𝐖𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 ↦ Kaz Brekker

xxxvii. hot coco

"Yes,"

"Did you not want to sleep?" Kaz raised an eyebrow at her. "Not having sleep isn't good for your health."

"You're one to talk," He replied softly, the pair trying not to raise their voices and wake the others. "Your sleep schedule is just as bad as mine."

"I'm working on it," Kaz hummed, reaching for the coffee, before stumbling as Stasiaj kicked his cane out from beneath his weight. "That's why you can't sleep."

"Stasiaj, let me have my coffee," The girl stuck her tongue out and snatched it and Kaz saw the same glint in her eyes that Malkus had in his. "I'm asking nicely."

"No," He raised an unamused eyebrow, but Stasiaj wasn't affected. "You can't sleep because you're having coffee, so I'm making you hot coco so you don't look like death."

"I always look like death,"

"Actually, death looks healthier and take it from someone who's seen him," Stasiaj winked as Kaz took a moment to ponder on her words, before shaking his head. "Now I'm making you hot coco."

"No thanks,"

"Why?" Kaz shrugged, as Stasiaj continued to get the things out that she would need. "That's what I thought."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're annoyingly stubborn?"

"You, on about five separate occasions," Stasiaj replied, racking her memory, before smiling at him. "It's one of my charms."

"No, you're sarcastic quips are one of your charms, not your stubbornness,"

"I knew you liked my flirting," Kaz rolled his eyes as she grinned over at him, waiting for the milk to heat up in the pan. "But hey, if it makes you feel any better, I think your stubbornness is endearing."

"Yeah?" Stasiaj nodded as Kaz cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it gives me a chance to threaten to beat you with your cane so it's my favourite thing," She giggled quietly at his deadpan expression, before pouring the milk into the cups and swirling a spoon around in both of them to make sure that the chocolate wasn't all at the bottom. "Here you go."

"We should sit at the table to run through the plans," Kaz murmured, picking the cup up and striding towards the table, the limp barely hindering him. Stasiaj nodded, though the chance of her discussing plans whilst she drank hot coco was little to none. Her brain was too tired to process it, and too full of Kaz for her to properly pay attention.

The pair sat down at the dining room table, where they'd argued at four days earlier,  both enjoying the silence that surrounded them. Kaz leant his cane against the table, before un-buttoning his gloves and pulling them off slowly which caused Stasiaj smiled at the sight of his hands. She wanted nothing more than to lean over and hold them, but knew that it would cause him pain. Instead, she tried her best to change the subject to avoid her being distracted.

"So, has the plan come together?" Kaz hummed, as Stasiaj blew on the hot coco, not daring to drink from it just yet for fear of scorching her tongue.

"Everyone knows their roles and we have to only hope that your brother and the Grisha come through,"

"They will," Stasiaj replied. "Do I not get to know of the plan?"

"Absolutely not," Kaz's words might have been harsh, but Stasiaj caught the amusement in his eyes. He was happy that she was back, despite not having truly said anything. "You know far too much already."

"I'm the Snake, what can I say?" She snickered, before the pair fell into silence and went back to sipping on their drinks. "What are you going to do about Pekka Rollins?"