BENEATH (Levi: An Underground Story)

Chapter 4: To Be Understood

Water.

Without a clear understanding as to why, that was the first thing that came to Levi's mind as he met the girl's eyes under the opening atop the cavern of the sewers.

Seeing the family was a little unnerving for Levi. First there were two persons with the same face. As if that wasn't enough, now the girl went from being a boy to a girl.

Nevertheless, they shared so much in common. There was no doubt about their relations. That's family for you.

It had him wondering which parts of his mother he got. Eyes? Hair? Lips?

In the back of his mind, he also wondered which parts of him were from Kenny. After all, Kenny stuck with him for quite some time for a reason, right?

Anyway, it was the girl's eyes that really caught him.

That night as he held a knife to her throat, he simply noted that she had her mother's green eyes but were wide like her father's.

The combination alone of the features made the girl's eyes rather striking to Levi. Moreover, despite her initial reactions towards him, her eyes generally gave him a gentle impression.

Which doesn't really help him understand the emotions behind them. Her eyes are way too expressive for him.

He can barely keep up and he only met her briefly.

Right now however, Levi is pretty sure he can see irritation in her eyes. Clear as daylight shining on them.

"Huh, makes two of us, " he thought equally annoyed.

Levi eyed her as she tried to reach for him once more.

As one who wasn't particularly fond of physical touch, it's not as if he was showered with them. He had impolitely pushed her away the first time.

Alright, maybe a little harshly.

Sending her staggering back due to his strength and landing on her ass again.

She obviously didn't like that.

But hey, the only person to ever handle him gently was his mother. Sadly enough, he couldn't even remember what it felt like.

Kenny wasn't exactly someone to caress a little boy.

The little girl should probably cut him some slack, seriously.

To Levi, her actions were foreign and strange. They were so unusual in the Underground. His instinct kicks in making him decline her good intentions purely out of his wariness.

What she did next visibly made Levi's eyes widen.

At first he thought she was simply going to gently grasp his arm again so he made a move to reject her again and then...

She slapped his hand away and fixed him with a glare.

Too stunned to retaliate like he would have normally done, Levi bizarrely found himself being obliging.

Had it been another thug or delinquent like him from the Underground, he was positive he would have slammed, kicked, or punched the person right there and then.

Her boldness obviously bothered him but not as much as the fact he was letting her.

"Do that again..." she spoke before tapping his arm making him flinch, "and I'll do that in return."

Without a clue as to how to react, Levi gruffly conceded and let the girl treat him.

"Do you even know what you're doing?"