* ᴅᴇᴀᴅᴇʏᴇᴅ / ᴜɴᴀꜰʀᴀɪᴅ.

When asked in an interview what kind of challenges is Kaz would be dealing with in Crooked Kingdom, Leigh Bardugo explained, “I think this is the moment when Kaz is deciding who he is going to be. Because his life has been all about revenge, and one of the questions that Inej poses to him is not really about his attachment to her. It’s about, what comes after that?” This got me thinking about how Kaz’s character arc oddly resembles some other well known stories, particularly Charle’s Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, and this comparison is seen most clearly in chapter 30 in Crooked Kingdom. Like Scrooge in Dicken’s novel, Kaz spends the chapter evaluating his past, present, and future leading him to question for the first time, just as Leigh describes, what happens next?

The comparisons with the ghosts in Dicken’s story begins around page 413 when Kaz, Nina, and Inej get to the morgue. When they enter the scene turns into a flashback to when Kaz first started wearing his gloves and how they’ve helped him until he met Imogen. Those of you who’ve read the book or have seen a faithful adaption know that in A Christmas Carol, Scrooge had a fiance named Belle who left him after his love for money outgrew his love for her. Similarly, Imogen was a girl Kaz had a crush on, and from her flirtatious manners it was clear she shared his feelings. Kaz felt the only way he could be in a relationship with Imogen was to first overcome his touch aversion, but after some painful trial and error he learns that his PTSD does not go away on self determination alone. The results are shown in the last paragraph of the flashback scene: “At the ring, the next time Imogen laid her fingers on his sleeve, Kaz held her gaze until that close-mouth smile slipped. She dropped her hand. She looked away. Kaz went back to counting the money” (page 417). From his dismissal of her actions to the focus on money in the last sentence, it’s implied that from here on out that Kaz abandoned the idea of trying to have a relationship with anyone in favor of building his empire of revenge. Like younger-Scrooge, younger-Kaz allowed his relationships to deteriorate in place of a different ideology that leaves him increasingly isolated from others. 

Then moving onto the next phase, I’d argue the most fitting scene for the ghost of Christmas present in the chapter is the one between Kaz and Jesper in the Guildrenner Suite hallway. In Dicken’s story, Scrooge watches the Cratchit family in the present, and they’re presented as an opportunity for Scrooge to begin empathizing with others and go back on his curmudgeonly ways. In a similar sense, Kaz could continue pushing everyone away from him, but in that scene in the hallway he admits to Jesper and probably himself that he cares about him, (in his indirect Kaz-ish way of course). I want to note again, the Imogen scene is a flashback, the past, and this scene with Jesper in the present.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is where the comparison between stories is the strongest.  Kaz and Nina are looking around the morgue for a body when Nina identifies one with the right date of death. Kaz pulls it out and after a few moments of silence Nina says, “I wonder how he died”. Kaz’s responds with “Alone”. That one word is incredibly loaded. When Kaz and Nina are studying the body Kaz observes that it took so long for the man’s body to be found by other people that animals had began eating at his fingers. The question Nina asked really was “what caused the man’s death?”. The question Kaz was asking was “what state was the man was in when he died?” because in his mind, Kaz isn’t viewing some random man’s body. He’s looking at his own. In Dicken’s story, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge his future grave and implies that if Scrooge doesn’t change his ways he’ll die alone. There’s no one at his funeral to mourn him (cough cough), only robbers delightfully going through the possessions and money Scrooge obsessed over during his life. Similarly, Kaz avoids attachments because he obsesses over revenge and the vulnerability relationships bring, but Kaz is finally forced to ask himself in this scene, is that sort of life worth living? Like Dicken’s characters, Kaz realizes that if he keeps living his life this way, that’s how he’ll end up dying. Just like the man at the morgue. Alone.

(edit) alrighty so this is OP from the future coming in to edit with some details I left out the first time that I feel strengthen the similarities to the two stories: 

~For one, the ghosts come to Scrooge when he goes to sleep, and as I argued in this more recent post, I think there’s a connection between when Kaz is avoiding sleep and when Kaz is avoiding his relationships/feelings. To sum it up, there are more similarities to sleep and relationships than I think we tend to think about. Like, you physically need rest to survive, and throughout the book Kaz mentions putting off sleep in order to focus on what he considers to be more “important”, their revenge on Van Eck/Rollins. Similarly, people need relationships and social bonds of some sort to live. Literally there are studies showing that babies and children who are fed/housed/cleaned but not given attention and love die, and adults who don’t have communities or social networks to rely on for emotional support experience more stress and health problems than those who do. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Inej, who expresses emotions and creates friendships, has less trouble handling her trauma than Kaz does. So anyway, over the course of the book, Kaz has been trying to ignore his growing attachments to his friends, but after waking up alone in his hotel room he spends most of the chapter being introspective and analyzing everything I said above.

 Tommy remembered the story of Kaz and his brother. How it had led to Jordie joining the war in an attempt to recoup some of their lost money, and had subsequently ended in his own death. It had infuriated him then, and despite everything that had happened in the meantime, it still infuriated him now. They might not've been young children, but they had still been children, orphans, and taking advantage of them was a line even he wasn't willing to cross. 

 So he could understand the reasoning behind Kaz's actions. Why he had chosen the path he was currently walking down. And despite traveling that very same path, Tommy still thought it was the wrong one. For Kaz, it was. He deserved better, he always had. He was too smart, too kind, too— Tommy stopped himself and let out a sigh. 

 All of that was the past, he had to let it go.None of it mattered anymore. They were two men scarred by war, dedicating their lives to making someone pay. Nothing more.

 "I don't think the Dregs are right for you. You'll never become his equal groveling under someone like Per Haskell. He's a useless drunk, nothing more." Was this an invitation for Kaz to join the Peaky Blinders? No, he wouldn't go that far. Things had changed too much, and despite his buried feelings that seemed to be resurfacing, Tommy wasn't big enough of a fool to just invite him into his circle. But if Kaz had any intention of achieving his goal, he wasn't going to reach it with a dying gang. 

 "You need someone that plays to your strengths, not highlights your weaknesses."

              ❝That's the trick,❞ Kaz rasped, a certain authoritative undercurrent that had only really begun to show as he'd gained knowledge, power and experience seeping into his tone. ❝You hit where the mark isn't looking — he's going to underestimate a gang like the Dregs, precisely because everyone knows Per Haskell is a washed up old man. Pekka Rollins isn't going to give us a second glance ... not until he's forced to his knees with a blade to his throat. Then ... it'll be too late.❞

       He couldn't deny that his pride had come to his defense at Tommy's words, but ... he didn't think it was exactly unfounded.

       ❝The way I handle Per Haskell is strategic and intentional — all of it is, but ... ❞ Kaz exhaled and clenched his jaw tightly, letting his gaze drop to his leather clad hands as he smoothed them over the silver crows head. ❝My mind is still stuck in the fucking mud, Tom. Every damn time I feel like I've finally managed to dig myself out, I always slip eventually.❞

       Kaz hadn't intended to use the softer, more intimate nickname, but with the admission, it had slipped out. Part of him hoped it would go unnoticed, but he knew better. Tommy was sharp, intelligent and experienced himself. In this kind of work, you had to be — it was deadly to miss such tiny details. He sighed and again, lifted his chin to meet Tommy's gaze once more. Almost tiredly, he added, ❝Does that answer your question? ❞

 As though Kaz had read his mind, he got up and clearly wanted to take their discussion somewhere else. Most likely somewhere more private, where he didn't have to worry about his men listening in; intentionally or not. Tommy, too, prefered taking this somewhere else. He wasn't sure if there was business to be had between the both of them—and their gangs—but if there was, it wasn't going to happen here. 

 So he stood as well, following Kaz's gesture with his gaze. If it hadn't been for their shared past, Tommy would've been far more reluctant to follow someone who was clearly powerful within the gang's ranks into a room that could easily be used to ambush him. Worse yet, no one would even know. His family didn't know where he was, and there was no back up outside. He'd never intended to play an active role in his visit here, had only meant to have a drink and potentially listen in to some conversations. No backup needed.

 And perhaps it was naive to think that their past was sure to protect him. It had been years since, and Kaz could've easily lost whatever feelings there may have been between them, and instead grown so ambitious that he'd kill his former lover comrade in order to be able to brag about killing the leader of the Peaky Blinders. (Or was Tommy perhaps projecting?) 

 Either way, there was no hesitation in Tommy's footsteps as he followed the other up the stairs. For better or worse, he wanted to know where he stood.

 To his relief, there was no one else in the room, no ambush, just Kaz. For a moment, Tommy just stood there, taking the other in. The clothes, the cane, the gloves, the confidence with which he carried himself. "You look different without a uniform, you know." Taking off his own coat and hat, he hung them up next to the others, then turned back around to face Kaz, approaching him slowly. "You still haven't answered my question." Coming to a stop about an arm's length away, Tommy met Kaz's gaze, staring intently as though it could deliver all the answers. "Why are you here, doing the bidding for a second rate gang with no future? You're wasting your time, your talent, perhaps even your life. You said it yourself—you're too smart for this. So why?"

       Kaz hated the tiny jolt that surged through him at Tommy’s words, hated the way he almost felt like squirming beneath those bright, keen eyes of his. He hadn’t felt things like this since their war days — he’d even begun to wonder if being trapped down in that damn hole, soaked through, freezing and surrounded by decay had simply eradicated any shred of tender emotion out of him.

       Evidently, it had not … he just hadn’t been around the one person who invoked those feelings. They’d had no reason to surface. Of course, none of that meant that Tommy still felt anything for Kaz anymore and even if he did, it certainly didn’t mean he was keen to act on it out here in civilian society.

      What was the point of even entertaining the thought when Kaz couldn’t bear the touch of skin on skin?

       The only indication of the war he fought with himself was the way he pressed thin lips together tightly, perhaps even the way he barely smoothed his hands over the crows head of his cane, seeking comfort. Nonetheless, Kaz met Tommy’s intent stare with his own, tilted his chin up slightly.

       He was right, of course — he’d side-stepped the question for the most part while they were surrounded by listening ears. Now, however … there was no reason to avoid it and he doubted Tommy had any intention of backing down. If he’d wanted to turn on Kaz, this would’ve been his opportunity … and he hadn’t.

       ❝The man who swindled Jordie and me is here. He’s powerful, nearly untouchable,❞ As Kaz said these words, it was clear how it unearthed an undercurrent of depthless rage. ❝The only way to ensure he gets what he deserves is to become his equal, then surpass him. I can’t do that without a gang. The Dregs needed someone like me and I needed them — but my options were limited at the time. This was the only option I had.❞

       After a brief pause, his eyes fluttered closed and he clenched his jaw tightly. ❝But … what happened in No Man’s Land, it … its made things … much more difficult than I’d anticipated.❞

 Of course, Kaz had brought Matt's glasses. Of course, he had. It was Kaz Brekker, after all. The man who thought of everything. And although he really shouldn't have been surprised, Matt simply couldn't help it. Maybe two years apart had been enough to let him forget just how much attention Kaz paid to details, even if those details had absolutely nothing to do with him. Not only that, though—he'd also gone above and beyond. Had not only brought them, but improved them, too.

 If Matt hadn't been so determined to remain focused on what was ahead, he would've probably been overwhelmed by emotions. Though which ones, he couldn't exactly say. Relief? Gratefulness? Love? Perhaps all of the above at once?

 Taking off the mask for a moment, Matt, instead, simply smiled and gave a small nod. "Thank you." He was sure Kaz would understand the depth behind those words. Or, at least, he hoped he would. 

 Focusing back on the task at hand, he followed behind the two and tried his best to grow accustomed to just how different everything looked as quickly as possible. By the time everything felt semi-normal, things had heated up. Or... Somewhat heated up. Matt wasn't exactly excited at the prospect of having to fight—he had done nothing but fight for the past two years, after all—but there was a spark of exhilaration at the thought of getting to fight with Kaz. It had been too long, far too long. 

 The spark of exhilaration was quickly followed by a spark of panic. What if they no longer fought as well together as they used to? What if they'd fallen out of their synchrony Matt had loved so much about them? What if they were no longer Dirtyhands and his Reaper? 

 But Matt decided to push those fears to the back of his mind; now wasn't the time to doubt them. So he took a deep breath and got ready, hands raised. Now that he was about to get out of here, there was no reason to hide his powers anymore. "Let's go." He didn't have to use them, but now that he could, Matt infused every single movement with them. Jumping up into the air and using them to gain some more height, using a blast of air to knock the left guard off balance, then hurling another blast of air at the guard to knock him off of his feet entirely. It was absolutely deliberating, and Matt felt an euphoria like never before. 

 Once he landed back on his feet, Matt went to his knees in a fluid movement, one knee pressed into the guard's back. "What's your plan? Knock them out? Or kill them?" Grabbing the guard's wrists, Matt roughly pulled them behind his back, rendering him completely helpless. He'd never been someone keen on killing, but... There was a pent up rage inside of him that made him want to.

 And that, perhaps, was the most terrifying feeling of them all. 

       Every hint of pain and doubt that briefly sparked in Matt's eyes added to Kaz’s own kind of pent up rage. Despite the confidence and focus he wore, he was furious that it had taken this long to get Matt out of this Saints forsaken place.

       Kaz hadn’t thought he could desire Matt’s grandfather’s suffering any more than he already did — but getting Matt locked in here had ignited the kind of pure black hatred he’d spent most of his life harboring. The sight of the scars, emotional and physical, this place had inflicted on him were extensive, he had no doubt. Matt had suffered damn near enough and now, more of it had been added to the pile.

       Even though facing these men meant that his plan had gone wrong, that he needed to patch the holes and craft new pathways, his mind racing, Kaz was almost eager to fight. He sought out the man on the right, trusting Matt to take care of the one to their left. The guard came charging forward, lashed out for a punch, which Kaz evaded — then he latched onto the outstretched arm, utilizing the man’s momentum against and flipped him him over his shoulder onto the ground.

       Kaz then swung down on him with his cane, but the man recovered quickly, reaching up to catch it, bracing against the downward momentum. With a kick to his bad leg, Kaz stumbled with a grunt, loosened his grip instinctively and the man managed to shove him back, rising to his feet once more. He landed a punch against Kaz's jaw, stars rocketing through his head, the taste of copper in his mouth — but with another swing, the head of his walking stick made contact with the man’s shin, a satisfying, audible crack indicating that the bone fractured. With a pained yelp, the man crumbled to the ground. Kaz limped forward, lifting his good leg to grind his heel into the man’s shoulder, satisfied by the sound of pain that followed.

       ❝Shut-eye,❞ he rasped in response to Matt’s question, assuming he’d remember what the term meant — and he emphasized it with a sharp, hard kick to the man’s head, rendering him unconscious. ❝They can’t hunt us down later if they don’t know who we are.❞ He was referring, of course, to the masks they wore that obscured their faces.

       Just as Kaz glanced up, however, he glimpsed a figure approaching Matt from behind as he was dealing with the guard beneath him. A small burst of panicked adrenaline crackled through him, every terrible outcome flashing through his mind in an instant. ❝Behind you! ❞ He called and, without waiting for a response, the knife he kept in his sleeve slid easily into his palm and Kaz threw it, aiming for the approaching assailant’s left shoulder.

   Their movements had almost felt synchronized, like an act they had practiced many times to perfect. Except... They hadn’t. They’d fought together once, briefly, and that was it. If they had more time, he might’ve spent it trying to decipher the way it made him feel.

      @THIEFOFCROWS & @FEILIEN

                     Private, selective, mutually exclusive. 21+ only. KAZ BREKKER from the Grishaverse & 劉 LIU 'MATT' 龙之 LONG ZHI, fandomless crime OC. Written by MARS & J.