True to his word, Levi led them back with pin-point accuracy. It was quite impressive considering they had ended up so far afield, but Eren supposed it made sense for him be familiar with the area. The sky had darkened by the time they arrived back at the nest. Thick treetops concealed the sunset while shadows born from the sharp angle of light stretching over the ground.

Eren sighed as he landed on the woven grass. Exhausted from the long flight, his wings flapped as he glanced back out the entrance. The forest was painted a gloomy shade of brown as night fell upon it. A shiver shot over Eren 's skin, the cloudless day was sure to herald a frosty night. He walked over to where his shirt had been thrown earlier, grabbed the cotton material and hastily pulled it over his head.

Levi paused to watch a mop of chocolate hair struggle itself through the top of the shirt, giving Eren a short hum of consideration. 'I 'm beginning to understand how you got here. '

'Huh? ' Eren managed to get himself through. The material fell from his face as he straightened it out. 'What 're you talking about? '

'I did wonder how you managed to get so lost that you ended up in the wrong forest. You 're impulsive. You act before you think, which isn 't the safest. '

Eren huffed as he crossed his arms. The speech sounded painfully familiar, but there must be a reason for Levi to bring it up. 'Is this about Plum? '

'If the lizard had been aggressive, it wouldn 't have lived long enough to harm you. No, this is about something else. ' Levi stepped closed, his tone becoming stern. 'If you ever run into another fairy like us, don 't be curious. Fly away. Come to me if you can. '

'Hold on... ' Eren 's eyebrows scrunched together, the sudden turn in conversation leaving him baffled. 'Are you saying there are other night-fairies around here? '

'I doubt you 'll ever see another one, I 'm only telling you as a precaution. ' Levi paused, then let out a quiet sigh as his wings drooped. 'I spoke with Farlan last night. Do you remember when you met him? '

'Yeah? ' Turquoise eyes took in the alphas posture, thinking that another possessive episode was on the horizon. Surprisingly, Levi was showing no sign of anger or distress. He looked perfectly calm. 'What about it? ' Eren asked, to which Levi simply raised an eyebrow. 'I don 't, um ' ' After giving it a moment of thought, Eren realised what the problem was. He had assumed Farlan was Levi 's friend as they were both night-fairies, followed a random alpha simply because they claimed to know him. He 'd even used Levi 's name first, all Farlan had to say was

yes

to convince Eren to go with him. 'You 're right ' ' Eren said. If it had been anyone else, who knows what might 've happened. 'I 'm sorry. I didn 't even think about that. '

'There 's no need to apologise. As I said, there isn 't anyone else around here. ' Levi cleared his throat as his eyes flicked away to stare at the wall, his voice softening somewhat. 'It just ' makes me feel better that you know. '

Eren gave a slow nod, his own gaze drifting to the side. He did need to be more careful. Judging by the tone he 'd used, Levi didn 't seem to think the other night-fairies were very nice. But even so, it was hard to believe another fairy would want to cause him harm. There was no reason for anyone to do such a thing. Humming in thought, Eren approached the nest and propped himself on the edge. 'Speaking of meeting people... I want to introduce you to my mom. '

'Uh ' ' Levi 's eyes floating back to Eren. 'Really? You want to take me to your colony? '

'What 's wrong with that? '

'Nothing. ' After pausing to consider it, Levi hummed as he rolled his shoulder. 'I 've never been around that many fairies before. I 'm not sure how I feel about it, or how I 'll react. And there will be ' other alphas, so close to you. ' Levi bit back a growl, the corner of his lip pulling down with a slight twitch. 'On second thought, it 's probably best I go with you. '

'It 's sort of a tradition in my colony that parents approve of a courtship, but I guess that 's not really a thing for you, ' Eren said, examining Levi 's tense posture. Meeting a large group of strangers could be daunting for anyone, but it seemed that Levi had gotten over his concerns. 'The point is that she 's important to me. It feels weird that she doesn 't know about ' this. '

'And what happens if she doesn 't approve of me? ' Levi asked, the tips of black wings waving in the air before giving an irritated flick. 'You 've already accepted my courtship. '

'Don 't worry about that. I 'm sure she 'll like you. ' Eren said, the reassurance as much for himself as it was for Levi. The alpha inclined his head with a short sigh, a gesture that was taken as reluctant agreement. 'How about tomorrow? '

Levi stared without giving a response, the frown on his face becoming more prominent.

'Sooner is better, ' Eren continued. 'She was suspicious when I first told her about you, it 's probably best that I don 't go too long without seeing her. And she 'll trust you more once she meets you, so it 'll it easier for us to see each other. '

'Fine, if that 's what I need to do. ' Levi bit the inside of his cheek, thoughtful. 'Am I supposed to say or do anything specific? Give her a gift, or ' something? '

Eren couldn 't offer any useful advice. Armin was his main reference for courtship, and he didn 't have any parents. ' All Eren could do was sigh at Levi 's clueless expression. 'I have no idea, sorry. '

Levi ran a hand through his hair, the strands sweep back by pale fingers before falling into his face again. It wasn 't so bad. At least there wasn 't a protective alpha to deal with, Eren 's words suggested that only his mother needed appeasing. Dark wings swaying thoughtfully as he looked out into the forest. 'You should sleep. I 'll be here when you wake up, ' Levi said as he turned to give the omega a final glance. 'Are you warm enough? '

'Yeah, I 'm fine. ' Eren squeezed the feathers beneath his hand, the downy material already starting to warm as it absorbed his body heat.

Eren watched him leap out the entrance and disappear with a single wing beat. The routine they 'd fallen into seemed to work quite well; Eren stayed up later while Levi got up earlier, resulting in a considerable overlap of their days. But tomorrow, they would need to brave the sunlight. There weren 't any health concerns Eren could think of, Levi seemed to function perfectly fine during the day so long as he didn 't stare directly at the sun ' but they are yet to venture out of the forest and its dense tree cover. It was impossible to predict how Levi would respond to full sunlight.

Relaxing his body, Eren allowed himself to fall backwards and land in the nest with a soft thud, the feathers welcoming him with a gentle embrace. He pulled his legs in, wiggling around to find a comfortable position. Eren 's eyes grew heavy as he stared at what he presumed to be his favourite feather. Navy-blue with a lighter streak down the centre line, the surface giving of a metallic sheen. Which type of bird it was from, he didn 't know, but it was sure to be a beautiful creature.

Eren was pulled back to consciousness by a soft crinkling, aimlessly blinking into the emptiness that greeted him. It had gotten darker, although it didn 't feel as though much time had passed. Eren peeked out of the nest to see what had woken him, and relaxed when he saw a pair of luminous red eyes hovering some distance away.

Eren watched with interest, but the alpha didn 't appear to be doing anything in particular, just standing there. The eyespots were motionless except for the occasional shift, the movement most likely caused by breathing or a slight fidgeting.

Curious eyes examined the silver details. Eren had almost forgotten about the alphas other markings, the freckles and whiskers that were only on the back of Levi 's wings. Eren didn 't see the back very often, not since before he found out Levi was a fairy, even in the cave he had been too close to notice. They were subtle features, invisible during the day and only seen in darkness. While the feline resemblance was still a bit unsettling, Eren found it eerily beautiful. The speckles where the wings attached to Levi 's back were faint compared to the bold crimson red, the weathered grey fading out along the black appendage, and then there were the two whisker-like lines that ran along each of Levi 's hind-wings. A radiant white-silver, the thin streaks like slithers of moonlight.

Once he 'd admired the display enough, Eren sat up and spoke in a groggy voice. 'Levi? '

The wings gave a sudden flap, startled by the sound. Levi turned around to face him, the silver markings disappearing as he did so. 'You 're awake? '

'What 're you doing over there? ' Eren asked into the darkness. He had to consciously remind himself of where Levi 's face was, his attention naturally floating to the visible eyespots.

'I was just ' thinking. '

'About what? ' Eren listened to soft crunches of grass as the red ovals gravitated closer, the footsteps loud in the dead of night. It didn 't seem like Levi was going to share his thoughts. 'Are you worried about meeting my mom? You don 't need to be. Even if she doesn 't like you straight away, she will once she gets to know you. '

Levi came to a stop next to the nest, red eyespots lowering as he knelt near the edge. 'You seem confident. '

'I am. ' Eren watched the glowing ovals closely, trying to figure out Levi 's position by their movements. They lowered further towards the floor, sporadically flicking in the air as if they were trying to smack away a bothersome insect. 'What are you doing now? '

'I 'm going to sleep, ' Levi said. 'You should do the same. '

'Oh. ' The wing-flicks must have been from Levi moving around as he tried to get comfortable. Eren laid down on his side, worrying his lip as he stared into the night. He supposed this was as good a time as any. 'You can, um ' sleep next to me, if you want to. '

'Really? ' Levi asked. Once the initial shock faded, he sat up to give a more appropriate response. 'Are you sure? I don 't mind sleeping here, I 'd prefer you to be comfortable. '

'I 'm not offering to be nice. ' Eren twisting a bunch of feather fibres around his finger. 'I like having someone next to me, and it 's still a bit cold. '

That was all the convincing Levi needed. He all but crawled into the nest, slow and cautious as he manoeuvred around to find an ideal spot. Levi settled down, carefully slotting himself behind the omega.

Eren immediately felt the warmth against his back, and the feathers ruffled as Levi shifted around a bit more. The proximity made Eren 's stomach flutter with a combination of nerves and anticipation. They had been physically close a few times now, but sleeping together felt a bit different. It was nothing like being next to his mother. There was a sense of comfort and safety that came with Levi 's presence, but there was also something else.

'Do you mind if I touch you? ' Levi whispered.

Eren shook his head, his throat felt too tight to form words. Eren soon felt a leg brushing against his own as Levi shuffled closer to match his position. A hand came to rest on the side of his ribs, Levi 's fingertips pressing into his shirt to absently trace the bones beneath. Eren felt every movement clearly, almost as if there wasn 't two layers of fabric between them. Viridian wings fluttered, the soft touches sending shivers over his skin.

'Eren, st- ' Levi pulled back with a grunt, the sheer appendages slapping him in the face. He managed to catch one of them during the flurry, holding the wing above his head as it continued to squirm for freedom. 'Stop moving. '

'Oh, sorry... ' Eren forced himself to settle. He had forgotten that Levi was laying between his wings.

Levi shuffled around some more before going still, his arm haphazardly thrown over Eren 's side. He sighed into chocolate hair, closing his eyes with a content hum.

Eren was able to relax now that Levi 's fingers were no longer distracting him. The rhythmic sound of Levi 's breathing induced a strange calmness, as well as the alphas chest ghosting against his back with every intake.

When Eren next woke, it was in a grand tangle of wings. The black appendage draped over his face gave the illusion of night, encompassing them both in the heat it gave off. Curious of the time, Eren used his knuckles to lift it, peeking out from beneath the make-shift blanket to get a glimpse of daylight. A bird was chirping away outside, although it didn 't sound much like a morning song.

As he became more aware, Eren realised his situation. Two arms had snaked around him during the night, a hold that trapped him flush against a solid chest. Perhaps feeling the movement, Levi produced a short coo, but the vocalisation was sleep-weak and came out as more of a gurgle.

Pursing his lips, Eren considered the best course of action. Levi must be twisted into an odd position; his hip bone was digging into Eren 's rear. Finding it uncomfortable, the burnet pushed back with his body to shove it away. Much to his frustration, Levi responded with a soft hum and pressed it against him again, only harder this time.

Huffing, Eren threw the black wing back over his shoulder, its owner producing a sleepy groan as the sunlight washed over them. 'Hey, ' Eren said as he reached back to tap at the head behind him. 'Wake up. '

'No, ' Levi grumbled, ducked down to escape the persistent poking.

Eren began to squirm in his arms, eventually managing to free himself and crawl out of the alphas clutches. Sitting on his knees, Eren watched as Levi quickly rolled onto his other side so that he was facing away, one of his wings flicking in the air about before curling over him again. 'You need to get up, ' Eren said. He got up to circle around the nest and crouched next to the dark lump. 'We 're going somewhere today, remember?"

The wing lifted up enough for Levi to glare out from underneath, silver eyes narrow and displeased. 'A little longer... '

Humming, Eren considered the alphas plea. While he hated to force Levi awake at an unnatural hour, it was already well past morning and they had to leave soon. Eren was unsure how late it 'd been when Levi joined him, but he was certain it was long enough to allow for a sufficient amount of sleep. 'Come on, we need to go while there 's still plenty of sun. '

Levi sat up with a grumble. He blinked, shaking dark hair into place before rubbing his eyes. 'Those other two wanna come ' Izzy wants to see the tree holes. '

Eren held back a giggle at Levi 's groggy speech and horrendous word choice, although he wouldn 't be surprised if that was a direct quote from Isabel. 'We call them hollows, ' Eren said. He noticed that Levi had changed his clothes at some point and was now wearing a cloudy grey long-sleeve shirt and charcoal pants, both a pleasantly tight fit. That must 've been what woke Eren during the night. 'Yeah, they can come. '

With wings stretched and boots pulled on, the pair headed out in to the forest. Once he took note of the light, Eren worked out that the sun hadn 't yet reached its peak, leaving plenty of time for them to make the journey. Levi tilted as he headed off in a unknown direction. Eren was quick to change paths so that he could follow, falling back a bit to let Levi lead the way.

Eren eventually spotted a nest dangling from one of the trees, the structure similar to Levi 's in terms of shape and size, although this one had had more aesthetic value. Incorporated in the dried grass was a patchwork of colour, burnt-orange flower petals and metallic shards of insect shell, all intertwined in the wiry fibres. An interesting form of decorating, but there was a unique charm to it.

They landed on the outside and clung to the coarse material. Eren 's ears stood alert, hearing a deep rumble emanating from within. Green eyes glanced to the side just in time to see Levi hurl himself through the entrance despite the worrisome noise.

Following suit, Eren entered cautiously and took in the dim surroundings. Levi was standing in the corner, staring down at something with a blank expression. Eren shuffled closer to take a peek, meet by the sight of two fairies sleeping soundly in a feather nest. Isabel was tucked into a neat little ball on the edge, while her mate was splayed out like a winged starfish. The abhorrent rumbling was revealed to be Farlan snoring with his mouth open.

'Oi. ' Levi gave the nest a sharp kick with the toe of his boot. 'Are you coming or not? '

Isabel awoke with a snort, forest eyes flying open to stare up at them. Sitting up in a rush, she tossed back a mess of loose red hair. 'Ah-ha ' '

'Whua? ' Farlan sat up next, blinking as he wiped the drool from his chin.

Levi clicked his tongue and frowned down at them. 'Pull yourselves together. It 's time to leave. '

Eren chuckled at the fact that Levi had been in a similar state only moments earlier. The pair managed to get themselves ready in no time, Isabel struggling to pull her hair into two bushy pigtails being the most arduous task. Farlan simply put on another shirt, the fabric a dark navy-blue that matched his inactive eyespots, although the garment had a crumpled flap of material at the back. 'What 's that? ' Eren asked, pointing a finger at the loose pouch between Farlan 's shoulders.

'I made it. ' Isabel grabbed the material and pulled it up, covering her mate 's head with it. 'It 's a hood! To stop his hair from reflecting the moonlight, the colour isn 't very inconspicuous. ' Her eyes narrowed at the ash-blonde strands peeking out of the fabric. 'Scares away the bugs ' '

'Why are you wearing that? It 's the middle of the day, ' Levi said.

'I just like it, ' Farlan snapped as he shoved the hood off. 'Are we leaving now, or should I go back to sleep? '

'Yeah, yeah ' ' Isabel rolled her eyes. 'Don 't get your wings in a twist. '

Eren 's expectant gaze flicked between the trio until he remembered that he was the only one who knew the way. Walking over to the entrance, the brunet stared into the forest as he tried to orientate himself with the new location. The view was basically the same, except the area surrounding Isabel and Farlan 's nest lacked the miniature toadstools that Levi 's had. Eren jumped off the ledge and begun the flight, confident that the others would soon follow.

Not far into the forest, Eren saw the three night-fairies appear below him. They all seemed to fly in a similar manner, a smooth glide that took advantage of the uplifting air. The birds-eye view allowed Eren to get a proper look at Isabel 's wings. The murky green almost vanished into the vegetation on the forest floor, while the pecan coloured spots were mistakable for mushrooms or small patches of dirt. They didn 't seem capable of lighting up, the eyespots must be an alpha-only trait after all. It made sense, Eren supposed. An omega would be more inclined to hide from predators than to threaten them.

Leaving the shadows behind, the suns warmth washed over Eren 's skin and made his wings shimmer. Turquoise eyes scanned the open landscape as they emerged from the forest, a vast sea of wafting grass that stretched out to touch the sky. A high chirp caught his ear, followed by two slightly different ones as the night-fairies communicated. Eren contributed with a small chirp of his own, doing his best to mimic the frequency he 'd just heard. Levi tilted to look up at him, peeking over his wing with curious metallic eyes. Seeing no disapproval, Eren smiled with pride.

When they reached the meadow, Eren decided it was a good time to take a break. Perhaps the journey wouldn 't be as tiring if he stopped to rest his muscles. Eren made a gentle landing in the grass, the breeze he produced making nearby flowers wobble on their stems. The two alphas joined him on the ground, while Isabel began chasing a bumblebee, flying after the chubby insect as it buzzed about in the sky. A repetitive flapping noise drew Eren 's attention away from the acrobatics. Levi and Farlan were both beating their wings more often than usual, as if they were irritated by something.

A frown grew on Eren 's face as he walked over to Levi, ignoring the alphas puzzled expression. He reached out to stroke one of Levi 's wings, gently running his hand over the blackness as he glanced up at the dormant eyespots, the patches a dark shade of burgundy. It was warmer than usual, the skin feverishly hot. Eren felt the lean muscles twitch beneath his fingertips.

Levi raised an eyebrow at him, questioning the sudden examination.

'Are you feeling okay? ' Eren asked.

'Yes. '

'Are you sure? Your wings are really hot ' ' Eren retracted his hand, eyes flittering over the appendage as it waved in the air. 'I said I don 't want you to hurt yourself for me, remember? '

'I 'm fine. It 's just the dark colour absorbing sunlight. ' Levi hummed as he wings gave another flap, cooling them against the resisting wind. 'I feel more lethargic than usual, but that 's perfectly normal. '

'If you say so, ' Eren said as his eyes flicked over Levi 's face, the daylight brightening his snowy skin. 'You 're not going to get sunburnt or anything, right? '

'I doubt it. '

'Hah! ' Farlan cut in from where he 'd been listening, pointing a finger at Levi 's face. 'Bet you wish you had a hood now, aye? ' He pulled the material over his head, shading the smug grin on his face. 'Tough luck, your complexion is history. '

'Don 't be so dramatic, ' Levi monotoned, dismissing the blonde as his eyes going back to Eren. 'But we shouldn 't stay out in the open for longer than necessary. How much further is it? '

'We 're over half way, should be able to see my forest soon... ' Eren wrung his hands together as he regarded the daisy next to him, the white petals fanning out and tipped with the faintest splotch of purple.

Levi gave the flower a brief glance as he sniffed, picking up on the sour hint in the omegas scent. 'Is something wrong? '

'It 's nothing, ' Eren said, trying to avoid doubtful silver eyes. There was no telling how this introduction would go, the uncertainty made him restless, and not only for his mother 's reaction. Eren wasn 't sure if it was even okay to bring outsiders to the colony like this. But voicing his concerns wouldn 't do any good, Levi was already hesitant about going there. 'Yeah, we should get going. You might start to shrivel up like a raisin. '

'That 's not possible, ' Levi said, black wings giving a powerful flap that threatened to strip the daisy of its petals. 'And even if it was, I 'm strong enough to handle a bit of sunlight. '

'I know ' ' Eren stared at him, a little surprised by the behaviour. He hadn 't intended to imply that Levi was weak. In hindsight, Eren supposed he might 've gone a bit over the top with his questions. He 'd just need to trust that Levi knew what his body could tolerate.

A shrill giggle came from above, Isabel still chasing the bumblebee with sporadic movements. Farlan sighed as he glanced up, giving her a few more moments of joy before calling out. 'Break 's over, Is '. Ditch the bee. '

Isabel relented, and the traumatised insect wasted no time buzzing away to take shelter in a patch of buttercups.

The group took off with Eren in the front. While flying, the brunet considered the best way to go about this. A flock of night-fairies entering the colony was bound to draw attention, and he wouldn 't want anyone to get worried by their presence. Eren looked down as they passed over the stream. Its water level was lower due to the lack of rain the past few days, the bordering rocks a pale grey in their dried state. Eren wondered if the others were planning to stay overnight. He doubted Carla would want to share a nest with them, although the mental image was rather cute.

It was well in the afternoon by the time they reached the forest. The familiar smell of bark and sweet pollen put a fond smile on Eren 's face. Viridian wings flapped as he made a soft landing on a branch just outside the colony 's territory, his ears already picking up on the faint voices of the fairies that lived on the outskirts. Turquoise eyes looked towards the sounds, but he was unable to spot any of them at this distance.

Eren turned around and was startled by the three fairies standing behind him, having forgotten they were capable of landing silently when they felt the need to. Levi and Farlan 's eyespots were glowing, crimson red and sapphire blue. They must be feeling defensive from being in an unknown place, Eren assumed.

'Geez ' ' Isabel squinted ahead, her eyes also trying to locate the source of the voices. 'This place stinks. '

'That 's to be expected, ' Levi said. 'There are hundreds of fairies here, each with their own unique stench. '

'That many? ' Farlan 's nose scrunched up.

'Over a large area, ' Eren said with a shrug. 'It 's not like they 're all sitting in the same tree. There 's usually two or three in each hollow, sometimes four if there 's more than one child. '

Levi turned to look at Farlan, the blonde hovering right behind Isabel. 'It must be worse for you two. '

'Huh? Why 's that? ' Eren asked.

'Being bonded makes other fairies smell even shittier. '

Eren blinked over to the pair. His eyes drawn to a rough scar on the side of Farlan 's neck, the jagged skin slightly darker than the rest. It hadn 't caught his attention before now, although he hadn 't thought to look for it. Not all alphas took a mark, Eren had seen lots couples where only the omega bore one. Personal choice, really. 'Um ' right. ' Eren gathered his thoughts. 'I think we should go see the Commander first, that way he won 't freak out when someone tells him a bunch of strangers have entered the colony. '

'Commander? ' Isabel raised an eyebrow. 'Who 's that, then? '

'The Commander is ' our leader, ' Eren said. 'He, um ' decides how we use our resources if they 're limited, organises teams for specific tasks. And I guess if something bad happened, he 'd decide how to handle it. All the planning and serious stuff, you know. ' Eren tapped at the bark, not entirely sure what he was talking about. 'If an outsider wants to join the colony, they need the Commander 's approval. We might get in trouble if we don 't go see him first. '

'Alright. ' Levi peered off the edge of the branch, sniffing as his eyes shifted through the forest. 'Take us to meet your commander. '

Eren nodded before leaping out of the tree, the leaves erupting into a rustle from their collective take off. It wouldn 't take too long to reach Erwin 's home; the commanders hollow was in the middle of the colony where everyone could easily find him. Eren soon spotted the group fairies he 'd heard earlier, five of them on the forest floor collecting seeds, and gave them a timid wave. The majority of them simply stared, while one fairy dropped the grass basket she 'd been holding, the seeds scattering all over the grass. Eren frowned. He knew night-fairies looked a little different, but there was no need to be rude about it.

The grand tree became visible as they approached the centre of the colony, the trunk larger than the rest and covered in an excessive number of lanterns, the strings circling around the upper branches like constricting wire. The light-cases were the more extravagant kind, made of transparently thin leaves that were dyed various colours to give the appearance of stained glass. They weren 't lit at this time of the day. Eren doubted his new friends would even know what they were.

Eren touched down on the branch outside the hollow. The bark was chipped away from to reveal the wood beneath, an intricate pattern engraved into the surface. Several gemstone charms dangled from the top of the entrance, cool colours of blue and purple, sparkling as they caught the evening light that creeped through the canopy. Eren peeked inside, the hollow well-lit from the multiple windows carved out of the wooden walls. There was a pair of large royal-blue wings, their silver details glittering as Erwin turned towards him.

'Eren. It 's good to see you, ' Erwin said, a warm smile spreading over his face. 'I was told you left the colony on another adventure. How did it go? '

'Good, um ' that 's actually why I 'm here. ' Eren 's gestured towards the entrance, where Levi, Isabel and Farlan were busy inspecting the decorative charms.

Erwin 's eyes widened as they flicked between the newcomers. Two of them had black wings, a trait he hadn 't even known was possible, and the third pair were an unusually dark shade of green. The red-head looked back at him, and Erwin was somewhat alarmed by the blackness that surrounded her eyes. 'Yes ' I see. They are welcome to come inside. '

Eren 's wings fluttered happily as he glanced back, beckoning with his hand to invite them inside. Levi entered first and came to stand just behind Eren, while Isabel and Farlan opted to hang back a bit and take in the surroundings. Eren gave Levi a reassuring smile, although the alpha was too busy glaring at Erwin to take notice. 'Levi ' this is the commander of our colony, Erwin. '

Crystal blue eyes dragged over Levi 's wings. Erwin took a moment to inspect the large ovals on either side, the brilliant red creating a sharp contrast against the blackness. 'It 's a privilege to meet you, ' Erwin said, his gaze leaving the spots to meet metallic eyes. 'You 're a very strange looking fairy. '

Levi quirked an eyebrow as he regarded the Commander. His scent gave away the basic information; strong, assertive, alpha. Levi thought his wings were odd as well. They were a darker colour, he could tell, yet the silver highlights made them conspicuous to even him. 'So are you, ' Levi said.

'I 've heard all about you from Armin. A nocturnal subspecies, how interesting. Or are you an entirely different species that just so happens to be similar, like bees and wasps? '

Levi narrowed his eyes. 'I could ask you the same thing. '

Hearing the bite in Levi 's words, Eren decided to clarify the message. 'He doesn 't know anything about that. ' Eren wasn 't sure what was going on, but the sudden potency of the two alpha scents was making him anxious. It was as if they were trying to outdo each other. Was Levi challenging Erwin, or was it the other way around? Eren couldn 't tell.

'That 's a shame, I do enjoy a good story. ' A small smile pulled at Erwin 's lips as deep-blue wings flapping behind him. 'I don 't allow fairies join the colony straight away. There is a trial period, however long I find suitable, to ensure that newcomers are trustworthy and able to function in a large community such as ours. It 's for the safety of everyone, you understand. '

'We 're didn 't come here to join your fairy farm, ' Levi said.

'Well, then. ' Erwin made his back impossibly straighter. 'Please tell me the purpose of your visit. '

'My own self-interests. ' Levi tilted his head towards Isabel and Farlan. 'Those two are just curious. I doubt we 'll be staying long. '

Erwin took a moment to think, blinking slowly at the night-fairy. 'I am intrigued by what you mean, but ' I 'll allow it. ' Blue eyes flicked over to Eren for a second, then returned to Levi. 'Our colony is tight-knit and maintains a stable routine, it 's very effective. Do your best not to cause a disturbance, otherwise I 'll have to remove you. '

'Remove us? ' Levi said. The commander was implying that he could overpower them, trying to assert his dominance. It was probably what worked on the other alphas in the colony, but Levi wasn 't feeling so compliant. 'You don 't smell so tough. '

Eren squeaked in shock, he 'd never heard someone talk to the commander like that. 'Levi... ' He reached out to give Levi 's sleeve a gentle tug. They had already received permission, there was no need to stay any longer.

'And you smell oddly familiar, ' Erwin said.

Levi 's tilted his head, ignoring the persistent stretch of his shirt.

'That 's right, you must be the outsider who scent marked one of our newly presented omegas. I saw Eren before he had a chance to wash it off, you see. Although some of the stink remained even after his vigorous scrubbing. '

Eren felt his stomach drop. He hadn 't told Levi about that, and the way Erwin worded it left a lot to be misunderstood. Searching Levi 's face, Eren saw his jaw clench and lips tighten, the emotion vanishing just as quickly as it appeared. The need to explain clawed at Eren 's skin, but it would be better to wait until they were alone.

'You live around so many fairies, yet you still remembered my personal scent? I 'm flattered. ' Levi finally surrendered to the pull on his arm, giving Eren a fleeting look as he was ushered towards the exit.

'Thank you for your time, commander! ' Eren called over his shoulder as they left the hollow, Isabel and Farlan tagging along behind them. He was glad to be out of that situation, although the cause of the tension was unclear. Erwin could be acting with caution, or perhaps there was some sort of alpha-etiquette that Levi was unaware of.

Going outside ended up being even more unsettling. It seemed they had attracted a crowd, either by word of mouth or the competing scents. Groups of curious fairies congregated in the nearby branches, staring as they whispered among themselves. Eren 's wings twitched, unnerved to have so many eyes on him. The dull murmur of voices only made it worse.

'Woah, ' Farlan gaped at their brightly coloured audience. 'Look at them all. It 's a whole army of shiny fairies. '

Isabel shuffled closer to her mate. 'What 's happening? Are they gonna attack us? '

'They won 't, ' Eren said. That much he was sure of. His eyes flicked through the faces surrounding them, unable to spot anyone he knew well. 'They 're just curious ' we should go somewhere else, follow me. ' Eren pushed off the wood, flying over the rows of fairies to ascend higher into the canopy.

Eren reached a top-level branch, high enough for him to see out of the forest and into the faded distance. He blinked, sure that he could see the small stream cutting through the landscape. There usually wasn 't anyone else up so high, the sparse tree cover provided little shelter from predatory birds.

When the others joined him, Eren was relieved to see that no one else had attempted to follow. Isabel took the initiative and dragged Farlan away to appreciate the scenery, the pair promptly vanishing from sight.

Eren sucked on his cheek as he met Levi 's gaze, his words delayed by a lump in his throat. 'I 'm sorry about that ' I 've never seen Erwin be so rude, I have no idea why he 'd act that way. '

'He has no authority over us and it pisses him off. ' Levi looked down at the bark. 'I could 've been more polite, I suppose. '

Turquoise eyes shifted to watch the leaves dance in the wind, a gentle breeze that made the green blades quivering on their branches. It was silent for a while, long enough for Eren to know that Levi wasn 't going to say anything else. 'About what he said, though ' It 's not- '

'You don 't need to explain. ' Levi said. 'I, uh ' I shouldn 't have done that in the first place, I 'm not sure why I did. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I understand why you 'd want to wash it off. '

'I didn 't

want

to do that. I only did it because Armin freaked out about it, he smelt you before I could tell him what happened. I was worried everyone would make assumptions and hate you over nothing. '

Levi blinked back up to him, his mind zeroing in on a single thought. 'You liked it? '

Eren nodded as Levi came closer, eventually stopping in front of him. Feeling arm wrap around his back, Eren bowed his head the same as he had the last time. Levi press into his hair straight away, rubbing his neck over the strands with languid strokes. Eren smiled as the alpha became more committed to the task, the force against his head gradually increasing.

Levi let out a trill that trailed off into a content rumble, the stimulus on his neck making black wings twitch and curl forward. This would make other alphas think twice, but it wasn 't enough. It wasn 't enough to announce his claim on this omega.

Viridian wings fluttered at the purr emanating from Levi, enjoying how the deep sound vibrated against his own chest. Eren let out a hum as Levi 's chin start to nudge at him, the demand accompanied by a string of insistent coos, soft but adamant. Intrigued, Eren lifted his face to meet clouded silver eyes, and then his head was shoved aside. Eren tensed as Levi touched their necks together. He was quick to relax into it, sighing at the surprisingly enjoyable contact.

Levi held still for a few seconds before starting to bob his head in a slow rhythm, using firm strokes to repetitively rub their scent glands together. The sudden rush of hormones made Eren feel like he was melting. It was a tingle that spread through him to relax every one of his muscles, and he had to grab onto Levi 's shoulder to keep himself upright.

With the omega being so receptive, Levi lowered them both down to crouch on the branch. He positioned Eren between his knees to find a better angle, cooing assurances as he started to mark the omega with vigorous movements. Their necks became wet, the slick oils reducing the drag of skin, resulting in a smooth glide. Levi could smell it. The fragrance of sweetened wine they were creating together, a scent that made him salivate. 'Eren, ' Levi said, slightly breathless, and applied more pressure to make up for the loss of friction. 'Feels good ' '

Eren agreed with a soft mewl as his head lolled back further, encouraging Levi to continue. It did feel good. The rough massage sent sparks of bliss through his body, somehow both relaxing and exhilarating.

He heard Levi sigh and mutter something to himself, the words quiet and indecipherable, and then Eren 's skin was left cold as the alpha pulled away to separate them. Confused, Eren watched him stand up, the faint sheen on the side of Levi 's neck glistening in the sun.

Levi stood there as turquoise eyes blinked up at him, wide and owlish. There was nothing wrong about what they 'd done, it would simply inform others of their courtship. Levi was satisfied knowing that his scent would cling to the omega for a while, but he probably should 've refrained until after he 'd met Eren 's mother.