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#also kaz isn't a man
barrel-crow-n · 2 months
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My take on the Crows sexualities (cuz be gay do crime)
Jesper - Bisexual (Canon)
Nina - Bisexual (Canon)
Wylan - Gay (Canon)
Kaz - Queer (He doesn't like labels and just likes people not caring about gender)
Inej - Bisexual (She strikes me as someone that... truly appreciates female beauty)
Matthias - Bicurious? I feel like he might think about it but not often. Maybe heteroflexible. PERHAPS token straight
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miabrown007 · 2 months
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going crazy about kaz brekker hours
#HE'S JUST *screams into a pillow*#Inej wants him to be better she NEEDS him to be better and shed his armour and be emotionall vulnerable and honest to her#and every time he tries it life delivers a right hook into his solar plexus and knocks him to hell and back#and time and time again he is made to come to the incorrect conclusion that being vulnerable and soft and caring about anyone ever#is a mistake and a weakness that he isn't allowed that he doesn't deserve#and his only way of getting what he wants and keeping the people he loves safe is if he becomes something that can't love them#like life just continues to punish him for having any kind of feelings#and he can only love them if he kills the part of himself that loves them. like COME ON MAN#i'm literally unwell about this kid (KID HE'S FUCKING 17 LET HIM LIVE)#someone sedate me (well actually don't i need to start reading CK tonight)#Kaz I Am Ruin And Ruination Brekker#and it's so tragic because he has come such a long way during SoC and when Inej asks him to be hers you know he can't do it. he would like#to but he's unable of it like his walls are still built up so high.#and it's fair of her to ask because she needs that and keeping her always at arms length is not viable of Kaz but also that's all he can#currently give her. that's his all and it's not enough and my heart is breaking for them ohmygod#they make me think so much of felonies love square I'LL EAT GLASS#okay. anyway. finished six of crows. i'm normal about them.#mia's reading
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19burstraat · 2 months
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I know I've definitely seen posts abt this before, but I can't get over how much the 'Jordie' in Kaz's head is just... not Jordie. Like obviously it's not, bc he's dead, but it's also not even accurate to Kaz's memory of him.
Like these are the sorts of things that are attributed to 'the voice of' Jordie:
Jordie had come for his vengeance at last. It's time to pay your debts, Kaz. You never get something for nothing. But he could hear Jordie laughing. No, little brother. No one is stronger. You've cheated death too many times. Greed may do your bidding, but death serves no man.
While Jordie was no stranger to grandstanding statements, and one might argue Kaz actually picked that habit up from him ('The city is winning so far, but you'll see who wins in the end' for example), these aren't the sorts of things he'd have said to his kid brother??? Yes, he could be arrogant, and he's snappy with / acts superior to Kaz a few times, but as far as we see, Jordie is mostly very good with Kaz; he has a remarkable tolerance for/patience with him, especially for a newly orphaned thirteen year old. Kaz admittedly comes across as a quiet kid and is pretty compliant; he rarely talks to anyone except Jordie and Saskia, he seems to just watch for most of their interactions with 'Hertzoon', he largely does as he's told and doesn't wander off, but he's still like... nine, and wants to do stuff like see the magicians and make all the dogs walk at once, and sulks when Jordie stops him from doing stuff and makes him stay inside. We also see Jordie pretty frequently lying to Kaz to try and make him feel better. But this mental-Jordie is not a comforting presence. The start of SOC is literally set up to make you think Jordie is someone that Kaz has swindled or betrayed, that he fears will come back for vengeance, so it's a big 'oh wait wtf' moment when you realise that he's not a rival gang member or anything, he's just his brother, and it wasn't his fault. But you wouldn't know it! Kaz wants 'Jordie's' voice silenced 'forever' and seems afraid of it, almost— at least, it turns up in vulnerable moments. He thinks that 'paying his debt' (i.e. taking out Rollins) will get rid of it. (Sorry hon. It won't.) Kaz thinks at one point that he still sees Jordie as "infallible" and looks at him through the eyes of the child he'd been, but in other scenes he's glove-puppeting 'his brother' to punish himself. I guess he still sees Jordie, even in death, as the ultimate authority figure, and to cope with guilt/stress/grief he imagines that this is something he's being compelled or commanded to do, and that when he does it he'll have redeemed himself, when really it's just desperate flailing to get the closure he couldn't have. I'm sure he knows goddamn well that this isn't actually what Jordie wanted for him ('You'll go to school') and that's why the mental 'Jordie' is really off, because Kaz knows its not really the will of his brother— it's just him. It talks like him! He doesn't even try to imitate the real Jordie! It's just Kaz, alone— but he's never really been able to come to terms with that.
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maruiin · 7 months
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description: everyone knew that Y/n was Kaz girl
Warning: jealous Kaz
It was funny because any possible 'suitors' for Y/n magically disappeared but no one said anything. Of course, they didn't, if they wanted to keep their lives then they wouldn't dare.
That was fine, everyone just kept to themselves and prayed to the saints that they weren't a possible threat to Dirtyhands. What frustrated the Crows is that neither Y/n nor Kaz would admit their feelings towards each other.
The Crows (for once) were all down in the crow club not planing one of their evil heists that usually mess up the world, today they were just relaxing.
Well, maybe not Kaz. Kaz never really fully relaxed, at least not with so many people around.
He saw Y/n laugh with Inej and Nina and he couldn't help the way his eyes travelled down her body or the way that he wanted to keep hearing that laugh on repeat for the rest of his life.
He also couldn't help the fact that he wanted to be the one to make her laugh like that.
Kaz sighed internally, even he knew, the bastard of the fucking barrel is head over heels for Y/n L/n. The girl who would make him dance in the rain with her, the girl who he would gladly kiss if it wasn't for his touch aversion.
She perched her head up a bit and scanned the crowd seemingly looking for something.
Or someone.
Kaz felt something boiling bubble up in his gut but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Why would Y/n be looking for someone? It better not be for a date...
Okay, maybe he did know what he was feeling at the moment because he felt it almost every day when another person was around Y/n that wasn't him.
And fuck, he knew it was because he was no good. She deserved so much more than someone who couldn't even brush his hand up against someone without getting near to a panic attack. But he couldn't, he really couldn't get out of the mood he was in now till the situation was over. Trust him he tried.
A man who was fairly good-looking comes up behind Y/n and tackle's her into a hug. He nearly goes up to stand but she starts laughing and embracing the boy like they haven't seen each other in years.
He grips onto his cane harder than he ever has in his life. Don't make a scene, don't make a scene. Please, don't make a scene.
Y/n giggles and kiss's the boy on his cheek and all his self will goes out and dies in the harbour.
He shoots up out of his seat and walks faster to Y/n and the terrible man than he should with his bad leg and slams his cane in between the two. He glares his worst glare basically seeing red when he looks at the man and all of him wants to bash his head in as an example to everyone. His mind doesn't even think it's a bad plan but he knows Y/n would not like whoever this was to die like that so he would have to somehow come up with another plan.
"If you dare look at her again you won't ever see again," Kaz says lowly and icily calm contrasting to what he's really feeling inside. Red hot rage burst's inside him becoming an ugly green that grows and infects him.
"Kaz!" Y/n semi-yells trying not to make a scene, but he was sure eyes were already on him. He was Dirtyhands after all.
He turns to her sharply knowing his expression isn't one that even a spider would want to see but it sits on his face all the same.
"What." He growls out trying so hard to not snap at the angel before him.
Without thinking his gloved hand goes to lightly touch her neck and he doesn't feel nausea and sickness. He only feels the warmth of the girl that he loves even with the gloves on. Fuck he loves her, and he had to admit it to himself right now?
She visibly shivers at his touch like she enjoyed it but her face quickly turns back to the angry one that she was wearing before.
"He's my brother!"
Now that he thinks about it he did look similar to Y/n, and the context of everything looked more sibling-like more than anything. How the hell did he not see it? He groaned on the inside, he was never doing anything without thinking it through first again. He guessed that plan was shit though because he could barely think around Y/n.
Speaking of Y/n...
The young woman growl and he feels his eyebrows raise. Oh shit. She balls her hands into fits and stomps off. He tries not to run after her but because of his leg,he can't go nearly as fast as she can and he quickly falls behind.
"Y/n!"
He gets to her room and she slams the door in his face.
Great.
He picks the lock of the door for a few minutes as he curses himself for letting her use one of the harder locks to get into. But after just under a minute he hears the familiar click and he slides open the door.
Luckily the girl is in her room and he's happy that she didn't run off right away. Though her arms are crossed around her chest and even someone standing two buildings away could tell this girl was pissed beyond hell.
"What the fuck were you thinking?" She says lowly trying not to yell at him.
He wasn't thinking, all he could see were his arms around her and her lips on his cheek. Kaz was surprised he managed a sentence when he decided to make a 'scene'
"I haven't seen him in years! Kaz, years! All I wanted was a happy reunion but you had to screw that up too!" She throws her hands in the air in exasperation.
Kaz knew that she wasn't planning on staying in Ketterdam at first and he didn't even know why she did stay, but his friends (or the closest people he could call friends) told him it was because of him. Brushing off that topic before was easy, but now look where it got them.
"I wasn't thinking." He finally finds the right words and breaks the silence that was washing over them both.
Don't screw this up Brekker.
"I didn't think he was your brother."
"So what? I was just another investment you had to protect because you thought I was stupid." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. He swallowed trying to find the right words. But he couldn't, there were just no words how he could describe how he feels for her.
So show her dumbass.
Slowly taking off his gloves he place's a hand on her cheek. It's feather-light and barely there, but he doesn't feel the cold or the waves and he doesn't feel like he's drowning. Her skin feels warm and it makes him feel alive, he hasn't felt like that in what seems like forever.
"Oh." Is the only thing that comes out of her mouth and she smiles a bit?
He rolls his eyes at her and takes his hand away. "Ya, oh." He rasps.
Y/n reaches out and carefully takes his left hand in hers and slowly but surely they intertwine their hands together.
Her smile slowly fades away as she looks at their hands.
"What are we?" The question hangs in the air creating more space in between them than ever before. Kaz close's his eyes for a second and lets that hungry feeling wash over him. The feeling of jealousy and the feeling of possessiveness when he thought she was with another man.
But then he lets the little moments warp him in their warm embrace. The moments when she offhandedly mentioned that what her favourite flower was, so then those flowers would just appear in her room. Or when she saved him and he couldn't think of any moment where she looked more beautiful, more saint-like, more like herself than ever. He sucks in those moments never letting them go.
"You are mine." His other hand goes to her neck again. "And I am yours." He lets his eyes rake her body committing every single little detail to memory and he sees her blush faintly a bit as he drinks her in.
They stand there in silence just enjoying each other's presence till Y/n looks un at looked more beautiful, more saint-like, more like herself than ever. He sucks in those moments never letting them go.
"You are mine." His other hand goes to her neck again. "And I am yours." He lets his eyes rake her body committing every single little detail to memory and he sees her blush faintly a bit as he drinks her in.
They stand there in silence just enjoying each other's presence till Y/n looks up at him an oh shit look in her eyes.
"How the hell are we going to explain this to my brother!?"
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zaritarazi · 4 months
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and the thing is, i'm not saying kaz isn't also a serious person. he's very serious. he's deeply committed to the bit, usually at the detriment of everyone around him. he has such an annoying sense of humor. like, what else is he supposed to do? he's a little jewish boy trapped in a dickensian nightmare. what can he do but laugh at himself and this whole situation? he clearly doesn't find it funny at all, but at the same time, is constantly making little remarks only for the purpose of amusing himself. and inej. and also for inej as well. let me put inej here a third time for emphasis. anyway.
like if you think about it, jesper is more obvious with using attention-seeking and humor to run away from reality, but kaz wouldn't be friends with jesper if that really bothered him. he needs that. he's not going to admit it, but jesper sure is still here, isn't he? kaz and jesper undercutting each other and chuckling to themselves is literally how they get through the day, sometimes. this isn't about how jesper makes inej laugh more and kaz is always at least 50% seething about that. he's seething about everything. that's a man who is always at a low, roiling boil. listen. listen.
look. i'm trying to say people can be many things, as i made a funny little post about him doing magic tricks but don't want him to get flattened. so while kaz is very wet and traumatized, he's also surprisingly funny and bombastic. all the crows are like this, but i don't feel like going any further into it. striated. have layer
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shaykappa · 1 year
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Favourite/Funniest Lines From Six of Crows
"I am a businessman," he 'd told her. "No more, no less." "You are a thief, Kaz." "Isn't that what I just said?"
"I like it when men beg, but this isn't the time."
"Go tell your general to keep the Black Tips out of Fifth Harbor and that we expect him to make amends for the shipment of jurda we lost, plus five percent for drawing steel on neutral ground and five percent more for being such a spectacular bunch of asses."
"Oh, it's worse than that, Van Eck. If I fail, I don't get paid."
"Really, Jesper? If I want to watch men dig holes to fall into, I 'll find myself a cemetery."
"Please, my darling Inej, treasure of my heart, won't you do me the honor of acquiring me a new hat?"
"I had a question. About your mother and whether the rumors are true."
"I won't trust you to tie my shoes without stealing the laces, Kaz."
"You wouldn't know a good time if it sidled up to you and stuck a lollipop in your mouth."
"Also the proper way to fold a napkin and dance a minute. Oh and you can play the flute. Marketable skills, merchling. Marketed skills." "No one dances the minuet anymore."
"What's the easiest way to steal a man's wallet?" "Knife to the throat?" "Gun to the back?" "Poison in his cup?" "You are all horrible."
"Moose is probably your native tongue."
"I don't need a nursemaid." "More like a chaperone, but if you want him to wash your nappies and tuck you in at night that's your business."
"I am glad I am bleeding all over your shirt." "I'll put it in your tab."
"Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I 'm going to get Wylan's ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost." Brekker's lips quirked. "I 'll just hire Matthias's ghost to kick your ghost's ass." "My ghost won't associate with your ghost." Matthias said primly, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain.
"I am going to pay someone to burn my kruge for me." "Why don't you pay someone else to pay someone to burn your kruge for you? That's what the big players do." "You know what the really big bosses do? They pay someone to pay someone to..."
"Wake up you miserable lump of muscle."
"It's not natural for women to fight." "It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet, there you stand."
"Just flip it open to the back." "So?" "Hold it up so we don't have to look at your ugly face."
"And I can tell you 've never given thought to your haircut."
"Nina is everything you say. It's too much." "Mmm, maybe you are just not enough."
"Well, we've managed to get ourselves locked into the most secure prison in the world. We 're either geniuses or the dumbest sons of bitches to ever breath air."
"What is he doing?" "Performing an ancient Zemeni ritual." "Really?" "No."
"Saints" he said. "That bad?" "No, you just have really ugly feet."
"If any of you survive, make sure I have an open casket. The world deserves a few more moments with this face."
"How do we cross? I don't see anything." "Because you are not worthy." "I am also not nearsighted. There's nothing there."
"Yes I know, then a tree tells you the secret handshake."
"If only you could to girls in equations." "Just girls?" "No, not just girls."
Djel says you're a fanatic, drunk on your own power. Come back next year.
They are in trouble. Or you were dead wrong about Matthias, and you are about to pay for all of those talking tree jokes.
"I. Should. Let. You. Die."
"Behave or Nina Zenik will get you?" "Well, I do like the sound of that."
"Son of a bitch." "What is it, boss?" Rollins held up his watch chain. A turnip was hanging from the fob where his diamond-studded timepiece should have been. "That little bastar-" Then a thought came to him. He reached for his wallet. It was gone. So was his tie pin, the Kaelish coin pendant he wore for luck and the gold buckles in his shoes. Rollins wondered if he should check the fillings in his teeth. "He picked your pocket?" No one got one over Pekka Rollins. No one dared. But Brekker had, and Rollins wondered if that was just the beginning.
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futurecorps3 · 6 months
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Hey! I was wondering if you could write a Kaz brekker x reader fic. Where the reader has a nightmare and Kaz comforts them if you can please.
𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
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Masterlist<3
Summary: Req sums it up!! Pairing: Kaz Brekker x fem!reader Warnings: Mentions of drowning, death, nightmares ofc and I think that's it, lmk if I missed any Word Count: 674. tiny!! Requested: Yes
There it was. That heavy feeling in her chest. Y/N could recognize it anywhere; it was part of her routine now, and she couldn't be more grateful. Kaz's arm pressed tightly against her, guarding her even in her sleep. She smiled contently and opened her eyes after tilting her head to see her lover's hand.
Or so she thought.
A big rock tied with a rope stared back at her, beginning her descent into some large body of swampish water, as if her stare was its cue to stop resisting gravity. She tried moving her hands in a futile attempt to swim to the surface, to try and overpower the force of the rock against the water and her body, but they were also tied.
Y/N watched as the light got further and further away. She was still holding her breath but soon realized that this was the end of her. Kaz came to mind immediately. God, she'll miss him. Will she even be able to miss? Soon enough, she thought, when water filled her lungs, the mystery of existence would be answered.
She hoped whatever awaited her, whether it was a perpetual calm or a realm filled with endless meadows and a place to rest, would be nicer than the life she led before she met him. He was a lifeline. Ironic, isn't it? She probably would've laughed if she wasn't about to die.
Should she pray for a quick recovery for Kaz? It will be hard for him to get back up. They both knew almost by experience that there was no God or Saint, but like, what if, right? She didn't know any prayers, so she did not pray. Y/N really hoped he got back on track quickly, though. After all, routine was everything for him, and now she wouldn't be able to brew him a nice cup of tea every morning like she had been doing for the past five years.
"I hope he can find his cup in the drawer; it's a bit hidden so Jesper doesn't take it," she thought as she sank even further, just like the pebbles she used to throw on the beach with her sister all those years ago. Tears started streaming down her face, and she could somehow feel them, like they couldn't blend in the water that surrounded her. She was scared. She didn't want to die scared.
In all those years working with the crows, Y/N was certain her life was on the line in every single job they performed, but that didn't scare her. If she died during a heist, she'd die surrounded by the man and friends she loved; there were certainly worse fates than a fatal bullet wound. Fates like this one. She'll die cold, wet, and her body would probably never be found. That did scare her.
Then there was an impulse to move that washed over her. To do anything in her power to at least try and get out of this situation. She kept sinking, now squirming and failing to squeeze herself out of the ropes. Desperation came, and she started screaming, her lungs filling up quickly. She started coughing violently, closing her eyes and then a pang to her heart.
"Y/N, wake up!"
The girl was greeted by a pair of concerned, brown eyes that she wouldn't mind drowning in. She immediately noticed she was sweaty under her nightshirt, and her collarbones were also wet, but from the tears that ran down all the way from her eyes to there.
It was a nightmare.
As she composed herself a little, her boyfriend lit the oil lamp they kept on her nightstand and crawled back to her. "Breathe for me, Y/N. Come on," the girl heard faintly, still in a sleepy stupor. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath. Kaz took her hand and placed it over his chest, just like she did when he had trouble similar to this.
It was rare now, but the first nights they spent together were often filled with sweet nothings whispered and labored breaths in an attempt to calm Kaz's racing heart and mind. She blinked rapidly and tried wiping her eyes dry. "It's okay, breathe with me, love," he whispered, rocking both of them back and forth gently as his girlfriend tried to follow his pace.
The Bastard of the Barrel may have dreaded few things in this life, but seeing his girl suffering, at the mercy of her own mind (which also happened to conjure the most beautiful depictions of love, translated in words and acts that warmed his heart), was almost unbearable. He knew the feeling all too well, and to even think she had to go through it all as well made him sick.
So he did what he knew helped.
He stayed there for long minutes, breathing consciously for the both of them and whispering things like "You're doing so good, it's okay" or "You're fine, love. Steady breaths... there you go." Words of affirmation worked heavily on her, and Kaz was very aware, so he resorted to them immediately.
After a long while, the room stopped spinning for Y/N, and she could breathe normally again. She hugged Kaz in an exhausted manner, whispering a small "thank you" that made her sound almost frightened of breaking her newfound peace. Her eyes felt heavier than before when she first got into bed with Kaz, and she just rolled over and lay next to him, turning to face him.
He had this calming aura to him. She couldn't explain it as anything other than magical, and since both of her best friends were Grisha, she wouldn't be surprised if it was. The girl stared at her boyfriend's eyes and felt safe and warm inside; the complete opposite of whatever was happening in her head just moments ago.
"Bad dream?" he asked, stroking her hand beneath the covers. "Yes. A very bad one," Y/N feebly uttered. "Do you want to talk about it before we go back to sleep?" "You worked hard all day, and I don't feel like—" "You know I don't mind." That was true. Kaz had a horrid sleeping schedule, even when she tried to keep him in check, which meant he spent most of his nights reading or planning their next heist. Truth is, he'd stay up listening to Y/N and comforting her rather than buried in piles of blueprints and books.
"I'm drained, w-we can talk about it in the morning. When there's more light," she nodded, smiling a little bit before closing her eyes, not before grabbing her boyfriend's hand and circling it around her waist. "Wait," he grumbled, getting up and checking if her eyes were open again, the bed dipping behind him. She looked at him quizzically, resting her weight on her arms and contemplating murder if he didn't let her rest after that literal nightmare.
"What?" "Your shirt is wet, you might catch a cold if you sleep in that when you get warmer in a while," he said absentmindedly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, dodging Y/N's side of the bureau fully on purpose and grabbed one of his black sleep shirts, walking with soft steps towards the bed.
"Up," he asked, and his girlfriend's heart melted when he carefully replaced the clothing, making sure the fit was right, even when his would be inevitably longer on her shorter frame. "Better?" the Bastard of the Barrel mumbled, looking at her while folding the discarded shirt and tossing it gently over to the loveseat they had at the foot of their bed.
"Never better. T-thank you, love," Y/N smiled, getting back into her position and receiving a peck on the cheek, courtesy of the man who once broke a man's fingers one by one because he wouldn't tell him where she was, followed by a small "Always" before cuddling back.
They talked about her nightmare in the morning over coffee, and the silliness of her ever feeling anything other than safer when Kaz Brekker was around hit her. She had never known such peace before him, and he promised that no matter what, she'd never die on his watch. Y/N was counting on that.
˚ · • . ° .
Holy shit this is so short and it took so long cause I'm going through writer's block!! I'm so sorry. Hope you enjoyed nonnie<3
Remember, the best way to support writer’s works on here is by REBLOGGING WITH TAGS. I’d very much appreciate it if you did!
Thanks again, stranger. Hope you have a nice day<3
NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO REPOST AS THEIR OWN/TRANSLATE/OR COPY MY WORK IN ANY PLATFORM OR SPACE WITHOUT MY EXPLICIT CONSENT.
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elijahs-dumps · 3 months
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The Infantilization of Wylan Van Eck (within the soc fandom)
Hi! This is my first tumbler post ever, which is like super scary I wont lie. But I've had this project I've been working on since October and I'd love to share it with people, so here goes nothing!
Infantilization or to infantilize someone means to treat them as a child or in a way that denies their maturity in age or experience, and it qualifies as a form of mental abuse. 
This treatment is common in fandoms, although it obviously isn't done in a hateful way on purpose. It’s often directed towards characters who are more innocent, more kind, or more anxious than the other characters within the universe. Or, sometimes these characters are literally just the youngest of the group. Some examples of this include, Entrapta from She-Ra and the Princesses and Power, Varian from Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, Number Five from The Umbrella Academy, Hunter from The Owl House, Little Cato from Final Space, and even Peter Parker from the MCU.
However, most of the traits found in characters that are infantilized are also traits found in neurodivergent people. These traits include, missing social cues, being easily excitable or restless, often feeling anxious hyper fixating on something (usually related to science or math), being an outcast from the rest of the group in some way, and so on and so forth. Therefore, infantilization within fandoms is pretty problematic on its own. People (usually online) think that characters with these traits should be babied or pitied or demeaned in some way, even though neurodivergent consumers usually relate to these characters because of those same traits. 
Some evidence of Wylan being infantilized can include; the fact he's only referred to as cute or synonyms to that, while the other Crows or their actors are often sexualized more. People saying or implying he's smaller, weaker, or even younger than the others. And of course, people saying Kaz and Wylan are father and son... which is something I'll come back to later.
Why Wylan?
To better understand why exactly Wylan is receiving this treatment exclusively from the fans, we need to fully analyze the Six of Crows duology, which is exactly what I did!
When we are first introduced to Wylan in chapter seven (Matthias’ POV) of the Six of Crows, we see him sitting at the table and doodling while occasionally chewing on his thumbnail. He doesn't speak until Inej voices her doubts in Wylan’s demolition abilities. Jesper says Wylan “barely knows his trade”, and Kaz mentions that Wylan is “new to the scene”. Matthias also makes a comment about how Wylan “looks like he’s about twelve”. When Jesper and Inej continue to complain about Wylan being their demo man, Kaz tells them that Wylan is doubling as their insurance policy because Wylan is Jan Van Eck’s son, the rich merchant who’s paying Kaz and his chosen crew 40 million kruge in exchange for breaking Bo Yul-Bayur out of the Ice Court. This immediately makes everyone in the room think less of Wylan because of his privileged past.
This introduction sets up Wylan to the readers. His reserved body language, along with his inexperience and Matthias’ comment about his young appearance gives the impression that Wylan is more childish than the other Crows.
In the next chapter (Jesper’s POV) as the Crows react to the reveal of Wylan’s identity, Kaz tells Wylan that he’s “passable at demo, but excellent at hostage”. Jesper calls Wylan a “baby merch” and insists that Kaz leave him behind, less he slows the crew down. Wylan is annoyed that Kaz and Jpeser are talking about him as if he isn't in the room. Then, Kaz tells Wylan that the only reason he hasn't been mugged or jumped in the three months since he left his father’s house is because Kaz placed him under Dregs protection. In fact, Jesper even says that Kaz has been “coddling Wylan”. Jesper proceeds to call Wylan useless as he and Nina belittle Wylan for living in the Barrel “by choice”. This is also where the nickname “merchling” comes from. When the group continues to go back and forth over Wylan’s skills, Kaz repeats that he’s only bringing Wylan along because he doesn’t want to leave their hostage alone in Ketterdam. This makes Wylan the only Crow that wasn’t hired for their abilities, Wylan’s passable demo skills are simply a bonus. It’s a way for Kaz to keep the crew small and avoid splitting the money even further. 
This entire exchange and interaction between our six main characters lays out the groundwork for the dynamic between Wylan and the other Crows for the majority of the first book. Everyone else in the room believes Wylan is just another spoiled rich kid. They make fun of him for his lack of street smarts, and the money he was born into. Wylan never really fights back too much when it comes to comments from the others, which just reinforces the idea that he came from a cushy lifestyle where he never had to learn how to defend himself verbally. Wylan’s inexperience and innocence is often mistaken for stupidity by the characters, and therefore the readers. 
Kaz saying, “Always hit where the mark isn’t looking.” Only for Wylan to reply with, “Who's Mark?” is a great example of this. (Still chapter eight, Jesper’s POV.)
In chapter nine (Kaz’s POV) we see how Kaz views Wylan in his inner monologue. He says Wylan seems out of his depth, and even though he’s only a year younger than Kaz (making Wylan sixteen)  he still looks like a child. Kaz describes Wylan as a silk eared puppy in a room full of fighting dogs. This pushes the concept that Wylan is more childlike than the others further onto the audience. 
Additionally, in chapter eleven (Jesper’s POV), we see Jesper quite literally call Wylan “kid” during the attack at the docks, even though they’re also only one year apart. And in chapter fifteen, Matthias refers to Wylan as “the soft one” within his own inner monologue.
Since Wylan doesn't have his own point of view chapters in the first book, the reader’s entire understanding of this character is formed through the eyes of the other Crows. So, what we’re hearing about Wylan in the first book might not be entirely accurate, which is something people often forget. Part of the reason why the fandom treats Wylan the way they do is because of the way the Crows describe and talk to him throughout the entire series, The reader learns to rely on the others’ opinions on Wylan in order to learn more about him. 
All of the evidence I have shown so far, and even some smaller things I haven't included, plants a certain mentality in the reader; Wylan doesn't have the same knowledge as the other Crows, so he must be weak and gullible. Weakness and gullibility are often traits associated with the “younger-one-of-the-group” trope, or the “Kid Trope”. So, since Wylan is displaying behaviors that we as media consumers have grown used to attaching to characters who are literal children, Wylan must be a child, or at least be treated like one. 
However, the Crows don’t treat Wylan this way because they truly believe Wylan acts like a small child, because he doesn’t. Wylan’s behavior is perfectly normal, it simply sticks out in contrast to the harsh environments all the others have been exposed to. They treat him this way throughout the book as a sort of condescending joke, they belittle him for the stereotypes surrounding his upbringing and little else.
Still, like I said, the Crows’ mindset on Wylan is all the reader is exposed to for the entire first book, so the reader will subconsciously assume Wylan must be doing something to earn this odd treatment from the others. Sometimes readers don’t understand that it is not Wylan’s wealthy and sheltered background that makes him different, it’s the fact that the others are all criminals, murderers, soldiers, and convicts. Wylan is the only “normal” Crow on a very surface level, so his innocence is bound to stick out more.
As the first book continues, we see that there’s more to Wylan’s past than he lets on. We see first hand how smart and capable Wylan truly is, as his character grows with the story. It begins in the fight at the docks in chapter eleven, where Wylan uses his own flash bombs to help Jesper out.  In chapter thirteen, Wylan openly questions and even challenges Kaz after he throws Oomen overboard, which shows great courage on Wylan’s part. This pattern of questioning Kaz when no one else really does is a common theme when it comes to Wylan. We also see Wylan explain who Pekka Rollins is to Matthias in chapter fifteen. This shows that he’s not completely incompetent, and is at least somewhat aware of what goes on in the Barrel. Then, in chapter seventeen (Jesper’s POV), Wylan expresses his natural curiosity and desire for knowledge about anything, from the mechanics of the Ice Court moat to the design of Jesper’s guns. All of this builds to chapter twenty-two, where the Crows are attacked on the ice by Grisha who were sent by the Shu, dosed on parem. Wylan does a lot of heavy lifting in this fight with his bombs, and everyone is impressed. Jesper even makes a comment about how Wylan’s “earned his keep” now. 
Small moments like this that showcase Wylan’s natural resourcefulness and strength are crucial to communicating with the readers that the Crows were wrong about Wylan in the beginning. As Wylan’s true nature begins to develop further throughout the first book, we slowly see the Crows and their attitude towards Wylan change. It becomes more positive. In the future, when Wylan makes an ignorant comment, the others don’t poke fun at him as much. They’ll tell him to be quiet at most.
By the final climax of Six of Crows, chapter forty-six (Kaz’s POV), we find out Wylan cannot read. Jan Van Eck is open about his hatred and mistreatment of his son. When Jesper jumps to Wylan’s defense, he goes as far as to say Wylan is smarter than most of the others put together. Jesper is in love with Wylan at this point in the story, so his words might be a little exaggerated. But there’s still truth to them. This entire scene serves as evidence that Jesper and the other Crows have realized Wylan’s intelligence and worth, so they don’t even think twice when they find out Wylan can’t read or write. 
If all the Crows’ preconceived notions about Wylan were proven wrong before the end of the first book, then why does the fandom still view Wylan in such a problematic way? 
Blame Booktok
This is all mainly tied to modern day book consumption, and the obsession with “tropes”. Online reading communities such as “Booktok” or “Bookstagram” have normalized interpreting even the most complex characters through simple archetypes. This is something all six crows are a victim of, in fact, most characters within all kinds of media are. 
A good example of this within Six of Crows is Kaz Brekker himself. Kaz, within “Booktok”, is often lumped together with several other male YA love interests in books, like Aaron Warner or Cardan Greenbriar . They all usually share very few qualities, like having violent tendencies, being extremely protective of their loved ones, and acting cold or mysterious towards others. Regardless of the fact that all these characters are so complex and different, from their relationship dynamics, to their morals, to their backstories,  readers still often view them as one in the same because of videos online pointing out very minute similarities. A broader example I would use is the way the Hunger Games series was often marketed and discussed as if the love triangle between Peeta, Gale, and Katniss was the main focus of the story. But really it was just a subplot to a more serious and heavy narrative.
People will often focus too much on singular tropes because it makes books easily identifiable and marketable in this new era of self-publishing and online purchasing. It’s easier to judge a book by its cover if you have a broad sense of what might be inside based on the small character details or scenarios other readers liked from it. But what does that have to do with Wylan? 
Well, because people often talk about books or even whole genres on a surface level, they also discuss characters on a surface level. This lazy form of consumption is what often leads to mischaracterization. People can obviously understand complex characters like Wylan, so it’s not a question of intelligence. Fans online are just used to discussing things within books fandoms in such a simple way and viewing a character through the lens of one trope. They’ll put the character in a box, and Wylan just so happens to check all the boxes for a character who would be infantilized. Even though there are interesting things about Wylan besides his “innocence”, people are less inclined to talk about it. In short, viewing Wylan as just another character who falls under the category of a simple stereotype is easier than including and discussing his nuances. 
So who is at fault?
When it comes to talking about a more harmful fandom behavior, like infantilization, it’s important to keep an open mind. Sometimes, it’s the creator’s fault for writing a character in a problematic way, not the fandom’s fault for interpreting it that way. So, is Leigh Bardugo at fault here for writing Wylan in this light? Or is it the fandom’s fault for not looking past the obvious parts of a character? 
I don’t think it was Leigh Bardugo’s fault. If you take the second book, Crooked Kingdom, into account then you can clearly see that the way Wylan is disrespected in the first book is something he’s dealt with his whole life, especially from his father. Wylan has been taught to believe that his reading disability makes him useless as an heir, and as a human being all together. This is one of the reasons why we never see Wylan truly snap back in an aggressive way in Six of Crows when the others insult and belittle him. A big part of Wylan thinks that the others are right about him being useless. Obviously, Wylan couldn’t have had his own POV chapters in Six of Crows, because then that would spoil his father’s true motives. However, I think the fact we didn't get to see his point of view in the first book serves another purpose. Wylan’s low self-esteem is definitely a major thing he needs to overcome in his personal story within Crooked Kingdom. So for the readers to fully understand this, we needed to view Wylan from an outside perspective. First, we get to view him as the other Crows do, as someone sheltered and weak who’s in way over his head. Then, we get to see why Wylan is the way he is. I think this sort of reverse style of character writing is really interesting and more fun to read. But still, not every reader accepted Wylan just because the Crows started to warm up to him. So by extension, this is also why Wylan is one of the most hated Crows. Nevertheless, I think the way Leigh Bardugo chose to write Wylan is inevitable for the story and vital to his character! It wouldn't feel the same if we didn't get to see how the others viewed him first. 
The fault lies with the fandom when it comes to Wylan’s infantilization. But, are people online really just lazy when it comes to discussing characters, or is something bigger at play here? I think it’s both. People do misinterpret Wylan’s strong and resilient character because of laziness and the normalization of oversimplification and overconsumption within the book community. But this treatment is also rooted in subconscious ableism. To better explain what subconscious ableism truly is, I’ll be taking a deeper look at a specific dynamic.
Kaz and Wylan (are not father and son)
Despite these two characters only having a one year age gap, the fandom often views Kaz and Wylan’s relationship as one similar to a father and son dynamic. Which is understandable to a certain degree. Kaz is the very first person Wylan ever told about his reading disability. Kaz had Wylan placed under Dregs protection the minute Wylan set foot in the Barrel, which may have been for Kaz’s own selfish reason, but it still kept Wylan safe for a while. There are a couple scenes in the books where Kaz will give Wylan advice about life in general, or about having a disability, not just about being a criminal. We see Kaz take getting Wylan justice for his mother and stealing back Wylan’s inheritance very seriously. Wylan even starts to pick up some of Kaz’s mannerisms and facial expressions. All of these could be viewed as things a father and son would do, despite how small the actual age gap is. However, the fandom seems to take this relationship to the extreme, from fan fiction and fan art, to getting the characters’ actors involved. 
It’s somewhat because of very minute subconscious ableism. People naturally view Wylan as younger because of his demeanor, but also because of his disability. The opposite is true for Kaz. His physical disability makes people naturally view him as older than seventeen in their minds. This is due to long standing ableist tropes within the media. People with mental disabilities are often depicted as stupider in some way, so they need to be babied or coddled. While people with physical disabilities are often depicted as very ill, or very old. 
This might seem far fetched, but it’s true. And it’s quite obvious if you look closely enough at anything from books, to movies, to TV, to games! These are just some of the harmful stereotypes we see in our world every day, 
How to fix this issue
Now, of course people aren’t just going to stop misinterpreting characters or stop viewing them through small scale tropes all together. But keeping yourself educated and aware is a good way to stop promoting these harmful stereotypes. Listen to the voices that are being affected in these situations! In this case, it’s people with mental or physical disabilities. Be sure to take into account what they have to say on matters like this one. Allow yourself to take the criticism and learn from their experiences or feelings. It’s important to be empathetic and kind to one another, and acknowledge that sometimes we do problematic things without intending to. When talking about characters with disabilities, it’s important to remember what they represent, and the fact that you can't always say whatever you want just because the characters are fictional. 
As always, if you’re ever unsure about whether something you feel or think is harmful towards a certain community, never be afraid to ask questions and do your research!
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she-posts-nerdy-stuff · 9 months
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New series idea: analysing my favourite (underrated) lines from Six of Crows
I feel like I haven't given you any analysis in a while, and I've had this idea for some time now so I thought it was worth giving it a try. This is going to be a list of my personal favourite quotes in Chapter 2 of Six of Crows with explanation/analysis for any that I have an explanation/analysis for - but if a famous or popular quote isn't included then it's not because I don't like it, it's just because I don't feel I have anything new to add to the existing analyses around it. And yeah, if you guys like this then I'll make it a more regular thing and go through chapter by chapter (probably sometimes including multiple chapters in one post), so let me know what you think!
(Also, I chose to start with Chapter 2 on purpose because I don't have loads to say about Chapter 1, but if anyone is interested I'm open to trying it in the future)
"every favour came with enough strings attached to stage a puppet show" - ugh words cannot explain my love of this quote. Not only is this a gorgeous and vibrant metaphor that brings forth very clear imagery, it also achieves two different concepts relating to the idea of the "puppet show". Firstly, we have the idea that Kaz is the puppet master and Ketterdam is his stage; he is in complete control, he can bend the city to his whims, and it's ultimate his say that can make or break someone. This is definitely the image we're given of Kaz in the opening two chapters, and this singular line really reinforces that, however the rest of the book and many of the descriptions in Crooked Kingdom unravel this view very quickly. This description far better fits Pekka Rollins, which brings me onto the other concept relating to the "puppet show": the question of who it actually is pulling the strings. Arguably Kaz is a puppet on Rollins' stage, and Rollins a puppet on the Merchant Councils'. each has power but each is ultimately at the whims of the other. This brings worth the suggestion that something darker is at play and that there's far more to Kaz than initally meets the eyes before we've even met him, so in short it's just completely and utter genius.
"Kaz hated a puzzle he couldn't solve, and he and Inej had concocted a hundred theories to account for the murder - none of which satisfied" - again, Kaz has thus far said a single line, and not one with a lot of information in it ("Yes and no. It's always good to have a country in debt to you, makes for friendlier negotiations) and yet we know so much about him - and even some details about his relationship with Inej! It even tells us a lot about Inej; we've been presented with a figure heralded as near-omnipotent in his city, someone no-one wants to be on the wrong side of, someone who has complete control over every conversation he has with you, and she is someone with whom he will spend hours trying to solve a riddle? So then, the reader is forced to think, what kind of power does she has? What makes her worthy of his closeness, why does he trust her, and why does she know him well enough to so intimately know his likes and dislikes? Inej hasn't even spoken yet.
"But it didn't feel neutral to Inej. It felt like the hush of the woods before the snare yanks tight and the rabbit starts to scream" - ok most of my enjoyment of this quote is just of the beautiful prose, however I would like to add that all six Crows experienced this sort of 'calm before the storm' leading up to the most painful experiences of their lives - Wylan thinking he could go to music school, Inej at the beach with her parents and calling sleepily to the man she though was her father, Kaz staying at the cafe and meeting Margit and Saskia, Matthias knowing he was going to be a big brother, Jesper seeing his mother for the last time when she picked him up and hugged him even though he was up past his bedtime, Nina feeling that she had purpose and loving the way she could help her country - so this could be considered foreshadowing.
" 'Care to place a wager?' Jesper asked.
'I'm not going to bet on my own death,'
Kaz flipped his hat onto his head and ran his gloved fingers along the brim in a quick saulte. 'Why not Bolliger? We do it every day,' "
"Kaz had done his best to teach her, but she didn't quite have his way with breaking and entering, and it took her a few tries to finesse the lock" - my main source for liking this quote comes from an analysis I did a while ago when someone asked me about comapring this quote and Kaz's self-proclaimed "shoddy job" of teaching her to pick locks. It's a while since I posted that so I'll run through it here briefly, basically it's very indicative of their relationship dynamic. Whilst both place the other on a pedestal, they do it in different ways, and Kaz particularly often glorifies Inej and almost finds it difficult to accept that she, like anyone, must be flawed. So if she fails at something, like picking locks as well as he can, and she cannot possibly be flawed then the error must be in his teaching - it can never be with her. It's also a glaring example of Kaz's self-destructive nature. My other reason for liking this quotes is just that it once again tells us about the characters so early on and without having to directly explain it to us - we know Kaz is good with locks because he tried to teach Inej and she isn't as good as him, but she still manages to get it open.
' "I'm a business man,' he'd told her, 'No more, no less,'
'You're a thief, Kaz,'
'Isn't that what I just said?' " - I ADORE this, but honestly all I can say for analysis is that it sums up the entire theme of the novels beuatifully.
"Now he looked like some kind of priest come to preach to a group of circus performers" - this sets up a great parallel that I've mentioned before in one of my "little details you might have missed/forgotten" posts, but it's also interesting to have it come from Inej's perspective since she's incredibly religious and performed as a travelling acrobat with her family. It's probably drawn from personal experience, someone in dark clothes who judges the brightness of Suli traditional clothing and/or culture and tries to preach religion to a group who've already long found it because they don't align with thier idea of religion. It's even possible that she links that idea with Kaz, not because of his actions but because he's from a country that has perversely sexualised and condemned her culture and he dresses like the rich merchants who would preach this exact kind of message - and possibly even have visited her at the Menagerie, where she was forced to appropriate her own heritage and way of life for the enjoyment of those who look down it with no reason for doing so.
"Inej pitied the boy who might die alone with no one to comfort him in his last hours or who might live and spend his life as an exile. But the night's work wasn't over yet, and the Wraith didn't have time for traitors" - this is one of the few but fabulous examples we get of the idea that "Inej" and "the Wraith" are separate entities; Inej being the girl she was, the girl she should have been, and the Wraith being a creation of necessity to aid survival. Inej is a religious young woman from Ravka who has been through far more than she should have done, but the Wraith was born and raised on the blood-soaked streets of Ketterdam and has every intention of surviving them - no matter the cost. This concept is only mentioned a few times, however it runs a beautiful parallel with the distinction between Kaz Rietveld and Kaz Brekker, or Kaz and Dirtyhands depending on how you look at it.
Ok I realise this is a pretty long post but thanks for reading it if you got this far, and I really enjoyed making this so please let me know if you guys would enjoy seeing more. And, in summary, Leigh Bardugo is a genius
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𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠, 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒
Tagging: @augustwithquills , @bloody-mf-bsc
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Y/N Y/L/N: This man unsettles me. Why the hell do you smile at me like a proud kid looking at his mom for praise?
We filmed the most gut-wrenching, soul-wrecking traumatic scene for your character.
You just know what you will be doing to the fans. You know their pain, and enjoy it and they are gonna come after you for therapy bills. Hope you are rich.
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User5: Freddy is just a sneaky cat. That's it. That's my comment.
User7: I don't wanna know the scene... yet again I have a guess .
User9: There is water... And Kaz's trauma includes water... We are, guys, once again...
User6: doomed. As usual.
User4: It's usual at this point, like I can't go on with my day without at least one tiny bit of drama
User3: Once again, mother Y/N is right. We all hope you are rich ASF Freddy.
freddycarter1: I could make Y/N pay for them?? She is the reason you guys cry
Y/N Y/L/N: don't bring me into this, Freddy. It's your fault, you have to deal with it. Or... I can tell your wife that you are bullying me����
freddycarter1: you wouldn't dare! My wife loves me!
Y/N Y/L/N: Maybe... Not as much as me tho😉
User12: the way Y/N doesn't just conquer the women cast members' hearts but the male cast's wives as well...
User5: Teach us where this rizz comes from Y/N!
User6: Just Y/N and Ben casually making us fall in love with them
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Y/N Y/L/N: More memes!
1. Freddy is my one true love, and more attentive and mature and cares more about me.( this is definetly not my amazing,handsome, attentive and bullied boyfriend whom I should pay more attention to.)
2. This is what I was talking about! Look at hım and tell me you wouldn't immediately accept whatever mindblowing War crime he wants to commit together?
3. The only surprise element here is that I paid for the tickets... Even if they were the ones who went to to cinema.
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User1: Ben is being a gremlin again by taking her phone... Again.
Y/N Y/L/N: See? Everyone else is very mad at you benbarnes 😒
User5: Y/N show some love to poor boi 😭
User9: Ben is struggling so much djsjsh
User8: he is like a puppy following her around dnjd Have you seen the BTS of shadow and bone? He is always looming behind her and looking over her shoulder to get a glimpse 🥹🤭
User4: We love men who respects and shows his love openly to their lover😎
User6: Istg they want me to put a toast in the tub and live there like that by how cute they are being... look at her giggles and wide smile through her Insta posts after they got together and say otherwise
User9: They really are the best for each other and they are so cute, so supportive of each other and you can also see the Ben's grin is wider and shinier too!
User14: Being the "sugar mommy" of them is Y/N's fate now...
freddycarter1: I didn't hear any complaints from her.
User2: She has all the tittles now, the only one missing is... The Milf 💫
User14: That could change at any moment and we wouldn't know...
User3: 😳
Y/N Y/L/N: First all, no one can be like me... Or else you would be in constant hunger because you two can't cook to save your lives.
benbarnes: my cooking isn't that bad... Right?
Y/N Y/L/N: Could have been worse.
User6: Y/N does he use that kicked puppy eyes on you too?
Y/N Y/L/N: Whenever he wants kisses... Which means all the time. But I have no complaints, I love kissing hım.
User6: So it works?
Y/N Y/L/N: It works wonders.
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Y/N Y/L/N: Not my fault that they are living moods
1: Me, when they show me the most shocking, spectacular,eye-burning, gut-wrenching,soul-wrecking, traumatic script ever
2. Also me, whenever I look at my boys. And yes, though I always say I hate them here, I love them all so much. I'd probably commit arson for them if they asked but... Yeah.
3. Yes, you saw it right. He took my phone again 😑Like,why do you have your's if you always use mine?
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freddycarter1: does that script include us??
Y/N Y/L/N: I don't know...😳🤐
jacktwolfe: I say we give her candy she loves so she can't resist and then take the script and run away when she isn't looking 😊
Y/N Y/L/N: Jack what the fuck? Get out of your Wylan head.
User5: I'M BEGGING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, Y/N HAVE MERCY ON OUR SOULS😭
User8: indeed, we finally saw that she had a heart and It's full of love for the boys too... Just not as much as the women
freddycarter1: mind you, this is the best thing that had ever been told to me... I STILL prefer Ben tho
Y/N Y/L/N: All my hardwork was for nothing... But legit anyways, I'd choose my baby too
User5: does it ever bother how Freddy is just you in another font, Y/N?
Y/N Y/L/N: He can do all he wants... I'm the only one who sees Ben in... different light🤭
User6: HOLY SMOKES-
User9: Y/N just casually dropping hints on their private life is just... Golden djsndbdv
User1: Fr she and Freddy are fighting for Ben's hand jddjjd
User7: Considering the rest of the books and knowing all the scenes by heart now... And adding Y/N cinematography...
User1: we're doomed.
User6: Will go and make a confession to the local church now, for the person I'll become when that happens
Y/N Y/L/N: Calahan is keeping me in a headlock so that I would backdown from my heart-tearing plans... I HAVE YOUR PICTURES WITH A TIARA AND TUTUS, FREDDY AND CALAHAN! Don't make me share them
User5: Poor Y/N... Keep doing it Calahan, just a few more minutes, I live close to her. I can just grab that script and run away
freddycarter1: benbarnes please leash your chihuahua of a girlfriend before we spoil your plans
Y/N Y/L/N: what surprise? Ben is planning something behind my back?? benbarnes, what do you have to defend yourself? 🤨
benbarnes: I will kill you when I'm done running from my girlfriend, Carter...
Y/NandBen.fanpage: GUYS GUYS GUYS, I THINK IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING OMG-
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Y/N Y/L/N: GUESS WHO IS BECOMING A BARNES?🤭
Oh, and @ user3? You are a Seer, that's for sure. Thank you for calling dibs on our marriage, lovie!
And to everyone who always said we were cheaters: İt must SUCK to be with yall because you don't trust your lovers! 😎🫳🎤
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benbarnes: You are so beautiful, my ex-girlfriend...
Y/N Y/L/N: Stop saying that, idiot... And, oh... I am beautiful? 🥹🤭
User6: OMG CRYING, SHITTING TEARS WTF THIS IS SO CUTE DJDJSJS
User9: Y/N and Ben are both melting for each other and OMG I'm crying too 🥹
User5: for a fact, I just know that these two cried and still is crying tons while cuddling and reading our messages
Y/N Y/L/N: Do you have cameras in our house??
User7: SOMEONE MAKE SURE USER3 IS ALIVE BECAUSE GOD KNOWS I WOULDN'T BE IF BEN AND Y/N MENTIONED ME
User3: I'M INDEED NOT OKAY I'M ALIVE BUT BARELY BREATHING WTF I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS
User6: YOU ARE LIVING OUR DREAMS!! *shake shoulder harshly* HOW DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE THE IT GIRL?!
User8: Someone keep that fucking hater away from here or else there will be millions, including celebrities, who will throw hands!
User2: I think they will not be here because if mother Y/N dissed me like that, I would have found a hole and never get out.
User5: When I tell you I am at my granny's funeral and trying so hard to control my giggles... THE FIGHT IS REAL
User8: We have a holy knight here, hang in there sis! We still need to see their wedding photos!
User10: what's even funnier is that "Ben Barnes I hope you can fight" tag is trending in Twitter lol
blakelively: look at that excited smile! Finally, you are joining the married life! Welcome to club 🤭
User4: Today folks, we all can rest in peace for we achieved what we always wanted for 3 years 😌
amita_suman: beautiful people ❤️ Love you both so much!
freddycarter1: Does that mean we call her Barnes too?
jessie_mei_li: Yes, since they are the mom and dad 😒 Is that even a question?
kittheyounger: we are all united under one holy flag: The Barnes' Holy Kingdom
User15: After 3 years, Ben Barnes finally put that ring on her finger. A day to celebrate for years to come indeed.
tchalamet: Congrats to my favourite director!
Y/N Y/L/N: Don't let Greta hear that Ti 😉
tchalamet: she would say the exact same
User17: DAYUMN THAT RING IS THE SAME SIZE AS MY HEAD HOW RICH ARE YOU BEN?!
User16: Just like that, we achieved it. Now, there is one last thing needed: A mini Ben-Y/N
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kristailine · 5 months
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Kazujun headcanon time again >.<
Since Kazuya is a wealthy ass CEO, he really took on the provider role in their relationship. He doesn't mind splurging on stuff for Jun.
Jun understands this well, but she figured she also wanted to buy Kaz some stuff from time to time. She's obviously aware that the man can afford whatever the hell he wants to buy, but she's a little bit persistent on getting him stuff regardless.
Jun usually buys Kaz those biscuits with the sappy pick-up lines or cute drawings on the packaging, and sometimes even some juice box or chocolate drinks with some random fun fact to read on the packaging. Something so middle classy that Kaz would've probably never encountered in his whole life as a rich mfcker.
Initially, Kaz thought it was rather stupid and nonsensical, it wasn't really the type of stuff he really likes. But he found himself growing fond of receiving some snacks from Jun, and realized that maybe it really isn't about how much something was worth for someone to enjoy receiving the gift.
And he probably never even received a gift without the giver bribing him for something in return since that's just how it works with the kind of lifestyle he has. So Kazuya really appreciates the simple things he receives from Jun (even though he wants her to stop spending on stuff since the woman was receiving just the right amount of salary, but he's selfish anyway and finds the act endearing but he would never say that out loud LMAO).
Additional stuff:
It was a sight he would have never thought he would see but one time, Lee walks in on Kazuya sipping from a box of juice that is half a size smaller than his whole palm. He had to hold in his laughter and deliver whatever message he had to tell Kazuya. But as soon as he walked out of his office, he burst out laughing his ass off with how silly the whole thing looked (and at the fact that Kaz was definitely down bad for Jun is he was really drinking those silly juice boxes she was giving him)
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barrel-crow-n · 25 days
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Obviously, we know that Inej knows Kaz best but really, even she doesn't know him - or at least, doesn't understand many parts to him.
"He just lets go" about a boy who has never let anything go. Who, since he was nine years old, has been unhealthily obsessed with Pekka and taking him down. Who was still obsessed with this revenge eight years later. Who hears his dead brother's voice in his head - cruelly egging him on on this maddened quest for vengeance. Who remembered every single last detail of the Hertzoon con; who killed eveyone involved.
People criticise this line, and rightfully because it's plain wrong, but it goes to show how isolated Kaz is and that even with the person he trusts most, he still holds many cards close to his chest. He still hasn't shed his armour completely - not even with Inej.
Inej also doesn't understand Kaz's language. She knows the signals he has established with her for moves and attacks but, funnily enough, it's only ever Matthias that truly reads Kaz (understanding his micro expressions and how he cares about Inej). She understands that she is trusted because he takes off his gloves - but even then doesn't seem to understand the extent; Kaz strips in front of her, as a show of trust - that he's willing to expose himself to her, but she doesn't understand that this is what he is trying to convey. I highly doubt this is a way of wooing Inej. At least, that that was the main reason. He was being vulnerable with her, showing his underbelly.
Kaz cannot say he cares, but he also can't seem to show it either - not in a conventional way, anyway. He carries Inej to the Ferolind despite it causing him pain, he yanks out the eye of the man who stabbed her. He says "I protect my investments." And that sounds completely dickish, but Kaz doesn't show appreciation. Ever. Inej doesn't understand that "I protect my investments" means "I want to look after you because you mean a lot to me" because that's what it means!!! In Kaz's language. "Protect" -> Look after, take care of, defend. "Investments" -> Very important to him, more valuable over time (liking her more and more as times goes on). "I protect my investments" isn't the stupid, asshole line Nina and a lot of people read it as. It's Kaz's kinda mean, not betraying how much it means to him, round about way of showing he cares. He won't say it outright because living in the Barrel has taught him that that is dangerous.
This is shown again when he says "I would come for you. And if I couldn't walk I'd crawl to you. And no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out, knives drawn, pistols blazing, because that's what we do, we never stop fighting." He can't say a simple "I care about you." but he can say all that. Why? Because he ties his care to violence. Protection. Causing harm to defend Inej. (Strooooong dog motifs for Kaz btw - the people of the Barrel were spot on with the rabid dog nickname)
And it links to how all the characters are always saying "ohh he's so mysterious, I don't know anything about him, where he came from, or what his motives are" when Kaz is literally openly saying everything.
He doesn't not speak of his trauma or his feelings! He talks about them all the time! He just isnt straightforward.
"Barrel boys don't have parents, they're born in the harbours and crawl out of the canals."
"My mother is Ketterdam, she birthed me in the harbour."
He's literally talking about being "dead" (thrown on the Reaper's Barge), how that affected him (traumatised him so bad he feels like he is no longer the same boy, that he was reborn as something else - a monster), about having to crawl out of the harbour, wet and weak from fever. He openly admits he's an orphan. He talks about it! Just in a cryptic way. A way no one understands.
It's like he's crying out, with people not far, but no one hears him. Like he's still on the Barge, making a futile attempt to cry out "I'm still alive." The Barge still has that hold on him. It's a manifestation of the trauma. It's the same way the flashbacks taking him back to that miserable night. A prison that he can't seem to ever be free from.
When he tells Inej "Tell Jesper he's missed around the Slat." he's doing it again, just more blatantly and more obvious, so that she picks up on it this time. He's showing her his language! Telling her to read into what he is saying! He's saying that he misses Jesper in his detached, cryptic way.
And this is so important with everything Kaz says. Reading between the lines - that's how you start to understand him. We get a cheat sheet by seeing his internal thoughts, but his dramatic talk is the olive branch for outsiders.
When Inej is asking him to open up, she isn't asking that he should share his problems and vulnerabilities like she believes she is saying. She's asking him to be more direct. And that's the difficult part for Kaz.
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mysticmiav · 4 months
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I wanna talk about Inej cuz GOD I love her so much. Her intro scene is one that I think goes not talked about enough which I think is a crime against humanity and I WILL be making my case your honour so buckle up.
This concerns scenes from SoC as well as CK, so be warned, a load of spoilers ahead.
So in that first chapter of SoC we are introduced to this absolute badass of a girl. She walks silently, steals secrets and defies gravity. The name they call her? The Wraith. How badass is that? God spared yall (and maybe even me but especially my parents) cuz if I was still doing gymnastics I would've broken my ankle trying to be a fraction of as cool as she is cuz fuck you Newton and fuck your gravity laws.
She is smart and quick witted; the whole scene at the exchange, Kaz counting on her to take care of the second guard, knowing she'll figure it out and manage, and her indeed making it on time.
But no, not only that. This deadly storm of a girl not only holds this guard at knifepoint, saving Kaz's ass from an embarrassing plan gone awry, being shot and possibly even death. She goes on and says, and I quote, "I like it when men beg, but this isn't the time for it."
????? Weird way of asking for my hand in marriage but all the same, yes.
We get to see that deadly, fear-worthy side of her, we see how she's an actual threat people take into account, cue the slippery edges so as to make her climbs harder (fools really, as if some grease and oil would stop her of all things)
But as if that wasn't enough, we also learn of the beliefs she holds dear and her kindness. The way she hesitates about leaving Big Bol alone after everyone else leaves, torn on saving him, getting him help or putting him out of his misery, and ends up sparing him a parting prayer.
She's someone who's been through unimaginably lot of shit, never seemed to catch a break, from being literally ripped away from her family, sent across the ocean and sold to the menagerie, a never ending stream of painful and shameful experiences in her life as an indenture there, and then trading that life for one of killing and stealing, and despite it all, despite all she's gone through and all she's seen, she holds dearly to her faith, to her memories and her hopes of better days, of a world free from this kind of pain. Arguably even more so because of her experiences.
She wonders if her Saints would forgive her if she took Van Eck's life not out of necessity, but out of revenge. Either way, she was willing to spend a lifetime of repenting and take that chance.
But even beyond that, she's faithful beyond belief. Jan-if I ever commit a hate crime it'd be against this miserable excuse of a man-van Eck, while not having actually broken her legs (although his only reason for stopping being Inej's words) it was evident he was willing to, he was going to, and he made it clear he still might on the next day if she doesn't talk by then.
Fast forward to the one and only "I would have come for you, and if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you," scene (am combusting as well I know).
I find it to be heavily implied which lengths Inej was willing to go before Jan managed to draw a word out of her; her asking Kaz if he would have come for her when she couldn't scale walls or steal secrets for him anymore implies, in my opinion, what she already saw as the outcome of her captivity at Van Eck's hands. She already was thinking of that future, not just because of that growing, nagging doubt of her role in Kaz's life (whether she really was only an investment or if he'd cared in any way more than that about her), but also because no matter what, she wouldn't have given her crew away like that. She already made up her mind; she'd give that icky bastard some locations that had nothing to do with this, and Jan could break every bone in her body but will find no words of hers helpful, and I just worry of and for that girl.
She made that six-story high climb up a burning chimney with a tight time span, she climbed silos that are twenty storys high with an even tighter window of time, she walked a wire on that height and would've walked many more had things gone according to plan (thanks, Dunyasha), she climbed up shipping containers with a knife stabbed at her side, more or less to ensure she did her best for the crew that was counting on her. She would rather end it herself than find herself captive in those enemy's hands, this playing both into her loyalty as well as her history with captivity and what it meant for her.
She is the Wraith, with a reputation that proceeds her, and she also knows how crucial her skills are, how much her crew depends on her, how many of the plans center on and are weaved around her abilities, but she is also fully aware of her limits, fully acknowledging of her betters (Dunyasha you scare me, genuinely). She is religious and holds her faith very dear, but has made peace with the lives she's taken and will continue to take.
Many people see her as Dirtyhand's Wraith and fear her for her association with him, for his uses of her and the things she does at his bidding, but she is scary in her own light and I don't think people should fuck with that.
When she came for Pekka that night, carved in knife right above his heart, promised him a second slash if he thinks of coming back to Ketterdam, she made the once-proclaimed king of the barrel remember pain and fear.
And as if that didn't shake the man enough, she also made sure to replace his son's lion stuffed doll with a fucking crow, so that he'd see it when he inevitably ran to check in on his kid amidst his blood and panic. She gave this man enough mental damage to warrant endless psychiatric help and a lifetime of cowering, fear and paranoia (totally warranted am 100% in support)
She wears her heart on her sleeve; not in the sense of being naive, but in the sense of not being scared of displaying her emotions and thoughts. Her sentiments aren't random, because she always made it clear she cares for the people around her, she will go out of her way to protect them at her own expense and she will nurture those friendships she's built. Her suli subverbs and beliefs don't come off as a surprise, not to anyone around her and not to us as readers because she proudly displays her faith.
Many times, it felt like people, even Kaz, saw her faith as her weakness, something to be exploited, her sentiments something to poke fun at and use to taunt her with, but it's what makes her stronger. It's these thoughts and feelings that keep her going and keep her fighting. It's these friendships and heartfelt moments that she pushes herself over the edge for, and it's that dream just out of reach that rekindles her spirits even brighter than ever, and there's something so beautiful and heartwarming in it and about her that I can honestly spend this new year dissecting and talking about because am insufferable with a rotting hyperfixation. Why are you still here? Jkjk thankyou for reading this brain vomit of thoughts see you in my next tedtalk maybe. Btw if it wasn't glaringly clear I love SoC and Inej lol
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sir-yeehaw-paws · 4 months
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Can you talk a little more about masculinity and femininity in ocelot? Sounds interesting
Hello Anon!
Sure, I can do that. I guess a good way to explain myself first (and hopefully a little better than I did in the takarazuka ask) would be how I personally perceive masculinity and femininity.
The definitions of the concepts, according to Websters dictionary, are defined as such:
Masculinity: The quality or nature of the male sex. Femininity: The quality or nature of the female sex.
As another quick note, I'll add that this isn't going to delve too hard into whether these qualities are 'good' or 'bad' in regards to Ocelot. Some of them are good qualities, but Ocelot often puts them to use in a sinister fashion, being. Well.
Ocelot. In this case 'masculine' qualities would be, say, 'aggressive, physically strong, abrasive, robust' where as 'feminine' qualities would be, 'soft, nurturing, gentle, reserved'.
Obviously, my immediate issue is that these definitions are rooted in biological sex characteristics, with the stickier territory of sex and gender correlating because biology dictates certain personality traits. I'm not going to over-complicate it by going into a deeper 'nature vs nurture' or sex VS gender argument. And, for the sake of ease I'll start by describing what one might consider how these qualities are implied/shown in Ocelot in particular.
Ocelot's personality (or what he tells people his personality is) has characteristics of the following:
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Men are often considered to have more 'instinct rooted' natures. They're more often considered less feeling (something we know is very untrue but they're given less space to discuss their feelings properly). They are described as strong, daring. A lot of characteristics that get defined in the ways to which they are physically robust and skilled.
Or, in ways they can be useful based on those traits.
Women, by contrast, get considered more 'delicate' and nature based. What they can provide and offer people is given a critical eye (such as how many are described as nurturing, devoted) how they can provide, and their mental capabilities. Since the flip of the coin is that they are also considered more emotionally rooted, thus, they're described as 'manipulative and scheming' when written in a negative light.
(Also, a long time back, and never on Tumblr, I had the thought that Kaz's own story is written very 'female coded' to me. Being a scorned, jaded lover more known for his hysterical, temperamental personality and emotion being his driving force, robbed of his agency with torture and the like, and how revenge stories can often be common in female lead roles BUT that is a whole different thing so uh anyway carrying on.)
Ocelot's main, grounding root is that he is 100% endlessly devoted to Big Boss. It does not matter who suffers because of it, it does not matter how many people die, what matters is that the love of Ocelot's life is given his just due. And Ocelot remains by his side (physically and otherwise, even when BB himself is out of the picture) until his own death.
He's flamboyant. Full of a 'quirky' style of dress, makes a statement whenever he walks into a room. Does loud, bold hand gestures. Makes all kinds of crack statements, and generally draws the audiences attention in these ways. While he's more 'subdued' in MGSV, he still dresses a little 'strange' wears spurs around base, and keeps medium-length, free-flowing hair with long eyelashes and a more even-toned, level head.
Ocelot being a mediator is an extremely funny spot for him to be in, but like any of his performances, he nails it. Mum friend Ocelot, (if the mum friend is hypnotized to hell and of course, secretly antagonistic but again, Ocelot).
On the other hand, he's extremely obsessed with the 'ultra masculine' things; like guns, the American West, hand to hand combat (his CQC is some of the best in the series, I've seen it argued), men-or well, one man in particular. In any case, that's actually a different topic in it's own way, and a different essay.
I'd also note, the guns and such aside, he has a lot of his mother's personality traits, (from what we know of her anyway). The Boss was manipulative, cunning. Physically strong, robust. Driven by emotions, but physically domineering in a way that people knew damned well to take seriously.
Who else got Volgin to tuck tail?
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Yet-despite this, her story is one of sacrifice. Her having Ocelot in the first place as well quietly key to her character, written on her chest in a deep scar that reminds the audience, this is a woman. Using the conventional aspects society deems relevant to women, and the ones we've all heard before.
Ocelot's story, ends on the note of reminding the world (the players) that he died for a man. That he loved and adored. His story gets slightly elevated from reminding you that 'this is a man' and more into the territory of 'this is a person with a story' which I find interesting, and a bit sad, on the Boss' part. Because while there's a distinctly 'feminine element' to that, he's not given the hammer home of 'this is a man's story!"
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Because men get lots of stories. Men get all kinds of stories. That are not completely rooted in their masculinity (or their femininity, for that matter. Unless the story chooses to be about that). And I feel as if I've gone a touch off topic this way, but I know what I'm trying to say.
Ocelot, (and his mother, and so many) MGS characters are a good mix of masculine and feminine. One could make a post like this for all of the characters, but there is something to be said on the 'this is WOMAN' point getting hammered home a bit harder when it is the female characters.
But, that is another thing entirely. Once again. I feel like I'll never 100% stay fully on topic in an ask eh?
As an aside, is meowing masculine or feminine? We shall never know.
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pixi-stixx · 1 year
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Everyone is so upset with inej's hallucination? I've seen a lot of people saying that it was one dimensional, and that it undermined her trauma, but it didn't? She wasn't having a nightmare like kaz or tolya, she was having a dream like jesper, and that dream was deeply rooted in her trauma, but more than that it was cemented in the fact that inej never let her trauma define her like kaz did, instead she was defined by her desire to heal, and her desire for kaz to heal with her. For her. And her dream shows that. They both take off their armor, Kaz and his gloves, Inej and her knives. And then Kaz ASKS PERMISSION before touching her, in a way that no man ever has before and when she let's him, he just holds her. That isn't out of character for inej,
one of her biggest dreams was always kaz being close to her. It's not surprising or one dimensional for her to dream of kaz taking off his armor, and making an effort to bridge the distance between them, all while respecting her own boundaries and trauma, it's a very in character dream, and with how self aware and grounded in herself and the reality of her situation inej is in the books, it's also very in character that she realizes quickly that it isn't real. Better terrible truths than kind lies. If all you saw was a throwaway dismissal of inej and her character outside of being a love interest to kaz, it's you who's looking at it one dimensionally.
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a-halo-for-you · 6 months
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Grishaverse Tribute
I'm pissed. I'm vengeful. I'm going to march on Netflix.
The cancellation is uncalled for, now all we will see in return for the snubbing of one of the best series on Netflix, with one of the best fandoms, cast and creators another stupid documentary glorifying a serial killer, another shitty teen show with no plot but plenty of sex (because sexualizing children will be something they always get away with), and another over-marketed pointless action film with some former boxer or wrestler leading it who can't really act more than one type of nice-buff guy.
In my mournful and restless vengeful spirit, I have come up with another playlist dedicated to the Grishaverse, the fans, the cast and Leigh Bardugo. This breaks their hearts so much because we know how excited and passionate they were about telling this story, and to think now so many won't be able to go on and live their beloved characters through to the end. I can't stand it.
"None of this had been fated; none of it foretold. There had been no prophecies of a demon king or a dragon queen, a one-eyed Tailor, Heartrender twins. They were just the people who had shown up and managed to survive. But maybe that was the trick of it: to survive, to dare to stay alive, to forge your own hope when all hope had run out. For the survivors then, Zoya whispered to herself as the people before her knelt and chanted her name. And for the lost." - Leigh Bardugo, Rule of Wolves
I got to dream through them, Shadow and Bone saved my Covid years, when I was alone in a dorm learning online, unable to be with anyone else, with no friends and no family. I had little to no confidence and was stuck in a place that scared me. But then I had Shadow and Bone, I had these amazing characters and when I dove into the books, I found so much more. (A found family is my favourite literary trope for a reason.)
“Kaz leaned back. "What's the easiest way to steal a man's wallet?" "Knife to the throat?" asked Inej. "Gun to the back?" said Jesper. "Poison in his cup?" suggested Nina. "You're all horrible," said Matthias." - Leigh Barugo, Six of Crows
This is a playlist for all of us who are mourning and for all of us willing to fight on. I've seen petitions already posted on change.org, lets sign them all, share them all and try our best to change this while we can. Warrior Nun got their season 3. Who says we can't? Who says we shouldn't? Brick by Brick we will build our season 3, or we'll go down trying.
“Have any of you wondered what I did with all the cash Pekka Rollins gave us?" "Guns?" asked Jesper. "Ships?" queried Inej. "Bombs?" suggested Wylan. "Political bribes?" offered Nina. They all looked at Matthias. "This is where you tell us how awful we are," she whispered.” - Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom
Pardon the ecclectic taste of this long playlist, but there are so many types of song that I feel fit the plot, the charcaters and themes as well as their relationships to each other. This has sparked inspiration in me to create more playlists catering to the Grishaverse and I'll do that alongside my usual playlist posts.
I would also like to say that this playlist isn't just mine, it's for everyone and I would love for any fans of the show or books to let me know if they have any songs that they love to be added to the playlist and I will do so.
There are over 60 songs on this playlist, so I'm not going to write them all here for obvious reasons, I hope none of you mind that.
For our founding mother Leigh Bardugo. For the Six of Crows; Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, Wylan Van Eck, Nina Zenik, Matthias Helvar. For our S+B crew; Alina Starkov, Malyen Oretsev, The Darkling, Baghra Morotzova, Nikolai Lantsov, Zoya Nazyalensky, Genya Safin, David Kostyk, Tolya Yul-Bataar, Tamar Kir- Bataar, Nadia and Adrik Zhabin.
Let the revival of Season 3 be our final grand mission.
Lets stream the show, post more art, more fanfics, more posts, more petitions. Let's fight for what we can.
No Mourners, No Funerals.
'Yuyey sesh'
'Ni weh sesh'
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