Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the Pilot Chapter of my first public fanfiction. I hope that I don't disappoint and that you will come to enjoy it and look forward to the next chapter.
Levi's POV
Levi sighed as he woke up, there was a steady beating against the window. He knew long before he turned his head to look that is was raining and that it would be another grey day. Levi closed his eyes and rested his forearm against his head.
It was always grey and dark in his life it seemed, lately more so. He jumped as his alarm sounded beside him, time to get up and spend the day with brats. Blankets fell to the floor as he stood, stretching his back which cracked multiple times, a grunt fell past his lips.
"Damn back"
After making the bed, he wandered into the bathroom, taking a moment to admire the black and white tiling and large walk-in shower. After his parents' passing, Levi was left with a nice inheritance. This gave him the ability to choose a nice, two-story house, far enough away from the university that he did not have to deal with the immature students outside of class, but close enough that he could walk.
He enjoyed showers, it was the one place where no one could ever disturb him. He had splurged when he bought the house and had the bathroom renovated. The shower could fit four people easily and had multiple showerheads from all angles. He chose the rainforest head, he loved the feeling of the hot water completely covering him. It may have been wasteful at times but this morning he needed it.
He tilted his head upwards towards the water, enjoying how the tension eased out of his body. The water carried on over his chest. Levi was fit, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. He had started running and going to the gym a few years back, and continued on with it when he realized just how much he enjoyed it the freedom and the results it gave. It was a second place source of relaxation.
He poured shampoo into his hands and began to massage it into his hair, happily groaning at the sensation. After rinsing he began to wash the rest of himself. He had a set way of washing, he started at his feet and worked his way up. Rubbing some knots out of his thighs before moving up to his torso. With soap still in his hand, he stroked himself once and then twice before gasping and letting go.
Stop it Levi, what are you doing. You are not that desperate.
He finished up quickly and shut the shower off.
The University of Sina was one of the top schools in the country, it had a reputation. Thanks to that reputation, the university professors were required to wear suits and present cleanly. No unruly beards, unruly hair, or untucked shirts. Levi didn't mind the code, but there were days where he longed to not have to wear a suit jacket and a tie.
Grabbing his umbrella and suitcase, he locked up and turned to face the neighborhood. It was a quiet, and cozy place. Many of the homes belonged to small families and retirees. A few of the other professors lived on his block as well, but he usually tried to forget that detail.
"LEVI!" speak of the devil...
"Good morning Hanji" the figure in question frowned before bouncing again, making the rain collecting on his umbrella splash over Levi's pants and briefcase.
"Guess what?" he didn't turn his head to face Hanji, but nodded in acknowledgement of his question.
"I heard that Pixis bonded this past weekend"
Levi's pace slowed slightly "Pixis? As in Dean Pixis?" smiling Hanji nodded.
"The one and only Levi, my dear."
He was slightly shocked but he schooled his features to show indifference.
"I didn't think he'd be the type to want one of those hovering around all the time".
Hanji slapped him on the back. Hard. Causing Levi to stumble slightly and glared at him, Hanji just smiled and carried on.
"Come on Levi, you cannot tell me you don't want one. I think everyone does, some are just too scared to admit it."
Levi let out a snort "Right."
Continuing on, Levi attempted to block out Hanji's chattering as much as humanly possible. Hanji was the Professor in charge of the Biology Department and enjoyed his job... a lot. As they walked up the stairs into the Rose Wall Building of Science and Arts they split ways.
Levi walked into his classroom and sat down. It was early, but students should have been starting to trickle in, if they wanted to be on time that is.
He glanced down at a book sitting on the corner of his desk, Levi had borrowed it from the library a few days earlier and had yet to start it. "The Dragon and His Angels", Levi had never heard of it before but Erwin had recommended it and he was usually very good at picking out a decent read.
After 10 minutes, Levi looked up and most of the seats were filled. It was time to start. With a deep sigh, he stood and walked around to the front of the desk, leaning against it and crossing his arms over his chest. Just like the University of Sina, Levi had a reputation too.
He was known as one of the most hard ass professors on campus and was not afraid to discipline. But his methods were usually effective and most who passed his classes went on to do well.
"Good morning brats"
He smirked slightly when he noticed a few glares and gulps in the crowd.
"I am Professor Levi Ackerman, and this is Introduction to the Brush Arts. During this semester you will learn how to paint with efficiency, learn how to read the canvas, blend bold colors and create art worthy of my classroom."
I looked around at the new faces.
"There are, of course, many other components, but you will learn them as we go. There will be a few class trips to galleries and to parks for inspiration, but most will be spent in this room or the Easel Room down the hall."
I stood and paced around the desk and sat down.
"Today's assignment will be for you to create a rough sketch of anything. I want to see where each of you stand as individual artists. From there, we will work to get you to where I deem to be an acceptable level."
There was murmuring among them.
"You have an hour, starting now."
The sound of pages flipping and pencils scratching filled his ears for the next hour. That was a sound Levi did not mind. During that time, he continued to read Erwin's recommendation.
He was still in the introduction but it intrigued him.
There is a tale in the New Testament, which speaks of a Great Red Dragon whose tail swept a third of the stars from heaven and cast them to the earth. After being defeated in the War on Heaven, the war in which the Dragon and his angels fought against Michael and his angels, "the Great Dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, and was called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world - he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him."
A shiver crept down my spine, I looked up to check the windows, and there was no reason for a draft, the windows were fairly new and closed. The sky was still grey and clouded. Rain still pattered against the glass. I put the book down and checked my watch. The class was over.
"Alright, we are done for the day."
It didn't take long for the students to file out and move along. He had 15 minutes until his next class which meant his daily visitor was about to arrive.
"Good morning Levi."
"Morning Erwin."
"I see you are reading the book I mentioned". Levi nodded and placed it back on the desk. "It is adequate so far."
He smirked and on the edge of Levi's desk. They had been friends for many years now. His large build and strong eyebrows gave him a unique look. But it never bothered him. His blonde hair and blue eyes had many girls and guys chasing after him. But none have seemed to tie him down just yet.
"Have you heard about the Dean?"
Levi nodded his head "Hanji shoved the information down my throat first thing this morning."
Erwin nodded, they had known Hanji for few years now, they had met in college and were used to his odd personality and quirks.
Erwin excelled in all of his classes and graduated with honors at Marie College and had become a well-known English Professor that specialized in Historic Literature at UOS.
"I was surprised... but then at the same time I'm not. Pixis has always been a bit different." Erwin's rough voice, was soothing in a good way. He was familiar and the closest thing to family that Levi had.
Once again snorting, Levi looked up at his co-worker "different is a simple way of putting it."
Smiling Erwin added, "He isn't the first staff member to have bonded in the last few months, Petra bonded two weeks' ago."
"Ya, I know. Prime example of why I don't want it to happen to me".
Erwin let out a deep laugh and got up. "I have a class now, and I assume you do to. Will you be joining Hanji and I for dinner tonight?"
His head shook in the negative "I'd like to catch up on some work I have been neglecting at home".
Levi watched as Erwin gave him a small nod before leaving. Soon after the next class began to trickle in and he turned to start the lesson.
His watch said 4:00 p.m., but his head said "time for a drink". The classes had gone by fairly quick and he wasn't given a lot of hassle by the students, thankfully. He did have to break up a few chat sessions between some freshmen girls but it is to be expected. A quick glare and a "shut-it" worked quite well.
Levi packed up his notes and sketch pad into his bag, along with the book, and grabbed his umbrella again. The rain was still not letting up.
I wondered how long it would last, it's been three days.
Walking outside, the wind whipped against him.
Where the hell did that come from, wasn't this bad this morning.
Shrugging his shoulders, he brought the jacket closer to his face to block the offending weather. Another gust tore through the parking lot.
Why the hell didn't I drive today?
His umbrella apparently though the same as it bent backwards under the force and tore out of his hand.
"Shit"
He jogged after it and once it finally landed, he bent to pick it up. Being aware of his surroundings is usually something Levi had no trouble with, but today it should have been a bigger priority than his umbrella.
He heard it before he saw it.
The crunching of metal against what sounded like metal. He was knocked back and when he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by black. For a moment Levi thought this is it, I'm dead.
But the darkness moved, he stretched his hand out to touch it, and it was soft. It shifted and suddenly it was gone. Rain once again fell upon his head and he just sat there and blinked.
The ground which is usually so disgusting to him was the greatest thing he had ever felt. Levi shook as he took deep breaths to calm his racing heart. A girl's voice suddenly cried out to him.
"Oh my god, are you okay!? I am so sorry, it was wet and I tried to stop and ..."
She had begun to cry and he couldn't bring himself to speak. He turned his head to stare at the car, the entire front end was crumpled, as if she hit a tree. As he began to stand and pick up his now soggy belongings, he scowled before nothing that there was a black feather laying on the ground.
He picked it up using his sleeve, god knows what nasty creature it came from after all.
Looking up hoping to identify the bird, it had to be very large to drop a feather of this size. But all he got for the effort was rain water in his eyes. There was nothing. He noted what looked to be a crow sitting in a tree nearby but he was too small to have dropped a feather of that size. He finally turned and acknowledged the hysterical woman
"Stop your crying. I'm fine, and I would like to go home".
He handed her a card he fished out of his pockets, thankful that it wasn't completely wet.
"Here is my contact information, if you need to reach me for insurance purposes."
He left before she could say anything further. Hurried steps carried him home, his body was chilled from the rain and his back was beginning to ache. Not only was the weather against him, but so was his body.
I probably pulled it in the fall.
The tan color of Levi's house's siding came into view and he let out a sigh, home, finally.
As he went to cross the street, he noticed it was more quiet than usual for 5:00 p.m. give or take. It was fairly traffic heavy during this time, people were coming home for dinner by now, all snuggled up with their family, talking about their day. A bitter feeling pinged through him.
I don't need anything like that. I'm fine on my own.
As he slid the key into the lock, he turned to look at the houses around him, it was silent. He could see the rain falling but he heard nothing. A car drove by but it was a whisper. He pressed a finger to his ear, assuming that maybe it just needed to pop. That was a fail he concluded. The world was still silent.
Aggravated and wondering if he had hit his head in the fall and had forgotten, he heard the first sound in the last five minutes. A cawing sound. There sitting on a branch of the large oak tree in his front yard, was a crow. Its black eyes focused on him, head tilted as in thought about something. Levi stared back, the second one I've seen today, usually crows don't visit this part of town.
It was too clean. Garbage bins were made out of wood with locks, purposely to keep out creatures like it.
Another reason why chose this neighborhood.
When he turned back to the door, the cawing started again, it was still the only sound he could hear other than his own voice in his head. Levi blew a puff of air from his mouth and turned to face the bird again. He was tired, so tired and sore and hungry. He had to deal with hormonal students, other faculty and he was almost run over and more than likely would have died...
That thought made him stop as he stared at the bird's dark feathers.
What was that, what the hell saved me from that car? They felt like feathers, they were feathers!? But feathers cannot stop a damn vehicle...
Levi quickly pulled the large feather from his bag where he had shoved it. He lifted it up towards the crow and it cawed again, slightly more excited this time, its head bobbing up and down. He growled in frustration, his jaw soon clenching, shaking the feather at the bird, his cheeks heated knowing that if anyone looked out their window at that exact time, they would get quite a show.
The shut-in neighbor, who doesn't socialize, soaking wet, shaking a feather and yelling at a bird in a tree... ya, if they wanted to talk with him before, they certainly wouldn't now.
"What the hell do you want you stupid bird!"
He waved the feather more aggressively, "Is this what you want?! Take it!"
Levi threw the feather at the tree and watched as the wind picked it up and blew it away. Almost immediately he felt a pit of regret fall into his stomach and glared back up at the bird, his voice was rough, yet quiet.
"Is this what you wanted?"
By this point, he was referring more to the state of his life currently.
29 years old and he was alone. He had never really allowed himself to get close enough to anyone to fully love and to be loved in return, he did try but it never went well. Deep down he felt it would be that way for as long as he lived.
Tears pricked at the corner of his grey eyes, and before long he could feel the tears on his cheeks, warm unlike the rain. He looked one last time at the crow before unlocking his door.
"Is this what you want?"
Pushing the door open, Levi threw his bag inside and began to walk inside.
"What I'd like is a "thank you" if you don't mind"
Turning sharply to see who the hell was talking to him, he had apparently forgotten that today, once again, was proving to be the day he chose to not be aware of his surroundings. The rain had made the mat at the door slick and he could feel himself falling. Cursing under his breath, he expected to hit either the ground or the doorframe, but neither happened.
Eyes opening slowing, he took in the ground, then an arm, a tanned, bare arm. His eyes traveled up the arm until they reached a shoulder, a muscular one. Levi titled his head up to look at who that arm was attached to and he could feel his eyes widen.
"You seem to be very accident prone today"
Green. This person had the most vividly green eyes, it was almost inhuman. He had strength Levi would admit to that, he held him as if he weighed nothing. Levi could feel himself shifting before being set down on his feet. As he righted himself, Levi finally looked at him, all of him...
And he damn near dropped dead.
This man... person...thing... wasn't standing on the ground, he was floating maybe a foot of the ground. Giant black wings allowed his body to hover before him. He was dressed in what could most easily be described as a long Greek-like skirt, a small dagger was attached to his hip. It stopped before his knees, giving Levi the chance to admire how strong his legs looked before panic set in once again and he allowed his eyes to quickly roam over his toned chest to his face.
He had a gentle smile on his lips. Lips that looked much too soft for his own good. Shaggy brown hair framed his face, and sitting on the top of his head, were small horns, they looked delicate and a design of some sort was etched in them. It also seemed that the rain didn't bother him, instead it seemed to fall around him.
Levi took a step back towards the door and as he did the winged man landed, his wings extending fully as if stretching before pulling back.
"What are you?! What the hell do you want?!" Levi yelled
The figure before him laughed
"A thank you for saving your ass would be nice." Levi looked at him like he was crazy, something akin to a dazed four-year old.
The man crossed his arms "the car..."
He was trying to jog his memory. The darkness, the feathers... they were wings. His wings.
"You are a demon?" Levi tentatively asked.
He gave Levi another smile, this time showing tiny fangs, he nodded "Yes, glad you noticed".
"Why, why did you save me?" his voice shook slightly.
"I've been watching you for a while, you seemed like you could use some company".
He spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"What do you mean watching me? What reason, and whatever reason is still creepy by the way, do you have for watching me!" Levi knew he was being loud, and prayed that whatever it was keeping him from hearing what was going on around him, kept whatever else from hearing him.
Hearing this, the winged man approached him. Levi not wanting to get close, quickly walked backwards into his house, this time keeping his feet on the ground. The man pressed forward until he was able to grab the sleeve of Levi's jacket.
"I watched because I saw someone lonely and cold, someone who wanted company but would not ask for it. I watched because out of all the humans I have seen, I wanted to be the company you kept."
Levi gasped slightly looking at this demon, analyzing the best he could with his mind being hazy from the creature's proximity.
He must be a Class C demon. Maybe a B Class. But why me, of all the people, I don't want a damn demon around. Petra's demon is an ass, how she puts up with him is out of my ability to understand.
"I don't want a demon" Levi's voice was firm.
He pulled his arm away, letting the jacket go, the warmth that had started to creep into his bones disappeared. It startled Levi and the look in the demon's eyes wasn't one that he expected. It was an empty, lonely stare. He had seen that look before, every day when he look into the mirror.
"Well then..." his voice carried "sorry to have wasted your time". In a flash of feathers, he was gone.
Levi stepped back out onto the front porch and looked around seeing nothing but hearing the thunder crash and the rain pelt the pavement. Feathers laid in a pile, and he didn't know what in the world compelled him, but he picked them up and brought them back inside.
Leaned against the door, he muttered to no one "today was a day sent straight from hell".
And he felt another shiver creep up his spine as a wispy laugh sounded through his living room.
Thank you for reading the first chapter! I hope it wasn't too dull. I want to get constructive criticism from you guys. I will take your ideas and critiques to heart in the hope that I become a better writer. Chapter Two will hopefully be up in a few days.
See you all soon.