Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was laughter and conversations roaring in the Crow club, it seemed almost bewitching to Kaz tonight. even though he still couldn't quite wrap his head around what had happened. He just quietly watched new and old allies, even just strangers who had become okay to be around, for now at least. They were victorious,after all this, why not rest and celebrate a little bit? Kaz watched them talk and drink, being pulled into the carefree atmosphere, allowing himself some pride.

If he was being fully honest, how he got there was stupid, he had been stupid. Kaz didnt quite understand how he got his ass into this sort of situation but he did. He didn't regret what happened, but he sure wouldn't say that outloud, ever in his entire Life, no Sir. Jesper and Nina told what happened differently and more dramatic ever time but here is what actually went on and how they all got to where they were now.

The beginning must've been the day Kaz decided to take a walk at night. He just wanted to take a stroll through the foggy and dark harbor to catch a second of peace and quiet, hoping fog and night would help him stay unseen. The Smell of salt in the air, Chrysanthemum planted at the windows of the building closest to him, a relaxing sight. Of course, Kaz Brekker, The Bastard of the Barrel, wasnt legally allowed to rest, and so shit went down as soon as he thought to have some calm time for himself. Beware the day Kaz may rest, a well rested Crow would end all of Kerch in a day.

Cursed (or blessed, depending on who spoke) should be his mind, Kaz couldn't forget, he could barely ignore, even if he acted like it or tried his best, his brain did its job perfectly. Who doesn't hate it, when their brain works when they just want to relax.

Everyone also hates relaxing at the dock when suddenly you see a girl desperately trying to reach shore and failing miserably. Kaz squinted as he tried to see her through the mist, she seemed to struggle but was too weak to hold herself up. She was drowning and soon to be dead, Kaz knew this. She was to die, he thought to himself, if nobody pulled her out.

What a shame, that Kaz was the only Person there.

He moved towards her. Kaz knew he shouldnt save the damned and dying but the girl's desperation struck his armour at a weakspot and besides that, she may be of use. after all, Ketterdam seemed to have a thing for useful people fighting for their life in the water.

Yes, that was the reason he saved her, she was gonna be useful.
That was the Reason he hurried towards her as quickly as his leg may let him.
That was the reason he brought her to the medic, a special one, who would keep quiet and serve any gang no matter, if they payed.
That was the reason this all went where it did, because he was making a wrong or risky investment with unexpected consequences.

Kaz had acted like a buisnessman making a quick, slightly unthought decision not a boy who couldn't look at the drowning, desperate to get alive to the shore. Not a boy who didnt have or want to let a death to water and exhaustion happen to somebody if he could easily stop and help.

Who was he kidding, his mistakes always came from being just a boy, he just needn't tell that.

Time came and went that forsaken Evening, but he decided to keep the girl around, even though for now he made her stay at the medic's office. The Girl's name, as he found out was Anya, a grisha healer and an indenture for some rich merchant, she began shaking violently everytime they tried to ask.

Kaz vaguely puzzled the situation together but not enough to understand just yet why an expensive grisha indenture, and not even a tidemaker or a squaller, had been at the harbor. had been dying in the harbor. But she seemed too confused, panicky and in unstable condition, it was difficult getting a lot of information from her currently. It wasnt that she didnt talk with Kaz or the Medic, but that it seemed like she was withholding them information.

Kaz knew fear and terror, they were imbedded in the faces of every Gang member he faced, every Streetchild scrambled together in the alleys. Yes, Kaz Brekker knew fear and terror from 100 miles away, and Anya was terrified and afraid.

Anya was afraid to say the Merchants Name, Anya was afraid to say how she ended up, where she was found. Most of all, Kaz could tell, that Anya was afraid of herself and what she had done before he found her.

"She needs time to recover, Mr. Brekker. " he heard from behind him, turning around to face the medic. well, medik offically, corporalki inoffically.

They simply frowned at him "I am unsure what has happened to her but she needs peace and quiet for now. I am unsure if she...will make it, but she certainly wont with you questioning her to no avail." The Medic tried keeping their tone polite, but Kaz wasnt gonna cut their tongue off for hushing him yet. He still needed that Medic after all.

Kaz Brekker is a Demon, a Menance to Society, with a heart darker than the fold ever was and  hands dyed rust red from the blood of his enemies. That is what the People of Ketterdam, of the Barrel, say at the very least and he wasnt going to correct them.

But he knew when it was more efficient to wait and see. He wasnt cruel enough to not push somebody that brutally over their limits, when it was so unnecessary. So Kaz left Anya be for the time being.

He knew something was off and wrong about what happened, he felt too intriguing to leave it be.

He would send Inej to spy out the Merchants, see which one was up to something new, something worse, after they had dealt with the Black Tips.

Kaz Brekker has found a new riddle, a new lock for his brain to solve, to crack and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

Chapter Text

Kaz Brekker has found a new riddle, a new lock for his brain to solve, to crack and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

Or so he thought, but apparently he wasn't meant to enjoy anything, because only a day before he was to meet with the Black Tips at the Harbor, he ran directly into his next Mistake.

He wanted to proclaim he was unsure how he ended up there, but to the disappointment of normally everyone, Dirtyhands knew. He knew it all.

He ended up in that Alley, because he was taking a shortcut after blackmailing the last piece of the puzzle to kick the Black Tips' asses. A Stadwatch Officer, Willem Holst, had slept around in the Stadwatch and apparently had done quite a few 'things' in their Offices, apparently a bunch had also been done on the Captain's Desk. Not to the Captain, sadly. Kaz reckoned, that would've made for an even better...barter between him and the Stadwatch but it wasn't like he could just magically have the Captain and his little troop fall to his feet anyway(he soon would regret having grinned at the thought).

He was ripped out of his Thoughts by a soft sobbing and his eyes catching something sparkling in the moonlight. Nothing in the Barrel should shine that nicely, but anything could cry that pitifully.

Kaz had been fully aware of his surroundings even in thought, he saw every person he passed, every brick in the walls, every even so tiny movement alerted his mind and every sound called his attention.

This was a bit different though, nobody was this far into the alley, unless they were Streetchildren, but they wouldn't possess anything so big with such a beautiful metallic shiny.

He felt drawn towards it, but shortly after realised it was the metal on his person softly dragging him closer to the figure clutching the object, which he would've assumed had been a normal broken box tossed into the streets, if it weren't for its golden tone and metallic shine.

The Person clutching onto it, in order to not lose balance, however fit much more into the Barrel part of Ketterdam.

Ragged and dirty, one almost wouldn't mind the otherwise pristine clothing. Kaz had run into his next problem, or maybe puzzle piece, and it was yet again a Grisha Indenture.

He didn't have anything against Grisha, but this is getting slightly out of hand. Kaz felt a wave of disgust rush over him as the person puked, then falling to their knees and making it clear about the lack of air they were getting.

The boy finally looked at Kaz, basically looming above him. Slowly looking up, even more tears welling up in his eyes as theirs meet.

Before Kaz could say anything, the boy spoke in a hoarse, almost begging tone "..are you...you are not a Mercher, are you?"
Kaz almost snorted at that "..No, quite the Opposite. Why? Are you running from your Indenture Debt?" He looked the Boy in front of him up and down.

dirty, messy hair, thinly like he lost a lot of weight quickly, seemingly sick, ragged clothing, dirt and crushed chrysanthemum around him, he must've broken a pot in panic and then of course there was the golden box next to him.

Kaz took a step forward to question and inspect him further, which startled the young man so much he basically jumped backwards against the brick wall.

Kaz froze. The Boy had jumped backwards against a brick wall, clutching two bricks to stand on his feet. The bricks went from a dirty red to gold.

'Magic!' was the first thought in Kaz's Brain

Kaz's second thought was 'Magic isn't real, you imbecile' but he couldn't deny the brick was now of the same metallic shine as the box.

his attention hopped from place to place from his general awareness of his surroundings, to the boy and back to the golden bricks.

"..This isn't Natural even for Grisha to be able to do." Kaz said this more to himself than directly to the young man, who seemingly had drawn some sort of conclusion from his cane and suit, but definitely not the correct one.

"I-i'm talented ! I'm Grisha! You...you gotta..", the Boy started to stumble and sway, "..i just...please, help me..."

He collapsed like a poorly build card house stacked on a sleeping pig woken by a raging bull.

"Ghezen's Tit, Kazzie!" Jesper finally said from his place at Kaz's Desk. They had thrown the Boy onto a makeshift bed hidden in Kaz's office/bedroom.

Jesper had rested himself on his Chair, with his feet on the desk, while Inej sat down at the windowsill and Kaz resting on his bed.

"for the last time, don't call me that." Kaz scowled at him, keeping his own voice low, "and what else was I supposed to do? He made actual gold from jackshit, Jes! Whatever Merch had him, suck to be that guy."

Inej had listened intently while keeping her eyes on the boy, with an expression Kaz knew meant her morals were about to act out again.

He made Eye contact with Jesper until the sharpshooter nodded quickly.

one. two. three-

"We can't just use him like that, he needs a Medik." came out of three mouths simultaneously, only one with actual worry, while the other two sounded much more smug at their correct guessing.

Inej smiled softly at them and rolled her eyes "Shut up. Somebody has to have a teaspoon of morality in this Murder!"

"Would you like to be bought another Spoon for this situation then?" Kaz asked, half in thoughts trying to think of what to do now. There was always the Plan to...

"-Scheming face." he heard Jesper say to Inej, who chuckled at him.

I was in the middle of a plan, stop being so beautiful, he thought and put on a scowl.

"I have a Plan for the Fabrikator."

"What are we going to do?" Inej asked. Jesper turned to him.

Kaz grinned slightly and lifted himself off his Bed, before answering his Crows.

"I hope Nina practiced her tailoring."

Yes, this was going to go in his favor.