—𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐚 was awoken by a shaking motion. She pulled her 'blanket' closer around her body, only then did she realize exactly what it was. The shaking stopped for a moment, allowing her to bury deeper into the coat, Kazs' coat. When she thinks she is safe from the bastard himself, the shaking starts again. When Kaz receives no response, he moves to lay on the bed next to her.

"Wake up." Kaz grumbles.

"But your coat is so warm." Anya argues back.

Kaz resorts to poking her with his cane, causing her to grab the pillow under head and hit Kaz with it. After she does she puts it back under her head and opens her eyes. She is greeted with what is Kaz's best attempt at evil eyes at her. Her mouth cracks into the smile, causing Kaz to give her a shy grin in return.

"What do you want?" Anya questions Kaz.

"To talk."

"About what?"

"What you don't like about this money deal."

"Well, it seems off." Anya says.

"How?"

"I have this bad feeling that something is going to go wrong and I don't like it. It feels like a thousand spiders crawling throughout my body, trying to get in, and failing."

Anya can see Kaz reach out to comfort her yet reels back. A part of her is saddened when he doesn't, but the other half understands. Anya is surprised when he offers her his glove, free of his hand. She sends him a questioning look.

"You know why." Kaz explains shortly.

"I do and I appreciate it."

Anya starts to fidget with the glove, when she notices Kaz move to lay on his side, facing her. She doesn't question it, yet gets confused when his other gloved hand starts to slowly move over the her bare hand. She doesn't push him, allowing him to make the first move.

"I want to try." Kaz whispers.

The Kaz that whispers this is not The Bastard of the Barrel or Dirtyhands but, Kaz Rietveld. The broken boy who only wants to be loved, granted he has that. He wants to be able to show his love for her by touch. Sure, the small tokens of his adoration for her, are enough the keep Anya close, but he feels as though it isn't enough. He wants to make her his, to hold her, to touch her without even recoiling at the thought.

"Are you sure?" Anya whispers back.

"With you, yes."

Kaz slowly reaches out, brushing his gloved hand against her bare hands. His brain going a thousand miles a minute, but his heart is telling him he can do it. After knowing her for so long, willing himself to trust, to love her, he is sure of this. Kaz sends out a signal blocking out everything his brain is telling him. Focusing on his Anya. The way her breathing sounds, the way she smells. The smell of flowers overriding his senses, he recognizes it in an instant. She is wearing the perfume he got her as a gift.

Focusing on those small things she has, she is the only thing his brain can fix on. Bringing all sorts of unknown senses to his body. Kaz moves his hand closer to Anyas' and plays with the ring on her middle finger. He can hear her take a sharp breath, Kaz knows she doesn't know what to do.

"I like the ring." Kaz states, breaking the tension.

"Thanks. Jesper gave it to me for my birthday."

"Hmm. Is that so."

"Yeah. He told me he made it from one of his bullets."

"Talented one, he is."

"Indeed."

Anya lets out a yawn. Kaz notices that she is having trouble keeping her eyes open.

"Go to bed, Anya."

Anya just sends Kaz a small smile, before letting darkness consume her. Kaz watches as her face relaxes and her breathes even out. She can fall asleep anywhere, Kaz thinks. Unknown to him, a smile is dancing across his lips. He does not allow himself to sleep, knowing they have a job they need to get to soon. Yet, as long as her wellbeing is needed to be tended to, he would move mountains to make sure that happens.

🃑🃑🃑

After an hour, Anya awakes on her own. Only to feel Kazs' hand still playing with the ring on her finger. She craxks open her eyes to see him, messy hair falling over his face, eyes closed. Slowly she shifts on the bed, causing Kaz to crack his eyes opened in shock. She sits back, shoving her arms through the holes of his jacket, pulling it closer around her body.

"What time is it?" Anya questions.

"Around 9." Kaz answers.

Anya hums and gets out of his bed. She shuffles around his room looking through his drawers, searching for her spare shirt. Not worrying about his peering eyes, she shoves off his coat, turning around and throwing it at him. Anya turns around to peel off her shirt, dropping it onto the floor. Her skin is littered with scars, each white, raised mark, holds a story. Kaz draws a map of her scars with his eyes, taking in every detail of them. Only to be broken out of his trance when Anya throws on another shirt.

"Come on, we better go." Anya says.

"Why?" Kaz questions.

"Do you know how long it takes to get Jesper away from the gambling table?"

Kaz cracks a smile and nods, getting up from his bed, he walks towards the door. Holding it open, allowing Anya to walk through. As she is headed pass him, she grabs the hat off his head and places it on her own. Anya does not notice the questioning look he sends her as she walks off into the club. Spotting Jesper was easy, seeing as he hasn't moved from his seat she last saw him in. Jesper sends a questioning look when he notices Anya wearing Kaz's hat.

"Why are you wearing his hat?" Jesper asks.

"I look better in it."

"You sure do, love."

"Jesper stop flirting with Anya, we have a job." Kaz butts in.

"Why? You jealous boss?" Jesper questions.

Kaz steals his hat back from Anya, enticing a pout from her. He pays no attention as he pokes Jesper in the ribs with his cane.

"Ouch!"

Anya snorts, causing Jesper to shoot a look at her. The look only makes her laugh more. The two realize Kaz is ahead of them, so they run to catch up. Anya taking her position next to Kaz while Jesper walks behind the two, Inej falls into place quickly. They walk through the streets of Ketterdam, anyone in their path leaps to the side. They go to meet up with a woman who owns a brothel.

"Tell us how to safely cross the fold." Kaz demands.

"The fold?" The woman questions. "If I knew passage through that, I'd be wealthier than the whole Merchant Council."

"You told me you brought in girls from Os Alta. The other side." Inej says.

"Yeah, the hard way. Lost a few to those damn volcra, too."

The group of four leave the brothel, wondering what their next move is.

"Well that was a bust." Anya says.

"I may know a guy." Jesper says.

They are on the move again, this time with Jesper in the lead. Following him they walk through alleys, that are filled to the brim with people. Jesper spots 'his guy' up ahead and crouches in front of him.

"I heard you have a trick to get through the fold." Jesper says.

"Nah, there's no trick to it except how it makes people disappear from time to time."

"I heard you bragging of a way to make a path." Jesper says.

"I was taking kruge from a tourist. A little lie. The fold keeps those Ravkan bastards and their Grisha attack dogs in check. Can you imagine how dangerous it would be if it wasn't there. "

Kaz and Anya walk away first.

"Bust number two." Anya says.

"I heard of a guy who traveled here. He may have answers." Inej says.

They walk to a fight ring to meet up with the guy Inej was talking about.

"Just go around."

"It stretches all the way north to the Fjerdan border." Kaz says.

"Ja. So go to Fjerda. March through the permafrost."

"And lose a finger. No thank you." Anya says.

"How long would that take?" Kaz questions.

"From here? Four months. Maybe five."

"We don't have that kind of time."

He finishes wrapping his hands and gets up throwing a few punches.

"Either you take your time or you take your chances." He says, walking into the fight ring.

Jesper signals for the group to leave. They head back to the crow club. The streets still busy, crowded, and most of all dangerous. Though no one dares to mess with the bastard and his dregs. Walking into the club, Anya heads straight to her room to grab a jacket. Her bones are chilled due to the rain, her hair soaked, stuck to her skin. In her opinion she looks like a drowned rat. Anya heads back down to the main part, to see Kaz playing with his cane.

"It's still the ugliest thing I have ever seen."

"Good thing it isn't yours."

"Hmph."

Anya slides into the seat next to Kaz, leaving enough space for him to be comfortable. Under the table he moves his knee, so it is brushing up against hers. Anya sends him a small smile. She looks over at Jesper who has a thinking look on his face. Oh no, Anya thinks.

"Here's what I don't get." Jesper says.

"We're going to be here all night." Inej says.

Anya snorts.

"Rude." Jesper moves his feet off the table. "Why haven't they tried going under it? Just dig a tunnel."

Tried that. More than a century ago." Kaz says. "Something... heard them digging."

"Ooooo." Anya wiggles her fingers at Jesper.

Jesper sticks his tongue out at her, grabbing his drink, "It was made hundreds of years ago by that crazy Grisha..."

"The Black Heretic." Inej interrupts.

"The one who controls shadow. They've got one in their army now. General Kirigan?"

"Your point?" Anya asks.

"If one of his kind made it, can't he unmake it?"

"Saints Jesper, you're an idiot." Anya says.

"Have you ever put out a fire by adding more fire?" Inej asks.

"Then what's the opposite?" Jesper asks.

"A sun summoner."

"Right, then, one of those."

"Doesn't exist." Kaz states.

"Doesn't exist, yet." Inej corrects.

Anya rolls her eyes, knowing that nothing will change Kaz's opinion. Granted, she doesn't believe in saints that much. No saint was there for her when she was younger, so why should she believe now?

"Dreesen comes into town, doesn't waste a minute. Sends out for a crew to steal something but doesn't specify what. Is it heavy, large, worth more than a million on the black market?" Kaz asks. "Maybe he doesn't know."

"We can let this one go Kaz." Inej says.

"We all know that isn't happening. Too much money to pass up." Anya says.

"Sounds like a trap anyway." Jesper says.

"A trap would sound easy. This is something else."

"Boss, boss."

Everyone at the table turns their heads to the sound of the voice.

"We intercepted a note from Dreesen."

🃑🃑🃑

authors note: soft moments between my babies. yes i know kaz's touch adversion, but him and anya have known each other since a year after kaz got the island. he trusts her, so i am not dealing with any bs about the touch thing. i am just saying this now as a disclaimer. BUT back to the point. we finally have PLOT! this is almost 2000 words. i love writing about the crows. THANK YOU for over 300 views in 2 days. HOLY SHIT. some of the reading lists this is added to are hilarous, i can't. i hope you enjoyed!