No Mourners, No Funerals

11.✓

The smile on Jesper's face was enough for Inej to let go of that stupid doubt that maybe she wasn't wanted anymore. She hugged his tall frame, Jesper towering over her like the big brother he was.

They were still standing like that when Wylan joined from the back. After staying like that for more than a few minutes, they let go of each other. Somehow, her friends gave her a confidence that was not there on that ship. On the Wraith, she contemplated a lot about whether coming back was the right decision or not. But now, all that was long gone.

Pulling back, she looked at Jesper, then at Wylan and said, "Plan a dinner, I'm going to steal the thief."

At Wylan's mansion, she did say she going to bring Kaz but—

Just stop thinking, Inej, she told herself and gave herself a mental push.

Ketterdam's familiarity was coming back. Those dark alleys, leaking pipes, rats running from here to there. Everything felt strangely like home. When had Ketterdam become home?

As she neared the building, she took a deep breathe before opening Kaz's window and entering the familiar room.

"Where are you, Kaz?"

Kaz stepped into the Crow Club, into the back room where Vlam was waiting. He set a contract down on the table.

“You’ll be expected to follow orders. We offer a residence which you are expected to stay at. If you have possessions and a place already, you have two weeks to get those possessions in order. We’ll fix a day for you to get your tattoo and I need to know if you have any allergies, weaknesses, or otherwise. There will be a skill assessment later. All of that applies to your dog as well, whom you will take full responsibility for and must be tick and flea free to be inside the Slat. Oh, and you are liable for any injuries to the gang from your dog. Food will be provided, as will pay for regular work and special jobs.” Kaz tossed a pen next to the paper and pulled out a chair at the desk.

“Questions or concerns?” His fierce eyes were guarded under the mask of Dirtyhands. He leaned forward on the desk and watched, unblinking with a cold, empty stare.

Vlam listened to Kaz speak, before turning to walk over to the table and pick up the paper. He read it carefully after Dirtyhands was done speaking.

While Vlam was reading, Oiche wandered over to Kaz and sat down a few feet away, sniffing the air around him. After a moment, the wolfdog seemed satisfied, studying Kaz for a while longer before moving to sit by Vlam.

Slowly, Vlam met Kaz's gaze, studying him for a moment before setting the paper down and picking up the pen. Turning back to the paper, Vlam sighed near the bottom. His handwriting wasn't the best, but definitely not the worst.

He slid the contract over to Kaz and asked, "Is there a specific artist I must go to for my tattoo, and is there a specific place it must be?"

“Yes, we have our own artist for the gang. Anika will take you soon. And yes, we all have it on our arms. Why?”

Inej felt out of place sitting on the window pane. This wasn't the time for Kaz to go anywhere, but then again she couldn't be sure. Six months could change a lot of things; even her crow friends weren't there anymore. Still she tapped the pane, just waiting.

Vlam shrugged, unsure. "No reasons, just curious is all." He paused, thinking back to the bouncer that stopped him at the door. "Crow cup, right?"

Oiche again was mildly curious about Kaz, mostly the cane he wielded. Most of the librarians she grew up around didn't have canes like that. Slowly, she padded over to the deadly walking stick, leaning over to sniff it.

Kaz let the dog sniff his cane, he didn’t mind. He nodded to its owner, and stood up. “If you won’t be needing those two weeks, we have an available room now,” Kaz said, rising from his chair and using his cane to even his weight, careful not to whack or startle the dog close to him.

Vlam nodded and stood as well, looking around for Oiche before he saw her by Kaz. The wolfdog spent a moment longer studying the foreign walking stick, before walking back to Vlam. She allowed him to grab the rope once more.

After his dog was in his possession again, he turned back to Kaz. "Those two weeks are unnecessary, so that would be great."

As Inej left. Jesper and Wylan sat looking at each other, smiles still on their faces. Jesper decided it would be a good idea to try to figure out what was on the menu for this special evening. Wylan following behind.

“Hopefully Kaz graces us with his presences!” the sharpshooter commented, half chuckling; they all knew how hard the Bastard of the Barrel worked, possibly being an excuse at times.

He assumed Kaz would have caught wind of Inej arriving in Ketterdam by now. But if he knew, why hadn’t greeted her yet?

Nonetheless, all would be fine, or so Jesper hoped. He knew six months was a long time and people could change, maybe a little too much… but maybe, just maybe change wasn’t all that bad.

Kaz nodded to the new recruit. “Come along, then.”

He turned and stalked towards the door, pushing it open with his cane as he moved quickly out into the streets. He started back towards the Slat, careful not to seem like he was rushing. These were his streets after all, he wouldn’t scurry down them.
He navigated through the winding alleys without a problem, hardly glancing at where he was going.

The Slat soon appearing before them, larger than it used to be, and held most of the gang comfortably.

Kaz was greeted by Anika, who started to complain about Black Tips creeping in on Fifth Harbor again.

“Deal with it later. This is Vlam, our newest member. He requires a room, see to it.”

“Right, boss,” Anika answered, but looked a little frustrated at Kaz’s clipper and cold responses.

Kaz nodded to Vlam, and started up the three flights of stairs, feeling lingering gases of his gang slowly fade  away as he headed up the landings.