Chapter Text
The growling in your stomach amplified as the pain grew more intense. You bit down on your chapped lips to prevent yourself from whimpering; choosing to cling tighter to the thin, bony arm of your brother. You were so hungry, but you knew your pain was nothing compared to Levi’s. Any food you managed to scrounge up (including giant bugs scurrying around) he gave to you. It had been a few days since your mother died. She still lay in her bed, her face growing skeletal, like your own, due to slow decay. She had gotten sick from one of her customers. Levi did his best to shield you from the gruesome sight of her deceased body. But both of you were growing so frail and thin. His cloudy eyes were now dark and sunk into his face, twiggy legs sticking out of an oversized shirt. Such delicate arms encircled you, holding onto you like you were his anchor to life. Every time he felt your body go limp he’d panic, thinking you were dead too.
“Stay with me (y/n). . .” His voice would croak in a monotonous tone. “Please. . . Don’t leave me too. . .”
And then came the day when a towering man came into your dirty, filth ridden shack. A man with a menacing face who didn’t even register the two starving children huddled together.
“Ya seem to have lost a lot of weight, Kuchel.” He addresses your dead mom. There was a softness in his voice. You caught yourself wondering what his connection was with her. He called her ‘Kuchel’. All the other men that had visited her called her ‘Olympia’.
“She’s dead.” Your older brother’s voice is barely above a whisper.
The man sends you two a sideways glance, finally taking in your presence. “And you two? Are you alive?”
You had no strength to even reply. Only sinking further into your brother’s chest. It appeared neither did Levi for he stayed silent.
He seemed to grow short from the lack of a reply. “Whoa, gimme a break. Ya understand me, right? What’s your name?”
“Levi. . . Just Levi.”
“And the girl? Or is she dead too?”
“(y/n).” Levi spoke for you.
Slumping against the wall, the stranger slides down until he is sitting on the ground. “I see. . . Kuchel. Guess you’re right. . . It’s not even worth telling me your name. I’m Kenny. Just Kenny. I. . . knew Kuchel. Nice to meet you.”
Finally he had a name. Kenny. He took in both you and Levi and gave you food. Better yet, once both of you were strong again, he taught you how to fight. How to grip a knife, how to swing a knife; everything to ensure you made it in the Underground. Even if Kenny had saved you and taken you into his home, you could never bring yourself to call him dad- it seemed neither could Levi. He didn’t act like a dad. Not that you knew what a dad acted like.
You were three years younger than Levi and always tottered after him like a little duck in the Underground. He didn’t seem to mind though. He preferred you stick close to him, it was dangerous otherwise. The years of malnutrition had stunted both of your growth. You in particular were very tiny, shorter than the other children you saw running around in the streets. Due to your size you were always a major target of thieves or anyone who just wanted to mess with you. Lucky for you though your older brother had a perpetual glare that seemed to turn people into stone. If they didn’t heed his glare, he’d teach them a lesson not to mess with you. Not his (y/n). When push came to shove you would pull out your little knife to defend yourself. A few months after Kenny had taken you in, a man had grabbed you and was going to walk away with you until you stabbed him in his eye.
One day while Levi was in a fight with a man, drawing a crowd, you spotted Kenny. He watched Levi as he stomped on the man’s face and finally threaten him with the blade of his knife. As Levi’s victim passed out, Kenny left. Never returning again.
“We don’t need him (y/n).” Levi shrugged and sliced a piece of bread for you.
“But why do you think he left?” That’s what bothered you the most. Kenny was always the cold and distant type. But why all of sudden did he just up and leave you two?
“Who cares.” His gray eyes soften when your own drop down to stare solemnly at your food. “We’ll be fine. Just the two of us.”
You hesitantly hold out your small pinky toward him. There’s the faintest hint of a smile on his lips as he intertwines his pinky with your’s.
And it would always be the two of you.
Levi proved to be exceptionally strong and fast; people grew to fear him in the Underground even at the mention of his name. Being younger, you were always behind in training, not quite as strong or quick like your brother- yet. It took two years before you were anywhere near Levi’s calabre. He always preferred you didn’t get your hands dirty with fighting. You found your own way to support you and Levi; being small did have it’s advantages that allowed you to duck near stalls where no one would see you and steal food and even, if you felt lucky, steal someone’s wallet. Your hands were fast as lightning. Eventually you proved to be capable of protecting yourself. Even so, Levi made sure to never leave you alone for too long and keep an eye on you. There were times when he’d be gone most of the night, those were the days you felt most vulnerable. Sure you could take down anyone who was stupid enough to break into your small living quarters, but Levi had always been your security blanket. You always felt the safest when Levi was beside you. Ever since you were little you had always shared a bed with him. He was your cuddle buddy. So you’d force yourself to stay up all night, knife ready in hand.
“Tch. What’re you doing? Don’t tell me you’ve been awake this entire time.” He scowls at you and puts down his burlap sack.
You rub at your stinging eyes. “I was waiting for you to come home.” You mumble and finally allow your hand to relax and put down your knife.
His hand pushes down on your face and forces you to lay on the bed. “It’s almost morning. You can’t keep doing this. You need your sleep. Otherwise you’re gonna look like one of those hags down the street that sell themselves. Do you want that?”
“No. . .” You pull up the blankets to your chin and put on your best puppy eyes.
Levi’s eye twitches, trying to stay firm with you. Defeated he lets out a sigh and kicks off his shoes. “Scoot over. I’m tired.” You move enough that he can slip in under the covers and then wrap yourself around him. Levi groans. “You’re too small to keep being the big spoon (y/n).”
Nuzzling your face between his shoulder blades you giggle “Shut up brat.”
“You’re gonna get it when I wake up.” He warns you before falling asleep.
“I love you too Levi.” You smile and place a small kiss on his shoulder.