The Red Ribbon {Kaz Brekker X Reader}

The Deal is the Deal

~ Y/N Pov ~

After everything that we have all been through in this heist, we are surprisngly happy to be back on the Ferolind. Matthias and Nina don't argue this time around. He guides her belowdecks, even though she resists. She doesn't put up much of a fight though, tired from her showdown with parem.

Jesper gives me his coat so that I can finally have some coverage from this stupid menagerie costume. Never have I ever been so disgusted to wear something Zemini. Inej inspects me for wounds and I laugh.

"I am alright, I didn't get into too much trouble when I was gone," I say, letting her prod at my bruised cheekbones and shoulder.

"You shouldn't have been gone in the first place. Kaz needs to face consequences for his actions," she replies.

When Inej is passionate about something, you can't stop her. And she is pretty passionate about this. I am going to try to stop her though. Like I've said, I'm not mad anymore, though I am still wary about Kaz's plans for me.

I stand back to face Jesper, Inej, and Wylan. They look at me as if I am giving a royal announcement. In a way, I am.

"Look. Go easy on Kaz, okay? I am moving past what he did to me today, and you guys should to. Yes, at one point, I was going to kill him. But now, I know that it is not worth it," I state.

They all look shocked and resistant.

Jesper is the first to reply. "We really don't deserve your kindness, Y/N. Though, you had me scared for a hot minute that I was going to inherit your room in the slat across from Kaz."

I laugh. "And I am glad I am not inheriting your beloved revolvers just yet."

"Yet?"

"Don't try to throw me in a Fjerdan prison, and you should be fine," I say with a smile.

Wylan now speaks up. "Did you end up killing Pekka?"

I get flashbacks from my fight with him earlier. The alarms. The bruises. The ice.

I shake myself from my thoughts. "No. I let him go. I'll give Kaz the honors of dealing with him."

Jesper leans back on the ship railing. The lantern light shines off the guns at his hip. "So what even happened between you and Kaz? He said he had a reason to lock you up. Can we believe that?"

I take a deep breath. This is what they've been wanting to know. So I tell them everything.

"Seven years ago, I was new to the city. My father got thrown in Hellgate. I needed a job to raise money to get him out. So, I teamed up with Pekka, who went by the name Jakob Hertzoon," I start.

My gaze is met with shocked faces.

"I know better now, trust me. But I was ten and needed Kruge. One day, Pekka told me that my name was Saskia Hertzoon whenever I saw him. I had to pretend to be someone else for a couple of weeks. Well, that's when I first met Kaz. And after a couple of weeks, Pekka just disappeared. I never got paid for my services. I was left to the streets. Became an orphan, you know how it is in Ketterdam. Kaz was scammed out of money, too. Though, he hasn't known my side of the story for the past seven years and thought that I abandoned him on purpose with Pekka."