#inej ghafa acrobat

[martinakl13]

I'm still not over the fact that we could have had a Brekker-Ghafa circus duo in Season 1.

[mistylakeee]

When Kaz first started training Inej was she naturally really good at knife throwing or was he like here try this and she sucked ass? Did he keep having to correct her arm and wrist placement? Who taught her how to fight? Was that Kaz too? And if so, how tf did that go down considering their trauma with touching people? I guess the clothing helped? Did Inej round kick his ass? Was Kaz kinda impressed?

[lily91106]

ok but anne and phillip from the greatest showman are so kanej and zoyalai coded at the same time

[andthespidersfrommars]

six of crows is meant to be set in like the 17th century and aerial silks were invented around 1959 and my sister and I were just talking about how weird and out of place it is that show inej had a silk performance?

[whosthatfunkyrat]

The fact that throughout Inej’s life a large part of her value and innate being was based on her body tears me to shreds every time I think about it.

She was first an acrobat, and she loved it. she loved her life. she loved what she did. She loved that she could use her body to reach for the heavens and look for her wings.

Then she was taken, and her body became someone else’s. She became an item someone owned, and her body was what kept her in her prison. She taught herself to view herself as two people, the girl who did those things with strangers and the girl who escaped her body when she had to.

Then when she was saved from that life, she still wasn’t really free. Her indenture still needed to be paid off, and she used her body to do the tasks The Dregs needed from her, saying that the FIRST time Kaz told her she didn’t Have to take a job was The Ice Court. She followed every command. She became a spy, a killer, a Wraith. She became something she never wanted to be, and she repented for it. Her body became someone else’s in a different kind of way. Kaz gave her the abilities to defend herself and fight, which freed her from her previous imprisonment, but she was STILL owned by Par Haskel.

And when she thinks that Van Eck will break her legs, she starts to wonder if she’s valued outside of what her body can do. She wonders if Kaz cares about her even if she’s not his Wraith. She’s his “investment”, his spider. And she thinks he can get a new one.

And when she screams “He won’t trade if you break me” it makes me want to DIE because she didn’t even know what she was gonna scream until it came out. She didn’t even know it until she put it into words.

He won’t trade if you break me.

And when he tells her he’d come for her even if she was broken, it means so much because it means he values her for who she is, rather than the tasks she can preform. And while that’s sorta obvious I think it’s easy to glaze over how touching that would be for her. Dirty Hands would have cut his loses and moved on. It was entirely illogical to value someone for anything other than what they can provide. But he does, despite his reputation for being one of the most cruel people in The Barrel. Because he’s not just Dirty Hands and she’s not just The Wraith. He loves her for HER. Not for her body and what it can do, or what it can provide him. But her WHOLE life that’s been her whole thing! Her body, what it can do, her skills, her talents. All the praise anyones given her was based on THAT. And not to mention how he already teases her Suli proverbs and religious beliefs, anyone would believe he’d leave her.

But even if he had to crawl to get to her, even if he had to tend to her broken body, he would.

She’s SO much more than The Wraith. She’s so much more than her relationship with Kaz. He see’s that- why doesn’t everyone???

SHE WAS INEJ GHAFA, AND HER FUTURE WAS WAITING ABOVE.

God I love these books😭.

[pensandsneakers]

Incredibly long Inej Ghafa essay incoming:

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Y/N-ification of Inej in fandom, where some people treat her like she’s less of a main character on her own with her own goals and arc and more like a self-insert knife girl vehicle to experience the story (which is seen as you know, Kaz’s story.) This is mostly based on how she’s written in the show, but also before the show there have always been all the “knife wife” jokes and posts which are you know, Fine, but always felt to me like an oversimplification of her character.

The thing is that the idea of being that one dimensional, “knife wife,” powerful/dangerous girl is literally explored in the text as Inej openly wrestles with her identity as the Wraith.

It’s important to remember that the Wraith persona is not something Inej chose for herself, it’s something that Kaz gave her, and though he did it to give her protection, it still stands that the idea of the Wraith is exactly that stereotype, the powerful baddass stripped of emotions and vulnerability, unbelievable with all of the different powers she has, but is somehow always ending up using those powers in service of the men in the story.

Inej is given this role to play, but because she’s strong and unwilling to compromise on her faith she finds ways to make the Wraith persona her own, by bringing her religion into it for example and naming her knives after Saints.

But there reaches a point when Inej realizes that the Wraith persona is static and limiting her, which is literally represented by her being stuck/trapped in the incinerator.

She realizes that the way she’s been living as the Wraith has made it so that she doesn’t know what she wants, only what Kaz wanted. “Kaz Brekker was just a boy, and she’d let him lead her to this fate.” But she says “she couldn’t even blame him because she hadn’t known where she wanted to go.”

Once she names the fact that she’s been allowing herself to be guided by whatever Kaz’s goals are and hasn’t been living for herself, Inej becomes ambivalent to the idea of being a “dangerous girl,” which were at first the words she clung to to become the Wraith. “She thought of her knives… maybe they’d go to some other girl who dreamed of being dangerous.”

It is only when she realizes that she wants to hunt slavers that she is able to picture her future and who she can be. “She was not a lynx or a spider or even the Wraith. She was Inej Ghafa, and her future was waiting above.” She affirms her own identity which is separate from all of the other labels that people have given her, and chooses her own direction and goal, separate from anything Kaz or anyone else wants from her.

I love that the stakes of this realization are literally presented as life and death. Because yes, without the sentence “she was Inej Ghafa, and her future was waiting above,” Inej would not be the same. If Inej was only a cool acrobat called the Wraith who goes on a heist and has a relationship with the brooding lead, that would be the death of the great, full rounded character we know her to be now. (Not to mention it would be shit. …Anyway.)

After Inej figures out what she wants, her arc in Crooked Kingdom is to kill her previous self. Dunyasha is the physical representation of that YA girl stereotype. She’s constantly talking about her skills and the fact that she’s “chosen,” with her royal blood etc. Dunyasha is a powerful female character in the sense that she’s a female character with a lot of “powers.” She’s not someone who could exist in real life. When Inej interacts with her it’s like she’s talking to a cardboard cut out with lots of one liners. By defeating Dunyasha in the end Inej proves that the things that she might have had to lose to become a cold knife wielding baddass (like her hesitance to kill, her sentimentality, her faith) are actually her strengths. She has proven that Inej Ghafa is stronger than a trope.

However, the idea of being a dangerous girl is definitely still nuanced. I’m not saying that because Inej needed to become a person separate from the Wraith persona and her life in Ketterdam that the idea of being the Wraith is meaningless, or that Kaz is “problematic” for giving her that role or anything. Kaz understands the power of a legend, and Inej makes it clear that by gaining that identity as the Wraith, Kaz saved her. “He’d helped her build a legend to wear as armour, something bigger and more frightening than the girl she’d been.”

I’d go as far as to say it’s normal and good that Inej started out this way. She’s just a teenage girl who’s had to fight every single moment of her life, and wanting to escape into a role/character that makes you feel bigger than yourself is something that I think many others can understand.

When she’s in terrifying situations, Inej still uses the word dangerous to comfort herself. Like in Crooked Kingdom when Jan van eck has kidnapped her and she’s doubting everything she says to herself “I am a dangerous girl.”

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a dangerous girl. The trope exists because it’s an attractive fantasy. We all want to be bigger, stronger, more powerful than we’re allowed to be in real life. But for most of us, it’s just not real. Dunyasha is not a real girl that could exist outside of fiction. Inej is though. That’s why this quote hits so hard “What about the ones who aren’t chosen, the invisible girls. We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns, we learn to wring magic from the ordinary. When the world owed you nothing you demanded something anyway.”

It’s ok to look up to the girls in fiction that may be one dimensional but make you feel a little less small. It’s ok to get caught up in the worlds of the people around you instead of living for yourself. It’s ok to not know who you are or what you want. But there comes a time when you can’t just keep stalling. You can’t keep “holding onto nothing.” You take what you can and create the life, relationships and sense of self that you deserve.

You demand something more.

[thedelusionreaderbitch]

Father! Kaz Brekker x gn! Reader - One for the barrel

A/n: Once again, do not read the request if you don't want the fic to be spoiled! Also I used my Oc's from my Claws fic, you don't have to read it (it's not connected lol) but it does introduce the characters well!

Request (by anon): Could you do another father Kaz x child reader where they are the 3rd and forgotten child. Maybe the reader sneaks out a lot cause of teen rebellious years in hopes of Kaz noticing them (maybe inej is out with one kid again and Kaz has the second kid for the crow club). In reality Kaz knows the reader sneaks out and always stays up to ensure they are home safe.

Maybe angst of someone following the reader home (your choice as to whether reader knows or oblivious) and Kaz hears the two footsteps and Kaz sorts it in his own way. Fluff at the end of course

sorry for it being so long 😂 I loved Claws so much and it fit the characters so well.

Warning: death, killing, swearing, gangs, I think that's it? You have been warned!

The three P's:

[Pronouns used: you/your] [Pov: 2nd person] [Pairing: (parental) kaz x reader, (parental) inej x reader, (platonic) sister oc x reader, (platonic) brother oc x reader]

Kaz knew his children like he knew money.

Jordie is a business man through and through, he was always interested in taking over the Crow Club since he was a little boy. Numbers came to him like the flick of hat, and although it took time, Jordie had always been destined for the Crow Club. Then there is Allea, who's acrobatic tricks neared the perfection of her mother's, and when she was born she was wailing like the sea. Kaz knew that Allea's feet would almost always want a rocking platform underneath her feet.

Then there's you.

You weren't like your brother and sister, in Kaz's eyes you weren't the best at the books, nor Inej's acrobatic moves. That did not mean you were terrible, you were probably better than most people could ever hope to be, you just weren't what they expected you to be.

Maybe Kaz should have known that would've happened, you were the unexpected child originally as he and Inej did not want more children, you just didn't fit. Although you continued to surprise him everyday, and Kaz absolutely adored you for it.

He always wished you could see it, Kaz might've not been the best at showing his feeling but for the first time he wished you could have seen how proud he was of you for surprising him.

He's just disappointed with how you're surprising him this time.

You were sneaking out every night, without telling anyone where you were going nor why, and as far as Kaz was concerned it was an idiotic violation of your own safety.

But he never said a thing, he could sense how you felt, how lost you've been for a while and he knew you were just trying to find your way. So instead of telling you off, every night he would stay up and pray to his Wife's saints as you go off into the night. He would've tried to follow you but you seemed to disappear without a trace, and the fact that he couldn't hear your footsteps made it nearly impossible. It was a unique talent that your siblings did not possess, it made him think of your mother. Though like how he could sense Inej's presence he could sense yours.

Therefore when he heard footsteps instead of just sensing your presence he knew something was entirely wrong.

_______

You were walking back from the Slat without a smile or any emotion at all on your face.

You were being followed, of course you were aware of the idiot Razor Gull attempting to stalk you.

You were nearly to your house when you decided it was time to act, you were bored with this "spy" technique.

Abruptly, completely out of no where you flicked out a knife and threw it with exact precision at the Razor Gull's stomach.

They cried out in pain and clawed at their stomach, before deciding they should probably try to defend themself and pulled out a knife of their own dagger.

"They're coming Y/n Brekker-" They started.

"Actually," You smirked. "It's Y/n Ghafa-Brekker."

Quickly, you pulled out a sliver gun with a crow on the barrel and shot the opposing gang member in the head.

That'll ought to teach the assholes to mind their own goddamn business.

"Y/n?" A shocked, gruff voice came from behind you.

You turned around to see your dad, Kaz Brekker himself standing before you with a shocked and furious face.

"Motherfucker."

Kaz was certainly a mess, he was pacing the house while giving you a lecture.

"You can't be apart of the Dregs! Inej and I have extensively kept you guys away from the barrel." He growled while running an hand through his hair. "How the hell did you manage to just do exactly that!" He yelled.

You rolled your eyes as you fiddled with the handcuffs that were around your one wrist and the other clasped around the chair you are currently sitting on. Your dad had handcuffed you to the chair in a panic so you won't "run away."

"I'm actually the leader of the Dregs." You shrugged indifferently and stood up as the handcuffs dropped to the floor.

Apparently you also had your father's lock picking skills as well, Kaz was wondering how much you truly were like him and Inej. You did certainly remind him of the two of them when they were younger.

"And what did you expect dad?" You giggle a bit.

"One child for the land, one for the ocean, now one for the barrel."

Kaz sighs and dragged his hands over his face.

"Your mother's going to fucking kill me!"

Words 776

-thedelusionreaderbitch

Grishaverse taglist: @kaqua @rika90 @thefandomplace @musical-theatre-obsessed-dumbass @gallysonegoodlung @navs-bhat @sumsebien @dontjudgeabookbythecover @brekker-zenik @alohastitch0626 @brekkers-desigirl @emmsamultifan06

[captainsvscaptains]

Battle of the Captains Quarterfinals 3

No antipropaganda on my polls please

Propaganda

Inej (propaganda by @paul-hectus ) : She was kidnapped from her family when she was very little and brought oversea to become an unwilling sex worker when she was FOURTEEN. She is an amazing acrobat and skilled with knives. She's also a great friend and deeply devoted to her saints. The boy she is in love with got her freedom, knives and her ship. Now she kills and hunts slavers❤️

Picard's the captain of the USS Stargazer NCC-2893, USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E and USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

[one-million-kruge]

my six of crows hcs

I need to read Crooked Kingdom but I can't for at least another week and it's killing me so take this very self indulgent list

Kaz Brekker

-He finds it really hard to apologize so he literally buys a gazillion super expensive gifts for whichever Crow, refuses to elaborate, and walks away. Matthias is mystified by this.

-Kaz hates emotional attachments with people because he could easily lose them like he lost Jordie, so he made them with his cane and gloves instead.

-For a while as a coping mechanism, Kaz legitimately treated 'Rietveld' Kaz and 'Brekker' Kaz as two different people. When he was triggered by something or other he told himself it was Rietveld messing with him.

-He researched Saints so that he could know and understand Inej's religion, even though he had no obligation to. He also pretends he hates hearing her talking about it but just hearing the passion in her voice makes Kaz happy.

Inej Ghafa

-Similarly to Kaz, she has emotional attachments to her knives because after her time at the Menagerie it became really hard for her to trust people.

-Inej learned how to walk silently at the Menagerie because she needed to sneak around in order to get stuff she needed to survive, whether it be food or something to stitch herself up with.

-She enjoys being on the sea because it gives her a sense of freedom similar to how acrobatics made her feel.

-Inej has never once pitied Kaz, just felt anger for what others (*cough cough* pekka rollins) had done to him. Every time she sees him panic she feels a mixture of sadness and pure rage.

Jesper Fahey

-Jesper has a diary because he feels emotions in a very big way and he needs some way to get them out. He hides it under his bed and let me tell you it is bright pink.

-When he is stressed (often) he plays with his guns. Like, safety on, but he flips them around in his hands and whatever because it reminds him of his mother and her memory makes him feel safe.

-When on heists, Jesper legit takes any opportunity to wear high heels. There is no need to. The Crows make fun of him for it. He does not care.

-Jesper is typically very fidgety but whenever he's near Wylan he's just automatically much calmer. Wylan is like Milo for his stress but better. It's even better when he's touching Wylan in some way, shape, or form.

Wylan Van Eck

-If Wylan hears a phrase or saying or something of the like that he thinks is nice or cool, he writes it in musical notes (similarly to how he labels chemicals and such) and tacks it up on a wall or something.

-When he was younger and his father would use horrible tactics to try and get him to be able to read, he just took it and assumed it was normal because he didn't have a frame of reference (not being able to read books or make friends very well). Some days he felt he deserved it.

-Wylan loves symbolic art because it's a way for him to take in a story without having to read it. He loves making up interpretations of symbolic paintings and connecting unrelated ones into a continuous story.

-He is really not assertive at all and finds it hard to read the room, so Wylan always asks Jesper before he does anything affectionate. He sometimes gets embarrassed about it, but Jesper always reassures him that it's very cute and sexy of him.

Nina Zenik

-Nina is bisexual (canon) and in terms of her preferences she finds women to be hotter, but she loves men beyond physical attraction more often. Whenever people try to tell her that she's straight because of that she either punches them or knocks them out for a few minutes depending on how she's feeling that day.

-Nina loves fucking with people by speaking a language to them that they don't speak and then gaslighting them into thinking that she was speaking the language they do speak.

-She is like the #1 hype squad for Inej, and it's literally the only thing that Kaz and her can agree on. They literally get into compliment battles but they're complimenting Inej.

-Nina finds it hilarious how actually innocent Matthias is, so sometimes when they speak, she makes progressively more lewd innuendos to see how long it takes for him to catch on.

Matthias Helvar

-Matthias is super gullible and will believe almost anything someone tells him unless it is far too outlandish to be true. The rest of the Crows (bar Inej and Wylan) use this to their advantage often.

-Back when he hunted Grisha, everyone else said he was most definitely the least likely to become a traitor but also the most likely to be the nicest to the Grisha. Guess where they were wrong.

-Matthias tries his best to be mischievous and absolutely fails every time. He just feels bad about it and so he immediately apologizes even though all of his "mischief" isn't even that bad.

-Whenever Nina needs anything, Matthias will immediately do it/get it for her. Whether it's getting a book off of a shelf that she can't quite reach or committing homicide, he is always ready and willing.

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Thanks for all the love on the episode one intro for my fan-written Six of Crows Spin Off script! I’ve decided to post each episode broken down into parts since they’re looking pretty long when they’re all strung together, so welcome to episode one part 2! If anyone hasn’t seen the intro yet and wants to then let me know and I can tag you, and I have been wondering whether I should make an AO3 account so I can put my fics up and it’s easier to find all the chapters so if anyone thinks that would be better then let me know (it wouldn’t stop me from putting them up here too) ❤️

Be warned I've taken a little artisitc licence (eg inserting a reference to my personal Anya headcanon in the previous part) but most of this is direct quotes/takes on direct quotes - and also I've never written a script before so my formatting is my own made up method I hope it makes sense. This section more than the previous is one where I’ve had to start making strides away from the book in order to match Show!canon but I’m trying to remain as true as possible. Hope you enjoy! ❤️

Episode One Part 2

[TITLE CARDS]

[Open on the Barrel. The camera moves into the city from the harbours, through shadows across the rooftops of East and West Stave. We are seeing the city through someone's eyes. We travel past several pleasure houses, but we do not see the Menagerie. West Stave is alive and kicking; the streets are overflowing with the colourful Komedie Brute costumes of pleasure seekers, girls in silks wave from high windows to prospective clients on the street below, acrobats hang from swings over the canal as people watch them whooping and cheering. As we leave West Stave behind and head south, we pass the Crow Club with heavy crowds outside it, and arrive on the rooftop of the Slat. The camera pans down to the street below, and the clacking of a cane is heard against the cobbles. The camera switches to street level to watch KAZ BREKKER enter the Slat, heads in the busy building quickly turning towards him. The room seems to come more alert as he walks through it.

A group of people - ROTTY, ANNIKA, PIM, and ROETTER - stand near the stairs talking. The room is still loud and they don't appear to have noticed KAZ]

ROTTY: I'm just sayin', Wraith's been scarce. Worth a mention, innit?

ROETTER: So he can set that shark's glare on me? Sign me up to the gallows first

ANNIKA: C'mon, he knows your gunning to be his new spider. Everyone knows. You actually mention it, maybe you'll get jobs comin' your way.

[Someone begins to reply but the conversation dies quickly and nervously as KAZ approaches. He clearly knows what they're talking about, but he does not acknowledge it.]

KAZ: Annika, fetch Jesper and Big Bolliger. I want them as my seconds tonight

ANNIKA: Big Bol? You sure you just want a bouncer tonight Kaz? Could be tr-

[KAZ glares at ANNIKA and she quiets, before turning to leave. The group disperses and Kaz marches up the stairs to the attic. Behind him, ROTTY can be heard expressing agreement on ROETER's point about the shark's glare. KAZ opens his window and wafts away a group of crows that have gathered there, then walks to the sink and removes his gloves. Behind him, the crows return to their perch. The camera focuses on KAZ's hands as he begins to wash them, until he straightens and sighs]

KAZ: You shouldn't feed crows

[Kaz turns and the camera follows his gaze. INEJ GHAFA sits on the window sill, reaching out to the birds]

INEJ: Why not?

[INEJ closes her eyes to feel the last of the evening sun on her cheeks. KAZ watches her intently, whatever he was going to say dying on his lips. His jaw ticks]

INEJ: Why not, Kaz?

[KAZ hesitates, breath catching]

KAZ: They have no manners

[INEJ laughs. The sun is soft and glowing on her face, her eyes are still closed. KAZ cannot stop watching her, and it terrifies him]

INEJ: Neither do you, Kaz. You didn't even say hello

KAZ: You didn't say goodbye

[There is a brief pause. INEJ looks at KAZ, then out the window]

INEJ, softly: I should have KAZ: Why are you here?

[INEJ looks out the window]

KAZ: You still hear things

INEJ: You can’t train a falcon and expect it not to hunt.

[She looks up at him]

INEJ: Heleen Van Houden.

[KAZ nods]

INEJ: Wandering into the Barrel like she wasn’t the victim in a murder investigation that nearly tore the city to shreds. And what? Having immediate claim to the house she left in the hands of Pekka Rollins?

KAZ: He’s out. When your supposed victim’s sticking her fingers back into the pocket of every magistrate in city, you find your murder charges dropping pretty quickly.

INEJ: So that’s that?

KAZ: That’s that. Everything we did, for nothing:

[INEJ runs her fingers across the scar from her Menagerie tattoo]

INEJ: For everything.

[For a moment, the silence is fraught. The pair cannot quite bring themselves to make eye contact. By the time KAZ speaks, it seems as though he is forcing himself to say it aloud]

KAZ: I have a job tonight

[INEJ looks up at KAZ, expectantly]

KAZ: We need you. I... I need you

[INEJ smiles as she climbs through the window and into the room]

INEJ: What are we doing?

KAZ: Parely, with the Black Tips. I'll need anything you can tell me on Geels' seconds - Oomen and []

[As KAZ speaks the scene dissolves into him, JESPER FAHEY, ANNIKA, PIM, ROTTY, BIG BOLLIGER, MUZZEN, and several other Dregs members standing outside the wall of the exchange later that night. KAZ's explanation of the plan continues on voiceover as we see the group arrive, talking to each other loudly]

KAZ: They've been eating away at my business on Fifth Harbour for weeks, and now they've intercepted a jurda shipment. Tonight, we discuss. And tonight, someone pays.

[INEJ stands on the roof of the exchange, looking down at the group below. As she slips down through the shadows, touching her hands to her knives and silently mouthing their names, she looks at the carvings in the stone arch entrance to the exchange: Industry, Integrity, Prosperity. She frowns. She slips to the ground a little farther down the street so she can approach the group at ground level, pausing for a moment to watch them from a darkened storefront. KAZ stands a little back from the others, leaning against his cane in the shadow of the arch. His eyes find Inej, then keep moving.]

JESPER: Three ships! The Shu sent them. Just sitting in the harbour - cannons out, red flags flying. And stuffed to the sails with gold.

BIG BOLLIGER: Would've liked to see that

JESPER: Would've like to steal that. Half the Merchant Council was down there flapping and squawking, trying to figure out what to do

BIG BOLLIGER: Don't they want the Shu paying their debts?

[KAZ steps forward into the slice of light where the others are standing, cane hitting the cobble stones loudly]

KAZ: Yes and no. It's always nice to have a country in debt to you. Makes for... friendlier negotiations

[KAZ looks specifically at BIG BOLLIGER as he speaks, wearing a crocodile's smile. JESPER shrugs]

JESPER: Maybe the Shu are done being friendly. They didn't have to send all that treasure at once. You reckon they stuck that trade ambassador?

[KAZ lifts his gaze again and this time his and INEJ's eyes meet directly. They are both thinking the same thing; brief flashback to KAZ's office. INEJ sits cross-legged on the window sill as KAZ paces slowly, and they list theories for each other about how the Trade Ambassador was murdered]

INEJ: We have to be missing something. Men don’t just walk into washrooms and find knives in their backs.

KAZ: Broad daylight, no windows, no vents. No-one in or out. Not even you could've squeezed through the plumbing

INEJ: So what? Ghosts?

[KAZ raises an eyebrow]

KAZ: Don't tell me you believe in ghosts now

INEJ: I believe in lots of things, Kaz. But perhaps wraiths aren't one of them

[The challenge is clear in her eyes and it makes KAZ uncomfortable. Return to the present]

KAZ: It won't matter what actually happened, just what everyone thinks did. The Zemeni blame the Kerch, the Kerch suspect the Shu, and no-one gets their satisfying answer before all the guns come out. It's nearly time

[KAZ gestures for JESPER and BIG BOLLIGER to remove their weapons. JESPER unslings his gun belt unhappily, and bestows a kiss on each revolver before handing them to ROTTY]

JESPER: Take good care of my babies. If I see a single scratch on them, I'll spell 'forgive me' across your chest in bullets

ROTTY: You wouldn't waste the ammo

BIG BOLLIGER: And he'd die before you finished 'forgive'

JESPER: It's about sending a message - what's the point of a dead guy with 'FORG' written on his chest?

KAZ: So, compromise. 'SORRY' does the trick - and uses fewer bullets.

[BIG BOLLIGER hands over all of his weapons, and KAZ hands over three knives]

JESPER, pointing to Kaz's cane: What about that?

KAZ: Who'd deny a poor cripple his cane?

JESPER: If it's you, any man with sense

KAZ: Then it's a good job we're meeting Geels tonight. Neutral territory, Jesper, give up the rifle

INEJ: This is a mistake

[INEJ is suddenly visible from the shadows. BIG BOLLIGER flinches away from her as the others all jump in surprise, except KAZ, and a whisper of 'the Wraith' goes through the crowd.]

INEJ: This doesn't feel neutral. Geels is up to something

KAZ: Of course he is.

INEJ: Then why come here tonight?

KAZ: Street law is street law, Inej. There's a way to do things

INEJ: You’re going to get us all killed

[JESPER smiles, stretching]

JESPER: Statistically, Inej, he's probably only going to get some of us killed

INEJ: It's not a joke

KAZ: He's not joking - he's playing the odds.

BIG BOLLIGER: Well I have a pint of lager waiting for me at the Couperron, so I can’t be the one to die tonight.

JESPER, grinning: Care to place a wager?

BIG BOLLIGER: I'm not going to bet on my own death

KAZ, running his fingers over the rim of his hat: Why not, Bolliger? We do it every day

[The church bell chimes for midnight]

KAZ: Remember: No matter what you hear, you don’t whether the fray without my say so. Stay sharp, and stay hidden

[There is a murmur of acknowledgment and agreement from the Dregs. INEJ turns towards the shadows and Kaz catches her arm to stop her. The camera focuses on her gloves and her sleeve]

KAZ: Keep an eye on the rooftop guards. Geels may have them in his pocket

[INEJ frowns but nods. She backs away slightly as Kaz releases her arm. There is tension in coming so close to touch and neither of them have missed it]

JESPER: No mourners

ALL: No funerals

[The trio enter the exchange. INEJ climbs the canal-facing wall]

INEJ, muttering to self: Street law. A relic. How would you fair if I obeyed street law, Kaz?

[She swings herself up capably and smiles]

INEJ, to self: How would you fair if I obeyed the law of gravity?

[As she climbs and the first look at the scene unfolds, KAZ and INEJ discuss the plan on voiceover; the conversation they had earlier this evening continued]

KAZ, voiceover: They’re sure precaution against you

[INEJ finds the drainpipe she reaches for slick with oil and a rim she runs her fingers over to test covered in ground glass. She smiles with grim pleasure at the knowledge she is expected]

INEJ, voiceover: They’re sure to try

[She picks the lock of a window and sneaks inside, crossing to a balcony to stand over the exchange. She watches KAZ, JESPER, and BIG BOLLIGER enter from the Eastern side of the exchange as the Black Tips - GEELS, OOMEN, and ELSINGER - enter from the Western. INEJ’s voiceover returns to tell KAZ the information she gathered about the Black Tips, and the camera focuses on each of them as she speaks]

INEJ, voiceover: Geels and Elsinger came up the ranks of the Black Tips together. There’s trust there, not exploitable. There’s little to say about Elsinger that you can’t tell by looking at him. He’s a bruiser, and he’s good at it

KAZ, voiceover: At least with Bolliger there one of us will be tall enough to look him in the eye

INEJ, voicover: If there’s any potential problem, it’s Oomen.

KAZ: Oomen, Really? He’s built like a scarecrow

INEJ: He might not look so much of a threat, but he makes me nervous. He’s violent, and he’s unafraid. They say he once crushed a man’s skull with his bare hands, wiped the blood off on his shirt, and went on drinking

[The opposing gang members pat each other down to check for weapons. JESPER finds a small knife on ELSINGER and tosses it to the corner of the Exchange]

JESPER: Naughty, naughty

[BIG BOLLIGER finishes patting down GEELS]

BIG BOLLIGER: He’s clean

[GEELS spreads his arms to indicate the start of the negotiations. He is noticeably older than KAZ and the others, but it doesn’t look like he’s weaker. He seems more confident, possibly even more commanding]

GEELS: Let’s be fair, eh? It’s not fair for you to cull every spend-happy tourist stepping off a boat in fifth harbour. We all got bills to pay

KAZ: Fifth harbour is ours. We get first crack at all the pigeons we want

GEELS: You’re young, lad, you’re fresh. Maybe you don’t know how these things work yet. Harbours belong to the city, we all have as much right to them as anyone else

KAZ: Not fifth. Maybe you don’t know how these things work, but I own majority shares in that harbour. It was all but useless to this city until I had it dredged, and built out the docks. Fifth harbour is mine.

[GEELS sniffs in disagreement, but has no counterargument]

KAZ: You’ve been interrupting our traffic, and you intercepted a jurda shipment that should have docked two nights ago

GEELS: I don’t know what you’re talking about

KAZ: I know it comes easy, Geels, but try not to play dumb with me

[GEELS steps forwards but KAZ stands his ground]

GEELS: Quit flexing, boy. We all know Per Haskell doesn’t have the stomach for a real brawl

[KAZ laughs roughly]

KAZ: But I’m the one at your table. Haskell’s out of the game - has been for a while now. Maybe you should start second guessing your sources of information

[GEELS shifts uncomfortably]

KAZ: The Dregs are my operation, and I’m not here for a taste. You want a war? I’ll make sure you eat your fill

GEELS: And if you vanish, Brekker? We all know you’re the spine of the operation - whether it’s Haskell behind the scenes or someone else. Snap it, and the Dregs collapse.

[JESPER laughs and incurs glares from everyone else]

JESPER: Stomach, spine. What’s next - spleen?

ELSINGER: Shut it

KAZ: Follow the damn rules, Jesper.

[JESPER mouths “sorry” and pantomimes locking his lips. KAZ rolls his eyes before turning back to his conversation]

KAZ: I’m fairly sure you’re threatening me, Geels. But I want to be certain before I decide what time do about it

GEELS: Then what if I told you there are two guards with city issue rifles pointed at you right now?

[INEJ tenses, eyes quickly searching the roof for the guards’ silhouettes. KAZ glances casually upwards]

KAZ: Hiring city guards to do your killing? I’d say that’s an expensive proposition for a gang like the Black Tips

[INEJ climbs up to the roof and hurries across it, ignoring the walkway that is clearly there to be used by the guards. She hides behind the gables to watch for the guards and listen to the conversation]

KAZ: I’m flattered you’d do so much just for me

GEELS: The Dregs won’t last a week without you

KAZ: I’d give them a month on sheer momentum

GEELS: Should we find out, you smug little slum rat?

KAZ: Do it

[INEJ cannot find the guards and she is panicking. KAZ is very calm]

GEELS: Should I have them shoot you in the good leg?

KAZ: Stop talking and do it. Shoot

Jesper: … Kaz?

KAZ: Go on

INEJ, to self: What game are you playing, Kaz?

GEELS: Fire!

[There’s a loud gunshot and a sudden flash. BIG BOLLIGER screams as he collapses to the floor of the exchange and JESPER runs towards him and applied pressure to the wound. KAZ raises an eyebrow]

JESPER: You worthless podge, Geels! You’ve violated neutral territory

GEELS, hiding the panic in his voice: Nothing to say you didn’t shoot first. And anyway, who’s going to know? None of you are walking out of here

KAZ: You don’t look well, Geels. Things aren’t going quite to plan, are they?

JESPER: Kaz, Bolliger’s bleeding bad

KAZ: Good.

JESPER: He needs a Medik

KAZ: He needs to stop his bellyaching and be glad I didn’t have Holst take him down with a headshot.

[GEELS flinches]

KAZ: That’s the guard’s name, right? Willem Holst and Bert Van Daal. The guards you emptied the Black Tips’ coffers to bribe. Holst likes to gamble almost as much as Jesper does, so your money held a lot of appeal. But he has bigger problems. Let’s call them… urges. I won’t go into detail - secrets aren’t like coin. They don’t keep their value in the spending. You’ll just have to take my word for it when I say that this one would turn even your rotten stomach.

[Another shot is fired, springing against the cobbles near GEELS’ feet. He jumps back in panic. INEJ tracks the source of the shot with her eyes, and heads in the opposite direction to find the other guard - VAN DAAL.]

GEELS: Just shoot him, Holst! Your secret dies with him

KAZ, snorting: You think I’m that foolish? Go on Holst, put a bullet in my skull! My messengers will reach your wife and your watch captain before I hit the ground. Are you worrying about the other guard, Geels? Maybe I got to him too. Maybe he’s getting ready to blow a hole in your chest.

[INEJ is hurrying across the rooftops towards VAN DAAL at top speed. It’s unclear if she’s going to make it in time]

KAZ: Why not give Van Daal the order and find out?

[GEELS hesitates for a moment]

GEELS: Van Daal?

[VAN DAAL opens his mouth but before he can reply a blade appears at his throat and he is forced backwards. INEJ stands behind him.]

INEJ: Hush, now

[She jabs him gently in the side; he knows there is another knife at his kidney.]

VAN DAAL: Please

INEJ: I like it when men beg. But this isn’t the time for it

[fyeahcompetentwomen]

Inej Ghafa vs. Evie Frye

Remember: don't vote on "who would win in a fight", but on "who, when given a task that fits her skillset and talents, would do that task better: more comprehensively, faster, with more pizzazz, with less collateral, etc."

Endorsements! "What is she good at?"

Inej Ghafa, Six of Crows: She is a spy and an acrobat known as the wraith. She is an excellent knife combatant, with more knives on her person than most think possible. She climbed up an incinerator shaft while it was on for a heist, continuing on even when it melted her shoes. She now sails on a ship, attacking human traffickers and setting people free.

Evie Frye, Assassin’s Creed: Picture this initially it’s Victorian times. Bad scene in London with the Templars. A lot of the mission quests go “Evie’s brother Jacob messes it all up and she has to fix it.” She’s the smart one that sees the big picture. Also breaks the codes, does all the intelligence gathering, solves the mysteries etc. In the expansion again she has to save the day as her brother recruited and trained a monster and then is captured by him. Physically fit and agile, brutally competent in a fight obviously I mean that’s the game.

[thecrxwclub]

assigning taylor swift songs to grishaverse characters + ships because i don’t want to do my actual work!! this is about to be long as hell!!

notes: i feel like some of these will be unpopular opinions but here we are + there are two instances where ppl have the same song (long story short and you’re on your own kid) but i just think it applies to both characters really well. and idk why basically all the crows are from midnights, it’s just a soc album i guess.

ALINA STARKOV

– long story short : evermore

"Past me, I wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things. Your nemeses will defeat themselves before you get the chance to swing…and I fell from the pedestal, right down the rabbit hole. Long story short, it was a bad time. Pushed from the precipice, climbed right back up the cliff. Long story short, I survived. Now I’m all about you, I’m all about you. Long story short, it was a bad time. Long story short, I survived.”

MAL ORETSEV

– this is me trying : folklore

“They told me all of my cages were mental. So I got wasted like all my potential. And my words shoot to kill when I’m mad. I have a lot of regrets about that…I just wanted you to know that this is me trying. At least I’m trying.”

NIKOLAI LANTSOV

– Mastermind : Midnights

"No one wanted to play with me as a little kid. So I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since. To make them love me and make it seem effortless. This is the first time I’ve felt the need to confess. And I swear I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian ‘cause I care.”

ZOYA NAZYALENSKY

– You’re On Your Own Kid : Midnights

“You’re on your own, kid. You always have been. From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes, I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this. I hosted parties and starved my body. Like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss. The jokes weren’t funny, I took the money, my friends from home don’t know what to say. I looked around in a blood-soaked gown, and I saw something they can’t take away.”

KAZ BREKKER

– Dear Reader : Midnights

"Dear Reader, if it feels like a trap you’re already in one. Dear Reader, get out your map. Pick somewhere and just run. Dear Reader, burn all the files, desert all your past lives. And if you don’t recognize yourself that means you did it right. Never take advice from someone who’s falling apart…Dear Reader, the greatest of luxuries is your secrets. Dear Reader, when you aim at the devil make sure you don’t miss.”

INEJ GHAFA

– Karma : Midnights

“Karma is my boyfriend. Karma is a god, karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend. Karma’s a relaxing thought, aren’t you envious that for you it’s not? Sweet like honey, karma is a cat, purring in my lap ‘cause it loves me. Flexing like a goddamn acrobat. Me and karma vibe like that.”

NINA ZENIK

– Bejeweled : Midnights

“Sapphire tears on my face, sadness became my whole sky…And you can try to change my mind. But you might have to wait in line. What’s a girl gonna do? A diamond’s gotta shine. Best believe I’m still bejeweled. When I walk in a room, I can still make the whole place shimmer…Diamonds in my eyes. I polish up real, I polish up real nice.”

JESPER FAHEY

– Anti-Hero : Midnights

"I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser. Midnights become my afternoons. When my depression works the graveyard shift all of the people I’ve ghosted stand there in the room…It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me. At tea time, everybody agrees. I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror. It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero.”

WYLAN VAN ECK

– You’re On Your Own Kid : Midnights

“Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned. Everything you lose is a step you take. So make the friendship bracelets, take a moment and taste it, you’ve got no reason to be afraid. You’re on your own, kid. Yeah, you can face this. You’re on your own kid, you always have been.”

MATTHIAS HELVAR

– ivy : evermore

"How’s one to know? I’d live and die for moments that we stole. On begged and borrowed time…oh, goddamn. My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand taking mine, but it’s been promised to another. Oh, I can’t stop you putting roots in my dreamland. My house of stone, your ivy grows, and now I’m covered in you.”

GENYA SAFIN

– Clean : 1989

“Hung my head as I lost the war, and the sky turned black like a perfect storm. Rain came pouring down. When I was drowning, that’s when I could finally breathe. And by morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean.”

DAVID KOSTYK

– Sweet Nothing : Midnights

"On the way home I wrote a poem. You say ‘what a mind’, this happens all the time. ‘Cause they said the end is coming. Everyone’s up to something. I find myself running home to your sweet nothings. Outside, they’re push and shoving. You’re in the kitchen humming. All that you ever wanted from me was nothing.”

THE DARKLING

I Did Something Bad : Reputation

"They’re burning all the witches, even if you aren’t one. They got their pitchforks and proof, their receipts and reasons. They’re burning all the witches, even if you aren’t one. So light me, go ahead and light me up. They say I did something bad. Then why’s it feel so good? They say I did something bad. But why’s it feel so good? Most fun I ever had, and I’d do it over and over and over again if I could. It just felt so good.”

TOLYA YUL-BATAAR

– epiphany : folklore

"Keep your helmet, keep your life, son. Just a flesh wound, here’s your rifle…With you I serve. With you, I fall down. Watch you breathe in, watch you breathing out. Only 20 minutes to sleep, but you dream of some epiphany. Just one single glimpse of relief, to make some sense of what you’ve seen.”

TAMAR KIR-BATAAR

– Only the Young : Featured in “Miss Americana”

“They aren’t gonna help us, too busy helping themselves. They aren’t gonna change this, we gotta do it ourselves. They think that it’s over, but it’s just begun. Only one thing can save us…Don’t say you’re too tired to fight, it’s just a matter of time. Up there’s the finish line. Only the young can run.”

HANNE BRUM

– long story short : evermore

“Fatefully, I tried to pick my battles ‘til the battle picked me. Misery. Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep. And you passed right by, I was in the alley, surrounded on all sides. The knife cuts both ways. If the shoe fits, walk in it ‘til your high heels break.”

–––––––––––––––––––––

KANEJ

– Renegade : How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?

“Are you really gonna talk about timing in times like these? And let all your damage damage me? And carry your baggage up my street and make me your future history? It’s time, you’ve come a long way. Open the blinds, let me see your face. You wouldn’t be the first renegade to need somebody. Is it insensitive for me to say ‘get your shit together so I can love you’?"

HELNIK

– Long Live : Speak Now

“Long, long live the walls we crashed through. All the kingdom lights shine, just for me and you. I was screaming, long live all the magic we made, and being on all the pretenders, I’m not afraid. Singing long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you. And long, long live that look on your face. And bring on all the pretenders. One day, we will be remembered.”

WESPER

– Paper Rings : Lover

“Kiss me once ‘cause you know I had a long night. Kiss me twice ‘cause it’s gonna be alright. Three times ‘cause I’ve waited my whole life. I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings. Darling, you’re the one I want, and I hate accidents, except when we went from friends to this.”

ZOYALAI

– The Great War : Midnights

"And we will never go back to that bloodshed, crimson clover. The worst was over. My hand was the one you reached for all throughout the Great War. Always remember we’re burned for better, I vowed I would always be yours. ‘Cause we survived the Great War.”

MALINA

– invisible string : folklore

“Time, curious time. Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs. Were there clues I didn’t see? And isn’t it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?”

DARKLINA

– Dear John : Speak Now

“You are an expert at sorry and keeping lines blurry. Never impressed by me acing your tests. All the girls that you’ve run dry have tired, lifeless eyes ‘cause you burned them out. But I took your matches before fire could catch me, so don’t look now.”

DANYA

— Last Kiss : Speak Now

“But now I'll go sit on the floor wearing your clothes. All that I know is I don’t know how to be something you miss. I never thought we’d have a last kiss. Never imagined we’d end like this. Your name, forever the name on my lips.”

TAMADIA

— Lover : Lover

“My heart’s been borrowed, and yours has been blue. All’s well that ends well to end up with you…Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close, forever and ever? And I, take me out, and take me home. You’re my, my, my, my lover.”

HANNINA

— Daylight : Lover

“I’ll tell you the truth, but never goodbye. I don’t want to look at anything else now that I saw you. And I don’t want to think of anything else now that I thought of you. I’ve been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night, but now I see daylight. I only see daylight.”

[manikas-whims]

Bed Sharing– a Kanej Fanfic

[Read on AO3]

He didn't want her to placate him with an embrace. He just wanted to sleep next to her without the threat of her arms and legs, and her insanely silky hair suffocating him. But he complied nonetheless and lowered himself towards her, letting her wrap her arms around him.

...

In which Kaz just wants to share a bed with Inej but she has some peculiar sleeping habits that might cause discomfort to him.

Light humor and fluff cause i simply adore the canon fluffy Kanej :3

Sharing the same bed, falling asleep right next to each other, arms and legs casually tangled together. It was another act of intimacy that was of utmost significance for the both of them.

Kaz had given up on ever experiencing such trivial yet invaluable moments of life due to the nature of his sickness. At least that's what he believed until a petite suli girl dared to not just sneak up on him but also offered to help him. The notorious Dirtyhands! She wasn't just another girl with pretty ribbons or a sort of sidle in her walk. She was kind and forgiving despite her circumstances. And like the graceful acrobat that she was raised to be, Inej Ghafa smoothly scaled her way into his heart.

Unfortunately, it took her getting stabbed by the rival gang for him to realize that his Wraith had become his reason. He had never given thought to what would come after he was done with his revenge. After he had defeated Rollins in his own game. After he had brought that wretched son of a bitch to his knees. But Inej, with her Suli platitudes and soft brown eyes, made him truly wonder about the prospect of a future. Of actually living for more than just money and contempt.

And so, after years of struggles in working towards healing from their respective traumas, they laid together in bed.

Kaz had imagined this moment being far more dramatic and exhilarating. Expected it to bring a sense of fulfillment. A warm and heady sort of contentment that Jordie used to read about in his story books.

However, when Kaz woke up in the middle of the night, he could not associate any of those endearing descriptions with his current predicament. No, it wasn't the sensation of waves lapping at him. They hardly ever bothered him anymore. It was just the general discomfort with the way Inej's leg draped on his belly and her impossibly long hair spilled over his face. And to top it off, she seemed content. Peacefully asleep in her peculiar position.

Kaz didn't remember falling asleep like this.

He tried fidgeting away but she crept closer to the warmth that his body radiated. He tried gently moving her off of him but mere moments later, she turned towards him and resumed her oddly-comforting position.

He puffed out an annoyed breath to blow her hair away from his face and sat up, her leg sliding down into his lap.

“Inej” He called.

Unfortunately, she didn't even budge.

Kaz frowned. He was nothing if not vengeful. How could she coax him into getting some proper sleep then not let him have any?

He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her. “Inej”

This time her brows knitted at the disturbance. “Saints..”

“Not your Saints”, He grumbled. “It's me.”

“Something..happ..ened?” Inej mumbled as she rubbed her eyes and pulled out her cherished bone-handled knife from under the pillows.

“No.” Kaz replied, watching her hand immediately tuck the knife back. Then drily added, “I just can't sleep thanks to you throwing your limbs all over me.”

Inej chuckled and drowsily gazed up at him.

“Come here.” She beckoned with open arms.

He didn't want her to placate him with an embrace. He just wanted to sleep next to her without the threat of her arms and legs, and her insanely silky hair suffocating him. But he complied nonetheless and lowered himself towards her, letting her wrap her arms around him.

Inej pressed her lips upon his. Lightly. Sleepily. And by the time he finally decided to give in to the affectionate gesture and return the kiss, Kaz felt her arms loosen from his back. He moved away slightly to find that she had drifted back into a calm slumber.

For a moment, Kaz stared at the sight of her beautiful face glowing under the foggy moonlight of Ketterdam. Laughed to himself about the suddenness of it all and then laid down next to her. Within moments he felt her scoot closer, a leg coming to rest upon his belly. Only this time, the bastard of the barrel didn't have the heart to rouse her from her sleep.

SOC Masterlist

Custom Divider by @skylightlantern

[sissytobitch10seconds]

Birdsong: The Moon Will Sing

Fandom: Grishaverse-Six of Crows Summary: They're technically there on business, but Matthias' only job is to look big and intimidating. No one can really blame him for letting his eyes wander towards the stage. Warnings: Mentions of canon-typical trauma and mentions of homophobia Word Count: 7,937 Ship(s): Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik, Kaz Brekker/Matthias Helvar/Jesper Fahey/Inej Ghafa/Wylan Van Eck

Archive link!

Matthias Helvar had known Kaz for nearly five years and had been romantically intertwined with him for the majority of that time. He knew the other man inside and out, to the point where he was sure that he was more familiar with Kaz than he was with himself. He was able to point to the motions that the other man made when he was feeling self-conscious (tugging on the lapels of his shirt or readjusting his gloves so that they covered more of his wrists) or when he was upset about something (a cute creasing of his forehead and chin). He knew how to tell Kaz’s moods apart to the point that he was able to avoid the mindfield of anxiety, something that their boyfriend Wylan still struggled with despite having been together with Kaz for longer.

Despite this, trying to figure out why Kaz did what he did was still nearly impossible at times.

They were sitting in the office space of the apartment above the Crow Club, which was the bar that Kaz owned. Matthias worked for him as a bartender and bouncer when he was in between his set-building gigs, so he was very familiar with the space in both a professional and personal context. It had originally just been a spare room that was full of boxes and an abandoned desk that Kaz had inherited from his late brother. After Inej had finally snapped Kaz out of his brooding, he had transformed it into a place where he could work and also host his partners.

The desk was now pressed against the wall with the window so that plenty of natural light could illuminate the space when Kaz was working during the day. There was a simplistic brick fireplace on the wall kitty corner to the window, the mantle of which was now decorated with plenty of pictures of their partners. Matthias’ favorite was the one that they had taken when Jesper had finally graduated after clawing his way through the ableist secondary education system. They had all been hugging him, with Inej and Wylan kissing either of his cheeks while Matthias prepared to pick him up, Kaz standing slightly away from them but beaming one of the truest smiles he had ever worn.

The place that they occupied in the office at the moment was on the wall opposite to the desk, where two chairs were on either side of a low coffee table. It was currently covered in a stack of books that Jepser had no doubt left as he and Wylan cleared out their apartment so that they could move into the estate Wylan’s father had accidentally left to him in his will.

Matthias smiled softly to himself as he remembered the plans that they had been making to move into the vast mansion, so that all of them could finally be in the same place. Inej moved around a lot with her acrobatics troupe, especially since she was also following leads to try and get back in contact with her brother after the two of them had been separated by the cruelty of the foster system. Matthias missed her dearly, she had been in Germany for almost four weeks now, but he understood her desperation to find her family. If his hadn’t banished him from his home for simply admitting that he had fallen in love with a man, he would have been flying back to Denmark as often as he could just to visit with them.

“Are you listening to me?” Kaz asked, snapping him from his thoughts.

He turned back to his boyfriend and shook his head truthfully. Kaz rolled his eyes, though there was affection in the dark color of his irises. “I was simply detailing that I need to have you with me while I’m working today.”

“What do you need me to do?” he asked. It sounded more serious than the last couple of jobs that he had been asked to do, which mostly revolved around him listening in to conversations and scanning the types of people that were asking to be let into the bar so that he could find out whether or not the surrounding business owners were trying to bring Kaz down. It didn’t feel real, even without saying it out loud, more like his life had become half a movie. 

“I want you to come with me to look like the terrifying wall of muscle that you are while I meet someone for business,” Kaz replied.

Immediately alarm bells began to go off in the back of Matthias’ mind. He trusted his boyfriend with his life, that much was certain, but he was also worried about the kind of mischief that Kaz was stirring up. Inej had made him promise that he would keep their life interesting enough that their partner wouldn’t get into anything he couldn’t get himself out of, she had called it ‘Kaz’s enrichment time’, and with good reason. Whenever Kaz got more bored than he decided he was willing to handle, he stirred the pot and riled up the people around him. It was one of the reasons that he would never be able to settle with one partner and jumped right into a polycule with his two best friends.

He sat forward, threading his fingers together so that his hands were hanging low between his legs. He knew that Kaz liked it when he looked like that, chiseled and sullen and serious but putty in his hands. “What kind of business?”

“Calm down, it’s nothing that you’re going to have to tattle on me to Inej about. There’s an old bar owner that is thinking about retiring so I wanted to convince him that he should give his land and building to me,” he replied easily, leaning back in his chair. He was wearing a simple black button up with a pressed pair of slacks, his gloves off and on the table since it was just the two of them together.

“You want me to come with you so that we can convince the man that we are going to steal his bar from him because I am strong?” Matthias asked, half confused and half teasing.

“No, I want you there to show him that I’m serious. I know that you’re aware how much people think that they can underestimate me,” his nose wrinkled for a second as he said that. Matthias did remember what had happened the last time that a potential business partner had tried to undermine Kaz because of his disability. The ire that had flown out of his boyfriend had been both terrifying and the most attractive thing that he had seen to date. It had taken all four of their partners three hours to manage to convince Kaz that he didn’t have to go after the man and show him what it was like to have his disability, and Kaz still brought it up sometimes when he was in a sour mood. The smaller man rolled his shoulders as he said, “I don’t want him to think that he can take advantage of me because I’m smaller and disabled. I’m bringing you so that you can ward off any assholes that think they can schmooze up to him instead of waiting their turn and so that he sees someone with a more stereotypical masculinity during the meeting.”

“So I am eye candy?” Matthias smirked. He knew that the underlying message that Kaz was struggling to convey through his veneer of business was that he trusted Matthias. There were actual employees that he could bring with him on this trip that would likely be more helpful, but he had chosen his boyfriend, who had absolutely no experience in the business world, because he both wanted to spend time with Matthias and trusted him to know the more intimate details of his life. It made his chest feel warm, reinforcing that the life he had chosen for himself was the correct one despite all of the pain that had come with it.

Thankfully, his boyfriend had interpreted the teasing in the way that Matthias had meant it instead of in an actually cruel way like he had towards the beginning of their friendship. He leaned forward after carefully moving his knee to the side so that he didn’t bend it in a painful way. “For me and for him. But mostly for me,” Kaz replied with a smirk.

Matthias leaned forward the six inches over the coffee table that separated them and brought their lips together in a sweet kiss. 

Early on in their relationship, they had realized that they needed a way to convey where boundaries laid on certain days due to the trauma that certain members of their polycule had. Wylan, Inej, and Kaz would rate their ability to be touched out of ten when they were in a place where they could possibly meet up with their other partners. If someone rated themselves at a one, then it meant that they absolutely could not be touched unless it was life-or-death, and a ten meant that they were willing to do whatever with however many partners. Matthias and Jesper gave their own ranking as well, especially after finding out that they did have some boundaries when it came to touch that they had ignored by accident before getting together with the others.

That morning, Kaz had told them that he was tentatively hovering around an eight. He usually hung down around four or five on working days and had never quite gotten up to a ten. Matthias knew that he would love and cherish his partner no matter where he was on the touch chart, but he was glad when he got to have those intimate skin-to-skin moments with him.

---

Later that night, Matthias was waiting in the bar for Kaz to come down. He had dressed somewhat nice, but simplistic enough that he wouldn’t be standing out compared to his ‘boss’ for the night. He had chosen a pair of straight legged black jeans with the belt that Wylan had given him for his last birthday, an interwoven black and brown leather with a wolf carved buckle. He was wearing  simple black t-shirt underneath his favorite leather jacket, the one that Inej had helped him paint the back of. It was a series of runes that spelled out their names and his relationship with each one of them on five different roses. The edges were a little cramped on one side with the other empty, since they weren’t sure how big it was going to be when they started.

Matthias felt his heart jump in his chest when he heard the telltale thump-thump-thump of Kaz’s cane as he made his way through the quickly filling bar. Someone had turned ACDC onto the jukebox in the corner, they hadn’t been able to secure a band to play live music during that week, which was a strange dichotomy to what was in front of him.

Kaz was wearing a pair of black slacks and well shined shoes. He had on a red vest over the top of a white button-up shirt, tie-less, with his heavy overcoat resting over the entire ensemble. He had the uncanny ability to choose clothing that hugged his body in all the right places so that he could appear however he wanted to people looking in on him. Matthias knew for a fact that he had a simple knee brace on today, unable to make due with only k-tape, but it was hidden perfectly underneath the fabric of his pants.

“Are you ready to go?” the other asked as he stopped in front of his boyfriend. 

“I am if you are, boss,” he replied, ramping up his accent because he knew what it did to his partners.

Kaz tried to ignore it, but Matthias wasn’t looking at his face to tell if he was flustered. Instead he paid attention to the tips of Kaz’s ears, which had already gained their telltale red color. He smirked as he followed after the other man, a half step away from him so that there was plenty of room for Kaz to maneuver the busy sidewalk with his cane but not so far away that any of the passers-by could get in between them.

The bar that they were going to be meeting the future business partner at was a neutral-territory space that was more of an old fashioned lounge than anything else. The building was an old theater from the fifties that had been renovated to hold the kind of company it served to. The front of the building had teal tile on the of the walls and several signed vintage posters hanging where the advertisement for new films would have been back in its heyday. The large, vintage-styled neon sign read ‘The Blue Jay’ in a loopy font that strobed every so often. There was someone in the booth up front taking tickets from people, two of which Kaz was able to supply before he and Matthias stepped in.

The inside had the original hardwood floors, scuffed and marked up from when they hadn’t been taken care of but easily refinished. The walls were wainscotted with the same dark wood as the floor and the paint on the upper half was a soothing blue. The front foyer had a bar with two stools, obviously not a place that they wanted people to be occupying unless they were waiting to get their drinks from the tender. The outside of the bar was set up to look like the concession stand would have in the fifties, complete with candy wrappers from that time period. 

There was another worker that checked their coats, which allowed Matthias to ogle at the expanse of his boyfriend’s shoulders underneath the neatly pressed vest and shirt combo he was wearing.

“Would you like something to drink?” Matthias asked as he jerked his head over to where the bar was. The chalk menu behind him was intriguing, especially since there were several cocktails that he had never heard of before and wanted to try.

“We both need to remain as sober as possible during this job. If it’s going to result in me buying the property then I want to make sure that I don’t have the wool pulled over my eyes because you wanted a shot or ten,” Kaz teased. 

The first time that they had gone out, it was to a bar. Kaz spent most of his time in clubs and bars because of his job, so it only made sense. Matthias had thought that a little alcohol would lubricate the date a bit, but it turned out that his partner had a competitive streak a mile wide and a very low alcohol tolerance. A lot of things had happened that night, all of which Matthias remembered and none of which Kaz did.

They walked over to the theater portion of the club. When he finally got a good look at what the inside space had been transformed into, he was pleasantly surprised. They had kept the through line of the fifties style lounge despite it being an old theater, and leveled out the ground so that it was no longer sloped but was covered in the same hardwood as it had been through the door. Ten to fifteen tables littered the walls of the surrounding area, staggered so that people would be able to see up to the stage properly without others getting in the way. They each looked about identical except for the different bird feather and fake flower in each of the vases. 

“Come,” Kaz said as he walked towards an empty table. It was the third closest to the stage on the left side of the wall. It had a yellow tulip and a crow feather in the vase, both of which swirled when Kaz collapsed down into his seat.

Matthias could easily see how much his bad leg was bothering him that day. He wanted to be able to help, and he was sure that he could convince his partner to let him once they were back in the privacy of Kaz’s apartment above their own club. He took the seat next to his boss, pointed slightly towards the stage despite the fact that it was still empty since it was only seven in the evening. 

There were quite a few other people milling about the space, which was why it was a ticketed event, Matthias realized. They were all dressed nicely, as he and his boyfriend were, and chatting amongst each other. A couple of the individuals had even come to match the theme of the lounge, with bright colored tailored dresses that had huge skirts. 

“How did you find out about this place?” Matthias asked. While Wylan was a bit more partial to the Victorian aesthetic (a product of him leaning pretty heavily into the mad scientist title that had been used to tease him the entire time that he was in college), he was fond of all vintage buildings. They went on a tour of the historical homes around their town every year for his birthday and every person that worked in the vintage thrift shops around town knew them all by name because of how often they got him gifts from there. Matthias was sure that his boyfriend would be enamored with the lounge and would insist on them all dressing up. He would encourage their partner, of course, if only to see Jesper in one of the dresses that were swirling around the other tables.

“I heard about it from a friend of a friend,” Kaz replied cryptically. He was grasping the head of his cane, positioned between his legs so that the bird head was peeping over the nice white table cloth.

“I think that we should bring Wylan here, when we’re not on business,” Matthias suggested, trying to make it sound like he hadn’t been thinking about it for the last ten minutes since they stepped into the lounge.

A small smile slipped over Kaz’s face for just a moment before he gave a little nod. He quickly schooled his expression so that he was cold, calculating, and mostly blank. He continued to flicker between looking at either door at the back of the old theater, waiting for his business associate to show up. Matthias continued to look out over the crowd, assessing who might be the most trouble if the night were to go south. It was a bad habit of his that he was sure he was never going to be able to actually break, not that it was really hindering him when Kaz brought him along for tasks like this.

When the man finally arrived, they were able to identify who he was immediately. He was tailed by two men that were slightly shorter than Matthias and looked about half as competent as he did. They wore identical black shirts and slacks, boring and predictable. The man in the middle was wearing a gray vest over the top of a crisp white button up. He had salt and pepper hair and a full beard that was neatly trimmed to tie the illusion that he was a wealthy business owner up in a pretty bow.

When he arrived at the table, Matthias and Kaz both stood. “Pekka Rollins,” he greeted with a firm tilt to his head. 

“Kaz Brekker,” the other man replied, his accent heavy. He reached his hand across the table and Kaz hesitantly accepted it, obviously uncomfortable with touching a stranger even through the thick weight of his leather gloves. “I was going to apologize for bringing some people to help with the negotiations but I see that you’re already a man of wisdom.”

“This isn’t my first deal,” Kaz replied, sitting heavily back down in the chair that he had been in before. Pekka and one of the men that he had come with took the other side of the table, while one left to go get them something from the bar on the orders of his boss. Kaz and Matthias had both refused when Pekka offered to order them something. 

The lights in the lounge dimmed as three women and a man walked out onto the stage. Pekka turned towards the much younger man and asked, “You don’t mind if we wait to start the negotiations until the first part of their set is over, do you? I think that it would be rude to speak over them.”

“Fine,” he bit out. Matthias knew that he was beginning to wear down from being on someone else’s terf, it had always been a problem for him. That was why it was such a big deal for them to finally move in together, so that he didn’t act like such a wet cat whenever he had to travel to a different part of the city to visit one of them.

Everyone else was returning from getting their drinks and snacks from the bar outside, sitting at their table and facing the stage as they waited for what was yet to come. Matthias assessed the band first to try and figure out what it was going to be since he had entered into the lounge completely in the dark about everything other than the fact that Kaz needed him.

One of the members had long black hair that was artfully styled into an intricate braid on the back of her head. She had golden skin that matched with the green outfit that she was wearing perfectly. It was a baggy silk shirt that had intricate yellow and orange embroidery around the sleeves and collar, tucked into a pair of dress pants with a pair of matching heels. She walked over to one of the seats that were in front of the two bigger instruments with an acoustic guitar.

The next was a woman with dark brown hair that was tied back with two smaller braids to contain the other curls. She had coffee-colored skin and dramatic red lipstick. She was wearing a dark black button up shirt with a matching pair of pants to the one that the first woman wore. She moved behind the drums with a smirk flitting across her angular features.

The man was about the same height as all of the women even though he wasn’t wearing heels like they were. He had blond hair that was styled back to contain the curls a significant amount. He was wearing a teal coat so that he looked similar to the tile on the outside of the building. It hid the lower half of his body significantly, made worse by the fact he picked up the upright bass that had been resting on the back of the stage.

The last woman was the one that really caught his eye. Her rich brown curls were pouring down from the bun that sat squarely on the back of her head. They framed her face and illustrated her high cheek bones and perfectly accented her strong jawline. Her lips were painted with a beautiful red color that paired with the burgundy of her eyeshadow and rose on her cheeks. The curve of her neck brought attention down to where the sweetheart neckline of her shirt hugged at her body. It curved out in the same flow of fabric to that swooped over her arms to make sleeves around her upper arms. The dark red color brought out the undertones of her skin in a way that made her seem vibrant and full of life. She had a silver locket hanging around her neck, the bottom of the heart pointing towards her voluptuous chest. The shirt was complimented with a black pencil skirt that grasped at her hips and the bottom part of her stomach before falling down to her thighs. She had a pair of tall heels on, which would have made her just shy of Matthias’ height.

Her beauty was on par with the goddess that he had seen come out of Inej in the quiet moments that they had stolen away together. She was a walking deity and he couldn’t move his eyes away from her.

The woman with black hair began to play, her delicate fingers dancing over the strings of the guitar as her voice drifted through the now silent lounge area. “Tell me once again, I could have been anyone, anyone else before you made the choice for me. My feet knew the path, we walked in the dark, in the dark. I never gave a single thought to where it might lead.”

It was an interesting sound and not one that Matthias had guessed he would have heard in the kind of place that they were in. He wasn’t as familiar with retro and vintage music as Wylan was, but he preferred the classical stuff to the newer music that Inej and Jesper enjoyed. He wondered what the story behind the song was as he watched the singer leaning in closer to the mic, her eyes closed and scrunching around the edges with untold amounts of pain. She was pouring her heart out to an audience full of people that didn’t know her but were listening to her very soul.

The song continued, this time two voices harmonizing perfectly with each other as they edged closer to the chorus, “All those empty rooms, we could have been anywhere, anywhere else. Instead I made a bed with apathy. My heart knew the weight, ten years worth of dust and neglect. We made our peace with weariness and let it be. The moon will sing a song for me, I loved you like the sun. Bore the shadows that you made with no light of my own. I shine only with the light you gave me, I shine only with the light you gave me.” 

As soon as he had assessed the main singer, his eyes drifted back to the woman that had caught his eye when the band had first appeared. She was singing backup vocals with all of the grace and beauty that someone with that kind of gorgeousness could bring with them. Matthias was unable to tear his eyes away from her even as Kaz reached under the table to try and break him from the reverie that he was melting in. Instead, he just wove his fingers together with his boyfriend’s and continued to stare at the singer.

“Name your courage now, we could have had anything, anything else. Instead you hoarded all that's left of me, swallowing your doubt, like swords to the pit of my belly. I want to feel the fire that you kept from me.” As the song melted into the final chorus, he could almost swear that the woman’s eyes drifted towards him until they locked together. He couldn’t look away, completely enraptured with the woman on stage.

The song ended and the lights came back on, releasing the singers from the stage. They introduced themselves one by one and explained who they were for the patrons that came regardless of the stage draw. “Hello, my name is Alina Starkov.”

“I’m Nikolai Lantsov,” the blond with the bass said.

“Zoya Nazyalensky,” the drummer introduced herself, standing up so that she was visible after depositing her sticks onto the chair behind her.

“And I am Nina Zenik,” the woman that Matthias was still staring at said, giving a wink to the crowd.

The first woman that had spoken started again as she continued the introduction, “Together, we make Shadow and Bone. The song that you just listened to was called The Moon Will Sing and it’s part of our newly released album. We’ll be joining you on the floor and playing a few more numbers throughout the evening. Thank you all for hosting us in the absolutely beautiful Blue Jay.”

There was polite clapping from all the guests before the more traditional muzak that had been playing over the speakers when they first entered resumed. The band left their instruments behind on the stage and exited, two left and two right. Matthias watched Nina as she crossed over the empty space that made up the mostly unused dance floor and walked out towards the bar. 

“I am going to get us something to drink. It would be rude not to try their menu,” Matthias informed his boyfriend, trying to hint towards what he was actually getting at. Kaz gave him an unamused look but waved one of his gloved hands to tell Matthias that he was free to leave. The taller of the two did notice that his boyfriend shot a look towards the door where Nina had just departed, obviously cluing into the growing crush that he had.

Matthias hustled out of the main room so that he could join the other people milling around the bar. He felt slightly naked without his jacket, but it was the kind of place that had to check coats as part of their gimmick so he was putting up with it. He leaned against the counter as he ordered the drink that he was interested in and gin on the rocks for his boyfriend, the only thing that Kaz would drink after their vodka-filled first date. 

“Hello, love,” the sultry voice of the woman from the stage said next to him.

He felt his heart skip in his chest as he watched her fold her arms on the edge of the bar and lean forward to read the menu. The bartender told her to wait for a moment as he got to work on the backlog of drinks that he had now the the siren song of the band was no longer holding the patrons back from ordering.

Matthias shifted his attention back towards the blackboard as he read over the rest of the drinks and what was in them. He would definitely be bringing Wylan back to this place when he was finally able to pry his boyfriend away from the cage that was his most recent lab. He was watching Nina out of the side of his eye, paying attention to every shift in weight as she tried to figure out what she wanted.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when she turned to face him fully and asked, “What’s good here?”

“I am going to be honest with you, I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I was brought here to help someone out and I didn’t even know what this place was going to be until I was standing in it.”

She laughed at that, a bright tinkling noise that made a flock of birds erupt in Matthias’ chest. He felt like he was standing at the edge of the universe when he listened to her laugh, like he was looking out over all of creation, everything that could and would be. Something magnetic was drawing him to the woman, bringing them together despite the fact that they were basically strangers. He didn’t know what kind of a relationship he wanted to have with her quite yet but he knew that he had to get to know her if she would let him.

“What did you order, then?” she asked, gesturing her head towards where the class containing his boyfriend’s drink was already perspiring down onto the lacquered countertop of the bar.

“Gin on the rocks for the person I am with. I ordered myself that one,” Matthias pointed to the board. He had come a long when since he had moved to an English speaking country, better than he had been when he was learning it in school, but the cursive handwriting done with chalk was still difficult for him to decipher well enough to feel confident speaking it.

He felt a little bit guilty for holding out the hope that he might be able to pursue a romantic or sexual relationship with Nina since they barely knew each other, but he couldn’t help the hope fluttering to life in his chest. He was referring to Kaz as someone that he was accompanying and not his boyfriend to try and buffer the chances of them developing some kind of relationship. If he were to come right out with that information, he knew that it would result in something like when they had tried to get together with Wylan. The other man had been hoping for a romantic relationship with Jesper but then immediately thought it was off the table when he heard that Jesper and Kaz were together, despite him also having two other partners at the time. It was something that took a lot of work to disentangle and Matthias wanted to avoid that.

He couldn’t admit that he had a boyfriend for fear of driving her away from the idea of a romantic or sexual relationship springing up between the two of them, but he couldn’t come right out and say that he was in an open relationship because it would appear as though he were coming on to her. 

She hopped up onto one of the bar stools and then patted the one next to her with that same sly smirk falling over her face. Matthias moved the drink he had bought for Kaz closer to himself as he got up onto the stool. “So you’ve never been here either?”

“No. I have a friend that would be very interested in a place like this so I am surprised that it managed to evade me for as long as it has,” he replied with a light chuckle.

“Alina, she’s my bandmate,” Nina supplied quickly, as though Matthias hadn’t been hanging off every word coming from the people on the stage, “she loves places like this. We’re still a pretty small band so we decided that this was the perfect thing to get our name out there without having to perform in the back of a pizza parlor or at a private event again.”

“How long have you been a band?” Matthias asked. The way that she spoke was fixating, her accent causing the words to roll over and off of her tongue in a beautiful, intoxicating way.

“Almost four years,” she laughed. “It took us a while to really get things started, but I have a feeling we’re going to get a good start soon.”

He smiled at her as he tried to ignore the way that having her laugh and smile at him, because of him, turned his heart molten. “I think that you are going to do very well. Your band is talented.”

She beamed, though a teasing glint took over her dark eyes, “You’ve barely even heard us play.”

“I can tell already,” Matthias nodded confidently.

“I hope that you stay for a few more hours so that you can hear us play more,” she smiled. She ordered from the bartender when he finally turned to give Matthias the cocktail that he had ordered. 

He had been so wrapped up in her, that he had barely noticed the other people around them slowly slipping away until there were only three or four people lurking around the front entryway. A few more people were trickling into the front of the lounge, but they quickly walked towards the main theater part of the establishment. He was basically alone with her.

“I guess you have to get back to that person that you came in with,” Nina smirked. She took his glass from his hand and looked at the beverage that he ordered with a raised brow. “I think that there’s actually maple syrup in this, fascinating!”

She was so perplexing and wonderful at the same time, an enigma that Matthias was desperately looking to get to know better. “I was meaning to ask,” he cleared his throat awkwardly. She tilted her head to look at him, as even in her heels she wasn't quite as tall as he was. A blush had spread across his face while he was formatting the sentence in his mind, but it was gone as soon as he saw someone leaving the lounge part of the club.

It was one of Nina’s bandmates, the one with the black hair. She had her hand clamped over her mouth and the other wrapped around her abdomen in a self-soothing hug. Her face was red like people got when they were flushed from trying to hold back sobs, something Matthias was very familiar with seeing in his partners. Upon closer inspection, her shoulders were shaking and tears were streaming down her face as she barreled towards the door.

“Is your bandmate okay?”

Nina looked offended for just a moment, her mouth opened as she snarled, “I beg your pardon? Oh, you’re just like every other man I meet in this line of work. Here I am, thinking that someone could finally show some kind of interest in me and the only thing that you really have to ask about is Alina! Why can’t people understand that we’re two completely different people and I am not a gateway to her-” 

The look dropped off of her pretty features as she turned and saw Alina just making it out of the establishment and then collapsing against the wall outside of doors. Nina swore under her breath as she handed the drink to Matthias and then hurried towards her friend.

He was left standing there, feeling like a complete fool, as she basically ran away from him. He knew that she had to attend to the person that she was quite close to, but it still felt as though he was being abandoned. Every step that she took away from him made his heart feel heavier in his chest.

Before he had too long to brood about it, the sound of his boyfriend’s cane against the hardwood floors took up all the space in his brain as he turned to meet Kaz. “I thought that you were the good one when it came to flirting.”

“I am,” Matthias replied, his mind coming to a screeching halt as he tried to process what that implied.

“You know, that was the reason that I sent you out here. I was interested in her as well, more interested than I am in Pekka’s garbage deal,” his mouth turned down in a sneer. He took the gin from Matthias and then sipped it as he turned so that he was subtly watching the women from the other side of the glass doors. “I trusted you to be able to at least get her number.”

“I am better at flirting than you. When you tried to ask Wylan out on a date he thought that you were trying to fight him for Jesper,” Matthias shook his head. He sipped at his drink and then grimaced as the sweet cocktail coated his tongue. He enjoyed things that were slightly sweet, like the barest trace of powdered sugar on his waffles and the sour Jolly Ranchers that Jesper had stashed all over the house. The drink that he had ordered was dripping in so much sugar that he could already feel it eating away at his teeth.

Kaz muttered something into his drink that sounded an awful lot like, “I thought that it sounded fine.”

Nina had knelt down beside her bandmate, taking Alina’s hand in her own. She was holding the other’s arm with her free hand and taking deep breaths to coax her friend into doing the same. It made Matthias feel even more drawn to her to see just how kind and warm she could be to others. The scathing remarks and her quick tongue had felt like lashing against his soul, but he could understand where the confusion had come from when she was that protective of the other woman.

He set his drink down on the bar and turned away from them slightly so that he didn’t feel quite so voyeuristic. Kaz had no problems with continuing to stair at them as he worked his way quickly through the gin. “How did the deal go?”

“We’ve only delved into the very beginning of it. I can already tell that it’s crap. I told him that I had to use the restroom but I think he could tell that I was coming to speak with you,” Kaz placed the now empty glass of ice down onto the counter. The bartender dutifully filled it up again.

“Does he know…” Matthias trailed off as he reached out and linked the very ends of his fingers together with Kaz’s gloved hands. It was a risky move to do in public when they were trying to sort out business, something that might insight prejudice about them and start more drama than either of them really wanted to deal with.

“I don’t think so. He most likely just thinks that you’re some kind of hidden genius, which is what I wanted him to think,” he puffed up his chest with pride at having his plan go exactly how he had wanted it. He then turned to his boyfriend, a look of fear that only his partners would be able to recognize glinting in his dark eyes, “Not that you’re not intelligent, this just isn’t really your forte.”

“I know why you brought me here, min elsekde,” Matthias replied in a low voice. “I apologize for shifting the job so that I could flirt with that beautiful woman.”

“I hope that you can continue flirting with her after we’ve finished pretending that we can get scammed,” Kaz sighed as he turned his head back towards the lounge.

Neither of them really wanted to go back in there, but for different reasons. Matthias wanted to hang back close to the bar so that he could speak with Nina again, and Kaz wanted to avoid continuing a conversation he had already grown bored of. Still, they had to do what was going to be the right thing to do, so they took their drinks and walked back to the lounge.

---

The next time that Matthias saw Nina, she was back on stage. She had taken the lead on the second song that the band played and her voice was even more beautiful when it was crooning out notes on her own instead of backing up Alina’s. It had still sounded like a gift from the gods then, but it was highlighted far better in the second song that they had chosen.

He could barely even pay attention to the lyrics as he watched how her lips wrapped around the words and the way that her chest heaved for breath after a particularly challenging part of the song. It was hard to believe that someone was beautiful as her had even thought to give him the time of day, even if the last bit of their interaction had gone a bit sour.

The band gave the same introduction that they had last time, though Nina gave the song title and started off the process that time. They got off the stage and once again joined the thrawl of people, which made Matthias lose sight of the woman of his dreams once more. He felt a little bad for thinking so highly of her when he had someone literally carved by the hands of the gods waiting for him to get back home so he could text her goodnight, but he couldn’t help himself.

Kaz and Pekka had talked for the duration of the hour until Shadow and Bone came out to give their second performance. They had just about wrapped everything up prior to the song, so now that it was over they were giving their pleasantries before they left. “I’m glad that we seem to have come to some sort of agreement,” Pekka said as he offered his hand out to Kaz again.

The other man’s nostrils flared in a subtle enough way that Matthias picked up on it, but the failed business partner did not. He took the hand and gave it a brisk shake before he returned his hands to the head of his cane. “I am as well. Feel free to contact me again if you ever change your mind.”

“It is wonderful to see such young, precocious faces in this line of work,” Pekka chuckled as he walked off, is two goons following after him.

Kaz and Matthias returned to the sitting positions that they had been in before. The latter of the two got his phone out of his pocket and texted a quick goodnight to Inej now that he was free to do so. By the time that he looked up, someone else had taken the chair that Pekka had been sitting in only minutes ago.

“Sorry, I’m just going to steal him for a moment,” she promised Kaz before her brilliant eyes were focused entirely on Matthias. “I wanted to apologize for the way that I spoke to you earlier. I didn’t realize that you were actually looking out for Alina, I thought that you were…”

“Trying to get together with her through insidious measures?” Kaz supplied. “Sorry, I overhead. I’ll be getting us some new drinks, you two can talk,” he stood slowly, with the help of his cane. Matthias knew that he had recognized the awkward bite that always came out of him when he was interacting with someone new and was removing himself so that he didn’t ruin his boyfriend’s chances.

Nina laughed as she watched him go, the corners of her eyes crinkling cutely. “I think that he hit the nail on the head, actually. Is that the person that you’re here with?”

“Yes,” Matthias nodded. “We are coworkers.”

“This is an interesting place to come with a coworker,” she said, a bit doubtfully.

His stomach flipped with panic as he realized that she might have seen through his lazy lie and he had just ruined his chances with her. The panic quickly faded from him as she pulled her phone out of her lap from where her hands had been hiding underneath the table. She flipped it over and it was open to the Instagram search bar. “I don’t really text anyone other than my parents, but I would like to get to know you a little better. Give me your handle?”

For the first time, he was glad that Jesper had finally persuaded him to get an account on the app that he rarely ever used. He took her phone and then input his username, tapping the ‘Follow’ button for her so that it sent a request to him. She smiled as she took her phone back, the rosy color on her cheeks only deepening as the real blush underneath surfaced. “I’ll see you around?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes,” he responded, the only word that he could summon from the depths of his lovestruck brain. She gave him a cute wave as she got up and walked over to where the drummer of her band was talking with another person close to the dance floor. Matthias just sat back in his chair and watched her, barely even registering it as Kaz returned with one of the cocktails that he was actually going to like and another gin.

“Did you have a nice conversation?” he asked as he sat down.

Matthias took his drink and sipped it gratefully. He felt a dopey grin cross his face as he said, again, “Yes.”

[steponmeinejghafa]

Face In The Crowd Pt. 1

Summary: The reader is a street magician, and one day, she sees none other than the ever-feared Wraith enjoying one of her shows.

Inej Ghafa x Kerch!Fem!Reader

Warnings: None.

---

The night was ordinary. The clubs overflowed with people, hawkers called out for last-minute profits, and the occasional Ravkan tourist group exclaimed at some street performer or the other. The Barrel, though a slum, was forever alive with talent or trickery, which made it a dingy yet magical place in Ketterdam.

Outside on the street, just a few paces from an acrobat, stood an ordinary Kerch girl, her hands working away at a deck of cards smoothly, as she showed tricks to an awestruck ring of people who had gathered around her. Amongst them were adults, children, as well as some tourists, all of whom offered and placed coins in the little hat at the girl's feet.

The tinkling of the money as it hit the hat was music to the magician's ears, and an even broader grin spread over her mischievous features as she showed trick after trick, each more grand than the last.

However, amongst the gasping and exclaiming spectators, there was one person who stood silently, her eyes fixed on the young woman. No one noticed her, and she stood so still she was practically invisible to the people pushing and shoving to get a closer look at the magician.

Normally, no one noticed Inej Ghafa till the last minute, which was usually when she had a knife to their throat. However, she shockingly wasn't missed by the young performer's keen and watchful eye.

The show went on till the crowd decided to thin out and go into the nearby clubs and brothels, leaving the magician with a hat full of change, and a happy heart.

As she stooped to pick up her bag of things, as well as to place the hat inside safely, the girl looked up and met Inej's eye with a calm smile.

"I didn't know the Wraith enjoyed magic shows," laughed the girl, her warm smile hitting the Suli in the heart–something which didn't happen often.

"You'd be surprised," replied Inej, her hands in her pockets. "Are you a street performer during the day, too?"

"Shockingly, no," the magician shook her head, shouldering her bag. "I have the wonderful and entertaining job of being a waitress at that little restaurant down the corner, just past the House of the Blue Iris."

"I didn't catch your name," Inej said, hesitantly, walling beside the girl, who was ignoring calls from the bouncers outside the clubs.

"Oh, I'm Y/n L/n," smiled the girl, Y/n. To the Suli, at the time, the young Kerch seemed like a flower amongst a garden of weeds, down in the Barrel. While everyone was preoccupied and grumpy, this girl found some or the other reason to smile, it seemed.

"Aren't you going to grab a drink like the other performers at this hour?" Inej asked with a frown, as Y/n ignored the fifth bouncer down that street.

"I want to, but the pretty girls are all taken and I haven't enough money to buy myself bread, let alone a proper alcoholic drink," chuckled Y/n. "Sorry, that was dark."

Inej let a small grin ghost over her lips at the performer's attempts to keep things light, and decided to act on how she was feeling. By that, she acted on the sudden burst of kindness she felt towards her, for the Suli was aware of the downsides of living as a tradie in the Barrel.

"Come on over to the Crow Club. Have a drink, and I'll get the bartender to get you some food, too." The Suli suggested hesitantly. After all, she'd only just met the girl, and she was asking her if she could buy her a drink.

Y/n's eyes grew wide as she shook her head, "No, no, I couldn't possibly–"

Inej stopped her with a shake of her head, "Please, I insist."

"I promise to pay you back," said the magician. "Honestly, I'm fine without such luxuries as Friday night treats from pretty women."

"Did you just flirt with me, L/n?" Laughed Inej. It filled Y/n's heart to hear the Wraith's laugh, and knowing that she was the cause of it made it even better.

The Suli steered her to the Crow Club, which was loud and bustling with people. Inej led Y/n to the bar and called for a drink as well as a few sandwiches, just to keep the latter's belly filled.

A Zemeni boy walked up to them, with pearl-handled revolvers glimmering at his hips. "Saints," he gasped dramatically. "Inej Ghafa has brought a guest to the club who isn't a hostage or criminal. Unless..." his gaze fell on Y/n, who was shovelling the sandwiches into her mouth with renowned vigour.

"Shut up, Jesper, she's harmless," sighed Inej. She placed a hand on the magician's shoulder and whispered, "Sorry about him."

"Ah, well, I'll leave you two to getting...acquainted," winked the gunslinger, Jesper, smirking at the Suli, who rolled her eyes and shoved his face back with her hand.

Inej pulled up a chair besideY/n and leaned her crossed arms on the bartop.

"So," she said respectfully, "Tell me a little more about yourself."

---

Hi, I'm Anne! I hope you enjoyed this imagine and stay tuned for the next part <3 Feel free to request any character's imagine, btw!

[therooftopsofketterdam]

closed / plotted starter for @thiefofcrows

The music died down as the twilight started to fill the courtyard of the palace. Guests were beckond outside by multicolored firelights. Inej could see her father lighting torches dipped into different powders. They burned blue, green, bright white and guarded them against the shadows. Her older cousins were tumbling through the courtyard, balancing on a barrel, the two of them, doing flips and circles all while keeping them in motion. The young acrobat waited for her signal from far above. She preferred the quiet of the rooftops to the bustling crowds below, up here she didn’t feel like she had to hide, she could focus only on herself and her breathing and the thin wire below her feet. They had secured it earlier that day, high on the towers of the palace spanning diagonally across the courtyard so everyone would be able to see her. Inej wore a dark teal costume with two bands of painted fabric fluttering in the wind behind her, extending from her shoulders like wings. It gave her an ethereal look, her mother had said, but Inej knew it was to help with weight distribution and show. They made her feel like a heroine from the legends her mother used to tell her as a child.

There was a signal, a long, even tone played by flute and fiddle and drum. Her fathers voice boomed above the crowd once it was gathered. “The good Ravkan folks know the legends about the folk of air, but what if I told you, we had a member with us tonight? A young girl, defying gravity!” They started playing a tune and Inej placed her first, bare, foot against the wire. It felt good, familiar, she held a pole in her hands, walking slowly, wobbly towards the middle of the wire, then stumbled a few paces backwards, pretending to struggle with her balance. There was no net. A Ghafa never worked with a net. The crowd below gasped in shock as Inej nearly fell infront of their eyes, but of course, it was their task to put on a good show.

She dropped the pole as if by accident and let herself fall. The wind rushed up to greet her, below her family gasped and ran as if to catch her. “Don’t worry good people, she is a child of the wind. They will not fall.” Her signal. Inej leaned forward, her hand expertly catching the wire and using the velocity to propel herself back up into the air, body tensing as she elegantly twisted and easily landed on pointed feet, arm outstretched in a pose. The crowd erupted in applause. Her dark hair had started coming loose from her braid, strands gently swaying in the light wind that was blowing around her.

Inej bent backwards, slowly, until her hands touched the wire securely, then, slowly pushed off with her feet, gliding into a handstand and walking a third of the length of the wire on her hands before dropping again, hooking her leg through the wire and holding on with her free hand to strike another pose, lieing suspended in mid-air. She changed her grip, swinging back up again in a fluid motion and the second her feet touched the wire she jumped a backflip from a crouch into a standing position, then flipped forwards, her hands on the wire for support as she cartwheeled her way back. The music her family played started picking up as the show of panic passed and people were watching Inej perform. Her cousins were on their way up and would take over in a few moments but for now she enjoyed the fluid, almost dance like, movements of her body, keeping it tense, muscles aching in that satisfying way of good work.

She gently priouhetted her way to the middle of the wire again, standing on the tip of her left toe, right leg outstretched in an arabesque behind her as she slowly turned on the wire, arms gently coming down, sinking into a bow, then she whipped her leg around, turning quick once, vaulting off the wire. Then there was an eruption of light and sparks and a resounding boom and the next time people lifted her eyes. She was simply gone, vanished, like the wind she was supposed to resemble.