Part 1

Wylan didn't mind looking like Kuwei. He just wasn't used to walking around with slitted eyes and short black hair. He glanced up at Jesper as he walked by, heading towards the piano room. Hoping to scare him, Wylan waited a few seconds before he stood and followed him.

He stepped around the corner, ready to shout at Jesper but instead froze at what he saw. There stood Jesper Fahey, the boy Wylan deeply cared about. And standing directly in front of him, was Kuwei Yul-Bo. Their lips were pressed together and Kuwei was seated on the piano keys.

Suddenly, Jesper glanced at him. "Don't the Shu kiss before noon?"

Part of Wylan's heart cracked like ice and shattered into a million pieces. "I wouldn't know."

Jesper's eyes widened. "Wyl-"

"Kaz wants us in the sitting room."

Without another room, Wylan stalked from the room, trying to hold his tears back for a few more seconds. He arrived in the sitting room, collapsing on the couch, placing his head in his hands. Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks and dripped onto his legs.

"Wylan?"

Surprised, Wylan wiped his eyes. Glancing up into Kaz's slim face, Wylan tried to fight with his embarrassment. "Sorry, Kaz. I can leave if you want."

Kaz's normally cruel eyes took on a more considerate look. "What happened, Wylan?"

Wylan felt somewhat comforted at Kaz's soft voice. "You'd laugh at me."

Kaz sat beside Wylan. "I won't laugh at you, Wylan."

Wylan sighed heavily through his nose. "Jesper was kissing Kuwei."

A comforting gloved hand was placed on Wylan's shoulder. "Perhaps he got you two confused?"

The simple possibility made Wylan want to tear the whole hotel down. Of course, he and Jesper had never done anything too serious, other than occasional hand touches and Jesper's flirting. But Wylan had hoped there was something between them.

Kaz sighed again. "I'm not the best person for advice on romance. But I don't think Jesper wanted to kiss Kuwei. I think he wanted to kiss you."

Wylan glared at Kaz. "I don't care what he meant. He usually can tell the difference between us. He usually takes more time to care."

Kaz blinked in surprise, then said, "Well, maybe Jesper isn't good enough for you, then."

Wylan narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Kaz just shrugged. "If Jesper doesn't care enough to look for the differences between you and Kuwei, maybe he isn't good enough for you."

Wylan didn't want to believe that. He wanted to believe that Jesper was the one better than Wylan and that he should have to prove himself. But Kaz was right. If Jesper didn't care, then he wasn't worth it.

Kaz stood, sitting across from Wylan. "Don't let Jesper get to you. And if he ever hurts you again, I'll cut one of his precious fingers off. Then, he'll never be able to shoot with one of his hands."

Though Kaz was threatening to hurt Jesper, Wylan didn't particularly mind. Jesper had hurt him and Kaz was caring for Wylan.

"That means a lot to me, Kaz."

Kaz crossed his arms and nodded. "I know. But I'm being serious."

Just then, Jesper entered the room with Kuwei. The Shu boy flashed a devious grin at Wylan and Wylan noticed Kaz's veins pulse and his glare settle on the boy.

Wylan ignored Jesper's stares throughout the conversation. He couldn't bear to look at the lean, handsome boy. But Wylan did notice the way Kaz seemed to launch bombs at Jesper with his eyes.

Part 2

"Stop." Wylan murmured, watching as Jesper frantically ran his hands over his revolvers. "Just breathe."

Jesper nodded, his lips parting as he sucked in another breath. Wylan watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, then said, "Again."

As Jesper went to inhale another breath, Wylan leaned forward and kissed him.

Wylan had never kissed anybody. But he didn't mind kissing Jesper, even though the boy had caused him suffering for hours. Jesper drew Wylan closer.

Wylan wished the kiss could have gone on for forever. But that couldn't happen. As Wylan ran out of breath, he was forced to pull back.

****

Wylan skipped down the hall, his smile bright enough to light the way.

"Seriously, Wylan?"

He froze, glancing at Kaz, who was leaning against the wall, illuminated only by the candle in his hand.

"What?"

Kaz just shrugged. "You were so upset over Jesper kissing Kuwei. And what do you do? Kiss Jesper."

Wylan leaned against the wall beside Kaz. "He got us confused."

Kaz turned towards Wylan, his calculating brown eyes scanning over Wylan. "I just want to make sure that he's not going to hurt you."

Wylan wasn't sure where the thought came from, but it was there; What if Father had treated me like this? What if he had asked me if I was okay, or helped make the decision? Why didn't he protect me like Kaz does?

"He won't hurt me, Kaz. And you already told me you would cut his fingers off if he did."

Kaz nodded, but concern edged his eyes. Wylan wondered why Kaz even cared. Maybe because he felt bad for Wylan or maybe just because Wylan was part of his crew. Either way, it felt good that Kaz Brekker had his back.

Then, Kaz started walking down the hall. "Be careful with him, Wylan."

Wylan smiled slightly, but the thoughts of his father and the conversation left him feeling nauseous.

Part 3

Wylan had grown to trust Kaz over the span of knowing him. But after the assurances Kaz would give him, Wylan trusted him even more. He actually started looking up to Kaz, almost like a father.

No, Wylan, don't even think that! If Kaz could read Wylan's mind, he probably would have laughed in Wylan's face.

Wylan didn't mind thinking of Kaz as a father figure. It felt good to think of Kaz as that person that Wylan could always trust.

It was the morning after he and Jesper had kissed. Wylan was tired after staying up most of the night, remembering the way Jesper's eyes had reflected the light, the way he smiled. And then Wylan thought of the protective glint in Kaz's eyes as he confronted Wylan in the hallway.

Kaz sat down at the table across from Wylan and poured two cups of coffee. Wylan gratefully gulped down some of the black liquid.

Kaz drank his own coffee, then said, "How is Jesper?"

Wylan shrugged uncomfortably. "I haven't talked to him since last night."

Kaz grinned. "Well, that's not a good way to treat your boyfriend."

"What was that?"

The two boys glanced towards Nina who was currently in the process of trying to rob the waffles from the kitchen.

Wylan flushed bright red, but Kaz just smirked. "Wylan and Jesper? You didn't think something would happen between them?"

Nina set her waffles down and hurriedly took the seat beside Kaz. "Tell. Me. Everything."

Wylan glared at Kaz. "Nothing."

Kaz's grin grew even more. "Oh, Nina Dear, they kissed as they watched the sunset. It was so romantic that I almost vomited!"

Nina rolled her eyes. "Kaz, anything romantic makes you want to barf. But, Wylan, you have to give me all the details. Like, literally everything."

Wylan shook his head, too flustered to speak.

Nina laughed, ruffling his hair. "Of course you won't talk about it, you little munchkin."

"Munchkin?"

Everybody glanced at Inej as she was climbing over the kitchen cabinets. "Why munchkin, Nina?"

Nina shrugged. "He's, like, tiny and cute."

Wylan turned a brighter shade of red and shook his head furiously. "No, I'm not a munchkin, Nina. And Inej, get off the cabinets!"

Inej just grinned and kept crawling along them. Kaz sighed and walked over to her. Wylan didn't know if he was the only one but he wondered if there was something between them. But he assumed that there was. And he thought that they would make a really cute couple.

Part 4

After Inej returned from hunting slavers, everybody spent a lot of time together. They all sat with each other in Wylan's mansion and ate fancy dinners.

Kaz was grinning at Inej as she entered the room. That was when Wylan really started to think. If Kaz was like a dad to Wylan, would that make Inej like a mom to him?

Kaz would laugh in your face.

Wylan was sitting right next to Kaz and occasionally their elbows brushed.

"Let's play a game!" Jesper suddenly shouted.

"Oh, Ghezen, no," Nina muttered to Wylan. "He's probably going to get Kaz to admit that he's in love with Inej or something."

Wylan nodded in agreement. "Most likely."

Jesper pointed at Wylan. "Truth or dare?"

Oh, no. "Dare."

"I dare you to give Kaz a hug."

Everybody went silent and stared at Wylan, who was struggling to look at the boy that he thought of almost like a father. "Do I have to?"

"Afraid that I bite?" Kaz asked, his deep voice echoing around the room.

No. I know you don't bite, I just haven't hugged somebody who treats me like their son for years. "No, I just, uhh..."

Kaz raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Wylan just shrugged and took a deep breath. Then he awkwardly reached out and wrapped his arms around Kaz. He was generally surprised when Kaz returned the hug and patted him on the back.

Then, Wylan said, "Inej, truth or dare?"

She shrugged. "Truth, I suppose."

Nina grinned evilly at Wylan. Wylan knew exactly what that meant.

"Did you and Kaz kiss the other night?"

Inej turned red, her dark skin doing little to cover it up. "Yes, we did."

Everybody laughed except Kaz, whose cheeks also had a pink tint to them.

Inej pointed at Kaz. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Everybody went silent, leaning forward to hear the question and for dramatic effect.

"Do you love me?"

More silence.

Then, "Yes."

Jesper started shouting. He stood from the table and started running in circles. Nina started squealing and clapping her hands, while Inej looked startled. "Well then."

Then Kaz glanced at Wylan. "Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"Do you love Jesper?"

Before Wylan thought about the word he was about to say, he shouted, "Dad!"

Everybody froze, even Kaz. After centuries of silence that were just mere minutes, Nina burst out laughing. "Dad? You think of Kaz as a Dad?"

Wylan blushed bright red, glancing away from Kaz's face before he could see a reaction, he stuttered, "Maye, no. I don't- I, uhh- I mean- he- we..."

Jesper started laughing. "I would have rathered you looking up to Matthias as a father figure, not the cruelest man in Ketterdam."

Defensively, Wylan hissed, "My real father was a lot crueler. Kaz doesn't hit me or call me an idiot."

Finally, Wylan forced himself to meet Kaz's gaze. Wylan's face still felt sweaty and hot and he thought he was going to fall over and pass out.

Kaz's eyes were wide and his face was just as red as Wylan's. Finally, he asked, "Do you think of me as a father, Wylan?"

Wylan didn't know how to respond. "I guess."

Inej shushed Nina and Jesper, who were both jumping up and down in their chairs and making a lot of noise.

The room was silent. Both Kaz and Wylan were as red as tomatoes. Finally, Kaz took off one of his infamous black leather gloves. Then, he put his bare hand on Wylan's.

Everybody else looked astonished, including Inej.

"Alright, Wylan, tell me why you think of me as a father."

Wylan blinked. "Uhh... maybe because you got really protective over me and because you care about me and probably because you threatened to cut Jesper's fingers off if he hurt me."

Jesper glanced at Kaz, an offended look on his face. "Why would you cut my fingers off?"

Kaz shrugged, still keeping his hand on Wylan's. "Because I don't want you to hurt him."

Inej was watching the whole scene with raised eyebrows until she finally said, "Kaz, you are really freaking me out right now. Like, you are holding Wylan's hand and being protective of him. Do you think of him as a son?"

Kaz shifted awkwardly. "I suppose I do."

Nina sighed happily. "I think this makes everything better. Finally, Jesper and Wylan are in love, Kaz and Inej are in love, and Kaz loves Wylan!"

"He never said that!" Jesper argued.

Kaz pointed at himself and said. "I pick truth and answer the question that yes, I do love Wylan."

Part 5

Jesper awkwardly stood in front of Kaz's desk. What am I doing with my life?

Kaz finally looked up. "Yes, Jesper?"

Jesper shifted on his feet, then said, "I came to ask for your blessing?"

Kaz raised his eyebrows. "My... blessing?"

Jesper nodded. "Yeah."

Kaz folded his arms. "Protect him no matter what. Or else."

Jesper's eyes were wide as he nodded again. "Yes, of course!"

Kaz stood and stuck out a gloved hand. Jesper shook it quickly, marking their agreement.

Part 6

Wylan glared at the back of Jesper's head as Jesper pulled Wylan towards the docks. Kaz, Inej, and Nina followed behind them.

He had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that Kaz said it was extremely important.

Jesper was leading the way to one of Wylan's favorite places, an ocean view from near Fifth Harbor.

"What are we even doing here?" Wylan asked in annoyance as Jesper walked right over to the edge of the stone wall. Water lapped at the cobblestones below.

When Wylan looked at Kaz, Inej, and Nina, he was surprised to see them all grinning like idiots.

"What's going on?" Wylan questioned, feeling like a lost child. "What aren't you telling me?"

When he glanced back at Jesper, he raised an eyebrow at how the boy was down on one knee. Jesper was a lot taller than Wylan and even though he was on his knee, he was still only a head shorter than Wylan.

"Get off the floor, Jesper. I just washed those pants and now you're going to get them all dirty. My servants are going to kill you."

Jesper smiled, his pretty blue-gray eyes glowing with some emotion that Wylan couldn't place. "Wylan Van Eck. Over the course of the year that I've known you, I learned that you are so kind and loving and smart and unique."

"Thanks?" Wylan still didn't know what was going on. "Why did you have to drag me to Fifth Harbor to tell me all of that?"

Kaz snorted behind them and Wylan glanced over at him, remembering the events two nights earlier, where he had accidentally called Kaz "Dad".

When he focused back on Jesper, he was again surprised. In Jesper's Zemini-brown hand, there was a golden ring with designs like leaves sketched into it.

"Wylan, you have given me more than I could have asked of anyone. I love you."

Wylan smiled, his heart warming at Jesper's kind words. "I love you, too, Jes. What's the ring for?"

Jesper took Wylan's hands in his own. "Will you marry me?"

Those were the words Wylan never expected to hear. His father had raised him to be the one to speak that phrase. But Wylan felt like finally, he could be happy with the person he loved.

"Yes!"

Jesper slid the beautiful ring onto Wylan's finger with a goofy grin on his face. Then, the sharpshooter stood and wrapped his arms around Wylan. He returned the hug. When they pulled apart, Inej was the first person to hug Wylan.

"Congratulations!" She smiled widely. "I hope I'm invited to the wedding!"

"Of course you will be, Inej!" Jesper hugged her next, his face brightening.

Then, Nina was crushing Wylan in her embrace. He heard her sniffle and when she pulled back, tears were running down her face. "You two are just the cutest thing in this world. I'm loving this moment! I can't wait to tell everyone all about it!"

Everybody laughed, then Wylan walked over to Kaz, who was standing to the side, his lips turned up in a slight smile. He couldn't help but notice that Kaz wasn't wearing his gloves and they weren't even stuffed into his pockets.

"Congrats," Kaz murmured.

Wylan rolled his eyes with a big smile on his face. Then, he threw his arms around Kaz and pulled him close. The older boy laughed quietly and hugged Wylan back.

Then, Kaz whispered in Wylan's ear, "You know where the Slat is. Jesper hurts you, I cut his fingers off."

"Hey!" Jesper shouted indignantly. "I think you'll hurt him more than I will!"

Wylan rolled his eyes and reluctantly pulled away from Kaz. "Don't worry about it, Jesper."

Everybody laughed, then they all walked to the Crow Club on East Stave and smiled until the sun went down.