Hi, everyone! The time has come. I go off to school tomorrow D: I don't plan on stopping the updates though. I'm still going to see this story to the end and I have more ideas for different stories that I really want to write, but I know if I start those I won't finish this. So one story at a time. Also don't get the wrong idea. I love Erwin but I needed to use someone as an antagonist and he was sort of perfect :/
Eren's POV
Over the next month, the trio had settled into a normal routine. Armin and Eren wake up every day with Levi already gone. They ate breakfast and sat around the house, attempting to find various ways to entertain themselves until Levi's return. Armin, after learning that the humans and merpeople had the same letters even in writing, normally had his nose in a book. He had already read though most of Levi's books. After exhausting day time television, Eren had taken it upon himself to be useful and clean Levi's already perfectly clean home. Levi seemed to appreciate Eren's cleaning efforts, even if they weren't up to Levi's standards. But he was improving. Eren couldn't stop smiling the day when Levi had complimented his improvement in cleaning.
Levi, on the other hand, would wake up and leave for work early in the morning and come home tired and exhausted around 11 o'clock at night, 8 o'clock on the rare lucky days that he didn't need to go investigate/retrieve. Most days he would merely grunt a greeting before retiring to his room. But on good days he would stay and chat with the two boys for a little while. Eren loved those days. He loved talking to Levi and trying to figure out what was behind those seemingly emotionless eyes. Levi, Eren had noticed, had built a near impenetrable wall to hide his thoughts and feelings. But Eren was slowly noticing small cracks in the wall. It was subtle, but every now and again, he could see small flickers of emotions as they talked about various topics. For instance, when Eren gave talked about his life in the ocean, he could see a flicker of excitement and wonder in Levi's steely eyes. And when he tried to get information about Levi's work, Eren could detect subtle regret and guilt so Eren tried to avoid talking to Levi about work. He couldn't stand seeing the guilt and sadness in the cracks in the wall.
What Eren loved even more than Levi's early days, were the weekends. Levi didn't work on the weekends. They didn't do much, mostly just stock up on food and other necessities for the week and Levi would teach him and Armin something new. Today, Levi was trying to teach them how to finally use the stove.
"Understand?" Levi finished his explanation of the various knobs for the burners and the buttons to turn on the oven.
"Hm?" Shit Eren hadn't been listening. He had been too focused on the strange blue flames on the stove top. Levi sighed with annoyance.
"Tch, shitty brat. Do you want to keep living off microwave dinners during the week?" Levi reached out and turned a knob on the appliance, extinguishing the blue flames.
"I'm sorry, Levi. One more time. I promise I won't get distracted this time," Eren looked at Levi with determination.
"No. I'm not explaining it again, brat. It's a simple machine. If you want to learn so badly, then you can help prepare dinner tonight," Levi turned to Armin. "Did you at least understand everything?" Armin nodded. "Good. At least one of you brats is smart."
"Hey! I'm smart! I just got distracted is all," Eren said defensively.
"If you're so smart, then prepare dinner by yourself tonight," Levi retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest, challenging Eren with his eyes. Eren could never resist a challenge.
"Fine. Just tell me what to make and how to make it," Eren accepted the challenge. He hoped he didn't burn Levi's lovely house to the ground.
Right as Levi was about to answer, there was a slam of the front door flying open.
"Levi!" Hanji bounded into the living with a man who had blond hair and piercing blue eyes trailing in behind her. Levi stepped out of the kitchen with the two creatures half hiding behind him.
"Shitty glasses. Eyebrows. Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Levi looked at the two intruders coldly.
"We're you're buddies Levi, we don't have to knock," Hanji answered. Levi only pinned her down with a glare. Eren shivered. He did not want to be on the receiving end of that deadly look, but it was quite an attractive look on Levi's face. Eren blushed lightly and pushed the thought out of his mind.
"What are you doing here, Glasses?" Levi asked impatiently.
"Well, you see, I've been doing a whole bunch of research on the markings on the nudey boys necks," Eren cringed at the permanent nickname Hanji had bestowed upon him and get found naked on a rock one time! "And I couldn't find a single thing about them and where they come from. So I brought our buddy Erwin over here to take a look at them and get his input on them." Hanji shoved the blond forward, Eren presumed this was the man name Erwin. Eren didn't like the look of him. He was tall and imposing and his sharp eyes seemed to see right through Eren. Almost as if he already knew all of his secrets. Eren hoped that that wasn't true.
Erwin spoke, his voice deep and commanding. "You two must be the specimens Hanji has been telling me about. My name is Erwin Smith." Eren glanced down at Armin. It seemed like he was just as intimidated by the strange man as Eren was, if not more so.
"Eren stepped forward around Levi when it was evident that Armin was frozen stiff.
"Eren Jaeger." Eren held out as he had been taught to do when greeting someone. Erwin took Eren's hand in his large one. His grip was firm and his hands were rough unlike Levi's hand. Levi's were firm but soft and well taken care of. Eren didn't like touching this strange man. Something about him made Eren tremble in fear. Like an instinct telling Eren to get far away from this man.
"If I may..." Erwin gestured to Eren's markings on his neck. Eren turned his head and reluctantly exposed his neck. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. Erwin leaned in close. Eren had to fight the urge to recoil when he felt the man's breath on his neck. "Interesting..." Erwin reached forward touched the markings briefly, feeling the rough patches of skin. Eren couldn't help but jerk away. The gill markings were sensitive enough as it was and having this man touch them scared the shit out of Eren. "They don't seem to be made of ink..." Erwin seemed unaffected by Eren's sudden retreat. "They look like they are part of his skin, like birth marks. But for both of you to have the exact same markings in the exact same spot, it wouldn't make sense to be birth marks. Not to mention their strange coloring. From an island, you two said?" Eren nodded shakily. Erwin put a finger to his lips in thought for a moment before speaking again. "Can I get some samples?" He pulled a small kit out of his pocket.
"That's enough, Erwin. You've terrorized the poor brats enough already." Eren felt a warm hand slide into his own and tug him back gently but firmly. Levi had grabbed Eren's hand and pulled Eren behind him protectively. Levi's hand slid out of Eren's, much to his disappointment, and Levi held out his arms to protect Eren and Armin from the approaching man.
"Come on, Levi. Just a teensy sample won't hurt," Hanji interjected. She went ignored.
"I haven't done anything terrorize them, yet." Erwin stated.
Levi rolled his eyes. "Look at them, Eyebrows. The blond coconut is scared stiff. You don't have to do anything. Your presence is terrifying enough."
Erwin stared Levi down. "I'm your boss. Do as I say and move aside so I can get a sample."
Levi glared daggers at Erwin. "You are only my boss while I'm at work. It's Saturday. This is my home where you decided to show up unannounced and uninvited. You can't just fucking waltz in here and terrorize my guests any time you damn well please. So I must politely ask you to please fuck off." Levi was damn near growling at the huge man. Levi seemed so small compared to Erwin, but Eren had no doubt the Levi could hold his own in a fight between the two. They stared each other down silently. Piercing blue against steely gray. Eren looked between the two men. He wondered who would pull away first. After a long tense moment Levi won. Erwin backed off a step.
"You're hiding something, Levi. Don't think I haven't noticed your changed behavior at work. You can't hide anything from me. I'll find out what it is that you are keeping secret. And I have a feeling these two are the key to unlocking whatever it is you're hiding..." Erwin threatened as he back off a couple more steps. Eren could see Levi's body tense up ever so slightly.
"Come on, Hanji. We can get samples another day." Erwin walked out the door, head held high despite his failure. Hanji followed. For once, she followed quietly. She must have known better than to make any comment during the tense moment.
The door closed and the three of them simultaneously let out a breath they hadn't known they had been holding.
"He was terrifying..." Armin spoke softly into the silence. Eren nodded in agreement. "Yeah."
Levi looked at the two sharply, making sure he had their full attention. "Avoid that man at all costs. Do not talk to him without me around. Understand? If anyone can tell what you two are, it's him. He's already caught wind that I'm hiding some important information from him, so we have to be extra careful if we ever see him again. And I'll have to be extra careful at work. I don't know if he truly meant what he said about me or if he was trying to play games. But I can't take any risks." Levi had started to talk to himself more than to them. Eren could see Levi's fear fully. It wasn't just a flicker of fear in his eyes this time. It was as clear as day shining on his cloudy eyes. Eren felt bad for causing Levi all of this fear. If it weren't for him and Armin, Levi wouldn't be in this dangerous situation. He suddenly lurched forward and pulled Levi into a hug, halting Levi's half ramblings. Eren heard Armin gasp in surprise. Levi had always pushed Eren away harshly when he tried to hug him playfully. However, this time Levi tensed in Eren's arms in surprise and then slowly wrapped his arms around Eren's waist uncertainly. Eren briefly wondered when the last time someone had hugged Levi like this. If he had to guess, it had been a long, long while. Eren layed his cheek on top of Levi's head and stroked his hair. Eren took a note on Levi's clean scent. It was a soothing scent of peppermint and something else. Something Eren could only describe as purely Levi.
Levi took a deep calming breath in Eren's chest. Eren blushed lightly as he felt Levi's warm exhale against him. Levi pulled away and kept his eyes down away from Eren's eyes. He guessed it was out of embarrassment for showing his so called weak side. Eren held back a chuckle at Levi's adorable embarrassment. "Thanks, brat." Levi spoke softly. Eren only smiled encouragingly and stayed silent, not wanting to embarrass the poor man further.
"Right. Okay." Eren could see Levi building his wall back up and pulling himself back together. It was quite a sight to see. "Alright, brat. Let's get back in the kitchen and teach you how to use the stove again while we make dinner." Levi pulled Eren by the hand once again, but this time to the kitchen. Armin curled back onto the couch with another book. Eren smiled again at the contact of Levi's soft hand in his own until he was released. Eren's thoughts drifted again to the imposing Erwin Smith. Would Levi be safe at work? Would they be able to remain hidden for two whole years with that man breathing down their necks? It had only been a month and already they were suspected. Eren's thoughts began to spiral until Levi smacked him in the head to pay close attention. Eren was grateful for the distraction from the imposing man for the time being. Now all he had to worry about was not burning the food and, more importantly, Levi's house.
