timewasting | OPEN POST 2020.

[ indeed, she didn’t open it, because it wasn’t hers to open. but as the shock begins to give way, and inej realizes what is actually happening —- ]

Of course I did, you are a thief and a scoundrel.

[ in slight exasperation, with a wave of her hands. what other explanation could there be for kaz having a ring box in his desk, aside from that? because inej doesn’t wear jewelry, and he obviously isn’t buying rings for anyone else, so clearly, the answer has to be that he stole it. ]

And a liar —- you, Kaz Brekker, are a liar.

[ she adds, accusingly (though clearly not hurt), because he told her that he hadn’t been thinking about this at all, and that stupid box has been in his desk for at least an eon, so clearly, this has been in the works for awhile.

( she’ll say yes, give her a minute. ) ]

[ Naturally, he grins when she calls him a thief and a scoundrel, finding this bizarrely amusing. Because her shock has worn away some, her usual exasperation making itself known. ]

Oh, would you have preferred me to propose in the kitchen? Or better, with your mother watching?

[ He's betting the answer is no to at least the second question, knowing how mortified she would have been. ]

[ she opens her mouth to tell him off, because he knows damn well the answer to that question, but her eyes flicker back to the ring, and the protest sort of dies in her throat.

because this seems . . . real. and inej slowly sinks down onto her haunches, to be on his level, her exasperation melting into something a little softer. ]

Why do you want to marry me?

[ quietly, watching his face. because she's fairly certain that he's been thinking about this for a long time, but why ask now? why not before? why has he been sitting on this for so long? all of the answers to those questions are likely because kaz overthinks everything, but she wants to make sure. ]

Because I love you and want to give you everything. Officially.

[ There's a bunch of very specific legal reasons, but he won't go into it. Chief among those: in case someone does happen to get the best of him while she's gone, at least she'll get something for it. Instead of the Gemensbank trying to seize it.

Of course, there's also the matter of it mattering to him, for whatever reason. It's a stupid piece of paper, like she's said, but it means a lot. A form of stability, a record, a permanence he hasn't always had.

(And maybe he wants to be able to call her his wife). ]

I shouldn't have waited this long.

[ she watches him for a long moment before gently takes his hands, pushing them down and to his sides so she could kneel on the dock herself herself, taking his face into her hands. ]

You shouldn't have, no.

[ amused, and she leans forward to give him a brief kiss, before she murmurs, his face still in her hands: ]

Because the answer would have always been yes, you idiot.

[ what a moron. ]

I didn't want to do this when you were only in for a week.

[ It's kind of a lot at once. ]

And I might've panicked and talked myself out of it. A few times.

[ He gives her a small smile as he tilts his face towards one of her hands, still feeling a bit of those nerves.

After a moment though, he does take her hand in his. ]

Here. [ As he slips the ring over her finger. It's dainty, unobtrusive. Because he knows she wouldn't want something ostentatious. Nothing that would interfere with a fight, just in case. ]

[ he’s still nervous. and inej is about to call him out on it when he slips the ring onto her finger. and she stares at it for a moment, struck by how beautiful it is. unique, and clearly custom-made, with every attention to detail that she could ever want.

so her teasing immediately softens as she slips her arms around his neck for a tight hug, burying her face into his neck with a laugh. and there might be a slight wobble in her tone, as she says: ]

There has never been anyone else. You had nothing to panic over.

[ before she pulls away only far enough to kiss him, her arms still looped around his neck. and once she’s done that, she grins before sliding her hands down to his chest. ]

Now get up before I have to help you home.

[ his leg had to be killing him by now. ]

Well, you know me.

[ She does, better than anyone else. Which is why she'll probably pick up the mirrored tremble in his answer. Because now everything is catching up, all of his nerves suddenly flooded with a sense of relief. He's not usually one to get caught up in the emotional tide but he'd been holding onto this one for too long.

(As he seems to do with most things. When would he learn?) ]

Alright, alright. [ He does grab his cane, using that to pull himself up from the kneel. And oh, maybe that hadn't been a good idea. It wouldn't have been so bad if it'd gone as quickly as he'd planned but. Sometimes, things got away from him. Kaz winces as he gets to his feet, leaning heavily on the cane, eventually settling back against the post again as he stretches out his bad leg.

Of course, he does lean over to grab the bag she dropped, tilting it so nothing else rolled out. ]

You lost your cayenne.

[ her brow furrows at the wince, but she lets him stabilize himself to set himself against the post so he could stretch. her worry evaporates into a laugh, though, at the cayenne -- indeed, it's lost to the seas.

but she steps forward to loop her arms around his waist, careful not to disturb his leg, with a knowing smile. because she heard the tremor in his voice, and if she knows kaz brekker (and, for better and for worse, she does), he has been obsessing over this for . . . saints, who knows how long. ]

Mm, that is alright. [ easily enough, as she watches him with a slight grin, standing up on her toes to brush her lips against his cheek. ] I have a husband who can replace it for me.

[ she supposes she should care a little bit more, if anyone on the docks sees them, but to hell with them, inej decides. and she can tell, that he's still caught in his head a little bit, and so she shifts her arms to take his face into her hands again, with a warm grin. ]

I said yes, you can relax.

[ teasing a little, maybe. it's good for him. ]

I promise that I am not going to change my mind.

[ She gets on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek, making a small bit of color rise in his face. Whether it's the words or the sentiment behind it, he isn't sure. All he knows is that he's a little off balance in more ways than one. An unexpected thing, really. He thought he had a lid on it but apparently not. ]

Fiancé, technically. [ His correction is distracted, though, wondering if he should be worried about being out in public and doing this. Then again, it's the end of the harbor, there aren't any ships around. And Fifth Harbor is Dreg business. They'll mind their own if they knows what's good for them.

What's more, there's a part of him that dares anyone to say anything. The first result he can think of is that Ketterdam will collectively have more to worry about; they were already practically inseparable and now it's even moreso. ]

Okay. Yes. [ He lets out a breath, giving her a small but crooked smile. One hand comes up to cover her own, his head turning so he can kiss her palm. ]

[ if they were normal people, inej might have been upset, because he's clearly not . . . excited. but they're not normal, and probably never will be. and inej can see he's struggling to put together the reality of the situation, and he's struggling to cope with whatever is inside his head.

so she remains patient, her grin melting into a softer smile as he kisses her palm. ]

I can call you whatever I want, and you are going to have to deal with it.

[ so there, and she runs a thumb over his cheek, eyes bright. he really should be home so he can put his leg up properly . . . and so, she tilts her head a bit, eyes scanning his face. ]

Can I take you home?

[ Her smart remark does startle a laugh out of him, more of the tension breaking. He lets go of her hand to tug her closer by the waist, leaning in for a proper kiss.

There's still finicky details but right now? He doesn't care. ]

Inej, my darling wife, you can take me wherever you'd like. [ his arm loops around her middle, so he can give her a brief squeeze. Later, he'll give her a better hug. ]

But home sounds great.

[ there he is. and she returns the kiss in earnest, wrinkling her nose with a laugh as he squeezes her around the waist, once the kiss ends. ]

Good.

[ warmly, to both statements, and she takes his hand, squeezing his fingers reassuringly. she would loop an arm around his waist to help him up, but best give him the chance to stand, first.

she will offer, though. ]

Come on, let me help you up so you don't follow the cayenne.

[ He plants his cane sturdily and then leans against it as he gets back to his feet. There's a bit of a wobble, his leg still stiff. But he re-balances, squaring his shoulders and handing her the bag she'd dropped. ]

So, there is more to this. [ He says, as they start heading back towards the direction of the Church of Barter. ] It's a bunch of finicky details though.

[ Kaz knows how she feels about that sometimes. The Kerch in particular make her roll her eyes–rightfully so–because of their love of paperwork and contracts. It takes the romance out of it to call getting married signing a contract, quite honestly. Even with as much as he likes that kind of thing. ]

[ oh, his leg is definitely acting up. but inej lets him stabilize himself, taking the bag as he hands it to her before inej loops her free arm through his, to give him extra stability under the guise of wanting to be close. ]

I need to sign something, right?

[ and, indeed, inej doesn’t sound enthused at that, but as they make their way off the docks toward home — ]

Is that at home already? We can sign it and submit it tomorrow.

[ if that was all it took, inej could drop it off in the morning. ]

[ She curls her arm around his and he appreciates the closeness. And maybe a little of the extra balance, though he won't say it out loud. Most of the time he doesn't need the help but he knows it's probably a good idea to have now, since his knee is complaining furiously. ]

We'll have to go to the courthouse. It's not exactly paperwork they let you take home and sign on the line for.

[ Also: ] That's after they verify the Church actually married us.

[ Sorry Inej, this is a process. ]

[ the more he describes it, the more inej’s eyes seem to glaze over. it was partially for this reason that she never really saw the need to bother with marriage. truthfully, she would have been happy with or without it.

but it matters to some people. it clearly matters to him, and inej is willing (more than, really) to tolerate some nonsense in order to make him happy. as per usual.

still, all of this is to say that they need to go to the courthouse. which they can do this week. there’s the matter of the church, but inej is fairly certain a payment or two can satisfy that stupid requirement. kruge rules everything in this bastard of a city.

at any rate, as they walk —- ]

Your people take the romance out of everything.

[ honestly, eloping and running away for a month on an island somewhere for a honeymoon is way more thrilling than listening to some ancient white man prattle on to her about the importance of marriage in a church full of a god that inej finds rather repulsive. ]

It's something of a mercher construct.

[ So of course, more business than pleasure. They had to make sure their arranged marriages or whatever were legally binding and all that nonsense.

Still, he does like the end result. Even if the initial portions are like pulling teeth. ]

You're not wooed by signing papers and promising to stick around in the eyes of Ghezen? [ Kaz grins a little as he teases, the expression leaking into his voice. ] Being swept away into marriage is the entire plot of almost every Kerch romance novel.

I had no idea you read Kerch romance novels.

[ she trades his teasing tone for a barb of her own, arching her eyebrows in his direction as they near their street. but as they walk, she leans her cheek slightly against his arm, humming to herself. ]

I think I am more "wooed" by bribing the Church into verifying that we are married and going to the courthouse tomorrow to sign their stupid paper, and then running away for a month.

It's passed the time.

[ Listen, maybe he has. ]

I'll see what I can do. [ He's certain a bribe wouldn't be all that strange. It's how the Kerch do pretty much anything. Kruge is more of a god than Ghezen has ever been. ]

At the very least, they might be able to skip the time wasting formalities and just oversee vow exchange. [ The whole song and dance is quite long. ]

Where do you have in mind to run off to?

[ ugh. even that seems like an annoyance. but inej will let it go, for now. she would figure out how to combine what she wants with the necessity of the process in time.

instead, she squeezes his arm, as they approach their home, letting go so she can move to unlock the door for him. ]

I do not care.

[ simply, tossing him a warm grin. ]

I would be with you.

[ so, really, anywhere in the world would be perfect, so long as he was there to be with her. ]

Stop stealing my lines.

[ Though he's definitely warmed by her words as he steps through the doorway after her. Just crossing the threshold has him relaxing; he's close to being able to put his leg up and not do much else for a bit. ]

Somewhere out by Novyi Zem, maybe. There's more sun. [ Which he knows she would enjoy. ] And beaches, according to Jesper.

[ Kerch does too, though he can't say they're the height of luxury. They do in a pinch, if the weather holds. And if one doesn't mind the rocks so much. ]

Sometimes, they are good lines.

[ as she closes the door behind him, locking it, before she gently ushers him toward their bedroom. she lets him keep talking, but purposefully steers him in that direction. he needs to put his leg up, and decompress. and eat something, probably. ]

Do you want me to run the shower for you, or do you want to just lay down?

[ He lets himself be nudged to the bedroom, the stress from earlier catching up now that he can relax. Or rather, now that he can stop putting a front while out in public. They both have reputations, even though they could probably get away with doing whatever they wanted at this point.

(And for the record, they do. Mostly.) ]

I need to lay down first, it's too stiff. [ He wouldn't have to stand the entire time in the shower, not with the seat that was installed in particular, but the idea of having to move around even a little bit is just not appealing. Stretching his leg out and being off of his feet completely would do similar things to being under the hot water.

Kaz strips down enough to be comfortable, tie, vest, and jacket all hung on the same hook for now. He toes his shoes off and very nearly collapses onto the bed, blowing out a long sigh. Propped up against the pillows as he is, he pats where there's a clear space for her on the coverlet. ]

Come here, I want to give you a better kiss.

[ he’s definitely in some amount of pain, and inej frowns a bit as he undresses. she’s mentally kicking herself for bickering while he was kneeling, and spending such a long time walking around . . . while he undresses, she rummages through their drawers quickly to find a set of pajamas, and she’s about to instruct him to try and stand for just a few more seconds when he asks her to come over for a better kiss. already in bed. ]

You are going to be much more comfortable in these.

[ she chides lightly, moving to his side to set the clothes on his bedside table. ]

And if you change now, you will get it over with. And you will enjoy the kiss more.

[ she’s not above using a kiss for a bargaining chip. ]

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