Just want to take a moment to thank everyone for their lovely reviews and to address a review from Isaria (Guest):
I already have a scene written where Petra and Eren chat that should clear a few things up. Expect it in the next update! It will be the last update before the 57th Expedition!
Notes:
I honestly thought this would only span 2 parts but it seems there will be a part 3.
My brain is incapable of keeping things short.
Warnings for some Jean x Eren. It's not important to the plot, but it happens.
Chapter Summary:
Eren and Levi have a month to get to know each other before the 57th Expedition. Sex, family dynamics, threats, and confrontations ensue.
It's Not Me, It's You (Part 2)
Day 12 of 30 before the 57th Expedition
Former Recon Corps' Headquarters
Horse Stables
Early Afternoon
This really had to be the worst thing ever.
That's what Eren believed as she stood, arms crossed, staring angrily at the ground.
It was all Connie's fault. The game of truth of dare they'd begun was meant to be fun, a way to get a last dig on people for the inadvertently started prank war. But, she hadn't any idea she'd end up where she was, inside the horse stables- with Jean- the one she was supposed to make-out with. Connie had dared Jean to make-out with her and when Eren refused to participate in a dare meant for Jean, the group as a whole decided to count this as her dare too.
So, here she was in the horse stables with Jean. She could only thank her lucky stars they hadn't had to do it in front of all of the others.
But still, ugh.
"You can relax you know."
She looked up.
Jean himself was standing straight across from her, leaning back against a pillar, arms also crossed. He was looking off to the side with a scowl on his face.
Guess she must have been grumbling aloud.
"I'm fine," she answered in a tone that clearly identified she was anything but. She looked away.
"We don't have to do anything."
"What?" Eren looked up again.
Jean sighed and turned to her. "We don't have to do anything."
"Really?" she sounded unconvinced.
"Yes really," he replied, irritated.
"Well... that's weird."
"Why?"
"Pervert like you," she snorted. "I thought you'd jump at the chance for some action."
"What the hell is your problem Jaeger?!"
"My problem?" Eren uncrossed her arms. "What do you mean my problem?"
"You always have to start something!"
"You do too!"
"I'm trying to be nice!"
"Well, you're terrible at it!"
"You are such a-" Jean cut himself off. "Come here."
"What?" Eren felt herself go on the defensive. Jean had a very determined look to his eyes as he uncrossed his own arms and began to make his way to her.
"Hold still then," he demanded, reaching out to her.
"No! What are you-"
He faked a grab to distract her and covered her mouth- with his hand.
Eren's eyes blew wide in a moment of utter shock.
Then he began to furiously rub.
She spluttered. "What the hell?!" she cried as he weaved his hand into her hair and tousled it, loosening some of the strands from their hold. She watched, angry and dumbfounded as he bit down hard on his lips, rubbed at them, and then shook his fingers through his own hair.
"That should do it," he muttered.
Eren's mouth had fallen open as she stared at him. She was still mad and Jean was looking down right at her and... his eyes were dark. She couldn't claim to have payed much attention to Jean's eyes, but she couldn't recall the dark hue they'd taken as the correct color.
He shook his head and grabbed her by the arm. "Come on," he said as he dragged her out.
It seemed to have the desired effect as the two returned outside, what with them red-faced, disheveled, and arguing as always due to Jean's dragging Eren along.
The cat-calls and whistles further embarrassed the two and helped to give the illusion they had made-out.
Eren had to admit she gained a giddy sense of satisfaction when Mikasa loudly asked her if she'd like for her to castrate Jean.
A small part of her could also admit she was rather surprised by Jean's actions.
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Sunset
The game had ended a shot while ago and they'd decided to call it an early evening.
After bidding good-bye to Mikasa and Armin (whom she knew had to be up earlier than her), Eren headed in, though not to bed herself. She went up, through a different part of the Castle, far away from the basement where she slept, where the Levi Unit resided, but also away from the other and of the Castle, where a mix of the new recruits of the Scouting Legion and their mentors stayed.
Eren headed up towards a particular room, one she'd found exploring, that held a spectacular view of the sunset. It was where she was now, leaning upon the open window. The sun had just slipped past the tops of the many trees. She was left to watch the splashes of colors in the sky get slowly overtaken by the night, searching excitedly for the first hint of a star.
"Whoa! Eren!"
She started, turned around. "Jean? What are you doing here?"
He was standing at the doorway. "I was about to ask you the same thing."
Eren gained a tic-mark. "I asked you first."
"Fine, fine," he huffed. "I was bored so I thought I'd look around, just check the place out."
She gave him a disbelieving glance that quickly melted into a sigh.
"So, what are you doing?" he asked.
Eren gestured to the open window.
"Watching the sunset?"
"Waiting for the stars mostly," she admitted, shrugging a shoulder. "They help me think about things."
Jean looked like he was about to retort to that, cut himself off, and simply walked over to the spare bed in the corner, sitting down along the edge of it.
"Yeah... I was really walking around and trying to think too," he revealed, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. "This place doesn't seem so bad for it. It out of the way of everyone else."
There was a rather sharp reply on Eren's tongue, but she held it back. While it wasn't her prerogative to look for a fight with Jean, no matter how much more it happened than not, she couldn't give into the instinct then. There was something rather calm about the male, maybe sad too...
Whatever it was, it was certainly off and even she couldn't ignore it. "What's wrong?"
He looked to her. "What do you mean?"
Jean was certainly hiding it now. She could have said something mean to get it out of him, but she hadn't forgotten his nice gesture concerning their dare. Her face softened. "Is it the Expedition?"
His eyes widened momentarily, and he swallowed. "Y-yeah."
Eren frowned. "Worried?"
He snorted. "That's an understatement."
Her frown deepened, a bit, but she screwed up her face determinedly and balled up her fists. "There'll be a lot of us this time, and we have a good formation too. Not to mention all of the veterans will be there as well."
"Not everyone is as eager as you Jaeger."
"I-"
He held up a hand. "I don't mean it like that," he said, eyes fixed on her. "You just... have a lot of natural confidence most people don't have."
He said the words very sincerely. Eren felt her anger slide away, reminded again of earlier.
"How come you did that?"
"What?" he screwed up his face. "Compliment you?"
"No," she rolled her eyes. "The dare, how come you were so nice about it?"
"I know it doesn't seem that way to you because you piss me off so much, but I'm not really such an asshole you know, just blunt," Jean drawled, somewhat annoyed. Looking away, in a softer voice he said, "I wouldn't take advantage of you like that, no matter the game or what the others expected."
Wow, Eren was floored. She and Jean had never gotten along, their clashes somewhat legendary back in their Academy days. It wasn't that she never noted he could be nice, it simply was never towards her. It's true, he had a very honest (and rude) personality, but he was still well-liked. Eren knew then, that some of the times she'd gotten mad because he'd try to be nice to others, especially the females, but never towards her.
Everything always made more sense in hindsight.
She tended to be nice as well. Competitive and incredibly passionate, but nice; except to him.
Maybe it was time they try not to rub each other wrong.
"Thank you," she said, sincerely, causing Jean to stare wide-eyed at her. She smiled at him. "For earlier."
There was a light flush to his cheeks. He looked away abruptly and waved a hand. "It's nothing."
Eren made a choice then. She left the window and walked over to him, bending over to look right into his shocked face. She almost looked taken-aback herself, he was rather attractive. Not that she'd never noticed that before either. She mostly called him horse-face out of habit or because she knew it was an easy way to rile him up. But, being close to him like this, he really was good-looking. Not gorgeous like some others... but definitely good-looking.
"I mean it," she said before pressing her lips to his.
The initial idea was to make-out with him. Not necessarily as a further continuation of the thank you or to go back to the dare, but because she wanted to.
Of course, as it was her idea it derailed, and she let it. His lips were softer than she expected and after some hesitation, his mouth was certainly inviting. Sometime after their tongues were introduced she'd crawled onto his lap, knees thrown on either side of him along the edge of the bed. He still sat straight up, hands on her back, holding her against him. She could feel his heart-beat speeding up and her own matched it, excited.
Inevitably, it happened and she felt it.
"Shit! Shit!" Jean cursed, attempting to move her off of him. "I'm sorry I- fuck... Eren."
Her name came out as a groan from his lips.
Eren smiled as she ground down again against his bulge and moved her lips down his jaw, latching onto his throat.
"Eren," he warned even as his hands gripped her tight.
She pulled back and looked him in the eyes as she pushed him down.
"Are you messing with me?" he rasped as he was laid flat on his back.
Eren hesitated, suddenly unsure if she'd read him right in being open to the same thing. But one look at his flushed face banished that thought.
She took off her shirt. "If I didn't want to, I wouldn't be," she spoke, determined to make her point.
"Fuck," Jean reiterated.
Eren moved down as he moved up and she allowed him to sling her around so she sat in the middle of the bed and he kneeled in front of her. He swallowed and took off his shirt, eyes blown wide as she went ahead and took off her bra.
"Holy fuck Eren," he gasped, mouth falling open.
"Are you going to touch me or not?" she snapped, growing a bit nervous again as it took him longer to move than it should have.
She sucked in a breath as he finally came to loom over her.
"For once be quiet Jaeger," he ground out, but there was no bite to his words and his mouth was on hers. He pressed down until their bodies were plastered together and Eren hooked her legs around him, gripping at his back with her hands.
"You've done this before?" he asked as his mouth swept her collarbone.
"Once."
Jean paused. "Who?"
She bucked up against him and he groaned deeply.
It was different than her first (and semi-failed) time. Jean obviously has had some experience as well, but the two still moved fast, both too heated to take their time.
With Jean she experienced some new sensations: his mouth on her breasts, his teeth on her earlobe, him sucking on her neck, and his fingers plying her open. His eagerness in pleasuring her as much as she did him was what really drove them.
The intrusion still felt weird at first but it was quickly worked through and their movements together had her begging for more.
He finished her off with his name on her lips as he shuddered through hers.
Again, she was surprised by him, but it was an added understanding of his character as he got up from where he'd collapsed on top of her and moved them around so she lay on him instead. She smiled as he pulled the bed sheet over to cover them, slightly tucking them in at her sides.
For a few minutes they simply lay there, listening to the other's heart-beat.
"So... that happened."
"Seriously?"
"Sorry."
Eren rolled her eyes. So much for the sweet moment, might as well roll with it. "I just want to say, this doesn't really change anything... between us."
"Oh I know. This happened sure, but I wouldn't want any more."
She glared up at him and he back-tracked.
"Hey, no, no. I didn't mean it like that, I just-" Jean paused, and sighed. "You know I had a crush on you once, right?"
Eren raised her brows. "For like a day."
Jean shook his head. "It was for longer than that," he admitted.
"What? No way!" she couldn't believe it.
"I mean, it wasn't for very long, and I don't have those feelings for you now, despite, um," she nodded for him to continue. He gained a small blush regardless. "Even after the disaster that was me trying to teach you how to stay still with the 3DM Gear, I still liked you for awhile. You just drove me up the damn wall so much it didn't show."
"Oh," she blinked.
"I grew out of it though," he assured.
"What about Mikasa?"
He shrugged. "I liked her too."
"Pig," was the automatic response.
Jean sighed. "I liked the two of you differently. You're nothing alike so it's easy to like either of you for different reasons. Although, I eventually realized neither of you would suit me well."
"It's still a bit weird," she pursed her lips. "But I do see your point." She waited a beat. "Even then, I did think you were kind of hot, if that helps."
"Really?"
"Yup. World's biggest asshole, but hot."
"You call me horse-face!" he reminded incredulously.
"Mostly to piss you off," she admitted with a grin.
"Unbelievable," he drawled.
They lay silent for a few moments.
"Hey Jean, would you ever go out with a guy?"
"Why-why do you ask?"
"There was someone who liked you, back at the Academy. They really liked you, then."
"Who?" he asked in a tone that had her looking questioningly at him.
'Marco.'
"A-Armin," she spat, panicked, and sent a mental apology to her brother.
"Shit, seriously?"
"He doesn't like you like that anymore, but he did once," she struggled a bit to rid the knot in her throat. "I was just wondering, if he had developed any real feelings and confessed to you, what would you have done?"
Jean was silent for awhile. "To be honest, I can't say I'm truly sure what I'd do-"
Her heart thudded. 'I guess it's better Marco never confessed.'
"-but I did kiss a guy once and liked it so I'd probably given it a shot, maybe."
"You would?" she breathed, shocked. "Wait- what?"
"It just happened once!" he piped up defensively, turning red. "Long before the Academy. Someone back home liked me, and when they kissed me it felt good so I went with it." He blushed harder. "Life is weird, okay? I can't say I really think of guys that way, but never say never, right? I mean, maybe the right one, uh-" He stopped, flush spreading.
"Wow," she really was wrong then. "You're really not so bad, are you Jean?"
He snorted. "Gee, thanks."
"Does this mean we're friends now?"
"We weren't before?"
She poked him. "You know what I mean, actually good friends."
"Well, you'll still piss me off-"
"And I'll still think of you as an ass."
"-but we could try to be nicer?"
"Just a little."
Jean shook his head and laughed deeply. She could feel the rumble in his chest. "Holy shit Jaeger."
"What?" she asked in a tone that said she knew something bad was coming.
"I guess we just had to fuck it out, didn't we?"
Yep, there is was.
"I'll hit you Jean, where it hurts."
"Sorry, sorry," he apologized, but he was grinning.
Eren grinned too and tucked her head down under his jaw, onto his chest. She took a long breath.
"It was Marco," she whispered.
Jean completely tensed. "What?"
"Marco was my first... and only until you."
She felt him swallow, hard. "Oh."
"Yeah," she concluded. She could have elaborated more, the way she had with the Levi Unit, but it would lead to realizations that wouldn't be kind to Jean, whom had taken Marco's death so hard he gave up his initial career to join the Survey Corps for him.
"I miss him, all the time," Jean admitted in a hollow tone.
"So much," she agreed, tightening her arms around him.
Jean responded in kind, rubbing a hand across her naked back. "Whenever I'm about to go up against a Titan... I kiss my left sword."
"Why?" she asked in a small voice.
"It's the same hand that I used to hold onto Marco's bone... I ask him to watch over me."
She could see it then, Marco and Jean having joined the Military Police together, completely happy as they slowly moved from friends to lovers. It was such a bright image, marred over so quickly by the painful reality she couldn't hold back the sudden sob.
Jean could practically feel the melancholy rolling off of Eren in waves, a sadness over Marco he thought only he ever felt. Though he was also beginning to hurt then, he still cursed himself for causing her pain over it too.
"So... w-who was better?" he asked in a wobbly voice, words clipped as he endeavored to do anything to wash the pain away for them both.
"Jean, you ass!" Eren scolded, but smiled enough to stave off the tears.
After most of the dredges of hurt went away, Eren looked to the window and got up, throwing the blanket off. "We should go, it's about to be dark. Captain Levi will be looking for me soon to take me down."
"Down?" Jean questioned somewhat absentmindedly as he got distracted by her naked form.
Eren used the opportunity to pelt him in the face with his pants. "To the basement. I have to be chained up every night," she explained.
Jean stared for a different reason now.
"What?" she asked, zipping up her pants.
"You're serious?"
She nodded.
"Dammit Eren!" he exploded. "Why?"
She slipped her shirt on. "I have to, and it's only be my wrists. Doesn't really bother me anymore." Eren gave him a look. "Hurry up and change."
"Fine, fine. Stop nagging," he grumbled. He stared her down once they'd both were fully clothed again. "You sure you're alright with that?"
"Don't be too nice Jean. It's weird."
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever Jaeger."
She chuckled. "I'm going to clean up a bit. See you tomorrow, okay?"
Jean hesitated. "Um..."
"Jean, if you begin to act awkward about all this I will tell everyone about it in full detail right in front of your face," she smiled quite slyly. "Starting with Mikasa."
"Fucking fuck Jaeger."
"Go on horse-face."
They bid farewell and Eren went for the window, using but a minute to look up at the early night sky before going back to bundle up the bedsheets in her arms. She resolved to take them down and throw them with the other pile of dirty linen before looking for Captain Levi.
"Captain?!"
Of course, he had to find her along the way.
"Where have you been?" he asked with a flat tone.
She blushed entirely, how could she not?
"Captain Levi, I was- I'm so so-"
He held up a hand, cutting her words off, and nodded to what she held. "What's that?"
"Uh," she licked her lips. "L-laundry. I was taking it down."
He clucked his tongue distastefully at the linen and looked back up at her. "Well, at least you're responsible with cleaning your dirty shit."
'He doesn't know,' she assured herself. 'He didn't mean it like that. He doesn't know.'
"Hurry up," Levi demanded as he walked away. "We'll drop it off before I take you to the basement."
"Yes sir!" Eren cried. She trailed after him, and try as she might she couldn't help but to do it, to check him out.
Jean had a nice body, as she now knew. He was strong and fit with a wide plane of muscle needed by anyone to be proficient with the 3DM gear, and Jean was among the best of them.
Captain Levi, on the other hand-
The man was short, anyone with eyes could see that, yet he was surprisingly thick. He did have a man's body after all.
Eren herself could recall that as she remembered how it felt to be pressed up against him the night of her botched shift into a Titan. Captain Levi undoubtedly had a rock-solid build. There had to be the most impeccable musculature underneath his shirt...
Eren briefly wondered what it would be like to have that particular hard-body hovering over hers. To feel his strength in every move he made as he-
"Eren!"
She was startled out of her thoughts, dropping the bed-sheets onto the floor.
Levi eyed her quite openly. What the hell had she been thinking of? What had caused her lips to part, her cheeks to flush, her eyes to darken?
He didn't listen to her stammers, only watched carefully, blood rushing. He confirmed the truth as Eren picked up the unraveled blanket, revealing the wet spots.
Eren flinched when she looked back to Levi after placing the blanket in the dirty hamper.
He looked pissed.
"Captain Levi?" she inquired as her mind went into overdrive.'Oh no... no, no. Oh please, no...'
Had Captain Levi realized what she'd been thinking about? Had he seen the thoughts in her eyes and connected that she was looking at him?
Did it... disgust him?
Armin and Mikasa often teased her about having such an expressive face, how she utterly failed at keeping her thoughts to herself. She should have known better!
What was wrong with her anyway? For goodness sake's! She just had sex with Jean and already she was imagining what it would be like with Captain Levi?!
And yet, it was different, she could feel it.
Eren had had sex with Jean because she wanted to. Because it was a good release and it helped them bury their antagonism long enough to understand each other. Because the Expedition loomed over them all and some won't make it back.
It had been good, surprisingly good.
But, Levi-
Here she was now with Captain Levi, the one whom mere speculation of excited her tremendously all on its own. Her heart hammered in a way she knew it never had for anyone else.
She didn't regret what she'd done... but she almost felt guilty for it, then.
"Hurry up brat," was the coarse reply.
Eren wasn't sure she could move but Levi was already stalking off. She followed him unconsciously, as her mind was finally beginning to unravel it, what she felt. She could now pick up on things she'd given no real thought to before: the way he flustered her with no effort, how he constantly strayed into her thoughts, her habitual notice of his habits, how she loved his dry (and toilet-based) humor, his refreshing honesty, her worry whenever he was distant, and how she relished every moment she spent with him.
Most importantly, she noted that despite what was expected, he's done nothing but to protect and comfort her. He was one of few who treated her as he did everyone else, who didn't make her feel like she was a monster or a ticking time-bomb.
The truth crashed into her with blunt force as she locked eyes with him as he chained her wrists.
It came so easy then.
"Levi-"
His movements were swift, pushing her down onto the bed, head hitting the pillow and chained wrists held above her before she could react.
Eren's heart stilled.
His eyes were bright on her. A look that caused her breath to stutter, body to shiver as it arched. She wanted- needed-
"It's Captain Levi."
He let her go abruptly, not quite slamming the door on the way out but not just closing it either.
Eren felt wonderful, and terrified. She wanted to cry, and to laugh.
She liked Captain Levi.
A lot.
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Day 15 of 30 before the 57th Expedition
Former Recon Corps Headquarters
Early Evening
"You really like it don't you?" Armin chuckled.
Eren shot him a grin. "You really should keep it. You look even more handsome than before."
"Careful there Eren, with the way you keep complimenting me I'll begin to think you want me."
"Like a daughter would a mother."
Armin laughed richly. "I'm the mom this time am I?"
Eren fluffed up the back of his hair enthusiastically. "Well, you look the part without all your hair in your face anymore, so nice and pretty."
"I suppose that means you're the dad this time Mikasa," Armin directed to his other sister.
Mikasa reached out and patted the top of Eren's head. "She can call me papa if she wants."
"Are the three of you always this weird?" Jean cut in. "How come I never noticed this before?"
Eren stood up and walked over to Jean. She'd been sitting down in between Mikasa and Armin, playing with Armin's new hairstyle courtesy of Krista's makeover (a half-up, half-down look similar to her own, though not quite as long). She reached up and ruffled Jean's hair. "You can be the bastard son."
Jean spluttered. "What the hell?! Don't drag me into this!"
"What about me?!"
"Or me!"
Eren planted a hand on her hip, studying them. "Mmm, you guys are the crazy aunt and the creepy uncle," she determined, pointing to Sasha and Connie respectively.
Sasha whooped excitedly.
"I'm not creepy," Connie muttered. He then looked stricken. "Am I?"
"Well," Armin aimed a cheshire grin at him. "You did confess to Commander Erwin."
"He was the first higher-up I ran into! I panicked!" Connie reddened extensively. "I didn't even fully realize who he was until I'd already fake-confessed!"
"It was rather unlucky you ran into him on one of the few days he's here and not back in the city," Sasha giggled.
"Can't you guys just let it go?" Connie whined, slapping a hand to his face.
There was a resounding chorus of "No" thrown at him.
"Who would have thought you had a thing for rank?" Armin pointed out innocently.
"That is all your fault Arlert!" Connie burst.
"Not only that but he choose the Commander too. If he's going for rank he's going all the way," Jean teased. He gained a mild scowl and glared down. "Dammit Eren, what are you doing?"
Eren had her hands in his scalp, trying to part through the strands. "Talking about the Commander reminded me the both of you have two-tone hair. I'm curious, where does it start and where does it end?"
"Let go you weirdo!" Jean smacked at her hands.
Eren pouted. "Armin-mommy."
"Jean," the blond male addressed. "Be nice to your sister."
Connie and Sasha just about died from laughter.
Jean flushed and batted Eren's hands again. "Stop it!"
"Mikasa," Eren whined.
"Jean, as your father I demand you be nice to Eren," Mikasa said completely dead-pan.
"Do I even want to know?" Reiner called out as he and Bertholdt joined the group. The wicked twist of lips on his face told them he really did.
"We all got adopted into the Eren-Mikasa-Armin family dynamic," Connie explained.
Bertholdt chuckled good-naturedly. "Ah, they still do that do they?"
"That explains why Jean is about to have a conniption," Reiner quipped.
"Hey!" Sasha pointed to their new arrivals. "What about Reiner and Bert? Whom are they?!"
Eren stopped fussing with Jean's hair to peer over at the two large males. She tapped a finger to her chin.
"The Kissing Cousins," she surmised.
Reiner burst out laughing and poor Bertholdt looked incredibly embarrassed.
"Why are we that?" Reiner followed up.
Eren scratched her cheek and shrugged. "You're always together."
"Not like that though," Reiner said, eyeing Bertholdt somewhat wistfully.
"We're childhood friends," Bertholdt shyly added.
Eren shrugged again as though she didn't have the power to remove the label she set in the first place.
"Actually," Armin spoke up. "That title probably suits Ymir and Krista best."
"Especially since, you know," Connie waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
They all laughed. Everyone knew of Ymir and Krista being an unofficial couple.
Well, except for Reiner, but he simply didn't want to believe it.
At the moment, the two females had yet to make an appearance but it was often they would wander off together for some time alone away from everyone.
Sasha gestured again to Reiner and Bertholdt. "So, what are they then?"
Reiner sighed. "We're just here."
Bertholdt had a rather pensive look on his face for a few moments. He caught Eren's eye. "Friends of the family?" he suggested with a nervous smile.
Eren smiled wide. "That works."
"I can't believe we're all in this now," Jean grumbled.
"Um, are we being too loud?" Connie suddenly pondered. At the questioning looks sent his way he continued. "It's just... Humanity's Strongest over there keeps glaring at us every once in awhile. I'd really rather not piss him off."
"What?" Eren brows rose as they all turned around to look across the courtyard.
Captain Levi wasn't looking their way then. He was focused on Petra as they chatted.
The sight caused Eren to swallow with difficulty. She knew why now, but knowing why didn't make it any easier, especially when it seemed the Captain was ignoring her again.
Armin and Mikasa shared a meaningful look.
"Say Eren, I just remembered there was something I wanted to give you, come with me to get it?"
"Huh?" Eren blinked. "Sure, okay Armin."
No one said a thing when Mikasa left with them wordlessly. Wherever one of the trio went the other two were sure to follow.
Armin and Mikasa shared another look as a particular set of grey eyes tracked them, or tracked Eren specifically.
"What is it Armin?" Eren asked as they entered the part of the castle she was rather unfamiliar with.
"Eren."
The trio stilled at the voice. Armin and Mikasa held neutral faces as they looked back.
"Sir?" Eren inquired, confused and more than a little nervous at his hard stare.
Levi's expression didn't change. "What are you doing?"
"Um, going to Armin's room, sir."
"You're not allowed to leave the sight of one of the members of my Unit."
'But I have before,' her mind instantly supplied. 'Why is it wrong now?'
"I'm sorry sir," she swallowed. "I forgot," she finished lamely.
"I can wait with you outside, Eren," Mikasa cut in, tossing Levi a fierce glare behind her sister's back.
"I'll be out quick," Armin promised, strolling away.
Eren felt Levi's eyes on her as she walked back down the hallway and out into the courtyard. She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she gasped quite forcefully once Captain Levi was walking back towards Petra.
He might have froze for a moment, possibly, at the sound of her distress but he certainly did not look back.
"Eren," Mikasa soothed her hand onto her back. "Are you okay?"
"Fine, fine," she answered quickly. "Something got caught in my throat."
Mikasa frowned but nodded, reaching out to brush the hair out of her eyes.
"Ah, thank you."
Her sister nodded again, the note of worry in her eyes yet to leave her.
"Eren! Mikasa!" Armin shouted joyfully, springing back out to join them. "I've got them!"
"Eh?" Eren's eyes widened. "I've never seen those kind before."
"I know," he smiled, plucking a flower from the small bushel he held. "It's why I decided to take some and bring them for you." He beckoned Eren forward so he could fix a flower into her hair-tie. "There, very lovely."
Eren smiled wide as she looked back up. "Now your turn!" She plucked a flower herself and fixed it into Armin's own hair-tie. "Perfect, and," she plucked another. "Also Mikasa."
"Hah? But it won't stay in my hair," Mikasa said, reaching up to tug on a loose strand.
"Maybe not the same way," Eren argued, tucking Mikasa's hair behind her ear and using the flower to hold it there. "But it can stay on."
"You look even more beautiful Mikasa," Armin complimented with a soft smile.
Mikasa gained a light flush and smiled shyly. "Thank you both."
"Do you know what they're called, Armin?"
The blond male shook his head at Eren. "No. I can try to find out, but I don't think floral experts are many among the Scouting Legion."
Eren laughed. "You never know, there are lots of weirdos here so there may be a few."
Armin started to lead them away. "We should sit down." He paved the way across the courtyard, taking note of Levi and Petra's eyes on them. The trio congregated around a small stone birch. Eren held onto the rest of the flowers, idly sniffing them with a smile and playing with the different textures under the pads of her fingers.
"It's been quite awhile, hasn't it? Since we sat and talked, just the three of us?" Eren began, looking up from the flowers.
"Since before your tribunal," Armin agreed. "It's not that I don't like our friends, but I do miss having more time with just us."
"Eren, please tell us everything that has happened since your trial," Mikasa brought up, getting right to the heart of the matter. She's always been impatient where Eren was concerned.
"We've been worried," Armin added.
Eren sighed. She knew the moment Armin suggested they go off on their own that it would come to this. Armin and Mikasa were two people she could never keep anything from, but where to start?
"The first part you already know, the trial was a set-up to ensure I'd be turned over to the Survey Corps and I was placed under the supervision of Captain Levi and his Unit."
Mikasa instantly glared. "He still has to answer for what he's done."
"Mikasa, it had to be done," Eren stressed. "We've gone over this before."
"He beat you, Eren."
"There was no lasting damage, he wasn't serious about it. It only looked that way."
"He made you bleed."
"Mikasa-"
"Why couldn't he have asserted his strength some other way?"
"He was ordered to do it."
"He went too far!"
Eren stared at Mikasa wide-eyed. It was rare for her sister to get loud like that.
Mikasa didn't look shocked or embarrassed by her own actions. She herself was looking right at Eren, eyes wide with their concern, and with hurt.
"Mikasa," Eren took her sister's hand in hers. "I'm asking you to trust me."
Armin flicked his eyes between them, face neutral.
"I trust you Eren," Mikasa assured her. Her eyes narrowed. "But not him."
"Then hear me out first, he's not what you think."
"What has happened since you've been here, Eren?" Armin cut in.
Eren shot her brother a grateful smile, but still held onto Mikasa's hand for good measure. "I had my doubts, of course. The Levi Unit has treated me okay, even friendly. Until you guys arrived here I was mostly cleaning the castle, tending to the horses or going out on patrols. Actually, that's mostly what I'm still doing."
"I thought they were going to test your Titan abilities?" Armin questioned, brows drawn together.
"Only once so far," Eren revealed. "It- it didn't go well."
"Why? What happened?" Mikasa fervently pleaded to know.
Eren hesitantly told them of the fiasco, from her initial inability to transform to her unwelcome transformation due to trying to pick up a spoon. She squeezed back when Mikasa's grip tightened harder on her hand with every sentence. Eren was sure her finger bones were grinding together when she spoke of the Levi Unit's reaction before quickly focusing on what Captain Levi had done.
"We spoke that night and he assured me he would never harm me without due cause. He's a really caring person even if he doesn't show it. He could have killed me then and no one would have questioned him for it."
"I would have," Mikasa's body shook under her anger. "He would have me to answer to."
Eren's patience was wearing thin. "Mikasa, I like him." Her words came out in a hush but fiercely determined to express their feeling.
"What?" Mikasa voiced, stricken.
Armin placed a hand on each of their shoulders and came to hover over between them. "Mikasa, you need to calm down."
"But Armin-"
"Mikasa," he repeated, gentle but absolutely firm.
The dark-haired female looked between them, betrayed.
Eren only felt a slight twitch at wanting to comfort her sister.
"Eren," Armin addressed, looking to her. "I can't say I'm too surprised this happened, but how did it come about?"
"Eh? Why do you say that?"
Armin smiled placatingly. "You've always admired him as Humanity's Strongest and given your close proximity to him now," he shrugged. "It's not surprising you sprung a crush."
A flush flit through Eren's face for a completely different reason. "Um, speaking of crushes, I might have told Jean you once had one on him."
That wiped the smile off of Armin's face, though mostly out of surprise. "What?"
"You guys remember how I was dared to make-out with Jean?"
"Yes," Armin nodded. "But you didn't."
"You know?!" Eren was shocked.
Armin's smile returned.
"Well... yeah, I didn't do that. But," Eren resisted covering her face with her hand. "I ran into him later that evening, and we talked, and thenwehadsex."
Armin and Mikasa stared at her in silence, for once sharing identical expressions, flabbergasted.
Mikasa was the first to sober up, expression becoming fierce as she stood up and looked about. "I'll kill him."
"I wanted to."
Mikasa stilled at Eren's admission and looked to her, waiting.
"I initiated it," Eren continued.
"That... is surprising," Armin allowed. "It does explain why you've both been a bit different in regards to each other, a little more tolerant in a way."
"It happened and I don't regret it or anything," Eren affirmed, eyes on Mikasa who'd settled back down. "And though it sounds weird to say... it helped me realize I have feelings for Captain Levi."
"I do want to know about that," Armin quickly said. "But, can you go back and explain why I once had a crush on Jean?"
Eren was quiet a moment. "I started to think about Marco afterwards," she admitted with a solemn smile. She didn't have to explain why. Marco's interest in Jean back then was obvious to everyone but Jean. "I began to wonder if Jean would have ever given him a chance so I asked him if he'd ever go out with a guy. He asked why and I revealed that a guy used to like him and-"
"-to spare him the hurt you said it was me," Armin concluded.
Eren nodded apologetically. "Yeah."
"Well, it's not like I think he's unattractive," Armin said. "He's just not my type."
Her eyes widened. "You have a type?"
"Eren," Mikasa cut in, pining her with an intense stare. "Why do you like- that Captain?" she stressed the last bit with venom.
"It didn't happen right away," Eren hunched over a bit so she could grip her knees. Her thoughts raced back to the earlier days. "Despite the fact that I admire him greatly as Humanity's Strongest, I wasn't naive about the situation I was in. I had a lot of doubts initially, more so when I realized how strict he can be about his orders." She pinned Mikasa right back with her own stare. "But, I realized that he is not what so many people make him out to be. He's actually a really good person."
"How so?" Armin pushed.
Eren screwed up her face in thought. "Those that don't know him on any personal level tend to see him as someone to be feared, someone to be revered for his fighting prowess, someone to follow into battle." She pursed her lips. "His squad knows him better, at least they can point out his good and bad factors: he's irritable, short-tempered, a stickler for rules and obsessed with cleaning but he's also a great leader that looks out for everyone's welfare and so they hold him in high esteem."
She sighed. "Like I said earlier, he could have justifiably killed me, and yet he didn't. His orders told him to do as such but he chose to protect and even comfort me about it. So, that tells me he's not what his squad thinks either, not entirely."
Armin hummed. "And your personal opinion?"
"He seems apathetic but he cares a lot. He seems to be strict about his orders but I'm proof that he can make his own judgement calls. He seems heartless or insensitive, but he's human. He's a hero, he is, but he's distant and tends to be rather insulting about everything and... and I like all of that," Eren flushed. "He's funny if you get his humor, he's easy to get along with if you don't take him seriously. He cares about the little things and he's brave... and so damn attractive and yeah..." She clamped up before she further embarrassed herself.
"You really like him," Armin confirmed.
"Its just a crush," Eren corrected. "Nothing will ever come out of it. He'd never think of me the same way."
Armin and Mikasa took pains not to look at each other then.
"Don't tell him anything Eren," Mikasa reached for her shoulder. "Because he will hurt you and I'll destroy him for it."
Eren looked to Armin for help only to find him staring at her, pondering.
"Eren, would you say you share a certain closeness with him?" Armin asked quite seriously. "If you can say he's not what his squad thinks either, then that means you've spent time alone together?"
Eren nodded.
Armin face took a grave shade. "Eren," he spoke in a tone he seldom used but that demanded special attention. "Have you and Captain Levi... had sex?"
"NO!" Eren burst out, shooting to her feet. The red on her face crawled down her neck, helped along by the utter silence that reigned over the courtyard at her loud denial. Every pair of eyes was on her. She shot back down and tried to use Armin as a shield.
"I'm sorry," Armin meant it as he moved to stand over her. "I wanted to be sure."
"Of what?" she piped up, still not wanting to look up.
Her brother became pensive once more and when he spoke she knew it was because he'd been thinking his words over.
Eren's denial hadn't stopped Mikasa from looking pissed either.
"I can understand you have feelings for him Eren, and I hope your impression of him is true," Armin said calmly. "But, I cannot deny that Mikasa's misgivings either."
Eren scanned his face. "What do you mean?"
Armin gave her a soft look. "It's as you said, your admiration for Captain Levi was always evident. Even if Captain Levi is a good person himself, there's no guarantee that his growing close to you is not... also under orders. It's a horrible thought, I know, but we have to consider the possibility that the brass could have taken one look at your obvious hero worship of Humanity's Strongest and decided to use it as a way to further keep you in line, from having him befriend you... or even seduce you."
Armin's sympathetic gaze did nothing to assuage the sudden spike to her heart. "They wouldn't," she whispered softly.
"They probably wouldn't," he admitted as much. "But I'm not in a position to gauge that to be true. If I could only spend some time around the Commander or the Lieutenant I'd be able to confirm that. For now, it's better to be cautious."
At his sister's crestfallen face he pulled her into a tight hug. Eren pressed her face against him, only breaking away when she was sure she wouldn't come away with tears.
"Armin, Mikasa-"
"We would never want to hurt you Eren," Armin ran a hand down to squeeze her arm lightly. "But, I'm begging you to be careful. This could all be wrong on our part, but please be careful."
"Thank you, Armin," Mikasa said, conveying that she was grateful he could put things into words better than she could.
"I will," Eren promised. "I'll be careful. It won't matter really, but I promise to be if it makes you guys feel better."
"There is one more thing I need to ask of you," Armin added.
"What is it?"
Armin took her by the shoulders, surprising her. "Promise me, if he ever raises a sword against you, promise me you'll shift and run."
Her eyes widened. "Armin-"
"Promise me Eren!"
Eren snapped her lips shut. Armin hasn't looked at her like this since... since he was almost eaten. "I promise," she said.
"Eren," Mikasa called for her.
Eren sighed and leaned against her. "I know you just care Mikasa."
Once night crept up and they'd said their good-byes to Eren, Mikasa tugged on Armin's sleeve to bring him to a stop before he left for his bunk.
"I need you to distract Eren tomorrow," she said with no preamble.
Armin knew there was no dissuading her from this. "Remember what Eren has said, it's best you keep that in mind so you don't get too angry with him."
"I need to confront him."
"I know," Armin agreed. "But you tend to over-do it wherever it concerns Eren. Don't forget who it is you'll be talking to."
"I won't," she finalized with ferocity.
A frown stayed on Armin's face long after he said good-night to Mikasa.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Day 16 of 30 before the 57th Expedition
Former Recon Corps' Headquarters
Early Afternoon
"Have something to say brat?"
He really could have left the last part out, but the way the female has been glaring at him non-stop has gone from a mild irritation to a full-on bother. All because this particular female, Mikasa Ackerman, was Eren's sister and nothing good could come from her obvious dislike of him (dislike putting it mildly).
"I came to tell you that if you hurt Eren in any way, or if any of your squad does, I will end you."
The true intent behind her words may have struck him as impressive if they weren't so damn unfounded.
"Threatening a superior?" Levi kept his face impassive (a rather easy feat for him, truly). "Ah, but you don't truly care about any of that, do you?"
"What happened at the trial will never happen again," Mikasa spat, hands balling into fists at her sides. "You will never hurt Eren like that again."
"Not even to save her life?"
"It should never have been necessary."
Her words disappointed him. Odd. Eren praised her siblings often and Gunther has noted Mikasa's potential to him as a future recruit for the Levi Unit. Somehow, he'd expected more from her than a baseline hate for such a misguided reason. He expected anger, sure, but not this pointlessness. It was rather dull coming from someone like her.
Levi thought he was past setting his expectations too high. Guess not. "What do you want brat? A lecture on how the world isn't fair?"
"I know that!" Mikasa uttered, incensed. With a forceful draw of breath she regained her calm but still spoke in clipped tones. "I know that. But, Eren told us what happened when she tried to transform. She could have died."
"I wouldn't let that happen."
"That's not good enough. You hurt her, again," Mikasa swiveled her head away. "At the trial, you beat her almost the same way those men had, the ones who killed my parents and attempted to traffic me. And now you let her see just how easily everyone is ready to kill her, even when it's not her fault."
"I see."
"No, you don't."
"I don't?" Levi kept his gaze steady on her. "When she was beaten, you failed to keep it from happening. You were helpless to stop it and that is what enrages you about all of this."
Mikasa was stunned.
"Believe me, I'm more familiar with such situations than I'd care to admit," he admitted testily.
Mikasa may have smirked if she were the type to do so. "Because you were a criminal."
Levi's lips straightened to a very fine line, but he gave no other reaction. "Why don't you bottom-line this already?"
"Leave Jean alone too."
That surprised him, though he only drew his brows up.
"Armin and I have noticed the way you look at Eren, and given the way you've been glaring at Jean we know you know about him too," Mikasa continued. "Leave them alone. Eren deserves better than you and Jean doesn't deserve your hate. I'd prefer for Eren to be with Jean. He wouldn't hurt her the way you have."
"You presume too much," Levi spoke quick and contrite. "This conversation is over."
He walked away. He focused on walking away. People often irritated him but it's been a very long time since he's wanted to hit someone out of personal reaction.
Striking out at Mikasa would have been a horrible place to start that again.
End Notes:
The Mikasa and Levi scene- yay or nay? That was difficult to write. Mikasa certainly has no reason to like Levi yet, but I'm not sure if I overdid it on her part.
For any flamers or haters on the Jean x Eren part, they are not a couple, they will never be a couple, at least not in this fic. Keep in mind most the main cast are in their late teens in this fic, are hormonal, and in the damn military. Sometimes sex just happens.