#( wife her up already brekker or i will. damn. )

[taitropa]

The scene at the end of Crooked Kingdom where Inej scares Pekka Rollins so badly that he ran for the hills with no plans to come back to Ketterdam again is so gaslight gatekeep girlboss or whatever the kids say these days.

[love-anddeepression]

hello! i've had recently more time so i decided to read some of your works and i don't know what to say. they are amaizing and kaz in your writning style is so cool. that's why i want to request something.

could you please write a kaz x female!reader, where the reader is merchant's child (her mother got pregnat by her boyfriend – a gang member from the barrel – in very young age. now she is merchant's wife and besides y/n she has other child/children who aren't bastards like y/n) and she helps kaz with his ice court heist from inside because her family got invited to hringkälla. she is also a little bit jealous of inej and kaz likes to make fun of her in his own way, when they are coming back to the ketterdam.

thank you in advance! <3

You stop his heart-Kaz Brekker x fem!reader

Hi! thank you so much for requesting! I loved the plot idea! and I'm really glad you like my writing! I love you're writing too!<33 Here reader and Kaz are in a secret relationship because I love secret relationships so deal with it ppl. :P

Summary: ^^read the request!!

I like this a lot so please tell me how you like it! @messers-moony-lupin  @sirisuorionblack @mrs-brekker15 @confuscita @scandalous-chaos

“Stay safe Brekker.” you held his gloved hands in yours, kissing his palms, smirking at the way his cheeks turned red.

It was ten bells past eleven and everyone at you’re house was asleep, including you’re brothers.

“I might see you there.” he smirked, “you’re family’s invited are they not? I’ll be able to see you in a ball gown for the first time.”

“You won’t be able to recognize me.” you teased.

“I would recognize you even if wore a potato-sack and shaved you’re head, you’re burnt into my memory, angel.” 

“And people dare say you’re emotionless.” you giggled.

“Oh hush.” he whispered and hid his face in the crook of you’re neck.

He would have to go soon, climb out the window and into the darkness, and maybe he’d never return.

No, let me cherish this moment. 

He pulled away, a little shaky, but with a small grin on his face, “Smile for me angel, I don’t like seeing you all sad like this.”

So you smiled, teeth showing, cheekbones turning up.

He grinned, kissed your forehead and squeezed you’re hand.

“ See you in Fjerda, angel.” 

Inej was worried. Kaz had disappeared into the night for a long time and even she could not find him.

As she leapt over a rooftop in the Garden District, she spied his hat, he was climbing down a window pipe.

Curious, she decided go a little closer.

Kaz had visited someone in the dead of night, always before important heists and came back an hour or two later.

She waited until he left and decided to do some investigation of her own, she stalked over to the roof of you’re house and shimmied down the pipe soundlessly to the room she saw Kaz come out of.

Damn, the curtains were closed. She couldn’t see who Kaz had come to visit.

As she moved to leave, she realized whose house this was, this was the house of the merch, Viktor Steign. His two sons and his stepdaughter.

She had an inkling of an idea as to why Kaz had come here, and to be honest, she didn’t quite like it.

<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<`<`<~<~<~<

“Papa, if you want, I can go in the other boat, I know how you and my brothers like to have you’re own time and I’m sure I’d be fine on my own.” you asked you’re father, well, you’re stepfather.

“Are you sure dear? It wouldn’t be a problem if you were with us, besides it would be safer.” he looked up from his newspaper.

“Father, she just wants to be away from us.” you’re older brother George said, ruffling you’re hair from behind.

“I want to be away from you and Neil.” you swatted at you’re brother’s hand.

You’re mother died after giving birth to you’re youngest sibling Lizzie, who currently was in Novyi Zem in a boarding school.

You’re stepfather, had a wife before marrying you’re mother, and had George and Neil, and then after his wife had left him, he married your mom, who already had you, she never told you who you’re biological father was, just that he was a barrel rat and not worth her time nor her love.

You’re brothers were protective of you, regardless of the fact that you were their stepsister, they treated you as their own. Oh and Lizzie? They spoiled her and doted on her every second of the day.

“Papa don’t listen to that oaf, you know I’ll be fine.” you reasoned.

“Alright my dear, alright. But that means you’ll have to get a boat from Fjerda to Ketterdam.” he said.

“I’ll arrange passage, not to worry Papa. Thank you!” you all but squealed and hugged him.

As you left, your father sighed, “ She’s growing up George.” 

You’re brother narrowed his eyes, “ Mmm, you’re right father,”

<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~

“Welcome! Mister,Steign Welcome to Hringkalla! It is an honour to have you here!” a man in a blue uniform made his way to you’re family.

“Mister.Brum! It is an honour to be here, Hringkalla is a sacred festival and I am glad to be a part of it.” you’re father said politely.

Jarl Brum, famed leader of the Druskelle, a Fjerdan special corps who hunted Grisha.

“And this must be you’re daughter.” Brum exclaimed, “Although she doesn’t look like you at all, are you sure the nurse hadn’t picked up the wrong baby?” Brum nudged you’re father.

“No Mister. Brum, we’re sure.” Neil stepped forward, his curly brown hair contrasting Brum’s white.

“Of course of course. Please do enjoy the festival.” you saw how his eyes went to a plump redhead dressed in teal who was talking to another officer, and you nearly scoffed. What a creep.

You nodded in thanks to you’re brother and left to go mingle with the crowd, eyes scanning the ballroom for anyone who remotely looked like you’re boyfriend.

Oh there he was, standing next to a druskelle guard, wearing the uniform. Wait what?

You did a double take and you’re mouth almost dropped in shock.

From the corner of you’re eye, you saw another guard approaching them, looking quite stern.

Shit, I have to do something. You quickly shuffled over to where they were, almost grinning at the way Kaz’s eyes widened.

“Oh dear, sir, may I please know the way to the balconies? I feel rather sick.” you fan yourself with you’re hand and breathe fast.

The guard’s eyes pass over you’re body and Kaz’s eyes darken. That man might not have a good night tonight.

“Of course madam, let me take you there myself” he extends his hand and you take it, smiling fakely.

“Oh thank you, kind sir.”

“Call me Andor”

“Of course, thank you Andor.”

You snuck a quick glance at Kaz and winked, making him turn a shade of red as he and the blonde man next to him walked into a small hallway.

<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~

“Papa, I think I’ll leave now, I don’t wish to be here any longer.” you whispered to you’re father, who nodded.

“Stay safe dear.”

“Yes Papa.”

You made you’re way out, showing the different officers you’re identification papers.

As soon as you stepped out, you quickly made you’re way to the Ferolind, Kaz had told you his entire plan, and you wanted to surprise him.

You saw Speight, the ex-Navy officer and went up to him.

“Mister.Speight.-”you began.

“How do you know my name missy?” Speight narrowed his eyes.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt me, and don’t call me missy. Mister Brekker gives you money to support you’re sister in exchange for Navy sea routes, the ship you came to Fjerda on does not transport merchandise or goods. Now, I know Kaz Brekker personally, you will let me on the boat or Ghezen help me I will-”

“Alright! yes ma’am.” he said timidly and you entered the Ferolind, waiting in the deck below.

<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~

Nina had taken the parem, shit hit the fan, he almost killed the guy that flirted with you.

But yet, Kaz felt happy, they had succeeded. Now all he wanted to see was you’re proud face smiling at him and you’re hands playing with his hair. He  subconsciously ran his hand through his hair and made his way down.

 “Hello Kaz.”

He froze.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he slammed the door shut.

“I needed a way to come home faster than my family and this fit the bill. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have acted so-”

Kaz made his way over to you and touched his forehead to yours.

“Angel.” he whispered, “ I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too Kazzie.” you answer.

“You look lovely.” he hid his face in you’re neck again, nose against you’re pulse.

“Thank you, even the guard seemed to think so.” you said, you’re voice teasing.

“I wanted to kill him.” Kaz almost growled.

“You didn’t right?”

“No, didn’t get the chance to, I broke his nose and fractured his collarbone and legs though, so I’m satisfied” he said.

“Good.” you kissed his nose.

“Can I meet the rest of the Crows?” you ask.

“If that’s what you want, sure.”

You nodded and he opened the door.

<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~

“Guys, this is Y/n.”

You waved shyly, “Hi!”

“Hello Lovely!” Jesper cheered,  pointing finger-guns at you, which you returned, making him grin.

“ Hello. I saw you at Hringkalla, Thank you for helping us at the right time.” Matthias greeted solemnly.

“Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” you shake his hand, and he smiles.

“Finally, someone who is civilized.” he comments, making you laugh.

“She’s anything but.” Kaz piped in.

“ Oh hush.” you swat at Kaz, making him grin, just a little bit.

You made you’re way to Wylan and Kuwei, who both seemed to like you, Wylan opening up a bit more, talking about music shows and chemistry.

And finally Inej and Nina.

“You’re beautiful.” Nina’s hoarse voice said, making you shy all of a sudden.

“Likewise lovely, you’re hot.” you answer, making Nina huff out a small laugh.

“Nice to meet you Miss Ghafa. Kaz tells me a lot about you.” you shake her hand, unsure of what to say. She seemed so perfect.

“It’s lovely to meet you too! All good things I hope?” she asks.

“All good things, you’re amazing!” you exclaim, making her smile.

“Thank you.”

<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<

“You know, Kaz is really in love with you.” Nina commented.

“What makes you say that?” you ask her, eyebrows furrowed.

“With Parem, I can hear how his heart skips a beat whenever he hears you’re voice, or if even someone says you’re name. It’s so cute its borderline disgusting.” she finishes the tea you gave her and you both laugh.

“And I know you love him too.” she said.

 “How?” 

“I can hear how you’re breathing changes when you look at Kaz. It catches every time. As if you’ve never seen him before. Again, so cute it’s disgusting.”

“Well, I am in love with him.” Kaz beckons you to come next to him.

“ Excuse me, Nina. I’ll be back in awhile.” you smile and leave.

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

“Well, everyone loves you.” Kaz says.

“Of course they do, it’s me we’re talking about!”

“Exactly why I’m confused.” he teases.

You’re mouth flies open in fake offence, “You meanie.” 

“You love it” 

“No, I love you.” you say, making him freeze and turn to look at you.

 “What?” he asks, his voice low.

“Yes, I love you. And there’s nothing you can do about it.” you reply.

Kaz rests his head on you’re shoulder, kissing you’re cheek, “ I love you too angel.”

[morganayenneferburnham]

Have I Known You 20 Seconds or 20 Years? – Nikolai Lantsov Series

Chapter 1: Devils Roll the Dice, Angel Roll their Eyes

Chapter 2: You Did a Number on Me

Chapter 3: You Could Call Me Babe for the Weekend

Chapter 4: The Best of Times, The Worst of Crimes

A very short summary: Y/N has been working with the crows for a few years. Her life feels complete until she meets the insufferable Nikolai Lantsov. She finds herself forced to work with the King of Ravka on one of Kaz Brekker’s crazy schemes.

Word count: 2.5k

A/N: I finally finished chapter 4. It is a bit longer than the others. I should probably mention that I have never picked a lock or broken into a safe before so it might not be accurate. I tried my best, though!

Chapter 4: The Best of Times, The Worst of Crimes

“So, how often do you break into councilmen’s houses, exactly?” His curious voice resonating, barely louder than a whisper, in the dark empty corridor.

She was crouched down in front of the office door, kneeling on the thick burgundy carpet. Her nimble fingers, holding the picks she’d slipped from a hidden pocket of her dress, working quickly to get the door open.

She smiled, “Often, enough.” Does he disapprove? She wondered. Probably not. He’s breaking in as well, after all. The lock finally clicked. She let out a deep sigh of relief. Kaz may have trained her well, but she knew he was a better lock pick than she could ever hope to be. He was always so calm. Unfortunately, her nerves threatened to get the better of her every time she had to use this particular skill on a job. She was glad the first hurdle was behind her, but she knew cracking the safe would prove to be even more daunting.

“Let’s go,” she said, standing up and placing the picks back in her hidden pocket.

The door opened silently revealing an elegant office. Ornate woodwork decorated the lower half of the walls. Tasteful art pieces were scattered around the room. Kaz would love this, she thought, looking appreciatively at a DeKappel mounted on the wall behind the cluttered desk. If we have enough time, I’ll take a quick peek at these documents. There might be something interesting in there.

“According to Brekker the safe should be behind that bookcase” Nikolai gestured to a tall bookcase in the left corner of the room before swiftly making his way to it. “There should be a mechanism somewhere…” He was looking for it, moving his fingers around the back of the piece of furniture. A loud click resonated. The bookcase swung on its hinges, revealing the door to a steel safe. Nikolai turned back to her, wearing a wide grin. “This is fun! Maybe I should take a page out of your book.”

She raised a questioning brow, looking in his direction, making her way to the safe. “What do you mean?”

He let out a low chuckle. “I think I’ll start breaking into Zoya’s room, move stuff around. Maybe leave a note or two. It’d be a good way to annoy her.”

“Why would you risk your life like that? I mean I don’t know her well, but I have a feeling she’s scary when pissed off.” She thought of Zoya’s blazing blue eyes. She must be gorgeous too.

“You have no idea how absolutely terrifying she can be” he mused. “but a King needs entertainment.” His grin was utterly wicked. Y/N felt her heart skip over a beat.

She smiled back. The idea of Zoya trying to murder the king amused her to no end. “Well, it’s your funeral,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. “Now be silent, I need to focus.” She took a seat on the floor facing the safe.

She reached for the combination dial, gently resting her fingers on it. She breathed in deeply. Contact points. This is the easy part. She slowly spun the dial listening for the telling sounds. Click. A bit more. Click.

There we go. Park the wheel. Okay. Now I need to figure out the number of wheels. Sankta Lizabeta, please, don’t let there be too many.

She started turning the dial slowly again. First turn. Click. Second turn. Click. Third turn. Click. Fourth turn. Nothing.

She let herself breathe again. Three wheels. Three numbers. Six possible combinations. She could do this.

She quickly turned the dial to the right, letting it complete multiple turns before stopping at zero. She rolled her shoulders. No time to waste, she thought, here I go. She spun the dial slowly to the left. Click. More. Click. She repeated the process over and over, starting from a new number each time. She knew lock manipulation was time consuming but Saints this was taking way too long.

She found herself wishing she’d brought paper with her. This would’ve been a lot easier if she could’ve graphed her findings as she went instead of having to memorize them. Wylan is brighter than I am. He should be in here, helping.

She finally narrowed it down to three numbers: 12, 13, and 89. Six possible combinations. She was already behind schedule. She had to try them quickly.

She tried the first combination holding her breath. It didn’t work. She could feel Nikolai’s gaze on her. She heard him fidgeting by the door.

Saints, it would’ve been so much easier if I could’ve just drilled through this damn door. We’re screwed if I can’t get it open in the next minute.

“Fuck, I wish Kaz had sent Jesper in.” She was starting to panic. Second combination? Not this one either. This was taking too long. She was too slow. She was going to fail Kaz. Even worse, she was going to fail Nikolai.

She tried the third combination to no avail.

“Why would a sharpshooter be useful right now?” He sounded mostly confused, somewhat curious, and maybe a bit anxious.

Her fingers worked quickly, turning the dial following the sequence of the fourth combination. She groaned. It hadn’t worked.

“Well, a Fabrikator would be a lot more efficient at cracking a safe,” she said simply. Only two combinations left to try. This has to work.

“Oh, thank the Saints!” she exclaimed leaving no chance for Nikolai to reply. The penultimate combination had worked. 13-12-89. This Saints forsaken sequence of numbers had finally opened the safe. She had been lucky the safe wasn’t one of the more recent models. This one had already been difficult enough to crack.

She grabbed the blueprints, quickly rolling them up. She pulled her skirts up her right thigh and slid the precious documents in the sheath safely tied there. Nikolai closed the safe’s door and locked it. They were already late. “Come on. We have to go.” She was moving towards the door as soon as her skirts had fallen back into place.

Nikolai followed suit, quietly closing the door behind them. He quickly moved aside, giving Y/N access to the lock once more. She was already holding her picks.

Her hands were shaking slightly making it difficult to lock the door. She could’ve sworn the small click of the lock was the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard. She had never been more relieved. She rose quickly. She was ready for this night to be over.

Footsteps rang out in the hallway. Someone was coming up the stairs. It would be hard to explain what they were doing in the deserted hallway. They couldn’t be discovered here. She looked around hurriedly but there didn’t seem to be a good hiding place anywhere close.

Nikolai turned back towards her, “Do you trust me?”

“I –” Nikolai hadn’t given her a chance to answer, his lips already pressing against hers in a passionate kiss. His fingers gripping her waist tightly. She felt her back hit the wall with enough force to knock the breath out of her lungs. Nikolai deepened the kiss, tilting her head slightly to the left. His lips brushing against hers, his tongue sweeping her bottom lip. Her lips parting slightly into the kiss. His hands were moving up her back, pulling her closer to him. It felt like his hands were everywhere. His pleasant, intoxicating smell filling her nose, dulling her brain. His body was now pressing her hard against the wall, the doorframe digging painfully into her back. Her fingers, now tangled in his chestnut locks, had somehow found their way to his hair. She felt is fingers caress the skin at the back of her neck. All rational thought was completely erased from her mind. It was too much. It wasn’t enough. A small moan escaped her throat. Her heart was racing or maybe it was Nikolai’s? She couldn’t be sure.

A small cough reached her ears.

His lips left hers, drawing a plaintive whimper from her, only to attach themselves to her neck. She was fully aware of the next moan that escaped her, loud and breathy.

Someone cleared their throat next to them. A guard was standing there, staring at them. He looked somewhat amused but mostly uncomfortable.

Oh, it dawned on her, Nikolai is giving us a cover. It felt like a cold bucket of water had been poured on her head. She tried pushing him away, but Nikolai didn’t release his grip on her waist. Her cheeks were still flushed. She had to find a way to get her wits back. She was Ainsley Ó Ceallaigh. Not Y/N Y/L/N. It hadn’t been Nikolai, King of Ravka, kissing her. It had been Eoin Ó Ceallaigh, her husband.

“My apologies. I certainly don’t mean to interrupt” the guard was sporting a crooked smirk “but this part of the mansion is closed to the guests.” He didn’t seem to suspect anything was amiss.

“No need to apologize for doing your job, my friend,” Nikolai told the guard, his tone warm. “This is all my fault. You see I just couldn’t resist my wife’s beauty.” He pulled her in to place another kiss on her lips. Nikolai was playing his role to perfection. “We’ll go back to the party. Wouldn’t want to inconvenience you any further.” Nikolai’s hold on her waist loosened, his palm sliding to the small of her back. He used it to push her gently towards the stairs.

“Have a good night” the suggestive tone of the guard’s voice sent a fresh wave of blood to Y/N’s cheeks.

They heard the door rattle as they started walking down the stairs. The guard was checking it was locked. He would be able to report to the councilman that no one had entered the office. By the time Van Verent would realize documents were missing, Ainsley and Eoin Ó Ceallaigh would be long gone.

-----

Nikolai kept his hand pressed to Y/N’s back. She hadn’t said a word since he’d kissed her.

He knew most Grisha in Ketterdam were indentures. He had even seen the pleasure house tattoo on her left arm. Kaz had told him she was now exclusively working for the dregs but her tattoo from the House of the Blue Iris was still visible. “She keeps it as a reminder” Kaz had said. A reminder of what, though?

He’d probably crossed a line by kissing her like that. Not even giving her a chance to consider his plan. Time had been short. They didn’t have any other options. He only hoped that he hadn’t caused too much harm.

Nikolai guided her through the crowd, smiling and nodding at various dignitaries until they reached the doors leading to the garden. They should be meeting Jesper and Wylan by the porcelain cabinet, but he needed to make sure Y/N was alright first. He could feel how tense she was, her muscles stiff under his palm.

The cold air seemed to bring her out of her daze. “What are you doing? We shouldn’t be here. We should –” he could hear the insecurity in her voice.

“I know exactly where we should be.” He rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?” he couldn’t quite keep the concern out of his voice.

“I’ll be perfectly fine once we get back to the plan” she spat at him. He was surprised to see how quickly she had gone back to acting as if he was the bane of her existence. He had really thought they were making progress and had almost become friends. At least, that’s what he had hoped.

She needs time. “Fine, let’s find Jesper and Wylan.” His voice was cold, perfectly controlled. He offered her a hand. He didn’t want to push, but they still had to play their part. He felt her cool fingers close around his hand.

------

Wylan’s eyes were wide, probably in surprise. They were late and they weren’t supposed to be coming from the gardens. She only hoped her lips weren’t bruised from the kiss. She didn’t want Wylan to think they were late because they had been unprofessional. She knew he’d have to report it to Kaz. Wylan was by far the worse liar of the crew. He couldn’t keep anything from their boss.

If Kaz thought Y/N was compromised, that she couldn’t do her job… She knew he wouldn’t send her back to the Blue Iris. Or did she? Kaz was known to be ruthless after all. If she fucked up the job? If she wasn’t useful anymore? She’d been with the crows for a long time now. She thought of the crows as her family. But did Kaz really think of her that way too? She’d like to believe Kaz loved her the way the same way she did. She couldn’t be sure. She was spiraling. She had to get a grip. They still had to play the part.

Jesper raised a questioning eyebrow at her. She ignored it and plastered a smile on her face. “Hello,” she had to keep herself from grimacing. Her voice had been all wrong, way too high. She tried correcting it. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

She saw the look of absolute confusion in Jesper’s eyes. Wylan looked more concerned than confused. This is bad. “Ketterdam has the most surprising weather, doesn’t it?” Wylan smiled. This was the phrase they had agreed upon to convene the success of their operation.

-----

The party had settled down about an hour later. The number of party guests dwindling steadily. Jesper and Wylan had taken their leave about 15 minutes before Y/N and Nikolai, keeping up the pretense of only having met that night.

They were now safely back at the Hendriks’ house, standing around the table in the dining room, examining the blueprints.

“Everything go according to plan?” Kaz inquired.

“Kinda” her voice was unsure. She knew it was better to tell Kaz now. She fiddled with the hem of the tablecloth.

“What do you mean ‘kinda’?” His face would’ve been unreadable to most, but Y/N could see the apprehension there.

She felt Nikolai tense up by her side. Her mind kept travelling back to the feeling of his lips on hers. She needed to focus. “It took me too long to open the safe. We were behind on the schedule and a guard came back to the hallway before we could leave.” She met Kaz’s eyes. “Don’t worry, the door was locked.”

“How did you explain what you were doing in a part of the house clearly closed to guests?” Zoya sounded curious.

Nikolai was the one to answer her, “What could a handsome man and his gorgeous wife possibly be doing in a deserted corridor in the middle of a party?” The sarcasm that laced his voice painting the picture clearly for everyone.

Y/N lowered her eyes, the blueprints suddenly very fascinating to her. She felt her cheeks flush once again.

“Quick thinking. The guard believed it?” Kaz didn’t sound mad. She risked a peek at him. He was looking directly at her. From the look he gave her she knew they weren’t done talking about this.

“No need to worry, Brekker.” Of course, Nikolai couldn’t leave it at that. He had to make it worse. “We made it believable.” He winked. “Also, Y/N is way too modest about her acting abilities.”

tagged: @power-of-words23

[emmaannaelisabeth]

so, here's PART 7 of sailor-wife!kaz and well.. lets just say ouch.

kaz breathes heavily through gritted teeth, as he tries his best to collect the pieces of his shattered mind. what's going on and what does this man want from him exactly?

damnit, he curses. he can't think straight. not when jordie isn't here, not when kaz doesn't know if he's safe or not. he goes through it in his head again, over and over, time after time. the shots; how he'd wrapped jordie up in his arms. the pain; how he'd fallen to the ground, lost his footing. the horror; how he'd heard jordie whimper, feeling his own heart quiver with anguish, please, no, don't tell me he's been shot.

and then they'd ripped his boy from his arms. and kaz had been too weak to follow. he curses himself for not being stronger, for not pushing past the pain.

he looks down at his shirt, presses his lips into a thin line. well, with three holes in him, and then later also a boat hook, he supposes no one could blame him, not really. no one except for himself.

they say the first thing you forget about someone is their voice. kaz tenses, petrified at the mere thought of forgetting the innocent melody of his son's voice. because, no matter how much it hurts, he knows it: jordie could be dead by now. but he could just as well be alive. he could be cold and stiff, and he could be warm and soft. he could be a shell, an empty body, and he could be his jordie still, alive.

kaz feels the tears prick in his eyes; he can't tell if they're there because of the fear or the panic. because kaz's heart is racing, and his gaze snaps towards every little sound, eyes praying to see jordie there.

the door opens and the man from before comes in again. now followed by another man, hair so blonde it could be mistaken for white. the white haired man takes a step forward but the brunet stops him by lifting a finger. "not yet, barend", he says, his voice edgy.

barend mutters something, glares at kaz and turns around, walks out quickly. his white hair flies as he steps away.

"what do you want?" kaz asks when the man has left, forcing himself up to a sitting position against the wall. his face screws up with pain.

the brunet meets his pained gaze, eyebrows risen, he tilts his head to the side. "oh, i want your son's weight in gold", he says. "and i want every whisper you've heard."

kaz's mouth twitches, he glares at the man in front of him.

"neither of us wants him to lose weight", he continues. "whether that's from not eating or losing more than just what he can spare."

kaz lowers his gaze, frowns, feels his heart quiver. the man doesn't have to explain, kaz can tell with one look what he's capable of.

what do i do? the simple answer comes to mind: tell him, give him what he wants. but then again, that just might have the same outcome. kaz would no longer be able to wield the sword of shame to keep his family safe, he wouldn't be able to protect his girl and his little boy without his secrets, without the information he had on all the people in ketterdam.

"i don't think you want your son to become a cripple", the man says, dragging kaz back to reality. the rest of the sentence hangs in the air: like you.

"no", he says, voice low, defeated.

"good we're on the-"

"where is my son?" kaz hisses, anger flashing through his eyes. "i won't tell you anything if you don't let him go."

the brunet looks shocked, but it's obvious it's an act. "brekker, get yourself together."

"my name, is ghafa."

the brunet raises his eyebrows, nods slowly, smiles to himself, sighs. "ah, your spider", he murmurs. kaz's heart grows cold. no. no, no, no inej what did you do?

"she came for you, did you know?"

a wave of horror and anguish washes over kaz, as he tries not to look bothered. "no", he lies.

"do you know what me and my crow do to spiders?" he whispers, as if it was a secret. kaz holds his breath, grits his teeth. the brunet smiles softly and blinks, his gaze warm in a bizarre way. one moment he looks calm and relaxed, the next he squats down beside kaz and smashes his hand at the wall, making kaz blink.

"water is unpredictable, so are bullets", he says.

kaz's world crumbles. nononono.

the brunet bites his lip, frowns as if he was trying to remember something. "it took a while for her to sink", he says, then nods, huffs, looks into kaz's eyes. "i think she was dead when the sharks came."

"you, devil-" kaz hisses and tries to get up, fights the steel wire around his wrists, his whole body twitches, but the injuries make him groan and slide down against the wall again.

"i've been called many things, but never that before." the brunet smiles and stands up. "i like the sound of it."

he draws in a deep breath, crosses his arms over his chest; kaz can feel the man's gaze on him as he tries to fight the tears, fight to keep his heart together, fight to keep his sanity in one piece long enough to make sure jordie is safe. but the thoughts still rush through his mind, spirals, echoes against the walls of his skull.

damn it, inej! damn you, why did you have to be so stupid? stupid, stupid, my stupid... stupid precious friend. my stupid girl. he chokes down a sob, blinks away the tears. damn you.

and his soul is cracking by the words in his mind; he loves her too much to damn her, but he also hates her more than anything for getting herself killed. he damns her, but all he really does, it damn himself.

this is on him. it's him they want. and now she's gone. it's his fault jordie will grow up without a mother.

"you think... you know this town", the brunet says quietly, seemingly out of the blue. "you live in it, earn money from it, think it's on your side..." he silences, pressing his thumb down with the rest of his fingers on his hand, making the joint pop. kaz is silent, tries not to let the tears fall.

she's gone. i lost her.

he lost her to the water.

damned water.

"but then..." the brunet looks up from the floor, looks right into kaz's glittering eyes. "you realise that it's not. the city always wins."

kaz frowns. those words...

"think about it, ghafa", the man says and turns around. "but don't dwell on it - he's small already, your boy." he walks out of the room.

kaz swallows. dirtyhands would have ignored the pain and thrown himself at the man, and brekker would've tried to strike a deal. gahfa would have... he would have...

dirtyhands didn't know there even was a word such as reason and brekker didn't need one, but ghafa... he had two; one was nine years old and one was at the bottom of the ocean.

and now, kaz was half a man. half a man trying to keep his mind from falling apart, half a man trying to keep his remaining reason alive and breathing. he was a husband who just lost his wife. and he was a father to a son without a mother. and the tears stream down his cheeks.

i understand now, da. i understand how hard it was. i understand how much it hurt.

kaz never met his ma - da always said she gave kaz her life so he could live - but that doesn't mean that he wouldn't want her to wrap her arms around him and hug him tight, hear her tell him it'll be alright. right now. because even if he's got a child of his own, he feels like nine again.

keep her safe for me.

[morganayenneferburnham]

Have I Known You 20 Seconds or 20 Years? – Nikolai Lantsov Series

Chapter 1: Devils Roll the Dice, Angel Roll their Eyes

Chapter 2: You Did a Number on Me

Chapter 3: You Could Call Me Babe for the Weekend

A very short summary: Y/N has been working with the crows for a few years. Her life feels complete until she meets the insufferable Nikolai Lantsov. She finds herself forced to work with the King of Ravka on one of Kaz Brekker’s crazy schemes.

Word count: 2k

A/N: Finally starting to get somewhere!! I just started writing chapter 4, so it might take a bit longer before I upload again. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter in the meanwhile.

Thank you for reading! Just send me an ask if you want to be added to my taglist :) 

Chapter 3: You Could Call Me Babe for the Weekend

The next morning went by in a blur. They had moved everything to Wylan’s house on Geldstraat. Kaz was right. It would’ve been too suspicious if they had left for the party from the barrel. Questions about the job were being thrown from one person to the next. Various answers about cues and schedules flying in every direction.

“Wait, what time are we supposed to get to the party again?”

“Quarter after 6 bells, Jesper!” Yelled Wylan running by with an armful of party clothes.

“Nikolai and I are getting there at 6 bells. That way it won’t look like we know each other.” Y/N had been heading off in the opposing direction.

“Wylan! You forgot your jacket in the music room” Kaz’s raspy voice was easily recognizable above the others.

“I’ll go ahead and scout for the best location for you to hide to summon the storm. I’ll come get you at a quarter to 8 bells.”

Nikolai had to admire the crows’ ability to understand each other and get the job done in such chaos. They were running back and forth in every direction trying to get everything ready. Even Zoya seemed at ease discussing the plan with Inej. He needed this job to succeed. He needed to guarantee his country’s future. Once he was done dealing with this newest threat from Fjerda…? He’d like to work with the crows again. He felt much freer. Maybe it could become a side hustle for him and Zoya. It would give them a nice break from ruling a country.

He felt a soft hand rest on his arm. “Hey, we should probably go get ready for the party. We’ll meet here at 5 bells? That way we can go over last-minute details and head over.” She was smiling up at him. Her smile was soft as if she could tell he was anxious. He let his eyes trail over her tailored face and couldn’t help but miss her true features once more.

“Sounds good. I’ll see you then, my darling.” He pressed a quick kiss to her knuckles and watched her disappear up the vast staircase.

---

Nikolai made his way to the room Wylan had so graciously offered him that morning. It was not his room at the Grand Palace, but it was much nicer than the one he’d had at the slat. He took his time putting on the rich merch’s clothes Kaz had picked out for him. He was still in awe of the work Y/N had done on him. The young king found himself unavoidably staring at himself in the mirror mounted to his wall. He finished buttoning up his shirt and folded his suit jacket on his arm. It was almost 5 bells. He knew he should make his way back to the mansion’s parlor.

Nikolai had barely sat in one of the large armchairs when an appreciative whistle sounded on his left. He followed Jesper’s gaze to the stairs. Y/N’s dress accentuated her new body in all the right places. Nikolai couldn’t help but think it would’ve suited her even better before the tailoring.

“No one warned me I’d have to fight off every man who lays eyes on my wife.” He complained.

He watched as Inej and Zoya approached Y/N. The women shared a few whispered comments before they lead Y/N to him. He could’ve sworn he saw the girl’s cheeks turn red. He had to put up a lot more effort than he was used to in schooling his own features. The way the dress moved along to the sway of her hips, with every step she took, made his brain go blank. He imagined the way it would’ve been even more sensual with her natural curves. Maybe he could convince her to wear the gown again once she’d tailored them both back to normal. His mind was racing with images of her, twirling in his arms, wearing that damned dress.

“Anything you want to go over before we get going?” She was looking at him expectantly, her eyes bright, her tailored lips stretched in a small smile.

His mouth felt dry. All eyes were on him. He had to fight to kick start his brain again. “Nope, I think we’re ready.” He offered her a hand, his natural charm coming back to him. “Shall we, my darling wife?”

She took his hand and they headed for the door leading to the elegant boathouse. “No mourners” she called over her shoulder.

A unified “No funerals” rang out behind them. Nikolai made a mental note to ask them what the saying meant, at some point, when he wasn’t so distracted by the beautiful Grisha on his arm.

---

They’d taken a small, polished boat to make their way to councilman Van Verent’s house. It had only taken a few minutes for them to reach the sophisticated boathouse on the councilman’s property. A Stadwatch officer had taken their invitation before guiding them to the stylishly decorated mansion. Flowers from every guest’s country were arranged in beautiful crystal vases matching the colourful silk ribbons adorning the banister. As they entered the main hall, they were stunned by the sheer number of guests already in attendance. The main floor was filled with dignitaries from Kerch, Novyi Zem, Shu Han, Fjerda, and the Wandering Isle. Nikolai noticed the absence of anyone representing his country. Good, he thought, it’ll make the job easier.

To his dismay, Y/N was already catching the eye of a few men standing off to the sides of the room. He wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her closer, sending the interested parties a nasty look. He felt her breath hitch but didn’t release his hold on her body. She was his wife. Anyone who wanted to get to her would have to go through him. Nikolai was surprised by the jealousy he felt. He was usually in control of his feelings, always choosing to be pragmatic rather than emotional. He knew they had to put on a convincing act. He still wasn’t supposed to be this possessive of a girl he’d only met a few days ago, right? All the Saints and their mothers, Zoya will murder me if she finds out about this.

Y/N had maneuvered them towards a group of Zemeni dignitaries, quickly engaging in easy conversation with one of the wives. Nikolai used the opportunity to present their made-up business proposal to a few interested parties, promising to send them more information as soon as they went back home to the Wandering Isle.

They navigated group after group of foreign and domestic dignitaries for about an hour. He had to admit Kaz had done a wonderful job when creating their false identities, but he was tired of the constant mindless chattering. How lucky, he thought, the dance floor seems very appealing right about now.

He leaned in close, letting his lips brush against Y/N’s ear, interrupting her conversation. “You are doing a fantastic job, my love.” He felt her shiver against him. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of business partners once you’re done here. Now, however, I would very much like to dance with my beautiful wife.” She looked at him, surprise evident in her deep brown eyes. Nikolai smirked; he could get used to this. He offered her a hand before guiding her swiftly to the dance floor.

He felt men staring, once again, at ‘his wife’ as they graciously made their way to the middle of the floor. The small orchestra started playing a beautiful soft song, perfect for a romantic moment between lovers. Nikolai rested his right hand on the small of Y/N’s back, pulling her close, keeping her hand tightly in his own. He felt her free hand gently come to rest on his shoulder. His heart beating more quickly than he would’ve liked. Why am I so nervous? She was gazing up at him, a gentle smile gracing her lips. He swallowed hard. Nikolai had never felt more grateful for the dance lessons he’d taken as a child. He’d only done it to please his mother. He had to admit he was glad they were paying off now. To anyone watching them, they simply looked like newlyweds, madly in love, eager to share a dance.

They turned elegantly, in time with the slow music, their bodies completely in sync. Their breathing even, their steps well-balanced. The deep green skirts of her dress following every graceful movement they made. She followed his lead perfectly as if they’d been partners for years. She seemed to trust him completely, showing him how safe she felt in his arms. Time slowed for a moment. Nikolai found himself forgetting all about the job, about the plans they had to steal, even about his country. He wanted to stay in this moment, holding the talented Grisha against him, forever.

The sound of applause brought him out of his reverie. He took in their surroundings. Y/N looked as surprised as he felt. Her eyes wide, cheeks flushed. He had no idea how long they had been dancing, how many songs had been played. It dawned on him that they were the cause of the applause. People had stopped dancing and talking to watch the young couple, completely lost in each other, moving elegantly across the floor. He saw Jesper and Wylan, wide grins plastered on their faces, in the far corner of the room. They looked way too pleased. Saints, I hope they won’t tell Brekker about this.

He bowed, Y/N following his lead once again, before walking off the dance floor, towards the grand staircase. They had to stop drawing so much attention to themselves. He wished he could have a moment to talk to Y/N, alone, away from the prying eyes of the crowd. She was playing her role to perfection, all smiles, as couples complimented them on their dancing for the next few minutes.

The ornate wall-mounted clock chimed. Zoya, Wylan, and Jesper would create the distraction in 15 minutes. Wylan subtly nodded to him, indicating he had already placed the small incendiary charge in the dining room. He had developed this newest marvel by studying and modifying one of David Kostyk’s discoveries. It seemed the boy truly was a genius. Jesper would detonate the charge at 8 bells, the sound of his shot covered by the storm Zoya would summon. The fire would require all-hands-on-deck to be put out, leaving the office unguarded. If everything went according to Kaz’s plan, it would give him and Y/N about 30 minutes to pick the lock of Van Verent’s office, crack the safe and make their way back to the party with the blueprints safely tucked in the sheath hidden beneath Y/N’s dress.

They came to a halt in the shadow of the staircase, ready to spring to action at their cue. Nikolai made sure to pull Y/N close, slipping an arm around her waist.

“I didn’t know you were such a good dancer, my love.” He murmured. Better keep up the act. She makes it easy, though. I don’t even have to lie.

She laughed softly and turned in his arms, snaking her own arm around his neck, pressing her lips quickly against his cheek. “Thank you, darling. I am full of hidden talents, you know...” the raise of her eyebrow and her tone so suggestive Nikolai had to fight to keep a straight face. She’s only doing her job. She’s supposed to be my wife. It’s only normal that a young wife should flirt with her delightfully handsome husband. He was trying to convince himself but the playful look in her eyes told him otherwise. She spun around once more, keeping his hand on her waist, leaving him to observe the guests enjoying the party.

The clock chimed once more. 8 bells. Thunder boomed outside, rain battering the windows. A high-pitched scream sounded to his right, coming from the dining room. Other screams quickly followed. Guests ran past them, fleeing the room. Guards came rushing down the stairs, towards the fire. It was complete chaos. Nikolai found himself impressed, once again, by how brilliant the crows were. Maybe I could convince Kaz to help me plan my next military campaign? Or get Wylan to come work with David. I should at least sail with the Wraith and her crew.

Y/N’s fingers closed around his wrist. “That’s our cue.” She said with a sly grin on her lips.

---

Taglist: @power-of-words23

[emmaannaelisabeth]

so, this is PART 4 of sailor-wife!kaz, aka let us all cry together aye?

after... some hours? days? kaz doesn't know, he doesn't care. light, there's light. movement. someone shakes him, and blue eyes open slowly. a shape, familiar, yet foreign. inej?

he wants to cry. (he doesn't do that very often) no, no, please... they got her. they shot her. they saw her. damn you, inej! he wants to yell. why didn't you just listen? she's dead, just like he is.

becuse he must be, he's not bleeding anymore (he thinks?), and he's not in pain anymore. at least not like he was, moments ago. at least not physically. emotionally however, he feels like he's in hell already. the mere thought of inej dead in the water wants him to fall apart, wants him to burn down the whole city, wants him to drain the true sea of water.

water. damned water. kaz wants to scream, and if he wasn't lying on the floor already, he'd fall to his knees. it's always the water, isn't it? saints, how he damns it, how he calls upon all devils and demons and damns that those treacherous deapths.

not only did they take his brother from him, they ripped him bare of all gentle things he once carried within. now it had taken her too.

in one, weak moment, kaz wishes they hadn't dragged him up. then he'd be with her, then he'd be with jordie again.

saints, wait, no, jordie. no, jordie!

kaz stirs, looks around in panic, as his vision clears more and more. where is he? give me my son! get me my boy!

the shape above him clears and it feels like the weigh of the world was lifted from his chest. it's not her, oh mother of saints, it's not her. kaz lets out a heavy breath, blinks away the tears in his eyes. but he's still on the verge of losing his mind. jordie is no where to be found in this small room.

his son isn’t here, his boy isn’t here. jordie is not here. and he frantically looks around, just like his da’s mare did when she lost her foal in the pasture. da caressed her neck and told her it’s be fine, that the foal would soon be back. and the week old foal came galloping a moment later.

kaz doesn’t know what he’ll do if jordie doesn’t.

"he's up, boss", a voice says, and a dark haired man comes walking across the wooden floor. he tilts his head to the side, and the dark locks fall into his forehead. his dark eyes glisten in the damp light from the oil lamp in the ceiling.

"still sore?" he asks, raises an eyebrow.

kaz shoots a glare at the man above him, grits his teeth. "where is my son?" he hisses, attempts to get up, but stops as the steel wire almost cuts through the skin on his wrists. he's not chained or tied up more than that, and he realises that they don't need to, he can't move anyways.

the wounds are healed, and the skin is sealed, only light bruising remains where he can spot the skin through the tears of his shirt, but now that he thinks about it, it still hurts like hell.

the man laughs, shakes his head lightly. "i know ropes are cheaper, but now that we got you, money won't be a problem." he nods towards kaz's hands.

kaz breathes heavily. "my son", he says. "i swear, if you've hurt him-"

"you should be grateful i didn't let you die", the man says, voice soft, almost sweet for some strange reason, ignoring kaz completely.

"you know", the man, who only appears to be a couple of years older than kaz himself, begins. he twists his hands in each other, makes the joints pop with silent cracks. he bites his lip and tilts his head to the other side, smiles crookedly. "i thought you were tougher."

kaz rolls his eyes, snorts. "try to fight yourself when you're lying dying on the ground."

the man huffs, looks down at the floor, nods, lips pressed into a thin line. dark eyes lock with blue, and the man smiles softly, sending a wave of unease through kaz. there's just something about this man-

in the blink of an eye kaz has a hand around his neck, bare fingers wrapping tightly around kaz's throat. "i did", he whispers, his hot breath slicking kaz's cheeks. he lets go of kaz with a hasty move, as if he'd touched something poisonus.

"you'll give me what i want, brekker", he says and turns his back towards kaz, who still lies on the floor, trying his best to catch his breath. "or you'll never hold your son in your arms again-" he pauses, the corner of his mouth twitches, looks over his shoulder. "-at least not warm."

dark eyes meet blue and it's almost as if the air around them has been set on fire, electricity makes the air tremble, makes it just so tense and thick that you could cut it with a knife.

kaz wants to tear down the whole of ketterdam. but he stays down, knowing he won't be able to do anything if he's shot again. he can't save jordie if he's dead. and this man in front of him isn't to be played with, kaz knows. that man, right there, is too much alike himself.

the man straightens his back, smiles smugly. "face it, dirtyhands", he says. "it's all yours to lose."

he huffs, looks kaz deeply in the eyes, raises his eyebrows and shakes his head slightly. "it's all mine to take."