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crazyyluvr · 6 months ago

Note

hi! Can I please please ask a kaz brekker x reader? I was thinking of reader being a blind heartrender. I headcanon blind grishas to have their abilities amplified, and a blind heartrender would be basically daredevil XD.

Thank you in advance for reading the request, I really loved six of crows!

I am the QUEEN of Hearts, Don't Tell Me Otherwise

pairing: kaz brekker x reader

summary: Having a blind Heartrender has its perks. For Kaz Brekker, having a blind Heartrender that can hear his heartbeat change around her has its disadvantages.

genre: fluff

wc: 3.4k

content: reader is blind, fem!reader with she/her prns, violence (some torture), reading is a bit clumsy, kaz's heart speeds up a lot

note: OMG I LOVE THIS IDEA <33 tysm for requesting anon. i hope this layout is fine, i just wanted to try something different. sorry if it's kinda bad, i wrote it in one sitting LMFAO. either way, hope u enjoy!!

oneshot under the cut :: not edited

Perks

1. You didn't need your eyes to see.

It was very useful in heists to have someone who knew that someone was walking towards them without having to actually see them. Being blind somehow enhanced your hearing and your touch on your Grisha powers, and that was why you could do a lot of things easier than other Heartrenders — even Nina — had difficulty with.

It was one of the main reasons why you stuck with Kaz when he had to crack a safe; you were basically his lookout.

"Someone's around three minutes out," you whispered to him, standing a few paces behind Kaz who was hunched over a safe. Your head was tilted to the side, your ears were focusing on a melody only you could hear.

"Scratch that, two minutes out, they're moving faster," you reported. "Are you almost done?"

Kaz focus on the complicated lock didn't break as he replied, "I need more time."

"Okay," You moved forward, hands in front of your thighs to guide you around the desk in front of you.

"Thirty seconds," You said, the heart beat of the approaching guard getting louder and louder. "How down?"

"Shut-eye," He replied.

You put your hand up in front of you.

The doorknob jingled a little, and you activated your power, drastically slowing the heartbeat of the guard before he could open the door. You heard a thud on the floor, and you knew that he was unconscious.

A few seconds later, the safe clicked open. Kaz reached in and grabbed the money that you came for. "You could have at least tried to soften his fall or something. Someone could have heard that."

You shook your head. "There's no one close enough to hear." You turned to Kaz's voice, a small smirk on your lips. "Besides, It's just the two of us. I didn't want to leave you alone, 'cause you'd miss me too much."

Kaz rolled his eyes. "Don't feed your ego. It's not a fitting sight for you."

You laughed a little. "Like you don't do that everyday."

You turned to get out of the room, opening to door to free yourself. The door opened halfway before it suddenly stopped, like it was blocked by something. You didn't expect the obstruction, which caused you to trip over something and fall to the floor with a loud bang on the wooden ground.

Kaz stood over you in concern. You had tripped over the unconscious guard's body. "I thought his body was facing the other way," you groaned.

Kaz didn't have time to reply before both of you heard shouts in the corridors. Looks like they could hear that. He used his cane to get hold of the back of your jacket and pulled you to your feet.

"Time to go!" You dusted yourself off, leaping over the body and speedwalking away from the thundering of more guards, Kaz right at your heels.

2. You could always tell if someone was distressed.

You didn't live in the Slat, since you preferred to have your own place away from the gang, but that didn't make you any less close to Jesper, Inej, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias. You visited the Crows often, whether it be in the Slat or Crow Club.

You knew how important getting together was to them, whether or not they'd admit it. In a life full of mistrust and traitors, it was hard to find a crowd that you could actually trust. Of course, your friends had their own secrets that they kept to themselves, like how you had your own, but being with them without the pressure of telling them those stories was precious.

You were able to loosen up around them, laugh with them without the fear of judgement or that these moments of vulnerability would be used against you.

Instead, you relied on them to just forget your current struggles as you talked about stupid things over drinks.

You also used it as a chance to check up on them. You couldn't see them but you could hear them. Being blind made you sharpen your hearing more, both with our without the use of your Grisha abilities.

You could tell when there was something bothering your friends, which is why you knew there was something bothering Wylan when you and your friends decided to share some drinks in the Crow Club.

Jesper was mid-argument with Nina about what came first: the chicken or the egg. Inej and Matthias were just listening to them, occasionally adding their own thoughts or laughing when either of the debaters made a particularly stupid point.

You noticed that Wylan wasn't talking as much as he normally did. You felt him fidgeting beside you, his arm or his leg twitching more than it usually does.

If those weren't enough of a sign that there was something weighing on his mind, then there was his heart that also proved that point. It never seemed to settle. His shallow breaths that occasionally came in huffs of frustration agitated the muscle in the middle of his chest, making it beat faster than normal.

"Hey," you whispered to him, breaking him out of his troubled trance. He looked at you curiously. "Are you okay?" You asked, your brows unknowingly furrowing in concern.

"I'm fine," Wylan said, smiling reassuringly.

You rolled your white eyes. "You do know that fake smiles won't work on the blind, right?"

Wylan's smile dropped, shocked. "How did you know I was smiling?"

"I didn't," you shrugged, taking a sip from your glass. "I just guessed. But seriously, is there something wrong? You seem more distressed."

Wylan sighed, leaning back in his chair. He looked around at your table, and when he confirmed that none of your companions were paying the two of you any mind, he answered truthfully. "My dad's still sending me letters."

"I hope you've burned those letters," you huffed, feeling your blood boil quietly at the mention of Wylan's horrible sperm donor. "He's just trying to provoke you, make you feel worthless."

"But —"

"Don't even try to tell me that you are worthless, Wylan," you said harshly, turning your head towards him despite your blank eyes not meeting his gaze, instead staring through him. That did nothing to lessen the defiance in them. "You may not be able to read, but who cares? I can read for you, Jesper can read for you. That's kind of the point of having friends, we'll make up for whatever you lack."

Wylan thought about it for a moment. You could tell that your words worked on him from the way his breaths eased and his heart steadied.

"Yeah..." A smile slowly spread on Wylan's lips, a genuine one this time. "Thanks."

"Anything to stop your very loud heartbeat from distracting me," you joked, making Wylan laugh.

Kaz watched the interaction from the bar, his eyes unreadable as he turned back to his drink, finishing it before heading upstairs without another word.

3. Lies couldn't hide from you.

Kaz swung his cane, the crow handle finding its mark on the man's knee, hitting it with a sickening crack. He cried out in pain, keeling over but not going that far due to his hands chained to the ceiling.

The man was a spy placed in the Dregs. You found him when you were having a private heist meeting and heard his heart lingering out the front door.

So now, you were both trying to find out who hired the traitor — well, more like Kaz was beating him up for answers while you served as his lie detector.

"Who are you working for?" Kaz said, repeating the question he's been drilling into the man for the past hour. Despite the way he was pathetically sobbing, he still refused to give up the name of his boss.

Not out of loyalty, but out of fear, you thought, taking note of the way his heart beat at a pace only set by fear. Fear not only for what Kaz could and would do to him, but also fear for what would happen if he gave Kaz what he wanted.

"Olek!" He cried. Kaz, blood splattered on his black vest that was exposed from his decision to abandon his coat for mobility, turned to you expectantly.

You shook your head. "Lie."

Kaz swung his cane again without hesitation, this time bringing hitting the man's chest. The man's scream in pain was worse than before.

Kaz probably broke a few ribs, you thought offhandedly, only flinching in disgust when you felt some of the blood from the man's mouth hit your cheek. You wiped it off immediately.

"I was telling the truth!" He yelled, sobbing. "I was telling the truth!"

Kaz used his cane to tilt the man's head up by the chin, forcing him to meet Dirtyhands' cruel stare. He would receive no mercy, as there was nothing that could be given in the first place.

"My Heartrender said you lied, so you lied," Kaz said through gritted teeth. "If she keeps saying otherwise, you will die for this boss of yours. Are you willing to give your life for someone who could care less about it?"

When he received no response other than cries, Kaz prepared to hit with his cane again.

"Karlos!" The man screamed, pausing Kaz mid-swing. "Karlos Drulak!"

Kaz didn't turn to you before you spoke, your smile heard in your voice behind him. "There's our answer."

Your satisfaction was mutual, as Kaz's shoulders let go of some of its tension as he straightened — well, as much as he could without relying on his bloodied cane. "Finally." He readjusted his gloves and turned around, limping away, only stopping to speak to you.

"Send him to the grave."

Your smile widened into a grin, your teeth flashing in the lamplight. "With pleasure."

Kaz left you to your business, the screams of terror fading into the night as he went to the Slat to formulate a plan with the new information he'd just gained.

—————

Disadvantages

1. You didn't need your eyes to see him.

You always knew it was him.

Whether he would enter the Crow Club to find you drinking with Jesper, or he'd knock on your apartment door with an important matter in mind, or even just passing by him in a busy market despite the noise and the multiple heartbeats.

You always noticed him.

It bugged Kaz. He knew that no matter what other disguises he may put on, no matter whether or not he had his cane to tap on the tiles of the road or the wood of the Crow Club or the Slat, you always knew it was him.

He stood in front of your door, staring at the number in front of him. The plan for your heist the next day had undergone many changes, and he had to inform you of them.

He took a deep breath, raising his knuckles to knock.

"Come in, Kaz," you called, voice muffled from inside the apartment. It always happened when he popped by; he'd inhale, prepare to knock on the door, only for you to interrupt him and just tell him to go in.

He let out a quiet huff almost fondly. Of course she knew.

He opened the door, letting himself in. "You knew it was me." It was a question said as a statement. That's just how Kaz normally speaks when he's curious but wants to hide the fact that he's curious, but you could always tell the difference.

"Of course," you said, not looking up from your construction of your beverage. Your hands had eyes of their own, moving to the familiar spots of your condiments. "Your heartbeat."

"Everyone has their own, do they not?"

You laughed, meeting his jab with softness. "Yeah, they do, but none of them quite beat like yours."

Kaz's heart sped up a little at the words, and he knew that he couldn't hide it from you. Your knowing smirk just made him feel warmer.

2. You could always tell when he was distressed.

Kaz wasn' the only one who had access to unannounced appearances.

You made it a habit of appearing randomly in his office just like him visiting you in your apartment, but unlike Kaz, you sometimes came there just for his company, to just sit down on the spare chair in front of his desk and read or draw or whatever your mood makes you do. Neither of you say a word, but you could tell that he was also content with the arrangement.

You found Kaz seeming more distraught than usual, the normally steady beat of his heart thundering like a skittish horse that was cornered by unwanted oppressors.

Kaz didn't look up from his the papers on his desk when your signature knock reverberated in his space, or when you swung the door open to let yourself in.

"Is there something wrong?" You asked casually, approaching your seat and sinking into it. There was something oddly comforting about the hard wood resting on your back, like an anchor in an unknown sea.

Kaz tilted his head to look at you, eyebrows raised. "What makes you think there's something wrong."

You playfully waved your hand in Kaz's general area. "You gave off a distraught aura the moment I stepped into the room."

Kaz scoffed, making you smile. That was the closest thing you'd get to a laugh from him.

You let your playful persona slip as your face blanked, your white eyes staring at him seriously. "Kruge for your thoughts?"

Kaz studied you for a moment, before leaning back in his chair with a sigh. He ran a gloved hand through his slightly messy hair in frustration. "Per Haskell gave away one of two of our storage units for twelve thousand kruge."

Your eyebrows shot up in shock. "Just twelve thousand?"

"Exactly," Kaz huffed. "I'm trying to get it back, but the buyer's refusing. They haven't even moved in yet, and I already told them I can return the money they gave."

Kaz intertwined his fingers with each other, thinking deeply.

His dilemma also put your brain to work, shuffling through the possible solutions.

"Who bought it?" You asked.

"Karlos Drulak," Kaz said. The name sounded familiar to you.

You snapped your fingers, pointing to Kaz's left side. Kaz lifted his cane and moved your finger to point directly at him like you intended.

"Ah thank you," you said before continued. "He's the one who hired the other dude! The one who infiltrated the Dregs."

Kaz perked up slightly at the memory. How could that have slipped from his mind?

"Do you think that him buying our unit can be related to his unknown issue with us?" You wondered aloud.

"That's certainly a possibility," Kaz hummed.

You grinned. "See? Your heartbeat has already slowed."

You stood up, hefting the book you never opened in the office with you. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts. I'm sure you can figure it out on your own."

"Are you leaving me because you don't want to brainstorm?" Kaz rose an eyebrow in slight amusement as you made a beeline for the door, your feet having already memorized the layout of the room.

Your chin hooked on your shoulder to give him a view of your grin. "Too much of something is bad. Even thinking."

You gave him a lazy salute as you left, but as you closed the door, you could have sworn you heard a laugh escape the man's lips over the faster beating of his heart.

3. He couldn't lie to you.

Kaz's hearing was muffled from the sound of ringing in his ears. He forced his eyes to open, blinking hard to try and shake away whatever spell unconsciousness casted upon him.

He saw you crouching over him, eyes staring down at his chest, where you had a hand over. You must've revived him.

He felt panic thrum in his veins, his hands moving before he could stop them from slapping your palm away from him.

"Kaz!" Your voice was oddly muffled as he tried to stand up. His bad leg didn't cooperate with his wishes as he fell back down on the rough ground.

He looked back at you, and now you kept a respectable distance from him, your form framed by flame with worry creasing your forehead and pulling the corners of your lips downwards. He barely heard your next words: "Breathe!"

He forced his chest to comply, inhaling the smoky air and exhaling with a cough.

Two more of those, and you held out his cane for him to grab, slightly askew. He hesitated, but grabbed on it, letting you pull him to his feet using his cane. He was swaying on his feet, and you could tell from his slowing heartbeat that he was close to fainting from smoke inhalation.

"I know you don't like being touched, but you can't walk out of here without me helping!" You shouted. You felt pity pinch your chest at the ay Kaz’s heart sped up at that. You didn’t want to force him but you had no choice.

You didn't have time to wait for him to regain his bearings as part of the flaming roof collapsed mere feet away from you two. You flinched at the bang, but you didn't hesitate to sling his arm around your shoulders and drag him out of the room, snatching Kaz's cane and using it as your guide to the entrance right before you felt the flames lick the back of your coat.

Kaz furiously patted the small patch of flame on your back to extinguish it. He felt the water on his waist slowly rising, but he tried to push it down.

It was just you, his Heartrender. He'll be fine.

"C'mon, Jes is waiting for us at the rendezvous," you said, your voice strained from carrying most of Kaz's weight. He tried to walk on his own, to lessen your burden, but his body was too weak for it.

You left the building, Karlos Drulak's brand-new bar. Hey, at least the color of the fumes complimented the brown...?

Jesper caught you two and rushed forward to help, but you stopped him with a single shake of your head. It took a lot for Kaz to just let you keep him upright, what more if Jesper added to that?

You both hobbled as one to a safe distance before Kaz collapsed inside an alleyway. He took deep breaths, trying to fight the black roses of anxiety that bloomed in the corners of his vision.

"Kaz, look at me," you spoke, feeling his heart rate spike, but you weren't sure what you could do to help. "Kaz, what can I do?"

"Talk," He strained. "Distract me."

"Uh — okay, okay," your brain scrambled for some story to pull up, so it decided to bring you a memory from your childhood. "There was a time where I revived a dog of my old neighbor when I was seven years old," you said, your eyes trained on his chest like you can see his heart. "My parents were off to work, so they left me with the neighbor, and his heart just stopped beating. The neighbors didn't know what to do, but I just put a hand on him and willed his heart to beat again. He lived for seven more years after that before he peacefully passed."

"You should have let that dog die," Kaz gasped, but his breaths were slowly evening out. "I hate animals."

You smiled lightly. "Liar."

"How can you tell I'm lying? My heartbeat's already all over the place," Kaz huffed.

"I don't need my power to tell that you're lying," you said, shaking your head fondly. "I know you Kaz. In the years that we've worked together, I got to know you. I know you feed your scraps of food to the strays behind the Crow Club, which is why they keep coming back for more."

"Didn't know anyone noticed," Kaz said, his breaths more symmetrical as his vision cleared.

You laughed. "You really expected me to not notice?" Kaz saw how you hesitated, how your smile faltered before you continued with seriousness lacing your voice. "I always notice when it comes to you."

Kaz sighed, gently grabbing the cane from you and hauling himself to his feet. "Let's go to the Slat. Better make sure that the others know we're alive."

"Wow, you want to tell them you're alive so they don't get worried?" You cooed, walking a few feet beside him and syncing your steps with him. "Soft is a good look on you."

"Shut up, Heartrender," He grumbled, but a small smile broke through his face.

"Your Heartrender," you sang, skipping slightly knowing that he can't deny you from the sudden speed of his heart.

He shook his head, the smile still not leaving his face as you both walked.

His Heartrender indeed.

#kaz brekker #kaz brekker x reader #six of crows #six of crows x reader #shadow and bone #shadow and bone x reader #crooked kingdom #crooked kingdom x reader

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thebadgerclan · 1 year ago

Text

The Panther and The Fox

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x reader

Requested by @imabee-oralizard

Summary: Sturmhond needs a job done...

Few things were certain in Ketterdam, but one thing was: when Sturmhond came to town, your life was about to get a lot more interesting. You’d been in the common area of the Slat, helping Inej clean her blades, when Kaz had entered, the privateer trailing behind him. “New job,” Kaz called, getting everyone’s attention. “N–Sturmhond has requested our assistance.”

“What exactly will we be assisting with?” Jesper asked from his seat on the couch, his arm draped across Wylan’s shoulders. Sturmhond stepped forward, clearing his throat. “A rather large and valuable sapphire has been lifted from the vaults in Os Alta. Rumor has it that it’s found its way here. I was enlisted to find the gem and bring it home, and I found myself thinking ‘who in Ketterdam could help me?’”

“And we’re what you came up with?” you asked, drawing Sturmhond’s attention. “Well,” the privateer replied. “Your boss once helped me lift nearly 1 ton of titanium from a heavily guarded shipyard, I’d say finding and lifting a sapphire is within your skillset. And might I ask…” Sturmhond moved to stand before you, taking your hand in his. “What a stunningly beautiful woman such as yourself is doing in the Barrel?”

It seemed Sturmhond wasn’t beating around the bush. You pulled your hand back, setting Inej’s knife on the table. “The same as everyone here: trying to survive. And it’s pretty bold for a pirate to question me, don’t you think?” You rose from your seat and made your way upstairs to gather what you’d need for the job, and as you left, you heard Sturmhond mutter, “privateer!” under his breath.

***

This was what the Crows did best: plotting and scheming. The six of you–Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Sturmhond, and yourself–stood around the table, papers and blueprints covering the surface. You pointed to one of the portraits, Ericson Hills, a young and inexperienced mercher. “He’s been bragging about a ‘new acquisition’ straight from Os Alta,” you explained. “Saying that he wants to give it to his new lady friend, but it’s ‘too gaudy’ and ‘likely to be stolen by some Barrel rats’.”

Sturmhond nodded. “So you’re not just a pretty face,” he said with a smirk. “But sharp as a tack, too.” It was almost painful how obvious he was being, and you’d be lying if you said he didn’t give you butterflies. It was Sturmhond for Ghezen’s sake, the world renowned privateer. And thanks to Kaz, you knew that he was indeed King Nikolai. But watching his flirt and flounder was too fun, so you decided to let it play out for a bit longer.

“You know what else is sharp, sailor boy?” you quipped. “The daggers I keep up my sleeves. Pray you don’t get the chance to see them.” Your words were harsh, but you said them with a smirk, so Sturmhond knew the chase was still on. Kaz obnoxiously cleared his throat, rolling his eyes at you. “Now, the plan: Inej will stake out Hills’ manor, learn the guards' routes. Wylan will make a few flash bombs, and Jesper will be on scene in case of any trouble.

“Once the coast is clear, Inej will get Y/N inside. Y/N will find the sapphire and replace it with a decoy. With any luck, we’ll be in and out with no trouble.” “I’m sorry,” Sturmhond said. “I thought Inej was the stealthy one?” Jesper laughed. “There’s a reason they call Y/N The Panther. She’s quick, nimble, eerily silent. And she’s got a knack for memorization.”

It was true. If you were handed a layout or blueprint, you could memorize it in 10 minutes. Yes, Inej was a good spider, silent and quick, but no one had your talent for memory. Sturmhond looked at you, just now realizing your choice of attire. You wore an ensemble of black leather, the garments skin tight and form fitting. Your hair was braided back, and your daggers were now plainly visible.

“I didn’t know panthers wore leather,” he said, and you tsked, crossing your arms. “And I didn’t know foxes wore teal.” Sturmhond couldn’t hold back his laughter. Saints, she’s perfect, he thought, but before he could say anything more, you and Inej had left the room. “A little advice,” Jesper said, clapping the privateer on the shoulder. “Teasing will only get you so far with Y/N.”

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sturmhond replied, feeling the flush creep up his neck. “Sure, man,” Jesper said, winking as he turned to leave. Kaz was the only one left in the room, and he said nothing as he cleaned the papers from the table. “Let’s talk payment, shall we?” he said a few moments later. Sturmhond nodded. “I can approximate the value of the sapphire and pay you in cash.” Kaz nodded. “Reasonable. You can’t be seen at Hills’ manor, this job can’t be tied back to Ravka.” The privateer nodded. “Understood. I’ll wait on the Volkvolny then?”

Kaz shrugged. “If you want. It’s Y/N making the drop, by the way, so I’d work out what you want to say to her before she shows up.” “W-what are you talking about?” “Please, Sturmhond. You’re a smart man, surely you’ve seen the way she looks at you?” Sturmhond balked. “I…what?” Kaz sighed. “She likes you, privateer, it’s obvious.” “How is it obvious?”

“Well, for starters, she’d have castrated anyone else who called her ‘more than a pretty face’, regardless if it was meant to be flirtatious. Second, I saw how she was looking at you. She wants you.” “How…” Sturmhond was speechless, for quite possibly the first time in his life. “How do you know that?” “Because,” Kaz said, leaning on his cane as he stood. “It’s the same way you look at her. And don’t go getting any ideas, privateer. I assess, I analyze, it’s nothing personal. Now let’s go.” As Sturmhond left the room, he thought he heard Kaz whisper something under his breath. “I know because it’s how I look at Inej.”

***

The job took an hour and a half, but to Sturmhond, it felt infinite. He stood on the deck, pacing back and forth, anxiously waiting for you to appear. Not just so he’d have the sapphire, but so he could see you, talk to you. All night he’d been thinking about what to say, how to phrase it so he didn’t sound like an ass.

You’re so beautiful, please don’t hate me. I know we’ve only known each other for an hour, but I think I love you. Do you want to come to Ravka and be my Queen? Yeah, the last option was definitely too much. Just when Sturmhond was about to go below decks, a shadow appeared on the railing.

“Y/N?” he whispered, and the shadow moved closer. You pulled back your hood and held out your hand, the sapphire glinting in the moonlight. “Kaz will be expecting your payment in one week’s time,” you said, and Sturmhond nodded. “Thank you,” he replied, taking the jewel. “My country is once more in your debt.”

You were silent for a moment before speaking. “You asked me earlier what someone like me was doing in the Barrell.” “I did, and I apologize, if-” “But what’s someone like you doing masquerading as a privateer?” Sturmhond cocked his head. “What do you mean, lovely?” “I mean, what in Ghezen’s name is the Ravkan King doing sailing to Ketterdam when he could easily hire someone to do it for him?”

“I… that’s…” “I already know,” you said. “And I have no plans on telling anyone.” Nikolai sighed. “Thank you. And I am sorry, for what I said earlier. I should have been more tactful, and-” “Why are you sorry?” Nikolai was officially at a loss for words. “I…” “You’re cute, Latsov,” you said, and Nikolai was sure he’d died and gone to heaven. “I wouldn’t let just anyone call me ‘a pretty face’. So…there’s a spot on East Stave that serves the best waffles in the city, if you’re interested?”

A smile broke out on his face. “Are you asking me on a date?” You looked over your shoulder at him as you walked away. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. But you’re paying, privateer.” Nikolai followed you off of the ship, and once you were side by side, he reached out and took your hand. And when you squeezed his hand, looking at him with a soft smile, he knew for sure: he was a goner.

#nikolai lantsov x reader #shadow and bone reader insert #nikolai lantsov x you #shadow and bone

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