"Levi, stop shifting so much."
"Not my damn fault this thing is uncomfortable as all hell."
Levi grumbles as he flops limp back against the pillows. He scowls at Eren's chuckle; Eren props himself up on his elbow, his chest bare and in only soft cotton pants in way of pajamas. "Of course it's gonna be uncomfortable to you. When's the last time you actually slept in a bed?" he asks, leaning his cheek against his palm as he watches Levi once again begin turning to different positions in an effort to get comfortable.
"I haven't needed to."
"So years," Eren translates.
Levi tries to give him a scathing look yet it falters as Eren leans forward and kisses his cheek. "For starters, you probably aren't gonna be comfortable at all, trying to sleep in that." His gaze turns to the immaculately pressed uniform Levi still has on, cravat, ODM gear, and all.
Levi, too, glances down at himself and a frown creases his already furrowed brow. "I always sleep in this."
"You also always wait until you're so exhausted that you pass out if you blink too long to sleep," notes Eren. He sits up further as he continues, "Sleep is necessary, yeah, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it at the same time. Sleeping in on our days off is one of my favourite things."
"I could be getting chores done in the time I waste on sleeping."
"Yeah, but it feels good. It's okay to do a few things just because you like them."
Maybe Eren has a point. Feels good isn't really something Levi is familiar with; he is far more used to necessary for survival. In a life or death situation, sleeping for more than four hours is just a luxury. Levi's hardly used to granting himself luxuries - in the underground there hadn't been any even if he wanted them; in the Scouting Corps, there isn't the money for them. He hardly even bothers with milk or sugar in his tea and instead just accepts all the natural layers to his black tea.
Eren probably has a point.
Sighing his defeat, the Captain turns to Eren. "Fine. What would you suggest I sleep in then?"
The brat starts smiling when Levi gives in. Levi finds it a little irking but he probably doesn't mean anything bad by it. "Well, usually something loose. But not too loose otherwise it just gets all tangled around you and it becomes uncomfortable."
"Damn vague answer, Eren."
"You could do it like I do. I don't really like wearing a shirt when I sleep so just some loose pants."
"My wardrobe's a little limited here."
Eren glances at the cabinet. That's true, he's seen the contents of it. Levi really only has a couple sets of his uniform and then precious little in the way of civilian clothes. Eren frowns, pondering. None of the trousers Levi has would really be good for sleeping in if comfort is what they're going for-
"Oh, just give me one of your shirts," Levi finally huffs.
And that's where Eren's brain shuts down. He's been slyly trying to get Levi to wear one of his shirts for ages. So far his attempts to coax him into one after sex on their way to the showers, after getting soaked to the bone in a rainstorm or any other excuse he sees hasn't really worked. He just knows the Captain will look adorable - a word very rarely used for the Strongest Man Alive yet very true in this instance - in his clothes. Eren might not be too much taller than Levi yet but the height difference will be just enough that the shirt will be baggy on him; the sleeves will hang past his hands, the hemline below his hips, and that little cut out V in the neckline will definitely show more of Levi's ivory chest than it does on Eren. "O-of course!" Eren stammers as he reaches for his pile of day clothing folded on the desk.
He offers his shirt. And Levi fixes him with a scowl so dark it makes Eren nearly flinch. "A clean one, brat."
"Oh, right!"
Eren trips over himself as he throws the blankets back and hurries down the hall to the cadet barracks where the rest of his clothing in. He is careful to tiptoe across the room and avoid the squeaky floorboards in an effort to not wake the other sleeping boys. No one is supposed to know he isn't in his own bed tonight. In his haste, as he yanks one of his shirts from his drawers, he manages to unfold all the rest. He doesn't give it a second thought, already on his way back to the Captain's quarters.
"Here's a clean one for you," he says as he shuts the door and turns to Levi, who sits shirtless on the bed in only his white boxers. Eren has to fight down a blush. "What happened to your trousers?"
Levi doesn't look abashed, he never does. "You said loose. These are the only pants I have that fit that description. I figured they'd work."
They most definitely work, Eren's brain chimes unhelpfully.
After donning the offered shirt Levi lays back. He stares at the ceiling before his restless shifting starts again. "Damn it, still not comfortable at all."
"You really can't tell me that sleeping face first on your desk is more comfortable than this. Sleeping like that has to kill your back."
"Doesn't hurt as much as when you fold me like a pretzel during sex," he gripes.
Eren gives an exasperated laugh as he smiles fondly. "Be grumpy all you like, this is happening. I can't sleep with you at your desk, after all."
Levi's eventual wrinkles from scowling all the time worsen as he clicks his tongue. "Tch. I'm not even tired."
"You're not exhausted," Eren corrects. "Stop thinking of it as sleeping then." He wraps his arms around that powerful, lithe body and pulls Levi's back flush against his chest. "It's just cuddling. Relaxing and cuddling for a bit like we always do." He presses a kiss behind Levi's ear. "Besides, you like it when I bend you in half so I can watch my dick move in and out of your tight, little hole," he finishes with a cheeky hum.
He can feel Levi's chest move as the Captain huffs. Despite his act, he still shifts to press closer to Eren's warmth. "I can-"
Eren already anticipates the complaint and cuts in, "I don't mind being the big spoon once in a while." He buries his face in Levi's dark hair and breathes in his soap, a mix of herbs that warms Eren from the inside. Like the first breath when you open a spice cabinet. "Just relax. You're always looking out for me. Let me take care of you for once."
Levi sighs out the last of his reluctance then puts out the candle on the nightstand, casting the room into shadows. There's no moon tonight and the light of the stars does nothing to lift the cover of darkness. Levi closes his eyes and focuses instead on Eren's arms around him, their body heat bleeding together. Their knees bump together and their toes brush as Eren shifts and his breathing slows until finally his hold begins to loosen as he slips into slumber.
With one last exhale, Levi shuts his eyes. It is nice to just lay here together. Normally their intimate moments happen while the rest of the regiment is training, during which there is an underlying anxiety that someone will come to seek out Captain Levi or notice Eren's sudden disappearance. Having to keep quiet about their relationship isn't easy. It's better than not having one at all though.
He tries to just enjoy the feeling of Eren behind him - with the titan shifter's elevated body heat it's sure to get hot beneath the blankets soon but that can be ignored for now - and soon a feeling of ease seeps into him, thrumming gently through his veins.
He is tired, he realises. It's been a couple days since his last rest. Maybe just giving in… Just for a couple hours…
He'll get back to work... He will…
In a few hours…
For the first time in a long time, held in Eren's arms, Levi sleeps peacefully.