Thank you to the authors HoshisamaValmor and StarlitScarlet (AO3), for inspiring me with their expertly-crafted words that have inspired me to create a narrative for Levi of my own (as well as get back into writing fics in the first place). Please go read their works, they have been lovely to read and re-read.

Thank you as well to my darling chief-editors, YikesIDontKnowWhatImDoing (AO3) and LlamaaMamaa. Walls only know what I would do without someone to catch the stupid mistakes I make when writing at 3 am.

May, 819

"Olympia, you're getting fat."
The accusation immediately soured Kuchel's mood, and she turned to Crystal, a blonde with a venomous attitude, staring her dead in the eyes. "Pray tell, how does one get fat when we barely get enough money to eat? Just shut the fuck up, Crystal."

The blonde raised her pencil thin eyebrows, puffing on her cigarette and leaning back against the grimy brothel wall, watching a man as he walked between them in the narrow hallway. "Feistier than usual, too. You're a stick, anyone who isn't blind can see ya got some weight packing on here..." The woman tutted, reaching to tap her boney knuckles over the young woman's lower belly. "And it's not from the bread and water." Kuchel scowled, backing away from the touch, and Crystal continued. "Better get rid of it before the boss sees. If you had a girl, he'd sell her off in an instant."

"Shutthefuckup!" Kuchel hissed quickly through her teeth, taking a step closer to the woman and scanning her face. It was evident that a lump was forming in her throat as she stood there, mulling over the possibility of what Crystal's words insinuated. The fellow prostitute blew some smoke into the younger woman's face, making her cough. "I-If I were pregnant, then why the fuck would you blow smoke in my face, Crys?!"

"You're obviously worried that my words might be true, so this isn't the first time the possibility has crossed your mind..." The blonde paused. Crystal's green eyes scanned over Kuchel, and she took another drag. "... is it?"

"... No, it's not." The noirette conceded, letting her shoulders slouch a bit, her delicate hand moving to card her fingers through her long, luscious hair. "And I don't know if I want to… get rid of it, that is…"

Crystal's eyes widened, stunned as she put a hand on the wall by the side of Kuchel's head. "Are you outta your fucking mind? You're, what, fifteen? You can't take care of a baby down here, Olympia."

Kuchel scoffed, ducking under the woman's pale arm to head back to her room, her white gown fluttering at her ankles. "You don't know what I can and can't do." After a moment, she turned back on her heel to toss a grumbled "And I'm eighteen" before going into her room and slamming the door shut behind her, leaving Crystal shaking her head and taking a long drag before stomping the cigarette out on the floor.

Kuchel felt that lump in her throat get harder to swallow, and her mouth felt dry, like her skin in the winter months. Stumbling to the bucket of water she had on the stove, she scooped some into her hand. With drained eyes, she watched for a moment as the droplets rolled off her pallid skin and back into the bucket before she took a good sip. With the back of her wrist, she dried her rosy lips, looking down into the bucket at the vague reflection of herself. Her face was not that of any mother she would have imagined. She looked too young, too innocent– but one couldn't be innocent working at a place like this.

The Pink Pearl was a whole different world; one where you weren't seen as a person, but as the amount of money the owner could make off you. Kuchel had tried so many things before resorting to prostitution, but none of them ever held up. Everything she could think of in the Underground City: cleaning, laundry, singing, deliveries for merchants, you name it. All of the jobs Kuchel tried were either temporary, or they let her go quickly because they couldn't afford to pay her. After their parents died, her brother left her all alone to go be some rogue above ground. That was about three months ago. Kuchel had to make the most of what she had (which was not a lot), so one day, she ended up here. All that had happened to her was fresh in her mind because it had only been a couple months prior to her starting her new job. The ache of her bones as she slowly starved was still vivid in her memory, and she had hit rock bottom— resorting to prostitution was the only thing that she could think to do.

Prostitution was never a dream of hers– was it ever anyone's? Kuchel knew quite well how the life of someone in this line of work went. It all started out easy enough, getting fucked and getting paid for it– that was, until you contracted some foul disease from a client and you died a slow, miserable death. Some women, before succumbing to their malady, would fall pregnant. Most would abort the child the minute they learned about it, but it could end in their own untimely demise if done too frequently; it was rare that a prostitute decided to keep her child. The final path in a place like this was to somehow survive all of the previous horrors until no one would deign to buy your time anymore. That was why the thought of being pregnant was something truly hard to fathom. Putting aside the fact that she might not be fit for work, how could she afford a midwife? The medicine? The food, clothes, and toys to properly raise a baby? And who would want to raise a child in this hellhole?

The raven-haired young woman felt woozy, and sat back on her bed for a moment before finally succumbing to the exhaustion she felt prickling under her skin. She ended up resting her cheek upon the stiff pillow, shifting to get her hair out from under her cheek to be a bit more comfortable. Thoughts rolled around in her mind like the dice used for the gambling games in the lobby downstairs, and she instinctively curled into herself, pulling her blanket over her head to hide from the world, just for a little while. Kuchel didn't know how long she was lying there, but eventually she broke out of her thoughts when she noted that her hand had moved to rest over the meager bump beneath her dress.

Rolling onto her back, Kuchel's left hand joined her right on the apex of her belly, staring at the ceiling while she took the time to feel how her body had changed. There was enough of a difference that she could feel it with just her palms, and before long, her dainty hands cradled the bottom of her stomach, a breath escaping her as she realised that there was a little baby in there. Her little baby was in there. In that moment, warmth washed over her whole body, engulfing her in feelings of love as she thought about it more. Kuchel wondered if it was a little boy or a little girl– she'd love them just the same regardless, but a little part of her hoped it was a boy. A boy that looked like a carbon-copy of her and nothing like whoever his father was. It would have been nice to know who it was, sure, but the one responsible would never dream of sticking around to raise a child after a stint with a prostitute. He'd probably have her thick black hair, the kind that reflected the lights of the candles beautifully. Perhaps he'd have green eyes like his grandparents, but more likely he'd have blue-grey ones like Kuchel's own. She imagined he'd have the cutest smile she would ever see, and he'd have an adorable voice that he would use to sing along to lullabies…

All of these ideas in her head; it fueled her in a way she hadn't been before. Glancing down at her belly, she rubbed her thumbs against it and whispered, "I'm going to keep you, and I am going to give you every ounce of my love. Darling," A tear dribbled down her cheek. "I love you already." She sniffled before letting a small hum escape her. "I'm your mama… and I love you so much…"

…

October, 819

Kuchel was exhausted for more reasons than one. In order to afford checkups and more food, she was working more, being extra flirtatious with the men that she took care of. She carefully snuck some extra coins from their pockets when they were too drunk to ever notice her nimble fingers delving in to snatch a few paltry Marias and Roses, and, if she was lucky, she'd find a shiny gold Sina. Just one Sina was enough for a week of food, so she saved those for when she knew she needed them— after giving birth. Kuchel knew well that she would be out of commission for a few months at best, and with a baby to take care of, Kuchel knew her body would need the rest.

When the work for the day was finally done, she opened the window in her room to air it out, taking a moment to add the coins she'd earned as payment to her measly savings. She only had a few months to save as much as she could, and the thought of not having enough worried her endlessly. However, whenever her anxieties began to fill her mind, she was usually brought back to reality by a nudge or a kick from her little angel. The same was true now, and the young woman's lips turned up into a cheerful smile, rubbing her swollen belly adoringly. "Oh hello love, don't worry, mama's just thinking about things is all. You just worry about growing big and strong in there, okay?" She spoke softly, feeling some movement in response. Sometimes those kicks hurt like a bitch, but Kuchel didn't mind— after all, if her baby was kicking, then they were alive and well, and that was what comforted her the most.

Reaching up, she unpinned her inky hair from the bun she'd put it in, sighing as the locks unfurled down her back and covered her shoulder blades. After cleaning up a bit with some water from her bucket, Kuchel decided to eat an apple that she had bought before starting work for the day. One of the younger prostitutes, Brenda, had been pregnant before, and told Kuchel that fruits were a good source of nutrients for the little one. The sweet and delicious fruit was a treat in the Underground, but she was willing to spend a few extra of her precious coins to make sure that her baby came out as healthy as possible. Munching on her apple, Kuchel sat back in her bed, leaning against the creaky headboard as she tried to find where she'd left off in her book.

Unfortunately, this book was no novella to take her to a different place and time. Instead, it was a book that got passed to whichever prostitute was unlucky enough to fall pregnant and decided to keep it. Although Kuchel did not share the sentiment that she was dealt a bad hand by fate; in fact, she felt rather fortunate. The pages explained details about pregnancy for the first half, while the second half dealt with the development a child goes through after it is born. Milestones, such as rolling over, smiling, and first words were listed. The thought of her own baby achieving such things was thrilling to her. To other people, a baby standing on its own may not be very impressive, but Kuchel knew that any new milestone her child reached would make her heart swell with pride.

She was thumbing through a particularly unsettling section about labour when she heard a knock at her door. Her eyes never wavered from the text as she replied, "I'm finished for the night. No more customers."

"Open the fuckin' door, will ya Chelly?"

The voice made her stop chewing on her apple for a moment. She swallowed as her mind buzzed with a tinge of confusion and anxiety. The voice was familiar… too familiar.

"It's open."

The visitor opened the door, coming in and shutting it behind him. He was tall with broad shoulders, and a most intimidating presence about him. However, any fear she felt dissipated when he took his hat off, revealing a pair of familiar slate-grey eyes that were already glancing over every inch of her.

"Ah shit, Kuchel, you went and got yourself knocked up?"

"What are you doing here, Kenny?" She asked curtly, ignoring his question entirely. Kuchel instinctively put a hand on her stomach, feeling her little one getting restless at the sudden change in their mother's demeanour.

"Relax, relax, quit getting all defensive. M'not gonna kill you or something… or your little runt. I just came to check up on you."

"Yeah right, if you cared about me so much you wouldn't have left me down here to rot."

"Tch…" Kenny muttered, leaning back against the door and taking a good look at her again while he chewed on his cheek. Her eyes never strayed away from him, partially out of the feeling that she needed to be on guard, but also because she felt like she hadn't seen her big brother in so long. He looked tired and a bit worn, but fine other than that. The stupid bastard had finally filled out a tad so he wasn't skin and bones like the rest of the Underground scavengers. Taking a glimpse of his clothing, a blotch of red on his tan coat caught her attention. Kuchel went to speak, but he put up a hand to cut her off. "Had to scuffle with someone on the way here, I didn't kill anyone. You forget I can read you like a book. Yer my little sister, after all."

Kuchel's lips were parted slightly as she tried to think of just what to say. The way he acted was nothing short of ridiculous to her, and thus she could not help when an incredulous chuckle erupted from her chest. "You're unbelievable, you know that, Kenny? What do you do nowadays, huh? You wonder why I'm on edge when I hear of a very familiar son of a bitch terrorizing Mitras, slitting the throats of Military Police officers in their sleep? You think I couldn't tell that was you, Kenny the Ripper?"

"Ah fuck, Kuchel, are you gonna sit here and tell me that you think I'd ever hurt a pretty little hair on yer stupid head?" He scoffed. His hardened eyes were still focused on her belly that seemed too big for a small frame like hers to bear. "...Whose is it?"

The noirette gave him a flat stare. "Doesn't matter." She said as she put the book to the side after marking her page.

"The hell it doesn't, Chel."

There was a long pause before Kenny's attention was directed back up to her face. "You don't know, do you?"

"Now you're starting to use that genius brain of yours, Ken. How in the world would I know who the father is? Did you forget where we are right now?" Before her brother could answer, she proceeded, "Yeah, that's right, a brothel." She grumbled, shifting and moving her hands back to thread through the ebony strands that had gone months without a trim.

"... You're too young to be doing this, Chel."

"You should have thought about that before leaving me down here to die."

"Oi oi oi, I thought you'd get a job as a seamstress or something, not spreadin' your fuckin' legs in a whorehouse." He groaned, coming over to sit by her feet on the bed. The weight of him made the mattress dip a bit, and the frame creaked, making him tsk in annoyance. "You sleep on this thing? Your back must hurt."

"Hurts more with the strain of carrying a baby." Kuchel replied, looking at her brother and getting a better look at him in the dim candlelight. He stared right back at her, almost defiantly. It reminded her of when they'd roughhouse as children on the rickety wood floors of their home. He'd pin her down, looking down at her with that same gaze to silently say that he'd won, except now they were adults, and she couldn't entirely decipher what it meant. With a sigh, she leaned back against the headboard once more, folding her hands on top of her bump and feeling a nudge against her fingertips. "You think this was my first choice? That I didn't try other jobs before having to settle for this? Every other job I tried was either temporary or they couldn't afford to keep me for long. I was starving to death and this was the last resort."

"I see… well I can't say I blame ya, sis." Kenny shrugged, watching her carefully. "Are you really keeping it? I shouldn't have to explain to you the many things wrong with that idea… there's still time to do something, you know. Or you could have it and sell it to a family above ground who can't have their own–"

"No." She interrupted him quickly. "I would never do those things. He's my baby. I want to raise him and love him." Kuchel then paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't trust anyone else to love him like I do."

"He, huh? You think it's a boy?"

"I do." The reply came with no hesitation. "I'm going to do whatever I can to give him everything that he needs. I-I've saved up some money, for when I can't work after labour… It's not much but I think I can manage." Her initial reply was strong, yet she went on, her normally confident voice faltered just enough for Kenny to notice. Her hands pressed a bit more firmly over her stomach. "I'll be fine. We'll be just fine." She whispered as tears began to brim her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Kenny mumbled, the low-tone causing his words to rumble in his throat and chest. "You seemed happy about all this a few seconds ago."

"I-I am," She admitted, pulling a hand away from her belly to carefully wipe the tears away. "I am." Kuchel said, stronger this time. " I'm just scared, too. Just because I'm happy to have this baby doesn't mean I'm not nervous. It's going to hurt. Besides that, what if he gets sick? What if a client tries to hurt him because I made them angry? What if he grows up to resent me because of what I do?" Kuchel sniffled, feeling a sob catch in her throat. "I-I'm scared, Kenny. I don't know what I'm doing and I don't want to fuck it up." The onyx-haired woman didn't even realise that more tears were rushing down her porcelain cheeks; that the sob had found a way to escape her. She couldn't remember the last time she actually cried, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment that it was in front of her good-for-nothing brother. For all she knew, he didn't have an empathetic bone in his entire body.

Kenny let out a deep sigh, tilting his head up to the ceiling. "Shit, I'm not good at this comforting stuff, Kuchel. Look, bein' a parent ain't no easy task. But I know that if anyone tried to hurt yer kid, you'd finally awaken those Ackerman genes of yours and rip 'em to shreds for it. And if the kid is anything as smart as his Ma', he's not gonna resent ya. Even if he does for a bit, every snot-nosed brat has that phase where they are angry at everything. Though, to be fair, you didn't. You were just a bundle of sunshine all the time, never a pissed-off bone in that body of yours. Well, ya know, unless I pissed you off by putting worms in your bed or some shit."

Her tears dried a bit, unable to suppress a small chortle at the mention of his stupid shenanigans that would always rile her up when they were younger. Seeing that his words were somehow connecting with her, he continued, folding his arms over his chest. "It's okay to be scared. Just don't let the fear control ya. If ya do, you'll do things you regret."

Kuchel replied with a soft nod in understanding, wincing when she felt a kick right in her rib. "A-Ah, fu— Oh dear, settle down." She corrected the cursing, having been much more careful about the words she used lately. The book said that babies could hear the voices of their mothers in the womb, and the last thing she wanted was for her child to pop out knowing every bit of vulgarity within the Walls.

"What, did the runt kick you?" Kenny mused, earning a bit of a glare from her. "I take that as a yes."

"Yeah, babies kick. He's very active… kicks me in my sleep in every little spot he can reach."

"You're very sure it's not a girl, huh? Any names?" He snorted, obviously finding something funny about her instincts that her baby was going to be a boy.

"I'm surprised you care."

"I'm just tryna make conversation, Kuchel, fuck."

Her blue-grey eyes rolled a bit at his response, as she lazily traced over her stomach with her nails, doodling nonsense designs in the white fabric. "I don't have a name for him yet. I'll think of something."

Kenny acknowledged her with a grunt of some sort, rolling his neck. "You know, you don't have to stay down here. I've got connections up there. And residency rights. You can go up there."

"And risk being hunted for the rest of my life? Putting my baby in the same danger?" Kuchel retorted. "Ackermans aren't welcome anywhere. Why do you think we were born in the Underground? In any case, it's not like you're making our name look any better, Kenny the Ripper."

He just sighed in exasperation, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Oi, quit callin' me that, it's a stupid name... But I can tell you're not gonna budge. You've always been stubborn, Chel."

"And you've always been a troublesome ass." The woman let a curse slip, figuring the baby was too busy kicking her kidneys to notice.

"Fair enough." He exhaled deeply, glancing around the room and taking in the paltry sight. She was aware of how little there was, but she couldn't afford much else with the measly sum she made from each client. It was a miracle that she had any money stashed away at all. Almost as if Kenny had read her mind, he asked, "Do you have enough money? Where's your stash? I know you're not empty-headed enough to get ready for all of this and then not save money."

His question earned a silent wave of her hand from her, guiding his eyes to her chintzy wooden nightstand that looked like it was about ready to fall apart at the seams. The gruff man mumbled something under his breath about her needing better furniture, and opened the drawer to pull out the satchel she had. It was only a fourth of the way filled with coins, the majority of the coins being Marias and Roses with perhaps three Sinas at most in the mix. Kenny grimaced at the pitiful sight, tightening the drawstring and tossing it back in. "That's not enough for shit."

"Don't you think I know that?" She hissed. "Not many men wanna sleep with a woman with baggage."

"Oi now, don't you say that." He joked, a smirk crossing his face that made Kuchel want to smack it off. "You can find a lot of sick bastards with plenty a' kinks down here. I'm sure you could find a few regulars who'd love that."

"Walls Kenny, you're disgusting!" The groan that came from her seemed to amuse her brother to no end.

"But am I wrong?"

"... Please, please just shut up, you're giving me a headache. I've got enough to worry about and now you're barging in here trying to tell me how to live my life and take care of my unborn baby." She bemoaned. The commotion earned a soft nudge from her little one, and Kuchel sighed, glancing down at her abdomen. "Shh… your uncle is just working me up is all, my angel."

"Little bastard loves to beat you up, huh?" Kenny snickered. After he piped down, he gave another glance to her belly before asking quietly, "Does it hurt? When the squirt kicks ya?"

Kuchel lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "It does sometimes, but other times it's comforting. I would rather him kick me to bits than not. Movement means he's alive and well." Her supple fingers caressed the roundness of her belly, and her soft lips turned upwards into a grateful smile. The black-haired girl then added, "You can feel, if you want. It is your nephew after all."

"Potentially also my niece… but um… ah, alright." He gave in, sitting a bit closer to her now so one of his calloused palms could press against her belly. At the moment, there was no movement, so Kenny tsked in annoyance. "Oi, little shit, ya stop as soon as yer awesome Uncle Kenny tries to say hello?"

"Give him a second, Ken. It's not like babies are constantly squirming around in there. They rest."

"Well tell the little brat to get moving." He retorted, agitation painted over his sharp features. Although, Kuchel knew him well, and was aware that he was only acting gruff because he didn't want to seem like a softie. There was no doubt in her mind that Kenny was secretly a little excited about having a new relative to mess with, even if he refused to admit it openly.

The young lady tried singing softly to trigger some sort of reaction in her unborn baby, and after a minute or so, there was a response. This prompted Kuchel to grab her brother's wrist, moving his hand to where the action was happening. "There, see?" She gleamed.

It pleased her to see Kenny's own mouth perk up to grin ever so slightly at the feeling. "Oi, would ya look at that. Um, hey there kiddo. I'm yer Uncle Kenny. Don't give yer Ma' too much trouble."

Kuchel silently mused at the interaction, commenting after a spell of silence, "Look at that, I guess you have at least one empathetic bone in your body. I knew you had it in you." She watched him roll his eyes, and hold his hand against her belly for a moment more before pulling away. As he stood, he pulled a pouch out of his pocket, checking inside before setting it atop the nightstand with an accompanying clank of what sounded like coins. In typical fashion, Kenny cut her off before she could even question him.

"I guess I do. It sucks." Her brother then gestured vaguely to the bag, his back to her. "Take that. I'll try to send down something for ya every once in a while."

Kuchel felt her heart ache as she watched him reach for the door, his words finally clicking in her head. Kenny wasn't the generous type, but she knew that that pouch must have been brimming with coins. Where he had gotten them, she didn't know, but the kindness brought tears to her ashen eyes. "Thank you, Kenny."

He casted a half-willed glance over his shoulder at her, waving a bit at her expression of gratitude. "S'nothin, just take care of yerself and the little pain in the ass. I'll see ya around, Chelly."

When the worn wooden door clicked shut, Kuchel let go of a breath she'd held in to keep herself from sobbing, and she stared at the door for what seemed like an eternity.

"See ya, Kenny."

…

December 25, 819

It started in the wee hours of the morning, when it would still be dark outside if one lived on the surface. However, it was always dark down in the Underground City. No one could tell the difference between night and day without a pocket watch.

No position was comfortable anymore. Blankets made her sweat, but no blankets at all made her teeth chatter. The kicking was incessant, like the baby never wanted her to rest. It was fucking exhausting. She was constantly hungry, but also somehow no food seemed good to her. Kuchel was going insane. But amidst the chaos of preparing herself for the little one, she'd grown properly tired for once.

The bed was so inviting, and as the winter had set in, the Underground had grown draftier than ever. With one of the many Sinas in the pouch Kenny left behind, she'd bought candles and firewood to warm up her room. There was even a bit left over from that coin, so she purchased a thick pair of wool socks to help her retain some heat. Kuchel basked in the few luxuries that she was now fortunate enough to afford, lying on her side and listening to the crackle of the logs in the fireplace. It was a peaceful moment that she was thankful for. Her little angel had decided to rest for once, so she was eager to get the rest she so desperately sought after.

The candle on her nightstand reflected in her eyes as she watched the flame flicker, resting her cheek against her inviting pillow. It almost spoke to her, telling her to sleep. Who was she to say no when every muscle in her body was fatigued?

With the roar of the fire keeping her snug and her unborn baby giving her a break, sleep crashed over her like a heavy wave. In that moment, Kuchel felt like she was in heaven, well, if you could call anything in the Underground such a thing. Just a moment of repose, some downtime to collect herself– that was what she truly needed.

She didn't know what time it was when a bolt of pain jolted through her body, causing her to awaken. Instinctually, her hand went to her belly to steady herself as she sat up. It was then that Kuchel noticed a hot wetness between her legs, causing her to furrow her brows in confusion. An agitated "Did I fucking piss myself?" eluded her swearing filter, and she was frankly too tired to care. Great, now she'd need to get out of her comfy bed, change her clothes, and–

"A-Ah!"

When she stood, the pain was worse, knocking the wind straight out of her. Kuchel gasped for air, and fell back to sit on the mattress for support.

What's going on? Am I… am I going into labour?

The reality truly sank in when she felt a contraction hit her. Her pale hand latched to the post at the end of the footboard, gripping it tightly as she squeezed her eyes shut. Deep breaths. Just like she read in the book. After the sensation ebbed away, Kuchel tried to collect herself, knowing that she'd need someone to go get the midwife for her. Out of all the women she could think of that would be willing, the face of a ginger woman around her age named Amelia flashed through her mind. Luckily, Amelia lived right across the hall.

Sucking in a breath, the soon-to-be mother cradled her heavy belly with one arm as she stumbled to the door. As quickly as she could, Kuchel threw it open and got to the door across from hers, knocking in exasperation as she had the sense that another contraction was coming. She didn't want to be standing for that.

Amelia took a moment to rouse from her bed, and Kuchel could hear the footsteps on the wooden floor before the door opened. Amelia yawned, but gave the fellow prostitute a gentle smile. "Hey, Olympia… what did you need so late at night?"

"Baby's coming. Now. I need you to get the midwife. Please." The pregnant woman's eyes were filled with anxiety and pain, and when the redhead saw this, her green eyes opened a bit wider in alertness.

"O-Oh gosh, yes. Of course, I'll get her! Go rest and I'll be as quick as I can!" Amelia promised, going back into her room to throw on her shoes and a more suitable dress for going outside the brothel. Kuchel's mind was spinning, already making her way back to the bed as she made a mental note to give Amelia a few coins later as thanks.

It felt like it took forever for the midwife to arrive, with meek Amelia in tow. By this point, Kuchel had pulled her coal-coloured locks back into a messy bun, not giving a single shit about how she looked in any way. Two more contractions had passed, and she was pacing the room, walking between the fireplace and the bed to distract herself. Sweat beaded her still-furrowed brow, illuminated by the candlelight and the fireplace as she turned on her heel to continue walking. When she saw the midwife, she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank the Walls, you're here. Thank you, Amelia. I appreciate your help." Kuchel tried her best to give the woman a smile, but was sure it came out looking quite pained.

"Don't thank me yet, Olympia. I'm going to help out here too, okay? I'm not gonna let you go through it alone."

If she were not in her current condition, Kuchel would have nearly teared up at her kindness. The midwife guided her to sit back down for a moment, and she looked to Amelia, who stood by the door as if waiting for approval.

"Okay… then call me Kuchel."

Many agonizing hours had passed since her water broke, and it was finally about time to start pushing. The midwife reasoned that since it was her first child, her body was just taking its time to adjust. In that moment, Kuchel wanted to tell her that if the baby didn't come out soon, she was going to rip her own hair out in desperation. During a lull in the contractions, Amelia sat with the uncomfortable woman, braiding her silken black hair for her to distract from the pain she was in.

"So, do you have any ideas for names, Kuchel?"

Both of her arms were wrapped around her belly, out of both a protective instinct and to feel if her little one was moving around. The noirette shook her head some. "No, I don't."

"But… but you're in labour right now, don't you–"

"Yes, I know that he's going to need a name. I just haven't come up with anything good enough. Maybe when I hold him and see his face it'll come to me."

"Mother knows best!" Amelia chirped, trying to make the best of the situation and be a ray of positive energy. Kuchel truly appreciated it, no matter how miserable she looked in the moment.

Normally the midwife would have the mother in a birthing chair, but Kuchel wasn't in a position to afford a luxury like that. Instead, the tired woman had her elbows planted on the mattress, leaning over it with the midwife behind her to catch the baby. It felt a hell of a lot better than lying on her back, which she tried to no avail. So here she was, flyaways sticking to her temples and the apples of her cheeks that were slick with perspiration, her eyes locked on the threads of the sheets. Each time the midwife told her to push, her breath hitched and she tried so hard that she could have sworn her face was turning blue.

Her only reminders to take a breath came from Amelia, who stood by her side and held one of her clammy hands. "Kuchel, you gotta remember to breathe. In and out, right? It will hurt less, and then you'll be done quicker." The ginger told her, giving Kuchel's hand a comforting squeeze. She knew her friend was right, but it was so hard to remember that when the feeling of the baby's head making its way out of her body burned her insides.

"Come on Kuchel, one more big push and they're out! You can do it!" Amelia cheered her on, dabbing her face with a cool rag that made her groan with some relief. "Just a bit more! Push! Push!"

And push she did. She pushed so hard that a guttural shriek ripped from her throat, and she crushed Amelia's sweet hand in her own as her little one was finally out. Kuchel's vision was blurred as the hormones and fatigue began washing over her, but she fought against it, waiting for a key sound. As soon as the wail of her newborn rang through the cramped and stuffy brothel room, Kuchel let out a sob of relief.

My baby's alive.

The midwife had quickly gone to work, cutting the umbilical cord and wrapping the little one in a white blanket that she'd set aside. "Congratulations, it's a little boy." The woman smiled, rocking the baby boy to soothe him as he continued to cry. "And one with a powerful set of lungs on him, at that!"

Amelia helped Kuchel get into bed, since the poor woman's knees had begun to buckle as soon as she'd heard the relieving but heartbreaking cry of her son. Her son. The fact that she'd been right almost made her laugh, but right now she was more focused on trying to hold him. "Please let me see him…" The worn young woman looked at the bundle yearningly, watching as the midwife came to her bedside. Kuchel's grey-blue eyes focused on that precious boy wrapped in white, her gaze never wavering as he was handed to her.

"Make sure you support his head. There we go, that's it."

Her little boy squirmed a bit as he was placed into her arms, his eyes still screwed shut tightly and his mouth puckered up. Kuchel giggled sleepily, a smile plastered across her face as she forgot all of the pain of the past hours that had dredged on at a snail's pace. She had tunnel vision, focusing on every detail of him and burning it into her memory. Everything about him was absolutely perfect.

When he began to fuss again, she shushed him gingerly, cradling him against her chest and caressing his chubby cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Oh little angel, I know. It's so unfair, huh? You were nice and warm in mommy's belly and now you're out here where it's so bright and noisy!" Kuchel purred to him lovingly.

"Kuchel, he's adorable~" Amelia sing-songed. "Look, he's even got a bit of black hair on his head just like you, huh?"

"Indeed he does. Baby boy, can Mama see your pretty eyes?" The new mother whispered to her son. "I wonder if he has my eyes, too… I know they could change, but I still want to see."

The midwife cleaned up a bit as Kuchel held him close. For many minutes she just admired him, unable to do much else due to the utter exhaustion creeping under her skin. To her delight, the boy slowly opened his eyes, and his mother could tell that he was trying his damndest to focus his vision. The candles sitting in various places around the room helped Kuchel to see his eyes, and soon the two were staring directly at one another. It melted her heart to see that his own beautiful orbs were blue like the great big sky that she'd only ever seen a few times in her life. She swore that if she kept smiling her face would get stuck like this forever. Maybe that wasn't so bad.

As she gazed at his darling face, her mind searched for a name. Naming such a gift from the heavens was no easy task, and she knew that well. But one name stuck out to her, and within seconds she was set.

"Levi."

Amelia blinked and looked at Kuchel, tilting her head in confusion like a puppy that didn't understand its owner's command. "Hm? What was that?"

"Levi." The dark-haired woman repeated, a bit louder this time to make herself clearer. "His name is Levi."

"Oh! Well I think that's just swell!" Amelia chimed, leaning in a bit to get a better look at the newly named child. "Hi Levi! I'm Amelia. You're just the cutest~ If I ever have a baby I hope they're half as cute as you."
That made Kuchel chuckle weakly. Amelia was known for being overly-cheery, but she didn't find it to be annoying like the rest of the prostitutes did. It reminded Kuchel of simpler times, since she was similar to the redhead when she was younger and more carefree. The world hadn't broken Amelia yet, and Kuchel hoped it never did.

"That's very sweet of you to say, Amy. Can I call you that?"

"Sure thing! I don't mind that. Lia works too if you're feeling adventurous~ You're the only nice one around here anyway, so feel free to call me any name you'd like." Her friend replied, making some cute faces for Levi, who looked at her like she was a bit crazy. Kuchel knew he was most likely still focusing his little eyes, but what resembled a questioning look on a newborn made her laugh once more.

After all was said and done, Kuchel was left alone to rest. She paid the midwife as expected, but when she tried to give Amy some money for her help, she was refused, being told, "You need that more than I do. Get some rest. I'll check on you later, Kuchel." with that bubbly smile of hers.

She only slept for a few hours before Levi began to fuss. Her body ached everywhere, but she forced herself to get up, stumbling a few feet away where her little one was resting in a hand-woven basket. Kuchel bought this because she knew that the baby could not sleep in the bed with her, but she could not afford to buy a crib that would only be used for a few years. Even a second-hand bassinet was too expensive to consider, so she was left with using this. He didn't seem to mind it one bit, nice and cozy in the soft blankets she'd gotten to cushion it and make it as proper of a bed as she could.

His delicate cheeks were turning red from his fussing, and Kuchel leaned over to carefully lift him up from his basket. "Oh my little Levi, what's wrong, hm? Are you hungry?" The continued whimpers answered her question enough, so she brought him to the bed, curling up with him clutched close to her chest. She had tried to feed him earlier while the midwife was there to observe and help her, but Levi did not seem interested in the slightest, which Kuchel found worrying. She was assured that he'd want to eat eventually, which brought her some much needed peace.

It was harder than it looked, getting a baby to eat for the first time, but once he decided to finally latch on she sighed a breath of relief. "There we go… eat up, mister. You've gotta grow up big and strong, and eating is the first step."

While he ate quietly, Kuchel took his tiny hand in her fingers, relishing in how soft and squishy he was everywhere. Even his palms were chubby and round. If he was a healthy weight, then that meant she'd been eating enough throughout her pregnancy to get him the right nutrients. What a relief...

Now that his gentle skin wasn't covered in blood and other things from birth, his complexion wasn't so blotchy. She craned her neck down a bit, kissing at Levi's itty bitty fingers. Everything was new to him. The world was so vast and offered so much, and Kuchel prayed that one day they could go live on the surface– up there, he could experience so much more of what life had to offer. In the Underground, life was mostly a matter of survival, and the thought of Levi ever encountering some of the rogues who lurked in the shadows sent a shiver through her and right to her core. The young woman knew that she couldn't shield him his entire life from awful things, especially with them taking residence in a brothel, but she was going to try.

Letting go of his hand, she moved her fingers to caress the wispy black strands that graced the crown of his head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought this was a little black halo on your head." She cooed to him, watching as he pulled away from her chest, seeing that he was quite content with the amount of milk he'd happily suckled. Kuchel adjusted her dress, then moved him to rest his cheek on her shoulder. Levi made some sort of sweet baby sound as she patted his back, and in her mind she knew that he was going to be a master at making her heart melt. Damn it, he already was. Just holding Levi close to her like this, keeping her darling son in her arms— it made her happier than she'd ever felt before in her entire life.

"Mama loves you, my little raven-haired angel… so so very much."

Levi only drooled on her shoulder as a response. In most circumstances, Kuchel would have been grossed out by baby slobber, but when it was her little Li-Li, it didn't matter one bit. For all she cared, he could slobber all over her and she would still smile just as brightly for him. She also knew that diapers were going to be gross, but that didn't phase her, either. Anything for her little boy.

Soon enough, Kuchel had to try to sleep once again, and laid him back down in his cozy basket. She pulled it by her bed a bit more so that she could see him when she laid on her side. Levi's bleary eyes eventually closed once more so he could sleep again, and Kuchel watched with delight. The sight of him made her heart swell with pride and joy.

I have no idea how I had such a beautiful son. How did such a perfect little boy come out of me? How did I get so lucky? He is everything I dreamed of and more. I'm so glad I decided to keep him. My handsome baby Levi…

I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter! Thanks for reading this. If there's anything you'd like to point out or suggest I'd be happy to hear it. This isn't my first fic but it's the first one that I've ever posted on AO3. My plan is to go through the canon in a chronological order, but perhaps some chapters will be flashbacks if I have a good idea. I just like fluff with Kuchel and Levi being a family. I also see Kenny as a man who does truly care about his sister (and here, his to-be niece or nephew), but has a hard time showing it.

My apologies for my incessant use of commas. I just put them where I pause in my head, oops.