Precious Things

The tree was in full bloom. It settled something in Jesper, that's for sure. He sits in front of the trunk, brushing a few leaves to the side so he can rest the cloth-wrapped baked good in the nest of roots. 

“Hey, Mama,” he says softly, looking up at the intertwining branches. “I missed you.”

He starts to talk then. About everything. Anything. 

He tells her about the time that he made Wylan blush so hard his face was still red an hour later. 

He tells her about the time that he burnt waffles, but Nina still ate them to be kind. 

He tells her about the time that he showed Matthias his powers. 

He tells her about the time that Kaz first fell asleep on top of him, and how soft and wonderful he looked when he woke up all too soon. 

He tells her about the time that Inej braided his hair while he read some book they both like out loud.

He tells her that he’s happy.

And then he starts crying. Hard. Blubbering, snotty cries that aren’t even remotely pretty. He wipes snot on his jacket sleeve. He pulls his knees to his chest and sniffles. Watching as birds land in the branches, and how the wind drops a few petals onto him. 

“Saints, I miss you,” he breathes softly. “So much. I wish you were still here. You would love them, Mama. You would. ‘Specially Inej and Kaz.” He gets no response other than the breeze in the branches. He wipes his face and sighs. “Da seems alright, too. Still leaves to stove one when he goes outside. He made your favorite,” he nods at the baked goods. “I… I’m sorry I haven't come home sooner. Well, you’ve heard it all. I’ll come back sooner next time. Keep an eye on Da. I love you, Mama,” he says softly. 

Honestly, he feels a lot like a kid again. He used to spend all of his time out there, by the cherry tree. He remembers laying her to rest there, closing up the ground with his mother safely tucked between roots. 

“I’ll come back, I promise,” he says softly. “Maybe Leoni is in town. I’d love to see her, really. I think she’ll come tomorrow, but I don’t know if I’ll come down.”

He watches the tree in silence, food long cold, and forgotten. He lasts out there for a long time until the sun has begun its final descent. He sniffles, wiping his face again. 

“Good night, mama. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says softly before he stands and makes his way back to the faded yellow house. Colm was standing on the back porch, waiting for him. He had dumped the plate so he wouldn't worry and left the baked goods with the tree. Colm gives a sad smile, dipping his head a bit. 

“How is she?”

“Good,” Jesper nods. “The tree is beautiful.”

“Just like she was,” Colm agrees. “C’mon, I’m about to start dinner. You can tell me about her.”

“Oh, saints. Da,” Jesper sighs softly. 

“How did you meet?”

“Da,” Jesper sighed.

“Well, no one would tell me a lick about anything how you met.”

“Okay, let's see. I met Kaz at a bar, where I had gone with some classmates. I met Inej the next night.” 

Jesper gambled all the money from his pocket, got into some debt and Kaz saved him from being gutted and dumped in the canal. Inej came in the next night to help with a job that Jesper got put on to pay off the debt to Kaz. The beginning of the Crows.

“What about the other three?”

“Well, Wylan was another student,” Jesper sighs softly. “And Nina and I met when I took this shirt that she was looking to buy. Matthias is her boyfriend.”

Wylan was hired by Kaz as the demo man, and Nina for her power when they took down Pekka. They broke out Matthias for information about the Ice Court, but haven’t finished the expansive plan for that heist just yet. Jesper is pretty sure that Kaz just makes up his plans on the spot.

“Oh, they all seem lovely.”

Jesper watched Kaz with a gun to his head smirking. Yes, lovely is certainly the term Jesper would use. But Colm wouldn't. 

“They are. Good people,” Jesper agrees.  “The best,” Jesper adds with a soft smile.

“And sweet. ‘Specially that little one.” Jesper opens the door, and they head inside. 

Inej and Kaz were watching with amusement as Nina, Matthias, and Wylan argued about something or another. A small infraction, no doubt.

“Hey,” Inej says softly. She takes his hand as he passes, squeezing it. “Okay?”

“Yeah,” he agrees, kissing her head. “Just had to say hi to my mom.” Kaz gives him a soft look, squeezing his hand once Inej drops it. Jesper gives a short smile. “So, have you scorned my friends with old stories, Da?”

“I would never,” Colm says. “Without you to be here and embarrassed.” Jesper gives a short laugh, mind obviously elsewhere. Colm notices, Jesper’s eyes on the window that leads to town. “Leoni and her family will be by tomorrow, you know. To remember Aditi with me. Us.” he corrects at the end. 

“I’ll do the farm tomorrow. Don’t worry about it,” Jesper shrugs. “You remember Mama.”

“Please, you haven't worked the farm in years. It’ll do you some good to see everyone anyway.”

“I dunno, da,” he shrugs again. “I left town in a whirlwind, plus, I gotta get these guys to work if they wanna stay.”

“Well, still,” Colm sighs. “At least say hi to everyone, alright? We miss you here.”

“Who else is coming? Leoni’s family, and who?”

“Oh, you know. Neti, Gru, the works. All the girls, too.”

“The girls I remember consisted of three grandmothers and a handful of their merciless granddaughters.”

“Yep. ‘Cept Rach died off about a year after you skipped off to Ketterdam.” Colm sounded a bit bitter about the circumstance.

“We never should have left,” Jesper mutters bitterly.

“It was your idea,” Nina says with mirth.

“Nina, be nice,” Matthias huffed gently. “Obviously he thought he would be able to get away from all his past.”

“That’s not strictly nice either,” Wylan reminds. 

“We know, dear,” Nina says, brushing a bit of his hair from his forehead. Jesper looks at the three with a soft glare. “Jes is just gonna have to introduce us all to this lovely Leoni we’ve just heard so much about.”

“Yes. I need to know if I have to fight her off!” Inej declares happily. 

“No need,” Jesper crosses his arms. “She's an Alkemi. She got sick from some bad water when we were seven. A bit after that, she went to join the Darkling. I guess she came back after the fall of the Little Palace.” He was upset about that. How dare she go and live when all he has left is a cherry tree?

“Oh, don’t be like that!” Colm defends.

“How am I supposed to be, Da?” Jesper shoots back. “She should have waited for her Ma to boil the water, and then we wouldn't be in this damned mess. Mama is dead, and she is out there prancing around with the Darkling all the while?”

It’s silent for a beat. And then another. One more, and Jesper begins to regret his words.

“It’s not her fault, you know,” Colm says gently. 

Jesper scoffs, looking away again. “I’m sure you’d think so.”

“Jesper,” Colm rests a hand on Jespers crossed arms. “It’s not your mother's fault.” Jesper closes his eyes and then clears his throat. 

“I’m really tired. I think I’m gonna go set the hayloft up and get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning. Night da, love you,” he begins to walk towards the front entrance.

“She loved you, Jesper! Don’t you be an ass about this!” Jesper stops short.

“Good night.” 

He leaves the house.