𝕬𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝕷𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖞 - [𝗞𝗮𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢. 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥

 His voice was low and even. Nonchalance tangled within his words, "Are you hungry? Or are you saying goodbye too?"

 Aleksa rolled her eyes skywards as she trampled through the damp leaves and did her best not to slip on the mud. She paused beside him, slumping onto the crate he perched on. There was an inch between them, close enough for him to breathe without the waves drowning him... but had it been anybody other than Aleksa, that oyster-shucking knife in his coat sleeve would have likely embedded itself into their skin.

 The Grisha held her hands closer to the flames, relishing in the warmth as she watched her white fingertips bleed back to pink, "Why would I be saying goodbye?"

 "I assumed you'd be leaving alongside Inej." Kaz frowned at the bitterness in his voice. He tossed a scowl to the bird that somehow managed to eye him and Aleksa at once.

 Aleksa had caught it too, and despite herself, she felt her lips curl higher, "If Inej wanted me to stay, I'd consider it. But... I don't want to stay in Ravka."

 "No?"

 "Ketterdam is my home. I might be Ravkan, I might have grown up here, but I don't belong here."

 He said nothing more and Aleksa wanted to lurch at him, maybe slap his cheek and complain about his ridiculously sharp cheekbones after. Perhaps throw a crate at him, maybe even dangle his head of silly hair over the fire. He really couldn't summon an ounce of charm to converse with.

 "You're the worst." She muttered softly, fingers drawing a spiral into her knee. Her eyes slowly moved from the crackling flames and landed on the side of his temple. His eyes were no longer a stagnant cup of bitter coffee, but as the flames made them glow, they looked like a pot of tea left in the sunlight, specks of honey blossoming as the flames grew brighter. She turned away, hiking her shoulder higher to spur Cas to move. He landed in her lap. "You're the worst."

 She didn't even believe her own words.

 But Kaz did, "I know." His spine straightened as he glared at the fire, still yet to meet her eyes, "You'll come back with me then?"

 "Of course I will, pretty boy."

 "I hate that name."

 "I know. That's why I like it."

 Aleksa was smiling now, even if it was directed towards her hands that sat lazily upon her lap drinking in the warmth of the fire. That smile faded, "Kaz?"

 The Bastard of the Barrel stilled, his breath caught in his chest. Like an old crone, Aleksa restrained from using his name unless she was vexed with him. He supposed he ought to be thankful about the fact, for he could stride past her when his name was uttered and act as though he hadn't heard a thing. He'd done it once. Didn't end well.

 "Why is Tante Heleen getting your shares of the club?"

 His lips parted, only to close again. Had he really expected Inej to keep such a detail to herself? He should have known well enough by now that Aleksa and Inej shared everything and anything; there were no secrets between Shadow and Wraith.

 "Kaz?" She prodded the silence.

 He inhaled a deep breath, crisp air clearing his throat as his gloved fingers curled tighter around his cane. There was no use in lying or keeping it to himself any longer, she was going with him, staying with him, and she'd inevitably find out on her own.

  "You said it yourself." His voice was as rough as gravel grinding against gravel, "If Inej couldn't come, then you wouldn't — neither would Jesper. I gave Heleen my shares to keep if I didn't return with the Sun Summoner."