[ it isn't as if lunch with kaz was unusual, but there was usually a reason. a birthday, a celebration, or sofia had requested his presence. it was rarely initiated by him, which tomassen had long since stopped taking personally. he just wasn't a social person, which on most days, was fine.
so when kaz reached out for lunch after asking some inquiries about suspicious activity, he had a feeling his son was not coming to his firm for a casual lunch. his suspicions were confirmed at the sight of the briefcase laden with paperwork, and as kaz sinks into the chair across from his, tomassen arches his eyebrows.
(he may have a text or three from his dearest wife, telling tomassen to remind kaz to text her concerning dinner on friday, so tomassen is glad he doesn't need to get involved.) ]
She's concerned you're starving to death. [ obviously. he folds his hands in his lap, his elbows resting on the arms of his chair, surveying kaz. he looks tired, as if he hasn't slept very well recently. not stressed, necessarily, but determined despite the lack of sleep. ] Do most people bring an encyclopedia to lunch, or is that just a special trait you carry?
[ Kaz doesn't miss the sideways glance Tomassen spares for the heavy looking briefcase. Knows he'll have to answer for it, because it is a bit of strange sight. Even if they both know he works probably too much for someone his age—there's no way it's just his own work.
His expression softens minutely, at the mention of Sofia's worry over his appetite. ]
I know, I know. I assured her I have been eating. [ That said: ] I'll be there Friday, so at least she knows I ate once this week.
[ Otherwise, he knows she's going to get increasingly anxious. It's better to set all that to rest or she's going to show up at his doorstep. Well. Maybe not, since she's always been very observant of his boundaries. But it's still a possibility, if he remained too silent.
Besides, it's not like it's a trial to see his parents. Even if one of them is currently giving him shit. That's just how they communicate though, so he dishes the same cheekiness back. ]
Your choice, Tom, do you want lunch first or the encyclopedia first?
[ because while Sofia generally respects kaz’s boundaries, tomassen is nosy. so when his wife frets over their son’s radio silence, he does the obvious thing and asks kaz’s friends. namely, Jesper, who could not keep his mouth shut to save his life. and Jesper had told him some very interesting details. namely: ]
Who is Inej? [ with an innocent tone, before he unfolds his arms, gesturing with a hand toward the stack of paperwork tucked in kaz’s bag. ] And you had best have a good story, given she’s landed herself in hot water with Tante Heleen, and you currently have her sheltered at your home.
[ looking up the property card of inej’s building had taken little effort, though digging through who was actually responsible for owning the shell corporation had been some effort. he’s not exactly thrilled that Kaz has put himself in the middle of yet another mess, and tomassen sighs to himself before saying wearily. ]
[ It doesn't surprise him that Tomassen is at least one step ahead. They're both too familiar with how the other operates at this point. Their similarities meant their relationship had way more friction, even if Kaz knows he would do basically anything his father asked of him.
Still, he sighs and passes a hand over his face, making a mental note to message Jesper about what he divulges to other people. There couldn't possibly be another source for Tomassen's information, after all. ]
No objections. [ To buying lunch. A small price to pay. ] First question: how serious were you when you said you'd never take another case like mine? Relatedly, how familiar are you with Tante Heleen?
[ He'll answer the other questions, promise, but these are the most pressing. None of the rest will make much sense to get into, otherwise. ]
[ he makes a soft noise at the query, but while he mulls it over, he reaches over to the phone on his desk, pressing a button to connect to his secretary. ]
Maia, my darling, would you mind calling in lunch from the Zemeni establishment down the street? Numbers three and fourteen, if you would, with espresso.
[ there was a cheerful of course! on the other end, and tomassen cut the line with another press of the button before settling back into his chair with a sigh, allowing his expression to drop into a sign of weariness. ]
Heleen van Houdon owns near-every pleasure house along the Stave, and deals in fine jewelry and silks to boot. She's been investigated by the Watch before, but the victims always recant. She has quite the grip on local immigration, and the girls who complain tend to disappear. Either deported or worse.
[ he still hasn't answered kaz's first question, because he isn't quite sure how to answer it. pekka rollins had been hell, and he has the scars to prove it. he doesn't think either he or sofia slept for the duration of the trial longer than a few hours at a time. but heleen... ]
I've met her a few times. She made a point to introduce herself after Pekka was sentenced. Gave me her card, and asked if I was looking for new clients. I said I was busy enough for the next decade, and left it at that.
[ there's a pause. ]
That girl you picked up in a bar is in some serious shit, Kaz, if she defaulted on Heleen.
[ The order of lunch brings back an odd feeling. He'd spent a lot of time in and out of this office during his case. Then, it'd been a particular kind of hell, for the both of them. But he cherished his time here; Tomassen had been the first adult in his life, after his father's death, who had actually listened. For that brief moment, he's transported back to that time, albeit without the fear. He's older now. And Rollins would never be able crawl back into the light of day.
That said, he does notice his first question goes unanswered. At least, in the moment. It'll come back around.
In a grim way, it's heartening to know how much Tomassen does know, about Tante Heleen. At least the basics are covered. It isn't the worst of it, but that wasn't the question he asked. Hardly a topic to bring up before lunch, at any rate. ]
She didn't. [ At this, he reaches over to procure the slim set of papers that proves it, sliding them onto Tomassen's desk. ] I paid off the contract. Whatever noise she's making about defaults is just noise.
[ Leaning back in his chair once more, he folds his hands across his stomach, eyes bright but determined. ] I asked Inej if she wanted justice, she said yes.
[ Really a summary of their ongoing conversation the last few days. ]
Heleen made her sign that contract when she didn't even understand Kerch.
[ tomassen leans forward to pick up the paperwork that kaz procures, unfolding it swiftly to read it over. his brow furrows, a low whistle escaping at the amount of debt. why heleen would be furious over receiving that amount of money, tomassen has no idea.
more importantly: ]
A normal first date is dinner and a movie, not paying out hundreds of thousands of kruge for someone you barely know. Must be a pretty girl.
[ he folds the paperwork back up, tossing it onto his desk. ]
Signing a contract you don't understand isn't necessarily illegal, so long as you understand what the end goal is. Inej signed this knowing she had to pay back a debt; certainly nauseating, but not necessarily illegal. What else have you got?
[ Kaz barely restrains himself from rolling his eyes at the comment about what a date should look like. He should know by now that Kaz views that as a pipe dream. Almost unwanted, even, considering his circumstances.
Sofia has been trying her best to get him over his crippling fear of human contact and...to her credit, he can stomach more than he could, in the past. But it was an enormous leap from being able to hug his mother to actively dating someone, no matter if they'd been introduced by Jesper.
He does make a face at Tomassen's explanation, a general exasperation at the Kerch and their views on contracts. ]
Funny you should ask. [ Remember that encyclopedia? Yeah, now he places it on his father's desk, expression looking strangely hollowed out. ]
I wouldn't read that without a glass of something strong nearby.
[ the weight of the paperwork makes a soft 'thud' as kaz places it down, and tomassen eyes it warily before pulling it toward him, flipping to the first page in the first folder. a summary, but tomassen shifts it to the side to get to the contract itself. he scans it quickly, making comments to himself under his breath as he flips through the pages. but at the last page, when he looks at inej's signature, he tilts his head a little, frowning to himself. ]
How old is your friend?
[ he flips through a few more pages to look at initials at different provisions. the signatures are as neat as possible, but there's almost a child-like emphasis on the loops, the letters and accents not fitting of someone who speaks kerch as a native language. ]
[ Tomassen starts to check over the papers and Kaz drops his gaze, staring at the stack. There's a vague queasiness working its way up in his throat, as he remembers what exactly is in there. There's no way it's the entire picture—he feels like he barely scratched the surface. But what he had found had been enough to turn his stomach.
He's seen a lot of bad in his life, even in the brief time he'd been on the street. People bled out, the casual violence, the lying and cheating and stealing to get ahead. And certainly, was not naive to what happened behind closed doors in the seedier brothels.
It was entirely another thing to get more details in his search. To know the debt Inej had been in and just exactly how Heleen expected her to "work it off". How she'd been put in that position when she should've been attending secondary school. ]
She's nineteen. [ He'll let Tomassen do the math, the dates are there. Thinking about it again makes the nausea crawl further up. ]
[ tomassen makes a soft noise of acknowledgement as he flips to the last page of the contract again, landing on the date. he does some quick math in his head before his expression falls, a slow exhale as he lets the folder fall closed. ]
She wants justice, but at what cost?
[ he asks finally, settling back into his chair, his expression level. ]
She will need medical examinations, physical and mental. Depositions, testimony, interrogatories about her experiences. She will need to be poked and prodded by dozens of people in order to substantiate ... this.
[ with a wave of his hand at the pile of paperwork. ]
And Heleen will hardly go down without a fight. Pekka had something to leverage against him; Heleen has none. No husband, wife, child. She has her gold and diamonds, and nothing else. Which will make her five times as likely to fight to the last breath, given she has nothing to protect except what we are trying to take away from her. And --
[ he taps his fingers on top of the folder. ]
We cannot paper the file like we could in your case. She will need to tell a jury what happened to her. Name names. String up powerful people. You think she's ready to do that?
[ He sees it, the moment the puzzle piece clicks into place. Kaz frowns, pushing the reality, the enormity of it, away to focus on Tomassen's question. On the follow up facts, laid out. More damage to add on top of what's already been done. It would be invasive, dredging everything to the surface. Anything she thought buried would be brought up, used as a weapon, used to cast doubt on her experience.
His own experience had been full of similar things. Reliving his father's gruesome passing, the fever blur of Jordie's; his grief raked over coals to prove the truth.
For a moment, he shuts his eyes, thinking of his conversation with Inej just a day before. Her dark gaze full of steel, not a single waver of conviction in her voice or her stance. ]
She said she would do whatever it takes to bring her to hell. [ Kaz finally replies, re-opening his eyes and glancing up at Tomassen. ] But, you can ask her again.
[ He doesn't think the answer will change. But perhaps it will. Perhaps she will have thought on it more, off of the wave of elation she'd initially answered him on. ]
[ he makes a soft noise of approval at that before sighing to himself, stretching his arms over his head in a long groan. it has merit. annoyingly, the case has merit. but... ]
I'll talk to her.
[ that's it!!!! ]
And if it has merit... if Sofia gives her blessing... [ he lets out a long exhale, his cheeks puffing out. ] I am moderately behind on my pro bono hours for the year.
[ a lie. he looks at the stack of paperwork with another sigh. ]
[ Slowly, Kaz nods, not having necessarily expected a yes or no right now. There was still too much information to look through.
And, well, his mother to ask. The both of them had dealt with the hell of the Rollins case with more grace and fire than he thinks anyone ever expected of them. He knows this case is likely to bring similar attention. It's just as Tomassen said: Heleen was going to fight tooth and nail to keep her empire. She wouldn't be cowed by threats to her legacy–she had no heir to pass anything onto. While he's unwilling to bend to any return threat, he can't demand it of either of his parents to do again.
(There is a flicker of fear there, buried deep. The what if of Heleen being successful where Rollins hadn't. That possible phone call from the emergency room that would bring only worse news.) ]
Alright. [ Carefully, he buries the paranoia, swallows around it. ] So you say. You've never been behind on your hours the entire time I've known you, Tom.
[ As if that stack of papers is slim. ]
Likely still at my flat. [ Kaz gives a half-shrug, as if it doesn't mean anything. It doesn't really, not to him. She needed a place with heat and then, away from Heleen. His was as good as any. Not like Heleen would go looking there. ]
[ well, that much is true. he is something of a bleeding heart, but he had kept to his word to not take anything too dramatic since the rollins case. bringing him down had brought in a significant amount of business, which has been nice, but things have been delightfully boring for some time. enough to recover, physically and mentally. he had even been able to take vacations.
so, really, it was up to sofia. she hadn't exactly been happy at the call from the emergency room letting her know he had been shot, even if he had helpfully informed her that the moron had missed. his shoulder still bothers him a bit, but the story is cool. he thinks. ]
Suppose it's as safe a place as any. [ kaz's flat, that is, though tomassen is surprised kaz is allowing someone in his space at all. he considers that for a moment before rising to his feet, from behind his desk toward his door. squeezing kaz's shoulder on the way past, in reassurance. he hadn't missed that subtle shift in energy, the minor panic. ] Lunch should be here by now, I'll get it. Stay here, and don't look through anything or I'll have to kill you.
[ No, she's more likely to focus her attention on boarding houses, hotels, or shelters, watching to see where Inej checks in.
Tomassen stands then, crossing towards the door, presumably to get the lunch he'd ordered earlier. Kaz glances down at the hand on his shoulder, swallowing another wave of anxiety, before meeting his father's gaze with a fractional smile. ]
I can keep my hands to myself. [ Now, anyway. There'd been a time, when he was younger, where he'd be tempted to look through the files in here. ]
[ with a small shake of kaz's shoulder, before he leaves the office to move down the hall, collecting the bag of food and the tray of espresso. juggling both in one hand, he sends a quick text to sofia letting her know he's going to be home late before asking his secretary to send a dozen roses to the school where sofia works. softening the blow of what he's about to do, tomassen thinks.
and, of course, it was wednesday. a perfect day for flowers.
that done, he re-enters the office, closing his door with a nudge of his foot before setting the bags on his desk. ]
So.
[ as he sets the americano down in front of kaz, made to his specifications. ]
Jesper told me Inej was rather taken with you at that bar.
[ now that he has kaz trapped by the prospect of perhaps taking up this case, he can now fully interrogate. ]
[ Tomassen gives his shoulder a friendly (teasing) shake and Kaz sighs, annoyed. But only just a bit. There's a faint, private, more genuine smile at the jab as his father exits the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts for a bit.
The Rollins case had not been easy by any means, for either of them. But, he'd made it out of it with parents who cared. Who patiently supported him through the absolute worst of his meltdowns. And while it had frightened him to let the vulnerability shine through, to be known again, he's ultimately glad they have this. That he can be jibed about his bad habits, his odd tics, with a good humor.
He's shaken from his swirling thoughts as Tomassen comes back in, takeout bag rustling before they're set on a clearer spot of his desk. Kaz appreciatively takes the americano, sipping it before setting it off to the side so he could help dig their order out of the bags, utensils and sauces getting doled out. ]
You should know by now that Jes exaggerates everything. [ Rather taken? She'd been friendly enough and hadn't decided to lose his number. Nothing more, nothing less. ]
Just because we met in a bar like you and mom did doesn't mean we're destined.
First of all, your mother took pity upon me in a bar when I was at my most pathetic and granted me the blessing of her presence.
[ as he settled into his chair, tugging his own food closer to him to begin mixing in the requisite sauces. unlike sofia, his penchant for spicy food is pathetic, and so he's a little lighter than what's probably normal. ]
Second, a bar is a perfectly lovely place to meet someone, and third, it doesn't need to be destined, it can simply be fun. In summation --
That's funny, her side of the story is very different.
[ He says, knowingly amused, as he opens his food container and dumps more sauce on than Tomassen did. Having grown up with Jesper as a friend, his tolerance is much higher for the spicier flavor profiles of Zemeni fare.
That aside, he knows his father is joking about being pitied. Somewhat. After all, he continues to look at Sofia like she'd hung the moon and the stars in the sky. Not that he blames him; Sofia had held a patient hand out, repeatedly, even when Kaz had aggressively batted it away. She'd told him she wanted him to be happy and eventually, he'd believed her. Had let her coax him into hugs when he'd simultaneously craved nothing more and felt the choking nausea that came from it.
So, he knows how much his parents would do anything for each other, showing it in their everyday interactions. Whatever pity there may or may not have been...he hasn't been privy to. ]
Or, more likely, she felt completely neutral and forgot about deleting my number.
[ At this, he shrugs, not wholly bothered. He's aware of what he's like—being friendly and charismatic is Jesper's role. When left to his own devices, he's too intense, too severe, too harsh. His sharp tongue has been curbed a bit, but it's still there. ]
Women don't bother putting your number into their phone in the first place if they don't like you.
[ wisely, as he takes a bite of his dumplings. he doesn't recall if sofia got his cell phone number before or after they got married. but he supposes they were a different case. ]
It's not a bad thing; at the very least, you've made a new friend. [ of which kaz has few and far between. he has his little cohort, but he's glad to see it expand a little, even if it is just one person. ] She sounds like a lovely girl. Have you set up a bedroom for her, or is she moving to a hotel?
[ Maybe she did, to appease Jesper. Or maybe she'd felt the social lubrication enough to do so in the moment. There's a handful of other reasons he can think of, all of them beyond because she liked him.
Jes has said that kind of thinking is depressing but, Kaz disagrees. It's just realistic. Things rarely went optimistically. And it isn't as if he's interested in her that way. Inej is a friend, albeit a new one that he'd gotten along with faster than anticipated.
Besides, even if he were: it's not like she would return those feelings. Nor does he think they'd even be welcomed. She is, after all, dealing with having run from Heleen. From the touch of unwanted hands of disgusting men.
No, he thinks their relationship will remain as it is. ]
I suppose. [ Inej is oddly tolerant of his quirks, taking them in stride with the same ease Jesper does. ] She's flat broke and has a bird, I doubt a hotel would be suitable.
[ He gives his food a stir, letting it cool a bit. ] And if Heleen is anything like Rollins, she'll be watching the hotel check-ins.
[ Annoyingly, she seems resourceful. And spiteful enough to do so, contract paid or not. ]
I'd planned on asking her what she wanted to do; she's only been staying for the past few nights. [ When they both thought this would be a more temporary thing. ] If it comes to it, I could clear out the room my office is in.
[ he repeats, looking amused, fishing out another dumpling from his container. kaz had always taken to the menagerie that lived at the manor better than most human beings, so he isn't too surprised that he's allowed a bird into the apartment too. ]
Well, I doubt Sofia would mind giving her a room if she needs one. Or if you get sick from having a roommate, but clearing out your office sounds like a plan. It would be a safe place for her to stay while she gets on her feet, assuming you aren't too bothered by it.
[ He confirms, with a shrug. ] It's not mom's iguana, at least.
[ Not that Kaz had a problem with Biscuit, though he knows Tomassen's relationship with the reptile is tenuous. As if Biscuit senses his hesitation and fucks with him because of it. ]
Might not be a bad idea; I'll ask how she feels about it. [ His mom would know better how to reassure Inej, after all. To his father's gentle inquiry though: ] So far, not really. She's quiet, her bird rarely shrieks, and she doesn't ask me annoying questions about the cane.
[ god, biscuit. sofia was lucky that she was the perfect woman, because he wouldn't be caught dead within fifty square miles of biscuit otherwise. he considers that for a moment as he dips a dumpling further into the sauce collected at the bottom of his container, filing that away for later. ]
She's Ravkan?
[ curious. ravkan girls aren't unheard of in the sex trade in ketterdam, but most of them don't fall into the seedier brothels like heleen's. much less ones religious enough to know more than a handful of the ravkan saints. ]
Far from home. [ wheels are turning. she must be on register with the immigration office, but those papers are likely fabricated. something else to fix once he sinks his teeth into the file. ] Poor girl.
[ he heaves a sigh before he sets his container on his desk. ]
She need to get back into her apartment? I can have a court order to open it by tomorrow morning.
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no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 01:49 am (UTC)so when kaz reached out for lunch after asking some inquiries about suspicious activity, he had a feeling his son was not coming to his firm for a casual lunch. his suspicions were confirmed at the sight of the briefcase laden with paperwork, and as kaz sinks into the chair across from his, tomassen arches his eyebrows.
(he may have a text or three from his dearest wife, telling tomassen to remind kaz to text her concerning dinner on friday, so tomassen is glad he doesn't need to get involved.) ]
She's concerned you're starving to death. [ obviously. he folds his hands in his lap, his elbows resting on the arms of his chair, surveying kaz. he looks tired, as if he hasn't slept very well recently. not stressed, necessarily, but determined despite the lack of sleep. ] Do most people bring an encyclopedia to lunch, or is that just a special trait you carry?
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 02:15 am (UTC)His expression softens minutely, at the mention of Sofia's worry over his appetite. ]
I know, I know. I assured her I have been eating. [ That said: ] I'll be there Friday, so at least she knows I ate once this week.
[ Otherwise, he knows she's going to get increasingly anxious. It's better to set all that to rest or she's going to show up at his doorstep. Well. Maybe not, since she's always been very observant of his boundaries. But it's still a possibility, if he remained too silent.
Besides, it's not like it's a trial to see his parents. Even if one of them is currently giving him shit. That's just how they communicate though, so he dishes the same cheekiness back. ]
Your choice, Tom, do you want lunch first or the encyclopedia first?
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 02:36 am (UTC)[ because while Sofia generally respects kaz’s boundaries, tomassen is nosy. so when his wife frets over their son’s radio silence, he does the obvious thing and asks kaz’s friends. namely, Jesper, who could not keep his mouth shut to save his life. and Jesper had told him some very interesting details. namely: ]
Who is Inej? [ with an innocent tone, before he unfolds his arms, gesturing with a hand toward the stack of paperwork tucked in kaz’s bag. ] And you had best have a good story, given she’s landed herself in hot water with Tante Heleen, and you currently have her sheltered at your home.
[ looking up the property card of inej’s building had taken little effort, though digging through who was actually responsible for owning the shell corporation had been some effort. he’s not exactly thrilled that Kaz has put himself in the middle of yet another mess, and tomassen sighs to himself before saying wearily. ]
You’re buying, by the way.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 02:55 am (UTC)Still, he sighs and passes a hand over his face, making a mental note to message Jesper about what he divulges to other people. There couldn't possibly be another source for Tomassen's information, after all. ]
No objections. [ To buying lunch. A small price to pay. ] First question: how serious were you when you said you'd never take another case like mine? Relatedly, how familiar are you with Tante Heleen?
[ He'll answer the other questions, promise, but these are the most pressing. None of the rest will make much sense to get into, otherwise. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 07:56 pm (UTC)Maia, my darling, would you mind calling in lunch from the Zemeni establishment down the street? Numbers three and fourteen, if you would, with espresso.
[ there was a cheerful of course! on the other end, and tomassen cut the line with another press of the button before settling back into his chair with a sigh, allowing his expression to drop into a sign of weariness. ]
Heleen van Houdon owns near-every pleasure house along the Stave, and deals in fine jewelry and silks to boot. She's been investigated by the Watch before, but the victims always recant. She has quite the grip on local immigration, and the girls who complain tend to disappear. Either deported or worse.
[ he still hasn't answered kaz's first question, because he isn't quite sure how to answer it. pekka rollins had been hell, and he has the scars to prove it. he doesn't think either he or sofia slept for the duration of the trial longer than a few hours at a time. but heleen... ]
I've met her a few times. She made a point to introduce herself after Pekka was sentenced. Gave me her card, and asked if I was looking for new clients. I said I was busy enough for the next decade, and left it at that.
[ there's a pause. ]
That girl you picked up in a bar is in some serious shit, Kaz, if she defaulted on Heleen.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 08:18 pm (UTC)That said, he does notice his first question goes unanswered. At least, in the moment. It'll come back around.
In a grim way, it's heartening to know how much Tomassen does know, about Tante Heleen. At least the basics are covered. It isn't the worst of it, but that wasn't the question he asked. Hardly a topic to bring up before lunch, at any rate. ]
She didn't. [ At this, he reaches over to procure the slim set of papers that proves it, sliding them onto Tomassen's desk. ] I paid off the contract. Whatever noise she's making about defaults is just noise.
[ Leaning back in his chair once more, he folds his hands across his stomach, eyes bright but determined. ] I asked Inej if she wanted justice, she said yes.
[ Really a summary of their ongoing conversation the last few days. ]
Heleen made her sign that contract when she didn't even understand Kerch.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 08:59 pm (UTC)more importantly: ]
A normal first date is dinner and a movie, not paying out hundreds of thousands of kruge for someone you barely know. Must be a pretty girl.
[ he folds the paperwork back up, tossing it onto his desk. ]
Signing a contract you don't understand isn't necessarily illegal, so long as you understand what the end goal is. Inej signed this knowing she had to pay back a debt; certainly nauseating, but not necessarily illegal. What else have you got?
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 09:08 pm (UTC)Sofia has been trying her best to get him over his crippling fear of human contact and...to her credit, he can stomach more than he could, in the past. But it was an enormous leap from being able to hug his mother to actively dating someone, no matter if they'd been introduced by Jesper.
He does make a face at Tomassen's explanation, a general exasperation at the Kerch and their views on contracts. ]
Funny you should ask. [ Remember that encyclopedia? Yeah, now he places it on his father's desk, expression looking strangely hollowed out. ]
I wouldn't read that without a glass of something strong nearby.
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 09:44 pm (UTC)How old is your friend?
[ he flips through a few more pages to look at initials at different provisions. the signatures are as neat as possible, but there's almost a child-like emphasis on the loops, the letters and accents not fitting of someone who speaks kerch as a native language. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 10:02 pm (UTC)He's seen a lot of bad in his life, even in the brief time he'd been on the street. People bled out, the casual violence, the lying and cheating and stealing to get ahead. And certainly, was not naive to what happened behind closed doors in the seedier brothels.
It was entirely another thing to get more details in his search. To know the debt Inej had been in and just exactly how Heleen expected her to "work it off". How she'd been put in that position when she should've been attending secondary school. ]
She's nineteen. [ He'll let Tomassen do the math, the dates are there. Thinking about it again makes the nausea crawl further up. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 10:45 pm (UTC)She wants justice, but at what cost?
[ he asks finally, settling back into his chair, his expression level. ]
She will need medical examinations, physical and mental. Depositions, testimony, interrogatories about her experiences. She will need to be poked and prodded by dozens of people in order to substantiate ... this.
[ with a wave of his hand at the pile of paperwork. ]
And Heleen will hardly go down without a fight. Pekka had something to leverage against him; Heleen has none. No husband, wife, child. She has her gold and diamonds, and nothing else. Which will make her five times as likely to fight to the last breath, given she has nothing to protect except what we are trying to take away from her. And --
[ he taps his fingers on top of the folder. ]
We cannot paper the file like we could in your case. She will need to tell a jury what happened to her. Name names. String up powerful people. You think she's ready to do that?
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 11:22 pm (UTC)His own experience had been full of similar things. Reliving his father's gruesome passing, the fever blur of Jordie's; his grief raked over coals to prove the truth.
For a moment, he shuts his eyes, thinking of his conversation with Inej just a day before. Her dark gaze full of steel, not a single waver of conviction in her voice or her stance. ]
She said she would do whatever it takes to bring her to hell. [ Kaz finally replies, re-opening his eyes and glancing up at Tomassen. ] But, you can ask her again.
[ He doesn't think the answer will change. But perhaps it will. Perhaps she will have thought on it more, off of the wave of elation she'd initially answered him on. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-08-18 11:45 pm (UTC)I'll talk to her.
[ that's it!!!! ]
And if it has merit... if Sofia gives her blessing... [ he lets out a long exhale, his cheeks puffing out. ] I am moderately behind on my pro bono hours for the year.
[ a lie. he looks at the stack of paperwork with another sigh. ]
Where is she right now?
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Date: 2024-08-19 12:44 am (UTC)And, well, his mother to ask. The both of them had dealt with the hell of the Rollins case with more grace and fire than he thinks anyone ever expected of them. He knows this case is likely to bring similar attention. It's just as Tomassen said: Heleen was going to fight tooth and nail to keep her empire. She wouldn't be cowed by threats to her legacy–she had no heir to pass anything onto. While he's unwilling to bend to any return threat, he can't demand it of either of his parents to do again.
(There is a flicker of fear there, buried deep. The what if of Heleen being successful where Rollins hadn't. That possible phone call from the emergency room that would bring only worse news.) ]
Alright. [ Carefully, he buries the paranoia, swallows around it. ] So you say. You've never been behind on your hours the entire time I've known you, Tom.
[ As if that stack of papers is slim. ]
Likely still at my flat. [ Kaz gives a half-shrug, as if it doesn't mean anything. It doesn't really, not to him. She needed a place with heat and then, away from Heleen. His was as good as any. Not like Heleen would go looking there. ]
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Date: 2024-08-19 01:27 am (UTC)so, really, it was up to sofia. she hadn't exactly been happy at the call from the emergency room letting her know he had been shot, even if he had helpfully informed her that the moron had missed. his shoulder still bothers him a bit, but the story is cool. he thinks. ]
Suppose it's as safe a place as any. [ kaz's flat, that is, though tomassen is surprised kaz is allowing someone in his space at all. he considers that for a moment before rising to his feet, from behind his desk toward his door. squeezing kaz's shoulder on the way past, in reassurance. he hadn't missed that subtle shift in energy, the minor panic. ] Lunch should be here by now, I'll get it. Stay here, and don't look through anything or I'll have to kill you.
[ pleasantly enough. ]
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Date: 2024-08-19 02:39 am (UTC)[ No, she's more likely to focus her attention on boarding houses, hotels, or shelters, watching to see where Inej checks in.
Tomassen stands then, crossing towards the door, presumably to get the lunch he'd ordered earlier. Kaz glances down at the hand on his shoulder, swallowing another wave of anxiety, before meeting his father's gaze with a fractional smile. ]
I can keep my hands to myself. [ Now, anyway. There'd been a time, when he was younger, where he'd be tempted to look through the files in here. ]
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Date: 2024-08-19 01:48 pm (UTC)[ with a small shake of kaz's shoulder, before he leaves the office to move down the hall, collecting the bag of food and the tray of espresso. juggling both in one hand, he sends a quick text to sofia letting her know he's going to be home late before asking his secretary to send a dozen roses to the school where sofia works. softening the blow of what he's about to do, tomassen thinks.
and, of course, it was wednesday. a perfect day for flowers.
that done, he re-enters the office, closing his door with a nudge of his foot before setting the bags on his desk. ]
So.
[ as he sets the americano down in front of kaz, made to his specifications. ]
Jesper told me Inej was rather taken with you at that bar.
[ now that he has kaz trapped by the prospect of perhaps taking up this case, he can now fully interrogate. ]
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Date: 2024-08-20 03:35 am (UTC)The Rollins case had not been easy by any means, for either of them. But, he'd made it out of it with parents who cared. Who patiently supported him through the absolute worst of his meltdowns. And while it had frightened him to let the vulnerability shine through, to be known again, he's ultimately glad they have this. That he can be jibed about his bad habits, his odd tics, with a good humor.
He's shaken from his swirling thoughts as Tomassen comes back in, takeout bag rustling before they're set on a clearer spot of his desk. Kaz appreciatively takes the americano, sipping it before setting it off to the side so he could help dig their order out of the bags, utensils and sauces getting doled out. ]
You should know by now that Jes exaggerates everything. [ Rather taken? She'd been friendly enough and hadn't decided to lose his number. Nothing more, nothing less. ]
Just because we met in a bar like you and mom did doesn't mean we're destined.
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Date: 2024-08-20 03:52 pm (UTC)[ as he settled into his chair, tugging his own food closer to him to begin mixing in the requisite sauces. unlike sofia, his penchant for spicy food is pathetic, and so he's a little lighter than what's probably normal. ]
Second, a bar is a perfectly lovely place to meet someone, and third, it doesn't need to be destined, it can simply be fun. In summation --
[ he points at kaz with his fork. ]
She kept your phone number. She likes you.
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Date: 2024-08-20 08:42 pm (UTC)[ He says, knowingly amused, as he opens his food container and dumps more sauce on than Tomassen did. Having grown up with Jesper as a friend, his tolerance is much higher for the spicier flavor profiles of Zemeni fare.
That aside, he knows his father is joking about being pitied. Somewhat. After all, he continues to look at Sofia like she'd hung the moon and the stars in the sky. Not that he blames him; Sofia had held a patient hand out, repeatedly, even when Kaz had aggressively batted it away. She'd told him she wanted him to be happy and eventually, he'd believed her. Had let her coax him into hugs when he'd simultaneously craved nothing more and felt the choking nausea that came from it.
So, he knows how much his parents would do anything for each other, showing it in their everyday interactions. Whatever pity there may or may not have been...he hasn't been privy to. ]
Or, more likely, she felt completely neutral and forgot about deleting my number.
[ At this, he shrugs, not wholly bothered. He's aware of what he's like—being friendly and charismatic is Jesper's role. When left to his own devices, he's too intense, too severe, too harsh. His sharp tongue has been curbed a bit, but it's still there. ]
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Date: 2024-08-21 12:25 am (UTC)[ wisely, as he takes a bite of his dumplings. he doesn't recall if sofia got his cell phone number before or after they got married. but he supposes they were a different case. ]
It's not a bad thing; at the very least, you've made a new friend. [ of which kaz has few and far between. he has his little cohort, but he's glad to see it expand a little, even if it is just one person. ] She sounds like a lovely girl. Have you set up a bedroom for her, or is she moving to a hotel?
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Date: 2024-08-21 01:28 am (UTC)[ Maybe she did, to appease Jesper. Or maybe she'd felt the social lubrication enough to do so in the moment. There's a handful of other reasons he can think of, all of them beyond because she liked him.
Jes has said that kind of thinking is depressing but, Kaz disagrees. It's just realistic. Things rarely went optimistically. And it isn't as if he's interested in her that way. Inej is a friend, albeit a new one that he'd gotten along with faster than anticipated.
Besides, even if he were: it's not like she would return those feelings. Nor does he think they'd even be welcomed. She is, after all, dealing with having run from Heleen. From the touch of unwanted hands of disgusting men.
No, he thinks their relationship will remain as it is. ]
I suppose. [ Inej is oddly tolerant of his quirks, taking them in stride with the same ease Jesper does. ] She's flat broke and has a bird, I doubt a hotel would be suitable.
[ He gives his food a stir, letting it cool a bit. ] And if Heleen is anything like Rollins, she'll be watching the hotel check-ins.
[ Annoyingly, she seems resourceful. And spiteful enough to do so, contract paid or not. ]
I'd planned on asking her what she wanted to do; she's only been staying for the past few nights. [ When they both thought this would be a more temporary thing. ] If it comes to it, I could clear out the room my office is in.
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Date: 2024-08-21 10:34 pm (UTC)[ he repeats, looking amused, fishing out another dumpling from his container. kaz had always taken to the menagerie that lived at the manor better than most human beings, so he isn't too surprised that he's allowed a bird into the apartment too. ]
Well, I doubt Sofia would mind giving her a room if she needs one. Or if you get sick from having a roommate, but clearing out your office sounds like a plan. It would be a safe place for her to stay while she gets on her feet, assuming you aren't too bothered by it.
[ baby steps, as it were. ]
What's the bird's name?
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Date: 2024-08-22 01:18 am (UTC)[ He confirms, with a shrug. ] It's not mom's iguana, at least.
[ Not that Kaz had a problem with Biscuit, though he knows Tomassen's relationship with the reptile is tenuous. As if Biscuit senses his hesitation and fucks with him because of it. ]
Might not be a bad idea; I'll ask how she feels about it. [ His mom would know better how to reassure Inej, after all. To his father's gentle inquiry though: ] So far, not really. She's quiet, her bird rarely shrieks, and she doesn't ask me annoying questions about the cane.
[ Baby steps. ]
Lizabeta, like the Ravkan Saint.
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Date: 2024-08-30 01:28 am (UTC)She's Ravkan?
[ curious. ravkan girls aren't unheard of in the sex trade in ketterdam, but most of them don't fall into the seedier brothels like heleen's. much less ones religious enough to know more than a handful of the ravkan saints. ]
Far from home. [ wheels are turning. she must be on register with the immigration office, but those papers are likely fabricated. something else to fix once he sinks his teeth into the file. ] Poor girl.
[ he heaves a sigh before he sets his container on his desk. ]
She need to get back into her apartment? I can have a court order to open it by tomorrow morning.
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