I watched the brat slam up against the wall for the fifth time. "Jaeger! Do you want to get eaten by a Titan? I doubt you'd taste good, but they're always hungry!" I yelled.

"S-sorry Heichou!" Eren saluted me shakily.

"Try again," I said, leaning back against the wall. Eren's maneuver gear shot out and attached to the wall. He launched himself up and managed to make it up without falling. I sighed with relief. Eren landed on the ground. "Dismissed, Jaeger. Go clean up for dinner, you're filthy."

"Youkaide," he said, and dashed inside. Petra came jogging up to me.

"Aren't you a little hard on him?" she asked. I lifted one eyebrow at her.

The ginger blushed, "Levi, just be gentle."

"So he can be eaten by a Titan?" I asked. The blush deepened.

"Sorry Levi. I'm just concerned about him."

"Got a crush, Petra?" I tossed out the words.

Petra looked shocked. "No! I mean, not on Eren,"

I didn't think human skin could get that red. I walked off and into my room where I sat and started sifting through paperwork. I came across a picture of a very young Eren, smiling happily. I clicked my tongue. Poor boy. He had no idea where his life was going back then. He still had those emerald eyes of his. And that chocolate hair. And that boyish smile... I derailed my thoughts. Not a good time right now. I heard footsteps running down the hall and a pounding on my door. I opened it and Hanji stood there, breathless. "Levi, it's Eren," she panted. I lifted one eyebrow. "He's not himself. He's got a fever and keeps yelling for Corporal Levi."

I sighed, "Let's see what shit the brat is up to."

Hanji and I approached the room and we heard Aururo yelling, "Damn it, calm down," and Eren screaming, "Levi! Corporal Levi! Please!" I sighed and walked in. Eren's eyes were large and terrified. I crouched beside him.

"I'm here Eren," I said, oddly soothing. I mentally smacked my forehead. So much for being brusque.

Eren started sobbing, "Heichou, they're everywhere. Titans are everywhere."

Petra knelt to touch Eren's arm but received a blow to the face. She jerked back and I grabbed Eren.

"What the hell?" I demanded.

"Get away from me you dirty Titan!" he screamed at Petra. She was white. I was extremely worried now. He felt like he was on fire. I scooped the yelling Eren up and dashed out. I took him to his room and dumped him on the bed.

Eren was sobbing. "Levi, they almost ate me. Just like you said they would..." I was shocked.

"Eren, listen, I didn't mean that," I said sternly.

"You were right. You're always right," Eren whimpered. I ran a hand through my hair.

"Just... Go to sleep." Eren nodded and turned over. I instinctively put a hand on the teen's head and ran my hand over it, feeling the silky strands beneath my fingers. I felt Eren sigh in his sleep.

I stayed there all night. Eren's fever came down and he was fast asleep. He looked so innocent when he slept. I wasn't going to kid myself; I was nothing if not straightforward. Eren was handsome. He was kind and protective. I knew I had some sort of thing for him. That's why I pushed him so hard. I didn't want to see him get hurt. I had accepted that I was gay, and that I was attracted to Eren Jaeger. I quietly cursed. What the hell was I going to do? Why the hell would Jaeger like me back? For one, I was almost 10 years older. Second, I was so mean to him. Nothing could excuse that. I didn't want to love him. I didn't. Then when I fell, I had to keep being brusque, or everything would fall apart. I wanted to protect him, even if that meant he hated me. I gently laid a kiss on his forehead.

"Sleep, Jaeger," I murmured. Eren moved a little. I watched over him, keeping away all his Titans.

When he woke up I had moved to a chair on the wall. He opened a bleary emerald and spotted me. "Heichou?" he asked, speech slurred with sleep.

"Yes?"I answered. "What... What happened? Why...," he started, but his eyes widened as he remembered. He groaned and stuffed his head under his pillow. "I thought they were all Titans," he mumbled. I waited until he emerged and then nodded. He moaned and stuffed his head back inside. I walked up to his bed and ran my hand through his hair.

"It's alright, Jaeger. It's not your fault." I leaned down and gave him a small peck on the head, then dashed out, feeling the burn of blood in my cheeks. What the hell was wrong with me?

I sat at breakfast listening to Eren apologize profusely to the squad. "Eren, breathe," Gunther said, "It's alright." Eren was red and his emeralds were bright. I leaned back and took a sip of tea.

"Eren, we don't blame you. Don't you think that we punch each other? That we sometimes act like Titans to each other?" Petra said consolingly. She set a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and smiled. Something flickered behind his beautiful eyes. Love? Passion? Desire? I felt my jaw clench and I left the room. I wandered until I came to the workout room. I stepped inside and stretched. I wrapped my hands up and stepped up to a punching bag. I threw all my anger into the bag. Did Eren love me back? Apparently not. Side punch to the bag. Would he ever love me? Probably never. Full frontal punch. Was he moony-eyed for Petra? Maybe. Snap kick. Mikasa? Probable. Side kick. Little bastard. With eyes like emeralds. With hair like silk. With skin like water. With a laugh like air. With a smile like the sun. Roundhouse kick to the bag. It flew off its chain and landed against the wall, cracking open. I breathed hard and felt the niggling pinches of pain finally fire in my head. I looked down to bloody hands and raw feet. I moved and stifled a gasp. Fuck, that really hurt. But it felt so good. Pain places other than my heart was welcome. I stepped up to the next bag and began beating the shit out of it, ignoring the burst of pain and blood from my hands and feet. Eren Jaeger. Brat. Bastard. Beauty. Love. "Heichou?" a voice sounded from the door. I whirled to see the little shit in the doorway. "Heichou, I- Your hands! And feet!" he exclaimed. "What is it?" I growled. "Uh... I was going to ask if there was anything else you wanted me to do. Otherwise, Petra wants to take me to the forest for some maneuver gear practice," he said carefully, trying not to stare as the blood seeped onto the floor. "No, go with Petra. It seems that you two are perfect training partners," I sneered. Eren got a hurt look in his eye. Well good. Someone else deserved to feel pain for once. "If you don't want me to, I'll stay," he said quietly. "It doesn't matter what I think. It never does," I growled and turned back to the bag. There were handprints and blood everywhere on it. I didn't care. I resumed beating it. I could vaguely hear Eren telling me to stop, that I wasn't doing myself any good. I ignored him, eager for the pain. I heard footsteps and voices gasping. Petra cried, "Levi!" I turned and bellowed, "Go! God dammit do none of you have anything better to do?!" Petra looked scared by the angry glint in my eyes. Eren... I couldn't read his expression. Everyone quietly exited the room as I beat the punching bag. The pain kept growing. I felt masochistic, but it was so worth it. My vision began to tunnel but I just kept going. The pain finally became too much and my vision closed.

I awoke to fire on my hands and feet. I gasped and felt a hand against my forehead. "You're awake," Hanji muttered. I looked around to see I was in her lab. She carefully bandaged my hands and said, "So. Eren. What are you going to do about it?" I glared at her. "What about the brat has anything to do with this?" I snarled. She looked at me through thick glasses. "Levi. You push him like he'll die tomorrow. You stayed with him against his nightmares. You kept him safe. I think that it's safe to say that you're in love with him," she said gently. "He hates me," I said. She shook her head, "No, he doesn't. I think it's safe to say he lo..." I cut her off, "Please don't get my hopes up."She shook her head, "Watch, I'll talk to him. Listen in, and you'll see. He loves you too."

I pretended to be asleep as Hanji led Eren into the lab. "Uh, won't we wake him up?" Eren asked. "No, he's dead asleep," Hanji responded. I felt Eren stand beside me. "He's so peaceful when he's sleeping," he murmured. "Eren, what do you think of Levi?" Hanji asked. Eren sighed, "Levi's strict and ass-whooping and hard... But he's also admirable and can be kind. I've idolized him ever since I was a kid.""How was training with Petra?" Hanji asked. "Easier than with Heichou. But I missed him too much. I wish I had stopped him. I just wonder why he did this to himself," Eren said. Hanji sighed, "He cares for you Eren. A lot." I felt Eren take in a sharp breath. "But he pushes me so hard! Is that something a caring person would do?" he demanded. "Yeah, when they want to protect you," Hanji replied sharply. Eren sighed, "It's bad, cause I can't even get mad at him for it. I... I love him Hanji." The rest of their conversation blurred as I focused on those words, "I love him."

I slumped down at the table, and reached for the tea. My bandaged hands couldn't pick it up and I growled in frustration. I felt a hand on my back and a slender hand not meant to paint with blood picked up the cup and set it in my hand. I looked up to Eren's serious eyes. "Thank you," I said and sipped it. He sat down next to me and watched my hands. "Can I help you?" I growled. "Yeah. Why the hell did you do that to yourself?" Eren snapped. I raised an eyebrow. "Sir," Eren added. "I felt like being masochistic," I said coolly. "Why?" Eren demanded. "I'm not sure you have the right to know that," I said, gulping down the rest of my tea and standing before my heart leapt out of chest. Eren stood and towered over me. "I've every right to know, Heichou," he growled. "On what authority?" I challenged in a voice that said Don't Push It. I leaned against the wall and waited. Eren glared at me with those eyes of his. "No authority then," I said. Eren slammed his arms around me on the wall, breathing hard with anger, chocolate hair falling into his eyes. "You want authority?" he snarled. I raised an eyebrow. And they both went up when I felt Eren kiss me. It was full of hurt and anger, but he cared. I shut my eyes and felt my own lips part to deepen the kiss. I pressed against him and I could feel every ridge in his torso. My arms uncrossed in front of my chest and I looped then around Eren's neck. "I love you, Heichou," he murmured. "Levi," I corrected. "Levi," he repeated, and I shivered at the delicious way he said it. I heard footsteps outside and I shoved him away, winding an apathetic mask on. Eren looked shocked and a little hurt. Erd and Gunther came in the door. "Heichou," the greeted me. "Hey Eren!" they slapped him on the back. I walked away from them, feeling a sharp pain in my chest. What was it? It kept hurting. I ran to Hanji. "Hanji!" She looked at me. "What's this pain in my chest?!" I asked. She smiled and giggled. "Hanji," I said warningly. "It's called love, Levi," she said. "I thought love felt good, not this pain!""Love's not easy, and it can hurt," Hanji said knowingly. I groaned and slumped into a chair. A knocking came at the door and Hanji went to open it.

"Hanji-san, I took that medicine...," Eren walked in and noticed my hunched form.

"Eh... Levi Heichou?"he asked.

"Yeah?" I snarled.

"Levi," Hanji admonished.

"No, it's okay, Hanji-san. Levi Heichou, do you want me to leave?"

"No!" I burst out.

Eren stared at me and sidled in as Hanji slipped out the door.

"Eren...,"I started, but stopped when I saw Eren's eyes bright with tears.

"Levi Heichou, please, don't hurt yourself. I love you. It hurts me and I can't bear to see you in pain. I'd take your pain upon myself an infinite amount of times over," he sobbed, and covered his bright emeralds with his hands, little water drops slipping out from under his palms.

I walked up to him and pulled his hands away from his eyes. He looked scared and alone and heartbroken with my bandaged hands covering his. I stood up on tiptoe and as my lips grazed his, I snarled, "Damn your height and damn mine."

"Eh?" Eren got out before I covered his mouth with mine.

He gasped against my mouth as I ran my tongue over his lips. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss, removing his hands from my grasp and settling them onto my hips. I set my hands on his shoulders and pressed myself closer. He gave a small moan and ran his hands up my back. His nimble hands sent chills through me wherever they touched.

"I love you Eren," I murmured.

He pulled back to stare at my face. "Why did you pull away when Gunther and Erd came in?"

"Because my chest hurt and I didn't know that it was love."

"Why did you hurt yourself," he muttered, leaning down and kissing my wounded hands. I gave a little growl of appreciation.

"I was jealous."

"Jealous?" He looked up at me, eyes wide and disbelieving.

"You and Petra were going to train. And I didn't... I didn't know if you were gay. I didn't think that you could ever love me back, after how I've treated you..."

Eren leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. They tasted like sunlight and were slightly chapped. His hands ran up my back and held me close, enabling me to feel every ridge in his stomach and chest. I put my hands on his chest and kissed him harder, wanting to feel more of him. His scent of metal and fire was driving me crazy. He kissed me carefully, almost afraid. I moved my lips down his neck and across his shoulder. He nuzzled behind my war and drew his lips over my jaw. Out lips met again and I slid my tongue into his mouth, feeling the rounded molars and smooth tongue. Eren gave a small moan and kissed me harder, determined to show me that he was in love with me. And I was in love with Eren.

"I love you, Levi."

"I love you too, Eren."

First ever one-shot! Please review and tell me how it was!