Chapter Nine- Unfurling

The darkness had slowly faded away, leaving me feet deep under the freshly fallen snow. It's so dark, yet, everything looks so beautifully detailed, like God himself took the time to craft each snowflake. A set of five long red glistening fingers reach up and touch a perfect flake that threatens to fall onto my face. It melts at my touch, they all melt into water and wash over myself.

I slowly stand from the confined snow fortress, despite the freezing weather, falling snow, I feel hot; the snow around me melts.

The wind is freezing and sharp as it brushes against a foreign skin. Snow surrounds the long limbs, not quite freezing them, but surrounding them like a pack of meat in the freezer, slowly melting off. Tree's sway around roughly as if they're trying to grab me, send me back, give me a grim warning.

I take one step, it's long and powerful, filled with preparedness. Another on, and I zip past the trees nearly as fast as the wind does. My heart is beating out of my chest, but it's not mine.

None of this is me, but somehow, some way it is. This body is different, exotic with alien red skin. I'm not in control anymore.

"Mother, please help me, why did you leave me," I say into the air, it comes out as a clicking, a strange and haunting sound that makes me want to cry.

I slowly, shakily bring the fingers to my face and drag down a smooth surface, I observe it past my sight, my nose and my lips, but I feel nothing but one hard surface.

I wake up in a start, my throat clenching and eyes heavy. I immediately start to scratch at new bug marks on my neck; it feels like i've been laying in a field of grass for hours.

My cold feet nearly touch the floor, but stop mid-way, and scrunch my face up at the dirt on my feet, I don't recall encountering any dirt? And surely I didn't sleepwalk myself outside.

I grab my towel and make my way to the bathroom to take another lonely quiet shower. I really wish that I could be with Farlan and Isabel, I know I'm a prisoner, but I hate being alone, ever since they left.

My feet pad across fresh wooden floors as I dart into my father's study, "Die Mutti, der Vatti!" A younger me exclaims. My mother holds her arms out wide from my father's lap, "kleiner Sänger." My mom mutters into my neck. I wiggle free from her tight hold to show them both the picture I drew, an ugly one of us dancing around a big fire while snow falls near our old home in Germany. My father patted my head gently and placed a kiss on my head, my mother beamed with happiness, but sadness swam in the depths of her eyes. I felt their betrayal before it happened; what I would give to sing to my Mutti once more, to just be held once more.

The warm spray of the water comes down clear, and rinses off brown, much like my salty tears. I stare at it trying to remember a dream or memory, but it's slippery.

I faintly remember calling out to my mother last night, surely something must have happened. I have bug bites, and I'm covered in dirt, the last thing I remember is cleaning the Library. Maybe I got punished for being where I wasn't allowed, but my body doesn't hurt, it feels stronger, leaner, and I feel a bit taller like I've had a growth spurt.

Quickly, when in my room, I change into the uniform, black pants, black shoes, a white shirt.

The halls are dead quiet as I trail down them in search of the Library, the memory of waking up covered in dirt is the only thing I remember since yesterday night, how did I get to bed?

"Jaeger."

I quickly turn around and drink in the view of Master Levi. He strides towards me with long steps, he looks like a veteran fashion week model. His hair is perfectly styled to the side, soft black turtleneck sweater is tucked into the black pant, his taller figure fills the clothes in perfectly.

"Yeager." he says again, I jump away from him, he strode all the way over while I was too busy ogling his model walk. He also does a two take of me, and I of him. I never measured myself to him, but surely I wasn't so tall I fell just under his chin.

I straighten my posture, "Yes Master?"

"Tch, did you clean my Library?" He asks crossing his arms.

"Yes, sir." I scratch the back of my neck, fearing a punishment, he's probably angry, I knew I shouldn't have gone just cleaning what I wanted.

It's quiet for a few moments, I look up to Levi, his steel eyes connect with my brown ones and I quickly look away.

"Your name is Eren, correct?"

I nod my head slowly, then remember who I'm speaking with, "Ye-yes Master!" I exclaim, my nerves getting the better of me.

Pale long fingers snake into my vision and rest on my chin, they're warm and soft, "I'm not your friend, I don't care for you really," Levi pulls my chin roughly, I stumble closer to him, our bodies only mere centimeters apart as I look him in the eye.

"I prefer you over some of the past Thraids and Threvents, so, I have a task for you, clean the Library every day." He says.

I nod in his hand, then he lets me reel back on to the balls of my feet nearly falling on to my butt.

"How did you change your hair color?" He asks suddenly.

At first, I'm dumbfounded, I dyed my hair a light auburn color a few weeks ago, but even now, nobody should be able to see my roots.

"I changed it weeks ago, I don't like my dark brown too much," I say with a slight smile.

He scrunches his face, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You asked how I changed my hair color, I went to the store and bought a box of hair dye," I say, despite being probably super old, it would seem he's dim.

"You said you did this, weeks ago?"

"Yes, Master."

My eyes follow his pale fingers that wrap into my wet ponytail hair.

"It must have been temporary," he quietly says.

I go to ask him what he means but he interrupts me, "Go off to the kitchen and help with breakfast, then report to my Library." He says.

"Yes Master," I say and turn to walk away.

"Eren."

I stop again and turn to Levi.

"Bow." He says.

Bow, like they do to royalty? Hesitantly I bow slightly, "Yes Master." I say in a strained voice, I'm too clumsy to bow easily.

I stand and quickly take my leave on down the hall.

I can feel his hot gaze brush over my body like a warming light, it sends chills down my body.

warming.