#shadow and bone x you

[undiscovered-horizon]

In Emerald Hearts, Emerald Minds - Nikolai Lantsov x Reader

[mentions of unwanted advances + suggested groping + suggestive/sexual (consensual) themes]

☽ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ☾

SUMMARY: When Vasily asks you to forget his half-brother and marry him instead, you escape the Little Palace along Alina. Nikolai realizes something strange is going on when Kaz mentions seeing a similar emerald ring on the woman that came with the Sun Summoner. With how much you and Nikolai have been running in circles to find each other, the reunion aboard Volkvolny feels almost fated.

WORDCOUNT: ~ 4.6k

>>Grishaverse-inspired playlist&lt;<

It feels like the Winter Fete has been going on forever. The champagne keeps on being poured, the guests keep on dancing and the circus acts just keep on performing as though tomorrow is a mere mirage, a concept of a certain time period that never actually comes. Inside those walls of gold and marble, the misery devouring all of Ravka seems like nothing beyond a mad nightmare - something so removed from reality, it’s hilarious in its ridiculousness. Everyone is so carefree and happy you almost take their joy as your own.

Almost.

The orchestra begins playing Waltz of the Flowers and you feel your throat tighten. Despite doing your best not to, your mind relives that fateful night when everything changed. For the longest time, you’d been claiming that the change was for the better but now, standing alone for another year in a row and watching the dashing aristocrats spin to the music, you’re not so sure anymore.

“You really need to stop doing this,” Nikolai says firmly. Although his tone is decisive and clearly unwilling to accept defiance, a pronounced hint of amusement lives between his words - a thread of light-heartedness, one might say.

Your eyebrows gently furrow. “Doing what?”

“Smiling at me like that. Any longer and I might ask you to marry me.”

It feels like you’re about to burst at the seams. Trying to contain your emotions, and failing at it quite horribly, you bite your lower lip. “I might say yes.”

“Where have you gone, Kolya?” you whisper under your breath. The gloss of vacancy covering your eyes blurs the dancing bodies into one mass of faceless strangers. But it also makes you not notice someone approaching you.

“I find it quite admirable.”

Vasily’s voice startles you. To your now-gone relief, you didn’t have the displeasure of running into him all evening - until now. If you were to list all of the things about the older Lantsov son that makes your skin crawl, you’d be done by the time another Winter Fete is organized. The top of the list, however, deserves to be mentioned as it’s an inseparable part of your every interaction with the prince: he’s quite adamant and crude in his desire to be more than just a future brother-in-law to you.

“Excuse me?” you stutter out.

That patronizing look on his face is now accompanied by a cocky half-grin as he realizes he caught you off-guard. “Your devotion to my brother. For all we know, he might be already dead, Saints’ protect him.”

“Don’t even say that!” you hiss at him. Right after, you look around to check whether one of the guests has noticed your unpleasant exchange.

Despite what you’ve just said, you know he’s right. There’s no way you can be sure that your Kolya is either dead or alive. Perhaps this is the detail further ripping your heart apart - you don’t know anything about his fate; you’re mourning, although you’re yet to see the coffin. You haven’t for a few years now and each passing month of silence only made court gossip more cruel and bold.

“All I’m saying, dearest,” Vasily begins quietly as his hand drags along your arm, “is that the moment the news of Nikolai’s death reaches the Grand Palace, you’ll be thrown out. On the other hand, I can make you the Queen of Ravka. And unlike my brother, I won’t disappear off the face of the Earth and forget about his beloved lady.”

The word of endearment is dripping with sarcasm as it leaves his chapped lips. His breath reeks of alcohol and you unknowingly turn your head away. Vasily seems to think you’re about to leave his side, so his hand tightly grips your arm. The hold is almost bruising. He yanks you even closer towards himself.

“Kolya hasn’t forgotten about me,” you say in a shaky voice. Maybe he’s not as foolish as he appears and Vasily is genuinely trying to break you down.

The prince studies your face for a moment, definitely noticing how shaken you are. His eyes have the strangest glint to them - something between desire and contempt. “Is that so?” he barely stifles a grim laugh. “He would have written you a letter if that were true, no?”

Tears sting your eyes. Vasily is certainly smarter, or at least more cruel, than he lets on. He knows exactly what to say to get into your head. It’s a startling difference between him and Nikolai - only one of them does what he can to keep a smile on your face. Well, did.

His dirty, rough hand grabs your chin. Vasily forces you to look at him, his smile wavers upon noticing your desperation. “Consider your options, зайка,” he purrs out. The prince’s other hand trails your face. “The choice is yours.”

A tear falls down your cheek. You feel it rolling across your skin and you silently hope the guests surrounding you are watching this scene. Then, you lean in even closer to Vasily’s face. The whisper leaves your lips like a viper’s venomous hiss: "I will marry you the day you lay his dead body at my feet."

To your surprise, Vasily drops his hands and takes a step back. Despite the self-assured smile on his face, you can see the fury inside his eyes. “As you wish.” He bows curtly, turns on his heel and marches away, undoubtedly looking for another glass of alcohol and a lady naive enough to warm his bed.

The palace suddenly feels stuffy and overcrowded; the music is too loud, the plethora of smells make your head spin.

Outside. You need to get outside.

Bumping into several guests and mumbling half-coherent apologies, you run through the halls of the Little Palace. When the cold, night air hits your flushed cheeks, only then do you stop. Taking in a deep breath, you can actually feel your thoughts becoming clearer. 

With each gust of freezing wind, all the anger and sadness is leaving your shaking body. Vasily just wanted to get a rise out of you and, as much as you don’t want to admit it, he succeeded. Unlike he claims, Nikolai surely is alive. Maybe bruised or sick or not sleeping well but as long as there’s no news about him being dead, he is as alive as one can be. The same starry sky hangs above your and his heads. Perhaps, in this small moment of longing, he’s thinking about you too. Wherever he is.

A tired sigh leaves your lips. You’re about to turn around and go back inside when a silhouette moving in the night catches your attention. The shape is swift although careful like a lizard approaching a fly. You see them looking around before running for another few meters only to hide behind a bush or piece of architecture.

Curious and a little scared, you follow the stranger towards one of the carriages. Quietly, you get close enough to grab their wrist. The shape lets out a gasp and turns around to look at you.

“Alina?!” you whisper. What in Saints’ mercy is she doing? You look at her warm, casual clothes and the bag on her back. “Are you running away?”

“I need to leave,” she answers equally quietly. Her voice as well as her stare is filled with certainty - she’s convinced beyond reasonable doubt this is the right thing to do. “Please, don’t try to stop me.”

You let go of her hand. “Stop you?” A dry chuckle leaves your lips. “I’m coming with you.”

“What?” she deadpans. Alina is staring at you with a vacant stare and her mouth slightly agape. Apparently exchanging royal comforts for hay and stolen apples is unthinkable.

“If I have to spend one more day around Vasily, I will murder someone.”

Alina slowly nods her head - she can definitely understand the sentiment. A dimwitted Fjerdan would have more charm than the older prince. But then she squints her eyes, looking at you with a sense of scepticism.

“Out there, there won’t be warm beds and three-course dinners, you know?”

“I know,” you answer with a careless shrug. Loitering and wandering isn’t for ladies of your sort, it’s like throwing a finless fish into a tank with sharks. Despite that, you’re quite convinced the means justify the end, at least in this scenario. “But out there is my Kolya. And I’m done politely waiting for him.”

A shadow of sadness covers her face. If there’s anyone who can understand your plight, it’s her. In fact, she is luckier than you - she saw her lover maybe an hour ago. Pleasant or unpleasant, the meeting confirmed to her that Mal is at least alive. It’s not a privilege you could afford.

“Then let’s go,” she says to you before opening the chest in the back of the carriage. Forgetting all of your etiquette and social standing, you climb into the compartment with her. Towards adventure or death, you’re going somewhere.

“The ring gave you away,” Kaz announces. “It’s too expensive for a bodyguard.”

Jesper knits his eyebrows together, suddenly remembering something. He leans towards Kaz but speaks a little too loudly for the question to be inconspicuous: “Didn’t that girl wear the same-”

When Kaz’s cold glare meets Jesper’s squinted eyes, the dark-skinned man immediately closes his mouth halfway through the question. Both of them sit back as they were but the cat is already out of the bag. Well, not entirely - half of it is peeking out of the metaphorical sack.

Nikolai looks between them with unmissable suspicion. Although he’s heard enough to be aware of the possibility that the Sun Summoner isn’t travelling by herself, this is the first time either of the Crows admits it.

His heart begins to beat slightly quicker: Alina run away from the Little Palace along with another woman and that lady was wearing a royal jewel at the time. As long as Vasily didn’t lose his signet on one of his distasteful escapades, the course of events points to only one person - you. Shoving his restless excitement into the deepest chasms of his heart, Nikolai manages to remain his composure:

“Who was wearing that ring?” The prince-turned-privateer unknowingly fiddles with the heavy jewellery on his finger. Noticing the Crows’ reluctance, he makes them an offer: “If you tell me who you saw wearing an emerald ring, I might, say, give you ten minutes to escape.” Nikolai vaguely gestures to the closed window on his right-hand side.

Kaz knows there’s no point in lying any longer. The man in front of him is not only well-informed but also smarter than he looks, making the Crow wonder whether he also knows the answer to this question but prefers to play some kind of a game. In any event, he’s done his part of the deal and his ex-accomplices are left to their own devices. Additionally, he could really use those ten minutes. “A young woman that accompanied Alina Starkov. High-born, confident, decisive. Not a Grisha as far as I know.”

“Not a Lantsov, obviously,” Jesper chips in.

Brekker’s keen eyes catch the barely noticeable change in Sturmhond’s expression - the corner of his mouth merely stuttered up and down but it is enough to tell Kaz as much as he needs:

“You know her.”

Know her? If Nikolai had a weaker grip on his emotions at the moment, he’d laugh until his stomach and diaphragm hurt and then he’ll burst with laughter once more, unspeakably joyous that he might get to see her sooner than he thought. Yes, he does know her but in the way heart knows blood and lungs know air. She’s the ligament that keeps his bones together, the fibres that construct his muscles, the very blood that runs in his veins. Does the Moon simply know the stars? Do trees know their roots and branches?

But for now, he needs to stay focused. 

“Not really,” Sturmhond answers while scrunching his nose. “Many aristocrats wear a ring like that. While I may know of a lot of them, I hardly know anything about them.”

Kaz fights back a mocking half-grin begging to twist his thin lips. “I’d argue that an emerald in Ravka is a rather rare gem.”

“Hers is probably genuine. Mine’s stolen.”

Silence falls between the three men. Nikolai and Kaz are staring each other down, battling in some kind of war of wits and nerves, waiting for the other to give in. Jesper is stealing glances at both of them, feeling the cold tension rise in the air.

Against his deep-seated desire, Kaz doesn’t inquire further about the emeralds or the strange coincidence that the two enigmatic characters wearing them might know each other. He sits back in the chair, his shoulders visibly drop. As much as he’d love to dig deeper, he’d much rather get out of here and reclaim his freedom that is now endangered.

“Well, gentlemen,” Nikolai begins in an upbeat tone, “your ten minutes start now.”

Without saying anything else, he leaves the room. Only then, when the dark, wooden door close behind him, does he let suppressed emotions wash over him. A quiet chuckle brushes past his lips and for a moment even tears sting his eyes. Delight, worry, relief - conflicting sensations merge into one, completely overpowering flame burning inside his chest.

Maybe he doesn’t have the Sun Summoner and he still needs to come up with a plan to catch her but Nikolai hasn’t been this happy for a while now: his солиышко is alright, still making the world brighter and warmer. If he can get to Alina Starkov, he might see her again, although he begins to wonder whether she wishes to see him after all those years of silence and ignorance. But if he can see her, just witness the marvel of her entire being even for one last second, he’ll be cured of the longing and loneliness that has been gnawing at him ever since he left Os Alta.

You’re following the Shu man to what you assume is his captain’s cuddy. The ship creeks and groans under the weight of the crew as well as the power of the waves. The bussing crewmen spare the three of you a glance, only to show disinterest and go back to their duties. It’s a nice change compared to the kerchen ship you travelled on to Novyi Zem, where the captain asked Alina and you to stay under the deck because of the sailors’ superstition. After getting off the ship, it took you a good week to wash out the reek of cured cod from your clothes and hair. Sometimes you still felt like you can smell it in the air, even in the dusty wind sweeping through Novyi Zem.

Your ‘guide’ pushes the door and they swing open with a creak, the list of the ship aiding the motion. Except for the squeaky hinges, probably rusting faster than anyone can manage, Volkvolny is in good shape. In fact, it looks brand new - no mould or woodworms.

“Captain, request for charter,” the stocky stranger announces with a hint of amusement or excitement in his voice. Despite his imposing visage, the Shu man has made a good impression on you but the long sword on his back kept you vigilant against getting too comfortable in his company.

Only when he moves to the side, presenting the three of you to his captain, do you see the face of the infamous Sturmhond.

You want to laugh. In fact, you have to clench your fists to stop yourself from bursting out with laughter. This situation feels like the strangest coincidence that you can think of, which in turn makes you suspect that it’s not a coincidence at all. Because what are the odds?

Nikolai’s face momentarily brightens up when he recognizes you, a new glint lights up his eyes. He looks different than you remember but in all the right ways: his shoulders look broader and his hair is longer, curling in a way that makes him appear more infantile. You remembered him as a handsome man but the Nikolai in front of you is beautiful enough to be considered unreal.

He's staring into you like a deer caught in headlights until Tolya hands him Alina’s unusual means of payment. As Nikolai is turning the piece of jewellery in his fingers, you notice another change: his hands look rougher, definitely scarred from all the adventures you hope you’re yet to hear about.

The blond prince turns his attention back to Alina, Mal and you. “A gold hairpin can get you anywhere. But an emerald ring?” He gestures to you. “It can get you everywhere.”

“It’s not for sale,” you answer, although you know he’s not trying to buy it. After all, he’s the one that gave it to you.

“I don’t want it.” Nikolai shakes his head. Then, a flirty smile appears on his face. “Looks better on you anyway, doll.”

You’re about to respond to his remark when his attention is once again placed on Alina. “Now, Tolya says you’re looking for a charter. Where are we sailing?”

Alina begins the story with ‘the creation of the world’ as your mother used to say: the Little Palace, Darkling, Morozova’s amplifiers and the Fold. Nikolai nods along, never giving away that he’s privy to most of the story. He doesn’t believe in the Sea Whip at first but that’s hardly his fault - not too long ago people wouldn’t believe in the existence of the Sun Summoner and now she’s standing beside you, nervously rubbing her hand. As you have expected from the moment you saw that Nikolai is Sturmhond, he agrees to the insanity of taking up the quest to catch the amplifier.

“Tolya will show you around.” He sends you off. You’re about to follow your friends out of the cuddy when he adds: “You, emerald lady, I’d like to talk to in private.”

Alina gives you a concerned look (‘blink twice if you need help’)  but you only smile and nod at her in response. With Mal tugging at her arm, she reluctantly leaves you and Sturmhond alone.

The moment the door closes behind Tolya and your friends, Nikolai runs around his desk towards you, engulfing you in a bone-crushing hug. His hand threads through your hair, pushing your head further into the crook of his neck. Even if you tried, there’s no way you can pull away or even move. Taking a deep breath, you smell the familiar fragrance of his cologne but now it’s mixed with the scent of resin, saltwater and seaweed.

Then he pulls away, looking you up and down with burning worry. “Are you alright? Are you hurt? What are you doing here?”

You swear he could be bleeding out on the floor and still he’d be apologizing for staining your clothes. It’s heartwarming that despite the years and evident change in his appearance, Kolya is still Kolya.

A wide smile enters your face. “Looking for a frisky sailor to take me on a voyage filled with indecency, obviously.”

“Well, here he is.” Nikolai points to himself and winks at you. “And he’d really like to know why you’re in Novyi Zem with the Sun Summoner and whats-his-face and not in the Grand Palace in Os Alta.”

You let out a heavy sigh and shake your head gently. “I grew tired, Kolya.” His eyebrows slant upon hearing the exhaustion in your voice. Despite the sheer happiness he feels when you say his name, the concern gnawing at his heart seems to be more powerful. “Years have gone by without you giving me even the tiniest sign that you’re alive and well. And your brother, Saint’s have mercy on him because I won’t, has been adamant about marrying me ever since you left. I told him I will accept his proposal the day he lays your dead body before me.” You make pause, noticing a strange shadow hanging over Nikolai’s face. But he’s not saying anything for a moment, so you finish what you wanted to say: “I had to get away from it all. There’s only so much uncertainty and intruding fingers a lady can take.”

“By the Saints,” he breathes out, “did Vasily lay a hand on you?”

You feel his grip around you tighten but it’s not painful, rather securing. “If you’re asking whether he hit me or forced himself on me, then no, he did not. He did, however, make it abundantly clear what he wants from me. On multiple occasions.”

Nikolai’s face twists in a scowl. The glint that lit up his eyes when he saw you is now gone, exchanged for something dark and unstable. “I’m so sorry, if I knew-”

“I know, love,” you interrupt him. He doesn’t need to announce the ends he’d go to in order to ensure you’re safe and comfortable. Nikolai has never said or done so but you’re fairly convinced he wouldn’t shy away from fistfighting Vasily if he said something less-than-savoury to you. “But neither of us could have known.”

“I promised you’d be safe in Os Alta.”

“And I promised to stay put.” You can’t keep laughter in any longer. You’re not quite sure whether your chuckle is born out of happiness or disbelief. “Now look at us.”

Suddenly, he knits his eyebrows close. At first, you think he’s confused but then the slight rise of his cheeks suggests something closer to contempt or disgust. "Would you actually marry Vasily if he gave you my dead body?"

You can only give him an indifferent shrug. "Maybe?” you ponder aloud. “If you were dead, I would lose all care about what happens to me or with me. In a way, I’d be dead too."

Nikolai takes one of your hands and kisses its fingers. Your breath hitches in your throat when you feel his warm lips against your skin. “I could never rest in peace knowing how he’s treating you.”

“Having you haunt me would be incomparably better than you just being gone. Everything is better than silence.”

His shoulders slouch. Nikolai looks away from you for a moment, admiring the floor in his cuddy but even this can’t hide his guilt and shame. “I couldn’t have just popped in for a visit. Not anywhere in Ravka.”

"You couldn't even have written me a letter?"

"Someone at the palace would recognize my handwriting. I couldn't risk it."

"Then you could have dictated the letter to one of your crew."

That self-assured, flirty smirk appears again on his face. "And scandalize my crewmen with the things I want to tell you?”

As much as you’ve dearly missed his insufferable humour, at the moment it’s making your skin crawl. “This is a serious conversation, Nikolai,” you state firmly.

“I am serious, солиышко.” The pet name rolls off his tongue with both weight and lightness as though it belongs exclusively to you and no one else can ever claim it as their own. He kisses your hand again but keeps it against his lips for a while longer. Then, he places your fingers on his chest and you can feel the soft thrumming of his heart. “Do you think I never thought about writing to you? That I didn’t stay up at night thinking about what I will tell you when we meet again? Countless letters I have begun only to tear them apart and throw them into the sea or burn them. If some people found out we know each other, you’d be in much greater danger than Darkling following your steps. I’d rather deal with the heartbreak of staying away from you than know I put you in danger because I can’t live without you.”

It brings you a grim sense of comfort that he’s been equally torn as you were over the lack of contact. You never thought about it before but Nikolai must have been worried sick, not knowing whether you’re alright and happy. Has he imagined your plight and misery as often as you did his?

“What did you write in those letters?” you ask in a shaky voice.

“I wrote about how much I miss you, how it physically hurts to consider that you might think I have abandoned you. When I was hungry, cold, tired or sick, only the memories of you made me push on. On nights when I couldn’t sleep, I’d stare at the sky above me and wonder whether you’re looking at the same stars. I wrote that wherever I go, I see your face. You are in every sunrise and sunset, every flower I see and every fire that warms me.” Nikolai lets go of your fingers, placing both of his hands on either side of your face. The softness in his eyes makes you swoon. “I only wrote the truth,” he says slowly, making sure you understand the weight of his words.

Swallowing back tears, you lean into his warm touch. “My beloved, my heart yearns for you?” you jest in a dramatic voice.

A playful smile creeps back unto his lips. “If only my heart.”

“Gross.”

“You wanted a frisky sailor.”

"You’re a pirate, not a sailor.”

"I’m a privateer,” he drones out the word as though it makes a world of a difference.

"Pirate sounds sexier."

Nikolai gives you a fake frown. “Oh, I definitely am a pirate."

Without thinking twice, he’s kissing you. The sensation is just as comforting as you remember. His soft lips are doting on you, growing needier with each peck as though this is some feverish attempt at making up the lost time. 

He pulls away to catch his breath and although you’re panting yourself, you unknowingly chase after him, unwilling to dismiss this carnal desire just yet. Nikolai seems to notice your eagerness - he flashes you a cocky grin and shortly pecks your lips again.

“You crossed Ravka, the Fold and the sea just to find me?” he whispers. His eyes are stuck to your wet, swollen mouth.

“And I’d do it a hundred more times if I had to.”

You exchange a few more hungry kisses, pecking and nipping at each other’s lips, before Nikolai continues the conversation:

“I want to say that I’m flattered but I’d rather not encourage you to do something this stupid and dangerous ever again.”

“Hate to break it to you but you took all the stupid with you.”

He rests his forehead against yours; hot, laboured breaths brush against your flushed cheeks. “I’d like to clarify that I’m not stupid, I just can’t seem to think about anything other than you.”

Nikolai wraps his arms around your waist. In a swift motion, he turns you around and pushes you against the edge of his desk. His strength surprises you when Nikolai effortlessly lifts you and places you atop the table, pushing off maps and navigation essentials. Firm, warm hands are restlessly wandering across your body, unsure where to lay or what to grab.

You gasp quietly when his fingers sneak underneath your shirt. “Is this the indecent part of the voyage, my frisky sailor?”

“By the Saints, I hope so,” he whispers against your lips. Then, he furrows his eyebrows questioningly. “Is that offensive to say around a living Saint?”

“I don’t think Alina heard you.”

His nimble fingers are quickly undoing the buttons on your clothes. “Well, she will hear you in a moment.”

“Gross,” you say with laughter in your voice but the word gets muffled as Nikolai gets back to kissing you again.

Even if the crew did hear you that day, no one dared say a word.

зайка [zay-ka] - bunny (feminine; term of endearment)

солиышко [sol-nee-shko] - little sun (unisex; term of endearment)

[igotanidea]

The love of rain : Nikolai Lantsov x reader

Request submitted as a part of my 1k celebration: Rain and Nikolai (thank you anon!)

Warning: some spice, but nothing explicit, apart from that just fluff

***

The weather in Ravka was whimsical, to say the least.

One day there was sun and clear sky and the other the habitants had to deal with fog or storm or rain. And most of them did not like when it was wet and dark outside, cause it was clear sign that they would be stuck at the little palace for longer than anyone would wish for. It was particularly painful for squallers and tidemakers, the rest were complaining but found their way to deal with it. Of course, it was possible to just use the Grisha power and dissipate the clouds, but nature was nature and there were still rules to stick by, one of them saying that Etherealki were not supposed to mess with it more than necessary.

However, there is always an exception to the rule, or at least they say so.

“Ugh!” Zoya grunted upon noticing the first drops on the ground “I can’t believe it! Why can’t we just make those clouds go away? I can do this.”

“Zoya” Nadia put a hand on her shoulder “you know we are not supposed to do that. King’s orders.”

“Well, someone should knock some sense into Nikolai’s head” the brunette scoffed, raising her hands, ready to call upon the wind “I need training. I want to train and I am not going to stop just because….”

“Surely you are not going to disobey, right?” Adrik came out of nowhere and chimed in “you are a soldier, you have to be obedient.” He reminded her and it made her sigh deeply in frustration.

“I hate it.”

“Yes, we heard you loud and clear, now come on, we have to find shelter before we get drenched.”

And just like that, all the Grisha assembled on the palace ground started running from the droplets, which slowly intensified and after a couple of minutes, the drizzle turned into full-on torrent.

“Aren’t you happy we are inside now?”  Nadia smiled at Zoya, but the latter was even more annoyed than before.

“NO!” she said firmly with a pout on her face

“Someone’s in the mood, today” a male’s voice came from the other entrance to the room and everyone turned to face king Nikolai himself.

“My king” Genya was the first one to raise from her seat and approach him

“I still can’t get used to that title” Nik smiled brightly “but you gotta admit it suits me well, doesn’t it?”

“Well…..” Genya started, but Zoya interrupted her

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t get too much to your head, you majesty.” She smirked

“If it ever does, I give you permission to knock some sense into me.” Nikolai chuckled at the girl’s surprised expression “yes, yes, I heard you use that particular expression. Just be sure to avoid the face, will you? Your punches are quite strong and I can’t risk getting injured in the most visible part of me. Now, is everyone back from the field?”

‘Squallers are at full strength” Adrik assured

“How about tidemakers, Annika?”

“As well, moi tsar.” the girl bowed gently and earned a smile from Nikolai.

“And what about Inferni?” he hesitated a bit

“I think we all know the answer to that question. Y/N is missing, obviously.”

“Guess that’s the aftermath of the time she spend on the ship with you in the role of Sturmhond”

“Good thing I know exactly where to look for her.” Nikolai started walking towards the exit ready to go outside straight into the downpour

“My king!” Genya yelled after him “you should not….”

“Oh, dear Genya, after all this time, you should not use the “you should” with me. Don’t you know I’m gonna do what I want either way. I’m the king after all” he winked at the girl without having any care in the world.

*** “You know, for an Inferni, you are strangely fascinated with water.” Y/N, who was sitting under the canopy near the waterfall, listening to the sound of rain turned around at the voice, a bit alarmed, ready to throw a fireball straight into Nikolai’s face. “Hey! Easy with that!” he raised hands in defense.

“Do not sneak on me!” she spat and then started laughing at the man, her eyes glistening with joy “you are drenched, moi tsar.“

“As if you weren’t.”

“I don’t really care. Besides, I got the heat, I can get myself dry, easily, unlike you.” Y/N smiled at him and reached a hand towards him “come on, we can both fit in here. Can’t risk you getting sick.”

“Oh, you are worried about me” he grinned sitting close to her, sneaking an arm around her waist and puling the girl in “That is just so sweet, my love”

“Mhm, sure. I’m worried about all your people and royal advisors coming after me with pitchforks because I gave the king the flu.”

“Pichfork?” he raised an eyebrow, but could not help a little laugh. “Why pitchfork?”

“I don’t know” she leaned into him. It was kinda funny, how she was the Infeni and yet, he was the one who was giving her warmth. The kind that does not come from the fire, but from the inside and from all the feelings she get because of him “isn’t that what used to be use to deal with witches? And I am a witch after all.”

“Sure you are. You definitely bewitched me.” Nikolai kissed her temple and she closed her eyes enjoying this. Maybe too much. “Besides, as the king, I choose to be here.”

“It’s just so quiet and peaceful, you know” she snuggled closer to him “unlike in the palace or in training. There just always so many people, so many noises. And rain, rain just make it all go away.”

“Like I said, you are one strange Inferni.”

“Maybe.” She sighed “you know people hear “’Inferni” and automatically assume those are the one who beams with energy all the time, have power and strength, and are always ready to jump into action. But hey, guess what, we are people too, we are tired and stressed and worried and need a break from time to time.”

“Hard week?” he asked rubbing on her arm lovingly and reassuringly.

“Like usual. It’s not like I can compare with all your duties. You’ve been busy too.”

“Is that why you’ve been hiding here?” he moved away slightly just to search for an answer in her eyes. “Don’t. turn away from me” his hand found a way to her cheek making her face him “Y/n, darling, tell me.”

 “I… that may have been the reason” she muttered “I just knew you would come to find me.” She looked down for a moment but then raised gaze and focused it on his face “Nik, I’m sorry, I just missed you and ….”

She did not get to finish as he leaned forward and planted his lips on hers in the most gentle, slow and emotional kiss that any girl could imagine and wish for. If she wasn’t sitting, her knees would probably gave up on her and she would fall to the ground. Saints, how she missed this. It’s been a week since they had a single silent moment together and it was all reflected in such simple, yet meaningful gesture. His grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her onto his lap, wanting her closer to him, enjoying how she let him hold her, touch her and kiss her. Just being with her was enough.

“I missed you too, my love. And I’m the one who should be sorry for not giving you enough attention.” Nikolai whispered nuzzling her nose with his making her chuckle since she was ticklish.

 “Don’t be silly, Nik. I am no one, just one rowdy Grisha.”

“You.” he pecked her lips again “are everything. My love. My bride. And the queen to be.”

“Ugh….”

“Still don’t like that?”

“I don’t think I’m the queen material.” She squirmed in his lap and it made him a bit too excited “I hate all that panoply and sumptuousness.”

“Do you even know me?” he groaned when she moved more “I’m the least pompous of my family. Do you remember our time on the Volkvolny? Definitely not a prince-like behavior back then.”

“Oh I remember some of that” she smirked locking hands on his neck and whispering in his ear “I also remember bringing the heat without using Inferni skills.”

“Uh… Um… yeah. You see, being a queen comes with one more benefit. “

“And what is that?” she feigned curiosity, even if the evidence was more than palpable

“You get to be the only person the king will kneel for….” He mumbled, kissing her cheek “Love.”

“Really?”

“Sure. I’ll leave with you with that thought.” With one single motion he moved her away and sat back next to him “maybe you won’t be hiding in the middle of the forest in the future.”

“I will. I definitely won’t stop on your account, love.” Y/N rolled her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. There would be time to tease him and get revenge later on. Judging by the circumstances it would be painfully easy to make him fulfill that promise. But not now. “Nik?” she whispered, calming down

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Can we just stay here for a while? I need some peace…. And I want you with me. Just like this.”

“If you think you can get rid of me now you’re crazy. I’m not going anywhere far from….”

“From what?”

“From the person I love.” He answered and just to accent and emphasize those words raised her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently.

At this moment she really wished she was a tidemaker or a squaller. She would definitely disobey all the rules of not messing with nature and will make it rain till the end of the world if it meant just being with him away from the world.

[historianthesecond]

Who Came In With the Sea [I]

Back to my bad habit of making multichapter fics that end up being too long, I hope this one isn’t more than 10 parts or so

Nikolai Lantsov (Sturmhond Edition) x Fem!Mermaid!Reader---------1.9K---SFW** (check tags pls)

> M A S T E R L I S T <

Next →

Summary: After rescuing a group of prisoners from a slave ship, Sturmhond finds a particular hostage that seems to be more than it meets the eye.

Tags: Strangers to Lovers| Mermaid AU| Slow Burn| Magic & Stuff| Mentions of Death, Violence, and Blood** but not very detailed|

The deck ended up splattered with a rosy mix of blood and broken ice that crunched under Sturmhond’s boots as he descended into the ship's bowels, past the ripped bunks and the ashy gallows, down to the brig where the cargo was supposed to be. There were barely any oil lamps in the section, which made the landscape all the bleaker.

No matter how many times he had raided a slave ship, it would never cease to feel like a punch in the stomach, stealing all the air from his lungs as the muscles of his hands grabbed the sword with too much force, even if the weapon wasn't necessary anymore.

Cells flanked the hull’s interior, mossy walls with leaks that created puddles echoed which each step is taken like the insides of a damned cavern. He frowned, looking at the huddled bodies covered in filth and dry blood. Dozens of eyes observed him, their expressions ranging from horror to fear, and some of them with curiosity, even—people from all age groups, the majority with their hands hung and chained from the ceiling, clearly Grisha.  

If he could, he would like to kill the slavers all over again.  

“It’s going to be alright,” he said, using his prince-like voice, not the threatening low tone, or the ironic smile he used to wear all the time. For a moment, he let himself slip a little, for his people needed the comfort. “You’re safe now. We’re going to make sure you all return home.”

Sturmhond commanded to seize the boat and free the people, moving them to the Volkvolny. It would get crowded, but it wasn’t fair for them to live in the same ship they were held hostages for around two weeks until they reach land. Besides, the slaver boat was unsanitary. Lucky for them Grisha wouldn’t get sick, but for the minority of otkazat’sya, it was especially important to keep a clean space to avoid any possible plague from spreading.

In the meantime, some of his crew could manage the slaver’s ship, trying to fix all the details of the fight before Sturmhond could part ways and send them to put it on sale in Ketterdam—where there was always a desperate merchant in need of a cargo ship.  

“Captain!” Tamar descended the stairs, her nose scrunched in disgust at smelling the odor of such space. “You have to see this.”

The Heartrender guided him toward the captain’s quarters localized on the second floor of the main deck. The room was around the same size as Sturmhond's but with poor taste in decoration. Old rugs showed stains that could be anything, from alcohol to any bodily fluids and even something that seemed liquid silver.

Tolya was crouched next to the bed, the rug kicked away and wrinkled at his side, eyes focused on the ground open in front of him. His sister gestured to the captain to take a look inside, handing him an oil lamp.

It was a hole carved in the floorboards, a precarious stair descending straight into a secret room, so dark Sturmhond didn’t dare to jump directly, preferring to take a lamp in one hand and hope that the creaky wood of the steps wouldn't break under his weight.

Around three or four meters tall, the space felt claustrophobic nevertheless, with walls hunched at an acute angle corresponding to the boat's prow. With the flicking light of the lantern, it felt as if they were closing at each passing second.

The air felt stalled, the acrid smell of blood made it almost impossible to reprime a gag. His steps faltered, the lamp illuminating fragments of vials and other crystal bottles over rusty stoves, some of them with dry contents inside. Books and notes were scattered over the only desk in the room, some clothes wrinkled in balls thrown at the floor. A clandestine lab.

Sturmhond walked over to the right wall, looking at the disheveled cabinet, again filled with vials of many, the crimson and black liquid staining the wood of the surface slightly bloated from the constant humidity. Each of them had scribbles describing their contents, but the handwriting was too messy to figure it out in semi-darkness.

“What is all this?” he muttered. The sound of his voice echoed, making a corner move in the left side—the lower part of the room—, move. Sturmhond quickly took out his gun, looking that his fingers were stained with powder. “Who’s there?! Show yourself and I won’t shoot you!” Not right now, anyway.

The person didn’t move, but he heard the clanking sound of chains. Sturmhond directed the beacon at the said corner, the flame dancing with the movement. It made him feel dizzy to focus on a clear image, but he recognized your figure tied up in a corner.

His first instinct was to go toward you and help you just as he did with the rest of the prisoners, but… something wasn’t right. The scene in front of him stopped his feet from taking a step forward, his hands still handling the gun, though it was now pointing at the floor. He couldn't try to take a deep breath to steady himself from the terrible smell of the place, so he opted to scan the desk contents, calling inside the twins with a gesture of his hand to help him.

“We didn’t want to do anything with her until you came to evaluate the situation,” Tolya muttered as he joined the captain in front of the desk.

"At first sight, we thought it was just a clandestine lab because all these instruments don’t seem too friendly to be an infirmary. But then we saw her…” Tamar shrugged. “She’s not Grisha, or at least, she told us she isn’t.”

As he walked over to the desk and started to read papers, Sturmhond watched you from the corner of his eye. You were tied from hands and legs, both folded backward, so you were kneeling over the ground, a dirty, worn-out rug thrown under you to keep you from staining the floor with your wounds.

Some uncanny practices made him unsure how to approach, could you even walk? What did you do to be treated like this? Maybe start a mutiny, but then why the slavers didn’t kill you right away?  

You were blindfolded with a thick fabric; another dirty rag also covered your open mouth to stop you from yelling or even talking.

Sturmhond frowned. Wasn’t it a bit too excessive? The slavers could also be inclined to torture, of course. It wouldn’t be the first time. Because you didn’t look very threatening at first glance, but who knows how much time you had been locked here, or who you were outside of this boat, out of the sea.

Among the worn-out leather logbooks, Tolya pointed at him his discoveries about medical remedies and universal antidotes, some diagrams about the human body pinned in the wall. Sturmhond wanted to know why you were here, like this, but when Tamar picked a dirty, rusty surgeon kit to examine it against the light, he quickly regretted his curiosity. He should have helped you first.

He walked over to you, stopping until he was in front of your knelt figure. You didn’t move, not even shivering, but he could hear your breath, slow, silent, barely noticeable.

“I’m going to unchain you,” Sturmhond said in a soft voice, taking his lockpick instrument from some pocket in his coat. He could have swung his blade, of course, but he wished to break the metal in a non-violent way. The least he wanted was to frighten you even more than you probably were. “But you can’t move while we do it. Do we have a deal?”

You stiffened at hearing him talk directly to you, dirty hair falling over your cheeks and forehead as you nodded.

“Good.” Sturmhond’s hand hovered around her face. “First I’ll take off the blindfold and the cloth in your mouth, too.”

He felt your oily hair as his fingers unknotted the fabric, carefully pulling it away from your face in case it would have been glued against your skin with your dry blood or something similar.

Your eyes blinked as you got used to the oil lamp cast so close to your face, looking at Sturmhond’s eyes that were observing you with a mix of caution and interest.  He saw the streaks of dry tears down your cheeks, currents that washed away the dirt covering the rest of your face. Bloody lips there where you had nibbled them. And it was only the visible parts—who knows what other wounds you would have under the rags you were for clothes. He had the sensation it would be a lot, and the dark stain under where you were kneeling for a tortuous eternity seemed like enough proof.

Sturmhond knelt, first picking the lock of your hands as he told the twins to carry anything that seemed important out of the hole and into his cabin in the Volkvolny. As they leave, he told them that one of them would stay behind to help him take them out of the room, as even if you could walk, climbing up such precarious stairs was surely out of the question.

Tolya left, with Tamar waiting in the captain's room above. Deep inside the dark room, Sturmhond tried to ask about your identity, with no luck in making you talk.

He wouldn’t pressure you, then. Perhaps when you trust him a little more, you’ll open up about yourself, about how you ended up like this.

Both locks fell with a muffled thud against the rug. “Can you walk?” he said, trying not to mourn too much for another ruined pair of pants as he saw the growing stains of filth and blood on his knees.

You tried, wobbly legs as you stood up. He saw your jaw clenching as you tried to take a step.

He stopped you, his hand in front of him. “Don’t move. It’s alright. I’ll carry you.” Sturmhond bumped his head against the ceiling as he helped carry your legs out, but there was no other mishap.

Tamar chortled because of course she did. Sturmhond would have given her an unamused look, but her laugh made you smile, so he let it slide just on this occasion.

Before heading out of the quarters, Sturmhond looked down to the darkness below with a frown. He didn’t want to focus too much on the way your body felt in his arms with each step forward, on your grasp of his neck and shoulders to keep you from slipping when he crossed one of the planks connecting both ships.

Even when Tamar tried to cheer you up on the way back to his ship, you remained quiet. Curious, Sturmhond looked at you, for that silence seemed suspicious at least, but he found your eyes locked in the sea below, lips slightly parted as if you were about to say something.

Perhaps you had seen a whale or a dolphin. People liked dolphins for some reason, and they used to follow the ships, just like some sharks, to feast on the leftovers of the gallows.

But as he observed the calm, eerily still surface, he could have sworn something massive shifted under the waves as if it were looking back.

[writing-havoc]

Let it be that

♡ Summary: It's late in the night when his demons wreak the most havoc. You're there to keep Nikolai company.

♡ Pairing: Nikolai x reader

♡ Fandom: Shadow and Bone, Grishaverse

♡ Warning(s): None,,,, I think. There's a bit about a snake swirling in a gut if that's a particularly bad ick

♡ WC: 2.4k

Yooo a Nikolai fic for the Nikolai lovers.

This is written in sort of a weird in-between stage? He has control over the nichevo'ya in him, so the sleeping tonics aren't really necessary anymore, but he's still king. So do with that what you will.

It's basically 2k+ words of him yearning.

Please excuse any spelling or grammar mistakes.

Hope you enjoy <3

∘₊✧──────────────────✧₊∘

Eye bags threaten to weigh down his entire face from beneath the wanning tailored mask. He was told by Zoya he looked as if he lost a fight with an ambidextrous boxer. And if the tired, yet handsome, man in the mirror truly was him, then she was right.

He really needed some sleep.

But it refused to come to him. Tonics and blood coming to mind at a mere glance of his bed. It makes his stomach turn and gives him the uncomfortable urge to constantly look over his shoulder, despite the threat being inside. And when he realizes that, he can't stop staring at his hands and chest, and it almost looks and feels like the black that covers his fingers is trailing up his palm, and then he blinks and it starts all over.

No matter how in control he feels, some days there's just a lingering anxiety about it.

Sleep isn't coming. Not for a long time. Not until he physically exhausts himself and passes out, and then still he may resist.

But it's not like he has anything to do. His quarters are barren of anything he may find interesting at this hour, and he would rather not get piss drunk just to pass the time with an early meeting tomorrow- today?

He takes a look out his window, marking the positions of the shadow from the moon, and confirms that it is, in fact, today.

It only makes his eyes hurt, a low growling coming from in his mind and possibly escaping his throat.

A knocking on his doorway startles him out of it.

"Enter." He says a lot more curtly than he intends. He bites his tongue.

"I don't think I want to anymore given that tone." Immediately he bites it harder, if only to stop a long winding nervous ramble about the new flower placed outside his window, which also happens to be your favorite.

You stand in the space of his open doorway, hand on the handle and your body half ready to tuck tail and flee. "May I?"

"Of course." He says, a bit too fast, and takes out his chair from his desk and drags it over to beside the bed.

The door shuts with a grand thunk, and your footsteps pad over quieter than ever. He places a pillow on top of the hard wood, just how you like it, and gestures for you to sit.

"I know you aren't a fan." You say, sitting atop the pillow. "So I wanted to hang out for a bit."

He smiles softly, and vaguely notes the roses drifting in at the corners of his eyes. "You mustn't stay up just for me. Beauty sleep is vital, especially for someone as attractive as thee."

You snort, giving him a look that at surface level reads annoyance, but he knows better, seeing the fond disbelief for what it is. "'Someone as attractive as thee?' Really? Didn't know this was a poetry class."

"I have to keep you on your toes. Can't allow you to know everything now can I? How would I ever surprise you?"

"You surprise me every day, Nikolai." His heart thrumps against his chest. "I don't think a change in vocabulary is required."

He snorts. "You have me there."

"That I do."

He takes in your appearance, and nearly gets on his knees when he realizes the soft white cloth that covers your torso has small embroideries on it, all of which hold a certain interest to your craft and possibly his own.

Gears, nuts, bolts, and wires stipple along your shoulders, falling down to your torso, where they plunge into flowing water at the hem. A design similar to a grisha kefta dances along your other sleeve, the same color at the bolts with dashes of purple if you look close enough.

He realizes you are the one that embroidered the details into the shirt, your signature shading technique used throughout the piece.

"How long did these take you?" He barely brushes his finger over the hem of the shirt, then presses down to feel the individual stitches.

You pick up the hem, feeling your own work as well. "A lot longer than I would like." Your voice is low and rumbly as you try to remain relatively quiet. "I kept messing up and changing the color part way through. I actually had to change shirts because I restarted so many times on the first one that the threads didn't want to hold together."

He believes it.

The care you take to make sure every line serves a purpose is inspiring. It makes him want to tinker with the parts around his room, take apart a clock like the young boy he once was did, now that all the clocks are his.

Perhaps he could sneak to Lazlayon. David will probably still be there. The three of you could work until his meeting.

But you'd be cranky the rest of the day. You'd have no problem staying up late to accompany him until it becomes a problem, and then you do yourself the disservice of playing it off like it's fine when everyone else is giving you a very wide berth in the halls and courtyard.

He would like you to have a social life.

"You alright?" He hears you ask.

You're half smiling when he looks up, trying really hard keep his eyes locked on yours and not elsewhere. "I'm not that readable. I know I'm not."

"You had nothing on your face." You admit, leaning in. "And that was the problem."

And doesn't that make him feel bare, vulnerable. To be known so well that even a lack of an expression is an expression in and of itself.

He feels his lips pull apart, the slight stickiness of his mouth slowly separating as he tries to think of something witty, something fast, and it feels like his mind is blank except for the blaringly obvious reason.

"I can't sleep." He whispers, eyes fluttering. "I can't sleep, and everything that could help is exactly the reason why I can't." He let's the hem fall from his fingers, dragging what feels like 40 pounds of dead weight back over to his own lap. "And you're sitting here, staying with me, and there's nothing I can do about the ocean of guilt my stomach and heart and any other organ that has the capacity for feelings are swimming in."

Guilt is the reigning emotion, making it feel like a snake is swimming through his gut, playing with his liver and choking his heart and lungs. If he thinks about it he can feel the tongue flickering and tickling stomach.

He's grateful you're here, but he wants so badly to either force you to leave or drag you into his bed so that you might get some modicum of sleep.

But you'd fight him every step of the way, pushing your heels into the floor (which would scratch them up and you'd complain about it tomorrow) and getting yanked out by his guards when they assume the worst.

And if he chose the second one... it twists his insides in a more pleasant way, but makes his head swim, and really really scares him. Because if you take it the way he really wishes it was, the way he dreams about, then he loses you, and may be seen as just like his father. And that's the worst thing he could ask for.

So he's stuck. He's stuck with the guilt until you decide to leave.

"I feel like we have the same conversation everytime I'm here." You chuckle, and he chuckles too.

"It's probably because we do. Or at least some version of it with varying words of vulnerability."

You lean forward more, arms crossed over your chest. "And it always ends up the same."

It does. It always ends with you sitting there for a few hours until you tire and then he has a guard guide you back to your room.

"But it doesn't need to." He scoots along the side of the bed, sinking into the sewn cloth filled with wool and feathers. "You're tired when you walk out of here and need an extra four cups of coffee when you wake up, and you hate coffee."

"But I like you." You turn in his chair facing directly towards him and he can't breathe anymore.

He doesn't know what way you mean that, if it means in any capacity the way he yearns for it to be. So he waits, with baited breath, for you to elaborate.

"I like you." You emphasize once more. "I like staying up into the latest hours of the night, either talking about everything and nothing or sitting in silence. I look forward to them, actually. Just existing in your presense is enough to make the obscene amounts of caffeine worth it."

It's on the edge. It could be a confession or it could just be you being nice. And he would rather throw himself into the unsea than be one of those guys he hears you complain about.

"I want to be here." You stand and move your chair, pushing it away from the bed. He barely has time to sit up straight before you're right in front of him, legs falling open to allow you closer as your hands come up and rest on his cheeks.

"I want you, Nikolai, wholly and completely, just as you are now. With every flaw and blemish etched into your being, a demon awaiting in your chest." Your thumbs gently glide over his bottom lip, coming to rest at the corner of his open mouth. "But there's a small part of me that fears you do not want me in the way that I want you."

He doesn't know how to respond. He couldn't possibly begin to string together any number of words that could convey even a semblance of the sincerity you ambushed him with.

He's a king for saints sake. Words are supposed to come to him in times of need.

But his mind is an endless fog, and the only thing he can think of is you.

You standing above him, pads of your fingers touching him so gently, palms radiating a warmth that makes him want to lean in and soak in it (he does), and a perfect mouth and mind that pair so well.

He needs to convince you. He needs to somehow tell you that you mean everything to him and more.

"Did you know my favorite drink is brandy?" He asks, looking you right in the eye.

Your eyebrows crinkle, but you smile. "I did."

He tugs you towards him, hands sliding up your back as you take tiny, unsure steps closer and closer. His fingers trail under your shirt, right against your warm skin and in the divet of your spine, and squeeze you until you're completely between his legs, chest leaning back just to get a look at him.

"If there was ever a time where you wanted the last drop of it, saints, the whole bottle, I would give it over in a heartbeat." Goosebumps dance along his skin when your fingers meet the base of his neck, toying with the hair. "If you hated the way a painting looked, i'd throw it out of the castle, and have it burned on the steps if it should please you. If you wanted a pastry from a shop two hundred miles away, i'd fly there immediately, ride there as fast as I could, or sprint the entire distance, if it meant you could eat it."

Your eyes scittered around his face, watching his brows, his eyes, his mouth, and even his ears, for anything. Anything he would give you to tell you he was lying.

But there was nothing to give.

He really would give you the last drop of brandy. He really would fly, ride, sprint two hundred miles for a pastry. "I would kiss you right now if you should request it, or leave from my own chambers should you request that instead."

"Nikolai." You whisper his name, his eyes fluttering the same time as his heart.

"I want you." He tells you forthright. "I want you in the way you want me. If you should ever need to be confident in something, let it be that."

Please, please let it be that.

You look at him, and all he can see is someone he wants. There isn't a thing about you that makes him turn away. Not your eating habits, not your hygiene, not your smell or your walk or your stance.

And as you lean down, placing those perfect lips right over his, definitely not your taste.

It's coffee and whatever berries were leftover from supper, the stickiness of sugar coating your lips from when you licked them clean.

You lean back, and he feels your lips press themselves over his cheek. His stomach turns and turns and turns and it won't stop. It makes his breath shakey and his closed eyes roll even further and further back in into his skull until he's sure they won't ever come back.

But more importantly it makes him feel warm, and warmer yet as you place a kiss over his eyes, the corners of his lips where your fingers rested, between his brows, the awkward bridge and tip of his nose, his chin. Your hands are gentle as they rest in the space between his neck and shoulder, and even still as your fingers find his nape and your lips kiss his again. Each part of him feels raw and exposed.

It's terrifying, and every bit as pleasing.

When you lean back a second time, he opens his eyes, and sees you smiling.

He hums. "If this is where not sleeping gets me, I'm going to have to do it more often."

"You already do it almost every night." You chuckle. "Besides, you don't need to go through all of that just to get a few kisses. I'd be happy to hand them over whenever you like."

"Whenever?" He presses.

"Whenever."

"Now?"

"If you like."

"I would like very much."

He's not all that surprised when you indulge him.

[bumblesimagines]

Imagine:

Meeting Alina

Request: Yes or No

Revamped version of this! I don't know why I felt so strongly about revamping it but maybe its cause I've started reading the first book

~~~

Not many ventured into the library willingly. There'd been Genya, until she read nearly every book and grew bored, and Zoya but it'd been back in the day when she thought (Y/N) would pay her a piece of mind if she showed interest in his hobbies before she moved on to trying to charm the General. (Y/N) couldn't fault her ambition. It was what drove Grishas.

But (Y/N) never ventured into the libraries for grand tales or recountings of past war heroes. No, he searched high and low for more information on the very man he was connected to by blood. The Darkling, the creator of the Fold and someone he once trusted and loved wholeheartedly. 

Until the Sun Summoner arrived and with her, the potential to destroy the Fold. He should've been relieved at the news of someone with the potential to overthrow General Kirigan, he should've. But the girl was clumsy, stubborn, awkward... 

Loud.

He heard her every day when she had free time away from Genya and whatever other practice had been thrusted upon her. Her footsteps were obnoxiously loud, her breathing even louder. She made flimsy attempts at hiding herself, choosing the most obvious of spots where she was still visible even if she ducked behind a shelf. Sure, she'd been a mapmaker before her discovery and all her training was for being a proper Grisha, but he'd seen children more sneakier than her. 

(Y/N) could feel her gaze stabbing into his back, distracting him from his reading. He'd changed reading spots six times since her arrival just days prior. Zoya had taken the hint after the third time, though of course, not after one last attempt at flirting that'd been promptly ignored. Stubbornness was a decent thing, especially for someone with her abilities. He preferred she wasted her stubbornness on someone else. But, he knew one way to frighten people. 

His hand dipped into his coat, fingers tracing the loops keeping his favorite throwing knife buckled to his waist. His fingers slipped around the cool handle, movements slow to not draw attention until he pulled it free of the loop and swiftly threw it in her direction. He heard it embed itself into the wood of the bookshelf, her surprised squeak, and the thud of a book falling onto the floor followed by a sharp curse. 

(Y/N) closed the book he'd been trying to read and turned around to face the Sun Summoner, watching her scramble to pick up the book she'd dropped on her foot. "I don't enjoy being watched." His sharp voice made her head raise and she clutched the book tight to her chest, clinging onto it like a child would to a toy. He cut the distance and tugged the knife out of the shelf, just mere inches from where her head had been. 

"I-I'm Alina." She finally spoke, slightly widened eyes glancing between his face and the blade.

"Everyone knows who you are, Sun Summoner." He responded and stepped away, returning to the table. He resisted the urge to sigh when he heard her follow. "I don't particularly care."

Her features seemed to brighten at that. "I've... I've noticed you spend quite a bit of time here." She said and placed her own book down on the table. Grisha Theory and Practice. A classic, if it weren't a bit boring. Alina traced the title over the book with her fingertip, her eyes darting between the book and his features. 

"Do you need something, Sun Summoner? Or are you feeling bored? I could ask Botkin to extend your lessons. I hear you're quite good." She was horrible but progress had been made, or so he heard.

"No!" She answered quickly and he nearly smirked at the terror in her voice. "I-I was just curious about you. And- please, just call me Alina. The Sun Summoner is quite a mouthful-"

"I'll call you whatever I like." (Y/N) had never been known for his sweetness and yet, she remained by the table. Her brows lifted slightly, taken aback by his sharp words again, and her eyes dropped back down to the table, just briefly. 

"What will..." She trailed off and swallowed, swiping her tongue over her lips and tilting her head up to meet his eyes. "What will you call me?"

"A bother." The answer came easily but she'd managed to make his brows furrow in perplexion. She was an odd little thing.

"That's quite enough, (Y/N)." General Kirigan's voice sliced through the air and (Y/N) spared the man a glance before turning his back to him and arranging the books on the table into a neat pile. "We don't treat our fellow Grisha in such a manner."

"Zoya's done worse." It felt childish, muttering like that.

"But you are not Zoya, are you?" General Kirigan stared into the back of his head before turning his attention to Alina. "I apologize for my brother's... attitude. He can be quite rude to those he doesn't know well."

"Brother?" Alina breathlessly repeated but before she could prod more, Genya's voice called for her from the doors. She bowed her head and stumbled over her feet before hurrying in the direction of Genya's voice. It wouldn't matter. Genya would tell her enough to quench her curiosity and leave the more important parts out. 

"It wouldn't kill you to be kind to her. At least pretend to care for her wellbeing." General Kirigan sighed. "We need her. She's important."

"You have Genya spying on her for you. You've spent the past few days trying to get her to fall for you. You'll have better luck finding the stag before that happens."

"And you wish to know why that is? Why she won't ever see me in such a light?" General Kirigan leaned against the table, his dark eyes watching him intently. 

"Because she's in love with the tracker? The one she writes letters to? Genya's shown me some of the letters. I'm surprised he's a tracker. One would think he's as blind as an old lady if he can't see her feelings for-"

"She may harbor feelings for him, yes." He nodded and (Y/N) clamped his mouth shut, the look swirling in his eyes making him feel nervous. "But I'm afraid she doesn't speak of him as much as she does you. She asks about you often. I believe you've caught her eye instead, and for our plan to work, I need her completely and utterly on our side. Your new task is to ensure those feelings grow into genuine love. If you grow to care for her, you may keep her afterward."

"Aleksander-"

"I'm sure you'll carry out this task dutifully as always. Don't disappoint me."

[explosiongamora]

Someone PLEASE cast Jack Wolfe as a Tim Burton character omfg-

BEGGING PLEAS PLEASEPL AAEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE

[writerofthewinds]

Nikolai Lantsov NSFW Alphabet

A/N: Sorry for taking so much time I'm writing and completing all my requests, so I upload them gradually.

Nikolai Lantsov NSFW alphabet

A = Aftercare: Nikolai takes aftercare seriously and makes sure his partner is comfortable and well taken care of after sex. He likes to cuddle and talk, asking if everything was alright and if they enjoyed themselves.

B = Body part: Nikolai's favorite body part of his partner is their lips. He loves how soft they are and how they feel against his own lips. As for his own favorite body part, he is proud of his toned abs.

C = Cum: Nikolai loves to watch his partner cum, especially when it's all over his chest or stomach. He also enjoys cumming on his partner's back and face.

D = Dirty secret: Nikolai has a fetish for being submissive in bed. He likes it when his partner takes control and dominates him.(his partner basically being a power bottom)

E = Experience: Nikolai is experienced and knows exactly what he's doing. He's had his fair share of sexual partners and has explored different kinks and positions. (he's a mix of princess slut and loser)

F = Favorite position: Nikolai's favorite position is doggy style. He loves being able to grab onto his partner's hips and thrust deep inside of them. (better smack ma ass like a drum)

G = Goofy: Nikolai can be pretty humorous during sex, cracking jokes and making his partner laugh. But he also knows when to be serious and passionate.

H = Hair: Nikolai keeps himself well-groomed down there, with a neatly trimmed patch of hair above his cock. He also prefers his partners to have some hair but is open to any style. (if you want to shave, he doesn't give a fuck.

I = Intimacy: Nikolai is very romantic and intimate during sex. He loves kissing and caressing his partner, ensuring they feel loved and cherished.(he seducing me fr)

J = Jack off: When he's alone, Nikolai likes to use his hand and imagines his partner moaning and writhing underneath him.

K = Kink: Nikolai has a kink for bondage and loves to tie his partner up and have his way with them. He also enjoys incorporating food into his sexual play.

L = Location: Nikolai enjoys having sex in unusual places, such as on the deck of a ship(his ship, to be precise lol) or in a private garden. But his favorite place to have sex is in his luxurious bedroom, surrounded by his wealth and power.

M = Motivation: What turns Nikolai on the most is the thought of his partner being submissive to him, letting him take control and dominate them.(he like it when I bend over and I arch my back)

N = No: Nikolai is not into anything that involves pain or humiliation. He also doesn't like anything too extreme or dangerous.

O = Oral: Nikolai is skilled in both giving and receiving oral. He loves to go down on his partner, tasting their sweetness and feeling them squirm beneath him. He also enjoys having his cock sucked, especially when his partner deepthroats him feeling his throat convulsing around his cock, milking him dry.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) Nikolai is adaptable when it comes to pace. Depending on the mood and the situation, he can switch from slow and sensual to fast and rough in a heartbeat.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.) Nikolai loves quickies. He enjoys the thrill of the moment and the rush of adrenaline that comes with it. He wouldn't mind having them often, but he's also aware that sometimes you must take your time to truly savor the experience.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.) Nikolai is a risk-taker by nature, and that extends to his sexual life as well. He's open to experimenting and trying new things, and he's not afraid of taking risks if it means he'll have a good time.(danger adventure and sex baby)

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?) Nikolai has impressive stamina. He can go for multiple rounds and last for quite some time, especially if he's really into it. He enjoys testing his limits and pushing himself to go further.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?) Nikolai doesn't really use toys, but he's not opposed to them either. He's open to using them with a partner if they're interested, but he prefers to rely on his own skills and abilities to please his partner.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) Nikolai loves to tease his partner. He enjoys seeing them squirm and beg for more, and he's not above withholding pleasure to get them to that point. (then when u tease this bish, he's gonna whine, lol)

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.) Nikolai is not a quiet lover. He likes to vocalize his pleasure and make his partner feel desired and appreciated. He's not shy about moaning, groaning, or even screaming if the moment calls for it.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character) Nikolai likes to experiment with food during sex. He finds it exciting to incorporate different tastes and textures into the experience, and he's not afraid to get a little messy in the process.(like covering his dick with honey and making u suck it until he comes)

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes) Nikolai is well-endowed, with a thick and long penis ideally suited for giving his partner plenty of pleasure. His member is also quite veiny, which makes for an interesting visual experience during sex. (around 8 to 9 inches).

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?) Nikolai has a high sex drive and a deep yearning for physical intimacy. He loves the feeling of being close to someone and the pleasure that comes with it, and he's always eager to explore new aspects of his sexuality.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward). Nikolai usually falls asleep pretty quickly after sex. He's exhausted from the physical exertion and the emotional intensity of the experience, and he likes to bask in the afterglow before drifting off to sleep.

[kazuiislazy]

“You should be scared of me.”

Pairing: The Darkling x Healer!Reader

A/N: Reader is literally insane, the darkling keeping the reader as he personal healer, idk what's happening tbh. As you were brought forward to the Darkling’s tent, you should’ve been scared. Terrified. But for some reason, the thought of meeting the shadow summoner himself made you tweak with excitement. You didn’t feel an ounce of fear, not at all.

“Moi soverenyi, I’ve brought them.” the man in his red kefta beside you bowed. You looked at every intricate design of the tent, black with a touch of gold here and there. You felt the Darkling’s eyes on you as you continued tracing every detail in your mind.

He nodded. “Leave us,” he commanded. The man in the red kefta and everyone else in the tent left immediately. You were still busy staring at the designs. “You know, black and gold is a great colour combination. It fits you.”

The general tilted his head and raised his eyebrow. “You know why you’re here, right?” You nodded, humming as your eyes finally met his. “I do,” you paused, “moi soverenyi.” He was confused by your calm and seemingly happy demeanour.

“You should be scared of me.” This caused you to raise your eyebrow. You hummed, shaking your head. The Darkling scoffed. He walked closer to you. And you smiled.

He looked at you, observed you. “And what are you?” “Just a healer.” His eyes squinted at you in suspicion. “How’d a healer get in trouble?” You shrugged. “Just because I’m a healer doesn’t mean I can’t throw a fight.” His eyes raked your entire being and soul itself.

“So you got in a fight.” he raised his voice, making it seem like a question. “Mm, only because someone started it first. And I decided to join.” He stared you down. You were an interesting one. “Why?” You looked at him.

“Why not?” you challenged. “I don't often get the chance to talk to someone like you.” he stated. “Of course, moi soverenyi. Everyone’s afraid. Of you, of everything.” He hummed in agreement.

“I’d like to keep you around.” he got closer, “you’ll be my personal healer from now onwards.” You nodded. “I would like that, moi soverenyi.”

“Please. Just call me Aleksander.”

[undiscovered-horizon]

"Four Crows Investigation" - Kaz Brekker x Reader

[vulgar language]

[Part 2 - Lovebirds' Outfox]

☽ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ☾

Enjoying my work? You can leave me a tip on Ko-Fi

SUMMARY: After Nina makes a passing comment about Brekker’s heartbeat, three crows join her in an investigation to uncover the true nature of your relationship with Kaz.

WORDCOUNT: ~ 1.4k

>>Grishaverse-inspired playlist&lt;<

Sitting around the table, leaning forward in a secretive manner, the four Crows look nothing short of a conspiracy. Their appearance is in no way deceptive - that’s exactly the reason for their meeting. Nina looks between Jesper’s and Wylan’s shoulders, checking whether you and Kaz are in any way suspicious of their gathering. For now, you look a little too preoccupied with each other. Time for the final conference.

The Heartrender leans even further towards her friends, looking between them with a questioning gaze. She seems to be the most excited about this ‘secretive investigation’, as she called it a week ago, but that should not come as a surprise - all of this has been her idea from start to finish. The moment she noticed Kaz’s heartbeat significantly pick up when you showed up in a ball gown in an attempt to mix in with the immorally wealthy crowd at the banquet, Nina simply had to know more. Her friends, although reluctant at first, joined the scheme out of their own meddling.

“So, what did you manage to find out?” She’s trying to keep her voice quiet but the sheer excitement makes it difficult.

“I still don’t understand why we’re doing this,” Wylan stutters out while shaking his head gently. He may be part of a crime syndicate now but spying on his friends, and his boss, just seems too far.

“Because we care about them?” Jesper asks with fake worry in his voice. Then, a devious smile appears on his face. “And we’re morbidly curious.”

“Can’t we just ask them, then?”

“As if either of them is going to say something,” Inej grunts. Knowing both of you fairly well, she never expected a straightforward question to get anything outside of a snarky comment or a side-eye.

Nina impatiently taps her hand on the table. “Alright, who goes first?”

╚ Jesper’s Evidence  ╝

He knows Kaz is going to get angry the moment he walks through the door but, at the same time, Jesper’s kind of out of options. As much as he hates to admit it to himself and definitely will not do it aloud, he’s facing an impasse.

The moment he pushes the door open, your and Kaz’s eyes snap towards him. He makes a note of your shoulders - brushing against one another as you’re standing over scattered papers, a little too close for practicality or for the closeness to be accredited to accident. You’re definitely giving the impression that he walked in at an inconvenient moment.

But Jesper is good at bluffing, never giving away that he noticed the thought-provoking lack of space between you. “Carliogne won’t talk unless he sees the contract you signed with Bruglione,” he informs. “His reasoning is that we’re probably trying to fuck him over.”

Kaz stares at him for a moment with an unreadable expression. “We are,” he finally answers.

“Well, he doesn’t need to know that for now, does he?”

“It makes sense,” you speak up. Pondering, you nod to yourself. “If he sees the contract, he’ll become less cautious and playing him should be even easier. Just wait a second,” you wave your hand at Jesper, “I think I put it in the bottom drawer.”

The moment you crouch behind the desk, Jesper’s eyes catch movement - Kaz is covering the edge of the table over your head with his hand. Considering that he’s looking at papers in the opposite direction, he might not even be aware of this little habit. The gunslinger stifles a smile. Nina is going to love this.

Soon, you stand back up at the protective hand reaches to flip through a wad of documents as though nothing has happened. Extending your arm towards Jesper, you offer him the folded contract between your two fingers.

“Please, don’t get it stained.”

“Can’t make promises,” he says with a cheeky smile as he snatches the paper from you.

Jesper hears your groan right before he closes the door behind himself.

╚ Wylan’s Evidence  ╝

Wylan rarely got ‘field work’ aside from setting up explosives. The out-of-ordinary occasions were stake-outs, when he’d sit in one place for hours on end waiting for something to happen, having only Jesper’s company to pass the time - not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, that’s the only part that makes those ‘patrol duties’ bearable.

 Although he feels uneasy creepily watching, he’s supposed to wait for an agreed-on sign to carry out his part in the plan. And with Jesper gone to the bathroom, the responsibility of staying vigilant is his only. Sitting on the carriage bench, he has a good view of the street but most of his attention surrounds a certain table at a boulangerie near the junction. You and Kaz are doing a great job at looking common - just drinking coffee, chatting, completely run-of-the-mill people and definitely not hardened criminals ready to call their companions to action when their prey is in sight.

Wylan suddenly sits up, hardly believing the scene unfolding before his eyes: you offer Kaz your bagel and he just… bites it. No glares, no scowls, he just takes a bite and you continue the conversation. Maybe Nina was right and something is up.

The carriage shakes slightly as Jesper gets back on it. “What did I miss?” he asks in an upbeat voice.

╚ Inej’s Evidence ╝

It’s the middle of the night but Inej rarely works at other times. Only one thing stands between her and the comfort of her bed - Kaz. She’s well-aware that he’s still going to be working at this hour, making her wonder once more: when does he rest?

Kaz seems to be expecting her as he doesn’t even flinch when she barges into his office. He just looks up at her for a moment, only to return to writing something. Inej is about to tell him what Lorenzzo Carliogne had been up to during the day, when her eyes focus on a surprising singularity: the daybed standing in the corner of the office, used as an additional shelf or a desk most of the time, is occupied. First, she realizes that it’s you sleeping on it but then another, a much more interesting detail, catches her eye in the dim candlelight of the room - you’re covered with a coat that undoubtedly looks like it belongs to Kaz.

“I take it there’s a reason you’re here at this hour?” Brekker brings her attention back to himself.

“Yes,” she starts, sparing you one last glance before looking at Kaz, “Carliogne lives with his wife and three children. Staff comes in through a separate pair of doors, only the main chef and butler have keys to it. There’s a rotation in guards during lunch.”

“Good,” he answers. Kaz looks up at Inej but again, it’s just for a moment - his focus is soon directed at the papers in front of him.

A silence falls. The thought to inquire about you, the daybed and his coat passes her thoughts but an instinct dissuades her from doing so. Because realistically, what sort of answer would Kaz give her anyway? It’s better to spare herself the snark and just go to bed.

The four friends look between each other, curious whether all of them came to the same conclusion. Tense excitement hangs in the air. There is a certain aspect of juvenile nosyness that entices them, making this whole over-the-top operation fun and not just a gossip convention.

A pout twists Nina’s face. It would have looked sad if it wasn’t for her raised eyebrows, making her expression more compassionate than woeful. “They’re so in love it’s kind of embarrassing,” she announces.

Three pairs of eyes follow her pitiful gaze to the faraway table where you’re sitting with Kaz, oblivious to the interest the Crows have in you. It looks like you’re retelling him a story, gesturing wildly with one of your hands, while the other is kept on the table, underneath his gloved fingers. Kaz is just nodding along, answering something shortly from time to time. 

“Just look at them,” Jesper says with a sense of misguided pride as though he had some contribution in the makings of the couple. He’s shaking his head with amusement. “How could we ever had any doubts?”

“Do you think they know that we know?” Wylan asks quietly.

Inej shrugs. “I don’t think they care.”

[igotanidea]

Empty promises: Nikolai Lantsov x reader

A/N: first of all, sorry to everyone wainting for "Traitor", but I felt the need to write something sad and heart wrenching so here;s that. For now. Angst coming right next. Oh, and you have been warned, this is sad. And got spoilers for ep.4/5.

***

„Alina? Are you decent?” Y/n peeked through the door the very second the queen’s seamstress left the room.

“Y/n! Please, come in. It’s so good to see your face.” Alina struggled in the dress “I wish I could greet you properly but I can’t, quite, move in this.”

“Oh, yes, I’ve heard some rumors about certain Saint and the outfit trouble.” Y/N laughed wholeheartedly ”I don’t think it’s really your style, no matter what the queen mother may have to say about that. I may have an idea to save you from that torture though. If, you let me, that is.”

“Please. Anything.” Alina shook her head

“All right then. You know, a tailor would probably be better with the fitting, but as an Inferni I can surely give you something to boost your confidence” Y/N started turning around, picking another outfit for sol koroleva.

“Y/N.” Alina said and the timbre of her voice made the other Grisha stop in her track and look up “How… How are holding up? With me and Nikolai….?”

“I’m fine” Y/N assured quickly. Too quickly to make it believable. “I just ….” She sighed deeply, gathering all the strength she had to finish that sentence “I just wish he told me sooner, you know. Not just leave me like that. Given all we have… had….” she corrected and covered a little tremble by coughing “But he just left me as surprised as any other Grisha in the room when he announced your engagement and  it feels like betrayal, Alina. “ she went silent for a minute “but yes, apart from that I am perfectly fine. Now, let’s focus on the suit.”

“Y/N” Alina grabbed her hand gently “I am sorry for what you are going through right now.”

“Well, we all have our burdens to carry, right? I suppose this is mine.”

“I know it does not make anything better, but I know about heartbreak and making tough choices. Nikolai loves you in a way he would never feel about me. And I feel that for Mal. This is all just a political alliance, nothing more.” Alina assured.

“You know, sancta, when Nikolai left to be Sturmhond I spend two years searching for him, east to west and south to north. And when I did and we got together this was the best time of my life. And I shouldn’t have enjoyed the sea so much, but with him, I did.  And even then I always had this little tingling inside my head. A sneaky voice that was telling me, that we would not last. Turns out I was right. And truly, no one is to blame for that.” The Inferni smiled sadly “This should do the work” she raised the garments she prepared for Alina “I should better go before the seamstress came back. Just for now pretend you’ll wear the dress , all right? Can’t show all the cards at once.” And with such words, she left the chamber, unnoticed by anyone.

The next person to come to Alina was not even remotely as welcomed as Y/N. Vasily came for a little chat coated with veiled threat and perhaps a bit of a warning, but Alina was too strong to let him beguile her.

And then, when time came Nikolai appeared at the door for a little pep talk.

“Well, you look lovely” he smiled eyeing Alina already up and ready in her second army regimentals.

“Y/N came and helped me put this little thing together. So much better than….” Her gaze focused on the dress nearby and the girl rolled her eyes.

“She’s been avoiding me.” The prince said sadly “not that I blame her, but how can she not miss my company even a little? Am I so easily forgettable. She really acts like I’ve grown a pair of horns or started breathing fire…..” he tried to keep his cool and joke around but Alina knew him well enough to see through it.

“She’s an Inferni. A little fire could never discourage her.  But she’s hurt. Twice as much since you kept her in the dark about this whole arrangement.”

“I wanted to save her pain. And possibly myself.”

“’You failed at that.” Alina pouted

“Anyway, I got something to complete the look.” He took a step closer and reached inside his pocket retrieving a green gem “the Lantsov emerald….”

“Nikolai, we don’t have to do this, if it’s too hard. “

“Let’s just keep the pretenses up, shall we? Just remember, shall you decide to punch me, you will probably take my eyes out with this on, and I would not like that.”

***

 “Have you seen Mal?” Alina started spinning around, searching for the one face she so desperately needed to see “It’s not like him to be late.”

“Perhaps your little tracker is not such a fan of festivities as you.” Vasily approached the pair from behind, with some drink in his hand and Alina immediately excused herself, leaving two brothers alone.

“You know, my little brother” Vasily started “I always knew you would not end up with that little Inferni. Why settle for a commoner when there’s a living saint in the palace.” He laughed and took a sip on his drink. “now you will get fire from someone else! I’m sure the Sankta had a lot of it, judging by her actions. And Y/N. Waste of time. She was always a challenge, even when she was a kid.”

“Don’t you dare talking about her like this.” Nikolai hissed, but still kept straight face in a prince-like manner

“Why do you even care at this point, brother? From what I know, she’s been avoiding you, am I right? But look” he pointed out in the crowd, where Y/N was talking to Nadia and Tamar, laughing for the first time in a while “she’s right there. Don’t you wanna talk to her. If has any dignity, which I doubt, she would not cause a scene in public.”

Even though Nikolai knew his brother was only goading him, his brain shut off when legs carried him towards the other side of the ballroom, straight to her.

“Y/N.” he spoke and all three girls turned around, each one of them showing different expression. Tamar was curious of what was going to happen, Nadia a bit stressed out about her friend, and Y/N…. Y/N was just in pain and nothing could have hid it.

“Moi tsarevich”  she bowed, avoiding his eyes

“Please, stop it. Can we… can we talk for a minute? Please.”

“We are  not going to interrupt you….”Nadia started, but Tamar was on the other side of the barricade in the matter.

“I will. I’m not leaving her with you in this state, Nikolai. You know, you are both my friends, but she’s the victim not the other way round. “

“Tamar” Y/N put a hand on her shoulder “it’s all right. It will be just a minute to clarify this little misunderstanding . I’ll be with you before you notice I was gone.”

“I still don’t like it…” Tamar muttered, but let Nadia drag her away to have a little chat with Adrik and watch Alina. When they both left Y/N took a deep breath and before Nikolai was able to say a thing she took the lead of the conversation.

“Nikolai. I don’t really think it’s appropriate to leave your fiancé alone. Especially with Vasiliy acting like a predator tonight.”

“Vasiliy is drunk.”

“He’s been drunk since the age of 18. Remember that time when we played a prank on him and had to run through the palace in the middle of the night?” she smiled

“And when we ended up squeezed in the cupboard to avoid his wrath? Yes, I remember that.” Now they were both laughing outloud “I also remember what happened later on….”

“Nik. Stop it” she warned, her cheeks getting a bit flushed. Of course he had to refer to the moment they shared their first kiss “this is not the time or the place.”

“My feelings for you did not change.”

‘And do you think mine did? But you are engaged now. And I get it, Nik, I really do. You did what you though was right, as always and I can’t blame me for that. We are all pawns in this crazy political game and the point is to minimalize the  damage. If that means you getting with Alina then I cannot interfere. I still be there for you both. Even if it is in the sideline.

“Y/N…. I….”

“It’s all right” she raised her hands almost embracing him, but stopped herself in the last minute. “You should probably go join your family, your mother has been eyeing us for a while now and she knows we have past. Can’t risk anyone getting suspicious, right? Moi tsarevich” she bowed and went back to join Tamar, Adrik and Nadia, who pulled her into a hug.

From then on, everything started happening extremely fast. Vasiliy came onto the podium to gave some mockery speech about his brother, the man of the hour, but in the middle of it, Darkling’s shadow monster decided to drop by and well, cause a little havoc, killing the speaker and some other gathered people. It was chaos. Alina, Tamar, Adrik, Nadia and Y/N were trapped on the one side of the room, while the Lantsov (or rather whatever was left of this family) where stuck on the other.

“They have no heart, no pulse, no nothing!” Tamar exclaimed trying to use her heartrender powers

“Every creature has a weakness” Adrik spit, observing the monsters carefully from behind the table they used as some sort of shield, Y/N following in his steps.

“Those are shadows” the girl said “Look, Adrik, you were right, they have to be in their full form to touch and hurt someone!”

Before another shadow could attack Nikolai and his mother, Adrik came from one side throwing a gust of wind his way, Nadia doing the same on the other. Y/N used this as an opportunity to grab a spark from the nearby candle and throw a fireball straight into the middle of it. For a second, when the monster was tearing apart her gaze met with Nikolai’s who was just frozen like a deer in the spotlight.

“GO!” she yelled at him “Take whoever you can and GO!”

“Everyone into the tunnels!” Nikolai ordered, but before he himself rushed off, he just threw one last glance at his one true love and moved his mouth silently.

“Come back to me.”

***

“You three go find Alina, I’ll go check if there’s anyone lost in the corridors to get them to safety” Y/N commanded her friends ready to run the other way

“Have you lost your mind!?” Tamar spit at her “You are not going anywhere alone.”

“I’ll be fine Tamar.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that from you hundreds times before.”

“And I am still alive. A little bruised and scared but alive. Not planning on dying today, I swear. Alina needs you three and there’s no time, so I’ll just see you downstairs. GO!”

***

 She was running one of the palace corridors, stating with the greatest relief that all the Grisha that were not killed were off the palace and probably on the way to the tunnel. She almost reached the entrance, but mere meters before, another shadow monster blocked her way.

“Oh, Saint!” she hissed annoyed and focused her energy to gather just a little bit of flame since sadly, there wasn’t any external source of it anywhere near. It was always harder to get fire from nothing, but it used to work for her. Most of the times.

Not this one.

The fire that came out of her hands were so weak it barely reached the shadows let alone cause them any harm.

“Oh, shit…” she mumbled when darkness enveloped her whole and tried once again, this time fueled by fury and worry about her friends. Maybe Tamar was right and she shouldn’t have left them. Nonetheless that was not the time to dwell on the past mistakes, since it was extremely hard to breath inside that fog the monster were created from. It was like all of a sudden she found herself in the fold again, broken and scared. “Hell no! I am not dying today” she put her hands up causing a flare and dissipated the shadows finally getting herself free.

If only it wasn’t for that cut with sharp, thorn-like edges on her  leg, which she did not notice or feel.

***

“Is everyone safe?” Nikolai came from one entrance to the tunnels, meeting with Alina and Tamar coming from the opposite.

“Adrik got hurt in the arm, Nadia is with him.” Alina explained “the healers are taking care of the injured. What about the ones you came with?”

“Saved as many as possible” Nikolai turned around “where is …..?”

“That idiotic girl left us and came for the rescue. I told her she should not….” Tamar’s voice broke a little

“Where is she, Tamar?!”

“We… We don’t know…..”

“I’m here!” all the emotions he felt upon hearing her voice where just too much to handle and not caring about anyone  or anything or whether he was acting like an engaged prince he took off running towards her, wrapping arms around her and pulling her close to his chest.

“You’re safe, love. You’re safe.” He whispered again and again caressing her back, tangling fingers In her soft, messy hair and just getting lost in her.

“Nik…” she gasped taking a sharp inhale “I… I don’t really feel so good….” She stumbled a bit and this made him worry.

“I know, darling, but you were so brave up there. You saved my life with that little trick of yours. And you always said you couldn’t do fireballs. Guess me being in danger enhanced your…..”

“Nik, I really do not feel good” she mumbled and all her strength suddenly left her when her legs gave up and she collapsed into his arms, the embrace being the only thing shielding her from falling straight to the ground.

“Y/n? Come on, tell me, what is it, where does it hurt?” he started panicking just in the slightest.

“My leg….”

“May I?” he hesitated before lifting the material of her pants.

“Saints! Stop being a gentleman now! ” Tamar hissed and started tearing the pant-leg “I wish you were this polite at all those night on the ship instead of giving the crew sleepless nights “Oh….”

“How… how bad is it?” Y/N asked, raising her head from where It laid on Nikolai’s chest and he quickly turned her head away.

“It’s gonna be fine” he assured, grabbing her righter and kissing her temple “I’ll get you to a healer, all right?”

“Mhmmm……” she mumbled, slowly losing consciousness.

“I’m gonna lift you now, ok?” one of his hands sneaked around her back, the other went below her legs when he moved her from the ground “you’re gonna be ok, just don’t close your eyes, love.”

Out of instinct Alina wanted to join them on their walk to healers, but Tamar stopped her.

“Don’t” she shook her head, eyes a bit glassy.

“No.” Alina just stated. “Please tell me it’s not….” bus since Tamar was a heartrender there was really no point in arguing.

***

“Nik…. You smell so good.” Y/N hid face in his chest, locking arms around his neck

“I am all sweaty from the fight and running, honey. As much as I love what you are saying I do not smell good.”

“You smell like the ocean.” She smiled lightly “Like the sunny day on volkvolny”

“We’re going to have a thousand more of such days so you could dwell on the smell.”

 “I…. I don’t really think so, Niki.” She hissed in pain when he reached one of the makeshift flop and called upon the healer

“Always a joker, aren’t you?”

“I wish” she started coughing, a little blood appearing on the hand she tried to cover her mouth with. “Tell me the truth, Nik. How bad is it. Cause it hurts like hell.”

“I don’t want to look. I;m not a healer, I don’t have any experience…..”

“You…” she gasped “are a trained soldier. You know about wounds. Tell me.”

“It’s not good” he closed his eyes almost like those words caused him unimaginable pain and grabbed her hands. “but the healers…..”

“The healers have too much work on their hands. And judging by your voice….” She coughed  a bit more

“Sh, don’t say anything more. Let me just… Grigori!” he called upon one of the corporalki “she needs help.”

“Immediately, moi tsar” Grisha answered and it was probably the first time Nikolai realized that he was the king now.

“Moi tsar” Y/N smiled faintly “it suits you so well, lapushka. Auch! It hurts….”

“I’m sorry Y/N, this wound is unusually deep and it seems like there’s some kind of venom in your veins, going straight to the heart and…..” Grigori started slurring

“There’s nothing you can do, right?” she asked simply

“I’m so deeply sorry, Y/N, moi tsar.”

“Not your fault.”

“Leave us.” Nikolai hissed through gritted teeth and Grigori practically run away trying to avoid king’s fury “Y/N….” he leaned toward her, cupping her pale cheek and caressing it gently “I don’t want you to go….”

“Selfish. As usual. You don’t want me to go, mhm. Do you think I…. auch, want to die like this?”

“I need you with me….” He kissed the top of her head

“Selfish. Again. You got the sun summoner now."

"You are my sun."

"Stop flirting with me on .... on my .... death.... deathbed" she squirmed trying to lift herself up but it was too painful “Help… me….” She panted and Nikolai grabbed her waist with one hand and supported her back with another “I don’t have much time left… I feel it almost in my heart….”

“I don’t want to go on without you.” he whispered

“I know.” tears started showing in her eyes and he wiped them away breathing heavily “I’m scared Nik” she admitted trembling “I feel so cold. Can you just hold me? I don’t….” she gulped “I don’t want to go alone….”

“I’m here with you. No matter where you go, afterlife, I will find you, I swear.”

“Not if…ekhem! Oh, saints, it hurts so much” she cried and his heart broke at that sobbing coming from her. The sounds he would never recover from. Reminded that he failed to protect the only person he ever truly loved. And to think she was dying in his arms, while he was about to marry another woman. This was like a punch in the guts “not if I hunt you first.”

“I love you” he just had to say it. Maybe it was selfish again, but he needed to know that were the last words he said to her “I love you and I will always love you.” he kissed her knuckles, looking straight into her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Nik. And I’m sure you will….” Her voice was becoming so small, so quiet, almost audible in all commotion “… have a long, happy and fulfilled life. You’ll be great king. And a father…. I….” she closed her eyes “I’ll see you later, Nik…..” and just like that there was silence.

And this was the exact moment Tamar clenched her fist and faced the wall, her back to other Grishas so no one would see single tear falling from her eye.  

She said she’ll be fine…….  Empty promises always hurt the receiving end  of those.

***

“Nikolai? We need someone to get everyone together and ….” Zoya was blissfully unaware of the tragedy that just fell upon the king and was her usual self when she entered the part of tunnels were healers were stationed “what… what happened?”  she stuttered at the view in front of her eyes.

Nikolai was not a king at the moment. He was just a broken man who just lost the love of his life. Not crying, just sitting next to her still figure, holding and caressing her cold hand, unable to stop. Almost like he was in a trance. For what he cared the world could stop spinning and it would not make any difference for him. But for her…. He was going to do anything to avenge her death. But he would do that in a second, for now, he just wanted and needed to stay with her a bit more, even if that meant just watching her face, surprisingly peaceful and running a hand through her hair.

If only he could indulge in that greedy need.

“Goodbye, my love….” He whispered planting one final kiss on her forehead and tugging at his hair stood up to protect and guide his people, his subjects.

[historianthesecond]

Hello ^^ I hope you're doing alright c: I would rlly rlly love if you could do a fic with (dad) Nikolai maybe, and a f!reader that is an artist? Perhaps she draws or paints on her free time hehe

Thanks!

Hi! I'm doing well, thank you :3 I wish you're okay too, Anon And sure thing! I did something jkhjfjkf, I hope you like it ✨

Also I swear I'm working on the ongoing fics 🙈🙈 sorry for being like this it'll happen again

Masterpiece

Nikolai Lantsov x Fem!Reader---2.3K----SFW

Summary: Nikolai visits your atelier to see the latest painting you're working on.

Tags: Established Relationship| Domestic Fluff| Very much plotless fluff tbh| I did put a baby in there so watch out

Bouquet in hand, Nikolai thought he was silent enough while entering the queen’s atelier.

His boots were muffled by the carpet dotted with painting stains through the years, the wind moved the branches of the cherry trees outside, carrying a sweet essence of summer and growth.

Your soft hums flooded the still room, lulling your firstborn, Prince Dominik, his tiny figure laid on the automated rocking crib that Nikolai had still to improve with the way it squeaked when the baby grabbed the bars during his first attempts to sit all by himself.

But it seemed Nikolai wasn’t that good at sneaking around anymore, because he was barely closing the door as slowly as he could manage to not startle you on your diligent work, when he heard the excited gurgle of his baby, a tiny hand reaching upward as the other one was busy grabbing the fox plushie Nikolai had proudly commissioned to a toymaker in one of his business trips to Os Kervo.

You turned your stool, palette cradled on your hands, a brush hovering midair dangerously close to the canvas.

“Oh! Hi,” you said, leaving the brush aside to quickly stand up, your figure so conveniently covering the painting. With your hands clasped together, he could read that his surprise had worked to get you all flustered and shy.

Nikolai had always tried to sneak around when you were painting, even when you were embarrassed by the enthralled gaze he'd sent your way as if you'd been crafting stars and galaxies instead of just mixing colors together to paint landscapes and people.

In those times, Nikolai had wished to be better at artistic activities besides his mastery of storytelling. He loved the way how the little prince giggled, legs kicking happily as he switched his voice’s tone to match the characters in the pop-up books; and how you snuggled closer to his side, gaze glued to his face as if somehow, he could be much more marvelous than the story he was narrating.

He wanted to paint you like this, with your back relaxed and a beam so delighted that made your eyes squint, the golden light of summer days bathing you in a heavenly sight around your ivory and deep green dress that made you look like a fairy. Nikolai made a note to thank the seamstresses to help you customize your old summer dresses with new cuts and additions after his baby's birth.

It made you feel more like your old self at the same time your mind accepting your new role as a mother, just as you slowly took on your place as a ruler.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, my love," he said, finding himself sheepishly handing you a tiny bouquet he had picked from the garden on his way to his workshop. “I missed my two stars, so I thought about visiting.”

You smiled, hugging him by the waist to pull him close enough to steal a kiss. “They’re so pretty,” you said, looking at the tulips and carnations between your hands.

He caressed your cheek with his thumb. “They must have tried to imitate the queen’s beauty at the best of their capacity.”

"You're so cheesy," you said, and he felt the warmth of his cheek increase under his touch when you put the flowers in an empty vase you’d used to practice your still lives.

“Glad I haven’t lost my charm.” He winked at you, turning to greet his child. “Hi there, little pup,” he cooed, quickly picking Dominik up, the familiar weight of the baby against his chest. “How is it that you grow so much every day, hmm?” The little prince smiled, showing him a toothless grin, though Nikolai could see the baby’s gums starting to swell. “I will get you a teething ring for you to chew tomorrow, little one.”

Dominik gurgled, hands bouncing up and down against his arm.

“Now, why don’t we see what mommy is doing?” Nikolai muttered, turning to look at the canvas and the table tucked in a corner of the room, in a perfect distance and light from the windows.

You were standing between him and the painting, your overall open so Nikolai couldn’t see the work quite yet, eyes averting his.

“How come you’re hiding something from me,” Nikolai joked, his voice tinted with fake hurt, trying his best to send you his best puppy stare. “When your husband has shown you his bare soul.”

"Oh, you mean on the honeymoon?" You answered because you couldn't help it. You pretended to frown; lips pressed in a line to stifle your growing smile. “I can’t show you because it’s not finished.”

“Let me tell you that if my pup weren’t here, I would’ve answered about that honeymoon of yours,” Nikolai said in a mutter. “But we’ll talk later about that. For now, I’ll settle with saying that it’s not fair because the pup has already seen it.” Nikolai looked down at the baby, swaying him gently. “What do you say, little one? Do you like it? You must have such a refined taste already," he added, seeing how the baby tried to grab his father's rings to inspect them closer to his mouth. “My little magpie, aren’t you?”

“You’re just too curious for your own good,” you nagged at Nikolai, allowing him to take one of your hands, his fingers poking the spots where some drips of paint had fallen as you worked. A hand gently took yours toward his lips, where he kissed each fingertip. "Hmm… are you trying to convince me?"

“Is it working?” he asked, eyes twinkling with the same mischief you’d seen in your child’s gaze as he grabbed one extra handful of carrot cake from your plate this very morning.

“No,” you said, and Nikolai changed his strategy to tickle your sides, grinning at seeing your figure wiggling around, careful not to topple over the canvas behind you. “W-wait! That’s cheating!”

"It's a strategical move, my lovely," Nikolai chuckled, hearing Dominik laugh copying yours. "But can you blame me? Your work is always as breathtaking as yours."

You huffed, feeling your cheeks hot despite all the years you'd been hearing him throwing compliments at you as if he were still wooing you. His hand on your hip moved you aside slightly, letting him peek at the canvas.

Eyes drawn to each careful brushstroke that could tell so much without having a word on it, soft taps and gentle sways of painting overlayed in an uneven texture Nikolai sometimes had the urge of touching. Each one of them built the image of how you had imprinted him inside your heart; with bright eyes and a soft smile, hair perfectly accommodated except for some curls that had started to fall on his brow, without the royal badge. Only him.

He liked this view of himself, the closest he could share with someone besides the royal persona he had crafted ever since returning from his life as Sturmhond.

That’s why Nikolai had taken several of your paintings to put them around the places he spent more time in, as a reminder of who he really is. His office, with the double of both of you portrait you helped the court painter to finish when he hurt his hand in a horse race, with the both of you side to side, dressed in your wedding attire. Another one in the meeting room, a portrait of him during his coronation—seemingly egotistical, with a deeper meaning embedded in each brush stroke that he did not wish to share with many people.

His favorite was a self-portrait of you, with loose, free strokes of painting and barely any sketch underneath. You were smiling, with a hand against your cheek, elbow propelled over a desk. You had painted it when you were still unmarried, and Nikolai had to ask you for that painting as a wedding gift. By that point, you were incapable of telling him no, even if part of you still felt slightly embarrassed by the place of honor your self-portrait had on his chambers aboard the Volkvolny, right in front of his bed.

“So you can be with me every night,” Nikolai simply said when you asked him about it, on your way to your honeymoon.

“I don’t want to imagine what my poor painting had seen in this chamber,” you said before thinking, which made him burst out laughing.

“You have a very dirty mind, my queen,” he muttered with a knowing smile, his hands pulling you toward the bed.

The one you were working on right now was to celebrate his upcoming birthday. Another portrait of himself in casual clothes, with Dominik sitting on his lap as both father and child gazed at each other in awe, eyes sparkling with love and curved lips in the purest expression of joy. You had to try and capture such a moment, quickly sketching in the far end of your accounting book—and you had done so.

Nikolai held his baby tighter at seeing the painting, feeling his heart melt at the realization that his hands were already used to carrying Dominik that way, he was so used to being a father that he hadn't stopped to consider how it would look, such class of love pouring out of him every time he got to hold the little prince.

"I have to say this is your best piece yet, my love," he said in a faint breath, feeling a knot on his throat he tried to clear. “You managed to picture me all fatherly and handsome.”

You chuckled, wiping the painting off your hands with a wet towel to brush away the messy locks of hair off the baby’s forehead. “You say that as if you’re not always handsome.”

He clicked his tongue, amusement dripping from his tone. “Ah, yes. My bad. Sometimes my wife doesn’t say it that often, so I tend to forget.”

“Your subjects say it every time they see you printed on the money,” you muttered. “I can’t risk stroking your ego too much.”

“Is that jealousy I hear?” Nikolai teased, stepping as close to you as he could with the baby against his chest. Dominik looked up at you, trying to grab the myriad of dry-painted stains in your overalls. “Don’t you worry, my sweet, my heart is only yours.” Nikolai kissed the baby’s head. “And yours, of course, little pup.”

You tried to stare at him. “I said it because if you get too cocky, you’ll get misbehaved, and if you get misbehaved, you’re going to teach Dominik your ways.”

He laughed, making the baby in his arms giggle along. "I couldn't dream my lovely queen won't scold me if I ever overstep,” he said, eyebrows arched to accompany his teasing.

“Hmm,” you said with a soft smile, slipping out your work clothes. “And what do you plan to do now, Your Majesty?”

“I thought about reading a book here while my pup takes a nap. Maybe we can be your models again,” he added with a smirk. “We know who your favorite subjects are, after all.”

You helped him settle on the couch, moving the cushions away to make space for the both of you. “You want to read a book with me in here?” you said with a chuckle. “I thought you get distracted too easily?”

Nikolai nodded. “I will have to focus very hard not to be distracted by my stunning wife, but it’ll be worth the effort.”

You smiled, leaning against his side so he could embrace you with his free arm. “You better not distract me too, because I have to finish the painting today, or else it won’t dry for your birthday party.”

He kissed the top of your head. “If I weren’t holding him, I would have dared to disobey you, my queen.” Nikolai looked deep into your eyes, gaze sweeping down to your lips as by custom. “Because there’s no need for a present—you had already given me the best gift that could ever exist.”

Your eyes went down to the baby that was starting to doze off, eyelids heavy as his head rested against Nikolai’s arm.

He followed your gaze, a gentle smile drawn on his face, every word muttered so close to your ear that his breath moved some tiny locks of hair there. "I'm referring to your love because without it none of this would've happened." Nikolai leaned in to kiss your lips, a gentle caress that poured all the adoration he felt for you, one of his hands cupped your waist as the other cradled the beautiful masterpiece that was the product of such shared devotion. “I love you so much, my sun. Words can’t properly describe it.”

You cradled his cheeks with your hands. “I love you, too, and I hope you can see it in my paintings, but you can’t use the pet name I’ve given you for myself.”

Nikolai kissed your lips. It was still just a peck, but he lingered, tasting the remnants of apple juice you’d been drinking. “My sunflower,” he corrected, which earned him a kiss, a real one this time, because baby Dominik had fallen asleep between his father’s arms as he usually did every night. “My queen. My love.”

You folded your legs next to your body, to propel yourself closer to him, your head against his shoulder, one of your hands woven with the one that had you embraced. “I think you’re wrong in one thing,” you said after a while, hearing the deep mix of rhythmical breathings of both your husband and your child.

He looked at you from the corner of his eye. “A very bold statement.”

You nudged his arm with your hand, softly enough not to wake up Dominik. “I think my best masterpiece is right there,” you whispered, your hand hovering over the messy locks of hair swirling atop his baby’s head.

Nikolai kissed your forehead, and you could feel the outline of his smirk. “Ah, but he’s more of a collaboration, don’t you think?” You gazed up at him, head tilted to meet his lips midway. “Still, I’m curious of knowing how our next masterpiece would be,” he commented, his tone non-committal.

You laughed silently, your giggles muffled by his kisses. “Me too.”

[house-of-slayterr]

I’m honour of just finishing Shadow and Bone… (the show not the books I read those a while ago) here are some incorrect Quotes!

Y/N , to Jesper : I mean, I get complimented all the time-

Kaz: *starts cackling*

Y/N : I do!

Kaz: *laughs harder*

Kaz: You can track Y/N ?

Jesper : Of course I can. If the NSA can do it, so can I.

Y/N : *sneaking in through their window*

Kaz: *turning in their chair and flicking the light one* You want to tell me where you've been all night?

Y/N : I was with Jesper ?

Jesper : *turning in their chair* Wanna try again?

Wylan: Are you sure Y/N’s going to be able to handle that IKEA furniture? They’re not very good with technical stuff…

Jesper : Why are you worried? IKEA was never complicated; these days, it’s even easier! Everything’s color coded, numbered, and there’s even an assembly robot option to make it even easier for Y/N, which we’ve obviously opted in for. All they need to do is press the clearly labeled ON button, scan the QR code on the front of the box, and it’ll take care of the rest. Even a monkey could do it!

*Jesper ’s phone rings*

Y/N: Hey, so I’m at Lowes…

Wylan: …

Wylan: I should have gone with the monkey.

Y/N: I dare you to kiss the next person who walks into this room.

Jesper : Screw that, I’m not kissing any of you.

*Wylan walks in*

Jesper : Fine, I’ll do it. Rules are rules you know.

(Fucking cannon omg)

Y/N: Wylan , we need that!

Wylan , holding Nina over a trash can: Nope.

Y/N: Gimme it—

Wylan : It’s garbage.

Wylan : Murder literally doesn’t hurt anyone!

Nina: What are you talking about? Of course—

Y/N, holding out a hand to shut Nina up: No, no, they have a point—

Y/N: Jesper , I have a great idea.

Jesper : Let’s hear it.

Y/N: We trick Inej and Kaz to go out on a date together.

Jesper : YES!

Jesper : And hey, if that doesn’t work out, maybe you and me could go out, get some drinks—

Y/N, hitting them with a book: THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU.

Jesper : Why do you look like that?

Kaz , laying face-first on the floor: Like what?

Jesper : Like you’re dead.

Kaz : It’s because I’m dying. Leave me here to perish.

Y/N: Kaz accidentally called Inej “babe” in front of everyone today.

Kaz : *sobs into the floor*

(Also cannon)

Kaz : How is the most beautiful person in the world?

Inej: *blushing* I—

Jesper , butting into the conversation: Y/N is perfect, thanks for asking.

Inej: Wow, they really hate us.

Y/N: Yes, perhaps they’re homophobic.

Inej: But we’re not gay, Y/N.

Y/N: 👀

Inej: 👀

Y/N: We’re not?

Inej: Why are you doing this?

Y/N: Same reason I do everything, Inej. To get somebody to like me.

Y/N: *venting endlessly to Kaz about their week*

Kaz, every once in a while: *in a monotone* Wow, that is so wild.

Y/N: You got a date yet Kaz?

Kaz: No...

Y/N: Well you do now! Get your ass up and hold my hand!

Y/N: When I first got my autism diagnosis, my first thought was “woah… it’s canon” and I think that maybe thoughts like that is why Wylan made me get tested.

(Me omfg)

Y/N: I'm trying to juggle family life and work life but I can't seem to find a balance. What do you suggest I do to keep everyone happy?

Wylan, deadpan: Quit your job, kill your family.

[moonlightgrisha]

New moon

Ch. 8 At the frontline, you discover what being Grisha really means. Jut when you convinced yourself that you don't have what it takes to help anyone out, things take an unexpected turn. [Masterlist] Warnings: this chapter is slightly dark. We are at the battlefront. There's mention of pain, violence and death. Some angst, too. As I said, we are at the front, so that's expected, but only for this chapter. Previous - Next

You travel to the border by carriage, with the Black General himself. When you stop to stretch your legs, somewhere halfway to the front, he asks you if you are really sure about it. You are going to see some things you won't easily forget, that's what he says.

You answer that you never turn back, once you make a choice.

You keep your promise, even if your stomach turns in knots when you reach the camp and smell gunpowder, ash and blood. The view is heartbreaking beautiful, snow covered woods and not so distant mountains peeks. The icy air chills you to the bone, but soon you won't even notice it.

You are in incognito, an envoy from the Grand Palace come to oversee the operations. In fact, you could leave anytime you wish, once you see what there is to see.

But you just can't leave.

There's Grisha refugees everywhere. Man, women, elders, children, all equally terrified, some of them wearing scars and marks. They are running from Fjerda, and they have seen more than they are able to tell. There's no hope in their eyes, not even now that they are safe. Are they, really? You ask yourself.

So you start descending the hell you never knew about. You spend each and every day among other Grisha, learning their stories, listening to their suffering. They talk about ghosts so much it seems you know them too. Parents, friends, brothers, lovers.

Every day you fight the urge to tell them you are one of their own.

You don't dare to. Because you are not one of them, not really.

You indeed are a little, pampered royal nobody. You have no right to place your pain next to these people's, so all you can do is listen, respectfully, and thank the Saints nobody tried to burn you for being different. You were forced to hide your power, but at least you were alive.

It's been a month and a half. You have not asked to leave yet.

The Darkling looks at you with deep, fixed eyes, when he passes you by. You have the feeling he's the only one who could offer you comfort, but you are not going to ask, ever.

You dive deeper in the hell you found, each day making you more exhausted.

Until it's too much.

Tonight you look at death in the eye, and it's the eyes of a little girl. You are alone with her as she slips away. You feel so useless, you do the only thing you can do. It is a night of new moon, but you sense it all the same. You flicker your fingers and little sparkles of light float above your hand like weightless diamonds.

Her eyes open wide, filled with wonder, and for a moment the shadow of death seems to disappear.

But you know you have not that power.

You don't leave her side until she is no more, while your moonlight dances in the little tent. It will be forgotten, with her. But you won't forget.

Outside it is cold and dark. You go straight to the General's tent, ask Ivan to let you in. He checks inside, then comes back and lets your through.

General Kirigan is right there, working, surrounded by papers and reports, but he offers you a tight smile. He's ready to listen, just like you listened to all that suffering, day after day.

Suddenly, you envision yourself slipping into his embrace just like the dream you once had. Kiss him, sink your fingers in his hair. Have this dangerous man at last, and feel alive. Forget you ever sat side by side with death.

You could do it: he's right there, in front of you. Instead you raise your trembling hands, like a surrender, and abruptly say: "I am not your savior"

"What is this all about?" he asks, calmly.

"You know what this is about" you furiously reply. "I've seen what the stakes are. Oh, I did. And I better go back where I came, because I am no Sun Summoner. I can't give you exploding balls of light or burning rays to defeat entire armies. All I can do is pretty sparkles". You flick your fingers and show him, as you already did once.

He shakes his head. "You don't know the extent of your power yet".

"I know I'm not a killer", you say. "I have no power over death. I cannot save, nor condemn. This moonshine you see, it is a charming display, the useless gift of all times".

"Would you tell me what happened?"

He tries to come closer, but you gesture him to stop. You regret coming to him, now. You are too upset, and you hate to be seen like this.

"I am sorry", you continue. "I have been terribly naive. I hope one day you find the one person you need, because Grisha must be defended. And freed. Yes, freedom. This is what the stakes are. I know that, now".

He insists, like he didn't hear you. "I wish you'd tell me what happened. You know you can trust me."

"Do I? I barely know you".

"I think we know each other better than you are willing to admit", he replies, sharply.

"Did you mistake us for friends, General?"

"Why are you here, then?"

You hesitate. And in that moment, something breaks inside you. You look down, struggle to breath, and tears fill your eyes.

"I wish I could save them all", you whisper, just to let some of that pain out. "Every day, that's all I wished for".

You stand there, struggling to hold yourself together. Just then, he reaches you and wraps his arms around your shoulders, taking you into his embrace.

Your heart skips a beat, but then you close your eyes and breathe.

It is jus as you imagined. It is just as you wished. You let your head lean on his chest, just for a moment. Just a little peace...

"I wish the same", he says. "Day and night. That's all I think about. All I have always thought about".

His words are sincere. This is all real. You see him, he sees you. Suddenly, you realize what you are doing.

You pull away and words escape your mouth. "I'm not like you". You mean you are not a Grisha leader, you are powerless as a new moon. But he gets something else. You see in the glimpse of his eyes, almost offended. Mostly, you see It in his shadows, luring in the corners of the tent. The lantern light flickers.

Part of you wishes for him to follow, when you turn and leave, but you know you must be alone, now, and sort It all out by yourself. It is a dark night indeed, but snow has started to fall. You walk, lost in thought. You have reached the western side of the camp, alongside the woods. Suddenly, you realize you are indeed alone. Completely alone.

It is odd. Someone Is always around. Soldiers, guards. Where is everybody?

A drop of blood falls on the fresh snow. Such a perfect, round drop, looks like a flower blossoming in winter, a miracle. You realize it is your blood only when you start feeling the pain.

There is someone in the woods and they are shooting at you. They have also been quite successful, as another drop falls on the snow, and another, and another. You press a hand on the wound and look around, as they come out from the woods to finish you.

Why is nobody around?

This is an ambush, and you are going to die.

But before any Grisha sees what's happening, before the Darkling comes to your aid with his legendary powers, you scream as loud as you can, and moonshine bursts from you.

It comes from inside, like the new moon hiding in the night sky tonight. It flows above and around you, weightless, and it is excruciating beautiful, glistening, so, so pretty. It fills the eyes of your charmed attackers like a thousand gemstones, as they open them wide, with their mouths hanging.

And while moonshine gently lifts you up the ground, the attackers fall on their knees. It's like they are praying their new Saint, how prophetic, won't you reckon? But you see none of it. Your eyes are shining bright and merciless.

Next thing you know, you are lying on the frozen ground. There are hands supporting you, the same that embraced you just a few minutes ago. You hope the Black General doesn't pick you up in his arms, that would be quite embarassing. You manage to part your lips to ask: "What did I do?".

He replies: "You destroyed them".

You turn you head. There they are, those who tried to take your life, mumbling and muttering and crying in the snow, searching for the light they lost.

"I have made them mad" you mumble, while you begin to loose consciousness again. "But I have not killed them".

The Darkling caresses your hair, sending shivers down your spine. "That much I can do".

You do not see the Cut: you are already lost in your own darkness.

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[infin1ty-garden]

VALENTINE'S DAY

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ ✦ summary: headcanons of the shadow & bone characters on valentine's day ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ ✦ character(s): nikolai lantsov, tamar kit-bataar, tolya yul-bataar, genya safin and zoya nazyalensky ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ ✦ warnings: none ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ ✦ word count: 752 ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ ✦ author note: NOT A MODERN AU! sorry some are a bit shorter

masterlist.

NIKOLAI LANTSOV

✦ He would overplan and over think every detail, he's worse than Genya

✦ Thoughts like "Which gift would you like better?" "An outdoor or indoor date?" "Maybe a date at the theatre?"

✦ He'd spent nights planning but nothing seemed right, Zoya knocked some sense into him. "I think they wouldn't mind all this expensive stuff, but you being there is enough"

✦ Would end up going simple, inviting you to dine with him

✦ The food would be some of the best you'd ever tasted

✦ After the dinner you would walk the gardens together, enjoying the fresh air when with his luck, he's being called back to the palace

✦ "May I have this dance," Nikolai intrigued by what your doing, takes you up on the offer

✦ The two of us danced until the meeting was on the back of his mind but eventually he had to leave but not without a kiss

TAMAR YUL BATAAR

✦ Tamar's mentality is more of "let's see what the day brings" but she does have some stuff planed

✦ The ship had docked in Novy Zem, a festival taking place near the docks. Tamar remembered you wanting to visit it

✦ The festival had carts lining the street with all kinds of delicacies from every corner of the world. Streets booming with colours. It was a beautiful site

✦ Tamar and you spent the day trying all kinds of food and just being around each other. She didn't mind spending all her money just for you to keep that lovely smile

✦ Then the both of you found yourselves in a local bar, singing songs you'd only learned the words to an hour ago

✦The day ended in a cot, somehow two people fitting in such a small space. You laying completely on her, sound asleep

TOLYA YUL BATAAR

✦ Tolya is the romantic out of the twins

✦ Still he would go simple being apart of Nikolai's crew means travelling a lot and that leaves out, a typical dinner date

✦ Living on a ship as well doesn't help. There aren't many places for a quite talk, let alone a date

✦ Instead he turns to what he knows best, poetry. He would spend days looking for the perfect book and then weeks annotating it. Underlining verses that reminds him of you or moments shared together

✦ He would invite you to the deck and by the time he did most of the crew were asleep. You thought he'd forgotten the holiday all together, you were wrong. He gave you a box of sweets he'd bought at the port in Novy Zem, along with the book

✦ You'd spent the rest of the night sharing the sweets and just enjoying each other's company

✦ When you finally had the chance to read the book, some of the poems described the stars lost in the night's sky, a sea of darkness, finding their true purpose upon the arrival of the moon. "You're my moon, the only purpose I need" (sorry it's cheesy)

GENYA SAFIN

✦ Genya would go above and beyond to make the perfect valentine's day date

✦ A picnic date if the weather calls for it with both of your favourite snacks, foods and deserts

✦ If it does end up raining a nice date indoors would be something she prefers over, a fancy dinner

✦ She doesn't mind dining in a expensive restaurant, but she thinks a more personal dinner at home, is better

✦ Genya would plan everything down to the last minute especially if it's your first valentine's day together

✦ She ended up getting her picnic date

✦ All kinds of foods were lined up in front of you as you enjoyed the sunny day and spending time with Genya

ZOYA NAZYALENSKY

✦ You would be the one planning the date and Zoya would act as if the holiday has little significance to her. You'd decided a date at a fancy restaurant was the way to go

✦ She'd loved it, the one you chose wasn't too crowded and the food was delicious. You'd talked about your future plans with one another, how your day had gone and so on

✦ After leaving the restaurant, the two of you headed somewhere a bit more reclusive to watch the fireworks

✦ Zoya too busy staring at the fireworks, didn't notice your hands putting something around her neck. Once she tore her eyes from the literal explosions of colour, she spotted a beautiful necklace. "Happy Valentine's day."

Thank you for reading!

[writing-havoc]

could you do Tolya Yul-Bataar x fem!reader

you were going to gala, you felt bit nervous as you walks around and you bump to someone and it was Tolya, he hold your waist to be careful, you apologize, you two look each other, he asked to take you for walk, you two talk about his homeland, you really like to know him more *fluffiness*

(hope you will write it, thanks and have a good day)

The Gala

♡ Summary: Tolya catches you before you fall at a gala, and offers to take you on a walk to calm your nerves. You find he's a rather interesting man.

♡ Pairing: Tolya Yul-Bataar x Fem!Reader (ambiguous, please read indented)

♡ Fandom: King of Scars, Grishaverse

♡ Warning(s): None

♡ WC: 2.1k

Hello!! Thank you for your request!

I wrote this one ambiguous on purpose. It could either be taken romantically or platonically. I personally think Tolya is aromantic due to a line he says in the KoS series, but I know other people don't take it that way. So feel free to take this however you wish <3

Hope you enjoy it and that you have a good day as well!!

Please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes

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To make a long story short, you feel incredibly grateful and attractive. Which is perfect to mask the sheer anxiety you feel.

King Nikolai was in attendance at this gala. And while you had no intention of meeting him, fate could have other plans for you.

It could send you tripping over your own silk gown and into him, his guards mistaking you for an assailant and killing you on the spot. You could make someone else bump into him, throwing the imported wine all over his first army garb. Hell, he could even choose to make conversation with you, to which you'd embarrass yourself by rambling about the intricacies of jewelry making and metalsmithing.

Saints, you need to calm down.

If you're not mistaken, there's a table around here with finger foods and drinks that could help.

The crowd, however, is incredibly unforgiving. People remain where they stand, almost as if they're completely unaware you're trying to make it last them. You put hands on shoulders and backs, apologize when you have to tilt your body to squeeze between groups of people, and all you get are glares and judgemental up-and-down looks.

People really need to be kinder, more considerate. They're not the only people that exist in this room. How are the servers supposed to go around and serve the alcohol? What if there was an emergency? Is it really that hard to consider moving one step to the left?

Your annoyance makes you distracted. You step on someone's shoe, throwing you completely off balance and sending you falling to the floor.

The only thing that could make this more humiliating is falling into someone. Which you do.

You feel yourself flush, embarrassment rushing through your brain as you try and correct yourself.

"Oh saints, please forgive me!" It takes a moment to realize just how big the man who caught you was. His arms are rather large, but he's also just plain tall. He easily stands a good couple centimeters above every person in this room. "I really have to be more careful."

You realize now he's one of the Kings guards, but its more or less irrelevant seeing as he's so far away from said King. The stoic look on his face cracks a little, a small smile forming on his angled face.

"It's alright, It's only right I apologize as well. Forgive me for bumping into you." He slips his arm away from your waist once you get yourself balanced within your heels. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

You fix the gloves around your wrists. "Oh, no. Not at all. For as big as you are you're incredibly gentle."

"That's good to hear."

It takes you a moment to realize the words that slipped past your tongue. Mortification pummels through your system.

"I didnt mean- im so sorry once again. That wasnt the best choice of words."

This is just so wrong. This isn't how anything was supposed to go. And now you feel so hot, face even prickling at the increase in your internal temperature. The man eyes you, squinting when you begin to fan yourself.

"Truly, I dont take offense. Would you like to go on a walk? Its much cooler outside."

It's definitely not a smart to follow a man you just met to a secondary location. But with the way he's dressed, and the way he carries himself, he isn't all that threatening. The Soldat Sol tattoo on his arms also does well to quell any lasting fears.

"That would be lovely, thank you."

He walks through the crowd with you trailing very close behind. People part to make room for him, and make a look of disdain when they see you trailing behind like a duckling.

But the moment that fresh cool evening air reaches your skin, it feels worth it. Like you can breathe.

You allow yourself to walk to the edge of the wrap around patio that surrounds this whole place. The garden has plants beginning to close, no longer needing to open their petals now that the sun is setting.

The flowers are red, and butterflies are making their last rounds to the buds that are still open.

"There's a flower, in Shu Han, that looks similar to this." He takes a step off the porch and approaches the flower.

He's incredibly gentle, fingertips barely grazing the petals and slotting the stem between his fingers. He encourages it up towards his face as he bends down to smell it, a smile adorning this face.

"What's it called?" You ask, picking up your dress and stepping down to join him.

"The one in Shu Han is called Datura Meloxia. It's incredibly poisonous. This one... I'm not sure."

You hook a finger around one of the stems, bringing it toward you.

It seems tropical, which is strange given that summers aren't all that hot here and Ravka has a winter season. The stigma reaches far out beyond the confines of the petals, and almost seems to have a cloud of surrounding the end.

"Do you know a lot about Shu Han?" You ask.

He let's out a chortle. "I should hope so. It's where I grew up."

"Listen, people are everywhere these days. I didn't want to assume you knew everything about there just because you look like you're from there."

"Thats very open minded of you."

You shrug. "Doesnt do us any good to be close minded, does it?"

He let's go of the flower, putting his hands back behind his back. "No. It doesn't."

The air feels a bit tense, weighing on your shoulders. The way he keeps his eyes trained on the flowers makes you feel as if you may have made him uncomfortable.

"Do you know anything about Shu Han you specifically enjoy?"

If there's anything you know about people, is that broad questions are usually the way to go. From there they can get as specific as they want or stay broad.

"Poetry." He says, going specific. "Epic Poetry, specifically. There's quite a few poems from both Ravka and Shu that are quite interesting."

That, ironically, piques your interest. "Like what?"

And it's like you opened up a dam, water spilling out in the form of languages you don't understand but find incredibly alluring. He's like an encyclopedia, citing poems that date back hundreds of years and reciting the lines as of he has the material right in front of him.

In a way you think he does. His eyes will get glossy and it's almost like he's turning the page when he talks with his hands, staring far into the distance at something you can only hope to see.

He does his best to translate the text, but you can tell it pains him that there isn't a direct translation that will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the poem.

But he does his best all the same, and you give as much encouragement as possible, smiling wide when he says something particularly grand. He even cites romance every once in a while, and you feel yourself cataloging the lines to digest later.

Because it really was interesting. You've thought about poetry maybe three, four times in your entire life when your mom brought home a book filled with them for her entertainment. But never did you think it could be this interesting.

Or maybe it's just because he makes it interesting, adding bits of history from both Ravka and Shu Han when he can.

It's also nice to see his face light up just a smidgen when you express your own knowledge, telling him you do actually know about that piece of history and jump into your own session of info dumping.

But as all good things do, they come to an end.

He's in the middle of explaining a poem from liturgical Ravkan (who /knows/ that?) when he becomes distracted.

"Everything alright?" You ask, raising on your toes but staying off the side as you try and capture his attention again.

"I'm fine, yes. However, it's time for us to part ways."

When he looks at you, you swear you see his lips turn down just a bit.

"Ah." You don't bother to hide your sadness. "That's alright. Would you like to pick this up a different day?"

He hums. "Only if you live near the Palace."

"Actually, I do." That gets his attention again. "I work at this little shop in the city just outside the gates in Os Alta in the market area. Its-"

"The bookbinding shop." He interrupts. "I remember now. I see you almost everytime I walk by there with the King."

You smile, wide and feeling better than before. "Yeah. We make journals and restore books."

He's silent for a moment, eyes flickering back and forth between you and whatever has his attention.

When his eyes settle on you, he's kind. Which isn't saying a lot since during this entire interaction he has been nothing but, but still. He's kind. "When I have a moment to spare, I will visit you again."

You clap your hands together, then hold your hand out for him to take. "Ill see you then."

His rough and warm hand shakes your own. And with a nod, he's gone.

You watch him leave, walking briskly past hoards of people who part for him like he's dangerous or purposefully bump into him.

Once he's out of eyesight, you allow yourself to calm your heart.

It's mostly leftover anxiety from before he caught you. When you look at the shadows on the ground you realize you and him hadn't actually talked for that long. You just don't want to make a lasting horrible impression on anyone, and you hope you didn't make him feel awkward talking with you.

But, you think he enjoyed it. He relaxed a little while talking to you, yet still kept to his duty as the Kings guard and never looked away from the mansion.

You feel satisfied.

"Hello there."

A woman's voice gets your attention. She looks similar to Tolya, and you remember she's also a part of the Kings personal guard. Perhaps they're taking turns? That would make sense.

"Hello. How are you?" You ask.

"Splendid. My names Tamar." She wraps an arm around your shoulder, which you immediately grab to steady yourself. "Im Tolya's older sister. I just wanted to take a look at the girl thats got my brother in such a good mood."

You perk up immediately. "Oh, how lovely! Tolya mentioned you a few times while he was talking about poetry."

Immediately she groans, which gets a giggle out of you. "I beg your forgiveness. Once he starts you have to kind of yell at him to get him to stop."

"Oh, don't apologize!" You slip out of her grasp, folding your hands neatly in front of you. "I quite enjoyed our talk. I never knew how much history could be stored in something as simple as a poem."

Her eyebrows nearly shoot into her hair, a look almost like incredulousness passes over her face. She snorts.

"You may just be the only person who can handle that."

That, you have to admit, makes you happy.

"What else are you interested in?"

Tamar was a little harder to talk to for the rest of the night. She's not as straight forward as her brother, but you can find the little similarities that make her feel almost familiar.

Once you have to part ways, the King possibly getting what he came here for, you waved goodbye to Tamar, and began to head to your carriage yourself.

Tonight was remarkably eventful. And as you watch Tolya and Tamar head off into the distance with their King in tow, you hoped that every once in a while they would stop by.

If only to get to know them more.

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