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#and please protect Kaz
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!!!!!!THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!!
The massive oil extraction project named “Willow” in Alaska has to be stopped. If they go through with the plans, it will cause irreversibke damage to our planet. It will cause death of ecosystems, an even more rapid pace of climate change/global warming, and massive amounts of pollution.
Please sign the petition linked, and don’t forget to confirm your signature.
Update: willow project had already been approved, as a commenter kindly brought it to my atention
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sleepless-crows · 1 year
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We all know this scene. And it's long. Do I tend to make practical decisions? Only half the time and this isn't part of that half. I love Kanej too much
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Just one more. But she couldn't. Couldn't push to her knees, couldn't reach, couldn't even roll. It hurt too much. Climb, Inej.
"I can't, Papa," she whispered. Even now she hated to disappoint him.
Move, she told herself. This is a stupid place to die. And yet a voice in her head said there were worse places. She would die here, in freedom, beneath the beginnings of dawn. She'd die after a worthy fight, not because some man had tired of her or required more from her than she could give.
Better to die here by her own blade than with her face painted and her body swathed in false silks.
A hand seized her ankle. They'd climbed the crates. Why hadn't she heard them? Was she that far gone? They had her. Someone was turning her onto her back.
She slid the dagger from the sheath at her wrist. In the Barrel, a blade this sharp was known as kind steel. It meant a quick death. Better that than torture at the mercy of the Black Tips or the Razorgulls.
May the Saints receive me. She pressed the tip beneath her breast, between her ribs, an arrow to her heart. Then a hand gripped her wrist painfully, forcing her to drop the blade.
"Not just yet, Inej."
The rasp of stone on stone. Her eyes flew open. Kaz.
He bundled her into his arms and leaped down from the crates, landing roughly, his bad leg buckling.
She moaned as they hit the ground.
"Did we win?"
"I'm here, aren't I?"
He must be running. Her body jounced painfully against his chest with every lurching step. He needed his cane.
"I don't want to die."
"I'll do my best to make other arrangements for you."
She closed her eyes.
"Keep talking, Wraith. Don't slip away from me."
"But it's what I do best."
He clutched her tighter. "Just make it to the schooner. Open your damn eyes, Inej."
She tried. Her vision was blurring, but she could make out a pale, shiny scar on Kaz's neck, right beneath his jaw. She remembered the first time she'd seen him at the Menagerie. He paid Tante Heleen for information—stock tips, political pillow talk, anything the Menagerie's clients blabbed about when drunk or giddy on bliss. He never visited Heleen's girls, though plenty would have been happy to take him up to their rooms. They claimed he gave them the shivers, that his hands were permanently stained with blood beneath those black gloves, but she'd recognised the eagerness in their voices and the way they tracked him with their eyes.
One night, as he'd passed her in the parlour, she'd done a foolish thing, a reckless thing. "I can help you," she'd whispered. He'd glanced at her, then proceeded on his way as if she'd said nothing at all. The next morning, she'd been called to Tante Heleen's parlour. She'd been sure another beating was coming or worse, but instead Kaz Brekker had been standing there, leaning on his crow-head cane, waiting to change her life.
"I can help you," she said now.
"Help me with what?"
She couldn't remember. There was something she was supposed to tell him. It didn't matter any more.
"Talk to me, Wraith."
"You came back for me."
"I protect my investments."
Investments. "I'm glad I'm bleeding all over your shirt."
"I'll put it on your tab."
Now she remembered. He owed her an apology. "Say you're sorry."
"For what?"
"Just say it."
She didn't hear his reply. The world had grown very dark indeed.
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undiscovered-horizon · 11 months
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"Four Crows Investigation" - Kaz Brekker x Reader
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[vulgar language]
[Part 2 - Lovebirds' Outfox]
☽ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ☾
Enjoying my work? You can leave me a tip on Ko-Fi
SUMMARY: After Nina makes a passing comment about Brekker’s heartbeat, three crows join her in an investigation to uncover the true nature of your relationship with Kaz.
WORDCOUNT: ~ 1.4k
>>Grishaverse-inspired playlist&lt;<
Sitting around the table, leaning forward in a secretive manner, the four Crows look nothing short of a conspiracy. Their appearance is in no way deceptive - that’s exactly the reason for their meeting. Nina looks between Jesper’s and Wylan’s shoulders, checking whether you and Kaz are in any way suspicious of their gathering. For now, you look a little too preoccupied with each other. Time for the final conference.
The Heartrender leans even further towards her friends, looking between them with a questioning gaze. She seems to be the most excited about this ‘secretive investigation’, as she called it a week ago, but that should not come as a surprise - all of this has been her idea from start to finish. The moment she noticed Kaz’s heartbeat significantly pick up when you showed up in a ball gown in an attempt to mix in with the immorally wealthy crowd at the banquet, Nina simply had to know more. Her friends, although reluctant at first, joined the scheme out of their own meddling.
“So, what did you manage to find out?” She’s trying to keep her voice quiet but the sheer excitement makes it difficult.
“I still don’t understand why we’re doing this,” Wylan stutters out while shaking his head gently. He may be part of a crime syndicate now but spying on his friends, and his boss, just seems too far.
“Because we care about them?” Jesper asks with fake worry in his voice. Then, a devious smile appears on his face. “And we’re morbidly curious.”
“Can’t we just ask them, then?”
“As if either of them is going to say something,” Inej grunts. Knowing both of you fairly well, she never expected a straightforward question to get anything outside of a snarky comment or a side-eye.
Nina impatiently taps her hand on the table. “Alright, who goes first?”
╚ Jesper’s Evidence  ╝
He knows Kaz is going to get angry the moment he walks through the door but, at the same time, Jesper’s kind of out of options. As much as he hates to admit it to himself and definitely will not do it aloud, he’s facing an impasse.
The moment he pushes the door open, your and Kaz’s eyes snap towards him. He makes a note of your shoulders - brushing against one another as you’re standing over scattered papers, a little too close for practicality or for the closeness to be accredited to accident. You’re definitely giving the impression that he walked in at an inconvenient moment.
But Jesper is good at bluffing, never giving away that he noticed the thought-provoking lack of space between you. “Carliogne won’t talk unless he sees the contract you signed with Bruglione,” he informs. “His reasoning is that we’re probably trying to fuck him over.”
Kaz stares at him for a moment with an unreadable expression. “We are,” he finally answers.
“Well, he doesn’t need to know that for now, does he?”
“It makes sense,” you speak up. Pondering, you nod to yourself. “If he sees the contract, he’ll become less cautious and playing him should be even easier. Just wait a second,” you wave your hand at Jesper, “I think I put it in the bottom drawer.”
The moment you crouch behind the desk, Jesper’s eyes catch movement - Kaz is covering the edge of the table over your head with his hand. Considering that he’s looking at papers in the opposite direction, he might not even be aware of this little habit. The gunslinger stifles a smile. Nina is going to love this.
Soon, you stand back up at the protective hand reaches to flip through a wad of documents as though nothing has happened. Extending your arm towards Jesper, you offer him the folded contract between your two fingers.
“Please, don’t get it stained.”
“Can’t make promises,” he says with a cheeky smile as he snatches the paper from you.
Jesper hears your groan right before he closes the door behind himself.
╚ Wylan’s Evidence  ╝
Wylan rarely got ‘field work’ aside from setting up explosives. The out-of-ordinary occasions were stake-outs, when he’d sit in one place for hours on end waiting for something to happen, having only Jesper’s company to pass the time - not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, that’s the only part that makes those ‘patrol duties’ bearable.
 Although he feels uneasy creepily watching, he’s supposed to wait for an agreed-on sign to carry out his part in the plan. And with Jesper gone to the bathroom, the responsibility of staying vigilant is his only. Sitting on the carriage bench, he has a good view of the street but most of his attention surrounds a certain table at a boulangerie near the junction. You and Kaz are doing a great job at looking common - just drinking coffee, chatting, completely run-of-the-mill people and definitely not hardened criminals ready to call their companions to action when their prey is in sight.
Wylan suddenly sits up, hardly believing the scene unfolding before his eyes: you offer Kaz your bagel and he just… bites it. No glares, no scowls, he just takes a bite and you continue the conversation. Maybe Nina was right and something is up.
The carriage shakes slightly as Jesper gets back on it. “What did I miss?” he asks in an upbeat voice.
╚ Inej’s Evidence ╝
It’s the middle of the night but Inej rarely works at other times. Only one thing stands between her and the comfort of her bed - Kaz. She’s well-aware that he’s still going to be working at this hour, making her wonder once more: when does he rest?
Kaz seems to be expecting her as he doesn’t even flinch when she barges into his office. He just looks up at her for a moment, only to return to writing something. Inej is about to tell him what Lorenzzo Carliogne had been up to during the day, when her eyes focus on a surprising singularity: the daybed standing in the corner of the office, used as an additional shelf or a desk most of the time, is occupied. First, she realizes that it’s you sleeping on it but then another, a much more interesting detail, catches her eye in the dim candlelight of the room - you’re covered with a coat that undoubtedly looks like it belongs to Kaz.
“I take it there’s a reason you’re here at this hour?” Brekker brings her attention back to himself.
“Yes,” she starts, sparing you one last glance before looking at Kaz, “Carliogne lives with his wife and three children. Staff comes in through a separate pair of doors, only the main chef and butler have keys to it. There’s a rotation in guards during lunch.”
“Good,” he answers. Kaz looks up at Inej but again, it’s just for a moment - his focus is soon directed at the papers in front of him.
A silence falls. The thought to inquire about you, the daybed and his coat passes her thoughts but an instinct dissuades her from doing so. Because realistically, what sort of answer would Kaz give her anyway? It’s better to spare herself the snark and just go to bed.
The four friends look between each other, curious whether all of them came to the same conclusion. Tense excitement hangs in the air. There is a certain aspect of juvenile nosyness that entices them, making this whole over-the-top operation fun and not just a gossip convention.
A pout twists Nina’s face. It would have looked sad if it wasn’t for her raised eyebrows, making her expression more compassionate than woeful. “They’re so in love it’s kind of embarrassing,” she announces.
Three pairs of eyes follow her pitiful gaze to the faraway table where you’re sitting with Kaz, oblivious to the interest the Crows have in you. It looks like you’re retelling him a story, gesturing wildly with one of your hands, while the other is kept on the table, underneath his gloved fingers. Kaz is just nodding along, answering something shortly from time to time. 
“Just look at them,” Jesper says with a sense of misguided pride as though he had some contribution in the makings of the couple. He’s shaking his head with amusement. “How could we ever had any doubts?”
“Do you think they know that we know?” Wylan asks quietly.
Inej shrugs. “I don’t think they care.”
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kasagia · 1 year
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I'll be back for you
Pairing: Aleksander Morozova/General Kirigan/The Darkling x reader, Kaz Brekker x reader Summary: The Moon Summoner ran away with Alina from the Little Palace with the help of Kaz Brekker's crows. The group successfully escaped from Darkling's hands, but that doesn't mean he will forget about his Y/N. He's going to chase her until she is in his arms again. However, Mr. Brekker did not let his childhood friend disappear without a trace from his life again. He will protect her. For all costs. After all, she was his newest investment. Warning(s): Darkling, Kaz fights haphephobia (but not as severe for him ), reader argues with Baghra, reader has internal moral conflict, curses, fights, and their red aftermath, I used a quote from TVD and The Invisible Life of Addie Laurie because… they fit and I love them veeery much It's my first one-shot for both Darkling and Kaz, so please be gentle (I'm very nervous and excited at the same time to publish it) <3 Word count: 14k (too long, someone should take me away from the keyboard in the middle of this)
~•♤♤♤•~ Part 2 (end) ~•♤♤♤•~
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Every night since you escaped with Alina and Genya with the help of your childhood friend Kaz and his crows from Ravka, you've been haunted by nightmares. No. Not the usual horrible flashbacks of your past in Ketterdam or the Little Palace.
HE visited you.
The Darkling. The Black Heretic. The man who promised to keep your heart safe and broke it in two along with your trust.
Genya has a right to warn you about powerful men. But you, the lost girl kidnapped by slave hunters from Ketterdam, the girl who has nothing to lose and was happy enough to somehow end up in the general's tent and find out about being one of the most powerful Grisha, didn't want to listen to her.
You foolishly believed that you, of all people, were able to charm the most dangerous man in all Ravka with your beauty, character and mind.
You believed that sweet words, longing glances and tender moments between you were real, that they meant something.
But it was all just a game. A game that brought him your affection and blind trust. And Kirigan, Darkling, or Alexander played in it like mastermind.
You should have listened to Genya. At least those damn dark eyes wouldn't haunt you every time you closed yours.
With the taste in men you have, you should have predicted that the first guy you hooked up with would be a psychopath. Fate could only be a little bit more favorable to you and not connect you to the hundreds-year-old black heretic who created the fold.
You've always had a weakness for villains and gray characters.
Your first teenage crush only proved it.
Because who else but you would fall in love with a bastard boy from the barrel who started his criminal career with the Dregs, who couldn't stand the touch of other people, and who wanted nothing more in his life than revenge on Pekka Rollins?
If I survive this shit, I really should find someone normal to be with.
You thought before you somehow managed to fall asleep for the first time in a month, hoping that your bond with the Darkling would weaken for those few hours when you tried to find peace.
~•♤♤♤•~
It was pure darkness around you. Not that one when all the lights went out and it's only you and your bed. No. They felt too familiar for you to confuse them with anything else. Those were his shadows.
He must have been near, playing with you as he always had.
You carefully took one step forward. The shadows parted in front of you, so you could see the ground. You bent down to your boot and pulled out a dagger, hiding it behind the sleeve of your blouse. You had to be ready for anything. Even if it meant fighting the shadow lord himself in your own subconscious. You sighed, stepping uncertainly into the darkness.
Your eyes quickly adjusted to the place around you, allowing you to move faster along the path. You recognized this bloody spot. The path in the woods you raced down when he took you for your first ride. Then he dragged you to HIS fountain, telling you nonsense about how it's only here among other Grishas that you discover your true self. He was already weaving his manipulative web around you, and you fell into it like an oblivious fly.
The snap of a twig stopped you. You looked around, not seeing anything at all except for the fountain in the distance. You flinched as his shadows gently pushed you forward.
"I'm not going to play another of your games, General!" you screamed as you spun around, walking forward. If he was already disturbing you, at least he might have had the honor to step out of the shadows.
"Call me Aleksander…"
You shivered as you felt his soft whisper against your neck. You spun, summoning your light and shooting into the space behind you. Unfortunately, it didn't encounter any Black Heretics on its way.
You huffed angrily, continuing your walk until you reached the fountain.
It was different than when he brought you here last time. The engravings have changed. They no longer told the story of the Black Heretic who created the fold. They were of you and Aleksander. Slowly falling in love.
"The union of darkness and his light." you felt your body tremble as the fabric of his kefta brushed your hand.
"I would never have taken you for such a sentimental fool." you turned to face him, taking a step back to increase the distance between you. With a very smug smirk, you noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes. Good. At least the son of a bitch suffers as much as you do. "Especially not after what Baghra had told me."
"My mother has the amazingly irritating gift of ruining my plans. She also doesn't like the people I care about much."
"Hmm… what a pity. Maybe if you weren't planning to use us as weapons in your plans, I'd care more. Also, don't try to tell me that there are people in this world who are more important to you than yourself. We both know I'm not going to fall for it again."
"I understand your resentment." you laughed, shaking your head in disbelief as you turned your gaze back to the fountain. "What's so funny?" you relished every irritated word directed at you. Maybe you couldn't seriously hurt him physically, but at least you could be a pain in his ass.
"I just forgot how easy it is for you to choose words that both tell the truth and work in your favor. Please, continue. I didn't truly laugh for a very long time."
"You're making a mistake." he stood next to you, grabbing your arm to turn you toward him.
You yanked your arm out of his grip as soon as your powers met in that familiar dance of dark and light. You both sighed, stunned by the sudden combination of your powers coursing through your veins. You opened your eyes, which you closed in the flow of the moment, meeting his tender, longing gaze. The man reached out to cup your cheek, but you pulled away from him before your skin had a chance to touch again.
"Funny. That's what I heard from your mother before she made me realize what shit I got into."
"One conversation with my mother, and you're ready to give it all up? Just because she was faster than me? Because she revealed a truth about me that she had no right to? What if I wanted to tell you right after I dealt with the group that wanted to attack you and Miss Starkov?" the grudge in his eyes only fueled your anger. He had no right to resent you for running away from him at the earliest opportunity when he had been hiding this important piece of his past for so long.
"What does it matter, general? None of it was real anyway." you growled, turning your back on him again so as not to reveal your hidden emotions to him. You didn't want him to know that you still cared. Indifference was a worse punishment for him than your wrath.
"So c'mon. Prove your point. Turn around, look me in the eyes, and tell me that you didn't feel anything towards me for even the slightest moment."
You wanted. You really did. To look directly into his soul-black eyes and say that he meant as much to you as the dust under your shoes. However, you both knew very well that it would be just a poor lie. And you both knew each other well enough to know when the other was lying.
"Just because my foolish heart longs for something, it doesn't mean I'll give in to its stupid desires. Wasn't you the one who told me that wanting makes us weak?"
"You should know I've changed my mind by now." the sound of leaves crunching under his boots was the only warning you got before you felt his presence behind you. "You. You are changing my mind."
"Don't tell me I have any influence over you. It's a poor play. You can do better, Kirigan."
"You and I may change the world, Y/N…" you flinched as you heard the exact same words he said here so many months ago. You turned to face him when you felt the coldness of one of his shadows wrapping around your leg. You pointed your dagger at the man standing only one, little step away from you. He didn't seem affected at all as you pointed the dagger at him. He didn't even look at it. His eyes were only on yours. "You may not see it now, too blinded by your righteous, but not entirely fair, anger at me, but deep down, you know that we are destined for greater things than others. You, me, and Alina together can be the strongest creatures in the world." 
"You know very well that we never wanted to live like this. Neither of us."
"Do you? Alina maybe doesn't want to be the Saint, but you, Y/N?" you took a step back and another as the black heretic approached you with his every word. He stood in front of you, letting the dagger you were holding in your trembling hands touch his chest. He smiled almost mockingly, seeing that your weapon against him was exactly the same one he gave you on your birthday, provoking your anger again. To spite him, you summoned wispy beams of white light that began to radiate from your hand to chase away his shadows.
"You don't know what I want." you growled, pressing the dagger harder against his heart to remind him that you were in control here. He could sneak into your dreams, but at night you were the most powerful Grisha in this bloody world. And even he had to reckon with your power.
"Yet I still see a desire in your eyes." you shifted your gaze to him, watching him silently and with hostility as his face was illuminated only by your powers. You were disgusted to find that, despite his betrayal, he was still equally handsome to you. "Not only for me but also for my power. You, my little moonlight, you want to be just like me. Strong, powerful, and ageless." he raised his hand deftly, dodging your dagger, and, under your watchful gaze, brushed a strand of hair behind your ear, stroking your cheek as he did so. He took a step towards you, causing you to press the blade against his neck as he got close enough to whisper in your ear. "You can run as far as you want, but you don't run from the truth that's inside you. And when you finally understand what you really want, I'll be there for you, waiting with open arms for my saint moon."
"Have fun waiting for this day, Morozova." you whispered, not giving in to his piercing gaze.
"I am a very patient man, after a thousand years on this earth, you will be too, Y/L/N."
"I'm not you, Aleksander. I don't wanna live forever, and I'm not gonna. I won't see the only people I truly love and care about die before me. Even eternity and unimaginable power are not worth it."
"They're still people you love and who can share this fate with you. Who will live long enough to be with you forever." one of his shadows began to wrap around your hand, forcing you to remove the dagger from his neck.
He leaned closer to you and rested his forehead against yours. You sighed, shivering as the scent of his familiar perfume enveloped you after so many weeks apart. You were tempted to give in to him again. And that dark desire in your heart terrified you more than the capabilities of the Black Heretic caressing your cheek.
"This isn't love. It was just a game. We were just playing a game. The same one you created a long time ago to earn my trust. But I'm no longer that naive girl who is desperate for somebody's attention and love. You made me stronger, crueler, ruthless. And believe me, general, I'll repay you for all you have done."
"You don't believe that. You can't have believed my mother that I am your villain so easily." in other circumstances, where your heart wasn't beating for his, you'd probably laugh at the desperation in his voice. But now that every fiber of you longed for the man before you, there was only one thing you could do.
"Then tell me, Aleksander..." you leaned in to him, rubbing his nose with yours as he closed his eyes and waited for your lips to finally touch after weeks of craving your slightest touch. "Why was I so tempted to do this?" you dug into his tempting mouth, giving you both what you needed.
In your head, you explained this crime against your friends as wanting to do what was originally intended to be your primary goal. The gentle prolongation of your longing, amazing, desperate kiss before you plunged the dagger into his side without the slightest hesitation wasn't your fault at all. Aleksander moaned into your lips, pulling away from you as he felt blood trickle down his side.
"Leave me alone, or I will make myself your villain." you whispered into his mouth before you somehow managed to get yourself out of your "dream".
~•♤♤♤•~
"Y/N?" Alina's soft whisper wakes you up. You opened your eyes, feeling how your chest was burning for fresh air and your heart beating faster than it should. The woman was sitting next to you, holding your hand.
In the corner of your eye, you can see Nina standing in the doorway of the room Kaz graciously assigned to you after you arrived in Ketterdam. You can swear on saints that Inej was looking through your window before she went - probably going to tell Kaz about your fourth nightmare this week.
And it was only Tuesday.
You felt attacked from all sides. If not Inej through the window, then the madmen through the door or in your dreams.
"What are you doing here? It's well after midnight." you asked her, gratefully accepting a towel from Nina to wipe the sweat from your face. Alina and Genya lived far from the club, in motels on opposite sides of the city.
"Just in case someone betrays us. At least one of you will save yourself if the Darkling comes to these parts."
Brekker's brilliant and preventive mind had already terrified you before you stepped off the boat onto the familiar land of Ketterdam. The fact that he thought through and arranged your accommodation before anyone could ask him was either another display of his otherworldly mind or a blatant act of arrogance and overconfidence in his strength against the Darkling. But you knew Kaz too well to assume that he underestimated the power of the Black Heretic even for a moment.
"Nice to see you too. Kaz sent for me."
"Since when does the sun summoner do all the Dreg king's orders?" you asked, making Nina laugh.
"Since the moon summoner is constantly skipping her bedtime. You have to sleep. You can't always be on Jesper's special energetic drinks." she scolded you like a little child, to which you snorted indignantly.
"I will take a gorgeous, lovely, very long nap right after we kill Kirigan. Before then, nobody can make me do that. And tell Kaz I remembered him as braver the last time we saw each other on your way back to the motel."
"We are just worried about you, Y/N. You slept the whole night only once since we left."
"Don't tell me you're surprised. If you were me, you would do the same."
"Maybe. But we both know you're stronger than me. I know you can beat him, and even if you can't do this alone, which I doubt…" she wrapped her hand around yours, making you look into her eyes again. "You must know I will always be by your side, like you by mine. It's you and me against the darkness, Y/N."
"You know, you've spent way too much time on that boat with your toughts. You sound like an old uncle giving good advice or something."
"Speaking of advice, if I were you, I wouldn't insult the only person who can wake you up from… this." Nina waved her hand in a circle, pointing to the miserable state you were in.
"You should see Kirigan. I stabbed him." you replied with a self-satisfied smirk, watching the heartrender gasp in shock and Alina shake her head in disapproval.
"What have I told you about starting unnecessary arguments with him and maiming him?"
"That this is a good way to vent my anger and frustration?" you asked innocently with a huge smile.
Alina drew breath to argue with you, but a knock on the door distracted her. You glanced at Jesper, peering into your room, and wrinkled your nose at the light-burnt sheets you and Alina had left.
"The boss wants you, moon girl."
"Not only him." you murmured, pulling the remnants of the quilt from yourself. You took your clothes out of the closet and turned to the people in the room with your hands on your hips. "Are you leaving or staying for the show?" Alina mumbled a silent apology, blushing in embarrassment as she left, along with a laughing Jesper and an amused Nina.
You sighed as you stood in front of the mirror and brushed away the sweaty hair that was stuck to your face. Thanks to Inej and Kirigan, it looks like you'll have a long conversation with Kaz about your safety again. Your friend was sometimes a bigger pain in the ass than you—an achievement that wasn't granted by you to just anyone.
"I just fucking hope you're writhing in pain right now." you muttered to yourself, not believing for a moment in the sincerity of what you just said.
~•♤♤♤•~
"You wanted me." you entered the Dirtyhands' office without knocking, taking a place of honor on one of the two comfortable armchairs in the room. Kaz didn't look up from his papers, but the slight crease of irritation on his forehead told you he had noticed your presence. You were surprised that, after years of separation, you could still read him easily. "It's rude to ignore your guest."
"It's rude to come in without knocking." he replied to your provocation, tracing something he had just written. You snorted in amusement, seeing that you managed to distract him.
"Well, I didn't come here for no reason. You sent Jes for me."
"Jes?" a diminutive you used for his sharpshooter, has earned the man's attention. He gave you a questioning look, throwing the papers on his desk.
"What? Can't I make a friend other than you?"
"I'm your boss." he hummed, getting his cane up from his desk and walking to his dresser. You rolled your eyes as you watched the man's back. The son of a bitch knew perfectly well that you hated it when he didn't look at you during a conversation.
"Sure, if it helps you sleep, tell yourself what you want, Brekker."
"You live at my club, sleep here, eat with my crows, and waste my time taking some useless gossip from downstairs." he enumerated, turning over his things and searching persistently for something.
"And I'd been doing this for four years before you became Mr. Scary Dirtyhands from the Barrel. You just proved my point, Kazzle. We are friends."
You got up from your chair and stood next to him. You glanced at the contents of his drawer and frowned, noticing something familiar. You reached for a small silver box with his REAL initials on it, but the man slammed the drawer shut before you could get your hands on the find. You snorted indignantly as you noticed the smug smirk on his face as he nearly clipped your fingers for your meddling.
Kaz Brekker was sentimental enough to keep the ashtray you gave him.
You involuntarily remembered what you told him when you handed it to him.
"I know you don't smoke and don't celebrate your birthday, but I think that's a pretty nice metaphor and the closure you need."
"What? An old ashtray from the market? Which you probably swept from under the noses of some heavy smokers."
"No, genius, in case you haven't noticed, it has a special engraving. Read it."
"For K.R., let him rest in peace. What's that supposed to mean?"
"You can consider it what you want. A keepsake of your former self, a lost life you might have had, an urn for the ashes of your former self... we both know you're not the same man you used to be. And you have every right to be, Kaz. It's just... I think you deserve something commemorating your old self. The boy who stole half-rotten apples with me to survive. Now you are someone else—someone stronger, wiser, cunninger... but know that I will never forget Kaz, who was my only light when I was at my worst."
"That's pretty sentimental for you. Also, calling me light is not quite an appropriate metaphor." he replied coolly, returning to his book.
You nodded to him, saying goodbye. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him stroke a silver object for a moment and put it in his pants pocket. You smiled. Apparently, you weren't the only sentimental fool in Ketterdam.
"Then, as my friend, you won't mind telling me about that strange connection between you and the Darkling that keeps you from sleeping without threatening to set my club on fire with your dazzling moonlight?" he asked, snapping you out of your flashback.
"No, because, as my friend, you won't be nosy, and out of politeness, you won't ask."
"I anticipated this reaction. That's why I got this." a velvet ring box magically appeared in his hands.
"Are you going to propose to me? Oh, Kazzie, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this! You don't have to kneel, sweetheart. We can call Jes, and he'll do it for you. It's a perfect opportunity for him to practice before asking Wylan."
"Can you be serious for just one moment, please?" he asked, blushing slightly and trying to give you one of his famous menacing looks.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist. Besides, you could have foreseen in that plan of yours that I would never waste such an opportunity."
"Just open it." he sighed, tossing you the box. Too curious to find out what was inside, you decided to leave the poor boy alone and refrained from commenting further. You widened your eyes as you saw the real ring. "What? No enthusiastic and loud: "Yes, Kazzie, I'll marry you!", so my crows can tease me about it too? To be honest, I'm disappointed, Y/N."
"Well, I could have been joking about it when I didn't have a ridiculously beautiful ring in front of me. Sorry that I'm a little confused, Kaz."
"It's good you like it, but I'd rather know if it works as it should. Put it on your finger."
"As romantic as always." you murmured, trying on a silver ring with an opal and small diamonds around the stone. You raised your hand and, by using your power, increased the light reflected by the moon that was still in the sky so it could illuminate your new jewelry. "It's beautiful, but I have absolutely no idea what it is supposed to do."
"Protect you." you glanced back at Kaz, only to discover that he had been staring at you the entire time. The white sparkles in his eyes caused by your light captivated you more than the shining diamonds. You shook your head, remembering what happened the last time you gave in to your stupid crush.
"Protect me?"
"I've been doing some research with Alina and Nina about the bond between you and him, the amplifiers… we believe this will weaken the bond between you enough for you to sleep peacefully. He will not enter your mind uninvited." he said, spitting out the words about the Darkling like he was a plague. But you were more interested in something quite different from his open dislike of the Black Heretic.
"Why? Why are you getting through all of it for me? It's not your war to fight. You have no interest in it."
"I have. Since I got you out of the Little Palace, you've been my investment. And I protect everything I invest in and what's worth my time. No matter what."
"You do realize I won't bring you any profit? Alina would be a better choice than me." you questioned his choice. Kaz turned to the window, as if looking for Inej, whose arrival would interrupt this uncomfortable conversation.
Unfortunately for him, the saints had no watch over him. And one of them was waiting for him to gather his thoughts and answer her question. He had to do this without betraying the emotions that had been bubbling up inside him since he had first seen her at one of the Dreg's raids. He was lost the second he saw her and completely fated to love her after their first conversation.
But she couldn't know it.
She couldn't know that his heart was gone with her and that it took him ages to find himself after she disappeared. He promised himself to keep her away from him. To make sure he wouldn't fall for her beauty, mind, eyes, smile, and laugh like he had done as a child. But the second he saw her again, he knew that his heart was hers. Hers to keep, hold, break, play.
But she couldn't know it.... At least not now. Not when he had just snatched her from the Darkling's grasp.
Not when he wasn't ready to love her the way she should be loved.
"That's for me to evaluate and for you to make sure I won't regret this. Besides, I only invest in one-of-a-kind. I don't need more narcissistic saints to go into my office like it was their own." he said after a long silence, without taking his eyes off the window.
He was afraid that his eyes would betray the truth hidden in his stupid heart. He was grateful to all above that she wasn't a heartrender and couldn't feel his treacherous heart beating madly every time he looked at her. He just had to make sure Nina didn't reveal his little secret. He didn't know that the woman had been blackmailed into a similar case by the moon summoner.
"So I'm pretty lucky. I would die if I had to sleep on those inconvenient motel beds."
"Considering how much sleep you actually get, you're unlikely to notice a difference." you gasped, feigning indignation at the mischievous, amused tone of his voice.
"You're a cruel bastard, Kaz Brekker." he finally turned to you with a small smirk on his face. You giggled, only widening his smile.
"Go and check your ring. I hope you won't be threatened by any ugly faces."
"Yes, boss." you saluted, walking towards the door. You opened it and were about to leave when an idea popped into your head. You leaned against the door frame, looking at the man taking his place at the desk. "Kazzie?" you asked sweetly, biting your lip to keep from laughing too soon. The Bastard of the Barrel gave you a questioning look, fearing the familiar tone of your voice and the question coming. "As your fiancée, am I going to get half of your club?"
"Over my dead, cold body." he replied without a second of hesitation, perfectly prepared for such a provocation from your side.
"You know, you need to work on sharing if you plan to be husband material in the future. I feel sorry for your future spouse, unless it'll be your job."
"Go to sleep before I put you in bed myself."
"You should know better than to scare me with a good time, sweetheart!" you shouted back, leaving and pushing your way through the crowd of a few shocked Dregs who had probably heard the part about the fiancée and whom Kaz called to his office as soon as he saw them.
And as soon as he is done with them, Kaz will rip your legs out of your pretty ass. Even Alina and Nina will not be able to help you.
~•♤♤♤•~
The ring worked great. From that night on, you slept like a baby every day. The Darkling's face appeared only occasionally in your nightmares (both bloody ones and… more pleasant ones). But it wasn't REALLY him. Just a messed-up version of your sick imagination.
In the meantime, you trained with Alina and Nina (the woman needed the presence of other Grishas in Brekker's gang; besides, she was an amazing friend, and she also made wonderful waffles); you developed your powers; and you two gossiped with Genya, as she changed your looks every week so that no one would accidentally recognize you (by the way, you learned that David was heading this way to reunite with the love of his life).
You became close to Jes (you had the honor of being trained with HIS PISTOLS) and Inej, whose comforting company was invaluable (as well as the rooftop stealth lessons. Kaz cursed her after the first time you scared him by climbing through his office window and giving you a barrier. Of course you had your mind, and you didn't listen to him. Your unexpected visits to his office only became more frequent.)
So you could say that everything was on its way back to normality.
But it wasn't. Because one fine day, when the crows, Kaz, you, Alina, and Genya were eating breakfast at his club, someone showed up at your door.
Someone you didn't want to see more than the Darkling himself.
"What the fuck is she doing here, if I may culturally ask?" Alina gave you an apologetic look as Baghra walked casually into the crows' kitchen like she belonged here. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Kaz taking any sharp metal objects from the table that you might have used to attack the woman.
You and Baghra had a rough relationship. Due to the fact that you and Aleksander were something, the woman did not look at you very favorably. You had no intention of fawning over a woman who wanted to kill her own son, either. Maybe your feelings for the Darkling were... unclear, but you wouldn't wish anyone, not even your worst enemy, a mother who was willing to stand against her own child, to spurn him instead of doing... anything to help him out of his darkness. It was not in line with your moral views. But no one here seemed to care since they invited the mother of Satan to your table.
"It's nice to see you too, Y/N."
"I don't even have enough respect for you to lie to you and admit that seeing you didn't ruin my day. I will ask one last time..." you got up from the table, shielding Kaz and the crows as you summoned your power. "What are you doing here?"
"My son is looking for you all over the world, do you think I won't try to get to you first before he does?"
"Oh, you've already shown how much you care about outdoing Kirigan in reaching us. I'm asking you, what do you want from us?"
"I came here for you. Because of you, child." you stiffened slightly, wondering what else the old woman had to say. But you would die before admitting that Baghra's help would be invaluable to your little band of rebels. Your pride was both your greatest strength and weakness.
"Well, excuse me, but I have more important things to do than listen to some old lady's ravings. I haven't finished my breakfast yet, and I'm far too sober for another conversation about how everyone wants to use me as a weapon."
"Every day I'm less surprised by how you ended up with my son. You two are a perfect match for each other." she snapped, annoyed at your indifferent attitude.
"I'd suggest you get to the point. You were the one who wanted to meet with us. As our moon summoner mentioned, we don't have to listen to you. And trust me, I have absolutely no intention of stopping her when she wants to kick you out of my club." Kaz stood next to you, measuring the woman with a watchful gaze.
You were proud that he believed in your and Alina's powers and wasn't afraid to provoke the shadow summoner in your presence. You cast a fleeting glance at him, watching as Baghra gave him an appraising look.
"Mr. Breaker. It would be better for you and your club if work with the summoners of the sun and moon ended in Ravka. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"I never make ill-considered decisions, and certainly not out of fear." he replied with his poker, business face.
"This is only a trait of the greatest winners or greatest losers."
"You don't have to worry about him. Mr. Brekker is always on the winning team." you answered for him, having had enough of this woman. Unfortunately, it looked like she wouldn't be leaving you so soon.
"Turn that light out, girl, before the Grishas swarm here. I won't hurt your boyfriend and his friends." you frowned as you heard Jes coughing in the background, trying not to laugh. With a wave of your hand, the white light around you vanished. You watched in displeasure as a smirk began to form on Baghra's lips.
"He is/I am not my/her boyfriend." together with Kaz, you both uttered these words as Baghra pushed past you. This caused you to turn to one another and exchange equally awkward, perplexed looks.
"Whatever, just get your lovebird butts over here." she murmured as she unfolded the map on the table and took a few items out of her bag. You snorted at seeing a small wooden statue of Aleksander.
It was going to be a long and tiring morning.
~•♤♤♤•~
"We have to hurry before your boy gets here. Good thing he is walking with the cane, at least it keeps him from sneaking up on us." Baghra growled at you. She'd only been here a week, and she'd already ruled everyone. You were no longer surprised at where Aleksander inherited his incredible self-confidence and arrogance.
"For the love of God, I'm telling you for the last time, KAZ IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND. Besides, if I were you, I wouldn't underestimate him. You could actually learn from him. You'll need a cane soon, too."
"Can you two just stop arguing for once and focus on the task at hand?" the sun summoner lingered, following you to the basement of the Crow Club.
"I'm sorry, Alina, that I'd rather banter with that witch than figure out how to seduce her son, lull his guard down, pluck the antlers of a wonderful steg out of his hand, and break the link between us once and for all."
"Start by undoing a few buttons on your blouse and letting your hair down; that should be enough for him to lose his mind." she advised you, making you and Alina shudder, both equally abashed.
"Seriously?" you asked mockingly, giving her a disgusted look. Nevertheless, you followed the woman's suggestion. "What is the next step? Shall I wear some nice underwear?"
"Not necessarily, but it would be nice to take off that ring. I doubt Aleksander would appreciate that someone other than himself gave you such gaudy jewelry." you snorted, taking off the only thing keeping the Darkling from crossing the walls of your mind.
You bypassed Baghra's outstretched hand and handed the ring to Alina. The older woman snorted indignantly at what you stuck your tongue out at. She didn't expect you to trust her with anything, even something as small as Kaz's ring, right?
"Done. What's next?"
"You need to make a connection. Every time he thinks of you or you think of him, you seek each other out and make a link. Imagine his face, voice, and silhouette; recall some memory associated with him; do anything to have him in front of your eyes. It should work and take you to where he is now. Just like when you two were getting into each other's dreams before Mr. Brekker gave you this ring."
"I did not seek him of my own free will. It just happened." you defended yourself, not wanting anyone to think you were looking for the Darkling like a lost puppy.
"You know him. He will continue to invade your thoughts and your life to convince you of the error of your ways and choices. This ring can work now, but what happens when you two get stronger in the future? It will stop working. You will be condemned to endure his pervasive presence. In the morning, afternoon, nights, and midnights. He won't let you go. Never. You cannot extract the stag from your own body. So you must find a way to block him permanently. Not by some magic ring."
You sighed, realizing she was right. You will be free of him only when any bond between you is gone. The only thing you were afraid of was that it existed between you and the Darkling long before you killed the stag...
Darkness and its light. Moon and shadow. Destined to be together. United at the end of the day.
"And what if I fail and he chokes me, stabs me, or just uses the cut on me?"
"We will observe the energy around you. If we see too many shadows or your light, we'll pull you out."
"All right. Let's get this over with." you sat down, leaning against the wall of the Crow Club basement, praying to all of Inej's mighty saints that your plan would work.
You closed your eyes, remembering the moment before your big performance at the winter fete.
You had to pretend that you didn't know Kaz, and then you had no idea what he was doing here wearing one of the soldiers uniforms. He promised to explain everything to you, but then Aleksander came.
"I'll take her from here." he said to Kaz, letting him know that he was no longer needed.
But he has not left you. Aleksander ignored him, examining your kefta carefully. It was beautiful. Genya decorated it with silver threads and embroidered stars and moons in different phases. However, the fact that probably delighted him the most was its black (but actually dark navy blue) color. But he didn't care about the true color of your kefta as long as it looked black to any other observer.
A clear signal that you were his moon.
"I have something for you." he whispered as he leaned closer to you so that your noses were practically touching. He pulled something shiny out of his sleeve. He held the silver chain up to your eye level so you could see the pendant. Moon with a star. You shifted your gaze from the shiny object to those mesmerizing black eyes staring at you in pure adoration. "I know you're practically festooned with these symbols, but I wanted you to know..." he interrupted, brushing your hair over one shoulder so he could place the necklace over your neck. He planted a quick, tender kiss on your nape as he clicked the silver jewelry. "That you're not just a Saint Y/N, summoner of the moon. You're mine moonlight in the worst darkness of mine. My hope and peace. The only light I let through my shadows."
You grabbed the pendant, noticing your initials carved into the back of the moon.
"It's beautiful." you turned in his arms to whisper in his ear, making him shiver as you kissed his earlobe. "Aleksander..."
~•♤♤♤•~
You opened your eyes.
A dim light illuminated Kirigan's war room.
You did it. Now all you had to do was seduce him. Piece of cake.
You let yourself watch him flick through some papers, wrinkling his nose and occasionally running a hand through his hair. The exact same one with the stag antler still stuck in it. You shook your head, remembering your task. You had to outsmart him. And in such a wise way that it didn't cross his mind that you might have bad intentions towards him.
"Aleksander." you whispered as you stepped out of the shadows. The man either really didn't notice you or he was a brilliant actor, judging by the pure shock that painted his face the moment he turned to meet your gaze. "You seem surprised to see me."
"I am." his mask of indifference and self-confidence quickly fell back into place. "But perhaps I shouldn't be. I should have known you'd prove to be an apt pupil. Not many can learn that trick." he placed the papers on the desk and leaned against it. "But after our last meeting, I had the impression that you didn't want to see me again. What changed your mind to seek me out?"
"I hate to say this, but I realized you were right."
"How so?" he began to watch you with interest, too curious to know what you were going to say to repay you for stabbing him last time. The fact that he didn't pounce on you with his shadows the moment he saw you gave you an odd sense of confidence. Maybe you could have made it.
"I was meant for more. And you were the first person to see me as I truly am. First to help me realize what I'm meant for. First to tech me how to use my power and how to see it as something more incredible than terrifying. First to see, I was more than a scared little girl. That I was powerful Grisha and I can do anything I want." with every word you said and every step you took towards him, you could see his mask crack open, revealing his true emotions. However, there was still a shadow of uncertainty and suspicion in his eyes. You had to remove it if you wanted to win this battle.
"Was I? And what about Alina? Or your helpful friends that take you away from Little Palace?" you hoped you didn't show that his words affected you. You were afraid that somehow he might have discovered a little help from Kaz and his crows.
"They… they don't understand the power growing within me. I thought that Alina might share my feelings, but … it seems to me that we understand our possibilities completely differently when it comes to our powers. And my friends… I think they're more afraid of what I can do than admire it as… as you did."
"That's not their fault. I did try to warn you. Tried to explain that with so much power that flows in our veins, usually comes fear from the side of our loved ones."
"I know. I think I'm starting to finally understand that now." you took one slow step towards him, feeling his watchful gaze on you. "There are no others like us, and they never will be. We are connected by our powers. Alina can live without us, but you and me… you and me are destined to work together and to stand by our sides. There is no darkness without light, but it's the moon that brings it into the night and that lives among the shadows, working with them… Like calls to like, right, Aleksander?"
In his eyes, you could see how much he wanted to believe you, how much he wanted the words you said to be true... but you knew that Aleksander lived too long to believe only empty words. He needed conclusive proof that you were on his side and that you were only his moon. And you had to convince him somehow.
"As I delighted as I am that you found your way to me, what do you want?"
"That thing that binds us. I think you fear it more than you actually care to admit."
"I fear everything there is to fear; it makes me strong. I understand things about power that you've had years yet to learn, moonlight."
"Well, as you said, with a good teacher, I'm a very apt pupil. But I think we both know… that it's not all about power, though, is it?" you walked the distance between you two and stood chest-to-chest with him. "What about the other bond we share? That one I was avoiding for too long." you slowly cup his cheek, making him close his eyes at the touch of your soft skin. You tenderly stroked one of his black scars on his cheek, which made the Black Heretic sighe in relief. "I want you, Aleksander." he opened his eyes, looking at you in disbelief when he tried to seek any sight of lies on your face. "And being in your presence terrifies me as much as making me feel… like I finally belonged somewhere. Like I was made by saints to be next to you. It felt... right in some crazy way."
"Love is for madmen, Y/N. And I've already told you…" you shivered as his cold fingertips touched the hot skin of your neck. His fingers went to the silver necklace—your only sin against your friends. He took the pendant in his hands and kissed it, not taking his eyes off yours. "You're my moonlight. Nothing has changed, and I doubt it ever will... for both of us."
You pulled him by the hair to connect your lips in a long-awaited kiss, too annoyed with how long you had to work him out. (Or too scared that his words are true.) You moaned as he bit your lips, and in one sweeping motion, he scooped you up off the floor and sat you on his desk.
He pulled away from you, dropping his kefta on the floor, and went back to kissing you as if you were the only one that mattered in this world. But the next amplifier's whereabouts map you laid on as he kissed your soul out of you was a glaring reminder that you could never have truly had him.
You would never be his first choice.
"Forgive me for stabbing you, then." you whispered into his mouth as you broke apart for a moment to catch your breath. He pressed into you more fervently than before, caressing your waist tenderly.
"I will have kissed these tempting, sweet lips, even if it means I'll get stabbed by you, every time I do it."
That was good to know, you thought, throwing your arms around his shoulders and slowly pulling out the dagger from your sleeve as he continued to kiss you greedily, like he wanted to sate himself with you while he still had you in his arms.
"Your words, not mine." you murmured, catching his mouth with yours while driving the dagger into his hand. He snarled, breaking away from you and trying in vain to yank the metal out of your hand. You tried to pry the last stag's bone out of him.
But suddenly, just as you were about to do it, you find yourself back in the basement of the Crows Club.
You were breathing fast, frantically looking around the room. Kaz was kneeling a step away from you and watching you worriedly as you tried to calm down.
From the cane that was on your leg and his firm grip on your arm, you figured out pretty quickly why you suddenly came back. You yanked your arm from his hand in your anger, forgetting his phobia of touch and how much of an achievement it was for him to hold your arm.
"What the hell, Brekker?! I had him! I could end this right there! UGH! Why did you let him break our connection?!" you screamed in frustration, looking resentfully at Alina and Baghra.
"You nearly blew yourself out with your power, and they couldn't bring you back."
"I had it under control, Kaz!"
"Oh, really?" he asked mockingly, struggling to his feet with the help of his cane and walking over to you with equal anger painted in his eyes. "Because it didn't look good from my point of view. You could have blown up the whole club..."
"Of course you would only care about your stupid, fucking club! Forgive me, Dirtyhands. Next time I'm going to save the damn world from the Darkling, I'll pick up a place other than one of your fucking bases!" you yelled at him, pushing past a shocked Alina and Baghra.
"Y/N, come back here!" he shouted after you. The distinctive sound of his cane told you he was following you.
"I'm not your fucking property, Brekker! I can go anywhere I want!" you screamed, running as fast and far for him as you could, thanking everyone above that Brekker wasn't able to catch up with you. You needed a moment to yourself. And you only knew one place in all of Ketterdam where you could be truly alone.
~•♤♤♤•~
For a long time, you hated harbour. It was a reminder of your weakness—a reminder of a girl who got kidnapped by slave hunters. Then you met Aleksander and became one of the strongest Grisha. From then harbour was for you to remind you of the birth of Saint Y/N. Moon summoner. It was funny for you to see how easy it is to get on the ship and go anywhere you want. Be anyone you want. But you don't have this choice anymore. Not until your past stops chasing you whenever you close your eyes.
"I knew you'd be here." Kaz's voice below you made you shiver, but you didn't grace him with your gaze. "You'd be too merciful to me by choosing an easily accessible spot, wouldn't you?" he grumbled as he clambered next to you on the crates of goods. He sighed as he managed to climb up. He tossed his cane, catching it spectacularly and resting it against the crate beneath you. He leaned forward, staring out at the harbour with you, when the wind blew his hair, messing up his always perfectly styled hairdo.
"Nobody made you follow me around, Kazzle." you murmured, casting a fleeting glance at him, grinning mischievously at how tired he was of climbing crates. Someone here was in bad shape. Brekker must sit with these plans and papers for too long.
"I did." you turned your head to meet his piercing gaze. "I already told you. I take care of my investments."
"Maybe you're making a mistake."
"I'm never mistaken. I know when and how much to invest in something valuable."
"But what if I'm a lost cause? What if you're wrong this time? Why do you think I'm done with the Darkling? Me and him have so much in common... what if I become like him? Are you not afraid? That one day, in my naiveté, I'd decide Kirigan was worth a second chance and betray you? That one day I'll stop controlling my power and that I'll hurt you? How can you sit here so calmly and..."
"Because I know you better than myself. I may not believe in saints, but I believe in you, Y/N. I will always believe in you."
You swallowed, looking down in embarrassment. You didn't deserve this.
"I get caught up in it sometimes. That I return with memories to the Little Palace. I wonder what I could have done differently to prevent all this. How could I reason with him, what could I do to dissuade him from his plans. How to behave, what to say out loud, and what to keep to yourself. And I'm furious with Baghra that, being his mother, she didn't fight for him to the end; she gave up before we could do ANYTHING for him together. And I curse myself every time I feel guilty, knowing that I left him utterly alone. So tell me, Kaz, knowing now all these doubts growing within me, do you still believe in me?"
The killing silence told you everything you wanted to know.
"Come on. Go right ahead, Kazzie. Call me a fool, an idiot who wants to believe that everyone deserves someone close, someone they can trust. Who stupidly believes in giving people a second chance." you said, afraid to look up to see the revulsion in the eyes of the only person you could always count on.
Kaz said your name, but you ignored him completely, feeling tears slowly welling up in your eyes. Suddenly you felt the cold steel crow's head of his cane under your chin. Brekker forced you to look into his eyes. And you thanked all the saints for the tenderness that was still present in them.
"You know, I don't think that about you. You are a Grisha. The moon summoner. The only beacon of hope in the darkness. I think that in your job description lies faith even in the most deprived, lost, and broken souls."
"I didn't know that poetic side of you, Brekker."
"I've changed since the last time you saw me."
"Really?" you asked, nodding at his gloves and cane. He caught your eye, gripping the crow's head tighter. "Hey. You have every right to do that, Kaz, okay? I was kidding, and I didn't know it was still a sensitive subject. I'm sorry. Apart from that, I can name more. For example, you still have a stick in your ass when it comes to pranks. It was too easy to get on your nerves with Jes." you said, trying to make a joke to lighten the atmosphere.
"Looking now at you, it's better for humanity that you haven't become a saint. Saints, protect some wretch who would have asked you for help." you smiled at him, glad he understood your intentions.
"Now, I feel hurt, Kazzie. Wouldn't you pray to me if they hung my holy image up here somewhere?" you asked, offended, putting your hand over your heart.
He knew he would spend hours, days, and weeks praying to her, only to see her face again and hear the voice of the Saint of his heart...
"No. No saint has ever watched over me. It wouldn't make sense to pray to you either. Especially since I knew you personally before you became a mighty Grisha."
"Well, I'm no saint yet, but since I'm your newest investment, I guess that means I'm supposed to serve you in some way. And since I'm not going to be your errand dog or spy crow, I guess a good compromise would be if I became your bodyguard. Then you can't say that there's no saint watching over you."
"I don't need a guardian angel."
"It's good then that I'm far from being an angel." you stared at each other, the wind blowing your hair, as you enjoyed the understanding between you and the unspoken acknowledgment of your closeness.
Kaz Brekker could not have a weakness. This city would use it against him very quickly. But he felt that perhaps his weakness could be powerful enough to be his greatest asset instead of his darkest burden. Maybe he didn't have to worry about her that much.
"Ketterdam was boring without you. It was also harder to work without your… skills." he said uncertainly, averting his gaze from your piercing, mesmerizing eyes.
"Is that your way to tell me you missed me?" you were teasing him and pushing his cane. He almost fell over when you broke his only support. You almost couldn't prevent yourself from laughing.
"We could have gained much more kruge if you had been here."
"I didn't want to leave." you whispered, involuntarily remembering the day they kidnapped you.
"I know." he leaned towards you, forcing you to look into his eyes. "You don't have to worry about them. I made sure they were six feet deep underground before you even set foot in Ketterdam." your heart warmed at the thought that he was chasing them for you.
He made sure you were 100% safe and comfortable before he brought you back home. Home. You didn't think you'd find him among the crows, thieves, and the Dreg Club. You didn't think you'd feel this way about him—one of the men whose lifestyle was far from normal and safe.
"You're getting soft in your old age, Brekker." you replied with a half smile, holding back unwanted tears. You weren't that weak girl anymore. You were Grisha. And thanks to the man sitting next to you, you were (almost) free. You grabbed his cane, right next to the crow's head, where Kaz's hands were. His gaze flicked to where your hands were so close together. He turned his head to meet your watery eyes. "Thank you, Kaz. For everything. It means a lot to me. Even if it was foolish to break into the Darkling's palace and kidnap us like sacks of potatoes."
"It was the perfect plan! Nobody noticed us." he was indignant, immediately defending his action.
"Yeah, but what I and Alina get hit with every time Jesper and you steer that wooden cart over rocks is ours. You could really choose a path that wasn't made of stones."
"Next time, it's up to you to make a plan to escape the 500-year-old shadow summoner. We'll see how you do." he snorted, offended, but didn't move an inch. Contrary. His hand moved closer to yours, wrapping precariously around yours on his cane.
"Less than a week back in Ketterdam, and you're already letting me into your plans? Aww, I love you too, Kazzie."
He would give all the kruge of this world to hear those words from you for the rest of his life... and it surprised him that he wasn't afraid to admit it to himself at all.
"And I almost forgot how annoying you can be."
"Don't worry. I have all the time in the world to shrink your inflated ego and remind you of that, boss." Kaz held his breath. He stared at you searchingly, trying to find in your face the answer to whatever question he was asking in his head. You unknowingly scooted closer to each other so that your shoulders rested against each other.
You were much closer to each other before. Kaz (on his good days) even felt comfortable hugging you for a while. After years apart, you thought it would take ages for him to get used to your presence again and the brief touch without going underwater with Jordi.
But you were here. Holding hands, leaning against each other, and staring into each other's eyes.
You shivered as you felt his breath against your cheek when he leaned a little closer to you, testing his border.
"You're shining." he whispered softly, hypnotized, afraid to break the silence between you.
"What?"
"Your eyes are shining." his trembling hand took your cheek as you were watching him speechless. Even in your wildest dreams, you wouldn't suppose he would hold you like that. He truly changed. He beat Pekka, and now the King of Ketterdam was fighting with his demons. You were so proud of him and also sad that you weren't with him at the beginning of his road to healing. "And the light is coming out of your skin. You're shining like a star for lost souls."
"You're not lost... not anymore." you whispered, your voice trembling, fully understanding what he had left unsaid.
"I was. But now the moonlight is lighting up Ketterdam's darkness again."
"Kaz... I..." you held your breath, staring at him in anticipation. You didn't know what for. All you knew was that taking your eyes off him for even a second was an unforgivable crime.
Your noses were almost touching, your lips were the closest you've known each other. And Kaz was as calm as if he'd never had a haphephobia. As if the situation with Jordi never happened. You were afraid his waters would finally rise, interrupting your moment, but as soon as your foreheads touched, all the logical thoughts in your head went to hell. It was just you and him.
And you would still enjoy that closeness if the sound of breaking glass and Jesper's curses hadn't driven you apart.
"Here you are! How the hell did you get in there?! Get down! We're leaving in half an hour!" Jesper shouted to you from below and disappeared as quickly as he appeared. You cleared your throat, realized what Jes said after a long moment.
"We are leaving?" you asked, surprised. Bastard didn't say a word about going anywhere.
"Yes. I'll explain everything to you on the ship." he gave you a brush-off as he began his downward journey.
"On the ship? Kaz, what have you planned?!" you shouted angry as you followed him.
~•♤♤♤•~
"This is the dumbest plan ever made, and believe me, I've been to more than one of his idiotic ideas." you said, pointing at the offended Kaz.
Your great friends (and Baghra) have decided to sneak into the Darkling's palace, steal his maps and war plans, and set the Little Palace on fire.
You started to doubt their good sanity... or sobriety.
"Sooner or later, we have to sneak in there. Aleksander has stolen from me all the books and records of our ancestors; he is in possession of immense power, and we can not allow him to make use of it." you clenched your fists, almost ready to pounce on the woman for revealing the Darkling's true name.
"Who is Aleksander?" you ignored Kaz's question, nervously twirling the ring he gave you on your finger.
"Was he able to steal something from YOU? And you let him do it? How surprised I am."
"What are you implying?"
"I implying that we are in some huge coach driven by your men, leaving Ketterdam on your initiative and entering the lion's mouth because you said so. In my place, you'd be suspicious too."
"The odds of me betraying you are as high as the odds that you will."
"And why is that?" you hissed, furious at how easily she got on your nerves.
"Aleksander has a knack for manipulating people. A few sweet words, and even your boyfriend won't be able to count on your devotion anymore."
"Watch your mouth. I'm not her boyfriend." Kaz growled, tensing up next to you, thereby stopping your quarrel. Baghra shrugged, continuing her quiet conversation with Alina. In your mind, you were planning the old lady's slow death until someone's hand grabbed yours in a strong grip.
You turned your head towards Kaz. He stared blankly out the window, completely ignoring your gaze. Instead, he started drawing circles on your palm, trying to calm you down somehow. You turned your head in the opposite direction, smiling to yourself at the tender gesture. Unbeknownst to you, Kaz had the same smirk as yours on his face.
The rest of the trip to the city was uneventful. As planned, Alina and you stayed in Baghra's secret stash while the rest went off to play heroes. Your job was to distract the Darkling, and Alina was supposed to watch over you.
You'd agree to their plan if your role wasn't just to stand by while others risked their lives trying to get the information you all needed.
But you decided not to argue with the others about it this time. After all, they couldn't control you once you got into the palace. You might as well have snooped around, looked for what you needed, and done most of the work for them. Closing your eyes and getting ready to connect with the Darkling, you only hoped that your little disobedience would go unnoticed.
~•♤♤♤•~
You just finished searching Kirigan's study, war room, and bedroom. You were on your way to the last room - the library, when you bumped into the one person you wanted to avoid.
You were paralysed as soon as you saw him walking down the hall. You hoped he wouldn't look in your direction, but the general (alert as always) glanced at you briefly before disappearing from your view. You had the faintest hope that he would think you were a vision, but all of it vanished when you felt a hand gently wrap around your neck and pin you against the wall.
"You either have too much free time or you enjoy haunting me at random times, little moon." you didn't answer, too scared that the moment he touched you, all your power took on a life of its own, merging with his shadows, as it usually does when your skins meet for the first time after a long separation. You were defenceless. Kirigan frowned, watching you with growing interest. "Speechless? Not any irritating responses? Do you fear me, Y/N?" his taunts brought you to your senses, forcing you to calm down immediately. You couldn't wait for Alina to be rescued. You had to fight him yourself.
"That's what you want, isn't it? To have everyone and everything under control, too scared to say or do anything against you."
"Fear is a powerful ally and also loyal."
"Not as loyal and lasting as love, trust, respect." you tried to break free from his grip, but all attempts to remove his hand from your neck proved futile. You were lucky that instead of tightening the grip and cutting off your air, he just wrapped his other arm around your waist, pulling you closer so that your faces were mere millimetres apart. "We could have had it, Aleksander. All of it. All you had to do was set me free and make me your equal."
"You'll come to feel it towards me someday. For now… even though I truly want to, I have no time for you, moonlight. Your friends are waiting for me. But don't get the wrong impression…" he leaned towards you, stroking your cheek tenderly as he whispered in your ear. "I will be back for you, my Y/N. Wherever you are hiding from me."
You shivered as he kissed your temple, making this terrifying promise to you. At some point, his shadows enveloped you completely and sent you back to the room where you and Alina were hiding.
And after one look at the sun summoner, you both knew what you had to do.
~•♤♤♤•~
You couldn't remember the last time you ran so fast in your entire life. It must have been back in your Ketterdam days, doing some little errands for the Dregs.
But this time, you weren't running to save your life. You ran to save Kaz Brekker's ass, who was the only one (not counting Inej, who was already hidden somewhere with Alina, waiting for you in harbour) who didn't return from his mission. As you expected, everything went to hell without you, and if you and Alina hadn't arrived, half of the crows (including Baghra) would have been captured by Aleksander's grishas. You wouldn't feel sorry for the old woman, but Alina insisted on saving her.
Jes, Wylan, Nina and Baghra searched other parts of the Little Palace, trying to burn everything in their path. You could still make it. If only Brekker hadn't gotten lost in the meantime. You knew you should go with him. You've always been a team player, and pairing you with Alina for this mission and leaving you behind was their worst idea.
You promised yourself that the next time you'd strap that risky idiot to your hip.
That's why you breathed a sigh of relief when you saw him at the end of the corridor. But instead of running up to him and yelling at him for his thoughtlessness, you hid in the shadows as he backed away slowly. Someone had to catch him. You caught his eye for a moment, glad he noticed you and started to head your way. Thanks to this, you could assassinate his attacker and try to escape from the palace.
Piece of cake. If he wasn't talking to a fucking Darkling.
"I know you kidnapped my moon summoner. Now you're going to tell me where you stashed her." you cursed internally, feeling yourself start to panic. You guys were officially screwed.
"We didn't take her. She fled on her own." you marvelled at how Kaz could still keep his composure with an angry Darkling a few feet in front of him. Sometimes you forget how mentally strong he was.
"I don't doubt in it… where is she? I won't ask you again."
"I don't know. I don't own her… but it's pretty clear she wasn't interested in being a captive anymore."
Aleksander got even angrier at the little insinuation that Kaz took better care of you, that he didn't treat you like an asset, unlike the general. You cursed Dirtyhands for wanting to mock and taunt the Darkling, even though you could see that he wasn't so confident around him.
"I heard about you. And your crows. It would be a shame if something happened to such a talented group." the Darkling summoned some of his shadows, causing Kaz to back away and reach for the light grenade that you and Wylan had prepared. "It's good for you that you have the decency to show signs of fear."
"I'm afraid of what I must."
"And yet you are not so defenceless." Kaz raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Don't make a fool of yourself, Mr. Brekker. I can feel my moon's power everywhere. Especially when it's imbedded so much into one small object."
You tensed, remembering that you had given Kaz the necklace before he left for the Little Palace. A necklace whose pendant you poured so much moonlight into that no shadows could surround him while wearing it or only holding it.
Defence against the Darkling. Specially prepared for situations like this. However, handing it to him, you hoped the two would never meet, growling at each other like two rabid dogs.
"Y/N must have strong feelings for you to give you some of her power. And you for her. Putting your people and yourself at risk, your profit, your club. In the name of what, Mr. Brekker?"
"If you did thorough research on me, you'd know that all of Ketterdam knows I don't need a reason to do things."
"You'll never fully appreciate what she really is. But that's alright. Because I do." Aleksander let Dirtyhands' insult pass over his ears, trying to annoy him that much, so he let his guard down. You knew very well that method, just like you knew that Kaz wasn't foolish to fall for it.
"You've right. I'll never use her as a weapon or treat her like a saint. That's not what she wants. You may understand her powers, but you have no idea who she really is. What's in her mind. What are her dreams and desires. All you care about is her power, which I don't give a damn if she has or not. You see her only as a moon summoner. Not Y/N. You don't know the woman she was before Grisha's thing. You will never know how amazing and indescribable she was before Ravka. This is part of her that only I was allowed to see. You can't change the fact that I know her better than you."
"You're forgetting one important fact. You are a child, and she is Grisha. Y/N may take years to forgive me… but I can wait. Take away my shadows, and I still have something you don't. Time. Meanwhile, you will grow old. Your hair will grey, but she will remain ageless. Like me. Not mention your little inconvenience. Do you think you'll be able to touch her for more than a few minutes before your body grows old? That you'll be able to give her the life she deserves? We both know that one day, maybe a year from now, maybe fifty, she will realise that she has only one equal. There are no others like us, and there never will be. Even you can't change that, Mr. Brekker." he gave him a hostile look, laughing mockingly as he noticed that Kaz continued to back up with each step the Darkling took towards him until he did not stand in front of your hiding place. "Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. Time will do it for me." he summoned more of his shadows, wanting to scare him with his power. You three knew very well that with your necklace around his neck, no cut would kill him."You should have stayed in Ketterdam, Mr. Brekker."
At this point, you both decided to step in. Kaz threw his grenade, and you summoned your power, blinding the two of them. You grabbed Kaz's arm, and you both ran (as fast as his leg would allow). You stopped only a few corridors and stairs further, at the crossroads where you were all supposed to meet. Along the way, you avoided several fires that the tidemakers were busy with.
"What are you doing here?!" he growled furiously at you as you finally stopped, only making you more angry at his recklessness and attitude. He attacked and insulted the most powerful grisha. An 18-year-old with a cane and no powers.
"What am I doing here?! You tell me, what are you doing! You made him mad for no reason! You think now that he knows your identities, he'll let you go so easily? He will hunt you as long as he lives, just like me and Alina! Congratulations, Brekker!"
"I knew the risk." he replied angrily, looking around all four corridors.
"No, you didn't. You'd know a flimsy toy like that one, fucking grenade wouldn't be enough for him with all the amplifiers he's got."
"Well, I guess your little gift was strong enough to protect me. Which brings me to the question… why am I the only one blessed with this power from you?" he asked as he walked over to you, standing a few inches in front of you. You were both panting with quick anger, rage, and adrenaline, which was slowly draining from your systems.
"It's not your business, Brekker." you growled into his face and took a step, trying to avoid him, but his firm grip on your elbow stopped you.
You turned to face him, ready to yank your arm out of his grip and scream at him to fuck off, but all thoughts flew out of your head as soon as you looked into his mesmerising eyes, which were looking at you with concern and… love.
"It is my business." he leaned closer to you, just enough for you to feel his warmth and his scent, and far enough away not to touch you any more than he already did. "You... you're my most important business. And if something happens to you, if he catches you again..." he sighed, shaking his head, trying to find the right words as he licked his annoyed lips, unconsciously drawing your gaze to them and making you hold your breath for a moment, wanting something as forbidden and holy as kissing them. "I don't know how to... express my feelings. I don't know if I even understand them well enough. All I know is that I would rather die than see you enslaved and sorrowful... and it pains me to know that I'm too weak to protect you. That I'll always be too weak FOR YOU."
"You are literally everything but weak. In my eyes, you're the strongest person I know, Kaz. One of the very few to whom I would entrust my life in the blink of an eye."
"And yet I'm not enough for Grisha's love."
"How could you not be enough for something you already have?" Kaz's head snapped up as he watched you, befuddled in complete silence. You hesitantly reached for his hand, giving him enough time to pull away. He did not do. "And because I love you, I cannot be selfish with you. I cannot risk your life just because I have loved you since we were stupid teenagers." he squeezed your hand, too overwhelmed by his emotions to say anything. Fortunately, you understood him without any words.
Slowly, as if time had slowed down just for you two, he leaned towards you, resting his forehead against yours. You stood like that for a moment, enjoying the other's presence, forgetting that the palace was burning around you and probably 100 Grishas were chasing you.
"I will have you, Kaz Brekker. But only when it's safe for both of us." you promised him, whispering with your eyes still closed. "And for that to happen, I have to stay here. I have to make sure he doesn't go after you, that he will be distracted by me instead of planning your death.." you were about to extricate yourself from his grip, but the man only pulled you closer to him, not wanting to let you go.
"Please, don't. Stay with me. You're not a saint or a hero. You said it yourself. More than I could count."
"Kaz…" you took the ring off and put it on his little finger. "Keep it for me until I'm back. As a promise that whatever is going to happen next… I will be back for you." testing your luck, you placed a quick, tender kiss on his finger, feeling him tremble under your lips.
Before you got a chance to change your mind, you ran in the opposite direction, following the voice of the fighting Grishas.
You didn't turn around. You didn't steal a second glance at him, even though you knew he was watching you until you were out of sight. You knew the moment you looked into his eyes again, you'd change your mind.
You had to be strong.
For both of you. For your common future.
~•♤♤♤•~
When you regained consciousness, you weren't surprised that your hands had been handcuffed, so you couldn't use your powers. You were surprised to be greeted by the familiar sheets of Aleksander's comfortable bed.
And the Darkling himself was lying right next to you with his face towards you.
His eyes were closed, giving you a good look at the darker shadows under his eyes than before. Without knowing why, they disturbed you more than those lazily hovering around the bed. For a moment, you listened to his measured, calm breathing, which would probably confuse anyone else and give the illusory belief that the man next to you is sleeping. But you knew him much better than to fall for such a simple trick.
"I know how you breathe when you're sleeping, Aleksander."
"Maybe I was trying to fall asleep."
"Wearing a kefta? Doubtful." he opened one eye, staring at you silently. You felt your heart start beating faster from the nerves. You had no idea why you were here. Or at least you didn't want to admit it to yourself, so you decided to play the fool. "Are the dungeons undergoing some kind of refurbishment, or are they so full that you haven't found another place for me?"
He stared at you silently, deep in thought. He took his time to answer, playing with the strands of your hair that had escaped your bun from an earlier fight.
"It didn't seem like the right place for you" he finally whispered, making you even more suspicious.
"And where is my right place? After I stabbed you in the back so many times? In your bed? In your arms? As a weapon for your use? Where do you see me, Aleksander?"
"By my side. I've always seen you by my side." he answered at once, without a trace of hesitation in his voice. His shadow circled the room, caressing you from time to time. You didn't know if he was planning to let your guard down or if he had completely lost his mind.
"I don't understand. You should be mad at me. Why don't you hate me? Why are you still looking at me like... like you really have feelings for me? This is another one of your games, right? You want me to go completely crazy this time, don't you?"
"No, my little saint moon." he whispered, undaunted by your anger, gently cupping your chin so you had to look him in the eye. "All I ever wanted was someone equal to me. Why should I get mad at you when all you're doing is trying to find your way to me?"
"I don't…"
"Then why did you let them catch you? Don't try to lie to me, Y/N. I was there. I saw with my own eyes how you backed away from running away at the last moment. Why?"
"You know why." you whispered in a shaky voice. You closed your eyes, trying to protect yourself from the Black Heretic's penetrating gaze and show him the tears beginning to form in your eyes. "I have a million reasons why I should give you up, why I should hate you more than anyone else, but the truth is… my heart wants what it wants. And I don't think I can resist this anymore." you couldn't control your tears, but from the tender touch of his hand as he wiped them from your cheek and the clank of the handcuffs opening, you figured they were necessary for him to believe you.
"You have no idea how long…"
"No." you cut him off before he could say anything more." I have one question for you. Answer it right, and I'll forget about the last few months. Answer it right, and I promise you that you will never have to be alone again, that I'll always be by your side, along with your shadows and everything else that you truly are. That I will accept my destiny as being your moon. I won't let anyone scare me away from you ever again. I just… I need you to be completely honest with me. This one time." you cursed yourself at how weak your voice sounded when he grabbed your hand, kissing tenderly the places where the handcuffs were marked. "You don't have to tell me your whole plan; I just want to know… are all of these lies, battles, wars, deaths… just to keep the Grishas safe? You have no other intention behind this than to give our people home, where they don't have to be afraid of people who hate us and our powers?"
"I swear to you, my little moonstone, there is no other reason. I'm not a maniac drunk on power, as everybody tells you. I just want our people to be safe; I want to give them a world where we can explore the abilities of our power without fear of getting killed for being extraordinary. I can only do this with you by my side. As my equal. As a person who thinks like me and can keep up with my plans. As my partner. As the only one I can trust."
"Good." you nodded, cupping his cheek as you pulled him closer to you, so your lips caught each other again.
And maybe it was naive to think he bought your story about being completely devoted to him; maybe it was just another one of his games; maybe this time he really believed your words. Or maybe he was tired of pretending you didn't feel that strange attraction every time you were together.
You did not know. And you didn't want to know.
You gave into that burning desire every time you were near him, explaining to yourself that you had to earn his trust.
But there was much more to this one kiss than just lust.
It was a promise to you.
You will break his heart and make him hate you. You will drive him mad, drive him away, and then he will cast you out. Aleksander will come to think of you not as his lover but as his greatest enemy. Alina, Baghra and you gonna end the circle of unnecessary deaths.
And then you will finally be free...
Or at least... you will kill you both while trying to hate him as you should from the beginning.
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phefics · 3 months
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𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞
𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: kaz brekker x reader 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: kaz struggles with touching peope, specifically skin-to-skin contact. he finds a way around his aversion to make you feel good. 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬: afab!reader, fem!reader, fingering, kaz's gloves, intimacy struggles, mentions of kaz's canon trauma, virgin!kaz, cumming untouched 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: ~1k
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Kaz can’t stand skin-to-skin contact. It was inconvenient, yes, a frustrating side effect of his complicated past, but he’s managed to find loopholes.
Like the gloves, for instance. They acted as both a safety net and a talking point, starting those delightful rumors of his hands being permanently stained with the blood of his enemies, when in reality, he would be incapacitated without the scraps of leather to protect him.
But it had never mattered much, before you.
Human touch, connection, was never something he craved. He appreciates Jesper’s friendship, but has never longed to embrace him. He is fully capable of recognizing an attractive person, acknowledging beauty where it was obvious, but he’s never felt an desire to act on the attraction.
Lust was never something he felt, before you.
He had tried to act on his urges, to be like any other man and touch you, but it had ended poorly. You had given him space as he let the water retreat, and he had been filled with self-loathing for his failure.
And so, he found another loophole. He was a thief, a conman, so of course he could come up with a plan for anything.
The cool leather of his gloves took some getting used to, at first. The same fingers that so easily picked locks and pockets turned clumsy and unsure when they ventured between your legs.
You sat on his desk, naked from the waist down and legs spread wide, while Kaz sat at his desk chair in front of you, still fully clothed. Well, he had undone the top few buttons of his shirt, but that was as close to nude as he could handle at that moment.
Being naked in front of you didn’t embarrass him. Before there was any romance, any attraction evident between you, Kaz had stripped in your presence without concern. It was the proximity though, the vulnerability, that made his clothes a necessary barrier.
One gloved hand rested on your thigh, a silent reminder to keep your legs open for him, while the other was searching for your clit, still unfamiliar and inexperienced with your anatomy.
“Can I guide your hand?” you asked, tone gentle.
He nodded, so you took his wrist softly, being sure to touch only over his sleeve, and helped him find that special spot, the rough texture of the leather a new and thrilling sensation as his thumb flicker softly over your clit, curious.
You whined, your head lolling back as he followed your lead, his touch taking on a new confidence.
Kaz chuckled quietly. “Is this really all it takes?” he asked, a smug look on his face. “I’ve barely done a thing.”
“It feels good,” you replied. “Your gloves...It's different."
"A good sort of different, I assume?" he asked.
You nodded, another moan leaving your lips as he continued to touch your clit with his thumb, deciding to try slipping a finger inside of your hole. You were wet enough to ensure that the leather didn't feel painful going inside.
Although he wasn’t the one being pleasured, Kaz couldn’t help the breathless noises that left him — seeing you so worked up because of him, because of his actions, it was a completely new feeling.
“Saints, Kaz, you’re doing so good,” you panted. “Making me feel so fucking good.”
Your words made him whimper, although he’d take that detail to the grave, his face flushed. It felt good for him, too, to please you. Although he hadn’t touched himself, or let you touch him, just the friction of his pants was almost too much for him to handle, having never experienced masturbation — sometimes, he would wake up with sticky sheets, irritated and embarrassed.
He had spent so long refusing to give in to those dreams, the little thoughts of sex and pleasure and bodies against each other, and you had set loose something within him, the primal desires he'd been forced to ignore due to all he'd been through.
His hips thrust into nothing, the head of his cock leaking as it rubbed against the seam of his pants. You were the only person receiving any stimulation, and yet, he seemed more spent than you. It was endearing, hot and adorable at the same time.
“Fuck, I’m close,” you breathed. “Can you go a little faster?”
Kaz nodded, using two fingers to pump in and out of your pussy, picking up the pace as you’d requested.
It didn’t take long for that sensation to build in your belly, your sounds of pleasure growing louder, more frequent. You came with a shout of his name, and although his cock had remained untouched, he followed you soon after.
His expression was completely shocked, having experienced his first ever orgasm, at least, while awake, and making a conscious effort to make it occur.
You giggled as you came down from your high, looking fondly at his flushed, surprised face. It was an unbelievable honor to see Kaz Brekker at his most vulnerable.
“Did you…?”
“Don’t,” he interrupted, his tone attempting to be stern, and completely failing as his voice shook and his mouth fought to curl into a smile.
And you just laughed again, catching a glimpse of his glove, slick with your cum. “I think you’ll be needing a new pair.”
Kaz looked down at his hands and laughed, too. "I suppose I will."
He didn't seem to mind.
It wasn’t a perfect, passionate night of sloppy kisses and skin slapping skin, but Kaz had made an effort to shed his armor for you, to face his fear of intimacy, and touch.
And that little loophole was just the beginning.
(maybe a part 2...?)
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writing-havoc · 1 year
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HEY! HOW ARE YOU? would you be willing to make a kaz brekker x reader? if possible a soulmate au? I'm obsessed with this trope! maybe name on the wrist or the one where with just a touch of skin you see the colors? I imagine one where r is not part of the dregs but is quite indifferent/receptive to the fact that kaz is the leader of a gang. r is a seamstress, using her skills to hide that she is a fabrikator, and she (can be gn if you want!) and kaz know they are soulmates, though they never talk about it. they can even be a 'thing' secretly, and it would be adorable if they were both childhood friends. maybe before the events of SoC kaz decided to make their relationship official (with a request for courtship alá brekker or even a marriage on paper) and after CK he is even more desperate for this, wanting to protect r at all costs. oh, it would be very interesting if r had a younger sister aged 8/9 who loves kaz and vice versa since she is very quiet and obedient and loves to listen to kaz's stories. even better if he secretly called her little crow. bonus if the girl's name is astra and she is also a hidden grisha, an inferni or another etherealki i would love to see this from your point of view and with her writing it would be amazing but feel free to decline if you don't want to. Did I already say that you write very well? well then know. YOU ARE INCREDIBLY TALENTED!!!!!!
Silent tears
♡ Summary: Before the events of the ice court, Kaz feels relatively content with his feelings and relationship with you. After? Not so much.
♡ Pairing: Kaz Brekker x fem!reader
♡ Fandom: Six of Crows, Grishaverse
♡ Warning(s): Mentions vomit a few times, Gun, Death, uses yn twice
♡ WC: 5.4k
Aaaa thank you sm for this request!! Loved all the little details I had to include. It was interesting writing for a reader that wasn't part of the dregs.
Thank you for your kind words <3
I made Astra a Squallor here. And it's up to your interpretation if the reader and Kaz are dating or otherwise before the ending.
As always, please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes
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The sound of a sewing machine filled the small shop. It was loud, punching the table he knows it's rested on and creating a rumbling in the floor.
Gowns and suits and vests filled the racks around the store, some on display on fake bodices. They wore outfits, tantalizing window shoppers to enter and run their fingers along the fabrics.
The velveteen looked high quality, mixed with some sort of spandex fabric around the waist to hug its wearer. Pearls and lace flow across shoulders and down the side of gowns, some even including embroidery.
As he moved along, suits and gowns turns into vests and petticoats. The walls were decorated with hats of various function, most made for looks and flare rather than functionality. Behind the desk even existed a rack of long coats and various sweaters, more than likely just to fill up space than to be sold.
The sound ceased, and he rung the bell at the desk.
"Coming!" Called a voice. He stopped himself from smoothing out his own coat, in turn adjusting his gloves.
Heavy footsteps presented him with your kind figure, heels unconsciously stomping against the wood floor compared to the concrete of the backroom.
You smiled at him, picking off little strings of thread the fell into your lap and stuffing them into a pouch at your side.
"I've just finished your order." He felt just as much as he seen you change from business to something more lax, shoulders drooping and the lines between your brows disappearing. "Gimme one moment to put everything in the box- oh, would you turn the sign around, please?"
"A bit all over the place, are we?" He turned around, hearing you release a big sigh.
"Just about, it seems."
The people walking outside turned to look at the store, smiles on their faces. It was mildly amusing to watch them fall as he turned the sign, giving him a glare as he continued to stare them down. He didn't turn until they left, everyone else's eyes only flashing to the window for a moment before diverting elsewhere the second the closed sign came into view.
Window shopping is pointless when the building is closed.
"You wanted... two suits, one the shade of coal and the other a light purple, a wine red gown, a mask, and a pair of gloves?"
He turned his attention back to you, holding a rather large, yet flat, wooden crate. The inside was filled with the colors you just mentioned, a pair of leather gloves on top acting as paperweights for his order.
You set the crate down for him to look through. He removes the paper, taking the gloves into his hands and holding them out to examine.
And admire.
You aren't a leatherworker. You're a seamstress. And yet, you make the finest pair of leather gloves he has ever seen. Sometimes he'll even catch little designs marked into the gloves, the integrity of the material somehow unfazed.
"Make the slits bigger. Just two millimeters." He hands them to you.
You raise a brow, knowing that you made everything to his usual specifications.
But you take them back, entertaining him. You look at the locked door, and then raise your hand over the gloves.
Grisha power isnt super fascinating to him anymore. When he was little he would beg you to demonstrate your power, handing you pieces of worn fabric to do as you pleased with.
He would watch the thin threads thickened and the material became warped around the edges. Jordie would stand next to him, watching you solely because Kaz dragged him over every single time. You would hold out the newly mended piece of cloth, and he and his brother would clap ans rejoice.
But he still likes to watch you work. To see as your mouth opens and your tongue folds over your canines as you focused.
You give them back to him, and he inspects them once more.
"These will do." He ends up saying, appreciation left for the darker hours in the night.
You roll your eyes and rustle around with the paper held underneath your arm, fingers quickly calculating the math of the order.
Usually he doesn't do a batch of this size while he's still figuring out a job, but the way he sees it there's no way he can't have just about everybody present. Which these days is incredibly rare.
A pin is taken from the cushion on your wrist, planting itself into the red gown. But as you take out two pieces of paper, writing probably a total and your name, he can't help but stare at the ink peeking out from beneath it.
He knows what it says, just as well as he knows the name on his own.
He's seen it once as you pulled up your sleeve during the summer, the fine etching displaying his name, his old name, clear as day before you hurriedly slipped the pin cushion back onto it. He looked away that day, pretending he didn't see.
It feels so much harder to pretend now.
"This is your total. And I will need your signature on both of them, Mr. Brekker."
Your smile is playful, then. As he takes the pen from your outstretched hand.
"As I've told you before, yn, Kaz is fine."
"Oh, but how could I be so informal, Mr. Brekker?" You put your hand on your chest, face twisted into a poor impression of someone who has just been scandalized. "We are business partners, after all."
And just like in those books you always read, he feels his eyes soften, if only a bit as his brows and jaw relax. "Business partners doesn't cover the surface."
You take the confession and relax with it, rubbing the center of your chest. "You're right."
He thinks back to a time when you were both little, each staring at your blank wrist with solemn eyes. He would look at you as you rubbed the soft skin, fingertips and dirty nails gently tracing lines into it.
He would sit next to you, shoulders knocking together, and you would look up at him, expression changing as you grabbed his wrist and squeezed it.
At the time, he would never say it, the thought turning his ears pink and quickening his adolescent heart, but he would hope that your wrists would match, displaying the others name. He would hope that one day that sad and far off face would cease to exist, and instead would be full of complete and utter joy as you looked at him and exclaim that you knew it. Because you wanted him, too.
But now that he knows, he still wouldn't say anything. You never said anything, and he wasn't in any position or state of mind to say anything to you when he eventually saw his, ash sticky and cold flesh tainting the memory, your scream as you watched him swim to the harbor on Jordie's corpse, and his own as you went to grab him.
It stays locked away, with the rest of the things that feel too hard to touch.
He signs a fake name on both of them, taking one and handing the other to you for your personal records, and then takes out the kruge and hands it to you.
"Is Dirix out back to handle these or do you want a bag for them?"
He sighs. "Dirix is down at the Harbour. A bag will have to do."
"Can I pick the bag?" A new voice calls from the backroom.
He holds back a smile, but fails to stop the corner of his lips from turning up temporarily. He averts his eyes to the doorway where a little girl peeks around the corner, a wide smile on her face as she looks right at him.
"Of course, Astra." You say, and immediately she scurried up to the counter to take a look at the load she has to find a bag for.
Your younger sister, Astra, was moved up here a few years after you were, your parents having passed from the flu and grandparents too old to take on the task of raising a six year old. Much less a six year old who could summon the wind at any time she wants.
Thankfully, you had started your seamstress business a year before that, and had this store with your living space up above to take her in with.
Business was always booming here, your talent for fabrics and all things fashion put on display and loved by the masses. You spent pretty much your entire life studying the trends that wormed their way here, even getting ahead of the train numerous times and working into the darkest hours to make your profit.
Now you can afford the more pricey fabrics, and get the attention of the richer folk over in the Geldstraat.
He helps, of course, with his dirty work.
"I know the perfect one." Astra scurries away.
You chuckle, hearing a small "wow!" and a flurry of footsteps. "She's going to pick the most obnoxious bag, I hope you know."
He takes a breath then, and looks down at the gloves still in his hand. "I wouldn't expect anything less from her."
There's a moment of silence, watching you from his peripheral as you stare at the gloves too.
"I didnt like the last pair." You admit. "So I made the design more low-key. The last one was too flashy for your aesthetic."
He's wearing those gloves now, and they aren't even flashy. The design is just slightly more pronounced.
The way you measure how flashy something is has a much smaller threshold than most. Even by his standards, it's very small, and he's far from the most colorful being in Ketterdam.
Astra comes back with, of course, a large bright pink fabric bag, twine tied in the shape of a flower tied around the handles.
"Good choice!" You praise, taking the clothes out of the crate and laying them neatly in the bag while she beams at him.
"Do you like the bag?"
And normally, he'd say something incredibly passive aggressive.
But he actually likes Astra, and knows how easy it is to stamp out a child's heart, that level of emotional regulation and individuality not yet found in them.
"Its wonderful, little crow."
"Alright, give this to him, like I showed you." You pushed her along, and she rounded the counter, holding the sides of the bag, leaving the handles free for him to grab.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't just a little moved by that.
Astra wasn't allowed to help you until a few months ago, when she basically got on her hands and knees and begged to be of some help. You claim that you didn't give in right away, but he knows you better than that.
You have told her that he doesn't like to be touched, and it was a little hard for such a touch reliant girl to wrap her mind around that. After a few close calls, she got the general idea down.
"Pleasure doing business with you." He tips his hat, and watches as her little cheeks become pink as she curtsies.
"Ill be making stew like my mom made if you want to stop by later." You suggest.
Astra grins from ear to ear. "But not too later, if you can help it. I want to hear another story."
"At this rate I won't have any stories left to tell you."
She thinks about that for a moment, lips pursing and looking around the room. "Oh!" She shouts, face lighting up. "Can you tell me that one story again? About you and my sister getting lost in the woods down south?"
He pretends to think about it, looking around the room as if in search for the memory. "I think I can do that. You and your sister might have to fill in on some of the details, though."
She grins, pride welling up in her chest that she puffs out, holding out her hand. "The deal is the deal."
He takes her hand into his, giving it a firm shake. "The deal is the deal."
Kaz takes a moment to look back up at you, and his heart nearly leaps out his chest when he sees the way you're looking at him, a small smile he doesn't think he's seen before and eyes filled with so /much/ that he's surprised your whole eye isn't black. Your head rests into your fingers, arm wrapped around your waist. It's an expression he's seen rarely, but it always seems to catch him off guard.
It looks a lot like yearning, he thinks.
But he puts it away for later.
When you catch that he's looking, you take a deep breath, schooling your expression and wiping off imaginary dust from your clothes.
"Alright Astra, Kaz has important business to attend to."
Astra pouts from beside him, but gives him her goodbyes and walks into the backroom again.
He straightens. It's oddly difficult to keep eye contact with you, but he does anyway, flicking between the both of them.
"If I have time, I'll stop by." He gives in.
You're happy with that. "Ill even add extra broth for you."
"Sweetening the offer I see."
You put your hands on your hips, shrugging. "A girl's got to do what she's got to do."
The implications of that are hefty, too hefty with a cane in one hand and a bright pink bag of clothes in the other.
So he ignores it, and nods, taking his leave out the front door and back to the Slat.
-----
He stares at the plan before him in his mind, going over each and every way this can and probably will go sideways.
Breaking into the most secure prison in probably the whole world with nothing more than the scrapings of a plan, one of the essential persons in a different prison, and your presense completely plaguing his mind.
The third one isn't exactly new, but he can't help but think about you when his survival rate went from low on the daily average to basically zero with one handshake.
But thirty million kruge...
Thirty million kruge could go a long way. That's four million for him, most of which he could put towards the crow club and expanding his empire, taking down Pekka, and securing his place as one of the top bosses in Ketterdam.
He could secure his place in the food chain, and maybe, maybe then he...
Maybe.
He entertains the thought of a marriage certificate. Having something that ties you and him together both eternally and in the eyes of everyone else. Being able to hold that slip of paper when he can't hold your hand and feeling like it matters.
It's hard to keep the thought away, now that he's alone with a glass of kvas and death staring him in the eyes.
He doesn't plan on dying soon. Not for a long time. He has vengeance to exact and many more dinners to join you for.
But it's a very real possibility, and he must debate with himself going to you and telling you all this before he leaves.
If it was any other job, Kaz would send Inej to tell you that he would be gone for a few days and to not expect him. If it was literally any other job, he wouldn't even consider getting up from his chair, marching down those stairs and up yours, and discussing the undiscussable to at least satisfy the gnawing in his stomach.
Because he knows that if you find out he died and he knew that he was basically guaranteed to do so and he didn't bother to tell you himself, you would never forgive him.
Granted, he would be dead, so in theory it doesn't matter.
He picks up his cane and gloves, shoving them over his hands and throwing on his long coat. He doesn't even have to look at the coat rack to find his hat, putting it on and making his way out of the Slat and to your address without a word to anyone else.
The theories mean nothing, in the face of reality.
You're making stew with extra broth, he might die in a few days, and he doesn't want you to think ill of him when he can't look you in the eye and try to convince you to feel otherwise.
As the cold bites his nose, he thinks back to that look you were giving him when he made that deal with your sister.
It's nearly enough to make him turn around, muscles tingling and a shiver rolling down his back that's unrelated to the cold. He feels sick. Warm and a feeling in his stomach he only feels late in the night in the comfort of his own bed.
He can't do this.
He picks the lock on your door.
He can't tell you.
He opens the door, locking it behind him.
He can't think of you like that.
He walks up the stairs, the smell of stew just barely reaching his senses as he enters the kitchen.
He can't.
You're sitting at the table, two empty bowls on the table and fabric thrown over your legs, threading them together. Your finger is bleeding, and he wants to wipe it away.
"You're late." You smile, eyelids heavy.
He takes off his hat, putting it on the hook you installed when he started coming over. "Or I'm just in time."
You laugh quietly, sticking the needle in the fabric and pulling it off your lap. "Just in time about sums it up."
He's a monster.
You turn your back to him and enter your room, draping the project on your desk.
The pot is still steaming, and his throat feels clogged.
"Ill be gone for a while."
You turn around, and he can't watch you anymore. He takes off his coat and drapes it over the chair.
"How long?" Your voice is soft, approaching him.
"Few weeks."
He's a coward.
You hum, setting down a bowl of stew with extra broth in front of him. "Thats a long time, even for you."
He clenched his jaw, heart pounding in his ears. The light catches the stew, making rainbows in the broth. Chunks of lamb, potatoes, pieces of ham, carrots, and greens he can't see dance in the soup as he stirs it.
"Bigger reward for the troubles." Is all he says.
The troubles, he thinks, that he can't get past the lump in his throat. The trouble that you of all people deserve to know.
He glances up at you, and he recognizes the look on your face all too well.
You're very aware of his gang affiliation.
He actually attempted to cut ties with you after he got associated with the Dregs. You threw a crate at him and called him mad for suggesting as such. He only risked to bring it up one other time, and you had yelled at him and about cried when he turned to leave, throwing a rock at his freshly poorly healed leg.
He swiveled around at glared at you, but you didn't flinch in the face of Dirtyhands. Just glared at him, told him you're not going anywhere, and then left /him/ before he could protest.
It took him a week to figure out that, despite you not wanting to cut ties with him, you didn't completely agree either. You didn't bother trying to convince him to leave, but you have on numerous occasions begged him to be careful, adorning this exhausted look.
You don't say a lot anymore, but the expression has stayed relatively the same, if a bit rounder on the edges.
"How bad?" You asked.
He abhors the way his heart squeezes, like it has a mind of its own while his brain yells at him to keep you out of it.
He wants to throw up.
How does he tell you there's a greater chance than not he'll die, now matter how much he wants to make it back to you?
How does he tell you you might never get to see him again? Or see Jesper or Inej?
He swallowed some broth, licking his lips.
"Pretty bad."
He's such a fucking coward.
"Ynnn." He hears a hoarse voice call. He looks up, seeing Astra stroll in and rest her chin on the kitchen table. "You didnt tell me Kaz finally came."
When he looks at you to see your response, its to his absolute horror that he catches you wiping your eyes, then pull your little sister to your side.
"You were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you."
"M'you should've."
You glance up at him, and smile against Astra's hair.
"You're right. I should've."
-----
'Damn it all,' he thought in a panic. 'Damn everything. Go find them.'
It was a dangerous, recurring thought that he had when he went anywhere near the Zelver District, whenever he had to go through the canals that run along its edge and connect to nearly every other canal.
Even now as he puts everything in place to send Kuwei off on a fake bodyboat. It only half surprises him that the sight doesn't make him all that uncomfortable. He's exhausted, lovesick, and has had the experience of several lifetimes within just a few weeks.
He wanted to send word to you to stay put during the alarms. But Pekka's crew strolled through your storefront not a few days ago, asking about your wares and probing for information. Inej had seen as such when she finally had the opportunity to check on you.
There was no guarantee that this plan would work. Pekka would have been dealt with regardless but the auction with Kuwei could have gone differently. No matter the confidence with which he laid out facts or with Wylan's newfound acting skills, there were too many variables that relied heavily on the actions of people outside his control.
It worked out, though. But now he has to worry about being unable to find you. It makes him nauseous. He actually feels his mouth begin to fill with saliva, but he keeps it down. Right now, he just has to get rid of Kuwei, and send off Colm, Nina, and Matthias to the boats that will take them to their respective countries.
A small part of his conscious nags at him. Of course he feels grief for his fallen Crow, incomparable to the grief Nina will have to face for the rest of her life.
But there's that much larger part of him that can't feel anything except the itching for your eyes on him.
Kaz makes a snarky comment about Kuwei's dead position, and leaves everyone to fill in the silence around him. There isn't much talking, aside from Jesper and his father, and then they're hugging and parting.
He hardly has it in him to stay while they leave, and eventually, before they even disappear from his eyesight, he's turning and marching up the Van Eck lawn towards the Zelver District.
He feels like he's going insane. Energy is surging through him like there's a heartrender pumping his system. When everything becomes familiar, that coffee shop you like with the Stroopwafel's coming into view, he can't help but break out into a run.
His leg feels like it may splinter.
But he's 4 million kruge richer, and he has something to ask you.
He's learned a lot, quite a bit of it against his will, since he left for Fjerda.
He will not let you become another life lesson.
Your door comes into view, and he nearly slams into it when his legs can't seem to stop and one of them is straining against his own body weight.
The lock picks nearly fell to the floor before he manages to unlock the store. He didn't even let the door close behind him before he rocketed up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
You were at the top, rifle in hand, pointing it at him with a fierceness in your eyes.
It all but crumbled when you seen who he was.
"Kaz?" You called, disbelief choking your words.
It takes a moment for him to catch his breath, most of his gasping done before he unlocked the door. But again, hes exhausted and lovesick, so air isnt really a luxury he seems to be able to afford. "The bruises don't make me that unrecognizable." He stands straighter, favoring his left leg.
You had half the mind to put the rifle on your kitchen table before you completely broke down in tears. Your arms hug your sides while your eyes boil over with tears and hot rage.
"You're such an asshole!" You yelled. "Getting put on the Stadwatch and the entire barrels shitlist? What the fuck kind of job did you take?"
He stepped forward, setting his cane next to your rifle and dropping into the chair next to you.
It still made his skin crawl. It still made his lungs burn with freezing cold water. It still made deadly blue hands grip at his legs and pull him under.
But he reached out, pulled you between his legs, and hugged your body to his, his cheek resting against your stomach.
You were warm. So very warm from working yourself up. And stiff. He could feel it under his arms as your thighs stuck together and the muscles surrounding your spine tightened into stone.
"Ka-Kaz?"
He ignored you in favor of ignoring his own body, tightening you into him as the waters punched his stomach and licked up his back.
You were warm, and as you relaxed, his face further sinking into your stomach, the water began to still. Still crushing against his organs, but not going any further.
Tears pushed on the back of his eyes. He squeezed them shut, taking in a shakey breath.
He was doing it. He was holding you, touching you, and it only made half his mind scream to be yanked away.
"I fought." He whispered. "I fought to come back." He swallows. "To you."
Tears thumped against the crown of his skull. He could hear your heart pounding despite its location.
"You left-" Your voice cut off in a squeak. Clearing your throat, he could feel, felt like a chore. "You left. And then you didn't come back. Your face was all over Ketterdam, and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't eat I couldn't sleep- I couldn't answer Astra's questions because I didn't know anything-"
"I was tricked." He gritted his teeth, loosening his grip on you just as you reached down and dragged your fingers over his shoulder, fixing a loose thread. "Deceived, and made a complete fool out of. I couldn't come back because they would have got you too."
Your fingers stopped. "Who did they get?"
A few tears leaked out the side of his eyes. The only tears, he decided, he was going to allow through. He was not a crier. And he had no intention of becoming one.
"Inej." You gasped, hand flying away from his head to cover your mouth, he would presume. "Which is why I couldn't get word to you. Why you had to remain in the dark."
He pulled back, looking up at your tear stained face. You wiped them away, sniffing up any snot that remained in your nose and cleared your throat.
For a while you didn't speak. You just stared at him. His hands had fallen to his knees, fingers barely touching your leg while your own held your elbows.
You were deep in thought. Occasionally a silent tear would work it's way down your cheek and tick against the floor. He remained still, watching as you worked your way through your thoughts.
Whatever you had to say, you were fighting for a better way to word it.
Eventually you reached out, swallowing as you searched for any indication he would retreat.
Instead he stared you head on, sweat building on brow. He was all touched out at the moment, but you wanted this. And he thinks it's the least you deserved after the complete emotional shipwreck he just put you through.
Your thumb brushed over his bruises, watching him wince when you accidentally pushed on them.
Scabs had begun to form over some of the wounds he refused to be healed. Two thin lines on his lips, one on his cheek, and one to his brow. You went over all of them, touching his lips last.
He thinks you meant to do that.
"If I had known this would be my fate when I saw my name on your wrist when we were children," you whispered, "I'd have slapped you stupid."
That makes his lips twitch. "And now?"
You swallow again, carefully brushing his hair away from his forehead so that your nails barely scratched the surface. "Now, I just want to look at you." You smiled, taking your hand back. "Somebody's already slapped you stupid for me."
"Believe me, there was no slapping."
The words make your smile disappear. He regrets saying them.
Somethings missing though, and he realizes it a lot later than he likes.
"Where's Astra?"
You smile, an airy breath escaping your nose. "She went down about half an hour before you stormed in here."
"You didn't send her off to your grandparents when the sirens went off?"
You scoffed. "And go where you couldn't find us?" You looked down, scuffing the floor with your sock covered feet. "You'd have lost your mind."
And that, you knowing him so intrinsically, is what he's going to use as an excuse for what he says next.
"Marry me."
It's so unlike him. He should have been less forward about it. Presented it to you like a business offer instead of demanding it of you.
Your head snaps up. Eyes wide as they stare at him.
"What?"
He scoots back, chair scraping across the floor as he stands.
"I do not present this to you lightly. After the events that have taken place, there will only be more people willing to tear me down. People who will want to use you to get to me."
The thought almost makes him want to back out. But if Kaz Brekker is anything, he is not someone who back tracks.
"It would be done in private. No one would know but the Dregs, or only the Crows, and your family. But if anybody does any digging and finds that certificate, you and Astra would be in danger."
You continue to stare, eyes still wide and mouth agape.
Sweat beads down his back, not helped by the long coat he neglected to take off. He also realizes that he's lost his hat somewhere on the way here, probably flown off in his rush to get here.
You close your mouth, clearing your throat. "I will marry you, Kaz, on one condition."
He shifts on his feet, leg still horribly sore. "That is?"
You cant help but smile. "I won't have to wear white."
And a giddy, childish sort of glee bubbles in his chest. There isn't anything, he thinks, that could have stopped the smile forming in his face, growing so wide as to show teeth. "You could wear the muckiest yellow the nation as to offer if you so wished."
Your nose scrunches, and one day he thinks he could kiss it.
"Astra will want to hear about your adventure." He could see your exhaustion from just thinking about that, your gaze averting once again to her door. "She'll be so excited to hear about your proposal too."
He follows your gaze, seeing the little drawing nailed to surface of her door.
One of them shows you and him with smiling faces, a little heart above your heads. You're holding hands, Kaz's gloves a distinct part of the portrait, with Astra above, clouds and a sun at the top of the page.
"Little crow will blow the entire building apart." He grimaces, thinking of a way to cover that up if the neighboring businesses hear it.
You sigh. "I have no idea what to do with her."
He turns back to you and leans forward, arms clasped behind his back as he presses his lips to your temple.
It didn't feel real, the way he could initiate touch despite his body screaming at him to stop. Your hair stuck to his lips as he pulled away, but it was worth it to see the way your face fell open, eyes boaring into his.
Silently, he tells you he'll get better. With time, a long time, he'll be able to hold your hand, kiss your lips, stand shoulder to shoulder and lay with you. He tells you that fleeting kisses and barriers will be a thing reserved for bad days only, and even on those bad days he'll still love you in other ways.
He thinks you understand.
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Tags:
@b3kk3r-by-br3kk3r @a-candle-maker
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mcntsee · 10 months
Text
I will always protect you.
Summary: One promise, and three times Kaz kept it.
Warnings: Mentions of child abuse, mentions of alcoholism, mention of alcoholic tendencies, underage drinking. Bruises, blood, stabbing, violence. Usual SOC stuff. And a little bit of ooc kaz.
Notes: Their ages go; first, 4 and 5, then, 13 and 14, after that, 15 and 16, and lastly 18 and 19. With Kaz being the oldest of the two. Also, I don’t know how little kids talk, so I tried to express their age more with actions.
THE PROMISE:
Kaz Brekker, a mischievous five-year-old boy with jet-black hair and sharp blue eyes, found himself running through the bustling streets of Lij. He was on his way to buy candy from his favorite stall when, by chance, he collided with a four-year-old girl. She had bright, curious eyes and a mischievous grin of her own.
"Oof! Sorry," Kaz muttered, rubbing his arm where he bumped into Y/N. The girl giggled and brushed herself off. "It's okay. Are you hurt?"
"Nah, I'm tough," Kaz replied, puffing out his chest. "What's your name?"
"I'm Y/N," she replied with a small curtsy. "What's yours?"
"Kaz," he answered, a sly smile forming on his lips. "You wanna come with me? I'm going to buy some candy." Y/N's eyes widened with excitement. "Yes, please! I love candy!"
Hand in hand, they ventured through the vibrant market, their laughter echoing through the air. They marveled at the colorful stalls, the fragrant spices, and the musicians playing lively tunes.
"Look, Y/N, that stall has lollipops!" Kaz pointed, pulling her toward a display of rainbow-colored sweets.
Y/N's eyes sparkled as she picked a blue lolly. "You think we can eat them all?" To the question, Kaz grinned mischievously. "Duh!"
They spent the day running from one stall to another, devouring candy and experiencing the wonders of Lij. They laughed, spun in circles, and created their own little adventures.
As the sun began to set, Kaz and Y/N found themselves sitting on a park bench, exhausted and with a tummy ache but happy.
"Y/N, I think you're my best friend," Kaz said, leaning against her shoulder. Y/N smiled warmly. "And you mine, Kaz. Forever."
After their delightful day in Lij, Kaz and Y/N couldn't bear the thought of being apart. They made a pact to meet at the same spot where they had bumped into each other every single day. And true to their word, they showed up without fail, ready for more adventures.
Their daily escapades were filled with laughter and endless games. They chased each other through the winding streets, played hide-and-seek among the market stalls, and invented new imaginary worlds where they were heroes saving the day.
Sometimes, Kaz would take Y/N to his family's farm on the outskirts of town. With excitement bubbling inside, Y/N met Kaz's older brother, Jordie, who always had a playful smirk on his face. And there was Kaz's father, a strong and kind man who welcomed Y/N with open arms.
Together, the duo explored the vast fields, chasing butterflies, and picking wildflowers. Kaz and Y/N would compete to see who could climb the tallest tree, giggling with delight at their friendly rivalry. They would visit the animals, feeding the chickens and petting the gentle horses.
As time passed, their bond grew stronger, and their adventures became even more extraordinary. They braved make-believe battles against fearsome dragons, crafted secret hideouts with blankets and pillows, and dreamed of grand expeditions to faraway lands.
One sunny afternoon, as Kaz and Y/N sat on their favorite park bench with nothing better to do, Kaz turned to her with a curious expression. "Y/N, can I come to your house today? I want to see where you live."
Y/N hesitated for a moment before shaking her head gently. "I'm sorry, Kaz. Maybe another time."
Kaz furrowed his brow, not entirely understanding why Y/N didn't want him to visit her home. "Awe, but why not?"
Y/N glanced down, her voice softening. "It's just- my da... he can be a little mean sometimes."
Kaz tilted his head, still not comprehending the depth of the situation. "What do you mean, mean? Like he doesn't let you have candy?"
Y/N's eyes filled with a mix of sadness and fear. "Sort of, yeah- it's hard to explain."
Kaz could sense Y/N's discomfort, and he didn't want to press her further if it made her uneasy. He reached out and squeezed her hand gently. "It's okay, maybe some other day?"
Y/N's expression softened, grateful for Kaz's understanding. She gave him a small smile and leaned against his shoulder. "Maybe."
Kaz smiled back, reassuring her with his presence. He knew that sometimes people had difficulties, and what mattered most was supporting each other through it all, even if Y/N's home remained a mystery to Kaz for the time being.
After a while of some more talking, y/n glanced at her old pocket watch, eye’s widening when she saw the time. “Uh oh. I need to go Kaz.” hurriedly, she stood up from her previous spot, putting her watch back in its place. While she ran as fast as her little legs could, she heard her name being called by Kaz “See you tomorrow?” Without stopping or looking back she yelled “Duh!” and just like that, she was out of Kaz’s sight.
The following day, Kaz waited in their usual meeting spot for hours, but Y/N never showed up. Feeling a mix of disappointment, he eventually headed home to find his older brother Jordie.
“Jordie, something’s wrong,” Kaz exclaimed as he entered the house. “Y/N didn’t come today. I think she doesn’t want to be friends anymore.”
Jordie chuckled softly, trying to ease Kaz’s concerns. “Come on, Kaz. Y/N wouldn’t just ditch you like that. Maybe she had something important to do.”
Kaz sighed, still uncertain. “But she always keeps her promises. I think it’s because I asked to go to her house. Maybe I pushed too much.”
Jordie’s expression shifted, a hint of unease crossing his face. “What did she say, Kaz? Why couldn’t you go to her house?”
Kaz shrugged, oblivious to Jordie’s uneasiness. “Y/N just said her da is not very nice sometimes.” Jordie’s eyes narrowed slightly, concern deepening. “She even mentioned he doesn’t let her have candy! Can you believe that?” Jordie listened attentively to Kaz’s concerns, his worry growing with each word. He understood the weight of Kaz’s words about Y/N’s father but decided not to mention it directly to Kaz, wanting to shield him from unnecessary distress.
“Kaz, I understand that you’re worried,” Jordie said with a reassuring smile. “But trust me, Y/N is still your best friend. Sometimes things come up, and she might have had something important to take care of. Don’t jump to conclusions just yet.”
Kaz nodded, albeit still a bit unconvinced. “I guess you’re right, Jordie. I just miss her, that’s all.” Jordie gave Kaz a kind smile and patted his back lovingly “Also, you’re not supposed to be eating candy either, mister.”
One day turned into three, and although Jordie kept his worries about Y/N’s situation to himself, he couldn’t shake off the unease. He watched Kaz’s hopeful eyes and felt a sense of responsibility to protect his little brother’s innocence.
Days after, as Kaz sat at their usual meeting spot, the weight of worry had settled upon him. But this time, his anticipation shifted into sheer surprise as Y/N appeared, offering an apologetic smile.
Kaz’s eyes widened as he saw Y/N approaching, and he jumped up with excitement. “Y/N! You’re here! I missed you so much! Where have you been?”
Y/N’s smile flickered, and she looked down sheepishly. “Sorry, Kaz. I had important stuff to do. But I’m done now and I brought you a lolly!”
Kaz’s joy quickly turned to concern as he noticed the bruises on Y/N’s face and body. He furrowed his brow and asked, “What happened? You fall down?”
Y/N’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. “I’m not really allowed to talk about it.”
Kaz’s protective instincts kicked in, and he thought for a moment. “Well, my da is really good at fixing things. Maybe he can help you. Would you like that?” Y/N hesitated but nodded.
Hand in hand, Kaz and Y/N made their way to Kaz’s farm, a sense of determination guiding Kaz’s steps. They arrived at the farm, and Kaz’s father greeted them warmly.
“Da, Y/N has some little cuts and bruises,” Kaz explained, concern evident in his voice. “Can you help?”
Kaz’s father knelt down, examining Y/N’s injuries with a gentle touch. “What happened?” he questioned hoping for an answer, sadly, he got the same response as Kaz. “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”
Once Kaz’s father finished cleaning up Y/N’s wounds, he sat down with a concerned expression on his face. “Honey, I understand that you can’t talk about it, but I want you to know that you’re safe here. No one will find out, and Kaz and I will keep this as our secret. Won’t we, Kaz?” The boy eagerly nodded.
Y/N hesitated, looking at Kaz’s dad with a mix of uncertainty and vulnerability. Slowly, she mustered the courage to speak. “My ma and da are both sick.”
Kaz’s dad nodded, encouraging her to continue. “Can you tell me more about it, Y/N?”
Y/N took a deep breath, her voice trembling. “Sometimes… sometimes they talk really weird, and they walk funny.” She paused for a second to look at Kaz’s confused face. “They sleep a lot too.”
Kaz’s dad’s face softened with understanding. “They’re alcoholics?”
Y/N looked puzzled, not fully comprehending the question being made. Kaz’s dad continued, trying his best to explain in a way that a young child could understand. “Sometimes, some people enjoy something that’s not good for them, like drinking too much alcohol. It can make them act differently and cause them to hurt themselves and others.”
Y/N’s eyes widened, realizing that Kaz’s dad understood the situation better than she expected. Encouraged by his empathy, she opened up a little more. “My da is really mean to me sometimes.”
Kaz’s dad’s expression turned solemn, and he pulled Y/N into a comforting hug. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Y/N. No one should ever be mean to you. You’re a kind and wonderful girl.”
Y/N fought back tears, feeling the warmth of Kaz’s dad’s embrace and the reassurance in his words. As he wiped away her tears, he gently asked, “Would you like to have a sleepover here tonight?”
At first, Y/N hesitated, worried about the potential consequences. “I should be on my way home before my dad gets angry at me.” she whispered.
Kaz’s dad gently took her hand and looked into her eyes with kindness. “You don’t have to worry about that here. I’ll talk to him, how’s that sound?”
Slowly, she nodded, finally letting herself accept the care and compassion offered to her. “Okay, I’ll stay.”
Kaz was thrilled to have Y/N stay for a sleepover, knowing they would get to spend more time together than ever before. He took her hand and led her up to his room, eager to show her all his new toys.
Hours passed as they laughed, played, and let their imaginations run wild. Kaz's room became a world of adventure, filled with shared stories and cherished moments.
But as the evening grew late, Kaz remembered he needed to say goodnight to his dad and Jordie. He quietly made his way downstairs, hoping to bid them farewell before returning to his room with Y/N. Just as he was about to reach the main living area, he overheard his father and Jordie having a conversation in hushed tones.
Curiosity got the better of him, and Kaz leaned closer, eavesdropping on their words. His heart sinking as he heard his da say, "Her father hits her."
Shock and anger coursed through Kaz's young veins. He couldn't fathom why someone would hurt Y/N, his dear friend. Without hesitation, he quickly said goodnight to his father and Jordie, a mix of determination and concern etched on his face.
Hurrying back to his room, he found Y/N, already lying down in her makeshift bed, waiting for him. He approached her gently, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. “I will always protect you, Y/n.”
FIRST TIME:
Recently, Kaz had suffered a broken leg, rendering him immobile and dependent on Y/N’s support. Determined to alleviate their hunger, Y/N made a solemn promise. “Don’t worry, Kaz. I’ll find us food. Your job is to rest and heal.”
With a sense of purpose, Y/N embarked on a risky endeavor to steal from those they deemed as “rich assholes.” It was a desperate act born out of necessity, driven by the dire circumstances they found themselves in. Little did Y/N know that Kaz, the restless boy he always was, had decided to secretly follow her.
Kaz hobbled along with a mixture of determination and worry. He understood the risks involved, but his loyalty and protective nature urged him to be by Y/N’s side. He remained hidden, his eyes fixed on his friend’s movements, marveling at her agility and resourcefulness.
Y/N, driven by desperation, resorted to pickpocketing in an attempt to secure food for both her and Kaz. If she was lucky, she could get more money than she would by working for the dregs for a week. She managed to successfully lift money from three unsuspecting individuals, but on her fourth attempt, her lack of experience betrayed her. The merchant she targeted noticed her actions and seized her wrist forcefully, yanking her forward while unleashing a torrent of anger.
“You little thief! Trying to steal from me, huh?” Y/N struggled to break free, her heart pounding in her chest. However, the merchant’s grip only tightened, preventing her escape. “I won’t let you get away with it!” Fear gripped her, and tears welled up in her eyes as she braced herself for the consequences of her actions.
Just as the merchant leaned in, ready to strike, Kaz, fueled by a surge of protective instinct, launched himself at the man, tackling him to the ground even though the pain in his leg was killing him.
“Leave her alone! Don’t you dare touch her!” The sudden attack caught the merchant off guard, giving Y/N a precious moment to pull away from his grasp. She stumbled backward, tears streaming down her face, but relief washed over her as Kaz shielded her from harm.
Kaz stood defiantly, his eyes blazing with determination. He wouldn’t allow anyone to harm Y/N, not while he was there to protect her. “You better stay away from us, or else you’ll regret it!” With that warning, Kaz extended a hand to Y/N, offering her support. She grasped his hand, her fingers trembling, and together they quickly retreated from the scene, their hearts pounding with a mix of fear and relief.
With their stomachs growling, Kaz and Y/N made their way to the bakery. Y/N’s heart raced, but luck was on their side for what seemed to be the first time in a long while. The stolen money she had managed to gather before getting caught was just enough to buy a loaf of bread, some meat, and cheese for Kaz.
As they walked back to their dilapidated “home,” a sense of relief washed over them. Amidst the worn-down buildings and bustling streets, Y/N’s eyes caught sight of a discarded cane. Acting swiftly, she snatched it, ensuring no one would notice its absence.
As Y/N handed the cane to Kaz, a mischievous glint danced in her eyes. Kaz accepted it with gratitude, but when he instinctively positioned it on the wrong side, Y/N couldn’t help but giggle.
“No, silly,” Y/N chuckled, gently correcting him. “The cane goes on the hand opposite the side that needs support.”
Kaz’s brows furrowed, momentarily perplexed, but he quickly adjusted the cane to the correct side, a sheepish smile forming on his face. “Oh yeah, that’s way better.”
“Thanks for saving my ass back there, Kaz” Struggling to match his steps with the cane, Kaz looked at her, “I will always protect you, Y/N,” he replied, his voice filled with sincerity.
SECOND TIME:
As Y/N turned 15 and Kaz reached 16, their lives continued to be a challenging dance with fate. However, a troubling change began to surface in Y/N’s behavior. Kaz noticed that she was increasingly reliant on alcohol, far beyond their occasional shared glass after a long day at Fifth Harbor.
It became apparent to Kaz that he rarely saw Y/N completely sober. Though she fluctuated between tipsy and heavily intoxicated, the presence of sobriety seemed to elude her. Concern etched across Kaz’s face as he observed the toll alcohol was taking on his dear friend.
He approached her room, where y/n was nursing a drink, and gently voiced his concerns. “You’ve been drinking a lot lately.” Y/n, defensive and caught off guard, shrugged it off with a dismissive tone. “Pff, come on, Kaz, ‘m just having fun. What’s the big deal?”
Kaz’s expression grew serious as he responded, “It’s not just about having fun anymore, y/n. It’s becoming a problem. Both your parents were alcoholics, and that makes it more likely for you to become one too.” He didn’t intend to bring back ugly memories, he just wanted Y/n back. His Y/n.
“Oh, so now you think ‘m like the asshole of a father I had? ‘s that what you’re saying?” But alas, luck was never really on his side, was it? Kaz hurried to explain, “No, y/n, that’s not what I meant. I’m just worried-“ But y/n was too defensive to listen. Her voice rose, and she interrupted him, “Just leave me alone, Kaz!”
Frustration built up within Kaz as he struggled to make his point. “I’m trying to help you, y/n! Can’t you see that?“
“I don’t need your help!
Their voices grew louder as the argument intensified. Hurtful words were exchanged, both knowing deep down that they didn’t mean them. In the heat of the moment, y/n’s drunken state led to a physical outburst - a push against Kaz. Stunned by the shove, Kaz felt a mix of anger and disappointment. He looked y/n in the eyes, his voice laced with bitterness. “Maybe you’re more like your father than you think.”
With those words hanging in the air, Kaz turned and walked out of y/n’s room, slamming the door behind him. The silence that followed was heavy with regret and realization.
Y/n, now alone, gradually started to comprehend the gravity of her actions. She felt a rush of memories flooding back - memories of her father’s destructive behavior and the pain it caused. The weight of her actions settled in, “Saints!”
Seeking clarity, y/n decided to take a cold shower, hoping it would sober her up both physically and mentally. As the cold water washed away the haze, she reflected on the hurtful things she had said and done. A couple of hours later, feeling completely sober, y/n mustered the courage to approach Kaz’s door.
Kaz opened the door, his face still wearing a frown, unsure of what to expect. Y/n took a deep breath and asked, “Can I come in?”
Hesitant, Kaz nodded and let y/n into his room. The atmosphere was tense, but y/n was determined to make amends. With a shaky voice, she spoke, “I’m completely sober now, Kaz.”
Kaz’s expression softened, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He nodded and replied, “Good.” Feeling the weight of her actions, y/n continued, “I never intended for it to go that far, Kaz” her voice filled with remorse. Kaz sighed and took a seat on his bed, ready to lend a listening ear. He understood that y/n needed to talk, to find a way to make sense of the chaos that had unfolded.
With a deep breath, y/n continued, “I don’t even know when it started or how it got to this point. The need for a drink just became so overwhelming, and I couldn’t seem to stop myself.”
Kaz listened attentively, his eyes fixed on y/n, offering support without judgment. They spent hours talking, unraveling the underlying reasons for y/n’s struggle with alcohol and exploring the pain and insecurities that fueled it.
As y/n poured out her heart, Kaz remained by her side, offering guidance and understanding. He didn’t have all the answers, but he knew the importance of being there for y/n during this difficult time. He could see the genuine remorse and determination in her eyes.
With a sense of gratitude, y/n said, “Thanks for always being there, Kaz.” Kaz’s gaze softened, and he replied sincerely, “I will always protect you, y/n.” He reached a shaky hand out to her, “Even if it is from yourself.”
THIRD TIME:
The crows and their stupid heists. Y/N and Kaz sat together in Kaz's office, surrounded by the other members of the crows. The air was filled with anticipation as they discussed their latest heist to steal a valuable pocket watch, rumored to be worth a fortune in Kruge. The details of how Kaz had stumbled upon this job remained a mystery to the crows, except for Y/N, who knew it came from a whisper Kaz had overheard in the bustling streets of Ketterdam.
The heist was no easy task, but it also didn't compare to the complexity of their other endeavors- like breaking Matthias out of the notorious Ice Court. This realization brought a sense of confidence to the group, as they knew they had faced greater challenges and emerged victorious. As the planning session drew to a close, the crows dispersed, leaving Y/N alone with Kaz.
Y/N took a seat opposite Kaz, her expression filled with concern. Kaz, ever the enigma, raised an eyebrow and prompted her to share what troubled her. With a deep breath, Y/N spoke up, voicing her worry about the people of Ketterdam and their reliability. She confessed her doubts about trusting anyone in this city, especially considering the clandestine nature of the whisper that led them to the heist.
Kaz couldn't help but let out an amused laugh, breaking the tension in the room. He understood Y/N's concerns all too well. After all, his experiences had taught him that trust was a rare and precious commodity in Ketterdam. But he also recognized the inherent irony in the situation—that the whisper, despite its uncertain source, had provided them with a valuable opportunity.
"You're right, Y/N," Kaz replied, a hint of amusement lacing his words. "People in Ketterdam are not worth trusting, or at least not easily. But this whisper most likely came from some drunk idiot who couldn't keep his mouth shut. We'll tread carefully, as always."
Y/N nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. She trusted Kaz. She always has. Knowing that his keen intuition and meticulous planning would guide them through the heist. “Are you sure you are ok with taking the pocket watch with you for a couple days until I figure out what to do with it?” With renewed assurance she nodded and they set their sights on the task at hand.
As the day turned into night, the crows meticulously executed their plan. Each member played their part flawlessly, their individual skills and unique abilities synergizing to overcome the obstacles in their path. Their heist was a masterclass in cunning and precision, culminating in the successful acquisition of the pocket watch. Little did they know, however, that their triumph held a secret yet to be discovered.
Unbeknownst to Kaz and Y/N, the whisper did not come from just any drunk idiot, it came from y/n’s father and the pocket watch they proudly took, concealed a hidden tracker. It had been planted there by Y/N's own father—a revelation that would soon shake their world.
After the celebration ended, Y/N bid her comrades farewell and made her way back to her apartment, yearning for a well-deserved rest. Fatigue hung heavily upon her, demanding solace in the form of warmth and comfort. She set about preparing herself a cup of tea, the steam from the kettle rising lazily in the air. While waiting she decided that she had enough time for a much needed quick shower.
Unbeknownst to Y/N, her father, driven by a sinister agenda, had stealthily infiltrated her sanctuary. Hidden in the shadows, he seized the opportunity presented by the teapot, meticulously applying a deadly poison to the water within. Satisfied with his clandestine act, he retreated to a darkened corner, waiting for his daughter to return.
Blissfully unaware of the peril lurking within her own abode, Y/N continued her routine, seeking solace in the embrace of a soothing shower. The cascading water served as a respite, washing away the weariness of the day. Refreshed and unaware of the impending danger, Y/N emerged from the bathroom and made her way to the small kitchen, intending to savor the warmth of her tea.
With unquestioning trust, Y/N raised the cup to her lips and drained its contents in a single gulp. A moment later, a chilling voice pierced the silence, causing her to startle. "You know, you ruined my life," the intruder uttered, the words dripping with venom. Y/N's heart pounded in her chest as she realized she was not alone.
Reacting swiftly, a mixture of fear and determination coursed through her veins. She instinctively reached for a kitchen knife, her trembling hand clutching the handle tightly. Slowly and cautiously, she advanced toward the shadowy figure, her senses heightened.
As the figure laughed, the sinister sound echoing in the confined space, they taunted Y/N with words that struck like daggers. "Kill me if you'd like. It won't make a difference, by the end of the night, we both will be dead, dear daughter," they proclaimed, their voice seeping with a sinister resolve.
Y/N's mind raced, grappling with a flood of emotions. Fear mingled with confusion, but beneath it all, a fierce determination flickered. With every step, she steeled herself, ready to confront the threat that now loomed before her. The room became a battlefield, a clash of wills between a daughter seeking to protect herself and the malevolent force that sought to extinguish her existence.
As Y/N launched herself forward, driven by a potent mix of rage and self-preservation, her hand gripped the kitchen knife with a determination that bordered on desperation. With a swift and deliberate motion, she aimed for her father's abdomen, piercing his flesh and eliciting a pained gasp. Yet, even in his moment of agony, he mustered a twisted laugh, taunting her with the knowledge that her own life was destined to be cut short because of him.
The realization of her impending fate weighed heavily upon Y/N as she watched her father's life slip away. With each fading breath, he served as a macabre reminder of the torment he had inflicted upon her. But despite the finality of his demise, Y/N's heart remained heavy, burdened by the understanding that her own days were now numbered.
Her eyes fell upon her father's lifeless form, his body growing cold as the minutes ticked away. In a hurried gesture, Y/N searched his pockets, her hands moving with urgency. Her search led her to an empty glass, bearing the traces of the poison that had claimed so many lives before. She knew its deadly effects all too well, having witnessed its aftermath firsthand. There was no salvation for her now, only a slim chance of surviving until morning.
Driven by a sense of urgency, Y/N hurriedly descended to the dimly lit streets of Ketterdam. Amid the shadows, she spotted Rotty, a trusted member of the crew. With a sense of urgency, she thrust a note into his hands, her voice filled with a mix of desperation and determination as she implored him to deliver it to Kaz.
"Rotty," she called out, her voice laced with urgency. "Take this note. Deliver it to Kaz. Please hurry."
Rotty, recognizing the gravity of the situation, nodded solemnly, his loyalty unwavering. Without wasting another moment, he set off on his assigned task, the note clutched tightly in his grasp. Y/N watched his retreating figure, her heart pounding with anticipation and a glimmer of hope, praying that Kaz would receive her message in time.
In the midst of uncertainty, with the poison coursing through her veins, Y/N was acutely aware that the sands of time were slipping away, but she knew what she needed to do.
Rotty’s hurried footsteps echoed through the halls of Kaz’s office as he approached the door. He knocked, alerting Kaz to his presence, and without waiting for an invitation, he entered, his expression grave. Kaz’s sharp gaze locked onto Rotty, ready to inquire about the urgency that fueled his arrival. However, before a single word could leave Kaz’s lips, Rotty handed him the note and swiftly departed, leaving Kaz alone with the cryptic message.
Kaz’s eyes widened as he unfolded the note, revealing a simple white paper with a solitary lollipop drawn on it. To an outsider, this might have seemed perplexing, but to Kaz Brekker, it held a hidden significance. A sense of urgency surged through him as he recognized the unspoken message encoded within.
Kaz’s heart pounded in his chest as he raced to Y/N’s apartment, his mind racing with a million possibilities. The gravity of the situation only grew stronger with every step he took. When he finally arrived, he wasted no time and barged into the apartment, his senses on high alert.
The sight that greeted him was chilling—a man sprawled on the floor, surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Kaz’s breath caught in his throat as he took in the scene, the implications of what had transpired sinking in. Before he could utter a single word, Y/N emerged from her room, her face pale with a mixture of relief and anguish.
“My father,” Y/N whispered, her voice laced with a complex blend of emotions.
Kaz approached Y/N cautiously, his gaze locked onto her. He could see the fear and exhaustion etched across her features, the toll of the night’s events visible in her eyes. Her face drained of the color it usually had, hands and body slightly trembling. “What happened.”
Kaz listened intently as Y/N recounted the events, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and raw emotion. He could sense the weight of her words, the pain that laced every syllable. As she spoke, he noticed the omission—the crucial pieces of information she chose not to share.
“Y/N,” Kaz began gently, his voice laced with concern, “How did he find you.” Y/N hesitated for a moment, she knew. Of course she knew the stupid watch had a tracker, she knew the whisper wasn’t just any drunk asshole, but she couldn’t tell him. “I don’t know Kaz. Maybe I wasn’t careful enough.”
Y/n’s hand extended towards Kaz, holding out the bottle she had found in her father’s jacket. Kaz took the empty bottle from Y/N’s trembling hand, his gloved finger slowly swiping over it. Realization hit him and he knew, he knew he was about to loose his best friend. “I can’t die like this, Kaz. Not because of him.” Kaz’s face pales as he comprehends the gravity of the situation. He knows all too well that this poison means certain death, and he knew what y/n was asking, but the mere thought of being the one to take her life was unbearable.
“I can’t,” Kaz says, his voice filled with desperation. “I can’t do that y/n. Please.” Please. He was begging his brain to think of something else. To find a solution that wouldn’t take her away, not now, not ever.
She understands the pain it causes him, but she needs him, needs his strength and protection more than ever. With a flicker of determination in her eyes, she implores, “Please, Kaz, protect me one last time.”
Her words strike deep into Kaz’s heart, shattering it into pieces. He made a vow years ago to safeguard Y/N, and he never intended to break it, not now, not ever. With a shaky hand, she hands Kaz a dagger, its blade sharp enough to tear through her heart.
Kaz’s mind races, desperately seeking a way to keep her safe, to find an alternative. But the reality of the situation crashes down on him as y/n crumples to her knees, clutching her chest tightly. In that moment, he understands that there are no potions, no saint, no saving her from this fate.
Gently, Kaz sits on the cold floor of the apartment and scoots closer to y/n, carefully cradling her against his chest. He knows she doesn’t want to die at the hands of the man who tormented her for years.
With a heavy heart, he takes the dagger, holding it as delicately as he can, his hands trembling as he positions it on top of her heart. He wishes there was another way, a way to spare her this pain, but in this moment, protecting her means granting her final wish.
“I will always protect you, y/n.” And with a final kiss to her sweaty forehead, the dagger went right through her heart, forever stopping it.
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amitassuman · 6 months
Text
i need a captain ghafa miniseries about inej’s pirate adventures hunting down slavers and being the most feared and revered being on the seven seas, because depending on who you are, spotting the ship called the wraith in your spyglass can either mean danger or protection, your total destruction or complete salvation. and i need every episode to have a post credit scene of kaz back in ketterdam, standing in the crow club wearing a pleased, crooked smile as he listens intently to the patron’s whispers about who his fearsome wraith queen turned her wrath on this week.
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lady-ashfade · 1 year
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i saw your taking requests! how about yandere kaz brekker whos in loove with reader but she kinda thinks he's a monster (cause u know he's dirtyhands etc.), how would he try to change her mind? would he try at all? how would he treat her? any plot you want really, all love to you!
Yandere Kaz Brekker HC’S
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Dark!Yandere!kaz brekker x reader.
Sorry for the late reply…today has not been the best. BUT THIS IS HELPING ME! SO BE PREPARED FOR KAZZEL DAZZEL!
If any of you want a small fic, drabble of this kaz then please! Give me some.
Dead dove do not eat.
Warnings: Yandere actions, blood, gore, obsession, protectiveness, stalking, and much more. Him being dirtyhands. Dark!yandere.
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You, beautiful darling will be so right. Kaz brekker is a monster, one that is yours.
Dirtyhands? Bastard of the barrel? Is feral for you.
But he wants nothing more then for you to be happy, safe and sound. That’s good right? It is when he doesn’t go to the lengths he does.
But let’s talk about yandere kaz for a minute, the good things…
Will get you anything your hearts desires.
He gets you so many gifts, like you can’t keep track. When he learns that you like something it’s gotten…Stolen.
You want a new dress? Boom, it’s your favorite color and size just for you. That pretty necklace you looked at in the market? Oh, it’s on your window.
You want the actual hearts of someone who wronged you? You will have it, he will rip it out himself.
You will be followed and protect at every second. Inej and guards he hired to follow you everywhere, even if you don’t know that they are there.
Kaz would treat you …Like money. Craving more. Doing anything to get it. You are his darling.
Would he try and change her mind? Would he even try at all?
No.
Kaz wants you to know his deep love for you. That he would go to any lengths for you. If you think he’s a monster then that’s okay. Because he will never change, ever.
Maybe there’s pride in him that you’re just a little scared of him. Because then you wouldn’t cross him.
But at the same time he will try and show you that he means you no harm. That you, are the light of his life and only others will feel the wraith of Dirtyhands.
So he treats you well, at times.
I think kaz will trap you somewhere, maybe a house just for you to have a live happily but you can not leave. You can have a garden for you to go outside. But you try and escaped? You’re going to be chain up in a room, only a mattress under you until you beg him.
Until you understand that this is for the best and that you are his.
Yandere kaz is over the top and maybe one of the most scary if I’m being honest. You’ve seen how he takes revenge and protects the ones he loves already. But add yandere to the mix? Mans the walking ripper.
He keeps you away from everyone and comes to visit you every day. Guards around ever nook and cranny. Put you have everything you ever want or need there.
And, he knows you might get lonely sometimes so maybe a cat? Or a dog to help with that. Also the only people he lets see you are the crows, but they have their limits.
If you were ever kidnapped somehow..
Bro goes crazy as shit. Will blow the city up just looking for you. He will not sleep or eat until he finds you.
When he finds out where you have been taken then it’s war. He will torture the living bastards for it, and if you are hurt? Them that’s each wound their families will take.
Sorry I’m getting to much into this. But yandere kaz is just so dark to me.
Though after all this, you are his and he knows. You can take as long as you need because you both have forever. And he will be waiting until you except it.
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ms-fade · 11 months
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Only his.
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Yandere Older!brotherKaz brekker X Sister reader. +18
Dead dove do not eat! PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS! Because this is really filthy- My house of the dragon fics are making me do this.
Warning: Innocent advantage, sibling-cest, dom/sub-con, fingering, chocking, possessive, yandere tendencies, a bit forced but nothing to bad. Spelling mistakes, this being rushed.
Proclaimer: This is the longest smut I have on here, and it’s also my worst one yet. Sorry that I sinned this much.
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There was one person in all of ketterdam who was untouchable, no matter how close they tried to get they would be dead before they could get to her. Kaz Brekker’s sister, just knowing who she was put a price on your head. She was hidden somewhere, no one really knows where and it didn’t matter how hard anyone looked. She was nowhere to be found. She was his everything and all he had left of family, after his mother dying in childbirth with her, then to his father and then his older brother.
She held the most dangerous man in the palm of her hand.
This was your life, anything you wanted all you had to do was asked. A lovely house far in the fields, a beautiful view of the sky but you could never leave. Men and woman guarded every inch of the place to insure your safety, you even had your own cook. Many dresses that fit you just right, and fine like royalty filled up a room just for you. The way you live, it was like you were a princess. Protected but had everything you wanted, expect freedom.
But this was for the best. He kept you locked up for your own safety. He was your older brother and that was his job and you loved him for it. He’d visit as much as he could a week and always brought something new for you. He’d sleep in the room next to you, or you’d crawl into bed with him at night to get close. He didn’t care about touch when it came to you, his demons didn’t push you away but they demanded more.
You didn’t know much from being sheltered for most of your life, only what he said. Being away from the real world made you innocent and naive. You didn’t know about sex or anything of the sort. That was until Nina found out when she visited, “You shelter little bird.” She took ahold of your arm and smirked. “I will get you some books, but this is our secret okay?” You smiled as she held out her pinky. She was your favorite, she understood you and was just so sweet to you.
A week later she gave you two books, only two to start you off with so you could ease in to it. The words, the actions made you confused at first. But it was what the called love, what a man and woman are supposed to do when the love each other. You learn so much about the human body. Like what’s in between a man’s legs or a woman’s that was different from each other.
Each time you would get to the spicy bits your core would heat up, your body felt warm. Your body was begging to be touched but you didn’t know what to do. It was making you frustrated, you needed to have a release. Each night when you’d go to bed you’d dream of what the books said. A man overtop of you and kissing your skin, the moans on your lips.
Kaz started to notice your mood drip down at times. “Sweetheart.” He’d call you when you stared off into space. You’d blush each time, “Hmm?” Your sweet eyes looked at him. “Are you alright?” Each time you’d nod and smile at him, then return to your bouncy self. Each time he got closer to the truth.
It was late in the night and you were supposed to be asleep, kaz had to finish his work in the office there. He was planning another heist, one that would pay a shiny penny. The door creaked open and you stood there, heavy eyes and messy hair. His eyes took you in and his body tensed up, the silk dress sticking to your skin. He saw your breasts and the hardened nipples showing from underneath. Your hips and body are almost on display, at just a thin layer to separate your naked skin from him.
“Y/n, you should be asleep.” You whined at his words and walked closer to him, his mind going crazy at the pout on your lips. You shuffled across the wooden floor to him, “I couldn’t sleep.” He smiled and opened his arms to you and patted his lap. “Come sit, I know you fall asleep with you touch me.” You flashed him a smile and hopped up into his lap. You wrapped your legs around him and made sure not to hurt him.
“Thank you.” You giggled and kissed his cheek and the skin burned underneath your lips. His breath hitched and his head only thinking of all the things he could do to you. He saw the dress ride up your thighs and stretched, your underwear was on his pants and he could see the little white cloth. But he had to hold himself back and take a deep breath that only smelled of your scent, almost pushing himself over the edge.
At this moment your body was complete on fire and you could fell the wetness in your underwear and on your pussy lips. You thought with him it would cool you down but it only made it worse. His body was just making you drool. The passed few nights it wasn’t just some random guy you saw in a dream, it was him touching you.
“Kaz.” You whispered into his neck where you rested your head. You heard him answer in a hum. Your face burnt up in embarrassment and frustration at the question you were going to ask. “Never mind.” You shook your head and tried to forget about it. Kaz didn’t like when you kept things to yourself, he needed to know everything about you.
So his hands found your hips and pulled you back so you leaned up on his lap, your body pressing just right down onto him. “Speak your mind.” His voice deepens and his hands tighten against the skin of your hips. You swallowed and turned your head to the side, he watched the redness brighten up on your cheeks. Your hair fell in front of your face and tried to hide you. This amused him, he liked when you blushed and got shy.
“Come on, be a good girl and tell me.” He knew just how much you liked when he praised you and used that voice with you. He learned you’d listen to anything he would say if he talked down to you. You huffed and crossed your arms, “You love me right?” He almost laughed at your ridiculous question and wondered how the hell you could ever asked him that.
But he stopped the laugh in his chest but he did smile, “More then anything, you now that.” You nodded. “I love you too. You’re all I have kaz.” You placed your hands on his chest. He watched you face him and your eyebrows frown, with beaming eyes that stared at him. “Then why do you never touch me?” He froze up and his eyes went wide.
How could even know those words- No, you didn’t mean anything sinful by it.
“I touch you all the time.” He answered. “Not like that.” he raised a brow as you took his hand into yours. “You never touch me here.” You place his hands on your chest and he felt the soft skin underneath. He couldn’t stop the groan coming from his lips at your warmth, “And how do you know i should?” Kaz couldn’t stop himself from moving his hands across your breast and gave it a soft message.
“It’s when people love each other, more then anything and want the other- Do you not love me enough?” Your voice sadden and tears started to collect in your eyes. He shh’d you and leaned up closer, “You’re the only thing I love in this world.” You sniffed and smiled a bit. “I just didn’t know if you were ready for me,” his face got closer to yours and his eyes glanced down to your lips and back up to your eyes. “Do you want me to touch you?”
Kaz heard you take a breath and your body twitch a bit. “Please.” You whispered a beg and that’s all it took as he crashed his lips onto yours for the first time. All this time of yarning for you, your body and soul was finally here. But this was the part where he lost all control for what he once worried about and now all he wanted to do was please you.
As his lips moved against yours his hands went down to your dress and put them inside. He felt your skin that was hot under his fingertips, you’d gasp a bit in his mouth. He realized he couldn’t feel around your body because of the fabric so he pulled back. “Get up.” He demanded and pushed you back softly off his lap. “Take it off and get on the desk.”
You obeyed his commands and lifted your dress up and over your head, it finding its way to the floor. His eyes glued to your naked body as saw it up close, not covered in water and soup or by a towel. You sat back on the table and he watched your chest bounce as your moved, his cock fully hardened. You saw his hunger gaze and being finally naked made you want to hide but you didn’t.
“You’re breathtaking.” He complimented you and got out of his seat. You blushed and smiled at his praise. He got in between your legs and his hands found their way up to your nipples again. “I want you to hold nothing back.” As soon as he said that his fingers pitched the sensitive skin of your nipples. You gasped and your back arched at the new feeling and the pain.
“I’ve dreamed of this, to feel and hear you.” He leaned down and groaned in your ear, his hands still working on your chest. “Do you know how much I had to hold back?” He sounded rough and desperate. His lips kisses your neck and you moaned and titled your head to the side for him to have more room. “Fuck.” He growls and sinks his teeth in your skin.
You squealed at the pain and your pussy clinched at the feeling. “Kaz.” You called his name and he smirked. “That’s right, I’m the on making you feel good.” He pulled his hands back and yanked your hips forward to the edge of the desk. His fingers tugged the cloth of your underwear down and down to fall on your ankles.
You gasped at being fully on displayed for him, he could see your puffy pussy. “Look at you,” he teased as he stared at you, “So pretty.” You looked away from him and leaned onto your hands. “You’re just saying that.” You felt a bit self conscious because you had no idea what you were supposed to look like.
“Don’t say that, never say that again. I’m your elder brother and I’ll never lie to you.” He expressed and you felt at ease. He pushed your thighs apart to get a better view at your cunt, the glossy sopping hole. “You know what I’m going to do with my hands?” He asked, if you knew you could touch each other then he needed to know everything you did.
You nodded, “I want them in me, I want to learn the feeling.” As if he couldn’t get any more turned on his cock throbbed at your tone, soft and needy. “It might hurt for the first, but you’ll be crying in pleasure when I’m done.” His hand moved up to your mouth and he shoved his fingers in. You chocked a bit and gasp, he didn’t really give you a warning. But you had read about this, you were supposed to suck them. So you moved your tongue across his fingers and closed your mouth to get it coated with your spit.
Kaz watched you closely and he thought about how good it would feel to have your mouth wrapped around his cock. But he’d have to wait for that because tonight was about you. He pulled his hand away from your mouth and placed it in between your thighs. His fingers dragged through your slit and clit, you moaned at the sweet felling. He likes your reactions so far but he couldn’t wait to see you cry from just his fingers, he needed to hear you scream for him.
So he took one finger and pressed it at your entrance and slowly pushed it in, and because you were already aroused it slipped in easily. You moan and lean back slight to part your legs, it hurt for a minute but he didn’t care. Half of him liked to see you in pain. He started to move his finger in and out at a slow pace and enjoyed to watch it. “Kaz.” You whimpered at the feeling, it was so good. You wanted more, you needed more of him.
He looked up at you and started to thrust his finger in faster and it was too much for you and you screamed out. Rough and fast his fingers moved within you, you twitched up at the overwhelming speed. You tried to grab his wrist put he just slapped you away, he was having to much fun. You closed your eyes and moaned out, small tears came out the corner of your eyes.
“You can’t even take what you asked for,” he taunted and laughed, “is it too much for you?” His voice wasn’t sweet and caring, it was teasing and amused. You couldn’t speak so you just nodded your head, your pussy squealing at the fast movements. “To fucking bad.” You whined and cried.
Kaz shifted his weight and pushed his fingers in so far to get farther within you and curled just right. “Fuck.” You cried out and arched up. Kaz looked at you and glared at the word, you were forbidden to use such filthy words. He precious girl.
His other hand reached up and grabbed your throat into his grasp and squeezed the sides and took ahold of you. Your eyes shot opened, you felt panic and shocked. “Did I tell you to use such words?” You head shook as much as he let you. Your voice didn’t get passed his grip. “That’s the only pass I give you, or I will make it so you can’t walk.” He forced your head closer to him as his gaze darkened.
“Do you understand?” You wanted to whimper and get away from him, he’d never be so rough with you. But for some reason it was intoxicated how he controlled you. When you nodded your head yes and he let you go, and you gasped for air to refill your lungs. You didn’t get a break as he pulled his fingers out of your pussy and yanked you off the desk.
You wanted to question his actions but you saw him fiddling with his belt and you understood what he was doing. You started to get excited at the thought of seeing his cock, something you had only pictured before. “You look desperate.” He teased and made you roll your eye, which he caught.
He spin you around and slammed you onto the desk, your ass up in the air and bend for him. “You must really like to test me,” his nails dug into the soft skin on your ass and it made you cry out. It made you shake underneath his touch. “I was going to be easy, but maybe you need a reminder to follow the rules.” You wanted to fight back but you knew he didn’t like back talking so you sat still.
You felt something pressed against your pussy and you felt your stomach turn, it was his cock. “You want to be a good girl for me?” He asked and your heart screamed, it was all you ever did. Kaz taught you that you needed to be good for him, like it was your life purpose. You never had another choice. “Yes. Please, I’ll be good.” You howled with a desperate voice.
Kaz took his hands stretched you part and pushed his cock head through your walls, slowly going in. It took a minute for you to take him and get passed the tip. You’d never been so full before and it hurt, so you gripped the table at the pain. “Kaz” you whispered a plead but he just kept going in and you cried at the pain. You were thankful that you were so wet that it helped him inside.
Kaz thrusts up and bottoms out within you and your voice filled up the room along with a groan from him. Kaz pulled out of you and slammed back into you before you had gotten used to his size. You sobbed and hit your head on the wooden table and your legs moved a bit. “You’re going to take what I give you.” He started to move and didn’t care if you were ready or not, you’d get used to it soon.
It only took a few thrusts before you were sobbing in pleasure and you started to try and move back for more. Your pussy leaked onto your own thighs and onto his cock, it making your ass sticky. Your stomach curled up at the feeling but the way he sounded made it more pleasurable.
Kaz couldn’t handle the feeling of your little hole finally around him, that he already felt like filling you up. He was addicted to the feel before he could even fuck you and now he’d at least fuck you once a week. “That’s a good girl,” he brought his hand and slapped your cheek with a hard blow. You jumped a bit at the surprise and clinched around him, “Take me so fucking well.”
He growled and his hips went faster and his cock hit your insides. “Kaz.” You whined at the feeling growing in your stomach and you tried to suck him in. Kaz couldn’t bare the feeling of you clinching around him so he went faster and harder to get you to cum faster. “Cum- Oh, shit. You better fucking come.”
You voice got higher and your eyes rolled back as you began to see stars and with a few more thrust your mind went black and a wave flashed through your body. Your legs wobbled and your cunt pulsed around him and he felt your cum leak onto him and that pushed him over the edge. You felt his hot cum shot inside of you and it made you feel fuzzy. Your body shook with the feeling of your release and being filled up.
He groaned and stop his movements and let every bit of his cum leak into you. He breathed hard and didn’t pull out out of you for a minute and rested. That aloud you to have a breath and your eyes become heavy and your body got tired.
“I’m sorry,” he said and then grabbed a fistful of your hair and yanked your head back, your body was pulled up and your back hit his chest. “But I can’t stop here.” His hips slapped up again and your body began to shake and your mind went blank again. “To much- need to rest.” You begged him. But he wrapped his arms around your arms and over you.
“You’ll rest when I’m done.” you couldn’t do anything but cry in pleasure as he continued to fuck up into you. It was just too much and you were so sensitive at just coming and it being yours first real time. “Just take it.” He kissed behind your ear.
“Such a good girl.” It wasn’t until he pumped you full three times and you collapsed in his arms that he stopped. No matter how much you begged at overstimulation, or how many times you came around him. He fucked you full until you could stand.
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kazutora-kurokawa · 14 days
Note
Okay okay, so here’s my thought process. I ready the HanKisa drabble you wrote and fell in love. What about…Because god I love both these men but they are in different timelines. Bad Toman!Takemichi and Bonten!Mikey or Manila!Mikey, whichever one works better, and like reader is their like safe haven, the only thing that keeps them here and believes there’s some happiness for them. Takemichi being the more gentle one and Mikey being the more rough one. But both have the same mentality of keeping her away from the gang world or at least she has protect at all cost. NSFW and/or SFW either one works honestly but I live for them because I think it’s just a thing at this point, I have a thing for toxic men like this. Honestly if you disagree with me, you can just disregard this ask, but regardless of it all, have a good day Kaz! Love you and your work! 🫶🏽🩵
-SunRay☀️
Corrupt!TakeMikey x Wife!Reader
♡ SFW, fem reader, Corrupt Toman!Michi, Manila!Mikey, violence and harassment, fluff and comfort, cuddling ♡
note: I am also a sucker for toxic men (especially ones who only have a soft spot for you) and these men are 😮‍💨🫠 love you too hun 🩷
❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Takemichi and Mikey always had the same end goal: Protect you. They were both involved in some shady shit, which made it even harder for them to stick around as much as they wanted to. Regardless, their dedication to you and your safety never wavered. You were the light of their lives, their beacon of hope, their little slither of happiness. Nothing and no one was going to snuff out the light they found, especially not one of their own underlings.
The guy had been eyeing you up whenever you came to see your husbands and just being a creep in general, so Mikey and Takemichi decided to pay him a visit. They showed up at his house, roughed him up a bit and left him with a not so ominous warning.
"Come anywhere near our wife and see what the fuck happens."
"Trust us, you won't like where you end up."
They make their way home, almost speeding through traffic to get to you. As soon as they're through the door they're hugging and kissing and complimenting you. They're like polar opposites of the tough, cold, and distant men they portray themselves as.
"I'm sorry-"
"No, we're sorry. We didn't realize that guy was messing with you darling."
"But it won't happen again, so pretty please forgive us?"
All you can do is breathe a sigh of relief that the creep won't be bothering you anymore and laugh at your whiny husbands. You forgive them, even though you weren't blaming them to begin with, and let them cuddle up with you. Takemichi has his arm draped over your waist and Mikey's laying on your chest. The two of them are kind of heavy, but they're content, they're comfortable and they're with you.
❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Taglist
@arlerts-angel @i-literally-cant-with-this @trevengersprincess @giugiette @katkusuo @happy-trenchcoated-impala @drunkcheesecake @darkstarlight82 @reiners-milkbiddies
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georgies-ftts · 1 year
Text
GIVE ME THE WESPER ANGST. THE HURT. THE PAAAIN.
and not the “oh my god they misunderstood each other over something that could’ve been solved by basic human communication🥺👉👈”
NO!
I WANT WYLAN TIMING HIS EXPLOSIONS WRONG AND JESPER GETTING CAUGHT IN THE FALL OUT AND HE CANT FIND HIM THROUGH THE DUST AND DESTRUCTION
WYLAN MOVING AT THE WRONG TIME AND JESPER WATCHES AS HIS AIMED SHOT GOES STRAIGHT THROUGH HIM
JESPER GETTING BEATEN UP AND WYLANS HURT BUT DESPITE HIS PAIN HE STILL GETS UP AND TRIES TO DEFEND JESPER
WYLAN NOT GETTING AWAY FROM HIS OWN BOMB QUICK ENOUGH AND BLOWING HIS EAR DRUMS OUT OR GETTING BURIED IN RUBBLE
JESPER OWING PEOPLE MONEY AND GETTING CHASED THROUGH THE BARREL AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE FIRST DRAW AND HE GETS WOUNDED BADLY
WYLANS DAD STILL SENDING PEOPLE TO TRY AND FINISH HIM OFF EVEN FROM HELLGATE SOMEHOW AND HE GETS CAUGHT ALONE IN A BACK ALLEY UNABLE TO GET BACK TO THE CROWS CAUSE HE’S SO HURT
JESPER RETURNING LATE FROM A JOB WITH KAZ AND WYLANS WORRIED BUT WHEN HE COMES HOME HE’S ONLY A LITTLE HURT BUT WYLAN GOES CRAZY
JESPER LOSING THE ABILITY TO SHOOT DUE TO A TEMPORARY INJURY
JESPER AND WYLAN GET CORNERED AND THINK THEY’VE FINALLY RUN OUT OF TIME BUT THEY’LL DIE PROTECTING EACHOTHER
WYLAN GETTING THROWN INTO A CANAL AND HE HAS A ‘KAZ’ TYPE PTSD FLASHBACK OF THE MEN TRYING TO KILL HIM ON THE BOAT TO THE MUSIC SCHOOL AND WHEN HE TAKES WAY TOO LONG TO RESURFACE JESPER JUMPS IN AFTER HIM (might write this one actually omg i’m a genius)
JUST. ANGST. PLEASE. I NEED YO SEE THEM SUFFER AS LONG AS THEY EITHER BOTH LIVE OR DIE TOGETHER AND LOVE EACHOTHER ALL THE WHILE I DO NOT CARE
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pangirl-fangirl · 11 months
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Things about the 2x03 Kanej graveyard scene that make me feral
Inej being able to tell Kaz is in the doorway without looking
Inej’s valid anger at Kaz not being honest and calling him out (get his ass Honey!)
The dead look on Inej’s face when she takes her shirt off, because she has to undress (even partly) in front of someone and it brings back horrible memories
KAZ TURNING AND LOOKING AWAY TO GIVE HER PRIVACY
Kaz cracking and telling her about Jordie because he can’t bare to lose the trust and relationship the two have built
Inej’s IMMEDIATE response of “then we destroy him”
Kaz’s shaking hand as he takes the cloth from Inej
Inej making sure their hands don’t touch as she passes it to him
Kaz putting down his cane, his physical and mental crutch, the WEAPON he relies on, leaving him open and vulnerable in her presence
Also the way he tosses up and catches it and puts it on the table ajdbsjfbdk
The fact Kaz is SO DETERMINED to help that he can’t look at Inej’s face
Inej turning her back on Kaz, leaving HERSELF open and vulnerable because SHE TRUSTS HIM
Inej’s little gasp when he touches her with the cloth (could be from the sting of the antiseptic OR shock from him actually following through)
FOR A HALF SECOND YOU CAN CATCH INEJ LOOKING PLEASED/HAVING JOY THAT HE’S ABLE TO TOUCH HER (Amita’s attention to detail with Inej is phenomenal)
Kaz shaking (I chose to believe in anger at his past and Inej’s) when he says “was there no one to protect you?”
The “was there no one to protect you” lines RIGHT BEFORE KAZ TELLS HER TO LOOK FOR MOGEN’S TELLS, AS A WAY OF KAZ HELPING HER TO PROTECT HERSELF IN THE FIGHT
Inej turning to fully face him for the next part of their conversation thus creating an intimate little bubble around them
Inej’s step forward and quiet “what’s yours?”
The eye contact and height difference ahdbdjfbs
His honesty “the limp, the cane. No one’s smart enough to look for the real one” WHICH IS INEJ !!
The strands of hair falling in Kaz’s face, his perfectly tailored shield of his hard lines and tailored edges cracking because he’s opening up and being vulnerable with Inej
Inej VERY OBVIOUSLY looking at Kaz’s lips
Inej shifting forward a bit more towards him right before they’re interrupted
Honourable mention: Nina’s little “uh huh” in a tone that says “yeah I don’t believe you” when Inej tells her it’s not what Nina thinks it is
Conclusion: Freddy and Amita are phenomenal in these roles and they drive me actually insane (and I thank them for it)
Please feel free to add!
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she-posts-nerdy-stuff · 10 months
Note
Hey!! What do you think about the recurring joke in the SOC duology, of Kaz asking a question, everyone giving answers, and usually a quip at the end? Do you think there's significance in it, or is it just a fun way to show the crows' dynamic?
Sorry if this is a stupid question.
Rule one: there are no stupid questions.
Although these conversations might seem like a relatively surface level aspect of the novels, I think that their significance is in the very way they teach us about the Crows dynamic and tell us so much about the characters. The duology’s biggest success comes from the intense vibrancy of its characters, and it’s these types of conversations that not only help us understand who they are and how they interact with each other, but also that make us laugh and therefore care about the characters all the more. Take the parallel from soc to ck about Matthias’ character development - in six of crows Kaz asks the group what the easiest way to steal a man’s wallet is, and the replies consist of “gun to the back” from Jesper, “knife to the throat” from Inej, and “poison in his cup” from Nina, before Matthias cuts them off and says “you’re all horrible” then in crooked kingdom Kaz asks where the group think he spent the money Pekka gave them for the sale of the Crow Club and 5th harbour, getting “guns” and “ships” amongst his answers and after a pause Nina says to Matthias “this is the part where you tell us how awful we are” but he simply replies “they all seem like practical choices”. This tells us so much about the characters and how they think!!! In the first instance, we don’t yet know the characters very well, so it’s important that we begin to associate the guns with Jesper and the knives with Inej, as well as understand that Nina works with subtle but violent tactics. We learn from this brief interaction that they’ve reached a point in their lives where murder or threatening murder is the easiest way out in every option, and we’ve also arguably learned that they are eager to please Kaz because they are all instantly searching for the answer that will impress him even though he’s sure to just continue on and explain his own thought anyway. We also have no response from Wylan, if I remember correctly at least, which shows the time it takes for him to mesh with the group and his heightened anxiety at the start of the first book. In the Crooked Kingdom interaction, we have a clear transition in Inej’s character from the association of her and knives to the association of her and her dream, a ship and crew of her own, and I’m pretty sure Wylan does reply in that one so it shows his personal progression and how he’s been able to mesh with the group and because more comfortable in his own skin. Matthias’ character development between the two is more obvious and openly commented on in the conversation, but what’s also interesting is that Kaz is there both times with a genuine answer and explanation. Even though he never seems the last to enjoy a joke or quip, when he’s discussing his plans Kaz almost entirely loses the ability to think beyond the job; everything is entirely black and white and categorised by whether it’s relevant, which means it’s what he’s saying, or inessential, meaning what the others are saying.
And what’s possible even more interesting is that you can see this in almost every one of these interactions Leigh Bardugo loves to include (and we love her for, of course). For example, in one of my favourites of these little formulas Kaz asks the group if they know what Van Eck’s biggest problem is. The responses are “no honour” (Matthias), “rotten parenting skills” (Nina), and “receding hairline” (Jesper). This never fails to make me smile; Matthias’ is so quintessentially himself, everything he values and such good summary of why he would be so willing to support anyone, even these thugs and thieves, against Van Eck, Nina’s showcases her dark humour and protective nature, her hatred for Van Eck is sourced far more in his treatment of Wylan and Inej than anything else, and Jesper’s is funny, witty, a genuine ongoing joke (such as Nina thinking that Wylan may need to invest in a hood tonic when she meets Van Eck) and just emphasises his sharp-wit as well as showing growth beyond the desperate need to impress Kaz that he harboured for so long before he properly got to know Wylan. But Kaz’s reply is simply returning to the job, stating that Van Eck’s problem is that he has “too much to lose” and that he revealed exactly how to destroy him by bragging about Alys and their unborn child.
I hope this made sense, it can be hard to tell whether I’ve actually translated my thoughts into the right words haha. Thanks so much for your question!!
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rkiveinmarvel · 10 months
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kies jou. - kaz brekker. des. shadow and bones (tv) s2 spoilers!. kaz brekker didn't let hope cloud his judgment, however just this once, he lets it because it's you. notes. angst. ooc(?) kaz brekker. brief mentions of Kaz's trauma. kaz and Inej do not have a romantic link. to establish a relationship. mentions six of crow's shenanigans.
hello there! i suck at summary but here you go an angsty yet fluffy kaz brekker this is my first time writing for the fellow, so he might be ooc. enjoy!
wanorde - chaos kies jou - choose you wc: 956
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Kaz Brekker wanted something, something more than the kruge he could bury with his dead body, more than the gold he could hang on his walls, more than the paintings he could hide in his room, Kaz Brekker wanted something more. He wanted you.
He watched everyone look at you whenever you entered the slat, how their eyes would linger on your face and hands. Some say you’re a dream built to see paradise but to Kaz, you were a fucking chaos. The chaos that might drown him someday and maybe save him one day. He saw you as a weakness, not for the crew, but a weakness kept within himself. 
But saints, if you were the chaos then why do you keep caring, why do you keep looking at him with eyes that calm him down, why do you always there in plain sight, and why do you always pull him up whenever the water in his lungs looks for ways for him to drown. He never saw it coming, he just realized that one day, he didn’t want to lose you. 
Maybe it was the night when you let him see a little bit of you in your safe place or maybe the night where he let you break a little part of his walls or maybe the time you looked at him with care even if he is in his armor. Or maybe the time when you bled to protect him. It made Kaz numb, he loathed this emotion, this feeling, this chaos brooding inside him. To some, it’s hope, a hope to make things better, to make things okay but Kaz learned to hope the hard way, when he was a kid, Hope drowns you and clouds your judgment. 
But hope is a word of luck dipped in the honey of chaos, that was hope for Kaz when you express it. It feels so foreign yet so raw, it scared him yet it also became his salvation and perhaps, a secret language that only he can decipher. All the heist, all the thrill, lead to this, lead you to him, always to him. 
The fold was now only a myth, the weight of the gold filled Kaz’s pockets, Inej has gotten her freedom, Jesper and Wylan were okay, Nina and her slab of fur will unite once again, and then you. 
As you tell your prayers to the saints of Ravka, a man with a cane watched you in the corner of the room.
“Did you get the payment, Brekker?”
Kaz looked at you and the wound on your forehead, then he recalled the moment earlier when you protected him from a volcra. He looked away and in the back of his mind, Jordie’s voice resurfaced.
You will always cause harm, Kaz. You are the chaos, you are!
He clenched his jaw and weave a deep sigh. “Everyone will get their cut once we're back in Ketterdamn.”
He looked at you once again, and to his surprise, you were staring at him, your caring stare for him. The voice of Jordie and the waves of the sea were cleared again, and the only thing he heard was your voice. 
“What now, Brekker?”
With that question, he held his cane a little tighter, and his breathing become rigged.
“Settle. Inej isn’t the only one who got their freedom.” 
You nodded your head as you stood up and walked up to him.
“Tell me something…Kaz.” His name fell out of your lips like a hymn he wishes to bottle as if whenever he hears your voice, all he wanted is to let hope to cloud his judgment. “I know you saw something, you…you’ve never been the same since that time, Brekker.”
Of course, you noticed. How the number amount of times he called your name, he stood a little closer to you, he looked over to you, protect you, something happened in Shu Han, you knew it. Kaz knew it.
“Please…Kaz.” 
He looked at you and he knew your voice was much scarier than the poison he inhaled in Shu Han, he never knew that chaos would be so beautiful and so…hopeful. Hope clouds judgment, Kaz knew it.
But this time, he lets it.
“Jordie was there…” He watched your expression be different when you looked at his eyes and they looked bitter as he spoke his brother’s name. Perhaps a misunderstanding or fear but his words suck the air in your lungs. 
“And you, my wanorde.”
Chaos. 
You stared at each other for a moment. As he breaks the silence, with his walls and armor again.
“Why…why didn’t you run away when the volcra was in front of me?”
You sighed and gave him a knowing look.
“Because I promised. I promised myself to take care of you. May I?”
You gestured your hand over his hand and at this exact moment, his walls and armor betrayed him as hope pushed him through his loudest thoughts: to have you.
He grabbed your hand as you softly examine and traced the markings of his gloves, and his whispers slipped from his mouth. “It’s rotten work..” He was mad and disappointed.
But his tone was also sad, relieved, and somehow, it was like a plea. You inhaled deeply, as you held his hands, now with both of your hands. You smiled at him.
“Not to me, Kaz.”
His hand in yours was something that scared him, he fears that it would drown him but just this once, he let it be, for your hands never drowned him, somehow it saved him. Upon touching your hands…
“Not if it’s you.”
…he felt alive.
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a/n: i actually based this story off : “Pylades: I’ll take care of you. Orestes: It’s rotten work. Pylades: Not to me. Not if it’s you.” ― Anne Carson, Euripides
⚘ masterlist 1 | 2 | 3
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jahayla-parker · 11 months
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Never Steal From The Devil : Kaz Brekker x Reader
(+ platonic!Crows x reader)
Desc: Some fool thought it would be wise to kidnap Y/N to harm Kaz, so Kaz makes it his mission to show them their fatal error in judgment.
Note: Broken into 4 parts for ease of breaks/pauses between sections and so it’s not so long of a read.
Themes: Angst-fluff / hurt-comfort / protective / revenge.
Warnings: SoC standard warnings, descriptive violence, kidnapping, captivity, anger, death, mentions of blood, etc.
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Part One: Read Here
Part Two: Read Here
Part Three: Read Here
Part Four: Read Here
(Kaz Brekker Taglist will be tagged in each part, if you want to be added to the taglist for either Kaz or just this mini-series please let me know!)
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Kaz Brekker Navigation
Six of Crows Navigation
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My Main Masterlist (All My Works) Navigation
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Request info including status.
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