Sugar and Spice @nekrotisch

An Extremely Self-Indulgent Meme @nekrotisch

Jasper isn't afraid despite the blade at his throat.

Odd, he really should be. His brain is...oddly foggy. His limbs seem to feel as if they belong to someone else, not him. He'd only felt a brief nick before his limbs suddenly ceased to cooperate with him and he found himself sinking to his knees on the cobbles.

Then there was the knife. He knew that knife. Through the haze of fog creeping through his brain he thinks he knows who's currently threatening him. Ah, maybe that's why he doesn't feel afraid. He knows her.

The cold metal presses against the underside of his chin, forcing him to lift his head and look at the other Crow.

"Hey Cassie." He grins stupidly up at her, his words slurring as he feels himself sway as if to topple over. He manages to find his balance before he ends up sprawled on the cobbles and with a slit throat as well given the knife still pressed against his neck. It only makes him chuckle to himself, the mental image of Maria finding him later and rolling her eyes that her idiot younger brother got himself killed by a de Riva of all people.

Sealed with a Kiss @nekrotisch

If Cassandra knew what he was planning she would kill him. He’d deserve it too. It was the only way to keep her and Asa safe, Jasper told himself.

Crows never abandoned a contract nor did they ever forgive those who tried to break away. When it was just them, on the run and in love, then it was an acceptable risk. They were adults. They knew the price. Now there was an innocent involved and the thought of María getting her hands on a child - their child - that he couldn’t live with.

He held her whilst she drifted off. He might have slipped a bit of something into her tea to make sure she definitely fell asleep. He lay beside her, eyes closed feigning that he too was drifting into the Fade and just relishing the feel of her body pressed against his, the warmth of her skin, the little puffs of breath against his chest. Jasper wanted to imprint as much of it as he could because it would have to last.

Only when Cassandra’s breathing was deep and even did he dare to stir. Slowly, he untangled himself from her, hoping that Viago didn’t feed her sleeping draughts as well the menagerie of poisons he had. It took him several minutes but eventually he was free and Cassandra still seemed to be sleeping as soundly as Asa was in the basket near the bed.

Jasper couldn’t help himself. He leaned down, pressing his lips to her’s. Maker, this was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Then he pressed another kiss against her forehead and pushed himself off the bed before he lost his nerve entirely.

For her. For Asa.

Once he’d strapped his armour on as quickly and quietly as he could, he slipped out the window. Dacey was already there waiting for him.

“Are you sure about this?”

Jasper nodded. He was. He’d killed a lot of people in his life but this would be the only one that truly mattered. Maria had to die or else his family would never be safe. This was the point of no return.

“If it all goes to shit, take her and Asa back to Treviso. Viago is a soft touch when it comes to her. He’ll take her back. Give her this as well.” He rattled off his instructions before pressing a piece of parchment into Dacey’s hand. His twin was the only other person he could trust to keep them both safe. She might not agree with him, might hate that it ended up this way, but she wouldn’t betray him.

He hadn't known she was also on a contract and for the same target. It happened sometimes. Maybe two different people wanted the same person dead. Maybe one person wanted to make absolutely certain that the target died and wasn't shy about shelling out gold to multiple Crow houses. It was rare, but occassionally it meant that you had to keep your eye on two things at once: the target and any other Crow because only the successful party got the payment and the bragging rights.

Jasper had considered trying to seduce the target. Get him alone and naked then strike when he least suspected it. He could. He enjoyed those contracts enough that Maria usually shoved them off to him without thought. However, him walking down a tight alley with and only lightly guarded was too much of a good opening to waste.

And now neither of them would get the kill. Instead, he was oushed against a wall by Viago's fledgling. Jasper knew her, somewhat. He had seen her once or twice. Maybe exchanged a word with her. Now he'd ruined her contract. He knew Maria was somewhat obssessed with her and the rumour that she could apparently corpse whisper. A rival house with that kind of magic on their hands was too much for the head of House Trevelyan.

He grinned down at her, completely undaunted by her anger and the knife against his chest. It took a lot to stop himself from laughing outright at how she had to throw nearly all her body weight into pinning him and he still knew he could easily reverse their positions. Laughing at the woman threatening you would probably be a bridge too far and despite his cocky air, he didn't want to end up stabbed tonight. Stabbed and likely with a poisoned blade.

Sparks and Heat @nekrotisch

Jasper paused, his shirt only half back on, to look at Cassandra. This was already dangerous. If someone knew what they were up to when they snuck away then it could be both their heads. Viago and Teia could carry on together but they were Talons, the rules were different for them. If someone caught a de Riva in his bed then that would be a completely different matter.

He wondered would Viago kill him with a blade or would he simply keel over one day after eating or drinking something. Maybe he should keep a more careful eye on any food or drink, just in case.

But Maker, he wanted to stay with her. The hours they spent in this little hideaway of their's were the brightest part of his life. He looked forward to every meeting with a giddy excitement. It took what restraint he had not to drop more coded letters to her just to hear a response.

He hummed, hovering over her so he could press a kiss to her shoulder blades. He could feel the heat of her through his clothes and he wished he'd never put them back on now.