "Yeah, it does. We're so dead."

"Where is Jesper anyway? He's not in his room. I checked."

Wylan bit his lip. "I'm not even sure. I heard him leave around midnight, but I'm not sure where he went."

Nina grimaced. "I think I know where he is. I'm going to go find him." She smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Wylan."

She went to the door, shrugged on a denim jacket, and walked out.

And Wylan was left more confused than ever. Saints.