#ck lb

In chapter 6, we witness some precious, underrated moments of Kaz and Jesper, or rather underrated soft Kaz moments towards Jesper.

We are always saying that Kaz is only soft for Inej, and while that is true because he prefers to let down his guard around Inej [Kanej Supremacy], he is also soft for the rest of the Crows, but doesn't prefer to fully show it. Instead, he has their backs discreetly, so that it looks like it's for his own good, but is really for theirs as well.

In this post, we'll be looking at the three iconic times he had Jesper's back when Colm Fahey, the latter's father, had entered the tomb they were staying at.

"Were you followed?" [asked by Kaz]

"No," Jesper replied with a decisive shake of his head.

"Wylan?"

Colm bristled, "you doubt my son's word?"

"It isn't personal, Da," said Jesper. "He doubts everyone's word."

Kaz's expression had been unruffled, his rough stone voice so easy and pleasant that Nina felt the hair rise on her arms. "Apologies, Mister Fahey. A habit on develops in the Barrel. Trust but verify."

Here, Kaz could have been rude, to instill fear in Colm Fahey as well, like he preferred to with everyone else in order to survive. But he didn't. He was Jesper's father, and Kaz knew how important he was to Jesper, so he decided on being sincere, nice. He decided on doing what was good for Jesper instead of what was good for himself. Also, let's not ignore the fact that he adressed Colm Fahey as "Mister Fahey." He showed him respect, he usually addresses men and women much older than Colm by their first name. Yet he went with "Mister Fahey," when it came to adressing Colm Fahey.

Onto the next one.

"I wrote to you, Jes," His [Colm's] voice was confused, not accusing.

"I … I haven't been able to collect mail." After Jesper had stopped attending university, had he still managed to receive letters there? Nina wondered how he'd maintained this ruse for so long. It would have been made easier by the fact that Colm was an ocean away—and by his desire to believe in his son. An easy mark, Nina thought sadly. No matter his reasons, Jesper had been conning his own father.

"Jesper—" said Colm.

"I was trying to get the money, Da."

"They're threatening to take the farm."

Jesper's eyes were firmly fixed on the tomb floor. "I was close. I am close."

"To the money?" Now Nina heard Colm's frustration. "We're sitting in a tomb. We were just shot at."

"What got you on a ship to Ketterdam?" Kaz asked.

Here, Kaz noticed Jesper's obvious disappointment in himself and his fear of his father finding out. And due to the questions Colm kept asking Jesper, the sharpshooter we all love was suffering from undoubted internal panic. So, Kaz asked Colm a question that distracted him from asking Jesper questions and prevented Jesper from shattering to pieces inside. Kaz knew that Jesper wanted his father to think of him as a student, studying and working hard, and not a criminal with a gambling addiction [who also worked hard, but Jesper's insecurities told him otherwise when he stood in front of his father.]

Kaz protected Jesper, making it look like the question was just to get more information, but it was mostly to bringing Jesper's worst fears to life.

And the next,

"I don't understand any of this. Why would you bring me to this horrible place? Why were we shot at? What has become of your studies? What has become of you?" [asked Colm]

Jesper opened his mouth, closed it. "Da, I … I—"

"It was my fault," Wylan blurted. Every eye turned on him. "He uh … he was concerned about the bank loan, so he put his studies on hold to work with a …"

"Local gunsmith," Nina offered.

"Nina," Matthias rumbled warningly.

"He needs our help," she whispered.

"To lie to his father?"

"It's a fib. Totally different." She had no idea where Wylan was going with this, but he was clearly in need of assistance.

"Yes!" said Wylan eagerly. "A gunsmith! And then I … I told him about a deal—"

"They were swindled," Kaz said. His voice cold and steady as ever, but he held himself swiffly, as if walking over uncertain ground. "They were offered a business opportunity that seemed too good to be true."

Colm slumped into a chair. "If it seems that way, then—"

"It probably is," said Kaz. Nina had the strangest sense that for once he was being sincere.

Notice how Kaz was quick to lie for Jesper? He normally won't do that, he won't lie unless it benefitted him. But this benefitted Jesper as well. Kaz wasn't getting much profit from lying to Colm. But Jesper was. He doesn't want Jesper to be weak, he doesn't want Jesper to lose his confidence. That would put the plan of getting Inej back at risk, but even if Inej was here, he would do the same.