Jesper would have been a prodigy if he'd been given adequate support as a child.
He is CANONICALLY intelligent, with a low attention span but a great eye for details, and got into an INTERNATIONAL university at 15.
He just couldn't stay at university because he had no support for his ADHD, away from his home and his family, grieving his mother, and his only coping mechanism was one that quickly spiralled into addiction.
Imagine if Jesper had support and adjustments. Imagine if Jesper had stayed in university.
Imagine Jesper loving to learn about new topics and developing many hyperfixations that made him almost doctorate-level knowledgeable in several random fields.
Imagine him using academics as a way to escape his demons for a while.
Imagine Jesper in late-night study groups with friends, and tutoring them when they didn't understand something, making complex topics sound so funny and simple.
Imagine Jesper having breakdowns at 3 am because he can't get through his course, and just stupid, stupid, stupid...
Imagine Jesper and his love for books and stories. He couldn't read more than a few pages at a time, but once he gets into it, not even God can stop him from finishing the book.
Ranting excitedly about stuff to his friends, and listening when they talk about their interests, because Jesper genuinely loves to learn.
He still loves the Barrel life. He is Aditi Hilli's son after all, and it is glorious, meeting new people, maybe doing part-time jobs with the dregs that stay part-time, hanging out with Kaz and Inej and Wylan, when he joins the fold.
Mourning that he has to put University on hold to join the Ice Court heist. Going back to school after the heist is over. Becoming Wylan's business partner after they get their money, because that would be a position Jesper is academically qualified to take.
Loving Wylan's brain and respecting his intelligence above all else.
The grief and pain and guilt are still there, of course. That will never leave him. But he doesn't need cards or danger as a crutch. He has books and curiosity, and at the end of the day, Jesper realises that he no longer needs to make anyone proud of him.
