The Red String of Fate

Promises

"Now sir, if you tell anyone what happened here today, this – 'harlot' – as you called her, will not hesitate to make it so you can never speak again" Furlan instructed him, showing off him the ID he removed from the wallet, when suddenly all three realized the man had vacated his bladder on the sidewalk, likely from fear. As disgusted as they were, they knew they couldn't afford to get caught and Furlan sent the man off with only his entry pass to get back to the surface, and a worn leather wallet. The three teenagers used the opportunity of the man crying in the alleyway to get away quickly and navigated their way to a safe place.

"that was fucking disgusting" Anya cried out once they were unable to be seen "what if we had stepped in it?" she gagged out loud, and shuddered.

"well to be fair, you didn't have to go that far" Levi retorted with a grin, reached his hand out for Anya's knife.

"Okay but he put his hands on me" her expression turned cold and vacant while handing off the blade to Levi, locking eyes with him.

"that's my little Harlot" Levi gently nudged the girl while wiping off the blade "for real though, you really do act crazy really well. None of those assholes would ever know that you cry when you have to squish a spider" he met her eyes and smiled before looking at Furlan. "So how much did we get anyway?"

"enough" Furlan responded, recounting the cash in his hands "but we should probably wait a few weeks before pawning that jewelry". As Furlan turned around, out of the corner of his eye he caught Levi pulling Anya into his lap and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Levi asked while thoroughly examining Anya's arm, softly caressing the skin.

Anya looked down, feeling her face get hot as she was blushing at his touch. She still hadn't gotten used to the idea that Levi was hers. They hadn't been together long, just a few weeks, but the shift in their relationship was clear not only to them but to everyone around them. The feelings Anya thought had been unrequited for as long as she could remember turned out to be shared, and she couldn't have been happier. "I'm fine, I promise" She reassured him, and planted a soft kiss on his forehead that made him blush.

"good, if anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I would do" Levi whispered in her ear, moving his forehead to hers and staring affectionately in each other's eyes.

"my god you two" Furlan huffed "are you forgetting you are thirteen?"

"are you forgetting you're fifteen?" Anya looked up with a sly tone in her voice as she rubed her arm, knowing Furlan hated that he was the oldest in the group because it made him feel responsible for their care, their actions, and their injuries.

"or are you forgetting that we've known each other since before we could even walk?" Levi piped up

"or are you forgetting that you are actively *fucking* my cousin?" Anya added

Furlan looked down with shame, his blonde hair getting in his eyes. "Fine. Lets go drop Anya off" he suggested, and started walking towards Anya's house.

"I think we're going to stay here a while" Levi suggested, pulling Anya close to him while she nodded, looking up through the sewer grates at the moon and stars.

"they're so pretty" she mused, looking up at the glittering landscape above her, obscured by metal, wood, and ceilings of dirt.

"You're prettier" Levi quipped back, cupping her face with one hand while the other held tightly onto her waist.

Year: 835, Early Summer.

"Do you think she's even coming tonight?" Furlan asked, staring up at Anya's bedroom window