Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/1091437.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage
  Category:
      F/M, M/M, F/F
  Fandom:
      Shingeki_no_Kyojin_|_Attack_on_Titan
  Relationship:
      Levi/Eren_Yeager
  Character:
      Eren_Yeager, Levi_(Shingeki_no_Kyojin), Armin_Arlert, Erwin_Smith, Marco
      Bott, Jean_Kirstein, Annie_Leonhart, Reiner_Braun, Bertolt_Hoover, Hange
      Zoë, Mikasa_Ackerman, Grisha_Yeager, Connie_Springer, Sasha_Blouse, Ymir_
      (Shingeki_no_Kyojin), Krista_Lenz_|_Historia_Reiss, Moblit_Berner
  Additional Tags:
      Demon_AU, Alternate_Universe_-_Future, possible_ooc, Underage_-_Freeform,
      Bondage, BDSM, S&M, Anal_Sex, Anal_Fingering, Just_porn_really, Really
      shitty_porn, Relationships_are_as_followed_between_the_other_characters,
      but_they_aren't_the_main_plot, marco/jean_-_Freeform, Hanji/Molbit, Ymir/
      Historia_-_Freeform, Erwin/Armin_-_Freeform
  Stats:
      Published: 2013-12-20 Updated: 2014-05-15 Chapters: 6/? Words: 27898
****** Devil's Child ******
by AttackOnFabulous
Summary
     *HIATUS UNTIL COMPUTER IS FIXED*
     The year is 3021 and Humanity where finally able to prove the
     existence of hellish behemoths and angelic saviours, certain
     individuals have even learnt the trait to summon and tame them at
     will. However, although the heavenly forces are instantly loyal and
     obedient to their summoners, demons and devils are not so willing,
     thus the Scouting Legion were formed in order to maintain control
     over the rabid beasts and prevent harm to mankind; that was, until,
     the day the Devil’s child came out to play.
***** Prologue *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Levi’s P.O.V
What do you except the future to look like? I’m willing to wager that your
fantasy of it is packed with large technical buildings bent in unique shapes
and lit up in headache-worthy LED light; the towns also equipped flying
machinery that replaces the ancient 2000-eara 4 wheeled contraption. Greenery
being artificial and holographic, it’s real and natural ancestors extinct
specimens thanks to the toxic fumes pumped into the atmosphere long ago. Well,
you’re not too wrong.
As time took its course, our landscape began to reshape. Oxygen levels reduced
drastically and trees soon manipulated into a religious element that was
supposedly blessed upon us by the three Godesses. Bullshit in my opinion, but
that doesn’t make nature any less of a rarity. Only three natural trees remain
in the world: Maria, Sina and Rose, all named after the apparent Goddesses that
bestowed them upon us. We’re like caged birds in this world, all encased in a
250KM genetically man-made dome that prevents us from getting out and from
toxic fumes along with blood thirsty beasts from getting in.
Oh yeah, did I mention we have the neighbours from Hell? Literally, demons and
devils alike have become a common sighting and you would be considered insane
if you were incapable of seeing them, people spouting how they are non-existent
and a figure of everyone’s imagination, idiots. Thanks to alchemy and modern
technology they were able to successfully summon a fully functional and very
much alive demon in 2993. Since then, angles and fay have been able to emerge
at the beckon call of man when needed.
Unfortunately, demons and devils had the tendency to be the complete opposite
of their more pure siblings. They are disobedient, blood-thirsty and just
arseholes in general. Needless to say they are nothing but a pain and it is up
to me along with the rest of the Scouting Legion to clean up all the shit they
leave behind. Splendid. Not that I particularly mind cutting off their flow of
blood or setting their insides alight in mystic flames, in fact I would
consider it a favourite pastime of mine. What a sadistic bastard I am, eh? But
I have my reasons.
Fickle and pointless details, regardless of my own twisted versions of
pleasure, this doesn’t change that there are still those disgusting,
horrifically unhygienic monsters that roam around freely. Sometimes, humans
become too corrupted from the whispers spoken to them in their dreams. There
are ranks in the hell domain, which range from rank 10 all the way to 1. The
mere minuet shadows that can’t maintain a solid form are those that do the
dirty work for the higher ranks. The same pathetic tactics apply to ranks
between 10 and 8, they aren’t considered a danger at all, the most they do is
pull up dark thoughts from your mind, mainly consisting of dark summoning to
help weaken the barrier. Just pests that could be dealt with easily.
Ranks 8-5 where more irritable, but can still be dealt with. These are more
commonly called the ‘messengers’, called such a name due to their lanky
appearance, tiny and barley usable wings and capability to speak, though not
very well. These pests are captured, researched on then released back into the
demons domain carrying a ‘message’ visually that this is the state you will
become if you dare cross the human race. I hold no remorse or sympathy for
them; they all starve for blood, so showing the rest of the species the sheer
torture we are willing to put them through if we are defied is nothing more
than a normal occurrence.
However, it’s the ranks above 5 that usually make people screech and hide away
their children. They are capable of shifting from their regular form into a
look alike of a perfectly respectable human, the only way to be able to tell if
they are human or not is to strike them on the base of their neck, a common
weak point for demons and devils. It could be taken as a knee jerk test of
sorts. Their bodies’ natural reflex is to sprout their tail to help them regain
their balance otherwise they would just fall flat on their face.
It’s a dumb test, but the only one proven successful as of yet. The higher
ranks have a tendency to cause the trouble, ranks 5 to 3 are mainly just the
rabid, mindless drones, high on blood or some shit. They could be troublesome
sometimes, but they are usually quickly wiped out. It was ranks 3-1 you need to
worry about, really worry about. They have intelligence, and usually a severe
amount of magical power to boot. They are the ones able to break through the
barrier for a small period of time, usually coming in just to watch in delight
as they burn our houses and devour our people. It makes me sick.
The most powerful rank we have ever encountered on record would be a rank 3,
and even though they were not the top rank, they managed to cause more than
enough damage to make us fear ranks that are graded any higher.
No one has ever encountered a rank 1 or 2 in a battle. No one has ever seen a
rank 1 or 2. Some say they don’t exist, others believe that Satan is so
powerful that he accommodates both ranks 1 and 2; others believe the Goddesses
protected them from ranks 1 and 2. What do I believe? I can’t say I’ll believe
in something so powerful and capable until I see it for myself, but that
doesn’t mean I am not going to prepare myself for when the worst ever is to
come.
I’m Lance Corporal Levi, dubbed Humanities Strongest, called a hero among many,
labelled as a rich bastard who leaches off of the government’s funds by others.
I hold the kill count of 406 solo kills and 203 assisted, I have been raised to
kill for survival for as long as I can remember. I hold great faith in my men
as they do me, I promise to protect as many as I can, and most of all, I
promise to eradicate the demon race before the time I rest in my grave and
destroy the artificial walls that surrounds us.
Chapter End Notes
     First fic ahhh sorry for any mistakes don't shoot I can offer you a
     really crap joke in return for my life.
     EDIT: I'm fixing all of my crappy mistakes bare with me
***** Five long years ago *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Year 3016. Eren Yeager 10. Levi 21 – yet to be enrolled into the Scouting
Legion.
Rocky terrains, lava waterfalls and uprooting boulders caked in scratch grooves
and pointless swear words, the only place I know as home and the only place I
have ever been able to roam freely.
I walk up to the colossal black castle, gargoyles guarding the archway of every
window while slimy moss grows atop their smooth stone surface. I let myself
wander up the rickety steps towards an ancient oak door carved with beasts of
old tales and new.
This home to the overlords of hell: Satan, his wife and only child. It is my
home, my nest where I am pampered and pruned, and where I feel most comfortable
being myself. I let out a soft grunt, forcing open the large oak doors and
stepping inside. The guards either side of me took in my return and smile with
a small polite bow of their heads, I respond with a smile of my own.
Two large staircases spiral around the circumference of the room where they
merge together at the peak to form a flat walkway towards a twin set of door to
those I just walked through, those these are embedded with jewels and gold to
value to the beholder the importance of that behind these doors; behind these
doors lye walls of priceless fine art and three large marble thrones,
manipulated by the sculptor to be comfortable upon sitting.
I patter up the stairs quickly, towards the throne room and prepare myself
before I hastily burst through. I am going to ask my father about traveling to
the surface again today; I am certain that if I pester him enough he’ll
eventually cave in and let me go.
Ah, but father said I am not permitted to leave the underworld, which quite
frankly was pretty dumb. I am not weak in the least; I can fight and tear down
any measly human, I am high in both rank and strength and I would willingly
prove that.
Despite this, my father forbids me from even thinking about going to the
surface and it was unheard of that I go into the human domain. I hate this, I
feel trapped and restricted, I am not pup anymore who is too weak and feeble to
fend for themselves.
I decide to inquire my father in the issue once again, pleading that he let me
look, even if it is just for a brief moment. I once again rattle off my reasons
for needing to go, but he just gives me the same disapproving shake of his head
and worrying words of rejection.
“Please!” I am begging now, desperation fogging my golden eyes “I’ll even take
Mikasa and Armin with me! That way you know for certain nothing bad will
happen!” I bargain, hoping the additional company would help brighten his
decision.
Dad shifts his position on his throne, his claw clad fingers rubbing small
rotations into his forehead as a sigh escapes his chapped lips. My mother at
his side, her form looking like the personification of anxiety as her brows
furrow and her hands clench into her crimson robes, the crown atop her head
threatening to slip away from her brown locks as she shakes her head.
“Absolutely not! Eren, those humans are dangerous, they can summon angles at
will and-! And they could kill you Eren! No, certainly not!” She gazes at my
father for support, her tone now a choir of panic as she already knows her
motherly rant is not enough to convince me. “Grisha, please! You know more than
anyone how dangerous they are! How many people have we lost because of them? We
can’t just let him flaunt around the surface!”
Dad leans back and removes his hand from his face, looking at his wife with
reluctant sadness in his eyes, opening and closing his lips several times;
unable to form the words he wants to say into a sentence. He gives her a weak
smile and turns his attention back to me.
“Do you really want to go that badly?” He asks; I couldn’t help the excitement
that curves into a smile on my face, my wings spreading open slightly in a show
of glee.
“Yes!” My smile grew, my fangs now prominent and showing the utter bliss that
bubbles in my stomach. My tail begins to wag like an over-excitable dog, though
in reality I probably look no less than one.
My mother cries out at my father’s change of heart, eyes wide and mouth agape.
She clenches her jaw shut and stands, heaving her dress into her hands and
raising it up as she proceeds to walk off of her elevated thrown and towards
me, anger alight in her eyes.
She drops her dress to the ground as soon as she comes to halt in front of me
and viciously takes grasp of both of my wrists; she begins to tug me over to
the corner of the room where a fountain lay, the water gushing out a faint
lilac, reflecting and absorbing the light from the various flamed torches
scattering in symmetry around the pillars supporting the room.
“Do you know what this is, Eren?” She speaks calmly despite her rough actions
of shoving me in front of the water.
I cringe at the rough treatment, knowing she isn’t doing it intending to hurt
me but to prove a point. I gaze into the distilled purple water, watching as
small beads of glowing white swim through and collide with one another. Each
bead is a soul, lost and wondering, waiting to gather enough energy so it can
rebirth later on.
“Yes…” I mumble, I have been lectured about this time and time again; I really
am not looking forward to another one, especially not from my mother.
“Then you understand that if you’re killed up there it’ll take you over 100
years to reincarnate, even with your father and I’s assistance in your
rebirth?” Her grip loosens around my wrists, red ovals imprinted in them from
her clutch. I look away and sigh, I know she wasn’t doing it out of spite and I
know she trusts me; it was just the damn violent humans she despises and
doesn’t trust.
I hate humans; I detest every single fibre and atom that makes them. They are
murderous and simply refuse to even acknowledge our advances to try and
negotiate a peace treaty. They keep the three holy trees in their possession,
claiming that they were apparently bestowed upon them by three supposed
Goddesses, which is false. Those three trees’ represent my father, mother and
I, and with them in the human’s domain we can’t so much as touch them.
As long as those three trees aren’t cut down or its roots harmed, my parents
and I will still continue to gain Matter and energy from the earth to enable us
to use magic, and in the most powerful form at that. If they are ever to be
harmed, we would wither and be stripped of any demonic qualities we detain, and
be reduced to a mere human, weak and pathetic.
That’s why we need to get into the domain, within each tree contains our
hearts, as long as it beats, the tree will grow and bloom all year round, as
long as the tree blooms, we’re strong and we exist. We simply cannot afford
letting those disgusting territorial mammals get their hands on this
information, without a leader to keep hell stable it’ll collapse in on itself,
we’ll all be turned to dust and reincarnation would become faint legend of the
past.
My mother grips my shoulders and looks me in the eyes, her own glossing up with
tears that she refuses to let spill.
“Eren…Please understand that I can’t have you die, not now, not ever. Your
father and I understand your curiosity; you think we’re not just as curious to
see the humans? Although they’re putrid and diabolical creatures, there is
still the fascination about them. I know Eren; I really do, but please, stay
here and stay safe.” She pulls me towards her chest and runs her hands through
my hair, gently kissing the crown.
“I promise you Eren, as soon as we’ve won this war, we’ll go see it all
together, Mikasa and Armin too.” She cranes me back and cups my face, smiling
gently as she rubs her thumbs over my cheek bones “You’ve never seen your tree
have you? You were still in my womb when your father and I planted it, you just
wouldn’t keep still as soon as it sprouted its first root.”
I laugh along with her. That seems pretty likely on my part considering I can
only last 5 minutes in my lessons without losing concentration or passing notes
back and forth to Armin. “Was I really that bad?” I knew her response would
confirm her truthful accusations, but it was comforting knowing she isn’t
furious at me anymore.
She shakes her head, smile now broadening and full of loving warmth. She grasps
my wrist once again, now more gentle, as she leads me back away from the
fountain and towards the thrones; my father was smiling fondly at us both.
“You would kick and twist my womb into knots, even as a pup you wanted to break
free and just explore the world around you.” She withdrew her hold on my wrist
and takes her natural seat next to my father. I take my own seat next to my
mother turning my body language towards her to show interest in her stories
about me as a pup.
I open to mouth to ask more of her tales but was interjected by a scrawny rank
7 bursting his way through the doors that stood as a gateway into the room, his
breath scratchy and eyes bulging wide.
The guards littering around the room raise their spears towards the unexpected
intruder, their fangs bearing and tails swishing to intimidate the measly
demon, some even took up growling low with the undertone intent to kill if
commanded.
The rank 7 whimpers and tucked into himself, raising his clawed hands in a
flurry of defeat and to show he had no intention of harm.
My father abruptly stands, glaring down at the timid, shivering mess that so
rudely barged in. He raises a hand at the guards, making them pause in their
advances, my father practically hissing at the intruder.
“State what business you have here, if the reason be not good enough I shall
have you killed.” I gulp at my father’s brutality, though I suppose if he
wasn’t brutal how was he expected to reinforce order and law in a kingdom that
indulged in sin?
“Y-your highness! W-we’re under attack, sir! Those on the surface are being
slaughtered as we speak; the humans! They have wondered outside to our
territory and are advancing towards Titan pillar at an unthinkable speed!” He
was breathless by the end, body shivering and unstable.
The guards all ceased their held position and recoil back, disbelief on their
faces as they absorb the information, linking the ends together and looking at
my father for orders.
My father rubs his temple as he thinks, letting the situation sink in. “We’ll
counter their advance”, he speaks clearly and broad, pausing to rethink his
decision before finalising it “Send Hannes and his troops forwards, I’ll join
them and reinforce boundaries around Titan pillar, yourselves and the others
will evacuate away from Titan pillar and further towards the inner circles.” My
father’s words are punctuated with each step away from his throne he takes
until he stops in front of the old oak doors, like I had moments ago.
He turns towards my mother and I, and nods towards us. “Carla, take Eren and
his friends, take them as close to the inner circles as you can and keep them
safe.” without another word he pushed open the doors and walks through them
until they drew closer to each other, slamming together with a loud clack and
blocking out any attempts to watching my father’s retreating back that I could
have gained.
My mother takes hold of my wrist again, and drags me away from the throne room
and towards the main entrance, panic in her movements and she rapidly runs down
the steps and out of the gothic castle I grew so familiar with. Tears stain her
flushed cheeks and she bites back hiccups as she looks out at the burning city
before us, listening to the shrieks of pain coming from her people, begging to
be unharmed and left alone.
She slowly turns to me, her eyes dead and defeat; she pulls me in close to her,
squeezing my rag doll state body before retracting me back and ruffling my
already messy hair.
“I need you to listen carefully, okay? The humans have broken through Titan
pillar and they will most probably be on their way here to kill us.” A wail
coming from a guard furthers this point more as they are slaughtered and
combusted into dust a few yards away. “I need you to find Armin and Mikasa and
their families, take them somewhere safe, I want you to hide away from the
humans and kill them if it means you live. I can’t flee and watch my people
die.” She kissed my forehead “Live on Eren, my precious child”
I let out a bitter laugh, unable to fully understand the situation. “What do
you mean? You’re coming with me.”
She lets out a sob and clasps a hand over her mouth, more tears oozing down her
cheeks; she pushes me away from her and takes a few steps back, I follow her.
“…Mother?” I extend an arm out to her, offering her my hand. “Come on, what are
you doing?” I walk closer to her, curling my fingers around her wrist, now
frowning up at her. “Come on! They’ll be here soon!” I try to her tug her along
but she wouldn’t budge.
She smiles through her sorrow and wrenches out of my grip stepping away and
soon running from me, spreading her leather, bony wings and taking off into the
sky, disappearing into the thick black cloud above created by the humans fire
obsession.
I spread my wings out and begin to flap them furiously, only managing to hover
4 feet above the ground before they grew tired and burned, I keep flapping them
regardless until they cramp and halt, dropping me down onto the ground. My
wings are too small and fragile to carry my full weight yet and knowing this
made it all the more bitter.
I cough and sputter, weakly picking myself up and placing my weight on my legs.
My vision began to blur as I stare at the ash cloud my mother disappeared into.
Wetness pattering onto my cheeks and I reach up a hand dab at them, I pull it
back to find a transparent slickness on them; tears. I gulp and clench my fist
shut and grit my teeth hard, feeling my canines bite into my lip and the
metallic burst of flavour coat my tongue, but I didn’t care.
I am boiling over with the uncontrollable bile of pure livid fury shaking my
body. I begin to pant harshly in my fix of anger, dragging my eyes across the
crimson city set alight. I stare at the homo-sapiens offspring’s of Adam and
Eve as they ride through the streets on their 4 legged steads, some baring
torches in their hands and others with a flag, the crest of two wings
overlapping one another flapping proudly in the wind. It makes me sick, it
makes me want to vomit and claw at my throat. This was all their fault!
The thumping of several hooves advancing towards me didn’t even strike half the
amount of fear it should have. I was blind by so much fury that I let my
instincts drown out my common sense, instead of running I turn to face them, my
eyes cold and my pupil silted.
Three humans jump off of their horses and draw out their blessed blades, three
manoeuvring behind me; the two in front remain on their horses, blades also
drawn. I rotated my head around to face them all, noting down how their body’s
tensed and full with hatred, though more dull in comparison to my own raw fury.
I smirk and let out a giggle, watching with pleasure as their expressions
growing more intense and their hold on their swords waver.
I couldn’t stop my giggling; it overtakes me like a compulsive urge until my
voice becomes hoarse. I am not able to hear the command of attack until five of
their blades impale me, and despite the blood spewing from my chest and mouth I
didn’t flinch, I didn’t groan in pain nor did I even acknowledge it. I just
carry on giggling like a maniac until it bubbles down into sniggers and stifled
high pitched squeals.
The humans retract their blades and my body crumbles to the floor. I lay there
and curling into myself as a grin grew wide. I stare at the two people astride
their four legged companions and watch with delight as their mouths gape open
like fish; they are terrified, terrified of me. Their act of puncturing my body
only disturbs the Matter and causes it to sink into a panic state, leaking out
of my body in a black gas appearance covered in eyes as it madly moves in
frenzy to heal me.
The Matter begins to collect the blood that pools underneath me, be it my own
or others it morphs around me like a blanket as it starts to heal, the three
scum behind me trying to penetrate it with their blade only to watch as it
shatters into fragments in coming to contact with the black gas, their blades
not being blessed a high enough level to harm.
The Matter is something that only responds to those it deems worthy enough to
wield its power, if you are too weak it’ll reject you and leave you be, if it
considers you strong it’ll aid you in healing yourself and boost your power,
though at the price of leeching your blood as an energy source. I’d never had
to call upon my Matter, but it seems more than please to comply at the moment.
The Matter absorbs all the blood and the eyes embedded within its ashen gas
open wide as a mouth emerges, bearing sharp fangs and a large tongue that it
swipes over its canines. The two sons of Adam and Eve on their stallions yell
at the horrific sight and retreat back, but not before the Matter’s tongue
takes a hold of them and pulls them away from their horses and into its
awaiting mouth. It crunches through their screams and crackling of their bones,
blood so carelessly spilling everywhere and over my face and clothes, though I
didn’t care, I was rather enjoying watching them be devoured.
The three behind me manoeuvred forwards and unsheathe two of their blessed
blades this time; I was able to look at their unique features that made them
human, two blond men and woman with her hair tied back with leather goggles
covering her eyes. The woman leaps forwards and the Matter’s jaw tries to bite
her but she evades its attack and sweeps behind it, striking underneath its
mouth and through its tongue. Impossible, you would have to have a rank 4
enchantment on your blade to harm the Matter. It lets out a painful wail and
thrashes its head from side to side, trying to dislodge the sword; I reach up
to remove the offending blade for it, but instead only retract it back and hiss
when two blades pierce through my arm.
I glare at the human who dare harm me and growl, it was one of the blond men,
though this one grew hair on his upper lip. He moves back before the Matter
could from another mouth to snap at him. The other blond man springs forwards
and it felt as if everything has frozen as my eyes lock with his; his eyes are
an icy cold blue, threatening and demanding to be remembered and respected, I
gulp as a fear runs through me that I was unable to find the reason for.
His blades swing back and arch along with them, I feel uncertainly run through
me as I recall that stance, that movement and the eventual swing of those
blades that would soon come. He is aiming for my neck, he has every intention
of killing me and turning me to dust, and for some reason I found that
unsettling as his eyes betray his actions.
He didn’t look like he wanted to kill me; in fact they look curious and
calculating. I was about to wait to see if he would until my mother’s last
words echo in my head: ‘Live on Eren’. With that in mind reach I out and grasp
the blades that were about to strike me, the rise of sudden determination seems
to make the blondes eye light up, he was impressed.
The two others glide to the back of me to strike, but the Matter has other
thoughts and appears determine to protect me, a new mouth has now formed and is
keeping the two behind me busy while I deal with the problematic human in
front.
He smirks and pushes his blades against my hands slicing one of them clean off,
I bit my tongue to stop me from calling out; I wouldn’t give this bastard the
satisfaction of knowing he has hurt me. I still keep a firm grasp on the blade
that hadn’t completely severed my hand off, trying to yank it from him but
failing to do so, he has an iron grip on the blade and wasn’t willing to let it
up.
The Matter hisses when it is stabbed but proceeds on fighting, trying to at
least bite and injure the two other humans to slow down their movements. The
blonde before me unsheathes another blessed sword and cut through my other hand
in a one fluid movement, this time I was unable to contain vocalising the pain
and I gasp out as blood began to freely pour from my new wound.
I fall to my knees as my body grows weak from supporting the Matter and the
amount of blood I have lost, the Matter soon takes the hint that this fight is
in vain and there isn’t any hope in aiding me much longer and soon withered
away into nothing.
I was panting heavily and my body shook with the aftershocks of adrenaline and
fear. I couldn’t grant my mother’s words, I couldn’t save anyone’s life, not
Mikasa’s, Armin’s and not even my own; I couldn’t give up though, I raise my
head and unleash the most acidic glare I can muster as I direct it at the blue-
eyed blond before me, I snarl at him and let my tail and wings extend out to
make me appear bigger, more intimidating. I hold contact with those icy eyes,
not once breaking away.
“I’ll annihilate your kind, every last fucking one.” I punctuate each word
carefully with a growling undertone to show just how serious I am, the blonds
eyes melt from an ice to a sky, like he took on my challenge with great
anticipation.
He crouches down and buries his hand into a pocket in his uniform, taking out
whatever it was he aimed to get and settles it around my neck, it was loose but
there was a subtle weight at the bottom; I look down to see a necklace of
sorts, the charm at the bottom being part of their emblem, but only one wing,
the blue one.
Without any hands to remove it was a struggle to try and get off before the
blue-eyed blond catches my wrists In his own large clammy hands, I shoot my
gaze back up to join his.
“I’ll look forward to working with you” his voice was deep and authoritative
and suddenly his hands are gone, and so is his pressured gaze. He gestures to
the other two with one smooth hand motion and both instantly withhold their
attacking stances and follow behind him as he left, no questions asks.
I watch them retreat for another moment before my eyelids grow heavy and dark
splotches of black bleed into my vision. I sway and hear faint callings of my
name in the distance before I am enveloped in complete darkness.
Chapter End Notes
     Edit: Ahahahah I re-read It and finally edited it and ahahaha I made
     so many dumb mistakes I want to cry.
     next time I will sit and edit or at least re-read it instead of just
     auto correcting everything and quickly dashing it of to submit. I
     apologies for my really annoying mistakes that probably made you all
     cringe as much as I did, highly possible that there are still a lot
     in there. Never again I promise bah.
     Also wow okay I um. A lot of people seem to be liking this I am
     unable to verbally type out how happy this makes me and how grateful
     I am for this. I do not deserve all of this love for my shitty
     writing but wowie thank you so much!!! /)//////(\
***** Safe *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Year 3016 – Present day. Eren Yeager 15. Levi 26 – A Lance Corporal in the
scouting legion.
Eren’s P.O.V
In the gloomy caverns of a refuge underpass, Armin, Mikasa and I hunch over an
ancient map, the paper having aged into a musky brown from years of being
attacked by the oxygen element. The corners are curled and the paper feels thin
and fickle between my fingers so I try not to glide my fingers along its
surface gently.
This is the only existing map of what the human’s domain looks like, as no one
has ever been able to plot out an accurate visual image of the diameter, width
and height without being slaughtered or held hostage.
I coil my fingers together into my palm at the memory that bleeds into my mind.
Five years ago, sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, self-proclaimed ‘heroes’,
invaded the first of three pillars of hell, brutally slaughtering demons and
young pups, cremating houses, even taking some hostage.
My mother, Armin’s grandfather and Mikasa’s parents being part of the group
they captured, and with the intent motive to get them back, we began to plot
and lead, building together a small army with the combined strength of 250
average armies.
Since the humans raid we have taken control, I refuse to take the title of
hell’s overlord and insist upon still remaining a prince, reminding the people
that my father was missing and there has been no confirmation of his death, the
same applies for my mother. However, I still stay true to my responsibilities
and took over, spouting out orders and commands of voyages, traveling to a more
reinforced haven.
Mikasa is in a similar state, her parents being grim reapers, good friends of
my father. She has taken over the responsibility of reaping souls of the
humans, but doesn’t hold the same amount of remorse her parents hold, she
despises them as much as I but she doesn’t express this through her facial
features or verbally. She is able to creep in through the human’s barrier but
only for short periods of time as it strains her body otherwise.
She would undeniably be a rank 1 if her species are categorised with our own,
but regardless she is still treated with grand respect and she strikes
impending fear into those who crosses her path with wrong intentions. Baring a
large black scythe, accessorised with bones of human while being covered in a
long hooded cloak certainly made her an intimidating yet authoritative sight;
her coal hair and twin coloured eyes only complimenting this.
As for Armin, he takes over his family name with pride and became the official
heir. Armin’s family have never been ranked highly for their physical strength,
they are more structured around their vast ability to retain and gather
knowledge. Armin ranks as high 2 based on his unthinkable level of intelligence
and ability of magic use, though Armin is in no way physically incapable, he
just doesn’t fare well in comparison to others of his rank.
I on the other hand, I have morphed all of my bitter hatred into a form of
encouragement, pushing myself forwards to excel better in my lessons and
training hard in my spare time to use and control magic, managing to situate
myself the honourable rank of 1. I am determine to get all of our loved ones
back, and thus why all three of us are huddled up over a withered map, small
wooden figures of demon knights organised neatly in straight lines, positioned
where we are currently. Armin reaches a hand over and plucks one up, moving
into a different position.
“Marco and Sasha shall enter from here, while wearing the uniforms provided and
their fake ID Holopods, they’ll present them to the guards located here” He
glides his finger to one of the smaller rings that sit comfortably around the
outside of the largest ring. I look over to his face, his eyebrows are
scrunched up and mouth turned down slightly in concentration, I place my eyes
back down on the map as he continues.
“There will be a lot of confusion about the verification and why the codes are
outdated, this will buy us some time so Mikasa-” He grabs another wooden
solider and moves it over to the large rectangle behind the grand first barrier
“-will slip through the barrier and past the guards Marco and Sasha are keeping
preoccupying and using as much power as she can muster, she’ll create a small
break in the barrier which will last approximately 2 minutes before it auto
heals, during which, Eren and the rest of us will crawl through and get inside.
Once in we need to find a generator of some kind.”
I nod in understanding as he reaches over to take a tiny sip of the water he
received for himself before setting it gently down to continue explaining his
plan. From the sparkle in his eyes and smooth movements of one order or
operation to the other, it was easy to identify he spent hours concocting up
this plan of action. After he swallows he swipes his tongue over his lips and
inhales deeply before continuing.
“Once we’re all in we’ll have to scatter in search for the generators. Christa
and Ymir will create mixed Matter wave that’ll confuse and distract the other
guards positioned at the other three generators so Eren can easily reach them
without any hassle. The others will scatter and be on guard.” Armin speaks his
chosen words clearly, certainty weaves into each one. He turns to face me fully
still dead serious.
“The generators were crafted by angles, so only those with the purest of
hellish blood can corrupt there flow, thus where you come in. If you mix your
blood in with the generator it’ll cease up for a brief moment and the entire
barrier will shatter, during that time the others occupying the guards will
knock them out and take their Holopods and hand over the humans to our pick up
squad where they will be held hostage and questioned for information.” He then
grasps all of the wooden soldiers which he had positioned in the largest circle
and pushes then forward and together next to the emblem that bares the two
fragmented overlapping wings. I mentally cringe at the sight of it.
“We’ll meet up here outside the military base. We’ll be wearing their uniforms,
so it would be best to stay as close around to those who wear the same skin as
us as possible to dissolve suspicion.” He leans away from the map and puffs out
a brood sigh, closing his eyes and rubbing at his brow. “That’s the plan
anyway. We’ll have to be 10 minutes tops, 5 minutes would be ideal; the oxygen
levels out there can only be withstood for 15 before we start regurgitating our
organs.”
He rolls his shoulders and reopens his eyes, rubbing his teeth over his lip in
worry as he looks at me.
“It’s one hell of a long shot, during the time you corrupt the generators and
the barriers break there will be panic and confusion, the human military will
certainly be out in a flash. We have to get 40 rank 6’s, 50 rank 8’s and 100
rank 9’s in there and hidden in the shadows before they’re noticed, not even
counting us.” He smiles and laughs a little through his worry, he isn’t
convinced this will work but appears to be going along with it anyway.
“Then it’ll be up to you Eren, if we make it that far that is” his tone is
bitter and restless and the bags under his eyes highlight the amount of stress
and unnerved anxiety he’s going through.
Mikasa and I place our hands on each of his shoulders in sync, both of us
trying to squeeze his anxiety away. He looks up at both of us, a thankful smile
gracing his features at our small gesture of comfort. I made sure to look at
him directly, giving him my complete attention as I try and display as much
confidence and certainty in my expression as I can, it seems to work as his
shoulders slump.
“I promise you, it’ll work! We’ve been working for five years on this; there
isn’t a single flaw we could counter that we aren’t able to quickly patch up.
We have back up plans for our back up plans! It’ll work, that much I am certain
of!” I didn’t notice I grabbed hold of both his shoulders and lightly shaking
him until Mikasa clears her throat and tugs at my sleeve.
“Eren, let go.” She utters quietly, the material of my clothing pinched between
her fingers as she pulls to drag me away from Armin.
I retract both my hands away from him and step back like I have come in contact
with hot lead. I usually become a little too passionate when I am really
determine to complete a task with the utmost success, which applies for pretty
much most of my daily tasks, except cleaning. I hate cleaning.
I laugh nervously, it coming out sharp and forced before it finally deflates
into an embarrassing croak. It stays silent for a long moment, I cough into my
hand to try and coax out some kind of reaction that they’re still with me and
aren’t judging me too hard.
Hearing the dull slam of palm again forehead from Mikasa’s direction, I knew I
probably made one of the most awkward, animalistic noise either of them have
ever tuned their ears to. Smooth as sandpaper.
“Well,” Armin starts, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear “When do we
execute it?”
I am unable to stifle the blissful grin that cracks and pulls up my cheeks;
feeling my heart speed up its pace and the rhythmic pulsating beat of my blood
drowning out all louds around me as my ears begin to tingle. I can feel the
Matter within me stir in restlessness at the thoughts of human massacre we are
about to advance on. I tremble slightly from the anticipation.
“Tonight.”
____
We wait for the full moon to have risen to its highest peak of the night before
making any movements, though the second it reaches that point I order for our
break in plan to be put into motion. Everyone has shot off on command.
I wait for Marco and Sasha to change their human form to hide away their
protruding horns, long nails, bony wing and unique tails; the wings fold over
and merge away into nothing, their nails retract away to leave transparent-pale
white nails and their tails are wrapped around their leg, hidden away by their
trousers. The only problem with their appearance is their canine-like teeth and
dilatable eyes of red or gold.
Their fangs are retracted and appear less prominent; however their eyes require
contacts, though in this poor lighting I doubt the humans are able to see their
hand even in front of their own faces. I have read that their eyes are not able
to shrink and resize themselves to as much of an advance level such as ours.
That gives us one advantage at least.
Sasha and Marco finish slipping into the uniforms prepared for them, their
outdated Holopods in hand and a nod to us they begin to walk forwards towards
one of the four gates. We hide behind the protruding stalagmites with bated
breath, hoping, praying that our cover isn’t blown immediately.
As soon as the two reach the gates they scan their Holopods, their screens
flashing red in what I assume is a signal of their codes being rejected or
faulty, and just as Armin predicted, the two guards at one of the generators
notice the company by the gate and leave their posts to go deal with their
unexpected visit. Mikasa sees her chance and sprints forwards soon morphing
into a shadow on the ground and slipping through the barrier, it’s blessed
circumference dragging her back into her reaper form as soon as she crosses it.
Wasting no time, she takes out her scythe and swipes it towards the barrier
which leaves a gaping slit in, she moves her hand in and out a few times and
watches her form not change, with a curt nod the rest of us charge forwards
seeking to create as minimalistic noise as we can possibly manage. We come
closer and closer to that opening, watching as it begins to repair itself
thanks to its holy regeneration charms.
Mikasa desperately tries to keep it propped open with her scythe but the
barrier resists and continues with its reassembling. We’re almost there, so
close, just a few more steps.
I propel myself forwards with my wings to get there even faster and everyone
follows suit, beating their wings in sync with their rapid heartbeats and
stretching their arms out along with mine to grab hold of the splits edges and
hoist ourselves through. I do just that and force my way in the not-near big
enough gap and tumble through falling flat on my back with a groan.
Leaning up, I rub the base of my sore back and look around; Armin, Annie,
Mikasa and Ymir. I begin to panic at the location of the rest of my comrades,
not seeing them around anywhere until I look out of the barrier. There stands
Reiner, Bertholt, Christa and Connie trying to scratch through the barrier to
make a break that they can all slip through; there attempts don’t even cause a
dent.
“Eren, disable the generator! It’ll weaken the barrier enough for them to break
through!”
I don’t know who suggests the idea but I let the meaning of their words be my
drive more so than who said them. Knowing our time is limited, I sprint towards
where the first of four generators humming away and easily break the weak anti-
satanic charm that vainly protects it.
I lift my hand to my mouth and dig my fangs into the flesh, a burst of iron
liquid coats my tongue before the pain surfaces around the puncture. I grit my
teeth and suppress a yelp of agony that tries to wheedle its way out my throat,
it instead coming out as a muffled grunt.
Retracting my prominent canines away, I hold out my hand and let the black
liquid pour away freely from the wound and across my fingertips where it weighs
out in clumps until too much and then drips. I aim it over the generator and my
eyes follow the coal-coloured blood as it flows down.
The generator whirs and hums frantically, shaking violently at the corruption
as smoke rapidly escapes out through gaps and vents in the machinery. I step
away. Sparks of white and light blue spout out and over the mechanical shell
until the hum dulls down into a tone of quiet nothing and the forceful
trembling stops.
I smile at my miniature victory, turning back to my companions the other side
and nodding in delight, confirmation that the barrier is weaker now, that they
can smash through with enough force. But I am only met with faces of fear and
dread as they begin to back away. I frown at their odd behaviour and mouth a
‘what’ towards them; Christa raises a hand and points over my shoulder, I turn
and spot a small figure, the emblem of two over lapping wings stitched into the
cloak that covers their form, flapping effortlessly in the wind. Their swords
are drawn and their face and body a mere silhouette against the sharp and
intimidating gleam of the blades.
That’s not all that’s intimidating though, I feel waves and waves of sheer
power radiate from the person, their use of magic and combat skills not
something even the strong would challenge.
I gasp and back away from the barrier, stumbling to locate everyone who managed
to get through the same side I was currently in. I see their already retreating
backs as they slink into the shadows, blending in enough to not be able to
differentiate between the two. I hurry to follow suit, but I halt as a wire
with a grapple hook boning the end snaps out in front of me, hauling the small
framed human in towards me too quickly for me to comprehend.
Even at a close distance and with my more adapted eye sight, I am unable to
make out any features belonging the offspring of Adam and Eve. Their hood hangs
over their face and casts an impenetrable shadow over their features, and
without being able to see the curves and original alternations in the facial
structure, it made the anonymity of the character that much more terrifying.
They take long and precise strides towards me, their blades are held backwards,
not facing towards me. I am confused at their chosen method to hold such a
weapon, but my instincts told me to only fear the habit more, they have
obviously developed a preferred style. My Matter cries out for me to get away,
it’s screaming out for me to just forget everyone and just run, get away, far
away, don’t even consider taking on this human. 'Get out of there Eren, get
out!'
I back away rapidly as they approach me, sense now slowly ebbing back to me. I
spread my wings out far and crouch down low on the ground swiftly, keeping my
tail hidden and close to my body, leaning my weight onto my back legs, I use
the momentum to drive forwards, pumping my wings to add additional speed, I try
and drive clear of the hooded figure.
I keep my eyes trained on them, oddly enough they don’t move much, only their
head were I assume they are watching me rotate around them. I would have
thought they would strike me down, or at least attempt to, but their hold on
the blade handles don’t even shift. Not pondering on it any longer in risk of
them soon changing their mind, I dart off in the direction my companions fled
off too, also using the Matter’s power to shift my form into a ashen shadow,
invisible against the night.
 
I eventually find the others, all inside an old barn; they huddle together for
warmth and I didn’t blame them, it was horribly cold here. I approach them and
mould back into my original form, walking the last few steps towards them, they
all soon regard me and jump up, relief on their faces.
Armin is the first to wrap his arms around me, followed by Mikasa. The two
utter how worried they are and how stupid I am for stopping to observe, others
are not so welcoming of my return. Ymir’s dilated eyes are full with pure rage
and sorrow, I can only brace myself for the scolding I am about to receive,
Annie just passively remains seated and quite.
Hoisting herself up, she hisses and spits in my direction, her tail
aggressively swiping back and forth in a challenge of dominance and her wings
out in a display. She grabs at the neck of my shirt and yanks it upwards and
towards her face as a growl rumbles out through her chest. Armin is startled
away from aggressiveness and steps aside.
“You had better figure out a way to get Christa back by my side by the time the
sun rises or so help me I’ll shove your tail so far up your rectum you’ll have
to shit from your mouth” She is livid and I can feel the anger tremble through
her body, her Matter can be seen pulsating through her veins in her blind rage.
I know Christa and Ymir are close, possibly even feelings of strong affection,
and I also know that separating the two was a death sentence and something I
really don’t want to challenge.
I raise my hands in the air and try to gently nudge out of her hold. “I will
alright? I’ll figure everything out! Just, time. I need time.” My pleading
works as she loosens her grip and slacks her muscles down almost completely,
tension still notable though.
“Time. Alright, I can give that. I’ll give you one month, starting tomorrow.”
She let go of my shirt completely, the fabric still scrunched up from her vice
grip, she quizzes my eyes before continuing. “I mean it Jeager, one month
otherwise the deal’s off and our alliance dissolved” She turns her back to me
and ventures to go sit back by Annie, her eyes still clouded with worry and
anger; she looks back at me again and hisses a last ‘I mean it’ before ignoring
my presents completely again, curling her knee’s towards her chest and arching
her arms around them.
I bite and gnaw at my lip as I think, one month. One month isn’t long at all.
In one month I would have needed to safely get everyone into the military,
slowly worked our way up the ranks so we can get closer to superiors whilst
gathering information about the barriers, the type of blades humans use in
addition to finding the pin point location of the three trees. It’s a lot, and
I’m not sure I can fit it all into one month, not while trying to make sure
everyone is safe anyway.
If I don’t finish in time, Ymir will break her contract with me and cause a
chain reaction for the others to break theirs as well. I made a deal, contract
if you will, with each of my special operation soldiers, each promising them
something that I could give in return for their service and possible life in
this operation. Ymir’s consisted of the title of Duke, and with that title
meant she wasn’t inclined to follow a large some of my rules and regulations,
also meaning she could easily become a potential enemy and send information to
the humans without me being about to barely touch her at all, however, she
seems extraordinarily loyal to Christa, which may work to my advantage.
But there is still pressure, still so many things that can go wrong, we have
nearly no chance of survival, yet these people are willing to go through that
risk to bring an end to the human race. They want to stay by my side, and that
fills me with warmth I cannot describe or give name to, is it loyalty?
Companionship? …Friendship? Whatever it is the sensation sparks inspiration
inside of me and only words of motivation fill my head, no longer what might
happen, but what we will avoid happening. I straighten my back and let my
determination concoct up words for me.
“It’s late now right? And because of our breakage, there will be humans
enrolled in the military dashing around, correct?” I look mainly towards Armin
to answer my question; he stills for a moment and hesitantly nods his head,
unsure of where I am going with my train of thought.
“So, if we’re careful, we can capture a few of them and kill them, strip them
of their clothing and wear it ourselves. We can easily change our appearance to
look like them, the only problem will be our eyes, but in this darkness I doubt
they’ll be able to even notice, we can get into the military tonight.”
“And what would you suggest we do with the bodies? The humans will realise
they’re missing and we can’t exactly dump them in a pile of hay.” Annie’s voice
is monotone and unconvinced; she doesn’t even take her eyes away from the small
cracks that weave together in intricate patterns on the floor.
I think for a moment before responding. “My Matter will take care of that, it
won’t leave a drop of blood. As for their missing state….” I rattle through my
brain in attempts on how we can hide that flaw and progress on with our plan.
“Attach their holopods to minor demons.” Armin pipes up and finishes for me.
“If we can clip on all of their holopods, then it’ll look like they’re still
moving and alive, the more recent holopods give location as well as easier
communication. We could buy ourselves some time by strapping them to minors
while the humans follow them on pretty much a wild goose chase.”
Everyone’s attention is on Armin now, I smile and nod enthusiastically at his
input into my idea. Annie and Ymir, however, seem reluctant to go through with
it, their eyes showing their displeasure for having to put their lives at risk
once again.
Mikasa turns to them and glares at the two, her hood shadowing her face. “You
seem to be forgetting that I’m a grim reaper, I can slice down sons and
daughters of Adam and Eve like they’re mere blades of grass. Eren’s Matter is
the strongest type there can be and Armin’s advance knowledge will be able to
quickly create an escape plan if need be.” She turns away and faces me her eyes
mimicking the determination that I was sure were shining in my own. “We’re the
elite demon, devils and hellish behemoths, are we not?”
I’m not sure if she’s directing the question at me or still addressing Annie
and Ymir, but I nod sternly anyway. Mikasa nods back at me and directs her
attention back to the two. “Then it’s settled, whether you both decide to
accompany us or not are up to you, but you’re all for yourselves if you wish
not to follow.” She advances towards the barn door, hunching her hood further
over her hair and fusing her scythe together between her fingertips, once
formed she leans it over her shoulder and waits by the door.
Armin gulps and gives the two girls a look of guilt, he opens his mouth and
licks his lips, but his will to speak is short lived as he closes his mouth
accompanied by a sigh through his nose. He gestures to the door with his head
muttering a ‘let’s go’ and stands by Mikasa.
I can’t help but look back at Ymir and Annie in disbelief, were they really not
coming with us? By their positions on the floor they didn’t show any indication
that they would be doing such an act. My face drops for a second before I
tighten it up again with determination, this was my primary goal for now, and
if Ymir and Annie aren’t going to be a part of that, then I wouldn’t let that
weigh me down. Although it’s safety in numbers, it’ll give me a little bit more
ease to know that we aren’t all in one place and easy to capture; just a
little.
I turn to Armin and Mikasa, smiling at the two. “Ready?” I speak while trying
to hide back as much as my fear as possible. We are in human territory now,
anything can go wrong and the awareness of that just doesn’t settle well in my
stomach at all.
I inhale and stretch my arms out, bursting the doors open on my exhale and
expected to be greeted with the brick huts the humans live in and the starry
sky that shrouds the human habitat in darkness.
Only that isn’t what greets with at all, we are greeted with blades raised
towards us along with several gun barrels and even holy charms of their
precious trees are raised against us.
We all go by instinct and attack immediately before they can move, sweeping
underneath their legs and attack them from the back, it was sly and not
something usually considered as heroic, but this isn’t about glory or honour,
it is about getting out alive for our freedom. No matter the cost, no matter
how large or powerful the foe, nothing will stop me from getting to my mother,
my tree, my ultimate goal for freedom and a land be ridden of the Adam and Eve
spawn scum.
I dodge the bullets as best I can, a few shooting me in my arms and legs, but
the matter makes quick work of healing them over, the bullet being rejected out
of my body and steam covering the wound as it heals.
I hunch down low and sweep my legs at the back of their own, their legs
buckling under them causing them to drop their hold on their weaponry and fall
down to the ground. I quickly take advantage of it and don’t hesitate to bite
into my thumb, my blood dribbling out and summoning my Matter. It bends my
blood into a small knife and patches up my harsh bite before dissipating into
nothingness.
I slice and cut my way through flesh and necks, through their chests and hearts
and to server their heads, leaving only mess of thick crimson scattered on the
brickwork below us along with their lifeless corpses, but my Matter makes quick
word of the mess, lapping it up and hungrily swallowing mouthfuls of the blood,
I divert my attention away to avoid the urge to throw up. Once it fades away I
find not even a speck of blood left, good. All that’s left are the matted
remains of what once were alive homosapiens.
I still for a minute to pant and capture my lost breath, steadying myself and
regaining my balance after whipping my body around only a short while ago.
Mikasa and Armin share looks of concern for my health; I shake my head as my
breath begins to even only slightly, trying to indicate too them that I need a
little longer.
This is odd though, something feels highly off about the air, the set around
me. How did they know our location? Why didn’t they shoot us on sight? Why
didn’t they have the essence of a human being and why did I feel like we are
being…Watched?
I snap my eyes around the area trying to locate the source before a pang of
pain ripples through my head; I clutch at it hard and begin to wobble in place
in poor efforts to regain my balance. I fall to the ground and curl into
myself, using my wings as a shield to try and block out whatever it was
piercing my brain in two.
“Eren!”
Is that Mikasa or Armin?
“Eren! Get up Eren!”
Maybe both? It’s too hard to tell the difference when your head it being ripped
apart and your thoughts clumping together in one loud choir of noise and
screaming. Screaming?
‘GET AWAY EREN, GET AWAY!’
Screaming, Mikasa and Armin are screaming at me. Why are they screaming? Why
are they so worried? I just need to rest, just for a little bit.
‘THEY’LL GET YOU EREN! THE MAN! THE MAN WITH THE ICE EYES!’
Ice eyes? Man? What are they bleating about? I am so confused, so scattered and
the craving for rest is becoming unbearable. We haven’t even left the barn
entrance yet, I could easily go back and sleep for a while, and it is late
after all.
‘DON’T REST EREN, RUN! GET AWAY, GET AWAY!’
Barn…No I left the barn for a reason? Why was that? Why was I in a barn? Why
did I want to leave? I can’t remember, so it shouldn’t matter, right?
I can feel my tense muscles begin to loosen and lax, letting the weight of them
droop down towards the floor and letting gravity pull the rest of me down. I
don’t care, I feel calm, at peace. Alone.
Alone? No I wasn’t alone, I have mother and father here with me, along with all
the guards that swore their souls to protect us. That’s right; I’m home, in my
bed, safe.
‘LIVE!’
I inhale sharply at the simple word and the heavy weights of my limbs suddenly
become lighter, I can control and move them around again freely, my vision
begins to clear and the pain in my head ebbs away into an irritating headache.
What happened? What was that sensation?
When the fog of my vision finally clears I see only chaos.
Armin, Mikasa, Annie and Ymir are all being held down, blank expressions on
their faces as if they’ve had their emotions leeched from their very being.
They are limp as several humans bound and chain them down, tying their legs,
arms, wings and tail and preventing them from mobility. I don’t understand, why
aren’t they resisting?
I growl and hunch up on instinct; if they aren’t going to save themselves then
I’ll make it my responsibility to do it myself. I spring my body forwards and
towards them, only to find I couldn’t. I couldn’t move, I try again only to
receive the same results. I can’t move. I struggle and shift only to find
restrains around me; my wings are bound, my tail chained heavily to my legs and
my wings caked in chain netting that’s unbelievably heavy and prevents me from
being able to move them. I growl and spit, hissing while trying to tug the
offending chains off of me.
“Hey! He’s still active! Get over here!” A human’s sickening tongue forms the
words, which I assume are directed towards me, I roll and try to attack, try to
get away, trying to do something!
A human dares to touch me, pinning me down hard against the brick flooring, I
arch to try and bite at him but he avoids. More and more of his pathetic
brethren grab me, forcing me into awkward and uncomfortable positions as they
apply more chains, more weights and what I guess are spell tags to reduce my
power. They eventually move away from me when the advancing clunk of heavy
footsteps becomes apparent, leaving me a little lighter.
I strain to try and arch up, but can’t with the weights encircling me, all I
can see are their damn boots that stop short in front of me, poking lightly at
my face as my growling becomes louder. I wasn’t in the mood to share words and
I wouldn’t be surprised if all that came out are animalistic barks or manic
death threats.
“Is this it? This is the presents you were afraid of?” The owner of the boots
speak and they continue to prod at the rest of my body, clearly either too dumb
to realise my growls of anger or they simply didn’t care, either way I wasn’t
going to take to kindly to their constant poking.
“That’s the one from five years ago, I’m certain of it. He holds a lot of inner
strength that I’m sure not even he knows he holds.” Another voice now, much
deeper and more authoritative, it rang bells of nostalgia and made me dull down
my growling to listen in more. If he was talking about the event of our first
pillar being destroyed then I am acute to hearing about it, I might be able to
pick up information on it.
“He’s stopped growling. He clearly shows intelligence, but I’m unconvinced
about his potential.” The owner of the prodding boots replies while he rests a
foot on my back, applying slight pressure a little at a time before it becomes
painful and I snap at him, a bite with the intention to miss but with the goal
of trying to get his filthy feet off of me.
To my surprise though he doesn’t move and only chuckles, mockingly, and it
triggers a flame in me to growl again.
“How very lively.” It’s all he utters through his dry laugh and it makes me
uncomfortable, he isn’t scared of me and doesn’t seem to care about any of the
Matter’s aura I am emitting to try and intimidate. He only releases his boot
and begins to stroll away, not before a sharp snap of his fingers which sparks
another agonising headache to pound through me until I’m limp, boneless and
heavy as my eyes blur again. That doesn’t matter though, right? I don’t even
know why I’m here…
Alone, but I’m not alone am I? No….I’m home…Safe, and in my bed? Yes, I’m safe.
Chapter End Notes
     I apologies for extreme lateness, I had a few issues that needed to
     be taken care off.
     I shall be updating weekly now though.
     Thank you for all of your kind words, I really appreciate it! ;;
     Sorry for all of my mistakes within the chapter, they shall be
     corrected soon.
***** Dog, meet your new master *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Levi’s POV
Erwin hasn’t called or updated me on anything since late last night, which is
off and it leaves me restless, and from my persistent curiosity I find out
nothing has been said to Hanji or Mike either. I’m uneasy and I feel the need
to be cautious with my actions and words around Erwin.
Hanji, Mike and myself are usually the first people to know what plan the cogs
in Erwin’s brain have conjured up, and he usually confirms it based on Hanji’s
impeccable foreseeing, Mike’s instinct and my skill beforehand, but he seems to
have a mental storage of information that enables him not to discuss whatever
it is he’s thinking with us. I should question him about it, but I feel that
doing so will only sew his lips together even tighter if he caught on to my
suspicions about him. What a shit-clog.
The rythmatic tap of knuckles against the other side of my metal door, followed
by a muffled ‘Permission to enter, Corporal’. I call back a monotonous ‘enter’
and a new recruit steps inside, back stiff and head held high as he doesn’t
make direct contact with me and instead focuses on the bridge of my nose. He
raises a hand and ruthlessly pounds a curled first over his heart, a salute.
The salute I have become oh so familiar and burdened with.
“Lance Corporal Levi, sir! Commander Erwin requests your presents in the castle
dungeons, sir!” His words are slurred in his nervous rambling only ebbs on the
growing headache of mine. How very irritating. This entire legion is
irritating, everyone is just an obedient dog that’ll sit and kneel nicely for
their superiors while they feed off the hope that we’ll praise them, and on the
rare occasion that any of us do, they’ll then be attached to our hip until we
snap at them to stay the hell back.
I hate how clingy they all are, how they lack two brain cells to rub together
due to their ‘training’ breaking them in to take orders without question,
especially me, everyone does what I say without question for fear of me either
kicking their sorry ass or their pathetic and slimy need to please me, which I
assure you none of them do. I’m never satisfied with anyone, not fully; there
is always something about each person that just doesn’t settle well with me.
That doesn’t mean to say I detest everything about everyone, very close, but
not everything. I like some people’s quirks, and it’s my curiosity to learn
more about such a quirk that’ll lead me to not minding their company or the odd
chat. Though I have many quirks, no one has ventured far enough to uncover more
than two at the most, my addiction to cleanliness and hygiene being one and the
other being the need to be on top constantly, I cannot be detained in accepting
second, always first and always on top. Yet I hate those who submit to me so
easily. I’d rather those who bite back a little before I can crush them
completely to show them just exactly who is calling the shots.
I am an odd specimen; I dislike regarding myself a human, as that term has now
become something of a fashion statement. People within these barriers preach of
demon and human equality, others bleat that they have Split-Human Disorder,
which is a new found ‘condition’ that applies to people with the apparent
incapability to tell of their own species anymore. Some days they’ll act like
humans, another like a demon or devil. I have a rare disorder of my own; it’s
given the medical name of ‘I-can-smell-your-bullshit-from-heretivitis’ and does
serious impact on my personality, tragic really.
“Sir? Um! Your response? Sir!” The barking dogs shitty attempt at stringing
words together knock me out of my little day dream, and I scoff at his
irritating persona. I sit up from my desk and stretch, I walk over to my
bookshelf at a leisurely pace, no way am I going to rush for Captain America.
It’s a dated character that I found in one of the historical libraries,
apparently there were old DVD films of the character along with ancient comic
books, that was a millennium ago, times have changed drastically since then.
“I’ll be down in a minuet” I answer finally, the dog still remains at my
doorframe, his back still straight like someone shoved a blank up his asshole
and it’s keeping his back rigid. I give him a pointed stare.
“I said I’ll be down in a minuet.” I repeat, the dog gives me a confused frown.
Why was he giving me a confused frown, what did he think he was going to escort
me 10 steps down the hall and another 20 down the stairs? What a trek. I think
I may even get lost at such a colossal distance, where did I put my maps again?
I’d hate to end up someplace deathly like the broom cupboard.
“That’s your queue to hit the road, honey” Hanji’s voice arose from behind the
dog and he startled, yelping and backing away from the major, hearing the
roomers as much as I of her like for, intense, experiments shall we say.
Ah, Hanji. Sometimes I don’t know whether to hug or hit the women, but at this
particular point in time its closer to hug, because now the dog is scurrying
down the hallway and into the nearest room, slamming and locking the door shut
behind him. She gave me a kind smile that I am unable to return, but the
knowing in her eyes show just how well she understands my incapability to do
so. I am thankful for that. Hanji is a friend, I enjoy her company as I assume
she enjoys mine, but I am still unable to smile unless the over-spilling urge
to do so arises.
She stalks right in, not stopping to wipe her feet and drags mud all over my
marble flooring, smile still so very clear on her face. I’ve changed my mind; I
want to hit her instead.
“Gooood Morning! And how is my favourite hobbit?” she says it with such
happiness, such joy and bliss. She just called me a fucking hobbit.
“I’d be more worried about what your favourite hobbit is going to throw at you
if you continue to use that degrading nick name, shitty glasses.” My hand was
itching for a book to throw at her already; hopefully it’ll knock some sense
into the dim-witted fool, though that’s a complete lie. If truth be told Hanji
is much more intelligent than me and excels academically, though I’m no fool
either for that matter.
She barks out in laughter and holds her hands up quickly, in a surrender
motion; she is able to read that I was close to giving her brain damage but
still continues to giggle like a 5 year old anyway.
“Oh come on!” She strolls behind me and pushes at my shoulders, effectively
nudging me out of my office and down the corridor much to my dismay. “Commander
America said he has presents for us.”
“Presents?” I repeat, not bothering to correct her and instead showing my
interest as I am continually pushed down the several more corridors and
spiralling staircases downwards.
“Hm.” She mumbles. I scoff, that doesn’t give me a define answer, that isn’t
even an answer, it’s a grunt. She must know I am unsatisfied with her answer
because she laughs again, as loud and bright as ever.
“Yes,” she clarifies “Though he didn’t say what no matter how much I pestered
him. I even bugged Mike and he said he didn’t know either.” She continues but
her pushing isn’t as hurried anymore. “It’s odd.” Her tone of voice give away
all that she’s as sceptical about this as I. This is odd, very odd, and I feel
like I’m not even being told the half-truth, if even a quarter, though I do
have a theory.
“If last night is anything to go by, it’s something to do with the captured
devils.” I pipe in, Hanji makes another grunt, but one I understand, it’s of
approval and a request for me to continue. “But, we hardly ever capture devils
of any ranking over 8, and both you and I can tell those were nothing less than
at least a rank 3.”
She doesn’t respond and only stops her gentle nudging when we get to the door
of the basement, from in front, dull thumping is heard, though that’s probably
just my heartbeat. I hate to admit but I am nervous for what’s going on, I know
next to nothing and as I have said, I hate not being on top, not knowing
anything prevents me from taking my rightful place there.
Hanji scoots around me and opens the door with her key card, no longer jolly
and bubbly but serious and tense; I wonder if I’m mimicking her body language.
That’s not my heartbeat. That is actual thumping coming from down in the
basement. Hanji looks back at me with shocked eyes; she too must have come to
the same assumption as I about the thumping.
We both sweep our gaze to down the steps, saying nothing, we begin to walk down
each step cautiously, and the thumping now accompanied by screams and growls.
My one hand falls onto a piece of paper in my pocket. I have some form of
protection at least, I can quickly summon a Rank 5 Angel if need be, at the
very least It can suit as a distraction until I can properly summon the four
Rank 3’s I have contracts with.
When we reach the bottom, I muster up enough self-composure not to be shocked
at the sight. I was expecting it to be a collaborative noise between all of the
monsters here, but it’s only one. A singular devil, concealed behind three
layers of strong barriers, the indestructible material of Diamond Ravida
wrapped around every chain that bounds him down.
Chains, a large sum of them, coil around his wrists repeatedly weaving in and
out between the gaps of his arms. Its fingers, sown together in a threat that
doesn’t hurt to weave but only tightens the more you move, its shoulders
clamped and six large Diamond Ravida that heat and burn if too much movement is
done weigh him down. His wings clamped shut with several spell tags and blessed
swords stabbing them closed. His mouth sown shut with the same threat that keep
his fingers together, but he resists against this, opening his mouth wide to
scream and rage at us. Everything is chained or clapped or has a form of high
restraint on it, the only acceptation being its eyes, left to dart around
freely without any blindfold.
His eyes are glorious.
His eyes send a chill in me and I creep forwards to get a better look. They’re
feral. Utterly swimming with wild and raw passion to be defiant, to rebel and
be a brat. They are eyes filled with golden need to devour, to rule and
conquer, to simply destroy. They’re so blinded with pure rage; he’s trembling
in his white hot anger and doesn’t even seem to care about the amount of blood
that gushes from his mouth due to his stupidity to resist against the thread.
His entire body is alight in rage.
He’s an untrained dog.
I did not realise that I managed to creep close enough to actually have the
cell opened up for me and to be crouched down in front of the beast. I don’t
care, I don’t give a damn how I got in here be it teleportation from fairies or
that I snatched the key card from Erwin and forced my way inside, either way I
was here now. I can study him with my eyes more.
The beast breaths heavily through the weights with his lips scabbed with blood
clumps. His eyes are on me, his full attention is on me and the thrill it sends
is just wonderful. I want this dog, I want to take this untrained beast and
mould it into my personal play thing, to crush any resolve it has to attack me
but keep some within the creature so it has the nerve to rebel against me. I
will put the behemoth in its place, shoot it down until it obeys only me and
finds pleasure in my praise.
I want this dog, and I have every intention of getting it.
“Levi.” Erwin speaks through hidden amusement; he seems pleased for some
reason. “Have you taken an interest in our feral beast here?”
He’s teasing me, but I don’t want to retaliate, I want this dog. I only nod in
response and continue to stare at those rich eyes as they glare daggers back at
me. I smirk back at him and his eyes widen in even more rage, he lets out a
hiss and I cannot help but unleash a mocking chuckle. It seems taken aback and
stops its fruitless attempts of breaking free for a moment to look at me with
confusion.
The beast only regains his previous anger and spits in my direction, missing of
course. He has shitty aim. “Noisy mutt” I state matter-of-factly, the beast
lurches forwards as much as it can to try and bite at me, failing miserably. I
let off another amused smirk as I push myself up and brush off all the filthy
dust and grime that may have clung to my uniform, then turning, I leave the
Devil’s child in his cage to continue hissing and crying like an annoying rat.
He’ll be at my door soon though, panting and weak, I cannot keep the smirk from
growing at the thought.
____________________________________________________________________________
Eren’s POV
I watch the small son of Adam and Eve leave, the wings on the back of his
uniform ironed to perfection. I hate that, no human should have any form of
perfection about them, be it their appearance or clothing.
I want to cry, just curl up and cry. I failed my duty to protect my pack. I
tried so damn hard, we tried so damn hard. I’m tired, cold and my throat and
body ache from the heavy weights and my foolish screaming. Everything hurts and
I just want to stop, just give up and cry. I won’t cry though, certainly not in
the presents of the revolting humans; I bite my bottom lip hard to distract my
eyes from welling up and pattering over, it works to my relief but now my lip
is swollen and stings to swipe my tongue over.
This is damn hopeless; I probably look so pathetic and vulnerable, the best
part being I am at the complete mercy of the humans now, brilliant.
“Ahem.”
I look up to see a tall, bulky male, smoothed down blond hair and…Icy eyes. His
appearance doesn’t sit well with me, something is wrong with him, something
about him isn’t correct. He has a shady glint on his features; his gentle smile
brimmed with knowledge and power. I don’t like him, I really don’t like him. He
has a confident posture and doesn’t look even slight intimidated by me.
‘The man with the Ice Eyes, Eren. Don’t get close. He will hurt Eren.”
There it is again. Ever since I regained consciousness and found myself
lovingly bound in this cell, that voice keeps echoing in my head and leaving me
small comments of concern. It’s not a singular voice, but all of the different
tones speak together harmoniously and undeniably in sync. I believed it to be
my pack at first, but soon realised that none of them had yet to regain
consciousness, even considering my howling and whaling that I have been
performing. Whatever it is, it doesn’t want me dead.
“I judge that you’re the ring leader in your operation of action?” the blond
asks with a patient tone, surprisingly there is no hatred or spite in his
words. It’s a nice tone that offers friendship, but if anything it creeps me
out. It sounds fake and perfect, like his voice has been well practiced. That’s
even creepier.
I don’t answer him; perhaps if he thought I lacked the ability to communicate
he’ll leave me alone.
“I see. Perhaps later then?” He drops his attention from me and makes his way
around to peer into the other cells, calculating eyes taking in each of my pass
out friends. He stops at Armin and lingers, studying just like the smaller
homosapien studied me. He begins to unlock the cell and the click of
confirmation from the key code sparks panic in me.
What is he planning on doing to him? Why does he need to go into his cell? He
doesn’t, he can see him just fine from the outside. Stay the hell away from my
friend, don’t you dare touch. ‘Don’t you dare hurt a friend of Eren’s’.
“Back off!” I hiss out in a hoarse voice before his hand is able to make
contact with Armin’s limp face. His hand retracts as if burnt and he visually
recoils back. Good. He can do whatever the hell he wants to me, string me up
and peel my skin back with a flame if he likes, but he dares harm, touch, speak
or even look at my family and I’ll make sure his face and the floor are well
acquainted.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to do that even if you were unbound” the blond
responds with a light chuckle. I’m confused for a long moment before I realise
that, oh, shit. I said that aloud. I said a lot of things aloud. There goes my
playing dumb plan.
He stalks back over to me, whether he was purposely slamming his boots down
into the floor or if he is just that heavy I don’t know. It made a pang of fear
worm its way into my gut either way.
“You’re close then?” It’s a simple question and doesn’t threaten to squeeze any
information from me, or not any that I would consider held against us as a
danger anyway.
“He’s like my brother. I cherish him like he is a part of my mother’s litter.
That applies to the others as well; hurt them and I won’t hesitate to shove
Matter up your asshole to eat you inside out.” I assume I sound like a joke
because he only chuckles and shakes his head.
“No” he says, turning to look back at Armin again “I’m only interested in him,
and I have no intention to harm him, you don’t need to worry about that” His
pupils dilate. I didn’t know humans could do that at will, I thought that was
something only we could do to adjust to different light settings or emotions.
It isn’t dark in here either; the place is paved in white and baby blue, small
disks of light fitted into the ceiling and these large screens with grids on
the side of our cells, accompanied by a slot to place the Key Card into, I
assume.
So with such a well-lit environment, why does he feel the need to do such a
thing? Whatever the reason I don’t like it, he’s lingering on Armin again.
“Can you stop that? I feel uncomfortable just watching you stare at him like
that.” My voice cracks half way in the middle of my back talk, I feel like I am
becoming more and more pitiful the more I continue to strain my throat to
speak.
“You’re criticising me for staring at someone when you are very much doing the
same to me?” He raises his eyebrows at me in a challenge.
“I’m keeping a close eye on you. There is a difference. You seem very
interested in Armin and I wonder if your word to not hurt him was actually just
complete bull” He smirks now, his laugh more breathily, sending an uneasy
shiver of disgust down my spine. Oh he’s creepy.
“I have no intention of harming him; my word still stands, unless he likes that
of course.” His irises are almost gone and only a black sphere is left against
the white, but it’s his comment that brings me to realisation. He didn’t want
to hurt Armin, oh no, he had much more interest in him than that.
“You’re a sick bastard, stay the fuck away from my kin.” How am I supposed to
contain my fury when he is literally eye fucking one of my closest friends? You
don’t, threaten them and draw their attention away.
He snaps his posture to straight and intimidating, his nostrils flare out and
his jaw is clenched tight. His cold eyes stare deep into mine and I pry them
away to look at the side instantly, pretending to take interest in the chains
the climb up my arms. Would you look at that? How pretty.
“Know you place, demon spawn.” He hisses the words off of his tongue like
they’re a substance of bile.
“I’m a Devil, not a demon, there is a difference you informed fuck.” I really
shouldn’t be talking; my outbursts of threats are making my throat raw.
His anger then melts away and he’s laughing, full blown cackling. I stare at
him, highly confused and expecting to hear and explanation for his outburst of
laughter.
“I believe you mean ‘ignorant’”
Ignorant. Whatever. Both start with I.
After he composes himself he walks over to the screen situated beside my cell
on the outside, he touches the screen and I hear beeps and see small light
reflects onto his hands as he pats away at it.
Suddenly, the chains loosen, the weights become weightless and the clamps
spring out of their tight grips and fall to the floor. I wriggle out of all the
offending chains, clamps to find they’ve all brittle and rusted over. They were
not like that just a second ago; otherwise I could have easily snapped them in
two. It’s then that I realised my hands, I spread my fingers apart and watch
the thread woven through them separate like cobwebs, not a single hole in place
around any of my digits.
I place a hand to my mouth and feel around for thread and holes. None. I search
my wrists and arms, around my neck and stretch out my wings. No bruises,
indents, blood, scratches. Everything is gone?
I turn to him for answers again and he flashes me that creepy smile. Ugh.
“We had to put up the percentage of the barriers consuming you to match the
aura you were giving off, also why your blood loss was so great, though you
don’t look in the best of shapes now.”
That doesn’t answer the question I was trying to ask him so I suppose I’ll have
to speak.
“Why…Heal…Quick?” wow. My voice is barely a whisper and I can’t even manage to
create a worthwhile sentence, not only that it’s freezing.
“You’re trembling” Well no duh. It’s probably about 7°C in here. I wobble to
stand on my feet, using the wall to lean against and take my weight. This feels
familiar.
The blond man looks at me with his eyebrows cast downwards into a frown, how
humorous; they almost look like one giant caterpillar. I try to laugh but it
only come out as wheezing followed by repeated coughing.
“Shit.” I mutter out as I slide to the floor and curl up into myself.
“That’s not good, his Matter levels aren’t stable at all” it’s a women’s voice
that pipes up, and both my own and the blonds attention is drawn to it.
How long has she been there? Since when has she been there?
Her appearance strikes me, I recognise her, or at least I think I do? Glasses,
brown hair scrapped back into a pony tail, quite tall. I rattle my brain for a
name, a memory, a something that’ll give me a hint on why she looks so
familiar.
“Hanji, I forgot you were here.” The blond sounds embarrassed but nothing on
his face indicates that. ‘Hanji’ gives a light chuckle before she shoves the
blond man out of the way and tampers with the screen next to my cell.
“Yeah, I know, I can even see the erection you’re neutering in your pants.
Looks like Captain America found his Peggy Carter.” Hanji’s response makes me
chuckle, it’s winded and probably sounds strained, but I can’t pass up an
opportunity to laugh at the blonds misfortune.
“Thank you Hanji, it’s nice to know you have such high regards for your
superiors.” Blonde’s tone is affectionate and friendly, not harsh and it
doesn’t fit his word choice, though I suppose they’re close enough to be able
to understand that. It’s like another hidden language between them.
“No problem, Sweetie.” She laughs, but then it fades down as the screen flashes
red. She gives me a once over and bites her lip. “He’s not good. He’s going to
need a purification seal on him otherwise The Matter will completely consume
him”
Wait, they know about The Matter?
“Should I go get Mike? He can perform it, and then we can put him back here
when he’s done. The only trouble will be the contract and visits 3 times a day
minimum.” Purification seal? Daily visits? I understand none of this; maybe
they are talking a different language after all. The blond speaks of me like
I’m some kind of rag doll though, and that pisses me off. He pisses me of. He
is the personification of piss Eren off.
“When Levi could do it and make a contract of his own? You’ll be the one to
break it to him, I like my head attached to my body.” She taps at the screen
again and the barriers, shattering and dissolving away in tiny glittering
fragments. I marvel its beauty for only a short moment before one of my arms is
hauled up and tugged around the brunette’s neck; she hulls me up on my noodle
like legs and I drop all of my weight onto her unintentionally.
I’m relaying on a human, how the tables have turned, but I’m too weak to fight,
just pant and tremble. My other arm is lifted and thrown around a higher neck,
I can only assume its Captain America’s, an odd name, but if he can help drag
me out of my cell and to a destination that’ll help me recover then maybe I’ll
reward him with allowance for a 2 second glance at Armin. Maybe.
“To Mike?” Hanji asks, dragging my body out of the cell and towards some steps.
“To Levi. He seemed to interested not to be livid if he were to find out we
gave a new toy away, that and I like my head attached to my body as well.” They
begin to haul me up the stairs as the same two names are repeated again, Mike?
Levi? What kind of dumb name only has four letters? That’s stupid and hard to
say, why would-Oh. Eren. Right.
I don’t bother to pay attention anymore, everything hurts despite there being
no marks left behind from my restraints, several beeps and swooshing motion of
doors is the only thing I can really register, their voices nothing but varied
pitches of mumbling. Another final door slides open and a warm breeze hits my
face, I helplessly try to lean into it to try and absorb the rooms warmth.
“Jesus Christ have none of you heard of a permission code? I almost had my bare
ass out and-.” Whoever is inside the warm room sounds angry for whatever
reason. I can’t see anymore, just a fuzz of black and white splodges that
jitter as the move in my vision. “Get him in the circle and find my ceremony
book.” The voice is direct an punctuated, snapping out orders as I am dragged
and dropped onto the floor, I groan on impact and try to tuck into myself, but
I can’t even manage to part my lips.
“Alright, out, unless you both want to witness black shit with eyes coming out
of his ass.” This man sounds like a real charmer, it sounds like a man anyway,
be they male or female they had a nice smooth voice, even if they words they
are saying aren’t the most appropriate.
“Charming as ever.” It’s the blond man’s voice, and it’s accompanied by Hanji’s
laugh.
“And you’re as incommodious as ever.” There is a small pause.
“Nice pants.” The crude man speaks again in his silky voice, but tisks when
Hanji only laughs louder and more boisterous. “I’d actually like to get this
done so I can attempt another shower without any interruptions.”
Her laughing dies down to mild giggles, “Okay, okay we’re out of your hair!
Vamoosh! Gone! Didn’t even see us! Poof! Crawling away like a slippery snail
that leaves no trail! Into the night like a-”
“-Fucking blade up your ass if you’re still here within the next 4 seconds”
Sharp screeching of an unsheathing blade allow me to hear just how damn serious
this human is being. His words are laced with a barely detectable hint of
humour and mirth, though that might be my ears trying to compensate for my lack
of eyesight.
Wait, when did my eyesight even deteriorate so sharply? My eyelids are open, I
can feel them open. I feel my throat begin to tighten and clench shut, the
insides swollen and allowing little air to pass through. I don’t have an
inkling to what is going on with my body recently, It’s been acting up a lot in
random sparks so I assumed it might have been because of too much strain on my
body for training, but even before I had trained that day it would clench and
searing burning sensations would ripple through my veins.
I bite my lip to muffle my pained groans, not wanting the kin of Adam and Eve
to know of my weak state. Though silence is all I can hear for a passing few
seconds, my labouring breath and quiet screams of pain the only thing heard.
It’s quickly broken with the movement of their legs, boots snapping onto the
hard flooring beneath me, but no chatter accompanies it, the only other sound
being the door sliding shut and fading steps.
Fingers, fingers are running through my hair and none to gently gripping at the
strands, my nerves are hypersensitive to pain at this particular point so what
would normally only emit an irritated ‘ow’ instead unleashes a hiss and whine
of agony which is loud even through my teeth; the holder doesn’t loosen his
grip at my expense, so there was little point in openly vocalising my pain
anyway.
“You even managed to blight your eyes, dog.” The silk-voiced owner states more
to himself than to me. He gently lays my head onto the floor. I’m slightly
surprised he doesn’t let it fall freely so it can whack against the hard
surface and cause me more pain. Odd, that’s what I would do to any human I can
dig my nails into.
“Petra, Erd, Gunther, Aurou. Lend me your assistance.” Soon after his command
my Matter stirs to life, I can feel it writhing inside my head at a possible
danger. From the waves I’m getting, I guess a few of our angelic friends have
made their presents know, they’re always fun to play with.
Though their waves feel dull and attuned low, I guess there is interference
with me receiving them, because otherwise my Matter would be reacting much
worse, currently it only feels as if its slumber has been disturbed.
“Corporal.” the voice is feminine but brimmed with rage and hatred, which may
have something to do with me being here. Though Corporal is a mystery, either
that name belonged to the silk-voiced man or it was one of the heavenly
creature’s companions.
“At ease. His matter has given him blight, badly as you can see from the
condition of his skin and eyes. We’re going to extract the infected Matter from
this dog but we’re going to have to work quickly.” The silk-voiced man is
closer now and a feel several prods at my face with a leathery texture, it was
soft at first and almost caressing, but then progressively pokes harder and
harder and I snap out for them to ‘stop it’ but it merely comes out as a simple
grumble.
“See? Harmless. Now hurry up.” A group of exhales must have been from the
angles, it appears relieved and their feet are light as several pairs approach
me.
This can’t get more humiliating if I tried. Here I am, on the floor like a
paralysed worm as my two sworn enemy species loom over me and watch me suffer,
fantastic.
Oddly though, I don’t feel scared. I should be, but I am not. I feel calm and
composed here which makes me question if there are scents and spell tags that
ooze off that intended affect. I inhale and try to pick up the scent, it’s
fresh and clean, undertones of a sweaty musk but not unpleasant, it’s a
soothing scent actually and that’s probably why I don’t feel the urge to spring
up perform a massacre.
“Enjoying yourself, dog?” Turning of paper pages, the flapping rapid and
consistent as the pages fall and card together quickly, possibly looking for
the right page, though I hardly see how this is an appropriate time for loosing
yourself in the delights of reading, though I’m ashamed to admit I was never
properly taught the ways of literature and usually just bug Armin to read
things too me.
“I’d relish in whatever piece of mind you’ve found for every second you can
grab, this is going to hurt more than backwards childbirth through your left
nostril” he sounds amused but doesn’t add the addition of laughter, though
there are a few sniggers which come from his angelic company.
Suddenly there is a click and I can’t move my body. Suddenly there is a bright
light and I can see again. Suddenly my organs feel crushed and withered.
I cry out in pain despite my raw throat, I feel wounds open on my skin and
black gas begin to pour out. My Matter is being taken away from me. This is
bad, this is very bad. Without The Matter I am powerless and drained of any
energy, I’m better off dead.
I try and protest for them to stop, to cease pulling away my power; I look at
each and every one of the angles around me, now capable of seeing. They all
have flawless faces, all gentle and creamy, but all scrunched in concentration,
each of their hands and stances are positioned differently, little things I
observe despite the tear worthy pain.
 
If it were not for the robes and angelic attire, I would not be able to detect
who is the human among the bunch. The man who came into my cage before stands
there with an open book hovering above is open palm, fingers splay outwards in
a feminine and elegant gesture, but it doesn’t look odd on this man, it fits
him.
 
Everything about this man fits him, even his cold eyes that latch onto mine,
the way amusement bleeds into them and the way a small crease forms under his
eyes when he discreetly lifts the corners of his mouth, his lips part and I
wait for that silky smooth voice to speak out again. Even if the words are not
to my mercy.
 
“Grit your teeth dog,”
Chapter End Notes
     Hello I hope you don't mind me breaking my promise to update every
     weekend again.
     "I'll do it next weekend" I whisper to myself as I scroll through the
     Ereri tag until 2AM.
     Please forgive all of my terrible mistakes and I would like to thank
     you all again for all your kind words and support.
     *Ollies out*
***** What hurts me, hurts you. *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
I can’t do it anymore. I can’t. I’m drained and tired of fighting. I’m
finished.
 
I’m.
 
I’m sad that I couldn’t protect my kin, my companions, my pack. I am so
frustrated that humans are the cause for all of this. I am so damn angry it has
to be this way.
 
But it doesn’t, does it? Isn’t that why I am here? To teach these pieces of
shit who actually is on top?
 
My cries flatter and I’m only left to calm myself down, the pain still remains
but I am too caught up in my own maze of thoughts to actually care.
 
“Corporal, he’s passed out. Should we take that as a sign that he’s been
drained enough?” The females voice pipes up and wait for directions from
Corporal again.
 
“The dog isn’t drained, take a look at his eyes, they are practically steaming
with rage.” Corporal comments with a hidden glint of interest, eyeing me
carefully.
 
But steaming with rage I am. These humans, these sons and daughters of Adam and
Eve, the beastly homosapiens, these disgusting, vile- “Putrid, revolting,
greedy, selfish, pieces of shit that I’ll inhalant, I’ll fucking gut you.”
 
“Oh, how I quake in my boots.” Corporal’s interest soon flatters and he has his
stoic bored expression he was wearing earlier plastered back onto his face. I
can’t help but feel disappointed at his reaction, I feel a small balloon in my
mind flatter at not pleasing him, a very small part of me wants to please him,
but I quickly bury that though.
 
“Then I’ll show you.” I growl and I muster up all the strength I have left and
stagger onto my feet, my wings spread and fangs bare.
 
“Corporal!” It’s a man’s voice this time, a man who seems to look in his early
40’s. He wears similar attire to Corporal, but doesn’t look nearly as
flattering.
He is panicked and aims a small golden dagger at me, which I take advantage
off. His movements are stuttered as he blindly moves in to swing the blade at
me, which I dodge with not as much ease as I would like too, but it’s
something. I quickly grab his wrist and yank him towards me, swooping my legs
into his as he spreads his wings to maintain balance.
Big mistake.
Just like demons and devils use their tails for balance, angles lack that and
use their wings, which are much lighter and flexible than our own leathery
ones. But this makes them more fragile, like our tails.
 
I grab the bend in both of his wings tightly while manoeuvre around him as best
I can, trying to also avoid the incoming attacks from the other angles. Their
movements from their stances has broken the circle and pain ebbs away.
I can fight now. I can destroy them, I can-
 
My tail is yanked back, which surprises me, I don’t leave it out and in one
place long enough to be caught.
I yelp and fall down onto the solid flooring, face first and painfully.
Two fingers and sharply pressed onto the base of my neck, enough pressure to
feel it and I shudder as numbness overtakes me. I begin to relax unwillingly.
Stupid devil anatomy with its stupid weak points that my stupid captor seems to
know about them.
“Corporal?” Jesus I wish they would stop using his name in every damn sentence
they say. I glare at them as much as my head will allow me to move. Wait. One,
two, three, four..? Where’s Corporal?
“So much for Harmless.” The silky voice comes from behind me. Oh no. Oh shit,
please don’t tell me I’m in submission under Corporal. It’s one thing being
captured by an angle; at least you’re both on equal grounding of similar
anatomy and Matter usage, but to be captured by a human being is just
humiliating.
“Get off me you bastard” My voice is slurred with the undeniable relaxation
that pulses through me. That was supposed to sound intimidating and hold a
promise of pain.
Corporal pushes his fingertips in harder, careful not to use his nails as he
rotates the pads in circular motions, I resist the urge to sigh contently, but
I can tell I fail miserably because I hear a chuckle from behind.
“Too easy.” Corporal purrs as he lets my tail fall from his hand, curling up
instantly at the TLC I’m receiving. This is embarrassing, so damn embarrassing.
“How did he go from blood-thirsty hound to whimpering puppy in a blink of an
eye?” The angle who attacked me first buffs out his chest as he aims his
comment at me mockingly, looking way too proud of himself even though I kicked
his ass.
“Just as you go lax with wing pruning, devils are very much the same when their
Matter gland is rubbed. They become numb, dribbling messes, but it’s hard to
contain one long enough to do so.” Corporal answers correctly and that pisses
me off even more, but that quickly ebbs away in the pleasure that relaxes every
muscle in my body and changes my breathing into deep intakes and slow outtakes.
The angles watch, fascinated by me as well as guarded. One of the blond haired
angles gingerly reaches a hand out towards me; he takes cautious steps forwards
like he’s afraid he’ll startle me. Careful, I bite.
His hand gently brushes my wing and regardless of my wanting need to slap him
with my leathery flying instrument, my gland is still releasing too much of
whatever the hell it is that makes me just want to curl up some place warm and
sleep.
I never did pay attention in school, Armin probably knows about every atom and
cell in our bodies, go ask him.
“They’re heavy” The blond angle tests the weight in his hands and the other
three angles creep forwards and begin to inspect me too. Great.
“I have a present for you, dog” Corporals words make me shudder. It’s probably
an innocent comment but the way he moulded the word ‘present’ so breathily
makes me think otherwise, and I won’t deny it’s not something I find unpleasant
at all.
I hear shuffling, but his fingers still stay in place on my neck, so I can’t
turn to see what ‘present’ he has for me.
But I don’t need to see it when I feel his fingertips tickle away from my neck,
only to be replaced with more as they start from the front of my throat and
slide all the way to the back gently, I begin to shudder openly now at the
contact, company be damned.
There is a soft click and a bleep that directs my attention away from the
desirable fingers that traced my throat. He wasn’t stroking my neck, he was
collaring me.
And suddenly his fingers are gone, he moves around to crouch down in front of
me next to the other angles, they look startled at leaving me suddenly
unattended but seem to trust Corporal’s instinct enough to know that I cannot
be of more harm at the moment. Well, at least they aren’t poking at me anymore.
“He doesn’t look like the others…” The blond male of the group speaks up again,
giving me a quizzical look as he visually continues to judge me. Rude.
“It doesn’t matter if he does or doesn’t look like the others, he’s still a
rabid beast that needs to be put down.” Corporal sneers at me like I am some
lowly life form, when in actual fact he should be looking at his own reflection
with disgust.
His kind are the ones who have murdered countless innocent Pups, raped and
beaten their mothers and fathers in front of them, kidnapped and tarred apart
packs, burnt and destroyed our homes. They’re the rabid beasts; we only
retaliate because it’s for our own safety and in defence.
Corporal pulls himself up before pivoting around and walking to a desk, he
kicks the chair out before slumping down on it as it automatically pulls him
towards the desk, grids and maps float around the perimeter, I can’t see the
desk surface from down here, but I assume it’s installed with all these other
gadgets and touch-screen compatible floating holograms.
“You say that-” I cough before I can finish; it winds me as my body jerks along
with the sounds. “-You say that, but aren’t you being a hypocrite?”
“Hm?” Corporal doesn’t look at me, doesn’t even spare me a glance as he
continues to tap away at the surface of the desk.
“You rape, murder, torture and slaughter, so how dare you class us as the rabid
beasts when you yourself are clearly far worse! You’re cowards! You wear
uniforms that are supposed to represent freedom, this isn’t freedom, what you
do isn’t freedom, it’s the work of monsters who-“
“-Shut up, dog.” His words are dark and icy, I much preferred his tone when it
was bored and showed disinterest, now its spine chilling, cold and silently
seething. Slow and calm footsteps creep towards me and a shadow forms over me,
suddenly he doesn’t look so small anymore.
“You know nothing, absolutely fucking nothing about what the human race has had
to endure, suddenly we have had to adapt, learn magic that our bodies are not
capable of withholding long, suddenly create barriers to keep you beasts out
and away, to prevent you from raping, murdering, slaughtering” He raises a boot
and I flinch away, expecting him to smash it down onto me.
He doesn’t. He tips my head gently with the tip to give him a better anger to
bore his eyes into mine.
“We only do that because you attacked us first! You attacked our first pillar
and destroyed the first patch of our territory, it’s only natural we treat you
like you treated us.” I hiss at him, trying to push my reasoning into his head
and show him just who the monsters are.
“You’re wrong. Your kind attacked first, I know better than anyone that you
attacked first, otherwise I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be in this damn legion
and I wouldn’t be wasting my time listening to dribbling dogs struggle to pull
out any excuse they can out of their ass.” He spits back at me with twice as
much venom, and before I know it I lurch forwards at him.
He grabs my wrists and flips me over so I almost fall onto my back, but I
quickly twist my body and fan out my wings to stabilise myself and fly up,
grabbing hold of the beams and digging my claws into it as I glare down at him.
He’s upside-down in my line of view now but I don’t let my childish tactic
distract me from continuing to lash at him.
“That’s a lie! We have never attacked without reason; you drew our blood first
so we drew yours.”
“Of course you believe it’s a lie, your kind, you dogs will twist history to
suit you better, write it so that you’re the knights in shining armour, some
heroic force that are fighting for the greater good. You’re a fool if you think
any of it is remotely true.” He fixes his molten glare on me, not prying then
away for even a second.
“It’s true. I was there.” I fume in short, snapping out each word with a growl.
I continue to view him from my high perch, trying to read if he’ll launch an
attack on me. I wouldn’t put it past him to know exactly how to get me down
with child-worthy ease, but he remains to keep our eyes locked.
Corporal and I play our little game of stare down a while longer before he
sighs and rips it away, using his fingers to rub small circles in his forehead,
much like he did to my neck.
“This isn’t getting anywhere. Fine, whatever, believe whatever the hell you
like, that’s not important.” He turns back to his angelic company and I am
quickly reminded of their existence again, they were so quiet and blended in so
well I didn’t notice them, even with their golden and pure white blades pointed
towards me.
“He’s just a brat,” He drags a hand up through his hair, breathing out another
exasperated sigh. “I thought he’d be something more worthwhile, I have no need
for him. Do as you please.”
Wait, what?
The angles give curt nods and flutter towards me, their wings allowing for
elegance but also sharp mobility, and having four charge at me all at once
catches me off guard and I’m suddenly thrown down by the female, her eyes
narrowed and mouth clenched.
I land on the floor again, but with harsher impact than I have been before. A
bright light illuminates around me, and the four angles are stationed in the
positions they were previously, hands each forming different shapes and their
eyes squinted shut in concentration.
No. No, no, no!
This is all moving way too fast, I don’t have time to gather any of my thoughts
before the angles begin to chant. The white beads of light, clinging to me and
oozing into a dark black at the corruption of contact onto me, impuring their
pure Matter. Wait, I can corrupt their magic, if it worked on the generators,
why not with them? It’s similar magic, it’s worth a shot.
I sink my fangs into the flesh around my thumb and grunt at the feeling of it
break, my blood soon flows out of the wound and I shake the liquid around the
circle and watch it shatter instantly.
Now I’m moving fast, faster than I did before as I easily dodge attacks how,
predicting their placements. I feel oddly energised; I can easily get use to
this feeling. I smirk at my new found advantage as their movements began to
tire, nonetheless still too stubborn to break their elegant movements.
Everything about their movements is flawless. Precise footwork, incredible wing
usage, direct blows with accurate precision; I’m highly surprised I am able to
dodge them.
I am surprised actually, really I shouldn’t be capable of slipping past each
and every one of their blows, that’s physically impossible even considering my
ranking and I should at least gain a graze or too, but nothing. I quickly
decide not to dwell on it and instead use that small key as an escape route.
I bounce back and morph away in a flash, flattening my form into a dark shadow
on the floor as I weave away from them easily. This is all easy. They are
unable to even touch me. What a blow on humanity it would be if I just sneak
under the door, grab my companions and escape. With a burst of confidence I
dash to do just that.
Only. I’m pulled back, like I’m choked.
I realise I’m being dragged away from my puddle of shadow and yanked back into
my default form. I’m being pulled away. How? I am practically intangible in
that state?
“Going somewhere dog?” I don’t have to turn around to see the smug smirk on
Corporal’s face; I can already hear his amusement at my failed escape attempt
in his voice. Shit.
I snap my head around to glare at him and my eyes catch the white, glistening
chain in his hand, following each loop over to me, to the back of my neck. To
the back of that collar he latched onto me before. I reach my hand to grab it
and yank it off to only find out how badly it burns.
“Fuck!”
I look to see Corporal retract his right hand from the chain like it…Burnt him?
He shoots his eyes back at me with a dark glare, his lips parted back in a
sneer. “What was that, dog?” I flinch at his tone, it’s practically overflowing
with hatred, raw despise for me.  
“I…It.” I babble out, unable to string words together.
“Whatever it was you just did, you transferred your pain to me, dog. That
should have melted your hand away upon contact.” Corporal growls, quickly
loosing patients with me, and for some reason I find half of me wanting to
respond to his harsh words, willingly spilling out the answer he wants, but
then again I don’t, not just because I don’t even know what happened, but
because how dare he talk to me like he’s better. How dare he call me a lowly
dog.
I smirk “I haven’t been trained to properly obey orders like a mindless dog,
I’m afraid” and with a surge of bravery, I wrap both my hands around the pure
white chain and grunt through my teeth as it peals away at my skin, but I’m not
the only one in pain.
Corporal lets out a barely audible intake at the pain, but still holds onto the
chain with a vice grip. I watch as his eyes narrow into slits of livid grey-
blue and his black hair frame his face with an overcasting shadow over his
eyes, making them gleam out and look just that much more threatening.
“Then I guess I’ll just have to train you myself.” And with the promise of
those dark words I’m heftily wrenched towards the small human, but I protest
the dragging, pulling back with all I have before I’m shoved forwards by his
stupid angelic company.
Once they pull me into a carefully drawn circle, they all back off, letting the
symbols take their desired effect to drain me of any capable movement. Great,
now I’m back to square fucking one.
Corporal lets go the chain with a relieved sigh when I do eventually let go on
my end as well, looking over his purple blistered hands at the burning. Mine
are in no better state.
“Fuck…You really did a great number on me dog. Thanks.” He gently opens and
closes his hands with small winces, but isn’t able to continue after his
feathered friend’s crowd around him and fawns over the condition of his hands.
I find it ironic really, here I am disobeying every single command he throws my
way, yet here are his angle quadruplets happily bending themselves backwards to
ensure they do every commanding word that passes his lips, along with unasked
for caring and concern for his health and condition. Yet here I am, receiving
evil glares and given the irritable nickname of ‘dog’, hardly seems well
thought out.
Dogs stay when you tell them, speak when you tell them and love you without
expecting anything in return other than your attention even for a fleeting
second, but of course, considering that none of those apply to me, I am still
dubbed that name. That makes so much sense, of course, how stupid of me to not
have clearly seen it before.
The tingling in my hand strikes my attention and I sluggishly bring it up to
look at. The familiar black smoke of my Matter wheedles its way out of my
bleeding burns and begins to sooth it with gentle strokes. I watch as the ugly
black and purple bruises fade at their touch, taking that stinging, cold pain
with it.
I sigh when the process is finished and let my hand slump down. I’m tired and
everything feels heavy, I contemplate just curling up a sleeping here.
“It’s gone…His burns are…” I don’t know who said it, but the voice surely
didn’t belong to Corporal, it sounded whiney though like it was trying oh-so-
hard to imitate the sarcastic and bored tone that Corporals voice perfected but
with an additional husky deep caress to it.
I am complimenting a human’s voice. Suddenly the urge to swallow bleach seems
more satisfying than wanting to continue thinking about a damn voice, and a
humans no less.
“What the hell are you?” It’s Corporals sweet voice again, and being constantly
reminded of that tone really doesn’t help when you are trying to evade it as
much as possible.
I don’t register that they might be talking to me until there is tense silence;
I lift my head to see 5 pairs of eyes on me, some confused, some showing small
strands of fear and a singular molten blue-grey gaze that is woven with
interest and curiosity. Oh man, I’m staring, look away and act cool.
I watch him search his hand to find that his hand, too, is clean of any of the
purple and black bruises. Didn’t he burn his hand, or is that just me
imagining? I could have sworn…
“A devil?” I try to offer helpfully, giving a timid lopsided grin paired with a
small shrug of my shoulders.
“Incredible.” Corporal’s voice, when actually trying to be sarcastic, almost
makes me laugh out loud at how dry and wrapped around ‘Are you actually serious
right now. Contemplate your entire life for a second and ask yourself. Really.
Fucking. Really?’ perfectly. Almost, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek
to stop me from laughing out loud because nothing about this situation is even
remotely funny.
“Wipe that disgusting smirk off of your face, that wasn’t any form of
friendliness.” And suddenly the honour is gone and I’m reminded that he’s
human, a heartless, selfish, cold and homicidal human. I also remind myself
that I hate them, every single one, so I hate him; I detest him and wish to rip
him inside out. Yes, that’s what I want.
“Dick.” I mutter, it’s a childish move but when you have no means of much move
movement other than moving your head and slow and steady movements of your arms
and legs, it’s kind of all you can do for some kind of entertainment. I might
as well piss him off to an extent where he cannot stand me to I can go back
into the dungeon, conspire up an escape plan when Armin awakens and get out.
“Ouch, you’ve mortally wounded me, I may need to go be transferred to A & E for
heartbreak.” Despite the serious situation, his companions snigger anyway,
biting their lips to stop from full blown laughter. His sarcasm is amusing,
I’ll admit, but it’s not enough to want to stay in his company.
 
“So, what are you then, dog?”
I really, really wish he would stop calling me that.
“I just told you, a devil” I may be foolish, but I am not enough so to blindly
blurt out too much information. I am pretty positive that they won’t take
kindly to me being the son of Satan.
“Yeah, we know. But you’re obviously above a rank 5, I would guess you’re a
rank 3.” He pauses to walk back over to his desk, dropping back in his chair
and leaning it back, eyes still on me. “It’s a long shot, but I assume you’re a
duke.”
I almost laugh again, but this time at his cluelessness. A duke, well that’s
something I can work with as a worst case scenario, but I almost want to tell
him how utterly far of he is in the ranking system for me just to watch his
face stretch in surprise.
“You don’t really think I’ll tell you that now, do you?” I try and choose my
wording carefully, not implying I’m a duke, but not completely banishing that
thought from them either.
“I suppose you really aren’t a complete mindless fool then, seems you have at
least two functioning brain cells to rub together. Well done you.”
Either I’m already getting used to his snarky comments or I just can’t find
myself to care anymore.
Corporal stands up and stretches, huffing as he rotates his shoulders and it’s
then, and only then that I realise he’s shirtless.
How do you miss that detail. How does anyone ever miss that detail. The answer
is that no one misses that detail but here I am.
Now that I’ve noticed, I can’t stop gawking. Oh man is that an 8 pack? I didn’t
even know you could get those. I want one.
‘Remember Eren, he’s a human, one of those beasts that took away your mother
and father.’
That voice again. I could almost kiss it for slapping sense back into me. What
was I thinking? Humans are revolting, they are all the personification of
imperfection, they kill, they rape, they steal, they live to destroy, and I
hate every single one of them.
“What do you want?”
“What crawled up your asshole and died? You were pretty peppy a moment ago.” He
doesn’t pay mind to me and instead flicks through some digital screen,
searching for some nonsense.
“You have ‘no need’ for me, remember? Put my back with my pack then.” I hiss at
him, I start to dislike this small man less and less again, which silently
pleases me. Good, I don’t want any attachment to humans other than hatred.
“Oh no, that was before you pulled your little magic trick from out of your
hat. I thought you were the equivalent of a drunken seagull, but now I have new
found interest in you again, congrats.” He stops his screen sliding momentarily
to look at me briefly before turning back and continuing. Well that was utterly
pointless.
“Good to know. Now put me back with my pack.”
“Hey! That rhymes!”
I jump, and judging by the others jolts, they were not expecting the additional
person to join the convocation either.
“Jesus Hanji, you scared the shit out of me.” Corporal places a hand over his
heart and breaths out, straightening up and then makes a pathway towards a
white cube located beside supportless shelves with browning books stacked on
top of them. Corporal presses the top of the white cube and a blue screen
flashes vertically upwards, showing s digital picture of a t-shirt, trousers
and shoes, along with a small arrow at the bottom corner.
Corporal places his index finger to the digital 3D image of a shirt and then
another screen opens, I watch with interest as an assortment of colours appear
and he clicks a white one. Suddenly the screen is gone and the top of the white
cube opens, Corporal reaches in and pulls out a white, button up shirt.
I cannot help my jaw dropping as I finished watching the process. Did that
white cube just make a shirt?
“What’s wrong little guy? Haven’t you ever seen one before?” I squawk at the
voice because. Brown- haired women- By the door but- By me now- I was- she just
by the- Okay.
She laughs and goes to reach into the circle and I sure as hell don’t stop her.
By all means reach in and break the circle so I can escape. Please.
“Don’t! It took us an entire hour and a half to get the shitty dog in there.”
Corporal comments as he begins to evenly slot the buttons of his created shirt
through the appropriate holes.
The women retracts her hand but still stays close.
“Ahhh~ Look at him! How very interesting! Do you have a name? I’m Hanji! Can
you speak?” She continues to keep her eyes on me, and although they seem kind
enough I must remember that these are humans, they’ll drag me into false
security and then gut me the first change they get.
“Oh he talks alright, but it’s another language, bullshit I believe.” Owner of
the snarky comment doesn’t even spare us a glance- surprise, surprise- and
instead busies himself with gliding his fingertips along the spines of various
books that lay on the bookshelves.
I growl to at least vocally let him hear how pleased I am with the comment.
“You’ll have to ignore Levi; he’s an old man now and can only find amusement
through sarcasm. Kind of sad really.” Hanji, as I suppose I should call her,
smirks while flashing Corporal a large thumbs up.
Levi?
“Watch it. This ‘old man’ could kick your sorry ass.”
Who’s Levi?
“Ahahaha! Are you sure you can even reach my ass? Let’s not aim too high, let’s
go for what you’re capable of, try my ankle!”
Levi…That name sounds familiar, why can’t I place it to a face?
“I’m going to go ahead and pretend I think you’re implying you’re abnormally
tall and you are not poking fun at my height unless you’d like to be in a
casket by the end of the day.”
Levi…Levi…It sparks memory
A memory.
It’s a fond and sweet filled memory but…
I can’t remember it.
“Sorry, can’t hear you from all the way down there, did you say something?”
“Who’s Levi?” I ask without even realising I said it until it blurts out. I
look expectantly at Hanji and Corporal anyway, hoping they’ll answer me.
“Who indeed.” Corporal hides a snigger from behind his hand as he continues to
search through the bookshelf.
Chapter End Notes
     First of all I would like to apologise for all the suddenly appearing
     things in the chapter like:
     'When did that table get there'
     'Why is there an elephant in my bath'
     'Why am I in New Zealand'
     'Who are you and why are you taking my bed.'
     It's part of Eren's dizziness from all that's going on with his body.
     Lets call it Devil Puberty.
     Sorry long notes, Sorry for any possible mistake and thank you all
     very much for reading! I greatly appreciate it! ;; <3
     Also this is a few hundred words shorter than the other chapters hhhh
     sorry.
***** They're all five *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
‘Who indeed’?
Everything is just a giant clump of confusion and uncertainly in this near
constant headache of mine. No matter what I do, all the solutions seem to be
tangled together and then a flaw makes its presents known and mixes everything
up even more, it’s infuriating.
My health is usually nothing to be a concern of, in fact I never get ill, I
always believed I was incapable of such a thing like diseases, fevers and flus
until now. I have never felt so continually nauseous in my life. I’ve always
been healthy and active, and it’s not like my habits have all suddenly been
dropped, I play as much as I train, but I also ensure I have sensible amounts
of rest too.
I groan and close my eyes, shaking my head.
“You know what? Fine, by all means continue with your petty game of Guess Who,
I have a pack waiting for me and I would appreciate it is you were to prod me
in their direction.” I say bluntly, not even trying to hide how much venom I
intend to hold within each word.
Corporal rolls his eyes, his noes curling up in disgust as dust falls off of
the spine of one of the old books.
“Hanji, take him down, dogs who can’t stop barking really piss me off.” He says
with distaste as he runs two fingers across the top of the sandwiched pages,
shuddering at the dust that clings to the pads of his fingers when he moves
them away to inspect.
But oh, how dare I. Please excuse me your majesty Corporal, for I have actually
used my mouth to communicate. Shame on me.
“Ie, ie, Captain!” replies a chipper Hanji, walking over to pick up the white
chain that still attaches to the collar around my neck, she twirls it around
with one hand before catching it mid-air, smiling brightly at me. “I’m going to
take you back down now, you’re probably still hurt, so please don’t overdo
yourself, we’ll take it nice and slow little guy!”
Little guy? Well, it’s certainly an improvement from ‘dog’, but nonetheless
this build-up of pet names really is starting to grind me.
But then I notice. She’s holding the chain.
I reach out to grab it; if it hurt Corporal then it can hurt her. I clap my
hands into fists around the nobbled chain, feeling the familiar sting as it
purifies my impure skin, burning away the sin that layers it. It’s painful, but
it’s worth it, right?
I look up at Hanji and gasp and she frowns down at me.
“What are you doing? That’s painful, isn’t it?”
Nothing, she doesn’t even flinch? I quickly pull my hands back, the burning
being seemingly pointless if it doesn’t even make her grunt in pain. What is
going on? If it hurt Corporal then surely it should-
“Will you please stop sharing your pain with me?” Corporal hisses out at me
through gritted teeth, his hands trembling and…Burnt. They hold the same purple
blisters as last time, but this time he wasn’t even in contact with me, or the
chain. I don’t understand, why isn’t it affecting Hanji?
Hanji looks amazed, her eyes darting from both me and Corporal. “You can share
pain?” She fixes her excited eyes onto me “How? Can you do it to anyone? Is it
because Levi pissed you off? Why didn’t you hurt me? Is it because you like me
better?”
“Um…” I am at a loss, how do I even answer when not even I understand what’s
going on, all of a sudden it’s like all of my senses have come on high alert
and the simplest of disturbances can cause me to blow any second.
“If that’s the case, then why didn’t he hurt us?” The blond, who I assume is
the leader of the angelic squad, asks while he pours what looks like Holy Water
over Corporal’s hand.
“Why would I so blindly tell you?” even if I don’t know myself, I won’t do me
any harm to persuade them that I may know more than I actually do, It could
even prove my usefulness even more and that could expend my execution date
dramatically.
“You won’t, because you don’t even know how you’re doing it”
All heads turn at the new voice to see a broad male, more specifically Captain
America, stood in the doorway, his head held high and what looks like a…White
chain? In his hand?
“What is this, a social gathering? I wasn’t aware my office is the designated
club house.” Corporal growls bitterly at the new company, clearly not a fan of
being surrounded by so many people at once.
The broad blonde merely chuckles, taking longs strides into the room, tugging
the chain along with him gently, it’s only when he stands next to Hanji that I
see what, or more correctly, who is at the other end of the chain, their face
cast down, collared and looking just as humiliating as me.
“Armin?”
Said boy’s head shoots up to reveal a conscious and very much unharmed Armin
with wide eyes.
“Eren! You really are alive!” Armin practically rips the chain out from his
captors hand and makes a dash to crouch next the barrier that contains me. “I
thought he was lying. I thought you’d-” He cups a hand over his mouth and
breaths steadily, trying to compose himself.
“You’re alright? Are you hurt? How’s your Matter?” I glare at the blond block
of meat behind him “Did he hurt you? Do anything? Say anything?”
Armin chuckles from behind his hand and lets it fall from his face with a
content sigh. “Yes, I’m alright, I’m sore from the shackles, but that’ll heal.
However,” Armin joins me to glare acid at the man who dragged him here. “He
hasn’t done anything to harm me, yet, though I cannot confirm he won’t in the
future, he is a human after all.”
I hiss at Armin’s words, they only stir up my hatred even more for the foul
beings.
“Release him.” Armin demands, using his head to direct to me and who exactly it
is he wants releasing.
“No. God no. That dog took us far too long to tire out long enough to get him
into another barrier; he’s staying there for a good 24 hours.”
Armin wrings his neck around to fixate a stare of icy-resentment at Corporal,
sneering at him. “You want us to co-operate then you co-operate with us! Eren
and I are strong enough to easily make your life a living hell in a matter of
seconds.” He stands up and rotates his gaze to the taller blonde, his eyes
holding pure knowledge as he smirks with sheer smugness. “Release him or I
won’t co-operate, and wouldn’t that be a major blow for you?”
The blonde’s one eye twitches slightly, before remaining posture of the
flawless static expression. He briskly nods and keeps his eyes on me. “Release
him Levi; otherwise this will only become problematic rather than beneficial”
There is that name again, Levi.
“Fine.” Corporal bites out.
Ah-Corporal responds to that name, perhaps it’s another name of his? A surname
perhaps? Whatever it is, my mind goes into overdrive at the mention of it,
trying to unbury a memory but to no avail.
Corporal, or rather Levi, snaps his fingers and the white light that concealed
me vanishes, but I am no later enveloped by Armin, his arms wrapping around my
tightly as he buries his face into the crook of my neck, shaking slightly.
“I’m so glad you’re alright.” He sobs; I pat soothingly between the junctions
his wings sprawl out from, muttering ‘its okay’s. Armin presses closer to my
ear, his lips close.
“Don’t freak out” He whispers, though I strain my ears to hear the hushed
breath. “They can’t hear us, pretend to spout nonsense about how we’re going to
get through this, I don’t want them to know what we’re talking about.” And with
that Armin pulls back to reveal teary eyes and a red nose dribbling with snot,
he shakes his head frantically.
“No it’s not!” he croaks, wiping the fresh tears away with the back of his
wrist. “It really isn’t Eren!” He returns to burying his face into my neck,
lips once again close as ‘sobs’ wrack his body. I continue my comforting with
soft hushes and reassuring squeezes.
“Don’t react, that will give us away.” His hands grip tighter into the back of
my shirt as he goes back to his breathily whispers “Ymir, Annie and Mikasa
aren’t in any of the cells; at least not when I awoke. There is a strong
possibility they weren’t captured.” I hold my breath and try not to show any
shock, so I busy myself by threading my hands through Armin’s hair.
“Either way, we can’t mention them until they bring it up themselves, as far as
we know; they may think we’re the only two, which can work in our favour. And
another thing, Eren, they’re after you, not you directly, but they’re after
‘Satan’s offspring’ as Erwin put it, so do not under any circumstances let them
know who you really are.” Armin murmurs before he pulls back away, a sad smile
on his lips, he lets out a shaky sigh. “Thanks Eren. I needed that.”
‘Erwin’ – which I believe may be another name for the tall blonde - eyes us
with suspicion as we break away from one another; he has already hinted some
kind of exchange went between us. He’s sharper than I thought, but so is Armin,
as long as he is by my side to help point us in the right direction then we’ll
be okay.
Though I do worry about the safety of Mikasa, Annie and Ymir, I must compose
myself and make it appear as if Armin and I are the only ones, the girls may
have escaped and are probably conspiring up some plan to get myself and Armin
out as I speak. I must have faith in them, but even knowing how powerful they
are, my gut doesn’t stop churning at the fear that they’ve been taken elsewhere
by the humans without me know. They could be getting executed right now for all
I know.
Oh shit. What if they actually are..?
Hanji practically shoves Armin out of the way; sitting almost on top of me by
the way she looms close “So your name is Eren then? How odd, I thought you’d
have something a little more demonic, like…Vivian or something!”
“Vivian.” I repeat with a frown. “I have never met any demon, devil or hell
hound under the name of Vivian.”
Her eyes widen and her face cringles under her eyes as she begins to cackle, -
not laugh -cackle.
“You’re precious! I want one!” She slaps her knee in her fit of creepy cackling
before all of it ceases and her mouth squeezes into a think line, her eyes
silted and her expression suddenly dead serious. “However,” I catch myself
before I can gulp loudly at the change of octave in her voice. “I may not know
every fibre about your Matter, but I know just by the level restraints we have
had to put on you that you’re not a feeble rank. We suspect you Eren, and we
won’t hold back if we discover you are anything higher than a duke, am I
understood?”
I nod briskly but snap myself out of my scared daze, my eyes narrowing. “Do you
really think anyone higher than a Duke would waste their time here? I’m pretty
sure they have better things on their mind.”
“You seem like you know.” Shit. Erwin is sharp. I breeze my glare past Hanji’s
shoulder and towards him, but not at his eyes, they unnerve me and my Matter
almost screams whenever I make eye contact for even a second, I settle for his
eyebrows. His eyebrows are huge. Like two giant fuzzy caterpillars that are
desperately reaching for one another to rejoice and become one mammoth eyebrow.
I must have sniggered because I notice them furrow downwards and his eyes
illuminating in a flicker of anger, even when I am not making direct eye
contact.
I straighten myself up and angle my head to the side, shrugging nonchalantly.
“Maybe I do, maybe I was given orders to come here. Maybe.” I finally buck up
the courage to make eye contact, his frozen blue gaze locked with my own golden
one and I shiver at the sheer intensity in them.
“Understand that I don’t want you to become an enemy.” He utters as his strict
features softens and he exhales the tension out of his shoulders, “That would
be foolish. On the topic of fools, don’t take me for one. I know more than you
could possibly fear over.”
I try and fit what he said together into a picture of sense but all of the
pieces seem jumbled and missing as I try to orderly arrange them, scattering
them everywhere as I try and gain control over my nerves. My only response
being an IQ burning ‘huh?’, unable to properly form and kind of come back.
“As much as I hate to be on any kind of wavelength with this filthy mutt, I
believe we both seem to be aboard the same boat of ‘what the fuckary’ sailing
to ‘I have no fucking clueland’” Corporal- no - Levi rather, spoke up from
behind the pages of a leather bind book, hand now healed , eyeing up over the
rim and fingers pinched between a page, mid-flip, stopping whatever he was
reading to contribute to our convocation “I seem to be left in as much dark as
him, I want answers. Why bring demons here, why keep these two and discard the
other ones? Would they not be good for research?”
I flinch. They knew about Mikasa, Annie and Ymir, of course they did, I
remember seeing them bound. I hiss draw their attention all towards me, rage
bubbling in my throat and Armin quickly grabs my arm to try and hold me down,
he opens his mouth to speak but I beat him to it.
“What the hell do you mean you discarded the other ones?” everything is a blur,
and I only register that I sprinted forwards and have my hands digging into
Erwin’s neck when his own dig into my wrist in a bruising grip, trying to pry
me off.
And then the tangy taste of blood leaks into my mouth as something sharp
pierces my neck.
And again. And again, and again.
Continuously stabbing and reddening my vision.
Angels. Disgusting pure white angels are actually attacking me.
“Stop it! You’re hurting Levi!” Hanji’s voice. That’s Hanji’s voice for sure,
but it sounds muffled.
The angels withdraw their blades immediately and stumble back.
I wrap my hands around my neck in an attempt to stop the blood flow, or at
least try and slow down its decent outwards. It isn’t difficult to breathe, but
it’s certainly difficult to talk.
Those bastards. Those feathered pieces of shit. They’re mindless creatures of
apparent purity, apparently they’re the mark of all holy and justice yet here
they are blindly attacking . They’re as thirsty for blood as we are, yet
they’re looked upon as the more elite, the creatures that are looked upon for
wisdom.
However, if they truly believe they can make a mockery out of me then they are
more than mistaken. I didn’t spend years tactically planning for the right
moment for it to be ripped away from me, I didn’t dish out promises of return
the rightful king and queen of hell, along with loved ones of the people, to
come back to announce each one was empty.
I slow down my breathing, I’ll fuel my anger in the right places, I’ll let my
rage enhance my movements and not control them. This is my body so I should
have complete control over it, every speck of Matter that flows through me is
my own and so I should control it. It’s my own blood; my own eyes, my own
senses; my own emotions; my own beliefs and my own will to make sure I
obliterate any reminisce of the Human Race and turn everything of theirs to
dust.
I block out the screams, the hands on me and the stabs of pain and replace it
all with a tranquil yet steady sound of my heart beat. It’s off…It’s echoed.
Concentrating further I confirm it’s not just my heart, another, that’s beating
in complete sync with my own. It’s different but oddly comforting, like it’s
their too beat for me if my own stops.
And then I smirk, I let out a sigh that turns into a laugh. That’s dumb of me,
how can I be afraid? How could I even let fear strike me? I open my eyes to see
the livid faces of Erwin and the male angles, all weapons drawn as they
criticise my every move.
I search for Armin, spotting him slowly back away. He knows, and he makes
feared contact with my eyes while he shakes his head in a silent plead for me
to stop. Stop now before it gets out of hand.
But I can only smile sadly at him; I mouth a small ‘sorry’ and turn away before
I can watch his face twist in pain and fear. I promised Armin long ago that I
wouldn’t let myself get to that point ever again, I wouldn’t materialise my
Matter like I did 5 years ago. It’s very foggy, but all I remember is waking up
in the castle caked in red, blood of humans and the news of an apparent out of
control massacre that consisted of over 4,500 human bodies mangled and torn
apart.
I gaze back at the angles and watch in delight at Erwin’s expression, it’s
strained; he’s trying so hard to remain composed that it’s now so much easier
to read him, he must have seen Armin’s reaction and is now panicking about what
I plan on doing.
So why keep him waiting? I’ll show him now exactly what I am capable off.
I remove my hands from around my neck and let the blood gush out, all around
them, covering the floor in a pool of black. Though the angels remain in place,
it seems Erwin is too witty for him not to take any caution for any move I
make, and steps completely out of reach from the pool of blood.
Only, that’s not my blood, I don’t have any blood running through my veins,
it’s all Matter, and that’s why I’m considered a Rank 1, not just my Royal
status, it’s this ‘blood’. This exact ‘blood’ is the reason I don’t die of
blood loss, the reason that after a time any marks, gashes or bruises on my
body can simply vanish within a matter of seconds. That’s why I healed
instantly back in the dungeon, why I didn’t pass out at the pain.
Of course. Of course, it was always a wonder to me why I can quickly fix up a
bruise and according to Armin and Mikasa I have even grown Limbs back, It’s
stupid of me not to notice until now, the Matter always wraps itself around my
wounds and heals them, it doesn’t just protect me, it’s also my weapon.
Spreading my wings and taking a stance I inhale deeply before exhaling sharply,
and a laugh falls away from my lips, I can win, I can overpower them and get
everyone out of here. We can regroup and-no, no that won’t be any fun at all.
Suddenly I can feel each and every drop of blood pulsate through me. Suddenly?
No, this has been brewing for I while and now I can finally, finally relieve
this itch to destroy. Just kill them, quickly and quietly. Even though the
desire to just pluck out eat of their fingernails, to extract their teeth one
by one, too slowly pull back each of their fingers and listen for the
satisfying snaps and-
Calm. If I delay this any longer then they’ll –
I cough and taste the iron blackness that Is the matter pool in with my saliva,
I open my mouth quickly to release it before I cough again feeling more spurt
out.
What the hell. This actually hurts.
“Don’t fuck around with my body like it’s an invaluable toy,” I shudder
involuntarily and shift my eyes to Levi behind me, black goo – not so
attractively- dribbled down from his bottom lip, which are now a dulled down
pink from the rosy and warm tint they were before, his skin far more pale and
not showing any evidence of peachy tones or redness. He looks deathly, in both
his bitter glare upon me and his overall stature. He has both his arms wrapped
around him as an attempt to hold himself together and maintain standing
posture.
“Otherwise” A wicked grin curls his lips as he utters each word carefully with
each rasp. “I’ll fuck around with yours” As true to his statement he digs his
nails into the palm of his left hand with enough force to bleed his knuckles
into white, enough force to break the skin. And mine.
Four, unevenly lined crescent moon’s appear in the palm of my left hand, slowly
fading in along with the sharp pain that follows with it. I wince, it isn’t
unbearable, but it certainly stings enough for me to nurse the nail-bitten hand
against my chest, along with the inevitable shock.
He just inflicted damage to me through himself, just like I did unintentionally
when I burnt his hands. And the sudden coughing, although my wounds healed from
the punctured of the holy blades and spears wielded by the angels, his did not,
thus the spillage of ‘blood’.
I look around and wage my options. Four obviously well-ranking angels, three
humans who seem to hold enough magical power to restrain me, and then just
Armin and myself.
Moving my head to Armin, I ask him without words but through the emotions in my
eyes on any advice he may have, he wasn’t willing to let me slip into that
state after what happened last time, therefore it’s likely to believe that he
would rather humour the homo sapiens for a while until they can bust out of
there.
The response I receive is a sign and a shake of his head, followed by a fond
smile, and that’s all I need as confirmation before I cease my offensive stance
and bitterly raise my hands in a sign of submission.
Submission, pah! I’d rather paper cut my eyeballs, but I trust Armin’s
intuition over my own any day. He has a plan, I remind myself, and it may turn
out to be catastrophic, but it’s something I was willing to bet our lives on
rather than trying to charge out of here like some raging bulls.
“Are you going to play nice?” says Erwin, mockery practically dripping from his
words as a smug smile only confirms his knowledge of my momentary defeat. Oh
how I would love to ruin his entire being. Maybe make his eyebrows into some
knew slippers, they’re big enough.
“Until one of you pisses me off again, yes.” I spit back. I can’t even remember
why I was so damn angry in the first place, was it Erwin staring at Armin like
he was delectable candy? Probably.
He makes a hum of amusement before he waves a hand and the angels straighten
their stance and hold on their weapons instantly, no longer hostile but instead
moved to the side of them for presentation. “We appreciate your additional
information Eren,” Erwin shifts his position and his eyes glint ever so
slightly with a spark of dominance, meeting my confused look. What ‘additional
information’?
Erwin turns to the angels present before him “You heard the words yourselves
‘the other ones’. Scout Trost for any demonic life forms and bring them here
immediately.” Without needing another word all four quickly exit the room to
complete the command.
No. No, no, no! I had just given them the exact answer they wanted. I confirmed
that there were more of us! But, I remember seeing them bound, like I was. They
were all unconscious. What’s going on? Did I just dream that up?
I clutch at my sides and the room begins to spin. I just put my pack in danger
of their lives, again. What if they are found and dragged here? At least I know
they’re alive but at what cost? They won’t willingly come here, none of them
will, they’ll fight. They’ll fight and they could lose a limb. None of them can
regenerate parts of their anatomy like me; none of them can quickly heal like
me either.
What if the angels kill them?
“Hey.” I open my eyes at the soft voice, half expecting Armin but instead I
find Levi, concern in his eyes. Concern…Why concern? Of all the things that
could be present in his eyes, his usually unreadable façade, why has it broken
and why such a caring emotion?
“They won’t kill your friends; they won’t scar them or remove any of their
limbs, no permanent harm, but they’ll do what they must to get them here.” The
words are so gentle, so comforting.
“Why?” I try to step away but I only end up moving closer to him. “Why comfort
me? What happened to hating my guts? Now you suddenly try and council me?”
Confusion, I’m just so damn confused about everything.
“Because I’ve only realised now that you’re the kind of person who will willing
put their life on the line for the sake of others, especially your friends.”
Levi’s voice is sharper now, but doesn’t lack any of the kindness it held. He
sighs and looks away to the side, refusing to meet my eyes. “I admire that, and
I don’t highly value unnecessary deaths.”
Frowning, I analyse his face, trying to see if it’s another trap trying to
squeeze any information out of me. But his static mask sets itself back onto
his face, giving it his trademark impassive features. I teeter from foot to
foot as the silence ebbs into awkward tension, but I then remember the presents
of Armin and quickly stop him furthest away from Erwin, taking that he doesn’t
want to be near the man no more than I want to be close to Levi.
Upon thinking that, Levi steps back, widening the previous gap between us once
more and he strolls to move to lean against the wall, his breath stuttered and
infrequent. His hands move to cup his neck and he coughs, chocking on the
Matter that falls past his lips.
He’s hurt. He’s in pain and it’s because of my stupidity, if I would have
carried on and let myself get back to that state, he probably would have died.
It hurts me too, but not in the same way, inside it hurts. I have caused him
pain, thanks to my actions; he’s now like this…
“You look like a kicked puppy, dog.” Levi says through a quiet whisper, his
voice shouldn’t be like that, it should be deep and snarky, not hushed in pain.
Yet still through all of that, he smirks at me, and is still able to push out a
sarcastic comment.
Hanji files through the draw on his desk, grabbing a cloth and glass vial of
liquid, it glows a faint silvery shimmer which are key features of holy water.
She coats the cloth in it and pries back his hands, dabbing the purple-black
boils that pimple his neck. Although he grits his teeth and hisses, Levi
remains still as he’s given treatment, but it’s a treatment given in vain.
Holy water won’t even scratch the surface of rank 3 or above Matter-caused
infections. Only beholders of the Matter can remove the stains it leaves.
“That won’t work”
All eyes turn to me, some untrusting and some shocked.
“Eren, you’re not actually…I mean he’s…Tell me you’re not.”
I shrug and move my entire body away from Armin, the actions I am about to
perform can’t be justified, especially someone like me. But, I want to help,
for some reason I feel like I owe him that much for actually giving me peace in
knowing my friends will be okay. I can trust his words, I can trust him, I know
this subconsciously and I understand that lies are not something that rolls off
of his tongue often.
Slowly, as if any twitch of the wrong muscle will leave me impaled again, I
walk towards him. He’s so pale and his eyes are so readable, however in the
same instance they’re not. I’ve learnt to read them. No, that isn’t right, it’s
more right to place it as ‘I’ve reminded myself how to read such eyes’, but
that also isn’t correct, I have never met this person before today. Maybe it’s
because those eyes remind me of my mother’s?
Again, that isn’t right, but I am willing to settle on that if it means I can
have a peace of mind for a small while.
“Let me see.” I slowly crouch down beside him, giving Hanji a look that kindly
asks her to back away, without actually having to say the words. I may be doing
something completely unthinkable for me, but that doesn’t mean to say I can
easily forget the hatred that makes my blood boil every time I see a human. But
I can momentarily forget, to help heal this human.
Hanji gives me a weary look, the hand holding the cloth moves away from his
neck but her other hand instinctively hovers over her hip, were I assume a gun
of some form rests. I would be cautious too, but I can see a glimmer there, a
glimmer the holds the same unjustified trust I hold for the black haired man.
I nod a small thanks, raising my hand to my mouth to puncture a small hole on
the skin, clenching around it and ripping the hand back. Levi’s hand,
unsurprisingly, begins to bleed the same shape of wound I had just created.
Hanji’s hand tenses around the gun, swiping it away from its holder and a whir
of activation chimes as she points the white and gold contraption to my head,
blue squares circle rapidly around the odd gun faster and faster as it boots
up.
I’m not trusted, of course I’m not, and it was foolish of me to think
otherwise, though I still have every intention of helping Levi.
“Wait.”
The brunette doesn’t move her head to Erwin’s direction but flicks her eyes
over to him. “Why? He’s hurting Levi, if anything it’ll be better just to shoot
him now and-“
“You’re being foolish. You’re so blind with fear that it’s fogged your
reasoning. The dog has no option but to help, I have his friend captive and his
other companions are being hunted down, with a single word I could kill them.”
I freeze, I never considered it, the people-humans I mean, filthy humans, since
when had I started recognising them as ‘people’? – Regardless, these humans
standing around me are probably of high authority, which would explain the
constant callings of ‘Corporal’.
“You said you were not going to harm them!” I growl, though I have no one to
blame but myself, I put faith on a black goat that was destine to bite back,
but I thought past that with the vain hope that the bite would be for good
karma in the end, sadly it won’t be.
“He’s right. I promised the dog I wouldn’t; you may be in command but they’re
my familiars. My word is final.”
He continues to surprise me again, why the sudden change of heart? And why must
everyone insist on calling me a fucking dog.
“Will you all kindly just stop calling me that?” I voice my displeasure for the
ugly petname, it was either that or thank Levi for sticking up for me once
again, and to be frank I think I would much rather devour sewerage than let
something even close to words of gratitude fall on Human scum’s ears.
“Levi started it.”
All heads turned slowly to the owner of the comment, this oh so incredible
‘Captain America’, the blond haired, bushy eye browed wall of authoritative
muscle, threw out a comment even a five-year-old would shake their head at.
Levi started it. Levi fucking started it.
“You arsehat, I received it from you. You always call them dogs, that’s your
general name for them.”
Breaking news, Levi is also a five-year-old.
“Your memory must be fading with age, I defiantly remember you starting off
such a jolly nickname for the species.”
“You’re two years older than me. Fuck you.”
They’re seriously having this argument. They are actually both stood here right
now, Levi with several matter-infected puncture wounds decorating his neck,
rasping out each bitter response and Erwin quite happily responding, throwing
in even more unbelievable immature comments the longer their little banter
continues.
“But I’m a year younger than you! And I remember it being a you thing.”
And in enters Hanji, clearly trying to stop this petty exchange between the two
and not succumbing herself to the immature act of also joining in. Because that
would be very irresponsible.
“You’re all five.” Armin blankly states, his arms folded and an unimpressed
frown worn on his lips. An ashamed silence settles in as Erwin and Hanji bow
their heads slightly, Hanji biting her lip in an attempt to keep her giggles
contained. I decide to clear my throat to shatter the quiet and gain attention.
Levi looks up at me, his eyes murky and unfocused. I gulp, hard.
“I…Haven’t done this on a human before, and even before that this has only ever
happened two to demons, only one of which survived after, so um.” I tenderly
place my bloodied hand around the wounds on Levi’s neck, jerking my hand with
him as he winces at the contact.
I briefly think of warning him about the hurt he will soon be facing, but oh.
The opportunity to throw his own words back in my face is too tempting, way too
tempting.
And with a smirk, I utter a smug “Grit your teeth, dog.”
Chapter End Notes
     Honestly, I was highly considering just abolishing this fic all
     together, mainly because I didn't think it was any good and because I
     felt that Geography should be my main priority and I shouldn't use up
     my time typing out words of fiction.
     But on Wednesday I came back here, to find a lot of really damn sweet
     comments, and the number of kudos?
     130+? Are you kidding me?
     Personally, I am unsure why It attracted this much attention, but I
     assure you that thanks to your kindness you have motivated me a hell
     of a lot.
     The plot for this has been changed, it means the story will be 10 or
     so chapters longer than intended, and will involve a prequel, but
     hopefully you'll enjoy this more than the original plot. This is
     still very slow paced, and I am sorry for that, but I hope you'll
     stick with me a little longer! Thank you all so much for your
     incredible support!
     P.S: I just know I have typed fucking 'Angle' instead of 'Angel'
     somewhere in this again, I apologise for that.
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