Six of Crows One-Shots

Don't Hurt My Darling, Kaz

(A few chapters ago, I wrote a chapter about Wylan getting tortured by Van Eck. This is a parallel of that.) 

Wylan glared at his father, shifting closer to Kaz. The raven-haired boy was also glaring at Van Eck, his pointed face drawn in a snarl.

Van Eck suddenly clasped a hand around Wylan's throat with a grin. "My son."

Kaz felt fury erupt in him. He wouldn't let Van Eck hurt Wylan again.

"Let him go."

Van Eck glared at Kaz. "Is there a problem, Brekker?"

Kaz took a deep breath. Van Eck would torture him. Or he would torture Wylan. And Kaz couldn't live with that. "Yes, there is a problem."

Van Eck released Wylan's throat and glared at Kaz. "What is it?"

"Please, don't hurt him."

The word please felt sour on Kaz's tongue, but he could swallow his pride for Wylan.

Van Eck laughed and gripped Kaz's shoulders. He slammed the boy into a wall, his nose cracking.

Wylan screamed. "Father! Please, stop!"

But Kaz wiped the blood from his face. "It's alright, Wy."

Van Eck's hand tangled in Kaz's hair and he pulled him back, only to slam him back into the wall.

Then, he forced Kaz to his torture chamber- two tables, one covered in doctors' tools.

Kaz didn't fight against Van Eck. He allowed the man to strap him to the table.

But his heart ached as the man forced Wylan to stand right beside him.

Wylan was crying, his face red, his cheeks puffy.

Kaz wanted to reassure the boy that he would be okay, but Van Eck was holding a scalpel.

"Cooperate and this will go smoothly."

Kaz just glared at Van Eck.

Then, he felt the cold air on his hands. His gloves.

Van Eck's fingers brushed against Kaz's palm and sickness rose up in his throat.

"So that's your weakness."

Van Eck grinned at Kaz, his blue eyes glowing demonically.

Wylan started screaming again, struggling against his restraints. "Please, Father, please."

Kaz met the boys sapphire gaze. "This man is your father through blood, not through affection."

Van Eck hissed, cutting a line down Kaz's cheek. Kaz hissed, trying to ignore his pain.

The only true thing hurting him was the sounds of Wylan's pleas and wails.

He let out a hiss of pain but kept still. He didn't want to look at Wylan. He didn't want to see the boy crying.

Van Eck lifted one of Kaz's hands and sliced a line across his palm. He repeated the same motion on his other hand.

Van Eck drew out the torture. It lasted for almost an hour, leaving Kaz in a bloody mess. Finally, Van Eck untied him and Wylan and left.

Kaz had tried not to cry, but tears stained his cheeks.

Wylan immediately wrapped his arms around Kaz and pressed his face to Kaz's neck. "Why did you let him do that?"

Kaz carefully shifted his arms to hug the boy, wincing. "I wasn't going to let him hurt you."

Wylan's hot tears soaked Kaz's neck. "I'm going to kill him."