A Study in Music Theory (Wesper AU)

Seventeen: The Job

Spoilers for Seige & Storm and slight spoilers for Rise & Ruin though if you've read SOC you should prolly be fine.

There was nothing Jesper wanted more than to mourn the relationship he surely just ended with his stupidity, but he was a better employee than that. He did what was expected of him and pushed those feelings of pure dread and fear down to the bottom of his stomach. He became his usual charming self and just as ruthless as he had been before meeting Wylan. There was no use mourning when you're a crow, after all.

The plan was fairly simple. Apparently some very useful intel had been leaked about where MacGrove might be, and Kaz had a reason to believe that the only night they could properly stage a rescue mission was this week. Only Kaz, Inej, and Jesper were allowed on the mission. They had acquired the shady apartment complex across from the Elliot & Fisker Building and devised a plan there.

Inej peeked out the dirty front window before covering it back up with a heavy gray curtain. It blocked out whatever natural light should have been coming in, shrouding them in darkness.

Even if they did have good lighting available, Jesper wasn't entirely sure he would have wanted to see their hideout in full detail. He was happy to be blissfully unaware of what sticky substance he'd been forced to sleep on the past four days, or if his suspicions about the noises in the walls were correct.

They had stayed in worse places before, of course, but it didn't mean Jesper had to enjoy it. At least this room was fairly spacious, allowing Jesper to pace about the room as they waited for Kaz to come back.

Rarely was Kaz in the room with them and even rarer would he tell Jesper and Inej where it was that he had been. Yet Jesper trusted Kaz nonetheless, and he relied on this trust to keep them all alive.

"We can play chess if you're bored," Inej said.

Jesper declined the offer. He wasn't some fussy child that could be easily distracted by games. Besides, they had played a dozen times already and Jesper was getting sick of constantly losing to Inej. It had gotten to the point where Inej would purposely make a bad move just to get him to win.

"I'm sure that pacing around like that in such a musty room can't be doing you any good," Inej added. She sat on a cardboard box in a small corner of the room, occupying herself with recleaning her knives.

"Oh no, the dust is actually great for the heart," Jesper said. "It keeps the blood pumping."

"We could talk if you'd like. I know that's something you love to do."

Jesper laughed drily, but they both knew that wasn't a no. Inej put down her cloth and blade to lean forward, her elbows daintily placed on her knees. The light of the candle flickered over her face, giving her the appearance of a fortune teller ready to tell him his future.

"How's Wylan be—"

Jesper interrupted her quickly. "I think I'll stick to pacing in silence, actually."

Inej frowned. She looked ready to ask him something when Kaz burst through the doorway. Jesper had never been so relieved for Kaz's dramatic entrances and theatrical timing before. He eagerly greeted Kaz, though his affection was not returned. Kaz stormed towards their makeshift table in the center of the room and took his seat. Jesper and Inej knew this was their cue to join him.

Jesper found his proper chair (it looked to have once been part of a living or dining room set and rightfully thrown away) with a torn floral cushion and wooden claws at the feet. He turned it backwards and sat down with one leg on either sat of its back. He draped his arms on the top and comfortably placed his chin on his hands.