Eren stilled himself to consider the question. There was a strange and complex combination of emotions coursing through his body, but fear was certainly not one of them. 'I 'm not, ' Eren said. He felt a sudden warmth against the side of his head as Levi exhaled, followed by a faint snuffling. The proximity seemed to be calming him down, although the alphas scent was still thick with tension. 'What are you thinking about? '

It was silent for a while except for Levi 's heavy breaths. A quiet response finally came, little more than a whisper.

'Last night, I was going to say that I don 't want to eat you. But that 's not entirely true. ' Levi shifted against chestnut hair, closing his eyes and taking in more of the sweet fragrance. 'I know you 're not food, Eren. And yet ' I want to put you in my mouth. I 'm thinking about how you 'd taste. '

Turquoise eyes stared Levi 's broad shoulder, at a complete loss for words. With his neck so close, the scent was potent and practically hovering over Eren 's tongue, tempting, eluding to something even better. Eren was beginning to have similar thoughts. Licking his lips, green eyes pulled away from the pale skin. It was clear that Levi was on the verge of snapping and Eren wasn 't sure what would happen if he pushed him further.

'I 'm worried I might do something I shouldn 't, ' Levi said. 'It 's difficult to control myself around you, but I 'm ' ' Levi let out a sigh as his wings relaxed a bit, the black appendages lowering to free Eren from his makeshift cage. 'I 'm trying. '

Eren 's eyes followed one of the dark wings with interest, watching it slip away and return to its rightful position. 'It 's okay. ' He reached out to gently press his fingertips to Levi 's side, a careful touch. 'You make me feel like that as well, ' Eren said. Levi pulled back a little, far enough for curious silver eyes to watch him from behind a curtain of jet-black hair. 'I, um ' when you were gone last night. It felt ' weird, even though I knew you 'd come back. '

Levi took a moment to respond. He moved closer, gazing into emerald eyes with wonder. 'You missed me? '

'Yeah, I guess I did. ' Eren froze when he felt Levi 's nose brush against his cheek, warm breaths ghosting over his skin. The alpha started to make a soft rumbling sound, purring happily as he gave Eren 's face a timid nuzzle. Viridian wings attempted to flutter at the affection but just ended up writhing on the grass wall they were splayed against.

'I 'm sorry for behaving like this, ' Levi mumbled into the brunet 's cheek. 'I woke up and you weren 't here. I didn 't know where you 'd gone, when ' or why. '

'I know, ' Eren said, trying to ignore the tickle of Levi 's voice on his skin. 'At least you 're being honest, that 's a good thing. We can work on it, and I won 't disappear without telling you. '

'Honest? ' Levi hummed, deep and thoughtful, then moved back to meet the omegas eyes again. 'I really like you, Eren. '

'Oh ' ' Eren blinked at the pools of melted silver that were hovering in front of him. Levi 's expression was softer now, eyes welcoming and lips slightly parted, the aggression in his scent fading to something more vulnerable. 'I like you, too. '

'That 's good. ' Inky black wings flapped behind him, the movement twitchy and nervous. 'Because I, uh ' ' Levi struggled for a moment, eventually breaking eye contact and nuzzling into chocolate hair again. 'I want to court you. Or rather ' I think I 'm already doing it, but I want to make sure that 's what you want. '

'You are? ' Eren felt his face beginning to heat up, the realisation settling into his mind. That bracelet was just like the charm Armin had received from Erwin, albeit less pretty, but the implication seemed to be the same. Had any other of Levi 's gestures had gone unnoticed? There was the possessiveness and reluctance to be separated, but Eren had thought that was just general alpha behaviour.

Levi tilted his head, giving the brunet a gentle nudge. 'Is that okay? '

Eren stopped himself from blurting out an answer, this was something that required thought. This meant that Levi could end up becoming his mate, right? The idea made Eren 's heart hammer in his chest as his omega keened with approval, but he was still hesitant. He 'd never shown interest in courting before and had even cautioned Armin about it. The sudden insistence of his dynamic was disconcerting ' but he liked Levi, there was no mistaking that. A part of Eren knew he wouldn 't have gone to such great lengths just to make a new friend. 'I 'm not sure what I 'm supposed to do, ' Eren said, swallowing dryly. 'But yes, that 's okay. '

Levi released a sigh of relief, black wings beginning to sway in the air with content. 'I 'm no expert. So far, I 've just been following my instincts. ' Levi turned his head to look at Eren, metallic irises shimmering with fondness. 'It seems like ' I 'm going to make a fool out of myself, and you need to decide whether you like it or not. '

'Right, ' Eren replied with a small nod. He felt like this was something he should discuss with his mother before agreeing to, it was common for an alpha to ask for the parents ' approval in advance, but Carla wasn 't here ' she wouldn 't mind too much. Eren 's focus was drawn to Levi 's lips, one of the corners lifted into the tiniest of smiles. They were a nice shape, full and refined, the subtle curves almost sultry. Incredibly soft-looking despite the weaponry that laid beneath. Levi licked them, the tip of his tongue leaving behind a glossy sheen.

'Uh ' yeah, ' Levi said absently. He stepped back to move out of the omegas personal space, silver eyes looking away as he cleared his throat. When he glanced down, Levi realised that he was still clutching onto Eren 's shirt, the material thoroughly wrinkled in his tight grip. A semi-effective form of stress relief. He frowned, relaxing his fist and tossing the garment aside. 'Do you want to go out? '

'Sure, ' Eren replied, wings finally able to stretch as he put some distance between himself and the wall. 'I love exploring new places, and I bet there 's heaps of interesting things in this forest. '

'I enjoy it, too. '

Eren bubbled with excitement, grinning brightly. 'Really? '

'Yes. ' Levi raised a thin eyebrow, surprised by the extent of the reaction. 'The world is vast, it makes sense to see as much of it as possible. If you never go anywhere or do anything, then what 's the point in being free? '

'Free? ' Eren 's head tilted to the side, examining the alpha was curious eyes. 'I think it 's possible to stay in the same place and still be free. '

'That depends on where you are. ' Black wings flicked in the air as Levi turned to the entrance. 'Let 's go. You can lead us wherever you want, I 'll know the way back. '

Eren trilled happily as he dashed over to the opening, the radiant afternoon light beckoning him for an adventure. After waiting for Levi to join him on the edge, Eren made a show of his elegant take-off with swift and gentle wing beats. He was grateful to go first, not having to endure another face-full of wind from Levi 's excessive take-off.

Soaring on viridian wings, the brunet wondered where he should go now that he was free to do so. It felt strange to be leading the flight, he enjoyed watching Levi 's agile movements and so it was a shame that he couldn 't see. Turquoise eyes scanned the surrounding area, deciding to head in a random direction until he spotted something that caught his interest.

The wind blew through Eren 's hair, sending chocolate strands ruffling in every direction imaginable. When the trees became sparser, the omega held his arms out on either side and closed his eyes for a moment, embracing the sensation of weightlessness. It was dangerous, he knew, but the experience was unlike any other and pumped his body with adrenaline. An extraordinary feeling. Eren didn 't dare do it for too long, eyes blinking open after only a few brief seconds. Unable to hear anything from behind him, Eren let out a sharp chirp, questioning. The response came immediately, a reassuring warble as Levi made his presence known.

After some time, Eren spotted a patch of colour on the forest floor, boldly contrasting with the soil and browning grass. Wings fluttered as he descended, feet touching down on dry dirt. Levi dropped down next to him, crouching to absorb the impact of the fall, and Eren frowned. He was going to hurt himself one day. Dismissing it, Eren examined the area. The colours came from an odd type of mushroom, several of them sprouting out of the ground. The stalks and caps were a bashful shade of periwinkle, calm as a lavender sky, but they were speckled with random blotches of pumpkin orange, the spots in disarray like splattered paint. Eren squinted and edged closer to one of them, sniffing. There was no discernible scent, only a hint of dustiness.

Levi scoped out the area, sharp silver eyes flicking through the shadows of the surrounding trees. There was rarely any cause for concern during the day, but one should still be careful. When the inspection was complete, Levi sighed and folded his arms, watching the omega shuffle around the patch of mushrooms.

Eren crouched down, making himself the same height as the bizarre fungus. Holding a hand out to it, he glanced at Levi over his shoulder. The alpha gave no reaction, blinking lazily as he continued to stare. Eren poked the mushroom. Its squishy texture gave way under his fingertip, creating a small crater in the side of it. He prodded it again, giggling at how it collapsed under the pressure like a deflating sponge cake.

Standing up, the brunet found a new mushroom and circled around it, noticing that the spots were slightly darker on this one. Half way around, Eren felt his foot bump into something solid and glanced down, expecting to find a pebble there. Instead, two perfectly round golden eyes stared back up at him.

"

Meep!

"

'Ah! ' Eren shouted as he jumped back, startled by the sudden sound. He stumbled, falling back onto the solid ground with a yelp. Keeping his eyes locked onto the glowing yellow orbs, Eren barely noticed the series of flustered flaps taking place besides him.

Levi was in front of him in an instant, midnight wings raised high to emphasize their sharp apexes, releasing a deep growl at the threat.

Still on his butt, Eren peeked through the gap between Levi 's legs to see what was happening. The luminous orbs jolted towards them with a sudden

eep

. Eren flinched back, a small gasp leaving his lips. Levi must 've seen its advance as a challenge, and Eren had to duck down to avoid being smacked in the head by his wings as they flapped furiously.

A viscous snarl tore its way out of Levi 's throat, the noise loud and cutting, his nose scrunched up to bare his teeth. Black wings went rigid, tips flicking with menace as the crimson eyespots lit up in a threat display.

The new creature recoiled with a pathetic squeak, apparently losing its confidence at the sight of Levi. Another round of crackling snarls spooked it for good. It released a meek whine as it attempted to scurry across the dirt, the sound like a deflating balloon. The animal soon found itself trapped by a barrier of dense foliage.

Eren managed to catch a glimpse of the creature. A long and narrow body scuttling along the ground in a frantic bid to escape, eventually circling back to cower beneath a mushroom. It was covered in glossy scales, the colour a dark royal purple. Curious, Eren emerged from behind his winged shield to shuffle closer.

Silver eyes widened in alarm as Levi saw Eren appear at his side, crawling away from him and his protection. 'Eren, stop. It could be dangerous. ' Levi attempted to grab him, failing miserably as his fingers slid across the omegas delicate sheer wings.

Eren approached with caution, slowly inching closer until he was staring into a pair of globular eyes, the golden pools looking back at him with an expression he interpreted as uncertainty. 'It looks scared, ' Eren said before holding his hand out, trilling reassurances. The creatures head tilted back and forth at the sound, eventually responding with a quiet

meep

as it came out from under the mushroom. It had a sleek body with four legs, each one ending in a little foot with incredibly long toes. The creatures head was angular and flat on the top, adorned with scales of a lighter purple. A small skink, roughly the same length as Eren 's legs.

Levi scowled, wings still stiff as he watched the animal clamber into Eren 's lap. 'It looks like my breakfast. '

'No! ' Eren scooped up the lizard, letting it squeak and squirm in his arms. 'You can 't eat it. ' Splaying one of his hands on the side of the scaly head, Eren turned it to face Levi. 'Just look at it, it 's so cute! '

'Cute? ' Levi eyed it with distrust. The skink stared back at him, giant yellow orbs unblinking and thoughtless as it let out another high-pitched

meep

. A long brown tongue slithered out of its mouth, the forked appendage waggling in the air with enthusiasm. Silver eyes narrowed, unimpressed. 'I don 't think so. '

'Well, I do. You 'll just have to eat a mushroom instead. ' Eren released his hold on the lizard and allowed it to wander off his lap. It paused to stare at Levi again, apparently still suspicious of the alpha. Eren wasn 't at all surprised.

'What should we name it? ' Eren asked, eyes following the skinks twitchy movements as it scurried around in the soil, occasionally flicking its tongue out to test the air.

'It doesn 't need a name, ' Levi said.

Eren hummed, considering the creature. 'How about '

Plum

? ' The skink looked at him, tilting its head quizzically. 'Or something cooler? Maybe ' ' Eren squinted, lowering his voice to an ominous tone. '

Shade

. '

'You cannot keep it. '

'I 'm just having fun, ' Eren said as he picked up a nearby peddle, rolling it along the dirt towards the skink. Round yellow eyes tracked the movement, but it must have found the rock uninteresting as the lizard soon went back to lapping at the soil. There was a scatter of smaller scales over the top of its back and head, Eren noticed, reflecting with an iridescent gleam of purple and blue. If the scales were to shed, they would make stunningly beautiful jewellery. Eren placed a hand on the ground, standing up to examine the mushrooms. 'Are they edible? I 'm kinda hungry. '

'I don 't know, and you 're not going to test it." Levi walked closer to the brunet with a villainous smirk on his face, voice dropping to an eerie whisper. 'We could still eat the lizard ' '

Eren frowned, crossing his arms in defiance. 'I said no. '

Levi let out a sharp huff, his face returning to its neutral expression. 'Fine. Wait here, I 'll find you something to eat. ' He leaned into Eren 's space without warning, and the omega tilting away in surprise. Silver eyes stared into emerald green. 'Please, don 't run up to any strange creatures I 'm gone. '

The alpha was gone in a second, leaving nothing behind expect for a turbulent breeze and the faint rustle of foliage. Eren glanced behind him, using the swaying bushes to guess the direction Levi had flown in. Unsure of what to do, the brunet threw his arms over a mushroom, grunting with effort as he hauled himself up and sat atop it. The squishiness made for a comfortable seat.

Pointed ears twitched at the intermittent noises coming from the forest, most of which were caused by wind. It was unusually quiet, not a single insect to be heard. The earlier commotion must have sent them all running for cover. Eren chuckled to himself, imagining an army of grasshoppers desperately bouncing away to escape Levi 's wrath.

Once he grew bored of waiting, Eren addressed the purple creature scuffling about on the ground. 'Hey. ' The skink scratched at the dirt, paying no attention to the greeting. Eren pursed his lips, wondering what it might be searching for. 'I 'm sorry for kicking you earlier. You were probably sleeping, right? '

Yellow eyes turned to the fairy, beady pupils staring at him with a vacant expression. It stuck out its darkly coloured tongue, making a subtle hissing sound as it undulated in the air.

'It 's a shame you can 't talk, ' Eren said, using a finger to absently poke at the mushroom beneath him. The foamy texture was amusing. 'I know Levi said he wants to kill you, but he 's actually pretty nice if you look past the growls and scary teeth. '

The lizard tilted its head, scales shining as it stared at Eren without a shred of comprehension.

'Tell me, Plum ' ' Eren leaned forward, squinting at the purple creature. 'If I sneak you into Levi 's nest, do you think he 'd let you stay? '

"

Meep.

"

'Interesting... '

'Eren. '

The brunet jumped with a start, almost toppling off his squishy toadstool.

Levi landed on the soil with a rough thump, the tips of black wings flicking as he gave the skink a withering look. 'Were you just talking about me ' to that thing? '

'Um, ' Eren stalled, wings twitched as glanced to the side. He received a blank stare from large golden eyes. 'No, of course not. '

'I heard my name. '

Eren huffed. 'It 's not polite to eavesdrop on other people 's conversations. '

'That hardly qualifies as a conversation, ' Levi said as he approached, coming to a stop in front of the omegas claimed mushroom. 'There's no need for the lizard. You can talk to me instead. '

Turquoise eyes were drawn to the large spots on Levi 's wings, the area still giving off a vibrant blood-red glow. Did he still feel threatened by the skink? It clearly wasn 't dangerous, perhaps the alphas wings weren 't a very good indicator after all. Eren looked at into his real eyes instead, the chrome colour glittering back at him. 'But I like Plum, ' Eren said with a pout. 'He 's cute. '

Levi held out his hand, offering several small pale-pink spheres. 'I brought you food. '

'Wow, thanks! ' Taking the objects, Eren raised one to his face to sniff at it, the fragrance unmistakably that of a berry. Fresh and fruity, probably straight off the tree.

The mushroom dipped as Levi placed his knee on the edge and leaned forward with outstretched wings, the pitch-black curtain effectively concealing everything else from Eren 's view. The eyespots cast a subtle red glow onto the omegas face as Levi got closer, highlighting his tanned skin.

It seemed like Levi was waiting for feedback on the berries. Eren tore his eyes away from the sheltering wings and popped one in his mouth, the fruit small enough to be eaten whole. He chewed with caution as he was unsure whether it had seeds or not. It was soft and juicy, the flavour more bitter than what Eren preferred but still enjoyable due to a sweet tartness.

Eren put a second berry in his mouth but paused when Levi started to make peculiar noises. It was a deep warbling, repetitive with the occasional high note, reminiscent of an indecisive owl. Turquoise eyes blinked up to where the alpha was hovering above him, like a vulture waiting for its prey to keel over.

Metallic irises flittering over Eren 's face, watching with avid interest. Black hair dangling to the side as Levi tilted his head, quizzical.

Swallowing, Eren examined the two berries that remained in his hand, then looked back to Levi. 'Do you ' want some? '

Dark wings began to sway as Levi shook his head. 'It 's for you. '

'Are you sure? ' Eren asked, his gaze following the luminous red pendulum that was swinging in front of him. The eyespots were really quite beautiful, Eren felt a little guilty for ever finding them frightening. 'I don 't think I 've ever seen you eat properly. '

'I ate last night. '

Putting another berry in his mouth, Eren hummed as he chewed on it, wondering if Levi had actually eaten that obnoxiously loud cricket. Eren found the fact that he ate animals acceptable, but the deed itself was probably best left unseen. Once the fruit was finished, the swift flap of dark wings demanded Eren 's attention once again. Although the action was redundant as the appendages were encompassing him, making them the only thing he could possibly look at.

Levi jerked his head up a few times, like a backwards nod, the odd gesture making Eren 's eyebrows pull together in confusion. The alpha released a frustrated huff before repeating the movement with more devotion, leaning closer as he did so. Levi gave a short trill, a gentle chiming as he raised his chin again.

It was an invitation, Eren realised, one that he had no desire to decline. Shuffling forward, the brunet tilted towards Levi, giving him an inquisitive sniff. He hesitated, unsure until Levi lifted his head with a quiet grunt, the sound rough but somehow encouraging. Eren leaned in to slot his face beneath the alphas chin, finding a home in the hollow of his neck.

Viridian wings flapped with content as he breathed in the heady fragrance of mulled wine, a serene calmness washing over Eren 's body. Levi still exuded a protective strength from the earlier conflict, the scent rich with a promise of safety. Letting it wrap around him like a warm blanket, Eren soon gave up on supporting himself and rested his head against a sturdy shoulder. Levi was firm, but body heat and the slight give of relaxed muscle made it comfortable enough. Turquoise eyes gave a few lethargic blinks before drifting shut.

Levi adjusted his head, the movement careful as to not cause a disturbance, working to nudge the omega closer to his scent gland. Black appendages flapped with pride as Levi stared down at the motionless tangle of chestnut hair, having to silence a trill as he preened over the level of trust Eren was showing him. Ignoring the strain of their awkward position, Levi let his own eyelids half-close, satisfied with the result. At ease but determined to keep watch.

Levi suddenly became alert as he felt something scratch against his leg, the one that was supporting them from the ground. Black wings lowered as Levi glanced over his shoulder, meeting the pair of wide yellow eyes that were staring back with a hopeful gleam. The skink had its two front feet on him, long toes kneading at his calf as it attempted to crawl up. Silver eyes narrowed into an icy glare. 'You little shit, ' Levi hissed, shaking his leg until the lizard fell off its perch and rolled onto the dirt with a sad whine. 'Get lost. '

'Mm? ' Eren mumbled, incoherent as he began to stir.

Turning back to him without delay, Levi held still as a soft coo vibrated in his throat. His reassurance seemed to work, the omega responding with a sleepy chirp and nuzzling in further. Levi 's wings jerking with an involuntary twitch as the tip of Eren 's nose brushed against his sensitive skin, the touch torturously light and a little ticklish. It felt nice, the warm puffs of air making his body shiver.

It didn 't last long; Levi 's muscles soon began to protest the constant strain. His extended leg burned while the other was going numb from kneeling against the mushroom, the squishiness no longer enough to hinder his discomfort. Next time he would be sure to pick a more suitable position. Levi started to shift, gentle as he tried to coax Eren out of his nap.

Turquoise eyes fluttered open to the sound of Levi 's chirps, that along with the alphas scent chasing away his initial confusion about where he was. Eren blinked as he pulled away, not entirely sure how he ended up there. 'Sorry, ' he said, stretching his arms in the air. 'I didn 't mean to fall asleep ' '

Once Levi moved back to put some distance between them, Eren glanced around the forest. The light had diminished somewhat, golden rays breaching the canopy at a different angle, both suggesting that he 'd been out long enough for the sun to move. Strange, Eren hadn 't felt tired at all. Had Levi 's scent done that to him?

Eren slid off his stool, wobbling a little as he made contact with the ground and gained his footing. The mushroom was damaged, the top scarred by an indent roughly the size of Eren 's behind. There was a slight movement as the sponge-like material tried to bounce back into shape, to no avail. Green eyes scanned the area, looking to Levi when the search came up empty. 'Where 's Plum? '

Levi tapped the heel of his boot against the ground, glad to finally regain feeling in his leg. 'The lizard went home. '

'Home? ' Eren pursed his lips, squinting as he eyed the alpha with suspicion. 'You weren 't mean to him, were you? '

'No. ' Levi 's eyes flicked over to Eren, sterling silver shimmering with mischief. 'Of course not. '

Eren huffed, sure that Levi had intentionally copied him. He was wary of the words, but any serious concerns were dispelled by the fact that Levi had been unable to move while Eren was sleeping on him. There was simply no way he could 've eaten Plum.

Feeling energetic, the omega decided to look around some more. The mushroom patch had become boring and there was still sufficient sunlight. Viridian wings fluttered with excitement as Eren made his way further into the forest, opting to explore on foot. The vegetation grew denser, thick entanglements of overgrown shrubs and vines, their wiry branches reaching out to scratch and snag at anything that passed by. Eren managed to avoid them, taking extra care to not let his wings drift close enough to get caught.

As he pushed past a creeping branch, Eren paused with it in his hand and glanced over his shoulder. Levi was following closely, silent thus far, although his sleek eyebrows were drawn together in confusion. Eren gently repositioned the twig, ensuring it wouldn 't flick back to hit Levi in the face. Dead plants crunched beneath their feet, the fallen foliage shrivelled and crisp with decay.

'Why are we walking? ' Levi asked, voice sharp with irritation as he slapped a leaf out of the way.

'I don 't like flying everywhere, ' Eren said. 'Being so high up, I 'm sure we miss heaps of interesting things. '

'Fine. ' Levi watched the pair of vibrant emerald wings sway in time with the omegas steps, admiring the lustrous ribbons of gold. 'But we shouldn 't stay on the ground for much longer, ' Levi said, his eyes drifting lower. 'I 'm not in the mood to fight off a stoat ' '

'What are you in the mood for, then? ' Eren asked with a breathy chuckle, smiling as he glanced behind him. Levi opened his mouth, but he must 've lost the thought and quickly closed it again. 'A cat? '

Levi didn 't seem to find the joke funny.

Eren was unphased by the lack of response, the idea of encountering either of those animals was far from amusing. Fortunately, these larger creatures were dispersive and inhabited a large territory, spread thin and rarely come across ' but since Levi said that, perhaps they were more common in this area. Eren had never seen a stoat before, but the stories made them sound like truly terrifying beasts, wielding long needle-like teeth that could impale a fairy without much effort.

Carrying on through the forest, Eren was alert and kept an eye out for holes in the ground. It was carpeted by leaf litter and the remains of seeds that never managed to sprout, the decomposition giving off a faint earthy smell, damp and organic. Turquoise eyes spotted an obstruction ahead, a wall of darkened grey that, bleak among the wild flurry of foliage. As they got closer, Eren discovered it to be a mound of rocks protruding from the side of a small cliff.

The omega hurried over to get a better look, circling around until a moderately sized opening came into view. Placing a hand on the cold rock for support, Eren peered inside and gave the air a few sniffs. It appeared to be a tunnel of some description, the path within extending far further than he could see. Eren didn 't usually venture into places like this, but now he was being accompanied by a night-fairy. There was no better guide.

'How deep do you think it goes? ' Eren asked as he took a step within, eyes scanning the walls and ceiling. It appeared to be quite stable.

Levi lingered outside, wings giving a precarious flap as he watched the omega stroll further into the cave. 'Why are you going in there? '

Eren paused to look back, meeting anxious silver eyes. 'I just want to look around a bit, ' He said, tilting his head towards the tunnel. 'Coming? '

'No. I 'm not going in there, you should come out. '

'But you can see in the dark... '

'I 'm aware of that. ' Levi said, a little snarky.

Eren raised his eyebrows, baffled. 'Then what 's the problem? '

'You shouldn 't just walk into random caves. ' Black wings shifted behind Levi, twitching. 'Something could be living inside. '

'We 'd be able to smell if an animal was in there. It 's empty, I 'm certain. ' Eren examined the alphas tense posture for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. 'Stay here, then. I won 't take long. '

Eren touched his hand to the wall as he continued into the cave, letting his fingertips glide along the rough surface. The temperature dropped as he left the sunlight behind, a refreshing chilliness seeping into tan skin. Eren 's ears twitched, hearing a quiet

tch

from behind him and the subsequent echo of footsteps, quickly growing nearer. 'Changed your mind? '

'I 'd rather come now than have to search for you later, ' Levi replied flatly.

'That 's nice of you, ' Eren said as he navigated his way around a bend, glad that it wasn 't dark enough to blind him. There was water dripping from the ceiling, a repetitive plip that broke through the otherwise silent passageway. Wet stone smelt metallic, crisp and clean. It must be filtering through the soil above. His progress slowed down as it got darker, feet cautiously searching for purchase. 'So, ' Eren paused, surprised by the slight echo of his voice. 'For you, does everything look the same as it does in the daylight? How do you see this place? '

'It 's difficult to explain. ' Levi 's looked around, his thoughtful hum carrying through the cave. 'I see less colour in the dark, but the outlines of shapes are more defined. Except ' your wings are such a rich colour, I can still see them well. '

Eren smirked as he fluttered them with nimble elegance, showing off to the alpha. 'Let me know if I 'm about to trip over something. '

The cave suddenly got a little brighter, enough so for Eren to become confident in his steps. The change in lighting was odd, a subtle aquamarine hue that bounced off dull grey. It was emanating from a patch of glowing plants, Eren soon discovered, a blue-green moss that clung to the cave walls and threaded through the cracks in the stone. They were fibrous, fluffy masses that looked like tangled hair, strands protruding from the wall like tiny fingers. The amount of light they gave off was substantial, enough to illuminate a decent stretch of the passageway. Eren 's head tilted as he considered the plants. They would make beautiful lanterns, and it would be much easier than extracting substance from insects.

Tan fingers reached out, planning to test whether the glow was in the plant itself or an excretion of some kind. Eren squeaked as a hand wrapped around his wrist, firmly holding him in place.

'You can 't touch that one, ' Levi said.

'Oh ' thanks, ' Eren said as he scrutinised the plant, wondering what harm the pretty thing could 've caused him. Poisonous, most likely. With the lantern idea discarded, his attention shifted to Levi 's eyespots. Crimson red was bold in the dimly lit cave, although the bluish glow easily overpowered it. The moss outshined Levi 's wings. ' 'These things are brighter than you. '

Levi blinked with indifference, his irises stretched thin and shining an icy blue in the plant light. He ignored the comment, instead giving the omegas wrist a gentle tug as he stepped back. 'Let 's go now. '

'Yeah, okay ' ' Eren whispered, having forgotten that Levi was still holding on to him. Green eyes followed the brilliant red ovals, the spots swaying in time with Levi 's steps as they backtracked through the tunnel. While Eren enjoyed the physical contact, he thought the pull on his wrist was a bit too firm. 'You don 't need to drag me, ' Eren said, almost walking into Levi 's back as he came to a sudden stop.

'Sorry. ' Softening his grip, Levi moved his palm down to hold onto Eren 's hand instead, hesitantly lacing their fingers together. 'There are markings on the wall... '

'Huh? ' Green eyes blinked to the side, hopelessly searching in the dark. There appeared to be a pattern on the stone, but Eren couldn 't make it out no matter how much he squinted.

'It looks like scratches, ' Levi said. 'I can 't tell what from. '

'Why would something scratch the rocks? '

'Animals do it to groom their claws and mark territory. '

Red eyespots shifted as the tips of Levi 's wings flicked, the visual cue giving enough forewarning for Eren to lean back and avoid getting a face-full. A deep warble came from Levi, quiet like a murmur, and then they were moving again.

Eren was compliant, following along at the alphas heels as he was guided back through the cave. Eyelashes fluttered as dim sunlight cut through the darkness. When they emerged from the rocks, Eren glanced over in time to see Levi 's eyes contract drastically, the gunmetal rings expanding to engulf a large portion of his pupils. 'So cool ' ' Eren whispered to himself, then squeaked as Levi 's eyes shifted to dart over his face with curiosity. 'Um, thanks for coming with me. I know you didn 't really want to. '

'I find caves unsettling, but ' it wasn 't that bad, ' Levi said, giving Eren 's hand a soft squeeze before letting go.

The brunet wiggled his fingers as cool air blew between them. That wasn 't unusual at all, Eren supposed. It was natural for fairies to become nervous in enclosed spaces, the impossibility of flight making them feel vulnerable and debilitated. Levi must have a strong aversion to it. Blinking up to the treetops, Eren took in the warm colour that scattered through the leaves, their outlines highlighted by the flare of the descending sun. 'It 's going to get dark soon. '

'I 'd prefer to skip the bush walk this time. ' Inky wings stretched out as Levi glared at the surrounding shrubs.

'Sure. ' Eren laughed, pushing off the ground as he took to the sky.