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You not knowing to swim and being part of the Dregs were two things that could get destructive together. You knew that when you joined. So in a way, you deserved the situation you were in now - Ketterdam took out the weak, and now you had pulled the short straw.
The canal water threatened to drag you under, the current having taken you to the sea, and now you were drifting farther and farther away. If you had known how to swim, it would take just a few strokes and you’d be able to push yourself up, but struggling to keep yourself up took all your strength. You couldn’t even scream for help.
You didn’t know for how long you were there - if others knew where you were. You knew Kaz was tapping his foot while looking at the time, you wouldn’t have had time to be late.
You didn’t hear when your name was called, nor you saw the Fjerdan diving into the water, rushing towards you. Your vision was going out already, but then you faintly felt yourself being pulled - maybe Death had come to claim you. Your consciousness went in and out as you were pushed up on the street, and you heard some running steps coming up towards you. You were rolled over to the pavement, turned to your side. Your vision was blurry, and you were tired - oh so very tired. You felt acid on your throat, seawater making its way out of you in a form of vomit. You coughed and gagged as it just kept coming, before it calmed down, leaving you shaking slightly.
“Saints,” you heard a voice say, but it echoed, sounding like it came from behind a wall. The walls at the Slat were something you had always cursed - listening to your neighboring Dreg having a one night’s stand wasn’t something you enjoyed hearing. But right now, you would have done anything to be in your own bed, under covers, dry and warm. Even if it meant listening to your neighbor’s bedpost rhythmically slamming against the wall.
Suddenly, you felt a a pair of hands on your chest and you started to warm up immediately. Your vision started to clear, your tiredness started to diminish. You groaned, seeing Nina kneeling beside you and managed to muster a small smile for her, closing your eyes.
Then, the seawater decided to make itself known once more and you abruptly lunged to the side, throwing up onto the pavement again. Gasping for air, you felt a large hand stroking your back, and finally decided to look at your savior.
Matthias.
You blinked at him, a trace of fluid still dripping off your cheek. You had not expected him to jump after you like that. But at the same time, you knew he wouldn’t just stand there and look as you drowned, you were friends with him after all. Or, you wanted him to be more than a friend actually, but still - you didn’t expect to find yourself in a situation like this, him being so caring with you after he saved you. You saw Nina turn her eyes away, biting her lip as if to hide a smirk - this would be something she’d tease you about for weeks.
More steps approached, and you saw the rest of the Crows walking up to you. Kaz looked like a stormcloud over a job gone wrong, but judging by how Inej looked at him, he wouldn’t chastise you about ruining the job, at least not now. They all knew you couldn’t swim. Jesper and Wylan ran up the moment they saw you, as well as Inej a few seconds later, her hand brushing against Kaz’s arm as she passed him. Kaz stopped and stood a little farther away from the rest of them doting over at you, Matthias helping you to sit up and a moment later, hoisting you up against him. You started walking towards the Slat with Matthias’s arm around you and you couldn’t help but think, maybe there would be more to how Matthias felt about you. Nina had teased you about it and kept hinting that way, but you didn’t believe it being true, thinking it’s just Nina’s hopeless romantic side talking. But the way Matthias looked at you, the way he held you - it spoke about something deeper.
Maybe you’d talk to him about it in a few days. Maybe confessions would be made, maybe one of your greatest dreams would come true.