Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ravka, Os Kervo.

There are moments in Inej's life when she yearned for Kaz. This was one of them. Standing in the cockpit of her infamous ship, Inej was looking at her home. If you had asked her a year ago if she’d think she’d ever see Ravka again, she would have shaken her head gently, Wrenching the tears back. Now, she was holding in tears of joy as she laid her eyes on her two beautiful parents - who were standing at the dock clutching one another, waving warmly.

She was here, she was alive and living her dream. All because of Kaz Brekker. It hurt Inej to think about her Kaz. Well, not technically her Kaz. She wished again that he was here, his hand clasped in hers, his stern face biting back a smile. It had been eight months since she had seen Mister Brekker, eight months since she had stepped in Ketterdam, being on the true sea had made her forget about the murky city, and the people she loved so much in it. She shook her head and made herself forget about Kerch, she was in Ravka, she was back with her family. 

Well, her biological family. 

Kerch, Ketterdam

Kaz Brekker doesn't lose. He plays games, but he also creates them, he rewrites the rules, and he never loses.

“Who knew that Dirtyhands was bad at charades?” Jesper heckled, miming once again, watching the puzzled Kaz trying to work out that he was impersonating Jan Van Eck’s wife, Alys. “Oh come on Kaz, who else do we know that has a lap dog?” Wylan said, gesturing towards Jesper as he mimed holding a small dog. “Shut it merchling, Kaz is just processing the fact that he’s actually bad at something.” Jesper laughed, giving up and sitting back on the couch, throwing an arm around Wylan.

Kaz ran a gloved hand through his hair, turning to the smug couple on the couch opposite him. “I’m not bad at it, Jespers just a terrible actor.” Kaz huffed. No, not huffed, the bastard of the barrel does not huff . “I’m taking that extremely personally. Brekker, I'm an excellent actor! Like how I’m acting right now that I don’t want to kick your good leg in. So you have to sport some excellent crutches… Crow crutches? Oh, Saints! Crow Crutches! I’m a certified genius!”
Wylan groaned and Kaz bit back a smile, refusing to give Jesper the satisfaction.
“What you are, Fahey is a certified mess,” Wylan said, poking lovingly at Jesper's chest. 

Kaz did smile then, and he wished that Inej was here, the familiar pang of longing was something he had become used to, he wanted to look over the room and meet Inej’s eye,  he wished to share a knowing look and laugh about Wylan and Jesper's antics. He knew she would be in Ravka by now, with her parents. It was surreal to meet Mr and Mrs Ghafa. Mrs Ghafa was almost identical to her daughter, slight frame, light feet. However, where Inej had long black hair, Her mother had long, greying hair that was kept in an elaborate braid. Mr Ghafa was the same height as Kaz, his skin darker than his girls and his curly hair completely grey. 

Kaz was surprised by just how intimated he had been by Inej’s parents, how nervous he had gotten underneath Mr Ghafas stare.

“Papa! Stop giving Kaz the stare!” Inej giggled, looking across at her father, the four of them were dining at the Van Eck mansion. Kaz’s nerves are only amplified by having the Ghafa's around the table. “Sorry flower, it’s just he needs to know that I mean business.” Inej’s father joked, and Mrs Ghafa smiled, shaking her head at her husband. Inej laughed again, and Kaz tried to hide his nerves with a smile. Inej looked over to Kaz, seeing his pained expression. She reached for his hand under the table, linking their fingers and continuing to speak to her parents.

"Kaz? Are you even listening?" Jesper said laughing, waving a hand in front of Kaz's face, snatching him from his daydream. Kaz looked back over to the amused Jesper, shaking his head with a sly smile.
“Knew it, so I take it you don’t want to play twister then?” Jesper smiled back, and Wylan snorted from beside him.
“As fun as that sounds Fahey, I think it’s back to the Slat for me.” Kaz laughs, standing up and grabbing his overcoat from the back of the armchair. Kaz thought again about how truly bizarre his life had become, how less than two years ago he was planning a heist to the world's most secure prison in Fjerda, and now every Thursday, he had a game night with Jesper and Wylan.

"See you next Thursday then?" Jesper smirks, and Kaz rolls his eyes, picking up his cane and tightening his gloves. He doesn't like to admit that he looks forward to these nights, the nights where they're just a group of teenagers sitting in a ridiculously expensive house, drinking some ridiculously expensive alcohol, and playing games like charades and twister, - Except that he would never actually play twister - Wylan walks him to the door, which Kaz finds awfully amusing, seeing as every time this happens Wylan doesn’t say a word to him. Kaz nods his goodbye and Wylan smiles, only shutting the door when Kaz leaves his eyeline. It still feels odd to enter and exit the Van Eck mansion using the front door, it also feels odd to play board games in a house he once crept around. 

His fingers found the folded up envelope in his pocket, the reminder of its presence enough to soothe the pain of missing Inej. The tap of his cane on the pristine pavement in the financial district was enough to ward away anyone who even thought about bothering him. His war with Pekka Rollins and Jan Van Eck had earned him even more protection, with a whole new string of rumours emerging about his gloved hands, and even more theories about his leg. (His personal favourite story is about how it had been bitten off by a volcra.) His walk to the Slat was tedious and cold, as he tried to keep his mind focused on the paperwork that needed to be done, and his next idea to lure in more pigeons to the club.

He finally entered back into Dreg’s territory, he let himself relax slightly, receiving looks from familiar faces as he walked towards the Slat, giving Keeg a nod before walking into the building. With some of his share of the Kruge, he had managed to make some drastic changes to the Slat. It was no Geldrenner Hotel, but at least all of the toilets had locks and every resident had a proper hot meal. He stopped to confer with Anika for a moment but made sure to slip away quickly, desperate for solitude. He began the climb to his office - the stairs making his leg scream bloody murder after all of that walking. He stopped for a moment, stealing a look at Inej’s old room, spotting the tiny carved letters that read I.G.

A ghost of a smile lined his face before he continued and walked into his office - bolting the door quickly behind him.

He immediately shed his gloves and coat, washed his face in the basin, and looked into the cracked mirror above it. Could use a haircut he noted mentally, taking his shoes off and finally sitting down in his chair. He looked at the stack of files, knowing that they needed attending to, however, he found himself pulling out the crumpled envelope from his pocket, dated a month earlier.

Kaz,
People say that the sea is therapeutic,  which would be true - if these seagulls would shut up. I miss my crows, these blasted gulls won't even be my friends, they just steal my bread. I miss you as well, not as much as the crows... I’m kidding! Stop scowling! Nani always says that scowling ages you by ten years, I should tell her that just being in Ketterdam ages you by twenty years.

I can’t believe I’m going to be in Ravka, seeing my parents again and meeting everyone again. We're arriving tomorrow and I can’t quell my nerves. Well, the Kvas are helping, but what I really want is you. Oh saints I shouldn’t be writing this - I’m probably tipsy, but it’s true Brekker.

I’m looking at your last letter now, did you know you spelt ‘definitely’ wrong? You probably did it on purpose to get on my nerves, oh I miss you getting on my nerves Dirtyhands.

I have to go to sleep, but I'll post this when I get to Ravka. I'll keep you updated on the seagull situation. I think I'll name one Wylan, because one of them looks exactly like him - beak and all! - I miss you.

- Captain Inej Ghafa of the true sea!

Kaz bit back a smile, rereading the letter for the millionth time, his stupid stomach fluttering at Inej’s drunken spiel, he missed her too, he missed her so much that he still kept his window open, even if it let the cold in.

***

Kaz woke with a start, his office pitch black and the rain tapping on the roof outside, he didn’t remember falling asleep, he also didn’t remember blowing out his candle. However, he wasn’t alarmed by the darkness or the fact he fell asleep at his desk, he was alarmed by the fact that Inej was here. He knew it was entirely stupid, Inej was in Ravka, but his gut told him she was here, she was near. Kaz stood up slowly, his leg stiff and clearly unhappy with his sleeping position. He shrugged this off and walked over to the open window, snatching a pistol from his desk, his heart in his mouth

Inej, Inej, Inej.

Kaz opened the window wider, looking out at the roof below, and above - seeing that Inej was nowhere to be found. He felt a pang of pure disappointment and he lowered his gun, turning around to go light a candle.

“Mr Brekker?”
Kaz turned around, in front of him was a dripping wet Wraith, her hood up and her face covered by darkness. How she slipped by him he didn’t know, but she was here, Inej was standing right in front of him.
“Inej?” Kaz croaked out, almost dropping the pistol in shock. Inej stepped forward, lowering her hood and standing in front of Kaz, her features becoming more distinct. “I have a job for you,” Inej said, looking down at the floor. Kaz wanted to scoff. “A job?” Kaz asked, still not entirely sure whether he was dreaming or not.

“We need to find the people who have kidnapped my parents,” Inej said, looking up and meeting his stare. Her voice was steely, her face unwavering. Kaz’s heart dropped to his stomach, and he realised why she was back. “Okay.” Kaz breathed out, holding out his hand for her to shake - he didn’t even think about how his palms were still bare. A twinkle of hope met Inej’s eyes before she wiped her hand on her cloak to dry it, shaking Kaz’s hands and whispering.
“The deal is the deal.”
Kaz nodded and shook her hand back.
“The deal is the deal Wraith.”

Inej had barely any time to react before Kaz pulled her into him and captured her in a hug.

Chapter Text

Kerch, Ketterdam

         Present Day

INEJ

Inej didn’t know why Kaz smelled like almonds, but the soothing scent reminded her of Mama's homemade almond butter that she used to lather all over their bronze legs when she was little.

“Now Priya, this is one of the many secrets of the Ghafa woman, don’t go telling any of the other girls this recipe - not everyone deserves to have buttery legs.”

Inej’s eyes pricked at the memory of her beautiful mother, she already missed her.  She felt Kaz let go of Inej’s waist, feeling the loss of his body against hers, she wanted to ask him why in saints name did he smell like almonds. “What happened?” Kaz whispered, still close to Inej, definitely close enough to see the tears that were now blurring her sight. Inej let out a shaky breath as she began to unravel her hood from her head. Kaz took this as an opportunity to light his desk candles, sitting back in his chair. Inej followed, sitting down across from him. She remembered how less than a year ago, she would have sat in this chair - scheming with Kaz late into the night. 

“It was all my fault, Kaz, all my fault.” 

Ravka, Os Kervo
    Three weeks earlier

INEJ

If Inej had learned something from her time in the Menagerie, it was that being a heavy sleeper could cost you your life, but this wasn’t the Menagerie - this was her home. So, only two hours earlier, before she and her parents fell asleep, she decided that she didn’t need to sleep with Sankt Petyr under her pillow, and she decided she would let herself fall in a deep, desperately needed sleep. Oh, how wrong she was. Usually, Inej would have woken up from the slightest thud, so that first sound of metal on metal should have woken her up, she should’ve sprung up, knives ready, and she should’ve - she could’ve saved them. There was an overwhelming sense of Deja Vu about this whole situation. She had been taken originally because of her idleness, she had been too lazy to get up, and now, her parents are gone, for the same reason. She should have sprung up when she heard the murmur of voices, the murmur of instructions.

However, she didn’t spring up, in fact, she slept for two more hours. Arising lazily as she padded into the kitchen, expecting her mother to be hunched over the stove - preparing the morning tea. So when she saw that her mother, or her father, were nowhere to be found (Or heard.) She bounded down the short hall, the feeling of dread building in her stomach. Unfortunately, her worst fear had come true, her parent's bed was empty - the window open and on her parent's bed was a small, stuffed crow.

Pekka Rollins.

Kerch, Ketterdam
        Present Day
INEJ

“Pekka Rollins?” Kaz seethed, Inej had just finished explaining what she had done before she had left on The Wraith, How she had threatened to cut Pekka’s heart out and replaced his son's Dime Lions toy with that of a stuffed crow, the same one left on her parent's bed. Kaz raked a hand through his hair, and Inej noted that his hands were still bare, even though his gloves were easily accessible on the desk in front of him. It made her want to smile for the first time since her parents went missing. “Have you told anyone about your little rendezvous to the country to visit Rollins? Could this be a copycat trying to throw us off course?” He queried, looking Inej in the eye, Dirtyhands was in full form, and she hoped that he could cook up a scheme for her. There was a tiny part of her that worried. Why should Kaz help her? She knew that he didn’t do anything that didn’t benefit him in some way, maybe she could pay him? However, that would be a last resort. She hoped that his personal vendetta against Pekka was enough motivation to help her.

Or he could help because he cares about you?

Inej shook this thought away, begging her heart not to conjure up kind lies, she knew who Kaz was. “Not a soul, until now.” She answered, she was fidgeting with her thigh sheath, trying not to look into his solid gaze. Kaz nodded, leaning on his hand and thinking his brows furrowing. He looked surprisingly well-rested, wealth looked good on Kaz, well everything looked good on Kaz, Inej thought quickly, before cursing herself once more.                               This is Kaz for Ghezens sake . 

She was suddenly taken out of her battlefield of thoughts by Kaz placing a cup in front of her, it was filled with tea. Inej’s eyes widened, she didn’t even know that he even knew how to make tea.

“Tea?” was all she was able to sputter out, looking up at Kaz, who was sitting back down in his chair, also having acquired a cup. “When was the last time you had a shower Wraith?” Kaz asked, ignoring her question. Inej knew she ought to be offended, but being at sea for so long she really hadn’t had one for quite some time. “That’s confidential,” Inej said, taking a sip, Almond. Kaz Brekker had almond tea. Kaz shook his head slightly, putting his cup down and standing up silently, picking up his cane. Inej sat still in her chair, looking at Kaz curiously. He turned to her, beckoning with his hand for her to follow. She stood up and followed Kaz Brekker up to his bedroom.
 

4:43 am

KAZ

Kaz tried to ignore how his heart sped up at the sight of Inej in his bedroom. In all of his years living in the Slat’s attic, he had never had another soul in his room. He had no clue what compelled him to invite Inej up here. He used the shower he had up here as an excuse when both of them knew perfectly well that Inej could’ve used the communal showers like the rest of the Dregs, but Inej wasn’t just the rest of the Dregs, and Kaz hoped she knew that.

“ So I guess the rumours about you living in a cave aren’t true then?” Inej says with a smile, her eyes scanning the room like the true spy she is, no doubt collecting information for later teasing or blackmail purposes. Kaz scowled and sat down on his bed, taking out his golden cufflinks. “I thought I told you to stop listening to Jesper.” He retorted, eyes fixated on his sleeve to avoid looking at her sweet smile. “ Well, then I guess he was also wrong about you sleeping upside down, like a bat.” She laughs at this, the sound making Kaz’s chest tighten. Kaz looked up, shaking his head and watching her giggle to herself, realising that he never wanted to see her sad ever again.

“We’ll find them.” He said, meeting her brown eyes with his own, his gaze undeterred. Inej let out a shaky breath, nodding slowly, refusing to break eye contact. Kaz wished once again that he could hold her, he wished that he could hold his girl, that he had the courage to tell her that she was the reason he wanted to live, that she was the reason that he refused to let Rietveld die. However, that wasn’t him, not by a long shot. So instead of standing up and grasping her in his arms, he broke her stare, pointing towards the bathroom.
“Towels are in the cupboard.” He grunted, looking away. What he didn’t know was that if he had just kept looking at her face - maybe even for a second longer, he would have seen her mouth I love you.

Chapter Text

Kerch, Ketterdam
Three Years Earlier 

INEJ 

It hadn't occurred to Inej to be afraid of her new boss. She’d only realised the true extent of Kaz’s reputation when she was cornered on the street a couple of weeks ago by a group of Dime Lions.

She had wanted to scream when they surrounded her, but instead, she stood tall and watched them shiver as she proclaimed herself Kaz Brekker’s Wraith , holding up her new knife Sankt Petyr in defence. Inej enjoyed watching their smirks fall, contorting into expressions of fear as she slunk away into the shadows, scaling the building and sprinting her way back to the Slat, her heart in her mouth.

To her, this mysterious Mr Brekker was simply a boss, yet another man who owned her, and it had only been six months since he had brought her from the Menagerie, and still, she was weary of Dirtyhands and his Dregs. So, Instead of entering through the front door like the rest of them, she usually climbed into her small room and entered through the window, also avoiding the others by eating her meals silently and quickly and only talking to another soul when reporting to the stern, calculated Kaz. He had helped her, trained her on how to hold a knife, pick locks and choke a man, but he didn’t teach her how to disappear, how to shadow a man or to scale the buildings without making a sound - that was all her.

She was currently alone in her room. 

It may be small, mouldy and rather damp but it was hers , and she could decorate it, she could live in it and she could feel safe in it . 

She thanked her Saints once more that she didn’t have to be in the Menagerie anymore. She brought her hand to her necklace and gently ran her fingers along the knitted symbol, trying to remember the scent of her caravan. She was sure that it had smelled like fresh basil, or was it rosemary? She couldn’t quite remember, like how she couldn’t exactly remember whether her Mother had brown eyes like her or green like her father. She didn’t want to forget her home, but she felt it slipping away more and more each day. She could feel the tears filling in her eyes.

She was brought back from her thoughts by a loud knock at her door and the shouting that followed it.
“Wraith, the boss has a job for you.” The sound of Rotty's kaelish accent rang through the door.
She sighed silently and wiped her eyes, opening her window and climbing out onto the ledge, starting the climb to Kaz’s office.

Inej hadn't even thought twice about Kaz's office the first time she entered it, she was too worked up and defensive to give it a second look as Kaz spoke to her about the terms of her indenture. She was just in disbelief over her fortune and she wasn't entirely sure that she could trust this alleged "Kaz Brekker" Maybe he was just like the men in the Menagerie. 

However, when Kaz gave her a lock for her door in the Slat and a copy of the contract for her indenture, she felt like she could finally breathe again.

Now, entering his office through his window, which she had taken to doing - doors weren't her forte - she spared the room a look, noting all the different bottles of cologne that were placed on his windowsill, Inej thought this was ridiculous, because he wore the same one every day, so she wondered why he would bother to buy different scents, plus Inej had grown fond of the familiar oaky smell of Kaz.

She also knew that Kaz wasn't in his office, as she looked around the room she didn't see Kaz anywhere, his chair at his desk being empty. A pang of panic surged through her, if Kaz had been taken from the Slat, then it wasn't safe anymore, if Kaz wasn't protecting the Slat, anyone could get her. She tried to shake off these thoughts as she walked towards the desk. Inej looked down to the desk with a raised brow, fingering through a pile of documents, seeing that they were all bank statements for a man named Pekka Rollins. Inej wondered what business Kaz had with the leader of the Dime Lions.

"Found anything worthwhile?"
Inej jumped out of her skin, turning around to see a rather smug-looking Kaz, who was covered tip to toe in crimson blood.
"Certainly, I was just entertaining myself while you were…" Inej stopped, crossing her arms and smirking, “On a killing spree?"

Kaz rolled his eyes and walked over to the sink next to his desk, peeling off his stained gloves. The first time he had stripped off his gloves in front of her, she had expected his hands to be badly burnt or deformed. She certainly didn’t expect him to have slender white scarless hands who looked simply pristine. 

Now as Kaz unveiled his hands, Inej didn't bat an eyelid, but she still felt secretly prideful overseeing the mysterious hands of 'Dirtyhands' himself. 

"Bollinger and I had to deal with a spy who thought that following us to the Slat was a good idea," Kaz explained, shrugging off his coat and tossing it to Inej. She huffed but quickly hung it up, this little bit of their routine was something she didn’t want to admit she liked. "Rotty said you had a job for me?" Inej enquired wondering how he would know if Kaz needed her when he had obviously been bashing some poor souls head in.

“Oh yes, well I did tell Rotty that, but as it turns out, the spy that I wanted you to shadow is now happily lying dead at the bottom of the river.” Kaz almost chuckled, and Inej turned to look at him once again, her breath catching in her throat as Kaz pulled off his bloody shirt.

“Probably not so happily.” Inej breathed out, glad Kaz’s back was to her so that she could effectively avoid his gaze. She wondered how he managed to have such smooth skin, her own back is surely littered with scars, unlike the smooth milky muscles that line Brekker’s back. She mentally cursed herself for thinking this, for Saint's sake -the man is currently covered in the blood of another human being.

“Death is just the next great adventure Wraith, any man would be happy to face it, especially the men who rot in the barrel.” Kaz huffed out, washing his arms in his sink. Inej sat atop of Kaz’s desk, a small frown marring her face.
“Not all men are evil Kaz.” She whispered, remembering the true kindness of her father, and the love he had brought to her life. Kaz stopped suddenly and wiped his hands on a towel, the blood immediately staining the fabric.

“No, not all men, but the barrel... Well, let’s just say the barrel has a reputation for bringing out the evil in a man.” Kaz said shortly, and Inej realised he was studying her expression. She also realised that Kaz had another tattoo, a swirly looking letter R that rested on his upper arm, all the questions bubbling up in her chest.

“And yourself?” She started, looking Kaz solidly in the eye for the first time since she crept up to him in the Menagerie. Matching his gaze and challenging him to think of her as an equal.
“Surely you don’t believe that you’re truly evil?” she asked, wishing that Kaz’s armour would slip, even if it was just for a second, a millisecond.

“Oh darling Inej, Haven’t you heard? I’m the Bastard of the Barrel, I’m the root of all evil.”

Somehow, even though Kaz truly seems to believe this, something told Inej that Kaz was more than that, that underneath those big leather gloves, there was just a delicate boy, who was good. But then again, Inej was known for being a dreamer.

Chapter Text

Kerch, Ketterdam
      Present Day

6:23 am
KAZ

Kaz had attempted to get some sleep after Inej had left, she left after she’d showered and had eaten some food. Then she went back to Van Eck mansion, where she kept all of her on-land possessions. Kaz just couldn’t rest easy knowing that Inej was probably up, worrying just as much as he was. So Kaz did what he did best, he went down to his office and  planned.

9:17am

Kaz checked his clock on his wall.Iit was just past nine bells and he was wondering where the hell Inej was. He was back at his desk, writing out the plan that he had come up with in the early hours of the morning, he hadn't slept yet. He had guessed that Inej would be here by now, and he hadn't anticipated being so tired. He felt his eyes growing heavy as he scribbled on the paper, fighting sleep off. Apparently in his newly found routine, he had grown used to having a full night of rest. So he ended up slipping into sleep, snoring at his desk. 

10:34 am
INEJ

Inej slipped through the  open window of Kaz’s upstairs office. She had expected Kaz to be in his downstairs office by now, but when he had asked Rotty, he had grunted that nobody had seen him, so Inej was quite worried. Okay, she was very worried. In all the time Inej has known Kaz he has never slept in, so it was either he had a reason, or he was missing presumed dead. Inej automatically feared the worst.

So, you can imagine her immense surprise over seeing Kaz’s head sprawled over his desk, a low, rhythmic snoring coming from his drooling mouth. Inej smiled a delicate smile. Kaz looked so young in sleep. The lines that usually marred his face were nowhere to be seen, just a teenage boy sleeping in too late. Inej wished that she could be the kind of girl to walk upto Kaz’s desk, push his long dark hair out of his face and kiss his head, but she was the Wraith, so she opted for chucking a pair of Kaz’s socks at his own head, smirking as his head sprung up, shouting in a dazed confusion.

“Who in the, get-” Kaz began, but then his eyes snapped to the now giggling Inej, and he rolled his eyes.
“Wraith.” Kaz said sleepily, sitting back and stretching, his leg stiff and his back cracking.
“Who knew Dirtyhands snored.” Inej teased, sitting on a clear spot on Kaz’s desk, so close could see the marks the desk had left on Kaz’s face. Kaz furrowed his brows as he slid his chair back.

“I don’t- Where were you? I was up till nine bells and you were a no-show.” Kaz said huffily, grabbing his cane and walking to his sink, splashing his face  and slicking back his hair with water. Inej wasn’t afraid to admit she would miss the way it had fallen over his face.

“Well, I was sleeping - actually.” Inej admitted with a blush, she hadn’t been sleeping, she had been convincing Jesper and Wylan that she didn’t have feelings for Kaz. After coming in late last night and announcing she had been in Kaz Brekker's room, it had taken a whole interrogation from Wylan and Jesper to believe that the two hadn’t done anything. Oh how Inej wished they had done something . These thoughts just made her blush flush a deeper red.

Kaz turned and blinked slowly at her, clearly not believing her but nodding nevertheless.
“So, I’ve come up with a plan, but for that we’ll need The Wraith and the use of your crew, so what do you say, Captain?” Kaz said, retrieving his shoes and sitting back down to put them on. Inej nodded slowly, “I’ll go round them up, meet me at the Van Eck mansion in half a bell?” Kaz nodded and finished tying his wing tips,
“Oh and Kaz?” Inej said as she stood at the window, looking back at Kaz wolfishly.
“Yes?” Kaz said back, trying not to focus on the way the morning sun was framing her beautifully.

“Pack your sea legs.” Inej said with a wink, before disappearing into the rooftops of Ketterdam.

11:25am
KAZ

Kaz cursed himself for being early, but he couldn’t help himself as he rang the doorbell to the Van Eck Mansion, looking up at the house with mixed emotions. Unsurprisingly, he’d only had to wait a minute before a very over-hyper Jesper opened the door, looking like he had chewed about a million sticks of Jurda , which honestly was quite normal for Jesper.

“Kaz Brekker, Ketterdams number one ladykiller!” Jesper shrieked enthusiastically, clearly not understanding the meaning of inside voices. Kaz commemorated Wylan again for living with Jesper; He must’ve invested in a decent pair of ear plugs.
“What are you blithering on about now Fahey?” Kaz snarked, trying his best not to roll his eyes at the sharp-shooter.
“Nothin’ Boss, just stating your true title.” Jesper said, faking innocence as the two walked into the living room of the mansion.

“Jesper, stop it.” Wylan said from across the room. He had a huge spread of drawings laid out in front of him, and he was inspecting them with a furrowed brow. Kaz stood silently, glancing around the room and noticing the two brown suitcases in the corner of the grand room, Kaz internally groaned.

“Please tell me you two aren’t coming.” Kaz said, realising why Jesper was even more hyper than usual.
Jesper flashed Kaz a grin, and Kaz groaned aloud this time.
“Inej wants us there, and she told me to tell you to suck it up.” Jesper snarked, flipping one of his revolvers. Kaz just slumped down in an armchair, putting his bag on the ground next to him.
“Packed twenty of the same identical suit, have we Boss?” Jesper teased, which earned him a vicious death stare from Kaz.

“Packed all twenty of your orange blazers?” Kaz retorted, and Wylan snorted from his desk. Jesper rolled his eyes and slumped on the opposite armchair, long legs bouncing up and down impatiently. Kaz’s eyes flickered to his watch, it was nearing half past, and he scolded himself for being so early, so eager .

Thankfully Kaz’s pride was left unscathed as Inej hopped in the living room window, rolling into the middle of the room. Kaz immediately perked up, looking at Inej curiously as she pulled back her hood, eyes flickering to Kaz immediately, smiling slightly.

“I take it Jespers told you?” Inej says, somehow not out of breath even after scaling the entirety of Ketterdam.
“Unfortunately.” Kaz mumbled, looking at Jesper who’s shit eating grin had only gotten wider.
“Pretend that you hate us all you want, but I know you secretly love us.”

Kaz scoffed, “I love two things, money and revenge.”
And Inej. Only Inej.

“Always the romantic.” Jesper joked, stealing a glance at Inej, who was looking at anything but Kaz. Kaz wanted to meet her eye and tell her that he loved her, that he was an idiot for doing it but he didn’t care, he would love her no matter what.

And that terrified him.

“Right,” Inej said with a cough, scanning the room, “Ready to join Captain Ghafas crew?” She said, a brilliantly wicked grin on her face.
“Always!” Jesper said, picking up his and Wylans suitcases.
“Anything for family.” Wylan mumbled, sharing a shy grin with Inej.

Kaz stood up, and Inej looked him in the eye, clearly waiting for his answer.
“Brick by Brick.” Kaz said, looking right back at Inej, and Inej nodded steelily.

“Brick by Brick.” She replied, and Kaz knew he would follow her anywhere.