Bad Boy Week

Day 3 - Kuchel

THIS WAS MY MOST FAVOOURITE ONEE!! I COULD USE IN ALL THE PROMPTS, TEACUPS, LOLLIPOP AND SMILING BABY LEVI WITH HIS MAMA <3 <3 <3

Comfort came naturally, as he slept, wrapped up in his mom's soft blanket. The bed was plain wooden, devoid of any plush mattress or even clean, fresh sheets.

The mattress was dirty and used, the sheets were in the same condition, tattered and worn - out that sleeping in such a bed offers no comfort.

But the little boy slept soundly, traversing in his own world of dreams in a world with a bleak reality, just because he was wrapped in the cocoon of his Mama's blanket.

Soft touches and head pats woke him up, as his dreary eyes opened slowly, seeing his mother's tired yet beautiful face the first sight in the morning, a precious smile tugged on his baby lips.

"Good Morning Sunshine..." Kuchel smiled, picking him up in her frail arms and kissing his chubby cheeks.

Oh, he was adorable. She'd only wish for him to stay healthy and chubby like this, a sign that he was eating well and wasn't starving.

"Morning, Mama..." Levi spoke, his eyes shining with innocent happiness, and full of last night's rest.

Kuchel coddled her son, giggling and playing around with him for it was a peaceful morning.

Watching him grow was a blessing to her in this cruel world and he was the only one she could call her own. And for him, she'd do anything.

She smiled as she watched him run towards the small tiny window of their dilapidated room as he peered out. There wasn't much to see in the dirty streets, but her boy was curious and she would never stop that.

She got up and went towards the wooden table, carefully taking out a basket wrapped with a clean cloth. It's a rare delicacy, to have this in the underground and she smiles as she imagines how her little boy will be so over the moon after seeing this.

A customer had dropped by last night, just like every day. It was her routine, and it made her sick to her core but there was no other way out. Especially with her little boy, her only reason for pushing through and her sun shine in this dark world, she had to for him.

To provide him with decent food, atleast in a few days so that he doesn't lose the adorable chubby cheeks. The situations in the underground were uncertain, and scarcity of basic necessities like clean food and water was something she wanted to shield her son from, as much as she could

He was so pure and innocent, she'd tell him about the world above and her heart broken everytime he asked questions regarding when will he see the things she talked about? When will he see the stars and the moon in the night sky, just like how she calls him 'Starlight'?

She just wanted to protect him at all costs and give him a good life, as long as she was alive and breathing.

The said customer last night, was very pleased and he'd given away a basket of candies to her and the moment her eyes laid on the sweet treats and how Levi would probably like them, every second of her tormenting job was worth his joy.

"Starlight? Come here, I have got something special for today" She beckoned him over. He was busy leaning over the window, watching the stray kittens playing around the alleyway but as soon as he heard her, he immediately ran over to the table.

Standing on his tippy - toes to peek at the contents of the basket on the table, he asked,

"What's special mean Mama?"

"Special means something that is new and different, something nice that does not happen everyday, but when it happens sometimes it makes you very happy..." She smiled, scooping him up in her arms and making him sit on the small chair.

"Something nice..." He mumbles to himself, as if taking in the fact. He was aware of the reality, as much as she tried to hide it he was smart enough to figure out what kind of conditions they were living in. Why the people outside his window were the way they were. Why their room was dirty and cramped. And the worst one, which haunted him to paralysing fear was why do many men came to visit them.

She smiled briefly, before uncovering the clean white cloth and revealing the contents of the basket to him

His gunmetal orbs, so much like her own, widened in sheer awe as he took in the sweet colours, curled up around in a coil. Multiple colours, red, blue, green and yellow, the basic ones he knew and plenty others which he had never seen. But it was all so new to his eyes, which were used to the muddy brown and black surroundings of the underground.

"What's this?" He breathed softly, eyeing the candies in disbelief

Kuchel smiled, "They're called Lollipops. Try one, it's sweet."

He looks at her with wide eyes, curious yet hesitant about the new treat in front of him. He carefully picks up a swirly round lollipop and marvels at the radiant coils of colour.

"It's...sticky, Ma" He says, still assessing the candy with curiosity before putting it in his mouth.

Kuchel laughs softly, seeing his little hands hold the lollipop wrongly, by it's candy structure .

"Here, you hold it by the stick. It's not sticky now, right?" She gently guides his hands to the wooden stick that holds up the lollipop.

"Yeah.."

"Go ahead, try it." She nudges him encouragingly.

Hearing her words, he's eager to try. She said it tastes sweet. He was curious as he takes a small lick of the colourful candy.

His baby eyes widen in glee.

"It's...Sweet" He says, agreeing with his Mama's words, continuing to eat the rare delicacy

"I told you so..." She gently ruffles his messy hair. It has grown longer, reaching till his neck, but she adored it. However, she was planning to give him a handsome haircut later.

"You enjoy you lollipops, I'll get myself a cup of tea" She says, walking towards her stove to make herself a cup.

Tea was again rare, but it was one of the things that kept her satisfied and happy in this hell hole, so she frequently treated herself to a warm cup.

And it was cute how her little boy tried to be like her as well, mimicking whatever she did. She had to keep her hair long, so he refused to cut his short, letting it grow despite her attempts to style it in a gorgeous undercut. He wore her old dresses, although it was because of the fact she couldn't afford to buy him new clothes for boys, but he seemed too happy to wear her dress which was too long for his tiny frame and she had to fold it up his sleeves and cut it so that it wouldn't drag along the ground. He also attempted to drink tea like her, she couldn't give tea to him at a young age so she simply filled his own little teacup with warm water as he joined her in a little 'tea party'.

"I want a cup too!" He gleamed, eagerly going to fetch his own little teacup, the lollipop still clutched tightly in his other hand.

Levi blinks, as he suddenly recalls this rustic memory from the depths of his heart. He wonders why.

He missed his mother still. He didn't remember her much, memories and her loving face getting blurred in his mind at one point.

But he remembers.

Memories like this one popped up often, leaving a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

They were so random, hidden somewhere in the corner of his lonely heart and reminding him of there existence once in a while.

Why such a simple, yet loving memory emerge from the depths of his heart now, after all these years?

Ah, perhaps the little boy's face, to whom he was handing out candies and lollipops resembled his own childhood self?

🤍☕☕🤍