Chapter Text
Memories. They often came unbidden at night.
“They told me I should have drowned you.” Her voice was quiet. Heavy. He turned his head. He didn’t understand what that meant.
“The son of a whore…” His mother grabbed his face, kissing his forehead. “I could never bring myself to kill you.” She held him close. He held on fast, grasping at her clothes, craving attention.
“No matter how dark this world gets, remember your mother loved you, Levi.” She tucked him in, whispered goodnight, and left.
He didn’t see her the next morning. Nor the next. Meals were left out for him, but everytime he peeked out the window, no one was there. Eventually, the meals stopped coming. Cars drove by. Could one of them be moms? He climbed on unsteady legs, gazing out the window. The sky was so big and blue. Flowers popped into bloom all around him.
He was so hungry.
He’d managed, somehow, to make it outside. He walked to the roadside, and peeked out, past the hedges. The road was empty, shrouded by hills and dotted with bright, yellow flowers. He swallowed.
He’d been alone then.
He swirled the knife in his fingers; every now and then catching a glimpse of his reflection in the shining surface. Polished to a gleaming sheen, the knife had slit the throats of many who had crossed him.
“Whose this little runt?” A man held him up by the hair. He screamed in pain, biting and punching with tiny fists. Something sharp pressed up against his throat.
“Dunno. Looks like he was left here when we killed the bitch.” They dropped him. He fell, hard, to the earth. He refused to cry. One of the men leaned down.
“Whats your name, kid? Did your mother leave you here?” He didn’t look at the man. Nodding, he spat,
“Levi.” One of the other men's eyed widened, as if realizing something.
“He’s blood alright. If he dies we’ll be in trouble.”
“What you saying?”
“Look at im! We gotta take im’ to Kenny.”
The reflection he looked upon didn’t please him; Still too skinny. Too short. Didn’t matter what he wore, how he styled his hair. He would always be a runt to his enemies. He chuckled.
“You fucking son of a bitch.” Levi pulled back the mans head. He screamed in agony, clawing at his neck. This was the same man that had held a knife to his throat as a child. Held him by the hair. Delivered him to Kenny. He slid a knife against the mans throat. Ruby red droplets beaded, sliding down the metallic surface.
“Ah, I am a son of a bitch. You’re right.” Levi was the picture of calm. Focused. Uncaring. The man sputtered. Levi pressed harder.
“You should have never been born! You’re the son of a whore, you’re not true blood!” Levi ripped back harder.
“What does blood matter, at the end of the day?” He spat, glaring. “It all runs the same, doesn’t it?” He pulled back on the knife. The man gargled, hands trying and failing to stem the flow of blood now pouring out of him. Levi stepped back, disgusted.
“A pity. These carpets used to be so white…”
Didn’t work well for them, in the end. A knock at the door. Roused from memories, he snarled.
“What?”
“A visitor in the garden Levi.” Hops. Wasn’t his real name, but that was the only name Levi had ever heard him go by. Once quick and agile, Hops used to work for his family as a runner. Age had caught up with him, and he’d been graciously allowed to stay on as an indentured servant.
“At this hour?” He slipped off his bed, pulling a jacket over his undershirt, jeans over briefs. Hops cleared his throat.
“Aye. Levi?”
“What?!”
“He appears to be an undercover cop. Best be careful.” Hops walked away, whistling tunelessly down the hallway.
“Tch.” He holstered the knife against his calf, strapping a pistol at his waist. He glanced out the window. Among the fluttering ivy, he caught sight of a shiny blond head, hair parted and combed. He didn’t see a face, though he recognized the olive-green trench coat he wore. Detective livery. Levi swore under his breath, striding out of his room.
Dealing with law enforcement was common for him, and it was never a fun job. He hated the bastards; constantly breathing down his neck. They had nothing on him; he kept a clean trail. Still, they knew. Everyone knew. Everyone knew Levi Ackerman was the killer for the family. Cross the family, and you’d see Levi.
That was the way of things, until recently.
He opened the door. His guards glanced at him, nodding. He raised his hand, and they left, pushing past him into the house. He stared at the man before him. He hadn’t seen his eyebrows from above; the man should either wax or pluck the damn things. His face carried no expression, no betrayal of emotion. He was a blank slate. Looking at him made Levi angry despite knowing nothing about the man.
“What do you want? It’s late.”
“It’s barely 8 pm, Mr. Ackerman.” He fished inside his jacket, pulling out leaflets of paper. Levi studied him for a moment. He was a detective with the force, but none he’d ever seen before. The others were tubby and easily paid off. Not this man.
“I’ve come with a proposal.” Levi fished out a cigarette from his backside pocket. Lighting it, he looked through his lashes at the man.
“I expect dinner and a movie first.” No trace of a smile. Tch. He exhaled. “I’d like a name from a man I plan to do business with.” Blondie inclined his head.
“Detective Smith.” Smith? This guy was a Smith? Everyone was named Smith. What a shitty name.
“You new?”
“You could say that.” Smith offered the leaflets, and Levi looked through them. His stomach dropped. He held the cigarette loosely between his fingers, staring. How…?
“I suppose you’ve never seen verifiable proof of your dealings before, have you?” The man spoke, his voice cool, even. Levi glared at him.
“You had a proposal.” Finally, the man smiled. His lips barely moved; just a twitch at the corners, though he inclined his head. “Is it blackmail?”
“Nothing so severe, though I suppose you could paint it that way.” Smith took the documents from him.
“I’d like to work together. We share a common goal.” Levi’s eyes widened.
“You’re out of your mind.” His smirk widened. “What goal could we possibly share?” Silence for a moment. The detective neatly folded the documents, tucking them into an inside pocket. Finally, he looked at Levi.
“Mr. Ackerman. Your family has been running this city for decades.” He tilted his head, referring to the documents he’d just tucked away.
“I’ve proof you want to turn things around, and I…” He looked to the sky. “Want to bring an end to this rot festering within the government.” Levi stared. He took another long drag of the cigarette, thinking. It was true; he was tired of the games his family played, tired of what they did. He was only here due to a lucky coincidence; they’d been more than willing to let him starve as a child. He’d love to watch them burn. Ending the corruption in the government was another matter. Smith was right; the city council ate out of his families hand, and by and large, the justice system was in shambles.
“Where do you come from, Smith?”
“That is neither here nor there.” Levi smiled.
“I suppose if I decline, you’ll expose me?”
“The documents could make their way into your family’s hands, yes.”
“I could kill you right here.” He smirked. Smith simply stared.
“You could. But you won’t.” Fury welled inside him, a hot bubble of magma. Damn him.
Silence.
“This is quite a gamble, Detective.” Levi exhaled, blowing smoke directly at Smith. He didn’t flinch; the smirk had disappeared from his face. It was back to stony blankness.
“I’ve always fancied myself a betting man.”
“Alright. I’ll bite. I don’t have a choice, now, do I?” He reached out a hand, fingers waggling.
“The documents.” Smith shook his head. “You expect me to work with you without some form of collateral?”
“I do.” He turned away. Levi scowled, cigarette forgotten in his fingers. The man walked to his car; a non-descript Dodge Challenger. He stood tall, a monolith against the swaying ivy and hollyhock of the gardens. Levi hated him. Hated that he’d been cornered. Hated that of all things, a blond man with a shit eating smirk had played him.
“And Levi?” He raised his brows at the mans back. He turned to look at him, hand on the car door.
“I’ll be in touch.” He drove away, the crunch of gravel under his wheels, the soft whine of the engine fading away as he made his way down the drive. Levi watched it disappear, before turning on his heel and stomping back inside.
He had work to do.