The Shadows in the Dark

Jesper

Jesper was looking at a clutter of papers when he heard a soft melody come from the music room. He followed the sound and leaned up against the frame of the room, smiling.

His cheeky scholar was sitting at the piano along side their little girl. The tune was something Wylan had played thousands of times, so Jesper remembered it clearly. It started off up beat, then continue with a " long lasting crescendo", as Wylan would say.

Jesper took in Wylan's features. His long fingers pressed the tiles with a grace that Jesper never understood. How could this merchling, a boyish man who can make an explosion out of sugar; act so normal. When they first met he was afraid of everything, including himself. He asked a lot of questions, especially annoying ones. He would stutter while talking and blush at the sound of his name; but now he was different.

Now Wylan could almost lie better than Jesper himself. He could make you believe that Volcra had come back from the dead to have a drink with you. Instead of painting the portraits he used to paint, he would make new blue prints for some weird contraption he thought of. And although Wylan had changed so much, he still remembers the first day he laid eyes on him.

His red curls, greasy form lack of showers. Eyes watering from chemicals and glinting with a tinge of fear. His lips dried and slightly parted, the ones he so badly wanted to kiss. Now he could do it whenever he wanted.

"Da!' The little girl smiled as she realized Jesper was watching them. "Dad was teaching me how to play piano again, wasn't it good!"

Jesper laughed, "It's better entertainment then the brothels in the Slat."

"Jesper!" Wylan scolded him for using vulgar language in front of the child.

Jesper smiled at Wylan, "I liked the way you said my name last night in bed better."

The red head blushed, but shook his head. "You don't even know what I sound like in bed."

And it was true. Jesper and Wylan hadn't even done anything close to that. They were both to busy with the Merchant Council to think of doing something like that, but Jesper would.

Whenever he thought of having sex with Wylan, he would get nervous. Of course he has done it with other guys before, but Wylan was different. Wylan was the first person the sharp shooter was serious about and Jesper didn't want to rush him and make a mistake.

"Hey Da, can we go out into the garden?"

"Yeah sure, we could use a walk," Jesper said as he held his hand out to Wylan.

Wylan took Jesper's hand with a smile. The girl ran down the hall, towards the garden.

"So anything new merchling?"

"If you say more letters and complaints from the the Council as something new, then yes."

Jespered laughed, "More letters for me to read? Sometimes I think you just want another reason to hear my voice."

Wylan smiled and forced a laugh, "I do like your voice."

"I can tell when you're faking a laugh Wylan."

"It's nothing, promise." He put on his best smile.

The rest of the walk was in awkward silence. Was his joke too straight forward? Maybe it was something he said earlier, about the brothel. Jesper couldn't think of any more reasons before he got to the garden.

Their daughter was already running around looking at the flowers, picking tuilips, Wylan's favorite.

"You know, this is where we found her." Wylan leaned against Jesper.

Jesper smiled and remembered back to that day.

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Jesper was getting back from the Crows club, but Wylan didn't know that. Infact, Wylan thought Jesper was putting down some money in the stocks. Although Jesper wanted to do the right thing, it was hard. Wylan had put his trust into him, but Jesper's addiction came first; and he hated it. He had been doing so good about his gambling problem and felt like shit now.

He was going to tell Wylan about it. He needed to tell him. Jesper didn't want to keep anything from him, he wanted to be honest. Wylan had given him so much already, he didn't want to add liar to the list of reasons why he didn't deserve him.

Once he got back to the estate, he noticed that the lights in Wylan's study weren't on. Jesper's heart beat increased at the terrible thoughts that filled his head.

His hands automatically slipped to his pistols, making sure they were there. He slowly made his way to the back entrance in the garden. The gate in the back had been broken and that made Jesper even more worried.

"He'll be alright," he whispered, trying to convince himself.

Jesper made his way towards they back door when he heard a crying sound come from behind him. He drew his pistols and was about to shoot, but didn't.

"Stop!" Wylan screamed and put his arms in front of him.

Jesper sighed, "What the hell Wylan, I could have shot you!" 

Wylan began to apologize, but Jesper stopped him mid sentence. He pointed at the ground, "There's a girl."

A child with dark curls and blues eyes was crying on the ground.
"She wondered in here lost. She doesn't remember anything, but running away with someone. She won't tell me her name though." Wylan crossed his arms concerned.

Jesper sat down next to her with crossed legs and smiled.
"Hey darling, what's your name?"

The little girl looked at him and tilted her head. At least she stopped crying, Jesper thought.

"You know, whenever I'm scared I like to talk to Wylan. He's my best friend. But other times I talk to my Da." Jesper continued trying to talk to her.
"My Da has been there for me through a lot. He yells at me a lot too, but he means well."

The girl finally spoke up."What's a Da?"

"Well," Jesper laughed. "he's my father, or I guess Dad. He's funny and protects me, at least tries. He also tries to make me laugh when I'm sad."

"So you're like my Da?" The girl turned completely towards him.

Jesper blushed. Me, a Da? He laughed at the thought. He liked the idea, but didn't know what could happen. It was almost like taking a gamble.
"Sure," he laughed and pulled Wylan down in his lap, "and this could be your Pa Pa"

Wylan's face blushed and quickly tried to sit up, but Jesper held him down. He loved seeing that face of his.

"My names Aloyana," the girl stuttered out. "Please take care of me."

Jesper laughed and Wylan smiled.
"Of course! We wouldn't want it any other way." Wylan put his arms out and hugged her.

Jesper sat back for a moment and looked over the two of them. He went from being a gambling sharp shooter from the Crows, an outlaw, then to being the "assistant" to a member of the Merchant Council. Now he was going to be a father, with the man he loves.

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"We're doing alright, aren't we?" Wylan laughed while walking over to Alyona.

"Yeah, I guess we are." Jesper smiled and joined them.

There was something in the back of his mind telling him something bad was going to happen. The mission to capture Kuew from the Ice Court went wrong, along with Matthias' death.

Right now he was in a good place. He had a stable job, the love of his life and now a daughter. But he already knew from past experiences; good things don't last.