The alien in front of him was big. Gruff. Had muscles a Tetramand would drool over covered by gray-green skin. There was a red scar over his right eye, but the eye itself seemed mostly intact.

He seemed like the type a guy you'd hire for a prison, or a club bouncer, or even a bodyguard. It was why his actual occupation was so funny.

"You're a therapist?" Kevin asked incredulously. He was curled up on the floor, the therapist couch too small to accomodate for his larger form. He stared at the older man, his biceps nearly tearing the long sleeves of his white button up. His gray slacks barely covered his ankles due to his height, and his black Oxford shoes looked to be tailor made. Kevin noticed a sweater vest of all things laying across the desk chair in the far corner.

Kwarrel gave him a glare that would have made lesser men burst into tears. Kevin, who had lived through Psyhon's experimentations and fought a nigh-immortal Cthulu wannabe, glared right back.

"Believe it or not, yes," Kwarrel said, his voice low and gravelly. "Been one long before I got my certificates, in fact."

"What do you mean?"

"I was a prisoner in one of the Plumbers' jails for some time," Kwarrel explained. "It was one of those nicer prisons for people who did 'softer crimes' or who had sympathetic reasons for doing what they did. Not a bad place, but there were a lot of people who needed serious help. The prison had therapists, but they brought in new ones every few years, and not all of them were very good. Ended up doing the work for 'em a lot of the time. The Plumbers eventually noticed and helped me get the degrees and certifications needed to become a therapist. Even got out of jail early."

"...huh." Kevin leaned back and tried to make himself comfortable. So the guy had years of experience long before ever getting certified. Made sense why Anna and Sienna trusted this guy so much. But why was he acting as a therapist for a kid?

"You're probably wondering why I'm helping you instead of other prisoners," Kwarrel said. Kevin looked up at him in surprise. "It's written all over your face, kid. And I do help prisoners, but every so often I help out folks like you."

"Like me," Kevin stated flatly.

"You think you're the only person who suddenly found themselves turning into a monster thanks to experimentation?"

Kevin wasn't sure what to say to that. "Pretty sure that only happened in movies."

"In this world, you gotta remember to keep an open mind."

...yeah, okay, fair. Kevin leaned back against the therapist couch- or what little he could safely rest on- and asked, "So, how does this work? You ask me questions and it somehow unlocks my level ten backstory?"

"It could," Kwarrel said, "but that's up to you. I'm here to listen and help you get through whatever issues you may have, but you have to tell me what those issues are."

"I thought you already knew?"

"I know what Anna and Sienna told me," Kwarrel confirmed, "but it was clerical. I'd rather hear it from you."

Kevin stayed silent, slightly curling in on himself. He knew he needed to talk about his past, his traumas, his vigilantism, if he wanted to get better. But something inside him screamed against that, making the words stick to his throat, choking him.

"...well, if you can't right now, we can talk about something else," Kwarrel said, his voice gruff yet gentle. It was such a contrast that Kevin relaxed despite himself. "How have Anna and Sienne been treating you?"

"Really well," Kevin answered, smiling slightly. "Anna visits everyday and tells me about her classes- I didn't know she was a college professor."

Kwarrel smiled at that. "You wouldn't be the first. Anna's always been close to Plumber business, so it's easy to forget that she's a part-timer. She's most active during the summer, but every so often she's called in during the school year. Mainly when things are so FUBAR that not calling her in would be suicide."

"How'd she get so good at her job?" Kevin asked curiously. "I mean, her powers make her hypoglycemic, that's not something you can ignore."

"It takes a while before the hypoglycemia kicks in, and Anna can turn a small city into a necropolis before she starts feeling dizzy," Kwarrel explained. "Battles of attrition can cause her serious damage, though."

Kevin nodded, remembering how Anna fought over the summer. "So, that's why she's a part-timer? I didn't know cops could do that."

"The Plumbers fluctuate between space cops and space FBI, and yes, we do have part-timers and reserve corps," Kwarrel said. "Anna's situation isn't unique, especially since she's a professor at Miskatonic University."

"You mean that Ivy League school?" Kevin asked incredulously. "What is it, a Plumber recruitment site?"

"It started out as a sort of refugee camp," Kwarrel explained. "Aliens would hide there for one reason or another, and if they decided to stay on Earth, they'd learn about Earth cultures and other subjects while officers would find them new identities and homes and work. It eventually expanded so it could become an accredited university, but aliens still often go there if they want an Earth education, or if they want access into the Plumber program."

"Holy shit. How many more universities are like that?"

"Too many to count," Kwarrel said, smiling. "Anna and Sienna were both part of the Plumber program when they attended, but only Sienna works full-time for the Plumbers. Anna does some work for the program during the school year, but she's mainly an English professor."

"Anna never told me any of this," Kevin murmured, leaning back heavily. He could feel the couch creak dangerously beneath him.

"Anna and Sienna have always been tight-lipped," Kwarrel said, shrugging. "There's a reason why so few people know they're married. I wouldn't take it personally."

Kevin kept silent, contemplating. He thought about his time with Anna and how much he knew about her. He thought about how little he knew of Sienna and even Kylie- they visited him pretty regularly, and Kylie was friendly enough, but he didn't know much about them, did he?

(Did you ever ask?)

"...how are they as parents?" Kevin asked, staring at the ground.

"Kylie seems pretty happy with them, so I'd say they're pretty good," Kwarrel said. "Is there a reason why you're asking?"

Kevin took a deep breath, and slowly, he began to talk.

Eva Levin hadn't always been a victim. She had a brightness to her that always seemed to light up a room, or at least, that's how it looked to Kevin. She had a warm smile and liked to give hugs, and she was always kind and gentle, which was perfect for her job teaching elementary students. Eva had loved Kevin with all her heart, but there was no doubt she was madly in love with her husband, Devin.

From what little Kevin could remember about his him, he had been a good man. An officer of the law, he had represented love and stability in the way only good fathers could. No matter how tired he was, he always made time for Kevin. He had dearly loved his wife and Kevin could never remember them arguing. Devin worked long hours and was away from home a lot, and Eva would naturally worry about him, but then Devin would come home and the worries would fade away for the time being.

One day, Devin left for work and never came back. And Eva collapsed.

There were days that Eva just couldn't leave her bed. Kevin, at six years old, had to learn to fend for himself- getting up for school, cooking for himself, laundry, almost everything. Some days Eva was up, puttering around as she lethargically helped Kevin get ready for the day, but it was like she was on autopilot. Her dark eyes, normally so bright, looked dead.

Eva had been a school teacher when Devin had been alive, but she lost her job after her breakdown. Devin's life insurance kept them afloat- and from what Kevin could glean it was a large amount of money- but it wouldn't sustain them forever. But for nearly a year they were set while Eva wallowed in grief, her son running around on shaky legs to pick up the pieces.

(Kevin had grieved, of course. He had raged and cried and begged for his father to come back, for his mother to return to normal, to stop staring at nothing and actually be a mom-)

(But nothing worked. Kevin was alone. At seven years old, he already had concrete walls around his heart.)

Eventually, Eva picked herself up again. She started to wash and brush her hair. Wear nicer clothes. Put on the weight she lost. She smiled and went out in public.

Kevin could only wonder how long it would last.

"Must have been hard for you," Kwarrel stated. "Being so independent at such a young age."

Kevin shrugged, already drained. Just that much left his mind a listless mess. "It is what it is. We didn't have anyone but each other. If dad had any family they didn't come to the funeral, and mom's family never approved of him anyway. Dad had lots of work friends, but none of them stuck around long enough to help us."

"So it must have hurt when your mother abandoned you like that."

Kevin wanted to protest… except he couldn't. Because that's what Eva did; she barely had any physical presence during that year, and mentally? He let out a laugh, a harsh, bitter sound that almost sounded like a sob. "Yeah, it really fucking did."

"How do you feel about it now?"

"Numb. Mostly? I don't know."

"It's alright to feel that way," Kwarrel reassured him. "Feelings are hard for adults to handle, and the fact that you're talking about them? You're already a step above most grownups."

Kevin could give a weak chuckle.

"Well, our hour's almost up. Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

Kevin closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Alright then. I'll see you Wednesday, same time."

Anna and Sienna had insisted, in no uncertain terms, that was going to get an education goddamnit.

Anna had gotten him a refurbished laptop and signed him up for online schooling. The laptop came with a special keyboard and touch screens that he had to plug in because, well, he didn't have proper hands. At least he could hold the textbooks relatively easily.

Sienna and Kylie had brought him school supplies, stuff he could easily use when he had human hands again. A Batman backpack that was spacious and for little kids but which Kevin secretly adored. One and a half inch folders and three subject notebooks, all of them color coded for each subject. Mechanical pencils and their wooden counterparts. Cheap black and blue pens that everyone had. Everything was a mix of dollar store and genuinely good quality, which brought Kevin a sense of familiarity. Harvey had despised paying for Kevin's things, so Eva had to use her own money to buy her son clothes and anything else he needed. Eva would wake him up early for the Labor Day weekend sales and get anything he would need for school, and whatever they couldn't find they went to the dollar store for.

His normal school supplies stayed in his backpack in his temporary room. It was a fairly large space made to accommodate his large size. It was painted in shades of gray and white, a large window and balcony bringing in much needed light and fresh air. His bed took up a third of the room, and his desk was a large thing that was connected to the farthest wall. His closet was small and empty save for his backpack and textbooks. He had a dresser with a few things in it, but he rarely opened it.

Kevin's room was sterile. Clean. Temporary. Kylie often chattered about how Anna and Sienna were fixing up his room in their home, how Kylie picked out his bedsheets and towels, how Anna was painting the walls herself as Sienna slowly picked out a bed frame and a desk and any other furniture. It made Kevin ache, because these people cared about him and wanted him to be happy and they were going out of their way to make that happen.

(Too often a voice in his head told him, 'they're lying. They don't want you, they're gonna rip the rug right from under you.)

(Kevin did everything he could to shut that voice up, but sometimes-)

Sienna and Kylie visited three times a week. Kylie often complained about school and talked happily about her friends- someone called Weiss taking over the narrative more than once. Sienna would ask him how therapy was going, how were the accommodations, was he getting enough to eat, was he going outside everyday?

It was… weird, having Sienna mother him. She didn't try to hug him or coddle him, but she was clearly looking out for him. She would bring tea and board games, the two of them sitting in near silence as they played. Sometimes Sienna would talk about her work, what she did for the Plumbers and how a case was going.

"Why did you choose to join the Plumber anyway?" Kevin asked one day, a warm mug in his hands. The tea was bright pink and tasted sweet and tart- hibiscus flavored, Sienna said, Anna's favorite. Kevin sort of liked it too.

"Honestly I almost didn't," Sienna admitted. "The Faunus are a minority that is very heavily discriminated against- I wanted to fight for our rights, our freedom. I joined the White Fang when it was a peaceful organization, and for a while, it worked. We were slowly gaining respect from humans and aliens alike.

"But progress was too slow for many of us," Sienna added darkly, "myself included. If the humans wanted to push us down, I wanted us to push back. I wanted them to fear and respect us. But so many of the White Fang wanted to destroy the humans, to wage war in the hopes of wiping them all out. That was something I never wanted," she said vehemently.

"Is that when you left?" Kevin asked, ignoring his drink.

"I officially left when Ghira stepped down," Sienna explained. "He was our leader and was the one who wanted peace. I may have thought him naive and his methods weak, but he had a good heart. And he was the heart of the organization, whether he'd admit to it or not. But even a strong heart can weaken when against a tsunami of hatred and anger, and I do not blame him for retiring. I left as soon as he did, and many of our brethren left as well.

"Good thing too," Sienna said with a rueful smile. "I may have advocated violence, but only when necessary. Those that stayed in the White Fang grew as corrupt as its new leader, intentionally provoking and slaughtering innocent civilians. I'm so glad I left when I did." She took a sip of her cold tea and winced.

Kevin took a sip of his drink too- honestly, the hibiscus flavor tasted better cold, what was she so sour about? "So, the Plumbers."

"Right, right," Sienna said, setting aside her mug. "Not all Plumbers are exactly tolerant of Faunus or of any other race. You can't escape hate no matter what you do. But if there's one thing I can say with pride, it's that they'll take on almost anyone, regardless of who you are and where you came from. So when a large group of Faunus come knocking on their door, they did a thorough background check, tested our mettle, and let us into their ranks. I've been with them for some time now, I have earned the trust and respect of the right people, and I'm quite satisfied with where I am."

(Kevin wanted to ask if someone like him could ever join the Plumbers, to actually do some good with his life. But the words stuck to his throat, threatening to choke him.)

"Can you tell me what school was like for you, growing up?"

Kevin turned to Kwarrel, tucking his hands together reflexively. They were smaller now- his entire body was smaller, more humanoid, thanks to the weeks he spent talking to Kwarrel. It was such a relief, having a visible sign that he was making progress, even if he still had a long way to go.

Kevin hummed as he thought, the noise so quiet one could mistake it for something else. (It was something Anna did every so often, not that Kevin put two and two together.) "It was… school, I guess? Does anyone ever genuinely like school?"

Kwarrel huffed out a laugh. "You make a good point. I for one never particularly liked it, even as an adult. I was always more hands-on."

"Same," Kevin said, smiling. "I always liked the activities that made up learn with our hands. They were easier for me than just straight up book learning."

"Did your classes have lots of activities like that?"

"Depended on the teacher," Kevin admitted. "My last teacher tried to make us do more projects, but he had to stick with workbooks and the occasional video because the school board didn't see the value in hands-on learning."

"That's because the school board is full of people who were never teachers and treats the public education system as a corporate entity," Kwarrel explained. "It is, in layman's terms, absolute bullshit."

"One of the reasons why I hated school growing up," Kevin said. "I like learning as much as the next kid, but I hated the teachers and the other kids. The only reason why school was even bearable was because it got me out of the house."

"Why did you hate the teachers and other students?"

Kevin blew some hair out of his face. "I was a tall, skinny kid with a bad haircut and black clothing. Everyone labeled me a punk and a troublemaker and tried to start shit with me. The other kids eventually backed off once I scared them straight, but that didn't stop them from talking about me behind my back. Plus most of the teachers had it out for me, and they didn't see the bruises Harvey gave me, so fuck them really."

"That sounds like a toxic environment to be in," Kwarrel commented.

"You're tell me," Kevin huffed. "Nothing I could do about it. Mom couldn't afford a better school, and it wasn't like Harvey was going to help. At least the kids mostly left me alone."

"Did you go straight home after school?"

"Nope, I went to the nearest library to do homework and chill," Kevin said. "I may not be that booksmart, but I do like learning. Though people did look at me funny when they caught me reading historical autobiographies in the adult section."

"You'd have to be ambitious to read those," Kwarrel said, impressed. "You have a favorite genre?"

The rest of the hour was spent hashing out books and TV shows and movies, the two of them complaining over terrible character writing and plot points or cheering over their favorite character and storyline. The appointment didn't leave Kevin drained like it usually did, but he still felt lighter, more...human, at the end. It may not have been professional, but Kevin still felt better about himself, and for that was a win in his book.

(Just as well: Kevin didn't want to go into how lonely he had been at school. Harvey's shadow wasn't there, but the other kids were monsters in their own rights, with cold eyes and barbed tongues. Add in uncaring teachers, and it was just another reason why Kevin had turned out as nihilistic as he did.)

(Kevin hoped things would get better. He really did.)

Harvey had been great at first.

When Eva finally started dating again, she seemed actually happy. Kevin hated the idea that his mother was dating, but at that point Devin had been dead for over two years. Maybe it was high time that Eva moved on. She still had her depressive episodes, ones so terrible that she couldn't get out of bed, but they became fewer and far between as soon as she met Harvey. So, for Eva's sake, Kevin grit his teeth and ignored any resentment that he could have felt.

And Harvey had been genial at first. He may not have been warm to Kevin, but he bought some clothes for him, helped him with his homework, made him lunch every so often. Kevin had thought that Harvey wasn't good or used to kids, so he was awkwardly trying to make up for that. He never begrudged the older man for that, especially since Kevin thought he was trying.

But then Eva would come home with bruises on her wrists. Or she would wince as she sat down, red marks on her back. Sometimes there was a red mark on her cheek, and once she had come home with a black eye.

It was then Kevin knew Harvey was a monster, and that any attempt at being kind was simply a lie.

Harvey had always been allowed into their home, and soon he moved in, despite how much Kevin protested. Eva didn't see the abuse for what it was: I made him angry; if I hadn't done this; if I wasn't so sensitive; he's so stressed all the time; it's all my fault. Kevin may have been too young to fully understand what was going on, but he could tell when his mother was forced into being a victim. But nothing he said got through to her, not even when Harvey started beating him too.

(It wasn't always intentional. Kevin would see Harvey punch Eva and he would just… get in the way. Stand in front of his mother like a shield and take the abuse himself. Harvey would kick him, punch him, throw him against the wall, but he would leave Eva alone for the time being. It made the punishment worth it, if Eva was safe.)

(Eva didn't always return the favor, though.)

"What's your school like?" Kevin asked Kylie one day. Kevin looked even more like a human now- half of his alien traits were gone, and he was much smaller and skinnier.

Kylie was dressed in jeans and a baggy green sweater- summer had officially bled into fall. Her Wonder Woman backpack was open at her side, and the two of them were doing homework together, with Kevin helping Kylie with her math while Kylie helped him with English. She looked up at him, frowning lightly. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because if all goes well, I'll be going to middle school next year," Kevin said, even as he frowned in distaste. Thoughts about school always did that to him.

Kylie snorted. "It's middle school. It's a fucking cesspool."

"Oooh, vocab word."

Kylie threw a wad of paper at him. "Shut up."

Kevin tossed the paper ball into the wastebasket and turned to Kylie. She was sharpening her pencil with her little pencil sharpener, still frowning. "Is it really that bad?" he asked hesitantly.

Kylie some some of her green-black hair out of her face. "Yes? No? Depends? Like, my school friends make it bearable, and I still talk to Weiss almost every day- she's basically the highlight of my day every time- but the kids there are just… ugh."

"Anna did say that middle school is a transitional time for us," Kevin mused.

"Considering I'm still transitioning myself, I do get it," Kylie admitted. "But it's worse because you're growing up but you're still a kid and people still treat you like you're a dumb little toddler and everyone just seems so much dumber and louder," she ranted, cheeks pink from frustration. "And don't get me started on all the property damage and draconic rules, trust me."

"Yeah, that sounds really terrible," Kevin commiserated.

Kylie huffed. "Honestly, I'm considering going into online schooling until high school. Like, I'd have to wake up stupid early, but it'd have to be at least slightly more bearable than middle school."

"Well, we won't know until then," Kevin told her. "And you'll have Plumber stuff to help with extracurriculars."

Kylie brightened. "Oh, true. Like I'm already doing that now, but it's all training exercises and stuff. In about a year or so I'll be able to do some actual field work, even if it's still in a controlled setting." She looked at him properly then. "Why all the questions? Do you wanna go back to school?"

"Nnnnno?" Kevin stretched out the word as his brow furrowed in confusion. "Being around other kids my own age would be nice, but to be honest I'm smarter than most of them and I legit can't be assed to be friendly to anyone when they're chronically loud and dumb."

"Good point," Kylie mused. "Your math and science scores are easily high school level. And while being around kids your own age would be a good thing, I can't see you tolerating middle school whatsoever."

Kevin hummed a bit, leaning back. "I guess I'll have to wait then. Who knows? Maybe I'll join you with the Plumbers."

"Dude, yes!" Kylie cheered, her eyes shining. "Maybe we'll be on a team together!"

Kevin chuckled. "Wouldn't that be something."

Kevin eventually learned that abusers demanded total control. Who their partner was friends with, where they worked, what they wore… every little thing was nitpicked and criticized and destroyed until their partner could only do what their abuser wanted them to do. Everything that made them them was smashed apart and forced back together to fit an ill-fitting mold, and no one saw it until it was (almost) too late.

Which was why it was weird that Harvey let Eva work at all.

As a chief of police, Harvey made a good amount of money. Technically speaking, Eva didn't have to work because her husband provided them with everything. But Harvey hated having to spend more than necessary on Kevin, so when she started job searching Harvey was actually somewhat supportive. It probably helped that Eva was looking for part-time work that involved her degree, meaning that she would be home often enough.

She ended up becoming a substitute teacher; with how many schools there were in New York City, she would never be out of work. Her schedule would be erratic, but it was income that was completely in her name. And when Kevin convinced her to teach during the summer, he could only be happier. Kevin would see less of his mother, but they had their own money in case Eva wanted to escape Harvey's grasp.

(Not that she ever did, but it was a thought regardless.)

Kevin had been happy at first… but the days went on and on, and Eva and Kevin kept getting hurt. Harvey would stop for a time, getting Eva a gift and acting nice while ignoring Kevin's existence, and Eva would think everything was fine, things could change, and then it would start all over again. And Eva kept the cycle going, refusing to break free even as Kevin insisted.

Eva was stuck as a victim but didn't see herself as one. And Kevin was hopeless to stop it.

(And that was why Kevin had gone overboard with his powers. Because for once he had control over his life, his destiny, and he wanted to put it to good use.)

(It only drove him done a dark path.)

(But now- but now-)

When Kevin was fully human again, Kwarrel had wiped away his tears and hugged him fiercely.

The rest of the week was a flurry of packing and planning. Kevin would still be seeing Kwarrel once a week, just to ensure his progress. Kevin packed up his few things and waited impatiently for all the paperwork to go through. Anna had already told him that he would be staying with them for as long as he wanted, so it wasn't like Kevin had to go back to New York. He never wanted to be around Harvey ever again.

(But what about mom?)

When Anna saw him, now fully human, she blinked a few times, her eyes wet. But she smiled softly, in that way that always made Kevin feel better, and said, "I always knew you could."

The drive home was short, but Kevin's impatience made time crawl. Anna babbled nervously about her work, how the others would be so excited to see him once he was home (Sienna knew he was being released, but Kylie was still in the dark), and about how his room looked. Kevin made noncommittal noises and took in the sights- Anna lived near Seattle, in a little town called Bellwood, with Miskatonic being a solid half hour away by highway. Bellwood was a decent sized town with San Francisco-like houses and buildings, with brightly painted trolleys like out of a story book.

Anna lived in one of the more modern apartments, the outside walls dark blue, the balconies gray, the trimmings white. It was ten stories high, and the building was full of Plumber workers and aliens, with Anna living on the top floor.

Kevin didn't know what to expect from the apartment itself, but it was so spacious. The front door led into a luxurious sitting room and kitchen, and the hallways led into large bedrooms and two bathrooms. And there were bookshelves everywhere, all of them of varying colors and sizes, some of them looking like it came from an IKEA catalogue and others looking like they were picked up from the street.

"Sienna and I both hate cleaning, but we needed a place for all my books, so we tried to make the place as minimalist as possible," Anna admitted when Kevin asked. "Wanna see your room?"

Kevin walked past the bright blue couch and matching carpeting, ignoring the kitchen with its large oak table and blue granite island and its brown cupboard and cobalt blue tiles. He eyed the soft brown carpet at his feet and took in the dove gray walls with its sparse family pictures. He ignored the bathroom and Kylie's room- he would see those later anyway- and Anna opened the door to his room.

The first thing he noticed was the loft bed. The bedframe and ladder steps were a metallic black and looked perfectly stable. A large desk was underneath it, already decorated with a headboard and lamp. Both were right next to the window, the afternoon sun illuminating the small bedroom. There were dressers and a good-sized closet on the other end, along with a huge bookshelf.

But what made Kevin catch his breath were his walls. They were first in shades of yellow and orange and red, then bled into soft blues and violets until they darkened into shades that were almost black. Kevin had mentioned once, offhandedly, how he always loved to watch the sunset growing up, and Anna had painted it perfectly.

He was already choked up with emotion- the new house, his new room- but the walls sent him to the tipping point. And then Anna softly said, "Look up," and Kevin took in the black ceiling and hundreds of little stars, taking in constellations and comets and even the phases of the moon near the window. And then he looked at Anna and burst into tears, rushing at her and thanking her while sobbing into her chest.

Anna just held him close, gently carding her fingers through his hair, and hummed a little lullaby as he let it all out.