Disclaimer: I own nothing

Rated: T

It was early.

He knew that as he woke up, having always following the same routine that his body just grew used to it to the point where it was automatic.

And so, he expected for her to be right beside him still sleeping.

Instead, he heard a low morose humming coming from the direction of his window and sat up enough to see that the little brat was sitting on the windowsill staring out at the sunrise.

The look on her face did not belong on a child.

It was only something that Levi saw on his veteran comrades who had witnessed the horrors of the Titans and survived.

"What the hell are you doing?" The soldier grumbled, still a bit surprised to see her up before him, "It's too damn early for you."

The humming stopped and Kagome glanced back at him with that expression wiped from her face just to be replaced by that dead-eyed look, "Good morning, Big Brother."

"Go back to sleep," Levi ordered, getting up from his bed, "A child like you should not have bags under their eyes. I told you to get plenty of rest. You'll need it for what's ahead."

"I can't sleep," Kagome mumbled, "The nightmares never go away," She huddled into herself, beginning to lose her composure with a mixture of exhaustion and despair, "Because it's my fault they are dead."

Levi narrowed his eyes, "I thought you said you were alone from the beginning?" He raised a brow, "If you're lying about that, there's plenty else you could be lying about."

"I don't need to be here if you don't want me here, Big Brother," Kagome smiled bitterly, "I can just go back. There are a lot more bad men out there and I can make them go away for good."

"Back to being a street rat?" Levi sneered, changing into his uniform while she glanced back outside the window, "Do I look like that much of a cold-hearted bastard to you?"

"Do you want me to answer truthfully?" Kagome retorted almost dryly, "Or should I lie about that too?" She simply received a snort in return.

"Damn little brat," Levi muttered, feeling it was much too early to be dealing with her crap, "I already told you to get used to me. I won't repeat myself again."

"Are you going to be one of those strange older brothers who are obsessed with their little sisters?" Kagome got off the windowsill, "That isn't normal, Big Brother." She added.

"How 'normal' do you think I am?" Levi rolled his eyes, "I have been charged to take care of you. I will do nothing less." He threw on his tan military jacket before sizing her up, "You need clothing that is suitable for combat." He almost sighed at the thought of shopping, hoping that the brat hated it as much as he did.

Maybe he would force Erwin to do it since this whole situation was his fault.

"You don't need to teach me anything," Kagome said, glancing over to the small table where her tantou blade was sitting, "I already know how." It was the only useful thing her memories seemed to serve her.

"So whomever is 'dead' taught you?" Levi murmured, not waiting for an answer, "It doesn't matter. I will be teaching you regardless of your past. You're still too small to start the 3DM Gear, so we will polish your blade skills in the mean time."

"3DM Gear?" Kagome tilted her head, "Those zippy wire things?" She hummed, feeling something build up in her that she had not felt in this world since she woke up in it.

It almost felt like excitement.

"I don't care if you still are a little girl," Levi beckoned for her to follow him, "Don't talk like a snot-nosed brat. You seem to grasp how adults speak, so speak it yourself." But of course, she just had to get in the last word.

"You're not a coddling Big Brother, are you?"