Disclaimer: I own none of the characters!
Notes: Levi chapter, as promised! Next chapter is going to be JeanMarco-centered. Expect some booty chasing.
Several Days Ago…
The old woman's words echoed in Levi's head. Over and over again. Eren had been kidnapped. He knew it. Eren had to be found. He knew that. And he only had a small window of time to find Eren before the boy disappeared forever.
Levi knew he could not let that happen.
But as much as he wanted to run out of the city, he was having a difficult time even standing. His body was in pain. His chest was hurting. His limbs burned. And his eyesight was getting blurry. He couldn't understand why.
He hadn't felt like that since…
"Levi!" Hanji cried, chasing after him. She ducked under his arm, helping him stay on his feet. "Levi, what's wrong? Keep it together."
"Hanji…fuck…," Levi muttered, sweat beads pooling at the back of his neck. "Hanji…I need to get out of the city…"
"Levi, I know you want to find him—"
"Hanji, no. I…I think something is wrong. Get me out of the city. And then go home…get Petra, Irwin…whoever…"
Levi gasped as a wave of pain overtook him. Hanji swallowed, terror in her eyes, and laid out her broom. She sat down on it and pulled Levi on to it with her. In seconds, she had lifted off the ground and was flying to the edge of the forest.
Levi winced, trying to keep his watery eyes open. He was trying to stay conscious through his pain. But it was mind-numbing. Everything was white-hot pain.
The moment Hanji came close to the ground, Levi jerked away from her, stumbling through the trees.
"Levi! You're not well!"
"Go, Hanji! Just…I'll be fine!" Levi hissed.
Hanji gripped her broomstick tight. She nodded, reluctantly, and hurried away.
Levi fell against a tree, digging his nails into the bark. He didn't want Hanji to waste her time on him. Trying to make sure he was alright. She needed to get help. It didn't matter to Levi what happened to him. He had to make sure they found Eren.
With or without him.
He gasped at the sudden racing of his heart; the way it stung against his chest. His eyesight was getting worse. He started to sweat more and he eventually collapsed on the ground.
The familiar feeling overtook him. He felt the vague, distant sting of his body changing. He anticipated losing his mind, like he always did. Wandering through a forest and waking up, unsure of where he was or what he did.
But his thoughts still raced. Eren was still on his mind. Even as he rose, on the clawed feet of a monster, he could still think. Clear, deliberate thoughts. He was still aware of what he wanted to do. And as the pain of his body changing faded, his goal became even clearer. He knew what he wanted to do. What he had to do.
He may have the body of a monster now, but Levi knew he still had to search for Eren. And he would search for him, even in the body of a demon.
Days went by. Or at least what Levi thought were days.
He did not sleep. He rarely ate. He found it easier to stay awake being a monster. He found himself more energetic. Or maybe he just had more energy while he was a monster. He wasn't sure but he spent his days searching.
Hunting.
He found nothing. He was lost in a forest, destroying whatever he had to, digging and climbing and searching through caves for days. And he found nothing.
It was when he emerged from a cave (he couldn't count the number of caves he explored or for how long he was in there) that he recognized the witch standing across the creek.
It was the first time he had ever identified a human while he was a monster. And it was the first time she didn't have to run. She was not a target or prey but a person, a living being, that Levi knew.
Hanji stared at him from across the small creek. There was fear in her eyes and she was ready to hit him with whatever spell she had to. Levi saw her hesitation and he knew she saw his.
He sat down on the grass, folding his clawed paws before him. Hanji visibly exhaled as she shook off that terror. She placed a hand to her heart, swallowing hard.
"Levi…Are you…are you, you?"
She drew closer to the edge of the creek, her eyes fixed on the monster before her. On the prince she had sworn loyalty to.
"Can you turn back?"
The monstrous prince before her twitched his ear. Hanji was unsure if it was a yes or a no, but she made a quick assessment.
He hadn't turned back upon seeing her. But he also hadn't attacked her. Hanji knew Levi recognized her. Perhaps the curse—the lingering effects of the curse—was weak. And if it was weak…
"Levi, I'm going to try something," Hanji said, reaching into a small bag at her side. She hopped onto a wet stone, steadying herself, before jumping onto another until she was closer to the monster prince. "You're going to have to trust me."
She pulled out her hand, holding a thick, sandy dust in her hand.
"Close your eyes so this doesn't sting," she said softly. And Levi did just that. He closed his red eyes and Hanji threw the dust over his head.
Seconds later, once the dust had settled, Levi had fallen asleep. Hanji sighed and jumped onto the bank by him, kneeling at his side. She shoved her hand back into that pouch, pulling out her spellbook (she absolutely loved enchanted bags that had a ton of space inside but took up little room physically) and starting to flip through it.
"Hopefully the curse's hold on you isn't too strong," Hanji muttered. "I can't break it but I can try to subdue it. Hold on, Levi…"
Levi opened his eyes, staring up at the trees. His thoughts were foggy but he knew he was outside. There were trees and grass around him. He could feel the breeze on his face and the sun's rays on his cheeks and he smiled.
The soft green of the trees…no…those were eyes. The soft green of eyes. And the warmth of the sun was the warmth of hands on his cheeks. The breeze he felt was the breath of someone sweet and he smiled, content.
Find me.
The words were simple. Pleading. Levi raised his hand to Eren's cheek but the smile on the boy's face never faded. He only mouthed the quiet words again and the pain in his green eyes struck Levi in a way that left him numb.
More numbed than his own curse.
He opened his mouth to reply but he couldn't find his voice. He made a strained sound and Eren shook his head, leaning down. He kissed Levi on the head, stroking his hair.
I'll wait for you…
And suddenly Eren turned away. He was leaving. No, why was he leaving? Why would he leave?
Levi tried to sit up, but pain shot through his body. He stretched out his hand and tried to grab Eren's arm. But he was too far away. And Levi was too weak.
Levi…Levi…Levi…
It wasn't Eren who was calling out to him. It was a woman's voice. Soft and airy. But he didn't want to listen to her. He wanted Eren. His Eren—
"Levi! Calm down! Wake up!"
Levi gasped for breath. He felt hot, like he was suffocating. His chest was tight and he was all pain and emptiness. He looked at the faces surrounding him. Hanji sat close by and Petra was over him; his head was in her lap. Mike was sitting by the horses and Irwin was against a tree.
He could hear the sound of a rippling creek and he sighed. Petra patted his head as he calmed down.
"Eren…"
It was all he could say. All he could think about. He hadn't rested for days. He needed sleep. He was delirious. But Eren was still missing. He still needed to find him.
Those words resonated in the back of his mind. Find me. I'll wait for you.
Was it real? Or was he tired and stressed enough to hallucinate.
"You've really overworked yourself this time," Hanji sighed. "We should get you back to the castle." Levi shook his head.
"I can't…"
He felt hands suddenly on him, lifting him up. He was off the ground, off Petra's lap. He recognized the strong hands as Mike's and when he opened his eyes he could see the familiar dirty blond hair shining in the sun.
Why was he weak? Why was he so suddenly weak? Unable to do anything other than be propped up on a horse in front of Irwin.
He felt tears at his eyes. He was powerless to help Eren. Unless he was a monster and even then he was just a worthless beast.
Levi listened to the sound of the horses' clip-clopping hooves on the dirty road. He rested his heavy head against Irwin's shoulder, trying to make sense of what had happened. Hanji was talking—explaining.
"Your curse isn't broken," she said. "But it's not as strong. I was able to put a quick enchantment on you. To subdue the beast and give you your normal body back. It seems like your transformation was triggered by the sudden stress of losing Eren…"
So he really was still a monster. But he was a monster capable of keeping his thoughts. It was different this time.
Levi groaned miserably, feeling sick and confused.
"Wait."
Levi felt the horse jerk and turned to look at Mike. Everyone had stopped to look at him.
"I smell something."
"You said that every time we passed through here," Petra chimed from behind Hanji. The two of them shared a horse and her auburn head was barely visible over Hanji's shoulder.
"I know," Mike continued. "I can still smell something. But…it's different now. I can smell blood."
Levi perked up. "Blood…?"
"Fresh blood."
"Mike, we've searched all around here," Hanji sighed.
"No," Levi groaned. "Mike…go. Lead the way."
Mike looked to Levi and then to the others. They all had been through it before, apparently, but Levi didn't care. He needed Mike to follow whatever scent he had picked up.
"That's an order," Levi muttered. Mike nodded, reared his horse and started down a brush covered pathway.
Levi watched the trees. He had been through there too, he was sure. At least while he was an animal. He could remember the trees and their shapes. The orchard in the distance. But that was all he saw when he went through there.
It was all they could see.
But this time, in the distance, there was a house. A small cottage sitting against tall trees.
"That…that wasn't always there," Irwin gasped. Levi sat up straight, leaning against the horse's head.
"Maybe it was," Hanji snapped angrily. "Maybe it was right in front of our fucking eyes the entire time but it had a fucking enchantment over it!"
"Shit," Levi breathed.
They dashed on horseback to the cottage. The windows were up high, so there was no way to look inside. Not that they needed to. After tying the horses to a tree, they found the door wide open. And bloody prints all over the floor.
Levi's stomach dropped. He didn't know what to expect. But if he had to be the one to find Eren's body—
An awful gasping resonated against the walls. Levi grimaced. Petra squealed. Hanji, Irwin and Mike remained silent, staring at the sight before them.
A man was crawling across the floor, holding his neck. Trying to stop the blood from gushing out of the wound on his shoulder. The bloody axe was not too far away either. The man had been attacked.
He had been recently attacked.
"Should we help him?" Petra whimpered.
Levi scanned the rest of the room.
There was the bloody axe. There were bullets. A red cloak…
Fire erupted in Levi's chest. He ran over to the man and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, leaving everyone in the doorway. He saw the blue-hue to his blood-stained beard and he knew.
"You're him, aren't you?" Levi hissed.
"Levi, he's hurt be careful—"
"YOU'RE THE MOTHERFUCKER WHO STOLE EREN AREN'T YOU?!"
Levi shoved him to the floor and ran to Eren's discarded cloak. He pulled it to his chest, raising it to his lips and inhaling. It still smelled like Eren. That sweet scent of cinnamon and nutmeg and everything that just felt right.
But then it started to make sense. The man had been attacked, yes. Attacked, but not killed. Possibly in a quick attempt to escape. There was blood on the floor, leading away from the man. As if whoever had attacked ran as soon as the axe hit.
A move of desperation. No time to stop for personal items…
There was wild movement behind Levi and he heard the unseen scramble. A gun went off, hitting the wall not far from Levi's head, and then an awful scream, accompanied by the sound of swinging metal.
Levi looked around. Everyone was in shock. The man on the floor was clutching his sliced wrist to his chest, the gun still smoking on the floor. Irwin stood over the man, sword drawn and tip dripping red.
Levi knew he had to pull himself together. He slid over to Kitts and threaded his cold fingers through the man's brown hair. Irwin took a step back, understanding the silent gesture.
"I'm going to ask you this once and if you answer me truthfully, I'll leave. I will leave and let you live," Levi said softly, his voice dangerously low. Kitts' eyes widened at his tone. "The boy you kidnapped, the one who wore this red cloak, where is he now? What happened to him?"
Kitts grinned and coughed, blood splattering on his teeth. It got onto Levi's dirty shirt but the prince didn't care. He didn't care about anything. Only the answer.
"Your little whore ran off."
Silence fell over the room. A still, thick silence that could be touched. It could be felt. Levi thinned his lips; it was the only movement in the room save for Kitts' heaving chest. And when Levi eventually did move, he lowered his hand from Kitts' hair and slowly rose to his feet, leaving the man on the floor.
Everyone wanted to say it. They all wanted to ask "Are you seriously going to let him live? After what he did?" But no one said a word. They all knew better. They all knew they shouldn't argue with the prince.
He walked up to Irwin however, a dark look in his eyes. Irwin stood at attention.
"Sir?"
"I'm a man of my word," Levi muttered, flexing his fingers. "I won't kill him."
His movements betrayed his words. Levi snatched the sword from Irwin's hand and pointed it in Kitts' direction. The man's eyes widened in horror.
"Y-You promised!"
"I'm not going to kill you," Levi said. "But what you've done to Eren is unforgivable. You won't die by a blade. You'll die locked in a room. Dismembered and defenseless."
It certainly wasn't the cleanest job but Levi managed.
He had Irwin, Mike, Hanji and Petra check the rest of the house. Checking for secret passageways and anything hidden by magic. Levi left the door to the basement wide open, letting the man's screams be heard by the people searching the house.
They did what they could to ignore it.
Levi never fully explained to anyone what happened in that dank basement. But there was plenty of blood on his hands that he tried to wipe off on the heavy curtains. He couldn't stand to get blood on Eren's precious cloak.
All he said was that there was no way Kitts would physically be able to open the door to the basement. Or unlock it. Or crawl up the stairs. Or get off one of the convenient meat hooks hanging from the ceiling. But Levi was, as he said, a man of his word. He certainly didn't kill the man.
After locking the house and stepping away from it, Hanji cast an enchantment over the cottage, cloaking it once again in an invisible shield. Levi turned to Mike, holding out the cloak.
"Get his scent," Levi said calmly. "And track him down. He can't be too far ahead of us."
So once again, their hunt began.
Their search took them on a roundabout journey to Stohess. An image of chaos. Burning, wild, loud chaos overrun by pirates.
Well, one that had been overrun by pirates. They were still scattered throughout the city but they were all running. All to the seaport.
Levi didn't care about the pirates or where they were going. His only concern was where Mike's nose lead them. And judging by the route the man was taking, Eren's scent was sea-bound. But with the fallen debris, the horses could only run so far.
Levi jumped off Irwin's horse and started to run as fast as he could. He heard his name called over and over again but he could not stop. He fought against his tired muscles and the strong fumes of smoke. He ran through the city, jumping over flames and debris; he had to roll and stoop low to get through alleyways filled with burning bricks but he knew he couldn't mess up. He had to get there. He had to reach those black sails. He could bargain, he had money. He'd offer his own life. He was worth more than Eren, so surely those pirates would take him instead. Eren didn't deserve to get kidnapped again. Not again. Not when Levi could stop it.
He ran to the docks and watched that awful ship sailing away. Waves sloshed at its wooden sides. The water was filled with burnt wood and stone and broken boats. Levi dropped Eren's cloak on the dock and without even bothering with his clothes, he dived into the water.
He started to swim. It was stupid and he knew he shouldn't. He knew he should have ran and found a boat but they were too far away. By the time he got to one that wasn't sinking, the pirate ship would be too far.
But as he swam, the ship sailed faster. His limbs moved slower. He felt his body grow heavier. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.
He swallowed water and tasted salt. It burned his throat and his nose and his eyes and he was sinking, really sinking.
Strong arms surrounded him and pulled him back to the surface. He shook his head, unable to move. He just watched in horror as that cursed ship sailed away. He knew Irwin had him and he tried to tell the blond no.
No, Irwin, I have to swim.
I have to get to that ship.
I have to save him.
Let me save him.
But Levi couldn't even save himself.
Levi sat on the steps of what used to be the hotel he had been staying in with Eren. He held the cloak to his chest, his body still wet and now cold. Cold, weak, tired. Everything he didn't want to be.
People crawled from their hiding spots. So many were hurt. Everyone was shaken up. Everyone wanted to piece their lives back together.
Levi couldn't watch them. He knew he was being selfish, but the one person who kept him sane was gone. Again. And this time to the sea. He couldn't stand to watch those around him find their loved ones because it wasn't fair. He had searched for Eren. He had gone through that cursed hell again. And Eren was still gone.
He was becoming a bitter monster.
Hanji wore an expression of guilt on her face, holding her broken broom in her hands. She had tried to fly out to sea but a piece of building fell and hit her broom just right, snapping it in two.
And then there was Petra. And as fast as she could fly, she knew her own wings would have given out before she reached the boat. But maybe if she had at least tried. She could have tried, she thought to herself.
Mike knew he couldn't swim that far and he couldn't paddle that fast.
Irwin had saved Levi.
And Levi had been foolish enough to jump into the ocean to chase after a ship. Like a fucking dumbass.
"Stop blaming yourself."
Levi flinched at Irwin's firm voice. He looked away, trying to ignore the man standing before him. Irwin flopped onto the steps next to him.
"I know that look."
"You know shit. Why was I so fucking stupid? Why couldn't I save him…"
"It's not over," Irwin said. "You'll find him."
"He could be fucking anywhere. The ocean is so fucking massive."
"You can't give up. Because you know Eren isn't giving up, either."
Levi's heart fluttered. He suddenly remembered those green eyes, shining bright and looking up at him in adoration and love. Sweet innocence. Happiness. Everything he loved because Eren was perfect.
"You'll always find each other."
Levi tried to smile. He wanted to stay hopeful, but there was only so much…
There was the sound of marching not too far away. Military-type marching. Levi and Irwin both looked up. Hanji, Petra and Mike stood close by and they all turned their heads to see the commotion.
Horses and people on foot. The people of Stohess ran up to them, shouting and asking questions. The leader looked just as distressed, trying to explain exactly what was going on and yet understand the situation too. Levi didn't move. He didn't care. He just held the cloak, feeling the soft fabric. He raised it to his nose to inhale Eren's scent again.
The military members were all trying to calm down the people running up to them. Trying to maintain some form of order. Levi could overhear the promises being made.
"We're going to get this city rebuilt."
"You'll all have food, don't worry."
"You'll all be safe."
"This city is on a protective lockdown."
"Everything will be alright."
Levi looked up, still hugging the cloak to his chest. He watched the sad, dirty faces of the people of Stohess. He eyed the shiny armor of the knights. Red suddenly caught his with interest. A bright red, the color of fire.
The color of Eren's cloak.
He locked eyes with the young girl wearing the red scarf around her neck as she pushed her way through the crowd. And her eyes had found her target too because she was hastily rushing towards him.
The moment she was free from the surrounding people, she drew her sword. Levi grew rigid and Irwin was on his feet, drawing his sword to clash with the black-haired girl.
"YOU!"
Metal hit against metal. Mike pulled out his sword, ready to assist.
"Stop it," Levi said, getting to his tired feet. "Miss, what do you—"
"YOU STOLE EREN. YOU'RE THE ONE WHO TOOK HIM AWAY."
And that's when Levi realized he had seen her face before. He gripped Eren's cloak tighter. "You're his sister."
"I am Mikasa Ackerman. I am Eren's sister. And I've made it my goal to track you down, you tiny ass monster!"
She pulled out a second sword, this one gleaming and radiant. Hanji's eyes lit up.
"Is that—?"
"Excalibur, yes," Mikasa glowered. "And I've saved its first taste of blood for him." She punctuated her sentence with a hard hiss, pointing her blade in Levi's direction.
Levi only rolled his eyes. "Before you kill me, I would like to say that Eren has been kidnapped. By pirates. And I'd like to see him again before you kill me."
Mikasa narrowed her eyes. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what he said it means!" Petra cried. "Levi wants to get Eren back, too!"
"Miss Mikasa, I want to speak with you alone, please," Levi sighed. His entire court stared at him in shock. Even Mikasa was confused. "If it's not too much trouble."
This time, he looked to the people surrounding him. He wasn't worried about the military. He wanted his own servants away. Slowly, they all started to step back, to make way for Levi and Mikasa to walk. Levi started to walk and Mikasa followed, putting away her sword after seeing Levi had no weapon himself.
"Why…?"
"Why what?"
"Why would you want to talk to me alone?" Her armor clanked heavily with each step. She still sounded defensive and she kept her eyes on Levi.
"Because I need you to listen," Levi said. "They'll help but they'll also distract you. I want you to hear what I have to say, Miss Mikasa."
She inhaled sharply. "And what do you have to say? And why should I listen, again?"
Levi turned to face her directly. She dropped her hand to the hilt of her sword, ready to slice his flesh from his bones.
"Mikasa, I fell in love with Eren. I know it's hard to imagine but he is the little piece of my world that keeps me grounded. And losing him the first time was terrible. This second time…I can't stand it. I have to find him. And so I'm going to ask you, Mikasa, to help me. Once he's safe, you can kill me. I don't care. But I have to see him one last time. I have to die knowing he's safe and happy."
Mikasa swallowed hard. She could hear the desperation in his voice. The genuine honestly. She dropped her hand again, this time from her blade.
"MIKASA!"
Levi looked up and Mikasa turned around. A small blond was running up to them, panting and looking completely frazzled.
"Armin…"
"Mikasa, you took off so fast…and there were so many people…," he breathed, trying to catch his breath, "couldn't keep up…"
Levi raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't look like a part of the military."
"He's not," Mikasa said.
"I…I just…I ran into them…in the town over…and…Mikasa…I know her," Armin dizzily explained. He nearly fainted and Mikasa caught him, carefully setting him on the ground. Once Armin was settled he really examined Levi. His blue eyes widened. "You're the one—"
"He's the one, yes," Mikasa said. "But he's offering to help find Eren."
"Why…?"
"Because Eren was kidnapped," Levi sighed softly, sitting down next to Armin. He felt weak again, after the adrenaline rush of seeing Mikasa with a sword. Weak and sick. If Mikasa did decide to attack him, he'd surely be done for.
Mikasa clenched her fists, looking down at the ground. She flopped onto the broken, paved road in front of them.
"Why…why weren't we here sooner…," she muttered. "We were stationed in a town not too far away and someone from here came over…if our leader hadn't been so stupid…we…I could have saved him…"
"We still can," Levi said. "We're not going to give up. We can find him…"
"We have to," Armin added.
There was a rattling and a barrel fell over. A grungy, drunken pirate fell from the barrel, looking confused by his surroundings.
"If we're going to find Eren, we're going to need to know where those lousy pirate bastards are going," Mikasa sneered, eyeing the drunken man on the ground.
"I couldn't agree more."