Author's Note: This was a completely spontaneous idea that occured to me between writing another fic about Kenny and Levi (I have two fics that can be read as sequels to this, called 'Loss' and 'Decision') I've been struggling with for the past full week. It's basic, and it occured while I struggling with emotions of the other fic. So why not try to write this.
Written to Nothing Else Matters by Metallica cause why not.
Edit: Thanks so much to TsubameTrebleClef for taking so much time in correcting my mistakes! I'm so thankful for your help and ashamed by the number of mistakes at the same time.
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin / Attack on Titan, obviously.
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Compared to other holes where he had lived in the Underground, this would be a pretty reasonable and wide room, even with its layers of moisture and mold running through the walls, opening cracks in its way. Tattered cloths as curtains on the small window and dusty cooking pots, yet all functional for what they were intended, and any bed with a frame and two bedsheets could be considered quite the luxury in some places he'd been. If he had found this place while hunting down some target, he'd muse how a family made their best efforts to make this place into the most normal and pleasant home someone could hope to have in the Underground.
Which was worth noting, considering he was in a brothel quarters. But anyway, his sister always did live her life differently from himself, making the most of the worst situations and making all the unexpected choices.
The thick stink of mold, dust and rotting matter in the stale air, however, told another chapter in the 'family life' story he just imagined. Kenny Ackerman registered the smell, recognizing it enough to twist an eyebrow.
And seconds later, he was reunited with the corpse of his sister and met his raw-boned nephew.
What a shitty mess. Kenny dropped the suitcase down and then himself, let his body slide down the wall to the dust-coated floor. An unusual weight pulled his shoulders down. This wasn't... the scenario he wanted or expected. Close to her or not, Kuchel was family, and dying in this place, rotting herself away pathetically, few people deserved to die alone and-
No, worse. Not alone.
Kenny raised his eyes to the shrunken form on the other end of the room. Kuchel was so damn stupid. Who the hell, and why the hell, would give birth to a damn kid in this world?
And now what?
Levi. Just Levi. Kenny. Just Kenny. No need for surnames, no need for more acquaintance. What good would there be for him to say 'Hey, pleased to meet ya kid, I'm your mom's brother. We didn't talk often, that's why she died here and I didn't even know it. Now I don't know what to do with you, and you're half dead anyway.' Better to just avoid all the ackwardness in that.
"Kuchel and I were acquaintances... Pleased to meet ya, kid."
As soon as the words came out, Kenny groaned, rubbing the side of his face while looking at the kid. Levi didn't reply, just stared at him in silence. One had to wonder how long he had been left there without eating or washing and breathing that diseased air. He didn't have much flesh left in him, it might as well be a corpse wrapped in a tattered, dirty shirt that was way too big for him. It was probably Kuchel's.
What the fuck was he supposed to do now? What a mess, Kuchel.
Kenny's hand went to scratch his hair beneath the hat, weighing his options in this shitty situation Kuchel left him in. Pretending he didn't see the kid would be cold and heartless, even for a serial killer. Kenny was obviously far from the sentimental type - ah, the mere thought made him snort - but leaving him there to rot away? Weak as he was, it wouldn't take too long, but it'd be more merciful to just kill him.
Kenny wasn't a sadist. If he had to label them, his killings ended up being rather merciful. Better to give him a quick clean death than a pathetically slow one.
Once again, he raised his glance at Levi. The gaze from the other side was cold, silent, exhausted, but unflinching. Whatever the kid was thinking, Kenny couldn't guess.
A deep sigh left Kenny's lips and he rested his head against the dirty wall. Well, despite it, there was a third option, wasn't there?
"Can you stand up, kid?"
"Why?"
Kenny's face twisted and he snorted. "Whaddya mean, why? What the hell, just tell me if you can or not."
The Levi kid didn't reply back, so instead Kenny got himself up, a loud sigh this time. He rubbed his neck and then his cheek again, starting to annoy even himself with that action that wasn't solving anything or helping him decide.
Levi didn't move at first, but opened the embrance he had over his thin legs, an audible cracking sound from the bones as he did so.
Last chance. Think well what you're getting yourself into. He couldn't take care of a kid, for every reason imaginable. He was unfit to be a father, wouldn't have patience to raise a kid, he knew nothing about children, and he couldn't afford to go around with a damn brat causing him trouble while he killed MPs and took care of Uri's errands. And since when had Kenny needed a conscience or a soul?
He sighed for what seemed like the tenth time in ten minutes, not sure if he was admiting defeat or not.
Well, screw it.
Levi made a weird, weak and surprised squeal when Kenny crouched and slid his hands beneath the kid's arms. For one moment Kenny feared he might have cracked something inside of him. There was no softness in the kid, just bulges of bones trying to tear through the paper thin skin. Kenny literally had his opened hands holding a ribcage, and Kenny knew for certain he could tear his shoulders from its sockets if he moved too fast. Kenny hissed despite himself, trying to quickly study how he was supposed to hold the damn child.
Levi was surpringly small, even being what, four? Despite that weird cat squeak he let out, surprise or pain, he didn't make any other action or sound as Kenny picked him up and cradled him in one arm - he was both small and light enough to be carried effortlessly. His longcoat was heavier than the kid. Kenny expected Levi to hold on to him or something, like kids tend to do, but this brat barely laid his greasy head against Kenny's coat.
Kenny glanced at the room as he picked up his suitcase with his free hand, looking down at Kuchel in her deathbed. There was nothing else he could take from this place, just another humiliation for the Ackerman family, more death for all of them. Despite him working for Uri now, reducing the number of threats they had, he couldn't have prevented something like this from happening.
A quick but intense flash of anger burned in him. At least he wouldn't let another person die that pathetically. That was something to commit to memory, through all the changes this choice here would have in Kenny's life.
"All goodbyes have been said, so there's no need for more of those. Let's go."
If he expected some resistance, he clearly hadn't fully understand how weak the kid was. Or maybe, eventually, he would understand how unusual he was. For now, Kenny exited the room leaving the door open behind him, and without letting Levi look back at it.
The toothless fat pimp stood up in outrage when he saw the lump on Kenny's lap. "Hey! Ya gotta pay if ya wanna take somethin-"
The suitcase fell to the floor as the knife flew to Kenny's hand faster than the fat man could flinch, his eyes popping open and teethless mouth falling as the blade was aimed at him, waiting for just a whim to slit his throat open.
"You're not choking in your own blood right now 'cause I might puncture his lung if I shake him too much."
The pimp most likely hadn't realized the lump was breathing and fixing him with those cold eyes. The fat man mumbled something Kenny didn't care to listen to, and he elected to leave the disgusting man there. On some other occasion, Kenny might just kill him. Not now.
Kenny stepped out of the brothel, for once not interested in the busty ladies in the doorway that called him, then noticing the amount of dark stains in his longcoat and the kid on his arm.
"I don't even know where to start with you," he said, walking down the street looking for a bar he remembered from the old days. The brat remained silent, not even looking at him. Kenny actually raised an eyebrow and peeked beneath the dirty hair, to try and see if he was still alive. He seemed to be. "Anyway, you need a bath, but eating's more important. So y're eating."
Levi did move at that, looking up at him. Kenny squinted back, and that seemed to be their conversation.
The pub was packed, and almost everyone glanced at them several times. Kenny never minded anyone's gazes, and likewise ignored them here. He paid for some water, soup and bread and signaled the worker to push the dishes to Levi when they were delivered to their table, picking the big ass mug he got for himself and pouring some much deserved beer down his throat.
"I ain't gonna chew it up for you like some damn bird, so you eat with your own damn teeth," he added, when Levi blinked at food presented to him.
He wondered if the kid was broken. Emotionless living had its advantages, Kenny mused. But anyway, they'd work things given time. Let it be for now.
"Maybe we should have done it the other way around," Kenny commented as Levi took a first small bite, blinked and then quickly continued until his mouth was stuffed. "You can't have a bath now, so I guess we'll just have to put up with the smell."
"You don't smell too good, either. And I'd never eat your spit food, that'd be disgusting. Can we eat in silence?"
Kenny choked not too subtly on his beer, coughs and chuckles loudly mixed, attracting even more glances at them.
"Well, you really ain't the dying, giving up type, are ya? Some bites in and ya're talking back already. Very well, brat, eat up and get healthy again, 'cause I ain't dragging you around me if you can't keep up, you hear?"
Levi honored his own request and didn't reply again. Kenny and Levi both poured down their own drinks, and Kenny quickly became bored with him and started talking with one of the drunkards nearby, leaving the kid to eat undisturbed.
Kenny wondered many times if he had made the right choice being selfless that one time in his life. In angry moods, he even regretted it. But looking back all those times, he knew he would have done the same damn thing.
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the end
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Author's Note: This took me longer to write than I wanted. I take a ridiculous amount of time to write.
Thanks for your time reading this, and for both our times' sakes, hope you can drop a review even if simple. Please point out bad grammar & mistakes.