Snowy streets, filled with many children dressed warm in their thick jackets and other most needed winter clothing to keep them warm as they made their way to school. Some kids were chatting with each other, some were walking alone or passing each other on their bikes.

A young 9years old girl with brown hair reaching down a little past her shoulders, wearing a pair of thick framed red glasses decorating the lightly red from the cold big nose she had, was walking down the snowy white streets with three of her best friends. Mike Zacharias a tall for his age with dirty blond hair kid, which had a habit of sniffing at people and afterwards smirking at them, a smaller blond boy with thick eyebrows and owning the same nickname 'eyebrow' much to his demise along the way too Erwin Smith and her long time since Kinder garden days already and her only blond female friend as well, Nanaba.

"Hanji you know already what you will get for Christmas?"

The young blond girl asked the brunette curiously, frowning as she noticed her best friend paid barely attention to her, rather being occupied gazing at the her surroundings and the Christmas decorations.

"Not yet."

The lights in various colors were shinning beautifully from any houses they passed. Christmas music could be heard playing from the inside of some houses, coming out of some of the windows they walked by or the smell of freshly baked cookies.

Hanji couldn't help it but be fascinated every year anew by all of this. She loved the winter season even if it was very cold and she could get sick more easily. Christmas time was her favorite time of all and not just because of the presents. But rather because she loved decorating the big Christmas tree in the living room and seeing her relatives she cherished a lot all together was simply the best for her.

Passing a dark alley between two sparkling with Christmas lights houses, Hanji's footsteps came to an sudden halt along with her thoughts of Christmas cookies her mother promised to make for her today.
Squinting her eyes together Hanji could swear one of the three cardboard boxes standing in the alley, did move oddly just now.

"Hanji? What's wrong?" Nanaba asked as her three friends walked up to her in confusion. "If we gonna hurry up we gonna be late."

"This cardboard box was moving just now. I'm sure of it."

All four of them stared at the box Hanji was pointing at. But nothing happened.

"Probably it was just the wind or a mouse"

Erwin shrugged with his shoulders and already started walking up ahead again, followed by Mike. Erwin's dad was a history teacher, why he never came late for school and only had top grades to make his father proud. His parents were divorced so Erwin living with his father alone made him turn into a daddy boy and he would never dare to do anything to make his dad disappointed with him.

Nanaba pulled Hanji's arm but she shrugged her off, not believing Erwin's words and making her way into the alley.
Crouching down next to the box it started shaking again, this time even stronger as before which made the brunette smirk satisfied for being proven right.
Even Nanaba saw it this time and rushed up to her.

"Careful Hanji. What if it bites you!?"

"I am wearing my winter gloves. I don't think a mouse can easily bite through it. I'm gonna open the box now. I have to Nanaba, what if it needs my help?"

Just as the words left her mouth Hanji carefully opened the cardboard box, revealing a shaking from the cold, alone black kitten sitting in one of the corner of the box and hissing at her, his little ears pulled backwards signaling it would attack if any of them would come closer.

"A cat. Why are you alone you little thing? Come here, I'm not gonna hurt you. I will help you."

Hanji smiled warmly, not feeling intimidated by the black kitten hissing at all, stretching her hand inside the box, to let the cat sniff her and see she was meaning no harm, Hanji waited.
Confused or curios Hanji was not sure but the black cat took a few steps out of the corner, ears perking up again and his body language relaxed as it inspected Hanji's hand.

"That's a good boy. Now come here. You must be cold out here. Where's your mommy?"

Taking off her green wool scarf Hanji draped it carefully around the whole kitten like some kind of nest. Being inside the soft cushion of warmth now the black kitten seemed to relax even more. Hanji didn't hesitated at all and picked the small thing up and holding it close to her chest in a protective manner.

"This is a lot warmer, right? My mother made me this scarf, you know?"

Getting on her feet Hanji looked around but seeing nothing. No mother cat. There was no collar around it either so Hanji doubt it had an owner.

"And now? What are you gonna do with it?"

Erwin's voice surprised her as he stood suddenly next to her along with Mike again. As soon as they noticed the girls were not following them they came back.

"It needs our help. It will die alone in this cold at this rate."

Hanji scratched the top of his black head smiling as she heard small purring sounds coming out of him.

"You can't bring him to school." Mike reasoned but Hanji didn't listen.

"I will hide him in my bag until school is over and than bring him home. If they caught me only I will get punished, right?"

Walking past her skeptical friends, Hanji walked into direction to her school.

Maybe this was some kind of Christmas miracle as well that brought their fates together.

Today school was the most stressing day she ever experienced in her life.

First getting him in her bag was an adventure in itself since the black kitten rather wanted to stay close to her and her body heat instead of the stuffy and reeking inside of the bag. Her school books she gave to Nanaba to have more room for the kitten and not by accident have him hurt.

Making sure no one of her classmates noticed him either whenever she shortly checked up to him was another mission in itself to accomplish.

During the long break and free time Hanji disappeared with her bag into a female school toilet stall. At least she could be mostly alone in there.
Pouring some water from her bottle into her now empty lunch box she put it onto floor before she took the black kitten out of her bag and placed him down next to the water.
He looked old enough to not need mother milk anymore which to her luck which was proven right as he started drinking the water much to her relieve.

"I will get you something to eat later but for now drink. You must be pretty thirsty hm?"

Watching him until he was finished she picked him up to take a better look at him. He was fluffy, his silky fur was fully black with two white little front paws and at his chest was a small white spot. His eyes were a rare unique greyish blue and as she looked between his legs she confirmed her already made assumption as well. He was a male kitten.
He mewled at her which made Hanji giggle, scratching him for a little while longer until she placed him back into her school bag much to his annoyance.

She was more than lucky once that no one caught her during school but now there was the next obstacle for her to overcome. Her parents.
Stepping inside the small house they called their own, Hanji took off her winter clothes and rushed instantly into the kitchen where her mother was.

"Mom I am back."

Upon being called a beautiful in her end 30s woman with long brown hair just the same color as her daughter turned around to her and smiled with the same warm and kind smile down at her daughter than what Hanji had.

"Welcome back Hanji. Want to help me with the cookies here? As promised I am almost done with them and we can put them in the oven-"

"Mom you and dad asked me yesterday what I want for Christmas, right?"

This sudden change of subject perked the interest of the the older woman and she placed the cookie cutters down, giving full attention to her daughter now which seemed to have a kind of troubled expression on her face.

"Yes, we did. Did you find out what you wish for? Is it expensive or why are you making this face Hanji? Tell me what's wrong darling"

"I wish to..." Hanji stuttered trying to find the right words. "...because I just couldn't leave him just there in the cardboard box in the dark alley to freeze to death."

Opening her school bag Hanji pulled out the black kitten which mewled at her mother now as if to greet her.

"Can I keep him please? He has no collar and was all alone. I will take care of him myself and use my own money to buy for his cat food and other things. Please mom."

Her mother looked surprised at first but than reached out slowly to scratch the kittens cheek with her index finger.

"If you take care of him yourself I don't see why not. But we need to bring him to the vet and give him a check up and you need to tell your father about your Christmas wish for a pet too." Purring happily,the black kitten rubbed his head at her finger. "Aren't you a little charmer already. Did you give him a name already Hanji?"

Hanji's eyes lit up pulling him close up to her so she was staring at him while he tried with his paw to touch her big nose.

"Levi. Your name will be Levi from now on."

Telling her father was an easy job. And so Levi became a new addition to the Zoe family.

He didn't liked it at the vet at all but it was necessary to confirm his health status. To Hanji's luck he was absolutely healthy and she got praised for saving him even. Two shots for poor Levi later they drove their way down to the nearby pet store. Hanji picked a dark green collar out for Levi along with a small name tag hanging down on it. A litter box, cat food and some toys, a brush, cat bowls.. simply everything he would need.

With an empty wallet later Hanji returned back home deciding it was time to feed Levi. Yesterday evening they gave him some of the cooking her mother did which he did like a lot. But he was a cat and no human so he needed cat food, right?

"Levi come here I have food for you."

Hanji called him, watching him walk up to her as she placed the bowl down on the kitchen floor. He was a very smart kitten for listening to his name already. His eye color making him even more unique. Smart and beautiful.

Levi looked hungrily down at the bowl until he saw the brown substance in it. Hissing at it he turned around and went to the living room, jumping onto the couch where he started to clean himself.

"This... was not so good I guess."

Hanji pouted watching her new friend, deciding to let the bowl stand there. He hopefully would eat it later.

Besides the eating problem Levi was an obedient kitten which knew how to use his charm to get whatever he desired. He preferred to eat Hanji's mother cooking clearly as Hanji didn't finish her whole plate and Levi however did it for her. Hanji made sure it was nothing to hurt his stomach what was left on her plate, studying what cats could eat or not on the internet already and how to best take care of one.

He seemed to like to follow her around or rest and sleep always close to her at least in the same room.

During the night Levi from day one decided he would sleep in the same bed as Hanji, curling himself up into a ball on top of her blanket next to the end of her legs.

Everything seemed perfect until the next morning Hanji woke up to find not her black kitten next to her feet but a curled up naked human boy with black cat ears and a black tail.

"W-who are you!?"

Hanji sat up straight in her bed blushing lightly as the boy groaned, his cat ears moving and perking up along with his black cat tail. Blinking tiredly with his eyes he yawned and groaned and stretched just like a cat would. His eyes widening as his eyes landed on his human hands and he looked down on his human body.

"Shit!"

As he looked up Hanji could make out the green collar around his neck making her gasp.

"Levi!? You are a cat and human!?"

Levi's eyes widened looking at her and quickly crawled up to her on all fours, placing his hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Not so loud! I will bite you if you scream got it!?" he hissed, warning her.

Bite her? Like a cat bite? Hanji was amused almost if the situation wouldn't be so serious. Nodding quietly Levi continued to stare at her for a while until he let her go.

"Can I borrow some clothes before I explain, owner."

Owner? Well Levi was her pet so even as human child he saw himself like this? Same as wanting to bite her. All cat traits instead of humans. Getting out of her bed Hanji pulled out of her closet a black shirt along with some dark brown pants and black socks.
Levi was around the same height as her luckily so the clothes fit him well as he hurriedly put them on. And luckily for her he seemed to know how to wear clothes or walk on two legs. So some part of human behavior along with speaking were teached to him.

"So... how are you... both?"

Finished getting dressed Levi told her to turn around again and they both plopped down on her comfy bed to sit down and talk.

"I am a half human and half cat. Our breed is very rare and almost fully instinct. I cannot well control my powers yet and when I sleep I can by accident turn into human form again... just like today. My mother most likely died and I was left alone.. she told me to stay as cat and wait for her but she never returned..."

His black cat ears lowered and Levi had a pained expression on his face. Looking lost and helpless it pained Hanji and she did the first thing on her mind and hugged him, caressing his head. At first she felt Levi stiffen up but than he returned the hug, clutching against her pajama, while she could start making out small sobs.
It was understandable he was about her age if she would lose her parents she would cry as well and be scared.

"Will you... kick me out now?"

Making those words full of fear out between his sobs Hanji gasped shocked, quickly pulling away to be able to look at him.

"No way! Levi you will stay with me! You are still my cat, right? And I am your owner, right? You said so yourself, right?"

He nodded quietly while whipping his eyes with his hands, trying to make the tears stop coming out.

"And as your owner I have to take care of you for your whole long life ahead. I promise I won't ever leave you alone."

"Really?" His black cat ears perked up lightly while he rubbed his teary eyes again until Hanji grabbed both of his hands to stop him from continuing.

"Stop crying now. You are not alone anymore little kitty."

"I´m not little! I am about a bit more than 8years old and we are almost the same height." Levi protested yet still sniffled a bit.

Getting an idea Hanji smiled at him.

"My mother used to always do this when I was sad."

Leaning closer Hanji placed a soft kiss onto his forehead making Levi freeze in place, his tail high up in surprise along with his black cat ears. Hanji found him just too adorable and innocent like this. Even if they might be around the same age he would need to learn a lot still to be a more proper human.

"We are friends now and partners in crime for keeping your ability a secret. Pinky promise."

Seeing Levi did not understand what she meant she took his pinky finger and showed them how it is done and with it sealing their meeting, being a little Christmas miracle after all.