AN: Hey, everyone! Sorry about being dead. I'm not dead anymore. I imported a lot of the ideas in this fanfic from Kuroneko Kareshi no Asobikata, a yaoi manga that I highly encourage everyone to check out! While they won't match up and I will incorporate my own twists and turns on the reality of this AU, I still got the idea from it and cannot say it sprung from my own imagination. Please be aware that I am busy and chapters may come out at differentiating speeds. Hope you enjoy!


It was warm, the sheets curled loose about his frame. They moved with his tossing and rolling, caused no restriction for him to spread out and find himself a pleasant position to doze in—which was not of the usual. The mattress seemed to fit him properly this time, not too thin and not too short. He would have imagined it easy enough to find someone like himself a properly sized bed; he did not come up past most anyone's shoulders, and yet the trouble remained.

But now, it was gone, and the man was allowed to stretch and roll and lie comfortably upon his back. Behind his eyelids could he see the faint hints of sunshine peeking through the shutters. It was only more heat to relax his muscles.

He wished it could remain like this forever, stay quiet and dark and—

"Levi." The deep voice broke whatever semblance of placidity he had managed to scrounge up, the lights suddenly flickering on, sheets yanked off of his nude body. Instantly did Levi curl, face burying into his pillow as a string of vulgarity was allowed to slip through his lips.

His enemy was hardly fazed.

"Levi, it's already past seven. You're supposed to be up by now." Lolling his head toward the side, glowering something fierce over his pale shoulder, Levi's eyes caught sight of Erwin looming beside his bed. His sheets were held tight in a fist, which was resting at the blond's hip in an almost flustered sense. It was no surprise. This happened more or less every morning. Levi slept in as long as he could get away with it, until Erwin found him on the living room floor still and grew fed up. Lately, his fuse had grown shorter, Levi noting the time getting earlier and earlier with each passing week. Was Erwin becoming serious, perhaps? Sure, he wanted him to get a job, but that had been going on since a few months ago.

Rising, stretching out and listening to cracking joints, there were soon clothes hitting his face. Lifting a hand to smack them off, Erwin was already sitting down on the couch to tie his shoes.

"Get dressed. We're leaving soon."

A sigh filtered into the air, Levi's body flopping back onto the spare bed and draping his shirt across dusky eyes.

"Levi—"

Another, louder huff from the black-haired man.

"Levi."

"Alright," the smaller male admitted in defeat, standing and shuffling his way toward the bathroom. "But I'm taking a shower. I don't care what you say." The door was shut behind him before the other could protest.

It was the normal sequence of events, really. If Erwin did not pester and prod him to wake up and get ready each morning, Levi would find himself quite befuddled. The blond had been generous enough to offer his living room around June, seeing as Levi had no money to afford a condo of his own—nor food, for that matter. But such was life, and Levi was well acquainted with it by now.

People like him were born to wander. They did not have a 'home', so to speak, but slept wherever they found pleasing enough at the time. That was how cats worked, he realized, and Levi did not see himself as anything more. Erwin would have disagreed, would have told Levi he was more human than he thought, but he never listened. Erwin was, understandably, kept from knowing the full extent of his reasoning. Levi had no interest in sharing personal opinions with a man that he hardly knew—or desired to not know. People were kept at arm's length. The shell that had formed about his exterior was as thick as steel, impenetrable unless from the inside out.

His years of living had taught him nothing more than to be untrustworthy. Humans were far more selfish than felines. He hated the lot of them.

It was late October, and the leaves that had settled on Erwin's front porch were eyed with some fatuous temptation. He wanted to pat and toss them about in a horrendous flurry that could only ever cause strife between him and the human he resided with. He was well-behaved in comparison to those siblings and friends that at one time stood by his side, but Levi now found himself a singular entity when Erwin did not stubbornly squeeze his way into his business. Even now was he patting shotgun in his car. Levi knew the drill by this point; he did not refuse to sit down and allow himself to be driven around town.

Orange, brown, and red bled through the city, peeked from behind glass superstructures and continuously flogged the streetlights whenever a gust of wind decided to stir.

Thin lips parted to allow a yawn to slip by, Levi settling himself onto the median that separated Erwin and him from one another. The cat was not ignorant to his company's harsh inspection.

"Sit up. I went through a lot of trouble getting you this chance."

"I don't recall forcing you to spend time on me."

"It's not my choice when you sleep in my living room." Levi fell quiet. He had neither the intention to combat that nor the words to try and defend whatever dignity he might still hold. "You need a damn job. You can't sleep the rest of your life away and mooch off my wallet."

"I never asked for your help." Erwin only took their temporary brake at the red light to send a darker glance to Levi. The topic was a touchy one, but Levi didn't seem to care much for the other man's feelings. He didn't see why Erwin gave a damn in the first place. So what if he was mooching off his money? He could throw him out if it was that much of a hassle. The blond had no reason to be taking care of him to this extent, no underlying duty to humanity that would force him to sacrifice time on Levi.

And it certainly wasn't out of the goodness of his heart that he pounded these facts into Levi's consciousness every waking moment. Unless Erwin was some sadist, the feline felt correct in his assumptions concerning the blond.

But despite all of that, it was a fair argument. Erwin either had no proper answer to contest Levi or he felt no desire to express one.

They lurched forward. Silence befell the car much to Levi's approval. Talkative in some respect, Erwin was not a favorable partner to interact with in these closer proximities. Huffing, fidgeting, and attempting to find a somewhat decent angle to doze off, grey eyes opened only a minute later when feeling the blond park.

It was unlike most other places Erwin had dragged him into. The building was painted in light shades of pastels. The painful colors seemed to attack the fiery trees surrounding it, clashing viciously with an almost sickening vertigo. There was a billboard perched atop the left side and on it a gratuitously positioned woman whose age surpassed that of most any social regulation. Sun-bleached, the letters across the bottom were as faded as her charm; whatever makeup she had boasted before fell victim to the white smooches and abuse caused by rain. The trails almost acted as tears of some sort, dripping down her face and smearing the outlines into a perverted state of disarray. The billboard overshadowed a creamy-pink roof, which too apparently suffered years of natural wear-and-tear. Scaffolding hung limp across the building's waist. Levi presumed someone had opted to fix the place up, but even it swayed and creaked under the slightest breath of wind, abandoned and more or less forgotten.

Cracks and blemishes marred the parking lot's countenance, the tips of Levi's shoes occasionally finding themselves trapped within a crevice, the cement pleading for attention. The place was a damn mess, he thought to himself.

The black-haired man pursed his lips.

"I don't like it."

Erwin ignored him, using his side to prop open the nearest entrance. The glass was of that old making, crystallized or frosted. Levi could recall the look falling out of style when he was a child, and the fact that he was seeing it again in the present only made the edges of his mouth twitch with irritation.

The inside of the building was a tad nicer than first thought. The carpets were vacuumed, the walls kept clean of smears. There was the monotonous noise of cheap, fluorescent lighting that fell in and out of hearing when making their way down the hall. With his sharp senses, Levi imagined it possible to drive him nuts sooner or later. But for now it only was there, resting in the back of his skull. Pictures of abstract images and shapes were hung on either side. There were photographs of people, too, women and men scantily clothed to show the network of muscles and bones beneath grey skin tones. They were far prettier than the billboard they'd spotted outside, but something was off about them, primarily in the faces. The feline couldn't quite place his finger on it, but there was a significant feeling of trepidation wafting from each. Their faces expressed deeper discomfort, all of which seeming inexperienced in front of a camera.

Levi only followed Erwin; the blond seemed to know where he was going, after all.

"I don't like it," Levi repeated louder. His voice echoed in the staircase, but Erwin only plodded onwards as if the other had said noting at all. The cat grimaced; this wasn't fair. Upstairs was colder, unlike the first floor. The air conditioner seemed to work and the feeling of dust clinging to skin was not so prominent. Erwin stopped at the third door down, black, plastic letters spelling out something he could not exactly read. While intelligent, Levi had never spent much time in school. It was why job-hunting was more or less impossible.

Soft cream walls encroached into his sight, the polished wood floors faintly glowing with the natural light beaming in through a glass wall overlooking the vista of skyscrapers rising from crowded, city streets. Clean of fingerprints, the sight was something Levi would have hoped to admire. But there was a stranger coming out from the bathroom nearest the office desk sitting sentry against the left wall. He was lean, youthful, with a boyish air and impressively bright eyes. They sat shadowed beneath fair lashes, turquoise in hue, but speckled with flecks of green kindred to that of a seashell. Levi felt impressed almost, though soon lost interest in the brunet.

"I'll be with you in a sec." He dug about behind his cheaply painted desk, Erwin and Levi listening to the man open and slam drawer after drawer. "Just need to find a pen. I think—oh." The brunet popped his head back up with a vacuous grin quirking thin lips. Shoving a paper folder beneath his arm, the brunet tromped over with his hand outstretched and eager to greet them both.

Erwin accepted it. Levi promptly slithered his hands into the pockets of his jacket. The stranger seemed impervious to the blunt disregard in spite of Levi's subtle wish to offend. The cat was asocial by nature; it was not uncommon he ignored most any stranger met.

"It's nice to meet you both. I'm happy you could make it here with the traffic. Real pain in the ass, making it through downtown at eight." A talkative fellow, Levi noted, Erwin apparently undaunted by it. The blond only agreed heartily, offering a low laugh to further endorse it.

Frankly, Levi was still mulling over the thought of it being eight in the morning. He hardly ever got up before eleven. What the fuck was Erwin thinking, dragging him here at this hellish hour? No wonder he felt like his eyes were still closed.

"Hopefully it wasn't too difficult for you two to find? The place is a bit old; I'm only here because the rent's so damn cheap."

Grey eyes lidded. Levi was intent to take a nap throughout the causerie.

"It wasn't bad," Erwin reassured. Levi felt an elbow push into his rib, digging in and rousing him from whatever doze he'd fallen into. Grimacing, he shot the blond a sour look. Erwin remained impervious. "We took the back roads, so we managed to miss the thick of it."

The brunet, though quick to initiate his polite introduction, was also quick to end it, tugging out that paper folder previously shoved under his armpit.

"For starters," he began as he handed a paper toward Levi, "you can call me Eren, and I'll just need you to fill this out real fast so we can start talking over the details." Levi looked over the sheet. It was all a mess of shapes and lines to his eyes, the feline staring for a good while before turning the application over to check the back. It was blank. "Here's a pen," Eren added, that shit-eating grin still plastered on his tan countenance. Levi's gaze settled on teal eyes. Erwin could see he was hesitating and didn't pause to gently peel the paper from Levi's hand.

"Ah," hummed the blond, offering Eren a quick, charming smile before returning to look over the questions, "we already filled this out. I replied to your email, right? Erwin Smith?"

The brunet snapped his fingers loudly, the edges of Levi's lips twitching at the sudden noise.

"Of course! I completely forgot to mention that: broke my laptop last week getting out of my car. Shitty thing practically cracked in half; I haven't been able to check my email since then. It's fine. It won't take long. Nothing bad with the old fashioned way of doings things, right?" There was a momentary pause from Erwin at this, his smile standing strong despite the slight unease swirling beneath blue irises. They rolled in their sockets to glance back over the questions.

"No, no, of course not."

He was wrong. Levi felt his heart thrum hard in his chest. A low hum interrupted the three men, Eren turning toward his desk to grab at his vibrating phone. Levi noticed it seemed to be as cheap as the rest of Eren's office, a grey flip-phone with all but anything unnecessary.

"If you'll excuse me real quick." He was moving toward the door already, looking back as he let his hand clasp the steel doorknob. "Erwin, was it? Seems I forgot to refill my parking meter. You wouldn't mind tagging along while he fills out that form again, would you? I had a few more things to ask about before we got any further."

"Not at all."

"Erwin," muttered Levi, trying to catch his attention, command he not leave him here alone. He knew damn well he couldn't fill out this form. But they were gone before he could stop them, the black-haired man standing lonesome amidst the spacious office. For a time, he simply stood there seething. The application crinkled in his fists. The cat felt like shredding it to pieces and stomping out. It was not like anyone could stop him; Levi was his own entity and he decided what would happen. But it was fate that declared him trapped. Erwin was his ride back and the blond would be no less than furious if Levi were to abandon this 'gem' of an opportunity.

He found himself bending over the plastic desk and biting the cap of his pen off. He held it uncomfortably in a fist far too tight to be natural, thumb overlapping the rest of his digits. Might as well half-ass something and make Erwin do the rest when he got back, the cat told himself. He could write his name, couldn't he? There was nothing to it. Just a few curves and straight lines and—

Grey eyes blinked as if trying to clear his vision, the man pulling his hand back to see what he had just done. It was definitely curved, but there was hardly anything straight about it. Not to mention the letters had begun to tip downwards, committing suicide off the thick, black line offered for him to sign on. But the 'L' sure looked nice, if Levi said so himself. While he had never been thoroughly taught English, Erwin had been helping him out with the problem. Dotting the 'i' at the end, the circle meticulously colored in and far outweighing the skinny line holding it up, Levi realized that he did not know what Erwin had put for his last name.

Cats didn't have last names.

What the hell was he supposed to say?

Flushing, the tips of his ears turning a soft pink, the man went about attempting to jot down Erwin's instead, realizing it would probably look quite awkward. They were almost offensively unrelated to one another by looks and personality. Sharing a last name would put Erwin and himself in a scrutinized position, but Levi honestly did not know what else to do. Better than nothing. It would have to do for now.

Not like he planned on sticking around long, anyways.

With the first question completed and he feeling a bit more capable, Levi dragged the butt of the pen down to the next number and squinted a smidge.

What did that say?

Levi furrowed his brow and tried haplessly to see it more clearly. It didn't help. The words were beginning to run together, and as he tried saying them slowly, patiently inside of his head, it became a mess. Erwin had said to try it aloud, consciously pause and put a space between each sound and word, and Levi sheepishly took a glance over his shoulder to make double sure no one was around. Not a soul could be heard in or out of the office other than the low sounds of car horns.

He sucked up whatever embarrassment he felt for himself and moved the tip of his pen lightly over the first word.

"Geh—Guh—" Levi stopped, blood rushing hard into his cheeks. He sounded so fucking stupid. "Bullshit," he hissed, smacking the pen down hard on the desktop and standing up straight. This was useless; he couldn't read without Erwin. For once, Levi would admit to needing the bastard. The cat crossed his arms over his chest, maroon sweatshirt bunching around his neck and irritating him further. Levi yanked at it.

Fucking stupid Erwin.

Fucking stupid job.

Dragging a hand through his short-cropped hair, Levi supposed it would be best to just wait for the two to come back. He frowned. They'd probably laugh at him, laugh at how pathetically idiotic he was. But, there was not much else he could do, and so he settled down in the rolling chair on the other side of Eren's desk.

It wasn't long for them to return, Erwin looking somewhat rushed. Blue eyes looked to grey, Levi sending him a curt, sour glare. The blond should have known he'd need his help, the shithead.

"Sorry about that," Eren apologized, the feline standing from behind his desk and moving back to wait beside Erwin. He wanted nowhere near the brunet when he saw the unfinished application. Levi was embarrassed enough already. Eren picked the paper up and took his seat back, the chair creaking under his weight. Bemusement filtered in his turquoise eyes, but he seemed to veil it neatly the next second. Levi felt his muscles tense beneath milky skin. Erwin looked to be just as uncomfortable. "Well," Eren began in a slow voice. The application was placed back down on the table, those bright eyes rising. "I guess I didn't give you enough time to fill this out. I have some pictures sitting downstairs waiting to be mailed. I'll let you two finish this up while I get that done. Sound good?"

For a moment Levi was confused. Was he not going to say anything? Surely it was obvious he couldn't write. Eren couldn't possibly miss that. Or was he just not going to mention it? Grey eyes fogged with his bafflement and he missed the small grin Eren offered before the brunet was gone.

Erwin moved first, leaning down over the desk and beginning to write down the necessary information. Levi stood quiet behind him with his hands deep in his pockets. Silence overwhelmed them both; the cat would have rather they just left all together.

"Your name looks good." Levi looked to the blond. Blue eyes were focused on the paper instead of him. "Have you been practicing?"

"It obviously doesn't matter if I have or haven't," hissed the feline, black bangs brushed away with a rough hand. "Couldn't read a fucking thing." Erwin finally glanced up from his writing, marble-like countenance becoming sympathetic. Levi turned away. He hated being pitied.

"What couldn't you read?"

"Shut up."

"Was it this?" The blond placed the pen over question two, Levi's face scrunching in annoyance. His silence was as good as any answer. "That's gender. The 'g' makes a 'j' sound sometimes. I know it's confusing." The smaller man remained silent, but Erwin didn't seem to mind. Instead, he just continued filling everything out, ignoring the tiny, snarky comments Levi voiced every once in a while. Erwin already knew he didn't want to be here. Griping wasn't going to change his mind. "You put my last name as yours?"

The cat's lips pursed, pretending to find sudden interest in the buildings outside. Blue eyes crinkled in amusement, though Erwin said nothing to further bug him.

"I don't have a last name. I hardly have a first name."

"Of course you have a first name," Erwin hummed, seemingly used to these squabbles they shared. Levi only rolled his eyes indignantly. "You're more human than you give yourself credit for."

"You hardly know me, so don't start spouting off crap." Blue eyes met grey, clashing brilliantly against one another. Erwin left the topic to die; it was best not pester Levi too much on the subject of his human half. Besides, the other was under enough stress as it were. The blond filled out the rest of Levi's application in a dutiful manner, making a mental note for himself to practice writing and reading with Levi soon. Maybe when they got home Erwin could push a lesson onto the younger man. It was apparent they'd been slacking off too much.

All the while was the feline wandering Eren's office, his hands shoved into his back pockets as he snatched the chance to admire the vista. The sunlight had finally managed to reach above towering, glass buildings. Levi had to avert his gaze so as not to blind himself by the glare, just another reason why he preferred the later hours of the day.

"There," Erwin spoke after a time. Levi didn't turn. "Next time, I'm not going to fill this out for you. You're going to have to do it yourself."

"Whatever."

"Not 'whatever'. You need to be able to read and write on your own. Are you just going to rely on me for the rest of your life?"

Grey eyes became dangerous.

"I'm not going to be hanging around for that long, jackass. You're the one that made me stay, not the other way around. I don't need to do anything. It's my life and I'll do whatever the fuck I want with it."

Erwin felt a miniscule spark of frustration become hot in his chest, burning behind his broad ribcage and scorching the inside of his throat. While immensely patient, he too had his limits. He wanted to help him; he wanted to make Levi capable of taking care of himself. The blond had found him at the lowest point of the young man's life, and Erwin only desired to bring him higher, make him stronger. He never wanted to see Levi like that again—or anyone, for that matter.

The door was opening, Eren reentering the office with a few envelopes shoved under his arm. Levi felt almost relieved to see the brunet. He meant an end to Erwin's and his arguing.

"Sorry 'bout that," Eren chirped, trotting back over toward his desk before picking up Levi's application again. Teal eyes rolled side to side as he read through it, the two men waiting beside him standing on shifting feet. "Looks good. Levi, have you ever done photography before?"

Photography? The cat pursed his lips before answering with a low, "No." He could have guessed this would come up, the pictures hanging around the hallways enough evidence of Eren's occupation. Levi did not feel comfortable with the thought. He didn't like his picture being taken; he didn't like being stared at. It was risky enough for someone like him to be filling out personal information. But Eren only seemed to be further encouraged at his blatant inexperience. His grin returned full force.

"It isn't hard at all. You've got the look to manage without knowing the ropes. I'm sure you'll do great. I've needed a new face for a while and you fit the bill." Tan hands clasped together over the top of his desk, Eren leaning forward toward the black-haired man. "So, want to give it a shot? We'll start with a few practice shoots before we try ironing out payment details. If you have the talent, I'll make sure you get a fair share of the profits we pull in." Levi's face scrunched sourly, hesitation forming a lump in his throat.

"He'd love to."

No, he would not love to.

"Perfect! We'll start on Monday, eight o'clock."

No, it was not perfect.

"He'll be there." Erwin was already placing a hand on his shoulder to lead him off, the black-haired man silently seething. Eren was quick to add that he'd need to bring a few extra sets of clothes before they left. Again did Erwin answer for the both of them, Levi unable to resist being nudged down the hall and through the staircase.

He felt unable to speak. Pale lips pursed and grew thin across Levi's sour countenance, the frothing desire to throw a tantrum itching toward the back of his throat—and he certainly could if he so decided to act on those writhing emotions. But he found himself back in Erwin's car and still deathly silent. The fiery trees passing in a blur outside only reminded him of the rage burning hot underneath his ribs, scorching his lungs, making his organs feel charred. Erwin did not seem to find it appropriate to speak, either. His callous hands were wrung taut around the steering wheel.

Levi had never felt so relieved to see Erwin's apartment complex. In fact, the minute the lock clicked up was the cat out and stomping up the stairs. He was determined to keep as far away from Erwin as possible; he wanted nothing to do with that asshole. Reaching Erwin's apartment, pale hands gripped hard at the doorknob. He yanked it hard. It didn't budge.

Damn locks. Erwin had the key.

Levi, forehead crinkled with agitation, gave a repugnant glare to the other man as he finally caught up and began unlocking the door.

"Could've just waited." Blue eyes met grey and they clashed. Levi was slinking inside without a word of retort before the blond could say anything more, Erwin following soon after. He found the black-haired man settling himself back onto the couch, slumped into the cushions and refusing to meet his gaze. It was not surprising. Erwin felt no personal harm; he was used to Levi's aggressive—and somewhat fatuous—tendencies. "You must be hungry."

"I'm not fucking hungry."

"You still have some tuna left," droned Erwin, ignoring the cat's defiance and beginning to snoop around his pantry. There was a minute or two of reluctance on Levi's part before he moved to lie sideways, feet propped up on the couch's arm.

"Leave it cold." A low hum of amusement rumbled in the blond's chest. As much as the other man wanted to remain an enigma, Erwin felt he practically had him figured out.

He didn't take long to pry open the last can and empty it out in a bowl. The cat could become quite grumpy when he wasn't fed at regular intervals, and Levi was already peeved. Erwin didn't mind much, of course. The younger would get over it soon enough.

Levi did offer the blond a solemn stare as he set his food down on the coffee table, rising with nimble grace and reaching out to yank it closer.

"Hold it." Erwin snagged the bowl up. Grey eyes narrowed into violent slits.

"Give it back, jackass."

Levi was instead handed the empty can of tuna.

"Not unless we work on reading. You can start with your tuna cans. I'm tired of cooking for you; if you learn and memorize the directions, I'll buy some more." The cat attempted to swipe at the bowl, but Erwin stood at his full height, far out of Levi's reach. "Nuh-uh."

"Why are you being a shit?"

"Why can't you learn to read?" Levi puffed a moment. Erwin swore the black-haired man didn't even need fur to look fluffed and furious. He did perfectly well right now in his own skin.

"Fine. Fucking fine." The blond gave a wide grin, the cat swatting away the bowl from his hands the minute it came into his reach. But before he could pierce the tender meat and begin raking it into his mouth was Erwin settling beside him on the couch, sinking the cushions and alerting the cat to his far-too-close presence. The blond offered him the empty can.

"Come on. It isn't that bad, Levi."

The other gave a snarky breath.

"To you it isn't," muttered the black-haired man. Taking the cold can into his palm, Levi looked it over a moment and turned it around to where that white box was. He wasn't entirely stupid; he at least knew that was where Erwin always looked.

"What's the first line, the big, bold letters at the top? Read it out to me."

"Asshole."

"Levi."

"Dipshit."

Erwin gave a heavy sigh and ran his index finger over his temple, Levi already scooping a forkful of tuna into his mouth. He did not read the directions; the can sat forgotten on the coffee table.