#mal x alina x nikolai

[unicat-w]

piece I draw for @grishaversebigbang, want to post this with a fic but my group kinda drift apart💔

it's mal/alina/nikolai, where mal try on some fancy clothes and nikolai got bi attack

more art by @ferrisraccoon

[theimprobable1]

Listen, I haven’t read the Shadow and Bone books and I’ve only seen the show once so I’m not going to write fic for it, BUT if I were to write one it would be about the obvious endgame ship which is Alina/Mal/Nikolai and it would go something like this:

Mal spends about a year at sea. Alina and Nikolai get together in the meantime but at the same time Mal’s absence makes it clear to both him and Alina that what they feel for each other is real.  Alina isn’t sure how to resolve the situation without hurting one or both of them and breaking half of her own heart in the process, but once Mal gets back he’s immediately like “I left and lost my chance, you two fell in love, I get it, I’m stepping aside” while Nikolai is like “You’re childhood sweethearts, I’m not trying to compete with that, I get it, I’m stepping aside.”

And before Alina can jump in to suggest that maybe no one needs to step aside because she has two hands, Mal and Nikolai are in the middle of an almost-argument about which one of them is hotter and more deserving of Alina, both taking the other’s side. And as Alina watches them hurl compliments at each other while getting closer and closer until they are nearly chest to chest, memories replay in her mind and something finally clicks.

“Huh,” she says, realising that maybe no one’s heart needs to get broken after all.

Mal and Nikolai tear their eyes from each other’s lips to look at her.

“Sorry,” Alina says with a smirk, “don’t let me interrupt your flirting.”

Which finally wakes them up to how close they’re standing and what they’ve been saying, and they jump apart. Nikolai, who has been aware of his attraction for Mal since the moment Mal said “north is that way” but is convinced it’s one-sided, thinks he’s failed to keep his feelings in check and overstepped a boundary and starts apologising, he didn’t mean to make anyone uncomfortable, this was so inappropriate of him, it will never happen again, etc. etc.

Meanwhile Mal, who’s never even begun to process what he feels around Nikolai, is instinctively like “we’re not flirting” but Alina just raises her eyebrows at him and he realises, maybe they are. And he looks at Nikolai who’s still stumbling through what sounds like a love confession wrapped in an apology, and suddenly there’s only one thing he can do. He looks at Alina, who nods in encouragement, eyes shining, and then he grabs Nikolai’s face and shuts him up with a kiss.

And then the three of them live happily ever after, thank you goodbye.

[monsterhunting]

“As we know, Nikolai and Alina have recently announced their engagement, and, well…I have to admit, I have a few concerns I wanted to address, and I thought it pertinent that they be addressed before the wedding.”

Nikolai scoffs. “What are you talking about, Vasily?”

A cold smile curls in the corner of Vasily's mouth. “What I’m talking about, Nikolai, is your wife-to-be sneaking around with a First Army deserter behind your back.”

wrote a malkolina fic because s2 gave me brainrot and they should simply all just be together methinks !!!

[aweirdofangirl]

I didn't read any of the shadow and bone trilogy but Mal, Alina, and Nikolai in the show had the potential to be one of my favorite ot3's of all time. A sun queen, a privateer (or pirate cause who knows the difference) king, and their blade anyone?

[seventfics]

and when the mask comes off; a Mal x Nikolai x Alina fanfic

Behind closed doors, Nikolai gets to be Nikolai.

Rated T | 597 words | Fluff

Written for @amchara for the Grisha Rarepair Exchange!

[sissytobitch10seconds]

Moi Zvezdy

Fandom: Shadow and Bone (TV) Summary: They're wonderful, beautiful, and only he can reach them. Warnings: Nudity, non-sexual bathing, illusions to sex Word Count: 1,246 Ship(s): Mal Oretsev/Alina Starkov/Nikolai Lantsov

Archive link!

A/N: Hello! I've returned to bring you more of this throuple because they and the Crows as a polycule have me in a choke hold right now. This can be read as the same universe as Truthful Promises but isn't necessarily. I hope that you all enjoy! Stay sissy and bitchy everyone <3

Mal was nothing if not efficient.

He was always the first to finish the training exercises that they were given in the army, and to get them through their missions without the dawdling that some of the other ranked officers did. Back when he was living in the orphanage, he had completed every task that was given to him like he lived in a semi-parallel universe where time worked differently for him. As a child it had given him more time to explore and play, but as an adult the only thing that it gave him was time to think about his partners and to sleep.

This time, though, he had managed to convince his leading officer that they had finished early enough that they could head back to the palace like they had been planning. Now that they had secured their borders and settled the battle with Fjerda, the missions that they went on only ever lasted up to two weeks and he was allowed to go back to his home in between them. 

That was what had resulted in him stalking through the gates of the Imperial Palace, sweaty and grimy from walking across half of Ravka but never once had he been more full of energy. His heart was thrumming so loudly in his chest that he was sure every heartrender wandering the halls would be able to hear him. He’d probably be a nuisance if he so much as thought about stepping foot into the slowly disassembling Little Palace next door.

He didn’t bother to stop by the room that he always slept in when he was at the palace for longer than a moment. He dumped the pack and gun that he had used during his mission and then also shed his outer layer. If he had a smidge more patience then he might have used the water pitcher in the bathroom next to his room to fill the basin just enough that he could wash the grime that was clinging to the sides of his face and behind his ears. He had none, not after he had spent an entire month away from the people that had a permanent residency in his heart.

Mal darted out of his room and continued down the grand halls of the palace while trying to hide the smile on his face. None of the guards or attendants paid him a second of attention, other than a few of his friends welcoming him back to his home. He liked the brevity of it since it was fairly obvious that he had a self-assigned mission and they all understood that.

Finally, he found the place that he had been rushing to get back to the entire time that he had been away. He only felt at home when he was within those four walls, surrounded by the brightness that they both brought.

The hallway was completely devoid of people, which was a good thing. He knew that the others found it a little disturbing or at least embarrassing when someone overheard them in their most intimate moments. The lonesomeness gave him the chance to grasp the doorknob and slowly push it open so that he could see the scene that was unfolding inside.

The bedroom was huge and mostly empty, furniture dotted around in specific places that would make it seem slightly less cacophonous. They were all orantely detailed with cold and silver, carved with the finest of knives by the most skilled of craftsman. Yet such beauty had never failed to be surpassed by the two people that Mal had been seeking out. When he spotted them, his heartbeat picked up to an octave that shouldn’t have been possible. His stomach dropped out from under him and then erupted into a bouquet of butterflies that rushed through his system in a massive wave.

The bathtub was in the corner of the room, close to the bed of the custom marital suite where the Tsar and his wife were supposed to spend the first couple nights after their wedding. Only, the current Ravkan rulers had never moved out of their honeymoon phase so had yet to separate.

Nikolai had his back to the door, but that just displayed the vast expanse of white, freckled skin to the room. He had a long white long alone his shoulder blades and a knot of scar tissue nearing his left arm from their fight with the Darkling all those years ago. His hair was matted down with water but his bright golden curls still managed to bounce, even as they dripped droplets down his glistening skin. 

Alina was facing towards Mal, her beautiful body on display for the only two men in the world that she had ever truly trusted with her heart. She had rivulets of water coursing down her darkened skin, reminding him of lightly steeped tea. Her dark black hair was held above her head with a simple hair clip, one that Genya had given her when she had started enjoying baths to relax. Her breasts were on full display but not in the same way that it was when they were being intimate, more matter of fact in their nudity.

“I’m never going to do this with you again if you don’t stop, Nikolai!” Alina laughed, throwing her head back in the action.

“That’s what you said last time, Alina,” he replied, saying her name to her the same way that she had his.

“You know that I can’t resist those puppy dog eyes. They’re my second greatest weakness,” she whined as she squished his cheeks with both of her hands. The king just laughed as he leaned forward and kissed her lips sweetly.

Mal took that as his cue, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him as quietly as he could. “Would that make me your biggest weakness then?” he asked.

They pulled apart from each other and Alina launched herself out of the tub with one smooth move. He was worried about her tipping over for just a second before he was distracted as both of his lovers flung themselves into hugging him, naked and wet as they were. 

“Mal! I thought that you were going to be coming home in another month’s time! I would have met you at the door if I had known they moved the time,” Alina mumbled into his cheek as she began to pepper his face with kisses. He had to lean down closer to her height so that she could manage it.

“I think I drove my unit home faster than the messenger traveled,” he laughed.

Nikolai snorted at that, then pulled him up and pressed a kiss to his lips as well. “I’m glad to have you home, moy lyubimyy boyets. We should clean off though, you do stink.”

“I spent the last three weeks on a horse, I would be surprised if I didn’t,” Mal laughed. He knew there was no malice, they just wanted him to be naked and in the tub with them. He was glad that the water was likely as clean as it had been when it was drug up from the well, seeing as his grime had rubbed off on their wet, yet clean bodies. 

He watched them laugh and tease each other, including him this time, as he stripped off his clothes. They were like stars, bright and shining. Just for him, his own stars.

[kajaono]

Watching 2x07: new ot3 dropped

[jonashctor]

season 2 of shadow and bone is really getting me back into my mal/alina/nikolai phase

[galaxy-flowergirl]

YES IM NOT THE ONLY ONE

shadow and bone made me a multishipper.

let me explain.

i read books. i ship mal with alina, nikolai with zoya, david with genya. right? everything is great, my ships are together.

but then!

then i watch shadow and bone. and now i ship mal with alina, alina with genya, genya with david, mal with nikolai, nikolai with zoya and zoya with alina. like, these actors really gave those characters so much chemistry!

[platossoulmates]

im so bad at multishipping but i am fucking FANTASTIC at making ur favs poly

[mixed-imagination]

A Grisha's Affair - Nikolai x Grisha!Reader x Kirigan (part 1)

PAIRING: Nikolai Lantsov x Fem!Grisha!reader x General Kirigan ♡

NOTE: This is the first part of a short two parter.

*** Requested by @seronsalk

*** Beautiful golden divider created by @saradika ♡♡♡

As you neared the rear entrance of the Little Palace, your heart raced within your chest, drumming a quick and frantic beat. You had pushed yourself to the limit, sprinting down the forest path until your lungs burned and your breath came in ragged gasps. You cursed yourself and wondered why you had driven yourself to that point anyway.

A sudden memory flooded your mind, creating a rush of emotions.

You pounded on Nikolai's door. You weren't sure why you were so eager to see him, but you chalked it up to wanting only to say goodbye.

The door swung open to reveal Nikolai standing in his untied robe. His face seemed surprised to see you, but with one look at you, he greeted you with a big smile "Y/N, isn’t it past your curfew, little miss Durast?

You mirrored his smile but furrowed your brows, "I'm no longer a child, Nikolai."

"No, you certainly are not." His gaze descended your figure which made your cheeks hot. You were suddenly aware of how exposed and vulnerable you were. There you stood, before this handsome prince, in a thin, lace night dress and silk robe.

You wrapped your robe tighter around your frame, praying Nikolai did not catch a glimpse of the cold night air exposing your natural body, "Let me in."

"Won't you get in trouble with your Darkling?”

"I haven't seen him in weeks," you pushed past him and headed straight to the opposite side of his room. You settled in front of his desk, leaning your hands back against the chair.

Nikolai shut the door and his smile widened. He waited for you to continue speaking but it didn't come, so he responded, "Am I his replacement then?"

“General Kirigan?”

“The one and only Darkling.”

"What, no, of course not. First off, he’s my superior, and you’re no way near—" You huffed, "Stop. I'm not here to be questioned by you."

Nikolai laughed, "Right. Go on then."

The halls were dimly lit, and you realized you had never ventured through the palace this late before. You prayed that no one had noticed you sneaking back in after your late-night rendezvous. You didn't want to risk General Kirigan finding out about your secret meetings.

The unfamiliarity of your surroundings and the thought of what might be waiting for you made you quicken your pace as fast as you could without running. As you rounded the next corner, your hand instinctively went to your chest, trying to calm the erratic beating of your heart.

You crossed your arms, "So tomorrow you leave again."

"As soon as the sun rises, I'm off," Nikolai did not come closer to you. Instead, he copied your position and leaned his back against the door frame.

You found your gaze inevitably drawn to the way his torso muscles rippled underneath his robe with each subtle movement, causing you to bite your lip in frustration at the unyielding distance between you.

"And where are you going to this time?"

"Novyi Zem." Your chest ached, knowing well how long the journey would be. "There's a talented Fabrikator there that's willing to create a strong steel for my newest creation."

Your jaw dropped slightly. You were slightly offended but your playful tone remained, "What? Fabrikator? Have you forgotten I'm a durast? You could've asked me to—"

Nikolai finally stepped forward and raised his hands, "Y/N no, you're one of my closest friends, I couldn't—"

Friend.

A memory of his mouth on yours suddenly flashed in your mind.

Friends don't kiss.

You ignored it.

Breathless and with a light sheen of sweat on your forehead, you finally reached the entrance to your wing of the palace. You could see the guards standing, their eyes watching your every move.

You tried to act casual, as if you had simply been out for a stroll in the gardens, but your heart was racing with fear. What if they could somehow sense your guilt and apprehend you on the spot?

You approached them with a smile and a greeting, hoping to deflect their attention. They nodded politely, but you could tell they were eyeing you suspiciously.

As you made your way down your long corridor, you felt relieved to see the door to your bedroom. You couldn't believe you had gotten away with it.

You giggled to yourself, remembering once again.

"Saints, Nikolai, that's exactly why you should've asked me!" your head tilted and you tutted, "I bet I could do your fabrikator better."

"Better than 80,000 tensile strength?"

"100,000 tensile strength and more!"

He threw his head back, "Oh no, you're joking. Really?"

Your face broke into a big grin. "Yes, yes, yes, you bet your royal arse I can,” you laughed.

Like always, you fell into an ongoing easy conversation with Nikolai. Talking with him was breath of fresh air as you had a natural understanding of each other. Your conversations always felt like a plunge into an infinite pool that contained both his thoughts and yours.

As you listened to him speak about his latest invention, you couldn't help but get lost in not only his words but also in his boyishly handsome features. His dark blonde hair was perfectly messy and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. You stared at the way his lips moved and how the sharpness of his jawline accentuated with every sentence.

You tried to focus, but your mind kept wandering to other things, like how it would feel to run your hands through his hair and kiss him again. A heat suddenly began to rise in your cheeks, your attraction to him growing more obvious.

Nikolai stood only a few feet away from you now. He started to notice how your eyes seemed to linger on him a little longer than usual. "Are you alright, Y/N?"

You blinked and nodded, "Oh yes, I am."

"Good," he beamed and stepped closer. "So tell me. Why have you come? I've never seen you out this late."

You shrugged, avoiding his eyes, "What? I can't come and spend quality time with my closest friend?"

"Not at this hour, little miss goodie two shoes," he smirked.

You turned with your back facing him now and looked down at his desk, feigning interest in the papers placed on it. "Maybe I wanted to say goodbye. As a friend should."

He scoffed, "Don't say you're actually going to miss me when I'm gone."

"A good, best, closest friend would."

Nikolai was right behind you now. The third time you exaggerated the word, a knowing shit-eating grin grew across his face. "You sound like you have an issue with being my friend."

You finally entered your room and firmly pressed both palms against the door, shutting it behind you. Leaning your forehead against the cool wood, you lingered in that stance, still lost in your reverie.

"I am but your friend Nikolai, I have no issue."

Unexpectedly, the weight of his hand resting on your shoulder sent a shiver down your spine, your silk robe providing little barrier between his warm palm and your skin. It felt as though his touch had set your nerves alight, leaving you with goosebumps despite the delicate fabric that separated you.

His thumb began tracing circles on your shoulder, and you couldn't help but lean into his touch. You felt his fingers slowly making their way down your arm, gently squeezing your skin. He was leaving a trail of fire along your shoulder as they traveled back up to your neck, only to slowly descend down again. With a deft movement, he pulled your silk robe down your shoulder. The unexpected touch sent a jolt of desire through your body.

"You stubborn thing. You don't want to be my friend, Y/N?"

He then swept your hair away, revealing a tantalizing sliver of skin to his gaze. As he leaned down, you felt his warm breath tickling your ear. "Nikolai," you whispered breathlessly.

"Why are you really here, love?" his voice was low and seductive.

You suddenly felt wet, tender kisses trail down your neck, causing your core to ignite. The sound of your mingled breaths and the soft smack of his lips sucking against your skin filled the air. Each touch of his lips made you feel like you were melting, completely powerless to resist him.

His strong hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer into him. You could feel his lower abdomen pressing hard against your backside, making you feel weak in the knees. Without warning, he spun you around to face him, his intense gaze locking onto yours. He leaned in for a kiss with his arms still wrapped tightly around you, as if never wanting to let go.

In that moment, all your doubts and fears faded away. It was just you and him, lost in each other.

You replayed the memory over and over again in your mind. The softness of his lips, the way his hands cupped your face, and the way you felt as though time stood still in that moment. You sighed, sinking further into the memory when a voice interrupted your thoughts.

"Penny for your thoughts, Y/N?"

Your heart skipped a beat, startled out of your reverie. As you turned around, your eyes landed on a tall, dark figure.

"Aleksander!"

The corners of his mouth curved upward, "You seemed to be lost in thought, milaya."

♡ part two coming soon....

soooo my brain was formulating the idea for this concept, and originally it was just supposed to be a one part one shot, but idk i just went off LOL. like holy, i went down a rabbit hole and came back up with enough plot for a series.

should i write a series? let me know what you think!!!

if i do, im imagining there'll be some mutual pining, angst, fluff, and spiiiice - wink wink wink -

if you enjoyed, please support me and my writing by giving me a like, reblog, or follow! thanks ♡♡♡

♡ gage

[audreyclimbs]

In response to this ask, here’s some Nikolai hurt/comfort ☺️

“c’mere, let me hold you”

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x afab!reader

Warnings: Nikolai being a simp? Allusions to sex, sort of edited oops, established relationship, reader is called milaya (translates to sweet girl in English) so basically fem reader, just Nikolai comforting his betrothed after she has a rough day so pretty much just fluff

First fic yippie! Anon, I hope you like this and please please please keep the requests coming yall!

Your bones felt tired in a way you knew surpassed the physical exhaustion you had endured today. Your eyes stung from the amount of times you had staved off tears of pure frustration, and you weren’t sure how much longer you could force the lump swelling in your throat back down. With heavy footfalls, you carried yourself to the one place of true solace in this Saints-forsaken palace.

Walking past the guards with a familiar half smile that you knew didn’t reach your eyes, you crossed the threshold into Nikolai’s chambers. As if your body could sense the change in atmosphere before your mind caught up, you felt your shoulders relax microscopically.

And there he was in all of his perfect, unfairly handsome glory. The domesticity of this moment alone was enough to bring the first genuine smile, no matter how small, to your lips. You could feel cracks beginning to form in the floodgates you’d been holding shut all day, but here with him, you didn’t truly care.

His hair was in damp waves and based on the faint smell of bathing oils and soap, you guessed he had just finished a bath. He was in a linen sleep shirt, your favorite because of how soft it always felt against your cheek as you two fell asleep, and a pair of sleep pants. Nikolai was sitting up against the headboard of your shared bed, holding what looked like correspondence, likely from one of his outposts along the Ravkan border. Upon seeing you, though, he immediately cast the papers aside and regarded you with a warmth intense enough to melt all of Fjerda. Saints, how you’d missed him today.

“Hello, lovely,” he said softly, hand stretching out to beckon you to bed.

“Hi,” you cringed internally at how small and watery your voice sounded, even to your own ears.

His brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing, letting you come to him at your own pace. His hand dropped back into his lap as he simply observed you, drinking you in after your time spent apart today. Before making your way to bed, you mindlessly slipped out of your day clothes and into one of the dozens of exquisite nightgowns Nikolai had made for you since your engagement. You had tried and failed to argue with him about how one person could not need that many nightgowns and that you’d be more than satisfied with just a few. He had of course countered with “What makes you think they’re all for your personal enjoyment? I happen to rather love the way you look in silk, satin, lace… nothing at all is my personal favorite, but they’re close seconds I suppose”

You lost that argument rather quickly.

Of course some of them, like the one you chose for this evening, were simply soft satin that draped comfortably over your skin. This one, you thought fleetingly, was made to be kept on, not taken off. Not that that had ever stopped Nikolai before.

Snapping out of your haze, you turned back to the bed and padded your way towards it. As you did, Nikolai shifted forward to sit at the foot of the bed, legs spread to welcome you to stand between them upon your arrival. Mindlessly, you did. His hands instantly greeted your hips, thumbs rubbing soothing circles as his eyes searched your face.

Suddenly, his tunic collar was very interesting.

“What’s wrong, milaya?” He practically whispered, leaning into your space to search your eyes. “Rough day?”

That aggravating lump formed in your throat once more, but you knew there was no point in trying to push it back down again— not with him. At your subconscious admission of defeat, you felt that familiar burning of tears begin once more behind your eyes. You let them come and well up in your vision, blurring the soft cream color of his tunic and how it draped across his strong chest. A silent nod from you.

“Yeah,” you murmured wetly.

“Darling,” Nikolai answered softly, hands sliding from your hips to your lower back, pulling you in closer so that your head made contact with the crook of his neck. “C’mere, let me hold you.”

At those words, you felt the cracks in your floodgates give way. The weight of the day finally came rushing through you in a torrent of frustration, pain, and despair. You felt one cry after another bubble past your lips, tears flooding from your eyes steadily, drenching the collar occasionally Nikolai’s shirt. In the back of your mind, you felt a twinge of guilt at possibly ruining his shirt, but in this moment, you couldn’t bring yourself to care. Not when his hands were running up and down your back, fingertips tracing your spine so so delicately, like you would break or fade away at a fractionally harsher touch.

“Come here, milaya,” he murmured into your hair, pressing a soft kiss to it before his hands slid down to the backs of your thighs, pulling you into his lap effortlessly. Your arms circled around his neck and pulled him closer, as if he’d ever let go. Nikolai whispered soft comforts into your hair and you felt a wave of gratitude that he was letting you cry your frustrations out before trying to figure out what they were.

“Shh, I’ve got you, I’m here,” his lips pressed so softly into your hair. They migrated to your temple and pressed another series of soft kisses to your skin, which was now flushed from how hard you had been crying.

Eventually, your sobs subsided and you simply stayed hidden away in the comfort of Nikolai’s warmth. His hands never stopped their comforting runs up and down the length of your back, occasionally pausing to rub soft circles here and there.

“You want to talk about it?” He asked into your hair, words followed immediately by yet another soft kiss.

You thought for a moment before shaking your head. “No, ruining your shirt helped,” you croaked out, the faintest of laughs following your words.

Nikolai chuckled softly, the sound rumbling through his warm chest and shaking his strong shoulders. The sound alone was enough to stop the sting of the day. If you could get drunk off of it, you would every day.

“Well I’m glad I could be of service,” he said quietly, the slightest of teasing in his voice.

You smiled into his neck, “Thank you,” you said simply.

“Anytime, my love,” Nikolai whispered. Another kiss to your temple.

Without warning, he stoop up and lifted you into his arms before dropping your bodies unceremoniously onto the plush bed. You let out a surprised yelp, your grip tightening from casual to vice-like.

“Nikolai!” You scolded, but your words had no bite to them. You couldn’t help the peals of laughter now spilling from your lips. They only intensified as Nikolai laid you on your back and began attacking your neck with a flurry of kisses. Your giggles filled the candlelit bedchamber, echoing off the walls.

After what felt like ages, he pulled back from your neck, a smile on his lips. He pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek, then the corner of your mouth, and finally your lips. You smiled into the warmth of his mouth, hands coming up to slide across his cheeks and into his blonde hair.

Nikolai pulled away, face mere centimeters from yours. “Are you sure it’s okay?” He whispered, eyes searching yours.

You nodded before he even finished his sentence, “Just a bad day— better now. Thanks to you.”

A smile brilliant enough to rival the sun itself crossed his lips. “What can I say, I’m happy to be of service to such a beautiful woman.”

His lips wandered, seemingly without any destination, down your jaw and your neck. There was no heat or expectation, no sense of urgency in the soft presses to your skin, which now felt flushed as you recovered from your bouts of laughter. You sighed happily, hands making their home in his soft, thick locks of hair, raking through them in a way that made you feel the upward curve of Nikolai’s lips against your collarbone.

“You know, my love,” a kiss. You hummed in response, listening to what he had to say. “I can think of other ways I might cheer you up, help you relax,” another few smatters of kisses, moving further up your neck and back to your lips.

You snorted a laugh and raised your eyebrows incredulously at your betrothed. “Is that so, moi tsar?” Your voice had a teasing coo to it as you looked into his hazel eyes. His lips curled into a soft smirk, the kind that was reserved only for you— only in these small, gentle moments where it felt like the world had shrunk down to just the two of you.

His eyes flicked across your features in clear adoration, a fondness growing (if that were even possible) in his gaze. You decided in that moment that any other comfort, even the warmest of baths or the richest foods, paled in comparison to the way Nikolai Lantsov looked at you. The last aching remains of your day drained completely as his eyes settled on yours, and you could almost cry all over again from the sheer amount of love staring back at you.

“What’s going through that beautiful head of yours, hmm?” Nikolai murmured softly, hand wandering up to stroke your locks of hair.

You shook your head fondly. “Pondering on how insatiable you are,” the lie was blatantly obvious. After all, you both knew that he could read you like a book.

Hazel eyes rolled briefly before returning to look into yours. “Right. Not thinking about how much you love and treasure your king and fiancee? How handsome he is? Or how clever, generous, charismatic, loving, daring, unparalleled, wise—“

“Oh for the love of the Saints,” you groaned with a laugh, hands tugging on his blond hair teasingly. “You do so love to hear yourself talk, my love.”

Nikolai leaned in, effectively closing the small gap between your faces. “I’d be more than happy to be shut up,” he whispered.

[wh0refornikolailantsov]

Compass Of Pirates - Nikolai Lantsov

Summary: Nikolai is given a compass that he was told would solve all his problems, and yet he cannot figure out why it doesn't seem to work. Yes, I am merging with Pirates Of The Caribbean because I fucking can.

Content Warnings: No Beta/Proof Reading.

Nikolai Taglist: @hauntedenthusiasttragedy

The brass points across the centre of the compass are centred by a sundial, which as far as Sturmhond can tell is the most functional part of the compass. He holds the compass in the clutch of his palm, staring at the red arrow as it gently swings between two points, neither of which are north. He had picked it up from someone in one of the markets in the last port they docked in. It was this rocky, mountainous island, just off the northern coast of the mainland. The name of the port escapes the captains mind, but it was some fishing port with a name not unlike a weapon of some kind. But that isn't really important, what is important is the illusion of help this compass had been acquired under. "It will bring you to what you most desire," they had said, "the compass never leads you wrong." He had been dubious but nevertheless he has hope he isn't sure he has a right to, and yet he was finding the outcome very disappointing.

"This thing doesn't even point north," Sturmhond says, staring again at the compass in his hand. Mal shrugs, offering out his open hand.

"May I?" he asks. He hands it over, without pause and the dial spins to quickly into a new direction the moment it touches Mal's palm. Mal watches the dial and follows it's direction. He knows exactly what the privateer has observed, that this compass does not point north, but instead it is now pointing at Alina, who is leaning over the edge of the ship, staring at the way the waves are breaking onto the boats side, creating the white foam of sea spray and she is smiling like she has never seen the ocean before. "Oh, Sturmhond," Mal says, "it points north alright," he chuckles, "true north."

The Captain frowns. "True north?" he questions, staring the tracker down. "What kind of navigational system are you working on Oretsev?"

"The only one that hasn't ever lead me wrong," he hands the compass back to Sturmhond and the moment it enters his hand it changes direction back to where it had been previously pointing. Mal taps the fabric of his shirt, directly over his heart. "I told Alina about true north once, she asked me what scared me most, and I told her I get the most scared when I am lost, but I don't really get lost. Yet, getting lost happens even if you know where you are sometimes. So I told her about cardinal north and true north."

"Cardinal north is a direction on a map," Sturmhond says. Mal nods, not letting his eyes leave the Sun Summoner. "So, as for true north?"

"True north is home," Mal says, sounding more like a poet than a tracker, "it is where you feel safe and loved."

"Miss Starkov is your truth north," Sturmhond says with a nod. Mal doesn't even need to respond to that. "So you think this compass points to what exactly?"

"Whatever you most desire, that's what the translation says on the side isn't it?" Mal says, finally looking at him. "You did see that, didn't you? Since you're always six steps ahead of everything, and ever so flawless Captain?"

He is too eager to test the theory to even care about Mal's teasing of him. He just thanks him absentmindedly and follows the compass forward. "Don't walk off the edge of the ship," Mal calls after him, "or do..."

He spends a good while walking the length of the decking, trying to figure out why the dial spins into a change of direction, seemingly without link. "Maybe you don't know what you want," Mal teases, observing him.

"Doesn't this interest you?" Sturmhond asks, running a hand through his tousled hair.

Mal shrugs. "What use is a compass what would be pointing right beside me all of the time?" he asks. "Besides my heart always brings me back to her."

"You're good with your words when it suits you, aren't you?" Tamar asks, coming to stand beside Mal, bored of her card game and far more interested in whatever it is that has gotten the Captain all pacing and flustered. "Still staring at the broken compass?"

"It's not broken," Mal says, "it's just not helpful."

"A compass's only purpose is to point north, and it doesn't, so it's broken," Tamar argues.

"It's a heart compass, not a compass," Mal says. The Heartrender laughs.

"Those are legend," she says, taking some walnuts from her pocket to snack on. She offers him one and he shakes his head to dismiss the offer.

"Wasn't the Stag legend too?" Mal retorts. Tamar gives him a shrug.

"That means nothing of all legend," is her response, but she keeps watching Sturmhond.

"It doesn't even make sense," he says finally holding the compass up and above his head to see how the dial moves. "It's not pointing to anything, I thought it might've been pointing to Ravka but I was wrong."

"You're suggesting your truest love is a country?" Mal asks, "what kind of excessive patriotism is that?"

"You're not patriotic?" Tamar asks, her tone littered with laughter.

"No," he admits, not feeling pulled down by the admission, "I came here for Alina. She's my flag, my nation, she is the one thing I remain loyal to."

Tamar's question was to sway Mal from paying too much attention to the captains words, but he doesn't throw her a look of gratitude, instead he returns to his fixation on the compass, as it spins to point towards the ships bow. Some of the crew start to appear on deck, changing placement as the time passes, and Tolya walks beside you, as you tell him something out of their earshot.

He takes his eyes off the compass, staring directly at you, forgetting what his original intentions had been, he offers you a smile and you grin back, all teeth and cheer. Even after the days at sea nothing seemed to sway your mood.

Tamar elbows Mal in the side and before her can take issue with it, she nods his attention to Sturmhond, who has lost interest in the compass altogether in your presence.

"Got it working yet?" you ask, coming closer to the three of them Tolya by your side.

"Think it might be a lost cause," the privateer admits, holding the compass down and to his side, as if to hide it's direction from those around you.

"Come on, Captain, plenty have said that about broken things, but often you just need time or the right pair of hands," you say, "show me?"

He hesitates and Mal and Tamar share a look, a look that spreads into matching grins. "Oh, he is not as smart as he gives himself credit for," Mal says in hushed words.

"Most of the time he is, but any heart can get blind sighted, and when the heart is blind, the mind can fog," Tamar says, voice equally low.

You look at him and he is smiling at you like you're a sunrise, like he is seeing you for the first time, and you wonder how he always manages to look at you like this. Look at you in a way that makes your head spin and your stomach twist. You know Sturmhond, and you know the man can flirt like second nature, that no one you've yet to meet have been susceptible to his charms, so you try not to let go to your head. But that's not easy when he looks at you like he has just discovered what love is for the very first time.

He holds out the compass out and you look at it, not reaching to take it from his hands, you move around to his perspective for the dial to swing back in your direction. You lean around him, to get a better look and then stare out at the ocean. But he just watches you, not as much are daring to confirm what he suspects by glancing to the compass.

You move back in front of him, and the dial points to you, and you turn your head to look at the big blue expanse behind. "Compass doesn't know north that's for sure," you say, giving him a wild smile and a shrug. "But I guess it's no better than most of us in that."

"It doesn't know north," he agrees, shoving the compass back in his pocket, "but it seems to know things I should have before now."

"Hmm?" you ask, turning back to him from the waves.

"Nothing, now, tell me, what was so funny?"

[darklinaforever]

I really think Mal Oretsev is the worst endgame romantic interest in existence.

Really.

There are many canonical ships I disagree with, but Malina ? This is the worst of all for me.

Alina had so much potential, and it was all wasted on a stupid tracker ; When she could have had the Darkling or Nikolai !

As much as I will always wonder what could be wrong in Alina's head to prefer her childhood friend to these two, and also what could have been going on in Leigh Bardugo's head when she wrote the character of Mal and the Malina relationship.

Like... she didn't notice that the character and the relationship were catastrophic ? Is that the height of romance for her ?

It sucks...

[sissytobitch10seconds]

Truthful Promises

Fandom: Shadow and Bone Summary: His life is so complicated now, and yet he would never change it for anything. Warnings: Implied major character death Word Count: 845 Ship(s): Nikolai Lantsov/Mal Oretsev/Alina Starkov

Archive link!

A/N: Is this my first work in this fandom? Yes. Did I put off finishing my writing goal for a different fandom? Also yes. I'm so excited to write and consume content for this fandom now! I'm probably going to seek out the book(s) as soon as my library is back open, haha. Thank you all for reading! Stay sissy and bitchy everyone <3

“Nikolai, I need to talk to you in private.”

The prince closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through is nose. He knew that this was going to be coming, especially after Alina and his meeting in the war room. He had been hoping that he could put it off, like he had with everything else in his life. He had run around as a privateer so that he could get closer to his people and because he had the privilege of not being a bird in a forever-closed cage the same way that his brother had, but it was also to avoid the responsibilities of the army and royalty. He hadn’t wanted to face the harshness that life was trying to offer him so he had picked something else to shield him from it.

He didn’t have that option anymore, no matter how desperately he wanted it.

Slowly, he turned on his heel and then gave a nod. The two men departed from the crowd of people so that they were on their own, tucked in one of the forgotten rooms in their fort-sanctuary. This place was so still, more still than he had been in years. Even when he had ventured deep into land so that he could help Alina they had still be traveling, which was also what had happened when he had hired the Crows. Now the Hummingbird had been grounded and his ship was sailing on the mission he had given them before he left. He was grounded and stuck in a pit until they could claw their way out and kill the beast keeping them in.

“What did you wish to talk about?” Nikolai asked, his heart fluttering in his chest. It was a combination of nerves and love, something that he had adjusted to very quickly after falling in love with a Living Saint. Her life was full of turmoil and danger that followed after her with every breath she took. Loving her was much the same.

“I know that Alina told you,” Mal replied. He leaned up against one of the tables so that he was closer to Nikolai in height.

The prince sighed and ran a hand over the lower half of his face. His emotional stamina was high after spending his entire life hiding what he was really feeling, but going from comforting his girlfriend to having the most serious conversation that he could with his boyfriend wasn’t something that he had been prepared for when he had woken up that morning. “She did.”

“Then you know what has to happen,” Mal replied. He reached out and took the hand that Nikolai had been using to scrub over his skin. Tolya had been surprised when she found out how quickly both of his partners had picked up on his worst habits since it had taken her months to find them all and she was an expert on people.

The words hung heavy in the air between them as they both refused to speak. Nikolai didn’t want to acknowledge that he was about to loose someone that he had just found, a love that felt so at home in his usually hollow chest. “I know,” he whispered as he tried to keep his voice from breaking.

Mal brought his hand up to Nikolai’s cheek, threading their fingers together with his spare. He brought their foreheads together with a soft ‘thunk’ and a pain sharp enough to ground them both. “I know that this will be hard on you as well, but it will destroy Alina. We were made for each other and while this has been my destiny since I was orphaned and walked all the way to her, she doesn’t exactly see it that way. I need you to promise something for me.”

“Anything,” he murmured, and he meant it. There were times he had made that promise and then broken it almost immediately because they were hollow words and false ideas, but this one was so full of truth and love he felt like he might die on the spot. 

“I need you to make the proposal real. You have to marry her and give her the political power that she needs to bring Ravka back to peace. She needs to know that the world can be a place where she can simply live after all the pain she’s been through. She deserves to rest,” Mal whispered. “And you deserve to have someone by your side that is going to be faithful and loyal.”

Nikolai resisted the urge to point out that if they simply found another way to kill Kirigan then he could have two people by his side that did that. He would never legally marry, but he would take them both as consorts and have them marry each other just as they had discussed in that quite night they had stolen in his ship after capturing the Sea Whip. Instead, he just pressed a kiss to lips that would not be his for much longer and murmured, “I promise.”

[kajaono]

I love honestly love how Nikolai has a crush on Alina but has no negative feeling towards Mal. No, instead he is supporting Mal and honestly cares when he finds out that Mal wants to sacrifice himself

And Mal also sees that Nikolai has feelings for Alina and accepts it.