Chapter Eight

You Can Take The Oxygen Straight Out Of My Own Chest

The DeKapple plan quickly went to ruins as the flu ran through the Barrel. Flu season ran for a few months and when it hit The Barrel, almost everyone was affected.

Kaz handled this dark reminder of the plague the way he did every year, he holed himself up in his attic room and barred anyone from doing more than standing at his door. He went to the office when it was necessary. Entering the office involved dodging coughs and sick Dregs, Kaz gritted his teeth and bared it until finally, he decided to have Big Bol and Muzzen move his desk up the stairs and into his attic. This was an idea he had been contemplating for years but had needed to be on firmer ground with Haskell before instigating it. This year's particular strand of influenza seemed worse than before, knocking members of the Dregs out for weeks on end, it was this that had spurred Kaz's decision into action.

If the Dregs thought Kaz's disappearance during the time of the flu was odd, no one ever said it aloud. He supposed they clocked it up to him being a germaphobe, maybe wondering if that was the real reason behind the gloves. More rumours to add to the heap. He kept his window shut firmly unless he had specifically organized for Inej to come report with new information, not that there was much information to be had as the gangs holed up from the cold. Jesper had made a few snide comments about Inej being sent out despite the weather, Kaz had shut him down by reminding him that if he was so concerned, he could take her place.

Inej didn't complain, not when she sat by Kaz's window with snow sprinkling the hood of her cloak, water dripping along the braid of her hair and lips tinged blue some nights. She didn't mention the weather when Kaz gave her new marks, new leads to follow. Above all, she didn't overstep when in the attic, she stayed by the window and didn't question Kaz staying as far as possible away from her.

No, Inej hadn't complained once, so when she didn't show up for their meeting Kaz tried not to let his frustration come through, she sent a note through Anika to inform him she was sick, knowing better than to bring her illness anywhere near him. He had left the note on his desk as the frustration slipped away and was replaced by something else. Some feeling he shoved back with reassurances that really, it was just the flu, it was not the plague, she would move past it and be back in his window.

But as two weeks passed and Inej did not grace his windowsill Kaz had a sharp feeling that something was wrong, and when Anika knocked on his door his reaction was only half as harsh as it should have been, already knowing whatever she bought him would be about Inej.

"What business?"

"Inej is sick."

"I'm aware of that." He snapped.

"She's getting worse, I've been checking up on her and I think she's caught something else."

"Feeling sentimental Anika? Since when have you started doting over the other dregs?" He stayed behind his desk, torn between the urge to remain away from the chances of catching anything, or the urge to go see the state of his wraith.

Anika shrugged, her own fondness for Inej wasn't really a surprise to Kaz, Jesper had developed it too, the girl had that effect on those she wasn't holding a knife to. "All I'm saying is your new spider isn't looking so good, and Haskell said he isn't paying for any Medik to come into the Slat."

"A spider is a dime a dozen," Kaz muttered dismissively and he ignored the look of anger on her face as she left the room. He sat at his desk for a moment longer, avoiding looking at the closed window. Damn it Inej.

He pushed himself up, grabbing his cane and making his way out of the attic. He was unusually quiet as he made his way down to the third floor. He paused at her room, his hand freezing at the door for longer than he was proud to admit. He knocked once and there was a long pause, silence.

"Inej?"

A chest-rattling bout of coughing was the only response he received at first, finally, her voice called for him to come in. He opened the door, surprised that it was unlocked. He couldn't bring himself to enter the small space, not after hearing that cough. Kaz stood in the doorway, his body tense as he stared at the outline of Inej curled in her bed, even within the bed's small frame she managed to look smaller than usual, as if she had shrunken in on herself in the few weeks it had been since he'd seen her. Someone, most likely Anika, had given her one of their blankets yet she appeared to be shivering even through the two layers.

"Kaz." Her voice was hoarse, watery dark eyes looked up in his direction, "What business?"

Kaz would have laughed if it were not all so out of his comfort zone. He wondered if he could get away with it if he could pretend, he was simply here with a job, and she was not sick. He had only had the spider for a few months and yet the information she was bringing to him was invaluable, leading to more jobs, more secrets. He had barely accepted her being out of commission for this amount of time, refusing to use Roeder out of his sheer stubbornness.

"Are you getting better?" He finally spoke, the words getting caught in his throat, don't breathe in. He told himself.

Inej laughed, a wet choked laugh that Kaz hadn't heard before, "My saints are watching over me."

"They must enjoy your pain then." He quipped back. She only sighed in response, perhaps too tired to debate with him. "When you're better, I'll need you for a job, we've fallen behind with everyone being sick."

"So sorry to inconvenience you."

"You and everyone else in the Slat." He retorted. He stood for a moment longer, eyes still watching her own, slowly Inej shut her eyes and for a moment a cold grip tightened as his thoughts went to the worst possibility, but she took a slow breath in, and he realized she was simply drifting to sleep. He stayed and watched her breathe, the blankets slipping off her shoulder and occasionally a shiver wracking through her body. He imagined himself pulling the blanket back over her, but the memories of his own self coughing and feverish held him firmly in his place by the door.

When he finally left, shutting the door quietly behind him, it was to go and find Anika, she looked up when he appeared in her doorway.

"What business?" She greeted him.

He walked forward, hand reaching into his coat and pulling out a small bag of Kruge that he tossed at her. "Call a Medik for Inej."

Anika nodded, looking at the money with some shock on her face, "Kaz Brekker has a heart?" She asked.

"Kaz Brekker isn't going to spend months finding another spider because this one has died from the flu." He snapped at her. He tossed her another bag of coins to end the discussion, moving towards the door.

"What's this one for?"

"That's for paying off the Medik to stay after Inej lashes out at them for going near her." He noticed she'd collected two new weapons since he had given her the knife, it wasn't unlikely that she was sleeping with them tucked against her, even more, likely whilst she was sick. He left Anika to organize it all, his mind was trying desperately to not focus on her words, 'Kaz Brekker has a heart?' It had made him want to take the money back, to shut himself in his attic and wait to see what damage would be done. But he had taken a gamble on Inej, vouched for her usefulness, spent hours training her, this was nothing more than insurance that his work had not been in vain.

Nothing Kaz did in this city was ever in vain.

AN: Little bit of angst to welcome my second semester of the third year at Uni. I really liked writing this chapter I don't know why.
I have another question! What types of Heists would you guys like to see? I need about two to three decent heists or jobs in between the major plot points.

Review Responses:
GreyHaru- Thank you for your continuous reviews! Sorry This chapter took so long I have been incredibly busy this week!

Cat K- I have the most incredible plan for the DeKapple heist! But since the heist was about six months before the SOC book I had to postpone it but I have so much fun plot stuff planned and in a few more months it will have been a year of Inej being with the Crows and that means I can introduce Nina! I loved your idea for Roeder, what I have planned is Inej based but... you'll see!

Thank you to everyone!
~ThisMayFlower