A/N: ... Just remember... I said just about every trigger warning and tag was in this story. I meant it. I've warned you, so you can't say I didn't!

I'm legit scared right now though. e-e Everyone was like, "We won't stop reading this story! We like it too much!" And I was like, "We haven't hit the bad parts yet!" So I'm just going to go hide from the assault I'm about to receive.

I love you? ^^' Ehehehe... Heh...

-Misty

Song of the day: Gloria

By: Kalifina

Lost Cause

It's his job. Being in this special operation requires apathy, a cold heart, and dead eyes, making him just the man to do it. Of course this doesn't mean he likes it. However, when he runs into three young teens in the worst possible situation a life could lead, it turns out that he isn't as heartless as he once thought he was. Modern day AU: Officer Levi, Prostitute Eren. (Lots of trigger warnings. You're going to hate me so much for this fanfic.)

Rated M for adult themes, sexual content, adult language, violence and gore, child abuse, rape, drug abuse, oh so much more that I can't even list.

Main pairing: Riren. Other pairings with side pairings.

Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)

Chapter 20: Ache

"This is unacceptable, Levi."

Levi's eyes drifted down, finding the brunette still sleeping soundly beside him. Ignoring the growling tone and venom dripping off of Erwin's words wasn't easy, but seeing Eren's sleeping face, so peaceful without a care in the world, seemed to take away the terrible pressure being forced on his shoulders. It was like everything he had been through didn't exist anymore, at least while he was asleep.

If only that was the case. If only none of it had happened. If only he could continue sleeping on in that peaceful, blissful world for just a bit longer.

"I know..." Levi replied into the receiver.

"I can't even imagine what was going on with you when Eren left. To think he walked right out of the front door, your front door, so late into the night?"

"I know..." Levi repeated himself while brushing brown hair from Eren's face.

"Don't you have anything more to say then, Levi? Would you like to give me some excuse as to why this situation even happened?"

"I have none..." Levi said softly. "I was writing my report when Eren walked out of the apartment. I wasn't paying attention, so I take full responsibility."

"Those are brave words," Erwin stated. "So you're willing to take up the responsibility of Eren's disappearance?"

"Yes sir..."

"Then I'm going to have Eren spend tonight in a holding cell at the station. Maybe that'll get answers fro-"

"Erwin, please don't take this out on him." Levi pleaded with the man, fearing that if he rose his voice, he'd wake the boy.

"I'm not taking it out on him, Levi. I'm doing what's best for him, and what's best for him is this. He's not getting anywhere with where he is now."

"He's with me," Levi stood up from the couch and left the room, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep himself calm while around Eren. He didn't want to scare him, and if Eren were to wake up to the conversation? There was no point in it. "And he's made huge progress that you aren't seeing. We're getting closer to answers, just... Just give me a few more days."

"We don't have a few more days, Levi." Erwin's voice rose with authority, a voice he used around the lower officers who were trigger happy. "I don't want Armin's body found in a ditch somewhere. We don't know what's happening to him right now, or even if he's alive at this point. We need to save him, and Mikasa and Eren are the only ones who can help us with that."

"Leave Mikasa out of this!" Levi hissed quietly, but he tried to convey his anger through his quiet voice. "She has nothing to do with this!"

"Have you forgotten what our case is? Mikasa and Eren are prostitutes, and as of right now, witnesses to our case."

"They did nothing wrong..."

"Selling yourself for sex is illegal, or have you forgotten that?" Levi bit at his bottom lip as he leaned against the hallway wall, feeling the battle slip from his grasp, even though he never had it. "This argument is over, Levi. When he wakes up, I want you to bring him to the station. I'll decide where we go from there."

"Please, Erwin, just give me until the end of today."

"Levi-"

"I'll get him to talk, just give me some time. Eren had been through too much shit last night, and he still isn't right. He's also running a fever after being out in the cold. Just give me a bit more time, okay?" Levi felt the air in his throat catching, anxiety building up as he waited for Erwin's answer.

The other line was quiet for a good, long while; for a moment he even feared that the line had disconnected. However, after what felt like an eternity, there was a heavy sigh on the other side of his phone call, followed by what sounded like Erwin tapping something (his hand possibly) against his desk.

"If you don't have answers by the end of the day, I want him here." Erwin told him.

"By the end of today..?" Levi asked.

"Don't push your luck, Captain."

"... Yes sir."

When Eren finally woke up, he wasn't aware of his surroundings at all. He didn't know why he was there, how he was there, or even when he got there, and where was he?

When the brunette lifted his head, the heartbeat that had been in his ear had faded away. The support that was a chest still breathed calmly from under him, slow deep breaths making it rise and fall, a soft lullaby. Eren very nearly dropped his head back down if it wasn't for the grey eyes that caught his gaze, at first relaxed, but then surprised.

"Eren...?" He wasn't sure why he was surprised it was Levi. The officer ever so rarely left him alone these past few days.

"Hi Captain..." He mumbled sleepily as Levi sat up from under him. Eren had no choice but to sit up with him, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees and letting the blanket slide down his back.

"Are you okay, Eren?" Levi asked while touching his forehead. His fever had gone down, which Levi was grateful for. It was getting bad; any longer and Levi would have needed to take him to the hospital. He knew that he risked getting sick sleeping under the teen like this, but he couldn't care less about that.

As of right now, he couldn't care about anything else but the green eyes on him. Though filled with sleep, the fire in his eyes had been lit again, at full spark and alive. That was all he had been hoping for.

"My head feels heavy..." Eren responded and tilted his head to the side, as if his head was heavy enough to throw off his balance.

"I bet it does after how long you were out last night." Levi told him and pulled the blanket up to wrap around the brunette's shoulders.

"I was out last night?" Eren questioned, his eyebrows furrowing in a look of confusion.

"Eren..." Levi began, but he didn't want to say this. He didn't want to be the bearer of more bad news for the kid, but he didn't have a choice. If they didn't end today with answers, Erwin was going to lock him up. Levi wasn't ready to tell him that, but he wasn't going to ignore the fact that it was time to get answers from him.

Levi sighed as he took up Eren's hands within his own. The teen's hands were clammy and shaky, not to mention still warm with a fever. He couldn't help but think that Eren needed something to eat soon. He hadn't had anything to eat since last night, and it was already four in the afternoon.

He was running out of time.

"You blacked out last night, Eren..." He admitted painfully. He hated doing this to him, especially when the look on Eren's face fell like he had just heard that someone close to him had died. He didn't want to do this, but he had no choice. "You left the apartment around nine too. Petra found you at the beach almost two hours later."

"I... I-I..." Eren's mouth was left open, words wanting to leave, but he couldn't seem to get them out.

"You don't remember, do you?"

"No…!" Eren cried while trying to sit up, but once again, the world was spinning around him. He would have fallen off of the couch had it not been for Levi being there to catch him.

"Calm down, Eren. Don't work yourself up." Levi warned him, but it fell on deaf ears.

"How…? H-How? What day is it? What time is it?" Eren frantically flailed within Levi's grasp, but the fight was nothing for the man. He was able to keep him on the couch and hold onto his arms to keep from hurting himself. "How long was I out for? I-I can't-!"

"Eren, calm down!" Levi rose his voice over him. Hearing the sudden authority in his voice, Eren stopped, eyes wide and red from fear and tears as he looked to the older man, but for what?

Guidance? Acceptance? Which was it?

"Captain…"

"It happened last night. You've only been out of it for a few hours." Levi told him. At his words, Eren all but sighed, his head falling against the older man's shoulder. His breathing was shaky, tears barely presenting themselves at the edges of his eyes. He fell apart in his arms, body slack and melting into a soft embrace Levi openly welcomed.

The older man wrapped his arms around the brat, pulling him back against his body to keep him warm and make him feel safe. He felt the tears along his shoulder, sinking down into the fabric of his shirt and sliding down his neck. He heard the pain mixed with relief in Eren's voice as he cried and sobbed. Most of it was out of frustration, and the rest was just sheer happiness.

He hadn't missed much. He hadn't missed anything important. That was all he was afraid of, but even if something could happen in a few hours, Levi would have said something by now.

"You're alright, Eren…" Levi whispered against the side of his head. Eren nodded his head against him, the grip on his sides tightening as Eren held onto him. It was a painful grip bordering on unbearable, but it was just barely there. Levi could handle it if it meant Eren could have some grip on reality. He'd do it for him.

Maybe this was his way of confirming that he really was awake. Maybe this was just him trying to take control of himself and calm down. He wouldn't know what was going on in Eren's head, not unless he spoke.

"Eren," Levi said softly and placed a hand under his chin. Eren lifted his head with the small prompt, eyes glassy and snot dripping down his chin, which Levi simply ignored. He wasn't going to lecture Eren on cleanliness right now.

"Yes…?"

"I'm going to ask you something. You aren't going to like it, but you need to be honest with me."

"I don't know where they are." Eren said before Levi could continue, leaving the older man perplexed. "I knew Armin had been moved. I don't know where he took him to though… He told me that when I talked to him. That's why I got so upset yesterday."

"Are there any places he could have hinted to?"

"No," Eren shook his head. "He wouldn't do that."

"Was Armin aware of where they were going?"

"He said he didn't know either… I don't know how far away Armin is… Or if he's even in the same city…" Fresh tears sprung up to Eren's eyes at the idea. He lifted his arm and wiped his face away with his sleeve, all of which Levi tried to ignore. "He's gone now…"

"We don't know that just yet, Eren. Don't give your hopes up."

"What hope? I haven't had any in years…"

"That doesn't mean this is over. Do you guys have any meet up places? Anywhere that you would go to if you got separated?"

"We do, but now that Mikasa and I are gone, he'd never let Armin leave to go there. There would be no point…"

"Don't say that, Eren. It's something we can work with."

This was something they could work with. This was more of an answer than he had gotten within the week Eren had been with him. Whatever they had talked about, whatever happened on that walk, opened Eren up even more.

"I don't see how…"

"Eren, can you explain something to me?" Levi asked him and moved his hands down thin arms until he could pick up Eren's hands.

"I could try…" He admitted weakly.

"When I asked Mikasa why she couldn't tell us where your old home is, she said it was because "he's watching." I didn't have time to ask her what that meant, so could you tell me?"

"… I can't…" Eren lowered his head, eyes downcast in shame.

"Why Eren…?" Levi tilted his head in hopes of catching his eyes. "Just nod or shake your head. Is he listening right now?"

Levi waited with baited breath, fearing the answer if it were a nod. To think his home had been bugged would have set him off easily, but what if it wasn't that? What if there was something on Eren? Levi couldn't possibly imagine tiny cameras and microphones to be hidden somewhere on his person; that was all conspiracy crap, but he couldn't be too sure.

After what felt like an eternity, but was only a few seconds in reality, Eren shook his head. Levi sighed; so that wasn't the case.

Good. That meant he could sleep peacefully tonight.

"Did he tell you to never tell then? Is that why you won't say anything?" Levi asked, but he didn't get a response. "If he's not listening, Eren, then he can't possibly know if you turned against him. He can't hurt Armin if he doesn't know."

Green eyes lifted up to meet his, a glint of cautious curiosity playing off of those dark orbs.

"… H-He always said that… Even if he wasn't around, others were, and if we misbehaved… They'd hurt us too."

"Was that true?"

"Sometimes… He said that he was always watching us though. He said… Said that he always knew when we were doing something wrong, and he always did! Like… I think he had cameras set up everywhere. He never said anything about what we said, because sometimes we'd talk about leaving, but he always knew if we did something wrong."

Eren sat up a little, as if his confidence was growing the more he spoke. That spark in his eyes grew, but there was something holding him back. He just needed one more push, but what would be needed to knock him over the edge? What was that one last thing to get him spilling his guts?

Losing Eren had been what made Mikasa talk, but she seemed to have slipped by mistake. They couldn't threaten Eren with that, because Armin was already gone, and even if they took Mikasa away, she'd be safe. There was no way they could use that against him.

"He always knew though."

"Did you ever find any cameras…?"

"No, but I was too afraid to look. I thought that, if I found one and he was watching… What would he do to me?" Eren's body shivered at the memories of possible punishments, all of which had already happened to him, and would happen again. What about the ones that hadn't happened yet? He couldn't even think of any more tortures that would be thrown at him.

"He isn't going to do anything to you, Eren. Not while I'm alive." Levi assured him and squeezed his hands.

Yeah, Eren believed that. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Levi would give his last breath to protect him, but that was what scared him.

He didn't know what he was up against. He didn't know who they were fighting with. If it meant his last breath, he'd be dead, and then what would happen? Eren and Mikasa would surely go back to him.

"That's what I'm afraid of…" Eren whispered, hushed and under his breath.

"Hey," Levi said and tilted his head up with a finger under his chin again. Green eyes widened at the suddenness of it, finding a berating look directed towards him. "I may not know who they are, but you're underestimating me. There's a reason Erwin trusts me as much as he does, even given my background."

"But…" Eren began, but he stopped. What did he want to say? What did he want to do? There was nothing he could say that could change the situation.

"No buts. I was made captain for a reason, and that means I protect my squad, Mikasa and you. No one is going to stop me from doing that." Levi leaned back, hands falling back to his sides that Eren wanted to chase. "Besides. If level one narcotic's can't kill me, not much can."

"Still…" Eren tried again, but he was getting himself nowhere. The older man sighed and pulled Eren close, just enough for their foreheads to brush as Eren's head dropped onto his shoulder.

"That's a 'but' too. We're going to see the end of this, Eren. Together. That means neither of us are dying, got it?"

"… Got it…" Eren whimpered weakly into his shoulder. Levi pulled on Eren again until he was back against the couch with Eren laying on top of him, much like the position they were in when Eren first woke up. The brunette had no complaints or concerns, and as far as anyone else was concerned, he didn't care if anyone saw. Levi's heartbeat was there, real, and warm; a reminder that he was alive. He was still alive, and that heart was still beating for him.

That was all that mattered.

After a few moments of quiet, with everything settled, Eren secure and comfortable against his body, Levi leaned over to the coffee table and grabbed his phone.

He needed to update Erwin on this. They weren't the answers that they were looking for, but it was something. Maybe then Eren could stay longer. Maybe then Erwin would stop breathing down his neck and let him stay.

Draft to: Erwin Smith (I.C.E)

Written at: 4:15 p.m.

"Erwin, I got Eren talking. He doesn't know where Armin is. Both he and Mikasa said that, after talking with Armin, the kid told them that their pimp was moving him. The two of them are gone and neither of them knows where. That's all he knows."

-Sent

Levi left it off with that. He was going to let Erwin settle with that information, and if the answer came out sounding relatively positive, he'd ask about Eren. For now, there was just no point in bringing it up.

"Did anything happen while I was out?" Eren asked quietly, his voice muffled by Levi's shirt.

"Aliens invaded the planet, Hanji is pregnant with seventeen kids, and Erwin sucks cock." Levi stated bluntly. Eren lifted his head up from Levi's chest to give him a confused stare, begging for more answers. Preferably truthful ones. "Okay, the first two were lies."

Eren snickered and dropped his head down on Levi's chest again, ear falling square over his heart. He sighed heavily, hands moving out from under the blankets to rest against the man's chest and for fingers to mindlessly tangle within his collar. Levi didn't say anything against it; Eren wasn't even sure if he was aware of it. It wasn't like he would bring it up though.

He ignored it and turned his attention to the TV that had been on in the background. The volume had been down so he wouldn't wake up, but now that he was awake, Levi had no problems turning the volume up to get back to what he was watching. What was he watching again? If he remembered correctly, he wasn't really watching anything. He was just skimming through channels while his mind ran on and on about the situation. He hadn't been paying attention to what went across the screen. Hell, porn could have been on and he wouldn't have noticed it.

"Do you want to watch this?" Levi asked when he realized that what was on seemed mildly familiar. He knew of this show, or rather the comedian who was on the TV, so he knew already that most of the things he said weren't completely vulgar.

"What is it?" Eren asked, his voice muffled with the way his cheek was pressed into the older man's chest.

"A comedian. He's pretty funny. If that's your sort of thing."

"Sure." Eren quietly agreed. Levi set the remote down to leave the channel on just as his phone went off again. He felt a strange pit forming in his stomach, already knowing who it was and hoping this would work out for the best, but he didn't know. He'd just have to wait and see.

Sender: Erwin Smith (I.C.E)

Received at: 4:20 p.m.

"What do you mean Mikasa doesn't know either? Did you talk to her?"

Shit.

Levi had completely forgotten about that. He wasn't supposed to talk to her; he wasn't even supposed to be around her, and yet he blatantly ignored the rules, went to Hanji's apartment, and stood in front of his niece to ask her himself. He'd forgotten within that time of panic, and now he'd let his big mouth go and messed the situation up even more.

What was he supposed to say? Hanji wouldn't cover for him, not if it meant risking her own job. He wouldn't want her to do that anyway. This was his mistake, not hers, and he needed to take his lumps on his own.

Draft to: Erwin Smith (I.C.E)

Written at 4:21 p.m.

"When Eren left, I went over there to ask her if she knew where Eren was. That's when she told me."

Levi stopped for a moment to think about this. He needed to make sure he made it obvious that he didn't ask anything about her, but he hadn't, right?

"I didn't ask her about anything else though."

-Sent

He was really pushing his luck doing this. Erwin was a patient man; this much was obvious. If he wasn't, Levi would have been in that hospital for a lot longer than he was, but Erwin took care of him. There were many reasons why Erwin was patient with him, more so than others, but Levi was really pushing it. He wouldn't be surprised if Erwin started threatening his job soon, because he would deserve it. Anyone else would have lost their job already, so he should have considered himself lucky.

Eren's sudden laughter brought Levi out of his deep thoughts. It was a short laugh, probably held back, but it was a laugh nonetheless. Whatever it was that had been on the TV was doing its job if it got someone like Eren laughing, but that was good. A good distraction went a long way.

"And I told my wife to push. What did she do? She punched me square in the face and broke my nose! She didn't apologize. All she said was, 'This is what you've done to me! Payback is a bitch!' And then started to push!"

The audience in the background was in an uproar of laughter. Eren was keeping himself for bay, but for how long? He was already snorting so he wouldn't break out laughing, but that wasn't going to last long.

The tension in the air that had been dissipating grew quickly once more when Levi's phone went off again. He almost feared looking at the message that was sure to be there.

Sender: Erwin Smith (I.C.E)

Received at: 4:22 p.m.

"Are you out of your mind?"

There went the last of his patience.

Levi paused to think of his response, but he didn't have the time. Two more messages popped up before he could even begin typing his answer to the man.

"You were under direct order not to go near her. You should have known better than to do that."

"If you disobey the order again, Levi, you're off the case entirely."

That was his final warning.

"Levi…?" Eren asked softly, only now noticing the slightly troubled look on the older man's face.

"Hm…?" Levi looked away from his phone and down to Eren.

"Is something wrong?" He asked him.

"No, nothing. Why do you ask?"

"You looked upset…" Eren mumbled, expression falling. Levi lifted his free hand to run through Eren's hair, hoping to draw the attention away from himself.

"I'm not upset. I just have a chronic resting bitch face as they call it."

"Resting what?" Eren huffed under his breath, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Actually that's Eld who always says that. I guess a resting bitch face is just a face that never makes an expression, even when someone is happy. He says I need to see a doctor about pulling at my muscles to see if they can loosen up."

"I've never heard of that before." Eren laughed into his shirt, finding the statement all too true. Had he seen Levi smile yet? Maybe a halfcocked smirk every now and again, but not a genuine smile. "It must be a very serious case of it then."

"Must be. Can't complain." Levi leaned back onto the couch, setting his phone aside. He had nothing more to say to Erwin; no excuses and no apologies. If Erwin wasn't satisfied with the answers he was given, he'd call him like he usually did. Until then, there was just nothing to do besides sit and watch TV. "I'm quite comfortable with my resting bitch face."

"Is that like that thing parents tell kids when they're younger?"

"What thing?"

"My mom always used to tell me that I shouldn't make a certain face, because it would freeze that way. Is it like that?"

"… Maybe. It sounds about right." Levi had to actually think about that for a second. It sounded like it though.

"So does that mean you never smiled as a kid?"

"I don't think so. I remember smiling around my mom, but that's because she would tell the worst jokes."

"I can see where you get it from then…" Eren whispered to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing…" Eren spoke a little louder, his head falling to hide himself. "I said then you must have had a sad childhood to have your face freeze like that."

"It wasn't the best, but it definitely wasn't the worst it could have been. My mom made sure of that. She loved me to death, and that's about it."

Eren let those words sink into his head for a moment, trying to process what the man said before he sighed.

Was he saying that his mother was dead? Levi wasn't that old (He never did find out how old Levi was), so she couldn't have been. She would have been too young to die, unless something bad happened to her.

"… Was she nice?" He questioned in a mumble.

"Huh…?" Levi's fingers trailed along his head to the base of the skull to the nape of his neck, feeling the goose bumps rise on his warm skin.

"Your mom. Was she nice?"

"Why are you so interested in my childhood all of a sudden?" Levi asked with a frown.

"I don't know…" The brunette answered truthfully. "Buying time…?"

"Until what…?"

"… I don't know?" Eren smiled weakly, but it was reprimanded by the lightest of squeezes at the back of his neck.

"You're sick and tired. Go back to sleep." Levi ordered him. Eren huffed again, his arms stretching out over his and Levi's head as a whine left his throat.

"I don't want to." He complained.

"I don't care." Levi shut him down immediately. "You need to rest."

"No," Eren playfully pouted.

"Oh yeah. You're sick alright." Levi mocked him and rolled his eyes. It was obvious to him now that his fever was breaking. The attitude he was sporting just proved it.

"I'm sick," Eren agreed quietly and covered his mouth to cough.

"Sure you are," Levi chided. Eren frowned behind his hand, eyes hooded from sleep, though he was still glaring at the man. From the corners of his eyes (Levi was pretending not to look at him), he swore Eren's eyes were slowly growing bigger, but that wasn't possible. It was just their positions, wasn't it?

"Hey Captain…" Eren mumbled. Levi sighed to himself before indulging the boy and looking over to him. Sure enough, Eren's eyes had gotten bigger, with the added effect of being crossed. The boy was intentionally making the face, also bothering to stick his tongue out at him for good measure.

Yeah, that got his interest peaked.

"Now you're just looking for attention." Levi scoffed before pushing at Eren's head. Eren whined as he rolled onto Levi's side, taking up what little space was there between him and the cushions of the couch. It wasn't until Levi's hand graced the hollow spot below Eren's neck that he laughed, but that wasn't a normal laugh one used when they found the situation funny.

Levi's eyes slowly turned over to him, noticing the way Eren had covered his mouth again. He wasn't hiding a forced face; on the contrary, he was hiding himself. He looked like he'd spoken of a hidden secret he wasn't supposed to talk about, and now that Levi knew of it, he felt terribly guilty, but also cautious.

"… Are you ticklish?"

"No…" Eren quickly answered, too quickly. It just proved that it was the truth.

"Are you sure?" Levi asked and moved his hand under the blanket to reach for Eren's arm.

"I'm sure! I promi-!" But it was too late. The older man's hand made quick work to travel up his ribcage until he found his armpit. From there, it was easy to figure out the answer all on his own. Eren curled up upon the touch, reflexes kicking in as he tried to push the tickling hand away, but it wasn't possible.

Levi was over him soon enough. He had both hands moving simultaneously, one at any visible point of his neck and one under his arm. Anytime Eren jerked away, Levi would just move on to the next exposed part of his body and destroyed that with precise movements that would have a little kid peeing themselves by now. Eren was howling at this, his body lurching and rolling out from under him, but even if he moved just an inch, Levi followed.

He couldn't get away. It was too much to bear at this point. In fact…

"S-Stop it! Stop, I-I'm gonna pee!" Eren warned between laughter deep from his belly and panting.

At the sudden warning, Levi pulled his hands away and placed them down on either side of Eren's head while sitting on his lower half, making sure the brat had no way to escape. He watched Eren pant, getting out the last of his giggles that had been trapped with the lack of air. He had tears streaking down his face, which was red from laughter. He looked like he wouldn't have made it another two seconds if Levi had kept it up.

"Don't pee on me." Levi ordered him, not very amused at the idea of having pee on his backside.

"I-I won't…" Eren breathed a sigh of relief, the last of his tears falling into the couch and his hair while he worked on catching his breath. The last of his laughter fluttered past his lips, leaving him utterly spent. He couldn't remember a time he had laughed so hard, at least not within the three years he'd been subjected to this torture. It was a forced laugh, yes, but it was a laugh all the same.

"Are you okay…?" Levi asked him, noticing the fatigue already taking over his body.

"Mhm…" Eren hummed and slowly sat up from under him. Green eyes still red and glassy lifted, looking up at the man.

It was just a laugh. That was all it was. Armin and Mikasa had made him laugh before, and he was met with the same results.

So why was his heart fluttering?

"I didn't think you'd get tired from that." Levi stated and leaned back to let Eren sit up.

"I haven't laughed that hard in a long time."

"Glad I could be of some help…" Levi noticed the soft tint of pink still remaining within Eren's tan cheeks. At first he thought it was from the laughter, but that would have gone away by now, wouldn't it? "Are you sure you're okay?" Levi pressed a hand into his cheek and slowly moved it down his neck, feeling the heat under his skin warming up his cold hand.

"I'm fine…" Eren muttered distractedly, his body shaking, but that was a lie.

Something hurt. It didn't hurt like a cut or a scrape; it just hurt, and it hurt everywhere. His stomach was twisted up in knots and he didn't know why, but he knew that Levi's touch wasn't helping the case at all. His heart was now pounding against his ribcage like someone was beating against him with a fist, and he knew what that felt like. His head felt heavy and clouded, but the rest of his body felt numb and oddly light.

This wasn't right. He hadn't felt this before, at least not at a time he could recall. Maybe he was sicker than he thought? Maybe he was dying even.

"You look like you're about to vomit." Levi mentioned and tilted his head closer, hoping to see Eren's face better, which was now tilted down. "Are you nauseous? If you are, you need to say something, Eren. I'd rather get you to the bathroom now before yo-"

Levi stopped when a hand pressed into his chest, as if to push him away. He couldn't though, not when another hand was holding onto him from the back of his neck and pulling him forward.

Not when a pair of lips met his.

The older man's eyes went wide, staring at the face so close and attached to his so intimately. He had no idea what was going through the brunette's mind, and it wasn't like he could imagine it when he couldn't see his eyes.

Eren's eyes were shut tight, but comfortably with the exception of his bangs covering them. His cheeks were tinted the darkest shade of red Levi had ever seen on him, traveling from one ear to the other and down his neck. His lips were warm to the touch, but soft. He truly didn't think (Because he never bothered to think of it) that Eren's lips could be so soft or gentle, even with the rough pull.

He couldn't think that way though. He wouldn't. It was wrong and he knew it.

Whatever moment Eren was trying to garner was short lived. Levi pushed at his chest, putting space between them, but with Eren's grip still firm at the back of his neck, there was only an inch or two of space between their parted lips.

"Stop…" Levi demanded of him in a stern voice, but he couldn't hide the underlying shake. "What do you think you're doing?"

Eren looked like he was at a loss for words. His lips were parted, letting air pass through to brush against Levi's own, but no words came out. He looked like he wanted to say something, but no matter how much the words ran through his mind, they just wouldn't come out. His hold on him shook, body trying to move away, but just the slightest movement had Levi feeling something he didn't expect to feel.

Something hard pressed against his inner thigh, something that shouldn't have been there in the first place. Levi couldn't even begin to imagine how Eren got an erection like this, and he didn't want to.

"Eren, go to your room." The officer said and moved to stand. The hand on his neck let go; Levi thought he really was listening at first, but he was quickly proven wrong when both of Eren's hands fisted his shirt and held him in place.

"N-No…" Eren whimpered, eyes wide and pleading. The tone in his voice was painful to hear, a beg that was asking for more than Levi could give to him. Levi tried moving again, but Eren's grip was steadfast. He wasn't planning on letting go any time soon. "N-No, please. No…"

"Eren…" Levi grabbed at his hands and pulled, getting his shirt free from his white-knuckled grasp. The brunette wasn't giving up that easily though, his arms quickly reaching up to wrap around his shoulders and pull again.

There was no second kiss. This time Eren's face fell in the crook of his neck while he leaned back, pulling the older man back over him. Had it not been for Levi's hands pressing into the arm of the couch, the two of them would have gone toppling over with Levi landing on top of him. Was that Eren's plan? He didn't really think so. He seemed too out of sorts to think up of something cunning like that.

"Eren…!" Levi reprimanded him, but there was no response. All he felt was the teen's arms tighten, like if he let go, he'd fall. "Kid, this isn't funny." He huffed in exasperation while trying to pull back, but it was no use.

"I'm not kidding…" Eren whispered by his ear. Levi turned his head to argue with him, but Eren pressed another needy kiss to his lips before the man could get the chance to respond.

For whatever reason that was unknown to the man, he didn't pull back. He kept glaring at the stubborn teen for all it was worth, but he wasn't fighting this like he should have been. He wasn't pushing him away, wasn't getting up to leave the room. He wasn't even saying no. He was just letting it happen, and why?

The first time Eren had done this; granted it wasn't the best of situations, but Levi still pushed him away. He still slapped some sense into him. Why wasn't he doing it now? Why wasn't he fighting this off like he normally would?

Why was he letting it happen?

"Oi, brat…" Levi uttered against his lips. Green eyes opened, dazed and fogged over with a thin layer of lust. Levi was human, so he wouldn't deny that it affected him. He would never say it out loud though.

He was rather fond of his job.

"Please…" Eren breathed softly, fingers moving through his hair. His free hand traveled down his shoulder and then up his neck, fingers dancing across his skin until they reached his lips. His index and middle finger ran over the skin that made up his lips, eyes fixated on them like he'd never seen something so desirable before. The gaze was so intense that it was something worth looking at itself.

"No…"

"Please…" He pleaded once more and moved in for another kiss. The older man was once again surprised in himself that he didn't push Eren away, and he was even more surprised in himself when he pushed forward.

He felt the sudden upheaval of relief flood over the teen's body when he responded positively. He reacted with the lightest of moans; had he not been so close, he wouldn't have heard it. The hand in his hair tightened, fingers scratching gently over the shaved parts of his scalp while his other hand moved back around his shoulder and fisted his shirt again.

Levi would have liked to say that he responded accurately to the movement, but he didn't. Far from it in fact. He didn't consider wrapping his arms around his waist and holding onto his hips a good response. He didn't consider his lips parting to partake in the kiss a good response.

What the hell was he thinking?

"C-Captain…" Eren stuttered against his lips. Levi took the opportunity cautiously, still unable to process his own actions. That didn't mean he could scare Eren freely though.

The older man pushed forward, but only slightly. He was testing the waters, finding that Eren had no problems with it. In fact, after the first push, Eren pulled on him until the two were flushed against each other against the cushions of the couch. Like this, Levi could feel the very apparent hardness between Eren's legs pressing into his hips, a pressure that had Eren's eyes rolling back into his head and a sigh passing his lips.

"Are you okay…?" Levi asked, slightly breathless.

"Y-Yes…" Eren panted, his head lolling to the side. Levi wasn't sure if he could believe that answer, but it wasn't like his clouded mind could care at this point.

His lips pressed into the pulse point on Eren's neck, soft and gentle, just like before. His tongue barely slithered out past his slightly red lips to taste his skin, feeling that pulse beating under his tongue and lips like crazy. Another tantalizing sound left Eren, something that should have been illegal. Levi could barely remember that Eren did this for a living; that Levi wasn't his first, and most likely won't be his last (He was too young to be his last). He couldn't even think about how this week had probably been the longest the brunette had ever gone without sex. However, he was with him now, and that was all that mattered.

"Ca-Captain Levi…" Eren's back arched, chest pressing into the older man's and legs parting to allow Levi to slot against his just right. When the pressure against him increased, a weak moan bubbled from his throat, barely suppressed by his lips.

Levi's hands darted down to grab his hips, trying to stop the sudden force being applied, but apparently, Eren thought he was attempting something else. His hips rolled up again incessantly, creating a friction that was stalling Levi's hands in their attempt to stop him.

"Eren…" Levi hissed, trying to hold onto his last strand of control.

It'd been too long since he'd last done this with anyone. He was so busy with work he barely had the time to get himself off let alone find someone to have sex with. The way Eren's hips rolled and grinded against him, the way his body felt, warm and flushed against his, was a serious reminder of his human side that was begging for release.

Levi felt his control slipping fast. This ache he felt, a feeling he hadn't felt in years, was insatiable, just like the teen below him. The movement of his hips were growing erratic. His own mind was losing its senses to the pleasure. His back kept arching in the most beautiful of ways, and the sounds he was releasing…?

"Fuck…" Levi cursed and pushed his hips forward.

Eren moaned out loud at that, barely covering up the first ring of Levi's cellphone. The two of them stopped, sharing equally confused glances at one other before it rang again, pulling them out of their lust filled stupor. Levi looked over to his phone like it was the most annoying thing in the world, and why did he pick that ringtone again? He never thought he could be more annoyed than he was now, but he had no choice but to answer it. He never answered Erwin back, and this was more or less the man right now, demanding answers from him.

"No," Eren stopped the older man as he reached for his phone, pulling back the appendage to his chest and trapping it within his grip.

"Eren-"

"If it's important, they'll call back." Eren stated before pushing himself up onto his elbows to kiss the man. The second his lips were on his, Levi's mind went blank. He couldn't think about anything else, not Erwin or punishment, besides Eren's warm lips and the skin beneath his fingertips.

That damn phone wouldn't shut up though. If only he could hit end, but he couldn't. Not with Eren clinging to him like this.

Three rings, four rings, five, and then it stopped.

"See…?" Eren asked against his lips before getting back to the task at hand.

The brunette pulled him back down against him, fingers threading into his hair and his shirt. The hand at his chest pulled, yanking the heavy wool up and revealing a slender back. Levi tried pulling it back down, but the moment Eren's hand was done with that, he was messing with his belt. His hands were futzing with the buckle and trying to get it undone, but his hands were shaking so violently that it wasn't an easy task.

"Slow down…" Levi whispered before pushing his tongue against enticing lips that willingly opened up for him. He felt the wet muscle within Eren's mouth wrap around his own in a sinful dance, lavishing one another with gentle touches while they moved together. Levi's own hands now participated in slipping up Eren's shirt, finding the skin there even warmer than on his hands or neck. The touches pulled more of those wonderful sounds from Eren, barely muted by their kisses.

The sounds within their mouths loud and deafening to everything… Except for that damn phone that was going off again.

"Shit…" Levi cursed and sat up.

"No, no, no…" Eren pleaded with him and pulled on his arms.

"I have to answer it, Eren." Levi told him and grabbed at his phone. He looked at the caller ID, and sure enough, it was Erwin. That was no surprise.

He wasn't looking forward to this one bit.

"Hurry please…" Eren didn't appreciate this one bit. He didn't like having to be interrupted in the middle of this, but they didn't have a choice. Whatever it was from whoever it was, was obviously important.

Did it have to be right now though?

"What is it, Erwin?" Levi questioned gruffly once he answered. That probably wasn't the best way to answer a phone, especially while Erwin was mad at him, but he was suffering severely from a lack of blood to his brain.

Eren pouted beneath him, arms crossing over his chest and his lips taking up a terrible frown. He hated that Erwin had to call right at this moment, and why? Did Erwin have the power to read minds and he knew that they were doing this? Eren couldn't think up of any other excuse besides that one, and he wasn't going to try. All of his blood had rushed south, and as of right now, he needed release desperately.

Acting as if Levi wasn't on the phone, Eren grabbed at his belt again. His hands weren't as shaky this time around, so it was easier to undo the belt buckle and yank it open. When that was accomplished, he pulled at the button and pulled it loose, taking his time to see if he could tease the older man still on the phone. He pulled the zipper down, barely revealing black undergarments before Levi's hand grabbed at his wrist and stopped him entirely.

Eren thought rather highly of himself for a moment, thinking it was good that he'd managed some form of aggravation from the man, but when he looked up, he didn't see annoyance.

He saw fear.

Levi looked like he had seen a ghost. His eyes were wide, mouth parted, but not even cold breath left his lips. The color had drained from his face completely, and even though he was normally pale to begin with, this was a sickly look.

The grip around his wrist was tight, painful even. Eren had to yank his hands free to get rid of the aching grip that felt like it could break his wrist any second.

"Erwin, that's not…" Levi began, but he stopped. Eren could hear Erwin's voice on the other line, but he couldn't make out what it was being said. All he knew was that, whatever it was, it had Levi looking like he was about to vomit.

"Captain Levi…?" Eren asked quietly.

"Wait, no…" Levi tried again, but a voice interrupted him. His grey eyes darted over to Eren for a moment, looking shaken up, but he was trying to hide the fear. "Why…? Eren has nothing to do with this. Why do I need to bring him?" Eren perked up at the mention of his name.

What were they talking about? What was Erwin saying? What was it Eren had nothing to do with, but he needed to go somewhere?

"… Yes sir…" Levi's hand slowly fell from his ear, phone clutched between his fingers in a death grip that could crack the screen. Eren was rather surprised it hadn't broken yet.

"Captain, what's wrong?" Eren asked, figuring that the phone call was over. Levi looked down at the phone, eyes still with emotions Eren couldn't read, but he could see the older man still trying to school his face back to his expressionless norm. Whatever had been said over the phone was enough to shake him, to shake someone like Captain Levi Ackerman, and Eren wasn't sure if he should be terrified or not.

This was Captain Levi Ackerman after all. Mikasa's uncle nonetheless. The two were alike in so many ways, and Mikasa was just as tough. It took a lot to shake her, and it was obviously the same for the older man.

So what had been said to do this to him?

"Captain, what is it? What did Commander Erwin say?" Eren prompted him again and touched the back of his hand that had suddenly become cold.

"… My squad is dead…"

A/N: I keep forgetting I can upload during the weekdays now. I was like, "I don't want to wait to upload this," But now I don't have to.

Imma go hide again.