Bonjour, as you may have noticed, I have renamed all of the chapters thus far and will continue to give them names. They're in French, because I speak French, lol. If you would like to look up what the words mean, cool beans, but it's not necessary to understand the chapter. It's just a bit of fun! :) The chapters so far (1-5) mean as follows: Birth, Childhood, Growth, Lost Things, and Help.

Also, LlamaaMamaa made a cover for this story! You can see it on Wattpad as well, where I just published this, or on Imgur here - /clL4EMb

Late April, 829

The kid looked like a fucking bag of bones.

The sight was pitiable, really. He was dressed in what looked to be a white nightgown that he could only assume was Kuchel's, based on the fact that it was quite baggy on the sorry-looking midget.

Taking a step forward, the visitor saw the young boy cower and hurry to shift on the bed and sit in front of the unconscious woman under the blankets. This little runt was almost baring his teeth, which drew a chuckle from the mysterious figure.

"Relax, short-stack. M'not here to kill you or yer old lady. What's yer name? "

The dark-haired boy swallowed thickly, but didn't answer him, watching his every move like a hawk. Every step with his heavy boots or sway of his hips put the boy on further alert, so the man sighed and took off his hat before leaning against the wall. Sliding down to the ground with his legs sticking out over the dusty planks, he grumbled, "Name's Kenny. Just Kenny. Got a name?"

The kid took quite a long time to answer, keeping his distance still and examining Kenny with eyes that looked just like his mother's. Fuck, he looked exactly like Kuchel. He probably had no idea just how much. Whoever his father was, the genes surely didn't show through in the kid's outward appearance.

"Levi. Just Levi." His voice was petite, like his entire body, frankly. His words were careful, like he was treading on eggshells.

Kenny narrowed his eyes as he looked at the floor, not wanting to make direct eye contact lest this kid decide to go feral on him at any second. It wasn't like he knew what Levi was like yet, so he had no idea about his comportment. It then occurred to him that Levi didn't say a last name, and Kenny let that fact roll around in his head for a minute.

"Ah, Kuchel… I get it. The family name's never done you any favours, has it?" He mumbled to himself, running his hand over his face and scratching some of the stubble on his sharp jawline. "Well kiddo, care to tell me if she's dead?"

Before Levi could even reply, Kenny answered his own question. "Nevermind, if you're that protective over her, she must still be alive. It doesn't smell like a corpse in here either– just like a little brat who hasn't taken a bath in a week. When's the last time you washed your ass?"

No answer.

"Guessing you're either too tired to answer, or you're a smartass. For your sake I'll assume it's the former." He huffed, standing up and approaching the tiny squirt slowly. "I'm 'ere to help you. And your Mama. I'm her friend. I can get her medical treatment, alright?"

Levi eyed him warily, and then whispered cautiously. "How do I know you're not a bad man who's gonna hurt her, too?"

"Do you have any other option but to trust me?" He growled, putting his hat on the kid's head to try to distract him while he looked at Kuchel. It didn't take him long to discern that his baby sister was in a coma. This was going to be tricky, but he could use his connections with Uri to get her into a nice hospital in Mitras or somewhere else in Wall Sina. That way neither Levi nor himself would have to fret about her all day. He wasn't a dad or anything, but he knew that it wasn't doing the kid any good taking care of his bed-ridden and comatose mother.

Both Kenny and Kuchel knew that well from when their parents kicked the bucket. He remembered the dank stench of death in the room where they died together, rotting away from some unknown disease that they'd both contracted together. It took Dad first, then Mom shortly after.

Psh, what a romantic fuckin' way to go out. How fucking darlin', leaving behind a semi-psychopath and a girl who had somehow not been entirely corrupted by the world of the Underground City. Kenny didn't even care about it for his sake, he honestly cared about it for Kuchel's. That was why he left her behind– because he wasn't meant to be a father-figure to someone, nor meant to support anyone else, really.

That wasn't going to change with this brat, nephew or not.

He scooped the kid up to try to carry him out of the brothel, but was immediately given a hard elbow to the throat. It made him sputter and drop him, and Levi landed on his feet like a cocky little cat before going right back by his mother.

"Not leaving her." He stated matter-of-factly, sitting his dumb ass right back down on the stiff mattress again. Levi looked at him with distrust written all over his expression, crossing his arms and glaring at him defiantly. In that moment he looked even more like his damned mom, and it made Kenny groan. Kuchel had a way of getting him to crack when she was younger because she was cute and he was the big brother with a soft heart for his baby sister. If Levi looked just like her, then he was probably going to be in for one hell of a ride.

"Listen, brat. I am trying to help you out. You look like a sack of fucking sticks and need to get some food into your stomach before you pass out. I'm going to take you to the tavern across the street, get you a room, some food, and a bath, and while you rest up I'm taking your mama to a hospital-"

"No! We don't have the money! And I want to see her!" He snapped, taking Kenny's wide-brimmed hat off his head and tossing it on the floor in frustration. "You can't take her away from me!"

"Look here, you little fucking midget, do you want her to die? You can't take care of her properly. Either you trust me and let me take her to a hospital until she gets better, or she fuckin' croaks in the middle of the night because your sorry ass can't keep mama-birding food into her mouth!"

The loudness of Kenny's voice seemed to make the kid shrink, and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I didn't mean to yell, kid, but you gotta trust me. I care about your Mama and want her to get better for ya."

Levi looked like he was going to burst into tears, but held it in, much to Kenny's surprise. The little guy looked at Kuchel longingly, reaching to brush some hair away from her cheek before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. "I love you, Mommy…"

The sight almost made Kenny feel bad for a moment. He obviously adored her, and he wasn't surprised– Kuchel had always had a way with people, especially children. She was probably the light of his sad little life here in the brothel, and he was probably hers, too.

You had to try to find sunshine down in such a dark and dank place.

"Does that mean you're gonna mosey along and come with me?"

"Only if you don't fucking pick me up again."

The tone took Kenny aback, and Levi opened the door to leave the room. "Come on, I don't want to change my mind to trust you."

No way he learned those words from Kuchel… He probably learned those words from other prostitutes or kids on the street. Heh.

"Alright, alright, Mr. Bossy." Kenny said, letting the kid walk on his own as they made their way out of The Pink Pearl. The way that this little thing swerved effortlessly between the clients and workers on the main floor was impressive at first, but in the back of his head, Kenny knew it was disturbing.

A kid shouldn't be used to avoiding the touches, drunken stumbles, and hazy gropings from grown-ass adults. Only the Walls knew what else that kid had seen.

Outside the brothel, Levi looked around and then back up at Kenny. Fuck, he was short. Like, abnormally short for a child that age. He was what, around eight or something?

"Now, can ya explain to me how yer mama got knocked the fuck out?"

Levi's eyes diverted away from him now, and he dug the toe of his ratty little shoe into the dirty cobble sidewalk. "Mama had a client. I came back home and he was choking her."

The thought of someone hurting his baby sister made him a different type of angry, but he was more concerned about hearing something else about the story.

"And what happened to the client?"

The little dark-haired kid just looked at his foot as it twisted dirt against the stone, and Kenny could tell that he looked quite hesitant to talk about it. He decided to give the kid some time, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. Something about that was immediately triggering to Levi, however, because he found his cigarette immediately torn out of his mouth by a petite pallid hand.

"Don't do that." Levi muttered, hurrying to stomp the dreaded thing out, looking at the now wasted joint as if it were just as bad as the man that assaulted his mother. "It's filthy, smells disgusting, stains your teeth…"

"Little shit, first you jam your jagged little elbow into my throat, then you scream at me, then you rip my cigarette dangling from my fuckin' lips and waste it. Y'ever heard of money, ya little tyke?"

"Sinas, Roses, Marias, and paper Fritzes."

What a fucking smartass.

"Not what I meant, you itty bitty asswipe. Anyway… again, what happened to the client?"

He watched Levi card his fingers through his curtain of inky hair, keeping his gaze down and not daring to look up at him. Kenny understood– most kids found him scary, since he was one big motherfucker. Levi must have thought he was a Titan or some shit.

The kid kept his tone low. "I grabbed the scissors… stabbed his arm, his throat, bit his finger off, jammed the scissors in his eye, kicked him off the bed…"

Now that was fucking surprising. If Kenny weren't wearing boots it would have quite literally knocked his socks off. A runt this small, taking on a fully grown man with a pair of probably rusty scissors and sheer willpower sounded like a very Ackerman thing to do.

But he wasn't going to tell Levi that. If Kuchel woke up and found out that Kenny had told Levi about the Ackerman Clan, he'd get his own throat slit.

Or just an ass beating– with his baby sister it could go either way, truly.

"Ah, I'm guessing you killed him, didn't you, squirt?"

"Shutthefuckup!" Levi hissed through his teeth, glaring up at him with dark knit brows. It was hard for Kenny to take him seriously when he was missing two front teeth. "Don't just say that out loud, are you outta your mind?"

"Clearly not as much as a kid who murdered a grown man at the age of nine."

That earned Kenny a hard kick in the shin, and he let out a groan, lifting the throbbing leg off the ground and shooting daggers at the offender. "Do that again and I'll hang you by your toes from the cavern ceiling, fuckin' ungrateful little…"

"Why are you gonna help me? You seem like you hate me."

"Shut up and get in the tavern."

Levi did as he asked, and ended up tagging along behind him as he made his way to the counter. A familiar busty, blonde barmaid waved at him, her blue eyes lighting up in immediate recognition. "Kenny! Oh my goodness, I ain't seen you in almost a decade you sly dog!"

He got to the counter, and wished that he had the time to flirt, or to go preen his hair in the bathroom to woo her, but unfortunately he had business to tend to first.

"Oi, Rori! Long time, no see, my darlin' old friend. Hey, listen, I've got something to take care of, but I got this little angel here that I need you to take care of for a bit for me, okay?" He placed a shiny golden Sina on the counter, sliding it towards her and then gesturing to Levi, who was standing in front of him but couldn't see over the bartop. "A room, food, a bath, and whatever else he needs for a few days. I'll be back for him and then you can keep the rest as a tip, alright?"

"Oh wow! Sure thing darlin'!" Rori chimed, giving Kenny a wink before coming around to offer her hand to Levi. It puzzled Kenny when Levi only took a moment to examine her hand before taking it. Why did he immediately trust this woman he'd never met, but he didn't trust him? The awesome and fantastic Kenny Ackerman?

Kids were fucking ridiculous.

"Come on sugar, let's get you some food, a bath, and a nice bed to rest in. What's your name?"

"Levi." He replied. "Can I wear this afterwards, please?" He asked, gently tugging at the collar of his mother's nightgown that he was wearing on his frail frame. If the Underground had any wind, he would have been blown over easier than a man made out of paper.

"Of course, sweetie pie. But lemme wash it for you first, alright? I have something else you can wear in the meantime. Say goodbye to your Daddy!"

Levi grimaced at that while being led away. "He's not my Dad." As he was taken upstairs, he casted a worried glance back in Kenny's direction. He knew that look well, and understood just what it meant.

"Yah yah, brat, I'll take care of yer mama." He mumbled, walking back outside and lighting up another cigarette, taking a well-deserved puff. Shit, he came down here to check on Kuchel and her baby, and now he was gonna have to drag her up to a hospital and watch out for this kid for some undefined amount of time.

He was not going to become a father to him, or a parent-figure of any sort. He refused. Kenny was a cold-blooded killer, not a dad.

But he wasn't heartless enough to let the sucker die, either. Kuchel would have his head if he let anything happen to his nephew.

Should I tell him he's my nephew?

Nah, too many questions for him to ask in response. I don't wanna open a can of worms.

He made his way back into the brothel, making sure that his sister was dressed enough for a trip up one of the stairways in his arms. Levi had taken somewhat good care of her with probably little to no help from anyone else. Kuchel seemed slightly malnourished and dehydrated, but how much could one little kid do by himself?

While carrying her out of the room, some sort of feeling panged in his chest when he realised just how light she was. It didn't even fatigue his arms in the slightest to cradle her, and a few thoughts bounced around in his mind. Maybe he should have been sending down more money. More food. Maybe he should have forced her to relocate to the surface instead of letting her be a stubborn brat.

Those were all maybes, and Ken knew he shouldn't dwell on them.

Walking down into the lobby, he was immediately stopped by the pimp he'd talked to before to even get permission to go up to Kuchel's room in the first place. "Oi, where are you takin' Olympia? You can't just take one of my girls!"
"Girls? What, is she fuckin' fourteen you sick fuck? Shut up. She's hurt, I'm takin' Kuchel to a doctor. Suck a dick and choke on it, pig." He tsked, making his way out without looking back at the boss. How disgusting, referring to the women as girls. It made him sick to his stomach. Kenny may have been a bit of a bastard but he wasn't a sicko.

Eventually he made his way to the stairwell and showed his citizenship papers. "This here's my sister. She's ill and needs a doctor up there. As soon as she's well she's comin' right back down to this boggy hellhole you schmucks call home, alright?" Kenny explained, not wanting them to try to make him leave her behind. He'd kill them if they tried to make him do that, anyway, but he wasn't in the mood to unsheathe his blade and draw blood for once.

Once he exited the stairwell and took her outside, he gazed to the horizon, seeing the top of Wall Sina and the sun grazing the peak of it as it fell out of the sky for the night. It was late, but he knew where to find fast carriages to get him to a good hospital with his baby sister.

Damn, she owed him big time.

…

3 Days Later

Kuchel was taken in by one of the best hospitals that Wall Sina had to offer, thanks to his connections with Uri and all that good stuff. Once he said that he was the bodyguard for the Reiss family, there was little to no hesitation in taking her in. Instead of leaving right away, he stuck around for a few days to make absolutely sure that she wasn't going to suddenly croak.

On his way back down the stairwell, Kenny took a puff of a cigarette while he mulled over the knowledge of his sister's condition. The doctor had examined her from top to bottom, and concluded from Kenny's explanation and her remaining bruises that she had gone into a comatose state from the shock of asphyxiation. The lack of oxygen getting to her brain had sent her body emergency signals, and it ended with her toppling headfirst into a coma.

However, they found something else that could have easily been disastrous if it hadn't been caught soon enough, which was a venereal infection. They didn't exactly know which one, since there were many kinds, but they assured Kenny that it was easily treatable and would be gone in a matter of a few weeks. Hopefully she'd be up by then, too, but they couldn't say for certain. Due to the progression of the infection over Walls know how long, she would have been lacking an appetite, coughing, and feeling dizzy, among a few other minor symptoms.

Maybe Levi had noticed it, but didn't have the right vocabulary or knowledge to know that something was wrong with her. At least, he might not have been able to comprehend that leaving it untreated would have eventually killed her and left him all alone in that cramped brothel room.

Kenny decided that before going to the tavern to check up on the brat, he'd collect their things from their room so that the pimp wouldn't throw out the few mortal possessions that they'd managed to accrue over the years. It probably wouldn't be anything worth mentioning– it wasn't like Kuchel was spreading her legs to the wealthy elite of Mitras and Wall Sina or anything.

However, when he opened the door, he found the room to be empty.

It was strange. No clothes, toys, books, or minimal trinkets remained in their former quarters. He expected to at least find something, but he walked out empty-handed. "Fuck, he must have cleaned the room out already. Fat bastard." He muttered under his breath, scratching the back of his head in mild distress. Kenny wanted to at least grab some of the items that Kuchel had probably worked hard to buy. Ugh, he'd just buy the things back for her one day.

Right after he convinced her that the Ackermans were no longer being persecuted within the Walls, and that she could come live on the surface with her son.

After loitering around the bar area for a bit and gathering information from some prostitutes in his own suave way, he went to head for the door, only to have someone grab onto the sleeve of his coat. Ken glared back at the perpetrator, only to find a woman with dark brown hair and matching brown eyes looking right back at him, her tender face contorted into an expression of worry.

"E-Excuse me, sir. Were you the one that took Levi? Is he okay? Where is he? Where is Olympia?"

"Who are you?" Kenny mumbled, leaning on the doorframe and shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

"Brenda, sir. I helped to take care of Levi a lot since he was younger. And I've been helping him take care of Olympia."

"Kuchel. Her name is Kuchel, and she's bein' taken care of at a hospital. And I see, so Levi didn't take care of her all by himself. No wonder she was still alive. How come you let him turn into a sack of bones with a brain? And jeez, the mouth on that kid is something else."

"Really? He's so polite with his mother and me. Anyway, yes, I was helping him. He's okay right?" Brenda gave Kenny puppy dog eyes, and he swore that if she weren't a prostitute that he might actually try to woo her. Ever since he found out that Kuchel had turned to prostitution, he swore that he would never go near a brothel or anything similar, nor would he try romancing a woman who worked in one.

The corner of his lips twitched when she mentioned that he was polite with her and Kuchel. What the fuck was this runt's deal? Kenny hadn't come off that strong when he met Levi, had he?

"Aye, he's across the street at the tavern. I got him a room, food, yada yada. Kuchel's bein' taken care of, like I said."

"Thank the Walls. I don't want anything happening to that angelic, sweet boy. Please tell him he can come see me anytime, okay?" Brenda batted her eyes up at Kenny, most likely unintentionally, but damn, it was charming.

"Dunno about angelic, darlin', but alright. I'm going to bring the brat down into the lobby to eat, so you can come with and see him if you want."

What did he just do? Did he seriously just invite this prostitute to come see his nephew, all because she was pretty? Shit, whatever.

"Oh that would be splendid! I'll be over in a few minutes, I just need to change!" Brenda chimed, spinning on her heel to run back up those stairs that looked like they could give out at any moment. For a moment he was surprised that he didn't fall through the fucking steps.

Groaning and grumbling to himself about being too soft on a young and pretty prostitute, Kenny went back to the tavern and threw his hands up with a handsome smile at the sight of Rori behind the counter. "Oi, my darlin' Rori! I'm back, as promised. Where's the squirt?"

"Hey there sugar! He's up in the room, I got him in some fresh clothes, but he hasn't had dinner yet."

"Perfect, dollface, wanna do me a favour and get three plates ready for me? Me, the short stack, and one of the prostitutes from across the street. Don't worry, she's not my date. She's a friend of Levi's, I guess."

Rori giggled and came around the counter, hugging on Kenny's strong upper arm and resting her cheek against his shoulder. "When are you gonna spend some time with me, puddin'? I wanna see some Kenny before you go back up to the great world above, ya know?"

Kenny always got a bit fuzzy in the chest for Rori, having known her for quite some time. He knew he could never settle down with her, but by the Walls, she was a gem among a stinking heap of pebbles and shit.

"Ah, I'll be around for a while. Don't worry, I'll be payin' you many a visit."

"Oh you're not staying down here are you?" She asked, walking him to the foot of the stairs. "You know this place is shit, Ken. Why don't you take the kid up with you?"

"Cus it's not my responsibility to get the pipsqueak above ground. He's gotta work for it, Rori." Kenny reasoned, gently pushing her off to climb up the staircase and go to the room.

He only heard her sigh behind him from the base of the steps, and she called after him. "It's room eight, Ken."

With an acknowledging wave of his hand, he made his way to the eighth room in the corridor. His footsteps were heavy, still loud as well with the dusty carpet that looked like it had seen its fair share of wear and tear. Kenny could tell it used to be a nice pastel colour of some sort, but now it was just powdery looking.

His worn knuckles rapped at the door to warn Levi he was entering, and when he opened the door, he was surprised to find Levi in the bed, facing the door with his eyes looking tiredly right at him. He had his head resting on the pillow, hugging some sort of stuffed animal to his chest and looking like the most depressed fucker Kenny had ever seen.

The next thing he noticed was that there were a few boxes of things on the desk by the window– why buildings in the Underground City had windows was something he'd never understand. What the fuck was there to see anyway besides darkness and krud?

"Oi, what's all this nonsense?" He mumbled. Before he could rifle through any of it, Levi's head snapped up and he huffed.

"Don't touch it, Kenny."

"Okay, then tell me what it is."

Levi sat up, and the man had to suppress a chortle when he saw how the boy's black hair was all mussed up from the pillow. "It's the stuff from our room. If the pimp went in there and we were gone, he'd have thrown it all away."

"Oh, so you were the one who got it all? Well, that's nice I guess. Saves me having to buy you more shit."

"I don't understand what you're doing, anyway. Why are you doing all this?"

"Tch." Kenny came over to the bed and sat down next to Levi, who immediately scooted away and hugged the stuffed toy to his chest. He could see now that it was a rabbit, and wondered why a kid his age was so attached to a thing like that. "Stop questioning everything like a little brainiac or something, and just take the nice things that are being presented to you, got it? I'm gonna be watchin' over you for a while, so you'd best not be a little shitstain."

"What if I didn't want help?"

Kenny almost walloped him in the back of the head. "Shut up, you're getting it. Better get used to having me around, because if yer mother knew that I left you alone, she'd kill me. So, until she wakes up, your old pal Kenny is gonna make sure you don't die in some alley."

"Where's Mama?" Levi's gaze shot in Kenny's direction, and he hugged the bunny tighter. "She's okay, right?"

The tone in the kid's voice was almost enough to make a normal person shed a tear. But Kenny was the furthest thing from a normal person, so it just made him feel a tinge of discontent. He wasn't pleased about his sister's situation either, but he couldn't afford to be emotional like the starving brat she left for him to take care of.

"Yeah, but she's in a coma. The doctors don't know when she's gonna wake up. When that bastard choked her, her body wasn't too pleased about bein' starved for air. She's in a hospital above ground. Took her there. I have connections so the cost ain't an issue. And don't go askin' me anything else about it. I've got someone who's gonna send me letters about her condition."

The young boy only nodded, and hung his legs over the side of the bed. Kenny noted that he was dressed in a tan tunic that was a bit too big for him, with some black pants that went to his calves. He wiggled his toes, adjusting the white socks a bit on his small feet. Walls, he was a tiny fucking kid. "Okay. Thank you."

A thank you. That was definitely a start, since every interaction between them so far had been fairly hostile and Levi had acted like a wild street cat with a wound.

"Yer welcome. Come on now, put that stupid toy down and come downstairs with me to eat. Someone wants to see ya."

"Okay. Who?" He asked, getting up and slipping on his little black shoes with worn down heels. Kenny pondered at how much those had cost Kuchel. How many weeks of getting fucked by sleazy creeps did it take to afford one pair of shoes that were probably not going to fit him in a year? And they already had worn-out soles, too. It was pitiful to think about.

"Some prostitute from across the street. Brenda."

"Oh, Brenda." His tone seemed to lighten slightly at the mention of someone familiar, and he placed the bunny on the bed gently before opening the door. "Come on, let's go. I don't wanna keep her waiting."

"Oi, always bossin' me around. Who do you think yer talkin' to?" Kenny muttered, getting up from the bed and stuffing his hands into his coat pockets again as he followed the little midget out and downstairs. It seemed like Levi had already acquainted himself with the place, confidently manoeuvring his way down the hall, the stairs, and into the main floor of the tavern.

He is fairly adaptable for a kid who has spent his entire existence living in one room…

When Levi saw the brunette prostitute sitting at a table, he scurried over to her and hugged her around the waist. She seemed quite overjoyed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing the top of his head. As Kenny caught up, he could catch what she said to him in the noisy room.

"You look so handsome in that new outfit, mister! Is this man treating you okay?"

"I'm not dead yet, so that's a yes I suppose." He mused, resting his cheek against her shoulder as he stood next to her still. This made Brenda chuckle, and she gave his black hair a sweet caress with slender fingers.

"As much as I want to give you lots of hugs, you should eat. This man here is very generous to be taking care of you." She pointed out, her chocolate-brown eyes flickering to look at Kenny as he plopped down in his own chair. "I don't think I caught your name."

"His name is Kenny." Levi answered the question for him, causing him to raise a brow as he watched the squirt sit in the chair.

"Oh, well thank you for inviting me, Kenny. It was very nice of you."

The man scratched at his jaw a bit, thanking Rori when she placed some bowls of hearty potato and mixed vegetable soup in front of the three of them, along with some bread rolls and some butter. "There we go! Kenny, I'll get ya your beer ya like so much. Miss, what would you like to drink? And Levi, what about you sugar?"

Levi had already started guzzling some soup from his spoon, cheeks full as he glanced upwards at Rori. Kenny had to suppress a smirk at the sight of this stubborn kid stuffing his face. Had he ever had the opportunity to do such a thing before? Considering that Kuchel probably rarely had enough money to make a big meal for the two of them like soup, that or anything similar was probably a treat.

Levi swallowed after a moment, then dabbed at his little pink mouth with a napkin sitting by the bowl. "Um… water please, Miss Rori. Thank you for the food."

"Aw munchkin, you're such a sweetheart~" She cooed, coming over to kiss his cheek. Kenny could have sworn that the kid had a quick tinge of a smile, but immediately flattened his expression while he rubbed his cheek.

"Want water too, miss?" Rori looked to Brenda, who nodded kindly in acceptance.

When the lovely blonde went to fetch their beverages, Kenny took a bite of his soup and hummed in content. "Ah, shit. That tastes good after a long day."

"I bet it does. Thank you again." Brenda batted her eyes a tad as she took her own sip, and it almost made Kenny forget about eating altogether. He could see that Brenda looked well-fed, which led him to conclude that she must have many clients, probably thanks to that stunning beauty of hers. It was curious to him, though, because Kuchel was just as beautiful, if not moreso. Why did she and Levi look like they couldn't afford more than a meal a day?

Oh. It's probably because she needed to spend less time with clients and more time watching the brat. That and splitting the wages between two people instead of having it all to herself, like Brenda does.

The meal was fairly quiet, with Levi asking for more soup eventually. Kenny didn't really care how much the kid asked for– he had the money to provide what he needed, and knew that after all that Levi had been through, he was in dire need of a break. Levi deserved to have some time to just be a bit of a selfish kid, to scarf down a good meal and get some rest. Kenny had been through a lot in his childhood, but nothing like this. He truly couldn't fathom what it would be like to see his own mother get hurt like that and need to activate his instincts to protect her from a creepy deviant.

I mean, I had to activate my Ackerman instincts to protect Kuchel. She's got two bastards who owe their awakenings to protecting her. She better know she's cared about… for fuck's sake.

Levi gobbled up the bread too, and when Rori brought Kenny's beer and the two glasses of water, he gulped it down and asked for "More, please."

It made Brenda and Rori both smile in delight, most likely glad to see that he had a healthy appetite. Halfway through the second bowl he was full, and offered Brenda the rest of his generously. "Here, I don't want it to go to waste…"

"Aw Levi, thank you. I'll gladly finish it for you." She grinned, pinching his cheek and taking the napkin to dab at the young boy's chubby cheeks and mouth. "You ate so fast that you're a mess!"

"Nuh uh, I don't get messy, Brennie!"

Nicknames? He was just a bundle of surprises.

"Shh, Levi, don't be stubborn." She tsked, patting his cheek where she'd pinched it before. "Have you been getting baths too? And is your bed nice and comfy?"

"It's okay. It's less stiff than at the brothel." He whispered to her, leaning his face into her palm. "And yeah, here they have a big basin. Rori gave me a hot bath the other day. I've never had one of those before."

"Wow! That's amazing, Li-Li. I'm sure you felt nice and squeaky clean~"

He ended up telling her all about the last few days and what he did in the tavern to pass the time. Kenny left them alone at the table for a bit to go flirt with Rori at the counter, to give Levi his own one-on-one time with his friend. A little less than an hour passed before Kenny felt a tug on his coat, and he looked down to see Levi peering up at him with big eyes that rivalled the blue of the sky above ground.

"Oi, what is it, midget?"

"Brenda had to go home. I wanna go upstairs."

"Alright, then go."

"But I need your help with something." Levi's voice was a bit more quiet now, and Kenny noticed that the kid hadn't let go of his trenchcoat quite yet, his frail hand wrapped around the hem.

Kenny sighed. "What?" His tone wasn't exactly filled with the utmost patience, which Levi seemed to react to by going on the defense.

"Nevermind." He grumbled, abruptly letting go and running back up the stairs to the room. The brunette man didn't even have time to grab at the little sucker's shirt to try to tug him back. He was gone in a flash.

"Fuck, what's his issue?"

"Maybe… well, nevermind." Rori trailed off, wiping some crumbs off the counter from a client's meal. She kept her blue eyes trained on the task at hand, chewing the inside of her cheek.

His hand went to her chin, guiding her eyes up as he leaned over the counter. His steely-glinted gaze was illuminated by the candles hanging on the chandelier, and with his face so dangerously close to hers, he could feel her breath hitch. It made a grin spread across his handsome face, watching the blush grow on her darling features.

"Oi, come on now, Ror, don't be shy with me. Tell your sweet ol' Kenny what's on your mind, eh? Maybe I'll give you a bit of sugar~"

"W-Well, he was asking me about tea and things the other day. I think maybe Levi wants to make some tea or somethin', darlin'." She flushed, never taking her eyes off Kenny's. "Maybe you should go talk to him and see what that's all about?"

"Ah, sounds like a lead I can follow. Detective Kenny on the case." He snorted, letting go of her chin and beginning to pull away. However, he wasn't very surprised when she grabbed him by the collar and smashed her lips against his, not caring if every patron in the bar saw her do so. In fact, there were a few encouraging whistles. That was almost enough to make Kenny blush.

Her work-worn hands then let go of his collar, and she pulled away with a satisfied simper. "There. That's my payment for divulging my secrets. Get a move on, go deal with your kid."

"Damn it, Rori, he's not my kid. He's a friend's kid, alright?" He muttered under his breath, readjusting his collar and heading towards the stairs.

"Well riddle me why he looks kinda like you, then?"

"Now that's none of your business, Smooches."

His lips tingled as he went up the stairs, and he discreetly brushed his calloused fingertips over them. Damn, how he wished he could whisk her away above ground. That was a woman he'd give up his dastardly ways for, that was for sure. Some nights, he almost considered it.

Kenny thought that years above ground away from her would change his feelings, but old habits die hard, supposedly. He had met Rori a year or so before the passing of his parents, and they'd been quite the sweethearts. However, despite his feelings for her, he had to let her go. Kenny knew he would never be husband material, that he could never give her everything in life she deserved.

Thinking back on those days, he thought about just how many mistakes he may have made. First he left behind his baby sister to fend for herself, and then broke up with the only woman who seemed to creep back into his thoughts on lonely nights, when he was yearning for more than sensual affection. He knew he was young and stupid back then, but was he truly that stupid?

He was around twenty-two or so in those days. Maybe his brain wasn't fully developed or some dumb shit like that. It would explain all of the idiotic decisions he made.

Decisions that led him to this moment, right now, with him opening the door to see the raven-haired boy sitting on the bed with a metal tin pressed firmly between his palms. He was looking at it like it held the secrets to life, like there was something Kenny couldn't quite see written on the label or fused into the metal. He recalled young Kuchel getting that look when she was unsure of something, and he always joked that she looked like she needed to take a shit.

That usually ended with a shoe thrown at his head.

"Oi, what's the deal? Tell your old pal Kenny what you wanted, midget. I'll help ya out with yer little request." He acquiesced, sitting next to Levi on the bed. He watched the kid seemingly mull over his words before handing him the tin.

"Mama made me this tea the other day… It was the first time I tasted tea." He then reached over behind him and revealed a porcelain teacup with a chip on the brim, antique designs painted on the white surface in a blue pigment. Levi held that even more carefully than the tea container.

"She made it in this. Could um… could you help me make another cup of tea?"

What a simple and innocent request. It was a bit odd to hear coming from a child he knew murdered a man with a pair of scissors.

"Ah, I don't see why not. Shoulda just spit it out earlier, Levi, then I coulda gotten some boiled water downstairs first." Kenny mumbled, getting up and placing the tin on the bed before going to retrieve some water. When he got back with a hot teapot, he set it on the nightstand, grabbing the tin of loose leaves.

He prepped it just how his mother had taught him a long time ago, and how he instructed Kuchel when she was old enough to brew tea without burning herself. He knew the measurement for the leaves by eyeing it, and then dropped them into the hot water to steep for five minutes. No more, no less. Kenny didn't notice the little gremlin had gotten up from the bed and was watching his every move to try to figure out how to make it on his own.

He asked Levi for the teacup, and once he had it, he poured a nice hot cup for the kid. The steam billowed into the air, and he made Levi sit on the bed before handing him the cup with a handkerchief cupped under it so the hot porcelain wouldn't scald his petite hands.

"Thank you." Levi bowed his head in gratitude, and blew on the liquid before taking a soft sip. Kenny had started to wind down for the night, disrobing his coat, hat, and shoes, so it took him a while to notice the sniffling and the tears rolling down Levi's round cheeks.

"Shit, kid, what's wrong? Did you burn yer tongue?" Kenny's brow furrowed, and he carded his fingers back through his chestnut brown hair as he watched Levi set the tea down. The young boy couldn't seem to help the tears that kept coming, and soon a sob shook his frame.

"I-It tastes just like Mama made it. I miss my mommy…" He whimpered, grabbing his stuffed toy off the pillow and hugging it tightly to his chest. Levi's salty tears drizzled on top of the toy's head, and Kenny couldn't help but sigh.

"Oi oi oi, kid, it's okay."

Shit, like that was going to help.

Kenny sat beside him again, and cautiously patted Levi on the back. He could feel just how boney he was, and made a mental note to try to find some meat for the kid to help him grow a bit.

"I get it, it's sad ya don't get to see her. You saw her every single day of yer life until now. But I promise she's being taken care of, and that you'll see her again. I can't promise when, but until then ye should try to use this as a learning experience. I'll teach ya some stuff that I know, like how to fend for yerself and how to make some money. Got it?"

Levi nodded slowly, wiping some of his tears away before taking the teacup in both of his hands again. He sipped it thoughtfully, and the two of them sat in silence until the cup was empty.

"I'll wash yer cup for you, kid. Get some rest."

The noiret handed Kenny the teacup, getting cozy in the bed while the man went to wash the tea out of the cup. It didn't take him long, but by the time he returned to the room, Levi was already fast asleep, hugging his bunny to his chest and looking a bit peaceful. Hopefully his dreams weren't plagued with nightmares.

He sat in a chair across the room for a while, simply watching over Levi as he slept. Too many things were on his mind to go to bed himself at the moment.

Ken, how did you get yourself into this mess? Four days ago you were as free as a bird. Now you're actin' like a dad to a raggedy goblin child.

No. He wasn't a dad. He could never be a proper father, and he knew it.

Kenny groaned quietly, rubbing his face and exhaling deeply.

Kuchel, I hope you wake up soon. I wasn't meant to raise a kid– I just hope I don't ruin yours.

Ok I have to say at that part where Kenny was like "Yeah you're a 9-year-old that killed a grown man" all I could think of was that clip like "When I was in the third grade, people treated me like a criminal. BECAUSE I KILLED SOMEBODY!"

Also, if any of you have watched Umbrella Academy, Levi as a kid reminds me a lot of Five, being a sassy little shit who acts like an old man in a kid's body lmao

This chapter's Song Awards goes to K21 by Hiroyuki Sawano (you know, Kenny's wholeass theme song lol), and IDFC slowed-down version by blackbear. Gud stuff