#I ADORE KAZ MORE THAN ANYTHING

[zulemmita]

I died

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Some little details you might have missed in Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom

(Maybe part one?)

When discussing the Ice Court Heist at the start of the book Wylan explains that he speaks Fjerdan and although Jesper teases that he probably isn’t very good at it, the fact that Wylan has been to the Ice Court at least once before would beg to differ; as a diplomatic meeting it would probably be considered impolite if he and his family didn’t speak at least some Fjerdan when being hosted by what I assume to have been the royal family or at least higher-ups in the Fjerdan government. However, when he’s drawing up plans of the Court on the boat, Kaz asks why nothing is labelled and Wylan says “I don’t know Fjerdan”. He does, in fact, know Fjerdan (and it’s confirmed later that he speaks it well), but he is hiding the fact that he cannot write

In the Bathroom Scene™️ Kaz says that Inej’s tell is the way she squares her shoulders before making a move, “as if you’re waiting for the audience’s attention”. When Kaz goes to the slat in the next chapter, after the fight he squares his shoulders before making his speech to launch a coup against Per Haskell. I think this is really interesting and it absolutely shows what Inej realises at the time, that “the fight was just the opening act” but this, the talking and the convincing and the persuasion, this is Kaz’s superpower. I think this is so interesting and says so much about him, but it’s also a great Kanej parallel. More than any character I can think of, Kaz absolutely embodies the quote “I discovered at a very young age that if I talked for long enough I could prove anything right or wrong, so either I’m god or truth is relative. And either way, boo-yah” (which by the way is a quote from the brilliant sitcom Community)

This is my favourite Wesper parallel: in soc when Wylan uses a bomb to save them from the parem-drugged fabricator, Jesper says “Wylan earned his keep”. Wylan replies “Did I?” and Jesper says “Well, you made a downpayment”. At the end of Crooked Kingdom when the pair are able to go back to Wylan’s house because Van Eck has been arrested, Wylan asks Jesper if he really meant it when he said that he would stay and help run the business by reading to him, and Jesper says of course, but “I charge a pretty steep fee”. Wylan blushes and replies “well I hope the medik is here to fix my ribs soon, because I’d like to make a downpayment”. THEY’RE SO GODDAMN ADORABLE

This one I think is something people just forget, but Nina and Matthias are heavily implied to have slept together on Black Veil when they got from Ravkan embassy. The pair go to get changed and reappear “rumpled and rosy several long minutes later”. Jesper laughs when he sees them- he says “Staying on task?” to which Nina replies “I’m teaching Matthias all about fun. He is an excellent student, diligent in his studies” as Matthias gets progressively more and more embarrassed. But yeah I’ve never seen anyone talk about it I think people just forget

[shadowbriar]

Regulus Black - Asking for a Friend

Pairing : Regulus Black x (she/her) Reader Word Count : 4.4k Warning : I'm not sure if there's any, but let me know if I missed any. Synopsis : Regulus comes to the realisation that the admiration he holds of her was more than a platonic one and it just so happen that Valentine's day was just around the corner. Notes : Post no 2 for my 1 Year Anniversary Celebration. Don't forget to fill the form here if you'd like to be tagged for my future works. If you like this story and would like to support me, please visit my kofi page and perhaps get me a coffee?☕ Regulus Black's Masterlist click here. Taglist : @jsjcue @coffeehurricanes @ell0ra-br3kk3r @kaz-mf-brekker @sofiacblair @when-you-cant-think-of-anything

“Have you ever had a friend that you're just so fond of and you wish that your partner would be just like them?”

Regulus’ question broke the stillness of the table, making his study mates to look up. Now Pandora, having been known to be the most studious of the group, has always hated it when someone causes any distraction in their study sessions yet for this one particular topic, she seems to be intrigued rather than looking bothered. It isn’t everyday your best friend of 5 years would talk about their romantic interest, after all.

“Elaborate.” Pandora says, her brows knitted together.

“I mean, you know.. You wish that your partner would be just like them.”

Evan squints his eyes, seemingly confused at his brief explanation, “I’m not sure I’m following you, mate. Doesn’t that just simply mean that you fancy them?”

The nonchalant expression on Regulus’ face turns blank in an instant. As if someone has just flicked the light bulb on top of his head, clearing the haze that has been fogging his mind. The sudden clarity has knocked him for six. Is that truly what it means? Days spent silently praising her beauty and nights wasted recalling their conversations were because he fancies her?

Over the years Regulus would find more of her personality to be his weakness, growing the softest spot in his heart specially reserved for her. He would always admire her witty comments, how she always conveyed her mind with the most articulate and intelligent words. Her friendly and warm nature is always something he adores and the way she would always listen to every worthless remark Regulus has with that magnetising smile and understanding eyes, it was impossible for Regulus to not wish his partner would be someone like her.

“So,” Barty asks, nudging on the raven haired boy with a teasing smile “Which friend do we fancy?”

Regulus’ cheeks turn rosy. All hell would break loose if Barty or Evan found out about it. Those boys are as good as a toothpick for a door bolt. The moment they knew about his growing affection for her, they would most immediately spill the beans and make things awkward between them.

And no, Regulus could certainly never have that.

“No one.” Regulus lies as he looks back down to his parchment paper “We fancy no one.”

“Oh come on now, Big Boy.” Barty whines “You’ve ripped off the bandage, might as well show us the scar.”

Regulus rolls his eyes, attempting to look as nonchalant as he could, “You’re fond of Evan’s presence, doesn’t mean you fancy him now, do you?”

“I don’t know, I wouldn’t say that’s impossible.” Barty jests as he begins to make fake kissing expressions to Evan.

“Oh, my Darling, Barty Bear.” Evan indulges in his best friend’s stunt, fake snogging Barty.

Regulus’ lips twitch into a smile, amused at the play-act his best friends are performing. He let out a relieved sigh, knowing that he’s just flee himself from being pestered by questions about his crush, but when he turned his gaze to the only girl at the table, Regulus knew that the little smirk plastered on Pandora’s face would be a form of nightmare he’ll be facing from that day onwards. He knows that she wouldn’t rest until he gives out a name and though she looks like she already knows who the lucky girl is, Regulus is certain that Pandora wouldn’t show him any mercy from the teasing and taunts.

—-

Dinner has been hard to swallow ever since the realisation of his budding infatuation for her. Regulus finds it impossible to not glance at her table, watching her from his peripheral vision as she chats and laughs with her group of friends. Whatever joke Barty throws or moans Evan has about his class have entered and left his ear like an insignificant noise, mind completely enamoured with her candid beauty.

His grip on the fork only tightens as he realises that she was walking to their table, a brilliant smile decorating her face as she takes a seat next to him, “Evening my favourite Serpents.”

“Fantastic, you’re here!” Evan exclaims gleefully, taking her hands to his that made Regulus’ stomach drop a little “Regulus here has been so out of it since this afternoon, we think he’s broken.”

Barty nods eagerly, “He didn’t even twitch a muscle at my joke and mind you it was bloody brilliant!”

She let out a chuckle, looking at Regulus lovingly (at least in his mind) before turning back to face Evan and Barty. Now the words exchanged between the five of them have gone from a trifling noise to a completely deafen sound. His eyes were glued on hers, taking mental notes of all the little gestures she made. How she would close her eyes shut whenever she laughs, how her brows crinkled more often than not, and how her cheekbones pop wherever she smiles, making her look a thousand times more hypnotising.

Now it was nothing out of the ordinary for Regulus to be the most quiet party of the table, but the little to no words uttered by him was making her suspicious. Sure it wouldn’t be the first time he would watch her intently and just agree with whatever is being discussed, but something’s different this time. The way his shoulder relaxes and how the small curl on his lip never waters was making her feel a little bit flustered to say the least.

“You’re awfully quiet,” She says as she turns to the lovestruck boy, resting her chin on her palm to stare back at him “Cat caught your tongue?”

Regulus blinks, gulping at the close proximity, “Just— Didn’t really have anything to say, is all.”

“Really?” She asks with a raised brow “That’s very unlike you.”

“How is it unlike me?”

“Well, you always have something to say. Whether or not you speak of it is an entirely different conversation to have, but you always have something to say, Regulus.”

Regulus bites his inner cheek. How is it that she could read him like an open book? Was he really that transparent or was he really that spellbound in her charms?

“Don’t bother him. Big boy here is trying to sort his feelings out.” Evan retorts.

“Really?” She replies, amused “What sort of feelings?”

“The loving, sappy kind of feelings.” Barty mocks “Regulus is in love.”

“Shut up, Barty!”

Regulus turns to her, uneasy over the fact that she might figure out his little secret but the look on her face was disheartening. As much as he wished he could have just half of her ability to read him, it was nearly impossible for Regulus to decipher her expression. She was staring back at him, her brows knitted as if she’s trying to read through him too but wasn’t sure on what to look at. It was a whole new expression he’s never seen before.

“Reggie wouldn’t give us the name,” Evan continues, completely oblivious of the awkward tension rising “Can we take a guess, Reg? Say yes if we guess correctly?”

“I bet it’s that girl Regulus always sits next to in Potion.” Barty mutters.

“Or that girl Regulus did his Herbology essay with. They spent weeks on that assignment, remember?” Evan counters “Or maybe that Gryffindor—,”

“It’s not any of those girls,” Pandora cuts.

“How would you know?” Evan asked.

“Oh, I just do,” Pandora says with a confident shrug, turning to Regulus “Don’t I, Reg?”

Regulus shakes his head, still trying to do the most possible damage control though he knew that such effort seems fruitless now. Cat’s out of the bag. It would only be a matter of time now until she realises that she’s the girl he’s been swooning over.

Ironic how long it took for him to realise that he fancies her yet it took no time for the secret to be spilled.

“Don’t push his buttons, guys,” She says with a warm laughter “If Regulus doesn’t want to drop names, then let him. It’s not our business now, is it?”

Now Regulus frowns a little. Her words sting a way he was never familiar with. What does she mean that it isn’t their business? Does she not care about who he’s crushing on?

“If you say so,” Pandora said to her, winking as if there was some secret message sent between the two.

Regulus studies her expression intently, trying to see if Pandora has cracked his secret and is now spilling it to her. Salazar, Regulus hopes that that wasn’t the case. He needs time to sort out his feelings, as Evan said, and if she found out about his budding infatuation before he could figure out a proper way to profess it— Well, Regulus hoped that it would never get to that point. Ever.

—-

If Regulus was ever asked, which of the following could ever compare to the beauty that is her: sun, moon, or star, Regulus would argue that she is the beautiful crescent moon with its bright yet soft light washing over his skin as he stares at her silently on his window pane. Regulus would argue, if he ever allows himself to be so bold, that she is his ideal. Her intelligence not to mention beauty would be the sweet honey to his tea, the butterfly to his garden of flowers.

But Regulus was never half as confident as she is. Never half as open and friendly to others. He was reserved, quiet, oftentimes perceived as cold and callous. But not to her. She could always see him through his distant exterior, involving him in every discussion they would have and perhaps that was the one thing that made him yield his heart to her.

Regulus never paid any mind to big dates and celebrations, but something about the upcoming Valentines date shakes his core. Perhaps it was the fact that it fell on the very day of their Hogsmeade trip this week, or the fact that all of his friends were buzzing about who they're going to ask to be their Valentines date, or maybe the fact that for once, Regulus might have a proper chance to ask her to be his date.

Chance. That word felt too optimistic for his presumptive mind. It was as if she ever looked at him that way.

��Regulus?” She called and squeezed his forearm lightly, making him burst his bubble of thought. He turns to her, cheeks slightly rosy from the shame of having ignored her. Just how pathetic he is to zoned out about her when she's sitting right beside him “Are you alright? You've been off of it all morning, I’ve noticed.”

He nods, flashing a shy smile, “All is well, no worries.”

She smiles, taking her hand off of him and continues her work.

Regulus turns his head, stopping at the sight of some Ravenclaw boy asking some Hufflepuff girl by the library entrance. The bashful gesture he’s showing and the giddy smile she shows makes it easy for him to tell the situation is happening at the spot. Another couple for the Valentine's Hogsmeade trip, he reckons.

A little twist in his stomach grows. With the many people asking each other out for the Hogsmeade trip, it would only be normal for him to ask her too, right? The timing was right, they could just go as friends in the worst case scenario. All he has to do is ask, but why are the words stuck at the tip of his tongue?

“Actually,” Regulus starts, secretly playing with the hem of his robe in nervousness “I have something to ask you.”

She looks up, meeting him with a warm smile, “Shoot.”

“I was wondering if you have a date for the Hogsmeade trip?”

“Oh,” She answers, utterly taken aback by his question. A hint of rosiness spread on her cheeks, something Regulus has to convince himself has nothing to do with his question. She always has that natural flush on her face, surely it must be nothing as pleasant as his stupid heart is hoping for “No, I don’t have a date at the moment. Why do you ask?”

“Just.. Asking for a friend.”

Regulus mentally slapped himself, having to be defeated by his anxiety once again that he has to come up with a lie. She stares at him with a confused look, the glimmer on her eyes dims down from the words he uttered. It was as if she was disappointed at his answer.

“I see,” She says with a nod “Do you plan to ask anyone?”

“Not sure,” He answers truthfully “Do you have anyone you hope would ask you?”

She plays with her quill, tapping it to the parchment paper as if she was piecing the right words to reply to him, “I suppose I do but I’m not counting on it.”

Regulus frowns, ignoring the slight crack of his heart, “Who?”

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

Regulus pursed his lips, acting to be in a deep thought, “No.”

She chuckles, turning back to her paperwork.

“But, if—” Regulus calls again, not wanting to end their conversation just yet “If my friend were to ask you, would you say yes?”

“Well it truly depends on which friend you’re talking about now, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but what is the possibility of you saying yes to my said friend? 50%? 60%? Or are you fully waiting for your prince charming to ask you?”

She stares at him with a smile, looking completely amused at the questions thrown at her. If she didn’t know better she would think that Regulus was asking for himself from all the persistent queries, but then of course, we all know how Regulus Black is. No girl in this castle is good enough for him and this rule applies to her too.

“Why don’t you just tell this friend to come to me himself, hm?” She answers, resting her chin on her palm and stares at him fondly “I truly can’t give you any answers unless you give me a name, Reg.”

“It’s Evan.” He blurts, cheeks feeling hot from her gaze.

“Rosier?” She asks with a raised eyebrow “I thought he’s going with Pandora? I was sure she told me he asked her last week.”

“Did I say Evan? I meant Barty.” Regulus fake coughed, clearing his throat “Barty wanted to ask you to be his date.”

The soft and gentle expression on her face turns into an appalled one, bewildered at the answer Regulus gives. His brain has haywired that he neglected the fact that Barty was her cousin, and though cousin romance is deemed acceptable in the wizarding world, Barty and her would never pursue each other romantically for one too many reasons. If Regulus could just tame his nervousness for just a degree, he would’ve realised how idiotic his answer was.

“Barty wants to be my date?” She asks, trying to confirm his answer that sounded like a death sentence for her.

Regulus nods, “He does.”

She narrows her eyes, trying to catch his lie but the stern and rigid expression on Regulus’ face makes her question her own mind. Regulus was never one to be deceitful yet the idea of Barty wanting to ask her to be his date is just as illogical. The only plausible reason behind such a stunt would be them trying to pull some prank on her, but even with that, Regulus was never one to ever indulge in the mischief her cousin and Rosier would always find themselves in.

“I— Well, I guess you should tell him to ask me himself?” She answers, questioning herself.

“I’ll do that,” Regulus nods firmly, trying to keep his act in place “I’ll tell him you said that.”

—-

A couple of days has passed ever since that incident of him blurting Barty’s name at the library. Regulus was still ever so stressed out to ask her himself that he still hasn’t realised the stupid mistake he’s done. Now with the Hogsmeade trip coming closer, Regulus really has no other time but now to ask her.

Yet before he could do so, the universe crushed his dream.

Barty entered the Slytherin Common Room with the brightest grin on his face, making Evan, Regulus, and Pandora look at each other from the strange sight. He jumps to the sofa, sighing with delight as he lay on it and rests his feet to the hand rest. Barty turns to see his friends who now still look at him with a baffled expression, enjoying the sight and looking forward to stomping on one of them in the next minute.

“Gentlemen,” Barty greets before turning to Pandora “My Lady.”

“What’s with you?” Evan asks, an amused smile plastered on his face “You look like you’ve just won a lottery.”

“Even better, I just got a date.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow, “A date? Who?”

Barty coos, saying her name.

“Wait, isn’t she—”

“Brilliant, indeed.” Barty cuts, not letting Evan to correct the fact that they’re cousins. He shot him a look, one that conveys I’ll tell you later and Evan nods in understanding.

Colour drains from Regulus’ face. Just when he finally gathered enough courage to come forward, he just has to be beaten to the race. By Barty of all people. Supposed she came and asked Barty about their conversation that day and knowing Barty, he would never let such an opportunity slip. Who would ever not want to have her as their date after all?

“Who would’ve thought, right?” Barty fawns, pouring Regulus’ jealousy with petrol “Barty Crouch Jr having such a beautiful bird as his date for Valentine's.”

Evan was eyeing his friend with a sceptical look, clearly lost at the scheme Barty was pulling, “Barty, can I see that Transfiguration homework you promised me now? I have quite a lot to catch up on.”

“Sure,” Barty says, catching Evan’s bullshit right away as he stood from the sofa “It’s in my room.”

And so the two boys left, leaving Regulus who looks like he’s second away from vomiting all contents of his stomach and Pandora who’s casually flipping the pages of a magazine in her hand, an all knowing smirk present on her lips.

“Pandora,” Regulus calls, eyes still vacant “Do you have your wand with you?”

Pandora hums.

“Please hex me to death right now.”

The girl laughs at his request. Pandora put down the magazine and looked at Regulus with a teasing smile, “Why would you ask me that, Reggie?”

Regulus glares, “You know why. I saw your smile the other day when she came to our table. You know about it, don’t you?”

“About what?”

“That I was crushing on her.”

Pandora shrugs, “Maybe.”

“Ugh,” Regulus crowls “What am I to do now?”

Pandora chuckles, patting Regulus’ shoulder in an attempt to console him. Pandora felt cruel now to be the one to suggest the prank, to tell her and Barty to go on a fake date just to mess with Regulus. In her defence, out of the five of them, it seems like Regulus is the only one who doesn’t realise his growing affection for her. It was a public secret for the group now that he’s been sending her heart eyes. All he needed was a push and Pandora felt like it was her duty to help him.

Even when Regulus would surely throw a fit once he knew she was the mastermind behind his distraught now.

“Why don’t you just come to Hogsmeade, Reg?” Pandora suggests, playing the innocent supportive friend now “If their date doesn’t go well, you can go and rescue her.”

Regulus turns to see Pandora, his eyes hopeful at the advice, “You think so?”

“Yeah,” Pandora encourages “I mean, how many similarities does she have with Barty? Almost none. I’m pretty sure their date will turn downhill the moment they step into Madam Puddifoot’s shop.”

“How do you know they’ll go to Madam Puddifoot’s?”

Pandora shrugs, “Don’t all couples go there?”

Regulus bites his inner cheek as he gives it a thought. The idea of her going to such a sappy tea shop with Barty peels his skin. It should be him and her, not Barty and her. What was in her bloody mind to ever say yes to Barty’s invite in the first place?

“Fine,” Regulus says with an exasperated sigh “I’ll go to Hogsmeade.”

—-

Regulus’ tea has long gone cold, untouched as he impatiently waits for her and Barty to enter the tea shop. He figured, if they wanted to have their date here, where else would be the best place to spy on them than the very shop itself? So he got himself a table, ordered himself tea and biscuits that only served as props on his table, while his eyes were glued to the door. Every jingle of the bell felt like an invisible blade thrown to pierce his heart.

He looks down to his watch. It’s been more than an hour now. When would they come? How long should he wait? Will they even come to this tea shop like Pandora said?

Before his head could explode with more questions, Regulus’ breath was held on his chest as she finally entered the establishment. Her cheeks were rosy, probably from the cold wind outside. Regulus wished he could take a picture of her now because Merlin, just how hypnotising could she be?

To think that she dressed up for a date with Barty crushes him, but where even is Barty?

Regulus’ brows were raised now. Did Barty stood her up? Is that why she’s alone now? But she doesn’t look the slightest bit annoyed or sad if such a scenario did occur. She has her eyes scanning the tables now, looking for something, someone, and when their eyes meet, her smile blooms and walks closer to him.

“Hello, there,” She greets, pointing at the empty seat in front of him “Is this seat taken?”

Regulus shakes his head, in loss of words as he tries to assess the situation happening.

She happily took her seat, ordering herself something to drink before turning back to Regulus. Her gaze met his, hands clasped on the table. Her brilliant smile was still evident and it’s making Regulus feel like he could melt and die right on that instant.

“So,” She started, her tone cheerful “What are you doing here, Regulus?”

“I— Uh—” Regulus stutters “I— I was supposed to meet someone.”

“Really?” She asks, intrigued “Who?”

“Just— No one important.” He answers, running his palms to his trousers in nervousness “What are you doing here? I heard you have a date with Barty today. Where is he?”

She shrugs, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? Did he stood you up?” Regulus asked, his anger starting to rise. How dare he stood her up?

“Oh, no, he didn’t. I just cancelled our date.” She says nonchalantly “I find it too cruel to proceed so I bailed on them.”

“Cruel? Them?” Regulus asked, confused “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, you sweet soul,” She says with a gentle chuckle, taking one of his hands softly and caressing the back of it with her thumb “Who is it again that you said was asking me for a date?

“Barty.” Regulus says with a nervous gulp.

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t truly him now, was it?” She asks “Cause I’m pretty sure Barty would never be interested in me in that way, seeing that we’re cousins.”

Regulus closes his eyes, letting out an embarrassed sigh. That day in the Common Room must have been some sick joke the other’s were pulling at him. How Barty entered with such a huge grin and Pandora’s pitiful yet teasing look at him. They both must have been the miscreants behind this humiliating act.

“I’m going to kill them,” Regulus mutters, not meeting her eyes.

“Please, don’t,” She answers with a laugh “They mean well, I promise you.”

“They’re making me look pathetic in front of you.”

“That’s debatable,” She remarks “I find it cute and adorable, to be honest. And to be fair, it was you who lied to me first. They’re just following your ruse.”

“I’m sorry,” Regulus says “Are you angry at me?”

“No,” She says, shaking her head “I was appalled at first, but then I realised that you might just be shy about it so I just brushed it off.”

Regulus nods, smiling at her weakly from her understanding.

Now what? He thought. Cats out of the bag, for good this time. What should he say now? What should he do? Would she like him to say anything about it? Do anything about it? What if she’s just here out of a friendly gesture? That she doesn’t want to embarrass himself further in front of the others?

But the tender gaze she gives to him now, the understanding smile and the gentle touch she’s giving him, it all feels like a supportive push for him to go forward. To finally embrace his realisation of affection and hand his heart to her now.

“So I guess you know already..” He begins “About my feelings.”

“I have a rough idea of it.” She teases.

“What do you think about it?”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, do you think it was okay? For me to fancy you?” Regulus asks, uncertainty bleeding out of his voice “Would it be okay if I like you?”

“If it wasn’t okay with me I wouldn’t be here with you, would I?” She argues, her kind smile still tugging on her lips “I do have to confess that I expected more than just ‘fancy’ or ‘like’. I thought we’ve gone past that phase already.”

“We?”

She raised an eyebrow, “You didn’t really think that this flows one way, did you?”

“I— I don’t know.”

“Oh, you blind child,” She chuckles “I fancy you too, Regulus. Perhaps even more than that.”

“I— Really?” Regulus asks, blushing yet still trying to understand her words as if she’s been speaking in a different language “This better not be another prank you and Pandora or Barty or Evan is pulling on me.”

She chuckles, “It’s not, I can assure you.”

“Prove it.”

She squints her eyes, giving his challenge a thought before standing a little from her seat. She begins to lean in, inching closer to his face and closing her eyes when their hot breaths begin to meet each other’s skin. She gives the lightest brush to his lips, so soft that it felt feather-like but still sent jolts of electricity down his spine. 

She pulls away a little, still so close to him that their noses brush with each other. She gazes into his eyes, lovestruck and content, “Was that enough of a proof?”

“No,” Regulus breathes, whispering “Do it again.”

[ashessonfire]

im going livid over civilian wife with kaz!!! i would love to read more of soft and domestic life with kaz, it doesnt have to be anything big just fluff crumbs^^

'Sunrise' - Kaz Brekker x Reader

Prompt : Kaz and his partner wish to take in the early morning sunrise at the local market. But can the pair escape the curiosity of the crows?

- Pairing :Kaz Brekker x Reader (gender neutral) - Warnings : Literally none just fluff, threatening Kaz? But he doesn't really mean it :))

A/N : Thank you for such a cute prompt! I hope I have done the idea justice, it took such a long time to put this together after months of studying and not writing at all... But I am so glad to be back and I am working through the requests I have right now! Please continue to send in requests, I love you all!! <333

click here for masterlist

click here for characters I write for

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

A gentle breeze fluttered through the rippling curtains, parting them just enough to allow streams of early sunlight to illuminate your lover's features. Kaz's gentle breathing and almost peaceful expression sent a wave of warmth through your chest, directly into your heart. Who knew the deadliest criminal in Ketterdam could find solace in a cozy bed, surrounded by the melodies of bird song?

Shifting your gaze downwards, you noticed that during the night Kaz had intertwined your fingers with his own, holding them gentle prisoners within his hardened, calloused hands. Lightly brushing a stray ebony lock from his porcelain skin, your eyeline was drawn to the glittering colours now covering the walls of your shared bedroom. The sun was seemingly painting your pale home with hues of sunrise, leaving within you a deep sense of longing for more.

Tenderly brushing your free hand over Kaz's shoulder, you watched as his lashes began to flutter, before a pair of deep chestnut eyes caught your own. After many years of slowly lowering the walls that towered over his heart, you had watched the defence slip from him, with each day gradually healing the cracks.

After few moments of basking in eachother's presence, Kaz rose, gazing towards the sunrise you had previously been admiring. Taking in the sublime feeling the new day gave him, the fingers wrapped around your own tightened. "It's Sunday," a gravelly voice softly announced, "You must want to drag me to the market"

Smiling gingerly at his feigned annoyance, you placed a gentle kiss to his temple in reply, before slipping out of bed to ready yourself for the trip. Throughout most of Kaz's life, each day had brought new challenges, with the Barrel constantly presenting treacherous threats and difficulties, leaving little time for anything else but heightened apprehension.

Since meeting you however, Kaz had learned the importance of routine, as well as quiet. The ocean that usually drowned him with perilous swells transformed into a flow of gentle waves, lapping peacefully against a shore, rather than aiming to violently drag him under. Although hesitant at first, the bastard had learnt to adore your domestic routines, fetching fresh flowers for the vases on Monday's, having tea after a dreg meeting on Thursday's, and his discrete favourite of them all, the market every Sunday.

As you noted the list of items you were searching for, Kaz stood by the entrance to your home, gaze softening each time your brows furrowed as you attempted to decipher what you had missed off. Opening the door with a soft click, you grabbed onto his gloved hand as you practically dragged him out of the door, leaving Kaz with an amused but warm expression as he allowed you to sweep him away.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

"Where do you reckon he goes every week?" a voice mumbled through a mouthful of pancakes, barely audible as Nina continued to eat her breakfast. Collectively the crows shrugged and shared parallel voicings of uncertainty.

"What is there to do on a Sunday, I mean that's like the least exciting day of them all?" Jesper thought aloud, sprawling carelessly against the seat he and Wylan shared. After a short period of quiet discussion, a figure slid down the stairs, clutching a neatly folded note in one hand.

Emerging from the shadowed stairwell, Inej returned to the group, causing gasps and a dramatic jolt from Jesper, each one completely unaware that she had slipped away during their chatter. "Here," she announced, an amused tone evidently lacing her voice, with the mischievous twinkle in her eye not going unmissed by the group.

Snatching the note from Inej, Jesper hastily unfolded the paper, smoothing the creases with his slender fingers. The group watched in anticipation as Jesper's eyes scanned the words, visibly astounding the sharpshooter. As he concluded his reading, his eyes glimmered with the same playfulness as Inej, the corners of his lips curling into a smirk.

"Well?" Nina announced, shooting an expectant look at Jesper, "Are you going to tell the rest of us what's in there or not?"

Clearing his throat theatrically, Jesper tilted his head upwards, "It seems we know where our beloved boss disappears to every week," pausing to increase the apprehension.

"Hurry up," Wylan complained, trying desperately to peer into the note as Jesper clutched it to his chest. "Okay, okay! It turns out that Mr Brekker enjoys a spot of early morning shopping, and hopes to 'catch the rising sun' before he does so," the sharpshooter exclaims, quoting Kaz's letter, holding in his laughter.

"You're saying that Kaz Brekker spends his free time buying flowers and pastries, not scheming the deaths of everyone in Ketterdam?" Nina all but chokes out in shock, her breathing heavy as she fights the laughter that already wracks her shoulders.

Through a sheepish smile, Wylan softly adds, "How do we know that its true? I can't imagine Kaz ever doing, well, that."

"I mean, there's only one way to find out, right?" Jesper announces, rising to his feet with a mischievous grin plastered onto his features

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

"Where would you like to go first?" Kaz's voice directed itself towards you, carrying over the bustle of the market, despite the orange hue still lingering over the city. "You know exactly where," you tease, tightening the grip on his little finger with your own, tethering you to him so neither of you were seperated

Leading you through the crowd with his towering frame, Kaz effortlessly guided you to the secluded section of the market, feet automatically taking him to your favourite fruit stall. "Morning Mr Brekker, the usual for you two?" called the welcoming voice of the owner, already selecting the ripest items for his most favoured customers.

The pair of you were beloved among the merchants, with your compassionate nature drawing everyone to you, and your boyfriend offering substantial tips to those you liked best. Although directly contrasting in character, you complemented each other's qualities deeply, creating a sincere connection between you.

Allowing the sea breeze to lightly brush his skin, he focused his entire attention on you, admiring the gentle flow of words that poured from your delicate lips. Kaz basked in the warmth you provided him, your mere presence grounding him, sheltering him from harm with your sentiment.

Your words transformed into a melody to his ears as your voice sung above the low noise of the market, directly into his chest, rendering him unable to look away from your angelic profile. You halted your steps as you looked out into the harbor, pretending to ignore the fact that Kaz could not take his admiring gaze from you.

In his eyes, you seemed ethereal in this moment, the sea-breeze wisping your hair around you, the sunrise's final pallete showering you in a rosy light, orange and pink dancing off of your features. Kaz ignored the thoughts that these observations were weak, or dangerous, instead reminding himself of your reassurance that he can remain the most deadly man in Ketterdam, as well as finding peace.

The edges of his mouth were just beginning to lightly tilt upwards, when a loud thump sounded behind them, seemingly a crate had just fallen. Returning to his content state, Kaz was just about to forget the sound until a familiar "Ow, that hurt!" whispered nearby.

Whipping his head round at an astounding rate, Kaz just caught the flash of an emerald jacket slipping behind a cluster of rotting oak barrels, the tip of a scuffed shoe protruding from the other end of the stack.

"Everything okay love," you inquired, resting your free hand on his arm as your gaze shifted to where Kaz's previously held. "I was just concerned that the bakers would run out of your favourite pastries, it's busy today," Kaz observed, his tone indicating his lie to you, however he gently began to tug you in the direction of the stall, and you gladly obliged.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

"Saints, that was a close one," Jesper breathed out, releasing the breath he had withheld since he knocked over the crate, directly onto Nina's foot. "He almost caught us thanks to you, we would all be dead by now if Inej hadn't pulled you back in time"

"Well, it seems as if the letter was right, Kaz really does spend his weekends shopping," Inej stated, amusement striking through her tone. "Have any of you ever seen him so calm? It's nice to know he has a human side to him too," Wylan pointed out, as they all began to discuss their findings.

"What do you think he would have done to us if he found us?" Jesper questioned, smirking proudly at the group's evasion of their leader, "It's Kaz so, I guess we would all be..."

"Dead," sounded a sharp voice from behind the group, a resounding thump following as hard metal struck the cobblestone street.

The group's hilarity quickly morphed into alarm, each crow swiftly turning to meet the unwavering threat in their boss' gaze. "It seems as if Inej is the only one of you with any sense," Kaz observed.

"What? She was the one who," Jesper began before sensing the absence of the Wraith beside him, not even the wind carrying a trace of her previous presence. Breathing out of a puff of exasperation, Jesper let out a defeated "Well then."

"Do any of you care to enlighten me as to why you are here? It seems as if you've been spying on me during my free time. I sincerely hope that I will stand corrected," Kaz demanded, a calm yet dangerous tone commanding his words.

Despite the thrum of conversation drifting through the market, a rigid silence settled between the group, each one glancing fearfully at each other in the hope that someone would get them out of this.

However unlikely that seemed.

"Well, I must be correct then," Kaz sliced through the growing tension, "I'm sure a detailed meeting this evening at the Crow Club is needed, however I will tell you this now," Kaz practically seethed, cane tightening beneath his grasp.

Taking a daunting stride towards them, his eyes narrowed, a snarl making its way to his features, a sight that was never usually reserved for his friends. However, the group highly doubted he would take this lightly.

"You are all going to go quietly, and immediately back to the slat. If I even sense you are still here, you will discover why so many people in this city are struck with terror at the thought of me. Understand?" Kaz warned, voice laced with threat, lowering with each syllable as he attempted to control his fury.

Hurried sounds of 'yes boss', 'of course', 'it won't happen again', overlapped with each other as the crows struggled to hastily comply with Kaz's command. They watched in complete stillness as their boss turned sharply, hastily limping back into the crowded streets, his black attire eventually lost to the waves of people.

Muffled laughter suddenly rang out behind the group, who turned in fright to find a rosy faced Inej, hand clasped tightly over her mouth in an attempt to stifle the giggles escaping from her. "Did you," Inej began before more laughter interrupted her speech, "Did you see his face? He was blushing, I never thought I would see the day. He was mortified!" She finished, breathless as her bright amusement continued.

"Blushing? Are you joking Inej, he literally threatened to kill us!" Jesper started incredulously, "Nobody else saw this supposed blush did they?"

"He did look a little red..." Wylan began, voice trembling, with nerves or laughter, not even he himself could tell. "Well, I think that's enough to satisfy our curiosity for one day," Jesper states, "Come on then, lets go before he finds we're still here. I don't even want to begin to imagine..." he trailed off, giving off an exaggerated shiver before heading in the direction they came from.

"Uhm, hello? Are you guys coming?" Jesper questioned, turning back to find the group staring back out through the crates, completely ignoring the pleas of the sharpshooter to leave.

"Look," Wylan whispered, softly grabbing the edge of Jesper's sleeve and pulling him towards himself. Glancing through the crooked panel of a barrel, Jesper's gaze led him to realize what had ensnared the attention of the crows. Standing close to where they were originally spotted, Kaz had regained his lover's company, as you stood with baked goods piled high in your grasp.

The crows observed in shock as Kaz slowly leaned down, placing a delicate kiss to your lips, capturing them in his own for a brief few moments. The embarrassment of being caught in such vulnerability by his friends had slipped away, his mind captured once again by your aura, allowing your tender smile to bathe him in warmth.

"Are you sure you're alright love?" you utter, lashes fluttering as you take in his lighthearted expression, allowing him to slip a few of your bags onto his free arm, relieving the weight you had previously been hauling. "I'm fine," he states, again not completely truthful, however his demeanor didn't indicate any true discomfort.

"I think we should go to the florists, the one over that way," Kaz offered, nodding his head in the opposite direction of your usual path. Kaz prayed you would go along with his plan, knowing doubtlessly that his crows were still lurking somewhere amongst the crowds.

"Okay, lets go," you chirped, flashing a radiant smile towards him before linking your arm with his, uncaring that your bags swung against each other's due to the close proximity. Now, Kaz was the enthusiastic one, pulling you hastily through the crowds to evade the observing eyes of his friends.

As Kaz once again drowned out everything but your melodious voice, he began to feel grateful his crows had seen the pair of you together. You truly were his greatest achievement, and his embarrassment melted into pride, knowing deep down that he was deserving of your love and affection, and that was all that mattered.

════ ∘◦ᵒ 𓅓 ᵒ◦∘ ════

Kaz Brekker tag list : @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @ell0ra-br3kk3r @swhisperer @sleepynightchild @atlasiiae @kaiinohh @sannunah28 @at-the-chateau @withbeautyandragendrage @animalistic00 @whos6claire @any-corrie @daisydark @shara-ne @xxinvisiblexx @ldhpeter @viperinferno @kozbtchx (please comment if you would like to be added to the Kaz Brekker taglist)

[syllvane]

something about strays- kaz brekker x reader

a/n: based off of a request! pre-established relationship between kaz and reader.

You find him when you’re coming home from a job - Kaz and Jesper are a couple paces behind you and Inej is on the rooftops, shadowing the three of you - when you hear a noise from the alleyway, catching your attention.

He’s all bones, his ribs visible from under his black fur, pale green eyes staring at you from within the darkness.

As soon as you lay your eyes on him, you know that you’re going to help this animal to the best of your ability.

You step into the darkness, kneeling down and offering your hand out to him.

“Everything okay?” Jesper called out and you didn’t respond, doing your best not to startle the cat any more than it already was.

You held out your hand, motioning for the others to stay a good distance away.

“There’s a cat.” You said calmly and the two sets of footsteps stopped.

“And?” Kaz said and you turned around to look at him.

“I want to bring him home.”

“No.” Kaz said without hesitation, continuing to walk past you. “We don’t need another mouth to feed.”

“You’re one of the richest men in Ketterdam, Kaz, what’s one cat?” You shot back and he didn’t say anything, not even turning around to look at you.

Jesper stopped, giving you a sympathetic look.

“I guess even dating the boss has its limits.”

Kaz looked back at Jesper, shooting him a dirty looked before continuing along.

“He just needs a chance to warm up to the cat- I mean look at him, isn’t he adorable?”

“He’s covered with fleas and is bone-thin.”

“He’s had a tough life.” You said, unable to take your eyes off of the creature. “Do you have any food on you?”

Jesper patted his pockets.

“Nope.”

“If I give you some kruge, will you go fetch me some food? Either some fish or something?”

Jesper paused.

“You really care about it this much?”

You looked away from the stray for a second, looking at the departing figure of Kaz Brekker.

“I’ve always had a fondness for strays, I suppose.” You said before turning back to the cat in front of you, who promptly hissed. “Will you do it?”

“Of course. Don’t… don’t worry about the kruge. You’ve covered me more times than I can count, I’ll get this one.”

You turned and looked at him gratefully, settling down on the damp cobblestones a couple feet away from the cat.

Whoever had once cared for the cat, if anyone had ever cared for the cat, had left him behind long ago.

He was thin and even from a couple feet away, you could tell that there was no fat on his bones, only lean muscle.

More than anything, it seemed to tolerate your presence out of mere curiosity, presumably not used to people sitting down across from it and just observing it.

Footsteps broke the relative silence of Ketterdam and you turned around slightly to see Jesper walking back towards you, brown paper bag in hand.

“Hey- here is the food, it’s a fish sandwich. It should be okay for the little guy to eat, but the vendor wasn’t completely sure.” Jesper said, taking a couple more steps before kneeling down besides you, handing the bag to you.

Any interest the cat had in Jesper or you disappeared as soon as it smelled the food inside the paper bag, nose twitching and all attention turned to figuring out how to obtain the food.

You took half of the sandwich out and carefully unwrapped it from the paper.

You stretched out closer towards the cat, causing it to backpedal and hiss at you, before you set the half down and returned to your original position.

He looked at you and Jesper unsure, as if this was some kind of trick or like you were going to reach back out and try to grab him.

“Let’s move back a little.” You said and you scooted backwards and Jesper stood up slowly and backed away, doing his best to look dignified.

The cat, more confident, took a couple of cautious steps forward before snatching the sandwich and pulling back, only green eyes visible in the darkness of the alleyway.

You set down the other half of the sandwich before standing up, offering a hand to Jesper.

“Let’s come back tomorrow, I think our friend has had enough of us tonight.”

“What are you gonna call him? I’m sure Kaz would love if you named it after him.”

You rolled your eyes, walking away from the alley with Jesper's arm slung around your shoulder.

“I was thinking Crow,”

“Mmm, I do like that.” Jesper said thoughtfully, the two of you continuing to walk back to the Slat.

You find the car in the same alleyway the next few days and eventually he stops hissing everytime you offer it food- by the fourth day, Crow eats the fish before you can even place it on the ground.

On the fifth day, it starts following you back to the Slat.

Nina takes care of the fleas, stopping their hearts in exchange for helping her convince Kaz of something, and soon the only one who hasn’t been won over by Crow is Kaz.

“He does look much better than when we first saw him, I’ll give you that at least.” He said, observing the cat with remarkable apathy. “Is it really worth it? All the time and effort you’ve put into caring for him?”

Crow hissed at Kaz, brushing against your legs. Kaz made a scary face at the cat in retaliation. You nearly choked on your laughter.

“Saints, I sure know how to pick them.” You shook your head, a smile on your face. You absentmindedly reached out for Kaz before catching yourself, remembering. “Yes, he is worth it. He’ll scratch my arms up and will break out of the Slat, but I’d still choose him.”

I’d still choose you.

He looked at you, piercing blue eyes meeting yours, searching for something.

He looked down at Crow and then back at you before nodding once.

“Okay. I’ll try. Only for you.” Your expression softened into a smile and he didn’t acknowledge it, never knew how to acknowledge it. “Now we should probably get some proper food for it, as well as a litter box and a bed.”

He started to walk away, Crow following him and you just stood there, half-shocked.

He turned back to look at you, no trace of the gentleness from moments before.

“Are you coming?”

“Yeah. Just… yeah.”

[zeeckz]

finished mgsv (the truth mission) today. miller is such an interesting character! in chapter 1 he seems to be the real mc: he has a nice speech both in the beginning and in the end and the events seem to make him learn most of all the people involved. at first, i was sad he's around not as much as in pw, thought he's reduced to a background character, but after burger tapes i see that he is even running a burger side hustle during all that, so likely he is ok and mb the real reason we can't meet him on mother base free roaming is bc they didn't make a walking animation for him or smth. and i respect venom's commitment to his function of big boss, but it's also cool (although sad) to see miller of all people being probably the only ally of big boss who did not happily agree to anything and actually stopped being his ally. anyway thank you for sparking my interest to this character, i like him dearly now. the extra miller story that could exist is one more reason to regret that mgsv is unfinished; i intend to play mg2 but would like to know more about what happened between those years

not sure what to reply to this so i'll just say i haven't listened to those tapes yet but i love my sunny burger boy very very much

i think he has a pretty interesting life development throughout the games; i don't think there's info about what he's up to post-mgsv outside him retiring to alaska & eventually helping snavid ? it was a scrapped idea/retconned, but he at some point got married to (& got divorced from) a woman called Nadine & had a kid called Catherine <-she was meant to answer one of the codec calls and tell you her dad (Miller) was out fishing; maybe someone else has some more info but this is all that comes to my mind

oh i can tell you i was *suffering* anytime he would get all mad and defensive and like "boss please don't do this" and everyone just ignores him and he then (usually) acts like a poor lonely sad wet puppy under the rain and tells venom he'll accept his choice despite being so incredibly obvious he's not happy about it, but it's the boss' choice after all specially since venom barely ever talks.. like my guy please *please* just say something to him or idk actually kiss him maybe ... he's absolutely dying inside

i did like when kaz's all "i don't want her on my base" and quiet's like "oh really? well fuck you" and does some absolutely epic lethal parkour, but other than that it was stressing me out <-the only good thing about them ignoring kaz is when he makes that pouty face, i find it painfully adorable

[worth-this-and-more]

๋࣭⭑⚝ hiii i'm sukanya and welcome to my blog yall!!! ‹𝟹

a small reminder; my blog has detailed posts about legendborn with a lot of spoilers for both the books, so if you haven't read the books yet i would advise you to to not look too closely or you will be spoiled. stay spoiler-free everyone!!

age: 18 (doesn't give you permission to be weird) sexuality: bisexual pronouns: she/her favorite colors: red, black, purple favorite flower: roses my hobbies: reading books, listening to music, reading books while listening to music, learning new stuff because of the aforementioned books, obsessing over fictional characters, cooking, dancing, stargazing at night by sneaking out at 3 am because my parents don't allow me to go at night as i will "catch a cold", slaying my enemies in a brutal show of blood and glory, coding.

fandoms i'm part of: the legendborn cycle, percy jackson, shatter me series, artemis fowl series, lord of the rings, the inheritance games, folk of the air series, sea of ink and gold series, six of crows, a good girl's guide to murder, divergent chronicles, the secrets of immortal nicholas flamel series, harry potter series, fantastic beasts and where to find them, twilight, the mysterious benedict society, married to magic series, miss peregrine's home for peculiar children, the gilded wolves series, royal secrets series, royal secrets series, the splintered series and more

fictional characters i would sell my soul to at a discount the discount being free because i would never make them pay: briana matthews, selwyn emyrs kane, alice chen, juliette ferrars, aaron warner, nazeera ibrahim, kenji kishimoto, jude duarte, cardan greenbriar, inej ghafa, kaz brekker, avery kylie grambs, alexander hawthorne, jest, artemis fowl, holly black, hermione granger, ginny weasley, credric diggory, newt scamander, rosalie cullen, noor pradesh, jacob portman, josh newman, sophie newman, pip fitz-amobi, ravi singh and probably more but you get the point

things i absolutely adore: people becoming so excited when they talk about their favorite things, loving the absolute shit outta my friends, cooking anything and everything for those i love, listening to our shared playlist and explaining in great detail which part of the song is your favorite things i absolutely hate: anyone's opinions that disrespect someone's existence, identity, or interests, people forcing their beliefs and ideals over me, sexist and homophobic jokes in the name of "dark humor", people shitting on my fav book series after they dropped them halfway through, people who listen to jojo siwa

this is a blog for the legendborn cycle, i hope you enjoy your stay here!! i usually post theories or headcanons about the characters, and a few case studies too, all in all you will find a lot of posts about legendborn so here's a masterlist more for my preference than anyone else which i will keep updating time to time;

fanarts and fanfics by me; -a small fanart for our king; {fanart of briana matthews} -“But when your entire world is shattering, a little bit of magic is . . . nothing.” {fanart of briana matthews} -"Show me what you got, mystery girl" {fanfic of brelwyn}

masterlist; -how do the legendborn highschoolers look like while studying -theory/analysis of bree's powers and emotional connection -found family in bloodmarked -my theory to why merlin's succumb to their blood -why do i think bree did not cheat on nick -me crying over faye's speech for bree -my expectations for oathbound -my love for sarah griffiths -questions about silver wall because why not -cestra vs tor analysis because i hate them both -how i imagine they all sound like -bloodmarked hot take -bloodmarked hotter take -shipwars in fandom when there are like 10 of us -my breesel specific playlist -an unnecessarily funny selwyn appreciation post chain -theories about ava and bree -my best friend that i added into our cult fandom -my addition to the theory of consent and root transfer -can merlins build objects other than weapons, like planes?? -theories about rootcraft in oathbound -is sel jealous of valec?? spoiler: he is fumingly jealous -an angry rant about the real motives for spell of eternity -some theories about selwyn and merlins in oathbound -what drinks do the legendborn drink: headcanons -what am i looking forward to in oathbound -detailed blog discussion "is selbree endgame?? with proofs" -sel vs. lark: who would win?? -a rootcrafter merlin?? what could this mean -theory discussion of kingsmage's oath prying your third eye open with a crowbar -what each briana x selwyn shipname makes me feel like -morgaine and a rootcrafter having a child?? not entirely impossible -my fav animal is when: legendborn edition -thoughts and opinions on bree's birthday gifts!!!! -the ultimate brelwyn post for anyone who is confused on what they are -my oathbound dream + my subconscious brain's predictions -my speculations on how bree's purple power would be -where is bree in the oathbound excerpt: a half discussion no concrete conclusion

-everybody theorising and coping with how would the legendborn cycle end -cute/random legendborn headcanons because we need some coping -holy grail and it's possible appearance in the legendborn lore -my favorite scene/sequence of brelwyn from both the books

feel free to send me asks about anything legendborn-related, and if you just wanna talk we can talk on my sideblog @squirrel-in-the-woods ‹𝟹

random facts about myself because this is my blog anyways: ♡ when i was 8 my pinky finger was unfortunately cut a third, like the tip of it yk, by a door that slammed really fast because of a storm at that time, and my cut off finger was joined by inserting a rod in it. the rod is taken out but now i have a funny pinky finger that does not bend. ♡ i am multilingual, aka i can speak marathi, hindi, english, spanish (i cant get the accent right but rest is okay) and korean (beginner level, just enough that i can understand kdramas mostly without subtitles). ♡ i have a fear of heights despite that i am unusually interested in roller coasters and bungee jumping, however my parents refuse to take me to any of these because i will "fall". ♡ my mother is scared shitless of water, so i once made a joke of how i would love to drown in the ocean and was immediately enrolled in a swimming class and that is how my dreams of dying among the phytoplankton and starfishes were destroyed. ♡ i love all types of fruits but banana tastes boring to me now and i also do not like watermelon for some reason. mango, kiwis, muskmelon, apples, oranges, and pineapple are my absolute fav. ♡ i used to have waist-length hair, very wavy and very thick, it was gorgeous but i hated having to maintain that so i cut it off and got a boycut. after that it has grown to a small dora the explorer length hair and it makes me look really innocent so i like this look.

and ofc you cant forget the lovely moots: @napoftustar @thejudeduarte @you-are-my-king-now-cariad @isthataraccoon @technicallyeldritch @ackerbabezzz @batzswrld @archerons-elain @ficnoire2 @sweetestblacktea @bloodmaarked @okeyisenough @thevoidhasarrived @goosemeggs @gewoonaardig2 @massiveladycat @infamouslyclumsy @literally-mariah @simzmil @tum-naam-sochlo-merese-ni-hora @refreshinglyemodemons @sweetdeerart

༊*·˚hope your day is as pretty as your smile ;)

[ticklishraspberries]

Foolish Desire (Jesper/Wylan)

Summary: Wylan is always doing things with his hands, and it makes Jesper’s find wander. (Based on a lovely prompt by @nhasablogg!! Thank you so much for the idea!! Hope y’all enjoy!!)

It’s stupid, really.

Jesper feels like a fool for even noticing it, let alone caring. But falling head-over-heels for Wylan has proven to make him quite a fool, and he isn’t necessarily complaining.

It’s just…Ever since he saw Wylan first play piano, he can’t stop watching the chemist’s hands. If the musical skill was not already attractive, something about the graceful, fluid way that Wylan’s fingers moved was captivating…And, extremely flustering.

Because even when he isn’t playing the piano or the flute, Wylan’s fingers are always moving. When he’s thinking deeply, he wiggles his fingers in the air like he’s plucking imaginary strings.

And, it’s so stupid, because Jesper normally never gets flustered like this, but lately, he can’t stop thinking about those fingers and what they could do to him. (Get your mind out of the gutter.)

 No, it’s sillier than that, and Jesper wants to slide down off his seat and hide under the club’s bar for the rest of the evening as he watches Wylan tap out a rhythm on the table, fingers quick and deliberate.

And Jesper really wants to drag him upstairs and beg to be tickled, because that’s the sort of foolish thoughts that Wylan has put in his head.

“Are you alright?” Wylan asks, startling Jesper out of his thoughts. “You’re…quiet.”

“Am I not allowed to be quiet?” Jesper asks, a little too defensively.

“I mean, you just never are. Quiet, that is. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you go so long without saying a word.”

Jesper knows that Wylan isn’t going to drop this until he fesses up, but he would rather go up against a rival gang without his guns than say it out loud.

“Do you want to get out of here? I mean, it’s not like Kaz needs us for anything tonight…” he says, trying to seem casual. “We could…Head upstairs?”

Wylan’s eyebrows raise at the suggestion, a smile tugging at his lips. “I’d like that.”

They head up the steps and into Jesper’s room, their room, and once the door is shut, their lips are locked together. They fumble back towards the bed, sitting perched on the edge of it, fumbling to shed their jackets and toss them onto the floor.

“So, this is what you were thinking about, hm?” Wylan asks, his voice soft and breathy.

“I’m always thinking about this,” Jesper replies. “Your mouth, those blushing cheeks, your hands—”

“You’ve been watching my hands lately,” Wylan interrupts.

Jesper’s flirtatious tone fades, and he feels his own face flush. He’s been caught. Well, sort of. Wylan probably assumes that it's something sexual, which is definitely a factor, but this feels more embarrassing to admit. Sex is familiar, it comes easily to Jesper (no pun intended), but vulnerability and honesty is a little more difficult.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to call you out on it,” Wylan says when Jesper goes quiet. “I just noticed it, I thought it was cute.”

Jesper scoffs, but he’s smiling. “You’re the cute one here. I’m not upset that you mentioned it, it’s just…The reason is silly.”

“Silly? You, Jesper Fahey, silly? I can’t believe it.”

“Ha ha, very funny. But, uh…I guess I’ve just noticed that you move your hands a lot when you’re thinking. Like you’re playing a song on the piano. It’s very endearing, by the way, but it just made me think that…Well, I guess I just realized that I tickle you all the time, and you’ve never really done it back. And when you do that with your fingers, it sort of looks like…”

“Like they’d tickle?” Wylan supplies.

Jesper’s face burns. “Yeah, I guess.”

Wylan chuckles, but it isn’t condescending or judgemental. “That’s adorable, Jes. If you wanted me to tickle you so badly, you could have just asked.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say—Wait, Wy—!”

He doesn’t have time to finish his sentence before Wylan has pushed him back against the bed, those fingers that had been taunting him for so long finally on his sides, scribbling up and down in a way that already has Jesper howling.

“Wait? It sounds like you’ve been waiting for this,” Wylan teases. “But I must say, your laugh is much prettier than any instrument.”

“You’re a sahap!” Jesper cries, squirming wildly against the mattress. It’s been a while since anyone has properly done this to him. Sure, the occasional one-night-stand had found a sensitive spot and gotten a few giggles out of him, and Inej sometimes poked his belly and ribs to either get his attention or shut him up.

Wylan is really good at this, which Jesper once again blames on musical talent. Why would a normal person need such dainty, dexterous fingers, if not to play pretty music, or to tickle their boyfriend into hysterics?

“Is this living up to your imagination?” Wylan asks, and although he’s grinning, there’s sincerity in the question.

 Jesper just nods, unable to form coherent words between giggling, as Wylan has found the terribly sensitive spot by his hip bones.

“Good, I’m glad. I’ll have to do this more often, since it’s occupying so much of your mind.”

Jesper whines, throwing a dramatic hand over his face, but he doesn’t protest. Honestly, he likes the sound of that. When his body has grown too tired to squirm, Wylan’s touch slows to a stop, before leaning down to kiss Jesper’s flushed cheek.

“You are absolutely adorable,” he says.

“Quiet,” Jesper replies, breathless. “Let me hold you, you master of all things musical, explosive, and ticklish.”

Wylan’s laugh is bright and bubbly as he snuggles into Jesper’s arms, face buried in the crook of his neck. “I’d be happy to make you laugh like that more often, just so you know.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed…As long as I can still return the favor,” he adds, tweaking Wylan’s side, who responds with a squeak.

“Fine,” he replies, trying and failing to sound exasperated by it.

Jesper grins. “The deal’s the deal, darling.”

Maybe it wasn’t such a foolish desire after all.

[cuffmeinblack]

Retribution

Ominis Gaunt x f!OC

ao3 link

Tags: explicit | angst | smut | dark!Ominis | non-canon death | violence | blood | torture | implied non-con | revenge

9k words

Summary: Ominis has kept his romantic involvement with Maerys a secret from his family for her own safety, but a pending betrothal causes complications. Maerys confronts his family with the hope of acceptance but gets more than she bargained for.

A/n: I wrote this for my giveaway winner @huntress-valkyrie with her OC Maerys Baratheon 🖤, originally meant to be under 4k words but I loved the idea so it ended up much longer. Especially the Kaz Brekker quote prompt.

There's also a slightly-spicy, sweet bonus audio.

The past year had been extraordinary in many ways, a year of firsts for Maerys—the start of a career she felt so passionately about, a new place to live away from the castle she had called home for several years. The most remarkable may have been finding her long-held affection for Ominis Gaunt returned tenfold, settling into what could only be described as domestic bliss within a few short months.

Their careers kept them apart for long periods of time, but they both found their way back with increasing fervour, spending the hours they had together living life to the fullest. The minute Maerys opened the door to their shared house, Ominis had scooped her up into his arms, forgoing his interrogation of her day's activities to show her his adoration and remind her that she was his . Though he never said it, he despised that her job in Magical Law Enforcement was so dominated by men, all eager to be on first name terms with the exciting new female investigator.

Ominis' love was more intense than anything she'd expected—once he had admitted his feelings and she had reciprocated, he began courting her with a ferocity that took her breath away. Their love was all consuming and Maerys knew that Ominis would do absolutely anything for her, save one. He would never reveal her existence to his family.

Maerys understood, to some extent, why—their absolute disdain for her kind was well known, and had caused a world of problems for Ominis who had dealt with the tainted Gaunt name. They would never allow him to openly be with someone who they deemed so beneath them; to use their words, a witch with dirty blood . She had fought and fought to tell them but Ominis had refused her for what may have been the very first time. She knew it wasn't a matter of Ominis' shame, but in her darker days the demons reared their ugly heads to convince her otherwise. Today was one of those days.

The past twelve hours had been utterly gruelling; the culmination of months of planning was an arrest of epic proportions involving over a dozen officers from the department, all after an elusive wizard who had thus far managed to defraud hundreds. Their hard work had paid off, and Maerys, whilst exhausted to her bones, was eager to make the most of it. So rarely did her colleagues get to enjoy such a monumental event. 

"We're off to the Leaky Cauldron if you want to join us, Mae," Felicity offered, tucking her wand back into her holster.

"Love to. I don't want to stay too late though…," Maerys replied.

"I know."

Of course they knew—everyone knew that she spent every spare moment she had with Ominis. Their schedules didn't allow for too much of a social life, and whilst she missed having a more active circle of friends, she had priorities. Tonight was a rare opportunity to mingle with the witches and wizards she spent hours with every day, without the constant talk of Ministry bureaucracy.

The Leaky Cauldron was packed to the rafters with those enjoying a post-work beverage to blow off steam; harried-looking wizards in smart, pressed robes and Wizenagamot pins attached to their collars lined the bar looking thoroughly exhausted. Maerys wondered who'd they'd been sentencing—by the looks on their faces, the trial hadn't been an easy one.

"Firewhiskey, please," Maerys directed the barkeeper, who nodded and flicked his wand to pour the deep amber liquid.

"Same," a voice appeared beside her.

"Nicholas," Maerys nodded in greeting at the tall man beside her. 

"Starting on the strong stuff, I like it."

"I have limited time, I may as well make the most of it."

"It's alright to spend a little time away from your guard dog," he said, a hint of distaste in his voice.

Maerys rolled her eyes and threw back the whiskey, signalling for another before it had slid down her throat. Bitterly, she thought that of course, Nicholas would use this opportunity to berate her choice of partner and try to convince her of his own virtues. There was no end to the amount of people in her line of work who had taken an instant dislike to Ominis because of his family name. With a sigh, Maerys knew then that the night would be a long one.

-

"Are you okay?" Ominis' strained voice rang through the hallway.

Maerys closed the door, barely being able to step foot inside before she was clumsily enveloped by Ominis' arms. She sank into the embrace, her muscles releasing the tension they'd held since the day began.

"I'm fine, it went well."

"Where have you been?" Ominis asked with a slight frown. "I was worried sick."

"I'm sorry," Maerys said, cupping his cheek in her hand. "We went to celebrate afterwards."

"Ah."

Ominis' nose flared, a sure sign that he was quietly seething. There was no love lost between Ominis and her colleagues, particularly when they were so openly flirtatious towards her.

That didn't stop him from gripping her waist, or pressing his mouth against those soft, pillowy lips. Nor did his anger stop the desire that coursed through his veins, his possessive brand of love overcoming any and all inhibitions in a frantic need to claim her. The fire in their lovemaking burned so hot it threatened to consume them both in those moments, both wordlessly conveying that they belonged only to each other, forever and always.

As they basked silently in the afterglow, Ominis traced the flame-shaped birthmark on Maerys’ lower back as he often did—the skin textured differently to the surrounding flesh, the rough patch always guided his delicate fingers there. At one point, the attention to the red blemish might have bothered her, but she had since come to love it as much as his own imperfections; the beauty marks that flecked his cheeks and continued down his body reminded her of constellations, something to be celebrated and marvelled at, not hidden away.

“I wanted to discuss something with you…but perhaps now isn’t the most opportune moment,” Ominis said quietly, more to himself than to Maerys.

Her interest piqued, Maerys raised herself up onto her elbows and turned her head to look at Ominis, her mahogany locks cascading onto the pillow below her. Ominis continued his rhythmic stroking of her back, his touch noticeably gentler.

“What is it? Now’s a good a time as any.”

Ominis took a few seconds to collect his thoughts as she waited with bated breath, noticing the way his brows pinched slightly between his eyes and his kiss-swollen lips pursed. The face was familiar, one of either great concentration or great discomfort.

“It’s quite a delicate subject but I promise you I have no intention of fulfilling my obligation.”

Maerys’ heart thumped in her chest and she sat up on the bed, staring down at her beloved with unbelieving eyes. Finally, the day she’d dreaded had come, a mere year into their courtship.

“Who?”

Ominis sighed and lifted himself off the mattress to sit next to Maerys, his fingers tracing her goose pimpled flesh to find her contorted face, cupping her cheek lovingly. 

“A…cousin. I promise you, I have no intention of marrying her, or anyone else.”

“This never would have happened if you didn’t insist on keeping me a secret, Ominis.”

“For your own safety , Maerys.”

“Or for your own convenience?”

“ How can you say that? I want nothing more in this world than to declare my love for you. You must know that by now.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, Ominis. Perhaps another day, but I’m exhausted.”

“I’m sorry, my love. I love you…most ardently.”

Maerys had neither the energy or inclination to reply, merely settling back onto the bed and waiting for Ominis, who sighed and lay back a moment later. She may have been able to hold a grudge, but there was no reason why she would deprive herself of his warmth on such a cold day. She told herself that the blustery winds and driving rain outside the window was reason enough to need the extra heat, and certainly not because she craved his comfort.

-

The tension carried on into morning, with Maerys finding herself so distracted making breakfast that a wayward flick of her wand left the kitchen covered in goopy porridge. Ominis took over shortly after that, his eyebrows never fully relaxing as he rolled up his shirt sleeves to prepare them some much-needed fuel.

Maerys watched Ominis cook, as always finding his care and attention to detail entrancing. She quietly sipped her tea, stewing over what he'd divulged the previous evening, and finding herself at a loss as to how to proceed. She was angry— of course at his despicable family but at Ominis , too. 

It was high time his father knew about Maerys and accepted her. Whether or not he would was another issue, but she wouldn't tolerate such a slight as to be so completely unacknowledged. The milky Darjeeling slid down her throat and warmed her stomach as she formed a plan for her day off work and Ominis served their food, none the wiser. He would thank her later, even if it meant a day or two of flared tempers culminating in a passionate reunification.

"Eat up," Ominis said, breaking Maerys out of her daydream.

Ominis rolled down his sleeves and smoothed his waistcoat as he settled at the table. The breakfast was delicious, as it usually was when Ominis prepared it.

“What will you do today?” Ominis asked.

“Oh, I’m…not sure,” Maerys replied evasively.

If Ominis found the answer suspicious or unsatisfactory, he didn’t say, choosing to forgo further argument and concentrate on his food. They ate quickly and Ominis gave himself a final smooth over, grabbing his suitcase and holstering his wand whilst Maerys followed him to the door—a ritual they never deviated from whatever the current mood. They would always say goodbye, the unspoken truth that it could always be the last.

The kiss she gave Ominis was an apology for what she was intending to do; slow and passionate with a heavy admission of love. Ominis' hands wandered over her scantily-clad body, still dressed in only her silk nightdress and a delicate dressing gown. She hadn't intended to distract him so thoroughly, but the low growl in his throat and twitch in his trousers sent her own blood rushing, an ache between her legs so intense she couldn't control the whimper that left her mouth.

Ominis' tongue swept into her mouth, hungry and demanding as his hands kneaded the soft flesh of her breasts through the flimsy fabric. Her nipples responded, peaking under his touch as she moaned longingly into his mouth. Maerys always found Ominis irresistible no matter her mood, and the way his composure broke down around her was a power she never knew she craved.

Her head spun, revelling in the way his erection pressed painfully into her hip, probably soaking his carefully pressed work trousers with arousal that she had brought forth. 

"Shouldn't you be getting to work?" Maerys said teasingly.

"You know full well I can't leave until I've had you now," Ominis replied, a hand slipping underneath her nightdress.

His delicate fingers pushed aside the lacy undergarments and found the pool of slick between her legs and she moaned, stumbling backwards against the hallway wall. Ominis followed, not allowing their contact to break as he resumed the rhythmic grinding of his stiff cock against her. His lips traced her neck as his fingers parted her folds and he dragged his digits lazily across her swollen nub, spreading her arousal.

Maerys met his hand with a movement of her hips, sighing with every brush of his fingers against her most sensitive area. She had no intention of dragging out the encounter, as she watched Ominis' flushed face with lust-filled eyes, her core ached for him. Her hands flew to his thoroughly-dirtied trousers, biting her tongue at the sight of the pooling precum on the straining fabric. She made quick work of his buttons, releasing his thick cock and a moan from his mouth, hot breath against the skin of her neck.

She'd barely wrapped her hand around him before Ominis had spun her around, his length pressing against her behind as he gathered the silk above her hips. He continued to kiss her neck, muttering sweet nothings as he lined himself up with her soaking entrance before pushing the tip inside her slowly, allowing her time to adjust to his size. They moaned together as he slid deeper into her soaking wet hole, her walls clenching eagerly in anticipation of the glorious climax she soon knew she'd be experiencing.

"Fuck , Ominis," Maerys sighed, always surprised at how he managed to make her feel so full .

"You've made me late for work, you know," Ominis said as his cock retreated. 

He slid back inside her, pressing harder and deeper each time. Maerys arched her back into the thrusts, his cock hitting her satisfyingly deep and sending shockwaves through her primed and panting body.

"You feel so good," she barely managed to whimper through his forceful thrusts.

"And you feel absolutely incredible", brushing her dark, waist-length hair over her shoulder and continuing his assault on her tender neck.

She knew he'd leave marks, another reminder that she belonged to him alone. She would show them proudly, brushing them with her fingers fondly as she brushed her tangled hair later that day.

Ominis' rhythm ramped up, the empty hallways filling with the sounds of their slickened skin slapping, Maerys' arousal thoroughly coating their most intimate areas as Ominis became more and more dishevelled. Her soft and blood-swollen walls enveloped his cock so completely, every roll of his hips bringing them both closer to the edge.

"I do enjoy it when you wear this," Ominis whispered in her ear, his hands wandering over her waist. "I can feel every…curve…of your delicious little body."

Maerys gasped and pushed backwards against his cock as Ominis resumed his teasing of her nipples, practically drooling against her neck. She could feel her orgasm brewing, her breath growing ragged and muscles twitching in anticipation. Ominis couldn't fail to notice the same.

"Come on, my love. Show me how good I feel."

"Ominis…," Maerys sighed his name and fingers clawed uselessly at the wallpaper as she reached her climax.

Her core clenched before her orgasm exploded, sending waves through her body and gripping Ominis' cock. Soft moans brushed her ear as Ominis reached his own blissful release, filling her with his cum with every squeeze around his shaft. Maerys was against the wall, Ominis' weight pressing her hard as he grinded his hips into her, milking every last drop of his seed inside her.

When Ominis' was empty and Maerys a limp and bedraggled mess, he pulled her back and held her tightly, planting kisses on every exposed inch of skin he could find. 

"I love you," he sighed.

"I love you, too," Maerys sighed, reaching back to gently stroke his jaw.

"Now, I really must change and get to work, lest I find myself out of a job for my tardiness."

-

Ominis had left in a hurry, planting a swift kiss on her lips on his way out of the door, leaving Maerys alone to ready herself for the day. The first order of business was to wash the sex from her skin, letting the water and gentle soaps lift the residue from her thighs. She squirmed slightly as her fingers brushed over her intimate area, slightly sore and puffy. She dressed smartly, taking care with her appearance more than she might usually.

Meeting Ominis’ family should have been a joyous affair, but the Gaunts had made such a thing a fairytale. Maerys would instead be confronting them at a great disadvantage—not only did they have no idea she even existed, she’d be asking them to accept her and break off Ominis’ engagement. 

There was no use dwelling on the what-ifs of the encounter; as Maerys left the house to apparate to her destination, she ran over the words she wanted to say. A crack of apparition later, and she landed in a green expanse far away from the city she’d just left.

The Gaunt manor was as imposing as she'd imagined—though the house was large and likely once an ostentatious show of pureblood wealth, it was now run down and a shadow of its former glory. As with any magical dwelling, particularly for a powerful family, the building and grounds were enveloped by wards—this wouldn't simply be a case of walking up to the front door and knocking. Only those who were invited would be allowed to enter the wards, and knowing the Gaunts, Maerys wouldn't have been surprised if an intruder found themselves in searing pain. The place practically rippled with dark magic.

Maerys likely could have taken them down, one by one. She was a powerful witch with a background in law enforcement; this was part and parcel of her job. However, she preferred to remain on good (or at least civil) terms with Ominis' father by the time she left. Tentatively taking out her wand, she pointed it at the boundary and shot red sparks at the wards. They fizzled and disappeared as they hit the shimmering dome, and Maerys waited.

She'd expected a servant of some sort, perhaps a house elf to greet her, instead a tall, dark figure appeared in the doorway. Perhaps it was a trick of perspective and the door was smaller than it appeared, but the man seemed to tower over everything he walked past. His dark hair was tucked behind his ears and as he approached, Maerys noted the hostile glare on his otherwise handsome face.

"Who are you?" the man snarled.

"A friend of Ominis'. I need to talk to Mr Gaunt," Maerys replied, summoning all of her confidence and willing her voice to be steady.

The man sneered, his dark eyes piercing through Maerys like daggers.

"We don't like friends of Ominis here. Blood traitor."

"Who…?"

"Marvolo. Marvolo Gaunt. And you're trespassing."

Maerys stared up at Ominis' brother in disbelief. He was the polar opposite of Ominis, and Maerys wondered if this was a quirk of their notorious inbreeding or his mother had simply been unfaithful when producing one of the brothers. His skin was tanned, eyes and hair darker, much taller and muscular than his elegant and fair brother. He had none of Ominis' refined air, nor his politeness, apparently.

"Please, I only need a few minutes and then I'll leave. I think Mr Gaunt would appreciate what I have to say."

Marvolo regarded her with dead eyes, devoid of warmth, before drawing his wand and waving an arch over the wards to create a path to admit her. Maerys stepped through the opening as Marvolo strode off without another word. She assumed she was meant to follow him, but his strides were so long she found herself practically running to keep up. His cruel smirk as he looked back at her indicated this had likely been his intention; the humiliation already beginning.

Maerys' heart thumped in her chest as she skipped across the threshold into the manor, eyes darting around at the dilapidated hallway and once-grand staircase now reduced to scuffed wood and tattered carpet. She'd always assumed Ominis exaggerated about his family, down to the financial situation that was a great source of shame for him. To Maerys' dismay, it appeared he'd been truthful, including Marvolo's cruel sneer and intimidating air. 

The house hummed with dark magic, and her gut twisted as she considered all that Ominis had told her. His family were dangerous , unhinged , utterly without conscience . If he had been telling her the truth, Maerys had made a huge lapse in judgement in coming to their manor alone.

Marvolo led her down a dim corridor to an inconspicuous door and leaned against the wall opposite, watching and waiting. Maerys' eyes darted from him to the door, thankful to finally be leaving his presence. She knocked on the wood and waited until a voice called from inside and the door flew open and she was pulled inside by a stream of magic. The slam from behind her and click of a lock indicated that she was now alone with a different man, standing in the middle of the room with his wand aloft.

"Who are you? State your business," he demanded.

Maerys barely had a chance to take in her surroundings before scrambling for words to answer him. This must have been Tiberius Gaunt, Ominis' father. Much older than she'd expected and more reminiscent of Ominis than his brother, his pale skin reflected in the dim light from the oil lamps dotted around the room. He had only a hint of Ominis' beauty; his eyes were cold, narrowed and full of suspicion.

"I'm sorry to intrude, Mr Gaunt. I'm a friend of Ominis' and wished to speak with you about something."

His glare softened at the mention of his son and he lowered his wand, retreating to an armchair amongst the towers of dusty books that lined the walls of the small library. Maerys followed, perching awkwardly on the chair opposite him as he watched with great interest.

"A friend, you say? What could a friend have to say to me, hm? A day after his betrothal, no less. Don't take me for a fool , girl."

Maerys swallowed thickly, a chill running down her spine at the accusation. He was right, of course—her attempt at subtlety was anything but. 

"You're correct. Myself and Ominis have been…romantically involved for some time."

"I see. And you wish to cast yourself into the ring, as it were? What of your heritage, girl?"

"My mother was a witch," Maerys replied, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

"Just your mother?" he pressed, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

Maerys nodded—she had never been made to feel less than adequate because of her blood status, but the way Tiberius Gaunt looked at her that moment was enough to erase every last drop of her self-assuredness. She knew his thoughts on the matter, and yet she had presented herself before him with a demand; or perhaps it was a plea.

"I love Ominis very much, as he loves me. All I ask is that you give me a chance to prove myself worthy of your family name."

"My son is already a disappointment, I'll not have another besmirch my family's legacy. He will marry a pureblood befitting his own status."

His eyes flashed menacingly as he leaned forward and stood up off from the old armchair. 

"Leave, and I suggest you don't return. Break off your involvement with my son and I'll say no more. Refuse, and I'll do more than scold you," the old man snarled.

The conversation was at an end, and Maerys was more than eager to leave. As she left silently through the library door, she wondered if he might see reason given time to consider the matter. Surely , his son's happiness counted for something ?

The thought was interrupted by the tall, dark shadow that cast itself across her as she stepped into the hallway. Marvolo had clearly been listening to the exchange, perched still in the spot she had left him against the tatty wall.

"I can show myself out," Maerys said, a note of irritation in her voice.

"I don't think you'll be going anywhere just yet, sweet thing."

"What…?"

Maerys gasped, cutting her inquiry short as Marvolo's hand found itself to her neck, his long fingers encircling her throat and squeezing the breath right out of her windpipe. She struggled, clawing at the hand before using the last of her conscious thought to reach for her wand. 

"Incarcerous ."

The spell uttered wasn't her own. Her wrists were bound by ropes, summoned from her attacker's wand, twining and squeezing her skin until it burned. His malevolent stare was the last thing she saw before the scene faded to black, her last thought of her lover and soulmate, wondering if she would ever see him again.

-

Her wand was gone. The thin stick of laurel wood no longer pressed against her hip as she awoke on what appeared to be a cold stone floor. Maerys winced as she moved and found herself still bound, the summoned ropes cutting painfully into her wrists. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room and her head swam uncomfortably from the sudden lack of oxygen, she felt her eyes sting with tears. Thank Merlin, I'm still alive , she thought.

Looking around to get her bearings, she noted the vaulted ceiling and lack of windows, the only light from a conjured flame that sat in a jar too far away to be of any use. She had been bound to a pillar to suppress any notion of escape.

"You're awake, finally. I was beginning to grow bored."

Maerys jumped, pulling an amused cackle from Marvolo's throat as he stepped out of the shadows.

"What are you doing? You know I'm a law enforcement officer, I can have you arrested and sent to Azkaban for this," she spat with false confidence.

Marvolo's face darkened, the smirk falling from his lips as he strode closer to her. Her neck craned painfully to watch his looming figure approach, his wand gripped firmly by his side.

"Are you now? That really doesn't give me an incentive to let you go now, does it?"

Maerys shuddered as the blood rushed from her head and stomach lurched. She'd been trained for this, but at no point had there been an eventuality where she was completely and utterly alone . She should have a partner, or at least someone who knew where she was. She had neither. She needed her wand.

"Why are you doing this?" Maerys asked, almost a whisper, watching Marvolo carefully.

She needed to draw him closer, to see if he held her wand. How she would get it back, she had no idea. One step at a time .

Marvolo took the bait and inched closer, dropping to his knees to survey the defeated look on her face that he'd brought forth with great satisfaction. Her eyes flitted across his broad shoulders and down to his waist, seeing no hint of her wand on his person.

"You muddy our house and then presume to do the same to our family's bloodline," Marvolo growled. "I may despise my brother's weakness but I won't stand for him bringing a mudblood into the fold."

"Ominis is a grown man, he can decide himself who he marries."

Marvolo reached out a long arm and cupped Maerys' cheek as she remained frozen, eyes locked on his with fierce defiance.

"No, my little brother doesn't know what's good for him. No matter how delicious you are, your blood will always be tainted by Muggle filth."

His thumb ran over her bottom lip as he smirked down at her—he was clearly enjoying toying with her. Maerys’ breath quickened as he slipped his digit into her mouth and pressed onto her tongue, pulling a low growl from his throat as she refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Her eyes remained impassive, but the tremble in her shoulders gave away her discomfort.

Marvolo’s smirk turned into a devilish grin as he returned to his feet, the colour draining from Maerys’ face as she noticed his obvious arousal whilst he adjusted his trousers. He was enjoying her humiliation, and she knew from Ominis’ description of the sadistic man standing before her that he wouldn’t be sated by simply holding her hostage.

"I think it's time we taught you a lesson in respect. Crucio ."

-

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Ominis had been doing little but waiting after returning home from work, wondering where Maerys had disappeared to. He initially thought she'd decided to head into Diagon Alley, perhaps meet some friends; but as the hours dragged on the dread settled over him as his mind raced through worst-case scenarios. 

Her absence was uncharacteristic. Maerys often made sure to be home when he was, as Ominis did the same—they had so little time together that they made the most of every minute their schedules aligned. The absence of a note was even more concerning, and Ominis had searched every inch of their spare living space for some indication of where she'd gone.

He stood in the living room, twirling his wand in his fingers, deep in thought. He was running out of ideas and he wasn’t one to simply wait, resting on his laurels with dread and uncertainty clouding his mind. He’d contacted her colleagues at the Ministry and any friends he could get hold of, even her numerous cousins had no idea where she was, and showed little concern when Ominis voiced his own.

The final, dreadful thought that crossed his mind was surely too far-fetched to consider. Ominis ran through the previous night, every detail he could remember and word exchanged and landed on the conclusion that where Maerys had found herself was the last place on Earth Ominis would want her.

He could be wrong, and he sincerely hoped he was—though the impromptu visit would raise more questions than he had answers for, he would make some excuse or other; inquiries into his betrothed, perhaps. Ominis holstered his wand, running a hand through his hair with a sigh before striding to the fireplace and finding the pot of floo powder on the mantle. He stepped onto the hearth and threw in the powder, speaking his destination as the green flames enveloped his person, sucking him into the network with an uncomfortable squeezing pull.

He landed with a jolt into silence, not even the soft crackle of a candle filled the room once the floo flames had died away. Ominis pushed his shirt sleeves up and fingered his wand handle and unsheathed it as he made his way through the living room. He knew the manor and its layout, but his wand afforded him an edge in times such as these, as well as being ready for any confrontation should it arise. 

“Homenum Revelio ,” he whispered, his wand vibrating at the presence of someone else in the house and the tip drifting downward.

Ominis was on the ground floor, and there was only one thing that lay below him—the cellar. His heart beat rapidly and pace quickened as he made his way through the hallways to the tiny door that led down into the dank underground cavern. To call it a room would be a stretch—once it had been used to store food and wine, when the family had such things in abundance. Now it was used only as a place for Marvolo to indulge his particularly disgraceful proclivities.

There was no way to be subtle about his entrance; the creaky stairs would reveal his presence immediately. The only thing Ominis had was the element of surprise. He pushed the door open and aimed his wand into the room, casting a preemptive shield charm in anticipation of an attack, but was instead greeted with the heart-wrenching sound of muffled sobs.

Ominis ran quicker than he’d ever done before, bounding down the stairs with little regard for who else might hear him, his wand and the gentle gasps guiding his way to a crumpled body on the floor. He dropped to his knees and his free hand drifted shakily over the figure in front of him; a cotton shirt, soft hair, chilled skin and a sliver of fabric, cutting into plush lips.

Ominis threw down his wand and got to work relieving Maerys of her gag, her coughs and unstifled cries filling the cold, damp cellar. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of her being thrown down here for hours whilst he had pointlessly made inquiries into her whereabouts. The tremor in his hand wasn’t from trepidation, it was from pure, unadulterated hate .

“Ominis, my hands,” she gasped.

He found the ropes, grimacing at the slick skin underneath them, the bindings cutting deep enough to draw blood. Once she was freed, she threw herself into Ominis’ arms, clinging to him for dear life as his rage built to almost unmanageable levels.

“What happened, my love? Was this Marvolo’s doing?”

There would be time to ask the question of how she found herself to be in this hellhole, but for now, he needed to know what had occurred. The amount of wrath he brought down on his dear brother would depend on her answer. Maerys continued to grip him tightly, still crouched on the floor as his hands gently stroked her hair and she steadied her breath enough to reply.

“Yes. I shouldn’t have come, I thought…”

“Please, tell me what he did,” Ominis interrupted, picking his wand from the floor and holstering it once again.

She inhaled sharply before answering as Ominis’ stomach clenched painfully.

“He used an unforgivable curse on me. I…he might have used another, I’m not sure. I don’t remember…”

The fact that Maerys was still alive meant that Marvolo had tortured her, her shaking hands testament to the fact—one of the curse’s aftereffects. Ominis’ head swam as he absorbed the last of her answer, imagining all the possibilities of what his brother could have done with her under the influence of the Imperius curse.

Ominis’ ears could scarcely register her continued talking as a blind rage overcame him, the only thought in his mind now one of seeking revenge. He would pay for what he had done if it was the last thing Ominis did, and he fully expected it would be. Ominis’ death would be a small price to pay if he could take Marvolo down with him.

“Ominis?”

Her voice brought him back to the present, and he stood up to help her shakily to her feet. Ominis needed to get Maerys to safety before he could finish his business here.

“Come, there’s a tunnel here that leads to just outside the wards. Can you stand to apparate with me?”

“Yes, I’ll be okay,” she said weakly.

The walk was as quick as they could make it, through the cramped underground path that led to nowhere. It had been used for many things in the past; smuggling, an escape route, a place to hide dark artifacts that his family didn't want to contaminate the manor house. The tunnel had been blocked years ago and never reopened, but Ominis had used it as a hiding place for years whilst he lived here. Marvolo had no idea it existed, and it had become Ominis’ sanctuary from his brother’s provocations.

“Hold on tight, I’ll get you home,” Ominis said gently.

Maerys gripped his bicep and he turned, disapparating and reappearing in the alleyway behind their house. Maerys stumbled and groaned and Ominis held her steady, leading her inside and straight to the sofa where she collapsed.

“I need to take care of this,” Ominis said.

“Please, Ominis, don’t.”

“Darling, if he knows about you he will not let your escape go unpunished.”

Before she could object any further, Ominis had planted a kiss on her forehead and strode out of the door to return to his family home, to exact his revenge.

-

Ominis crept through the quiet house, constantly on guard. Though his instinct was to shield himself, he knew that it would do little to protect him if he met Marvolo. He cast the charm to reveal human presence once again, ignoring the fainter magical signature in the south wing which was likely his father cooped up in the library. The other was outdoors in the grounds.

Following his wand’s lead, Ominis headed into the cool night air, following the brickwork of the manor house towards the gardens. He had no idea what they now consisted of, only that the once lovingly-planted rows of English roses that lined the gravel path were now overgrown, the thorns prone to catching on clothing. The crunching underfoot wasn’t conducive to a stealthy approach, but Ominis was hoping that Marvolo was too busy indulging in his drug of choice to notice his approach.

The fact that he’d simply left after performing such atrocities on his Maerys only incensed Ominis further; his nails dug painfully into his palms and jaw clenched in intense and righteous anger. He’d often heard people describe this unbridled fury as ‘seeing red’—Ominis found that this state felt like an out of body experience, his actions seemingly made by someone other than himself. He couldn’t have stopped himself if he’d wanted to, and he had absolutely no desire to do so. 

Ominis was correct in his assumption and found Marvolo slumped on a bench, half-sedated and doused in the sickly-sweet scent of opium.

“Ah, there he is. Come to reclaim your whore?” Marvolo slurred, making no attempt at moving.

For reasons he couldn’t quite fathom, Ominis smiled in response, knowing precisely what his next move would be. Perhaps his brother’s words had given Ominis the justification for the flick of his wrist that caused a strangled moan from the bench. There was now no stopping him, fuelled by pure hatred, the spells Ominis fired off were unrelenting.

Marvolo scrambled to avoid the attacks and Ominis was sure he was bleeding heavily judging by the limping and groaning.

“Crucio!”

Ominis spun to the right, avoiding the curse and righting himself, firing off a counterattack.

“Confringo!”

The fire that erupted from his wand warmed his skin, blazing through the air and colliding with something definitely not its intended target. Ominis thought that the garden could have been set ablaze, but the thought didn’t bother him as he continued his evasive footwork.

“Cru-”

“Diffindo!”

Ominis’ severing charm hit its target and cut off Marvolo’s curse before he could finish the incantation. The air was quiet, far too quiet, until Ominis heard a strangled cry and horrific bubbling sound. Something wet hit his face and he flinched, the crunching of gravel marking the moment his brother fell to the floor and gasped his last breath.

Ominis inhaled sharply, the beads of liquid rolling down his face and dripping into his parted lips, revealing the unmistakable metallic tang of blood . The pure Gaunt blood. He wondered if any of that mattered—they all bled the same. His brother’s supposedly superior blood still ran down his face and pooled at his feet, his lifeless body lay crumpled on the ground amongst the scented roses. He could have been a Muggle—in death, the power and influence that came with the Gaunt name meant nothing.

He should have been horrified, instead Ominis only felt relief, and a disturbing amount of satisfaction as the raw power coursed through his veins. The immediate threat had passed, but as his mind cleared, his thoughts turned to the other Gaunt still present on the estate. What would he do when he learned of Marvolo’s death? Ominis knew that the only way to keep Maerys safe was to ensure that his father knew exactly what he had done.

First, he had to dispose of the body. The body . Such a detached way to describe one's flesh and blood. Yet, Ominis found it hard to mourn the loss as he cleared the earth next to the manor wall with a flick of his wand. Only when he touched the still-warm arm of his brother did his gut twist and nausea threatened to overwhelm him until he forced himself to breath deep, shaky breaths.

By the time Marvolo was buried, Ominis was caked in dirt and blood, sweating and trembling as he gripped his wand to cast a fire spell, scorching the wall where his brother's makeshift grave lay. He walked in a silent haze to the house, seeking out the man who had just lost the very last of his legacy in a matter of minutes.

Of course Ominis found his father cooped up in his library, none the wiser as to what had occurred. The shocked silence that met Ominis' arrival told him how he must have appeared—the man rarely had nothing to say. 

"What…have you done?" Tiberius finally uttered after several moments.

"Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Maerys. Did you know what Marvolo did, here, in this house?" Ominis asked, his voice quiet and deadly.

"What are you talking about, boy? What have you done? " 

Ominis knew then that his father had no inkling of what had happened right under his nose. Too distracted by his own agenda, he'd failed to control his son's impulses as he'd done time and time again. Marvolo's reckless disregard for subtlety and secrecy was always going to be his downfall; only the component of being by Ominis' hand was unexpected.

"Marvolo took her, tortured her, right below your feet," Ominis said coldly, pointing his finger to the floor. "So I buried him. Six feet deep."

"You…you killed your own brother?"

The first time he'd heard fear in his father's voice sent a chill down Ominis' spine, the cloud of rage lifting slightly. What had he done?

"A reminder, father…to not interfere," Ominis whispered with the last of his ability to speak.

He left before his composure broke down, his hands shaking violently as the door slammed behind him and he stumbled back to the fireplace to carry him home. He still tasted the blood on his lips, the sweet smell of the opium lingering in his nostrils. His head pounded and pulse raced, barely noticing that he'd been pulled into the floo flames until he landed in his house to the sound of Maerys' frantic voice.

Ominis fell to the floor, expelling the last of what was left in his stomach onto the floorboards as his shaky arms struggled to keep him from collapsing into it.

"Ominis? Ominis, what happened? Please , answer me," Maerys sobbed, her hands on his back, his cheek, his hair.

He heard her gasp as she realised that the blood wasn't his own.

-

Maerys had never seen Ominis quite so terrified; his body trembled as he struggled to breathe, unable to tell her what had happened. She had a good idea, especially when she realised that the blood that splattered his face and drenched his shirt wasn't his. It had started to dry, clumping in his hair which fell dishevelled in front of his glazed eyes. Oh Gods, what had he done?

Maerys held him for what seems like hours until he finally formed a sentence, and whilst she'd expected it, the words seemed completely alien coming from Ominis.

"I killed him. My brother is dead and…buried."

"Come with me, let's have a shower and get the…dirt off of you," Maerys said gently.

The water ran brown and red for minutes, Ominis turning the temperature high to almost scalding levels as they huddled under the stream. Ominis was slowly coming out of the shock, the shaking leaving his extremities, whether because of the comforting shower or Maerys' tight embrace she didn't know or care. Once they were scrubbed clean, she led him to their bed and guided him to sit. He put up no fight, nor seemed to register what was happening.

"Ominis, I'm so sorry…I shouldn't have…"

"Don't apologise. I can't bear to think of what he did to you," Ominis whispered.

Maerys sat beside him, watching his pensive expression as droplets of water from his hair ran down his cheeks and dripped onto his bare shoulders. His ivory skin prickled with goosebumps from the chill but he made no attempt to move.

"Your father will never bother us again," Maerys said, fingers pushing the wayward blond strands from his turbulent eyes.

"Because of what I've done. I am the monster I've always been accused of being," he said with a mirthless laugh.

"No, because you've shown him you'll do anything to protect me. I love you so much, Ominis."

"How can you possibly love me after seeing what I'm capable of?"

"How can I not love you? You saved me, Ominis."

Maerys sat behind him, straddling her legs either side of his waist and wrapping her arms around his chest. She kissed the trail of beauty marks on his shoulder that led to his cheek, each press of her lips in rhythm with his heavy breath. His heart beat rapidly against her hands, his skin warming under her touch—both were a reminder that they were alive ; something that Maerys could no longer take for granted.

"I love you, Ominis Gaunt," she whispered into his ear.

"I love you, though I don't deserve yours," Ominis sighed.

Her fingers traced the contours of his chest, following the trail of soft blond hair down to his taut stomach as her lips continued to roam his neck. 

"I decide who deserves my love, and I choose you," Maerys whispered against his skin.

Ominis turned and tilted his head towards her, silently asking for more. Maerys obliged by sliding around the bed sheets to face him, lowering herself into his lap and capturing his lips in a fierce kiss. She couldn't have him regret what had happened or doubt her feelings for him—Ominis was her saviour, and she loved him more than she ever thought possible. She told him so with how she clung to his naked form, pressing herself so tightly into him that they might have been one body.

Ominis responded slowly, unsure of whether he deserved such devotion. Their mouths brushed with heavy breaths and Maerys ran her tongue tentatively along his lip. She was met with Ominis' own, their heads instinctively tilting to deepen the kiss as their tongues brushed and lips captured the others'. All residue had been washed from their skins, leaving only Ominis' comforting scent and the lavender soap they'd used—he smelled as he always did, like home .

"Tell me you love me again," Ominis asked gently, placing tender kisses along Maerys' cheek.

"I love you, Ominis. I always will."

Ominis hummed approvingly as his mouth moved to her neck and hands spurred into action, delicate fingers sliding over her bare thighs to gently wrap around her waist. Maerys continued to mutter sweet nothings as he kissed her, his warm skin under her ear sending tingles down her spine and peaking her nipples as they brushed against his chest. 

She ached for him—every stroke of his hand and flick of his tongue quickening her pulse and drew soft moans from her mouth. Ominis responded with sounds of adoration, muttering her name as his arousal became apparent underneath her. His growing erection pressed against her soaking wet heat as her hips rocked teasingly to meet him. Ominis' length pressed into Maerys' slick folds and brushed her sensitive nub, and she moaned and gripped his hair as the friction teased the growing tension in her core.

"Oh, fuck ," she gasped, sliding along his length with increasing fervour.

Ominis held her tightly, pulling her down each time she reached his tip, squeezing precum from his swollen head as his lap became increasingly messy, coated in their arousal. Their lips met again, gasps exchanged into each other's mouths as they teased each other senseless, waiting for one of them to give in. It was Maerys who caved first, too eager to show Ominis the full extent of her love and gratitude.

She slid off of his lap with a regretful sigh, her clit swollen and still throbbing for stimulation, but she would gladly forgo her own pleasure to focus on Ominis first. His own groan turned into a whisper of her name and he fell back on the bed as Maerys took his slippery length in her hand. She shuffled down the bed, lining herself up with his tantalisingly swollen head, running her tongue over the weeping tip and moaning as his salty precum covered her tongue.

He tasted delicious , and each swipe of her tongue she tasted herself, only further spurring her on and dizzying her head with arousal. Maerys adored watching Ominis as she bobbed up and down on his cock; the way his mouth gaped as sinful moans filled the air and his pale cheeks flushed a deep pink as she built his orgasm. Her lips wrapped around his girth, taking him further into her mouth with each movement of her head until she found a comfortable rhythm.

Their combined moans and the wet slurping of her mouth filled the room as she worked him into state, Ominis practically writhing underneath her as his cock hit the back of her throat and she concentrated to control her gag reflex. Maerys could have made him finish then, but the moment demanded a greater intimacy, which Ominis seemed to agree with as his hands gently tugged at her hair or lift her off.

"Stop, please. You feel too good," he sighed.

Maerys gave the base of his shaft a final squeeze, her mouth retreating with every drop of his precum she could gather on her tongue. Ominis shuddered, wrapping his own hand over hers, holding her firm grip still as he controlled the urge to finish.

"I want to fill you, but…but not yet."

Maerys' eyes lingered on his cock, his hand finally leaving hers and setting her free to clamber back onto his thighs, Ominis' arms greeting her with a tight embrace as they exchanged a deep, slow kiss. As she pulled back to look at him, her heart skipped a beat when she met his pale blue irises. 

Merlin, he was beautiful . She wasn't used to seeing him so vulnerable, so submissive to her. It meant the world to Maerys that Ominis trusted her to hand over control in that moment and let her show him how much he meant to her.

"I'm going to go slowly," she whispered.

Her hand reached down between them, lining his tip up with her soaking entrance and pressing her weight into his lap. She gasped as he stretched her, her walls twitching in anticipation of the fullness his girth would provide. Ominis held her tightly, his face buried in her damp hair that muffled his moans. She stilled once his length was inside her, enjoying the sensation of his stiff erection filling her so satisfyingly as she nibbled on his lower lip.

Ominis' hands roamed her back, skimming her waist and gripping her soft behind, his fingers kneading her flesh as his cock twitched needily inside her. 

"You're so warm . You really do feel incredible, my love," Ominis whispered.

Maerys whimpered as his sultry voice filled her ears, the ache between her legs now painful as she longed to feel more of him. With another gentle bite of his lip, she shifted herself slowly forward and back again, giving a small shift of her hips at the bottom of the movement which had Ominis' fingers pressing bruisingly into her cheeks and a growl brewing in his throat.

She did the same again, and again, keeping her eyes on him for every reaction and just to drink in his pleasure. His face was relaxed, flushed and expression utterly blissful as she rode him slowly, humming softly with every breath she took. She brushed her thumb over his moist lips, and he placed a gentle kiss on the digit with a tiny smile which made her heart leap and abdomen flutter. She'd made him smile, even now.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are, Ominis," Maerys said, gazing down at him in complete adoration.

Ominis rolled his hips gently to meet her, a high-pitched mewl escaping her mouth as his cock hit deep inside her. 

"All that matters is you think so…as I believe you're…perfect, in every way," Ominis replied, moans punctuating his loving words.

The pace Maerys had set had quickened with every thrust Ominis met her with, their kisses and touches growing more needy by the second. Her fingers laced through his hair and one hand braced herself against the bed as she continued to grind on his cock, eyes rolling back into her head as he hit her just right at the bottom.

Maerys knew they wouldn't last much longer, her own orgasm building so quickly with the vigorous thrusts she thought the blood rushing from her head might cause her to faint. She was utterly exhausted, but she couldn't stop now, not when it felt so damn good . 

"I'm so close," she sighed, gripping the bed sheet above his head for purchase.

"So am I… f-fuck . Come for me, darling."

"Oh, Ominis…"

Maerys moaned her love's name as she met her sweet release, the waves of pleasure burning her skin as all she heard was the blood pounding in her ears and muffled groans underneath her. She clenched around Ominis' cock, pushing him over the edge with her as he gripped her tightly, hips rolling upwards into her and letting his cum coat her walls with every pulse. They sighed together, exchanging breathy kisses as they rode out their orgasms until Maerys collapsed on top of Ominis, every last drop of energy expended.

They stayed together until their lips were sore and neither could keep their eyes open, muttering their admissions of love and promises as the sun rose and they fell into a deep sleep. Maerys knew that Ominis would do anything to protect her, as she'd known from the moment he had first told her he loved her. Now she knew that particular truth would haunt him, and that she would spend every day keeping him safe from his demons, and she would do it gladly.

[magicandpizza]

👁️👁️

2 and 45?

What fun combos you have been giving me! This one got a little out of hand... Thanks for playing!

2. running fingers through hair 45. feeling their temperature

Jesper is coaxing himself into wakefulness with a particularly strong coffee when Nina joins him in the kitchen. 

“Morning,” he mutters over the rim of his mug. 

“Hey, Jesper,” Nina replies, busying herself making a pot of tea. “Is Wylan feeling okay? I just passed your room and his heartbeat seems a little fast.” 

“I’m not sure, he was still asleep when I got up. I’ll go check on him.” He finishes the remainder of his coffee and heads back upstairs.

Nudging open the door to their room, he finds Wylan still curled up, fast asleep on his side of the bed. Jesper knows that his boyfriend has been tired lately, but it’s unlike him to sleep in for this long. He sits on the bed beside him, brushes a few strands of hair away from his forehead to feel the warmth of his skin. 

Wylan struggles into consciousness, an adorable little divot of confusion appearing between his eyebrows. “Jes?” He blinks blearily up at him. 

“Hey, love.” Jesper smiles at him softly. “Are you feeling okay? Nina said your heartbeat was a little faster than usual and you feel a little warm.”

“I’m okay, just a little tired,” Wylan says, stifling a yawn.

Jesper frowns, unconvinced. “You’re sick. I told you not to walk home in the rain the other day.”

“M’not,” Wylan grumbles, the efficacy of his argument somewhat lessened by the way he snuffles and pulls the duvet tighter around him. 

“You are,” Jesper says with a sigh. “I’m gonna go get you some tea.”

As he moves to stand, Wylan’s arm shoots out from under the duvet and grabs him by the wrist. “Don’t go. Please.” His eyes are wide and more vulnerable than Jesper has seen in a while, and not for the first time he finds himself wondering how Wylan ended up here.

“Okay, okay,” says Jesper gently, sitting back on the bed and rearranging the pillows against the headboard.

“Read to me?” Wylan asks, snuggling into Jesper’s side as close as he physically can, only appearing content when Jesper lifts his arm and wraps it around his shoulders.

“Whatever you want, darling.” 

He picks up their most recent book from the nightstand, opening it to the bookmark, and starting to read, voice low and soothing. It isn’t long until Wylan’s breathing deepens, even if it sounds a little wheezy. His body grows heavy where it rests against Jesper’s, and his fingers slacken their grip on Jesper’s shirt as he slips into sleep once again. Jesper presses a kiss to the top of his head and quietly places the book down. He curls around Wylan’s sleeping form as much as he can without dislodging him, listening to his shallow, uneven breaths. 

He must doze off, because he blinks awake sometime later to Wylan shifting restlessly in his sleep, fingers tightening and relaxing where they clutch at Jesper’s shirt. It feels like a small, personal furnace is tucked into bed beside him. Instantly, Jesper is wide awake and pressing the back of his hand to Wylan’s forehead, finding it far hotter than earlier.

“Shit.” He nudges Wylan’s shoulder to try and rouse him. “Love, you’re burning up. We need to cool you down.” 

Wylan makes a grumbly, sleepy noise in response and only curls in on himself a little more. Gnawing at his bottom lip with worry, Jesper reluctantly leaves him in bed and stakes a claim on the bathroom to run a cool bath for him. He considers asking Nina for help, but she’s always griping to Kaz about how she isn’t a healer, and he’s not entirely convinced that she’d be able to do anything for a fever anyway, but he resolves to ask her if the cool bath doesn’t help bring Wylan’s temperature down. 

Once the bath is ready, Jesper heads back to the bedroom to gather the supplies he needs and gently coaxing Wylan out of bed with a promise of him feeling better at the end of it. In the bathroom, he helps Wylan strip off his sweaty clothes and step into the bath, gritting his teeth at the slightly pained noise Wylan makes as the water laps at his feverish, flushed skin. 

“Ssh, love,” Jesper soothes him, guiding him to lie back so he can wet his hair. “You’ll feel better soon.” 

He kneels by the side of the tub and lathers shampoo into Wylan’s hair, gently running his fingers through the sweat-damp tangle. He scratches his fingers over his scalp, and Wylan hums softly, his eyes fluttering closed. 

“Feels good,” Wylan murmurs, leaning his weight heavily into Jesper’s hands. 

“That’s good, love.” 

Jesper rinses his hair for him, then soaps up the washcloth and passes it over Wylan’s skin, washing away the lingering perspiration from his fever. The scent of the lavender soap soon fills the air, and the cool water seems to be helping Wylan feel a bit better, no longer as bleary and delirious as he had been before. 

Satisfied that Wylan can manage getting himself dry and dressed, Jesper returns to the bedroom to change their sheets, then ventures downstairs to find something for Wylan to eat and drink. When he makes it back to the bedroom, Wylan is sitting up in bed and looking much better, wearing one of Jesper’s ratty old jumpers, hair sticking up all over the place and turning fluffy as it dries.

[astrhae]

hey your wesper fic emotionally wreck me each time and you are so good at writing and god I adore your nwest fic and all the ones past and your anastasia au and AHHHHHHH and the one you just posetd like god its such a well done hannaki au on love and the past and its present and how love can be hurt but it can heal and god I just keep imaging jespers pov of it all but the way you write wylans hurt is so palpable i can feel it in my tendons and bones and ugh never stop your amazing at this

hi hello!! i'm so glad you like my fics so much (i promise i haven't forgotten about the anastasia au) and akdhdhk i'm also so glad you loved my little exploration of love in the hanahaki fic -- the trope is such a fascinating concept and i wanted to explore what it was to love, and to be loved back. i'm quite sure i lost my track somewhere in the fic, but the original fic concept had alternating jesper and wylan POVs. the pacing went all over the place though, so i stuck with wylan's POV, but please enjoy one of the deleted jesper POV scenes 🥰💙

Jesper, the letter read, and it was Kaz’s writing, a loopy cursive that none would suspect Dirtyhands capable of, Wylan can’t pay all your debts for you. He says come home whenever you’re ready, but I say: either come back now, or don’t. Kaz had always been harsh, and Jesper let himself sit on the edge of the tiny bed. He’d grown spoiled with Wylan, the mansion’s large rooms so full of light, and Wylan’s kindness so full of love. But Jesper had wasted it all – had seen how much his mistakes had cost Wylan, and – Wylan can’t pay all your debts for you. Jesper hated how Kaz always knew how to cut him. The quarters that he’d been given by Queen Zoya were the standard ones given to any Grisha trainee in Ravka, though he was deemed special enough to not share the room with anyone. There was a bed pushed up against an even smaller window, a table that looked one wrong move away from toppling over – any Durast can fix it, the Queen had dismissed – and a closet that scarcely fit the already scant clothes Jesper had brought. “Wylan,” Jesper said the name out loud to himself, if only to hear it again, his thumb tracing the curve of the name on the paper. His first day of training was tomorrow, and he flipped his other hand up, the lines of his palm staring right at him. Jesper didn’t need Kaz’s letter to tell him that he was a coward – a better man would have waited until morning. Would have given Wylan a chance to explain all the secrets, the millions of kruge he’d wasted on Jesper, taking the gamble that Jesper might just pull himself together. But Jesper was a thief, and a liar. Wylan should have known better than to trust him. Wylan should have known better than to love him. The letter crinkled as he gripped tighter to it, on the verge of fracturing. Jesper couldn’t fix a simple table – how was he supposed to fix himself? How was he supposed to fix everything he’d broken? We both know you’re more than just a thief, Wylan’s voice said in his head, and fuck, Jesper hated it. Hated himself. He supposed he was a coward, too. Wylan had forgiven him everything, but love wasn’t just a cycle of apology and forgiveness – just because Jesper apologized, it didn’t make him any better than all the men who had taken things from Wylan, who had used Wylan, and tried to turn Wylan into something he wasn’t. And Jesper – Jesper wouldn’t turn Wylan miserable, trying to fix what wasn’t Wylan’s mistake to fix. “I love you,” Jesper said into the silence. In the loneliness, he didn’t add anything to it. He loved Wylan, like this: half a world away, running and running and running alone, trying to save Wylan from the worst of him. Trying to spare Wylan from the truth of it: that Jesper loved him like an addiction. Like the high after a gunfire shot, metal meeting target and Jesper’s lips meeting Wylan’s, and chasing for more and more and more because touch wasn’t enough. He wanted, he wanted promise, he wanted a future, he wanted forever. Like spinning wheel after wheel and always winning, taking and taking more from the house until – until there wasn’t anything left to take. Anything left to promise, all their broken plans in shards around them. Jesper loved Wylan, like ruin, like ruination. Did that make him a hypocrite? No, he supposed. That only made him someone in love, blind and stumbling, and a thief in the night, trying to hold on to something that was never in his cards to win.

[lawlietkitty]

Kazuichi Soda x reader 🔧

”Nightmares”

The nighttime announcement has already went off hours ago, but I still can't seem to get any sleep.

I glance outside my window, looking at the night sky. The moon is shining bright as always. Staring up at the stars always seems to calm my mind.

My thoughts start to calm down, and I feel as if I'm finally ready to fall asleep. But my piece was suddenly disrupted by someone knocking on my door.

-shit, who could it be? It's like 3 in the morning. Why the hell would someone knock at my door at 3 in the morning?? What if they're here to kill me??! Ok I need to calm down.- I think to myself, taking a deep breath. Why am I so paranoid?

I hear the knocks again, but this time, followed by a familiar voice:

-Y/N? Are you up? Can I pleaseee come in??

Oh. It's just kazuichi. But he sounds kinda worried, almost scared, it seems.

I quickly get up and rush to the door. When I open it, I see the pink haired boy with a rather sleepy face, as if he had just woke up.

-Are you okay? Did something happen, Kaz?

Before even answering my questions, he walks inside my cottage and sits in my bed.

-Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just had a nightmare that's all.

I-... is he serious? Did he come here in the middle of the night because of some... nightmares??

-Gosh, are you kidding me?? You scared the shit out of me! I thought someone tried to murder you or something!

-WHAT, why would you think that?!

-Well, I never expected you to come here at 3am because of some stupid nightmares! Seriously, Kaz, how old are you?

-HEY, they weren't just some stupid nightmares, ok?? They were... about my dad... - his voice got a lot quieter when saying that last part. Fuck. I shouldn't have said that. Kazuichi has some serious issues regarding his father, but he's never talked about it directly. He always acts as if what his father did to him is something normal, which shows how used he is to being abused. For him to say it in such a sad voice ... it must have been a fucked up nightmare. I feel bad for him.

-Oh, I'm... sorry, I didn't know that's what it was about. Sorry I didn't mean that. - I say, now sitting next to him.

-No, it's ok. I know you were just joking.- he says, looking away, avoiding looking me in the face. It looks like he regrets saying that, or maybe he's just embarrassed.

The atmosphere is starting to get heavy, which is something unusual when I'm around kazuichi.

-Do you wanna talk about it, maybe? I'm not the best at advice but I'm a great listener!- I forced a smile, sitting down next to him.

-No, don't worry. The more I think about it the more it makes me feel worse.

-Are you sure, Kaz?- I rest my hand on his shoulder, and he turned his head to face me.- You know you can always talk to me, right? I understand what you went through.

-I just... want to distract myself right now, if that's ok... But... thank you for being so kind, Y/N. - he gives me a sweet smile, and I can see a slight spark in his eyes. That, right there, is my weakness.

I pull him in for a hug. At first he doesn't react, but he then gives in, hugging me back, wrapping his arms around my body. We stay like that for only a few seconds, but those few seconds felt like they lasted an eternity. I wish they did.

Kazuichi is not only my best friend here, on the island, but he's also the one person I come to when I need anything. If I need help, advice, someone to hangout with, someone to chat with, eat with, laugh with. It's him. I may see him as more than just my best friend, but he doesn't know that, and will most likely never know. What if he thinks it's weird and doesn't want to be my friend anymore? What if he laughs at me and makes fun of me? So many things could go wrong, and trust me, I've thought about every single one of them. I just can't risk losing someone so important to me.

He pulls away from the hug, stares at me for a couple seconds, and then looks at the floor, trying to hide the flustered look on his face.

He's so adorable. His little side smile, his rosed cheeks that match the color of his eyes, the way he plays with his own fingers when he's nervous. I love everything about him.

-Y/N?

He called for me, taking me of my trance.

- Is it ok if I sleep here for the night? I just... really don't want to be alone right now.

-Oh, of course, don't worry about it.

-Really? If you want to, I can actually sleep on the floor, I just don't want to make you uncomfortable.

-Oh, no no! It's ok, don't worry. Here, - I pat one of the pillows - you can stay on this side of the bed.

He takes off his shoes and hat, and starts pulling down the blankets so he can lay next to me.

-Hum... are you gonna sleep with your jumpsuit?

-Huh? Oh, I usually take it off to sleep but, again, I really don't want to make you uncomfortable or something, you know. I don't want you to think I'm some kind of creep.

- But that's gotta be really uncomfortable to sleep in. You can take it off if you want to. It doesn't bother me.

-Huh? Are you sure?? Well, I guess I can keep my shirt on.

He takes off his bright yellow jumpsuit, wearing only a white tank top and black underwear now.

He lays next to me, and we both just stare at the ceiling in silence. But that comfortable kind of silence, you know?

-Hey, Y/N... what would you do if... you really wanted to say something to someone, but if you did, it could either destroy your relationship with them, or something really amazing could happen. But the person is really special to you and you don't wanna risk losing them.

Hm, how interesting. Sounds a lot like one of my problems.

-Ok, just tell me, who's the lucky girl?

-WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

-COME ON, I'm not stupid, you know! Just tell me who it is.

-I'm not telling you, ur gonna laugh at me. - he said making a pouty face, that I find simply adorable.

-im not gonna laugh at you, Kaz!

-Promise?

-Promise.

And with a straight face, he stares at me, deep in my eyes and takes a deep breath. Before I could even gather my thoughts, I feel his lips pressing against mine. My face starts burning up. I instinctively pull away. What was this just now? Did Kazuichi just...

-Oh my god I'm so so sorry! God I'm so fucking stupid. I- I'll just leave. - he said, shaking his hands around, nervously.

But before he got the chance to stand up, I pull him down again and put my arms around him in a hug.

-uh- y/n... what are you doing?

-I'm not letting you leave. You said you wanted to spend the night here so that's what we're doing.

- But- what I just did- you dont...?

-I like you, Kaz. You can kiss me as often as you want, from now on.

His face immediately brightens up, now forming his usual smirk.

-oh? It's that so? So I guess it would be ok if I just did this? - he starts kissing me repeatedly around my face. We both laugh, while still hugging

The silence once again returns, but this time, it's feels comfortable. We both just stay there, in each other's arms, enjoying the silence, eventually falling asleep.

So that was it! :D I hope it wasn't too bad for a first try. Apologies for any English mistakes, I tried my very best ^^ as always I'm open to criticism, so please don't be afraid to give me advice!! Tysmm byee ^_^

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

This is really random, and I’m sorry if you don’t do or answer asks about headcanons/things that aren’t supported by textual evidence, but…we know Matthias had a baby sister. Do you have any headcanons on her name, or her age at death, or Matthias’ relationship with his family as a kid in general?

Hi my darling, thanks so much for the ask, and cool news: I have a fic for this!

I’ll link it here if you’re interested, it’s called ‘If I’m good will you come back?’ and super honestly I wrote it in the middle of the night on the verge of falling asleep over my keyboard but it’s canon-compliant outlining 5 times that Matthias spoke to his baby sister through Djel and 1 time that she answered (it’s saddd)

In terms of headcanons and thoughts on this topic I think about Matthias Helvar’s family quite often and honestly it makes me want to cry but I think that he was an amazing big brother, I really do, I think he lived his little sister with all his heart and that he would move the sun and stars for her. I have a post cooking about the relevance of not naming certain characters, most specifically Inej’s parents and Matthias’ family but also some others like Kaz’s parents, so that might be coming out some time soon and I think particularly for Matthias it’s very much that he is the only person left alive who knows their names and it is so deeply painful for him to dwell on them that he avoids doing so even in the thought processes we see from his perspective. I have sadly not written many fics that include his POV because my longest works are set post-canon or pre-canon/canon divergence but I adore writing him when I get the opportunity and exploring the emotional relationship he has with his family inside his mind is something I really want to include in my writing at some point. In my fic focusing on his relationship with his sister I named her Freja honestly just because I think it’s a pretty name and it fits the inspirations for Fjerdan culture/language/names but I like to think that the Helvar’s would be big on family names and I imagine that Freja is named after a grandmother or great grandmother. In terms of her age we have a couple of clues to work off but not many; considering that Matthias was only 12 when he lost his family but he has clear memories of his mother’s pregnancy I think we have to assume that there’s a reasonable age gap between the siblings. He also almost exclusively refers to her as his “baby sister” and although this could just generally mean ‘younger’ I think that the wording is being specifically chosen to emphasise just how young this child was, especially when taking into consideration just how young Matthias was. Personally I imagine her to be a toddler, maybe a little before typical modern school age but I doubt she was more than 4 based on the ease with which Matthias can draw on memories of his mother’s pregnancy.

It really hits me like a truck to think too long about Matthias’ family. Do you think he told Nina their names? I hope so. I hope someone knows them still.

Anyway being cheerier, thanks so much for the ask and always feel free to ask me about headcanons or anything else! <33

[justmybookthots]

The Prisoner's Throne

This is THE book. The book that's been consuming my every waking thought since I read its prequel in May last year. The book which, if I didn't manage to read any in 2024, would be the only one I read this year at all. The Stolen Heir was among my favourite reads last year, possibly even more than The Cruel Prince because of Oak's characterisation. 

The last few days before the book release was agonising. Sheer, skin-flaying agony. When Ann Liang's 2024 release let me down after I'd spent months hyping it up—as did I with Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands—I have to confess I was terrified the same thing would happen with The Prisoner's Throne. Ann Liang is one thing, but this is Holly Black. The Prisoner's Throne is on a much, much higher pedestal for me than any other book in existence thus far. If this hurt me like the others did, I might really go into the worst kind of depression. (Yes, I'm one for histrionics… only I'm being perfectly serious.)

After a night of poor sleep—I am still very grateful that I managed to sleep, albeit fitfully, most of the hours away—I started reading this book at 7AM. (I'd downloaded the book at 2 in the night.) And then I didn't stop until I was done at 10AM. 

First thoughts: THANK THE FUCK IT WASN'T A MASSIVE LETDOWN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. Was it as good as its prequel? No. But it didn't end up anywhere as bad as my jaded, paranoid self had secretly feared, and for that I am grateful. Overall, I enjoyed it!! I saw quite a handful of negative reviews on Goodreads but I don't feel the same way. Granted, the book definitely has a few issues, but being too slow or character-driven was not mine.

Let me talk about some things I liked and did not. Beware: Spoilers abound. 

Things I did not love:

I'm going to start with my most major disappointment. Oak, who is the highlight of this duology to me, wasn't as alluring as I found him in the first book. I think that Oak's character is written best when his POV isn't the entire book. I definitely LOVED reading his POV and welcomed it, but I also felt that having the entire thing in his perspective dulled some of his mystique. This is my personal preference, because I don't generally love stories that have too much of the hero's POV. I think Six of Crows is a good example of finding balance with Kaz's perspective and the other characters'. Also, because the story is in Oak's head, we don't see much physical descriptions of him. I miss all those parts about his adorable marigold hair and his golden eyes 🥺

I also miss his cleverness. He was very manipulative in the first book, and it was easier to feel impressed back then because you weren't in his head and you didn't know what was coming. In this instalment, he thinks a lot about playing the fool, over and over. It gets wearisome because I'm constantly being told but not often shown. In the first book, I was actually shown without being told at all—which is why it hit so much harder. Moreover, I don't think he did anything specifically very clever in this book? I guess he did use the wedding ruse to prevent a war, and he did find out what Wren was hiding, but he found that out too late and that was less cleverness than the plot being in motion.  

There's a running theme in this book about being accepted and loved for your truest, darkest self, but… I don't think it was conveyed very well. In the end, he says that Wren is the only one who can love him for who he is, but it isn't convincing to me because it's so clear to me how much—and how unconditionally—his family loves him. A lot of his inner turmoil felt very contrived and self-inflicted, whereas I thought Wren's own self-loathing was a thousand times more convincing and understandable. 

I was also quite confused by how much he loved Wren when their feelings seemed to be only gradually building in the first book. But he's completely head over heels for her at the start of this book and I wonder about the transition. I'd been hoping for some clarity because he mentioned in Book 1 that he'd loved a lot of different girls, so what made Wren The One here? I suppose it's because he didn't play the fool with her and she "saw him as himself"? I wish the writing was more convincing in this regard.

Genuinely a little baffled by the plotline about the Ghost. I'd thought we'd already covered his part in Liriope's murder in the Cruel Prince series. (I may need to reread the OG series to be sure.) But it's being rehashed again like ripping open an old wound. And I never knew Oak cared that deeply about his biological parents. My point is: Leave the Ghost alone! 

I wasn't invested in Tiernan and Hyacinth's story. I skimmed a lot of their screen time together, but their fans will probably receive quite the treat. 

Lady Elaine, fuck off!!! (That said, I do understand her role in the story, especially the climax.)

OAK TRYING TO KILL WREN AT THE END, SIR, SIR, PLEASE. DO NOT. 

We didn't need the sex scene being SO IMPLICIT –- GIVE ME DETAILS, DAMN IT!! Now I feel empty.

Things I liked: 

One thing I predicted when I'd read the exclusive first few chapters of Prisoner's Throne months ago: Wren's power came as a cost to her health. I was right. And I loved it. I'm not the biggest fan of overpowered heroines and her limitations were a great story point to me. Holly always does such an exemplary job in making her heroines, including Jude, badass and yet so human (more a figurative phrase for Wren since Wren is fae) and grounded. Also, in general, I liked Wren a lot in this book. My heart broke for her over and over. I JUST WANT WREN TO BE HAPPY AND I AM GLAD SHE GOT A HAPPY ENDING.

I had COMPLETELY forgotten about her connection to her mortal family and I am so, so happy we managed to resolve that in this book. The fact that Wren would do anything to protect her sister Brex moved me immensely. Holly did well in tying that loose end up, and hurray that Wren finally got to spend time with her family at the end of the book. 🙂

JUDE AND CARDAN!!!! Especially Cardan. He was such a gem and so intriguing in this book. Once I'm done writing this review, I'm going to reread all his scenes. No one can complain that Jurdan wasn't in this book—they were very, very involved in the plot here.

Holly Black's prose is still one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. It's my favourite prose of any author, period. It's succinct and poetic at the same time. It scratches an itch in my brain that I never knew needed scratching. 

The ending where Oak goes to find Wren and he proposes was so lovely. Ahhh. I will always have a special love and fondness for them. Bless their baby hearts.

Oak supporting Wren when she was ill will NEVER not move my stone cold heart. The way he held her weight to keep her from falling while they danced...

Before I sign off, I want to say one more thing: WHAT IS HOLLY PLANNING WITH NICASIA'S STORY? Is she going to write / create a male lead for Nicasia? What's going on?? Holly pretty much confirmed that she's going to write something else in this universe, and I must KNOW what she has in mind. Nicasia was so unlikeable in the original series that I wonder how it would be like to read her as a heroine of her own story. 

Holly, I'm right here, waiting for whatever you might throw at us next. 

[jahayla-parker]

Real Life "Book Boyfriend" : Freddy Carter x Reader SMAU

Description: Fluffy Social media AU for Freddy Carter and reader/wife

Warnings: none that I can think of!

Liked by yourusername, amitasuman_, benbarnes, and 798, 261 others

freddycarter1: philosophizing about the origins of crows 📸: @/yourusername

view all 309, 618 comments

benbarnes: handsome even as a shadow🔥

freddycarter1: ❤️

yourusername: sure… crows 😜 totally not the Nandos you just ate 😏

daniellegalligan_: girl I thought you were calling him out for not saying it was him thinking about you… so now I’m disappointed

freddycarter1: @daniellegalligan_ @yourusername a man can philosophize about more than one thing at a time 💁‍♂️

tommyae: y/n is taking better photos than you now bro

freddycarter1: I want to be mad but I agree 🤷‍♂️

Liked by amitasuman_, lbardugo, freddycarter1, and 615, 471 others

yourusername: Book dates > anything else

view all 432, 785 comments

kittheyounger: who is the new beau? 🤔

yourusername: …new?

kittheyounger: Freddy doesn’t read 🤷‍♂️

yourusername: *Amita voice* what does that mean?

freddycarter1: @kittheyounger 😂 mate she wasn’t on set that day hahaha

freddycarter1: ❤️

lbardugo: books are the best, although I’m a bit biased

amitasuman_: aesthetic queen 👑 p.s. I want a book date with you🥺

yourusername: name a time and place 😘

liked by freddycarter1, lbardugo, amitasuman_, and 812, 936 others

yourusername: can’t decide what’s more aesthetically pleasing… the library, the book, the outfit, or the man 🥰

.

.

.

Kidding, it’s definitely the man 😘

view all 581, 092 comments

lbardugo: add gloves and a cane = Kaz. I will stand by this casting until the end of time ❤️

yourusername: 💯♾️

kazbrekkerswife: my husband is so fine 😭

yourusername: mine too 😉🥰

freddycarter1: I adore you ❤️

archierenaux3: how do I just know you spent a lot of time in there?

yourusername: a room full of vintage books with aesthetic lighting? Of course I did 😂🤷‍♀️

liked by amitasuman_, lbardugo, yourusername, and 719, 471 others

freddycarter1: Coffee < Books < Her ❤️

view all 528, 231 comments

yourusername: my real life book boyfriend 🙌🥹

freddycarter1: … we’re married, darling 😘💍

yourusername: it’s a thing Freddy, obviously 💁‍♀️ same way I know you’re not actually a character in a book, smh 🙄 💕

archierenaux3: you’ve got to be running out of books by now mate

freddycarter1: have you seen her TBR? ♾️

archierenaux3: that’s true, she told me she added another two just the other week at that 😂

benbarnes: 😍

liked by yourusername, benbarnes, archierenaux3, and 913, 471 others

freddycarter1: No shelf control

📸: @/yourusername

view all 698, 190 comments

benbarnes: whew 🥵 y/n is a lucky woman

yourusername: 🍀💯

kittheyounger: nice fit mate 👏

archierenaux3: very smashing mate!

yourusername: we love the two best Grishaverse book boyfriends supporting each other #Kanej #TeamMalina

benbarnes: beg your pardon?👀

lbardugo: 🫣

liked by archierenaux3, benbarnes, freddycarter1, and 741, 653 others

yourusername: I only love my bed and my man, I’m sorry 🎵

(Not really sorry 💁‍♀️)

pc 🤳: best brother in law ever @tommyae

view all 536, 417 comments

kittheyounger: okay, I love this 👌

freddycarter1: ☀️❤️

benbarnes: only you two would start your day by reading 😂

yourusername: I’ll have you know we also had an amazing brunch thanks to chef Freddy 💁‍♀️

freddycarter1: wouldn’t want to wake up any other way ❤️

amitasuman_: can’t wait for you to tell me what you think of this series 💕

liked by amitasuman_, archierenaux3, freddycarter1, and 561, 741 others

yourusername: Sweetest things in life 🍬

pc📷: @freddycarter1

view all 324, 857 comments

amitasuman_: 👑

daniellegalligan_: Hot drinks and hot girls 🔥

archierenaux3: taking photos of you reading? What a good book boyfriend 👏

yourusername: the best 🙌

freddycarter1: still not sure I love this book boyfriend thing 🤔😂

archierenaux3: fortunately for you, you just lost a point with that comment🤦‍♂️

yourusername: it’s a compliment Freddy 💁‍♀️

freddycarter1: I’d rather still be considered your husband 💁‍♂️

yourusername: you are 💁‍♀️💁‍♀️ you’re my real life husband who has “book boyfriend“ vibes 🙄❤️

freddycarter1: I just looked up what that means, my apologies ❤️🤦‍♂️

yourusername: I’ll still keep ya 🤷‍♀️😘

liked by amitasuman_, freddycarter1, benbarnes, and 615, 328 others

yourusername: A home without books is like a room without windows; dark and boring. Why be boring? 💖

view all 502, 361 comments

kittheyounger: Which book is this? I can’t keep up with so your reads 😂

yourusername: check out my GoodReads 🥰

amitasuman_: absolutely precious loves 💕

lbardugo: fantastic caption 😊

freddycarter1: 🧐❤️

liked by benbarnes, yourusername, tommyae , and 471, 652 others

freddycarter1: Key to happiness 🥰

view all 243, 587 comments

benbarnes: sickeningly cute 🙄

yourusername: okay Aleksander 💁‍♀️

tommyae: ❤️ you mates

lbardugo: the caption is very accurate, everything in this photo makes me happy 😊

freddycarter1: 😁

yourusername: ❤️

liked by amitasuman_, yourusername, tommyae, and 829, 471 others

freddycarter1: GoodReads & Great Company 😘

view all 741, 298 comments

tommyae: looking radiant love @yourusername

yourusername: Thank you Tommy 🥰

yourusername: favorite place with my favorite person 💕

freddycarter1: don’t misquote my caption darling 💁‍♂️

yourusername: woooowww you’re lucky I like you 🙄

freddycarter1: just like? 🥺

yourusername: no 🙄, not just like ❤️

freddycarter1: 🥹❤️

amitasuman_: my wifey 💕

daniellegalligan_: no, MY wifey 💁‍♀️❤️

freddycarter1: 🤨

yourusername: @freddycarter1 yours (if you stop with the attitude 😉) 💕

FREDDY CARTER NAVIGATION/MASTERLIST

KAZ BREKKER NAVIGATION

MAIN SIX OF CROWS NAVIGATION

GRISHAVERSE NAVIGATION

PIN HAWTHORNE NAVIGATION

MAIN MASTERLIST NAVIGATION (AII MY WORKS)

Current tag list (comment here to be added): @ell0ra-br3kk3r@brekkershadowsinger

[slightlyunconventional]

Okay but imagine if Inej brought in a cat from the street or something and Kaz is just trying so hard to will away his allergy to it because it makes hee so happy.

(Is this a terrible idea probably but I’m living for the idea of Kaz being wrecked by a kitten okay)

AHAHA HI YES I LOVE THIS PROMPT idk why i didn't write cat allergies for him sooner!!! tysm for this here's a shortish fic thingy for you anon 🫶🏻

the cat (or, writer tortures k/az yet again with relentless allergies)

A cat.

There's a cat at his feet, slinking about his legs, purring like nobody's business. When Inej told him she had a surprise, it's safe to say this is not what Kaz had expected.

"A cat," he says plainly, in total disbelief. Inej nods enthusiastically, she seems almost giddy with excitement, and for good reason - Kaz knows she's always been fond of animals.

"I found her in an alley near East Stave," she says, watching the feline with great fondness, "Isn't she just lovely?"

Kaz wouldn't go so far as to say that. The cat's tortoiseshell fur is damp, slightly matted, there's a scar running across its cheek, and he's fairly certain that's a chunk of cartilage missing from its ear. "Would you care to explain why it's currently here?"

Inej crouches down, reaching out a hand towards the cat. "She clearly needed help. Look at her, poor thing's probably been left for weeks," she says, smiling as the cat rubs up against her outstretched hand. Kaz lifts his eyebrows as the cat meows happily. He doesn't have the heart to make her get rid of it, though, so he simply waves her off with a sigh.

"You'll be the one looking after it, then," he tells her. Inej scowls.

"Well, obviously. Like you know the first thing about taking care of animals," she huffs.

"Like I need to. I'm a thief, Inej, not a veterinarian," replies Kaz as he sits down in his chair. "Now, about that mercher's job. Did you get any-"

Kaz cuts off as the stray cat hops up onto his lap. He hears Inej giggle at the distasteful glare he gives to the cat.

"See, isn't she adorable?" she says and steps forward to pet the cat as it stands on Kaz's legs.

"Not the worst animal I've ever laid eyes on, I suppose." His sentence is finished with an unwelcome itchy sniffle. Inej continues stroking the cat, and Kaz can clearly see the bliss in both of their faces, so a part of him wants more than anything to stay and let Inej fuss at the cat which is now curling up over his lap. There's nobody else here, after all, it's late into the night and everybody else has already turned in. Leaning back slightly in his seat, Kaz finds that he's able to admit to himself that, upon closer inspection, the cat in his lap is rather "lovely", as Inej said - though maybe he only feels that way due to how happy it's making her. Either way, however, the faintly familiar prickle somewhere deep in his sinuses and slightly in the corners of his eyes is becoming increasingly present. He wills himself to ignore it, blinking slightly harder than usual and fighting not to scrunch up his nose in irritation, all while the prickle becomes an itch and then a dreadful, tickling burn. He's not going to sneeze. At least, he thinks he's not. He hopes he's not. But the dander from cats' fur gets everywhere, and Kaz knows it's so awfully itchy. He doesn't want to sneeze, he really doesn't, but his nostrils are practically burning with need, the featherlike tickle dancing around in his nose- and oh, Saints, he's going to-

"hhehH'GNKTt!" -sneeze. He stifles it harshly in a gloved fist, careful not to jerk too much and disturb the cat (even though the cat is very much disturbing him.)

Inej looks up from the offending feline. "Bless you," she says, "Are you okay?"

"It was one sneeze. I'm fine."

"Alright, alright," Inej says in mock surrender. Kaz rolls his eyes, right as the itch peaks again.

"-huhH'GNKkshh!" He sniffles thickly and swipes a hand briefly across the underside of his nose. Just two sneezes in and it's already getting hard to stifle.

"Still fine?" Inej asks, amused.

Kaz nods stiffly. "It's... cold in here."

Both of their gazes shift over to the crackling fire in the hearth, then back to one another. Inej raises her eyebrows at Kaz. He says nothing. The cat in his lap stands up and stretches, before walking further up his legs and rubbing its face against his chest.

"Saints," he breathes, already overtaken once more by the incessant need to sneeze. "-h-huhH... hehhiihH'kKGTtschh! ...hhH'nNGTtsh!"

"Bless you, bless you," Inej says dotingly, "Something bothering you?"

Kaz shakes his head. "No... no, nothing," he replies with an irritated sniffle, "just..jus- hhuUHh-!?"

"Bless you?"

"huHH'gGKSHHhuh! H-huhh.. thank you." Kaz knuckles at his nose firmly with his gloved fingers, scrubbing roughly at the itchy appendage in a fruitless attempt to relieve the sneezy sensation.

"Be more gentle," Inej says, "you'll just make it feel worse."

Kaz huffs and drops his hand back down to his lap, right in time for the cat to begin resettling on his thighs, turning around trying to get comfortable. The cat's bushy tail wafts right in front of his face, it's furry end brushing right across the underside of Kaz's nose - as if his situation couldn't get any worse. The soft, fleeting touch sends the tickle, pricking and intense, back up through his sinuses in sharp cracks of irritating electricity. Kaz twists his neck around, leaning away from the cat as he fights a losing battle against his allergies. He's still willing himself not to sneeze (despite knowing it's inevitable he will), but the itch is an inferno, wreaking havoc in his sinuses like he's never felt before. He knows, too, that the longer he holds back for, the more he'll end up sneezing when he actually does, but he'd rather at least attempt to save his dignity.

"HehHHh... huh-iiihHH-!" He sits up straighter. "I-Inej... th-huuhH- the-"

Inej's eyes widen in realisation and she immediately picks up the cat to remove it from his lap. There's a clear residue of thick brown fur left on Kaz's trousers, but at least the biggest of his problems is out of the way.

"S-sorryiISCHHhiew! hah-haAHh'sSCHHhuuh! 'kKSCHHhiiew! huUH'SHHHhuhh! Saints, I'm f-fuckihH'tTSCHHhiewh!"

"Oh, Kaz, I'm sorry," Inej says, sounding crestfallen, "I should have known about, well, this before I brought a cat in..."

Kaz looks up blearily from the elbow he's muffling sneezes into. "Don't apologise, you -hhuh!- you weren't t-to knowhhH...-huUHh'isSCHhiew!"

"Let me take her out-"

"No," Kaz says, voice thick but still firm, "don't. I'll be fine. I just haven't actually been-be- Saints, hhaAHh--hahH'SCHHhuh! -anywhere near a cat in a long time. Keep her."

"But she's clearly making you-"

"I said I'll be fine. Only rule is she isn't sleeping on my lap ever again."

Inej nods, still looking slightly worried, though happy that she doesn't have to part with the cat. Kaz stands up. His nose is now a bright red around the edges, as are the rims of his watery eyes. He sniffles heavily.

"Now I need to get all this fur off my trousers. Oh, shit- 'kKISCHHh-huh!"

He has no idea why he agreed to let Inej keep the cat.