WDWS

I looked out the window at the falling snow, listening to Mikasa saying something about our parents. I actually could not have cared less about what our parents had done while I was gone.

I was thinking of Levi.

That look he had on his face, the one when I told him I'd been avoiding him because I'd been saving a surprise for him. That look of incredulity and relief. I shut my eyes and sighed.

"Are you listening?" Mikasa asked.

"Hm?" I answered.

"Eren," she groaned, "Will you pay attention while I'm here?"

"Sorry, Mika," I said and turned to her. Her eyes sharpened.

"You're thinking about Levi, aren't you?"

"Heh heh... Yeah."

"What is it about him?" she demanded, leaning forward. "He does nothing but glare and scowl and curse and beat up on his friends."

"No! I mean, yeah he does that, but he's very sweet. He's kind and brave and handsome and gentle with me. He's perfect for me, Mikasa."

She rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak again as my phone went off. I picked it up and asked, "Hello?"

"Hi Eren," Erwin's Kingsley-like voice filtered through the receiver. Kingsley, like Harry Potter Kingsley. The calm member of the Order... Nevermind.

"What's up, Erwin?"

"What time is the Christmas-slash-Levi's birthday party?"

"Um... It starts at 5, I think. I got to get there at 3, though. Hanji's gonna drag Levi out and let me and Armin set up."

"I'll come help you."

"Thanks man. Do you think Levi will like his birthday present?"

"Duh. I gotta go though. Bye."

The phone went off and I looked at Mikasa.

"So we have to be there at 3?" she verified. I nodded and glanced at the clock. 2:40. May as well be there early. I stood and stretched and Mikasa stood too.

"You know, Levi's pretty lucky, with what you got him," she commented as we stepped out into the cold winter air. It was brisk and leeched the warmth even from under my coat.

"I hope he likes it. It still kind of hurts," I replied.

She gave a small grin, "You really love him, don't you?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "He's my life."

We got to Levi's house and I reached to open the door when I heard a loud crash accompanied with a lot of swearing. We dashed inside to see Armin swearing loudly on the floor beside a ladder with a star beside him.

"Armin!" Mikasa exclaimed and ran to Armin.

"FUCKING GODDAMN LADDER SHITTY FUCKFACE RUNGS FUCKING UNSTABLE AS SHIT WHAT THE HELL FUCKING OW IT HURTS LIKE A MOTHER FUCKER" he roared as Mikasa helped him up.

I cracked up laughing and stumbled into a couch, burying my head into a cushion.

"What the fuck are you laughing at, Eren?!" Armin snarled at me.

I just kept laughing as I fell onto the couch, legs in the air, arms hugging my sides.

"Eren! Don't laugh!" Mikasa protested.

"I'm... I'm sorry Armin. It's just so funny," I gasped out. Armin just glared at me until I was able to stand, wiping tears from my eyes.

"Go put the fucking streamers up," Armin barked and set the ladder back up.

About an hour later, Erwin showed up.

"This looks fantastic, guys," he gushed, taking in the meticulously done tree, blue and white streamers everywhere, and everything cleaned to the point where they shone. The three of us were dirty and sweaty. Erwin chucked clean clothes at us.

"Go get changed before Levi gets here," he said.

We retreated to separate rooms. I switched out my pants, wondering how the hell I'd survived more than a week without talking to Levi. Without feeling his arms, without kissing his lips. I took off my shirt and stared at myself in the mirror. Tall and lanky, my toned body looked less chiseled than it would have if I was shorter. Smooth with a few blemishes and bruises, courtesy of Levi's masochism. Well, one of the marks on my body was my decision. I pulled the shirt on and made sure my chest was covered, as well as my back. I carried my clothes downstairs where I stored them in the back of Armin's car. He and Mikasa came in and did the same. We crashed on the couch and waited for the others to show. Soon, Petra arrived with Suka, Snow, and Aria in tow, as well as a few other members of the basketball team and swim team that I had made friends with. A small congregation in all.

Suka and his girlfriend immediately sat down beside me as Aria went off to get food.

"Levi's got a nice place," he said.

"Yeah," I grinned.

"Dude, you are so in love. It's all over your face," he laughed.

I blushed and listened to the conversation around me.

"GUYS HE'S COMING!" Erwin bellowed.

We all scattered and his behind things where we knew Levi couldn't see. I watched as the familiar shadow approach the door. It was flung open and in walked a god.

His hair was shadows pinned to his snowy scalp. The skin was gently flushed with the barest brush of pink from the cold. His eyes were light grey, like rain clouds when the sun broke through. His frame was short and muscled and perfect. He looked around, eyes narrowed.

"Hey Levi!" Erwin called.

"What the fu-," he started, but every jumped up and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Levi scowled happily and thanked us. We continued talking and I kept getting sidetracked by the food and nervousness. What if he hated my present to him? What if he scoffed? What-

"Oi, you okay? You look constipated," a deep, chilling voice asked.

I turned to see Levi standing behind me.

"Happy Birthday," I squeaked.

"Thanks," he said. "Now what's wrong? What were you hiding from me?"

I swallowed hard. "I don't want to give it to you here, or now."

He gave a gusty, irritated sigh. "Fine. When the guests leave, I want you to tell me."

I nodded and Levi gave a small smile and walked off. I watched him and knew I had until 9 that night to get the courage up.

I sucked in a breath and made my way over to Levi, who was staring at his birthday cake that Petra had made.

It was green with the Wings of Freedom on it, and it had little etchings of blades and 3DMG and itty-bitty figurines of people.

"You outdid yourself, Petra," he said hoarsely.

"You only turn 18 once, Rivai," she laughed.

She turned and called everyone to the cake. We all bellowed out in chorus the birthday song, making Levi wince.

When we ended he said, "You all sing like shitty donkeys. But thanks."

He blew out the candles and locked eyes with me. They seemed to say what he wished for: me.

The crowd cheered as Levi cut the cake. I made my way forward to feed him a piece, as tradition dictated.

"You're the only one who's gonna feed me," he said.

I nodded and picked up the bite-sized piece of cake in my hand. I brought it close to Levi's mouth. His lips closed around my fingertips and his teeth gently scraped them. He locked eyes with me and I gently pulled my fingers away. Then, before he could do anything, I grabbed a dollop of icing and smeared it all over Levi's face.

"God dammit you shitty little brat!" he roared and I did the best thing possible. I ran.

I cackled and shoved my way past people, running towards the stairs when a force tackled me.
I fell and felt cold icing spread across my own face.

"How does that feel?" Levi snarled.

"Awesome," I winked. Levi bent down and gave me a quick kiss before getting off me to wash his face.

I walked around and noticed Aria standing off in the corner by herself, watching the party go by.

"Hey," I said, approaching her.

"Hey," she smiled.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, I guess. I decided to give Snow and Suka some space," she grimaced.

"You don't have someone special?" I asked.

"No, I don't. I probably won't for a while. I envy you though, Eren," she said, eyes serious.

"Huh?" I replied.

"You've fallen in love. The forever kind. There's nothing you have to hide from Levi; nothing you'd want to. You two are obviously created for one another. And I know you'll never leave each other," she said bitterly.

"Hey, I'm sure you'll find someone," I said.

"Yeah, I suppose I will. But go enjoy yourself, cause you only get to celebrate your boyfriend's birthday once a year," she chuckled, and shoved me away.

I walked off, thinking over what she said. She was right, there was nothing I wanted to hide from Levi, I wanted him to know me in every way possible, show him everything I was and had. I half-grinned. Funny how intuitive Aria was. She knew what I had needed to hear, even if it wasn't on purpose. She deserved someone nice for her.

9 o'clock rolled around and the party-goers went home, leaving Hanji, me, and Levi in the house. Levi went upstairs to change.

"Hanji..." I started.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Thanks for getting rid of him."

"No problem. Now go make up. And out," she laughed.

I chuckled back and walked upstairs to Levi's room. I knocked on the door and heard a rough, "Come in."

I walked into the room. The only light came from the moon and stars outside the window. Levi stood, looking outside it.

"Levi," I said.

He turned to me and I stepped into the moonlight's path on the bedroom floor.

"What is it?" he asked, voice full of curiosity.

I turned around and pulled off my shirt and he saw my first tattoo, the white Wing of Freedom.

"That one's not your present," I whispered.

"Then what is?" he demanded.

"Happy Birthday, Levi," I turned around slowly and he gasped, actually gasped as he saw my chest. Across my heart, in calligraphy letters was "Rivaille". Surrounding the letters was two sets of 3DMG.

He stared, grey eyes silver in the moon and starlight. He stared at my tattoo.

"That's why you wouldn't touch me...," he whispered.

I nodded, "You can touch me now though."

"When did you get the wing?"

"Hanji told me you got to blue one, so I got the white one."

"Fucking shitty glasses."

"So... You forgive me?"

He stared into my eyes and moved closer to me. His sweater clung to his torso, snug enough for me to see the edges in the stomach and chest. His jeans were slung low on his hips.

"Eren, you could burn down the world and I'd forgive you," he whispered. I drew him into a hug. I felt his breaths warm my chest. His small frame was strong and firm.

He gently pulled his head back and kissed the tattoo. I gave a small moan as pain shot through my body along with a pulse of pleasure.

"Careful," I panted. "It's still sore."

Levi took no notice though and kissed my chest again, before pulling my lips down to his. My hands came up to hold his hips as he ran his hands over my back.

"I love you," I whispered.

We kissed for a long time and somewhere in the process, we ended up in nothing but our boxers.

"Eren... I want you so badly," he groaned as I picked him up and held him at my level. "But, you're under 18, and I'm 18, and..."

"Levi," I growled, laying him down on his bed and leaning over him. "I give you my official consent to do whatever you want with me. We'll stay quiet about what we do, and I know Hanji, Erwin, Petra, and Armin will. I love you. And today's your birthday. I'll do whatever you want me to."

"Then kiss me," he gasped.

I pressed my lips against his roughly, cradling his face in my hands. I could taste the cake left on his lips, smell the sweet scent of his cologne that drove me absolutely crazy.

"Levi," I gasped against his lips.

"Say my name again," he gasped as I kissed his cheeks.

I chanted his name as I kissed down his neck, hissing, "Levi. Levi. Levi. Levi. Levi. Levi," between kisses. He arched his back and groaned as I kissed his neck and shoulders.

I leaned over him, staring into his beautiful face. It was vulnerable. I'd never seen him like this before. His silver eyes were wide and his lips were swollen and his cheeks flushed. His sculpted body was heaving under mine. My hand was pressed against his hip bone. My other stroked through his midnight hair like it was a strand of pearls. He kissed my tattoo again and I hissed in pleasure and pain. I gripped his hip and hung my head, our foreheads touching, breaths mingling.

"I love you," he panted.

"I want to make you feel good," I murmured into his sweet lips. "You're driving me crazy Levi. I love you. I love you so much. I'd burn down the world, make everyone bleed, do anything for you."

"Eren... I'd never make you do anything you didn't want to. But could you... Please... I don't want to get you in trouble... But I can't help," he stammered, eyes wide and scared and vulnerable.

I kissed him again softly, pushing him farther back onto the bed.

We didn't have sex. We made love. It was gentle and full of emotion that neither of us could express. There were no screams or yells or panting, just soft moans and kisses and gentle bites all over our bodies.

When we were finally exhausted, we leaned against his intact headboard, holding each other in our arms.

"Happy birthday, Levi," I whispered.

"Thank you Eren," he whispered, stroking his hand along my stomach. "I love you."

"I'll never tire of hearing that," I murmured into his sweet, sweat dampened hair. "I love you too."

He fell asleep first, grey eyes a raincloud grey of satisfaction and love and sweetness. I felt his breathing slow and deepen and his stress-lined face further relax as he slipped into a deep slumber. I fell right after him, following him into the gentle world of peace and dark in which I could only see him, only hear him, only feel him, only taste him, only smell him. My paradise.

I unfortunately will not be able to update until my dearest Storm is feeling better and until this Saturday is over with. I have an Academic team tournament, like Quiz Bowl, and I'm a defending Language Arts category placer, so I need to focus. Thank you guys for your support.

-Dancer