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[unrequitedloveletter]

Forever Never Would- Kaz Brekker 

Okay!! This is the second of two fics coming out and, while I wrote the first about two weeks back and I thought that it would take me forever, I finished writing this YESTERDAY, and I only got the chance to do a few edits before posting. 

This fic encompasses several different prompts from the 500 follower concert celebration, but hey! It’s my birthday fic and I love fics written in this style, so I decided I wanted to write one. 

Fic type- this is mostly fluffy, with a bit of angst and near-death thrown in there for funsies

Warnings- mentions of poison and stabbing, poor proofreading (we die like matthias helvar)

SEVENTEEN

Kaz found himself sighing as he woke, head lifting from one of the rare plans that he’d written down. Heists had been going awry lately due to a general lack of sleep, and the nap had snuck up on him. 

Well, it depended upon what one called a lack of sleep, really. Was three hours across seven days really a mere lack of sleep, or was it deprivation? 

Kaz didn’t know what he would call such thing as that, but damn it, was it good to wake up after several hours spent with his eyes closed. Even if those hours had been spent sleeping at his desk, they were ones that Kaz had to consider well spent. 

He glimpsed the window, noticing that it’d been left open and that it was displaying the last of the winter sunrise. He realized then, that he’d slept for a full nine hours. It was the most time he’d slept in much too long. 

He straightened his back, eyes going to the door as he heard it open.

“Morning,” you whispered. “I do hope you’re feeling well rested. Nina wants us at the Kooperom in an hour.” 

Kaz thanked you as you placed a to-go cup of coffee on his desk. “Let me guess, she wanted us there at eight bells, and you negotiated?” 

“I offered a box of the toffees that came in last week, and told her outright that it’s been difficult around here for a while,” you said. “She and Matthias have been in Ravka for three months and Wylan and Jesper will back me up if they ask. Inej will, too. She probably heard our conversation, actually. I noticed her sitting on the high point of a rooftop to get a good view of the Harbor during sunrise.” 

Kaz shrugged. “It’s better than her knowing that I’ve not slept much in the past while,” he said. “She’d offer me a sleep syrup that the Grisha Triumvirate are rolling out. Thank you.”

You shrugged. “You owe me a cup of tea, Brekker.”

“I’ll cover your breakfast and we’ll call it even?” 

That made you grin, and Kaz pushed aside the distinct way that his heart beat quickened and turned his gaze to his cane in an effort to ignore the slight pull he felt at the corners of his lips, the pull that he knew would’ve made him smile so widely that his face would’ve begun to hurt. 

“The deal is the deal,” you said. 

Kaz let a smirk cross his lips, solely for the fact that he couldn’t stop himself, as he met your gaze. “The deal is the deal.” 

You sighed. “All right. Drink your coffee, get dressed. Meet me down at the bar in thirty minutes, and if I’m not nursing a brandy, we’ll call it a miracle.”

“The water is working again, if you’re still in desperate need of a shower?” Kaz asked. The cold had frozen the pipes, and he’d only been able to get a reliable plumber out to the Slat the day before. “I’m guessing you used one of the many showers at the Van Eck-Fahey residence in the meantime?”

You scoffed. “Of course I did,” you said. “I could use a bit of water on my face to wake me up a bit more, though, so thank you for the tip about the pipes.” 

Kaz shrugged. “You and that electric kettle you’ve made space for in your room deserve a good bit of tea that doesn’t cost you eight kruge. Enjoy.”

“My tea and I certainly will,” you said, smirking. Kaz watched as you turned to go, some part of him not wanting you to leave. “Oh, and Kaz?”

“Yeah?”

“I put sugar in your coffee, and a dash of cream.”

Kaz scoffed. “That’s unnecessarily cruel, Y/N.” 

“As is the fact that I still have two of your shirts, but what adds to that is the knowledge you must have by now, the knowledge that you will never be getting those back.”

“Enjoy your tea.” 

“I’ll drink it plain in your honor. Luckily for you, it’s raspberry tea, so drinking it plain is no problem at all.” 

Kaz scoffed, head turning to his lap, grin spreading across his lips as he heard the door gently close behind you. 

He grabbed the coffee, drinking it anyway before he stood, headed back through his office and to his bedroom, where a fresh set of clothes and the promise of a warm shower awaited. 

-

Kaz found himself turning away from your gaze once again twelve hours later, as the two of you settled in an alcove amidst a bookstore that’d opened near Fifth Harbor. It was built by the merchant council in the hopes of drawing more of the academics from around the world, hoping that the academics would ignore the Barrel as a whole, ignore that the criminals in Ketterdam often travelled outside of the Barrel and the areas around it. 

“You and your jokes,” Kaz said as he schooled his expression back to what it normally was. “First, you make my coffee a sugary hell, then you steal two of my shirts and now, you’re cracking jokes at my expense.”

“I stole the shirts first,” you rebutted. “They’re comfortable nightshirts, Brekker. I won’t be judged.”

“I could lend you one of my sweaters?” They were patterned, looked like something that a grandfather would’ve worn. They’d been gifts from members of the Dregs, ones who’d moved on to bigger, more traitorous things in the year since they’d been gifted to Kaz as a lousy christmas gift. 

A few that had been gifted to him were just plain and black, and as a guy who’d fallen asleep in his button ups far too many times to count, he could attest to the fact that they were sometimes the opposite of comfortable. 

“You, Kaz Brekker, Dirtyhands, Bastard of the bloody Barrel, are currently in possession of sweaters?” 

Kaz scoffed. “Four. I own four of them, and if they don’t go to you, they will never see the light of day unless I find myself needing to sew myself a new pair of gloves.” 

“You’re not getting the shirts back.”

Kaz shrugged. “The Ice Court heist was six months ago. I’ve still got enough money left, buying two new ones is probably a good idea anyway. Take the sweaters, Y/N. I can imagine that they’ll look better on you.”

“I thank you for your kindness, then,” you said. You noticed Kaz’s pocket watch had fallen out of it, felt the cool golden painted metal against your pinky. Kaz watched as you took it, careful to avoid touching his thigh. You checked the time. 

“Getting late,” you said. “Sundown, abouts. Getting back to the Slat is probably a good idea. The Dime Lions and the Razorgulls have taken to jumping members of the Dregs over all of the feuding. They tend to do it before it gets light and after it gets dark.”  

“You’re going to stay here knowing that?” 

You nodded. “I need some time to think. I can handle getting jumped, if they’re smart enough to jump me at all.” 

“And if they have switchblades?”

“Then I get stabbed and stitch myself up after a bit of a walk in the moonlight.”

“I’m staying.”

“You’re going, Kaz,” you said. “I need to think alone for a bit. Please, just let me.”

“If you get stabbed--”

“I know. You won’t be the one to help me stitch my wounds. Go on home, Brekker. I’ll swing by your office with some whiskey by midnight if I’ve made it back safe, too.” 

Kaz huffed as he stood. “Fine.”

He didn’t turn to look at you as he walked out, only glowered at the ground as he left.

-

“You can admit it,” Nina said. “You’re allowed to care about people, Brekker. Even in the smallest capacities, you’re allowed to care.”

Kaz sighed. “You’ve noticed it, then?”

“Noticed what?” Nina asked. “The way that your heart races when they meet your gaze, the way that it always calms when you meet their gaze as we join together at whatever happens to the rendezvous point on one of your meticiously planned heists? The way that they’re able to make the one man who I never thought I would see so much as smirk in my lifetime, smile after they’ve cracked one of their jokes?” 

“Yep.” 

Nina laughed. “Of course I have,” she said. “Everyone who tells others that they’ve not noticed is telling a bloody lie.”

“I don’t care,” Kaz said. “I don’t.”

“You’ve cared about them since even before Inej joined the Dregs,” Nina rebutted. “You’ve known them since you were twelve. It’s fine to admit that you care about them, especially if it’s been half a decade.”

“I haven’t loved them that long, though,” Kaz said, like it would somehow come to matter.

“I have no doubt that you’ve been in love with them since you joined up with the Dregs and finally realized what love means,” Nina rebutted. “Seriously. Stop being an idiot or I’ll get Matthias to smack you upside the head over it.”

“He smacks me, I break his wrist.”

“You break his wrist, I stop your heart.” 

Kaz shrugged. “Fair enough.” 

Nina sighed, leaning back into the U-shaped booth the two of them had found themselves in. They were in the Crow Club, sitting on opposite sides of the booth. When the rest of the crows arrived, Kaz would stand, wait for the rest of the crows to file in, and sit on one end whilst you sat, arm looped through Ninas, on the other. 

The conversation would divert either to Nina and Matthias’ plans to go back to Fjerda in the coming months, Inejs voyages off at sea, or Jesper, how his training as a fabrikator was coming along.

Plans of eventual permanent residency in Ketterdam would be discussed amongst all the parties that frequently left it. 

Kaz would listen as you talked of going to Ravka, attending one of their colleges to further your education. Kaz would tell you to go, not mentioning that he would be awaiting your return or jumping at the first chance he got to visit. He would remind you that you had the money to go, and going, getting the education that you wanted so that you may stop having to use theft, arson, and other crimes as a means of income, was nothing if it was not even slightly worth it. 

You would give him a grin, Kaz would feel his heart skip a beat. You would crack a joke about how he would miss you too much, and he would once again reconcile with the fact that he had to deign himself to a lower level to tell you that it was the truth, that he would miss you an unfortunate amount if you were to go. 

He would reconcile that he would have to deign to a lower level to admit it solely for the fact that the people in Ketterdam, the criminals, in particular, saw love and romance as leverage. 

Criminals in Ketterdam saw the death of someones partner, their fiancé, their husband, their wife, their spouse, as a means of revenge. The cruellest of them did it just for the sake of doing it. The cruellest of them only saw it as a means to an end, the elimination of a threat as the threat drowned in both whiskey and their own grief. 

Eventually, the rest of the crows did come. It went exactly as Kaz had expected, and when you ended up sitting across from him on one end of the booth, him on the other, Kaz could only allow himself a moment of peace.

It happened exactly as he’d thought. Nina and Matthias were going to leave a week from then, an come back in spring. 

Inej was going to take six months to spend in Ketterdam, living at the Slat like she used to, getting Kaz the information he needed for a sufficient income. 

Jespers Fabrikator training was going well, and he and Wylan were in on the heist that was to be preformed the following month. 

You discussed going to Ravka. Nina encouraged it, Inej offered a ride there on her boat. Kaz talked about writing you letters in the meantime, said that he thought it was smart. If you pursued a business degree, there was a chance that you could help legitimize the business. If you ended up on the Merchant Council, you could hold a bit of influence, help the government sway things in the direction that favored the Dregs the most. 

You laughed, shook off everyones encouragement. You told Kaz that you would think about it. When asked why, you cracked the joke that Kaz expected. 

“You’ll miss me too much, Brekker,” you said. 

Kaz shook his head. “I resent how right you are about that.” Not the response he’d been expecting himself to deliver, but the one he delivered anyway. 

You scoffed. “Right. Sure,” you said, and then a layer of awkward silence settled. 

Jesper picked it up, asking about the heist that Kaz was planning, and things went back to normal. The conversation jumped from one thing to the next, both yourself and Kaz finding comfort in it, the fact that your friends could carry a conversation without either of you needing to interject with your thoughts for stretches that sometimes lasted more than ten minutes. 

Kaz met your gaze in the silence, and you met his gaze all the same.

A arrow shot him in the heart, embedding itself in his chest, and just like that, Kaz was once again the versions of himself that he’d always been when he would catch your gaze and all of it would come rushing back. 

He was once again the twelve year old who liked the way you smiled. 

The thirteen year old who knew that he would be willing to trust you with his life. The fourteen year old who did. 

The fifteen year old who stopped hating music played on violins because he liked the way that you danced. 

The sixteen year old who would go on night watches with you and catch himself liking the way the moon reflected in your eyes, catch himself looking at you instead of what he was supposed to fixate his gaze onto.

He was the seventeen year old boy who watched you almost die in the Ice Court even still, the one who passed you the bottom side of his cane, watched you grab on as he pleaded for you to just stay alive. 

Just hold on, he’d whispered. Hold on, please. I need you to hold on. I cannot do anything more with this life if you don’t. 

It was the one moment of vulnerability he’d experienced during the Ice Court, one of the only moments wherein one of his weaknesses came to light, but it’d only been the two of you in that room, the water flooding it from every direction. You’d been, quite literally, half dead. You couldn’t remember it, and so, the only people who had to face that memory were Kaz, and perhaps the personifications of whichever saints and gods watched over him. 

When the group of you slipped out, it was close to nine bells. The short walk back to the Slat was silent, unlike the hours of buzzing conversations that’d occurred beforehand. 

NINETEEN

You grinned as you walked into the Slat, finding Kaz at a table on the bottom floor, glass of brandy gently resting in his hand. 

You sat across from him and set your crossbody bag on the ground, watching him slide the brandy across the table. He watched you catch it, smirk playing on his lips.

“Welcome back,” he said.

You laughed as you brought the brandy to your lips. “Thank you very much. The Fjerdan palaces are no easy feat, but you’re you, so I have faith. I did a walk through during a series of Fjerdan festivals, but I also bribed someone on their staff to give me a copy of the blueprint. I know the layout, and provided that you have it memorized by the days of Hringkallah, you will, too. What’s the pay out?”

“Nearly a hundred million, spread across a crew of seven. Payout is 14.2 million. Triple what we made in the Ice Court with some change,” he said. “Not too fatal, I don’t imagine, but if it is, you’re welcome to blame me whilst you drown in your riches.”

You scoffed. “Do you mean to flatter me, Mr. Brekker?”

Kaz shrugged. “It comes with the description of the romantic part of this relationship, does it not?” 

You laughed, taking a sip of your brandy. “I do suppose it does, but then, so does the lack of black shirts you currently have in your posession.”

“I knew that was you,” Kaz said, shrugging like it was nothing. “I bought a few more this past weekend. My shirts tend to look better on you anyway.”

“So you do mean to flatter me, then.”

Kaz shrugged for a second time. “I suppose I do.” 

“And the boat for Fjerda leaves when?”

“Five days. I’ve given you the time off, so that you can relish your time in Ketterdam before leaving again. The voyage will take a week and a half. Nikolai sent us a few good boats. They came in last week. Engine powered, though the engines are slow. From there, getting to the palace won’t take long. It’s just a matter of timing it right and getting as much as we can.”

“You’ll tell me what we’re getting?”

“A few dresses that go for hundreds of millions on the markets. Ones that are said to belong to the queen, but any jewelry or things of significance that we grab are ours to keep or to sell,” Kaz murmured. “A tailor will tailor us enough to look like a few hringkallah guests and we’ll enjoy the rest of the night, get what we can from the venues, hope that none of the Druskelle catch us and kill us for it. The tailoring will wear off by the following morning, if the tailor is true to their word.”

“Wonderful,” you said. “Thank you, by the way. for the days off. I think I’ll sleep for most of them.”

“My bed is free if you need a spot that won’t make you feel as though you’re practically laying on a bed made of wood.”

“Thanks,” you grinned, finishing off the brandy. “I think I’ll head up now, actually. So much time spent at sea and all I can think to do is take a nap. I feel stupid.”

“You’re not,” Kaz said. “My bed or yours?”

“Yours, Brekker,” you said, laughing. “Might even steal a book from your shelves in the meantime.”

Kaz scoffed. “Next, you’ll say that you plan to drink my coffee.”

You shrugged as you got to standing, placing the crossbody bag on the table. 

“I know for a fact that you have a kettle, and you’ve been keeping my favorite tea in stock for the last six months. Might just use that.”

Kaz shrugged. “Do as you please.”

You grinned. “I will, love. Thank you.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Kaz said.

With that, you walked up the stairs, heading to Kaz’s room, grabbing a book and settling on the windowsill with it. 

-

Kaz kept telling himself that he had to look at the positive. The heist in and of itself had gone off with very few hitches. It’d gone well, really. The items that were supposed to be obtained were obtained and put back onto the ship. Everything was fine.

Until, in typical fashion, a mistake was made. A guard who’d been knocked out had woken up, and it was just happenstance that you were the first face he saw, the face he recognized as the one belonging to the person who’d put him into a headlock until he fell asleep. 

The result was what had Kaz wiping a tear off his face, not having meant to cry at all. A book was in his lap, but it was one he hadn’t even tried reading. He kept looking at you, watching you breathe in and out. 

You’d been a part of his life for seven years. Almost a decade. In those seven years, you’d come close to death twice.

Both times were at the hands of a heist that Kaz had planned, heists that came with monetary offers that were simply too good to refuse. The first time had been the Ice Court. The second time had been the palace of the Fjerdan royals. 

Kaz sighed, leaned back in the chair that he’d taken up. He would have to leave the room eventually. He could wish that he wouldn’t need to all he wanted, but food would still eventually take precedent. He would need to drink water, would need to force himself to leave the room and take in air through his lungs, air that didn’t grow stale after a few mere minutes. 

He looked at you again, felt his heart as it ripped in two.

Your relationship had been a series of close calls, an endless network of chances that the two of you had to save one another, chances that you took to avoid losing the other person. Still, you had come close to death twice. Twice, in seven years, felt worse than none in the six months beforehand. 

“Hold on, Y/N,” he whispered. “Please. I cannot continue to live as I am if you don’t make it. I need you to stay alive.” 

He grimaced almost as soon as the words had left his lips. He felt pathetic, almost. To plead with a dying person, to ask them to stay alive for his own benefit? It felt more selfish than anything that Kaz had ever done.

Kaz sighed, forced himself to stand and leave the room.

He could handle being selfish. He could handle feeling pathetic. Your death, it seemed, was the thing that he couldn’t bare to deal with. 

-

You sighed as you opened your eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time over the course of a week and a half. Nearly half of all your days had been spent hooked up to an IV and a feeding tube. The IV had the sedative that Nina had talked about whilst you found yourself awake. The feeding tube contained meal replacements to supplement until you were well enough to handle actual food. 

You were back in the Slat, you noticed. You were in Kaz’s bed, wearing one of the sweaters he’d given you two years before. Your throat was dry, but Kaz had never been the type to have a water carafe or cups on his nightstand, so you let it be as it was.

You forced yourself to sit up, pressing your back against the headboard as Kaz walked back into his room.

You watched him for a moment, seeing his gaze soften for a split second before relief flooded his expression.

“What?” You asked, grimacing at how your voice had sounded. You could tell that you hadn’t spoken in a little under two weeks. Your voice was hoarse with the dryness of your throat and the general disuse. “You didn’t seriously think you’d lose me, did you?”

Kaz smirked. “No,” he said, but just by his tone, you could tell that he’d been lying. “Do you need some water? I meant to grab a carafe today, but I spent too much time working.”

“Did the buyer pay up?”

“Yeah. Fourteen million kruge and some change are already in your bank account,” Kaz responded. “Do you need some water?”

“Water would be wonderful.” 

Kaz passed you a glass of it two minutes later, and when you took a sip, it was a relief.

“Thank you for trying to keep me alive,” you whispered after a few minutes had gone by. “I don’t know if it was you or Inej or maybe Jesper, but thank you anyway.” 

“I’ll make sure Inej gets word of your gratitude,” Kaz said. “Until next week, at least, you’re on bedrest.”

“I am not,” you said. “At least let me work a few shifts at Crow Club?”

“How bad are the wounds?”

“I hurt--”

“Then no.”

You laughed. You loved Kaz Brekker, but damn it all if he wasn’t stubborn. 

“Fine,” you said. “But, Mr. Brekker, know that it is now up to you wait on my dumbass hand and foot for the next seven days.” 

Kaz smirked, shrugged one shoulder, and took your glass from where you’d placed it on his nightstand.

“Can’t wait,” he said. “Rest up. You probably need it.”

“I resent the fact that you’re right,” you said. You’d spent nearly two weeks knocked out with a sedative, and you were still exhausted. “Bring me a bit of water, please? My throat is drier than the air in summer.” 

Kaz scoffed, but still you heard the sound of water being poured into your cup. He placed it on his nightstand and moved into the office section of his floor. You drank the water he’d poured, placed the cup on the nightstand again, and fell asleep after a few minutes had passed, listening to the sound of Kaz’s pen meeting paper and the rain as it pattered against the windows. 

TWENTY-TWO

You laughed as Kaz sat down next to you, adjusting the ring that you’d placed onto a chain in the weeks before. It wasn’t an engagement ring, but rather, the promise that an engagement would eventually happen. He’d given it to you to celebrate your five year anniversary, and the one he’d bought for himself had joined the chain onto which he’d strung his pocket watch when that chain had broken. 

He looked at the ring every single time he pulled the watch out, and you never missed the barest hint of a smile that crossed his lips whenever he noticed it.

“Don’t tell me you’ve done something stupid,” Kaz said, looking at Jesper, who clutched the whiskey he’d ordered like it was a lifeline of sorts. The three of you were sitting at a table in the Crow Club, having agreed to met there because Jesper had asked. He’d let Inej, Nina and Matthias know, having written them letters to tell them what he was going to tell you.

“I like think I’ve done quite the opposite,” Jesper said. “I proposed. To Wylan.”

“I have been waiting three years to hear those words befall your lips,” you said, slight grin crossing your face. “I fully anticipated you proposing to him when we were nineteen. You’ve been head over heels in love with Wylan since the Ice Court.” 

Jesper grinned. “I bought the ring shortly after the heist in Fjerda,” he said. “I was just waiting for the right time. Did it last night. Felt like I would explode if I held onto the ring any longer.”

“Have you picked a date yet?” Kaz asked. 

“June 23rd. About six months out,” Jesper said. “We wanted to give ourselves a bit of time to plan everything out, but we’re gonna keep it small. You’re both invited, as are Inej, Nina, and Matthias. Outside of the crows, the invites will probably only extend so far out as our parents and a few of the others in the Dregs. We still haven’t decided much more than the date yet, though. I wanted to tell you guys in person, and Wylan would’ve been here if he wasn’t at lunch with Marya to tell her.”

“Well, we’re both thrilled,” you said. “Drinks are on us next time we all get together. Congratulations.”

Jesper gave a breathy laugh. “Thank you so much,” he said. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, I think. I’m--it’s like--it’s weird, almost. I always thought that I would spend my life with him, but now that that’s concrete, it’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m so excited to be married to that bastard.”

You laughed, and Kaz allowed a small smirk. “Well, if you need any assistance, just reach out.”

“I do need a best man?” Jesper asked.

“Abso-bloody-lutely,” Kaz said, nodding. “Of course. Thank you for asking to meet.”

Jesper shrugged. “Nah, no worries,” he said. The two of you watched him get to standing. “I’ve gotta get back home, but--”

“Congrats, Jesper,” you said. 

“Thank you,” Jesper gave you both a final grin before he left the Crow Club. When Kaz met your gaze, he looked almost happy.

“About bloody time, wasn’t it?”

You scoffed. “Oh, Brekker. Don’t even.” 

He laughed so low that only you could hear it, and the sound made you grin. 

“I love you, Kaz.”

“Ditto.” 

You scoffed once more, standing as you did. “I have to sign the contract on the new cafe. See you at home?”

“I’ll grab us dinner at seven bells,” Kaz said. “Any other things of note?”

“The contract for the cafe, the contract for the new pub, casing the house near the Zelver District, and signing the contract for the purchase of the apartment are all on my to-do today.”

Kaz nodded. “Eight bells, then.”

“I’ll bring you a coffee.”

“I’ll make you a tea.” 

With that, you left, grin pulling at the corners of your lips as you did. 

-

Six months later, you and Kaz found yourself in a small wedding venue that’d opened up near the Ravkan Embassy. You were stood behind Wylan with Nina and Matthias where Inej and Kaz stood behind Jesper. 

In the audience, there was Marya Hendriks, Colm Fahey, and a few of the members of the Dregs. Every single person in that room, save for Kaz, was smiling. Jesper had tears in his eyes, and Wylan looked like he was going to start crying any minute.

You felt your face begin to hurt from your grin as you watched your best friends of half a decade get married. 

Happiness in Ketterdam, happiness as a member of the Dregs, was something that was difficult to come by. You knew that you had to soak it up, that everyone else in that room was doing much the same. You would get drunk, probably, laugh, definitely, and that night would go down as one of the best nights of your life, though how couldn’t it? How could one not be happy, watching two people who clearly seemed to love each other more than they loved themselves get married? 

Jesper and Wylan said the ‘I do’s. They kissed, and the room broke out into applause as Jesper hugged his husband as tightly as he could. 

Conversations broke out amongst the attendees, and you all sat down to eat. After the meals came the dancing, and eventually, you found yourself standing idly, watching Jesper and Wylan dance, foreheads pressed together, smiles on their faces.

Your hand went up to the promise ring that was always around your neck almost absentmindedly, a grin crossing your face as you leaned back into the chair that you were sitting in.

“That’ll be you one day, I have no doubt,” Matthias said. “You look at them, and you know that those two are the happiest they’ll be until their honeymoon. You and Kaz are similar, I imagine?”

You flinched, laughing as you met his gaze. “I dunno, Helvar. I’m content where I am, I think.”

“Good,” Matthias nodded. “I anticipated this wedding way sooner than it’s happened, if I’m honest.” 

You laughed. “Everyone thought that they would be married with a kid by now. Two, maybe. Anika had her bets on that much.”

Matthias hummed. “Yeah, I think they’ll be parents by thirty,” he said. “I can see it that way, but I’m glad. They make sense together, I think.”

“They really do,” you said. “Yeah.”

“As do you and the ever so cursed demjin.”

“My partner is not a demon.”

Matthias only shrugged. “He might just be, Y/N. You never know.”

You scoffed. “You’re lucky I don’t hate you, Matthias.”

Matthias nodded. “Oh, I know. Incredibly lucky, I would say.”

“I would agree,” you said, shooting him a pointed look. 

He laughed. “Go find your lover.”

“Go find yours, Helvar.”

He stood, shooting you a knowing look as he walked away.

Eventually, Nina got you to dance with her, and from there, the rest of the night was spent drinking, laughing and just getting to experience the joy of not giving a single care in the world, not worrying about anything that was going on outside of the walls of the wedding venue. You felt great. For the first time in a long time, you felt great.

-

The following morning, Jesper and Wylan were on a boat to Ravka, where they would spend a month for their honeymoon. You made a good use of the day after you’d hugged them goodbye, having spent it casing a house that Kaz wanted to rob near the financial district. You made tea, you laughed with Matthias and Nina in the Slat, listened to Inejs stories that she’d collected in her voyages. 

You laughed, danced when someone broke out the violin. You were starting to accept it; after so long, after so many years spent in a limbo of moving from one painful thing to the next, happiness was in store. After so long, happiness was finally in store. It finally felt like something good. It felt like something achievable, like it had never been so far off as you’d thought. 

You turned, meeting Kaz’s gaze after a good thirty minutes had gone by. People were still dancing, the violinist still playing the dancing music as people sang old sailing tunes, but Kaz wasn’t amongst the crowd. He was merely standing by the stairs, slight smile pricking the corners of his lips.

“Having a nice time, Brekker?”

“Quite so,” Kaz said. “Seeing you get roped into dancing by Anika and Pim is always a real delight.”

You scoffed. “You love me and my pension to dance the minute I hear a happily toned violin song.”

Kaz nodded. “I do,” he said. “Really, I do.”

A grin picked up the corner of your lips. “Thank you,” you said.

“For what, exactly?”

“For being in my life for this long,” you said. “For falling in love with me. For being the guy who brings me tea when I’m sick. For being my best friend and my partner in literal crime for the last decade.”

Kaz shook his head. “The pleasure is mine.”

You shrugged. “I’m going to go upstairs. Make myself some tea, settle down with a good book.”

Kaz nodded. “I just have to talk to Inej for a minute. I’ll join you, make a coffee and go over some plans for the heist next month.” 

“Looking forward to it,” you said.

Kaz smirked. “As am I.”

You walked up the stairs pausing for a moment, and watched Kaz approach Inej as the violinist put their instrument away but the clapping, the singing and the dancing carried on even still.

TWENTY-FOUR

“This feels like a bloody meeting,” Jesper noted as he and Wylan slid into the booth. “What? Another heist?”

You were at the Kooperom. Breakfast had just been ordered, and it was mid morning. The seven of you had gotten into a U-shaped booth, and ordered coffees or teas to start out.

“It’s not a heist, Jesper,” you said. “It’s something different. It doesn’t actually concern criminal activity at all.” 

“What is it, then?” Inej asked, but she looked like she already knew.

“We’re engaged,” Kaz said.

“Since when?” Nina asked, grin crossing her face. 

“Last week. Bookstore.”

Inej grinned. “Took you long enough, bastard.”

“I was all too anxious, after I had Jesper design the rings.”

Nina shot Jesper a look. “You knew this was coming?”

“He gave me twenty thousand kruge for it nearly a year ago. I almost didn’t think he ever would,” Jesper said. “Congrats, though. I thought you would’ve tied the knot before we did.” 

Kaz shrugged. “I couldn’t find the right time. Eventually, I just brought it up whilst we were in that alcove in the bookstore that opened seven-odd years ago? I’d been carrying the ring around and it really was about time, anyway.”

“Damn fucking right it was,” Nina laughed. “All of us are married off now. Weird.” 

“Not married, just engaged,” you said. “Jesper, you mentioned that it was like--”

“A weight lifted off your shoulders?” Jesper asked. “Weird, but in the good way? Exciting, glorious, even?”

You laughed. “Yeah. That’s exactly how it feels.”

“Forever isn’t just an idea anymore. It’s bloody wonderful,” Kaz added. “I didn’t think I would like this as much as I do.”

Wylan scoffed. “Wait until you’re married. It gets even better.” 

Matthias nodded his agreement. “All saints. It really does, doesn’t it?” 

“We need to celebrate,” Inej said.

“We are,” Kaz noted, gesturing with a gloved hand around the table. “It’s a celebratory breakfast.”

“We’re meeting again for dinner,” Inej said. “Nina agrees with me on this.”

“She does,” Nina said. “Seriously. You two are getting breakfast, but Inej, Matthias and I will cover dinner.”

“Will we?”

“Kaz Brekker has been in a relationship for seven years. I didn’t expect it to last six months. We are, Matthias. The money from the heist in Fjerda all those years ago still hasn’t run out, anyway. We’ve barely made a dent in it since then.” 

“I expected you two to be married by nineteen, if that helps,” Inej said with a laugh. “Jesper expected you to be engaged by twenty, married by twenty-one.”

Kaz shrugged. “I like to take things slow. Seven years is slow enough, I think.”

You laughed. “Yeah. It’s felt like seventy sometimes.” 

“Damn right it has,” Kaz agreed. “Worth it, though.”

“More than,” you said. “I would do it all again if I got to be with you.”

“Oh, don’t get cheesy on us now,” Wylan laughed. “Seriously. It’s odd seeing it.”

You snorted, laughing for a minute before you took a sip of your tea. You and Kaz both let the noise of the Kooperom drown you out, let your friends fill up the silence. 

First, with discussions of wedding plans, the question as to whether or not you had a date picked out--you did. December 16th--and then whether or not you’d picked a venue, which you hadn’t done. 

The conversation tilted from one thing to the next. You listened to Inejs tales of the people she’d met on her voyages. You listened to her funny anecdotes with her crew members, laughed at the jokes she retold and asked questions about the places she’d visited. The big and small towns, the ones smack center on the maps and the ones so irrelevant that there was no place for them within any map you’d ever seen. 

Then, you listened to Nina and Matthias. You listened to them talk about Fjerda, about the Druskelle they’d converted out of Grisha hatred. You listened to Nina talk about the few spots in Fjerda where the food was decent, let Matthias drone on about a few new combat skills he’d picked up. 

You listened to Wylan and Jesper gush about how perfect things were with them, smiled when they mentioned that they’d adopted a cat who Wylan had named after a flutist he’d liked. 

You grinned when they mentioned the apartment that you’d bought two years prior, assured them that it wasn’t just collecting dust, though it had been. 

You and Kaz had agreed to sell it because of the fact that it’d gone so long without being used, and that was a pity in and of itself. 

And, after a short while, the celebratory breakfast was done. You all began to head back to the Slat, separating once you’d arrived. You and Kaz went to the floor you’d only been actively sharing for six months. Kaz got back to planning out a heist where you made yourself a cup of tea, grabbed a book, and settled on the windowsill. 

There came a point where you looked up, some part of you hoping not to meet Kaz’s gaze in the din so that you could have the chance to admire him for all that he was.

He was focused on the heist, glowering at a piece of paper as the cogs for the plan turned. You grinned softly, watching him think for a few moments.

“I don’t have something on my face, do I?”

“What?” You asked, snapping out of your reverie. “No.”

“Why were staring at me, then?”

“I’m admiring. There’s a difference.”

Kaz looked up, meeting your gaze with a smirk. “There is not.”

“There is.”

“What is it, then?”

“Staring is creepy. Admiring is loveable.” 

Kaz scoffed, pulling a gloved hand through dark brown hair that met the light of the sun and looked a bit closer to the color of dark honey. 

“You’re lucky I don’t have it in me to hate you.”

“I count myself lucky for that every single day,” you said. “I have as long as I’ve known you, Kaz.”

Kaz grinned, eyes turning back to the paper in front of him. “You flatter me.”

“I always hope to.” 

Kaz scoffed once more, and your eyes turned back to the book in your lap. Silence settled over the pair of you, though it was comfortable, as it always had been.

You grinned as you leaned slightly against the windowpane. The life that you lived, the romance that you had with Kaz, had been the way that you’d lived for seven years.

You couldn’t wait to get to live it forever.

-

In December, the two of you found yourselves in a a woody backyard of a house close to the city, though still far enough out for it be considered apart of the countryside. It was a house that you and Kaz had both agreed to purchase and spend a bit of time in every year until you were old enough that living amidst the hustle and bustle of the city was no longer quite so ideal. 

Kaz refused to turn into Per Haskell five decades on, so you both considered the purchase to be one on the smarter side. It clearly had been, though, considering that the backyard was the place wherein your wedding was to occur.

Due to Kaz’s touch aversion, though, you’d both agreed you’d do something different. Rather than a kiss, you would toast with champagne. It was a drink that was commonly found at weddings as things were, and it respected something that Kaz had been working on for the better part of a decade, though some days were certainly easier than others for him in that respect.

You’d chosen Rotty to officiate, and after the vows and the ‘I do’s had been said, after the rings had been placed onto yours and Kaz’s ring fingers, you toasted your marriage. 

After then, you filtered into the house, dinner began and you and Kaz both quietly slipped your rings from your fingers to either the chains that you kept around your neck or the ones that held the same pocket watch that had been in use for nearly a decade. 

You spent the night laughing, talking and enjoying the company of your friends. You let Jesper dance around your empty living room with you, laughed at his jokes and didn’t try to fight the urge to allow your hand to go up to the chain you’d kept around your neck for two years, the one that held your promise ring, your engagement ring, and your wedding ring. The three rings that meant the most to you. 

Eventually, you found yourself in the backyard, grinning as more people came out through the sliding door and engaged in conversations amongst themselves. 

You found Jesper next to you after maybe fifteen minutes, the both of you watching the sun as it began to set.

“I’ve been waiting ten years to see this happening,” Jesper said. “I was rooting for you from the moment I joined up. Kaz can pretend he hasn’t loved you as long as he’s known you all he wants, but none of the crows believe it. Not me, Wylan, Nina, Matthias, or Inej. Rotty says he thought you two were dating from the get-go, and Anika and Pim apparently placed bets upon the age you would be when you got married. It’s like--you two are the last pieces of a puzzle, the ones needed for the puzzles completion. You make sense.”

“I have loved him for more time than I will ever willingly admit,” you said, grinning softly. “I didn’t think that--this just feels like--I thought I would be dead by eighteen. Not married, not having lived nearly a quarter of a century. I feel grateful but also like I am indebted to the universe because of it.”

Jesper shrugged. “You’ve got good wine. Good people,” he said. “Drink, laugh, dance. You’re married, Y/N. It’s incredible. Don’t be afraid to enjoy it.” 

You gave Jesper a grin as Nina approached. 

“Forgive me,” she said. “But, as the one who nailed their wedding date to the T before they were even engaged, I think I might fancy a dance.”

Jesper shrugged. “I’m not their keeper,” he said. “I’m going to go find Wylan. See you lot in a bit?”

At that, both you and Nina nodded. 

You let Nina take your hand, let her whisk you out into the small crowd of people who’d been dancing along to the music of the violinist that you and Kaz had hired, let your heart be carried away with the wind as you moved. 

Eventually, somewhere in the midst of it all, you found Kaz. When you met his gaze, you caught a smirk dancing on his lips. 

The look in his eyes said all that he couldn’t say, and you knew that the expression on your face said all the same.

You let a hand drift up to the chain on your neck, finding your wedding ring easily.

You were going to live a life with Kaz Brekker at your side for the remainder of it. You were entirely sure that you had never felt happy as you did in that moment, your happiness feeling as warm as the blinding rays of sunlight as they shone through a window on a Saturday morning.

-

The following morning, you and Kaz woke in the same bed, a foot of space between you, as normal. The curtains had been left opened slightly, and as a result, you woke to the sun cascading in beams along Kaz’s frame, highlighting the sharpness of his jaw, the shape of his lips, the warm paleness of his skin. 

You grinned slightly, pressing the side of your head into the pillow as a grin began to fall onto your face.

“You’re staring,” Kaz said, voice raspy because he’d likely only been awake for a few seconds. 

You laughed. “I am not,” you said. “I’m admiring you.” 

Kaz scoffed. You’d had the discussion a number of times before, often switching places in such a discussion. 

“You’re staring,” Kaz insisted. “It’s creepy.”

“I’m admiring,” you said. “It’s loveable.” 

Kaz opened his eyes, and you felt your breath catch as you noticed how they caught in the light. They looked like seaglass, almost, the kind that has an astonishing color when they’ve been rinsed and polished just enough to make them all that more astonishing. 

“You’re lucky I love you,” Kaz said. 

“I know,” came your response. “I love you too, for the record. Always have, always will.”

Kaz grinned, one ungloved hand slowly reaching out, until his hand was hovering over yours. 

“I’ll be able to actually manage holding your hand someday,” he whispered. “I promise.”

You only shrugged, grinning a bit as you watched his hand move less than a millimeter closer to yours. 

“This is enough for me,” you said. “It’s more than enough, really. I love you for everything that you are, touch aversion included.”

A look of relief, and then one of gratefulness, and then one of love, moved across Kaz’s face in split second fractions of time, and eventually, you watched his eyes drift closed.

“I love you too,” Kaz whispered. “More than anything, if I’m honest.” 

You let your eyes close, too, grinning to yourself. 

In terms of husbands, you were pretty sure you’d won the fucking lottery. 

TWENTY-SEVEN

Kaz found himself relieved as he put the key into the lock of your small three bedroom apartment, one located near the East Stave. The relief only grew as he dropped his keys in the bowl to the right of the door, as he slipped out of his shoes, took off his hat and followed it by his coat before placing them both on the coatrack to the left of it. 

The relief was entirely replaced by love and admiration as he recognized the sound of your voice whilst you sang. It was an old Kerch tune, one that Kaz could remember Jordie singing as they walked the streets of Ketterdam.

He approached the kitchen, where he found you, humming the tune as you took bread out of the oven, somehow managing to do it one-handedly whilst a sleeping toddler was balanced on your hip. 

He let himself grin, not even trying to hide the fact that he was there.

“Who’s staring now, beloved?” You quipped. Kaz laughed, and as the sound met your ears, you could’ve sworn, some part of your heart had finally managed to find peace. 

“I’m admiring,” Kaz said. “There’s a very clear difference. darling.”

“You’re staring.”

“I’m admiring,” Kaz said as he walked further into the kitchen. Quietly, he took your son off of your hip and placed him in the small rolling crib that had been built in the living room, not having been moved since then. 

“You’re staring,” you said when Kaz joined you once more. “Admiring and staring are different things indeed, but I know what staring is, and you’re doing it.”

“I’m doing it lovingly,” Kaz said. “That, of course, is the distinction.”

You laughed, tilting your head back as you did, and Kaz could’ve sworn, it was the one thing to bring him solace, to help him find his peace, after a very long, very difficult day, of which both of you had plenty.

“I love you,” you said, giving Kaz a grin that managed both to set his heart ablaze and drown it in contentment. 

“I love you,” Kaz echoed. “I have loved you for a decade. I promised I would always do so three years ago. I have no intentions of breaking that promise. Not now, not ever.” 

You grinned, and yeah. Kaz was in love with you, wholeheartedly, just as he had always been.

You grinned, and yeah. Kaz knew he would love you as long as forever was meant to last, that he would love you even when it had run it’s course.

He just had to hope that forever never would. 

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

[nevergeneralize]

An incomplete list of bizarre yuumori details I thought were Anime Weirdness License but turned out to be Arthur Conan Doyle Holmes canon (hereafter, “ACD” or just “canon”):

- All Moriartys are named James!! (or at least we have Professor James Moriarty and his brother Colonel James Moriarty; the possible third brother is disappointingly unspecified. It’s also possible that there are only two brothers, the named Colonel and the unnamed “station-master” being the same Very Employed brother mentioned differently in different stories, but it is hard now not to picture Albert in uniform and Louis in a jaunty railway cap)

- Colonel Moran the platonic ideal of a sharpshooter

- …his near-perfectly silent and accurate airgun sniper rifle that fires revolver bullets for some reason (I don’t know anything about the history of weaponry so maybe this only strikes me as implausible because I’m uninformed)…

- …built by an eccentric genius blind German named Von Herder (really really thought he was mostly just M + engineering genius in a spy media so he must be German by definition + anime trope of blindfolded weird smart guy. We don’t meet him in canon so this is still probably the recipe for his character traits/personality but the basic ingredients were suggested right there in ACD!)

- “Good night, Mr Sherlock Holmes” and Adler’s perfect disguise

- Also Sherlock’s house burning plan is bonkers in canon and in every adaptation and I’m delighted every time. (I tricked you dear reader, I already knew these two truths because I love A Scandal in Bohemia in particular. Everyone within the sound of my internet voice should just go read it, it’s so short and so unhinged)

- Sherlock does indeed repeat The Line (“once you’ve eliminated the impossible…”) absolutely as often as he can plausibly fit it into conversation

- Mycroft is The Government. Totally forgot this was not an invention of the BBC show, it’s just late in canon and retconned to have always been true. We meet Mycroft in The Greek Interpreter as a regular boring government employee and he gets the upgrade in The Bruce-Partington Plans; the in-universe explanation is that Sherlock can trust Watson with the truth now, and…

- …Watson being generally trustworthy according to Sherlock’s judgment definitely makes it totally fine for him to have government secrets

- Milverton plot beats are shockingly similar up to the involvement of Moriarty: “oh no milverton has blackmail on a client I better go burgle his house, stay out of it watson” “I’m coming too we’re best friends and roommates even in prison!!” “Ok fine” “awesome. I’m going to go sew burglar masks” (even the fancy-night-out alibi! And in canon, Holmes himself rather than Watson is the hot boy bait / fake plumber who pretends to court the maid so that she will tell them how to get in but it still happens this way!) ((another side note holmes loves 2 burgle. Every opportunity for a break-in he is THERE, and he’s so psyched to tell cops that he would be great at crime. In the Valley of Fear he mentions to a Scotland Yard officer that he’s been to Moriarty’s office three times, the officer says “I thought you hadn’t met him” and he says “I haven’t and you probably shouldn’t ask any more questions about this [smiles innocently].” I love him))

- also the anime version’s “wow milverton is here at the door right exactly when we are just finished talking about him, what a crazy random happenstance” aligns with approximately 100% of character entrances in canon

- “Clearly the only way to solve this Treasure of Agra issue safely is by getting Small to throw it into the river” and thus LESTRADE AND THE BOYZ GO ON A SICK HIGH SPEED BOAT CHASE

Bonus: Not really that weird but a fun oddly-accurate nod that made me smile to discover:

- We meet Fred Porlock in ACD as a character who has betrayed Moriarty by writing Sherlock letters tipping him off about their criminal organization’s plans, then he’s discovered and has to stop sending tips. I think it’s sort of cute, then, that we see him writing to Sherlock when he planned to “betray” William/disrupt the Final Problem to save him, and he’s discovered and interrupted by Louis

#yuumori #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #jay reads holmes #ynm spoilers #sherlock Holmes canon spoilers i guess? if we’re still putting spoilers on things old enough to be public domain #yuumori meta

[icos-3]

Chapter 6 - The Kidnapping of Danny Fenton - Tumblr Edition

Since AO3 was down, I might as well post the chapters of my fic here. This is not a rewrite of the story. It will contain fixes/edits for problems that initially went unnoticed by me. These edits are being added to AO3.

5 - 6 - 7 Index

- - - - - - - - - - - -

After Danny went missing 6 months ago, Dash's perspective began to change.

Since his disappearance, Amity Park just got... strange. Stranger than it had always been. But, also much worse than any other time in Dash's recollective memory.

The Fentons began focusing less of their time and attention on ghost hunting, and more time on trying to find their son. That meant that they spent less time protecting Amity Park, and more time shutting themselves in that large, chaotic tower of theirs, or driving recklessly along the outskirts of the town.

This would have been fine, if the town's protector, the Phantom of Amity Park (shortened to Phantom), hadn't gone missing around the same time.

Without anyone keeping the aggressive ghosts in check, Amity Park devolved into chaos. 

Until the Guys In White decided to show up with new fancy weapons and tech, at which point, the chaos grew exponentially.

To say they were aggressive would be an understatement.

They implemented strict curfews that, if you accidentally or purposely broke, either because you were busy and forgot, or had to go do something for an emergency, would lead to you spend the night in sealed decontamination rooms to be questioned and observed.

They began confiscating and removing pro-ecto materials from around Amity, whether it was in support of Phantom, or just the peaceful ghost population in general, and replacing it with their own flashy imagery, which showed that their egos and thirst for power and control was near limitless.

And to top it all off, they began removing friendly, non hostile ghosts from the streets and abandoned buildings of Amity Park. 

Unbeknownst to Amity, these ghosts had been making sure that obscure and difficult to maintain infrastructure was kept operational. Infrastructure that, were the city to begin upkeep, would have bankrupted the local municipality.

Without the local spectral plumbers, electricians,  architects and sanitation workers, life in Amity soon began to quickly devolve into a much worse state than it had been in decades. Or, that's what Dash had heard when listening in on some of the adults occasionally.

This was no longer a safe place where people his age could go to the mall alone with friends, or go out at night. Everyone could be a victim.

Everyone was a suspect. 

Everyday, normal people began to turn on each other, throwing accusations around, playing hot potato with each other's claims. Some of the rich began hiring body guards to walk their kids to school and look after them, while the others opted to walk or drive their kids instead, being unable or unwilling to trust a stranger to look after their children. 

It seemed fun at first, having a personal guardian, but soon, he had discovered how cumbersome and limiting it really was. 

He could no longer play football with his friends till sundown in the school field unsupervised.

He could no longer watch his beloved romcoms without feeling judged in his own home.

He could no longer sneak out at 9 to expand his teddy bear collection.

He couldn't slack on his school work anymore.

It was all getting too much to handle.

.

|

.

After all the time they spent around each other in school, Dash didn't really know Danny that well.

Most of their high-school dynamic was centered around Dash being the top jock, and Danny being the weirdo that's weirdly good at getting stuffed into lockers.

Out of the all the nerds and unpopular kids, Fenton was the only one that made Dash truly feel in control. 

Sure, the other nerds were just as fun to stuff into lockers, but Danny was the only one that gave him a challenge. The way he squirmed as Dash pushed him into lockers, the way he yelped when he gave him wedgies, the way he scurried off when his pants got pulled down, it all gave him a deep satisfaction. Knowing he had power over him.

But it wasn't because he disliked Danny, or actively had a grudge against him or anything. At least, that was mostly the case. He couldn’t recall that he’d been wronged by him in some way, but whether it was because he let him do those things because he was scared of him, or because he simply didn't care enough to stand up to him, it always made Dash feel more secure with himself. That HE was in control.

That he wasn't powerless.

It had only recently become apparent to him how much he relied on those quick bursts of adrenaline, those quick bursts of admiration and adoration of his classmates, to keep himself together. To distract him from his own problematic life. The one he hid behind facades of power and money.

The one he couldn’t escape from when he was at home.

.

Pretty much everyone in school had noticed his gradual descent.

At first, he’d try and pick on the band geeks, but after the 4th time of stuffing them as tightly together into a locker with no gratification or praise from his peers, he simply started lashing out at anyone who opposed him. And eventually, even that died out. He could only yell at math nerds so many times before it also got too tedious to continue, rather than fulfilling.

It wasn't immediately obvious that he had been on a downward spiral, but Dale had definitely noticed, and began picking the slack for him. Unlike Dash, he reveled in making others lives horrible. He didn’t want to feel powerful or strong, he wanted to make others miserable for the sake of it. For the most part, Dash remained in Dale’s group of torment. But after the 7th spat between the two, he didn't even bother to do that anymore, simply choosing to diffuse any conflict he was a part of, simply to spite Dale.

He was so lucky to have such a good friend like Kwan who would stand by him and defend him, but even he had begun to change in ways Dash didn't think possible at first. They weren't drifting apart, but he had noticed that Kwan had picked up a few new strange interests over the weeks that passed. The painting wasn’t that weird of a hobby all things considered, but even Dash had to admit that the gothic poetry was a bit much, even for him.

Over time, he regularly amazed himself with how much he himself had changed in such a short time.

But he could never truly shake the memory of what had brought up these sudden changes.

.

During lunch, he'd regularly glance towards where the three of them would usually sit, only to see two of them making missing posters and drawing on maps for spots they hadn't looked yet.

He saw how worried the corner bench freaks were that the third wheel of their tricycle vanished. He saw how they rushed out of class to go search around Amity after school, risking getting captured to look for their friend, only to come back to school more dejected the next day.

One time while going to his locker to look for a change of clothing after PE, he saw Tucker crying over Sam’s shoulders just outside the bathrooms when they thought nobody was around.

He never got close to the two of them, but everytime he saw them, he couldn’t help but think of how they used to be when compared to now. When Danny was with them, they always seemed to be happy, no matter what situation they were in.

No matter what situation HE put them in.

gosh... I am such a jerk…

.

Over time, it lead to him to really think about his situation. About what he had done to them. And to Danny.

was everything I did to him really... worth it..?

Thoughts like these usually kept him up at night. Right after he just got comfy under his sheets, ready to drift off to sleep.

No matter how hard he tried, they always seemed to pop up again. When it happened, he tried distracting himself by rewatching his favorite romance drama, he tried rearranging his teddy collection, he even began trying to do his own homework, all to try and distract himself from thinking about it. But no matter what he did, his mind always tended to wonder whether or not it was worth doing to others what he had done to Danny.

did I really depend on Fenton so much to keep myself together?

Sure, it made him feel in control, but how much was that worth ruining someone's life over?

was it really worth it?

ruining his social life… making his life miserable...

only for him to go missing...

and possibly lose said life...

.

.

.

One day, while in conversation with Kwan about his new hobby, photography, he noticed that Sam and Tucker were a lot more high energy than they usually were on days like these.

"Hey, Kwan"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what they ate to give them that sort of energy?"

Kwan turned to share Dash’s gaze at Sam and Tucker, both of which were staring at one of those high tech geeky gadgets. He thought he'd heard them call it a PDA but in actuality, he didn’t know whether it was a glorified cell phone or something else.

"I dunno dude. You think we should go look?"

Dash hesitated, but something at the back of his mind told him it could be important.

"Maybe they found something. About... Fenton..."

Both of them stood up and walked towards where the two across from them sat in silence. Kwan, being seen as the friendlier of the two jocks, was the first to speak when they reached the table.

"Hey guys, what're you looking at?"

The two on the bench jumped, and hurriedly fumbled to try and hide the device.

Both of them had a look of horror hidden behind the looks they usually wore when talking to Dash and his friends. Sam’s was a mixture of disdain, and Tucker’s was the brave face he usually put on when not trying to be intimidated.

"It's none of your business, Baxter!"

Manson had always had a kind of fire in her words, but today, she seemed shook. But Dash wasn't going to back off so easily today.

"If... if it's about Fen..."

Her stare went straight through Dash. Was it always so hard to speak to them?

" uh... Danny... I'd... like to help…" he said after correcting himself.

He didn't usually stumble like this, but he had to admit, he wasn't usually the one to offer help.

The two on the bench shared quick glances at each other, which then turned into full on stares. He had to wonder if these two were psychic or just very good at charades because it felt like they were having entire conversations with only their faces.

Eventually, Tucker sent Sam a wide eyed head bob, to which, she tilted her head backwards and let out a deep sigh. Tucker was the first one to speak this time.

"So... we think we may know what happened to D- Phantom..."

.

Somehow, Tucker, found a way to get into the Guys in White's security camera archives. "It was almost as if it had been left open just so that someone could find this," Dash heard him say at one point.

As the video played, he saw a small figure being brought towards a long cylindrical machine.

After realising who it was in the video, he let out an audible gasp.

That is Phantom... What were they...

Almost as if to answer him, Tucker fast forwarded to something that happened later. To something horrible.

From the low volume on the PDA, he could hear multiple layered screams, before something began oozing out of the machine.

A sickly yellow and black slime. mixed with... body parts... human... body parts... growing... twisting in unnatural ways...

Dash had no choice but to empty his stomach onto the grass next to the bench.

When he looked up, he saw he was not the only one. Not only did he and Kwan have the same reaction, but so did one of the people in the video.

Then, he saw him...

Phantom...

The hero of Amity Park...

His hero, covered in a bubbling, boiling mess, with a dismembered limb clinging by a thread of goo to where it had been severed, slowly reassembling itself till the wound got closed.

He saw the people in hazmat suits removing him, before being ordered to take him away.

"We need to do something!"

The words bubbled over. He didn't even have a chance to think about what he was saying.

Everyone was surprised when something not even Tucker expected, happened. The PDA beeped.

Tucker wondered whether or not he'd been hacked, but then, a box with a message appeared over the video. It read: "If you want to help him, meet me at behind the Nasty Burger at 9 AM on Saturday"

Dash looked at Kwan, then to the other two. They didn’t need to say it, but he was sure everyone at that table knew what they had to do.

He knew what HE had to do.

#danny phantom #danny fenton #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #dp au #The Kidnapping of Danny Fenton #ao3 was down #dash baxter #kwan ishiyama #sam manson #tucker foley #I need better chapter names #so if you have any ideas #please let me know if you'd like to help!

[savage-rhi]

Ocelot, laughing: how come you didn’t just call a plumber?

Kaz, with his hand stuck down the sink: with what? My FUCKIN TOES?

@rebelwithoutaclock Here ya go

Ocelot wasn't sure if he should've been pissed off, or laughing hard until his sides could no longer contain his organs. The sight before him was something else. He chuckled, which then devolved into a bout of laughter he couldn't suppress anymore.

"Yeah, yeah, keep laughing." Kaz huffed in annoyance. The alarm system continued to screech in the background, adding to his irritation and embarrassment. Kaz uncomfortably adjusted against the sink, both his hands were still stuck in the garbage disposal. One wrong move, and he would lose limbs.

"Aren't you going to turn off the emergency broadcast?" Kaz spat.

Ocelot wiped away a few tears from his eyes. "Hold your horses, I'm basking in this moment."

"I don't need you patronizing me," Kaz growled. "I'm certain Big Boss won't let me hear the end of this."

"If you were so concerned about what our leader thinks," Ocelot laughed while clearing his throat. "How come you didn't just call a plumber?"

The deadpan Kaz gave to Ocelot right then and there was hillarious in of itself to the latter. It took much strength from Ocelot's end not to add further insult to injury while he got an earful from Kaz.

"With what? My fucking toes?" Kaz rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disappointment. Of all the people that could have come to his aid, it had to be him. "So help me if you don't come over here, I'll put a bullet between your eyes when I am finally free."

"Geez," Ocelot shook his head, taking in a few deep breaths as his laughter finally began to wane. "You don't gotta threaten me with a good time."

Ocelot approached and began to assess the situation and how best to help Kaz out of this predicament. He couldn't help but smirk, curiosity getting the better of himself.

"Aren't you gonna tell me how you got from point A to point B?"

"Trust me," Kaz said with a deep sigh. "You don't want to know."

"I'm sure you'll come around while I get to work." Ocelot chuckled. He went to the alarm system near the sink, flipping off a switch. For a brief moment he wondered how Kaz was able to trigger the damn thing in the first place without his hands. In this case, maybe it was best he didn't know all the details. He'd let Kaz have a win there.

If you like my work and feel generous, feel free to donate to my ko-fi account or my cash app account!

Cash App: $JayRex1463

#drabbles #ocelot mgs #metal gear ocelot #kazuhira miller #kazuhira metal gear #metal gear #metal gear solid #metal gear fandom #kaz x ocelot #ocelot #kaz

[coastsideplumbing]

Plumbers in Central Coast

#plumbers in central coast #plumbing & drain service #plumbing and drainage #emergency plumber near me #general plumber near me #best drain cleaners #complete home renovation service #electric water heater #hot water system #blocked drain repair #coastside plumbing and drainage services

[harborcrossconstruction]

3 Advantages of Home Remodeling You Must Know

If you are interested in remodeling your home, do not downplay the significance of hiring a professional. Most people prefer the DIY approach as it seems cheaper than hiring an expert. However, this tactic is costlier, especially for homeowners who lack the skill and experience to remodel houses. If the remodeling process is conducted correctly, you will enjoy its immense benefits for a long time. Here are the advantages of home remodeling services.

Increases Space

As your family grows, your home will become less functional. Creating extra space will be essential to guarantee the comfort of every member of your household. With the assistance of custom cabinet makers in gig Harbor, your property will have the extra space needed. These professionals are skilled in making idle rooms useful. They will also decongest other areas to give maximum comfort to your loved ones.

Change of Style

Architects and construction specialists are innovating new home, bathroom, and kitchen designs. With time, your property’s style will become outdated. Fortunately, it is unnecessary to buy a new home to get trendy bathroom designs. Your home can get the latest style via the assistance of bathroom remodelers in Gig Harbor. These experts will give your home a new look to enhance its value.

 Reduction of Energy Costs

Renovating your home, especially the kitchen, will reduce your energy bills. During remodeling, the Kitchen contractors in Gig Harbor will change your older appliances to new ones that save energy. The remodeling specialists are more knowledgeable regarding home appliances. They can guide you into buying efficient and energy-saving appliances. They will also suggest cost-effective options fit for your budget.

#kitchen remodeling near me #Kitchen remodeling contractors #Bathroom remodelers in Gig Harbor #Remodeling contractor Gig Harbor #Kitchen contractors in Gig Harbor #Electrician Gig Harbor #Tile contractors Gig Harbor #Best plumbers near me #Custom cabinet makers in Gig Harbor #Best kitchen remodeling contractors #Bathroom remodeler near me #Kitchen contractor near me #Kitchen cabinets near me #General contractor Gig Harbor #Gig Harbor contractor

[markstonesworld]

What Services Does a Handyman Offer?

You might be curious about how many tasks a single handyman offer. A handyman is a person who performs maintenance tasks efficiently. Well, there is no doubt that a handyperson who is good with his hands can master multiple handy skills and execute them flawlessly without effort. There are two primary reasons for a handyperson to learn various skills. The first reason is to raise income chances. The more jobs you can perform, the more projects you will get and the more money you will make. The second is to be more productive and fulfill the needs of society.

You can search on your browser “handyman repair near me.” There are a lot of companies and contractors that provide handyman services in your area. You and I are going to have a look at some of the most common jobs performed by a handyman.

Services Handyman Offer

It is not obvious that a handyman must offer all the services. They can vary on the basis of specialty and certifications. For instance, if a person provides only one service doesn’t mean he is unskilled or a newbie. It can be possible that he must have specialized in that specific field. Here are some services in detail.

Drywall Install & Repair

Drywall installation is a process in which a sheet of the finished material is applied to the wall. Drywall installation doesn’t involve plaster or mortar application. Drywalls are made of paper and gypsum. It is not a hard-to-do process, but most people don’t want to take it on or prefer to get it done by a professional to ensure perfection. Almost every handyman can perform this task.

Tile Installation & Repairing

The tile installation job has remained handy and done by labor as it it is norm. This process gives your walls, floor, or counters a water-resistant and smooth feel. It is a fragile time taking process and requires perfection. Make sure to hand over this job to someone with sound experience in tile installation or repair.

Furniture Assembly

Furniture assembly is a job most people like to take on themselves, but those who do not have time or don’t want to hassle themselves contact companies to provide the handyman needed for the job. A furniture assembler assembles different components to make a final piece of furniture. It is not a hard job, and anyone good at assembling with a  little experience can do it.

Renovation

Renovation is a time-consuming procedure, and it will be good if you hire a skilled person to remodel your home or a commercial structure. The renovation includes the demolishing and reconstruction of any structure. You can renovate your old kitchen to give it a fresh feel or update your bathroom with new styles. Make sure to find a suitable handyman who has performed similar tasks before.

Painting And Staining

Painting and staining are similar to each other. They both are used to make wooden structures beautiful. Painting covers the top of the wood and hides the marks and other damages, while stain soaks in the wood, maintaining its natural beauty with a flat and sleek finish. Both jobs are not that hard and can be done by anyone, but hiring a professional will add perfection. 

Minor Plumbing Services

Handyman also provide minor plumbing services repairs such as pipeline blockage, faucet leakage, valve replacement, vanity repair, showers, and vent pipes and others. Handyman Plumbers can solve  handyman problems.

Doors/ Windows Repair And Installation

Another most demanded job from a handyman is installing and repairing doors and windows. The installation of windows and doors is a quick process. You need to drill some screws. Other than that, the varnishing is also a part of repairs. It gives the wood a strong and shiny appearance.

General Electrical Services

The general electrical issues are not the ones you can take by yourself. Assigning an electrician to perform the task and solve the problem will be safe. Minor repairs that handymen do are installing electrical circuits, electrical distribution mending, and restoring indoor and outdoor lighting systems.

Conclusion

The most important thing we learned from this blog is hiring a professional handyman for a specific job increase the chances of success and perfections. Some handypersons are skilled and can perform multiple jobs efficiently. If you want to get any job done as mentioned above, you can contact Allin1-Handyman. They are offering the services of handyman on call all across Irvine.

#woodstock #handymen #allin1handymen

[foleyarsenault]

How to Find Plumbing Services Near Me Now

When you need to get a plumber, you should consider a number of factors such as the type of plumbing system, location and the amount of labor needed by a plumber. If possible, schedule a free in-home estimate with a plumbing professional to determine what your specific needs are. Plumbing issues cost more money to fix the longer they go unchecked. Cost The cost of plumbing services in your area will vary depending on a number of factors. Most plumbers charge an hourly rate, but there are other hidden costs that may increase the final bill. Before you agree to pay a plumber, it's best to get a comprehensive on-site estimate. This way, the plumber can assess the condition of your pipes and estimate the difficulty of your job. Some plumbing services will charge a flat rate for common jobs, such as replacing a faucet or rerouting a drain. Other jobs, such as installation of a water heater or repairing a burst pipe, will require professional help. Make sure to take this into consideration when budgeting. Costs for plumbing work vary depending on the size of the project. For instance, a drain cleaning can cost between $150 and $300, but it's important to note that this doesn't include the cost of drywall, framing, or concrete work. Similarly, an entire house plumbing project may cost as much as $11,500. In addition, it's important to consider the area where you live, as some plumbers charge more in areas with higher population density than others. Getting a plumber When you are experiencing plumbing issues, you might want to consider hiring a plumber to take care of the problem. These professionals can do various jobs, including repairing a dripping tap. However, bigger plumbing jobs require a professional's services. Not only will a plumber be able to complete the job more quickly, but he or she will also be able to do it with a higher degree of quality. One of the most common plumbing problems is a clogged drain. This can be caused by food debris, oil, and other foreign objects. Fortunately, a plumber can clear up a clogged drain using a hand snake or machine auger. Moreover, a plumber can prevent further damage to your home by providing a written quote before starting any work. While DIY plumbing projects can be done to fix clogged toilets and leaks, complicated problems like water heaters should be left to the professionals. Furthermore, Candu Plumbing of Chatsworth announced prefer that licensed plumbers be included on building permit applications, as they are familiar with the local building codes. This way, you can avoid any possible problems that might arise when getting the permits for the project. Getting a permit If you are planning to do plumbing work in your home, you will need a permit before you can begin your project. Generally, this plumbers in Chatsworth noted can get a permit from your local building and safety department. This department will be able to tell you which permits you will need, and the types of plumbing work that require them.

Permits are required for many types of plumbing projects, including renovations and new construction. They can also be needed for minor repairs. Plumbing permits protect local tradespeople and generate revenue for your county. While national plumbing codes help standardize plumbing work, many counties and states have their own regulations that may be more stringent. Before you can obtain a permit for plumbing services near me, you must submit a signed application form. The application should include all necessary information, including the scope of work and contract. General contractors and plumbers should also include a signed letter of intent.

#Chatsworth plumbers: Chatsworth plumbing: plumber Chatsworth:plumbers in Chatsworth:plumbing in Chatsworth:drain cleaning in Chatsworth

[plumberwollert]

Plumber Wollert: Expert Plumbing & Hot Water Solutions, Just a Call Away

Plumber Wollert is a reputable service in Wollert, Australia, specializing in various plumbing services including hot water repair, water heater repairs, and general plumbing solutions. They cater to both emergency and routine needs for residential and commercial setups. Their expert team provides efficient "hot water repair near me," "heater repair," and "hot water service near me," ensuring quality and quick service for all plumbing and hot water system requirements. For more details, visit their website at Plumber Wollert. Address:- 3750 WOLLERT, Victoria, Australia Phone:- 03 9001 5688

#hot water repair #Plumber #hot water plumber near me #water heater repair near me #hot water service near me #plumber service #plumber #hot water tank repair near me