#troped: shadow and bone

[troped-fanfic-challenge]

TROPED: Shadow And Bone

Are you a writer for the Shadow And Bone fandom? Are you excited for Season 2?! Are you interested in a challenging but totally unique fanfic writing competition? Then you've come to the right place! TROPED is hosting a special mini event for the S&B Fandom! Starting March 18th at 12:00am EST, TROPED will be hosting a two round mini event! Come join us and write some awesome fics!

HOW IT WORKS:

TROPED is pretty simple! This is usually a fully anonymous fanfic event where anyone can join at any time! We provide a prompt (four tropes + a theme), and give you a writing period, and you write the fics! All fics are submitted to our AO3 collections, which are specific to each event!

For this event, there will be two rounds each, which are separate from one another. You do not need to write in the first round to write for the second, and you are not obligated to write for the second round if you write for the first!

This event will be Optionally Anonymous! Because we want everyone to feel comfortable, and give more fandoms a chance to experience TROPED, we will not require this event to be anonymous! Prompts will be released at the start of each round!

TIMELINE:

ROUND ONE

R1 Writing Period: March 18th (12:00am EST) - March 29th (03:00am PST / 06:00am EST)

ROUND TWO

R2 Writing Period: March 30th (12:00am EST) - April 11th (03:00am PST / 06:00am EST)

*All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST) unless otherwise specified! Times are subject to change due to potential writing extensions.

There are no sign-ups necessary! Follow along here on Tumblr, the TROPED Twitter, or our Discord Server for more information on the mini events! (Links for our socials are on the pinned post of our Tumblr page!) We will release our prompts in these places and have all the information you need for each event!!! We are super excited to see more fandoms participate in TROPED!!

Please reblog this post to show a Grishaverse fan!!! Leave your trope hopes in the tags!!

[clarkgriffon]

Kanej + TV Love Tropes

[bladeinthedark]

“if you don’t shut up, i’ll cut your throat” girlfriend and “that’s hot” boyfriend

[theweeklydiscourse]

Fake Enemies to Lovers Enjoyers: Enemies to lovers only works when [insert thinly veiled description of their fave ship’s dynamic]! Otherwise it’s abusive and toxic!!

These types want so badly for their preferred ships to be the exception to their sweeping generalizations and arbitrary limits on what can, and cannot be explored within the trope. They’re such hypocrites that want to have their cake and eat it too, they want the pleasure that comes from lording one’s perceived moral superiority over others while also enjoying the things that are so similar to what they condemn.

I beg of you…spare me the inane moralizing of your fictional preferences and please just sit down. Stop trying to move the goalposts to suit your specific preferences, stop ostentatiously moaning about what constitutes as what in regards to a broad trope like Enemies to Lovers. It’s a futile game and you look stupid trying to impose moral judgment on what is just a matter of taste

[amsgrey]

request for a kaz brekker x reader one bed trope! literally some of my favorite fics to read ever!!! def with some angst maybe reader gets injured on the heist and kaz has to help. reader insists that they should sleep in the same bed and they end up confessing feelings or something. SO GOOD

Thank you for the request! Sorry it took so long but hey, it's alright.

Warnings: Violence, Blood, typical canon violence, kind of OOC!Kaz, semi-bad writing.

“Hey,” Nina didn’t bother knocking as she stepped into your room, “There’s someone here to see you.” 

You looked up from your small desk, “Who?” 

Nina shrugged, “Wouldn’t say, but she won't leave until she speaks with you.” 

You frowned, getting to your feet and following after Nina. A million possibilities ran through your mind as you descended the stairs, you didn’t know many people from Ketterdam, or you didn’t know anyone that Kaz also didn’t know. WHo had come to speak to you was a complete mystery to you and judging by the way the Crows were gathered at the bottom of the stairs, it was a mystery to them too. 

“Who is she?” Jesper broke the heavy silence first.

You rolled your eyes, “How am i supposed to know, Jes?” 

Walking past him and the others you looked for the woman. There were a few dregs hanging around in the slat, like always. Hiding from the damp Ketterdam air or filling in their afternoons with ale and gambling. It meant the woman stuck out like a sore thumb. When you finally saw her, your blood ran cold. 

“Oh, my,” The woman stepped forward, she grabbed your hands and smiled at you, “Look how grown up you are, my dear.” 

She pulled you into a hug, an awkward show of affection that she had never done before. 

“Mother.” 

She hadn’t changed in the 7 or so years since you saw her last, a few graying hairs and wrinkles around her eyes were the only evidence time had passed. She still wore the same turquoise dress, the fabric stained and dirty where it spent too many years dragging on the dirt. She had tied a knitted shawl around her shoulders, to stave off the cold of the barrel and to make herself look more presentable. When you were a child on the farm with your parents, your mother would refuse to do any of the hard labor or household duties, always dressed in her ‘fine’ clothes and sitting by a window like the queen of Ravka. 

You hated her for it then, the way she forced you to conduct her duties. The hard labor with your father on the farm, the chores inside the home, raising your three younger siblings. Looking at the woman before you now, you hated her just as much. 

“What do you want, mother?” You forced out through gritted teeth. 

The woman batted your hand she still held, a sharp smack to chide you for your tone, “Is that how you speak to the woman who raised you?” 

She didn’t raise you though. Your father was the one who taught you everything you knew, cared and loved you. The marriage of your parents had been of convenience, a rich farmer up the road had fallen on hard times so he married off his only daughter to your father. Something neither of them wanted. 

When your father had died suddenly in a farming accident, your mother had sold you to slavers, without a second thought. You had spent years in Ketterdam trying to bury the memories of your younger brothers screaming for you to stay, the chains that chaffed and burnt your skin and the cruel men who didn’t care about anything but making coins. 

Standing with your mother before you, her soft hands gripping you so tightly, you felt like a young girl all over again. Begging for affection from a woman who hated your existence, cursed to always be nothing to her. You could still remember the beatings and the screaming, the bruises that you tried to hide and the permanent split in your lip which took years to properly heal. 

Kaz was watching the whole encounter, quiet and calculating like he always was. The other crows were growing concerned, there was an air of uncertainty that settled over them all. 

“What can we help you with?” Kaz finally spoke, he stepped closer to you, towering over your mother. Having him at your side brought you ease, a feeling of calm that always came over you when he was near. Kaz was prepared for anything, he always looked out for you and the crows. 

“And you are?” Your mother snapped, glaring at Kaz. 

Kaz didn’t seem bothered, “Are you here for something? Or to terrorize your daughter?” 

You glanced back at Kaz, he had a look of pure rage in his eyes. You hadn’t told Kaz the details of your past, but he knew your mother sold you to slavers. You realized suddenly you didn’t want to be in the middle of Kaz and your mother fighting. 

You grabbed your mothers arm, dragging her away from the gathered Crows and Kaz’s glower and pulling her outside. In the Ketterdam air things were immediately colder, you hadn’t grabbed your coat so you could feel it even more. 

“What are you doing here?” You demanded. 

“Can I not come see my daughter?” 

“You never cared before, I didn’t even know you knew this is where I lived. You sold me to slavers,” You cried, stepping away as you started to get upset. “What in Sankta Alina could you want?” 

“I am married,” Your mother boasted, “He lives in the Zelver district, we want you to come have dinner.” 

You were reeling, so much information was thrown at you all at once. You gapped to answer. 

“Your brothers will be there too,” Your mother waved her hand like she was dismissing your concerns, “They stayed on the farm.”

“Why- why do you want me there?” 

“To make amends, my love,” She took your hands again, “It is time we act like a family again. Perhaps you could bring that guard dog of yours, act civilized.” 

You wanted to say yes, straight away you wanted to say yes and trust that she had true intentions. But there was something nagging in your mind. 

“Who is it that you're married to, mother?”

“A Merchant, trades with the Ravkan crown, Alexei Berezin.” 

You recognized the name immediately, he had one of the largest mansions in the Zelver district, rivaled only by foreign dignitaries. He had brought in a large shipment of Ravkan gold and silk, Kaz had stolen half of it almost immediately, because Berezin had thought himself untouchable. 

“When's dinner?” You forced out, trying not to let your knowledge of the man show. 

“Tomorrow, be there by seven.” 

She wandered away, slipping into the crowd of foot traffic and joining the mess of colours. 

-- 

“Alexei Berezin.”

You forced a smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

The man looked over you and Kaz like you were nothing, he grunted in greeting and disappeared towards the drinks cart. 

You looked at Kaz, “Too late to leave?” 

Kaz smiled, it made him look softer somehow, “We don’t have to stay long, let's hope Inej and Wylan are quick.” 

A servant greeted you as you walked further into the drawing room, she offered you and Kaz wine in crystal glasses. You had played being rich at banquets and galas before, it was easy to hide in a crowd of rich people to steal from them, but here holding the crystal glass made you feel so exposed. The only thing that was stopping you from running out the door was Kaz by your side. He always looked out for you, tonight would be no different. 

Your mother had lied, your brothers were not at the dinner. She had spun some more lies about how they hadn't been able to make the journey but you wondered if they were even invited in the first place. You, Kaz, your mother and her new husband all sat at the ridiculously long table, eating silently except for a few forced comments. 

“So,” Berezin belched, downing his fourth glass of brandy, “Mr Brekker, how is business?”

Kaz looked at you from across the table, “As good as yours, Berezin.” 

Berezin snared, “So then you admit to taking my shipment?” 

“A shipment?” Kaz leant back, starting to enjoy the game. 

Berezin started getting red in the face, rage barely contained in his eyes, “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Dirty Hands.” 

A smile ghosted across Kaz’s face, “Is this why you extended the invite, Berezin? Hoping to get your silks back?” 

You jumped when Berezin slammed his fist on the table, he stood abruptly, his chair falling backwards loudly, “You listen to me here boy! You will pay me back what I am owed or I will make your life a living hell!” 

“A living hell?” 

“You have no idea who you are messing with, you and your little whore will pay-” 

Kaz was on his feet faster than you had time to process, “Watch your mouth, Berezin, or silks won't be the only thing you lose.” 

Berezin started shouting in rage, his words mostly coming out as jumbled insults and threats which didn’t mean anything for you and Kaz. 

“We’re leaving,” You said to your mother, not bothering to bid her a proper goodbye as you joined Kaz’s side and retrieved your coats. 

You were both halfway through the foyer when things took a turn. 

Somewhere in the garden outside a fire roared to life, a green chemical fire that was Wylan's emergency beacon. Kaz urged you to walk faster, his cane striking loudly against the marble floor as you both tried to leave before Berezin caught on. 

“Thief!” 

Kaz grabbed your hand, and both of you ran the rest of the way out of the house and down the garden path. Berezin was screaming from inside the house, shouting orders to his few guards and screaming for someone to alert the Stadwatch. You and Kaz didn’t stop running until you reached the canal, skittering to a stop and dropping into the waiting boat. Matthias and Wylan were already there, Wylan was heaving like he had just finished a mad dash too. 

“Did you get it?” Kaz demanded as Matthias started to row the boat towards 4th Harbor. 

Wylan was nodding, “Handed it off to Inej, she and Jesper are heading to the warehouse now.”

You had to give it to Kaz, when he had explained the plan this morning after all-night scheming, you didn’t think you would be able to pull it off. But yet again, he proved he knew everyone's skills. 

The plan was somewhat simple, you and Kaz would entertain Berezin while Wylan posed as a servant and slipped into Berezin's office. Wylan would swipe the key to Berezins safe which sat in his warehouse; it was old and Ravkan, protected by small science. You didn’t have enough time on the first job to try and crack it, so now was the perfect time. The original plan was for you and Kaz to stay all through dinner and whatever other pleasantries were to be had, while Wylan snuck through undetected. His Green fire beacon was a sign he had been caught, so you and Kaz hightailed out before things got too nasty. 

 Inej and Jesper were on their way to the safe now, while you, Kaz, Matthias and Wylan drew attention in the opposite direction. Headed towards 4th Harbor meant the four of you could lead the following guards and Stadwatch into the twisting streets and narrow wharves and hopefully escape into the crowd. 

As Matthias moored the boat to the side of the canal, you and Wylan climbed out and surveyed where you were. 

“Are you alright?” You asked him, still aware of how his hands shook. 

Wylan nodded, but you were unconvinced. 

Matthias and Kaz climbed out of the boat after you, the four of you standing at the canal edge for a moment while you tried to compose yourselves. 

“Hey! Stop right there!” 

“Bastards,” Kaz swore, already ushering the three of you to run before they started to shoot. 

“Kaz, they're after us, not Wylan and Matthias…” You shouted as you ran down the street alongside the canal, headed towards the Council of the Tides Watchtower. 

Kaz ordered everyone to stop, “Y/N’s right, Wylan, Matthias, head back towards the slat, take the long way and check for tails, we’ll go the opposite way.” 

Matthias started to argue, “No, we should-” 

You all ducked as gunfire echoed through the streets. Bullets ricochet off the cobbles at your feet, dangerously close to hitting one of you. 

“Go!” Kaz yelled over the noise, blindly reaching for your hand and pulling you along with him as you headed away from Matthias and Wylan and towards the government district. 

You were right, the three or four guards from Berezin's estate followed you, not your friends as you rushed through the dark streets. At this time of the night, the Crow Club and the surrounding area would be buzzing with life, but in this part of town, everyone was shut inside asleep. There weren’t many lights, aside from a few lanterns left on in people's doorways, so as you and Kaz ran you stuck to shadows and unlit alleyways, hoping to lose your stalkers in the maze of buildings. 

Kaz pulled you to a stop after running for ten minutes and started to take a toll on him and his leg. The two of you ducked into an alley, Kaz leaned heavily against the wall and his cane, heaving as he regained his breath. You glanced over him, worried that he wouldn’t be able to continue for much longer. 

“Maybe we lost them,” You whispered, peaking around the corner to the main street, which was completely deserted aside from a rogue tabby. 

Kaz nodded, unable to speak a reply. You kept glancing from the main street to the end of the alley, which appeared as if it curved around and kept going. You had no idea if it was a dead end or not, but staying here was making you anxious, it was still too exposed. 

“I Have a safe house not far from here,” Kaz said, pushing off from the wall and leaning on his cane. 

“A safe house?” You replied, “In the government district?”

Kaz rolled his eyes, “You underestimate me.” 

If he hadn’t been hurt you would have pushed him away, chuckling at his comment. Instead, you opted for offering him your arm so you could walk out of the alley together, hopefully, Stadwatch who patrolled the area would think you were a couple returning home. 

The two of you walked arm and arm down a few streets, smiling pleasantly at the passing Stadwatch or the rare delegate returning to their boarding. After a few turns Kaz said you weren’t far from the safe house, which was an old apartment above a tailor.

“How did you even get an apartment above a tailor?” You teased, “Hiding a side business?”

The sound of a gun cocking stopped you both in your tracks. 

“You even twitched, I put a bullet in the girl.” 

The barrel of the gun was jammed into your back, the voice behind you ordering you both to turn with your hands up. 

The two men before you were guards for Berezin, you could tell from the crest that was pinned to their jackets. You looked around for the other two men, but they weren’t around. Hopefully, they were far away, you weren't sure if you could win a 2-1 battle tonight.

You moved to pull your flint from your pocket, you had stowed it away safely the first time you and Kaz had run for your lives tonight, now you wished you stayed holding it. Your hand slipped into the pocket of your coat, your fingertips brushed the cool material, pulling into your fist and preparing yourself to summon. You only had one chance at this. The sound of the gun firing struck you first, the deafening crack that bounced from the walls. The searing pain in your right side forced your fist open in shock, your flint clattering to the cobbles as your other hand came to cradle your side. Immediately your blood started seeping through your fingers, soaking through your coat and dripping onto the street below. You looked up at the man who shot you, just in time to see Kaz bring his cane cracking into the side of the man's face. It sent him sprawling, the force of the blow knocking him off balance. You used your opportunity to kick the second man in the shin, stunning him for long enough for Kaz to incapacitate him too. 

Kaz wound his arm around your waist, pulling you away from the two men as they groaned on the ground and dragging you up the street. 

“Just hold on a little longer,” He spoke as he led you down another side alley, “We’re almost there.”

He forced you to stop before an old door as he fiddled with the lock. The dark green paint was peeling, revealing the chipped and water-stained wood. Kaz flickered with the lock for a few seconds and the door swung open, revealing a steep staircase into the safe house. 

“You’re kidding,” You groaned, letting Kaz shuffle you into the small space as he shut and locked the door. 

“Go on then,” Kaz smirked, pushing you up the stairs. 

The two of you climbed up the stairs, silent as you struggled together. When you reached the top, Kaz opened the final door and you both tumbled through over the threshold. The safe house was less of a house and more of a safe room. Filled with crates and shadows of objects you couldn’t make out, it felt much more cramped than your room in the Slat. Kaz pulled out his bone light, casting the room in the pale green light. With the new light, you could see the space clearer. A sink in the far corner close to the only window, and a bed pushed as far from the window as possible. You stumbled over to the sink, holding yourself up on the basin as you tried to get a look in the small mirror at your wound. 

“Let me help,” Kaz ordered, pulling out a crate from the wall and forcing you to sit down. 

Kaz looked over your side, letting you know the bullet had gone straight through, but would need some stitches and to be cleaned. There was a pause where you both realized you would have to remove your coat and top so Kaz could see better. With shaky hands, you slowly unbuttoned your coat. Kaz helped you guide it off your shoulders, letting it fall out of the way. 

“You’ll have to unzip my dress,” You whispered to Kaz, hands going back to your throbbing side. 

Kaz cleared his throat, nodding and stepping around you to follow your instructions. You could feel the smooth leather of his gloves ghost over the skin on your neck as he fiddled for the zip. He couldn’t get a good grip, abandoning one of his gloves on the floor so he could hold the small tab properly. Kaz’s fingers were freezing, When he touched the skin on your back the chill seeped under your skin and into your bones. You focused all your energy on not shivering against the feeling. He gently folded the dress down, letting it fall around your hips so he could see the bullet wound clearer. It left you in your bra and skirt half of your dress, yet you didn't feel exposed. Kaz was nothing if not respectful to you and you truly felt nothing but trust for him now.

 There were no words between you as Kaz stepped to your side and crouched down. You could see him out of the corner of your eye, but he was focused solely on your wound, his brow scrunched up in a frown. 

The two of you stayed silent as Kaz worked. You handed him what he asked for, a wet rag, sutures and a needle, a bandage. When he had finally tied off the last stitch, he started to bandage your waist. By now he had abandoned his other glove to the floor too, both of them covered in your blood and useless to him. He focused on the warmth of your skin as he wrapped the bandage around your waist, making sure to wrap it a few times to ensure it was secure. When he was finished, he noticed how quiet you had gotten, staring down at the floor with slightly glazed eyes. 

“Are you alright?” Kaz’s voice came out more of a croak, just above a whisper. It pulled you from your dissociation, pulling you into the moment. You turned to look at him, The bastard of the Barrel kneeling by your side, hands stained with your blood and the most caring, almost loving look in his eyes. 

You must have lost more blood than you thought, Kaz did not love you. 

“I’m fine.” 

Kaz nodded once, shakingly pushing himself off the ground and turning on the water to wash clean his hands. You didn’t move from the crate, mostly because you were unsure of what to do and also because there wasn’t exactly space to move in the room anyway. 

“You should sleep.” Kaz said, refusing to look up at you from the sink. 

“We both should. You can take the bed.” 

Kaz shook his head, “No. You're injured, you take it.” 

You rolled your eyes, “Did you sleep last night Kaz?” 

There was a heavy silence. 

“So you need to sleep now. There's plenty of room for both of us anyway.” 

You knew as soon as you said it the atmosphere had changed. It was well known Kaz kept his distance when he wasn’t wearing gloves. You had rarely seen him without them no matter where he was. After the longest silence, Kaz finally nodded, letting out the quietest, “Okay.” 

He turned to you, “There should be a stash of clothes in one of these crates, I could find them?” 

You smiled, nodding. Sitting with the top of your dress folded down was starting to get cold and sleeping like this would only make things more awkward. 

Kaz riffled through a few crates, finding ammo and whiskey before finding the crate filled with shirts and trousers. He pulled one of each out, setting them on the bed and turning his back so that you could get changed with some semblance of modesty. It was amusing for you, that he had already seen enough but he was too kind to even risk a glance now. 

When you had gotten into the clothes, with a little struggle trying to lift your arm into the sleeve, you pulled back the quilt on the bed. Kaz helped, letting you shuffle across the bed to where it pressed to the wall. The bed was so much bigger than your one, more likely double the size. Your bed hardly fits you in it, slightly too short and skinny because of the awkward rooms of the Slat. This bed was different. Although not as soft as your own, the size meant you and Kaz both had enough room so that you weren’t too close. 

Kaz was about to lie the quilt down and get on top when you stopped him. 

“Are you mad?” 

“What?” He scoffed, confused as to why you were heckling him now.

“Kaz Brekker, you will get cold. Just get under the quilt and stop acting like we’re some teenagers who can’t get ahold of ourselves.” 

Kaz stared at you in shock, blinking down at you with pure perplexion in his eyes. 

“Jesper was right,” He sighed, getting situated under the quilt to please you. 

“Right about what?” You pressed, turning in the bed to fix him with a glare. 

“You are cranky when you're tired.” 

“Oh shut up,” You scoffed, rolling back to stare at the ceiling and now him. 

Kaz chuckled, by now the bone light was fading steadily, the pale green light becoming nothing more than a faint glow from the corner of the room. You couldn’t see Kaz’s face too well, barrel able to make out the faint outline of his features in the dark. 

For a while, the two of you lay in silence, the only noise coming from the far-off sound of waves in the harbor. With no one else on the streets, every time footsteps echoed around in the streets below, you held your breath. 

“They won’t find us,” Kaz whispered, feeling you tense next to him. 

You didn’t respond, trying not to panic yourself further. 

“Listen to me,” Kaz shifted, the bed shaking slightly under you both, “We’re safe here, I won’t let anything happen to you, not again.” 

“Wasn’t your fault,” You responded, mirroring Kaz’s movements to face him, “Jobs go wrong sometimes.” 

Kaz didn’t react, “Sleep. We’ll head back to the salt when the city wakes up.” 

You wouldn’t say it out loud, but Kaz being by your side to protect you filled you with a sense of ease. You could relax back into the pillow and trust that he was going to look after you, no matter what. As you slipped into sleep, you thought dreamily about how much you cared for the bastard of the barrel, even if he didn’t share the same feelings. 

Kaz was thinking the same as he watched over you. He sat up in the bed as soon as you had fallen asleep, staring at the door in the dark, prepared for anything that might come barreling through it. He cared too much about you to let you get hurt again, especially when he was the only one around to protect you. He would never say it out loud, like you, but he would do anything to protect you from harm in the city where no one mourned. 

[girllblogging777]

have you ever hated a fictional character only to realise you see yourself in them ?

[corpsebasil]

Hello! I absolutely looove your Nikolai fics! Your writing is so good! Thank you!

I also wanted to ask if you ever be interested in writing a 5+1 fic (like 5 times Nikolai almost kisses you and 1 time he does)? It's okay if not ;)

Oh yes

You’d almost kissed before. Multiple times, in fact; he’d tried once after a dance, in which you’d cleanly dodged him. Then after a drunken night at a tavern, where the press of his body against your own had almost convinced you. But he wasn’t your friend, not really. Just a prince who had an interest in you, a flirtatious one at that, and someone you had no interest in being their pawn.

So you found yourself, to your chagrin, in the most cramped train of your life, the passage in Ketterdam more hazardous than that in Ravka. The swell of bodies around you was suffocating, and you pushed yourself against Nikolai, the only anchor keeping you from crashing to the ground.

“Good gods,” you mumbled, gripping his shoulders with both hands as the train once again lurched to the side. “we’re going to die.”

“We are not going to die.” He grumbled, exasperated, but allowed you to clutch him tighter, your fear of falling over greater than your resistance to touching him.

And you let him, ignoring the strange drop in your stomach, when he looped both arms around your waist, holding you against his chest.

“Up close and personal, huh, Y/N?” He teased, voice low against your ear. You rolled your eyes but couldn’t fight the shiver, not when he pressed his cheek lightly against your own, and you had to close your eyes against the contact. “You’ve been resisting me for weeks. Why?”

“I—” your voice caught on a particularly hard jolt, your fingers digging into his skin. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t.” He laughed lightly, holding you closer as the lights in the train flickered. Saints, it was like you were in a horror movie. “I think you like me.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.” He argued, and your eyes shot to his when he ran a hand down your spine. His expression was soft, but wary. “Don’t you?”

You swallowed, staring up at the prince.

He was attractive. Obviously. Anyone with working vision could see that, and the man had the charm of a god. But you were still hesitant; you didn’t want to fall for it, any act, and wind up heartbroken.

“I don’t know.” You admitted, looking up at him, and tried to ignore the twinge of hurt that crossed over his features.

“Well.” He swallowed, tugging you back up against him. Your face found the crook of his neck as you breathed him in, trying in vain to suppress the butterflies that tore through you as his cheek once again rested against your head. “When you decide, I’m here. Waiting.”

Your breathing caught. Only slightly, but you knew he felt it. And so when his head turned, lips pressing softly against your temple, you felt your knees weaken. You didn’t want to like him. Truly didn’t, but..

“Nikolai?” You whispered, tugging back a fraction to look up. He hummed in response, raising an eyebrow as your hands gripped him harder. His eyes moved your mouth, his head dipping down. “I—”

A jolt in the train almost sent you flying, your head smacking against his chest as the movement threw you against him. You squeaked in surprise and he laughed, barely managing to keep you upright.

“I hate this train.” You grumbled, as it finally slowed to a stop, and you quickly pulled away from the prince.

-

Later, after a quick dinner you two managed to scrounge up, you found yourself in the only bedroom available above the Crow Club, having had asked Kaz Brekker for somewhere to stay in your short time there. So you stared, a bit awkwardly, at the very, very small bed in the room, refusing to glance over at Nikolai.

“How cozy.” He commented, knocking his shoulder lightly against your own before moving over towards the bathing room attached. You only stared, internally groaning, as you heard him washing up. “I’ll sleep on the floor.” You heard him say, to your surprise. “I’ve slept in worse conditions, trust me.”

“You don’t have to.” You said, moving to wash up yourself as soon as he left the small chamber. “I mean—I’m sure we’ll both fit.”

“Don’t worry.” He avoided your eyes, snatching up a pillow and a spare blanket and searching the ground as if for the most comfortable area of wooden floor. “I’m not going to make you uncomfortable, Y/N.”

“You aren’t—” But he was already cozying up onto the floor, making a show of adjusting himself and tucking his arms behind his head. He gave you a winning smile as you rolled your eyes, moving to wash up.

As soon as you were done, you climbed into bed, settling down into the blankets and pillows. You closed your eyes.

You could not. Sleep.

You could hear Nikolai shuffling, tossing and turning as he tried to get comfortable. It was irritating as hell, and made guilt grate on you until you finally shot up in bed, huffing out a sigh.

“Get in the bed, Nikolai.” You ordered, watching as he lifted his head to look at you.

“So bossy. Trying to get into my pants, are you?”

“Nikolai.” You groaned, smacking the side of the mattress beside you. “Please. Neither of us are going to sleep with you rolling around on the floor.”

The prince grumbled something under his breath but stood, holding his pillow up as he moved towards you. His expression was hesitant, the usual trace of arrogance gone, as he cautiously slid into the bed beside you. You stared up at the dark ceiling for a moment, trying to keep your breathing even.

“So..” Nikolai mumbled, rolling onto his side next to you. He was close—too close—but there weren’t any better options. “Wanna play a game?”

“What?”

“I just thought of one. We make animal noises and the other person has to guess what we are. If you guess right you win a point.” He added, rather satisfied with himself, “I just came up with it.”

“Nikolai, what the hell—”

“I’ll go first. EH EH EH—”

“Dear gods, stop it.” You snapped, but a grin was on your face as you picked up a spare pillow and whacked him with it.

“Hey!” He gasped, snatching the pillow out of your grip. “Calm down. It was a good impression.”

“I have no idea what you were pretending to be.”

“A dolphin, duh.” His eyes watched you, expression warming when he saw your smile. “You need to relax. You’re making me feel like a creep.”

“I am relaxed.” You lied, rolling onto your side to face him. His soft smile was more attractive than you wanted it to be, and with him as close to you as he was, how could you relax? “You’re not a creep, Nik.”

He looked away momentarily, than back to you.

“You said you…don’t like me.” You almost groaned at his words. This was beginning to feel like a middle school sleepover. “Why?”

You paused.

“Because..” you thought about it for a moment, examining his features with your eyes. His handsome face, inches from your own, was contemplative. Almost anxious, as if he worried what you had to say. “I don’t know you just—you flirt with everyone. I don’t feel like liking you just for you to run around and act like—”

“I flirt with you, Y/N.” He laughed, startling you, and you blinked. “Come on, how many people do I try and kiss on a daily basis?”

“You—” you blinked again. Paused. He did seem to pay extra attention to you. Making comments not on your body but teasing ones, ones that made you blush instead of want to smack him like a lot of girls did.

“Made you speechless?” He teased, raising a blonde brow. “I have that effect on women.”

“You are a mess.” You scoffed, moving to roll away, but he grabbed your hand before you could. Butterflies immediately shot through you at the contact, and you looked back at him.

“Can I kiss you?” Nikolai asked, voice soft, and you could only stare. “I like you, Y/N. It’s fine if you don’t feel the same, but I’d rather not go to my grave without having kissed you at least once.”

“How morbid.” You mumbled, your own voice a bit strained, and subtly shifted closer to him. His expression seemed to tighten a bit, as if in regret at his words, so you added, “we wouldn’t want a tragedy like that to happen.”

Slowly, so slowly you weren’t sure if he was second guessing his choices, he reached out a hand and brushed it over your cheek, around the back of your neck. Your heart felt like it was going to break on something as he shifted closer, touching his nose lightly to yours.

“No,” he murmured, so close you could feel the brush of his lips as he spoke. “we definitely wouldn’t.”

And then his mouth pressed against yours, and your stomach dropped.

Your hands reached out to grip him to you and he made a small noise of surprise, your arms slipping around his neck as one of his arms looped under your back and pressed your body fully against his. You kissed him, hard, surprised at how eager you were to be close to him, and when he licked into your mouth to taste you, you actually let out a moaning noise.

He seemed to stiffen slightly underneath you, pulling away to grip your face in his hands.

“Please,” he whispered, voice strained. “do not make those types of noises.”

“Why not?” You asked, a bit breathless, your mouth immediately chasing forward after his. But he held you at bay, laughing lightly, as he rolled onto his back and tugged you on top of him, pulling you down against his chest.

“Because I’m becoming embarrassingly turned on right now, and I’m not sure if you want your first time with me to be in someone else’s bed.”

Your heart raced at his words, your face flushing red when he settled you lower onto his lap and you felt startling evidence of how turned on the prince happened to be.

“Just—” you swallowed, running a hand through his hair. Lord knows you’d wanted to touch his hair long before now. “Just kissing, then?”

“Just kissing.”

So you did.

You took his mouth again, running your tongue along his own, and allowed the prince to hold you as tightly against him as he wanted.

And later, once you’d gotten back to Ravka, you found that he wasn’t lying—he did like you. He was constantly finding excuses to kiss you; in public, in his rooms, pretty much anywhere. And when he’d finally gotten you into his bed, you found out he was a fantastic kisser. In other places, as well.

Yes this is just pg sorry to the smut fiends

[a-secret-land]

Shadow and Bone | Inej Knife Count | s1e2 | "We're All Someone's Monster"

[chaoticmiserablelover]

Don't get me wrong, the friends-to-lovers trope is a classic, and I adore it, especially if it's a slow burn, but I'd lose my mind before we became lovers.

[aprill-99]

Omnipotent Villain: “Look pathetic little hero! See how outmatched you are? What do you have with you that could possibly beat my un-killable army?

Hero (who learned about their status at max 5 years ago): “You’re right. All I have is childhood trauma, the bare minimum of training for this moment, one special magical weapon, the weight of the world on my shoulders, an unfounded sense of nobility pushing me to go on despite unknowable odds, and the power of friendship.”

Villain (whose omnipotence extends to a good working knowledge of fictional tropes): “Uhhhhhhhh…..”

Hero: “Come now! I have bid goodbye to my doomed love interest and am prepared to die for my cause!”

Villain: “I’m just gonna….. go…. Check something.”

************CUT TO SECRET THRONE ROOM OF BIGGER, WORSE, SECRET SECONDARY VILLAIN PREPPING FOR THE SEQUEL********

Villain 1: “My Lord! We must retreat and give up the scheme! The hero is unbeatable! They have arrived to battle armed with an ancient protection!”

Villain 2: “What kind of protection My Servant? A special suit of armor? An immense spell?”

Villain 1: “Worse my lord. So much worse.”

Villain 2: “Name it!l”

Villain 1: “My Lord they had *shudders* plot armor.”

Villain 2: *Gasps*

[wh0refornikolailantsov]

⋆｡°✩Shadow & Bone Masterlist✩°｡⋆

I take requests, hit me up if you wanna.

Number Of Requests Currently In Drafts/WIP: 36

Tolya Yul Bataar

Everyone's Fate Is Up To The Saints, Except Hers

Saints Or High Water

Maybe He Was All Blessings

By Stars

Keep You Near

Amateur Poetry

I Heard It In The Silence

One Bed

Safe With Him

Place Your Bets

Pay Your Debts

To Willingly Belong To Anyone Is A Rare Thing

In Times Of War

More Than Enough For Me

Tell Me Everything, And Then Tell Me Again

Find Your Way Back

Catch Me

Follow Your Arrow

Protecting You Is All I Know

The Bells

Miss Me?

Never Straying Far

Without You

All The Things I'll Never Say

All The Small Things That You Do

Restless

Keep Me Like A Prayer

Home Coming

On Platonic Love

Like A Drum

If All The Saints Allow

No Peaceful End In Sight

The Gentle Sound Of All That Is Right

Almosts / Almosts Part 2

Hold Onto Me

The Healing Of Power Of A Heart

Between Classes And The Bell AU Series

Even In Death

One In The Same

Held Together By Wool And Wanting

When You Wake Beside Me

In Wars Wake

Unburdened By You

If It's You Or The World, I Am Still Choosing You

UnLost

I'll Love You Anyway

I Know All The Steps, You Still Surprised Me

Softer Words No Poet Spoke

No Distance You Could Travel- Coming Soon

Head Above Water - Coming Soon

Tamar Kir Bataar

One Bed

Bruises

You Cannot Push Me Away

Cure Your Ills

All The Softer Parts Of You And I

Heart To Heart

Nikolai Lantsov

Better Late Than Never

Better Late Than Never Part 2

Tonight, Forever, Then, Here And Now

No Rest For The Wicked

Compass Of Pirates

One Bed

Metal Preserved Broken Promises

Dreams Of You

On The Rocks

Twist The Knife (In Deeper)

Appearances Aren't Everything - Coming Soon

Worth It All - Coming Soon

Every Foolish Thing - Coming Soon

Match Your Pace - Coming Soon

Alina Starkov

Love Alone Won't Win The War, But What If We Tried Anyway

Zoya Nazyalensky

The Oath I Intend To Keep

The Crows

Jesper Fahey

It's All Bad Choices From Here On Up Baby

Making Choices

Bottom Of The Barrel, And The Bottle

Shoot From The Hip

Don't Like Sleep, But We Like Sleeping In

Bringing A Knife To A Gun Fight

Sober Up

Sweat Bullets

For One Last Good Night With You

Make It A Double - Coming Soon

Nina Zenik

Couldn't Love Anybody Else

Eat, Drink, And Be Merry (For Tomorrow We Die)

Bedside Manner Isn't My Strong Suit, But I'll Try For You

Wylan Van Eck/Hendriks

Your Life Over Mine

Something About Timing

Comfort In Compassion

Fever Pitch

Light The Fuse - Coming Soon

Gunpowder And Lead - Coming Soon

Kaz Brekker

Get Out Of Ketterdam, Damn You

This Action Echos

Walk Away, Take My Heart With You

Leave Me With Ghosts

Small Sentiments

Diminishing Returns

Inej Ghafa

A Place For Me / A Place For Me Part 2 - Coming Soon

Tight Rope - Coming Soon

Matthias Helvar

How Do I Do This?

This Action Echos

I Didn't Ask To Have These Feelings For You

In His Arms / In His Arms Part 2

Wars Were Waged For Less Honourable Things Than Love

No Fault Of Hers

Bedside Manner Isn't My Strong Suit, But I'll Try For You

No Souls To Save - Coming Soon

[troped-fanfic-challenge]

TROPED: Shadow and Bone—Round One!

Our very first Shadow and Bone Event has officially begun!! We hope you'll join us for this non-anonymous, vote-free event, and put your awesome S&B fics out into the fandom! We're so excited about the new season, and we're sure you are too, so come write with us!

Prompt:

Theme: Canon Divergence

Trope 1: The Price of Victory

Trope 2: Almost Kiss

Trope 3: A Bet

Trope 4: Write a good guy as a villain, or a villain as a good guy!

Further definitions for the prompt can be found here!

Don't forget to follow our rules (no incest, no rape/abuse, no underage, etc), and to have fun!!! Please submit all fics to our AO3 collection here! If you need a tutorial on how to add a fic to an AO3 collection, one can be found here!!

TIMELINE:

Round 1 Writing Period: Saturday, March 18th — Wednesday, March 29th at 3:00am PST/6:00am EST

Round 2 will start on Thursday, March 30th at 12:01 EST!

Prompt Definitions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xMxhlUgs2Ib4NLuYuQaIlTGBJerYqCMragLK_b81S6k/edit?usp=sharing

Rules: https://troped-fanfic-challenge.tumblr.com/post/663771515496579072/the-official-troped-rules

AO3 Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Troped_Shadow_and_Bone

Tutorial: https://troped-fanfic-challenge.tumblr.com/post/648540929960132608/if-i-write-a-fic-for-one-of-the-rounds-how-do-i-go

Good luck, and happy writing!

[clarkgriffon]

Wesper + TV Love Tropes

[xadenviolct]

*browses through tumblr tags again*

*misses all the potential that grishaverse could have held*

Seriously, there was some epic story potential there if Bardugo had only taken a few more risks. A few more avenues explored that weren't "typical".

And yes, I guess the mid 2010s (Shadow & Bone was published in 2012 I believe?) there weren't a lot of "risk taking" in the YA genre and I can get that... sort of.

Maybe.

Because the bare bones of the story? The plot itself?

It's so utterly good. And there's depth there between dark and light, and outcast and minorities in a society (the Grisha) and the symbolism between power and corruption, monarchy--

Just--

I could probably rant on how much COULD HAVE BEEN with these books, with this story, and yet what did we ultimately get?

A boring, tired, childhood friends to lovers, power corrupts, keep the status quo story line.

Yawn.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the idea. The plot. The characters. Everything about it.

I love what it could have been.

I just... wish it was given such a chance to do that?

I want THAT story.

I want the morally grey "how far is too far". I want the revolutions. I want the dark versus light, the yin and yang. I want the comparisons between Nikolai and Aleksander and I want Mal's mediocrity to actually be addressed and dealt with.

I don't want the FMC to ... settle in the end. To make herself smaller so the "ordinary" male love interest is satisfied. Because I keep thinking of the scene of her in the window, playing with the sunlight--

Mal might be happy, but Alina settled.

And that is not the message I want. That is not the message that should have been told, either.

I want the blurry lines between what is right and wrong. What is necessary for the good of many versus the good of the one.

And you know what?

That's where the books failed.

Because I'm sorry. Like Mal all you want, but the guy was just...

So far below mediocre it was ridiculous.

[bonefall]

Im still messed up thinking about how Shaded Moss descends from the heavens to tut-tut at Tall Shadow for killing someone during a battle to the death

"How did you know he was going to kill Thunder hmmmmmmmm???"

(Insert scenes of Clear Sky saying "KILL EVERYONE")

"Who are you to decide whose life is more valuable hmmmmmm?"

My friend who came to save my life is more valuable than the guy trying to kill him, actually. Yeah. I am I to decide that.

Do you remember in TPB when Clawface kills Spottedleaf and Fireheart lets him go because it's dishonorable to kill a defeated warrior, and then Clawface tries to kill him next time, and Graystripe snaps his neck? And then he snaps Darkstripe's neck? Killing two people to save his friend and no one bats an eye? I miss that. Let's go back to that.

[syl-stormblessed]

reblog for a bigger sample size!!!!!!!!