She smiles brightly at the trick, eyes alight with her amusement. How he does that sort of sleight of hand work so easily fascinates her; it's not so unlike the way she moves in and out of shadows. She never wants to know the truth of those tricks, maddening as it is to watch coins or candy wrappers seem to disappear into nothing with little more than a well-practiced wave of his hand or flick of his wrist... the mystery is why she loves seeing it.
Maybe mystery is what draws her to him.
"People do love plays on words," she agrees with a slight nod, it just makes sense. She smiles as he talks about the business. Same as he would any other under his watch, but that's the thing, isn't it? The product doesn't matter, it's the man at the top of the chain pulling the strings, and Kaz knows how to run a successful business just about better than anyone, she thinks.
She nods at the offer, "I think I will. They'd like that."
At heart Kaz isn’t a performer the way her family is. He’s never felt the draw to make a living off of thrilling an audience. Yet at the same time, he can appreciate the allure of it. He might have adapted that street magician’s tricks to his own uses, but Kaz recalls the awe and wonder it brought to him. For many years he lost that sense of playfulness and delight, and it took seeing Inej in all her glory to bring him back to that untainted part of his childhood. She reminds him of the good in the world when his vision tunnels to simply his own wants and needs. Delighting her with little tricks when she embodies magic itself for him is something he hopes to do for years to come.
He rubs his eyes a little, but it’s a pleasant tiredness rather than bone-deep weariness. There’s comfort and familiarity in having Inej in his bedroom and office once more, perched on his desk or on her windowsill. In talking about anything and nothing, from debating unsolved crimes to teasing one another over fate and the manners of birds. He folds his arms on the table after, speaking of no manners, and simply enjoys watching her form folded up lithely at his side. He doesn’t say that he cares more if she would like that than he does the rest of her crew, except perhaps Specht whom he’s worked with personally for years before he left to return to a life on the sea with her. Kaz always prioritizes those he cares about most, and he’s not apologetic about it. “Only downside is I won’t get to see you tipsy out there,” he teases her. “I’d hate to miss a drunk Inej balancing on the plank.”
She smirks softly at the teasing jab and can’t help the one that dances off her tongue in response, “Bring out the bourbon and you can see me tipsy tonight.”
She surprises herself with the things that come out of her own mouth sometimes, and her tongue is loosest when she’s with people she is truly comfortable with. Few and far between as they may be… Kaz is definitely one of those few.
“Do you want an orange peel and some bitters to go with that?” he teases as he gets to his feet. It’s a short walk, only a few steps, so he doesn’t bother with his cane so his hands can remain free. He has a small liquor stash in his bedroom office. Nothing to make fancy drinks, only the preferred liquor choices of his closest friends and some glasses. There’s bourbon for Inej, whiskey for himself and Jesper, kvas for Nina and brandy for Wylan.
Pouring two fingers into the glasses of the respective booze choices, he offers the bourbon to Inej before settling back in his seat with his whiskey. He’s glad she’s comfortable with him, they’ve wiled away many long nights in his room by this point. Most he’d be annoyed with by now, but he misses her now when she’s gone and he works in utter silence late at night.
“To seeing if you now sing sea shanties when drunk,” he jokes as a pretend toast, raising his glass and taking a sip. It burns his throat and belly, then is followed by the pleasant sweet aftertaste and warmth. He doesn’t plan to really get drunk, but getting tipsy isn’t past him.
"Real women drink their bourbon straight," she smirks as she watches him go to pour them both a drink. She'll accept one from him, but she learned awhile ago to be careful when Nina is controlling the drinks- she has such a heavy hand, it's near-impossible to not get completely sloshed.
She smiles her thanks as she takes the glass offered to her. She laughs at the mock toast and lightly clinks her glass against his own before taking that first, burning sip of her bourbon.
"I don't." Stated for the record, but there's still a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.
“I’ll let all the fake ones I come across know. Next time I’ll just hand you the bottle to swig.” Nina does have an incredibly high tolerance. A suspiciously high tolerance Kaz sometimes teases. He wonders if her heartrender abilities help her to metabolize booze faster. Kaz likes to think he has a decent tolerance, but Nina and Jesper shoot his out of the water. Then again, he’s both not a Grisha and he also doesn’t let himself get really drunk much. Tipsy sure, but Kaz is too much of a control freak to ever want to get to the point in drinking where he can’t control what he’s doing or thinking.
Besides, seeing Inej’s smile and hearing her laugh makes him feel warm and lightheaded without even taking a sip yet.
Settling back down in his seat, he takes a drink finally, enjoying the burn from his throat to his belly and how it’s followed by another warm and sweet sensation and taste. Might this be what it’d feel like to kiss her?
He swallows another sip.
“Mm. You don’t yet,” he teases her, leaning back in his chair and giving her a mischievous look.
“I wouldn’t object,” if only because being so casual with him is a little bit like a game to her sometimes. Toeing the line, trying to push just to see how comfortable and relaxed he’d allow himself to be with her. Just the two of them, no distractions except the other’s company. He has surprised her on more than one occasion.
She would love to see him right and properly drunk. She’s careful, but with their Crows? She knows she is safe. She’s been drunk in his presence after many a successful execution of plans. But Kaz doesn’t ever really let go of the iron grip he has on himself, his self control never truly gone.
“We’ll see…” she trails off with another sip, the smile on her face still showing over the rim of her glass.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-08-31 06:55 pm (UTC)Maybe mystery is what draws her to him.
"People do love plays on words," she agrees with a slight nod, it just makes sense. She smiles as he talks about the business. Same as he would any other under his watch, but that's the thing, isn't it? The product doesn't matter, it's the man at the top of the chain pulling the strings, and Kaz knows how to run a successful business just about better than anyone, she thinks.
She nods at the offer, "I think I will. They'd like that."
no subject
Date: 2023-09-02 04:21 pm (UTC)He rubs his eyes a little, but it’s a pleasant tiredness rather than bone-deep weariness. There’s comfort and familiarity in having Inej in his bedroom and office once more, perched on his desk or on her windowsill. In talking about anything and nothing, from debating unsolved crimes to teasing one another over fate and the manners of birds. He folds his arms on the table after, speaking of no manners, and simply enjoys watching her form folded up lithely at his side. He doesn’t say that he cares more if she would like that than he does the rest of her crew, except perhaps Specht whom he’s worked with personally for years before he left to return to a life on the sea with her. Kaz always prioritizes those he cares about most, and he’s not apologetic about it. “Only downside is I won’t get to see you tipsy out there,” he teases her. “I’d hate to miss a drunk Inej balancing on the plank.”
no subject
Date: 2023-09-22 09:10 pm (UTC)She surprises herself with the things that come out of her own mouth sometimes, and her tongue is loosest when she’s with people she is truly comfortable with. Few and far between as they may be… Kaz is definitely one of those few.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-23 02:31 pm (UTC)Pouring two fingers into the glasses of the respective booze choices, he offers the bourbon to Inej before settling back in his seat with his whiskey. He’s glad she’s comfortable with him, they’ve wiled away many long nights in his room by this point. Most he’d be annoyed with by now, but he misses her now when she’s gone and he works in utter silence late at night.
“To seeing if you now sing sea shanties when drunk,” he jokes as a pretend toast, raising his glass and taking a sip. It burns his throat and belly, then is followed by the pleasant sweet aftertaste and warmth. He doesn’t plan to really get drunk, but getting tipsy isn’t past him.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-27 12:34 pm (UTC)She smiles her thanks as she takes the glass offered to her. She laughs at the mock toast and lightly clinks her glass against his own before taking that first, burning sip of her bourbon.
"I don't." Stated for the record, but there's still a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-28 11:41 am (UTC)Besides, seeing Inej’s smile and hearing her laugh makes him feel warm and lightheaded without even taking a sip yet.
Settling back down in his seat, he takes a drink finally, enjoying the burn from his throat to his belly and how it’s followed by another warm and sweet sensation and taste. Might this be what it’d feel like to kiss her?
He swallows another sip.
“Mm. You don’t yet,” he teases her, leaning back in his chair and giving her a mischievous look.
maybe wrapping this one soon? ❤️
Date: 2023-09-29 08:23 pm (UTC)She would love to see him right and properly drunk. She’s careful, but with their Crows? She knows she is safe. She’s been drunk in his presence after many a successful execution of plans. But Kaz doesn’t ever really let go of the iron grip he has on himself, his self control never truly gone.
“We’ll see…” she trails off with another sip, the smile on her face still showing over the rim of her glass.
We can wrap!
Date: 2023-09-30 01:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-09-30 07:18 pm (UTC)