#david kostyk is autistic

[a-neurodiversity-of-crows]

On Shadow & Bone, autism, and my ability to hold a grudge

I'm willing to overlook a lot in the TV adaptation of SaB/SoC largely because of how fucking cute everyone is, but the one thing I will not forgive is what they did with David Kostyk's character. Let's review a few facts:

David, in the books, is coded autistic. (This is not up for debate. He is. If you didn't know that, now you do.)

"Autistic" and "awkward/emo" are not the same thing.

I'm not sure how to convey this next part to you if you're not autistic or someone who knows & loves an autistic person, but do you know how unbelievably rare it is for an autistic character to get a romantic plotline that's not either played for laughs or condescending inspo shit? It's so. Fucking. Rare. I cried actual tears from my actual eyes during the "I know metal" scene in the book. Here was Genya in so much pain and no one around her knew what to do about it - not the fancy Grisha, not the royals, not the saviors or the warriors or the besties. But David, who was not restrained by propriety or the fear of offense or the need to imply rather than say...David just fuckin' busted out with exactly the right thing at exactly the right time because Genya needed someone who thought like that, who talked like that, who had known this before and had never not known it:

David furrowed his brow. "I ... I don't understand half of what goes on around me. I don't get jokes or sunsets or poetry, but I know metal." His fingers flexed unconsciously as if he were physically grasping for words. "Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing."

And he delivered this speech - straining against the unfamiliarity of talking in front of a crowd, of speaking about feelings - he delivered it in front of God and everyone, and it worked. It worked because his brain knew what to do, and everyone bore witness.

Compare this to what we get in the tv series. First, he makes a pair of gloves that it turns out Alina doesn't even need, so way to make the dude look dumb from the get-go. (She lurves them in the books, may I remind you.) Second, the show basically said, ok, instead of giving him any of the actual traits he has in the book, let's just give him Robert Smith hair and make him wicked twitchy ok go!

The "I know metal" scene is so pared down and takes place with no one else there and misses so much of the point, so much of the power. He's not supposed to just be speaking about the fact that she has scars on her face. He's speaking to her about having been a survivor since she was 11 years old, telling her that nothing about her is razrusha'ya (ruined). I would rather they have left out that part completely than give us the watered-down version that they did.

I will not let go of this. I will love this fandom and reread all the books and rewatch all the episodes and waste all of the time on all the Tumblrs but I am like the ice and Kaz Brekker: we do not forgive.

[zoyalaisobachka]

I'm wondering if it was intentional or coincidence that Wylan and David are so autistic coded. Just like Jesper is very ADHD coded.

[winters-rose-daughterofcain]

See Leigh how dare you actually because it would have been an absolute no brainer to ship genyalina and have my silly little fanon sapphic dreams when the canon love interests were a human rights violation and unbuttered toast but then you had to put Genya in the sweetest top tier relationship of the entire Grishavers and then KILL HIM????

Jail.

[medusas-daughter]

David info-dumping about gem stones as a way of flirting is so cute

[autisticcharacterslist]

David Kostyk from the Grishaverse. Special interest: metalworking. Quiet, calm, bookish, intellectual, & dutiful. Socially awkward, clueless about Genya's feelings for him, uses metal metaphors to describe his own feelings. By his own admission, doesn't understand jokes, sunsets, poetry, or half of what goes on around him. Keeps a list of things Genya likes so he knows how to make her happy.

Artwork on the left by @morgana0anagrom

[briarmae]

Show!Wylan: autistic (+dyslexic)

Book!Wylan: not autistic. (Trauma due to years of abuse + dyslexic)

🤷‍♀️ (or is it not autism at all?? Is it ptsd and trauma?? There's overlap in symptoms...)

Also, show!Wylan is a lot more timid and passive. Not nearly as snarky as book!Wylan

Maybe in the future we'll get to see that "Wylan Van Sunshine" dark sense of humor

But David, definitely autistic in both 😊 (love him!)

[sillybillybillysilly]

David Kostyk is so autistic, I love him

[little-cereal-draws]

Steven Grant and David Kostyk are the same flavor of man

[sockmonstergotstyle]

avoiding chain of thorns spoilers on here just by vibes and not by tag muting just to feel something

[lunarthecorvus]

Alternate Universe - Modern Setting (Not College/Uni) Kanej fanfiction recommendations

part of Lunar's soc fanficiton rec series

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Stains That Don't Wash Out by @SeeMaree

Wordcount: 79,901 Chapters: 19/19

Characters: Inej Ghafa, Kaz Brekker, Most other characters

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Some referenced violence, mentions of torture, mentions of rape/non-con, nothing graphic described, basically if you've read the books this is less graphic, kaz is a farmer, and inej works with foster kids, basically an angsty slow burn, but also with attempted murder, and intermittent fluff, quite a lot of fluff really, but quite a lot of angst too, Autistic coded Kaz

Author's summary/notes: To think, when Inej had heard that someone had bought the old Rietveld place that ran alongside her family farm she’d been pleased. That was before she met the man. A more unpleasant and insulting person she couldn't imagine. But she's got bigger problems than an annoying neighbor. And as it turns out, so does he. My summary/notes: This fic was so sweet, I loved seeing older Inej being a social worker and running a camp for disadvantaged kids, it was so nice to see her being in charge and more free. I found it so fascinating to read Kaz and Inej meeting each other for the first time in adulthood, the way it adapted their dynamic was so interesting and I loved reading them get to know each other. There is definitely angst though... also Inej's parents are in it aaaa

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modern setting (series of modern au oneshots) by @whynotcherries

Wordcount: 6,689 Works: 3 Complete: No

Characters: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa

Author's summary/notes:

1. For a few moments: "If someone would’ve told her this would happen in advance, Inej Ghafa would’ve laughed in their face. This was exactly where she’d found herself waking rather peacefully, though: Kaz Brekker’s sofa, some blanket she’d never seen before carefully arranged to cover her entire body, and with the sound of someone walking around in the kitchen." Or, an accidental sleepover.

2. Will we last the night?: "He was particularly curious why, of all people, she’d chosen him to climb in a ferris wheel with. At the very least, that meant ten minutes being alone with someone that she hardly knew, and at worst… Well, they’d get stuck." Or, Kaz and Inej get stuck on a ferris wheel as their second time meeting.

3. Don't look back, not for anything: "Thankfully, she’d succeeded in getting out of the house with what they’d needed. She had not succeeded, however, in staying alert for the entire ride back to their part of town. Rather, he was fairly certain she’d fallen asleep next to him, her head resting heavy on his shoulder." Or, Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, and the struggles of night trips.

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When We Collide by @rupturedhaven

Wordcount: 106,364 Chapters: 9/? (still being updated)

Characters: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, Wylan Van Eck, Nina Zenik, Matthias Helvar, Pekka Rollins, Dima (Shadow and Bone TV), Genya Safin, David Kostyk, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova, Jan Van Eck, Alys Van Eck, Marya Hendriks, Nikolai Lantsov, Tolya Yul-Bataar, Tamar Kir-Bataar, Tante Heleen, Eroll Aerts, Isaak Andreyev

Tags: Kanej - Freeform, wesper, helnik - Freeform, modern day AU, Heist AU, Six of Crows, Found Family, AU/Source material hybrid, Other characters will show up eventually - Freeform, Potentially the start of a multi-fic universe, soc - Freeform, Six of Crows AU, Slow Burn, King of Scars

Author's summary/notes: The Bastard of the Barrel. The Wraith. The gambler. The wayward son. The Heartrender. The fugitive. A thirst for revenge brings the six of them together, but can they weather a storm of secrets, deceptions, unlikely friendships and heartbreak? And if so, who will they have become once the clouds disperse? Modern Day AU with a mix of elements from the books and show. Long-running narrative with plenty of time for all our favourite characters to show up... My summary/notes: I've recommended Rupturedhaven before beacuse they are such a good writer, would recommend every one of their fics. This fic has such good world-building and the heist is so fun to read. You will be sucked into this this fic and not want to put it down. The way it adapted the crows relationships was so interesting, its a modern crows hiest (I don't want to spoil it so go read it :)

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Adiago by @whatanybodygets

Wordcount: 81,074 Chapters: 7/12 (hasn't been updated in over a year but you NEED to read it)

Characters: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Nina Zenik, Jesper Fahey, Wylan Van Eck, Matthias Helvar

Tags: the gang's all here, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, mentions of past rape/non-con, Aged-Up Character(s), Touch-Averse Kaz Brekker, Minor Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck, Minor Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik, Slow Burn, Canon-Typical Violence

Author's summary/notes: Inej Ghafa is a principal dancer of the Kerch National Ballet, haunted by a past she'd rather forget. Kaz Brekker is a mob boss who holds the city in the palm of his hand. Perhaps if all were right with the world, two such people would never meet. Or perhaps fate will always give those who need each other a push in the right direction. It begins, as so many things in Ketterdam do, with a murder. My summary/notes: Of course I have to include a classic, its just a masterpiece and one of the most popular well known kanej fics. The writing is just so beautiful and this fic will take you on such a interesting journey. I loved reading Inej's pov in this fic, it really showed her struggles and her strength.

This category was asked for by the lovely @martinakl13 (p.s. check out her fics) <3

[writtenforwylan]

Kaz Brekker and Autism

Kaz Brekker from Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology is blatantly autistic, and let me tell you why. 

Kaz is a character who doesn’t understand a lot of people, specifically social cues and in both of the books in the duology, Kaz’s natural facial expression is described as ‘unreadable’ as autistic people either copy the expressions of those around them or use a very deadpan expression (which could be described as ‘unreadable’). Also, Kaz has trouble sleeping and this is a very common thing for autistic people to experience as we take in so much stimulation on a daily basis, but autistic people can’t process all of this right away. This leads to them only being able to process stimulation when there’s not much (or anything) going on, and when is this period most likely to occur? Right before we go to sleep, hence autistic people’s difficulty to go to sleep. Also, this very much ties into the setting of Six of Crows as the place where people would likely get the most stimulation is in Ketterdam, especially in the Barrel.

Next I want to talk about his trauma and how that affects his daily life. Due to his trauma related to skin-to-skin contact, Kaz has to wear gloves so he doesn’t get flashbacks, and this makes sense, but if we dig a little deeper, when Kaz is touched skin-to-skin, not only does he get flashbacks, but he also gets overstimulated. We can see this multiple times in terms of Kaz moments, but I want to talk about two: One from the books, and one from the show. In a story told in Kaz’s chapters in Crooked Kingdom, Kaz once tried to get over his touch aversion in order to be with a girl named Imogen. This failed horribly and Kaz ended up shaking on a bathroom floor in the Slat. This is relatable to me as an autistic person, as I cannot touch my mother or sister due to trauma reasons. Also, Leigh Bardugo’s description of what it’s like for Kaz when he touches people skin-to-skin is a perfect description of how I feel when I get touched by my mother or sister (or anyone when I just don’t want to be touched). In the show, we see a very similar situation in which Kaz is touched skin-to-skin and he gets overstimulated very quickly. He loses focus, stumbles to a quiet place, and can’t seem to deal with what is happening around him. This is very much what happens when an autistic person overstimulates: We lose focus of what we were doing, we try to reach a quiet place where we can process stimulation, and we break down.

Now I’ll talk about Kaz’s protection of Wylan as Wylan is commonly accepted as an autistic character within the Grishaverse (as well as David Kostyk and I believe Alina Starkov and Tolya Yul-Bataar to be autistic as well, but that’s for another time). Kaz is very protective over Wylan and some even say that Wylan becomes a mini-Kaz. Even though I do not agree with that statement, they can be very similar, notably in autistic traits. I believe that Kaz sees himself in Wylan in terms of relatability because of their shared autism. Yes, autism affects every autistic person differently, but we know that there are some more common autism traits that I think Kaz sees in Wylan and feels the need to protect him because of this. He relates to Wylan, and that’s not something Kaz has very often, so he cherishes it and that leads to protective tendencies.

Moving on, I would like to talk about Kaz’s use of comfort objects. This is shown multiple times throughout both the Six of Crows duology and the Shadow and Bone show, and anyone who knows anything about Kaz’s character could see that he has an attachment to his cane and his gloves. In a Kaz pov chapter in Six of Crows, it is said outright that Kaz would give up half his share of the earnings of the job for the ‘familiar heft of his cane.’ This indicates a need for the familiarity of a comfort object. Also, while on this job, Kaz leaves a lot behind to be less conspicuous, but he doesn’t give up his gloves. This very much relates to my earlier point about Kaz’s trauma and his inability to touch people skin-to-skin, but he also appreciates the familiarity of them and it’s stated blatantly that when he has to take off his gloves for just a few minutes, his hands feel naked as he always has his gloves on, no matter what. Familiarity is very important to autistic people, as shown by our love for routine and things being done in specific ways, but we also love having comfort objects to calm us when the world becomes too much. For some, this could be a teddy bear, for me it’s books and my headphones, and for Kaz, it’s his cane and gloves. 

Lastly, I shall analyse Kaz’s hyperfixation tendencies and his special interest. Lots of people get hyperfixated on things, but Kaz (and other autistic people alike) feels the need to know the ins-and-outs of everything he does and knows, and this is shown a multitude of times throughout Six of Crows. First, he stayed up all night trying to figure out a magic trick he’d seen and even compares this to what other people tend to do in similar situations. Secondly, his lock-picking ability definitely falls into the category of this as he states that to understand something, he takes them apart to analyse them, just as autistic people feel they need to know the details of something before it finally clicks. A broad description just won’t do. Next, Kaz definitely gets hyperfixated on jobs as he always knows everything that could happen, what the plan is and how everything fits together. This makes him a great planner and his problem-solving skills are astounding. He naturally and skilfully overcomes any obstacles when planning jobs and he always knows the ins-and-outs of what is happening and what the group should do if the plan goes sideways. 

Kaz’s special interest is crows. This seems oh-so obvious but nobody ever actually talks about it. I mean, he named his crew after crows, knows the social tendencies of crows and relates that to his crew, his life, and even talks to Inej about them in Season 1 of Shadow and Bone. His cane has a crows’ head, he named his club ‘The Crow Club’ and yet no one talks about this special interest of his? It’s literally in the name of the book. 

In conclusion, Kaz is a very autism-coded character and I’m truly surprised by the fact that I’ve seen no one talk about this before. From his lack of awareness with social cues, his comfort objects, his hyperfixations to even his sleeping habits, Kaz is a blatantly autistic character and this needs to be brought to light. He is great autism representation and we need to talk about it!

[definite-human]

Anyways, David Kostyk is 100% for sure still alive because the universe is #Not Allowed to deny me the romantic perfection of an autistic man literally taking notes on how to publicly love and complement his wife

Fucking fight me Netflix. I dare you.

[ceard-ata-ag-tarlu]

the second i find out david kostyk is canonically autistic is the same moment i find him presumed dead in the show

[morallyambigous]

besties i just know i have the potential for such deep and thoughtful insights and essays about my fav series and characters. i just don’t have the energy. the patience if you will. i would love to tell you all about it but i refuse to go find evidence for it. thats a lot of work. how do i know lockwood is neurodivergent? how do i know wesper is more beautiful and deep than people give it credit for? how do i know david kostyk is autistic? vibes next question 

[autie-hobbit]

Happy World Autism Day!!!

To celebrate, I thought I'd make an edit of some of my headcanoned Autistic characters! In order they are (from left to right and down);

Michael Scofield, from "Prison Break"

Klaus Baudelaire, from "A Series of Unfortunate Events"

Yelena Belova, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Klaus Hargreeves, from "The Umbrella Academy"

Tech, from "The Bad Batch"

Ava Sharpe, from "DC's Legends of Tomorrow"

Wylan Hendricks, from "Shadow and Bone" (the TV show)

Ray Palmer, from "DC's Legends of Tomorrow"

Violet Baudelaire, from "A Series of Unfortunate Events"

Peter Parker, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Radical Edward, from "Cowboy Bebop"

David Kostyk, from "Shadow and Bone"

Spooner, from "DC's Legends of Tomorrow"

And Dave Katz, from "The Umbrella Academy".

[cabin7-hufflepuff]

characters i hc somewhere on the autistic spectrum (aren’t canonically autistic) as someone who is autistic. keep in mind it’s a spectrum, so it was 1+ thing(s) that make me put each of these characters on this list

tech (the bad batch)

kagami (miraculous ladybug)

remus lupin (harry potter)

isaac (heartstopper)

david kostyk (shadow and bone)

andrew minyard (all for the game)

wylan hendricks (six of crows)

eddie munson (stranger things)

wednesday addams (wednesday)

prince wilhelm (young royals)

eric matthews (boy meets world)

riley matthews (girl meets world)

farkle minks (girl meets world)

zuko (avatar: the last airbender)

mako (legend of korra)