OPEN POST 2020.

[legalized]

【my ❝CALL ME OUT❞ post】
get my ass in gear.

♛ here is my muselist. ♛ post "calling" one of them out — you can do so by putting their name in the subject line! ♛ can be informal/formal/comment spam/crosscanon/explicit/whatever tickles your fancy! ♛ feel free to make up a scenario at the start, or wait to see where things go. meme code.

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[wraithes]

[ the kisses to her cheek cause her eyes to drift close, and she leans forward into the touch . . . but at his question, she blinks her eyes open to look at him, with a slight frown.

she, too, doesn't really want her to let go of him. and she meant what she said, she doesn't want to be alone. but she knows that a bath will help relax her, and wash away whatever is still clinging to her . . . ]

I do.

[ softly. ]

I need to get out of these clothes.

[ketterdamn]

[ He really doesn't want to let go but he also knows it'll be better to come back to this afterwards. She can soak the rest of the tension away. And then she'll be bath-warmed, relaxed, her dark hair even moreso from the damp.

Reluctantly, he gives her hands a squeeze before he releases his hold, moving to get up. ]

Come on then, we can do this the rest of the night once you're done. [ And morning, really. He has a feeling she won't want to be up at her usual hour. ]

[wraithes]

[ he lets her go, and inej unfolds herself from him, but before he moves too far away, she curls her fingers into his shirt and tugs him closer for a kiss. it's soft, tender, before she pulls away to stand, wiping her eyes once more with the kerchief that had been resting on the bed. ]

Good.

[ she murmurs, moving to the bathroom, running a hand through her hair to brush it out of her face. ]

I'd like that.

[ketterdamn]

[ He goes willingly when she tugs him back in for a kiss. His hand settles briefly on the side of her neck, thumb sweeping slowly along the line of her jaw. It's with similar reluctance that he pulls away after she does. But, first things first.

The bathroom is thankfully big enough to fit both of them without being cramped. Unlike the few in the Slat—most of the rooms there suffer from lack of space. Something he's been working on since the windfall from the Van Eck job.

(It's slow going, since it involves quite a bit of construction and shuffling people into different rooms temporarily while walls are knocked down and redone).

While she undresses, he turns the tap on, leaning down to put his fingers under the faucet and testing the heat. He has a fair idea of just how hot she'll want it to be; enough to steam up a smaller room. Soon it's about right and he reaches down to seal the drain, drying his hand off thoroughly on one of the hanging towels. ]

All yours. [ As for him, he flips the lid down on the toilet and slowly takes a seat with a bit of a sigh. Long day. ]

[wraithes]

[ some days of undressing are better than others. over time, it's gotten a lot easier, undressing in front of kaz. today is a middling day . . . after warring with her memories for the better part of three weeks, it takes her a moment to steel her nerve.

while she does that, though, she stoops to search the cabinet in the bathroom, finding some type of bubbling soap. and she unceremoniously dumps that in, before she quickly undresses.

in a matter of moments, she's sunk into the bathtub . . . properly scalding, as she exhales slowly. and she soon vanishes underneath the water for a moment, letting the heat soak over her before she re-emerges, just above the bubbles, exhaling slowly.

and, finally, from her bubble palace: ]

Thank you.

[ for sitting with her. and holding her. and helping her do this. all of the above, really. ]

[ketterdamn]

[ While she gets her bath completely ready and eventually steps in, he doesn't pay her any particular attention. These past few weeks have been a bit touch and go, too many of her bad memories dredged up by the work they'd been doing. He leans back against the toilet backing instead, head tipped towards the ceiling and eyes closed.

For a bit, there's just the quiet sound of the water and fizz of slowly popping foam bubbles. He hears her move, probably ducking under, and then emerge, letting out a long sigh. ]

You helped me take down Rollins. [ Inadvertently, for a while. She still doesn't know the extent of it, even if she'd been privy to that final conversation.

And had gone to make sure he wasn't coming back any time soon. Or at all. He has the stuffed lion in his desk drawer. ]

It wouldn't be fair if you didn't have your payback.

[ At that, he opens his eyes and tips his gaze back down, quirking a small smile. Bubbles have collected atop her head, from when she'd slipped under the water. ]

[wraithes]

[ he's not looking at her, and she feels somewhat grateful. the bubbles cover most of her, and she's idly considering dunking down into the water again when he looks over at her, a smile on his lips.

she almost asks him what's funny, but her brow furrows slightly, thinking over what he said. she supposes that much is true, she did help him do that . . . and drove the nail in the coffin, when she threatened to carve his heart from his chest if he dared to set foot in ketterdam again.

she wiggles her toes, under the water, trying to think of what she wants to say, if anything. ]

They ripped my innocence from me.

[ she says quietly, hands shifting to comb her fingers through her wet hair, letting the soap run through it. ]

Losing their lives was nothing in comparison.

[ketterdamn]

And you were still the better person. They'd deserved to suffer.

[ But then, they hadn't had much of a choice in the matter. It was swoop in quickly and be done or let some escape while extracting retribution. There'd also been the matter of the kids—they had seen enough. Most of the darker evening shadows had covered the gruesome fight but none of those children were going to easily bounce back from that situation.

Still, he knows Inej. She wasn't the kind to prolong suffering, no matter how necessary it seemed. That was always more his style, though some of it has been curbed by her better nature.

It had reared its ugly head though, when he'd been considering what he would have liked to do to the men who'd taken her.

That had been their last bit of luck, that he hadn't gotten to them first. ]

Those children are going to consider you a saint, I'm sure.

[wraithes]

[ she slips a bit lower into the tub, frowning to herself as she mulled over his words. the children were rescued, that’s true, and she supposed they’ll thank her for it...

but she sighs, resting her head against the back of the bath, eyes moving to the ceiling. ]

I hope the kidnapping was the only damage they incurred.

[ her tone is quiet, but not distant, eyes roving over the design etched into the ceiling. ]

Once I was taken to the camp or holding area, it was too late.

[ the slavers didn’t keep their hands to themselves, no matter what lie they spun to heleen. and heleen could tell, the broken ones versus the ones that hadn’t been violated yet. Inej was somewhere in between. scarred, but not broken.

she purses her lips slightly, shifting to rinse a portion of her hair. ]

At least dead they won’t do any more harm.

[ketterdamn]

Hard to say. They looked shaken but they warmed up a bit.

[ Once they figured out that neither Kaz nor Inej were going to hurt them, anyway. Though, Kaz had a good meter for whether someone was broken or not, his was different than Inej's. She knew what to look for. If she saw anything in their faces, she hadn't said. ]

No, they're done for good.

[ He watches her rinse her hair, feeling that familiar itch to reach out and touch. His fingers curl towards his palm instead. Maybe one day. ]

I'm proud of you. [ Because none of this had been easy. But she'd done it anyway. ]

[wraithes]

[ she has never felt more grateful for speaking three languages as she has doing this work. because navigating the children was a blur of shifting between languages, ushering them to safety... and honestly, even if they were damaged, at least they weren’t broken. Inej hadn’t seen that.

at his words, though, inej catches his gaze, fingers pausing in combing the soap through, and her lips twitch into a faint smile. ]

I couldn’t have done it without you.

[ logistically. or emotionally. Kaz had held her up when she wanted to fall more than once, literally and figuratively.

and inej dips underwater again before resurfacing, running her hands over her face to get rid of the excess water. ]

Mmm... we should stay in bed for a week.

[ almost wistfully, as she stretches to rub her legs under the water, working out some tension. ]

[ketterdamn]

You would've found a way.

[ She usually did. After all, this was the girl that had taken the knife she was given and flourished. The one who survived the Menagerie, the Barrel, Van Eck, Dunyasha. Who made slavers run in fear at sea and on land. He'd just made it easier for her to put this piece to rest. ]

I think I like the sound of that. [ Truthfully, he isn't sure if he could sit still so long, despite how tired he currently feels. But he also doesn't like the idea of going anywhere until she's recovered some more. At least until those circles under her eyes have a chance to fade. ]

[wraithes]

[ the idea of lying in bed wrapped up in his arms for the next week sounds incredible. because she can already tell that sleep will be touch and go, and as she finishes rinsing her hair, she’s grateful kaz came with her.

she won’t be alone to deal with it. ]

Then that’s what we’ll do.

[ with a small smile, before she rinses the soap off her arms. ]

You should change into your pajamas; I’m almost done.

[ she can make it out of the tub with him in the other room, and she has to dry off, which always takes a hit. ]

[ketterdamn]

[ She suggests he change and he takes one quick look at her face, just making sure it'll be fine to leave. Her expression is steady, albeit tired, but the crying and the bath seemed to have helped.

So he nods, using his cane to lever himself up.

Impulsively, he reaches down to scoop up a handful of bubbles, patting them right onto the top of her head. Then he grins, heading out of the bathroom. ]

Enjoy the rest of your bath, bubble queen.

[wraithes]

[ indeed, her expression is steady, and she sends him a grateful look as he gets up . . . Which is quickly replaced by a suli string of words that is probably not strictly appropriate, as Kaz dumps bubbles on her hair.

but the suli ends in a laugh, as she slips back under the water, to rinse her hair again. and after that, she drains the tub, and takes care to dry herself off, meticulous in her actions.

water and Kaz don’t mix, after all. not usually. she isn’t wholly sure why, figuring it out by observation and a bad experience where inej had damp hands and touched his shoulders after washing them. so she dries carefully, now. and inej is already half a mess; she doesn’t need to add Kaz to her mess.

she soon emerges from the bathroom wrapped in a robe, her damp hair as towel-dried as it could be, surveying the bed before she decides to move toward her bag, tugging out a pair of underwear before she frowns at her bag. ]

Can I wear one of your shirts to bed?

[ it’s soothing, for some reason, to do that. ]

[ketterdamn]

[ Kaz's relationship with water has gotten...better. In increments. Most of his recovery has been slowly making his way over the general touching hurdles. He sometimes wonders if his near violently bad reactions to water and wet skin are permanent side effects, that he'll only be able to scoop bubbles into her hair or simply keep her company.

But then, he'd thought he would never be able to kiss her. Or hold hands. And now he can do both. It'll just take time, as usual. And concentrated effort. Just maybe not during this trip, because she has enough to think about without him adding on.

He takes his time changing and uses the water basin on one of the side tables to wipe down. By the time he's done, she's dragged herself out of the bathroom and is frowning down at her bag.

And asking to use one of his shirts. ]

Sure. [ Honestly, he enjoys when she does. Something about seeing her in his clothing warms him through. He pulls a shirt on for himself and then fishes out another one, handing it over to her. ]

]

[wraithes]

[ she gives him a small smile before taking the shirt, turning to shed the robe and tug on her underwear before pulling on the shirt. it's huge on her, but soft, and comfortable.

once that's done, inej tugs back the comforter and slides into the bed, exhaling slowly. and the moment that kaz is also in bed, she turns to curl up against his side, resting her cheek against his shoulder.

she feels exhausted. and she's certain she's not done crying, yet. she feels an odd weight in her throat again, now that she's comfortable and safe, with him. it should be the opposite reaction, inej thinks in frustration, but she closes her eyes to focus on the feeling of his shirt underneath her cheek.

she's very clearly not asleep, though, or totally relaxed. but an attempt is being made. and she does feel much better, after the bath, now that she's warm and clean and in new clothes.

eventually: ]

I think I'm going to stay in Ketterdam for awhile, when we go back.

[ quietly, as she curls her fingers against his shirt. ]

[ketterdamn]

[ He crawls in beside her and lets her get comfortable before he relaxes. She's warm all over from the bath and it's a soothing feeling, having her pressed so close. The past few weeks seem to catch up in a rush and he sighs, happy that at least the worst of it is over. ]

Yeah? What's a while?

[ It sounds like it'll be longer than her usual stays. More than two weeks, at least. There's been a couple occasions where she's pushed it close to a month. But as much as he wanted to keep her for longer, he knew she couldn't stay.

This changed things. And he can understand wanting to rest. Her job isn't easy and this had been one of the more difficult times. ]

[wraithes]

A few months.

[ she runs her thumb along his arm, her eyes still closed, her voice still quiet. it feels scary, really, to say it out loud . . . but inej knows that she needs to heal, in more ways than one. a week in a hotel in ravka is not going to be enough.

then, with a faint twitch of her lips: ]

If you're willing to let me sleep in your bed, anyway.

[ketterdamn]

[ His eyebrows go up at her mention of a few months. It's unexpected but not displeasing. He always misses her dearly when she leaves, after all. ]

I think we're well past simply willing, Inej. [ He says dryly, echoing her faint amusement. How could he refuse, after all? The prospect of getting at least a month of actual rest is enough to make him agree. Not to mention the reassurance that he knows where she is, that she's safe. That a storm isn't just going to knock her ship off course and leave her stranded.

A thousand little worries whittle down to a handful, when she's back on dry land. ]

[wraithes]

[ she tucks her head a little closer into his shoulder, but she opens her eyes to tilt her head up a little, to look at him and his expression. of course he wouldn't mind, but she still feels the need to ask . . . which is stupid, in retrospect. but she doesn't really have anywhere to go, in ketterdam, that is hers. and as much as she loves jesper and wylan, she sometimes just needs quiet.

she stretches an arm across his chest to fully press herself against him, comfortable and warm. ]

I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep.

[ it's murmured, letting her eyes close again as she gets comfortable. ]

But I always sleep better when you're here.

[ so staying in ketterdam for a month or two might just help her heal. ]

[ketterdamn]

[ The arm around her middle tugs her closer, briefly, giving her a squeeze. Already tired earlier, her warmth and low voice make it hard to keep his eyes open. Which he feels a little bad about, because she's had a rough go of it, sleep evasive because of the whole circumstance. ]

At least you won't have to be on high alert all the time. [ Even if she doesn't sleep, just being able to rest would help. There'd be no sudden coming upon a slaver ship in the middle of the night. And whatever business the Dregs had, they could handle without her, as much as she is loathe to stay behind. ]

I can't seem to settle when you're gone. [ His nights are filled with a restlessness, tossing and turning. Missing her. ]

[wraithes]

[ there's a soft mmm at that, running a finger along his chest, drawing a meaningless design into his shirt. ]

We make quite the pair.

[ murmured, faintly amused. the two scariest people in ketterdam can't be touched by strangers and can't sleep through the night apart. what a mess. ]

Are you going to take me out to dinner, when we get back?

[ketterdamn]

[ They do make quite the pair. If those in the Barrel knew—well, he doesn't want to consider it. Then again, only the stupid or brash would try their hand at either of them.

And he doubts anyone would want to try them both at the same time. No matter how weak their defenses looked. ]

I can, did you have some place in mind?

[ They've gotten better at that whole going on a date thing. It's been strange to incorporate, because neither of them had known what dating was like. Now they've figured out what works for them, little by little. Though he still usually prefers to have dinner with her on the roof of the Slat, enjoying the general quiet. ]

[wraithes]

I never have a place in mind.

[ mostly because inej typically dislikes the whole . . . being out in public thing. and until recently, she never really could afford eating somewhere that required sitting down. she usually just took the food to go and ate it on the roof. which, really, she still enjoys doing more often than not.

but sometimes, the normalcy is nice. it's almost never perfect. and dinner is usually spent creating elaborate stories about the people around them based on what they could see. inej and kaz had witnessed many a break-up and reconciliation, from their dinners. and the odd marital affair.

at any rate: ]

You are the plan person.

[ so obviously, picking out where to eat dinner also falls on him, in the "plans" department. ]