Jefferson, to say the least, was woefully unimpressed with the situation Rumplestiltskin presented. He stared at his employer for a few moments longer than necessary, simply to be dramatic, and finally shook his head. Arms crossed over his chest and leaning casually against a desk covered in magical devices, he told him, "No, I don't think so."
"Well, I do."
"Well, I don't. I especially don't work with others, much less novices." The Hatter adjusted the high collar of his black jacket. His blue eyes were rimmed with dark liner, his lips pursed and his brow tight as he continued, "If you need something from Neverland, I'd be happy to get it for you…alone, that is."
Rumplestiltskin arched a brow and he tapped his chin curiously, clearly relishing in the taller man's annoyance. "Can you breathe thirty miles below the surface?"
Jefferson clenched his jaw but admitted that he couldn't.
A crooked grin wormed its way over Rumplestiltskin face as he continued, "And can you locate what I acquire in pitch darkness?"
"Well, that depends on what it is." The younger man smirked at him and set his hat on the desk with unneeded flourish. His expression smug and a touch insolent, he perked his brows up as his boss responded.
"Blood stones, from the Sea Goddess' lair." Rumplestiltskin moved to the desk behind him, plucking up a vial and a small bag of nettles.
"Blood stones?" Jefferson frowned. As he spun on his heel to face his employer, and perhaps begrudging friend, he tilted his head. Puzzled, he asked, "What do you need those for?"
The Dark One gestured to his chest with the same hand that was holding the small bag. "My business."
Unsurprised, but not very pleased with the man's answer, Jefferson rolled his eyes. He fiddled absently with his hat, his hip resting on the desk as Rumplestiltskin continued to prepare something no doubt nefarious. The faint sound of a door slamming could be heard, followed by quick, noisy footsteps and the pair glanced at one another.
"There's our little novice now," The older imp told the Hatter with a smirk.
The door to the library swung open and in strolled a young woman, completely drenched from head to toe. Despite the water that fell onto the lavish carpet and how her blonde hair clung to her cheeks, her expression was bright as she ran toward them. Ignoring the unfamiliar man, she set the bag on the desk for her boss to see. Whatever was in it was clearly angry, the bag squirming and thrashing about as near silent growls filled the air.
Jefferson took a step back from it. "Do I even want to know?"
"It's a water sprite!" The woman told him excitedly, bouncing on her toes as her employer stepped forward.
Rumplestiltskin went to open it, but a tan hand stopped him with a gentle touch. He looked curiously at Arista's face and was met with pleading brown eyes. Arching a brow, he asked, "Yes?"
"Don't forget, you said you wouldn't hurt him," The young maiden reminded him.
"I won't."
Her expression remained serious. She pointed a firm finger at him as she continued, "And that you'll let him go when you're done."
"I will." He nodded, albeit slightly impatiently.
"Very well then!" Arista chirped. She stepped back from the table, letting her boss open the sack. Her attention flickered over to Jefferson, taking in his strange coverings and wild hair. Curious and eager, the young maiden leaned toward her employer, she whispered, "Is that him?"
"I'm right here," The Hatter reminded her from a mere two feet away. "I can hear you."
"Oh. My apologies." The blonde bent her knees sheepishly in a quick apologetic way that did little to endear her expertise to the Hatter. It was a habit she had picked up from Rumplestiltskin, as were many of her mannerisms. Brown eyes wide and eager, she played with her fingertips. Approaching him cautiously, she asked, "Are you him?"
"Maybe. Jefferson's the name." He bowed to her, a smirk on his lips as he dragged his gaze over her form.
Arista mimicked his bow, holding a fist over her chest in a similar manner. Her body was lithe and wet. The white tunic she wore translucent and baring an indecent amount of the deeply tanned skin underneath; her dusky pink nipple proudly on display in the chill air and a sight the Hatter very much appreciated. Her other breast was covered by an odd dress made of a shiny scaled pelt from an animal he had never seen before, but the other was practically naked to his indecent gaze. Just under it was a thick strip of brown leather; she was wearing some type of corset over her odd dress and slacks. A quick glance at her feet confirmed them as bare.
Jefferson's eyes dragged up to hers and he offered her a playful wink. "Love the dress."
"Oh!" She hadn't noticed the lewd glint in his gaze, but had noticed how long it had lingered on her breasts. Most men seemed to have some fascination with the globs of fat; something the mermaid didn't totally understand herself. She held the bottom of it out as if it were a longer skirt and twirled, showing it off to him. "Thank you! Mr. Rumplestiltskin gave it to me."
Jefferson's brows perked up with amusement and he looked back at his employer. "Did he now?"
The man didn't acknowledge him. The sack was open now and a small reptilian creature was in his clutches. It was struggling, snapping at the air with needle-like teeth and clawing at his hand with minuscule talons as Rumplestiltskin maneuvered its tiny face against the vial. It chomped down and thin trickles of blue venom poured into the glass. The Dark One smirked and tapped the fin along the top of the creature's head.
At the noise, Arista turned her attention back to the desk and the waylaid sprite. She returned to the Dark One's side at it's squeaks of distress. The woman peered down at the critter. It's pink, glittery scales familiar to her in a way that almost made her nostalgic for the sea. Speaking gently, she murmured to it, "Calm down, he's almost done."
The creature looked affronted, its beady black eyes narrowing on the woman as he continued to bite at the vial's edge. When her finger replaced Rumplestiltskin's, it relaxed and gripped the sides of the glass, clearly displeased and a bit huffy about the entire situation. She cooed down at it, taking the vial from her boss and moving to sit in the plush chair behind the desk.
Jefferson let out a huff as she kicked her bare feet up on the table. Gesturing at her in an unimpressed manner, he asked, "You're the one who wants to go to Neverland?"
"Wants to? No." She shook her head and continued to milk the venom from the water sprite. Still thumbing the spindly dorsal fin on its head, Arista corrected, "Obligated to? Yes."
"See?!" The younger man jabbed an over-dramatic finger in her direction. "She doesn't even want to go!"
"Of course she doesn't, nobody wants to go to Neverland," Rumplestiltskin told him, pointedly ignoring his newest assistant's somewhat disagreeing hum. He moved away from the desk to pluck a book off the shelf on the other side of the room. "She knows the waters best, isn't that right, Arista?"
"It's true," The blonde told Jefferson with a hint of pride. "You won't find a better guide than I, Mr. Jefferson."
"Just Jefferson." The Hatter pursed his lips. His gaze flickered down to her bare, dirty feet before returning to her face.
She inclined her head as though she hadn't noticed. "Very well, Jefferson."
Rumplestiltskin let out a pleased exclamation and sauntered back over to the desk. He gave the maiden's feet a swat with his book. "Manners, Arista."
The mermaid quickly tucked them under herself and leaned forward as her employer set the large tomb in front of her. With his sickly finger tapping a depiction on the page, he explained, "These are what I need. They glow in the dark, so they should be easy to find. Do you need coordinates?"
She shook her head and set the vial down. Pulling the book closer, she eyed the page with interest as she held the squirming sprite to her chest. The maiden couldn't read any of the strange writing of course, but she didn't need to. The stones were familiar and she knew exactly what they were and where to find them. "I've seen those before. I can find them."
"Wonderful!" Jefferson cut in as he turned away from the pair. Waving a hand behind him, he called, "Good luck with that!"
Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes at the younger man. "Did I mention that you will, of course, be compensated for this little venture? Of which she will be doing most of the work."
The portal jumper paused. On his heel, he spun back to face them. Pouting his lips in consideration, he squinted and fixed his collar. "How compensated?"
"Gratuitously," He assured the younger man. The imp rested a hand on top of the woman's head in a manner not quite unlike how one might regard a dog. "So long as you return with both Arista and her spoils within twenty four hours and without any… lasting damage."
The maiden didn't seem to notice her employer's condescension. Instead, she smiled affectionately up at the man before looking to the stranger. There was hope in her eyes, and maybe a little eagerness. Jefferson's eyes fell back to her drying white shirt, still translucent around the odd pelt dress and arched a brow at the strange sea shell necklace she wore. Realizing he may be able to get more than just a hat full of spun gold out of this, a wicked smile worked its way across Jefferson's lips.
"Well…" He sighed with a hint of false surrender. "I suppose I could be persuaded to escort the young lady to Neverland…"
Arista let out a pleased squeak and began to bounce in her seat. The tiny sprite in her clutches gave a startled squeal and she quickly nuzzled it to her cheek. It seemed placated by the action and begrudgingly returned her affections as she stood. She crossed quickly over to the stranger (ignoring how he took a step back from the sprite in her hands) and beamed at him. Taking his hand from his side with her free one, she forcefully jerked it up and down by the wrist. "You won't regret this!"
"Yes, well…" Jefferson warily shook her off. "We'll see about that."
It was evident he was already regretting his decision and Rumplestiltskin was quick to pipe in, "Well, a deal's a deal! Arista, dearie, why don't you go gather your provisions? And don't forget your shoes this time, hm?"
Knowing it was less of a suggestion and more an order, the blonde woman nodded. She held up the sprite with gentle hands. "May I return this little guppie to the pond first?"
"Certainly," Her employer grit his teeth around the word, a bit irritated that she remembered his promise. "Why not?"
Bending at the knee in a quick, excited motion, Arista ran off. Jefferson gave her a wide berth. He watched her go with interested eyes and looked back at Rumplestiltskin with an arched brow. "How was it you came across such a… chaste young woman?"
The Dark One closed the book with a snap. "We made a deal."
"What for?"
"Our business," The imp replied with a smirk. "I don't care what it is you two get up to so long as it doesn't interfere with said business…that being said, I highly doubt that's a pond you want to dip your toe into, so to speak."
"Why not?" The portal jumper arched a brow. A smile wormed its way across his face. "She's seems…friendly."
"She most certainly is."
Jefferson squinted at him before letting his features relax. Hands innocently behind his back, he sauntered toward him on heeled feet. "So why is it you don't want to make the trip with her? Surely you have a means to get to Neverland yourself if that's where she was plucked from."
"I have far more important manners than thievery, Jefferson."
The young man's eyes narrowed, just a touch, in irritation. "That's hurtful. If you're going to dismiss my abilities, I could always let you get your own loot."
"But then who would so arrogantly fill my time with insolent banter?" Rumplestiltskin asked with a fiendish, but not cold, smile. "Play your role and I'll pay you quite handsomely, Hatter. Just don't question my motives."
"Yeah, yeah." Jefferson waved a dismissive hand and spun back around to face the bookshelf to hide his grin. "A good thief should be seen and not heard."
"What's a thief?"
The portal jumper flinched and spun to find Arista standing in the doorway. She had changed into a more suitable (and dry) brown corset and riding pants, along with a pair of boots and a wool jacket that fell past her knees. Vaguely, he was a bit disappointed that her breast was no longer on display. Jefferson shook his head, amazed that someone who had stomped her way so carelessly through the mansion had managed to sneak up on him. Her brown eyes were wide in an innocent, curious manner that didn't install a lot of confidence in her capabilities. Jefferson stared at her, but she only continued to smile doltishly at him. His gaze flicked over to his employer and he pursed his lips in displeasure.
Rumplestiltskin merely smirked at him before he approached his young assistant. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he let his fingers twiddled against her jacket delicately as he steered her away from the other man. Holding up a finger, he kept his tone light and airy and not at all as harsh as Jefferson would have expected, given that Rumplestiltskin was giving an order, not coddling a small child. "Now, Arista, I want you to do just as Jefferson says…" His smile turned a hint darker. "Unless he's telling you to take off your dress."
Arista grinned at him. They'd had this conversation before. She wasn't to take it off unless she was completely and utterly alone. Someone could take it from her and she would lose her ability to shift back and forth between forms. Holding out the hem that was barely visible under her corset, she replied with a chipper, "I know."
Behind them, Jefferson hummed in annoyance. "I'm insulted you would think so low of me."
Rumplestiltskin pointedly ignored him. Pulling a sack from the waist of his belt, he held it up to the young maiden's face. "Fill this. Don't come back with less than ten stones."
"I won't," She promised as she took it from him. With great care, she tucked it away inside her coat.
The Dark One gave her head a condescending pat. "Good girl."
"Well." Jefferson cleared his throat and adjusted his ascot as he stepped forward. Offering his arm to her, he grabbed his hat from where it was sitting on the desk. "Shall we be on our way?"
Beaming, Arista took it and with a dramatic flick of his wrist, Jefferson opened the portal. Leaning closer to her, he raised his voice to be heard over the whipping winds the hat created, "Stay close! If two go, two have to come back! Got it?!"
The blonde nodded, too stunned by the purple haze to speak. When he gave her a slight tug, she met his gaze.
"There's nothing to be nervous about! I've done this a thousand times!" The stranger smiled at her, genuinely and roguish in a way she found suited him much better than a scowl. "Ready?"
Giving his arm a squeeze, Arista nodded once more. "Ready!"
"Good- we'll go on three! One, two… three!"
The pair jumped into the portal, leaving an unimpressed Rumplestiltskin in their wake. The Imp pursed his lips with distaste. The portal had scattered just about every piece of paper from his desk around the room. He glared at them before falling into his seat. He'd just have to wait until Arista came back for her to clean them up.
A/N: I'm putting Jefferson around...20-23 in this fic, since Grace is about ten? Meaning he had her fairly young. At his oldest, I would put Jefferson at 35. I just want to give a shout out to my only reviewer at this time; the lovely winchesterxgirl. She's fantastic. If you feel inclined, I'd love to know whether Rumple and Jefferson were in-character. Any if any part of this fic made no sense, my apologies. I'm currently looking for a beta. Also, is it Rumple or Rumpel?! I'm going with Rumple until corrected because several different sources use different ones.
