Tainted Opal - Kaz Brekker x Reader

7 - Had You Met Him Before?

Jesper and I wandered through the snowy world that engulfed us. My face was dusted with a bright pink hue from the chilling breeze nipping at my nose. I turned to Jesper, waiting for him to elaborate on his statement from earlier.

Despite what people say, Kaz Brekker always has a reason.

"I'm not sure he likes you the way you seem to like him," Jesper says with a teasing smirk, "but I think he will come to value you as a person. Maybe you're the mysterious girl he has Inej find information on."

My eyes widened, resembling glossy marbles, as I thought about what Jesper just said.

"Okay- wait, what?" I stopped trudging through the snow and turned toward Jesper. "I mean...," I began, "I knew he had Inej find out things about people, but not because he liked a girl...? He can't even tolerate human beings as a whole.. how-," I knew I was exaderating as I blurted out all my inner thoughts to the Crow, but I couldn't help but feel my heart pounding faster.

Jesper laughed a bit, he seemed to be enjoying my reaction. His eyes softened and he sighed, putting up his hands defensively.

"I dunno anything for sure, but Inej had told me there is a girl that Kaz has her keep tabs on over the years," he shrugged and we continued our chilly walk. I let out a huff of cold breath, it looked like a white mist as if froze in such a low air temperature. I dug my hands into the pockets of Kaz's thick jacket and blushed.

"Why do you think I'm the girl in question?" I inquired while  observing the ornate stitching of the jacket. Kaz Brekker really was a boy of sharp, tailored edges and even harsher angles. He carried himself well, and with pride. He morphed his weaknesses into strengths. The boy was a crafty crow who survived for future of sleeping on a limitless pile of Kruge, dreams filled with revenge. He seemed inhuman, his vulnerabilities buried six feet under, where he wanted Pekka Rollins to be.

"Well, I'm not sure, but from what Inej told me, you fit her description. Also, no one gets the upper hand on Kaz," he shot me a look. "He knew you were following him into that alley the night you hired him." I looked a bit disappointed, but Jesper continued. "You did a good job, you fluidly blended with crowds and made your movements natural, but Kaz has eyes everywhere." He raised his arms dramatically and spun in a circle as we walked. "He also knew who you were before you introduced yourself-"

"He knows everyone in Ketterdam, everyone with a possible motive or could be a threat, at least," I responded, attempting to process this situation with logic. Jesper nodded, but he laughed at my comment.

"Yes, but he seemed to know you better than that. He alerted Inej and I after you proposed the job in the alley that you were important." I looked at the charismatic boy with confusion as he spoke.

"No offense, but... so? I'm paying you, Kaz Brekker is probably in love with money, of course he saw me as important." I smiled awkwardly, feeling nervous as feelings twisted around my stomach like frantic butterflies.

"Boss said you were an asset, if all goes well, he'd want you to be a Crow," Jesper explained, smiling at me with care sparkling in his eyes. "He wouldn't even think to something like that unless he knew you, unless he trusted you in a way."

The sharpshooter stopped walking entirely and thought for a moment, his eyebrows creasing in concentration. I focused on the broken tree branches covered in thick layers of ice. The shimmer was similar to a white opal. I want my opal ring back, that's the only reason I'm here... I don't think I'll associate with the Crows ever again after that-

Jesper's voice broke my train of thought as he seemed to come to an epiphany. "Did you know Kaz before this, personally I mean. Did you ever talk with him before this heist?" He asked with a hand on his hip. I crinkled my face, thinking hard about it for a moment. Had I met Kaz before this? I closed my eyes and rewinded my past in Ketterdam; starting two years prior to now. I had met a few people who helped me when I first came. Those who let me steal or have temporary shelter. I helped people too, those who were in trouble or I needed to repay. I did that less now. Though, now I was less naive.