┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛

This chapter will be entirely written in Levi's POV

There seemed to be a knock on the door.

We approached it with caution, skirted round the edges of the room. I had my blade ready. Is it a thief this time? Did someone follow us whilst we stole?

There was another knock.

Clasping the doorknob, he looked back at me for approval. I inclined my head, and Farlan immediately knew what to do.

"Eek!"

Oddly, an urchin stumbled out as soon as the door yanked open. Her hands were tied behind her, and she was swathed in sacks of frayed fabric. But what concerned me the most was her red hair and green eyes.

"Mayuka?"

I take a closer look; unfortunately, it wasn't her. This girl was a good few years younger, nor was she asian.

"Ow..." she coughed. And even her voice didn't sound anywhere near Rogue's. I must have gone berserk.

"Oh, it's just a kid. You gave us a real fright."

"I'm not a kid. I'm not a kid!" she protested.

Not a kid - the words rung in my head.

Well then, I shan't give any mercy. It wasn't like I gave a shit for these defiant rebels who think they're all that anyway. After all, everyone down here was either thug or a prostitute, it doesn't matter if you were a smaller version or an old hag.

So Mayuka really thought her mother wasn't a prostitute, huh? I suppose I wouldn't have told her too if I was in her place, but it was far too easy for me to see through her lies.

"Lead my daughter away," she patted my back, "I have an appointment coming up."

"What did my mom just say to you?"

"It's a secret, brat. Stop snooping around."

This world is abysmally unfair.

"Is that so? So that means I can kick you out and it won't leave a bad taste in my mouth, right?"

"I'll forgive you for dirtying the floor. Now piss off." I profaned the child.

"What's the matter? Can't move?" Farlan mocked. It was two men against a juvenile; I almost felt bad.

"I can! Don't underestimate me!"

Those words were pompous for someone who's tethered to the ground without assistance. But the girl did manage to crawl out of her shell, spreading herself more across the floor - which meant more areas for me to clean. Farlan was impressed, I could tell, though this was the opposite of delight for me. Scum smearing across floors was my worst nightmare.

"Over here!"

The girl's eyes dilated as she perceived the shouts of the strangers. I see what's happening here.

"Damn. You were being chased, weren't you?"

"What should we do?" he asked, more in a validating custom. We both knew he wanted to help, and it served no purpose to object him.

━✦❘༻༺❘✦━

One sling of the knife and the enemies were off, bolting down flights of stairs.

Apparently, the urchin was being chased after as she tried to go up the 11th Stairway without paying. That place is located in the Government Minister Lobov's jurisdiction, some real deal. How brazen of her.

As I was wiping away the pervert's blood, I caught a glimpse of the redhead. She was looking up in awe, about to deliver her regards but I cut her off just in time. I didn't need to hear the aftermath thanks and thank you's for shit.

"Hey, how long are you going to cling onto that for? It's going to die."

"I thought it'd warm up..."

An elder passerine sat inside her imitation of a nest, consisting of the other scraps of clothing she could find. It preens itself and scans its surroundings, bopping its little head around. She cuddles at its endearing nature.

"Where'd ya get that bird?"

"It was flying about. Probably came in via the sewers."

"You tried to go up the stairway for that?"

There was a fleeting stillness. The silence was bewilderment for Farlan. The incapability to process how someone could possibly go through all that for a different kind. Simultaneously, silence was appreciation for her, combing through the hackles that emerged from its back, adoring the mammal. But silence for me was wondering when I'll be able to experience these emotions again, and maybe I would've if I escaped with Mayuka.

"This little guy probably prefers soaring through the skies instead of wandering the Underground city."

And I felt like she was describing me. A thug, wasting inside a grotto of woe, awaiting for the day I get to surface, to get a new chance at life. Yet all I can do is wait.

"That's fine and dandy, but the bird hurt its wing."

"Eh? For real?"

"Here I'll help." Church offered an open hand. Of course he's pitching in again.

He scooped the bird as it shuffled through his palms, twitching of fret, but by the end of it, it loved the neighbour's boy - just like everyone else did.

"Wow! You're really something else!" she exclaimed, "Oh right, what's your name? I'm Isabel."

"I'm Farlan and that's Levi."

"Tch, who said I wanted to be introduced."

"Farlan... and bro!"

Bro?

"Please let me join you! Consider me as your new recruit! You guys use the 3D Manoeuvre Gears, right? I've seen you in action." she jabbered.

"Seeing you guys fly free like birds made me jealous. I want to try out a gear too!"

And quite frankly, I saw myself in her. At the bare minimum, she gave a good impression.

"If you're going to stay here, learn how to clean first before learning the ODM gear."

━✦❘༻༺❘✦━

https://youtu.be/aqlVI6xMzpA

a/n: yall really think you can escape the songs? not on my watch 😍

I swilled down the crisp, bitter booze. It stung the tips of my tongue, and then the burn was cascading down my body before I could relish it. I held the cup in the air, lying in wait for its metallic shock to reach my head. This was shot thousandth of the night, and it wasn't an exaggeration.

I hated alcohol, but tonight was different. Tonight I needed a distraction. Tonight the view was blurry, fuzzy, just like I called for.

"Levi-bro! Farlan!"

Well there goes my peace, ruined.

"What are you doing here? It's midnight, go to bed." I ruffled her hair, presumably the most affectionate act I could do at the moment.

"Hey, want to try?"

"Oi," I warned, holding back Farlan's arm, "She's underaged."

"It's just a sip." he shrugged.

"Hand it over!"

It was pointless trying to stop these two. I could only shake my head in disappointment.

"Thinking about her?"

"Who's her?"

"You're too young to know, Isabel. All I can tell you is Levi's the worst with the ladies," he teased, "he didn't even chase after the woman he fancies."

"Ooh, ooh~ what did she look like?"

I flushed my throat with a couple more shots. Somehow the images of her became even more unhindered. Her hair, her eyes, her face, her body, her skin, her clothes, her shyness, her smile, her retorts, her wittiness, her sarcasm, her humour, her naiveness.

I've got so much to say about this stranger.

But I didn't want it to be only her; I wanted it to be us. Our awkwardness, our laughter, our inside jokes, our banters, our hugs, our days, our nights, our freedom, our, together.

Fuck.

What did she look like, you ask?

"Perfect. Everything about her, even her flaws, perfect."

But luckily the two of them were dozing off in each other's arms, reddened from all the alcohol they had. It was a relief that they couldn't hear, their snooze overlapping my thoughts. I was never good with words anyway, and that sounded way too corny.

"The repercussions for messing around." I sighed, alone.

I shut my eyes feeling tipsy, imagining my own shooting star, imagining the moonlight rippling through my face and tangling into my hair. Stars dispersed through the dark sky like shattered glass. Streaks of noble light whitewashing the blank canvas. I visualise my utopia.

Perhaps if I wished, wished hard, she would appear, I would see her again.

Let me love you, Mayuka Rogue.

━✦❘༻༺❘✦━

so how did u guys enjoy the crossover of levi's ova?
crying in your blankets? screaming at the ceiling? slamming your desks?
let me know!

ok im sorry in advance for the chain of torture i am uploading
soon the clouds will clear up i swear 😫
but for now, please take the angsty creation i have barfed out

good luck with the second chap im posting tdy, haha...