(snk) Ways to Say Goodbye

Chapter 4: Reverie

A/N: Hallo! I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out. School is extremely intense this year. Anyway, please forgive my mini-hiatus and read and review!

<3

<Your POV>

Age: 10

Year: 846

It had been two years since you had first met the gang. Since then you had grown tremendously, both in confidence and in size. You were now 10. Isabel was like an older sister to you, teaching you all the ways of womanhood, how to stand up to two boys, and most importantly, how to clean up a mess faster than Levi could detect it. As a result, you and she had only been chased out of the home with a broom twice. Almost as soon as you were formally accepted into the small family, Farlan began teaching you everything from arithmetic to literature. You weren't very strong with arithmetic, but that was partially your mindset; knowing how to add 5+17 wouldn't feed you on the streets. However you yearned to read more and more. Farlan only had a few books, but one was in a language he called 'French'. You eagerly absorbed every word of it, attempting to make sense of the odd spellings and letters. Farlan tried to instruct  you, forcing his firm lesson plans onto you, but your stubborn personality prevented his success most of the time. Although the two, both on the verge of twenty, actively tried to give you the upbringing they never had, you had actually learned the most from Levi.

He ignored you, of course. It was his job, to make you tough. You had learned a long time ago that nobody soft survived down here. But the way he exemplified himself, discreetly chose actions that would allow you to pick up certain skills, served as a major growth point in your life. It was from the short but muscular man that you learned how to steal, how to find a use to almost everything, and how to discipline yourself. Of course, the first few times you misbehaved, he would give you a stern talking-to. then possibly punish you by depriving you of a meal if it was bad enough, but after a while you stopped messing up. Or rather, you turned bad situations into good ones fast enough that nobody noticed your mistakes. It was a skill that you highly prized yourself for having developed. Well, that, and your exceptional navigation skills. 

"Listen, [f/n], you're fast, okay? Just remember the plan." Isabel looked you firmly in the eyes. "I know you can do it." You nodded seriously in agreement. Despite only being 10 years of age, you were exceptionally quick on your feet, as well as in your mind. This would be your first heist. "I'm ready," you said, dawning your dark green hood and clenching your fists determinedly. 

"Let's go." Levi mouthed, little  breath escaping his lips. The three  of them pushed off, flying into the sky . You desperately wanted to fly alongside them, but there were only three sets of maneuver gear, and plus, Levi said the strain on your small bones would do stuff to your body, make you turn out like Farlan's mother. Your mind clicked into focus and you began sprinting to the stand Farlan and Isabel had discreetly inspected the morning before. You were nearing it when a large crash resonated from behind you. Good, you thought, not even bothering to turn around. Right on track. While everyone was looking at the damage Isabel had caused both to herself and the property around her, you slowed to a walk, then an amble. You made your way around the back of the booth, then into the tent. Okay, still clear. The tender was staring at the wreckage, too stupefied to move. You slowly moved closer to him. There was no way that he hadn't noticed you... You reached for the coin satchel, preparing a knife in your dominant  hand, fingering it lightly, when suddenly you felt a hand clap down hard on your shoulder. You froze, then spun around fast to meet a knife point. Thank goodness you were too young to be afraid yet. In one quick motion, you slipped from the man's grasp, a self-defense move learned exclusively from Levi, then took off as fast as your legs could carry you. You burst out of the tent, pulling the flap out behind you, trying to knock as many things down behind you as possible in order to create an obstacle course for those perusing you. You swiveled your head around, looking for  your comrades. Isabel was still untangling yourself from the wreckage, Farlan desperately trying to help her while attempting to keep the mob at bay. Levi was nowhere to be seen, probably waiting up somewhere high or staging his part of the escapade. You heard shouts behind you, but were too afraid to turn around, scared that one moment would cost you your freedom forever. Having only lived four months in the underground, you had seen some pretty bad things, things that you prayed to God, the walls, anyone, would never happen to you. You turned into a narrow alleyway. It went deep into the confines of the buildings. Did you lose them? You made a turn, then heard feet pounding, more shouts. They were gaining distance fast, and your stickish legs wouldn't be able to take much more. Your feet were bloody from running through glass and metal shrapnel, and you left footprints on the dusty asphalt. You needed to get up, on top of something, fast, but you were sure that if you were even the slightest bit slow, they'd catch your legs and ankles and pull you down. Your legs ached, and a small pain in your ribcage stung like a lash, penetrating deep into your chest. How much longer...? If I can just lose them... Your mind raced with possibilities, trying to formulate an escape. C'mon... you urged yourself. Wait- suddenly you had an idea. You had observed every alleyway in this place. Each one had a specific marking, may it be a broken shop window or a crooked sign. If you could just remember those, form yourself a mental picture, then you'd have a map back home. For once your body ran on autopilot while your mind constructed the visual map. It took you a good three minutes; enough for your lungs to give out, leaving you wheezing, almost gone. But you ran on, somehow, not even thinking of your pursuers anymore. If you could make it back home, maybe Levi would be there, maybe Isabel and Farlan would already be there, they could help you. As much as you hated to need them, this was the only reasonable choice at the moment. You made three turns consecutively, finally making the last run slightly uphill. Almost there... you pushed your legs harder and harder, further than you thought possible. With your feet burning and your chest heaving and your lungs caving in, you made it up to the door, busting right in and bolting it shut, then collapsing like a ragdoll on the floor. After a few moments you pulled yourself up into a sitting position. You hadn't even noticed Levi, Isabel, and Farlan standing concerned in a semicircle in front of you.

"What happened out there, [f/n]?" Isabel asked curiously, but with worried undertones. You tried to speak, but your speech came out in staggared breaths.

"I'm so... sorry..." You looked down again. "I...I failed..."

The three looked down at you. 

Suddenly, Levi came close. He knelt down to you. "You're filthy, you know that?" You nodded, not even phased by his directness after your chase. 

"Yes sir," you whispered, catching your breath. "I'll clean this up." 

He nodded, but stayed squatting in front of you. "That was very brave of you, escaping those men without even calling for help. Are you hurt?" His eyes were like mirrors, hypnotizing but steadying at the same time. 

You shook your head. "J-just my feet, maybe." You looked at him, not at his features, but into his cold, weathered, never-not-caring soul. "I'm okay." You began to get up when the short man stopped you.

"NOT- on the floor. Isabel, fetch some rags and a bucket of water please. Farlan, are there any bandages left from our excursion last week?" 

The pale blonde nodded, running off to gather the bandages, Isabel close in track  behind him. 

Isabel helped you clean up while Levi went to prepare a late dinner. In no time your feet were wrapped in clean(ish) strips of fabric, and you had changed into new clothing. The four of you sat at the small, chipped table, eating the noodles that Levi had expertly prepared. Egg noodles with sesame seeds, flavored mildly with thyme and other French spices- his specialty. It was traditional for your small family to eat in silence; you had all been trained to eat fast, since food disappeared fast if the wrong person came along. 

"[F/n], [f/n]!" Farlan's voice woke you from your reverie, jolting you into the present. "Did you hear Levi's instructions?" You shook your head no, confused. He spoke again, more panicked this time. "If we don't finish cleaning by the time he gets back-" Farlan didn't want to finish that sentence. Last time one of them disobeyed Levi, they were forced to hand-wash everyone's sheets, thrice.

You immediately picked up the sponge from the window you had been polishing, and began violently scrubbing at the window in front of you. You wore your standard attire; a white blouse and brown pants, except now you donned a white bandanna covering your mouth and nose, as well as plastic gloves on your hands and a cloth covering your [h/c] hair. Farlan was busy with a broom, and Isabel feverishly trying to remove all hidden stains from the wood-panel floor. Despite your situation, you smiled. This was family. It didn't matter who had given birth to you, because these people had raised you, and they were your family. Blood didn't matter, only heart did. And you thanked the walls, the gods, anyone, that these kids had taken you in as one of their own, given you a place in the world when nobody else would.

A/N: So, how was  it? Feel free to comment below for things you'd like to see in upcoming chapters. This may have seemed like sort of a filler chapter, but I'm really trying to build character right now, show y'all what you've been through. Like? Dislike? Let me know!

xx

Petra