Archive of Our Own

“Eren! Party tomorrow night, you coming?”

Eren blinked and looked up from his computer. Jean stood leaning against his desk as their classroom emptied out. He found it funny still that he ended up in a literature class with his old high school friend and rival. Their college was huge (he didn’t even have classes with Armin or Mikasa), and their majors were vastly different. Jean was a Political Science and Criminology double major; Eren was in Biology with a pre-med concentration. And yet, here they were, both in the same classical literature class to fulfill an elective credit. Why Jean picked it, he had no idea.

“I can’t,” Eren said. He shut his laptop and stuck it down in his bag with his books. “Maybe next time.”

“Come on, everyone’s going to be there!”

“Are you trying to build this up to make it seem like you’re more popular than you are, Horse Face? Because it doesn’t fool me and I’m not–”

“Shut the fuck up, I don’t do that. Anymore,” Jean muttered. “I mean the crew. Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie are coming down. Maybe with some friends of theirs. Sasha’s supposed to be bringing her new boyfriend too. We’re getting together before we get into finals’ season while everyone is here.”

It was a tempting offer. Eren hadn’t seen some of his friends in ages. Attending different universities with equally difficult programs made meeting up hard. He hadn’t seen Reiner or Bertolt since the summer. He saw Annie a bit more frequently, but she was courting Armin. She made the trip down more often to spend time with him as they planned their future. He would love to see all of them again.

“I still can’t,” he said. “I’ll have to catch up the next time.”

“Eren, come on.” Jean followed him out into the hall, his bag on one shoulder. “It’s been months since we’ve seen them in person. Whatever lab report you have due could wait one night.”

“It’s for O-Chem, but it’s not that.” He basically had that assignment done already, actually. Eren slid a finger under his black, crystal bracelet (obsidian and tourmaline, specifically) and spun it around his wrist a couple times. A bad habit, really, as he could break the cord and lose some of the stones he’d had for years. Still, it helped to soothe him. “It’s Scorpio season. I’m busy.”

“Huh?” Jean tilted his head to the side, one eyebrow raised. One of the dumbest expressions Eren had ever seen (or so he said to rile Jean up). He called it Jean’s stupid face.

Eren sighed as they walked outside and blew a stray hair out of his face. The early November air had a chill, but the sun was warm. He would almost consider taking his jacket off if there wasn’t a breeze and he didn’t have to walk home. He did pull his hair back into a bun so the wind didn’t blow it into his face, though.

“The zodiac sign, dipshit,” Eren said. “You know, the scorpion. Runs from October 23rd to November 22nd. Big ass constellation in the sky. Made up of stars and–”

“Shut up! I know that!” Jean huffed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “What does it have to do with anything? You’re an Aries.”

They stopped at the end of the sidewalk. Jean would turn right here, go across the quad to one of the dining halls for a quick dinner before his 7PM class started. Eren would turn left, heading away from campus and into the nearby neighborhoods, passing a few frat houses before he reached his own home. Close enough to easily walk, but just far enough that he’d feel better taking the bus on bad weather days. Or days he was, admittedly, too lazy to walk.

“So are you, but you bring shame on all of us by being a dumbass.” He ignored Jean’s spluttering and crossed his arms over his chest. His thumb pressed against his shirt, rubbing the green moonstone pendant that rested just under the fabric against his skin. “Honestly, have you ever paid attention when I talk about my practices?”

“I pay attention to the fun shit.”

“In other words, the stuff that can help you get an A?”

“Not just that! The scent enhancers and dampeners you make are pretty nice. And the other consumable stuff.”

Eren rolled his eyes and shook his head. He knew damn well he’s good at making things. All his friends liked his homeopathic remedies for everything from a sore throat to a sick stomach to dry skin. They were, and always have been, supportive of his craft. Encouraging him to learn new spells and techniques. He’s never minded offering his abilities to help them out, whether it be fortune telling or a potion to ease a bad headache or them asking him what herbs, incense, or crystals can help with certain problems. They don’t take advantage of him. None of them ever would.

Jean was just a dimwit who couldn’t pay attention to stuff he doesn’t care about. And religion was one of those things.

“Scorpio is ruled by Pluto and Mars,” Eren explained.

“So?”

“My patron is heavily associated with both of those planets. It’s a big deal.” Eren scratched at the side of his neck, careful not to pluck at the patch over his gland. “This is a big time of reflection and meditation for me. I’m closer to him this time of year than any other.”

“So? What does that have to do with not coming to a party?”

“Everything. Not only am I busy, but I have to keep my body and spirit clean to bring forth proper dedication, clear visions, and a completely open mind. Which means no alcohol, scent overload, or distractions.”

Jean scowled, wrinkling his nose up, before he let out a heavy breath. “I really can’t convince you?”

“Sorry, but no. Not this time. This is too important to me.”

“Fine.” Jean reached over and gripped Eren’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “But next time, I’m making you come. Our friends miss you just as much as the rest of us.”

A small smile found its way onto Eren’s face. “I know. Next time I’ll be there. I have to give Reiner hell after all.”

“I’ll give him plenty for you.”

“Add my regards.”

They had to part ways then. Jean took off in a jog toward central campus and the main dining hall. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, Eren started making his way home. He had to cross the main road, but after that, he knew the short cuts through the back alleys and trees and yards. It cut his walk down from nearly half an hour along the main sidewalks to just about fifteen minutes. And he avoided a crowded bus. Hell, there were plenty of times he debated walking through snow and ice rather than take the bus. Freezing his ass off sometimes was more appealing than being crushed by sweaty bodies, jostled by potholes, and having his nose assaulted by everyone who refused to use scent blockers (or who, gods forbid, used enhancers in public outside of a club). It was only the desire to avoid getting sick that forced him on the bus. Not that it was always safer in that regard.

The air was crisp as he walked, refreshing on his lungs. It was nice. Eren had loved fall since he was little. It started with childish love for the colors and wanting to jump in pile after pile of leaves. Then it turned into appreciation for the cool weather as he grew older and he began to associate it with late night fires, seeing his friends after the summer apart, pumpkin carving and candy apples and trips to corn mazes. When he began to delve into witchcraft and paganism in high school, it changed his whole perspective.

The world began to die. Fall was the precursor to a period of rest and rejuvenation. A time for change and introspection. The end of one thing to make way for the new to come. The death of the old so the new can be given a chance to thrive. A sign to let things go and to keep moving forward. It spoke to him. Helped him to recognize his place in the universe. It’s a mentality he carried with him even now and in his choice of major and career path. Medicine is a constantly improving field; old techniques and ideas need to be let go to let advancements come forth and further the field and better the care of patients. And for the patients themselves? It’s an art to be able to let go of those who can’t, or won’t, get better. It’s a doctor’s responsibility to ensure they are on the best path, whether that’s recovery, or a painless and easy death if that is what they choose.

The idea made it easy for Eren to find his patron a few years ago. He’s an outlier from what he’s seen online and speaking to other pagans in forums or on campus. Not many choose to have a god of death as their patron deity. Even though recognizing that death can represent an end or a transition and isn’t inherently negative is common amongst practitioners, being deeply connected to it isn’t appealing to most. He didn’t mind being the odd one out. He’d been his best self since he connected to his patron. That’s all that mattered to him.

A few freshly fallen leaves crunched under his feet as he reached his road and walked up the walk to his house. Just a small place, really, but he didn’t mind. He had his bedroom, and a second room he used as a study space with a futon in case he had company. One bathroom, a kitchen, and a tiny living room. It wasn’t much, but he had it all to himself. One of the perks of coming from two well-off families, one a family of doctors and the other having made their money off of a chain of bar-and-grills; Carla and Grisha bought him the small house close to campus for his privacy and room to practice his craft. However, his parents made sure that he, nor his brother, let the wealth go to their heads. He and Zeke both worked during high school, Zeke in the clinic and Eren in one of his mother’s family’s restaurants as a busboy and waiter. Even now, he works as a receptionist at the hospital part-time to buy himself groceries and pay for his own expenses.

Eren unlocked the door and stepped inside. The first thing he did upon entering was to remove his shoes, and then light the incense on his entrance altar. It was a blend of African violets, cedar, and ylang ylang he crafted himself a few years back. The scents were soothing, and the properties helped to expel the negative energies that may tag along with him after a long day while protecting his home at the same time. It was the first blend he made that he actually liked and felt like worked. Some of his others were…horrific failures. He won’t make them again.

He dropped his bag off once his incense was burning well, leaving it below his coat hooks. He should hang it up, or take it upstairs, but really, he’s too lazy too. He’d tell himself that it’s just because he was hungry, or that it was Friday, or that he had plans that were far more important than making sure his bag made it into a proper place, but he’d be lying and his mother didn’t raise him that way. What kind of man would he be if he lied to himself? A shitty one, that’s what. So he accepted his laziness as it was and went to scrounge around the kitchen for something for dinner.

Unfortunately for him, his options were…limited, to put it nicely. He really needed to go to the grocery store, but he’d been spending more time in the dining hall and in the library than at home. His cabinets were bare except for a couple packs of ramen, a bag of rice, a stale loaf of bread, a pack of Cosmic Brownies he bought on a whim (he didn’t know why, they aren’t really his favorite), and a half eaten bag of Halloween candy he snagged from the drugstore for 50% off the day after. His fridge wasn’t much better. A few eggs, a half gallon of milk that was almost expired, and some leftover pizza from a couple days ago. Eren huffed and cursed his lack of discipline when it came to buying suitable food. He decided on the pizza, grabbing a few slices out of the box and throwing them in the microwave. At least he had some good beer to wash it down with.

He scarfed his dinner down as the sun began to set, ignoring the burn of reheated sauce on his tongue.The taste didn’t matter, just as long as his stomach stopped growling. Like he told Jean, he had plans, and those plans started tonight and ran through the entire weekend. It was the height of the zodiac’s period, the peak of the autumn season. His patron was closer to this realm than ever, and he wanted to capitalize on the opportunity while it was presenting itself so openly. It had been so long. The last time he had been this close to his patron deity was during his last heat, maybe, when he spent the period in isolation praying for relief and guidance that he couldn’t get himself. His patron had come through, just like he always did. He’s good to Eren, and Eren expressed his gratitude through worship and praise.

As soon as his dinner was done (and he had a brownie, they weren't so bad, really), he made sure his door was locked and headed upstairs to his room. He went straight for the clear drawers near the altar in his room and grabbed out some of his supplies. White candles, a lighter, some lavender essential oils for his bathroom diffuser, and a bundle of some of his polished crystals. He made sure he had plenty of his clear quartz and citrine in the batch he picked, wanting those particular properties. He carried the supplies into his bathroom and dumped them on the counter. Eren turned his tub on so the water could heat up and the tub could fill. He even added some bath oils to provide a nice, cleansing scent to the water and the steam.

He took his time setting up his candles around the room, meticulous in the placement. The largest ones went on the counter. The tall, skinny ones in the small window above the tub. The shortest ones he placed on empty shelves. The pack of crystals he selected, he dumped into a glass bowl by his sink. He gently arranged them so they didn’t overflow and nested against each other neatly. Connected.

“Praise be to those divine,” he murmured as he grabbed his lighter. “And blessed be the guiding spirits. Let this candle be an offering, and as I light the flame, let the fire cleanse my spirit.”

He breathed the same prayer with each candle, repeating it like a mantra as the wicks caught and began to burn. The fire light danced against the walls, and Eren grinned. He could already feel the negative energies leaving his body and the air, being absorbed by the candles and burned away. It was as if they were taking all his stress and frustration away, leaving nothing but peace in his body. There were very few things that could top that feeling.

With his candles lit and his tub filling, Eren went back to his room to strip down. He put his crystal bracelets in their boxes, and his necklace on its holder near the window to charge. He’d had his moonstone for years, and he treated it with great care. It had seen him through various highs and lows, had been there with him when he first experimented with witchcraft to his high school graduation to discovering and binding his spirit to his patron. If anything ever happened to it, replacing it would be hard.

When he finally sank into his bath, he let out a loud groan. The hot water eased his stiff muscles, the steam opened his sinuses, and the lavender scent from his diffuser refreshed his very soul. He could stay here forever; enjoy this moment of peaceful bliss and freeze it in time. He would never feel rage again, or stress, or disappointment. He could float free, body and mind relaxed and at ease in the universe.

The pull of his scent patch on his neck reminded him that he couldn’t do that, and why. He scowled and reached up to pull it off, grateful that the steam had loosened it enough that it didn’t tug at his skin too much. His natural scent blossomed in the bathroom once his gland was exposed. His fingers massaged the sore skin, letting the warm water help ease the irritation from being covered. Some days, he really wished he could go without it like some of his friends were able to, but he wasn’t in a place where he could. Maybe soon. Or maybe not. At least he wouldn’t have to wear one for the next few days and his skin could breathe.

Eren took his time enjoying the rest of his bath. He lingered until his water grew cold and the candles had burned down substantially. A part of him wanted to stay just a little longer, but the goosebumps forming on his limbs and the wrinkles on the pads of his fingers got the better of it. He forced himself to climb out and dry off and blow out each of the candles. He wrung his hair out thoroughly before he shut the light off and made his way to his bedroom again, closing the door behind him.

He inhaled deeply through his nose and let it out slow. Even with his clarifying bath, he felt anticipation in his bones. A slight anxiety that he was running out of time when he had plenty. A whole night ahead of him. A whole weekend, really. He wished he could shake the feeling off, but it always came when he had a big ritual planned, be it for the holidays and sacred dates of his beliefs or for personal reasons. There was always the fear that he would mess something up, that he would accidentally cause some kind of astronomical fuck up instead of what he intended. Even after doing this for years and knowing he is fully capable, he can’t shake it off. Not completely.

Before he could start anything, he needed to dress himself. He pulled on a nice pair of black panties he reserved for special occasions, and then slipped on his nice black silk robe. It was comfortable and soft on his skin; it gave him the ability to move and be covered when he didn’t need much. This ritual required him to be exposed somewhat, but still modest. For the time being at least.

He switched his altar candles out. Fresh black candles were placed on the holders on the end, blue in holders beside those, and his intent candle was changed from a light purple to a brand new, blood red one. He dusted the surface with rose water and dried rose petals, and a few sprigs of lavender, for his altar offering. He grabbed a paint brush and his black paint, soaking the fibers of the brush head in them. With a few swipes, he painted the symbols of his patron diet on his forearms; one half a set of wings on each, with a skull outline on his right arm and the sword on his left. Symbols of the dead and dying, freedom, and ferocity. He finished off with simple lines that moved from just under his eyes and down his neck and shoulders.

Eren double (and triple) checked that his room was sufficiently clean before he laid out his summoning mat. He had just cleaned it the other day, but he had a horrible habit of leaving dirty socks on his floor or books piled by his bed. This time, he’d behaved himself and kept his room picked up. His mother would be so proud of him.

Well…maybe not if she saw the number of dishes he had piled in the sink downstairs. Then she might chew his ass out. 

Eren set out the last of his candles in their designated spots on his mat; eight, equally spaced around the circle like the faces on a compass. Red in the primary directions, black facing northwest and southeast, blue in the remaining spaces. His incense bowl was placed in the center, and he filled it with a unique blend of rose, jasmine, frankincense, and vanilla for sweetness. Perfect for his intentions and this ritual.

He lit each candle, starting with his altar and then moving around his summoning circle. He took a deep breath and made sure his hair was out of his face, having left it down after his bath and brushing it, before he knelt in the center. He struck a match and dropped it into his incense bowl, watching it begin to smoke and the wood burn away. He closed his eyes and held his hands out, palms up. His mind entered a meditative state.

“Praise be to the one point who guards our souls,” he began. “Praise be to the one who leads the charge against negative forces. Praise be to the one who grants us eternal freedom. Praise be to the one who becomes benevolent destruction.

“I come to you, at your strongest hour, to ask for your guidance. I come to you in hopes that you will accept my spirit into your hold. I come to you, asking that you show yourself to me. I come to you, devoted and ready to receive you.”

He repeated the incantation, growing more and more confident with each iteration. The air shifted about halfway through the fifth round. A breeze lifted his hair. He could feel himself being watched. He finished the incantation and opened his eyes. The man before him was everything. Pale skin that practically glowed, piercing blue eyes, hair as black as a moonless night that framed the upper half of his face. His all black clothing clung to every inch of his body, and while modern and simple, implied power. Power that Eren could feel surging through his veins as he remained knelt on his mat. There was a certain glee in him that he had succeeded.

He had summoned his patron. The Keeper of the Dead, Guardian of Souls, the Holder of the Wings of Freedom and the Sword of Truth. The Leviathan himself.

Levi.

“Why have you called me?” Levi asked, arms crossed over his chest.

“I wanted to see you.”

Levi raised a sculpted eyebrow at Eren, observing him carefully. His gaze pierced through him, seeking his very soul almost. Eren’s body tingled from it, warmth spreading from his core and throughout his body. That gaze had taken the lives of so many, and yet it was making him feel so alive.

“And what kind of bullshit excuse is that?” the god asked. “I’m busy. I can’t just come to every witch that summons me because they want to see me. What do you take me for? A dog that comes when you call?”

“No!” Eren protested. “Never. I am a devout follower. I wanted to showcase my devotion to you.”

“There are others just as devout. Just as devoted.”

“I can prove mine is greater.”

“Oh?” Levi strode forward, The candles along the mat’s edge flickered as he stepped past them and entered the circle. His scent filled the space, musky. The smell of dirt after a rainstorm and graveyard grass was intoxicating. Eren’s breath caught in his throat when his chin was grabbed and his head tilted back, forcing him to gaze up at the god in his room. “Then do it. Prove it to me.”

“I will,” Eren whispered. “Whatever you want, I’ll do. I am at your disposal.”

A wicked smirk crossed Levi’s face. His lips parted to reveal sharp teeth. He released Eren’s chin and ran his fingers down his neck and beneath the edge of his robe. Goosebumps rose on every inch of Eren’s skin that he touched, black fire burning in his veins.

“Take this off,” he ordered. “Bare yourself to me.”

Eren rose to his feet when Levi took a step back. He untied the belt of his robe and let it fall from his shoulders, the material pooling at his feet. Levi paced around him, fingers tracing the painted on marks and symbols. His gaze drifted to Eren’s hips. He gripped the elastic of his panties and snapped it against his back. Eren didn’t flinch even as it stung.

“These too.”

Eren did as he was ordered. The fabric glided down his thighs and calves until they, too, were off. A flush burned on Eren’s cheeks as the scent of his slick became prominent. It created a hungry gleam in his patron’s eyes. The god pressed his hand between Eren’s legs. His fingers struck up, sliding between the folds of his cunt and curling. Eren gasped and his eyes fluttered. He bit down on his lip to hold back his cry of want and his moan of pleasure.

“It seems you know what I want,” Levi said. “And so does your body. Your slick betrays you, little omega. How cute.”

“Please,” Eren breathed. “Please take me. Use me.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you what you want. I’ll fuck you. I’ll fuck you until you only know me.”

Levi pulled his fingers from Eren’s body. The whimper that pulled out of his throat couldn’t be stopped. It seemed to please the god, though.

“Hands and knees on your bed, little witch. I’m going to mount you.”

“Y-Yes, my master,” Eren said.

He hoped his body didn’t betray the trembles he felt, the shivers from anticipation and want. He crawled onto his bed into position. Slick dribbled down his thighs, helping to make sure his legs were spread. His ab muscles clenched at the sound of rustling clothing behind him. His pussy began to ache.

The first thrust came without warning and Eren cried out. His back arched as Levi’s cock filled his cunt, splitting him open in a mix of pain and pleasure. Strong hands gripped his hips. His body was yanked backwards with the next thrust. The slap of skin on skin echoed off the walls of his room.

Levi set a relentless pace. His cock hammered deep inside of Eren. The witch moaned and gasped, feeling the tip of that divine dick in his belly. His body jolted with each hard thrust. Every inch had him filled like nothing else. Every stroke sent sparks up his spine. His slick poured out of him, coating both of them as the god used his body for his own pleasure. Levi grunted above him.

“You’re such a slutty witch,” he said between pants. “So eager to spread your legs for me. Tell me, do you do this for every deity you work with?”

“No! I–ah fuck !” Eren slouched forward onto his forearms. The paint on them and his face smeared from the friction against his bed and his sweat. His sheets would be stained from it all, but right now, he couldn’t care. The shift forced Levi to thrust even deeper into him. Tears pricked his eyes and drool started sliding from his mouth. “This– oh shit – is only for you.”

“Well aren’t you considerate,” Levi purred. He slowed the speed of his thrusts so he was moving slower, but forcing his cock even deeper. It was agonizing and Eren cried out from the pleasure of it. “Maybe you are devoted. But still…”

The weight of Levi’s body laid on Eren’s back. His thrusts never ceased, and Eren’s toes curled. Heat coiled in his stomach, tensing every muscle in his body. He was close. So close.

“Don’t come until I give you the order, my little worshiper,” Levi ordered. Eren didn’t get to respond as pain blossomed in his shoulder from the sharp teeth that pierced his skin. He cried out, the pain mixing with his pleasure. He felt blood trickle from the small punctures. Levi continued to bite him, along his shoulders and back and up his neck. Deep so he could feel each one. Eren’s cunt spasmed around Levi’s cock, fighting the urge to come around him. He would not disobey. He could not.

Levi’s thrust grew hurried. The god even let out a groan himself as he abused Eren’s body. HIs nose trailed up Eren’s neck, pressing down on his scent gland, and he inhaled deeply. Eren felt the first swells inside of him, the sign of a knot about to form.

“Show me your devotion, Eren,” Levi purred in Eren’s ear. His breath was hot. His voice spoke to the deepest parts of him. Ordered his very soul to obey. His fingers dug into the flesh of Eren’s hips, nails nearly piercing his skin. “Come on my cock. Be a good little toy and come for me.”

Eren’s orgasm hit him like a wave. A scream pulled from his lungs and his back arched as he was shoved beneath the crash of pleasure. He was tossed within it, his mind tumbling over and over as his body quaked from the force of it all. Levi thrust into him once more solidly, the god’s knot swelling and filling him and stretching him beyond what he ever thought he could. His cum poured into Eren’s body, mixing with his slick and dribbling out between them in the small space Levi’s knot allowed. Eren whines and rocked his hips back onto that delicious knot. He wanted it deeper, to be more filled than he was. He wanted to feel his god completely.

“ Fuck brat, easy,” Levi panted out. He slid his arms around Eren’s waist to hold him to him, and proceeded to lay them on their sides. Every breath Eren took was a gasp. His shoulders heaved and his whole body shook with the tremors of the aftershock. He sounded like he was sobbing, which he was, and like he couldn’t control his breaths.

Levi placed a hand on Eren’s hip. He held him firm, keeping him still. He rocked his knot into Eren slow. Each tiny shift of it had Eren gasping and whimpering. It was gentle overstimulation, and Eren wanted more. Levi controlled it. The god shushed him quietly, soothing his quiet pleas for more with soft words and promises to make him feel good. His fingers found Eren’s clit and stroked it slowly with gentle pressure.

“ Levi!! ” Eren’s entire body spasmed as he came again. Levi cursed in his ear when his cunt sucked his knot in deeper. He tightened his hold on Eren while the witch rode out the high he was on.

Eventually, Eren’s full body shakes died down to soft shivers. It’s only then that Levi’s grip on him relaxed. His fingers trailed over Eren’s side and stomach. The soft touches helped him to finally relax. The blissful blur began to vanish from his mind. Eren closed his eyes and took deep breaths. He became more at ease when Levi nosed at his neck. The god pushed his alpha scent over Eren, making the mating mark on his glad tingle from the soothing smell and pheromones.

“If you were this fucking desperate for me, you could’ve just called me,” Levi murmured to him. He ran a finger from Eren’s navel down to his pelvis, and back up again. “Had me thinking you were in heat with how much slick you got.”

“I wanted to summon you instead,” Eren said. He tilted his head for Levi to have access to his neck. “We agreed we’d use it when it’s easier for you to react to the spell.”

“We talked about that months ago.”

“And now is your time of year.”

There’s a soft sigh against the side of Eren’s neck. Levi’s breath raised goosebumps on his skin. “You still should’ve called me before now,” he said. “I don’t like it when you get so desperate for me that you drip like a running faucet at the sight of me. It’s not good for you.”

“You’re busy.”

“I always have time for you.”

Eren turned his head so he’s facing his god. Levi’s steely blue eyes, old and hard and filled with knowledge and power centuries older than Eren and the world itself, stared into his own. They softened and filled with a devotion most wouldn’t think possible for a divine being. Levi pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“That a promise?” Eren asked.

“It’s a solemn oath,” Levi replied. His fingers ghosted over the bite on Eren’s neck, then his lips and nose, and then slid into his hair. “You know that.”

“Yeah. I do.” Eren twisted his torso around so he could try and face Levi. “I’m still shocked you wanted to mate with a mere human.”

“I’m still shocked you accepted.”

“You’re incredible. Why wouldn’t I?”

“‘God of the dead’ is usually a fucking signal for people to run away.”

“I’m not most people,” Eren teased. Levi smirked, flashing his slightly sharper than normal teeth.

“No. You aren’t. And it’s exactly why I love you.”

“I know.”

Eren snuggled his nose into Levi’s neck, drawing in his scent. His favorite scent in the world. Levi was better than any candle, stronger than any crystal, more powerful than any spell or potion he could craft. His patron, his lover, his mate…he was everything to him. Now and forever.

“I wish I didn’t have to hide you,” Eren mused. He traced a pattern against Levi’s chest, relishing the feel of the muscle flexing under his touch. “That I could showcase my scent.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“We said I wouldn’t say anything–”

“ I said I would support you whether you chose to share it or not,” Levi corrected with a small scowl. “And I still am. But I didn’t tell you to keep your fucking mouth shut and give bullshit excuses as to hide your scent or escape plans just to see me.”

The silence that followed made Eren look away. He knew he wasn’t being scolded, and that the words were truthful, but it was still uncomfortable to heal.

“Eren, you can share us. I don’t give a damn who knows.”

“I do.” Eren inhaled deeply and met Levi’s gaze. “And it’s not that I don’t want people to know.”

“But?”

“Who’s gonna believe me? And even if people did believe me…pretty sure my friends will put me through the wringer if they find out I’ve had a mate for the last two years I haven’t said anything about.”

“Then they’re shit friends.”

Levi shifts, pulling a hiss from both of them and a whimper from Eren as the movement wiggles the knot inside him. Once they’ve settled, he twirls a strand of Eren’s hair around his finger. Eren still hasn’t answered him. He just watches him. Waiting.

“Eren, it’s your choice what you tell them. I don’t give a shit what you do. You’re mine either way,” he said. “But if hiding us is making you unhappy…stop it. Just tell them.”

“But–”

“Don’t but me. I want you to be happy in life. I can only guarantee your happiness when I get to personally escort you to the afterlife to rule by my side. What you do in this world is up to you. Not me. Not them. You .”

Eren sighed quietly and closed his eyes. He used Levi’s shoulder as a pillow, and the scourge of the Earth wrapped him up in his arms. In death, he is safe. He is happy. He is whole.

“I want them to know,” he finally said. “I just don’t know how.”

“Could start by introducing me to them,” Levi offered. “I’m staying for a while, so now’s the time.”

Eren went to sit up, and yelp when he shifted the knot again. Levi had to yank him back down and scold him for not staying still. The god wasn’t too keen on having either of them injured. “You’re gonna stay?”

“I was planning on coming up before you decided to put on a full-ass ritual, so yeah. I’m staying.”

“I love you.”

“Tch.” Levi rolled his eyes, but a grin was pulled onto his face at the sound of joy in Eren’s voice. His aura was practically singing from it. “I love you too. So, you gonna introduce me to your mortal friends or not?”

“I think I will.” Eren didn’t ask if he could kiss his god; he just went for it. He was the only one who could. It was slow and deep and sweet. Warm. Nothing like the way people describe the kiss of death. Though, most people don’t think of death as being a warm and loving man. Maybe Eren just had a vastly different experience. He was fine with that. “How do you feel about going to a party?”

“Is there gonna be enough alcohol that I can ignore how filthy a college dorm is?”

“It’s in an apartment, but yes. There’ll be booze.”

“Fine. I’ll go then.”

A grin spread Eren’s lips wide. A beautiful smile. The smile that could enchant gods and make a cold, dead heart feel alive. Eren was already happier. His happiness spread to Levi, and the god ended up grinning too.

“I’ll teach you how to take a shot.”

“I know how to take shots, idiot.”

“Uh huh. Whatever you say.” Eren smirked and wriggled his hips. Levi hissed and grit his teeth. He narrowed his eyes, and Eren just blinked at him innocently. “Round 2?”

“Later.”

“But Levi!”

“Do you want to meet an early grave?”

“That means more time with you.”

“You’re insatiable.”