Jesper Fahey Imagines

Guns Blazing, Tides Rising (Part Three)

Jesper feels like the luckiest man on this side of the True Sea.

He's always had a particular affinity for the odds, something that started well before the first spin of Makker's Wheel sent him on a twisting path far away from the University and his father's farm. He's played, he's won, he's lost, but Saints, he's never felt a rush quite like this.

If he were feeling sentimental, he would call it love. That's what this is, isn't it? You can't spend the better part of a night kissing someone until you're not sure the world exists outside of the two of you and not think you're in love. Yes, there's no doubt about it- Jesper is completely, utterly, hopelessly in love.

If you had told him a year ago that he would be this starstruck over Y/N L/N, Jesper probably would have laughed, long and loud. That's impossible, he'd say, no chance. And Jesper has a pretty good understanding of when to give up on a chance. However, no matter their history, Jesper can't seem to let go of her. Y/N L/N is someone wholly unlike any other girl or boy that's ever appeared in front of Jesper's eyes, and they all seem to fade away before her.

Jesper's footfalls echo off of the cracked cobblestones, adding to the dizzying rush of sound and noise and movement that always seems to frequent Ketterdam. He's not headed towards the gambling halls this time, or even back to the Slat. No, his footsteps continue down the twisting streets, weaving through the crowds of pigeons to find the one girl he knows is waiting for him.

Jesper senses Y/N's presence before she melts out of the throngs of people to walk next to him. It's a feeling, an intuition, that she will be there before she is. They walk for a second, not saying anything, and then Jesper reaches down to take Y/N's hand, pulling it up to press a kiss to her knuckles. She blushes slightly, although she doesn't move her hand away.

"Careful, Fahey. Aren't you the one who says that people are always watching?" Jesper shrugs, a light smile playing on his lips. "Maybe. That's why we're being careful, right? We're just walking. Like friends." Y/N laughs. "Like friends. Friends that hold hands." Jesper can't help but play along. "Some friends hold hands. We're very good friends." Y/N raises an eyebrow. "If you do this with all of your friends, I think I'm starting to get jealous."

Jesper turns to face her, letting his eyes rake over her, from the gentle curve of her face to the light sparking in her smile. "If that's your way of saying you'd like to be mine, I think I'm alright with that." Y/N shoves him slightly with her shoulder, although this doesn't deter Jesper's grin in the slightest. "You're insufferable." Jesper remains undaunted. "Is that why you snuck over to the Slat to kiss me in the middle of the night?"

Y/N's gasp of betrayal is almost lost among the crowd. "You asked me to come!" Jesper cocks his head to the side. "You still showed up. Imagine what people would say." Y/N lets out a little huff of indignation. "There's a mercher's son who keeps winking at me when I pass his neighbourhood. Maybe I'll show up there instead." Jesper's hand tightens on hers, although he tries to play it off.

"I hear merchers are terrible. Runs in the blood. A nice, dashing sharpshooter, though? I hear those are excellent." Y/N laughs. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind." Jesper nods emphatically. "As you should. I'm fantastic." Y/N looks up at him, humor still dancing behind her eyes. The sight of it makes Jesper's breath hitch in his throat. "I think I liked it better when I could still mildly drown you and no one would bat an eye."

Jesper presses a hand to his chest dramatically. "Always date your rivals. The romantic gestures are just remarkable. I mean, what does a dowry do when you've got threats of violent water-based demise?" Y/N chuckles. "Haven't you shot me before? The violence isn't just me." Jesper considers this, absentmindedly tapping his fingers against Y/N from where their hands are still intertwined. "I suppose that's true. Maybe I just wanted to make an impression."