"I'm back." Eren smiled.
Levi was sitting on the floor, in front of the bed with a cup of 2 minute noodles he had crinkled his nose at.
"If you expect me to say "Welcome Home" you're gravely mistaken." He answered, eating a bit and turned his face up in disgust. "What is this shit?"
"You didn't put the flavoring in, you twat." Eren commented, taking the sachet and pouring it in the mixture. "Haven't you had cup noodles before? I practically live off them."
Levi tasted them and grudgingly gave his approval. "Not really." There was only two types of food he had eaten in his life, first was scraps and the next was high class gourmet meals.
"I have to go to work soon, obviously you're going to stalk me there, right?" Eren smirked as he sat down next to him.
"I do not stalk, you should have more respect for your only customer you shitty brat." Levi countered, but suddenly remembered that he couldn't escape the building with Eren without getting recognized.
The last thing he needed was a bunch of fans wanting things autographed when he wanted to keep his identity a secret. But luckily Hanji had taught him a vital tactic every celebrity needed to know when sneaking out somewhere.
"Hey Eren, can I borrow your phone?"
The kid looked slightly confused, but handed over the iPhone anyway. Levi unlocked it (nice background Eren, giant selfie? ) and typed Twitter into the web browser. He quickly logged into the account that Hanji had made for him. After thinking about a location that was in the opposite direction of the music store, he faced away from Eren to post the tweet.
RIVIALLEOFFICIAL: At Controte Park, see you guys there.
Levi waited a minute until he could hear various shrieking down the hall.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS? WE HAVE TO GO NOW!"
"QUICKLY, YOU DONT HAVE TIME FOR YOUR MAKEUP!"
"What's happening?" Eren stood up in alarm, listening to the stampeding past the door. "Evacuation?"
"RIVIALLE'S DOING A MEET AND GREET?"
"GET THE OTHERS!"
"OH MY GOD! WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MEET HIM!"
"HURRY, LET'S GO!"
Levi winced a little as similar shouts and shrieks erupted from all over campus. Oh well, at least he could sneak out with him without anyone around.
Eren sat back down, rolling his eyes. "RIVIALLE again?" He sighed. Meeting Levi's confused expression, he fumbled for an explanation. "Some famous popstar that's touring here. Everyone knows him."
Suddenly Eren remembered the ticket in his pocket, eyes widening. He blushed slightly, he had to ask Levi out to the concert. But before doing that, he decided to confess his feelings first; the atmosphere didn't feel right at the moment.
"Oh really. Are you a fan?" Levi said nonchalantly, snapping Eren out of his thoughts.
"Um-my friends are. I kinda feel sorry for him really, with all the attention he's getting. Look how Justin Bieber turned out." He snickered. "But I'm not interested in teen sensations, with all their shitty music about wrecking balls. His music probably sucks."
A pissed off expression crossed Levi's face as he said this, eyebrows raised.
"Uh, you okay? You look like you're going to floor me." Eren asked cautiously. "Don't tell me you have an obsession with Miley Cyrus."
Levi punched him, and Eren fell back down laughing. "Shut up, shitface. And give back my jumper." He added.
"Never. And go get it yourself." Eren moaned, clutching his stomach as he shook in laughter.
Levi gave a swift kick in the vulnerable teenager's stomach, which resulted in a satisfying groan from the former.
"That was a low blow! Don't hit people while they're already down!"
"Doesn't work that way in reality." Levi answered as he snatched his jumper up.
He bent over to pull off the sweater, which effectively caused Eren to shut up as he realized he was stripping. In front of him.
Eren watched wide-eyed; removing the jumper revealed a large winged tattoo that stretched its feathers all the way across Levi's back. It was actually spectacular, how the wing curved perfectly across his body and down his-
"Whatchya looking at, brat?" Levi raised his eyebrow at Eren, who looked rather...constipated. His face was red and biting his lip.
"Huh? Oh um-Cool tat." Was all that Eren could coherently muster.
"Pfft, are you turned on?" Levi smirked, pulling down the jumper. "I do have that effect on people."
"Are you always this full of yourself?"
"Yep."
"God dammit Levi, just hurry up and get ready. My shift starts in half an hour." Eren groaned.
"Tch, but its raining really hard outside." Levi replied, kicking his legs up and down from the side of the bed. "Got any umbrellas? If you can even find them in this filthy junkyard."
"Uh..." Eren discreetly kicked the extra umbrella behind him underneath the bed.
"Sorry, only have one. Looks like we have to share."
It was pouring as they walked out the street, the air a blurry haze from the rain. Levi and Eren were huddled together underneath the umbrella.
"Dammit brat, why can't you invest in more umbrellas?" Levi complained as they were forced closer to each other; trying not to get soaked.
"I think this is good enough." Eren smirked. Levi growled irritably, but at least the streets were much less crowded. It was raining too hard for the few people there to see past the haze for anyone to recognize him, which was good.
Too bad for the fans waiting at the park, he thought. Obligatory tweet of apology later.
Suddenly he could feel Eren's hand reach tentatively over his, making his heart jump. When Levi stiffened and looked over questioningly, Eren simply whispered, "Your hands are cold, just thought I'd fix that."
Levi snorted, this dumbass wasn't subtle at all. "Yeah right Jaeger." He remarked, yet he made no move to reject the gesture. "You just want an excuse to hold my hand, don't you?"
Eren grinned cheekily, grassy eyes glimmering like dewdrops. "Maybe."
Their hands stayed intertwined for the rest of the walk; playing stupid games like "I-spy" and talking about themselves.
Finally they reached the store entrance and after swapping shifts with the assistant managing the store, the pair were finally alone.
Eren took a deep breath, he was so nervous. Having an additional 5 heart attacks at the same time wasn't helping him take out the crumpled ticket from his jeans.
"Um."
The singer turned around, eyes widening at the ticket. Levi almost swore out loud, was that what he thought it was?
Please don't be a ticket to my concert, shit shit shit.
But of course it was. His stage name was spelt in giant letters on it. "You're fucked now." the ticket seemed to mock.
"Levi...I-I was thinking..." Eren shuffled nervously, obviously flustered. "Would you go to RIVIALLE's concert with me?"
Oh shit. I should've seen this one coming.
Levi bit his lip, maybe the situation could still be saved. "Why? I thought you hated him."
Eren chuckled a little, blushing. "Y-yeah. But if it was with you..." He trailed off. "What I'm trying to say, is that...will you go on a date with me?" Eren was so red that his head was going to spontaneously combust.
"Because...I really like you." He breathed out. He had finally said it. "And I...want to be with you. Always."
Levi's heart stopped.
Fuck. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Not who we are now, not in this lifetime.
"Eren-" He began, trying to compose his face into that same impassive expression he always wore. But his features felt stiff, heart hammering in panic.
"It's impossible."
Eren paled, he was trembling slightly. He looked so vulnerable compared to the laughing, joking teenager a couple hours ago. Something in Levi broke as he watched him.
"-Why?" Eren's voice cracked. "Why is it impossible? Tell me, Levi." His green eyes were pleading, shining slightly in the dim light of the store.
"Because..." Levi found it hard to breathe, let alone talk. His mask was slipping. "-I can't."
"Can't what?" Eren snapped. "If you don't like me back, just fucking tell me already!"
The darker haired man averted his gaze, trying to keep his demeanour apathetic. The rain had stopped, so there was just a painful silence as the demand went unheard.
"-The least you could do is pretend to actually give a fuck!" Eren screamed, frustrated at Levi's silence. "Sorry I'm wasting your precious time, but oh balls if you just give me an answer maybe I'll be out of your face already!"
If Levi was going to tear his heart apart, he could at least find the humanity to do it quickly.
Levi reached out to grasp his arm, the kid looked like he was going to fall over. "-Eren..." He stood back in shock as the brat ripped his arm away, face ridden with anguish.
"Why do you keep avoiding the question?" Eren's voice cracked, hoarse from screaming. "Don't give me false hope, Levi. Don't make me believe that I might actually stand a chance when you don't f-feel anything towards me at all. It hurts so bad because I just-" Eren's breathing was now erratic, eyes shining wetly.
"-Really like you." He finished, biting his lip painfully.
"Don't you fucking cry."
Eren looked up in surprise, instead of Levi's usual apathetic demeanor he was now furious, silver eyes blazing.
"Do you fucking THINK its easy on me? Easy to reject you?" Levi shouted, hands in fists. "Who the fuck do you think you are, you sack of shit?"
Eren looked at him in disbelief, eyebrows raised. "Seriously? If you don't have any feelings for me, then it should be!" He yelled, blinking back the tears. "So just look me in the face and say it!"
"-How hard are you planning to make this, Jaeger?" Levi said slowly, breath shaking. Of course he couldn't say it. Even if he wasn't leaving, being in a relationship with him could endanger Eren's life. That's what happened if you dated a celebrity.
"I can't be with you. And that drives me insane, because..." He stopped for a second, trying to rearrange his thoughts. "You deserve someone much better than me. Someone more suited to you; who can make you happy. That person isn't me, Eren."
Fury lit up those emerald-blue eyes at these words. "You're kidding, right? These past few days with you were the fucking happiest I've ever been in my entire life, Levi." He said, stressing on the words.
"Watching you in the bookstore, finding the courage to find out more about you, playing piano, singing together. When I woke up to you sleeping on my chest this morning, I knew that I loved you more than anyone else in the fucking world. And you're telling me that you don't make me happy?"
Levi blinked, breath hitching. So that was it then, he had to tell him. He couldn't lie about this anymore.
"...I'm going soon."
Eren stared at him blankly, face red and confused. Levi ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
"What I'm trying to say is that- I'm leaving in a couple of days. On the 13th to be exact. I won't see you ever again, and that's why I can't- can't be with you. I'm sorry."
There was a brief pause as Eren took the news in. He closed his eyes, leaning on the desk. Levi looked on anxiously, why wasn't he saying anything?
Eren finally spoke, eyes still closed. "That's the stupidest excuse I've ever heard."
"What?" That wasn't the answer he'd expected.
"-I said it was stupid." Eren cut in. "It's just distance. I'll chase you to the other side of the fucking world if I have to. I'll wait forever for you, if that's what you want." He moved closer to him, holding him in place with his gaze.
"Eren-" Levi still hadn't told him about RIVIALLE.
"I know you're hiding other things, but all I want to know right now is if you feel the same as I do."
Eren now had him pressed against the wall, looking at him with such intensity that Levi could feel his defenses slowly crumble.
"Goddammit..." He said, ears red. "You should know my answer by now." Levi took a deep breath.
"I...like you too, you fucking brat. Now-"
He didn't get to finish his sentence, because at that moment Eren's lips came crashing down to his.
And that was the only answer that they ever needed.