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The sun’s rays shined brightly as they crept through the slight gaps of the tree branches, creating eerie shadows and patterns as the boy trudged through the snow. It had begun to snow again, making the air crisp and cool. Each breath he took was like drowning in icy water and the air stung his eyes. He watched the flakes of snow, silver and dark, fall obliquely against the sunlight. Each breath he made caused mist and puffs of air to form like little clouds while blurring his view as they disappeared into the crisp air like smoke. The snow had created a blanket of white on the barren trees, giving the appearance of tranquility and peace like a mother's embrace among the otherwise cold and dreary mountain. The boy's soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly like the descent of their last end, upon all the living dead. The heavy crunch of snow under his brown, worn boots gave way, creating a lonely path as he trudged as far as his small body could take him. A sudden wind caused him to shiver and try to shield his dainty body from the chilly air, as if warding off a cold embrace. For days he had been tracking this horde, climbing higher and higher the mountain with each step, wishing that his frail body could travel with speed that the same creatures he had sworn to hunt had. Agility and speed had been the few of their deadly features that he wish he possessed the farther he had travelled. Taking a deep sniff, he threw his head back and almost appeared feral among the foliage of nature. The odours, the sights, the sounds, everything played a role in his world, now, and he was the apex predator of this world. He had hoped that all the wind and snow from the previous night would have died down making the track up slightly more bearable after being accustomed to such weather for so long, but his journey farther up had proved wrong. His spider-like limbs and thin frame could not protect his hollow like body from the harsh winter. His tattered shirt and flimsy pants doing nothing to block the wind. His shoulder-length, tangled, soot-covered brunette hair was only causing him annoyance as the wind swept his hair and made it cover his field of view; only allowing him to see his dirty, brown boots buried six inches deep in snow. The silence of his trip only made him more aware of his lonely and dangerous mission. The only company he could rely on was the dreary snow and bare trees with which he had grown to love during his isolation. He could see the area finally clearing of trees and becoming more destitute, meaning he was finally reaching the end of his track. The sudden realization made the long, cold steel of the axe hidden underneath his clothes a friendly reminder of what was to come. His cobalt blue eyes were focused on the path ahead, but his body was rigid on high alert, tightly sprung like a coil ready to burst into action if needed. His sunken eyes were vigilant of anything that moved; to the sudden fall of patch of snow from a tree branch, to the brisk bout of icy wind that passed by. The fall of the snow caused a rush of nostalgia from the boy. He remembered two winters ago how cold it had gotten one night. He had tried to find some dry wood to bring back to his cabin to light a fire to keep warm for the night but came back with a pathetic bundle of thin sticks instead. He had started a fire and was bedding down when he heard a loud thump like that of a large body echo within the walls of his cabin, causing his heart to race wildly. He thought at first they had found him, that he was done for but his fear dwindled as he saw a pile of snow that had fallen from his frost coated window. He had been seven at the time and had learned from the incident to always ensure no snow piled onto the roof again. The boy stopped in his path to warm his frozen limbs and rub his hands together to warm his fingers. His hands had turned a blood red due to the harsh cold and making his limbs burn and tingle from his hot breath. The sudden color of red had caused him to remember his first kill he made a year ago. He could remember the incident as if it was yesterday; all in clear detail right down to the sights, smells and sounds. The blood was red, like the early sunsets he would see when he would rise for another chilly morning. The air smelled of rotten flesh, ozone, and iron. The creature was just as ugly as he had remembered when he was six. It was tall and lanky with limbs all gangly. Its arms were skinny and the rest of its body was thin to the point of undernourishment. Its skin was pale and seemed like a pasty grey in colour and was stretched so far on its limbs that every bony protrusion was visible, right down to the ribs. Each breath it took was rancid and smelled of ozone making the air putrid to breathe in. The creature’s long tongue was forked at the tip like a snakes would be, making it seem deadly. Along with the long, sharp corded-like nails ensured the sudden death of its prey all the more frightening. Its pointed hairy ears were made to snuff out anything hidden and its snout was elongated for a quick capture of prey. Fangs had protruded from its chapped, stretched thin lips causing it have an overbite due to the sheer size of its teeth. He remembered its hunched back and spinal cord being distorted, exposing deadly spikes acting as the perfect armour against any veteran hunter. Perhaps it was a stalker and a predator in its own regard, but he wasn’t threatened or moved at all. It was no doubt displaying a dominant, aggressive warning sign for him, but he paid it no heed. Fear hardly struck in the depth of his heart, and he made a plan to advance in such ways that its life would be snuffed out like a candle in the darkness before it had time to even assess and read his movements. Yes, a swift death was his gift to the creature. It didn’t need suffering; only beautiful things deserved to suffer and meet the prolonged torture he often bestowed upon those creatures he deemed worthy of such a sacrifice. It took him a few hours to kill it after he had stalked the thing. He had had the advantage because of its small, beady eyes that were partially blind; the milky white of its eyes finally giving him a chance to move swiftly in for the kill. He remembered limping back through the snow and feeling the light throb of the slashes across his back made from the deadly claws of the beast. His torn shirt and open wound was exposed to the bitter cold and never fully healed properly, leaving behind an ugly scar to be permanently etched into his otherwise unblemished skin. Blood had soaked the snow leaving behind a bloody trail of red, like rose petals in his track. Recalling it now brought on a sense of satisfaction and strength that he longed for as his fatigue was blown away by the sudden burst of emotions from the event. It was exactly what he needed to push on and remind himself of why he was pursuing these beasts in the first place. That as long as these beings exist he would never be free and feel comfort. He was beyond exhilarated; he was liberated and free. That was a feeling he could chase to the ends of the earth, and it wouldn’t be enough to satiate his burning needs. Feeling such emotions made the boy hunger for his next kill and anticipate the feeling of his axe slashing through the beasts as they attempt to gnaw and feed on him all the while knowing that they will ultimately fall to their deaths by his hands. The boy quickened his pace in his sudden rush of excitement. He could feel it; he was so close to the peak of the mountain where he had last followed a small group of beasts that had strayed from the horde. He had to be careful since the snow was more slippy due to an under-layer of ice coating the snow. He had tracked the horde and knew that soon he would be able to destroy these fearsome beings. He started to jog to quicken his pace now that the sun was at its peak and he knew that this time was the very best since these beings hated the light. The time to act was now, when the sun was at its brightest, providing him with the best advantage and element of surprise. The creatures mostly feed at night, crawling around to scavenge for food. At night, these creatures were twice as strong, more foul and hungry and could see as clearly as he did during the day. For months he had studied these bat-like beings, trying to find out what makes them tick. Finally he had gained all the knowledge he needed to kill them. He had learned that Iron metal was not the most effective method to kill the creatures since iron hardly damaged their leather-like skin. Silver was the better metal and proved to cause considerable damage. He also learned that their intelligence was not on the same level his. They proved to be stupid, basing all their attacks on instincts and relying heavily on their claws and teeth to kill. Their tails, although long and spiked at the tip, could be easily dodged, the only deadly aspect to them was their sharp claws and sudden surges of strength when they would leap in for the kill. Their teeth snapping and locking their prey in a deadly grip allowing for no escape. The spikes on its back did prove to be sharp and were stronger than they looked. After careful analysis he had decided that tonight would be the night when he could make his move. Finally, after all this time, he could clear his home of deadly beasts. He no longer would have to fear a sudden attack or be weary of their large feet waking him in the middle of the night as they crept along the forest trail near the cabin. He was brought back to the present when a faint sound of growling caught his attention. He stopped abruptly and paused, waiting for any signs of an ambush. The growls did more than merely prepare him for early battle, however; it fuelled his rage like the oncoming rushing of the waves of a wild ocean caught in the midst of a storm. He pitied and weeped for the fools who dared to challenge him on his own territory, on his ground. He was going to have to resolve this matter for himself, and he would enjoy it. Half the enjoyment of the hunt came from the pumping of the blood in his veins, and then that of the blood seeping out of his prey’s corpse. When the coast was clear he lowered his body, pulled out the axe and continued up. He could finally see the clearing at the top where a large cliff resided. The horde had hid beyond the cliff, in a small cave near the top and he knew it was a risky move to attack at their home, but he knew if he could possibly trap them under the snow and ice that the cave would collapse under all the snow and they would be buried in a snowy death. He ran to the top and stopped, peering down. Right below ten feet from the top of the cliff, he saw it, the largest horde of beasts he had ever seen. He found it, finally.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The order was very clear: go up the mountain peak, investigate the area for any clues about the whereabouts of the mysterious “hunter” that had suddenly appeared clearing the mountain and provide a safe haven for the village that resided near the base of the mountain and get out. Levi knew something was strange about the whole situation. For one, all the hunters that were sent out on missions were either with the council or were registered under the farming pact that was made between Purebloods and any residing human settlements in the area. Hunters consisted of either noble and knight class vampires and any capable man left to fight. This queer exchange was on a very thin line and required that humans provided their blood to higher class vampires as “feeders” in exchange for their protection. Resources, shelter, food and safety was all provided to humans by vampires behind the walls and anyone unlucky enough to be stuck on the outside of any of the three walls was left to the creatures that dwelled beyond. Wall Maria, Rose, and Sina had their own designated Pureblood vampire who was in control of the wall. They provide the necessities for both vampires and humans and each consisted of one of the three elders that ruled the vampire council ruling over each wall. Levi, being a pureblood himself, found the whole thing to be quite a nuisance. He didn’t understand why the damn council had to be full of snobby old men who only wanted to satiate their own lustful desires. He honestly was tired of the whole thing and couldn’t be bothered with all the “aristocracy” and hypocrisy of it all. Although he was considered to be one of the remaining purebloods, Levi found no merit in having his own “feeder” and building his own horde. It all seemed so petty to confine humans only to fuck and feed on them whenever he wanted. He would rather chew on his limbs then resort to such actions; it seemed to remind him of a child with a magnifying glass burning off the wings of a firefly. All in all, it was boring and not to his tastes. Though he may have lived in the underbelly of the walls for about twenty years, he was accustomed to the comings and goings of what really happened within the walls. He saw it all; rape, murder, death, human trafficking not to mention other vampires taking a nice piss all over the so called “pact” that was made. Nothing was ever respected and in his world it was clear cut; black and white. Levi knew that going on this mission was not to ensure the safety of village, rather to investigate the recent horde of aberrants that had started to grow in numbers and surround the village east of Wall Rose and cut them down just to preserve what little was left of the pact. Erwin had chewed him out, forcing him to go and take care of the damn thing himself. He could remember the whole conversation and his blood began to boil in anger and annoyance. “Do you have any idea what time is it Erwin?” Levi growled at Erwin in annoyance as he was abruptly forced awake earlier by none other than Isabel bursting into his quarters at the ass crack of dawn. She had so graciously pulled the covers from his bed and boomed in a loud, chipper voice to gets his lazy ass out of bed and that Erwin wanted to see him. During that moment Levi wanted to sever Erwin’s dick off for disturbing his slumber. He hadn’t been sleeping well the last ten years and no matter the amount of sleep he desperately tried to get, it was never enough. He always ended up tossing and turning, recollecting his thoughts of the past and how he was always hungry. Hungry for what, he didn’t know, just that his stomach and fangs would ache and his throat always remained parched. “Yes I do Levi, but what I have to tell you is more important than your beauty sleep.” Erwin chided as he turned towards Levi in his chair. He fiddled with a few papers on his desk, rearranging them to how he liked then set them aside on a larger pile towards his left to focus his attention completely towards Levi. Erwin’s pale blonde hair was as perfect as Levi remembered and his bushy eyebrows were as annoying as ever. His arctic blue orbs boring holes into Levi, observing his annoyance as Levi started fidgeting under the scrutiny and tapping his black combat boot against the mahogany floorboards in irritation. “Well, get on with it Erwin. You’re starting to piss me off with your damn staring and creepy ass leering.” Levi barked as he glared at Erwin as a small form of retaliation for the sudden burst of news. Levi knew what type of man Erwin was, and Erwin being Erwin meant that there was something going on for him to summon Levi so early in the day. “You do know of Shiganshina district that resides east of Wall Rose near the mountain there right Levi?” Erwin chuckled at Levi’s crude remarks and irritation. “Yeah, what about that shithole?” Levi grumbled as he relaxed slightly, his shoulders unwinding and his usual frown residing. He crossed his arms trying to regain his composure and focus on what Erwin was trying to get at. He never knew what Erwin was thinking and never even bothered to try. Erwin was one big mystery and always knew what other people were thinking even before they themselves did which creeped him out. Relaxing his body would help curbed Erwin’s habit of reading his body language and hopefully not piss Levi off anymore than Erwin usually did. “There have been reports from the villagers that someone has been living at the top of the mountain exterminating aberrants of their own accord. The reports said that this person may be human and based on what witnesses have reported, it doesn’t sound like one of our hunters. They don’t even seem to be registered under the legislation as a hunter. I looked into it and couldn’t find anyone who fit the description given.” Erwin calmly explained. He relaxed into his chair and leaned back observing Levi and closed his eyes before leaning forward to continue. “I want you to take your squad, ride east and check out the area to see what’s going on there. Report anything unusual and if you can, try to see who our little ‘helper’ may be.” “Does it matter who the hell it is? They’re doing us a favour and personally I couldn’t give a shit who did it. They’re doing a goddamn public service and working way more than half of the fat ass snob vampires here put together.” Levi bantered playfully as he slowly made his way towards a soft, plush chair and sat down, knowing that Erwin was about to start on one of his long winded lectures. Erwin sighed in irritation, feeling a slight headache ebb its way in, making his eyes hurt from the bright beam of sunlight that snuck into the room through the window behind him. The warm sun rays casting a sense of warmth that engulfed his back as it beamed down on him. “Just get it done Levi. We need to see who is acting on their own and why. What purpose does this individual have for risking their life without reward? What drives them to reside in isolation and kill? I want to know who they are and what intentions they have. Anything that threatens our peace must be dealt with.” Erwin warned as his voice was firm and his body became rigid. Levi sat quietly mulling over what Erwin said. Who cares about the purpose. Aberrants are a nuisance to both vampires and humans, Levi thought. “Anyone crazy enough to kill them, especially a human, warrants praise for being ballsy enough to take them out in my opinion.” Levi huffed. “Levi, I’m not asking. This is an order. I want you to bring them in and I want that village secure. Is that clear?” Erwin commanded. His overbearing aura and eyes bore into Levi, challenging him to question him or deviate from his plans. “Yeah I got it, no need to get all pissy on me Erwin. I’ll get it done.” Levi relented. He swiftly got up from his seat and walked towards the door to leave the office as quickly as possible to escape the stifling pressure of Erwin’s aura and commanding tone. He reached the door and was ready to leave when he heard Erwin speak once more in a grim tone. “There’s none I trust more than you to get this job done Levi. I can’t risk trusting anyone but you. For the sake of my sanity.” Erwin appealed in a soft tone. His voice tampered off near the end of sentence and Levi had to strain his hearing just to catch the last bit of what Erwin practically whispered. Looking back on it now as he was riding his horse out in the cold, he remembered Erwin looking more worn out than he usually did. He almost missed the small details giving away Erwin's slight distress; the dark bags under his eyes, his paler than usual complexion, his shirt being more wrinkled and the end of one of the buttons on his shirt loose and hanging limply ready to fall at the smallest jostle. Levi was suddenly brought back from his musings by a wet, cold, ball of snow impacting with the back of his head, causing his horse to jump, snow to fly and a horrendous cackle to disrupt the peace. “GODDAMMIT HANJI STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD FOR ONCE!” Levi bellowed in anger. He brushed off the remaining snow on his shoulders and shrugged off his fur coat clear of any ice and snow that stuck to the ends of the fur. The green of the survey corps coat deepening to a darker emerald green due to the snow melting slightly from his warm temperature. Levi sighed in irritation as Hanji continued to cackle madly while she grabbed her sides in mirth and pure enjoyment at his annoyance. Her pony tail swaying as she jostled her horse and her glasses falling askew during her laughing. “Oh come one! Lighten up Levi poo! Enjoy the snow and have some fun. You should really consider getting laid, maybe it’ll fix that grumpy attitude of yours.” She sung as she poked Levi’s face with her index finger as a slight jab at his lack of love life and to annoy him as much as possible since she knew of his sense of hygiene and priority towards cleanliness. “Hanji, I swear if you don’t get your dirty, shit covered finger out of my face right now I’ll cut the damn thing off.” Levi growled. His eyes turning a cobalt blue in anger and overtaking the usual stormy silver grey of his eyes. His fangs protruding from his gums as he snarled, making his annoyance as clear as day. He had tried many times to shake the damn woman off and to get the message to lay off using his menacing glare that worked on lower class vampires, but she was accustomed to such treatment over the years they worked together so it never deterred her from teasing him. “Okay Mr. badass vampire, calm down. No need to get your panties in a bunch. I was just lightening the mood since the rest of your squad is too busy either admiring your ass or having something stuck up THEIR ass.” Hanji giggled as she turned behind her towards the rest of the group. “And I mean you Oluo!” Hanji goaded in a playful tone of voice all the while snickering. “Huh! What did you say Zoe? Say that again, I dare you!” Oluo barked. His face distorted as he tried desperately to imitate Levi’s usual scowl, his eyebrows scrunching together in a pathetic attempt at expressing his anger and Levi’s face. “Oh shut up Oluo, everyone knows that you’re trying too hard to imitate Captain Levi.” Petra exasperated as she pulled her horse closer to Oluo’s and smacked the back of his head in annoyance. Oluo was about to retort when he bit his tongue and a small groan could be heard from his clumsiness. “Good, maybe that’ll shut him up.” Gunther laughed as he observed Petra scolding Oluo and handing him a handkerchief as he tried to stop the bleeding from his tongue. Levi simply observed his squad bickering and felt a sense of peace and familiar tranquility settle amongst the small group as they ascended the tall mountain and felt at ease. He trusted this squad completely and to have them tag along made the trip all the more tolerable in the cold. “So Captain, how much further until we reach the designated area?” Eld inquired as the noise settled down and the team went back to a comfortable silence, the only noise being the occasional sound of the horses neighing and the crunch of the snow beneath their hooves. “Soon by the looks of it. The report said that the 'hunter' lives at the top of the mountain. Judging by how long we’ve been out here and the steady decrease of the temperature, I’d say we’ll be arriving soon.” Levi answered. “Let’s pick up the pace, it’s already mid-afternoon and it’s starting to get cloudy up here.” Levi concluded. He wanted to get out of the cold and back as soon as possible, especially with all the aberrants running around, they couldn’t risk being out in the open for too long. The longer they went the more tired and cold the horses would be and he didn’t want to get suddenly ambushed out in the open without any assurance of his squad’s safety. “How long do you think this ‘hunter’ has been doing this for? And for what reason?” Petra inquired. Her horse trotted next to Levi’s and he could tell from her tone of voice that she was genuinely concerned and curious about the person in question. “We’re not sure, but Erwin thinks for at least a year but nothing’s conclusive. Nothing was reported until about a year ago but that wasn’t until the town noticed, so God knows how long this has been going on for.” Levi declared as he turned towards Petra and addressed her question. He pulled the reins of his horse when he felt that his steed was turning in a slightly different direction and peering off the trail, ensuring that his horse would go back on track and follow the path ahead. “But why would someone just kill aberrants all alone way up in the mountains, and outside Wall Rose of all places? It doesn’t make sense. This area is practically destitute besides Shiganshina, there’s not a lot of human settlements in this area. Not to mention they’re probably by themselves judging by what the reports said.” Petra wondered. “Hmm, I wouldn’t say that it doesn’t make any sense.” Hanji chimed in. “What do you mean Hanji?” Petra asked. “Well if you think about it, some things add up. For one, this person decided to be all alone up in the mountain rather than stay with the rest of town of Shiganshina, another is that this person is capable of taking down aberrants without any hunter training or equipment and you have to consider the fact that this person is possibly doing this for a very specific reason.” Hanji speculated. She pushed up her glasses as she usually did when she was thinking, which turned out to be an unconscious habit she had that Levi found to be an odd quirk, but he strangely thought that it suited Hanji’s personality and inquisitive nature. “So what you’re saying is that this person is a hermit, psycho who likes killing aberrants?” Levi hinted at after Hanji’s long explanation. “No dumbass, just that this person chose to remain isolated, perhaps they’re trying to keep Shiganshina out of it and that’s why they’re not going back into town. Maybe they felt that they couldn’t stand living there, or maybe something horrible happened to make them feel resentment towards the town. These are just speculations, but to have the will and determination to remain up in the mountains killing aberrants all alone says something about the motivation behind all of this. Perhaps it’s revenge, who really knows.” Hanji concluded. Levi couldn’t say anything after that. Not when it hit so close to home, not after what he had been through. He simply allowed Hanji’s words to echo in the back of his mind as he directed his horse to continue forward. Levi could see the peak of the mountain, finally after four hours going up, he could see in the distance a small run down cabin of sorts near the clearing. “Alright everyone, there’s a cabin up ahead, let’s stop to see what we can find out. Everyone move out.” Levi commanded. He lightly tapped his horse with his foot to kick his steed in a faster trot now that they were nearing the cabin. When they arrived Levi and his squad dismounted allowing the horses a few moments of rest and he grabbed his favourite sabre that was tied to the satchel on his horse. He tied the thread of the scabbard of his sword to his belt and swiftly pulled out his Glock 20 handgun pistol from his holster for easy access. “Alright we’re scoping the area for any potential threats. Our priority is the target ‘hunter’ not killing every single damn aberrant we see. Got that? I don’t want to lose any men out here, especially to these low breed bastards. Are we clear?” Levi instructed. “Roger mc. Roger mon Capitan!” Hanji squealed with delight. She hopped into the air and skipped with excitement at the prospect of more aberrants to capture and study as she usually did. Her odd interest in those vile creatures always confused Levi. They were ugly and disgusting and he found them to be very stupid, not worth his time, so why Hanji liked them so much he never understood. “Eld, Gunther you’ll be guarding outside to ensure none of these bastards catch us by surprise. Oluo see if you can find any tracks outside around here, Hanji and Petra you’re with me.” Levi instructed. Everyone saluted with their hands over their hearts, bodies straight and fist above their heart to show their loyalty and confirmation of their orders, then separated. Petra and Hanji followed closely behind Levi as instructed. They approached the cabin carefully, all on high alert and ready for any potential surprise attacks. They raised their guns, and surrounded the door with Levi at the front ready to kick down the door. They waited, listening for any sound or semblance of activity that could indicate if the cabin was occupied or empty. With a quick hand gesture, Levi ensured that it was safe and he kicked down the rusty wooden door. The door groaned under the pressure of his kick and gave way, slamming on the floor with a loud thud, the hinges of the door hanging on the frame. The darkness of the cabin gave it an eerie atmosphere and provided no insight on what was inside. They entered carefully, each step they made creating a groan of the wood under their feet. He leaned on the old boards. They felt thin and veined, frozen by a hundred winters, baked by a hundred summers. They smelled of dust and mold. The inside was just as dreary as the outside, providing no sense of comfort. More than likely this was a place just for someone to rest in, the state of the inside told Levi that the cabin was not looked after and not maintained. Ragged, half torn, dirty carpets covered the floor, a room off to the side was barely big enough to exhale into and seemed to only have one small single size bed with the mattress being in a state of decay. The mattress was almost in tatters with the stuffing popping out near the corners and clearly had a previous owner judging by the stains littering the thing. A single light burned from a small candle that was close to being snuffed out with the wax molding into the broken wardrobe, casting light on a chintz couch and an antique Quaker chair, clearly either stolen from an abandoned home or given by the state of the furniture. Scratch marks and gashes could be seen on closer inspection engraved onto the wooden chair and couch. The walls were no better than the bedroom, crumbling rock walls made of cement were holding the cabin in place and were housing many cobwebs and dead bugs. Velvet tattered drapes framed the windows, the inner curtains remained shut, not allowing any daylight to enter. A fireplace sat in the middle of the main family room, providing some warmth in the otherwise dead cabin. What little wood was used to maintain the fire was long gone and a small bundle of twigs sat near the hearth pathetically. Broken glass and dishes could be seen littering a small round table, probably where someone would eat given the amount of food stains that covered the table. Yellow stained papers cluttered the floor, drawings and hand drawn maps of some kind littered the floor and coal was scattered all over, most likely used to draw and use for writing. Overall, the whole cabin was worn out and on the verge of collapsing. Levi scrunched his face in disgust at the state of the living conditions of the whole room. Everything was caked in dust and mold, stale bread and dried meat was left out haphazardly showing some signs of rotting. Someone was clearly here judging by the candle and food, however they must have been gone for a few days based on how the food was still relatively edible, bedsides the slight mold on one side of the meat. “My God, how could someone live like this? It feels so dead in here.” Petra lamented in a soft tone. She seemed genuinely upset given by her scent and her sorrowful expression. She was looking specifically at the torn blankets and tattered carpets as she asked, clearly indicating her soft nature and empathy. “Well whoever they are, are clearly someone young,” Hanji informed quietly. She was standing near the fireplace inspecting the papers that littered the carpet like tiny ants on the ground when she offered her insight. “What do you mean Hanji? How can you tell?” Levi questioned. He turned to Hanji in confusion thinking that it was very odd how she could speculate something like that so quickly. He walked towards her, passing by Petra to get a clearer view on what she was looking at. “Here, see these papers? The handwriting is very messy and looks like a child’s writing. Take a look.” Hanji handed him one of the many papers to inspect. He took it from her gingerly and looked to see what she meant. The letters were crooked and large and seemed to be slanted. There were many spelling errors and many words had been scratched out with a heavy, strong line. Other odd markings and odd symbols cluttered the page making the writing almost illegible. “Just because the writing is large and the letters are crooked doesn’t mean a kid wrote them. They obviously were using coal and the chunks were large so of course the handwriting would be shit. Have you seen Oluo’s writing? Not to mention you always say my writing looks like someone was trying to hold their piss in while taking a dump at the same time,” Levi grumbled recollecting Hanji’s clipped words about his handwriting. Despite Levi’s attempt at humor and his calm demeanour, Hanji seemed serious. Her expression grave, her eyes downcast and lips set into a thin line, which was odd for Hanji considering her usual upbeat happy nature. She remained quiet for a few minutes and didn’t respond to his light jab and Levi wondered if she would say anything until she suddenly turned to him. “Look over there.” She stated simply as she pointed towards the floor near the fireplace. Levi walked passed Hanji to inspect what she had been referring to. There, hidden underneath the tattered end of the carpet was a small shoe, the size clearly indicating that only a child would be able to wear it. “Shit, things just got a whole lot more fucked up than I thought.” Levi cursed with a sense of sadness. How could a child live through this he wondered. Petra remained quite at the new revelation and walked towards the shoe and stared at it a few minutes before bending to pick it up and held it in her nimble fingers. She simply stared at the shoe then closed her eyes and placed her palm over the shoe to concentrate. She was resonating with the object to track the child which was one of her many abilities as a knight class vampire. “He was here only two days ago. He left in a rush slightly angry, I think he was headed further up based on what I felt and saw.” She lamented softly as she let go of the shoe and turned solemnly towards Levi with a grim expression on her face. “Why did he leave?” Levi questioned. He ignored Petra’s grim expression. Unlike Petra’s soft nature and kind heart, Levi was used to the harsh realities of the world and understood what someone would have to do in order to survive. He felt that somehow he understood this child more now, especially knowing that once he was the same. “I think I know where he went. Judging from the maps he drew, he was heading further up the mountain. It looks like a part of the map has been circled. It’s past the forest trail and apparently there’s a cave nearby.” Hanji chipped in as she indicated and pointed at one of the maps that she had found among the chaos of papers. “Seeing as how he left two days ago and how it’s already approaching evening, we need to hurry. We’ll leave the horses here. From here on out we’ll have to run since we’re faster than the horses and we’ll get there before dark.” Levi instructed. Levi, Petra and Hanji left the deserted cabin, only taking with them the small hand drawn map and the feeling of gloom at what was to come. Anxiety was what they felt, but if any of them really had been affected by it, they were working hard on suppressing it. What good was fear now, of all times? They needed to rely on constant bravery, even if it meant feeling mildly unsure...no, there was no room for that, either. Levi needed to find that boy, he had to or else he would regret it for the rest of his life. He had managed to climb down the cliff a few feet and found the perfect patch of ice and snow that he could use as an area to bring down a small avalanche of snow onto the cave. He had started to hack away at some of the ice and some of the huge chunks of icicles that hung from the edge of the cliff. He was making good progress and had hoped that he would be able to bury them before nightfall, but as usual, luck was not on his side. Right when some of the ice was cracking and breaking under his axe, the earth underneath him gave way and he, along with the snow and ice, came tumbling down right into the heart of the horde’s nest. The sudden plummet down disoriented the boy, all he heard was the crunch of snow, his harsh desperate pants as he tried to get back on his feet as he was tumbling and rolling down and down. He sight was blocked by the constant assault of snow and his body felt light as he continued rolling further down, bumping into tree stumps, ice and other hard objects nipping at his body like bites from a large dog. Finally he came to a stop when he reached the very bottom and landing straight onto his back, his head hitting the frozen lake below creating a large crack to form in the otherwise perfect frozen water, reminding him of the cracks in his cabin walls. As he lay there disoriented, body sore and limbs numb. He felt searing hot pain, and he stared at the sky and despite the lack of sun there was a momentary hint of blue sky among the darkness, and even this bit of light was enough to release a flash of diamonds across the wide landscape, so oddly disfigured by its snowy adventure. Usually the snow stopped at this hour of the day, as if for a quick survey of what had been achieved thus far and it was oddly comforting even amidst the deadly creatures that moaned and growled at the sudden intrusion of their nest. He had to get up and move or else he would be torn apart and eaten. He had to move, he had to fight in order to survive. To live was to fight and he had no other choice but to fight now. Testing his limbs he wiggled his digits hoping that nothing had broken on the way down, thankfully nothing had and with that small victory he swiftly got up. A sudden wave of nausea and pain washed over him by his rushed movements. His head throbbed terribly and his eyes tried to adjust to the lack of light. With desperation he dodged out of the way when a larger beast charged at him in hunger. The creature’s claws barley missing him and nicking his ankle as he dodged. The sudden pain of his cut made the boy angry at losing his axe and at the creature. As if sensing his wound the other beasts become more alert, their eyes turning ruby red and all facing in his direction as they sniffed the air and caught sight of his blood. He panicked now trying to find his axe. Anxiety crept into his heart, and he was desperate as he surveyed the light coverage of snow that coated his feet and the lake. With a stroke of luck he managed to see a glint from his axe and he immediately dived for his only weapon, the slippery texture of the ice made it easy to do so. Finally he had a chance. With his weapon in hand he felt that he could defend himself and rip these creatures apart. As if sensing his blood lust, the beasts circled around the boy, blocking any attempt at escape and surrounding him in a sea of red eyes. He panted harshly feeling his heart race in both fear and anticipation. This was it, it was either him or them. Now all he had to do was wait for the first attack. Let the dance begin. They had been running for roughly two hours and according to Hanji and the little map clutched in her hands they were soon to arrive at the edge of the cliff near the cave. The strain of using their abilities to speed through the cold snow and the way they rushed was taking a toll on his squad, all except for Levi. Due to his exceptional pure ancestry and abilities, he could continue on for longer if needed, but Petra, Oluo, and Gunther were only knight class, Hanji was Noble class so she was capable of handling the strain. Their furrowed brows and slightly flushed faces told Levi that they needed to hurry and find the boy before it was too late. As they neared the cliff, a large howl of pain and agony boomed across the valley frightening everyone to an abrupt stop. What followed was eerie silence. “What the hell was that?” Gunther sputtered. His eyes were wide and frantic, his whole body on edge as the rest of the squad. Levi used his keen eyes that were made for the dark and zeroed in on the strangely chipped cliff and askew snow patch that showed a struggle that happened recently. He quickly ran over to the cliff and observed the depth and potential danger below. The moment he leaned over the cliff, the harsh smell of ozone and iron smashed into him like a tidal wave. “We’re going down, now!” Levi barked and with agility and speed he took a leap and jumped down ten feet below. The air howled in his ear and the cold wind biting his flesh as he descended. He landed gracefully as did the rest of his squad and what greeted them was death itself. Piles of mangled corpses lay on the icy lake, limbs hung from bodies, some detached and thrown aside, others barely remaining attached to the torso of the aberrants. Bits and pieces of flesh and guts were exposed, coating the muddy snow a copper color that reminded him of rose tea and butterscotch. Some heads of the aberrants were detached and thrown haphazardly, a few eyeballs were hanging by thin veins and cords of muscle while some heads were missing parts of their jaws and noses. The ground was soaked with blood and standing there in the middle of the massive snowy graveyard was the boy they had been searching for. His mangled brown hair was tangled and sticky with blood, patches of his long hair clung to his face with both sweat and dried blood. His shirt was torn and tattered and the right side of his shirt was missing the arm sleeve leaving him bare to the harsh wind and cold. His axe that was barley clasped in his right hand, dangled from his grasp and was dripping residue blood onto a small patch of ice. One of his shoes was missing and his ankle was cut leaving behind an ugly gash in its wake. His torso and pants were splattered with guts, flesh and blood, and his jaw was coated in blood. His left hand was quivering and twitching, his nails soaked with bits of flesh and blood. He was oddly still and his eyes shone brightly, almost as if they were glowing in what little light was left from the setting sun. His chest heaved as it provided him with air that he desperately needed, as if he was a man drowning, causing tufts of cloudy air to hover above him like mist. The carnage that occurred here was clearly one-sided and some of the bodies depicted a picture, almost as if this was the boy’s canvas and he was the painter. The way the bodies were killed seemed to be done in a spitefully playful manner. Like he was teasing them, mocking them in their last moments of death. The crunch of snow was loud among the silence. Levi turned to boy who couldn't be more than 9 or 10 years old and stared into the porcelain blue orbs filled with fire and slight resignation. The boy looked tired, worn down and beaten, but not ready to give up. "Boy, will you come with me?" Levi stretched his pale hand towards him; hoping, praying that he would take it. He waited, watching the boy's every move. Everything was still except for the soft snowfall and puffs of air as he breathed which rose up into the chilly air. The boy slowly raised his small scarred hand, hesitating to take the final step. Levi knew that this was just the beginning, he knew what was to come if he took his hand. He just didn't care.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The sun had finally gone down since the boy had fallen into the nest. He recalled tumbling down into the cold depths, but not much that happened after. He remembered the stench of rotting flesh, and the beast’s foul body odor. He remembered how they had surrounded him, their red eyes gleaming in the dark, but not how he had won. He was cold and drenched in blood, he could feel it and smell it in the chilly air. His clothes clung to him in sweat and dried blood and his left hand ached. He could start to feel exhaustion settling into his very bone marrows, his energy depleting the longer he stood among the grave of bodies beneath his feet. What had happened? How did he win? He was disoriented and confused. Although he was elated that he had been victorious, he was disturbed at his lack of remembrance. Had he blanked out? If so, why? So many questions popping in his head giving him a slight headache. The sudden stillness of the approaching night was like the flap of a crows wings; quiet and quick but with a certain softness to it. How was he supposed to get out now? His body ached, his feet frozen and the night steadily swallowing him whole within a sea of black. As if to answer the boy’s befuddled mind a sudden noise caught his attention. The rustling of the wind and the echo of a strong booming voice broke into the empty lake making him jostle in both fear and confusion. He swiftly turned behind him and saw something he would never forget in all his years to come. Six figures descended into the frozen plain, some large and tall, others smaller in figure and standing. From what little light was left he could tell that some were men and others were women. The rustle of the fabric of their clothes disturbing his thoughts and bringing life to the deathly still night. Their green capes floating and fluttering behind them like the wings of a butterfly as they descended. They landed with grace and poise as if they were made to fly. He wished he could fly beyond the confines of the mountain, to be free of this snowy prison and felt an ache like the stab of an arrow etch into his heart for even thinking of the possibility. They didn’t look like the beasts so they must be different, but they have the same smell. The boy thought. They looked human, but one could never be too careful. The beasts had the same form as man, but were nothing like anything he had seen back in Shiganshina. They stood ten feet away, as still as trees, none had dared to move as if to frighten him away like some of the skittish deer he would happen to cross paths with in the forest trail near the cabin. The shortest one standing in the front middle seemed to have a different air about him than the rest. He was one of the smallest in the group yet he seemed the most dangerous. His silky, coal coloured hair was parted neatly, his face like marble white slabs of stone, and his facial features seemed to be handsome as if carved impeccably by an artist. His jawline was sharp, his eyebrows thin, and nose small yet round, reminding him of one of the many buttons he tried to once sow back on his shirt with a flimsy piece of thread he tore from curtain sheets. His body seemed fit from what he could see based on the outlines of his figure from the moon’s soft glow and his clothing shaping the outline of his physique and muscles. His eyes were the most striking feature that captured the boy’s attention. They were cold and resembled the sky after a harsh rainfall during the spring season; a stormy silver with the gleam of the blue sky hidden behind the clouds. The others seemed to be plain in comparison. Their strange clothes and uniforms the only thing striking and unusual thing to him. He had never seen such strange attire before and wondered why they wore them. For what purpose? What did it mean? Who could these people be? Thoughts zipped into his mind like the sting of a thousand bees. Before he could even try to decipher their meaning, the being with the onyx coloured hair stepped forward, walking towards him. The crunch of the snow and his dark boots sounding intimidating with each step. He eyed the man like a hawk, weary of his every move and doubtful of the man’s intention. He stopped a few feet before him and the boy waited for the next move this man could possibly make. “Boy, will you come with me?” The man asked in a firm tone. His voice was more smooth and deep than he thought. It had a rough under tone that resembled the thunder of a storm, but was soothing and pleasing to his ears. The man stretched his hand towards the boy in an invitation. The boy was startled yet confused. What could he want with him? Should he go with them? The doubt and fear that crept into his heart had him hesitate. The hand before him was strong due to the numerous calluses that had formed on his palm over the years, telling a different story all on their own. Could he trust this man? Could he be willing to give himself over to this man who resembled thunder and lightning? He reached for his hand and could not sense any malice, fear or hatred that he usually felt whenever he was around another like he did when he resided in Shiganshina. As if sensing his strife, the man took the initiative and took the last step, clasping his hand with utmost care. He was gentle in the way he held his hand, slow and steady, and his grip was firm but not overbearing. His hand was more warmer than he thought would be given the man’s appearance and cold demeanor. As if feeling all his anxiety, pain and strength from before being sapped away, he let his small frame crash into the man before him, his axe completely falling from his right hand and clanking against the ice of the lake. Strong arms wrapped around the boy, and surprisingly, he pat the boy’s head soothingly like a mother would her own child. The boy felt all his fear fade away with each pat, sudden exhaustion overtaking him. The last thing he remembered was the scent of lavender and the caress of a steady hand against his throbbing head before everything faded away like the night sky. The boy had passed out as soon as he embraced him. Levi hardly had to use compulsion on the boy to get him to calm down. He was smaller than Levi imagined, his body more frail and tiny than he looked. He felt flimsy and was limp like a wilted flower, his bones poking and prodding Levi like thorns on a rose. The boy was ice cold to the touch and Levi wondered how he didn’t freeze to death before they had arrived. He gently lifted the boy in his arms, carrying him to the rest of his squad. His lanky legs dangling and head resting against his shoulder. He was light, too light, it almost felt like he was carrying a feather that was ready to be blown away from the slightest wind. Petra seemed distraught at the scene before her. Her lips stretched into a thin line, brows furrowed and eyes dim and completely zeroed in on the boy in his arms. She stood quietly with the rest of his squad, nobody said a single thing, all waiting patiently for further orders and slightly flabbergasted at the scene before them. The tension in the air was strong and Levi could smell and sense the distress and confusion among the group. “Back to the horses. It’s nightfall. The sooner we head back the better.” Levi instructed in a soft tone as he looked over the boy. He was trembling slightly and the boy snuck his head closer towards his neck, snuggling closer to seek more heat unconsciously. A small hand grabbed onto the front of a his shirt in a vice like grip as the boy held on for dear life. “Sir, you don’t think that this is the ‘hunter’ do you? How could that be? I mean he’s just a small boy.” Gunther inquired. His brown eyes boring holes into Levi and his body taunt. “By the looks of things it’s highly possible. Right now isn’t the best time for speculations. We have our orders and I said that we should leave. Before the boy freezes to death get your asses in gear.” Levi pressed in a brisk, deep tone. He pushed through his squad and walked briskly to the base of the cliff without another word and settling the matter. He held the boy closer and more firmly before jumping and climbing up the cliff quickly and reached the top within minutes. The moon casting a silvery tone to the snow, making it appear like glittering diamonds. The stars sprinkled the sky like fireflies and the trees casting a dance of shadows onto the snowy ground. His squad followed behind him, their steps like hushed whispers against the freshly fallen snow. Their scents telling him of their lingering questions and confusion. The track back was faster than it felt getting there in the first place. Their eyes adjusting to the deadly night, their senses on higher alert and the pressure of dread no longer suffocating them. Finally reaching the cabin to where the horses remained tied to the trees, Levi went to his steed and with care, gently pulled one of his spare cloaks from his satchel and wrapped the boy in it, encasing him with the promise of warmth and safety. The boy hardly stirred at his ministrations, clearly showing his exhaustion. Levi saddled his horse, the boy still in his arms and ensured he was safely secured against his chest while his arms held him securely and his hands grasping the straps of his steed. His soft breathing and sigh of content indicating that he was steadily gaining warmth to his chilled body. His small head the only thing poking out of the cloak and resting against his firm chest. “Let’s go. We have to hurry back before dawn.” Levi ordered kicking his horse to a steady trot, not too fast as to not jostle the boy awake or frighten him. “Captain, what are we going to do with him?” Eld questioned nervously. He fidgeted in his saddle, almost as if he was uncomfortable with the question. His eyes focused on the dark path, avoiding any form of eye contact. “Erwin said we had to bring whoever was responsible back with us. Personally, this is something I wasn’t expecting. I’m not sure what will happen, but one thing is for sure. This boy is special and he is different than any other human child I have seen.” Levi remarked. He felt uncomfortable with the whole situation. What was he to do with such a small boy? Where would he go? To one of the feeding farms to become a feeder? To become a hunter and get listed under the legislation? There was one too many questions that needed answering and he felt that this was going to be one giant headache. He felt slightly annoyed that the boy was so young since it made the whole dilemma all the more complicated. However, seeing the boy nestle in his embrace, sleeping so soundly against him, didn’t feel as terrible as he thought. Although he was covered in dirt and blood, Levi wasn’t bothered at all and he felt a tinge of sympathy for him. He was getting too soft in his old age, he simply dismissed. There was no way he was getting attached to the little bundle in his arms. He shook the thought off and continued directing his horse in the dark using his keen eyesight and the moonlight as his guide. “Still, to think that a child did all that, it just doesn’t seem possible, especially a human child. How could someone cause that much destruction?” Eld pitched in solemnly. He sighed as he contemplated, trying to find an answer. He turned to Levi as if expecting an answer from him, his eyes serious and glowing in curiosity and concern. “It’s amazing if you ask me! Honestly astonishing! To think that this poor child had survived up here all alone. The poor little munchkin!” Hanji cooed in adoration and amusement. She cupped her hands together and batted her eyelashes in an attempt to appear sweet and endearing, but her face only reminded Levi of someone trying to take a shit. “He’s honestly so cute like that, all wrapped up in Levi’s cloak! He’s like a little baby all snuggled up against our grumpy Captain don’t you think?” Hanji blubbered in excitement as she leaned slightly towards Levi on her horse and observing the boy sleep. She leaned in further, her hand outstretched towards the boy, almost as if she was trying to pet him like a cat and her eyes held a gleeful shine that only showed her underlying tone of mischief. “Stop that, buzz off you damn freak. You’ll wake him up. Keep your dirty hands off him.” Levi growled suddenly. He pulled the reins of his horse and his horse neighed from the harsh tug. He pressed the boy closer, wrapping one of his hands around him as if he was hiding him. His eyes gleamed brightly, his expression stern and fangs elongated and threatening. Hanji stilled and her eyes were wide and owl-like behind her glasses. His squad all stopped in their track, all tense from the quick change of their captain. The air thick with tension and apprehension. Then Hanji bellowed with laughter and broke the uncomfortable air. She clutched her sides and squirmed in her saddle. “Oh my dear! You’re already so smitten with the kid it’s adorable! You hardly know him yet you’re acting like a mother cat protecting her babies! This is just golden. You should see your face!” Hanji cackled gleefully. She laughed so hard that she leaned too far on her saddle and almost fell off, but she quickly grabbed her saddle, adjusting herself upright while laughing. Levi narrowed his eyes in anger at her bold actions and joyful attitude towards his reaction. He honestly didn’t know what overcame him to make him act that way, but somehow, seeing the boy bundled up and safe in his arms made him feel overly protective over him. He usually wouldn't care at all about a snot nosed brat, but this kid had managed to worm his way into his shrivelled heart without even doing anything. It amazed him at how soft he has gotten over the years and perhaps a bit too lenient on Hanji for allowing her to get away with teasing him. “You done? Or are you planning on waking up all the damn aberrants in the whole entire village with your damn cackling?” Levi snapped. He turned away from her to avoid getting even more pissed than he already was from watching her howl like a damn dog. “Oh come on Levi, you have to admit that he is cute! Plus your reaction was hilarious, although over the top. We never get to see you like this, acting all sensitive. It’s adorable really.” Hanji taunted. She smiled wide, her lips stretched into an evil expression and her eyes shining with excitement at the new revelation. He just knew that now that she had discovered another way to taunt him by using one of his lapses in controlling his emotions, that she wouldn’t stop teasing him. He was already regretting bringing her along. “Fuck off.” Levi snarled. He regained his composure and pulled the reins getting his horse to move again to avoid her prodding, escaping any further analysis at his behaviour. “It is strange though, the way you reacted Captain was slightly aggressive, like a new mother don’t you think?” Petra smirked as she playfully jabbed at his odd behaviour. She smiled knowingly at him and he felt her previous apprehension and sadness ebb away. “Don’t you start Petra, Hanji is already getting on my damn nerves. I don’t need to hear taunting in stereo from you too.” Levi grumbled as he felt slightly embarrassed at his overbearing reaction towards the boy. “A mother! Impossible. Captain Levi wouldn’t show such weak emotions! He is one of the strongest Pureblood vampires. His prestigious lineage showing his strength and -” “Oh shut up Oluo, you’re annoying. You’re boner for Captain Levi is showing by how much your drooling over him.” Petra interrupted him in a snarl. “Sh-shut up Petra! I don’t have a fucking boner!” Oluo barked in embarrassment. He kicked his horse unconsciously in his flustered state and made his horse suddenly take off in a speedy run. His startled yelling and cursing at his horse, disturbing the playful atmosphere. Gunther and Eld laughed and Petra sighed in disappointment, being used to his idiotic behaviour and constant fumbling. Hanji, at this point, was crying and wiping her eyes in glee watching Oluo stumble and fall right off his horse and land ungracefully on his ass into the snow while his horse continued trotting on without its owner. “Well I’m glad you’re having fun Hanji.” Petra smiled. “It’s always fun watching Oluo acting like an ass while trying to act cool.” Hanji remarked as she shook her head trying to shake off her bout of continuous giggling. “But seriously Captain, what are you thinking of doing with him?” Petra inquired, her tone of voice losing its previous joy and her expression turning serious again as she addressed one of the many problems that they were in fact saddled with in their current predicament. “I’m not sure to be honest. We know nothing about the kid. Why he was here, where he came from, who his parents are. Everything is a goddamn mystery at this point. I wanna know more about him before we decide anything. I can sense that the kid ain’t normal.” Levi explained. “What do you mean Captain?” Petra asked. “It’s a feeling is all. I can’t explain it but this kid is different than any human child I’ve seen. There’s something fucked up going on here and I want to know what it is.” He answered in a clipped manner, trying to avoid any further inquiry in the manner. “The way he killed those aberrants says something about his physical strength and agility. All he had on him was an axe and the way the bodies were torn apart doesn’t add up. Do you think I could possibly study him Levi? I’m so curious about how he did it! Did he slash at them or did he use his hands to do it! I WANT TO KNOW!” Hanji shrieked in joy and curiosity. Her expression turning manic and her face flushed with pure joy. “Study him? He’s not a freaking animal Hanji and I’m pretty sure Erwin won’t let you near him, especially after what happened to Sonny and Bean. You practically ripped those two apart from all the ‘studying’ you were doing to them.” Levi cringed at recollecting how he was called over for the clean up when Erwin had found out what Hanji had done to the two aberrant test subjects she had in her possession. That was the last time Erwin approved of letting Hanji be in charge of any experiments concerning aberrants. “Oh come on Levi! That was only one time! You’re exaggerating.” She whined. “Whatever. Just keeps your damn claws off him until we decide what we’re gonna do with him.” Levi sniffed at her in agitation. After that catching up with Oluo and helping him back onto his horse, the rest of his squad simmered down and remained in a comfortable silence, solely focusing on getting back to Trost district before dawn. They were tired and needed rest, not to mention some of them were hungry and needed blood to sustain themselves. Levi could stand not drinking blood and could even go on for a week without needing blood tablets, which only proved his superior standing compared to others. They continued riding West for a few hours, following back their trail, the horse footprints from before guiding them back steadily. After passing the forest and reaching the bottom of the mountain the moon was at its peak, meaning that the sun wouldn’t be rising just yet and that they still had a few hours until daybreak. They had finally reached the small village of Shiganshina and could tell that they would be leaving the district in due time. The town itself was oddly still. Even though it was night, the town itself seemed strangely dead and weary of their presence. A gust of dry wind passes through the maze of ancient houses where windows have long shattered in the weakness of their structures and rotting boards, some broken, others hanging trying to cover the empty eyes of every abandoned home. Doors hang on the few threads of their hinges and groan with pain at every sway. Some of the other homes that weren’t as badly damaged still looked dreary in comparison. Deserted streets, tumble-down stalls, shutters hanging loosely that didn’t seem to shield all the cold night air and some shingles of certain roofs were hanging limply, others chipped and cracked from mother nature herself. Chickens, goats, and a few cows were seen in makeshift sheds; straw, wood and mud were the only materials used that held the structure together and measly posts made of rotting wood acted as a fence to keep in some of the animals that roamed around during the day. The town itself looked to be on the verge of collapse and the few lights that glowed in the dark showed signs of some life, some semblance of townsmen hiding away from the winter’s harsh nights and forsaken creatures that plague their village. As they rode their horses through town, they passed by each home, observing the destruction and pathetic scenery. As they approached the entrance to the town, they could see a few men gathered quietly outside near one of the porches of what looked like a bar. They were all huddled together like vultures gathering around for scraps of meat. Their hushed voices rising as they rode closer to the group. “Do you think the hunter will even come down from the mountain? He’s been stuck there for months!”“Hunter my ass! He’s a thief I tell you! Last month I found some of my chickens in a fright and when I checked on them a few were missing from their pens!”“What about all the aberrants that haven’t been coming around lately? Do you think the hunter is feeding them? Maybe that’s why they stopped attacking the village!”“Don’t be a fool! It’s that boy I tell you! He’s a curse that plagues this village!” The constant bickering and arguing drew Levi’s attention towards the group and he instantly recognized the booming, screeching voice of the man who mentioned a curse. His oily, matt brown, short hair, wrinkled wide forehead showing his receding hairline and his fearful brown coloured eyes surrounded by bags and wrinkles showing nights of restless sleep, expressing his paranoia and stress. “Well if it isn’t Kitz Woermann. I’m glad to see that you’re performing your duties so well this late in the night.” Levi sassed, stopping his horse in front of Kitz and his fearful group of men. “Lord… Ackerman what a pleasure to see you here of all places.” Kitz grumbled, forcing his face into a pleasant smile, but looked more to be one of pain and irritation. The rest of his men quickly stopped all their activities and stood in fright, their eyes downcast and faces grim. “What brings you to our little village my lord?” He muttered in fake small talk and pleasantry. “Well if you had done your job right the first time Kitz we wouldn’t be here freezing our asses off trying to fix your fucking mistake now would we?” Levi scoffed. “My job is to ensure that creatures like you do not enter our village. Your disgusting breed of monsters have been out of control! You can’t blame me for your species causing so much chaos in MY village!” Kitz retorted sharply, his voice rising in anger and his face scrunching up in distaste. “Careful, watch what you say to me you disgusting human. If it weren’t for the farming pact you would’ve been long gone, dead, or spreading your legs to please any vampire who would be dumb enough to buy you. We keep you safe, and I’m here to wipe your ass of your mistake since you didn’t have the balls to patrol the area yourself.” Levi seethed in anger and revulsion in a low tone. His eyes turning a dangerous cobalt blue, gleaming brightly in the night like a pair of wolf eyes focused on its prey. His fangs sharp and menacing and his face distorted in a scowl. Kitz jumped at his expression, clearly disturbed and his men all fidgeting at the looming threat of violence and destruction as Levi’s aura seemed to crush them. Silence suffocated the air and Kitz avoided eye contact, clearly afraid of challenging Levi any further. His eyes zipping all around until finally zeroing in at the bundle in Levi’s arms. “That boy! Lord Levi where did you find him?” Kitz shouted in sudden fear and agitation. His expression showing his distress. “That’s not your concern, mind your own damn business and focus instead on doing your fucking job.” Levi growled in warning, not liking the probing question. He wrapped his hand tighter around the boy’s shoulder, pulling him closer blocking any chance of Kitz possibly grabbing or looking at him. “Please my lord! Leave that thing alone! He’s the cause of all this mess! It’ll only bring you misfortune.” Kitz shouted in panic, waving his arms in fear. “What the fuck are you saying?” Levi snapped in confusion. He was starting to get really angry. His patience was wearing thin dealing with this moron and he wanted to get the hell out of this shit fest as quickly as possible. He couldn’t stand to be in the same area with someone like Kitz. Anyone from the military police that patrolled each district within the three walls was dumber than the next and Kitz was no exception, in fact he took first place in terms of stupidity. “That boy is to blame for all the attacks on our village! Ever since that boy stepped foot here the amount of aberrant attacks increased! He stole food, would fight with other children in town and was like a wild beast! He was out of control and the aberrants followed the boy around like a curse! He’s a fucking plague to our village.” Kitz shrilled in distaste. His eyes turning a molten brown as he glared at the boy who continued to slumber on despite the chaos. “A plague? That’s rich coming from you. Do you even realize that this boy that you cursed was the so call ‘hunter’ that was residing on the mountain top protecting your sorry ass?” Levi retorted in a cold tone. His anger rising, and his blood beginning to boil. “That’s impossible! It can’t be! He’s a fucking monster!” He screeched, his face turning maroon in anger and embarrassment. He stomped his foot into the snow as he argued, resembling a child throwing a temper tantrum when things didn’t go their way. “Believe whatever the hell you want. This boy is no longer your concern. If you want your village to be safe then I recommend doing your job or else I will have to remove you of your pathetic position here. This boy was doing a better job than you ever did and he’s ten times the human you ever were Woermann.” He threatened. His tone of voice not leaving any room for argument. With a harsh pull of his horse’s reins, he urged his horse to a fast trot and pushed ahead, his squad following behind him. “That bastard. If I ever see his rat face ever again I swear to God I’ll rip his head off.” Levi cursed, his voice gruff and frown deepening. “As much as I hate that man too, you need to chill there Levi. Your aura is kinda smothering me.” Hanji suggested in a light tone. Her voice was gentle and calm, her face settling into a small smile as she tried to diffuse the situation and calm his raging aura that was stifling. “Captain you don’t think that boy was possibly protecting the town do you?” Petra inquired as she interrupted Hanji and turned her full attention to him. Her honey coloured eyes serious and gleamed with slight worry. “I have to agree with Petra. Based on what I observed and saw in that cabin and what we just heard from Kitz, I think that he had something to do with the boy leaving town. My guess is that they made him an out cast and threw him out of the village thinking that they solved their little aberrant infestation problem.” Hanji theorized. Her tone clipped yet curious. “If it’s true and the boy somehow was a magnet for trouble they may have thrown him out in fear. If my theory is correct it would explain their hatred for him and not to mention why the boy would stay up in the mountain.” She continued, her voice soft and her tone sombre. “If he did stay up there killing aberrants even after they threw him out then why would be protect the town?” Eld interjected, sounding befuddled. His face expressing that he was doubtful of Petra and Hanji’s theory. “Maybe he knew all along that the aberrants were after him and he isolated himself in fear that he was going to be thrown out elsewhere and chose to stay there since he had nowhere else to go.” Petra concluded. She looked sorrowful with her eyes dim and face devoid of any emotion. Her voice a mere whisper. The thought had crossed Levi’s mind, but hearing it out loud sounded possible. Although cruel, it wasn’t unusual for human settlements and extremists to cast out people due to paranoia and the power of fear. He had even heard of certain towns offering sacrifices to aberrants in urban areas, tying women and children to outposts and trees outside of town during the night in hope that the hunger of the beasts would be satiated. As they pondered the thought, his squad became entirely silent. The horses hooves and snorts of exhaustion from their steeds the only thing present along with the feeling of gloom hanging about the group. They continued on in a chilled quite and Levi felt all the more tired and disgusted after all he had seen. His thoughts were turning poisonous and he really wanted to get this boy out of Shiganshina, away from the white long winter he faced alone. Perhaps he did feel sympathetic towards the boy, maybe he did wedge his way into his heart, but that didn’t bother him at all. The small boy in his arms was like a precious package of treasure, the weight of him light but significant. He would help this boy, no matter what, this he swore. He felt light as a cloud, cozy and the feeling of warmth and softness engulfed him. He could feel that he was on some sort of bed judging by how he was lying down but couldn't deduce much else. He slowly opened his tired eyes and looked around in confusion. He was in some sort of bedroom by the looks of things. The bed covers were a soft pastel grey in colour with diamond patterns, the sheets were made of a material he wasn’t familiar with. It was cool and seemed to flow like water against his skin. It looked expensive and he never had felt something so exquisite before. A small, sleek white and grey bedside table was to his left and a simplistic navy blue patterned lamp rested on the table casting a soft glow in the room. The bed itself was the largest he had ever seen and was what he remembered someone a long time ago from wall Sina calling a “four poster” bed, whatever that meant. The ceiling was high and the colours bland but somehow the plush white carpets and soft bed made him feel safe. “Seems like you’re finally awake.” A low, soft, voice chimed in the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest in panic, he flipped the covers back and stood on weak knees, forcing himself to his feet despite the fear overwhelming him. There sitting in a plush looking desk chair sat the raven haired man from before to his right. His posture was relaxed, one leg crossed over the other, his hands curled around a red leather book and his skin appearing to be smooth and glow in the low light. His attire was simplistic and looked comfortable. He wore black sweatpants and a porcelain white long sleeve, cotton shirt, his feet bare and buried in the white fuzzy carpet, keeping his digits warm. “Relax kid, you’re in my room in Wall Rose in Trost district. Not far from where we found you. We just want to know what you were doing at the top of the mountain all alone.” He explained calmly. He closed the book and rested it in his lap, then leaned back in the chair, throwing one of his arms on the back of chair observing the boy. Trost district? He never ventured that far outside of Shiganshina. By foot it would take about a week so how did he end up here so quickly? He was disoriented and confused at the sudden news. After mulling over that piece of news he realized that the clothes he wore were not his own. They were clean and frankly in a better condition than his previous clothes. They smelled of rain water and lavender and fit his frame well enough and his new shirt didn’t slip off like his previous shirt did due to its larger size. The shirt was an olive green, soft to the touch and his pants just as soft in a cream colour. His feet were covered by fuzzy white socks, soaking his bony toes in heat. He felt cleaner too, his skin didn’t feel as dirty or oily as it did before and his hair was less tangled. His wounds from before were cleaned and attended to, his ankle that had been cut was wrapped in clean gauze. As if the man could read his mind he answered his investigation on his cleanliness. “I removed all your other clothes and gave you a sponge bath since you were covered in dirt and blood. I couldn’t let you sleep in my bed with that shit covering you.” The man deadpanned in a bored tone of voice. The man stood up abruptly and put his book on the night table as he approached him slowly. Weary of the man’s intentions and his overbearing aura the boy jumped into action and growled. His face twisted into a snarl and his viridian eyes burning with warning of aggression and violence if provoked. The man seemed undeterred by his defensive stance or his low growling and continued to walk towards him. He didn’t like how close this man was getting, nor did he like this powerful, potential threat looming over him. Without hesitation he hopped over the bed to the other side of the room and found a corner to the wall beside a wooden dresser and managed to squeeze himself there. Still growling he hid, hoping that the man would lose interest and leave. He stopped when he was a few feet away from the dresser and simply watched the boy. His beady, viridian eyes the only thing visible. He sighed and shook his head in what looked his amusement. “Looks like you’re not as friendly awake as you are when you were sleeping. I have food for you and a fresh bath waiting. If you want to stay hunched up over there all night be my guest.” He said in a monotone voice. His facial expression showed nothing and his eyes were warmer than when he first met the man. His whole demeanour more relaxed and his aura changing to a softer one. Almost as if it was caressing him like hot fingers tingling his skin, teasing him and trying to persuade him to leave his hiding place. “By the way, my name is Levi. I don’t suppose you’d tell me your name so I’ll call you beastie until you do. I’ll be back little beastie.” He mocked in a playful tone. With that, he turned and walked to the door, turned the silver door knob and closed it softly behind him. His movements were graceful as the rest of him was. Levi was a pleasant, although strange name and the boy thought that it fit the man well. So now he knew the name of the man who had brought him out of his wintry prison. He felt a small sharp pain worm its way into his chest and felt odd. What was this feeling? It was strange and new. Without dwelling too much on this strange occurrence, he remained still, hunched up on the laminate flooring in his corner of safety and tried to decipher some of the odd looking objects that were lying about the room that he never had seen before. Shiny objects with long pointed ends sat on the desk which were possibly used to write with judging by how they rested on piles of paper. Feeling braver now that Levi had left the room, he stood from his spot and walked over to the desk to take a closer look at the shiny stick. The desk was taller than him, his head only reaching the top drawer and the piles of paper resting above eye level. He would have to climb onto the chair to get a closer look. He looked back to the door and waited to see if Levi was coming back, when he heard nothing and deemed the coast clear, he burst into action. He pulled the chair out from behind the desk and hopped up with nimble movements, his practice of climbing the tall oak trees back in the woods making him agile and confident in his agility. He stood on the seat and hunched over the piles of papers, his curiosity for what was written and the shiny stick winning over his sense of precaution of getting caught. The handwriting was cursive and neat, each line of writing was orderly and each letter was clear. The letters swirled together looking beautiful and reminding him of some of the printed writing he saw in one of the books he managed to steal from the village. Turning his attention elsewhere, he finally could reach the shiny stick and wanted to see what it was. Reaching his small stubby hand over the desk and piles of paper, he picked it up gingerly and felt the smooth cool surface. He sniffed the pointy end and could recognize the familiar scent of ink coming from it. So his hunch was correct, it was used for writing. But how? Where does the ink come from? Feeling daring, he clasped the stick in hand and looked for a blank space in the piles of paper to try out this new invention. He was dying to know how it worked and was excited to find out. Before the stick could touch the surface of the paper he heard the tell tale footsteps of someone approaching the room. In panic he squeaked and dropped the metal stick, he lost his sense of balance in his rush to get down from the chair and fell down onto the floor with a light thud. The stick rolling along on the floor and stopping near his feet. The door opened shortly after and Levi had returned holding a tray in his hands with a bowl and a cup resting on it. His eyes wide with surprise and his usual bored face was morphed into one of slight shock. The boy didn’t dare to move or breath in fear that Levi would figure out what he was up to and he didn’t want to have to defend himself if necessary. Levi’s face lost its shock and his eyes shifted to the stick on the floor then to him, taking in the scene as if putting the pieces of a puzzle together to figure out what had happened. “That’s a pen, we use it for writing. Ink is stored in the handle in a small tube that comes out when you write.” He explained as he set the tray down on the desk and began setting his papers aside and putting the bowl and glass of water down from the tray. “If you want you can have it. I have tons anyways. Come and eat. The soup will get cold.” Well that was not what he was expecting. Levi had managed to answer his questions even before he voiced them, as if reading his mind. Levi was an enigma to him. He seemed rough and cold on the outside but was gentle and at times very sharp. Levi was interesting and the boy was curious about him. He felt more comfortable knowing that Levi may be able to answer any more of his questions in the future and stored that tidbit of information for later. He stood up on his lanky feet and padded towards Levi as he watched Levi pull up another chair that was pushed up against the far end of the room and sat down. Levi was waiting for him to join him now. It was his turn to move now. He was skittish and a bit weary of his new guardian. He could smell the rich aroma from the bowl and was reminded of his hunger, his stomach growling in protest. “Well hurry up, we don’t have all night.” Levi huffed as he crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair with impatience. Letting his hunger win over his fear, he sat on the chair at the desk and grabbed the bowl in haste. Carrots, potatoes, and meat greeted his eyes and he knew that this was stew, one of the dishes he had come to love during his stay in Shiganshina, but was hard to come by due to lack of fresh game and deer with all the aberrants running around and killing any prey. He ate in haste, forgoing the spoon and gulping down the warm liquid and chewing in haste to satiate his hunger. He savoured each bite and felt a sense of calm wash over him as he ate. Levi sat quietly observing him and had what seemed like a pleased expression. His mouth pulled into a small smile and the corner of his lips turned up slightly, eyes gleaming and brows relaxed. He felt oddly at peace and was greeted with a rush of happiness, an emotion he didn’t think he would feel again, and certainly not with this stranger who he had just met. He finished within a matter of minutes, then set the bowl down. His eyes shifting back to Levi in slight caution and inquiry. The two sat in silence, each watching the other until Levi moved, he placed his left elbow on the desk as he leaned in slightly, his chin resting in the palm of his hand with a small smile on his face. He reached his right hand ever so slowly towards the boy. He jumped slightly and growled as a warning to stay away. His hand was larger up close and he wasn’t sure what he was going to do. Levi stilled, his hand hovering above his head. He chuckled softly at his reaction and without hesitation or fear pat his head. His touch feather light and his warm hand tender in its ministrations. “Don’t worry little beastie, you’re home now.” He whispered faintly. His voice was like a soft rumble and his words echoed in the quiet room reverberating in his chest. A twinge of pain ruptured in his chest and he suddenly felt dizzy and hot. His skin burned and his eyes stung with unshed tears. The wave of emotions crashing like a storm just like the silver of Levi’s eyes. So this is what “home” was like.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Levi didn’t know what had possessed him to pet the boy so affectionately. It was the spur of the moment feeling that overcame him and before he knew it, he was petting his chestnut hair. His hair, although somewhat tangled and dry, reminded Levi of straw, rough and stringy, obviously neglected and the ends split in need of a serious haircut. Surprisingly the boy was reacting differently than Levi thought he would to the new display of affection. He was oddly compliant and seemed to melt under his touch, resembling a cat that was enjoying a good grooming. His viridian eyes were closed, and his body slack as he leaned into his touch. As much as Levi was enjoying the moment of serenity, he had things that needed to get done and he wanted to get Erwin off his back as quickly as possible. His incessant words ringing in his ears the moment they had returned from the mission and recollecting them was grating on his nerves and breaking the peaceful atmosphere. They had just returned, barely setting foot inside the compound, dismounting their horses and setting foot inside, the heat from the heaters blasting in his frozen face. He was tired and frustrated from the long travel and carrying the slumbering boy in the view of hungry vampires was pissing him off. Their beady eyes focusing on the boy like prey, their smiles and lustful expressions gleeful at the possibility of a new feeder. If it weren’t for his imposing aura warding off any leering eyes and hungry vampires, they would have pounced at the first chance of a free meal. His team had split up, each heading to their own quarters for the day and getting ready for their daily duties the next day. Just knowing that he had to write a report on the mission was exhausting and a total pain in his ass. He sighed as he went to the elevators, shifting the boy to press the button to go up. He waited impatiently for the elevator and decided to take a little peek at the little package in his arms. The boy still slept on, almost in a deathly still slumber. His chest rising and falling with his even breaths, his face was relaxed and his nose slightly red from the cold and cheeks a rosy colour from the harsh winds. He looked frankly a little cute, as much as Levi didn’t want to admit it and it was endearing to see him so at ease and comfortable in his arms. The ding of the elevator startled him from his musings and he stepped inside in haste, trying to escape the lingering leering eyes of the other soldiers and vampires that were ambling about. The apprehension for the incoming lecture from Erwin tiring Levi out more as he ascended the building. He got out on the twentieth floor and walked down the pristine hallway, floors freshly mopped and waxed just the way he liked it. Thankfully after snapping at the new cadets about their sloppy cleaning duties had kicked them into gear and ensured the cleaning was done to his standards. He was reaching Erwin’s office when the door opened and out stepped Mike, fully dressed in his survey corps uniform, his sand coloured hair unusually messy and sky blue orbs tired, most likely due to his recent return from another patrolling mission. “Mike, glad you’re back. How did patrolling go?” Levi inquired. He was genuinely curious about Mike’s condition and how their new tactic was going since he implemented the idea of coating the outer walls of Wall Rose in the blood of dead animals to see if the aberrants would be warded off from hanging around the walls, waiting anxiously for prey. “Hmm, went better than I expected. They still hang around the wall but the distance that they approached was larger. Seems like the animal blood wards them off a bit since they like fresh kill.” He murmured groggily, clearly tired from the long night of patrolling and being nocturnal only straining his sleeping schedule whenever he patrolled during the day. “Thank fuck for that. I was getting tired of sending men to check on the damn wall because of Erwin’s constant nagging.” Levi groaned in relief. Mike smiled at Levi’s remark then turned his attention to the boy in his arms. He suddenly became intrigued and curious at the new addition to the compound. His eyes glittering with interest and he leaned in taking a sniff at the boy, as he usually did out of habit when he was curious about something that caught his attention and interest. “Who might this be? He smells human, and there’s blood on him.” He stated simply, his eyes turning back to Levi as he leaned back up from him. “He’s someone I found back in Shiganshina. Erwin sent me over due to reports of someone killing aberrants and we found him wondering around.” Levi answered quietly. He wasn’t too sure what he was allowed to divulge seeing as how the case was still open and the boy was a mystery to him. As if sensing a lie or snuffing out his bullshit, Mike smirked and his eyes held a gleam of wonder. Mike then grabbed the handle of the door and held it open for Levi to go through as he stepped aside to make room for him. “Take care captain. Have a…. pleasant evening.” He chuckled in amusement, possibly from Levi’s scowl or from understanding at the incoming lecture from Erwin that Mike himself possibly was on the receiving end of just recently. Levi walked briskly inside, hearing the door shut softly behind him. Erwin sat at his desk as per usual, however he seemed more exhausted and annoyed than before he left for his mission. His eyes scurrying about the piles of paper littered across his desk, a few strands of his blonde hair sticking up, probably caused when he was pulling his hair in frustration, his face so pale that his veins were translucent, blue and red lines dancing on his skin like coloured tree branches during fall, showing his lack of attention to his hunger. His eyes shifted to Levi when he stopped in front of the desk. “I’m assuming things have been taken care of by your speedy return?” He emphasized in a gruff tone of voice. His attention focused entirely on the boy in his arms, not even bothering to give Levi a second glance. He seemed listless as he zeroed in on the boy, almost as if he was dying for the chance to get to the bottom of his long inquiry and the mission. Eager to rid it from his long list of problems and demanding quests piling on his desk. “Yeah, like you said there was someone killing aberrants alone. It was the kid, we found him alone by the mountain, near a cliff that was housing a horde of aberrants. It was a nest of them and this kid landed right in the middle of it.” He reported, his voice dropping in tone and his energy depleting as he stood exhausted and cold. “So he’s the infamous ‘hunter’ we’ve been looking for. I hypothesized that it might be someone young, but not this young. I wasn’t too sure what to expect but this is even better than I thought.” Erwin revealed. His body seemed to relax as his shoulders dropped from tension and his arms unfolding and he dropped the folder he was holding onto the desk. “What do you mean better than you thought? This is more trouble than I signed up for Erwin. He’s just a kid and a human, this is more screwed up than we thought.” He answered tartly. His words biting and expression dark as he tried to make sense of his words. It honestly seemed like bullshit to him and Erwin’s choice of words confused him. Was Erwin hiding something from him? He almost always did, he wouldn’t be surprised if there was something under the wraps. Erwin always had a hidden agenda and knew what others were thinking before hand. Erwin smirked then swivelled the chair around, his back facing Levi, then spoke in a commanding tone. “I told you, that you were the only person I could trust with this mission and I meant it. Since you’re so capable I knew that you could handle this in a discreet manner. If word got out that a human child was massacring aberrants all by themselves without orders from the council or hunter’s association things would get problematic for me. You know how much I hate paperwork Levi.” He teased lightly. “Stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s really going on Erwin. I’ve had it up to here with your bullshit. I’m not your fucking errand boy. I deserve to know what you’re thinking of doing with the kid now that you have him in your grubby hands.” Levi snarled totally fed up with the whole situation and Erwin’s secrets. He’d think that knowing each other for over fifty years would build a sense of trust between them. “Well technically he’s in your grubby hands, not mine.” He jabbed as he turned his chair back around with a light-hearted tone and a large, shit eating smirk plastered on his ridiculous face. “For fuck sake, are you gonna tell me or not?” He growled in irritation. “I will in due time. For now since you seem so concerned about the boy, why don’t I leave him in your capable hands?” “You’ve gotta be kidding me. I’m not a fucking babysitter Erwin.” Levi snapped. His temple throbbing and his eyes twitching from the stressful situation he unintentionally got himself into. “You’re in charge of the boy whether you like it or not Levi. He’s too young to be of age yet to be auctioned off. Judging by his figure and how skinny he is, he couldn’t even be considered healthy enough to be sent to anyone let alone a feeding farm. He’ll stay here where we can observe him and get him back to a healthy weight. I want to know everything about him.” Erwin instructed. His voice firm and unyielding, leaving no room for argument. His orders looming over Levi and pressuring him. His eyes shined brightly and his aura emitting dominance. “Fine, if you’re done nagging me can I go? There’s a shower calling my name and I’m tired.” Levi resigned. His voice on edge and his body stiff from standing still. “Yes, take care of him Levi. Also I want a full report of everything that you saw back in Shiganshina by my desk the latest at the end of week.” He restated in a playful tone. His attention back to his work, the only thing acknowledging him was a lazy wave of his hand, dismissing Levi from his office. “Damn old man.” “I heard that.” Erwin chuckled in mirth and amusement as Levi speed walked out of his office. Walking back to his quarters was uneventful seeing as how it was late in the night and any vampire under noble class would be either resting from a hard day’s of work, feeding, sleeping or carrying out their assigned duties. His squad being more or less used to the harsh rays of the sun and odd schedule, although not deadly it did suck their energy faster than during the night and make daily tasks and duties more difficult. The hallways were empty and quite, twisting and turning like a maze that he long since memorized. He made it back to the elevator to go further up to a higher floor where most of the living area was. Proceeding back to the twenty eighth floor where things were more comfortable. The red carpet over the laminate flooring and soft orange glow from ceiling lights casting a cozy feeling to wash over him, easing all the tension from his body as he neared his room. The familiar scents wrapping around him like a thick blanket. With some manoeuvring, he managed to open the door and gently close it with his elbow and carried the boy over to rest on the edge of his bed. Looking over the boy he could see that he was filthy, covered in sweat, blood, dirt and grime from the night’s events. He decided then a swift sponge bath and a nice change of clothes would do the trick to eeze his paranoia of dirt and hopefully make the boy feel more comfortable. Looking back at it now, he remembered seeing various old scars, gashes and bruises littering the boy’s caramel skin as he undressed him and washed his body, a particularly large gash over his back being the worst of his injuries. Clearly the boy had suffered a great deal and was able to survive. Recalling it now as he pet the boy, he felt a twinge of relief seeing how he was sitting here alive. Despite the cards that he was dealt with, he managed to remain victorious and survive. He smiled at the boy feeling impressed and pleased. “Alright beastie, think you’re up for a bath?” He joked lightly as he stood slowly up from his seat, making his movements slow and visible to him to make him feel comfortable. He’d noticed that the boy would jump at any sudden movements and was very careful and weary of him, so he tried to exaggerate his movements slightly to appear less threatening. He cleaned up the bowl from his desk and set aside the tray for later and set his chair back against the far wall and turned back to the boy, waiting for any sort of response. The boy stared innocently up at him, as if he wasn’t certain of what a bath meant, head tilted and long hair following his movements, brushing his shoulders. His eyes seemed curious and his nose scrunched up in confusion. Levi sighed and walked towards the bathroom and went inside to turn on the tap to the shower head, waiting for the water to turn warm. It seemed that a shower would be better since he was unfamiliar with what a bath was and the idea of filling his tub with hot water and leaving the kid in there to his own devices didn’t sit well with him. As he waited, he heard the soft pitter patter of the boy’s feet as he jogged towards the bathroom, his steps being careful and light, resembling a bird hopping about in snow. Levi, being mindful and wanting to observe how his little friend would react to the shower, kept still, his back turned to the boy. The boy stopped at the edge of the tub, staring up at the water as it sprayed down into the tub. Steam was filling the large room, making it stuffy and perspiration to form on the mirror. When he was close enough to the flow of the water, he seemed to be at awe with the shower itself and with careful movements, drew his hand towards the spray of water. Levi observed him from the corner of his eyes, his body relaxed with one hand resting on his hip. The moment the boy’s hand touched the water things went very wrong. He jumped back from the tub in fear and screamed loudly, his eyes turning frantic and his body rigid. He ran from the tub towards the sink and crouched low covering his ears and closing his eyes. In concern Levi immediately jumped into action, he quickly shut off the water and ran towards the boy all huddled by the sink hiding under the bathroom cabinets. Levi got on his hands and knees to get a better look at the boy. He was shivering like a leaf, his hands trembling as he covered his ears and his face pale. His head tucked in his knees as he rocked himself back and forth to soothe his fear. Levi was honestly shocked by the reaction. He didn’t think that the shower would be a possible trigger for trauma, but clearly it was a bad idea and sticking to the bath was probably the better option to get the boy to relax and his muscles to unwind from stress. “Beastie, don’t worry I’m right here. It was just hot water, it won’t hurt you.” He soothed in a soft voice. He tried to keep his hands low and voice soft to try to coax the boy out of his fearful thoughts that were haunting him. The boy hardly reacted to his words, only opening his teary eyes to look over at Levi. His lower lip being torn apart by his front teeth as he chewed on his lips. Clearly he had to switch tactics or else his fear would escalate and he could possibly start to hyperventilate. Levi, being used to seeing panic attacks that had happened to any human survivor after a aberrant attack, was familiar with the warning signs. Being very mindful of his movements, carefully reached his hand to the boy and held it open, a simple gesture that allowed the boy to make the move first if he was comfortable doing so. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here beastie. I’m right here with you, stay with me.” He cooed. His voice a mere whisper. He schooled his expression to be calm he didn’t want to seem angry at the boy’s reaction and wanted to express his sincerity. He was almost tempted to use compulsion on the kid if needed but his words seemed to do the trick. After a few minutes, the boy reached his thin hand towards Levi’s, still shivering, and slowly crawled out from under the cabinets. The moment he came out, he squeezed Levi’s hand in a vice like grip and stepped closer to him. His eyes dim in the light and his brows furrowed. “Should we try that again? Perhaps a bath would be better? I’m sorry, if I knew you’d react like that I wouldn’t have suggested it in the first place.” He apologized. Levi scratched his neck and looked down at the boy, feeling very uncomfortable with the boy’s sudden clingy nature and having to apologize. It was very strange how he had to adjust his behaviour and words to soothe the boy and he wasn’t used to acting sweet or kind. He was very glad that Hanji wasn’t here to see his personality switch or else she’d make fun of him for all eternity. At the very word “bath” he seemed to jostle, nervous at the notion of going through that huge debacle all over again. Levi chuckled and ruffled his hair as if to tease him. In a way, it was a method to try to restore the peaceful atmosphere that had surrounded them before and ease his tension. Without letting go of his hand, Levi turned the tap on again, plugging in the tub with the stopper. “Let’s get you out of those clothes and in the tub. Trust me you’ll feel better after a good soak, plus you need it. You’re still filthy.” He cringed remembering the state the boy was in when he first laid eyes on him. As if scared to let go, the boy held on tighter, squeezing his hand harder than before and frowning. Levi gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and eased his hand free from his grasp. He tapped the boy’s shoulder cuing him to take off his shirt and pants. Easily enough the boy complied, throwing his clothes haphazardly on the tiled floor and waited expectantly for further instructions. When Levi deemed the tub full enough he motioned for the boy to hop in the tub with a quick turn of his head and playful smirk. Getting the hint the boy tread carefully towards the tub and stared at the water, hesitation in his movements. When he didn’t show any signs of getting in, Levi was losing his patience and as a slight punishment for causing Levi so much trouble he decided he wanted to tease the boy, so with a sudden bout of mischief, he lightly pushed the boy into the tub, a resounding splash echoing in the bathroom. He squealed in surprise and burst from the pool of water, his eyes wide in shock and mouth wide open. Finding his expression to be cute Levi couldn’t help himself and laughed. “Your fault for being a slow poke.” He snickered. He bent down to the boy’s eye level and rested one hand on the edge of the tub and used his other hand to splash a small amount of water onto the boy playfully. The boy seemed frozen, his eyes wide and mouth still open. Levi was beginning to think that he had made a mistake and took his teasing too far, but his worries were quelled when the boy’s expression changed. He started to pout, his brows furrowed and eyes glaring up at Levi in annoyance. He reminded Levi of a wet cat, his hair covering his eyes and his body slouched over and glare attempting to be menacing. Levi chuckled at the resemblance and shook his head. He continued to pour water gently onto the boy getting him used to the water’s temperature and coaxing him to relax. When his shoulders began to become lax Levi decided that he could finally get to the hard part of this whole bath. He grabbed the shampoo bottle and conditioner from the shower rack and his loofah and body wash, then placed all the bottles near his feet by the tub. He squeezed a small amount of shampoo into his palm then worked it into the boy’s hair. The moment he started to scrub the boy became agitated. He clearly wasn’t used to washing his own hair given the state it was in and was uncomfortable with the manhandling going on. He started to squirm, twisting and turning, trying to avoid Levi’s hands and detaching himself from Levi’s grasp. Water splashed onto Levi’s shirt and onto the tiles of the bathroom from the aggressive nature of his squirming. “Stop moving would you? I’m only washing you since you don’t seem to know how to wash yourself. It’s not fun for me either kid.” Levi grumbled in frustration. The boy continued to squirm and only seemed to get more angry with each scrub, his glare turning menacing as he resisted. He started to claw at Levi’s hands in retaliation and dislike for the treatment. “Sit still.” Levi ordered, his voice thick and low. His aura slipping out in a dominant, aggressive manner causing the boy to jump at his chilled voice. That seemed to startle him into submission. He stopped clawing at his hands and avoided looking at Levi, eyes low and face schooled into a grimace. Levi sighed in relief and continued washing his hair. Pulling the shower from the stand, he switched to the lowest setting to make the pressure of the water light, like the trickle of rain rather than harsh pressure. The boy squeezed his eyes shut tight, remembering his fear of the shower spray and started to tremble. “Don’t worry, this is lighter in pressure and it’s not gonna be the same as before, I promise. I’m only gonna use it to wash the shampoo out of your hair. Keep your eyes closed.” He vowed. He waited patiently to see if the boy understood him and for his trembling to stop before he brought the shower head over the boy. He jostled slightly from the water but relaxed into it a few seconds later. The water trickled into the tub and the suds washed off nicely. Levi moved on to the conditioner and ran his fingers through his hair to untangle the strands and smooth the conditioner in. He then moved on to apply the shower gel onto the loofah and with light pressure, started scrubbing at his skin. Suds and bubbles created little clouds of white onto the water’s surface and the boy seemed very intrigued by them. His eyes following the bubbles as they floated around, his index finger poking and prodding at a larger bundle of bubbles. One of the bubbles had escaped from the rest and floated up to his nose. The boy’s eyes glittered with joy and he blow the bubble watching as it fluttered higher. With his attention fixated on the bubbles, Levi made quick work of his scrubbing and started to wash off the remaining suds and conditioner. When he was pleased with his work, he unplugged the stopper and drained the tub. He pulled a fluffy white towel from the basket by the cabinets and helped him out of the tub. He sat quietly on the bathmat turning his attention to the towel, his curiosity winning over his irritation from before. Levi pat the towel delicately over his skin, his pressure light then ran the towel through his hair. The boy didn’t like the towel blocking his view and he started to grunt in annoyance. He wiggled about trying to avoid the towel and once he couldn’t avoid Levi’s constant assault he started to get angry. His eyes holding a dangerous glint to them as he glared at Levi. “Don’t look at me like that. If you’d sit still this will be over faster.” He reiterated. As Levi started to dry his face and the front of his bangs the boy took his chance and bit his right hand. The blunt ends of his teeth sinking into his flesh in retaliation. Although it was unexpected, Levi strangely wasn’t angry at him for biting him. Things were new to the boy and Levi understood that being in a new environment around strange people would be frightening to anyone. He let his arm be lax in the boy’s jaw and kept his face in a bored expression. His teeth hardly causing him any pain even when he ground his teeth further into his flesh. “Let go.” He said. His voice low and quite. The boy’s face morphed into shock, his eyes wide and mouth easing in pressure. He didn’t move and simply stared at Levi for a few seconds as if he was thinking about Levi’s words and confused at his reaction. Finally he let go, his jaw slack, allowing his hand to slip out easily. Feeling guilty the boy stared as his hand, his teeth marks embedded into his skin as he frowned. With apprehension and hesitation the boy gently started to pat at his hand as if apologizing for biting him. Feeling a bit impressed at the boy’s form of apology, he pat his hand back once before standing up and going to the cabinet and opening one of the drawers and pulled a flat ended comb then sat back down in front of him. “This is a comb, it’s used to brush your hair with. It won’t hurt at all. Will you let me fix your hair?” Perhaps from now on he should assume that the boy didn’t know much and should start explaining the use of certain objects to make him more agreeable and compliant. He nodded giving his permission and expressing for the first time that he was finally getting used to Levi and acknowledging him rather than simply growling or grunting at him. We’re finally making some progress, baby steps I guess. Levi thought remembering Petra’s words as she would try to coax him whenever he would get impatient in the past. He pressed the comb into his hair and started to comb through the knots that had formed from all the struggling and wiggling. He figured that cutting his hair would have to wait until the boy was more snug with the idea, seeing at how wild and jumpy he was already. Levi didn’t think he could deal with any more fighting today and was starting to get tired from all the grooming. The boy on the other hand seemed to be enjoying the treatment, his eyes closed and head leaning back almost falling straight into his chest, a pleased little smile resting on his face in bliss. After finishing with his hair, he had managed to get the boy into some clean clothes after more fussing and struggling and finally he was fit to go. Levi was exhausted after the whole thing and was reconsidering tell Erwin to shove it with his orders at being a new caretaker and guardian. “Let’s get some fresh air. I need to walk around a little after all that crap.” Levi said listlessly. He opened the door ready to leave the confines of his room when he felt the boy’s hand slip ever so shyly into his. The boy looking up at him expectantly and excitement burning in his eyes. The moment they stepped out of his room they had bumped into Hanji as she was carrying a huge pile of boxes, her hair messy and her eyes concentrated on her footing. “Oh! Levi, you’ve finally come out! I was wondering when you’d pop out of your hidey hole! How’s our little friend doing?” She chirped in happiness. She wobbled in her footing, making the boxes rumble and she shifted her arms to get a better hold of things. “Just fine thanks.” He murmured. He honestly didn’t know where all that energy came from. They had only just returned back for a few short hours, so how she had managed to sneak in some time to rest and feed was a mystery to him. Personally he felt like a zombie and was ready to crash at any minute, he had had enough excitement for one day. She paused in her observation of the boy then started to burst with laughter. Her loud howl of laughter making the boy jump startled, as he hid behind Levi’s legs, grabbing his pant leg in his hand. “OH LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE WAS HAVING FUN IN THE BATH! YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR HAIR!” She gushed with delight at the state of his hair. Knowing the amount of condensation and hot air that was being circulated in the bathroom, he was guessing that his hair was an absolute mess, all frizzy and puffy from the heat. “Shut up Hanji, some people are trying to sleep, keep your damn voice down.” He chastised. Her loud shrieking making his ears ring. “Sorry sorry, you just look hilarious! You kinda remind me of one of the old mops that we having lying about, all the ends of the mop frizzed out and puffy.” She teased. Her mouth forming into a devilish grin and her eyes gleaming in the low lighting, making her look more mischievous. She directed her attention back to the boy and she lost some of her crazed expression. “Hello little guy! Don’t be afraid! I swear I’m not as creepy as I look.” She giggled down at him while setting the boxes down on the floor to get a better look at him. Yeah way to sound creepy Hanji, he thought as he rolled his eyes. She sat low on the floor her knees holding her weight as she extended her hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you little guy. I’m Hanji Zoe, fellow squad member of the survey corps and a dear old friend of Levi’s. What’s your name?” She greeted cheerfully. She waited excitedly for him to take her hand. Awkward silence hung in the air as her hand was left outstretched pathetically and the boy only seemed to frown down at her hand and grabbed his pant leg tighter. “Well this is awkward.” She stated lamely chuckling nervously. Feeling oddly satisfied at Hanji’s failed attempt at introducing herself he pat the boy’s head and ruffled his hair, almost rewarding him of his behaviour towards her. “If you’re done embarrassing yourself, I have to go and show him around and get him situated. See ya later bug eyes.” He sung in a pleased tone of voice as he passed by Hanji and walked down the hall with the boy in tow, leaving Hanji alone. He could smell the rejection and sadness coming from her and smiled. They continued walking down the hallway, past the rooms of slumbering vampires and he pointed out a few rooms that he thought would be handy to know, like the bathrooms and what rooms not to go in without permission. He took him past a small library and past small meeting rooms then finally to the elevator to go back down to introduce him to Erwin. Levi wasn’t feeling all the comfortable with the idea of introducing him to Erwin and the rest of this squad so early after bringing him here but he would rather get this over and done with to help the boy get familiar with his surroundings. Levi stepped inside the elevator and he felt the boy let go of his hand, his hand slipping from his, which he turned back to see what was wrong, since until now, he held on tightly, never once diverging from Levi. The kid was clearly nervous about setting foot inside as he looked around the elevator with worry as he gnawed on his lips, his fingers picking at his nails in agitation. Levi pressed the button to stop the doors from closing and stepped closer to the boy, then held out his hand. It seemed that having physical contact made him feel safe and secure in a new environment and worked like a charm in calming him down. “Come on beastie, trust me it’s safe.” He reassured. “If you don’t come with me, I’ll have to leave you there all by yourself.” He teased as he turned around, his back facing the boy as if to show that he was leaving. Before he could even take one single step, he felt a rather harsh tug from his shirt and he stumbled slightly from the strength of the force. Levi turned his head and saw the boy desperately clinging to his shirt, his eyes watery and eyebrows shaped into fear. He looked scared at the idea of being left all alone. Levi waited patiently for the boy to make up his mind, then finally after a few minutes of debating, he ran into the elevator and crashed into Levi, burying his head into his stomach, wrapping his arms around his middle and squeezing the life out of him. As the elevator was going down, the boy was spooked when the doors shut, obviously never experiencing being in one before. He shivered against Levi and he held onto him for dear life. Levi sighed and resigned to being stuck in this position until they would be getting off. He tenderly pat his head to soothe the boy and he felt the boy’s sturdy grip around him loosen slightly as some of his tension left. All this hugging and touching was very new to the both of them and Levi was never a touchy feely kind of guy, so being in constant contact with the kid this much was sapping him of his energy, but he decided to relent and sacrifice his comfort for the boy’s instead. If he wanted to get him used to the environment around him and get this mission over with, he would have to make some sacrifices, and he didn’t think it was that bad. Sure he never really liked kids, but oddly enough this boy wasn’t that bad to be around, plus he felt a bit touched seeing at how desperately the boy was clinging onto him, the only source of guide that he had in this strange world that he was being thrust into. Levi figured that he was the only one the boy could really rely on during this scary new experience, making what he was doing worth his time and energy. They finally made it the twentieth floor where Erwin’s office was without any trouble. The elevator doors opening up and the boy finally took his head out from under Levi’s stomach and turning around slightly to see what was going on. At seeing the empty hallway and a new area the boy quickly let go and hopped off the elevator and smiled slightly, probably feeling better after getting off and leaving the elevator. Levi followed behind him and started walking ahead, knowing where he wanted to go. Unlike Levi, the boy was excited as he observed everything and jogged down the hallway, looking at all the offices and rooms as they passed by them. He even stopped by one plant that was near one of the seating areas and started poking at the large leaves, watching as it bounced from his prodding. He seemed amused at this then turned to Levi and smirked mischievously, reminding him of Hanji’s cat-like smile when she was up to something. Levi tried to ignore the sudden feeling of dread and chill down his spine from the boy’s evil little smirk but he knew that something was up. Most likely the boy wanted to get back at him for the bath fiasco. He continued walking, his steps quickening but he could hear the echo of the kid’s quick steps, clearly catching up to him with ease. He ran ahead of Levi then stopped in front of him blocking his way. He stared up Levi, the smirk still there and before he could ask what the hell he was up to, the boy quickly lifted his right hand and blew something from his palm. Something small and red flashed by his eyes and before he could even determine what it was he felt something fall on his nose. He squinted down at his nose, his eyes crossing, and there sitting on the tip of his nose was a ladybug. He probably had found it resting by the plant, Levi thought. The boy started to giggle softly and Levi jumped at his giggles, it reminded him of tinkling bells; soft and soothing to his ears. The boy’s eyes were sparkling in amusement and his cheeks rosy, his peach lips upturned in a happy smile and Levi thought he looked way better with a smile on his face than his usual frown. It was honestly cute, though he would never admit it out loud, but he could forgive his teasing if it made him this happy. Levi grumbled under his breath, that he was too old for this shit, then blew the ladybug off his nose watching as it flew away. “Alright now we’re even. If you’re done teasing let’s go. I have someone I want to introduce you to. Stay close by my side and don’t run off beastie.” He instructed lightly. As if to show that he understood and was listening, he jogged back to his side and took hold of his hand and waited. Well at least he listens to me now, Levi thought. They continued down the hallway without any trouble and finally stopped by Erwin’s office. Levi knocked on the door and waited until he heard a soft voice call out. “Come in.” He opened the door, the handle feeling cool against his warm skin and walked in closing the door behind the boy. The moment they had stepped inside, the kid hid behind his leg again, pulling at his sweatpants like he did when they had bumped into Hanji. It seemed like he was hiding again, clearly weary of strangers. “So this is the boy that you mentioned. He’s unusually small for his age.” Erwin concluded as he scrutinized the boy from what little he could see. He got up from his chair by his desk and walked over to Levi. “I wouldn’t know how old he really is but I’m guessing by his build he could be around eight or nine.” Levi theorized, his tone clipped and annoyed at Erwin for his analytical, cold demeanor. “Boy I’d like to ask you a few questions.” Erwin addressed him in a stiff tone as he stared down at the boy. Levi could feel the boy jump at Erwin’s voice and his hand pull his leg closer towards him. “What were you doing up in the mountain all alone? Who are your parents? Can you tell me your name?” Erwin questioned. His inquiry was short and clipped, to the point, just like his attitude towards the boy in question. He didn’t seem to care about the boy’s obvious discomfort and was bombarding him with questions. “Erwin, maybe you shouldn’t interrogate him right off the bat. He’s a lot more feral and skittish than I thought.” Levi warned, his voice lowering in tone as he tried to get Erwin to back off with his assault. Erwin ignored Levi’s words and continued to stare at the boy continuing his questions. “How did you kill all those aberrants by yourself?” When he got no response, Levi could tell that Erwin was at his last thread of patience. His eyes were solely focused on the boy in frustration and his bushy eyebrows were furrowed so much that his face looked more aggressive than usual. In his haste to get answers, Erwin reached his hand towards the boy to pull him out from behind Levi. His hand close to grabbing his arm, before Erwin could even touch his arm the boy growled, his face contorting into anger and he slapped Erwin’s hand away in aggression. His body was taunt and strung, his viridian eyes glowing brightly like fire, his mouth in a snarl and his teeth bared, his chest puffed out as he stood proudly and firmly, unafraid. Erwin seemed shocked and Levi was surprised at his outburst of anger when he was cowering in fear just a few seconds ago. The initial shock wearing off leaving the room in a deadly silence. “That’s enough Erwin. I’ve had enough of your bullshit. You didn’t even let me explain and instead chose to ignore me as usual. If you’re gonna keep acting like a wild animal then you can shove it.” Levi snarled in anger. For some reason, seeing Erwin reach towards the boy and even touching him caused him to lose all sense and reason. He wanted to cut off Erwin’s arm for even touching the boy. He felt his desire for violence rise and his blood boil. He pulled the boy towards him and rubbed his shoulder as the boy pressed his head against his side. Erwin’s face changed as his expression went from shocked to ease. He smiled knowingly and his body relaxed as he crossed his arms and his hip jutted to the side. “It seems like I was right to keep the boy at your side. My apologies Levi, didn’t mean to frighten him. My questions can wait. It seems like he trusts you the most right now. You can go and rest for today, you’ve had a long night and I’ll let you take the rest of the night off. I’ll inform Hanji that your duties can wait until you’ve rested.” He stated simply as he turned back around and headed back to his desk like nothing had happened. “That’s it? You were riding my ass about bringing him to you and how you wanted me to take care of him and after all that shit you just pulled you’re letting us go? What the hell is wrong with you?” Levi barked, his anger reaching its peak at Erwin’s shit eating grin and relaxed demeanour. “Have a good night Levi.” He dismissed calmly as he sat back down and continued his work from where he left off, not even looking back at the both of them. What the fuck was that? He bothered me for this? The next time I see him I’m gonna kick his ass. Levi thought as he stormed out of his office in anger and frustration for wasting his time. The boy followed behind, his steps soft and quick to match his long strides. He marched down the hallway and to the elevator smashing the button with pent up anger. He could feel his teeth elongating as he remembered Erwin reaching his grubby hands towards the boy and he felt even more pissed off for some reason. In his seething anger he punched the elevator doors and the metal groaned and bent to his fists from his alarming strength. He felt a soft touch to his side and was confused, his anger being put on hold as he turned to boy, forgetting that he was even there being blinded with anger. The boy pat his side tenderly as if to comfort him. He had a grim expression on his pale face, his eyes down cast and lips set in a thin line. Levi sighed, feeling all his anger seep out from him as the boy continued to pat him. “How about heading to the Library for a bit?” Levi suggested in a calmer tone as he smiled apologetically to the boy. He nodded agreeing with the suggestion and pulled Levi in the elevator even before Levi could say anything. His previous fear of the elevator seeming nonexistent as his small hand held onto his, warmth ebbing its way into Levi’s frigid hand. Levi pressed the button back to the twenty either floor and relaxed his body at the thought of a bit of light reading. It always had a way of calming him down whenever Erwin or someone had gotten under his skin. The comfort of the library and being surrounded in a sense of peace was like a blanket coating him in warmth. It may even be a good idea to teach the boy about a few things and test to see how well he could read and write seeing as how the boy’s maps and notes from the cabin were illegible. They got off without bumping into anyone else thankfully, and headed towards the library. Levi opened the large, mahogany doors and moonlight poured in from the tall, glass windows near the back where the fireplace and couches resided. It was always Levi’s favourite place, the huge expanse of bookcases and roomy area and plush couch providing the best space for some light reading. He remembered all the times he used to sit by the window using the moon’s soft glow to read hours for hours on end. “Come on beastie, let me show you around. Get comfy, feel free to explore.” He spoke in an amused tone when he saw the boy’s jaw drop in astonishment from the large assortment of books and huge space. He walked steadily inside, simply taking in the whole library and gawking at everything his eyes landed on. He stepped towards the reading area where all the couches and the fireplace was and he stopped by the base of the windows. He was absorbed as he stared outside enjoying the night’s sky. The moon was at its peak, shining brightly casting a white glow over the boys face. His eyes seemed to sparkle like the stars, his face relaxed and a small smile resting on his lips. As if entranced by the moon itself, he reached his right hand out, his palm held high like he was trying to capture the moon. He looked euphoric standing in the moonlight, his shadow casting over the carpet and almost looking like a pair of wings. That’s when it hit him, like lightning, Levi knew what to name the boy. “Eren.” He whispered, afraid that he was going to break the serene atmosphere that had covered the both of them. At the sound of his voice the boy turned, the moon’s rays creating a halo and soft glow outlining his body in white. “Your name will be Eren.” He reiterated in a hushed tone. The name felt pleasant as it left his lips, just like the moon shining the sky, soft like silk. He seemed confused at the name, his head tilting to the side, expressing his confusion and his long hair swaying against his shoulders, the light from the moon shining through his strands of hair toning it a caramel colour. “Er-en.” Levi pronounced as he pointed to the boy to emphasize the name and get his point across. The boy was squinting at his lips, then attempted to mouth the words, testing it out. Failing to get it, he walked over to Levi and reached his hand towards Levi’s face, getting up on his tippy toes trying to touch his lips, his fingers wiggling in anticipation. Levi bent over allowing for easier access and felt his hot fingers caress his jaw and mouth. “Er-en. Err-eenn.” Levi spelled out, moving his mouth slowly, mouthing the words and letters to help him understand. The boy’s fingers moving along his lips as if he was feeling the name and trying to feel it under his touch. Eren moved his lips and tried copying Levi’s mouth, forming the words and mouthing the name silently. As if suddenly understanding, he gleamed with delight and his mouth pulled into a bright smile. Finally in a soft whisper he said “Eren.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The moment Eren spoke Levi was shocked and marvelled at the sound of his voice. It was soft and lower than he thought it would be. It was pleasant to the ears, like the tinkling of bells and still held a higher tone indicating that he was still very young. His voice was still slightly gruff obviously not being used as often as it should and hearing him speak for the first time was like lightning crashing through his body. Eren was still smiling at Levi, his bright eyes gleaming in the dark and softly glowing from the moon. His eyes held a softer tone than before and for the first time he looked like a normal human child; innocent and happy. Eren seemed to notice his shock as Levi stood completely still, enraptured by him and he tilted his head slightly in question, his small hands sliding down from his lips and towards his cheeks as he held Levi’s face gently. “Levi?” He called him so softly. Hearing his own name from Eren’s lips jolted him and sent a shiver down his spine in elation. So this is what my name sounds like when he calls me. Levi thought. His name never had sounded so pleasing to him before, until this moment. Levi felt a smile involuntarily crawl its way onto his mouth and his heart beat steady in warmth and comfort. Feeling genuinely touched at Eren’s willingness to open up and his sudden change in behaviour made Levi feel that he was finally getting somewhere with him; that a genuine bond was forming between them. Levi felt the sudden need to return Eren’s affection in kind and tenderly held his face in his rough palms, his thumbs rubbing circles under his brown lashes. “How about we read together? I’d like to show you something.” Levi whispered softly trying not to break the serene atmosphere that hung between the two of them like a soft blanket. Eren nodded his head, his hair bouncing with his movement and he hopped up in glee, his smile never leaving his face. With renewed energy Eren ran about the library and finally decided to sit on the plush, white couches, picking the loveseat nearest the hearth of the fireplace and sat down comfortably, his legs dangling over the edge and not touching the floor and his hands resting in his lap. He honestly seemed much more comfortable and reminded Levi of a puppy with the way he was bouncing and twitching in his seat with excitement. Levi chuckled lightly at him and went around and turned on the electric gas of the artificial fireplace and went to one of the bookshelves at the back of the couches. He rummaged through some of the books until he found the one he was looking for which was hard not to miss seeing how it was one of the largest books on the shelf. The cover was old, brown leather and was chunky, the corners of the book peeling off and showing the bare bones of the spine. With muffled footsteps on the carpet Levi made his way over to Eren who continued his impatient bouncing and sat right next to him and set the book open in his lap. Eren, being as excited as he was, hardly waited before the book even touched his lap before pulling the book more so towards himself and opened the first pages of it in haste. His eyes shining brightly and his mouth opened slightly in wonder. The inside of the book was old, the pages tinted yellow and the black ink not being as prominent as Levi remembered; some of the words fainter than others showing how the letters were wearing off with age. The first page was mostly blank except for a few words that were written in the middle of the page. The few letters that remained there was a small private message most likely from the author dedicated to a loved one. Eren’s eyes zeroed in on the words and his face contorted to one of confusion as he read. He mouthed the words, hardly even whispering and turned to Levi in confusion waiting for an explanation when he finished reading. “This book has been passed down in our archives for as long as I could remember. Erwin said that it was like an heirloom of sorts, the language itself is hard to decipher since it’s so old but we think that it may be a history book of some kind telling about the olden days when vampire’s ruled over the world.” Levi explained gently. Eren continued to stare at Levi and very subtly pointed his index finger at the small passage on the front page and expressed his confusion. Levi catching onto his confusion started to read the passage out loud for him. “To the son of the blood king, may you heed my words and remember them for all time. The power that you hold will change the world and I hope you rule with reverence and wisdom.” Levi read in a sombre tone of voice. Underneath this small passage, drawn in ink was an old key, the top of it almost shaped into a small diamond and the ends of the key having two small teeth. After reading Eren seemed to pause and think through the words he heard and slowly placed his small hand over the words, tracing them with his thin fingers as his eyes trailed over the image of the key. Levi let Eren process the words and the image as his looked over at Eren. Somehow the words must have resonated with the boy seeing as how he was deathly still and his face was enamoured by such simple words. After a few moments of silence Eren turned to the next page and turned to Levi once again, waiting for him to continue reading. Some words were more eligible than others, however most of what was written was in a old dialect and foreign alphabets. Levi unfortunately was never able to decipher the few hundred pages of the book himself, even with the help of Hanj and her assistant Mobilt. Levi always wondered why this was the case seeing as how the first passage on the first page was written in plain English. It always befuddled Hanji, Erwin and Levi but the only pieces they were able to decipher took them weeks and it was of the blood war which Levi himself was all familiar with. “Sorry beastie, but I can’t read that for you. Let me show you something else.” Levi hummed as he flipped lots of pages. He stopped when he got to the familiar chapter that he had read at least a thousand times and began reading. “The blood war having taken so many lives, has marked its scar onto the land for generations to come. Having lasted for over fifty years, many of our brothers and sisters bravely gave their lives in battle to ward off the beasts that roamed our city. The very streets littered with flesh and stained with the blood of our enemies.” Levi quoted. He stopped reading when the words started to get unfamiliar and since he knew the events that occurred during the war itself, having fought in the battle himself. “Bloodwar? What happened after?” Eren inquired in a low tone. This being the first time he spoke so much at once was interesting to see and Eren’s obvious curiosity voicing his confusion was a nice change of pace compared to his mostly silent behaviour until now. “Vampire’s during that time were selfish and greedy, they still are if you ask me, but back then it was worse. Apparently some very important vampire clans and hordes wanted to take control over lower class vampires and without considering humans in to the equation they fought causing destruction everywhere they went. I was tasked along with Erwin and Hanji to fight to protect my clan and village. It was vampire vs vampire and it was seriously hell. I was fed up with all the fighting and death. Many humans got caught up in our bullshit.” Levi recited in a colder tone of voice. He remembered the stench of blood and how aberrants were roaming around more so than now. Many pureblood clans started turning humans and lower class vampires into their soldiers growing their hordes and increasing their numbers quickly. However the backlash was heavy on both sides. The humans who were turned into vampires did the dirty work and killed, however due to the rebound they turned mad with bloodlust and they couldn’t handle the blood of pureblood clans since their power was too strong to handle. Many went insane and turned into aberrants, killing both vampires and humans. “The council of old sent any strong blooded vampire into battle and we killed thousands. It was honestly hell on earth. I managed to live through it but I suffered losses. There were two humans who lived near Wall Rose who always hung around me even though they knew what I was. Unfortunately they were almost killed in the battle, so I made the hardest decision in my life and saved them. Looking back on it I don’t regret my decision, just that I had to clean up other people’s shit for them.” Levi lamented in sadness. His voice trailed off after he finished rambling on and his expression turning somber and pained as he recalled the pain he inflicted on his dearest friends. Almost as if sensing his anger and regret, Eren placed his hand on top of Levi’s and squeezed his hand in comfort. He leaned in closer towards Levi and rubbed his head gently on his shoulder, like a cat would towards their owner. Levi smiled and patted his head to reassure Eren that he was alright. “Well I think that that’s enough reading for one night, don’t you think? It’s getting late, let’s head to bed.” Levi offered in a soft sigh as he gently got up and went to return the book in its rightful place and turn off the fireplace. Eren hopped down from the couch and followed behind Levi swiftly and took his hand in his own as he usually did and waited for Levi patiently. It seemed that he was only comfortable leaving with Levi and roaming around when they were holding hands for some reason. Without delaying any longer Levi turned around with Eren in tow and they headed out the library and walked down the empty hallways towards Levi’s bedroom. The sound of Eren’s soft feet on the carpet was comforting and brought a sense of calm to wash over Levi as they entered his room and he shut the door behind them. “You take my bed, I’ll be sleeping over in my study which is right outside my room. If you need anything just call for me.” Levi instructed as Eren watched him. Levi huffed when Eren didn’t move and Levi walked passed Eren and went inside the bathroom then came back moments later, clean toothbrush, towel and toothpaste in hand. “Here these are yours from now on. Let’s brush your teeth and then you can sleep.” Levi passed on his toiletries to Eren and lightly pushed him towards the bathroom and turned on the bathroom light. He turned on the sink until the water was warm and wet Eren’s toothbrush for him and put a small slab of toothpaste onto the brush and handed it back to Eren. Eren frowned and pouted at the toothbrush almost looking offended at the prospect of brushing his teeth. “Come on, I’m not gonna brush them for you. You have to clean them yourself unless you want your teeth rotting off then I don’t care.” Levi coaxed in a light tone of voice as he crossed his arms in impatience. Seeing Levi’s annoyance must have persuaded Eren since he stuffed the brush angrily into his mouth with force and aggressively started brushing his teeth with a large frown. Levi chortled in amusement and leaned against the doorframe as he waited for Eren to finish up. He finished rather quickly for Levi’s tastes but he let is slide since he was being so compliant to his demands and it had been a long day for the both of them. He guided Eren back into the bedroom and pulled the covers and Eren hesitantly went under the sheets and turned over to face Levi, his small frame hunched over as he went into a fetal position and stared up at him.Levi pulled the covers over his tiny frame and turned off the nightlight by the side table and was ready to leave until he felt a firm grip pull at his shirt. Levi turned back around and was met with a very heartbreaking sight. Eren was pulling at his cotton shirt with force, his grip so strong that his knuckles were bone white, his teeth chewing at his lips and his eyes downcast with a small frown on his face. He looked deeply troubled and somewhat fearful to be separated from Levi for even a minute. The sight alone was saddening and Levi honestly felt empathetic towards him. Slowly he took Eren’s hand from his shirt and held his hand in his own and crouched down so that he could look him in the eye. “Don’t worry beastie, I’m right next door. Sleep well little one.” He cooed gently to Eren and pat his head soothingly. He stood up and with one last look at him, walked towards his bedroom door and shut it softly behind him.
Levi pat his head gently then left just like the wind. His footsteps receding softly into the next room and Eren was left alone in the dark, sleeping in an unfamiliar room, the only thing comforting to him was Levi’s scent still lingering in the bed sheets and on his own clothes. He dug his nose deeper into the pillow beneath his head and whined in sadness. Why did he have to leave so soon? He wanted to so desperately cling onto Levi and beg him to stay but he knew that the man was already reaching the limits of his patience, he could practically smell it on the man. The last thing he wanted to do was to anger Levi and be left alone again, abandoned. Levi had treated him well. At first he was weary and scared of the man, but the more time he spent with Levi the more he understood that underneath his rough exterior and mannerisms, was a gentle soul; someone who provided warmth and comfort, safety and the potential to start anew. He really liked Levi and the very thought of Levi leaving him crushed his heart and made him feel so desperate. He decided after his bath with Levi that late evening that he would do everything he could to listen to man and put a fraction of his trust into him. Surely after feeding him, teaching him and protecting him Levi wouldn’t leave him, would he? He was genuinely tired and confused about the days events as well as the man named Erwin. One thing he knew for sure was that he didn’t like Erwin at all. His very presence and cold attitude proved that he could never like him. His blue eyes were menacing and convinced him that he was dangerous and conniving. When he was going to touch him, he felt Erwin’s powerful aura wrap around him like hands that were strangling him and he felt suffocated to even be in the same room with the man. He was glad that Levi had stepped in when he did. He felt a sudden cold shiver run down his spine just from remembering the event and decided that he needed to rest. He would deal with his concerns about Erwin later. For now the prospect of sleep and Levi’s scent wrapped around him felt lovely, making his mind foggy. His eyes drooped and the last thing he recalls before sleep takes him is the feel of Levi’s soft hand in his hair.
There was always white surrounding him. He was really starting to hate the damn bland colour. It was always there reminding him how painfully alone he really was. The crunch of the snow was loud in the dark night of the forest trail. He had a little ways to go and then he would be able to reach the village and finally find something to eat. From the top of the hill he could see the soft glow of lights and lanterns that were lit outside forming a light trail and lighting the path towards the village for him. It was deadly quiet during this time of the night and there wouldn’t be anyone outside lingering about and he took this advantage to head down to grab something to eat. He hadn’t had anything for three days and his stomach growled and gnawed away at him. He knew which house had the chickens, he only needed to swiftly get into the outdoor pen and grab one chicken if he could and get out. When he lived in the village the chickens were almost always outside during the day eating seeds and pecking the earth for worms. He remembered how the woman with the chickens caught him once stealing eggs and she was furious with him. Her face blotchy red and her stringy sandy brown hair messy as she hit him multiple times with her straw broom and made sure that she hit him with the wooden handle and not the soft end. He had bruises for about a week from that incident. As he approached the pen, he looked around once more for anybody who could be lingering about, especially the man named Kitz who would often wander around late at night, almost as if he was specifically looking for him and nobody else. He continued on sneaking through the back of the rickety old house, praying that the old woman didn’t hear him. He managed to squeeze his way through the hole in the fence and crawled under the gate and towards the back where the chicken pen was. He snuck inside with practiced ease and there sat fourteen chickens in their nests fast asleep. He brought with him a small rock to bash one of the heads of the chickens in for a quick kill and pulled the rock out of his ripped pants pocket and stalked the various chicken scouting for the fatest among them. He spotted one near the back of the pen and tiptoed his way over. Before he could even raise his hand to throw the rock he heard the familiar crunch of snow and a soft glow from a lantern from behind him. “You thief! I knew it was you! I knew you’d come crawling back like the beggar you are!” The woman screeched at the top of her lungs. Her round face was twisted into seething anger and her sandy brown hair was tied into a braid and her nightgown was stained yellow, obviously old just as she was herself. With force and rage she stomped over and grabbed the boy by his forearm and threw him out into the freezing snow with force. He landed on his knees scraping his hands on a patch of ice. “That does it! I’ve had enough of you! You little monster! Come here!” She yelled as she grabbed him by his hair and dragged him across the snow and ice. He struggled and growled, scratching at her hands to try and free himself but it was futile. Her grip remained strong and unyielding. His thin shirt was doing nothing to block out the snow and ice as his back was scratched by the cold earth. At last she let go of him but not before kicking him in the stomach. He groaned with the forced of her kick and rolled around the ground in pain. She hit him with her bare hands and kicked him wherever she could reach and he desperately tried to guard himself with his flimsy hands and hid his head to protect himself from the force of her blows. With one last kick she stopped her relentless attacks and he howled in pain. He panted and moaned from the ache in his stomach and his body throbbed in agony. He heard her stomp around before she burst open her front door with a loud bang. “Heinrich! COME HERE! NOW! The little thief is back!” she screamed in fury. He could hear more stomping and swearing coming from inside the house before a large burly looking man with thin grey hair came out. His pot belly and small moustache just as familiar as he had remembered. “What is it now you damn woman!? I thought I told you to leave him be!” The man growled in annoyance as he marched outside to join his wife. His brown, worn out boots filling the boy’s field of vision as he continued to writhe in pain on the snow covered ground. “I’ve had it with him! He’s stolen enough from us and I want him gone permanently! Do you hear me? He’s a monster and he causes chaos wherever he goes!” She argued, her hands waving about in fury and her fat face ugly scarlet as she screamed. “Fine, I’ll get rid of him, just go back inside you pest.” He waved her off as he resigned to her demands and grumbled under his breath. She stormed inside and slammed the front door behind her and the empty streets echoed. The man sighed and couched down towards the boy and pulled his face roughly with his meaty hands to force him to look at him. “Listen here you piece of shit, the whole village has had enough of you causing so much trouble. I’m gonna do you and the village a favor and get rid of you.” He seethed. His beady hazel eyes cold. Heinrich smirked, his moustache upturning along with his thin, dry lips. He got up and walked steadily to the shed near the chicken pen and somehow the boy knew that things were turning for the worst, the feeling of foreboding washing over him as he heard Heinrich’s boots crunching in the snow as he came back. From what little light from the moon provided, he could see that he had rope with him and a small bucket in his grubby hands. “Let’s take a little walk in the woods shall we?” He leered. His smile turning menacing and his eyes shining with a dangerous glint. He undid his belt from his greasy old trousers and stretched the leather out and grabbed the belt buckle in his right hand, with swift movements he brought the buckle end down onto the boy’s head. The last thing the boy remembered was the sound of the buckle hitting him like the crack of thunder and hot searing pain over the side of his head. The moment he came to he was delirious and tired, his body was sore and his head throbbed in pain. He could feel the resounding footsteps of his captor and he tried to wiggle free but he soon realized that his hands and feet were tied with rope, so tightly that he could feel the rope cutting into his skin almost blocking off his blood circulation. He was being dragged he concluded, based on the feel of the cold earth behind his back and how he could only see the faint outline of his feet and the feel of the rope being pulled taunt from his hands, his head drooped to his chin touching his chest and his long mangled hair obscuring his view. The forest trail where he was being dragged along looked familiar, it was near the outskirts of town, the trees being bare during this time of the year and the depth of the snow indicating that he was quite up from the village. It was probably the forest near town where none ventured. The villagers called this forest the red demon forest. He remembered the townspeople calling it that on multiple occasions. The common story was that the forest was always bathed in blood and whoever was unlucky enough to venture through the woods would die; their blood bathing the forest floor red. Some would say that the aberrants would drag the bodies of dead people back towards the forest path near the edge where the town could see and blood trails were left behind in warning to stay away. The boy was brought back from his musing when he was thrown roughly onto the path ahead. “This is the end of the line.” Heinrich grunted. He stood proudly before the boy and with minimal effort held the bucket from before in his hands. He lifted it right above the boy’s head and seconds later dumped the contents of whatever was inside onto him. The smell of iron and rotting flesh penetrated the air and something cold and wet was soaking through his thin shirt and hair. He looked down into his lap and from the moonlight could see that there was guts and pieces of flesh covering him; his clothes stained a dark black colour, most likely blood. The boy could feel bile rising up his throat from the foul stench of blood and guts of whatever was on him. His eyes were beginning to get soaked in red from the blood trailing down his hair. “If you’re going to act like a beast you can die like a beast.” Heinrich sneered in amusement. He turned his back around and left. His burly back disappearing into the darkness. The boy whined and crawled on the hard ground in fear and desperation. He didn’t want to be left alone, tied and helpless. This was not how he wanted to die; not here, not now. The forest was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of animals scattered about and the flapping of owl’s wings were not present. The sudden sound of a twig breaking echoed into the night and made the boy jump. His skin prickling as goosebumps covered the back of his neck and arms in panic. He sat up in haste trying to find the source of the sound. He squinted his eyes and searched the forest, trying to find anything that could be stalking him. There near the dark depths of the forest he could vaguely see the outline of a creature, it was tall and hairy with long ears. Beady red glowing eyes stared at him. He was scared, his heartbeat rising in panic. These were the creatures that had been following him around for the past year. No matter where he went the beasts had followed and now they had found him again, most likely from the smell of blood that covered his frail body. Not even seconds later he could see multiple pairs of red eyes appearing all throughout the forest clearing joining and crowding around, waiting for their next meal. His heart beating madly and pounding in his chest. A sudden low growl echoed in the air making him shiver. His body froze in madness, sweat trailing down his back as he started to pant in fear. The creatures stepped out from behind the trees, their long lanky legs dragging along as they appeared under the moon. Their teeth and long tongues ghastly. This is where he would die, among the beasts the man had said. Live like a beast to die like a beast. The only sound that echoed throughout the forest was the boy’s screams and the growling of beasts.
Levi felt rather uncomfortable even though he was in the comfort of his own living quarters resting on his couch outside his bedroom. He could hear the soft snores of Eren in the next room and knew that he was sleeping but for some reason something was still nagging him about the boy. Maybe it was the look of longing and sheer despair on his face when he was leaving the room that caused him his current distress. He tossed and turned about trying to lie still and find some peace to get into a peaceful mindset to finally rest. He recalled how much progress he had made with Eren in just one day and smiled fondly at Eren’s teasing and boundless energy as they had read together in the library. He was beginning to really become fond of Eren even though they had only known each other for a day, but that didn’t seem to bother him. The thoughts of Eren and their tranquil interactions was finally making him drowsy with sleep. Usually he’d be tossing and turning in hunger and listlessness. He was always hungry, always on edge, but thinking about Eren had calmed his nerves and soothed his gnawing hunger. Before he could fall deeper into slumber he heard a faint whimper. He jumped slightly and his foggy mind became more alert. Had he misheard it? He opened his burning eyes and lay still, trying to hear any sounds. The silence was disrupted by another louder whimper, followed by more whining and grumbling. Levi sat up slightly and concentrated on his hearing. Suddenly without warning a piercing scream echoed into the room, one that Levi had never heard in all his years of being in the survey corps. This scream was one of agony and pain. Levi bolted up and dashed from the couch and burst open the door to his bedroom and turned on the lights. Eren was thrashing and clawing at the bed covers, his body was twisting and turning, his chest heaving and his shirt covered in cold sweat. His face contorted in pain and mouth open as he continued to scream at the top of his lungs. His fingers were clawing at his chest and whatever he could get his hands on. Levi jumped into action and grabbed the boy by his small shoulders and grabbed his hands that continued to thrash around almost scratching his face. “Eren! Wake up! It’s a nightmare! Can you hear me!?” Levi called out in panic, his voice strained from Eren’s constant assault of screaming. “Eren please wake up!” Levi begged, his voice rising in tone as he continued to try and shake Eren awake. Eren still continued to scream and thrash around despite Levi’s intervention. With desperation Levi pressed his body more on Eren, trapping him and finally stopping him from lashing about. He pressed his forehead against Eren’s sweaty one and suddenly he was assaulted by flashes of memories. Each one zooming past Levi and stabbing his mind like sharp knives. He could feel Eren’s madness and panic, his fear, sadness and pain bombard him and he couldn’t breathe with the constant strike of emotions that attacked him. “Eren come back to me. You’re safe here with me. Just open your eyes. You’re here with me. Nothing will hurt you when I’m here.” Levi implored with a faint whisper. His voice soothing and calm, teetering into a low rumble. He sent warm energy to Eren threw the small contact of their skin and he enhanced his power. His compulsion must have worked since his screaming died down into softer cries. Seconds later his viridian eyes opened and consciousness took over him. The moment Eren’s eyes recognized Levi his facial expression twisted into relief and he began to cry. Fat tears ran down his cheeks as he wailed in pain. Levi felt relief and slowly got off of Eren and held his hand as he brushed his tears aside and cooed gently to him to try and soothe him. “I’ll be good! I promise! Please don’t leave me alone! I swear I’ll be good, I’ll be good!” He sobbed as he clung onto Levi’s shirt. He buried his head into his chest and wailed. Levi pat his head tenderly and his warm temperature reflected his rapidly beating heart. He continued to whisper words of reassurance to Eren as he continued to run his hands through his hair. Eren continued blabbering the same line over and over again like a mantra, promising that he would be good and pleaded to Levi not to leave him alone. His voice cracking from the strain of his sobbing. He hiccuped and panted softly into Levi’s chest as his crying subsided. They lay together on the bed cuddled together for a long time, just enjoying each other’s embrace and warmth. Slowly but surely, Eren’s crying stopped and his breathing evened out into a steady rhythm. “Sleep little beastie, don’t worry I won’t leave you.” Levi promised. His voice firm in his resolution to protect this small child that depended solely on him and him alone. Eren nuzzled into him and sniffed, his small hands gripping his shirt in his tiny fists with desperation. Levi tucked Eren closer to his side and placed his chin on top of Eren’s head. The more physical contact they had the more calm Eren seemed to get so Levi sacrificed his displeasure towards hugging and touching just for him. Levi closed his eyes and felt Eren’s steady heart beat as it lulled him into a deep sleep. A soft scent was clouding Levi’s senses. He opened his eyes and the soft gleam of the sunlight penetrated the curtains and peeked through. He tried to adjust his eyes to the harsh beam of light and he squinted his eyes. He felt something stir next to him and suddenly remembered last night’s events. He looked down and Eren was pressed tightly against him, nuzzling into his chest and hands still holding onto his shirt in a vice like grip. Their legs had somehow tangled with each other during the night and Eren’s long hair was tousled and tickled his nose. Even though Levi hardly slept last night he felt oddly refreshed and his body was relaxed and at ease. His limbs warm and he felt as if he was floating gently. Eren’s soft breathing fanned his neck and he sighed and stirred gently before practically climbing further onto Levi. His left leg wrapping around his stomach and his right hand crawling up to his neck as he climbed up onto him. Levi grunted from the grip Eren had on him and started to feel constricted with how clingy Eren was being. Levi could hear muffled footsteps approaching his room and started to panic at the thought of being caught either by Hanji or Erwin being wrapped in Eren’s arms. It was kinda embarrassing for him to admit but he knew that Hanji would tease him and for some reason that nagged his mind, he didn’t want them to see Eren like this. The footsteps became louder and the more he listened the more he heard that there were two pairs of footsteps. He took a quick sniff of the air to gauge his intruders and his body jostled from the recognizable scent. He knew what he was gonna be in for. The door to his room burst open and apple red hair invaded his sight along with a brilliantly bright smile. “Levi! Time to wake up you old far-” Isabelle greeted in her usual chipper voice. Before she could finish her sentence she paused mid-way through and looked half stunned and half confused at the situation Levi was in. Farlan entered the room right behind her and stood by the foot of the bed shocked as well. “Get out.” Levi grumbled slightly embarrassed to be caught in this position, especially to his kinlings. “WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE!? Do my eyes deceive me or is the great Lord Ackerman snuggling with a human child!? OH how the world fallen!” Isabelle joked as she dramatically pressed her hand over her heart and acted out playfully. “Well this is something I’m not gonna forget for a long time.” Farlan chuckled lightly as he jutted out his hips and crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk plastered on his pale face. “Would the both of you leave already, you’re starting to piss me off.” Levi growled in warning. “Oh chill, don’t act like there’s piss in your cereal. We just wanted to check in on our dear father. Rumours were going around saying you took a human child under your wing and it seems like it’s true. So care to introduce us?” Isabelle beamed excitedly. She leaned over the side of the bed to get a better look at Eren and she sniffed the air to get his scent. “I will once you two leave and when he wakes up, otherwise you two can get the hell out… now.” He commanded. “Oh come one Levi! Stop hogging him to yourself! I wanna see him.” Isabelle whined as she leaned in even more to peek at Eren. “I’m kinda interested too now. Isabella was pestering me all night saying she smelled something different from your room not to mention all that screaming that was going on.” Farlan chimed in. His eyes twinkling with mirth. “For fuck’s sake, would you get out of my face? It’s too early in the morning for this shit.” Levi argued weakly as he gripped Eren’s shoulder and pressed him closer to hide him for their prying eyes. As if sensing the commotion, Eren groaned and turned in his sleep and steadily woke up. His eyes fluttering open and he smiled up at Levi, not noticing Farlan or Isabelle, his mind still groggy. “Hello little one! I’m Isabelle! It’s nice to meet you.” Isabelle introduced herself as she practically shoved her face in Eren’s and smiled at him in wonder and elation. Eren jumped from Isabelle and squeaked in surprise. He ducked his head back under Levi’s side and hid from her. Isabelle chuckled as she observed Eren and Farlan smiled. “This guy is Farlan, we’re Levi’s kinlings and part of his horde. It’s nice to meet you. I hope we can get along.” She sang happily as she spoke animatedly. Eren didn’t respond to her introduction and remained hidden by Levi’s side, clearly shy at the prospect of meeting the two of them. Silence in the room was thick and the tension awkward until after a few minutes Eren decided to peek out from his hiding place and stare at Isabelle. “Hello. I’m Eren.” He mumbled softly. “AW! You’re so cute!” Isabelle gushed as she abruptly squeezed his cheeks in affection. Eren whined and struggled from Isabelle’s strong hold on his face and tried to escape her onslaught of affection. “Isabelle you might wanna stop squishing him to death.” Farlan grinned as he pulled Isabelle off of Eren. “But he’s so cute and small. I haven’t seen a human child in a long time.” She argued petulantly like a small child. “You obviously still can’t behave Isabelle. Otherwise I would have introduced you to him sooner. Now if you two are done scaring the crap out of him, buzz off.” Levi interrupted. He scratched his head and got up from the bed and walked past Isabelle and Farlan. “Come Eren, I’m sure you’re hungry.” He held his hand out in invitation and waited patiently for Eren to join him. Eren bustle his way out of the bed, nearly tripping on the covers in hurry to join Levi and quickly ran his way over and grabbed his hand. Levi opened the door and was ready to leave but a harsh tug from Eren had him pause in his tracks. He turned to Eren and he hadn’t moved from his spot, only staring back at Farlan and Isabelle. “Bye-bye.” He uttered faintly as he waved goodbye to them then ran ahead of Levi in a bout of embarrassment. “Well that was adorable.” Farlan mused as he stared at Levi with amusement. Isabelle squealed and started to pull at Farlan’s arm as she gushed over Eren. Levi sighed in irritation and left the two of them to their own devices. He walked down the hallway and could smell Eren nearby. He turned around the corner and saw Eren pressing the elevator button down and joined him. He rubbed his head playfully and was genuinely happy to see that Eren was becoming more at ease with his surroundings. They went inside and Levi pressed the main hall button down on the main level and Eren took a hold of his hand as usual. They waited in silence as they descended down, the groaning of the elevator the only sound interrupting the peace around them. The doors opened and they stepped out into the main hall. They continued down the hallway, their feet echoing in the empty halls. Everyone was either asleep or resting after night patrol and it was still fairly early in the morning, so there wouldn’t be that many vampires wandering around this time of the day. Levi directed Eren past the main entryway and towards the kitchen and cafeteria. Since there were so many mouths to feed, Erwin thought that having a cafeteria built into the building would be a good idea as well as a dining area for more formal occasions and prestigious guests. They walked into the rather empty cafeteria and empty tables greeted them. Soft voices could be heard and Levi spotted his squad all gathered around one table, all of them having already gotten themselves some food and having situated themselves comfortably. Petra was the first to see Levi and she smiled at him and waved at Eren. The rest of his squad seeing Petra all turned towards Levi. Mike, Hanji, Petra, Erd, Gunther and Oluo all sitting together. Levi urged Eren towards the group and stopped by. “Captain good morning.” Gunther greeted pleasantly. “I hope you slept well?” Erd pitched in. “How’s our little angel doing?” Hanji cooed as she leaned off of her chair towards Eren who was once again hiding behind Levi’s leg. Levi could sense Eren’s agitation from his firm hold and how his hand shook. His heartbeat elevated in fear. Levi pulled Eren out from behind him and gently took a hold of both his shoulders to encourage Eren. “This is Eren, as of today, he will be under my care. I expect that you all treat him as you would treat me. I don’t want anyone stepping out of line and feeding off of him. Anyone who does will have to deal with me. Is that clear?” Levi ordered. His tone of voice dropping into a menacing pitch and his aura slipping out slightly in warning. “Yes sir!” They all answered in unison. “Why don’t you sit down so I can get you something to eat?” Levi offered. He let go of his shoulders and started to walk towards the kitchen when he was abruptly stopped by another one of Eren’s harsh tugs. He turned around and Eren held fast to his shirt with a frown on his face, his eyes not looking at Levi’s as he shuffled his feet on the floor. He really doesn’t want to be alone does he? Levi thought to himself. Although Levi felt flattered that he had built trust with Eren so quickly, he felt conflicted about Eren’s sudden clingy nature. In the future his dependant attitude may become a problem for developing his own independence. “Hanji can you go the kitchen and grab Eren something?” Levi asked as he turned his attention towards her. “Uh-sure thing!” She jumped up from her seat and skipped away towards the kitchen. Levi grabbed Eren from his middle and picked him up effortlessly then sat down with the rest of his squad allowing Eren to sit on his lap. There’s no telling how he’d react with everyone here, might as well let him stick close for now, Levi reasoned. Eren adjusted himself in Levi’s lap and Levi sighed at the warmth that seeped into him from Eren. Levi finally settled in his seat and heard a small cough which interrupted the serenity he was feeling. All of his squad members had a shocked look of disbelief on their faces. “Here you go Eren! One plate full of eggs and bacon for you. I hope you enjoy!” Hanji interrupted as she placed the plate on the table in front of Eren. Eren wiggled in Levi’s lap and he slipped off then sat to his right. He stared down at the plate and grabbed the fork that Hanji handed over to him. “So captain, have you or Commander Erwin figured anything out about Eren yet?” Petra inquired, breaking the awkward atmosphere. “Unfortunately no we haven’t, he’s still a complete mystery.” Levi answered in a monotone pitch. He placed his left elbow onto the table and rested his chin in his palm as he relaxed. “What will we be doing with him? I mean how long will he be staying here?” Gunther questioned as he turned his attention to Eren watching him as he poked the eggs with his fork. “Erwin said that he’ll be staying until we get answers. He’s too young and underweight to be sent to any of the feeding farms. Plus there’s something nagging me about him.” Levi clarified. “Isn’t he going to be a nuisance? I mean what are we supposed to do with him?” Oluo grumbled as he frowned down at Eren, his arms crossed in annoyance. “Oluo, I suggest you keep your mouth shut from now on if you have nothing intelligent to say.” Levi growled in irritation. His eyes gleaming in anger as he turned to Oluo. “Forgive me captain.” “Well now that that’s been settled, I think that we should formally introduce ourselves to Eren, don’t you think Captain?” Petra added in as she tried to deflect the tense atmosphere. Well this should be interesting. Levi thought.
The scents of everyone around him was bothering him. There was too much to learn and too much going on at once for Eren’s liking. All these new faces and scents were bombarding him and he was confused. He couldn't tell who was friend or foe. Judging from Levi’s calm aura and relaxed body position, it seemed that these people were close to Levi and people he could try to learn to trust. They continued to talk among themselves about him and he zoned out, trying to not get involved, seeing as how he was not interested in their small talk. He poked at the eggs sitting in his plate and tried to ignore their prodding stares that bore into him. Although the fresh food did look tasty, he found that he wasn’t craving his food. When he first woke up he was hungry, he stomach had gnawed at him, begging to be filled, but now that he had something to eat, he suddenly found that his appetite was not directed at the eggs but something else. “How old do you think he is? He seems fairly young doesn’t he?” He heard the blond man with his hair tied in a bun ask. His question brought him out of his thoughts and he was curious at what Levi thought about him. “Judging from his height and weight I’m guessing eight or nine, but there’s no way to tell for sure since he doesn’t have a birth certificate and he’s underweight so who really knows.” Levi estimated in a sombre tone. So Levi was sharper than the rest, clearly he was close in his guesstimate at his age. Eren thought about what Levi had said and felt warm at how close Levi had been paying attention to him in the little time they knew each other. Suddenly his stomach flopped and he dropped his fork in shock. His fork clanked on the table loudly. His teeth ached and his gums started to feel itchy. His stomach started to ache again and the smell of the eggs made his stomach queasy. “Eren what’s wrong?” Levi inquired, his voice soft and he turned his full attention to him. His eyes solely focused on him and his brows furrowed slightly in concern. Eren looked up at Levi and then suddenly Levi’s scent hit him with a strong force that nearly knocked all of his senses. His scent reminded him of honeydew in spring and his neck had never looked so slender and white before until now. His teeth ached again and his gums throbbed in pain. His eyes were focused only on Levi and he suddenly knew what he wanted. “Eren?” I’m hungry, feed me, give it to me, feed me. His thoughts swirled in his head and his body burned hot, throbbing in agony. With a clear goal and realization Eren jumped from his seat at Levi.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The moment Eren burst forward out at Levi things went into chaos. Levi could tell that something was off about Eren’s scent from the moment he started poking at his food. Eren seemed distracted and distant, almost exactly like he was when he first found him. Levi simply thought that he was uncomfortable with his squad and that he was being shy, but clearly with how things turned out there was something else going on. Even though Eren was a human child, the force that he used to leap out at Levi was fierce and Levi was shocked with how strong Eren was to be able to shove him onto the table; his back pressed against the cool surface as Eren straddled Levi and gripped his shirt, almost tearing it. His squad were all on edge as they bounced from their seats and surrounded Eren as they tried to gauge the situation. Petra and Oluo were very angry and weary as they were hunched over and tried to pry Eren off of Levi. Hanji looked troubled as she bounced around trying to help in some way and Erd and Gunther were agitated as they tried to help Levi up and away from Eren. Mike seemed tense as he tightly gripped a fork ready to attack Eren if needed. Levi grunted from the effort of holding back Eren; his forearm blocking him and pressed against his neck to keep some distance between them. Eren looked feral, almost as if all sense and reasoning were long gone from his mind; his eyes were glazed and almost seemed to glow brightly, his face twisted into a nasty snarl and his brow was furrowed into aggression. This was not the same Eren he was used to. Eren was growling and struggling on top of him with his teeth bared and long hair flailing about. He looked primal in his attack and he was obviously not thinking; more likely acting on some form of instinct. “Sir! Get away from him!” Petra yelled as she yanked on Eren’s shirt trying to get him off with force. “He’s insane! What the hell is wrong with his kid?” Gunther growled as he gripped Levi’s shoulders tightly. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea guys!” Hanji cautioned as she hovered about worriedly. “Everyone stop! Calm down!” Levi yelled. Everyone stilled and stopped; the whole cafeteria ringing with Levi’s voice and soon silence settled in. Eren’s growling was the only thing that was heard as he tried to bite Levi near his neck. “Please let me handle this. You all need to get back. Just-let me deal with him.” Levi grunted as he continued to hold back Eren’s assault. Everyone reluctantly complied with his orders and stood down. Petra let go of Eren’s shirt and Erd and Gunther let go of Levi hesitantly. Hanji chewed on her bottom lip and fiddled with her hands as she tried to refrain from intervening. Mike placed the fork back onto the table and frowned in shame and Oluo had a murderous glare on his face directed at Eren. Levi turned his attention back to Eren and took a good look at him to try to understand the situation. Eren’s gaze was fixated on his neck and he kept biting and snapping his teeth like a dog would as he clawed his arms and chest; trying desperately to reach his neck. So he wants to bite me? Fine, it looks like he won’t stop until I let him. Levi reasoned as he lowered his arm and went limp under Eren’s harsh hold. The moment Levi lowered his defences and surrendered, Eren wasted no time and immediately went for his neck. He could feel Eren’s blunt teeth bite harshly on his neck as he ground his teeth into his flesh. His hold was tight and his jaw was clenched as he chewed on his flesh. Levi guessed that he was trying to break his skin since his teeth were too blunt to actually do any damage. Levi didn’t mind the pain that accompanied Eren’s bites since he was accustomed to pain over the years, he was just concerned with Eren’s sudden change in behaviour and animalistic actions. “My lord!” Petra gasped as Eren continued grinding his teeth and snarled. “Eren, it’s okay. Calm down. Can you hear me?” Levi soothed as he stilled and lay motionless. Eren didn’t seem to hear him and continued to bite his neck harshly. His hold on Levi’s shoulders tightening and he pressed Levi harder down onto the table. Levi could feel Eren’s growing anger and aggression, so to soothe him, Levi sent calming waves of energy and tried to appear as non-threatening as possible. “Eren, it’s me; Levi. It’s okay Eren, you’re safe here.” Levi murmured gently. As soon as he said those words Eren seemed to jolt awake as if he was struck with lightning. He stilled above Levi and his jaw loosened in it’s hold on him. The tension in his jaw relaxed and his breathing evened out as he was coming to his senses. After a few minutes of eerie silence he let go of his neck and backed away from Levi. He looked down at Levi with a confused and hazy expression; his eyes clouded and his mouth open in confusion. “Eren, do you recognize me?” Levi questioned softly as he brushed aside his long hair and rubbed his cheek. Eren nodded his head and then frowned. His eyes turned watery as he stared as Levi with regret; his chin wobbling as he restrained himself from crying. His lips trembling as he chewed on his lower lip in regret from his actions. His scent reeked of regret and sorrow and his face was twisted painfully into an expression of sadness. “L-Levi, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I- I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!” He wailed as he threw himself on top of Levi and squeezed his neck, almost crushing his windpipe with the strength of his hold. “It’s okay Eren. I’m alright.” Levi comforted as he patted Eren’s head and rubbed his back with his other hand; soothing his crying. His trembling shoulders were so small in Levi’s embrace and he felt genuinely pained as Eren continued to cry. “Sir, what- should we do?” Petra lamented as she hovered towards Levi in concern. “Let me take him back to my room. I think he’s had enough excitement for now.” Levi huffed with resignation as he held onto Eren and got up from the table and carried him in his arms. Eren continued to weep into his neck and hugged him. “We should be heading out Captain. If you need anything, just let me know.” Erd mumbled as he stared at Eren with a rueful expression. Gunther and Mike looked at each other in confusion and seemed uncomfortable. Oluo looked pissed as he glared at Eren with his arms crossed as he mumbled under his breath. Hanji slowly stepped closer to Levi with concern etched onto her brow. “Is he gonna be okay? The poor thing.” She asked as she started to fret over Eren. “Petra, I need you to look after Eren and make sure he rests. Hanji there’s something we need to discuss. The two of you follow me.” Levi instructed sternly as he started to walk off towards the elevators. Petra and Hanji obediently followed behind; both tense and concerned based on their smells. Eren sniffled and seemed to calm down as he huddled under Levi’s chin like a cat. His breathing had evened out with the occasional hiccup disrupting his breathing. His body was warm and his trembling ceased as they got on the elevator. They got off and walked down the hallway and passed a few low ranking soldiers who were awake and most likely coming back from patrol. As they passed by, they seemed to take a second look at Eren who was huddled in Levi’s arms; almost looking shocked and one vampire squinted to get a better look as he sniffed the air. His eyes were wide as saucers as he seemed to find out that Eren was human and his eyes glinted hungerly. Levi glared at the vampire in disgust and sent a wave of dangerous aura to warn him to back off and in fear, he turned around and sprinted off down the hallway in the opposite direction. They finally reached Levi’s room and followed him inside with Levi’s permission. He carried Eren to his bedroom and placed him onto the bed. Eren didn’t seem to want to let go as he continued to hug Levi’s neck; his fingers digging into his shirt as he pouted. “Eren you need to rest. I’ll be right outside with Hanji, don’t worry I’m not going anywhere.” He consoled as he pulled off Eren’s arms and pat his head lightly then walked off towards Petra who was lingering by the door. “Stay with him.” Levi pulled Hanji by her arm as she was listless and dragged her out of the room and outside the hallway and pulled her in the corner hallway, outside of hearing ears and prying eyes. “Hanji, be honest with me, what did you think of Eren’s reaction.” He coaxed as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall; his eyes inquisitive and curious as he stared at her. Hanji’s lips were set in a thin line and her eyes were down cast as she thought carefully before answering in a hushed tone. “It was weird, for a human to react like that was odd. I’ve heard about some human children who live in the walls who have suffered trauma before but they’ve never reacted like that. It was almost like he…” She mumbled, her voice trailing off as her facial expression turned shocked; almost as if she reached some form of conclusion. “Hanji cut the bullshit. Just tell me what you honestly think.” He ordered impatiently as he tapped his index finger against his forearm. “I honestly didn’t want to suspect this but I’m afraid his reaction is just too similar. His reaction reminded me of some of the pureblood vampire children when they can’t hold back their bloodlust. Being a pureblood yourself I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Only new kinlings and young pureblood vampires react like that since they have trouble controlling their abilities and their hunger.” She theorized grimly. “It can’t be possible though. He’s definitely human. I didn’t sense any aura from him and his scent is definitely that of a human’s, so why did he react like that?” She rambled on. Levi didn’t say anything but something about this was bothering him and he had a theory, he didn’t want to think that he was right about it. His brow was furrowed as he thought of the worst possible case and he shook his head in disbelief. “Wait…. It couldn’t be… there’s no way.. He couldn't be..” Hanji croaked in fear as she had a look of disbelief etched on her face. “Hanji, whatever it is you’re thinking I’m asking you to keep this to yourself. This stays between us until we figure out what’s really going on, do you understand?” He warned with a cold tone. Levi didn’t wait for her response and instead briskly walked off. He finally was beginning to piece the puzzle together. If he and Hanji were right, it would explain why Erwin was so adamant about Levi taking care of Eren and why he was so desperate when he was trying to find him and wanted them to search for him. It also explained Erwin’s sudden lack of interest the day he brought Eren to his office. It was like Erwin was testing Levi and Eren. Levi always thought that his reaction towards Eren was odd since that day. It was like he was trying to piss off Levi to get a certain reaction out of him and when he did get the desired reaction he felt satisfied that he was right and left them be. Levi couldn’t believe it. He just couldn’t. If what he was thinking is true, then things were about to get much more complicated and dangerous for Eren. For now he would have to talk to Erwin and keep a close watch on Eren. He just couldn’t afford to lose Eren; not now with his possible discovery of the boy. He would have to do everything in his power to keep this a secret. It was too late to turn back now. The moment that Eren had attacked Levi, he felt like he was being possessed by an unbearable urge and hunger for something he didn’t comprehend. He just knew that Levi was the one who could fill his hunger but he didn’t know why. When he was attacking Levi, he didn’t know what came over him. He wasn’t in control of his body; his mind was barely conscious of his actions and he was acting on his urge to feed on something. He didn’t know what had happened that he found himself later on top of Levi and hearing him call his name so softly. Looking back on it now, Eren felt so regretful and guilty for what he did to Levi. He genuinely liked Levi and felt that he was finally safe around him and could trust him, so having him harmed because he couldn’t control himself made Eren feel miserable. Eren had expected Levi to act like many other villagers back in Shiganshina; full of rage, contempt, disgust and hatred. Yet he acted the complete opposite. He was kind, gentle, understanding and above all, loving towards him. Eren never experienced such a beautiful array of emotions before, so he clung to Levi like his life depended on it. He doubted whether or not Levi truly felt that way or was just acting kind to avoid any form of repercussions but his doubts were erased with his actions and tender voice. Eren just felt horrible about the whole situation as he sat on Levi’s bed picking at his fingernails, avoiding eye contact with the woman named Petra. She hadn’t said a word since Levi left the room and she simply observed him. Eren felt uncomfortable under her watchful eye and his heart ached even more that he hurt Levi since he knew how much his friends respected him judging from how they followed Levi and obeyed his command. She moved from her position at the other side of the room and Eren twitched in fear. He didn’t know how she would react and he was scared of what she may do now that Levi left. She pulled Levi’s chair from the side wall and carried it to the edge of the bed and placed it in front of where Eren sat and she sat down with her hands in her lap. “Don’t be afraid, there’s no need to be scared. I won’t harm you Eren.” She cooed warmly with a tender smile on her plump face. Her honey coloured eyes seemed warm and her scent reminded him of cinnamon. Eren continued to fiddle with his fingers and kept his head hung low; his hair blocking his view and kept her inquisitive eyes at bay. “I’m sorry if we acted like that and scared you Eren, but captain Levi is important to us and we just didn’t know what was happening. I hope you don’t hate me for trying to protect someone who is precious to me are you?” She reasoned with a gentle tone. “...No...I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to hurt Levi.” Eren murmured nervously. “It’s okay Eren, there must have been a reason for you to act like that. Can you tell me why you did that?” She inquired softly. “I-I don’t know! I just felt hungry. I didn’t mean to hurt Levi I swear! You believe me don’t you?” He cried as he hastily grabbed her hand and hopped on the edge of the bed in desperation. Petra seemed slightly stunned the moment he grabbed her hand and she was frozen for a few seconds as she witnessed his pleas of innocence. She looked down at their clasped hands and then she smiled tenderly; almost as if all her doubts were quenched. She gripped his hand in hers and then without warning pulled him towards her in a warm embrace. “I believe you Eren. Don’t worry little one, we’ll figure this out. Rest now.” She cooed as she pat his head affectionately as he began to cry. Her soothing words and warm embrace was like a balm over his festering heart and before long he felt at ease as his consciousness steadily left and he closed his eyes, worn out and tired. Yes perhaps they could figure this out, together. Levi stood in front of Erwin’s room pissed and apprehensive. He was not looking forward to arguing with the man but it had to be done. He knew what was in store for him; a long winded lecture and some form of mind game in which Levi always ended up losing somehow. Levi could feel his eyebrow twitch in annoyance; he never could stand being around Erwin for too long. He was always up to something and even after knowing him for so long he still couldn’t understand what the man was thinking. With his last thread of patience being pulled to its maximum, he knocked on his door and waited for his permission before entering the room. “Well Levi, it’s rare for you to grace me with your presence this early in the morning. What can I help you with?” Erwin teased sarcastically as he got up from his chair by his desk and walked in front of the desk and sat on the surface casually. “Cut the pleasantries Erwin, I don’t have patience for your crap. I’m gonna get straight to the point; you wanted me to find Eren for a reason didn’t you?” Levi growled as he crossed his arms. Erwin was oddly quiet for a few minutes, thinking most likely before he spoke again. “If by finding the mysterious hunter acting on their own in a vampire owned district full of human villagers, then yes, I wanted you to find the culprit.” Erwin rephrased casually with a teasing smile on his face. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. For fuck’s sake Erwin, you know something about Eren, don’t you? It’s why you tested me the day I brought him in. You were checking for something and when you found it, you lost interest completely. You were so hell bent on finding him and now that you did, you haven’t so much as even visited him or asked me about him. What the hell is going on Erwin?” Levi argued hotly. Erwin sighed as he got off his desk and tousled his hair and pushed back any loose stray strands of hair before speaking. “I have no idea by what you mean by ‘testing’. Like I said before Levi, I wanted to find the hunter culprit and we did. I’ve just been in my knees with paperwork regarding the aftermath of Eren’s little misadventures in Shinganshina and have been too busy to visit.” He refuted calmly. “Stop lying Erwin. What do you know about Eren? What aren’t you telling me?” He pressed in anger. “The only thing that I’m not telling you is how overly clingy you are with him. What’s wrong Levi? You’re unusually overprotective of the boy. Don’t tell me you’re already attached to him?” Erwin goaded with a gleeful smirk. “God you’re insufferable. Talking to you is getting me nowhere.” Levi hissed as he turned his back on Erwin and began walking back out ready to leave Erwin’s mind games. Before he left, he stopped and spoke under his breath. “I know you’re hiding something about Eren, I will find out what it is. Whatever you’re hiding will come to light sooner or later Erwin. Whatever you’re protecting won’t stay protected forever. Remember that Erwin.” “Perhaps you’re right Levi. But I will pay for the consequences if I have to. Just look after him for now.” Erwin admitted lightly before Levi left. As Levi walked down the hall towards his own room, he thought about Erwin’s words as they resonated with him. Something was off with what Erwin had said before he left. He admitted to paying for consequences, which meant that he definitely was protecting something. But what? What could be worth protecting? Erwin always seemed to be the type of man that was conservative and cautious, however with Eren, he seemed more bold with his actions. He was desperate. Levi was glad that at least their friendship still carried on for all these years or else Erwin never would have admitted to anything; but at least he trusted Levi enough to hint to him that there was something going on. As he approached his room, he could hear faint whispering and soft cries. He heightened his senses and he could hear Eren crying softly as Petra soothed him; her scent was sweet as she tried to spread her calming energy over Eren and Levi could feel her aura enveloping Eren like cool summer rain. Levi opened the door and walked inside to find Petra holding Eren in her lap as he cried in her shoulder. They looked comfortable and he felt bad for interrupting the serene scene. Petra smiled over at Levi as she continued to rub Eren’s back and Levi leaned against the wall, leaving them in their embrace. “Eren, Levi is back. Don’t worry, I told you he would come back.” She assured him. Eren immediately turned around and his teary, red eyes landed on Levi and he looked relieved. He hopped off her lap and ran towards Levi. Hesitantly he stood and started to pick at his nails again as he looked at his feet in apprehension. “Feeling better?” Levi asked gently. Eren nodded without looking at him. Levi pat his head, breaking the tension that Eren was feeling and walked past him to sit at his desk. Petra turned to Levi with a serious look on her face before speaking. “What should we do now Captain?” “I had a chat with Erwin and Hanji. For now we’re going to have to continue looking after Eren until things settle down. I think it’d be best if we keep Eren away from the rest of the squad until he gets used to things. It seems I was too hasty with everything and I overestimated Eren’s limits.” “But sir, the way Eren acted… it didn’t seem normal. It was almost as if-” “Leave it alone Petra. Don’t worry about it. That’s an order.” Levi warned with a cold tone; his eyes fierce leaving no room for argument. Petra shut her mouth immediately. Her face was grim and her mouth set in a thin line as she obeyed his command. Her scent was troubled and he could tell that she had questions of her own. Eren’s behaviour was suspicious and would bring many unanswered questions, but Levi would have to make do and watch over the boy. His own theory and Hanji’s would have to remain a secret unless he wanted trouble. He looked over to Eren and saw him lingering behind Petra as he fiddled with his hands and looked guilty. “Well shit needs to get done and I for one think that a haircut is long overdue. Let’s get you cleaned up, you look like a wild dog and I can’t have that. Come on.” Levi grumbled as he got up and walked towards his bathroom. Eren frowned instantly and looked annoyed with the prospect of more grooming. Petra giggled at Eren’s pout and Levi turned back around with a sigh and scowl of his own over Eren’s reluctance. “Don’t look at me like that. It has to be done sooner or later so we’re doing it now. Petra help me set up will you?” Prompted Levi as he rummaged in the bathroom cabinets for a pair of scissors, towels and a cloth for the hair clippings. Petra got up and carried the chair she was sitting on into the bathroom and helped Levi. Eren hung back as he hid from the both of them, most likely trying to hold off from the haircut as he seem displeased. When they finished Levi turned to Eren as he hid behind the bathroom door as he peeked his head in, glaring at Levi with contempt. Eren turned his attention to Petra with a pleading look trying to ask her for help to try and get away from the inevitable. “Sorry Eren I can’t go against the captain’s orders. It will be painless, I promise. I’ll be here if you want me to. Don’t worry, Levi is very good with haircuts. He cuts his own hair so you’re in good hands.” She encouraged as she tried to persuade him. With Petra’s reassurance, Eren treaded carefully into the bathroom and hovered around the chair, delaying the inevitable. With a slight push from Levi, Eren sat down and Levi covered Eren with cloth gown to keep the extra hair clippings from sticking to his clothes and then wet his hair underneath the sink. As Levi brought the scissors towards Eren, he tensed and hunched his shoulders. He seemed uncomfortable and nervous; he was cautious and his obvious lifestyle back in Shinganshina reflected his current mistrust. “I won’t hurt you. These are scissors to just help me cut your hair. You trust me don’t you?” Levi beseeched. “Yes.” Eren whispered. And with that cleared Levi began to cut the first strands with a loud snip. He waited to gauge Eren’s reaction and when he seemed more at ease, he continued. An hour passed in a continuous cycle of snipping and cutting from Levi and Petra would clear away any stray strands that would fall on the bathroom floor. Sometimes she would suggest to Levi where he should trim and she would take a look to see if the style suited Eren. She would point out how much more to cut and they continued on in peaceful silence. Finally they finished and Levi rinsed his hair once more to clean any cut strands then dried his hair with the towel and removed the gown. “We’re finished. Why don’t you take a look?” As Levi put away the scissors and put the towel in the hamper, Eren touched his hair and rain his fingers through his hair. He got up from the chair and turned towards the mirror. The moment he saw himself he stood frozen and looked shocked by his own appearance. Levi had to admit that with his hair out of the way, Eren looked more appealing and his features stood out more; specifically his eyes and his flushed cheeks. Although his face was on the slimmer side due to hunger and starvation, his chin was still round and small, expressing his boyish, younger features. His viridian eyes popped out now that his bangs were shorter and out of the way, and his ears were small and round. His jawline looked rounder and with time would most likely sharpen as he would grow into an adult. He looked more youthful and oddly beautiful. Eren marvelled at his own appearance in the mirror as he touched his face. He looked almost confused and it looked like he was trying to map out his own face with his fingers as he traced his jawline. “What do you think Eren? Handsome right? Who knew you were so handsome. You were hiding such a cute face behind that mop of hair you had and now look at you!” Petra gushed. “Handsome? Do I really look pretty?” He wondered in disbelief. “Yes you do. Trust me, you look much better. We should have done this much sooner.” “Alright that’s enough flirting. Don’t you have things to do Petra?” Levi stressed as he brushed past the two of them and out of the bathroom. “Oh my, it seems like Captain Levi doesn’t like sharing you does he? Seems like he’s a little jealous don’t you think?” She jibed playfully as she held onto Eren’s shoulders in mock possessiveness. “Jealous my ass. Stop dicking around in there and get going will you?” He called out. Before another witty remark could be uttered again, the door to Levi’s room was opened rather harshly, interrupting the bantering and Erwin stepped in briskly. “Levi is Eren with you?” He uttered frantically. “Yeah he is, what the hell is this about? You came rushing in-” “I don’t have time to explain everything but the severance have called a meeting and apparently they don’t like how you’ve conducted things with Eren. I got a report saying that they’re displeased with you and that you’ve violated the blood treaty.” Erwin fretted. “Violated that freaking old ass treaty made by a bunch of old farts around one thousand years ago? Those rules don’t even apply anymore! They’re making a bunch of shit up just to ride my ass over nothing!” Levi snapped back in anger. “I know that Levi. Look we don’t have time to argue over semantics. We need to head over the blood chamber since the severance is waiting there for you and Eren.” Erwin stressed with a strained tone as he rushed out of the room without another word. “Petra please let the squad know of what’s going on and gather everyone in the dining hall and wait for me. I’ll explain the situation later.” Levi instructed quickly as he turned to Eren who hid behind Petra and was grasping her shirt tightly in confusion. Without even waiting for her reply, Levi grabbed Eren urgently and carried him in his arms and ran out. Eren was surprised and confused as he held onto Levi and his fear was etched onto his face. “I’m sorry Eren. Just listen to me and everything will be alright. Don’t speak unless spoken to and stay close to me when we get there. Don’t worry Eren, I’ll protect you.” Levi vowed as he hurried after Erwin. Eren nodded and held tighter onto Levi as he followed Erwin into the elevator, his heart was pounding like crazy and Levi felt his blood rush throughout his body in agitation. “Looks like we’re dealing with the consequences sooner than I thought. I’m sorry Levi, I didn’t mean to drag you into this but I didn’t think the severance would take action so quickly.” Quavered Erwin as he rubbed his eyes and hung his head low in shame. “It doesn’t matter. From the sound of things, shit would have hit the fan sooner or later. It was just a matter of time. I hope you’re gonna tell me what’s going on once this shit blows over or so help me I’ll kick your ass.” Levi growled in slight warning. Erwin chuckled in mirth and some of the tension left. They swiftly reached the bottom floor and got out. The hallways were darker on the lower levels and the interior was much more leisurely than compared to the upper levels. The decor was also more pretentious than Levi’s living quarters and the living area was suited for the knight class and other pureblooded vampires. It was just as ugly and irritating to look at as Levi remembered it being. The fancy decorations, expensive lush rugs, paintings, and lavish furniture reminded Levi of cliche mansions in movies. The further they walked, the more cluttered and darker the hallways and rooms became. Upper class vampires resided here so there were vampires lounging around near pool tables drinking and gossiping with each other. Most of them stopped when Levi and Erwin passed by; their curious, ruby eyes leering at Eren and they would whisper under their breaths as they continued on. Levi ignored their stares and grotesque, invasive and suggestive words. They finally had reached the underground chamber and the brown, oak studded door was as uninviting as it looked. The steel studs protruding from the wood warned off outlookers and kept vampires away. The worn out wood was chipped around the hinges and the once rich brown colour, faded with time. Two knight class vampires stood guard, most likely belonging to the Military police that overlooked the guarding and protection of snobby vampires and were in charge of punishing unruly vampires. Levi easily recognized the female guard and his face twisted with disgust at the familiar bitch face and brown, short wavy hair of the woman. The other was another man Levi wasn’t fond of, Nile Dawk. Although he was less insufferable than Hitch, Levi didn’t agree with his thoughts and methods of carrying out punishments. “Well this is shocking. To think that I’d see the great Lord Ackerman down here of all places. I’ve never thought that you’d do anything to piss of the severance. You were always such a goody two shoes.” Hitch sassed as she smirked. “Shut up Hitch. You better watch what you say to me. You’re just a knight class vampire show some respect you pig. You won’t like it when I’m angry. I can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to live another day.” Levi threatened in a harsh tone; his voice low and his words sharp. “Oh touchy touchy. Sorry my bad. I just hope that the human was worth the trouble you’re in.” She provoked further as she glared at Eren who frowned at Hitch. He glowered at her in retaliation and she simply smirked. Erwin groaned from witnessing their bickering and he shook his head. “Can we move along please? I have paperwork shooting out of my ass and I would like to get this meeting started with if that’s alright with you.” Erwin insisted as he sternly stared at Hitch with menacing eyes. “Sure have at it.” She relented with a snicker. She moved to the side and pulled out an old, rusty key from her pocket and unlocked the door then opened it and held the heavy doors open as Levi and Erwin walked in. Nile didn’t say a word the whole time Hitch and Levi argued and he stood rigid as a board; alert and clearly minding his own business. As they walked Hitch spoke one last time, “I hope you don’t get the cleansing Levi. I’m sure your Uncle wouldn’t like his poor nephew to suffer like that. Afterall, it must be hard enough for Kenny to be a judge against his perfect nephew.” She sang and her words rung in Levi’s ears. Her sharp words echoed in his head as they walked and Erwin could feel Levi’s seething anger towards his uncle. Erwin had witnessed Levi’s interactions with Kenny and they were less than pleasant. Their relationship was distorted, broken and alienated at best. Both Levi and Kenny were estranged with one another and always seemed to be at each other’s throats. Erwin couldn’t possibly imagine what could be going through Levi’s mind now that Kenny was a new member of the severance council. Kenny has only been holding the position for a few hundred years but Erwin knew that the moment Levi heard the news of his new position, that his blood was boiling. He remembered when Levi first heard about it he went out back near the stables and broke a portion of the stable walls in rage. They continued walking with Nile behind them as he escorted them down the dank, moldy stone chamber paths. The smell of earth and mold was strong and the cold air made the chamber seem dreary. The red stone of the floor was a stark contrast to the yellowstone chamber and the small torches that sat on the walls glowed a bright orange, casting a glow over the dark path. The crypt and graves carved into the side walls held the names of previous powerful pureblood vampires and Levi felt uncomfortable as they walked by countless crypts. The blood red stone floor gave the name “blood chamber” and Levi thought that it suited it perfectly. Nile finally stopped them in front of the courtroom chamber then turned to the two of them, bowed in respect and walked back the way he came, leaving the three of them in the dark. With a look of worry towards Erwin, Levi walked with Eren in his arms and Erwin followed behind quietly. The courtroom was as big as Levi had heard. The room was vast in size with an upper balcony were witnesses could sit in the upper level. The center of the room was shaped in a round circle with a marble slab for the accused to stand before the three severance members. Large statues of marble were carved to depict figures writhing in pain and others stood in judgement. Large pillars held the room in roman-like structure and stairs allowed for easy access. The ceiling was circular like the floor and allowed sunlight to enter in the large hole up above. In front of the room were three large, cushion seats where three men sat comfortably. Their postures oozed importance and their aura demanded presence. Dot Pixis, Darius Zackly and Kenny Ackerman sat at the head of the courtroom, all side by side. Pixis’ face was flushed, most likely from all the drinking he had done. Levi could smell the alcohol from all the way at the entryway. Zackly was sitting in a poised, proper posture; his glasses glaring under the sunlight and his large beard hanging low under his nose. Kenny was as distasteful as Levi remembered. He leaned back in his chair was a smug expression and his right arm slung over the back of the chair; his legs stretched out in a relaxed position. Erwin walked towards the witness stand and sat down. Other vampires from the military police and a few members from the legion littered the room; sitting and judging Levi with their eyes. Levi recognized a few human traders and a few vampires who were in control of the human farms present as well. Those in charge of the farms had appointed themselves a name that stuck among them and spread like wildfire; plague keepers. Their names were distasteful since the name itself implies that they view humans as a “plague of sorts” and it always made Levi feel disgusted. “Step forward and receive your judgement Levi ackerman.” Zackly boomed before the court. Eren quivered in his hold and his fear of the situation was oozing from his pores. Levi walked forwards towards the circular slab and stood before the severance then put Eren down and held his hand tightly. “Recite the oath.” Zackly demanded as he stared down at them in boredom. “May the purebloods guide our way. May our loyalty stay one with the olden ways. May my sword and heart remain hardened against my enemies and may I serve my body, mind and soul to the severance.” Levi recited in a monotone voice as he bowed slightly in feigned respect. “This court is now in session. The accused Levi Ackerman stands here to be judged for his actions regarding his acceptance of the human named Eren into his horde. This is a violation of the blood treaty. Does the accused understand his charges?” Zackly declared as he read the charges on list in his hands; the paper old and withered like his wrinkled skin. “No I don’t understand shit. To be honest all of you calling me here over a matter this small is a waste of my time.” Levi argued as he glowered at Zackly. “You call this matter small? You accepted a human into your horde. A human of unknown origin and who is not registered under any of the farms nor given to you by any plague keeper. You decided to give a human the rank of knight class by accepting him into your horde. To some, this could be considered hearsay.” Zackly insisted with a firm tone. “Heh, hearsay? That’s a load of bullshit. The blood treaty was made thousands of years ago and hardly holds anymore. And do you honestly have the right to be judging me like this when all of you don’t even respect the treaty yourselves? You all have bleeders in your hordes. You buy and feed off of humans, drain them, fuck them, then dump them when you’re done. What difference does it make if I adopt a human into my horde? Is it because I’m not feeding off of him and fucking him? Is that it? Or are you pissed that a lowly human has reached the level of knight class vampire? Is that what’s got all your panties in a twist?” Levi dared as he defended himself. Kenny barked with laughter and squirmed in his chair. Pixis chuckled and Zackly scowled in anger at Levi’s crude words. “Enough! You are the one being judged here Levi, not us. Don’t think that just because you’re a pureblood vampire that you can say whatever you want. You’re among the severance, not some lowly common vampire. Show some respect. I can see from your behaviour how Kenny has raised you and where you get your sarcasm from.” Zackly provoked. “Respect goes both ways you creep.” Levi insulted. “This is a courtroom, not a clownhouse. Kenny, this is your nephew being judged, do you have anything to say on this matter?” Zackly urged as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in annoyance. “No. Let him do what he wants. He’s a big boy, he can handle whatever shit he gets himself into. I’m not wiping his ass for him. I raised him to take care of himself, not to baby him. If he wants to screw around with his life, then he has to deal with the consequences.” Kenny mused as he leaned forward and put his chin in his palm and smiled down at Levi. “I was hoping you would provide a more rational opinion but I overestimated your judgement apparently. What about you Pixis?” Zackly inquired. “The kid’s got spunk. He’s willing to take care of the boy knowing that he might get into trouble. If you ask me there’s more going on here than we think!” Pixis prattled excitedly. Zackly turned to Erwin who sat apprehensively at the witness stand and began speaking. “Erwin, you assigned Levi to go on a scouting mission to find the boy, is that correct?” “Yes.” “Why were you so persistent in finding this boy? What were you reasons for doing so? In your report you mentioned that the boy was of interest and that he was able to survive by himself in Shiganshina.” “I simply followed the reports about a so called hunter acting on their own. As commander of the survey corps, I deemed it my responsibility to adhere to the severance code and follow up on any disturbances that happened in the human village. This hunter was acting on their own and were not registered under the treaty. Therefore I deemed the individual as a potential threat to the severance at the time since I thought that they could be acting on their own selfish intentions.” Erwin rationalized calmly. That bastard really has thought of everything hasn’t he? Levi thought. Levi knew that Erwin’s response was perfectly thought out to avoid any casualties and blame. Clearly he was thinking of the bigger picture and he was trying to protect both him and Eren from being too closely inspected. Whatever Erwin was hiding about Eren had put him in a tight spot forcing him to lie and try to get on the severance’s good graces by saying whatever he thinks they want to hear. Zackly seemed oddly pleased with that response then turned his attention to Eren; his eyes zeroing in on him. “The question at hand is what to do with the boy.” Pixis mumbled under his breath. “Um perhaps I may say a few words your honor?” A nasally voice interrupted. Levi turned around towards the direction of the voice that sounded oddly familiar and saw pastor Nick stepping forward with a gloated expression. Levi felt his blood boil at the sight of the snake. His greasy, slick brown hair and black robes swaying as he walked. He stood beside Levi and peeked at Eren. Eren immediately tensed under the scrutiny and squeezed Levi’s hand as he snarled at pastor Nick; his scent giving off a sour taste, most likely due to his distress and disgust. “The boy is clearly physically attractive. His face is appealing and with enough care, he could gain some body weight. Within a years time he would be the ideal weight for reaping. If put onto a farm, he could be properly educated on the matters of pleasure and would be the ideal bleeder candidate.” Nick analyzed as he gleefully stared at Eren. Clearly he saw Eren as a potential profitable product. Everyone knew that underneath the table, pastor Nick dealt in human trading and trafficking. There were rumors that he provided some of the best bleeders for the farms that only high class vampires could afford. Levi’s face twisted into revulsion at the mere idea of this pig getting his greedy, grubby hands on Eren. He would rather die than give him Eren. “Hm.. perhaps that could be arranged. What do you think Kenny?” Zackly pondered. “Sure the kid is pretty, but I heard he caused a ruckus and that he’s stupid and wild. People don’t want something so disobedient. But then again, I like them rough around the edges so who knows? You might find someone willing to pay top dollar for him. As long as he’s taught to present his ass and submit then you got yourself a top bleeder right there.” Kenny asserted with a suggestive tone to his voice as he leered at Eren. “Like that’ll happen. You so much as touch him and I’ll kill you myself. He belongs to my horde. You touch anything that belongs to me and I have every right to rip off your fucking head.” Levi seethed in white hot rage; his threat echoing throughout the courtroom. Whispers broke out from bystanders and Kenny cackled with laughter. Pixis had a pleased expression on his face, almost as if he was happy with the way Levi retaliated and acted out. Zackly slammed the gavel harshly as he tried to quieten the commotion that swallowed the courtroom. Once the courtroom returned to silence, Kenny spoke. “Alright how about this; we’ll allow you to keep the boy under your care for a few years till he grows up. He’ll be officially considered part of your horde and nobody will have to right to touch him. However, he’ll have to decide for himself whether or not he wants to stay with you. He has to go through the eternal abjuration. We’ll see if you’re able to keep your mitts off of him them.” Kenny proposed in a sarcastic cheerful tone. The moment those words left Kenny’s mouth, Levi’s blood turned cold. What Kenny had suggested was one of the worst things that he could have done. It must have been Kenny’s twisted way of teaching Levi a lesson for acting out and not submitting to his decision. Levi felt all his blood drain from his body. This was the one thing he was trying to avoid. There was no way he would be getting out of this. No amount of sass or planned solution could fix it. It was too late. The dye had been cast and there was no going back. “If all the council members are in unanimous vote then we will proceed with what has been proposed.” Zackly added. Nobody refuted or said a word. Everyone was pleased with the turn of events, mostly Zackly as he nodded his head in agreement to what had been offered. “This meeting has been adjourned.” With the final slam of the gavel, they had been judged.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The echoes of the spectators and their whispers rang loudly in Levi’s ears as he watched Zackly and Pixis as they started to leave; Pixis stumbling down his seat as he wobbled his way out of the courtroom in his drunken stupor. Levi glared daggers at his uncle as Kenny sat smugly while everyone slowly started to leave and return to their duties. Levi could feel his blood boil and his anger was getting out of control the longer he looked at Kenny’s widening smile. His eyes looked gleeful and joyous with the turn of events and he seemed ecstatic with Levi’s anger. In his rage, Levi could feel a slight tug of the sleeve of his shirt and he was brought out of his chaotic thoughts as he turned to Eren, who wore a grim expression. The dread could be felt as his sadness practically rolled off of the boy in waves. “Levi, what’s gonna happen to us? What does abjuration mean?” He asked softly. His large eyes gleaming in the low lighting of the courtroom with curiosity and slight apprehension. Levi felt a twinge of guilt and despair at Eren’s question. His innocence and ignorance to the situation at hand was both madening and heartbreaking. The poor boy didn’t know what was in store for him and that made Levi all the more guilty for dragging him into the dark cesspool of his world. He didn’t even know where to begin. For now he would have to try to protect Eren until he came of age. The final outcome of the abjuration rested completely on a human’s decision, so Levi had no right to influence or persuade Eren’s decision. It was too soon for such heavy choices. Levi decided he would wait until Eren was older before he would explain the ritual to him. Levi’s fate would be in Eren’s hands and that was a complete one eighty to the situation now. Right now, Eren relied completely on Levi and him alone, however Levi’s fate would be completely at Eren’s mercy at the abjuration. For now, Levi’s fate was hanging on a thin thread that was tied to Eren’s fingers. Eren was both judge and executioner and he didn’t even know it. Kenny really was a sneaky, sly bastard when he wanted to be and his proposal completely took Levi by surprise. It was something that his uncle was prone to do; dirty and underhanded. “Don’t worry about it for now Eren. I’ll take care of it.” Levi reassured as he ruffled his hair and tried to soothe Eren’s fears. Kenney snorted loudly at Levi’s words as he got up from his seat with sluggish movements and sauntered over towards the pair with a smirk. “Heh, I wonder how you’re going to ‘take care of it’ when shit hits the fan? Your never ending stupidity and naive optimism really pisses me off. It makes me wonder how much longer you can keep up this act of yours.” Kenny sang with a tone laced with sarcasm. “Shut up. I didn’t ask for your opinion and frankly I don’t give two shits what you think. Just keep your greasy hands off of Eren.” Levi snapped harshly. “Oh touched a nerve did I? My apologies ‘lord’ Ackerman. Seeing you piss and whine over a small human really makes me fearful for the fate of my clan now that you’re next in line. Although you share my bloodline, you didn’t learn jack shit from what I taught you.” Kenny goaded with mirth. “The only thing I learned from you is how to kill. After you ‘taught’ me, you did what you wanted and left. Don’t you dare think that just because you gave me food and a goddamn knife that that equals to you raising me, you bastard.” Levi spat in anger as he held Eren closer to his waist. “So touchy. If only your mother were still alive to see you now. My poor dear sister. I just hope that the brat is worth all the trouble you’re going through Levi. He must be, if you’re going to such lengths to protect him.” Kenny remarked with a snicker. Kenny leered down at Eren then bent down to get eye level with him and sneered at Eren before speaking. “I can’t wait to see how you grow up. All you need to do is submit and shake those hips of yours and you’ll be able to survive. Keep that in mind pet.” He quipped in a suggestive tone. And with one last smile he turned around without another glance and walked off and out the room. Levi felt his blood boil with Kenny’s last words and mildly disgusted with the suggestive undertone. Erwin shook his head as he steadily made his way to the pair and his icy blue eyes were full of restrained chaos. His expression and aura were both cautious and tentive, yet his eyes held an expression of unease. It reminded Levi of someone walking across an icy lake; stepping carefully not knowing when the ice would crack beneath their feet and would fall into the freezing depths. “Levi, I think it’s best if we debrief your squad of the situation. We need to plan things carefully. We have lots of time before Eren becomes of age. For now we should regroup.” Erwin advised calmly. Levi nodded his head in agreement. It would be best if he didn’t lose his head just yet. Kenny would be waiting for the opportunity to strike then and he would rather not fall into his uncle’s taunting.“I don’t like that man.” Declared Eren with a hiss. “Me too beastie. Me too.” Levi sighed in resignation. The sudden turn of events had put a toll on both Eren and Levi and exhaustion had settled into Levi’s bones. He could smell Eren’s distress and the child was more sensitive than he thought, which in turn affected his own mental state. He would have to get his squad together to think of a plan, not to mention how he would have to walk around eggshells from now on around both the severance and everyone else in the compound. Nobody could be trusted and that was something that Levi worried about. With one last reassuring squeeze of Eren’s shoulders, the three of them headed back out of the courtroom, through the blood chamber and outside to the mall main towards the living quarters and dining hall. Questioning, leering eyes and whispers of destain followed them as they walked towards the dining hall and Levi could feel Erwin’s apprehension. As they entered the dining hall, Levi could see that his whole squad were sitting and waiting for instructions. The tension and atmosphere was muddling, like dirty water and the air was stifling as he and Erwin sat down on the cushioned, luxurious dining chairs. His squad members all wore grim expressions and he could see both Hanji and Petra’s frowns from across the table. Eren sat by his side to his right, his feet dangling from his seat since he was still small and his toes couldn't reach the hardwood floor. He was quiet as he waited with bated breath, his head low and his eyes glued to the smooth surface of the wooden table. “Thank you all for coming here on such short notice. I know that this meeting will be hindering your schedules but with what has happened as of late, there needs to be a frank discussion. As you all may know, I had sent Levi to investigate the rumours surrounding the ‘so called hunter’ in Shiganshina and as it turns out, we found a human child acting unsanctioned outside the village.” Erwin began with a firm tone. “Unfortunately, the severance have deemed Eren a threat since he acted out in self interest and unsanctioned. Since he cannot be sold off to any of the feeding harms and his origin is unknown, I deemed Levi fit to care for the boy. Now that the severance have been alerted of Eren’s presence, we need to proceed with caution.” Erwin rationalized in a soft tone as he leaned back in his chair and his shoulders relaxed. “Sir, if I may ask, what did the severance decide on Levi’s…. Punishment?” Petra inquired with a sharp tone and a frown on her face. Everyone tensed with her words. Eld and Gunther leaned forward in their chairs, Hanji bit her lip in nervousness and Oluo swore under his breath as he crossed his arms in frustration with Mike by his side sniffing his distress. Erwin leaned forward placing his elbows on the table and crossing his fingers as he placed his chin on his hands before he spoke. “It has been decided that Levi and Eren must go through the abjuration when Eren comes of age.” He announced with a hushed tone. The moment he uttered those words, everyone in the room jolted and froze in their seats. Petra wore an expression of shock, Hanji looked utterly distressed while Erd and Gunther growled and Mike snarled in distaste. Oluo looked pissed as he glared daggers at Eren, most likely for the outcome of events. “The abjuration? Seriously? All because of this boy? We’re really gonna get screwed over because of this brat?” Oluo spat in hatred as he growled at Eren. “Enough Oluo. This was my decision. As head of the clan you will listen to my orders and shouldn’t question my judgement.” Levi countered in anger with a slight growl to his voice. Eren squirmed slightly in his chair from all the attention and frowned down at the table in frustration. “But Sir, how could they decide something like that? Isn’t that too harsh a punishment for something as simple as taking in a human child and appointing him as a horde member?” Petra theorized in confusion. “It seems like they are trying to control Levi.” Hanji interrupted grimly. “What do you mean Hanji?” Erd questioned. “Well, they have been on his case for years since he is next in line to the Ackerman family. They expected him to follow the severance code, but since he didn’t, they think that Levi is trying to rattle their cage. They’re just a bunch of old goons who are too scared of change and want full control of any and all powerful vampires on their side. They have been keeping an eye on Levi for a long time and this was the perfect opportunity for them to screw him over and control him at the same time…. Eren is just leverage against Levi.” Hanji confessed with a sombre tone as she turned a saddened smile to Eren. “Ha, you hit the nail right on the head Hanji.” Erwin mused darkly as he ruffled his hair in annoyance. “From now on we all have to tread carefully. I want Petra and Oluo to take turns guarding Eren. I want him to have a guard with him at all times of the day. I don’t want him to be alone under any circumstance. Until Eren becomes of age for the abjuration ceremony, he is to stay in the compound at all times unless he’s with me. And if I found out that someone has taken him out without my permission, then I’ll see to it that they are punished.” Levi warned, his voice low and his expression stern. “Eren is to be treated like any of you; with respect and without prejudice. He is a part of my horde and anyone who disobeys my command won’t be forgiven for any reason. That’s all. You’re all dismissed. Petra you’re to stay and start guarding Eren as of today.” Levi declared as he turned his attention to Eren. As his squad members started to leave slowly, Levi was left with the feeling of dread and foreboding misery as he observed Eren squirming in his seat looking distraught and guilty for the outcome of the court hearing. Levi felt confused and angry with the whole situation. All he wanted was to protect Eren and find out his origins and maybe, just maybe, give him a normal life. But his uncle had made it his mission to screw with Levi’s life and drag him into this whole mess. It was vexing and horrible with what he knew what was to come as Eren would grow older. He would be met with prejudice and leering, lustful eyes wherever he would go. He would be treated as a bleeder; a human food source only meant for pleasuring and feeding vampires and nothing more. He would have to face discrimination and hatred because he was a human and there would be nothing he could do about it. Levi knew how much Eren would suffer and he would make it his mission to protect Eren not matter the cost. Clearly, everyone was making a big fuss about Eren and there was more going on than he thought. Erwin’s behaviour and suspicious words earlier all explained everything, not to mention how strongly defensive the severance was acting. They were quick to act and with how paranoid they were only made Levi all the more suspicious. Levi was brought out of his thoughts with a heavy sigh from Erwin as he rubbed his tired eyes. “Well this is certainly a pain. Things couldn’t have gone more smoothly.” Erwin remarked sarcastically. “Well look on the bright side, at least all you have to deal with is paperwork shooting out of your ass.” Levi mused playfully as he tried to lighten the mood. “All joking aside Levi, I want to apologize. I didn’t think that things would turn out this horribly so quickly.” He confessed tiredly. “Well shit already hit the fan. Although I have no idea what the severance wants with Eren, it’s clear that there are things you’re not telling me about Eren and for good reason. I’ll trust your judgment for now.” Levi resigned with irritation. “Petra stay with Eren. I have things I need to attend to. Make sure to stand guard tonight since I have night watch duty today.” Levi instructed as he got up from his chair and started walking towards the main hall and towards the elevators. Before he could get too far, Eren had practically jumped off his chair and ran towards Levi in haste and worry. “Don’t worry Eren. I’ll be back by dawn. Petra will stay with and get you more situated in the compound. Stay with her at all times. Be good.” Levi reassured as he pat Eren’s head gently. And with one last look at Eren’s viridian eyes, Levi walked off with Erwin in tow with the feeling of unease clinging to his skin.During the meeting in the huge courtroom, Eren had felt lost and completely miserable. He had no idea what was going on. The words that had been said, the looks he received and the man who looked like Levi, had all been too much. He was drifting along the tide and he had no way to stop it. He was drowning and there was nothing he could do. Everything that had happened, happened too fast. Words were said and their meaning was lost to Eren. This abjuration was clearly a scary thing. The moment Levi had heard those words, he was stunned and looked scared for the first time. Eren thought that nothing could scare Levi; he seemed strong and steady, firm and ruthless all at the same time, so Eren thought that there was nothing that could possibly make Levi fearful. Yet when those words were uttered in the courtroom, Levi was scared. Eren could see it on his face; the way his eyes widened, the way his hand clenched on his shoulder. Everything about Levi had set him on edge since the meeting and Eren only knew that he was the cause of Levi’s distress. And knowing that he was the cause of Levi’s pain only broke his heart. That was the last thing he wanted to do; he didn’t want to hurt Levi or cause him trouble, he didn’t want Levi to come to resent or hate him just like the villagers in Shiganshina did. He hated feeling so lost and alone, he hated that he was young and helpless. He hated the old vampires that had hurt levi, he hated his weakness, he hated everything. His blood began to boil thinking about how he was helpless and his thoughts turned dark. He felt a sudden chill coarse through his body; a surge of energy rushing through his veins like something had possessed him. “Eren? What wrong?” Petra asked with concern etched on her face. “Those men that punished Levi, who are they? Why did they do that?” Eren growled. “They belong to the severance council. They are old and powerful people Eren. It’s best not to get involved with them. They have been ruling over vampires even before I was born. It’s just how things are here Eren.” Petra explained solemnly. “Their names… I want to know their names. I want to hurt them like they hurt Levi. I want to kill them.” Eren snarled with a deep threatening voice. Eren could feel his body ache and itch with a sudden urge to find anyone who harmed Levi and tear them to shreds. His thirst to kill had not been satiated for a while and the urge was starting to rise. It was like a force had taken over him and he could feel his mind slipping away into madness. It was like a tantalizing feeling of both pleasure and darkness that he could feel himself give in to. It was like a familiar friend who he would gladly welcome with open arms if need be. Almost as if sensing his haze and bloodlust, Petra grabbed his shoulders with a sudden urge of desperation and turned him towards her as she stared at him with worry. “Eren, listen to me carefully. I know that Levi is important to you and I know that you care for him just as much as I do, but you have to calm down. You have to be careful from now on. Every word you say, every action, everything you do will have consequences and they all reflect onto Levi. You don’t want to hurt Levi do you?” She implored with dejection lacing her voice. Suddenly it was like a douse of cold water was splashed onto his burning body. He had let his darkness to take control again; the same blood haze that had taken control of his body and mind when he was fighting those disgusting creatures in their nest three days ago before Levi had found him. His senses returned and he could feel shame and sadness etched into his heart at his own selfishness. If he acted out Levi would have to pay for it. Now he knew what position he had put Levi in. Suddenly Hanji’s words had made more sense to him. He was a burden to Levi and he was being used against him. “It’s alright Eren, please trust Levi and me. I know how you feel, trust me I do, more than you know. Have faith in Levi and us. You’re a part of our horde now so we’ll protect you. You don’t need to fight or take everything on by yourself anymore.” She soothed as she pulled Eren into her arms and rubbed his back like a mother would. He could feel her slight warmth as her lithe fingers pressing against his back and he had never felt so at ease before. All his worries, all his pain was almost sucked away from him just from her touch alone and he felt drained. He could feel his eyes begin to water and he buried his head into her stomach. Although he could not feel her heartbeat and knew that she was a vampire, he felt a steady beat of warmth seep into him, almost like the flapping of a bird's wings and he clung to her in desperation. She let him cling to her and shared his despair. The pair stood together for a long time, wrapped in each other’s arms and Eren allowed his feelings of anger, hatred, sorrow and pain to wash over him. He had finally been given permission to feel after so long and Petra was the one who had given him the ability to do so. After a while Petra tenderly pulled him away and smiled at him; her honey coloured eyes more at ease. “Come on, let’s see if we can get you a change of clothes.” She offered warmly. She guided him out of the dining hall and back towards the elevators. They continued towards the living quarters in comfortable silence and reached Levi’s room and inside. Petra seemed to know her way around his room as she smoothly moved around the room like falling leaves; her movements small and precise but graceful. She pushed aside some of his clothes in Levi’s closet and had finally found clothing that would fit him. All of Levi’s clothes were plain but comfortable; plain in colour and simple in design. He had changed with Petra’s instruction and when she was satisfied with his attire she guided him out and towards the library. “When we first found you in Shinganshina, Levi told me that you are special. I have to agree with him. You are special.” She affirmed. “Petra, why are we at the library?” Eren wondered as he picked at his fingers to avoid her knowing eyes. He didn’t like how inquisitive she could be at times and how easily she could read his emotions. He didn’t know how she did it, but it disturbed him since he didn’t like being stripped bare and this… affection was new to him. “Well when we found your cabin, Hanji had showed us your notes and handwriting. Levi wasn’t pleased. You obviously know how to read and write but I’m going to teach you how to write properly and see what level you’re at in your writing and reading comprehension.” She decided as she went over to the reading tables and pulled a chair for him to sit in. Eren nervously sat down in the chair and Petra walked around to the back of the library and into a small room at the back for a few minutes and Eren was left to his own devices until she returned with a sheet of paper and what Levi had recently told him was a ‘pen’. She placed them onto the table in front of him and pulled a chair closer to him and sat by his side. “I’m assuming you know all the alphabet?” She asked softly and he shook his head in agreement. “Well I want you to still practice writing each individual letter one by one since I want to see if you’re writing them correctly.” She instructed as she lightly tapped the table playfully. Eren glared at the clean paper with disdain; the white colour reminding him of snow before it was stained red and he was reminded of his struggles back in the village. In irritation he grabbed the pen, held in between his middle finger and thumb while holding it mostly with his palm and pressed the cold metal against his burning skin then pressed the tip against the paper’s surface. He hesitated for a few seconds before hastily writing the letter ‘a’; his fingers squeezing the pen and pressing down harder in both anger and familiarity. When he was finished he dropped the pen and squinted at the paper; his feeling of annoyance slightly quelled with the addition of colour onto the page. The longer Eren looked at the page the more depressed he was. Looking at his handwriting on a fresh sheet of paper only made his horrid handwriting stick out more profusely. The letter looked pathetic; it was lopsided, jagged and crooked and rather large as it took almost a quarter of the page. Petra leaned in towards him as she grabbed the paper and frowned at it as she examined his writing. “Well it’s not as bad as I thought it could be but not that great either. Luckily you’re still young and I can teach you before this becomes a habit.” She chuckled as she smirked at him in mirth. She reached for the pen and started writing the same letter onto the page next to his letter. “See, you should try to make the letter smaller. Try not to press too hard down onto the pen or press too hard; it could break the tip and will only hurt your hand by making it all tense. Take your time writing, there’s no rush.” She instructed as she wrote the letter with ease. Her movements were subtle and languid. Her hand was graceful as she glided the pen over the paper; her handwriting much more neat than his. The letter was smooth and straight, small in size but clean with no sharp edges and lopped sweetly at the end. Strangely Eren thought that her writing reflected her personality; smooth, graceful and gentle. Comparing his letter to hers only made him embarrassed. The differences were glaringly obvious; one was done with practiced ease, while the other looked pathetic. It only disheartened him as he glared down at the page in frustration. “With enough practice your writing will get better. Don’t worry so much. Everyone’s writing style is different but it will come with time.” She reassured him as she rubbed his upper back warmly in encouragement. “Why don’t we just try the first ten letters of the alphabet for today. Just try rewriting the letters and see if you can copy mine okay?” She urged softly. Seeing Petra teaching him only made Eren feel more ashamed at himself. He pouted then with some reluctance paid close attention as she continued to write the remaining letters in a neat line for him to copy. They continued their studious atmosphere for a few hours with Petra instructing him and giving him tips while Eren copied and tried to follow her directions. The hardest part of the lesson was the new method of how he was supposed to hold the pen in the first place. According to Petra, he was over extending his fingers and gripping the pen too harshly and with the wrong fingers. At first it was taxing on his hand to hold the pen with his index finger and let is rest on his thumb rather than his palm. He found trying to form the letters difficult and it made his writing much more wobbly and scribbly looking, but Petra reassured him that he was doing better. As he continued he felt more exhausted than before they started; his shoulders ached and his back hurt despite the chair being rather comfortable. Petra seemed to notice his frustration as she told him to take a break. Eren leaned back in the chair and simply observed the countless amount of paper they had covered with words and letters. The pile of papers was larger than he thought and within the few hours that she had taught him, he could see the progress he had made. His letters, although still curved and jagged were smaller in size, less lopsided and had more form to them. As he concentrated on his work, he heard the door to the library open and heard the soft whispers of two people as they walked in. With his preoccupied mind, he wasn’t focused nor paying any close attention to who the voices belonged to and simply tuned out their presence. Without warning he saw out of the corner of his eye something red flash and then the paper in front of him disappeared. He squealed in surprise and turned to the intruder who startled him. There stood the woman with red hair and green eyes that he had met earlier in the morning and the man with sandy blonde hair and sky blue eyes. He couldn’t exactly remember their introductions so their names were lost to him as he frowned at the woman as she scrutinized his handiwork. “Oh jeez and I thought your handwriting was bad Farlan.” The apple haired woman mused. “Shut up, his writing can’t be that bad. Stop exaggerating.” The man called Farlan scolded as he walked over and leaned into her to take a look at his writing. His eyes scanned the page for a few seconds then his face twisted into one of confusion. “See told you.” She sang with a smug smile. “Come on Isabelle, try not to tease Eren. He’s just learning how to write better. He’s a fast learner and he’s smart so don’t discourage him.” Petra scolded as she tried to defend Eren. “Fine, I’ll be good.” Isabelle groaned as she put the paper back on the table and leaned onto the surface of the table with her hips jutting out. “So what are you two doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting since it’s day time?” Petra inquired with a motherly tone. “Don't be a buzzkill Petra. We wanted to talk with Eren some more since Levi’s been so smitten with him since he brought him to the compound.” Isabelle chirped. “More like you pressured and forced me to find Eren and dragged me all the way here with you to tease him.” Farlan grumbled under his breath. “Hush you. I just want to get to know him since father is doting on him.” “Father?” Eren interrupted with confusion. He had heard Isabelle call Levi father the morning the two of them had barged in on him and Levi sleeping so peacefully, but he had forgotten all about it and didn’t think much of it until now. Was Levi really their father? If so, where was Levi’s wife? So many questions swirled around Eren’s mind and he felt a slight tug of his chest from thinking that Levi had children of his own. “Hmm… oh we just call Levi our father since technically he is. We’re not related biologically rather through blood if that makes any sense. Levi made us his kinlings so technically he is our father.” Isabelle clarified as she turned her attention to Eren. Her explanation didn’t make much sense. He didn’t know what kinglings meant and he felt that it was an important piece of information that he was being left out of. Petra sensing his discomfort cleared her throat before speaking. “Kinlings can be literally translated to the word ‘kin’ or being part of a family. Mostly it refers to any vampire child that has been created by a pureblood, therefore making them their ‘bloodchild.’ It’s like being part of a big family which we call a horde.” Petra explained with a warm tone and a soothing smile on her face. “Oh… what am I then?” Eren asked Petra. The silence that cut through the library was deafening and Eren felt like he had asked something he shouldn’t have given their expressions of worry. “You’re a cute little human that’s what you are.” Isabelle croaked. The explanation wasn’t what he wanted and clearly they were avoiding stating anything that they shouldn’t, which made Eren more upset as he recalled the court session. He avoided their worried gazes and stared at his lap in bitterness; his hands crumpling his pants as his gripped his knees squeezing hard. “We were human once before you know.” Interrupted Farlan with a solemn tone. “Just like you, we were human and caused Levi nothing but trouble. I suppose you’re feeling pretty crappy with the whole situation you’re in. You feel helpless, lost, confused, weak and worthless. You feel out of place; like you’re always being watched and you don’t know what to do about it right?” He lamented softly. Eren turned his attention to Farlan and was genuinely shocked at his accurately he described his feelings; like he could read his mind. He nodded his head and bit his lip from being so easily read. He smiled at Eren ruefully before continuing. “Levi was on a mission when he first found us in the slums. We were stealing like we usually did, scrambling around for scraps. We did anything we could to survive and Levi just happened to be passing through when we were stealing. We thought he’d make for an easy target since he was clearly dressed in better clothes and he was a high class vampire. We were bold and stupid, so we thought we could get away with it. But of course when we tried to spook his horse to get his satchel he caught us. We thought we were dead. Isn’t that right Izzy?” “Yeah, I remember I practically pissed my pants when he glared at us. I thought he looked like a pissed off imp with how tiny he looked sitting on top of his horse.” Chuckled Isabelle. “Luckily he let us go. Maybe it was pity or misplaced sympathy on his part, but he was kind enough to not sizzle our asses for trying to steal from a pureblood vampire. We thought he was weird for a pureblood. Somehow he was different than the rest of them. He wasn’t a snob and he seemed like he had been through some things. Somehow he stuck with us. A week went by and next thing we knew, we saw him in the town square barking orders at the other lower class vampire guards who had been patrolling around.” “Long story short, he stuck around town and we got curious about him. We followed him and observed him whenever we could and whenever we saw him pass through. Eventually he got tired of us and he walked on over and blurted out; ‘Is there something stuck up your asses or what?’ It was hilarious.” Farlan giggled as he recalled the incident. “After that, he became someone very dear to us. He would often visit us in the slums of Wall Rose, bringing food and other things. He would tell us of the things he would see in the richer parts of Rose and talk shit about all the other vampires. He made us feel like we were included and part of a family. He fed us and taught us things we never knew. Before long we found out that he had actually been raised in the slums of Rose and we felt like he was a big brother or guardian to us.” Farlan mused. He paused, almost as if he was remembering, then continued with a sombre tone. “We were happy for a while. We thought we could live in peace like that for the rest of our lives. But then the bloodwar happened and everything went to shit. Crazed vampire and ghouls flooded the streets with blood and hundreds of human bodies littered the town. The smell of rotting flesh clung to the town for weeks and it reeked no matter how far deep your hid in the slums. It was a horrible time for humans. I remember Izzy and I were starving when we hid away in a cabin far deep. We had holed ourselves in there for a week. We had to drink the dirty rain water out back and we were starving.” “We thought we were gonna die. Every night we heard aberrants scratching at our door trying to get in. We had to make a blockade with any furniture we could find or else they would have burst through the door. Some nights we couldn’t sleep until dawn, when we knew the beasts would return to the dark. It was hell.” He whispered wearily. Isabelle stretched her hand towards Farlan’s, desperately trying to hold his hand and he reciprocated. “We managed to hole up for a few more days but we couldn’t manage to hold on any longer. Isabelle died of starvation and I…. I cried for a whole day. I didn’t know what to do. I heard gunshots, growls and howls of pain and I knew that the vampires were fighting among themselves. Before long, I couldn’t take it anymore and I wanted to die too. I wanted to join Isabelle. So I destroyed the blockade and allowed the aberents in.” “I don’t remember much after that but the one thing I do remember was the agonizing pain of being torn to shreds. I could feel my life being drained as a horde of freaks came in and were fighting over me and feeding off of me. I heard the commotion outside as I was bleeding out then everything went black. When I opened my eyes, we were here at the compound and Isabelle was with me. Apparently Levi had been fighting for a long time trying to find us. He managed to find us right after I was bleeding out and had saved the both of us. What we didn’t know was that he turned us.” He sighed as he held Isabelle in a tight hug as she sniffled in his arms. “It was hard adjusting to the night life. We had become creatures of the dark and at first we resented Levi. We were angry with him. In retaliation we caused him all kinds of troubles. We even tried to attack any human children that were rescued and brought in to the feeding farms. We did crazy things in spite and Levi never once punished us or was angry at us. We were confused and bitter. Eventually we couldn’t take it anymore once we realized that Levi was never going to push us away like we did to him. We felt horrible and guilty for the things we did. I won’t go into too many details since we did some pretty stupid shit but my point is try not to dwell on your past Eren.” “Whether you're a human or a vampire, Levi would have still made the same decision to take you in and care for you Eren. It’s not your fault for what happened. Don’t blame yourself, don’t allow yourself to get swallowed up in despair. Rise above it and show Levi the type of person you want to become. Rise above your pain and become stronger so that nothing like what you experienced will happen ever again.” Farlan resounded with strength. As he watched Isabelle cry softly in Farlan’s arms, Eren could feel their pain as it trickled onto him like cold rain. He knew what it was like to practically starve to death and fight for freedom, food and shelter. He knew how grotesque those creatures out there could be and felt their pain as if it was his own. It was like he was picking at an old scab that had never really healed. The pain would always be there and every once in a while the wound would reopen and bleed again; never to heal. He growled in hatred and turned to Petra as she held his hand in hers. He would protect Levi, he would grow stronger. This he swore. The day had slowly turned to night as Levi carried out his duties. He had finally finished the report on the incident in Shiganshina and handed it in to Erwin and had finally gotten the time to rest a bit back at the barracks. Erd and Gunther had joined in after cleaning the stables for the horses and had planned on sleeping in the barracks but Levi couldn’t stand the smell of horse shit and hay so he told them to wash their dirty asses or get kicked out. With mild retaliation they had left and he thought that he would be able to get some more shut eye, but of course Oluo showed up and wouldn’t shut up about his exploits and what duties he had accomplished during the day. After a while, Levi couldn’t stand him so he left to check up on Mike since it was nearing sundown and he wanted to check the perimeter before night watch duty. He and Mike were on duty together tonight and he loathed night watch duty. It was monotonous most of the time and having to see the ugly, distorted faces of drooling aberrants only sickened Levi. As they would scratch and amble towards the wall trying to climb up, he would have to witness their grotesque forms as they climbed on top of each other and tear each other to shreds trying to get closer to the wall. He found it both amusing and sickening. They were absurdly stupid at times and he found it intriguing that they learned to adapt to the many traps that they had created to stop them from climbing too high. Hanji was always drooling over them whenever they had managed to outsmart her many innovative traps and she would squeal with delight whenever they had adapted or morphed. He honestly couldn’t understand her fascination with them. As he approached the bottom of the wall, he looked up and could see a tiny speck at the very top of the wall. He could smell Mike’s scent and knew that he was already there; somehow that man was always on the clock and he found that he worked best with Mike since he was always punctual and hardly spoke. With minimal effort, he hopped up with agility and speed and reached the top within minutes and landed gracefully. “Anything to report? Any changes?” Levi inquired with a bored tone. “None. I only spotted a few near the shade of the trees. They haven’t come out yet since it’s only sundown. The usual gang will arrive once night hits.” Mike joked. “Hmm.” The two remained in silence as the sun slowly went down; the sky turning a beautiful shade of orange, red and pink. The warmth of the sun being snuffed out as the moon slowly started to peek out from the clouds. The air became cooler and night had finally approached. Levi honed his eyes to tune to the dark and adjusted his sight. He could finally see more clearly and enjoyed the night. The harsh rays of the sun no longer impeding on his sight. Before long Levi could hear the familiar sounds of groans and growling of aberrants. Their feet would shuffle against the grass as they would limp over towards the wall. Their groans becoming louder as they would approach. He could see their glowing, beady red eyes even from all the way at the top and felt disgusted as they leered and snapped their teeth at him. Levi snarled at their revolting behaviour and instead focused his hearing on the wind as it rustled the leaves of the tall trees of the forest. “Happy as always that our friends are always so punctual I see.” Mike teased at he witnessed Levi’s snarl. “I would be happier if these bastards would find something better to do than come back night after night and dirty the damn wall with their shit stained hands.” Levi retorted with a spiteful tone. Mike merely chuckled at Levi’s remark and turned his attention back to the surrounding trees. Not a moment later Mike twitched and his face distorted into one of concentration. He turned his attention towards the treeline and his body alert for any sounds. “Notice something?” Levi asked. “The smell of fresh blood and rotting corpses, and I don’t mean the aberrants.” Mike clarified with a hushed tone. Levi closed his eyes and focused his sense of hearing and smell. He pushed everything else out of the way and zeroed in on the treeline. Faintly he could the sounds of the tree branches snapping and growling. He focused more and could smell the sweet scent of iron in the air as it followed whatever was hopping from branch to branch. He opened his glowing eyes and focused on the movements of the creatures in the trees and could finally see their swift movements. These weren’t like any normal aberrant he’s ever seen. They were more nimble and quick than usual and their bodies were more lithe and anthropomorphic. Their bodies were less distorted and animalistic than other aberrants. The differences were striking and that only concerned Levi. “Mike stand guard here. There may be a new form of aberrants heading our way. Stay sharp.” Ordered Levi with urgency as he leapt off the wall without looking back. He moved with swift movements and agility trying to catch up to the creatures as they moved with speed. He could hear them up ahead as they sped up the moment he was on their tail. The amount of pressure they exuded was impressive considering they were still low class vampires but on closer inspection he could smell their rotting flesh and knew that fundamentally they were similar to aberrants. He increased his speed as he hopped across the treeline, avoiding all the branches that would otherwise hinder anyone else. They growled as he was approaching faster and he could now see there was a group of three of them as they skipped about. Impatience getting the better of him, Levi pulled out his long sabre sword with his left hand and pulled out his glock with his right hand from the holster on his belt and took aim as he focused on one of the aberrants that was slower than the other two. This one seemed to be injured on the side of its chest and he would take advantage of that to gun it down. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled the trigger and a loud bang echoed throughout the forest. The bullet whizzed by and impacted with a nearby tree as one of the other aberrants had blocked the bullet with its clawed hand. Clearly they were smarter and faster than normal aberrants and this would be more taxing than he thought. With a growl Levi flicked a switch on the handle of his gun and pulled out a wire that Hanji had built into it. It was for long range attacks and the claw end was sharp with three angle tip grips and could pierce through the skin; the jagged ends were useful for hooking onto the rib-cage of aberrants. He swiftly dodged the blunt attack of the aberrant that had blocked his bullet and scurried with speedy steps towards the injured one. He took aim and quickly shot at it. The wire creaking as it followed its target and without fail made impact with the creature making it scream in agony and he could hear its ribs break with a satisfying crunch. He pulled on the wire making it stumble as it fell towards the ground and Levi chased after it while still holding onto the wire tauntly to ensure it wouldn’t crawl away. He landed in front of it and he watched as it squirmed and rolled in the dirt, howling in pain; its lanky limbs scrambling the dirt beneath its feet as it tried to wiggle free from the wire. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going you piece of shit?” Levi snapped with hatred as he glared at the miserable creature. The creature snapped its teeth at him and screamed in agony. It was clearly calling for its allies but Levi couldn't see nor hear the other two. They clearly left the moment Levi had caught this one and gave up the chase. “FELL ONE!” The creature shrieked with a hitched pitched tone. “What the fuck?” Levi blurted in confusion. How the hell can they talk? Most aberrants just growl. The only ones that can talk are the ones that have mutated and have eaten hordes of humans. Levi thought as he observed the creature. “Who ordered you to come this close to the wall? Why did you attack Wall Rose?” Levi snapped with a commanding tone. “The fell one! Our master!” The creature cried in desperation. “Shut up! Tell me who ordered you to come here!” Levi barked in irritation. “OUR MASTER!” The creature screamed in pain. “Who's your master?” Levi ordered. “No, no, no. I cannot say. His name is lost. FELL ONE!” “Stop fucking repeating yourself you stupid fuck. Tell me his name!” Levi demanded harshly. He stomped on the creature's back with his combat boots and pressed down hard to ensure that its unbroken ribs would crack under the strain and it screamed in pain. “Fell one!” “I want a name!” “BLOOD KING!” It screeched in despair. “What did you just say?” Levi whispered in shock. The creature turned its head and stared at Levi with its watery eyes and Levi could see pure fear etched into its eyes. It looked scared and almost looked like it might wet itself. Without any delay it pushed Levi’s foot of itself and in shock Levi dropped his gun. Without a seconds delay, the creature grabbed his gun, pointed the barrel at its head and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered the ground and its brain tissue littered the ground. Its body landed with a loud thump onto the blood soaked ground and its body twitched and convulsed before finally laying limp. Levi stared dumbfounded and completely shell-shocked at what he had witnessed. Not only had the creature shown more intelligence than any other aberrant, but it had committed suicide in fear to silence itself. “What the fuck.” With a curse under his breath, Levi was left alone in the woods with blood covered boots, a dead creature and unanswered questions.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The rancid stench of blood coating Levi’s clothes remained with him even well after he’d cleansed himself. They said an abberant's blood was the foulest kind, leaving its odors well enough long after the corpse itself had been burned, even. Tossing this all off to rumor had been his own undoing, but the smell of the creature’s life essence nearly made Levi vomit. His skin tingled and itched in quite the peculiar way, and he found that no amount of vigorous scrubbing was helping ease his flayed nerves. Of all ways to go, why the hell did it have to kill itself even remotely near his person? Fate sure had a warped, twisted sense of humor, didn’t it? When the journey between the woods and the barracks wasn’t too great, but with every gruelling step he took, he felt his own pyrexical mood turning volcanic. All it would require was one thing to set him off, and Levi was already hoping and praying that not a single soul would be so foolish and errant to corner him and ask what’d happened. He refused to recapitulate what he’d experienced; the horrors and their ghastly implications were disturbing enough, but to regale them to another...no, out of the question. Right now, a distraction was in good order, until at least he felt a small semblance of normalcy returning to him enough. Did he need to swear Mike to silence and secrecy as well, then? He hoped not, but from the looks of his shaken comrade, Mike was just as affected by the experience as he was. And how could he not? He had smelled their blood and heard the loud bang of his gun so there was no use in hiding the events from him. His pale veneer and ghostly pallor running all through his skin as he trembled about didn’t exactly scream out that he was going to be telling any tall tales soon. Pitiful, really. Then again, he wasn’t doing any better, but he still gruffly warned Mike to get a hold of himself and be a man about it. The thickness of the night encasing them didn’t distract him from wondering about young Eren. What was the boy up to? That thought graced him with a smile across his white visage, and motivated by that, Levi hurriedly soon found the young man among their trusted friends. How good of Eren to slowly be growing into quite the popular light. He was brightly chatting with Petra, Gunther, Erd, Isabelle and Farlan at the cafeteria; his hands moving animatedly as he talked and Petra giggled at his excited fumbling and twitching. It was good to see Eren relaxing and finally settling in the compound and it was such a nice development compared to a few days ago when he was cowering fear and twitched at the slightest sound. Perhaps this was an ample opportunity for the young boy to grow into a mature man. He’d prove himself to be worthy one day, no doubt, and to actively visualize it forming before his very eyes was an experience that brought some fondness and warmth to Levi. So, this was what it felt like to cherish someone...to value their livelihood and future...wasn’t it much like parenthood? Maybe, Levi thought. Then again, he’d never considered himself to be a parental figure by any means. He was a great warrior, a great friend, perhaps a strong enough confident, and he knew what empathy and sympathy were, but he didn’t want to care for anyone or something to form deeper attachments to it. That was how one went brutally insane after a loss. If he kept his expectations low, if he obeyed his set distances and shielded his mind and heart from the ability to form any bonds, he would be protected. “Levi!” Eren burst with excitement as he ran over towards him with his arms outstretched and a blinding smile encompassing his handsome features. The wondrous sight was enough to turn Levi’s night into one of the greatest. It didn’t even matter what had happened to him earlier...now, he was intently focusing on the present sensation and heat that was Eren seeking his turgid form out. The feel of Eren’s warm, small hands wrapped around his middle was comforting and the sensation was more touching and pleasing than he thought. A small smile edged it’s way across his face and he couldn’t help the feelings welling up inside of him. He felt compelled to reciprocate Eren’s embrace and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. It was like fitting into a puzzle; like he was finally complete. All of his exhaustion seeping out of him and his body relaxing. The silence that surrounded them was broken by Hanji’s giggle and a cough. He looked up to see his squad with surprised and confused expressions. Suddenly he felt embarrassed at the extra attention and gently detached himself from Eren and straightened his posture to seem more intimidating than he felt. “I assume things went well here?” Levi grumbled in irritation at Hanji’s gleeful expression. “Oh yes, Eren is such a cute little ball of energy.” Hanji chirped with excitement as she pat Eren’s head affectionately. Eren squirmed under her and tried to escape her relentless manhandling. “Shouldn’t you be in bed by now Eren?” Levi questioned with a slight frown on his face. He felt like a worried parent reprimanding this child for staying up past their bedtime. Eren jolted at his tone and like a child getting caught, pouted and frowned in annoyance. “Eren was rather adamant about staying up until you got back. I tried to put him to bed but he kept leaving your bed to try to leave your bedroom to sneak down to the main hall so I had to follow him.” Petra explained with a slight laugh to her voice. Eren glared at Petra, most likely embarrassed for being caught and having his secret exposed and Levi shook his head in amusement. Eren was so attached to him and Levi didn’t even know how long this attachment would last. However fleeting it was, he didn’t want to ponder it. Good things and great luck didn’t often visit him. “Eren, listen to Petra and go to bed. I’ll join you later. Be good and sleep.” Levi orated gently in a tone reserved for the most treasured ears. Had such sweet notions streamed forth from his lips? Chaotic...though delightfully so. He was ravenous, almost as much as Eren was as he gave a plaintive nod of confirmation. Such a good, obedible listener… “Hanji, I need to talk to you and Erwin. The rest of you are dismissed for the night, rest well.” Levi commanded as he playfully tousled Eren’s hair and walked off towards the elevators with Hanji in tow. “So, what’s so important that you had to leave in a rush to talk to Erwin oh grumpy one?” Hanji teased with a skip to her step as she followed behind him. “I hope it doesn’t have to do with how you smell like shit does it?” “Shut up. I’ve had a long night and I don’t need your teasing right now.” He growled in irritation as he recalled the ugly aberrant and how its residue blood clung to his boots. “Oh my, something must have happened. Care to share?” “I don’t think you’ll believe it but an aberrant spoke to me before it died.” He replied wearily as they stepped into the elevator. “Well that’s unusual. Did you have to kill it Levi? I would have loved to see if I could have experimented on it.” She wailed as she pulled on his arm like a petulant child. “I didn’t kill it, it shot itself with my fucking gun.” “What?” Hanji blubbered, gaping in bewilderment that could’ve been annoying in any other given circumstance. “You heard me. I told you that you wouldn’t believe me.” He sighed as he exited the elevator and walked down the hall towards Erwin’s office, leaving a befuddled Hanji behind. She ran after him in haste and he could smell the excitement off of her. “OH HOW INTERESTING! Tell me more! This has never happened before. What did it say? Why do you think it did that? Did it do anything else unusual?” She interrogated him with a shine in her eye and a gleeful expression on her face.
“Get out of my face four eyes.” Levi grunted as he pushed Hanji away with his hand on her face. The eeriness and oddities were smothering Levi with a putrid residual bitter taste almost akin to devouring burnt meals. Without delay, Levi knocked on Erwin’s door and went inside as Hanji pushed her way past him eager to hear more. “How unusual for you to visit my office of your own volition Levi.” Erwin greeted with surprise. “Cut the crap, I’m exhausted and want to get this shit over with so listen since I’m not gonna say this again. An aberrant spoke to me and shot itself with my gun.” “Oh? Well that’s rare, only intelligent aberrants speak.” “Yeah and that’s not even the fucked up part.” Erwin leaned in his chair with intrigue; his ice blue eyes shining with interest. “Go on.” “It… was screaming its head off when I shot it, so I asked why it attacked the wall. There were two other aberrants with it but they left as soon as things went downhill. It was saying something about the ‘fell one’. I pressured it and it finally croaked.” Levi hissed acerbically as he explained the situation. “It said that… the blood king ordered it here before it shot itself, most likely in fear.” “Clearly this aberrant should have been brought back alive Levi. It showed much more intelligence than any other aberrant before. It killed itself to silence all questions and inquiries, which shows a great amount of foresight and planning.” “Didn’t you hear a word I said? It shot itself!” How dense could an individual be? He was loathed to repeat himself, but if it solidified his points, he had no choice but to tolerate it. Stepping closer and taller, he spat with venom, “The little fucker silenced itself, what would you have me do?” He barked in anger. Of course Erwin would ride his ass over this. He hated being questioned and having his judgment put to the test. It was one of the things that he hated about Erwin. Erwin sighed and leaned back in his chair as he ignored Levi’s outburst and tapped his index finger on his desk as he thought to himself. Hanji was bouncing on the balls of her feet; her arms shaking as she was holding herself back from asking questions. “You said that it said it was ordered to attack from the blood king. Levi do you have any idea what this means?” “Oh do tell, like I don’t already know how screwed up this situation is already.” He growled with sarcasm lacing his voice. “It means that the blood king is still alive after all these years… or possibly that there is more than one blood king. Do you remember the blood war Levi? How many vampires and humans died? How aberrants were roaming the streets killing indiscriminately?” He stressed with a serious tone of voice. “I was there Erwin, get to the damn point.” “It means that we were entirely wrong about our theory of the blood king. Originally we had thought that he must have died off since the number of aberrants we killed increased and they were weakened and slowly died off on their own after the war. The severance was sure that the blood king used his last ounce of power to attack wall Rose and Sina then died since it’s been over fifty years with no real sign of unusual activity.” He theorized with a heavy tone. “The book that we have in the library Levi…it’s linked to the blood king, that much is obvious but I think this theory makes sense. The book was written from one blood king, that we know based on the message on the front cover, however based on what you told us, it seems that the title of ‘blood king’ is either passed on or that there’s more than one blood king.” Hanji interjected as she crossed her arms in thought. “What do you mean more than one blood king?” Levi huffed. “The message that was written seemed to be from one blood king to another, plus the message indicates that the previous blood king wanted the next one to rule with reverence and justice. The blood king that was active during the blood war had different intentions; they attacked ruthlessly and without mercy. Whoever the blood king during the blood war was is not the same one who wrote that book. It might be the same one that ordered those aberrants to attack now or it might be a different one.” Hanji guessed with a sombre tone. “But it makes sense if this blood king is a different one since they haven’t acted in over fifty years. Something provoked this blood king to act now. Something threatened them to make a move after so long. They took the time to act in a discreet manner by only sending a few intelligent aberrants to sneak into the wall rather than attacking in a horde like the previous blood king did during the blood war.” “Hanji’s right Levi, the way they’re attacking and the motivation behind these attacks are completely different. It’s safe to say that we have a problem on our hands if there’s more than one blood king.” Erwin stressed with a heavy sigh as he rubbed his face in exhaustion. “Just because there was a gap between when they attacked and the motivation doesn’t mean it’s a different blood king though. Vampires have a long life span and it could be that the old fucker is still alive.” Levi prodded with disbelief. If what Hanji and Erwin were saying is true then things were much worse than he thought they could be and he hoped the two of them were wrong. “Think about it Levi, during the war there was a sudden inflation of abarrents being turned and they weren’t intelligent at all. It was as if the blood king was turning them just to increase their numbers just to fight. They didn’t show any intelligence and were fairly easy to kill off. However this blood king may have the ability to control abarrents and raise their intelligence.” Erwin hypothesized; his eyes shining in restrained anger. “If my theory is correct, not only are there possibly more than one blood king, but each blood king may have a different ability making them that much more threatening.” “Shit…” This is exactly the worst case scenario he was dreading to be true, but based on the evidence they had discovered it had to be true. Levi couldn’t deny it any longer and knew that they were in a relatively poignant bind. A man of solutions and answers he was, at his very core, and he knew they were no better than a bunch of sitting ducks if they focused more on the issues rather than the solutions. Aiming to be progressive as much as he could in the glum situation, he omitted strains of pessimism and fear, navigating through the emotions enough to strip them away from his core. Being emotional was what got a lot of people caught and killed. Emotions had no place in this war. To eradicate every single one of these putrid beasts from the world, he would have to think and strategize like them, eliminating them all until he could identify and locate their blood king. Only then would they have a shot at coming out of this in one piece...maybe. Emitting a strained, whimsical sigh, he forlornly surmised, “I suppose you could have a point, Erwin. God, it pains me to admit to that, but I’ll bite.” Immediately, upon hearing that, Erwin grimaced, clearly repulsed by the pun Levi unintentionally spat out. His conflicted, disgruntled appearance struck Levi, and he quickly pieced together his errant mistake. Rolling his eyes, he bemoaned, “A thousand damn pardons, jackass.” “It's good to see that your crass humor is back again.” Erwin joked with a light tone and a smirk gracing his pale face. “If you don’t have anything else to report you can go and rest Levi. I can tell you’re just itching to get back to Eren’s side.” He bemused with his index finger pointed at Levi’s hand. Levi scrunched his face in confusion then looked down and saw that his own fingers were tapping his crossed arms in impatience. He was ticked that Erwin caught his unconscious agitation and felt embarrassed being caught not once but twice by his comrades acting out of character. It seemed that Eren made Levi act out and as of late he felt that he was experiencing new emotions that he didn’t know he possessed. It was uncomfortable and he felt like his emotions had been stripped naked for everyone else to witness. “Whatever.” Levi huffed under his breath as he walked back out ready to leave as quickly as possible. “Have a goodnight Levi.” Erwin chuckled as Levi slammed the door nearly causing Hanji’s face to make impact with the door as she tried to dodge out of the way, snickering as she did. The two of them walked in silence and Levi mulled over what has transpired and what the implications of their recent discovery could mean. If they didn’t take action soon, things could turn for the worst and Levi didn’t want to think about what could happen to the current semblance of peace that both vampires and humans had managed to create. “Levi… should we tell the others about what happened?” Hanji questioned in seriousness. “There’s no use hiding it. Mike already knows what happened, plus it’s better to be prepared than leave everyone in the dark. We can’t hide this even if we wanted to.” He remarked listlessly. “I think Moblit and I should take a better look at that book to see if we can dig up any clues about the blood king. We never tried to translate the whole book and just gave up after the first hundred pages so maybe we should try again.” Hanji muttered under her breath. “Let me know if you find anything.” “Sure… goodnight Levi.” She waved with her hand and got off the elevator and Levi was left alone again to his thoughts. He walked with urgency as he neared his room and could almost feel Eren. He just hoped that with all that was to transpire that he would be able to protect Eren. After all, he swore he would protect him even if he were to perish in doing so. Though he would never admit it out loud, Eren was the only good thing that had happened to Levi and he would never let anyone take him away. Never. With that last declaration, he opened his door and the soothing scent of Eren filled his nose promising peace and warmth. When Levi had left after just returning, Eren felt rather upset that he was once again left alone. The longer he spent time with Levi the harder it seemed to be separated from him and he knew that it was odd but he couldn’t help it. Something was drawing him to Levi and he didn’t know what it was, but it was more than welcome. All he knew was that it was like honey; sweet and tantalizing and he never wanted that feeling to go away. After Petra had tucked him in Levi’s bed, he still felt restless and tossed and turned; anxious for Levi’s return and the feeling of his cool skin against his own; the scent of rain and slight musk so pleasant and comforting. As he lay wondering when Levi would return, he could hear the door open and knew instantly that it was Levi as the scent of rain filled the room and Eren smiled as warmth bloomed in his chest. He feigned to be asleep since he didn’t want to upset Levi and waited patiently as he heard Levi walk around the room; he hardly made any noise so it was hard to tell what he was doing besides the opening of his closet which meant that he was probably getting a change of clothes. Eren soon felt drowsy and drifted in and out of consciousness. He didn't know how long Levi took but could faintly heared the shower in the distance. The next time he was brought back from sleep was when he felt the blanket being lifted over his shoulders and Levi sitting on the edge of the bed. Eren couldn’t stand being alone anymore and with a bit of courage reached for Levi and pulled at whatever of Levi's clothes he could. “Stay here. Please stay with me.” He whispered softly with shyness. He heard a slight gasp and felt Levi go rigid from his demand. Silence filled the room and suddenly Eren felt like he overstepped his boundaries; that he must have pushed too hard, but his worries were soon quelled when Levi lifted the covers and went underneath to lie next to him. He didn’t even give Levi a minute before he swiftly snuggled next to him and burrowed himself in his chest taking in his scent and warmth. Up close, Eren could smell his scent better and could feel his defined body that provided protection and strength. He felt at ease and immediately his body relaxed into Levi’s. It was like floating on a cloud and he felt blissful. He could feel that Levi was stiff as his hands fumbled around him and rested on top of the blankets but he felt pure elation that Levi allowed him to get so close. “Levi.” “Hmm…” “Thank you.” Eren expressed as he tucked himself even further towards Levi and rubbed his face into his chest in embarrassment. “Sleep.” He hushed as he brushed his delicate fingers across Eren’s forehead and Eren soon fell asleep to the rhythm of Levi’s hand rubbing his back. The sound of birds and the morning light peeking through the curtains is what woke Eren. He tried to move but Levi’s sturdy hand wrapped around him even tighter and he remembered last night as he boldly asked Levi to sleep with him. He didn't know what possessed him to ask Levi to sleep in the same bed, but he felt compelled to be near him as much as possible since he was always busy. He craved Levi’s attention and enjoyed the care that Levi showered him in. He slowly and ever so silently wiggled his way out of Levi’s arms and simply took the time to enjoy observing him as he slept. He watched the rise and fall of his chest and how his hair was tousled; his eyebrows free from the frown he usually wore and his mouth slightly open. It was a nice change to see Levi so vulnerable. In a bout of playfulness, Eren began to play with Levi’s hair and lightly curled the long strands of his hair in between his fingers to see if Levi would wake up. He waited for any sign of Levi rousing from his slumber and when he simply rolled over Eren giggled and began to crawl on top of Levi and sat on his chest. Levi, feeling the added weight grunted and opened his eyes and Eren smiled at Levi’s frown. “Eren, what are you doing?” He grumbled; his voice sounding rough and slurred in his drowsy state. “Good morning Levi.” Eren snickered at Levi’s disorientated state. Eren decided that he liked Levi’s grumpy side and found pleasure in teasing him. Eren continued to stare at Levi and leaned down until his forehead touched Levi’s. Levi grunted with the added strain of Eren’s body on his chest but couldn’t be bothered to tell him to get off. They simply enjoyed each other’s company and the warmth they provided to each other. Suddenly Eren’s stomach growled breaking the tranquil atmosphere and Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance. “As much as I’m enjoying you squishing me, we should get you something to eat.” He suggested as he slowly got up and put Eren down. The prospect of food was indeed good and Eren was hungry. He followed quickly behind Levi and desperately latched onto his hand while enjoying how Levi’s large, calloused hand fit into his small one. They took the elevator down to the main hall and took their seats, Levi stating that he would get something for Eren. It was quite since nobody was awake this early during the day and Eren liked that he could have Levi all to himself. Eren was getting annoyed at the people who kept Levi away and busy from him, so to have this time just for the both of them was wonderful. Levi brought back some toast and jam and Eren spared no time to eat everything as quickly as he could. Levi sat quietly by his side, exhaustion evident in his haggard appearance and dark circles under his eyes. Now that he thought about it, he never saw Levi eat anything. He knew that Levi was a vampire but he had to eat something . The question of what he ate only brought more questions to mind and he paused to really think about it as he glared down at the remaining toast in his plate. Since he was a vampire he obviously had to drink blood, but did that mean that Levi would partake in live feeding just like the abarrents and other vampires he knew of? Somehow that brought bile up to his throat and made his blood boil. The very thought of Levi biting into the neck of someone he didn’t know made him seethe with anger and he didn’t like it… not at all. Almost as if sensing his anger Levi spoke in a hushed tone and turned his attention towards him. “Eren? What’s wrong beastie?” He entreated softly with his steel grey eyes focused solely on him. He hesitated to ask but he just had to know. “Levi… what do you… eat?” Eren croaked as he avoided Levi’s intense gaze. The question was harder to get out than he thought and it seemed to have bothered Levi as he visibly tensed at the question. “Well I’m not gonna lie to you and say that I don’t drink blood because that’s bull. I do drink blood and eat human food, although eating human food doesn’t give us much nourishment, it’s more so to fend off prolonged hunger and to take my mind off of… feeding. The survey corps provides blood bags from feeding farms to vampires who pay for it and wish to have that option if they’re picky eaters like myself. I try to… avoid feeding off of… humans as much as possible.” Levi admitted with a scowl and low tone of voice. He looked uncomfortable with the question itself and Eren was both happy to hear his answer and confused. He didn’t know why he was so happy; perhaps it was that Levi wasn’t like any vampire he met and showed compassion or perhaps it was because he was stronger than most to resist temptation, either way Eren was proud and ecstatic that Levi was different. “Does that bother you? Do you… hate me Eren?” He questioned softly, his voice almost like a murmur and tittering off to a whisper that Eren almost missed what he said. “No...I don’t Levi. You’re… different and I like you Levi. You took me in… bathed me... fed me...I can never hate you Levi.” Eren confessed with a trembling voice. He could feel his cheeks burn with each word but he didn’t care about his embarrassment. He needed Levi to know how important he was to him. Eren turned to Levi to gauge his reaction and was met with a shocked expression. Levi looked genuinely surprised and in the next moment he smiled happily. Eren was shocked, he’d never seen Levi look at him like that. His eyes almost sparkled and the corner of his eyes crinkled, his thin lips turned up high and his face relaxed. The remainder of breakfast was tranquil as Eren finished, Levi simply observed him and even played with his unruly hair as he tried to tame his wild hair and only gave up after his brown mop continued to begrudgingly stick out. For the rest of the morning Eren followed Levi, never leaving his side for more than a few seconds to simply take the rest of the compound in as they walked to different areas. Levi told him that he could stay with him since all Levi had to do was paperwork and that he could even teach Eren to read and write from where Petra left off. They headed back to the library after they changed and sat down comfortably and Eren enjoyed the sound of Levi’s pen scratching onto the paper and the soft clock in the back ticking as morning soon became afternoon. Every so often Eren would probe Levi to ask if his writing was getting better and Levi would put down his work to check up on his handwriting. Eren loved it when Levi would pause his work to concentrate since it would give Eren ample time to really take in Levi’s micro expressions; like the scrunch of his thin nose or how his beautiful eyes would scan the page as he read each letter. He even sometimes would purposefully write badly on some letters that Petra had previously taught him just to get Levi’s attention, but he would never tell that to the man. They continued like that for most of the afternoon, sometimes someone would come in to see where Levi was and bug him. Hanji had come in later and bothered Levi, whispering something in his ear and he simply shook his head in understanding then shooed her away. Farlan and Isabelle soon followed after and Isabelle made it her mission to bother Levi as much as she could. Eren watched the scene unfold before him as she kept pulling his papers from the neat pile he had made and would scrunch up her nose in disgust then would pull his pen from his hands when he started ignoring her to get his attention. Levi started to get annoyed and told them to leave with a snarl and Isabelle simply laughed while Farlan dragged her off with an apologetic smile on his face. Before long Eren was getting tired and his hand started to cramp from all the writing. Levi seemed to be happy with the progress they had made and said they could stop here. They collected their things; Eren more so in haste since he wanted to stretch his legs and dying to do something else with Levi, while Levi was neat and elegant in the way he carefully gathered his papers and pushed his chair in. They walked out the library, hand in hand and passed by curious gazes and men in uniform that Eren couldn't be bothered with. As they made their way down to the main hall Eren heard voices and saw a huge crowd of vampires and his curiosity won him over as he let go of Levi's hand and ran ahead to see what was going on. "Eren, came back!" Levi's voice sharply called after him, but he was too curious to stop. As he pushed and shoved his way through the vampires he finally made it to the front. There was two children standing chained side by side while a man was holding their chains in his own grubby hands; one boy with short blonde hair and one girl with long black hair and small features. They looked miserable, dirty, thin and tired. They wore muddy, stained yellow clothes and number bands around their arms; the girl's read four while the boys read ten. He had no idea what the numbers meant but it was revolting to see them numbered off like that. Their haggard appearance reminded Eren of himself just a few days ago and seeing them in chains made him seethe in blinding anger. The boy and girl held hands and while the boy had a fearful expression in his baby blue eyes the girl showed no emotion and stood tall. Seeing them like that was making Eren angry and he didn't like it one bit. His blood boiled and he was disgruntled that they treated like animals or livestock. Before he could even take a step further, he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and felt almost all of his anger disappear. Levi stood behind him with a grim expression and observed the scene ahead of them with a knowing expression. "If everyone would please raise their bids if they would like the boy or girl? They are young, both nine years of age human children found in Sina. They're healthy and above all the girl is a virgin. We're starting off the bidding at fifteen thousand." The man announced. "Levi... what is this?" Eren hissed in rage. "It's a human auction Eren. Although Erwin and I have petitioned to stop them happening here at the compound, the severance overruled us and they continue to happen. Trust me, I find this as disgusting as you do but there's nothing you can do Eren. Feeding farms exist and based on their numbers, they mostly are freshly picked and are to be either auctioned off to a vampire here or sent to the feeding farms if nobody buys them." Levi snarled in clear disgust as his hand tensed again Eren's shoulder. "Auction? They're being... sold?" Eren seethed. "Yes." "Levi... please! Stop them!" Eren begged as he turned around and pulled at Levi's arm. "Eren-" "PLEASE! Help them like you helped me!" Eren cried in desperation. "I'll do whatever you want from on! I'll listen to you, I'll be good, I swear, just please save them!" Eren wailed. He couldn't take it anymore; the pain vampire's cause, their hunger, their selfishness. He wanted them to have a chance, just like he did. His heart was beating madly and he could feel his cheeks become wet as fat tears rolled down his face as he stared up into Levi's eyes. The man was startled and Levi looked shocked to see him act out but Eren didn't care, he just wanted to help those two with all his might. "Eren, I don't know if I can do anything as grand as saving them but I'll try. It'll be up to them to survive just like you did all on your own." He soothed as his rubbed Eren's hair gently and Eren felt calmer than before. His cool fingers curling in his hair had brought him out of his dark thoughts and ground him back to the present and Eren couldn't be more thankful for his touch. "Do we have twenty five thousand? Anyone?" "Oh, you dare to hold an auction right in the middle of the main hall in my presence?" Levi suddenly interjected. His demeanour suddenly changed as he gently held Eren by side protectively and his voice bone chilling as he stepped forward. The crowd hushed into a deadly silence as some vampires near the front cowered when Levi stepped forward. "L-Lord Ackerman! What a-p-pleasant surprise. Are you perhaps... interested in any of these humans my lord?" The vampire leered as his nervously gauged Levi's reaction. His eyes landed briefly on Eren and he could feel his skin crawl so Eren huddled closer towards Levi to avoid the vampire's beady gaze. "Interested? In those puny humans? You're joking right? They're thin as bones, the boy smells like a sick cow and the girl reeks. You seriously want to sell them here?" He spat in disgust and growled. "Get out and I hope I don't ever see your disgusting, greasy face here again. You make me sick." "But-" "Didn't you hear what I said? Do I have to repeat myself to a deaf pig like you? Leave the kids and get out of my sight now before I do something you'll never forgot." He threatened. His aura curling around and making Eren tremble in fear. He'd seen Levi irritated but never this angry before and it was something he hope he'd never have to witness again. His voice was completely different than how he spoke to him; cold, low and dark, his body radiating power and his eyes glowing menacingly. Eren buried his face in Levi's stomach and whined from his aura. It was smothering him and he couldn't take it anymore. "F-forgive me my lord!" The vampire cried. He bowed in fear then without another word, ran off and out the front doors. The other vampires in the hall scurried away without a single glance in their direction and Eren was grateful since he didn't know what Levi would do if he was pressured any further. "Eren... it's alright. I'm-sorry for scaring you." He reassured gently as he rubbed his head softly. Eren peeked out and could see familiar kind eyes and a soft facial expression and felt relieved. He was glad Levi was back to normal and felt at ease. Now that he could think clearly, Eren turned around and walked over to the two children. The blonde boy shivered and clung to the girl as Eren approached them. "Don't be scared..I'm human. My name is Eren." He implored softly. He noticed upon closer inspection that they were in worse shape than he thought. Cuts and bruises littered their faces and arms, their eyes were sunken in, cheek bones hollow and hair dirty and eyes hardened. "You-helped us... why?" The boy quivered. "Because I'm human like you. They don't understand your pain, but I do. Levi is different too. Stay with us and I'll help you." He implored with determination pumping through his veins. He vowed he would help them just as Levi helped him. Eren turned to Levi with sadness and uncertainty etched on his face. Had he said the right thing? Was what he was doing right or wrong? What about what Levi? Was he angry with him? All of his doubts and fears were instantly silenced as he gazed upon Levi and saw him staring back with a gleam in his eyes. His face turned into a smirk, almost like he was proud. Eren now knew he had a family and could finally build a home as long as Levi was there every step of the way. Levi had a hell of a ride throughout the evening and Eren kept surprising him the more time he spent with the kid. He didn't know where the sudden boldness and confidence came from but he liked how Eren was starting to speak more and decide things for himself rather than relaying on him to make his decisions. Levi felt proud that Eren was becoming so comfortable to be able to make his own demands; it showed how much more happier Eren was becoming living with him and he knew that at least he was taking care of Eren to the best of his abilities. Eren had grown exceptionally fast mentally over the course of a few days and Levi couldn't be more elated. He watched as the three of the children huddled together and how softly Eren was speaking to them; his movements slow and his face relaxed as he tried to get the other two to relax. He must have learned that from what he experienced and Levi chuckled at that. He was brought out of his musing when Eren jogged over to him and he felt his shirt being tugged at. "Levi, Armin and Mikasa are hungry and they need to shower. It'll make them feel better. Can I stay with them?" He urged with a quiet tone; his eyes pleading with a frown on his face. "Yes you can. I'll get them something to eat, take them to the cafeteria to sit down and wait for me." He instructed. Eren nodded and quickly ran back to his friends and gently coaxed them to follow as he held their hands and directed them to the cafeteria. Levi followed behind but gave them some space since the blonde boy, Armin he presumed, was skittish and the girl glared at him with distaste. He didn't want them more on edge than they already were and he could tell that they'd been through enough. He went and grabbed clean bowls, spoons, and poured them some stew; he thought giving them something light would be best considering how much they had been starved. If they ate anything else they'd throw up and he didn't want to clean up their mess. He already had a difficult time gauging Eren's reactions that he didn't want more of a headache. He joined the three of them at the table and placed their bowls gently before them and sat near the end of the table further away to give them some space. Eren, not liking the distance, joined Levi and sat very close that he could feel Eren's shoulder brush his side as he sat. They sat in silence for a few minutes not moving and observing him cautiously. Levi sighed and felt tired already. "Eat. It's not poisoned if that's what you're thinking." They were still reluctant to eat and the girl's glare turned darker. He huffed in annoyance and was beginning to lose his patience with them. "Please eat. You can trust Levi. He fed me and has been taking care of me." Eren confessed with confidence as he urged them to eat. Their expressions turned shocked at this revelation and the boy, Armin if he remembered correctly, turned to look at Levi then at the bowl and with slow movements grabbed the spoon, scooped a small amount before taking a bite. His face relaxed and a small smile replaced his fearful expression from before. As soon as they started eating, their reservations quickly left as they started stuffing their faces and ate in a hurry. Even the girl couldn't hold onto her stubborn attitude after she took the first bite. They ate quickly and Eren smiled as he watched them. Levi relaxed and rested his chin in his palm as he simply observed the two of them. Levi noticed that their chains were still attached to their wrists and the constant clanking against the table was loud. Judging from the smell of dried blood on them, the chains had to be digging into their skin and his nose scrunched up in distaste. "Levi?" Eren pipped in confusion. "Your hands, give them to me. I'll remove your chains." Levi interrupted. They stopped eating and their expressions turned doubtful. "I don't have all day. Hurry up, I have shit to do and the incessant noises from your chains is irritating." He scowled. The boy seemed more keen on the idea and ever so cautiously presented his hands to Levi. His hands trembled as they neared him and Levi frowned. Clearly they were either abused or experienced some horrible trauma based on the bruises and cuts on the boy's arms, not to mention how he flinched and twitched anytime he would get near Levi. Feeling somewhat unintentionally responsible for their fear, Levi in slight anger, snatched the boy's hand and with strength squeezed at the shackle around his wrists. The metal groaned under his pressure and within a second broke with a loud bang as it fell onto the table. "You next." "It's not 'you' Levi. Her name is Mikasa." Eren corrected with a slight tone of disapproval as he frowned at Levi. Levi jumped slightly at Eren's tone and felt his eyebrow twitch. Did he just reprimand me? The little snot. "Fine.. Mikasa, give me your hands." He grumbled. She grinned slightly towards Eren and nodded almost as thanks then turned to Levi with a smirk on her face as she leaned forward and presented her hands. Levi scowled at her smug expression and made quick work of her chains. Levi swore under his breath when Eren giggled and he ignored Armin's and Mikasa's confused expressions. They continued eating after that and Levi enjoyed hearing Eren talk about mundane things to them. He told them about the compound, how the food was good and how he liked sleeping with Levi. At that, Levi was brought back to the conversation and saw that Armin's mouth was open in shock and Mikasa's eyebrow was raised. He felt his cheeks blush at Eren's blunt words and wished to shut him up before he spilled something else even more embarrassing. "Eren, why don't you get something for yourself to eat while I get Petra so that she can clean these two up and then you can get ready for bed." Levi insisted through clenched teeth as Mikasa smirked at his embarrassment. "Yes Levi." Eren obeyed as he hopped off his chair and towards the kitchen. Levi sighed and could feel eyes on him. Both Mikasa and Armin stared at him and he scratched his head. "You might not believe it, but I found Eren at wall Rose. He was exactly like you two. He hardly talked and only growled at me. He even bit my hand when I tried to cut his hair." He chuckled and stared at his hand, remembering the incident. "What I'm trying to say is that if it weren't for Eren I wouldn't have saved the two of you. You don't need to trust me or like me, but at least put your trust in him. He's... better than me in a lot of ways and as corny as this is to admit to you turds, I... like Eren so I'll respect his wishes and look after the two of you as best as I can." He declared with a huff. He squirmed under their stares and felt uncomfortable in his own skin. He thanked the God's that Hanji and the rest of his squad weren't here to hear him say such things or else he'd have died from their ridicule for all eternity. Before he could tell them to stop looking at him as if they were shitting their pants, the boy smiled and spoke ever so softly. "Thank you." "Sure kid. Petra is a part of my squad and she's trust worthy. You can ask Eren if you don't want to be left alone with her, but she'll help you get situated." Eren came back with three plates full of food and with some difficulty rushed over and nearly toppled everything out of his hands. Levi moved swiftly and took two plates from his hands and put them onto the table for him. They started chatting again and Eren stuffed his face with chicken as he spoke and asked them questions. As they were engrossed in their own conversation, Levi tapped into his mind link and could feel Petra in the back of his mind. He didn't like telepathy since it was private and usually reserved between a bonded pair or vampires that were very close, but he couldn't care at the moment. He had sworn to watch over them and he was a man of his word.
Petra, you awake?
Levi? This is rare, you hardly use a mind link. What's wrong?
Nothing , it's just that I got myself into a bit of a bind and I could use your help.
Oh? Like what?
Just- well I took two human children into my care since they were gonna be auctioned off and Eren was pretty adamant about saving them so I saved them and now they're eating at the cafeteria. I need you to reserve a room in the barracks for them to use and give them a hot bath so they can rest here for tonight until I figure out what I'm gonna do with them.
...I see.. I'll be down in a few minutes Sir.
Right.. thanks Petra.
With her last words the mind link was broken and her presence edged off his mind. Before she left, he could feel her sudden surprise and amusement and he felt even more pissed off. This is why he hated using the mind link. He could tell that Petra knew exactly why he did what he did and her soft voice in his head had sounded amused as he explained the situation. The humiliation was starting to really get stupid and he didn't think he could handle anymore. "Levi, why do you look like you want to take a shit?" He was brought out of his musing when he heard Eren question him as he leaned towards him with concern etched onto his face. "Eren don't say shit. It's not a word you should be using. And I wasn't taking a shi- I mean a dump, I was getting Petra." Levi defended as he reprimanded Eren. "But you say it all the time Levi." Eren argued back petulantly. "Don't copy me Eren. Just-don't use that word again, alright?" He insisted tiredly as he rubbed his face. "Yes Levi." Jeez, I'm gonna have to watch my fucking language now. He's starting to really rub off of me isn't he? Levi thought to himself. "Levi, how are things here? Is everyone finished eating?" Petra interrupted in a chipper tone as she walked towards the table with a knowing smile. "Yeah, you can take Armin and Mikasa to the barracks to shower and rest for the night." He confirmed. "Yes My lord." She saluted then turned towards the kids. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Petra and I'm a part of Levi's squad. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you want to rest up and get some sleep then you can follow me and I can show you around the compound." She beamed. When they didn't move she smiled sadly and got down on her knees to lower herself to meet them eye level and to seem less intimidating. "Don't worry, Eren can visit you in the morning and the barracks are actually close to where Eren and Levi reside. I'm sure you're tired and that you want some peace and quiet. Nobody here will harm you now that you're under Lord Levi's protection. He's kind of a leader around here and nobody can really go against his commands so you'll be safe. There's no need to be scared anymore." She cooed gently at them. Their shoulders relaxed and they immediately unwound after her speech and Levi knew he made the right choice in asking her to take care of them. He was rough around the edges and he knew that his 'bitch face' as Hanji called it, was unfriendly especially for traumatized human children, so he knew he needed someone empathetic to handle the situation. Petra, being an empath, was the perfect choice. Her powers allowed her to read and feel emotions through touch and people's aura so he put his full trust in her. With one last look at Eren, they followed behind Petra and disappeared; the smell of slight dejection and sadness filling the air that clung to them as they left. Thank fuck that's over and done with. Levi thought tiredly. "Levi." "Hmm what is it beastie?" He answered languidly as he leaned back in his chair. Without warning he heard the screech of Eren's chair and the next moment Eren was squeezing the life out of him as he hugged him; his arms wrapping around his neck and his face hidden. "Thank you." Eren chirped with happiness. His scent reminded Levi of honeydew and cinnamon and Levi could tell from his scent alone that Eren was beyond happy. "Hmm." He grunted and pat Eren's back slightly shell shocked from the sudden onslaught of affection. All this touchy feely crap was mentally draining and Levi had had enough for one day. "Alright, I'm exhausted and need to sleep and so do you. Let's go." Levi lethargically concluded as he got up and walked off with Eren in tow. They returned to their resting quarters in peaceful silence and headed towards his room. Eren went ahead and started brushing his teeth immediately and Levi was thankful that unlike before, he was listening and brushing his teeth without a fuss. They shared the sink and made quick work of cleaning up and dressing in comfortable clothing to sleep in. Eren hopped onto his bed and Levi, knowing that Eren would ask him to sleep with him again based on his pleading eyes, relented and turned off the lights and headed to bed. He got underneath the covers and immediately Eren attached himself to Levi. "Good night Levi." Eren yawned. "Good night beastie." With that, sleep had never come so quickly and darkness enveloped him with the comfort of a warm beating heart thumping lightly against his chest. He was woken up by the sound of soft grunting. Levi could smell blood in the air and he was jolted awake by the sudden revelation. "Eren?" He mumbled as he tried to be alert and fully wake up. He heard no response, only more growling, grunting and a scraping wet sound. "Eren what are you doing?" Levi stressed as he turned on the nightlamp next to the bedside table. The moment light encased the room, Levi saw Eren standing in the corner of the room near his bookshelf hunched over with his head down and right arm raised; his back towards him as he continued to growl. Suddenly the smell of fresh blood filled the air and Levi saw a drop of blood run down Eren's arm onto the hardwood floor. "Eren what are you doing?!" Levi exclaimed with worry as he bolted from the bed towards Eren and immediately ran and grabbed his shoulders forcing Eren to turn around to see what he was up to. The sight before him was beyond disturbing. There Eren stood biting on his own wrist; his teeth gnawing away at his flesh as he tried to dig deeper with his blunt teeth. His eyes had a certain bluish glow to them and his face looked feral as he snarled and ground his teeth into his wrist, causing more blood to gush out of his wrist. "Eren stop it!" Levi yanked his hand away from his mouth with force and pulled Eren closer. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He snapped with anger and confusion. "L-Levi?" Eren mumbled in shock. The feral glow of his eyes dimmed and soon recognition was clear to him; his eyes focused in on Levi and blood dripped down his chin as he tilted his head in confusion. "This here, why were you biting your own wrist Eren?" Levi stressed as he growled and shook Eren's wrist in his face to get his point across. "I-I don't know." Eren whispered in a broken voice. "What do you mean you don't know. You were biting your wrist Eren. What made you do this?" Levi insisted. Eren remained silent and his chin wobbled as his eyes turned watery. "Tell me!" "I don't know! I- don't know." Eren croaked as he began to cry. "Eren, please you have to tell me what happened." Levi pleaded with urgency. "It- was a-a voice. A man's voice... he t-told me to do it! I don't know, but he told me to do it! I was hungry and he said that if I did it would make the h-hunger go away. I'm-I'm sorry Levi!" Eren wailed and hiccuped. He rubbed his eyes and started bawling his eyes out. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks and he smeared blood all over his face as he cried. "Shhh, it's okay Eren, I'm not mad at you. It'll be alright Eren." He cooed as he held Eren while he cried. What the hell had just happened? As the man sat in his chair he delighted in the progress he had made with the boy. This was perfect, things were going perfectly. At the rate his compulsion was going, he would have the boy sooner than he thought. He smiled gleefully as he enjoyed his success. "My lord. We have returned." Announced a young boy with a firm tone; his blonde head bowed in respect. "Good, have you done what I asked of you?" The man inquired with a tilt of his head and his blonde wavy hair soon followed; his glasses glaring in the low candle light. "Yes - we have but as you had guessed the boy is being protected." Quivered a young lanky boy. "That's fine, it doesn't matter if he's being protected. I managed to give him a bit a scare. As long as he knows who's in control it doesn't really matter does it?" The man chuckled. "You've been quiet as usual my dear, anything you want to add?" He addressed the young blonde girl. "No my lord." She answered in an icy tone. "Fine, you may all leave. Rest well my children, for your true master will join us soon. I will guide him in our teachings and soon you will serve him once I step down." The man instructed with mirth. "My lord... what if he refuses to assimilate once we have him?" The blonde boy urged. "Then.. it's simple. We kill him."
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Hello lovelies! I apologize for not updating this story in ages. To be honest I'm an extremely slow writer and lazy so when I see comments it motivates me to write. I'll be posting the next chapter for this story some time this week since I have a 3 day holiday from work but life's been busy with home renovations and work!I'll also have a 9 day Christmas holiday so expect some new chapters! I know waiting for them is horrible but I'm trying to get into the habit of writing on a more consistent schedule. I know I've said this a bunch of times but these chapters take a lot of time to write and I'd rather not put out half assed work and give you guys something worthwhile. Anyways there's not set date for the next chapter but see you guys soon!