"Get up, Jeager!" Eren jolted awake at the sound of Corporal Rivaille's booming voice. "We've got training to do! Gotta get that Titan of yours under control!" Eren pressed his palms against his eyes and groaned while he waited for his racing heart to calm down. "Why does he have to be so damn loud and obnoxious about everything? How hard is it for that bastard to just walk in here and wake me up like a normal person?" Deciding that he spent enough time cussing Rivaille out in his thoughts, Eren finally forced himself off of his bed and stretched, only to be interrupted by Rivaille bursting through the door.
"Dammit Jeager why must you slack off so…" His words trailed off as he witnessed a sight that was very easy on the eyes. Eren stood in front of his bed holding his shirt. He had on a simple pair of boxers and nothing else. He was a tall boy and, much to popular belief, was actually very well built. Many suspected that he was merely a lanky boy but his toned abs showed otherwise.
"I just need a few minutes and I will be ready to go." Eren cocked and eyebrow as he waited for the now speechless Rivaille to answer. "Ummm, Corporal?"
"Why are you naked, Jeager!?" Rivaille's face flushed red with what he hoped would come off as anger instead of embarrassment.
"I'm not, Sir. I have boxers on." Eren slid his arms through the sleeves of his shirt then brushed his hair back with his fingers.
"I-Uh-I realize that. Just hurry the hell up, Jeager! You are so disrespectful, making me wait like this!" Rivaille turned on his heel and quickly stomped out of Eren's room. In the hallway, he leaned against a wall and rested his head in his hands. "That stupid kid!"
"Corporal?" Rivaille brought his head up as Eren exited his room. "I'm ready when you are."
"Finally." Rivaille pushed himself off of the wall and led Eren to their horses.
"So, basically all you are gonna do is transform into a Titan for thirty minutes then come out," Rivaille explained as they hopped off their horses. They decided it would be best to practice outside of the wall for the safety of others. Rivaille assigned a few members of the Scouting Legion to locate an area for the practice and to eliminate all Titans residing in and around that area. The location was a flat, grassy field with no Titans in sight. The two boys tied their horses to faraway trees and moved away to create a safe distance between them.
"I don't really know if I can control this, and I have no idea how to just 'come out,'" Eren spoke while he readied himself to bite his hand.
"Well that's why we are here, isn't it? Now go on!" Rivaille motioned for Eren to transform then watched as Eren chomped down on his hand.
"OW!" Eren yelped and began to nurse his hand.
"Jeager?..."
"Yes, Corporal?" Eren looked over while he wrapped his hand in his Scouting Legion cape.
"Why the HELL aren't you a freaking titan!?"
"Oh, don't you remember, Sir? I need a specific objective in order to transform."
Rivaille sighed and began removing all of his 3D maneuver gear. Eren watched with a confused expression as he tossed all his means of fighting aside. He then walked slowly towards Eren and stopped just inches before his face.
"Corporal?"
"Listen, Jeager. I am now currently defenseless. I have no way of protecting myself if a titan appears. It's your job to protect me. It's your job, Eren, to gain control over that titan form to help save humanity. What good will you be if you always turn into a dangerous beast?" Rivaille placed his hand on Eren's shoulder and continued, "You are gonna make great things happen to this shitty world. I know you will. However, you can only do that with control, Eren. Think of how much more beneficial your titan form will be if you have complete control over it. Think, Eren, of all the people you will be able to protect. Armin. Mikasa. Me." Rivaille stopped to let his advice sink in. After a few moments, he gently guided Eren's face to face his. "Now then, Eren. What is your objective?"
"To gain control," Eren said as he transformed.
That's my boy. Rivaille laughed as he quickly moved back from the now Titan Eren.
Eren lifted his hands and moved them around slowly. "Wow.. I really do feel in total control right now." He walked towards Rivaille and kneeled down to get a better look at him. "Hmmmmm, I should mess with him!"
"How do you feel, Jeager?" Rivaille looked right into the huge eyes watching him. Eren wrapped his giant hand around Rivaille and stood up. "What exactly do you think you are doing, Jeager?" Eren took his other hand and pinched Rivaille's Scouting Legion cape, jerking his small body towards his mouth. "EREN!?" Rivaille began squirming about and cursing. "You have got to be fucking kidding me!? Did my speech mean nothing to you!? I thought a lot on that, you know!" Rivaille began plotting how to stab Eren's eyes out when he heard a noise that sounded like a muffled laugh come from the giant. "Did you just fucking laugh," Rivaille whispered, staring daggers at Eren. Eren laughed louder and placed Rivaille on his shoulder. Rivaille quickly ran and kicked Eren in the ear. "You stupid idiot! That was by no means funny! And how the hell does a titan laugh anyway!?"
Eren's monstrous laughing and Rivaille's complaining was quickly cut off by the rapid approaching sound of footsteps. Titan footsteps. An incredibly large and fast Deviant was running towards the two boys.
"Well shit. I didn't really want you to fight in todays training so just…" Rivaille was cut off by Eren setting him gently down on the ground and motioning for him to stay put. "Eren, wait!" Rivaille watched as Eren charged towards the Deviant. "Eren, you idiot... That's a Deviant..." Rivaille raced to find his 3D maneuver gear.
"Why would he not want me to fight? I'm a titan for crying out loud! Plus, I've never felt in so much control before! This is gonna be too easy!" Eren rushed towards the Deviant, fist prepared for the first blow. Once close enough, he swung with all he had, but the Deviant quickly dodged and kept running. "What the hell? It's not after me? It's after..." Eren spun around to see the Deviant racing towards an unprepared Rivaille. "LEVI!" He began to run as fast as his heavy legs could take him.
"Come on you stupid gear!" Rivaille stumbled with his gear as the Deviant began moving in. "Is this fucking broken!? Shit!" He quickly gave up and grabbed one of his blades and slowly walked forward, waiting for the Deviant to reach him. "I honestly don't think I'm going to be able to fight him like this… What happened, Eren?"
Eren forced his heavy body to move faster. "What did he say to me? 'Think, Eren, of all the people you will be able to protect. Armin. Mikasa. Me.' Him! I need to protect him! Don't worry, Levi! I will protect you!" With adrenaline pumping, Eren pressed forward with full speed.
"I don't know what you did to my friend, you hideous creature! But don't think you can just do away with me so easily!" Rivaille ignored his shaking hands and walked towards the Deviant. The titan stopped once it got close enough to Rivaille, peering down at him curiously. It reached its hand towards him and tightened its large fingers around his small body, lifting him dangerously close to its mouth. Rivaille managed to wedge his hand with the blade free and prepared to slice its fingertips off. Instead, he heard the titan make an ear-piercing screech and then found himself falling to the ground. "Oh, well that's just perfect. I'm gonna die from a fucking fall... How lame..." He closed his eyes and waited for the fatal impact but instead fell into a very large hand. "Eren!" Rivaille jumped up and watched as Eren bit down with dangerously sharp teeth on the nape of the Deviant's neck. With a good grip, Eren jerked his head back ripping the flesh away from the titan's neck. The Deviant went still then collapsed.
Eren walked slowly with Rivaille resting in his hands. When he got a little closer to the horses, he moved his hand towards the ground, and Rivaille hopped off. Eren stumbled away, but soon fell to his knees.
"Eren!?" Rivaille raced to him. "What can I do?" Eren shook his head and hit the ground face first. "EREN!?" Rivaille quickly began to climb up Eren's back and raced to the back of his neck, but was then blinded by a massive amount of smoke. "Eren!?" Rivaille called out while he shielded his eyes. After a few moments, the smoke cleared enough for Rivaille to find himself standing on the gound. "What the?.." He looked around and soon spotted Eren lying on the ground a few feet in front of him. "Eren…" He raced towards Eren and knelt down beside him.
"Eren?.." Rivaille gently placed his hand on Eren's back. "Can you hear me?"
"Nnnnnngh." Eren slowly moved his head to face Rivaille. He blinked a few times and began trying to push himself up.
"Easy, Eren." Rivaille wrapped his arms around Eren's shoulders and helped him into a sitting position. Eren sat with his head hanging as he breathed heavily; sweat dripping down from his forehead. After he felt he gained enough of his composure, he looked up at Rivaille.
"I'm…Sorry…" Eren moved his eyes across Rivaille's worried face.
"For what, Stupid?"
"Disobeying your orders and….," Eren was cut off by a coughing fit. Rivaille tightened his arms around Eren's shoulders. Once passed, Eren continued, "And for not stopping the titan before it got to you…"
"You really are stupid aren't you?" Rivaille sighed and pulled Eren into a hug. Eren gasped and, after recovering from the shock, tightened his arms around Rivaille. The two hugged for a while before Rivaille gently pulled away. "Eren..." He placed his hands on Eren's cheeks and moved his face close to his. "You saved my life. I know I care a lot about rules and discipline, but I can make an exception for this." Having said what he wanted to, Rivaille carefully pressed his lips against Eren's. "Oh god. He's gonna hate it! Should I pull away? I should pull away... But his lips are so warm against mine. I don't want to..." Rivaille's thoughts trailed off as he felt Eren's hand run through his hair. "I knew this stupid kid liked me."
Eren pressed his lips harder against Rivaille's. He moved his hand through his hair and down his back. "This is… This is nice… No. Not nice... This is incredible..." "Rivaille?" Eren pulled back slightly and looked at Rivaille.
"Please, Eren. Call me Levi from now on." Rivaille smiled and ran his hand down Eren's arm, stopping at his hand.
"Levi...I also need to apologize for lying."
"Lying about what?" Rivaille tilted his head to the side, waiting for a response.
"I...I told you that my objective was to gain control, but I lied... It was... It is to protect you. It will always be to protect you." Eren laced his fingers with Rivaille's and smiled at him.
"Eren…" Rivaille gazed at him with a peaceful look. "You are such an idiot!" He laughed at Eren's now shocked expression. "I don't need protection! I could have handled that Deviant with no problem."
"Right..." Eren laughed. "While you were falling to your death."
"I only fell because you caused it to drop me!" Rivaille shot Eren a stern look before falling into a fit of laughter with Eren quickly joining in. Once finished, the two boys sighed and gazed at one another. "We should really get you back now." Rivaille stood up and pulled Eren up, wrapping his arm around his waist. The two slowly walked back to the horses.
"I'm gonna be honest Corpo...Levi..." Eren rested against a tree while Rivaille untied the horses.
"Hmmm?"
"I don't think I'm gonna be able to ride my horse by myself..."
"Well did you think I did not know that, Eren?" Rivaille tied a rope connecting the two horses. He led the horses over to Eren then knelt down to help him up. "Get on." Rivaille helped Eren climb onto the horse then quickly hopped on behind him. He securely wrapped his arms around Eren, resting his head on Eren's shoulder so he can see. He grabbed the reins and began to lead the horses back to the wall.
Eren wiggled closer to Rivaille. "People will talk if they see us like this."
"You are ill, Eren. People would think poorly of me if I made you ride by yourself."
"Mmmm, I suppose you are right." Eren smiled and laid his head back against Rivaille's other shoulder.
The two boys rode back to the wall unaware of someone watching from a distance. "Look at those two cuties! The Titan and The Corporal! A Perfect Love Story!" Hanji laughed to herself as she began writing in her notebook.