Jesper Fahey Imagines

When Things Go South

You narrow your eyes, doing your best to focus. "Okay, let's do this. We arrive at the mercher's row. Where do you go?" The boy before you matches your stare in intensity. "I go left, you go right. I head up to the roofline, you go through the side door in the servants' quarters next door." You nod. "Exactly. Once we're inside, how many gunshots will we hear from you?" Jesper scoffs. "Zero. Easy. I won't even look at my revolvers. How many feet away from Kaz will you be as you make your way through the house?"

You grin. "Zero as well. He won't let me out of his sight on a job like this. When will you break into the mercher's office?" Jesper's fingers tap absentmindedly on his legs. "Six bells. While I'm breaking into the office, where are you?" You furrow your brows, trying to recall every detail of the plan your brother had conjured up last night. "Going through the back hallways to take care of the guards. Kaz will complain about me going but I'll do it anyway, because it's easier to not get killed when you have two functioning legs."

A dark-haired boy tosses you a glare from across the room. "You do realize I can hear you, right?" You match Kaz's glower with a grin. "Perfectly. Now, can you stop distracting us? We're trying to make sure we get this right." Kaz resists the urge to roll his eyes. "Only when you stop getting distracted yourself." Jesper smirks, watching the conversation with raised eyebrows. He places his hands on yours, dragging your focus back to him.

"Okay. After the guards are unconscious or dead, your choice, where are you going?" You tap your fingers against Jesper's hands. "I'm heading to the stables. There's supposed to be a cadre of servants taking the laundry away, so I'll commandeer their ride so we can get out. We all have our disguises, all I have to do is make sure our getaway is clear. What time are you leaving the office?" Jesper leans back in his chair, tipping the wooden frame slightly away from the ground. "Six and a half bells, or when I hear your horses start to head out of the stables. Or, if something goes terribly wrong and I hear the sounds of general chaos."

Jesper straightens slightly as if he can feel your brother's gaze burning into his back. "Not that there would be general chaos, of course. But if there was, I would be ready." You bite back a laugh, both at Jesper's hidden wink and Kaz's overall look of irritation. "We would never have chaos. Not in the Barrel, that's ridiculous." Kaz raps his cane against the wall. "Are you two done having fun, or can we get on with this? We need to get to the Geldstraat before the officers of the stadwatch see us coming."

You and Jesper exchange looks, knowing full well that the only way your motley crew would be spotted by the stadwatch is if Jesper actively shot them. Besides, even then, Kaz probably has enough of them in his pocket to avoid outright imprisonment. Basically, Kaz Brekker has a thin patience when it comes to one of his own Dregs dating his sister, and Jesper is walking a fine line by obviously showing affection in front of him. However, in all the time you've known Jesper, he's never once walked away from some bad odds. If anything, it'll make him even more confident.

So, when the two of you walk past Kaz to head into the streets of Ketterdam, Jesper loops an arm around your waist the second you're out of the Slat and blinking in the early morning sunshine. You can't help but laugh. "You're shameless, you realize that?" Jesper just grins. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just having a good time with my girlfriend, ignoring my boss, about to risk my life so Dirtyhands himself can redistribute some of these merchers' wealth. What's not to like?"

You lean your head against his shoulder. "Probably the fact that at one point Kaz is going to reach his breaking point and straight up clobber you for being with me." Jesper shrugs. "If I was willing to let Kaz change anything about how I felt about you, I never would have fallen in love with you in the first place. We're together, darling. He can deal with it." You smile. "I like the sound of that."