Sometimes Kenny would let him go above ground.
Money would be pressed into his rough hands and the tall man before him would fix his hat, sparing him a wry glance. "Go get some sun," Kenny would grumble, hands sliding deep into the pockets of his blood spotted trench coat. "Maybe you'll get a little taller then."
Soak up some sunlight, stay away from any MPs and return before the sun goes down. He knew the rules, Kenny had made sure that he did.
Levi would clutch the money tightly in his hands, presenting it to the vigilant eyes of the men guarding the staircase. They would look at him with cold eyes, snatching the money out of his bony hands and throwing a stamped piece of paper his way.
"Be back by sunset," they would warn and shove him towards the flight of endless stairs.
He hated it when they did that, touching him with their dirty hands. But he never looked back at them, climbing up and upuntil he would be greeted by the busy streets and the burning white sun.
Sunlight would make his eyes burn briefly. Dark spots would color the corners of his vision before he blinked rapidly, adjusting to the light.
How Kenny got the money, Levi didn't know, didn't even care. As long as Kenny was there with his towering height and tall, dark shadow, Levi was willing to live beneath it.
Today the market bustled more than his previous visits. More people were thronging the busy streets. Children ran along, laughing loudly and housewives were surrounding the stalls that weren't set up the last time he was here.
Levi searched first for the military police, his gaze sharpening when he spotted their uniforms as they patrolled from the sides.
A few looked at him, alert. He scowled when they touched the straps of their rifles and he quickly held out the piece of stamped paper between his fingers. He noted the look of disgust in their eyes as they looked away from him, as if they hadn't seen him in the first place.
Corrupt bastards.
Levi took a step deeper into the market, passing by a fruit vendor. He easily blended within the crowd, plucking out a ripe red apple from the cart. He sunk his teeth into it, soaking in the sunlight as he leaned against a brick wall.
His gaze languidly drifted along the place and something glittered in the corner of his vision.
Levi bit into the apple again, watching with rapt attention as a golden pocket watch reflected off the sunlight, clutched between thin fingers. He followed how its twisting chain hung from the belt looped around a girl's waist, dangling on the side. She stood talking to a vendor, inspecting the freshly baked bread on display. The pocket watch clacked shut in her palm before falling back to her side.
The glittering chain swung momentarily, resting against her hip.
He tossed the apple core aside, casually strolling ahead. He lingered near the cart, his expressions impassive as he reached forward discreetly. His fingers easily slipped into the knots of the chain, silently unhooking it from the loop of the belt.
He stuffed the watch into the pocket of his ragged pants, snatching up a small piece of buttered bread from the cart as well.
His fingers curled around the watch in the confines of his pocket, smooth gold under his palm and Levi bit into the bread, walking further into the crowds.
Someone cursed at him when he stepped on their foot. Levi barely paid it any mind, languidly chewing the soft bread as he searched around for more unguarded pedestrians. At least he could make his day a bit more productive before he went Underground again—
A hand shot out, fingers firmly closing around his elbow.
Levi halted immediately.
He refrained from turning around, expecting a muzzle of a military rifle digging into the back of his head. A voice spoke instead, sounding unamused.
"Did you just steal my watch?"
He kept his hands in his pocket as he slowly turned his head.
Clear blue eyes met his quiet, calculating stare, and Levi faintly realized that it was the same girl from the bread vendor.
She was frowning deeply, eyes narrowed into a glare. He glanced back to her hand clutching his elbow, her fingers taut around his skinny arm. His gaze flitted across the crowd again, taking note of the people walking around them smoothly, unaware of the girl holding him.
For a moment, he considered ripping his elbow out of her grip. He could run ahead, she would never be able to catch up. But too many military police were surrounding the area and he wouldn't be able to hold off all of them.
And Kenny's shitty rules were an issue too.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue and took out the pocket watch.
He held it out, palm upturned to her. The girl carefully looked at his thin fingers, her blue eyes flickering back to his face once more.
He frowned back at her.
She plucked the pocket watch out from his grip and stared at his face, particularly at the breadcrumbs sticking to the corners of his mouth. He had a sudden urge to wipe his lips.
"You stole the bread too," she said flatly.
Levi glowered at her, crushing the leftover bread in his fist as he turned to face her fully.
Her blonde hair was twisted into a braid, slinging down one shoulder. Some of the locks stuck out near her face, curling at the tips and her eyes were a clear shade of sky blue. She was dressed nicely; buckled shoes and a pastel green cotton dress.
Her clothes alone could feed an entire underground family for a week.
"Check the toilets," he spat, scowling at her.
She was an inch taller than him so he straightened his spine, trying to even his gaze with hers as the corners of his mouth pulled back into a snarl. "Maybe you'll find the rest of it there."
She merely tipped her head to the side, lifting a brow.
Levi bared his teeth, standing his ground. His muscles tensed, fingers twitching for the knife hidden in his boot when she shifted slightly. Her hand dropped into the basket hanging off the crook of her elbow, ruffling through it. She revealed a fairly huge piece of buttered bread before holding it towards him.
He stared at the offered food for a moment and blinked when she shoved it to his chest, snorting loudly.
"Eat up," she examined his rugged attire, noting how his baggy clothes hung loosely on his thin frame. She pressed the bread harder into his chest until he clasped it in a lax grip. "You need it more than I do anyway."
She turned on her heel and paused midway. He stared at her, loosely holding the bread when she glanced over her shoulder, meeting his silent gaze.
"Don't go around stealing here," she advised, stalking forward with a swish of her braid. "There's a lot of military police."
He watched her trudge through the crowd until he could faintly make out her head of blond locks. A scowl graced his features, and Levi angrily bit into the loaf of bread, crushing it with his teeth.
The flavor of mild garlic melted on his tongue. His eyes swiftly dipped down to the fresh bread in his hands before he stuffed the whole thing into his mouth, scarfing it down in a few seconds.
He ended up following her through the bustling streets of the market.
At the end, he could only label it as boredom as he kept himself a safe distance away from her. She simply walked through the marketplace, stopping by a few carts sometimes but never bought anything. Her basket hung empty as she would pause a few times, checking the time in that pocket watch.
The smooth gold casing would glitter brilliantly in the sunlight, and Levi contemplated how much it would be worth in the black market.
His hands slid back into his pockets and he stuck more to the crowds, walking behind more people once she moved again. He caught her turning towards an alleyway. His pace quickened and he leaned near the corner, carefully peeking from behind the wall.
For some reason, she stood at the mouth of the alleyway. Her head turned slowly, blue eyes peeking over her shoulder, meeting his widening gaze and—
Levi pressed back into the cold wall, his heartbeat a quick thrum in his ears. His brows scrunched together.
She can't know, he deduced mentally. A dumbass topsider can't tell I'm tailing her—
"I know you're there."
He stiffened.
A sigh followed, and she spoke loudly, unimpressed. "I know you've been following me around the place."
There was a noise of her feet shuffling, facing his way now. "Come out now, will you?"
Shit. His fingers flexed at his sides, itching to retrieve the dagger from his boot. But he was still too close to the main street and there was a high risk of being caught. He clicked his tongue distastefully before he walked into the open, stopping at the start of the alleyway.
She was staring at him, brows raised. He scowled at her, his eyes narrowing into a challenging glare. Silence gradually descended between them, the market behind him background noise with its loud townsfolk and the yell of merchants.
"My brother's in the Corps."
Levi arched a brow. "Hah?"
"My brother," she repeated carefully, clutching the side of her skirt in a laxed fist. "He's in the Survey Corps."
Ah. Levi snorted, jamming his hands back into his pockets. So maybe she wasn't as dumb as he had thought. She glanced at him warily, walking past him this time as she nodded her head.
"Letting you know in case you're up to some funny business."
He scoffed, wanting to tell her that he wasn't some titan that her brother would be able to slice up. His gaze instinctively dipped to her side again, where the pocket watch hung loosely from her belt. His fingers reached forward deftly. If he snatched it away now, he would be down the other end of the alleyway before she even screamed for help.
She turned halfway, facing him now.
His hand paused midway, fingers curling into a loose fist as he regarded her with a cool look.
"If you carry my stuff," she abruptly held the empty basket up, rattling it in the air. "I'll pay you for it."
His brows knitted together on the proposal. He stared at her, a scowl marring his face.
"I'm not your shitty servant—"
"I never said you were," she responded smoothly. Her head tipped to the side, an amiable smile curling her lips. "I'm just suggesting that if you're gonna follow me around, make something out of it at least."
Levi stared at her, contemplating whether she was serious or was she simply insane. He tensed, steeling himself to the ground when she moved swiftly and tossed the basket his way.
His hand caught it on reflex, clutching the sturdy handle. Levi blinked down at it, perplexed.
"Well?"
Silver eyes snapped back up to her. Her feet shifted slightly, the ends of her skirt drifting along her ankles as she smirked, raising a brow.
"You in or what?"
.
.
.
.
.
They passed by a group of military police, half of them drunk as their loud laughter echoed in the air.
Levi glanced at them from the corner of his eyes. Fingers brushed along his elbow, pinching the fabric of his ragged shirt. His gaze snapped to his side and the girl gently tugged at his sleeve again as she murmured. "Stay close."
He bit back a snarl and ripped his arm away from her.
She remained unfazed, casually walking beside him with her gaze set forward. He tightened his grip on the basket handle, slowing his pace down slightly so she could match his faster strides.
With her, he faintly pictured himself looking like a normal teenager. A young boy out to run errands for his family; not a teen thug working under the Ripper.
"Let's go in there."
He halted the moment she turned, straying towards a building. She neared the door of the place, looking back at him expectantly. She lifted a hand and beckoned him to follow. He shot her a dull glare but eventually traipsed ahead as well.
A bell jingled noisily above their heads once they stepped inside. His gaze swept across the place immediately. It looked like a restaurant, the amiable chatter of patrons filling the air.
Levi warily settled down on one of the wooden benches, setting the empty basket beside him.
The girl took a seat across from him, her elbows propped on the table as she waved at the busy waiters.
"Excuse me!"
Levi's eyes strayed towards the window at his left.
Outside people bustled about, a few military uniforms flashing by every now and then. He faintly wondered what Kenny would say if he were to find Levi here, among these topsiders, in a restaurant where children were chortling happily as they stuffed their faces with food he had barely ever seen than tasted.
His stomach churned.
"What can I get ya?"
A water stood by the table, hands clasped together.
Levi realized he was the one being asked since the girl was staring at him too, quietly prompting him to say something. The corner of his mouth twitched downwards.
"Tea," he said tersely.
Faint amusement flickered across the girl's face. He shot her a dull glare as she turned to the waiter.
"Can we have a fresh pie too?" She asked, smiling politely. "And a glass of honeyed milk, please."
The waiter dipped his head and left.
The two of them were finally left alone for once. Levi stared at her, meeting her intrigued gaze and refused to look away even for a second. He folded his arms across his chest, glaring as she leaned forward on her elbows, her blue eyes shining in curiosity.
"What's your name?" She asked.
For a moment, he considered not answering her.
"Kenny," Levi said evenly.
"…Kenny?" She echoed back, brows furrowing. The corners of her eyes crinkled in amusement. "Like the Ripper?"
Levi's expressions remained stoic, a mild look of boredom on his face. She snorted, shaking her head as she rested her elbows on the table. He waited for her to say something in return, probably share her name too. But they fell back into silence once more, the chatter of the other patrons loud around them.
The waiter appeared beside their table. He placed down a tray heavy with food and Levi dragged the kettle closer, pouring down steaming tea into his porcelain cup.
A small plate was set before him.
He glanced at the freshly cut piece of pie on top of it before looking up again. The girl smiled, taking up a spoon as she dug into her own piece.
"I'm paying for it," she said calmly, as if reading his thoughts. She shoved the spoonful into her mouth and hummed around it. "So try to relax a little, alright?"
"How kind of you," he muttered dryly, stirring sugar into his tea.
"Hey, Kenny." He kept his focus on the teacup, not bothering to look up as she clutched the tall glass of honeyed milk. "You're not from here, are you?"
"What's it to you?" He snapped back.
She watched curiously as he clutched the teacup from the top and lifted it to his lip. The hot liquid sloshed down his throat, easing his mind momentarily. Fuck, this was some good shit. The tea leaves were probably freshly picked and tasted amazing. Nothing like that bitter shit Kenny brought home.
"You could burn your fingers that way," she commented.
He ignored her fully, taking another huge gulp. His mouth burned from the heat.
"Everyone's pretty excited about the spring festival," she sighed, sipping the glass of milk as she glanced outside the window. "That's why they have so many military police patrolling the area too."
Levi placed the cup back into the saucer, reaching for the kettle again. The teaspoon clinked as he stirred sugar into the teacup, softly blowing at the curling steam before he was raising it to his mouth.
"It's pretty usual for pickpockets to be around at this time," the girl continued blabbering in the background.
His eyelids fell shut in a brief moment of bliss as he took another sip, reveling in the aroma and taste of the hot beverage. Her voice reached his ears again.
"Is that why you have a knife in your boot?"
His eyes flew open and Levi slammed the teacup back onto the table with a loud clack. He stared at her, eyes unblinking and she smiled over the rim of her glass, looking faintly amused.
Levi clenched his jaw. "How the fuck do you know—"
"It rattles when you walk," she answered honestly. His flat stare remained fixed on her as she shrugged, placing the glass back on the table.
"You should be careful," she advised, reaching for her spoon again. "If it's not cased well, you'll end up cutting yourself—"
Rough fingers clasped her wrist. Blue eyes snapped upwards, meeting his steely cold gaze, and Levi stared at her silently. His fingers tightened and she visibly winced when he grinded together the bones in her wrist.
"Ow, ow, ow! I'm not telling anyone, okay?" She grumbled, tugging at her hand. His fingers remained clasped around her wrist in a vice grip as she sighed in annoyance. "Calm down a little, will you?"
Levi scowled, still holding onto her pliant wrist. She turned her head to the side, a friendly smile tugging her lips and he followed her gaze. The waiter's confused face entered his line of sight as he watched them from across the room and he heard her sigh once more as she wriggled her fingers in his iron-like grip.
"Can I just have some pie, please?"
With a grimace, he released her. She picked up the spoon first, placing it on her plate before she caressed her wrist. From his seat, Levi could easily make out the imprints of his hard fingers left on her skin.
"It's alright," she hummed, picking up the spoon once more. "Let's just have a good lunch for now."
He spared her a cautious glance as she dug into the piece of pie and closed her lips around the spoonful.
Levi had never been to a library before.
Unbidden, he remembered his mother talking about libraries once, a faraway look in her glazed eyes with her hands curled around a cup of lukewarm tea. She told him about the tall racks filled with colorful books that he could read as much as he wanted and never ever get bored.
He maintained his nonchalant attitude once both of them had strayed into the library. There were barely any people there, the person at the counter hidden behind a huge newspaper, unaware of their presence.
"Let's go to the last aisle," the girl murmured to him.
He trailed after her, taking his time in examining the tall bookshelves as he tried to match everything with what his mother had once described.
Long window panes lined the walls, sunlight slipping in through the slanted glass. He could see the crowds of people outside, but the loud racket of the market barely reached within the thick walls of the building.
The girl started again, unbridled excitement lacing her voice this time.
"This is the best time to come here."
Silver eyes focused on the back of her head, boredly noting the sway of that blonde braid as she babbled on carelessly. "There's barely anyone here so we can get whatever book we want."
She waved her hand in the air, motioning towards an aisle and Levi halted a few steps behind her. He craned his neck back, looking up at the tall book rack.
"Wait right here, Kenny!"
He stood silently as she retrieved a ladder from somewhere. The wheels at its end squeaked as she rolled the ladder to the side and grasped onto the bars.
Within seconds, she was climbing it up.
"I'll throw the books down," she said, continuing to climb upwards. "You catch them, alright?"
He momentarily considered kicking the ladder aside. She would fall and break a bone or two and he would be off with her watch and belongings, leaving her there groaning on the floor.
"Catch!"
A book fell from above, its pages flapping noisily in the air. His hand shot out, catching it with relative ease. His fingers dug into the cover and he looked up with a frosty glare. From the top steps, the girl smiled down sheepishly at him.
"Sorry," she apologized meekly. "I'll give you a warning next time."
Levi tsked under his breath, holding the book with both hands as he watched her strum her fingers along the spines of the books. She tugged out another, reading the cover once before she tossed it back in the air.
"Put them in the basket."
He snatched it in midair, wordlessly dumping it into the basket as he stood by the ladder, impatiently waiting for her to climb down again.
.
.
.
.
There weren't any pictures.
Levi stared down at the pale pages. Numbers were mixed in with words, multiple diagrams of different shapes drawn across some of the pages in charcoal and ink. His brows scrunched together in sheer confusion. He barely looked up when another set of books were dropped onto the tabletop with a dull thump.
The girl looked over at him curiously, standing across the table he was seated at.
"Do you understand any of it?" She inquired, pulling out a chair and settling down before him. "The numbers and everything?"
I don't understand shit. He hated admitting that he didn't know something, it was like giving the opponent the impression that he was weaker than them. He kept his gaze on the page, ignoring her completely as he narrowed his eyes at the numerous small ? written alongside the numbers. What the actual fuck is this anyway?
In the end, he leaned back in his chair. His arms crossed across his chest as he set his ankle over his knee, looking around the place in sheer boredom.
Before him, the girl sat reading intensely. Her brows were furrowed, her face pinched in absolute concentration as she focused on whatever shit was written on the open book clasped in her hands.
A hushed giggle filled the air.
Silver eyes drifted sideways, pausing on the couple sitting far from them. They were seated far in the corner, the girl occasionally giggling whenever the boy muttered something to her. Levi watched boredly as she inched closer in her chair, nearing the boy seated beside her. Their shoulders touched and he heard the boy mutter something again, not audible enough to hear before they both fell silent.
From his seat, he could clearly see the tips of the boy's ears flushing red.
"It's rude to stare at people."
Steely eyes snapped forward. She was watching him closely, searching his face with those clear blue eyes.
He narrowed his eyes dangerously.
She inclined her head, a slow smirk curling her lips before the book clamped shut between her hands.
Levi sat vigilant in his seat, watching her slowly rise from her chair. She pushed the closed book aside and placed both of her palms on the table, hands flattening against the polished wood as she leaned forward on them.
His hand gradually shifted over his boot, the blade stiff against the back of his shin.
"Hey, Kenny."
The blonde braid slipped past her shoulder, the curled end touching the tabletop as she teetered closer, the wood creaking under her weight. Her eyes flickered brilliantly.
"Can I ask you something?"
The sun was setting once they walked out the library. He carried the basket heavy with books, trailing after her as she hummed, a song thrumming in her throat as she walked before him. There was a playful skip in her step as she trudged ahead, arms folded behind her back.
Levi stared at her back as they threaded through the marketplace, his hands clenched around the basket handle in a white-knuckled grip. He was careful not to break it.
He stopped in his tracks, his throat awfully dry as he called.
"Oi."
The girl halted. She turned to face him, hanging her head sideways. "Yes, Kenny?"
Levi pursed his lips, clutching the basket with all its heavy books. His heart stirred within his chest and he swallowed thickly, frowning at her. They stood under the lanterns of a tavern, loud drunk laughter echoing out from inside it.
People were scattered across the lit up streets, too engaged in their own world to notice the scene unfold before them.
"What's—" he hesitated momentarily. The girl's eyes sharpened and she stood straighter, standing on her tiptoes to peek over his head. Levi gritted his teeth. "What's your na—"
Her firm voice interrupted him.
"There's a man following us."
Levi paused. He quickly shifted on his feet, looking behind himself. Amongst the crowds of strangers, he could make out the silhouette of a tall man in a hat.
Ice seeped into his veins.
Shit. The hair on the back of his neck rose in alarm, his muscles tensing as his grip tightened on the basket handle. The man seemingly noticed him as well, moving forward and Levi pivoted swiftly, almost yelling.
"Oi," his voice grew hoarse, "you need to run—"
He stopped when she gathered the side of her skirt in a fist, sleek metal peeking out from atop her shin. His eyes widened in realization as she fiddled with the thin strap.
How the fuck had he not noticed—
A familiar hand fell atop his shoulder. His breath hitched as the man near him leaned closer, tipping his hat up to observe the basket in his arms.
"The hell is this?" Kenny grumbled, arching a brow at the books. "Where'd you even get this from, Le—"
"Get away from him."
The quiet click of metal followed. Levi's intense gaze locked onto the gun aimed at the man standing beside him. Kenny whistled, standing up straight to his full, towering height this time as the hand on Levi's shoulder felt like a crushing weight, bearing down heavily on him.
"Huh," Kenny smirked, low and faint. Levi stiffened as the man raised his brows. "Now who the hell is she supposed to be?"
She stood with her arms steady, her face impassive and eyes locked on him. A deep frown etched her lips, and her firm posture alone told him that she clearly knew what she was doing. Her grip never wavered and she stood firm in her spot, eyes narrowed.
Guns were rare, too rare even in the black market. There were rumors that people in the military were supplying it to their families and friends, offering them protection in case of their absence.
Maybe her brother being in the Corps wasn't a bluff after all.
"I said," she said warningly, "get away from him."
Hard fingers dug into Levi's shoulder. He held onto the basket loosely as Kenny remained absolutely calm, regarding the girl with a look of sheer amusement. Levi stiffened when he felt Kenny shift slightly, a dangerous smirk curling the man's lips and Levi gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing.
"Stop."
Surprised blue eyes shifted his way, but Levi wasn't talking to her. He was looking up at the man beside him, his spine rigid. Levi glared furiously, jaw clenched.
"Don't hurt her." He frowned.
The girl appeared perplexed, her brows drawing close. Kenny clicked his tongue in distaste, glancing back at him in boredom.
"Tch, you're no fun," he grumbled reluctantly, letting his arm drop to the side.
Levi glanced back at the girl, the gun still in the air with her grip tight around it. He stooped down and set the basket on the ground. Kenny watched him for a moment longer before he yawned, turning around with a lazy wave of his hand.
"I'll be at the stair entrance, brat. Don't make me wait."
Levi glared at his retreating back. He tore his gaze away, looking back at the girl. She had lowered the gun, blinking at him with wide eyes. He shifted his weight onto his other foot, the back of Kenny's beige trench coat entering his line of sight and Levi cursed under his breath, refraining to look back at her again as he took a step forward, stalking ahead further and further.
Until he was walking away from her and following after the bastard that had brought him out of that disgusting brothel.
His hands curled into fists by his sides, eyes sharpening into cold hard steel.
"Hey!"
He halted instinctively, glancing over his shoulder.
Something was thrown his way, an abrupt glimmer under the bright lantern lights. He caught it with one hand, clutching the smooth round object tightly into his curved palm.
Levi stared down at the golden pocket watch, his fingers taut around it. Perhaps if he squeezed it any harder, it would crack and crumble in his grip.
He promptly looked up again and saw her hoisting the basket with a grimace. Her gaze met his and she smiled brightly, holding the heavy basket against her hip.
"Your payment!"
Levi watched silently as she turned around, her back facing him as she trudged off into the busy crowds of the night. He stood there, unmoving, until he could no longer see the swish of that golden braid anymore.
"Gotta girlfriend, eh?"
"Piss off." He fired back, slamming the door behind him.
Kenny plopped down on the couch, stretching his arms along the headrest. Levi could feel the man's eyes on him, hot on his back as he made his way to the basin in the side of the room.
He splashed cold water on his face.
"If you had there any longer and those military shits would've got ya," Kenny frowned. "Y'know, that's how long the contract goes, right, Levi? You can only be up there till the sun's up and then they can get y—"
"I know," he muttered loud enough for the man to hear.
Levi grabbed a fresh towel, wiping at his face. Kenny regarded him with a pointed look and he gripped the towel tighter.
"What?" He snapped.
"It's not like you to make mistakes," Kenny commented, dissecting him with those familiar eyes. Levi hated it when he did that. It made him feel small again, a child clinging to a bedside that reeked of rotting flesh. "You've always been pretty careful out there."
"It was nothing," he grumbled, neatly hanging the drying towel back on the line. "She said she'd pay me if I carried her shit, that's why I lost track of time."
"She had a gun, Levi." Kenny said flatly.
Levi's brow twitched, his lips pressing into a straight line but he remained quiet. Kenny continued, looking up at him with a calculating stare. "The brat must have connections in the military."
He could say that her brother was in the Corps, but he had known that beforehand. The fact she had the thing strapped to her shin and he didn't know—
Levi grimaced, calmly looking down at the sprawled man on the couch.
Kenny's eyes seemed to bore into him, trying to pick him apart with that blank stare alone.
Levi inhaled quietly.
His resolve would crumble soon enough if Kenny kept staring at him like that, like he was fully aware that Levi had more to share than he was actually letting on and that was the truth. He hated being this loyal, to be this answerable. But Kenny had been the one to give him a home and taught him how to survive in this shithole.
But there were also Kenny's eyes, the shape of them and the color, that reminded him faintly of his mother. Except that his mother's eyes were more forlorn and hollow, always looking at the cracked door as if waiting for someone—
"Go to bed." Kenny said finally.
Levi stared at him, breath quietly tugging past his lips. Kenny produced a cigarette from his trench coat, searching his pockets for a match.
Levi scrunched his nose in disgust, holding back from ripping the cigarette out the man's mouth and tossing it into the garbage can. Instead he went for the door, his hand reaching for the handle when Kenny's grim voice called from behind.
"And sell that damn thing in the mornin'."
His fingers halted over the doorknob immediately. The golden watch sat heavy in his pocket, and Levi grunted in acknowledgment, opening the door and closing it behind him.
.
.
.
.
.
He stood in his bedroom, back pressed against the door.
His hand slipped into his pocket, fingers clutching the watch as he tugged it out. The chain fell noisily to the side, hanging down his wrist. Levi turned the watch in his hand, observing it closely in the light of the candles in the room.
His thumb glided over its smooth surface before his nail caught on a subtle groove running along it. He raised the watch higher, silver eyes squinting in the dark.
A carved S stood out in the dimly lit bedroom.
He traced the engraving with his thumb again before flipping the top open. Inside, the clock hands turned with an audible tick tick tick, resonating in the silence of the room around him.
His mind reeled back to the towering book racks in the library, the splay of thin fingers along the polished wood and the dip of a golden braid as curious blue eyes looked down at him.
"Hey," there had been a flicker of an emotion in her eyes, one that he couldn't quite recognize as her lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Can I ask you something?"
The pocket watch clamped shut with an audible clack in his hand.
The next day someone tried attacking Kenny.
Within seconds, Levi pounced on him. Kenny stood back in the crowd, watching as Levi continued thrashing the man, kicking him over and over again until blood was hurling out of the idiot's mouth.
Levi grabbed him by the collars, snarling in his face.
The man's eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped, unconscious.
Levi wiped the blood dripping down his broken nose, his gaze flitting searchingly through the jeering crowd.
Something heavy settled ponderously in the pit of his stomach when he watched Kenny's receding figure, the ripple of that bloodied trench coat in the air as the man moved further and further into the dirty alleyway until—
Levi could no longer see him anymore.