FAIRYTALE - Kaz Brekker

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕

"sorry..." she whispered pulling away, Colm shook his head but there was a smile on his lips as he and his best friend's daughter walked around handing her pieces of candy sneakily.

She giggled and hid some in her dress pockets, yes her white summer dress had pockets, it was a gift from Jesper's mother.

so yeah, their entire summer was spent with them painting the Isla's mansion, eating candies, pranking everyone with the now talented sharpshooter, training, hunting with dad, late nights stories, and sleepovers.

A happy life, two children laughing and enjoying their childhoods, Zaria's favorite thing about her father was when she fell asleep on his couch with a book covering her face as he finished some work.

She insisted on staying, to keep him company, he always had a dark coffee with no sugar besides his work and Zaria always stole a few sips, but when her eyes started fluttering shut and her head lolling to the side she always ended up falling asleep.

When he used to pick her up, she used to pretend to be asleep as he carried her towards her room, setting her down as gently as possible, "goodnight, my darling." or "goodnight, doll." he sued to whisper

When she used to call out for him at three in the morning for water and he used to bring it for her.

But... happiness will never last, but now that he was gone, no more goodnights, no more staying awake late at night sitting on his lap as he worked, no more pretending to fall asleep.

Sure, they got into arguments but they never meant those hurtful words, but now that he was gone, she never felt so lonely, she felt miserable, she cried day and night and tried to wear his shirts to feel his presence.

Jesper watched, bags started to appear under her eyes, rarely a smile was on her lips, no more rosy cheeks, no more stealing sour candies, no more summer dresses, and no more cooking with Aditi Hilli since she also left the world, Jesper also noticed the way her eyes suddenly into a darker brown almost black.

Happiness? vanishing in the wind like dust.

Their lives were miserable, happy moments becoming a memory, half of them missing as they grew, that hole in their heart growing bigger as time went by.

But maybe joining the Crows wasn't a bad idea after all, because that wound was slowly healing as time went by, Jesper's gap healing because of the demo man he loved to annoy.

And Zaria's because of the bastard of the barrel himself, she loved to irritate also but mostly adored. she adored him, and he was bringing back her joy, warmth, and mostly love.

Jesper noticed the way the light brown in her eyes made its appearance as she spent more time with his boss after years and he was more than happy yet worried at the same time to see his best friend finally shine.

Zaria's hands were bleeding, her legs trembling with each climb and her whole body flushed red from how hot it is, she looked down blinking the tears away at the happy memories, beaming to herself.

then she felt wetness on her cheeks. Was she crying? Now? After everything? no, Zaria stop crying and think of Kaz...

'it's so hot in here.' she thought shaking her head to get rid of the tears and sweat, then the saints seemed to listen to her thoughts as suddenly heard it, a soft tapping, no rhythm to it.

She felt it on her cheeks and face. She heard the hiss as it struck the coals below. Rain. for the first time ever she loved rain on her skin and face, she threw her head back opening her mouth.

Inej and Zaria looked at each other with smiles before breaking into chuckles like school girls talking about their crush, it washed away the sweat and made the tears invisible, the blood from her hands, the coalsmoke of Ketterdam, the face paint of the Menagerie, revealing just two suli teenagers smiling at each other.