She was the first cigarette that lead to the disease known as love. She infected and slowly destroyed him, leaving him a hollow shell of what he had once been. It was ironic really, she was the whole reason he stopped smoking.
"You look like shit." Erwin told him as he entered the coffee shop. Levi reeked of cigarettes and cheap liquor. "Rough night?"
"Fuck off." Levi spat, venom dripping from his tongue.
Erwin laughed heartily, Levi pulling a chair out from the table where the other man sat. "Must have been one hell of a party, sorry I missed it."
"Yeah, yeah, where's the fucking waitress?" Levi placed his head into the crook of his arm on the table. His head was pounding with the remnants of a hangover. He craved a good smoke, or another hit of Jack Daniels.
"Better straighten up, they got a new waitress here, and she's real cute." Erwin chuckled.
"Like I'd actually give a shit." Levi's words were muffled as he talked into the table. He heard footsteps approaching then, each step a pounding in his head.
"What can I get you Erwin?" A girl asked. Levi looked up at the woman and his breath caught in his smoke riddled lungs. She had dark black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, showing off her heavily pierced ears. Onyx eyes with blue hints in them shined brightly as they pierced through Levi. A red scarf was wrapped around her neck, a black tank top, and denim skinny jeans were covered by a while apron.
"I'll have coffee, black." Erwin smiled up at the girl, who couldn't be more then 18. She turned to face Levi. He stared at her for a few seconds.
"Uh, sir? What can I get you?" The girl asked again.
Levi finally broke out of his stupor long enough to mumble out a soft, "same." The girl nodded, turning on her heals and walking into the kitchen area. Erwin looked at him, thick eyebrows raised.
"Uh oh, looks like somebody's got a crush!" Levi glared at him as the tips of his ears turned red.
"Shut the fuck up!" Levi hissed, not wanting the girl to over hear them. The 21 year old didn't want the new waitress to think he was some creep. "She's cute, but whatever, not like I care."
"You're using that tone when you don't mean what you say." Erwin smirked. "And your ears are red."
"At least I'm not a 25 year old hitting on a high school student." Levi quipped back.
"She's not a high schooler, she's a college student." Erwin rolled his eyes.
"And how would you know!?" Levi asked a bit to curious.
"Her names Mikasa, she's friends with Hanji, we're going to a part after they close the shop tonight." Hanji was the owner of the coffee shop, and a student studying in the college a few blocks down the street. She took night courses and was currently dating Erwin, which Levi mocked him for constantly.
"She's friends with the four eyed freak?" Levi inquired a bit shocked. Hanji was know to for her quirky behavior and love of living things insides. Levi had always been disgusted when she would talk about the directions they did in her science class, or how she would randomly spent out facts about the human body, usually ones that made Levi's stomach churn.
"Don't start it again Levi." Erwin warned, eyes narrowing.
Levi held his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine, I just don't see what you see in her that's all."
Mikasa walked over with their coffee, setting before them with a small smile. Levi could feel his ears growing redder at how the smile made her pale face light up.
"Erwin, Hanji is closing up around eight, then we can go out to that party she was talking about." Mikasa looked over at Levi. "She says you can bring the cigarette shorty."
Levi glared at Mikasa, who smiled cheerfully at him. He wasn't sure if he should be upset at the nickname, or happy that he was getting a chance to spend time with the beautiful girl in front of him.
"You wanna come Levi? A few other people we know are gonna be there." Erwin offered, winking as Mikasa looked away from him. Levi glared daggers at Erwin but nodded none the less.
"Cool." Mikasa nodded, leaving. Levi took a sip of the hot coffee, smiling a little to himself. He decided today was going to be a good day.
Levi wore ripped black skinny jeans, and a leather jacket as he walked to the coffee shop a little before eight. Erwin walked beside him, wearing a white button up with similar black skinny jeans, though they had no rips. As they entered the coffee shop they saw Mikasa sitting at one of the tables, casually listening to music while drawing on a sketch book. When she heard them come in she stopped doodling and smiled at the two men.
"Good to see you again." Mikasa smiled warmly at them and Levi felt his heart rate accelerate.
"Good to see you too Mikasa, is Hanji in back?" Erwin asked, already heading toward the kitchen area.
"Yeah." Mikasa nodded. Erwin went in back, leaving the two alone. "We haven't formally met yet, I'm Mikasa Ackerman."
Levi looked at her extended hand before taking it in his own, her hands were soft yet strong, lightly calloused, but not enough to be rough. "Levi."
"So how do you know Erwin?" Mikasa asked. She motioned to the chair next to her and Levi sat down.
"We're old freinds, he helped me out when I was younger." Levi shrugged, dropping the subject. "Erwin told me you know Hanji from college, how old are you?"
"18, I'll actually be turning 19 in a few weeks." Mikasa smiled, pulling out her sketch books and continuing to draw. "How old are you?"
"21." Levi craned his neck to look at what she's drawing. His eyes widen as he looked at the stunningly realistic drawing of Erwin. He then scowled, wondering why she was drawing the tall blonde.
"Oh this?" Mikasa looked up at him, lifting the drawing slightly to indicate that was what she was referring to. "Hanji wanted me to draw her something, I thought what would be better then a drawing of the guy she loves more then guts."
Levi chuckled, glad to know she was just drawing the man for her friend. "Yeah, Hanji has some strange interests... I'm kinda surprised your friends with her."
Mikasa shrugged. "My friend Armin has classes with her, and we met through him, she helped me with some projects, and she just kinda grew on me."
"Like a tumor!" Hanji cheered, coming out of the kitchen area hand in hand with Erwin. She smiled at Levi. "Ready to go shortie."
"Shut up Hanji..." Levi grumbled. "Let's just go."
"Okie dokie lokie!" Hanji chuckled. "Follow me!"
Erwin followed Hanji, motioning for Levi and Mikasa to follow. The two got up, Mikasa slipping her sketch pad into her bag. Levi stuck his hands in his jacket pockets, following behind Erwin.
Loud music was blaring as they walked into the warehouse. Levi was just glad it wasn't another crappy little basement party at some college frat house. Mikasa beamed as she ran over to a brunette with green eyes, embracing him. Levi scowled at the boy.
"Erwin, Levi, this is my friend Eren." Mikasa visibly brightened having the boy next to her. Levi dimmed. Erwin shook Eren's hand, Levi following suit, gripping the boys hand tightly enough that he winced. Levi smirked. Mikasa glared at Levi.
"Quite a grip you got there." Eren laughed awkwardly. "Uh, this is my girlfriend Annie, and my best bud Armin."
Two blondes stepped forward, both short one with bright blue eyes, and one with pale blue. The boy wore white jeans and a dark green hoodie. The girl wore a black mini skirt and tight blue tank top with torn leggings. The girl, Annie had her hair up in a bun Andre boy, Armin had a bowl cut.
"It's nice to meet you." Armin said, shaking both the mens hands. Annie simpler nodded, holding onto Eren's arm. Mikasa withered at their connection.
Eren and Annie walked off to go dance. Armin chatted with Mikasa, as Erwin and Hanji ground against each other. Levi sulked on the corner, drinking the cheap beer, keeping an eye on Mikasa. Something about her drew him in, like a moth to a flame.
'Hopefully she won't burn me.' Levi thought with a small smirk. He decided to to go have a cigarette, weaving through the throng of people and outside. He inhaled the sweet burning smoke, exhaling it slowly into the night air.
"You really shouldn't smoke, it'll kill your lungs." Levi turned to see Mikasa standing a few feet away from him.
"Life's short, why not live for the little pleasures.?" Levi shrugged, taking a long drag.
"I never liked cigarettes, they made me cough to much." Mikasa smiled, leaning against the wall, now only a few inches away from him. "Eren always said they were great but I couldn't get into them."
"What's the deal with you and him?" Levi asked, not looking at Mikasa, rather looking up at the sky.
Mikasa looked down. "He's my adoptive brother... He's the only family I've got now.."
"You like him as more than family." Levi clenched his teeth around the cigarette.
Mikasa wilted. "Yeah..."
"But he doesn't like you that way?" Levi guessed.
"... Yeah..." Mikasa moved her hand over to hold onto Levi's. Her hands were cold, just like his, but together they were warm. "It's lonely, you know?"
"Yeah... I know." Levi murmured. They stood in silence for a few minutes, holding hands, turning each other's cold into warmth. Levi flicked the cigarette down, stomping on it.
"Can I kiss you?" Mikasa finally broke the silence with a question that made Levi's eyes widen.
"What?" Levi sputtered out.
"Can I kiss you?" Mikasa asked again. "I've never kissed anyone before."
Levi stared at her for few seconds before walking in front of her. "Really?"
"Yeah..." Mikasa blushed.
"And you're almost 19?" Levi raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever just forget it." Mikasa mumbled. Levi sighed, pulling her down by her scarf. She tasted like cherry lip balm and cinnamon. He tasted like cigarettes and beer. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed her against the wall, sucking her lower lip. She opened her mouth and he explored the wet cavern. He broke away after a few seconds.
"How was your first kiss?" Levi asked nonchalantly.
"Good." Mikasa answered a little breathlessly. "I could have done without the cigarette taste, but otherwise good."
Levi smirked. "Good."
"You should really stop smoking." Mikasa smiled a little. "You'd be an even better kisser."
After that day Levi stopped smoking, trying to get her to kiss him again. And Mikasa started, trying to remember the taste of him.