The Love of a Crow - Wesper/Crows Fanfiction/AU

10. Kaz

  "I need that list of ingredients finished, kid. Don't leave me waiting."

Kaz stormed into the Crow room, and Wylan jumped, nearly dropping whatever dangerous substance he was working with. The Crow Room where they usually met to relax had turned into Wylan's lab, with parts scattered around like weeds. The furniture had been moved for more floor space, and it was like walking through an obstacle course for anyone to get from one side to the other.

As for Wylan? He had become part of the room, never really leaving it until the rare times he would go to the bathroom, or grab a crumb of food, or head back to his cell to sleep. Kaz didn't even bother checking whether he was in his cell at night anymore; he had walked in many times on Wylan, slumped over his work, fainted from exhaustion.

"You need to stop him working so hard," Inej had insisted one night as she went to prop a cushion behind Wylan, who was leaning against a table leg. "He'll burn himself out before he stops to rest!"

"I'm not the one overworking him!" Kaz snapped.

And it was true. Wylan refused to stop for anybody, no matter how much it cost him. Kaz thought the fight with Matthias a week ago would solve Wylan's terrified demeanour, but now he was working harder than ever to please Kaz and the rest of the Crows. When would he feel like it was enough?

Now Kaz looked at Wylan; curls ruffled, face saggy and pale, wild blue eyes dull as they hid behind purple bags. Inej was right, as usual; he was burning himself out.

"Go rest, merchling. This work can wait."

"No it can't!" Wylan groaned, head slowly sagging. Kaz was almost surprised at his sharp tone. "If I stop now then I'll forget the next step, then I'll forget the recipe..."

Kaz glared at him. Was the boy this foolish? "So write it down! I've already given you paper and ink, what did you do with it?"

"I... uh... I-I needed to use it in a bomb!" Wylan stuttered, suddenly very awake.

"Ok, what bomb was-" Kaz began, but stopped himself. Wylan looked absolutely terrified, fiddling with his fingers and biting his lip as if stopping himself from crying. Again Kaz was bemused. He didn't think he was that terrifying, so what was it?

"Never mind. I don't even want to know." He said angrily, and Wylan instantly relaxed and released a breath Kaz didn't know he'd been holding. "But I need that list finished by tomorrow, Wylan." Kaz warned.

Wylan merely nodded, fatigue taking it's hold on him again. He fell forward, but Kaz reached him just in time. Kaz shuddered as he felt the weight of another person pressing on his arm as he lowered whatever strange and deadly contraption Wylan had almost dropped. Slowly Kaz used both arms to grip Wylan and shake him awake.

"Go." He said sharply as Wylan's cool blue eyes met his dark brown ones.

Finally Wylan nodded and stood, almost tripping over a table leg as he made it out the door. Kaz sighed, rubbing one gloved hand across his face. Though he hated to admit it, he was tired too. There was still so much work needing to be done for his big plan, and with Van Eck right behind him, ready to catch him out if he let any information about Wylan slip... well, it took him all of his will power not to hand Wylan over and get the job done with.

Eventually Kaz retired to his room, flopping onto his desk chair and chucking his coat on the floor. Inej was already on her usual perch, gazing out of his window, waiting for her wretched birds to arrive. Kaz would have had them all shot if it didn't mean she had another reason to spend time in his room.

"Tell me you have some good news for once, Wraith." He sighed, stretching his bad leg, wincing in a way only Inej would ever see. His secrets were as much hers as they were apart of him. Well. Most of them.