#nina x matthias
Nina: Hey Matthias, can you spell “perfect” for me?
Matthias: Of course, N-I-N-A.
Nina: *blushing* you’re too cheesy.
Wylan: *overhearing the convo* Jesper, can you spell “perfect” for me?
Jesper: Sure darling, J-E-S-P-E-R.
Wylan:
Wylan: Why am I with you again?
All seven chapters of my fic for the Grishaverse Big Bang 2021 are now out!
I had such a wonderful time writing it, and it was an incredible experience having an idea of mine be the starting point for so many stunning pieces of artwork. If you haven’t already checked it out, click here to read the final chapter on AO3, and click here to read from the beginning! Please do check out the title tag - all the artwork that has been posted will be under it (plus it’s linked within the fic too!).
Thank you so much to the amazing artists who worked on this project, and special mention to my beta reader Dav for all the support both grammatically and motivationally. It’s been wonderful.
Now I’m off to pack for university whoops. See you soon!
Here it comes: Kaz gets involved with Monopoly. And it goes exactly as you’d expect.
Chapter 2 of my fic for the GVBB is now out! Click here to read it in full on AO3, and there is an excerpt from the beginning of the chapter below the cut.
Please do check out the incredible art that was made alongside this fic if you haven’t already - I was absolutely stunned by the beauty of every single piece, and it’s an honour to have it exist as part of this story that I have written. Check the tags for the name of this fic - all art and updates relating to it will under that tag.
I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Chapter 2 - “Can someone please explain human decency to Kaz?”
“We’re just… off duty, boss.”
For someone usually as quick with his words as his gunwork, Jesper was jarringly quiet. None of them liked Kaz in a bad mood, but fortunately his displeasure was typically aimed at someone other than his crew. Which made it all the more painful when they were on the receiving end.
“Off duty, in my office, after I told you to wait for a shipment at the Exchange?” Kaz barked.
“Well, you said to wait until it came in, and I saw it come in. Saw the captain fill out the import documents in their office, saw them unload the shipment. Made off with something that looked promising, you know.”
Kaz braced his cane in front of him, both hands resting on the head and pressing down with force. He inhaled slowly. It felt like everyone else was holding their breath, afraid to take more than their fair share of the air supply in the stiflingly small attic room.
“I send you down to watch the incoming shipments,” Kaz said, his voice carefully controlled but increasing in volume as he spoke, “and you pick up the shiniest case of contraband you can see before abandoning your post to play board games?”
Jesper shifted nervously in his chair; Inej put a hand on his knee. “With all due respect, you didn’t tell me to stay there. You sort of implied it, perhaps, but—”
“If I thought I had to word my orders that specifically, Jesper, I would buy a trained monkey to lift shipments for me instead. Maybe that’s not a bad idea.”
Jesper’s mouth twitched, and Inej could almost see him resisting the urge to do an ape-like impression just to watch Kaz lose his temper. Thankfully, the impulse passed, and there was no shouting. Wylan had been silent the entire time, slowly spinning his token on the board with a focused gaze that reminded Inej of a child trying to stay out of a familial fight. Nina was smirking, prompting Matthias to give her a warning eyebrow raise. To Inej’s surprise, Kaz was now looking directly at her.
“I expect better of all of you…“ he said, trailing off. She glared at him, and he held her gaze. "You’re no better than them, Inej.”
“Woah, woah, woah,” Jesper interjected, putting his hands up between her and Kaz. “Don’t take this out on anyone else. My fault, I’ll accept responsibility for the all-round shirking going on.”
“You will.” Kaz’s stare was always hard, but it was especially flinty on this occasion.
“This can be fixed,” Inej said, getting up to stand with Kaz. “It’s easy enough to go back down to the Exchange and pick up the rest of the cargo.”
He turned his dark eyes on her, and Inej waited for them to soften slowly as they always did. The aggression that Kaz was quick to utilise usually faded equally fast nowadays; she reached out and laid her hand on his sleeve, watching the anger leach out of his expression.
Kaz sighed. “Jesper, this was important, and you messed up badly.”
“I can promise you that I’m sorry and it was a genuine misunderstanding,” came his reply, “but there’s no need to be a dick about this.”
With a sharp shake of his head, Kaz prepared to extend the argument further. “How else can I expect you to…” Fortunately, he lost steam, and Inej fixed him with a severe look. “Okay. I’ll accept your apology with some changed behaviour. We’re going to the Exchange right now, both of us.”
“Does he have to?” Wylan asked, a slight whine creeping into his question. “We’ve just gotten stuck into our game. What even is it that came in with the boat?”
“That shipment contained cargo smuggled in under the names of half of the Merchant Council. Whatever it is they had brought in, they wanted it done quietly. I made it my business to find out exactly what they want kept secret so badly.”
Jesper gave a low whistle, and Matthias nodded stoically. This wasn’t just some small job that Kaz had wanted Jesper on - he had trusted him with something incredibly valuable for a change. Inej wondered how much of Kaz’s disappointment had been related to the shipment, and how much of it was towards his perceived betrayal.
“How much is there to collect?” She asked.
“Four crates and a trunk.”
“Well, we have the contents of the trunk up here,” Nina said, gesturing to the board set up on the desk.
“So kind of you to lay it all out neatly in my office.” Kaz’s tone was sardonic but no longer cruel. “I take it there was nothing of use to me in there?”
“Just some scarves, books, a coat, two guns and this game,” Wylan relayed. “Jesper has the guns, but everything else is still here.”
“And you’ve examined everything thoroughly?” Kaz inquired, his gaze now school-masterly.
Inej gave a sheepish smile. “We were a little more focused on figuring out how to play this game than checking everything for valuable knowledge.”
“I’ll take a look later myself with Inej’s help. For now, we need to get the crates back to the Slat without causing a disturbance at the Exchange. Jesper, you can make it up to me by not complaining about the walk. Come on.”
“We’re still in the middle of the game, Kaz!” Wylan protested. Already halfway towards the door, Kaz rolled his eyes as he turned back to face them.
“A game that you shouldn’t be playing right now, as it stands. Jesper, don’t be an ass about this. Get up.”
‘A Hotel on the Board is Worth Two on the Geldstraat’ - Chp. 1!
Gang banner by @verdiris
A Hotel on the Board is Worth Two on the Geldstraat
A trunk of contraband items ends up in the hands of the Crows, but the item that piques their curiosity most is the large box labelled “MONOPOLY”. Kaz is out of the Slat for the time being, so of course they decide to play it. Was there ever a mission more likely to fail than six criminals with lethal skills and undeniable emotional ties all trying to build a make-believe empire without killing each other in the process? Answer: yes - all of the above while attempting to pull off a heist at the same time.
Turns out board games weren’t the only interesting items shipped into Fifth Harbour that afternoon, and now the Razorgulls are interested. It will take all of the gang’s effort to break into two buildings full of rival gang members, regain possession of the contraband, and make it back to the Slat in one piece. And that’s without the inherent strains of playing at business negotiations with a group of decidedly underhand friends.
Join the Crows as they cheat, steal, lie, and bribe each other, all before the heist has even begun.
I am so excited to finally get to share the fic that I have been working on for the @grishaversebigbang over the last few months - A Hotel on the Board is Worth Two on the Geldstraat! Getting to take part in the Grishaverse Big Bang 2021 has been so much fun, and I have had the honour of working with an absolutely incredible gang of artists and the loveliest beta reader. It’s been an absolute blast, and this is one of my favourite things that I’ve written. Thank you so much to everyone that I’ve worked with, and I hope that you enjoy reading and admiring the story and art that we’ve created!
Here is everyone in my gang, with links to the work that they’ve created (some art may relate to chapters of the fic that haven’t been posted yet - the fic will be posted in its entirety within the next 3 weeks and the art will be linked within the fic on the relevant lines, but also there’s nothing that will spoil the story for you, so don’t worry!):
Corporalki:@davonysus (who is the most wonderful beta reader, thank you for everything that you contributed to this story!)
Materialki:
- @ciph3rrr with hilarious Crows-minus-Kaz Monopoly shenanigans from Chapter 1
- @j-wirth with this brilliant Inej and Wesper moment inspired by Chapters 2 and 7
- @bloodysusher with a gorgeous group moment in Chapter 7
- @verdiris with some amusing Kaz geniusness from Chapter 7
- @maximumbluebirdpatrol (link still to come)
- @emmaxtw (link still to come)
There are 7 chapters in total, so I shall be uploading a new one every Tuesday and Saturday until 25th September. Look below the cut for an excerpt from Chapter 1, and if you want to read the full thing (and check out the collection of all the other incredible pieces created for the GVBB) then click either of the links. I hope that you enjoy!
AHOTBIWTOTG Chapter 1 Excerpt:
The front door of the Slat opened with a loud clatter, and slammed shut on itself seconds later. It made Inej jump in her seat as she sat going over ship documentation - which, as it turned out, there was a lot of - in the front room. Nina gave her a look, and Inej wrinkled her nose back at her; the Wraith didn’t startle easily, but equally, there was usually less banging of doors while she tried to organise her finances.
“Honeys, I’m home!” Came Jesper’s voice. “And I brought treats!”
“It had better be more exciting than that time you came back from Cilla’s Fry with meat pies,” Inej called back. “That was underwhelming.”
“Speak for yourself,” Nina chimed in. “I was more than happy to finish up those.”
“We know.” Matthias gave her a knowing look, and Wylan sniggered as she raised a single finger at him in response.
The bickering that came from everyone trying to work on separate projects at the same time was one of the many reasons that Inej hadn’t made it past the first page of her sailing license. That being said, she joined in the chuckling at Nina’s expense.
“Oh, it’s definitely better than Cilla’s pies, but you’ll have to take a look for yourself.”
Jesper rounded the corner, a large trunk tucked under one slim arm. His face was bright from the brisk, cold air of the streets, and a bead of sweat dropped from his chin as he deposited the luggage on the table beside Inej. She sighed heavily as the wad of pages in front of her jumped with the sudden extra weight.
“Sorry,” Jesper grinned. She just rolled her eyes fondly in response.“Come on, who wants to see what I’ve got?”
Nina, Matthias and Wylan all got up from the neighbouring table and crowded around Inej and Jesper. It was uncomfortable having so many significantly taller people stood behind her while she was sitting, so Inej scooped up her papers and deposited them on the floor, taking their place on the table so that she could get a good look at the trunk.
“Where did you get that?” Matthias asked.
“Well, our dearest Kaz decided to put me on shipment duty and I had to wait around at the Exchange for a boat full of contraband to come in. It took hours, so as soon as I saw something that looked interesting, I used my innumerable skills to swipe it so that we could take a look inside.”
““Innumerable” is a long word for you,” Nina quipped.
A bubble of laughter rose up amongst the group, and Jesper stuck his tongue out childishly. “Fine, no contraband for you.”
“No, I want to look!”
“Be nice, then. I get first dibs on anything cool because I found it.”
Matthias snorted. “What happened to the ancient rule of “finder’s keepers”?”
“I found the trunk, therefore I found anything that’s inside it by proxy.”
“Can we just open it up?” Wylan said impatiently. “I feel like we’re building expectations by arguing like this – it’s probably smuggled whiskey or something.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for Kaz?” Inej asked. The others gave her a look of incredulity. “Where is he, anyway?”
There was a brief moment of looking at each other for answers, before Jesper answered decisively. “If he was so worried about what came in on the boat, he would’ve gone himself. And if he isn’t here now, then he’ll just have to accept whatever is left over from the spoils.”
“We aren’t actually pirates, you know,” Inej said.
“Not yet,” Jesper stage-whispered in reply, and Inej found herself grinning, pleased. “Gather around, then.” He beckoned everyone closer like a ringmaster at the centre of a performance.
Inej was surprised to find that her heart was actually beating faster with the thought of what might be inside. Wylan was probably right that they were getting themselves worked up over nothing, but all the same, she couldn’t help hoping that they found something rare or exciting. Perhaps it was gold? Guns? Something dangerous? You could never know when it came to the imports of Ketterdam, and for once Inej was glad for the intensity of life in the city. It could very well be something extraordinary.
The catches on the front of the trunk lifted easily, but there was a thick knot of string around the middle as well. Jesper struggled to untie it, so Inej slipped a knife from her sleeve and cut it off with one flick of her wrist. Giving her a mischievous look, Jesper dug his fingernails under the lid and with a crackle of flaking rust, the trunk opened.
On top there was a loose gauzy scarf clearly intended to keep moisture out of the trunk on the long sea voyage, which had definitely served its purpose; the red print had blotted itself onto the inside of the lid, and there were water stains on it where it had protected the rest of the cargo. Matthias and Nina went to grab it at the same time, but it ended up in Nina’s hands regardless as he passed it to her with a shy smile.
“I thought you would want it, so I was making sure no-one else got there first.”
Wylan made an exaggerated gagging noise, and Matthias’ expression quickly reverted to his familiar scowl.
“Aha!”
Jesper reached forward and pulled out two pistols, both only a little rusty and with a single blue gem stamped into the body of each. With impressive speed he turned around and mimed firing two shots at the wall before holstering them beside his favoured revolvers.
As Matthias pulled out a slim soft-covered book, Inej realised that she was far too focused on the discoveries of her friends and was going to miss out on finding her own treasures otherwise. Lifting up two more scarves – this time green and blue – she found another couple of books which she handed to Nina. Her friend’s focus was pulled away from adjusting her hair under her newly matching scarf to flicking through the pages and wrinkling her nose hard.
“I don’t recognise the language, but I can understand it well enough,” Nina mused.
“Where did the boat come in from, Jesper?” Wylan asked as he opened a small wooden keepsake box full of golden rings in varying levels of ornate decoration.
“Kaz didn’t say, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t pay much attention.”
Nina tutted and continued her reading with Matthias peering over her shoulder. With fingers now covered in rings, Wylan pulled out a long fur coat that smelt of mould. Removing its furry cuffs from the case, Inej reached into the trunk for what seemed to be the last item: a big box made of thick card, with a green cover and the word MONOPOLY emblazoned on the top. The lettering was incredibly clear, but it didn’t look as though it had been done by hand or with a printing press. It had an odd shiny feel to the outside as well, like it had been coated in order to keep out the damp.
Inej sat it on the table and lifted the lid. It came off easily, and revealed a large square of that same thick card in bright red that unfolded into a larger board with regular markings on it.
“What in the Saints’ names is that?” Nina remarked, putting down her reading material.
“I have no idea. It was at the bottom of the trunk.”
“Is it a map?” Wylan suggested.
“Doesn’t look like it,” Inej murmured as she put the board down and looked at what was left in the box.
Underneath that map-like object was a tray divided into several compartments, with little silver tokens collected in one, some colourful playing cards of an unknown variety in another, and some appealing little houses done in an unusual material in both green and red. Beside those lay a rack of what looked like currency, in the same shape and thickness as notes of kruge. Jesper immediately started rifling through it all, mixing up the various collections and inspecting them all with irregular attention. Although Wylan slapped his hand away with a tut, it clearly wasn’t out of lack of interest.
“What is it?” Nina asked again. Taking the board in her hands, she began to stumble through the words written on it.
“Collect 200… something, looks like it could be a currency symbol because it says “salary” after that, as you pass GO… Old Kent Road, another amount of money… sixty? Community chest, Whitechapel Road, same amount of money as the other square…”
As she turned it over in her hands, a slim white booklet fell out onto the table. Inej started forward and managed to snatch it up before anyone else did, although the gesture was useless as she immediately handed it to Nina, who skimmed over the first few lines and let out a delighted noise.
“It’s a game! A board game! Seems like you play by going around the board which has place names marked out on it, and you buy up the land so that you can build houses on it. And you compete to earn the most money.”
“Who’s sending weird foreign board games to Ketterdam?” Wylan said incredulously. “Are you sure it’s not got something contraband hidden in there somehow?”
Inej laughed. “Does a game based on financial gain not strike you as the most Kerch thing in the world? I can well believe a mercher bought this to educate their children on the fun of working under Ghezen.”
Wylan cracked a grin at that, and Nina snorted. She pushed the box towards him.
“Take a look if you want.”
He lifted up the tray of items and ran his fingers along the underside, then looked inside each of the little model houses as if there might be gemstones wedged in the base like on Jesper’s guns. Wylan tapped along the top of the board, but there were no hidden compartments or secret openings. It seemed as though they had genuinely come across some kind of entertainment from another country.
“Shall we play it?” Jesper said with a broad grin at everyone. “We’ve got nothing else on, have we?”
“I’m meant to have applied for my sailing license by the end of next week,” Inej said weakly, but she wasn’t much interested in her own excuse. This bizarre-looking game they had stolen by chance had already caught her attention far more than boat permits and crew-hiring documents.
“I’m happy to,” Matthias said, and Nina and Wylan nodded fervently as well.
“Perfect! Let’s not disturb everyone’s things down here, we can take it into another room.”
“Nobody’s bedrooms are big enough,” Nina complained. “Kaz is too cheap to give us enough space to actually enjoy our stay at The House of Brekker.”
“His bedroom is, though.”
Any relevant content warnings are included in the tags/notes of each work. Please check tags and full synopses for more details. Inspirations/prompts are credited in the relevant fic.
Ace (15.4k words) [Kaz/Inej, general relationships] - As Kaz and Inej slowly begin to work through their trauma and their relationship becomes more physical, Inej’s thoughts turn to intimacy and sex - and whether the latter is something she even wants from their relationship. A loving depiction of an asexual relationship between an aspec Kaz and Inej. Contains discussions of sex and some on-the-page sensual and sexual intimacy.
A Hotel on the Board is Worth Two on the Geldstraat(23.7k words) [Kaz/Inej, Jesper/Wylan, Nina/Matthias, general relationships] - When the Crows discover a Monopoly board amongst a shipment of contraband, all other plans get postponed. Until, that is, they discover that the Razorgulls have made off with the rest of the contraband. Boardgame hijinks and heists ensue. Written as part of the Grishaverse Big Bang 2021.
A Push In The Right Direction (5.3k words) [Kaz/Inej, Jesper/Wylan, Nina/Matthias, general relationships] - A young boy walks home from school in Ketterdam one evening, pondering what he has learned of the city from his mother’s warnings, and running across a few familiar faces. An exploration of what Ketterdam could become in the aftermath of SoC/CK, and where the characters might be thirty years on from their heist. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Blood on Marble Tiled Floors (2.9k words) [Kaz/Inej] - The Bathroom Scene, but reversed. Kaz has rather predictably taken another beating in a street fight, and has made it back to the Van Eck mansion to sort himself out. Inej finds him dripping blood all over the bathroom, and offers to help him clean up. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Heterosexual Mercher Function (2.6k words) [Jesper/Wylan] - Kaz takes full advantage of Wylan’s connections and makes both him and Jesper stake out a mercher ball. Turns out that Wylan can fit in among the gentry far better than Jesper had expected. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Hope is the thing with Feathers (6.5k words) [Kaz/Inej, general relationships] - Captain Inej Ghafa has returned to Ketterdam for the first time in three years, and reunites with her old gang mates. She has no idea what to expect from seeing Kaz, Jesper, and Wylan again, but it certainly wasn’t an invitation to tea at the Slat with Kaz following their evening meal. Written for the Grishaverse Reverse Mini-Bang 2021.
A2k word version written specifically for the Mini-Bang can also be found here.
Hotwiring A Van Is Easier In Principle (8.5k words) [Nina/Matthias, Kaz/Inej, Jesper/Wylan] - In a modern AU, the Crows all go on a road trip together. But the van breaks down just a few miles away from the nearest garage. Told in three parts, each following one of the couples until they can get back on the road and continue their journey.
If At First You Don’t Succeed (6.2k words) [Kaz/Inej, general relationships] - Kaz and Inej use flowers as a way to communicate their love for each other without needing to express it verbally or physically. But when a mistake leads to Inej feeling unsafe in their home, it will take more than just flowers for Kaz to reassure her of his intentions.
Love Languages in a Time Of Touch Aversion (3.7k words) [Kaz/Inej] - Incomplete. When trying to be intimate together while still considering their limitations, Kaz is struck by how much he loves Inej’s hair. A new love language is born.
On His Mind (3.4k words) [Kaz/Inej] - As much as Kaz knows he has to let Inej leave, it doesn’t sit right with him. His subconscious makes him confront this decision to let her go through a series of dreams, finally prompting him to reconsider his priorities. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Oranges for Breakfast (3.1k words) [Kaz/Inej] - After Kaz buys Inej The Wraith, she feels that it is important to clarify that little gestures mean more to her than grand ones. Kaz eventually gets it right. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Reasons To Start A Snowball Fight (2.4k words) [Nina/Matthias] - Nina and Matthias are in Fjerda for a holiday. With most places shut down for the winter, Nina decides to take advantage of Matthias’ traditional tastes and buys herself a sweater so that they can embrace the snow and have some fun. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Sleepover (3.4k words) [Kaz/Inej, general relationships] - After a lovely meal at the Van Eck mansion with himself, Inej and Jesper, Wylan manages to convince Kaz to spend the night. Inej is delighted. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Smile (2.7k words) [Kaz/Inej, general relationships] - Set pre-Six of Crows, Inej realises that nobody has ever seen Kaz smile and so sets out on a private mission to see him do so. Nina and Jesper are incredulous, but apparently all it takes is Inej making accidental innuendos. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Sun on Christmas Day (5.7k words) [Jesper/Wylan] - The cold grey winters in Ketterdam are making Wylan miserable, so Jesper suggests that they visit his father and spend Christmas in Novyi Zem. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Swings and Roundabouts (3.2k words) [Kaz/Inej] - A Suli carnival comes to Ketterdam, and Inej is permitted to use their acrobatics equipment. Kaz joins her one morning. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
The Right Fit (5.3k words) [Kaz/Inej, general relationships] - Inspired by some brief dialogue in the Shadow and Bone Netflix show, this is the time in which Kaz picked up a man’s uniform for Inej while on a mission and realised that she was exactly the person he wanted on his side - and perhaps even by his side.
The Time Kaz Made An Innuendo On A Stake-Out (2k words) [Kaz/Inej] - Kaz might be a tiny bit desperate to make Inej laugh, but he absolutely didn’t want it to be because of an unfortunate misreading. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Think Less (2.7k words) [Kaz/Inej] - Kaz and Inej work through Kaz’s busy thoughts in order to allow themselves a first kiss. Turns out that he thinks a lot less when he’s focused on kissing Inej. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
Tricks Only A Con Artist Knows (3.3k words) [Kaz/Inej] - While on a business trip in Ravka, Kaz and Inej visit a fair. Kaz finally relaxes, and Inej gets to take advantage of Kaz’s softer side as they enjoy the beach, local delicacies, and mildly appropriative magic shows that a Ravkan fair can offer. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
What Counts as a Love Language? (2.2k words) [Nina/Matthias, Jesper/Wylan, general relationships] - While the Crows (minus Kaz) are drinking in the Crow Club, Nina makes a bet with Jesper over who can make their boyfriend blush the most. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
White Sheets, Black Hair (1.4k words) [Kaz/Inej] - Kaz and Inej share a bed for the first time. It takes some minor discomfort and boundary setting, but they wouldn’t miss out on it for the world. Written as part of SOFTober 2020.
: I’ve been rereading the Six of Crows duology and my love for Dirtyhands has been reignited tenfold. Got the idea for the origin story of Kaz’s infamous cane from a post I saw a while ago and decided to turn it into a short oneshot, although I’m tempted to write a part two…
: 1017
: None
“How did the two of you even meet?” Nina asked around a mouthful of waffle. “I don’t think you’ve ever told me.”
You couldn’t help but smile fondly at the memory. Meeting Kaz Brekker - Dirtyhands, Bastard of the Barrel - was something you thought about often. The memory was like an old photograph that you kept in your back pocket at all times so you could take it out and look at it whenever you wanted to, and it was worn and delicate because of this. Nina had a slight twinkle in her eye as you began telling her the story.
“I hadn’t been in Ketterdam very long, just a few weeks I think. I was young and I was in hiding, both of my parents lost to disease after a treacherous journey across The True Sea. To this day I don’t know how I managed to survive, let alone keep my identity a secret at such a young age. Fourteen is too young to know such grief, yet somehow I didn’t let it defeat me, it only made me stronger. Losing my parents helped me realise who I wanted to be: a girl who didn’t need anybody, a girl who would never again be weakened,” you took a sip of your sweet tea, relishing the taste. Nina always made the best tea. “I spent the savings I had on an apartment in the Barrel because it was the only place in Ketterdam where a fourteen-year-old could buy real estate without being questioned. Eventually, I gathered enough courage and enough resources to start my business.”
“Entirely unique wares,” Jesper interjected, flopping down into the empty seat next to you. “Made specifically to order for a very pretty penny.”
You smiled. “Exactly.”
“What kinds of things did people order?” Nina asked curiously.
“Bulletproof cloaks, silent pistols, knives that could cut through anything, even stone. You name it, somebody asked for it.”
Nina leaned forward in her seat, head resting on her hands. She was completely focused on you, desperate to hear the next part of your story. “And this is how you met Kaz?”
You nodded. “I remember it like it was yesterday. He knocked on my door at just gone midnight, dressed in an all-black suit and a matching hat that was far too big for his head,” you couldn’t help but giggle. “You have to remember that he was only fourteen as well and hadn’t quite grown into the role of Dirtyhands just yet.”
Jesper laughed. “I can’t imagine Kaz as a boy.”
“Neither can I,” Nina agreed.
“Well, he was. I let him in and asked if he wanted to take a seat, which he declined. Even then he was straight to the point. He asked me if I could make him a cane.”
Nina gasped. “No way…”
“I asked him what kind of cane he wanted - because nobody was coming to me for anything ordinary - and he told me that he wanted a cane that was specifically weighted to break bones.”
“Did you know who he was? Did you know that he was Dirtyhands?”
“I figured it out when he told me what he wanted,” You explained. “Anyone who was anyone in the Barrel knew about Dirtyhands and knew that he was the most ruthless lieutenant of The Dregs despite his age. I knew what he was capable of, what he’d done to earn his title, but to me, he was just a boy who needed a cane to walk properly, a boy that had turned himself into a weapon as I had. I understood why he wanted to turn his - how shall I put it? - his impairment into a weapon, and I was willing to help. I told him to come back in two days, and then I went straight to work.”
“I can’t believe you made Kaz’s cane!” Nina exclaimed. “I can’t believe I didn’t know that!”
“I think Kaz likes to pretend that he was born as Dirtyhands with that cane in hand,” you smirked knowingly. “He doesn’t like people knowing that there was a Kaz Brekker before the Barrel.”
Nina set about making another pot of tea. “So, what happened when he came to pick it up.”
“Well, for starters, he didn’t come with any kruge in his pockets,” You remarked bitterly. “He told me he wasn’t going to pay me for it, but that he had something much more valuable.”
Both Nina and Jesper rolled their eyes. “Of course he did. What was it?”
“An invitation to join The Dregs. He told me that my skills were invaluable and that if I agreed to join his gang I’d have a roof over my head, the opportunity to earn more money than I could even begin to comprehend and the one thing that I couldn’t seem to find no matter how hard I tried: security.”
“And you accepted?”
“I did. I hate to admit it but it didn’t take much convincing on Kaz’s part.”
“And here you are,” Nina beamed.
“Here I am.”
Little did you know, Dirtyhands himself was perched at the top of the staircase, the cane in question balancing across his legs. He had been listening to your account of how you met for the better part of half an hour, eyes squeezed shut as though this would enable him to travel back in time and actually relive the moment. To this day, you had no idea how much that day had meant to him, the spark he felt upon meeting you. If he hadn’t taken such a shine to you, he probably would have paid you for the cane, but he knew he couldn’t let you go once he’d met you. Not that he’d ever tell you any of this. Most days, he could hardly even admit it to himself and he much preferred living in a state of ignorant bliss, allowing himself to believe that he’d offered you a place within the ranks of The Dregs for investment purposes only.
It would be a cold day in hell before he told you how he really felt.
OMG PHOTOS OF THE CROWS ALL TOGETHER I’M SOBBING
I finished reading crooked kingdom yesterday and I am still an emotional mess. I might draw the rest of the crew later but for now, here’s Kaz and Matthias
Post link
“I promise, Matthias. I’ll take you home.”
“Nina,” he said, pressing her hand to his heart. “I am already home.”
Spoilers under the cut for Helnik fandom
you know what i really want to see in shadow and bone season 2 ??
kaz saying “your mom” joke
kaz when inej is not around
kaz when he’s with inej
she laughed and if he could have bottled the sound and got drunk on it every night, he would have. it terrified him.
“ i’m going to get my money” kaz vowed “and i’m going to get my girl”
If you ever feel dumb just remember that The Darkling thought that he can outsmart Kaz Brekker
he really thought that he can outsmart the one and only bastard of the barrel
Inej teasing Kaz:
Inej:*cups his cheeks in her gloved hands* ,,oh well look at you! your eyes are so pretty! and your nose is so cute. to be honest brekker, you’re actually pretty cute ”
Kaz:*blushing, looking at her with wide eyes* ,,s..stop it. i have a reputation"
Kaz: *whispers* ,,my queen"
Inej:*turns at him* ,,what did you said?“
Kaz:* starts blushing furiously* ,,n..nothing”
Inej: *smiles*,,mhh sure my king"
Kaz: *smirks*
So Matthias’s ghost DEFINITELY associates with Wylan and Jesper and Kaz’s ghosts now.
six of crows helps the unfocused in school
whenever i can’t focus on chemistry, i pretend i’m wylan van eck, thinking of ways i can blow these substances up.
whenever i can’t focus on economics i pretend i’m kaz brekker preparing for the auction of kuwai.
whenever i can’t focus on biology, i pretend i’m nina zenik about to heartrend the ass out of my enemies.
whenever i can’t focus on history, i pretend i’m matthias helvar learning all the war tactics of the past.
whenever i can’t focus on maths i pretend i’m jesper fahey calculating the odds in the gambling hall.
and whenever i can’t focus on english, i pretend i’m inej ghafa, ready to quote some ancient knowledge.
in short, six of crows saves grades.
Nina:i like you
Matthias:like, for my personality?
Nina:i was surprised too
matthias: this is cool, but you know what would be cooler?
nina: what?
matthias: death
matthias: i’m going to take you out
nina: great, it’s a date!
matthias: no, i meant that as a threat
nina: see you at five!
matthias: you saved me. i owe you my life.
nina: no thanks. i’ve seen it and i’m not very impressed.
