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Inej arrived at the house, late and tired, after hitting some rough seas. Wylan and Jesper had offered her a hug, a spot right by the fireplace, and a late supper before Kaz had eventually turned up at their door. A solid and loud knock probably made by a crow-headed cane. They hadn’t sent him a message that Inej’s ship had finally come in - he’d just known to turn up.
Kaz’s greeting was abrupt as ever and his eyes were already on the couch where Inej was sitting, but Wylan wasn’t offended - if he’d been away from Jesper for months on end, he’d be looking straight at him too, and although Jesper would be a little sad about it, Wylan knew it wasn’t their company that had brought Kaz out tonight.
Wylan hadn’t known Kaz as long as the others but he honestly thought you’d have to be blind not to see how he felt about Inej - how she was the exception to so many of Kaz’s rules that kept him apart from people. He’d been slower to be as sure of Inej’s feelings, he didn’t want her to get hurt, but looking at her now as she lit up as Kaz entered the room, well his doubts had long since vanished.
Kaz accepted a drink from Jesper and settled beside Inej on the couch - close but not quite touching, but much closer than he'd sit to anyone else. Kaz usually favoured the solo chairs when he visited, or to lean against a nearby wall or window, but things were always different when Inej was in town. Inej for her own part leant a little into his space and there was a look that passed between them that Wylan couldn’t hope to decipher.
Inej told the tale of a nasty close call her and her crew had at sea, and Wylan watched as Kaz’s jaw tensed and his bare hand clutched reflexively into a fist, but by the end he had a small smirk on his face as Inej told them how she and her crew had come out on top, and how many slavers had ended up in the sea with slashes and cuts in their skin.
There were a couple more stories and another drink, but it had already been late when Inej and then Kaz arrived, so Jesper and Wylan headed up the stairs to bed, leaving Inej and Kaz to their own catching up.
A little while later, Wylan went downstairs to get a glass of water - the jug that they kept in their room was empty and the house was quiet except for the large ticking clock in the hall.
His eyes drifted into the parlour through the archway entrance as he walked to the kitchen. Kaz and Inej were still on the couch, but tiredness had obviously gotten the better of Inej, as she’d curled up on her side and her head leant against the thigh of Kaz’s good leg. His gloveless hand ran through her hair softly, carefully. Keeping to her hair and not straying to her face.
Wylan didn’t mean to stare but to see them both in this soft moment transfixed him for a few seconds. These two dangerous people - his friends. The odd quick touch or loaded look was all he ever saw of their relationship in public - it was all subtlety and so much obvious care for the other's boundaries - but this was more than that.
Kaz’s hand paused and he raised his eyes to meet Wylan’s where he stood. His dark shark eyes went from oddly soft to challenging in a blink, and he raised his eyebrow as if to say yes merchling, you are seeing what you think you’re seeing, but tell anyone and I’ll remove your tongue.
Wylan said nothing - just continued on his way to the kitchen and made sure to not look back their way when he headed back up to his and Jesper’s room. Where obviously he would tell him everything.
--
The Crow Club was loud and busy. Kaz was throwing a special event to draw in more pigeons and it was working well. Almost a little too well, as Nina squeezed past another set of keen people speaking Zemeni as they headed towards the Makker’s Wheel table.
She scanned the club looking for Inej’s face. They hadn’t had nearly enough time to catch up between Nina’s own business in Ketterdam, Inej’s captainly duties and whatever the hell her and Kaz were plotting together. (She’s been told, with a slight blush from Inej, their time together was mostly plotting but Nina wasn’t so sure).
Her eyes went up to the mezzanine level where Kaz was looking over his dominion. Well the jewel in the crown of it anyway - Kaz’s empire has expanded quite a lot since Nina was last here. Just what he needed for that airship size ego of his. His gloved hands were leaning against the top of the balustrade, his cane at his side. Nina had seen him without his gloves at Wylan and Jesper’s house and occasionally around The Slat but when he was being The Man The Myth The Legend Kaz Brekker in public then the gloves were all part of the story. Nina knew she had a sense for the theatrical but Kaz was easily as bad.
A figure appeared beside Kaz seemingly out of nowhere - also in dark clothing but shorter, and standing closer to him than anyone else would dare. Nina smiled. There she was.
She watched them as she made her way across the room. Jesper and Inej had been in the Dregs long before Nina, so she’d always known Kaz and Inej around each other and noted how they changed around each other - much as they denied it if she ever called them on it (she never asked Kaz). Nina and Jesper had gotten very drunk on wine one night and discussed it at increasing volume. They actually used the words Kaz and cute in the same sentence and it was then they had put down the wine glasses and headed to bed. A line had been crossed.
She headed up the stairs on the side of the room, past the black velvet rope that was pulled aside for her by a tall bruiser whose name she didn’t know. It was Dregs only up here tonight.
She rounded the corner and saw that Kaz and Inej had moved from where they had been standing overlooking the gaming floor. Kaz of course knew exactly where the sight-lines were in his own club, as he must have slowly drawn them back from the view of the people on the gaming floor, and any curious eyes.
They were standing closer together now. Kaz’s back against the wall and Inej standing close. Very close. No one else in sight. A moment chosen carefully.
She drew back behind the screen by the stairs, not wanting to barge in and well, she was curious, she didn't deny it. Kaz and Inej kept their relationship very much between themselves, even if she had managed to ferret out some small things out of Inej, and while Nina didn’t know all the details - especially about Kaz - she knew there were some tough waters to navigate. Pasts that were hard to put behind them.
Their hands closest to Nina were entwined. Inej’s other hand softly stroking Kaz’s cheek, before she went up gracefully on her toes and he bent his head and their lips met, not for a long time, but it wasn’t a quick peck either. It was soft. There was almost a reverence to it. Nina felt something like a punch in her stomach. She suddenly missed Matthias very much.
They drew apart slowly and Inej whispered something to him and that was absolutely a no holds barred genuine Kaz Brekker fond smile. What in Ghezen?
And then Kaz was walking down the hall right towards her.
“Zenik,” Kaz said as he walked past. Pulling on his jacket a little to straighten it and running his gloved hand down his lapel, a look on his face daring her to say anything. She wasn’t that surprised he knew she was there. Inej no doubt knew too. She drew herself up. She felt no guilt.
“You were never much of a spy,” he continued.
She was a fucking excellent spy thank you very much and Kaz knew it.
“Brekker. You were never so much of a soft touch. Was that a loving smile?”
He glared at her but didn't say anything.
“You’re a lucky bastard of the Barrel, you know that?”
“I make my own luck Nina dear,” he paused, and added softly, “but in this particular case I’d agree with you.” And then continued down the stairs onto the gaming floor, his cane tapping as he went.
Nina looked after him for a second in disbelief before swishing along the hall in her new red dress to talk to Inej. “You’re disgustingly cute together but your boyfriend is still a podge.”
Inej rolled her eyes.
--
Jesper felt restless and left Wylan to sleep while he went for a walk on the deck of The Wraith. The sea was quiet, and the night crew moved around as needed doing their work. He’d just had a brief chat to the bosun who was in charge of the shift, and she had given him a look that clearly communicated that while he was a guest of the captain, he was getting in the way of her doing her job. So he’d slunk away to walk another part of the deck.
He hadn’t meant to spy. Not really. He’d just caught a shadow out of the corner of his eye and paused behind a piece of the mast before realising who it was he was spying on.
Kaz was standing against the rail in his shirtsleeves, suspenders and trousers - no coat, no tie, not even the black boots he favoured. His bare feet were pale against the dark deck of the ship in the night. He was on the quietest part of the deck - away from where the crew needed to do their jobs - looking out over the dark and calm sea.
While Jesper was over the worst of his rather ill-advised crush on Kaz - Kaz who since he’d met Inej had only really had eyes for her - he could still admire how he looked in the moonlight. How the moonlight played over his shoulders and sharp features. And he kept being drawn to Kaz’s bare feet because he didn’t think he’d ever once seen Kaz without shoes. It was vulnerable in a way - and that was one of the last word’s people would ever use to describe Kaz Brekker.
Jesper didn’t have to fully see his face to know he was planning. Plotting. Scheming face he mouthed to himself. Feeling a little silly as there was no one around to appreciate it. He almost said something to Kaz before he saw another shape emerge from the cabins below and he moved further into the shadows.
Inej was in a soft dark shirt and leggings - also barefoot. She had cut some of the length off her hair not too long ago and it sat soft just past her shoulders. A night for rare sights all around, Jesper was sure it would be back in her regular braid tomorrow when she was leading her crew.
Kaz turned around on the rail to look at her before she spoke. Jesper had only seen her approach because of the angle he was at - he certainly hadn’t heard her - but Kaz knew exactly when to turn.
“You disappeared.” Inej’s voice was soft and just travelled to Jesper’s ears.
“I needed to think.”
“Scheming?”
“Maybe a little.”
She stepped closer and she held out her hand - a question - and he took it. “I thought we were trying to take your mind off things …” her tone of voice left not much doubt what they had been doing in her cabin. Oh.
Kaz made a sound that was almost a laugh. “And it worked, but with a clear mind some things started to fit into place. We still have a job to do once we get there.”
Kaz always needed a puzzle to solve. A different type of restlessness than what Jesper usually experienced - his has always been more physical - but he knew the feeling well enough. After all, it was what had brought him to his own wandering tonight.
“And I find it easier to do that looking out over something,” Kaz continued. “And the calm sea will have to be a substitute for the canals and rooftops of Ketterdam.”
“A substitute?”
“A poor one.”
“Hmm. Well you’re welcome to head back there Mister Brekker if you find my ship’s ambience not to your liking …” Inej’s tone was light. Teasing.
“It has its compensations. You’re here,” he said the last part softly but with conviction.
Jesper felt his eyebrows rise as it was truly the softest - and dare he say sweetest - that he’d ever heard Kaz’s raspy voice sound. Kaz was never going to be one to share his feelings easily (well feelings other than anger and disappointment, he was pretty good at sharing those) but step by step Jesper noticed that he was getting better at it, even if it was in quiet moments, and in safe spaces like this ship. And his softest moments were always for Inej.
It was quiet for a second before he heard Inej’s voice, easily reaching his ears this time.
“... so when do you think we can drop Jesper in the ocean and leave him for dead?”
“Have you ever made someone walk the plank? Isn’t that what pirate captains do? Didn’t you say there were sharks nearby?”
“Hey!” He raised his head.
Kaz and Inej both turned around to look right at his hiding spot. It was a little synchronised and creepy to be honest. They’d often been on the same wavelength but things had only gotten worse when they’d actually worked out a way to be together that worked for them. Wy and him weren’t like that, were they?
“Wait, how did you know I was there?”
“That cologne is really strong, Jes,” Inej replied.
He sniffed his jacket. Mmm sandalwood. Wylan had never said anything.
“I’m going to tell people how sweet you two are.” He didn’t mean it, but well he had to say something back, they both couldn’t be allowed to look so smug and superior.
“Jesper, I’m sure it’ll be difficult to attach concrete blocks to you and drop you in the ocean, but I’ve got nothing but time on this ship to figure it out.” There wasn’t a lot of heat to Kaz’s words, but Jesper didn’t doubt that he’d started considering how he’d do it.
He saw a small smile cross Inej’s lips. Bloodthirsty the two of them. And to their good friend!
“I’m going, I’m going.”
“So sweet,” he said softly as he walked away, but if they heard him they didn’t reply.