Eyes of the Midari

Part 9

Levi

He was home. He knew the second the smell of his mother's perfume graced his senses. She only ever sprayed it in her room, but somehow, it traveled throughout their entire apartment. It reminded him of fresh flowers. A fresh smell for a dreary home. He rose from his bed slowly, God, he had an awful headache.

As dreary as their apartment was, the laughter from the living room made it worth it. Levi exited his bedroom and a smile bloomed on his face when he saw his brothers playing across every piece of furniture.

Thomas was around twelve years old. You could tell from his lanky arms and legs that haven't grown into his body yet. He looked like one of the red monkeys out of the barrel, except with a head of shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was currently hiding behind the couch, pointing his fingers in the form of a gun at our youngest brother, Braden.

Levi leaned against the wall in amusement at Braden army crawling across the floor toward him. He looked down at his baby brother and smiled.

Braden looked up through his shaggy brown hair; his green eyes glinted with mischief. "Help a brother out will ya?"

"Oh but of course." He picked up his brother's body with ease. "You know what they say, every man for himself."

Levi chucked him onto the couch right in front of Thomas's fake gun, Braden yelled, "Traitor!"

Thomas didn't hesitate and pretended to shoot Braden right between the eyes. Braden began twitching and sputtering as if he was running out of breath.

Levi rolled his eyes, "You would have already been dead."

"It's called acting, Levi." He continued to convulse.

"Will you boys try and keep the house nice? I just cleaned and Mother will be home soon."

Levi's heart leaped to the ceiling, oh how he loved Corinna's voice. His angelic sister rounded the corner with her hands on her hips. She was wearing mom's apron and had her long blonde hair clipped atop her head in a messy state. Her freckles contorted across her face and pointed a finger at Levi.

"Big brothers are supposed to keep order. Not add to the flame."

She stomped into the kitchen and Levi followed, "Come on Corinna, you take life too seriously. I swear you are a forty-year-old woman trapped in a fifteen-year-old body."

"I pity the forty-year-old woman for having to deal with you lot, instead of being at peace." She crossed her arms. "You came home late last night."

Levi raised a brow, "Stalking much?"

"You can hear everything in this house, especially that creaky old door. Where were you, Levi?"

"With some friends downtown."

Levi wasn't about to tell her the close call he had between him and his team. Damn foreigners causing a ruckus.

She gave me an unconvinced look, her blue eyes dimmed. "You worry Mom doing what you do. You worry me too."

Levi proceeded to empty his pockets and unloaded his haul from the night before, well most of it. "It keeps food on the table Cory. I will do what I must to keep my family alive."

She blew a stray gold lock out of her face, "You could get an honest job?"

"Where's the fun in that?" He slipped a gold chain behind his back and motioned her to turn around. She sighed but turned all the same. He slipped the golden locket around his sister's dainty neck.

Levi held up the bottom of a pan for her to see, she gasped as he smiled, "Happy birthday Cory."

Despite her previous annoyance, she couldn't keep the smile off her face.