Reward

Eren did well on his training sessions, so the Lance Corporal fulfilled his promise to him and took Eren and his friends to a resort near a vast lake. Everyone enjoyed the outing: they went swimming in the lake, they bathed in the sunshine, lying on the beautiful green slopes of the hills and breathing in the scent of wildflowers. In the evening, they cooked dinner together, which turned out unexpectedly good. They talked long into the night before each of them went to sleep in their own rooms.

Eren's room was on the uppermost floor of the cottage in which they stayed, and it had huge windows, so that the moonlight shone in, illuminating the room with its silver light. Eren had rarely seen such a beautiful night, since the moonlight never reached his basement room in the castle. He would cherish the memory of that day as long as he lived. But he knew the best part was yet to come, and he was looking forward to in with eager anticipation.

"Have you decided on your reward yet?" Rivaille had asked him earlier. "Is there something I can give you?"

Yes, Eren knew what he wished for the most, but he was afraid to ask: 'I want a kiss from you, Lance Corporal.'

With each day they spent together, Rivaille was becoming more and more accurate in reading his expressions. This time, too, he seemed to guess his thoughts. Eren was afraid of rejection, but Rivaille said instead:

"I got it. I'll meet you in your room when the others are gone to bed."

And so it happened that in a beautiful moonlit night, Eren would receive the reward that was promised to him by the Lance Corporal.

"Are you happy, brat?" Rivaille asked, pinching Eren's face.

Eren was smiling widely: he wasn't happier in his whole life than he was now, lying on his bed with Rivaille bending over him and caressing him softly under his shirt. He had never imagined that the Lance Corporal's touch would once be a source of pleasure to him, since so far he had only been familiar with the pain it could inflict.

"Oh, I so hope it's not just a dream…" Eren said, his breath catching at each soft touch.

"It isn't." Rivaille said. "Want me to pinch your face again, just to make sure?"

"No!" Eren said hastily. "But rather, I'd like to receive my reward now… In case it really is a dream and I'd wake up too soon."

"You're so impatient, brat." Rivaille said, but his voice was kind.

In truth, Rivaille found it rather endearing how Eren blushed when he spoke.

"If you ask me nicely, maybe I'd consider giving it to you now." Rivaille said, teasing him.

Eren remained silent for a while, afraid that the perfect moment would shatter to pieces if he failed to choose his words carefully.

"Please, Rivaille." he finally said.

For that one day, Eren could address him simply by his name, without adding the formal title. That was the first time he was allowed to be so familiar with the Lance Corporal, and he wanted to make the best out of the chance.

He already felt it was reward enough to see Rivaille smiling in reply, and the thought that he was smiling just for him made Eren unspeakably happy. The grey eyes looking back at him were beautiful and gentle in the moonlight, their shining surface slowly filling Eren's vision, drawing him in until he closed his eyes for the sensation of lips pressing against his own.

Eren felt a jolt of electricity traveling through his body. Rivaille's body hovering over him was radiating comforting warmth, but he wanted to feel his weight, too. Eren wanted to pull Rivaille closer in an embrace, but he had both of his hands pinned to the bed firmly by Rivaille. However, the fingers gripping his wrist soon loosened and began caressing his palm instead, slowly intertwining with Eren's own fingers.

When Rivaille pulled back from the kiss, Eren was reluctant to let him go.

"You've got your reward, and now it's all over…" Rivaille announced, burying his face in Eren's shoulder.

"What? But why?" Eren asked, not wanting to believe it was over so soon.

His heart and body was still aching for more, although he wasn't sure exactly what it was. All the sensations he felt in those painfully short moments were new experience to him.

"You still have to earn the rest, brat." Rivaille replied, placing one last soft kiss on Eren's neck before withdrawing.

Eren felt his body was shaking, as if all the feelings he had at that moment were caged inside, wanting to escape.

"Hey, Eren." he heard Rivaille calling to him.

Eren realized that he was looking at him intently.

"Why are you crying?" Rivaille asked.

Eren brought an arm before his eyes to hide his tears.

'Why? Because I'm so happy I could die, but I can't die just yet. I want to feel this happiness again and again… With you.' he thought, but aloud he only said:

"I'll make sure to earn all the rest, Rivaille."

When he looked at Rivaille again, he was rewarded with another beautiful, gentle smile, and knew that it was for him alone.