"Hey."
He just stares, speechless.
"Can you talk?"
He nods once, his eyes never leaving the figure standing in front of him.
"What's your name, brat?"
He swallows thickly.
"Eren."
"I'm Levi."
Eren nods again, and sits down on the asphalt.
Levi crouches down as well, and they watch the sunset in silence.
/
"Where are you from?" It's been a few days since they found each other, but the sky is still dark as ever.
Levi sits back, breathing in the ash and dust. He contemplates the weather; if it will rain for once.
"New York," he murmurs.
"What the fuck?"
Levi turns his narrow eyes to meet Eren's. "What?"
"This place—all of this rubble and shit—. You know we're in Colorado, right?"
Levi shrugs. "So?"
Eren laughs ruefully. "So you're telling me you walked from New York to Colorado?"
"What's it to you?"
Eren groans. "Fine. Forget I asked."
A few minutes pass, and Levi decides that he should be nicer to the kid. They're probably the only ones left anyways.
"The bombs hit there the hardest. I booked it out of the city when I heard the first plane," Levi says, as if that's a suitable explanation.
Eren shoots him a look of surprise. "So the man is social."
Levi just smirks.
"I'm from Nevada," Eren offers.
"I never asked," Levi retorts.
Eren rolls his eyes. "You wanted to know, though."
Levi can't argue with that.
/
The following weeks are spent searching for a way to live among the debris that stretched on for miles and miles. More than once, Eren had to turn away from the bodies that were still rotting. Levi only averted his eyes from the worst ones; one that had suffered the brunt of the nuclear bombs.
They find a small, one-story house in the suburbs that still had all four walls and a roof, although it was crumbling; raining wood chips and paint onto the cracked tile. Levi had cleaned out the dead woman and child inside while Eren stood outside, hunched over and gagging noiselessly. But Levi hadn't said anything, only blinked at Eren when he was done; asking him silently if he was alright again.
And over the past month, Eren had accepted all of Levi as well; not questioning why Levi had sat in silence for over an hour, holding a small white teacup in his hands. He did not ask why Levi had gotten so angry when Eren had touched the teacup and left sooty fingerprints. He did not complain when Levi kicked him out of the house soon after and wouldn't let him back in. Because when he was finally allowed inside, the tile was scrubbed clean and the furniture had lost its layer of dust. He had found Levi furiously cleaning the few uncracked windows and Eren had wordlessly picked up his other rag and started on the remaining windows.
He never saw the teacup again.
In this way, Eren and Levi soon became accustomed to each other's preferences and habits. They settled into a lifestyle that might've been considered normal, if not for the ever-gray sky and their dwindling food stores. Every week, one of them had to go further and further out to fetch fresh water from the slowing rivers and shallow lakes. Even then, the water tasted like ash and the tang of iron bit into Eren's tongue whenever he drank from the water pail.
/
At night, Levi would sleep on the couch and Eren would get the twin bed. They rarely woke each other up—sleeping was a personal comfort; however small.
So it is certainly a surprise when Levi wakes up in the early hours of twilight and sees Eren standing above him, the knife clutched in his hand glinting in the moonlight.
Instincts kick in, and Levi rolls out of the way as the blade cuts through the air and sinks into the sofa, where he was lying just three seconds ago. Eren rips the knife out, scattering cotton everywhere, and whirls around. Eren swings again but this time Levi is ready; grabbing Eren's wrists and squeezing hard; hard enough to feel his bones shifting. Eren struggles against his grip, straining to break free. Levi grimly tightens his fingers and hears a sickening snap. Eren gasps in pain and drops the knife. The clang of metal upon the tile echoes through the house.
Levi lets go of Eren's wrists and scrambles for the knife. He turns and throws himself back at Eren, pinning his neck beneath his forearm. The knife is at Eren's throat in a second, ready to pierce the skin. Eren bucks, realizing the danger he's in, but Levi only presses the blade deeper, making a line of blood appear.
"Stop moving," Levi hisses. "Unless you want your throat slit."
Eren freezes. A drop of bright crimson climbs over his Adam's apple and trickles off to the side.
"What the fuck are you trying." It's not even a question.
Eren doesn't answer, only shifts his gaze to a point behind Levi's head.
Levi grits his teeth and leans closer, so close that Eren is forced to look at him.
"Answer me," he growls, and his voice is dangerously quiet. He's mad—no, furious—because he has been nothing but helpful to Eren, and this is his reward.
Eren shudders, hearing the ice in Levi's tone.
"I can't die."
Levi scoffs. "Huh, and here I thought you were a suicidal bastard." His grip never relents.
Eren clenches his fists. He realizes what a pitiful position he's in, and he can't help but hate himself for being so weak.
"If you stop choking me, maybe I'll tell you."
Levi considers the possible outcomes of letting up, and decides that he can easily overcome Eren if he tries anything. He sits back on his heels, knife poised at his side.
Eren slowly sits up, eyes never moving from the blood-covered blade. Without shifting his gaze, he speaks.
"I promised. I promised my mom that I would live."
Levi almost kills Eren then and there.
"You think you're the only one with fucking promises? You think your life is more valuable than mine?" With a pang of anger and a little betrayal, he realizes why Eren tried to kill him. "You know what? I'll leave. And you can have all the food and water to yourself." And he feels another emotion—disappointment mixed with hurt—when Eren's lips thin and confirm Levi's suspicions. Levi nods—once, twice, three times; he won't miss the comforting presence of another human being—and looks away, swallowing his sigh. He stands up, turns around, and stiffly walks across the living room and opens the front door. He's still clutching the knife, so he lets it clatter to the floor. He wants to look back—wants Eren to ask him to stay, but he can't. His pride won't let him. And so Levi takes a step out the doorway, then another, until he finds himself on the road to another state; to another desolate and ruined city.
But then—something crashes into Levi and he almost falls with the extra weight clinging to his back. He thinks Eren's come back to finish him—maybe he's a sadist—but then Eren whispers,
"Don't go."
And although Levi and Eren have almost no history, with the exception of Eren's murder attempt, and Levi has his pride, he can't help but sigh in defeat. Because they're the last ones left in the state, probably on the entire continent, and loneliness is a curse he doesn't want to face.
/
They never talk about the incident again. But the evidence can be found; Eren seems to eat less and give Levi his food instead, as if he's apologizing for his selfishness. But Levi knows where his actions are coming from, and his anger fades into a rare forgiveness.
In their search for food, they find an old man's underground bunker stocked to the brim with canned goods and bottled water. Eren feels like he found the greatest treasure of all—even Levi cracks a small smile at Eren's excitement. And so their problem of food can be forgotten, at least for the moment.
/
"Are you even real?"
"Yes; canned peaches are disgusting."
Eren stares at Levi in amazement. "I can't believe this. Peaches—especially canned peaches—are the best. You just bite into them and they're juicy and sweet and—"
"Slimy," Levi finishes for him.
"That's the best part!" Eren exclaims. "It just slips down your throat—"
Levi holds up a hand, cutting off Eren again. "Okay, keep your peach fetishes to yourself. I don't want to know what you fantasize about at night."
Eren sputters, waving his arms around. "I-I would never!"
Levi smirks, looking away. "Sure."
The pair had been organizing the—thankfully—many cans of food when Levi had found a box of canned peaches. Levi had stepped away in disgust, with a small "ew", while Eren had looked over his shoulder and lit up like a firefly.
Levi pulls the box away from Eren. "You can't eat all of these. Once they're gone, they're gone."
Eren pouts but lets Levi carry the peaches away.
Levi finds that Eren's pout is oddly endearing.
/
From then on, Levi always gives Eren a slice of peach for dessert. It never fails to amuse him; how Eren eagerly laps up the fruit, then looks to Levi with puppy eyes, asking for more.
/
Eventually, they run out of peaches. That night, Eren calmly waits for Levi to finish cleaning up their meager dinner of beans and saltine crackers. However, when Levi doesn't move towards the pantry, where the peaches are stored, Eren becomes impatient.
"Levi? Uh—do I get my dessert now?" Eren asks cautiously. He doesn't want to seem like a spoiled child, but he's had a long day and he's too tired to wait any longer.
Levi sighs. "They're gone. You ate the last slice yesterday."
Eren knows this was coming—he knows the peaches wouldn't have lasted forever—but he almost cries because he truly realizes that there won't be any more peaches until he dies and reaches heaven or some shit.
He tried to hide his disappointment, but Levi sees the tears before they are blinked away.
"Are you okay?"
Eren nods rapidly. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Levi gives a curt nod in return and watches as Eren shuffles dejectedly to his room. He thinks that yes, Eren should be okay; they're only fucking peaches; but then Levi remembers how he himself had let the last unshattered teacup fall from his trembling fingers. He had given up the last of his lingering memories then, pushing them to the back of his mind. Now Eren had begun the process of moving on as well, and Levi knew it hurt.
/
Eren mopes around for the next few days; his fake smile fading when he thinks Levi isn't looking. Levi credits Eren for trying to act braver than he actually is—but he kind of misses Eren's too-bright eyes and honest laugh. After all, Levi himself is a painfully truthful person.
So when Levi comes upon a sudden valley during his trek for fresh water, he is immediately reminded about how much Eren loves wide, open spaces.
/
"Are we there yet?"
"No, you little shit." Levi keeps his firm grasp on Eren's hand as he continues to lead him through the forest.
"Is this an excuse to hold my hand?" Eren asks cheekily.
"You fucking wish. Now shut up before I shove your hand up your ass."
Eren doesn't get the hint. "Wow, kinky." He smirks.
Levi stops then and lets go of Eren's palm.
"We're going home," he states bluntly. "Right now."
Eren snaps his mouth shut at that. Levi glares at him for another moment, then grabs Eren's hand again and continues his march.
They finally reach the last few trees before the valley.
"Close your eyes," Levi commands.
Eren whines a little at that, but complies, squeezing his eyes shut.
Levi waves a hand in front of Eren's face to make sure they're closed for real, then pushes aside the branches to reveal the view. He feels like fucking Pocahontas or something, except the trees are all mostly skeletons of burned cellulose and Levi's not a fucking Disney princess, for God's sake.
He pushes Eren forward. "You can look now."
Eren opens his eyes. He gasps—like a fucking girl, okay—but nonetheless, a huge grin stretches over his face and he laughs—for real this time.
"Oh my God, Levi. This is amazing!" Eren half-yells as his gaze roams over the landscape. Levi can only nod in agreement. Because even if the birds that used to soar overhead are now gone and even if the glorious, big-ass trees have burned down long ago, remnants of a once beautiful valley can be seen: a trickle of water marks a once raging river and the stone mountains still stand proud and immobile.
Levi notices that the air here is a little less suffocating.
Eren shuffles to the very edge of the cliff, still looking out into the valley. He's oddly quiet.
Levi clears his throat. "I found this the other day and I though you would like it. I hope this makes up for the peaches," he says, and then curses himself for saying something so fucking sappy.
"I really—"Eren tries to reply, but he's thrown off by the sudden crumbling of the rocks beneath his feet. He stumbles forward—one foot is off the cliff; he wobbles, unbalanced—and then strong arms wrap securely around his waist, pulling him back from the precipice.
They stay standing like that for a minute; heartbeat against heartbeat, Levi's breath ghosting the back of Eren's shirt.
They're too stunned to speak, until Levi catches his breath first.
"I feel like fucking Titanic," he comments.
Eren blushes, because that scene from the Titanic is intimate and he doesn't think Levi and him share that kind of relationship. Yet. Yet? He doesn't know where that thought came from, but really anything could happen. Anything could happen, he repeats to himself.
"I'm going to let go now," Levi says. "Don't fall off." Levi awkwardly detaches himself from Eren's back—they were doing a kind-of reverse spooning, after all.
Eren turns around.
"Can I kiss you?" He blurts out.
Levi is a little taken aback at the seemingly random request, but before he can answer, Eren leans down and softly presses his lips to Levi's. Levi knows he should pull away, but he finds himself wrapping his arms around Eren's neck and curling closer to his warmth. Eren responds by kissing Levi harder, his mouth insistent and hot.
Neither of them understand why this is happening; when their feelings developed, but they find that they both need this, to distract them from their world falling apart.
/
Later, when Levi awakes next to the boy, in his fucking small twin bed, he doesn't get up or push away the mess of brown hair nestled under his chin. He doesn't regret sleeping with him either. Maybe they would end up as sorta fuck buddies, because they definitely could not be parents of a new generation, but for now, Levi is content. He doesn't care that Eren is fucking seventeen; that their age gap isn't considered normal; that their fleeting relationship might develop into something more. Because this is what he wants, hopefully what they both want, and no one is alive anymore to stop them.
/
In the nights that follow, Eren shyly asks Levi to stay. And although Levi glares at him each time, calling him an annoying brat, he grudgingly crawls into Eren's warm embrace at the end of the day. Eventually, Eren doesn't have to ask anymore.
Some nights they fuck like rabid animals, releasing their pent-up stress and anger at their cruel fate as the last ones on the planet. Other nights are spent making soft, slow love that makes them both wonder if their small attraction has grown. But neither of them question it.
/
And once in a while, especially after their routine expeditions to the city, Eren is plagued by his own demons, ones that Levi can't fight for him. Levi can only watch as Eren thrashes around in the pale moonlight, sweat drenching his clothes and the sheets. Levi can only shake Eren awake and offer him the most comfort he can give. And so those nights are spent sleepless; Levi clutching a trembling Eren to his chest.
Little did he know that Eren's worst memories were the ones that would break Levi's heart.
/
"Eren. Eren, wake up." Levi whispers harshly.
"Armin…Mikasa, wait—Mom!" Eren cries out, his voice broken and desperate.
Levi's getting nervous. Eren's not waking up; not responding; only calling out names that he's never heard before.
Levi grabs Eren's alarmingly thin arms and shakes him harder.
"Eren, wake up!" He yells into Eren's ear.
Eren's eyes fly open and he bolts upright, gasping for breath.
"Eren. Look at me." When Eren doesn't seem to hear, he grasps Eren's face in his hands and forcefully turns Eren's head towards him.
"Listen to me. It's okay. Nothing can hurt you now. You're safe."
He doesn't tell Eren that 'it was just a dream', because dreams are often replays of reality. And Levi doesn't want to dismiss Eren's memories as 'just another nightmare'.
When Eren still doesn't respond, however, Levi sighs.
"Look, I'm shit at comfort and that crap. But what happened has already passed, okay? You can remember all you want about what life used to be six months ago, but you can't change the reality. Let go, Eren. Save the memories for when you see them in the afterlife or some shit."
Finally Eren looks at him, really looks at him. His green eyes are dull and tired, and his mouth curves down into a small frown.
"I miss them, Levi," he whispers.
Then he slowly slumps forward into Levi's chest, shoulder shaking with silent sobs.
"God, I miss them so much."
And this is the first time Eren lets Levi see him cry, and Levi knows it. He holds Eren closer, and his heart hurts at the amount of pain Eren's been hiding from him all along.
"I know. I know, Eren." He doesn't let himself think about Petra, Auruo, Erwin, Hanji; anybody he's ever tolerated, really; but he allows himself to feel a sliver of the loss that hasn't already healed yet.
He looks out the window and at the hazy black sky.
"Hell, do I know," he breathes, and Eren cries harder.
/
Another season comes and goes, but there is no blooming of flowers, no falling of autumn leaves, no snowstorms or monsoons.
Eren has less and less nightmares, as if he has finally let go somehow. And his laughs sound lighter; his smile brighter. Levi feels a melancholy sort of gladness that they both have tucked away their memories at last. Their past lives are now forgotten for the time being and they can move on, together. Together. The word tastes bitter and unfamiliar on Levi's tongue, but he gets used to it; the constant presence at his side, the easy banter of their conversations. It's easier to carry on with their petty attempt at survival when Eren is with him.
/
Levi is woken one morning by Eren frantically shouting his name. He jumps out of bed and runs across the house to where Eren's voice is coming from. He finds Eren standing numbly at the front doorway, looking outside. He shoves Eren aside and braces himself for any kind of danger or threat. But there is none.
Instead, Levi is met with a soft pitter-patter of raindrops. He stares, frozen in shock, before Eren pushes past Levi and runs out the door, whooping and yelling.
If he was being logical, he would've stopped Eren from going outside because with all the nuclear pollution and ash in the air, there's a high chance of being poisoned by acid rain. But Levi inhales, smells the slightly musky scent of wet earth, and all of his common sense is thrown out the window.
He tentatively steps out onto the porch. Eren notices his hesitance and he's at Levi's side in a second, pulling him into the rain. Eren's pants are splattered with mud and his hair is stuck to his forehead, but Levi doesn't care because Eren looks truly happy. And that's all he's ever wished for.
Levi's far too mature to jump around in puddles like Eren, so he settles himself on a chair on the porch. When Eren is tired and cold from dancing in the rain, he trudges to Levi's chair and snuggles next to him. Levi scowls at Eren, because now he's soaked as well, but lets Eren stay. They watch the rain fall together.
"I bet the whole house is leaking," Eren says.
Levi hisses at the thought of muddy water dirtying his clean floors.
Eren laughs softly at Levi's obvious discomfort.
"Do you think the rain will ever let up?" Eren asks after a while.
"I hope not. Rain means that maybe the Earth is starting to repair itself; fucking finally."
Eren hums in agreement. His eyes droop closed and he breathes in deeply. So this is peace.
"I think I might love you," Eren murmurs drowsily before drifting asleep.
Levi smirks and ruffles Eren's damp hair.
"Same, brat." He mumbles, embarrassed but warm inside.
He sighs. Maybe they are really the last ones on the continent; on the entire planet. Maybe they will die early because of the radioactive poisoning caused by the nuclear warfare. Maybe they will run out of food and Eren will try his shit again. But for now, Levi trusts Eren. And in the light of the new day born from the rainstorm, he is content with the world. Because however cruel the world seems to be, at times it was truly beautiful; like Eren's ocean eyes; like the rain gracing his presence; like the sure honesty he feels whenever he kisses Eren.
"Damn," he says, and it describes his revelation perfectly.