Levi heaved a sigh as he strode into a dirty room. " I thought I told you to clean this room, not rearrange the dust. If you're going to try you might as well do it properly." He trailed off as he realized that Eren wasn't listening to him. " Oi, brat. What is it, exactly, that you think we're here to do? Because I can assure you that it's not a holiday."
For the first time since he had entered the room Eren opened his mouth, unfortunately for him what came out was not something that would please his superior.
" Did you just shush me?" Levi asked incredulously, " Me? The one charged with killing you should you get out of hand?"
At last Eren turned around to face the irate corporal, holding his finger to his lips he beckoned Levi over to the window where he was standing. Unable to deny his curiousity about what ever had made Eren so bold he crossed the short distance to the window and peered out only to be dragged down below the windowsill and out of sight of the couple in the courtyard below. Unable to control himself any longer he whacked Eren across the back of the head and watched with some satisfaction as the boy's head bounced back off of the wall.
" Ow…" The titan shifter moaned as steam started pouring from what would have undoubtedly been little more than a bruise if he had in fact been a normal human.
" This floor is filthy." Levi snapped, " You deserve worse than you got."
Eren looked up at him pitifully. Levi had to firmly tamp down the impulse to run his fingers through the boy's ragged hair, to distract himself he thought about all the lice potentially crawling through Eren's hair and resolved to order his entire squad to use an anti-lice hair wash before the next mission.
" Why did you bring me over here anyway? There's nothing out there but Petra and Auruo."
As it turned out the boy was secretly a romantic and required little encouragement to start gushing about the wonders of falling in love, especially in a situation like theirs. At some point in the rather one-sided conversation the two had recommenced watching the unsuspecting pair through the window. Petra had been assigned to kitchen duty this week and Auruo was scheduled as her helper. Levi would never admit to changing the schedule so that the two were working in the kitchen together more often than not. Hypothetically, it would be immoral of him to take advantage of his trusting squad members and the fact that when they were cooking together the two tended to try and one up each other and the end products were always delicious. Today the two had decided to take advantage of the warm weather and peel the vegetables out in the sunshine. As they watched Petra shoved Auruo in the shoulder causing him to pluck the knife out of her hand and run to the other end of the courtyard, Petra screamed an obscenity and gave chase. The two continued their game still unaware of their audience.
Eren sighed happily, " How long do you think it'll be before they get together?"
"Well," Levi said as he surveyed the couple in question, " They're about as awkward around each other as two virgins on their wedding night, so probably not for a while."
Eren harrumphed softly in agreement, " Well I hope it happens sometime soon, you can never know what's going to happen on the next mission."
Levi raised an eyebrow, " Well that's certainly true. Speaking of, why were you always so determined to join the Recon Corps anyway? Before Shiganshina I mean."
" You know, I don't think anyone's ever asked me that before. Not even on the second day of training, they just mocked me. Do you know what they said?"
" If at first you don't succeed, don't join the Recon Corps?"
" That's about the gist of it yeah."
They were silent, Levi slowly slipped down the wall allowing himself to rest for the first time since Eren came into his command. The odd pair sat with the coolness of the stone bleeding into their backs. Levi allowed his head to fall onto Eren's shoulder. His eyes started to drift shut.
" It was Erwin you know."
" He what?"
"The reason I joined the Recon Corps. Erwin and Hanji and Armin's parents. When I was growing up I'd sometimes stay with the Arlet's if my parents were busy with patients and they'd tell us stories before bed, fantastical stories of lands filled with strange animals that swung from the trees as easily as we do and animals that bounced everywhere on their hind legs and kept their young in pouches on their stomachs. Armin and I promised each other that one day we'd see these creatures together and when my parents adopted Mikasa we said we'd bring her with us. Around this time we started to hear stories of Erwin and how he was working his way up the ranks and Hanji whose desire for knowledge about titans often overcame her common sense. I saw them come back from that last expedition, they were bloodied and broken but they hadn't given up, despite everything. "
" To this day Hanji hasn't changed."
" I never thought, even If I made it here, that they'd even know who I was, let alone take an interest in me. Then again I never thought I'd be a titan." Eren's voice trailed off.
Levi made a soft 'mhn' sound but Eren didn't continue his story. Eren allowed his head to loll on the windowsill. Above them motes of dust floated through the room often catching on the light streaming through the open window.
Eren tentatively placed his head on top of Levi's, short black hairs tickling his nose and he felt himself start to fall asleep.
" Whatever the reason," murmured Levi, "I'm glad you're here."
The boy didn't respond so Levi assumed that he was already asleep but after a moment he felt Eren's hand worm its way into his, Levi smiled and threaded their fingers together.
Less than an hour later, when the rest of Squad Levi found them, the two were sound asleep in the same position.