#kazej

[youaremyworldlois]

the thing about shadow and bone season two is that unlike MANY other showrunners they didn’t act dumb abt Netflix cancellation record and said slow burns in THIS economy? yeah we know better

[i-am-traveling-the-multifandom]

Kaz: I'm not that much of an awful person-

Inej: Yes, you are but continue.

Kaz *ignoring her*: -I prevented a murder today.

Jesper *surprised*: Really, how?

Kaz *staring at Nina*: Self-control.

Mathias *solemnly*: Aah yes. Understandable.

Nina *offended*: Excuse me!!

Wylan *visibly concerned*: You all need therapy.

[manyregerts]

I'll admit that it kinda rubbed me the wrong way a little, at first, the way they had Kaz point out such an obvious weakness as lack of pain-- ignoring, of course, that the only reason it's obvious to me is because it's such a common trope. But the more I think about it, the more I actually really like it. I can't remember if the books explicitly state Inej's level of violence and if so, when/how it escalates, but in the show at least her first kill is on screen. Once Kaz explains the logic behind no pain being a weakness, Inej had no problems implementing that. It was never a skill issue, she just hadn't yet become violent minded enough to apply her skillset in such a purposefully lethal way. Kaz "Bastard of the Barrel" Brekker, of course, had no issues thinking that way immediately.

I'm so mentally ill about them please send help

[sophie-collins-lightwood]

Alina just climbing in the trunk of her own accord was peak wattpad girl istg

[kumeko]

A/N: I need to shove Kazej into a closet, work off that UST that’s even present after she literally killed in front of him XD I wanted to dig a little into the two kills in s1, that line Inej thought she’d never cross before realizing that everyone, even her, has a price.

…

…

…

…

i.

The first time Inej kills, it is by instinct. Adrenaline mixed with fear, her knife flies out of her hands before she even thinks of it. There is no sound except the soft thud as the inferni’s body hits the ground, the harsh pants as she catches her breath, Kaz’s sharp intake as he realizes just how narrowly he escaped death this time.

There were three people in this room. Now, there are two and a corpse. Inej locks eyes with Kaz and finds a similar expression of surprise, of fear, of dawning realization.

She killed.

Inej killed.

There is blood on her hands.

She doesn’t think as she slips over the rail, as she falls to the first floor, as she silently makes her way to the body. Her footsteps are muffled by the thundering of her heart and for a moment, there is nothing but her and the corpse, all other concerns fading away. The inferni is still and quiet, in ways he wasn’t just a mere minute ago, in ways he will always be for the rest of time. Blood pools around his head, her dagger gleaming in the flickering light.

And still the inferni does not move.

Kaz does, his steps loud and clunky. The sound used to reassure her. Now, she doesn’t know how to feel. In all aspects that matter, he’s the reason this happened.

She had long thought she would never kill, but it seems even she has her line. Inej cannot tear her eyes away from the dead man, the way his body is hunched over and curled. It is not her first body and yet, in many ways, it is.

“I…killed him,” she whispers. The words make it all the more real and her hands tremble. A dagger had left her hands. Her oath had been broken without a thought. Did that make it worse than doing it on purpose?

“Inej, look at me,” Kaz pleads, Kaz demands. His voice stirs her out of her reverie. When her eyes meet his, there is something akin to desperation in his expression. “You saved me.”

A life for a life. His for a stranger’s. Inej understands. She’s seen it in plenty of times before. Self-defense is a common murder weapon for Ketterdam. It is not an excuse she expected to ever wield. Kaz or the inferni, a simple choice.

If only it could be so simple.

No. Inej’s fist curls, her nails digging into her skin. No, that’s entirely wrong. It was that easy. It was all too easy. If only it weren’t that easy, if only it had been hard. The knife had flown from her hands without a second thought and even now, she knew she’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Inej doesn’t know what that makes her but she doesn’t like it.

ii.

The second time Inej kills, it is a choice. It is an inferni again and Inej wonders if she will forever associate fire with the ashes that come after.

The woman stands still in front of her, the dagger in her chest doing little to cool the inferno in her eyes. Even now, injured as she was, the inferni has a threat on her lips, a snarl deep in her throat. Her blood boils with a hatred as strong as the fires she conjures. Perhaps her brother looked like that too. He certainly had sounded like it when he’d threatened Kaz.

But looks…Inej isn’t certain what her first kill looked like. His body had been face-down, his profile hidden in shadow. She’ll never forget how still he was, how silent, how lifeless. In every way, the exact opposite of the spark burning in front of her right now.

Her hand is still on the dagger. A choice lies before her, and she doesn’t want to take it.

“I’d wait till a Healer is close by before you pull this out,” Inej suggests. She doesn’t need another ghost lingering behind her, another reminder of the line she had crossed. There are enough problems with the living without taking on the dead too.

“Suli trash,” the inferni spits out, her words covered in poison. Her eyes narrow. “I will track you down and kill everyone you love. And then.” A breath. A promise. An oath. “You.”

There’s no lie in her words. Vengeance is commonplace in the streets and alleys of Ketterdam and Inej’s lived long enough to recognize when someone means it.

She’s lived long enough to know the results of it.

Jesper. Kaz.

Perhaps there’s a way to end this bloodlessly. And if she waits long enough, she might think of one. But there’s a chance, there always will be a chance, of this all coming to bite her later and unlike Jesper, Inej doesn’t like rolling the dice.

“In that case.” Inej pauses. Her hand is still on the dagger. She cannot write away this kill, this moment. It’s not a mere reflex but a decision. Her decision. “I’ll take my knife back.”

She pulls the blade out. Her hand doesn’t tremble this time.

iii.

The third time Inej kills, it’s almost natural. A simple toss of the dagger, a momentary consideration before jumping over the line.

She doesn’t want to think about what that means.

[wandawxdow]

Six of Crows & Shadow and Bone fic recs

Six of Crows

Kaz Brekker x Inej Ghafa fic recs

Jesper Fahey x Wylan Van Eck fic recs

Other / Platonic / Character-Centric

A Thief’s Hands by Anibelli

Five Times Kaz Saved Jesper and the One Time Jesper Saved Kaz by Silverstar1

Wylan Van Eck: Demolition Expert and Clothes Thief by Silverstar1 

Shadow and Bone

Alina Starkov x Aleksander Morozova fic recs

Aleksander Morozova x Reader

First Snow by @dearmantis

heart to heart by @dearmantis

birth of the bone-breaker by @hopingforrainydays

[im-someone-i-guess]

Yes Kazej, Suli for pain

[guardianofweirdness]

I just finished crooked kingdom.

When I read books that make me cry, it’s almost always out of grief. Sorrow. The characters I love are dying, the circumstances are awful. But still, books rarely make me cry.

I sobbed at the end of crooked kingdom. But they were sobs of joy. Literal sobs of relief and hope. Kaz has grown so much. Inej isn’t leaving him, but she’s still seeking out her calling. Kaz fucking touched Inej and I bawled. I don’t know what divine abode Leigh Bardugo descended from, but she wrote the first book to make me cry from joy. These characters deserve so much.