A knock at the front door had Lavi jumping curiously to his feet before Alena could stop him. He opened it to reveal three huge men taking up the doorway, while she was stilll meandering over from the other room. 

The smoke from their cigarettes curled towards the ceiling as they regarded Lavi with varying degrees of interest, and the poor boy's hand tightened around the handle, like he was preparing to slam the door shut in their faces. 

"Hey, seriously, learn to call ahead." Alena peered over Lavi's shoulder at them, unhappy. "You can't keep expecting me to feed strays."

Demyan presented his grocery bags. "That's why these strays brought their own food."

Despite her vague protests, Alena let them pile into her apartment. She went to the kitchen with Demyan, which left the other Makkens with Lavi. He was notably shorter than these men and not nearly as powerfully built, but he merely gave them a cursory glance before trailing after Alena. He stuck so close that she had to keep shifting him to the side so she could move around without stepping on his toes.

"I noticed there was a baby staying with you. Where'd you pick it up?" Demyan asked. 

"It has a name," Alena replied, reluctant to tell him what it was. "And we happened upon each other by chance. He's a medical student."

"Oh, smart then?" His gaze cut towards Lavi. 

"Demy," she hummed in warning. "Don't mess with him."

"Ah, sure, sure, though I'm not sure I can be worse than you." He held up his hands, laughing. "But I wouldn't want to make the boss's lady mad."

"Yeah, well, your boss is currently serving time, so I don't think he'll have much to say." She ignored the way Demyan's face tightened and said, "Make yourself useful and cut some of those vegetables for the stew."

Warily he muttered, "Has your cooking improved at all?"

"Would you rather starve?"

Demyan wisely held his tongue, though that still managed to irk Alena. She knew she was short-tempered and curt, and always very easily riled by others, but she didn't want to show that side to Lavi. She wouldn't mind so much if she knew he wouldn't be scared by it, but the last thing she wanted was for him to feel intimidated by her or these giants.

Demyan didn't bother opening the drawers in search of a knife, so when she placed a real one in his hand, shock slackened his jaw. 

"The kid took up cooking," she explained. "So I restocked the kitchen."

Then she focused all her energy on peeling potatoes, not wanting to embarrass herself. Lavi had taken to making their meals every day, perhaps because he was worried about both their health, which meant she hadn't had to battle in this kitchen for a few weeks now. 

Lavi hovered around her, always in her periphery. He kept getting himself between her and Demyan, until Demyan used a burly hand to shove him towards the other three. They pulled him down onto the cushions, and he shot an unhappy glance at the man crushing his usual seat. 

"What's with you lately?" Demyan quietly asked, elbow brushing Alena's as they cooked. "Going grocery shopping together, eating out in the park, and someone even saw you and the kid sorting out the trash yesterday morning."

"Recycling's hard work," she shrugged.

"It's not a two person job." 

"Anything can be a two person job if you set your mind to it."  She patted his shoulder. "I spray and he wipes, he washes and I dry." 

That was met with an exasperated look. "You know what I mean." 

She couldn't help but laugh. "Do I?" 

"Why've you softened so much towards the kid?" 

"Hmm, well, when I tried to contribute to breakfast this morning, I burnt the coffee beans, and Lavi laughed and told me it's nothing sugar can't fix. And I know he's got a sweet tooth that would put any child to shame, so he can't really stomach coffee, but he drinks any cup I make him and always says the cup makes it taste better. Even though they've often got a crack at the bottom, where the coffee leaks out. So..." She glanced up at him with raised eyebrows. "Are you wondering why I still gave it to him when I know all this?" 

"Only a little,"  Demyan begrudged. 

"Of course, because I was messing with him." She cracked a devilish grin. "I wanted him to finally admit he doesn't like the taste. But when he told me it was nothing sugar couldn't fix, what can I say to that?" 

"And this is the reason why you've been so active lately, going out shopping with him and seeing the movies? When I first heard about this, I thought you two were dating." Demyan's face twisted with derision. 

"It's because I've been happy for the first time in what feels like forever," she told him, elbowing him away. "Honestly, Demy, you can be so hard to talk to. Wash your hands and let's go eat."  

The conversation around the table was relatively easy-going as they informed Alena about the positive Makkens news, like who was dating who now, who was expecting a child, or doing well at work that didn't involve shootouts. They also excessively mentioned Ian, reassuring her that he was doing fine without her having to ask. They didn't stop talking, even when their plates were stacked high and they started digging in.

"Never feels quite right without the boss here," Krisen sighed, leaning against the wall, stomach full. "Especially since you've taken in a kid."

She replied shortly, "He's sharing the rent until I move out."

"Why Rive anyway? You can do your work anywhere." Krisen glanced at the boxes still stacked across the room. "Writers don't get paid a lot, but we've got funds that can set you up in Menion's castle if that's what you want."

Her mouth curled with contempt. "I don't particularly feel like accepting anything from loan sharks."

"We wouldn't expect you to pay it back," Demyan pointed out. 

"Unless your great boss insists on it, right? If he ordered my door busted in, I'd be thankful if you'd hesitate for a second." Her smile was a brutal slash of teeth. "What does it matter if you've known me for years and gate-crash my dinners when everything I do is reported to Ian by you? You're already acting like my loan sharks."

Silence descended, so full of tension that it was painful, and it took a mixture of guts and stupidity for Demyan to break it. 

"It's not like we're enemies. When you insisted on moving places, I talked to him for you. When you adopted this brat, I reassured him for you." He leant forward, hands fisted. "All I'm asking is that you let it go already. At least for him. It was just one miscalculation that no one could predict."

"One that nearly earned a bullet in Ian's cheek. I'm not going to keep waiting for the day I'm called to some mortuary to identify his body, nor am I going to sit on one side of the bars every visitation, having to get permission from some asshole to see whoever's face I want to see."

Demyan abruptly lashed out at Lavi beside him, clasping his arm tightly. "Stop fidgeting."

Lavi's eyes lifted to Alena, who felt a surge of protectiveness. After all he'd been through, to be manhandled like this in their home of all places? 

"Get out," she bit, and their expressions blanked with shock. "Don't make me repeat myself."

Demyan looked stunned. After all these months and all their bickering, Alena had never turned on them like this. And she was only acting this way because of the kid.

"What the fuck has you so riled?" he snapped, fingers digging painfully into Lavi. "You can't honestly be defending this brat when I just-?"

"He has a name." 

And her fist caught Demyan in the jaw before anyone could blink. 

He tumbled backwards, choking, and anger flashed across Krisen's face. He tried to grab Alena, but Lavi managed to intercept, and an all-out brawl erupted. 

Even if one of the Makkens caught a fistful of Lavi's clothes as he dodged and ducked, they still had to contend with Alena. Sure, she couldn't move particularly well due to her ankle, but she landed one solid hit after another. Not only did that help her burn through her foul mood, but the show of force also reminded them to keep themselves in check. 

Once it was settled, she slumped to the ground beside Demyan's head, glancing down at his bleeding face. 

Ah, she couldn't help but laugh a little. "Sorry, I think I broke your nose."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he muttered, gingerly touching it. 

"You shouldn't pick on kids," she reminded him. "I ought to keep kicking your asses."

"That wouldn't exactly make you a great role model, though, would it?"

"And what kid?" Krisen spat. "You only see people as adults when they're in a gang, is that it?"

"Don't say such stupid things. You guys will always be little mutts running around my legs, tripping me up."

That finally seemed to amuse Krisen. "It's impressive that the boss managed to woo someone who traded their soul to violence, isn't-"

Lavi stepped directly onto Krisen's bruised hand, cutting him short. He reached the door and held it open, glaring impatiently at the gangsters. 

"You heard her," he announced. "Get out."

They stared at him, dumbfounded, before howling with laughter. 

Even Alena cracked a grin. She started to rise, and Lavi appeared beside her, very gently taking her hand to help her to her feet. He secured himself to her side, and she absently patted his back. He could be so cute.

Demyan tried to reason with her. "Even if it's not the boss, if other rival gangs catch wind of some civilian living this close to the inner circle, Lavi will become a target. It's not responsible to keep him."

"That's why this is only a temporary arrangement. Now, get lost. Go to the hospital and get your face checked." Alena clapped her hands, getting them groaning to their feet. "None of you are allowed to come for dinner again."

"Seriously?" Krisen muttered, but Demyan only consented to giving it a few months. 

She simply shut the door behind them and locked it for good measure. Then she got the fright of her life when she turned, nearly colliding with Lavi behind her, who pressed an ice-pack against her swelling knuckles. She flinched slightly at the coldness, but his fingers tightened to keep it in place. 

The more time they spent together, the more obvious it was that he had certain rules of engagement. That he was eager to stick to her all the time, and found anything she said deeply interesting, but that he would act just like she did. That was how he'd slowly taken over their home -carefully ordering the kitchen cloths exactly the way she liked them, buying only the air fresheners she was fond of, and taking care of her hands like she took care of his. Even when it took him longer than it would've if he'd done it his way, and even when certain scents made him sneeze. 

"You have a mean right hook," he praised. 

She instantly grinned, proud of herself. "They're definitely going to feel it for a few days."

But then he mused, "I think if I severed my ties to stay here with you, you should sever yours."

Puzzled, she blinked at him. "Isn't this different?"

"How so? I'm all you need anyway. The last few months have been just us, and we've been more than fine. What have they done for you that I haven't? Look at the state of your hands after meeting them just once." His expression was scrunched up in concern and dislike, like a child who'd been given a sour sweet. 

She was so accustomed to everyone throwing their weight around all the time that she hadn't fully considered how frightening, let alone intimidating, it would be for Lavi. She also wasn't quite sure how to reassure him. 

"Don't worry," she tried, straightforward. "I'll take care of you."

He looked pretty conflicted about that. "I'm young, but I'm not as young as you think I am."

"You're younger than me, though," she grinned. 

He squeezed the ice-pack against her knuckles until she took over holding it. Then he bent down to pick up the cushion he always sat on for their dinners, pinching it between his fingers like a dirty rag. It was the same cushion that had the misfortune of being utterly crushed under Krisen tonight. 

"Will we have to burn it?" she gravely asked. 

His eyebrows furrowed. "I mean, what do you even have to eat to get that huge?" 

"Steroids and children, I'd imagine." 

"That I can consider. But sacrificing every last one of my brain cells?" Lavi shook his head sombrely. "That I can't do. At least not nearly as easily as he did. I'd much rather starve, wouldn't you?" 

She burst out laughing, and that earned a beautiful smile from him. One that crinkled the corner of his eyes and lit up his face. It was almost a child's smile in how pure and beaming it was. 

"Try not to let them get under your skin too much," she said, wanting to protect him from their hostility. "They probably didn't mean anything by it." 

"Just for fun," Lavi tilted his head, still smiling, "I'm going to take it personally."