A Different Path

Chapter Three: Parenthood

   About a week has gone by since the group found the baby. They already started accounting with the difficulties of parenthood.

"Ah~" Furlan cooed with his mouth open, he gestured for baby Lilith to do the same.

"Aw, looks like 'tough shell Furlan' went baby soft," Isabel giggled.

"Shut up, she's being difficult and won't eat. And you're one to talk." Furlan said with a stern yet concerned voice.

"Maybe she's just not hungry," Levi said as he entered the living room and sat near Furlan.

"Well, she's gotta eat, she hasn't in two day." He frowned.

"Give her to me." Levi gently took Lilith from Furlan's arm. "Go pay the boys at the door, they just came back from a job." Furlan did as he was told.

With ease, Levi brought the little metal spoon up to the baby, and she ate.

"Huh?? How the hell did you do it?" Furlan hissed while closing the door, Levi responded with a shrug.

"She must really like you, huh?" Isabel said while seating herself on the coffee table in front of Levi. He ignored the crimson haired girl and continued to feed the hungry infant. It definitely wasn't the tastiest of foods, but she had to eat something. They didn't really know what to feed a baby, so bread and warm water was what she ate for now.

"Furlan's ugly face probably scares her," Levi responded in his monotone yet joking voice. Dry humor.

"Leave me alone slanty eyes." Furlan huffed and crossed his arms.

"Here," Levi handed Lilith to Furlan, "I have to run out real quick. I found a job for Shane-" Levi was cut off by Furlan's plea.

"Wha- wait! She's gonna-" Lilith cut him off with wails of... sadness? To which made the two friends sigh.

"What's she crying for?" Levi asked with genuine concern.

"She wants you, anytime you leave she does this," Furlan said, raising his voice over the infant's cry. Isabel took the baby from Furlan,

"Take her with you~" Isabel begged, holding the baby up in front of Levi's face.

"No," Levi said sternly, cupping his hands under Lilith's feet.

"Please!" She continued, shoving the baby closer to his face.

"No, I have to go out and it's too dangerous for her to leave here yet." Furlan jerked up and began flailing his arm in the air dramatically,

"I'll go instead!"

"I'll go with him!" Isabel added.

Levi took the baby from Isabel, "Fine." He handed Furlan a piece of paper with a gang member's job on the inside, then they left, leaving Levi with Lilith.

'So much for 'we're in this together',' he thought to himself. He looked down at the baby laying in his arm,

"Oi, hurry up and eat so I can put you to bed," He said to the baby, as if she understood him. Levi finished feeding her the mixture of sweet bread and warm water, then, as gently as he could, cleaned off the baby. He wasn't about to deal with another crying fit. He sat back on the couch with her in arm, and bounced her ever so slightly to put her to sleep, and quickly she did. "There you go" He stated proudly.

He felt something odd when she was in his arms, euphoric almost. Like there was nothing else in the world. With her, it was always in the moment. He truly cared for this girl, even within the short week he knew her. Maybe he isn't as coldhearted and distant as he seemed to be?

.  .  .

"We're ba-" Isabel went to speak before being cut off by Furlan's hand over her mouth,

"Look," he whispered to her, pointing at Levi asleep with Lilith on the couch. Oh a rare sight it was, Levi can almost never seem to sleep.

"Aww~" She added, looking at the two sleeping beings. Furlan shushed her before carefully closing the door behind him. They both quietly settled themselves back home, putting their "earned" money and goods from the market on the counter and made their way to the couch. Furlan looked down at the drooling baby and let a smile slip onto his face, Isabel did the same with a smile twice as big. They settled next to their sleeping partners before slowly drifting to sleep along with them. 

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I know the chapter is still kinda short but they'll be longer later on

I still don't have a lot of readers but I'll keep posting a few chapters in case I get some :)