Grishaverse Oneshots

Sounds of a Tortured Soul

*Anyone order some angst? he he

Nina and Jesper walked side by side down the silent street. The ghosts of a past life echoed on the whistling breeze. The two came to a stop in front of the ashes of a building they once called home. The skeleton of a building rested against the burnt shell of the building next to it. Since the fire, no one dared to step foot on the property or let alone rebuild. So alone it sat for years.

Jesper fiddled with his revolvers by his side as memories of their adventures danced in his vision. Nina grabbed his hand in hers. This wasn't easy for either of them. But they needed closure. They all did.

Jesper turned and smiled hiding his pain behind his usually happy demenor, but it didn't work well. He sighed and his smile dropped to a soft frown. His tears had dried up long ago but the ache in his heart didn't let up.

"Tell me the story, Nina. While we wait for the others." Jesper requested.

"Why me?" Nina asked. 

"You tell it the best." Jesper responded with smile and shrug.

Nina shook her head with a fond smile. "All right." The two stood in front of the ruined building. "You got your listening ears on?" She asked.

Jesper nodded. He adored the story even if it brought up sad memories for the sharpshooter.

"Good." Nina smiled. She took a breath before starting the story. "Long ago, there lived a man. His name was Pekka, and he ran an emerald palace where his daughter was a star.~ With me?" Nina asked.

Jesper nodded. "Pekker's the star, yeah."

Nina rolled her eyes and shook her head, "No! His daughter's name is y/n, and she's famous. People come to hear her sing from near and far~ Got it? Good." Jesper nodded as Nina continued. "Now, there's a rumor going 'round that in the barrel of this town there lives..."

"Wait, I know, can I guess?" Jesper asked.

"Sure, if you can." Nina shrugged.

"A mysterious killer!" Jesper smiled, "Kaz! Right?"

"Right, well, mostly but the twist is that this ghostly evil presence isn't monster, but man.~" Nina explained. "Now, this man had been blessed with a gift he possessed criminal talent completely unmatched but, as you often will find In epic tales of this kind this gift came with a curse attached. A past that was hideous and so jarring, he wore gloves to cover all the scarring.~"

"Cool!" Jesper sighed as he watched more memories play out in the ash.

"And lived underground inside a hole.~" Nina said.

Jesper looked at Nina, "Wait, a hole? Why a hole?"

"All his life, he'd been tormented, teased, and taunted but now his hunters would become the haunted the world that always made him feel unwanted would hear the toll; the sounds of a tortured soul.~"

Jesper felt a presence beside him and glanced to see Wylan's golden curls. Wylan takes Jesper's hand and leaned his head on Jesper's shoulder.

"One day at his desk, distant sounds of a fight drifted towards him from the bar below.~" Nina continued.

"K, so this hole has a bar?" Jesper asked.

Nina nodded, "Swifter than a bird. In all his life he'd never heard of a girl quite like this, and he was instantly in love. The voice, of course, was Pekka's daughter and the Bastard went and sought her to become his secret spider and his muse.~" Nina sighed as she pulled out a trinket that once belonged to her friend. A silver necklace that y/n had never taken off. "And if you think she found this oh-so-enigmatic virtuoso kinda creepy, then I've got some shocking news.~" Nina looked down at the necklace. "Because she fell, and fell hard. He was battered and scarred but she could see that inside, there was more. Something alluring, she'd find in the sadness behind that terrifying mask he wore.~"

Matthias approached Nina's side and wrapped his arm around her waist as she clutched tightly to the necklace. He pulled her to his side as she blinked back the tears that threatened.

"And though he was hideous and she was perfection, through heists, they found their connection. A bond beyond their own control.~" Nina stared at the necklace in her hand and she could have sworn she saw flames reflecting in metal. She closed her fist. "And though his past tormented her and chilled her, his complicated mind haunted her and thrilled her. His mesmerizing eyes fulfilled her, made her whole the sounds of a tortured soul.~"

"She was beautiful, and he was hideous. Ok so this IS Beauty and the Beast?" Jesper laughed softly.

Nina shook her head. "Jesper, less talking. More listening 'cause here's where it gets interesting. y/n's talking to her father, the man named Rollins who's evil and protective and not all that pleased about her latest beau.~"

Hate filled their minds but there was not much they could do. Pekka had died a while ago, robbing the remaining crows of their revenge.

"Angrily, Pekka tracks him to the club, where he attacks him and they battle in the passageway below.~" Nina spoke.

Inej appeared between Nina and Jesper holding a familiar cane they all knew too well. No matter how well they cleaned it they could still see the blood decorating the crow's head.

"And when he took his last breath, the bastard welcomed his death. He'd rather die than live apart. When it was over and done Pekka had killed him—he'd won But he'd lost his duaghter's heart.~" Nina sings as Inej joins in softly.

"Cause though he was blood, yes, and her father. The Bastard's love was so much deeper. A loss that nothing could console.~" Nina gave the necklace to Inej. "No more, she'd see that face that once had chilled her. No more, she'd hear those plans that once fulfilled her and people say that that's the thing that killed her, on the whole. She ran away and was never seen again.~"

"When they returned to find the Bastard and unmask him. They never found a body for the casket. They instead found fire that touched the sky. Inside they could hear Y/n with one last goal.~" Nina said. Inej wrapped the necklace around the cane and stepped toward the ashes of the fallen Crow Club. "To this day, inside that club, or near it. If you listen very closely, you can hear it. The songs of a tortured spirit's final role. The sounds of a tortured soul~"

Inej placed the cane on the steps of the Crow Club before backing up to join the rest of her friends. They all held each other as they silently mourned for their friends that had sacrificed their lives. But they all knew that death couldn't do those two part.

Now bound forever. The mastermind and muse. Resting at last.