Author Note: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin nor its characters.
I'm so sorry, everyone. I was really wanting to get this out the next day after I put up Chapter 10, but I caught a cold from nowhere. I literally passed out last night when I started this chapter and when I looked at it today I was like, "Did I really write this?" x.x I didn't remember writing most of it.
Anyway, thank you for all the lovely reviews! Gosh, you guys are so awesome and I wish I could give you all a hug for being so great! Though, that wouldn't be in anyone's best interest with me being sick and all.
So, this chapter is back to Levi and Eren. Some development?
Hope you like it!
Levi sighed heavily as he slipped into his office chair after getting back from escorting a sick student to the front office. It was that time of year where everyone was getting sick from the weather changes and the cold winds. That student was the sixth one today and Levi was hoping she was the last one until tomorrow. He hadn't been able to sleep lately, so his nerves were shot.
Eren hadn't been back to the office since before Thanksgiving break and Levi was left wondering if he had done something wrong. It was making him lose sleep which was pissing him off. He shouldn't be stressing out about some student not visiting him. Honestly, he should be relieved because now he didn't have to worry about anyone getting the wrong impression if they saw how much Eren was coming to the office before.
Keyword being "should". Yet all I can do is think of that fucking brat. Why is it that I feel like I miss the little shit?
Levi ran a hand over his face with a groan. Sixth period had already started and Eren would've been here by now if he was coming today. So instead of dwelling on the thought, Levi decided to start the one thing that he knew would keep his mind occupied. Some people felt like his cleaning was considered OCD, but Levi begged to differ. Cleaning was like therapy for him. He cleaned the nurse's office every day, of course, but he normally cleaned when he was feeling any emotion other than happiness or indifference. Some people have art, some have music, and some have exercising. His just happened to be cleaning and he didn't see anything wrong with that.
He made sure all the files in his desk were straight and ordered properly before he went into the supply closet and grabbed his cleaning supplies. He picked up a bottle of bleach and the bucket, along with some rags. The smell of bleach no longer bothered Levi after repeated exposure. It was like smelling normal day things, like the smell of grass. Dipping a rag into the water and bleach mixture, he began his daily scrub down of the floors.
It was halfway through sixth period when Levi heard the door open to the office. He cursed and got up from his position on his knees and threw the rag into the bucket before turning around to help whoever had barged in.
"Eren?" Levi was stunned as the teen stood in the doorway. Eren's cheeks were flushed and it looked like he was swaying slightly. Levi called out to him again and the kid's eyes finally flickered onto Levi with recognition.
"L-Levi, I don't feel so go-"
Levi barely had time to catch the teen before he collapsed in the doorway. Levi pulled Eren to his chest and repositioned him slightly so that Levi could drag him carefully to the bed.
"Jesus Christ, Eren! You're burning up!" The boy's body heat was seeping out in waves and it was almost unbearable. Levi tried to lay him gently on the bed and almost succeeded had the brat's legs not slipped off. Even so, Eren was passed out and it didn't seem he was going to be of any help at the moment. Levi checked his temperature and grimaced when it read, "103°F".
Levi got out a clean cloth and hurried over to the sink to submerge it in cold water. When it was thoroughly soaked, he wrung it out and quickly placed it across Eren's forehead. The teen let out a quiet whimper at the sudden contact and Levi subconsciously pet the teen's head as if to comfort him.
"Shh, Eren, it's okay. I'll take care of you." Levi left just long enough to get a cup of water before returning back to Eren's side. He stroked the kid's hair again, trying to get him to stir, "Hey, brat, I need you to try to sit up a little so that you can drink this water. You've got to stay hydrated."
Eren let out a groan and weakly tried to use his elbows to prop himself up. Levi helped him halfway, his arm wrapped around Eren's shoulder as he brought the cup to the teen's lips. Eren drank loudly, a little of the water trickling down his chin, before collapsing back onto the bed. Levi took a clean rag that he was planning on using earlier and wiped off the extra water on Eren's face before settling down in his chair to watch while the teen rested.
Every ten minutes Levi would change out the cloth with a fresh one. Eren's fever was slowly going down to Levi's relief. It was still high, but not dangerously so. Levi finished his cleaning in record time and by the time the last bell of the day rang, he was ready to leave. Eren was still lying on the bed, but was conscious even if slightly delirious from the fever. He made a move to get up and leave, but Levi rested his hand on the teen's shoulder to keep him there.
"Don't get up just yet. Take a few minutes and get up slowly. Do you have anyone who can give you a ride home?"
Eren shook his head mutely and closed his eyes as if the slight movement had made him dizzy. Levi nodded his head, because he had figured that this would be the case.
"Fine, I'm going to drive you home, because you're in no condition to walk. Do you have medicine at home? Do you have anything for a cold?"
Eren opened his eyes at Levi's questions and shook his head only slightly this time before responding, "'S okay, Levi. I can walk home. D-don't worry about me."
Levi's eyebrow twitched at the use of his name, but chalked the slip up to Eren's fever. Again the teen made as if to get up and leave, but Levi had a hold on his arm and held him in place after the teen had sat up. He wasn't going to let this brat just waltz out of this school to only pass out on the sidewalk on the way to his apartment.
"No. I'm taking you home and that's final. Do you have medicine at home and any chicken noodle soup?" Levi made sure to hold Eren's gaze as he waited for a response.
After a minute, Eren broke eye contact with him and looked to the side before speaking quietly, "We have medicine, I think. No chicken noodle soup."
Levi let go of the boy and went to grab his phone and wallet off the desk before sliding up next to Eren. He picked up Eren's arm and draped it around his shoulders while slipping his own arm around the teen's waist and hoisting him into a standing position. Slowly but surely they made their way to Levi's car and Levi opened the passenger door with one hand before helping Eren slide into the seat.
Levi stopped at a convenience store on the way to Eren's apartment and grabbed some medicine and a couple cans of chicken noodle soup. Eren tried to give him money for it on the way to the apartment complex, but Levi just ignored it and eventually Eren gave up.
When they finally reached Eren's apartment complex, Levi grabbed the bag of medicine and soup before helping Eren walk up the stairs. When Eren stopped moving, Levi figured they had made it to the right door and gestured for Eren to hand him the key.
"C-can't get them." Eren motioned towards the pants pocket that was pressed up against Levi's hip.
"Lean on me, I'll get them." Levi took his arm away from the boy's waist and reached into the pocket to withdraw the key chain. When Levi looked up, Eren's whole face was red and Levi quickly put his wrist to the teen's forehead. "Oi, why did you get red all of the sudden? You scared the shit out of me."
Eren looked away from him and Levi almost rolled his eyes.
This damn brat is running a fever, yet his hormones still get the best of him.
After unlocking the door and practically dragging Eren into the apartment, he helped the teen rest on the couch. It seemed no one else was home, which Levi was grateful for. He didn't want to have to explain why he escorted a student home personally. He made quick work of finding his way around the small kitchen. After a few minutes he had a warm bowl of soup, a tall glass of iced water, and medicine juggled in his arms.
He walked around the couch to find that Eren had rolled onto his back and covered his face with the crook of one of his arms. He nudged the boy's leg with his foot, "Hey, brat, sit up and take this medicine. You need to eat a little and hydrate some more."
He watched Eren slowly sit up with a loud groan of protest. Finally, Eren took the bowl of soup from him and the medicine before gesturing for Levi to just leave the glass of water on the coffee table. Levi sat down and waited for Eren to take the medicine and eat some before he made a move to leave.
Well he tried to make a move to leave, but a loud thump of ceramic against wood and a firm grip on his arm caused him to stop. He turned to look at Eren with a raised brow before looking down at the hand that held him. The hand loosened its grip, but Eren didn't let him go much to Levi's surprise.
"I, uh, I just wanted to, uh, say thanks for, you know, taking care of me. Y-you didn't have to do that." Eren looked away to avoid his intense gaze, Levi was sure.
Levi cleared his throat and looked away as well. He didn't know why he went out of his way to take care of the brat. I guess those couple of weeks of interaction had the kid grow on him and seeing Eren so ill caused his heart to hammer with worry. Levi ran his fingers through his hair with his free hand before responding.
"Why did you stop coming to the office? Did I do something to upset you?"
Eren whipped his head to stare at Levi in shock. Hell, even Levi was shocked by what had just came out of his mouth. He was walking into dangerous territory and he was letting this brat lead him by the hand.
"N-no. No! You didn't do anything wrong, it was all my fault. I'm sorry." Eren looked away again, a red tint appearing on his cheeks.
Levi reached out and grabbed Eren's chin to force the boy to look at him before running his thumb over one of the teen's heated cheeks, "Is your fever coming back? Why are you apologizing?"
Maybe it was the fever that caused Eren to lean into Levi's touch or maybe the brat was just that bold, who knows. Levi tried to withdraw his hand, but Eren clapped his other hand over Levi's and held it in place.
Levi narrowed his eyes at the action and tried to pull away from Eren, but despite the fever and being sick, Eren's grip was strong. "Oi, brat, what do you-"
Eren interrupted Levi before he could say anything else and blurted out, "I l-love you, Levi!"
Levi inhaled sharply through his nose at the sudden statement and finally succeeded at wrenching his hand away from the teen's grasp.
"You're delusional. Your fever is getting the best of you, so I suggest you sleep for the rest of day and if you're still feeling like this tomorrow, stay home."
Eren's hand that had been on Levi's arm fell away as Levi stood up from the couch. Levi started to turn to leave when Eren tried to grab his hand again, but Levi had anticipated it and snatched his hand away before the teen had a chance.
"Wait, Levi! It's not the fever, I swear! Please listen-"
Levi cut him off before he could continue on, "You're ten years too early to be spouting things about love to me, brat. Have you even considered the fact that you're not of legal age? What makes you think I would even consider you as a partner? That kiss? That was a mistake and I'm going to regret it till the day I die."
"I'm 17, I'll be 18 next year!" Eren protested loudly.
"You'll still be a student, so no."
Levi watched as Eren looked away from him and sunk down into the couch. Levi had expected a retort, but all he got in return was silent tears falling from the teen's eyes. Levi cursed silently and made his way to the door, this time with no interruptions.
Before leaving, he called out to Eren one last time, "Don't forget to drink plenty of water and take that medicine before you go to sleep."
With that, Levi left the apartment complex and made his way to the comfort of his car. He didn't leave immediately. Instead he sat in the parking lot and stared at the door to Eren's apartment while silently cursing himself. He had realized that he had grown fond of the teen when he started losing sleep over Eren not visiting him.
Despite realizing it, Levi had tried to deny it as much as possible. There is no way he was going to accept these emotions, let alone act on them. Just a few minutes ago temptation was standing at his front door, knocking and hollering for Levi to answer. If Eren hadn't been sick and feverish, Levi didn't know if he could have ignored the knocking. Yet Eren wasn't of sound mind at the moment and even if he had really meant what he said, Levi effectively ruined any hope the kid had.
He'll get over it. It's for the best, anyway.
End Note:
Aaah. Would this be considered angsty? I dunno.
Please don't be mad at me, I swear things will work out, because I absolutely love happy endings and fluff. :3
I just realized this is the longest POV so far. Can you tell that I really enjoy doing Levi's POV?