Ravka, Os Kervo.

There are moments in Inej's life when she yearned for Kaz. This was one of them. Standing in the cockpit of her infamous ship, Inej was looking at her home. If you had asked her a year ago if she'd think she'd ever see Ravka again, she would have shaken her head gently, Wrenching the tears back. Now, she was holding in tears of joy as she laid her eyes on her two beautiful parents - who were standing at the dock clutching one another, waving warmly.

She was here, she was alive and living her dream. All because of Kaz Brekker. It hurt Inej to think about her Kaz. Well, not technically her Kaz. She wished again that he was here, his hand clasped in hers, his stern face biting back a smile. It had been eight months since she had seen Mister Brekker, eight months since she had stepped in Ketterdam, being on the true sea had made her forget about the murky city, and the people she loved so much in it. She shook her head and made herself forget about Kerch, she was in Ravka, she was back with her family.

Well, her biological family.

Kerch, Ketterdam

Kaz Brekker doesn't lose. He plays games, but he also creates them, he rewrites the rules, and he never loses.

"Who knew that Dirtyhands was bad at charades?" Jesper heckled, miming once again, watching the puzzled Kaz trying to work out that he was impersonating Jan Van Eck's wife, Alys. "Oh come on Kaz, who else do we know that has a lap dog?" Wylan said, gesturing towards Jesper as he mimed holding a small dog. "Shut it merchling, Kaz is just processing the fact that he's actually bad at something." Jesper laughed, giving up and sitting back on the couch, throwing an arm around Wylan.

Kaz ran a gloved hand through his hair, turning to the smug couple on the couch opposite him. "I'm not bad at it, Jespers just a terrible actor." Kaz huffed. No, not huffed, the bastard of the barrel does not huff . "I'm taking that extremely personally. Brekker, I'm an excellent actor! Like how I'm acting right now that I don't want to kick your good leg in. So you have to sport some excellent crutches… Crow crutches? Oh, Saints! Crow Crutches! I'm a certified genius!"
Wylan groaned and Kaz bit back a smile, refusing to give Jesper the satisfaction.
"What you are, Fahey is a certified mess," Wylan said, poking lovingly at Jesper's chest.

Kaz did smile then, and he wished that Inej was here, the familiar pang of longing was something he had become used to, he wanted to look over the room and meet Inej's eye, he wished to share a knowing look and laugh about Wylan and Jesper's antics. He knew she would be in Ravka by now, with her parents. It was surreal to meet Mr and Mrs Ghafa. Mrs Ghafa was almost identical to her daughter, slight frame, light feet. However, where Inej had long black hair, Her mother had long, greying hair that was kept in an elaborate braid. Mr Ghafa was the same height as Kaz, his skin darker than his girls and his curly hair completely grey.

Kaz was surprised by just how intimated he had been by Inej's parents, how nervous he had gotten underneath Mr Ghafas stare.

"Papa! Stop giving Kaz the stare!" Inej giggled, looking across at her father, the four of them were dining at the Van Eck mansion. Kaz's nerves are only amplified by having the Ghafa's around the table. "Sorry flower, it's just he needs to know that I mean business." Inej's father joked, and Mrs Ghafa smiled, shaking her head at her husband. Inej laughed again, and Kaz tried to hide his nerves with a smile. Inej looked over to Kaz, seeing his pained expression. She reached for his hand under the table, linking their fingers and continuing to speak to her parents.

"Kaz? Are you even listening?" Jesper said laughing, waving a hand in front of Kaz's face, snatching him from his daydream. Kaz looked back over to the amused Jesper, shaking his head with a sly smile.
"Knew it, so I take it you don't want to play twister then?" Jesper smiled back, and Wylan snorted from beside him.
"As fun as that sounds Fahey, I think it's back to the Slat for me." Kaz laughs, standing up and grabbing his overcoat from the back of the armchair. Kaz thought again about how truly bizarre his life had become, how less than two years ago he was planning a heist to the world's most secure prison in Fjerda, and now every Thursday, he had a game night with Jesper and Wylan.

"See you next Thursday then?" Jesper smirks, and Kaz rolls his eyes, picking up his cane and tightening his gloves. He doesn't like to admit that he looks forward to these nights, the nights where they're just a group of teenagers sitting in a ridiculously expensive house, drinking some ridiculously expensive alcohol, and playing games like charades and twister, - Except that he would never actually play twister - Wylan walks him to the door, which Kaz finds awfully amusing, seeing as every time this happens Wylan doesn't say a word to him. Kaz nods his goodbye and Wylan smiles, only shutting the door when Kaz leaves his eyeline. It still feels odd to enter and exit the Van Eck mansion using the front door, it also feels odd to play board games in a house he once crept around.

His fingers found the folded up envelope in his pocket, the reminder of its presence enough to soothe the pain of missing Inej. The tap of his cane on the pristine pavement in the financial district was enough to ward away anyone who even thought about bothering him. His war with Pekka Rollins and Jan Van Eck had earned him even more protection, with a whole new string of rumours emerging about his gloved hands, and even more theories about his leg. (His personal favourite story is about how it had been bitten off by a volcra.) His walk to the Slat was tedious and cold, as he tried to keep his mind focused on the paperwork that needed to be done, and his next idea to lure in more pigeons to the club.

He finally entered back into Dreg's territory, he let himself relax slightly, receiving looks from familiar faces as he walked towards the Slat, giving Keeg a nod before walking into the building. With some of his share of the Kruge, he had managed to make some drastic changes to the Slat. It was no Geldrenner Hotel, but at least all of the toilets had locks and every resident had a proper hot meal. He stopped to confer with Anika for a moment but made sure to slip away quickly, desperate for solitude. He began the climb to his office - the stairs making his leg scream bloody murder after all of that walking. He stopped for a moment, stealing a look at Inej's old room, spotting the tiny carved letters that read I.G.

A ghost of a smile lined his face before he continued and walked into his office - bolting the door quickly behind him.

He immediately shed his gloves and coat, washed his face in the basin, and looked into the cracked mirror above it. Could use a haircut he noted mentally, taking his shoes off and finally sitting down in his chair. He looked at the stack of files, knowing that they needed attending to, however, he found himself pulling out the crumpled envelope from his pocket, dated a month earlier.

Kaz,
People say that the sea is therapeutic, which would be true - if these seagulls would shut up. I miss my crows, these blasted gulls won't even be my friends, they just steal my bread. I miss you as well, not as much as the crows... I'm kidding! Stop scowling! Nani always says that scowling ages you by ten years, I should tell her that just being in Ketterdam ages you by twenty years.

I can't believe I'm going to be in Ravka, seeing my parents again and meeting everyone again. We're arriving tomorrow and I can't quell my nerves. Well, the Kvas are helping, but what I really want is you. Oh saints I shouldn't be writing this - I'm probably tipsy, but it's true Brekker.

I'm looking at your last letter now, did you know you spelt 'definitely' wrong? You probably did it on purpose to get on my nerves, oh I miss you getting on my nerves Dirtyhands.

I have to go to sleep, but I'll post this when I get to Ravka. I'll keep you updated on the seagull situation. I think I'll name one Wylan, because one of them looks exactly like him - beak and all! - I miss you.

- Captain Inej Ghafa of the true sea!

Kaz bit back a smile, rereading the letter for the millionth time, his stupid stomach fluttering at Inej's drunken spiel, he missed her too, he missed her so much that he still kept his window open, even if it let the cold in.

Kaz woke with a start, his office pitch black and the rain tapping on the roof outside, he didn't remember falling asleep, he also didn't remember blowing out his candle. However, he wasn't alarmed by the darkness or the fact he fell asleep at his desk, he was alarmed by the fact that Inej was here. He knew it was entirely stupid, Inej was in Ravka, but his gut told him she was here, she was near. Kaz stood up slowly, his leg stiff and clearly unhappy with his sleeping position. He shrugged this off and walked over to the open window, snatching a pistol from his desk, his heart in his mouth

Inej, Inej, Inej.

Kaz opened the window wider, looking out at the roof below, and above - seeing that Inej was nowhere to be found. He felt a pang of pure disappointment and he lowered his gun, turning around to go light a candle.

"Mr Brekker?"
Kaz turned around, in front of him was a dripping wet Wraith, her hood up and her face covered by darkness. How she slipped by him he didn't know, but she was here, Inej was standing right in front of him.
"Inej?" Kaz croaked out, almost dropping the pistol in shock. Inej stepped forward, lowering her hood and standing in front of Kaz, her features becoming more distinct. "I have a job for you," Inej said, looking down at the floor. Kaz wanted to scoff. "A job?" Kaz asked, still not entirely sure whether he was dreaming or not.

"We need to find the people who have kidnapped my parents," Inej said, looking up and meeting his stare. Her voice was steely, her face unwavering. Kaz's heart dropped to his stomach, and he realised why she was back. "Okay." Kaz breathed out, holding out his hand for her to shake - he didn't even think about how his palms were still bare. A twinkle of hope met Inej's eyes before she wiped her hand on her cloak to dry it, shaking Kaz's hands and whispering.
"The deal is the deal."
Kaz nodded and shook her hand back.
"The deal is the deal Wraith."

Inej had barely any time to react before Kaz pulled her into him and captured her in a hug.