royal_musings | Autumn Open Post

If they’re yours, certainly. Kaz somehow even makes cleaning intense. It’s stressing me out. Maybe he’ll leave if you’re around to help.

[Wylan likes Kaz, he really does, but the man can be A Lot.]

He's Kaz, he makes everything intense.

Somehow, especially cleaning.

Be there in just a few minutes.

It’s probably because cleaning is already stressful in and of itself. I never understood people who find it cathartic.

I’ll be waiting. Just follow the scent, unfortunately.

Me neither.

Ah, it is particularly strong, isn't it?

[ Once Jesper arrives, he looks around the lab with a little scrunch to his nose. ]

You really can't miss the scent, can you?

"You're a very brave man to bear it and help clean." Wylan and Kaz are both covered in soot, but otherwise don't seem the worse for wear. One corner of his lab is, though. They've moved the furniture and separated the equipment into 'needs repairs' and 'just needs cleaning' piles, and a separate pile for scrap/broken pieces. The winder is opened but the walls and floors are also covered in ash. Smoke travels fast.

Wylan goes over to Jesper, holding out a broom and a rag. "Dealer's choice, do you want to help sweep or wipe down the equipment?"

From the other corner where Kaz is ruthlessly mopping an area already swept he chides, "Jesper isn't usually on the dealer's end of those situations."

Apologetically, Wylan mouths to Jesper 'I tried to get him to leave.'

Jesper looks Wylan and Kaz over critically. At least they don't look any worse for wear considering this slight fire.

"You said "slight fire" this doesn't look so... slight," he says and takes the broom from Wylan's hands.

He barks out a laugh at the chiding from Kaz and shoots him a look. "He's not wrong though," he says before smiling at Wylan and leaning in to press a quick kiss to his mouth. "You're fine," he murmurs before pulling away and starting to sweep.

"So what was this hypothesis?"

“I suppose slight might be a subjective term, all things considered…” Wylan realizes he’s definitely been spending too much time with Kaz. Giving Jesper a sheepish look he admits, “I didn’t want to worry you. We are fine. Just need a shower.”

The kiss is met with one in return, a warm smile on Wylan’s face when they part. He still gets little somersaults in his stomach when they kiss. He wonders if that’ll ever stop.]

“Ah, the hypothesis was regarding a time delay mechanism and whether a different wick would help give us a more precise time range on it. It did! It just… had an unanticipated side effect that will need tweaking.”

Jesper snorts. "Well, when you say 'if you see me covered in smoke stains, don't be alarmed', I get a little alarmed. I figured you were fine since you were texting but had to see for myself."

He smiles at the warm smile that spreads over Wylan's face.

As he sweeps, he listens to Wylan and nods. "The unanticipated side effect being the slight fire then? At least you are one step closer to sorting it all out." And he knew that if anyone could, it would be these two.

"Is it terrible of me to admit that it's kind of nice that you worried?" Wylan is very used to not being noticed at best. That Jesper would worry instead of simply shrugging and taking Wylan at his word makes Wylan feel supported. "Not that I want to give you worry lines, but you're a very nice boyfriend. And I'll tell you all about how close we are to perfecting this project later. Maybe I'll even put it to song."

There's a strangled noise across the room, a long-suffering sigh at the shameless flirting. "You're free to leave, Kaz."

"Nothing in life is free. At the very least, time is spent and I've none to spare." Kaz can't help but be a little grumpy, even if he is genuinely happy for his friends. He glances over at Jesper. "So what trouble have you been getting up to in the meantime?"

"The worst," Jesper jokes while shooting him a teasing look. "I appreciate you looking out for my frown lines. I'm much too young and too handsome for that." He grins and considers that. "You know, if you put it to song, I am more likely to remember it better."

He snorts at the noise from Kaz and looks over at his best friend.

"And the air we breathe isn't free?" He likely knew the answer that Kaz would give him but he can't help it.

"I've made my rounds around the tables and let Abbott go. He wasn't happy."

"Breathing is a privilege, not a right, and the cost is determined by what words it's used on," Kaz predictably replies, though his mood shifts at the mention of Abbott. He leans on the mop he's using, utilizing it as a makeshift cane at the moment as he stands still. Shark eyes latch onto Jesper, devouring the news with satisfaction. "I'm not in the business of keeping someone on freelance payroll because it makes them happy. I'm sure someone else will scoop him up, but he doesn't have enough on us to be of use tattling secrets to them."

Wylan gingerly cleans off his equipment as the other two men handle the floors. "Not everyone actually goes to the effort of revenge, Kaz. He just got fired, of course he's upset."

"Then he shouldn't have done a poor job," Kaz replies bluntly, going back to mopping. "There. Done."

Wylan sighs. "Thanks for your help, and glad we got the job finished." He looks over at Jesper though and says in a small voice, "I'm sorry you had to do that, though. It couldn't have been pleasant to deliver news like that."

"Of course," he says, not in the least bit surprised by Kaz's answer. "I've no doubt someone will snatch him up until they realize he can be a loose canon. I'm only impressed that he didn't try to pull one out on me."

With all of his experience at the tables and dealing with his addiction to gambling (with a lot of help from Wylan to be sure), Jesper can see the situation just a little more clearly than he did before. He didn't like letting anyone go, not when it was hard enough in Ketterdam but they only had room for one hothead and it was usually himself. Or Nina.

Jesper finishes sweeping the remaining area and gives Wylan a little smile. "It's not fun but after he made a commotion that didn't go unnoticed, it couldn't be helped."

"We're all glad about that," Wylan reassures Jesper, speaking on even Kaz's behalf whether Kaz wants him to or not. "Not that you wouldn't be the quicker draw of the two of you, but still." He doesn't want Jesper put in that position. It's a part of their lives, he gets it, but that doesn't mean he has to wish it or want it.

Reaching out he takes the broom back, wincing a little at the movement. "I'm fine. Just a little sore. From ducking." He's really not that impressive, is he? Quickly turning and his body ending up on the ground came with some bumps and bruises. Wylan is still hardening himself to Ketterdam life, even if psychologically, he was raised to play the game in spades. "Kaz threw me out of the way."

Kaz gives a shrug as he limps his way to the door. "Can't risk your fingers, can I? Anyway, you two can handle the rest, I'm sure."

It was, as Wylan thought, simply part of the job and Jesper didn't think much of it. He knew his skills, especially with his beloved pistols and he would come up on top of that situation. Still, he appreciated Wylan being there and while he may have given him a hard time initially, he liked that Wylan didn't automatically go to the worst like the rest of them.

He narrows his eyes when Wylan winces then shakes his head when he admits it was from Kaz throwing him out of the way. "We'll get you some ice for that."

Jesper looks at Kaz. "We can handle it. I assume you're no worse for wear then?"

Kaz rolls his cane through his fingers, the bottom spinning on the ground as he shakes his head. “I only wear the worst when it suits me, Jesper. And even then, I’m always fine.” The bold line is cast out with a careless precision that is really anything but uncalculated. “I’m sure you two have time to waste though, so I’ll be going.”

Wylan moves forward to slide an arm around Jesper’s waist, shaking his head as he hears Kaz thump up the steps and away to his solitude. Or to his crew where orders are to be given, that formidable wall as usual holding out anything personal. In a way, Wylan gets it. He’s holding back some truths himself, isn’t he? Aren’t they all. Still. Does that make him a better or worse liar than Kaz, that he’s letting people get close enough to maybe eventually realize what he’s hiding?

For a moment his brow is furrowed, but he buries his fast in Jesper’s chest then. Taking a deep breath, he says, “Let’s go to our room. Get cleaned up. Do something that isn’t actually useless, as someone likes to call it.”

"Of course you do," Jesper says and watches him go before turning his attention to Wylan when he wraps his arm around him.

No doubt, Kaz will start issuing orders to the rest of the crew as soon as he returns. It was just how Kaz operates.

Jesper smooths over Wylan's furrowed brow with his thumb and holds him tight when he suddenly buries his face into his chest. He chuckles low and presses a kiss to the top of his head. "You'll hear no complaints from me, love. Let's go," he says before taking Wylan's hand. "After all, I have to make sure you're completely alright, don't I?"

Autumn Open Post

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