"Wake up, Eren."
Eren's eyes fluttered open slowly at the sound of Levi's voice. The mattress sank down slightly as the captain sat down next to the boy, stroking Eren's cheek with his thumb. "Mmm, good morning, captain," Eren yawned, rubbing his eyes. "More like afternoon," Levi bent down to kiss Eren's hair, the sweet smell of soap filling his nose. The boy had fallen asleep in his arms yesterday, making it particularly difficult when Levi had bathed him before bed, seeing as he wasn't going to let Eren lie under clean sheets covered in sweat and tea. No, that was just filthy.
"The squad really enjoyed your company last night. They wanted to see you again today." Eren's eyes flew open as memories of the previous evening flooded his mind suddenly. His lip began to tremble and he clutched the sheets tightly, bundling them unconsciously in his fists. But Levi simply sighed and unraveled the sheets gently from the boy's fingers. "I told them we have other things to do today," the man said curtly. Eren exhaled deeply in relief and turned his head towards the sunlight shining in from the grand wall-length windows. He then took in the rest of the room, noting that this was not the one Levi had massaged him in. No, this was three times the size, luxuriously furnished, immaculate. This, then had to be the master bedroom. Had he slept with the captain last night? Together, in the same bed? Eren couldn't be sure, he thought he had been dreaming when he felt strong arms wrapped protectively around him throughout the night. But soon enough, Levi's fingers on Eren's skin brought him back to the present.
The captain traced the path of the large vein down the boy's neck, lost in thought. "Eren, tell me where you've been besides the palace." The boy's brow furrowed and his lip pouted slightly. "Sir, I've never been outside the palace." Eren's eyes raised up shyly to meet Levi's, "except for when I was brought here… to you." The captain nodded thoughtfully. "Even then, I wasn't able to see much. The servant had me in the stagecoach with the curtains drawn." Levi stared down at Eren for a moment before grunting and getting up onto his feet. "Sit up for me." He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew Eren's collar and leash, leaning down to kiss the skin lightly before fastening it around the boy's neck.
"Come on, we're stepping outside for a bit," Levi murmured, tugging on the leash and turning with a swish of his green cloak. Eren slipped fluidly from the bed and padded along on all fours behind the captain, trying to decide whether it was anxiety or excitement boiling up in his stomach. Speaking of his stomach, Eren's belly let out a growl that Levi huffed at, trying to hide his amusement. "Don't worry, I'll pack you some lunch to eat while we're away." Eren blushed and smiled at the ground, "Thank you sir."
The afternoon sun nearly blinded Eren when he and Levi stepped out the door and onto the stone steps leading up to mansion. "You wait here," the captain ordered, leaving Eren alone on the doorstep as he strode down the cobble stone path and around a corner out of sight. Not minutes later, Eren's ears picked up a steady click-clack on the cobblestones. He looked up from the beetle he had been toying with on the ground only to be greeted by Levi toting along probably the largest horse he had ever seen. The beast was a deep shade of charcoal, the polished chestnut leather saddle on its back contrasting beautifully with its coat.
The horse whinnied and hooved the ground almost jealously as Levi walked away from it and towards Eren, crouching down to lift him up into his arms, as he didn't want the boy scraping up his hands and knees on the stone path. No, that skin was just too precious to mark up so needlessly. Levi set Eren on the horse's back and deftly climbed on behind him, both the boy's legs dangling over one side. The captain shared his cloak with the boy, wrapping it around Eren's body and snaking one arm around his waist to hold him close, while his other hand took the reins. "Captain, why-?"
"Because it will get cold as the horse moves…and I don't want the townspeople seeing your body. They don't deserve that privilege." Levi then tucked Eren's head into his shoulder and spurred the horse forward. The boy's body jolted and he clung on to the captain for dear life, his eyes wide as the air whipped his hair all about. He had never ridden a horse before and by God, this was quite a first time. The buildings flew by as they rode, Eren gasping and trying to drink in as much as he could while still keeping his face safely buried in the captain's collarbone. Levi's hand suddenly gripped Eren's hips tighter as they neared a poorer district of the town. Eren peeked his eyes up from the captain's neck and beheld a group of thugs loitering about, their catcalling becoming louder and cruder as the horse approached them.
"Pay them no heed," Levi ordered, his eyes focused sharply in front of him. Eren clenched the fabric around the captain's waist; he hadn't been able to make out much of the group's words due to the speed of the horse and the wind in his ear. "Who were they, sir? Why were they yelling at us?" Levi leaned forward, spurring the horse on so they soon left the town and headed through its outskirts. "Never you mind." Eren simply nodded and dug his face into the man's jacket and closed his eyes, the air blowing about, the horse's hurried pace, all of the colors blurring past had made him dizzy.
Eren opened his eyes after some time when he noticed that the horse had slowed to a lazy gallop. He sucked in a breath as he strained his neck to take in all of the monstrous trees that surrounded he and the captain. "Wh-where are we?" Levi's nostrils flared and he gave Eren's hip a little pat, "We're in the mountains, Eren. And we're almost there." The boy grinned and turned his head every which way, completely enamored with the scenery. "The trees in the palace garden have nothing on these!" Levi clucked sarcastically, amused with Eren's awe. "What, his majesty doesn't have big ass trees in his backyard?" Eren giggled and nuzzled into the captain's neck, he had had no inkling that the captain could joke like that.
But Levi then ordered Eren to shut his eyes when the horse slowed to a trot. The captain pulled the reins and withdrew his arm from around the boy's waist, slipping of the horse gracefully, his cloak following him and leaving Eren's body completely bare once again. He suddenly felt Levi's hands on his waist and fell into them, his eyes still shut when he was placed onto the ground gently to rest on his knees. The captain pulled the leash, bidding Eren blindly forward with one hand and walking the horse with the other. "Now stay here." Eren waited, his hands instinctively tugging on the grass underneath him, as Levi walked some distance away to tie up the horse.
The captain's footsteps grew closer once again and Eren felt a firm but gentle hand in his hair. "You can open your eyes, Eren." The boy gasped when he beheld the scene surrounding him. He had never seen so many flowers in his life. The meadow stretched out wide, wider than the king's garden. Eren was dumbfounded; he had gone from never setting foot outside the palace, to this. "Captain! This—this is amazing! And look, the water!" the boy hugged Levi's hips, his eyes wide and shining, drinking in as much as they could. Levi bent down and unhooked Eren's leash, wrapping it around his wrist. "Yes, the river. It's warm today, so I'll let you play in it for a little bit while the sun's still out," he said quietly, taking note of how Eren's body tensed, itching to spring forth into the foliage. Levi leaned down and gave the boy's behind a little pat. "Go play. Have fun."
Without a word, Eren bolted forward, incredibly fast for someone crawling, into the vast sea of summer flowers. There were so many colors and smells assaulting his senses, it shocked him to see anything but the customary white roses and concrete he was used to at the palace. He squealed and laughed as he swatted and chased at the bees floating about the foliage, delighting in how the leaves, the petals, the blades of grass tickled every inch of his skin, he felt so free, so light. No one had ever done anything like this for him before. He had always been a captive, but not today. Thanks to Levi.
The captain strolled through the grass, clutching a book in one hand and Eren's lunch in the other. He sighed as Eren's happy cries assaulted his ears and found a shady spot under a young maple tree. Levi sank down slowly and crossed one leg over the other, opening up his novel to the last page he had marked. However, try as he might, the captain couldn't keep his eyes focused on the words. He couldn't help but watch the boy as he bounded through the flowers, the captain had never seen someone so genuinely happy to be outside before, it was really quite startling. Levi's eyes followed Eren as he raced up a hill, only to flop onto his belly and roll down to the bottom, giggling and screaming all the while. The captain huffed and rubbed his temples, Eren was a child after all.
Levi watched as Eren bounded past him over to the small river, not hesitating to slip into the shallow mountain water. Eren had never seen anything like this before, the king's extravagant bath tubs were all he had known but despite their luxury, they got old. "Oi, Eren!" the captain called out, "While you're in there, wash the grass stains off your skin. I want you coming home clean!" Eren stopped splashing to wave happily at the captain. "Yes, I will, sir!" Levi had opened his mouth once again but the boy had already sucked in a breath and plunged into the water, leaving the captain with nothing to do but roll his eyes and murmur to himself. "Fucking precious."
Eren swam along the river's floor for quite some time, delighting in turning up the smoothed rocks and snatching at the water beetles that darted quickly out of his reach, smiling to himself under the water. He had never felt so content, so totally ecstatic. The boy sprang back to the surface, gasping and panting, shaking his sopping hair out of his eyes and turned onto his back, the heat of the sun warming his wet belly as he kicked and floated along. His majesty's bath houses could never compare to this. "Eren, come here! It's time for you to eat," Levi hollered across the meadow. Eren righted himself in the water and grinned. He had forgotten that he hadn't eaten a thing since the night before. Without a second thought he crawled quickly out of the river and made his way back to the captain.
Levi's nostrils flared as he took in Eren's breathless dripping form, annoyed with the leaves and grass that stuck to the boy's soaked skin. But his expression softened when he took note of Eren's eyes, so large and awestruck and joyful, so blue. Erwin had been right about those eyes. "Alright, get over here," the captain shed the green cloak from his shoulders and rubbed it thoroughly all over the boy's body, making sure to dry Eren well; he didn't want him catching a cold. Eren's skin flushed a lovely shade of pink from the friction of the fabric against it and he couldn't help but blush when the captain quickly wiped his genitals dry, remembering all too well what that hand had done to him just yesterday. The cloak was then pulled suddenly over his eyes as Levi rubbed it vigorously against Eren's wet hair.
Once he was satisfied, Levi folded the damp green fabric and set it next to him in a stray patch of sunlight peeking through the tree branches, reaching instead for the sack he had prepared with the boy's lunch. But before Levi could turn back around, Eren had swung his arms forth and embraced the captain, showering his cheeks, his nose, his forehead with wet kisses. "Thank you captain for bringing me here! This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me in my entire life! I'm so glad that the king gave me to you!" Eren nuzzled his face deeply into the man's chest, his arms wrapped tightly around Levi's torso.
The captain closed his eyes, almost tiredly, and rested his chin on the boy's head. "You're very welcome, Eren. As long as you're a good boy, this is how I will reward you," Levi said gently, unaware of the fleeting expression of unease that crossed Eren's face. The boy had a feeling that that was easier said than done. "Now get out of my shoulder, I need to get you fed." Eren pulled away and watched expectantly as Levi pulled a bottle of milk and a loaf of sweetbread out from the sack next to him. The captain patted his thigh, bidding the boy forward. Eren climbed on and nestled snuggly onto Levi's lap, opening his mouth, patiently waiting as the captain tore a piece of bread and snuck it between Eren's lips.
The boy swallowed loudly and licked his lips before turning his head to the side. "Sir, am I your first pet?" Levi brought the glass bottle to the boy's mouth and watched Eren's tiny Adam's apple rise and fall as he drank up. "Yes, you are," the captain breathed, kissing away the milk left on Eren's lips. The boy latched on to the man's mouth just a moment longer, not wanting Levi to pull away, his eyes falling when the man finally did. "Hmm, so affectionate today, Eren," the captain whispered, his eyes shining almost dangerously as he fed the boy another morsel. Eren gazed bashfully at Levi before tentatively kissing each of the man's pale cheeks once. "I'm just grateful," he mumbled, wringing his hands, "Today was the most fun I've ever had in my life."
Levi snaked his hand around the back of Eren's neck and rested it there protectively, the boy's collar damp under his fingers from the river water. Good thing it was quality leather. "Well then," the captain breathed, pulling Eren close and claiming the boy's lips with his own, "you just follow my orders," he slipped his tongue into the boy's yielding mouth and smirked when he noticed Eren's cheeks staining red, "and I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay with me very much."