This immediately made me think of that Doctor Who quote, “Never trust a hug. It’s just a way to hide your face.”
Jesper often gets used as the comic relief and uses humor to deflect quite a bit. Even here, he makes a joke about “of course you’ll miss me.” He wants to let Inej know that it’s okay she’s leaving, that she doesn’t have to worry about him or Kaz, he’ll take care of them.
But the second she can’t see him, his face betrays him. And the second she leaves, he starts to sob. Quietly, so she won’t hear and turn back. Because he knows that this is something she needs to do, and he knows how much it will hurt her to see how much it’s hurting him. It so beautifully portrays their relationship because yes, he’s Inej’s family, but she’s his too.
are there even words to describe it? the magnetic space of two souls being drawn together. the space that whispers, “come closer. move deeper.” the space that pushes all other thoughts to the side and slows the passing of time. –unknown
