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Kaz was sitting in his office at the slat, stressing about the new plan he had concocted, when Inej burst through the door. She looked upset and instantly Kaz’s heart twinged, followed immediately by him shoving that emotion down.

“Kaz...I'm sorry. I couldn't find your gloves and - wait are you wearing your gloves?!” Inej asked him, her gaze zeroing in on his hands, that indeed had the gloves cloaking them.

“Oh yeah, I found them.” Kaz said with a shrug. Apparently that wasn't what she wanted to hear.

“And you didn't think to tell me?! I’ve been looking all week for them. I used all my resources! I haven't slept in 3 days and I haven't eaten in 5! I crawled through the sewers of the Barrel to look for those! I went back to the Exotic sector to ask the patrons there if they had heard anything about them!” Inej spat at him. He couldn't believe it. She...she went back there for him. But apparently she wasn’t done yelling at him. “And when I couldn't find them I BOUGHT new gloves and cut them like yours!” She pulled something out of her pocket and threw it at him. It was another pair of black gloves. “I knew you can’t function without those things, so I tried my best to find them, wasting MY time. The time I could have been using to catch Slavers. And you didn't think to tell me, or I dont know send a damn message saying that you found the things?!” Kaz could tell she was done by the set of her shoulders, holding back the anger, waiting for him to speak.

He opened his mouth to say something about how he was sorry and that she should sleep, but instead he said,”You're leaving again? Already? You were gone for two months last time. And you were only here a week before the glove thing.” He couldn't believe what he had just said but he had. But in a way it was true. She never spent anytime in Ketterdam anymore.

Her eyes flashed and she glared at him. A sneer formed on her mouth as she said,”Is that all you can say for yourself? Asking whether i'm leaving again? I don’t get a explanation, only a accusation. Well let me tell you something, Kaz Brekker. Fuck you!” She told him storming out of his office. Oh he had screwed up big time. Inej did not swear. He stood up and hurried after her, leaving his cane where it lay on the desk.

“Wait, Inej! Let me explain!” He yelled after her hoping she would stop. And she did, but the look on her face, when she turned around, froze him to the floor of the Slat. They had a audience now, and there was no walls that would protect this conversation from the Dregs. No walls to seperate the conversation from Jesper who was sitting at the bar, or Wylan who was sitting at the tables acting like he knew what he was doing. And the whole room was staring at them. They were staring at their boss and his wraith. And they had a very good reason to stare. They knew he never, EVER, fought with Inej. And at the very least he never fought with her in public. but she was obviously going to continue the fight. So he braced himself for the worst.

“No, if you wanna complain go ahead. But I am not going to stick around and here you Bitch and moan about MY decisions. If I want to leave, I will! If I want to stay away for a few months, I will. Heck if I want to never come back, I will. And you can't do anything about it, Dirtyhands.” her use of his nickname threw Kaz off guard, she never called him that. She didn't like the name and never called him that, at least not in a serious sentence. Jesper’s mouth was hanging open as well as everyone else’s. Nobody talked to Kaz Brekker that way. Well now they all knew Inej could.

“Inej, I’m sorry!” There was surprised gasps. Kaz Brekker didn't apologize either. For anything.

“Sorry? Really? Too little, Too late, Kaz. I'm leaving. Now.” And she started toward the door again.”

“INEJ, PLEASE?!” He screamed starting to walk forward again as well. There were more gasps. Kaz Brekker never begged. She turned around right when she got in the doorway to the slat.

“Have a nice life, Brekker” she said and flipped him off with both hands as she walked out the door. Kaz couldn't just let her go, so he started sprinting and wound up outside in the empty streets of the Barrel. He saw a shadow up on the rooftop and and ran to the building and climbed. He followed the shadow and saw it heading to Fifth harbor. She was already leaving. He hit Berth 22 in the harbor just as he saw Inej jump onto her boat. Ignoring the burn in his leg he ran toward it. She spotted him and unmoored the boat, leaving Ketterdam behind. Kaz was not having it. He jumped into the murky water of Fifth harbor and started swimming toward her boat. He tried to swim as fast as he could but his damaged leg was not helping the situation. Turns out it didn't even matter. Inej had saw him jump into the water and was already speeding away. Away from Ketterdam. Away from the Dregs. Away from Him. The walk back to the Slat was miserable. Not only was he soaking wet but his leg was burning like it hadn't since Inej got hurt on the Ice Court Heist or hell even when he broke it. Jumping off that roof had been stupid, almost as stupid as making Inej leave. But then again jumping off the roof of that bank had been a necessity at the time. This was...not. Kaz walked into the Slat to have everything become completely silent as soon as the front door closed behind him. The first one to decide to voice what everyone was thinking was Jesper

“What just happened? Are you oka- wait why are you wet?” Jesper asked looking very confused. Kaz didn't have a answer for the last question or at least one that he could say without sounding like a complete idiot.

Kaz looked up into Jesper’s eyes and said sarcastically ,”I decided to take a swim in Fifth harbor because it's such a good fucking day Jes!” Something had come loose in Kaz and he was extremely shaken. His Wraith had just left. The one person he had come to trust had just walked out of his life and everyone had been a witness to it! The one person, who he trusted with everything. Jesper however did not look satisfied with that answer.

“And where exactly is Inej?” Jesper asked him. And It hurt. Just the thought that she was gone and he didn’t know whether he would see her again.

“Inej is...gone.” Kaz whispered, his emotion finally showing itself when his voice broke on the word gone. Jesper’s face showed his shock. Not only about the fact that Kaz showed emotion but at the fact that Inej had actually left. “I’m-” Kac cut himself off and just started walking toward the stairs. ‘I’m gonna be in my room for a while. I DO NOT want to be disturbed. Wylan you're in charge!” Kaz barked behind his shoulder. Apparently nobody agreed with his decision of leadership. He stopped walking and turned around. He could tell Jesper saw the glint in his eyes. He had felt the same way when Inej got stabbed by Oomen on the Heist to the Ice Court.

“Guys I wouldn't argue with him right now!” He shouted out at everyone. But it fell on deaf ears. Everyone was arguing that they should be in charge and not the Merchling. So Kaz decided to settle this himself.

“You don't trust my Judgment?” He asked quietly. Kaz didn't need to shout when talking normally would get their attention faster. They all quieted where the only thing that was to be heard was Kaz’s boots as he walked across the room right up to Wylan. He grabbed Wylan by the collar of his shirt and dragged him up to where he had been standing previously. “Do you not trust the Merchling? Is that why you doubt me so harshly?” He asked of the room. There was no answer. and it was due to the fact that no one had seen the gleam in Kaz’s eyes before and it scared everyone.

“Must I remind you that I have built up this business from the ground up from where it was a previous laughing stock of the Barrel. Now we are the most feared gang in Ketterdam, and yet you still wish to doubt me? So be it. I must admit I have thought of starting over again. To make MY own gang, the way I want it to be built. And I shall leave Anika in charge of the Dregs and watch it burn from the balcony of the most expensive hotel. But I will not do that now, because what is the point? I am the Boss of this gang and right now I AM PUTTING WYLAN FUCKING VAN ECK IN CHARGE!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?!” Kaz shouted at the room. The room nodded simultaneously, no one was willing to refute him right now. Because Kaz Brekker had gone and in his place Dirtyhands had come to play.

“Good. Now before I go back to my room, I want you all to know something. If ANY of you disturb me, there will be a payment, and it will be your life. If you so much as do anything to undermine Wylan, you will get a bullet to the head, courtesy of Jesper. And finally if you do anything to undermine the gang...well let’s just say i'm gonna be cracking some skulls and I will have to find some new recruits. Am I clear?” He asked and they again nodded simultaneously. Kaz turned around and walked to the stairs climbing them as fast as he could. When he finally got to his room he slammed his door and sat on his bed. And that was where he was going to stay until he worked through is tangled mess of thoughts and feelings.

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