Chapter 1: Unexpected Meeting
Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin
Summary: When an old man who made it his business to dig up people's dirty little secrets is found murdered, the suspect pool is a mile long. Mikasa and her friends suspect the new student and his odd family, not comprehending the magnitude of the secret kept tightly under wraps by the new residents of the town's infamous and cursed Blackthorne Manor. [Modern AU]
Mikasa Ackerman was hungry. No, scratch that, she was starving. It was the first day back to school and she'd prepared everything beforehand, backpack, clothes, schedule on desk, phone charged, everything. Except the stupid alarm clock.
The previous day, while vacuuming her room, she'd accidentally unplugged the clock's wire. The other outlet was busy juicing her laptop, and she was too lazy to go across the room to the second outlet. In her haste to reset the time, she'd left the setting wrong, 4:47 am instead of pm. Now it had come to bite her in the ass. I'm so stupid! The clock hadn't gone off since the setting stated it was seven pm not am.
Scanning the crowd of teens, she searched for the familiar ponytail. Sasha. Which meant food. Mikasa snorted to herself. Trust her best friend to always have a snack. She was dressed similar to her friend in jeans, sneakers, and a simple top, orange instead of green. As predicted, the smiling girl weaved between the gaggle of students and Mikasa's eyes immediately locked in on the item in her hands. Her stomach growled as the scent hit her.
"Hey!" Sasha chirped, standing before her. "First day of junior year. Are you ready?"
"Yeah," she nodded distractedly. Then blurted, "Can I have that? I was running late and I missed breakfast."
"Sure," she held out the most delicious looking burrito Mikasa had ever seen. Sasha pulled out a fruit roll-up while Mikasa wolfed down the burrito. It was gone within a minute.
She took a sip from her water bottle, "Thanks."
The warning bell rang. "Let's go." Sasha pulled out her schedule. "We have Algebra II right now."
"Having math first period should be against the law." Connie fell in step with them, dodging the rushing students in the hallway. "I mean, it's hard enough as it is, but at the start of the day? It's like they want us to fail," he complained.
"Guys! Over here!"
The trio quickly moved towards the short blond-haired teen, easily spotted thanks to his much taller companion. "Armin, Jean," Mikasa nodded, receiving a nod in return.
"Hey guys!"
"What's up?"
"So, first day of school, are you excited?" Armin asked.
"I'm excited for lunch," Connie answered.
"Typical," Jean rolled his eyes. "Let's hurry up and find seats." The five of them had been lucky enough to have the class together and did not want to be separated because they were too slow to grab seats. Unsurprisingly, the back half of the classroom was already filled up. They didn't mind, settling in the front of the two rows closest to the door.
Introductions were made by the teacher, followed by a short getting-to-know-each-other exercise, and the syllabus being handed out. The routine was the same for every class that followed, except for PE where they split into four groups to play a game to learn everyone's names. When the final bell rang, Mikasa couldn't decide if time had gone by too quickly or too slowly.
"It wasn't so bad," Sasha said.
"It's only the first day. We haven't started," Connie wrinkled his nose as if he smelled something bad, "learning anything yet."
"Someone of us enjoy learning new things," Armin said.
"Yeah, but c'mon, be honest, when will we ever use A squared plus B squared equals C squared in real, every day life?"
"So you did learn something," Armin smiled. By now he knew better than to get into to it with his friend, debating the usefulness of high school math.
Mikasa noticed the colorful flyers taped to the walls. "Are you guys joining any clubs this year. It looks really good on college applications." The previous year she'd done baseball with Sasha. "I was thinking of doing something new. You know, diversify and all that."
"You've already started thinking about college applications, huh?" Jean adjusted the strap of his backpack. "Meanwhile I still have no idea what I want to do or where I want to go," he sighed.
"I was going to join the chess club again, but I think you've got a point," Armin spoke.
"I still want to do soccer," Connie declared.
"Maybe we should join one club together," Jean suggested.
"We already tried that last year, remember? It didn't work out," Sasha said skeptically. They'd been unable to decide on one thing they all liked to do together. Since they already went to the movies almost every week, the movie club was out.
"We could form our own club," Armin said.
"Sounds like a good idea, but what will we do?" Mikasa asked.
Outside, the sun shone brightly and the wind blew gently. "I can drop you guys off," Jean offered happily. Over the summer, he'd saved up enough money for his parents to deem him responsible and helped him purchase a blue SUV, used but in tip-top condition, Jean's pride and joy. Having only made the purchase the week before, he'd only had the chance to drive his friends around twice.
"The weather's really nice and I kind of want to take a walk," Mikasa said, and he tried to hide his disappointment. "Thanks though, I'll probably take you up on the offer tomorrow." Cheered up, he smiled brightly and lead the rest of the group towards the parking lot, warning Connie not to spill anything in his baby. She waved them goodbye and moved on.
Her house was a bit of a walk from the high school but she was in the mood for a lazy stroll and decided to take the scenic route. A few minutes later, she was passing the local library and, eventually, the stores selling clothes, shoes, hardware, jewelry, plants, and many, many restaurants and fast food chains. Soon she hit the residential area and ten minutes later, reached her cream-colored two story house.
Snatching the mail, she walked past the small garden and stood under the arch way, pulling out her keys and unlocking the front door. "Ohayo," she exchanged her shoes for house slippers.
"Tadaima," her mother's voice came from the kitchen.
Mikasa's stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten in hours. Her eyes sparkled at the plate. "I was home today so I thought I'd make you some castella," her mother said, "I thought you'd be hungry. So, how was school?" She asked while Mikasa attacked the snack.
"Alright. I mean, it's only the first day."
"I'm going to the store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. Do you want anything?"
Mikasa hastily swallowed and said, "I'm okay." After finishing the food, she cleaned the plate and headed up the stairs to her room. She wasn't surprised to see a video call request on her laptop. Accepting it, she settled on her bed and watched Sasha's face fill up the screen.
Granola bar in mouth, Mikasa quickly locked the door and ran towards the car. She was surprised to see the passenger seat empty—three times in a row, even though she was the last to be picked up—and quickly climbed in. "Hey," she greeted. Four voices replied in return.
"Do you know the answer to the seventh question for history?" Connie asked. "I couldn't find it anywhere! You're supposed to find the answers in chronological order but I read the section that came after question six and before eight so many times I practically memorized it!"
"Hold on." She pulled out a green folder and handed him the paper.
"Why didn't you just Google it?" Jean asked.
"Because," Mikasa answered, "we have to write down the page number where we got the answer. The teacher really wants to drive the reference thing in. And I suspect he doesn't want us to take the easy way."
The students settled in their seats once the bell rang and the teacher spoke. Mikasa began taking her things out and waiting for her name to be called. As soon as the teacher was done with roll call, the door opened. Twenty-eight pairs of eyes snapped to the newcomer.
Mikasa guessed he was around 5'9" wearing sneakers, jeans, a blue and white shirt under an open dark grey jacket. Her first thought was that he had accidentally entered the wrong classroom. Then the dark head turned momentarily to the students and she got a glimpse of his face. Angular jaw and green eyes unlike anything she'd ever seen glanced around the room before landing on the teacher.
"Ah yes, class," their teacher addressed them, "meet our new student." She turned to the teen, gesturing him to speak.
"Evan," he nodded. "Evan Vicchelo."
For some reason, Mikasa had a strange feeling the name sounded foreign on his tongue. It didn't...roll off like it should. Like it was something he'd rehearsed. Of course it sounds rehearsed. Wouldn't you practice introducing yourself? Shaking off the silly notion the new guy was a stranger to his own name, she listened carefully.
"...just moved here, he's new to town so make him feel welcome." Whispers broke out as she waved him over to hand him the syllabus and other papers. "Why don't you go find a seat?"
Mikasa expected him to move towards the empty chair near the back, on the opposite side of the room. By the window. And the group of beautiful girls no doubt touching up their hair and smiling flirtatiously at him. Instead, he started walking towards her. Her heart began beating erratically. She let out a soft breath as he sank gracefully in the seat before her, closest to the door.
Swallowing, she allowed her heart to return to its regular pattern. Mikasa's brain ruled her, not her heart. But that didn't mean her hormones didn't act up from time to time. Evan was handsome. And he smelled amazing. She felt no shame in admitting she found him attractive. Who wouldn't? The lesson began and she turned her attention to the teacher. One didn't get straight A's by spacing out in class.
When the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, she gathered her things and waited for her friends. Armin and Connie looked contemplative, Jean unhappy, and Sasha had a wide grin on her face. "You like him!"
Mikasa's head whipped to the empty seat for a second, and she relaxed. "Who?"
"Evan, duh." Her facial expression clearly said she hadn't missed Mikasa obviously checking Evan's seat to make sure the teen in question wasn't present. "I saw you staring at him."
Rolling her eyes, she threw her backpack over one shoulder, "Is he handsome? Yes, I'm not blind. But that doesn't mean I want to date him. I know next to nothing about him. He could be a serial killer for all I know." Wanting a guy based solely on his looks? Absolutely not. "Besides, university is two years away. I have more important things to focus on."
"See? Don't be ridiculous Sasha," Jean shook his head.
"But I already imagined your children! You'd make such beautiful babies!"
"If you think he's hot, you can have him."
Evan wasn't just another pretty face. He was easily a talented athlete as well. Mikasa almost laughed at the stars shining in the coach's eyes. Without a doubt, the coach wanted him to join the basket ball team.
"I can't stand that guy."
Jean, who seemed to have developed some rather...negative feelings towards Evan in the single week he'd been there, glared. Connie swallowed a mouthful of mashed potatoes and followed his gaze a couple of tables over. "Why? I've talked to him a few times. He seems okay to me."
"Seriously? He always acts so high and mighty. Like he's too good for everyone. Trying to be cool and acting like he just wants to be somewhere else."
"I think that last part applies to most of the school's student body," Armin pointed out.
"Yeah, like I said, high and mighty. I just—"
"You guys want to watch a movie tomorrow?" Sasha interrupted, not in the mood to listen to Jean go off on yet another tangent about the school's hottest piece of gossip.
"Is there anything good out?" Mikasa asked.
"There's a new zombie movie out. You can never have too many zombie movies," Connie said. "It's got the fast ones."
"Great idea! We need to expand our knowledge for the impending zombie apocalypse." Sasha looked into her empty pudding cup and tried to steal Mikasa's.
"I'm okay with that." Mikasa slapped her hand away. "Not that."
"I'm in."
"Sounds good."
The first glorious weekend of the new school year. Teens flooded the mall, walking in groups, phones in hands, ducking in and out of stores. "We should get a boat," Connie suggested. "I'm sure if the five of us saved up money together, we could buy one. And fishing equipment."
"And learn how to make sugar," Sasha crumpled up the candy wrapper and tossed it in the trash. "And salt too."
"You're all crazy," Jean rolled his eyes.
"They would add some positivity to our otherwise miserable lives. And they'd be great for trade, too," Armin pointed out.
"It's fun pretending and all and being preparing for it, but let's keep in mind that zombies aren't real."
"There's a gun range close by, my uncle's a member. We can go there," Mikasa added.
"You too?" Jean shook his head. "Don't feed their fantasies," he groaned. "There's never going to be a zombie apocalypse. It's just not possible. You—why are you looking at me like that?"
Connie groaned. "He's done it now."
"I've done what?" He asked irritably.
"You're cursed Kirstein," Sasha shivered. "Every time you say stuff like never or always, you jinx it."
"What?" His eyebrows shot up. "The hell are you talking about?"
"Remember when summer began and we made plans to go to the beach? The forecast predicted a rain shower and you were convinced the weatherman was an idiot—"
"Because he is. The weather report isn't always right."
"Well it was certainly right that time," Armin said. "It was nice for about twenty minutes and then we got soaked in a cold shower."
"And when we were buying candy for Halloween for my parents to pass out to the trick-or-treaters," Mikasa said. "You were in such a hurry and insisted it was enough. And how 'there's always candy leftover.' And then what happened? We ran dry within the hour and our house got TeePee-ed."
"And the time you said Gonzalez never gives pop quizzes."
"And when you said your neighbor's dog is always kept inside and made me get the ball. I still can't see a Chihuahua without heart palpitations because of that demon."
"There's also that time—"
"Okay, okay, jeez. What, do you guys keep a list or something?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Duh."
"It's on my phone if you want to see it," Sasha offered. Jean grumbled the entire drive back.
"Hey honey, how was the movie?" Her father asked, glancing up from the TV.
"Pretty good." She checked her phone. "I'm gonna change and go out for my run."
"Alright. But be careful," her mother said.
"I know. You say that every time." In her room, she changed into sweats and a long sleeved shirt before grabbing her blue music player. The days were shortening with the sun setting earlier. Headphones in ears, she began jogging.
Modest, two-story houses with grassy lawns, trees, and flower bushes sat across and next to one another with a wide open road in between, some had cars parked by the curbs and some were hidden in the garage. It was a middle class area mostly occupied by families.
She passed her favorite tree, a drooping willow in the front yard of a pale yellow house, and continued down the street and ran past the road that lead to a small playground with children screaming and laughing while parents and nannies kept watch. Her nose wrinkled when she spotted the dark brown house and hurried by it.
Everyone knew who lived there: Old Man Wald.
No one knew his last name. Or if that was his last name. But they knew him by his other names.
The Gnat.
Mosquito Man.
The Grinch.
Three of many titles for one extremely nosy old coot with too much time on his hands and a powerful digital camera. He hated children, teenagers, puppies, kittens, birds, flowers, hippies, the color yellow, holidays and just about anything positive. He made it his business to air people's dirty laundry.
Wald was the most despised man in town.
Mikasa had once spotted him at his mailbox, packed, no doubt with death threats, and she could swear he almost seemed pleased by the large number of hateful responses. No one knew why he was such a mean-spirited jerk. Or how he managed to take compromising photos of his victims. Despite his girth, he moved like a cat.
Going her usual route, she found herself running by the cemetery. Mindful of the long shadows caused by the big yellow ball in the sky now dipping into the horizon, she decided she'd just enough time to pay her respects to her grandparents' graves before going home. The cemetery lay near the edge of their community, bordered by a forest. A few miles out was a fence that ran around private property. Including the most famous piece of real estate in town: The Blackthorne Manor.
Like all the children raised in their small corner of the world, she had grown up hearing tales of the haunted house that had once housed the Blackthorne family. Legend had it, they had fled England to avoid persecution—some claimed the charges were for witchcraft while others believed they were vampires—and settled in a fledging town.
According to rumors, one night, a bloody massacre had wiped out most of the family. The sole survivor had been too traumatized to ever speak again and moved away. The authorities had claimed the carnage had to be caused by something.
Mikasa thought the whole thing was a steaming pile of bullshit.
An exaggerated tale created by people with hyper imagination and too much free time.
Considering the kinds of things people used to believe back then, she wasn't at all surprised.
There was absolutely zero proof of any of that. But some people got real offended when she pointed out that the manor was built just a few decades back while the witch trials were held centuries ago. And there weren't any records of suspicious deaths—only an elderly caretaker with one foot already in the grave suffering a heart attack. His children kept the place in great condition, if Sasha's cousin's mom, the real estate agent, was to be believed.
Besides, Mikasa had seen some of the photos of the interior. It looked like something out of a designer homes magazine. But hey, if people wanted to blindly believe the Blackthorne Manor was cursed and housed deadly secrets of its previous supernatural residents, who was she to stand in their way?
She made her way towards her grandparents' gravestones and talked for a bit. Mikasa found it rather cathartic to verbally speak about worries and annoyances that weighed her down. It always made her feel better, lighter, afterwards. Standing up, she was about to head towards the gate when she noticed a flash in her peripheral vision amongst the green of the forest.
Curious, she went to investigate. Much to her shock, she spotted Evan, accompanied by a large animal, which she at first thought was a wolf, then realized it was a Siberian Husky. He was probably taking the dog out for a walk. Evan was kneeling before his large pet, a chiding look on his face. "You know you're on a strict diet, it's for your own good."
The canine's head tilted.
"Making cute faces won't work on me, girl."
She let out a soft whine.
Evan nodded, "Now, Luna, be a good girl."
She stared at him with her pretty blue eyes.
"You know I can't."
Mikasa could literally see his resolve crumbling. It was...endearing. There was something very attractive about a man being all cute with pets—and children—without any macho bullcrap.
Luna dipped her head a little and whined again. Evan sighed, then carefully pulled out a doggy treat and unwrapped it. "Just this once, okay? It'll be our little secret."
I can't believe he broke. Mikasa smiled, recalling the crazy rumors. "Yeah, he's a real vampire..." Just then a draft came by, carrying her voice.
Evan's head snapped up. Mikasa froze, unable to tear her gaze away from the piercing green eyes locked on her. He stood, face closed off. She could see the gears turning in his head. Before she could speak, anger overtook his features, "What the hell are you doing?"
"I was just at the cemetery and I—"
Disgust replaced anger, "For the last time, I am not some blood-sucking loser from one of your sick little fantasies!"
What?
"And no, I will not bite you or fuck you because you want to be some undead freak!"
Blood-sucking loser? Bite her? Did he think she was under some delusion he was a vampire? "Oh! No! I only—"
"Keep the hell away from me you creepy necrophilic!" Evan glared heatedly. "You psycho emo bitches need to get a fucking life. Because I will get a restraining order. Or maybe I'll sick her on you."
Mikasa took a step back as the terrifying, way too wolf-like dog growled menacingly.
With that, Evan turned and stormed off, leaving a shell-shocked Mikasa behind.
I) Wald is a character in the anime, the Nobleman playing Chess with Pixis. I prefer using actual characters from the original story, if possible, before creating an OC. And his name reminded me of Walder Frey from Game of Thrones.
II) Yes, Evan is Eren.
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