WARNING: Religious themes. I don't think I represented religion very well in this fanfic, so um. If antagonistic religion makes you uncomfortable, please don't read. Otherwise, enjoy.
ALSO: Mikasa, in this story, isn't really "Mikasa", so to speak.
An Alluring Secret, a Black Vow.
He swept through the air, wings fluttering gracefully. Levi, a respected angel from the heavens, was sent to Earth to watch over God's creations.
His only restriction: Don't get too close to them. Watch from a distance.
Sure that this was an easy task, he flew over a small town, watching as humans moved around, going through their everyday life. This is stupid, Levi thought to himself, grumbling audibly. It's not like I can actually stop them from sin. I'm not supposed to interfere...
A loud squawk, and Levi flew headfirst into a bird. Shit, he thought as he plummeted to the ground.
"Damn birds, can't they, of all creatures, see me?" he muttered. It wasn't as though birds sinned, the only creatures on Earth able to do so were humans. He hissed in pain as he tried to look at his wings. Sure enough, the right one was broken.
"I can see you just fine."
Levi looked up incredulously. "Say what?"
"I can see you just fine," the human repeated. A young boy, not more than fifteen, Levi identified, with messy brown hair and green eyes. Eyes that seemed to sparkle, not unlike precious emeralds, only found in the deepest mines.
Something within Levi jumped, and it took all of his willpower not to show it. "That is strange. Humans shouldn't be able to see me."
"I figured, considering that even birds can't see you," the boy said matter-of-factly. Levi frowned, trying to pull himself to his feet, and failing miserably. Damn it, his leg too?
A hand was offered to him. Levi looked at the boy, puzzled for a moment.
"Here. I'll help you." A dazzling smile. Simple, yet it did something to Levi, something that made him want to make their lips touch and -
Oh shit.
Levi reluctantly took his hand. "In case you didn't process this, yes, I'm an angel or something."
"I know that. Jean might think so, but I'm not that stupid. I can tell that normal people don't have wings," the boy said. "Speaking of wings, is one of yours hurt...?"
"Do you think I'd really be here if I wasn't hurt?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Point there... I'm Eren Jaeger, by the way. What's your name?"
Levi looked at him, hesitating before saying "Levi. My name is Levi."
"Levi..." Eren murmured, letting the word roll off his tongue experimentally. Levi took a half step back out of shock, accidentally putting weight on his leg.
"Be careful!" Eren said quickly, grabbing Levi's hand again before the angel could fall. Levi could only hope that his face wasn't red.
Even if it was, Eren didn't seem to notice. "You can stay at my place until you get better. No one is home right now, anyway... Though Armin will probably visit in the morning."
"Is that really all right?" Levi asked.
Eren nodded.
Levi stared at the boy, then sighed. "I'll take you up on that offer."
Eren smiled, his eyes gleaming with happiness. Levi couldn't help but smile as well.
Morning came. Levi opened his eyes, blinking at the light coming in from the window.
"Good morning," Eren said. "I made breakfast already, are you hungry?"
Levi grunted an affirmative, making Eren laugh. "What's so funny?" Levi demanded.
"I guess even angels aren't heavenly in the morning, hm?" Eren said, trying to stifle his chuckles.
"Stupid brat," Levi muttered, forcing himself to a sitting position. "Some coffee would be great."
"Your wish is my command," Eren replied jokingly, and left the room.
That was a joke, Levi repeatedly told himself, trying to stop himself from having impure thoughts. Just a joke.
Eren returned, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. Levi took it gratefully, sipping at it. Not too sweet, but not bitter, either. "Thank you," Levi murmured.
"No problem." Eren smiled, sitting down in a conveniently placed chair. "I'm going out today. Feel free to do whatever, but you don't have to leave. I'll probably be back later in the evening, though."
"Fine," Levi said shortly, drinking more of the coffee. "I'm going to have to get used to walking for a while..."
"Well, the town is open to you," Eren said, standing up. "Surely, you're able to control whether people can see you or not, right?"
"Of course," Levi replied.
"That makes things a million times easier, then." Eren stood up. "It's time for me to go. See you later, okay?"
Levi nodded, and Eren left.
Eren came back before dinner, and he and Levi ate together. "How was your outing?" Levi asked quietly.
"It went well," Eren replied. Levi noticed that he was happier than that morning.
"I see."
The rest of the meal was spent in silence, save the clinking of utensils against plates.
"I'll do the dishes," Levi said, getting up and starting to rinse his plate.
"What? But you're a guest here, I'm doing it!" Eren insisted.
"Shut up and just bring everything to the sink."
Eren didn't argue after that. "Thanks," he muttered, bringing the last of the dishes to the sink.
"In return for letting me stay here."
The human blinked, and the angel finished washing the dishes.
"I-It really isn't a problem, you know..." Eren tried to say.
"Even if you say that, I'm taking part of your rations, money, et cetera."
"Yeah, but..."
"I will repay you," Levi said, vowing not only to Eren, but to himself as well. "Even if it takes the rest of my life, I will repay you."
A few days passed, and Levi found his feelings for Eren growing out of his control. His mind seemed to focus only on that damned brat, and repeated the same words: Make him mine, make him mine, MAKE HIM MINE.
Alas, Levi was an angel, and Eren a human. Such a relationship would be a sin.
Levi healed within time, and he could fly again. He never really strayed far from Eren's town, though, and Eren didn't seem to mind.
But Levi knew that he couldn't stay for long, or Heaven would get involved. And those feelings that he held for Eren had to die down, or he would suffer consequences...
Two days after he knew he was fully recovered, Levi decided to leave without a trace. Making sure that everything in Eren's house was clean as a final act of thanks, he left the house, locking the door.
Oh, how he wished he had left earlier.
"Levi?"
Eren was there, about to enter the house. "What are you doing?" he asked.
Levi stared at him, guilt blocking his throat. "I'm leaving," he said flatly, happy that he didn't stammer.
"But why?"
"I can't stay here forever, Eren," Levi sighed. Can't he just leave me alone?
"Then will you come back?" Eren demanded, his voice pleading.
Levi stopped, his eyes, usually hard, suddenly softening and full of longing. His breath caught in his throat, making it a million times harder to choke out a single word: "No."
Eren's eyes, his sparkling, emerald eyes, they filled with tears. And Levi lifted a hand to wipe them away, hesitating centimeters before impact.
Surely, this won't hurt... He let his hand caress Eren's cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "Don't cry... Don't cry, Eren. Please. I have to leave..."
"Why couldn't you give me a proper goodbye, then?" Eren asked, stepping backwards. But Eren had miscalculated, his foot falling on the edge of the step, and he felt himself falling.
"Be careful!" Levi said hastily, catching Eren before he fell. Oh no.
Eren stopped, laughing up at Levi. "Déjà vu, huh?"
Levi gaped at Eren for a bit, then pulled him up again. "Nostalgic."
Eren smiled, then seemed to remember the situation, causing the smile to fade. "So why? Why couldn't you say goodbye?"
Levi was silent for a moment. "It would have been painful... More painful than when I fell from the sky."
It was Eren's turn to gape at Levi. "I-I don't even know what to think of that," he said finally, laughing weakly. Eren's face lit up all of a sudden, as if he got an idea. "I'll make it less painful for you..."
And Eren threw his arms around Levi, giving him a tight, warm hug.
Levi panicked a bit, praying desperately that he wouldn't explode. It all became worse when Eren muttered three words.
"I'll miss you."
Levi's heart felt like it exploded, and suddenly, he couldn't control himself. He pulled himself away from Eren's embrace, just for a moment, before leaning in and kissing the boy.
Eren gasped against Levi's lips, kissing back for only a moment before pushing him away. Levi nearly fell down himself, but this time, Eren wasn't there to catch him.
"I-I can't," Eren said suddenly, quietly, holding his head in his hands. "This is a sin..."
And all Levi could do was fake a smile and laugh bitterly. "I thought so..."
Without taking another look at Eren's shocked face, Levi ran away, only leaving a single white feather behind him.
Levi screamed, alone in the wilderness, alone in the night. There was nothing he could do, his mind wouldn't let go of Eren.
Taking up one of his two blades, he turned around and let it strike his right wing. Howling in pain, he told himself, over and over again:
"That was the wing that led me to sin. That was the wing that led me to temptation!"
And it fell off, in a bloody mess of feathers, to the ground, where it became little more than dust in the wind. Levi looked at his other wing.
"And this," he whispered. "Is the only thing keeping me from Eren."
With that, he let his blade fall upon his last wing, watching it, too, disappear. He didn't have any regrets.
Using the last of his powers, he assumed a new form - that of a girl's. A human girl's.
Something in him wouldn't let go of Eren, and perhaps it was for the best.
"Erwin."
The Chief of Heaven had called Erwin Smith, the Commander of Angels, to speak with him.
"I hear... rumors. Rumors about you being in love with one of your fellow angels, Levi," the Chief said, his voice booming, but calm.
Erwin bowed his head in shame. "They... They are true, my Lord."
"I see." The Chief's voice was full of disappointment. "For this kind of love to exist within angels... It is truly a shame."
"I apologize profusely, my Lord... And ask for your forgiveness."
"And I will give it to you, Erwin... I can't do anything against your feelings," the Chief of Heaven said. "However, about your love interest... Come closer."
Erwin allowed himself to step closer to the Lord, feeling his immense power start to crash upon him.
A screen showed Levi, slashing his wings off his body, changing into a girl, and leaving for the nearby town. Erwin watched in horror.
"Levi loves a boy. A human boy," the Chief of Heaven murmured. "So much that he was ready to sacrifice his wings."
"I shall go after him," Erwin said murderously. "Your Holiness, allow me to take Levi back... Allow me to bring him back to your side."
"Go," the Chief of Heaven commanded. "We must bring back the lost lamb."
Eren was always lost in his thoughts, after Levi had left. Even Jean could notice.
"Jaeger," he said. "Is something going on?"
Eren looked up, his eyes blank. "No."
Jean took a step back, raising his hands in surrender. "Whatever, Jaeger, just know that if you want to talk, even I'm open."
Eren looked away, staring off into the distance. Jean and Armin looked at him out of concern, then left.
He released a sigh. Did I love him? He wasn't sure himself, but he knew that it wasn't right.
Though, when their lips had touched, something within him burned with passion, so much that he had to push Levi away. Eren regretted it, truly, because the face Levi had made right after...
It seemed so full of pain, so full of despair.
And Levi wasn't coming back.
"Um, are you Eren Jaeger?"
Eren looked up again, at the direction of the soft voice. A girl looked down at him, smiling slightly.
"I'm... Mikasa. Mikasa Ackerman. And I'm new here..."
Somehow, the name didn't get across Eren's mind. "Levi?" he said slowly, quietly.
The girl smiled wider. "You can tell."
Eren's lips spread in a smile, one filled with wonder, with pure happiness. "H-how - You said you wouldn't come back - I-I don't know what to..."
Levi - Mikasa put a finger to Eren's lips. "Shh," she whispered. "I'm here."
Eren laughed softly. "I know... I know now."
Some weeks passed. Eren and Mikasa started a strong relationship. Armin was especially happy for Eren, and got along with Mikasa easily. Jean didn't seem to like the fact that Eren was going out with someone before him, but eventually got used to that fact.
As for their private lives, they were extremely content to have each other. Mikasa remembered her promise to Eren - to repay him for everything, even if it meant the rest of her life.
And she meant to go on with her plan.
But there was one last obstacle to overcome.
"Mikasa, I can do it!"
"Eren, I'm going to the market anyway, so I'll buy the bread there."
"Fine..."
Mikasa left, leaving Eren nearby his home. It was close to the place where Levi and Eren had first met. It brought back so many good memories.
Not far from where Eren stood, a blonde figure in all white was positioned in an alley, a gun ready to shoot.
That, Erwin told himself. That is the man that took Levi away.
Rage filling his heart, Erwin didn't hesitate to raise the gun and pull the trigger. His aim was good, as always, and the bullet hit Eren in the head.
People around began to scream in terror, Eren falling down, without Levi or Mikasa to catch him. He hit the ground, the blood beginning to pour out of him.
Mikasa ran into the scene, having heard the shots, and let out a shout of despair.
She rushed to Eren's body, his soul having left it, and cradled his head. And came to a realization.
My dear, lying cold...
I will spend all my life for you, as I swore on that day.
My sin, against God.
All of my treachery should be paid by my death.
So, I will die for you...
That, I believe, is my fate.
So, summoning the remains of what used to be massive Heavenly power, Mikasa took her soul and gave it to Eren.
Eren's eyes fluttered open, just in time to see Mikasa slowly fading away. She smiled and waved sadly.
"The baker has my order ready, Eren... he knows that we're always together, he'd know that you'd be fine...?"
Eren wrapped his arms around Mikasa, who's appearance changed - she turned back into her first form, her true form... that of Levi.
"Levi, don't go," Eren begged. "I can't lose you, not again!"
Levi hugged him back, but Eren could tell that his embrace wasn't as warm as it should have been.
"You're not going to lose me, stupid brat," he said. "You'll find me." Levi let his hand touch the area above Eren's heart. "You'll find me... there."
And Levi disappeared, leaving behind a single feather.
A black feather...
I guess I joined the bandwagon and became another Shingeki no Kyojin fan... Hope you liked this. I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes, I was half asleep when I wrote this. Please review!