" Your eyes don't look sad anymore. They're bright like stars, "
- W.V.E
THE ICE HAD CLEARED. Glossy planes exchanged for gnarled stumps, crisp ginger leaves and hand-drawn dirt tracks. The crows sighed in relief, stepping onto a salt-lined path.
"Finally, a road where it doesn't feel like I'm on a slide," Alessia moaned, placing an arm around Inej's neck. "If I slipped another time, I would refuse to get back,"
"All the better," Kaz hummed, wiping the ice off the bottom of his cane. "Fewer people for me to worry about,"
"So you worry about me, Brekker," Alessia laughed. "Consider me positively flattered,"
"Ghafa, control your girlfriend," Inej blushed a dark red.
Natasha moved in step with Wylen. His head was bent, his mouth mumbling at a furious pace. His reddish curls hidden beneath a thin blanket of snow, beads of water trickling into his eyes.
"You alright, Wylen?" She asked. His head perked. It was the first time she had called him by his actual name. He contemplated her for a second, eyes skimming across her face like Natasha was an interesting book.
"Your eyes don't look sad anymore," he smiled. "They're bright like stars,"
"You just look cold," she nudged his shoulder, fixing the sloppy clasp of his cloak. "That's why you're shivering all the time," she frowned, stopping him to refasten the silver clip.
"You've been hooking it wrong the entire time." Natasha brushed the snow off his shoulder, patting them with a grin. "You're all good to go,"
"Thank you," he smiled. Wylen looked over at Jesper, who was eyeing them enviously. "I should go. Jes is looking,"
"Yeah, go ahead," Natasha watched him jog over to Jesper, sighing.
Alessia and Inej were deep in their conversation, head bent, and eyes sparkled with love. She hated how easy going they were with each other. They weren't ashamed to talk and hold hands. They wanted to hold hands.
She looked ahead at Kaz, who was drilling Nina over the protocols of the ice palace. Matthias was not far behind, eyeing them both as if they were spawns of Satan.
"Yellow Protocol?"
"Sector Disturbance,"
"Red Protocol?"
"Sector Breach,"
"Black Protocol,"
"Start picking the colours of your casket,"
Natasha fluidly slid over to Nina's side, placing a gentle arm on her waist. Nina grinned like a child, placing her hand on Natasha's back. "I'd look good in a pink casket," Nina said thoughtfully. "You'd have to dress me in my red kefta. I want a proper Ravkan burial,"
"Of what's left of you," Matthias mumbled from their sides. Nina shot him a glaring look.
"I think you'd suit black," she tucked a finger beneath Natasha's chin, jerking her head towards Kaz. "Don't you think so?" Nina asked him. "Velvet lined, red roses, little black dress?"
Kaz swallowed hard, rolling his eyes. "Why does the dress have to be little?"
Nina laughed, throwing her head back, so her features caught in the light. "Because she's got greats boobs, you're missing out Brekker," Both Natasha's and Kaz's jaw fell wide, him composing much faster than her. He cleared his throat, swinging his cane into his other hand.
"Filthy," he mumbled under his breath, stalking over to Alessia and Inej.
"When I'm rich," Jesper interjected. "I'm going someplace where I never have to see snow again. What about you Wy?" Jesper drew a protective arm over his shoulder as he asked.
"You should buy a golden flute-"
"I thought you played the piano," Jesper said, frowning. "Are you sure it's not the piano?"
"Whatever you play," Alessia said, glad to leave Kaz's glowering presence. "You can play concerts on the barge, maybe find yourself a cute Kerch to take home to," Wylen's face drained white before burning with the intensity of the sun.
"If you aren't into the Kerch, they're always cute Ravkans-"
"Nina could sing," Natasha said, cutting Alessia off abruptly.
"We can duet," Nina adjusted her arm, throwing the other across Alessia's shoulder. "Maybe we can find something you aren't good at," Natasha laughed, almost surprised by the arrogance in her voice.
"Good luck with that,"
"Is that a challenge?" Nina raised her brow, a thick tension stirring in the air. Nina solidified her bright gaze on Natasha's silvery eyes, ignoring the growing smirk on their faces. "I love a good challenge, Van Doren,"
"Is that so?" Natasha smiled gently. "I don't like losing," Her tone was heavy, carried by the darkness. She could feel the surge of it beneath her skin, pounding like a hammer on her chest.
"Neither do I," Nina was smiling, eyelids hooded. Natasha couldn't tell if Nina was attempting to seduce her. "You, my little girl, hide a lot of secrets," Natasha's shoulder tense, she felt her powers surge back into a small cave in her heart.
She hid the throb of her chest with a grin, shaking back her shoulders. Her long raven hair tucked out from her white-collar, framing her face like a gold leaf. Natasha could feel Kaz's stare piercing through her skull.
"I hate to intrude," Matthias grunted, pushing between them both. "But we've got actual places to be," Nina chuckled at his annoyed tone.
"You wish that was you, Helvar," she crooned, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. She let go of Natasha's arm, striding in beside Matthias with slow and steady steps. "All you have to do is ask,"
Natasha felt a heartthrob miserably in her chest. She peered over her shoulder at Kaz, engrossed in loud conversation with Inej. They were discussing the length of her ropes and the average time it'd take to make the climb. Once they were done, Kaz had spared her a stiff smile. Inej was elated.
"You did the right," Natasha hummed. She unclipped her collar to catch the hair out from its clasp. "You're making her feel like she's more than investment,"
"I smiled," he said haughtily. "Besides, you can't make people something they're not,"
"So you do see her as an investment?" Natasha raised her brow, arms folded across her chest.
"The Wraith is valuable," He cleared his throat, managing to keep two paces ahead of her. "She's an asset to this team. However," Kaz added, "She is replaceable, much like every other person in this group," His gaze swept around the tree circled clearing.
"Wow," Natasha scoffed. "That's rich coming from you,"
"You can't replace me," Kaz snorted. He folded his collar upwards, burying his chin into his chest. "I make the plans. I give the orders-"
"Could I have not done that?" Natasha asked. "I grew up with you. I know all your tricks, the way that mind of yours works," She was tempted to twist a dagger into his shoulder to prove her point. "Every human is replaceable - including you,"
"As are you," he said smoothly. "I replaced you with Jesper, didn't I?"
"I'd have fun trying to find another Shadow Summoner on the market. Especially one who'd uncover a plot for 40 million kruge," Natasha had snagged his attention, reeling him in like a fish on a hook.
"It was you," Realisation dawned upon him. His head felt light. "You stole the Dekappel on purpose,"
"I told you, Brekker. I'm always two steps ahead," Natasha was grinning, amused at the horrified expression on his face. "It was supposed to be a private job," she hummed. "Van Eck tortured me in his house, demanded papers,"
"Good,"
Natasha raised a brow at his cynical tone. "I didn't have the oil, so I offered him the next best thing. I knew of Parem. It had come up in a war room meeting in Ravka," She was humming, moving alongside Kaz with the elegance of a black swan. "Rumours spread around Ravka, and with a bit of work, Jan spilt,"
"You slept with him?"
"God no," Natasha ran a hand through her hair, clicking her tongue. "He was holding me in his mansion, three rooms down from his office. I broke his office to steal money, a few hundred, at best. What I found was so much better,"
"This,"
"Mhm," She skipped brightly in her step, looking up at him with round eyes. "I organised a skirmish in the alley,"
"You took advantage of me,"
"Of your greed," Natasha corrected with a pointed finger. "The gold was real. The effects of Parem was real. But those horrors don't move you," Her smile twisted. "You needed to see money, power, the downfall of Pekka Rollins,"
"How dare you," He stalked towards her in a single stride, his crow cane pressed against her neck. "You nasty little witch," Kaz watched as she laughed dryly, twitching her head from side to side. The others were way ahead, arms thrown around each other, Matthias lugging behind them.
"I'd prefer clever and attractive," she hummed, toying with the leather fingertips of his gloves. "You can't blame me, Rietveld," Natasha blinked up at him with innocent silver eyes - shadowed like the moon. "I'm lining your pockets and securing revenge,"
"You should have told me,"
"The gold did enough," she picked his fingers off her neck, tracing a hand across the flushed skin. "You should be thanking me. You won't have to worry about things again. Pekka Rollins can finally get what he deserves,"
"You're just a witch," he spat.
"The witch who managed to dupe Kaz Brekker,"
A/N
- You guys really thought I was going to let Kaz and Natasha happy? I know this feels like such a drag, but I have this big thing planned for the Ice Court and so many enemies with tension tropes I want to fit in before they actually begin the heist. Stan Inessia because they're relationship is thriving! If you enjoyed please vote and comment.
- rosa <3