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The seats were packed, the small theater standing room only. Word had gone out that Poppy's newest show had some spectacular pyrotechnics, and if there was anything the Barrel loved, it was seeing things blown up. Safely on stage, that is.

Jesper had procured one of the coveted seats up front, and he settled back with his hat in his lap—in order to prevent the overly friendly and somewhat desperate woman standing in the aisle from occupying said lap instead as much as to avoid annoying the person behind him by keeping the hat on. The lights dimmed and the curtain slid open. More smoothly than usual, Jesper noted. He exchanged smiles with Nina, who was sitting next to him. She leaned forward eagerly as the stage lights were lit.

And it was amazing. Poppy was in rare form, the other actors matching their energy, and the pyrotechnics were nothing short of spectacular. Only Nina's hand on his arm kept Jesper from standing up in the middle of the theater and shouting out to everyone there that his man had done that. He imagined Wylan backstage, that serious look on his face as he made sure everything was set and ready to go, and he wanted to leap over the lights and onto the stage and go pick him up and hold him tight, let him know what an utter wonder he was and how incredibly lucky Jesper was to be with him.

Next to him, he felt Nina sigh, and he tried to dial back the delighted smile on his face. Plans to storm Hellgate were proceeding, but incredibly slowly. They both knew that was because Kaz was distracted, tracking the course of the Volkvolny as it navigated the seas; trying not to send messages begging Inej to come back. Jesper had, of course, sent his own messages, but he had stopped short of begging. Or of telling her what a mess Kaz was without her. Wherever Inej was, whatever she was doing, it was where she needed to be, and Jesper didn't want to get in the way of that. He only wanted her to know that her home and her family would be here when she got back … even if he wasn't entirely sure of that. Not many people had stormed Hellgate and lived to tell about it. Precisely none, as far as Jesper was aware.

Poppy was taking their well-deserved bow now, and Jesper surged to his feet with the rest of the audience, applauding wildly. He was already planning the celebratory after-the-show dinner he would take Wylan out for, and the more private celebration after that. He felt for his fellow Crows and their various challenges, he did … but that only made him more aware of how fortunate he was to have found Wylan, and more determined to make sure that nothing happened to keep them apart for so much as a day.

Jesper Fahey, happily coupled. He shook his head, grinning. Who would ever have imagined it?

Jesper was halfway to the workshop when he felt the first drops spatter the top of his hat. He wasn't surprised; the skies had been threatening rain all day. Well, getting a little wet had never harmed anyone, now, had it? He didn't share the rest of the Barrel's aversion to precipitation. In fact, he rather liked it. Oh, there had been that one time when his hat got ruined … but after that he'd made sure all his hats were made of sturdier stuff.

Even as everyone around him hurried to pack things up and get off the street, Jesper sauntered on, hands in his pockets, face turned up, mouth open for the droplets of rain that fell into it. He laughed in delight.

Once he reached the workshop, he ducked inside, calling out Wylan's name.

"Down here."

"What are you up to?" Jesper asked, hurrying down the stairs. "Anything that can't wait?"

"No, but—"

"Good, then, come on." He grasped Wylan's hand, tugging at it. Quickly he looked his lover over, and grabbed Wylan's coat off a hook nearby. "Here, put this on, though. I don't want you to catch cold."

"Thank you, but … what are we doing?"

"Something I've wanted to do for a long time, but never had anyone to do it with."

"Is it … legal?"

"Surprisingly, yes." Jesper laughed as he took the stairs, pulling Wylan along with him.

Wylan halted in the doorway, frowning. "Jesper, it's raining."

"I know!"

"But—"

"Sweet as you are, you aren't actually made of sugar. Come on." Jesper stood in the middle of the alley, letting the rain fall on his shoulders and hat, and held his hand out.

Wylan reluctantly approached, twisting up his face as rain spattered it. Jesper opened his coat and Wylan slid his arms round his waist, resting his head against Jesper's chest. "All right, I'm here now. Why exactly am I out here in the rain?"

"Shh. Just listen. If I can hear it, you have to be able to."

Pressing his face against Jesper's waistcoat, Wylan listened, wondering what it was he was meant to hear. The Barrel was strangely silent, all the cacophony stilled. There was only the rain, the steady fresh sound of it, the spatter on the pavement, the—oh. That was what Jesper heard. The music that the rain made. Wylan wondered when he would stop being surprised by how sensitive his lover really was, underneath all that bluster and insouciance.

"You hear it now, don't you?"

"Mm-hm."

"Then dance with me." Jesper's voice was low and intimate.

Wylan lifted his head, his beautiful eyes meeting Jesper's. "Anytime. Anywhere."

"I may hold you to that."

"Please do."

And they moved, at first just swaying, but then finding the rhythms of the raindrops, Jesper twirling Wylan in and out of his embrace, dipping him and then touching his lips gently to the rain rolling across his cheek. Let the rest of the Barrel hide if they wanted to—this moment in the rain was theirs.