Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin.

For: Guest, sorry it's not humor. The story came out serious.

Summary: LeviMikasa. The year is 1940. A fleeting moment as Mikasa and Eren walk back to their office building one bustling NYC afternoon. A moment of absolute serendipity. AU. Romance.

Song: Fool by Cat Power

Throughout Time

fool

In the bustling streets of New York City, a pair of young professionals stepped off the line of a famous bagel and coffee cart a few blocks away from their building. They faced each other to find cheeks, ears, and noses red from the cold. The girl couldn't help but smile as the guy looked away, drinking his coffee.

"Let's head back before the boss kills us." Eren says as he chucks the empty cup into the trash bin. The paper holding his bagel crumpled in his hold. He takes the hand of his beautiful girlfriend and leads them back. His hand against hers was both warmth and comfort. A pale blush caresses her cheeks and she looks down, hiding beneath her scarlet scarf. She feels her heart flutter in her chest.

It's been nearly a week since they started going out. And every day that passed since felt like a dream.

His pace quickens as the crowd gathers by the intersection. People start coming in between them as their distance from each other grew. Eren grits his teeth as he turns around to bring her close. The face that greets him stops him. She was smiling as she shook her head and released his hold, telling him to go ahead. Pushed by the crowd, the young man with the emerald eyes had no choice but to walk forth. Still, he kept his eyes on his girlfriend who was steps away. Her head bobbed with the heavy crowd.

He nearly trips. And he turns back right as he lurched forward, catching himself. When he straightened right up, he looked around and his heart nearly fell. He lost sight of his girlfriend. Pushing against the crowd, he walked back in search of her. His sleek coat brushing against a number of strange arms.

It was then, in the distance, that he found her. His eyes widened and, as quickly as he could, tried to get to her. Her luscious black hair covered her face as she faced down to examine her shoe. Its strap seemed to have given in.

She was on the other side of the pedestrian's lane, leaning on the gray building wall. Before Eren could get to her, he saw a man of small stature stop by her side. He couldn't make out the expressions on their faces, let alone the words being exchanged. Nonetheless, the interaction alone was enough to bring a bitter taste to his mouth. She turned, her body seemed shocked as the man bent over to pick the tattered shoe. With an expert eye, the stranger examined it and turned to her. The words from his mouth caused her to smile as he handed the deplorable item back.

Eren froze from where he stood. The crowd cursed him and continued to shove their way against him. His face lost its color. And the cold seemed to affect him more.

The man, he saw, left his suitcase to the careful hands of his girlfriend. He had raised a warning finger, uttering special instructions not to place his bag on the sidewalks' concrete, before leaving. Her eyes followed his figure in perplexed amusement. Usually distant orbs shone in the faintest mirth as she saw the man return with a pair of slippers.

He smirked. And she smiles as gentle eyes watched the man stoop to drop his purchase next to her feet. The man looks up and allows himself a second to bask in her beauty. He tries not to speak, knowing fully how crass his words can get. A simple word of thanks caused him to take a step away, suddenly aware of himself, suddenly finding himself a foot too close. Before she could say anymore, he shook his head and went on his way, leaving the girl's eyes to widen at the abruptness of his departure. Before she knew it, she follows in suit. But after a few steps, she stops, wondering why her heart irrevocably sank with his leave. The man looked back, over his shoulders, as the flood of people took him further and further away. The lady stood frozen, her eyes glassy as they found his gaze through the crowd. Not knowing why, confused, her head drops and her gaze settles on the sandals on her feet.

From where Eren stood, he shook his head. Not knowing how to approach her, feeling as though he'd intrude an intimate moment between strangers in serendipity. In the years to come, the young man would realize he was the only soul who caught sight of the first encounter of a love that would put the world to shame.

TBC.

Kinda confused myself. Not by the story delivered but by the context. As stated, they meet just as WWII dawns. Mikasa and Eren eventually break up. And Levi and Mikasa get together just days before the former is enlisted for the war by his country. For nationalities sake, let's make use of Mikasa's Dutch bloodline.

Nevertheless, you can opt to simply view it as a Modern AU. It's only the last line that capitalizes on the AU anyway.

Explanations for fear I wasn't able to deliver properly. Still, hope you understood what was happening.

1. Eren and Mikasa have been dating for a week now. They went out to get lunch. He holds her hand as they walk back. The crowd comes in between them and separates them. Mikasa's shoe gets destroyed from the walk. Eren is too far away to help.

2. Levi was walking back to his building when he notices a woman cussing her shoe. Piqued that a beauty could say such crass words, he approaches her and finds her shoe ruined. Not minding her, he picks up her shoe and examines it. He then makes an inappropriate comment about how heels should never have been invented. This shocks Mikasa, still, it causes her to smile. What he said did make sense, but the manner he said it seemed so unneededly distasteful that she couldn't help but laugh at his character.

Suddenly, he gives his bag to her, telling her to keep it off ground. He abhorred dirt. And left her, rendering Mikasa confused. Soon enough, he comes back with slippers for her feet. She thanks him as she wears it when he suddenly mutters farewell, taking a step before going on his way. She tries to follow after him but the crowd got in the way. She stares into the ocean of strangers, bereft, before casting her gaze down to the sandals on her feet, knowing fully well that was the only connection she had left with the French man.