Got love for the people that have warned you

[itookashot]

WHO: Jesper Fahey and you!
WHAT: Catch-all for November, featuring inn renovations!
WHERE: Cadens, Nocwich, Horizon
WHEN: Throughout November
WARNINGS: NSFW for threads within





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

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The Inn & Cadens

[itookashot]

Since the inn project was his idea, Jesper's been busy during October making plans with Sam and Mags, but now it was time to execute the plan! The first two weeks of November, everything is in flux. The rooms are updated, the dining room is being refurbished, an outdoor area is being cleaned out and built, and he's even gone in to update some kitchen details. Jesper can be seen having his fingers in everything.

Maybe you spot him moving things in and out of rooms or painting, maybe people are helping him move everything out of the dining room while it's being done in there, or setting up chairs and tables on the outside. He is seen using his powers to fix any bumps in the wood or blending better fabrics and wood pieces with higher quality. Or maybe he's suggested people take a break to eat some food which Mags is happy to provide for anyone who has decided to volunteer. He's working so often he can be found taking naps in the back of tables or in rooms that aren't his too.

There are a few days here and there in November he's missing, along with the Crows.

For the renovations times, he has paused his own business, but for the latter half of the month he's back to his marketplace stall and you can spot that he seems to be selling more clothes. Whether it's colorful scarves, gloves, a chemise here and there and shoes, it's less about trinkets. Even his jewelry is more intricate and detailed, rather than the casual work he's done in the work. In his down time, he's sketching pieces of clothes, either requested from someone or his own ideas.

[philancer]

[ The renovations at the Inn are in full swing and Sylvain has been here just about every free day he’s had so far, pitching in where he can. He’s not the best at this sort of project, but he’d helped enough with the repairs and renovations on Garreg Mach when they’d retaken the monastery that he’d gotten some practice in, and his work in Libertas after the bombing had helped with the rest. That and he’s typically pretty good at following orders, so he has more than enough projects here to keep him busy.

He tackles the work in good cheer, keeping up playful banter of friendly conversation with those he falls in with to make the time and work pass more easily. There’s a lot of familiar faces also pitching in and it’s nice for the time to catch up with some of them.

It’s also nice to get to flirt with Jesper more frequently - something he takes full advantage of at every opportunity. But he also hasn’t missed how much hard work Jesper is putting into all this, which is why he’s currently hunting through various parts of the construction zones in search of his lover.

Only to spot him draped over one of the tables outback, cheek pillowed on one arm as he dozes.

Sylvain stops in his tracks for a moment before a fond smile slips quietly across his lips before he crosses over to the table and leans down to trail light kisses along the curve of Jesper’s ear. ]

You know, there are at least eight more comfortable - and quieter - places in the vicinity to catch a cat nap.

[itookashot]

[ It's the use of his abilities that's causing the exhaustion. If Jesper would just using his strength and mind, he'd probably be tired but able to sleep like a normal person. But he's non-stop with the Durasting all over the place, and it's draining, but it's also feeding him. He usually spaces it out so he doesn't end up dropping like this, but no such luck. So he's passing out for quick naps, and it's so far been nice. Power naps!

It's a very nice dream when there's lips on his ear and he tilts his head to silently beg for more of it, and his eyes don't open although he's awake, smiling instead. ]

You haven't read enough fairytales.

[ Despite having more than a few lovers, Jesper knows them each very well, down to their smell and the beating of their heart, so he knew it was Sylvain even before he spoke. That's why he immediately goes playful. He turns on his back and reaches out to creep his fingers up Sylvain's shirt, tugging. ]

You're supposed to kiss someone to wake them up.

[philancer]

I thought that’s what I was doing.

[ His laugh is low and husky and he pulls back just enough to let Jesper sprawl a little further on the table, but then just grins down at him, an impish light in amber eyes. He does let himself be tugged, however. ]

I didn’t realize there were specifications on wake-up kisses. Are you saying I’m doing it wrong?

[ Bracing his hands to either side of Jesper’s shoulders, he lets a flare of mischief brighten his gaze. He’s a little dirty and covered in construction dust himself and there might be a smudge of something that looks like ink or grease on one cheek. Not that he’s realized that. ]

[itookashot]

Stop taunting me.

[ Jesper laughs and he runs his fingers through Sylvain's hair. He pulls him down at the same time he lifts up and steals the kiss from him that he actually wanted, sighing contently into it. There was a time when Jesper thought he preferred having one night stands, and now he knows they're ridiculous. What he wants is long-term lovers that he knows the taste and touch of blind.

It doesn't matter how many times they've kissed. It's not enough. He just wants more of it. He lovingly smudges that ink off his cheek and gives him a much more heated kiss than they probably should have in the inn. But Jesper doesn't believe in halves.

He does pull back before they get too steamy, and so he can breathe, but he smiles up at him. ]

You're so beautiful.

[ Every time he looks at him too. Obnoxious. Jesper finally tries to push himself up and he does wince a little. He's not in any pain, his muscles are just complaining because he's worn himself down. ]

I would say I'm going to sleep for a month after this, but I can't sit still long enough.

[thedreamer]

The Doctor is just coming back to the Inn from a day out doing — well, what he does, which is a bit of everything. He's taken notice of the renovations that have just started, of course, in that he's aware of it and has offered some unsolicited commentary as recently as this morning of the, "Perfect! That chair absolutely belongs in that corner, it was made for it" and "The wood has never looked better, you must revere it, and so do I" variety.

Later this same day, he takes note as some furniture is being moved when he makes his way back to the Inn. Quite a lot of furniture, it seems. Naturally, he offers to help.

"What needs to go where next? Just point me to it. I'm the ten year reigning champion of the inter-galactic furniture re-arranging competition so you're in good hands," he grins. Is he serious, is he not? Hard to say at times. The mischievous smirk in his eyes does little to convey one way or another.

[itookashot]

Jesper's noticed the cheery person doing that and finds it amusing; the Doctor is someone he's seen around and chatted with, at least in a generalized kind of way. Jesper knows literally every single Summoned in Cadens, he has a detailed book about all of them, part thirst, part detail. He keeps an eye on them, he doesn't want another Goro on his hands, but this chap is definitely not that four-armed bastard, so it isn't a concern.

It's rearranging furniture but that's in part because they're revarnishing and cleaning up, repainting, just making everything look brand new. Jesper is fixing the wood himself and it may not be obvious on the outside what he's doing, how he slides his fingers along the backs and legs and they just seem to smooth over. He turns it around to take a look and then offers it up to him.

"You can arrange to your heart's content, mate, although Mags is no doubt going to just do it to her own liking when we're all done." The owner of the inn has been around talking to people and offering food and drinks, but she seems anxious about the process, mostly because they're doing it for her and she's used to doing things for other people.

[thedreamer]

"I know the sort. She'll know best, of course!" She seems to be a good one, truly, given what she's done for people here and what she continues to do. He would wish to do more for her in return, but that's a mission for another day.

He smiles softly at the other man and then looks curiously at the wood when it's offered to him. Since he distinctly remembers it being marked up and scratched before, it's absolutely fascinating to him.

"Oh, that's clever! And useful. Seamless," he runs his fingers over the wood, marveling at how smooth it is. "Is that magic you've gained here or something you've always been able to do?"

[itookashot]

"She's not used to receiving the type of gifts she hands out, so this has been a lot for her. We'd all have had a much worse time adjusting to this place, if the inn hadn't been offered." When the Summoned first arrived all that time ago they really had no place to go to, but Mags and Sam made that deal early on and she's become Summoned central since. She even lets people settle in before they can start paying for their room, a good person indeed. Completely redoing the inn for free is the least they can do.

"Inborn talent. We're called Grisha, people born in my world with abilities. Feared and not liked for it, naturally." It's the kind of tale a lot of people are used to from their own worlds too. The reaction others have to those who are born different or with power. Jesper actually isn't that bitter about it, he's quite understanding about fear. It doesn't mean he's going to allow that to batter him down, no, but he isn't angry either.

"Except to my mother's people, the Zemeni, we're called zowa, blessed." So it's not as if the entire world was united on this. Jesper was lucky to be raised in a better community for his kind. "I can manipulate matter, I use it a lot for carpentry, creating jewelry and clothes, telekinesis. It's fun." He flashes the Doctor a smile. "I did get some Singularity powers here too, they're also fun."

[thepath]

[ Though he probably isn't as relentless as Jesper, Cal is eager to help out with the renovations to the inn—it makes him feel better about accepting Mags' hospitality, for all that she insists it's fine. And he's more than comfortable with some manual labor: moving furniture, cleaning, painting, repairing cracked walls and crooked baseboards. Compared to fixing starships, what's a little light carpentry?

Admittedly, Jesper seems to be a lot more efficient at that part. Curious, Cal watches him use his powers to smooth over a bump in the wood, as if by magick. It reminds Cal of the cave-in while they were in the mines, and how Jesper managed to shape the rocks.

He'd wondered then how Jesper had done it, though he hadn't had the chance to ask at the time, and he wonders now. ]

How do you do that?

[itookashot]

[ It took quite a lot to convince Mags to let them do this because she's better at serving others than herself, but Jesper can see that it means something to her, each person who is putting in the time and effort. Cal might end up getting a special dessert or drink once this is over, just to show her appreciation. Jesper's been moving non-stop since this was his plan and so far it's being pulled off well. ]

There's a type of science to it, but I've never figured out how to express it that way.

[ Grisha in the army call their powers the Small Science but Jesper thinks that's ridiculous, they have magic. They want to call it something else, fine, but that's what it comes down to. If people are born with this ability, and it's supernatural, that's that. He's had a weirder relationship to his powers than many trained Grisha, but it means that his are more fluid, instinctive rather than guided. ]

I manipulate matter, so I feel the wood and make it change.

[ He turns a chair to the side since he spotted it was splintered and shows it to Cal. He's always better at show not tell. He runs his fingers along the broken wood and it shimmers, appearing to be liquid for a few seconds, and when he presses his fingers down firmly it smooths out. Like shaping it with clay. The telekinesis always makes sense, this is different. ]

I can do it with pretty much any material, I have yet to find things that I can't really change if I want to. It's all just made up at this point though, I never learned formally.

[thepath]

[ Cal watches Jesper mold the wood with rapt attention, his brow furrowed. Matter. That must be why it feels so strange in the Force, since the latter is energy, life. The chair is anything but alive.

But, still—the Force exists around it, fills the negative space. And Jesper sings with it, as do all living things. ]

Nobody taught you? [ Cal remembers their conversation, when he'd first arrived, when Jesper had mentioned that he'd hidden his powers, gone on the run, in order to avoid being pressed into the army—or worse. Even so, he'd never found a teacher? Someone else like him? He's had to figure it all out on his own?

It's a bleak reminder that that's probably the future of the Jedi too, as long as the Empire still stands. Not for the first time, Cal wonders about the Force-sensitive children on that list—the ones whose fates he'd left to the will of the Force.

Still, he amends, sober: ] Guess that'd be pretty tough when you're in hiding. Can I see that?

[ He gestures to the chair, indicating it. ]

[itookashot]

Yeah, can't exactly look for a teacher when you're hiding from everyone, and so are they. Exposure is dangerous.

[ The only teachers Jesper could find are in the army itself, and that would require being taken. He knows that he and Wylan were talking about trying to find a teacher back home, now that they have the money to perhaps hire someone, but he still hasn't shaken that innate fear there. Here, he feels differently. He's been unafraid of his powers for over a year now, and it's made a huge change for him. ]

It's strange to be using it so freely here. But I still am careful. I don't want the army here getting an idea too.

[ Jesper doesn't think they would go after him for the telekinesis, they have plenty of soldiers who are good at their jobs. The corecloth, now that he could either make a lot of money off of, or they might want to scoop him up. Bulletproof clothing that requires no magic at all, that's the sort of thing that could get attention. He doesn't want to risk it, he has no trust for the government.

He offers Cal the chair readily enough, curious about what he'd want it for. ]

Course. Are you going to show off, because I'd love that!

inn renovations time

[aquilus]

At some point early during the period of renovations, Jesper may or may not notice a thump or two from somewhere in the direction of the roof, depending how much time he spends on the ground floor and how sharp his hearing is. Nothing too noisy — just indicators that someone is up there and for once, doesn't care to be stealthy enough to hide it.

A short while later Altaïr appears wherever Jesper is working, a hand-drawn drawing/map/diagram in hand. Freshly made.

"As promised." He offers it over with a nod and a small smile. "I found one or two places in danger of leaking soon."

[itookashot]

Jesper has extremely sharp hearing, a gift bestowed upon him by the Singularity, that is sometimes a curse, but he's been using it during the renovations so he can hear someone call for him or if someone needs help. So he does hear the thumping but figures it's someone helping.

He is currently fixing up all the chairs right outside the inn, as they're meant to go into the new outdoor patio space, and he's giving them an extra material seal for outdoor weather. At first glance it would look like he's just running his fingers along all parts of the chair, but a closer glance would make all of it shimmer like liquid.

It stops shimmering when Altaïr shows up since he's distracted and he stands, wiping his hands off, wood and metal permanently dirtying them up at the moment. "Perfect, Altaïr. Is it like serious it needs to be redone entirely, or patchwork? I mean, we probably should just replace, but you have a better sense than me."

[aquilus]

He catches a brief glance of something shimmering, but nothing more. It doesn't strike him as important — probably magic, most strange things here are magic — but he'll remember it.

"A full replacement would give it a better lifespan, but patchwork would be sufficient," he says with a nod. "The choice may depend on what price can be negotiated with local workmen, and how much the innkeeper can afford to pay. Unless you intend to do all the work yourself."

[itookashot]

"We're mostly doing the work ourselves, or paying for it ourselves. It's a gift to Mags."

She would definitely never do this herself or even attempt it herself, so it had to be on them. Jesper considers for a moment because a roof really is something a professional should look at. They may all be decent at painting and patchwork, and he could probably do a good job on the roof by himself, but he feels like that might not have staying power.

"I've got some contacts in Cadens, they'll probably give us a decent price. Better to have it replaced." He's fairly certain they can cover everything else and the group has been working on it pretty consistently. They have some funds to cover something like that. "I'm not going through the work of updating everything only to have a roof cave in. Annoying."

[falcony]

[ it wasn't all that long ago - maybe half an hour, maybe closer to an hour - that sam had asked jesper to head up to one of the newer suites and check to make sure it's clear for the next round of new furniture. but the issue is that jesper was supposed to come back down to help sam bring said furniture up the stairs. sam had stayed behind to make sure the delivery went by without a hitch, and got to talking with the carpenter, making some promise to come by later that week and help out with something or other, something sam agreed to vaguely and knew he would follow up with probably next month.

all this to say, it's actually closer to an hour before sam realizes jesper is still missing, and hasn't come back downstairs. sam, muttering something about attention spans and focus and how jesper is in the middle of too many projects grabs whatever pieces he can on his own and starts up the stairs, setting them down somewhere in the hall and heading towards the aforementioned suite, mouth open to call for jesper when he notices-

well. jesper. passed out across a cot that he was definitely supposed to have cleared out about an hour earlier. however, any of that easy chiding he might have done disappears at the sight of jesper completely out cold, and he changes tactic.

he wanders over to where jesper's passed out, squatting down next to him for a minute before he huffs a laugh. ]

When's the last time you got a full night's sleep, Jes? [ the question is vaguely hypothetical, considering sam doesn't expect jesper to actually wake up. instead, sam takes a breath and pushes back to standing, considering if he actually can pick the kid up and take him upstairs or if he should just leave him here. ]

[itookashot]

'm fine.

[ Is mumbled back at him as Jesper's half asleep but not fully. This is what he keeps insisting on no matter what or who shows concern about it. Listen, he's Jesper Fahey, he can help refurbish the inn and start a new business and go on a quest for answers, and keep everything in his life balanced on top of it! He loves having too many balls in the air, it's fun, it keeps him sane.

He remembers sort of planning on coming back down and thinking that he probably could sit down for a minute. Part of the problem is that Jesper's been using his abilities non-stop. While he has gotten very good at being a Durast, almost too good, he's still not found that happy medium of burning himself out with it.

Just focusing on the moving and planning would have been doable and he always has so much energy, but it's because he is also using his abilities to smooth over all the tables and chairs they're keeping before being re-painted, Jesper's basically constantly altering little things that all add up. He maybe went over the top.

He looks up at Sam and makes a face. ]

Just took a nap, 'm fine.

[falcony]

Uh-huh.

[ jesper may be tall - taller than sam by just enough that sam can't deny it - but he's also thin. thin enough that his overall weight isn't actually hard for sam to heft up. jesper is officially being carried, whether or not he's half awake again, and sam doesn't appear to be interested in slowing down enough to let him down. ]

How about an eight hour nap? Maybe ten. [ and here they go, right down the hall. sam knows that jesper's room is technically still on the top floor, but he is not carrying this boy up to the top floor. no, he can go sleep on sam's bed, which is right down the hall.

he knows the signs, knows what it means to keep yourself so busy that either you don't care that you're pushing beyond comfortable into manic, or to not notice. and it's easier to force rest upon someone else, every time. jesper just happens to be one that sam will continue to keep a watchful eye on, and will notice - like now - when he's gone missing just a bit too long. ]

Horizon

[itookashot]

Jesper spends a little less time in his Horizon considering he's so busy, but he can be found more in the second half of the mouth. He's either hanging out in the Crow Club having a drink, playing video games or even his guitar in his cabin, or shooting at his range. The sound of his guitar isn't particularly impressive but he's definitely working on it, and the guns are loud if anyone goes looking.

Nocwich

[itookashot]

There is no time that Jesper skips Nocwich, outside of the kidnapping and that's when it became a different location anyway. He does need some money in the weeks that he'll be working on the inn, so he pops by to do some hunting to sell parts. He doesn't go very deep into the hunting grounds unless he can't find anything closer to the exit. He's very quiet and zen in there, climbing up trees to wait with snares or flipping a knife around while waiting to find something.

He can also be seen in Nocwich chattering in a friendly way with the merchants there. He does this every month so they've gotten used to him and he's eagerly telling them about his plans for making more fashion. Since he doesn't sell in Nocwich they don't mind as he's not competition. He'll also be getting drinks and hanging out, and this is the right time for cross-faction people to ask to meet up with him!

Nocwich

[a_better_man]

When Mat shows up for their monthly Nocwich outing, his mood is more subdued than usual. He still breaks into a smile as soon as he sees Jesper, but it's not as bright and wide. There's a tiredness around his eyes. His shirt under his brocade coat is rumpled.

This month hasn't been off to a very good start, and he's glad to have a day in the real world with Jesper. His heart can use is. And probably the rest of him, too. There's some awful, sick part of him that's just glad it wasn't Jesper. All loss is a misery, but some are more easily borne than others.

He lifts his hand as he trots over, hurrying even if there isn't a spring in his step.

They only get this once a month, after all.

[itookashot]

Jesper looks forward to this all month. They get to see each other in the Horizon obviously, and when things like the Nether happens when they got to play house for days, but it's still important to have their Nocwich time. He gets a room for them and they just get to relax together. It feels special, always.

But he knows his love very well so he can see every detail that's off about him, from his muted smile to his rumbled shirt. Jesper's bright smile fades and he's concerned by the time Mat makes it to him. Usually he greets Mat with a passionate kiss just to get things started out right, but this time his kiss is gentle, cupping his face. He pulls back only a few moments later.

"What's wrong, love? What happened?" He saw Mat only a little bit ago so there had to be something bad that changed between dragon land and now.

[a_better_man]

Mat shrugs a little, shaking his head as Jesper pulls back. Light but he's glad to see the other man.

"Anakin's gone, is all." Back to...wherever he came from, he supposes. He'd never quite understood Anakin's world that contained many worlds.

But that's all that's weighing his heart down. Something that can't be fixed or changed and needs be borne and suffered. It's just the way of things. Time heals and what have you.

"He was the first person I ever met here. We claimed the same room, when we were brought here. That was that."

Until now.