Six of Crows AU

Chapter Four: Inej

Inej's day went quickly after lunch, and soon she was slinging her backpack over her shoulder.  Kaz appeared by her side.  She looked at him sideways, slamming her locker shut.  She turned and started to walk away, Kaz following her.

"What are you doing after school?"  Inej looked over at him.

"Nothing.  Why?"  Kaz visibly swallowed, hard.  Someone knocked shoulders with Inej as she walked past.  She looked over her shoulder at them.  A group of boys were punching their friend in the shoulder and laughing.  The boy was around eighteen probably, with sandy blonde hair, alluring green eyes, a muscular build, and tan skin.  He winked at her and Inej rolled her eyes.  Kaz looked at the boy to, and some emotion ran over his face.  He didn't answer her question, they just kept walking in silence to the car line.  Inej and Kaz kept walking, over the cross walk and onto the sidewalk.  Kaz asked,

"Want to go get something to drink?"  Inej sighed inwardly, it seemed the closest Kaz would ever get to asking her on a date.  She nodded and they made their way into town.  The walk was silent except for their footfalls and Kaz's cane.  It took them fifteen minutes to get into town.  Cars whizzed by them and Inej looked around at all the buildings.  Kaz led the way to the coffee shop, and after ten more minutes they were walking inside a small cafe.  They found a table and a waitress made her way over to them.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" she questioned cheerily, her smile a bit too happy.  Kaz looked at her, his dark eyes taking on more of a brown hue in the light.  Inej shook her head to clear it.

"Just a water, thanks.  Kaz?" 

"I'll have water too."  The girl nodded and left.  Kaz excused himself for a moment.  Inej nodded and opened her backpack, taking out her math homework.  When Kaz came back she slid the sheet over to him.

"I need help," she stated, frowning.  He held out his hand for the pencil and when her fingers brushed over his hand she shivered slightly.  He looked at her quizzically.

"Are you cold?"  He stood up.

"No, Kaz.  I'm fi–"  He took off his coat and draped it around her shoulders.  Inej was too shocked to say anything as he slid back into his seat.  Kaz twirled the pencil between his fingers as he scratched out the answers on her paper.  She wrapped the coat around herself, breathing in what smelled like lavender soap.  Kaz slid the paper back to her and she quickly went over his answers in her own writing so it looked like she'd done it.  Kaz tapped his foot impatiently.

"Where is that serving girl?"  Then she appeared.  She put the waters in front of them, then a plate in front of Inej.  It was a slice of chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  She raised her brows at Kaz and she saw the corner of his mouth lift.  The waitress hurried away and Kaz said,

"Happy Birthday."  Inej smiled so wide at him, he'd remembered!  She leaned forwards slightly and grasped his hand in her own.  Kaz looked down at their joined hands and she could have sworn a light blush stained his cheeks.  She let go of his hand to devour her cake.  She hadn't been eating sweets to keep shape for her gymnastics championship competition that was coming up.  Kaz watched her, sipping his water thoughtfully.  She had about a fourth of the slice left when she sat back.  She pushed the plate over to him.

"Have some."  Kaz picked up the fork carefully and took a small bite.  The flavor washed over his tongue, and he swallowed after putting the fork down.  He pulled something out of his backpack and handed it to Inej.  She opened the card.  Out fell a few bills.  She read the inside of the card and smiled.

"That's really sweet Kaz.  I've been working really hard and it's good to know that it actually loks good."  Inej was being truthful, she'd been working on her gymnastic routine for four months, and Kaz came to a lot of her lessons.  She picked the money up off the floor and gasped.