Chapter 2: 千の言葉 – A Thousand Words
Author's POV
"SH! Raru can hear you!" he hissed.
"Then why don't you get your ass in the kitchen?"
"Twerp? You're the one whose shor—"
"Hah?" Levi's irritated voice was deathly.
"—SURELY LOVELY. SOOOO lovely!" Eren laughed nervously while he covered his daughter with the blanket. She shifted and sighed happily while she hugged the couch pillow.
As Eren entered the kitchen, Levi was sitting down on a chair, drinking his coffee peacefully. He had a newspaper on his hand and he was reading seriously. Eren didn't want to bother him even though Levi told him to come over so he started walking away.
"Where are you going? I told you to come here."
"You seem busy reading the newspaper so I figured—"
"Put on some pants."
"What?"
"You do realize you're still wearing just your boxers, right, brat?"
"WAH!" Eren ran back to his room, blushing furiously. That asshole! He could have told him from the beginning to put something on. Eren didn't mind roaming around the house with just his boxers on because it seemed like Levi was used to it. The boy began mumbling unnecessary ramblings to himself while he put on his pajama pants then back to the kitchen.
"Eren, if you need help, you know I'm right next door." Levi didn't look up from his newspaper. "Erwin and I are falling apart but I'm not entirely bothered by it. Work keeps me busy but I have enough time to help you with taking care of Petra."
"Thanks for cutting me off, Levi-san." Eren retorted sarcastically.
But Eren knew the truth. He's totally bothered by it... Levi is surely heart broken deep inside.
"You've grown attached to her, have you?" Eren admitted with a soft chuckle.
"Hn. A little."
"That's so unlike you, Captain."
"Captain?"
Eren froze; what the fuck was that? "S-Sorry… I said it so naturally… I didn't even realize…"
Levi looked at him suspiciously and shrugged it off. "You're a strange brat."
"Sorry Levi-san. I'm really sorry." Levi sighed again.
"You need to learn how to stop apologizing."
Levi bit his lip harshly to prevent himself from saying anything more.
"Levi-san, I have to tell you something…"
With a scoff, Levi flipped the page of the newspaper. "Hn. Even if I said no, you would tell me otherwise. What do you want now?"
"Actually…" Levi in disbelief because of the useless exchange of words they just had. Eren sweatdropped apologetically, knowing that the man is probably irritated, "…nevermind," he said softly. The older man growled.
"You're so annoying, just spill."
"No, really. Nevermind… I honestly forgot what I was going to say."
"You're dumb," and with that Levi went back to reading.
They went back to whatever they were doing and silence grew between the two of them. Eren casually took quick glances every so often that Levi was trying to contain his annoyance. Eren's bobbing was moving far too much to be ignored.
Fortunately, Levi's phone started to ring. Eren looked up and stared while Levi answered his phone with a darkened expression on his face. "What do you want Erwin?"
It was quiet for a while and Eren tried to listen in to their conversation.
Levi let out an exhausted sigh, "I'm with Eren right now; don't bother me." With that, he ended the call, folded the newspaper properly, and took another sip of his coffee.
"Are you leaving soon?" Eren curiously asked.
"Heh," Levi sneered. "You want me to leave so soon?"
"No…" he admitted look down at his keyboard. "But that was Erwin-san wasn't it…"
"Don't worry," the older man smiled slightly. "I'll stay here for a little while longer."
Petra's yawn came from behind Eren, Levi tilted his head to watch the ginger head pop out behind her father's back, clinging on his sleeves. "Daddy, I'm sorry I fell asleep…"
Another knock on the door was heard.
Eren patted his daughter's head, "can you check who it is for me, little one?"
Petra obeyed, running towards the front door and asked, "Who might you be?" once more.
A pause came, Eren and Levi exchanged looks with each other, signaling that they know who could be right outside that door. "It's Erk-win, daddy!"
Eren snorted at the fail pronunciation that Petra attempted with Erwin's name, but Levi on the other hand didn't seem very amused. "I can't believe he's going to start trouble again, what a drag." He stood up and began walking towards the door.
Rushing as fast as he could, Eren closed his laptop and grabbed Levi's arm. "Levi-san, you don't have to go. I can just tell him that you left—"
"He knows I'm here, remember?" Levi said, trying to pull away from the other's grasp.
Without hesitation, Eren wrapped his arms around Levi tightly. Levi's eyes slightly widened in surprise and looked at Eren's eyes in confusion. What's going on?
"Raru, tell Erwin that Levi will head out in a moment…"
"Okay, daddy!"
Levi was patiently waiting for an explanation with Eren's course of action. Before he even realized it, Eren's hand cupped his chin and pressed his lips against his. Levi's eyes widened even more.
In a state of panic, Levi pushed Eren away and wiped his lips furiously, trying to process what just happened. "W-What was that…"
"Levi-san… I wanted to tell you that—"
"Don't," Levi spat hoarsely. "You know how I feel about Erwin, you know that."
"You still love him even though he's seeing other people; that's what you've been trying to tell me all along, wasn't it?"
Levi couldn't keep himself composed any longer, but with a clench of his fists, he held back his tears and refused to nod his head in response. "You shouldn't fuck with people's feelings, brat."
"I'm not," Eren replied seriously. "My feelings for you are real."
"It's wrong."
"I don't think it is," he said, holding Levi close to him.
Another push. What the hell does Eren think he's doing? Levi's head was throbbing in confusion and watched Petra as she walked closer to him. "Vivi… are you okay?" she asked, reaching for his face.
Eren slipped his hand with Levi's: "Raru, are you okay with having another dad as your parent?"
The young ginger blinked twice, trying to think about the question then smiled. "If that other dad is Vivi, I think it's okay. He makes daddy happy."
Levi's eyes narrowed while he stared at Eren, tightening his grip against Eren's arm to inflict pain on the young father. Eren grimaced, but continued to smile in from his daughter.
"Petra… I'm with someone else. I can't be your papa," and with that claim, he releases his hand from Eren's harshly and began walking towards the door.
Eren's hands were shaking in shame. He knew what's done have been done and there was no way he could take it back. It could be possible that once Levi walks out of the door, he might never return again. The young man closed his eyes, then opened them with determination.
"Levi-san…"
Levi stopped himself from pulling the doorknob.
"I'm not giving up on you."
Levi looked up with concern flooding his eyes, but he refused to turn. "You can try all you want, but nothing is ever going to happen."
Petra watched the two male in front of her with no clue of what's going on.
"You told me not to give up on you, and I won't. I won't until I make you mine."
Levi was confused. When did he ever say that he shouldn't give up on him? "I don't know what you're talking about," the man growled. "Stop saying nonsense, brat."
And with that, he opened the door and slammed it shut.
Petra was now tugging on Eren's pants with concern gleaming from her eyes. "Daddy, is you and Vivi fighting?"
He shook his head and kneeled to his daughter's level, brushing her bangs off her eyes. "Daddy and Vivi aren't fighting, Raru. Vivi just doesn't know how daddy feels, and daddy doesn't know how to tell him properly… that's all."
His daughter frowned and hugged him as tight as she could. "I know how I feel about daddy."
Chuckling, he picked up his daughter and took her to the couch. "Oh yeah? How does Raru feel about dad?"
She waved her arms and opened them wide, "I love daddy THIIIIIIIIS much!"
When he sat down on the couch, he placed Petra on his lap and smiled sadly. "I'm very happy to have you in my life, Raru. You keep me together."
Petra was grinning all the way up to her ears. "Please don't cry, daddy. I love you! That should be enough!"
He held Petra close to him, burying his head on her shoulders to hide his tears. "It's more than enough, sweetheart. It's more than enough…"
"It's okay if you're crying," his daughter said softly. "I can feel them you know, dad. Your tears are soaking my dress…"
"I'm sorry, baby."
Petra held her father close and started playing with his hair. "It's okay. Can I sing you a song?"
"Sure."
For a good hour, Eren cried his heart out to his daughter. Petra continued to him a lullaby, comforting her father as much as she could with her petite body snuggling close to his trembling one.
Her dad was a good person. A little strange at times when his thoughts catch up to him, but he was definitely a keeper. Her hazelnut eyes closed, listening attentively at his father's painful sobbing. A thousand words that words alone cannot express, spilling and drenching at his daughter's cloth.
Author's Note: I don't own SNK, if I did—Eren and Levi will absolutely be cannon. I'm very sorry for my poor English as well. Thank you for reading! Please let me know how you think of the story so far by leaving reviews! I'd love to get ideas from as well.
