~~~So, this is actually my first story entry. It starts off slow and takes place before the events of the main story. I've got a lot of character development going and would appreciate any feedback. The main character is different, but not like a Titan. I've had this idea brewing in my head for awhile now. You'll just have to wait before you can find out! All my OC's are based off mine and my friends real/gaming names. For instance, my gamer tag is generally Nightengale Shadowsong. So, if you're wondering where I pull these names from, I'm not THAT original but I won't give full names. So last names will be original...ish.~~~
~~~Full Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or any of its characters. I only own my OC's. Without further ado, please enjoy the story.~~~
Chapter 1: An Interesting Encounter
You make your way down into the depths of the underground as you always have, following the same path as you always do. The smell of rot began to permeate your senses. Ignoring the stench, you check your basket as you usually do to ensure you have the herbs, food and fresh water. Check, check and check. You take a deep breath before heading to the square and see the same eager faces you're accustomed to seeing by now. A smile on your face, you generously hand out samples of your medicinal tea, herbs and several jugs of water as per usual.
"Wow! Nigh~nigh brought more of that tea stuff again today!" A little girl you knew as Laura turned her head in the direction of another girl, her brown hair whipping to the side. "Hey, Izzy! Didn't you say you were starting to feel better? I bet it's 'cuz you're drinking this stuff!" She turned back to you, a grin lighting her face. "Thanks so much, lady!" You smile down at the little girl and pat her head. "Anytime. I'm happy she's feeling a lot better, now. Remember to drink it twice a day, Isabel. I'm glad to see the color returning to your cheeks." She coughs twice before returning your smile with a meek one of her own and nods in your direction. 'Her voice must still be weak.'
It's been awhile since the plague hit the area, but in the underground, medicine was scarce and it wasn't exactly an easy feat to procure medicine for her since the Unicorns usually safeguard the supplies. They don't seem to care for anyone but themselves and those they deem "important" whether you had the money or not. You frown a bit but smile once more when you get to the food in your basket.
"Here you go, everyone. I know it isn't much but I have some apples, bread and potatoes." Everyone gathered around you to get their share of food. You didn't have enough for their whole families but provided extra when you could. The farms you oversee had just started their new crop for the year so there wasn't too much to pass around. Still, you knew a lot of them had sick parents who desperately needed nutrition.
The children were all too happy to receive the food as you knew they would be. It's not like they never ate at all. Food was just really scarce. As you passed out the food, you began asking for the jugs from the other day so you could fill them up again. One by one, the children would put their jugs in front of you and claim their shares of food in return. 'Thank goodness. The trips down here are beginning to grow harder and harder with all the water in the basket,' you thought as the last child set their two jugs down and reached in earnest for the food you offered.
"Ok, does anyone need any of the medicinal herbs? I still have a few. I know they're bitter, but if you chew them, you can stave off illness provided it isn't too serious. C'mon guys. I don't wanna see any of you get sick. Medicine is really hard to come by. It's better if you prevent it now."
A tug at your shoulder drew your attention to a small boy next to you. 'Oh, well this is new,' you think to yourself. You slap on a soft smile and look to the boy. He has raven-black hair and you noticed the height difference. He looks awfully weak and doesn't appear to have eaten a decent meal in days. "Hello, there. I don't believe I've ever seen you around. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting this fine day?"
He glances to the ground and back up at you. "You must be crazy. The day is shit. Must've been raining up there for over a week, now." You laugh softly and take notice of a visible chill running up his spine. "I guess the cold isn't doing you any favors either, huh? Relax, it was a figure of speech. To be honest, meeting someone new always makes a bad day that much better. Ah, where are my manners? My name is Nightengale. Who might you be?"
You watch him as he looks away before he mumbles a name. "Levi. Just Levi." You smile even brighter. "Levi, huh?" You tested the name another time. "Levi." You smile at him. "Glad to make your acquaintance. Would you like some food, herbs and tea? It isn't much, but if you chew the herbs before bed, you can stave off common illness and the tea helps you if you ever do get sick. It wouldn't hurt to drink it once in awhile. It's certainly not a bad idea to have some just in case."
You pull out a small loaf of bread, 2 potatoes and a few apples. You frown a bit and grab more water and food. "It might be a few days before I can come back here. I think I might be getting a little sick, myself. Nothing a little sleep won't fix. But please take these and a few jugs of water. An apple a day, right?" You hand him the food, herbs and tea which he gratefully accepts. He mutters a thank you before he turns to leave, nodding once in your direction.
'Well, at least something new happened today. I'm glad I could offer even a little help to someone new before I sleep. I really need to get my strength back.' You look around at the children noticing Isabel and Farlan talking to the 'Levi' kid. He managed to smile a little and you notice a faint, pink dusting for a hint of a moment before he adopts the same look as before. 'Ah, love. I really hope she gets better soon.'
You gather all the jugs and place them in your basket before waving at the children as you make your way out. Once again, you use the same path as always, a slight frown on your face as you make your way up.
Levi P.O.V.
"Didn't I tell you an angel comes down from time to time? She's cute, right? Oh, I can see her now. 'Oh, Farlan! You're such a man! Please, don't ever let me go.' Am I right? Oh, but dibs, man. I saw that look on your face. You may be able to fool the rest of the world, but you can't escape my keen eye!"
Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, something he picked up from his adoptive "father" before turning to his new "friend."
"Yeah, she's cute, but she's not exactly the brightest. I mean, who comes down here when they're sick just to give a few kids some food, water and medicine. And what is this 'tea' stuff? She said drink it but it's just dried herbs. How do you drink this crap?"
"You boil water and pour it over the herbs. Let it sit for a few minutes and strain it before you drink it. I heard a lot of nobles really like tea, so I feel like a princess when I drink it." Isabel blushes before coughing a few more times.
Levi just lost his mother and was taken in by a rowdy old man he assumed was a regular customer. He didn't have any place to go, so he opted to wait for death when "Kenny" came knocking. He really wished he had this "tea" and herbs before she passed on. Maybe she would've lived. He spared Isabel a glance before speaking up.
"I noticed over the last couple of days your cough seems to have gotten better. Still, that girl shouldn't be down here alone especially since she's sick. If you ask me, she's just begging to be robbed of everything, basket, body and all."
Farlan shot Levi a quick glare before answering him. "She's done that for a few years now. She usually seems fine for a couple days, then starts getting weak. I think she has a weak constitution. Her family owns a large farm behind Maria and an orchard. They usually sell off a lot of the product, but she takes what's left and brings it down here - free of charge." He made sure to put a lot of stress behind those three syllables. "So, it's a natural assumption we protect our own and she's one of us. Got it?"
Levi isn't used to hearing his blonde friend speak like that to him. He's visibly raffled after getting such a talk-down to by his friend. He also noticed Isabel stiffen a bit at his earlier words earning him a glare from her, too. "Tch. At least she's got some protection. Makes me feel a little better about this 'angel' of yours, honestly." He does feel better about it. He makes a mental note to watch out for you over the next few days. He couldn't get you out of his head and he only JUST met you.
When he met Farlan and Isabel, they told him about an angel who visits for a few days. They told him she brings food, water and medicine. He expected something different. An adult, for one. You looked younger than he was. He also expected some blonde hair, blue-eyed woman with a pair of large white wings and a flowing gown. Ok, he pretty much knew that wasn't going to be accurate but he only had "angel" and "just be patient, you'll see" to go on. He didn't think it would be a little girl with medium-length red hair, tan skin and golden eyes. He blushed at the thought of you as he did earlier when he took the food and medicine.
At his words, his friend slipped on his goofy grin and put his hands behind his head. Isabel seemed to relax and gave a small cough before smiling as well. "Mark my words: one day, I'm gonna make her my queen!" Isabel gave a small pout before a look of pure mischief settled on her face. "You would need to be a king before you could do that and I only see riff-raff here."
"Hey! Not cool! You know I'm gonna have this place in my pocket before too long." "Oh, sure you are. I'll believe it when I see it." She offered him a cool glance in his direction. They laughed before turning to Levi. "So," began Isabel. "What do you think of her?"
Levi regarded her with a cool glance of his own. "She's cute, but not my type," he lied. He was excited at the prospect of seeing Nightengale again. 'Damnit. I've gotta stop thinking about her,' he mentally groaned noticing his face heat up again.
~~~Ok, so I'm sure you can tell the eventual pairing here. It will be a lot of developement in the next few chapters so I hope I don't bore you. I think it should be noted this is a couple years after Kenny took in Levi and he was able to develop a bond with Isabel and Farlan. Kenny is still in his life at this point. Thanks for reading and see you next time! ~XOXO - Nightengale~~~