#averrse

she’s mulled over the conversation ever since, but there’s been no chance, no opportunity. he’s in a foul mood now, and it’s a bad time for the conversation, but at least he’s a captive audience, at least for a few more days. the ship which carries four of them ( four, not five ) to ketterdam leaves him few enough excuses to escape, and she plops down on a crate across from him, senseless words about missing decent food upon her lips.

{♚ x @averrse x}

 The instructions had been fairly straightforward: look after the hostage, and make sure he stays right where he is. By no means a difficult task, but apparently Kaz Brekker wasn’t your average hostage. According to his grandfather, he was smart, cunning, and by all means an escape expert. So Matt had felt a certain sense of pride when he was entrusted with the task; up until now he’d only been allowed to do menial tasks, maybe an assassination here and there. Either way, nothing befitting someone who was supposed to take over the clan someday. So maybe, finally, his grandfather considered him ready and worthy.

 Why, exactly, they needed to hold someone from the Barrel hostage, however, was beyond him. As far as he was concerned (and what he had been taught throughout the years), the Barrel was the filth of the city and hardly worth their effort and resources. But when he had tried to question his grandfather’s motives,  he had been met with disappointment. Why would you question me? And rather than losing out on the opportunity, Matt had swallowed his curiosity and apologized.

 Now, he was sitting in the dank cellar of one of their safe houses — the one that had no windows, and only one door that had been reinforced by a fabrikator — opposite of the boy they had taken hostage for whatever reason. He didn’t look like much, if Matt was honest. But he wasn’t naïve enough to judge someone by their appearance. He himself didn’t look like much, either, but that didn’t make him any less deadly when it came down to it.

 “Finally awake?” Leaning forward, Matt rested his arms on the back of the chair and rested his chin on top of his arms. His gaze studied the body that finally showed some signs of life, the drug they’d used to knock him out now apparently slowly wearing off. “I apologize for the poor hospitality, but my men prefer to err on the side of caution.”

Lark felt out of place as her eyes glanced around the colorful room which was full of sounds of cards being dealt and drunken conversation. Lark decided she hated it. She stood there scowling as Vasily went on playing cards, though he had shooed her away, something about how her presence scared his new found friends. Still, she stood only a few feet away, ever vigil of her charge.

As she surveyed the room, she saw the visage of ( @averrse ) drawing near. She stiffened her posture as if preparing for an argument. She had heard of this Kaz Brekker but never put a face to the name. She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him.

↪     𝑫𝑰𝑹𝑬 𝑺𝑰𝑻𝑼𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺  .

accepting @averrse sent: what did they say about me?

" Well." Eden began as he filled a glass of whiskey and slid it over to Kaz Brekker. " They weren't too happy wit ye, Mr. Brekker. They came in a few days ago runnin' their mouth, callin' ye a fraud, a bastard, and a brood." He informed him and gave a shrug of his burly shoulders.

Gang breakups were always the worst, and this wasn't the first time Eden had witnessed an ex gang member coming in and running their mouth. He let out a sigh.

"i did warn you not to trust me."

nyoom !  after dinner zoomies, the little goat tore a trench in the lawn of the van eck property .  no slowing down, no stopping, nothing .  he was free to pounce, trounce, flounce until the energy was zapped .  a fanfare of a charge down the little hill near the water, milo made an abrupt stop .  kaz was there .  he’d been at dinner, now stood by the waters edge . 

silent approach, the little goat stops at his side .  what does the man see  ?  hear ? boats on the horizon, a sun about to dip, the call of a bird, water against the shore .

it's peaceful . content .

"baaah"

a soft bleat, the little goat leans against kaz's shin, taking in the moment .

🔪

❛ yes, you did. ❜ she offers the agreement without hesitation, and without any semblance of remorse or concern for having disregarded that request. except, of course, this was kaz brekker, and request was far too mild a word for it.