#Jesper Fahey fanfiction

[wh0refornikolailantsov]

please consider...... angsty fic where Jesper is in a gunfight and actually gets shot for once. it might only be in the side but just the sudden panic he'd get of realising he's not invincible and Y/N did a whole freaking out and leaving before this could happen. Y/N being scared for good reason..... waking up with Y/N at his bedside????????

For One Last Good Night With You - Jesper Fahey

Content Warnings: Angst. Canon Compliant Violence, Threat And Injury. Explicit Language. Not Beta/Proof Read.

It was such a ridiculous fight. Jesper couldn't have been more convinced that there was nothing less worthy of arguing over than this. But argued about it you did. You had damn near lost your mind trying to make him understand and he just couldn't fathom it.

Did you doubt him? Because every ounce of concern you had, every fear you expressed, it sounded like you thought he couldn't handle himself. It sounded like a dismissal of his capabilities. He couldn't hear it. He couldn't even indulge it. Jesper Fahey, for all his gambling debt, and all the reasons to doubt the facts, might not consider himself lucky, but invincible? That he was sure of.

Jesper spent his days feeling like nothing could touch him, because nothing had. Every job with Kaz, he might have barely made it out of so many of them, but he made it out. He has been out gunned more times than he can count and he left without a thread of his jacket torn, while others did not have that courtesy of that.

Although your concern for him was moving at first, the way you were so clearly worried about him coming home, from what you considered an unnecessarily dangerous job, the amusement he had at it slipped away when he saw just how serious you were. You were worried. Worried so deep and so true that you tried your best to dissuade him from this job, and that should have told Jesper something. But what it told him was you doubted his ability to handle himself. It showed a lack of faith in him. That was so far from the truth, but Jesper wasn't able to see that. Not while you're telling him over and over that you cannot handle the idea of him not coming home. All he could wonder is when had he ever given you cause to doubt him? When had he ever not come back to you? Why did you doubt him?

You had wanted him to see the insanity in the plan, in the odds, not doubt himself. You had tried every type of reasoning you could think of to help Jesper see that you believed in him, but you were scared, and you had all the reasons in the world to be. Something felt wrong here, something felt off and miscalculated and you couldn't explain it, but you were scared for him, scared for him in a way you haven't been before. You wouldn't call yourself superstitious, but you felt it in your bones like a bad omen and you didn't know how to make him see. And the more you tried, the less he heard, the more he seemed determine to prove himself, determined to throw himself into the line of fire. So you walked out.

You walked out into The Barrel without another word because each word seemed to just make more problems than the last and you could not push him even further into this. You had to get out of that argument and that room before you completely broke down. You couldn't change his mind and all your trying seemed to make it worse, so you had to leave. You had to get far away from those words and that feeling, and you had to just hope, hope and saints maybe even pray that Jesper could be lucky this time. Even if luck was not something you believed in, that anyone in The Barrel really believed in. You just hoped that maybe it was enough.

He had been too distracted, and he had been too cocky and the mixture of both on his shoulders are a too dangerous mix for this evening, for this plan, for the eight men he counted as seven.

The bullet landed in the higher side of his left shoulder, and the pain is not remotely close to the shock that hits Jesper with the same force of the bullet. He actually let himself get hit, he hasn't gone that before. He has never felt the way the bullet tears through muscle upon entry and again on exit. The shot is clean and barely hits him low enough to do more than graze, but the blood dripping down on his ruffled shirt is very real and the pain is not something he can ignore.

"Jesper?" Comes Inej's voice from the dark, but his vision is swimming and blurred to the point where he cannot tell if Inej is being her shadow like self or if he is losing consciousness.

He cannot remember a time in his life when his breathing has been this shallow, this laboured, this difficult. He knows it's panic, at least a part of him knows it, but the bigger part of him right now is screaming inside his head. This cannot be how he dies. Not here. Not like this. Not leaving things the way he had with you.

"Jesper!" Inej's voice is louder now, and her hand grips his arm with such a suddenness that if Jesper was in his body he would've reacted so fiercely to. But Jesper is miles away, the pain throbbing, the panic squeezing his chest tighter with every breath, his mind with you.

Jesper thinks maybe Inej is trying to say more words but her voice is losing out against the heaviness of his breath and the sound in his head.

Not like this. Not now. Not like this.

"Please," the word falls from his lips as if every other part of his pleading had been said out loud. If Inej responds, if anyone does, Jesper doesn't hear them before he blacks out.

Fuck.

"Out of the woods? Out of the fucking woods? Brekker if I wasn't preoccupied I would ring your neck," you shout, across the slat. Nina is working her hardest on Jesper's shoulder but the pain lurches him awake. He goes to speak but Nina catches him and fixes him with a look.

"Not a word, luckshot," she tells him. "Not a damn word."

"You're assuming you could get that close to me," Kaz responds. Jesper hadn't been conscious for the Kaz the others had seen a few hours before, the Kaz who saw Jesper, no colour in his eyes, laid out and bleeding on the new rug. The Kaz who's voice wavered, who's attachments became all too clear as he nearly let his cane fall from his viper grip.

"Brekker if he died, nothing could have stopped me from ending you," you warned.

"It wasn't his fault," Inej tried, her knees pulled into her chest, head resting on them, arms wrapped tightly around them, holding herself still and together. She trusted Nina, but nearly seeing Jesper bleed out in an alleyway in The Barrel had taken it out of her. She saw Jesper as a brother, and she had already lost one of those. Kaz felt very much the same but tried to bury it under anger. Anger that fizzled out before it reached yours, it flickered in comparison to your rage.

"I told him, I told all of you," your words sound sore now, like your throat is giving way to them. Jesper knows that sound, even if he wishes he didn't. You'd been crying, and not a gentle cautious, keep yourself contained type of cry, no you had screamed your lungs raw.

He hadn't wanted to say goodbye, and you hadn't want to lose him, both the same. "Inej, Kaz, step outside please," Nina says. "I'm trying to work here and you're not helping."

Inej looks to Nina as if to ask what she had done to be sent away, but Nina just eyed back Kaz and Inej understood: she was being sent to keep Kaz calm, to not risk Kaz trying to get revenge before he'd thought everything through.

Jesper feels himself slipping again, the pain making him giveaway and he tries to speak your name before he succumbs to it, but nothing leaves his mouth, and it's just darkness again.

When Jesper wakes again, he can feel the bandage on his shoulder, he can feel how everything is back where it should be, blood staying inside his body, but it still hurts worse than any hangover. He tries to sit up but only then notices the weight on his chest. You're resting on him, you must've fallen asleep waiting for him to wake. You're exhausted, Jesper has no way to tell how long he had been out, and how long he had made you worry. A thousand different apologies climbed into his mind but not a single one would do, not a single one was good enough.

"Jes?" You mumble as you wake from the steady breathing in Jesper's chest changing to a faster pace.

"I'm awake," he tells you. You look at him and he can see that anger, the anger he had seen before he left for the job, the anger he heard you have when spitting venom at Kaz before, and it melts away.

"You scared me you asshole," you tell him, bundling the fabric of his shirt in your hands.

He places a hand delicately on the side of your face and then without the grace or cocky demeanor you're used to, he pulls you into a kiss. A kiss that tells you that he knows how close he came, how much he scared you, a kiss that tells you he is sorry and he never wants to put you through that again. "I'm sorry Ace," he whispers. A smile breaks on your lips, Ace, his lucky card, you'd always had mixed feelings on that nickname, as you did on anything he related back to gambling, but you'd never been so glad to hear it fall from his lips.

"I love you Jesper Fahey," you tell him plain. He looks back at you, and it's not that he ever doubted it, it's not that you'd never said it. It's just... Hearing it now, felt like the first time, felt like the beginning of something and the culmination of it the same.

"I love you," he says, pulling you in for another kiss, "and I'm sorry-"

"Don't be sorry, just be save... Be alive... Be here."

"Okay," he agrees. "Okay."

[wesperbrekkered]

My List of published fics;

Of Lies and Rash Decisions > AU where Jesper is hired to kill Wylan

Never Let Me Go > Wesper Spiderverse AU

Tangled In Your Web > Spiderverse AU part 2

The arduous trials of getting one Ivan drunk > 5+1 Ivantill fluff

Flair For The Dramatics > Pirate Wylan X Mermaid Jesper

Little Stolen Moments > Pre Relationship Wesper Fluff

Counting Down The Years > 9+1 Wesper New Years Kisses

Heaven Help A Fool Who Falls In Love > Ivan character study

How dare you think this time’s enough (Don’t leave me) > Till character study

Out of the Blue > Wesper Proposal Fic

You drew Stars around my Scars > First I love you, Wesper Fluff

Don’t Wanna Lie (Don’t Wanna Tell The Truth) > Wesper Spideypool AU

Of Hidden Truths and Drastic Actions > Show!Wesper navigating the key Book!Wesper scenes

The Longest Hour > Wesper Cowboy AU / FWB

Of Latte Art and Sweet Suggestions > 5+1 Wesper coffeeshop au

I Wish You Meant It > Rewrite of the Kuwei/Jesper kiss from Wylan's POV

Now I Know You Meant It > Rewrite of the wesper first kiss from Wylan's POV

Of Merchlings and Letters Home > Wesper Fake Dating AU

Blame It On My Left Side Brain > Jesper is diagnosed with depression, hurt/comfort

Lost on the Shape of You > T4T Wesper smut

You got me wrapped around your finger (not that I'm complaining) > Domestic Wesper Fluff

Summer Days drifting away > Modern AU Wesper Fluff

Always and Forever > Domestic Wesper Fluff

Jesper Fahey Couldn't Sleep > Post - Canon Wesper hurt/comfort

To Capture Perfections Muse > Domestic Fluff

The choice in not making a choice > olard part 2, Domestic Wesper Fluff

Always, always it was Wylan > Post - Canon Wesper Nightmare fic

A Fickle Thing, That Death > Wesper death fic, hurt/comfort

Just you and me Merchling > Hurt / no comfort, wesper dying side by side

Six of Bread > Modern AU Wesper fluff

Hold me close when it falls apart > hurt/comfort Jesper breakdown fic

My current list of wips (feel free to ask to see snippets, it helps with motivation):

It hurts to be something (it's worse to be nothing) > Ivantill FWBs

50 Ways To Kill A Man > Detective AU

To Love Like A Lie > Fake Dating AU

Rose Tinted Glasses > Domestic Fluff

Of Gunslingers and Journey's Home > of merchlings and letters home epilogue

[bi-bard]

The Easiest Way to Steal a Man’s Wallet is to Tell Him You’re Going to Steal His Watch - Jesper Fahey Imagine [Shadow & Bone]

Title: The Easiest Way to Steal a Man’s Wallet is to Tell Him You’re Going to Steal His Watch

Pairing: Jesper Fahey X Platonic!Sun Summoner!Reader (the sun summoner thing doesn't come up in this story)

Word Count: 1,408 words

Warning(s): gambling, mention of theft (?)

Summary: [Pre-Show] Jesper is always confident, he's just not always right. However, he was certain that the game he was playing was his. There was no way he couldn't win. So, when he doesn't, curiosity gets the best of him.

Author's Note: Because why deal with the main plot when I can just write this and show the beginning of cute besties?

MORE OF THIS OC HERE

----------------------

It all started with a single game between (Y/n) (Y/l/n) and Jesper Fahey

It was strange to know that such an important part of history could be traced back to something so... simple. Two people sitting across from each other, testing how much the other was willing to through into the pot. Any other player didn't matter. Each one was on a roll, seemingly taking turns on who got to celebrate a victory.

The pair had never met before that night. When looking back at it, neither one would be particularly shocked that they ended up being such close friends. It would have happened regardless of what followed that game. Regardless of the history that would be made on both parts.

Jesper was on his last game of the night. That's what he told himself. If he would have stuck to that promise would remain largely a mystery.

He was confident. A smirk sat on his face. He was certain that he was bulletproof in that moment. He just had to wait. Wait to take his winnings and leave for a night of happiness.

He underestimated (Y/n).

He wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Some extravagant guns you walked in with," (Y/n) said, nodding a bit as some way to indicate to them.

Jesper grinned. "Thanks."

"Important for work?"

"I just like to take care of my things," he shrugged. "You have to treat what you love well. It'll treat you well in return."

"Well, you're obviously going a good job of that," they replied. "And a life lesson. How moving."

Jesper chuckled and took half a second to glance down at the gun on his side. That half-second was enough to be his undoing. Not that he realized that.

No. Jesper wouldn't realize that until the cards were quite literally laid out on the table before him.

His confident smile immediately dropped as he studied the cards in front of him. Both his own and (Y/n)'s. His eyebrows furrowed.

That was impossible. He couldn't have lost. This was the one time that he was certain that such a thing was impossible. And maybe he had said that before and maybe he had been wrong many times, but this time was different.

"What," he managed to sputter out. "How?"

"Lucky day for me," (Y/n) shrugged to him, reaching forward to take their winnings for the night. "See you around... I didn't actually get your name."

"Jesper," he replied, still staring at the cards. "And yours?"

"Ask me when you win a game against me," they smirked before walking out.

Jesper didn't have a moment to question the game. He knew that he needed to. Something clearly wasn't right about it.

He stood up, quickly making his way outside.

They were already gone when Jesper made it through the door. He looked around, quickly scanning the streets to see if he could catch sight of the person.

Nothing.

He wouldn't see (Y/n) until the next day.

He hadn't even been looking for them. He had merely been walking by and caught sight of them leaning against a wall. They were chatting and laughing with some guy that Jesper had seen a few times. He knew the man was arrogant and rarely completely sober. He had been thrown out of Kaz's club once.

He was prepared to interrupt, assuming that (Y/n) was being harassed by some older man that could not comprehend that someone could be polite when they were uncomfortable.

And then, Jesper watched (Y/n)'s movements play out like a finely perfected dance. They reached over and touched the man's arm as they laughed, acting like it was a funny story. Then, their hand moved down, and they expertly slipped something off of the man's wrist. Jesper couldn't even catch sight of what was taken. He just knew that something was gone.

He paid closer attention to (Y/n) after that moment.

He kept himself at a safe distance, trying to observe without ringing any alarms for the thief.

He had seen them steal everything but the clothes off someone's back. Watches, jewelry, money. Anything that could be quickly grabbed and stashed away. These escapades were interrupted by (Y/n)'s tricks going seemingly unnoticed at different gambling joints. No commitment to any place in particular. Just going where the tricks could work best.

The only place not hit was the Crow Club. Jesper made sure to keep that in mind.

Jesper almost admired (Y/n)'s work.

If he hadn't been stolen from, then maybe he would have been.

It was a few days later that he insisted that Kaz listen to him. That he might have someone to pique the man's interest.

Kaz made sure to show that he was far too busy to worry himself with such a thing but listened to Jesper regardless.

The pair stood in Kaz's office. Jesper stood on one side of the desk with his arms crossed over his chest. Kaz stood on the other, shifting through the paperwork that was not nearly as unorganized as it often appeared.

"So, there's this pickpocket," Jesper explained. "Really good. Talented. They run tricks at gambling joints too. Whole sleight of hand act. it's impressive. They could probably be living like royalty if they truly wanted to."

"And you want me to hire them," Kaz concluded. "Based on your word?"

"Not right away," Jesper shook his head. "I want you to consider them."

"What need would I have for them?"

"Someone charming and clever. Who can apparently steal anything without getting questioned because they're simply too nice in the moment for someone to do so. Imagine the doors that someone like that could open."

"How did you learn of this person?"

Jesper was hesitant to admit to that, but when Kaz's glare didn't falter, Jesper's resolve did. "They got me during a game. Tricked me. But I followed them. I know what they're capable of."

Kaz scoffed. It was the beginning of the story that he expected to hear. He had few problems with Jesper's gambling until he lost.

"I'm not saying to just let them join," Jesper argued. "I'm saying we should see if they'd be a benefit because I think they could be."

"And when did you start deciding that," Kaz asked.

Jesper's head tilted as his expression hardened. Kaz showed no reaction to the glare. He knew very well that Jesper wouldn't truly act on any aggression that he may hold toward his boss.

"One chance," Jesper begged. "One chance for them to prove how good they are."

Kaz paused.

Jesper could see every gear working in the man's head. He couldn't imagine the scenarios that Kaz was working through, but he was confident that there were a million of them. That seemed to simply be how Kaz operated.

"I assume you've already offered this person a job," Kaz said.

"No," Jesper admitted. "They don't even know that I know what they're capable of."

"Will they come to a meeting?"

"Probably not," he muttered. "They pretty much ran from the table as soon as I started to question the game."

"So, how do you suggest we offer them a chance?"

Jesper paused for a moment. "I thought that you would come up with something brilliant because you're a great boss."

Kaz let out a sigh like an older brother would. His eyes closed for a moment and his shoulders dropped.

Jesper considered if he could sneak through the window in Kaz's office like Inej did. His conclusion was that he definitely could but would probably break his neck by falling from it.

"I need you to invite them here," Kaz instructed, snapping Jesper out of whatever daring escape plan he had formulated. "I will handle the rest."

"Alright," Jesper nodded. "Tomorrow night."

"Don't get distracted."

"I am not a child!"

Kaz raised an eyebrow at him. No. Not a child. But a very easily distracted man. One sight of a bet and Jesper wouldn't be seen for hours.

"I won't get distracted," Jesper promised after realizing he wouldn't escape the stare-down that he had been caught in the middle of.

Kaz nodded and Jesper abruptly turned around and left the office.

No one in the Barrel could have guessed that the following night would have changed everything for so many people involved.

For the time being, it was all normal.

Then again, who truly knows that they will make history until things start falling down around them?

----------------------

Author's Note: this quote-as-a-title thing is going to screw me over.

----------------------

Navigation Guide

What I Write For

Some Original Characters

[letthewhumpbegin]

In the Line of Fire - Shadow and Bone

Fandom: Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows Characters: Jesper Fahey, Kaz Brekker Prompt: this was written for day 14 of @juneofdoom. Prompt: "What were you thinking?" Word count: 2198 Warnings: contains descriptions of gunshot wound, self-sacrifice (no character death).

A/N: I know this is a day early, but since I am very short on time tomorrow, I've decided to post this already today. Story can also be found on my AO3 and FF.net (you can find me under Thiswouldbeakick on both sites 😉)

GIF by me

The decision was made in a split-second, and actually more instinctively rather than consciously. Everyone would agree it might not have been the smartest thing to do, but bang in the middle of a shootout, one tends not to make the most rational decisions.

That was why Jesper saw only one way to stop the bullet that was now hurtling towards Kaz: get him out of the way before the round could bury itself in the thief's flesh.

"Get down!" Jesper threw himself at Kaz, effectively tackling him to the ground. Kaz groaned audibly as the both of them landed on the ground and he caught Jesper's full weight on his chest. He needed a moment to get his breath back. This had been a very close call, Kaz knew that all too well. But what he heard next, made Kaz realize this situation had just gotten way worse.

"I-- I'm hit..."

Jesper made a feeble attempt to push himself off of Kaz's chest, but couldn't find the strength and slumped back down. Kaz tried to keep it together, despite his discomfort at large parts of his body being in contact with someone else. Something was clearly wrong with Jesper, and the gunslinger wouldn't be helped if Kaz lost it completely.

The way Jesper limply rolled onto the floor as Kaz gently pushed him off of his chest was all the more reason for concern. "Jesper?" Where Kaz's voice never faltered, it did now at the sight in front of him. Jesper lay on his side, whimpering in pain, and a look of indescribable fear on his face. Something Kaz had never seen in the gunslinger before.

"I'm hit..." Jesper repeated, stammering and gasping for breath. Kaz's eyes hastily roamed over his friend's body. He didn't need long to see the bloodstain on the back of Jesper's grey coat. The wound was halfway between Jesper's shoulder blades and oozing blood. Kaz had seen too many injuries in his life already to know Jesper wasn't walking this off. No, this could easily prove fatal.

"Help me." Jesper's voice cracked as he reached a trembling hand out to Kaz's arm, and for once Kaz let him. Kaz vigorously nodded his head. "Hold on, Jes, hold on."

An involuntary cough rocked Jesper's body, and Kaz startled to see Jesper cough up some blood. They needed to move quickly and get Jesper to a Healer as soon as possible. Jesper's gaze found Kaz's face for just a moment, before his eyes rolled back and he passed out.

Kaz scrambled to his feet. Jesper would pull through this, Kaz would do everything in his power to make sure of that. But he couldn't do that alone. No, he needed the help of the only other person in the world he trusted enough.

Kaz took a deep breath and yelled out as loud as he could. "Inej!"

---

The first time Jesper found a tiny bit of consciousness again, there was a flurry of things happening around him. He heard people moving, conversing in low, yet urgent tones, and he felt hands touching his apparently bare shoulders.

With his consciousness slowly returning to him, so did the pain. It was like his back was on fire, leaving him unable to breath in too deeply, and on the verge of screaming out if he moved even the tiniest muscle.

Jesper opened his eyes just enough to see blurrily through his eyelashes. The dimly lit room he found himself in wasn't familiar to him, and neither were the two middle-aged women hurrying around him. Healers, Jesper presumed. At least, he hoped so, because the pain to his back was excruciating and he had never felt so weak as right now.

Jesper whimpered, making a very feeble attempt to move. "Kaz?" His mind, still foggy with only half his consciousness returned to him, suddenly fed him the last images he remembered from before blacking out, and why he had taken a bullet in the first place. "Don't worry about him now." One of the Healers pressed a gentle hand onto Jesper's back, urging him to lie still. But instead of calming him, it only made Jesper more worried and panicked.

"Kaz." His friend's name rolled of Jesper's lips in another half-conscious, frightened whimper. Again those hands trying to be gentle as they held him down. "No..." Jesper moaned. Tears of pain and fear made their way into his eyes. "Kaz... I need to see him. Why won't you tell me if he's alright?"

Jesper was just about to completely lose himself in his fear, when he heard the sound that finally managed to calm him somewhat: the sound of a cane on the wooden floor.

"I'm fine, don't you worry about me." Kaz slowly limped into Jesper's line of sight. He didn't look as composed as usual, but at least he was up and walking. "Let the Healers help you, Jesper."

Jesper finally relaxed, and immediately found himself on the brink of passing out again. He had never before experienced pain like this, and his exertions of just now certainly hadn't made that better. With a last strand of consciousness, Jesper looked past the Healers at Kaz standing a few feet behind them. He stood with both gloved hands resting on his cane, an expression on his face one did not often find there: concern.

Kaz's eyes locked with Jesper's, and he minutely dipped his head once. It was a small movement, but Jesper caught it and knew what it meant. Kaz took care of business, Kaz would take care of him, and whenever he did you were in good hands.

Jesper's muscles lost all their strength as he gave in to the Healers and disappeared into unconsciousness once again.

---

When Jesper awoke again, he immediately knew where he was. Without even opening his eyes, he knew he was back in the Barrel. The sounds and smells were unmistakable and he recognized them out of thousands.

But what he couldn't quite place was the soft surface he lay upon and the warm blankets he felt all around him. One didn't easily find these things in the Barrel, and a twinge of fear settled back in Jesper's chest. Was he really safe right now?

Jesper very slowly opened his eyes. A frown creased his brow as he found himself almost face to face with a golden-colored crow's head. He was about to blame it on the fogginess of his mind, when he realized he was staring at the handle of Kaz's cane, which stood leaning to the side of the bed Jesper found himself in.

Jesper slightly lifted his head off the pillow to look past the crow's head. If his cane was here, Kaz must be, too.

And indeed. He found Kaz sitting, slightly slouched down, in a comfortable chair a few feet beside the bed, fast asleep. One elbow rested on the armrest of the chair, while his hand supported his head as he slept. His face peaceful for once, and his entire body relaxed.

Jesper blinked sluggishly a few times. He had never actually seen Kaz asleep before, and the sight was strangely off to him. There had been rumors going around the Barrel for years that Dirtyhands never slept. Jesper was never quite able to prove those rumors wrong, although he was rational enough to know they couldn't be true, but he now had to unequivocally conclude that Kaz slept just like anyone else.

But was Kaz alright? Jesper could see the slow rise and fall of his chest, so he didn't really look on the brink of death, but Jesper still worried. Kaz was a star at hiding the things that bothered him, especially when it came to injuries. Jesper only vaguely remembered Kaz ensuring him he was alright back at the Healer's, but he needed confirmation on that again.

"Kaz..." Jesper mumbled as loud as he could get his voice after it not being used in a while. Kaz didn't even stir. "K-Kaz." Jesper slightly moved and he instantly felt the searing pain between his shoulder blades from where he had been shot. He winced loudly, his hands tightly gripping the edge of the bed. In his somewhat uncontrolled movement, Jesper knocked over Kaz's cane, which fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

Kaz nearly jumped a foot into the air, waking abruptly with a gasp he did his best to suppress. He looked around in confusion for a moment, before he locked eyes with Jesper. They held each other's gaze, until Kaz bent down to pick up his cane off the floor. He set it in front of the chair he sat on, resting both hands on the handle.

"Welcome back," Kaz finally spoke. "Tell me you're alright." Jesper demanded before Kaz could say anything else. His voice was still croaky and hoarse, but Jesper couldn't care less about that now. All he wanted was real confirmation that Kaz had come out of the shootout unscathed.

"I already told you." Kaz's spoke flatly, brow creasing into a frown. "I know you, Kaz," Jesper mumbled weakly, "you hide any injuries you have when one of us is injured. You want us to be alright before you even begin to think about yourself." Kaz shifted uncomfortably in his chair, the wood creaking softly as his muscles tensed. "How do you know?" "You're not the only one making observations," Jesper answered, "so tell me, truthfully, are you alright?" Kaz nodded sincerely. "Yes." Jesper sighed in relief. Kaz wasn't hurt, so at least he hadn't taken a bullet for nothing.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a short while. Even though he was only half awake, Jesper effortlessly sensed Kaz had something he wanted to speak about. The thief sat staring at his own hands resting on his cane in front of him. A hard, yet unreadable look on his face. Jesper knew that look. It meant Kaz's brain was working overtime, and Jesper could easily deduce that would have something to do with the events of the shootout.

Finally, Jesper had had enough. "Just speak whatever's on your mind," he sighed. Kaz's gaze flickered onto Jesper, but the expression on his face didn't change. "What were you thinking?" Kaz spoke softly, but his tone was unforgiving. "When?" Jesper answered sarcastically, "I have many thoughts." "Don't take me for a fool, Jes." For a heartbeat Dirtyhands surfaced, before Kaz's expression immediately softened a little again. "I know you threw yourself in front of that bullet. And I also know that, if you hadn't, it would have struck me." "It would have killed you," Jesper corrected. Kaz slightly cocked his head to one side, mulling those words over. "And instead it nearly killed you."

Jesper was caught off guard by that comeback and hesitated before he spoke again. "Well, maybe... I didn't entirely think it through." "Why do it at all?" Kaz shrugged non-understandingly. "Half of Ketterdam would be celebrating my death." Jesper chuckled softly, before his tone turned very serious. "Kaz, I... I know you don't give a kruge about yourself, and many people would indeed rather see you dead, but there's also still people out there that do care about you... I care about you."

The usual frown on Kaz's brow deepened even further. His lips parted slightly and he took a breath as if he meant to say something, but finally settled upon just a deep exhale. "Just-- don't ever do that again," Kaz eventually spoke. A small smile tugged at the corner of Jesper's mouth. "Sure, boss."

Jesper shifted minutely under his covers. His back ached uncomfortably. The Healers had healed the wound, but his body still had a lot of recovering to do. He felt fatigued, out of strength, and like he could sleep for days on end. Apparently, Kaz had seen it, too. "I'll leave you to get more rest," he said solemnly.

Jesper watched Kaz slowly get to his feet. He couldn't help but notice how Kaz winced at the seemingly extreme stiffness in his bad leg, and how he leaned on his cane even heavier than usual.

"Exactly how long have you been sitting at my bedside?" Jesper frowned suspiciously. "You've been out for over a day, so..." Kaz admitted reluctantly, "more than a day." Jesper blinked a few times in surprise. Not only for hearing he had apparently been unconscious for more than a day, but more so that Kaz had refused to leave his side all that time.

Kaz walked a few paces, before looking back over his shoulder, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and a smirk playing on his lips. "You're not the only one who needs to make sure their friend is alright." Jesper chuckled. A pleasant warmth settled in his chest at seeing this side of Kaz. It was rarely glimpsed, but there definitively was a sensitive side to him after all.

"Thank you," Jesper said sincerely, "for helping me." "Don't get used to it," Kaz answered with a grin. And Jesper immediately knew: if it ever came to it again, Kaz would help him no matter what.

Useful Links Section | Writing Masterlist Make a request from my prompts list

[lesbianjackies]

💰jesper fahey masterlist💰

key: ❤︎︎ - fluff, ☁︎︎ - angst, ★ - smut

strangers ❤︎︎

braid my hair, jes ❤︎︎

dating jesper fahey headcanons ❤︎︎

[caribbean1989]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Shadow and Bone (TV), Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Kaz Brekker, Jesper Fahey Additional Tags: Whump, Nightmares, Mentions of PTSD, Hurt/Comfort Summary:

'"Kaz?" Jesper squinted through the room illuminated only by the fire still going in the hearth. Had he imagined Kaz making a sound in pain? Or was it just a sound someone made in their sleep before peacefully sleeping on?' When taking shelter for a storm, Kaz has a nightmare. Whump, hurt/comfort.

[finnicks]

( fic ) true wealth

true wealth

shadow and bone | jesper & milo; gen; 71 words Jesper's reunited with Milo.

[mcntsee]

The real barbie is Y/n.

Y/n’s a doctor, a cop, a scientist, an agent, vet, hero, villain, astronaut, lawyer, spy, criminal, artist, chef, engineer, psychologist, architect, journalist, firefighter, event planner, mechanic, photographer, musician, actor, interior designer, bartender, fashion designer, barista, florist, forensic scientist, flight attendant, profiler, tour guide, translator, etc.

[moonstruck-poet]

The Confrontation

Pairing - Kaz Brekker x reader!

Summary - three times where the Crows find you two in suspicious situations leading them to conspire and the fourth time when they learn the truth.

Warnings - Assault, Harrassment

1. Nina

"You ready?" Nina Zenik questioned, quickly giving the surroundings a scan before pinning her eyes on you. "The minute Kaz joins us, you have to leave".

You exhaled and nodded, trying your best not to wince at the obnoxiously tight corset and trying to breathe properly. "Was this the only available option?"

"Thr most suitable option," she corrected and smirked after looking at you.

"Stop checking me out when I'm literally struggling to breathe, Zenik. Remind me why is it not you instead of me? Saints know you're better at this," you grumbled and shivered as the cold hair brushed against your off shoulder gown.

"Because unfortunately I'm the Heartrender here, aren't I?" She grinned and you glared, understanding that this was quite amusing. "Ah! There's your ticket," she nodded towards Kaz who was stumbling his way towards you, slightly out of breath.

"Here it goes," you sighed, smoothing your outfit. Somehow this simply seemed a much difficult job that gutting someone in the right place. Using a knife was just easier.

Kaz, now much closer gave you a nod, his eyes glinting as he gripped his cane tightly and you understood. You merely smiled softly before shooting Nina a wink and entered the club, your eyes immediately narrowing down on the target.

Your brain was replaying all of the tricks that your dear friend had so graciously shown. You weren't dumb of course, you knew the basics but she had a degree in flirting.

And so you braced yourself and appeared in front of the man, trying to hide a cringe when his gaze instantly swept over your physique shamelessly. A small flame of anger burned internally and you would be sure to use your favorite dagger very soon.

Meanwhile Kaz and Nina were sneakily observing from the window while also keeping an eye on the environment.

"She seems to be getting the required information," Nina exclaimed but her smile soon fell upon seeing the scene. "Oh Saints no," she whispered and Kaz, who had his back to the window whipped around.

His dark, dangerous stare found you with ease and his body tensed at your uncomfortable face that you were trying so desperately to hide.

He saw the way that man pulled you closer with every passing second until you were pressed flat against him, his foul breath staining your bare shoulders as your body shook with contained fury.

His fingers skimmed your skin while his lips brushed against your cheek and all Kaz wanted to do in that moment was to stride inside and take you out of his grasp.

But he was still talking, his lips moved and so did yours. You were still trying to wrangle every little piece of information you could possibly get while also trying to keep yourself safe.

"Kaz," Nina said urgently upon seeing the malicious smile on the stranger's face. "That's enough she needs to come out".

"I can't do anything," he said bitterly. "It'll just give out our position and put everybody in danger and I cannot have that," he finished, hating every part of himself.

"I like you, sweetheart," your target whispered, his face inches away. His breath fanning you, reeking of alcohol. "I wish to see you again. Please?" He asked, his voice manipulative and he dragged his lips from your shoulder to your neck.

"Of course," you murmured back, your tone deadly which he didn't seem to notice. "You'll see me soon. Very soon indeed".

"Perfect," he grinned against your cheek before kissing the skin and you stepped back with a smile, not breaking eye contact until you exited the door.

And immediately your flirty facade shattered and your were consumed by a dark energy as you rounded the corner, your pace increasing with every step.

"Oh Saints," Nina said as soon as you reached the meeting spot. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am," you teased, a wicked smile but Kaz wasn't fooled, not at all.

He looked at you, trying to pick up every noticeable change and he sae many. The twitch of your eyebrow, the small frown appearing on your lips which was quickly replaced with a grin and the slight shudder of your shoulders.

He didn't think of anything at all as he removed his coat. "Here," he offered, his dark brown eyes burning into yours.

"It's okay, Kaz, I'm alright-"

"-Take it," he said firmly and when you didn't move, he put it over your shoulders and you almost sighed at the warmth. His touch was so gentle, so secure, a constrast to the emotions plaguing you moments before. "Are you okay?" He asked again.

"I want to go home," was all you could reply as you looked longingly at him, hoping that your eyes were enough to convey all of your feelings. "Please".

Kaz nodded, looking down as pain struck his chest. He could handle numerous difficult situations, but when it concerned you, he was always vulnerable.

"I'm sorry," he said lowly, his voice barely heard as he scanned your face, having an intense urge to place his palm on your cheek but the mere thought made him flinch. However he remained rooted to the spot, not backing away because he knew that you needed him at the present, and he wasn't leaving you.

Someone cleared her throat and that was what made him pull away.

"Extremely sorry but we have to move," she said softly and he nodded, his jaw clenching as he gave you one last, tender look before walking away.

The two of you followed and you clutched the coat around you tightly, a small smile threatening to break out on your face as you replayed the interaction with your dearest.

Meanwhile the Grisha was observing her friends quite eagerly, her eyes switching from one to the other. She had her suspicions from the minute she saw Kaz's panic-stricken face, and then the said person lending his coat confirmed it.

She saw his face contorting in sadness upon seeing your highly uneasy figure back at the club, saw the way his fingers fidgeted constantly because he felt helpless. In conclusion, she saw him lose control.

Kaz Brekker never lost control.

She should feel guilty for using her abilities on her boss, but how could she not? When a particular heart was thudding unbelievably as soon as his eyes fell onto someone else's. The beating had only seemed to intensify when he had put his coat around your shoulders.

The trip to the Crow Club was spent in silence. Everyone's mind being occupied by very different thoughts.

"There you are!" Jesper's cheery voice snapped them from their daydream. He slowly jogged over to you, excitement evident on his features. "Want to play a round of cards?"

All you gave him was a small, forced smile. He just looked so happy and you didn't want to be that person, "Let's go then".

"You don't have to," Kaz suddenly spoke making everyone stare in surprise.

"It's fine," you replied but he still gave you that look. The one where his eyes were just a tiny bit wide, eyebrows slightly raised to wordlessly ask if you were sure.

You nodded offering him a twitch of your lips before joining Jesper, Wylan and Inej at the table, helping yourself to some bread.

Nina had of course watched this soundless interaction quite seriously, and now she had some very interesting points that would definitely be shared with the other Crows; minus you two obviously.

"Now this seems fun," she said to herself, smirking at the way Dirtyhands had his eyes glued to you the entire time.

===============================

2. Wylan & Matthias

Having a lazy day at the barrel was something that happened once in a blue moon, because Mr Brekker made sure to always keep everyone on their toes. Today was one of those rarest days that the Crows actually had no job and so naturally they were lazing around in the club.

Jesper and Nina were gossiping, holding a small muffin in their hands as they whispered amongst themselves, probably sharing the headlines of all that had happened in the Barrel.

"You're sure? Our Kaz? Kaz Brekker losing control like that?" Jesper asked, double checking to make sure they were talking about the same person.

"Yes Jesper!" Nina sighed. "His heartbeat seemed to skyrocket the minute his eyes fell on her. I wss actually worried that he might have a cardiac arrest or something.

"Djel help me," Matthias muttered. "She's too good for him to ever say yes".

"Oh come on," Nina insisted, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "They're made for each other!"

"I don't know about that but they do make quite a pair," Inej added, her face screwed up in concentration.

"There's definitely something going on," Wylan whispered, putting on his scheming face as he analysed his thoughts.

Meanwhile Nina was now feeding another round of conversation to her gossip partner who was enjoying it very much indeed.

"No way he went over to the Dime Lions!" Jesper exclaimed mid-bite, his mouth opening as he registered the statement.

"He did indeed Jes," you walked down the stairs interrupting their conversation. "Rumour had it that he was paid handsomely as well".

"Of course he was," the gunslinger snorted before shaking his head.

"Where were you?" Nina asked, her eyebrow raised in question and all four heads turned to hear your answer.

"Kaz's office," you said and sat down on one of the couch, not noticing the small smirks painted on everybody's faces.

"What's he doing in there anyway?" Inej asked, having sharpened her knives and taking yours making you shoot her a highly grateful look.

But before you could reply, the said person called from from above, "Love! Have you seen that Kerch document that I had shown you? Where did you keep it?"

Silence. Complete and utter silence followed his statement as the Crows glanced at each other, their expressions the epitome of flabbergasted.

"Check in your bottom right drawer!" You shouted unaware, standing right below the floor so your voice could be heard better. "I've kept it along with other related files".

The minute you went back to your previous seat, you felt eyes staring at every inch of your face making you suddenly look up. "What the hell?" You asked, being startled at seeing every gaze pinned towards you.

"Did he just-" Jesper began but Wylan elbowed him harshly.

"Nothing," he answered sweetly, ignoring the sharp glare thrown his way. "How about we go visit the marketplace? You said you'd show me some firing powders".

"Yeah let's go," you nodded, putting your gun in the holster and donning a black leather jacket over your shirt. "Anybody need anything? I'm not going to get you fruit loops, Jesper," you narrowed your eyes before the boy could even utter a word.

"But you told me that-"

"But you also happened to have eaten three packets yesterday. So no. Absolutely not".

Inej and Nina snickered at the banter which was surely an everyday occurence. Jesper always being the hopeless little kid and you unintentionally acting like his older sister.

The said boy was looking at you with wide eyes and a small pout and you groaned in exasperation. "Fine! I'll get you some stop looking at me like that!"

"I love you so much," he grinned and shot a wink your way.

"Whom do you love?" Kaz Brekker asked, walking down the stairs and towards him with a raised eyebrow. Everybody fell silent at his impeccable timing to arive during the most unwelcoming moments.

"Her of course!" Nina butted in, pointing towards you before Jesper could reply and Matthiss noticed the way the Demjin's face contorted and tightened.

Kaz shot the Zemeni a small glare, not knowing himself that he was actually doing it before turning to look at you and all of the other crows saw the way his gaze softened considerably.

"Should we leave then?" Wylan broke the silence and tugged at your sleeve and your attention snapped to him.

"Yes yes let's leave," you followed him, almost at the door when Kaz called your name and you halted. "What's wrong? You need anything?" You questioned softly as he walked closer.

"You forgot this," he merely said and handed you a necklace that you had forgotten on his desk. It was only Wylan who actually saw the pendant and his mouth hung open.

You took it from his hands, fingers gently brushing against his gloved ones and he instantly felt a small amount of warmth seep into his very soul.

You lit a spark with only your touch.

You ignited him.

"Thank you," you smiled and quickly clasped it around your neck, tucking it inside your shirt so it would be hidden from privy eyes. "See you later, yeah?"

He nodded, hands tightening on his cane as he watched you leave. He never got round to telling you that he had wanted to spend this day with you and you only. But unfortunately you had plans and so he remained silent. Not wanting to be a hindrance.

He couldn't even remember the last time he had spent some quality time with you. Being too busy finding new deals and searching for missions that he couldn't properly acknowledge the best thing in his life.

When did he last take you out somewhere except for sneaking around to gather valuable information? You loved having hot chocolate late at night, when had he ever bought it for you despite knowing that the drink was your favorite?

You deserved so much better, his mind kept telling him. He couldn't even bring himself to give you the comforting touches that he knew you longed for. You never said a word but he saw it in your eyes. Whenever a plan had gone too complicated and particularly difficult, all you needed was a good embrace. But he could only ever bring himself to hold your hand. Nothing more.

And he hated himself for it. Despised every inch of his self because of his inability to provide for you. It killed him inside.

You were lovely and brave and better than anything he deserved. And he was twisted, crooked, wrong but not so broken that he couldn't pull himself together into some semblance of a man for you.

He was so lost in his thoughts that his sharp instincts failed to notice the stares that were currently burning holes in his face. "What?" He snapped and was on his way back to his bedroom when they stopped him.

"Goodness Kaz you actually look sad," Nina concluded, fighting the smirk that was quick to spread on her face.

"I have no reason to be upset," he rolled his eyes and started climbing the stairs slowly, his leg throbbing with slight pain.

"Wylan's right," Matthias said lowly. "The demjin is infatuated".

Wylan on the other hand was busy geeking over the chemicals that were presented in front of him. "How did I never know about this!" He said in delight and you chucklef at the way his eyes lighted up. "These are so much cheaper too".

"Get whatever you want," you squeezed his shoulder and he nearly jumped in excitement. "I'll just quickly go and get something from that shop, yeah?"

He nodded and you crossed the street to enter the clothing shop, smiling to yourself upon seeing beautiful coats lining the walls.

"Can I see some black shirts and vests, please?" You requested the man who nodded and placed numerous boxes on the table. "I'll take these three," you smiled, selecting two dark grey shirts and a gorgeous black vest that you knew would suit your man well.

"Oh hey! Didn't see you coming in".

Wylan simply laughed and examined the clothes that were being folded neatly and transferred in a bag. "For you?"

"Oh no," you shook your head and paid the kruge, it was a little expensive but it's fine. You could give him a gift every now and then. "It's for Kaz".

His eyes widened in surprise just a tiny bit and his lips stretched wide as the two of you exited the store. But then he suddenly grabbed your hand and pulled you towards an artefacts shop.

"How would this look on Jesper?" He said and pointed at a hat which was exactly what the gunslinger preferred.

"Absolutely perfect".

"Hey take a look at this," he directed your attention towards a few bracelets kept neatly in a box, making sure to keep his trained on you to pick up on every little change.

Your hand instinctively flew towards a handmade one woven with black thread. It was quite simple but had an intricate design. You loved it immediately and wasted no time in purchasing the little present.

"Let's go?" You asked, almost forgetting for a moment that you weren't alone. While the boy had his arms crossed and a knowing smile on his face as he followed your lead. Having an intense conversation with himself in his head.

It was almost night when you entered the Slat again and two of the Crows were lounging in the basement itself with the exception of Inej and Nina.

"I'll be back in a few," you whispered to Matthias who nodded and you climbed up thr stairs, eagerly wanting to give Kaz the gifts you had brought.

He waited until the sound of a door closing was heard before looking at Wylan who had a cheeky grin on his face.

===============================

3. Inej & Jesper

"Look at his hand!" Matthias whispered under his breath and nudged Wylan whose eyes shot towards Kaz Brekker. And indeed, a black bracelet was clasped onto his left wrist. Not that noticeable but nowadays nothing could ever escape their sharp stare.

"I've never ever seen him wear anything synonymous to jewellery," Matthias muttered and passed the message to Nina who perked up with a bright grin, as though struck by an inspiration.

"Watch me," was all she said and the the two boys glanced ahead in apprehension as she neared your location and bumped into you quite harshly.

"Saints!" A small shout escaped your lips as you were thrown backwards onto Kaz who was right behind you.

"Goodness I'm so sorry," Nina immediately apologised, not being sorry in the least as she rather scanned the couple's reaction.

Your back was pressed against Kaz's chest while his gloved hand, the one wearing a bracelet was wrapped securely around your waist, holding you against him. You placed your palm on top of his in reassurance, and your heart started taking up its pace.

"You okay?" He murmured in your ear and helped you stand up straight as you nodded; and he shot a deathly glare towards the heartrender, who gave a grin and sashayed her way back to the boys.

"I'm fine, thank you for that," you whispered before returning to the documents that were scattered on the table.

"You saw that?" She joined the duo with an excited expression, her hands flapping in front of her. "He didn't even flinch at her touch! It was almost like-"

"Like he's used to it!" Wylan completed her sentence and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Usually he'll push the person off for even invading his personal space, much less someone actually falling on him," Matthias added and she agreed.

"Ghezen this is going much better than I expected. Fifty kruge that they're already together since the past few months".

"Oh yeah?" Jesper interrupted the conversation with the biggest smirk on his face as he sat down, joined by Inej who was shaking her head with a smile. "Hundred kruge says that they've been married already".

"You do know that you're horrible at betting, don't you?" Matthias asked, raising an eyebrow at the large sum.

"But I think Jes is right on this one," Inej supported him making the said person's grin widen if that was even possible.

"What's making you so sure?" Wylan asked, quite suspiciously.

"Let me ah- tell you a little something I saw," his brown eyes glinted as he recounted the miracle that he and Inej had seen.

Jesper was walking on his usual route that led him back to the Crow Club with the Wraith beside him. They had both finished their parts of the job and had met on their way home.

"You got some intel?" He asked, his eyes scanning the various treats that were covering the shelves of stalls.

"Nothing," she answered with a sigh. "It is the same. He comes in everyday sharp at 7 in the morning and leaves exactly at 5. There has been no change at all".

"I think I'm going insane," he suddenly whispered and stopped dead in his tracks making Inej tense up immediately as she looked around for any threat.

"What's wrong?"

"That- That's Kaz isn't it?" He questioned, unable to believe the words that were on their way through his mouth. "In a- a goddamn flower shop?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed lightly but her she too froze upon seeing a familiar figure standing merely a few metres away. "Saints that is Kaz!"

"Let's go," he nudged her and she hesitated, not really wanting to pry but curiosity certainly gets the better of everyone. They walked closer silently, hiding behind another store which gave them the perfect view.

And there he was, the bastard of the barrel holding a beautiful, red rose in his bare fingers. Yes, he did not have his gloves on. Something that was noticed by the two.

They saw as he paid the small amount of money and began trodding down the road, his cane held tightly in one hand and the rose was held in the other that was hidden behind his back.

"Breadcrumbs," Jesper smirked at her and she let out a laugh as the two followed their leader, becoming increasingly suspicious. They didn't have to wait for long as the person that they had expected arrived soon enough making the two Crows grin.

"Nina was right after all," Inej muttered as she watched you waving at Kaz to gain his attention and the spying people stepped closer, wanting to hear the conversation that would surely grant them something.

"Hey," they heard you whisper, sounding slightly breathless.

"Hi," Kaz replied and took a tiny step closer so that his shoes were touching yours making you bite your lip. "This is for you," he added and presented the rose, his eyes hungrily scanning yours for every little change that he itched to see.

And you rewarded him with the grin that he oh so loved. When your mouth fell open slightly in surprise before morphing slowly into a gorgeous and breathtaking smile.

"For me?" You asked despite yourself, gently taking the flower from his hand and twirling it in your fingers. "Are you sure?"

A small frown marked his face, "Of course I am. Why do you ask such a thing?"

"Is it not for someone else? Maybe a pretty girl that you're thinking of wooing to help you get whatever information that you need," you teased, your lips pressed together.

"Darling," was all he said. His voice low, deep as he stared intently into your eyes, tilting his head to look even deeper. "There is no one like you," he finished and let a small smile form on his hardened face.

Jesper who had been listening with every ounce of concentration had to slap his palm over his mouth to prevent a squeal from escaping his feeble clutches. It was only for Inej roughly smacking his arm and dragging him away that he managed to not give away their position.

"Hence proved," he concluded his story with his arms extended to the present crowd who were utterly and completely shocked.

"No way that actually happened," Matthias grumbled, muttering to himself while Nina looked like she'd just received all of the available waffles for free.

"I'm a genius," she laughed heartily and chugged down a shot of whiskey in celebration of her matchmaking skills.

"I'm so going to win that bet, Zenik".

"Don't count your pigeons before they're killed, Fahey. We can't be so sure that they're actually married".

"We have to ask them!" Wylan urged, sitting up straight and looking at them for their opinions.

"We will," Nina nodded firmly while the rest appeared unconvinced. "Tomorrow".

"Let's hope that we're not murdered in our beds later that night then," Jesper sighed but he too couldn't contain his excitement.

===============================

4. The Confrontation

"Kaz," Nina said in delight as soon as the man climbed down the last step.

"Never thought I'd live to see the day when you're actually looking happy to see me," he retorted making her roll her eyes.

"We need to talk," Jesper elaborated making him raise an eyebrow as he took in all of his Crows minus you and Inej sitting with their arms crossed and heads held high.

"Does it concern me?"

"Of course it does that's why we're asking!"

"Saints give me the strength," he muttered under his breath before looking at the lot. "Go on then I don't have all day".

That's when Inej entered the scene, dragging you along with her and making you stand next to Kaz. "What's going on?" You questioned, heavily confused and looking around for an answer.

"We need to ask you something," Wylan answered your request.

"I gathered just as much".

"Are you going to ask or not?" Kaz growled in annoyance, his patience running thin.

"We just wanted to know-"

"I've been wanting to ask-"

"We had a feeling that-"

They all began together but not one could complete their sentence until Jesper was the one to blurt it out.

"You're married?"

Kaz and you stood still, dumbstruck before visibly relaxing and you chuckled, "That was quicker than I expected".

"I don't think four years is quick, love," Kaz responded, his lips stretching just the slightest making the crowd explode.

"FOUR YEARS?!"

"YOU TWO ARE ACTUALLY MARRIED!"

"WHEN DID YOU EVEN START DATING?!"

"HOW ON EARTH DID YOU EVEN MANAGE TO PULL HER OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE??"

"Ask him about it," was all you said and sat down on a chair with a very obvious smile adorning your pleased face. Everybody fell silent at once and you knew you had said the right thing. Nobody sensible would ever dare to question Kaz.

Jesper glanced nervously at him, "Can I atleast see your ring? Just to you know, have some confirmation?"

You laughed and pulled the necklace out from under your shirt, revealing a thin but elegant silver band encrusted with a small diamond at its center.

"K- Kaz?" Wylan asked, or rather pleaded.

To their surprise, he took off the glove of his right hand to reveal a similar ring resting beautifully against his pale fingers.

"Saints I win!" Jesper said in disbelief and stood up straight, slowly turning his head to look at Nina. "GIVE ME MY KRUGE!" And all watched as the girl slowly backed away, probably hatching an escape plan and ran swiftly with him hot on her heels.

"That was something huh?" You grinned and looked at your husband, slowly leaning over to intertwine your fingers with his.

"Quite," he huffed lightly but couldn't stay annoyed for long and alas, he too smiled. Not a particularly big one, rather a small, gentle twitch of his lips. One that was only ever displayed for you.

His eyes held the entire universe as he admired you from the side, looking at you as if you had hung those few stars that formed his constellation.

===============================

Taglist :-

@phoenix666stuff

[happyyyandcrazyyy]

matching bracelets (kaz brekker x reader)

summary: when (y/n) buys kaz a bracelet she does so as a joke, she knows he’ll never actually wear it. imagine her surprise when she sees it dangling around his wrist.

based on the prompt: person A gets person B a friendship bracelet, expecting person B to never wear it, but when it’s given to them person B puts it on and is rarely seen with it off.

warnings: mentions of blood and torture (not explicit, briefly mentioned)

kaz taglist: @the-tpd-bau @ellievickstar @thestudiouswanderer | soc taglist: @ancientbeing10 (if you want to be added or removed from the taglist just dm me!)

a/n: guess who's back after a year of being mia!! i've been working on a lot of fics, but inspiration just hasn't been there, so i'm going slow, i don't like to force myself to write if i don't feel like it. anywaysss, i hope you enjoy this one! it was such a fun ride to write :)

Jesper opens the door with a loud bang, strutting into the Slat with his head held high and a slight jump in his step. He’s whistling good-naturedly, his left hand twirling a pistol and his right hand holding a rumpled piece of paper.

(Y/N)’s right hand— which had immediately reached for the pocket knife in her boot at the tumultuous noise— retreats back to her side. She relaxes, letting her shoulders sag and briefly looking down to make the final correction on a contract Kaz had her look over, left hand holding the pen and swiftly moving over the paper.

Jesper makes his way towards her, still whistling. She follows him from the corner of her eye, a slight smirk taking over her features. He’s in a good mood, the kind of mood he’s only ever in when the Gods are in his favor and he manages to miraculously not gamble away all his money. It’s not something that happens often.

“Did you win some?” she asks, already knowing the answer but enjoying the way the Sharpshooter preens under the attention. Jesper, very much in character and to (Y/N)’s delight, twirls around and does a ridiculous dance before taking a small bow.

“Baby, I won a whole lot.”

She huffs out a laugh, leaning back as she watches him place the pistol in its respective holster before plopping down on the chair by her right side and tossing her a small bag.

(Y/N) catches it smoothly, reflexes as sharp as always.

She doesn’t need to open the sack to know there’s kruge in there; the sound of coins jiggling against each other is a dead giveaway.

Jesper winks, a teasing smile on his lips. He tips his chair back, feet on top of the table, “Because you’re my favorite.”

It’s really because he owes her more kruge than he’ll ever be able to repay, but (Y/N) plays along. She’s never cared much about money, anyways.

“You sure do know how to charm a lady,” she smirks.

“I’m good at charming gents, too.”

“Versatile.”

“You know me.”

(Y/N) smiles, softer around the edges this time, something reserved only for her closest friends. She’s about to being correcting another contact— she has twelve to go through, all because she’d been bored and had decided annoying Kaz would be a great way to spend her time, he obviously hadn’t agreed —when Jesper slides over the piece of paper he’d been holding in his right hand. In the time he’d made his way towards her he’d somehow managed to crumple it completely.

She takes it, half curious, half willing to do anything to procrastinate revising and correcting those stupid documents.

“Brought this for you, too. I’ve got the feeling you’re going to enjoy this much more than the money.”

Her eyebrows furrow with curiosity as she slowly opens up the paper.

Ink contrasts the yellowish hue of the paper. Her own face greets her, drawn by hand, but fairly accurate.

(Y/N) (Y/L/N)

Wanted dead or alive.

1,000 kruge.

She can’t help the snicker that falls from her lips

Jesper is right. This is better, much better.

“Can’t believe it’s only a thousand this time,” she huffs, a small pout on her lips. “I must be losing my touch.”

Jesper snorts at that.

(Because she hasn’t lost her touch, not even a little, and they both know it. Just yesterday she’d managed to get vital information out of a Black Tip member with a single touch and a minimal amount of bloodshed. Three days before that she’d disposed of a rival gang member who’d been speaking too freely and she’d made sure his body would never be found. Two weeks prior to that Kaz had sent her to steal a miniature stature and she’d done it without a hitch, forging an identical copy in less than five days. No, she still very much has it.)

“I might have to go overboard next time,” she muses quietly to herself, “do something that will raise the bounty to at least two thousand five hundred.”

She traces the outline of her name, biting down a smile when Jesper snorts.

“You’re insane,” the Sharpshooter deadpans, the fondness in his tone almost tangible.

(Y/N) smiles wickedly at him, “So they say.”

Marbles is what they’ve nicknamed her around the Barrel. They say she’s lost them all. And it must be true, she must be out of her mind, because having a bounty on your head in Ketterdam is nothing less than a death sentence. It means having the most ruthless assassins coming after you, all looking for a way to make fast money. It’s living with the constant fear of someone sneaking up on you and slicing your throat, of having your food poisoned, of being choked to death in your sleep, of having your closest friends betray you as a means to survive. But to (Y/N), who has been part of the city’s underworld since before being able to formulate words, who has had any sort of ability to feel fear beaten out of her, this is nothing but one of the most amazing sources of entertainment. It keeps her on her toes, brings an adrenaline rush that does not compare to anything else. She must be crazy because any sane person would be paralyzed in fear, running for their lives, and yet all she can feel is the comforting thrill of being in mortal danger. (And, yes, it is comforting. She was raised to be a weapon, trained to withstand any form of torture; having Death peering over her shoulder is something she’s comfortable with, something she’s used to, something that soothes her). Besides, even if she wasn’t deadly confident in her own abilities (which she very much is), and even if she was able to feel terror overtaking her limbs (which she doesn’t think she’ll ever feel again), the title she holds would be enough to keep her relatively safe; she is Kaz’s right hand, and no one dares touch something that belongs to Dirtyhands.

(Y/N) stares at the poster for a little while longer— they got her nose wrong, made it too pointy —before smirking to herself. She knows how this will all go down, has seen it played out a few dozen times before (this is a regular occurrence, after all, a bounty is placed on her head every couple of months, whenever she loses her temper and murders someone who was deemed untouchable, or steals something much too valuable for her blood-stained hands). So, yes, she knows how this will go; the bounty will stay up for a couple of weeks, long enough for a few to dare try to kill her, and then it’ll be removed by whoever placed it once they realize it’s futile, once they see how everyone who even dares breathe too close to her winds up dead. She hopes the assassination attempts are entertaining, she hopes whoever dares come after her head gives her a good fight, if only to keep things interesting. It’s been a while since she’s had some unrestrained fun.

(Kaz keeps her on a tight rein, knows better than to let her run around freely. To say things can get out of hand when she’s left to her own devices would be an understatement.)

“Again?”

The voice comes from behind her, and (Y/N) doesn’t need to turn around to know who it is, she heard his steps since before he even walked into the room. (It’s easy to know when it’s Kaz, he subconsciously places more weight on his left leg to keep the right one from aching, it makes his footsteps distinctive.) Still, she angles her head to meet his eyes. He’s leaning over her chair, cold eyes watching the bounty poster with disdain.

He’s never said it but (Y/N) knows that he doesn’t appreciate her life being imperiled. She is, in a way, an extension of him, and therefore any threats to her he sees as direct threats to him. Dirtyhands doesn’t take it well to being threatened.

“It’s okay, boss,” Jesper calls out. He’s still tipping his chair back, now playing with his guns. (Y/N) is kind of tempted to lean forward and kick one of the chair’s wooden legs, just to watch him struggle, possibly even fall. But Jesper’s known her long enough to realize when she’s on the verge of becoming a nuisance because his eyes narrow playfully and he lets the chair’s weight drop forward, “I wouldn’t worry too much.”

From the corner of her eye, (Y/N) can see the way Kaz’s face morphs. It’s almost indistinguishable, but she notices it. She thinks she would be able to spot the most minimal change in Kaz, she’s known him long enough for that. (Y/N) watches in amusement as he opens his mouth, no doubt to argue that he isn’t worrying at all, because Gods forbid he ever outwardly cared about anyone, but Jesper beats him to the punch and keeps going, “Heard some of Pekka’s Lions talking ‘bout how they’re not even going to try to come after her this time.”

“How boring,” she mutters to herself in disappointment, reaching for her glass of whisky. She’d meant for the comment to go unheard but Jesper’s snicker tells her that she wasn’t successful.

She takes a chug as Jesper points an accusatory finger at her and smirks, “That’s all on you, Marbles.”

At her bewildered look, he elaborates, “Two of them said something about not wanting to meet the same fate as the Razorgull guy from a couple of months ago—” (Y/N) smirks at that. The guy had deserved it. He hadn’t just tried to kill her, but also grope her. Murder she could understand, respect even, but touching someone else without their consent? No, she drew the line there. She’d had him swallow his own testicles; it’d seemed fitting enough. “—and the other one said that even if you hadn’t done that, he wouldn’t come close, not with you being Kaz’s right hand,” Jesper pauses for a second, a smug smile appearing on his lips, “and his best friend.”

Their reaction is instantaneous; Kaz goes rigid at the words and a smirk takes over (Y/N)’s features.

Oh, if the night didn’t just suddenly get better.

She glances up at her best friend, only to find him already glaring daggers at Jesper, who shrugs helplessly and innocently says, “Just telling it like I heard it, boss.” The flicker of amusement in his eyes reveals that he’s very much aware of just how much ammunition he’s provided (Y/N) with.

(Y/N)’s smirk becomes wider and gains a teasing edge when Kaz looks down to meet her eyes. His eyes harden, explicitly telling her to not utter a single word. Sadly for him, she has never been one to follow the rules, and Kaz must notice she’s not about to obey because his face morphs slightly, just enough to show the most minimum amount of discomfort. He cringes just the tiniest bit, bracing himself.

He knows her too well.

“You hear that?” she asks him, tone light and filled with amusement, “We’re best friends!”

“We are not,” Kaz tenses his jaw as he replies. He backs away from her, as if creating physical space between them will somehow stop the words from leaving her mouth and making their way towards him. As if distance could make her less of an bother.

(Y/N) fake gasps, clutching the skin over her heart in the most dramatic manner, “You wound me deeply, Kazzy.”

Jesper snorts, coughing to try to drown the laughter. She might be the only one who doesn’t get a knife to the jugular when calling him that.

Kaz’s eyes snap toward the Sharpshooter and the look must be deadly because Jesper quiets down immediately and tries his best to evade the boss’s glare. Kaz’s gaze then shifts towards (Y/N) and she perks up at the way his eyes harden even further in annoyance. He’s told her a million times to drop that ‘ridiculously stupid’ nickname and she’s decided she never will, not when it drives him to this point of exasperation.

(She’s a thrill chaser, you see. That’s what happens when you’ve seen just about everything and lived twice as much; few things get your heart pumping. And getting on Kaz’s nerves? That’s always exciting. (Y/N) never knows what to expect of him. The Bastard of the Barrel is unpredictable in a way that’s just delightful.)

“If you call me that one more time—”

“What are you gonna do? You can’t possibly try to hurt me. Best friends don’t do that to each other,” she mocks.

His eyebrow twitches, her grin stretches.

Oh, she’s going to have a field day with this one.

It’s obvious that Kaz knows he’s not winning this discussion because he walks forward, snatches the revised contracts and makes his way back to where he came from.

“Get those done before tomorrow afternoon.”

Boring. She was expecting more banter.

(Y/N) turns around to watch him leave, unable to stop herself from throwing a sarcastic, “Sure thing, bestie.” She does her best to sweeten the last word in a way that she knows will infuriate Kaz.

He freezes.

Bingo.

Even from afar, (Y/N) can see the way he tightens the grip on his cane. She’s thoroughly disappointed when he doesn’t throw a dagger her way. That would’ve been exciting. He takes another route, one she should’ve seen coming.

“I’ve got seven more files that need to be corrected. Collect them when you’re done with those.”

The corner of her lips tugs upwards slightly. There’s something thrilling about playing this game with Kaz, of seeing how much one of them can push before the other yields. He’s skilled and she enjoys the competition.

She ignores his order, “Goodnight, Kazzy.”

He slams the door on his way out, the only visible sign that she managed to get on his nerves. That’s mildly entertaining. Causing even the slightest slip of Kaz’s control over his temper is a success in her books.

“You’re out of your mind,” Jesper informs her.

She raises her glass of whisky at him and winks.

And that’s how it begins, as a joke. (Y/N) refers to Kaz as her best friend on every given chance. His reactions never disappoint.

There’s a lot of death threats;

(“Don’t mind him, bestie here is always grumpy.”

Clenched jaw, an exasperated sigh. “I will murder you.”

“Don’t tempt me with a good time, Kazzy.”

There’s a knife thrown her way. (Y/N) catches it with ease, whistling good-naturedly. She smirks when she catches the look of annoyance in Kaz’s face.)

and a lot of not so kind words thrown her way.

(“I get special best friend privileges, right?”

“You get tolerated,” Kaz mutters, “barely.”

“That might be the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me. Now tell me you love me.”

There’s that Brekker glare, one that would send anyone to an early grave. (Y/N) just smiles sweetly.

“Get out.”

“Whatever makes you happy, best friend.”

She cackles as she closes the door behind her, the curses Kaz is sending her way loud enough for her to hear.)

All in all, (Y/N) is as happy as can be. Having the time of her life, really. It’s not often that she finds something that makes Kaz fume. He plays the game too, of course. He has her going over financial documents and legal contracts on her free time, knowing just how much she hates the bureaucracy, and he gives her the household chores she despises the most. Still, (Y/N) doesn’t complain. She does everything with a smug smile on her face. The annoyance that flashes through Kaz’s face makes it all worth it.

The bracelet isn’t something she plans for, it really isn’t, but the Saints place the opportunity right in front of her and who is she but a mere mortal that must obey the signs evidently laid by otherworldly deities (or whatever bullshit those religious fanatics preach).

(Y/N) inspects the wristlets in her hand. They’re black and rough, made of broken-down nets that fishermen dispose of near the pier when the material has worn down beyond repair and is no longer useful. The little girl who had sold it to her couldn’t have been older than seven, and yet the design was more than decent. (Y/N) had offered three kruge for it, much more than it was worth. The child had looked delighted, had thanked her profusely as she’d placed the coins inside her worn-down shoes.

Oh, (Y/N) cannot wait to see Kaz’s face.

“What’s that?” Jesper asks as she meets up with him, eying the bracelets with a gleam of interest. He twirls his guns absentmindedly, missing the way some of the fishermen glance at him with distrust.

“Oh, you know, just some matching bracelets for me and my best friend.”

Jesper snickers, shaking his head and proceeding to let out a low whistle.

“This might be his breaking point.”

“Wouldn’t that be delightful.”

“You’re insane, Marbles.”

She gives him a wicked smile accompanied by a wink. She’s about to retort when she catches sight of a shadow on the corner of her eye. She recognizes it immediately as her target. Shopping, as fun as it had been, wasn’t the reason she and Jesper were waiting by the pier. They’ve got orders. She has people to torture and interrogate and dispose of— preferably in a quiet manner —and Jesper is Kaz’s way of making sure she’s got her back covered. (Not that she needs backup, but whatever, she has tried arguing with Kaz about it and it’s the one thing he won’t relent on, the one matter she’s accepted she won't ever win. Kaz doesn't play when it comes to her safety.).

“If you’re kind enough to hold these for me,” she places the bracelets on Jesper’s unoccupied hand, “I’ll be back before you know it.”

They make it back to the Slat before sunrise. (Y/N) had been quick and efficient, as she always was, and Jesper had been a quiet and solid shadow, as he always was.

“I assume it all went according to plan,” the Bastard asks when he hears their steps coming into his office. It’s late, or rather extremely early in the morning, and yet (Y/N) isn’t surprised by Kaz’s presence. He rarely sleeps.

“It went without a hitch, boss,” Jesper responds, resting against the doorframe.

(Y/N) hesitates for a split second, her memory providing a brief flashback to the interrogation she’d done, to three little words the man had let slip out: they’re coming for you.

A warning or maybe a promise.

Thrilling, either way. It wasn’t often that she was verbally threatened.

At the time, she’d dismissed the words, too filled with bloodlust to pay them any mind, but now, with a clear mind and a steady heartbeat, she suddenly remembers her face plastered on paper all over Ketterdam and wonders if the words might be related to the bounty on her head.

Oh, she hopes so. That would prove to be fun.

They’re coming for you. Good. Let them try.

She nods her head in agreement with Jesper’s words. Kaz nods in approval and then jerks his chin Jesper’s way, a clear sign of dismissal. The Sharpshooter never walks into Kaz’s office after missions like this. He’s an escort, a babysitter of sorts, merely Kaz’s way of making sure she heads his way instead of making a beeline for her bed.

(Y/N) sticks her tongue out at him and Jesper blows her a kiss in response.

Lucky bastard. It’s always her that has to stay up to report. And she hates to admit it, but she’s tired, she can feel the exhaustion begin to creep on her bones and settle in. She has been up for more than thirty-seven hours at this point, and she can feel it catching up to her. Still, she knows that Kaz prefers to hear details when the information is fresh on her mind, when she can provide as much detail as possible, so she pushes through for him. She just has to wait a little while longer before crawling into her bed and passing out for the next twelve hours.

“Marbles comes bearing gifts by the way,” is the last thing the Sharpshooters says before exiting.

A smirk takes over her features, sleep, exhaustion and the new information briefly forgotten.

Kaz is going to hate it.

Lovely.

Kaz seems to sense, probably by the wicked amusement on her face, that whatever it is it’s not something he’s going to enjoy. His face twists into a scowl.

“Out with it, then.”

She pulls out the dark bracelet from her pocket as she walks towards Kaz, dangling it in front of his face when she’s close enough.

Jesper had handed them back on the way home, tossing them over as soon as she’d wiped the blood off her hands. He hadn’t said a word, but (Y/N) knew that the action had meant to snap her out of the weird haze that clouded her mind after every mission, where adrenaline still coursed through her body and all she could think about was bloodshed, fingers itching to kill and maim and fight.

(It was a thing, the haze. When taking lives there was nothing but calmness and bloodthirst, the restlessness that always lingered beneath her skin subsiding as soon as a weapon was placed in her hand and orders were given. And as soon as the mission was done, as soon as the target was neutralized and she’d efficiently fulfilled her orders, fogginess followed. Her mind became clouded, as if somewhat trapped in a loop of violence, every nerve on edge and ready for any threat to emerge.

She was brought up as a killing machine, a child soldier, the best out of all the assassins produced by the Silent Blades, her father’s pride. She was ruthless, wretched, or at least those had been the words used to describe her when she’d been a child. She supposed the dissociative state she slipped into was normal when considering her upbringing, some sort of psychological shield that kept her from going insane.

She never spoke about it, but the Crows somehow knew. They often eased her out of it, knowing full well that when trapped in that state she had not ounce of thought and only muscle memory to rely on, which made her infinitely more lethal.)

Jesper’s actions had worked like a charm. With something else to do with her hands, the fogginess had ruptured. She’d absentmindedly tied one of the bracelets on her own wrist, fingers playing with the edges of the other.

It’s that bracelet, the one on her arm, that Kaz glances at now. It’s brief, but for a split second the scowl etched on his face softens and something that she can’t quite catch passes through his eyes. It’s gone before (Y/N) can even begin to process it.

“Best friends have to have matching bracelets, don’t they?” And if she wonders about it later, she’ll blame it on the exhaustion, but the words come out softer than she intends them to. A jest, but not any less truthful.

Kaz’s face morphs and she gets a fleeting glimpse at that flicker in his eyes again. His scowl melts into something a tad bit gentler, the look contrasted by the aggressiveness with which he snatches the bracelet from her hand, “You’re the most annoying person I’ve ever met.” He means that and his tone has enough bite to make her cackle.

Amusing.

Placing her hands on her back pockets and shrugging, she responds, “That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Kaz snorts, “Go take a bath.” He dismisses her, turning around and making his way to his desk, “Reports can wait until you don’t look half dead.”

That’s unexpected.

(Y/N) raises her eyebrows, “You’re being nice.” It isn’t often that Kaz forgoes a report after a mission. He might’ve been more touched by the gift than he’s letting on.

“It’s for my own sake,” he retorts, not turning around, “you just stink and it’s making me nauseous.”

She does have a lingering smell of blood and sea water.

“Everything in this damned place stinks,” she responds. I know you’re lying, she’s saying, I know you’re being kind.

“Get out.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” (Y/N) mocks, walking out of his office.

She sleeps a full day after that, everyone knowing better than to bother her unless they want to lose to their head, and when she reports to Kaz the next morning the three words she’d heard from the man slip her mind. (Y/N) doesn’t remember them until a few weeks later when she’s tied to the ceiling by her wrists, face bleeding.

Now, she must admit, she’s impressed. No one had ever tried kidnapping before. There’d been more attempts on her life than she could even count; stabs resulting in blood being shed, never one drop of hers, poison that she had either swallowed down like a champ or identified before a single lick of it touched her tongue, because being raised an assassin meant she’d been trained in the art of toxins and she’d built up tolerance to pretty much every substance in existence, and that one time they’d tried to shot at her, which only resulted in (Y/N) stealing Jesper’s gun and placing a bullet right between the perpetrator’s eyebrows. All in good fun. Kidnapping was new, but only because those who had attempted on her life had never tried joining forces, all of them wishing to keep the financial reward for themselves.

Torturing, that was new, too.

She could endure, of course she could, she’d been trained for this. That did not mean she’d missed it.

The poster had stated she was wanted dead or alive and it was clear that the man in front of her wanted to take his time. It was personal, she could tell by the brunt of his hits and the delicate precision of his cuts. Had she been anyone else, she would’ve been begging for it to stop, but (Y/N) was a Silent Blade, even if she’d left the organization and that life behind, and she would never break.

The only reason she was in this situation was because the assailants had gotten the upper hand. They’d used one of (Y/N)’s street urchins— a little girl with piggy tails and two missing teeth, one of the ones who gathered information for (Y/N) and traded it for food and shelter —as leverage. And time had apparently made her soft because she’d hesitated. The brief second of doubt had been everything they’d needed.

Them subduing her didn’t mean she’d gone down without a fight. There’s been five of them in the beginning. Only three remained. She’d plucked one guy’s eye out, going deep sever the optic nerve and cause brain damage, and she’d ripped the other’s ear with her teeth before slitting his throat. She’d managed to stab one of the three men remaining with a dagger before being injected with some unknown serum. It hadn’t knocked her out, not the way it was supposed to if the incredulous look on her kidnapper’s face was any indication, but it had drugged her enough to allow them to overpower her.

And now here she was, slowly bleeding out.

“I intent on handing your corpse to them and claiming the reward.” He’s been quiet for so long that (Y/N) had almost forgotten his presence. She doesn’t raise her head, only looks up. It’s hard to do so when her right eye is swollen shut. “But they never specified the conditions it had to be in.”

The man has his back towards her, fingers running through a box of tools. He’s used almost all of them on her by this point. Amateur. A skilled torturer knows to go slow, to drag it out, to choose a weapon and stick to it until the person is weeping and screaming.

“It was my brother that you killed.”

That sparks her interest, a smirk taking over her bloodied lips. She looks at him, dead in the eye.

“Which one?” she taunts.

The sound of her voice, still strong despite the blood loss, startles him. He freezes for a split second, hand over a wooden baseball bat.

“What?”

She snickers, blood dripping into the floor. “I’ve killed a lot of men, darling.” The way he seethes, fury filling his features, amuses her. “So which one was your brother?”

“You had him swallow his own testicles.”

“Oh, him,” she nods her head in appreciation. “Can’t say I regret it.”

Now he’s fuming, hand shaking so badly he almost loses the grip on the bat. If (Y/N) looks close enough she can see the resemblance. Same brown hair, same nose, same crazy look in their eyes.

“I’ll make you regret it.”

“You can certainly try,” she concedes mockingly. Because, honestly, there’s nothing he can do to her that she hasn’t already withstood.

There’s a raging roar and then a burst of pain. A hit to her abdomen, which no doubt bruised a rib, and then two to her back. But it’s okay, she thinks to herself as she wheezes and coughs, trying to regain air in her lungs, she knows how to play this game and how to win it. Keep him talking, keep him angry, let him think he has the upper hand, keep him from noticing how she’s preparing to break free.

“I wonder…” he murmurs, bat dragging behind him. “You’re not particularly remarkable.” She scoffs as he begins circling her, a tactic supposed to drive the prisoner into panic at the lack of vision of their assailant. Her heart doesn’t stutter. She’s trained to identify people and objects by sound not sight. She knows precisely where he is, even if she can’t see him. “So, what makes you interesting enough for the Bastard to keep so close?”

She grins, feral and with bloodstained teeth.

“Why don’t you come closer and I’ll show you?”

His face does not change but his step falters. “You cannot believe me stupid enough to fall for that.”

“You were stupid enough to tie my wrists with handcuffs,” is all she replies before dislocating her own thumbs and releasing herself from the shackles.

She hits the floor hard, body swaying for a second. Her hands are numb, nerve endings frayed. It hits her, now that she has to keep herself outfight, just how much blood she’s lost. The edges of her vision blur.

There’s a cut on her thigh, it bleeds heavily. Her back is all flayed skin. Breathing is hard.

It doesn’t matter. She only needs four fingers and half a mind to hold and use a dagger. She shakes the dizziness off.

He comes at her, but she’s expecting that. Sidestepping him is easy, kicking him in the back as he passes by even more so.

“You’re not much without your friends and a syringe full of drugs, are you?” she stumbles a little as she taunts him. Time is not on her side, she knows this. He’s cut deep in her arms and legs, no major artery touched, but with precision to give her a slow and prolonged death. She’s been steadily bleeding for hours.

(Y/N) has to end this. Soon.

He comes for her again, and she dodges, punching him right in the gut. He feigns left and she moves away, noticing too late the fist that impacts with the right side of her face. Despite the pain, she manages to stomp his toes and slam her knee against his balls.

That does it.

A high whimper leaves his mouth and as he struggles for air, she backs up. Keeping her eyes on him, her right arm reaches back to the toolbox. She knows what she’s grasped as soon as her fingers graze it.

“Say hi to your brother for me.”

The scalpel lodges itself right on his carotid artery.

“Nice,” she mumbles in delirium as she hears him choke to death. It’d been a majestic throw.

The adrenaline is gone in a second. (Y/N) stumbles backwards, barely aware of all the tools scattering around in the floor. She lets herself rest against the wall, slowly sitting down on the floor.

She’s going to die.

It doesn’t matter that she’s managed to get rid of that poor excuse of a man. She’s too injured. She knows.

(Y/N) isn’t scared. She’s tangled with Death for a long time, and as cold begins to creep in and the edges of her vision blacken, it feels like welcoming an old friend. It feels like getting what she has always had coming for her.

The tips of her fingers begin to tingle, her body’s desperate effort at keeping her heart pumping. Her ears are ringing, hard enough that when shouts begin all that she can hear are muffled sounds.

Then someone’s touching her face. She greets the warmth.

“Fuck,” she hears as she tumbles forward, her forehead landing on a collarbone. Jesper grasps the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair. At least, she thinks it’s him. Her brain feels mushy, but her nose has never failed her, and it smells like gunpowder and mint.

She’s laid down on the ground gently, probably to inspect her injuries before moving her.

“You’re going to be okay,” the Sharpshooter reassures her, but his voice is trembling. He’s scared. She must look worse than she feels, and she feels like she’s been attacked by a group of Heartrenders.

She wants to speak, to tell him it’s okay, but opening her mouth feels like an impossible task.

“Save your energy.” That’s Kaz. His voice is steady, but she can feel the underlying tension, the worry in his words. “You are not dying tonight.” And he says it with so much conviction, like he would hold her soul with his own hands to keep it anchored to her body, like he would keep her heart beating with pure willpower.

Her eyes look for him, but she catches sight of something else entirely.

“You’re wearing it.”

She must make no sense, words slurred, but Kaz understands. His whispered words are the last thing she hears before slipping out of consciousness.

“How couldn’t I?”

Then there’s nothing. She loses track of time. She comes back to her body from time to time, able to hear words but incapable of pinpointing the speaker. She’s floating, but there’s pain and aching.

“…too much blood, I don’t know…”

“…keep her alive.”

“I am trying!”

“Don’t try, do it.”

“…punctured lung, broken ribs…”

“…don’t know how she’s still alive.”

When she comes to the first thing that she feels is blinding pain. Everything hurts. Her muscles complain as she sits up. She clenches her jaw to keep the tears at bay. The worst is already over, she will not cry.

“Don’t move,” (Y/N) freezes at the command, her head snapping towards the voice. “Nina stitched you back together, I doubt she would be very happy to see all her hard work ruined.”

She gently eases herself back on the bed, fingertips running over her bandaged stomach. She can feel the edges of the stitches poking through it. It must’ve been bad, then, if she required stitches to keep the wound together. Usually, she’s a fast healer, a result of all the training she’d gone through.

“How long?” Her voice is raspy after not being used. Her throat hurts, which might be related to the way she was choked to the verge of unconsciousness several times while held hostage.

“Four nights.”

Bad then.

(Y/N) can feel Kaz’s eyes on her, assessing. She meets his stare, and it’s when she’s looking at him that a vague memory comes back.

Her eyes drift down to his wrist.

The twin bracelet to her own, the one she keeps tightly wrapped around her wrist, as if part of her own skin, greets her.

“You are wearing it.”

Kaz frowns in confusion, until he follows her line of sight. He looks away, hand clenching and unclenching over the head of his cane.

“Even after almost dying you’re still insufferable,” he responds.

But when he looks back at her, (Y/N) can see everything in his eyes.

How could I not, he’d said, and he’d meant it. If friendship was something that could bloom in a wretched place like Ketterdam, Kaz was her best friend and she was his, even if they’d never discussed it, even if they would never admit it. You’re the steady order to my unrelenting chaos, she thought to herself, someone I would follow to the end of the world.

He nods, as if reading her mind and agreeing with her.

“Rest.” That’s an order, one she has no intention of disobeying.

“Sure thing,” she responds as Kaz makes his way towards the door, “bestie.”

(Y/N) can feel the amusement in his words, “Absolutely insufferable.”

She smirks, toying with the ends of the bracelet’s strings.

(Y/N) never takes it off. Neither does Kaz.

[wh0refornikolailantsov]

“You have to tell me why were committing a felony before we do it. Not that that’s going to stop us, but at least I’ll have all the facts.” For Jesper x Reader??

For you my beloved anything, but especially Jesper content are YOU KIDDING ME this man understands the assignment.

It's All Bad Choices From Here On Up Baby - Jesper Fahey

Content Warnings: Gambling. Guns. Canon Compliant Threat And Violence. Jesper Being So Unbelievably Sexy All The Time. No Beta/Proof Reading.

You pull the card up from the flat of the table and it looks easy, it looks effortless, it looks entirely like you're playing the game as you should be. But Jesper spots you, from the bar, and that coy smile of his almost makes you lose your concentration. You're not cheating, at least that's what you tell yourself, it's not cheating if everyone else at the table is cheating too, it's levelling the playing field.

"Gorgeous you want to let me in on this?" Jesper whispers close to your ear as he takes a seat next to you. His words warm against your neck send a chill through you, and you know he did it on purpose, trying to throw your attention, trying to bring it back to him.

"Not a chance, I am winning," you say, giving him a playful grin.

"I am your good luck charm," Jesper argues. You look him up and down, he is wearing that purple waistcoat with the metal buttons and his smirk is all too enticing, it's that look in his eyes that gets you though, today, not unlike most days, Jesper is looking for trouble. You will not let the tables be the place he finds it though.

"Tapping out," you say, collecting your winnings. Jesper lets his smile slip for a moment, clearly disappointed you won't let him play, but he quickly perks back up again once you cash your bets.

"Couldn't let me have one game?" Jesper asks.

"No," you say, "house always wins Jes," you remind him, "besides the way you're tapping those feet, you have a reason for saddling up next to me, besides my charm."

"Do I need a reason gorgeous?" he asks, stepping closer to you as you both walk. His flirting is normal, it comes as naturally to him as breathing, and you don't hate it.

"What's the job Jes?" you ask, eager to pull the answer from him. He slips his hand down, wrapping his fingers around your wrist, his skin is cool against yours, even in the night air. He pulls you to the side and you stare up at him, not understanding his motives at all.

"You're going the wrong way," he tells you.

"I don't even know where we are going," you remind him, shaking free of his grip and giving the mans jacket a playful tug. "You still haven't told me."

"Well, it's just a usual evening," Jesper says, his smile bright even in the dingy light of the Barrel, "Kaz wants us to do a small job, you know, some bribery, a little breaking and entering."

"No breaking, just entering," Wylan says joining the fray.

"Merchling," Jesper says, not sparing the boy a glance, "didn't know you were here for this."

"I am here to prevent the breaking part," Wylan explains, fumbling with something in his bag.

“You have to tell me why were committing a felony before we do it. Not that that’s going to stop us, but at least I’ll have all the facts.”

"Someone has been causing trouble for Nina-,"

"No need to finish," you wave a hand at Wylan, no one messes with Nina Zenik.

"You know that's not why Kaz asked us to do this, right?" Jesper asks Wylan, "it's more about the giant sum of Kruge that he owes Kaz."

"Sure," you say, "it's about that."

Kaz was as unwilling to admit to his attachments as you were willing to admit you liked Jesper more than the playful flirting you both had going on. So needless to say, very much.

Jesper stops in his tracks and you're delayed in stopping, eyes not on the path but on Jesper, and Wylan catches the look. Wylan was not blind, he was one of the most observant people you knew and knowing Inej and Kaz Brekker, that said a lot. But there were things certain people are more inclined to notice than others. Wylan, who for all his doubts still believes in love, he sees it where it's hiding, even if it's hiding well, and you aren't sure it's hiding well.

You look at the house and you wait for Jesper to tell you that you're taking the sewer route from here, or anything more plausible or appealing than this being your destination. "That's a... that is owned by a member of the Merchant Counsel Jesper," you say staring at the harsh metal gates in front of you.

"Yes it is," he confirms.

"Tell me this isn't where we are breaking into," you say.

"This isn't where we are breaking into," Jesper says.

"You're lying," you state, the annoyance in your voice clear.

"You told me to tell you, so I did," Jesper says, "I'd do anything you asked of me when you ask like that."

You want to quip back with something equally flirty, but the looming threat of the nights plan is overriding even your fluttering feeling in your chest when he flirts with you like that. "We will not be given another job if we mess this up," you say confidently.

"We don't need to worry," Jesper says finally.

"We don't?" Wylan asks confused.

"No because if we fail this, Kaz is going to kill us, and dead people don't need jobs," Jesper says, "you ready for this?"

"Am I ready for this?" you ask yourself. "Not really, but no one messes with our Nina."

Wylan pulls a strange grey compound from a folded piece of cloth out of his satchel and starts tearing off sections to hand to each of them. "This should be able to get you through the locked doors without breaking any of the mechanisms, it'll leave a trace obviously, but it won't cause damage so that's one less thing to worry about," Wylan explains.

Jesper frowns looking at the strange grey putty in his hand. "I still hate this plan," Jesper says, but you can see it again, that thrill in his eyes he gets when he is excited. He spins his guns over, one, twice, and a third time before re-holstering them, a little way to release some of that eager, nervous energy before we have to be more tactical. "So gorgeous," he smirks at you, "what are you doing after this?"

"Well, assuming we don't die and we don't get caught by the Stadwatch," you grab a hold of one of the metal spikes on the gates side, pulling yourself up and over in one swift movement, so you stand on the other side of the gate, smirking through at Jesper as you finish, "I think you'll be buying me a drink."

Jesper chuckles. "Trying to get me drunk?" he asks.

You laugh. "Why would I need to do that when you'd do anything I asked of you dead sober," you say, turning away from him and heading up the garden.

"Does Kaz really hate me this much?" Wylan asks, opening the gate with one hand.

"Probably, but why?" Jesper asks, watching you as you walk ahead, a million thoughts he think he should keep to himself swimming in his mind.

"Because this whole third wheeling thing, it feels like a punishment."

[exyzedd]

[wesperbrekkered]

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! And what a better way to celebrate then a 5+1 wesper coffeeshop au that takes place over Christmas!

5 Times Jesper failed at asking Wylan out and 1 Time Wylan succeeded

This is a @grishaversesecretsanta gift for @bod-yn-draed-moch , merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy!

[frankencanon]

Six of Crows AU where there's some sort of International Farmers Association that has big meets every now and then where farmers come from all over and Jesper's father has met Kaz's parents there before so when Colm (Jesper's father) meets Kaz he recognizes him almost immediately

"Do I know you?" Colm asks, "That is, have we met before?" And then, before Kaz or anyone else even has the chance to respond: "The Rietvelds! You're the Rietvelds' boy, aren't you? Now, which one are you, then? Jordie or Kaz?"

Someone, inevitably: "Kaz is a farmboy?!"

-

Edit: I give full blanket permission for anyone to write fanfic of this AU, btw.

[raz-writes-the-thing]

Passing The Baton (Six of Crows One-Shot)

Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader / requests are open and encouraged

Summary: To your knowledge, your crush on Kaz is unrequited. Apparently this is not the case.

CW: Kaz is dumb but we love him

SAB/SOC Tag List: (send an ask to be added to a tag list!)

___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Kaz ‘Dirtyhands’ Brekker. Bastard of The Barrel. Also- your unrequited love. Kaz had caught your eye just as he had caught everyone else’s. Everyone knew not to mess with the Dregs, and that was thanks to Kaz. Before he’d risen through the ranks of the club, the Dregs had been no one. Quite literally the dregs of society- and while, yes, that was where the name came from, it was quite the rise to fame as the Dregs started getting more and more popular, and more and more dangerous.

Even the Crow Club was starting to become a real pain in the other clubs’ asses. 

But Kaz? He’d fascinated you well before any of this. You’d been working at the Crow Club as a serving girl since before Kaz arrived. Not long, mind, but long enough before that you got to experience both sides of the Dregs’ fortune. 

Kaz hadn’t seemed to take much notice of you at first- and why would he? Weren’t you just another serving girl being groped by the drunk patrons? Anything to make a few Kruge. But he did take notice when you threatened to cut the balls off a patron when said patron got a little too handsy one day.

He’d taken you back into his office and thwacked his cane on the table hard enough to scratch the varnish and told you rather harshly to never do that again. To come to him next time there was an issue like that and he’d deal with it… discretely. 

What that had meant was clear only to Kaz, and that was fine by you. But that was when your little crush had really taken off. What could you say? You liked a bad boy. Someone who could handle his own and Kaz could definitely handle his own. Cane or no. 

Despite telling you off, Kaz had clearly taken note that you weren’t afraid to get your hands a little dirty either, something he had an appreciation and mutual respect for. And so you went from lowly serving girl to, well, still a serving girl, but a serving girl who also took jobs for Dirtyhands and worked with him to secure patronage for the club, and Kruge for his and your own pockets. And for Per Haskell’s pockets as well, you supposed. Lazy bastard. 

But you longed for more.

 

You longed for Kaz’s touch, for his lips on your skin. You longed for his affections as much as you longed for his approval. It was a dangerous combination.

As far as you could tell, he did not feel the same way. But then again, would you have ever known otherwise? Kaz kept his cards close to his chest- as he should. 

Today seemed different though. You’d barely made it back from a job and Kaz seemed… angry, to put it lightly. You had no idea why, though, considering you got what he wanted, and made it out alive, too. Win-win. 

Inej may have had to save you, but that was beside the point. 

“You need to be careful,” he said, mouth pursed angrily. “You can’t be making reckless choices and silly mistakes. This is The Barrel. I can’t afford mistakes.” 

You met his harsh gaze head-on and shoved the ledger he’d asked for into his chest with vigour. Kaz didn’t even break the gaze between you, just reached with one gloved hand to take the ledger off you. 

“I got what you wanted, didn’t I?” 

A muscle in Kaz’s jaw twinged. 

“That is not the point.” 

You let out an exasperated scoff, removing your hand from his chest with another soft shove. Surprisingly, Kaz lets the action move him. 

“Then what is the point?” You ask, frustration evident in your features. 

“The point is- oh, for Saints’ sake,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We could have lost you. I could have lost you.” 

Your eyebrows practically disappeared into your hairline. 

“You could have lost me…” you trail off, echoing his words, feeling them out for hidden meanings. 

“You’re a good investment. I don’t like to lose investments.” 

Oh. Okay. An investment. You should have known that that was all you were to him. That’s all you were ever going to be to Kaz no matter how much you wished differently. Ridiculous. 

“Of course,” you reply, turning to walk away. “Your investment needs a dri-hey!” 

Kaz’s gloved hand snatches at your forearm and yanks you back towards him. You re-balance yourself and glare at him, looking between the tight grip he has on your arm and his heated glare. 

“Stop,” he says before forcing his features to soften. “I’m not one for feelings.” He practically shudders through the word. “You’re more than that. An investment, I mean.” 

You stay quiet, not giving him anything to work with here, but you’re surprised he can’t hear the uptick in your heartbeat. 

“Look,” his grip loosens. “I don’t want to lose you. Purely selfish reasons. Not because you’re an investment, but-” Kaz clears his throat and avoids eye contact. “I care for your wellbeing.” 

It’s not an outright declaration of love, but it’s about as close to it as someone like Kaz would give. He’d bared his soul to you here. All the fractured, broken pieces of it. He’d bared his heart for you to treasure or smash into bitty little pieces. 

You sucked in a breath. 

“Are you saying you have feelings for me?” 

Kaz grunts and lets go of your arm. You brush your fingers over where he’d just touched you. 

“I suppose so, yes,” he said, eyes flitting to the door like he was thinking about making a run for it. 

“Don’t suppose it would interest you to know I felt the same way, would it?” 

And there it was. Passing the baton back to Kaz. Passing your heart in return for his. Now it was he who held the power to treasure or smash you into pieces. 

Kaz finally met your gaze, and his lips ticked up into a small smirk.

“Oh, I knew that.”

[infpbrwriter]

Alys' Labour

Can you imagine if Alys' went into labour while she was still at the Crows' mercy? That would've bee so funny. Matthias fussing, Nina trying to help, Jesper gagging, Wylan freaking out and Kaz just standing there, even more traumatised than before.

If there are fics like this?