wraithes: (010.)
unarmored. ([personal profile] wraithes) wrote in [community profile] timewasting2020-09-27 05:30 pm

modern au kanej.

a cute gif will go here eventually.
ketterdamn: (huddle)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-14 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Part of him wants to ask why would they?

But he does pause, considering it and her reasons and possible worries. The Kerch are a bit prudish, that's certain. They put stock in blood lines and a certain amount of professionalism. For the former, it's something they're still working against and has gotten better. And for the latter, well, it's a National point of pride.

It means that something like sex work is frowned upon. That the people who choose it or end up in it are wild and beneath notice. Someone to sneer at, rather than be offered any kind of assistance out or have rights written.

So, he can understand why she would be afraid of how people would perceive her. Though he thinks Jesper would eat a shoe before he ever said a negative thing about her. Same could be said for Wylan or Nina. ]


Anyone who would think poorly of you afterwards isn't worth it.

[ He reaches over, folding his fingers over hers. ]
ketterdamn: (think about it)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-15 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
As if that's what you wanted.

[ She didn't ask to be bought and sold. Judging from the little she's told him, she hadn't known much Kerch at all when she arrived. Certainly not enough to understand a contract.

Even if she had, it had been confusingly written. Purposely made to sound enticing or fair when it was the exact opposite. Heleen would have owned her for years and Inej would not have ever been able to dig herself out. Not until Heleen decided she was no longer useful—which he doesn't even want to think about. Because it's repulsive, first and foremost. But also because this is Inej, who he's found he cares deeply for. ]


Look at me. [ He tilts his head, trying to catch her gaze. ] I'd hunt down every single person who hurt you and dump them in the harbor if I could get away with it.
ketterdamn: (leather)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-15 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
[ When she cups his cheek, he puts his hand over hers, tilting his face into her touch. He keeps ahold of her hand when she drops it back down, giving her fingers a return reassuring squeeze. ]

I know.

[ Considering her circumstances. His hand stays in hers as she keeps going, not quite going into detail. But it's more than she's talked about before—he's asked a few questions here and there but he's never pressed. It's fresh, after all. And even if it had been less fresh, it was too personal.

The thing is...he'd already been furious with Heleen, early on. When he had read her contract and when he'd gotten a decent idea on how she'd been treated. He feels his stomach start to drop out when she talks about how old she was, how Heleen told her to lie.

And how she did lie. To survive both Heleen and the awful clients. His stomach seems to level out again and it leaves that cold anger sticking to the back of his throat, something he hasn't felt for a while. Not since Tomassen had gone over all the detailed charges of exactly what Rollins had done. It's nearly the same, here. The pins and needles shock and the feverish anger following as soon as it sinks in.

He swallows it, jaw working as he finds his words. ]


She's going to wish for death after all this is done. [ But that would be too kind, wouldn't it? So there is something grimly satisfying about wanting to watch Tomassen help strip her of everything. Her awful empire, her credibility, her power.

Beyond that, he can't get over how proud he is of Inej, for surviving, for pulling through to now. And to still want to go into this trial despite everything. ]
ketterdamn: (rare)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-15 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He slowly and carefully drags his thumbs along the backs of her fingers, keeping her hands cupped in his. Really, he wants to reach over and hug her, but the angle is a bit awkward. There's also a matter of him wanting her to finish her thoughts. And both of them being able to see the other's expression. It's important, he thinks, right now. ]

I have you, normal doesn't matter.

[ Besides, what's normal? Everyone's relationships are different, catered to how they specifically work together. Besides, he doesn't think he could be with someone who didn't understand how precarious touch can be. Someone free of those reservations would be too difficult to relate to.

The two of them get it. He doesn't mind waiting and working it out with her. And if they never get to "normal", he's been more than happy with what they've been able to achieve. Waking up to her in the morning warms him to the very ends of his nerves. ]
ketterdamn: (think about it)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-15 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The relief is nearly palpable, showing in the way her shoulders relax and the tension around her eyes seems to lessen. Her worry may not be gone entirely, he knows something like this sticks with a person, but it's at least temporarily assuaged. And she knows how he feels, seems to know it's the truth.

He isn't quite expecting the soft kiss but he doesn't shy from it, quirking a small, soft smile as he returns it. Covering one of her hands, his thumb strokes over the knuckles, content for the moment. Then he draws away slightly, patting her knee lightly. ]


Come here. [ If she'll let him, he wants to hold her in his lap. An extra layer of reassurance and affection. ]
ketterdamn: (huddle)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-16 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
[ It takes a bit of maneuvering to get them both settled on the couch with her in his lap. But once they do, it's comfortable and warm. Her slight weight is leaned up against his front and he loosely wraps his arms around her middle. Like this, he can feel her relax, the absence of anxiety making her sound exhausted. ]

We should probably thank Jes. [ Even if they'll never hear the end of it. He is, after all, the one who decided to pester Inej for her number. And to treat her like an old friend—as he usually liked to do to people he got on with at first brush.

He also had managed to drag Kaz out that one night. Without any of those things, he never would've gotten Inej's text and let her stay because of her heat being out. Then where would they be? He isn't sure she would've died. At least, not without a fight, but she would certainly be in more dire straits as time went on. There's only so much people can take. And with the work she was in, there was only so long she would be considered desirable, which makes his stomach turn in disgust. ]
ketterdamn: (Default)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-16 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
He usually is.

[ His tone is lightly chagrined, though he does find it amusing. How many times has Jes said the same thing over the years? It's not exactly untrue, though he could have used a lot less numbers. His friend always took him saying more than three words to someone as him being interested. ]

A national tragedy. [ Not being able to spoil Lizabeta, whom he adores. Kaz has never considered himself a pet person but he really does love that little bird. Especially when she sits by his neck and dozes off. He can hear her tiny, sleepy peeps. ]

Good thing you kept my number, too.

[ He'd been convinced she would delete it soon after that initial awkward conversation that had gone maybe three lines. ]
ketterdamn: (what)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-16 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
[ She thought he was cute?

Well, ok, she hadn't seemed like the type to give her number out of sheer pity, so there had to have been something. But still, he feels his face warm from the comment, unused to hearing such things. Most of the time, his personality was the first thing people noticed. In the case of the very rare possible date, according to Jesper anyway, he was incredibly standoffish.

That had always seemed enough to keep people away or simply uninterested. ]


Too awkward. It's happened before.

[ Not that he took it personally. Why should he? It was what it was. ]
ketterdamn: (rare)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-17 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[ A grin lights up his face when she says she was glad that they'd deleted his number. In truth, he's glad as well, because that means they have each other now. Seems like they're both feeling a bit possessive. He gives her a short squeeze, tipping his chin down to brush a kiss to her forehead. ]

None of them came with Lizabeta, either.

[ How he adores that little bird. In fact, he misses her soft tweets right now. They'd left her in the care of her parents. Who he's sure will take good care of her, despite Asena being wary of how much she freely flaps about. ]
ketterdamn: (Default)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-18 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He smiles against her hairline, the sound of her soft laugh a bit infectious. It's not as if she laughs rarely—it's just that he's glad to hear it. ]

She tipped the scales in your favor.

[ Even if he'd been completely unsure when he first saw her standing at his door with the bird in her cage. That unsurety had lasted all of two days, a record for someone or something worming its way into his good graces.

Though maybe the same could be said of Inej. He wants to say it had taken longer to really feel as strongly as he does about her. Even now, he thinks he might be in love with her, despite it seeming all too soon to say as much. Part of him wants to admit it while the other part is anxious. As usual. That it's simply too early on, that this is something of that honeymoon phase of a relationship.

Then again, he can't recall anyone he's felt this strangely comfortable around. That alone counts for so much. ]


Where to?

[ Not a bad idea. Certainly they'll want to celebrate. And probably get away from all of this.

There's also something warming about her thinking so far ahead with the two of them in mind. ]
ketterdamn: (huddle)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-18 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Honestly, he's never been one for vacations. Most of his time off has been spent at home, catching up on things that fell by the wayside whenever he was working. And prior to a few years ago, he didn't have the money to go anywhere. He supposes that habit has simply carried over.

But, perhaps unsurprisingly, he's now looking forward to going on a trip with her. Someplace they can experience together. So of course she suggests the beach, which has him partly cringing. Not that she knows his weird history with bodies of water.

At the same time, his mind does remind him that she'd likely end up in a bathing suit. Or one of those beach dresses; they'd look flattering on her, as so much does. It doesn't quite quash the mix of anxiety and revulsion he has at being near the ocean. ]


Maybe.

[ He knows he sounds a bit closed off. Though he isn't sure how much he wants to get into. ]
ketterdamn: (leather)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-19 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ He knows she can feel him freeze up. Being pressed this close jt would be impossible for her to ignores and he wishes he had tried to measure his reaction a little better.

Though he doesn't pull away when she cups his face in her hands. And he does tilt his face a bit into the kiss when she presses in. It does a bit to soothe the bad memories, despite it being touch. Mostly because it gives him something to focus on that isn't a bad memory. Of water going up and over his head. ]


Shu Han has gardens.

[ Famous ones, all year round. They're well known for their decorative arbors and arrangements. He remembers seeing some photos that almost looked unreal when his office had a merger party at a photography gallery a couple years ago. ]

There's time to plan. [ It might be over in a blink. But for now, they can look over destinations. In some ways, it's quite fun to consider.

Maybe he likes research too much. ]
ketterdamn: (what)

[personal profile] ketterdamn 2020-11-20 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ It certainly sounds beautiful, though a sappy part of him thinks it would be hard pressed to beat the woman sitting in his lap. He's not sure how he was able to kid himself for so long on thinking he just liked her as a friend. Though certainly, he's glad they started that way. It makes this feel much closer, he thinks, than starting from zero and working their way up.

She shakes him out of his thoughts abruptly, her comment making color bloom in his cheeks before he can try and control the reaction. ]


Oh, is that all?

[ The fact she's entertained the idea of him stripping his shirt off in front of her is...well, he can't say he hates it. Even if he's completely embarrassed by how forthright she was about it. ]

If we go in summer, a button up is that last thing to wear.

[ Shu Han could get notoriously hot and humid. And he wouldn't have the excuse of going into an office where a more proper attire is necessary. Or helpful, if one sits basically under the A/C vent. ]

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