Underground

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Eren looked at the slight opening on the ground dubiously. The man had led them through the woods through a complicated route, bypassed two towns, and came to a small clearing where nothing else seemed to bloom. How he managed to find this place was beyond Eren. In the middle of the barren grounds, was a small pit that seemed to lead down to the center of the Earth.

As Levi cleared the dead leaves and branches near the opening, Eren peered at it carefully. It was very dark inside, and something inside the boy was squirming, giving him an awfully bad feeling in his stomach. He tried to take a closer look, but as soon as he took another step, a deep voice sounded from within.

"Name?" Erupted the voice from the darkness.

Eren almost jumped a mile.

Levi, however, looked as if he found this incredibly normal. "Levi."

"Purpose?"

"Here to see Springer."

There was some light shuffling, and an eye appeared out of nowhere in the darkness, gazing up at them. Eren cried out and fell back, but Levi grabbed his wrist and pulled him up again.

The eye peered at them intently for a while before blinking out of sight. There was some shuffling from the inside of the pit, and finally, the opening was revealed. It looked like a pothole that could fit one man.

Eren tried to recoil. There were goosebumps on his arms and the last thing he wanted was to go down there, but Levi stepped into the black void like it was nothing and the boy had no choice but to follow.

Once inside, Eren's jaw dropped open a few inches. It wasn't another dungeon like he had imagined at all. The boy blinked hard to adjust to the dark ambience, and saw in front of him, an entire city at the foot of the long stairs he was standing atop. There were houses, all kinds of houses, lopsided and battered; stone buildings that were taller than the bell tower he had seen above ground, and crooked paths and streets all over. There was another world inside the small hole they had climbed in – a whole underground world he had not known of.

"Ticket?" Asked the same cold voice, and it made Eren jump again. Turning his attention back, the boy saw that the voice actually belonged to a guard at the top of the stairs. He only had one eye.

Levi, however, did not take out a ticket. Instead, he handed the guard a small wad of cash. The guard's eye travelled to Eren for a second before taking the money, acquiescing satisfaction.

Levi grabbed Eren's wrist and started down the seemingly infinite stairs. The boy followed clumsily, still in shock of what he had witnessed.

It seemed to take the pair forever to reach the bottom. As Eren finally made his way to the flat ground, he was surprised to see a couple of kids his age gathered close to where they descended. They stared at him and Levi curiously as they walked by, though none said anything. As they walked on past, Eren turned around to look at them, and they were still waiting at the end of the stairs.

"Levi?" Asked Eren, tugging on the man's sleeve. "What are they doing?"

"Waiting." Replied Levi without looking back.

"For what?" Asked the boy, more curious than ever.

",…" Levi's face darkened a shade. "…the sun."

"…Sun?" Repeated Eren. He didn't understand at all. Utterly confused, he looked back at the kids again. This time, he saw something else. A tiny ray of sunlight had shot through the cracks of the opening high above, forming several small golden specs at the foot of the stairs. The kids had obviously known what time and what angle the sun would reach down here, and were all gathered around the golden circles, chattering excitedly and fighting over who gets to stick their hand in the sunlight first. It was something Eren had never seen before, and he couldn't even begin to understand it.

"…Why don't they just go up…?" Asked the boy incredulously.

Levi frowned, and the same light frown lines on his face deepened. "…This is hierarchy, Eren. The proletariat do not 'go up'."

"Huh?"

The man sighed lightly. "…They are not allowed." He explained briefly.

This only raised another million questions within Eren. But the man's tone was final, and the boy knew him well enough to stop asking questions. Instead, he pondered carefully what Levi had said. Maybe those kids didn't have a "ticket" to go up.

Eren looked around at the underground world again. Some of the excitement was wearing off, and he saw for the first time how desolate this place was. A whole other world that existed under the feet of others, where there was no rain or shine, no other life except the half-lives of the succumbed people down under, and the stagnant air that filled their lungs.

The boy stole yet another look at the group of kids by the stairs. They had shifted slightly due to the change in the sun's position. The small rays of light were disappearing, and they were squeezing every last second of the shine hurriedly, arguing over who gets to touch it next.

Suddenly, Eren felt his eyes burning. He whipped his head around and caught up with the man in from of him, unable to watch any longer.

"…I'm lucky." Whispered the boy softly, staring at the ground.

"What?"

"I'm lucky." Eren repeated stubbornly.

Levi stopped and turned to look at him, stumped by this sudden outburst.

"I grew up in the sun." Eren raised his large emerald eyes to gaze at the man, "And I saw trees, and grass, and flowers, and…and birds. …I had so much more."

"… …" The man gazed back, something stirring behind those cold grey eyes.

"…I just didn't know I was lucky." Finished Eren.

The man didn't speak, but Eren knew better than to demand a response. He didn't regret what he said though. It seemed very important to let the man know, although why it was important, Eren couldn't explain it.

The pair walked in silence for a few more minutes before the man spoke up. With his back to Eren, his voice was unperturbed, "…There will always be people more and less fortunate than you, Eren. The world is never fair."

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Levi stared up at the tall stone building ahead of him, his face expressionless. Years had passed but Springer had not relocated. He was still on the highest floor of the highest building in the Underground, so close to the surface yet always beneath. The irony was not lost upon him.

Beside him, Eren was also gazing up at the building, but in fascination instead.

Levi's large hand settled on the boy's back and gently guided him through the door. As they climbed the stairs, Levi used this time to prep the kid.

"Stay close to me, Eren. And don't say a word."

Eren blinked at him and nodded tractably. The small child seemed to understand the importance of these instructions.

As they reached the top floor, the boy was panting heavily, yet the man's breathing was as calm as ever. Less than welcome demands greeted them instantly.

"Who're you?" Asked a guard by the doorway. He was bulky and looked quite inadequate.

"I'm here to see Springer." Levi said coolly.

"Well, he's busy, he is." Slurred the guard.

The smaller guard next to him jabbed his chin towards Eren, "This ain't daycare."

"He's mine." Replied Levi. "Tell Springer Levi is here to see him."

"I told you, he's busy." The first guard said stupidly.

The second one, however, had understood the weight behind Levi's name. He muttered something under his breath to the first guard and moved out of Levi's way.

"After you." He said quite menacingly.

Eren gulped, but Levi had walked onwards, nudging him along with the large hand on his back. The boy chewed the inside of his lip as the guards pushed open the large oak doors to reveal the room inside.

Again, a sight Eren had not expected greeted them. Never had the boy imagined that a room inside a bleak stone building in the underground world would be so…lavish. Large velvet sofas were stationed around the room, with an ornate table of extravagant fruits and cheese in the middle. The walls were hung with all kinds of weaponry: swords, daggers, rifles, and pistols. Whether they were there for decorative reasons was unknown. Directly facing them, sitting on the heavily bejeweled armchair, was a man smoking a thick cigar. He was very well dressed and smelled of expensive perfume.

"Leviathan!" He said enthusiastically, chewing on the name that Eren has never heard anyone else call Levi, "Never thought I'd see you again."

Eren watched in trepidation as he stood up and walked somewhat lazily towards them. His tone was friendly, and he carried a wide smile upon his thin face, but something about this man terrified Eren, and the boy backed away a bit to hide behind Levi's legs.

"Springer." Nodded Levi.

"…And who might this be?" Asked Springer, glancing around Levi and taking notice of the child. In front Eren, Levi's body stiffened, but he quickly recovered.

"This is my kid."

Springer threw back his head and laughed, a shrill laughter that made the hairs on Eren's neck stand up.

"Levi, Levi, Levi." He tutted softly, bending down to take a good look at Eren, "I must say, societal norms do not become you… And how old are you, child?"

Eren cringed at being addressed directly. He sneaked a look at Levi; a look that was caught by Springer.

"There's no need to be scared." Springer smiled, "We're just talking here."

Up close, Eren finally realized why Springer was terrifying. His voice and his smile were amiable, but they did not reach his eyes. Inside those black eyes was nothing but darkness.

Swallowing hard, the boy took a deep breath, "…Five." His voice came out higher than usual.

"And where's your mom?" Springer asked.

Eren looked away quickly, feeling the ping of pain stabbing at his chest whenever he thought of his mother.

"What's wrong, you miss her?" Asked Springer softly, sounding genuinely concerned, "…What's her name?"

"That's enough." Interrupted Levi, cutting him off.

Springer smiled again and stood up straight, his eyes colder than before.

"So, what can I do for you today, Levi?" He asked in a cordial tone, though the words seemed ominous somehow.

"…He's malnourished." Murmured Levi, lowering his eyes to rest on the child clutching to his pant leg, "He needs supplements."

If Springer was surprised, he hid it very well. Still smiling, he walked back to his armchair and sat down, folding his long fingers in his lap.

"…And what will you give me in exchange, my good man?"

"How much do you want?"

The cold smile stretched wider as Springer's fingers intertwined. "I have no interest in collecting monetary value from you, Leviathan."

This has been what Levi was dreading.

"It so happens I'm in need of a win." Springer continued, "A fight would do."

"No." Replied Levi icily.

"Then, I'm afraid, we have no deal." Springer said softly.

"No fights." Levi repeated. His tone was final.

Eren looked between Levi and Springer anxiously, not really comprehending the entire situation. He wasn't sure why Springer would need someone to fight for him, but he knew how Levi felt about the war, so maybe that was why he was against fighting.

For a short while, the two men faced each other in silence, both faces set hard as stone. Just when Eren thought they had lost, however, Springer's smile returned.

"Very well." He said easily, "Since we are old friends, Levi, I shall compromise…"

Springer whispered something to one of the guards and had him hand over a piece of parchment. Hesitantly, Levi opened the roll to find a hand-sketched portrait of a young boy close to Eren's age.

"My son." Springer explained pleasantly, "His mother and I quarreled, and she ran off with him. …I'd like him back."

"That's it?" Asked Levi, frowning at Springer. It was easy. Too easy. It seemed like a trap.

"That's it." Repeated Springer in the same pleasant tone.

Levi folded the parchment and put it inside his jacket. He gave a tiny jerk of his chin towards Springer to acknowledge him and guided Eren out of the room. No other pleasantries were exchanged among the two.

As they walked out of the gaudy room and the tall building, Eren couldn't hold back on his concerns any longer.

"Are you really friends with him?" The boy asked urgently.

"No." Levi denied pointblank.

"Then why are you helping him? Because of his son?"

"It's quid pro quo."

"What's that?"

"…Nothing." Sighed Levi, closing his eyes for a second. The kid was getting on his nerves. "No more questions, Eren."

The boy bit his lower lip and tugged on edge of the man's shirt from behind, "I-I have one more."

"…What?" Asked Levi, starting to sound exasperated.

The green eyes met the grey, then Eren took a deep breath and asked what he had been meaning to ask ever since they arrived here.

"How did you know they were waiting for the sun?"

Levi stared back, and a hint of surprise flashed behind his dull eyes. He had not expected the last question to be this. Yet then again, he had never understood the boy's train of thought. It was incredible how a five-year-old could make a man licked by war gain new insight through the eyes of a child.

He had not planned on disclosing this piece of information, though it seemed like the boy had earned it. One by one the bricks he put up around himself was starting to fall, yet just as Eren realized he had been lucky, Levi realized he had no intention of rebuilding.

He did not look away from the yearning eyes hopefully awaiting an answer. Instead, he volunteered the first piece of information about himself in the entire duration of his lifetime.

"…I used to live here."

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I want to thank the readers who have sent me messages and left heart-felt comments about their expectations for this story and their curiosity on where it would go - you motivated me to continue with this :)