The Reluctant Heichou Chronicles: Chapter 1: FIREFLIES

I do not own any of Hajime Isayama-sensei's characters.

In which Levi feels like a dick, and Eren cries.

I'm back. Not necessarily with a vengeance... just back. A very long story short, my dad's wonderful (read: piece of shit) laptop died and I lost all of my Sgt. Frog works... I got somewhat depressed by this, and found solace in watching Attack on Titan... Now I'm completely obsessed... GOMEN NASAI! I also got electronically grounded in April and I'm just starting to be free once more... Now, back to business, hopefully. I will update when I can, I have two summer assignments I'm way behind on, and I really need to catch up. Plus, inspiration hits me in drabbles (No pun intended). Most of these drabbles won't be interconnected, but if they are, I'll drop a little note or somethin'. READ ON!

Levi looked down into the pleading eyes of his subordinate. "No. Absolutely not."

Eren's bottom lip quivered. "Please, Heichou. Please?"

Levi's head shook. He could feel his resolve melting away like warmed butter. Eren continued to stare pleadingly at his commander. "Fine. I'll go, brat, but you'll clean the castle for this, understand me?"

Eren's face broke into a wide grin, and Levi thought the young boy may need to turn into a titan to keep it from ripping his face in two. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Heichou! You're the best!" With that, the young boy sprinted off as Levi strode back to his quarters, all the while attempting to hide the smile threatening to break out on the normally stoic commander's face.

"Look, Heichou! Fireflies! All over!"

Eren broke away from the older man to chase after one of the glowing bugs. Levi rolled his eyes at Eren's childish display. "Jäger, will you stop that? I thought we were catching fireflies, not terrorizing them."

Eren pouted, and then produced two jars from the satchel he'd dropped when he had started "terrorizing" the fireflies. He handed one to the reluctant commander, while keeping one for himself. With a smile and a nod, Eren headed off to one corner of the small field, while Levi headed off to the opposite one.

Eren leapt up into the air for the fifth time, missing yet another firefly. Levi had spent the past hour observing the phosphorescent creatures (and Eren), and every time he looked over at the brat, Eren would miss the firefly he was attempting to capture, and was beginning to get obviously disappointed. Levi stood from the crouch he was in and strode softly over to the gently sloping hill the boy was standing on. "What's wrong, Jäger? Can't catch any fireflies?"

Eren looked over, his arms dropping to the side with the jar hanging limply in his fingers. "Of course I can! I-I just... haven't done this... in a while..."

Levi was puzzled. Why was the brat getting upset? He sat down, the brunette following suit. "Really? Because it looks to me like you've never done this before, the results you're getting!"

Levi stood, spun on his heel, and walked a couple of steps in front of Eren, staring out at the luminescent field, until he heard a strange sound, one he never would have expected to hear from his brat- the sound of a muffled and very quiet sob.

Levi looked over his shoulder surreptitiously- and sure enough, a large tear slid down Eren's cheek.

Levi stalked down the hill, jar in hand, feeling like shit. He hadn't meant to make the brat cry, just taunt him a little, get him worked up... perhaps even to the point that Eren would tackle him, and tackling meant touching. Levi had long ago admitted to himself that he had a soft spot for the younger boy...

Spotting a glowing insect in the distance, Levi stalked toward it, jar open and ready. At the last second, he pounced and captured the ember-like bug in the jar, then turned and walked back towards the still-tearful Eren.

"Hey, brat. Hey, look, I got one." Levi knelt and held the captive spark up so Eren could see it. "See?" Eren nodded, and the tears began to dampen his cheeks at an even faster pace. "Brat?" Levi began to get somewhat frantic- why wouldn't Eren stop crying?

"O-oi! Stop crying! I caught a firefly for both of-" Levi cut off as Eren launched himself at Levi, latching onto him, hugging tightly. Levi didn't even grimace as he felt Eren's warm tears begin to soak into his shirt. Levi dropped the firefly in the grass, favoring hugging the sobbing boy back.

"I-I'm sorry, H-Heichou... I... the last time... my mom... she used to take me firefly catching... and she always caught one for us, s-since I usually... couldn't catch one..."

Levi felt like a dick. An absolute and total dick. His brat wanted to share something special with him and he probably ruined it for the kid... Levi was forcibly dragged from his thoughts when Eren tucked his head into Levi's neck. "Heichou... thank you..."

Levi almost recoiled in surprise. "What? Why?"

Eren looked up at him, an almost goofy grin on his face. "'Coz now I've gone firefly catching with my two most special people..."

Levi's heart beat faster. Did Eren feel the same way he did? There was... no way... besides, Eren was still a brat, and there was at least a fifteen year age difference, and... lips. Pressed to his. Soft, warm, tender... The lips of his brat were against his own... The kiss was sweet and innocent, unlike so much else in this world. Levi was astounded. The brat... his brat... no, his Eren was kissing him...

When they finally pulled apart, Eren was panting heavily. "Heichou... I need to tell you something..."

Levi nodded. "As do I. You go first."

Eren took a deep breath. "Heichou... I like you... a lot... I always have..."

Levi nodded.

"I know you probably don't feel the same-!"

Levi kissed Eren, softly, slowly, and passionately while slowly lowering Eren onto the grassy ground. When they broke apart, Levi lay next to the boy on the grass, carefully twining their fingers. "Who said I didn't?" Levi could hear the titanic grin break out on Eren's face once more.

"H-Heichou...? Will you... go out with me?"

Levi smiled and kissed Eren on the cheek. "Of course, brat... Did you think I'd say no?"

And with that, the new couple cuddled up next to each other, surrounded by fireflies, under the stars.