Across the valley were mountains.
This was the way his mother always started the story. She would lean back in their nest, usually in her human form, other times not. Mikasa would immediately position herself on the edge looking out, feathers pressed to her body in anticipation and dark eyes sweeping over the very mountain range Carla described. Isabel would hop onto the phoenix's shoulder, and Eren, always in human form, would curl into his mother's side. Sometimes it was ruddy gold-brown feathers tickling his cheek, sometimes it was soft skin. No matter what form she took, the hatchling always felt a serene sense of comfort wash over him when pressed this close to her. His green eyes would search out her amber ones and the story would begin.
"Long ago, across the valley were mountains," she would say.
"But mama, there are mountains now!" Isabel never failed to interrupt. Carla always answered. It was practically routine.
"Darling, those are the mountains of today. Long ago, the mountains were tall— taller than the clouds we fly in, taller than the winds that carry us. Long ago, the mountains were made of stars."
Each chick would fall silent at this part, three pairs of eyes set on the towering peaks to the west. None questioned the fact that rocky heights surrounded them on all sides. The western ridges were far more imposing and far more demanding of their fear and attention than the others.
"Many creatures lived and roamed the lands, on both sides of Aur'tel, which is what the mountains were called. Those on our side had feathers and furs, and those to the west bore scales and fangs. All, however, were joined through the bare skin they could wear.
"Many years passed, and many came to see the glorious mountains that shown like night skies. They were believed to bring life and heal the sick. They were blessed. The creatures of the east did not question them, nor what lay beyond, staying grateful for the gift that was given through the stars and taking nothing more. However, the beings of the west grew impatient and envious. They spun tales of our land, wrongly thinking it was imbued with the same power as the mountains. They coveted our home, despising their own, and slowly their hearts and blood grew black."
Here, Isabel would squeak with impatience and the few feathers adorning Eren's frail body would press in. Carla would coo softly to calm them, but Mikasa never flinched though her siblings showed nerves and fear.
"It was the night the moon was but a talon scratch across the sky," their mother continued. "The people of the West let their hate and greed command them. They climbed the mountains, tearing deep into their sides and shaking them with their screeches. As they did so, poison from their claws leaked into the earth, turning once shining stone into dull rock. The Aur'tel felt this pain and called up to the stars from which they were born."
There was always a pause here.
"Just as the first dragon reached the peaks and looked upon our valley, light pierced the rock. It sheared the mountains in two and tore their height down. That which was cut away fell to the west, tearing a deep ravine in the earth and taking many of the creatures down. As he saw his brothers die, the last dragon flew in anguish to the moon and seared it with his poison. Because of his anger, the moon lost its light once a month. Because of their hate, the mountains lost their light forever. Most importantly, from that day on, the sun would not rise over the western lands. It would sink into the earth just behind the mountains, never to shine upon their lands again."
"Mama, does the land without light really exist?" Eren would finally speak up.
"Yes, feather, it does," Carla would say. "But you must never seek it. It is a fearful place, filled with beings who have rotted in envy and loathing far too long. It is a land where the snow falls black."
In return, Eren would simply nod, but inwardly his mind would be alive with curiosity. He knew it was wrong to want more than the beautiful land he lived in, but he craved to know what truly lay over the mountains. More importantly, he craved to know who resided in a land so dark the snow fell black. He never said more, however.
Phoenixes were peaceful and solitary creatures, for the most part. Carla had sought out a fairly isolated cliff face for her nest, the area sheltered from wind but close to water and game. There were other nests scattered around the valley, but the parents and hatchlings alike were good spirited and trusting. The phoenixes had formed something of a pact with the other creatures of the valley— they looked out for trouble from above, the centaurs fought off enemies from below, the shape shifters helped catch prey when food was scarce, the rare vampires were skilled in healing, and so on and so forth.
All in all, food was always had, safety was guaranteed, and Carla's chicks grew strong and healthy. During Eren's first year, he learned to fly and hunt, the former quickly establishing itself as his greatest skill. During his second, he learned to nest. In his third year, Carla employed the help of Erwin (a griffin from the nearby fields) in teaching her chicks to fight. It was no surprise that Mikasa excelled at battle, but with his speed Eren closely matched her. Poor Izzy was landed on her tail feathers time and again, and after many tears and bruises it was decided that she should stop the training.
Over the years as his body grew, Eren's curiosity waned to be replaced with instinct. He no longer wished to fly over the Aur'tel. Instead, he began to fear the creatures who lived over the mountains.
Each day he and Mikasa raced on the high winds, but would come speeding back twice as fast if they found themselves nearing the dark border. There was only one time that they lost themselves to the sky and sun. Both phoenixes snapped to awareness once they were nearly upon the blackened peaks. A panicked rush to turn around had ensued. In his terror Eren had barely known any thought other than escape, but his mind had caught a strange scent floating on the wind. It reminded him of falling snow and spice, something deep and enticing. What alarmed him the most, however, was the warmth the scent pulled from his core, and the deep sense of curiosity it awoke in his heart. It was only once he was safe in their nest that he managed to lock down those feelings, the action proving quite easy with the fear and adrenaline still rushing through his bones.
It would be two more years before he caught that scent again.
A soft chirp sounded through the quiet woods as Eren alighted. His feathers, now his mother's gold with hints of red, gleamed in the light of the setting sun. His wings and phoenix body quickly morphed to reveal human skin. Some feathers stayed around his hips and temples, but they didn't hinder him as he approached his nest.
It was a strange placement for a phoenix home, as it was not in a tree or elevated on a cliff, but Eren was rather proud of it. He'd found the cave on one of his explorations with Mikasa around a year ago, so when Carla had finally shooed them away he had immediately sought it out. The ceiling was about twice his height and the walls were smooth and dry. There was a deep stream nearby and it was only a few hours' flight from Mikasa, Carla, and Izzy's eeries. All in all, it made quite a good nest.
Today had been rather ruff, with a centaur fight breaking out on the plains and a couple satyr foals who had wandered too close to the Aur'tel. Eren as the fastest flyer had been sent to fetch them, and now he looked forward to returning to his solitary routine. He didn't mind the inhabitants of the valley, per say, but there was only so much of them he could take in a week. It wasn't like spending time with other phoenixes— among his own species, Eren was quite social.
Today, however, he just wanted to curl up in the warmth of his feathers and sleep.
Still, no amount of fatigue ever left him un-alert enough to miss the scent of danger. He froze as a breeze blew by.
Blood. There was definitely blood. One sweep with his nose told him it wasn't near his cave, but it was close. How had he missed that? Eren cursed himself, uttering a low warble in instinctual warning.
Now the smell was gone. Eren turned his head, waiting. As a fresh gust of wind rustled his feathers, he caught it again. This time, however, there was something different. A scent that somehow fit with the metallic sting of blood. Heavy, like unknown spice, yet light as snow.
Every muscle in Eren's body seized up. Fight or flight, was what his mother always called it. He wanted so badly to run, to leave his nest and fly to safer heights. But the scent of blood was getting heavier by the second.
Someone was dying out there.
Eren trembled in fear even as his feet took off running.
It took him a little under an hour to find the first splashes of blood. What looked like black ink stained the forest floor, but the heavy scent was unmistakably coming from the dark liquid. This was where Eren should have turned back, should have called for help, should have done anything but continued onward. Dark meant hate. Only the monsters of the west carried black blood in their veins. He should have known to flee.
Instead he increased his speed, following the trail of droplets and broken branches.
Eren slowed to a creeping tip toe when the scent increased once more. Whatever had caused the destruction was almost within his sight. His feet made no sound on the grass as he stepped into a clearing, eyes wide in fear and feathers flared.
Soft, quick breaths were the first thing to reach his ears. A dark shape lay huddled under one of the smaller trees, it's head tucked into its knees. Whatever it was, they were in human form, as Eren could see frighteningly pale skin and dull raven locks. He let his eyes roam over the creature, finally noticing the cause of its distress.
Deep claw marks ran down the length of its right arm, from shoulder to elbow. Scratches and bruises were scattered on milky skin, but they didn't hold a candle to the gashes. Black blood was leaking freely from the wounds. The creature had wrapped a taloned hand around its upper arm in an effort to stem the flow. A taloned hand... whose wrist was adorned with blue-black scales, like a snake's. Eren's mouth went dry.
"D-dragon," he managed to whimper. It was a mistake.
The dragon's head whipped up, slitted pupils locking instantly on Eren. The grey eyes were challenging, showing no sign of weakness even though the dragon was spilling his life on the ground before them. A thin-lipped mouth opened in a snarl to expose sharp canines, and longer claws extended from thin fingers. Though he should have been crying in fear— and afraid he was— Eren could only think that if he were to cycle because of this being, at least it would be a beautiful end. The dragon was magnificent, bloody or not.
At least until it lunged like a wolf, claws and teeth snapping for Eren's throat. A shriek escaped the phoenix and he threw himself to the side, bringing an elbow down on the dragon's spine. The beast collapsed on its stomach almost instantly. Its snarls sent waves of instinctual panic through Eren, even though its face was twisted in pain. It struggled to push itself up, the mangled arm doing little to nothing except spray more blood everywhere.
"Stop, stop!" Eren could feel his eyes watering over. His voice became a trill of anxious coos, trying to stop the beautiful creature from injuring itself, even though it had tried to take him down not five seconds ago. He knew better than to reach out, though, as the dragon swiped at him with a razor claw.
"Please don't! You'll hurt yourself..."
Eren's voice trailed off as the dragon lifted its head to look him in the eyes. Its fangs were fully bared. Stars, he was glorious. The raw power in his gaze froze Eren yet again. For what seemed an eternity, Eren found himself locked in the predatory stare. Then the dragon's eyes rolled back and it fell, twisted and broken.
Shit. Eren was in real hell. He couldn't leave the creature to die, no matter how much his instincts told him to run. Yet he couldn't help it, for fear of the dragon itself and the consequences a westerner in their valley could bring. Yet at the same time, just watching the creature was unlocking that curiosity he had kept carefully hidden away.
He was torn.
It was then that the dragon gave a final small shiver accompanied by a rattling breath. Eren made his choice.
Getting the dragon back to his nest had been no small feat. At first Eren had considered flying, but he quickly eliminated that option once he realized there was to way to keep the westerner on his back. He'd opted to quickly bind the dragon's wounds with his own feathers and carry it in human form.
Through trail and error and a few near-drops the phoenix managed to get the dragon to his cave. It was barely breathing by then, just shallow dips of its chest and a light flutter at its neck indicating that it was still alive.
Eren wasted no time in settling it down amongst the soft feathers of his nest and getting to work on its arm. He flinched every time the dragon so much as twitched a finger. Even near death the creature had proven to be quite formidable, and Eren had no doubt that it could easily take his life if it so desired.
He prayed it wouldn't come anywhere near that.
A full day had passed, and sunset had come yet again. The dragon still had not awoken. It lay, still as death, in the soft mound of feathers that made up Eren's nest.
The phoenix has done his best to keep it— or rather, him, as the rather impressive cock hanging between his legs displayed— hydrated and and his wounds clean, but there was only so much Eren could do before he simply had to wait.
At the moment, he sat curled against a wall, chirping softly to himself and watching the dragon. His green eyes caught on a strip of black leaking from the feathers he'd so carefully wrapped around the dragon's arm. He sighed. There wasn't much else to do but re-bandage. He couldn't have him lose more blood.
Gently and slowly, Eren pealed away the layer of golden brown blocking the wounds from his sight. He cooed on instinct, a sound meant to calm and reassure as he slowly lifted the dragon to lean against the wall.
Water worked well enough, but phoenix saliva was second only to the vampires' healing salves, so Eren chose to clean the wounds with his tongue. He wrinkled his nose at the salty taste of blood but continued his gently administrations, licking softly at the reddened flesh. He could feel blood smearing his lips and he licked that away too before resuming his task. The phoenix was so engrossed, he did not feel the dragon's breathing slowly grow deeper and more purposeful, nor the slight tensing in the muscles of the arm he was cleaning.
In the same moment, he became aware of both sharpness prickling at his throat and a deep, velvet voice vibrating from the chest beside him.
"I suggest you explain yourself, before I slit this soft skin and let you choke on blood."
Eren was paralyzed. He couldn't form words around the claws lightly grazing his throat. Each thump of his heart brought blood dangerously close to the surface of his skin, reminding him how easy it would be for the dragon to make good on his promise.
"Speak." The harsh order was accompanied by a tightening of the hand around his neck. Eren pressed his eyes shut, trembling in terror.
"I—," was all he managed before a sob tore itself from his mouth. He forced himself to breath. "You were hurt and I just... please don't— don't kill me, please, I don't want—"
"Silence." He obeyed.
There was a couple seconds' pause, during which Eren slowly opened his eyes. They traveled along the well-muscled arm holding him, across a pale shoulder, and over soft collarbones. He didn't dare meet the dragon's gaze, however.
"Tell me, or you do die," the dragon finally hissed. "Who are you, and where am I?"
Eren swallowed. He knew his place as prey in this situation.
"I am a phoenix," he breathed out. "I live here. I found you just northwest of the river and brought you back. I swear, I meant no harm. You were— are— gravely injured."
"You wish me to believe your lies?" The dragon growled as he dug his claws into Eren's skin. "You were the one who did this, weren't you? We'll see you laugh when I pull your entrails from your body."
"It wasn't me!" Eren gasped. "Please, I only wished to help. You need to return to the Lightless Lands, don't you?" At that, the pressure on his neck relaxed a bit.
"So I am to the east," The dragon muttered. His brow was furrowed.
"Yes! Yes, this is the east, but I can help. If I heal you you'll be able to travel and leave before others find you."
The westerner seemed to be thinking his words over. He glanced at his arm, taking in the wounds that had already begun to scab at the edges from Eren's saliva.
"Phoenixes have healing powers, don't they? Those are the rumors I've heard." Eren quickly nodded, careful not to move too much against the iron grip he was in.
The dragon's grey eyes were stormy. Eren could see his struggle— reject a strange being's help and be left stranded and wounded in forbidden lands, or trust a sworn enemy and hope for the best. It was the same choice he'd undergone when he'd found the dragon. Fear still ran in his veins from the very sight of the creature, but Eren was beginning to see that the dragon was not all the legends had said.
Dangerous, yes, terrifying, yes, but still strangely mortal, and still able to feel. It was just enough of a connection to for Eren to find the bravery to keep tending to him.
"I need no one, but I am curious," the dragon finally said. "Why do you wish to help me? I'm beginning to recall that I tried to kill you earlier, and I'm still deciding whether or not I should finish the deed."
"I could see you were in pain..." Eren said shakily. "And I hoped you wouldn't kill me afterwards?"
"Pain does not bother me," the dragon snapped, eyes fierce. "But... perhaps I will be lenient. Heal my wounds like you say you can, and then I shall decide."
"It could take a few weeks," Eren warned.
"I'm patient, bird." The hand around his throat loosened, then dropped. Eren tumbled backwards, squeaking in anxiety. He rubbed at his abused neck and sent a nervous glare at the dragon.
"My name is Eren," he pouted. "And I am not some bird." He was met with long bared fangs and he quickly shrank back.
"Levi," the dragon finally answered. That was all he got, but Eren was happy he'd gotten away with his neck as well.
The days quickly grew into a strange routine. Eren would leave to fly with the rising sun, and come back with fresh game and water just past daybreak.
Levi— as the dragon had called himself— would usually be up by then, still too weak to stand despite the surprising strength he showed when threatening Eren. It was at this time that Eren would check his arm over.
The phoenix immediately guessed that Levi was putting on an act. He wouldn't utter a sound during his examinations, but Eren had felt him shudder at particularly sore spots and had seen him wince when he thought the brunet wasn't looking. He was clearly in a lot more pain than he dared to show. Though Eren was certainly curious, Levi did not choose to share how he had ended up so far from his lands, and the phoenix did not press for answers.
Personality wise, he also quickly learned just how foul the dragon's manners were. It was taking some adjusting to, especially since his instincts still pumped fear through him at the scent and sight of Levi. Death threats and curses did not help the phoenix calm down. He'd been so startled when Levi had unexpectedly snapped his jaws at him that he'd morphed out of his human form, searing a black mark on the floor by accident and knocking over two bowls of water. He'd found the dragon looking almost guilty after the incident but had received no apology.
In the evenings, Levi grew restless. He was clearly unused to the brightness of the constant sun, and twilight came as a relief to him. This was the time when Eren could usually coax some hints and details about the Lightless Land from him, and what he was told had him listening in wonder.
One such night it was steadily raining outside the cave, the soft glow of Eren's feathers lighting the stone shelter. Levi was well enough to sit up on his own and he did so now, eyes focused on the storm outside.
"Water falling from the sky," he murmured. "I have only heard stories of such things."
Eren quickly perked up, trilling in interest.
"Have you not seen rain?" He asked. Levi frowned before slowly shaking his head.
"Rain. No, I have not seen it. We only have snow."
"Is it true that the snow falls black upon your lands?" Eren's green eyes were wide. Levi's frown deepened at that.
"No, no, not black. That's ridiculous. Our snow falls to the lights of the spirits. They dance across the skies in the darkest hours of the night, every shade and shape you can imagine. When the snow falls it is dyed by their colors. Sometimes blue, sometimes green or purple... but never black."
Levi glanced away from the rain to see the phoenix leaning forward in interest. Gold light was reflecting in his wide eyes. At the dragon's raised eyebrow, Eren quickly jumped back, feathers puffing up.
"Sorry, I've just never heard tales of the Lightless Land except for those my mother told me," he felt heat rising to his cheeks.
"Well, that is clear enough, pigeon," Levi scoffed.
He settled back against the wall as Eren preened his feathers back into place and glowered. They stayed like that for awhile, just watching the rain fall.
"Not black..." was the last thing Eren remembered hearing as he drifted off.
Living with the dragon was strange to say the least. There were so many times that Eren awoke in cold sweat from dark dreams. The scent of danger permeating his cave would only heighten his alarm, to the point that Levi had actually looked concerned when the phoenix had practically run from him upon waking.
It was taking some getting used to without a doubt. However, there were upsides as well. Some days the dragon would help cook the meat Eren brought back, and others he would return to some small improvement in his nest. They were contradictions to the violent words Levi had carelessly used upon first waking, silent thank-yous for the time Eren was taking to care for him. The acts warmed Eren and only nourished his growing trust of the westerner.
As it turned out, Levi knew much more of Eren's world than the phoenix did of the Lightless Lands. However, all his knowledge was weaned from tales and rumors, much the same as Eren's. Even the simplest things, such as a butterfly startled and captivated the dragon.
Just before midday Eren had caught Levi slack jawed and staring at a red gold blossom beyond his cave. The sight had been so innocent and cute that he'd let out an involuntary coo, shaking the dragon out of his stupor and bringing his signature scowl back.
"Why do you make those insufferable noises?" Levi snapped instantly. "You do it every moment of the waking day."
"Sorry," Eren murmured as he dropped his gaze. "It's instinct, I suppose. The same way I have heard you growl or hiss. I'll try to stop." The phoenix shuffled a bit, embarrassed by his traitorous vocal chords.
"I see," Levi said after a second. "I... I suppose that was harsh. You can continue. I do not find them that displeasing."
This of course prompted an excited twitter. It was by far the closest thing to kindness Eren had ever received from the dragon. It sent warmth flowing through him and his feathers fanning in happiness.
At the realization, Eren quickly pressed them down and hurried back inside. Why had he been so overjoyed by that one phrase? It wasn't like Levi had actually complimented him. Besides that, his arm was rapidly healing. He'd already been in the valley around two weeks and it wouldn't be but a couple more before he'd be strong enough to fly once again.
A small string pulled at Eren's heart at that thought. He'd slowly been growing more used to waking up near another and coming home to company. The feeling was awakening a strange longing in him. He had to admit— it had been only a fortnight, but he did not want Levi to leave.
Winter was gaining fast on them. It had been late autumn when Levi had arrived, but three weeks later the valley was already having its first snow of the season. Had Levi been a phoenix Eren had no doubt he would be healed by now— their immune and repair systems were quite accelerated compared to other creatures.
However, the dragon was taking slower than a centaur to recover, even with Eren's meticulous care. It didn't help that he needed to fly in order to clear the mountains, something he was far from accomplishing in his state.
The dragon could walk with ease— had been able to for about a week and a half— but his arm had minimal mobility. Eren had assured Levi that he would recover, but with storms setting in they were beginning to doubt if it would be in time.
The night it snowed Eren was caught unawares. He'd been out hunting and hadn't noticed the quickening wind until the first flakes began to fall. By the time he returned to the nest his wings were nearly coated in ice and he was shivering violently.
"What took so— shit," Levi said eloquently as soon as he saw the freezing phoenix.
"S-sorry," Eren managed as he morphed into his human skin. The change got rid of the ice but intensified the cold. "I d-didn't bring anything... s-snow started..."
"Forget about that and come here, you pigeon," Levi chastised. "You'll be snow in a second if you don't get out of the cold."
Eren managed a coughing laugh as he stumbled down by their small fire.
"Phoenixes don't do well with c-cold," he muttered. "I really h-hate it." Levi threw him what could count as an amused look. Of course there was no smile, but Eren was well accustomed to that.
By the time they were ready to sleep, Eren's shivering had gotten out of control. He was curled in the thickest part of his nest— the feathers covering a good eight square feet of the cave floor— and still his teeth chattered loudly enough to be heard.
"What is the matter with you?" Levi frowned as he glanced over from the dying fire. Concern was visible on his face. "Aren't you a fire creature?"
"Y-yes," Eren squeaked out. "But that j-just makes it w-w-worse..." he gave a violent tremor. "Aren't you c-cold?"
"Not at all," Levi scoffed. "I am used to harsher temperatures."
"Mhmm," was all the phoenix replied to that. It was only a couple minutes more before Levi stood with a sigh.
"I cannot let you freeze after— well, everything," he said. "Let me help."
"What are you g-going to do?" Eren chirped nervously.
"Share my heat. Relax."
Eren watched wide-eyed as the dragon lowered himself into the nest, sending a few feathers drifting through the air. He crawled towards the phoenix slowly, silver eyes reflecting the dwindling firelight, and Eren had to take a few quick breaths to remind himself this was Levi as the smell of dragon surrounded him.
His muscles tensed on instinct as he was wrapped in surprisingly gentle arms and pulled to a well-muscled chest. However, the warmth flooding his body was instantaneous.
Every spot where his skin met with Levi's felt wonderfully hot, and Eren quickly forgot all danger as he squirmed to press himself flush against the living furnace holding him. Soft coos instantly started spilling from his blued lips. The feathers around him offered insulation, not letting the heat escape, and the smooth skin on his own was far more calming than he could have dreamed.
"Thank you," Eren breathed as he unconsciously nuzzled into Levi's neck. There was a sudden sharp gasp from above him.
"Don't do that," Levi snapped. He immediately backtracked as the brunet tensed up in fear. "I apologize. Dragons are sensitive near our scent glands. Try not to do that anymore."
Eren slowly relaxed and nodded, cheeks flushing a bit.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't realize. I know griffins have a similar problem..."
"It's not quite a, um, problem," Levi swallowed. Eren glanced up as he felt the dragon shift in apparent discomfort. "It's a... er, a mating instinct, shall we say? A claiming place."
Oh. Oh. Suddenly their close proximity felt even hotter. Eren tried to move away slightly but the cold air that flowed in between their bodies just made him press closer to Levi. He knew his cheeks were burning.
"Is it... not the same? For your kind?" The raven spoke slowly and cautiously, as if in embarrassment.
"Oh! No, no it is not," Eren felt his feathers fluffing as he answered. "We have different customs."
"Would you mind telling me?"
Great stars, he was wrapped up in a dragon in his own nest, and said dragon was asking him about mating rituals. Eren never thought he'd see the day. He didn't dare think about what had brought on Levi's questions.
"I-I do not mind," Eren stuttered out. "We have certain procedures, I guess you'd call them. A phoenix must ask before entering a courting with another. That's usually done through gifts or displays, and sometimes just plain words. If the second phoenix accepts, the first may then make advances. Those really depend on the couple in question. As for claiming, we don't really have an equivalent. Some mates exchange feathers, I suppose."
Eren felt rather than saw Levi's slow nod.
"What of... mating between species? Is that an accepted concept?"
The phoenix's eyes widened. He was sure Levi could hear his heart, it was pounding so loudly. Where was this leading? Eren wasn't sure if he wanted to hope. He'd been growing closer with the dragon, and Levi definitely wasn't the same on the inside as the snarling creature he'd seen when they first met. But was this a path he might want to follow?
Eren could feel himself panicking. Of course, the raven might have been speaking purely out of curiosity, but the things he said still set Eren's imagination running.
"As a rule," Eren replied carefully. "We do not have anything against it."
That was all he would offer. He was not going to acknowledge anything. If Levi had a purpose with this, let him reveal if himself.
The brunet risked a peak trough his lashes at the dragon's face. Levi's lips were thinned in thought and his brow furrowed, but his eyes were locked on Eren. He squeaked a bit and ducked his head, but could not shake that look from his mind.
Now that he thought about it, he'd seen a similar expression on the Levi's face a lot recently. He'd caught it when he returned in the evenings and when he cleaned his wounds. Eren hadn't paid attention, but now he was guessing what the look meant. And what frightened him the most was the lack of fear he felt thinking about it.
In fact, the more he considered the possibility of a... future with the dragon, the more right it felt.
A sudden laugh vibrated through the warm chest beside him.
"Relax, dove," Levi murmured. "I have no intention of making a move tonight. Though I hope, from that blush on your cheeks, that I will be on your mind more often."
Eren felt warm lips lightly brush his forehead, lingering just a second too long before they disappeared. Levi rose to his knees then, filling his place beside Eren with feathers, before calmly returning to his place by the fire.
It was only after Levi was gone that he realized how much he missed his heat-filled touch.
They did not speak of the night again, nor did Eren need Levi's warmth after the incident. His thicker feathers were quickly growing in, and he took human form only in the heat of the fire and his nest. His want for the dragon was something completely new and different, however.
It had been building for some time, Eren had to admit. He should have realized what those glances meant, should have taken more head of the careless touches here and there. Now, they burned like fire. A fire he didn't seem to want to put out.
It began with small things. A soft brush of fingers through his hair, a light kiss to the palm.
When gifts began to appear, however, all of Eren's suspicions were confirmed. They were slight things— mysterious dark scales fueling their fire, never burning out but always staying alight; healing herbs left lying by the cave; a few iridescent stones hidden in his nest. But to the phoenix they spoke volumes. He never mentioned them, just collected the small items with the hint of a smile on his face.
Inwardly, Eren was still in some turmoil. He knew what Levi was trying to do, and each day decreased his apprehension and increased his growing feelings for the dragon.
The question then was why Levi was making advances. Did he care for Eren as well, or was this only a mating instinct in the sexual sense? Were dragons even monogamous?
The stress of it was beginning to show on the phoenix. He was startled more and more often. His soft chirps and coos were diminishing, and his feathers were more often tightly pressed to his body.
Of course Levi would notice. Of course.
"Are my actions unwelcome?" The raven finally said bluntly. They were enjoying the last rays a pleasantly warmer day in the clearing outside the cave, but the stillness was shattered by those words.
"What?!" Eren jerked as if stung.
"Please don't play dumb. It does not become you."
He tried to avoid Levi's silver gaze, but the raven took his chin in one hand and forcibly turned his head.
"I am asking a serious question, Eren," Levi said. "There is no way you are not aware of both my intentions and my advances at this point. So far I have been patient but I have received no response. If you do not care to enter a courtship with me, say so. If you need more time, again say that. But I cannot keep waiting in the dark like this."
Eren's breathing had nearly stopped. Yes, he knew what had been going on, but this was the first time it was stated so openly.
Levi looked as cold as he normally did, but Eren could see the barest ghost of pink on his cheeks and the tension of his arms. He realized in shock that Levi was showing vulnerability.
"I don't know," Eren finally murmured. Levi's fingers tightened on his jaw. "I— I don't know but— I want you, Levi. I like your warmth, I feel safe with you. Your eyes make me feel safe. I want you but—" he gave a shivering gasp "— I need to know what's going on. Am I only a conquest for you?"
"Fuck no!" Eren didn't even finish, the retort was uttered so quickly and forcefully. Levi's eyes were wide and searching, his lips parted. "Stars, no, dove. I would never go after anyone if I didn't mean it. I know I'm crass. My language is fucking awful, and I basically tried to kill you. Twice." Levi paused and looked down. He reached out his other hand to hesitantly brush his fingers against Eren's. "I know you're afraid of me. I know. But you're— Eren, you're wonderful, beautiful, incredible. I'm a cold bastard who doesn't deserve to live in this paradise, but I swear I have never meant something more in my life than I mean it when I say I want you forever. I am choosing you as a mate. No, I am asking you to accept me as yours." Levi took a deep breath.
"Will you let me court you, Eren?"
There were so many emotions flying through him. An inexplicable relief, a feeling that this was incredibly right, excitement, fear, joy, and a pure tingling heat centered below his heart. Eren's eyes had long since begun watering, but Levi's final words pushed the tears over the edge. He wanted to spill everything in his heart before the dragon.
All Eren could say, however, was—
"Yes."