Fragments *KANEJ*

Never let your guard down.

The crows are singing and laughing at the Crow Club, some very drunk, others just watching and chuckling at their friends. Nina, Jesper, and Wylan all dance together, very intoxicated, and Kaz, Inej, and Matthias are sitting down at the bar respectfully.

"Those three would get killed if we weren't here to dial them down." Matthias states matter of factly.

Inej laughs and responds, "Oh, definitely." Kaz just watches from afar, happy to see his newfound family having fun. Though part of him is strongly worried that they would be attacked while they're vulnerable, he did his best to let it go for Inej, for he knew that she was happy with this rare night where the Crows let loose.

Kaz watched as Jesper twirls Wylan around, Nina laughing and wooing at their horrible dance moves. And as Kaz looks over to Inej sitting a seat down from him, smiling and laughing beautifully, something sparks inside him. A spark of courage and fire. He stands up and walks over to her.

Offering his hand, he says smoothly but with no visible sign of emotion, "May I have this dance?"
She smiles and accepts it without a word.

The two terrifying, broken, but healing people walk over to a corner of the room and he places his cane on a table. Kaz Brekker thanks the saints that he doesn't believe in that he's wearing his gloves, and she's wearing a pair of hers. They intertwine their fingers carefully, and Kaz hovers his hand over his Wraith's waist.

"Is-" He paused to clear his throat. "Is this okay?"  He asks softly.

Without a smile but still showing emotion, she answers, "Yes." He places his hand down and shudders at the contact, but it doesn't feel wrong. It doesn't feel right either, but it feels content. She gently places a hand on his shoulder, and as he's about to feel the water rising around him, the stench of death in his nostrils, she whispers something to him that pulls him out of the abyss.

"I may be a spider, but you are my web," and with that, the pair starts slowly swaying to the music, looking in each others' eyes. The dance isn't good, partially due to his limp without his cane, but that doesn't matter to them. The man is terrified, but so is she, and they both just silently agree to accept the fear. Fear is natural, and it's one of the things that makes people human. But Kaz Brekker isn't human, or at least he refuses to be. He is a monster.

When the song ends, he immediately recoils, and walks off back to the bar, sitting noticeably away from his spider.

He closes his eyes and lets the darkness engulf him for a few seconds. He doesn't let himself think, and he doesn't want to. He just wants to sit there, and let the reality of the event that just happened consume him. But before he can even regret a thing, he hears the sudden crash of glass and snaps his eyes open.

As quick as death, 5 people run in and pin him and his Crows to the ground. Everyone except the one most important to him. A 6th man runs into the room and grabs Inej before she has time to throw the knife already in her hand. He clamps a hand over her mouth, as she struggles to break free.

Kaz watches in horror as the man ties her hands and feet up quickly with metal. A Durist. He then grabs her roughly and drags her across the room towards the door.

Filled with terror and rage, Kaz stretches his arm out for his cane that is just barely out of reach. He grabs it and immediately swings it behind him and into the man restraining him's head. Blinded by not only blood but also anger, Kaz bolts towards the door and after Inej, not using his cane but not caring for the searing pain shooting up his bad leg. He bursts out the door and sees Inej being forced into the back of a carriage. Running after the vehicle, spits out one thing before it is out of sight.

"You will not take my Wraith away from me."