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theroyalhouseofwindenburg · 7 months

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Following the execution of Queen Fiona, King Wilhelm wasted no time in pursuing his new path. In just a week's time, the regal bells of Westsimster Abbey rang out to mark a grand and illustrious ceremony. It was the 2nd day of summer in the year 1336 when King Wilhelm and Princess Cordelia stood at the altar to exchange their vows.

Cordelia, radiant in a resplendent red satin gown adorned with intricate gold trimmings, wore her hair elegantly pinned up, reflecting her regal status. The Abbey was filled to the brim with nobles, dignitaries, and commoners alike who had come to witness this powerful union. The atmosphere was alive with the promise of a new beginning.

As the couple continued their procession towards the coronation chair, where Cordelia would be anointed and declared Queen, they were met with the thunderous applause and jubilation of the crowd. It was a joyous affirmation of their union and the start of a hopeful era for Windenburg. Cordelia, now Queen, received her crown and regalia, symbolizing her ascent to the throne, and as she gazed upon her subjects, the weight of her newfound responsibilities mingled with her determination to rule wisely and justly. King Wilhelm and Queen Cordelia graciously waved to the adoring throngs who had gathered in the Abbey to celebrate this momentous occasion.

On the night of their wedding, King Thomas, thrilled by the powerful alliance formed between his daughter and King Wilhelm, bestowed upon them an extraordinary gift - a vast tract of land south of Bagley. This land, once the original location of Burdley, had fallen into a state of barren neglect. Yet to Cordelia and Wilhelm, it presented an opportunity for revival and transformation. Cordelia's joy knew no bounds as she jubilantly embraced her father, overwhelmed by his generosity and his confidence in their union.

Wilhelm and Cordelia's marriage was marked by a harmonious and respectful partnership. It seemed that their bond grew stronger with each passing day, offering the kingdom a promise of peace and prosperity that had long eluded them. Their union was not merely political; it was a testament to their shared vision for Windenburg.

Almost two years after their wedding, on the evening of New Year's Day in 1338, the pregnant Queen Cordelia went into labor at Windenburg Castle. Guided by her trusted midwife, she was led to her chambers. After hours of painful labor, Cordelia's ears were graced by the cries of a healthy child. With a smile on her face, she looked at her midwife who delivered the long-awaited news - Queen Cordelia had given birth to King Wilhelm's first legitimate son, an heir to the throne that had been fervently hoped for. Despite the exhaustion of childbirth, Cordelia summoned her remaining strength to stand, cradling her precious son in her arms. She looked into the child's innocent eyes with a sense of wonder and immense pride, fully aware of the promising future that lay ahead for her firstborn.

In no time at all, King Wilhelm arrived at Cordelia's chambers, flanked by his ever-loyal advisor, Matthias. The King's face was aglow with the unmistakable light of joy as he beheld his legitimate son for the first time. As he approached the cradle, he radiated a deep sense of pride, and with unwavering confidence, he presented the newborn to Matthias. This act conveyed the overwhelming relief and triumphant elation that accompanied the arrival of his long-awaited heir.

King Wilhelm then moved to the bedside of his beloved wife, Cordelia, who, though quite exhausted, possessed a radiant beauty. As he gazed into her eyes, a profound mixture of passion and gratitude filled his own. He openly expressed his boundless love and admiration for her, recognizing the profound gift she had bestowed upon both him and the entire kingdom. The child, born of their union and bearing the name Wilhelm Edward, represented the promise of a united future under their reign.

In the days that followed, King Wilhelm held a grand assembly at court, presenting his son to the other royals and nobles of the kingdom. The birth of this legitimate heir brought great hope to Windenburg, a symbol of continuity and strength in the royal line.

King Wilhelm and Queen Cordelia's rule began to solidify, and their influence over the people of Windenburg grew stronger. For the first time in his reign, there was an aura of peace and optimism throughout the kingdom. Under their joint rule, a brighter future seemed to beckon, and the promise of a prosperous era shone on the horizon.

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ell0ra-br3kk3r-writes · 2 years

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You're Cute

pairing: kaz brekker x wife!reader

genre: fluff

warning(s): very very ooc kaz.. haha

Y/N had a habit of stealing clothes. The victim is always the same. Kaz. He never really minded, honestly. He only started getting slightly annoyed when he started running out of clean shirts to wear. Which today was one of those days.

“Y/N?” He walked into the bedroom seeing her sitting in bed reading a book, wearing one of his button up shirts. She looked up and smiled as she heard him walk in the room, “Hi, love. What can I do for you?” He walked to the foot of the bed and sat down, “Do you happen to know what happened to all my shirts? I can’t seem to find any.”

She smiled shly and looked at her book again. “I have no idea.” Kaz chuckled, “You know, I do need shirts. I sorta need them everyday. A new one everyday.” Y/N rolled her eyes and smiled, “And you're saying I need to stop stealing your shirts?” He nodded and looked at her expectantly. She gasped, “But your job is to let me steal your clothes!”

He rolled his eyes with an amused smile, “I don’t like you enough for that.”

Her eyes widened and she laughed, “What do you mean you don’t like me enough?! We’re married!”

Kaz threw his head back laughing, a sight only Y/N was ever able to see. He only ever allowed himself to let loose and be… free when he was with her. She watched him with nothing but adoration and love in her eyes. Kaz looked back at her with a questioning look in his eyes, she shook her head, “Well, Mr. ‘I-need-a-clean-shirt-everyday’ I just finished the laundry. There are more clean shirts on the dresser.”

He flashed her a quick smile and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.” He walked to the dresser, “I’ll let you keep wearing my shirts. Only ‘cause you’re cute. Plus they look better on you.”

“Y/N/N! Come on! I want waffles!” Y/N laughed as she came running down the stairs with Kaz’s black coat in hand. “Okay, let’s go.” Nina, Inej and Y/N start walking to the door to go out for dinner when Kaz calls, “Y/N! Go get your jacket. I’m going to run to a shop right now.”

She just wraps the coat tighter around her, “You have two more in the closet though…” Nina grabbed her arm, “Yeah, Kaz. You have two more in the closet. Go get one of those. Now, I swear, if one more person keeps us from getting my waffles…” She trailed off as she dragged both Y/N and Inej out the door. Before the door closed Y/N blew a quick kiss to Kaz then continued walking with the girls.

“I swear, they are still teenagers half the time.” Jesper laughed from where he was sitting at a table with Matthias and Wylan. “Yeah, they will never grow up.”

Wylan shot his boyfriend an amused smile, “As if you’ve grown up much either.” Jesper rolled his eyes but smiled anyway.

Kaz chuckled under his breath and started walking back up the stairs to grab his other coat. When he opened the closet he saw a few new shirts with a note on them.

‘Can you start wearing these? That way we both have more shirts to pick from.’

He chuckled and put the note down. Yes, Y/N annoyed him sometimes. Yes, she stole his clothes all the time. Yes, he wouldn’t change his life for anything in the world. He knew he was a lucky man, and he was reminded every morning he woke up with his beautiful, amazing, kind, caring wife next to him.

#kaz brekker #kaz brekker x reader #kaz brekker x you #kaz brekker x y/n #six of crows #six of crows x reader #six of crows imagines #ellora.writes

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she-posts-nerdy-stuff · 5 months

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2 and 7 for the asks? 🩷

2. Favourite non-crow character?

Oooo, I don't know... maybe Colm Fahey?

7. What non-romantic relationship dynamic did you like the best?

Ok so I absolutely adore platonic love, platonic love means the world to me, it is so beautiful (self-promotion here but fun fact there are no romantic relationships in my book except for a slow burn for the main character, and for me it is a celebration of platonic love) and I love all of the Crows' relationships. I think I would have to say Jesper and Inej as my favourite non-romantic dynamic, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Genuinely one of my favourite friendships in literature. Jesper and Inej's relationship is so wonderful and it means so much to me <3

Closely following non-romantic relationships I adore: Nina and Kaz, Nina and Inej, Inej and Matthias, Inej and Wylan, and honestly I just love them all

#queue #grishaverse #six of crows #crooked kingdom #leigh bardugo #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #jesper fahey #nina zenik #wylan van eck #matthias helvar #jesper and inej #inej and jesper #kanej #wesper #six of crows jesper #six of crows inej #asks

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thebadgerclan · 2 years

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Rougher

Pairing: Matthias Helvar x reader

Requested by Anonymous

Summary: Your husband wants to try being a bit rougher...

Smut!

It was a surprise, to be sure, when your gentle, doting husband suggested taking things up a notch in the bedroom. Sex had always been pleasurabe with Matthias, he made certain that you always felt good, but when he brought up the notion of being rougher, more dominant with you, you felt the unmistakable tingling of arousal. But Matthias, ever the concerned husband, ensured that if you weren’t enjoying yourself, you could stop.

That was something Matthias had made clear from the beginning; you could always stop. “But when I am rougher with you,” your husband had told you. “I need to know that you truly wish to stop.” So you’d selected a safeword, snowdrift, that Matthias knew meant you needed to stop. Your husband’s more dominant streak had yet to begin, or so you thought. When you entered your home after returning from the market, Matthias pushed you against the wall, kissing you hard, his hands lifting your skirts.

You squeaked in surprise but soon melted into his kiss, letting your husband do whatever he pleased. “I want you,” Matthias sighed, his lips trailing down your neck, one hand squeezing your behind, the other cupping your cheek. “I want to fuck you, right here.” Your eyes widened in surprise. “H-here?” “Yes, my beautiful wife, here.” He kissed you again, tongue parting your lips, making you moan softly. Matthias hiked your skirts over your waist, finding no undergarments beneath them.

“Bare beneath your skirts, darling?” he said, his voice low and rough. “My, my, how naughty of you.” Matthias reached down, unfastening and pushing down his trousers far enough to free his cock, which was already hard and aching. You felt wetness pool between your thighs, and you longed to fall to your knees before your husband. But before you could do so, he gripped the backs of your thighs, squeezing gently.

“Jump,” he ordered, and you bent to his will, doing as he asked. For the barest moment, you worried Matthias wouldn’t catch you, but of course, he did, pressing your back against the wall. “Hmm, yes, I think this will work nicely. But my love,” he added, his voice softening, returning to the sweet, tender man you adored so much. “All you need to do is say that word, and this all stops.” You nodded, resting your forehead against your husband’s. “I know, Matthias. I want this.” With your consent, the dominant, rough facade slipped back into place, and Matthias entered you in one harsh thrust.

You yelped with both pleasure and slight pain as your husband fucked you, your spine digging into the wall, your legs locked around his waist, his cock stretching your pussy. Matthias had his lips near your ear, and was moaning words of pleasure and praise. All you could do was whimper, the angle of your hips allowing him to fuck tou deeper than you’d ever been fucked, that spot that Matthias knew to seek so well being stimulated perfectly, his pelvis rubbing against your clit when he bottomed out. Adding the gentle haze of submission that your husband’s dominant persona brought to you, you felt as if your very soul was ablaze with pleasure.

If this was what being a good, submissive Fjerdan wife meant, then you were certainly on board with the idea. “Matthias, yes!” you managed, your head lolling back, knocking gently against the wall. Your husband brought one hand from beneath your bottom to your head, cradling it gently, preventing you from hurting yourself. The force of his thrusts had your back bumping against the wall, but you didn’t care, the sensation of Matthias’ cock dragging in and out of your cunt, the feeling of his hands on your body; supporting your waist and keeping you in his arms, his lips on your face, your neck, your chest, was far too overwhelming and pleasurable.

“My sweet wife,” your husband grunted. “Letting me fuck her wherever I please. Such a good girl, Y/N, my good little wife.” His words of praise made you cry out and your cunt squeeze around his cock, which in turn made Matthias moan loudly. “Fuck, darling, you feel so good around me. So hot and wet around me cock.” You whined as Matthias sucked a mark onto your neck–you would definitely be wearing your high collared gowns for a while–and you knew you wouldn’t last much longer.

Matthias’ thrusts increased in pace, and you felt him throbbing within you. “M-Matthias, I..please, can I come?” He’d never told you to ask permission, but the fact that you had made him groan into your neck. “Yes, my love, come for me. Come on my cock, sweet wife.” With one sharp thrust, you were trembling in his embrace as you came, moaning your husband’s name and shuddering with the force of your orgasm.

Only a moment later, Matthias sighed your name, releasing within your tight cunt. He remained still for several moments, holding you secure against him, before gently unwinding your legs from his waist and lowering you to the ground, You nearly fell when you were placed on your feet, and Matthias chuckled, wrapping an arm around your waist to steady you. “So, my darling, did you enjoy that?”

You nodded, breath coming in short pants. “Yes, Matthias. That was… Djel, I can’t even describe it.” “I know. You did very well for me, darling. Now, how does a nice warm bath sound?” The notion of being pampered by your husband before dozing off in his arms sounded heavenly, and you nodded. “As my beloved wishes,” he said, leading you to the bedroom before drawing you a hot bath. This new genre of lovemaking was wonderful, but this; being doted on afterwards, this was paradise.

#matthias helvar x reader #shadow and bone fanfiction #matthias helvar x you #shadow and bone reader insert

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haveihitanerve · 2 months

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Shadow and Bone series things that i fucking ADORE but its literally only the crows-

Kaz handing jesper the money ONLY FOR COAL and being very aware that jesper is going to lose it all but trusting him with it nonetheless

Kazzle dazzle walking around holding a goat

Jesper and inej insulting kaz, insinuating that he cant drive the weird little buggy thing and the thing he focuses on is the fact that inej called him ‘jes?’

‘Its suli.for friendship.’ inej is not having it.’no its not!’

Kaz’s little talk with inej. Beautiful

The fact that kaz thinks of inej and jesper as his saints because no one else has looked after him, but they do

Jesper not giving two shits that ka could kill him and constantly insulting him. ‘See it enough in the mirror do you?’

Jesper and inej talking back to kaz without a care in the world and he doesn't do anything

Kaz letting mal and inej go up to deck without following, but cant wait two seconds after jesper leaves to follow. Bromance

Jesper being able to touch kaz’s arm/shoulder/him without his arm being removed(both from kaz and from his body)

Kaz’s look at jesper when he recommends starting a brewery

Inej and jesper chatting about inej leaving. ‘You're making this really hard’ ‘i know. Id miss me too.’

‘Heres what i don't get’ ‘we’re gonna be here all night’ ‘rude.’ kaz just letting his crows bicker

Kaz and inej drinking from the same glass at different times while jesper just watches like ‘my alcohol!’

Kaz shushing everyone

Kaz giving his bestie life advice. ‘Never make decisions out of fear jesper. Only spite.’ jesper then making him laugh, you know he wanted to and totally cracked up when jes left- ‘greed always worked for me.’

Jesper showing his guns when someone threatens kaz

Jesper and his guns

Jesper spinning his guns

Jesper

‘Its not natural for someone to be stupid as he is tall and yet, oop!, there you stand’

Kaz’s personas that severely fucked with my head

‘He threw a book at me!’ that book being shadow and bone and also kazs looks

‘Tell me you have a plan. I don't care if its a lie.’

Jesper listing the things they learned and winking at inej when he says ‘its the friends we make along the way’ and the way kaz almost smiles

Also how close he and jesper are almost always standing/sitting

When theyre laying on the ground together, legs behind them. It just looks so wonky and also like a teenager thing to do and it makes me giggle

‘Too soon to appreciate the irony amiright?’ okay i just know that the reason kaz drops his head is because hes trying not to explode with laughter.

Matthias and nina’s waffle conversation

‘Are you gonna help?” kaz just lifts cane. Jesper, without giving two fucks that this man is called the fucking bastard of the barrel, with snark and backtalk- ‘oh.well isn't that convenient for you’ i just love how he and inej are allowed to get away with talking to kaz like that okay? Its the little things

‘Hug the goat.shut the hell up’

Jesper wanting kaz to promise him an open casket, kaz merely saying that they are NOT dying

‘Still didn't shoot his pretty face. I've got to stop doing that.’ jesper, ma boi, please leave the snarky comments for a time when you are not about to die

‘No one will believe im that old!’ kaz’s look. I just know he had on a shit eating grin on the inside, payback for all the snarky comments jesper has made- ‘you tell yourself that’ inejs little grin

Kaz and jesper chatting while inej casually leaves and then holds mal at gunpoint

The way jes whips out his guns when inej appears with mal and both guys jump in surprise while shes just like, ‘oh you guys didn't notice he was here?’

Kaz casually recruiting mal without asking mal himself

‘Have you found religion too?” but doesn't contradict him

Kazs smile when he forces jesper to cover him when sneaking into the dime lion of whatever

‘Jesper!’ when jesper asks for a blow up dude. His voice sounds like a tired dad

The way jesper jumps when inej appears behind him

Inej killing someone for kaz without hesitation

The way kaz waits with her, to tell her she saved his life, wasting precious seconds of escape, because while he might not understand her unwillingness to kill, he knows its hard for her and has enough compassion to offer her a few seconds of assurance

Inejs face when kaz accidentally reveals how much he sacrificed to get her free of Heleen

How jesper says ‘kaz might just kill heleen himself if you tell him that story’ about why inej knows how to sew herself up

Jesper and kaz getting excited about a heist

The smile kaz gives jesper when he informs him about the heist

‘Just ask’ kaz finally asks and jesper doesn't answer

‘Is it my size?’ ‘you have to ask?” ahhhh😭 ‘remember the last time this happened? You got me a mens.’ ‘it worked didn't it?’ 😭 like an old married couple

Inej telling kaz to be careful before they split up and he gets chased by the inferni

“And uh” looks jesper up and down. ‘Yeah hes gonna need it.’ “a goat.” jespers face

‘Boss’

Jespers goodbye to milo

#six of crows #ive only just finished season 1 #so this is not everything #also its very out of order of the events actually happening #thats my bad but i wrote it how i remembered it #kaz and jespers bromance is my everything #platonic soulmates

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fellforfiction · 2 years

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Matthias: You are the most beautiful woman that ever was, and could ever be.

Nina: I love you too, i'll see you when I get back. *winks*

Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Wylan,: *blankly stares*

Matthias: What!?

Kaz: How could you be so pathetic?

Jesper: You surrendered just like that?

Wylan: It took months for Jesper to just say I love you.

Inej: *just shakes her head at kaz*

Matthias: Why would you not make the person you adore, aware of your love for them???

Everyone: ...

Matthias: I will never understand you people.

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snakes-in-mirrors · 1 month

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Lucian "precious face with kissable cheeks and an adorable grin" Young. (I am aware he is taken, just appreciating the beauty when I see it!)

Haha, thanks! (Be careful with words, Matthias is watching!)

#ask characters

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miroslavcloset · 11 months

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yes yes and yES @scarlettpanda7898 LET'SGO (I finally managed to lift my lazy ass and do it)

Marc-André ter Stegen - Smash (He looks pretty good and those 187cm are attractive ngl)

Bernd Leno - Pass (Just look at this cutie, this man is for giving him kisses on the forehead and caressing his face not for sinful stuff)

Kevin Trapp - SMASH YAS (Look at this beautiful man. Serious question, are all Goalkeepers this absurdly good-looking everywhere or is this just a German thing?)

Matthias Ginter - Pass (I really really like his menacing stare tho, let's go hate the world together, love)

Thilo Kehrer - Pass (I liked him more with his Schalke hairstyle :c Nevermind, he's still good-looking)

David Raum - SMASH (I know right now Leipzig are our enemies and all of that but I'm a hoe for those tattoos YES GIMME)

Christian Günter - Pass ( OF COURSE he's very good-looking, but for me he doesn't have anything particular that catches my eye)

Joshua Kimmich - Complicated xd (I LOVE JO MORE THAN ANYTHING OK? But he's our little menace, he's not much taller than me and I want to kiss his forehead. I love my small captain <3 Also, I cannot ignore his mustache phase, that was so cursed)

Leon Goretzka - SMASH KISS MARRY LICK EAT WITH WHIPPED CREAM (No explanation needed, this man is the embodiment of perfection bye)

Florian Wirtz - Pass (I still consider him a baby idk He's a future star and maybe in a couple of years will Smash lol)

Mario Götze - Pass (He used to be one of my crushes but he hasn't aged as good as I would've liked him to SORRY HE IS STILL ADORABLE AND A CUTIE Is just that he doesn't awaken things in me anymore)

Serge Gnabry - SMASH MARRY YES (Let's go to the fashion week together babe <3 )

Timo Werner - SMASH (He is so Iconic I love him. Also, his fluffy hair makes me want to sleep there (? )

Niclas Füllkrug - SMASH (I want to hug him, he looks extremely adorable I don't give a single shit about his teeth, definitely would smash and take him out of Werder Bremen)

(If a player was skipped was bc they've had less than 5 international appearances or I already rated them in my BVB smash or pass post)

#germany nt #marc andre ter stegen #bernd leno #kevin trapp #matthias ginter #thilo kehrer #david raum #christian gunther #joshua kimmich #leon goretzka #florian wirtz #mario gotze #serge gnabry #timo werner #niclas füllkrug #smash or pass

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sylv3onpropaganda · 1 year

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what i think six of crows characters would listen to!

kaz

kaz doesn’t listen to music often, but he ALWAYS listens to whatever inej said she’s listening to currently but never admits it

he probably like the arctic monkeys and the neighborhood

maybe cage the elephant is somewhere in there

(i’m struggling with this 1)

inej

inej really likes those “your laying ��in a fantasy forest with deers and robins circling you” type music

what i mean by that : hozier, tamino, florence and the machine

taylor swift is there too but she isnt her favorite

she really likes the albums “ceremonials, lungs, wasteland baby, folklore, eat your young ep, red tv”

nina

nina LOVES taylor swift

esp: RED TV. NINA LOVES RED TV! lover, fearless, 1989, reputation, speak now

she adores coco and clair clair (says the lyrics resonate with her soul and body)

likes lady gaga (poker face, judas, government hooker, guy)

also really likes lungs by florence and the machine!! nerds out w inej about them all the time

wylan

david bowie

he’d like norman fucking rockwell by lana del rey and did you know that there’s a tunnel under ocean boulevard and chemtrails over the country club

likes taylor swift but pretty much only listens to folklore and evermore

also likes florence and the machine !!!!! he likes dance fever and how big how blue how beautiful

daisy jones and the six

matthias

he listens to weird as shit fjerdan folk songs

he bumps the fjerdan national anthem every day of the week

nina bullies him

jesper

coco and clair clair

cruel summer by taylor swift

HE LOOOOOOVES BRITNEY SPEARS!!!! circus is one of his faves he loves “in the zone”

paramore

he and nina talk about how every coco and clair clair song is written about them

likes a little bit of everything honestly

abba obsessed

#six of crows #matthias helvar #nina zenik #inej ghafa #wylan van eck #jesper fahey #soc #soc headcanon #i forced my music taste on almost everyone #except matthias #i struggled w jesper and kaz :(#lmk if you like it #i think some people might hate it but who cares #i had fun making this

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jflashandclash · 3 months

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Tales From Mount Othrys

Axel II: Into the Lion’s Maw

The masks’ thrum was alluring. Something brushed his knuckles—the edges of another pew? Axel startled, gripping the wood. When had he started walking forward? There was nothing between him and the altar now—no other pew to warn him that his legs had elected to go for the shiny, dangerous object before his brain agreed.

Pax was as cautious as he was capable. “The Triple A Chimera helmets!” he squeaked and scrambled ahead of Axel.

“Ajax!” Axel growled, but knew he couldn’t stop him. Pax was right beside the altar, and Axel didn’t trust his legs to cooperate.

Alabaster sighed. “Ajax, we’re not calling it that.”

“Witch Boy, you might not be, but the rest of the world is in agreement.” Pax cracked his knuckles and reached for the bronze serpent helm. If he was willing to drink mysterious, glowing vials for Alabaster, he would definitely pick up a haunted artifact that screamed, “hex me, please.”

Alabaster grinned darkly. “Mercedes has been fueling more of the Romans’ own rumors, the ones about a beast that can morph in and out of the Mist. Why not—”

“Hello, little Spy Master,” the voice was soft, harsh, and slithered from the helm in Pax’s fingers.

The helmet clanged onto the altar. Pax jumped backwards. “Cool creepy stuff!” he yelped.

Axel ground his nails deeper into the pew. “They talk?” He already had to worry about Jack and Matthias’ influence on Pax. Pax didn’t need more bad influences.

Alabaster nodded. “They each have their own unique sense of humor.”

Sense of humor? What could that mean from Alabaster of all people?

Pax paled, still staring at the bronze one in confusion. “Why’d it call me the Spy Master? I’m just an irresistibly adorable spy assistant.”

Hecate settled a calming hand on Pax’s shoulder. This time, her smile was sad. “These helms reveal potential futures if you chose to align with them.”

“Maybe you take over spying on the Greeks when Silena Beauregard finally betray us.” Alabaster rolled his eyes at his age-old complaint.

Pax brightened, “You mean, I could be Mercedes’ irresistibly—”

“Irritatingly—”

“—adorable partner? Not just her assistant?” The prospect thrilled Pax. Axel knew how desperate Pax was to impress Mercedes. Despite that, Pax glanced over at Axel. The Free Possessions Here vibe had spooked him, and he wanted to make sure it was safe.

Axel swallowed, willing his legs into a casual approach. The closer he came, the more he could make out the detail of the beautiful plumage, the worse the urge to touch that gorgeous gold. His fingers twitched back to the cigarette in his pocket. Otherwise, he’d grab the helm. “Kinda flashy for you, no subtle amulets?” his voice came out rougher than he wanted.

Alabaster rubbed the edge of the antler between his forefinger and thumb. “I believe you gave me lectures on the value of utilizing fear in battle, and then proved it during our fight for my lab. These forms will enhance that…” His hand shook. He was awaiting an answer for a question Pax hadn’t realized he’d asked. But Axel knew the gravity of this conversation. And with this topic of conversation, Axel worried how demigods, supposedly, could spy on others in their sleep.

If Axel hadn’t come to know Alabaster so well, he might not have noticed how unconfident the Witch Boy felt. He was paler than usual—worried. His voice was soft as he continued, “Daedalus won’t make Kronos a body. I’ve researched his myth and history. He worked under threat for too long. Kronos only needs one more soul before he reforms.” Alabaster glanced up at Axel. “Castellan’s getting desperate. Even more short tempered than usual. And paranoid. He turned away Kelly. He sent out souls into the labyrinth that aren’t coming back—”

The three of them winced. None had heard from Chris Rodriguez. Pax liked to pretend he was okay.

Alabaster’s expression hardened. His knuckles turned white on the edge of his helm. “He hit Mercedes.”

Pax froze. “He what?”

Axel clenched his jaw. Mercedes hadn’t given Luke a name for their leak yet. She couldn’t find that Di Angelo child that Luke so fanatically wanted. He went from saying they didn’t need a Spy Master to using her supposed incompetency as a scapegoat to Kronos.

“Yesterday. When I told you Mercedes wanted you in the laboratory…” Alabaster trailed off. Something uncharacteristic of him. He was usually so calculated with his words. “Both of you are…” He hesitated and glanced at his mother.

Hecate nodded at him in encouragement.

Pax clutched his stomach, like he was ready to use the new helmet as a barf bag.[1] Axel understood the nausea. Mercedes was the first person to show them kindness on the Princess Andromeda.

Alabaster closed his eyes to collect himself. He squeezed the horn of the boned helm once more before his gaze shifted back to Axel. “You’re not pledged to Kronos. You can’t. Both of you have befriended those in power: Castellan’s Scourge of New Rome, his Quiet Death. The Bearer of Flames owes Axel his freedom—” Axel felt dizzy as Alabaster listed their monikers: Jack, Flynn, Prometheus.

“You can just call them their names,” Pax said weakly. “Or give them more accurate names. He Who Wears Pink Pajamas.”

Alabaster glanced to Pax, betraying the slightest of smiles over the joke at Jack’s sleepwear. “Ajax, you’ve become Mercedes’ prized spy for New Rome. Even your silly band has marked the two of you as a minor celebrity with the monsters. And—and both of you have wormed yourselves into the good graces of the children of Hecate.”

Pax feigned some bravado, leaned towards Axel, and whispered loudly, “I think Alabaster just admitted to liking us.” He straightened and looked at Alabaster. “Alabaster, you could have just said you thought we were cool. Remember how we talked about needing to sound less like a super villain about to assassinate someone?”

Alabaster’s lip twitched.

Pax balked. “Are you a super villain about to assassinate someone?”

Alabaster and Axel exchanged a glance.

That was exactly what they were talking about.

If possible, Pax’s eyes widened further. “Axeeeellll,” he whined in a tattle. “Alabaster is talking about assassinating someone!”

Alabaster sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s Kronos, Ajax. Must I spell it out for you and any hostile gods that might be eavesdropping?”

“Nah, I’m illiterate.” Pax waved a hand. “It would only help the gods.” Axel could tell how desperately his brother wanted to look aloof about the situation.

Alabaster straightened to his full height. One hand lifted a vial out of his pocket. “I can’t do this alone. I need people I trust.”

“And if we refuse?” Axel asked, eyes trained on the vial. Something about this felt wrong. But, when was the last time things felt right? Despite everything, he could picture Luke’s easy smile, the way he coaxed Jack back after Calypso captured him.

And the look of hunger on his face when he wanted to interrogate Annabeth one-on-one.

Alabaster’s expression crumbled. “I have the River Lethe water on hand. You’ll never know you were asked. And, I will be down two friends.”

Tension curled the Mist into menacing figures in their peripheral. Hecate, Axel suddenly realized, had faded into the fog around them.

Alabaster and Axel stared at each other. It felt like they were on opposite sides of disk that was balanced on a ball. One wrong move, both would topple. Was Alabaster trying to trick Axel into admitting treachery? Or was he reaching out to commit it with him? This felt like a trap, but Alabaster had never gotten along with Luke. But, what if Luke could still be brought back?

Pax glanced from his brother to his friend. He raised his hands in an unarmed gesture. “Guys, I know you’re both paranoid, but, like, we can all agree that Luke is a dick. He—” Pax quieted. He took a shuffled step closer to Alabaster. Tactically, Alabaster shouldn’t let Pax get that close until he had an answer. “He has been. H—he hit you… when we first got here.” The end of the sentence disappeared into a mumble. Pax slipped his fingers along Alabaster’s.

Alabaster startled. His face rouged, but he didn’t withdraw. “You hadn’t even officially joined and you were already spying for Mercedes.”

“Only unwittingly.” Pax’s smile was shy, impish. He pressed Alabaster’s hand, and vial, back into Alabaster’s pocket.

Something about the interaction rang Axel’s Older Brother Alarm Bells. (And, besides, did Pax have a crush on Mercedes…?) But there was too much to process to consider it now. “And if Luke can be separated from Kronos?” Axel asked.

Alabaster shrugged. “This will give us the tools to free him, whether through aid or death. We need him to win the war, but afterwards…”

“I don’t want to kill Luke,” Pax said, “That would make Jack very sad. And he might resurrect him. And that could start the zombie virus—Ala, do you think we could make the zombie virus in Camp Half-Blood and New Rome and win that way?”

“Well, we—” Alabaster raised an eyebrow at him. “Super powered zombies?”

Pax puffed up his cheeks and popped them. “Oh. I see your point. Bad idea.”

Pax and Alabaster’s hands hadn’t come out of Alabaster’s pocket. Later, Axel decided.

Right now, the helm thrummed in his ears. There were no coherent words, just dissonance—a presence felt by way of an increasing pressure around his skull. Did the others hear it? Did they feel it? Did theirs call to them so intensely?

The eye sockets seemed to have eyes of their own, pits of blackness. Axel thought, for a stuttered heartbeat, that an iris shifted. Reflections off metal, he assured himself. Though he knew better. Maybe others could be tricked by the Mist. He could see through it. Something was inside the helmet. Something wanted out.

“These grant us power,” Axel summarized. Placing a hand beside the helm made the cacophony inside his head near unbearable.

No wonder Alabaster asked them to meet in his mother’s realm. Having these in the laboratory felt dangerous. Too much for demigods. Axel had to wonder if Alabaster was just a mouthpiece? Maybe Hecate was doing what she was rumored to do: give another option. A tertiary option to Kronos or the Olympians.

Axel searched the surreal jungle. She had to still be here. This was, presumably, her temple, and these were her godly gifts. Even with his true sight, all he could spot was wisps of her presence in the fog: the wave of some hair, the echo of a finger, the curve of fabric along her side, none in the same spot. An unsettling notion made Axel draw his shoulders back. She was the Mist itself. Millennia of entangling with its essence had left her nearly indistinguishable.

“Hecate?” he called, “What is the catch? What are we trading?”

She resolidified across the altar from Axel. “While you wear these, the past will become nothing more than just a dream, so that you may regain the ability to dream.” She lifted the feline helm to examine it. As she did, the air electrified. He felt something swishing behind him in tempestuous flicks—a tail? He didn’t look. She was trying to distract him.

“These will harness your anger, your pain, your doubts, and your fear. They manifest it and they become it, so that you may hold it separately from your own identities. So you may don it and meld with it when it is most fitting.” Her emerald gaze lifted to Axel’s. “You are trading a piece of yourself, pieces that will become my little monsters, my children. You are trading control. You will no longer have unwanted intrusions, but they will become the intrusion when you don them. I’m powerless to change your fates…” She looked to each of them in turn. Her son. Pax. Axel. “But in the end, I’ll shelter you. After all, you are my child’s cherished friends.”

Alabaster went red.

Breaking her somber speech, Pax nudged Alabaster. “Your mom knows she doesn’t need to pay us to hang out with you, right?”

Alabaster shot Pax a glare.

Axel tried to picture what that would mean, to be able to dream again without screaming, to know internal peace. He clenched his jaw. This felt like a cheat. It felt like—

“They will fail one day,” she said, as though reading his thoughts. “You’ll need to face your fears. But, not during this war. The delay will make it traumatic, especially for you, Jaguar Child. Melding with this will cause you pain.”[2]

Axel swallowed. Hesitantly, he reached out. The cacophony intensified, screaming until—

“Hello, Lieutenant of Kronos.”

Everything siphoned into that voice. Tension eased out of Axel’s shoulders. Distractions faded. He meant to just brush the cool metal with the back of one knuckle, but it was cradled in his hands. Its weight felt right, comforting. The plumes were soft as they curled around his forearm, around the blades he kept strapped there.

Lieutenant? Axel mused, Like Atlas? A smile curled along his lips. The Leader of Assault and Battery? Or the Sabotage Unit?

Touching the feline etching made Axel feel lighter. The calm was intoxicating. Some people went to his father to fuel their opioid addictions. He wondered if this kind of relief was similar.

“Do you two need a room? Or, well, a tree to hide behind?” Pax asked. He tried to sound light.

Axel startled, glancing up at his brother. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It must have been more than a few moments, as it had felt for Axel. Pax fidgeted with a satchel of something Alabaster must have given him to occupy his free hand. The one not in the Witch Boy’s pocket. Alabaster was examining Axel, expressionless. Axel ignored Pax, instead, giving Alabaster a crooked smile. “You’re not tricking me into taking a magical sleep med by throwing a rebellion, are you?”

Alabaster shrugged. “Is it working?”

It was, but Axel didn’t want to admit that. The thought of falling asleep with this calm, all in the name of stopping a tyrant? Instead, he pointed out, “If these are going to alter how we fight and think through combat, we’ll have to test them in a controlled environment first.”

Pax bounced on the heels of his feet. Alabaster merely nodded; he already would have planned for that.

Axel’s fingers shook around the helm at the thought of putting it down. “Kronos will be suspicious if Luke tells him we have got specialized magic armor, if Kronos doesn’t just pull the memory out of his head.”

“A memorandum for surviving the Roman’s raid on my laboratory,” Alabaster explained away.

Pax rolled his eyes. Axel had to agree: Alabaster wasn’t known for being sentimental. That was an unlikely story.

Axel considered other protests or objections. But, as he did, he realized there was no way he could put this helm down without trying it on. His gaze dropped down to the flicker of movement behind those blackened eye sockets.

We have work to do, Lieutenant, the mask reminded him, as though they were already one.

This wasn’t like signing up to fight Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter. That hadn’t been a choice. Luke’s men were going to kill both of them if he hadn’t signed up. But this? Alabaster was treating Axel as an equal. He was giving him the tools to fight an encroaching evil, something that was devouring his other friend.

“I’m in,” he said.

A dark laugh echoed from the helm, something that felt strangely comforting.

Axel looked up to find Alabaster smiling. The Witch Boy turned to Pax. “Ajax?” he asked.

Pax puffed up his cheeks and popped them. Everyone always assumed he would follow Axel’s lead in every decision. Axel appreciated that Alabaster wanted the three of them equally committed.

Pax hesitated. He set the satchel in Alabaster’s pocket. Timidly, he reached for the serpentine helmet. This time, he didn’t drop it, cradling it like Axel held his. He gave Alabaster and Axel a goofy grin. “Triple A Chimera assemble! Do we get a secret handshake?!”

“No,” Alabaster said. After Pax pouted at him, his stern expression cracked, “But, the helmets do come with weasel kittens, now that you’ve accepted them.”

Alabaster was excellent at delivering deadpan humor; that hadn’t sounded like a joke. Before Axel could ask him to repeat himself, he heard the soft trilling sound from the plumes.

“No…” Axel mumbled in disbelief.

There, emerging from the thick feathers, was a tiny set of squinting, beady eyes. The whole critter was miniscule, certainly smaller than Axel’s palm. Lifting its head appeared to be too much for it, the snout bobbing around uncertainly as it sniffed. A pang hit Axel’s chest. He held the helm more delicately. This was even more fragile than his pet jaguar cub, Juana, had been.

Pax squealed with delight. “It’s a weasel! It’s a baby weasel! You got us baby weasels!?” He hopped around the altar with the helmet. It made Axel want to frantically rush over to assure no tiny weasels fell out.

Alabaster plucked a pure white one out of the ivory on his skull helm. He slipped the weasel into a breast pocket on his shirt. Alabaster often had various compartments on him for spell ingredients, but—

“And you got yourself an incubator shirt?!” Pax yelped with glee. He had separated his weasel from his helmet, set the helmet on the altar, and was cradling his weasel in both hands.

Leave it to Pax to ignore the All Powerful Magical Armor.

“Kits or pups,” Alabaster corrected. “They don’t need incubators, but they will need to be fed, socialized with each other, taught to hunt, and—”

Alabaster cut off when Pax went on his tiptoes to kiss his cheek. His complexion had just settled back into that of a vampire. He went bright red again, cleared his throat, took a step back, and pointedly avoided looking at Axel.

That “later” talk that Axel and Alabaster needed to have? It was going to happen as soon as the three of them were awake.

“And named,” Alabaster tried to make it sound like there hadn’t been a pause. “Th—they’re more than pets.” He swallowed, regaining composure. “Each is an extension of your helm’s power, playing to the strength of the owner. Nietzsche can store spell runes, acting as both a roving set of prepared spells and a conduit to set magic off at a greater distance.” The tiny white head poked out of Alabster’s pocket, slitted red eyes trained on the Pax brothers.

Axel extended a finger towards his tiny charge. When the weasel sensed him, it curled about his index finger, nipping vainly. Axel had to admit, he liked her. She had spunk.

“Who gets Honey and who gets Baller?” Pax bobbed to Axel’s side.

Axel’s tiny charge clung to his finger while nodding off to sleep. “Honey and--?” he asked.

“Hunahpu and Xbalanque! Duh!” Pax cheered.

Alabaster looked relieved at the shift in conversation. “Maya names?” he asked.

Axel nodded. “The hero twins.” The names of sorcerer warriors felt fitting for gifts from Hecate. Though, Axel doubted these two weasels could feign dismemberment, the way the ancient warriors and Hecate’s children could. Well, maybe Pax’s could. That would fit Pax’s style of combat.

Pax pointed to a clustered spot of fur on the back of Axel’s. “Yours has little rosettes.”

Axel nodded. “Mine shall be Hunnapuh then.”

Pax held his up, Lion King-style. “And this shall be Baller!”[3] he proclaimed with bravado.

The three boys got to enjoy something they rarely did these days: a peaceful moment in a safe place with no one watching but a caring mother. Pax demanded they put their weasels into a kit pile in his hands. Axel surveyed this carefully, but was relieved Pax seemed to have a natural knack for tending to the little ones.

Despite discovering the existence of Greek gods, being “adopted” by someone a few years older than he was, and being cast as the heartthrob in a monster-centric metal band, these gifts were some of the biggest surprises Axel had in the past two years. Alabaster had always been uncomfortable with shows of affection. Some people got each other burgers and French fries as signs of friendship. Others gave each other weapons of war.

All of them were smiling when the jungle shook. The quake’s ripple was so strong, Pax pitched onto one side. He cradled the weasel kits protectively to his chest with one hand while smacking the forest ground with the other floor to break his fall. Axel stumbled. Alabaster snagged the edges of the altar. “Mother--?” he called.

“Mount Tams,” she said from the fog of mist, “is under attack.”

***

Thank all of you for reading! Also, thank you to those of you that left comments in my last post. I promise, I’ll be responding as soon as I can. You rock and have made it worth while to get myself to post again! In the meantime, know you have Jack in an appreciative pile of moosh and gratitude! Stay tuned for, hopefully (>>’’) every other week updates!

***

[2] Pax, “Way to hit his kink, Hecate.”

[3] I recently read up that the hero twins were pronounced, “WAH-nuh-pwuh and shi-BAY-lan-kay.” But I think younger Axel would have been too insecure to call his lil one “Pooh,” so we’re sticking with the mispronunciated, butchering of Honey and Baller.

#percy jackson and the olympians #PJO #the heroes of olympus #HOO #Tales From Mount Othrys #TFMO #alabaster c torrington #Hecate #Pax #Axel #WEASELS #FINALLY WE GET SOME MF WEASELS

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bohemian-rhapsody-in-blue · 8 months

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SIX OF CROWS DOLLS!

So, at the beginning of July, my mom and I were shopping at a local used bookstore when we found an adorable little Nikolai Lantsov plushie (originally from this Illumicrate box), and I immediately fell in love. I furiously Googled to see if any other Grishaverse plushies existed and was disappointed to see they didn’t—so we decided to take matters into our own hands.…

Almost two months, several late nights, and many trips to craft stores, Dollar Tree, and Wal-Mart later, all six of them are done!!! My mom, a fellow Six of Crows fan and a ridiculously talented crafter, worked really hard on them, adding little details to make each of them true to their canon counterparts. She made them all from scratch, not using any pre-existing patterns or tutorials—she'd never made dolls before and sort of figured out the process as she went.

The dolls themselves fall somewhere between figurines and plushies—they have weighted boots so they can stand on their own, but they're made from soft material (felt, chenille yarn, velvet, etc.) that makes them perfect to snuggle, cuddle, and hug, which I've done in spades. I’m so happy to have these one-of-a-kind dolls, made with love, to call my very own. 💖

Photos of each individual doll and couple are under the cut! If you guys are interested, I’ll also make individual making-of posts for each doll, with photos of each of them in progress—let me know in the notes if that's something you'd like to see!

First we have the Bastard of the Barrel himself, Kaz Brekker! He sports a snazzy tailored suit and tie (made from a ribbon), with some rakish locks of chenille yarn hair falling over his eyes from underneath his impeccably-groomed velvet ‘do. His gloves are black duct tape over his hands, and they even have five individually cut-out fingers! (He does not yet have a cane; we’re working on that. The man needs his mobility aids!)

We decided early on that we wanted all the plushies to smile—I wouldn't really want them to scowl at me while I snuggled and hugged them. I imagine Kaz has some serious schemes being brewed up in that soft little head of his, though...

Next we have Inej Ghafa, the Wraith! She was actually the first doll we made (and was originally much shorter than Kaz and Jesper; her legs became longer when we duct-taped them for stability!). The top of her hair is black felt; the braid is jumbo strands of chenille yarn, braided together. Her cowl (purple felt, held in place by a matching purple pipe cleaner) provides the perfect cover for spying on dark Ketterdam streets, and her boots have beautiful silver trim—well-suited for hiding a knife. Her top has some similar trim, though it's hard to see in these pictures, with a subtle dash of magenta tulle to make her extra glam.

Kanej together—Ketterdam’s ultimate power couple 💖 I love that their height difference was maintained; this was sort of accidental when we made the dolls, but it ended up being a really nice canon detail!

As a licensed Toy Therapist (a profession I made up—I'm sure half a bachelor's degree in English and psychology is enough for me to qualify for licensure; after all, I AM the licensure board!), I have, through many intense sessions, successfully cured Kaz and Inej of their touch aversion—so they have both been the recipient of many, many snuggles and hugs from me. At one point, my mom told me, "You've probably given these Crow plushies more hugs in the past week than the characters have had in their entire lives"—which almost reduced me to tears. One thing I love about these dolls is that if I'm ever rereading the books and thinking, "[insert character here] needs a HUG," I can just reach over and give them one!

Now, here’s Matthias Helvar! His luscious golden locks are made of individual strands of chenille yarn (pulled back into a queue), and his scarf is hand-knitted. Also note the boots, with thick soles and “fur” lining to withstand the toughest Fjerdan winters. In the second picture, you can sort of see some blue “fur” around his collar—this was actually made from a blue glove, with fuzzy lining, that was part of a Cinderella costume for Halloween that I had when I was 6!

Mom and I imagine this is Matthias post-series, after having gotten into a relationship with Nina and overcoming his Wizard Racism, so instead of a serious, brooding expression, he has more of a happy smile. (Because as we all know, nothing bad ever happens to him, ever.)

Nina Zenik, Heartrender extraordinaire! Here we see her in her lovely red kefta with gold trim (the same gold trim used for Matthias' suit—fun fact: it was also part of an old Halloween costume, specifically Belle when I was 5) and some lovely golden boots with flowered trim—maybe the ones she was flirting with in a shop window? Fun fact: she originally had some green staining on her face from a mishap when we tried to use a marker to make her eyes look more green—but then Mom took a darker marker and turned it into eyeshadow. And now this doll has better makeup than me.

Helnik! They look very happy together, if you ask me. Matthias' right arm permanently sticks out at an angle, as you can see—a consequence of the duct-taping we did to his body for stability (it also makes him feel very solid and buff when I hug him, which is nicely in-character). This either means he's constantly reaching out his arm around Nina's back (awww) or he's constantly sticking out his arm to hitchhike and get himself far, far away from all the crazy people in Ketterdam.

Jesper Fahey, decked out in all the Barrel flash! He's rocking the green and gold look with a plaid jacket, tailored pants, and a tulle ascot. His hair is jumbo chenille yarn and it's SO ridiculously soft, oh my god, I cannot even properly convey to you guys how good it feels to nuzzle my cheek against his soft little head. His shoes have tiny laces, and it's hard to see here but his belt buckle has a tiny "F" for Fahey. 🎵 'Cause every girl (and boy)'s crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man! 🎶

And finally...Wylan van Eck! This was the last doll we made (we finished him in the wee hours of this morning), and Mom seriously went above and beyond with him. His hair is red chenille yarn—it turned out to actually be the least curly/kinky of all the yarn we used, but Mom sewed it in specially to make sure it curled on his head. He carries a little messenger bag made of duct tape; inside is some rolled-up sheet music and plans for explosives, tied together with twine that you can see sticking out from inside the bag. (It also has a sticker with the initial W for Wylan—just like the sticker with Jesper's initial on his belt!) And in the second picture, you can see that he has tiny safety goggles! They're made out of duct tape and the plastic packaging of some bobbins for the sewing machine.

A funny quirk: because Nina, Matthias, and Wylan were made after the first three with a different and more standardized body mold, Wylan ended up being the biggest of the three...by a lot. He's a lot bigger than his boyfriend, that's for sure! You can see this height disparity in the first pic. My theory is that one of his chemical experiments went wrong and ended up acting as some sort of growth serum for him. Mom's theory is that he was jealous of being so much shorter than his boyfriend, so he asked Nina to Tailor his height, but Nina got distracted during the process and accidentally made Wylan a LOT taller than he was supposed to be and now can't figure out how to change him back.

Or I can just pose them in photos so that Jesper is standing on a box or something—like in the second pic—so he looks just as tall as he's supposed to be.

And finally, here's a picture of all six of them with the Nikolai plushie that started it all! He looks happy to have so many new friends.

And that's it! I love these guys so much and can't stop looking at them, cuddling them, and kissing them on their soft little foreheads. I'm so happy to have embarked on this project with my mom over the summer—we learned a lot, bonded over crafting and our love of the Grishaverse, and had a lot of fun! Let me know in the notes if you'd like me to post individual making-of posts for each doll—with behind-the-scenes pictures and explanations of how some of the features of each doll were made! NMNF 🐦

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steponmeinejghafa · 5 months

Text

First Bench Pt. 4

Summary: A game of truth or dare takes a flustering turn, and you admit something to Nina.

Warnings: Making out, I guess

Word count: 2.5k

First Part

Second Part

Third Part

———————————————————————

The day dawned unnecessarily bright, and that meant you all had open-air jogging before gym class. Zoya never felt the need to compete in gym class, and today was no different.

“Hey Z!” Alina huffed as she jogged beside her friend, “Not competing incessantly with Y/n, I see.”

Zoya scoffed, “Only because an A in gym class means nothing to me. Let perfect Brekker be perfect at this alone, with her perfect abs and perfect arms and perfect legs…”

“I have a feeling that this has more to do with than just gym class,” said Alina with a chuckle. “Although, I do agree with the abs bit.”

“Shut up, Starkov,” said the other girl. “Anyways, what’s up?”

“The boys are having a party at Nikolai’s place, so you think you want to come?” She asked. “Assuming you’re not going to be a boring, studious topper girl and study on a Friday night.”

“No, obviously I can’t come because I have to-“ before Zoya could finish, Alina interrupted her.

“Y/n already said yes,” she sniggered.

Zoya grumbled, “I will come. But not for Y/n, because you asked me so nicely and didn’t call me a boring topper girl.”

“Sure, that’s the reason,” smirked her friend. Zoya simply laughed and shoved her gently, before continuing laps.

—Time Skip—

You rested your head on your crossed arms before class started, feeling a little tired. You and the others had stayed up late playing cards, and you had to admit, Nina played a mean game of bluff.

Someone irritatingly familiar hit your head with a book and snickered, "Looks like our little topper didn't get her beauty sleep last night."

You put your hand up and childishly pulled Zoya's hair, replying, "I hope you get a 78 on your next test."

"Wow, truly the most life-threatening insult," scoffed the dark-haired girl, sitting at her seat.

"Have fun being second to me, Nazyalensky," you chuckled, putting your head back down, but making sure to keep your head positioned facing her, so your eyes stayed riveted on her as a small and mischievous smile danced on your lips.

Saints, your smile was adorable.

'Stop it, Zoya,' she chided herself again. 'These thoughts are too uncalled for.'

You continued observing her as she began to read her textbook. You watched closely as her deep brown eyes scanned the page, and her teeth tugged at her bottom lip in concentration.

Her eyes were so pretty...and by the Saints, you wished those were your teeth on her lips...

'Ew, no,' you frowned and looked away, burying your face well inside your arms. 'That's Nazyalensky. Not some pretty girl you like...'

"Alright, good morning, everyone!" The voice of the teacher snapped you out of your sleepiness.

'Well,' you thought, 'Let the competition begin.'

--Time Skip--

You pulled on your favourite black leather jacket carefully, loving how it felt on your skin. The soft black material hugged your slightly muscled arms in just the right places, and it made you feel confident as you turned out a folded part of the collar and looked at yourself nicely in the mirror, fixing your hair as you pleased. Underneath you had worn a tight black t-shirt, just so you could pull off the jacket if you got.

"Someone's looking masculine, I see," Nina smirked, walking in with Inej.

"Masculine for a certain annoyingly beautiful brunette, maybe?" Inej suggested with a giggle.

"Oh shut up, you both," you blushed. You looked at Nina, who wore a lovely red dress, and Inej, who donned a white, billowy blouse and straight cut pants. "I see you both all dressed up for Matthias and Kaz."

Both your best friends blushed a little and avoided the subject.

"Guys, we're getting late," Kaz said, limping into the room. You and him almost always shared clothes with each other, however reluctantly. So, naturally, when you saw him wearing your favourite button down shirt, you had to say something.

“That’s my button down,” you scowled.

He smoothed it down from the front and shrugged, “Just borrowing it.”

“We get it, you’re a whore for Inej, please don’t make it obvious,” Jesper groaned.

Kaz hit him gently over the head with his cane at him, which he ducked away from. “Shut the hell up, Fahey.”

“Just stating facts, Saints,” he chuckled. “Now come on, all of you, let’s go.”

Nikolai’s house was, as a matter of fact, huge. It was basically a mansion. The blonde haired boy welcomed the seven of you warmly and led you all to the sitting room.

Seeing you all enter, Alina called out, “Looks like the Crows have made their entrance!”

Everyone turned to face you seven, and they greeted you warmly, beckoning you all individually to sit.

Zoya, who usually sat straight-backed and poker-faced, was seated comfortably in a chair, wearing a deep blue, full-sleeved, body-fitting crop top with a pair of baggy jeans, and a lazy smile on her face. Her hair was down in its captivating waves, and you noticed that she’d painted her nails, too, as she took a sip from her glass of soda.

You wanted to tangle your hands in those chocolate brown locks, and feel those nails down your back so bad…

Shaking your unholy thoughts away, you grumbled a little to yourself in irritation. You didn’t get it, Zoya was your enemy. You couldn’t have these thoughts about her.

To distract yourself, you sat on the floor with Mal, Alina, Genya, and David, talking to them happily.

“Zoya,” Nikolai nudged her. “Look who’s here.”

Zoya, who hadn’t noticed you enter the room, nearly choked on the soda she was drinking as she saw you.

Saints, you looked so good.

You looked stunning in your jacket, sitting your arm atop your propped-up knee. She had a clear view of the rings on your fingers as you fidgeted idly with your hand in mid-air. Mal had clearly mentioned something about arm wrestling, because you then laughed with a raised brow, and pulled off the jacket, revealing the tight black t-shirt you wore underneath.

In school, you only ever wore sweaters or baggy flannels, so this was definitely the first time she was seeing your figure properly.

Your biceps flexed as you put your arm atop a table, daring Mal to take up the challenge.

“This, I have to see…” she mumbled, standing up and going over to where the group was gathering.

“What, Oretsev, too scared to take on a girl?” You jeered playfully at him. “I’m not always shy and quiet, my friend,” you added upon seeing his shocked express at your boldness.

“Alright,” he nodded with an upside down grin. He rolled up his shirtsleeves and took your hand, poised to arm wrestle you.

“And three…two…one…wrestle!” Nikolai clinked a glass and announced.

Immediately, both his and your arms flexed. His face was scrunched up with effort, while yours held a quiet satisfaction. Slowly, he started winning, but the second his expression turned to one of victory, you slammed his fist down on the other side with so much force it rattled the table.

Everyone cheered and Mal looked shocked. You patted him on the back and grinned, “Maybe next time, Oretsev.”

“Good one, Y/n,” he laughed as you pulled your jacket back on.

Saints, those biceps…

Zoya couldn’t help but think, as she had grown to enjoy these little masculine things about you.

“Guys, truth or dare!” Announced Jesper, holding up an empty glass bottle.

Everyone sat on the ground in a circle, with you sitting between Inej and Nina, as usual.

The bottle spun and landed on Jesper. “Dare,” he said boldly.

Everyone began to think and you said, “Alright, I have a good one,”

“Oh Saints, please, not Y/n,” Jesper panicked. “Anyone but her!”

You giggled maniacally, “I dare your chicken ass to kiss Wylan.”

“Wait, aren’t you all siblings or something?!” Asked Genya, shocked.

“No,” Nina replied, disgusted. “We’re best friends. Have been since second grade.”

“Yep,” you nodded. “The only siblings in this group are Kaz and I.”

“Interesting,” Mal chuckled. “Come on then, Fahey, don’t be a chicken!”

You all teased him relentlessly till he gave up.

“Fine!” He threw his hands up in exasperation. He marched over to Wylan, who’s big brown eyes were wide with shock as Jesper sat in front of him, held his face and kissed him soundly on the lips.

You all cheered as you and Nina high-fived announcing, “Wesper is official now, guys!”

Jesper smacked you upside the head before settling back next to Kaz, who had a small smile on his face at the interaction.

The bottle spun again and landed on Zoya, who panicked a little when Nikolai, Alina and Genya all got devious expressions on their faces.

“Truth or dare, Nazyalensky?” Her panic was replaced by annoyance as she heard your familiar voice.

“Truth,” she said boldly.

“I’m giving her one!” Alina said a little too enthusiastically. “Z, tell me, who in this room do you think is the most kissable?”

Oblivious to the obvious stares towards a blushing Y/n Brekker, Zoya replied, “I’d say Nikolai.”

A collective groan of annoyance spread through the circle and she shrugged, “I mean, look at him. He’s got the jawline, the eyes, even the hair is perfect.”

“Thank you, Zoya, for admitting that In beautiful, just how everyone else does at some point,” replied her friend with a laugh.

Mal chucked his empty plastic cup at the boy’s head and said, “Spin the bottle, idiot.”

Turn after turn went on, and the bottle hadn’t landed on you even once. By then, Nina had to sit in Matthias’ lap, Inej had to hold Kaz’s gloved hand till her next turn, Alina admitted to drawing a penis on every capital on the map of the world in school, and Nikolai had to flirt with a very confused David while Genya glared at him steadily.

“Y/n!” Everyone cheered when the bottle pointed at you.

“Damn it,” you sighed playfully. “I pick dare.”

A devious smirk appeared on everyone but David’s faces, and Genya said, “Seven minutes in Heaven with Zoya.”

Zoya, who was munching on some chips which were in a bowl placed amongst the many other snacks inside the circle coughed and choked on them while your cheeks became as red as Nina’s dress.

“Fuck you, Safin,” you mumbled. “Seriously, fuck you.”

“Come on, it doesn’t count if there are no feelings between you both, right? Should be easy enough,” said Nina with a knowing smirk.

“Well then it won’t count,” you said forcefully, standing up. “Where the hell do we do it? I don’t see any closet or anything here.”

“Since you two are humongous nerds, the library’s over there.” Nikolai pointed at a white door a little down the hallway.

“Fine,” you glared at Zoya. “Coming, Nazyalensky? Or will you need a gilded invitation?”

Zoya stood up with the utmost reluctance, and followed you to the library.

The very second you closed the door behind her, you both were aware of the people clustered in the hallway, with their ear to the door. To make sure, you banged on the door with your fist and called out, “I better not hear any giggling, you horny little shits!”

The library was kind of small, with a big desk in the center of the room, and three walls with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A small metal ladder was attached so that the upper books could be reached, and it had ball bearings fitted on the panel above the shelves to move it.

“Now,” you fiddled with your jacket sleeves, nervousness pulsing in your stomach. “Seven minutes…”

“Your time starts now!” Nikolai screeched, his voice muffled through the door.

“No feelings,” said Zoya forcefully. “At all. It doesn’t count.”

“Nope. Nothing at all,” you sighed, approaching her. “Wait…how do-how do I do this?”

Zoya rolled her eyes and caught your jacket collar in her fists, pulling you closer to her, saying, “Just kiss me, Brekker.”

“Um…don’t I ask for consent or somethi-“ before you could complete your sentence, she kissed you long and hard, her soft lips making your thoughts completely disappear.

She pulled away and smirked at your blushing, wide-eyed face. “Looks like I’m a better kisser, Brekker,”

You shook your head, trying to clear your thoughts. Your hands were frozen at your sides, your brain malfunctioning and rushing at a thousand miles a minute.

“Sh-shut up, Nazyalensky…” you stuttered.

Saints she had such soft lips…

She looked at you with a daring glance, crossing her arms across her chest. “Why don’t you make me, Brekker? Or are you too chicken?”

Finally clearing your thoughts, you put your hands on her waist and pressed her against the closest bookshelf, your lips on hers again, this time a little hungrier. You did, however hold back a little.

No feelings, she had said. At all.

Your thoughts vanished again as you got lost in just kissing her, Zoya’s hands suddenly on your cheeks, her tongue swiping your bottom lip as she deepened the kiss. Seconds later you were the one against the wall, and her hands were roaming your body, pushing your jacket off your shoulders while your hands went in her hair.

She pulled away and bent her head to kiss your neck, her movements swift and experienced. You let out the quietest of moans as she kissed down will your collarbone and found the soft spot of the crook of your neck with her teeth.

“Kinky, are we, Brekker?” She mumbled against your skin upon feeling your grip tighten ever so slightly at the action.

“Fuck you, Nazyalensky,” you breathed, holding her face in your hands to kiss her again. Your teeth grazed her bottom lip, hesitantly, and you prayed your hands weren’t sweating as you held back the urge to caress her cheeks. To curb the feeling, you waited till she put her hands on your waist to pull you flush against her body, so that you could feel the soft waves of her dark hair against your fingertips.

Zoya sensed how hesitant you were, how you were calculating every move to try and get a sound from her.

With your hands fisting her hair like that, it was almost working…

“First time kissing a girl, Brekker?” She panted as you put your hands on her hips to push her against the opposite bookcase, knocking down some books in your lust-filled frenzy.

“None of your business, Nazyalensky,” you smirked and dipped your head down, kissing the column of her neck just how she had done yours, making her tilt her head back and moan softly.

Saints that sound was gorgeous from her…

“Saints, Brekker,” she panted, pulling you up again, kissing you hungrily as if you were going to vanish any second. “Fuck you for being this good.”

“You admit I’m better than you, then, Nazyalensky?” Your hands slipped under her shirt, and she gasped at the feeling of your cold hands on her shockingly warm skin.

A pulse of pride in your chest had your cheeks warming up and you felt a soft warmth in your heart which was far too unfamiliar. It scared you shitless.

However, just as you fiddled with the hem of her jeans, the others slammed their fists against the door screaming “Time’s up!”

You moved back, fixing your jacket and trying to not stare at her.

You looked at her differently now. Where you’d daydream about her lips, you craved them. You wanted to feel her skin against yours, you wanted to have her pin you against the wall again.

You had to admit, you wanted her.

“Not bad, Brekker,” she panted, her lips swollen from kissing.

You blushed and shook your head, “Go fuck yourself, Nazyalensky.”

She shrugged, “Might want to do it yourself, maybe, Brekker?”

“I’d rather die.”

“Funny, cause you were kissing me like you’d never wanted anything more only two seconds ago. Catching feelings, are we, Brekker?”

“No feelings,” you snapped. “Or did you forget, Nazyalensky?”

What the hell had you just done? What were these thoughts? Why did you want her so badly?

She was a little shocked and perhaps a little hurt, too at your tone.

“You’re insufferable, Brekker,” she scoffed, opening the door.

“The feeling’s mutual, Nazyalensky,” you rolled your eyes.

You did feel bad, truly, seeing her face fall as you snapped at her. But you had no choice. She was out of your league. She could never be yours.

She was competition.

And she could never love you, nor could she ever be with you.

And you couldn’t be with her either.

You settled next to Nina and Inej, completely silent now.

They both exchanged confused glances with each other as well as with Genya and Alina, who looked quizzically at you and Zoya, where you were both making sure to avoid each other’s gaze.

‘Stupid,’ you both thought to yourselves as you both masked your emotions behind a smile, trying to make it seem like you both were enjoying. ‘She can never like you back.’

—Time Skip—

You sat on your bed after the party, Nina and Inej both looking at you in concern. You hadn’t spoken a word the entire ride back home, and avoided all questions about what had happened in the library.

You could still feel Zoya’s body against yours, her skin under your fingertips, her lips on your neck, and it made you want to throw up.

I can’t give in to these feelings, you thought. I won’t. I can’t make myself believe something can happen where it can’t. Where it won’t.

“N/n…” Nina sat next to you, placing a hand on your shoulder. “Talk to me.”

You heard her gentle tone, felt her loving touch on your shoulder. Nina had always been like a sister to you, as had Inej, and the way they looked genuinely concerned, and wanted to know more than just the gory details, it was enough to make you break.

“Y/n, come on, we want to know what’s going on in that head of yours,” Inej added, sitting on your other side.

“Saints, I love her,” you breathed. “I’m in love with her and I hate it so much, you have no idea.”

Nina pulled you into a hug as you broke down into tears.

“I don’t know what to do, Nina,” you sobbed. “I can’t have her. She’s competition. Dating her would be like suicide. My grades would plummet, and she would use me…”

“Ssh…” Nina silenced your panicked rambling. “Is this kind of unrequited? Maybe. Cliché? Absolutely. But look, if you love her, there’s nothing you can do about it. I know how your little heart works, Y/n. We both do.”

“This girl must be special,” nodded Inej. “Because you don’t just love anyone. That heart of yours has a wall which few can scale. And Zoya has scaled that wall, as much as you hate to admit it.”

“I’m terrified,” you said shakily.

“Naturally,” Nina nodded. “But you decide what you want to do. Do you want to let her in, give in to the temptation that is Zoya, or do you want to hurt yourself by crushing your feelings to dust?”

“Think it over,” Inej patted your hair. “And decide what you want to do.”

You nodded and thanked them both, and bade them goodnight as they lay in their own beds, falling asleep instantly out of tiredness.

But you lay awake, eyes fixed on the ceiling, thinking about Nina’s two choices till you reached a conclusion.

This was going to hurt.

—————

Hi! I hope you enjoyed this part <3 feel free to request <33

#shadow and bone #fluff #nina zenik #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #kaz brekker #lesbian #wlw #female y/n #zoya nazylensky #zoya of the garden #zoya the love of my life after Inej #first bench miniseries

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