IC/Overflow Post

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Random messages and thread continuations welcome here!

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Nina does have questionably effusive sentiments towards her meals, doesn't she.

[He is not going to admit he and the cat have gotten that close even though he comforts it when there's gunfire. Though there's a little flip flop in his stomach at her next statement. Funny how he'd be on the defensive only at any other acknowledging his softness, though he's still gruff now because he knows no other way to receive a compliment that isn't about his brutal nature.]

Yes, Ketterdam feasts on the rodents that civilized society pretends wouldn't eat them whole otherwise.

[It's not what she meant. He knows it. She knows this life, he's lived it. It's a knee-jerk reaction to her admitting she'll carry parts of him while he knows and appreciates she won't wait for him forever to get himelf together.]

That.. wasn't at you. It was at others we're dealing with. [He wouldn't normally explain but for her, he will since she's not around to also scoff at those he means.] I trust you to handle a mouse assassin and rations thief, you've some practice at it.

I didn't mean you, Inej.

[agile]

I know.

[ He needs to stop worrying so much. If he's going to criticise her, he'll do so directly. That's something that she had once feared with him, having been fresh out of the Menagerie and Tante Heleen's sharp criticisms, but she soon realised that Kaz Brekker only gave critique to see someone grow stronger. He never did so to make anyone feel weaker.

And he thinks entirely too kindly of her. She pretends to be strong enough to handle mice, but she'll gladly hide behind the likes of Jesper and Specht if one so much as appears. ]

But sometimes it's nice to have help. And I wouldn't mind a fluffy friend as long as it doesn't mind being wet most of the time.

But I am surprised you don't have an issue with its name. Do I spy someone who you've finally deemed worthy of your name, Kaz Brekker?

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It lives in Ketterdam so it's probably used to being wet most of the time. I can hear it raining even now.


Or… silence speaks volumes.


Kazzle sounds like some sort of kitchen tool.

[agile]

Kazzle sounds like a ferocious sea monster slayer.

[ Excuse you, Kaz! She won't allow her newest crew member to be slandered in such a manner.

Besides, being a little ridiculous is fun. She imagines Kaz rolling his eyes at her Jesper-like antics. ]

No monster ever gets away from him. They all quiver in fear when they hear his meows.

I'm assuming it's a him?

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It sounds like a fruit peeler that might also juice. Which could come in handy on a boat. Staving off scurvy and all.


[She’s lucky he misses her.]


It’s a he. If there’s a female to match she’s still keeping to the shadows.


Also, how long have you had that nickname you’ve been wanting to use?


[Technically, Kaz isn’t his full name either, but he doesn’t think she seriously considers Kazzle in the running as a real option.]

[agile]

A couple of years. Jesper and I were workshopping nicknames for me and then we realized you have a very un-nicknameable name.

[ "Kaz" is just so short! Inej doesn't wish to tell him that Jesper did suggest "Breakfast" as one. It'd been one of his more uninspired nicknames. ]

We're still workshopping, in case that wasn't obvious.

I might suggest "Juicer" or "Fruit Peeler".

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It wouldn't be satisfying if it was easy, would it?

What did you two come up with for you?

[Really, only Jesper has an easy nickname now that he thinks on it.]

I don't think 'Juicer' would bring fruit to most people's minds. Kaz is fine.

[agile]

In. Ej. Knife Girl. Hey, you!

You can see why we're still brainstorming. Although, I do prefer "Hey, you!" It feels incredibly personal.

[ They're all such horrible nicknames. ]

You're right. I feel like Jesper would be very jealous that you got to be "Juicy" while he didn't.

We were considering calling you "Eyebrows". You do have the best eyebrows out of all of us.

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I'm just glad to know you're all so productive when left to your own devices.

[Yes, that is definitely sarcasm.]

I don't want to know what he'd do with such a nickname.

I have large ones and I'm not afraid to scowl with them, is what you mean.

I could just start numbering you all. You and Jesper could battle over who gets to be Crow One and Crow Two.

[agile]

Your eyebrows are expressive, Kaz. Why do you always have to look at everything as though the glass is half empty?

[ And yes… they're large, but they're long and he's emotive with them even if he doesn't realise he is. It's one of the pieces of him that she feels isn't so stoic and trapped beneath his facade of being untouchable. She likes that about him, his stupid eyebrows. ]

I'm clearly Crow Two. Perhaps Three, now that Wylan is around to ensure that Jesper behaves. That surely must've earned him a promotion in the ranks.

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There are some things I don't look at like that.

[Someone's at least.]

Mm, it's sometimes a toss up on which of them is influencing the other.

They seem happy, though.

[agile]

They are to a nauseating degree.

[ Jesper deserves that kind of happiness, and so does Wylan. He's sweeter than any of them could ever be, and yet she doubts he'll grow jaded during his time with the Dregs. ]

I did notice that you count yourself the leader of the Crows. Maybe you're actually Crow #6?

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Jesper keeps giving me third wheel invites when they go out.

[He knows it's Jesper trying to look out for him since Inej is gone. Kaz gets it. Chewing his own arm off is still more appealing, even if he can appreciate the motivation.]

If higher numbers indicate having brought in better scores, then sure.

[Plus, he's the first one to start making their little band, and he knows he'll be the last one, too. That thought is too depressing to ponder though so he shoves it aside.]

I hope you stocked up on rations so you're not left just eating fish these days. It would be awkward if you returned and started growing scales.

[agile]

This is really awkward. I've already grown gills.

[ She has a feeling he'll still like her despite that fact. Inej doesn't let herself think about what it means for him to still like her even if she was to return to him changed. (Is it obnoxious? Arrogant? Presumptuous?) ]

Specht says the scales will follow shortly. I'm hoping to develop rainbow ones.

I actually caught my first fish the other day. I had no idea what to do with it, so I accidentally threw it back into the sea. They're so slippery, Kaz. Worse than roof tiles after heavy rain.

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I suppose gills would at least be useful.


You must miss Jesper if you want every color scales.


[It's not even a question he thinks needs answering, on whether he'd care what she looks like or not.]


When in doubt 'release' is exactly the reaction I'd picture you having.

[agile]

You think very kindly of me. "Release" implies some level of control over letting the fish go. If Jesper asks about my fishing exploits, I'm going to insist I released him and didn't let him slip from my hands.

Have you ever fished?

[ Did Jordie ever take him to the edge of the water? It's something she'd like to imagine, a young Kaz sitting beside his big brother, eager to learn how to reel a fish in. ]

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You can always catch two fish the next time, though that’s not the same as swindling the same one twice.


For information? Rather incessantly. The other kind, not so much, no. Maybe once or twice.


[The farm in southern Kerch where he was born wasn’t on the water’s edge, so walking a number of miles had been too exhausting to make it a regular endeavor. By the time he’d made his way to Ketterdam, there was no place to cook a fish let alone easily buy or make a fishing pole.]


I rather suspect the patience and reeling in process between the two is remarkably similar.

[agile]

[ Of course, he takes her question about "fishing" to be about information. It's almost like Kaz can never let his walls down. ]

Did you want to fish?

And before you purposefully misinterpret the question, for fish with scales, not information.

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I covered all the bases with the question.

Isn’t the main purpose in fishing to drink?

Is that why the fish ‘slipped’ through your fingers, Inej?

[agile]

[ Saints!!!

She's ignoring him going all Kaz on her. ]

Did you, the most exasperating man I've ever met, want to fish with me?

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From the sound of it, you do need my help.


[Sensing he’s nearing the end of her patience, or perhaps having placed his toes a little over that line, he relents and reels it back because he doesn’t actually want to make her end the talk in a huff.]


Yes. I’d like to go fishing with you.


And yes. I’ve been fishing before. Not often, though.

[agile]

Once I'm in Ketterdam, that's what we'll do. We'll fish.

And you can show me how good of a fisherman you are. I'm sure you'll have a lot to teach me about baiting.

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I’m surprised Wylan has yet to create an explosion to draw all the fish to the surface for easy netting.

Then again I have had him busy working on other projects.

Inej. There wasn’t even a proper pole used the last time I fished.

Though I appreciate your faith in my abilities to bait in every context.

[Any fish caught were by sheer determination, not skill. Rather his fighting style in general, though he’s gotten somewhat more refined over the many years of figuring out how to pull dirty tricks.]

[agile]

I'll get you a proper pole.

[ Problem solved. ]

And we can either invite Wylan along to throw a bomb into the water or you can ask him now to create one for the purpose of fishing.

[ While Inej suspects that Kaz could simply be humouring her, she's excited to return home and do this with him if he allows it. Even if she fails at capturing a fish, she knows she'll have fun. Perhaps he'll even crack a smile at her being unable to either snag a fish or take it off the hook. ]

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[He starts to type, then stops. It isn't that he can't buy a pole for himself these days. He was going to rather frankly state that much. It's that Inej thinks that with a proper pole, Kaz Brekker could work miracles among fish. And at the end of the day, and gods this is a long day but he's stubborn enough to fight daylight yet, he wants to live up to that image. Even if it means he's going to practice before she gets home.]

I just need the cane, a good line, and tricky bait. All I can cover.

[Is he going to catch a fish using his cane now? Damned right.]

Wylan doesn’t get up as early as I do. Maybe he can join us at the end of our excursion, to make a proper show of it. Don’t worry about the scraps.

[What can be smoked he’ll see gets fed to those that need it. Kaz has slowly been broadening his protective borders as more turn up on his doorstep. Though he’s yet to claim it a habit, let alone accept credit. These people have uses. They’re informants when he needs them to be. He still finds a self serving purpose in it.]

I’m not asking him anything now. I’m hoping if I’m quiet they won’t knock and ask if I want to join for a nightcap.