Admittedly, taking a bath with fresh tattoos wasn't the best idea I'd ever had. As it was, it was more of a hassle than true relaxation, but at least we managed to get clean enough to satisfy Levi's ridiculously high standards.

He'd become very quiet since we'd entered the bathroom, biting his lip and staring off into space. To me it seemed like he was dwelling on his own thoughts, which made me incredibly nervous. I still hadn't digested the shock over seeing Levi falling apart in my arms, crying and shaking as if he couldn't help himself. It had been unreal to see him so upset, and when I had, I was at a complete loss for what to do. Levi was always the strong one, the one with the level head who'd keep me rooted to the ground if need be. But back then, he broke. He caved in, and I had no idea why. Something of epic proportions must have gone on inside him to trigger a reaction like this. Whenever images of his crying face slipped unbidden back into my mind, my stomach clenched in pain. It wasn't right that he'd suffer like that. Not Levi. He didn't deserve to face anything that would hurt him. All my warning lights had flared when I'd seen the first tear fall from his beautiful eyes, out of nowhere, and as a result, every single protective urge inside me had risen to the surface in a matter of seconds. Suddenly, everything that had mattered was him, and whatever I could do to comfort him. Even now, all I wanted was to pull him back against me and never let go. I didn't know what was going on, but I didn't have to. Seeing him like this was enough to make me want to hold him forever, to touch him in every way that felt good, to kiss the pain out of his eyes.

There was a relentless grip around my heart, and a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts in my head. Naturally, I wanted to know what was troubling him so much that he'd break out in tears in front of me. If Levi had to cry, I was sure he'd do it in private without anyone to see him in this state of what he'd consider weakness, yet he'd done it right here in front of my eyes, which left no doubt about the seriousness of the situation to me. I was mulling over in my head how I could make him open up to me. Talking about what was bothering him might be a good way to take at least a little bit of the burden he was struggling with off his shoulders. I just wanted to be there for him. I wanted to talk to him and hold him while we thought about a solution to whatever he was fighting with. The worst thing for me was to leave him alone in this, to act like nothing had ever happened. I just had to figure out the right way to approach this matter.

My eyes went to Levi, who was curling up under one of my sheets. He was facing away from me, so I had no chance of seeing what was going on in his mind. Even if his expression was controlled and inexpressive most of the time, there were still his eyes. He might do a flawless job with keeping any and all emotions off his face, but his eyes were still more telling than he liked them to be.

I reached out and brushed my palm over his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

He shrugged, but didn't turn to face me. Ironically enough, this distance between us felt nothing short of suffocating. This was new to me. Usually I was always so close to him, so in tune. I didn't know how to deal with this unwanted space between us, and I was unwilling to to find a way to. I didn't want to get used to this. "Tired. Eren... Can you take me home?"

My first instinct was to tell him no, that I wanted him to stay here, even more so after that breakdown from earlier. I couldn't possibly leave him alone after this, could I? Sadly, that wasn't my call to make, though. I'd peg Levi for someone who sought solitude after what had happened, and I couldn't take this from him. No matter how much I wanted to. It still stung that he'd choose to distance himself from me, to prefer being alone over staying here where I was.

"You... Don't want to stay?"

It was nothing but selfish to ask that of him, but I was incapable of shutting up before the words had spilled from between my lips. He was just that important to me and maybe he did need me, even if he was reluctant to admit it.

Levi was quiet for a while, snuggling further into the cover. I listened to each breath he took while I held my own, waiting for his reply.

"I don't know... No... It's better if I leave."

"Better for who?"

He huffed and brought a hand to his face. Cold fear flooded my insides in an instant. If he'd cry again, I would lose it. Much worse than he had. And then I'd force him to tell me what the hell was wrong, something I had no desire to do. It was his choice to let me in, and I didn't want to be the ass who'd make him share. Though I would, if I had to.

But he stayed silent. So very silent.

I wanted to scream with frustration. I wanted to beg him to tell me, so we could work through this together. This invisible wall between us was tearing my heart in two.

"Levi," I began quietly, "You don't have to leave. If you want to stay here, you can. Just know that I want you to. I'll always want you to stay, no matter what happens."

With a start, Levi sat up and brushed the blanket off. Then he changed his mind and wrapped the blanket back around his body, as if he needed the comfort it provided. I couldn't possibly not react to this. I got up on my hands and knees and started to crawl over the bed, slowly, to let him know I was heading his way. When I reached him, I nuzzled his back and slipped my hand beneath his blanket cocoon to run the pads of my fingers over his shoulder blades, making him shiver.

"Oh Levi," I breathed, my eyes stinging as I pressed my face to his back, "I want to be there for you. Won't you just tell me what's going on? We'll find a way to deal with it, I promise."

Levi snorted, and my eyes widened when the sound slipped into a quiet, humorless chuckle.

"You can't help me, Eren. This is something I have to do on my own."

I pondered what to say, but my mind was only filled with requests and pleas to let me in. I had to accept his decision to keep this to himself, even if holding back right now went against everything I was. All I wanted was to touch him, kiss him, feel him. If he couldn't tell me what was upsetting him, I wanted to at least chase the pain away in a physical manner. Even if it was just for a little while.

"Look at me," I said, desperate. "Please."

I listened to him taking a deep breath and then he shuffled around on the bed until he was kneeling in front of me, still clutching the blanket around him. His eyes were downcast, his face a picture of defeat. My heart lurched, and I rose to pull him against me. He struggled at first but soon, he gave in and allowed me to hold him just like I was yearning to do. I didn't want to force him to tell me anything he didn't want to, but that didn't change the fact that I needed him; that I craved to be close to him—right now so much more.

Again, my hands slipped beneath his blanket and I curled them around his neck. Reaching up, I brushed through his soft hair, combing the strands until I felt his last resistance wither away. Being so close to him after the tormenting minutes spent apart, inhaling his perfect scent and feeling his smooth skin, made my heart rejoice. His eyes were glossy and shimmering, like wet granite after rainfall, and I found myself entranced by their intensity.

"Eren... Right now, I just... I don't want to think about it. I want to forget. Can you make me forget?"

I didn't give myself time to think of a reply to his request, and even if I had, I wasn't sure if I'd found the right words. Instead of answering, I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to his. His hands cupped mine on his face, and then he kissed me back. My lips opened of their own accord when I felt Levi's warm tongue press to the soft folds, asking for entrance. God, there was nothing I wouldn't give him. I opened up and didn't waste another second to suck him inside, my tongue sliding over his, our tastes mingling in a wet embrace. Guiding him to lie down on the bed with my lips, I ran my hands along the sweet expanse of his body, enjoying every inch as if touching him for the first time. His blanket fell away, but it didn't matter. I was quick to replace its soft security with my body, covering him and giving all the warm protectiveness and comfort I could. If I couldn't use words to soothe him, I hoped touching and being close was enough to make him feel better.

"I'll do anything you want. Just ask for it," I whispered into his ear, before kissing the small lobe.

"Just be with me until the end," he replied, and I wondered what he meant. I got the feeling there was a hidden meaning residing just beneath his words, something I couldn't decipher. But even if that was the case, I didn't care. I'd promise him the world.

"Always," I said.

We crept under the blanket in a tangle of limbs, kissing and touching each other all over. When we broke away after some time, we were both breathing heavily, our lips raw and kiss-swollen.

I smiled at him, and then went straight into cardiac arrest when I caught the tiny smile he offered me in return. Holding him close, I buried my nose in his hair and began to draw soft circles on the bare skin of his back.

"Your skin is dry," I whispered absentmindedly.

"Mh, yeah," he said. "You make me bathe too much."

I chuckled softly and bent back to kiss his cheek. "Can't say I'm sorry. Though I can do something to help with the dryness, if you let me."

He raised a questioning eyebrow at me and chuckled when I leaned in to kiss it. "Okay. You have my permission to work your skin magic."

I smirked, finally feeling the gravity fading and god, the subsequent flood of relief was irrefutable. "Thanks, captain. You won't regret it."

Jumping to my feet, I breezed into the bathroom and got the Lush bag I'd stored away below the sink. I fished around for what I needed and when I finally dug it out beneath all the various bath bombs and shower scrubs I'd bought, I rushed back to Levi, who was awaiting me with curious eyes.

"What's this you're hiding behind your back?"

I smiled lazily and revealed the dark packaging. Levi reached out his hand, and I put it in his palm for closer inspection. My heart hammered inside my chest as he turned the small bag around and then proceeded to undo the small sticker keeping the packaging together. I'd picked it out because it had sounded simply too delicious to not take it, but now I was nervous whether Levi would think the same way. As soon as the sticker was off, a creamy scent of honey and chocolate drifted around us. Levi took out the heart-shaped product and lifted it to his nose, his eyes falling closed on a small sigh upon inhaling.

"God, what in the world is this? The scent is divine."

I smiled happily, and gave him a quick kiss to his bare shoulder. "You like it? It's a massage bar. It's made of honey and almond oil, but the core is liquid chocolate. Uhm... It's edible." I blushed. Hard.

Levi smelled the massage bar again before he looked up at me with this mischievous glint in his eye. "Edible, huh? Really?"

"Yes..." I stammered breathlessly.

Levi rose to his knees and climbed on top of me, straddling my lap. He was careful not to touch anywhere near my new tattoo, which I found incredibly endearing. The fact that we were only wearing boxers had me aroused in a heartbeat. Although I truly lost it when Levi sat down on me, wiggling around until my clothed cock was firmly nestled in between his ass cheeks. Which was apparently exactly what he wanted, considering he was now moving back and forth on my lap, grinding down on me until I had to bite my lip to keep a harsh strings of groans from escaping.

"You want to use this on me, Eren?" He whispered seductively into my ear before trailing lower to bite along the vein on the side of my neck.

"Ahh... Y-Yes, I mean... If you want to..." I panted, hopelessly turned on by him and the prospect of kneading his soft skin until he was begging for more than just a massage bar.

"You want to massage me with honey and lick this chocolate off my skin?" He continued, his voice pure temptation. God, I just wanted to eat him, with or without the chocolate.

He ran the massage bar over my bare shoulder as he got back to rutting against me, teasing me into stiffness. My hard on was rubbing against his perfect little ass, and I had to talk myself out of ripping his boxers off with my bare hands like a needy caveman. Instead, I pushed my hips up to meet his, to get even more friction of his lithe body on mine. Levi moaned, his head bending back to bare his throat as he felt my demanding length moving against him with each buck of my hips. My hands slipped from his lower back to his rear, filling my palms with his supple cheeks and pulling him even closer to where I wanted him. When he rushed against me with a surprised moan, chest to chest, we both cried out, though not from pleasure this time. The soft collision had made our fresh tattoos clash and rub, and the resulting pain hurt like hell. I bit my lip and dropped my hand to right the gauze and strap it properly back on my skin. Then I did the same for Levi while he smirked down on my attempt at first aid.

"We probably can't do... Things for some time," I said in bewilderment.

Up until this point, I hadn't taken into consideration that it would be difficult to top Levi with tattoos that required minimal touching and a lot of rest to heal. Damn, I should have. I really should have. Just the thought of spending days without feeling him like this was unendurable.

"You look as if you're about ready to burst into tears," Levi smirked and cupped my cheek with one warm, small palm.

I nuzzled into his touch and caught his gaze when I spoke next.

"Sorry. It's just..." I sighed heavily. "I don't really like the idea of not being able to... You know. Be with you. Like this."

I gave my hips another gentle push into his to emphasize my point.

Levi sighed and then smirked again. Apparently, he didn't find the current predicament we were in nearly as catastrophic as I did. Well, good for him.

"Hey," he pinched my cheek playfully, and I looked up into his silver eyes. "It's not gonna be forever, you know. Those shouldn't take too long to heal. We can wait."

Uh, yeah. Thing was, I couldn't wait. Not really.

I blew out a long breath and shrugged. I wasn't too fond of the whole abstinence idea, but it was not like I could do anything about it either, could I? This was one bitter pill to swallow.

Levi pulled me from my miserable thoughts when he began to wiggle on my lap, his fingers tugging impishly on my hair. "Massage me. That's an order."

Laughing, I pushed him down into the sheets and watched him squeal in delight. This playful side of him was absolutely to die for. He looked up at me, his lip caught between his teeth, and I trailed my fingertip from his shoulder down to his wrist, nudging in between his splayed fingers and taking the massage bar out of his hand. I gave it another good smell before I quickly bent down to Levi's chest and kissed his pink nipple. He groaned and wiggled at the feather-light touch. I picked up a pillow from the bed and laid it down on the bed for him to adjust it the way he wanted to.

"Aren't we a demanding little captain?" I quipped then, waving the bar from side to side. "Back or front first?"

His eyes followed mine down the length of his body, and we both noticed the hint of a bulge in his boxers at the exact same time. With a ridiculously quick movement, Levi turned on his front and buried his face in the pillow.

"Back," he mumbled, and I was almost sure the tips of his ears peeking through that lush raven hair of his were way pinker than usual. He grabbed the pillow I'd placed on the bed and positioned it beneath his pelvis, so that my massage wouldn't hurt the sore, tattooed skin. Even his shoulders were flushed with color by now. It was so alluring.

I bit my lip to hold in the most ridiculous fit of giggles, and got to rolling the massage bar between my palms. Putting it aside, I brought my creamed-up palms to his shoulder blades and gave them a thorough rub. From the way Levi squirmed with each touch, I knew he was trying to hold back from making known how much he was enjoying this. A little while later though, he stopped trying. Tiny sighs and quiet moans fell from his lips as I ran my hands up and down the beautiful expanse of his pale back, watching as the ivory skin colored a delectable rosy color with each stroke.

"Mh, okay... I have to admit you're quite good at this..." he sighed dreamily.

I chuckled softly, and then let my hands travel down to slip beneath his boxers in the back. There was an involuntary mortifying little moan from me when I made direct contact with the supple swell of his ass cheeks. He bucked off the bed and reached back to swat my hands away, his cheeks gorgeously pink.

"Not t-there," he stammered.

I held his abashed gaze as I let my fingernail draw lazy circles around the two lovely dimples above his ass. "Why not?"

"Because I say so," he huffed and laid his cheek back on the pillow.

It was hard to follow his request, but I wanted this to be about him, not me, so doing this the way he wanted was the least I could do. Leaving his sweet rear for now, I moved down to his thigh and began kneading the firm muscle. I ran my nails over the soft skin, gently, using just enough force to leave marks in form of faint pink lines. After I'd done the same to the back of his other thigh, I decided now was a good time for some chocolate. I watched small goose bumps rise on Levi's satiny skin while he threw me a heavy-lidded gaze over his shoulder, watching me intently as I took the massage bar and broke it in half. Thick, warm chocolate spilled from the core and danced in opaque trickles over my fingers. I met Levi's curious eyes and smiled. Leaning down, I put my finger to the back of his knee and drew a cedar-colored heart on the soft skin. He laughed out in response, his leg quivering beneath my fingertip.

"That tickles!" He squealed cutely, drawing a long giggle from me.

I felt Levi's gaze on me as I bent down, my lips stopping only an inch before the tasty chocolate treat waiting for me on his leg. My hand continued to stroke his calf, and then I blew on that ticklish spot of his, making him whine.

"Mh, Eren... Just... Lick it, please," he begged, hiding his face in the pillow to avoid my cheeky smirk.

His wish was my command. As soon as I put my lips to the chocolaty mess, he stifled a string of moans with the pillow, body arching, legs trembling. I followed the heart's shape with the tip of my tongue, lapping at the traces agonizingly slow before sucking the sugary remnants away with a few languid strokes of my lips. I was just suckling off the last bits when Levi released a long, heart-felt sigh.

"Goddammit," he whispered. "Do that again."

"You like that?" I teased, coating my finger with fresh chocolate and drawing a sweet line along his calf, all the way down to his Achilles tendon. Crawling over him on all fours, I leaned down and followed the trail with my tongue once again, reveling in the breathy moans and quiet curses that escaped his lips. When I reached the delicate tendon, I couldn't help kissing the dainty curve down to his heel. I forgot all about the chocolate, I was so lost in kissing along the smooth sole of his foot. Somewhere in my periphery, I could hear Levi complaining half-heartedly, but I kept kissing him until I got to his toes. Lifting his leg up, I sucked his pinky toe in between my lips, and he screamed.

"Eren, shit, stop! What are you—AH!"

He wiggled underneath me, which only goaded me on even more. Licking and kissing each one of his small toes, I came back up with moist lips and the silliest grin ever. After I'd turned around, I ran my hands back up to his behind.

His skin was so warm beneath my palms, so inviting. I wanted to touch him so much more than that, feel him with more than just my hands. How much time had passed since we'd agreed not to go there as long as our tattoos were still healing? Now look at the marvelous progress I'm making.

The skin I'd touched was shimmering with oil that smelled like sweet honey. The sight was breath-taking and cruel at the same time, because all I could do was run my palms over the balmy skin again and again, unable take it any further. It was torture. But if Levi didn't want me to tamper with that delicious body part of his, maybe we were in the same boat about our current situation. Deciding to be bold, I let my hands whisper over his behind once again.

"I said, not there!"

Deciding to be bold, I slipped my hands back beneath the cotton and started kneading his lush ass, watching as my splayed fingers delineated through the thin material of his boxers. "What is it, Levi? Scared of getting turned on if I touch you here even though you shouldn't? Afraid of taking the risk?"

I gave his ass a sneaky pinch and watched as he bent into the caress for all of one second before he wiggled and tried to get away.

"No, you idiot. That's not it," he said, though with a lot less determination than I knew he wanted to lend to his words.

His resolve was melting, just like the honeyed oil on his skin. I had the chance to back down now, which would probably be the right thing to do. Yet as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I knew I wouldn't do what was right. I wanted him too much.

"Oh?" I said, taking the boxer's elastic band between my fingers and pulling it down to mid-thigh, baring his backside to me.

Levi squealed and pressed his ass cheeks together, making the muscle contract way too deliciously to contain my desire. If he was trying to defer my mission to get him, this wasn't the way to do it. Before he could do anything more to defend himself, I slipped in between his thighs and let him feel my firm erection. He gasped and slapped his hands over his mouth to avoid spilling another one of those delicious little sounds I loved so much, while I continued to lean into him, pressing my painfully hard cock into his bare cleft and watching as it nestled in between his cheeks as if it was made to be there.

"Fuck, Eren... Stop..." he moaned weakly, even while he pushed his ass back against me. All I wanted was to get rid of my own boxers and find out what my cock would look like being swallowed up by those luscious cheeks without the confines of any clothes.

I bent down to his ear, letting my lips brush over the shell. "Are you sure stopping is what you want?" My hand slipped beneath his body in the front to meet hard flesh. "Don't lie."

Levi shuddered with another trembling breath, his skin warm and flushed a deep scarlet.

"You're not playing fair," he said, defeated. "It's not like I don't want to. We just can't. Have you already forgotten about that?"

"Well, there's actually a way we can."

He looked up at me, and my heart missed a beat at his thoroughly aroused appearance—eyes glossy, lips moist. "What are you talking about—OH."

I bit my lip and watched as realization dawned, hoping. Wishing.

"If you're implying that I ride you, you can get that idea right out of your head!"

Pouting, I crawled off of him and took his shoulder to turn him around. The distance was too much to bear, so I grabbed his hand and pulled on it until he practically fell into my lap. Looking into his face, adorned with those brilliant gray eyes, made a sudden, but powerful sentimental streak crash over me. I took his face in my hand and bent down to take his lips with mine in a long, loving kiss. His response was immediate, and perfect. I caressed his tongue with mine, relishing the warm saliva that escaped our hungry mouths to make a mess of our joined lips.

"Please..." I whispered against his lips, my heart pounding almost uncomfortably fast.

He shook his head and fell back into my touch when I kissed him again, with more urgency and fever than before. "Levi... I want you so much... Please, I need you."

It wasn't a cheap excuse to seduce him, but the undisputed truth. Sometimes, I felt the most painful tweak of cold fear, like a force reminding me that this could be over in the blink of an eye. It was these irrational moments in which I needed him, with me, connected to me.

I trailed the column of his throat with wet lips, leaving a glistening trail down his skin before dipping into the hollow at the base, sucking and licking until his moans turned to pleas.

"Okay," he breathed, climbing on top of my lap and pushing me down on the bed with strong, impatient hands. "I'll fucking ride you, and you had better show me how much you love it."