Notes:

I don't even have anything to say XD

Long story short, I had deadlines, I got admitted into hospital, I started my internship, I began writing my thesis, some personal stuff, yadda yadda, yadda, well you know the drill :D

I just want to say sorry for the delay, but here ya go 10k words full of madness HAHA

This is not a final version since this hasn't been proofread yet, so yeah, do keep that in mind :D

Happy reading!

DISCLAIMER
Shingeki no Kyojin / Attack on Titan belongs to Hajime Isayama

CHAPTER 15: LOCKETS

There is nothing Mikasa could do on that Saturday afternoon. She was left alone in her own accord with nothing interesting to do. She was not in the mood to venture outside nor to explore the library, so she opted to sit on the lowest step of the grand staircase—hands underneath her chin—as she stared blankly at the big and tall door that led toward the foyer.

She was not planning on sitting there like a statue. She was actually in deep thought, trying to figure out how she should spend her time. However, every idea that came into her mind was either boring, will take too much energy, or will summon the wrath of Mrs. Weiss.

Mikasa sighed and began to play with laces that are on the hem of her pink dress. An action that led her to remember a certain someone that bought this dress a few months ago. Mikasa loves her dresses, this one particularly. However, she was not keen on the reminder today. She frowned as if her days were already ruined by his uninvited visit to her mind.

Fortunately, she was certain that after the event that happened last week, he would not be coming to the manor for at least a long duration of time. "He was too conceited for that," she thought.

"What are you doing?"

Mikasa abruptly stopped playing with her hem and looked up to the source of the voice. She was greeted by a pair of steel eyes that were all too familiar. Mikasa was paralyzed from the unexpected turn of events. She was flabbergasted to see him this soon. He was, in no doubt, the last person she wanted to encounter that afternoon.

It took all of her willpower to get on her legs and walk away from him, presumably to her room. However, Mikasa had not even taken five steps up to the stairs when he called her.

"Wait." He said as he ascended the stairs and went to her side. He gave her a quick glance before saying, "follow me."

Mikasa stared at his back—which slowly became smaller as he walked away from her—with furrowed brows. She was unsure of how she should do. Shall she heed for his request or shall she not? However, the better half of her heart told her to follow him, to give him a chance. Thus, she put aside her animosity and moved her legs, walking a good distance behind him.

He led her to the left-wing. Then, he walked toward the double tall mahogany door that was at the end of the hall. Mikasa was intrigued, she—and most of the people in the manor—had never been into that room before, except some senior servants.

She watched carefully as Levi reached for a key inside his pocket and used it to open the door. The door creaked loudly in the hallway, and Mikasa's eyes widened as she glanced inside the room.

The first thought that came to her mind was: the room was bright and blue. Mikasa stepped inside the room and was surprised to see how massive the room was. On one side of the wall, tall and big windows line up, giving the room a natural source of light, as well as a clear view of the lake. Meanwhile, the three other walls were decorated with a beautiful striped light blue wallpaper that was filled with so many portraits and paintings.

Mikasa gaped as her dark grey eyes looked up into the ceiling. Even the ceiling was decorated with exquisite carving and sparkling chandeliers. Not only that, every piece of furniture in that room, be it the chairs, the couches, or the tables, was either blue, white, or gold. The room was as big and as elegant as the green drawing-room, so this room might as well be called the second drawing room of this manor.

In the centre of one side of the room, there was a fireplace. There were two pictures hung on each side of the fireplace. On the left, there was a picture of a man with powdered hair that was brushed back from the forehead. Meanwhile, on the right, there was a picture of a woman with high and tall greyish hair. They wore a style of hair and clothes that were common a century ago.

Mikasa was curious about what is supposedly hidden behind the two doors that are located near those two paintings. However, a particular painting that hung above the fireplace caught her eyes. It was a picture of two young adolescents sitting side by side, smiling. The boy—who was wearing a black royal outfit with a red and gold collar—was putting his hand on the girl's shoulder. The girl, on the other hand, was wearing an off-the-shoulder white dress with puff sleeves while her hair was put into a bun. A beautiful parrot was seen sitting on the girl's lap.

Mikasa approached the painting cautiously, she did not recognise them, but she felt like she had seen the girl before. Right at the same time, Levi came into the view, standing beside her. Just as she was about to speak, her eyes caught another painting near the entrance of the room. It was a picture of a young boy wearing a black suit and a top hat, his face was absent from any emotions. Her brain immediately connected the dots as she recognised the similarity between the man that stood beside her, the top hat boy, the girl with the parrot, and—surprisingly—the painting of a woman with white flowers crown in the green drawing-room.

"...Levi?" Mikasa called him warily and quietly, almost whispering.

Levi did not say anything nor move his body. He seemed to be engrossed in the painting, gazing at it with eyes that were soft and filled with longing.

"Levi," Mikasa called again, this time she voiced his name clearer and louder.

Levi finally took his gaze away and stare at her. He put away a bouquet—that she did not realise he was holding onto the whole time—on the fireplace mantel. Then, he reached for something from his inner pocket suit before walking toward her. Mikasa heard a soft jingle before suddenly being faced with a gold chain that was dangling in front of her eyes.

"Take a look at this." He said to her.

Despite her confusion, Mikasa took the chain from his hand. She noticed there were four small lockets attached to the chain. Mikasa widened her eyes when she realised that she was holding—

"…Mourning lockets?" Mikasa murmured as she peeked at each locket. On every locket, pieces of hair were artistically placed inside. Each locket had two sets of dates and a name.

"Yeah," Levi answered with his hands inside his pockets.

Mikasa shook her head before she gave Levi a very puzzled gaze, "I don't understand."

Levi took a deep breath before exhaling it, then he walked toward the nearest couch and sat down. "It's a long and boring explanation." He paused, his fingers tapping against his knees. "Not sure that it will interest you."

Mikasa could not believe what he just said. It was shocking, peculiar, but also exciting. She did not need to think twice before she took a seat on another couch that was in front of him. She gave him a nod, a sign for him to continue.

Then, he began his tale.

The earliest memory that Levi could remember was him and his mother, lying side by side, tucked underneath a thin blanket. It was Christmas eve—the night before his fifth birthday—and it was snowing. Fortunately, he had her mother's embrace to warm and protect him against the freezing night.

Her voice was as gentle as a feather and as soothing as silk. Every night, her mother would tell him a story. She changed the story every day; the only exception was on Christmas eve. Every Christmas eve, she would tell him the same story about The Nutcracker and The Mouse King.

"Mama, what's a nutcracker soldier?" He asked her that night.

"Well, it's a doll shaped like a soldier. They wear a red coat, a tall hat, and they have white hair. However, unlike most dolls, they have a strong mouth. So strong that you can use them to open the hard outer shell of nuts."

"So, no rock?"

Her mother laughed, "Yes! When you have a nutcracker soldier, you don't have to crack nuts with stone anymore. The soldier will do the job for you."

Levi smiled at the thought, "That's nice."

Levi felt the soft touch of his mother who began to rub his hair. "I know, but that's not all. My großvater once told me that from where he came from, a nutcracker soldier is considered as a symbol of good luck. They are believed to be a protector of a house from the bad spirits."

"Oh... But, we don't have one, Mama. Does that mean we aren't protected?"

"What do you mean, baby?" Her mother chuckled as she brought him deep into her embrace. "You are the nutcracker soldier of this house."

Levi gasped, "Am I?"

Her mother hummed. "Of course."

Levi smiled, but that did not stay long as he realised. "Does that mean I'm ugly?"

"What?" Her mother slightly raised her voice. "Of course not, Levi. You are the most beautiful things I have ever seen in this world."

"But Mama, from your story, wasn't the nutcracker soldier is ugly? That's why the kids didn't want to play with him."

"Well, actually Levi, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which means then the person who is observing gets to decide what is beautiful and what is not. Some people found the nutcracker soldier to be ugly, but some love him for his look. But, the soldier didn't let that define him, didn't he?" His mother rubbed his hair in the way that Levi loved it. "No matter what, it didn't change the fact that deep inside, he's a brave soldier with a kind heart, right."

Levi smiled widely at her. "You are right, Mama."

Her mother chuckled as she left a delicate kiss on his forehead. "Listen, Levi. Someday, you might feel that people treat you unfairly only because you look, talk, or act in a certain way. However, there will also be people who are willing to look past your outer appearance and love you regardless of everything."

Levi nodded as he felt his eyelids start to become heavy. "I know, Mama." He snuggled a little closer to her embrace to hear her calming heartbeat. "Just like the way you love me, right?"

"Yes, just like the way I love you, my little soldier."

The little soldier and his mother lived in a small room in Olympia Alley. The alley was hidden, away from the centre of Mitras. To get there, people must walk underneath a bridge and past a dumpster. The buildings in that alley were old and falling apart, so did the people who lived there. If Levi could describe it in three words, it would be cramped, putrid, and dirty.

His mother worked in a factory, so she would be gone by the early morning sun and come home in the evening. Unlike most children who worked as soon as they turned five, Levi was different. His mother did not let him do any work. When his mother was at work, he was placed under the care of a lovely old lady who was a seamstress. Levi would spend his day helping the lady by cleaning around the little shop, putting the thread inside the needle, doing some chores, or even folding clothes.

However, since most of the kids his age was working, Levi spent his days in solitude. Therefore, whenever he did not have any activity in the shop, Levi would venture outside. He loved walking around the city because he could see various interesting stuff that he could not find back at the slum.

Usually, Levi would just walk around the main street. However, Levi had always wanted to see Frederick Street. He overheard from the ladies in the store that the street was filled with a lot of shops that sell beautiful things. Thus, one day, he braced himself to visit it out of curiosity. Unfortunately, the experience was far too different from his expectations.

Unlike the main street, this street felt like it was catered solely for a certain type of people, as in the rich. He immediately felt like he did not belong there, especially not when he wore his cheap striped shirt, shabby vest, ragtag shoes, and ratty black jacket as well as trousers. He felt like people were staring at him, staring in a way that made Levi feel sorry for even existing. So, he pulled down his worn-out grey cap to hide his face from those people with their silk dresses and suits.

Levi tried to get away from the district as soon as possible. However, he had to stop when he smelled a mouth-watering aroma from a particular shop. He had never once smelled something so warm, florally, and sweet at the same time. From the wide window of the shop, Levi could see that the place was filled with so many jars. He also saw people were drinking something from such a fancy cup. Unfortunately, before he could see it clearly, he was pushed by someone into the concrete road. Levi fell with his face flat on the road.

"Who let a pest in here?" The voice said. "Go back to your gutter, rat."

It was not uncommon for him to receive insult; he lives in the lowest place of the country after all. However, this time, the insult landed straight into his heart. Was it because the words were spoken by a man that clearly never had to worry whether he will have a loaf of bread on his plate tomorrow? Levi did not know, but he knew well enough to not cry from that. So, he swallowed his pain as he tried his best to stand up.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of strong hands help him to stand up. The first thing Levi saw in front of him was a man with warm brown hair and circular glasses who kneeled in front of him.

"Are you alright, kid?" The man asked softly as he patted the dirt from Levi's clothes.

Levi nodded; his head hung low as he was too scared to look at the man's face.

"Are you lost?"

Levi did not answer.

"Do you want me to walk you out from this street?" The man asked again.

Levi was not lost, but the idea of walking alone in this street was vile for him. However, could he believe this man? Levi took a glance at the man and noticed that he was wearing a nice suit.

The man grabbed something from the ground which turned out to be Levi's cap. He cleaned the cap before putting it on Levi's head. "You can trust me, kid, I work with the law."

"Law?"

The man nodded, "Yes, I work to make sure the bad guy got their punishment."

Levi raised his eyebrows. "So, you are the good guy?"

He laughed at Levi's remark. "Yes, I hope so."

His laugh was contagious, so Levi could not help but crack a small smile. That might be the reason why he accepted his offer to walk him. The man was tall and big, but he was able to gently lead Levi through the crowded street until they finally arrived at the end of the street; a couple of blocks away from the seamstress shop.

"Are you sure you will be fine by yourself, kid?" He asked again.

"Yes." Levi nodded before muttering weak gratitude, "Thank you."

The man chuckled, "You're welcome, kid. Stay safe out here, okay."

His mother came home with Levi having a bruise on his forehead. As she put a pungent ointment to his forehead, Levi told him about his adventure and the kind stranger who helped him. Then, he asked her about the shop with the sweet aroma.

"Ah, I believe it's a tea shop, honey."

"Tea shop?"

The night ended with his mother telling him about this fascinating thing called tea. Levi tried to imagine the taste of it based on his mother's description. After that day, Levi would pretend that the water that he drinks every day is tea.

A few weeks later, his mother came home with a handful of tea leaves tucked inside a folded handkerchief. To say that he was elated when he finally tasted it was an understatement. It tasted way better than the one he imagined. He could not forget the warmness that filled his throat from the liquid and the warmness that coated his heart from the way his mother looked at him.

On his sixth birthday, her mother gifted him a small package of tea. Levi got to spend his day with a cup of warm tea that he shared with her mother. It was the best birthday and Christmas he ever had.

However, his happiness did not stay long. A few weeks later, her mother lost her job and so she started another job. Her new job forced her to leave the house in the evening and return early in the morning. Levi would sometimes wake up to her mother crying. Despite that, her mother always assured him that she was just tired. Instead, she said that loves her new job because she was able to spend more time with him during the day.

Nevertheless, Levi started to notice that her mother was becoming weaker each day. So much so that she was down with a bad case of fever. Levi could not do anything other than try his best to nurse her. Levi would then ask his neighbour for some warm soup or bread for his sick mother.

Fortunately, she recovered in a few days. Then, on his seventh birthday, her mother came to their home with short hair and a nutcracker doll. To say that he was elated is an understatement. After years of only hearing the story, he was finally able to own it. He always brought it to sleep even though it was hard as it was made from wood.

Unfortunately, she relapsed not long after that. This time, her sickness left her in no mercy. She began to lose her ability to walk to the point that she could no longer go to her job. During those months, they live out of the kindness and pity of the people around them. However, winter came and so the food became scarce. There are days where Levi and his mother would not eat at all—only dirty water from the well to satisfy his hunger.

Months passed by and she began to lose consciousness and started to ramble in her sleep. She would no longer respond to Levi's call. As little as he was, he had seen deaths so many times in that slum. It did not miss his knowledge that his mother would not make it. Even though, he still wished that miraculously, she would. From the moment he woke up to the moment he went back to the slumber, he had never once left his mother's side.

Levi could not remember the last time he ate. All he could do was sit on the floor next to her bed as he watched the slow rise and fall of his mother's chest. Unexpectedly, just a few days before Christmas, a man showed up at their doorstep. He was a tall man wearing a fancy coat and an oddly shaped head—unlike the tall one that the usual gentlemen wore.

"Name is Kenny, kid." He said with a thick accent as he took Levi and his mother into a carriage. Kenny took them into a rural area that is in another city. His mother barely made it through the journey, so they went to a few doctors along the way, and it seemed to help her survive for a little longer.

Levi's eyes widened thrice at the size when he arrived at a big house. However, as beautiful as it was on the outside, the inside was surprisingly cold, dark, and dirty. Levi could see the particle of dust flying around the air; not to mention the number of spider webs on every corner of the room.

The man took his sickly mother to a room on the upper left side of the house. Levi walked past the long hall and into the double big mahogany door. He arrived at a blue room that was filled with so many paintings and chairs. Her mother was laid inside a big room that was near a beautiful big portrait of a woman with tall hair. A man with black hair and a mild accent came to examine his mother. Levi did not hear what the man said to Kenny, but from his expression, he knew that it was not good.

Levi spent most of his time in the room, he even slept by her side. Despite her mother being unresponsive, Levi always talked to her. Kenny would often come and visit her, but he never stayed for a very long. Other than her, a woman with a black dress and white apron would come by to give him food. He learned that she is the head maid, and her name is Mrs. Weiss. She had a stern look on her face, but Levi ignored her most of the time.

Unlike the previous Christmas eve, that night his mother did not tell him the story about The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Instead, it was Levi who told her the story. He had listened to it so many times that he had remembered it by heart. Levi was not sure if he was hallucinating when he read the story, but he saw a little smile on his mother's pale lips. After finishing his story, he put his nutcracker soldier on the top of her mother's chest. Levi laid by her side and hugged her. He put his hand on the nutcracker soldier and prayed that they could protect his mother, together.

He woke up the next morning, but she did not. He turned eight that morning, but she stopped at twenty-eight.

He did not cry, not when he woke up to her cold body, not when they took her away from him, and not when they buried her deep into the soil. He did not shed any single tears.

However, the same dream would play all over his mind when he was asleep. He would always hear the slowly disappearing beat of his mother's heart and he could not do anything to stop it. Then he would hear a soft whimper of her mother as she stared at him in her white dress, begging him to save her. Levi then would wake up with cold sweats and ragged breath as he stared at the empty space beside him. At that moment, a thought went into his mind, asking whether she would still be alive if he did not sleep that night.

Levi decided to move out of the room and slept in one of the many rooms in the left-wing. However, he still had the same dream. Then, he moved to a room in the right-wing. The dream became sporadic, but when it came, it was much worse than before. His dream became too disturbing that he started to fear going to sleep.

His lack of sleep affected his time perception. The days felt like months when it had only been around a few weeks after her passing. During those times, Levi rarely saw Kenny as he would often be away to another city or town for reasons that were unknown to Levi. As a result, Levi mostly spent his time alone in the place that they called a manor.

Unlike before, his foods were always warm and tasty. He also did not have to wear his old clothes, he got to wear more comfortable and better clothes. Not only that, the warm and soft bed was like heaven for him. Everything was better but also seems wrong. He felt like he did not deserve any of these, not when his mother lying under the soil, alone.

His intrusive thought and lack of activity led him to feel like he was lost. Most of his days passed in a blink of an eye and he started to not recognise his reflection. It was as if he lived in someone else's body and life. He needed something, a purpose.

So, when he noticed his bedroom, he made it to himself to clean it. So, he came to the servants' hall and quietly borrow some cleaning supplies. Then, he would just clean some area that he thought was dirty. He started with his room before venturing into the hall.

However, his action was not approved by no other than the head maid. He was reprimanded by Mrs. Weiss. First, from refusing to eat his meal. Second, for cleaning the manor. She told him that it was not his job and by doing so, he insulted the maids for not doing a good job.

"This place is dirty. So, the maids are clearly not doing a good job." He answered as a matter of fact.

"Well, you could tell us if we are not doing a great job, Young Master." She replied, the seriousness of her face did not falter.

Levi scrunched his face when he heard her, "Why are you calling me that?"

"Calling you what?"

"Young Master."

This time, confusion plastered on her face. "That's because you are the ward of the Lord Ackerman. Thus, you should be addressed as such."

"Ward?"

Mrs. Weiss spent a great length of time explaining the meaning of "ward" to young Levi. Even so, he still did not understand it. Not to mention, even after Mrs. Weiss' long lecture, Levi was still secretly doing his cleaning. He also kept skipping most of his meals. It did not stay long until Mrs. Weiss found him again—with a tray of food in her hand—while he was in the middle of his cleaning session in one of the guest chambers of the right-wing.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to do this." Levi answered nonchalantly. That was true because he found that cleaning helped him distract himself and it made him tired and sleepy.

"Were you also not eating because you wanted to?"

"I wasn't hungry."

Mrs. Weiss narrowed her eyes, "What are you trying to accomplish, young master?"

"Nothing."

Mrs. Weiss put the tray away and took the broom from him. "You have to stop, young Master. If I caught you once again—"

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Levi finally asked, he slightly raised his tone.

Mrs. Weiss was surprised by his subtle outburst, but she quickly regained her composure as she told him, "Well, young Master—"

"Stop calling me that!" Levi finally raised his voice at her. He felt his face burning with emotion.

Mrs. Weiss paused before giving him a dark and intense look, "Absolutely not."

Levi furrowed his brows, "What? Didn't you say I'm above yours? You have to obey me, right?"

"Yes, but I only listen to the Lord of this house. So, I would only listen to you once you become the Lord."

"But I don't want to become a—"

"You must!" She exclaimed with a loud and stern voice. "You are the heir and the hope of the future of this family. If the state of this manor irked you, then you have to be the one in charge to change it."

Levi widened his eyes at the woman who looked at him with determination. He was about to reply but was cut when she suddenly kneeled in front of him.

"That is why you must grow up, child. You must survive. Accept that your mother is no longer in this world and accept this new life of yours." Mrs. Weiss said with a much softer voice than before. She then grabbed his shoulder before continuing, "Honour your mother by living the life that she has gifted to you. Be the lord of this manor, and by then, you can tell people how to address you and how to clean this manor. But until then, I will not listen to a child. So, don't act like you are strong until then."

He did not know whether it was because of her soft but resolute tone, or was it because she mentioned her mother, or was it because of her words, or even because of her gentle squeeze on his shoulders. However, one thing for sure, he felt something had been lifted from his heart as warm tears started to flow down from his eyes.

It was his first tears and last tears since his mother's death.

With the help of Mrs. Weiss, Levi started to adjust to his life in the manor. He started to accept that it is not a crime for him to enjoy his life. He enjoyed that he could drink many cups of tea throughout the day. He was also grateful that he was able to eat a tasty and warm meal every day.

Days and weeks passed by. Kenny would appear periodically from time to time. Every time he was in the manor. He was either drunk, singing weird rhymes, or sleeping on the rocking chair. Nonetheless, there were times where he would teach Levi a few things.

These things consisted of teaching Levi fencing and teaching him how to greet people by bringing him around the estate while Kenny visited the people who live in their land. Kenny did not seem to realise that people did not like him. Well, of course they would not like Kenny as Kenny had this hobby of punching people who did not pay their debt.

"T'is why ya 'ave to always pay ya fuckin' debt, kid," Kenny explained to him as he would later tell Levi about the area of a body that a punch would hurt.

Kenny also taught him about places that he can use to hide weapons. He told him about his stack of pistols and how to hide them inside your suit. He also showed him that a walking cane could be modified to hide a sword or a gun inside. He even gave him a piece of advice on how to hold a knife and where to hide them. Levi did not know why Kenny knew all of that or even why he needed to tell Levi that.

Every time Levi asked him that, he would answer with:

"Sometimes when the mout' and the dough ain't doin' the deed, then ya 'ave to be ready wit' backup plan."

Other than that, he would answer him by saying:

"Because life 's not ham 'n cheesy, kid. Ya 'ave to always be ready, or else ya gon' end up dead."

No matter how much he disliked the way Kenny lived his life, Levi would always listen to his words. Although, sometimes his accent is too unintelligible for him to understand that Levi would end up guessing about what this person wants to convey.

Nevertheless, he just thought that whatever Kenny told him must be true. Moreover, if he listened and obeyed, Kenny would spend a longer time with him. If he was not in a foul mood, he would even refer to Levi as his pride and joy.

But, Kenny never introduced himself to Levi. He never told Levi about why he took him and his mother into the manor. Levi only knew from Mrs. Weiss that he was Kenny's ward and heir, but nothing more.

Then, as he got older, Levi started to notice that some of the pictures in the blue room were strikingly familiar. One was a picture of a young girl with a boy, they seemed like they were close. Not only that, but the girl also had a striking resemblance to his mother. Then, there was also a portrait of a young woman with white flowers on her hair that looked exactly like his mother. Levi, who could not hide his curiosity, asked Kenny in one of their sessions. They usually played fencing in the blue room, so it was quite an easy topic to be brought up.

"Kenny, how did you know my mother?"

Kenny paused his sword and in a slight moment, he looked surprised by his question. However, it was quickly replaced by his coarse laughter.

"Did… did she use to live here?"

Kenny still laughed.

"Kenny, who are you to my mother?" This time, his question came out in a pressing manner.

Kenny stopped laughing and he quickly glanced at the picture of two children. His eyes turned sombre for a second before smirking. He threw the sword to the corner of the room and grabbed his suit jacket and his weirdly shaped hat.

"Nothin'. I'm just her brother, kid." He said nonchalantly as he left the room, closing the door and leaving Levi's alone in the room.

Levi was ten when he finally learned about Kenny and his mother, but he never brought up the topic again.

One day, when Levi was walking around the town, a boy with the same height as him stopped in front of his way. He has spiky ash brown hair, light grey eyes, and a missing front tooth. Levi recognized him as a boy from the carpenter workshop that he would often come to with Kenny during his usual visit.

"Hello!"

Levi only nodded before walking past him, but he ran past Levi and stood in front of him.

"I can show you around town."

Levi's brows furrowed at him, he opened his mouth to reply, but it was cut short by a bark. They looked at the source of the voice and saw a black and white medium-sized dog with pointy ears was running toward them. He circled them for a minute before biting Levi's jacket.

"What the—"

"I think the dog is trying to tell us something." The boy told Levi as he crouched down and talked to the dog. "What is it, little guy?"

The dog bark, letting loose of Levi's jacket, and ran away from them before barking. The dog stopped at an intersection as if waiting for them. Levi was not interested in following a dog, but he did not say anything when the strange boy dragged him into it.

They walked into the forest, something that Levi had never gone to before. Then, they arrived at an open field. In the centre, there is a tall and big tree, underneath the said tree, he saw a girl with twin-braided-red hair was sitting with her head hung low. Sobs could be heard coming from her. Meanwhile, the dog sat near her.

He glanced at the other boy, and they nodded to each other. They approached her with a slow and quiet step. As Levi got closer, he recognised her as the granddaughter of an old lady that own a farm in the area. Her crying was muffled by her hands, and it made Levi wary. He wanted to run away, leaving her to the hand of the other boy, but he could not do that, not when the sky was beginning to darken.

Levi cleared his throat to call for her attention. The girl was startled, she looked up to him, face wet with tears. Levi knew immediately why she cried. He saw a large gash of a wound on her right knee.

"You okay?"

The girl shook her head, and it seemed she was still surprised by him, so she let out a louder cry. The other boy kneeled in front of her and said softly, "Hey, don't worry! We can help." The crying subsided, but she was still scared of them. The boy threw a troubled look at Levi, as if asking him to do something.

Levi sighed as he crouched down, giving his back to the girl. He could feel the piercing confused look that they had toward him. He looked back at the girl and told her, "You can't walk, right?"

The girl was stunned before finally nodding and climbing onto his back. She was younger and lighter than him, so he did not have a problem carrying her. He was able to bring her back to her farm safely, something that shocked the whole Magnolia house.

To his surprise, they were invited to have dinner at her house. From there, he learned that the girl was the youngest of the family, Isabel. He also learned about the other boy's name, Furlan Church. Truth to be told, it was a very warm dinner, but he did not think he would be involved with those two anymore.

However, the next day, his road was blocked by not only one, but two.

"Me and Isa are wondering whether you want to become our friend." Furlan Church said, cutting straight to the chase.

Levi stared at them with a deep confusion, he did not know that to respond to their offer. "Huh? Don't your parents hate me?"

Furlan snorted, "Well yeah, they hate Kenny. But we ain't them and you ain't Kenny. So, we don't see the problem."

Isabel nodded, "Yeah, Kenny is scary, but you are not."

Levi widened his eyes at their remarks, he stood still as he had no idea what response he should give to them. In the end, Levi did not get to say anything because they forced him to join their adventure. Levi thought that it would just be a one-time occurrence, but to his dismay, it turned to be a recurrence event. They would usually come to his manor, calling his name repeatedly until he showed up. Then, they would usually play on Isabel's farm, and if they get bored and feel adventurous, they will play near the forest. When Kenny was not around, Levi would take them to the manor, and they would spend the day around the lake.

He quickly learned the hard way of Isabel's love for singing. It was dreadful, even worse than Kenny. They did not have the heart to tell her to stop though, so they just distract her every time she got into the singing mood. Usually, Levi would give her sweets—that he took from the manor's pantry—to cease her from singing. However, soon she would purposely be singing so she could get sweets from Levi.

Other than that, given her upbringing as a child from a family of a farmer, she had an affinity with animals. She would greet a caterpillar that she encountered on a tree, and she loved to talk to a stray cat or dog. She always asked Levi to take her to the manor so she could see the pretty fishes. Just like her favourite sweets, Isabel was cherubic and cheery. However, she also got a feisty side that made her a force to be reckoned with. Levi had caught himself smiling in amusement every time he was around Isabel.

Meanwhile, Levi learned that despite Furlan's appearance who resemble a problematic street kid, Furlan was actually a very eloquent and well-behaved child. He had a broad interest and knowledge, so he loved it when Levi allowed him to borrow some books from the manor's library.

Furlan was two years younger than Levi, but sometimes Furlan acted like he was older than his actual age. He was sensible and sharp; he knew when Levi was hiding something from him or Isabel. He also knew that forcing him to talk about it was out of the question, so he came up one day with a penny in his hand. He proposed that every time they met, they had to flip the coin, and whoever lose, they had to be the ones who speak what was on their mind.

At first, he was reluctant to do it. However, he did feel a little better when he was able to speak his mind to Furlan. Furlan did not do anything, he just listened to Levi's story. Strangely, for Levi, that was enough.

He did not know whether it was because he was older than the two of them, but Levi begrudgingly became the leader to whatever they had going on. He felt he had the responsibility to keep the two of them in line, especially when they admired him so much. He would not admit it to them, but for the first time since he arrived at Trost, he felt like he finally belonged there.

Nonetheless, he should have known that life was never kind to him. Two years later, the twelve-year-old Levi was told that Kenny had enrolled him into a boarding school in Shina.

"Yer old enoug' kid, go learn a shit or two over there," Kenny said it so naturally like it was only a piece of passing news, he did not even look at Levi when he said that. He would rather look outside the window of the blue drawing-room as he sat on his rocking chair with a bottle of clear liquid in his hand.

"Huh? I don't want to." Levi frowned as he answered.

"Uh huh, too bad, but I ain't gone to give a flying fuck. So, don't ya come back 'ere, at least not 'til I kick the bucket."

Isabel could not stop crying when he broke the news. Meanwhile, Furlan promised that he would write to Levi as often as he could.

He exchanged letters frequently with Furlan who would update him on Isabel and Trost. Kenny was serious when he forbade Levi from returning to Trost, so his only solace was Furlan's letters. He might not have stayed in Trost for so long, but he already considered it his home. Levi missed them dearly during his first month there, especially when he was being treated horribly by everyone in Shina.

And then, during his third year of school, he got a letter from Furlan. It was written in somewhat unreadable handwriting, different from the usual neat handwriting. There are splotches of wet spots on the letter. Through the letter, he found out that there was an outbreak during winter in Trost, and most of the young children died from said disease. One of them was Isabel, she was only ten when she passed away.

He did not know until later, but it turned out that when he received Furlan's letter, Furlan had already joined Isabel. Furlan was thirteen when he succumbed to his illness. The worst thing of all was Levi did not know about it until it was too late. Maybe if he did not go to this stupid school, he would be able to spend more of his time with them. Maybe if he convinced Kenny hard enough, he would let Levi come to Trost, and maybe he could save them.

It was when he finally decided to leave the school and join the cricket team. He wanted to focus on something else, so he could be away from Trost and away from other people.

Levi was twenty when he got the news that Kenny was in a critical condition. He took the earliest train to Trost, and it was his first time returning to Trost after a very long time away. Everything had changed, he had changed, but at the same time, nothing had changed. He still felt the same chill as he returned to the cold and dirty manor. Levi was greeted by a familiar face, Doctor Chastain. He told him that Kenny got shot and refused to get surgery.

"I've done everything that I can. He didn't have much time left." Doctor Chastain told him, putting a gentle tap on Levi's shoulder.

Levi felt eerie as he stepped into the blue drawing-room, it felt as if the blue walls were trying to suck him in. He could not even have the bravery to see the old bedroom that was on the right. Instead, he walked straight into the bedroom the left side bedroom, and saw a big bed with a canopy in the centre of the room.

Levi approached the bed, and he was taken aback by the state of the person that he saw. He did not know whether it was because time had passed since the last time he saw Kenny, but one thing for sure, he could no longer see the tall menacing man; all he could see was a frail and pale old man with greyed brown hair laid helplessly on the bed.

"You look like shit." Levi greeted him as he sat on the chair next to the bed.

He laughed, but it sounded more like a throaty cough. "Ya haven't really changed much, have ya, midget?"

"What happened?"

"Went to a pub, got into a fight, some bastard cheated on poker and shot me."

Levi leaned back on the chair as he folded his hands, "That wasn't like you."

"Yeah, pathetic huh?" He laughed again before staring blankly into the ceiling. "Didn't ya want to ask something?"

Levi went silenced, he looked straight at Kenny's dull eyes before answering. "Don't know. Humour me."

Kenny let out a huffing breath. "You know, we the Ackermans are a descendant of German nobility or something. Your great-great-grandparents decided to leave his country and settle in this town a century ago. I suppose that should make us better than anyone cause we have good breeding, large land, and all."

Levi raised his brows at his explanation, this was the first time he heard him talking about their family. This is also the first time Kenny speak in such a clear manner, his usual accent was nowhere to be heard.

"Alas, I've never felt like that. I always felt like a piece of lowly shit. Then I learned that we, Ackerman, weren't as grand as I thought we should be. We are not even respected around here." Kenny paused and looked to the side. "Maybe that's why I turned out the way I am."

Levi became alarmed when Kenny's face contorted in pain, but Kenny quickly hid it with another laugh. "Anyway. I still remember when you asked me about Kuchel… Did you still want to know?"

Levi's body went rigid on the seat. It was a question from years ago, a question that he never thought he would get the answer to. Then it all seemed real, Kenny is truly dying. It took a reminder of mortality for Kenny to tell Levi the truth.

"Your mother, Kuchel, was a smart and beautiful lady. She was popular around here. Her only downfall was to be infatuated with some nasty fucker noble son. Then she got knocked up at 19, but that asshole abandoned her to marry another noble lady who is richer. Despite what I told her, she decided to keep the baby. It was stupid because the asshole was able to get away from it, but I would not let that slide. In the end, my father had to pay a large sum of money for me to the court and declare his daughter to be dead when your mother decided to run away."

"…What?"

"No one is sane enough to live under that much pressure, kid. Not when she was called as a fallen woman around here. Knowing that her reputation was beyond saving and no one was there to support her, of course she would run away."

Levi knew what a fallen woman means. He heard it a few times on the slum, it was a term for a woman who supposedly fell from the grace of God because they could not protect their purity. A bunch of women in the slum was called by that term a lot, even her mother.

No matter how hard her mother hid it, Levi understands that her mother worked in a brothel after she lost her factory job. That was the only job that the women of the slum were capable to do, after all. A fact that was so sickening to Levi.

It was so sickening because her mother had to suffer under the scrutiny of people around him, stripped away from her happiness, and being forced to do a job that was so horrible that it killed her—and it was all just for him, a bastard son.

"You didn't even search for her?" Levi asked—no, demanded. Her world would be a lot different had she lived in the manor. She would even be alive by now.

"We searched for her, but we never found her. I supposed she also wanted to be away because she didn't want to give up on you."

"Give up on me?"

Kenny nodded as he took a deep breath. "Our parents want to put you up for adoption. To save her face and to save our family name. However, Kuchel didn't want that. She didn't want to be parted from her baby."

Levi felt a huge lump on his throat. All these discoveries, he never thought it would become this heavy. "Then, how did you finally find her?"

"A letter came to me, it was from Kuchel. She told me that she's dying and needed my help. So, I'm just doing my duty as her brother, kid."

Levi took a deep breath and looked away from him. "Is that why you decided to keep me around even after she died?"

Kenny chuckled, "Don't know, maybe?"

"Or was it because you need an heir?"

Kenny let out a loud laugh that ended up in a fit of cough. He winced in pain as he regained his composure. "Nonsense, I don't give any care for this manor or this family name. The line could end at me."

"Then, why?"

"As I said, I don't know."

Levi hissed, starting to get impatient with his answer. "Did you also not have an answer when I asked you why you were forced to leave this manor to go to some shitty school in another city?" He asked, unconsciously raising his voice.

He scoffed, not bothered by his bout of anger. "I always knew that I was different from Kuchel, she was able to see something that I could never see. And you kid, you share the same eyes as her. The moment I saw you, I know that it's better if you spend less time with me. Besides, I couldn't be someone's dad, you know."

Levi widened his eyes as he slowly shook his head, "Kenny— "

"Listen, kid," He interjected, his voice low and guttural. "Our family's name had been through the mud and shit. I'm sorry that you'll have to clean after me. But I know you can do it. You are her son after all."

There is a lot of questions that Levi wanted to ask him, there is a lot of words that Levi wanted to say to him, and there is a lot of time that Levi wanted to spend with him.

"Kenny…"

"I hope you still remember when I taught you how to run this old estate." He said before closing his eyes. On his hand, Kenny was holding onto a mourning locket, which turned out to be his mother, Kuchel Ackerman.

Mikasa sat silently on the couch, she was out of words. That was probably the longest she ever heard Levi talk, even longer than the one they had exchanged for the past two years. The story was all over the place. It was very long and messy. She could not understand him fully, but she was also able to clearly grasp what he was trying to say.

Mikasa took a closer look at the four lockets that she held on to her hands before glancing at his face. As usual, his countenance was absent from any sign of emotions. Mikasa did, however, catch the empty gaze from his eyes. Levi then grabbed something from his inner suit pocket, and it turned out to be a small leather journal. He opened the journal to a certain page and showed the page to her.

"Do you remember this?"

On the page, a small bundle of flowers was taped into the paper. The flowers had lost their vibrancy, but Mikasa still recognised that it used to be a pink flower. Mikasa narrowed her eyes at the page, trying to remember where she had seen the similar one. Levi is not a flower enthusiast, she knew that well, thus what was the reason for him to keep one? Unless…

Her eyes widened and she swallowed a gasp when she remembered the events that happened months ago. That day when she and Levi went to the town to buy her dress, Mikasa had given him a pink carnation boutonniere. She looked over to him, begging for an explanation.

"Back then, when you told me the name of this flower, I thought you were being weird." He put the journal on the table. "However, when I told Mike about it, he laughed in my face and told me that I'm the weird one."

Mikasa grabbed the journal from the table to inspect it closer. Undoubtedly, it was the same flower as that day. She could not believe that he kept this flower.

"Mike then gave me a book that talks about the language of flowers." A slight smile came to his face before it was quickly replaced by his usual scowl. "It was an odd book, but through them, I learned that pink carnation means gratitude."

A rush of blood came to her face. When she gave the boutonniere to him, she was sure that he would not figure out the meaning. That is why she was nonchalant about it back then. Hence, the fact that he found out the meaning of the flower had caught her off guard. As her cheek warmed up, she immediately threw her glance at the side, avoiding his gaze. "Ye...Yeah. Sure."

Much to her puzzlement, Levi did not respond. Instead, he stood up from his seat and walked toward the fireplace mantel to collect the forgotten flower bouquet. Then, he approached her and shove the bouquet toward her.

"Huh?" Mikasa inquired, staring at the bouquet before looking back at Levi.

"Take it."

Mikasa furrowed her brows as she grabbed the bouquet from him. She could smell the subtle floral scent that came from the purple flowers.

"The lady at the flower shop told me that this is purple hyacinth." He explained.

The name of the flower immediately rang a bell inside her head. She recognised it; Miss Hange had told her about this flower. Unfortunately, she could not remember what Miss Hange had said to her because she was still perplexed by his gesture. As she was drowning in her own thought, Levi did something unimaginable. He kneeled in front of her, so their gazes were on the same level.

"Mikasa. I want you to know that I didn't take you here out of obligation."

She widened her eyes when she heard him talk in a soft voice as if he were scared that he would spook her away. Likewise, Mikasa was also scared that she would ruin the moment, so she just stared at him in silence.

"To be honest, I was very pleased when they told me that I have a relative in Shiganshina. Because, to me, it meant that I was not the only Ackerman in this world." He took a deep breath, pale grey eyes staring intently at hers. "As they recounted your condition, I immediately knew that I couldn't just leave you be. Especially not when I had the resources to give you a better life."

There was not any hint of a smile on his face, but from the way that the words fell from his mouth like a gentle stream of a river, Mikasa knew that he was being honest.

"However, I was so scared. I wasn't sure if I could take care of you. Even from the argument that we had last week, it was proof that I had failed that. It got me thinking that maybe I shouldn't have taken you that day. Would you be happier that way? Would I be happier that way?"

Mikasa stared at him with a sorrowful gaze, a sentiment that he did not return. Alas, that was what she thought before she saw that his eyes were beginning to glisten, ever so subtly. A sight that made her stomach churn.

"But no." He stated with a clear voice, startling Mikasa for a second. "I found out I prefer when I can hear your childish voice in this manner."

The words left his mouth in a kind whisper laced with his usual remark, and it left Mikasa stricken with astonishment. She was not sure how she should react to him. She thought she already knew his character, but it was proven to be false. She had never known that Levi had this side of him. He was different than the usual cold, distant, and rude Levi. No, he was different that day, as if he were possessed by a soul that was so gentle, so tender, and so warm.

Her heart swells from meeting this other side of him. She was overwhelmed with emotions, guilt, apprehension, sorrow, as well as relief. Her vision started to become hazy, and she tried to blink her eyes to keep the tears from coming out.

"Mikasa, I swore to myself that you will get the best treatment here. I chose a bright young girl to be your Lady's Maid, I ordered the servants to keep this manor clean, I bought you the best clothes you would ever wear, I made sure that your foods are catered to your liking, and I hired an amazing governess for you—Hell, Mikasa. I even went to those awful parties, so you wouldn't be known as a lady from an ill-reputed family who has an awful and unsociable head of the estate."

Fat tears started to fall out of her eyes. Mikasa sniffed as she held onto her last strength to keep herself from sobbing loudly in front of his face.

"I was trying so hard, too hard even. I was—" Levi closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Listen, Mikasa. I didn't want you to feel bad for me. I know very well how much of an asshole was I these past two years. For that, I want you to know that I…I… I'm sorry."

Mikasa's lips quiver, her sniff became louder. She did not know how long she had been trying to hear those words from him.

"You don't have to accept it, but I really want to—"

Mikasa put the bouquet aside as she launched herself to him. Levi was caught off guard by her action, he was unable to finish his sentence. Fortunately, he seemed to have enough strength to keep them balanced. Mikasa wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him tight into a hug. In a mere second, she was already bawling her eyes out on his right shoulder. However, at the same time, Mikasa also feels the urge to laugh. Resulting in a peculiar set of giggles and cries.

"Hey, choose one. Do you want to cry, or do you want to laugh?" Levi inquired calmly with a tone of impish.

She was drowned in emotional waves that she could not mutter coherent answers. All she could mutter is a nonsensical mumbling. Mikasa then felt a hand go onto her head to ruffle her hair. The movement was gentle and reminded Mikasa of the warm touches of her father. Her hands tighten around his neck.

"Thank you, Levi."

After spending hours telling Mikasa about the faces that were on each of the paintings, the faces of her ancestors, it certainly did not miss his attention that he had not seen the governess yet. Was she avoiding him? Speaking of, Mikasa was alone when he met her that afternoon.

Truth be told, it was not like he was ready to see her. The wounds have not yet healed, and yet he found himself to be restless when he could not spot her on the manor. It was as if she vanishes out of existence. His mind started to get the better of him, and so he needed to put a rest on his curiosity. Thus, Levi went on to the servants' hall to search for Moblit.

"Sir!" Moblit greeted as he stood up from the chair. A vast array of silverware was laid on the table in front of him. It looked like Moblit was in the middle of cleaning them, judging from a cloth near him.

"Hey, Moblit…" He paused and glanced at his surrounding. After making sure that no one was on their radar, he continued. "Where's the governess?"

Moblit immediately straighten his back at the mentions, as if he was struck by a chill on the neck. He opened his mouth but hesitated to voice his mind. However, the insistent look of Levi led Moblit to finally answer. "Ah… Did you not read my letters, sir?" The words went from his mouth in slow motion.

Levi raised one of his brows, "No, I haven't… Why?"

"Oh…" He paused. "Well, the thing is. Miss Hange returned to her hometown two days ago."

-Chapter 15 End-

Replies:

hipswaggcrimson: SORRY TO MAKE YOU WAIT! Hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Nora Renovisha: THANK YOU! I know right! They are so amazing, I love them so much! Aww thank you so much for your lovely message and for following this story 3

Sasina: WOW, thank you! I really need to hear that! Also, I understand the joy (and the consequences) of staying up late to read a fanfic! I'm so glad you found something that you like within this fic, it means a lot to me!

scarecrow09: WOW! That's a nice insight you got there! Love is a beautiful thing, right? Thank you for the support and the love, I'll continue to write!

Some notes:

- großvater means grandfather
- Frederick Street is based on Bond Street, which was famous in London since the 18th century as a luxurious shopping street
- Apparently, according to the German folklore, nutcrackers brings good luck and protection to your home!
- The painting of children with a parrot is real, it was drawn by Christina Robertson (go check it out!)
- I like to imagine that Kenny is talking using Cockney Accent, kinda like Alfie from Peaky Blinders lmao ;)

ANYWAY, I've been waiting to write this chapter FOR AGES because I got to throw back some moments from chapters ago! Also, it was really fun to delve into Levi's psyche. Don't get me even started with both Lev and Mika! THEY WERE SO FUN TO WRITE, I KIDD YOU NOT. They are the stars of this chapter.

I gotta say, this might be one of my proudest chapters to write!

Once again, thank you so much for sticking with me up until now!

I'll try my best to finish them this year See you guys (hopefully) soon