i first want to preface this fic by saying that i will not be erasing kaz's trauma- or inej's. their relationship will take the longest in this fic, so i apologize to you if that's what you're here for. kanej will still happen, but they need to get over their fears and trauma first.
now, ONWARD!
(Modern-day, Amsterdam)
Kaz Brekker. A name every mobster/gangster knew. A name that was (secretly) feared. Kaz was the bastard of the Barrel, otherwise known as Amsterdam.
"So, Kaz, what's that tattoo of yours say? Y'know, the one of your nickname?" Jesper grinned.
The "soulmate system" that'd been in place all throughout the world ever since the beginning introduced a tattoo that one would get anytime between their 16th birthday, and the night before their 18th birthday. The tattoo says the first thing your supposed "soulmate" calls you, other than your name. It also glows whenever they say that name.
"Dirtyhands, but I honestly checked the tattoo once and that was the end of it. I don't believe in that shit." Kaz leaned back in the recliner he was sitting in.
"A ton of people call you Dirtyhands, good luck finding that out if you don't even look at the tattoo." Nina commented.
"UNO, BITCH!" Jesper yelled, slamming his one card face down to the ground.
Everyone went silent, before a few of them started to snicker, but quickly stopped.
"Someone's competitive." Wylan replied, looking through the six cards he had left and placing a +4 card down.
"Indeed, Merchling," Jesper grinned, and Wylan punched him lightly. Kaz noticed the slightest glow through Wylan's sleeve. Jesper's grin faded when he saw the +4 card. "Alright, rude."
"Why did I join this game?" Matthias murmured to himself as he placed a yellow card down.
"Good question," Inej said from her perch on the couch, where she was silently reading a book.
"Matthias, it's Uno, it's not that bad." Nina laughed.
"When playing with Jesper, it's always bad." Matthias responded, grabbing 2 cards from the deck after Jesper placed a +2 card down.
"I'm honestly surprised that Kaz hired you, Jesper." Inej said with a slight laugh.
"I didn't hire anyone here, you're all investments." A corner of Kaz's mouth turned upwards, a half-smirk, his signature.
Inej rolled her eyes, going back to her book.
"I win!" Wylan announced, putting his last card down.
Inej shot Jesper a glance, raising her eyebrows.
Jesper groaned, "Good job, Wy."
"I know," Wylan replied.
"Learning from the Barrel, I see." Jesper said, shuffling a new deck of cards. "Who wants to play spoons?"
"How about you and Wylan play War or something?" Matthias suggested, getting up to go sit on the couch next to Nina.
"Like... war, war?" Wylan asked, making what was known as his 'scheming face.'
"No, the card game." Inej said, Jesper snickering.
"Oh, sure..." Wylan seemed slightly disappointed, likely wanting to test out some more... projects.
"I'll be right back," Kaz stated, leaving the room, but he lightly brushed Inej's shoulder with a gloved hand on his way out, their signal.
His cane clunked against the floor as he walked down the hall to his office.
A few minutes later, Inej entered Kaz's office, where he was sitting in his desk chair, feet lazily draped on his wooden desk.
"Inej, I have some information I need you to collect, it's on a man named Jadley Barker, I want you to find out which clubs he has shares in, and I need you to collect evidence of his affair." Kaz said.
Inej asked no questions, "Alright, do you want me to go now?"
"No, tomorrow, leave right before midnight."
"Where can I find him?"
"He is usually in the streets, among the pleasure houses."
"Which ones is he a regular at?"
"The Menagerie."
Inej's mood changed instantly, and she shifted on her feet uncomfortably. "Okay."
"Tante Heleen won't be there tomorrow, she has a trusted intern taking her place, but that intern shouldn't exactly be trusted, especially not when blackmailed." Kaz continued.
Inej's shoulders dropped a bit, her stiff posture loosening the slightest. "I'll get the information."
"Oh, and I'll need you back here by four that morning."
"Will do." Inej nodded.
Kaz stood, cane in hand, and walked past Inej, down the hall, and back into the living room.
"What is going on here?" Kaz asked, finding Wylan, Jesper, Nina, and Matthias fighting over spoons.
"Nothing." Matthias said, letting go of his spoon, which Nina was trying to take.
"Alright, well, Wylan, I need you to make some bombs. Preferably flash, but smoke would work as well." Kaz said. "Nina, I need papers on my desk by tomorrow at 4 in the evening on the most fatal places to be stabbed, and another on places to be stabbed or shot that are non-fatal, but still painful or disabling. Matthias, gather important supplies— weapons, food, water, etcetera. Jesper, you... help Wylan, I don't have anything specific for you."
"What's all this for?" Wylan asked.
"Well, earlier, I got an offer. 10 million Euros for us to murder this man, and they want us to torture him, and abandon him as he's dying in the Arctic."
"Brutal." Jesper said.
"Money is money." Kaz shrugged, checking his watch. "I'm heading out, I have some... business to get to."
YOU ARE READING
glow of the mark (six of crows soulmate au)
Fanfictionin an alternate universe, in which the dregs are still a gang, but with a twist... and that twist is that, just like everyone in the world, they have tattoos on their arms that say the first thing their soulmate calls them (other than their name), w...
