Levi had barely opened his eyes when he felt something small and annoying sitting on his stomach.

Pat.

Pat.

Pat.

Tiny hands repeatedly smacked his face, the taps getting more aggressive by the second.

"Papa, no chubby cheeks."

Levi groaned, turning his face away, hoping she'd get the hint and let him sleep. No luck.

Pat.

Pat.

Pat.

"Papa! No chubby cheeks."

A deep sigh escaped him. "Tch... What?" he grumbled, cracking one eye open.

Yuna sat on his stomach, her legs crossed, staring down at him with a dead-serious expression. "Papa no chubby cheeks," she repeated matter-of-factly.

Levi just blinked at her, still groggy. "And?"

Yuna poked her own cheek. "Tuna chubby cheeks!" she announced proudly.

Levi squinted at her. This little brat...

He reached up, lazily pinching one of her round cheeks between his fingers. "Yeah, you do," he muttered, still half-asleep. "Now get off."

Instead of obeying, she giggled, bouncing a little on his stomach. "Boing, boing!"

Levi winced. "Oi—! You tryna kill me?"

Yuna just laughed, her tiny hands grabbing onto his shirt as if she had no plans of moving.

Levi groaned again, rubbing a hand down his face. He was really doing this, huh? Waking up to a kid sitting on him, declaring her own chubby cheeks like it was some grand revelation.

From the hallway, Kuchel's amused voice rang out. "I hear my granddaughter is bullying my son first thing in the morning."

Levi sighed. "brat"

Kuchel peeked into the room, grinning. "Better get used to it. Breakfast is almost ready, so get your lazy ass up."

Yuna gasped dramatically. "Bad word!"

Levi smirked. "Yeah, Grandma. No bad words."

Kuchel rolled her eyes. "Brat."

As she left, Yuna turned back to Levi, now playing with the collar of his shirt. "Papa, up!"

Levi sighed again, staring at the ceiling.

This was his life now.

Breakfast was as expected—messy. The little menace had a stack of books under her seat again, trying (and failing) to eat properly. Food everywhere. A half-spilled juice cup in front of her. Levi had already given up.

No one in this house drank juice. It was a tea household.

Kuchel, however, had insisted. "It's for my baby."

Levi scowled. "She's my kid, not yours."

Kuchel just smiled sweetly, sipping her tea like she hadn't just claimed ownership over his child.

Meanwhile, Yuna stared at the tea cups in front of the adults, her half-finished juice completely forgotten. Her  heterochromic eyes flicked between her cup and Levi's.

Then—

"Papa," she whined, clinging to his arm like some desperate little creature. "Tea!"

Levi raised a brow. "It's hot, brat."

No effect. She kept tugging at him, eyes filled with determination.

Fine. Let her learn.

He grabbed his cup, cooled a spoonful, and held it up to her lips. "Alright. Here."

She eagerly sipped—

And immediately stuck out her tongue, hissing dramatically.

Levi smirked. Good. She won't ask again.

Then—

"Papa."

Levi stared.

The tiny menace pointed at his cup.

She wanted more.

Kuchel laughed. "Guess she's an Ackerman after all."

Levi sighed. 

No more juice in this damn house. Only tea.

CHAPTER COMPLETED.