GRISHAVERSE X READERS

SILENT ECHOES [KAZ BREKKER]

Summary: Your father is one of the only kind-hearted and honest merchants in Ketterdam, so when you find two boys who have contracted firepox at the alleyway, your father makes a flash decision to help them, and of course you are helping too.

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Ketterdam was a city of thieves and murderers, a place where compassion was a luxury few could afford. That was something Kaz Rietveld had yet to learn. The naive, innocent boy wiping his sick brother's sweaty face at that dirty alley. He already knew what was to come, and nobody would help them. The disease a Ravkan ship had brought Ketterdam had claimed them both, Jordie worse than him, but he still kept up hope that someone would help them. Maybe foolish hope, but he still looked up at every passerby who even glanced up their way, desperately hoping that someone kind would see them and take them to a medik.

And maybe some greater powers were looking over them, because one day, you, your father and the family maid were walking down the street, shopping groceries. Your father was one of the only honest merchants in all of Ketterdam - kind-hearted, generous, fair and loving. All those features were something not appreciated enough - people were expected to be cunning, cruel and greedy, but that wasn't the case with your father, and your family was still wealthy. Enough wealth to have a big house, a family maid and a Grisha healer on a payroll, and your father was appreciated by those in need.

Still, it wasn't like he was naive. He knew when someone was going to scam him, from the moment he met them. He had a knack of recognising such people, and that knack had never failed, so eventually people stopped attempting it.

You had inherited his kindness and selfless nature, so when you saw a little boy, maybe two years younger than you, sitting at the dirty alley, crying as he shook an older boy's body, you stopped in your tracks, tugging your father's sleeve.

"Dad," you muttered, and his eyes followed yours, also seeing those two boys with firepox sores on their faces, and you both knew what was wrong. Firepox had struck them, and coming near them could be dangerous. But still, your father left your side, approaching the boys. The younger boy snapped his gaze up when he saw a shadow approaching, and your father knelt in front of him, quietly talking with him for a moment before putting his hand on the older boy's forehead. Then, he turned to look at you and the maid.

"He's still alive. Femke, please get Noor, bring her to our house." he called out to the maid, and she nodded, immediately hurrying back towards your house. Your father then lifted the older boy up into his arms, nodding at you as a sign to help the younger one.

In any other case, you weren't sure if your father would have helped like that, to be honest. He may have waited for Noor or a medik instead - but Noor was extremely skillful with her healing skills, so she would be able to stop the virus even before it would even start to affect you, your dad or anyone else living in your house.

"Come on," you said as you smiled at the boy, reaching your hand towards him. He eyed you and your hand suspiciously for a moment, but then his eyes drifted towards the older boy in your father's arms, and he carefully took your hand, letting you pull him with you.

He coughed into his hand as you walked towards your house located at the better area of Ketterdam, and people looked at you and your father in disgust, immediately either turning around or making their way around you as far as possible. But finally, you made it to the house and your father carried the older boy in, quickly walking up the steps to one of the guest rooms, you following him. By the time you reached the door, the older boy was already under the blanket, a towel on his forehead and Noor was getting ready to begin the healing process. The boy beside you gasped quietly, and you looked at him before nodding towards one of the beds.

"You should rest, our healer is the best in the whole city, she'll be able to heal you and your friend." you said and let go of his hand, but he didn't yet move.

"Brother," the boy corrected. "He's my brother."

"What's his name?"

He was quiet for a moment, staring at his brother's body, watching Noor working on him. You wished you'd see what he's thinking at that moment, but decided to wait. They had clearly gone through a lot lately, it was natural if the boy was in shock.

"Jordie," he finally replied with a hoarse voice and swallowed.

You nodded. "What's yours?"

He kept a pause again, shorter than the last one, but you sensed he hesitated. But then he spoke anyway.

"Kaz."

You nodded, feeling sympathy for the young boy, and told him your name. "Noor will take care of both of you, I promise you'll be alright. I'll ask Femke to make you some soup or something hot to drink, okay?"

Kaz didn't answer anything, staring forward blankly. Then he sighed and climbed up to the bed, pulling covers over himself. You could almost feel how warmth surged through his body for the first time in days as he made himself comfortable on the bed, his eyes looking at Jordie for a moment before his exhaustion kicked in and his eyes drooped closed. Noor smiled at you briefly and you nodded, closing the door behind you.

Her checking the rest of you for the disease was a task she'd do later, now the most important thing was that those two boys would turn out alright. Jordie looked like he had been just hours away from death, and it was a miracle you found them just in time. It was like Saints themselves had ascended on you and guided you to find them.

Maybe the city of Ketterdam wasn't owned by thieves and murderers, not completely. Despite everything, there were people like your family, and you would always help those in need. People needed hope and compassion, and Kaz and Jordie had gotten that.

In a city of darkness, you and your family had been the only ones who had shown compassion for those two brothers, and they'd never forget what you did for them.