Kanej Oneshots

Ƙａｚ- Just Drown

ＩＮＥＪtugged on Kaz's sleeve fiercely as she ran towards her parents on the dock. Kaz held on tightly to his Crow headed cane as he was pulled to the docks. When he asked Sturmhond to find her parents, he didn't really give him an option. It was either find his Wraith's parents or suffer at the end of his cane. And since Sturmhond admired Kaz in such a way no one knew of, he, of course, sent out his scouts for the Suli acrobats.

  Mrs.Ghafa let go of her husband to embrace Inej as so did Inej to Kaz for her mother. Kaz gazed at the girl and her daughter happily mumbling in Suli to each other. Mr.Ghafa soon joined in on their reunion with a tear streaked face. When they all broke apart Inej touched Kaz's hand, hesitated, but then weaved her hand into his. "Thank you, Kaz. For everything." She told him in Kerch. The Barrel boss slightly nodded his head but then took a step back when he found himself trapped in Inej's mother's embrace.  After their hands shook from each other, Kaz, looking over Mrs. Ghafa's shoulder, rose his eyebrows at Inej. She giggled at the sight.

  The Acrobat pulled away and took Kaz's face in her hand, and muttered something in Suli. Then Inej said aloud "Kerch, Mama." Mrs. Ghafa nodded "Right." she said with an accent similar to Inej's. With a now dry face and clear voice, she said "Interesting." as she studied Kaz's face with curiosity. "Mama, what happened?" Inej asked, looking very confused. 

 "Thijs, do you remember the one show we did? Ah, I don't remember where specifically,  but it was here in Kerch," she said. Kaz was as puzzled as Inej's expression. He truly didn't understand what she was talking about. Mrs. Ghafa stepped away from Kaz to get a better look at him. "Nanza, I think  I remember." Thijs, Inej's father said, stepping forward.

   "We did a show here in Kerch near a farm owned by a man by the name of Abel. Abel Rietveld. His wife Anika had a child about four months of life. Beautiful family they were. Especially the young boy they had. You look exactly like him. Your brother I take? " Kaz then drew in a slow, deep, quiet breath. He hadn't heard his father's name spoken in years, about a decade. And the farm that Inej's father had mentioned, he and his brother, Jordie, sold it after their father passed. Kaz would never forget those times. Those times when Pekka Rollins and his alias, Jakob Hertzoon, took the two poor boys in for deception and granted. Kaz remembered those times as his weak times. When he was a fool. When his brother was even more of a fool to fall for Rollins's con. When Kaz didn't know the meaning blood.

  "Mama, Papa. I think we should head to the house." Inej said, both saving Kaz from an uprise of emotions and earning confused looks from both of her parents. Kaz cleared his throat "For the time being, Inej is staying as a guest in the Van Ek household. I'm sure our dear friends Wylan and Jesper wouldn't mind if two stayed for the time being." Nanza looked at her husband then to her daughter " What about the supplies on the boat? " Inej scrunched her eyebrows together "Supplies?" Thijs nodded, " Yes, we were thinking since we were coming to Ketterdam, why not do a show while we're here? "  Kaz then said " You can leave your boat here. I have trusted men look after your ship." 

"And how, young man, did you get these men to follow your orders?"

 Kaz smiled "I own this harbor, Ma'am, and the men who work here work for me as do any employees for their bosses."

 Thijs looked at Kaz with an expression he couldn't read. He then turned to his wife and they agreed to leave the boat here, in their Sulk language. Kaz gently tightened his grip on the crow head, nodded, and started to lead the way with Inej falling into step beside him.

  Their walk was silent, but their movement carried many words. Occasionally, Kaz would let their fingers brush against each other. He wouldn't flinch, just to make it seem like an accident. But really his insides knotted. You really are a bad liar he told himself. He ignored himself like he did many other countless times. Time and time again he would look along the streets, he didn't know why. Maybe he looked to see if any of the other gangs would randomly come charging at him?  Maybe he would find Jan Van Ek eyeing him in the crowd? Or maybe he would saw Jordie shaking his head with disappointment. Disappointment for what, exactly? Keeping himself alive when his older brother couldn't? Or for the past killing and bloodshed. But Jordie knew nothing of it. Not even in death.