Six of Crows One-shots

Revise the ending (too tired to do it right but what the heck)

(AU where Matthias got caught up before meeting the last Fjerdan he ever met and something changes)

"Where the hell is Matthias?" Nina growled, pacing along the glittering black cobblestone. Kaz rolled his eyes, but agreed. What was taking him so long? "He should be just down the corner. I'll go see what is taking him so long." Kaz walked down the quiet streets, his cane tapping, he was late... really late. Kaz slowed, sticking to the shadows and holding his cane up so it made no noise, grunting darkly at the addition of weight but only a small bit, moving slickly through darkness, tilting his head curiously at the site he fell upon.  Matthias and what looked like one of his comrades. A gun was pulled, a quick glint of silver and his memory started running, watching so many lose to the same gun shot, laughter echoing and his brothers hand solidifying on his shoulder only to fade into mist when he started to move, two instincts... two different people finally joining together in one decision unconscious but made anyway. Two by one name, a gentler thief and one who's hands were stained with ink and blood and hidden scars.

He turned, out of the shadows but half embedded in darkness. his gun pulling out of his weighted coat, his eyes darkening and a glint of gunfire shining in his determined irises. Gunfire rose up in the sky and smoke breaking through, a solider fell to the ground, blood oozing out around the blonde. "Matthias..." "I'm alright.." Kaz took a few steps away from Matthias, sucking in a breath of the moist air. "How'd you get to me so fast? How did you know?" "Nina was anxious. I figured it was a sign to go save your sorry ass..." Kaz chuckled. "Besides... I may be a cripple but I'm also a 17 year old criminal gang leader who is a legend amongst these brutal streets, I have to be fast..." Matthias smiled, standing up from where Kaz had pushed  him out of the bullets path. "Not bad, Demjin.." he shrugged. "Don't get sappy, Helvar. I'd rather not have a heartrender after my head. Nothing more." "Sure Kaz." He turned and limped and Matthias caught up with him. "So, What are you going to do?" "Continue my reign. Probably get murdered before 25.. Don't worry, you won't have to attend anything. Barrel rats are burned like any other rodent." "Wait-what?" "I have more enemies then you think..Grisha, the tide makers of my own city, my actual city and several countries including your own and the Shu Han and that's just a few." "Kaz- we could" "no. I will not take charity." "What of Inej... your just going to let her leave you." Kaz stopped short with a small sigh. "You won't tell her. I'd rather she lived a better life out there, where she belongs with good people and her family. She wouldn't stay anyway, nor should she. There's a reason I'm so cold, Matthias.... I'm human just like anyone else but I have to live as an outcast and it is ,y own choice. We have a saying here... 'don't fall in love with a damned man.' Because a damned man will be hell bent on finishing and severing all ties before death comes to collect tax." He leaned against the wall, pain breaking through his chest as his breath caught up. His leg cursing him. "Hey, Kaz... you okay?" "I'm fine. Let's go... my leg is freezing up." Kaz snapped, thanking that Inej wasn't here because she would not let him continue on without going to see a medik.

They reached the group. "Finally!" Nina cheered, throwing her arms around Matthias. Kaz scowled and shifted trying to keep his eyes off Inej, she would see right past him and he couldn't let that happen. Matthias kissed her and they hugged, Jesper whooped. "Let's get some wine.." Jesper yelled happily. Throwing an arm around Inej who smiled good naturally despite that she didn't drink. Kuwei had left earlier while they were away. Kaz moved to leave, to disappear into the dark and he was nearly out but his vision was darkening. He paused, running a hand over one eye, his eye was still open as it was before. His chest began to rise and fall quickly as his mind started to catch up,  he gripped the stone wall. It explained the pain in his chest. A smile curled as he heard Inej muttering something about him never saying goodbye, he was glad he made the deal with Wylan earlier on. He pushed himself against the wall and placing a gloved hand over his mouth to quiet the howl of pain as he choked out blood, tears he didn't deserve to have breaking through. He so wanted to call them near, wanted to vanish from their minds and never give them any burden. Perhaps... they were a group after all, a family. Perhaps, that's why needed to protect Matthias, why Kaz Rietveld had felt so strongly. You protect someone in your family. You couldn't save Jordie, save Matthias. Save Nina... Save Inej, and Jesper, and Wylan from heart break. He dropped his hand and shook his head as blood spilled freely... shock had kept him from feeling much. Yet he knew... he knew and he hid it from Matthias when he caught up earlier. The pain originally tore through  him when he stopped and he remembered the bullet going from his vision and disappeared. Come to collect my heavily taxed soul... Kaz let himself go so he rested, back against the wall and head resting against the cold stones, his bloody hands blurring. He pulled the gloves off, he needed to die without his fears, without his brokenness or as much as he could to fix his mistakes.

Kaz closed his eyes and pushed himself back to his feet putting his hand on the wall. He limped down the pier, and just as he heard, he was behind two men and could see his family right in front of him. He sped up, weighing each foot so it landed lightly with no echoing sound. 5,4,3... Kaz picked up his cane and slammed it into one of their heads, ending his life. His companion turned and pulled a knife Kaz ducked, hissing. He slid his cane and smacked the man's feet out from under him. He threw a knife and Kaz cursed as it landed in his right forearm. He grabbed the cane and with his left hand, weaker blow but he had to. The to be assailant stood, pulling out a hatchet. Taking it with a vicious blow that Kaz ducked while stepping forward and sliding a knife into his chest. "I'm a murder too.." "a dead one..." the guy spluttered with a smile. Kaz heard fast footfalls. "Shit.." Kaz tossed the corpse aside and leaned on the wall, pain searing and seizing his muscles, freezing him and forcing him into a more relaxed position. "Kaz!" Her words washed over him... but it wouldn't pull bullets out and restore flesh. "Neither of them had a gun..." Nina whispered. "Kaz- did you get shot instead of me.." "you make it sound so heroic, I told you... I was going to die soon anyway." "How would you know that!" Wylan said sharply, Kaz mustered an eye roll. "I've never been one to leave anything up to fate." "Kaz..." "yes, Wraith?" "Why... we could of handled them.." "perhaps... I'd rather die with a clear conscious.. and knowledge that the only people who were stubborn enough to break through my wall are alive... you are my last family and I will not lose you as I did my first..." he hissed, blood seeped through his fingers and Inej quickly wrapped her arm around his shoulder to take some of his weight off. "We're finding a medik..." there was silence, Kaz just smiled slightly, sadness and adoration sealed in the black but Inej didn't look up so she would never know.

Inej stood at a pier, sunshine burning down and she hesitated before heading onto the Wraith. Matthias lightly placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's Alright Inej." "I don't like leaving this place, not with so much we owe it." She clutched tighter onto Kaz's cane.

Sorry this chapter was crap.  It was something I came up with on the fly and probably doesn't make much sense. Originally it was suppose to be Kaz giving his life for Matthias but then I sort of got off the path and it was suppose to give the meaning of be careful what you want because if Matthias lives someone has to die. Then I just decided to be nice and I'm kind of regretting it now.