Hi reader: this is another idea I'm toying with continuing, set in the underground at the time of the 'No Regrets' OVA, spoilers ahead for that and the main anime (as and when I continue the story). You have been warned.
Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan, I only own my OC and some of the plot points. Some. The initial part of this story will follow the OVA to a certain degree, but not necessarily to the letter. Therefore don't assume you know what's coming ;)
Hope you enjoy, leave a review, like or follow, all are appreciated!
Thanks, Fran
I throw my rope up and over a roof. It hooks on and I go swinging, momentum building till finally I kick off another wall at the right angle and there we are. Home free. I sit down and hide behind the small wall, waiting as the footsteps rush past me, roars and grunts going with them. The idiots were soon long gone and I check my bounty was intact. Three loaves of bread and a shit-tonne of preserved meat. The jackpot of jackpots. I still couldn't believe I'd stumbled across a store of meat, in the Underground? My stomach gurgles and I put everything back in my bag before heading for home. I head for the edge of the roof, hook the rope in place and swing down into the street, people dodge but they needn't, I'm a good few metres above them when I unhook my rope and flip down into an alley. Takes a good chunk out of my commute time. I begin jogging through the crowded streets, winding up my rope as I go. I avoid the worst streets, and dash through the darkest. Soon my home is in sight, I can just taste the bread and meat, washed down with some hot tea. I was in for a good night. Hopefully without interruption.
I slow a little as I hear light sobbing.
So close!
Hearing someone crying was nothing new, but this was so young sounding I couldn't help but stop. Damn you instincts, why do you have to stall me from dinner? I look and see a young woman hunched against the wall. She keeps hitting against it, clearly annoyed with herself about something. Her auburn hair is spiky, and tied into pigtails. She's sobbing her heart out. I look around but no one seems to be looking for her.
"Hey, kid?" I call quietly, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. She sniffs violently and looks up with wide green eyes. I don't react on the surface, this could easily be a hook for an attack. But I see no shadows move, and there's nowhere all that easy to jump out from nearby. If it was a hook, it was a damned good one. I kneel down and nod towards her. "You hurt?"
"No…" she spits angrily, like I've just insulted her. I nod slowly and continue to scan the area, nothing so far.
"You alone?"
"Duh!" she huffs, sobbing again, hitting off the wall again as well. And then I think she realises why I'm asking and snorts a little, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "I'm not robbing you, lady."
I smirk, she was a pretty smart kid. And clearly upset about something. I rub my hands together and frown as a thought enters my head. Give her something to eat. Maybe even let her come inside till you can find out what's wrong with her. I glance around a little, wondering where the hell this came from. As her breathing evens out a little I clear my throat and nod towards my home.
"You hungry, kid?"
"Yeah…" she frowns but just holds her knees closer to her chest. I sigh and stand up, shifting my heavy bag on my back. She looks… shit I have no idea how old, but she's definitely younger than I am. "Why'd you care?"
"I don't particularly. But you caught me in a generous mood, apparently." She looks at me a little weirdly, narrowing her bright eyes like suspecting me of something. To be fair, generosity wasn't a common notion down here in the Underground. Murder was the order of the day for most. When she's done looking me up and down meticulously, she shakes her head slowly.
"I ain't got nothing to give you."
"That implies you have something to give." I snort, "Double negative… "
"Huh?"
"Come on kid, this bag's fucking heavy. Want some grub or not? Then you can come back and continue uselessly crying in the street." I hitch my bag again, underlining the heavy factor. She gets up slowly and trudges over to me, fiddling with one of her pigtails as she does. I never understood the term pigtails, I'd only ever seen one pig, but I had only seen one tail there… I turn and lead her towards my door.
"I really don't have anything missus."
"And I really don't expect you to, kid. No funny business, plus there's plenty windows you can jump out of. Coming? I just did pretty well today and feel like some good karma, close the door behind you yeah?"
I lead her in and head up the stairs. My shite apartment opens in front of me and I take a deep breath, no place like it. Really I couldn't complain, it had four(ish) walls and a roof almost entirely intact. More than many had. But I'd worked damned hard for it, so I was entitled to bitch.
I set down my bag and set the flame alight beneath the make-shift kettle.
"Tea? Or what I have deemed tea…" I flake some leaves into a cup, she shakes her head and wrinkles her nose. I shrug and get a loaf of bread out and some meat. Her jaw drops. I smirk and get the one plate I own and hand it over to her. She stands there holding the plate and staring at it in disbelief. I wonder how long it is since she ate. Not that I was a porker, but the kid was incredibly slight.
"You serious missus?"
"Dig in, kid. I have more in the bag, but that's mine okay? No nicking it?"
"Nah, you're clearly a crazy, I ain't stealing from you." She laughs, grabbing the bread and wolfing down a mouthful. I indicate the seat and she sits, heavily, nearly dropping the plate as she is lost in ecstasy.
I pour my 'tea' and stand by the window, or rather hole in my wall. There's still no one wandering round calling a name. People go missing all the time, but this kid still seemed fairly innocent, so there was someone looking after her. Down here you got bitter real quick without a boundary protecting you. I blow the steam away from my cup and sigh, wondering how far she is from home. I peer back to her and consider that she can't be from up-top, she's too scrappy for that. Then I frown, she wasn't a prozzy either, she was too boulshy for that. I sit on the sill and swirl the leaves round in the liquid.
"You lost, kid?" I ask carefully, not really wanting her to start crying again, I'm awful at dealing with people crying. I'm pretty bad with people in general. Or at least I thought I was, I think back over the past five minutes and smile. Perhaps loneliness had made me sociable? I smile into my tea. But then I stop when I realise she still hasn't answered, she's swallowing hard staring at the plate. "Kid?"
"I got lost from Big Bro…" she grits her sharp little teeth, "I'm so stupid."
"Hey, hey, I'm sure we can find your brother… does he look like you?"
"Nah…" and she goes on to describe someone I'd hoped to never have to run into again. At least not in this lifetime. I groan as she describes Levi to me. Really? I look up and feel like flipping the bird at whatever God thought this was funny. Of all the kids I had to run into, it had to be one of his brats? I meet her gaze when she hears my reaction, she sees the contempt. "You got history with Big Bro?"
"In a sense…" I laugh draining my cup and putting it back by the kettle, she chews slower now, watching me closer. I guess she now suspects I'm an enemy of his, and might use her as leverage against him. It was an oldy, but a goody. And indeed I was kind of an enemy, but I had no need to use leverage. I had no need, or want, to be anywhere near his stoic ass. "So what's your name, kid?"
"What's yours?" she replies coldly, still watching me fixedly. The kid was no dumbass. I make a little bow, and wonder if this name will even mean anything to her. I doubted he had ever spoken about me to new brats, and he might well have banned the subject of me from old ones.
"Katsumi. But I'm mostly known as Kat."
"K-Katsumi? The Katsumi?"
"I dunno do I?" I laugh raising a brow at her, she blushes a little and shrugs.
"I thought big Bro made you up."
"Ha, you mean he actually talks about me?" I snort, not really believing this. He always swore I'd never cross his mind after I left. So much hate in his eyes. She's watching me with a little bit of hate too. I raise my brow higher and tilt my head, come on little girl, don't start.
"You hurt Big Bro."
It isn't anything more than a statement, but I know she wants to hurt me too. The devotion is there. It was always there in his brat's eyes, there would have been a time when it was in my eyes also. That was a good ten years ago now. Sixteen years old and a nemesis. It was quite the achievement. I think back and almost laugh, we had been kids, and yet oh-so-grown up.
"I left and he got pissy, there's a difference, kid."
"That's not how he tells it."
"Oh I'm sure it isn't. Eat your food and I'll take you back." I sigh and go to look for my gear, these shoes weren't that great for running and I knew I'd need to bolt once delivering this kid home. I hear her shift in her seat. I glance over my shoulder.
"You're still gonna help me?" she's still shovelling food in her mouth, probably ready to run off if I suddenly turn vengeful, but I just nod and wink.
"Not your fault he's a tool."
"But he'll—"
"He'll yell at me, maybe even keep his word and kill me, but heck I can take him kid. Don't you worry. I'll get you home and be on my way. Not a problem." I shrug and then pause, "What is your name then?"
"Isabel."
I nod and head through to my room to change, this was not going to be a pleasant reunion, but it was inevitable really. Levi was such a prominent aspect of the Underground, I was amazed I'd dodged him for ten years. As I tug on my proper boots I begin to wonder what he looks like now, will he have finally gotten taller? Or had he stopped using that silly little dagger yet? I smile as I do up my straps for holding my twin knives. I hope he has changed, but I hope it was back to how he used to be. Back to the man I'd known all my childhood. Not the monster I ran away from at sixteen.
As I head back through I hear something shift, but I see Isabel stood by the window I assume she just moved the chair or something. I nod my head and shrug on my coat. She takes the final bite of bread and turns to me with a strangely confident smile. This kid was weird.
"Ready to go missus?"
"Yeah, please call me Kat? I'm nobody's wife."
"Can I call you Kitty Kat?" she tilts her head and her auburn hair falls into her bright eyes. I smirk and nod, it didn't really matter. It wasn't like I was going to be seeing the kid beyond tonight. "By the way… thanks…"
"No problem, though maybe save the thanks till I've actually gotten you home?" I say nodding towards the door.
We make a move but then I hear that shifting noise again. Isabel had definitely not moved the chair this time. I tense and angle myself in front of the kid. Something is not right here. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I reach for my blades.
"Kid? You might need to make a jump through the window…"
"Why? We got trouble?" she asks, I look over my shoulder and see the fighting stance I taught Levi to do. I shiver a little, but look back to the matter in hand, our potential visitors. I might've been being paranoid, but as my instincts raged at me to be ready, I feared I wasn't. What was it now? Some ass trying to steal something? Pasen coming to get my 'final' answer to his lewd suggestions. Or my landlord trying to pretend he hadn't received my rent this month, despite the fact I'd owned the damn apartment for the past three years.
"I think so, kid… let me check. You stay here okay?"
"I can look after myself." She huffs, and I give a small smile.
"I'm sure you can, however, I don't fancy handing you back to Levi damaged."
She's about to argue but she backs down, smart kid. I then turn and reach for my door, a blade in the other hand as I brace for whatever's waiting behind the door. I tug open the door and grimace at the familiar face leering back at me. Shit, not today Pasen.
"Well hello my princess, and who do we have here? Entertaining? What good timing I have." The large man with bristles coming out his ears waddles across my threshold and I back up till I'm just in front of the kid again. This was definitely not good. And this asshole, very rarely travelled alone.
"Isa run." I don't want to use her full name in front of this swine. Unfortunately though, living with Levi had clearly made this kid more loyal than logical, she suddenly stands next to me, fists raised as though it'll make a blind bit of difference. "Kid, seriously, run the fuck away."
"Nah, I'm good thanks. What's this piggy want anyhow?"
"Piggy?" he repeats in a coarse laugh, striding inside with smoke coming from his pipe. I glance around, wondering where his damned greasy henchmen are. They better not break any furniture this time. "My dear little child, I am no pig. I am a business man, and one that this beautiful lady has been kept waiting."
"I told you a hundred times Piggy, I'm not interested."
"You really should reconsider my dear." He rumbles, lips pulling back slightly.
"I'd rather steal money than make it on my back."
"Then I'm sick of your games woman."
He loses all sense of forced charm, and gives a low growl as he produces a long baton made of steel. It glimmers in the pale light of my home and I shudder, the kid could not end up on the end of that thing. I then hear scrambling, and through three of my four windows climbs a henchman, each brandishing some kind of weapon. The only window free is the one in the kitchen. I edge back, taking Isabel with me as they advance.
"She said no Piggy, so leave!" shouts Isabel defiantly, I glance her way and feel a swell of pity. The kid was so attached to me already? This kid was well protected, I could tell. So that meant I had to try and keep that going. This world needed unbridled hope, and sincerity like hers.
I meet her eyes and glance backwards, towards the window, she grins and catches on.
"I'm sick of this woman teasing me whenever I see her, I won't have my face rubbed it in any longer! Either come work for me, or die here like the useless rat you are!"
"How the fuck do I tease you?" I snap, hoping to keep him riled up enough to not notice the remaining escape option. We just needed a little time. "I don't even speak to you if I can avoid it!"
"Exactly. Your very presence is an insult to me,"
"You're kidding right?"
"I feel myself losing money every time I see you waltz by all superior looking. You probably do earn money on that pretty little back, you just don't fancy following the rules like the other girls!"
"How dare you, you cretinously vile little weasel! And I am superior to you, you're just the filth that trickles along the gutter."
"Well you won't be so superior once I bash that little head in, will you?"
As his poisonous words spill out I'm looking at the other men; there's a bat, a length of pipe and one knife. I reckon I can deal with these idiots. I sheath my own weapon and stand straight, still edging back, but throwing them off with my confident stance. I have no idea if this'll work or not, but I can't let them get a hold of Isabel, she was a sitting duck for men like these. Such a pretty little thing, too easily attached to people that showed her even the smallest kindness. I couldn't let them sway her and manipulate her. I nudge her back and hope she makes a break for it.
"Come on then lads, give it your best fucking shot."
They growl and swarm.
I dodge the baton and kick Pasen in his large gut, sending him toppling backwards with shrill wails. Next is the length of pipe, quickly followed by the knife. I grab the pipe, wrench it out his hands after kicking his forearms hard, the cracking sound indicating I'd at least fractured if not broken them. I whip the pipe round and crack knife man round the jaw with it, he stumbles and drops the knife. But before I can get a hold of the blade, the bat swings round and catches my shoulder. I roll but keep moving for the knife. Then I hear the feral shriek of Isabel as she lunges and rides the bat wielding man's back, clawing at his face as they stumble around. I grab the pipe and shove it under his ribs, whilst removing the bat from his hands and cracking it off his stubbly jaw. Isabel then takes the bat, and holds it against his throat to choke him. Without pause I spin and reach for the knife, but it isn't there and I feel it slice into my back.
Well… shit. Air whooshes out of me but I know it hasn't hit a lung, it's too low for that. But it's bleeding badly already, blood dribbling onto my floor like good wine.
I grit my teeth against the irritating pain and spin, the man loses grip as my blood coats the handle and he stumbles. I tug the blade out, stand on his chest to quickly slice open his throat. By this point Piggy has righted himself and is about to come back through the door, he sees the bloodied knife and backs off a little. Baton shaking.
"If I ever see you again, pig, I will gut you myself. Stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. Got it?" I growl, ignoring the fire burning up my back as blood seeps into my clothing. He gives a shaky nod and scurries away, grunting as he escapes with his pathetic life. I turn and go to Isabel who is still holding the bat guy in place, I look into his watery eyes and kick his jaw hard. I wonder if the snapping noise was his jaw or his neck, but I frankly don't care. This was my home dammit, my home!
"You all right kid?" she nods and I set about removing the bodies.
Who's alive and who isn't doesn't concern me right now, I just want them out. I tug the first two henchmen over to the back window, and shove them through, taking no heed of how they land in the street below. When it comes to Isabel's victim though I stumble a little, a shiver running through me. Woman, suck it up. I shake myself down and gesture her off, she's watching me closely, but I ignore her green eyes and throw him down with the others.
"Hey Kitty Kat? You okay there?" she asks as I toss their weapons down onto the pile of pieces of shit. I tug my drape back over the 'window' and then brush myself down. It was sweet that she seemed to care, but right now we had a job to do. And the longer it took me to return her, the less likely it was I'd be able to get back out of Levi's presence with my life. Be it because I couldn't outrun him from blood loss, or the sheer fury he felt. Either way, we had to hurry up. I'd had worse though, it wasn't going to kill me. At least there was a good 60% chance it wouldn't. The odds had been worse before. I grab a scarf from my cupboard and tie it round my waist. It'd clot up in no time.
"Let get going Isabel. But you did well, kid. Levi taught you well." I doff my non-existent hat to her and she gives an uneasy smile. But I turn and walk away before she can pester me, I don't know if she's the type to fuss, but I'm not all that willing to find out. "Move it kid!"
"H-hey wait up!" she comes running after me and soon we're making our way through the dim streets.
I keep a good pace and am amazed at the muscle memory that leads me. I've barely been concentrating on where I'm going, and mainly focusing on keeping my heartrate slow to avoid too much blood seeping out. But we're on track, we'd be there soon. The buildings are different, but the street layout is the same. Same gutters, same filth. The underground looked all the same to the untrained eye, but I knew I was heading back. I knew I was head ho—I knew I was leading Isabel home.
She keeps pace and stays quiet, kicking stones and skipping every few steps. She was just a kid. How had she ended up mixed in with Levi? If he had stayed the way he was, such a vibrant soul shouldn't be anywhere near him. Or was she an indication that my plan had worked? Had I managed to save him? I glance her way, wondering if she'd be willing to tell me a few things. I remember how she came and stood with me when those men threatened me, it seemed plausible she'd be open to talking.
"Isabel?"
"Yeah Kitty Kat?" she sing-songs, thwacking a pebble against a building with an odd smirk.
"How did you meet Levi?" as the question passes my lips I'm surprised at myself, that wasn't what I'd intended at all. But I keep it out there, watching for her to finished deducing whether or not she wanted me to know.
"I… I tried to get past the 11th stairwell without paying…"
"So you were on the run and he helped?"
"Yeah… I ended up at his and Farlan's place and… they helped me."
"Trying to live on the surface huh? Brave."
"Nah, I was trying to help a bird." She laughs and I stop dead, looking up for a moment before back at the kid, not quite believing what I'm hearing. She sees my confusion and blushes, shrugging and blowing the hair out of her face. "It wanted to fly… stop looking at me like that yeah? That's how Farlan and Levi-bro looked at me."
"Sorry I just… you got a good heart kid… that's not exactly common down here." I smirk and continue walking, finding my regard for this kid growing. It was worrying. "So what got you into the group?"
"I kinda asked in all honesty… I dunno they took pity on me I guess, or they were impressed, I dunno really. Merchants were after me so—"
"Levi protected you and never specified why… yeah… he does that. Good to know he still has that side to him, at least." I pause and gather my nerve, "How is Levi these days?" I try and sound non-chalant, but I'm not sure I accomplish my goal. She looks my way with narrowed eyes, smirk still in place. "Still a short-arse?"
"You're shorter than him Kitty Kat!" she laughs and slaps my shoulder, gasping a little when I wince. Thanks, kid. I wave it away with a smile and she continues, blushing at her forgetfulness. "He's good… I think… as much as Big Bro is anything other than being Big Bro. He's… wow it's been like forever since you've seen him huh?"
"Ten years I think." I feel an ache in my body and know time is against me these days. People didn't live to good ages down here, I wasn't hitting 30 down here. It was either get out, or get killed. I knew this. I just wasn't sure how I'd get out. I probably had enough for the stair-toll, but citizenship was a bitch to get hold of. If not impossible these days. Then again, getting killed wouldn't be so bad, it wasn't like I had a family to tend to. Not anymore. I frown as my thoughts delve into this dark place, it had become a habit of late. Was I really becoming so lost? I look down at my hands, they used to hold onto so much hope…
"Why… why did you leave Katsumi?" she asks walking a little closer to me, her head tilted like a begging pup. Well, shit, we got to that point did we? I want to brush it off and change the subject, but those green eyes are relentless. How could anyone say no to them? I put my hands in my pockets and purse my lips. "Big Bro never tells that story."
"What stories does he tell you? Before I tell you… I will." I say with a nod when she looks disappointed. It was partly curiosity, and partly time to brace myself against that memory. That day had been when my hands lost their grip on hope, that day had lead me down a very dark path. Ironic really considering the reason I'd left in the first place. I sigh and focus on her words.
"He tells all sorts when I bug him about it."
"I'll bet, he's great at telling stories."
"I like the one about how you used to be the best at fighting, taught him how to do it proper. Oh and then how you nicked the wrong guys wallet, and you both had to run for two days straight." She starts laughing at that one, holding her gut. I find myself almost joining in, that had been a crazy time. I wonder if he even smirks when telling that one. I'm hoping for her to keep going, but she just stares at me, and raises her eyebrows expectantly.
I sigh and delve into my silly past.
"I got sick of the fight." I murmur, not really sure where to begin. She was a kid, devoted to Levi, would she even understand the story from my point-of-view? She looks confused as we round another corner. I send a warning glance at a shady looking bloke who just kicked off a wall in our direction, he takes the hint and fucks off. I look back at my eager audience and shrug. "The constant fighting, the thieving with knives before we did it with stealth. He got so bloodthirsty by the end… like he was becoming…"
"Like he was becoming someone else?"
"Yeah…" I swallow, refusing to let this kid see my pain. Fuck it, I was as cold now as I ever had been. Time might have made me older, but it hadn't made me soft. The only time I ever had been soft was with him, when I'd cared too much.
"So I said I wanted out. I needed to try living instead of fighting. He called me so many things I forget… coward, traitor, liar, bitch… he hated that I could even imagine another way of living I guess… but I never really understood his rage. I had wanted him to come with me, but I didn't ask him too, I knew he couldn't do it. I think by the end, the rage was all he knew…"
It's my turn to kick a stone, only I lob it all the way down the street and I tense as I see the familiar corner come into view. This was it. We were here. The house is almost in view, then this bright little thing will run home, cheering and yelling to her family. I'll make sure she gets to the door, then I'll scarper.
"I don't get it Kitty Kat…"
"Don't get what Kid?" I ask, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. I didn't know how much longer I'd be standing upright in all honesty, the edges of my vision were already blurring. Her big green eyes, so open and easily read, bore into me and her lips dip down.
"Levi-bro is always helping us out, me and the others round here! I don't get what you mean by all this stuff about rage and... and…"
"If he's changed back, then I'm glad." I smile at her properly for the first time, relieved to hear something in him had come back. Though something in me ached. I'd always assumed it had been me making his days so dark, but never had it really confirmed till now. With me gone, he'd been able to find his good intentions again, to focus on the bigger picture.
As a shadow enters my vision I quickly nod forwards and Isabel realises where we are. A smile breaks her sweet young face, and she turns to beams at me. Those green eyes shine with gratitude before she throws her arms round my neck and hugs me tight. It hurts like hell and I sway a little, but I just make her think its part of the hug.
"Thank you so much Kitty Kat! I'm home!" she shouts, dancing between her feet. I smirk and ruffle her hair affectionately, the kid had a weird charm to her, I could see why Levi had taken her in. "Come in please I wanna—"
"Kid this isn't some sweet reconciliation." I shake my head and rock back on my heels, about to turn and leave when I feel something hit my shoulder before my back is pinned to the ground and my head smacks off the cobbles. "Shitting Titans…" I grumble, the wound on my back and the fresh one on my skull screaming at me.
Hello old friend, not so nice to see you too.
"Where the hell have you been Isabel?"
"I got lost Big Bro!" she says trying to tug him off, bit of course she makes no difference to the way he constricts my throat and pins me down with his body. I'm meeting his gaze head on, not about to be the one to look away first. But he looks down with absolutely nothing there. Only a dim flame of anger. But otherwise it's dead as he looks down at me for the first time in almost a decade. It's been a long time since I felt it, but my heart aches a little. Nothing?
"Isabel go in the house." He mutters, tightening his hold over my throat a little. I feel like he's going to enjoy this a lot. Maybe he's been planning how he'll do it for all these years. Meticulously planning how to make it last for days. Torturing me the way he probably thinks I did him. Then again he might just snap my neck here in the street, be done with it.
"Please let her go! She helped me get home, and she's hurt!"
"I don't give a fuck. She knows what's going to happen." He snarls down into my ear, raising me up a little, to thrash me back into the cobbles. Lovely. "I told you never to bother coming back, you knew this was what was waiting for you."
"Good to see you too, sweetheart." I mumble as consciousness slips a little. "I just wanted to get the kid back home. Nothing else."
"What did you do to her?"
"Fuck off, pipsqueak." I spit in his face and feel him press down on my windpipe. I was in no position to be this sassy with him, but I wasn't about to let him colour me the absolute villain. I had my reasons for leaving, but that didn't make me evil. To insinuate I would harm the girl was enough to make my blood boil, and it was. I knew he hated me, but had he really forgotten who I was?
"Levi-Bro please!" wails the kid and I smile faintly as my eyes roll back, oblivion impatient for me to enter its numb void. I don't know if its blood-loss or the fact I must have a couple concussions. But the numbness is welcome. Only it's short-lived. I'm slapped back into the waking world. Dammit man, let me sleep, or die, whatever the hell I was about to do there.
"I'm waking her up, Isabel, stop hitting me." He grunts, no longer on top of me as I wearily look around and feel air fill my burning lungs. Must have been the concussions sending me to sleep then, I feel myself grow more aware, and into more pain. I groan and roll over to get up, but just slump back down. Blood oozes past my scarf binding and I curse under my breath.
"See, she's hurt." The kid almost says this triumphantly, putting her hands under my arms and helping me up. I can't see much so I just lean on her, shaking my head to encourage sight back into the situation. "She got attacked by some pig man, wanted her to sell or something. She protected me Big Bro!"
"You don't need the likes of her looking after you."
"But still! She did!"
"You seriously got mixed up with Jargen?" he asks, not looking my way. I try and stand straight but mainly wobble in Isabel's hold.
"No, I killed Jargen seven years ago you prick." I hiss, flipping him the bird and trying to take some more of my own weight, to only stumble all over again. Fuck it, this was pathetic. Ten years and he'd still think I needed looking after. "This was Jargen's second hand, dunno if you recall him?"
"Pasen?"
"That's the delightful gentlemen," I mumble, feeling the world numb again. "Could you slap me again? Feeling a little slee—"
He didn't need to be asked twice apparently.
I rub my jaw and feel my head fizz before my eyes finally clear. I touch my forehead and nod at him. He hasn't changed much; still wearing that stoic mask, and still that undercut with dark raven hair falling in front of his steel eyes. Still handsome, and still a short little prick. But he's less harsh. He looks more like he did back then, back before I started to ruin him.
"Thanks, much better." Though I feel the tingles begin at the back of my skull again. Fuck sake. Then again, I had to take into account I'd probably been gradually losing blood for the past hour or so.
"Don't mention it, seriously." He mutters, looking to Isabel and scrunching his nose slightly as he watches her hold me up. "Let it go Isabel, let it crawl back to its hideaway."
"She can't be left alone like this!"
"She isn't coming in."
"She is!"
"She isn't. She's going home."
"She's coming inside."
"She's passing out." I don't know who the third speaker is, a blonde blob came into view before I sink to my knees and feel the ground give me a big sloppy kiss. Ow. "Help me bring her inside, Isabel. Move out the way Levi. Stop scowling, she's hurt and clearly helped Isa—"
"Whatever."
I feel two sets of hands lift me up and jostle me inside. The place even smells the same. I'm first laid on the wooden floor, and that'd suit me fine, but then something soft is underneath me. Oh they were in for it now. A door closes, but I hear yelling far off. He wasn't a happy bunny. I give in and let sleep take me, it was getting impatient with me.
I hope you enjoyed, updates will be coming along soon enough! :)
