timewasting | OPEN POST 2020.

[ she smiles a little at the comment and the feeling of kaz’s fingers against her hair, braiding a loose lock.

the towel-pillow is definitely more comfortable, and she sighs. ]

I never thought I would be married.

[ she says lazily, letting her arms rest against her sides, stretching her legs into the sun. ]

Life is full of surprises.

Neither did I.

[ It seemed like such a fleeting possibility. One he hadn't even considered, mostly because he figured he might be dead before he ever found someone. If he found anyone at all; it's not like he'd endeared himself to people.

Nor did he go out of his way to try to be flirtatious. Despite plenty of women trying their hardest. Then again, he hadn't ever noticed. Too focused on business.

And yet somehow, here they both are. On a beautiful beach, married, and a whole future ahead of them. Kaz grabs the other towel and lies on his stomach next to her, still quite in the shade, reaching out briefly to brush a loose lock of hair away from her face. The sand under the blanket is warm and he thinks he could probably nap like this. ]

You were the best one.

[ he lays down, and inej glances over at him as he brushes the piece of hair out of the way. she smiles a little, at his comment, and she soon rolls over onto her stomach, scooting a bit closer to press her lips against his temple. ]

I would be here with no one else but you.

[ she settles in for a nap, and for the next few hours, they lazily hang out on the beach. she does go swimming and spends some time talking to two shu women who are also there on vacation. it gives her a chance to practice her shu (which is still not Great, but getting there) and gain insight into what restaurants are good and which are to be avoided.

later in the evening, kaz spends their walk back to their hotel grumbling about too much sun. and freckles, of all things. which causes much eye-rolling in inej, as they slowly meander their way back to the room. they have dinner reservations at a place on the beach. intended to be very romantic, probably. so, as inej artfully reminds him, kaz should suck it up.

as they let themselves into the gated area by the pool and he still is frowning at himself as he looks at his arms, inej lets her eyes wander to the pool. and in her head, she calculates how much pressure it would take to knock him off balance to drop him in the pool.

( he hasn't had a bad reaction to just water in a long time. and inej knows he can swim. and a pool is not the ocean, it's clearly defined and you can see the bottom and is not something that could remind him of that period of his life. )

so, as kaz continues to frown at his arms to determine if he's going to suddenly have a resurgence of freckles, inej shifts her weight to essentially hip-check him off balance, to send him directly into the (lovely, clean, delightful) pool with an ungraceful splash. ]

[ He's never napped on a beach before. Though he certainly sees the appeal after this afternoon; the sand is warm under the blanket and the sound of the ocean is a soothing white noise. He drifts in and out of consciousness comfortably, usually when Inej moves, turning so she doesn't get too dark on one side or taking a dip in the water. At some point, he makes more headway on the book he's been picking at. And even dares to stick his feet in the water, though he doesn't go further than up to his ankles. The water is much clearer than Kerch's murky harbor but something about the pull of the current is still worrisome.

Of course he spends just a minute too long in the sun while enjoying the ocean. Which means he ends up with freckling across his face and shoulders, all down his forearms. It makes him rather self conscious, something he grumbles about after they've packed up and started to head back to the hotel. He's not exactly surly but he is vaguely annoyed.

Inej rewards such behavior as she should: not at all and by gently shoving him into the pool as they pass. There is no graceful way to flail. Or to sputter, which he does when he resurfaces with a surprised gasp. ]

Inej! [ Wow??? Rude??? He swims awkwardly to the ledge, cane still in hand. ] What was that for?

[ the sight of a bedraggled kaz brekker protesting and sputtering causes her to burst into laughter, but inej soon stoops down to his level near the edge of the pool, grinning like the cheshire cat.

if it were literally anyone else, they might face dirtyhands' wrath. almost certainly the removal of teeth. but inej has always had far more leeway than most. and now that he's agreed to love her until the end of their days . . . well, that's free license to shove him into a pool, she thinks. ]

To cool you off, from your extraordinarily long time in the sun today.

[ with another laugh, as she holds out her hands. ]

Let me see the cane, the ladder is right over there.

[ If she were anyone else, he'd be furious. There would be threats made and followed through, possibly a cane swung in their general direction.

However, Inej is Inej. And while he glowers at her at first, he can't help the smile that starts to work its way onto his mouth. Rude as hell. How is he supposed to be mad at her when she's so clearly delighted? ]

Oh, I see. [ He drawls, amusement poking through. Well, he supposes he deserved this since he did spend some time complaining about it.

She asks for his cane and he passes it up. Though whenever she grabs it, he's going to get his revenge and tug her directly into the pool with him. ]

[ inej is a fairly strong person. but she's relaxed, and grinning, and honestly is expecting kaz to just do as he's told. she should have known better, at that smile, but she's pulled off balance fairly quickly when he yanks the cane back toward him, and she winds up in the pool with a splash.

she surfaces quickly with a sputter of her own, her hair plastered all over her face. though unlike kaz, she isn't glowering -- instead, she sends a splash of water directly into his face with a swing of her arm, with a laugh. ]

Brat.

[ now her cover up is sopping wet and clinging and not comfortable to swim in at all, what a mess. and she pushes the hair out of her face. ]

This is going to take hours to dry, and we have a dinner reservation.

[ as if she cares, but now her hair is a giant sopping wet mess. ]

[ Had she been prepared at all for him to get his revenge, he doubts he would've been able to pull her off balance. Not only is she strong but she knows how to counter balance her weight. Specifically so she isn't pulled off her feet, as she would have to worry about in a fight with someone bigger than her.

Which is basically everyone she's ever fought.

So, it is satisfying to see her land in the water with a splash and come up grinning. Her hair is sticking to her face like a curtain and he laughs as she tries to tame it in some water. She splashes at him and he turns quickly, avoiding most of it getting in his face. When he turns back to her he's smirking, clearly satisfied. ]

Dry it enough and I'll pin it up, problem solved. [ Obviously!!! Kaz sets his cane on the ledge and hoists himself out of the pool, peeling off his extremely wet over shirt and wringing it out. ]

[ the comment earns a roll of her eyes, and inej swims to the side of the pool to pull herself up onto the ledge. her oversized shirt-turned-cover-up is all but useless, now, see-through and clinging to her form.

-- though, really, kaz had the same problem, which she notices with some satisfaction. though he removes the shirt, which is oddly annoying. it looked good the way it was.

her, though -- ]

Problem solved.

[ she repeats incredulously, as she tries to wring out the bottom of the shirt. what a bother!!! ]

I don't think you've solved any problems, you've only created them.

[ but it's clear she's not actually annoyed, as she gets to her feet, stepping out of her sandals to shake the water out of them. what a punk. ]

[ Oblivious as usual, he doesn't note her pointed look when he had the shirt on. Despite his own gaze dropping to where her blouse clings to her curves. Being white means it's relatively see through. Which shouldn't matter because again, he's seen her completely naked, but it still does things to him as he watches her wring the bottom of her shirt out. ]

First of all, you started this. [ He says, grinning as she shakes her sandals free of water. ]

Optional solution: we skip dinner and do other things instead. [ Kaz that isn't really a solve!!! ]

You deserved it.

[ she regrets nothing!! and she soon slips her sandals back on before shifting her attention to her hair, trying to wring out the water. and she's about to suggest that they head back to their room when he decides to . . . well, be himself.

she rolls her eyes, clearly exasperated with his apparent one track mind. what an infant!! ]

If your "other things" include a cold shower, then I think that sounds like a plan.

[ so there, before she stops wringing out her hair to hold out her hands, so she can help him up. if he needs it, anyway. ]

And as I think you have had enough swimming for today, we should probably go to dinner.

[ It was worth a shot, though he suspected that was going to be her answer. Alas. ]

Alright, alright. [ Truthfully, he does want to wash off, despite the dip in the pool. It still feels like he's got sand all over. Between his cane and taking hold of her hand, he manages to get back on his feet, slinging his wet shirt over one shoulder as they head back to the room.

Once back, he does help Inej braid and pin her hair up, so it's not just a damp mess all down her back. It looks good with the dress she wears, leaving her shoulders mostly bared, the slope of which his eyes keep coming back to throughout dinner. The weather here is warmer so he does without the vest or tie, rolling up his sleeves and unbuttoning the top button on his shirt. Dinner is an outside affair, which means there's at least a cool breeze the drifts up off the ocean on occasion.

Inej, getting her revenge, does make him sit through several courses, including dessert. Which he steals berries from, because he's wholly uninterested in the cake concoction she's clearly enjoying. By the time she's done, he wants nothing more than to kiss her. Though he keeps it to a hand on her knee and a kiss to her cheek. At least until they've finished and settled the check. Then he sets his hand at the small of her back while they walk, taking it slow and enjoying the quiet night. ]

Strange, hearing almost nothing. [ Ketterdam is always loud. And even on her ship, there's the dull roar of the waves echoing off the wood. The creak of boards and rigging or the occasional snore coming from where the crew slept. Here, there's barely anyone. It's relaxing. ]

[ she quietly loves it when he dresses down . . . or as "dressed down" as kaz brekker ever gets. this is pretty close to perfect, honestly. especially as they meander their way back to their room, his hand against her back. ]

It's nice, isn't it?

[ warmly, as she looks up at him with a slight upward tug of the corner of her mouth. he looks calm and relaxed, which is often a rarity. and she supposes it's the same for her. it's rare they can just be. ]

It's so quiet, and peaceful . . . I feel like we are the only ones here.

[ they did pay for the ridiculously expensive honeymoon suite which is essentially their own little villa, but. whatever. ]

Wasn't sure I was going to like it, but I do.

[ Some people just don't do well in silence. He's sure this place would make Jesper itchy under his skin. Not enough to keep his mind occupied. And while he enjoyed his solace and the relative quiet of their house, this is a different lack of sound.

It really is nice. Feels like his mind can relax and untangle instead of speeding along with a thousand different things. ]

We should do this again sometime. [ Not that visiting her parents or going out to the countryside are bad vacations, necessarily. This one is just far removed. Just the two of them, without all the other distractions. At that, he tugs her a little closer, pausing briefly to drop a kiss on top of her head. In a little, they'll be back to their room, where he can properly kiss her, but this will do. ]

[ she’s tugged closer, and she grins a little at the kiss to the top of her head. and inej rests against him for a moment before gently judging them along toward the room, looping her own arm around his waist so she can stay close.

( it’s easier for her to hold him while they walk than it is for him, what with the cane and all. ) ]

What if we come back every year for our anniversary?

[ thoughtfully. ]

It could be our present to ourselves.

[ Her arm loops around his waist, which makes it easier for him to keep up the pace as they continue on. She's warm, pressed against his side as she is, and he just wants to keep her close. He's been feeling that way off and on all day.

Well, more like the past couple weeks. It's not like they had no time, right after they were married. But it certainly felt like it, running from one thing to the next. And then the ship hadn't exactly afforded them much privacy. ]

That's possible. [ He says thoughtfully, as they come up to their door. ] Anika will be glad to kick me out of her business for a time. She's always saying I need a break.

[ Even if he's gotten better about taking those, he still can put in some long hours. Sometimes, it was necessary when there was a complicated scheme in play.

Kaz holds the door open for her, stepping in after and wasting no time in pulling his shoes off. After a day spent in less formal shoes, he wanted nothing to do with the stiffer leather. Carefully, he does come up behind her, putting a hand on her hip before he pulls her to him in a loose hug. ]

[ he does need a break, which is part of the reason she's so glad he agreed to such a long vacation, far removed from home. there's no chance for ketterdam to bother either of them, here. there's no way to know what's going on, which can be anxiety-inducing in and of itself. but separation is needed, and as they enter their room, inej considers the fact that this is probably the first vacation they've ever had where they've been totally removed from the work.

she slips out of her own shoes and is about to start undoing her hair when kaz hugs her from behind, and she arches her eyebrows before tilting her head back to look up at him, amused. ]

Can I help you?

[ mildly, leaning against him slightly as her fingers pause, in undoing the pins holding up her hair. ]

[ She tips her head back and he puts a hand on the side of her neck, thumb stroking down her jaw. All of her hair is still pinned up and he should probably help her take it apart. But first, he squeezes her tighter, briefly. ]

I love you. [ He feels like he still hasn't said it enough. Even then, the words don't seem to encapsulate exactly how he feels about her. Because it's just so much. ]

I want to kiss you for a while. [ Well, he's wanted to all day. And now that they have true privacy, the urge is much stronger. ]

[ her smile widens, at his words, and she leans back against him a bit more, reaching up to cover his hand with her own before gently moving it, so she can press her lips against his palm. ]

I love you, too.

[ warmly, squeezing his fingers once before she turns around in his arms, smoothing her hands along his chest. ]

And do you?

[ thoughtfully, stepping forward to loop her arms around his waist, resting her chin against his chest with a knowing grin. ]

What can I do about that?

[ When she kisses his palm, he smiles softly, always endeared by the small things. They were some of the first things they could do, while they were working through their issues early on.

And they were a way to show vulnerability, beyond that. Because he hadn't gotten better with words until later. Those are still a struggle, sometimes. ]

I usually do, yes. [ His smile brightens, at the bit of tease, hands linked together at the small of her back. ] Well, if you want to join me on the bed, I have some ideas.

I'm afraid I can't join you on the bed, because I can't move.

[ she points out, eyes bright as she leans up against him, letting her fingers trail along his back. enjoying the feeling of the looser shirt, his slightly mussed hair. he looks good, relaxed. ]

Someone is holding me hostage, because they are needy.

[ who that someone is, she has no idea, but they sound like a troublemaker, to be honest. ]

Hm, sounds like a problem.

[ And if there's one thing he's good at, it's providing solutions. This one has a simple fix, because they're close enough to the bed that he doesn't have to worry about trying to pick her up and possibly losing his balance.

No, he simply tugs her with him as he backs up to the bed. ]

Admittedly, they're very needy. [ He admits, pulling her down with him when he flops back onto the comforter. Whenever she situates, he nuzzles her neck and presses a light kiss on a spot he knows she likes. ]

[ ah, very smart. and she's tugged onto the bed next to him, comfortable as she watches him roll closer, nuzzling against her to kiss her neck, and a soft laugh escapes as she runs her fingers through his hair. ]

Apparently.

[ with a soft hum, at the very needy, and she dips her chin to press her lips to his forehead, content. ]

Good thing we are on vacation, and I can indulge your neediness.

[ He tilts his head a fraction as she runs her fingers through his hair, enjoying the light scratch of her nails. Kaz never thought he'd enjoy being petted, essentially, but here he is. ]

A very good thing. [ The words are muffled against her neck and broken up by a series of light kisses. His hand slides down her side, following the curve of her hip and stopping at her thigh. The skirt of her dress has ridden up, just a little, flipped up around her knee, and he's tempted to reach down to pull it up further.

But first: he kisses down her neck to her collarbones and her chest before moving back up, leaning over her a bit to brush a soft kiss to her mouth. ]

[ she lets her eyes close at the feeling of his lips against her neck, and her lips curve into a faint smile at the feeling of the kiss against her chest.

and, finally, his lips meet hers, and inej hums into the kiss, lazily looping her arms around his neck as she returns it slowly, warm and happy. ]

What do you do all day when we're apart?

[ she murmurs, kissing the corner of his mouth with a smile.

( she knows that he misses her, and he is immediately touchy (usually) whenever he comes home. and reluctant to let her go when she stops by the club for lunch. and she misses him whenever she also has a late night, staking out new leads, running slavers out of the ports. you don't quite realize how important touch is until you go years without it. ) ]

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