Smart men are always looking for loopholes.

[itookashot]

WHO: Jesper Fahey and you!
WHAT: Catch-all for October
WHERE: Cadens, Nocwich, Horizon
WHEN: Throughout October (may add event things)
WARNINGS: Nothing right now.





[ooc: feel free to wildcard below or ask me for a custom starter on plurk]

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Nocwich OTA

[itookashot]

In the first weekend of the month, Jesper is more than happy to get away from the drama of the rifts and Free Cities for a few days and hang out in Nocwich. It's a relief to get a break so even though he doesn't sleep there, he is wandering the square and area every day they're there. As usual, he's his chatty self, joking with the local merchants, making an entire tavern laugh with one of his stories, which are now peppered with some monster stories. He does love to tell a tale or two.

Jesper's hunger for hunting did not go away with the monsters since he didn't really get the satisfaction of any kills, so he's back on the hunting grounds in Nocwich to keep his skills strong. While he isn't allowed to have his guns in there, he's found other ways to use weapons to hunt and often can be seen pulling bodies out to sell for parts. He'll take any excuse to make more coin.

There are times when he seems to be walking the square and the surrounding areas with no exact reason, although he's got 'scheming face' which is Crow code for someone making a plan and it seems evident on their face. Jesper's unlikely to admit to what is cooking in his mind. He can't sit still long enough for the plays although he enjoys the music. He loves taking advantage of the bathing areas since he's tired of being stuck in sand all the time.

square

[restingstitchface]

People never act without reason. There are intents and motives - different between one and another - that follow a pattern. Crimes of passion, crimes of opportunity. Crimes driven by strong impulses and sheer excitement. Crimes of necessity that involve everything from stealing to murder. He travels around the square, from one corner to another, between one merchant and another, playing a game inside his mind.

Others cannot tell they are playing. Those who know they are are few. He knows where they are. He knows who is local. He knows who is not. He knows he is being tracked and hardly looks bothered. He has been under a more stern and watchful gaze for half his life.

He continues on until their paths come close.

[itookashot]

Usually when it comes to the Crows, crime is first and foremost the most likely thing on their minds. They may have gone legit here, through forced necessity, but there are other ways to stay themselves while generally following the rules. Their current project is mapping out all the areas they can in Abraxas. Most of the Free Cities is covered, and they have to rely on other people for the other factions, but Nocwich is in their jurisdiction too.

Any and all mapping is done in the mind though, they don't risk the chance of drawing it down and it raising suspicions. Jesper has a sharp mind so he's on foot memorizing where he can. Ikorr is still unknown though. Frustrating. As he's wandering, he spots Crane from a distance. He notices when someone he knows shows up, and while most people would get an immediate wave, Jesper simply watches him for a time.

Crane is a snitch, there is no question about that. Generally, he doesn't have a problem with it, it's not like he has much loyalty to the people here, although he doesn't like giving the army anything special. But it's the vibe.

"Now why is your pretty face looking like it's casing the joint, Crane?" He says when they finally cross paths. Yes he still sees the pretty face. It's just a distrustful one.

[restingstitchface]

His pretty face is partnered with a gentle and pleasant tone: a sharp contrast against his coldness and control. He is not easily intimidated. He knows what this man thinks of him. He speaks in bored monotone and looks disconnected from their discussion.

"Perhaps because you are staring in the mirror."

One should not cast the first stone, sir.

[itookashot]

Crane reminds him of Jan van Eck which is probably where his instinctive vitriol comes from. The man being the worst person he's ever met, but gentle and pleasant and sharp as a tack, vicious in executing his plans. The man was made of ice, happy to murder his own son with a polite smile. It may be unfair to project someone like that on another, but it's a consistent feeling of his.

"Are you calling me pretty? How sweet." It's funny how with most people his flirtatious tone is used in fun, and with Crane it's almost like poison, because he knows it annoys him. "I think your crush is misplaced though, Doctor."

[restingstitchface]

Rachel Dawes compares him to a snake: cunning, slippery and venomous. She holds him responsible for poisoning Gotham but people polluted the city themselves. He is not responsible for creating a market for drugs and contraband - yet she faults him for taking advantage same as any other? One might believe he is a scapegoat for her anger towards another person or problem.

Here is a similiar feeling. Words oozing familiarity, dripping with dislike after only one conversation. But he remains disinterested. Rachel's comparison was a poor one. He prefers the mongoose. Independent, resourceful and most importantly able to adapt.

"Well, can you blame me? You need to stop sending mixed signals."

[itookashot]

Jesper doesn't know that he would compare Crane to anyone other than Jan van Eck, but that is the worst person to be compared to. It might be a little unfair, he barely knows him, but maybe he's too used to sleek and slimy merchant types. Doctors in Ketterdam were rarely the kind that helped, at least not the put together ones like Crane. Everyone was on the take.

Really, the Crows would fit in perfectly with Gotham. They already know all about trusting nothing and no one, and they're champion criminals. But Jesper prefers the criminals who are fine with being criminals, the thugs who are just trying to make a living in a bad situation.

"I should have expected you'd be into hate sex. It's always the prudish ones."

Jesper's amused, relaxing his otherwise aggressive stance because flirting, liked or not, warms him up. "I know why I'm giving scheming face, why are you giving scheming face?"

[restingstitchface]

Hate. Sex. Prudish.

Only one is correct. He detests those unwilling to fight their tormentors. He hates insolence. And he loathes people who take themselves too seriously.

"It might surprise you but my face naturally looks like this."

Such is the truth. But now there is a spark behind his eyes, one missing when he does act prim and proper.

[itookashot]

"So you have resting scheming face? You and my boss have that in common."

Kaz is the kind of scheming face though, he's pretty certain he would beat Crane in that competition. You have to be a schemer to be the baddest criminal boss in Ketterdam. There are a lot of expectations that go with that. It is strange to refer to Kaz as his boss like old times, but amusing all the same.

"Don't snitch too much on Nocwich, Crane. They also have eyes and ears everywhere these days." Now that they're blending a little more often, he has no doubt that the spies have started to move into those spaces. Is that a warning though, for Crane's sake? Probably.

baths

[ordinar]

Nocwich weekend means one thing above all else: seeing friends from other factions. Not that Wilhelm has a whole lot of those lying around. Most fit comfortably into the category of acquaintance or, having a solid decade on him, occupy some other hard-to-define role. That puts Jesper easily on the top of his list, and not just because kissing is so much nicer in real life than in the Horizon. Though, he definitely considers that when they set plans for the weekend.

This evening, Jesper's talent for coaxing Wilhelm out of his comfort zone brings them to the hot springs. Luckily, the springs aren't too crowded at this hour, and they can find a nook to themselves.

"Shit, that feels good," he sighs as he lowers himself into the water. Contentment lights his expression.

YAY hi

[itookashot]

Jesper likes hookups in the Horizon for a few reasons, the most obvious being how much easier it all is and how many positions and how creative it can get, but when it comes to spending quality time with someone, he does like to whisk his other faction friends to Nocwich. Wille is a chief example and Jesper loves the baths, so he settles into it with him.

"You have no idea, you lot have nice baths, we have the desert. Lots and lots of sand. You get out of a bath and need another one." Jesper likes Cadens in many ways and he prefers it to the other options, but he would happily get away from sand if he could. The thing is too that Ketterdam was a port city, he's used to water, he's used to a different kind of grime.

He reaches over to run his wet fingers through Wilhelm's hair. "How are things with you, my sweet Wille?"

[ordinar]

His head tilts into the touch, force of habit and force of gravity. The effect Jesper has on him hasn't dimmed after a year of hook-ups that defy proper categorization, casual but not careless, loving but not romantic. If anything, the familiarity of it makes it easier to fall into.

"Fine," Wilhelm answers with a shrug and a grin. He's never known how to answer that question honestly. "I mean, I get to have a nice, hot bath every night."

If it wasn't obvious that he's just saying this to be a little shit, he pokes his tongue out at Jesper.

[itookashot]

"Brat," Jesper says on a laugh. He follows that impudent tongue and gives him a kiss because he can before settling back into the water comfortably.

"I thought maybe you'd have more to share now that you're on the fancy Conclave. All official like." Of course Jesper heard. He hears everything. He knows everything! Jesper is the best information gatherer probably in this whole group, he just hides it behind his smiles and careless attitude.

He would never try to be on the Conclave nor should he. Knowing Jesper, he'd do things just as a lark and make trouble. He wouldn't be able to help himself. He can't be trusted to take anything seriously.

[ordinar]

Wilhelm laughs into the kiss and resists the old urge to glance around, check if anybody saw. He hadn't told Jesper about his appointment to the Conclave, because he didn't want to make a big deal of it, but he's not surprised that Jesper knows anyway. He has plenty of connections in Thorne.

"It's not that exciting." Idly, he plays with a strand of hair. "We've met with some castle officials, like, once. I never even know what to say."

[itookashot]

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, you should speak up. You have as much a right as anyone." Jesper is more confident in Wilhelm than Wilhelm probably is, but that's nothing new. Jesper is always the cheerleader for his friends, believing them capable of anything and everything. He lends his confidence wherever possible.

"Claude and Sam just went for another go, they're the responsible ones so it makes sense. I might nominate someone next time just to see their face. Someone who would be good at it, obviously." But simply not think about it themselves. Jesper likes surprising people to get them to live a little. Even if that living is in politics.

[ordinar]

His lips pull into a quiet smile. Somehow, he's got a whole collection of people who are more confident in him than Wilhelm is in himself. He wonders what they see, and how he keeps missing whatever it is. Or, when he's feeling less charitable toward himself, he wonders how he tricked anyone into believing he might do something more than screw everything up.

"I don't really know why I put my name in. It's the kind of thing I would have done everything to avoid back home."

[itookashot]

He puts an arm around Wilhelm, apparently deciding that snuggling close to him in the bath is perfectly reasonable, and it is in his opinion. He likes being near him. Jesper has a tendency to believe the best in his loved ones. He thinks Wilhelm's more than capable of doing anything he wants.

"Well it doesn't last that long, you can just not do it next time. Or! You may find it wasn't as bad as you expected, and you want to continue." Jesper kisses his cheek sweetly. He doesn't think too deeply about these things, one of the many reasons it's good he's never bothered with this.

"You're a smart guy with a good heart, who wouldn't want that in a representative?"

(accidental) hunting grounds.

[pendejadas]

The rift drama itself was something he can hand wave into a compartment that he's done so many a times. It comes with the territory of having to go to a magical school that ended up skewed way later in his last few years and hence post. He killed one of the beasts, and for someone who is often one to boast about his everything, he keeps on the low about it. In fact, he's moved on (—debatable). Eliot is at Nocwich to deliver a gift, but he can get distracted along the way.

In his distraction, it includes officially getting lost. How does one end up at the hunting grounds of all places? It's called a bad sense of direction when he's too distracted in making sure the package is neatly in high quality wrapping paper he found stole from one of the Throne mantels decorative enough in their fanciful ways. It means taking a step forward and ending up ignoring the sign that states said hunting ground. Or the local asking if he wants a weapon, and a slight 'alright your funeral' look when he's past the line. He nearly all but clutches the neat package to his chest when he hears a sound off to the side and it becomes clear where he's at.

"Nope." He all but starts to back up when he finds someone with a familiarity that means he's probably met them, but not truly? In the middle of halfway into entering the hunting grounds and halfway scooting out of there, he still has time to casually stop by and ask the other tall individual in the radius, "Hm. Have I met you?"

Truly. It's a sort of intuition. He's good with people.

[itookashot]

Jesper on the other hand looks like he belongs there and that he's there for the obvious reason. Not only does he have weapons on him, the metal chest piece he's wearing turns into multiple knives at a moment's notice. He's not allowed guns here. He's dressed in black meaning he's ready to blend in with the darkness in there and he has a special pair of glasses for the dark. They're loosely on top of his head for the moment though. He cuts quite the hunter look at the moment.

"Yeah, we met when you made a sublime cocktail in the Feywilds." They probably both got drunk at the time. He does remember Eliot had a way with the drinks though, and he never, ever, EVER forgets a pretty face. It doesn't bother him that he doesn't remember though, they were drinking, and there was a lot of things going on. "Jesper Fahey." He salutes him.

"But Eliot, you don't strike me as the type to be hunting creatures." He absolutely looks out of place here. He smiles. "Bit lost?"

[pendejadas]

Does he actually remember or does he continue to play at the untouchable yet so come hither? After a while it can become background noise, but right now he’s occupied with his newfound surroundings and the slight misstep. Truly, this is why he had Margo as a compass sometimes. Much easier to be someone’s co-conspiracy eye candy and partner in delights than having to find his own way. The realization comes fairly quick.

“Oh, you’re Honey Wine.” And now he’s going to associate him with it, with the way Eliot’s mouth twists into a casual smile and steps forward to get a proper look at Jesper. Truthfully, he did indulge in a lot of alcohol that night and made his many, many attempts of mixing with various audiences. Up close, he can see Jesper is handsome. He reminds him of the sort of First Years that he’d occasionally indulge. Sort of nostalgic, to a time when he didn’t worry about dying or apocalypses. It also seems eons ago.

“Might be lost. Hunting isn’t what I do. Although. I do know how to use a sword.”

[itookashot]

"Ooooh Honey Wine, I love pet names." Jesper is one of the few people taller than Eliot at 6'3, a complete beanpole, tall and skinny although underneath his clothes he's toned. You'd have to be to fight as often as he does. His vivid gray eyes against brown skin pop and he curiously looks the other man up and down, as he's likely to do.

"Well I can probably keep you alive if you want to go stab some things." Jesper does this frequently enough he knows the beasts in there, so he thinks he can probably save his life, but there is always the risk. His abilities make him formidable on his own but he's still working on teamwork.

"It's not for the faint of heart though. You can borrow my glasses if you want to." He's not sure this is a good idea but few of his ideas are good! Or Eliot could wisely refuse.

[pendejadas]

"Better than simply Honey. I could also just call you vin de miel. Somehow it's always hotter in French." He is fond of giving pet names. He'll amuse it. He also isn't one to make the wisest decisions when he should be making them. Jesper is about to find out just how unwise Eliot can be if he offers up a path.

It's not ego that is speaking, only a matter of fact. Sometimes he is too casual about everything. He's used to being one of the taller ones, so having others being shy of an inch or two is just him finally able to not have to look at someone down. It's like being among peers. New view. New experiences. He really probably shouldn't take up the hunting grounds, but he did realize he has to become a better fighter if more beasts were to ever come about. He might now have slight motive out of the whim. One that he should table, but he'll feel it out. He's always been good at foreplay.

"Glasses? Hm. I've seen horrors cinema hipsters wish they've dreamed up. Even if gods can be rather cliche. I think I became a ghost in one of my time loops. Did you manage to kill one of those beasts?"

[itookashot]

"I don't know what French is but it sounds good." Marking that Jesper isn't from Earth. "I'll have to come up with one for you, it's only right." Jesper has the type of swaggering confidence that would ordinarily be masking insecurity, but for him, it's not. He really does know he's interesting and dangerous and attractive. The gunslinger has been around the block and then some.

"They help you see in the dark." Jesper takes them off the top of his head and offers them over to Eliot. The glasses will help him see more clearly in the dark, and there are also contact lens versions of them for that reason. It's night at all times in Nocwich, but it's especially dark in the hunting grounds.

"The ones from the rifts? Yeah. I've also hunted in a few locations, this one included. You can sell parts for a pretty penny if you know what you're doing, but it's dangerous." People in Thorne don't usually get a lot of money on their own so it probably is tempting, but Jesper's not saying that to be cocky about his own skills. "I'd just rather not have that pretty head bitten of your body. What a waste."

[pendejadas]

"Now you sound like a Fillorian. Where are you from?" Which is to say, sadly his Earth references will not be taken into account. Winning some and losing some, he supposes. It's not as if he hasn't had to make a whole other world his life and adjust to it. Something he won't lose is his flair, which is expressed in his back to fancy clothes era. Eliot would bring silk to the hunting grounds. He can see Jesper is experienced in his own way, which is attractive, he'll admit. He's been around the block, just not in Abraxas (which is a shame, but he has his reasons). He might just be outmatched, which makes him briefly smirk. "French is sexy, trust me."

"Bitten?" He scrunches his nose as he takes the glasses and starts to examine them by looking into them, then holding them briefly with utmost delicacy. "I'm going to assume it's not the kind I'd prefer. You must be quite the fighter if you're going off on your own out there. Can't say it's the way I prefer to use my hands, but I'm open." He's not trying to be sensual on purpose, it just rolls out. Energy to energy. It also doesn't hurt to have the attention and flirt. He likes flirting, but he backs off it it's not received of course.

"I'm impressed. I would have saved you a piece of my beast, but it went up in smoke when it died. This just tells me I should be hanging out with you more often, dangerous man."

[itookashot]

"From a grimy crime-ridden port city named Ketterdam, the best place. It's not on what other people call Earth." Eliot strikes him as an Earth person. He's got this modern flare to him that wouldn't suit a legitimately old school type of place that Jesper's from. He's not full out medieval but Cadens' technology is on par with what he knows, so he settled in easily.

"I'm quite the fighter, yes. Fine, I'll show off a little." As if someone needs to convince him! Jesper loves showing off. He moves his long black coat back and then the metal armor that's on him changes. It looks like multiple blades on top of each other ... because that's exactly what it is. Jesper moves his hands and the blades come apart, sliding separately into the air into multiple knives, hovering in the air with what is clearly advanced telekinesis.

The metamorphosis of armor into many knives is part of his skillset, and probably the more impressive part, for people who pay close attention. He pulls a few of the knives to his hand and puts them together, the steel closing in under his supernatural fingers and he turns the end into a steel hilt, before offering it hilt-first to Eliot.

"A sword, milord." He slides the knives back from the air to settle onto his chest, armor again, and then does an elaborate bow.