Warnings: Angst, Language, Injury, Allusion to Abuse, Misunderstandings, Tension
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*Reader's POV*
You woke up the next morning to the cries of both twins, your head pounding with the headache after the harsh cry and strain of the day before. Even with the babies crying in the same room as you, you had to take a moment to wake up and reorient yourself, to figure out where you were.
You sat up in a large, queen bed, the sheets and comforter new since your bed in your apartment had been smaller, but the blankets thrown over the top were yours. You looked around at the room, a gleaming sheen of new pearl white walls giving the room an open and clean feeling, the furniture in the room the same that had been in your bedroom back home–even some of your decorations, down to throw pillows and blankets and pictures both personal and of things you were interested in were placed neatly and decoratively on top or within the furniture. Your books were in the same order as they'd been back home in the same bookshelf. When you shifted to get out of the bed, a charcoal grey carpet brought the airiness of the room back to a more grounded feel, the darker colored carpet warm and soft on your bare feet. Behind you, heavy dark grey curtains had been keeping the sun from waking you up earlier than you were ready, pulled closed over the window. And on the wall opposite where your bed was...
That was where the crying was coming from. There, the cribs you'd bought for the twins were sitting perfectly assembled and undamaged, and it was where the crying was coming from. The twins' space took up the other side of the room, though it wasn't cramped. There was the cribs, which you'd gotten at Walmart because it was a four-in-one crib and changing station, which when they outgrew cribs could be turned into a toddler bed, daybed, and then a full sized bed. Over in the corner was a toybox, a small bookcase with baby books and a few stuffed animals, and a soft looking rocking chair.
The entire room was a disorienting mixture of strange and familiar. It had some of your stuff in it, but it was also clearly not your bedroom, and set up by a stranger. You didn't know what to make of it.
A particularly loud cry from one of the twins made you wince, and you pushed any concerns about observing your surroundings aside for the time being, walking over to the cribs to pick up the twins one at a time and see what they wanted.
While they were tossed aside in all the fuss, you also saw that the babies had their respective baby blankets with them in the cribs, though neither of them cared about the blankets at the moment.
You started with Asa since he was closer to the side of the bed you'd rolled off, checking him over to make sure he wasn't cold, changing his diaper after discovering it was dirty, then temporarily putting him back in the crib to see if Ida had similar needs. Once you were done checking over their cleanliness and comfort, you carefully picked them both up and brought them over to the soft rocking chair to sit down and feed them both.
You knew Levi had said no breastfeeding because it supposedly hurt you somehow, but you hadn't had the chance to start pumping milk yet, and the twins were still getting used to latching on, feeding on a schedule, and feeding in general. It was far too early to be switching them to a bottle, in your opinion. Let them adjust to eating with you before you tried switching them to a bottle–still breastmilk, but not straight from the source, apparently.
While you waited for the twins to have their fill, your gaze went around the room, still feeling uneasy about waking up in a strange place. You hadn't walked up here yourself, you remembered as much, which meant that Levi had to have been the one to get you upstairs and into bed, and had to have been the one to put the twins down for bed.
Where was he now? Where were you, exactly? You had no idea where he'd taken you, only that he'd taken you. You remembered the iron gates of what must have been a fancy house, though you hadn't seen it in the darkness. You remembered being carried through the threshold, but that was about it.
Now you really wanted to get out of this room and see what your prison looked like. Sure, he'd said he wasn't locking you away here, but that didn't mean it was true. Maybe he just wanted to keep you content. How could you trust anything he said to you, especially about reality? And you doubted he had your best interests at heart.
Ida finished eating with the softest pop, squirming slightly and trying to look around before you picked her up and gently laid her on your shoulder as you'd been shown, giving her gentle, firm pats on the back to burp her while Ada continued to eat. You didn't mind if she spit up on your shirt, you needed to get dressed into something clean, anyway, since you were still wearing the same clothes as last night.
Once Ida burped, you laid her back down in your lap, waiting until Asa finished to do the same with him. You picked them both up and put them back in their cribs so you could get changed, wanting to explore the house and see how big it was and what was here first before you did anything else. You dug out your double wrap baby carrier, taking a few minutes to make sure you had it properly adjusted around yourself before picking up the twins and putting them into the proper places so you could carry them around while you looked around. Whenever you settled, you were also wearing a shirt that had a pocket in the front for concealed, easy skin to skin time, bit enough for both twins to be situated into. But it was only for when you were stationary and sitting down, which was why they were in the wrap for now, supported comfortably on either hip in the M position.
Once you were dressed and the twins were comfortable and secure, you quietly stepped out and into the hallway, looking around slowly to take in the sight of what you immediately pegged in your mind as a small mansion, or at the very least a very fancy house. The hallway you expected to step into was more like a U shaped balcony. You stood on one of it's legs, your own private bathroom–filled with all of your towels and bathroom supplies–off to your right at the end of the balcony, and when you moved to the left, you came to an actual hallway that ran along the base of the balcony parts and stretched beyond. One end of the normal hallway had another bathroom in it, in the middle were two doors that led to two separate guest bedrooms, and on the other end of the hall was a spiral staircase. The other balcony style hallway held another bedroom whose entrance was at the far end of the balcony hall, one that was sparsely decorated in more of a minimalist style with a bed that looked hardly touched, and a similar setup of newer, high end cribs and changing tables opposite the bed, including a firm arm chair in the corner. That must have been Levi's room. Closer to the base of the U was a third bathroom, which you assumed was for him–especially since it was styled more minimalist.
Looking over the balcony railing allowed you to look down into the opulent and large entryway of the house, down past the fancy chandelier and at the black marble floor, light streaming in through windows on either side of the double doors. A double grand staircase connected the foyer below to the base of the U shaped balcony hallway, and you were already heading towards the top of the stairs.
You glanced over at the spiral staircase, wondering if you should head up there, first. You didn't know where Levi was–he wasn't in his bedroom, or any of the other rooms on this second floor. He could be upstairs or downstairs, and you knew nothing about him to be able to guess if it was more likely for him to be up or down.
Down would probably have your standard stuff–living room, kitchen, pantry, maybe another bathroom. But upstairs...upstairs could be all kinds of things. Maybe it was just a fancy attic. Maybe it was a study or a library, or a home theatre. Who knew? This was a mansion, wasn't it?
You decided to head up the spiral staircase instead, noting that once you got to the third floor, the space was a bit more restrained, and hexagonal in shape. The crest of the stairs brought you to a doorway in a small space, and your hand rested on the knob, about to turn.
You registered a voice on the other side of the door, and you paused. A few more seconds, and you could tell it was Levi on the other side, though you hadn't yet figured out what he was saying.
Not wanting to see him right now, you quickly retreated from the door and back down the spiral staircase, deciding to investigate some other time and head down the grand staircase to investigate downstairs.
You'd seen the foyer from above, walking past the center white wooden table with your fingers grazing across the countertop before you took a right coming from the stairs and through double pocket doors. The floor remained marble, but turned to white instead of black, a large dining room with a large twelve person table, two glass door cabinets up against the eastern wall with two different sets of fine china on display inside, light streaming into the room from prairie windows on the west wall running the length of the dining room space, and on the north and south ends of the room as a whole were large three pane windows, the one on the south end protruding out with a small cushioned bench to sit on.
An island countertop with barstools lining the dining room side separated the dining room from the kitchen, which had an L of marble top counters and kitchen equipment running along the western and northern walls. A marble top island sat in the middle as an open prep station, the double sink situated below the north wall three pane window. Almost at the far end on the east wall was a door that led to a fairly big pantry, which was, in fact, stocked with food, including a shelf of formula mix.
Leaving the kitchen and heading to the double pocket doors on the other side of the foyer, the marble changed to a dark cherry wood underneath your feet, and you stepped into a fairly simple but comfortable looking living room. There was a fireplace at the center of the eastern wall, and above it a flat screen TV. Across from that was a large sectional couch, a live edge wooden coffee table situated between the sectional and the couch. There was a sliding door accent chest to the right of the fireplace that looked like it held movies and a few books, and just off to the side up against the western wall was a bookshelf with glass doors, though you couldn't see what was in it, yet. Accent end tables were on either side of the sectional, prairie windows running along the south wall with a bench in front of it, an armchair angled between the sectional and the fireplace so that whoever sat there could still be part of the conversation and still see the TV. The northern wall mostly held decorations, a doorway closer to the western side, and an archway on the eastern side. You investigated what was behind the door, first, discovering another bathroom. Peeking your head through the archway revealed a simple...mudroom, perhaps. Or a back entrance. There was a glass door on the other end, and glancing outside revealed a large open green space. Nothing fancy, just a large backyard that looked like a blank slate waiting for playground equipment, or cookout supplies, or a garden, maybe even a pool. Right now, though, it was just green space.
You quietly returned to the living room, looking down at the twins who were sleeping soundly at your side, unaware of the face there were in a fairly opulent and spacious house. It wasn't a fifteen bedroom seven bathroom manor, but it was still a four bedroom four bathroom house, with a large foyer and a chandelier, a fancy fireplace, marble floors and countertops...
How much money did he have?
Were the kids even going to be interested in the measly offerings you had if Levi had a shiny black card to wave around and materialize anything they wanted? What if he did buy them from you–not literally, emotionally. They would just be kids, they wouldn't know any better.
Your hands tightened slightly around the children, suddenly staring accusingly at your wealthy surroundings that seemed suddenly threatening, somehow. You wanted to go back to your bedroom, where you could at least pretend for a little while you were still living somewhere humble, among things you could have provided the twins.
You were just stepping into the foyer when Levi crested the top of the staircase, and the two of you paused and locked eyes, tension suddenly crackling in the air–and not the good kind.
"I see you've been getting familiar with the house," Levi commented before continuing his descent down the stairs. You gripped the twins a little closer at his approach, partially because of the thoughts you'd just been having of Levi trying to buy the twin's love when they were old enough to be bought.
"It's definitely not humble," you remarked, gaze flickering across the marble floors in the grandiose foyer and the chandelier and balcony hallways up above.
"It's a fancier safehouse. But it was close, and it had the space for everyone," Levi said dismissively, noticing your defensive stance and staying a few strides away.
"Are you planning on buying them later, with all the flashy toys? Don't think I haven't noticed all the expensive things–the car, the cribs, anything in this damn house."
Levi's eyes flashed at the suggestion he would try buying his children's love, but he didn't bite back with any scathing remarks. He held his tongue and attempted to remain civil, instead.
"Like I said–the house had enough room for everyone. As for the car–that's yours. I don't need it. And I'm not trying to buy them. I'm just making sure they're provided for. Not like the money's going to anything else important," Levi remarked, a little dryly at the end. He walked away from you, heading towards the living room. "Now that you're awake, we need to talk ground rules."
"So there will be a catch," you stated suspiciously.
"Tch," Levi said, the sound coming out severely irritated. "Let me at least fucking speak before you try looking for ulterior motives."
Levi entered the living room, you following reluctantly behind since it was clear by now that he wanted to speak with you, and for now he was being cordial about it. You didn't want to push your luck with him and end up with him forcing you to listen.
"Obviously the twins can stay in your room. But if you need rest, there's cribs in my room to take care of them while you get your sleep–longer than a few hours, too, if you manage to pump some milk beforehand," he said, walking over to the glass door bookshelf that you'd noticed before and opening one of the doors to pull out a basket with what looked like magazines. "This basket will have catalogues–I'll keep them updated. If you need something, just mark the page and circle the item, leave it in the other basket that's next to it, and I'll get it for you. Furniture, kitchen supplies, décor, clothes, food, kids toys and supplies, there's all kinds of stuff in here."
Furniture?
At your questioning look, Levi gestured around the room. "I've never really done anything to the house besides clean it and get the necessities. It's yours to do what you want with it–all of it. Except my room, my bathroom, and the study on the third floor."
He put the basket back into the bookshelf, shutting the door with a click before turning to face you. "Speaking of the study–It's fine if you go in there when I'm not using it, it's a library, too, larger than you're average office but it's no grand library. It takes up the tower the original builder of the house must have added to make the house look more castle-like, I guess. But if the door is locked, don't even bother to knock. I won't be able to answer until I'm finished with what I'm doing inside. Anything short of an emergency can wait until I'm done," he said in a suddenly curt tone. You were suddenly reminded of Beauty and the Beast and the West Wing, except at least he was allowing you inside when he wasn't using the space. But what was he doing when you /weren't/ allowed to disturb him?
Actually, nevermind. Demon–you probably didn't want to know. This was one time you hoped your curiosity didn't get the better of you and you were able to just leave the secret alone.
With the catalogues put away, and his warning about the study in the 'tower'–you couldn't believe this place had an actual tower–he continued laying down his ground rules.
"If you need something specific that's not in the catalogues, go ahead and write it down on the notepad on the fridge, and I'll get it for you. Your bedroom is your space, I won't come inside unless you ask me to or for some reason I need to–I just ask you to respect my space in turn," Levi said, making his way over to the fireplace. "When it gets cold, the fireplace is real, and the wood will be stacked at the back of the house next to the back door, and some will be inside for immediate access as well. Keys for the car and the house are on the same hook on the coat rack by the door. Try to keep the place clean, I'll have my own cleaning days but clean up your own messes, at least."
Levi paused and turned around to meet your gaze head on, as if to drill home the next point. "Again, you are allowed to leave whenever you want–encouraged, even. Go out with friends, pick up a part-time job if you want. As long as the twins are taken care of before you leave. I have two people I trust to take care of them when you're gone, and I can give you their phone numbers–"
"I'm not leaving the babies with strangers," you said abruptly, cutting him off before he could get much further. You were almost certain these friends of his were more demons, and you did not like the idea of leaving your two babies alone with more demons. Who knew what would happen, what they would do or try to teach them, while you were gone?
Levi gave you a measured look. "I'll arrange a meeting, then, so they're not strangers."
"I don't want–"
"If you're about to say you don't want demons taking care of them, you're going to have to get over that little prejudice of yours," Levi said, that scathing tone finally coming out, complete with the razor sharp edge. "They're half-demon themselves. And I'm already here."
"That's different," You muttered, looking away.
"It's really not," Levi said, that nasty edge in his voice before he paused, both of you simmering down before it escalated into another fight and risked waking up the babies. "Besides, only one of them is a demon–and neither of them would harm the twins."
"Why can't I just hire a babysitter I know?" you asked stubbornly, once more feeling a choice that should have been yours to make was being robbed from you.
"Because I want...Because it would be smarter to get someone who can handle more supernatural emergencies and occurrences watching over two half-demon babies," Levi said sharply. "Demonic occurrences are usually out of most human babysitter's forte."
Demonic occurrences? What were your babies capable of? Levitation, telepathy? What the hell would happen when they started to grow up? Was he just trying to spook you into going along with having his friends look after the babies? Why? A little more control of the situation, at least while he wasn't around?
Levi sighed, looking away. "I'll have them come over in a few hours so you can meet them. I have to be somewhere tonight, so at least one of them will be here, anyway."
You gave him an odd look, wondering what on earth he needed to be doing that was so important the night after the twins were brought home. After he'd pushed to take them into his care, he wasn't about to be an absent father, was he? Day one away from the hospital and he was already going to be gone–weekend or not, he should have been here at least the first few days if he really wanted to be a part of their lives.
"Any other ground rules?" you asked quietly, one hand on each sleeping child on your hips as you gazed timidly at Levi.
His gaze flickered back to you. "Depends on how you want to do this. We can stay out of each other's way, stay away from each other aside from when we need to cooperate with the twins, or actually try to co-exist. If you'd rather I leave you be, I will. Or...you can let me try to offer you a bit of support."
"What support? It's like you disappear every time I turn around."
"It can't be helped–there's things going on you wouldn't understand–and can't know," he added at the end before you could press him to tell you. More secrets, more lies, more reasons you couldn't trust him. How could you ever trust him if he wouldn't tell you anything? Especially things that were apparently oh so very important.
"It's for your own good," Levi added in a tad softer voice.
"And who the hell are you to decide what is and isn't good for me?"
"Someone who actually has the full picture and is trying to make the best decisions for everyone long run," Levi returned in a surprisingly even tone.
A muscle in your jaw twitched at the reminder that so many of these important decisions that should have been yours to make were being taken out of your hands and being made by Levi, instead. "Still not going to let me make my own decisions, I see. Still taking my choice and any control of my life I had from me. Can't have some foolish little human girl mucking up your perfect picture of whatever the hell this is–"
"Quit twisting my words!" Levi snapped, looking more frustrated than angry. The raised voices, however, had woken the twins, who started to cry and squirm where they were wrapped at your side. His posture shifted from the defensive, closed off position he'd been holding to one of concern, closing the gaps of a few steps between the two of you and reaching out towards one of the twins.
You, however, turned away, effectively bringing them out of his reach and putting yourself between him and the babies. It was a spiteful, petty thing to do, maybe even a little cruel depending on how much he actually cared about them, which was still unclear to you like so many damn things about him.
"I've had enough for one day," you said stiffly in reference to him, walking swiftly away and towards your bedroom where you planned to lay down with the twins for a while and spend some one on one time with them to try and calm down and grow a little closer to them.
And, apparently, if he really meant what he said about the ground rules earlier, your bedroom might be the only sanctuary you had from him in this place. If he wouldn't enter, then that was where you were going to hide away when you were too angry to look at him, like right now.
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*Levi's POV*
Recoiling from the unspoken but blatant denial to even let him come near his children, Levi once more attempted shutting down to avoid the full brunt of the sting. He kept tricking himself into believing they were making some kind of progress, just to realize the whole time they'd been moving in reverse. Every time he said something, she twisted it to fit her current perception of him, which by now was clear to be...vile, it would seem.
Again, it was his fault they'd spiraled down to this point, but she could at least let him attempt to climb out of the hole enough they could co-exist without poisoning the environment the twins were going to grow up in.
And he wanted to be able to see and hold his own children. For God's sake, it was even more cruel to have them this close and then deny letting him even come near them than if she had just straight up denied letting him in their life in the first place.
Or maybe he was just being overly sensitive about it because he knew what he was going to be doing tonight, and he'd wanted to hold them, just for a small reminder, a reassurance, of why he was doing this.
It looked like he was going to have to do without.
Swallowing the hurt and anger the best he could, Levi waited a few minutes to make sure she had enough time to retreat to her room before he headed in the same direction. He kept going after the grand staircase, heading up the spiral staircase and into his study, library, tower...showroom.
At least for now, while he was still trying to figure out the best approach.
Levi walked into the room, locking the door behind him and pausing to gently press a hand to his chest, clearing his throat and rolling his shoulders subconsciously as the burn on his chest grew momentarily stronger. That damn mark had been bothering him all day, only getting gradually worse and demanding more and more of his attention.
Telling him he needed to find someone to make a deal with to fulfill his side of the bargain before the end of the week–and it was the weekend.
He'd thought he'd have a grace period–not anything fancy, just that he wouldn't have to find someone until the end of next week. He didn't know he had to find someone by the end of this week when he made the deal, but apparently they wanted to see how serious he was, or he should have stayed to clarify when the deal took effect. Now he had no target except the risky ones and no time to safely find someone. Either he got lucky fishing around for the dangerous ones online during these sessions where he locked himself in the study, or he was going to have to revert to the list he got from Furlan. And that could get messy, and dangerous. That list was supposed to be for emergencies, or at the very least extremely carefully planned approaches. Not, 'oh shit' last minute plans like this.
The burn of the mark on his chest started to fade into the back of his mind again, and Levi pushed away from the door, turning back to the rounded-corner hexagonal room and running a hand through his hair a few times to start giving it the tousled look. Trying to ease the tension in his shoulders from what just happened as he approached the desk directly across from the door. There was a window behind it, and another above it on the balcony that wrapped around the room above for a second floor of books. It didn't go any higher than that–it was grander than most personal studies, but it was no fantasy library for every book nerd in the world. There would be natural light streaming in from those windows, but right now he had them tightly shut considering what he was doing in here.
Levi propped himself in his desk chair, laptop set up on the desk in front of him, keeping his setup mobile in case whoever ended up on the other line for the next...however long, wanted to see him somewhere else, like on the couch in the reading area at the center of the room.
If he was lucky, he'd find someone dangerous, but not as dangerous as the ones on Furlan's list. Start small, go from there. But nothing too small–he wasn't binding anyone to Hell for harassment, that behavior could change with a good attitude adjustment. He was still looking for the dangerous individuals to bind to Hell.
Just...ideally not Furlan's List dangerous.
Ready for his 'session' in here to continue, Levi turned on the camera, made sure everything was at the proper angle, light, and running correctly before he tried to push the most recent fight to the back of his mind and focus on his fishing.
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*Reader's POV*
You stayed in the safety of your room for the rest of the day. It wasn't at all what you wanted–it made you a little stir crazy, honestly. But Levi had said it himself, he wouldn't come in here without permission, and if you could trust that, then this was the safest place for you. It gave you plenty of time with the twins, lying on the bed with them, having the skin to skin time, going through the bedroom in detail to make sure all your stuff was really here. When the room seemed too warm, or perhaps the walls too close, you opened the bedroom window to let the air in–as well as to get a glimpse at the front lawn below.
It was untouched greenspace, with a fine gravel driveway that wound from the front door just out of your vision down to the iron gate that was overgrown with vines–the stone wall gate was in the same state.
This whole house felt like a hollow but finely dressed display. Pomp and circumstance with no real substance.
After a brief nap with the twins, and what felt like the whole day spent with them, you put them down for another nap, your hunger officially too strong to ignore any longer. You had to venture downstairs and to the kitchen hopefully without another run in with Levi. One was already enough for the day.
Quietly, you slipped out the door of your bedroom once you were certain the twins were fast asleep, creeping off towards the kitchen like a thief in the night, even though there was still sunlight outside since it was still evening. You poked around in the pantry and fridge far more thoroughly this time, looking for something that was appealing to you at this hour and wouldn't take forever to make. You wanted something quick so you could make a quick escape if you heard Levi coming.
After finding something to eat, you started poking around in the cabinets for the cups so you could get a drink. Investigating the cabinets to find the cups revealed that your dishes had been moved in as well, right down to mismatched silverware and your favorite cups.
He really did move everything here, didn't he?
You poured yourself a glass of water, simply water for now, and finished your meal. You did the dishes quickly, remembering Levi's request for cleanliness before you started heading back to your room with glass in hand.
You were just stepping out the dining room doors as, apparently, Levi was letting two people in the front door. You tried to turn around, maybe hide in the pantry, it was your best bet, but you'd already been spotted.
Was it just you, or did Levi look a tad bit sweaty? A bit of his hair sticking to his skin?
"Y/N, wait," Levi said, the slightest tired edge to his voice. "You need to meet–"
"Move out of the way, Levi-bro, so we can see her! I wanna see!"
Before anything else could be said, a head ducked under Levi's arm, his hand still on the front door holding it partially open. A small red-headed young woman was darting inside, green eyes fixed on you and appearing oblivious to the natural uncomfortable tension between you and Levi. She was dressed in a manner that reminded you almost like a teenager, or at least a free-spirited young woman–a stark contrast to the pale blonde haired young man that stepped in through the door, a suit jacket draped over one arm, vest and white button up still tightly buttoned and crisp. He was much...calmer, than the other one, relaxed but analytical, watching everyone with a sharp eye that matched his clothes more than his posture.
The red-head scampered over to you, Levi trying and failing to grab her by the scruff of her neck before she raced up to you, grabbing your hand outright and shaking it excitedly.
"Isabel–it's good to meet you. Y/N, right? Levi already told us your name, since we might be seeing a bit of each other more with the–Oh, the babies! You're probably not hiding them behind your back, they're asleep, aren't they? Do they do that a lot when they're this young? They do, right? I thought they did a lot of screaming and crying–"
"Isabel," the pale blond haired man said in a firm, half-mechanical voice, as if this was something he was used to doing. "Don't overwhelm the poor woman."
"I'm not–" she started to say with a pout, and then she took a good look at the, yes, overwhelmed look on your face before she gave a bashful smile. "Sorry. I've been excited about this, I just got a little carried away there."
So...was she the demon or the...had Levi ever said what the other person was? Which one was the demon?
Isabel moved out of the way as the blonde man stepped up, offering a hand to shake, which he waited patiently for you to take of your own volition. "Furlan. Pleasure to meet you," he said cordially, the cool to Isabel's raw energy, based on first impressions.
"Isabel," Levi was saying, drawing the red haired woman's attention to where he was still standing by the now-shut front door. "If I leave you here, you aren't going to drive her insane, are you?"
"Oh, come on, Levi, I'm over two centuries old, I'm not a child! I know how to talk to people!"
"You're still little, compared to us," Furlan answered, and you blinked in surprise, well aware that you were being slowly excommunicated from the conversation–or at least that it was drifting away from topics you were knowledgeable of or could be involved in.
Okay, so...Isabel was younger than Levi and Furlan, even though she was more than two centuries old? How old were those two?
And again, who was the other demon?
"I could take you two in a one on one anytime," Isabel grumbled. Furlan looked at her pensively, then nodded.
"Course you could, dove."
"Focus–I have somewhere to be tonight," Levi cut in, giving Isabel a surprisingly affectionate ruffle of the hair in the process to get her attention as he pushed his way between the two in an attempt to become the center of the conversation again.
"They're going to stop by occasionally, mostly when I'm not here, make sure you're alright and have what you need." He heaved a little sigh, glancing at the two people at his side. "And since I know it bothers you so much...Furlan here is a pacts demon, Isabel is an angel."
"Well, fallen, but still, yes, an angel," Isabel chipped in, gaze flickering between Levi and you at the tone he'd momentarily gained when referencing your fight earlier, but otherwise not commenting on it.
An angel? Really? You'd doubted she was the demon just by the way she acted, but the fact that the one Levi seemed almost...affectionate towards, was an angel? Former angel, but still an angel.
That was not what you were expecting when he'd said he had friends to keep an eye on you.
Also, Isabel was confirmation that it wasn't just demons, there were angels as well. The good to the evil, or at least based on the stereotypes. The fact you were standing in the presence of two demons and an angel that were friends was...
You needed a bit longer to process it.
"So, you're the ones he wants to babysit me when he's not around?" you asked in a distant tone, unsure what to think about them, but still well aware of why Levi was having you meet them.
You neglected mentioning or acknowledging that they might babysit the twins on occasion, because right now, you weren't going to let that happen. You still didn't know them, and at least one of them was another demon.
"Well, babysitting suggests you can't take care of yourself. I think it's more of a, make sure if anything happens you have someone reliable and prepared on hand, kind of situation," Furlan said diplomatically.
"Of course," you said in an unconvinced tone, gaze shifting back to Levi. "You're still going out tonight, then?" you asked in an unapproving voice, still thinking of the odd contradiction that was Levi, his insistence that he be a part of the twins life and then going out the night after you came back from the hospital. You didn't know if this was a sign of things to come, and you weren't sure if it was a prospect that made you relieved or irritated. Right now you were irritated, but it was more at his duplicity than the act itself.
Maybe you were just being petty and hypocritical, though. Maybe you were in the wrong, too, at least to some degree. Not that you were going to admit such a thing so soon.
"It can't be helped," Levi returned curtly. The tension in the room was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, but so far this was the normal for you and Levi–explosive tension that threatened to go over the edge at any moment.
No explanation, no elaboration of what he was doing, just the thinly veiled fact that plans weren't changing. And you weren't going to know what they were.
And if he was leaving...
"I can't stay long, I have appointments of my own tonight," Furlan said, directing his words to you and Levi, cutting into the conversation before the tension had a chance to grow any further naturally, as if he was trying to get ahead of the inevitable climax. "But Isabel here has all the time in the world."
"As long as someone is here," Levi said, almost as if he'd expected Furlan to say something like that.
Isabel was paying attention to the conversation, but she was also looking worriedly between you and Levi, that worry probably concerning the tension in the air that was borderline open hostility on your end.
Levi's gaze flickered towards you and the hostility channeled towards him, a resigned look in his eyes as he started to turn away. "I'll leave you three to it. It'll probably be more comfortable without me," he muttered, starting to head back up the stairs, possibly to get ready and leave.
"Wait, Levi-bro, before you go, just so we know, um..." Isabel called, following him to the base of the stairs and up two steps before she remained and called up to him in a slightly concerned, somewhat nervous voice. "How much...are you telling her, cause I don't want to overwhelm her or anything.""
"Nothing, apparently," you said acidically from where you were still standing by the front door. Furlan shifted slightly, but otherwise didn't react to the venom in your voice.
Isabel's frown deepened, but Levi kept walking, a tired voice answering Isabel's question as he continued heading up and took a turn towards his bedroom. "Only what she absolutely has to know."
"By your standards or normal people standards?" Isabel retorted skeptically, now continuing up the stairs and actually following him into his bedroom to press the subject out of earshot. Which meant you were now standing alone uncomfortably with the demon friend, Furlan.
"You have a problem with demons, then?" Furlan asked in a surprisingly conversational voice, his gaze on the door to Levi's bedroom even though he was addressing you. "It's the usual reaction, I'm not surprised, but I do hope that doesn't extend to the twins."
You shifted uncomfortably at how casually he mentioned you might have a problem with him for what he was, but then at his suggestion that the discomfort and...whatever else came along with it, extended to your twins.
"It's different," you murmured.
"All due respect, Ma'am, but it's really not. They're demon-kind, too. Maybe not fully, yet, but they will be."
Sharp eyes centered almost immediately at Furlan, quick to pick up the hint at a coming change. Your mind immediately turned to dark things, demons trying to twist your two innocent babies into something malicious and evil in intent. "What's that supposed to mean?"
It seemed Furlan was aware of where your mind was going with that comment of his. "Nothing sinister, I promise. You two might not have had the chance for...much conversation, and I don't want to tread on topics that really should be between you and Levi, but..." Furlan sighed, peeling his gaze off the bedroom upstairs and suddenly giving you his undivided attention. "They're half and half right now, human and demon, but when they reach full maturity, the demon part will overtake the human part, and they'll be as full-blooded demon as Levi and myself."
Now a thousand arguments of nature verses nurture was flashing in your mind, a concern starting to take root and nag that any efforts to raise them to be good people might be for naught if they were going to fundamentally change eventually, anyway.
"Is that...is that going to change them as people?" you asked timidly.
"That's up to them. It'll mean they have to do certain things to survive because it's just part of their nature, but coming to their full strength won't mean they have to change as people," Furlan said in an almost reassuring voice. The bedroom door upstairs opened and Isabel stepped out looking disgruntled, Levi probably not far behind her, though you were turning your attention to Furlan again, even as he turned his attention back upstairs. "But that's a long way off. Nothing you should be worried about right now. Tonight's just seeing if you wouldn't mind having at least one of us in the house when Levi's not here."
You heard a baby cry upstairs and your ears tingled at the sound, finishing the water in your glass and heading wordlessly upstairs to your bedroom, unsure what to say in response to all that and deciding to compartmentalize the information for now. Plus, it was a perfect excuse to escape an honestly awkward situation...and to escape having to see Levi again, at least one more time.
********************************
*Isabel's POV*
"Isabel, you were an angel, you know why I can't tell her everything. You know how it works up there. The less she knows, the higher chance she has of an intervention where it matters."
"You don't think you could at least tell her why her ignorance is best?"
"Then the 'she didn't know what she was doing' argument wouldn't hold, if I let her in on the secret."
"But if on day one the two of you are already like this, if it's already this bad...Levi, you still have a couple years ahead trying to make it work with her. And she already knows some things–she already knows about demons and angels, already knows her children are half-demon, this isn't a half and half thing, Levi, either she knows or she doesn't, its not fair to both of you to give her a little and then shut her down!"
"I'm telling her what I have to, Isabel, but the less she knows, the better chance she has."
"Levi, it doesn't–"
"I'm trying my best, Isabel!" Levi suddenly snapped, voice raising momentarily before he paused and made himself get back under control before Y/N heard him. "I'm doing my best."
Isabel gave him a sympathetic look, unfazed by the outburst. Anyone could see he was under a lot of stress, more than he could take, in her opinion. Levi was strong, but even he had his limits. And if things continued this way, she wagered he was going to crumble under the pressure at some point.
"You know if you keep doing things like this, it's only going to get worse."
Levi paused where he was in the middle of getting dressed in something...subtle, but tight and the right amount of teasing and revealing. It was obvious what he was going out to do tonight, though Isabel couldn't figure out why. After all the years he'd taken from Y/N trying to get her pregnant, he should be set for years. He shouldn't have to feed off anyone. Yet here he was getting ready to go out and draw in unsuspecting prey.
She had the sneaking suspicion it had something to do with the deal Furlan told her about that Levi was refusing to talk about. It would explain why this was so urgent and he couldn't stay in despite Y/N's clear disapproval he was leaving.
In a surprising and unexpected show of vulnerability, Levi turned to look at her with a tired look in his eyes, hands dropping to his sides and a slight wilt in his posture. "I don't know how I'm going to make this work if this is what it's going to be like. The last thing I want is the twins growing up in a hostile environment like this."
Levi held up a hand before Isabel could comment, gesturing for her to leave for a moment so he could finish getting dressed before they talked any more. Isabel left the room with a slight huff, standing just outside the bedroom. Y/N walked by–somewhat–as she came up the staircase and slipped into her room without a word. She could feel Furlan watching from down below, waiting patiently in the foyer while Isabel waited impatiently for Levi to finish inside.
As soon as he came out, Isabel fell into step beside him, picking up exactly where they'd left off with his confession.
"You need to talk to her, Levi, tell her what you can, even if you're trying to keep her in the dark to protect her–"
"Every time I try to talk to her she twists my words and it ends in a fight," Levi said stiffly as he walked down the stairs, Furlan's expression turning into a concerned, contemplative frown as he registered what Isabel and Levi were talking about.
However, his comment had Isabel momentarily biting her tongue, because if Y/N was doing that, it did make talking to her much harder. "...I suppose it would help if she was willing to listen," Isabel muttered, and the two of them came to a stop back in the foyer by the front door, Furlan now a part of the group again.
"Which she isn't. And she probably shouldn't," Levi said flatly, already working on bottling his emotions for his night out putting on a persona to make finding someone easier. "She's got every right to hate me–she doesn't even know all the reasons she should, yet, and she already does."
"Have you considered that way of thinking is sabotaging you as well?" Furlan said, jumping into the conversation smoothly. "If you think she should hate you, you might subconsciously be looking for opportunities to make her hate you."
Levi grunted slightly, hand twitching up to his chest and rubbing slightly at the center of his chest as he cleared his throat, a pained look flashing across his face.
What the hell? He was a demon, he didn't get sick, so what...
As he lowered his hand, Isabel caught a glimpse of a mark on his chest peeking out from his open neckline. She didn't have to see all of it, able to guess from context clues and what little she knew of her situation that it might be a seal, and that seal might be causing him a bit of pain.
"I don't have time to be analyzed right now, I have to be somewhere," he said stiffly, looking back at Furlan. "Furlan, I know you're busy, so just...come by when you can. In case she's difficult and Isabel needs the support. I'll be back...sometime tonight. Ideally. Good luck."
And with that, he left.
Isabel and Furlan stood in silence for a few moments by the door, having already been told about the rule to stay out of Y/N's room and both of them silently agreeing to wait until she came out, apparently.
"It doesn't look like the coexisting has gotten off to a great start," Isabel said with a concerned frown.
"Are you surprised? Levi does have a point, it's kind of expected for her to hate him."
"If she truly hated him and wasn't willing to give him a chance, she wouldn't have agreed to trying to co-parent."
"Isabel, you've hardly met the woman, I don't think you're in a position to be mentally evaluating her."
"Then neither are you."
A few moments of silence passed, Isabel turning to look up the staircase towards Y/N's bedroom.
"Look, maybe it's none of our business, maybe we should stay out of it, but while we're here, maybe there's something we can do to help?"
"Like what, Isabel? This isn't a situation you just fix with a wave of the hand."
"No, it's not, but...maybe there's something we can do to at least get her to give Levi a chance, or at least talk to him and try to hear him out. He's under enough stress as it is, I doubt this will make it any easier."
"It's not our place, Isabel. We're just supposed to make sure she's safe while he's gone."
"Maybe that's what Levi-bro told us to do, but that doesn't mean I can't decide to try and do more."
"Isabel...you saw them. That was quite a bit of hostility."
"And he doesn't deserve it. Okay, maybe some of it, I don't know the details, but...Levi-bro is really trying. He cares about those twins, and I know he didn't want to hurt anyone, that's not who he is."
"Considering how much he hurt her, I don't think she'll believe you if you try to tell her differently."
"I can still try. Are you really going to stop me?"
"No, but leave me out of it, in case it goes wrong. I think she's already inclined to dislike me because of the horns."
"Well...that's not a bad thing in this case. You and Levi-bro are rare exceptions."
"Levi's the rare exception. I just have some class, decency, and manners."
"Mhm."
Upstairs, the door suddenly opened, and Y/N walked out, this time with the twins wrapped up so she could carry them around. Isabel's eyes lit up with a gasp, excitement causing her to stand at attention. She hadn't had the chance to see the twins yet, and she was dying to meet them. Still, she managed to restrain herself until Y/N was at the base of the stairs, bouncing up to her with a wide smile.
"Are these them, the twins? Oh, I've heard so much–can I see them?" She asked excitedly, feeling a little bad for the lingering overwhelmed look on Y/N's face but unable to restrain her excitement much further.
"Um...okay, sure," she said, peeling back one of the wraps so Isabel could get a clear look at one of the babies, who was looking at her with that infant wide eyed curiosity.
"So cute!" Isabel cooed, crouching down as she fawned over the twins. "What did you name them?"
She already knew, but she wanted to give Y/N the full opportunity to show off her babies like a proud mother, maybe give her a smidge of normality to the situation.
"This one is Asa, and this one is Ida," Y/N said softly, pointing to the boy and girl respectively and watching Isabel as she doted on the babies, giving them little tummy tickles and making faces in the hopes to entertain the little tykes. "Would you...like to hold one of them?" Y/N asked timidly as Isabel's excitement continued.
Isabel looked up, surprised that Y/N was offering. Sure, Isabel used to be an angel, but that was still a big fat formerly in front of what she was, she was fallen. And she was one of Levi's friends. She would have thought with the initial friction that gained her some negative points.
"Of course."
Still a little taken aback, Isabel waited as Y/N untangled Ida from her wrap, handing her gently over to Isabel and guiding the other woman on how to hold the baby properly. The infant squirmed to be away from the familiar presence of the mother she seemed to know was right there, but she wasn't crying yet, and Isabel was excited to be holding her.
"Oh...oh, she's so tiny and cute...look at you! Furlan, stop being a creepy lurker and get over here, look how adorable they are!"
Furlan didn't immediately move from his distant post, instead looking over at the mother and asking a polite and patient, "May I?"
Y/N hesitated, but looking at how Isabel was crooning over Ida, she nodded slowly, and Furlan casually came over to stand at Isabel's side and look down at the infant in her arms, a soft smile on his face at the sight.
"She is cute. It looks like she might end up with Levi's hair, if that dark tuft of hair is anything to go by. She'll grow into a fine looking young woman, if she takes after either of her parents," he remarked, watching Isabel croon over and gently play with the newborn..
"No offense," Y/N started to say, and Isabel looked up, wary because of how her comment was starting. Though she looked a tad bit more comfortable, or at least confident enough to make a comment. "But I really don't think I need babysitters every time he's gone."
"It has nothing to do with whether or not you're capable," Isabel started to say, reinforcing what Furlan had been saying earlier. However, Furlan jumped in again with another carefully woven tapestry of words to try and explain the situation without giving anything away.
"Levi didn't ask us to come here to make sure you didn't act out or do anything stupid. He asked us to come protect you and the twins when he isn't around to do so," Furlan said patiently, pushing on despite the shock that was flashing in her eyes and growing in potency in her expression. "He probably doesn't want to worry you about this kind of thing, but, knowing how you might act if you don't know, and how it could be a problem for what we're trying to do here, I'll let you know he has enemies. Some of which have already gone after you and the twins, even if you weren't aware. He's not taking risks in case someone else decides they're feeling bold."
Y/N hesitated, looking for a moment like she was fighting the instinct to take Ida back from Isabel just to reassure herself that the infant was safe in her arms and wasn't about to get snatched up by some unseen threat. At the same time, her gaze flickered upwards towards the ceiling. "Enemies, as in–"
"No. Angels tend to think themselves above this kind of thing–demon squabbles and all, 'just let them destroy each other' seems to be their motto. I mean other demons," Furlan explained calmly. He paused at the look on her face, inclining his head slightly in contemplation. "But that's as much as you need to know about the situation. It won't be a problem from here on out. But you can at least know why Levi wants someone...supernatural here at all times."
There was a few moments of silence as Y/N was given the time to register Furlan's words, during which time Isabel saw Asa starting to get a little fussy at his mother's side.
"Come on, let's move this to the living room instead of standing around in the foyer," she said in a plucky voice, waiting patiently for Y/N to move first so Isabel didn't just wander off with one of her babies. Considering how new of a mom she was and the unique situation they were all in, that might be a little stressful for her.
They all found a spot in the living room, Isabel and Y/N sitting on the couch while holding a twin, Furlan taking a position near the sitting chair but deciding not to sit in it for whatever reason, choosing instead to stand with his arms folded atop the back of the chair, leaning against it and simply watching the two women as they interacted with and entertained the children.
"I know they're probably still too little for it, but do you know when you're going to switch them to bottle feeding?" Isabel asked curiously as Asa started looking for food mid-play time, and Y/N simply lifted a corner of the shirt designed for easy access during breastfeeding to let him find his way to his food source. Seeing it made worry rise up in Isabel, well aware that each time Y/N did that, it meant a little less time for her. But also well aware that the babies probably needed to be eased into it.
"I was thinking whenever they get a routine down, and they get used to latching on...and when I get a chance to start pumping some milk to save it beforehand," she answered, picking up on Isabel's concern. "What he said was true, then. About...it hurting me, somehow, if I keep breastfeeding them. Though I don't see how."
She wasn't aware, then. Of what Incubi and Succubi did. She didn't know she was on a time limit–Levi hadn't broken that news to her. It might have been a mix of he didn't have it in him to tell her yet, he didn't want to tell her yet and ruin these first few years with them, and she might not have given him the chance yet, if their conversations so far had all been confrontational.
"Yes...though, he's more the one to ask about what you should and shouldn't do, he understands how these things work more than either of us. Since him and the babies are the same type of demon," Isabel said carefully, making sure not to give anything away. That was definitely a conversation for Levi to handle.
Y/N nodded, shifting slightly and making sure Asa was comfortable where he was currently in his own little world eating, her free hand that wasn't supporting him for the most part gently rubbing little circles on his head while he ate. "I'm sorry if this is rude to ask, but...you're a fallen angel, right? How did you...?"
She trailed off, trying to find the right words to say it without being insensitive, but Isabel filled it in for her, already figuring where the other woman was going with this. "How did I fall from grace? Well, let's just say I'm too much of a free spirit. Too many rules and restrictions for my taste, and I was too much of a wild child for them. I think of it more as a mutual separation than me getting kicked out," Isabel said with a firm nod. It still stung to get kicked out of a place like heaven, but she tried to keep her mind on the brighter side of things, namely the freedom that came with it. She wasn't bound to any one group or philosophy now, she could do whatever she wanted.
Of course, in their world, being alone like that was also dangerous, as she'd found out the hard way.
"And...Levi, how did you meet him?" she asked slowly, hesitating slightly on Levi's name like she found it hard to get out.
Well, that fit perfectly into what she'd just been thinking about.
"Levi-bro? He saved my life," Isabel said as if it was the most normal thing, backing up slightly to explain so that she had more of a clear picture of what happened, especially since she probably wasn't aware of how exactly their world worked. "See, fallen angels are vulnerable, at least at first. We're cut off from heaven, we don't have most of our powers anymore, no friends, no backup, we're still adjusting. And sometimes, lower class demons take advantage of that in order to gain some clout by being able to say they killed an angel. I got jumped by a group of lower demons hoping to gain some clout, and Levi-bro happened to be in the area. He heard what was going on, stepped in to help me fight them off, and he's had my back if I got into trouble ever since," Isabel said with a bright smile.
Y/N looked away, a dim look in her eyes and a bitterness coloring her tone and attitude. "Doesn't sound anything like him."
Isabel's cheeriness dimmed to match the sudden shift in tone, her own voice and posture suddenly radiating a more serious edge. "But it is. Like him, I mean. As long as I've known Levi-bro, he's been more of the silent protector type."
"Well, that's a little hard to swallow, with my experience."
"Which is?" Isabel prompted, ignoring the warning look Furlan was giving her over by the sitting chair.
Y/N shifted uncomfortably, clearly not wanting to talk about this with strangers. But, who else was she going to talk about this with that wasn't going to think her insane for any supernatural element that went into it? Who else could she talk to that could have the full picture and understanding of what happened? Besides Levi himself, who wasn't an option right now with all the hostility towards him.
"Neglectful, callous, insensitive, harsh–or maybe cruel or heartless, would be a better fit. Restricting, cold, apathetic." When Isabel looked like she was about to argue with the slew of words that didn't match how Isabel saw Levi, Y/N started backing up her claims. "He purposely got me pregnant and then ditched me for the entire pregnancy, showed up when they were born pressuring me to give them up by saying and doing all kinds of harsh things including threatening to kill me, and then he tries to buy my compliance with a fancy prison?"
But he didn't get her pregnant by choice. And he'd been there with her the entire step of the way for her pregnancy–it was why Isabel moved her stuff into the house instead of Levi. Levi had been very specific that all of her stuff had to be here so she had some of her home here waiting for her so she would feel a little more secure. She knew he wasn't trying to buy Y/N's compliance, he was just trying to make sure her and the babies were provided for and comfortable. And this place wasn't a prison, she was allowed to leave it any time, she was allowed to have a life outside motherhood–encouraged, even.
And Isabel was painfully aware of some of the reasons Levi had pressured her to give up the babies–Y/N was the only one in this room who didn't know she only had a few years left to live. Isabel didn't have to be a psychologist to know that was going to be a traumatic and impactful event down the road.
"There's a lot of things that have been going on behind the scenes that you're not aware of–and a lot of things it's not my place to tell you, that I don't know enough about to tell you, or that Levi-bro should be the one to tell you," Isabel said carefully.
"I don't give a damn what's been going on, it doesn't excuse what happened. And even if he did have some kind of excuse for then, that doesn't excuse how he's still acting. He's still harsh and cold, you haven't heard some of the things he's said," Y/N said defensively before Isabel could continue any further.
Isabel waited a few moments to give her a chance to cool down, and then tried again.
"Levi-bro...he's never been good with words. He struggles to communicate what he really means sometimes. That alone frustrates him, so if he feels like you're twisting words he's already struggling to find..." Isabel trailed off at the look on Y/N's face, feeling like she was about to say she wasn't twisting anything, it was what he meant, but Isabel pressed on before she could interrupt again. "He's more a man of action. And even if he says one thing, which usually comes off abrasive because he's always been a little blunt and prickly like that, his actions usually give away what he really thinks, which could be something else entirely. So, maybe try to look at what he does instead of what he says?"
"That's rich–" Y/N started to say, but Isabel headed her off before another rant could stem from Isabel's slight mistake.
"I know that's...maybe not the best thing, considering how you two...met...and that is not my place to tell you about, but...it's not in him to put someone through something like that of his own free will."
"Isabel!" Furlan said sharply from where he was sitting. Isabel turned around to give him a defensive look.
What? I didn't come out and say it."
"You stepped over the line, there," he warned. Both of them were well aware that they shouldn't be telling her so much, both because of what Levi was trying to do, and because some of this was for Levi to talk to her about on her own time. But Isabel had to do something to get this woman to give Levi a chance–he wasn't the heartless monster she seemed to think he was, and it actually hurt Isabel to see she was so convinced he was.
He was no saint, but he wasn't a monster, either.
"What? What are you two talking about, why can't I know?" Y/N asked–maybe demanded, more than asked. Isabel turned her attention back to Y/N, choosing her words much more carefully this time as Furlan's gaze bore into her from a few feet away.
"Take it from someone who's seen both sides, heaven and hell...it really is true that this is one of the few times ignorance protects you...plus, again, it's not for me to say. It's Levi-bro's. It's up to him to explain what or why this happened, if he decides to."
A dark look flashed across Y/N's face. "I think it's pretty clear what happened."
"No, it's not," Isabel said in a firmness that surprised everyone there, especially since it had a tone more akin to Levi than to Isabel. "Levi's not a malicious person. He's actually a really, really good guy, especially given his situation and his life. Give him a chance and you'll see. He's not all prickly words, sharp edges, and cruel intentions like he seems to be."
Y/N looked away, holding a little protectively to Asa. "I think he's made it pretty clear what his feelings towards me are. He said it himself I was just a baby maker to him."
Now that definitely didn't sound like Levi. That had to have been something he'd said during that time he was pressuring her to give up the babies. But it was becoming pretty clear Isabel wasn't going to change Y/N's mind about Levi, at least not in one night. But maybe there was one thing she could do for both of them.
"Well...If you're so certain that's how he feels, which, for what it's worth, I doubt that's true...I can at least tell you that he really does care about these two right here. He'd do anything for them to be happy and safe...no matter the cost to himself," Isabel said, a little sadly at the end as she thought of this mysterious deal that had him absent now, doing who knew what with who knew. Well, she knew it was probably sexual, considering he was an incubus, but what exactly he was doing was unclear considering she didn't know what that deal he struck was.
Isabel looked back up at Y/N.
"At least give him a chance to prove that much."
***************************************
*Levi's POV*
When he came back to the house hours later, he was...in rough shape. The burn on his chest was gone, though, which was a significantly relieving improvement despite his new–and some noticeable–injuries. He was pretty sure most he'd been able to hide, and a fresh shirt would cover up any blood that had soaked through his lighter color shirt. His face had a few bruises and cuts, a carpet burn on one side of his face, a few bite marks peeking through his currently semi-revealing shirt. That was just what could be seen.
He slipped inside the front door as quietly as possible, hoping to slink to his bedroom and bathroom to wash up and change before Y/N could see him. He could hear Isabel and Furlan talking quietly in the living room, their voices pausing when the front door clicked shut.
Isabel showed up first, looking like she'd /intended/ to say something pointed and purposeful, but she paused at the state Levi was in. "Levi-bro..."
"Not a word, Isabel," Levi said gruffly, starting to head towards the staircase. "Y/N?"
"She's upstairs trying to put the twins to bed," Furlan returned, the seriousness in his tone causing the back of Levi's neck to tingle. Levi spared him a glance, noting that Furlan was coming up on him fast.
"I thought you had appointments?" Levi asked. He was surprised Furlan was still here.
"I left to do them earlier and came back. Levi," Furlan said seriously, reaching out to grab Levi's arm and stop him, concern flashing in his eyes despite the stern tone and expression. "I wouldn't have given you those names if I knew you were going to put yourself directly in their path."
"How else am I supposed to get anything done? I'm an incubus, Furlan, what I do isn't as refined as you," he said sharply, pulling his arm free as he continued up the stairs.
Not to mention, he didn't have time to set up anything different besides making himself a target and ending up on a crash course for a...a very bad night.
But, Furlan showed up like a businessman and struck a deal through conversation. Levi had to have sex with a person and get let in enough to weave a good, strong, binding deal.
He went straight into the bathroom, shutting the door and taking off his shirt to start washing up. He used a wet washcloth and gentle movements to clean up the worst of it, since some of the spots were still sensitive. They would be faded or gone by tomorrow, but they were still going to be quite prominent for now, and he wouldn't be able to hide most of it.
As he finished cleaning, he slipped into his bedroom to get changed into a pair of sleep clothes. He usually slept shirtless, but tonight...
Once he was cleaned and dressed, he stepped back out into the hallway, looking across at the door to Y/N's room. They'd been on bad terms all day, he hadn't been allowed to even hold the twins, but after the night he'd had, and the realization this would be a weekly occurrence...He wanted to at least try before he headed to bed.
He walked over to the door, aware that Isabel and Furlan were having a quiet conversation down in the foyer, no doubt about him. He knocked quietly, since she was trying to get them to sleep on the other side, waiting patiently until the door opened. Levi stiffened instinctively when she appeared, as if he was going on the defensive for an incoming fight. Her expression changed from curious to afraid and withdrawn, to shocked in the space of a few moments, registering first that it was Levi who knocked, and then the state that he was in, which wasn't pretty even after he'd cleaned up.
"Are you–?"
"I'll be fine," he cut her off, not wanting her to ask him why he looked like this. He didn't want to talk about the night he'd had, and this wasn't something she needed to concern herself with or know. Leaning against the doorframe, he looked down and off to the side, able to see the corner of one of the cribs from the doorway. "Can I see them, before turning in for the night? It'll just be a moment, and I'll leave you be," he asked in a low voice.
Her grip tightened slightly on the door's edge that was still in her hand, and for a few moments, Levi felt his heart sinking further and further at the thought that she wasn't going to let him see them, a depressing darkness starting to creep into his heart.
"Asa's asleep, but Ida's still awake, if you want to hold her," Y/N said quietly. Levi looked up in surprise, hope daring to bud in response to her words.
"I'd like that," he said quietly, standing up straight from the doorframe. She didn't let him in, but she did step back and head inside, picking Ida and her blanket up and bringing her over to the door, where she very gently placed the still-awake baby in his waiting arms.
Levi held his daughter very carefully, as if he was afraid he might hurt her if he didn't treat her like fine china. His hand cradled her tiny head in support, holding her so she was facing him at first, her tiny eyes looking semi-tired and still mostly alert to her surrounding, gurgling as her arms waved around, the blanket draped around her body soft and plush. His heart melted at the sight, and he pulled her closer to his chest, cradling her towards his heart and gently kissing the top of her head.
It was a precious moment of quiet warmth, a calmer sensation that echoed when he'd first held the twins running over him, the peace and reassurance it gave him a balm for some of the many worries that were lingering in his mind.
His child, in his arms, cooing happily as she snuggled into his chest and listened to his heart, his expression and eyes soft and warm as he gazed down at the little one in his arms. He'd like to hold Asa, too, but if he was already asleep, Levi would leave him be and try again tomorrow.
He just wanted to be around his children. He wanted to be as much a part of their lives as Y/N was right now. He wanted to be in their presence, if only to reassure himself that maybe all of this really would be worth it in the end.