Dynamight central

Please respect my boundaries and assume that I am Not mad.

with this, i’ve doubling tripling my hand

this little moment when we first notice her crush on kaz: Inej kept her eyes averted, shuffling a stack of papers into a pile on the desk as Kaz stripped out of his vest and shirt. She wasn’t sure if she was flattered or insulted that he didn’t seem to give a second thought to her presence. […] For Saints’ sake, Inej thought as her cheeks heated. She’d lost most of her modesty during her time with the Menagerie, but really, there were limits.

inej being protective of him: Inej thought of Kaz’s pale trickster hands, the shiny rope of scar tissue that ran atop his right knuckle. Van Eck could break every finger and both of Kaz’s legs and he’d never say a word, but if his men stripped away Kaz’s gloves? […] How long until Kaz came undone? She couldn’t bear it. She was glad she didn’t know where Kuwei was. She would break before Kaz did.

this whole thought process: But what might have happened if he’d spoken that night? If he had willingly offered her some part of his heart? What if he had come to her, laid his gloves aside, drawn her to him, kissed her mouth? Would she have pulled him closer? Kissed him back?

little moments of protectiveness like this: “Kaz,” said Nina. “You may not be glad we’re alive, but we’re glad you’re alive. Come here!” “Leave him be,” murmured Inej softly.

her thoughts after the bathroom scene: She could feel the press of Kaz’s fingers against her skin, feel the bird’s-wing brush of his mouth against her neck, see his dilated eyes. Two of the deadliest people the Barrel had to offer and they could barely touch each other without both of them keeling over. But they’d tried. He’d tried. Maybe they could try again.

inej being hell-bent on revenge for anyone who hurts kaz: She couldn’t just watch him die, she wouldn’t. They had him down now, heavy boots kicking and stomping at his body. Her knives were in her hands. She’d kill them all. She’d pile the bodies to the rafters for the stadwatch to find.

and finally, this absolutely beautiful end scene at the docks - probably my favourite moment in the whole duology: Had she really thought the world didn’t change? She was a fool. The world was made of miracles, unexpected earthquakes, storms that came from nowhere and might reshape a continent. The boy beside her. The future before her. Anything was possible.

Had to crop out part of it, but this scene during the ice court heist:

I think this is a really pivotal scene for them, especially Inej, and we don't talk about it nearly enough. Inej has just climbed the incinerator shaft and realized she wants to leave Ketterdam and hunt slavers. She's found her purpose, but she can't quite let go of Kaz, and this scene is her realizing both that Kaz definitely does have feelings for her, as this is the first real time he acknowledges them and reaches for her, but also that those feelings aren't enough for her to let go of what she wants. This is basically the setup for the "Stay with me" "What would be the point?" conversation for both of them, with Inej realizing she has to go and Kaz starting to really acknowledge he wants her to stay (the full acknowledgment comes after he almost drowns, but this sets it up). It's a level of emotional honesty from both of them with each other that we haven't really fully gotten until now and I think it deserves more attention.

I also really love how all of this is conveyed not just in what they say, but also what they do. Kaz reaches for Inej and gently grabs her arm, tracing his fingers over her skin, but he's still wearing gloves. Inej cradles Kaz's face with her bare hand, and he makes himself stand still, but it's clearly taking a lot from him, and so after a few moments she drops her hand. He's willing to reach out, but only if he can still protect himself. She wants him to actually be vulnerable with her, but he's not ready, so she lets go.

Their development is not gone.

At the end of the manga Arisu decides he's going to become a psychiatrist because of the things he learned in the borderlands. Its still there at the back of his mind. Exact same thing with Chishiya in the manga. He thinks about things he never would have if he didn't go to the borderlands. They don't get why they think these things now but they do. Because they did change as people.