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nazyalenskyism · 2 years

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Is It Just An Act?

a/n: Here's another fic for this year's @grishaversebigbang . Attached below are the pieces created by the amazing artists I got to work with to make this fic! Be sure to check them out!

Materialki: @songbee (the piece can be found here x), @purns-art (the piece can be found here x) , @gowridraws (the piece can be found here x)

Summary: How long can Zoya and Nikolai go on pretending that their relationship is anything but fake?

Ao3: Is It Just An Act?

January 13: Genya Safin’s job title was a bit of a secret, that was to say that no one really knew what she did. When asked, she usually told people that she worked in public relations, which wasn’t exactly a lie, it just wasn’t descriptive enough. Her friends and her clients might consider her a Fixer, though that wasn’t a word that was often thrown around and so they called her an advisor of sorts. While not all the people who hired her required her to deal with the unsavoury, she was glad none of her friends had been in need of her services, though they definitely ran in circles that required her more often than not. A professional athlete, an author, whatever Zoya was up to now, the son of one of Ravka’s richest families who had tried just about every career path he could imagine, even her husband David and friend Nadia who ran their own labs might require her services, but surprisingly hadn’t. Yet when she opened the door to see Nikolai Lantsov’s face, she knew that the day had finally come.

“Surprise.”

“What are you doing here?” She knew why, but as someone who had vehemently said that he was capable of running his own life, he needed this as much as she did.

“Genya, darling, it’s been too long to pretend you didn’t miss me.”

“You were at Tolya and Tamar’s birthday party six months ago,” Genya studied her nails. It was time for a new set, she’d have to ask the group chat for suggestions, she was feeling adventurous this week and with the paycheck Nikolai Lantsov was about to put into her hands, she would be able to go all out.

“Are you going to let me in? I brought cake.”

“David, Nikolai’s here,” Genya called over her shoulder, making her way into the kitchen to inspect the cake he’d brought. A small pink champagne cake decorated with buttercream flowers sat at the centre of the box. Her favourite kind of cake; pink and flowery, from her favourite bakery– the most expensive bakery in the city. He must really need her help then.

“I came here to talk to you, actually,” he corrected, “though it’s always lovely to see your face, David.”

David waved distractedly from his workstation where he was hunched over a circuit board with the handle of a screwdriver between his teeth and a pencil tucked behind his ear. This was what she loved most about her job, that it gave her the means to pursue a career during the day and engage with her hobbies in the evening with her husband. While Genya had always been a fan of science herself, taking a particular interest in chemistry, she’d decided to make a career out of her other love, fixing everyone else’s problems.

“His majesty brought cake,” Genya said quietly, approaching David, not wanting to disturb him. While he could focus with anything happening in the background, and he’d never complained about being interrupted, she still preferred not to surprise him, she liked to watch the way his brows furrowed in concentration before he worked out whatever it was that puzzled him.

David chewed his first bite thoughtfully. He was paying attention to every detail he could find and though he knew little of baking, Genya knew he was already coming to some conclusion in his head about the composition of this particular cake. “Delicious, but not as tasty as yours,” he murmured at last, tilting his head back to press a sweet kiss to her lips. “Can you tell his highness to check his email, I sent him some notes that need reviewing.”

“Nikolai–” Genya called, smoothing back David’s unruly hair in the hopes it stayed out of his eyes.

“I heard.”

“Okay, then get talking.”

“I need your help,” he began, fiddling with an apple from the fruit bowl. It wasn’t uncommon behaviour for him, Nikolai had a propensity for doing anything but remaining still, but this was not regular fidgeting, this was nervous movement. What had he gotten himself into?

“How bad is it?” she asked, placing her hands over his, stopping his movements.

“I need you to set me up.”

Genya’s fork clattered against her plate. “What?”

“He wants a romantic relationship,” David called out. He was digging into his cake, work completely forgotten. “Likely because of the negative press that’ll come out once people learn about his father’s financial crimes.”

He sighed, “I need to distance myself from the Lantsovs. If I’d known what my parents were up to, I would’ve never come back to this.” The Lantsovs were an older family in the entertainment industry, Nikolai had been a tabloid staple long before he even learned how to read. Despite managing to escape the public eye when he went to university on the other side of the world, he had been dragged back to grace the front page of every gossip magazine in town. “It’s getting worse, then?” “It’s always been this bad, I just refused to acknowledge it. That’s why I need something to tide the papers over, something long, that we can use to keep my name out of that conversation.”

“It may be easier to change your name,” David hummed. “I always liked Nikolai Opjer.”

Genya shook her head at Nikolai, glad to see him finally smiling at her husband’s antics. “You want a long-term relationship you can use to control the narrative around your name. I can do that.” ---

January 31:

He knew Genya was good at her job, she was the best in the business to be honest but Saints, that was the worst date he’d ever been on. The fact that it was a fake date was all the more troubling. He was a good actor, excellent in fact, but he didn’t think he could feign interest if the only thing his partner wanted to discuss was her ‘best friend’, though he suspected that she viewed him as more than that. Then there was the whole section of the evening that consisted of his date explaining in excruciating detail how she had recently met someone new who was inviting her into a “whole new world,” (her words not his) before launching into an impromptu karaoke session, only after which did Nikolai realise that she might in fact be what Nadia liked to call a “Disney adult.” The night had ended with him thoroughly amused at the idea of listening to the details of her nearly soap-operatic life again, but also a mutual understanding that while they’d both had a decent night, neither of them particularly cared to do this again.

Nikolai finally managed to get a hold of the matchmaker in charge of his misery after a long walk of self reflection where he determined that this was perhaps the worst idea he’d ever come up with, which was startling given that most of his ideas were horrific. At least David never thought so.

“Genya Safin, how may I help you?”

“You don’t have my number saved?”

She ignored him. “How was the date?”

“Alina Starkov, really Genya? Isn’t she dating that footballer? Mel Oretson?”

“You know it’s Mal Oretsev,” Genya sighed. “You never forget a name.”

“To know I’d actually have to care, which I don’t.”

“They’re on again off again,” she continued, ignoring him again. “She was looking for a relationship because during their last break either Mal made out with someone when he was drunk or she met this other guy— I don't remember and I don’t care. Those two are more exhausting than the week leading up to an awards show or gala.”

“Which one?”

“Every awards show and gala in every industry combined.”

Nikolai laughed, “at least now I know I’m not the most annoying person in your life.”

She sighed and Nikolai could imagine her massaging her temples in frustration. “You’re not even close, you’ve really grown out of your meddlesome phase.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You really shouldn’t. Have you tried being like Tamar and Nadia? There was no drama there, just them realising how they felt and boom! Now they’re the cutest couple I know.”

“Ouch?”

“So, no to Alina?“

“No to Alina unless there’s no one else you can think of but please Genya, think of someone else. Anyone else. Please.”

“Is Nikolai Lantsov begging me to find him a ‘romantic partner’?” She teased, using David’s words.

“No, not begging. I’m asking politely. And not a ‘romantic partner’, I don’t have time for romance.”

“No one has time for romance but they find it anyways. Look at David, there was no getting his head out the labs until–”

“Until you came along, yes, believe me, I remember.” David and Genya were two of his favourite people on earth, and as much as he considered himself their number one fan, he was also disgusted by how in love they were. Yes, he would like to be as in love as they were one day, but he didn’t see that happening any time soon. Despite how much everyone told him he was a romantic at heart, he knew that his familial obligations would win out. At least, it was much easier to go with that than the truth; that he had already found the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but was unsure if she wanted the same.

“She’s not that bad,” she sighed, twirling the phone cord around her fingers, “but you’re right, she’s a bit flighty, she’ll probably be back with Mal by the end of the week.”

“I’d like to think I’m the opposite of flighty, I can’t do this with someone who won’t stick around.” That was the problem with choosing Zoya, he didn’t know if she’d stick around if he said he wanted them to actually take a chance on them as a couple.

Genya smiled, glad he couldn't see her face. This was good, everything was going exactly as planned. “I think the next person I have in mind will be a much better fit.”

“I don't know if I should trust you after that disaster.”

“Come on, Nikolai, you wouldn’t have come to me if you didn’t have faith in me. Anyways, you’re desperate, you don’t have much of a choice.”

He groaned, “fine, but if next time is as bad as today…”

“It won’t be,” she could guarantee that. “Promise.”

“Well if you promise…”

Genya smiled to herself, ignoring the curious glance from her husband. With the way things were going, Nikolai Lantsov would finally meet his match.

___

February 3:

Three days later, Nikolai tapped his fingers against his watch face, his leg hammering away underneath the table. Usually he contained his nervous energy but since he was sitting alone in a private dining room at Os Alta, the most romantic restaurant in the city, he felt it was warranted. He really should’ve asked Genya who he was supposed to be meeting today but it had completely slipped from his mind.

He spotted her first, how could he not? Even in her attempts to dress casual, she attracted attention, looking like she just walked off the catwalk at Paris fashion week. She could wear a paper bag and still be the most beautiful person in the room, which was exactly why he knew who she was before he saw her face.

“Reservation for Safin,” she pushed her sunglasses into her hair, scanning the tables as the hostess walked her towards the room. She halted in the doorway, eyes narrowing at him. “Lantsov.”

“Nazyalensky.”

Neither said anything further until the hostess left, carefully closing the door behind her, and to his surprise, she was the one who broke the silence. “You’re who Genya chose?”

“I was her first choice for you? Clearly she knows to choose the best.”

“You wish,” she sank into the chair he pulled out for her. “The first one was with Mel Olitsev. He spent the whole time sniffling about Alina.”

“She did the same about him,” he caught her eye, and despite themselves, they shared an amused look. Just their luck to be set up with two people insufferably in love with each other. He wondered if she’d talked about him during her date, then pushed that thought aside. He understood why Genya had set them up, but she didn’t know how Nikolai’s heart was already invested in Zoya, how he couldn’t afford to let himself get swept up in the theatrics.

“This is ridiculous. I can’t believe Genya would even suggest this.”

“Do you want to choose the appetizer?”

“What’s the point? We’re not doing this. There’s no point keeping up the charade.”

“Why wouldn’t we do this?” Nikolai asked, leaning back into his seat. “We’ve worked well together in the past and this is just work, isn’t it?” They had starred in a movie together, went on a whirlwind presstour where they flirted for the cameras during the day, forgetting themselves at night, nearly crossing the line far too many times.

Until they had.

She knew he must be remembering the same thing she was, stolen moments even their friends didn’t know about. But all of that felt like it had happened in another universe, to another Zoya, one who lived forever in the feeling Nikolai inspired in her, levity and warmth. It would be lying, though, to pretend a part of her wasn’t curious to know what it would be like to have the flirty, vulnerable Nikolai she'd met then, all to herself, for real.

“I need this to last. I need commitment to the role, not someone who leaves as soon as he gets what he wants.” She was fairly sure that she knew the virtues of Nikolai Lantsov, the real ones, not the garbage he pretended to care about in interviews. Nikolai had honour, he wouldn’t let her down by quitting before she was satisfied, but her situation had never been this dire. There was no leniency for her like there was for him, even once his family’s scandals leaked, she was sure that he would get a second chance someday, but the world wouldn’t extend that same courtesy to her. Her likeability wasn’t enough to get her through this dip in her career, and if she didn’t find her way into an upwards trajectory, she knew she wouldn’t have a career for much longer.

Her last role had been something similar to previous jobs, but where she’d thought her performance would move people, all she got were lambasting reviews calling her a one-trick pony. “That’s why I need this. There’s so much riding on this movie for me, I can’t afford to have slack in any other part of my life.”

“You need a doting boyfriend, one to hold your train at the red carpet and hold your hand otherwise. Stability. Normalcy, while you experiment with your job. That’s manageable. I’m very good at loving glances.” His adoring expression was a little too spot on, and Zoya fought back a shiver. Why did he have to be such a good actor? It would be so much easier to hate him if he didn’t still make her heart clench, after all this time. That was why she didn’t like dating, especially dating other actors, it was too hard to tell when they were being genuine and when they were acting. It was why she couldn’t tell Nikolai she wanted him.

“So, Nazyalensky, are we doing this?” Nikolai held out his hand, expectantly, but when she went to shake his to seal the deal, he flipped hers over, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. She almost startled out of her seat, he’d already shrugged on the role of lovesick boyfriend, hadn’t he?

ZOYA NAZYALENSKY SPOTTED ENTERING OS ALTA FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SOURCES SAY THE ACTRESS WAS ON A DATE WITH ONE OF HOLLYWOOD’S LATEST WHITE BOYS OF THE MONTH.

___

February 10:

They met again a week later at another one of the city’s most popular restaurants. Genya and David sat in a hidden corner of the room, keeping an eye on the proceedings, as if they could intervene if Zoya looked at Nikolai even a little bit hostility, like she was prone to do. It wasn’t her fault, he purposely goaded her sometimes, she simply fought back when needed. The evening had been going well, funnily enough. There was a reason the two of them had aced their chemistry reading for The Too Clever Fox, why their presstour had been filled with clamouring “Zoyalai” shippers, a term that Nikolai used till this day to refer to them as.

They were both private, and neither had been spotted in public with anyone else since that press tour, so Genya suspected that people would think that they’d secretly been together since then. They’d shared another glance when Genya said that, she didn’t know how close to the truth she actually was. There was a reason they’d never been spotted with other people: every few months, between jobs, or whenever they were in the same city, they seemed to fall into one another, again and again. While fans and their friends couldn’t figure out if they got along or loathed each other, only they knew that it was a bit of both. She hated how little it took to curl back into his arms, how much she longed for quiet nights in a hotel room, sharing takeout and running lines for auditions in peaceful companionship. She didn’t know if Nikolai felt vexed by her and her aloofness, he certainly never acted like it, but considering the possibility that he might only like her, and not hate himself for it was too much for her. If he wanted to be with her, truly, he wouldn’t hide behind the guise of needing a P.R. relationship, would he? He was always much more comfortable with displaying his emotions than she’d ever been.

“Hold my hand,” Nikolai murmured, finally spotting the paparazzi Genya had likely called on them.

She gazed at him over the top of her sunglasses, “what?” Even when they spent stolen moments together, they were never very intimate. It was just two friends spending time together, completely platonic and understandable. Except for the kisses, the evenings curled up in each other's arms, the quiet whispers in the middle of the night, nothing between them but the refusal to acknowledge what this might really be.

Fine, holding hands was nothing new for them, but displaying any emotion, even if it was faked, in public still dazed her. Especially when she was growing less and less sure of her ability to keep her actual feelings separate from this job.

“Hold my hand,” he repeated, slowly walking his fingers towards her with a smile, giving her enough time to do it without it looking staged.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“This is a fake date, Nazyalensky. Would it kill you to make it look at least a little believable?”

“It would,” she pushed her sunglasses back up. “Besides, I can’t.”

“Why not?”

She’d forgotten that a fake relationship with Nikolai required real displays of affection, something she barely displayed in private when it was just him. It felt odd now, she wasn’t sure if she was comfortable acting like this when there was unacknowledged truth behind her actions. “Because I’m allergic to skin-to-skin contact.”

“No wonder you’re such a pleasure to be around, you’ve never been kissed.”

Zoya raised a brow, as if wasn’t the one always trying to kiss her. “Awh,” she mocked, “is this your way of saying you’re desperate to kiss me?”

“I would think someone trying to win her first Oscar would be glad to put her acting skills on display.”

She rolled her eyes, “I know what you’re doing.”

He leaned towards her, she thought she’d figured him out then, or at least she liked to tell herself that. “Really? Enlighten me then, what exactly am I doing?”

Nikolai didn’t miss the way her eyes lingered on his lips. “You’re trying to goad me. It won’t work.”

“Is that what this is?” he murmured, moving close enough to press their lips together if either of them moved. “You’re not doing a very good job,” she breathed, slipping her hand into his. He jolted at the unexpected sensation, and Zoya sank back into her seat with a cheshire cat grin. Nikolai Lantsov was not easily stunned, and yet she’d managed to do it with something as simple as holding his hand. Maybe he wasn’t as predictable as she thought. Maybe he wasn’t acting all the time with her. She sipped at her drink, enjoying her victory, conveniently forgetting later that she’d spent the entirety of the meal with his fingers intertwined with hers, his thumb rubbing slow circles over her knuckles.

February 14: NIKOLAI LANTSOV JUST POSTED A PICTURE OF A ROMANTIC CANDLELIT EVENING WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND ZOYA NAZYALENSKY AND WE’RE SERIOUSLY JEALOUS.

April 10: NIKOLAI LANTSOV CAUGHT IN NEW YORK VISTING ZOYA NAZYALENSKY ON SET OF ‘THE STORM WITCH’ . “THE DEVOTED BOYFRIEND BROUGHT HER FAVOURITE SNACKS AND DROVE HER HOME FROM FILMING EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS” INSIDERS SAY.

June 28: ZOYA NAZYALENSKY SPOTTED GETTING FITTED FOR AN ORIGINAL LITTLE PALACE GOWN FOR THE PREMIERE OF NIKOLAI LANTSOV’S NEW FILM, ‘DEMON KING’. FRIENDS SAY THAT THE COUPLE ARE HOPELESSLY IN LOVE.

July 31: ZOYA NAZYALENSKY AND NIKOLAI LANTSOV SPOTTED WALKING INTO THE RAVKAN NATIONAL BALLET HOLDING HANDS, WEEKS AFTER THEIR ROMANTIC RED CARPET PICS. SOURCES SAY THEY WERE SNUGGLING IN THE LANTSOV’S PRIVATE BOX BEFORE AN INTIMATE DINNER AT THE CROW CLUB.

___

August 22:

“I hate that word, snuggling,” Zoya shuddered, tossing Nadia’s phone back at her. “Besides, those headlines are all ridiculous, we didn’t do most of that stuff, at least not how they said it.”

“Were you actually snuggling– sorry, cuddling?” Tolya’s birthday sash crinkled as he teased her, of course her usually quiet and helpful friend had to poke fun at her about this. It was the twins’ birthday party so she couldn’t even fight back.

“No! You don’t get it, Tolya. He’s insufferable!”

“You’ve managed to get this far without throttling him, you can do this. Have faith.” He patted her shoulder sympathetically, grinning at Tamar over Zoya’s sullen form. For all her acting, their friends all had a pretty good idea of how they really felt about each other, even if they didn’t know the specifics. No one went along with what they’d been doing for this long, all that public PDA, unless they actually wanted to do it.

“I’m miserable.”

“No you’re not,” Tamar snorted. It was ridiculous how she couldn’t see that she was moping as much as Nikolai right now. “Everyone sees the way you two look at each other.”

Tolya tried to send her a warning look, but it was too late. Zoya’s eyes flashed dangerously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Take that for example,” she nodded at the door where Nikolai had just come into the restaurant. “He can’t take his eyes off of you. Not now, not ever.”

“And you’re not any better,” Nadia added after a minute. “You haven’t looked away from him at all, either. You two are always like this, but you’ve gotten even worse this year.”

“For actors, you’re really transparent about how you actually feel,” Tamar agreed.

___

As Nikolai made his way over to his friends, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of Zoya in her favourite dress. He thought it would be okay, that he could do this without letting his feelings for her get all tangled up in this, but he had been so incredibly wrong. Their meetings had been scheduled by Genya at first but as they spent more and more time together, they began going on dates every night they could. Gone were the days of holing up in a hotel room, sitting in front of the tv, watching sappy rom coms and ordering room service. He loved those moments, but this was something they’d never allowed themselves to do before, be together and happy outside of their little bubble. It had gotten so comfortable between them, he’d gotten so wrapped up in this being everything he had ever wanted, that he’d forgotten that he still didn’t know if she wanted this for real.

He suddenly felt like he needed an answer right now, he needed to know if she wanted them to do this for real. When Nadia and the twins left to greet more guests, he found himself curled in a loveseat with Zoya in the back corner of the room, far away from prying eyes.

“You know,” Zoya said, when he couldn’t find the words to ask her, “Genya called me up and told me that there were enough stories about us being cute, and that we needed more photographic evidence,” she huffed a laugh, “I can’t believe that’s her actual job, she’s like a reverse detective, laying evidence instead of finding it.”

“If that’s really what we need, a little practising wouldn’t hurt, would it?”

“Put your arm around me, then.”

Nikolai did just that, pulling her closer. “Put your head on my shoulder.” She did, the scent of wildflowers engulfing him as she rested her cheek against him. His fingers traced an absent pattern against her side while she nestled further into him.

“You know,” she murmured, brushing a stray strand of his hair back as she gazed in a way that he might consider adoring if he didn’t know better. “This might actually be nice, if it were real.” Nikolai had to have felt what she did, the shift in their relationship over these last few months. Zoya wanted him, wanted this more than she ever had, but she needed to know if he actually wanted this too, or if it was all just an act.

“We make a lovely couple, hypothetically,” he agreed. “You’re quite the actress.”

That was all this was to him. Acting.

“You’re not too bad yourself.” Her fingers trailed down his skin, brushed lightly against his lips before settling at his jaw. She wanted to let it go, but she couldn’t. “That’s it? Everything between us is just an act?”

Zoya didn’t think she’d ever heard him hesitant before, “is that what you want? For this to be an act?” “No,” her words came out as quieter than they ever had. Nikolai exhaled, thumb brushing over her cheek, “I want this too.”

“It took you long enough,” she laughed, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. Saints, he didn’t know how badly she wanted to hear those words. “Ouch,” he pouted. “With the way this is going, it seems like our last date as a fake couple,” he teased.

“Fine by me. You need me, not vice versa.”

“Really, Nazyalensky? No one likes a liar now. Well, I do, but I’ve always been a bit of an enigma.”

She snorted, “that’s putting it lightly.”

“You need this as much as I do.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t, but I can find what I need anywhere else,”

He wanted to laugh, “of course,” he played along, looping his fingers around her wrist, “but you still want me all the same.”

“I’ve never wanted you.”

“Let’s not lie, Zoya.”

“I’ve never wanted you,” she shrugged.

“Of course you haven’t,” he agreed, tipping his face towards hers.

“I hate you,” Zoya whispered, her cheek pressed to his. For once, she was glad they were free of paparazzi, she felt so lightheaded, she knew she must look affected.

“Smile for the cameras, Zoya,” he moved even closer. She was nearly draped across his legs, all anyone else could see was a tangle of limbs in the back of a dimly lit birthday party. Maybe that was why she threw inhibition out the window. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. If this was any other moment, she would’ve rolled her eyes, said something snarky and left him staring after her. Instead, she closed the distance, pressing her lips to his. She felt his fingers curl in her hair, her own grasp and his collar, both of them forgetting the world around them.

___

The next morning her phone had nearly vibrated off the bedside table, texts coming in so fast she could barely read them.

lada: when are you bringing your new boyfriend home? liliyana wants to meet him!!!

zoya: It’s not that serious, Lada. We’ve been on a few dates, that’s it.

lada: thats not what it looks like 🤨

zoya: ?

lada: check twitter

zoya: I don’t have that

zoya: is that the purple app or the red one

zoya: lada

zoya: lada come back

lada: mama says he’s even more handsome than last time. did you know he was on the cover of ravkan vogue a few months ago? you look like you really like him zoyaaaa

zoya is typing…

tamar: ZOYA YOU’RE ON THE COVER OF RAVKA’S BAZAR WITH NIKOLAI LANTSOV’S TONGUE DOWN YOUR THROAT

Genya Safin: EXPLAIN?

Genya Safin: saints, i just saw

David Kostyk: Good job! 🤗🤗 But I thought you didn’t want “full on PDA… kissing and that sort of stuff,” Zoya? tamar: saints david did you just quote her word for word? anyways it doesn’t matter what she said when she clearly feels differently 😏😏

Nikolai: what are you talking about

↳ Genya: look at this:

Zoya swiped through the pictures as she walked to the kitchenette, she desperately needed coffee. Tolya with balloons, Tamar smearing cake on Nadia’s nose, a bunch of group photos with friends, and in the very back of the last photo was Nikolai with his hands in Zoya’s hair, her fingers resting against his cheek, locked in a heated kiss. Saints help her. There were pictures of them getting into the same cab, getting out at Nikolai’s hotel hand in hand.

Genya: That’s exactly what we needed! How did you know Tolya was taking pictures then? Nikolai, the way you’re looking at her is perfect... you didn’t have to kiss like that, but it really sealed the deal. i have a meeting, but that was fantastic. how long have you two actually been into each other? we’ll talk about what you want to do after the premiere next week. love you

“So,” Nikolai hummed, leaning against the counter. For someone who’d stayed up all night talking to her, he didn’t look tired at all. “What do you think, Nazyalesnky? You want to keep doing this after the premiere?”

“Shut up,” she rolled her eyes, handing him a mug. “That’s so embarrassing, I can’t believe we got caught twice last night.” “I can. We weren’t being very discrete.”

“And now everyone knows about us. For real. Including our friends.”

“Yep.”

“And you’re sure you still want this?” “Yep.”

“Fantastic,” he hummed, pulling her into another sweet kiss. Her phone continued buzzing on the counter, undoubtedly more photos of them had found their way onto the internet, but she didn’t care. Yesterday had been the last day of their fake-relationship and all she cared about was the very real one she had in front of her.

#gvbbmb22 #gvbbmbfic22 #is it just an act?#zoyalai fic #zoyalai #genyadavid #denya #king of scars fic #nikolai lantsov #tgt #s&b #zoya nazyalensky #kos #genya safin #david kostyk #the grishaverse #tgv

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nazyalenskyism · 2 years

Text

The Set Up

a/n: It's been a while, but here's a fic for this year's @grishaversebigbang . Attached below are the pieces created by the amazing artists I got to work with to make this fic! Be sure to check them out!

Materialki: @cosmicjiver (find the piece here x) @justagrishafae (find the piece here x)

Summary: Nikolai ropes Zoya into helping him with his university goal … setting up their friends. Playing Cupid leads to revelations about their own feelings that they've spent years trying to push down, and they're forced to reckon with how they really feel.

Ao3: The Set Up

“One caramel macchiato with three shots of espresso and a vanilla-raspberry donut.” Nikolai slid the order across the table, watching Zoya’s eyes narrow as it slid closer and closer to her.

“The closest starbucks is blocks away from the donut shop. You don’t even like donuts, so what do you want?” Classic Zoya, she would never accept a gift without checking what strings were attached. Still, she never missed an opportunity to take his offerings.

“I wanted to treat my vice president. Is that really so unbelievable?” He had been bringing in food while the two of them worked late into the night on student-body issues but despite this, she was still as suspicious as she had been the first time he’d done it. Like he said, classic Zoya.

“Tell me what you want or get out, Nikolai.”

“I need your help.”

Zoya wrinkled her nose, “no thank you.” At least she was being polite, four years ago she would’ve slammed the door in his face. Oh how far they’d come.

“That’s not very nice.” “I’m not very nice.”

“Come on, Nazyalensky. All I want is a little bit of help setting up Kaz Brekker.”

She perked up, “setting up Kaz Brekker as in, framing him for a crime?”

“You sound way too happy about the prospect of getting Kaz locked up. Besides, we’re the heads of the student body, we’re not supposed to be endorsing criminal activity.”

“We wouldn’t be endorsing criminal activity, we’d be partaking in it, there’s a difference. Anyways, he deserves to be locked up for that haircut alone.” She wasn’t wrong, the haircut was awful, but that was besides the point.

He dropped the jesting tone from his voice, “I want to set him up with Inej.”

She stared at him. For a minute, then two, and as used to as Nikolai was to Zoya’s staring contests, her opposition on this would be costly. She was the only person who wouldn’t be scared by Kaz’s threats of enucleation. Finally she spoke, waving a dismissive hand at him before turning back to her work. “That sounds like a death wish.”

“I’ve been thinking about my legacy at this fine institution, and I want to go out with a bang.”

“Being student president isn’t enough? Your wish will definitely come true if you try to meddle in Kaz Brekker’s personal life.”

“Zoya, dear,” he sighed, “think about it. Wouldn’t Kaz be less of a menace if he wasn’t pining all the time? If we don’t meddle, they may never acknowledge their feelings. Is that what you want for them? Besides, why stop there? We’ll set up Matthias and Nina, Jesper and Wylan too.”

“I’ve been without love for as long as I can remember, and I’m fine.” She ignored the wounded look aimed her way. As much as he acted like he could deny it, he never would. Denying meant a confession that would ruin everything. Maybe there’s a reason they don’t consider their feelings. That’s what she thought whenever she looked at Nikolai. Gone were the days of toying with boys at frat parties just to see if she could, it had never been like that between them, it never would be. But that didn’t stop the foolish part of her that hoped that he felt what she did, that she wasn’t alone in this. They had been partners in nearly every way for the last four years, and graduation meant that there was a very strong possibility that they wouldn’t be for much longer. And yet, she couldn’t bear the thought of not being on the same page as him for this. Tell me the reason you don’t show me how you feel is because you understand why you can’t. It would be so much easier than facing the truth, that maybe there was nothing there, or that if there was, that they were on the precipice of something that could destroy the friendship they’d worked for.

Graduating meant fresh starts, new beginnings, a clean slate. She would be free of this feeling once she walked out the doors, free of this burden. Zoya agreed to go along with his plan because in the end, she knew that no number of moments with Nikolai would ever be enough. ___

That was how Nikolai ended up walking through the “International Sailing Expo,” at the docks with Inej a week later. Nikolai had met Inej through Kaz, funnily enough, and the two had become quick friends, despite what others, particularly Kaz, thought. They saw eye to eye on most things, were both optimists despite their more pessimistic –no– realistic best friends, and above all else, they both loved the sea. Sailing meant freedom, a reclamation and an escape for both of them.

Visiting the Expo had been a no-brainer, they sailed together often and hung out outside of that often too, sometimes with their mutual friends, sometimes without. One of the things that had always intrigued him most about Inej was how she affected Kaz Brekker. He was unreadable, mysterious, probably involved in some illicit activities, but the second Inej was even mentioned? He was so predictable it was almost uncharacteristic. No one outside of his little friend circle had figured it out, that much was clear, the problem was that it wasn’t clear if Kaz truly knew how he felt. He’d been questioning her for what seemed like forever, but he still couldn’t figure out why she and Kaz were at odds right now.

“I think I want to try a solo-sailing trip,” Inej commented, once he’d finished recounting a particular trip of his. He’d loved his adventure, that trip had been the beginning of truly knowing himself, yet despite all the things he’d learned about himself then, the thing that stood out most to him now was how much he wished to do it again, but with someone at his side. Salt air, the moon shimmering in the water, raven black locks brushing his skin, an always serious face pressed against his shoulder, basking in the summer moonlight, relaxed in his arms. His dreams had really been getting out of hand lately.

“Do you have any plans for the summer?” He asked, trying to blink away nights of loosely threaded dreams.

“I signed up for the university’s sailing classes at the fourth harbour.” So she had been listening to him. Nikolai had forgotten how nice it was to have someone who not only valued but looked up to his opinions because they thought that he mattered beyond what the wider perception of him was. His time in the summer sailing classes had been amazing, it was where he’d met Tolya and Tamar, where he’d come into his own, and if they provided a fraction of that happiness for Inej, he would be glad. While she had way more of an idea of who she was than he had at the time, there was always something to be learned about yourself when you were faced with the open sea. Maybe she’d feel ready to take on a solo-sail too.

“What about the others?”

“Nina enrolled in cooking classes so she can make her own waffles, Matthias wants to get certified as a ballroom dancing instructor, Jesper’s trying to plan a road trip but everyone’s busy, and Wylan got an internship at the same labs as David Kostyk.” Nikolai made note of it all, he would be needing it later, as soon as he got the information he really wanted from Inej.

“And Kaz?”

Inej’s face darkened, “I don’t know.”

“Come on, Inej. If you don’t know, who would?” Not only was she famed among their friends for being the all-knower of their secrets but she was the only one who knew anything about Kaz. Well, the only one other than Tamar, and him, he needed to know what was happening on every part of campus anyways.

She closed her eyes, tipping her face up towards the sun. “Ask Kaz, I don’t know what he wants.” And then, so quietly that he might’ve missed, “I don’t think he does either.” Her brow was furrowed, and Nikolai felt a pang in his chest. Inej was an excellent friend, but beyond that, he didn’t think he’d met a better person, someone as truly unselfish as her. Everything she did showed that she respected herself and others, even her anger at Kaz wasn’t from a place of personal hurt, but concern for him. She wouldn’t mend the part of him that was afraid of what he felt between them, but she wanted him to work on it for himself, above all else. Nikolai was a greedy creature by nature, he hoarded memories and moments, afraid they would slip through his fingers like love once had. The blue ribbon in his pocket was evidence enough, wound around his fingers when he felt anxious, but hidden from the world in the confines of his clothing all the same. He was greedy, but he wished he wasn’t. Nikolai wished he could go more than five seconds in the same room with Zoya without longing to tell her how he felt, how he suspected she felt. But he was greedy, he didn’t want to lose the Zoya he knew for a Zoya who might not wish to know him anymore, not after making it clear she didn’t reciprocate his feelings. He would keep their relationship as it was, because he couldn’t stand to lose her.

What Inej said was interesting, though . He had hoped things would sail rather smoothly, he would be lying if he didn’t admit to himself that a bit of a challenge always made things more fun. But Inej was his friend, and for all his meddling, he wanted her happy, that’s why he was meddling. Perhaps he and Brekker were more alike than he thought, and it was for that exact reason that he couldn’t be the one to talk to him about this. He hated being a hypocrite, and Kaz would see right through him on this

The gears in his mind wanted to set to work, formulating possible plans, but he was still here with his friend, possibly for the last time, his plotting could wait. “Do you want to check out the Wraith?”

He didn’t think he’d ever heard Inej surprised, “it’s here?”

“It docked last night. It was a surprise addition to the exhibit.” He watched her eyes flit over the exhibit guide on her phone, finding no mention of the Wraith.

“How many strings did you have to pull to make that happen?” She tried for a teasing look, but she was bursting with excitement, arms crossed over her chest as if she could contain it.

“I didn’t.” At her incredulous look, he amended, “they didn’t want to listen to me, but Zoya made a call and after a few choice words, they agreed.” It was Inej’s turn to cast a knowing look at him, “Zoya’s quite the force.” “You’re telling me.”

“You seem like you need reminding.” “Believe me, I know.” Even if he were stuck at sea, alone for years, he didn’t think he would manage to forget a single detail about Zoya Nazyalensky, even if he wanted to. ___

‘Tlk 2 kz abt smr plns’

That was all she’d heard from Nikolai in the last two days, which would’ve worried her considering he could hardly go a few hours without texting her. Genya thought it was a typo, David thought he might be in medical distress, she was too low on coffee to care, but Tamar had finally figured it out; Zoya was supposed to figure out what Kaz’s summer plans were. Fantastic. If there was one thing she hated more than small talk, it was small talk with Kaz Brekker. She didn’t care about Kaz but she did like Inej, and Nikolai was right, there were definitely feelings between the two of them, everyone could see the way they snuck glances at each other when the other wasn’t looking.

It was only because she wanted Inej to be happy, and for Nikolai to shut up that she found herself stepping into the studyroom that everyone knew ‘belonged’ to the person she was looking for. “Kaz.”

“Zoya Nazyalensky.”

“How are you? It’s been a while.” Maybe her time spent with Nikolai hadn’t been completely useless, if she’d had to talk to him last year, she wouldn’t have gotten even this far. As always, it seemed like Lantsov had upped her annoyance tolerance.

He raised a brow, cutting right to the chase. “What do you want?”

Nope, nevermind. She was as bad as she had been last year. “Bold of you to assume I would ever want anything from you.”

“Okay. Then leave.” It was amazing how different he and Nikolai were. Brekker was a man of such few words. He shifted to close the door with his crow-headed cane but Zoya slipped into the room before it shut. She needed to come up with a way to get answers since her intimidation tactics never got anything out of him. She never had a penchant for bullshitting like Nikolai did, so she tried her best to channel his charmingly underhanded questioning technique. “The Student body is doing a survey–”

“No they’re not.”

“--Wanting to see how many students are staying on campus this summer so that we can plan our events accordingly,” she finished. “So.”

“Why do you want to know what I’m doing this summer?”

“I just said–”

“You’re not as good at lying as Lantsov.” Zoya rolled her eyes. So much for that strategy. “If you don’t tell me, Nikolai will be the next one through this door and you know that once he starts, he never shuts up. So tell me, Brekker, are you going to tell me the truth so that we never have to talk to each other again, or are you going to spend your Friday night getting your ears chatted off by Nikolai?”

“You know that I know Jesper Fahey, right?” Kaz gave her an unamused look, but he hadn’t ignored her, so she took her chance.

“Are you staying in the city?

“Yes. I got an internship at the Merchant Council.”

She tried to hide her surprise. She knew Kaz was smart, but the Merchant Council was the most cutthroat company to get into, usually all three internships went to nepotism babies. “And what about Inej? Do you know what she’s doing?”

“She’s taking that sailing course that Lantsov told her about.” If she didn’t know any better, she would think that Kaz clipped himself off before saying more. Maybe her time with Nikolai had turned her brain into a hopeless romantic mess, but she was thinking something along the lines of , “the one where she’s gone all summer.”

So that’s what this was about. It was just as she’d suspected, Kaz Brekker was just a boy, and like every other boy, he didn’t want to lose what he loved. It would be endearing if it wasn’t him, but she would help, for Inej’s sake. Nikolai would argue that it was the romantic in her fighting to break free, but she rejected that, she was the furthest thing from romantic, but she knew what it felt like to… having certain feelings for someone you weren’t sure would ever return your feelings. Inej was in the same limbo she was, and where she couldn’t get an answer for herself, she would get it for her friend.

“Not everyone who takes the course does the fall semester at-sea,” he would hate it if he thought she was pitying him in any way. “I thought Lantsov would leave me without a competent lab partner for a year, but he didn’t. He spent the summer at the docks and came right back.” But things wouldn’t be the same anymore. They would graduate, and for all they knew, they would be on opposite sides of the globe, with no idea when they’d come back to each other. Zoya shook herself off, this wasn’t about her. This was about helping Inej, and Kaz, as much as she hated to admit it.

“You think he’s competent?”

“Barely, but that’s better than the rest of the people here.”

“That’s high praise from you though, isn’t it?”

It was, but it was what Nikolai deserved, despite her initial reservations about him, he’d proved her wrong at every turn, she’d be a fool not to acknowledge how competent he was. But she didn’t appreciate the implication of his words. It was one thing for Genya to take up that tone with her, but from Brekker? Was he right, was she really that bad at concealing her emotions?

“It might be. Just like associating with you is high praise, yet you’ve let in a whole little group into your life. One of them a little more than the rest.” Nikolai would’ve been able to name the emotion that flickered over Kaz’s face for a split second, yet it was lost on her. Why is it so difficult to tell her how you feel?

“And the point of all this is?”

You know what it is. “Is your friendship so weak that it’ll collapse if she leaves for a semester?

“What?”

“The sailing courses are during the day. Your internship is during the day. You’re a nightowl, so are your friends. If you want to see them outside classes, you can. Nothing’s stopping you.

Kaz stared at her, but she suspected there was a hint of contemplation behind those dark eyes.

“Sometimes,” she finished, knowing that anything else she said wouldn’t be tolerated. “Letting go and watching what happens, gives you the answers you’ve been looking for.” With that, she slipped out of the room, hoping desperately that she hadn’t messed things up for either of them. ___

“So he’s afraid of losing her, and she’s upset he won’t come out and say why he’s afraid of it?” Nikolai shook his head, of course Kaz and Inej had to parallel how he felt, of course everything about this had to point out how ridiculous he was being. He was here, trying to get other people to follow their hearts, while doing mental gymnastics trying to avoid following his own heart. Zoya was put-off by graduation, that much was obvious to him. They’d both been spending the last month applying to jobs on opposite ends of the earth, and with their luck, they’d find themselves apart mere weeks after they finished school. She’d never hinted that she would miss him, or that she felt any way about potentially moving away, but there was a tiny part of him that wished that she would. Even if she just admitted that she didn’t care, it would at least let his hopeful heart rest at night.

Nikolai knew most friendships didn’t last forever, but the thought of losing her, of facing the rest of his life without her at his side, filled him with fear. It felt like he was destined to lose either way. If he told Zoya how he felt, she might not reciprocate, and so their friendship would be ruined by his foolish heart. If he didn’t tell her, she might leave and never come back, they’d spend their days drifting further and further apart until there was nothing but years of silence between them.

“Yeah,” Zoya sighed. “I don’t know if anything I said worked on Brekker, but I think he knows… maybe it’s not too much to hope that he finally acts on it.”

“Hope? My, Zoya, what did you do with my most pessimistic vice president?” “You’re a terrible influence, what can I say?” She rolled her eyes at him, the simple action warming him up from the inside. Even when he might not have her, at least he would have this. These small moments that set him alight more than anything else with anyone else ever had.

“I am an excellent influence,” he objected, leaning in. “You got through a whole conversation with Kaz without threatening him.”

“At least that would’ve been fun, instead I had to talk to him about emotions. Ewh.”

“You can’t fool me, I know that deep down, you have at least one feeling, maybe even more.”

“Don’t make me laugh.” His greatest flaw had always been his audacity, but he couldn’t stop, he needed to know how she felt. “You like me. I think liking me is a feeling.”

“I don’t like you, Nikolai.”

There it was then, the final nail in his coffin. It was what he wanted, wasn’t it? An answer so he could finally sleep easy at night? If that was what he wanted, why did he keep talking? “It’s been four years, Zoya. You don’t have to pretend you still hate me.”

She shook her head at him, as if she couldn’t believe just how ridiculous he was. “You’ve been my friend for years. That goes beyond like. I like Thursday, I like

You’re like coffee, more than a like.”

Coffee.

He was like coffee.

Coffee. The same thing Zoya couldn’t live without, those were her words. Did she just tell him she loved him? By the time he digested that particular thought, her face had closed off, and she was hastily shoving her things into her bag.

“Zoya wait–”

“I have to go,” she muttered, all but running out the door. “I’ll call you about the other stuff. Nina or whatever.”

Nikolai stared at the empty doorway, what had just happened? He checked his phone every ten minutes for weeks, but she never called. ___

In the meantime, setting up the other two couples had been considerably less work. Or maybe that’s just how it felt because she was determined to focus all her energy on them, in an attempt to avoid an actual conversation with Nikolai. Why did she say that? You’re like coffee? What did that even mean? She may not have his silver tongue, but she’d never blundered a conversation that badly before. It had been a week, and every night before she went to bed, all she could think about was how close she’d been to caving and telling him how she felt. There’d been the strangest look in his eyes, and for a moment she’d wanted to believe that he felt the same way. He’d been close enough to kiss, and yet, she’d turned away, fleeing before she faced the reality that he didn’t reciprocate.

It didn’t matter though, her moment of weakness had passed. She would be better now, even if it meant focusing on everyone elses’ emotions before hers.

Nina and Matthias were too wrapped up in their past hatred to see what had blossomed between them. There was a stubbornness in them both that exasperated Zoya, why couldn’t they just admit they liked each other now? But that made her notice how she was a hypocrite, weren’t she and Nikolai the height of stubbornness? Wasn’t she refusing to confront her emotions in the same way? It didn’t matter though, her situation was completely different, there was no use comparing it to others.

She’d pushed this all to the back of her mind, implementing a plan to fix the chasm between the two. Their rigidity had been remedied by an accidental enrollment, Nina in Matthias’ dance class, and Matthias in Nina’s baking class. It hadn't been long before Zoya found herself stumbling across the pair in a quiet hallway, his hand nervously raking through his hair as he asked her out for coffee. The man who never ate sugar was now considering pastry school, and Nina, who loved being contrarian was considering a minor in dance of all things. ___

Jesper and Wylan were just as easy to figure out. Wylan was stressed about making a name for himself at RavkaTech, and despite wanting to spend the summer with friends, the stress of his internship threatened to take over. Jesper was like himself, Nikolai realized, trying so hard to keep a façade, coming off as a flirt when all they wanted was a break from the unending fear and guilt of never being able to live up to expectations. He wanted an escape, a breath of fresh air, feelings Nikolai understood all too well. It hadn’t taken too much effort to convince David to mentor Wylan, show him the ropes of the company while also emphasizing the importance of maintaining a life outside the labs, of taking an actual break during summer vacation. That, and some advice from himself to Jesper, to ask for what he wanted instead of hoping Wylan would figure it out, and the pair were already done with the majority of their planning for a road trip a week later.

It was nice, he thought, being able to see all his friends happy. The only downside was that now, they were a week away from the end of the semester. He had one more week to see if Kaz and Inej would reconcile, one more week to come up with flimsy excuses to avoid Zoya after that moment in the office, when all he wanted to do was the opposite. ___

Inej Ghafa: nikolai are you on campus

King Nikolai: whats up?

Inej Ghafa: i need help packing my dorm up for the year

King Nikolai: does that mean you’re doing the semester at sea????

Inej Ghafa: :D

King Nikolai: 💃💃

King Nikolai: did kaz figure out what he wants?

Inej Ghafa: he did. we’re taking the summer to figure things out for the fall. but yes, we’ll make it work.

Inej Ghafa: i heard from a little birdie that zoya may have had something to do with his realisation?

King Nikolai: really? i wouldnt know

Inej Ghafa: you’re not very slick, nikolai. everyone knows you two have been playing cupid. i think it’s cute

King Nikolai: didnt you need my help with something?

Inej Ghafa: you’re worried about a future without zoya, so you’re trying to spend as much time with her as you can. you’re like kaz but you deal with it in the opposite way. Zoya was right, men really are all the same.

King Nikolai: have you talked to her lately?

Inej Ghafa: haven't you?

King Nikolai: its complicated

Inej Ghafa: help me move my couch and i’ll listen

King Nikolai: omw ___ “You’re a terrible influence on her,” Zoya hissed, pacing back and forth in the empty dorm room. Inej had lied, her dorm was already empty, she didn’t need help moving.

“Me? You’re the reason she got involved in the first place! She literally quoted you while texting me.” “Only you would lock two people in a room and force them to talk, that’s what you’ve been doing for the past month! I don’t know why I ever agreed to help you.”

“You’re right, at least she believes in talking. If it were you, you’d keep avoiding me,” he retorted.

“I’m avoiding you? You’ve been pulling away all year! The second I showed you a sliver of how I felt, you walked away. You’ve been avoiding me.” She jabbed her finger at his chest, furious at him, but angrier with herself. Why did she continue showing him her vulnerability, especially after he’d basically spurned her?

“You turned away first, I thought you were embarrassed, or that I’d misread the situation.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you ran away!” he burst out. “I’ve wanted to know for years, Zoya, if you felt the same way I did, if you loved me too… but when you walked away and avoided me for weeks, what was I supposed to think?”

“You– I told you I loved you,” she tried to argue, but her words came out quiet, and she was horrified to feel the sting of emotion behind her eyes.

“You told me I was like coffee, Zoya. I thought I knew what that meant, but your reaction proved the opposite so…”

“I’m not like you, I don’t know how to make things sound pretty, Nikolai. I just… I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” he asked, stepping towards her.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, it was hard enough to say the stupid words that had pulled them into this moment, but now that she knew she had nothing to lose, it was almost easy to let the truth out. “I love you, Nikolai. There. Are you happy?” Zoya turned towards the door, ready to break down the door if it meant getting out of the suffocation that his proximity provided.

His hand closed around her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “Yes.”

“Yes, what?” She didn’t want to look at him.

“I am happy. I’ve loved you for years, do you know how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words?”

“Of course I know,” she snapped, turning to him. “How do you think I’ve been feeling?”

Nikolai blinked, “I– you…”

“Don’t tell me Nikolai Lantsov ran out of words to say.”

“No, I have plenty to say,” he said. “I just need a second.”

“I don’t really want to hear it,” she felt a grin of her own rivalling his as she wound her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. She was sure he wanted to say a lot of things, but his words were lost as he drew her into him.

#gvbbmb22 #gvbbmbfic22 #the set up #zoyalai fic #zoyalai #kanej #king of scars fic #kos #tgt #soc #s&b #zoya nazyalensky art #nikolai lantsov #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #the grishaverse

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