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Kaz Brekker didn't know the first thing about style beyond dressing like the merchants – merchants he still behaved the opposite of. His kruge simply grew as he lived as if he were poor, pinching coins and living meagerly, putting his wealth mainly into upkeeping the Slat or into his club or toward those he loved however secretly… never for anything more personal. No, never for himself.
Nina had teased him about it in the past, but all she had gathered was that despite sitting on wealth, Kaz still felt poor. As if at any moment he'd be left with nothing. As if even everything wasn't enough. Kaz, in summary, struggled to feel a sense of safety, even at the times he was most surrounded by it.
“Here!” Nina shouted urgently, slightly pleased as Kaz came to an abrupt stop. She could get used to being in charge. “This is the place, they have the best suits, and coffee, and knick-knacks for your home–”
“Alright,” Kaz rasped, interrupting with his cane clacking heavily ahead of her feet, “Then lead the way in.”
She swiveled around the brass walking piece and pushed open the door, holding it as Kaz limped in. He looked around, clearly still disgruntled and possibly even more annoyed than he'd already been on the street.
“What the hell is this?”
Nina scoffed, “A store, you podge. They've got everything.” Kaz grunted as she turned and headed further in, “You could use a new wardrobe.”
“Certainly not–” Kaz objected, running a hand down one of the hanging suits, “Is this serge wool?”
“They wouldn't keep the expensive stuff out in the open for anyone to just steal, would they?” He was impossible. First unwilling to spend a single extra kruge on himself, then complaining that the fabrics were cheap. “I thought you wanted something inexpensive.”
“I need to be presentable, Zenik. I need to represent my position. This is about more than kruge.”
“If you were so concerned about your image perhaps you wouldn't still be using a door for a desk.” That seemed to shut him up, his brow twitching in uncertainty and even the slightest hint of a pink shame tingeing his cheeks. She felt almost bad for being so sharp. “In any case, I'll find you a suit that will scream merchant. Specifically the narcissistic kind. You'd like that.”
Kaz scoffed, but followed her toward the back. She was tempted to stop at the coffee shop in the corner of the floor, but knowing the way they bickered, she didn't want to risk a tussle and spillage on the finer clothing. A coffee would have to wait.
The back of the floor had an attendant ready and waiting to be of service. Kaz merely glared at her and Nina waved him off, explaining what they were looking for. The attendant led them to a line of the finest suits, motioning to the rack and taking a few steps to the side. A couple walked into the shop and headed their way, but instead of moving to greet them, she remained eyeing Kaz and Nina like a hawk.
“I feel like I'm in a fucking daycare,” Kaz grumbled.
“You're a known gangster, Brekker,” Nina muttered, voice low, “Did you even pay for the one you're wearing?”
If his reaction to the question was anything to go by, Kaz, in fact, did not. But in truth, Nina had noticed it as well, and it also made her uncomfortable. Just because Kaz had stolen in the past, in desperation to survive, no doubt, didn't mean he was planning to do so again. Not when there was no pressing need to and not when the shop they were at hadn't necessarily done anything to deserve it.
“These corporations are rich… greedy,” he muttered back, pulling a suit by the sleeve, “They don't care about anyone on the streets. Even a child.”
“Yeah,” Nina agreed, “Everyone for themselves. That's how the world is.”
Despite having been raised to be a bit too pessimistic, he did have a point. Especially when it came to the barrel. But they weren't in the barrel, and yet… its rules seemed to follow even beyond its borders.
Kaz shifted, moving down the rack in a direction that moved away from the attendant, “Everyone's selfish to different degrees.”
“Just have to find the ones that are selfish in the right degrees.”
Kaz cast her a glance and she shot him a smile in return. She saw the words forming on his lips.
Are you referring to me, Zenik?
You've no idea who I am.
Get your head on straight.
But she knew him well, and before he could ruin the moment she'd created, she whipped a suit in front of his face.
“What about this one?”
Kaz seemed startled for a moment, a breathy grunt slipping through his lips. His hands slightly rose in reflex before stilling as his eyes grazed over the fabric, probably grateful for the distraction.
Nina hadn't actually even looked at the suit, merely grabbing the first one her hand touched, but Kaz seemed to actually like it. She tilted her head around to see what Kaz was seeing.
All black. Of course. But this one was blacker than even the one Kaz was wearing, a dark and inky onyx, made from the finest wool. She didn't dare look at the price tag.
“It's… nice,” Kaz finally admitted, and that was equivalent to it being the finest piece of clothing he had ever seen.
“That's top of the line,” the attendant interrupted, stepping forward and blatantly trying to take it from Nina's hands, “It's Saxony wool.”
“We'll take it,” Nina said without looking at Kaz. He wanted it, she knew that much.
The attendant huffed, finally wedging it out of Nina's grasp, “I will need to do measurements.”
Without another word, the attendant scurried off with the suit, hopefully to get a ruler.
“Wretch,” Kaz muttered.
“We won't be here much longer. I can pick it up when they're done with the tailoring.”
Kaz sighed, indignant, “She's disrespecting you as well.”
“It's fine,” Nina assured, “Once she does the measurements we’ll leave. I'll return on my own for your suit.”
She watched Kaz shift uncomfortably and wondered if he was contemplating starting a scene. This wasn't the barrel, they couldn't afford threats or outbursts, but luckily, before he could think too long, the attendant returned without the suit but with a ruler.
“Alright,” she said quietly, “Stand relaxed but straight, please. Keep your cane out of the way.”
Immediately, she started measuring.
“Shouldn't he have at least tried it on?” Nina asked her as she worked.
“I don't need to,” Kaz said a little too quickly.
The man who pretended to not care about anything, had turned out to care about a lot once she learned to read him, and it seemed he just wanted to leave.
The attendant muttered under her breath as she measured, occasionally jotting something down on a notepad. Nina saw the tension in his shoulders, the way he subtly moved away when her hands came too close, but he was composed, hiding it well from untrained eyes.
“It shouldn't need too much tailoring, just a bit off of the legs and arms. You're shorter than I expected you'd be.”
Nina shot him a warning look, seeing the way he stiffened. In response, he turned to glare at the wall.
“Alright, that's that. I do need payment immediately.”
“Of course,” Kaz muttered, “How much is it?”
They slowly walked off, the attendant giving Kaz a price Nina couldn't hear, but with the lack of reaction Kaz had it was probably expected enough. Moments later, Kaz was quickly limping out of the store with Nina hurrying after him.
“She said a week,” he bit out, “I have never spent that much on a suit.”
“Kaz… have you ever bought a suit? Who did you kill to get the one you have right now?”
Kaz scoffed, but a subtle smile played on his lips, “No one. This one’s Jesper’s.”
“Jesper owns a full black suit?”
“Owned, Nina. For a day.”