Eren spotted Armin in his usual seat, but he seemed rigid and wide-eyed, well more so than usual. Mikasa was next to him leaning over her desk, rear in the air and swaying with the furious movements of whatever her forearm was doing. A dark grin split Eren's face and he rubbed his hands together in preparation for the harsh sting and with no one else in the classroom it was perfect. He bounded the last few steps without alerting Mikasa and struck her arse as hard as he could. He waved his hand violently, letting the air cool his skin, shaking off the pain, but beaming in his victory. Armin had turned white, he looked like he was about to faint.
"Chill Armin, it's payback from the lunch hall." Mikasa was slumped on the desk from the force of the spank; her slim frame was visibly shuddering. Usually, she reacts a lot quicker and would retaliate with an arm punch before threatening the game on for the next round. But this time it took her a substantial amount of time before her shuddering subsided and she eased back into functioning. She raised her head and Eren started to realise why it looked like Armin had shat his pants as his own colour started to drain out of him. The half-shaven head twisted abruptly to face him.
"Oh, God…Corporal Levi…" Eren started to retreat, backing away from a rearing bull, he could almost see his horns piercing straight through him. "What were you doing over the desk like that?"
Levi's lips curled in disdain and at the cheek of trying to turn it on him. "Oh, I see…" Levi purred dangerously. "I was asking for it was I? Is this how you treat your female teammates?" Levi unblinking was following Eren, matching his backward footsteps.
"What no! Of course not, just Mikasa."
Levi spat at him: "You think you're some kind of hero, don't you titan shit? You think you can just force your horny little self on your step sister, tenderise her like a piece of meat."
"No, NO! It's not like that!"
"You're a brat Jaeger. Hanji is coddling you and making your self-entitlement worse. Now it's my turn. You'll stay after class is dismissed to clear up all the disgusting, egotistical graffiti scribbled all over these desks."
Eren's eyes were downcast, his head hung. He nodded and slunk to his chair like a whipped puppy. He sat the other side of Armin, who still looked stupefied, Eren held on to his arm to help Armin's breathing regulate as the rest of the class started to trickle in.
"Jesus Eren!" hissed Armin finally.
"Yeah, thanks for the warning buddy."
"What was I supposed to say? Don't sexually harass the corporal when he is right next to me cleaning your name off Mikasa's desk?!"
Eren just rolled his eyes and sunk further into his chair, trying to hide his glowing cheeks.
"What's the matter Eren?" Mikasa's soft voice just made Eren frown. Irritated and somewhat irrationally he blamed her, he gargled his rejection to stop her fussing and before she could go any further the lesson began.
The squadron had begun post-training classes twice a week, it was a new method introduced after the discovery of a titan ally. So instead of just the squad leaders and bureaucrats in a stuffy office designing and deciding strategy plans, there was now a chance for the lower members of the team to have their voice. So far it seemed to be working, they were getting better formulated riding structures and more creative suggestions on how to utilise Eren. But mostly it was Armin's input that made the difference; his new concepts were starting to prove that little to zero casualties were possible. However, this week Levi was leading the session, whether it was through bribery or bullying or a lost bet, either way, it was clear he didn't want to be here. So within ten minutes of the class, he had assigned an essay on the most recent outing. He elegantly called it 'The 'Shut up and write' assignment.
Eren tried to write about the expedition but his hand didn't seem to be making as much progress as the blonde next to him and Mikasa seemed lost in her words too. He sighed. Every time he tried to recall the last trip in all its uneventfulness, how no one was hurt and how he wasn't allowed to go and find any titans, again! But instead all he could hear was the repeating echo of his almighty slap. Why could he stop thinking about it? And to make it worse, every time he looked up; Levi was sat at his desk staring hard at Eren. Eren gulped. He could never read Levi, it was unnerving, like watching a great white in a divers cage, unsure whether you really are safe or not. He could feel grey steely eyes burning his flesh, literally boiling the blood in his cheeks.
The lesson finally ended and they handed in the papers. Armin wished him luck while Mikasa stared down Levi before Armin dragged her out the room. Levi closed the door.
Eren stammered. "Corporal, I am so, so sorry."
"Your words are empty, Jaeger." Levi reached behind the desk and pulled out two buckets containing various cleaning equipment. "Prove it. Clean away your shame."
Eren looked at him with whimpering, puppy dog eyes but took the supplies and trailed to the first desk of thirty desks.
Two and a half hours later Eren stood and wiped his drenched forehead, his hands were crippled and aching from scrubbing in awkward positions. Levi stood at the sign of completion and inspected the desks, individually. The kid had done a half decent job. He had removed all the doodles and filed down the scratchings to an even and polished surface. He returned to the teacher's desk and motioned for Eren to join.
"Hold out your hands." Eren's hands were still trembling slightly from their torture and red welts saddled his fingers. Levi turned the hands over in his, inspecting them. "I was thinking…" Levi examined the long slender fingers till he found the most prominent and sore looking welt. "Maybe your actions today were some sort of payback for the courtroom." He met Eren's eyes, trapping them in his gaze, big green irises contracting in shock.
"No! No! I swear it was just a joke, a misunderstanding, I thought you were…"
Levi interrupted. He pressured the wound as he spoke. "Maybe you need to get it out of your system." He pressed his finger in to the sore ensuing his words, inciting Eren, to understand and comply.
But Eren was so confused and conflicted from the pain and questions. He was trying to understand what Levi meant when Levi revolved, and bent forward, his chest pressing flat against the long wooden desk, arse propped up and displayed for Eren. Eren's mouth dropped.
"That's an order."
Eren shifted his weight uneasy, transfixed by the white cotton orbs on exhibition before instinct kicked in and he meekly tapped the harness-framed arse.
"Harder you piece of shit!"
Eren yelled and struck hard through his ager. Levi was thrust forward on the desk, hips driving painfully in to the pointed edge. There was a pause. Eren rubbed his throbbing hands but otherwise he was frozen like a gazelle waiting for the predatory Levi's next move. It took a long sixty seconds before the Corporal returned to his usual posture. He turned and stared at Eren from under knotted eyebrows, a studious look, like he was working something out. Eren couldn't look him back in the eye for too long. Levi huffed and left the room without another word. Eren thought the man may have looked disappointed, but he couldn't work out why.
Eren retreated to his room; he shared a bunk with Armin now he was deemed 'safe' and so settled on his bottom bed, immediately pulling the covers up. Armin hung over the top staring at him quizzically.
"Well? Were you punished?"
Eren hesitated before rolling over to face the wall. "I don't know."