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inej has a crush on the bartender at the crow club, and jesper is going to make it his personal goal to poke fun at her every spare moment he gets.
he understands of course. the bartender was stunning, and perhaps even more attractively, didn’t take any shit from rude drunk patrons. they always wore a pistol strapped to their side, and jesper had seen on more than one occasion that you were more than adept at using it when the need arose.
there was a reason they were hired, after all. jesper remembered kaz mention offhandedly once he thought they could be a heartrender with the way they were able to control the atmosphere in the crow club.
jesper was certain half the regulars at the crow club came just to chat with you. it made perfect sense that inej would have a crush on someone as magnetic as you were.
but this was inej! inej the wraith, inej the sneaky! and she had a crush? jesper couldn’t pass up such an easy opportunity to ruffle her feathers. all in good fun, of course.
“inej, did you know every time you look over to the bar your cheeks turn red? are you feeling okay?” jesper all but giggles to himself.
“jesper what are you on about”
“it would be so much less painful if you would just go up and talk to them!”
amusement flickers across kaz’s face as the two bicker back and forth.
“i will end you, jesper fahey!”
kaz decides to intervene.
“inej, go order another round for the table.”
“kaz are you serious?” she pleads. “jesper’s being cruel not you too!”
a slight smirk forms on kaz’s lips. “perfectly serious.”
•••
you can’t help but watch her.
she’s beautiful in the way that her knives are; enchanting and dangerous to be too close to.
kaz’s whole crew were not to be messed with, and you really needed this job, so keeping distance from all of them seemed to be the best solution.
you liked her quiet attentiveness, her fierce protection of her friends. you liked the way she leaned forward when talking about something that excited her. and her eyes, oh her eyes! you felt if you looked at her for too long you would disappear into them.
•••
inej appeared in front of you at the bar, so suddenly that you startle. “inej! gods, you frightened me.”
“i didn’t realize i would startle you so much i’m sorry i-“
you, for the first time, see inej fumble with her words.
“hey, no harm done. what can i get you?”
“just some shots for our table,” inej awkwardly raises three fingers as well for the number of people.
you feel a smile pull at your lips but keep it hidden, not wanting to embarrass her.
“of course, i’ll have them for you in a moment.”
“it’s good to see you, inej,”
the tips of your fingers brush against hers as you hand over the drinks, and you see a blush form on inej’s cheeks.
“um- goodbye,” she darts off abruptly, back to the table at the back of the bar.
you can hear jesper cackling from across the club, followed by a, “shut it!” from inej.
you smile to yourself, turning back to the bar to wipe up some spills along the counter.
you wonder fleetingly if the trio were talking about you, but then the bar is swamped with new patrons and your mind is filled with drink orders and table numbers, and maneuvering around the rowdy drunks seated at the center of the bar.
•••
it takes jesper a few tries to get your attention, not that he wants to distract you while you work, but he felt it was necessary to speed along inej’s love life a tad.
“so i need a favor,”
you quirk an eyebrow, but nod. “and what might this favor be, mr. fahey?”
he leans in conspiratorially, “i need you to ask inej on a date.”
you blink. “i’m sorry what?”
“listen. inej is never going to do it and if i have to watch her pine after you for the next six months i’m going to lose my mind!”
you barely have to think about it. “give me a second.”
you scrounge around under the bar for a notepad, finding one and quickly scribbling out a note. you fold it, not letting jesper see what you had written. “alright, give this to her and don’t peek.”
north docks, midday, tomorrow.
x