A/N: This fic is actually intended to be published last June 18, Day 4 of the RivaMika Week on Tumblr. To be honest, I didn't really expect it to be this long and I decided to make it a twoshot instead of a oneshot because of the word content. This will only have two chapters, as I have limited the words to more than 16k but less than 16,500. And also, this is purely fictional, inspired by the movie Constantine.
I would just like to thank my bby, Susu for supporting me and beta reading this work. c: Rated M for language.

Also, the image used for the cover of this fic is from Yuna-chan and I had her permission long ago to borrow her beautiful fanart.

RivaMika.

I hope you like it.

Where am I?

Darkness. It's all that Levi can see when he opens his eyes. Trying to remember where he was and what he was doing before he woke up in the abyss of darkness, he brought his hands to his head, closing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth.

"Levi."

A voice came from nowhere, startling him as he desperately looked at everywhere to find the source despite the darkness.

"Levi. Don't be afraid."

"Who are you?" Levi asked, as he hated his own shaky voice.

"I'm the guardian from the heavens, and you just died, Levi."

Died? And at that, everything just came back into his mind; the old factory. The place full of nothing but junks as he took a cigarette and lit it up, sitting on one of the wooden boxes that was full of dust awhile ago — he cleaned it with a dirty rug he found on the floor, cursing at the same time — while he waits for time to pass by.

He was bored and angry; he demanded living another life up in the heavens as he brought the cigarette that he held between his fore and middle finger to his dry lips. He didn't had any permanent job - no, it wasn't his fault and he was never fired, but instead, he chooses to quit after some time and finds another one — because he wanted to try almost anything, wanting to see if it will give him contentment. He lived alone in his dull apartment and didn't really like inviting friends to come over and have fun - he never really had permanent friends, keeping only at least less than ten who he really trusted. Indeed, he had many acquaintances — or rather, connections — to different kinds of bars and clubs where he could have fun, but he knew that none of them will stay enough to handle the real him. He tried different kinds of whatever back in his teenage days, so he really had a lot of experience that he put to use in order to live, at the same time, looking for something he could meddle with. Having experienced a lot, he still couldn't find something fun and unordinary. Taking a challenge is what he likes to do, since he finds them entertaining enough, adding spices to his rather, uninteresting life. As he thought about what would happen if he did this and that instead of just choosing "this" path, he heard something from outside.

Levi finished his cigarette — throwing the object to the ground and stepping on it - as he stood up, ready to take his leave. As he walked towards the exit, he saw a guy that he knew all too well — and he wasn't alone, he was with a lot of people, probably his gang - making Levi stop on his tracks, making him suddenly nervous. He was slowly surrounded, as the man who stood tall in front of him adjusted his hat to get a clearer view.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here," the man spoke, sarcasm masking his irritated voice as he flashes a fake smile. "Levi. Long time no see."

Levi kept his guard up, alerting all his nerves, preparing for anything that might happen. The people surrounding him slowly took out their weapons; guns, bats - anything used to hurt someone - and hey, did he just saw a taser? "Kenny," he said in a cool voice, meeting with his glare.

"I don't want to keep this long, Levi," the man in front of him spat, sighing heavily. "You haven't paid your debt yet," he said in a hard tone, hissing through his teeth. "You know I don't do waiting for a long time."

It was something that Levi had regretted after a long while, the temporary fun and excitement betraying him. He flinched, hating himself that he got too drunk and high to bet more than he could handle with this man a few months back - he was another reason why he moved from city to city thrice. Levi thought that he could pay for it, losing himself on the fun that gave him euphoria from the card game he had with Kenny. It was another challenge that he took, and it seems that the odds weren't in his favor during those times. Well, it was on his side for a few games but completely left him hanging in the air after awhile.

Kenny was bad news to him, and now he's here in front of him to collect his money, - shit, he never really reached that amount of money and he thought of paying that debt was easy to escape from like the others — bringing his whole gang to prevent Levi from escaping again.

"Oh, wait up. You never really had the ability to pay for it, huh, Levi? I knew I shouldn't have risked it for you, but no, you were fun to play with," Kenny took a few strides, clasping his hands behind his back. "And plus," he took something out of his pocket, "I needed an excuse to do satisfy my need for violence."

"Still the sadistic old man, Kenny? Looks like you haven't found a new bitch to fuck just yet. Then, I remembered, there are a lot of gold-digging whores," he managed to say despite the lump rising from his throat; he knew that he has no escape, but he wasn't going to give up without a brawl.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Kenny kept his hand on the pocket from his black jacket, the other one scratching his chin. "Levi. I won't make this long for the both of us. Do you have any last words?" He smiled wickedly then, flashing his yellowish teeth.

"Fuck you," Levi spat from the side, glaring at everyone as he took a deep breath.

"Good bye, Levi." And at that, Kenny gave the go signal.

After of what seems like an eternity of fighting, — taking and giving pain — Levi dropped on all four, panting and gasping for air as blood dripped from his forehead, nose, mouth and some parts of his arms and legs — he didn't see that some of them possessed a katana, which he finds ridiculous — making him weak. There are still a lot of them remaining, and by then, he knew that it was his end. He didn't have enough energy to speak as they tied his hands from his back, the rope tight on his skin. Breathing was difficult already — he knows he may have broken ribs, both of his mouth and nose are bleeding from the onslaught — so he wasn't able to do anything but lift his head to look at Kenny, who was now an inch or two away from him. The other man grabbed his jaw before sinking into one knee, faking a worried and sorry expression from his aged face.

"Levi," he began, "I should have offered you to work for me instead. But nope, you ran away from me, and that made me angry."

"Tch. My answer would be no," he replied in shaky voice, whispering the last sentence.

"Is working for me shitty? Well, here's my last words for you, shorty: So long. And I hope you find a good woman in hell." Kenny took out the gun from his pocket, placing the end on his chest, right to his heart.

The last thing that he saw was Kenny's big smile, as if contented that he finally brought an end to his boring life. After that, he woke up from the dark abyss, making it pointless to even open his eyes to look for light. But he had hoped, deep in his heart that he could find light in this empty space.

Levi cursed under his breath, clenching his hands into a fist. He regretted everything with Kenny, hating how he pushed himself to his own destruction. There was no escape in this place, and he was actually — yes, it's been awhile since he felt this way — afraid.

"So, is this hell?"

"No. Not yet," the voice replied, sounding certain. "But you soon will see hell, if you don't want to go to heaven."

Heaven? He never was a religious person to begin with, and heaven was something that he would snicker about. When he was younger, he believed in heaven and he yearned to reach it, understanding that the world he is living in is already hell. But as time went by, his dream was left at that - a dream. Right now, that old dream that had hidden itself from the bottom of his heart crept its way up, topping everything, including his fear. He wanted to go and see heaven; he wanted to stay in that paradise. Living in the cruel world which he called hell is not very pleasant, and he was sick and tired of it already.

"I-" Levi stuttered, unsure of what to say. He wrestled with his jiggled mind, struggling for the right words to say. He was afraid that if he says something wrong, he'll be thrown away into somewhere he doesn't want to be. "I want to go to heaven," was all that he could manage, swallowing as he finished the sentence.

"Then I have a job for you," the solemn voice replied. Levi couldn't really tell if the voice was pleased or not. "You will return to earth and live another life. You must find this person who wants to commit suicide; find them and change their mind before it's too late."

Hearing the job that he has to do, Levi thought that it was a stupid thing to end your own life. He felt like he's not fit to do the job since interacting with other people is like a chore he has to finish. But he didn't have any other choice to go to heaven now, did he?

"How will I know it's them?" Levi asked.

"When you see them, you will know. That person is famous in earth after all."

The voice was already giving him a hint; if they are famous, he will most probably look for public servants, models and whatever occupation that exposes them to the public eye. Maybe he can finish this job.

"Alright," the short man said. He has already decided.

"However," at that word, Levi felt a chill run down his spine. "You only have a time limit. Not only that, but because you're a heavy smoker, you will walk on earth with crappy lungs. You only have four weeks, Levi."

"If you succeed, I can accept you in heaven. If not, I'm sorry."

Having an empty mind isn't something that happens to Levi. There's always something going on his head. This time, it's different and he can't process anything right now.

"Go, Levi. You will wake up in the same city she is in. Finding her is easy, but earning her trust and convincing her is hard. Bless you."

Levi abruptly snapped open his eyes, feeling the sweat that formed on his forehead. He blinked twice, thrice, taking in his surroundings. It looks like he woke up in an apartment, and from how he feels as his eyes lingered on every corner of the place, he feels home. He stood up slowly, as his gaze dropped on the closed window and the view outside. Buildings and large electricity posts can be seen just from outside, grey clouds covering the sky. He could hear the faint sound of the engine from the cars that passed by.

After a few minutes of familiarizing himself with his small — but surprisingly and thankfully clean, and that made him smile to himself — apartment, he went to the kitchen to inspect if he was lucky enough to have food. A frown formed from his lips as soon as he opened his fridge, finding nothing but an empty water bottle. Maybe it was too much if the guardian gave him food. Sighing, he took the empty water bottle with his left and closed the door with his right. He filled it with water using the faucet of the kitchen sink, drinking large amounts before filling it again, opening the refrigerator door and closing it. When he closed, he was surprised to see a note taped into the door: "Go get a job and make use of that second life."

With that, Levi gave a sigh before feeling his lips quirk up in a smile. What a challenge.

~x~x~x~

Levi got a job as a bartender at a bar not far from where he lives. The money is enough for his expenses alone and he still smoked despite the warning that he has lung cancer. He doesn't feel any different than from his past, and he was still addicted to it after all. The bar where he works is a good place to stay, he had to admit. It wasn't all too shabby either.

And for tonight — after three days when he came back to Earth — he was glad that he was working, because he finally saw that person who he has to save. And really, it didn't surprise him that much to know that she was indeed, famous, but he was surprised to see how beautiful this lost soul is in person. She was on their stage, sitting on a small bar stool as she held the mic stand and the microphone itself with her delicate looking hands. Golden lights shine on her hair, reflecting a raven color from them. Her eyes, they hide something from the world that only she knows, and if one isn't observant enough, they wouldn't know how much pain she was hiding from them. She was wearing a simple, v-neck orange sweater with two red stripes decorated from the chest and her breasts, dark blue skinny jeans, dark grey rubber shoes and thin bracelet hanging on her left wrist as an accessory. She wore a brown jacket when she arrived, removing them only when the crowd begged and ushered her to sing even just one song for them. In fact, the crowd seemed like they didn't mind that she was there.

After finishing two songs, — the crowd cheered and picked a choice for the first song, the second one was her decision — the girl stood up, grabbing the mic as she did. "People, please don't go telling your friends that I'm here. Please. I'm just trying to have a good time and this bar seems like the place I could escape to. Thank you," she smiled, but her voice was near from pleading than just asking a favor. She bowed when the audience clapped and agreed, smiling more as she returned the mic from its place and made her way towards the place where Levi was.

She sat in front of Levi after retrieving her jacket, placing it on her lap as she eyed him. Their eyes met, and from there, he knew. He had a strong feeling as soon as he stepped inside for his shift and that feeling is now stronger when she stepped in. He could feel his heart twist in a gentle way and he had to compose himself.

"What could I get you, Miss?" he asked casually.

"Gin and tonic, please," she replied, her smile now gone as she did.

He went to get her drink, thinking what kind of approach he will use to get her to talking. This isn't really easy for him, since he felt like he should be talking to her a lot and he had to endure it all. But remembering his purpose had him going anyway. He returned and placed the gin in front of her, watching her take a large swing. She really does seem unhappy.

"I don't mean to poke into your life, but why do I feel like you're not just sad?"

The question caught her of guard. She used her talent when it comes to acting in front of a lot of people, even when she asked them a favor before stepping down from the stage. She was convinced that she sounded cheerful enough but how come this guy wasn't? Was it only her who was convinced that she was happy on the outside? Or maybe because she chose a gloomy song back on stage?

"What do you mean?" She was curious now, raising her barriers more.

"If I tell you, you may find me creepy and maybe you'll leave on the spot. And that isn't a good thing for me since my manager is here tonight," he replied in monotone voice, making it hard for her to figure out if he was messing with her or not.

But she is curious, so she pressed him more, telling him that she has no intention of leaving quickly. She licked her lips as she studied his face and structure, noticing his short height.

"I can see it in your eyes," he said simply, looking at her directly in the eye to let her know that he was telling the truth. "They hold a lot of secrets but they look like they won't hold on much long." And for the record, she felt him being sincere with his words.

She continued to stare at him as she drank her gin again, trying to think if she was being played with this guy or not. A lot of men wanted her attention and she never really thought about returning their admiration for her. The reason why she went into this small bar is because she was trying to escape from the reality of her own world. Having that argument with her manager, that misunderstanding with Eren and a lot of appointments really pushed her off the edge. So she took her credit card and a few cash, tucking them in her pockets, and bringing the hood to her face as she set off to walk. She didn't really know where she was going either; she just wanted to get out of the pressure, even just for one night. She tried hard not to cry, biting back her lower lip as she tried and calm herself.

Seeing this bar was a good choice after all, because even though she still sang in front of the audience, the ambience of the bar was relaxing her brain. Well, not entirely but even just a tiny bit is enough. She didn't seem to mind trying out new things for tonight. This man in front of her, the one who served her gin, lit something up from deep in her. Yes, he was a complete stranger but there's something in him that she finds interesting. And for some reason she couldn't put a finger on, she wanted to have a normal conversation with this stranger too.

"Are you one of my fans?" She scoffed, making it sound like a joke. "Or maybe a stalker?"

"Tch. You wish," he rolled his eyes at that, adding, "I was never one of your fans nor did I listen to your genre."

At that, Mikasa felt a sudden bubble of irritation inside her. But she slapped it back inside her, letting her mind control everything as long as it still can. And besides, she knew that not everyone liked her, that includes him. It's alright if he didn't like the genre of the music she sings, as long as he doesn't hate her, right?

"But," Levi interrupted her thoughts, "I do admit that I like your voice. The way you sang the lyrics, it feels like you're coating each word with honey. " There's something in his voice that made her blush at his compliment. Yes, there have been countless compliments she heard from different people, and they were indeed pleasing, but this one made her feel… special.

Who is this stranger that he just bought gin and tonic from? She'll have to ask for his name later before she leaves – and she will make sure to memorize it. "T-thank you." Why did she stutter? She wished she brought her scarf with her, but she just wanted out of her condo unit after that yelling and shit from Rico.

"Can I get you another drink?"

"Yes, please." She pushed her glass to him as he reached out to take it from her, their fingers brushing against each other and she softly gasped as she felt something foreign run through her veins. She peeked up on him from her lashes as he fixed her drink once again, feeling a little bit shy.

Levi slid her glass in front of her, her hands catching it. "Is it legal to talk to you for the whole night?" She asked him, smirking as she did so. "If not, maybe I can hire you from your manager."

Levi chuckled at that, making her smirk turn into a full grin. "It's alright, and don't make it sound like its some business talking to you. Do I have to sign a fucking NDA contract?" It was his turn to joke around.

"Maybe." She shrugged, taking a drink.

"Spill the beans, woman." Seeing her drinking gin again got him an idea. If only he could be sociable and comforting enough, he could make her drink more alcohol. Maybe she's one of those women that talk a lot when drunk.

"Alright then."

The evening at the bar turned to be alright for the both of them. Mikasa, for the first time, spilled almost everything to this complete stranger she felt comfortable with in just a few hours. He kept on refilling her drink, making her world spin slightly. Despite the faint throb she was feeling on her head, she had to admit that she enjoyed the company of this man. Yes, it was probably wrong to trust a complete stranger so suddenly, but she was giving way for her emotions, feeling a little bit relieved after storing them inside her for a long time. She checked the time on that clock that was just above the shelves where different cocktails are kept; its two fifty-one in the morning. There aren't really much people now; in fact, as she looked around, she noticed that it's just her left inside.

"Oh, I didn't notice the time," she told him, her eyelids suddenly feeling heavy.

"I didn't either. The bar closes at three. Should I call you a cab?" He asked her, suddenly feeling worried and at the same time, annoyed. She didn't mention about she was thinking of killing herself, but at least he knows what she's been through. Mostly, it's just about her career and manager, but not totally her personal life.

"No. I don't wanna go back home," she slurred on the words, an evidence that she was drunk and that she needed help with walking.

"Where will you stay?"

"Anywhere but home. Can I stay at your place?" She stood up, her hands gripping the ends of the counter.

Mikasa suddenly felt that everything was tilting so she sat back from her seat again, muttering a curse under her breath.

"Stay there, I'll get you some water." Getting her drunk was the idea but getting her too drunk is not necessary, and now he has to babysit her. Great.

At four-eleven, they were in his apartment. As they walked from the bar to Levi's place, he had an arm around her waist to help her walk since she refused to be carried. They both knew that Mikasa would most probably throw up if it weren't for the slow walk they had on the quiet, deserted, cold streets.

"So this is your place," she commented, taking a look at her surroundings. "It's clean."

"I don't like dirty." He scooped her up and he was glad that she didn't protest, being cooperative enough by slinging her arms around his neck as he walked her to his bedroom.

"You're strong for your height," she giggled and he rolled his eyes, thanking the darkness for hiding their faces.

He dropped her to his bed, kneeling down on a knee as he took off her shoes in swift moves. "You don't like dirty, eh? Too bad I'm a filthy girl." Mikasa said playfully, her words soft and seductive ad she tilted her head to the side, flashing him a grin. And damn, Levi felt his cock twitch. She was drunk for fuck's sake, and it was his fault. Tolerating drunk people wasn't one of his to do list when he was living in his previous life but this girl right here, lying on his bed, seem to add it to his list. He stood up and he can hear her peaceful breathing, taking it that she was fast asleep.

He looked for his cigarette and lit it up, puffing smoke from his living room. Thinking about the things that he shared with her, he somehow got the idea why deep inside, she wants to take her own life. During their conversation, he just let her talk, encouraged her to cry for a while and then pulling her back from breaking. Despite the fame and riches, the success and wealth, Mikasa Ackerman was an unhappy little girl. She lacked love and affection, of acceptance and rest. She finds her life with no meaning, just like he did before dying. Her story is a little bit much common, but she was his hope to heaven anyway. He had to admit, that he found himself comfortable talking to her, making him listen with eagerness and interest at the same time. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.

Levi coughed loudly, his cigarette dropping to the glass coffee table in front of him as he stood up and ran into the kitchen sink, spitting. He wasn't really shocked when he saw blood — he was already warned — so after coughing more, he rinsed the blood from his sink. He went back to his bedroom to check on Mikasa — he crushed the end of his cigarette before walking to his room — finding the bathroom door open. He can hear her puking, and he let out a sigh because he knows that it will be another extra chore for him.

He went inside the bathroom, finding her gripping the sides of the toilet bowl as she spit for one last time. Levi helped her with reaching for the water and had her mouth cleaned. He pulled her to the chair he placed on the side of the sink, making her sit.

"Take off your clothes," he said. He saw that her eyes are closed and she looks beat. He had to repeat it again and he shook her shoulder to wake her up. Mikasa managed to remove her sweatshirt but it's all that she could manage. "You take them off," she mumbled.

There was no helping it. Levi had to undress her himself — and he did. She didn't seem to mind because she was really sleepy and didn't care about the world. It was indeed a mistake to getting her too drunk. Levi carried her to bed again, pulled one of his shirt that hanged from his closet and bunched it into her head as she helped herself with her arms. She was on his bed with his shirt and her panties, arms stretched out and her long, slender legs slightly open. She was a view that he had to keep himself away from, but not after lingering his eyes to the figure that he has on his bed.

Mustering up all of his self-control, he went back to his bathroom to clean up and the mess and washed her clothes.

~x~x~x~

"Ah, you're awake. And why—"

"Shit. Am I still a virgin?"

He stopped walking immediately as soon as he heard the question. Levi studied her quickly, her flushed face catching his attention. There isn't really much to see since she was covering her whole body with the white blanket up to her neck as she was in a sitting position, except for her beautiful morning face and her unruly hair. He had to swallow in order to speak.

"You're still a virgin?" He sounded surprised.

They looked at each other for a minute before Mikasa brought her hands up to her face. She had just blurted out something that she shouldn't have and now he knows. Will he laugh at her? She prayed that it will be just between them.

"Just get up and eat. I cooked you some bacon and eggs," Levi said, turning his back to her as he exited his bedroom, closing the door behind him. As soon as he was out, Mikasa sank back to his bed, bringing the covers up to her head. But hiding wasn't her option and it isn't such a good idea. She remembers about last night and she had fun with it, but now she was scolding herself for her irresponsible behavior. She had trusted a stranger she just met last night on a bar! Mikasa couldn't help but think if he was really a bad guy or a good guy. She threw the covers, sitting up abruptly but stopped from her musing when she saw a glass of water and two Advils on the night stand. Seeing them actually told her that he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

She desperately searched the room for her jeans and shirt but she couldn't find them so she had to present herself with a t-shirt and panties. It was embarrassing for her indeed, but she had no other choice and despite the fact that she was shy, she didn't feel scared. So Mikasa opened the bedroom door, stepped outside and walked towards the table where food was served. He was sitting on the end, drinking his tea – on a late morning and early lunch meal — but stopped when he saw her. His eyes darting from her head to her toe, slowly traveling down and she felt exposed. She walked towards the table and sat beside him, busying herself with the food in front of her, ignoring the heat that crept from her cheeks.

"Your clothes are over there," Levi sideeyed the sofa from his right. Her head followed. "I had to clean them since they got dirty when you threw up."

"Oh." When I threw up. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Silence followed, but both of them were stealing glances for the other, giving smiles whenever they get caught. The silence wasn't completely unwelcomed, and in fact, it brought them peace.

"Hey. Uhm—" Mikasa started, staring down at her plate with a bread and two bacons. "I haven't really asked for your name yet."

"No, you haven't."

"So should I call you 'shorty' then? She snapped, sounding sarcastic.

"What the fuck, woman? It's Levi." He glared at her, tapping his fingers on the table.

"Okay, Levi. After I get dressed, I'll have to leave," she sounded hesitant but he didn't say anything, just a nod from his head.

"Just finish your food," he added, licking his lips and wiping his mouth with a tissue that was placed on the table.

"Levi." Mikasa tested the word with her mouth, liking the way her tongue touched the back of her front teeth as she pronounced first syllable and the way that her bottom lip brushed against her incisor as the last syllable followed.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just like your name." Picking up her tea set in front of her, she smiled but never looked at him.

He snorted at that, rewarding himself a giggle from the girl he is with. Instead of frowning because of a childish — and rather, selfish — remark, he almost smiled to himself. He had to admit though; it was a lovely sound that echoed his apartment. He wouldn't mind taking one again. And he was surprised, to actually catch himself hoping that she would visit the bar soon for more pleasing surprises.

~x~x~x~

"Mikasa!" A familiar voice called to her.

"Christa?" Mikasa smiled at the sight of her friend. It lightened her mood to know that it won't be just her and Rico attending the meeting for the next movie project. Eren's there with them as well, but they weren't really talking.

"Heeey," Christa hugged her, blonde locks brushing her shoulders. "If I'm going to work with you again, this could be more fun."

"Yeah, it will be."

The little blonde girl took a seat beside her, looking really beautiful. "I heard you went somewhere Rico didn't know. And that argument, heck, what happened? Are you and Eren okay?"

The raven haired girl sighed and rolled her eyes as she spoke, "Oh, who told you? Is it Jean?"

"Yes. And you know news about you flies freely."

"Well," she started. "It's about Eren. He hasn't proposed to me yet, Christa. You know it'll almost be two years. I can tell that he doesn't really want to." She shrugged, her face falling.

"I told you that you should have really thought about it when you two started dating," Christa told her friend, her eyebrows furrowing. "Because I can tell that he was only forced."

Mikasa flinched. Forced? She wanted to snort at the thought. But deep inside, she has already proven this to herself.

"And," Christa added, "I can really tell he digs Annie." She grabbed Mikasa's shoulder with both of her hands as she stated her opinion, meeting her eyes. "Mikasa, move on."

"But I love him."

"Rethink it. Think about it hard," she glanced over to Eren's direction, who was busy talking to Armin. "I don't mean to hurt you, and I know that this is an inappropriate place to say this, but don't you think he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Okay, is everyone here?" An old man with a bald head spoke, clearing his throat and scanned the area. It's Director Keith Shadis.

"We'll talk later." Mikasa whispered to Christa, squeezing her hand.

Director Shadis checked if everybody were present, giving a nod when they all were. He explained the movie that they were going to film, nodding to Mikasa and Eren as he acknowledged their relationship. He explained that they could say no if they don't want to be a part of the movie. As the director explained, Mikasa was stealing glances from Eren to Annie. They were sitting together; Annie's attention was glued to the director but Eren didn't seem like he was completely listening.

"And then, if they would agree to work with this, I would like to request that Mikasa and Eren sing together for a scene," the director said.

"It's alright, " Mikasa said, looking at Eren like the others as if they were all waiting for his reply.

"Can't I do it with someone else?" Eren smiled, but he was nervous. Mikasa wanted to flinch but she felt Christa's hand over hers, squeezing them slightly.

"Who?"

"Annie," he said, glancing at her from his side, smiling as he did.

And that was enough to make Mikasa mad. She had to hide it though, because all eyes are turned to her now and if she shows them her mood now, they would think that she's a selfish little girl. Yes, she's being selfish but she had a valid reason, right?

"It's alright," she declared, shrugging off her stress and smiled, putting on her casual mask that she always used.

The meeting ended at lunchtime, and they settled that Eren wouldn't be the leading actor. Rico talked to her about her next schedule for today, scolding her for a minute. It has already been three days since her stay with Levi's apartment and it didn't really fade with Rico. The smaller woman told her that she better not run away again because it will definitely ruin her career. Just to make her manager shut up, Mikasa informed her about the lunch date she'll be having with Christa — she pulled her close to emphasize that her date is here – and they'll be back after an hour or so. Rico, giving Christa a smile, nodded to Mikasa and sternly reminded her to give a call.

The two singers picked a restaurant near the studio, already making their order. They sat opposite to each other, telling each other stories. Since Christa was really interested where she was days ago, Mikasa let out a sigh and smiled weakly, as if giving her an apology.

"Escaping the world isn't so bad, once in awhile though," Christa shrugged. "But where on earth have you run off to?"

Remembering where, she smirked. "To a bar I haven't even been. And really, I think it was the best thing I've done in ages," she said, resting her arms on the table.

A light slap on the arm got her attention. "Well, c'mon. Share!" The blonde is grinning now, showing a set of perfect white teeth and her eyes shining.

The familiar look on her friend's face got Mikasa. She was actually reluctant to tell her about the bar, Levi, the talk, the apartment, the throwing up, the waking-up-in-a-different-shirt — she blushed at that — and the morning talk. But upon seeing her friend's familiar face, the way her face shone with natural concern, all her doubts went flying away. She could really trust Christa. "Fine, fine," she chuckled. "You see, I went to this bar that I haven't been to before—"

"Yeah, you told me," Christa interrupted, rolling her eyes and winking at her.

Mikasa gave a soft scoff as she said, "interrupt me again and I won't tell you." Their order came up, and they both sipped through their drinks first.

Mikasa had given a summary of what happened that one, fateful night. It left Christa with widened eyes and a gaping mouth. She actually got that reaction ever since the talk about Levi. And speaking of Levi, she glanced over her drink, thinking that she should have just ordered hot tea instead of a cappuccino. The tea, the breakfast with this man and his—

"Is he a hottie?"

She blushed and gulped.

"Yep, figured he is."

"Christa!"

"I vote for him rather than staying with Eren, to be honest."

"Christa."

"Mikasa, what plans do you have for this evening? I think you should visit the bar again."

"You think?"

"Yes. And maybe tell him about you relationship with Eren right now, and see how he'll react or give advice or whatever."

Well, he is a good listener, Mikasa thought. And yes, he did listen to her babbling, choosing the right moments when to say something comforting or his opinion. Thinking about spending the night with him again brought a warm feeling to Mikasa, a promise that she consciously looked forward to see. "I will."

~x~x~x~

Mikasa was wearing a cap and the hood from her jacket was pulled up to her head as she slipped into the crowd, making way to that empty bar stool she occupied nights ago. As she slid into a bar stool, she caught Levi's eyes and smiled to him, taking off her hood and the hat. After giving another customer's order, the short man leaned in to her and she smelled his pleasing scent that got her wondering if he ever wore a cologne or perfume for that matter.

"Look who's here," his familiar, natural monotone voice brought her to her reverie.

"Hi."

"Hi yourself. Still getting a gin and tonic or you'd rather go for a new one?"

"Margarita, please." And at that, Levi set to work on her drink, Mikasa watching him and finds herself admiring every move he makes. The noises from people talking are set to background, fading away slightly in her ears as he turned around and met her eyes.

"So, what brings you here tonight?" Levi asked, placing her drink in front of her.

"The same reason I had a few nights back," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders as her hand scooped her margarita, bringing it to her mouth.

"You seem to like this place to escape."

"Well, that and I was going to propose something to you."

"Oh?"

"You'll be my diary."

"Diary..."

"Yes."

"Don't tell me you'll write down your crush's name on me, please. That's disgusting," he flinched. And she had to laugh.

"No, silly. It's like, I'll be telling you everything from now on."

"Why is that? You know, you shouldn't trust a complete stranger." As soon as the words left Levi's mouth, he regretted it. She was offering him a great chance in order to be more close with her, and this was the best way to stop her from killing herself in the end. But then, he was worried for her, worried that she might fight strangers okay and might trust them a little too soon. He hoped, deep inside him, that he's the only stranger whom she trusted in little time's due.

"I know," she said, her head bowed down. "But there's something about you that I find myself being drawn into." And it's the truth. Instead of keeping everything to herself, she found comfort in this man and she wanted it more.

"Oh?" Levi was surprised, his eyebrows shooting up for a split second. "I presume that the reason you're here now is to make your first entry." He smiled inwardly, thinking about how his mission is playing out for him in a rather, easy way. He just had to gain her trust before he could finally reach into her. Upon saying the last sentence, he saw her blush and shift in her seat uncomfortably.

"Yes. And I hope you're not too busy."

"No, not really. If you don't mind me taking orders from other customers, that is." He wished that his manager wouldn't mind, since he was doing his job as a bartender anyway.

Instead of keeping some details hidden with her relationship with Eren, Mikasa found her heart talking instead of her mind when it comes to Levi. Eren and Mikasa started dating when she was rumored to be pregnant with another man, leaving a bad impression on most of the people for a lot of them were looking up to her, and those were the times that she cared. Eren saved her from it, saying that he's her boyfriend and got mad when they accused her of sleeping with another man. It was really sweet of Eren, and she liked him secretly anyway. It was like a dream come true when he became her boyfriend for real, and she treasured that. Thinking about Christa's advice, she had thought about the past two years hard. Has Eren really been into her? Or he was just being nice to her all this time but has feelings for Annie? It was something that she wanted to discuss with a man that won her over in one night, thinking of what opinion he'll give her.

"Have you ever thought about your feelings for him and vice versa?"

"Uhm..." She had to think about that.

"Maybe you focused too much on yourself. You gave too much and he might have felt that it's as if he's indebted to you," he said as he poured on a vodka for the other customer two bar stool beside her, eyeing her when he noticed that it's the famous Mikasa Ackerman. He even slipped into her and asked for an autograph.

"Having you here kind of brought popularity in this place, you know," Levi said, being side-tracked.

"I guess I should be here more often," she grinned as she scanned the whole area. There were people who noticed her presence, smiling widely when she looked at them.

"It'll keep me busy too, but it's alright. Now, when you get out of here, I want you to think about staying with the man who is physically with you, yes, but his heart and attention to someone else. To be honest, it's greater if you break up with him now rather than embarrassing yourself when he's caught on camera that he's with someone else," he said as he took her glass, refilling it with another. "It will give you more heartaches. Not only that, another ugly image," he finished.

She was staring at him, her eyebrows furrowed but her eyes say that she was pulled from the darkness, as if hearing the words she was expecting. And it looks like she was staring for a long time — Levi was also staring back at her — because she saw the bartender cocked an eyebrow, shifting from where he was standing. "What?"

"Nothing," she murmured as she downed another sip of margarita. "Thank you."

"You're not regretting the fact that you told me that, right? Because I'm a frank person."

"Then maybe you're the one I need."

Need? Levi tested the word in his mind, trying to grab all the information that his mind makes. "They sugarcoat words?"

"Most of the time. They're gentle, maybe sometimes except Rico. But when she's mad, hell, we get into an argument."

"Why don't you just fire her?"

"She's my mom's friend. She's skilled, but sometimes..."

"She gets suffocating," he finishes out for her.

"Yes. And I don't have parents anymore so I only got her and Christa Lenz, my friend. If you don't know her, she's also a singer and an actress," she finished her drink, shaking her head when he tried to take it from her. "No, I don't wanna throw up again."

She winked at him, grabbing her wallet as she paid for her drink. "Keep the change."

The girl placed her cap back on, her hood following. Levi eyed her as she walk, watching how her hips swayed from side to said, saying goodbye's to the people who bid her good night until the door closed behind her. His hands reached for the money, his eyes catching a white piece of paper lying on top of the cash. He smirked, as he his hands took the papers, taking the white one to the pocket of his jeans.

She likes me already.

~x~x~x~

The apartment was dark as soon as he stepped in at 3.45 am in the morning, hearing his own footsteps as he tossed his keys to the table, went to the sofa and sank on it. As if it wasn't enough, he lay on top of it, relaxing and resting his muscles. He rested his eyes for a minute or two before taking the piece of white paper from his jeans, examining the content. As everybody would have probably guessed — and they guessed it right — it's her personal number. He has to get up and buy a cheap phone later if he wants to contact her and spend time earning her trust. Earning someone's trust is the best way to probably convince them into doing or not doing something, and he was planning something to get her.

Just as he closed his eyes to think of a plan, he heard a noise from just beside him. Startled of what it could be, he glanced at the side, which made him jump to his seat. On his glass table there sat a woman with a white gown, her back to him. He didn't believe in ghosts but if he's seeing one right now, he would pray for his life there and then. Levi tried to stay and look calm, and he did. He swallowed, wetting his dry throat but his veins betraying him, refusing not to shake.

"Don't be like that," the white figure gave a chuckle, shoulders bouncing up and down. She turned to look at him, and there he noticed that there's something about her that's holy. "I'm Hanji, a messenger sent from the heavens."

Levi gave out a soft sigh, but he couldn't bring himself to sit on the sofa anymore. "What do you want?"

"Levi. We're seeing what you're doing, and this isn't right," Hanji spoke, her face shifting from playful to serious. "You were sent here to save a life. But you're doing it for a selfish reason."

The angel stood up, and Levi could swear that he caught a glimpse of her white wings, but they disappeared from his sight again. "You should save her because you want to, not because you have to."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? To save her and I can go to heaven?"

"Yes. You benefit each other."

"We do. But I need to make this quick, I only have three weeks left and I can feel that this lung cancer will kill me night by night I find myself in front of the sink."

"I can't do anything about that. I have to go, now that I've delivered the message."

"Wait-"

A gust of wind blew, making Levi close his eyes and by then, he knew that she's gone. When he opened them again, there was no sign that she's been there. He sat on the sofa again, bringing his face to his hands as his mind processed what the angel said.

A while ago he was sure to get her trust completely, but after that talk with Hanji, he felt like he had to start again from scratch, confusion taking over.

~x~x~x~

Mikasa elbowed Christa as they talked about last night when she went to visit Levi in the bar again. She also told the blonde about Levi's opinion, admitting that he said the perfect words she wanted to hear, to make herself snap out of it. And now, she felt composed and strong, her past depression melting into another one of her mask collections.

They were in a fine restaurant, the meeting was set up to happen here, and it was for another project that involves her, Eren, Annie and Christa. When Eren arrived, he was with Annie and not with Mikasa. The raven haired girl had to bite her lower lip as she looked down, Christa following her gaze a while ago.

"After this, why not try to break the whole issue in with him?" Christa asked, whispering to Mikasa's ear.

"That's what I've been planning but I don't think I can stand this anymore," she replied, tucking the hair behind her ear. Really, it was her plan and she has thought of this over and over again that night when Levi told her about his opinion. For some reason she couldn't comprehend, her senses came to her as soon as she left the bar, making her realize that he was never really romantic when it's just the two of them. He was kind, yes, but not romantically in love like the things they see in movies. It was her putting an effort in their relationship anyway, and thinking about the next scheduled meeting with him, she tried to pick the right words to say. Maybe it wouldn't be all too bad. So she stood up, much to Christa's surprise, approached Eren who looks like he was surprised that Mikasa came up to him.

"Can we talk?" Mikasa asked him, smiling at Annie who just took her seat.

"Uhm, sure," Eren look unsure, but he smiled at her. A smile that didn't reach his eyes.

They walked a few steps, just to make the conversation out of anyone's reach but Christa was looking at them from their table.

"Eren, do you love me?" Mikasa asked the brunette straight, making the boy blush a little and he looked uncomfortable. He broke the stare as he scratched his head and swayed. "Answer me."

"Mikasa, about that—" Eren stuttered, taking a deep breath as he looked at the ceiling, thinking of what to say. "I wanted to break up with you."

Mikasa gave a huff of breath, flinching inwardly for his bold words. It didn't hurt as much like she thought it would. "It's Annie, right?" Her voice was just above low, and Eren couldn't guess what she was feeling now.

"Well, yes. But please," Eren looked like he was begging her, "Please don't be mad at Annie. I should've told you that I never really…"

"Loved me," she finished it out for him, remembering the time when Levi did it for him. Why is she remembering Levi all now and why now of all moments? Now that she thought of it, Levi has been on her mind ever since the first meeting. Instead of pushing the thought of Levi away from her mind, she embraced it. Instead, she made it her strength to have this conversation right now with Eren, mimicking his face that gave nothing away. "I'm breaking up with you too. But it hurts a lot to think that you really had something for me, Eren. You could have just told me sooner, instead of making it last for two years," she spat.

"Hey, don't be all stingy now. I said I was sorry," Eren countered. "And besides, you've really been clingy ever since we were together."

That was enough for Mikasa to hear. She hadn't really expected that to sting and she needed another strong drink to make it go away. "It was just me thinking and trying to make this work, Eren. Fine. We're through," she declared coolly, spinning to her heels as she headed back to the table where Christa is waiting, taking her bag with her.

"You're leaving?" Christa asked, looking shocked. "How did it go?" She whispered.

"I'll give you a call, but right now, I am dumping this project. Tell Rico about this," she said, giving her phone to the blonde. "I'm not bringing that with me. But I'll let you know where I am so we could meet up, okay? You know the rules," she dipped to give her friend a peck on the cheek, smiling before completely turning to her heel and leave."

"It's raining, be careful!" Christa called after her, earning the attention of Eren, Annie and the other staff. She just gave them all an apologetic smile and shrug. She stared at Mikasa's phone, thinking when to give Rico a call to let her know about the news.