noreasonneeded | IC/Overflow Post

I'd get you some hairball paste.

[He can be very funny and she is greatful to get to see that side of him.

The joint popping sounds so rough for someone as young as he is and it does make her wonder how much damage he's sustained in these short years.

She isn't long in the bathroom, just long enough to empty her bladder, comb her hair and brush her teeth. And while she's there she can start smelling both the coffee and food being made.

She makes her way back to the living area.]

Now you are going to spoil me, making me breakfast.

[A lot of damage to be sure, but there's a resilience to Kaz despite that - or perhaps in part because of it. And while she's kindhearted to care, the aches and pains don't bother him too much right now. He's rested, about to have coffee with her company, and then humiliate the people who tried to kill him - Kaz Brekker doesn't do cheerful, but he's in as good a mood as he can get.

He glances over at her when she enters, shifting so she can look in the pan to see what he's doing.]

It's pretty simple. Thought I'd ask you before adding any spice.

[It's just eggs, onions, cheese, and peppers right now, but if she's a fan of spice he's not above adding some hot sauce to it, too.]

I didn't go hairball crazy with it.

[She has admiration for his continued persistence despite everything. And he still has a level of kindness to him that is often absent in people who have suffered greatly.]

I don't mind a bit of spice. It smells really nice.

[It's simple, and that is usually what she prefers in the mornings anyway.]

You said you have a goat stomach, I'm sure there's a tin can around here somewhere if you need a snack.

[He goes a little less on the salt and adds in some dashes of hot sauce then, along with the black pepper.]

Don't put it past me. I'll eat anything as long as it's not poisonous. Nina gets very annoyed when I just say everything is 'fine' and shovel it in. I can handle the basics in cooking, though. I grew up in a very 'eat or be eaten' situation, so I learned to fend for myself.

How about you, how are you at cooking?

You learned to just eat what was edible. That makes sense.

I'm pretty good at it, I just tend to lack the motivation to cook for just myself. I eat a lot of salad on my own.

Essentially, yeah. I'm not above eating anything. [There's a very long pause.] My brother used to get me these omelets from cart stands. I can't make an omelet for shit, but if you find them in the financial district of Ketterdam, you should try one.

[Coming from the country, omelet stands had sincerely fascinated Kaz and Jordie had indulged him, more than their finances should have allowed. Still. He'd just been a 13 year old kid trying to make his little brother happy.]

I get that, yeah. You're better than me with making salads. I eat snacks or food on the go a lot. Food stalls or quick diner trips. Or whatever's in the pantry.

[She keeps being gifted these tiny glimpses behind his walls and each one feels like Christmas morning.]

If I want to make you nostalgic in the morning, I'll make an omelet. What's your favorite thing to put in them?

[She isn't surprised to find that he just eats whatever he can find while working.]

Some of the food stalls around here are fantastic. I grab something on the way home from the university pretty regularly.

Just cheese is fine. Though what we're having is good, too. Onions and peppers. Did you teach yourself how to make them, or have you been muse to a chef?

[He's sticking to happy memories right now, but it's absolutely more than he's shared with just about anyone.]

Yeah, Ketterdam being a port city pays off in really good global food. I'm not surprised you do, I'm guessing you're pretty tired by the end of teaching for the day.

I have been a chefs muse once. He had one of those fancy three star resturants. But omelets I mastered on my own.

[The happy memories are a good start. She quite likes hearing them]

Depends on how the classes go. Somedays the students really make you question why you teach, other times they're wonderful.

Well, schemestress of omelets, can I trust you to put the scramble on some plates while I pour the coffee? And maybe run to the bathroom before I actually drink any of it.

[He moves to gather two mugs for their drinks. Pouring the coffee in he leaves his black, though he realizes he doesn't actually know her preference. They're normally together at night, when Stella as a reasonable person doesn't chug coffee like Kaz does.]

What do you put in yours?

I think I will somehow manage that.

[She is already grabbing plates and dishing out some breakfast.]

Two sugars.

[He does display an impressive caffeine tolerance.]

I figured you'd want it sweet.

[The sugar is already on hand as he puts two into the cup. As for displaying an impressive caffeine tolerance - impressive, or severely questionable? Either or.

He sets the mug down beside her on the kitchen counter and pretends to linger watching her as she dishes it out to make sure she's doing it right.]

Just gonna leave that onion hanging right there in the pan then, are you?

[He gives her a very innocent look.]

Because of my incredibly sweet personality?

[She arches a brow at him and uses a fork to grab the lone onion that's been left behind.]

The temptation to poke you in the cheek with this is so strong.

[She holds up the vegetable as a playful threat.]

Of course, I figure it's fueled by sugar, port, and sweet wine.

[He holds up one hand, his cane in his other, as he backs away.]

I was being helpful! ... I'm going, I'm going.

[He heads to her bathroom to relieve himself and simply run a hand through his hair. It mostly gets brushed back into place with just his fingers.

When returning he makes a beeline for the coffee, lifting the mug up and taking a sip.]

It's not bad.

You know I wouldn't.

[She feels bad as he backs away. She eats the onion off the fork. She is waiting for him to instigate touch whenever he is ready for it. Even if it takes years.

She watches him go and sips her coffee.]

You made it. I just get a medium roast so it isn't too bitter.

[As badly as he needs to go, Kaz did pause at hearing her sound like she feels poorly and tries to reassure her.]

I know you weren't serious. I wasn't, either.

[He'd figured she was joking and his backing away had been meant playfully. Though he supposes wires get crossed. It's one reason communication in his mind is dreadful even if people keep reasonably pointing out to him it's necessary and healthy.]

I'll be back in a minute. We can talk more then.

[He returns refreshed and ready for coffee, leaning against the counter as he drinks.]

You can get credit for the purchase, then. Though I don't mind when it's bitter. Did you eat yet?

Sorry, I worry sometimes.

[Stella is aware that he is, in many ways, incredibly delicate. She tries to tread very carefully. When he gets back she is taking a bite of the food, once she's swallowed she nods.]

I'm working on it.

You don't have to worry about me.

[He's very used to being the one looking out for everyone else, it's the role he's comfortable inhabiting.]

Yeah? Good. [He tries some of the scramble for himself. It's certainly not fine cuisine, but for a quick home cook meal, he finds it decent.] Also not bad. Though we also have your stocked fridge to thank for it.

[That makes her arch a brow.]

You're incredibly tough; but not unable to be hurt.

[Both physically and emotionally.]

I try to keep enough in my kitchen so I always have something easy on hand.

Pain's easy to handle.

[It's the living beyond the hurt that's the harder part. Though moments like this help clear that path a little more. Moments outside of just his work or quest for revenge.]

It's good thinking ahead. I try and do the same at the Slat, always have something on hand.

[Not just for himself, but all the crew. Everyone under Kaz's wing have a roof over their heads and food to eat if they want it. Though any specialty items or personal snacks, those come out of their own pockets.]

Physical pain can be. It doesn't dig as deep.

[Having your world turned upside down with grief is far worse than any physical pain she's experienced.]

You're basically the Dad crow, you do realize that? It's very endearing.

[He takes care of his crew as family and Stella finds that to be incredibly sweet.]

[Kaz’s first instinct is to respond that if one shuts their emotions down, even grief can glide off stone. What he’s come to learn however is that while his pain is very real, it doesn’t make him special. Stella isn’t talking about him right now. And while he might at one point have fled rather than talk about emotions, his or anyone else’s, he remains standing there albeit awkwardly.]

It sounds like you have a lot buried. Or perhaps you’ve shoveled it up.

[She gets a snort at the rest.]

They’re just worse than cats if you don’t feed them, and just as bad to herd.

A substantial number of years leads to a lot of shitty things happening to you.

[She gives a little shrug. While she deals with her emotions pretty well, there are still many things she has seen and experienced that she tries to keep buried deep in her mind.

If you live long enough you experience the feast and the famine.]

You're the boss cat then? Bringing home mice so they don't squabble?

I can imagine. For what it's worth, I hope whatever caused the shitty things has an even shittier time from it.

[He doesn't offer platitudes or promises of a better future, only that life's pains catch up with those that caused them, too. And when life doesn't take care of it by natural order, he's more than fine with comeuppances coming other ways.]

I'm... I cut the checks.

[He does more, of course, but he doesn't really know how to put it into words.

He drains his cup and pours a second.]

Thank you. That is honestly a much better response than some of the bullshit people say.

[People are so quick to offer meaningless platitudes and promises they can't fulfill.]

You care about your adopted family.

[And that is a reasonable thing to do.]

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