The Last Ackerman

Chapter 1: Kenny

Carla and Grisha laughed adoringly as Eren squealed, small hands clutching his blanket tightly, bright eyes gleaming with childish wonder. Across the city, Mikasa sat eating, her mother and father quietly speaking as they sat and sewed together. Mr and Mrs. Arlert peeked into their son's room, lovingly watching as their son napped, snoring quietly. Outside, snowflakes danced their way down, creating a small layer of snow outside. It was cold, but not too cold, and the three families each had a small fire lit inside, and the smell of warm broth and vegetables cooking. It was February 836, and the three who would become a trio in later years were living their second year. For now, all was peaceful.

Deep down in the underground, Kenny Ackerman could not be more confused. He stood just inside the walls of his crumbling home, arms slightly trembling and eyes desperately following after the woman who was sprinting away. He wanted nothing more than to run after her, screaming for answers, but he couldn't move. Slowly, he looked down into his arms, down into her sleeping face. He eyed her suspiciously, her small frame held in just one of his arms and swaddled with the remains of a blanket. There had been but a few words exchanged between Kenny and her mother.

"What?" Kenny had grumbled at the small figure standing in his doorway. He had been drinking himself into another stupor when she had knocked.

"I'm sorry, you won't remember me, we had a n-night together almost a year ago. She's yours, I can't look after her, I'm sorry." she had stumbled, before shoving the bundle into his arms and running.

Now, he watched her sleeping face. She was quiet, not a single mumble or groan, and her face was smooth, small tufts of brown hair peeking from under the blanket. There was no denying she was his, a fact he wasn't quite ready to admit. Emotions were hurtling around him, but for the most part, he was annoyed. What was he meant to do with a kid? He didn't have a clue how to change a shitty nappy, to feed her, clothe her, fuck, he could barely look after himself. He sighed and turned back on his heel, laying her down on the remnants of his couch. She still didn't stir.

He gave her one last look before heading back to his liquor bottles. As he walked, the old bottles, smashed glass and food remains crunched under his feet, and he cursed quietly to himself. A kid. He has a fucking kid. What the fuck was he meant to do?

She slept for several more hours as he fought with himself.

He couldn't keep her.

But what would happen if he didn't? He knew what the people down here were like.

So? He didn't have the time to care.

But she was HIS. flesh and blood. Not only that, but she's an Ackerman. One of the last.

As he pondered, his mind wandered to Levi. How old was he now? He didn't know. It had been years since he had left the boy. He smiled slightly at the memories of watching him learn to fight and live for himself. The kid could easily survive on his own now, and as much as he hated to admit it, Kenny was proud to admit that he is the reason Levi knows how to fight.

As the baby started to stir and whine, Kenny went and stood over her. Her tiny eyes fluttered open, bright green eyes watching him as she whined quietly. He picked her up awkwardly, resting her on the inside of his arm, her head in his massive palm. He noted how small she was compared to him.

"You and me now kid." she just stared at him and he chuckled. It was funny to him; he was an assassin, a ridiculously dangerous and feared man. And he had a fukin' kid. A tiny little thing, so helpless and reliant. "I guess I gotta give ya a name, right?" he pondered to himself. As he thought, he sat down, laying her on his legs. She wriggled and whined, knocking the blanket off her tiny shoulders. "Aha! Elysian. Sounds pretty cool tah me." he said.