No Mourners, No Funerals

52.✓

"Right I should go to Wylan. At least he remains true about his feelings." Inej huffed, his anger and attitude weren't something she could deal with for very long. 

There's another ship, Inej shook her head, confused about what to choose, "Kaz, you can't close off every time something happens. Talk or don't talk, it's entirely up to you. I'm not going anywhere." She turned around and moved the couch at the other end of the room, saying softly "Though even I don't know why." on her way.

Kaz flinched but stayed quiet. His fingers gripping the edge of the makeshift table, eyes cold. "If you don't know why then there really is no point in you staying," Kaz said, voice quiet and dark. "Especially given you've already made up your mind on the situation." He turned back to his desk and looked over Donahue's updated file, drawing a map mentally of his territory. 

Searching for anything to aid him. Anything he missed.

"I wouldn't have come here then," Inej said without looking at Kaz or rather anywhere particular. If he wouldn't speak then how could he expect her to understand everything? 

With time and patience. Those were the only two words that came to her mind. She exhaled slowly, stood up, and walked to him. She knew that if she too lost her calm then they'd get nowhere and would get stuck at an impasse. 

Reaching beside his chair she arranged the papers scattered everywhere into a neat bundle and kept them on the other side before taking up a seat on the old warehouse door. His discomfort didn't go unnoticed by her. 

She could see through the cold demeanor so softly she whispered, "Give me any reason why Wylan deserved those cold words and I'll let you work."

Kaz sighed, leaning back in his chair and focusing on Inej. "Why should I even bother trying to be anything besides Dirtyhands if that's all anyone is ever going to see me as? Some unpredictable monster, capable of only the foulest acts. When Wylan makes me out as his enemy, he should have known I can damn well be one." 

Kaz's gloves tightened, before relaxing again. "It might even be better for us all, given what becomes of my friends... It might as well be safer for him." Kaz grumbled, turning his glare away from Inej and out the window.

"You are not some unpredictable monster, Kaz. You are the one who made sure that all of us come out of the Ice Court. Agreed, we got injured but we made it. You are the one who gave Wylan everything back and is still working to give him his love back." After hearing Kaz's words it felt like someone punched her in the gut, yet left a deep pain in her heart. 

For a moment she wanted to hate Wylan to take Kaz to this state but then it was the realization that Wylan wasn't himself since the time Jesper left. After all, how lost he looked after Kaz left was the proof that he realized he was wrong and Saints, the realization is the first step towards improvement. That made her sure that Wylan would improve the situation between them. 

With her index finger, she touched Kaz's chin and moved his face back at her, "You are the one who cared for everyone's safety and you are the one we'll always fight for, safe or not. Don't distance yourself just 'cause one bad day happened."

"One bad day, Inej? Is that what you call this mess? And I didn't get everyone back from the Ice Court." Despite what he said, he had relaxed noticeably.  Though without his anger to hide behind, he just seemed tired.

"It's not a mess until we all are together. We care about each other, Kaz. Jes left because he cares and that looked like the right thing to do. You are working for that reason only." Inej was trying to calm him down but she couldn't be sure how long she'd be able to remain strong.