𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 .

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝔢𝔵𝔠𝔦𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 𝑖𝑓 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑔𝑜 𝔴𝔯𝔬𝔫𝔤 . 〞

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀𝒊'𝒎 𝒂 ⠀ 𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣𝕓𝕒𝕝𝕝, ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 ⠀ 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 ⠀ 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 ⠀ 𝒎𝒆⠀ 𝒕𝒐⠀ 𝒇𝒊𝒕⠀ 𝒊𝒏. 〞⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> the knowledge that books should be common property. of all the things that had disappointed his parents, his need for knowledge had not been one.

" please don't worry yourself, " he responds slowly, " but you can always ask if you want to borrow a book? "

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

he feels almost confused by the apology.

it is not that david never apologises (on the contrary, it is quite the opposite) but the idea that this may require some kind of amends was odd to him.

nikolai had grown up, not only pilfering every book he wasn't allowed, but with >

[‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎𝐃͟𝐔͟𝐑͟𝐀͟𝐒͟𝐓 . @PERlTUS]

< like david doesn’t quite know what to do with it .

and . . . it had been zoya that had told him about this . . .

“ i stole a book ,” he blurts . “ from you . sorry .”

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> tray on the desk, nods quickly and shuffles out.

nikolai picks up a glass and knocks back a gulp. it's sweet but still burns a little.

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

he laughs and he's unsure what set him off.

it isn't that kaz's quip doesn't tickle him, it does, but it's more than that. looking at a boy his age but with such a different path to power is a novelty.

he knows the intoxication that comes with incredible resource and >

[‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 𝐂͟𝐀͟𝐑͟𝐑͟𝐈͟𝐎͟𝐍 . @SANGUlNARlUS]

< had a habit of unloading his guns into the floor and doorframes when people displeased him . he’s had to replace several floorboards .

“ get that , would you ?” he asks nikolai . “ it’s either your drink or an assassin who figured out your identity .”

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

>

it 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 him.

he heads for the door, and grasps the handle before he turns to face kaz.

" if it 𝑖𝑠 an assasin, i'm hoping every rumour i heard about you is true. "

he opens the door to a terrified looking boy holding a tray of glasses. he enters, puts the >

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

nikolai's eyebrow raises and a quizzical smile spreads on his lips.

" thank god the theatre has never interested you- you'd be a terrible actor, " he says, but he knows not to ask about the book directly. david will tell him; he's just allowing him a moment to create an excuse.

[‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎𝐃͟𝐔͟𝐑͟𝐀͟𝐒͟𝐓 . @PERlTUS]

david hums noncommittally , dragging himself back into his seat . he keeps his hand spread over the cover of the book as though he could wish away its title .

“ sorry . . . i didn’t hear you come in . did you need something ?”

he is trying very hard to be 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 . >

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> but he decides not to question it.

" whichever has got the best brandy in it. "

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

the silver six looks like every cautionary story children in ravka were taught about the kerch.

𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 with money, as if, were you to sit on chair, coins might fall out of the cushions. each window or frame had velvet drapes, though he could tell from here it was a >

[‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 𝐂͟𝐀͟𝐑͟𝐑͟𝐈͟𝐎͟𝐍 . @SANGUlNARlUS]

< kaz has to clear his throat twice before the tourists clogging the door shift out of their way .

“ i have rooms at the top ,” he tells nikolai , and neglects to mention that he does not use them . “ but if you don’t feel up to the climb , we can do this in my office .”

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> idea of ketterdam.

every place had its myths. it would be the kerch who monetised them best.

he smiles round at the buzzing crowds until kaz brekker makes his offer. his face scrunches a little in confusion at the idea it may be difficult for ℎ𝑖𝑚 to get up the stairs, >

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> boy had tried to stop him following, that confirmed it.

or that he simply didn't want to be followed by a strange ravkan...

he was pretty sure the odds were still in his favour.

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

he manages to hear the clang hit the cobblestones in time to dodge the rotted fruit ahead of him.

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔.

he ducks behind one of the street stalls selling kites to tourists, and waits a beat before continuing from the other side.

he hadn't been sure, but if the >

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> poorly hidden book, " reading. "

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

this is his fault. he should know by now how easily spooked david is.

he moves over, ensuring the tea is set to rights, pushing it back onto the desk after it had been put precariously half on and half off.

" apologies for startling you whilst, " he gestures at the >

[‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎𝐃͟𝐔͟𝐑͟𝐀͟𝐒͟𝐓 . @PERlTUS]

he 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀 with the sudden freneticism of someone who has been caught doing something very bad . he scrabbles to hide the book and , in doing so , almost upends his tea across the desk .

he has to lunge to catch it and stays there , pinned by the awkwardness of this moment .

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> indulge him.

a monster inside a man.

maybe he and brekker weren't too different, or at least similar enough that he could follow him this evening, without fear that he might rob him and push him in the canal.

" the six? anything special about the number? "

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

a smile from dirtyhands. luck must be with him today.

nikolai had always hated madame ellistor, the librarian, at the palace, and the feeling had been mutual, mostly as he kept ' borrowing ' maps which she said were " valuable " and " not for young boys to play with ".

>

[‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ 𝐂͟𝐀͟𝐑͟𝐑͟𝐈͟𝐎͟𝐍 . @SANGUlNARlUS]

< he simply starts walking , and assumes sturmhond will follow .

[𝒫𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑹 . @sobachkaIantsov]

> a second, he feels claws crawling over his heart, dragging over the veins, plucking them like strings.

𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑤.

the growl in his chest goes quiet. he doesn't have control; he's under no illusion of that. but sometimes, in odd moments of quiet, he felt the beast would >