For Inej

[everymonstrousthing]

With his cane in his hand, he feels more like himself again. More solid on his feet. He hadn't seen her since Valentine's Day, mostly because he's been avoiding her. There's only so much humiliation that he's willing to stomach. He might have given her all of the peace in the world, if it wasn't for the fact that he can't stop thinking about the warm press of her mouth on his.

There's a bakery just down the road from Dimera that does small fruit cakes not a million miles away from things she would have liked in Ketterdam. He's got a box tied with twine in one hand so he raps on her door with the head of his cane.

He ignores an uncharacteristic flutter of nerves.

Comments

[the_wraith]

For a second, Inej hates him. She hates Kaz Brekker and she hates that he came into her life, pulled her out of that brothel and taught her to become a spy. She hates that it's because of Kaz Brekker that she recognizes that rap against her door, knows the weight of his cane and how it sounds against wood.

It's Kaz Brekker's fault that Inej knows it's Kaz Brekker at her door. But it's her own damn fault that she's too stubborn to try to hide. There's an open window; she lives on the top floor. Escape is at hand. But she gets up from her spot on the floor where she's stretching and heads to the door. She's barefoot in soft black pants (the girl in the store had called them yoga pants but Inej doesn't know what yoga is) and a black tank top, her hair pulled back into a loose braid.

She's prepared for Kaz at her doorstep, always so finely tailored, always looking so sharp in every way. But it's one of her favorite waistcoats he has on and she's not stupid enough to think that's just coincidence. He's got a little white box in one hand and the scent of something fruity and freshly baked wafts warmly into the air.

He's come to ask her forgiveness.

"You found your cane," she says, ignoring everything else.