Summary:

Eren Yeager is being tormented by guilt and regret from his past life. Wanting to let go, he decided to write it down and finally forget everything and start on a clean slate. What if on the very process of writing it, he meets the very person that he decided to let go and forget? And there's nothing to shake him off. What'll he do then?

Pretend.

Yeah, he'll do that. Pretend not to know the love of his life. Yeah, right. What a brilliant idea!

Levi Ackerman is being plagued by his past life. Yes, it was not great considering the Titans and all but he is determined to find the brat that owns his heart. After many years, being an editor led him to the brat. But the little shit is being stubborn.

Being the persistent ass he is Levi won't have any of it.

Chapter 1 – Stormy Skies and Your Grey Eyes - Prologue-

A flash of lightning shot through the sky and a loud grumble of thunder followed, slightly shaking the roof and swaying the small chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A young man stood behind a large window watching the heavy downpour as it fell from grey skies, his right hand ghosting over the moist glass. A sigh escaped his lips as guilt crept over him.

'It's just like that day...'

Unwanted memories began flooding his head; memories of a past long gone which he desperately longed to forget. Oh, how he wished that he never remembered them but some higher power made it his decision to make his life miserable and filled with nothing but guilt and regret.

'It's my fault that they...that they died. I was weak. I couldn't save them. I am nothing like hope; I'm just a useless good-for-nothing. They relied on me! But I only...I only betrayed their trust.'

The young man hanged his head down, his eyes clenched as tears threatened to fall from his beautiful ocean-like eyes. Not wanting a sob to escape, he gritted his teeth and closed his hands into fists not minding his nails as they dug through his palms to control his shaking body.

'I can't even save the only person that loved me.'

He allowed his tears to fall as a memory of piercing steel-grey eyes, slowly losing their light, flashed through his mind. He looked up as his tears synchronize with the falling rain. Ah, a mistake it was, he realized. Seeing the stormy skies only remind him more of his lover's eyes and made his tears fall harder.

Unknown to him, a pair of deep, blue eyes witnessed the heartbreaking scene.

"Eren...?," Armin knocked on Eren's door to alert the other of his presence. It was wide open when he saw his best friend being like that. He wanted to approach Eren a while ago but he decided to leave him be. Armin saw Eren like this every now and then especially on stormy days. Eren only dismisses it and smiles like nothing is wrong. It was such a sad, sad sight.

Armin knew enough not to ask. Whenever he does, Eren shuts down and close himself away from the world. He doesn't know the reason why his best friend breaks down on days like this. Mikasa did not know either. Eren never told them why. They chose to give him space but it still hurts them to see him like this especially whenever they see that fake smile on Eren's face. Eren may fool other people with his facade but he can never hide from Armin or Mikasa. They are his family for god's sake. Armin just hoped that Eren will trust them more.

"Oh, Armin! Is it time for dinner already?" Eren stopped typing on his laptop and set down his reading glasses. His eyes are not that bad, he just gets dizzy whenever he reads too much. He then stood up from his desk and flashed a toothy smile at Armin, but it never reached his eyes.

'It's that smile again.' Armin thought but he decided not to mind it for now.

"Yeah, Mikasa's done cooking, oh, and a letter arrived for you a while ago. I guess it's about the book you submitted for publishing." Armin said as they walk down the stairs.

"REALLY?!", Eren shouted and proceeded to run down the stairs. Armin was about to shout at him for being careless but he stopped himself and just shook his head with a fond smile on his face. Whenever it's about his writing, Eren's smiles become genuine, that's why he let him get away for that childish act.

Eren ran through the stairs like a mad man and almost threw himself to the coffee table where the letter was. Mikasa saw him and wondered why Eren had such energy in a rainy day like this. She knew that Eren was being mopey and gloomy upstairs.

"Eren, what's that?" Mikasa approached Eren, her right hand adjusting the red scarf around her neck.

"Oh, this?" Eren looked at her with sparkling eyes.

"It's from the publishing company where I submitted my manuscripts. It's their reply whether they accepted it or not!" Eren's practically vibrating with anxiety and excitement.

Armin reached the end of the stairs just in time to see the contents with Eren and Mikasa.

"Good day Mr. Yeager," They huddled towards the letter and Eren began to read. "The Recon publishing company...hmm...hmm...accepts your submission..."

"HELL YEAH!" Eren shouted while doing a silly victory dance.

"Eren! Don't shout near our ears!" Mikasa chastised Eren but nonetheless amused.

"Hehe, Sorry about that." Eren smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

"The letter's still not finished Eren." Armin reminded him with a soft smile.

"Oh, right! Let's see...hmm...we would like to request your presence this Friday so you can meet our officials and your assigned editor. Thank you and we hope to see you soon." Eren finished.

"It's Wednesday now, I've still got two days. I better find my best clothes for this!" Eren said with fiery determination.

"Can you, Eren? Your closet is a jungle, and all your clothes are not really fitting for a business meeting. What do you plan to do now?" Armin asked, an eyebrow arched and a teasing smile on his face.

"Ughh, your right..." Eren slumped down to the floor.

"Help me Armin, Mikasa? Please?" Eren asked them with wide, teary eyes and a slight pout on his lips. Which were slightly quivering by the way.

Armin pretended to think it through, and Eren levelled up his kicked puppy look. Armin sighed and smiled to the brunet.

"Of course we would, right Mikasa?" Armin looked at her.

"We could never refuse you Eren." Mikasa said, her smile hidden by her scarf.

"Thank you! You guys are the best!" Eren jumped up and hugged them tightly.

Armin and Mikasa hugged him back with soft smiles on their faces. It's rare to see Eren this genuinely happy. They sincerely hoped that the brunet will always be like this and they wanted to help him to be able to do so, but for now, they decided to be satisfied with this moment.

Eren let go of them and proceeded to the dining table. "We should celebrate tonight!" Eren exclaimed.

They followed Eren to the table and began eating their dinner.

Piercing grey eyes glared at the cackling woman in front of him. If looks could kill, Hanji would be reduced to dust by now.

"What's with the grumpy attitude, short stuff?" Levi's eyebrow twitched at that. "The kid's good. Here's his manuscript," Hanji handed him a stack of paper, "Take it with you and read it, you'll agree with me!" Hanji winked at him and continued laughing at his face.

"Shut it, Four-eyes! What are you and Eyebrows thinking taking in a brat like that?! Have you gone crazy now? Oh, wait, you are!" Those steel-grey eyes narrowed, willing that his co-worker combust and be eaten by flames right now.

"Now, now, Levi deary, why not give the kid a chance? I know you'll like his story being the grumpy little angsty ass you are, now, take it." Hanji wiggled the papers in front of his face, a manic grin on her face.

Levi snatched the papers from Hanji's hands and proceeded to the door. He stopped halfway and turned to Hanji.

"You better not regret this." Levi raised the stack of paper in his hands.

"Nah, I won't and you won't. I know it." Hanji gave a knowing smile to Levi. Levi raised an eyebrow at that.

"Now, shoo, I've got more papers to read and you've got one too." Hanji waved at him to go away.

"I know Four-eyes!" Levi shouted back as he walked towards the exit. Cold night breeze slammed his face as he exited the building.

'What are they thinking assigning me to edit for a fucking brat? They didn't even consult me beforehand!' Levi thought as he stomped through the parking lot. He searched his pockets for his car keys and went inside his car. He turned up his car's heater and started his car.

'A brat, huh.'

A certain brat's emerald eyes flashed through his mind as he pulled away from the parking lot.