A/N Jesper and Wylan have recieved a letter saying that Inej is returning after her maiden voyage and they're ELATED. So is Kaz, but he's also worried, and Jesper, Wylan and Kaz have a meaningful conversation. Kaz joins them for dinner for the first time and Marya is honestly the best.

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Jesper Fahey

Jesper's morning had been filled with surprises. For one, Wylan hadn't woken up before him and he awoke to Wylan's frame curled into his side, a half-smile on his face even as he slept. He kissed Wylan's forehead as the merchling stirred.

"G'morning," Wylan murmured, pressing a kiss to Jesper's neck.

"Hi," Jesper said back, "No work to get done this morning?"

"You were too warm," Wylam mumbled back, still half asleep, and Jesper pulled him closer.

A kiss to golden curls turned to a kiss on the lips, down to a trail of kisses from Wylan's cheek and down to his neck and collarbone until Wylan was lying flat on the sheets, nails dragging down Jesper's back, gasps and whispered soft nothings filling the room.

After a considerable amount of time, when they both got dressed, Jesper couldn't help but grin: that's what a good morning looked like.

And it only got better when one of the maids handed them a letter as they ate breakfast. The writing was neat, elegant, and so very Inej's. Jesper told Wylan the news and the boys shared a happy, relieved grin.

Inej was on her maiden voyage, and this was the first letter they'd received off her after three months of her being gone.

Jesper read aloud:

Jes and Wylan,

How are you both? Hope the business is going well and that you're settling into the mercher life well, Jes. Sorry I haven't written in so long, captaining a ship is harder than I thought. But good news: we've brought down our first ship and have freed thirty slaves! We've just taken them back to Novyi Zem and we're on our way back to Ketterdam now. I should be back in two weeks! And by the time the letter gets to you, it'll probably be an even shorter wait. All being well, I'll see you guys in a week or so. Can't wait! I've missed you guys so much.

Lots of love, Inej.

Jesper nearly cried tears of joy. In the past three years, Inej had become a sister to him, and as much as he played it off, he missed Inej so damn much and the first night without Inej sneaking up on him, the night after she'd departed on her maiden voyage... Well... Wylan had found him crying in the kitchen, the mug of tea he was holding trembling.

"I miss her, Wy," he'd sobbed into Wylan's shoulder, "She's my little sister. And... I know we live dangerous lives in Ketterdam, but I could look over her, shoot anyone who glanced at her wrong. But now... She's in danger without any of us. In danger for a great cause, but still. I hate not knowing if she's okay or not."

"She's the Wraith," Wylan had said back, rubbing soothing circles on his back, "She's going to be great. She's going to make the men who think they can own women and children beg. She's going to be the most respected hunter out there. She'll be okay. And so will you. It's okay to miss her, Jes. I miss her and I don't know her half as much as you do. It's alright."

"I know," Jesper had choked out, "I almost feel sorry for the slavers. They have no idea what's coming for them."

Now, Wylan wrapped his hands around Jesper, knowing how happy and relieved his boyfriend was. "She's coming back, Jes!"

Jesper couldn't manage anything more than a "Yeah."

To celebrate the news, Jesper and Wylan took a walk, deciding to talk a break from filing stupid documents. They wandered, bought pastries, Jesper bought Wylan flowers and the smaller boy accepted it with a surprised smile.

Somehow, they ended up at the Slat. Jesper lived in the mansion, but a part of him always belonged in the Slat, and Kaz hadn't even cleared his room out yet. On the one occasion Wylan had been out for a meeting all night, Jesper had found the mansion too empty, so he'd crawled into his bed at the Slat, grateful Kaz hadn't put it up for rent just yet.

Now though, they didn't head to Jesper's old room. Instead, they knocked on Kaz's door.

"Come in," Kaz's voice rasped, and they entered.

"Did you get Inej's letter?" Jesper couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.

"Yes," Kaz said curtly but you didn't need a Heartrender to know his voice was slightly shakier than usual and his heart was hammering.

"Are you nervous?" Jes inquired and Kaz's eyes flashed.

"It's going to be different," Kaz avoided the question and averted his eyes to the floor. He seemed less like a Barrel boss and more like a frightened boy.

"In what way?" Wylan urged gently.

"I-" Kaz shook his head. The past three months, they knew Kaz was trying to put his mind to something other than revenge. They always received a bouquet of lilies for the mansion every week, Marya ended up with new paints every other week, and Jesper had done a little digging and found out Kaz was behind it. He hadn't brought it up, not made it a big deal, but he was pleased. After all, Kaz was like a brother and whatever had happened in his past, he deserved a chance at happiness.

"Inej and I used to spend every night together. We'd spy on a house, or talk business, or she'd feed the stupid pigeons from my windowsill. It won't be like that anymore," Kaz said.

"Why not?"

"I can't exactly ask her to spy for me. She's not the Wraith anymore," Kaz rolled his eyes.

"You can ask her to spend time with you," Wylan said softly, and Jesper fell in love with him more. Wylan had a way of saying things so matter-of-factly, ignoring the pains it sometimes bought, only focussing on the goodness.

"I can't ask her to spend her nights in my room," Kaz said sharply, "She deserves better than that." The next thing Kaz said was barely a whisper, "Better than me."

"If we're talking about what we deserve," Jesper said lightly, "I don't deserve my Da's trust anymore, I don't deserve Wylan and yet here we are."

"You deserve this and much more, Jes," Wylan said, instinctively wrapping a hand around Jesper's waist.

"If you two are going to profess your love for each other, you can do it outside my room," Kaz snarked, but Jesper heard the glint of a tease there.

Jesper settled himself on the bed, and Wylan took a spare chair. Jesper said, "Kaz. You deserve to heal and to come to terms with everything that's happened to you. Inej is the only one who can do that for you. After that, we can talk about whether you deserve her hand in marriage. But you deserve to let her in. She deserved that. She deserved to be let in and she deserves the chance to try and help you. Especially when she wants to."

"Why would she want to fix this broken mess of a monster who can barely keep it together like a sane man half the time?" Kaz's voice shook and nearly broke.

"You don't... You probably do but won't admit it to yourself, but you don't know the way her breath catches when she sees you, or when she talks about you. She... she told me you paid off her indenture. You bought her a boat and found her parents. She was crying and hoping this meant there was a heart behind all that glass," Jesper stated.

"She's hoping wrong," Kaz said and Jesper saw he wanted to say something else, but the armour around him spat the words out to shield himself against the feelings of love and affection.

"I don't think so," Wylan and Jesper said at the same time and stood up, taking in Kaz's confused expression, a mixture of hurt, fury, and longing.

"Loving someone isn't a weakness, Kaz," Jesper said.

"And you're always welcome to dinner," Wylan added, something he said regularly and Kaz gave his usual reply of, "Maybe." Jesper and Wylan headed out and spent the afternoon together, deciding to watch a play.

They returned home, called for dinner to be served and started when there was a knock at the door. Wylan opened the door and unsuccessfully tried to hide his surprise.

"Kaz?"

"I believe you've seen me before," Kaz rasped, his grip vice-like on his crane. He looked like the frightened boy again when he asked, "Does the dinner invitation still stand?"

"Of course!" Wylan said a little too happily. He'd heard enough about Kaz from Jesper to know there was a soul worth saving within Kaz and they'd always try.

Kaz entered the dining room and Jesper grinned excitedly. Definitely a great day. Marya walked in and cast a look at Kaz. "Oh, hello, son."

Kaz stiffened at the word 'son', but smoothly said, "Miss Hendricks. Hope you don't mind if I crash dinner."

"Call me Marya," she said happily, gesturing for Kaz to sit down and he took a seat beside Jesper, "And any friend of Wylan's is welcome here anytime."

Kaz nodded his appreciation. As the food was served, there was a slight tension with having Kaz at the table, but Jesper refused to leave it that way. He perked up and said, "Marya, do you remember Inej? She's coming home soon."

"Oh, that darling girl," Marya cooed, "She was so polite and such an angel. She should've stayed longer."

"At least she's coming back now," Wylan grinned.

"We'll sort out a room for her," Marya suggested, "How long until her arrival?"

"A week."

"Plenty of time," Marya clasped her hands together excitedly, "Wy, are you busy tomorrow?"

"Yes, mamma, got a meeting all morning and then filing in the afternoon."

Marya sighed. "Jes, you don't have to, but could you accompany me to the shops tomorrow then?" Marya asked, always treating Jesper as her own son, "We'll make sure you'll be back to help Wy file, but I really do like that girl. It'd be good for her to have a good room to come back to. And it would give me something to do."

"Of course," Jesper nearly laughed. He was going to have asked Wylan about doing up a room after dinner anyway.

"Kaz, do you want to come as well? You probably know her the best," Marya said and Kaz masked the slight confusion that came across his face. He didn't know how Inej spoke of him when she'd stayed at the mansion for a few weeks before her departure.

Jesper thought Kaz would refuse, was getting ready to make an excuse for Kaz, but he was surprised in the best of ways. "I would like that. Thank you, miss- Marya."

The rest of dinner wasn't so awkward. Kaz didn't speak a lot, but he was hiding a smile, and Jesper was determined that, with Inej's arrival and help as well, the smile would soon stop being hidden.

He squeezed Wylan's hand under the table and thought to himself: Great day, indeed.

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A/N I REALLY want Leigh Bardugo to write a 100 page epilogue of happiness for Kanej and Wesper, pleaseeeee. Anyway. Hope you enjoyed! Please leave votes and comments!