Archive of Our Own

Wind tickled its way into gore splattered hair. Levi surveyed the field of carnage briefly before ramming his sword into the next opponent. His sword slide easy through the flesh of his enemies. The grip on the blood encrusted handle tightened. He was getting tired but he breathed calmly through it taking a deep breath before raising his weapon high to block a downward swing of an axe, dropping him to his knee with force. Sweat rolled into his left eye while he tasted grit and bile on his tongue summoning the strength to push away quickly and drop his sword.

Catching the other fighter off guard and with a speed no one else possessed through years of practice, twin blades made their way into his hands. A surge upwards buried one to the hilt into an opposing warrior’s stomach as the second spared his back from being cut open from another attack. Levi allowed the momentum to carry him around and the first sword made its way into the ribs of his second attacker.

The twin swords were an extension of himself moving easily in and out of the glorious flow of murderous intent. He cut down any and all challengers one after another adding to the brownish sludge at his feet, careful on the slick terrain. They would come now. With the reveal of those twin blades everyone knew who he was. The angel of death had shown himself on the battlefield. Levi smirked. He had gotten his strength back, that sword had been holding him back. Let them come he thought as he shifted his grip on one blade.

~~~

“You’re getting old Levi.” Petra’s small hands roved competently over his wounds. The prostrate man grunted his agreement but sighed watching the fire light throw wicked shadows of her diligence on the wall. She was working on a rather nasty slice on his back.

“If only I lived to be much older.” Levi felt a stillness in Petra’s fingers before they left him. Water sloshed in a shallow bowl. He didn’t have to turn around to see her emotions and still it made him shut his eyes

“Why, Levi? Why are you so intent to die?”

“The answer was simple. “I will die anyway. It is how I chose to do so.”

Her angry steps could be heard across the floor.
“What is the point of patching you up then?! Every time Levi! You have everyone so worried but then you fight with such fervor and no one can touch you! You fight like you want to live and then this? Why?”

Fuck, he was tired. “Thank you, Petra.”

The door opened at the clear dismissal, hinges creaking lightly. “Will you tell us one day, Captain? Tell me one day?” Petra didn’t expect an answer but as she went to close the door she thought she heard one. Petra wasn’t one to normally lie to herself but she thought it best to forget that admission. People were fluid when it came to decisions that seemed to weigh so heavy.

Hange looked over from his place in front of the fire as Petra made it into their room. Erwin and Erd looked up from their checkers board. Olou was out like a light determined to get some rest on a bed instead of the floor or the ground. Petra looked around the old wood framed but cozy room.

“Where’s Mike?”

Erwin answered as he made a move on the board. “Making our travel arrangements.”

Petra sighed and sat heavily in the craggy rocking chair near the fireplace. Hange turned concerned eyes on her.
“How is our little guy doing?”

The petite doctor didn’t address the question immediately which brought the attention of the room back to her. The fire reflected in her unstraying eyes. “Physically he will heal but he is fatigued.” She shook herself and a scowl covered her face transforming it in the harsh light. “I’m glad that we were only brought for one day. If we stayed ‘our little guy’ would be putting himself on the end of a sword by the end of this skirmish.”

Hange smacked his hand against the mantel while his lips compressed. Erwin hummed absentmindedly and Erd silently made his move on the board.
“He needs time to rest Erwin! Why are none of you as concerned? Am I the only one here that thinks we ought to be avoiding battles?”

Hange answered venomously, “We know that! We are just as unhappy as you!” The thin man ruffled his ponytailed hair, not wanting to look Petra in the eye. He sighed and shook his head and decided on glaring at the ceiling instead. “But we know him. He is determined in this path and if we are not with him….”

Erwin finished the sentence not ashamed to meet Petra’s eyes. “We would only be letting him die alone.” Erd, knowing that the game was now abandoned, sat back in the creaky chair as the fire popped into their silence.

~~~
Eren’s sharp green eyes scanned the frozen tundra of his home from under dark frosted eyelashes. The falling snow beautiful and deadly like most of nature’s gift. The gift she had given to him as well. Thick bare muscular arms hung loosely at his side, stark tan against the white and black backdrop of jagged mountaintops. The white wolf pelt that covered his hips and part of his thighs only offered the minimal amount of warmth but he could not feel the chill with such heat roiling through his veins following the blue whorls tattooed across his skin.

In the spring when everything would be lush and green, a time to burst with life and rejoicing of survival, they would come again. Those invaders, the supposed conquerors. They were nothing and knew nothing and claimed this land as their own. Arrogance that he would take pride in snuffing out. A predatory snarl pulled his lips back against his teeth. This year he was able to take part in the conflict and they should fear. They should be ready to meet their deaths. He was going to kill them all.

~~~

It should not have surprised Erd to see Levi working with his throwing knives while being confined to a bed. The dangerous man was laid out on his stomach, arms in front twirling his knives back and forth across nimble fingers.
“Where are we going next?”

“And hello to you as well.” Even if Erd couldn’t see his face the roll of eyes was evident. The recent additional scar across Levi’s back was healing nicely but that may have also been a curse. Levi healed fast and he healed well. There would be no death for him there but it left little time to find other outlets for the short man to focus on before he was ready, willing and looking for another fight. It was a disadvantage to his friends but this time Erwin may have found a way to get their short friend to rest.

Erwin had explained last night that they would be going across the ocean. There was apparently quite a fight over resources with the locals. Titans they called them for their fierceness, feats of strength and ability to defeat many with few. A legend in the making and worthy bait to dangle in front of Levi. They would be on a boat for a least a month allowing Levi and themselves rest, reprieve and maybe insight into Levi’s strong minded dive to the underworld. As Erwin had said, “We go, Levi gets the rest he needs, fights the locals and wins or that rumor is true….and we give Levi the death he has wanted.”

Erd looked at his friend with helplessness. “We leave for Shinganshina.” The smooth movements of the knives stopped shortly before resuming at an almost slow and contemplative pace.

“Tch.”

~~~
They always seemed to miss one another on the field of battle but that did not mean they did not know one another or occasionally spot one another. The speed and elegance could not be missed like the ferocity and vehemence could not be ignored. Both groups of friends silently consented to not let those two meet. It was too great a risk and yet they were drawn to each other like two lions determined to fight over territory though it was unlikely the loser would be cast out; one or both would surely die.

“You come out here alone. You must want to die little one.” A black obsidian dagger made its home at the jugular of his neck but not without his own finding a snug space at the base of his attacker’s groin. As he got the distinct impression a boa constrictor wrapped around his neck, a dark humorless smile passed quickly over Levi’s face.

“It is a hobby of mine, yes.” A deep hum of approval traveled from the board bare chest of the native and down his spine. This was to draw the nomad out but he hadn't expected the other to show so easily. Confident this one. “You speak our language well.”

“Know thy enemy.” Eren took in his enemy’s scent and found it surprisingly pleasant and mostly interesting not like the others at all. It at once collided with his instincts that said protect and destroy. It was jarring sensation. “Why are you here?” he asked abruptly shaking himself out of his thoughts genuinely confused by his own reaction. No, this man was like the others. Destruction awaited him only.

Levi appreciated the curt roll of the ‘r’ off the nomad’s tongue. Their language was musically toned by nature and thus Eren’s accent made the language stand on its own syllable pitched notes. “Know thy enemy.”

They both stiffened and Levi slipped a throwing knife out before Eren registered the movement due to his own distraction. He silently cursed Mikasa for her interference. Now Levi had her in his sights and even if she was hidden behind the dense foliage, he knew the man he was holding would find his mark and if she tried to kill Levi from that position he would surely be left for dead if the tightening on the knife at his groin had anything to say. Mikasa had ruined any chance of this conversation being held on even ground.

Mikasa realized her mistake and stood from her spot, her powerful core and lean long legs on display. The red horizontal stripes tattooed across her cheeks deepened from anger at being caught and distress at endangering her brother. Even if she turned to run now, the small warrior's blade could do damage. It may not kill her but he could also feint and go for killing Eren. They could all die here. Eren started to address her in their language when the man demanded, "In English!"

If her glares could kill, there would be no need for this standoff.

Eren growled. Where there was Mikasa, there were surely others. One that could get antsy about ending this stalemate especially if Sasha was watching with far sight eyes and notched arrow. He did not want that kind of death for this one. “We leave.” Eren’s voice carried over the canopy, clearly ordering any others to obey that message.

Both deadly positioned weapons retracted. Levi keep his throwing dagger up in preparation of warrior woman’s lithe and thus subtle movements. Mikasa moved away first with Eren following behind deliberately blocking Levi's threatening wariness and Mikasa's burning vendetta, but then he turned. Levi was momentarily stunned by the wild deep green eyes he had not been expecting. The tall fighter seemed equally taken with his storm gray. Someone finally, finally worthy.

“I accept. Meet me,“ His one long green earring swayed as Eren pointed to a section of bluffs that could be seen above the trees, three miles from where they stood. “There is a clearing on the other side. Tonight the moon hangs high and bright.”

“Tonight then.”

Eren did not acknowledge before disappearing into the brush and trees. He was this wilderness, Levi thought. Tame him and you claim all. His heartbeat was thunderous in his own ears. They would fight!

Oluo looked on from his vantage point as Levi walked out of view. He disapproved of those beasts trying to get the best of his captain. Levi had survived this encounter somehow probably because he was smarter than them but there was no telling when they would try to get rid of the man.

"Tch."

Even though he couldn't hear any of the conversation, Oluo looked over in the distance to where the brute had pointed. Climbing down from the tree and swinging to land on the ground, Oluo thought it was most likely a trap and he would have to tell Erwin at least what he had seen.

~~~

The night was full of promises.

From the first move, they broke savagely against one another. There was no holding back, no mercy, little compassion and great respect. It took no time at all for them to understand one another, how Eren would offset Levi's speed by pushing forward into his actions, how Levi would sidestep Eren's brutish strength by curving against his movements. When they would meet it was always, equally, be a death strike that never landed. They would pull away only to crash into one another again. An unspoken agreement that there would be a victor to this, not just a survivor, not just a draw. A victor, winner takes life.

Shallow nicks and cuts covered their bodies. Sweat stinging against the blood flow. So focused on one another they were that they missed the beauty of the fireflies glowing in the dense dark cover of trees. So focused on each other's unrestrained brutality that they missed the sliver reflection of that high bright moon on the tall stretches of grass they were engaged in. So focused that they almost missed it.

The arrow that pierced right below Eren's right shoulder was meant for his spine. The tell-tell 'shick' of an arrow's flight through the air had been much too close before it registered for them. Their eyes confirmed instantaneously that they were working together. Eren didn't evade Levi's oncoming attack, letting him pulling his body around but Levi did not use the secondary force he would have needed to lay Eren out on the ground. Instead once the arrow stuck Levi pivoted so Eren stumbled forward, landing on his knees. Levi grabbed the arrow shaft forcing it all the way through, having accessed that it had not and would not hit anything vital. An assassin’s arrowhead would likely be loosely tied so as soon as Eren’s blood wet the tendon the arrow would come apart leaving the arrowhead in. The roar of agony sounded. Biting down on his hand just to get a juxtaposition of the pain helped Eren get enough bearings to slice through the shaft to cut away the tip. Levi snatched out the now broken projectile.

The shorter warrior scanned the area, waiting listening, fuming until he was certain whoever it had been was long gone. Eren sat on his thighs, red blood making a small stream down his back. Levi's eyes widened when he saw the wound from the front and even as only Eren's eyes followed his track of discovery he could not be more unnerved. It was trickling black.

Eren stayed perfectly still, slowing his heart rate which was hard given what he had been doing prior and the trauma having accelerated his blood flow. He assessed the damage the poison was doing to his body. He was certain he would survive it well. His father had been a shaman and so Eren had many run ins with poisons both accidentally and intentionally. Without the anger that was usually present at the thought of his father he was grateful, for once, to the man. Besides it had not been in place long.

Levi's splayed hand on his abs surprised him but Levi's lips on his wound startled. His fist clenched as Levi sucked out the poison. Honestly, the little warrior was not helping. His heart rate was starting to pick up and he knew the poison would do nothing more than discomfort to him but he was very unsure of what it would do to Levi. Again, Eren was confused about his instincts. Apparently today, right now, it would be to protect. As Levi turned back after spitting out the poison, he found Eren's much too determined eyes.

He had lowered his guard. Large hands wrapped around his throat, drawing him close and deadly in their strength. Believing his end had come Levi closed his eyes at first but then decided he would see his end only to find artificially dark green eyes meeting his own while warm lips pressed dare he say gently against his. A sweep of a hot tongue across the seal of his lips caused a silent inquiry that Ern took advantage of, like he would in any battle. Eren’s tongue licked his way into Levi’s mouth resolute in removing any poison found there. Very thorough and resolute. Levi’s hand that was not on his chest raised to tightly grip his forearm. A sudden and passionate desire stirred and there the burnet ended the kiss abruptly, releasing the smaller man and sitting back. Honestly! The little warrior was not helping!

Levi’s heart hammered in his chest for other reasons he was going to ignore even as he licked his lips. He could easily say he had never kissed or been kissed like that in his life. To incited lustful hunger. And so it took a moment before he realized what the dumb brat had done.

“Fuck! What is wrong with you? I’m supposed to sit here and watch you die?! Best fighter I have ever seen, going to gut-“

Eren looked on feeling that he may not know what all the words meant but he did get the distinct feeling that he was being fussed over…and lamented.
So the burnet cut him off, “I will be fine.”

Levi looked unconvinced. “Fine. Fine?…great, you’re an idiot.”

A frown appeared on the native’s face making him look much younger than believed. He was also getting the impression he was being insulted and still it amused him to some point but he could clearly see that his most admired opponent was quite shaken. Luckily he already knew what he wanted to use as a distraction.
“What is your name?”

“My name?”

A quirk of his lips but otherwise he remained still. The poison was being broken down in his body but leaving the beginning of a headache and blurry vision. He lowered his own voice in an effort to get Levi to lower his own and provide less vibrations.
“Yes, your name.”

Grey eyes silvered by the moonlight looked over the nomad. Well, if he wasn’t keeling over in excruciating pain by now maybe he was telling the truth. The profound sense of relief was unsettling especially after that…unexpected contact. Hell, he was too flustered to even call it a kiss in his own mind. This man was the road to his demise without regrets. Nothing more and so he curtly answered the question without any further thoughts.

“Levi.”

Eren seemed to be tasting the name, rolling it against his tongue before once again causing Levi’s hackles to raise alarm as the burnet smiled. Predator.

“Levi,“ A name held much power. The way Eren curled his syllables around that name was an ownership to the tone that was unmistakable. “Call me Eren.”

Levi tilted his head a smirk on his lips. Both angels and demons are equally terrifying and when predators look on each other in mirth it is horrifying.

~~
He stood outside the tents shrouded in darkness, arms folded and waiting. Erwin’s feet hesitated as Levi stepped out from the shadows.

“Levi.”

“Erwin.” The blond’s heart skipped a beat. He can’t say that there was much warmth anytime his friend spoke but this was a void of emotion.

“I take it you venture was too successful? No fun?”

“You take me to be stupid?” Calm, too calm. Erwin was now confused and turned to face Levi head on.

“What are you talking about?”

“The next time someone interferes they die. I don’t care if it’s fucking guy who hired us. They will die. Understood?”

It dawned on Erwin what must have happened. Word had gotten around that the new force of nature that they had been seeing on the field was none other than the prince of the Τiτᾶνες, the Titans. Seeing him in action and appearance it seemed to hold some truth. He was the only male to wear an earring, his tattoos were more ornate and the team he fought with was over and above expectations. Reiss, the man that hired them, must have heard about Levi’s meetup and decided to take advantage of it. Truthfully he could not fault the man. It was a perfect opportunity, only the would be assassin missed and now there would be repercussions. There was no talking about this now so Erwin just nodded and Levi nodded back.

~~

Eren awoke to Armin’s clearly disapproving face and roving diligent dark blue eyes. Pulled back at the ends, shaggy shoulder length hair and the few braids fell forward as he stood from the ground. The burnet moved to sit up but quickly rethought the idea. Apparently Armin had cauterized the wound while he was unconscious. He vaguely remembered little warrior, ah Levi, and himself going their separate ways. He had thought his body had broken down enough of the poison to risk speeding up his heartrate and slowly walking home after they had made a poultice. Apparently he had been wrong.

Armin came back with soup in a wooden bowl. He had quickly realized there would be no hauling Eren back to the village and so had spent the night caring for him. Mikasa was going to have a cow when they did return. How Eren had found himself wounded and unconscious definitely needed to be answered sooner rather than later.

Armin scooted behind Eren and pushed him into an upright position clearly uncaring of his friend’s whining or complaining. He let his prince rest against his chest before encouraging Eren to shut up and drink down the soup while running his fingers through soft dark chocolate strains soothingly.

Once the soup was polished off, Armin began his questioning because Eren seemed content to stare into the fire and nothing more.

“I should know what happened Eren.”

Eren’s gaze shifted from the fire to looking at Armin out the corner of his eye, knowing Armin had probably figured out most of what had happened and that his best friend had the foresight to come find him was appreciated. “You do know you are my favorite brother in law.”

A snort expressed amusement and mockery. Jean was also married to Mikasa but Eren did not have to tell him he was the default favorite. He could only imagine if it had been Jean to find him instead. “If that is your way of asking will your secret be safe with me, well, I can’t say I will weather the wrath of your sister lightly. Better to tell me now and we will see what I can do.”

“Hmm.” Eren put down the finished bowl of soup and relaxed against Armin’s chest, letting him take his weight. Placing a fist over his heart, the prince began, “I did go to meet little warrior but he did not do this to me. He came to fight one on one but someone else interfered.”

The blond remained skeptical but did not interrupt and Eren rolled his eyes. “I know what you are thinking back there but he is….” Eren could not properly but into words how he knew Levi would not have betrayed him and how it felt. “Do…do you remember four summers ago when we were caught out on the plains? The lightning storm? How fast those clouds rolled upon us, the wind driving so fast it bent the grass almost flat? You remember that instead of laying on our stomachs with our heads down we laid out on our backs and watched the most magnificent display with awe and reverence. Breathtaking surety in the awesome might of the nature within and around us. I felt that again tonight except now I know how those dark green expansive plains felt against those grey clouds.” Blue eyes followed the path of Eren’s hand as he reached towards the ever lightening sky, spreading his palms against a non-existent ceiling. “It was joy, Armin. Pure exuberance.”

~~

For a week Eren was not seen and Levi lingered outside of the clashes. You would think that one man could not affect a war but the Titans were furious over the wounds to their prince. Eren’s guard came in his stead and slaughtered. Reiss’ troops had gotten a morale boost from Levi’s team being out on the field and now that team refused to fight and all the while, almost every evening, saw Reiss losing ground. Erwin was quickly running out of excuses and Reiss’ troops didn’t seem to have the capacity to carry out his strategies without guidance on the front line. This tiny rebellion on Levi’s part might very well see them all dead but he did get Hange and Oluo to lend a hand here and there after the first two days which seemed to pacify Reiss for a time.

Three more days in and Erwin wanted to pull out his hair and then a finally a breakthrough. The prince of Titans had finally appeared again and just as quickly Levi appeared. They did not wait for any signal, just rode to meet one another and dismounted. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Erwin had never in all the campaigns he had been a part of watched legends be born but it felt like a moment everyone who saw it would carry. Someone had informed Reiss and so soon enough Reiss’ mount drew closer to Erwin. Of course when the fighting was at a standstill he would crawl forward.

“What the hell is your boy doing?!”

Erwin shrugged not taking his eyes off the two in their battle stances. “Making a decision without regrets.”

~~

Levi scrutinized the prince as he stepped down from his horse. The blue whorls stood piercing contrast to that dark tan skin. It was only a distraction if he let them be and so he forced his eyes to move on to the arrow wound, frowning slightly. He wanted an equal fight.

“Your movements will be limited on that arm still.”

Eren smirked as he moved smoothly into position, sword raised in his left hand watching Levi’s surprise. His left was his dominant hand but it was his ace. It was not often he got to reveal it.

“Do not worry. I will kill you.”

And Levi laughed, truly laughed as he slid his right foot back, falling into position. His twin swords ready.

“Eren.”

Unadulterated satisfaction.

“Levi.”