A/N: Hey, everybody! So this is my first time writing an AOT fanfiction and I just couldn't get the idea of the story out of my head and so I ended up writing it.
By the way, its a Fem!ErenxLevi fic...I should also note that there may be some spoilers ahead...(. _ .) uh, yeah...Rated T for some bad words.
Comments and Suggestions always welcomed!
Attack on Titan (c) Hajime Isayama
The Smile
It was a bright sunny afternoon in the courtyard when the artist was almost done sketching and painting his model, who was seated on a stone bench, hair tied back in a braided half ponytail and clad in a simple silk white dress that hung beneath her ankles. It was almost done…because there was one problem.
"Commander Smith has requested my service to make a portrait of Eren Jaeger." The artist said to Mikasa and Armin, whose concerned expressions were directed at their friend, "But that's it. She won't smile!"
The Commander had requested a portrait of the young girl to be given to one of the barons' son. Apparently, the baron's son was smitten with the beautiful emerald – eyed girl that he requested permission to ask her hand in marriage, much to a particular captain's chagrin. Commander Smith was aware that there will be dire consequences if he consented to the man's request and so as an apology, he offered a painting of the young girl instead.
Mikasa sighed. Eren was never the same after that mission failed, which cost the lives of the four people she cared about. Eren ceased to smile after that. It was obvious that the girl blamed herself for what had happened but being the only caring family Eren has left, Mikasa was extremely worried that her adoptive sister will never return to the cheerful girl she once knew.
Levi strutted along the hallways, ignoring the pain in his injured ankle as he gritted his teeth. 'How dare those pigs try to get their hands on Eren?' He thought, wincing a little as the pain jolted him a bit from his thoughts. He had heard from Erwin about one of them trying to woo Eren into marriage. He bluntly told Erwin that if he would consent with what that bastard wanted, he would not hesitate beating that pig into a bloody pulp and slitting his throat. And so Erwin had suggested giving the man a painting of Eren instead. That still had not assuaged Levi's anger but he had no choice but to reconsider as fighting with those pigs will only result to tarnishing the already tarnished reputation of the Survey Corps.
Levi shifted his thoughts to the young girl who had been plaguing his mind since she had enlisted. He tried so hard to push his feelings for the girl aside but failed miserably, as seen by his reaction towards the idea of Eren's marriage. He knew Eren had always admired him even before she had entered the Survey Corps. He would steal a glance from the crowd and would easily spot those bright green eyes and her smile like she was very happy to see him.
Her smile...
Levi realized that Eren never smiled the same way as she did when she was a child when she entered the Survey Corps. He would notice a small yet sad smile that would grace her beautiful features whenever she was with her friends. But after that mission…
Levi shook his head, halting his steps and leaning on the brick wall to rest his injured ankle. He was going to check on the girl even though he was on leave. He would not show it on his face but he was very concerned about the change in Eren's behavior after that incident.
He also felt her pain.
"Leeeviiiii!" Levi's ears perked up in annoyance as he heard that sing – song voice calling him. He turned his head to see Hanji skipping on her way towards him.
"What is it?" Levi hissed. Hanji halted on her tracks and peered at the man.
"You shouldn't be walking around too much especially with that ankle." Hanji replied while pointing at his ankle.
"Tch! And why would a shitty four – eyed woman like you be concerned?" the man huffed, straightening his black suit and started walking again, slightly limping.
Hanji sighed, following his lead. "You're on leave, remember?" She said, "Besides, I've got it under control in checking on Eren."
Levi gave the woman a piercing gaze, a gaze that Hanji fully understood.
"You want to see her, do you?" the scientist asked, and when Levi did not respond, she added, "She's having her portrait taken right now by the courtyard."
"Hanji." Levi said finitely, "I already know that."
Hanji sighed in resignation. "Okay." She said. Even though the Captain never talked much about his feelings, she and even Erwin could see that he had feelings for the girl. Why would he even sacrifice his comfort just by going down here and see her to make sure she's all right?
"But that's it. She won't smile!"
Levi heard the frustrated voice of the painter that Erwin hired. They had already reached the end of the tunnel - like hallway. Levi took a step into the sunlight and saw the painter shaking his head and two of Eren's friends beside him. At the center, seated on the bench, Levi saw Eren.
His heart clenched when he saw the blank expression on Eren's face. Eren just stared into space, apparently not even aware of the people around her.
Hanji clicked her tongue, a sad look on her face. "Eren…" she muttered.
Levi took two careful steps down onto the cobblestones, limping towards the group, ignoring the growing pain on his ankle. Armin was the first one to become aware of his presence and immediately gave a salute to him while exclaiming, "Captain Levi!" at the same time. Mikasa also turned and gave a reluctant salute while glaring at him and the painter slightly bowed his head in respect. Eren raised her head and turned to face Levi, their eyes meeting. At first, Eren had a startled expression on her face. It had been a while since Levi and Eren had contact with each other after the mission and so it was not a surprise for him to see that look on her face.
But what happened next surprised him.
Instead of saluting him as he would expect, the startled expression disappeared and those pink lips started curving upwards.
Eren smiled.
But it was not just the sad smile she usually had. It was the one that Levi saw so many years ago when he spotted the young girl in the crowd. Her eyes which lacked the luster were now twinkling at the sight of him and Levi could swear that Eren's face glowed when she saw him.
"LOOK!" Hanji ran towards the group and stopped beside the painter, "She smiled!"
The painter looked at her and was surprised as well. Then he started to be ecstatic.
"Perfect! That's the smile I was looking for!" the painter exclaimed and started getting his materials to get to work on finishing the portrait. Mikasa and Armin were both surprised at the sudden change in Eren's expression but were glad nonetheless.
Levi's heart skipped a beat. In the end, he was the only one who made Eren smile.
Year 2014, France
Rivaille was still in awe with the painting hung on the wall. It was called "The Smile" and the name of the masterpiece fitted it perfectly. He gazed at the beautiful girl smiling back at him. It was the same girl that he had dreamt about recently. In his dream, he was a captain of an army fighting against giant human – like creatures called Titans that were wreaking havoc across the land. The girl was his subordinate who also had the ability to transform into a Titan. For some reason, his heart would clench whenever he would see the girl in the painting. He never knew what happened to the girl in the painting. Something bad must have happened to her.
"Excuse me?" he heard the soft voice of a girl behind him and Rivaille turned to see a young green – eyed girl looking back at him with a smile on her face.
'That smile…' Rivaille thought.
"Are you the curator of this museum?" the girl asked. Judging from her accent, Rivaille concluded that the girl was American.
The man replied with a curt "Yes."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh, okay!" the girl chirped. "I was wondering where that painting was from."
She pointed at the painting behind Rivaille. "Oh, that." Rivaille said shifting his gaze towards the painting he had stared at earlier, "That was discovered in Germany after World War 2. They aren't sure when exactly that was made but archaeologists who found it estimated it to be around the year 850."
"Wow! That's a pretty old painting, alright." The girl said in awe.
Rivaille stared at the girl. 'She looks exactly like the girl.' He thought of his last dream.
"Rivaille." He was brought out of his trance at the voice of the girl saying his name. The girl was reading the name pin on his navy blue suit.
"Did I say it right?" the girl asked cluelessly.
Rivaille chuckled. "Yes you did, mademoiselle." He replied.
The girl's face lit up. "Oh thank goodness! It's my first time traveling here from the US on a study abroad program and I'm not really good in French!" she said, pushing her shoulder – length brown locks back in embarrassment.
"Hey, you know," the girl added, "I know this sounds crazy but…" she trailed off, a light pink tint appearing on her slightly tan cheeks.
"But what?" Rivaille's asked curiously. The girl blushed and tucked some stray brown strands behind her ear.
"But…I had this strange dream." The girl's blush became even redder by the minute, "I dreamt I was this girl dressed in a silk white dress, seated on a bench and for some reason, I wouldn't smile." Rivaille thought he heard her mutter, "I don't know why I'm telling you this."
"But then," her emerald eyes locked with his gray ones, "I saw you. "
Rivaille thought about her words. That sounded exactly like the dream he had the night before.
"And when I saw you, I smiled." The girl this time had the same smile she had earlier, "I don't know why. But I did in that dream." She added.
"I see." Was all Rivaille could say. He was a skeptic when it comes to reincarnation but what the girl just told him…
"Oh, I think I'll be going now!" the girl suddenly chirped, her blush was still dusting her cheeks, "I'll see you later Monsieur Rivaille!" and she turned on her heel and walked away, the hem of her black trench coat billowing.
"Wait!"
The young girl whipped her head to see Rivaille walking towards her. "I haven't gotten your name." he said.
The girl covered her mouth and giggled. "Oh how silly of me!" she said, "It's Elaine!"
"Elaine." Rivaille repeated, "How long will you stay here in France?"
"I'm staying here for two months." Elaine replied, "I'm studying archaeology right now and so that's why I'm here in the museum studying about artifacts."
Rivaille grunted in reply. "If that's the case, are you free this Friday?" he asked.
Elaine's face lit up, "Why, yeah! Are you asking me out on a date, monsieur?" she eyed the man mischievously.
Rivaille smirked, "If you want it to be, then sure!"
"Okay!" Elaine nodded excitedly at the thought of having a date with a mysterious French guy (in her point of view).
"All right. Then I'll meet you here at the museum by Friday at 5 in the afternoon." Rivaille said.
Elaine nodded. Then closed the distance between them and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Five in the afternoon, then." She said softly before she stepped back and walked away, practically skipping along the marble floors. Rivaille could feel the spot where she kissed him burn as he touched it with his palm.
"Weeeell…looks like our favorite grumpy curator finally got a date!" Much to Rivaille's chagrin, his bespectacled coworker had to prance in from behind a Greek sculpture. She had been watching the whole ordeal for all this time.
"Shut it, four eyes!" Rivaille hissed but inside he was elated. Maybe reincarnation does happen after all.
A/N: I'll give a Chips Ahoy cookie to anybody who can guess which movie I based the first scene of this fanfic on! :)