Chapter Text
Jesper
“Jesper get back here!”
The Kaelish drawl sung out to him as Jesper leapt up out of the passenger seat of their run down car and attempted to bolt inside. He stopped, smiled to himself, and then ran around to his da’s side of the car as he launched himself through the window to hug him.
“Woah lad.” Colm chuckled, wrapping his arms around his son. “Have a good day, and remember it’s a new year, please don’t make any of your teachers call me for at least a month okay?”
“I’ll try da.” Jesper laughed, before he pulled away and dashed back towards his form room. “See you later!”
He couldn’t help but feel his legs carrying him at breakneck speed as he ran. Crashing through the corridors, he heard teachers yelling at him to slow down, the odd cheer as one of his classmates noticed him. Until he finally stopped outside room 411, he hadn’t even pushed the door open when a voice picked up behind him.
“Are we going to stand out here forever or is there an option to go in?”
Jesper spun around to give Kaz a hug. He’d seen him over the summer of course, for most days in fact, but it didn’t stop him clinging to his friend.
“If you don’t let go soon.”
Jesper released him, still dressed in a black hoodie and jeans which stood out against Jesper’s yellow jumper and bright blues jeans with embroidered flowers.
“We’re getting the gang back together!” Jesper yelled, hand outreached to Kaz who didn’t return the gesture. Ignoring his friend, he high-fived himself and ran inside, and then rushed back, holding the door open so Kaz could get through with his cane.
Across the room, Inej’s head turned from talking to their other friends, joy spread across her face. Jesper hurried over and lifted her up, spinning them both around as she shrieked with laughter.
“Jesper Fahey put me down!”
“Inej, my dear, it’s been way too long.”
They hadn’t seen Inej at all over the summer, she and her family had returned home for their holidays and so the only communication they’d shared had been over a FaceTime call. He moved out the way for her and Kaz to greet one another, as always both froze, suddenly flustered and unable to speak.
“Hello usually works for me.” Nina teased, as she too stood up to join them all.
Jesper buried himself in her arms, “Oh Nina, I have missed you.“
“I’m here now.” She mock saluted before holding out her hand which Jesper shook vehemently, before pulling her in for another hug.
Matthias stood up behind her, somewhat concerned.
“Matthias! How was your camp?” He asked.
“Terrible, it’s finally over and my parents are happy though so I can’t complain.”
“And you get to be back with me.” Nina mumbled softly, spinning around and planting a kiss on her boyfriend’s lips.
Behind him Inej and Kaz whispered something to one another, as Jesper stood in the middle amongst them.
“So! What are our plans for this year?” He asked loudly. Once. Then twice. Then three times.
“We heard you Jesper.” Kaz scowled.
As they all settled into the assigned seats they’d always sat at on the table in the corner of the room, Matthias beside the empty seat, closest to the jocks of which he was the only one to dip into. The others much preferred to keep within their community of outcasts. They let out a collective sigh of relief in the familiarity of it all.
“Pass all our exams and get out of here?” Nina mumbled. “How was your holiday Inej?” She asked plaiting the other girl’s long braid for her.
“It was great, really. I had a great time and my Mama and Papa were glad to get back home I think. And you?”
Nina stilled for a moment, “It was fine. I think the real question we should be asking ourselves is why is Kaz Brekker so quiet? You haven’t mentioned the Ketterdam cup yet?” Nina quickly diverted.
They all turned at once to look at Kaz, who rolled his eyes.
“Maybe I’m trying to drown your voices out.”
“What is it you know?” Inej asked carefully, squinting at him playfully.
They saw the smallest blush of red hit Kaz as Jesper and Nina shared another look already.
“There’s a new student. I think you’ll all be surprised.”
“And how do you know th-“
Before Jesper could finish, Mr Haskell hurried into their form room and cleared his throat.
“Hello class, I hope we all had a great summer? Yes? Good, well we’d better get on and ready for your first lessons. I’m going to get through the register.”
Mr Haskell rattled through the names as always, it had barely changed in their last four years of being there, whilst Jespers mind drifted elsewhere. Wondering what kind of fun they’d have this year, how he’d cheat to pass these exams and…
He’d suddenly caught the eye of Anika. His ex he’d split from just before the summer. He tried to flash her a winning smile but she’d returned a look of disgust and turned away. Still angry, he decided.
He’d have dwelled on it more but suddenly whispers and mumbling picked up amongst everyone including his friends. Inej’s mouth had fallen open as Nina’s eyes widened and Kaz smirked.
“What?” Jesper asked. “What happened?”
But he needn’t have asked, suddenly a knock rang out at the door and their head of heat poked her head through the door.
“Mr Haskell, are we ready?”
“I, yes I suppose so. As you just heard class we have a new student joining us today, please welcome Wylan Van Eck.”
A boy shuffled in at the sound of his name. Swallowed by a blue trench coat that drowned his small frame, his head was down to the ground, but the matching suit he was wearing was hard to ignore.
“I thought you were the only one who worse suits to school?” Nina asked in a hushed whisper.
“That was one time.” Kaz scowled, prepared and concise as ever. Whatever he knew, he doubted Kaz would share with them.
Something big had to be going on for a councilman’s son to be attending a public school. Most council member’s children attended the private school in the University district, they weren’t found on the outskirts of the barrel.
“Slumming it with the rest of us?” Pim’s voice was audible over the low chatter.
“That’s enough of that Mr Shultz.” Mr Haskell immediately shut down.
The boy’s head had lifted at that, piercing blue eyes and a red mop of curls framed an angelic face. At least it would’ve been angelic if it didn’t belong to the demons who had made most of the kids in the barrel’s lives even harder than they’d already been.
“Maybe he’s a spy.” Matthias offered.
“Or maybe this is some kind of punishment.” Inej was looking at Kaz, who hadn’t stopped staring at the mercher’s son.
“Whatever the reason, he could be useful.”
Typical Kaz.
“Please sit down Mr Van Eck, any spare chair will do.”
Jesper already knew how this would go down. Not having assigned the merchling a seat was a grave error by Mr Haskell, even in their group of outcasts, a mercher’s son didn’t belong. Did he?
The kid shuffled along, stopping close to an empty chair when one of their classmates would drag the chair away from him, move to sit in that seat or give him a stare that he was sure would’ve turned even his blue blood ice cold. Maybe he wouldn’t even have wanted to sit there anyway, their battered and tatty school had to be a far cry from the luxury he was used to.
Eventually he made it to their table, his last resort. The boy moved towards the chair as his friend’s eyes all snaked to Kaz, who sat bolt upright, eyes fixed on the mercher’s son. Jesper could feel the unbearable weight of the tension between them, the waiting to see what their leader would decide. What the boys fate was to be.
His hand reached out, fingers curling towards the edge of the chair…and closing. Wylan pulled the chair away from the table as he stepped around it to sit down. He let out a little huff before he cast a sweeping glance amongst them, no doubt judging them all.
But Saints he looked good doing it.
Kaz wore his poker face with an air of pride, he knew they’d have to wait for their first break to discuss, that they’d have to wait for his explanation. He loved it.
Jesper let his gaze fall back on Mr Haskell, just catching the new boy’s head dart away from him and back towards their form tutor. It was only then that he realised daggers were being launched at him from every corner of the room.
Mr Haskell clapped his hands together sharply, the sound echoing through the room and snapping Jesper’s attention fully back into place.
“Right then,” he said briskly, oblivious to the undercurrent thrumming through the class, “let’s all settle down. We’ll be starting with announcements before you’re dismissed to your first lesson.”
Jesper slouched back in his chair, arms crossed, eyes flicking, despite himself, back toward Wylan Van Eck. The boy sat stiffly, shoulders hunched as though trying to make himself smaller, hands folded neatly in his lap. He didn’t speak, didn’t look around again, didn’t so much as breathe too loudly. For someone who’d just been dropped into the Barrel’s least forgiving environment, he was holding himself together remarkably well.
Or maybe he was just used to pretending.
Jesper leaned closer to Nina, lowering his voice. “Five kruge says he doesn’t last a week.”
Nina snorted softly. “You’re on.”
Inej elbowed him in the ribs.
”Ow Inej.”
The bell rang moments later, shrill and merciless. Chairs scraped back, voices rose, and the classroom dissolved into chaos.
Jesper stood quickly, slinging his bag over one shoulder, only to nearly collide with Wylan as the boy hesitated at the edge of their table, unsure which way to go.
He felt his heartstrings going, but a shake of the head from Kaz led him away from the boy as his group all headed into the corridor.
”Why would Van Eck let his kid go here?” Jesper asked.
”That’s what you’re going to find out. Inej you watch him, Jesper we need you to speak to him. We’re going to find out what he’s doing here.”
“Or we could bring him in with us? It looks like he’s going to have a rough time here.” Nina sighed.
”It would be the kindest thing to do.” Matthias backed up.
”Or the most stupid.” Kaz replied bluntly, “we need him to feel isolated in order to move in. We’ll catch up later.”
At that he’d vanished into a classroom.
”That’s our demonic overlord.” Jesper mock cheered. “We don’t even know half of it I’m guessing.”
”Kaz is Kaz.”
“Are you going to do as he said Inej?”
“I don’t know. This boy he seems….”
”Different?”
”Yeah, anyway we have a cup to win, gold is my colour isn’t Matthias?”
“Every colour is your colour my love.”
”Ew, I’m going to get to my lesson now before you two make me throw up.”
”How is Anika?” Inej asked lowly.
”Close to murdering me. It’s okay though, she’ll be taking me back by the end of the month. How else will we win prom king and queen?” He gasped dramatically.
The others rolled their eyes and then bid him farewell until lunch. He couldn’t help but think of the merchling as he went, the lost puppy look in his eye that made Jesper feel bad for not having offered him a guide. Still, there was time, and Kaz would be relentless in trying to get intel on the boy. For whatever reason they’d soon come to know.
But Jesper needn’t have bothered to consider if he’d take up Kaz’s mission. In fact he hadn’t seen Wylan again for the rest of the day.
Not in lessons. Not at lunch. Not in the corridors.
It was as if the boy had learned how to fold himself into the walls.
That night, sprawled on his bed with his headphones on and homework untouched, Jesper found himself staring at the ceiling.
He thought of blue eyes that never looked up.
Before he could spiral further, he heard the knock of his door before his Da poked his head around the corner.
”Dinner, don’t take too long, it’ll get cold.”
”I’m coming Da.”
”Perfect, you can tell me all about your first day.”
Jesper nodded, pushing himself up from the bed. The hallway light spilled in warm and gold, familiar in a way he rarely questioned.
“Yeah,” he called back. “Coming.”
He paused at the door, fingers curling briefly around the frame, his mind snagging on something small and irritating. Not the laughter. Not the chaos. Not even Kaz’s scheming.
Jesper shook his head, exhaling through his nose. First days were always weird. New students always were. He’d forget about it by tomorrow.
He turned off the light and followed the sound of his da’s voice down the hall.