#kaz soc

[specificpollsaboutbooks]

F/M Couples

Round 2

About Kaz and Inej :

"oughhhhhhh they're so gooddddddddd."

[applecidersstuff]

You know what makes Kaz a great boss? What makes him a better boss then both Pekka Rollins and Per Haskel?

He gets to know his crew and basically any people he’s working with. I know it’s basically an opposite of what he says about barrel gangs, but hear me out.

The main reason why Kaz was able to know that Big Bolliger was a traitor is because he knew that Bol was lazy. And knowing what he did in the "Crow club" it would be hard to know if he was lazy or just relaxed while on the job. Kaz knew that he was lazy - he took time to know the guy.

And also the thing that makes Kaz's plans good is that he keeps in mind all his crew's bad habits and vulnerabilities and plots around them. Its really easy to see that if you look at Jesper.

He keeps in mind that Jesper is late and that he can accidentally give up important info. We see that clearly in the beginning of the book. During the “set the wolf free” plan he made sure to tell Jesper the “wrong” time so that he would “be late” and free the animals at the right time. He knew Jesper would(or could) give up info by accident so he took precautions(saying this again: no one arranges an extra ship just to gather in front of it)

And we also have it in the end of CK.

I think both Inej and Jesper had been told the wrong time. Kaz knew that Dunyasha would be there, so he added some time for Inej to fight her. He talks with Jesper about kergud(I have no idea how to spell that, sorry) and also adds time for that fight. He might have actually putted the wyvil it Jespers pocket(as I do not remember Jes actually putting it there, or mb he just made sure it was there).

I mean, it would have been weird if there would be just the sound of one shot fired, but after the siren it would sound better.

When Kaz told Dregs that he won't be their father, he meant it, your father doesn't know you that well, but your sneaky annoying little sibling does.

[petertingle-yipyip]

GUILTY AS SIN - KAZ BREKKER

//don’t ask me what this is dawg, i thought of it forever ago and wrote it half asleep and threw on an ending. leave me alone//

Pairing: Kaz x Crow!Reader

Word Count: 2,119

Summary: The little Songbird. A silly nickname for the Crow that likes to sing at the Club. When debuting a very personal, very specific song, the muse of that song - who isn’t supposed to know - is intrigued by the performance.

You were seated at the piano bench with Wylan while Jesper was bleeding fabric of color on the floor. You tapped your pencil against the notepad in your lap while Wylan played the same chords on the piano.

“I can’t get this chorus!” You groaned.

“What’s this song about? That Merchant’s son?” Jesper asked idly and you had to resist throwing your pencil at him.

“No, she’s writing about Kaz.” Wylan answered.

You whacked his arm with the notepad and he laughed.

“Just play the notes again.” You grumbled.

He was right, of course. Everyone knew of your crush on Kaz. It had started when you were younger and you figured you’d grow out of it. His cruelty seemed to guarantee it, yet he was kind enough to you. He was a very confusing man, especially as he grew into the feared Barrel Boss.

But still, your heart yearned and who were you to deny it?

You let your crush exist, burning under your skin when he was around. When you met his eyes in the crowded Club, your pulse jumped. When you two were partnered for a job, your nerves were electrified. When he spoke to you, you melted. Oh Saints, were you in deep.

Wylan, with a grin still plastered on his face, began the notes. You hummed along, finding the general flow of syllables.

“What if he’s written mine on my upper thigh, only in my mind?” Your voice drifted with the music and Wylan nodded along.

“One slip and falling back into the hedge maze. Oh, what a way to die.” Jesper added from the floor.

“I keep recalling things we never did.”

“Messy top lip kiss.” Jesper teased. He was lucky your legs weren’t long enough to kick him past Wylan.

“How I long for our trysts.” Wylan continued and you pinched him, making him yelp.

“Without ever touching his skin, how can I be guilty as sin?” You finished then squealed in delight. “I like that!”

“You should be more honest though.” Jesper said, standing and leaning on the piano. Your brows furrowed and he grinned.

You suddenly regretted his input.

“You should say something about wanting to bed him.” He laughed and you stood calmly. Wylan leaned out of the way and let you fully whack Jesper on the arm.

The boys laughed and you shook your head with a smile as you jotted down the lyrics you all came up with. You worked through the next verse with them and started a bridge. You adjusted a few lines in the chorus when it rolled around a second time, then found your favorite line.

I choose you and me, religiously.

You has chosen to be at Kaz’s side every time, without fail. You wondered if he noticed, then doubted he paid that much attention.

Later that week, there were no upcoming jobs to prepare for. There was no fight to ready yourself for. There was hardly any opposition since Pekka Rollins disappeared. So you found yourself, and friends, falling into your usual downtime routines.

Nina and Matthias playfully argued about something trivial. Wylan and Jesper made nonsense bets with each other, occasionally roping in Nina and Matthias, that usually ended with owing the other a drink or some treat. Kaz was nowhere to be seen, which wasn’t entirely unusual.

And you took to the stage.

Wylan had done several copies of the music for the few members of the band you recruited. While they played, you sang and lightly danced. You captivated the crowd, watching the women giggle and exchange glances at your lyrics. It seemed like they all had their own versions of that special type of crush.

The lyric change for the second chorus came up and you watched Jesper’s reaction specifically.

“My bedsheets are ablaze. I’ve screamed his name. Building up like waves, crashing over my grave.”

Jesper nearly spit out his drink and you grinned.

The grin quickly fell away and your body went ice cold when you noticed who had slid into the booth with your friends.

Kaz Brekker.

“I choose you and me, religiously.”

You finished your song and curtised to your applauding crowd. You smiled kindly before you hopped off the stage. Jesper was whistling loudly and waving

you over but you shook your head. You hid behind your hand to make your way through the dense crowd, making yourself scarce for the rest of the night.

Finally, though unsure how, you made it back to your room. The laces of your bodice had felt suffocating tight all night after seeing Kaz so as soon as your door shut, you pulled at the ends and took a deep breath.

You had sang in front of Kaz before. He said you had talent the first time he heard, and he was the one who offered you the stage whenever you wanted it. But singing that song in front him felt like you were holding a large sign that said “IM IN LOVE WITH YOU” with a bright red arrow pointing to yourself.

What else was he to think?

I dream of cracking locks = Kaz.

Without ever touching his skin = Kaz.

Every single lyric felt like an allusion to Kaz and you felt

stupider than ever.

You changed into something to sleep in and had just gotten the flush to leave your skin when a quick knock sounded at your door. You groaned quietly and flopped back onto your bed when you called for them to enter. You folded your arms under your head and stared at the ceiling as they came in. The door shut gently behind them, then a few seconds later, the bed dipped with their weight as they sat near your feet.

“If you’ve come to gloat about your lyric suggestion, I’m going to shove you off with my foot.” You warned, assuming it was Jesper.

You were wrong.

“Is that how you welcome all your guests?” He asked and you bolted upright.

You nearly collided with him but he seemed unfazed.

“I was expecting Jesper.” You admitted.

“He was very excited about your lyrics.” He nodded. “You gave him quite the ego boost.”

You groaned and fell back against your mattress again.

“Why are you here?” You asked the ceiling.

“Your song…”

“My song.” You sighed, closing your eyes in embarrassment and to brace yourself for his berating. “It wasn’t something you were meant to hear.”

“I assumed as much when you practically ran from the Club stage.” He agreed, tapping his cane rhythmically against the floor.

“Yes, well, I don’t exactly enjoy being mortified.”

“Though I’m not sure why you ran from me.”

Did he really not put it together?

You sat up on your elbows and gave him a dumbfounded expression. You doubted Kaz Brekker couldn’t figure out the truth behind your song, so you decided you’d play dumb too. The Saints themselves wouldn’t be able

to get you to outright admit to that song being very much so about Kaz, so there’s no way he would get it out of you easily.

“That song was very vulnerable.” You carefully admitted, watching for a reaction but getting nothing. “You weren’t supposed to know.”

“Seemed like you wanted someone to know.”

“Not specifically.” You mumbled. “I blame Jesper and Wylan. They helped me write it and then convinced me to sing it…”

He nodded slightly and you let out a sigh. You pushed yourself to sit up and crossed your legs in front of you. Kaz shifted slightly and intently looked at your expression. You had both lips between your teeth with your brows raised, waiting for him to say something.

“Did you like the song, at least?” You finally asked.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile. “I’ve never heard anything like it.”

You refrained from swatting him with your pillow. Instead, you huffed and rolled your eyes.

“You do realize that could be both insult and compliment, right?”

That half smile grew a little wider and that time, you did hit him with the pillow.

“Jackass.” You laughed and tucked your pillow into your lap.

“Tell me.” He said. “You said ‘there’s no such thing as bad thoughts.’ Did you write that line?”

You nodded. “My sister told me that when we were little, before she was recruited for the Second Army… I was struggling with my first crush and she said that it was okay to think things about people. It mainly mattered what I did with those thoughts.”

“And who do you have thoughts about now?” He asked, his voice barely a whisper.

You pursed your lips and looked down at your scrunched pillow in your lap. It was the perfect opportunity to tell him, you recognized that, but that would mean telling him. The weight of the secret coming off your shoulders was tempting, but the fear of losing your current relationship gripped your heart tightly.

You two didn’t have the same closeness as you did with Wylan or Jesper. You could tell those two anything. Often times you did. But you and Kaz had an unspoken understanding to watch the other’s back. You never feared walking the Barrel or pissing someone off - unusually unintentionally - because you knew Kaz was there for you. In turn, Kaz knew he could depend on you for your part of the job or just your support for his death defying plans.

You were the first to agree to the Ice Court and you two had been an unexpectedly natural pair ever since.

“A man that I'll never quite get over, I fear.” You answered vaguely. “But I doubt I’ll ever truly have.”

“Then he’s a fool.” He said honestly, but the look on his face told you he hadn’t meant to say it.

“No.” You smiled softly. “It’s just… different. He’s different and complicated. I’d choose him and I if I had the chance.”

You were ignoring the fact that you did, in fact, have the chance.

“Complicated…” Kaz repeated.

“Among other things. But that’s one of the things about him.” You looked at your hands rather than him. “He’s clever and caring, but in a ‘I’d rather yell at you for being reckless than tell you I care about your life’ kind of way. And he does these subtle things to show he pays attention and he listens, but if you ever bring it up to him, he’ll deny it. He’s tough to get through to, but if you mean something to him, Saints, he’d burn Ketterdam to the ground to protect you.”

“And you feel guilty having these feelings for him?”

You looked up at him. “Not exactly… It’s more about whether or not I should feel guilty for thinking of him like that.”

“Because you think it's unrequited?”

“I’m almost sure it is. I’ve never seen him have feelings for anyone, except one woman, and it’s not the same with me.” You shook your head sadly.

“Y/N.” He hesitated.

Your brows furrowed. You’d never seen Kaz hesitate.

“You alright, Kaz?” You reached a hand for his arm, a gesture you did with the rest of the Crows without hesitation, then thought the better of it. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re wrong.” He answered carefully.

That answer cleared up nothing.

“About why he treats you differently.” He continued while staring at his hands and you listened quietly, trying to figure out what on earth the man was talking about. “It’s not because he doesn’t care. It’s because he cares about you and that frightens him. Last time he cared about someone, he still lost her. He doesn’t want the same to happen with you.”

“What are you…” You trailed off. Then it hit you. “Oh.”

His hand landed on your leg.

“How did you know?” You asked, not knowing if you should be excited or embarrassed.

Probably both. Both felt right.

“You weren’t exactly subtle.” He joked and you picked up the pillow to whack him again. “And Jesper told me.”

“Saints, that man can run his mouth.” You complained. “I’m going to stop telling him things.”

“Am I bad? Or mad? Or wise?” Kaz repeated your lyrics to you. “To have these feelings about you? To have these thoughts about you?”

“Someone told me there’s no such thing as bad thoughts.” You smiled slightly at him.

It’d be a trial to date Kaz. You always figured it would be, considering his temper and violent tendencies and touch aversion. But the look in his eyes, open and pleading, had you immediately choosing to try.

I choose you and me, religiously. 

Your smile grew a little wider when you felt his finger moving against your leg. 

M-I-N-E

[mysticmiav]

“If it were a trick, I’d promise you safety. I’d offer you happiness. I don’t know if that exists in the Barrel, but you’ll find none of it with me.”

This was one instance i ended up liking the lineart way better than the rendered version lol I kept tweaking and working on it more but still couldn't quite capture what I had in mind so oh well

[skepticalcatfrog]

Crows Silhouette Portraits, Part 1/3: Kanej

Helnik Wesper

Does this style suit them or what?

[httpschrys]

“He needed to tell her… what? That she was lovely and brave and better than anything he deserved. That he was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that he couldn’t pull himself together into some semblance of a man for her. That without meaning to, he’d begun to lean on her, to look for her, to need her near.”

Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo

[padfoot-lupin77]

Time for the debate of the century: what music does Kaz Brekker listen to?

[deadfictionalpoet]

i made all the crows in the sims and one time when talking to inej it gave me the option for kaz either to a) FLIRT or b)CALL HIMSELF A CRIMINAL MASTERMIND ........oddly in character

[47-possums-in-a-trenchcoat]

kaz having nightmares about jordie and his fathers corpse

kaz waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, shaking and hyperventilating

inej being there with him

inej holding his hand and murmuring suli lullabies until he stops shaking

kaz being able to finally trust someone enough to be vulnerable around them

[lazyathenakid]

So I was thinking about the people kaz brekker surrounds himself with and how it’s only the people who won’t take his shit.The crows are the 5 people who keep him in check and will tell him when he’s being an ass.They are the only people who have the guts to tell kaz brekker, didrtyhands, bastard of the barrel to chill tf out

[incorrect-quotes-lobby]

Wylan: I'm having problems with a guy... Kaz: Like his dead body won't fit into your trunk kind of problems, or you like him kind of problems?

[bookishdream]

Underwater

Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader Description: Kaz and reader are in an established realtionship and when they think they succeeded in the Heist, something goes wrong. Genre: Angst/Fluff Word count: 1,8k

To Kaz, loving her was like drowning. His head would spin, his palms would sweat under his leather gloves, he would be confused. But it also felt like a first mouthful of air after he broke the surface. His heart would skip a beat and he would let out a first, shaky gasp of relief that he finally was able to get out from under the water. She didn’t make it easy to love her, her own traumas, her own nightmares and demons that couldn’t let her rest, her own vengefulness and personal vendetta against the world. But Kaz couldn’t and didn’t resist when he realized what all of those weaknesses meant. He was taken aback when he realized that he had a heart to give her. And she was happy to nurture and keep it safe. 

When the Crows got the job to do they knew they might not come out alive from this. All seven of them were aware of the fact that death might be lurking behind the corner. So when Inej got injured y/n felt death on her shoulder, creeping closer and closer, making itself known in her every thought. 

“Saints, Inej,” y/n exclaimed when she noticed that the Suli girl finally opened her dark eyes. Her brown face looked worn out and the remains of her blood could still be seen on her pants. Y/n delicately helped her friend up and propped her tensed body up the wall. The ship was swaying, the light bulbs weren’t giving much light, but she could see how Inej was grimacing when she moved her limbs. “You scared us all.”

“I scared myself,” Suli replied, touching her thigh. She hissed when her finger made contact with a scratch. Nina was a decent healer but even her powers were limited. “Are we safe?”

“As safe as we can be with this lunatic,” y/n smirked, leaning against the wall beside her friend. She tried to make a light out of the situation, but it was hard when she had been helping Nina bring colors to Inej’s face. She didn’t think she had taken a full breath in since Inej got attacked. “Somehow he figured we would be ambushed.” 

“One would think he’d done it himself just to prove his point,” 

“It’s Kaz, I think he himself doesn’t entirely know what is in his own head,” 

“I reckon you would know best, y/n,” Inej smirked in her direction, her eyes glowing when she noticed how y/n’s cheeks grew redder. The girl rolled her eyes and got up. 

“I will go fetch Nina, she’ll be thrilled you’re awake,” y/n smiled at Inej, taking her in once more to make sure she could be left alone. 

“Coward,” Suli sing-songed. 

“Stay still and do not go anywhere, you unbearable creature,”

“You and I will have this talk one day, I hope you know,”

“Dear Ghezen, have mercy,” after this she left and went to look for the Heartrender. She found Nina walking around the dock, Jesper keeping her company. They looked anxious and Nina’s palms were slightly shaking. 

“Y/n!” Jesper exclaimed, “Is Inej okay?”

“She woke up, actually,” the girl said, sitting on one of the wooden steps. “I think you should take a look at her wound, it opened up a bit.”

“Yes! Yes, of course,” Nina shot to her feet, running to the room where Inej was sitting. 

“Is Kaz okay?” y/n asked the Zemeni boy, his eyes were locked on the newest addition to the Crows. Wylan, on the other hand, was fidgeting. The boy couldn’t sit still and he was looking guilty, as if he had betrayed himself. Y/n wasn’t surprised regarding his upbringing. She hoped he would get used to it, being disappointed with himself that is. 

“Go and ask him yourself, he nearly threw me overboard when I asked if he wanted to change his shirt, I’m not risking anything,” 

Y/n nodded and made her way to the bow, where the Dirtyhands was standing. He looked lost in his mind, his hand clenched on the railing. His hair was disheveled and the wind didn’t seem to be helping with that. Not like he paid any mind to it, anyway. 

“How are you holding on? I heard you were the one that carried Inej onto the ship,” she started, trying to come as close to him as she could, but still give him his space. “She’s alive thanks to you, Kaz.”

“I know,” he remarked. Y/n breathed a laugh, of course, she didn’t expect no other answer. “But I can still feel the wetness of her blood,” he started, his breath heavy and voice no louder than the sound of the wind. “I really tried not to drop her.”

“But you didn’t, Kaz, she’s alive and what’s most important she’s okay,” she smiled at him, she put her own palm on the railing, so that he could feel her closeness, but not close enough to overwhelm him. 

After this night everything was left to the fortune. Inej prayed to her Saints everynight, Jesper worshiped his revolvers, Matthias was brooding and making faces whenever one of them so much as mentioned their destination, which was often enough that y/n was afraid that his face would stay in that way, Nina sang some old, Ravkan songs, Wylan and Kaz were going through the maps all over again and y/n couldn’t shake off the feeling of certain energy creeping from behind the corner. 

So when they somehow succeeded in their plan, after many, many close encounters with death, she was relieved to feel every bone, every muscle, every hair on her body. She was sore from head to toes and for the majority of the journey to Ketterdam she was sleeping. She felt like she was on fire. 

However, when they eventually docked to the Fifth Harbor and were ready to receive their payment everything went to shit. 

“The deal is the deal, Van Eck,” Kaz said, the first signs of the storm were in the air. Y/n shivered looking around her friends’ faces. Everyone seemed confused, including her, and tired. 

“Not much of a deal if no one besides us knows about it,” the merchant’s voice was filled with pride, his face full of arrogance. “I didn’t know you were so naive, Mister Brekker. Fortunately, none of you leaves the island alive, so no one will hold me accountable.”

“You’re wrong,” Jesper countered, his hands ready to take out his guns. 

“Am I?” Two things happened at the same time, the ship behind them, the same one that they’d arrived on, blew up and Van Eck’s people started shooting. The force of the explosion was so big that y/n couldn’t keep her balance. She fell on her palms and knees feeling the hard concrete underneath her. She looked around her making sure that everyone was okay. Her eyes stopped at the silhouette of Kaz and Van Eck. She tried to warn Kaz, but to no avail. Y/n felt a pair of arms lifting her up, Jesper’s scent hit her nostrils. She got up as quickly as she could with his help and she found a box to hide behind. 

“Jesper, cover me,” she whispered, the Zemeni looked at her, perplexed.  

“Always,”

Whatever she wanted to do, it was stupid. Probably the most stupid thing she had ever done. She left her shelter and tried to get closer to the place where Kaz was still having a conversation with the merchant. She carefully went along the dock’s line so as not to fall into the canal. She kept the pistol hidden to prevent the guards from shooting. She creeped closer and closer and she could hear their words as clear as the storm over her head was allowing, still minding how close to the canal she was. 

“You have too many weaknesses, Brekker. She for instance is one of them,” Van Eck motioned to his man. “Take care of her.”

Then the hell broke loose. Y/n didn’t know where she was supposed to look, everything happened so abruptly. Both her and the guard lifted their guns, aiming. Y/n fired but even with Jesper’s help, her shot wasn’t good or quick. She felt the knifr hitting her and hot, white, flashing pain radiated in her shoulder. Tears shot to her eyes but she didn’t let herself scream. She swayed on her legs, then a second knife hit her. She fell and kept falling. She hit the water. 

She realized that the feeling of death she had experienced was inevitable. She was meant to die on this trip and once she had managed to escape its arms, but this time it looked her straight into the eyes. She tried to swim back to the surface, however her arms felt as if they were made from the lead. On top of that she was losing too much blood, too quickly. She prayed even though she wasn’t religious. Eventually, after what felt like hours, she closed her eyes, expecting death soon.

Unexpectedly, she felt two arms pulling her out of her slumber, she opened her eyes noticing Kaz. Kaz, who almost drowned himself. Kaz, who dove right after her. Y/n let herself smile at the thought that he cared so much for a person who might die in a few minutes. They hit the surface, taking big gulps of air. Kaz screamed at Jesper to help him, but y/n understood only every other word. Jesper and Matthias helped Kaz to put y/n on the dock and then helped him get out of the water. Kaz took off his gloves and his heavy coat. He put the latter over his girl’s body and he let her lean against his own body. 

“Nina,” he barked, “I need you to take out those blades.”

“She lost too much blood, Kaz,”

“She will heal herself, pull them out,” he hissed, trying to bring y/n around. She was pale, but her lips still had their pinkish color. “Don’t die on me, y/n.”

“Matthias, give me a cloth, until she’s conscious she won’t be able to do anything with her power,” Nina ordered, kneeling beside y/n. “We need to stop the bleeding.”

When the Grisha pulled out the first knife, the wounded girl hissed through her teeth. “Do not move,” Kaz said, his voice calm, but everyone could hear a hint of relief. “You’ve lost so much blood.” 

“You jumped after me,” she whispered, her words only loud enough for him to hear. “Kaz–,”

“Shh, love,” his eyes softened, but he didn’t dare to touch her. “I couldn’t have lost you the same way I’ve lost him.” 

Y/n gasped, touching his palm. 

“I didn’t know Kaz had feelings,” Nina commented, getting up. “We need to patch y/n up and then we can take our revenge, so you’d better heal fast.” 

[applecidersstuff]

No, but thinking about the original crow trio is so funny sometimes, because:

Kaz understood in two minutes what Darkling couldn’t in two weeks.

Inej visited a coronation, talked with her privater friend and his dragon queen and then went - “oh and btw that blond lady over there looks a lot like a dead saint that you were friends with, is it sankta Alina?”

And neither of them had ever even seen Alina or Nikolai before.

And then we have Jesper, who couldn’t tell apart his crush and the guy they stole from the Ice Court about a month ago….

[petertingle-yipyip]

THAT’LL BE THE DAY - KAZ BREKKER

Pairing: (established) Kaz x Reader

Word Count: 1,710

Summary: (request) “Heyy… I wasn’t sure whether your requests were closed or not… so I am asking you Kaz Brekker x reader wife who’s a Russian assassin and they have been trying really hard for a baby and reader ends up having twin boys. Thank you <3”

The first time it hit you was in the middle of a job.

You were heading back to meet the rest of your crew when the nausea slammed into you. Your steps faltered as your hand came to your mouth. You could feel the vomit threatening but you forced it down. It wasn’t the time. Swallowing the nasty feeling, you kept going and kept it to yourself.

A few days later, you were at the Club in the usual booth with your friends. Nina brought over a plate of waffles, piled high with powdery sweetness and fruits. The smell of the treats made your stomach roll. Your hand came to your mouth as if that contact would keep the feeling to just that.

“Saints, Nina. What did you coat that with?” You mumbled, inching away from the monstrous creation.

“Nothing more than usual.” She frowned. “Are you alright? You seem… Well, green.”

“Fine.” You swallowed the rising bile in your throat. “Excuse me.”

You practically climbed over Wylan to get out the booth. You heard some comments from your friends, words of concern mostly, but you didn’t stop. You kept going until you were out in the Barrel streets. You took a deep breath and the immediate nausea settled, but there was still a general unease in your stomach.

What was going on?

You realized also you were exhausted. You had been for a few days. Your body was fatigued and achy. Your back was tight, joints stiff, eyes heavy.

The terrible thought that you had been poisoned crept into your mind. You hurried to the Slat, both hoping for and dreading Kaz’s presence there. You wanted to talk to him and have him help you figure it out, but if something was actually wrong, you couldn’t bear to think of how he’d handle it.

Instead, you focused on the possibility of poison. A tainted blade or bullet would be an easy enough carrier. You thought of past jobs and any injuries you took. Usually, you were careful. Some compared you to the Wraith, but you wouldn’t know. You joined the Crows after she set sail. Regardless, you couldn’t remember any time that would’ve worked to infect you.

A gas, maybe, but others from your crew would’ve felt it. You considered maybe they were immune, something the Kerch had defense against. Then again, your crew was from scattered places across the world. None of them would’ve been.

You got to your quarters quickly, a shared space between you and Kaz. You let out a relieved sigh when you saw he wasn’t there. You went straight for the bathroom.

You stripped your shirt to examine your torso for something. A knick. A slice. A penetration. Even if it was old and scabbed and visibly wrong, you would’ve taken it. You would’ve loved the explanation for your sudden ailment.

Instead, facing back at you in the mirror, was the same body you knew.

Well… Mostly knew.

Your bound chest to allow your protective gear to fit seemed different. You leaned a bit closer to the mirror, poked the flesh that was practically spilling out.

Odd, you never bound yourself that tight.

You frowned as your eyes drifted further down to your stomach. Your head cocked in confusion. Your stomach seemed rounder, bloated almost.

The new possibility made you dizzy. Gently, you placed. hand on your stomach.

“Are you really in there?” You asked your belly before laughing in disbelief. “If not, I’ve definitely gone mad.”

“Y/N?” Kaz’s voice echoed, urgency clear in his tone.

“In here.” You called over your shoulder, but your attention was still on your reflection in the mirror. You noticed you were smiling slightly.

“Jesper told me you practically ran from the Club.” He said tightly. His eyes were roving your body, looking for an injury.

You rolled your eyes a bit. Clearly, Jesper told him more than that.

“Do I seem… different?” You turned to him. You lowered your hand, folded both behind your back to allow a clear view.

“You seem tired.” He confessed. His leather clad hand rested lightly on your cheek. “Too many late nights in the shadows.”

Kaz usually managed to touch you without his gloves. When you two first met, you were averse to touch as well, through very different traumas. You grew up with physical touch as pain. Touch was turned to death for him. Together, you worked through it as you grew to trust and care for each other.

A gift, he once told you. To touch you and be touched by you was a gift.

“Shadows are my friends.” You shrugged. “They don’t exhaust me, my love.”

“Are you sick then?” He asked quietly.

“I don’t think so.” You shook your head. Gently, you took his hand from your cheek and placed it on your stomach.

His eyes were searching yours and you cracked a smile.

“Not a sickness, but there is something.” You answered.

The next day, he insisted you go to a Corporalnik. You offered the clinic but he said no. People can get sick at the clinic, and you knew why that bothered him. His brother died of a sickness. He wouldn’t risk that for you, especially if you were in the condition you suspected.

Without much protest, you went with him to Little Ravka. It was relatively easy to get in with a Corporalnik, considering who you and Kaz were and the little ‘we’re-friends-of-the-Ravkan-crown’ line he liked to throw around.

“Dirtyhands and the Shadowmaker. I should consider myself lucky.” The woman greeted with a smile. “What brings you to my door?”

“I’ve been feeling different.” You explained carefully. “Tired, achy, nauseous.”

“Kerch medicine isn’t enough?” She raised a brow.

“It’s not treatment we’re hoping for.” You shook your head. “It’s confirmation. The symptoms are a few weeks old, more persistent as time goes on.”

“Let me guess. Your body’s changing as well?”

You nodded hesitantly.

She looked between you and Kaz a few times, as if she was piecing the request together. She smirked to herself before she came closer. Her hands moved quickly and you reached out for Kaz. Immediately, he took hold of your forearm and you gripped tight to his sleeve in return.

She stepped away and sighed.

“You two together is enough chaos around here. Seems like Kerch will need to brace for a new type of storm.” She folded her hands in front of her.

“Are you saying…” Saying the word seemed impossible. Could you truly be pregnant?

“You’ll need to step away for a bit, Shadowmaker.” She smiled. “You’ve got two more important things to make.”

“Two?” You breathed. The idea made your knees weak but Kaz was there immediately to support you.

“May the Saints watch over you and guide you.” She patted your shoulder.

She then turned to Kaz and gave him some tips and instructions, which you tuned out. You knew he’d remember everything she said so you didn’t need to listen. You were too wrapped up in the idea of carrying two babies. Being pregnant alone was an insane concept, but to have two babies was undreamt of.

You were quiet on your walk back to the Slat.

“I was thinking…” You began. “About how my work will change now.”

“I was thinking the same.” Kaz nodded.

“So we’re agreed?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll slow down for now and then step back in a bit.” You said at the same time Kaz said “You’re off any jobs for the foreseeable future.”

“Excuse me?” You said loudly. “You don’t make that choice for me.”

No. No, Kaz couldn’t take that away from you. Something strange took over your thoughts. You worked, no matter what pain or ailment you endured. That was who you were, who you were molded to be.

You. Always. Endured.

The tears welling in your eyes only added to your frustration. If Kaz took you off jobs, you were of no use to him, the Crows, your friends. You’d be a throw away, useless body, waste of resources. Words that weren’t yours, names your friends never used, clouded your focus. With those in mind, you silently cried.

“Y/N?” Kaz said, nearly a gasp. When he discarded his gloves, you didn’t know. With an abundance of caution, he placed his hands on either cheek. You felt the strokes of his thumbs brushing away the falling tears.

“You can’t.” You breathed shakily. “I can keep working, Kaz, I promise. I- I’ll be careful. I can do more int-“

“Where is this coming from?”

“You won’t want me if I’m not useful.”

“I’ll have to be six feet underground to feel like that.” He said firmly. He almost sounded offended that you’d even suggest that. “Nothing will ever change you and I. You can stand there and argue with the wall until your sweet face turns blue. This-“ He nodded between you two. “-is here to stay.”

“But-“ You tried.

“I don’t care about the jobs, my Dear. I care about you.” He said with a gentle force. You sniffled as he continued. “Keeping you safe is all that matters. All three of you.”

You smiled and laughed slightly. “We don’t know it’ll keep.”

One of his hands went down to rest on your stomach and you laid both of your hands over his.

“I’ll do whatever I can to help you.” He promised.

You smiled a bit wider and dropped your forehead against his shoulder. He chuckled quietly and leaned his cheek against your hair.

“I’m scared.” You confessed. “I may be a terrible mother.”

“I’m not sure I know how to be a father.” He answered calmly. “But we can figure it out together, Y/N.”

“They’ll be the safest kids in the Barrel.”

“They’ll handle knives before they can walk.”

“Jes is gonna try to teach them to shoot as soon as they can stand.” You laughed.

“That’ll be the day.” You could hear the slight smile in his words.

“They’ll need names.” You leaned away to see his expression. “I feel like they’ll be boys.”

“Twin boys then?” He raised a brow and you simply shrugged.

“Mother’s intuition, I guess.” You grinned. “What about…”

“Jordie.” He said quietly, knowing what you were going to say. “We should…”

“Of course.” You placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “He’d be so proud of you… I am.”

He said nothing, just pulled you against him and held you close. You didn’t need him to say anything. You wrapped your arms around him just as tight and you knew, without any doubt, that you wouldn’t want a family with anyone else.

[mysticmiav]

"He curled himself around her again. This time, his hand at her waist met Krai, and he sighed. He gave in, and added to the cat’s attention." 🐈‍⬛️🖤

Sooo excited to finally share this piece I'd been working on! Fluff happy kanej because they and we deserve it🥹

This piece was a c0mmission for the fic Zelfliefde by @dreamtigress

The fic goes into Kaz and Inej's relationship a while post-cannon, and mainly revolves around the way in which they're learning to grow and be more vulnerable with each other.

Also, they took in a cat! I absoloutly melted at that. Krai, "sneaky as the Wraith, murderous as the Bastard," Kaz's words not mine, she is a good hunter. She has presented Kaz with many dead mice. The only thing she is cautious about so far are the crows on the rooftop.

The scene I'd illustrated is from chapter 4, a certain, slow, sleepy morning dawn in Kaz's attic in the slat, with both his Wraith and his cat snuggled in the warmth of his bed.

[thisusedtobeafanpage]

"Kaz jammed Gorka's leg upward. The big man shrieked as his knee popped free of its socket. He toppled sideways, blubbering, "My leg! My leg"

"I recommend a cane," Kaz said."

icon.