You don't have to make a sound 'cause they got what you need

[itookashot]

WHO: Jesper Fahey and you!
WHAT: Catch-all for the rest of March!
WHERE: Cadens and Horizon!
WHEN: Throughout March

various starters (all open)
message at waftingcurtains if you have ideas or just wildcard it up!

Comments

[yeshou]

"Love? I appreciate the flattery, but I haven't heard anything like that before."

Not that he hasn't felt loved, but that was a long time ago. Recently, Wen Kexing is caught still figuring out how to accept any human relationships. The word is detached from its meaning, and sometimes he wonders if he ever really knew what it meant to begin with. Still, he grins and takes the dart with an easy glide of fingers over Jesper's hand, expertly sneaking in the brush of contact before he begins toying with the item in question, turning it this way and that with keen interest.

"Have you ever been loved? Or are you in love with anyone now? Someone with your looks and skill must have plenty of lovers."

He could imagine the man surrounded with admirers happy to keep him company in any way he asked. And that wouldn't be a bad , would it? Not at all. He gently balances the dart in his hand, then on the back of his hand like he might a hand fan. Then he tosses it up and catches like he's directed, playing with it like a cat with a toy.

"About me..." Should he lie? Be honest? He's always lied in the human world before. That was until he met a few people that wouldn't turn away from the truth. That had been refreshing.

"I was a ghost. Longer than I was human. I used to resent the humans of the world, always treating everyone unfairly over their own greed. But then I found someone truly beautiful and I thought if I can haunt beauties, then I won't be unhappy."

He grins as they walk along, playfully holding up the dart to stroke the back of it along Jesper's shoulders, teasing just to get a reaction.

"Are you in love?"

sorry was on mini-hiatus again lol am back for summer

[itookashot]

Oh well this turned into a direction he didn't expect. Jesper isn't against it, he talks freely about a lot of things, but he is usually a champion at brushing off serious questions with a laugh. Which he does somewhat do, shrugging with an easy smile. "I've gotten around and then some, I have had a lot of lovers." A whole lot of them in Ketterdam, he had a reputation. Luckily the reputation was him being very charming and fun to be with, but not very serious about anyone. Until Wylan.

"I did have this one boy back home, very sweet and sensitive, a musician. Also a bomb maker." Wylan could be many things at once. The smartest person he knows and also someone who wanted to play the flute and be loved. Jesper hasn't seen him in months now and he's starting to get past the ache. Somewhere Wylan's doing just fine with another version of him, so whatever. "But I'm here and he's there."

He watches the man play with the dart, he can tell he's better at it than he might seem at first glance. A lot of people reveal things in little ways that Jesper picks up on. Jesper's eyes widen at the description and gray eyes are intrigued; he obviously believes him too. About being a ghost, at the very least. There's a lot of weird people in the Summoned, and this fellow most certainly is.

"A ghost. But you're very alive here, I see. You do have that ethereal beauty to you." Out of this world. Delicate. Lovely in a very unique way. Jesper laughs at the dart and even shivers a little, it feels different. "In love with you? Halfway there. I do enjoy being haunted by gorgeous men." This isn't even a joke. It's the truth.

"Who was it that you found so beautiful you changed your mind about humans though?"

No problem! welcome back!

[yeshou]

It sounds familiar, drifting from pleasure to pleasure. Wen Kexing had once lived like that, waiting and plotting for the day he would ultimately drag the whole world to hell with him. Taking small moments of gratification where he could without any thought for more. It didn't have to be love, he thought. Ghosts disappear in the light anyway.

But then things had changed. Violently, as everything tends to go with him, but they had changed. He peers curiously at Jesper, pairing the image before him with the descriptions the man gives--a lover to many, a free spirit who found someone tender and sweet. It's romantic. Why would a world pulling people in dare to separate people that are together? He spins the dart over his fingers, falling into a restless gesture that doesn't reach his face. His hand redirects the energy, masking some of the expression he might have if he weren't used to being on guard. Point over end, he taps it lightly along Jesper's shoulder, almost without realizing it himself.

"I am alive. But to the world, I might as well have died. There was no place that wanted me, and they would have torn me apart if they could. But I... I became their monster."

He wouldn't have admitted that before. In the civilized world, no one would readily admit to their criminal history. But he was far from the jianghu and forgiven, exonerated by an immortal master, so why can't he admit who he is here? Suddenly, Wen Kexing is struck by a sudden self-consciousness. He coughs and drops his hand, lowering his head slightly as he does so that he's looking up at Jesper, feeling exposed.

"He's- a cold beauty." Wen Kexing laughs away the uneasiness. "At first, all he did was reject me. I met him by pure chance, but he was so untouchable and refined I couldn't look away. And he brought me home and treated me like his servant!"

Which was more human than he had been allowed to be in twenty years. But he avoids that thought. Or the thought that being flirted with so easily still manages to make him feel vulnerable.

[itookashot]

Jesper has wondered himself why they would take him here, if they had the ability to pick people, when it was something of a cruel choice. But if he wasn't there, Inej would be alone, and that would be worse. He would pick to be here if it meant he was there for her. Jesper's loyalty is one of his defining characteristics, he'd put his happiness on the whole without hesitation for the people he loves.

The story he is telling is actually quite sad. That is what Jesper is getting from it. To be a ghost, lost and unwanted, and he can sympathize with being a monster in the eyes of some. It is exactly what the Grisha go through at times. His eyebrows furrow at the servant part though, that seems ... very questionable, to take advantage of someone like that.

"Hey." Jesper pauses in their walk and turns to face him. "You don't have to worry about what other people thought about you before. All that matters is who you are now." He taps Wen Kexing's chin gently to try and catch his gaze with his gray eyes. He is serious, despite all his humor. It seems wrong to encourage someone to as anything other than free with a fresh start here.

"There are people back home who think my kind are monsters simply for breathing. They're idiots. I know we just met, but you should know I'm not a judgmental person." Whatever he did or didn't do, whatever. Jesper's a killer, a criminal, there's a lot of darkness behind his humorous easy-going nature, and he is kind and accepting as part of it. "And he shouldn't have taken advantage of you."

[yeshou]

Wen Kexing wonders what it would be alike to be truly alone again. If he were sure that Zhou Zishu was alive and well, he might be able to bear it, but only just. He's not ready to live torn away from that man. Jesper speaks so calmly, it's a wonder to him that he can be here with another far away. Lost in thought, gripping the small dart in his fist like a stone, he startles when the pace stops suddenly, brought out of those sad thoughts. The tap of the finger, easily and relaxed on his skin without any fear of his retaliation, is also strange. Wen Kexing finds himself looking into a serious gaze, an expression he didn't expect. With their jokes and laughter so far, it was easier to fall into teasing and making light of his life. Something to help the truth go down. But he certainly isn't expecting sympathy.

"He doesn't take advantage of me." He laughs softly. The idea of his lazy, troubled A-Xu doing anything to him is one he never considered. "Who else would allow a beast into their home? He got followed by a man-eating tiger and called it a cat, asked it to catch his mice and bring him fish and rabbits. How ridiculous!"

Wen Kexing smiles fondly, with a touch of exasperation.

"Although I did claim to be a gentleman, so I can't blame him for humoring that. He's the most beautiful sight in the world, but too generous. All the ghosts in our world were wretched, murderous criminals and I was their lord. What they thought I was, the king of venom and hate, was correct. I am. But he still accepted me. You too... Aren't you foolish for treating a dangerous thing so kindly? You don't know the rumors, but I am the most terrifying villain in all the world."

He keeps marveling at how there are actually many forgiving people around him. Ones he used to think were naive and only destined to be tricked and killed by someone with more cunning. But over and over, they keep proving him wrong. Wen Kexing huffs out a breath, reaching up with his off-hand to squeeze Jesper's shoulder.

"Why are you so good to a stranger? Is everyone trying to become a buddha?"

[itookashot]

Jesper has a troubled mind occasionally. Most of the time he really is the shrug off issues and feelings and whatever else, have a good time, who cares about the details. There are times when he wonders if he's a villain, he has killed people and he purposely has avoided admitting that to certain people he wants to think well of him. He'd kill more, and it's never really been a problem for him. He has a lot of sympathy for other people; existence is sometimes a real crock. Full of bad choices.

"I'm a dangerous thing too, darling. And my best friend, my boss, is often considered a villain where I'm from. I suppose so am I, for being one of his favorite weapons." Kaz is complicated, like all of them. He has done and will do questionable and violent things, and there are times the people who love him most aren't sure how dark he'll go. They're all still so young too, they have a lifetime to go in different directions, or simply keep going down the darker path. Jesper's moved toward the light, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it fits him.

Jesper glances around them and pulls him a bit to the side, where people are less likely to be paying attention. There are sideroads in Cadens, his favorite places to scope out and be ready to hide in, if there ever is a need. He takes the dart from Wen Kexing and focuses, throwing the dart behind him with lethal aim. It appears to hit something, it would break if it truly hit anything too hard, and then very suddenly the dart snaps back with a telekinetic pull. It's back in his hand and he turns the point around so Wen Kexing can see he pierced a fly without even having to look at it.

"So now you know the secret to my success." Jesper smiles again and shrugs. This is information that could be used against him, obviously, and he knows that. He's hustling people and while Cadens isn't as hateful against magic as his home, they don't love it either. "Are you going to get me in trouble for it? Or are dangerous things going to look out for each other here?"

[yeshou]

It's a strange feeling, having Jesper talk so casually about himself without any real hint of shame. Wen Kexing pretends to live that way. He doesn't feel bad for the things he has done, and he genuinely feels that killing is his only option for survival, but even so he isn't kind about who he is. He still bears the weight of being the leader of the world's unwanted shadows. Zhou Zishu is more forgiving. He speaks like Jesper, saying it doesn't matter what they are, that simply being is enough, and sometimes Wen Kexing believes it. Jesper reminds him strangely of home.

"You're dangerous? As dangerous as you are beautiful?"

He could believe that. Jesper moves with a sure hand and awareness that he recognizes, and he really has no reason to doubt a man claiming to be a villain. What could he gain from that? It's too risky to be anything but honest, right? When he's pulled to the side, Wen Kexing goes with his curiosity piqued. He can't help the wide-eyed look if fascination as he watches Jesper hit the fly without a glance. As good as his martial arts skills are, he knows the limit of reality. For a moment, Wen Kexing looks a lot like one of the kids from the audience who just saw a trick for the first time. The teasing flirtation melts into unguarded, genuine interest.

"I won't tell." It's a promise whispered with open awe. "Can you teach me that too?"

[itookashot]

"Well I'm not anything as much as I am beautiful," Jesper says with a grin. He is (mostly) joking although his confidence really is as solid in his sense of self as anything else. He's vain but why not be? If you got it, flaunt it. It's why he tends to wear more colorful clothes than a lot of people, usually in green like now, and he's even worse back home where he has his yellows and reds too. Not the sneakiest look, but fashion goes down for no one.

"But you, you are one of the prettiest faces I've seen here, and that's saying a lot." All the Summoned are hot but Wen Kexing is pretty. Delicate. Lovely skin, lovely eyes, lovely hair. Jesper would love to admire the rest of him too.

As for the trick, well. "I wish I could, but you have to be born with it." Jesper shows him the dart and puts it in the palm of his hand. The object seems to shimmer and crumble into his hand until it appears to be liquid. He makes it into multiple shapes; a circle, a square, and then back to a dart. It seems to be no effort at all to ping it back to a solid object, like nothing happened in the first place. It looks exactly the same, although it is warm to the touch due to the change.

"We're called Grisha back home. It's mostly a curse. People hate you, try to kill you, try to use you. There are only a few safe places in the world." Jesper was from one of them, long ago, so it was his own choice to go to a dangerous place instead. It was more thrilling. "I know what it's like to be different."

[yeshou]

"Pretty? You only think I'm pretty?" His expression perks up, flattered despite the way he tries to press for more. "It's because the clothes here don't suit me. I usually buy elegant robes befitting a proper scholar, you know. I don't dress in such thin cloth. I am usually more impressive."

Layers and accessories do wonders to convince people that he's a true gentleman. Before he even had the money to help sell the image. But very few people in his life have paid him compliments freely, and Wen Kexing can't help showing a giddy energy through his attempt at teasing. That energy strengthens to excitement as he watches the dart change shape, eyes widening in honest fascination. When he looks up to Jesper's eyes, he's lost the tension he had when talking about his past.

"Grisha." He tries out the word, smiling as he says it. "If you came home with me, you might become a ghost too. It wasn't a good place, but I would keep you safe."

Picking up the dart between his fingers, Wen Kexing looks down the street they are standing at the end of. He takes a moment to focus his qi into it and tosses the dart, using the extra energy to drive it into the side of a building. He can't do any magic, but he does have strength. That much he's confident in.

"I wouldn't let anyone hurt you or use you. Your beauty and your gift are special."

[itookashot]

Jesper laughs and shakes his head. "You look fantastic in those clothes, sweetheart. You're beautiful, gorgeous. I'd hate to see you more impressive than this, how could my poor heart handle it?" He is heavily complimentary but that's true all the time. He likes letting people know good things about themselves, everyone wins, when it's deserved. He can't imagine the robes he's talking about, but it does sound hot, to be fair.

His eyebrows go up when Wen Kexing shows off his strength, and it seems there's a bit of magic in him too. Not the same, but something, he is a ghost after all, apparently. Jesper smiles at him and reaches out to take his hand, it's very pretty too, bringing it up to his lips. He kisses the knuckles gently.

"If you came with me, you'd be in a place that didn't judge you. Villains do terribly well in Ketterdam." Jesper probably shouldn't flirt with that idea, considering he has things waiting for him back there, but well, who cares about that. And also, it seems better than being a ghost. "And what if I said I could bring you home with me right now. Here, in Cadens. What if I said I wanted to see how beautiful the rest of you is?"

Jesper is a flirt but he also never misses the chance to shoot his shot, and there's mischief in his eyes as well as suggestion. He winks and drops his hand from his mouth, letting Wen Kexing keep it so he doesn't feel pressured or held still. "It's okay if no, I'd just be terribly mad at myself if I didn't at least ask. No risk no reward."