The Job-Soc Fanfic.

part 1

Kaz-

"Where are you going this time?" came a voice from behind him. Kaz turned around to see a small suli girl weighed down with 14 different knives strapped to her.

"Out," Kaz replied. Inej raised an eyebrow. "Out?" she repeated, Doubt creeping into her tone. She smiled. "Are you sure?" she looked him in the eyes, as if daring him to disagree.

"Yes, out." Kaz replied. " Someone asked to meet. Might be a new job for us."

A worried look flashed over Inej's face. "Do we know this person? "

"No."

"And you agreed to meet with him?"

"...Yes."

"Did it cross your mind that this might be a trick? And that someone is trying to get you to walk straight into a trap?"

Kaz sighed. Inej was going to be the death of him. "No, I didn't consider that possibility Inej. Not many people dare cross me at the moment."

Inej laughed, and Kaz's heart jumped, wishing he could figure out the secret to making her laugh like that again. Inej looked up at him smiling. "Not your finest work Dirtyhands." She stopped smiling, a worried look crossing her face once more. " Do you want backup? Just in case?"

Kaz paused. He should say no, in case it was a trap. He didn't want to put her in danger. But backup would be useful, and she looked genuinely worried that it was a trap.

"You can come if you want," he shrugged. "Backup may be useful. But I doubt it's a trap."

"You doubt everything kaz."

"Everything but you Wraith," Kaz replied and began to walk down the stairs, well aware of Inej staring at him in shock. "Everything but you."

Inej-

Kaz and Inej walked down the barrel streets in silence, his words echoing in her head. Everything but you Wraith, everything but you. She hoped he couldn't tell how much it meant to her. She hoped. He probably could though. He always did. She didn't know what to think of the fact he seemed to have a sixth sense for her. She wasn't paying enough attention and nearly walked into the arm he held out to stop her. She looked at him.

"We're here," is all he said. She nodded. They made their way into the small abandoned looking building at the end of the street. Kaz points down a lonely looking hallway, where a shaft of light was shining out beneath a door. They walked down the hallway. Inej raised her hand to knock and looked at Kaz. He nodded. She knocked. And the door opened. A greasy looking man stood on the other side. Inej squinted at him. He looked familiar, but she couldn't tell why. Then he spoke.

"Brekker," he nodded. "And I assume this is your Wraith." Fear started creeping into her, at the familiar sound of his voice. It sounded too familiar. And then he smiled at her. Inej forgot how to breathe. The nightmares came rushing back. The nights she couldn't escape. Vanilla filled her nostrils. She backed up, trying to mumble something about a meeting that had come up. She waited till she felt the door to the outside behind her. Then she turned and ran. She climbed up the nearest wall, and vaulted over the roofs until she reached a familiar attic. She picked the lock on the window and climbed in. She flung herself on the bed, curled into the familiar scent of ashy smoke and liquor, and finally let herself cry.

Kaz-

Something was wrong. The look on her face when she started to back out the room was something he had never seen before. Something he never wanted to see again. He wanted to figure out what caused it, and do whatever he had to to make sure that he never saw it again. The man watched her go.

"Strange little thing." Kaz looked at the man. The man didn't look too surprised to see her run. In fact, he looked almost entertained. The man turned to Kaz. "I have papers for the job I want you to do on the desk." He picked up the papers, and handed them to Kaz. The ravkan man said something else, but Kaz wasn't paying attention. He kept thinking of the look of terror on Inej's face as she ran. Kaz looked at the man.

"Give me a couple days to look over the papers, then I'll get back to you." Kaz turned to the door, and pushed it open, his thoughts immediately turning to finding a certain suli girl and where to find her.

Inej-

All Inej could feel was cheap silk and the feel of the clammy hands grabbing at her. All she could smell was the stench. But beneath it, she smelt ashy smoke and liquor. She tried to climb deeper into it but a hand grasped the back of her neck and pulled her back. She was forcibly turned around and made to stare into the vicious hazel eyes of Tante Heelen. Behind her, was every man that had ever visited her at the Mengariere. And holding Inej's arms behind her was the man who smelt of vanilla. With a jolt Inej realized she had left Kaz with him. What if something happened to him? What if Kaz found out what the Ravkan man did to her? What if the man hurt Kaz? What if......? With a jolt Inej woke up from her nightmare and found herself staring into a pair of worried dark brown eyes.

Kaz-

Kaz was scared. He wasn't going to show it, but he was. He had checked her favourite rooftops (he had no idea how he knew them he just did), the Hendriks House (Jesper and Wylan promised to keep an eye out for her), and her boat (there was no-one on it, but he spent about 2 min staring at the sketch of him she has on the wall next to her bed). He entered the slat ignoring the nods sent in his direction. He climbed the stairs, and opened the door. He froze in the doorway. Iej was curled up, on top of his bed, and shaking. Kaz closed the door and wandered over. Inej was crying. Crying. Kaz had never seen her cry before. And now, she was curled up on his bed, crying. He was watching her, unsure what to do. Then, Inej woke up with a start. Her eyes were widened in fear. Then she saw him. And breathed, for what looked like the first time in a while.

"You're okay." she started crying again. "You're okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"That man, he-" she breathed out a low shaky breath. "He was a frequent one of my clients."

Kaz froze. Then, he slowly reached out a hand and grabbed hers. She looked at him, frozen. Then he stood up, and looked at her.

"Move over."

"What?"

"Darling Inej, treasure of my heart, could you please move over a little bit?"

Inej moved over, clearing enough space on the bed for him to sit next to her. Kaz sat down on the bed, and slowly wrapped his arms around her. She seemed surprised at first, but then leaned into him.

"If you need to cry," Kaz whispered. "Cry. I won't judge."

"Are you sure?"

Kaz nodded. "I won't ask. I won't judge. Just cry if you need to."