Eren woke with a violent gasp to the deafening bang of his prison bar door. Bolting upright, he squinted toward the entrance to see Hanji loitering outside his room, grinning brightly with her teeth gleaming into the darkness of his cell. In her hand, a candle flickered, contorting her demonic face with its light.
"Good mooooorning, Eren Jaeger! You better be awake by now, got lots of things to do today! I'd list them all, give you a full description of the day, but then we'd have less time to do stuff. Ooooh boy are you in for a treat. Get yourself ready for some fun, fun, I say! Hop to it, boy-o!"
She skipped down the dreary passage-way, taking away with her the light of her candle, leaving him in pitch darkness once again. Eren half sighed and half groaned as he flopped back down on his mattress in defeat. It was great to get out of the cell and do training or whatever, but at five o'clock in the morning? Eren didn't have a window in his cell to check for the rising sun, but Levi usually woke him when the sky turned yellow and birds started singing. Damn dawn. The morning chorus. Urgh. These Survey Corps sure had it hard.
As he rubbed the sleep away from his eyes, the enticing smell of omelettes wafted to his cell and suddenly his senses heightened until he was awake. Perhaps awake enough to take on the challenge of another day... He kicked his limp, unwashed blankets from on top of him, not caring that they lay askew on his mattress of rocks and dived out of bed with a gleeful grin.
When he manhandled the large metal door, it wouldn't budge. He rattled it until it clanged gratingly. Still nothing. Eren's face fell when he heard a steady patter footsteps treading on the dirt path of the basement and a condescending click of the tongue. Light glared on the walls as a short figure came towards Eren.
A disembodied voice called out to him. "Are you honestly stupid enough to try escaping when we're all asleep? Pretty sure you just woke up the entire population within the walls. You're damn lucky I wasn't still getting some shut eye, brat."
As usual, Lance Corporal Levi called him a "brat" like always. It wasn't that it surprised Eren today, but the fact that Levi could joke about not trusting him... That didn't sit well inside his gut. He rolled his eyes, hoping Levi didn't see, or at the very least ignored it.
"Hanji was just here. I thought she opened the door, so obviously I went to check it out." He peeked at Levi, hiding under messy brown bangs after his tight reply. "Sir."
"Yeah, well, I doubt even Hanji would just let you out your crib and leave." Levi scoffed, a haughty huff of breath. "She'd literally talk your ear off as an experiment and attempt to dissect your god-damn filthy body. Even if I'd shown up earlier."
Eren cringed; a little at the thought of Hanji dissecting him, but mostly from the recent memory of having Hanji talk for an excessive amount of time. Never, just never again would he let Hanji put him through that. Not after the night he stayed up with her as she explained facts about the Titans, all of which he'd already known. Even if Hanji was one of the few, tolerable Survey Corps that talked to him sometimes, just…no.
Eren watched Levi's calm face as he twisted the key in the lock, noting with a small smile the slight furrow in his dark brow at the effort and the downward tug at the corner of his prudently pursed lips. Levi paused for a long moment, throwing a smoulder grey stare at Eren; for no reason in particular other than to make the boy uncomfortable. Eren had to dart his vision in another direction, a heat crawling inside his stomach and chest when Levi rolled his eyes, opening the door that creaked loudly in protest. Its moans echoed into the long tunnels.
"Move your ass, Eren." Eren moved to follow Levi's modulated order.
He'd only been here for a few days, but Eren was now accustomed to, perhaps even enjoyed, walking with Levi who'd fill him in on his duties. Today, they walked in comfortable silence, or as comfortable as one was capable of being in Levi's intimidating presence. It allowed Eren to count down the minutes until he was victim to an unrewarding and pointlessly tiresome day.
The yellow fire of Levi's hand-held candle shivered as they walked, leading the way. At first, something had convinced him that the walls were closing in on him and shadows unpleasantly tickled his nerves. But now, he treasured any source of light; because even just a small glow of reassurance was much more calming than the agonising pitch darkness of his cell.
The smell of egg and omelette filled the dining hall. It was as if he was back home in Shiganshina and an odd tingling rose in Eren's nose, a feeling he had to blink away quickly when the image of his mother's smiling face flickered before his eyes. Eren scanned the tables; people who crowded around their breakfasts in groups filled most of them, talking and laughing in a cheerful buzz.
From the corner of his eye, Hanji bounded up to them and greeted Levi with, "Your morning dose of pipin' hot lovin' Heichou!" and thrust a cup of scalding liquid into his hand.
Eren winced when Levi didn't flinch at the heat. Levi glowered at Hanji in thanks and held the cup with his hand over the top, pale fingers grasping the cup by its outer rim as he took a testing sip. Eren took a growing interest in the movement of his knuckles but hurriedly looked away as Levi glimpsed in his direction, almost meeting eyes with him. Heat coursed through his body, forcing his heart to burn calories and urging it to beat faster, as though rushing its usual pace of pulsing blood and turning Eren's cheeks pink would save a life.
As Eren and Hanji bounded towards the source of food, Eren turned back when he couldn't hear Levi's following footsteps. Instead, Levi was grimacing at his tea. Eren chuckled to himself when Levi grimaced in distaste and muttered gruff profanities at the cup, growling something along the lines of "-damn cheapskate pigs and their fucking miserable excuse for herbs-"
After Eren piled food onto a tray, his new task was; pick the right seat. He had to really consider where he sat so that no-one felt targeted. Although people spoke to him, at the drop of a knife (a spoon, in his case) they'd pounce, should he cause chaos; an attack on him always prepared in order to defend themselves. Everyone in this room had that in mind. His body was just a blueprint of weak points that would be targeted when necessary.
Eren's place was at the far end of a table on a lonesome chair. He threw himself into eating his food, trying to let other's entertainment distract him from his inner musings. At first, everyone had been too polite and far too welcoming (or in Auruo's case, judgemental and conceited) around him, but now they all chatted loudly and laughed easily. It bothered him, no, it actually upset him a lot that his friends weren't here, but hey ho; Eren was still helping humanity, was still waking up each day, was going through tedious routines despite his burning desire to actually do something useful, even without their or anyone else's support. At least, he would help everyone. Eventually.
"Eventually" was taking a fucking long and exhausting time.
Cleaning and repairing areas of the castle; what a way to waste an entire day. Levi was always hovering around Eren, telling him to clean it from scratch. And that was when he was in a good mood.
With every unnoticeable smudge, no, make that every particle of dust, Levi was breathing down his back like a wild animal chasing after its prey. He had to clamp his mouth together to restrain himself from screaming "It's clean! Fucking Walls, it's clean! It's so fucking clean that when I look for my reflection in the floorboards, I see the people downstairs staring up at me instead!"
But ah, no, he had to be in control at all times. Though he truly hated to let it have a leverage over him; he had to admit that Levi was an amazing leader. So that meant no shouting at him, even when he abused his leadership and demanded his squad to do the most ridiculous things. Like scrubbing floors. Urgh. He settled for taking his anger out on the not so innocent stain on the floor. In the end, it would never quite disappear enough for Levi's lowest standard.
Replacing the dirty water in his bucket became the most exciting task of his day. Especially when he walked past Levi in the hallway. Leaning against the wall, Levi ground his teeth together and feebly clutched his black head of hair as Eren almost passed him by. He hissed inwardly and clamped his eyelids shut in worrisome discomfort.
"Sir…?" In his fear, Eren's voice became shrill.
Levi lifted one hooded eyelid to reveal a glazed look, breathing shallowly in between dry gulps.
"...Eren."
Levi's soft call of his name made Eren fidget awkwardly on the spot, eyes widening and cheeks slowly flaming. Suddenly, tautness seeped back into Levi's tone.
"Little shit, what did you-"
In a panic, Eren dashed over to him as his knees failed.
"Captain! Are you okay? You look kinda pale, er, paler than usual. What… D-do you need to get to Hanji? She'll help, I'm sure, sir. She's a doctor, right? To some degree anyway… Do you want to see her?" Eren's voice shook at the shock of seeing a pale and weak corporal. He didn't know, he didn't know what to do to help him.
Despite his apparent illness, Levi chuckled darkly at the mention of Hanji.
"Fat lot of use she'll be. I bet that bitch poisoned my tea this morning. Shit-! What the hell do you think you'redoing?!"
Eren hoisted Levi onto his shoulder. "I'll take you to your room Heichou. Whereabouts is it?" No, you've got the wrong idea, Eren wasn't internally squealing at their closeness!
Levi groaned throatily. "One floor up at the far end of the hallway to the right." he drooped with defeat into Eren's shoulder.
Eren had to adjust their positioning, as the latter was apparently well enough to complain that Eren's shoulder dug into him painfully. He stumbled along to Levi's room, hugging the older man's waist to his shoulder with both hands. Although they hadn't come across anyone; Eren practised his 'I got this' look in case anyone tried to interrupt his little hero expedition. He was helping something, a human no less, and the adrenaline of useful activity was something he felt was well overdue, considering the amount of time they'd all been here in this boring old castle. He'd only been here a few days, but still...
Levi's breathing deepened and Eren slowed his pace so as not to hurt his chest or stomach, the shirt having come loose from under his trousers, revealing Levi's skin, which felt surprisingly warm against his bare shoulder blade. Levi's cold personality gave the impression that his generously muscled body would be just as icy. He tried not to commit to memory the corporal's bodily warmth, to not lean into it with his cheek. Yes, he tried.
Having reached Levi's room after a few half-assed directions, Eren softly kicked Levi's door open and carried Levi to his bed; a neatly made, white sheeted piece in the corner furthest from the window. As Levi lay on his blankets Eren saw his flushed face, pinkness reaching even the tip of his nose, as if he were blushing. Levi breathed in and out, his chest rising and falling unsteadily with thin, slightly parted, rouge lips-
Eren grew flustered on the spot, scolding his train of thought, then busied himself with finding a washcloth to cover Levi's feverish forehead. He found the bathroom, a porcelain bath and sink with a light colour on the walls and beautifully polished cream tiles on the floor. Another window lit the room behind a curtain of fine, white lace. Eren rinsed a cloth like object in the freezing water of the sink tap. He heard Levi calling grouchily from his bed.
"Oi, brat." he sounded like himself, at least.
Eren walked quickly to his room, damp cloth dripping in his hand. He was about to place the cloth on Levi's heated forehead when the ill man swatted it away with a limp gesture.
"No, it's fine. I don't have a fever; it's just a migraine, headache-whatever. Just do me a favour and loosen these suspenders, they're fucking suffocating."
Eren eyed him warily, debating internally as to whether or not he should do just that. Then, seeing no further instruction from Levi, he delicately unbuckled and peeled off the straps, begging that his corporal wouldn't notice how his fingers lingered on his chest, how they trembled with each electrifying jolt. Levi sighed and sank into the bed with a quiet, pleased moan when they were off, causing Eren to look away in embarrassment.
Huh, Levi looked way more relaxed now. Eren couldn't help but gaze at him after realizing just how young the soldier looked. Neither of them said anything for a while, just like that morning when they'd walked to the dining hall together and it had felt peaceful, even without the routine of their soft-spoken, early morning conversations.
Levi adjusting to his new breathing space became a show of his superior falling into shallow sleep. Eren left his side in search of something to sit on, stretching his back after having crouched for so long. He felt a firm tug at the back of his shirt before he could go very far. He turned to see Levi watching him with half open eyes, lying on his side sleepily.
"Just stay here," he croaked. "It'll look... weird if you come out my room at this time, seeing as everyone's about to finish up. Plus, I've got your key and I need-" he yawned and breathed, "Need to supervise you on your way down…"
Eren hadn't been intending to leave yet but was Levi… implying that he should stay? Here, in his room? For how long? A night of breathing in Levi's scent, which was in every corner of the room... Impossible, or frustrating, at the very least. Levi had to feel near death if he didn't feel up to simply taking Eren to the basement.
He looked around, not sure where he should go, as Levi was still tugging onto him weakly, as if in invitation... But trying to get into Levi's bed would be suicidal even if he was in this state.
Then again, Eren was famous for being the suicidal bastard…
Suddenly he yelped.
"AH! The water! The bucket! I-in the hallway, I forgot, I forgot..! I need to-"
Levi growled at him. "Shut the fuck up. It's fine, so stop fussing over, over…"
And with that the grip on Eren's shirt dropped and Levi fell fast asleep. Eren; infamous for falling asleep in the most outrageous places and the least appropriate times, had been beaten in his zoning out ability by Levi, who could fall asleep mid-scolding. Eren chuckled at the corporal who had suddenly fallen asleep and went to explore. This place… Such a spacious and bright room surely couldn't be the corporal's..? The sun was setting, as he could see from the tall window; vibrant oranges, pinks, purples, inky blues all melding together like colorful childhood memories.
Noticing a small desk in the other corner of the room closest to the window, he saw the thick stacks of paperwork, all neatly lined up with the pinpoint precision that Levi strived for and had. It looked like far more paperwork than he and the elite soldiers had to do. Eren couldn't even write very well.
He realized; he knew next to nothing about Levi. He didn't even know what he did on a day to day basis, let alone personal details. What did he do in the old days while in this room? He glanced at Levi who was still on top of his covers, shivering slightly. Moving toward Levi, he pulled some blankets over him, thinking about the man beneath him while Levi slept and sighed into his blankets, nuzzling them with his nose.
Did Levi ever…cry at night? Even just a little? Eren wouldn't think less of him for it if he did. No-one would. Though it'd surprise them.
Eren finally became comfortable in the foreign room and lay on the couch that stood a few metres in front of the bed, having turned it to face Levi. You know. So that Levi could at least watch out for him if he suddenly turned into a Titan in his sleep. But mostly so that he could keep an eye on Levi until he himself fell asleep. That night, he dreamt of… Well. The bad things, the dirty things teenage boys normally dream about. That might not be technically true, actually. Most boys thought about girls in that way, right? And usually girls around their own age.
In the dream, Levi straddled his waist as Eren lay down on soft bedding. A light-hearted giggle left the man's smile, kissing his body, leaving lingering suckles that sizzled on his skin while Eren could do nothing but just lie there, unable to move at free will. Wetness in his crotch made him squirm and his eyes shot open faster than he could turn into a Titan. A sensual grin and glittering grey eyes up close and personal stared back at him.
"Hey there, Mister Hard On."