I love these six characters and I started writing this story before I finished Crooked Kingdom. It isn't set any time in particular, I just imagined them all living together in an apartment.

There's no big plot spoilers, except for the character pairings. And in case its not obvious, the game they are playing is basically the Kerch version of Cluedo or Clue.

A Game of Crows

Jesper hated board games.

He found them repetitive, pointless, and he just couldn't keep his attention fixed on what was going on.

So of course when Wylan had asked him did he want to play one, he said yes.

They were sitting in their small living room, with the board game set up in front of them. Wylan had picked the game Ketterdam Killer, and excitedly explained the rules: they had to take turns rolling a dice to move around the board, and in select areas they could take a guess at who the killer was, what weapon he used, and in which room he had murdered his victim.

This actually didn't sound so bad, but after ten minutes in, Jesper realised how slow the game was.

"I can't believe something where someone gets murdered could be so boring," Jesper complained.

Wylan did not look impressed.

At that moment, Nina burst into the room. In her hands she brandished a bottle and several glasses.

"Who wants to celebrate and get drunk with me?"

At their surprised faces, she rolled her eyes. "Come on, we deserve a break after everything we've been through. I'm sure Kaz would agree!" Nina pursed her lips. "Actually no, he wouldn't agree. But that makes me want to do it even more." She smirked devilishly.

"Wylan and I would be honoured to get drunk with you," Jesper assured her.

Wylan went red. "Actually Nina, we were playing a game. Do you want to join us?" He smiled hopefully and gestured for her to sit down opposite them.

Nina pranced over and started pouring the whiskey into glasses. "Good timing," Jesper said. "I was just thinking I could do with a drink to make it through this game. What exactly are we celebrating, by the way?"

"Matthias and I…" Nina started, and then glanced at the game board on the table. "Oh, I think I know this game! You have to guess the murderer?" She pointed seriously at Wylan. "I bet it was the merchling in the drawing room with the flute!"

"What's a drawing room?" Jesper asked in confusion. "Is it where rich people draw?"

Wylan looked a little exasperated. "A drawing room is a fancy living room."

Nina pushed a glass towards him. "Come on merchling, try the whiskey! Think of how much Kaz would disapprove." She winked.

Wylan didn't look convinced, but he took a sip of the drink and pulled a face.

"Now you're one of us!" Nina trilled, throwing her arms around him.

"So all it took was drinking some cheap whiskey?" Wylan asked.

"Yeah, never mind all the times you risked your life for us!"

Wylan nodded. "And having to endure Kaz's death glares."

"Those aren't death glares, that's Kaz's normal expression." Jesper explained.

Nina suddenly clapped her hands together excitedly. "I'm such an idiot, I forgot the whole reason I came in here! I have great news, Matthias and I-"

Just then the door opened and Inej appeared, looking harried. Her dark clothes were dirty and her hair dishevelled. "Well, that mission was more difficult than I expected," she grumbled. Her eyes moved to the trio and the whiskey. "Oh Saints, I could use a drink!"

Inej perched beside Nina on the couch and poured herself a drink. She took in the board game spread out on the table. "Are we playing a game?"

Wylan nodded, eager to continue playing. "Yes, it's called Ketterdam Killer and you have to guess-"

"Let's play Spin the Bottle!" Nina suggested.

"No," groaned Inej.

"Oh come on! We're the most fun members of our little group, let's enjoy ourselves without Kaz and Matthias around to make us feel bad."

Wylan was genuinely shocked. "I'm one of the fun members?"

"Yeah, you don't take yourself too seriously. Well, usually," Jesper nudged him good-naturedly.

"You mean I don't go around brooding and giving people death glares?"

"Exactly! You just look surprised or embarrassed most of the time."

Wylan blushed.

"So anyway, how about we play a card game?" Jesper asked impatiently. "I have a pack right here –"

"How about we play Kiss, Marry, Bed?" Nina interjected.

"No!" Inej said firmly.

"I don't know what that is, but I'm also going to say no," Wylan added, sharing a meaningful look with Inej.

"Well I say yes!" declared Jesper. "I haven't played that in years."

Inej shook her head. "Years? What were you, twelve? This explains so much about you Jes."

"Hey, only Kaz calls me Jes!"

Nina smirked. "And maybe Wylan."

Jesper scowled. Wylan blushed again.

"Alright, its two against two," Nina declared, looking thoughtful. "But really Inej and Wylan's votes should count for less since they are so small…" She smirked at their loud protests.

"Honestly Nina, you don't want to mess with the Wraith and a bomb maker," Wylan said boldly. Clearly the alcohol was giving him some confidence.

"Not to mention Wylan might beat us to death with his flute," Jesper added seriously.

"I just want to play my board game," Wylan sighed.

"I don't believe it," Nina declared loudly, jumping out of her seat with excitement. "I still haven't told you all the good news yet!"

"What news?" Inej asked.

The heartrender beamed, her face completely joyous. "Matthias and I are together!"

There was a long silence. Then Inej grinned. "Congratulations! But to be honest, I'm not surprised."

"Yeah," Jesper agreed. "All that passionate arguing, and long, lingering glances. Things were awkward enough before now, are you telling me they're about to get worse?"

"Much worse," Nina grinned, then sighed dramatically. "I'm so lucky to have met the man of my dreams! He's like a tall, blond, handsome hero straight out of my favourite book. I know he's flawed, but he just needs the right woman to tell him what to do," she finished smugly.

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Jesper was the first to recover. "You read too many romance novels, Nina."

"Of course I do. That's how I know every man can be changed by a good woman."

"Or man," offered Wylan, who instantly blushed.

"You just keep away from Matthias," Nina warned. "If I find you drunkenly attempting to seduce him later I'll be most displeased."

"Especially if he succeeds," Jesper added.

Wylan looked affronted. "I was just making a point! I'm not interested in him, he's far too… intimidating. He always seems to be scowling."

"He just needs someone like you to cheer him up," Jesper nudged Wylan. "Don't you like the mysterious, brooding type?"

"Sounds like you've read too many romance novels as well," Inej said.

"That's a bit harsh, considering who you're interested in…" Jesper trailed off at the murderous expression on Inej's face.

"Inej in the parlour with the knife!" Nina joked.

"Stop mocking my game!" Wylan yelled.

"What in the name of Kerch is a parlour?!" Jesper cried.

"A parlour is a fancy living room for rich merchlings," drawled a voice from the doorway.

Everyone looked up. Kaz Brekker was leaning casually against the wall, looking as if he owned the place. (Which in fact, he did.)

Nina gasped,Wylan almost dropped his glass and Jesper just stared with his mouth open.

Inej was the first to get over her shock. "How long exactly have you been standing there?!" She demanded, colour rising to her cheeks.

Kaz examined his expensively gloved hands as if bored. "Too long without being noticed, I'd say."

Jesper's eyes narrowed. "Is Matthias hiding here too?" He eyed the curtains suspiciously.

Kaz rolled his eyes. "I was not hiding. I entered the room silently but you were all just too drunk to see me."

Nina pointed at him accusingly. "Was this some sort of elaborate test? Was it you who left this bottle of whiskey in my room?"

"You never leave me whiskey," Jesper muttered sourly.

"That's because you'd drink it all yourself," Kaz explained impatiently. "I knew Nina would share it, and then I could test everyone's reflexes after a few drinks. You all failed miserably, by the way." He frowned at all of them.

"There it is, that's the death glare!" Wylan murmured to Jesper.

Kaz heard this and glared even more intensely. It was good to have people afraid of him.

Nina was unfazed. "Kaz, you probably already heard this while you were rudely eavesdropping, but Matthias and I are-"

"Yes, I heard Nina," Kaz replied wearily. "And I don't condone relationships in our group."

"You don't condone having feelings either," Inej countered.

Kaz looked a little hurt before his expression turned to a scowl.

"Yes, well feelings get in the way of our work."

"I can't believe you used to fancy this guy Jesper," Wylan said in what he thought was a whisper.

"Wylan! Everyone can hear you!" Jesper moaned, putting his face in his hands. "I'm never letting you drink again."

But Kaz looked suitably pleased at this revelation.

As much as she admired him, right now Inej was sick of their leader's cold attitude. Who did he think he was, making them all feel like they were inferior to him?

"Are you going to join us, or are you just here to judge us?" She crossed her arms and appraised him.

Before Kaz could reply, Matthias suddenly appeared at the door. He looked a little startled to see all of the gang already there.

"Matty! Come sit here beside me," Nina patted the seat beside her.

Feeling uncomfortable at how everyone else in the room seemed to be glaring at Kaz, Matthias sat down and tried to think of something to say. He spotted the board game on the table and smiled.

"Are you playing Ketterdam Killer? That's my favourite game! Can I join?"

Everyone in the room looked shocked that Matthias Helvar liked board games.

Wylan was thrilled. "Of course! We're just about to start a new game."

Jesper turned to Nina. "If Wylan does seduce your beloved Matty, I'm just letting you know that I'm still here for you."

Matthias nearly choked on his drink. Wylan looked furious.

Kaz was still hovering awkwardly by the wall, doing his best to look uninterested.

"Oh come on Kaz, you can look just as haughty sitting down," Inej insisted, as she took his arm and steered him into a seat. Kaz looked a little dazed, but strangely enough he didn't protest.

Matthias was still eyeing Jesper and Wylan suspiciously. Nina patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, Jesper's just jealous of us. His own love life is dreadful. Did you know he accidentally kissed Kuwei?" she added casually.

"Nina!" Jesper growled.

"Don't worry, most of us already know," Inej assured him grinning. "Kuwei told me before he left. He warned me not to fall prey to your rugged charms like he did." Inej snorted.

"I also know," Kaz interjected, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"What? Did he warn you away from me as well?" Jesper was starting to feel better about the whole embarrassing situation now they could joke about it.

"He did actually. It was most amusing. But also, I was in the room when it happened."

Jesper was too scandalised to reply, while everyone else just looked shocked. Kaz was unfazed. "I was behind the curtains," he clarified.

"Is eavesdropping on us something of a hobby for you?" Nina said in disbelief.

"Believe me, I was riveted by the drama of the whole situation," Kaz said sarcastically. "But mostly I was just bored and couldn't sleep."

"So you only spy on us when you're bored? What a relief," Jesper grumbled.

Wylan mustered his self-righteousness and stared Kaz directly in the eye. "You think its alright to violate your friends' trust and privacy like that?"

Kaz shrugged. "That sounds about right. How else would I know what you're all saying about me behind my back?"

"Not to mention know who's hooking up with who," Nina added bitterly. "You seem far more interested in that then you pretend."

Ignoring her accusation, Kaz said firmly, "I'd like to remind you all that I still don't condone relationships, by the way." Kaz glared at Jesper, Wylan, Nina and Matthias.

Matthias was really confused. Just when he'd started thinking of these people as his closest friends, they had to go and ruin it with their spying and dubious behaviours. Except Nina. If anything, he just thought she was more perfect that ever.

"I swear by the gods and saints, I really will beat you all with my flute if we don't play this game right now." Wylan said exasperatedly.

"What happened to the sweet, innocent merchling boy we held as ransom for the Ice Court mission?" Jesper sighed.

"He met us," Inej said grimly.

Note: This is my first Six of Crows fanfic, I'd really appreciate any feedback! Thanks for reading :)