#engaged wesper !!

[aphroditestummyrolls]

If you’re looking to avoid the wild oscillation of mischaracterising wylan van eck (the pendulum between uwu baby and mini kaz), it helps to just… stop blanket-labelling behaviour. Unlearn the idea of something being blank-“coded”— these things are fun and funny when they’re memes, but if you’re writing the character (or ANY character), stop approaching things like a handful of moments with limited context can determine what “type” of person he is.

Like… just let him be a person. Keep his backstory and his motivations throughout your story in mind as you take him from point a to point b to point c, and explore his thoughts and his reactions.

I don’t know, maybe that sounds tedious, but it’s one of my favourite parts of character work, and it’s a pretty huge part of writing. I honestly don’t understand how you can like writing and not want to do that, but I digress. If you’re looking to understand a character more completely, though, it helps to take the TikTok Typology of Characters out of your brain, and see where wylan takes you when you stop judging his every move so hard.

[catdoingblep]

“I think”, said Wylan right after a kiss, “it is completely ineffective”.

“Are you sure?”, smiled Jesper in his lips, “Looks like we just had a very good exercise for tongue. Kind of a tongue twister”.

“Jes”, Wylan rolled his eyes, and Jesper would even believe that he was not happy if his smart fingers wasn’t unbuttoning Jesper’s shirt. “I was trying to learn here”.

“And we are learning some things together”, Jesper smiled putting his lips on Wylan’s neck.

“And all of them connected to zemini only because they involve one zemini man”, last words of the phrase sounded almost like Wylan was moaning them, and Jesper laughed in his neck.

Very sensitive neck on which Jesper left few hickeys at their previous lesson.

“I don’t understand why are you so dissatisfied. For a person who started to learn zemini like two months ago you have pretty big vocabulary”.

“And it all consist of things like “more”, “don’t stop”, “kiss me”, “keep going”, pet names, and all thоse things that are very inappropriate to say in public”, said Wylan, blushing.

Jesper laughed, and Wylan pocked him in the stomach.

“You are sabotaging my learning process”, said Wylan very seriously but his eyes was soft, and laughing, and full of love, and perfectly blue, and Jesper was down so bad, wasn’t he?

Jesper could admit that Wylan was right - he was a fast learner, and he remembered every zemini word Jesper taught him, it wasn’t Wylan’s fault that every their lesson in this two months ended up the same way. Or, thought Jesper, when Wylan kissed him again, it at least wasn’t fully Wylan’s fault.

“Maybe”, admitted Jesper, “you really need another tutor. More engaged in the learning process and not engaged to you”.

He maybe would say something else, like “I am sorry, I just cannot keep my hands off my fiancé” or “I will not be disappointed if your wedding vow is going to be in kerch” (even if Wylan’s idea to do it in zemini at their wedding did something with Jesper’s stupid loving heart) or “maybe all the things I taught you not very suitable for your vow, but for our wedding night….”, but Wylan softly whispered in his ear “I love you, sweetheart” in zemini, and Jesper decided that he could say all these things a little bit later.

[littlelcvestory]

60, wesper!!

hi rae ily

60. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to seduce me.

cw for suggestive content since they are in love, your honor (no smut!)

**disclaimer, i have no idea how business and merchant council stuff works so please ignore my sad attempts

—

Wylan had given up on hiding his yawns at least half an hour ago.

He loved Jesper’s voice, don’t get him wrong, he loved when he leaned into his ear either to whisper sweet nothings or make suggestive comments that ended with Wylan and Jesper tangled together in bed. But hearing ledger after ledger and document after document from the Merchant Council read to him for too long was enough to make Wylan sleepy.

Jesper stood across from his desk, pacing the room and flipping through the documents in his hand and reading off the printed and handwritten notes on them. 

“ ‘...Fifteen percent of assets need to be transferred from von Thunen’s estate to the Ketterdam Treasury, which are to be placed under the loans vault…’ ”

Wylan got out from his desk and crossed to the comfy armchair in the corner and sat as languidly as possible, setting his eyes on Jesper.

The amount of love Wylan had for the man in front of him was so immense that sometimes he felt like one of his bombs when he lit the fuse– so ready to explode. Wylan would lay down his life for Jesper. 

And now, he thought giddily, I’m going to marry him.

Jesper’s beautiful hands used to be decorated with an array of different rings, but since Wylan proposed to him a week ago (actually, Jesper had also proposed the same night Wylan did, which ended with them both laughing hysterically in his mother’s garden. Safe to say, they were the happiest men in Ketterdam that night) Jesper had removed all rings except for the emerald engagement ring he’d given him. Wylan’s was sapphire, Jesper’s Ma’s ring.

Looking at them made Wylan so unbelievably happy. He was going to marry the love of his life.

His fiancé looked up from the papers in his hand. Wylan held his gaze firmly, peering at him through his eyelashes.

“I’m listening,” Wylan said. 

He was not.

Jesper’s soothing baritone blessed his ears for another two minutes before Wylan grabbed Jesper’s left hand and kissed the ring on it. He held his hand gently, moving his lips to kiss each of his knuckles.

“...Shu Han has agreed to– oh.”

Wylan kissed his wrist. “Keep reading.”

He tried, to Wylan’s amazement, but his voice faltered and he cleared his throat when Wylan dragged his other hand up his leg, resting it at Jesper’s hip.

“Wylan.”

“Yes, love?”

The love in Jesper’s eyes was undeniable. Wylan looked up through his lashes again, staring at his fiancé with a small pout on his face.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to seduce me," Jesper said, affection lacing his words.

Wylan pulled the hem of Jesper’s shirt out of his trousers. “Is it working?”

“Saints, Wy,” he gasped when Wylan’s hands found the skin of Jesper’s waist. “Yes.”

Sleep had left Wylan and was instead replaced with pure desire. He leaned into Jesper’s ear, pulling him close, and lowered his voice. “And what are you going to do about it, Jes?”

Jesper’s weight buckled into him, the papers fluttering to the floor. Wylan laughed softly.

“What’re you gonna do, love?”

“I think,” Jesper breathed as Wylan touched his lips to the soft skin of his neck, “I’m going to take you to our bedroom and kiss you senseless.”

“Why wait until the bedroom?”

This time, Jesper laughed. “I love you, Wy.”

“I love you too.” 

Their lips met, the documents forgotten. All there was was the soft press of their kisses, their breaths mixing and clothes falling to the floor.

It was everything Wylan wanted, and more.

--

my sillies :)) i love them thank you rae for giving me an excuse to write domestic wesper

i was going to put this on ao3 but its not even 600 words lol

[sonseulsoleil]

Perhaps a controversial take, but wesper in shadow & bone season two wasn't good, and the only reason people like it is because it's a queer ship. Don't get me wrong here, it was well-acted and certainly in character, and I'm not mad we got to see them kiss a lot. But it wasn't actually well developed. They had some good interactions, sure, but there was very little depth. If I hadn't read the books I would not have been invested in them.

Their fight and reconciliation felt unearned because their relationship was already underdeveloped. Wylan getting mad that a guy he hooked up with a couple times didn't know he couldn't read comes off petty, rather than as a reflection of his trauma because the show hasn't gotten into any of that, outside of a few throwaway lines. Jesper saying he doesn't want to hide who he is for Wylan rings hollow because their relationship isn't at that point yet.

But it doesn't matter, does it? Because queer representation is still hard to come by, and because we're used to the queer characters in ensemble shows like SAB being pushed to the background, the standards for queer couples and their development are on the ground. People are excited because we got to see them interact in every episode and we got some kiss/make-out scenes. Because we were expecting scraps.

And I don't blame anyone for being excited. I myself thoroughly enjoyed those scenes! They were, for the most part, fun and cute. But they lacked any real emotional weight, and I couldn't help comparing it to kanej and the two seasons of build-up and development they've had so far.

Straight couples get development because they can afford it. Because there's no risk in waiting. But queer relationships always have to happen fast, just in case. We don't get the slow burns, the will they/won't they, the build-up and development, at least not usually. And that's something I loved about wesper in the books. It was all slowburn and angst and both of them having to grow as individuals first before they could come together.

But we're lucky we got to see wesper kiss on screen, right? Because it's better than the scraps we usually get?

[aphroditestummyrolls]

Hi hello I wrote a little thing inspired by this adorable art, it’s on AO3 here

step 1. overcome deeply-rooted psychological issues together step 2. trade silly pick-up lines back and forth into the sunset

[reve-writes]

—the set-up; kaz brekker.

ʚ kaz brekker x reader | grishaverse | 1,8k words. ʚ from this request. | three times the crows plan to set you and kaz up + the one time they find out you're married. ʚ fluff; the crows are featured (incl. wesper & helnik ship); kaz's touch aversion isn't featured. ʚ a/n this has been sitting in the drafts for a bit. ive been suffering down the leon brainrot hole (honestly an excellent one to fall into). kaz calls reader schatje (i have a fic where he does this. i chose schatje because ketterdam is loosely inspired from 1500s-1700s amsterdam!). i wrote this in a goofy way honestly.

one. he smiles.

Wylan fiddles with jars and tubes filled with an assortment of chemicals—some of them tend to explode, all of them horrible smelling. He's supposed to be on guard duty and he prefers it over running around guns blazing alongside Jesper—as much as he loves the sharpshooter, gunshots give him a lot of anxiety.

He peers into the room where most of the work is happening.

You are poring over stacks of documents, eyes scanning quickly top-to-bottom to find relevant information. Kaz has his ear pressed against the front of a safe, gloved hand twisting the lock. You move around him in the cramped office space with relative ease, grabbing more files to read on the desk.

It doesn't take long for the safe to swing open.

“No safe is safe from Kaz Brekker, the safe-cracker, huh?” you comment. A light, teasing smile decorates your lips.

“Please never say that sentence again.”

To Wylan's surprise, the ever-frowning Dirtyhands smiles. Not the half-hearted hospitable smile he occasionally gives out, or the scary half-sneer half-smirk that is so intimidating it scares even Wylan sometimes. No, a genuine, amused smile. It is so unnatural that he has to look away, a hand clasped over his mouth in shock.

When he tells Jesper, the taller man mirrors his reaction, dark eyes blown wide and jaw unhinged.

“He smiled?” Jesper gives an incredulous stare as if Wylan has just told him that he is a member of the Council of Tide—which is impossible with Wylan's lack of Grisha ability, let alone tidemaking. “He smiled over that?”

Wylan nods enthusiastically.

“We are talking about the same Kaz?”

“Are there any other Kaz that we know?” Wylan sighs.

“Well, no—”

“I think we have to proceed with the plan,” Wylan ponders. Jesper blinks widely.

“The plan?”

“Nina's plan!” Wylan looks at Jesper as if he's just gotten a strike of inspiration, hand in the air, pointing at nothing in particular. “Operation Kaz and ____. Remember?”

Jesper remembers. It was so ridiculous that it remains impossible to remove from his memory to this day, even though it was mentioned in passing.

Nina, flushed red from too many drinks, suddenly shoots her hand up, flailing it limply. The founder of the idea seems to have a plan ready to set in motion.

“We are the gods of love!” She drunkenly declares, free hand moves to tap Wylan's cheeks repeatedly. “And as the benevolent gods that we are, our first mission is them.”

Nina pushes Wylan's face towards you and Kaz, sat at the bar, deep in conversation. The rest of the Crows followed suit, realising Nina's suggestion. She stumbles over drunkenly and with little-to-no care on making it look as natural or accidental as she can, "trips" over her foot and falls forward.

You take the brunt of the force, being pushed forward that you fall onto Kaz. The latter glares at Nina, hand coming to your shoulder to steady you.

“My bad.... It seems I've lost my balance,” she slurs. “Oh! Would you look at that? The two of you would make quite a pair, don't you think so, Matthias?”

Matthias raises an eyebrow, already hauling Nina with him to get back to their table.

“Poor Helvar,” says Kaz simply, nudging you to get back on the barstool.

“He doesn't seem to mind,” you retort, noting Matthias' loving gaze as he escorts Nina.

It doesn't take long before the chaos settles, leaving you and Kaz, still engaging in conversation as the last patrons leave the Crow Club.

“We would make a good pair, huh?” You tease, reaching over to brush your hand against his, leather soft under your palm. “You think so?”

Kaz looks at you pointedly, tugging your left hand towards him, fingers pressing on the small diamond adorning your ring finger. “Would I have given you this, if I didn't?”

Smooth with his words without even trying. A trait you find both annoying and endearing after all the years you've been together.

“I mean you have a lot of diamonds lying around—”

“Schatje.”

“Yes?” All train of thought immediately halts on its tracks. The petname has a hold over you that he oh-so-often uses as leverage. You pout. “Stop distracting me.”

He smiles—soft and uncharacteristic, contradictory to the harsh rasp of his voice and the rough scars on his skin. He smiles a smile he reserves only for your eyes, and you're falling for it, a hundred times over.

two. the demjin.

You don't like when Kaz gets like this—all wrung up over a waivable matter. It reminds you a lot of what he had to be before, the things he had to do and what Dirtyhands actually stood for. Not at all akin to the Kaz Brekker you know—the one who immediately comes whenever one of your crew is threatened, the one who stays up with you as you wait for the rest of your little heist crew to return, the one who goes out of his way to collect little trinkets to bring home to you.

You are hurt, shallow cuts all over your body from a little dagger scuffle with a mercenary, but you're a member of the Dregs—this, you can take. A little Heartrender magic and some bandages, you will recover in no time.

“You're back.”

Kaz stops and you look over him to find his knuckles bloodied, hair stuck out of place and clothes disheveled.

“You're alright, schatje?”

His room at the Slat isn't big contrary to popular belief. He sinks into his chair with a huge sigh. You're watching him three steps away from the edge of his bed.

“What did you do?”

He shrugs, tugging his coat off. “Business.”

“You went after them.”

“It was one part of the business.” He pulls at his gloves, shedding them into the trash—too bloodied for him to bother cleaning. “Are you sure you're alright?”

You tuck your hands into your elbows, displeasure visible across your features. “Are you?”

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“Kaz.”

“They deserved it,” he stubbornly says. “I had to make sure they know not to involve themselves with us. You understand. Besides, I'm alright.”

“I do understand,” you relent. It is business. The Barrell doesn't stop for poets or musicians or lovers, no, it thrives off of the back of violence, taking an eye for an eye. “I just wish that you were here when I woke up.”

His shoulders loosen and he is your Kaz again. Not the one molded by Ketterdam, birthed at its harbour. He's the man so in love that he will dry the seas for you if you say the word. Kaz takes your hands. They are warm on his skin and his heart swells.

“I am sorry, schatje.”

You kneel in front of him, leaning your elbows on his thighs to press a brief kiss on his lips. “Let's stay off business for a while.”

“Kaz?” A sound outside the door, followed by three raps. “Are you in there?”

“He is, Jesper. Give us a moment,” you reply.

You hear hushed whispers—both low voices, so you assume it's Wylan. Your suspicion is confirmed when the second voice sounds from behind the door.

“No, we—no, Jes—don't have anything urgent. We simply wanted to know if he is well. Take your time. We'll be going now.”

“Good night, Wylan,” you reply, immediately hearing fading footsteps soon after.

“Fifty kruge says they're already together,” says Jesper, out of your earshot.

Wylan rolls her eyes. “Fifty on them not dating yet.”

Jesper immediately clasps Wylan's hand with a loud “Deal!”

iii. the marketplace.

“Busybodies,” Kaz complained, walking a step behind you as you're treading through the Ketterdam food market. “They are not even hiding. In broad daylight. How have they never gotten caught before?”

“Kaz, my love.” You are trying not to laugh as you're picking and choosing fruits. “They usually do a better job on actual missions.”

They refer to your five lovely friends who have decided to tail you as you're coming down to the market. Kaz is the first to take notice—blurry figures moving erratically ten steps behind you.

“I should assign them something to do instead of... whatever it is they're currently doing.”

“They're curious.” You shrug, handing over a few slips of Kruge to the seller and leaving with your bag five apples heavier. “We've been acting suspicious lately. They'll find out soon enough.”

“I'll bet Inej finds out first.” Kaz nudges your fingers with his, taking the bag from you as he matches his step with yours. “The Wraith does a better job at spying.”

“My bet is Matthias.” An unlikely one. He's probably the least nosy out of the five.

Suddenly, you're pulled into a small nook, squuezed between buildings and he presses a kiss on your lips. One turns to two and you're smiling like a lovesick fool when he pulls away.

“We're being followed and you pull this?”

“Schatje, our pursuers are horrendously bad at this.” He shrugs, pulling away. You resume your trek through the market. “Look. They've lost us.”

iv. the marriage certificate.

“Fake IDs,” Kaz says, pointing at the towering Fjerdan. “You'll be collecting them from Anika.”

Matthias doesn't mind running errands, although he does think that he'll be better suited for physical fights other than fetching papers, but he doesn't argue. It seems he is doing more than simply fetching papers though.

“That is real?” He asks Anika, pointing at a marriage certificate she has on her desk. Marriage certificates are mundane enough not to warrant this type of reaction, but it is the name that shocks even him to the core. Kaz Brekker and you, married?

“As real as can be around here.” Anika scrambles to hide it away. “Here are your IDs. Don't tell anyone about it.”

In Matthias' defense, he doesn't end up telling just anyone. He tells Nina and Nina is the one telling everyone else. Within a week, every member of the Crows have known about it.

Wylan hands Jesper slips of fifty kruge, grumbling that this is unfair. Nina looks like spring has just arrived. Inej is probably the least reactive—but that is because she's already found out long before the others. She's the Wraith after all. Matthias is anxious. For all everyone knows, he is the one responsible for the news.

You strut into the dining room, seeing everyone gathered and raise an eyebrow.

“Why are you all here?”

“We want to ask—”

Before Nina can finish her sentence, Jesper blurts out. “You're married?”

You chuckle, shrugging. “You found out.”

“How long?”

“Kaz? Really?”

“How did that happen?”

A series of questions that you don't actually answer. You stand there, leaning on the back of one of the wooden chairs situated in the room—remorseless to your very core.

“Ask him about it.”

That ends the discussion. None of them will actually ask him about it and even if any of them actually finds the courage to, the likelihood of Kaz answering anything that's not a sarcastic remark or a threat is close to none.

“How did you find out anyway?”

Everyone points towards Matthias and to the Fjerdan's horror, Nina's pointer finger finds him, too.

You only smile, silently planning to brag to your spouse that you've won your bet.

[ ].

[nerdlingmerchling]

Jesper and Dima : a Wesper Essay

I feel like we, as a Fandom, don't speak enough about that scene. Perhaps, it's because we know that Wesper is end-game and we can't see Jesper with anyone else than Wylan. Also, we might think that the purpose of that scene is only to establish Jesper as a queer character, and as a "player" who lives in the moment and has a string of anonymous hookups. HOWEVER, I'll argue that this scene has, in fact, everything to do with Wesper and reveals a lot more about Jesper as a character, about his aspirations, than we might give it credit for.

First of all, for what's supposed to be the aftermath of a "meaningless" quickie between strangers, this scene is incredibly tender. Jesper is being so earnest and gentle; in the way he speaks ; the way he kisses Dima goodbye, the way he touches his face, like he wants to imprint it in his memory. There's real emotion there ; real care, however fleeting.

But the true impact of that scene is in the way Jesper looks at Dima (props to Kit's acting there. We love you, Kit). There is so much longing in Jesper's eyes: it's plain to see, and almost painful to watch. He's probably not longing for Dima himself ; they haven't known each other long enough, but he's longing for a meaningful connection, something of lasting substance ; for companionship...for love. Jesper knows and understands that this wasn't meant to be (he says so himself). And yet, there's grief in the way he watches Dima leave. Why? BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENS TO HIM.

It's not the first time Jesper has a lover walk out on him. For him, watching Dima go is exactly like waking up alone after his first night with Wylan : it's the rejection and the sudden severing of a bond that barely had time to form. I'm going to quote my friend Ras :"Jesper is having war flashbacks" and yes, that's exactly what this is. Maybe he's not specifically thinking about Wylan in that instant, but that kind of hurt and disappointment is still a familiar feeling to him.

Yes, of course, Jesper is a flirt. Yes, of course he loves sex. And there's something enjoyable, exciting, and thrilling for him when he engages in impromptu sexual encounters with strangers, but Jesper is also someone who's deeply insecure and in constant need of validation. When his lovers walk out on him, he can't help but feel unlovable: good enough for a shag, but not good enough to keep around. What he truly wants is for someone to care about him: truly, deeply, meaningfully. But it's easier for his self-esteem to jump from one hook up to the next, because at the end of the day, he can tell himself he chose this lifestyle. When Wylan reminds him of his "reputation", saying "I thought someone like you wouldn't want anything more ", Jesper doesn't contradict him, but he's still stung by those words. Jesper is a player who doesn't really want to be one. At his core, this is not him. It's just a self-defense mechanism.

I feel like his brief time with Dima was sort of a tipping point for Jesper. He had no choice but to acknowledge the longing and the need for something more.

And then there's Wylan. To be able to reconnect with a past lover was an unexpected second chance for Jesper ; a wink from Lady Luck. He wasn't going to give up so easily this time.

In other words, Jesper/Dima walked so Jesper/Wylan could run. So I'm grateful for that scene in season one, which might seem inconsequential and gratuitous at first glance, but truly isn't.

Thanks for your attention.

[swiftie-as-a-coursing-river]

Kanej hobbies headcanon:

When she’s away at sea, Inej takes up knitting to pass the time. She gets really good at it.

As she’s on her way to visit Kaz and Wesper in Ketterdam she decides to knit Kaz some gloves

She makes sure to make the stitches bigger at the fingertips so he can still lockpick.

When she gives them to him he almost passes away right there on the spot.

He tells her, “This is the best gift I’ve ever been given” and she feels almost giddy

Kaz never takes them off.

After she leaves again, he decides to learn how to draw so he can capture her image while she’s away.

He’s actually really good at it, but there’s always something ever so slightly off that frustrates him. Eventually he gives up.

The next time Inej is in Ketterdam he asks her to teach him how to knit.

It’s frustrating but Inej helps him stay calm and eventually, he gets quite good.

Inej is the only one who knows he knits and he knows she’ll keep it a secret.

He likes knitting bc “you can hurt someone with a knitting needle.”

He always keeps a knitting needle up his sleeve with his other weapons

He makes gifts for all of the dregs, but no one knows it’s him.

When Inej is asked if it’s her, she just laughs and walks away

When Nina is asked about it she says it’s not her but she doesn’t know who it is

As the years go by and Kaz becomes more comfortable with touch, the gloves from Inej slowly become fingerless gloves, and then none at all.

He also gets really into sewing and is a MENACE with a sewing machine.

Inej gets really good at embroidery.

They make a lot of clothes for the other crows. Especially Wylan and Jesper.

When Kaz and Inej get engaged he decides he wants to make her wedding dress.

He doesn’t tell her that he’s making it because he wants to surprise her.

However, it’s not turning out how he wants, it’s not perfect.

Inej notices how agitated he is and knows something is up

The moment she confronted him he breaks and confesses bc he can’t lie to Inej.

Inej is both annoyed and also speechless.

She’s annoyed bc she literally has been searching for the perfect dress for months with Nina.

But that annoyance disappears quickly bc the dress Kaz made is literally perfect, it’s everything she was looking for.

Also at the same time he confesses about the drawings to.

She thinks they’re perfect and hangs all of them up.

Other couples:

Wesper

Helnik

[eggsaladstain]

so i thoroughly enjoyed season 2 even if it was extremely rushed and the fact that it’s not a 1:1 adaptation is genuinely so fun to me.

like i get it, things are different from the books, the characters have developed in way they did not in the books, but the books still exist. the show canon does not negate the book canon in any way - we just have twice as much canon now and honestly i fail to see the downside to that.

book/show spoilers under the cut.

let me start with the not so good before i get to the good.

the crows really got shortchanged this time around and most of their storyline definitely felt more out of place this season compared to the first. and as satisfying as it was to see kaz beat pekka, all the wesper and kanej moments, and have 5 of 6 crows all together (sorry matthias, better luck next time buddy), the show was not nearly as successful integrating the crooked kingdom plot points as it was the storm and siege and ruin and rising ones. but i get it, the crows were always going to be secondary to alina.

that said, i do love the idea of taking this heist most of us are already familiar with and turning it on its head with these new character dynamics. imagine an empowered and free inej returning to ketterdam to help a less burdened, less haunted kaz plan the heist. imagine jesper in his element, confident and proud of his grisha abilities now that he’s made peace with his past. imagine wylan and jesper openly flirting at the most inopportune moments. imagine nina and matthias presumably actually getting some screen time together?? the possibilities are endless and i can’t wait to see where they go with this.

now, onto alina’s storyline, which has the biggest departure from the books.

the show ends with alina killing mal, amplifying her power to singlehandedly destroy the fold, bringing mal back to life with merzost, and then killing the fjerdan intruder with the cut summoned from shadows instead of light and seeming to enjoy her newfound shadow power. this is the story of a savior who becomes a saint who finds herself turning into a heretic - dark alina arc let’s go!!

i love this direction for the show because it’s incredibly consistent with alina’s journey and the way she is constantly presented as a foil for the darkling, following in his footsteps even without realizing it. she has tremendous power and a desire to protect those she cares about, and she’s clever and cunning and willing to do whatever it takes to reach her goal, whether that’s burning a set of maps so she can join mal in his trip across the fold or agreeing to a political engagement to give ravka hope for the future. though she has mal and nikolai and her other allies, this is really her journey and hers alone - her journey of discovery to embrace her own power, even as she becomes that very evil she worked so hard to destroy. the message of the show is that power corrupts, and it corrupts even those with the best of intentions, perhaps especially those with the best of intentions.

in contrast, the book ending is pretty much the exact opposite - alina fights the darkling’s forces inside the fold alongside both the first and second army. she kills mal to amplify her power but ends up losing it altogether. instead of amplifying her, the amplifier gives her power to the first army soldiers and other non-grisha around her and they, an army of sun summoners, destroy the fold once and for all. alina then kills the darkling, mal is resurrected using regular grisha-means, and alina and mal live a quiet life running the orphanage in keramzin. this is the story of a savior who is allowed to die a saint and live a quiet, happy life afterwards - poetic cinema, beautiful in its subtlety and restraint.

there’s a lot of criticism about the way ruin and rising ends and i get it, i really do. was it necessary for alina to lose her powers in order for the other sun summoners to gain them? why is her love for her power seen as something greedy, something to be punished and taken away? god forbid women do ANYTHING. but i will defend this ending with my last breath because it’s such a wonderfully subversive way to conclude alina’s story and i really don’t think it deserves most of the hate it gets.

the original trilogy started out as a pretty generic story about a chosen one who was destined to defeat a great evil and ended instead with a group of ordinary soldiers and orphans being the heroes instead. call me sentimental, but i ADORE how it comes full circle - alina was, after all, an ordinary soldier and orphan when we first met her. throughout the books, we see how she struggles under the weight of her power and the burden of her responsibilities, and i just really love the way ruin and rising said no, you do not have to do this alone, you are not the only light in the dark, here are your fellow countrymen to support you in your greatest hour of need. so often, these stories end with the heroine saving the world and then being expected to continue keeping watch with the knowledge that they will be called upon again the next time the world needs saving. and ruin and rising again says no, you have done your duty, let someone else stand guard, you have earned your rest and you deserve it.

all this is to say that i loved alina’s ending in the books, and i love that it’s different in the show. we get to explore the other paths her story could have taken, we are not just limited to the one. i love the crows as they are in the books as well, and i don’t entirely mind how different they are in the show for the same reasons.

this is an adaptation that knows when to pull from the source material and when to create something entirely new. it was never meant to replace the books, it was created in addition to them, and i hope we get many more new stories after this.

[savethegrishaverse]

For our next twitter party, we want to discuss all the reasons why Wesper needs to be recognised as one of the best LGBTQ+ ships on TV! 📚✨ Come prepared with your best tweets, questions, comments, gifs, memes, and more. Let's make some noise! 🗣️

We also invite you to vote for Wesper in JustJared's poll today, found here, to help them be recognised as the best LGBTQ+ couple of 2024!

#SaveShadowAndBone and #SixOfCrowsSpinoff TWEETING PARTY 6/22 at 12PM! Come check it out here!

Remember to:

Only use three hashtags.

Enjoy and be engaging with your tweets! Keep sharing! Timezones under read more.

If you cannot attend, you can always schedule tweets ahead of time on desktop in order to help out still!

ALL TIMEZONES: Saturday, Jun 22: 9am PST 10am MST 11am CST 12pm EST 2pm -03 5pm GMT 6pm CET 8pm MSK 9pm +04 10:30pm IST

Sunday, Jun 23: 1am CST 2am JST 4am AEST 6am NZST

[shit-people-probably-didnt-say]

Any soft Wesper kid HC or prompts? I’ve always imagined Wespers kid as struggling to read just like Wylan and not fully understanding it. They just know that “Da reads everything for Dad” and growing up in a much healthier environment than Wylan they dont grow up with the same low self esteem issues and instead the idea that love is someone willing to read to you. They hope that in the future they find someone like that for themselves. IDK I’m a sucker for breaking they cycle lol

Aw Id love to share some soft Wesper Kid HCs!

Apologies for the delay in answering Ive had this in my drafts so I can build on it

- Wesper kid is an early riser and often wakes before his Dads, so the only sensible thing to do is bring his favourite book or toy and climb into their bed with them. They often spend the entire morning on off days just lounging in bed

- Swimming lessons! Being so close to canals and the harbour (and that swimming once saved his Pa’s life) having the Wesper Kid know how to swim and be confident in water is extremely important to them

- Ive always imagined if the Wesper kid had a cognitive disability it would be colourblindness or ADHD. Where his Da is the hyperactive sort he is the inattentive type and can struggle to sit for lessons without his mind wondering. So to help him they adjust his school day. They give him more frequent breaks in class and bigger gaps in-between lessons with lots of outside play, and they find tutors who teach in a very practical way to keep him engaged

- Wesper kids favourite animals are rabbits, little bit of Aditi coming to him. Jesper also sings Zemeni lullabies and reads him all his favourite stories from his childhood. Wesper kid becomes their ‘little rabbit’ and Grandma Aditi is well known in their home

- Ive love the idea that theres no shame or secret regarding Wylan not reading. Kids accept the world as it’s presented to them so he wouldnt think anything unusual of it. When it comes time to do homework or bedtime stories theres no hush-hush that only Da can read to him. But Wylan of course memorises bedtime stories and is Wesper kids go to for math/science homework

- Wesper kid has his Da’s energy and his Pa’s musical interest…which results in him wanting to learn the drums. Jesper is overjoyed, Wylan is of course delighted and supportive but makes a mental note to get ear plugs as a kid learning percussion can be quite overstimulating for autistic people

- As much as Wylan is dead set on gentle parenting that doesn’t mean it’s easy. When you’re brought up with harsh treatment and are used to that being ‘normal’, it takes daily conscious effort to break that cycle. He never ever lays a harsh hand or word on their son, but he does have to take time outs occasionally to gather himself on rough days. Its retraining mental instinct but he would do it a million times over for his son to feel safe and loved

- Wesper kid is asthmatic/anaemic like his Pa. Id love a fic of the first time the kid becomes really unwell with the flu or lung fever and Wylan & Jesper are just losing their minds. Luckily Nana Marya is there to help calm new parent worries and pass along some tips on soothing a poorly child

I may continue to add to this, but this is what I have at the moment 💕

[aphroditestummyrolls]

Crows Masterlist ❤️

A list of my most recent stories and their AO3 links. Since I’m writing more than one story at once, it doesn’t make sense to just pin my latest chapter every time I update.

So, as I write new oneshots/update stories, I’ll update this post. There’s still so many stories to add to the Engagement Series, and like it says on the tin, I will not rest until I’ve sated every last bit of my Colm Fahey Drama.

If you like my stories, please tell me, either through an AO3 comment or here on tungl ❤️ my inbox is always open to talk about characters or stories/series you want to know more about. You might even get a new snippet 👀.

The Wylan Whump Fic™️

Between Hope and Desperation (Jesper/Wylan & everyone)

Wylan and Jesper are kidnapped when Wylan Van Eck's past bursts in on Wylan Hendriks's fragile present. Secrets are revealed, blood is spilled, and trust is required.

The Engagement Series (Jesper/Wylan)

Terrible, Absolutely Horrible (affectionate)

Jesper and Wylan being giggly, giddy, and newly engaged, featuring bad pick up lines and being excited about the future

A More Formal Title

Wylan and Jesper are settling into life on the geldstraat, but the older council members are… traditionalists. Wylan is summoned to a last minute council meeting, regarding his barrel boyfriend.

In Fits and Starts

on the eve of their sons’ wedding, two strangers come to understand each other. with a bottle of whiskey and a quiet spot to rest, they indulge the memories of their little boys, and look to the future when the past hurts too much.

Colm Fahey Discovers Jesper’s Ketterdam Life (I will not rest until I’ve written just about every version of this trope)/Colm Fahey-heavy Stories

Keep You Safe (Colm Fahey & Jesper/Wylan)

6 months post Crooked Kingdom— in a universe where Jesper took the parem, Matthias lived, and Colm Fahey didn’t make an appearance in CK— Colm Fahey comes looking for his son, and doesn’t find him in any of the places he expected.

Time for a Spare Prayer (Colm & Everyone; Jesper/Wylan)

Wylan’s name has become a target on his back, but his crows are there to protect him. Until things go wrong and Wylan is alone. Suddenly, Colm Fahey is the only witness to an attempt on Wylan’s life, and becomes a target himself.

Stronger than Fear (Wylan & Matthias)

A deleted scene directly after the end of Chapter 4 of Time for a Spare Prayer. Matthias brings Wylan something to eat after a truly terrible day.

The Only Way Out (is through) (Colm & Wylan/Jesper)

3 times that Colm Fahey was acutely aware that Wylan Van Eck needed a better father, plus 1 time where he stepped up to be the da he deserved.

Five More Minutes (Colm & Wylan/Jesper)

a missing scene from Only Way Out (is through) inspired by a drabble game request for wesper “accidentally sleeping in”.

Before Sunrise (Colm/Aditi featuring tiny baby Jesper)

Jesper is a colicky little baby, and Colm just wants his poor wife to be able to sleep. (Inspired by Colm’s description of Jesper in In Fits and Starts)

If you like my writing, please consider buying me a coffee

[hotpinkmurex]

WIP Wednesday (on a Wednesday!)

I did this. I chose to make Kaz Brekker an actual character in my historical Wesper romantasy. So now, as an homage to Crooked Kingdom, I have to write him scheming up a scheme probably I won't even understand...

"Pekka Rollins?!" cried Jesper, as disbelief at what he was hearing made him forget momentarily the six foot five Fjerdan barrelling towards him and wielding a sword. Too late Jesper side-stepped. Steel glanced his cheek. The blade sliced the air. Momentum carried Matthias's feet forward, and the not-inconsiderable force he had put behind his weapon got buried in a pine tree with a shrill-sounding 'thunk'. Pekka Rollins engaged to Lord Wylan! It was too ridiculous. Kaz was mistaken. His source was feeding him lies. Kaz must be wrong. Though he never had been before... "Mind your stance," came a flat voice across the clearing to where Jesper stood shaking. Kaz was sitting stately on a felled tree, and barely looked up from the sheaf of paper he held in his hand. At least Matthias had assured himself Jesper suffered no real injury, before bracing his foot against a boulder and trying to retrieve his broadsword from its wooden sheath. "You must carry your weight evenly, Jesper," Kaz continued, with a spectacular air of indifference, "and stop leaning so hard on your left foot. You forget all that we've practiced these last weeks. Control the things you can and do not allow yourself to become distracted." Distracted... That was too much for Jesper. How had Kaz expected him to react? Pekka Rollins name should not be uttered in the same breath as Lord Wylan's. His Wylan. Pekka Rollins was a criminal - that he was still allowed walk free in Kerch did not change that. Out of all of them it was Kaz alone who had borne the full brunt of Pekka Rollins actions. Jesper turned towards him, with narrowed eyes and a cheek still smarting, wondering how Kaz could sit there, with his bad leg stretched out before him, and speak of Rollins so coldly. Jesper had only heard stories of Rollins: A Kaelish skin trader, who had escaped his grandfather's justice and fled The Wandering Isle. Matthias knew him as a war profiteer, who had used Kerch neutrality to sell to both sides. To the detriment of those operating the gun carriages, the black powder he supplied had a tendency to explode outwards. Rollins name had become notorious. But Kaz had actually met the man. Pekka Rollins was the swindler Jordie Rietveld had trusted to turn his quietly growing savings into exponential wealth. Rollins had sold sovereign bonds, and though Prince Dietmar's royal seal was there on each deed of payment, like a cherry squashed between the parchment, when the time came to draw down dividends, the officer of the treasury had never heard of the scheme. Kaz's schooling ended. He travelled to Ravka to become a mercenary. And when lack of funds prevented him from seeking the help of a healer for the foot long gash dealt him by the losing party in a duel, the infection spread and settled resolutely in his bones. Usually when Kaz spoke of Rollins it was with blood between his teeth. This calculated calm was eerie. Jesper would know the meaning of it. "Is it any wonder I lost focus, Kaz? Does this information seem to you at all... peculiar? The Duke of Belendt's son was set to marry a common criminal? This is Pekka Rollins we are speaking of! Why are you not more distracted?" "I am wondering at that too, Rietveld," called out the voice of Matthias. The stinging scent of pine sap filled the air, telling Jesper that Matthias had recovered his weapon. He took his place at Jesper's side looking as suspicious as Jesper felt. "Usually at this point you would be setting fire to something." Kaz's lip curled. "And who says that I am not?"

Soft tagging @dreamtigress in return for many many tags... :)

[magicandpizza]

Wesper drabble #4

The thing about Merchant Council balls is that they are unavoidably, heartbreakingly dull. Quite apart from the fact that he’s forced to interact with members of the council, their wives, and other high-ranking families from upper class Kerch society, the worst thing about these balls is that he and Jesper have to stay a respectable distance away from each other. 

They may be engaged, but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable for them to be alone together, unchaperoned, let alone do something as outlandish as hold hands or kiss. 

Tonight, that is proving a particular struggle.  

Wylan is only a man, after all. A man entirely and wholly distracted by how good his fiancé looks dressed in his finest suit, crushed velvet in a deep forest green. He swallows the last mouthful of his drink, placing the empty glass on a nearby table, and marches across the room, interrupting Jesper’s conversation with someone’s wife - Wylan doesn’t know who - and taking him by the hand. 

“Excuse us a moment.”

He leads Jesper out of the lavish parlour and down the corridor towards the back of the house. Glancing around and finding no one there, he steps into Jesper’s space, crowding him up against the wall, and drags him down into a searing kiss. 

“You are so unfairly fucking hot,” Wylan groans against Jesper’s mouth. 

Jesper’s voice is low and rough when he speaks between kisses. “Me? Have you seen yourself? I’ve been dying to get my hands on you all night.”

“It’s driving me insane, seeing you in that suit…” Wylan says breathlessly, nipping at Jesper’s bottom lip and sucking it into his mouth. 

“Saints,” Jesper breathes, and then he’s turning them round, shoving Wylan up against the wall and hiking one of his legs up around his waist to press their crotches together. 

There’s a soft thunk as Wylan’s head falls back against the wall, and Jesper buries his face in Wylan’s neck, teeth grazing over his pulse point. There aren’t enough words to describe how Jesper makes him feel at the best of times, and certainly not now, pressed up against a wall in another merchant’s house, the height of debauchery. 

The sound of someone clearing their throat has them leaping apart. 

Wylan looks up, relieved to find himself faced with Karl and Mikhail, his only friends on the council, and not one of the older members. 

Mikhail’s face splits into a wide grin. “Tsk, tsk, Wylan. Caught in a dark corner with your fiancé? No chaperone in sight? What will the council think?” 

Wylan rolls his eyes at him. It’s something he’s heard far too many times before. Bad enough that Jesper is from the Barrel, worse still that they already live together and aren’t formally courting. He knows that Mikhail is only teasing though. 

“You’re lucky it was just us and not Schenk or one of the others,” Karl says. “You should get back before they notice you’re missing.” 

“Right,” Wylan agrees, glancing sideways at Jesper and instantly regretting it at the sight of his swollen and bitten-red lips. 

The four of them head back to the parlour, whereupon Jesper gives him a wink and quickly disappears into the crowd of people once more, leaving Wylan with Karl and Mikhail at the edge of the room. 

He quickly snags a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, eyes tracking Jesper across the room. 

“Wylan?”

Wylan realises with a start that he’s being spoken to. He reluctantly drags his eyes away from his fiancé’s frantically obscenely tight trousers. “Hm?”

“You really were just checking Jesper out, weren’t you?” Karl says with a laugh. “You’re hopeless.”

“Have you seen his trousers? I swear he gets them tailored one size too small on purpose…”

At the sight of his friends’ matching raised eyebrows, Wylan takes a quick gulp of his champagne, cheeks pink. 

“We’re engaged, I’m allowed to find him attractive,” he says, a little defensively. 

Karl snorts. “Careful there, it’s only 8 bells. Far too early for you two to be sneaking off home.” 

“I have to know though,” Mikhail says conspiratorially, leaning in closer. “Is he really as good as the rumours say?” 

Wylan almost chokes on his next sip of champagne when he catches Mikhail’s meaning. “Ghezen help me.” 

“That’s not an answer.” 

“We’re really doing this? We’re gossiping about my sex life at a merchant ball?” 

Mikhail shrugs. “The way I see it, we spared you the embarrassment of being caught by someone else. And your sex life is significantly more active than either of ours currently.” 

Casting his eyes briefly skywards, a silent prayer for strength to a saint he’s never believed in, Wylan takes a fortifying breath. “Yes, the rumours are true.” 

Karl stifles a laugh with his palm, while Mikhail claps his hands together with glee. 

“I mean, that first night in the Barrel was good,” Wylan says, remembering the press of their bodies together in the dark. “And it only got better from there.” 

“I think we need to find some more drinks and a quiet corner to continue this conversation,” Mikhail says, slinging an arm around Wylan’s shoulders. 

Silently, Wylan concurs. He’s definitely going to need something stronger than champagne.

Karl and Mikhail lovingly borrowed from @aphroditestummyrolls

Find me on AO3

[yoongissilver]

I understand that some people are frustrated with season 2 of Shadow and Bone seeming quite rushed but I think there are several reasons behind it

They went into this not knowing if there would be a 3rd season because this is where a lot of shows are being discontinued by Netflix atm so I think they wanted to fit as much content into it that book-fans would love to see as possible

Adding to that, making the season seem more fast-paced and packed full of fandom-favourite scenes will make fans watch it more and push engagement online which is crucial for being renewed for a 3rd season

I think the decision to speedrun Wesper (and also bring some key Kanej scenes early) came from a similar reasoning, because like it or not, ships are the things that keep fandoms and online engagement alive the most

As someone who has been in fandoms of shows which were too slow-paced and were discontinued before many much-awaited scenes (and slow-burn ships) could happen on-screen, I'm actually glad they did what they did lol

[jackwolfes]

7 and wesper!

a kiss to shut them up

This is a direct follow-on to this ficlet!

Wylan stares, struck dumb. It's anyone's guess why, especially looking back at it in retrospect. His favourite cakes, his favourite spot in the city, his favourite man. Of course Jesper has a ring. Of course he is down on one knee.

In the silence Wylan leaves, Jesper starts to talk.

"Wy," he starts, having to clear his throat once to find his voice. "I am… the luckiest fool in this saintsforsaken city. And I never thought— I never knew there could be something so good in it. But you're good, through and through. Saints, you're the best. I think it's safe to say that you're too good for me but you love me anyway for some reason and I— Saints, I'm not making sense, am I? I just mean—"

He clears his throat again like he has something stuck in it, words tripping off his tongue clumsily. Wylan's heart swells to impossible sizes, fighting for space beside the roses that have bloomed in his soul. He hears every single unsaid thing that Jesper has in his beautiful being, knowing what the love of his life means even though the actual words coming from his tongue are fumbled and sweet. Saints, they're so sweet. Jesper — with his fidgeting fingers on an engagement ring and the way his voice cracks — is sweet.

He's still blathering on, too.

"— and Kaz said the cakes were stupid but I know you love them, merchling, so I figured it couldn't hurt, but—"

Saints above, Wylan loves him.

He stumbles to his feet and pitches forward, clumsily adoring as he throws his arms around his boyfriend's — his fiancés? — shoulders.

Then they're kissing, and the silence that reigns is beautiful liberation.

Jesper's hands clasp Wylan's waist, dragging him in as they both gasp into the shared press of lips. Their weight falters and they tip to the side until Wylan is all but sitting on the stone pavement. At no point do their lips stray apart. Wylan eagerly allows the slide of lips on Jesper's, ceaselessly loving him.

"Saints— Wylan—" Each of Jesper's attempts at speaking fail with another kiss. "Shit, is this— is this a yes?"

"Shut up," Wylan replies breathlessly, leaving a dozen more desperate kisses all over Jesper's cheeks and lips and jaw. "Saints, shut up and kiss me."

Jesper chuckles, breath puffing against Wylan's lips. Their kisses mingle into one beautiful creation, shared and inextricable. Just like the two of them, perhaps.

Sitting on the ground, kissing each other quiet, Wylan feels very ready for the future to come.