Happy (belated) Boxing Day! to those of you who do not know what boxing day is, it is a day off of work. I'm not sure exactly why its a day off, all I know is that it is.
Words: 449
Disclaimer: No, I do not own Six of Crows.
"What are you doing?" Wylan had come down stairs looking for a missing ledger when he found Jesper in the living room, surrounded by boxes.
Jesper looked up from where he had been placing a stack of books into one of the boxes "I, Merchling, am doing what one is supposed to do on Boxing Day."
Wylan felt more confused than he had felt all day. All week, actually. "And that is?"
Jesper gave him an incredulous look. "I'm putting everything in boxes." There was an unspoken 'duh' in his voice.
Wylan just stared at him. He wasn't sure if Jesper was joking, or if he actually believed that you were supposed to put everything in boxes on boxing day. But after a moment, he let the laughter erupt from his chest and spill out into the air. Before long, he was on his knees, gasping for breath and trying earnestly to reign in his laughter.
When he looked up, he found Jesper standing over him, a massive smile curling across his face. He took the hand Jesper offered and was pulled back to his feet. "You don't actually think that's what you're supposed to do, right?"
The tall boy laughed, and Wylan felt his heart swell. "No, I don't."
"Then why were you putting everything in boxes?"
Jesper reached out and tugged the smaller boy close, before leaning down and saying, "You've been up there working all day and boxing day is supposed to be a day away from work. Not a day where you work more than usual. So, I stole your ledger and started doing this." He pulled his arm from around Wylan and gestured to the room. "I knew it would make you pause and that I could then convince you to stop. So, how does stopping sound?"
Wylan buried his face in Jesper's chest to hide his blush. Then he thought of all the work he'd left upstairs. "Jesper, if I don't do this now I'll get behind."
Jesper framed his hands around Wylan's face, his long fingers idly tracing lines down it. "No, you won't. None of that work actually needs to get done today. That's the point of a holliday. Besides, isn't there some sort of saying that goes, 'why do today, what you can put off until tomorrow?'"
Wylan laughed. "I'm pretty sure that's not how it goes, but I see your point."
Jesper's hands lowered to his shoulders, his fingers continuing their gentle stroking. His eyes had lit up with excitement. "Does that mean you'll stop working for today?"
Wylan pressed his face into Jesper's shoulder. "I guess."
Jesper's answering hoot could have been heard all the way in Fjerda.
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