A/N: don't own SnK. please review n_n

A pair of lips gently pressed against the hollow of her neck, mapping out the expanse of pale, soft skin that they had grown quickly accustomed to during the past 3 weeks. Dead mute, head lulling languidly as he loomed over her, she let him continue his ministrations, one strap of her flimsy dress slipping past her shoulder without preamble whilst the summer air buzzed outside, perfectly oblivious to the heartache contained in that one room. Normally she would have been writhing and animated, like an angry tigress refusing to be tamed (and it was him, only him, who could make her feel so warm, so alive), but today was different.

Today was the last time they could be together.

"Don't wear such a shitty expression, brat," her lover now chided bluntly as he pulled away to pin her with a severe gaze, (an obvious attempt to simply rile her up like old times, albeit with the bite lacking behind his bark) "I can't concentrate when you're looking so pathetic. Lighten up."

"Levi." the young woman now simply said, her dark, starless gaze turned upwards, his own eyes unwillingly fixated on how tragically beautiful she was, how tragically beautiful all of this was. Levi almost wanted to turn away from her, to grit his teeth and clench his fists in frustration. Why them? Why was it when two broken people finally found some semblance of happiness together, life somehow managed to fuck it up anyway?

Bullshit, he thought angrily, his usual composure now slipping right before him, just like their time together. It's all fucking bullshit.

And then, she spoke, her voice even yet soft. It was the type of voice he'd imagine playing in his head in his final moments, the one last snatch of serenity granted to him in a moment of death.

"The world is cruel, isn't it?"

And this time he couldn't help it. Fuck, fuck, he thought sharply as the tears began to swim in his eyes, an unwillingly resolute look set in his eyes as he took her by the shoulders, this time her dark eyes now looking into his unflinchingly. Gazing into them directly, any would have thought that the dark, almost dead look in her eyes showed that she didn't care, that she lacked the capacity to feel or acknowledge the uncharacteristic wetness in his eyes.

Levi, however, knew differently.

She was afraid.

And suddenly, it was like a burst of searing, vivid colour, in all of it's overwhelmingly unparalleled beauty: lips smashing, teeth gnashing and tongues artfully intertwined, like a wildly savage dance they had practiced over and over. It was beautiful, in all its heart-aching perfection and tragedy. The way he felt wetness against his cheeks and hers, unsure whose tears were whose, urging himself to press his body all the more forcefully against her own warm and welcoming one as if he were afraid that letting go would make her vanish right before him. It was unfamiliar for him to lose such control, to fall completely to need and desire like a shameless animal who knew nothing of self-restraint, but this was Mikasa: with her, everything was uncertain and unfamiliar; raw and dangerous. Perhaps that was what first attracted him to her, other than the creamy loveliness of her legs and the defiant fire in her eyes.

She was wild and contradictory, and most importantly his.

Finally, their lips parted, the quiet half-Oriental now perched delicately over his own form, long legs wrapped comfortably around his waist as if they had finally found where they rightfully belonged. The way she gazed down at him, making Humanity's Strongest feel so powerless and vulnerable; so loved and alive. It was enough to have the Corporal's heart constrict painfully in his chest. Gingerly, Levi reached up inbetween ragged breaths to take a strand of dark hair in his fingers, committing each and every fiber of her to memory. Their inevitable parting would be difficult, but at least he could drown himself in his work and in the blood of Titans slain. She however was the one who would fair most certainly worse out of the two. It made him feel helpless and sick.

A moment's silence stretched between the lovers, allowing each of them to drink in each other's presence as the quietness of it all swallowed up the room. It was like appraising a painting before leaving a gallery one knew they could never return to, the way he admired the softness of her exotic black hair, whilst she marveled at the plain of muscle beneath his starched white top, her hand trailing down his front appreciatively. Was this the price of pursuing happiness, the aching in his chest and the coldness in her eyes? If so, Levi almost wished he couldn't feel a damn thing.

Almost.

"Say, Levi," Mikasa now spoke up once more, her face inching closer and closer to his as she leaned forward, soft breasts pressed against his hard chest, "this world is cruel..." she whispered again, dark hair tickling his face as her forehead pressed against his, Levi's face for once stunned and completely enraptured by the beauty before him. Soft pink lips edged so treacherously close to his own that he thought that if he died right now it would be okay because she was by his side, because she was his and he was her's and nothing, and no fucking royalty or anyone could change that. It was as true as the Scouting Legion wings emblazoned on the back of his jacket, as true as the tattoo on her wrist and the want in her eyes right now. They were each other's and that was that, no matter how fucking beautiful and painful it was at the same time.

Mikasa pinned him with one last forlorn, misty look before she finally pressed those holy lips against him, Levi falling into total surrender to the beautiful, untouchable creature that was only Mikasa, his Mikasa.

This world is cruel...

"... and it's also very beautiful."

Twenty One Days

by sweetlittlething

Chapter I

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.

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Three weeks before

"I know, that it may be a nuisance," Erwin stated rather sympathetically, as the other male merely grit his teeth and turned his head to the side, a scoff barely contained on his lips, "but the King has personally requested for you." As he always does, each and every goddamn year. To the shorter Lance Corporal, it seemed rather pathetic, the way the royalty would literally grovel at his feet (where he believed the monarchy belonged anyhow, the scum) for him no matter how many times he refused. This wasn't anything new to him, being better described as an annual occurrence, nonetheless that didn't make it any less bothersome or annoying. "In any given circumstance, there's no need for you to accept despite how much gold or women he offers you. Unless, of course, you want to join them," the blonde Commander now added, as the Lance Corporal now turned his head to address the taller man with his usual emotionless, deadpan eyes, "that's entirely your choice, Levi."

"Erwin," Levi had began, his voice keeping its usual low, even tone, "don't start that bullshit with me - "

"I know, I know," the blonde had laughed lightly, as his shorter accomplice looked far from amused, "just bear with it for the usual three weeks, will you?" the Commander remarked rather good-naturedly, as Levi resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his longtime comrade and closest friend. "And please, for the King's sake, try not to be too hard on him, will you? That stunt you pulled last year with cleaning and redecorating your entire room quite literally gave him a heart attack from what I can recall."

This time, Levi's usually impassive face now twitched at the corners of his lips. Just barely, but enough for Erwin to know that he was clearly still pleased with the outcome from the year before. There'd been chaos and upheaval from that little stunt he had pulled from the year before, but the King had been unable to take any measures to reprimand the short soldier, wanting to so desperately keep on his good side. It had been a rather humorous affair, at the King's expense of course.

"No trouble this time around, you hear me Levi?"

"I'm not making any promises."

Well fuck this shit, Levi thought rather irately as he sat in the room he had been ushered into, crossing his legs in annoyance whilst his face was set in its usual unapologetic scowl. It was the same old routine for him, each and every year: get shoved into some room, drink some tea, wait for an insurmountable amount of a time before the King finally made his appearance and begged him into considering working as his personal guard within the Military Police. Levi would always bluntly reject the offer, social etiquette and graces be damned, and then the King would respond by keeping Levi within the castle grounds for three weeks or so in an effort to persuade him otherwise with the promise of luxury, women and endless wealth. Levi considered the King lucky. If it weren't for Erwin, he wouldn't even so much as look the scum of a king in the eye, royalty or not. He felt filthy just being in the presence of him, the corrupt and greedy prick.

"Ah, Lance Corporal, so we meet again..." wordlessly, Levi remained still in his seat, not even acknowledging the King with so much as a flick of his eyes. It wasn't that Levi particularly enjoyed being stubborn or rude (alright, so maybe that wasn't entirely true), he just didn't believe that wasting time on scum who didn't deserve his time was worth it. And the King was the perfect example of such unworthy scum, the way he indulged in his false pretenses of invulnerability and luxury whilst hundreds of his loyal citizens died in his stead.

The King took his seat, slightly offended by Levi's indifference but willing to overlook it. As he did every single year. Neatly, he folded his hands upon the table between the pair of them; golden rings glinting beautifully from around his fingers. Each ring easily was equivalent to a few kilograms of meat in value, handcrafted with such fine craftsmanship that any man would be envious of the owner's wealth and luxury. Levi however simply thought it looked gaudy. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Only about the... say, fourteenth or fifteenth time?" the King spoke amicably, as the Corporal simply returned a rather bored, lifeless stare.

"Respectfully, your majesty," Levi grit out unflinchingly, his gaze cool yet hard, "why don't we save ourselves both some time and cut to the chase, shall we?"

Now, the King's gaze turned slightly severe, if not glinting with slight intimidation from the man. "You've always been a bit of a rough character, Corporal Levi..." the King snapped slightly, whilst Levi had enough grace not to yawn in his presence. "But, I suppose that one doesn't achieve the status of 'Humanity's Strongest' without being so hardened and tough," the monarch mused jovially, Levi's blank, dead gaze clearly unimpressed by such unnecessary comments.

Che. What a waste of time. Even dealing with that shitty Yaeger brat was preferable to this codswallop.

"Anyhow... I'm sure you know why you have been summoned here, Corporal. You're not a stupid man, nor does your track record of 'Humanity's Strongest' suggest so. However, what I do find, quite frankly, 'stupid', is the fact that you still refuse to join the Military Police to personally serve your King. Will this year's answer change, perhaps?" the King's lips stretched across his face in a pathetic attempt to smile. Calmly, Levi uncrossed his legs, this time languidly leaning onto the table between them with his elbows, nestling his chin upon his interlocked fingers for support. Seconds trickled by for what seemed like several awkward hours for the King. And then, he spoke.

"No."

If the King was dejected by such a response however, he didn't show it. Harmlessly enough, the monarch leaned back in his chair, looking resigned but not quite defeated. Almost as if knew the battle hadn't been completely lost just yet. "Well Corporal," he began diplomatically, "I can't say I'm surprised by your answer. But hopefully by the end of the next three weeks, you'll have a change of heart, hm? Especially after you see what I have to offer you this year. Or more correctly, who," he smirked deviously, teeth glinting almost as brightly as the rings adorning his fingers. Levi however remained apathetic to such a bold claim. Vices such as women, alcohol and wealth had no meaning to him; no value or hold. Especially not after witnessing people deprived of such petty yet simple pleasures so cruelly, crushed by a Titan's jaw and reduced to nothing more than torn emblems he kept locked away in a drawer he'd rather much not open.

He didn't deserve happiness, not when he'd seen so many have such an emotion so cruelly ripped away from them.

"Well, let's get you settled in, shall we?" the King continued to blabber on noisily, as Levi began to feel his temple throb from irritation (he always did have a rather low tolerance for mindless idiocy). Clapping his hands forcefully, rushing to the King's side were two Military Police officers, fists struck across their breasts uniformly as they stood up right. Levi had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at such flamboyancy and 'dedication' they committed to their stances. If there were any worse than the King and his indulgent, self-absorbed ways, it was the Military Police. Despite having had his past shaded with dealings involving the particular faction, nowadays such experiences from days long gone now only served to cement his critical distaste for them. Lazy, ignorant, not to mention practically incapable of being able to do anything if faced with a real threat, such people were worth nothing of Levi's time either.

"You two!" the King barked, as the two soldiers stood alert, Levi's scowl intimidating them justly, "take the Lance Corporal to his room immediately and see to it that he attended to! Whatever he wants, just do it!" the monarch declared boldly, as the shorter male affixed the two with a cold, piercing gaze. One of the Military Police, clearly a newbie, gulped whilst the other tried their best not to wilt beneath his scrutinizing glare. At this, Levi allowed a small smirk of satisfaction. At least I'll have something to do for the next three weeks, he thought rather sadistically, the terror quite palpable in the younger soldier's eyes.

And so, the infallible Humanity's Strongest was led away to his room, but not before hearing the words of the King slipped so carelessly to one of his passing guards, his voice just loud enough for Levi to pick up on what he was saying:

"and make sure," the monarch breathed lowly, as Levi eavesdropped completely undetected,

"that she does not cause any trouble, do you hear me?"

Levi remembered the first time he had been invited to the King's side.

It had been many years ago, at least a whole decade, but Levi remembered it well.

He hadn't been easily swayed then and he wasn't about to experience a change of heart right now either, mahogany door shut before him as the two Military Police officers stood to the side, cautiously keeping their distance from him.

"Your room, sir," the older of the two coughed out hurriedly, as Levi unceremoniously swung the door open.

The first time he'd come to this room, several years ago, still slightly rough around the edges from his glory days of being ruler of the corrupt and dirty underground, he had been slightly impressed by the grandeur and sheer luxury of the room. From the lavish tapestries to the large bed and golden-framed paintings, Levi had appraised each and every item, wondering out of habit how much each item would be worth on the black market. The room had been large and inviting, but had ultimately had no effect on his decision to remain by Erwin's side at the end of the standard three weeks. In the following years this room had remained as his personal quarters for each of the three weeks, Levi having long grown to familiarize himself with the velveteen luxury of the bed sheets as well as the glossy, polished edges of the furniture.

This time, however, something was different.

There was a new addition to the room.

Levi caught himself just in time to mask the pure surprise on his face upon noticing a certain something in his room.

Or rather, a certain someone. What...

"... the hell," Levi breathed as he couldn't help but stare at what/who was before him.

There, sitting rather disinterestedly on the floor was a young female, barely a woman, with long creamy legs tucked beneath her as Levi merely stared at her, stunned yet slightly intrigued by this new addition to the room. She looked barely out of her teens, 17 or 18 at most, and he would have assumed younger had he not noticed the cold hardness of her gaze, the weary emptiness of her dark, shadowy orbs. It was with a pointed reluctance that he noted the exotic charcoal-black of her hair pooling around her waist, and with great frustration when the flowery word of "pretty" flashed past his mind as he admired how soft it looked, almost bidding him to touch it (not that he would, what if she had germs?).

The next thing he noticed rather begrudgingly was the slip of a dress she wore, stretching across the swell of her breasts before flowing down to just barely covering what was deemed (at it's bare minimum) appropriate. She really was beautiful, the shorter man noted with a twinge of dislike. He'd seen women from the Capital before, their hair perfectly coiffed and lips painted ruby red, but she... she was different. Levi wasn't the type to be smitten at first sight, though. Attraction, maybe, considering it was just an irrepressible facet of human nature, but he wasn't the kind to be completely head-over-heels with one's beauty (which this girl seemed to have in spades, he noticed dryly). He was Humanity's Strongest for a reason. He was merciless, and ruthlessly hard-hearted as a result of that.

Happiness and romance were not things that went hand-in-hand with the burdens of being Humanity's greatest soldier.

And so, Levi refused to be swayed by the gentle curve of her hips, nor the velvety pink of her lips.

What he did let capture his attention though were the marks mapping her creamy skin, all ugly and purple and blue, as well as the bandage wrapped tightly around one slender wrist and most alarmingly, the unsettlingly chilling hollowness of her dark gaze.

Levi knew that look. It was the look of someone who had lost all hope and succumbed to great despair, just like the expressions of many soldiers who had barely survived their first mission outside of the Walls.

Such a look did not befit a young girl such as herself when there were no wars for her to fight.

"You," Levi began after his appraisal, successfully maintaining the usual coolness of his gaze, "what are you doing here?"

When she didn't reply, the Lance Corporal grit his teeth, eyes narrowing at the dazed and completely detached look in her eyes. It was as if she were in some faraway place, in a world Levi's voice could not simply crack through.

Well damned if he be ignored by some brat.

"Leave us," Levi quickly ordered, as the two Military Police officers hurriedly scuttled off, shutting the door behind them.

The girl obviously did not know what to anticipate next from him, for the next thing she knew she was being tugged firmly by the hair, head raised to have no choice but to look the Lance Corporal right in the eye.

Levi could have smirked at the way her eyes widened in shock as she registered the proximity between them, but he chose to keep a severe sharpness to his gaze as he decided to teach the girl a lesson. Not like that lesson he'd taught the Yaeger brat back in that fateful courtroom, but one with a similar effect. Whoever she was, Levi was unwilling to accept being disrespected by her, no matter how pretty her hair was (it really was soft, he noted reluctantly) or how good she looked up close.

"When someone talks to you," Levi enunciated lowly, as the girl simply stared back at him unflinchingly, her dark gaze piercing into his light one, "it's only polite to acknowledge them and answer back, brat." Levi added harshly, as he noticed something flicker in her even gaze. "You've been raised with some pretty shitty manners, you know that?"

The Corporal was slightly taken aback, and even amused, when he noticed the flash of something again pass through her eyes, the way she seemed to want to retort in reply almost bringing a smirk to his face before she grew limp under his gaze, eyes hollow and detached once more. At this, Levi's eyes narrowed. Just what was this brat playing at?

"... I'm sorry, sir," the girl recited almost mechanically, bowing slightly to him so that the dip of her back was exposed, "the King ordered me here, for you."

For me? Levi now thought wildly, clearly caught off-guard by this new piece of information. He'd been offered women before by the King, but never like this... they'd simply lounged around whilst he had made no effort whatsoever to even look in their direction. She, she was just barely a child.

Just what does that old fucker think he's doing?

The next thing Levi knew was that the girl was slipping off the straps of her dress, the bewildered man instantly shooting out a hand to stop her from advancing any further. "Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?" he hissed dangerously, as she appeared seemingly oblivious to the oddness of her actions. Almost innocently, the young female simply tilted her head to the side, her gaze as empty and shadowy as always whilst his was heated and agitated in reverse. If anything, it only served to increase the pounding of his head tenfold.

"Do with me what you will, master," she stated simply, as Levi dazedly retracted his hand from her, thoughts and confusion running rampant in his mind. Whatever shit she and the King were pulling, he would not stand for it. Certainly not, what with the snatches of skin peeking out from her tiny dress, and the alluring plumpness of her lips. In fact, Levi was about to march out of the room and demand answers when the next thing he knew the white, lacy slip of her dress had pooled to around her ankles, leaving the girl bare and naked before him in all her glory. The King had used women before to try and sway him, but this was different. This girl was commanding and overpowering him with barely a whisper of her lips and a tilt of her head.

Shit.

And it was with great lament that Levi noted, much to his despair and agony, despite all his grievances with the situation at hand,

fuck, her abs were hot.