I think you might be right on that. Considering some of the plans you've managed in a pinch, we should manage something workable.
[He's no fool, he's fairly certain Wylan's the brains of this outfit when it came to the two of them. Jesper might be smart as a whip in his own right, but Wylan had his way of coming up with some ingenious stuff.]
Not sure what exactly you'll need my talents for but...I've been practicing.
If I can figure out how this works, we'll need your talents to alter the gloves. I'm starting to think that it's not going to be entirely easy but if we figure it out.... [Well Kaz will be able to utilize his phone with his gloves on.
And if there was a winter in Hell that required gloves, that would help as well.]
So are you going to tell me how you acquired so many pairs of gloves, or is that just your secret?
[Talking about their job was the perfect opportunity to avoid talking about what happened at the carnival. Just thinking about it has him lightly blushing.]
[Because it was a matter of when, as far as Jesper was concerned. Once they cracked how the screens worked, it'd only be down to time in getting something to work with it.]
Why so curious? I bought some of them, honest--pocketed the rest. [It's an answer that requires little thought, and he's not going to hide a matter of petty theft from Wylan.] You're thinking about more than the gloves.
[It's not as though that blush would escape his notice.]
[Because it was just a matter of time before they would figure out how the phones worked enough to make the gloves work. He's not surprised that Jesper stole a bunch of gloves. Wait.]
How did you buy them? [He looks at Jesper curiously.] What did you use? I don't think the demons would accept kruge.
[He blinks, before sighing.] Just that... maybe we should talk? About the carnival? [He runs his fingers through his hair.] I just don't know what about.
Barter system. They don't really seem to care, so I probably could have swiped them all. Just seemed fair to offer up odds and ends. [And other things he stole, thank you very much.] Though we might need to think of a way to make some scratch if they start wanting cash.
[Ah, there it is. He's honestly surprised it hadn't come up sooner, if he's honest.] Right. The carnival and all that entailed. [He looks up and down the hall before pushing Wylan back into the suite.] Best to talk without a possible audience, I think.
[He's not surprised to be pushed back into the suite, grateful that his roommates seemed to be out at the moment. Wylan glances behind him before he finds himself sitting down in the closest chair. This was going to be an interesting conversation. He rubs at his temples, trying to find the right words to say.]
So. ....that was a thing. [He starts, and realizes how stupid he sounds. He sighs, moving to cover his face.] Sorry I just don't know where to start.
[Jesper follows him, taking up a nearby seat. He carries himself with the same casual ease as always, except for the way his fingers are tapping out a staccato on the arm rest.]
A thing. That's...a word for it. [He doesn't know what to say about it either. But there's the weight of the expectations this conversation carries--and where it could all lead--that has him on edge.] Might want to start with how you feel about it all after the fact. You're the one that was riding a bit of a high--
[He sighs.] I should start by apologizing for letting it go that far with that in mind.
I... I know. [He realizes that he wasn't quite himself. He was high on something, feeling great and wanting to just be close and of course, Jesper was the person he found for it. He licks his lips in thought, chewing on them before he takes a deep breath. This was going to be difficult.]
Why are you apologizing? I came on to you. [He would do it again if he wasn't high. He loved Jesper. He loves being bold and confident when it comes to the two of them. He enjoys being forward with Jesper but that was a little - maybe it was too forward?]
I just... it's hard to explain. [He wanted something normal. Something familiar? Something more than just chasing after him wondering when the next time Jesper is going to fall into someone else's bed. His heart aches thinking about it, and he's already jealous of someone he doesn't know.]
I'm apologizing because I knew you didn't have your wits about you. But--[But he didn't want to say no to Wylan. But he was hoping for something of that sort to come about since he had been made aware that there was something more between them back home, in the future he doesn't know yet. But he should at least get his shit together before he asked Wylan for a shot at any of that.]
Point is, I probably should have taken a step back and...circle back to that when you weren't on something. [Wylan, out of all people, deserved that respect from him.]
Hard to explain...Try me. We aren't going to get anywhere otherwise.
[Was it though? Was it fine? Wylan was so sure of himself when it was happening. He wanted everything Jesper was going to give him and yet-- he was high on something. Wylan wasn't mad, however, wasn't angry with Jesper for just going along with it.
He takes another deep breath, steadying his nerves before he draws his knees up to his chest.]
When I'm from [He starts.] the plan worked. The auction went off without a hitch, we all got our money [almost all of them] and ...my father is in jail. [He still couldn't believe it. He was getting what he deserved.] I run the estate now, and we do it together. You and I live together at the house. [Which only made things more complicated in Hell, didn't it?]
[Jesper wants to argue that it was, clearly, not fine. But now isn't quite the time to push that issue. Not when Wylan starts speaking again and lays most of the truth at his feet.
There's a future there he still couldn't quite let himself believe in. A future that saw them through what was easily riding on half a prayer--one that had them together. He sucks in a breath, brings a hand to his mouth, and breathes out again.]
Saints. We--you and I--we run the Van Eck estate? Together...from your house. [There are several implications there. The relationship Wylan had said they had was looking far more serious than anything he had let himself get involved with before.] What does that all mean for us here, Wy? Where do you want this to go...?
Yeah. We run the Van Eck estate. [He tucks his chin between his knees, looking away as he wraps his arms around his legs.] You read everything to me. Documents, shipping manifests, trade agreements... we've been going through his office to get an idea of what we're looking at. [He pauses, taking another deep breath.] I even give you money to play the Exchange.
[Which required a lot of trust and thought. He knew Jesper couldn't completely kick the habit so why not play the Exchange where it could benefit them? They weren't betting the same odds and so far he hasn't taken any risky ventures.
There's a longer pause this time, his heart pounding in his chest. What does that all mean for us here, Wy?]
I don't know. [It's small, quiet, and he looks away from Jesper when he says it.]
[I even gave you money to play the Exchange. Innocuous enough of a statement, but that involved a lot of trust. Jesper knew that much. His vices were no secret, and he could only guess how much thought Wylan had put into that decision, how much trust he put in Jesper to go through with it.]
You don't know...or don't know how to explain it? [Those were two very different things in this conversation.] Putting everything aside, at the end of the day, what do you want?
[It's selfish, given all he's done since coming here--most of it without a second thought to the consequences or what it might all look like to Wylan--but he was hoping the other boy still wanted him. With all his faults and flaws, he wants that to be the answer. It was more than worth making some changes for.]
I-- [He cuts himself off, shrugging his shoulders before he tries again.] I want to be selfish. Want you but I don't want to share.
[He doesn't want to share, he doesn't want to second guess where he stands with Jesper, but he knows that Hell was going to make things challenging. Hell would put their relationship to the test, and it already had considering Jesper came from a different time period.]
I don't think it's going to be easy, though. [Not that anything was easy for them.] I don't think Hell will let us just... be.
Be selfish, then. Hell is going to do what it wants, might as well spit in the face of it and do what we want, too. [There was an odd peace in knowing that Wylan was just as, if not more, selfish than him in this. That he wanted. He has a feeling that he's right about Hell and the demands it will make of them, but he's also certain it's nothing more than they've stared down before.]
Nothing worth having is ever easy. [They knew that truth better than most anyone. Their crew had literally crawled and scraped their way out of the bottom of the Barrel. ] I'm willing to work at it if you are.
You are? [He shouldn't be so surprised, but it was so quiet, so unsure as he looks Jesper over. He wasn't unsure of them, he was unsure of what kind of trouble Hell was going to make for them. Wylan wanted so much but how would Hell keep them apart? Would they be fighting tooth and nail the entire time?]
I am. [He says, finally, after a moment.] I'm willing. [There's a pause as he drops one of his legs down to the floor.] We need to discuss the possibility that Hell is going to make things difficult. [He frowns, not really enjoying the idea of needing to have this particular discussion.] Or worse. It might try and tear us apart by having us fall into bed with other people. There's plenty of drugs to do it. [And they haven't run into it yet. Not in Mammon's realm.]
We already know it's a possibility. I doubt we'll be able to avoid everything Hell tries to throw at us. [They may have their luck at dodging consequences, but luck can only run for so far before it eventually runs out. It's a reality they had to consider.] So...we keep talking. No secrets. If something happens, we should...let each other know.
[That's the best solution. He wasn't going to intentionally seek out other people with the idea of falling into bed with them. That didn't mean Hell wouldn't find a way to lure them in all the same.]
[Wylan relaxes for the first time in their whole conversation. His shoulders sag, and he takes a slow deep breath as they found some solid ground to agree on. They could communicate, that wouldn't be an issue.] Yeah. Yeah we'll keep talking. I don't like keeping secrets from you.
[It killed him to keep the timeline discrepancy from him when he just didn't know how to explain it to him.
He pushes himself up off the chair, walking slowly over to Jesper before he leans against the arm. He sits there quietly, before he leans over and kisses his temple, longing to be close but unsure where the line was. Sure, they discussed what they wanted, what they needed from each other to some extent, but where could he take this?]
[There had only ever been one secret he kept close to his chest; for survival back in Ketterdam, for his father's sanity and peace of mind in Novyi Zem. And it was a secret Wylan knew, so what reason would he have to hide anything else?] I don't like secrets much either.
[So there wouldn't be any. He hoped that would be the easier part to keep to.
He looks up after Wylan presses his lips to his temple, a slow smile crossing his lips as he reaches up to pull Wylan in closer. His hand curls at the back of Wylan's neck, dragging him in till their foreheads touched.] More than okay, Wy. [A statement he punctuates with a kiss, brief and fleeting, but a kiss all the same.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 09:23 pm (UTC)[He's no fool, he's fairly certain Wylan's the brains of this outfit when it came to the two of them. Jesper might be smart as a whip in his own right, but Wylan had his way of coming up with some ingenious stuff.]
Not sure what exactly you'll need my talents for but...I've been practicing.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 09:29 pm (UTC)And if there was a winter in Hell that required gloves, that would help as well.]
So are you going to tell me how you acquired so many pairs of gloves, or is that just your secret?
[Talking about their job was the perfect opportunity to avoid talking about what happened at the carnival. Just thinking about it has him lightly blushing.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 09:40 pm (UTC)[Because it was a matter of when, as far as Jesper was concerned. Once they cracked how the screens worked, it'd only be down to time in getting something to work with it.]
Why so curious? I bought some of them, honest--pocketed the rest. [It's an answer that requires little thought, and he's not going to hide a matter of petty theft from Wylan.] You're thinking about more than the gloves.
[It's not as though that blush would escape his notice.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 09:48 pm (UTC)[Because it was just a matter of time before they would figure out how the phones worked enough to make the gloves work. He's not surprised that Jesper stole a bunch of gloves. Wait.]
How did you buy them? [He looks at Jesper curiously.] What did you use? I don't think the demons would accept kruge.
[He blinks, before sighing.] Just that... maybe we should talk? About the carnival? [He runs his fingers through his hair.] I just don't know what about.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 10:08 pm (UTC)[Ah, there it is. He's honestly surprised it hadn't come up sooner, if he's honest.] Right. The carnival and all that entailed. [He looks up and down the hall before pushing Wylan back into the suite.] Best to talk without a possible audience, I think.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 10:27 pm (UTC)[He's not surprised to be pushed back into the suite, grateful that his roommates seemed to be out at the moment. Wylan glances behind him before he finds himself sitting down in the closest chair. This was going to be an interesting conversation. He rubs at his temples, trying to find the right words to say.]
So. ....that was a thing. [He starts, and realizes how stupid he sounds. He sighs, moving to cover his face.] Sorry I just don't know where to start.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-02 10:35 pm (UTC)A thing. That's...a word for it. [He doesn't know what to say about it either. But there's the weight of the expectations this conversation carries--and where it could all lead--that has him on edge.] Might want to start with how you feel about it all after the fact. You're the one that was riding a bit of a high--
[He sighs.] I should start by apologizing for letting it go that far with that in mind.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:12 am (UTC)Why are you apologizing? I came on to you. [He would do it again if he wasn't high. He loved Jesper. He loves being bold and confident when it comes to the two of them. He enjoys being forward with Jesper but that was a little - maybe it was too forward?]
I just... it's hard to explain. [He wanted something normal. Something familiar? Something more than just chasing after him wondering when the next time Jesper is going to fall into someone else's bed. His heart aches thinking about it, and he's already jealous of someone he doesn't know.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:21 am (UTC)Point is, I probably should have taken a step back and...circle back to that when you weren't on something. [Wylan, out of all people, deserved that respect from him.]
Hard to explain...Try me. We aren't going to get anywhere otherwise.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:28 am (UTC)[Was it though? Was it fine? Wylan was so sure of himself when it was happening. He wanted everything Jesper was going to give him and yet-- he was high on something. Wylan wasn't mad, however, wasn't angry with Jesper for just going along with it.
He takes another deep breath, steadying his nerves before he draws his knees up to his chest.]
When I'm from [He starts.] the plan worked. The auction went off without a hitch, we all got our money [almost all of them] and ...my father is in jail. [He still couldn't believe it. He was getting what he deserved.] I run the estate now, and we do it together. You and I live together at the house. [Which only made things more complicated in Hell, didn't it?]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:33 am (UTC)There's a future there he still couldn't quite let himself believe in. A future that saw them through what was easily riding on half a prayer--one that had them together. He sucks in a breath, brings a hand to his mouth, and breathes out again.]
Saints. We--you and I--we run the Van Eck estate? Together...from your house. [There are several implications there. The relationship Wylan had said they had was looking far more serious than anything he had let himself get involved with before.] What does that all mean for us here, Wy? Where do you want this to go...?
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:38 am (UTC)[Which required a lot of trust and thought. He knew Jesper couldn't completely kick the habit so why not play the Exchange where it could benefit them? They weren't betting the same odds and so far he hasn't taken any risky ventures.
There's a longer pause this time, his heart pounding in his chest. What does that all mean for us here, Wy?]
I don't know. [It's small, quiet, and he looks away from Jesper when he says it.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:49 am (UTC)You don't know...or don't know how to explain it? [Those were two very different things in this conversation.] Putting everything aside, at the end of the day, what do you want?
[It's selfish, given all he's done since coming here--most of it without a second thought to the consequences or what it might all look like to Wylan--but he was hoping the other boy still wanted him. With all his faults and flaws, he wants that to be the answer. It was more than worth making some changes for.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 01:54 am (UTC)[He doesn't want to share, he doesn't want to second guess where he stands with Jesper, but he knows that Hell was going to make things challenging. Hell would put their relationship to the test, and it already had considering Jesper came from a different time period.]
I don't think it's going to be easy, though. [Not that anything was easy for them.] I don't think Hell will let us just... be.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 02:06 am (UTC)Nothing worth having is ever easy. [They knew that truth better than most anyone. Their crew had literally crawled and scraped their way out of the bottom of the Barrel. ] I'm willing to work at it if you are.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 02:16 am (UTC)I am. [He says, finally, after a moment.] I'm willing. [There's a pause as he drops one of his legs down to the floor.] We need to discuss the possibility that Hell is going to make things difficult. [He frowns, not really enjoying the idea of needing to have this particular discussion.] Or worse. It might try and tear us apart by having us fall into bed with other people. There's plenty of drugs to do it. [And they haven't run into it yet. Not in Mammon's realm.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 02:21 am (UTC)[That's the best solution. He wasn't going to intentionally seek out other people with the idea of falling into bed with them. That didn't mean Hell wouldn't find a way to lure them in all the same.]
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 02:41 am (UTC)[It killed him to keep the timeline discrepancy from him when he just didn't know how to explain it to him.
He pushes himself up off the chair, walking slowly over to Jesper before he leans against the arm. He sits there quietly, before he leans over and kisses his temple, longing to be close but unsure where the line was. Sure, they discussed what they wanted, what they needed from each other to some extent, but where could he take this?]
Are we okay, then?
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 02:51 am (UTC)[So there wouldn't be any. He hoped that would be the easier part to keep to.
He looks up after Wylan presses his lips to his temple, a slow smile crossing his lips as he reaches up to pull Wylan in closer. His hand curls at the back of Wylan's neck, dragging him in till their foreheads touched.] More than okay, Wy. [A statement he punctuates with a kiss, brief and fleeting, but a kiss all the same.]