Hey there, this is my first fic for JatD, and my first fic in a while actually. I actually have only seen a few episodes of the show so I apologize for any OOCness and explain that it takes place a few years later so they've all hit puberty anyway so they're allowed to not act the same. Anyway, I wouldn't usually be writing a fic for a fandom I'm so new too, but I had a dream about it and this story has been in my head since then so I had to write it. Main story focuses on EVENTUAL Jester/Jane, with mentions of one-sided Gunther/Jane and Rake/Pepper.

Feint

Things changed greatly in Jane's circle of friends the day Jester approached them with a few whiskers or hair growing from his chin. It was a natural part of growing up they all knew, but that was the point, Jester wasn't a kid anymore. His growing beard made that clear, even Sir Ivan seemed to treat him better, like he was part of an exclusive grown up club, it was evident that while they were all the same age, Smithy and Gunther were a bit jealous that Jester was growing a beard before them, Gunther more than Jester.

But it was not long before the other boys found their beards growing, and have to deal with the hassle of managing them. The whole time the girls laughed and made fun of them for the silliness of their attempts to act like adults to match the maturity they appeared to have. Then their own changes began to happen.

Flat chests blossomed, and monthly menstruations began. Mood began bouncing like crazing, Gunther had to keep on his toes, otherwise Jane was likely to kill him in a sparring match. For Dragon the first few years were a good laugh, which once or twice almost destroyed the friendship he had with Jane when she became overly emotionally pissed.

But in the end, they survived, and so did their friendships, but even they changed a little. Pepper and Rake spent more and more time together, and Dragon teased that he'd seen them making 'kissy faces' in the courtyard more than once, to which neither commented on. But they didn't deny it either.

Jane knew that Pepper loved Rake, she'd seen it coming for quite a few years herself and couldn't help but feel immensely happy for her friend…yet slightly jealous. Jane saw how happy the two were together, and found herself longing for that kind of happiness, but she wanted to be a knight so badly she thought she'd never have time for romance.

Jester was very supportive when she confided in him about her secret jealousy. "Don't worry," he said once, "No matter what part of your heart you choose to follow, I'll always be here for you." He hugged and held her for a few minutes.

And for those few minutes, Jane knew the happiness that Pepper felt with Rake.

Then dragon flew by with big news, and Jester left her to attend to something else. Jane knew that Jester was right, he'd always be there, she could keep training and perhaps once she got her knighting, she could also know love.

Years passed quickly. She would be turning 18 in a few weeks, and by some miracle or someone's idea of a joke, the day she and Gunther would become full knights also fell on her birthday. As excited as she was Jane was also disheartened. Jester had grown distant in the last few months, he didn't avoid her exactly, but he didn't spend much time alone with her anymore either, he said he had stuff to do, and to top it all off Princess Lavinia was spending a lot of time with him. Jane asked the Princess once what they did together, and the young girl said it was a secret.

Jane knew Jester wasn't that kind of man, but still it crossed her mind that maybe he had gotten tired of waiting for her.

Especially one day she saw the Princess leaving Jester's work room. She didn't want to pry or appear nosy so she knocked before entering. Jester barely had time to react, he scrambled to collect papers sprawled across his work desk, dropping his lute as he did. "Jane!" he was surprised, but not unwelcoming, "What are you doing here?"

Jane smiled, "We haven't talked in a while, I wanted to know what you were doing."

Jester's face flushed as he stacked his papers so that they were neat in his hands and he stuttered as he answered, "I-I've been b-busy," His eyes darted from her to his papers, "And you've been train so I thought-"

"-Busy? With what?" She cut him off playfully grabbing the papers in his hands, "This?" She glanced down at them, but Jester leapt across the table snatching them back in a panic.

"Don't look at that!" He shouted ripping them out of her hands, Jane cried out in pain, the paper sliced her finger resulting in a thin, but painful cut. Jester didn't take note, he was busy shoving the papers into a drawer, but the moment he looked up and saw her cradling her finger, he apologized.

He examined her finger. It didn't hurt too bad, she was just surprised. Jester pressed it to his lips anyway, apologizing a second time. Jane's face got hot. "What's up with you lately?" She asked, at his questioning look she continued, "All your 'business', the Princess, those papers-" He's never hidden anything from her before, and she'd only seen one word written across the top 'Feint'.

Jester's eyes lit up, "Oh, that. Its not what it seems like." He answered, and winked, "But it's a surprise."

"Oh." Jane laughed to herself. A surprise…for her knighting or for her birthday? She felt bad for doubting him. He pulled her into a hug, holding her against him so she could hear his heart beating. She wrapped her arms around him in return.

"I'll always be here." He promised.

Okay this isn't the part that is based of a dream, that part actually comes later. Rating may change as this develops, but this won't happen unless you tell me what you think and ask me to continue.