Six of Crows in Middle School

Inej Ghafa the Second Part

Sorry it took so long to write this. I was kind of busy with school and the fact that basketball started up again and stuff. Enjoy, my fellow Kanej and Wesper shippers!

"Kaz," Inej said as she slid into the booth's seat. The Slat was empty that Wednesday afternoon, as it usually is. Strangely enough, Kaz was sitting in the same window seat as Wylan the day before.

Kaz was holding a cup of coffee in his hands, his backpack and cane in the seat next to him. "I didn't text you or anything," He said when Inej threw her bag on the ground. "How did you know to come here?"

"It's the Slat. All of your meetings are held here."

"True." 

The conversation kind of died out after that. At one point, Inej ordered a mint tea, but the two of them didn't talk otherwise. 

Inej was starting to get impatient. She wanted to know what was up with Kaz. He seemed off ever since Nina's party, which was last Friday for Saints' sake!

Finally, Inej could stand it no longer. "Kaz, tell me what's wrong." She demanded. Kaz gave her a surprised look, so she continued hastily, "I can't stay here forever. I have practice later. For tightrope walking." She knew Kaz had feelings, even if he didn't show them. And she actually did have tightrope walking practice later that day, so it wasn't like she was lying or anything.

Kaz took the last sip of his coffee. "Alright, Wraith. I'll tell you."

"Inej," she said.

"What?"

"Please call me Inej."

Kaz nodded. Inej knew he understood. "Alright, Inej. I'll tell you." He cleared his throat, which didn't help the hoarseness of his voice at all. "Last Friday, after Nina's party, I had a meeting," He rasped slowly. Inej knew he was choosing his words very carefully.

Kaz cleared his throat again. "It was with Pekka Rollins. About my brother. I thought I was prepared. I really did. But they said they had you. They used you as a lever, to get me distracted. And then the Dime Lions punched me a few times, in my distracted state, just for a laugh." 

Inej wasn't sure if she should be horrified by the story, or touched by the fact that she was Kaz's weakness. Being the smart girl she is, Inej chose the former. 

"Saints, Kaz," She said, barely above a whisper. "If you would've told me you were having the meeting, I could've come along. Then they wouldn't have been able to use me as a distraction. You wouldn't have been distracted. Seriously, Kaz. I could've..." Inej's voice faded out. Kaz was looking at her with a very strange expression on his face. 

"You're more worked up than me," he said, not even cracking a smile. (He'd much sooner crack a safe lolololol I'm sorry for that)

They again fell into silence. Inej saw Kaz examine a gloved hand. When he started to take it off with shaking hands, Inej let out a small gasp. She had never seen Kaz without his gloves on. Ever. 

"Kaz, what are you doing?" She asked, when both the gloves were off. She stared at his pale hands, which had probably never seen the light of day. They were just normal hands, which surprised Inej a lot.

"I've always had those gloves. Always," He muttered, laying them next to his empty cup. "I can't touch skin. I get sick, or worse." Inej sat perfectly still as she saw Kaz's hand creeping toward hers.

Don't move. Don't you dare move. For Saints' sake don't move! She stayed as unmoving as possible, eyes looking at the ungloved hand, and then back at Kaz's face. The hand, the face. This is the moment you've been waiting for, Inej. The moment when he opens up.

Inej could hear Kaz's breathing get heavier and heavier. He was nearly wheezing when a finger touched Inej's hand. 

Inej felt shivers run through her hand, straight to her spine. She felt her heart swell and beat fast, her face flushing a light pink. A quick smile lit up her face. Then she heard the whimpers.

Kaz drew his hand back quickly. Inej could see the fear in his eyes, the paleness of his face... He shoved his hands back into his old leather gloves.

"Kaz, what-"

"No. Don't say anything," he said, grabbing his backpack and cane from next to him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Inej nodded. She understood. 

She slung her bag over her shoulder, leaving a few dollars on the table to pay for her and Kaz's drinks. She left the diner with a thick air of melancholia surrounding her. Head low, feet shuffling. 

Then, something occurred to her. 

That was the most Kaz has told anyone, ever. That was how Kaz showed his affection, by telling Inej things that he would have never told anyone else. Not from being kind, or buying flowers and chocolates and whatnot, but by showing Inej that he trusted her. 

Inej knew that that's all she wanted. To have someone who trusted her completely and forever. 

Inej liked that.

Sorry for the mushy ending, and I'm sorry for spending such a long time writing this. Thank you so much for reading this part, and I hope you have a really great night/day :)

<3, Devon