timewasting | modern au kanej.

Homeland.

[ she agrees. her tone is a little quiet, at that, watching him thoughtfully. because she, too, has mixed feelings about leaving. part of her wants to be in ravka tomorrow, but the other part doesn't want to leave ketterdam. or, maybe more accurately, him.

but they can still talk. and video-chat. zoom exists, and inej can find a stable internet connection and talk to him throughout her time in ravka. and it wasn't as if she wasn't going to come back.

still, she grins a little, at lizabeta's taste in films. ]

I think she will like whatever you put on, as long as she is allowed to watch them with you.

[ as she finishes off her glass of water, leaning to drop off her empty glass on the coffee table, too. ]

I'm nervous, that it won't be how I remember it. [ after a moment, settling back into the couch with a slight frown. ] A lot has changed, since I came to Kerch . . . I don't know if my people are even in the same area, anymore.

Hm, sounds familiar.

[ Inej is generally agreeable about the movies they've ended up watching over the past few months. He's grown to like spending that time with her, sharing a big bowl of popcorn and making comments. It's cozy. Maybe they could potentially still do something similar over video chat. There's got to be something for it out there. ]

Even if you'd remained there, it wouldn't be the same as when you were younger.

[ Kerch certainly has changed a bunch over the years. And he's been living here, watching the progress. A lot of times it still takes him by surprise. ]

Someone will know where they are. [ At this, he pats her ankle in an attempt to be reassuring. Strange to be the one with the positive outlook here. ]

[ the pat on her ankle does reassure her, and her lips turn into a smile, as she continues to watch him. the thought of finding her parents again is almost paralyzing. she wants, so badly, to hug her father and mother again, but there's a little voice in the back of her head warning against it. what if they don't want her anymore? or disapprove?

all of that is irrelevant until she finds them again. the only certainty she has at the moment is what kaz says: someone, somewhere, will know something. and where she is studying is in os kervo, where she last saw her parents. where she was taken out of her bedroom window and, presumably, never seen again.

part of the recovery process, now that she is free of heleen, has been doing a lot of paperwork. kaz has helped with a lot of it, just arranging citizenship, her paperwork, passports . . . and letting the ravkan government know that she's alive. to date, inej hasn't heard anything from her parents, but she at least has a starting point. hopefully the home that her parents had in os kervo is still there. ]

I know.

[ she'll find a way. but at that, her phone buzzes, and inej shifts to glance at it -- their food is here. and she sighs before shifting her legs off his lap, getting to his feet with only the slightest wobble, but she dips down to hug kaz loosely around the shoulders before she moves to the front door. she says nothing about why, or what sparks the gesture, but she wouldn't be going to ravka at all, without him.

but as she walks toward the door to get the noodles, she says: ]

I am going to require a nightly video update from you while I am gone, you know.

[ just in case he thought he would truly be rid of her for a few months. ]

[ He knows she's worried. Even through the drunken haze (or maybe because of it), he can feel her worry. The little dark cloud of doubt hanging over her head. It's a reasonable thing, really, despite his reassurances.

At the same time, he thinks he knows her well enough to sense that she'll be able to figure it out. She's a fighter, that much she's proven. And if she wants something bad enough, she doesn't let it go. Even if all the odds are stacked against her.

They're both shaken from their thoughts when food arrives, announced by the soft buzz of her phone. Inej sighs and lifts her legs from his lap, standing with more grace than should be allowed for someone who'd drank as much as she had. Not only that, but she doesn't fall over when she leans down and hugs him. He's too shocked to do much else than simply let it happen and by the time he thinks to return the gesture, she's already heading for the door.

Ah. ]

Should I get a bird cam for Lizabeta? So you can stream it all day like they do with the baby pandas at the zoo?

[ he doesn't hug her back, which is fine, as she's distracted by getting the food and tipping the delivery person. she moves back to the couch and sets the containers on the coffee table, parsing through the bags. ]

I do not need a baby panda camera.

[ with a laugh, as she hands him a container. ]

Here, your skewerless chicken skewers . . . and your pancakes with the grass.

[ another container, before inej fishes out the containers with the noodles, settling next to him on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her as she leans her shoulder against his. she hands him a fork before picking up one of her own, leaning over to stab one of the pieces of chicken with a grin. ]

Safest meal possible, no sharp edges.

[ not even in the noodles. ]

[ He takes the container gratefully, glad she thought to ask for the chicken to be de-skewered. While he might've been able to manage the motor skills needed to eat them off the wood sticks, it was best not to test it at this time. ]

Scallions are green, relatively tall, sprout from the ground. [ After he takes a bite of one and swallows: ] Grass. Or grass' cousin.

[ Close enough.

When she leans against him, he shifts his weight just enough to get that much closer. Without impeding either of their motions. Probably. ]

What's the time difference again?

[ she adjusts to his leaned weight, comfortable and warm as she stirs her noodles. she lets kaz have dominion over the grass pancakes, though she does snort to herself softly as he lectures her on the definition of grass. what a dweeb. ]

Six hours, where I am spending most of my time. Five, if I am on the coast . . . it depends. Ravka is a large country.

[ massive, really. ]

I still haven't decided if I want to live in the dormitory housing or not. Or if I will rent another place.

[ it would be cheaper, but require rooming with people that she doesn't know. and inej isn't wholly sure if she wants to do that, despite, you know. her current roommate situation. kaz was just . . . different. ]

But either way, I will find time. [ with a warm smile, as she nudges him with her knee, amused. ] I will miss bothering you every day otherwise.

Edited 2020-10-09 19:40 (UTC)

[ Six hours. It's not nearly as bad as it is from here to Novyi Zem or even the Wandering Isle, but it's still a pretty good chunk of time. Dinner time here would be midnight there. Or close to, as she notes the difference between mainland and the coast. ]

Every country is large in comparison to Kerch. [ They're a small island nation, after all. ]

You wouldn't have to worry about someone not paying bills or doing dishes, in the dorms.

[ Well, depends on whether she ended up in a single or not. ] Might be worth that to save money, though.

[ She does tend to get along better with people, so maybe it would work out. ]

I wouldn't call it bothering.

[ He does, after all, allow it. And he doesn't simply tolerate it but actually has enjoyed their talks. Like now, despite most of his higher brain functions not really working. ]

[ she laughs as she fishes another chicken skewer out of his container, so she can eat it, eyes bright. ]

I would call it bothering.

[ she says knowingly as she pops the piece of chicken into her mouth. ]

You are not a morning person, nevermind whatever lie you tell yourself every morning. Speaking to you without coffee is impossible.

[ but it's clearly said in affectionate jest, as inej takes another bite of her noodles. ]

You're plenty bothered then.

Morning me's opinions are ridiculous and don't count.

[ Because he knows he's extra grouchy and unsociable when he first gets up. Mornings have never agreed with him. It takes that first strong cup of coffee to really get him going and any period beforehand he shouldn't be taken seriously. ]

Not all of us can be like you and Lizabeta. [ That is to say: early birds. Both of them are so cheerful it's almost disgusting. How does she do it?

(A small part of him wonders what she really looks like when she first wakes up, but there would only be one way to know. He stops thinking about it and eats more of his scallion pancake). ]

[ inej has always been a morning person, though ketterdam has deprived her of it. most of her work happens -- or happened, rather, at night. but she still strives to get up with the sun. she feels better, that way. more rejuvenated.

it became very clear, very quickly, that kaz brekker is not that person. he's the opposite, really. she's learned to leave him alone until he has coffee, and then conversation is safe. for the most part. but she's seen him a few times just after he's woken up, from her perch on the couch, in the very beginning. not so much, now that she has her own room. but he looks . . . younger, almost, half asleep.

cute, inej thinks to herself, though she files that away for later. they were friends. finding him cute probably isn't appropriate. ]

Watching the sun rise is peaceful.

[ knowingly, taking another bite of her noodles. ]

You should try it sometime -- to enjoy it, not because you haven't slept all night.

[ like the insomniac he is. ]

[ He's never been one for mornings, even if he'd been born and lived in the countryside. His father had gotten up with the sun just like Inej does now, tending to their little farm. A habit that hadn't stuck with him, though Jordie– as he recalls– had been an early riser as well. Always wanting to take on the day with the excitement of a puppy.

Kaz had required coercion to be pulled from bed, when he was younger. Now he just has the sweet promise of coffee to offset his initial reluctance to speak or interact with anyone when he first wakes up. ]

That would make more sense if we lived somewhere that actually saw the sun more than ten days a year.

[ Being an island, Kerch suffered strange weather blowing in from the ocean all the time. Ketterdam, located on its coast, saw quite a bit of fog and clouds, punctuated frequently by storms. ]

It makes for a decent alarm to tell me to go to bed, at least.

[ how rude. absolutely mannerless. but she laughs regardless, stirring her noodles to get the last vestiges of sauce from the bottom of the container. ]

You will need to come to Ravka, then.

[ warmly, as she fishes out the rest of her noodles from the corner of the container, twirling them along her fork. ]

Though I think you will burn to death, if you see sunlight for more than ten days a year. You're practically translucent.

[ pale vampire child. ]

Yeah, maybe.

[ Really, he could've gone at any point after he was done with Rollins. But then he'd focused on getting a job and making a life for himself that wasn't picking pockets. He should go see other places; Novyi Zem, Shu Han, Ravka. The latter two weren't awfully far.

Perhaps eventually. If Inej will be studying there, he'll have someone to visit. ]

I'm not repulsed by garlic though. [ He says, amused by the thought of being compared to a vampire. ] Stake to the heart would kill me, though I think that's true of just about anything.

Do you have a reflection?

[ she asks, in utmost seriousness, gesturing toward him with a fork. ]

I read in some books that vampires don't have those. Or they sparkle in the sunlight.

[ twilight was utter trash, but inej did feel sort of bad for bella. she deserved better than either moron that was in love with her. she honestly should have just run away with one of the other girls instead. ]

I think we'll need to test to make sure; I'm very partial to my neck not having holes in it.

Last I checked. [ So that's one thing off the list. Definitely off the list, since he takes meticulous care in his appearance. Being on the streets had meant he couldn't look weak. And being in finance meant much the same— he's young and too many would doubt his skills at first glance if he wasn't careful.

She draws him out of the cruel necessities with a huff of a laugh. ]

I can tell you now I don't sparkle.

[ Ridiculous. ]

I know where you sleep, you'd think there'd be at least one bite mark already. [ Being his roommate and all, she was the closest. Although: ] Or perhaps I'm saving you for last.

[ To keep his cover, clearly. ]

Clever.

[ she muses; saving her for last, that is. the image of kaz brekker somehow managing to sneak into her room without her noticing is laughable, at best; she can hear his cane before anything else.

though, he can walk without it, most of the time. she's seen him hobble around the apartment without its assistance. but he still walks loudly, compared to her. she can still hear him coming. ]

I guess I should sleep with a stake underneath my pillow from now on . . . or hide it somewhere else, where you can't find it. So I can defend myself from your villainous behavior.

[ but she can't make it through the last part with a straight face, her lips twitching as she finishes the last of her noodles. ]

[ Her little smile is infectious and he ends up with a similar curl to the corner of his mouth. After finishing his scallion pancake: ]

Or you'll just have to make sure you don't invite me in. [ That's a vampire thing, isn't it? Being invited in. Usually it was done through guile or sheer obliviousness on the human's part. ]

I'm a villain with courtesy, it seems. [ He grins at her, the buzz of the alcohol taking the sharp edge off it. ]

[ oh, his grin. it causes a turn in her stomach, a warm flutter. his grin lights up his features and makes him much less severe looking. and his eyes become brighter . . . he's cute.

which isn't relevant to vampire hunting. or their dinner. or their conversation at all. and she squashes that thought with a laugh, before pointing out: ]

You invited me in.

[ she reminds him, as she closes her now empty noodle container. ]

But you are allowed in my room; I trust you not to drink my blood.

[ without permission, anyway. ]

[ Something about her laugh always warms him through. She could be making fun of him and he'll still enjoy it, less surly from the sound.

It feels like it's more potent now that he's had too many drinks. He feels a pull to lean forward and kiss her. Which. Would be awkward. ]

So does that make you the vampire in disguise? Should I be worried for my neck?

[ (A quiet niggling thought passes through that he doesn't think he'd mind too much if she did bite a little.) ]

Maybe.

[ she says, amused and lighthearted, leaning forward half an inch to grin, deliberately showing her teeth. no pointy incisors, incidentally. ]

You can sleep with one eye open, Kaz Brekker.

[ but it’s said with a laugh as she unfolds her legs to collect the empty containers, shaking her head a little. ]

I promise it’ll be painless when I suck your blood.

[ She leans forward and there's a surge in the pit of his stomach. One that's torn between delight and disgust. The latter is his usual reception to most touching, especially of skin, though there's a bit of disgust with himself for moment of wanting.

She's been through enough. And they're just friends, besides. ]

When, not if? [ Doesn't that sound like a promise?

He leans forward to help stack the containers and gather the napkins, motions a bit slow because he definitely still feels the dizziness of drink. ]

As poor an idea as it is, I'm tempted to sleep here. [ Getting up to go to his room feels like a monumental effort. ]

Are you looking forward to it?

[ she asks with a grin as she gets up with a wobble to deposit the empty containers on the table. but when kaz says he's tempted to sleep on the couch, she turns to him with arched eyebrows. ]

Your leg is going to kill you.

[ she chides, holding out her hands to him, to help him up. ]

Come on, I can help you get to bed.

[ maybe. she will do her very best. it might be a total failure, given how off-balance she feels, how warm and heavy her limbs are. but she also has full control over both her legs, so hopefully that will help kaz make it. and she adds, with a slightly cheeky grin: ]

I was the top gymnast in Ravka, you know; I can definitely walk in a straight line to your room.

[ Is he looking forward to it? There's definitely that part of him that is taking the theoretical biting and running with it. Not so much the vampiric biting though. Just the whole part with her mouth being near his neck.

Thankfully, there's just a small beat of silence while he furiously tries to think of how to answer. And then the subject has switched to something safer. ]

I can get up. [ Well, mostly. There's a combined use of his cane and her held out hand that gets him back to standing. He sways, alcohol making him unsteady, and the light grip on her hand tightens a fraction. ]

If we both topple, neither of us are speaking of it.

[ What happens after being drunk stays in this house. ]

If we both topple, it will be your fault.

[ she says informatively, grinning a bit as he sways. she soon (somewhat uncoordinatedly) steps over to loop an arm around his waist, to support him a bit more, tilting her head up with a grin. ]

Come on, limp this way.

[ she says, nudging him a bit toward the direction of his bedroom. the floor feels a lot less steady than it should be, her footsteps purposeful, but a bit exaggerated, almost as if inej isn't entirely sure the ground beneath her is solid.

( they will make it, she says silently to herself. it isn't that far. ) ]

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