Six of Crows AU

Chapter Eighteen: Wylan

People.  Please understand.  I don't write long chapters.  I don't write Wylan.  Please bear with me, as this chapter will probably be very short.  Thank you.

(Jesper's driveway)

"Thanks Ms. Lorenia," Wylan said as he climbed out of Nina's mother's car.  Jesper followed him out, thanking her again and shutting the door.

"Of course boys.  But stay safe, get on home," she advised, pulling away.  Jesper turned to Wylan.

"This way, pretty boy."  They turned to walk up the long drive to Jesper's house.  Wylan felt the silence was awkward, their footfalls on the pointy gravel road.  Wylan wasn't sure if Jesper would talk first, as the Zemeni boy was prone to ramble.  But in this situation he just kept quiet, walking forwards.  Wylan looked around.  They were surrounded by trees, apple trees actually, but he knew out back behind the house were the jurda fields.  Wylan finally broke the tension by asking,

"Why didn't your father come to the hospital?  What if you'd been hurt?"  Jesper looked down at Wylan for a moment, and then back at the house that was coming into view.  It was a tall, old farm house, classically white with green shutters.

"My father doesn't like hospitals," Jesper sighed.  Wylan carefully laced his fingers with Jesper's as they climbed the stairs onto the porch.  Instead of going inside, Jesper led Wylan over to the two rocking chairs on the porch, and they each sat down in their own.  Wylan was quiet, rocking steadily, looking out at the dark night.  It was around one in the morning, they had stayed at the hospital until it was clear that Inej wasn't going to be done for many more hours, and Kaz had been in a terrible mood.

"Ever since my mother died he hasn't been able to go into hospitals," Jesper added.  Wylan looked over at him, and Jesper met his eyes.

"You didn't have to tell me."

"But I needed to tell someone."  Wylan reached over and squeezed his shoulder.  

"We were playing tag and my father was driving one of the tractors.  I was young, and I ran behind the tractor.  He backed up and my mom grabbed me up, but got knocked over.  Dad only stopped when he heard her screaming.  He rolled over her legs and chest, and had stopped on them, he had to drive back off them.  We called an ambulance and they took her to the hospital.  When we got there she was dead.  He won't go to hospitals now.  For anything," Jesper finished.  Wylan saw tears glistening in his eyes.  Wylan got up and hugged him around the shoulders.

"I'm sorry."  Jesper hugged him back, standing up.  Wylan squeezed him tight, and Jesper squeezed him back.  

"I have wanted to tell someone that forever," Jesper mumbled.

"You can tell me whatever you want too.  I will listen."  They pulled away from each other and Wylan followed Jesper inside.  The house was warm compared to the chilly night, and Wylan closed the door as Jesper called out to his father.  Wylan watched the older man fly down the stairs and hug Jesper.  Wylan stood aside awkwardly, until the two detached.

"Da, this is Wylan.   Wylan, this is my father," Jesper introduced, and Colm shook Wylan's hand.  Wylan felt so small compared to the two farm workers.

"I saw what your little... "gang" did on the news," Colm smiled, patting his son's shoulder.

"It's not a gang Da–"

"And I just wanted to tell you both that I'm proud of you for getting up the courage to go do something like that."  Wylan blushed, looking at the floor.

"Thanks Da, but Wylan had the most important job, didn't you Wy?" chuckled Jesper, and Wylan shrugged.

"I–I didn't do much sir–"

"Ah!  You're to modest, Wy.  Just tell Da what you did."  

"What did you do?" Colm asked innocently.  Wylan blushed harder and Jesper smiled at him.

"I drove the getaway car."

Hello readers!  First off, I just want to thank @Night_Shadowcat for helping me with everything. I'm very sorry for the shorter than usual chapter and how horrible I do Wylan.  I'm sorry, I will try to do better with the Inej and Kaz chapters.  Please pardon any mistakes.  I want to know which chapter you want to come first, Inej or Kaz?  And also, to all my readers, thank you so much for reading, and please vote!  Also, comment.

–MOJ