#levi attack on titan

[ch3rryshark]

sorry if I'm taking long with your requests, I want to make them rlly cool for you guys so I'm stressing out lowkey

[ch3rryshark]

A little thing I wrote and posted on tiktok 🙏

PLAY!

"Aha! Again, again! Do it again!"

You grinned as Hange laughed. Her loud cackles drawing the attention of everybody nearby. Your fingers danced over the console, firmly pressing the gas trigger and letting yourself be shot up from the wooden tower.

Instead of heading in a straight line, you twisted, shooting another hook into a tree and letting it fling you up and down as you laid back. "Wooo!" You yelled out, watching as Hange copied your movements.

"I've always wanted to do this!" She cackled. "Wait let's go faster!"

"Ahaha! Yes!" A laugh echoed out as you pushed the gas again. You were launched upwards before the wires caught, dropping you back down into a soft bounce. You knew you were misusing the equipment- but you didn't care. This was the most fun you've had since you joined the scouts.

From the equipment shed, a shadow spilled onto the ground. Levi watched you, his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze tracking your figure. To everyone else, he definitely looked like the strict captain they always knew but beneath his tough exterior, his chest was warming up. Just by looking at you.

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of your hook. The way it was slowly pulling out from the momentum you were using. He didn't hesitate, reaching for his own consoles and pressing his fingers onto the triggers.

He moved like a blur. And just before you realised the bark splitting and unhooking your hook, a strong arm slid under your back and another caught the back of your knees, scooping you out of the air.

Levi severed your wires with carefully, hooking his own cables into a nearby tree. Your back pressed into his chest, the familiar scent of him flooding your nose. Tea. Lavender. Product.

Before you knew it, Levi had landed on the training tower, though he didn't set you down right away. Instead, he watched you. He reached up, his hand moving over your face before suddenly flicking your forehead. "Idiot. Wasting military gear."

"Levi-" you breathed out, heart hammering against your ribs.

"Enough." He muttered, setting you down softly. "You're lucky Erwin didn't see you."

You nodded, embarrassment washing over you. Levi noticed. Of course he did. He clicked his tongue, his thumb brushing over your hip softly and took in your messy hair and flushed face. Your eyes met his slowly. "Are you going to punish me, Captain?"

He let out a short, quiet breath that sounded like a laugh. He finally released your waist and brushed his hair to the side.

"No." He breathed out before gently tugging your towards the ladder. "I'll only punish Hange with paperwork. You can just take a walk with me, brat."

[4ckrmn]

hellohello!!! i have a request!!!

so…. basically… i was thinking about captain!reader being like super approachable and kind-hearted, and levi may or may not have a (big) crush on them… he always notices how everyone talks to her with ease, but every single time she approaches him, or when he tries to, he ends up either shying away, or stuttering, or unintentionally blurting out an insult (that was supposed to be a compliment… 😓) and he spirals into a hole of love and embarrassment…

also i apologise if this sounds out of character for levi! you can definitely articulate it to more of his personality, and ps: i love reading your work! you’re one of my favourite authors ദ്ദി(◝ ⩊ ◜.ᐟ)

── .✦ the things he can’t say

levi has a terrible habit of turning every soft feeling for you into a sharp remark. but one rainy night, his carefully hidden crush finally slips out and you make it clear you’re not going anywhere

[ 𓏵 ] --- levi ackerman x f!reader ˖ ࣪ ꉂ🗯˙ ‹— tags | canonverse • slowburn • secret crush • mutual pining • confession • levi is bad at feelings • romance • fluff • comfort • tiny bit of hurt

⧽ word count: 2.4k

┈ [ 💌 ] i also apologise if levi feels a little out of character in this one! i tried my best to keep his usual personality while showing a softer side of him. i’m also really sorry for making you wait so long to get your request done! thank you so much for being patient with me and for reading my work. it genuinely means the world to me ♡

જ⁀➴ ✉︎ read on ao3 ⋮ canon masterlist⋮ main masterlist

levi had spent years learning how to read people the way other people read weather. threat. distance. intent. It was the only way a kid from the underground stayed alive long enough to become the man the survey corps whispered about in half afraid, half worshipful tones.

which was exactly why you drove him quietly out of his mind.

you were the only captain who could walk into a room full of exhausted, half broken soldiers and somehow make the air feel less heavy. recruits who stiffened under erwin’s stare would talk to you like you were just another person. hange would drag you into three hour tangents about titan biology and you’d actually listen, nodding along like the world wasn’t ending outside the walls. even the rest of the veterans who are sharp edged people who had long since stopped expecting softness—softened around you.

levi noticed all of it.

he noticed the way your mouth curved when you were trying not to laugh at something stupid one of the cadets said. he noticed how you always checked the injured twice before leaving medical, even when the doctors insisted they were fine. he noticed the exact pitch of your voice when you were tired but still forcing yourself to be gentle with someone who needed it.

he noticed far too much.

and every time he did, something stupid and warm and terrified twisted low in his chest.

a crush. that was the word for it, wasn’t it?

the kind of pathetic, adolescent thing he should have grown out of years ago. except it hadn’t gone anywhere. if anything, it had only gotten worse—settling deeper under his ribs until even the sound of your boots in the corridor was enough to make his pulse jump like a startled animal.

he hated it.

he also couldn’t stop.

the first time it properly betrayed him was after a particularly ugly expedition.

the squad had come back short three people.

the debrief had been long, quiet, and ugly in the way only survey corps debriefs could be.

you’d been the one to deliver the worst of the news to the remaining families in the barracks, because of course you had. you always did the things that left everyone else hollow.

levi found you afterward in one of the quieter corridors, leaning against the stone wall with your head tipped back, eyes closed. there was a smear of dirt along your jaw. your hands were still faintly trembling.

he should have kept walking.

instead his feet stopped. his heart did something humiliating and uneven in his chest.

you opened your eyes and looked at him. the smile you gave him was tired, but it was still yours—the same one that made people feel like they were allowed to exist. the same one that had no business making his stomach flip like he was fifteen and stupid.

“levi...” just his name. soft. no rank. no distance. “you should be resting”

his mouth opened.

what he meant to say was “you look like you’re about to fall over. sit down before you make me drag you to medical. i’m glad you came back. i spent the entire ride home counting heads until i saw yours”

what came out was “you’re a mess”

the words landed between you like a dropped blade.

your expression flickered—just for a second before it settled into something quieter. not hurt exactly. just… understanding in a way that made the stupid, soft thing in his chest ache.

“yeah,” you said, almost gently. “i know.”

levi’s ears burned. he could feel the heat crawling up the back of his neck, humiliating and obvious. he wanted to take it back.

wanted to say “that’s not what i meant. wanted to say you did good today or you’re the only reason half of them are still standing or i noticed how carefully you spoke to the families so they wouldn’t break right there in front of everyone and it made me want to stand closer to you just so you’d know someone saw it”

instead he scowled at a point somewhere past your shoulder and muttered, “go wash up. you smell like titan”

you huffed a soft, exhausted laugh. “charming as ever”

he turned on his heel and walked away before he could make it worse. before the part of him that had been staring at the dirt on your jaw and thinking i could clean that for you could do something truly unforgivable.

that night he scrubbed the same stretch of floor until his knuckles ached, replaying the moment over and over. you’re a mess. christ. he’d looked at the person he— at you, and the only thing that had come out of his mouth was an insult.

he pressed his forehead against the cold stone wall and closed his eyes.

idiot. absolute fucking idiot. he thought at himself.

it kept happening.

you’d catch him after training, cheeks flushed from sparring, hair sticking to your temple, and smile at him like it cost you nothing. like looking at him was easy.

“good work today,” you’d say, warm and open. “your form’s getting sharper”

and levi, who had spent the entire session hyper aware of every time your eyes flicked toward him, who had caught himself watching the line of your shoulders instead of correcting a recruit’s stance, would open his mouth and somehow produce “don’t get cocky. you’re still slow on the left side”

or you’d drop by his office with tea with perfect temperature, no sugar, just the way he liked it and set it carefully on the corner of his desk without being asked. like you’d memorized how he took it. like you’d noticed.

he’d look up, pulse suddenly too loud, and the soft, traitorous part of him would think you brought this for me. you thought about me.

and then the panic would slam down and he’d hear himself say, “you’re interrupting.”

you never got angry. that was the worst part.

you’d just tilt your head a little, eyes soft, and say something like, “i’ll leave it here then,” before slipping out again. leaving him alone with the tea and the crushing knowledge that he had once again taken something kind—something that made his chest feel too tight and stepped on it with both boots.

he started avoiding the mess hall when he knew you’d be there. started timing his route to the training grounds so he wouldn’t cross paths with you. started inventing reasons to be in the opposite wing of the castle whenever your name came up in conversation.

it didn’t help.

because even when you weren’t in the room, people talked about you. how you’d stayed up half the night with a recruit who’d had a nightmare. how you’d covered for a soldier who’d frozen on the last expedition instead of writing them up. how you somehow always knew when someone needed a quiet word instead of a formal reprimand.

levi would sit there listening, jaw tight, and feel something ugly and hot and yearning curl in his chest.

everyone else got the easy version of you. the open doors. the soft smiles. the patience. the way you laughed with your whole face when someone said something ridiculous.

he got the version of himself that short-circuited the second you looked at him too long. the version that turned every almost-compliment into a criticism because the alternative—admitting that he watched for you in every formation, that he catalogued the sound of your voice like it was something rare, that he sometimes lay awake wondering what it would feel like if you ever looked at him the way you looked at the people you were gentle with—felt like stepping off the wall without gear.

he had a crush.

a real, stupid, all consuming one.

and it was going to get him killed, or worse…seen.

the night it almost broke him was after the rain.

a storm had rolled in hard and fast, turning the courtyard into a mess of mud and standing water. most of the corps had retreated indoors.

levi had been on his way back from checking the stables when he saw you standing under the eaves of the eastern wing, arms folded against the cold, watching the rain like it had answers.

he should have kept walking.

his feet stopped. his heart did that humiliating, uneven thing again.

you glanced over and smiled—small, tired, but real. “couldn’t sleep either?”

levi’s throat felt tight. he shoved his hands into his pockets so you wouldn’t see them flex. so you wouldn’t see the way they wanted to reach for you.

“something like that.”

you shifted to make space under the eaves without being asked. he hesitated, then stepped into the dry stretch beside you. close enough that he could catch the faint scent of soap and rain on your clothes. close enough that if he reached out—

he didn’t.

for a long moment the only sound was the rain hammering against the stone.

then you said, quietly, “you don’t have to keep doing that, you know.”

levi’s shoulders tensed. “doing what.”

“pretending you don’t notice me.” a soft huff of breath that might have been a laugh. “or that you only notice the things worth criticizing.”

his stomach dropped.

he turned his head just enough to look at you. you were still watching the rain, profile soft in the low light from the corridor behind you.

there was a raindrop caught in your lashes. he had the sudden, insane urge to brush it away. to touch you. to do something irreversible.

“i notice,” he said, and hated how rough it came out. “that’s the problem”

you finally looked at him. really looked. and whatever you saw in his face made your expression go careful. gentle in a way that felt like a blade pressed against something already bruised.

“levi—”

“don’t.” the word came out sharper than he intended. he exhaled hard through his nose and tried again, quieter. “just…don’t. i’m not—”

not good at this. not soft enough. not the kind of person who gets to want someone like you.

he couldn’t get the rest out.

you waited. patient. kind. the same way you waited for nervous recruits to find their words.

it made the soft, stupid thing in his chest crack wide open.

“everyone else gets to talk to you like it’s easy,” he said finally, staring hard at the rain so he wouldn’t have to look at your face. “like you’re just… there. approachable. and every time i open my mouth around you i sound like an asshole. because the alternative is—” he stopped. swallowed. the words tasted like blood.

“because the alternative is admitting I’ve been watching you for months. that i notice every damn time you walk into a room. that i keep saying the wrong thing because the right thing would make it obvious how badly i–”

he cut himself off. jaws locked. pulse hammering.

silence stretched between you, heavy and electric.

then, softer than he expected “how badly you what?”

levi closed his eyes. rain roared against the courtyard. somewhere deeper in the castle a door slammed. his pulse was too loud in his ears.

“you know what,” he said, voice scraped raw.

“don’t make me say it.”

“i think i need you to”

the quiet honesty in your voice nearly undid him.

levi exhaled slowly. the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease, but it shifted—less like armor, more like something cracked open and aching.

“i like you…” he muttered, so low the rain almost swallowed it. “more than i should. more than is smart and every time you smile at me like it’s nothing, i short circuit and say something sharp because if i don’t, i’m going to say something i can’t take back. something that makes it real”

he risked a glance at you.

you weren’t laughing. weren’t looking at him like he’d just confessed to something pathetic.

you were just watching him with that same steady, kind hearted focus that made people trust you with their worst truths. and underneath it, something warmer. something that made his stomach drop for an entirely different reason.

“you’re allowed to be bad at this,” you said quietly. “you know that, right?”

levi’s throat worked.

“i’m not—”

“you are.” no judgment. just fact. “and it’s okay. i’m not going anywhere”

the words hit harder than they should have.

because people did go. that was the entire fucking point of the survey corps. people went outside the walls and sometimes they didn’t come back. and the ones who stayed learned not to get attached, not to hope, not to want soft things that could be taken away.

but you were standing here in the rain dark, looking at him like he was allowed to want something anyway. looking at him like the crush he’d been carrying like a secret wound might not be one sided after all.

levi exhaled slowly. his hands were still in his pockets. he didn’t trust them not to do something stupid if he let them free.

“you’re still a menace,” he muttered, because if he didn’t say something sharp he was going to close the distance and do something far more dangerous. like kiss you. like ask if he could try again. like admit that the sound of your voice saying his name had ruined him for anyone else’s.

your mouth curved, soft and knowing. “there he is”

he scowled at you, but there was no real heat in it. just the leftover static of a man who had spent too long trying not to want the one person who made wanting feel possible.

you bumped your shoulder lightly against his.

a small contact. barely anything.

it felt like being struck by lightning.

“next time,” you said, voice low enough that the rain almost swallowed it, “you can just say you missed me. or that the tea was good. or that you’re glad i came back. or…” your eyes flicked to his, gentle and a little shy in a way that made his heart lurch, “that you like me. i’ll understand the translation”

levi stared at the rain for a long time.

then, so quietly he almost hoped you wouldn’t hear it “the tea was good”

a pause.

“and i missed you...”

you didn’t laugh. didn’t tease. just stood there beside him under the eaves, shoulder still barely touching his, while the storm rolled on and something sharp and terrified and hopeful settled between you like a third presence.

levi didn’t move away.

for once, he didn’t know how.

and for the first time in a long time, he didn’t want to.

taglist ✮⋆˙

@noctemys @fiannee @444anya @slaytherinthoughts @levisbrat25 @gloomyveil @blizzyblitz @puppyminnnie @v4mp1r3b4tzz @irohasmp3 @mayyhaps @yowaidiot

want to be tagged in future posts? join my taglist ♡

©4ckrmn — like/reblog .

[jakekimsromance]

Levi Ackerman‘s love

If this man was in love one wouldn’t notice much of a difference. He’d watch his love interest most attentively, of course- perceptiveness is in his nature.

For instance, if she was thirsty he’d notice, maybe make it conveniently easy for her to get water. Not a direct offer, just an understated placement of a water bottle or the like.

He’d convey his appreciation of a person with acts of service mostly. But none that would be painfully obvious with the intent of pursuing a romantic relationship. Tea prepared at the most convenient of times, protection from mistreatment- both in her presence and absence and spending time in the same physical space without feeling like a word needs to be said.

In fact, knowing that he’d faced abandonment by most people he cherished in his life, he’s not likely to be the one to approach first.

His selfless nature convinced him that he only needs to be by her side, watching from a distance and that would be sufficient. The permission to be present and love from afar is all he needs to have his heart fulfilled.

At least that’s what he tells himself. He wouldn’t dare ask or yearn for more.

His talking habits wouldn’t change, his behaviour around the woman he loves wouldn’t be affected. Or so it seems. Because he might just be hiding behind a wall and listening to his love interest‘s conversation with other people.

It is plausible to believe that he has convinced himself that he doesn’t deserve to ask for or receive the love and affection of a person. So he wouldn’t try to take the initiative. Instead, were something to develop between him and a woman, she’d have to communicate the intention of building a more intimate relationship. The less pressuring and the more understated the way, the better. Because it‘s a clear hint, yet leaves room enough for his retreat and mostly, because it’s respectful towards his feelings, whatever they might be.

Due to Levi‘s inexperience with love and romantic relationships, he’d need the process to be very slow and patient. It wasn’t hinted that he carries some trauma from his past but it is very reasonable to take that possibility into consideration.

The most convenient time to approach him in his story would, of course, be the time after the rumbling. He no longer fights death every day and neither does he need to fear for the lives of his comrades. Finally, after all that time spent surviving he can taste a slight sense of security and peace. Even that doesn’t come immediately. He’ll have to get used to the quiet life of rebuilding all that was destroyed by the rumbling.

He‘s left all alone after the Battle of Heaven and Earth. His squad has taken up the next mission already while he stayed behind, injured for life but for the first time free from such a heavy duty. Instead, as it is part of his nature, he took it upon himself to help the society beyond the walls rebuild what they have lost.

Levi has spent most of his life living for the sake of others. And he continues that attitude even as an impaired man, with missing fingers, a lost eye and an injured knee.

In the bonus chapter „Bad Boy“ released by Hajime Isayama, we can see Levi sitting at a table with Gabi and Falco on the cover, seemingly taking a break after planting new trees on the trampled earth.

What’s remarkable is not only his recovery from his injured knee but also his openness in telling a story about his childhood. Perhaps this is an outcome of losing his edge since the fight for survival has now been over for quite a while. The front he used to put up, the distance he put between himself and the other scouts no longer had a reason to exist. He also learned to trust them enough to open up about himself, without finding any excuse to hide any longer.

He spoke of his mother‘s elegance. The posture she used to have despite all the dire circumstances that they lived in. This is a sign of incredible resilience and steadfastness in the face of such a cruel fate. It’s not wrong to argue that Levi himself has also claimed such resilience and steadfastness for himself. He has lost and lost and never abandoned his kindness. Despite all the pain he suffered through, he never turned his back on others and instead devoted his life to them and the greater good.

This unfathomable selflessness and noble pursuit in life is what made him such a fan favourite in the first place. He’d win many hearts just by being himself and upholding his values like he does, both in our and the AOT universe.

[nutttnana]

[ackerink]

SWEETER THAN LOVE? PERHAPS

teashop owner!levi × fem!bakery owner!reader

modern au | next

[ch3rryshark]

2 - DOVE

Levi Ackerman X Reader

Summary: Those born in the shadow of this filthy world may spend their entire lives without ever stepping on the surface. But not me. I'll do whatever it takes to get surface residency with my friends, even if it costs me my life.

Warnings: smut, gore, language, violence, alcohol use, drug mentions, sexual assault, death, grief, survivors guilt, bullying, traumatic events, murder. (Adding as I go on)

Wc: 2,507

Join my taglist 🗡🦅 Check out me masterlist 🪶

Taglist: @eve101 @et0il3s-ch3r1e

I woke up in a worried state. My breathing ragged as sweat stuck to my skin.

Why can't those dreams stop? I thought to myself, looking around.

No matter what, I couldn't help but think about my dream- no memory. I thought these horrid memories were buried deep down but… I guess not…

[FLASHBACK]

I hid under the bed, worried my feet were poking out. Banging and yelling echoed throughout the house and shards of glass were thrown about the floor. I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard my mum screaming out.

But then it stopped.

My rib cage rattled in my ears as my heart pounded against it in anger. I opened my eyes, listening to anything I could register to be a threat.

Was it over?

After a while of listening, I crawled out from underneath the bed, careful of the glass before opening the door of my bedroom and seeing a sight I wish I never saw. He was standing over my mum's body, staring down at her with a knife in his hand whilst a pool of blood formed at his feet.

My mum's blood.

"D-daddy..?" I whispered, "What happened to mum...?"

Slowly, his head turned- looking at me with wide eyes. My heart was beating so fast, I worried he'd hear it.

‘Did he kill mum?’ I thought with wide eyes.

"Look what you made me do, Y.N... You ruined this." His voice flew through the air, low, trembling with rage. The knife in his hand glistened with my mothers blood. He kept staring at me with his wide eyes. They weren’t his anymore- they were empty, hollow. A reflection of something that rotted away for a long time.

Then he charged.

A scream tore from my throat before I even knew I’d made it. I ran. The floor slipped under my feet as I stumbled into the bedroom, diving under the bed. My heart clawed its way up my throat, keeping my breaths sharp and useless.

Then it went silent. Too silent.

But then it came.

A creak.

Thoughts spiraled inside of my skull as a shadow spilt itself onto the floor. "Come out," he murmured. "You know I can see you."

He was quick, laughing as he dragged me out from under the bed whilst I kicked and screamed. His brown hair fell over his psychotic eyes as he sat above me, trying to pause my movements. Tears blurred my vision as he raised the knife above me, the smell of metal overwhelming my nose.

"I wish we never had you.” he hissed, dragging the knife over my eye. “But it's okay… I'll take your eye for forgiveness.”

I kicked in fury and screamed as I felt blood trickling down my face. My vision faded from white to red and in a panic I opened my good eye, reaching for anything I could use to attack him.

Glass.

There was glass on the floor. In blind rush, I grabbed the glass, stabbing it upwards into my father's side. He lost control of the knife and tumbled to his side, setting me free. ‘This was it,’ I thought as fear lit a fire beneath my feet. I ran, panic fueling my veins as I held my eye intact.

He didn't take out my eye, did he?

He left it there, right?

All sorts of questions flew through my head as I ran onto the streets. As I continued, my eye landed on a figure before me. "HELP ME!" I screamed out without thinking, flinging myself into them. Arms closed around me, steady, trembling. A voice, shocked and too gentle for this world, broke through the ringing in my skull. "Oh my god.. what the hell happened?!"

And it was all I heard before the darkness reeled me in.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

I rubbed my eyes to get rid of the tears before my eyes landed on Farlan's body. He was sprawled out, one leg hanging off the edge of the mattress, dinosaur hands and his mouth wide open. My hands clutched the necklace that belonged to my mother as I sighed to myself thinking about how I could've changed the outcome of that day.

It was never an easy subject. That was the day I met Farlan. He saved me and he was the one who helped me through the shitty nightmares but I didn't want to wake him. But it seems like I did anyway since a groan pulled me out of my thoughts and made me look back. My gaze landed on the boy across from me, who was beginning to sit up. He looked at me as some of his hair stuck up and some fell over his eyes.

"Nightmare?" he asked quietly.

"Same one as always..." I replied.

He nodded and threw his legs over the bed, standing up. He stumbled over to me before pulling me into a hug and playing with my hair slowly, messing it up more than it already was. "Make sure you wake me next time," he ordered. "Don't even worry about your scar either, it's what makes you strong."

His hand lifted my chin up before tracing along my scar that sat on my left eye. It was big and ugly in my opinion since it travelled from my eyebrow to my cheekbone. God, it was a miracle that dad didn't cut open my eye in the process. He only made it more difficult to see out back then. Now I can see normally again, another thing Farlan helped me with.

With a nod, I leaned into him, letting him comfort me for a bit.

After a while we got ready for the day. I woke up Ava and Mario and honestly almost died once I saw them naked in each other's arms. They were so weird in my eyes, but I still loved them even though I would never admit it. Farlan plated us our food and we all ate silently before discussing what to do today. There weren't any performances so we could do anything but that.

"To be honest, we need to get food. We're running out." Farlan spoke looking down to the floor.

I looked at Ava and Mario before standing up. "I'll go get some stuff."

They nodded and handed me the jar of money that was separated for food. I got some out and put it in a little pouch before heading to my room to change. I put on a pair of trousers along with one of Farlan's t-shirts. I fixed my outfit with a strap on my hip to hold a knife along with the money. Lastly, my eye patch hung around my head before I put some eyeliner on my good eye.

Once I exited the room Mario walked over to me. “Do you want me to come? People are weird."

I laughed slightly, shaking my head. "I'll be fine. Don't forget I might be the youngest but I'm also the strongest here."

Farlan stuck his tongue out at me whilst Mario and Ava laughed before going to the table and talking about some random stuff. Farlan gave me my jacket, zipped it shut for me and then booped my nose, smiling. "Be safe, sis!" he said, walking away to Mario and Ava.

I nodded and walked out of the house, shutting the door behind me before making my way to the market area. I had to be sneaky sometimes because I would be short on money so most of the time I would flirt with the seller and take a few things without them knowing.

Luckily I won't have to today.

I made my way through stalls skimming my eyes over what they had. I stopped at a few buying what I needed until I heard a few loud shouts. I turned to see some drunk men walking my way, my eyes widened looking frantically for a place to go until they stopped in front of me staring at me with their ugly, rotten teeth peeking through their smiles. I cringed mentally before turning away.

One of the men stepped in front of me, his breath reeking of alcohol. “No, no princess. You're the vocalist from the underground, right? I wonder what other sounds you can make.” he slurred.

“Look at that body.. She’s gotta be. Mind takin’ a few layers off, darlin’?” another chimed in, smirking.

My face twisted into a scowl, eyes sharp and dead calm. “Move.” The word dropped like a blade before they laughed.

One reached out as if I was a toy, “Feisty one, huh?”

I narrowed my eyes at him before stepping in instead of away. “It wasn't a request, you prick. Touch me and I'll take your fucking fingers.”

That only made them louder. Another man tried to grab at my waist and my eyes widened as my hand slid down to the knife strapped to my thigh, but before I could draw, another pair of rough hands grabbed my wrist. “Don't be like that, darlin’.” he sneered, tightening his grip.

I gritted my teeth as the others started closing in. Yanking my hand back, I slammed my elbow into his jaw, hard enough to send him stumbling back. I then pulled my knife out, spinning it in my hand while stepping back, but one of the others threw a hit at me. As I quipped smoothly, my knife swung at his face, slicing his cheek before i was suddenly pulled back by my hair.

They were on me now, laughing, grabbing and punching. I wasn't scared, I was furious as I tried to dodge as many attacks as I could. But even fury has its limits. I was outnumbered. Though only for a while. That was until one of the men collapsed, dropping to the floor unconscious against the dirt.

The rest froze, and honestly, so did I.

Looking behind where he fell, my eye met with dull, grey ones. Our lips parted slightly as our eyes widened, both realising who each other were until another drunk man tried to charge for the man ahead of me. He used his knife to attack the drunk men one by one. His body moved so gracefully, eyes narrowing as he locked onto his next target, the same black hair swaying as he moved.

I admired him before I got pulled away from the commotion by the wrist. I gasped looking up to see the man studying me. I kept my stoic expression on my face making it harder for him to read but he saw right through. “Tch.” Turning on his heel, he let go of me and walked off into an alleyway.

After I processed what happened, I ran after him. "Wait! You- Whatever your name is! Fucking hell, stop walking!" I yelled out and he stopped in his tracks, turning to me with a frown.

"You’ve got a mouth for someone who needed saving." he replied, voice deep, sending a cold wave through me. I wasn't one to get intimidated easily but he definitely debunked that.

"I- you- how--" I stammered, trying to process what I'd just seen. He raised an eyebrow at me before stepping closer to me with his arms crossed, calm and expression unreadable.

"How the fuck did you manage that?’’ I finally said, turning around to look at the scene we’d just escaped from. “There were about 5 of those stupid, overfed bastards. Honestly, I was looking forward to breaking a few of their jaws myself.’’ Suddenly, I paused, jaw tight, then gave the most awkward attempt at gratitude ever. “Anyway... thanks. Or whatever.”

He looked at me with amusement, a ghost of a smirk on his face. "Easy work. If they were a threat, I would've used my second hand.” He muttered, tongue laced with pure disrespect as he mocked their strength.

I looked up at him before nodding slightly. "You were at the bar that day."

"So I was," he answered.

"Why?"

"Are you asking me why I was at the bar drinking?"

"Shit- fuck- no wait sorry. I mean, why- forget it." I grumbled, looking down at my shoes.

"I was at the bar to see a band. No one here does music, dove. It was a sight to see." he explained before walking off. I looked up but before I could reply, he was gone.

'Wait- dove?' I thought. Shaking it off I decided to go back home, strapping the knife back to my thigh.

Yelling was heard in the distance. I furrowed my brows slightly thinking people nearby were being rowdy again. But I was wrong.

I opened the door to a mess.

Glass and plates were shattered on the floor, the table was across the room, Ava and Mario were going off at each other and Farlan was trying to calm them down. They stopped to look at me for a second before going back. I put the stuff down quickly and headed to them, ignoring the pain in my side from where the men punched me. "What's happening?" I asked.

"Marios saying fuckin' stupid shit!" Ava yelled.

"All I did was tell a joke! The hell are you sayin'?!" Mario spat back.

"Oh my god! All you do is lie!"

"Fuck you mean I lie?! You're the one who lies through your teeth about where you go every Sunday night!"

"Guys calm down!"

"I don't go anywhere!"

"You do! And I bet it's for the drugs you keep in the dr-” Mario shouted until he was silenced by a slap.

Ava stood there, tears filling her eyes as she spat. "I fuckin' hate you.."

We all stared at her in shock as she locked herself in her room. Farlan rushed to Mario's side as I went to Ava's door, trying to talk to her through it. Mario was silent as a mouse and Ava was heard shuffling around the bedroom ignoring me. I turned to Farlan shaking my head as he frowned. Walking over to Mario, I put my hand on his shoulder asking what happened.

"I don't know, man...she fuckin' went crazy." he said.

"Mario's right, all he did was say a joke about not making it above." Farlan added.

"What you said about the drugs… is it true?” I asked, staring at Mario with wide eyes.

If it was then it meant that she was wasting our money on that. Wasting our shot at surface residency. We heard the bedroom door open as we saw Ava with a packet, which smelt like drugs. We stared at her in shock as Farlan rushed over to her trying to take the packet away from her.

"What the fuck are you doin'?!" she screamed.

"Getting these away from you." Farlan replied, trying to stay calm.

She shoved him out of the way, running to the door and slamming it shut behind her. We all ran after her but she was long gone.

"What the fuck…”