{ crow club ♠ soc au }

Unlikely Duo ♣

Kuwei was sat on the steps of the Slat, eyes staring jadedly out the only window that was situated in the spiralled hall that led up and up the stairway. 

A single tamed flame flickered from finger to finger on his left hand as he let his eyes wander the damp cobbled streets below. The brutish yet bustling life he observed that walked the streets of the Barrel made him truly thankful that Kaz had ordered him to never ventured out into its' crowds without one of the Crows to accompany him. But still, a part of him longed to explore it alone. 

This longing had just resurfaced when a voice as rough as salt startled him to attention.

"Is there anything more productive you could be doing that doesn't involve you blocking my stairway?" 

Kuwei swerved round to find Kaz standing just behind him, a scowl on his face as he gestured with his cane for the Shu boy to make way. He quickly jumped to his feet, flattening himself against the wall to let him pass but Kaz did not make a move. Instead, his dark eyes fixed themselves on Kuwei as he seemed to pause, studying the younger boy. 

Kuwei swallowed hard, "What is it?"

"You don't make yourself very useful at all, do you?" Kaz said, although his tone made the question sound more like a musing than one to be answered. 

Kuwei clenched his jaw. Despite his weariness of Kaz, he could not help the anger he felt at the thief's endless parade of insults. "Maybe I'd be more useful if you'd just give me a chance to do something around here," he countered, shocking himself in the process. 

Kaz narrowed his eyes, "I thought you'd be quite happy taking it easy after everything that happened." 

"It's no fun just watching," Kuwei shrugged, "Even the frightened ginger gets to go out and he isn't much more inexperienced than me." 

For one astounding moment, Kaz seemed to truly consider his words before he said, "You know, Kuwei, I think if you stopped waiting to be given an opportunity to prove yourself,  you'd find yourself running into far more of them than you are right now." 

And with that, Kaz stepped past him, continuing on down the stairs. Kuwei watched him go, his brow furrowed as he replayed the words in his head. It didn't help that the language barrier made it harder to understand Dirtyhands' meaning. 

He slowly sat back down on the step, eyes turning back to gaze out the window.  Moments passed as he pondered on the advice when suddenly the words clicked. If he wanted an adventure he'd have to go out and find it. It sure as the Saints wasn't sitting and waiting for him in a dark creaking stairway. 

His eyes widened and he shot to his feet, dashing down the stairs in an attempt to catch up with Kaz. He hit the last stair just as Dirtyhands was stepping out the door, his limp having acted as a small grace in helping the younger boy catch up. 

"Wait!" Kuwei shouted.

Kaz halted, turning to face him with a decidedly bored expression. It was almost as though the raven-haired boy had expected this dramatic chase. 

"Wherever you're going," Kuwei said,  "I'm coming with you."

Kaz shrugged, "I couldn't care less where you go."

Kuwei smiled, translating his Kaz-ness to: You're welcome to join me.

Together they stepped out into the cold bite of Ketterdam's salty air. Kuwei breathed in deeply, he was glad of the fresh air even with its subtle tinge of something foul that reminded him of urine. He matched his pace with Kaz whose cane seemed to beat the ground in time with the rhythm of the Barrel's daily symphony of sounds. 

"So where are the others? Are we going to meet them now?" Kuwei asked.

Kaz shook his head, "This is not a job that involves them."

That same puzzled look reclaimed its place on Kuwei's features, "No crew? What kind of mission would you not need them for?" 

Kaz brief glanced to his left where the Shu boy stared back with burning anticipation. "None that I can think of," Kaz admitted, "We'll just have to be enough." 

//

* Waffle_Queen & 2CleverFox Chat *

Waffle_Queen: Moi Tsar, we have a problem 

2CleverFox: What is it? Surely it isn't urgent enough that it can't be discussed at the meeting today. 

Waffle_Queen: Three of our crew members have decided they will no longer be going through with the plans for the rescue. 

2CleverFox: Who of them have decided this and why? 

Waffle_Queen: Inej, Wylan and Matthias. They believe our friend, Mr Brekker is in greater need of their help and have opted to join him on a mission of his own. I'm sorry, I tried to convince them not to but they were adamant. 

2CleverFox: I see... That only leaves you and the sharpshooter, Jesper. 

Waffle_Queen: Is there even a slight chance we could still do it? Just the three of us?

2CleverFox: Not for this heist. I require five people at least but luckily for us, I know just who to fill our two vacancies with. 

* * * *