[Fic] "If Today Be Sweet" -- Six of Crows
Summary: When Inej woke, late morning sun lying heavy and hot against her closed eyelids, she could tell by the empty echoes that Kaz had long since left the room. [630 words]
Note: Written for
musesfool, in response to the prompt: Six of Crows, Kaz/Inej, comfort waffles. Part of Hold Me: a comfort promptfest hosted by
sholio.
[ETA: the AO3 crosspost is now up!]
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If Today Be Sweet
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When Inej woke, late morning sun lying heavy and hot against her closed eyelids, she could tell by the empty echoes that Kaz had long since left the room. When she opened her eyes, she saw his spare blanket folded and neatly laid over the back of his armchair, as if he'd never curled under it and clutched the edges close with bare and trembling hands.
Some nights, they could sleep together even when ghosts dripped poison in their heads and scars screamed in their flesh and bones. Other nights were worse.
This had been a bad one.
But the sun was bright, the breeze blew sweet and green from the gardens and orchards that lined the city's inland edge, and the raucous clatter of the Barrel swept in through Kaz's window like a clarion call, tugging Inej up and out. She dressed, considered the door, and then left through the window for old times' sake. Ketterdam's roofs were nothing like a ship's rigging, but the bricks and wood greeted her hands and feet like friends too long absent, and she smiled to herself as she climbed and leapt: the Wraith returned to her hunting grounds, though today's chase was for a lighter purpose.
She found Kaz in Nina's favorite waffle house, sipping coffee at a delicate two-seat table with what looked like one of Jesper's old university books propped open before him.
Inej slipped into the opposite chair and tapped his good leg with her slippered foot. "You look almost respectable."
"Only almost?" Kaz said without looking up from his reading. Economics, judging by the title. It sounded hideously dry.
"It's a good thing. I couldn't be seen with anyone truly respectable," Inej said.
Now Kaz snapped the book shut and smiled at her, a sharp sliver of steel softened by the genuine happiness in the corners of his eyes. "Isn't it lucky the same holds true for me. The waffles should be ready in a minute."
"Did you get--"
"--strawberries for yours? Of course." Kaz glanced down, eyes catching on his gloved hands. "Last night was--"
Inej pressed her own bare fingers to the blood-warm leather, felt him still at her touch like a skittish foal. "It happens. Do you know one thing I've learned at sea? If you don't have a grisha, sometimes the wind shifts for no reason. It's nobody's fault. You just re-set the sails and work with the new direction. If sailors can adjust a piece of cloth when the wind shifts, we can adjust when one of us has a bad night. I refuse to let my past chain me."
"You were always better at freedom than I was," Kaz murmured.
"You held out your hand to me when I was drowning, and I still took years to trust you," Inej said. "Nobody held out a hand for you. Of course your armor is heavier. But I won't pull back now."
Dishes clattered to her right, and she tugged Kaz's hand off the edge of the table so the waiter could set down the two plates of waffles -- one covered in strawberries and cream, the other with only a dab of butter and a sprinkle of sugar -- and a fresh cup of coffee for each.
"Anything else?" the waiter asked.
Kaz shook his head. "Not now."
As the waiter left, Kaz turned his gloved hand in Inej's grip. "I appreciate the sentiment, but if you don't let go breakfast will be awkward."
"You love a challenge," Inej said with a tiny smile. "I've claimed your hand as spoils of battle, and I'll keep it until you believe me. In the meantime, it's a beautiful day and you bought us delicious waffles. Let's make the most of the wind while it's blowing our way."
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End of Ficlet
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Sometimes it's really nice to write tiny finger exercises. :) If you want to comment on this post, you can do so over here on Dreamwidth, where there are currently (
comments)
Note: Written for
musesfool, in response to the prompt: Six of Crows, Kaz/Inej, comfort waffles. Part of Hold Me: a comfort promptfest hosted by
sholio.
[ETA: the AO3 crosspost is now up!]
---------------------------------------------
If Today Be Sweet
---------------------------------------------
When Inej woke, late morning sun lying heavy and hot against her closed eyelids, she could tell by the empty echoes that Kaz had long since left the room. When she opened her eyes, she saw his spare blanket folded and neatly laid over the back of his armchair, as if he'd never curled under it and clutched the edges close with bare and trembling hands.
Some nights, they could sleep together even when ghosts dripped poison in their heads and scars screamed in their flesh and bones. Other nights were worse.
This had been a bad one.
But the sun was bright, the breeze blew sweet and green from the gardens and orchards that lined the city's inland edge, and the raucous clatter of the Barrel swept in through Kaz's window like a clarion call, tugging Inej up and out. She dressed, considered the door, and then left through the window for old times' sake. Ketterdam's roofs were nothing like a ship's rigging, but the bricks and wood greeted her hands and feet like friends too long absent, and she smiled to herself as she climbed and leapt: the Wraith returned to her hunting grounds, though today's chase was for a lighter purpose.
She found Kaz in Nina's favorite waffle house, sipping coffee at a delicate two-seat table with what looked like one of Jesper's old university books propped open before him.
Inej slipped into the opposite chair and tapped his good leg with her slippered foot. "You look almost respectable."
"Only almost?" Kaz said without looking up from his reading. Economics, judging by the title. It sounded hideously dry.
"It's a good thing. I couldn't be seen with anyone truly respectable," Inej said.
Now Kaz snapped the book shut and smiled at her, a sharp sliver of steel softened by the genuine happiness in the corners of his eyes. "Isn't it lucky the same holds true for me. The waffles should be ready in a minute."
"Did you get--"
"--strawberries for yours? Of course." Kaz glanced down, eyes catching on his gloved hands. "Last night was--"
Inej pressed her own bare fingers to the blood-warm leather, felt him still at her touch like a skittish foal. "It happens. Do you know one thing I've learned at sea? If you don't have a grisha, sometimes the wind shifts for no reason. It's nobody's fault. You just re-set the sails and work with the new direction. If sailors can adjust a piece of cloth when the wind shifts, we can adjust when one of us has a bad night. I refuse to let my past chain me."
"You were always better at freedom than I was," Kaz murmured.
"You held out your hand to me when I was drowning, and I still took years to trust you," Inej said. "Nobody held out a hand for you. Of course your armor is heavier. But I won't pull back now."
Dishes clattered to her right, and she tugged Kaz's hand off the edge of the table so the waiter could set down the two plates of waffles -- one covered in strawberries and cream, the other with only a dab of butter and a sprinkle of sugar -- and a fresh cup of coffee for each.
"Anything else?" the waiter asked.
Kaz shook his head. "Not now."
As the waiter left, Kaz turned his gloved hand in Inej's grip. "I appreciate the sentiment, but if you don't let go breakfast will be awkward."
"You love a challenge," Inej said with a tiny smile. "I've claimed your hand as spoils of battle, and I'll keep it until you believe me. In the meantime, it's a beautiful day and you bought us delicious waffles. Let's make the most of the wind while it's blowing our way."
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End of Ficlet
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Sometimes it's really nice to write tiny finger exercises. :) If you want to comment on this post, you can do so over here on Dreamwidth, where there are currently (
comments)