A/N: Warning: descriptions of physical violence. Based off of the song "City of Angels" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.
The stars shone bright that night, the moon sitting among them like a goddess upon her throne, surrounded by her subjects. They watched over their domain, the dank part of a busy city, even in the darkness of night was glowing with light. All except for one part, in the worst part of town, but more specifically in a dark alley between a bad chinese restaurant and a questionable apartment building. Despite its location and appearance, the alley was, at the moment, teeming with life. The youth, on a bad road paved with good intentions and a bad situation, were crowded around two young men in particular. One was heavily tattooed with several piercings, not to mention large in stature with bulging muscles. The other was comparably quite small, no older than seventeen years old. They danced around each other for a moment before striking at each other, the bigger one taking the first move.
He swung a right hook at the smaller man, but the smaller man dodged it with ease and dove a swift punch to the larger man's jaw. Taken by surprise, the smaller man then gave the larger one a swift kick to the knees, but it wasn't powerful enough to send the man to the ground. It only seemed to frustrate him further, and he threw a fist into the small man's stomach, hitting a hidden set of rock hard abs, gained through a hard life on the streets. More than anything, it seemed to hurt the larger man's fist, and the smaller man took his opportunity and began swinging his fists rapidly into the larger man. He struck like a snake, quick and effortless, the motions were smooth through repetition and powerful, as his form became seen under the moonlight shining overhead. While small and relatively young, his shoulders and chest were strong, his skin clean and without tattoos or piercings like his opponent.
The man grunted in pain as he was barraged with hits to the face, throat, and a swift kick to the groin. At last, he fell over like a rock, a great thud resounding from his form, and the younger man was met with cheers from the small crowd. It stopped quickly as the big man got to his feet again. He called out into the crowd, and he was suddenly joined by three more men, all equally large and intimidating. The younger man kept his steely resolve, but a flicker ran through his eyes as he registered the dangerous situation. There was no escape, the crowd was too numerous, and if he did then it would follow him for longer than it should, and only invoke more fights in the future.
"Think you're so tough now Levi? Betcha can't take us all on!" one of the boys mocked. Levi held his resolve, but let it loose when one of the men came rushing at him, this time Levi picked up his pace, and danced in circles around them, his small stature granting him agility the others did not possess, a well placed knock to one of them sent a tooth flying, but from behind him, a man kicked him roughly to the ground. He shot his hands out to stop himself, but only scraped up his hands, and fell to the ground. It was over then, and he knew it. They kicked him into the ground, knocking the breath out of his chest and his head connected roughly with the pavement. He heard a crack as a man kicked his side to roll him onto his back, cue one cracked rib.
Levi spit a disgusting mixture of blood and spit onto the shoes of one of the men, looking up at them in a challenge, "Is that all you've got?" he seemed to ask them. This did what it was intended to do, and he recieved several more kicks from each side as two of them kicked him at once, and another to his head. A harsh ringing filled his ears joined with the roar of the small crowd around them, and he knew from experience that he had a concussion. Instead of giving him another round of kicking, one of them spoke instead.
"Just like your sister, aren't you? Sniveling wimp who can't even hold his own in a fight. You're worthless, you're nothing more than dirt." one of them spat in his ear. Levi could hardly move, pain was radiating from all over his body.
To Levi's demise, one of them yanked him upwards from a strong grip on his dark jacket. Levi took this opportunity to sock the guy in front of him in the nose, then planting a swift kick to the groin of the guy right next to him. He was grabbed again and turned around, face to face with the third guy, who grabbed Levi's unwashed, slightly greasy black hair, and nailed him over and over in the stomach, until he felt like he was ready to hurl on the guy's shoes. The two other guys must have regained their composure, because they proceeded to kick Levi's knees out from under him, sending him down once again.
Levi had been in brawls before. It was a package deal with the kind of life he led, not willingly, but it was unescapable. He knew how merciless men were on the streets, and he knew that they would not stop until he was near death. If anything, Levi was grateful he hadn't run into anyone any older, because then he would've surely been dead by now. At least it was just a couple of disorderly kids. Unlike Levi they probably had a home, someone who would miss them if they were gone.
In the moments before Levi knew they would land a possibly fatal blow to his stomach once more, police sirens sounded in the street around them, someone had probably called in for all the noise they had raised. Within the span of thirty seconds, everyone had bolted away, leaving Levi face down in the muddy ground, barely able to move. He heard cops moving about in the streets around the alleyway, and he knew he was done for.
It's not like he had expected to live a very long life anyway, it was better this way, at least now he could be free from all the dirt and grime that he was forced to live with. He felt his eyes flutter shut as the pain numbed his senses, and darkness took him.
A soft hand shook his shoulder gently, awaking him from the black out he had suffered in. Levi opened his eyes shakily, the pain coming back and hitting him like a truck as his senses were fully regained.
His breathing was labored, and when he felt the hand on his shoulder again he took in a sharp breath. He made an attempt to move his hands in a position to get up, moving his legs from their twisted position on the ground. He looked up as he made tentative movements to get up, only to see an unblemished, smooth hand extended. Normally Levi was not one to accept help, but he took the hand, which was surprisingly strong, and lifted himself up.
Finally able to get a good look at the person, his breath was taken away. The person in front of him was simply radiant, dressed in white ceremonial garb and adorned with a halo, they almost seemed human as well, with a slightly frazzled look and big dorky glasses. He would have thought them to be human, except they had beautiful white wings, the wings of an angel. One was pure white, and the other black.
"I...uh….who…?" Levi sputtered out, hardly even able to compose words to describe his thought processes.
"I'm Hanji. We've heard your case Levi, and you are going to be saved. Now it's not very often something like this happens, but you've gained the attention of some higher ups, and well, we see potential in you," they said with a hundred-watt grin that seemed to light up the world. Levi was still at a loss for words.
"Really? Nothing on your mind? Well just come with me, I'll keep you safe. We're headed to a place where you won't have to worry about people like them, or where you'll sleep each night, we'll even give you a place to stay." Hanji explained, holding their hand out for him to take.
"How do I know I didn't just die? Is this some kind of afterlife shit?" Levi replied. Hanji continued to hold out their hand towards him.
"Hurry up and grab my hand before you regret it, you're going to a safe place now Levi, we'll keep you safe." If there was one thing Levi wanted more than anything, it was safety. After the murder of his family, and the abduction of his sister Mikasa (who was actually his cousin, but she was like his sister). She had only been seven years old, Levi fifteen. He had left for two minutes to find food, and she had been gone. They had been together long enough to know that she wouldn't just leave him, they only had each other, and it was after that Levi had stopped caring, and gone down a dark road of stealing, squatting, and arson. Most of his nights had been spent under bridges or in empty houses.
"Well do I have to grab your hand myself?" Hanji seemed impatient, Levi knew then that there was no life for him here. He had nothing, and it was time to start anew. He took hold of their hand and they pulled him up, and Levi noticed that the pain had now gone.
"Why am I healed?" he asked. Hanji grinned even bigger, if that was even possible.
"Funny thing about angels, we have healing powers. You're just as good as new!"
Levi knew logically that Hanji had to have been non-human, dressed in white garb with a halo and wings? It was just too obvious. To hear it from their own mouth however, to see their wings flutter in excitement, and to see the unearthly glow from their gold halo, it was almost overwhelming for Levi. He was grateful for the absence of metallic blood taste in his mouth, and the ache was now gone from his chest and head.
Still holding on to Hanji's hand, Levi followed them up a fire escape, which had him somewhat confused.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked. Hanji smiled back at him, squeezing his hand with their own, easing Levi's worries with the smallest of gestures, well that was a new feeling.
"Home." Hanji answered vaguely. Levi was only slightly upset at their vague answer, and as they reached the top of the building he asked another question.
"So how do we get there?" To his question, Hanji did not give him an answer, but scooped him into their arms.
"Hey! What the…." and Hanji took off running, Levi cradled in their arms bridal style, as they leapt over the edge of the building. He tried to escape, twist out of their grip or get his feet back on solid ground, but it was no use. He fell with Hanji, yelling in fear. Angel or not, he did not want to just be kidnapped by this person and to freefall off of a building!
In the few seconds of the freefall, Hanji angled themselves carefully, and snapped their wings to their full length, brilliant feathers spreading 10 feet in each direction. Levi was so entranced by them, he lost the ability to look down as they soared up into the sky. Hanji took them higher and higher, reaching up almost to the twinkling stars overhead.
"Get ready Levi, we've got to kind of jump dimensions real quick. The first time is always hard, but it gets better!" Hanji said with their trademark grin and light-hearted tone. Levi would say it was annoying, but deep down he craved happiness, and this angel was radiating happiness like a furnace.
Levi looked nervously down at the ground shrinking below them, and then up ahead of Hanji where the still shone. Hanji flew higher and higher, and then with a smirk, they curled their wings over them both and then they were gone. It seemed to Levi like nothing had happened, but when Hanji unfurled their wings, the scenery all around them had changed.
Before, the stars had shone, but they were nothing compared to the sky above them now. It was alive, billions of stars were in the sky, a blue-purple strip marked the Milky Way above them, but there were now multiple moons, three of them, with the smallest one a peach color. Below them was a beautiful city, built with tall buildings, with no sign of a dirty alley or homeless people anywhere, it was clean and efficient, and shining. The city itself shone with a new kind of light, one that offered warmth and comfort to a man who had never known the feeling.
Hanji landed them both on the pavement of a street below, and once he was on his own two feet, Levi felt an absence of warmth from Hanji's body holding his own. He would never admit it out loud, but he missed it. As soon as the thought entered his mind, Hanji reached out and took his hand.
"You better not be able to read my fucking mind."Levi deadpanned. Hanji just laughed.
"I try not to make it a habit, but it happens occasionally." Levi scowled further at this, despite himself however he didn't let go of their hand, and instead looked at the buildings all around them. They loomed overhead like gods, observing and seeing everything. They were like the buildings back home, but different in many ways.
"Now I wouldn't say they were like gods, I mean there's really only one God, maybe you'll meet him someday!" Hanji burst out excitedly. Once again, Levi scowled at her.
"You should stop doing that." he replied, to which Hanji laughed again.
"Can't always help it now can I shortstop? I think it's time you met some of my friends, come on!" Hanji said, suddenly running off, pulling Levi along, their hands entwined.
Hanji pulled Levi along at a fast clip, but he found he was not tiring or getting fatigued.
"Oh don't worry about that, another perk of being around an angel," Hanji assured Levi.
After a few minutes of running, they both arrived at the main citadel in the middle of the city. It was bathed in a golden light and stretched at least 50 feet into the air. Levi stood, transfixed for a brief moment by the sheer, untempered beauty of the citadel. Hanji only let him stand a moment however, before pulling him along with her to the inside. They walked together, and whether it was his subconscious making him nervous, Levi had started to squeeze Hanji's hand a little tighter, to which they started rubbing their thumb lightly along the back of his hand.
The inside was just as magnificent as the outside, gleaming stained glass windows painting the room with a plethora of colors, two columns supported the middle, and beautiful statues were watching from the walls. Hanji led him through the main area, up to a pair of pearl-colored doors. He watched in fascination as they opened on their own for Hanji, and they went inside. Based on the rest of what he had seen so far, he was expecting maybe a room full of flowers or art with pretty lutes playing in the background.
What Levi did not expect was a room full of stern looking angels, all with a different set of wings, staring at him and Hanji as they entered. Hanij didn't seem fazed at all by the intimidating room full of avenging angels, but Levi felt the familiar clench of fear build in his chest. On instinct, he discreetly checked the room for exits (the only one was behind them), how many angels were in there (too many to count), and the easiest way to escape with the least chance of death.
Hanji, once again, must have sensed his fear, and squeezed his hand, while rubbing their thumb along his gently. This seemed to calm him a bit, but years on the streets couldn't just be forgotten with a few comforting gestures.
"Hanji Zoё, you have brought Levi Ackerman in front of our council for your trial. Hanji, you have been charged with the salvation of a human unworthy of our salvation, please step forward." Levi could hardly move, he wasn't the one on trial? He realized with a jolt that he wasn't supposed to be here, he had been supposed to die then, in that alleyway. Hanji had disobeyed her orders and saved him. Hanji walked forward, and this time Levi walked side by side with her, and they stood together in the middle of the room, surrounded by more than one hundred angels.
"Do you confess to saving this human bound for damnation and disobeying your orders, of which there are multiple accounts with a multitude of witnesses." the judge in front said in a deep, very official-like voice.
"Yes I do!" Hanji chirped, very similar to a bird. Levi could not say anything, completely in shock, could an angel really be so crazy?
"Then you are sentenced to execution. You are to be hanged in the town square tomorrow morning. Ackerman will be executed as well, and directed to his proper calling. Court closed." the official stated, banging something very loud. All at once angels began to file out, but two particularly large ones began to move towards Hanji and Levi, their faces void of all emotion. Levi knew this situation very well: if a large figure is getting ready to attack, then you make a counter attack, then you go for their weak points, use your smaller frame to your advantage. They drew closer, and Levi tensed up.
Before the two large angels could meet up with them, Hanji extended their wings out, swept Levi off his feet, again, and soared high above them a speed that seemed inhuman. The guards had been prepared, and unfolded their wings as well, following Hanji as they ascended. Levi was very grateful for the high ceilings.
"Think you can catch me now boys?" Hanji called out with a whoop of excitement. Levi saw where Hanji was headed, and quickly voiced his concern.
"How are we supposed to get out now? Not through that window I would hope."
"Oh course!" Hanji yelled, barreling through the window and out into the night. The guards were too big to fit through the window, and Hanji continued on, away from the building.
"Of all the angels to rescue me, I had to get picked by the craziest one alive." Levi said in his usual deadpan voice. Hanji knew enough to mean that he was about as close to joking as he could get, and in a way they were touched by his comment.
"Only cuz' I'm the one that happened to pass by, I wasn't just going to leave a poor little guy like you to fend for himself. Plus, I could tell you were always good at heart, even if the others don't quite believe it for themselves." Hanji rambled. Levi was once again struck silent. Normally he was the silent type, keeping to himself most of the time, but Hanji had changed him. Even over the hour they had spent together, he had been changed more than he would have ever thought possible.
"We have to get out of sight, don't worry Levi, I know a guy." Hanji assured him, changing direction and beginning her descent down into the city once more.
"Erwin! Hey, get out here!" Hanji called out, pounding on the doorframe of a rather nice house, being sure not to keep their voice too loud as to attract attention. The door opened in no time at all, and a rather tired looking man answered, blond hair and blond wings to match, the man was still rubbing at his eyes when he saw Hanji on his doorstep. He seemed to perk up at this, and was now more awake.
"What is it Hanji?" he asked. Hanji pulled Levi forward by the shoulders.
"I saved him! Now the higher ups want to have me executed, and well I couldn't have that, so could you hide us for a few days until we can figure out how to get out of here?" Hanji asked rapidly, their voice going at a million miles an hour. Erwin seemed to be just as shocked as Levi was, giving the appropriate reaction to such a wild event.
"You're what? Get in here, both of you! Now, before you're spotted." Erwin pulled them both inside, shutting and locking the door behind them.
"Hanij what have you done?" Erwin asked once they were safely inside.
"I saved him, and normally I don't do stuff like this, but Erwin, he has the will of an angel, I couldn't just leave him to die!" Hanji let out in a single burst. Levi felt so many emotions, more so than he had felt in the past year. How could someone so astounding consider him to have a heart of equal value? Erwin brought a hand up to rub the area between his eyes, he seemed to know Hanji well and know about their quirks. He felt oddly jealous for knowing Hanji already, better than he did. He crushed the thought as soon as it formed, but judging from the flicker over Hanji's resolve, it was clear it did not go unnoticed.
"You can stay in the basement for a couple days. But that's it, I can't risk keeping you here for any longer than that, because then I will be caught. Only God knows what it would do to this city to lose their military commander." Levi gulped, Erwin was much more important than he first appeared as. Apparently Erwin had the mind-reading powers as well, seeing as he chuckled a bit when those thoughts crossed Levi's mind.
"Well I'm not a celebrity, I am highly valued by many members of our community. It's humbling to have a human in my presence, forgive my manners, I have met only a few in my life." Erwin said, greeting Levi with a small bow. He was taken aback by Erwin's actions, given how little respect he truly deserved.
"Ah, I see now Hanji why you found him. I must ask for your forgiveness again Levi, but your mind is not guarded very well, and I can see your memories quite clearly. Hanji will be sure to work with you on that over the next few days, won't you?" he addressed Hanji, who returned with an excited bob of the head. "But it seems as if you have had a hard life, and for that you have my deepest sympathies, you have dealt with your losses well. Men of lesser value in your place would have fallen, but you are strong to have remained so strong through it all. You have my respect."
Levi felt what must be gratitude growing in his chest, warming his callous heart. He was unsure what to say, but he was sure that Erwin and Hanji could see everything as clear as day written out in words above his head.
"It's late enough, and it is time that we get rest. From the sound of it, you two have had a long day." Levi and Hanji both agreed with him, and Erwin led them down to his basement. Levi now took notice of Erwin's home. It was decorated modestly, with simply rustic furnishings and kept clean and organized. Levi appreciated Erwin's sense of style, and the simple way he went about decorating it.
"Thank you Levi, I appreciate it when people take notice of my efforts to keep this place looking nice." Erwin interrupted his thoughts. Levi mentally cursed himself, and tried to focus on keeping his mind mostly blank, focusing only on the steps in front of him as he descended a flight of stairs.
The basement was a bit messier than the upstairs, but it looked less lived in than the upstairs. It was lit by only a few lights, and not too roomy. There were a couple beds, a dresser, and a bathroom off to the left. Erwin bid them both goodnight, and left to go back upstairs.
"I'm going to get cleaned up." Levi said, heading into the bathroom. When he emerged a half hour later, clean and very tired-looking, he found Hanji sprawled on the bed, already asleep. He bristled a bit, but took off his jacket and shirt and crawled in on the other side, hoping to not disturb their sleep.
When Levi awoke the next morning, he felt comfort. A warmth surrounded him that he had not known since Mikasa was taken. He nuzzled into it, feeling two arms wrapped around him. As he began to gain more consciousness, his memories came rushing back, getting nearly killed, Hanji, the angels, the city, it all came flooding back.
He was in Erwin's basement, on the run with Hanji. Who was currently wrapped around him like a doll. Or, rather, he had cuddled up to them in the middle of the night and they had done the same, draping one of their wings around him like a blanket. Levi suddenly felt very embarrassed, the silky feathers draped all around him were the softest things he had ever felt on his back, soothing his sore wounds from the day before. He felt like an intruder in their personal space, but before he could slip out of their grip, Hanji began to stir.
"Mmmgghrrffff..." Hanji mumbled as they stretched their limbs out. Levi kept very still, but knew that they would notice anyway.
"Morning Levi," Hanji greeted. Levi hid his face away in embarrassment with a slight groan. "Oh don't worry about it, I'm a cuddler, and you seemed to be a bit distressed with your dreams, so I snuggled up and took them away." At this revelation, Levi turned to look at Hanji, once again grateful for their presence.
"Thank you." Levi said, hands brushing by her feathers before he untangled himself from their limbs. "We've got all day here, what do you suggest we do about it?" he asked Hanji. They pondered it for a moment before responding.
"I'm gonna teach you how to block our mind, like right now, I can kinda see it all pretty clearly." Hanji said, sitting on the edge of the bed with their legs crossed. Levi finished stretching, and went to stand in front of them.
"Okay, first lesson, focus on me real quick, keep your eyes on mine." Hanji said quietly, reaching their fingers up to his temples, where they closed their eyes and scrunched their face up slightly. Levi studied Hanji's face, tracing his eyes over the thick rims of their glasses, their auburn hair, and the gentle contours of their faces. Their fingers were gentle, and in no time at all Hanji sat back, admiring their work.
"Alright, that has helped significantly, I just put up a few barriers in your mind. Now to help it even further, you gotta picture those walls, really clearly," Levi did, imagining strong walls surrounding him "and just keep doing that about each hour, and by the end of the day you should be protected." Hanji finished, going back to their original position on the bed.
"What do we do now?" Levi asked. Hanji seemed to think, then came up with an idea.
"Can I tell you stories?" they asked excitedly. Levi sighed and joined Hanji on the bed, he had a feeling it was going to be a rather long day.
By the end of the day, Levi had heard more stories than he thought was possible. Hanji seemed to be this never-ending mass of fantastic stories from the last 10,000 years they've been here. Which is a lot. Levi had snuck upstairs a few times to find something to eat and drink, bringing some down for Hanji as well.
Despite the stories being so long, Levi was actually interested in the angel's culture, how they had a society similar to humans. Most were sent as guardians to humans, but the more elite forces stayed in the city to battle demons that crossed their borders, to keep peace in heaven, and occasionally go down to Earth to make sure history plays out as it should. Hanji was assigned to keep history playing out as it should, and when their path crossed Levi's, that was where everything changed. Hanji tried to follow their orders, but something about Levi stopped them. Instead, Hanji deliberately disobeyed their orders and brought Levi with them to their world, opening his eyes and saving his soul for a better place than he deserved.
In the end, Levi wasn't sure whether he had died back in that alley or not, but whether he died or lived, his place was with Hanji now. Together, this strange angel who had opened up to him about their entire life, willingly earned the death penalty to save him, all for what? What had Hanji gained from saving him?
"Hanji, why did you save me?" Levi asked during a small break in Hanji's ramble. They stopped for a moment, face gone blank as they pondered his question.
"It's like I said before, you're different Levi, you have more courage and heart than most other humans I've met, you've been through so much but you keep on going, and very few humans would be able to do that." Hanji answered, placing their hand over his. Levi tried to keep his breathing steady as he registered their answer, he couldn't really be that important, could he?
"You're the most angelic human that I've ever met, granted you may be a bit reckless, but hey, angels come in all colors too. It's like God meant for you to be an angel, but you fell into the human pile instead. You don't have to worry about that anymore though, I'll keep you safe." Hanji said, pulling him into their chest. Levi was overwhelmed, all his emotions were running rampant, he wasn't worthy, he didn't deserve anything after he lost Mikasa like that, after all those fights, half of which were started by him, he has never had anything worth calling his own. As Hanji's arms wrapped around him, he felt all his walls crumble, and all the emotions he had kept at bay, trying to simply saunter on without getting too attached, all of that came crashing down.
He sobbed into their shoulder, hard sniffling sobs that wracked his entire body, tears flowed freely down his face, and he gripped at Hanji's robes like they were the only thing rooting him to this world. Hanji's words were the nicest that he had ever heard directed toward him, and so he clung even tighter. Hanji rubbed soothing circles in his back, softly comforting him as he continued to cry. He felt embarrassed by it of course, but at this rate there was nothing he could do to stop it. All the emotions he felt, distress at Mikasa's absence, the loss of his parents, his lonely existence on the streets, he was safe now. He was safe in Hanji's arms. Their wings wrapped around him in a tighter hug, encasing them in a cocoon of white and black.
Levi's sobs began to slow down, he wiped his nose and rested his head under Hanji's, trying to even out his breathing and rein in his emotions. It was then that Hanji began to speak.
"It's okay now Levi, I won't leave. I'll always be with you. So you know, with this angel business comes a bit of perks right?" Levi said nothing, but nodded his head slightly under theirs.
"I can see Mikasa." Levi's head snapped up, his eyes threatening to water again as he searched Hanji's face for absolution, they simply smiled at him. "I can see her, and she's doing wonderful Levi. She's so brilliant. A family found her that day, when you left. They adopted her, a family of three. She has a brother now too, his name is Eren, and her mother and father, Carla and Grisha. They're so happy together Levi. She's at the top of her class, she's gifted." Levi lost it again, and began to cry once more. For years he had worried that she had been taken as a slave, as a child worker in some factory, but never had he wondered how something so wonderful had happened to her. It hadn't even crossed his mind, but she was doing better off now than when he had looked after her. She probably didn't even remember him any more.
"Thank you." Levi sniffed between sobs. Hanji held him for as long as he needed. It took a bit longer for him to calm down again. Levi loosened his grip in their robes and went slack. They held each other for a while, neither of them moving, just reveling in the presence of one another. Hanji now had one hand rubbing his back with another resting on the back of his neck, cradling him close. Levi moved his hands towards Hanji's wings, searching for comfort. His fingers lightly brushed them, before Hanji broke apart and swatted his hand away.
"Woah there, that's probably enough for now." Hanji warned. Levi gave them an incredulous look. "I'mnotticklishyou'renotallowedtoeventrythatmister." Hanji said, their voice high pitched and nervous. Levi seemed to catch most of what they said, and before either of them knew it, Levi had pinned Hanji down underneath him while he desperately tried to reach around them. His fingers found their mark, and sure enough, Hanji suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Hanji fought back, trying to flip him over and pin him down, but they were immobilized as he tickled the area where their shoulders meet wings.
Even Levi, who hardly ever smiled and had spent the last thirty minutes crying his eyes out, had a wicked grin on his face as he tortured Hanji further. Though Hanji would never tell Levi, they did, to a certain degree, allow him to tickle them so. It delighted Hanji to see him smile after so much sadness, and if this was the way to do it, then they would let him.
After a while, Hanji decided enough was enough, and pulled his hands away as they both laid there, breathless from so much laughter. It was then they both took in the compromising situation they had entered. Levi was straddling Hanji as they laid out flat on their back, their hands were the only thing keeping Levi from falling down onto their body. Their faces were flushed, and they struggled to catch their breath. Suddenly Levi was grateful for the privacy that he now had over his brain, as a new feeling made itself present.
Without saying a word, both of them seemed to understand each other, their relationship was a little more than just a human and their guardian angel. Hanji had become a part of his life now, and there was no chance that he would ever want to be separated from them. As he moved his face a bit closer to Hanji's, he noticed that their eyes fluttered shut and they inched forward towards him. Somewhere in the middle, their lips met in a nervous kiss, teeth painfully clashing together. Hanji and Levi broke apart and laughed a bit, before trying again, this time their noses bumping together. The third time they tried to kiss, was actually successful. Hanji's lips were soft against his, their mouths moving together as one.
Levi moved one of his hands to tangle in Hanij's messy hair, and in return Hanji moved their hand to the front of Levi's shirt. Wadding it up in their fist, Hanji used it to pull him closer, deepening the kiss. They continued like that for several minutes, discovering each other, taking comfort in each other without any rush.
When they broke apart, they both just leaned their foreheads together and caught their breath. There was no going back now, they were now in mutual agreement, that they would be together through thick and thin.
"You both need to leave, now." Erwin burst through the door, his words fast and breathless. Levi and Hanji had been working more on his mental capabilities, both turning their attention to him. "It's the military police, they're checking the neighborhood and going through people's houses, you two need to escape. I'm very sorry I couldn't be of more assistance."
"Don't sweat it Erwin, you've done more than enough. Do you have a back door?" Hanij asked, bouncing off of her place on the bed with grace, pulling Levi up with them. Erwin shook his head.
"I wouldn't bother with that, you two would be much better off escaping through the window. It's in the bathroom, across from the sink. I wish you two the best of luck. Hanji, it has been an honor working with you. I'm honored to call myself your friend." Erwin said with a salute. Hanji saluted back, and with a sad glance towards Erwin, hurried into the bathroom with Levi.
Getting the window open was difficult, and it was even harder to fit themselves through the small window. Levi slipped out first, that much was easy. Fitting Hanji's wings through a 12-inch window was another story. They ended up folding their wings as flat as the would go against their back, and slipping out one limb at a time. Once they were through, they ran through Erwin's backyard.
"We should go on foot, they'll be searching the air for us." Hanji mentioned, to which Levi agreed. Running was no problem for Levi, and while it proved difficult for Hanji with their wings, somehow they managed it. The angels did not seem to have any fences, and while it was an advantage moving-around-wise, Levi and Hanji were out in the open, and anyone could be watching. By now word would have gotten around that an angel and a human were on the run, by no doubt somewhat dangerous as well, and that would make things even harder.
They ran together in the fire-burnt hills, the scenery around them much like a desert, but Levi had never really left the city, and he had never seen it before. It proved a distraction to him, the dry sand underneath his combat boots made a satisfying crunch, as did the small sticks and twigs that had blown off of the palm trees sprouting up here and there.
The land passed them by, and after about a mile of urban area, uninterrupted by police forces, Levi and Hanji broke through into the city. There was no way around it, and the stopped just by the edge, their hands finding each other as they contemplated the risk they were about to take.
"Levi, if something happens…" Hanji's usual playful tone was now completely serious as the rest of the sentence was lost in her throat. Levi squeezed their hand and answered for Hanji.
"Then we'll deal with it together." he finished. Together, hand in hand, they ran, becoming lost in the city of angels.
Through the concrete jungle, they ran through back alleys and abandoned parking garages. The city, while foreign and strange, was still a city nonetheless. What had overwhelmed and excited Levi just two days ago now seemed like a hazy memory, now each of the buildings was staring him down as if to kill him in cold blood. Hanji found them clothes to conceal their defining features, glasses to cover their identities. When they reached the heart of the city, just on the edge of the wilderness beyond, they had to walk down the streets filled with other angels. They held hands still, reaching out for some small bit of comfort in their time of need. Angels passed them by without notice, hardly even glancing at their faces. As nighttime fell, Hanji and Levi were dead on their feet. Even in the heart of the city, they needed a break desperately, after being on their feet all day.
They arrived in a small park, hiding beside a small creek, in the cover of the bushes and a bridge.
"I… Think we should stop...for awhile." Levi said, struggling to catch his breath. Beside him, Hanji was in the same condition.
"Yeah, we can just stop here for the night." Hanji replied. The night sky was lit with stars, the moon providing the only light they could see in the sky, but through the trees they could still see the illumination of the city lights. This was as close to cover as they were going to get.
"I saw a stand where they were selling food, now normally angels don't eat, but, sometimes we like to try human things, and so I got you some. I can only imagine how hungry you are." Hanji rambled, pulling some cooked meat out of a bag slung across their shoulder. Levi dove into it hungrily, thanking Hanji without words. He stopped in-between eating to get a drink from the small stream running by their hiding spot. The water looked clear, and felt chilled to the touch. When he finished a few minutes later, he joined Hanji's side by the river, soaking in the comfort of her presence. Neither of them knew how much longer it might last.
"Levi…" Hanji started, but Levi cut them off. He didn't want to go through any 'last night alive' speech. It wasn't certain they were going to die, there was still a chance they could get out alive, and that was the one thing he held on to.
Their lips met in the dark, but this time felt different than the others. A desire coursed throughout Levi, the likes of which he had never felt before. Hanji felt even stranger, as the control and obedience of an angel burned up in flames within them. Hanji knotted their fingers in Levi's short black hair, pulling him closer. Desperation burned between them as they kissed harder, Levi pulling her body against his, wrapping his arms around her. It wasn't enough for either of them, and Levi felt Hanji's other hand roam to his chest, where she traced his strong muscles, built from suffering and loss. Hanji pulled back from the kiss to look in his eyes, as if to ask for permission, Hanji's lips began to kiss his jaw, his cheek, then down his neck. Levi buried his face in soft brown hair as he felt teeth bite gently at his neck. He felt a shiver run down his neck as he leaned into Hanji's every touch. Levi felt all inhibitions and restrictions leave as Hanji bit too hard in one spot, but instead of flinching, he let out a small noise of pleasure, causing Hanji to move back for a moment to look at him. Levi's face turned a bright shade of red, bright enough for Hanji to see it even in the dark of the night. He cursed himself inside his head, here they were undercover and he was supposed to be quiet.
Instead of getting annoyed or shushing him, Hanji just smirked in a way that Levi had never seen, and he felt his face heat up more, if that was possible. Hanji sensed that he was nervous, but kissed him again, more sweet this time, truly admiring the fact that after all he had been through, he still had the capacity to act as any teenager might. Hanji then moved back, they hadn't given much thought to Levi's age, but his time was very much limited compared to Hanij's, and he was still quite young.
"Sorry, I.. uh.. I haven't…" Levi stuttered quietly, but he was cut off by Hanji's lips on his. The kisses had once again returned to desperate, trying to grasp at each other's existence as reality became clear in their minds. They were past the awkward first phase, and this time both decided to be a bit braver. Levi was pressed up against Hanji, hands trailing over clothing as they kissed each other fiercely. This time around, Levi took the initiative and broke away, moving to kiss the area between their neck and shoulder. This time it was Hanji that made a small noise. Levi looked up at Hanji and grinned, slightly proud that he managed to get that kind of response, and then resumed kissing them. It felt like electricity coursing through him as Levi kissed Hanji, body pressed against hers, it felt so undeniably good that Levi felt as if he was flying beside Hanji with his own set of wings. No matter what they would have to face tomorrow, Levi knew that right now, in this moment, there was nothing in their way.
Levi let out another noise as Hanji moved to straddle his lap, heat beginning to burn between the two of them.
"Ah, Levi… We've got to…. be quiet." Hanji warned in-between kisses. Levi pulled away with a sigh, Hanji was right, if they went any further, they would be found out immediately. Now was not the time.
"You're right, let's just get some rest." Levi pulled away reluctantly, logic beginning to return to his mind. It was rare for him to succumb to his own emotions like that, but he had been running on adrenaline all day, and now that it was wearing off, he felt the exhaustion set in. with one last kiss goodnight, they both drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.
As morning's light started to rise, Levi realized something was wrong.
"Hanji, wake up." he said softly, shaking their shoulder lightly.
"Wha...what is it Levi." they managed with a yawn as she awoke from her sleep.
"I think something's wrong." Levi replied, still keeping his voice as soft as he could. Hanji picked up on this and immediately turned suspicious as well. "It's too quiet, you'd think there would be people out and about in the park on such a nice morning."
Within seconds, angels clad in dark uniforms dropped from above on the bridge, trapping Levi and Hanji underneath. Like trapped animals, they panicked and looked for a way to escape, but there was none, they had trapped themselves.
"Put your hands up! You're under arrest for high treason, you are to be executed by sundown for your offenses, there will be no trial." one of the officers said, pinning down Levi and Hanji separately.
"Levi!" Hanji called, kicking one angel to the ground and reaching their hand out to meet Levi's.
"Hanij! You let Hanji go you bastards!" Levi cried out as one of them beat Hanji over the back of their head with the butt of a silver, gleaming sword. He fought back, trying to reach around to the guard pinning his arms behind him, planting a swift kick to the one in front of him. Before he could protest any further however, a sword connected with his head as well, and he was out for the count.
Levi awoke in chains. His arms were bound, his feet chained to the wall, trapped in a dank cell that reeked of sweat and blood. The first thing that came to his mind was the image of Hanji getting beaten, and he instantly began to panic.
"Hanji!" he called out desperately, fear constricting in his chest.
"Levi!" Hanji's voice called out in the dimly lit jail. Levi let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, and he felt his world begin to crumble as the gravity of their situation hit him like a truck. "Levi it's okay. We'll figure out a way to escape, there's still hope for us!" Hanji tried to reassure him, it did little to ease his nerves.
"Hanji there's no way out of this. It's impossible, we're going to die. At least, we'll die together, right? I was prepared to die in that alleyway, but you saved me. I never expected to live this far, and meeting you was the best thing to ever happen to me. If we die, Hanji, I love you. I'm only sorry I didn't tell you earlier." Levi said, his resolve completely gone. He knew he was going to die, and he needed for them to hear those words before they both were executed. Hanji didn't respond for a moment. Levi could not see them, she was, judging from the sound of their voice, Hanji was probably in the cell next to his. He pressed himself against the wall separating him and Hanji, and waited for them to respond.
"Levi, I did have a life before I met you. It was not much of a life, I was a tool, nothing more than just a little weapon used by my superiors to finish their dirty work. You changed that. You helped me see the good in this world, and just how incredibly precious each person and moment is. I never expected to fall in love with you, and if I could do anything over, change anything, I wouldn't. Right here, it was worth it. I'm only sorry we don't have more time together." Levi felt hot tears stream down his face. He didn't sob like his breakdown the day before, it was more of a resolution. He knew his fate was to die, but to die knowing that Hanji not only loved him, but enough to willingly choose him over living their life freely? That was something he would have never even dreamed of ever having.
Faintly, he could hear sniffles coming from Hanji's cell as well. They sat there in silence, mulling over their own words, crying for the future they could never have. Waiting was pure agony, Levi spent most of his day trying to recreate the feeling of Hanji's soft feathers in between his fingers, the feeling of their lips on his, even the simple feeling of their hands twisted together, he craved it all like air. Knowing Hanji was just feet from him, but separated by a cold, slightly damp wall, was the worst feeling he could imagine. Now he could do nothing but await his death.
As the light streaming through the small opening in his cell began to darken, he felt his chest constrict further, their time was coming. As the light turned a pinkish color, two guards appeared in the hallway, and opened his cell. Levi was too weak to move, even when the guard took the chains off of his wrists and hands, he could not move. His body was paralyzed as the guard walked him down the hallway, Hanji must've already been taken away, and he was shoved through the door, and out into a street full of an enthralled crowd of angels. They were screaming, yelling, all for Levi and Hanji. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that he was on a podium of sorts, and Hanji was being held just a few feet away. His heart ached and cried out, but he knew there was nothing he could do but comply. It was fruitless.
It seemed Levi was the first to be executed, as the guards pushed him forward, dropping to his knees. A large angel from behind approached with a huge sword, that looked very, very sharp.
"Levi Ackerman, you are charged with high treason and the corruption of one of God's most precious creations, do you deny these charges?" an official read from behind him.
"No." Levi said, there was no use in lying at this point.
"Then you are hereby sentenced to death."
"Levi I'm sorry!" Hanji screamed, crying out with every last emotion they had. It took all Levi's force not to run to Hanji, to wrap his arms around them and kiss their tears away.
The executioner raised the sword, but as he brought it down a huge explosion brought everything to a halt. Fire was everywhere, the sword blown from his hand, all the officials were thrown askew, and Levi and Hanji were both badly burned. Before anyone could react, two figures snatched the limp, unconscious forms of Levi and Hanji.
"Levi… someone get Hanji, he's waking up!... Levi can you hear me?" Levi began to stir, he vaguely registered someone speaking to him. The voice was clearly female, and very sweet sounding. One word registered in his mind at that moment, Hanji.
"Where's Hanji?" he managed out. The person at his side patted his hand softly.
"Hanji's coming, just hang on… Oh Hanji, he's waking up!" the voice called, fading a bit as she left his bedside.
Levi now tried opening his eyes, which he immediately closed after bright lights nearly burned his retinas. He tried again, slowly, and found the room began to form a clearer picture. He blinked a few times, and saw Hanji approaching his bed quickly, a pretty young angel beside them. Levi only had eyes for Hanji however, and felt relief as they engulfed him in a hug.
They were safe, they were alive, and they were together. Levi repeated that over and over in his head as he wrapped his bandaged arms around them. He never wanted to leave them again, but his arms were injured, and he couldn't hold them up for more than a minute. Hanji stayed by his side however, pulling up a chair and entwining their hands together. He then registered the other figures in the room, and realized with slight embarrassment that there were more angels present than he thought.
They were all angels, each with an array of colored wings. One had dusty brown wings with a dark brown underside, while one standing next to him had pure white wings. One beautiful young angel had golden wings, trimmed with white feathers, and she stood next to one with black wings. Another had burnt orange wings, and the rest he couldn't even see.
"Levi, right? It's nice to meet you. We heard about you and Hanji, and you both have our deepest respect," one of the angels spoke, the shorter one with the orange wings who had first woken Levi up. "We're the scouting legion. While it's not totally official, we're all a group of angels who have been in your situation, near execution, but we were each saved, and brought here. Right now we're outside of the city in a safe location. While you may not be an angel like us, after time you will train with us, and there are certain...um… marital ceremonies that would give you the same powers that an angel would have. If… if you choose that route." the woman seemed nervous at that, her face turning quite red as she glanced from Hanji to Levi.
"What Petra here is trying to say, is that we're outcasts, a threat to the system, and we want you to stay here with us." the angel with the two-toned wings carried on, stepping forward. Petra shot him a grateful glance, and he nodded. "The government won't find you here, they haven't ever found us, and we plan to keep it that way. Even though you really don't have a choice, do you want to join our family?" he asked, doing the same salute that Levi had seen Erwin do earlier. All the angels copied him. One look between Levi and Hanji, and they knew.
He finally had a place he could call home.