Disclaimer: I own none of these characters!

Once upon a time, a young boy fell in love with a cursed prince. And after true love's first kiss, they knew they had to be destined to be together. One day, the young boy ventured into the town where an old aristocrat spotted him, enchanted by his green eyes. The old man asked for the beautiful boy's hand in marriage. Not knowing the man, and repulsed by the aristocrat's blue-hued beard, the young boy declined the marriage proposal. However, the aristocrat was persistent. He kidnapped the young boy for himself and they were soon married. Not long after the forced wedding, the aristocrat had to leave his home. He threatened his new bride to stay in his room and to avoid the cellar. Curious, but more spiteful, the young boy ventured to the cellar to find the gruesome secret the old man was keeping. And he knew then that he had to escape or he would end up mantled on the wall…

This may be that story.

Eren fell onto the bed with a big, happy grin on his face. He really couldn't believe all that had happened at the ball. He got dressed up, he got to dance and he finally got the kiss he had been wanting from Levi. He actually felt the spark Irwin had mentioned when he kissed Levi too. So it wasn't just a normal, first kiss. It was the first kiss.

And Eren's heart was soaring in places he couldn't even reach.

He had to ride back home with Levi, as his carriage was a pumpkin again. He wasn't sure where the mice had scampered off to, but he was sure, since they were familiars, that Hanji would find them. Somehow.

He wanted to worry about the mice but his heart never stopped racing.

He sat by Levi in the carriage and he even dared to hold Levi's cold hand. It had been perfect.

The entire night played over and over in his mind as he stretched out on the bed. He could still smell Levi on him and he could still feel Levi's hands on his own and on his waist. And he could still taste Levi on his lips. It was an innocent taste, not one driven with lust but one with a chaste passion for the other.

Eren wanted to sneak into Levi's room and sleep next to him. To hold him and be held and to kiss his lips again. He just wanted to be close to Levi, nothing more.

The door to his room cracked open and Eren sat up, still smiling. It was impossible for him to hide the grin on his face.

"Are you still up?" Petra whispered, sticking her head inside.

"Yeah…"

She pushed the door open more and skipped into the room. She flopped on the bed and Eren leaned against the pillows, pulling his legs to his chest. He smiled and she couldn't hold back her own pleased grin.

"So everything went well?"

"Everything was amazing," Eren said, his eyes twinkling. His stomach was an excited knot. "It was just…so perfect and magical…"

"I'm so glad, Eren!" Petra said happily. She took his hand, giving it a squeeze. "Oh! Hanji found her mice, by the way. Since you didn't really come home by midnight…"

"Oh good!" Eren sighed. "And sorry about not making my curfew…but it was worth it."

"I bet it was," Petra winked. The two of them laughed more until there was a second soft knock on the door.

"Come in," Eren called.

He had been expecting Hanji, maybe even Irwin. Certainly not Levi.

The prince stood in the doorway and Petra came to attention. Eren bit his lip as she stood.

"Should I go?" Petra asked.

"That's not completely necessary," Levi replied, walking over. He stopped, stared at Petra and looked to Eren. "Actually, yes, please leave."

"Yes sir," Petra said, a hint of a grumble in her voice. She hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her. However, the door was slightly left cracked open, enough that an eye or two could peek in.

Levi paid it no attention and sat down on the bed next to Eren. He smiled and Eren's heart fluttered at the gentle look on his face.

"I…just wanted you to know that tonight was very nice," Levi said. "And I had a very nice time. And you looked…nice."

"Tonight was wonderful," Eren said. "Thank you."

Levi nodded stiffly, kneading his knees with his hands. Was he really that nervous?

"You can go back," Levi said with a stiff tone. "To Sina. Whenever you want. I know you enjoyed it and didn't get a real chance to look around the city. So whenever you want to go, you have my permission. Irwin can take you. Or Petra, whoever. I don't want you to just be stuck in this dank castle all the time."

Eren tilted his head, catching a glimpse of Levi's thinned lips and downcast eyes. He was sad and he was trying so hard to hold it all back. Eren smiled and reached out, taking Levi's hand in his own.

"Thank you," Eren said. "But…I'd rather go visit it with you, one day."

Levi looked up at him, half touched but also upset. He shook his head.

"You know that's not fucking possible."

"I think it could be one day," Eren said. "And I'm willing to wait until that day comes."

Levi smiled sadly. Eren was being genuine and Levi knew it, but there was still hopelessness in his words. However Levi nodded, squeezing Eren's hand and bringing it to his lips.

"Thank you," Levi whispered into the soft skin of Eren's palm. He kissed Eren's hand again. "Sleep well."

"You too," Eren replied, purposefully stroking Levi's cheek.

Levi stood and bowed, turning to leave the room. He opened the door and stumbled over Petra and Hanji. The girls squealed and darted away as he started to yell at them. Eren laughed, holding his hand to his mouth to hide his amusement.

The morning sun rose as always. Warm rays covered the black castle, the grass peeking through the melting snow. It would not be long before the specks of green overtook everything, covering the land in new buds and blossoms. Winter was dying, the cold was fading, the ice was melting.

And the sound of a horrified, awful scream filled the castle halls.

Eren jolted awake, the terrifying noise ripping him from his dreams. He could hear the rustling thumps of movement in the hallway. He jumped out of bed and ran to the door, opening it up. Hanji had dashed into the hallway and looked just as scared.

"What is that?" Eren asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Is it…?" Mike dared to ask as he gestured down the hall. Hanji gasped.

"You think Levi?"

"L-Levi?" Eren said. He pushed passed them and started to run, only to be caught by Irwin halfway down the hall. "HEY!"

"Don't run over there," Irwin commanded. He drew his sword, steadying Eren carefully. "Keep in mind that it's daylight. And you know very well what happens to him during the day."

"That didn't sound like a fucking monster, Irwin!" Eren cried, squirming in Irwin's grip. "That sounded human!"

With a hard turn and a loud grunt, Eren managed to twist his arm out of Irwin's hand. He kept running, almost falling over himself as he dashed away. Hanji and Irwin called after him but he couldn't stop. He didn't care what time of the day it was. What if Levi was in trouble? What if he really needed help?

It was a stupid, brash thing to do but Eren would argue his own stupid logic later.

He pushed open the doors to Levi's room and stopped, staring in shock.

The room was the same. Nothing had changed about that. But instead of the massive monster sleeping on the bed, as before, there was Levi. Actual Levi. He stood in the middle of the room, holding his hair and touching his face. His eyes were red and terrified. His mouth hung open, like Eren's, and full of the same shock.

The morning light crept in through the parted curtain.

"You….you…," Eren muttered.

Hanji slid into the doorway and she squealed, stunned. Petra was next, followed by Mike and Irwin. All of them stared, unable to form any proper words for the sight before them.

Levi was human. Fully human, despite it being morning. He was human. Still human.

Human.

"I…I…I'm not…I'm human…," Levi muttered. His knees suddenly went weak and he collapsed on the floor in a dead faint.

Eren quickly ran over to him, pulling Levi into his arms. He shook the prince, trying to wake him up but Levi was too out of it. He wouldn't come to, no matter how many times Eren shook his shoulders.

"He's fine," Hanji said, walking over and leaning down by Levi's side. "Just in shock. Let's get him in bed and we'll just have to wait for him to wake up to figure out what the hell is going on."

Comprehending what was happening was difficult for everyone in the room.

Hanji paced, flipping through book after book and trying to find an answer. Moblit trailed behind her at her feet, looking up at her with a pair of marble eyes. Petra was sitting down, doing the same with Auruo perched on her shoulder. He would occasionally croak and the fairy would thump him on his froggy-nose. Irwin and Mike stood by the windows, looking outside and muttering theories and thoughts to themselves.

Eren sat on the sofa, his hands in his lap. He peered at Levi sitting next to him, wrapped up in a thick blanket and still shaking from the shock. Eren kept glancing at him, quickly cutting his eyes to look at Levi and away before the prince would notice. Not that it mattered; Levi was too distressed to pay attention.

"AHA!"

Hanji's voice resonated through the quiet room, making everyone jump. Even Levi's shoulders went up at her sudden shrill voice and hand slapping. The witch ran around the sofa and pointed at Eren.

"You kissed!"

Eren's cheeks went red. "W-What?!"

"You two!" Hanji cried. "You kissed, you smooched! And for the first time right?"

Suddenly Eren was the one trying to shrink away. He shrugged, tugging on the blanket Levi was wrapped up in to try and hide from Hanji's accusation. Well, it wasn't quite an accusation because it was true, but it was still private.

"He did…," Petra murmured, getting to her feet. "I've heard of things like this. Declarations of love, kisses breaking spells—curses that require the affection of a loved one in order to be broken."

"That's it!" Hanji nodded.

Irwin and Mike walked over, both of them leaning against the sofa with curious expressions.

"So…the kiss we shared…broke the spell?" Eren asked.

"It had to have," Petra said. "What else could it be? We should probably keep an eye on Levi, just in case something is amiss, but…I think it's broken."

"I want to go outside."

Everyone grew quiet and looked to Levi. He was letting the blanket fall from his shoulders and getting to his feet. He was annoyed, judging by his expression, and through with the conversation he was barely a part of.

"I want to…I want see what daylight looks like."

"Levi…maybe you should—"

"No, Irwin," Levi snapped. "I don't care. Even if this cure is temporary I'm going to use my freedom to at least see what I haven't seen in years."

Levi clenched his fists and marched across the room, throwing the doors open.

"Should we follow him?" Mike whispered.

"Perhaps…," Hanji muttered, tapping her lip before nudging Eren with her foot. Eren looked down at his feet, back up at her and then gasped.

"Oh!"

Eren jumped to his feet and ran through the doors, walking down the hallway until he saw Levi in the entrance hall. The black haired man stood at the broad, front doors of the castle, staring up at them as though they were impenetrable walls.

Eren slowly made his way over to Levi. He walked right up to the prince, quietly slipping his hand into Levi's. Eren swallowed, staring at the door, still not saying anything, as his hand settled in the cold one he held. Levi wrapped his fingers tight around Eren's hand, tugging him closer. He trembled, staring up at the doors.

"I don't know what to expect."

"It's going to be bright."

Levi snorted, amused. He squeezed Eren's hand again, pressing his free hand to the door. Biting his lip, he pushed, the tight feeling in his stomach draining him.

Sunlight peeked into the entrance hall. Warm, bright sunlight. Levi gasped and drew back, letting the door close with a soft click. Eren rubbed his thumb over Levi's hand.

"You can do it," Eren whispered. Levi's throat bobbed as he swallowed. He started to shake his head when Eren leaned in. "Yes. You're free to go out there."

Levi sighed. "You…fucking brat."

There was a lightness to his tone as Levi pushed the door again, this time far wider. He walked outside, drawn like a moth to the surrounding light.

Levi winced, holding a hand to shield his face from the bright light. The unfamiliar sensation burned a little. It was nothing like candle light or even Hanji's magic lamps. It was sunlight. Pure, untainted sunlight. Warm and bright and burning white. Just bright.

He dropped his hand to let the sun's warmth touch his cold face and he still shuddered.

Eren leaned in close, kissing his cheek, tasting the saltiness of Levi's tears.

"It's spectacular," Levi breathed. Eren kissed him on the head, nuzzling him affectionately. More tears rolled down Levi's face and he couldn't find the strength to wipe them away. He blinked hard, his eyes already burning from how bright the light was, but he was determined to take in the sight before him.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi's shoulders, smiling big even as tears streamed down his cheeks. Levi clung to his arm, turning his face into Eren's chest.

Even if something went wrong and even if the curse wasn't broken, Levi would always be able to say that he at least saw the sun. And kissed his true love.