#loves lies and heists

[irradiatedrosegarden]

sometimes you just gotta lick the homies

[chayscribbles]

oopsie new gemini heist au just dropped! they're in a metal band now!!!

featuring Zeya on drums, Leo on lead guitar + vocals, Illiana on vocals, Euna on bass, and Gabi on keys!

gemini heist wip intro | art tag | instagram

a little explanation, some ramblings, and an effects-free version below

so this is my cousin's fault lmao. i was telling her about this wip and said something along the lines of "Leo and Zeya have different flavours of abandonment issues" and she replied "that would make such a good band name" and so. uh. the concept of the girls in a band immediately possessed me and i have been doing nothing for the last three days but drawing feverishly 🥲

(krita says i spent nearly 15 hours on this but that feels like a lie.)

legally i have to name the band the Sirens since it's their crew name but Flavours of Abandonment can definitely be their album lmao.

their sound would most resemble Conquer Divide (aka my 2023 most played artist):

i didn't spend more than 5 seconds assigning the girls their instruments but the more i think about it the more it makes sense. Zeya, for example, who is very small and very angry, gets to hit things very hard with sticks that can be analogous to her daggers.

as the keyboardist Gabi has tons of equipment and like, 4 different keyboards for different sounds that she spends countless hours programming, which just felt fitting since she's the tech person in the main canon. (source: my brother is a professional keyboardist.) also, in this au, she's a med school dropout who couldn't handle the pressure.

Leo writes most of the band's lyrics.

i was debating having Kalen in the band too but 6 people was gonna be too much to draw and sort of upset the symmetry i had pictured in my head. maybe in this au she sometimes secretly replaces her sister, say, when Illiana is sick, or just for funsies, idk.

i don't really have anything to say about Euna. uh, bassists are hot. (also, she and Zeya get to riff off each other, and we all know how i feel about their relationship.)

that's all, goodnight.

[kilesplaysthings]

Hey friends!

So I recently saw @katriniac's cool post about doing an ikemen tier list! I wanted to do one myself, but I noticed there weren't any completed ones. Like she said, the one she posted was the most complete one, but even that left out some dudes that I like. SO.

I made one. :D

And here's my list as of right now!

❤️ These are the dudes that I adore with my entire being. I enjoyed their routes and I also always want to read their stories. I admittedly simp for them super hard lol I put Nobunaga first because he def is still my top fave~ Keith is up there because I'm lowkey simping even if I don't really know him yet. (that voice tho)

🧡 This next category is for the dudes who I really, really adore. They're not the best of the best for me, but I still love em!

🧡 the "baby" category refers to the boys who are so super cute to me. Can either find them attractive or see them as just guys who need protected

💛 this is the tier for guys who are just ok. I find them attractive but can either take or leave them.

💚 this tier is for guys that I see more as a pal or bro. Don't see them in a romantic way

💚 I don't hate these guys. They're just whatever.

💙 don't really like these guys

💙 I don't know these guys / haven't played their games

💜 don't know these guys / haven't played their games but they look good ~

And that’s that! :D

[griffinsmith]

Was thinking about redrawing that old pic I made last year of all the barkingham characters together with Sherlock bones and Watson and remembered that I left out Billy the cutter in that pic … Billy I am so sorry that won’t happen again

[the-devils-lover]

Got reminded that love lies & a heist exists but that i’ll never get to experience chris grainger’s route… emotionally devastated…

[cutieleclerc]

London Boy | LN4 smau

lando norris x verstappen!reader

summary: in which max unknowingly introduces his sister to her future boyfriend

fc: olivia rodrigo

y/nverstappen

Liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris, and others

y/nverstappen i stole max’s cat, don’t tell him

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username1 aww so cute

username2 when are you coming to another race!

maxverstappen1 😑

y/nverstappen i thought i blocked you??

maxverstappen1 Give me Sassy back.

username3 lando in the likes⁉️⁉️

username4 bro chill, he’s literally friends with max

danielricciardo so the heist plan is in motion. perfect.

y/nverstappen he doesn’t suspect a thing😈

y/nverstappen

Liked by landonorris and others

y/nverstappen i had the best time exploring england with the best guide! congrats bro on the win🥳

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landonorris it was lovely showing you around😊

maxverstappen1 no

username1 wait wdym lando showed her around england???

username2 the better verstappen fr

username3 the outfits slay

danielricciardo Nice seeing you again y/n/n!

y/nverstappen my favorite brother🫶

maxverstappen1 I’m right here?? And you’re not even related?

username4 her hair literally always looks good

lilymhe gorgeous girl

y/nverstappen ilysm babe lemme visit you

alex_albon that’s literally my gf???

y/nverstappen lily never let your boyfriend get in the way of finding your future wife

lilymhe you’re so right babe

landonorris posted a story

Replies

username1 babe what about us??? what about the kids??

danielricciardo 🤨

username2 is this a soft launch

username3 NOOOOO THAT SHOULD BE ME😭

username4 who is that????

y/nverstappen i had a fun time hanging out today!🥰

y/nverstappen

Liked by landonorris, danielricciardo, and others

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danielricciardo hmm, interesting

username1 what do you know??

username2 uh girl you got something to tell us?

username3 she doesn’t owe you anything, get out of her business

username4 oh i just KNOW max is fuming💀

maxverstappen1 Y/n who is that

maxverstappen1 Is that a boy

maxverstappen1 Y/n answer my texts

username5 oooh someone’s not happy

username6 that food looks good asf

username7 outfit always serves

y/nverstappen posted a story

landonorris

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landonorris home is wherever i’m with you

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username1 sobbing, hyperventilating, throwing up

username2 nah the caption, that is so fricking adorable

danielricciardo aww i knew you were a big softie

georgerussell63 did you pay someone to take that picture with you😂

landonorris haha very funny mate

username3 god, i’ve seen what you’ve done for others🙏

f1gossip

Liked by username1 and others

f1gossip 🚨🚨Lando Norris spotted with mystery girl over summer break, sources say it could be Max Verstappen’s sister, Y/n

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username1 i literally knew it and you all doubted me😑

username2 chill out, it’s still not confirmed

username3 we can’t even see her face

username4 OMG???????

username5 oh max is DEFINITELY pushing lando off the track in zandvoort

username6 sources: my delusions

username7 y’all we lost a good one😣 (y/n not lando)

username8 you’re so real cause she’s gorgeous

username9 nah cause why is this actually so freaking cute, like omg the way he is smiling at her🤭🫠

username10 HAND PLACEMENT???

username11 max is gonna chop off lando’s hands

username12 i’d pay good money to see the text messages

y/nverstappen

Liked my landonorris, maxverstappen1, and others

y/nverstappen in a world of boys, he's a gentlemen

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username1 AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

username2 this is so adorable! (i'm sleeping on the highway tonight)

landonorris you’re my everything💞💞

username3 y'all owe me an apology, i KNEW it

maxverstappen1 If you're happy, I'm happy

username4 you're definitely being forced to say this

username5 boyfriend lando is everything🥺

username6 they look so happy

username7 i’m balling my eyes out

kellypiquet you guys are adorable🩷

y/nverstappen thanks for talking max down😁

landonorris

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landonorris got love-struck, went straight to my head

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username1 the matching captions omg

y/nverstappen i love you baby❤️

maxverstappen1 🤮🤮

danielricciardo I KNEW IT @.carlossainz55 you owe me 50 bucks

carlossainz55 damn it

landonorris YOU HAD A BET???

oscarpiastri yes

charles_leclerc yes

georgerussell63 yes

alex_albon yes

maxverstappen1 YOU ALL HAD A BET AND DIDNT TELL ME?

maxfewtrell she's good for you, mate🤍

maxverstappen1 remember what i told you🙂

username2 oh! this definitely isn’t threatening at all

landonorris i will😰

y/nverstappen max emilian verstappen what did you tell him?

username3 this😭is😭so😭adorable😭

username4 bro is getting pushed into the barrier next race fs

username5 the IT couple

[ashessonfire]

Part two of 'Intruder' <3

'Intruder' Kaz Brekker x Reader (part 2)

Prompt - A few months had passed since you stumbled into the crow club, leaving the crows curious as to who they were. How will the crows react to the most vulnerable secret of Kaz Brekker finally being revealed?

- Pairing: Kaz Brekker x Civilian!Reader (Gender neutral) - Warnings: none? again just Kaz being soft, some mentions of the break in but literally PURE FLUFF

A/N: Once again i am incredibly grateful for all the love and support, and hopefully i have done justice with this part two! it can be read as a stand alone, some of the context will be confusing, but hopefully still just as cute! if you haven't read the first part, you can find it here!!

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

A couple of months had passed since your less than ideal first meeting with the crows. Since that frantic day, your locks had been switched to the latest designs, being inspected thoroughly by your lover until even he, the master of his trade, struggled to crack them.

Although you were still paranoid beyond belief each time you turned the key to your home, the knowledge that Kaz had thoroughly ensured your protection settled the nerves fluttering in your chest. Frequent visits from your husband weren’t unusual, often slipping away from his desk during the earliest hours to bask in your company, allowing you to bathe him with love and affection, something he had slowly accepted and found he thoroughly enjoyed, only on one condition.

It had to be from you.

But since that night, he came over more frequently, stopping off after heists with gifts he had ‘bought’, or dropping in to work on blueprints, stating that there was too much paper cluttering the desk in his usual space, making you smile at his blatant lies just to be closer to you.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

Kaz vigorously battled with his mind on the night you visited the crow club, having to repress his heart's wishes to stay with you, for your safety, and his peace of mind.

However, he dragged himself back, leg stiffening in the frigid air, sending sharp bolts of pain through to his bone. Yet that wasn’t what plagued the man as he limped back to the slat. What haunted him most was the idea that he would have to confront his crows about his one true weakness.

Evidently being you.

Kaz demanded each crow's presence, ordering them to his office as soon as the sun began to slowly bleed its light into the impenetrable darkness of Ketterdam. Once they were situated in the cramped room, he hardened his gaze and lowered his voice, morphing it into a deadly tone.

“I am aware that last night may have surprised you, however you are not to speak a word of it to anyone. Not to dregs, customers, or civilians. Do I make myself clear?” Kaz bit out, leading Jesper to swallow thickly, Nina to shift her gaze to the condensation on the windowpane, and Inej and Wylan to both find wonderfully interesting specks of dirt on the panels of the floor.

The crows remained true to their word, still in awe at the mysterious figure who seemed to have tamed the Bastard of the Barrel, but far more scared of the consequences that may come with disobeying their boss’s order. However, Kaz had made a grave mistake with his command, demanding your existence to remain unbeknownst to the dregs, but never specifying that they were forbidden from discussing you with each other.

You became somewhat of a legend amongst the crows, appearing frequently in gossip which they housed in their cramped rooms at the slat, waiting for the clicking sound of a cane and heavy footsteps to disappear into their owner’s office to begin discussion.

“How long do you reckon they've been together for? I mean, I have never seen Kaz holding anyone’s hand before,” Nina mumbled through a mouthful of pastry, whilst wearing a highly quizzical look.

Jesper smirked at the group, “How did Kaz even manage to find someone like that, furthermore, how did Kaz keep it a secret for so long?” the sharpshooter questioned, one eyebrow raised far above the other. “They seemed so lovely, its surprising Kaz would let someone like that so close to him,” Inej chimed in, sharing a similar curiosity towards you.

As the weeks rolled on, the crows began dropping subtle hints to their leader of their interest in meeting you formally, evidently following the rules of the warning he dealt on the night of the intrusion. Curiosity was consuming the group, and even Kaz couldn’t deny his intensifying wish to display his proudest achievement to his closest friends, his relationship with you.

Unbeknownst to the crows, you too had been troubling Kaz about meeting his friends, desperate to erase your first impression on them and truly show yourself, not the terrified stranger begging for comfort.

After several nights of thorough bargaining with your husband, he reluctantly agreed to introduce his group to you, on the condition that you would be far from the Barrel’s hotspots, somewhere unreachable by rival gang’s watchful eyes. Squeezing Kaz’s hands tight, and giving him an appreciative kiss, you bound off to prepare for tomorrows event, leaving a softly smiling husband in your wake.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════ 

Kaz couldn’t decipher his emotions as they rushed through him at an alarming pace, feeling anxious, excited, and fearful all at once. The pair of you had settled for your favourite café, a small establishment on the outskirts of the city, residing on a flower ridden street, colourful lanterns hanging like falling stars from ropes above the houses. The sight was a direct juxtaposition of the intensity found in your husband’s usual Barrel life, but a contrast which never failed to warm Kaz’s heart whenever he stepped foot there with you.

Dressed in your finest, you waited anxiously at the largest table the cramped café had to offer, adorned with scented candles, besides an array of flowers you had picked early that morning, dew still dripping from a few of the glistening forget-me-nots. You sat beside Kaz, gripping tightly to his gloved hand, the other fidgeting with the edge of his coat as a distraction.

Kaz instantly picked up on your nervous state, squeezing your hand in reassurance and brushing a whisp of fallen hair out of your gently lit eyes, staring long enough to just catch the flicker of the candles within your irises. “They’re only my crew, darling. If they do anything wrong I will…” Kaz began, but he was cut short by your breathy laugh. Apparently, the wrath of your husband against those who threatened you extended even to his closest and most trustworthy companions.

The door swung open, revealing a well dressed set of crows, their eyes steering directly to the couple before they briskly made their way over to you. A sudden fear rose within you, but you refused to display the same expression you had at the crow club, willing to give your best performance until the feeling subsided. You shot each one a welcoming smile, exchanging pleasantries as they made themselves comfortable.

The fear shattered within you as you took each of the crow’s expressions in, which all seemed to strangely resemble awe? Excitement? Your initial confusion was brought to a standstill as Kaz turned to them, stating clearly, “Everyone, this is Y/N, my wife,” offering a tight-lipped smile to his friends.

Nina suddenly spat out her drink, eyes bulging as Jesper made a choking sound somewhere in the back of his throat. Inej and Wylan sat looking dumbfounded, the boy’s jaw hanging slightly open.

“Uhmm. Excuse me, let’s take a few steps back, shall we? Wife?!” Jesper exclaimed, completely in astonishment. Kaz took a deep breath in before tightening his hold on your hand, clearly apprehensive to reveal his most vulnerable softness to his friends, who had rarely seen more than a smirk from their stoic boss. As the crows gathered their thoughts and tried to configure logical reasoning as to what had been revealed, the elderly owner of the café hobbled over, giving Kaz a toothy grin.

“It’s been a while Mr Brekker! I was wondering when we would be graced with your presence again, I have already prepared your regular, peach pie with…” The woman began but was cut off sharply by a “Thank you,” from Kaz, as he turned his head to hide his embarrassment. Nina let out a snort as the other three simultaneously burst into giggles, causing you to fall victim to the contagiousness of the laughter.

By this point Kaz was beyond mortified, being called out as a ‘regular’ at a joyful family-run café at the edge of the Barrel, as well as having his guilty pleasure exposed to his crew who he was positive would never let this go.

Despite this humiliation, Kaz felt a drop of warmth seep into his chest at the sight of you conversing with his friends, immediately connecting with each one of them. He felt something moving inside of him, deciding it was probably you, chipping away at his apparently impenetrable walls.

As the late afternoon clouds faded into the evening haze, the group departed with delighted goodbyes and warm hugs, establishing the beginning of many trips to visit Kaz’s (now) not-so-secret wife. You left them armed with new candles for the slat, baked goods, and most impressively, trinkets from the market which you had bought personally for each crow, going solely off your husband's descriptions of each individual.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

A glowing warmth radiated from the couple as you both walked, fingers entwined, back to your home, taking in the constellations which lit up the tranquil streets you winded through. Kaz decided to reward himself with a rare but well-earnt night in, with the single intent of being doused in your affection.

Kaz smiled lovingly down at you, as you peacefully slept wrapped in his shirt and coat, wiped out by the intense emotions that poured through you that day.

Crouching down slowly, your husband fiddled with a stray piece of your hair, admiring how the serene glow from the fire softened your features, catching in your figure perfectly, framing your face in a halo of light.

He settled down next to you, exhausted but proud. Proud of how far you two had come, which flooded him with a sense of relief. Because as it turns out, his crows could undoubtedly see the same beauty he was blinded by within you.

And it was clear in this moment, both to him and his crew, that Kaz Brekker was more than just in love with you. His entire existence was plagued with sentiment for you, and for once Kaz couldn’t seem to view it as a weakness, rather a sign that something deep inside him was healing.

“I love you, darling of my heart,” Kaz whispered as he kissed you goodnight.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

tag list: @chaoticbeanz @kryptonitewizard @alanis-altair @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy <33

[the-fluff-piece]

Invisible part 2

- a change of perspectives

Part 1

Part 3 coming soon...

This time, Sanji is incognito in a new body - hanging out with you!

He's getting to know you, and sees you in a new light.

This is leading up to part 3, where there is a happy end.

"...and that's why we should switch bodies!" Usopp ended his lengthy explanation and Sanji just stared at him.

A very grumpy Law sat in a shady corner, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"You need my body? For a heist? Why can't I just go with Nami-san?" he felt betrayed.

"Because you're bad at lying. This has to work. We need the lying mouth and the brawn" Nami said, and added with a pout:"please! For me!"

"Yes of course my Nami-swaaan! Anything you want!" Sanji heard his own mouth say before his brain even had a clear thought.

So, he ended up in Usopp's scrawny body. But he was proud that the sweet Nami-swan needed him. His body. Whatever happened to it would be fine.

They went on a super secret mission on a super secret island while the Sunny waited in a calm archipelago with a few villages.

Usopp's body felt so weak, Sanji tried a few Kicks but it didn't feel right- and everything in Usopp's many pockets clinked and clonked mysteriously. He just hoped they would not get attacked while his body was away, he wouldn't be able to protect the ship like that.

"Uuusoppp!" Someone called.

"Hey, Usopp?" Someone punched Sanji in the side, reminding him that for the day, he was Usopp.

"Oh, hey y/n! Uhm..what's up?" He said and tried to remember Usopp's mannerisms and speech patterns.

"What's up? You wanted to help me today, remember?" Y/n told him, beaming.

"Of course! I didn't forget," he lied, "But I've got so much to do today here..." he tried to think of excuses. He wasn't exactly in the mood to hang with her.

"You promised!" Y/n looked a bit cross at him, "and it's so important to me" she told him.

"Ok, what are we doing?" Sanji sighed. She may not be his type at all, but at that moment she was still a girl in need.

"We're finishing the book, silly" She said like Usopp had to know.

"Of course, the book" he said and followed her to the girl's room - a holy place on the ship that was usually forbidden to him.

He took in the sweet scent of female perfume and was delighted to see sexy clothes laid out on the beds. Meanwhile, y/n trotted over to a table and took out a big book, a small Box full of papers and arts and crafts materials.

The book looked like an album but much more intricate. The pages y/n had opened where full of pictures of the crew, handwritten comments and small memorandums of the places they had visited: dried leaves and flowers, tickets, maps.

"Remind me what we're doing again?" He casually asked.

"I'm making a scrapbook for Sanji, remember? Did you hit your head?" She raised her eyebrows.

"For me- uhm for Sanji? His birthday is months away!" Sanji said, wondering why she would do that.

"It's just to show him how much the crew loves and cherishes him. After I saw how cruel his family was to him, I wanted to do something nice for him" she answered, laying out her materials.

The mention of his family still stung a bit, but her sentiment was sweet. He didn't know she cared so much.

"You will help me with folding some decorative origami." She pushed a pile of small, pink sheets towards him.

"Uhm..." Sanji stuttered. His fingers were very dextrous, but he didn't know anything about origami folding, and these sheets were tiny.

"I'll show you again..." She said and sat next to him. She showed him how to make small, folded cherry blossoms. She taught him step by step how to do it.

He was not used to it and made many mistakes, but she was patient and gentle. He finally made a small, slightly crooked blossom he was not proud of, but she praised him like he just did something great. Smiling, she placed her hand on his arm and he couldn't help but feel good about his small accomplishment.

He never really noticed her, when she was not in danger or hungry she barely registered to him. Which he kind of regretted now - she was exceptionally kind and caring. Maybe he should try and talk to her more often.

When he sat beside her to fold the blossoms, he watched her artfully place the photos and memories on the pages.

He began to feel very cozy. Y/n hummed softly as she worked on a gift for him, smiling in the golden light that filled the room. He noticed how her eyes would light up with excitement, and he couldn't deny the charm in her enthusiasm.

He watched her as she lovingly filled page after page of their adventures and he couldn't help but wonder how much effort she had already put in - for him.

"Can I see?" Sanji was now curious for the rest, he couldn't wait for the finished book. He skipped through, pages and pages filled with carefully preserved memories. All the people theu met and helped. Y/n's commentary was emphasising the crew's friendship and his good qualities.

There was a photo from punk hazard. It showed Sanji, smiling, handing out food to marines and pirates alike. He couldn't help but notice the abundance of pictures she had of him. Could it be that she had a thing for him...?

Above she wrote: "Your great cooking brings everyone together. What would we do without you?" In small, precise letters. There were more pictures of laughing marines and happy giant kids. He knew that she liked to take fotos, but he never really noticed how much. Her message made him smile, he was indeed proud of his skills and the joy it brought. And he liked that she saw that.

"You did great!" His eyes got a little wet and he handed it back to her.

As he bathed in her attention, he couldn't help but ask her: "Do you like Sanji?"

He already got his answer by seeing her blush violently.

"As a fellow crewmember, of course!" She tried to gloss over the fact that she was red as a poppy by hiding behind the book.

"Of course" He chuckled. It felt strange to know that he had at least one secret admirer on the ship, even if she wasn't his type at all.

"There is absolutely nothing, I'm just being nice!"

It was kind of cute to see her so shy, but Sanji feared by making her reveal her secret, he had upset her.

"You know what would be nice now? Cup of tea and some cookies!" Sanji felt like it would cheer her up.

"Yes, that would be nice" y/n seemed relieved.

He was happy to take care of her. When he brought her tea and cookies, they ended up talking about everything, forgetting the time. It felt like he already knew her.

As the sun began to set, they finally finished the album. Y/n closed the book with a satisfied sigh.

"Thank you so much, Usopp! I wouldn't have been able to finish it without you" she said, giving him a warm smile.

Sanji felt a strange warmth in his chest at her words. He realized that he had genuinely enjoyed spending time with her, even if she wasn't Nami.

"It was my pleasure" he replied sincerely.

Y/n looked at him curiously. "You seem different today, Usopp. More... thoughtful."

Sanji scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, sometimes you just need a change of perspective, you know?"

Sanji couldn't help but reflect on the day. He had expected it to be a tiresome chore, but it had turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience. And he couldn't deny that y/n's company had something special about it.

You

When Sanji and Nami returned, victorious, there was a small celebration for everyone, including Trafalgar Law, he seemed to randomly visit more and more, much to Luffy's delight. The captain of the heart pirates sat next to you and since he was both creepy and frightening, you left him alone, instead talking to Usopp.

He had been unusually calm and polite these past days, but was back to his usual, loud self now. You made jokes and watched him shoot peas at Luffy across the table.

"You strawhats really are a piece of work" Law said next to you, looking unnerved and tired.

"Is it too loud for you, Tra?" You turned to him, trying to include him.

"Not exactly" He answered.

"I just hope that the constant body switching in this crew stops now" He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Constant? " you asked.

"Yes, a few weeks ago, now once again." He leaned back, looking exhausted, "I should never have used that power on punk hazard." He crossed his arms.

"What do you mean - now? Who changed?" You couldn't believe they wouldn't tell you. But than again, you didn't tell anyone, either.

"Well, before it was you and Nami-ya, now Sanji-ya and Usopp-ya. I hope her scheming ends now " As he leaned back, you saw that Sanji was standing at the table with a tablet full of drinks, brows drawn.

Slowly, you processed what you just heard. Sanji and Usopp switched bodies. That meant...Usopp's strange behavior was because it was really Sanji.

Your heart beat frantically as you realized the reality: Sanji had been in Usopp's body. He knew that you had a crush on him.

A quick glance at Sanji revealed that he must have heard everything clearly. He looked confused and thoughtful, even though Robin was trying to get his attention.

"EXCUSE ME" you almost choked on your own voice, working hard to keep it together and get past Sanji to the exit. He let you pass, but gave you a strange look.

Trying to act as innocent and normal as possible, you walked out, closed the door to the dining room and ran to the girl's room to have a small breakdown.

Sanji

Y/n had left in a hurry.

"Hey Law, what did you just say about Nami switching bodies?" Sanji asked, a bit in shock.

"Just what I said. A few weeks ago I already helped Nami-ya by making a switch" He said dryly.

"When exactly?" Sanji asked.

"Three weeks if you have to know. In that town with the casinos." He answered.

Now he couldn't deny it anymore.

He never went on a date with Nami, no wonder she didn't seem to remember anything they talked about. It had been Y/n. They almost kissed.

He needed a smoke, fast. He headed outside.

Lighting his cigarette in the cool night air cleared his head. What a mess, he thought, So I was on a date with Y/n in Nami's body, and she hung out with me in Usopp's body. How stupid. And on top of all that, she likes me.

He breathed out smoke. Actually, he had felt really comfortable with her. His time with her was enjoyable. It was effortless to talk to her, she was kind and gentle with him. Made him feel safe.

She also liked him. He kind of liked her, too. She wasn't his usual type, but still cute, in her own way. But she's not the kind of lady he always dreamed of.

He rolled the thoughts around in his head. But first things first, he needed to clear the air between them. Be a man.

He knocked at her door, no one answered.

"Hey y/n, open up!" He said.

"Go away!" She sobbed.

Now he's made her cry, great.

"Don't cry! I am not mad! In fact, I'm flattered. Let's stay friends, though!" He put his ear against the door and heard another loud sob.

"Just don't cry anymore!" He couldn't bear it, it made his chest clench and his stomach turn to hear a girl cry.

"Please, leave me alone now!" Her voice was barely audible throught the wood. It felt wrong to leave her alone now, he had to do something. He sat down and leaned against the door.

"I am sorry I never really noticed you, that wasn't fair. But I'm here now." He listened for an answer.

You

"Sanji, you're not helping!" You cried through the door.

"Let's talk about it. I know you've been in Nami's body for the day we went shopping. You know I hung out with you these past days as Usopp. I can't return your feelings, but I learned that we can be good friends. I want to spend more time with you! And I'm not mad or weirded out. I swear from this day forth, I'll be the best friend you ever had!"

It wasn't the best idea to get comforted by the guy who broke your heart, but in this second he was so sincere, you couldn't help but feel a little better.

You opened the door - he almost fell on top of you. Both of you chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, let's be friends" you agreed, doubting that your feelings for him would vanish anytime soon.

-----

So since all of you have had so many great ideas I chose to write ALL THE ENDINGS!

Chose between

- Sanji or Zoro

- Law or Sanji

- no one (coming soon)

Taglist

@sophsgloom @nim-rose @iloveartofcartoons-blog

[hypnoneghoul]

Sundown: Chapter 6

WC: 1,1K

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: AU; Cowboy!Swiss x Barmaid!Mountain,Transfeminine Mountain, Angst, Lies, Identity Reveal, Heartbreak, Hurt no Comfort (in this chapter)

“No,” Mounty gasps, finally realizing. He scared her. “Swiss, no, that’s not–it can’t be–”

Read chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 6 under the cut or on AO3.

It took five months for Swiss’ past to catch up to him.

He knew it would—sooner rather than later, knowing his luck—but he really thought he would have more time to…come up with a plan. Anything, he would do anything to avoid more heartbreak, he had promised himself. And yet he failed at a simple task of being honest.

Life just never seems to have any mercy in store for him, so why would he even have hope?

It’s a busy evening in Mounty’s bar; it’s warm—the most important reason—but the word cozy also comes to mind. Even despite the spiderwebs, broken furniture and a distant smell of rotten wood. There are flowers, though, all year long, so very clearly Mounty’s touch. It’s her home and she loves it as it is—which makes Swiss love it, too—and such an atmosphere is inviting.

The cowboy is, as usual, hanging out by the bar, watching his girl work. She’s happy, he’s happy and it’s all good, until he hears a name he has been praying for months not to hear ever again.

“He ain’t so scary anymore!” a man from the other side of the bar laughs, and the people surrounding him follow. “He was a cunt, no idea where he got all that reputation from. The mighty Shadow nearly pissed himself!”

Another wave of booming laughter sounds and it hurts Swiss’ eardrums. He tenses, hands going clammy around the glass he’s holding, and listens in, despite his better judgment.

“He’s been hiding like a coward for months after that one failed heist, from what I’ve heard,” the man continues. “Snatched a chance when he peaked his ugly head out and now the bitch is done!”

Swiss’ blood boils and freezes in his veins at the same time. Mounty doesn’t notice; she’s too busy, and the man is grateful. The stranger in the corner keeps laughing with his companions as he insults the infamous Shadow and gloats about something he most definitely didn’t do.

Of course he didn’t.

Swiss doesn��t know what makes him snap. He only notices that he stood up when he feels the pulse of a man he’s holding against the wall by his neck under his hand.

“Swiss!” he hears Mounty call from behind the bar. The whole place is so quiet all of a sudden. “Let him go!”

The cowboy chokes the stranger slowly for a bit longer, staring into his terrified eyes. If he…if he actually were to finish off the Shadow, he would be the one to piss himself. He is about to prove it.

“You’re the cunt here,” he mutters before letting go.

Swiss storms off without sparing a glance in anyone’s direction again, not even Mounty. He all but runs out of the saloon and behind it, into the cold and dark where he sits on the wet ground and hangs his head. His eyes sting and he wants to just cry, but he can’t. He ran out of tears a long time ago.

He hears the squeak of the saloon’s batwing door and the shuffle of its additional covering that they have put on for the cold nights and he prays to anyone who’s willing to listen that it’s not–

“Swiss, darling,” Mounty whispers and the tone of it the–the fear in it breaks the man’s heart in half. He scared her. 

He scared her.

He doesn’t reply, he can’t speak; it’s like there’s something lodged in his throat. Shame, most likely.

Despite her visible apprehension, the barmaid comes closer. She crouches by Swiss and just…waits. She waits for whatever may happen and she looks determined to do so for however long it may take.

He scared her.

Swiss simply breathes for a while before he dares to open his mouth again, “The–the Shadow. What do you know about…him?”

“Just the rumors,” Mounty shrugs, doing her very best to seem unbothered; casual about the whole ordeal, “but I don’t think I’d like to meet him. That won’t be a problem, though, ‘cause apparently he’s dead. Nobody’s seen him or heard of him for months and that man that you just…”

“He’s not dead,” Swiss interrupts—too sharp, too loud. He immediately hates himself for it, even more than he already did. 

He scared her.

“How do you know?” she asks, much quieter.

The man swallows audibly against that mysterious something that’s suffocating him, “How many months do you think it’s been since…since he was last seen?”

“Hm…” The barmaid thinks for a moment, counting silently. “Something like five, probably. 

Swiss chuckles sadly, locking his eyes on Mounty’s. He doesn’t speak—doesn’t explain—but he doesn’t need to. She’s a smart girl, and the sorrow, regret and shame in Swiss’ eyes are speaking louder and clearer than he ever could.

“No,” Mounty gasps, finally realizing.

He scared her.

“Swiss, no, that’s not–it can’t be–”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” is all he can say. He should have so much more to say, beg for forgiveness, but he can’t. He knows he doesn’t deserve it, that this is simply too big.

He gives up.

Mounty’s thoughts are racing, her breathing picks up, and her eyes widen. She’s an image of pure horror as she connects more and more dots. Swiss feels like throwing up.

“I’ve been…for months I’ve been dating–I’ve been sleeping with the world’s most famous criminal, I’ve–I’ve been…” she rambles, more to herself than the man. His whole body hurts. “I’m–I’m in love with the world’s most famous murderer.”

He scared her.

“Sweetheart, please, just–just hear me out, gimme a chance to explain before…” before he leaves, he wanted to say, because there is nothing else that can be done. He has to get the fuck out and away from her, from the most precious creature on the entire planet. One that he stained with his touch, with his lies. No hands that have so much blood on them should ever be allowed to touch something as pure as Mounty.

Thankfully, she doesn’t let him finish, “Explain what? That you lied to me and put on a whole ass fake personality to just…to just what, exactly?”

“It’s not like that, I just–” Swiss tires, but he’s not sure what it is that he’s trying to do. “I was running away! The Shadow…me, I–it’s not me, Mounty, please, let me–”

He scared her.

“Maybe I will,” she spits. “But certainly not now.”

“Momo, please,” the man falters and he’s about to fall to his knees and grab onto the barmaid’s feet and beg when she moves away. “Please, don’t be scared of me.”

“Too late, Shadow.” Mounty leaves him there, out in the cold darkness.

And Swiss finally cries.

[phemiec]

one of the many, many ways in which Gotham was poorly written (and I say this with love and obsession) was in how it handled the Riddler

Don’t get me wrong the acting was incredible and totally saved the character, but it’s so obvious that just nobody was smart enough or cared enough to keep writing him at his full mental capacity so they kept having to nerf him

like, the first season he was just pre-Riddler so they only had to write a couple of riddles and no heists or traps , then in the second season they let him be him for a teeeensy little bit, but then mostly he was just in Arkham so he couldn’t get away with very much

and then the rest of the show he is distracted by his LI’s or just straight up given frozen brain problems or brain chip amnesia so they don’t have to write more smart things for him to do and it’s MADDENING

[chayscribbles]

i can fix her (she's a cyborg and i'm her mechanic) 🛠

anyways the FrancLi brainrot is real

gemini heist wip intro | art tag | instagram

[kilesplaysthings]

So a while back, I made a post with movie soundtrack suggestions that I thought would fit each of the cybird games.

Thought I'd update the post with working links and also the addition of ikemen prince. My older post had a couple of games that aren't really played any more, but I figured I'd still include them, if anything, to share some good music! :)

Destined to Love: Memoirs of a Geisha

Love Lies & a Heist: The Great Gatsby

Midnight Cinderella: The Crown; Pride and Prejudice

Ikemen Revolution: The King's Speech; Alice in Wonderland

Ikemen Sengoku: The Last Samurai; Princess Mononoke

Ikemen Vampire: Crimson Peak; Jane Eyre

Ikemen Prince: Romeo & Juliet; La Belle et la Bete (I would also probably recommend The Crown soundtrack for this one too actually!)

Enjoy! :3

[moeitsu]

♡The Tie Which Linked My Soul To Thee♡

(Arthur Morgan x OC) Masterlist

Hey cowboys!

Below is where you'll find all the chapters to my Red Dead Redemption fanfic, I will keep it updated as I continue to post more chapters. But in the meantime, I wanted to make things a little more organized and easier for you to navigate.

Whether you just started reading, or if you've been keeping up with the story since the beginning. I want to thank you! This started as a little side project to keep me busy during my down time at work, but it's turned into something I'm really passionate and proud of! So thank you for all the support <3

!!Please be aware this fic is explicit. As it contains blood/violence, as well as other adult themes!!

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

->-> Ao3 

->-> Wattpad

Summary: Kate McCanon, a young widow from the north, meets outlaw Arthur Morgan. When the two cross paths she discovers a complex man wrestling with his own sense of right and wrong. As their unlikely bond deepens, Kate becomes determined to guide Arthur towards a brighter path, even as tensions rise within his gang led by the enigmatic Dutch van der Linde. With danger lurking at every turn, Kate must navigate treacherous territory to protect those she holds dear, all while finding love in the most unexpected of places.

Story Tags: Widowed, Original Character(s), High-Honor!Arthur Morgan, Arthur Morgan Does Not Have Tuberculosis, Arthur Morgan Deserves Happiness, Chubby!Arthur Morgan, Canon Divergence, Mutual Pining, Slow Build, Eventual Smut, Eventual Sex, Eventual Romance, Emotional Sex, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Touch-Starved, Sexual Tension, Friends to Lovers, Child Loss, Infant Death, Trauma, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Torture, Blood and Violence, Survivor Guilt, Aftermath of Torture, Caretaking, Injury Recovery, Period-Typical Racism, Anxiety, Self-Hatred, Night Terrors, Emotional Constipation, Self-Doubt, Men Crying, Bathing/Washing, Sweet/Hot, Romantic Angst, Romantic Fluff

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Ch 1 - The Years Creep Slowly By Kate becomes entangled in a heist with two strangers, Hosea and Arthur, forging an unexpected bond amidst their criminal endeavor. Ch 2 - The Snow Is On The Grass Again A fisher of men and A strange encounter. Ch 3 - The Suns Low Down The Sky Welcome to Horseshoe Overlook Ch 4 - The Frost Gleams Where The Flowers Have Been It's time to collect a debt. Ch 5 - My Heart Beats On As Warmly Now A well deserved hunt with Charles, met with an unexpected surprise back at camp... Ch 6 - As When The Summer Days Were Nigh The battle begins, and the past is revealed. Ch 7 - The Sun Can Never Dip So Low Kate is not immune to the dangers of the land. No matter how much she loved it, the land will never love her back. Ch 8 - Or Down Affections Cloudless Sky A blissful sunny day after a long hard night. Ch 9 - A Hundred Months Have Passed Kate and Arthur share a tender moment in the quiet of the night. Ch 10 - Since Last I Held That Hand In Mine The Course of True Love and other Revelations Ch 11 - And Felt The Pulse Beat Fast Arthur and Hosea share meaningful conversation after a night of advertising some moonshine. Meanwhile Kate finds herself involved in a dubious mission with John and the boys. She patches up Arthur as the day ends with an air of unspoken desire. Ch 12 - Though Mine Beat Faster Far Than Thine - Part 1 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God in a world that is ugly with violence and hate. Ch 13 - Though Mine Beat Faster Far Than Thine - Part 2 Arthur’s life is ebbing out like the tide. Kate must work quickly and diligently to reverse the cruel hands of fate. She is aided by the help of an unexpected ally. Ch 14 - A Hundred Months ‘Twas Flowery May As Kate navigates Arthur’s recovery, she discovers that true strength lies within her trusted companions, finding relief in their unwavering support during the trials of his healing journey. Ch 15 - When Up The Hilly Slope We Climbed Arthur struggles to adjust to his new disabilities. Meanwhile Kate finds a job outside of camp for them, providing a few days respite and some much needed alone time. Arthur finally reveals his feelings. Ch 16 - The Past Is The Eternal Past Kate and Arthur welcome a new life into the world. The scene brings back tender memories of Arthur's past, he finally finds the courage to open up to her about his family.

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━ If you're interested in reading about my OC, I linked the Kate McCanon Lore here :) As well as her Face and Voice Claim here <3 About me!

[19burstraat]

I love that kaz's revenge kind of... fails. I really love that he doesn't quite get a satisfying revenge on rollins, and I've always thought that was... well, the point. I said more about the specific scene with pekka here but like. it IS a turning point for kaz, it's just not the one he wanted. kaz gets about three narrative warnings/pieces of foreshadowing that it's not going to go how he wants it to go, but he really doesn't heed them until it's too late.

the first is the broken leg from the heist on the bank that helped pekka scam them; while its main narrative purpose is that it's the source of kaz's disability ofc (which feeds into his personal arc and his dynamic with wylan), and it exists outside of the pekka stuff, it arguably has a secondary purpose as the first in a series of 'don't pursue this, it's going to hurt' warnings, which he ignores.

the second warning comes when kaz lets pekka out at hellgate for personal score settling reasons, wastes time and fucks up the plan, and then starts a big domino effect where rollins turns the dregs on him, teams up with van eck, and hires dunyasha to attack inej.

(there are lots of other mini-nods to kaz absolutely refusing to let go of what happened and it informing everything he does; making nina give muzzen fake firepox, the fake pandemic, his interest in fifth harbour being implied to be because that's where he crawled out of the harbour, his dynamics with jesper and wylan, the body boats taking everyone out of the city, etc, but these are the big slip-ups)

the third strike feeds from that; the sweet reef sugar silo job is an almost perfect copy of the second stage of rollins' scam on jordie and kaz; sugar stock prices being driven up due to scarcity. it going so horribly wrong (because pekka anticipated it, of course he did, he made it up) and almost getting inej killed by dunyasha is a final warning to kaz to, effectively, let go or be dragged. if he carries on living in the past like this, he's going to lose his new family, not just his old one.

I think pekka's inability to remember jordie's name was more crushing than kaz admitted to himself, at least on the page; "it was a start" feels almost defeated after all that, and it lacks closure. kaz only gets one more point of view chapter (iirc?) one which feels quite reticent (it's the council of tides one and it's quite short) and he's quite quiet for the rest of the book, at least until the last inej chapter. he gets probably the cruellest wake-up call he could have been given. he doesn't get what he wants, and he'll never get it, because rollins still can't remember jordie's name by the end of the novel. it's time to move on. to his credit, he does it; he does what he always does, which is rise to a challenge. half of kaz's appeal lies in his ability to do that, no matter how hard the task, but it's a hard bandage to rip off.

unfortunately he does not really let go until he's being dragged, when his idea of what his confrontation with pekka should be like, crumbles in the face of pekka just not being able to remember jordie's name, no matter what kaz does. kaz is dragged to the precipice and told, look– here's inej, here's rollins. choose. and that's when he finally has to let go and start doing things for the future and inej, not the past and rollins and jordie. (remember that bit when he's drowning in SOC and he tries to think of revenge, and he can only think of inej instead? he always knew what he was going to pick, really).

he gets rollins out of ketterdam, but it's definitely hollow, in my estimation; the one thing kaz wanted him to remember, and he couldn't, because it wasn't important to him like it was to kaz. there's one final nod to kaz making everything about what happened to him and jordie (sneaking the grisha, colm, and matthias' body out of the city via the bodyboats and 'the bodymen don't bother to rearrange them') but I think inej saying "he doesn't say goodbye. he just lets go" comes at the perfect point; up until then it wasn't true, but now, kaz has finally been forced to (somewhat) let go, having never ever done that before.

but kaz buying inej her ship and a berth at fifth harbour (where he crawled out of the harbour and vowed to start the entire revenge plot) is a nice indication that he is trying to close that part off and move forwards with her, rather than staying in the past. and I really like that it's inej who actually makes the threat against pekka's life, to make sure he stays out of ketterdam; it's hard to know if kaz told her anything that prompted that visit (if he did, I doubt it was much, and I actually suspect he didn't know she'd gone there at all) but no matter what the circumstances, it indicates that he doesn't have to go on alone anymore, and he can finally turn away from that obsession. shared burdens n that. it's not a sad ending, it's honestly a good one for both of them, but it was a pretty rough journey to get there, and he had to fail first.

[queenofspades6]

Greatest Investment - Kaz Brekker x reader

Thawing Hearts

Part 2 of Greatest Investment

Summary: You escaped the Crow Club, and Kaz Brekker sent all his men to find you. Unfortunately, Pekka Rollins entered the game.

Warnings: Mentions of blood, violence, and rape.

A/N: Finally it’s here! I am sorry for the wait! I re-re-wrote it a lot before I was really satisfied with it. Fucking imposter syndrome! Between that and Tumblr that didn’t want me to post, and was considering my blog was new, everything was against it ahaha! I hope you’ll love it nonetheless! Enjoy! (I promise Part 3 Will be out sooner!)

———

Part 1

———

Coldness.

This is what you felt when you woke up.

Damn, where were you?

You suddenly remembered last evening’s events. Escaping the Crow Club, and trying to erase the picture of Kaz’s gloved hand on Inej’s shoulder. You had slept in the odd manor on an ancient and dirty mattress found during a heist with the Crows. It had not been near anything comfortable, but it had been enough.

It had been so hard to close your eyes. Pictures of Kaz and Inej haunting your dreams. How could it ever be the same? Once, Kaz had asked you to stay with him, you had stayed, and for what? What should you do now? You would have no problem finding contracts to earn money, shelter and food for days, but the Crows had gave you something invaluable… They had given you purpose.

You sighed. What now? You stood up from the mattress. You had slept without a blanket, and the night had been one of the coldest you had experienced. At least now, you had plenty of time to explore this sinister manor. And maybe find something interesting or valuable? You had nothing better to do after all. No purpose anymore.

———

”Has Y/N returned?“ Kaz asked Jesper eagerly, trying not to look too interested.

Kaz had been awake all night, leaning against his seat next to his desk. He had tried desperately to occupy his mind.

In vain.

Knowing you were alone out there made his blood running colder. You were capable of defending yourself and killing if necessary, he was aware of that, but his mind didn’t let him breath. The only thing he knew was that you were not here. Not anymore.

”No sign of her.” Jesper announced, his face full of genuine concern.

“She’ll come back, boss. Women always do. They need someone to warm their bed, after all.“ A dreg joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere of the room.

Kaz stared at the man with a killing look.

”Out.” He pronounced with the most restrain he had.

”Boss?”

“I said out! I don’t want to see you in my office again!” Kaz screamed in anger, almost throwing his cane at the man.

The Dreg didn’t wait, and escaped as fast as possible. Nobody wanted to anger Dirtyhand. Especially now, after his greatest assassin had fled somewhere.

Jesper gave Kaz a questioning glance.

“What was that all about?”

Kaz didn’t answer, but just rolled his eyes in response.

“Tell ten more men in whom you trust with your life to look for Y/N. I want discretion. Pekka doesn’t need to know.”

”Kaz.”

”No, Jesper, I don’t want to hear it.“ He replied, gesturing his Crow that he was dismissed.

“I’ll tell you nonetheless. Y/N will come back when she is ready. She won’t appreciate you sending Dregs to find her.“

“I don’t care.”

Jesper laughed, and put his hands on Kaz’s desk, ignoring the death glance of Dirtyhand.

”You do care! You’re here sending our men looking for an assassin that doesn’t want to be found! If you didn’t care, you would have moved on.“

“Nonsense.”

”You can’t let her go, admit it, Kaz.”

“Shut up, Jesper.”

Jesper had never seen his Boss so angry, but he couldn’t stop.

”You can’t let her go, and that drives you mad!”

“That’s enough!”

“Oh no, I still haven‘t tell you all my mind. Y/N is my friend-”

“Of course, I can’t let her go, she’s my greatest investment!“

“Fuck you and your investment, Kaz! That’s all lies. Y/N is my friend, she deserves more than being your tool. And you know the worst in that? You believe the lies you’re feeding yourself. She’s always been more. If not, why bribing each shop in Ketterdam for her, why tending to her wounds for days and months why you let others die?”

“I take great care in my investments.“

”Oh really? Then why make her waffles and tea every morning before the sun goes up?“

Kaz didn’t reply, but Jesper swore he had seen his lips move, and his eyes flinched in surprise. How could Jesper know of that, Kaz asked himself, one fist clenched, and the other gloved hand tightening his grip on the wooden desk.

”Out, Jesper.”

“You see, Kaz, the problem with you is that you don’t allow yourself to feel, and you expect others to do the same.”

Still no reply.

With a brand new confidence, Jesper carried on.

“But Y/N cares. I don’t know what she saw that made her flee, and I trust her judgement with my life, like all the Crows and Dregs, even you, but I can’t understand why she loves you, when it feels like torture.”

“What?“

“Fuck you Kaz Brekker, I am outta here!“ Jesper proclaimed, and left.

He had stood up for what he believed in.

Finally… and oddly, he felt good… and proud.

———

I can’t understand why she loves you, when it feels like torture.

”She loves me?” Kaz asked himself, removing his cloak with clumsiness.

The room felt too warm for him, and the fabric of his clothes burnt his skin. With trembling hands, he tried to remove his jacket. His gloved hands were preventing him from removing the fabric. He removed the gloves first as fast as possible, and sent them flying across the room. The feeling of burning skin, and sweaty hands didn’t leave him.

When he succeeded in removing his jacket, it fell at his feet, laying on the cold floor. Without a second thought, he unbuttoned his shirt, and sat finally on his chair. It was better, he thought, feeling the air on his skin, giving him goosebumps. He closed his eyes, and the first thing that came to his mind was your smile. And then he heard your laugh that echoed in all his office. He furrowed his brows, and put his hands on his ears. He wanted it to stop!

”Make it stop.“ He wanted to scream. He was the Bastard of the Barrel, Dirtyhand, Kaz fucking Brekker, and if he wanted something, it needed to be done!

But here, in the intimacy of his office, he was just Kaz Rietveld. The small boy he thought he had killed for good. That little boy that had believed there was goodness in this horrible world. The one that had believed of a life with his brother, the one that had dreamed of a home…

Kaz felt something flowing on his cheek, something liquid, and small. He touched his cheek and felt tears running on his left cheek. He stared at the door, hoping it was closed, and began to wipe his tears. One tear ran down his right cheek, he tried to wipe it, but another one escaped from his eye. He swore and finally let go after all these years.

Tears were running along his cheeks and chin.

He could restrain his feelings, pretend he didn’t care all he wanted, he knew it was a magician’s trick, just a risky gamble, a masquerade… because after all, even if he was wiping his tears with his hands, there were still proof that he felt, proof that he cared. Proof Kaz Rietveld was not dead, and would never be.

Kaz Brekker let out a deep breath, trying to calm his breathing, and understood something. That wasn’t because he restrained his feelings that he didn’t feel. He could suppress what he felt all he wanted, the ache on his heart and the tears on his warm skin were still here.

He remembered Jordie’s face, his cockiness, and stubbornness. He remembered how naive they both were, as children should be, and thought that naivety was a weakness, but feeling may not be.

You were an assassin, the most famous and competent one, and you were all he wasn’t, you felt things deeply, were too sensitive and allowed yourself to feel. Did that made you weak? His mind answered for him.

No.

He had found you many things, but never weak.

Never.

How could he when he believed you were the strongest person he knew.

He began to button up his shirt with a new calculated meticulousness.

Why had you fled?

Only one thing came to his mind. You had seen his hand on Inej’s shoulder, the gloved hand that had felt Inej’s contact burning, but had stayed there nonetheless. You had watched how close him and Inej were, and now, he didn’t know how he felt.

He had summoned Inej in his office to discuss her departure to … to retrieve her brother.

Kaz had asked her to stay, because he was afraid. Scared that all his Crows would leave him if Inej was not there.

He had asked her to stay, and cared for her.

Will you stay if Inej was not here? He had let his feelings control him, even if he had not noticed when he had asked Inej to stay. It had been selfish, because if it had been his brother, Jordie, he would have crawled to him, he would have ran even with his limp. Yet he had asked Inej to stay, and he understood why she said she couldn’t. Not when there were chances of her brother being alive, not when she could find him, even if there were the slightest chance. It was not a wish for her but a need.

Y/N had saw everything, and she may have thought that he and Inej had… feelings for each other? He didn’t know what Y/N thought or why she had ran like she never wanted to see him again, but he knew he couldn’t let her go like that. Not without a fight, and fighting was what he did best.

Even if Kaz had hated the sound of every word Jesper had spoke, deep down Jesper had been right. For once, thought Kaz, and almost smiled.

How could he deserve the woman he loved?

”Loved”? Do I love her? Did I really let myself fall for her? He asked himself. But he already knew the answer.

Why would he make waffles every day for her then, and why would he buy Butterfly’s Heaven for her? He knew she had heard of the place, and couldn’t wait to get there. Little did she knew, the place was already hers.

Kaz Brekker didn’t know if he was ready to let himself feel, and be with Y/N? Would he ever be ready? How could someone care for him, when he was struggling with physical touch and feelings?

He took another deep breath, took his gloves on the floor and put them on. He felt better, but thought of how Y/N’s skin would feel on his fingers, and how Y/N’s lips would taste on his. Would he ever let her kiss him? He did not know.

Kaz would lie if he said that he never thought of Y/N’s skin, how her body would look without clothes on, how she would touch herself at night, and the little noises she would make at last…

How much would he pay to hear her like that? This is what he would call an investment. To pay to know everything about her, her past, her body, who she loved and who she hated, who she was and who she wanted to be.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kaz heard someone calling for him and knocking loudly on his office. He had been so caught on his daydream, that he had ignored the noises emanating from the Crow Club.

A Dreg with a concerned look entered the office, he was ready to break the news to Dirtyhand himself but, Jesper did it first.

“Kaz. It’s Y/N.“

He furrowed his brows in wonder, hoping the Dregs had found her, but guessing by Jesper’s expression, it was worst than that.

”She’s been kidnapped.”

An expression of horror crossed Kaz’s face, and then it was gone.

”Who?”

”Pekka Rollins.”

The Bastard of the Barrel nodded, acknowledging his opponent.

”Then he is a dead man.”

”Kaz, what are we going to do?”

“What we do best, Jesper. We fight for what belongs to us.”

————

Coldness welcomed you again. Not the same frigidity as this morning when you were alone, in an old mattress in the manor. When you thought of today, you hadn’t known you would end up tied closely to a chair, your left cheek on the freezing floor of a grim warehouse.

You could bear the coldness, the beating of what you had deduced were Pekka Rollins’men, but what you could not bear was the smell of blood. There was blood everywhere. Yours, and maybe somebody else’s. There was too much for it to only be yours.

Pekka’s men had taken a wicked pleasure in beating you, cutting the skin to draw blood. Pekka had let them, but had ordered to let you alive. Your blood had ran cold, when a man asked his boss if he could have you. He had began to let your shirt fall on your shoulders, and had caressed the space between your breasts.

”Not now. I want him to watch when you’ll take her.“ Pekka had replied ruthlessly.

The man had growled, had kissed your jaw, sucked the skin on your neck, and stroked your hair. You had wanted to vomit, but you had kept you chin high, and spit on the man when they had removed the tape over your mouth.

You hated how easy it had been for Pekka Rollins to kidnap you.

Pekka Rollins’ men had been watching the Crow Club closely, examining each move of the Crows with huge care. When he had seen you fleeing far from the Club and the Bastard of the Barrel, he had grinned and thanked the Gods for this opportunity. He had ordered his men to follow you right after. They had found you in the manor, and had waited for the morning to catch you. Pekka Rollins knew who you were and what you were capable of. He couldn’t take any risk, so he had made a special concoction. A sort of potion you threw in a room to paralyze and make the victim sleep. Pekka was aware that if you had been awake, he had practically no chance of catching you, that’s why he had planned it all along.

He threw the potion in your room, and when you realised what it was, you tried to run for the door, but it was closed. Your feet felt already numb, and you began to see things turning around you. Before you could say something, you fainted on the floor, one last thought for Kaz Brekker.

———

“I am glad you’re awake, Miss Y/N.”

Your eyes opened slowly, trying to adjust to the sudden light of the room. Pekka Rollins, a mischievous grin on his lips, was facing you. Gods knew how much you wanted to kill him.

You tried to speak, but you had tape burning the sensitive skin of your lips. You could feel the tightness of the ropes holding your hands and feet together closely.

“It’s not against you, Y/N. I don’t hold any grudge against you, in the contrary. But you see, dear assassin, you possess information of inestimable value, you are priceless.”

You began to move on your chair, trying to untie the ropes. If you could speak, you would have told Pekka to go fuck himself. How dare he?

”I know you’re one of Mister Kaz Brekker’s Crows. Too beautiful to be a crow, don’t you think?“ Pekka stroked a lock of hair that pearled on your face, and put it behind your ear. You felt his touch burning your skin.

”You see, Y/N, it’s not against you. I learnt that you were invaluable to the Bastard of the Barrel. I tried to recruit you multiple times, but you refused each time, remember?”

You groaned.

“I need to take care of Kaz Brekker first, and then I’ll see how you can be useful to the Dime Lions.”

”He’s here, Boss.“ A man left the shadow and appeared right behind Pekka.

“Good. Very good.”

You moved on the chair, trying to untie the ropes on your hands again. The chair fell on the floor, and you knew your face was even bloodier and bruised than before. At least, it helped untying the ropes.

“Want to speak, Y/N?”

Pekka removed the tape over your lips. It hurt so much.

”What do you want with him?” You questioned, tasting a metallic liquid between your lips.

”You see, Y/N, in the Barrel, power and revenge are the only things that matter, and your little friend believes he has them both. There can only be one King of the Barrel, and it won’t be this Bastard.“

”Kaz won’t come. He knows it’s a trap, you’re doomed.”

”Oh dear Y/N, yes, he knows it’s a trap, but for you, he’ll come.” Pekka murmured close to your face, while having his foot crushing your arm. You heard the bone break, and grimaced.

You swallowed a sob, and tried to breath.

”Kaz Brekker wants the world to know his limp is the weakness, but what is his real weakness? You think he has none, assassin, but what is the most precious thing he has in his possession? Gold? Jewellery? The Crow Club?“

You groaned louder, fighting the pain in your arm and declared:

“Fuck yourself, Pekka.“

He grinned, the kind of grin that says ‘I won’.

“You’re his greatest investment, Y/N, but I think there may be more behind that. If not why buy you Butterfly’s Heaven, this stupid place that had no strategic asset? I am convinced, Kaz Brekker will show, and if I am lucky, he cares more for you than he let on.“

What? Kaz bought you Butterfly’s Heaven? You felt a tear running on your cheek. How did he know you loved the place? It had only been a week since it had opened, and you had only told Wylan and Jesper. Jesper must have told him about your love for the butterflies’ sanctuary.

Damn, Kaz Brekker bought you the place. The only place in Ketterdam that could bring hope to people and children. You had dreamed of coming to this place since it had opened, and now, it’s yours. And Kaz Brekker swore he had no heart? This is what he calls heartless and ruthless? Buying a place that has no utility for him just for his assassin?

Another tear flowed.

“You didn’t know, did you?“

You swore you could hear the grin in Pekka Rollins’ words.

“Even better.” Pekka murmured to himself.

You heard footsteps, and saw Dime Lions gathering at Pekka Rollins’ side.

A Dime Lion told something to Pekka’s ear. You watched them carefully, examining their numbers and weapons.

”Here is the Bastard of the Barrel.“ Pekka announced, opening his arms to host Dirtyhand.

Someone put tape again over your lips, and you tried to bite him.

“This one bites!” A Dime Lion screamed.

The room was suddenly silent with footsteps. You watched the entrance of the warehouse, and saw a cane. A Crow Cane.

Kaz.

”Welcome Kaz Brekker!” Pekka declared, still smiling.

Kaz Brekker appeared on the doorway, all in black, a death glance in his eyes. He examined the room discreetly, and your eyes found his. His mouth gaped, and his eyes turned black. According to Kaz’s look, you were badly injured. Was this why you felt lighter?

Kaz took several steps towards Pekka, and stopped in the middle of the shed. His cane touched the floor in a loud thump making the wall tremble. Or was it your heart? Kaz Brekker was alone, but you swore you saw the Dime Lions shivering.

“Now, you’ll give me my assassin, or I’ll kill you all.”

His tone was murderous, cold and calculated. His eyes were set on you, and you felt suddenly envelopped by heat.

You smiled at Kaz Brekker, knowing undoubtly that he’ll kill them all.

———

Don’t forget to tell me what you thought about this chapter! It’s definitely gonna be a series, and every like, reblog and comment make me want to write more! Thank to you for reading this!

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Taglist: @phoenix666stuff @coldheartedmar @myxticmoon @whos6claire @wonderland2425 @annisescapefromtheworld @fandomscompilation @angie-likes-to-read @notacluelessblonde00 @justsillylittlethings @noommoon69 @kiraflowersworld @sadpetalsstuff @littleshadow17 @kaz-mf-brekker @lotr350z @hermionesimp

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