The Crows Next Mission - Wesper

Chapter Seven

Two days had passed since Wylan was told to have the bombs ready. It was a tight timeframe but he managed to gather the supplies and build all ten of the flash bombs. He had them safely wrapped in a cloth bag waiting to be picked up. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.

Someone entered the Tannery which Wylan expected to be Kaz Brekker but when he looked up he was surprised to find someone else, "This place is a mess." The boy complained running his fingers along a dusty shelve.

"Um," Wylan went to speak but that was all that came out.

"Oh," The boy said taking a glance up and down at Wylan, "I recognize you."

"Ye-yes," Wylan silently cursed himself under his breath from stumbling over such a simple word.

"You were the one at the Inn."

"Yes, you knocked on the wrong door," Wylan said as he watched the boy walk around the chemicals he still had left out on the table. He didn't seem very interested in what was in the bottles but he kept picking random ones up. He was playing a dangerous Russian roulette with his fingers. "Careful, don't touch that one!" Wylan warned when the boy went to pick up a not-so-finger-friendly bottle.

He pulled his hand away quickly and decided it would be best to stop messing with the unknown substances. "I never got your name." He says occupying his hands with one of the many rings along his fingers.

"Wylan," Wylan said and with the look the other boy gave, he couldn't tell if he liked his name or hated it, or maybe recognized it. He hoped not the last option but for all he knew his name wasn't common, in fact, he had never met another person with the same name. There could be that small chance the boy in front of him knew the name of the son of the richest merchant in Ketterdam.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Jesper," The boy introduced himself tipping his hat slightly.

So he doesn't recognize my name. Wylan thought before hurrying off the point of why the boy was here, "They're in that bag there." He said pointing next to Jesper where the cloth bag of explosives sat.

"What is?" Jesper asked picking up the bag like it wasn't filled with something that could go off any second.

"Careful! Bombs!" Wylan rushed over and carefully grabbed the bag from Jesper. He cradled the bag as if it was a fragile baby.

"You're the one who Kaz asked to make the bombs?" Jesper asked in disbelief.

"Yes?" Wylan said questioning why Jesper said it like that, like he didn't believe Wylan could make such a thing.

"You?"

"Yes."

"Huh," Was all Jesper said. His eyes seemed to look Wylan up and down as if he was in search of the answer to "How?"

"With aluminum powder and potassium perchlorate-"

"No, I mean you have all your fingers," Jesper said cutting him off.

Wylan looked at his fingers where the points were all stained black from the aluminum powder, but they were still all there. "Maybe I'm careful," Wylan proudly said as he carefully adjusted the bag in his arms. "Do you know what Mr. Brekker wants to do with these?"

"Mr.? Jesper laughed, "You mean Kaz?"

Wylan nodded as his face began to heat up and turn a little red from embarrassment.

"No, I was going to ask you the same thing," Jesper said and Wylan gave him a confused look.

"Why would I know?" Wylan asked.

"Kaz is a man of secrets, it's not surprising he didn't tell you." Jesper said, "But he probably wants to use them to blow up some snobby merchant's mansion."

Wylan visibly gulped, "W-what?"

"Kidding!" Jesper laughed, "But he probably wants to use them for something illegal."

Wylan paled at the word illegal, "I hope that was a joke too."

"Nope!" Jesper said a little too cheerful for Wylans liking.

"They can't blow anything up, they're only flash bombs," Wylan muttered like he was trying to convince himself he wasn't partaking in something totally illegal.

"You're no fun, but good thing you're cute," Jesper winked and Wylan hard blushed. Jesper smiled at how easy it was to make the boy's cheeks turn as red as his hair. "You're not from around here are you?"

"What makes you think that?" Wylan asked with wide eyes.

Jesper stepped forward and placed his hands on Wylans that were wrapped around the bag of bombs, "Your hands are too soft." 

Wylan looked anywhere but into the grey eyes of the boy who stood a little too close for his liking. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest and the warmth of the boy's hands on his. He wasn't sure if he liked the feeling or not. He wasn't sure if he should step away or if would that be too awkward. It felt like his mind was running a thousand miles per second.

What do I do? Wylan thought over and over again. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

 "Anyways, I best be going," Jesper said plucking the bag of bombs from Wylan like he was picking a flower from a flower field.

It took Wylans brain a moment to realize the warmth was gone and Jesper had turned to leave. "Be careful with them!" Wylan blurted out for what felt like the tenth time giving that warning. Jeaper stopped and turned back around with a smile.

"Sure sweetheart," Jesper said not knowing Wylan could turn any redder but turns out he could. Wlyan turned his head and was clearly uncomfortable by the way he picked at his fingernails. "See you around," Jesper said before showing himself out and leaving Wylan to stand awkwardly by himself.

Jesper held a smile on the way out after enjoying the interaction. He wasn't sure why but he felt a sense of joy from teasing the boy till he turned into a tomato. It was almost fun. A feeling he truly missed.

"The flash bombs aren't blowing that up," Jesper pointed out the obvious looking up at the tall black walls. Staring at the wall that held the purpose of keeping even the most dangerous criminals in, it looked impossible to break into. 

But Kaz always had a way.

Chapter Seven - May 9, 2023

Word Count - 1041 Words

Yay. Words.

- Flyon