Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan or the characters of Attack on Titan. But the idea and some of the characters are mine.
Pairing: Levi x Mikasa (I strongly ship them! Hope my readers are in the same boat as me~)
Chapter 2 is up!
Please do leave comments about the story. Your reviews are very much appreaciated!
Thank you very much and do enjoy this work of mine. :)
Chapter 2: The Mask
Seasons change in the blink of an eye in the wall. Expeditions one after another pays no attention the flow of time. Despite the hard grieve times, there were still some good reasons to live. It was Levi's third spring in the Scout Regiment and he was promoted to a Corporal. Many of the squad members had mixed feelings of jealousy, relief, happiness and anger towards this appointment. However, it was a decision made by the top management, including Corporals, Commanding Officers, Section Commanders, Squad Leaders, Squad Captain and of course, the Commander.
The night of Levi's promotion, the Scout Regiment threw a party for him, like for any other soldier who got promoted. It was the very least ease of tension in the affiliation that Erwin could do for his fellow comrades.
"Let's toast to Corporal Levi Ackerman for his remarkable performance in the Scout Regiment!" proclaimed Erwin as he raised his glass of wine to the air towards Levi and the floor.
"Congratulations, Corporal Levi!" shouted the crowd excitedly as Levi quickly being swamped with girls, but he was soon protected by his team members, especially Petra who started shooting murderous glares at the girls.
"I wonder where she learnt that glaring skill from," questioned Oruo in a slightly sad tone, "she used to be so innocent and angelic."
"Might be from Corporal Mikasa or Corporal Levi himself. Both of them had that skill built into their eyes and it was widely used in public. Otherwise, they would be usually swamped by opposite genders all the time," hooted Gunther as he gulped down a big glass of beer. "I'm glad that Levi manage to own that title in such short period of time."
Eld who was almost drunk beside Oruo nodded furiously in agreement. "Our boss own it! He deserves that honour!" he giggled loudly before slamming his head onto the table.
"Ah, this guy is out of the game. Oruo, give me a hand to carry Eld back to his chamber! Corporal Levi, we shall retire for the night then. Congratulations once again!" pronounced Gunther as he motioned Oruo to carry the passed out Eld out from the mess hall. Levi plastered a thin smile and nodded slightly at his members.
It was near midnight and almost all the soldiers had passed out in the hall itself, leaving only a handful sober ones who decided to drag themselves back to their chambers for a good night sleep.
"Erm, Corporal Levi. It's getting late. Shall we head back?" entreated Petra, her blush seared through her cheeks while she peeks a glance at Corporal Levi. He had been quiet the whole night, even though he was supposed to be the main character of the party. He is physically in the hall but mentally, he definitely is somewhere else.
Petra frowned at the man disappointingly. "Corporal Levi?" she called again and this time, Levi's deep train of thought was finally interrupted.
He snapped and looked at the blonde haired woman, who was shyly staring and waiting for his response. "Oh, Petra. You should head back to your chamber now. I will be going back to my room shortly later," he droned slowly while continued to sip his wine.
"If you want company, I can-"
"No. I'll be fine alone," he cut her off and narrowed his eyes, while motion her to leave.
Petra's eyes flattened with her beloved corporal's statement and flee from the scene before her tears roll down her cheeks.
It was one of the rare nights Levi brought himself out of the castle to feel the wintry blow his hair into a tousled mane. Stars light the sky like snow-flakes in the night, yet appear still, like an old painting. Despite the magnificent Milky Way in the night sky, the surroundings are wrapped in darkness. The night is as ferocious as a dip in the frozen lakes would be, taking his body heat until his lips blued and teeth chattered. It was an erratic frosty cold spring night. Levi ambled along the castle until he discerned a dark, tall figure, who was making its way towards the right side of the castle.
Levi stayed in the shadows, alerted. He was ready to take down the figure if it makes suspicious movements. Judiciously, he stalked the footsteps of the figure who was somehow wading through the bushes and ended up in front of the gates named 'Freedom'. The figure leisurely opened the gates and continued its journey into the darkness.
What the hell is that person doing at the graveyards in the middle of the night? The raven haired man thought in bewilderment and he then too noticed that the figure had a bouquet of flowers on its arm. The scent of the flowers created a string of light that illuminates the figure's footsteps, making it easier for Levi to trace its owner's whereabouts.
After a long tailing, the figure finally stopped at one of the tombstones. At that very same moment, gloomy clouds made way for the nightly moonlight queen to splash down her watery white-silver glow onto the grounds, bathing them, illuminating them. And in the distance, the trees were silhouetted against the deep velvety sky. The figure sparked under the moonlight. She was dressed in a simple white shirt and long black pants. No thick articles to protect her from the blustery wind that occasionally bite through her pale porcelain skin. The only cloth that keep her warm was the worn out dark red scarf around her neck. An article which Levi had never seen her wearing throughout his two years with the Scout Regiment. It was the woman that made him absent minded the whole night since he had yet to see her around for the past few weeks until this very day.
Levi was enthralled to see the usual expressionless, stoic woman's mask break into pieces when she haltingly knelt before the tombstone, gently brushing off the dried leaves and deliberately placed the bouquet of flowers on top. The man's heart twisted when he saw silvery tears rolled down from her reddish cheeks.
"Eren…" she cried sorrowfully.
Instantly he felt a strange feeling deep within himself, breaking, cracking into pieces. He could feel his heartbeat slamming against his chest wrathfully. His heartache was like a wolf devouring at his chest, tearing its way to his trembling heart. Never did he ever felt so forlorn before, even in front of the deaths of his comrades, he was able to mend and stabilise his emotions to its usual form in no time. But this round, towards her shattered soul, words failed him.
"Mikasa…"
A male voice rung the two raven hair back to reality. Levi narrowed his eyes and discovered another tall, male figure walked out from the shadows, towards the weeping woman. Under the moonlight, the figure revealed his short, light ash-brown hair and tall figure. He was wearing his typical off duty white button-up shirt and dark brown pants. Levi recognized the identity of the man instantaneously from his looks. It was Corporal Jean Kirschtein. He is usually out of town as he is assigned to different top secret missions, directly from Commander Erwin.
Fully aware of that man's presence, Mikasa swiftly wiped off trails of tears from her face and hastily stood up, her glance maintained at the tombstone. Jean narrowed his intense light-brown eyes at the woman before putting his hands on her shoulders, spinning her over to face him forcefully.
"I knew that I will find you here since I didn't see you in the party. You had returned from Wall Sina since yesterday," crowed Jean as he stared into the grey orbs of the woman before him.
She shove his hands off her shoulders and gave him a thin smile. "It's his fourth year death anniversary. I had to be here with him. You should've knew that by now, Jean," Mikasa grunted softly.
"Lilies again, huh? It does suits him well. Devotion towards humanity. It suites you too, Mikasa. Your devotion and obsessiveness towards Eren never dies even though he has already passed on. You need to release yourself, Mikasa, from the ghost of the past…"
"He's not a ghost!" Mikasa retorted with antagonism. "He's not… he's still here with me…"
"M-Mikasa…" Jean faltered heartbreakingly.
She stood vulnerably, staring at the tombstone. Her lips forms a thin line, pushing back the tears that are eager to roll down. "Please…leave me alone, Jean. I will be alright tomorrow, I promise," she quietly plead the ash-brown haired man.
Jean sighed heavily, having no choice but to leave the agony woman behind as he rambled into the darkness once again.
A moment of silence remained in the air where there was only emptiness wrapped by the darkness.
"How much longer do you want to hide behind the tree, Rivaille?" Mikasa intoned, without looking towards the direction where Levi was hiding.
With much hesitation, Levi stepped out under the moonlight and gave an empty look at the woman. "I didn't realise… that you could display such emotions. You have someone that could draw your inner emotions to such state," Levi blurted gingerly, trying hard not to break another piece of her soul.
She snorted at his statement and nodded slightly in agreement. "Only he could… but he's already gone. Thus, there's no reason for me to exhibit such pathetic emotions to the crowd," she blabbered tenderly as she kneeled down again to touch the lilies.
"How did he died?" Levi pushed his guts to question the woman.
She kept quiet for a moment, not fully registered with the sudden query from a man whom she barely knew. He is the last person she thought will throw her such personal question. But somehow, deep down, she felt that she can display a little, just a piece of her susceptible side to him. She swallowed her breath and muttered, voice thick with guilt and distress.
"It was supposed to be me, dying at that day. My reckless got the 'best' of me. I thought I was capable of protecting my team mates, by slashing nearly ten titans in a go. Erwin insisted on retreat but I was too stubborn to follow his instructions. Then, the titans outnumbered us. I was in the sky, with broken blades when a nine-meter was behind me. Its hand was just below my feet…"
She paused. Tears rolling down from her cheeks like pearls. She pursed her lips into a thin line and fists curled into balls, reminiscing the scene in her head. Levi stood next to her, masking himself with the usual expressionless face, while deep in his heart, he felt his deafening heartbeat at her sobs.
Moments later, she collected herself by wiping off her tears harshly. She continued in a raspy blubber, "Eren pushed me to the side and that-thing caught him… and… I see blood everywhere. I didn't…even get to see Eren's face for the last time. Only his words, his last words… "Live on, Mikasa." Lingered in my brain until now. I would've thrown my life away for him…"
His mind was going insane at the out of character woman's actions and words. Staring at the silky raven hair, reddish cheeks, pink chapped and dry lips of hers, Levi had an impulsive urge to claim the woman to himself, force her to unleash her vulnerabilities to him, kill every man that have the slightest opportunity to capture her inner side – especially Jean Kirschtein, how dare he placed his filthy hands on her. Damn it, he hissed sharply. That unknown feeling splintered and stirred him excruciatingly. His heartbeat pounded and slammed hard against his chest feverishly, as if it was screeching for a release. The next thing he did was totally out of his control. Stealthy, he knelt beside her, pulling her red scarf towards him and crashing his lips against hers.
Mikasa widen her eyes in shock and froze on the spot. Her brain could not analyse the abrupt situation that showered her. She tried to push him away but instead, he grabbed hold of her wrist, leaned closer and tightened his grip around her neck. "Ri…Rivaille" she struggled to shout his name in between kisses. Levi held onto her tighter and gradually she stopped repelling, thus chose to enjoy the momentary affection.
"Levi. Call me Levi like you did that night," he corrected her after breaking the kiss to catch his breathe. He cupped her face in his hands and gently lifted her close to his until their foreheads touch. Her once pale skin was replaced with a shade of crimson which she attempts to hide. As soon as the pair of onyx eyes met blue eyes, they flee to hide their bashfulness.
"Live for me, Mikasa," he requested while caressing her cheeks with his thumb.
Mikasa's eyes widen in surprise and broke her stare with his. "No, we can't," she responded like a shot to break any desires from growing. "This is wrong, Rivaille. Stop it."
"You yearn for my touch. You didn't resist my kiss. Admit it," Levi breathed earnestly at her ear. She shivered from his tickling breathe, yet, she restrained herself from drowning into his tenderness. Roughly, she removed herself from his warmth to face him.
"This night never happen, Rivaille. You and I can never cross that line. Never," she blustered lowly as she helped herself up from the ground and rushed back to the castle without looking back.
Looking at the muddleheaded woman, Levi felt his lips curved upwards. He knew that he had sparked a different emotion in her, a new hope, finally. At least, she is starting to recognize my presence in her heart. It is just the matter of time her mask will rattle in front of me, he reckoned with a smirk. Then, he stood up and brushed away the dirt from his clothes, staring down at the tombstone that reads 'Eren Jeager'.
"Even I have to compete against a ghost from her past, I will overtake your existence in her heart, Eren Jeager brat," Levi muttered murderously as he made his way back to the castle.
Chapter 2 end
