It had taken a while, but Furlan eventually calmed down after Isilya and Levi told him everything. Learning that an entirely separate world exists can be a bit of shock. Especially when it sounds amazing compared to life in the Underground and there's no way to currently get to it.
Isilya showed Levi and Furlan the portal she had created from her lab into Levi's kitchen. Levi had stuck his head through it and calmly congratulated Isilya on her progress. Furlan, on the other hand, had crawled through the portal and back, excitedly shooting a dozen questions at Isilya all at once.
Levi had assured Isilya that she could trust Furlan, and assured Furlan that he could trust Isilya. They spent a short while exchanging stories of how they'd met Levi. But neither of them went into very much detail. Instead, Furlan spent most of the conversation asking Isilya about her world and how difficult it would be to build an airplane. After the initial awkwardness went away, the two of them became quick friends. Isilya and Furlan seemed to enjoy the same type of jokes and puns. Their humor and generally positive outlooks matched well, much to Levi's dismay.
That night, Isilya and Furlan stayed up for hours, sharing their worst jokes and talking about how amazing it is to fly with the ODM gear. At one point, before Levi had left out of boredom and annoyance, they had made a bet to see who would be faster and more flexible while flying while also using less gas. Levi had quickly shut that down. They didn't need to be wasting resources like that.
Shortly after that night, Isilya began helping Furlan with jobs. She met his gang, though she and Levi had decided not to tell them the truth about where Isilya came from or her research with the portals. As far as Furlan's gang knows, she's just a friend of his and Levi's, who can make amazing soups with simple ingredients. They seem to look at her as the guardian of Levi's house. She's often there when everyone else is working on a job. Unbeknownst to them, that's where Isilya sits with her portals, whispering into Levi's and Furlan's ears, watching over all of them as she also watches over a pot of soup on the fire.
"What's in your hair?" Levi questions, staring at Isilya as she walks into his house through a portal. There's some sort of green slime on her head and shoulders. Her glare almost causes Levi to look away. Almost. Furlan walks into Levi's kitchen behind Isilya. A large grin is on his face. Isilya closes the portal and starts walking towards the bathroom.
"You don't want to know," Isilya growls as she walks away. Levi turns his gaze onto Furlan with a glare and a question in his eyes. Furlan sheepishly laughs.
"She lost a bet." Furlan shrugs and plops down at the kitchen table. Levi doesn't bother asking for a real explanation. Besides being disgusting, Isilya didn't seem to be hurt in any way. If she had been, she would tell him, so Levi turns back to the kitchen counter, mixing together ingredients for dinner.
In the time that they've been working together, Isilya and Furlan had become almost inseparable. They would often be joking around, placing bets, pranking one another, and getting into all sorts of other mischiefs. At least both of them are able to take their jobs seriously. They've been able to draw distinct lines between when they should be serious and when they are able to relax and joke around. At first, Levi had found it ridiculous and annoying. And while it's still annoying, now he is able to enjoy hearing about some of their adventures. Sometimes. Other times, he just gets worried.
Worried that somebody will see Isilya's hair because she refuses to cut it. Worried that somebody else will try to kidnap her while she's running around the city. Worried that she could get hurt. Levi trusts Furlan, but that doesn't stop him from worrying.
Levi is also worried that she'll get mad at him because he hasn't shown her around the city much. He would always try to keep her in her base or his house, where she'd be safe. But she didn't want to stay there. She wanted to be free, to run around the city that she would watch through her portals, to have fun with a friend. Levi hadn't given her that. He didn't know how. He worried that Isilya would be mad at him for not supplying that as Furlan had. He worried that she would leave him.
These thoughts leave Levi's head as Isilya walks back into the room, now clean. She groans and leans against Levi's back, her forehead against his shoulder. He glances back at her and continues preparing the meal in front of him.
"Bad day?" Levi asks, causing Furlan to chuckle as Isilya turns her head to glare at him. Isilya doesn't answer Levi. Instead, she continues staring at Furlan.
"I blame you." She spits out. Furlan acts surprised, bringing his hand to his chest as if he's hurt.
"It was your idea!" Furlan reminds her.
"You should've talked me out of it," Isilya mumbles, turning to bury her face in Levi's shoulder again. Furlan drops his offended act and leans over the table, laughing heartily. Levi hides the smirk on his face and focuses on serving up dinner.
Isilya throws herself out of the tavern, shooting the hooks of her ODM gear into the air and flying away. Levi follows right behind her. A moment later, Furlan follows them. Once they're a safe distance away, they all land on a rooftop and catch their breaths.
"So," Furlan starts, gaze moving between his two friends, "Why did I have to punch that guy?" He questions, watching as Levi glances at Isilya.
"He deserved it." Levi offers a small explanation. Furlan waits for more words, but they never come. Levi walks over to Isilya, placing his hand on her shoulder. Her eyes widen and she backs away from his reach, nearly falling over in her attempt to get some space. She's shaking as she stares at the ground in front of her. Furlan furrows his brows as he watches, unsure of what to do or say. Levi slowly lowers his hand. He doesn't move towards Isilya, but he crouches down so he's in her line of sight.
"Isilya-" Levi begins.
"Sorry. I'm sorry." Isilya interrupts him, still avoiding his gaze. Levi shakes his head, making sure to move slow as he stands back up. Isilya stares at his feet. They move closer to her one step at a time. When he's in front of her, she moves her gaze to his face.
"Sorry." Isilya's voice is barely a whisper as her eyes begin to water. Levi opens his arms but makes no other move.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Levi responds. That's all Isilya needs to hear. She throws herself into his embrace, tears freely falling onto her cheeks, rolling down onto Levi's cloak.
Furlan stares at them, confused, but he remains silent. They'll explain it to him later if they feel like. For now, he does his best to stay quiet as he creeps to the side of the roof, glancing back once more before jumping off of the building and shooting a hook into the side of another, heading back to Levi's house.
Levi and Isilya stay there for a while. He doesn't say anything as he holds her, not sure of what else he can do. Isilya nuzzles into his shoulder and stays there until her tears stop. Still, Levi leaves his arms around her, waiting for her to decide what she needs.
Isilya lets out a small sigh, then shifts her head up a small amount, planting a kiss against Levi's jaw. He stays frozen.
"What... what was that?" Levi questions, staring down at Isilya. She lays her head back on his shoulder, hiding her face in his neck.
"It's called affection," Isilya explains with a small smile. Levi furrows his brows and twists his lip as he listens to her speak.
"Tsk, how gross," Levi whispers, "Do it again." This causes Isilya to giggle, which almost makes Levi smile. She moves her head slightly and presses another kiss onto his shoulder. Levi takes in a breath and Isilya lifts her head from his shoulder. He exhales as she kisses his cheek.
Isilya lays her head down again. The two of them stand there, arms around one another, staring out over the city. Eventually, they untangle themselves and head back to Levi's house, small smiles on both of their faces.
That night, Isilya tells Furlan the full story about how she and Levi had met. Furlan listens intently, offering reassuring smiles when needed. Afterward, Levi explains why he had requested for Furlan to punch a seemingly random man as he flew out after Isilya. The man had said some vulgar things and tried to grab Isilya's ass. Isilya adds that the way he had spoken to her reminded her of some of the men who paid Zak for her time and her body.
From that moment on, Furlan vowed to himself to be more careful with Isilya when they were out and about. He wouldn't treat her any different. She would still be like a sister to him, but he would be sure to pay more attention to the people around them. His mind replays the image of Isilya backing away from Levi so fast, so scared, even though he's the one person that she trusts the most. He vows to himself the same thing he's sure that Levi has vowed to himself. Isilya. Kind, daring, intelligent Isilya. She must be protected.
Isilya steps through the portal into Levi's house. Furlan greets her with a wave and Levi barely looks up from cleaning his ODM gear. She smiles at them both.
"Hey, Furlan, what do you say we-" Isilya starts but is cut off by something hitting the front door. The three of them look at one another, then they all pull out knives. Furlan goes to the door, placing his hand on the knob. Isilya moves to stand on the other side, where she'll be hidden when the door opens. Levi nods at them both.
Furlan opens the door and they all stare at a young girl with pigtails as she falls into the living room, getting dirt from her clothes onto the floor. Levi glares down at her.
"It's just a kid," Isilya states. They all lower their guard.
"I'm not... a kid." The girl growls. She stays in her hunched over position. Isilya observes her carefully, wondering if she's hurt. She does seem weak, but most children in the Underground are.
"Is that so?" Levi questions, "I won't feel bad for kicking you out then." Isilya glares at Levi as he says this. He pointedly ignores her, focusing on the dirty girl on the floor. "I'll let the fact that you dirtied the floor slide. Get out now." The girl shifts, but doesn't make any move to get up.
"You can't even move?" Furlan stares down at the girl, crossing his arms in equal parts amusement and annoyance. Isilya glares at him, too.
"Of course I can! Don't look down on me." The girl pushes herself up with one arm. It's obviously a struggle for her, but she manages. As she moves, a small bundle of cloth is revealed. She holds it close to her chest. Isilya tilts her head to get a better look at it. It's a bird. There's something wrong with its wing. Isilya opens her mouth to speak, but a shout from outside draws her attention away from the small creature.
"Over here!" a voice shouts. The girl's eyes widen and she tries to get up faster. Instead, she falls against the open front door. They all stare down at her. Levi clicks his tongue.
"Brat, you're being chased?" Levi growls. Isilya peers out the door, looking for the girl's pursuers.
"What should we do?" Furlan asks, looking to Levi for answers. Isilya continues looking outside. She watches as three men walk by the stairs leading up to Levi's house.
"She really bit me." One of them mumbles to himself. "When we catch her, I'll be the first to have some fun with her." Isilya's eyes widen and she clenches her jaw shut. She looks back at Levi, who lets out a breath and gives her a slight nod. There's no way they're going to let those men do anything to the small girl.
The three men argue about if the girl would be fun or not, poking fun at how skinny and feisty she is. Isilya glares down at them. One of the men notices the group by the doorway.
"Hey, there's a dirty little kid over there, right?" The man calls up to them.
"Those are the only kinds around," Furlan says, a smirk on his face. If Isilya wasn't so angry, she would've laughed at his words. The man walks up the stairs to Levi's house.
"You guys are the thugs in this area, huh?" He asks. He pauses when he sees the pig-tailed girl on the floor.
"Hey, I found her!" He calls down to the other two men. They walk up the stairs to meet him.
"Are you all friends?" One of them asks. Isilya watches as one of them licks their lips as they stare at the girl. She glances down to see that the kid hasn't moved at all. She sits there, cradling the bird against her stomach, her hair covering most of her face.
"Not at all." Levi states.
"Then hand her over to us." The man replies. "You'll be sorry if you cover for her."
"After all, she tried to get past the 11th stairway without paying." Another one of the men informs them. Isilya and Furlan look at one another, shock on their faces. Levi blinks at the information but doesn't react.
"You all should know already, the 11th stairway is under the jurisdiction of one of the nobles, Lobov." The man continues, "Anyone who tries to pass there without paying is prosecuted. Of course, you guys will be charged too for being her accomplices." This causes the young girl to look up, gasping. Isilya's grasp on her knife tightens, but it remains hidden by the way she stands. She moves to step in front of the girl, but Levi sends her a look so she remains in place, trusting that he has a plan.
"So, hurry up and hand her over!" The third man yells at them.
"You're taking too long. Move away from her." The first man spits, walking up the rest of the stairs to the group. As he passes Levi, he puts his hand on his shoulder, a dark chuckle escaping his mouth as he stares at the girl. Levi's eyes widen the slightest bit and Isilya steps in front of the girl, knowing what's to come. She glares at the man with all of the hatred inside of her in her eyes. The man falters under her stare, giving Levi the perfect opportunity.
With one fluid movement, Levi raises his arm, slicing through the man's palm. Blood splatters over the entryway. The man screeches as he stumbles back, grabbing his wound. The young girl looks up, watching with wide eyes as Levi punches the man. Furlan just stares, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.
Within a few seconds, the man is on his knees, beaten and bloodied. Levi grabs him by his collar and lifts him up. The young girl watches from her spot on the floor, amazed that Levi is able to lift the much larger man.
"Don't touch me with your filthy hand. I might get dirty." Levi speaks calmly, which is somehow more terrifying to the man than yelling. With that warning, Levi pushes the man down the stairs. He crashes into the other two, who are barely able to catch him.
"Oh my, you can't come in like that. We always prioritize hygiene, here." Furlan explains with a grin on his face as Levi takes out a handkerchief and cleans off his blade. Isilya maintains her guard in front of the girl, glancing down to make sure she's alright.
"Wash your hands and come again." Furlan's grin grows wider. Isilya's mouth lifts up slightly at his clever words, but she refuses to let herself relax completely.
"Let's get out of here. This group is dangerous." The three men walk away, two of them supporting the third as he hobbles down the steps. The young girl stares up at Levi with wonder in her eyes. The three turn to stare at her.
"How long are you going to hold it to your stomach?" Levi asks calmly as if he hadn't just beaten a man bloody.
"It'll die if you keep it like that." He states. The young girl gasps, looking down at the bird.
"I- I thought it'd be warm that way." She explains as she loosens her grip. Isilya crouches down next to the girl, looking at the bird. The girl loosens her arms a bit more so Isilya can see it better.
"What's with the bird?" Furlan asks, noticing it for the first time.
"It got lost on its way here. Probably through a duct." The girl explains with a smile, "I thought I should bring it back to the surface." Furlan shakes his head at her.
"You tried to break through the 11th stairway for a bird?" He asks in disbelief. Isilya smiles at the girl, reassuring her. The girl looks down at the bird as she pets it.
"It would want to fly in the sky instead of being stuck down here like us." The girl states. Isilya and Furlan give one another a look as he crouches to join them on the floor.
"That's nice, but..." He falters, glancing at Isilya for help. She turns to the girl.
"It's wing is injured. We need to-" Isilya is cut off but the girl.
"Really?!" The girl starts to panic, but Isilya places her hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay. We can help it." Isilya smiles. She leads the girl inside. Furlan follows them as Levi shuts the door and goes to sit at the kitchen table. Furlan and Isilya sit on the living room couches and get to work. Isilya carefully instructs Furlan on how to properly wrap the small creature. Isabel watches from the other couch.
"You two are really good." The girl says, smiling as she leans forward to stare at the bandaged bird. Then, she sits up in excitement.
"Oh! What're your names? I'm Isabel." The girl grins at the group. Isilya and Furlan smile back at her.
"I'm Furlan." Furlan hands the bird back to Isabel as he introduces himself.
"I'm Isilya and that's Levi," Isilya explains, pointing over her shoulder at Levi.
"Furlan, Isilya, and..." Isabel repeats their names, staring at Levi, "Levi-bro!" Levi looks over at her with a bored expression.
"Bro?" Levi questions. Furlan and Isilya exchange humored glances, both of them doing their best not to laugh at Levi.
"Listen," Isabel starts, "Please let me be a part of your group."
"What?" Furlan asks, shock on his face.
"You're the ones who use ODM gear, aren't you? I've seen you before. I'm so envious. You fly like birds." Isabel explains, staring at the bird in her lap. "Please. I want to do it, too!" Everyone is silent for a moment.
"What do you think?" Furlan asks Levi. Levi stares at the floor, thinking. Then, he looks up at Isilya. She raises her brows, waiting for his answer. He can see in her eyes that it doesn't matter what he decides. Isilya will end up taking care of this girl, anyway. Levi sighs and stands up, walking out of the room. As he passes Isabel, she turns to him.
"Please!" Levi pauses as she begs.
"If you stay here, learn how to clean before you learn how to use ODM gear. You can start with the dirt you left by the door." Levi continues to walk out of the room. Isabel watches him go, confused. Furlan and Isilya smile at one another, knowing that although Levi acts cold, he's very caring. Isabel turns to look at the two of them for answers.
Isilya nods at Isabel with a smile. Isabel returns the gesture and jumps up and down in her chair. She turns around to shout at Levi as he walks away.
"Thank you, Levi-bro!"