Some character designs with some…atypical color choices? I guess. I don’t know what’s going on in that area.
This is Nimona and her supervillain friend (He doesn’t have a name yet, I’m working on that). Nimona is his sidekick/squire, they’re like the Batman and Robin of slightly Medieval villains, but she’s actually way more evil than him. He does what he does to make a point, and he doesn’t really want anyone get hurt - Nimona just gets a kick out of destroying stuff.
I’m going to attempt to make a two page comic with them? We’ll see how this goes.
Based on the song "Laundry Room" by the Avett Brothers
Warnings: slight angst, lots of fluff, suggestive themes (nudity)
Stop your parent's car, I just saw a shooting star
"Ooo, ooo, right there, see it?"
Jesper did not see it. He was too busy watching something else.
Or, rather, someone else.
You.
You met his eyes, and he was finally pulled from his trance once he saw your features slump into a pout.
"You're not looking~" you moaned, nudging him with your elbow, and Jesper just chuckled, stealing a kiss to your cheek.
"I'm sorry love, I was just admiring the beautiful star right next to me while I still have the chance," he excused, draping an arm around your shoulder and pulling his attention to the sky.
The view from the top of the Slat had always made Jesper feel a sort of calm in his mind, a calm that was difficult for him to find in his everyday life as a Crow.
That was, until you came along.
We can wish upon it, we won't share the wish we've made
He knew your presence here was brief. You were a traveller, running from town to town by hire. You were one of the best in the business, and Kaz had hired you for a huge heist that would take months to pull off.
It took less than a month for Jesper to realize he was in love with you.
He had to act fast, he knew this, but it also didn't take long for you to realize your feelings as well.
Within the first month of you being here, the two of you couldn't spend more than a day apart.
All of the Crows could see it. The first to talk to you two was Nina
"I know how close you guys have gotten, and it's really refreshing seeing your love grow and all of that jazz," Nina started. "But... she's not going to be here forever. I think it's important that you both remember that."
At that moment the two of you decided to take advantage of the time you had together. There was so much for you to do in such little time. It was even scarier not knowing when your next job would arise.
You had spent the months leading up to the heist working on as much as you could together; weaponry practice, mapping, disguises, anything.
The heist was a success, and everyone made it out with plenty of spoils.
But the elephant in the room was lingering, and everybody knew it was bound to come up.
Nobody wanted to acknowledge it until the day a letter came addressed to you.
A job in Novyi Zem.
But I can't keep no secrets, I wish that you would always stay
You two had talked about it for several nights. You had a month until your ship was scheduled to leave. There were so many things you still wanted to do in Ketterdam.
To Jesper, this was more than just a fling. This was love, unlike he had ever felt it before. The love he had for you actually made him rethink any other time he had been in love. Was it real? He thought he had been in love before, but now that he knew what it felt like to be with you, he realized that whatever feelings he had for anyone before weren't even close to the real thing.
Jesper didn't want to lose what he had with you, but he didn't know what to do.
So he turned to Kaz.
"So... why did you come to me about this?"
Jesper stopped pacing Kaz's office to face the man himself.
"Well, you always seem to be an expert in everything," Jesper explained. "I thought you might be able to help."
"You think that I'm an expert? In love?"
Jesper scoffed slightly. "You're right, why did I think the man who can't profess his own feelings for Inej be able to help?"
Purposefully ignoring his quip, Kaz brought his fingers to his chin to think.
"Have you thought about going with her?"
Jesper felt like an idiot for not thinking it before, but then again, could he leave everything behind in Ketterdam.
"You guys need me here, I can't just leave you all behind."
"I can find another sharpshooter," Kaz shrugged. Jesper thought to be offended by this, but knew Kaz didn't mean it by the slight hitch in his breath.
Jesper had kept this thought in the back of his head for the weeks leading up to your departure.
And here you were now, just hours before your ship was set to sail, watching stars with the sharpshooter.
"Scorpius," you continued, tracing an outline of a scorpion's tail with your finger. "There's its tail, curling back up."
"Is that where its stinger is, too?" Jesper teased, taking the opportunity to poke at your sides. The two of you burst into laughter, the actions somehow moving you closer together.
The laughter died down, and the two of you took the moment to sit in silence.
You broke it minutes later, this time being the one to look at Jesper's face rather than the stars.
"I'm really going to miss nights like these, Jes," you whispered. "Being here with you, getting to be this close..."
"I know," Jesper agreed, looking down at you as you rested your head on his shoulder. "I'd miss me too. I'm fantastic,"
You laughed loudly, sending Jesper's heart soaring. "That you are," you agreed.
"Well," he took a deep breath, bringing his fingers to your chin and lifting it to face him. "Fantastic people tend to be drawn to each other."
And with that, he leaned down to kiss you softly.
~*~
The morning air was crisp as it blew in from the windows of the Slat, chilling the bare skin that was uncovered by the blanket you and Jesper shared.
You slowly got out of bed, making sure not to wake Jesper. You didn't want him getting up earlier than he needed to.
That proved to fail, because as you finished getting dressed and turned around to wake him, he was already sitting up, wide awake and watching you move.
"Awake?"
He chuckled, stretching slightly. "Come back to bed?"
You obliged, climbing on top of the covers and laying your head on his chest.
"Ready to go?"
"No," you replied, snuggling closer. "I want to stay with you forever."
"You could~" he cooed, moving hair from your face.
He watched you closely as you stopped, lifted your face from his chest, and looked at him as if you had a life-changing revelation.
“Come with me.”
Break this tired old routine, and this time don’t make me leave
“Wha…” Jesper couldn’t believe he was hearing it out loud. He told himself that he wouldn’t even consider going with you unless you asked-he didn’t expect you to actually ask.
But now that you had…
“We could be a team! We already work so well together, and we could visit your home on the farm like you’re always talking about,” you explained, as if you needed to convince him. “I know it’s a lot to ask right now, but I have enough saved from the heist to get you passage on the ship and-“
“I’ll go.”
You blinked, processing his words. Once they had made it through your tired morning brain, you looked at Jesper to make sure you heard him right. After his confirming nod, you leaned down and kissed him sweetly.
“I’m so excited to take this adventure with you,” you told him, then pat his chest and stood. “Now get up and get dressed! I’m sure everyone will want to say goodbye, but I’m also sure they’ll want you wearing clothes while you do so,”
“Oh please, they’d all be privileged to see me naked like this,” Jesper smirked, but obliged and got dressed, as well as packed his essentials and anything else he would want to bring on a trip.
~*~
As the two of you went down the line of Crows waiting for you by the door of the Slat, you stopped by each one to give your goodbyes. Tight hugs from Nina and Inej, a few pats on the shoulder from Matthias, a sweet hug from Wylan, and a wink from Kaz sent you on your way.
Jesper followed down the line, then stopped at Kaz. Jesper raised an eyebrow, seeing moisture build in Kaz’s eyes.
“Are you… crying?”
“No,” Kaz answered almost immediately, and although his voice kept composure, Jesper knew he was lying. “I’m glad you’re taking this journey.”
Jesper had known Kaz for years, and judging from the body language and the words he was saying, he knew.
You had told Kaz of your thoughts to invite him, and he had gauged Jesper’s thoughts that day in his office. Despite his hesitance, you still asked.
And it was the best thing you could have ever done for him.
i really really love this gif.. i wanna print it out and put it on my wall… this gif makes me feel like the world is Okay.. i wana feel like spungebob getting a giant lollipop every day!
SUMMARY: On a peaceful night, Jesper finally finds the courage to tell you how he really feels.
A/N: thank you so much for requesting and being so kind while doing so! i really hope i did it justice, hope you like this <33 i forgot to put in the prompt tho, so i apologise for that :) gif credits @tennant
Jesper figured out how he really feels a while ago, but he never had the time to express it until tonight.
The realisation started one day when he walked in on you loudly laughing at one of many jokes Nina has told that day. He didn’t recognize it at the first second but he could swear it was the most angelic thing he has heard in all his life. When he connected the chuckles to a face, he was surprised how he could never noticed it before. Of course, you laughed in front of him many times yet he never paid much mind - but once he noticed it, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
He started noticing other things too - like how beautiful you are or how your eyes light up when Kaz “compliments” you (well, compliments in his own, Kaz way). And if he’s honest, he would move the earth just so that he could never stop hearing your giggles.
“Aren’t you cold?” Jesper questions when he silently sits down beside you, though you heard him the second he stepped foot on the roof.
“Maybe a little. But I don't wanna leave yet,” you say without even looking at him. Your gaze is fixated on the stars lighting up the night sky, a small smile painted on your face. With a sigh, he removes the jacket hanging on his shoulders, rather putting it on yours instead. You thank him by placing your head on his shoulder, releasing a breath full of tiredness.
“Long day?” he asks, pressing a sweet kiss against the crown of your head. You close your eyes momentarily, taking in the comfort he provides simply by being there before thinking of an answer.
“Well, between climbing a couple dozen of buildings with Inej and shooting arrows for an hour straight, I’d say I deserve to be tired,” you joke, a quiet chuckle escaping Jesper’s lips. “I just needed to get away from all the chaos down there,” you mutter, getting serious for a minute or two.
“Yeah, I thought I’d find you here when you disappeared from the Club,” he murmurs, putting an arm around your waist protectively and pulling you even closer to him. “I wanted to talk to you about something,” he expresses, making you lift your head up and shoot him a curious glance. “It’s been on my mind for a while,” he starts, taking your hand in his. You look down at your interviewed fingers, slightly rubbing his hand with your thumb encouragingly.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me, Jes. I won’t judge,” you whisper, looking back up.
“I realised something. Something that I should have known for a long time but I just started to notice it a couple of weeks ago. And I should have told you the minute I knew what was going on but with back-to-back heists, there was just no time.”
“Jesper, you’re starting to scare me, what is it?” you ask, your tone glazed with concern.
“No, it’s nothing bad!” He quickly defends. “It’s just hard to tell, I guess. The thing I wanted to tell you is that… I like you, Y/N/N. Like a lot. And I don’t mean as a friend, I mean as in like you, like you,” he starts rambling, an adorable trait of his you’ve grown to love.
“Jes,” you cut him off, an amused smile on your face.
“Yes?” he questions, having a hard time establishing eye contact.
“I know.”
“You know?” he sounds very surprised.
“I know,” you reassure, cupping his face. “I’ve known what’s going on the second you started acting differently. To be honest, you’ve always been affectionate but in the past few weeks, that increased, like a lot. And I didn’t miss the glances you were throwing my way, or the way you seemed more and more concerned about my well-being with every heist,” you explain, finally getting him to look at you. “And I like you too, dummy. I always have,” you confess, a big grin growing on Jesper’s face.
“You do?”
“I do,” you nod, a giggle slipping past your lips. He lets out a sigh of relief, one he didn’t even realise he was holding.
“Well, I guess there’s only one thing left to do now,” he murmurs, inching a little closer.
“Oh yeah, and what is that?” you tease, moving closer.
“This,” he says, pressing his lips to yours. The kiss is slow and emotional and sweet, exactly how you imagined it would feel like.
When the need to breathe becomes too much you both pull away, your foreheads still leaning against one another’s. The first kiss wasn’t perfect like none are, but it was special because it was yours. And oh my god, you just kissed Jesper Fahey, your best friend since the day you joined the Dregs. That thought makes you let out the loveliest, most joyful laugh you have ever let slip past your lips and it’s like music to his ears.
“I could listen to that sound forever,” he comments, finally opening his eyes. You do the same, soon after leaning against his chest, hiding in the crook of his neck, still giggling from happiness. It’s safe to say that this was the best day of your life, even besides the tiredness resting in your chest.
taglist: @sheraayasher
i hope you enjoyed this! don't forget to like, reblog and/or comment, it really help writers with motivation <33
Hello all!
I am finally back and ready to spring into some writing!
I am however lacking a bit in inspiration so I've decided to open up requests again!
A FEW THINGS BEFORE I START!
1. Request rules are here, and if you've requested with me before you might notice that I've closed NSFW requests (at least for now). I simply do not feel comfy doing them anymore. But all other rules still stand!
2. I've also added the Grishaverse to my lineup, and I will accept anything about the characters listed! I haven't gotten to KOS yet so Nikolai is not on this list :(
3. Another new feature I'm adding is prompts! I'm going to list some one-liners that you can put into your request to give me an idea of what kind of content you want!
Summary: A new Dreg is joining The Slat from the Sweet Shop, and Jesper is in charge of bringing her back to Kaz.
Warnings: fluff, reader works at the Sweet Shop (for now), Jesper is whipped within like two seconds, mentions of drinking, implied abuse, implied sexual themes, mentions of Inej’s indenture.
Author's note: hey all! I know I haven't been active lately... my bad... but I'm on break now, and I'm hoping to be able to write more often. I'm gonna ease into it with this piece, then I might get back into Seeing Scales, but we'll have to see :) enjoy!
The song that Y/N sings in this chapter is "Fly, Fly Away" from Catch Me If You Can: The Musical. I thought it would fit the sort of Cabaret feel of the Sweet Shop :D
When Kaz said he had a job for him, Jesper didn’t expect this job to change the course of his evening, let alone the course of his entire life.
“We’ve got a new Dreg joining us,” he had told Jesper, his gloved fingers tapping slowly against the crow of his cane. Dirtyhands usually didn’t make much of a deal out of new Dregs, he would simply make their presence known so alliances would be recognized between members. However, this was different.
“She’s coming to us from the Sweet Shop, guess she had enough guts to get out of there, but she’s joining us here at the Crow Club,” Kaz continued, glancing back and forth between Inej and Jesper. “Not only will she be completing heists with our team, but she will be continuing services performed at her previous employment.”
The two crows sat in chairs in front of his desk, and while listening, Jesper fidgeted with the handle of his revolver, but Kaz’s implications caused Jesper’s eyebrows to perk up.
“Services?” Jesper asked, a sly smile appearing on his face. “Since when were we the kind of club that offers services?”
Kaz took one glance at Jesper’s face and immediately rolled his eyes. “She’s a singer, Jes. And if you’re dying to know, Inej has convinced me to let her perform here.”
Jesper directed his gaze toward the Wraith, and saw the empathy in her eyes. “I want to make sure her transition to the Slat goes as smoothly as possible. I have some knowledge of what she may be going through. And she deserves to sing in a club that will treat her with respect.”
Jesper had little knowledge of what happened to Inej in her time at The Menagerie, but he knew there were little to no good memories for her. The Wraith kept a straight and neutral expression, but Jesper could tell how much this meant to her. Even if the Dregs weren’t exactly known for being respectful, he knew what Kaz would do to anyone if they laid a hand on this performer.
“Alright, fair enough,” he confirmed with a nod, then turned his attention back to Kaz. “So what do you need me to do?”
“We need you to retrieve her from the Sweet Shop.”
The Sharpshooter almost laughed. “Me? Over at the Sweet Shop?”
“You’ll be disguised of course, but I’m too recognizable over there, and Inej has another assignment to take care of.” Kaz would never admit it, but Jesper knew that he would never force Inej into a place like that again. “So you’re the only other person I trust to make it to the Sweet Shop and back with Y/N intact, and without leaving any trails.”
“Why would I ever give you any reason not to trust me?” Jesper stood and winked at his boss, his hands gravitating towards the pearled handles of his guns. “When do I leave?”
“Now.”
~~~~~
The walk to the brothel gave Jesper an opportunity to think of how he was going to get this girl out of the Dime Lions’ territory. Kaz had given him the instructions on how to signal to the girl that he was the one she should trust, but making it back to the Slat would be no easy feat, especially if someone were to recognize Jesper as a Dreg.
His mind raced the entire trip there, through the doors, and towards the front of the smoke-filled room. He adjusted the coat that Kaz had fished out for him from the theater and inhaled the musky air, preparing himself for whatever came next.
The current performer had just sung her last few bars, waving to a few lovesick fools and taking kruge tips from their hands while a man in a lavish coat entered the stage.
“Very well, ladies and gentleman, you can request a room with Grietje up at the front counter!” his voice boomed over the sounds of men laughing and glasses clinking. “Now, please put your hands together for Miss Y/N L/N!”
It seemed that time had frozen from the moment Jesper laid his eyes on her. He had to remind himself that he was on a mission and needed to focus, but the rational part of his brain had been reduced to a tiny voice squeaking in the distance, overruled by the increase of his heartbeat and the thousands of thoughts that deemed her the most beautiful person he had laid his eyes on flooding his head.
She had walked onstage like a natural, as if she loved every second of the spotlight in the dirty club. And the men around Jesper seemed to love her in the spotlight as well, because gnarly cheers rang in Jesper's eardrums as they anticipated her set.
Jesper had finally snapped back into his role, clapping and smiling to not draw suspicion. Y/N had sat upon the top of the old upright piano that decorated the stage, nodding at the pianist on the bench. The poor old woman playing gave a nod and began, leaving Jesper to wonder how the old crow had gotten into this business in the first place.
However any thoughts of the pianist left his mind as the first words to the song Y/N sang left her mouth.
When I was a child, my eyes were clear, I saw the good side
That’s the kind of second sight that doesn’t last too long
At that moment Jesper wasn’t sure if he would be able to complete the mission. No, he’d have to go back to the Slat and report to Kaz that the new member of the Dregs was in fact a Saint, and that she belonged in a temple, not the Crow Club.
Then when I was lost, I heard a voice that brought me healing
That’s the kind of special hope he brought me with his song
At that moment she had met his gaze, and Jesper’s previous thought that she couldn’t draw him in any further was debunked. It was like watching beautiful (e/c) gemstones shine in the light of the jeweler’s window that Jesper had admired every time he passed. As she continued singing, Y/N strode upon the stage, taking a few tips that several people had fluttered out to her.
Jesper pulled the marked kruge bill out of his coat pocket, slipping it between his fingers as he waited for her to pass by.
“Isn’t she incredible?” a puff of liquor stench filled Jesper’s nostrils as the man next to him grumbled in awe at Y/N. The overall thought of someone like him infatuated with the woman on stage made Jesper cringe. He smiled uncomfortably at the man and nodded.
Then she approached Jesper on the edge of the stage. Instead of taking the bill and continuing on, Y/N knelt by him and locked his gaze. Jesper blinked as the words to he song slipped from her lips like beautiful silk:
We didn't get to say goodbye, goodbye
No need to tell me why, my baby
Maybe it's because you'll fly back home to me one day.
As she took the bill from Jesper’s frozen hand, he saw her eyes dart from the crow symbol that Kaz had etched onto the bill, then back to him. Y/N smiled, then darted her eyes offstage as if to direct him.
Jesper didn’t understand what she had wanted him to do until her set was over and the same man in the lavish coat reappeared onstage.
“Isn’t she a doll, ladies and gentlemen? Miss L/N’s door is unfortunately not open tonight, but don’t fret, we’ve got plenty more ladies on our set tonight who would be happy to earn a visit from you! Up next…”
Jesper blinked away from the stage and looked towards the back of the space, where he saw an engraved wood sign reading “Rooms” in a beautiful cursive. He pieced together her plan and made the decision to stay for another set or two as to not raise suspicion. But throughout the next two sets he couldn’t get Y/N out of his head: the beautiful woman on stage with the (f/c) dress.
Jesper was confused. How was he, the most flirtatious man in Ketterdam, nervous to enter the rooms of the private dancers?
He had to do it soon, or he feared that Y/N might not wait up.
When he was sure no employees were looking his way, he snuck into the hallway. He passed by a few dancers, nodding and smiling as to not raise suspicion, but then continued on, his eyes scanning the doors for any sign of Y/N.
He finally made it to the door that had her name on it, and just as he was about to knock on the door, the dancer that was just onstage moments before passed by.
“Oye, Y/N isn’t taking any private rooms tonight,” she warned, taking a swig of the amber liquid that filled her glass. Not what Jesper would expect a singer would drink right after their set, but he couldn't say he was too surprised. This was the Dime Lion's territory after all.
“Oh, I’m aware,” he stated confidently, trying to find the words to get away with his plan.
But he didn’t need to. The door opened and she appeared to save the day.
“Get lost, Aleid. He’s my boyfriend.”
Jesper felt his cheeks flush at the declaration, even if it was dishonest. Aleid’s eyes widened as she looked him up and down.
“Boyfriend?” she repeated, taking another, longer swig of her drink and starting to walk away, but not before saying: “Aye, boy, be careful with ‘er, she’s had more men in that room than there are Saints.”
Rolling her eyes, Y/N dragged Jesper into her room, slamming the door behind her. She had changed out of the beautiful (f/c) dress that shimmered on the stage just several minutes before and into a looser fitting, black gown with flared sleeves.
Never in his life had Jesper ever been at such a loss for words. She was stunning.
“She’s lying, you know,” Y/N assured him, taking her coat off of the rack next to the door and sliding it over her shoulders. “I mean, yes, I’ve had customers in here, but never those kind-”
“Hey, I’m not here to judge, you don’t have to explain yourself to me,” Jesper said, his hand coming up for defense. “I’m just your way home, songbird.”
Y/N raised an eyebrow at the pet name, but any sign of disapproval was quickly thrown away as a loud knocking rattled the door.
“Saints,” she muttered. “Aleid must have told them off.”
Jesper searched the room, then pointed to the window. “Where does that lead to?”
Y/N beamed, striding towards the window and quietly opening it. “Nice thinking, Sharpshooter!”
Jesper thought he might faint right then and there. “You know who I am?”
Y/N threw her bag over her shoulder, then cast a smirk in his direction. “I know my Dregs, Jesper,” she teased, hauling her legs over the windowsill with ease, then pushing off into the night.
Hi!! I'm excited to request, so if you have specific rules I didn't see and I mess this up, please be patient with me. I tried to see if you had any rules 😅
can I please get a jesper fahey x fem!reader where she is a baker, and he is her favorite customer and she always puts his favorites to the side so that she doesn't see his disappointment when they're all gone if he shows up late?? Anything else can be up to you. Thank you!!
Oh my lord, this is so so cute!!! Thank you for requesting! Please tell me how you like it!<3 not proofread!
Chocolate cake and Ginger Biscuits-J.F
Author note-Alrightt~ let's do this! first jes fic in a long time! Six of Crows spoilers!
As someone who worked at a bakery, you were used to seeing disappointment in people's faces. And honestly, it was something that never fazed you.
Until you saw the expression on Jesper's face.
The sharpshooter who had wormed his way into your life with his infectious laughter and easy smiles was one the reasons you didn't quit working at that bakery. Ever since he'd stumbled through those doors, his jacket swishing behind him and hat lopsided on his head, he'd always ordered the same thing.
Chocolate cake and three ginger biscuits.
And the excitement on his face every time you handed him his plate was something that was etched in your brain. It was one of the things you loved about him, no matter what, he always had a little excitement in him.
So to see his usually happy expression disappear and disappointment flood his eyes was a little nerve-wracking. The last thing that you wanted to see in this world was Jesper sad.
Yet, almost a second later he smiled and nodding, saying that it was no problem at all and that he'd be back the next day.
~~~~~~~
There were two things the people of Ketterdam loved: money, and chocolate.
This meant that anything covered in chocolate was bound to be sold out by the end of the day.
And that meant that if Jesper didn't come quickly there would be no chocolate cake left for him again. And you didn't want to see him disappointed.
So, while your senior, Donna, who was a real pain had taken her break, you put aside a slice of the cake behind some bread rolls where no one could see it. Along with three ginger biscuits for good measure.
A little later, just as you had predicted, the last slice of chocolate cake had been sold, just as Jesper walked through the door, the little bell jingling as the door swung.
You didn't know if it was just you, but whenever Jesper came in, the bell would ring a little bit louder, as if signalling his arrival just to you. That was it's purpose, of course, to signal a customer's arrival. But whenever it seemed a little louder than usual, you knew that your the sharpshooter had arrived. It was as if invisible fairies clung to the bell and shook it louder so that you would know and so that you were prepared to give him his meal.
He smiled at you, his eyes twinkling as he leaned on the counter.
"Hi." he said, his voice merry.
You raised an eyebrow, "Someone's in a good mood, Jesper."
"I'm always in a good mood when you're around, love." he moved a little closer, his face mere inches from yours. Close enough so you could see the all the little ridges on his face and nose.
It wasn't fair that someone could look so nice. You hoped he couldn't see your face flush at his flirtations.
"Oh hush, your usual?" you replied, subtly moving towards the bread rolls.
"You know me too well. Yes, I'll have my usual."
It was then that he looked at the glass casing and realized that there was no cake. And his eyebrows furrowed. You could see his mouth twitch and his shoulders slightly slump.
"Wait, hold ya horses. There's no cake." he remarked.
You chuckled, "Jesper, you forget that the delusional people here in Ketterdam love anything chocolate. And ever since you started coming at around seven in the evening, it's sold out by then. So, I put some aside, just for you!"
Like some magician, you pulled out the plate of cake and biscuits and presented it to him like some prize.
He played along, a soft smile on his face as he did a silly little bow and took it from you, "Many thanks, madam."
"You're welcome, Jesper. I'll put it on your tab, okay?" the expression on his face made you smile. A happy Jesper made you happy.
`````
And ever since, you made it a priority to make sure to set aside a piece of cake and three ginger biscuits aside. Just to see the smile on his face.
One fateful evening, just as you handed Jesper his plate, he seemed to hesitate before asking, "Hey, would you, if you don't mind,um-"
You started to smile, the usually confident Jesper, nervous?
"Yes, Jesper?"
He took a breath and steeled himself, "Would you, if you can, care for a cup of hot chocolate? Later on? If you're not busy?"
On the inside, you were screaming and crying and hysterically banging your head on the counter, but on the outside, all you said was, "Yes! When, w-would you want me to come?"
"Your shift ends in half an hour, right? Would you mind spending the evening with me?"
"Of course, Jesper."
He smiled, clearly flustered and you felt a little faint. You? made Jesper feel flustered? It was a sight for sore eyes.
The next half an hour passed like a breeze and you hung your apron up, brushing your trousers and making sure you were neat.
You walked past the counter to where he was seated, and he looked up at you. His cake was untouched.
"I couldn't eat this without you. After all, you're the one who made it, right?"
You chuckled, sitting down opposite him. He pushed the plate towards you and handed you the fork,
You shook your head and took a bite, the familiar taste hitting your taste buds.
"Say, why do you always order the same thing?" you asked him.'
His smile this time was slow, indulgent, "My ma used to make cake like this, it reminds me of her. Whenever she made it, I'd take a huge slice and never let anyone else have it."
You paused mid-chew and looked down at the cake slice, "Then why are letting me have a bite?"
He chuckled, "You, darling, are worth it."
The evening went on till night, with more stories and smiles.
And of course, chocolate cake and biscuits.
Let's not forget the kiss, right? The one he gave you just before he left, the one after which he blushed hard and hid his face in the crook of your neck. His hands on your waist, pulling you closer as he hugged you tight.
Now, every time that sharpshooter stumbled in through those doors, the bell jingling, his jacket swishing behind him and his hat lopsided on his head, he'd order the same thing.
Chocolate cake, three ginger biscuits, and a small kiss.
