“Further proof of your psychosis?” Nina offers sweetly, utterly unperturbed at teasing him as he limps back to his seat after putting the cookies in the oven.
Kaz flips her off as he finishes answering. “It’s a perfectly reasonable and valid use of one’s time. It’s great practice at evading security systems. And showing the wealthy they aren’t entitled to everything money can buy.”
“Spiting your enemies is not a hobby, but you should get one, Kaz.” She says, knowing she’s talking to a brick wall. “Not inviting you to bake with me and Les, though. Stealing cookies doesn’t count, either. You can ask to have some.”
“Dear Nina, sweetest treat of the Slat, will you share your cookies with me?” Kaz places a hand over his heart when delivering that sarcastic plea in an innocent tone.
She laughs. “You’re as charming as a can of cold soup, Kaz.”
“Gazpacho isn’t bad. And that’s not a no,” he points out, in which case he adds as he turns to Piper, “I’ll have a cup here, and then the rest upstairs.” His leg makes him not inclined to walk back up the stairs then down again for the twelve or so minutes they take to bake.
“What he means is, can he please have one here and thanks for getting it for him,” Nina translates dryly before answering the question Les sent her way, “I think I make a great spice cake, and I’ve also made gingerbreads and apple cider breads. All the warm spices are great in cakes, breads, and cookies. Some people don’t find them sweet enough but I love them.”
“She also makes good lemon curds,” Kaz cuts in as he polishes his cane.
Nina faux whispered to Les, “He has a fruit fixation. It’s not as annoying as his revenge fixation, so we let him have it.”
Piper snorts. "You know, for most 'play' just means you're having fun with it, and considering you seem to really enjoy and dare I say it, have fun stealing artwork, I would argue that it is your idea of play. Even if most wouldn't." She watches with an amused look at the play-by-play between Nina and Kaz. She's sure this is how she and Adonis look and sound depending on the day.
She takes a sip from her mug before setting it down and pours one for Kaz and takes it over to him. "I figured that may be the case," she says with an amused smirk. "I'm glad for the refresh of Kaz-isms."
"It has been far too long since I've had a spice cake or gingerbread but I remember really liking both. Not sure I've had an apple cider bread before."
She pauses and gives a mock gasp. "Wait, did you say something was 'good', Kaz Brekker? That is decidedly better than fine. I think you need to mark this on a calendar or something," she says the last part in a mock whisper to Nina.
"A fruit fixation is also a little healthier than a revenge fixation so I'd give him that one too."
“Fun is a social construct made up by people who just aren’t productive enough to find satisfaction in getting ahead. Just like saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are pointless social norms,” Kaz protests. “If someone wants to do something, they’ll do it. If they don’t, they don’t. Adding on a phrase shouldn’t matter if the price and motivation is good enough.”
Nina groans and gives Piper a side eye. “Thanks for giving him caffeine, he can keep going like this all night,” she teases. Really, Kaz doesn’t even need caffeine to do it. The man has two levels he operates at, utter silence or grandstanding. There’s never a middle ground.
Really though, as fun as it is to tease Kaz, Nina loves getting to spend time with her friend who isn’t here as often these days. It doesn’t feel like so long ago they were all under the same roof, with goals that aligned if weren’t identical. She gets Piper’s loyalty to New Orleans, one that’s taken her out of Ketterdam. Hell, Nina’s thought about moving back to Ravka or Fjerda herself. Still, she misses the woman and naturally wants to make the most of their time together. “Tomorrow morning I’ll make some apple cider bread for breakfast,” she promises.
“I didn’t mean good as in taste, I meant good as in being useful,” Kaz clarifies as he sips his coffee. “A lemon pie stings someone’s eyes far worse than a less acidic pie to the face.” Ever practical, of course. “The taste though of the lemons is fine.”
“Go figure his heart belongs to something sour and bitter,” Nina stage whispers to Piper. “And I hope you both are living for more than revenge these days. Tell me about everything important in New Orleans. Don’t leave out the fashion and hot spots to visit.”
"You know I had to," she teases back to Nina and watches Kaz with an amused look. "Ah yes, spoken like a true workaholic." Though let's be honest here, she knew she really didn't have any room to talk or tease. She was just as bad as Kaz was. Though to her credit, she was relearning what it meant to have some fun in her life that wasn't fighting evil or avenging her cousin and boyfriend.
She was glad she had the opportunity to come back and spend time with her friends. It'd been a little too long and she missed Nina, Jesper, and naturally, Kaz though they'd had time to reconnect when he'd been in New Orleans. Still, it wasn't the same as when she'd stayed in Ketterdam. "I look forward to it," she says with a grin at her. She enjoyed their language lessons and looked forward to baking with her. It would give her a good reason to get out of town more and come by for a visit.
Not that she needed a reason but all the same.
She arches an eyebrow at Kaz and hums unconvincingly. "Of course that's how you meant it. Not that I disagree but," she says with an amused smirk. "I still think you need to count this as a win," she says to Nina with a grin, taking a sip of her coffee.
"I think we're both living for a little more than revenge these days. At least, for the most part, I am. You will need to come and visit me sometime soon and I will show you all of the hot spots to check out. Magazine Street has fantastic finds, I think they'd be right up your alley, and of course the Riverwalk Outlets. The food you would love the most though... the whole city is a food lover's dream."
“Calling me a workaholic makes it sound like a problem. I prefer to consider my lifestyle a solution instead,” Kaz banters back. His tone is light and flippant, though not without some truth underscoring it that most might not notice. Diving into work does help keep other parts of his life at bay, an excuse to not deal with them. Though like Piper, he’s lowered his impenetrable walls a little for the people who are family to him now, to where he might complain but he will share a drink with Jesper or share late night waffles with Nina.
“I’ll take the win,” Nina agrees with a grin just as Kaz says simultaneously, “It’s thieves who take, so I must have won.”
Nina shakes her head and gives Piper a ‘you see what I have to put up with?’ look. “That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It does if you think about it. But I know you avoid what makes you think…” Kaz ducks as Nina lobs an orange slice at him.
“You made it land on the floor! Stop wasting food!”
“I should let you hit me so the food’s not wasted?” Kaz asks dryly as he leans over to pick it up and shrugs. “It’s fine.”
“Don’t you dare eat that. Don’t you dare blow on it and then eat it.”
“Why, is the floor that dirty? I can wash it off.” He rises to his feet to rinse off the orange slice.
“That isn’t how germs work, you know. I saw it on an episode of Mythbusters. The five second rule is a myth and so is rinsing off germs.” Nina knows it’s a lost cause though and just shakes her head. “Gross, Kaz. But look who I'm talking to, your body’s nothing but one big infestation at this point. I bet you're immune to everything.”
Why did Kaz’s shoulders bunch up in tension for a moment at that? It only lasts a moment but Nina is puzzled, it’s no worse than their other joking. They'd just been having fun as usual. She casts a quizzical look at Piper but doesn’t say anything, letting the topic shift to one more pleasant. “Yes, PLEASE, I would love to visit. Can I come back with you after the festival? I’m sure I’ll need a few days off. You can show me around and I can show you how good caraway goes in coffee. It’ll be a gateway to showing you that tea is superior.”
Edited (Grammar is asking too much on a Saturday.) Date: 2023-09-23 03:16 pm (UTC)
Piper holds the mug of coffee between both of her hand and watches the two go back and forth with a laugh. There were nights when she wasn't handling her grief and when she was already up but her mind was full of questions like: did we annoy them too much with our constant arguing and fighting? Did we spend too much time working and not enough time enjoying the time we had together?
And while she was sure the answer was yes for both questions, she's not sure they would have done anything different if turning back time and changing things was even a possibility.
It had taken a while to start letting her guard down again and let people in. Some days it was still hard to do but she was glad that eventually, she'd taken a shot with this misfit group. Life had been beyond different for every single one of them and yet somehow they'd all come together around Kaz.
She mentally shakes her head to focus back on the conversation before her and snorts at the look Nina gives her. Piper takes a sip of her coffee and watches as Kaz walks over to wash the orange off so he could pop it into his mouth. "You know, I think I missed that episode," she muses, glancing over at Nina. "I should find it sometime. Never knew."
She noticed the way his shoulders tensed when Nina mentioned being immune to everything and shares a look with her. She couldn't begin to imagine what made him react that way - it wasn't any worse than Nina has teased him about in the past. Still, she lets the conversation change easily and grins.
"You can absolutely come back with me after the festival. I have a spare room and I can show you everything. I'm less sure about this caraway and coffee..." she drags out with a grin. "But willing to try it and see."
It was nice having company. She'd enjoyed it when Kaz came to visit her and she realized how she longed for company at times.
Nina clasps her hands, her eyes dancing. “Perfect. Yes, show me everything. I want to fit in.” A leftover of her spy days, Nina is extremely adept at fitting into just about anywhere, but she’ll also always take any excuse to shop and have a guided tour. “And I think you’ll like it. I promise, it’s good.”
At the start, drawing people to him had been strategic. As a child Kaz had spent several years perfectly fine surviving on his own until he found Pekka Rollins again. He saw the might and muscle the man had at his beck and call, and realized he needed an army of his own to fight back. The next day he found the Dregs, joining them with the intention of whipping them into a shape he could wield against Rollins. Into a weapon, into an army at his disposal. He told himself that fixing up the Slat, providing food and housing and decent wages, was all done with a selfishness in his heart.
It was that, too. It was very much rooted in selfishness.
Not entirely, however.
Dirtyhands, leader of the Dregs, knows his worth and what he offers to make recruiting someone into his crew profitable for them.
Kaz Brekker, the man behind the myth, the one who put a knife in a traumatized girl’s hand and promised her she was dangerous… he’d forgotten that side of himself existed until Jesper, Inej, Nina, Piper, Wylan, and Matthias came into his life. Until they didn’t let him accept the excuses he made for why he did kind things in between the atrocities he committed. He doesn’t feel he deserves his new family, he doesn’t think it will truly last, but he will protect them with everything he has.
Even when he can’t protect himself from memories of the past. His skin itches beneath his gloves, and his lungs feel like they’re filling. He shoves the orange in his mouth to hide drawing in a deep breath. Ripping off the flesh with his teeth, he tosses the peel into the trash. He starts to head out of the room without a word, cane clacking on the floor.
Nina leans back in her seat. “Where are you going?”
“What’s it to you?” It’s a touch more snappish than playful. He evens his tone out. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Cookies should be close to ready when you get back. They don’t take long to bake. Let Jesper and Wylan know, too.” Nina isn’t going to apologize when she doesn’t know what she even did wrong, but it’s still a peace offering of sorts. Kaz gives a nod and leaves the room. Once he’s gone she blows out a breath. “He really is like a drawer full of bees. There’s sometimes honey but always stingers.”
"I have no doubt that you'll fit in no matter where you go," Piper says with a grin. It was something she admired about her, honestly. She herself could only do so in certain areas but to anyone who was sensitive and could pick up on power, she stood out simply due to who she was.
The sudden movement of Kaz leaving the kitchen causes her to blink before turning to Nina.
While she was used to Kaz's quirks from their friendship over the years, sometimes moments like now, threw her for a loop. She was sure there was a reason though. There always was with Kaz. And while she was curious, something that she's always been since a child, she wouldn't bring it up now. Much like her curiosity regarding the gloves. It wasn't the time or place.
He never really pushed her to talk about anything she refused to talk about so she would give him the same consideration. She snorts at Nina's comment and turns toward the door, hearing footsteps heading in their direction. "He has his moments," she muses, shaking her head to herself.
Jesper and Wylan pass Kaz while he's on his way to the bathroom and steps into the kitchen. "Nina, beautiful, did you make cookies? They smell divine. Who stuck the bees in his bonnet?" he says, walking over and pressing a kiss to Nina's cheek then Piper's before grabbing some water.
"Flattery will get you everywhere, including first choice when they get out of the oven." Nina turns her cheek upwards from where she's sitting and smiles at the kiss. She's as physically affectionate as Jesper is, and it's nice to have someone else around who enjoys it. At his question she waves a hand and sighs. "Me, I'm the bees, but who knows what even caused the sting." She looks to Piper for confirmation that what she'd said was mystifying in why it irked Kaz.
Wylan enters in Jesper's shadow, content to be quiet and unobtrusive. He simply smiles and slinks down into a seat, letting Jesper command the stage. It's only when Jesper poses the question that Wylan speaks up, a habit from being raised in a dysfunctional home where he made excuses for everyone around him acting poorly. "He's got a lot going on, he might just be stressed out."
"Kaz thrives on stress. It's when there's not enough stress in his life that he gets more stressed." Nina gives a shrug. "Whatever, it's not like he'll tell us, anyway. The one person he might have told is now sailing the high seas. Who knows if they even still talk or..." her voice trails off as the distinctive sound of a cane thumps to a stop in the doorway. She gives Kaz a beatific smile. "Hi, we were absolutely talking about you." She notices that his sleeves are wet, like he'd harshly scrubbed his hands and arms, and the hair around his face is a little damp. She leaves it be.
"You must have better things to talk about," Kaz comments wryly, leaning against the doorframe.
"Always," Nina assures him, looking back around the small group. It's hard not to still picture Matthias with them in moments like this, but she tries to focus on what and who she does have. "It's been ages since we've all been together like this." Well, almost all together. They're still missing Inej. "Piper was catching us up on everything going on in New Orleans. Wylan and I are very interested in your work, and Jesper will look very fascinated while keeping guard on the cookies. Jes, just take them out when the timer goes off if you're going to hover like that, love."
Piper smiles and presses a quick kiss to his cheek before taking another sip from her mug. She had been more physically affectionate before her life had completely changed and it had taken her a while to feel comfortable with it again (without over worrying about this or that). She honestly appreciates that affection more than she can convey to them in words.
Jesper grins and leans against the counter near the oven. He loved Nina's baking. "That was my goal," he says pointing a finger in her direction. Looking between her and Piper, he gives a little shrug. "If it wasn't you, it would have been someone else perhaps." He'd been that little bee once or twice, he's sure. He glances at Wylan and nods. "Or he's right."
"I have no doubt they talk. Maybe not as often as when she lived here but they talk," Piper muses before hearing the sound of his cane thumping on the floor. She watches as he walks in with the wet sleeves and files it away in the back of her mind like she does so many other things.
Jesper barks out a laugh at Nina's comment because leave it to Nina to be the most straight forward of the lot. "I'm here for the cookies," he says waving a hand at the oven. "I will have you know, I am very interested in your work but... mostly the cookies. You can count on me, love. For this much."
Piper grins and shakes her head. "New Orleans is keeping me busy and there is always something going on. Still sorting out everything that is going on with the place and making it a little better for the witches and Grisha who call it home. It's not so busy that I haven't been able to get away though which is nice. I like getting the opportunity to come back." Though, it's not the same without Inej or Matthias here.
On first glance at her brash nature, the word spy doesn’t immediately come to mind for Nina Zenik. Spies are built like Inej, small and slim, hiding in shadows and scaling walls. Or at least, that’s one popular perception. Nina though is a social chameleon, her power of knowing intimately how a person feels makes her stellar at then knowing how to handle them. She’s right at home charming thugs in a dimly lit tavern as she is sharing tea with kings and queens. A child soldier trained spy who chooses not to play that game any longer by political rules hanging over her head. Perhaps a traditional spy wouldn’t say it like it is right off the cuff and straight from the heart, but Nina thrives in living that way.
Besides, someone like Kaz needs someone in his life to be blunt with him. It doesn’t seem like he has very many who actually do that, for all the love and friends that surround him. Nina can’t blame them for it, because everyone is dealing with their own issues in their own ways. Asking someone like Wylan to confront Kaz is asking for a lot; she only sees it when Kaz is about to cross a moral line that Wylan won’t.
“If I can do anything to help you, let me know,” Nina assures Les regarding her work in New Orleans. “I may not be the most popular Grisha since I left the Second Army, but if they’re hiding out in New Orleans anyway, they might not mind the deflection.” And at the end of the day, a lot of Grisha felt a kinship for their own.
The ding goes off and she waves a hand at Jesper to take the tray out, warning him, “I don’t know if you can touch hot metal or not, but if not, use a pot holder.” The smell in the air is admittedly delightful, though she sighs as Wylan gets up to get some coffee to go with it. “Such a Kerchman,” she teases him, as Kerch is known for being coffee drinkers. “Jesper, you’ll join me in tea against all these coffee beans, won’t you?”
Wylan just smiles and quietly sets out small plates for everyone. Not paper ones - Kaz hates spending money on paper plates when they have perfectly good ones they can just wash.
"Actually, having you in New Orleans for a few days may be perfect. It could help them. There aren't a ton of Grisha, but there's enough that it would be worthwhile meeting up with them. I don't think they're going to be too bothered by the deflection since they've been hiding out in New Orleans making the city their home," Piper admits after giving it a little thought. She wasn't Grisha and she knew that there would be people who would find it easier to connect with someone like Nina.
Jesper takes a minute to look around the room and smiles. They were missing a few people but he liked it when they were all together like this. When the timer dings, Jesper grins. The smell had only gotten better the more he stood there. He grabs a pot holder to take the cookies out. He didn't know if he could touch hot metal or not but he wasn't going to chance it here. Not when he had cookies to look forward to.
Piper laughs and steps away from the coffee pot so he'd have easy access while taking another sip from her mug.
"Of course, I will," he says while setting the cookies down on top of the oven. He enjoyed both equally - coffee and tea.
While Nina was the fanatic sort who only stuck with her kind, she does feel a responsibility towards helping them. She still has some guilt over leaving the army, even if she refuses to apologize for living on her terms. Perhaps helping other Grisha in new ways would bridge those two. Plus, she always wants to help Les out in whatever ways she can. Giving the other woman a warm smile, Nina nods. “You got yourself a deal. I’m looking forward to it.” The mention of a deal makes her think of Kaz, and she glances back towards the doorway where he’s standing.
Where he was standing. The space is now empty, he must have left either to go back upstairs or out the front door.
She gives a little sigh and shake of her head, then turns back to the remaining group. Hearing Jesper confirm he’ll have tea with her makes her grin and rise to her feet. She heads over to set the teapot on the stove to boil. “Lovely of you to not leave me alone,” she teases, giving him a little hip bump. “I think some chai will work just right.” Wylan sits next to Les and she trusts Jesper to dole out the cookies - even if he gives himself more than he hands out to others, she made plenty. There’s a warm feeling of satisfaction in feeding her people, her makeshift family, and she settles in for a pleasant night of it.
[OOC: Feel free to tag if there’s anything you want to add or if you wanna keep it going! Otherwise I think we can wrap this one, too. :) ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-09-06 08:34 pm (UTC)“Further proof of your psychosis?” Nina offers sweetly, utterly unperturbed at teasing him as he limps back to his seat after putting the cookies in the oven.
Kaz flips her off as he finishes answering. “It’s a perfectly reasonable and valid use of one’s time. It’s great practice at evading security systems. And showing the wealthy they aren’t entitled to everything money can buy.”
“Spiting your enemies is not a hobby, but you should get one, Kaz.” She says, knowing she’s talking to a brick wall. “Not inviting you to bake with me and Les, though. Stealing cookies doesn’t count, either. You can ask to have some.”
“Dear Nina, sweetest treat of the Slat, will you share your cookies with me?” Kaz places a hand over his heart when delivering that sarcastic plea in an innocent tone.
She laughs. “You’re as charming as a can of cold soup, Kaz.”
“Gazpacho isn’t bad. And that’s not a no,” he points out, in which case he adds as he turns to Piper, “I’ll have a cup here, and then the rest upstairs.” His leg makes him not inclined to walk back up the stairs then down again for the twelve or so minutes they take to bake.
“What he means is, can he please have one here and thanks for getting it for him,” Nina translates dryly before answering the question Les sent her way, “I think I make a great spice cake, and I’ve also made gingerbreads and apple cider breads. All the warm spices are great in cakes, breads, and cookies. Some people don’t find them sweet enough but I love them.”
“She also makes good lemon curds,” Kaz cuts in as he polishes his cane.
Nina faux whispered to Les, “He has a fruit fixation. It’s not as annoying as his revenge fixation, so we let him have it.”
no subject
Date: 2023-09-10 03:09 pm (UTC)She takes a sip from her mug before setting it down and pours one for Kaz and takes it over to him. "I figured that may be the case," she says with an amused smirk. "I'm glad for the refresh of Kaz-isms."
"It has been far too long since I've had a spice cake or gingerbread but I remember really liking both. Not sure I've had an apple cider bread before."
She pauses and gives a mock gasp. "Wait, did you say something was 'good', Kaz Brekker? That is decidedly better than fine. I think you need to mark this on a calendar or something," she says the last part in a mock whisper to Nina.
"A fruit fixation is also a little healthier than a revenge fixation so I'd give him that one too."
no subject
Date: 2023-09-17 03:31 pm (UTC)Nina groans and gives Piper a side eye. “Thanks for giving him caffeine, he can keep going like this all night,” she teases. Really, Kaz doesn’t even need caffeine to do it. The man has two levels he operates at, utter silence or grandstanding. There’s never a middle ground.
Really though, as fun as it is to tease Kaz, Nina loves getting to spend time with her friend who isn’t here as often these days. It doesn’t feel like so long ago they were all under the same roof, with goals that aligned if weren’t identical. She gets Piper’s loyalty to New Orleans, one that’s taken her out of Ketterdam. Hell, Nina’s thought about moving back to Ravka or Fjerda herself. Still, she misses the woman and naturally wants to make the most of their time together. “Tomorrow morning I’ll make some apple cider bread for breakfast,” she promises.
“I didn’t mean good as in taste, I meant good as in being useful,” Kaz clarifies as he sips his coffee. “A lemon pie stings someone’s eyes far worse than a less acidic pie to the face.” Ever practical, of course. “The taste though of the lemons is fine.”
“Go figure his heart belongs to something sour and bitter,” Nina stage whispers to Piper. “And I hope you both are living for more than revenge these days. Tell me about everything important in New Orleans. Don’t leave out the fashion and hot spots to visit.”
no subject
Date: 2023-09-18 06:54 pm (UTC)She was glad she had the opportunity to come back and spend time with her friends. It'd been a little too long and she missed Nina, Jesper, and naturally, Kaz though they'd had time to reconnect when he'd been in New Orleans. Still, it wasn't the same as when she'd stayed in Ketterdam. "I look forward to it," she says with a grin at her. She enjoyed their language lessons and looked forward to baking with her. It would give her a good reason to get out of town more and come by for a visit.
Not that she needed a reason but all the same.
She arches an eyebrow at Kaz and hums unconvincingly. "Of course that's how you meant it. Not that I disagree but," she says with an amused smirk. "I still think you need to count this as a win," she says to Nina with a grin, taking a sip of her coffee.
"I think we're both living for a little more than revenge these days. At least, for the most part, I am. You will need to come and visit me sometime soon and I will show you all of the hot spots to check out. Magazine Street has fantastic finds, I think they'd be right up your alley, and of course the Riverwalk Outlets. The food you would love the most though... the whole city is a food lover's dream."
no subject
Date: 2023-09-23 03:13 pm (UTC)“I’ll take the win,” Nina agrees with a grin just as Kaz says simultaneously, “It’s thieves who take, so I must have won.”
Nina shakes her head and gives Piper a ‘you see what I have to put up with?’ look. “That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It does if you think about it. But I know you avoid what makes you think…” Kaz ducks as Nina lobs an orange slice at him.
“You made it land on the floor! Stop wasting food!”
“I should let you hit me so the food’s not wasted?” Kaz asks dryly as he leans over to pick it up and shrugs. “It’s fine.”
“Don’t you dare eat that. Don’t you dare blow on it and then eat it.”
“Why, is the floor that dirty? I can wash it off.” He rises to his feet to rinse off the orange slice.
“That isn’t how germs work, you know. I saw it on an episode of Mythbusters. The five second rule is a myth and so is rinsing off germs.” Nina knows it’s a lost cause though and just shakes her head. “Gross, Kaz. But look who I'm talking to, your body’s nothing but one big infestation at this point. I bet you're immune to everything.”
Why did Kaz’s shoulders bunch up in tension for a moment at that? It only lasts a moment but Nina is puzzled, it’s no worse than their other joking. They'd just been having fun as usual. She casts a quizzical look at Piper but doesn’t say anything, letting the topic shift to one more pleasant. “Yes, PLEASE, I would love to visit. Can I come back with you after the festival? I’m sure I’ll need a few days off. You can show me around and I can show you how good caraway goes in coffee. It’ll be a gateway to showing you that tea is superior.”
no subject
Date: 2023-09-28 01:30 am (UTC)And while she was sure the answer was yes for both questions, she's not sure they would have done anything different if turning back time and changing things was even a possibility.
It had taken a while to start letting her guard down again and let people in. Some days it was still hard to do but she was glad that eventually, she'd taken a shot with this misfit group. Life had been beyond different for every single one of them and yet somehow they'd all come together around Kaz.
She mentally shakes her head to focus back on the conversation before her and snorts at the look Nina gives her. Piper takes a sip of her coffee and watches as Kaz walks over to wash the orange off so he could pop it into his mouth. "You know, I think I missed that episode," she muses, glancing over at Nina. "I should find it sometime. Never knew."
She noticed the way his shoulders tensed when Nina mentioned being immune to everything and shares a look with her. She couldn't begin to imagine what made him react that way - it wasn't any worse than Nina has teased him about in the past. Still, she lets the conversation change easily and grins.
"You can absolutely come back with me after the festival. I have a spare room and I can show you everything. I'm less sure about this caraway and coffee..." she drags out with a grin. "But willing to try it and see."
It was nice having company. She'd enjoyed it when Kaz came to visit her and she realized how she longed for company at times.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-30 01:52 pm (UTC)At the start, drawing people to him had been strategic. As a child Kaz had spent several years perfectly fine surviving on his own until he found Pekka Rollins again. He saw the might and muscle the man had at his beck and call, and realized he needed an army of his own to fight back. The next day he found the Dregs, joining them with the intention of whipping them into a shape he could wield against Rollins. Into a weapon, into an army at his disposal. He told himself that fixing up the Slat, providing food and housing and decent wages, was all done with a selfishness in his heart.
It was that, too. It was very much rooted in selfishness.
Not entirely, however.
Dirtyhands, leader of the Dregs, knows his worth and what he offers to make recruiting someone into his crew profitable for them.
Kaz Brekker, the man behind the myth, the one who put a knife in a traumatized girl’s hand and promised her she was dangerous… he’d forgotten that side of himself existed until Jesper, Inej, Nina, Piper, Wylan, and Matthias came into his life. Until they didn’t let him accept the excuses he made for why he did kind things in between the atrocities he committed. He doesn’t feel he deserves his new family, he doesn’t think it will truly last, but he will protect them with everything he has.
Even when he can’t protect himself from memories of the past. His skin itches beneath his gloves, and his lungs feel like they’re filling. He shoves the orange in his mouth to hide drawing in a deep breath. Ripping off the flesh with his teeth, he tosses the peel into the trash. He starts to head out of the room without a word, cane clacking on the floor.
Nina leans back in her seat. “Where are you going?”
“What’s it to you?” It’s a touch more snappish than playful. He evens his tone out. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Cookies should be close to ready when you get back. They don’t take long to bake. Let Jesper and Wylan know, too.” Nina isn’t going to apologize when she doesn’t know what she even did wrong, but it’s still a peace offering of sorts. Kaz gives a nod and leaves the room. Once he’s gone she blows out a breath. “He really is like a drawer full of bees. There’s sometimes honey but always stingers.”
hope it's okay I tossed Wylan in with Jesper!
Date: 2023-10-02 03:13 pm (UTC)The sudden movement of Kaz leaving the kitchen causes her to blink before turning to Nina.
While she was used to Kaz's quirks from their friendship over the years, sometimes moments like now, threw her for a loop. She was sure there was a reason though. There always was with Kaz. And while she was curious, something that she's always been since a child, she wouldn't bring it up now. Much like her curiosity regarding the gloves. It wasn't the time or place.
He never really pushed her to talk about anything she refused to talk about so she would give him the same consideration. She snorts at Nina's comment and turns toward the door, hearing footsteps heading in their direction. "He has his moments," she muses, shaking her head to herself.
Jesper and Wylan pass Kaz while he's on his way to the bathroom and steps into the kitchen. "Nina, beautiful, did you make cookies? They smell divine. Who stuck the bees in his bonnet?" he says, walking over and pressing a kiss to Nina's cheek then Piper's before grabbing some water.
Always!
Date: 2023-10-03 11:23 am (UTC)Wylan enters in Jesper's shadow, content to be quiet and unobtrusive. He simply smiles and slinks down into a seat, letting Jesper command the stage. It's only when Jesper poses the question that Wylan speaks up, a habit from being raised in a dysfunctional home where he made excuses for everyone around him acting poorly. "He's got a lot going on, he might just be stressed out."
"Kaz thrives on stress. It's when there's not enough stress in his life that he gets more stressed." Nina gives a shrug. "Whatever, it's not like he'll tell us, anyway. The one person he might have told is now sailing the high seas. Who knows if they even still talk or..." her voice trails off as the distinctive sound of a cane thumps to a stop in the doorway. She gives Kaz a beatific smile. "Hi, we were absolutely talking about you." She notices that his sleeves are wet, like he'd harshly scrubbed his hands and arms, and the hair around his face is a little damp. She leaves it be.
"You must have better things to talk about," Kaz comments wryly, leaning against the doorframe.
"Always," Nina assures him, looking back around the small group. It's hard not to still picture Matthias with them in moments like this, but she tries to focus on what and who she does have. "It's been ages since we've all been together like this." Well, almost all together. They're still missing Inej. "Piper was catching us up on everything going on in New Orleans. Wylan and I are very interested in your work, and Jesper will look very fascinated while keeping guard on the cookies. Jes, just take them out when the timer goes off if you're going to hover like that, love."
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Date: 2023-10-08 03:07 am (UTC)Jesper grins and leans against the counter near the oven. He loved Nina's baking. "That was my goal," he says pointing a finger in her direction. Looking between her and Piper, he gives a little shrug. "If it wasn't you, it would have been someone else perhaps." He'd been that little bee once or twice, he's sure. He glances at Wylan and nods. "Or he's right."
"I have no doubt they talk. Maybe not as often as when she lived here but they talk," Piper muses before hearing the sound of his cane thumping on the floor. She watches as he walks in with the wet sleeves and files it away in the back of her mind like she does so many other things.
Jesper barks out a laugh at Nina's comment because leave it to Nina to be the most straight forward of the lot. "I'm here for the cookies," he says waving a hand at the oven. "I will have you know, I am very interested in your work but... mostly the cookies. You can count on me, love. For this much."
Piper grins and shakes her head. "New Orleans is keeping me busy and there is always something going on. Still sorting out everything that is going on with the place and making it a little better for the witches and Grisha who call it home. It's not so busy that I haven't been able to get away though which is nice. I like getting the opportunity to come back." Though, it's not the same without Inej or Matthias here.
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Date: 2023-10-08 03:32 pm (UTC)Besides, someone like Kaz needs someone in his life to be blunt with him. It doesn’t seem like he has very many who actually do that, for all the love and friends that surround him. Nina can’t blame them for it, because everyone is dealing with their own issues in their own ways. Asking someone like Wylan to confront Kaz is asking for a lot; she only sees it when Kaz is about to cross a moral line that Wylan won’t.
“If I can do anything to help you, let me know,” Nina assures Les regarding her work in New Orleans. “I may not be the most popular Grisha since I left the Second Army, but if they’re hiding out in New Orleans anyway, they might not mind the deflection.” And at the end of the day, a lot of Grisha felt a kinship for their own.
The ding goes off and she waves a hand at Jesper to take the tray out, warning him, “I don’t know if you can touch hot metal or not, but if not, use a pot holder.” The smell in the air is admittedly delightful, though she sighs as Wylan gets up to get some coffee to go with it. “Such a Kerchman,” she teases him, as Kerch is known for being coffee drinkers. “Jesper, you’ll join me in tea against all these coffee beans, won’t you?”
Wylan just smiles and quietly sets out small plates for everyone. Not paper ones - Kaz hates spending money on paper plates when they have perfectly good ones they can just wash.
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Date: 2023-10-16 06:18 pm (UTC)Jesper takes a minute to look around the room and smiles. They were missing a few people but he liked it when they were all together like this. When the timer dings, Jesper grins. The smell had only gotten better the more he stood there. He grabs a pot holder to take the cookies out. He didn't know if he could touch hot metal or not but he wasn't going to chance it here. Not when he had cookies to look forward to.
Piper laughs and steps away from the coffee pot so he'd have easy access while taking another sip from her mug.
"Of course, I will," he says while setting the cookies down on top of the oven. He enjoyed both equally - coffee and tea.
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Date: 2023-10-21 02:16 pm (UTC)Where he was standing. The space is now empty, he must have left either to go back upstairs or out the front door.
She gives a little sigh and shake of her head, then turns back to the remaining group. Hearing Jesper confirm he’ll have tea with her makes her grin and rise to her feet. She heads over to set the teapot on the stove to boil. “Lovely of you to not leave me alone,” she teases, giving him a little hip bump. “I think some chai will work just right.” Wylan sits next to Les and she trusts Jesper to dole out the cookies - even if he gives himself more than he hands out to others, she made plenty. There’s a warm feeling of satisfaction in feeding her people, her makeshift family, and she settles in for a pleasant night of it.
[OOC: Feel free to tag if there’s anything you want to add or if you wanna keep it going! Otherwise I think we can wrap this one, too. :) ]