Levi was beginning to worry as Eren's silence continued. The silence unnerving in comparison to the boy's usual upbeat cheerfulness and boisterous attitude.
The two were currently walking down the many streets with hoods up and Levi's hand clenched around Eren's in fear of losing the boy among the noisy crowd rushing by during the late hours. His left hand still bandaged and hidden among the pocket of his jacket, the pain having dulled considerably. Eren, in return, did nothing but walk obediently by Levi's side, something that did not go unnoticed by the other causing him to continuously worry.
Finally, when he could no longer take it, Levi turned to look at the younger boy before leaning down so the two were eye level.
"What happened?" Levi asked quietly in a calm, gentle tone in hopes of persuading Eren to speak, but nonetheless, the attempt was thwarted as Eren refused to look at the former's steady gaze and instead opted to shuffle his feet on the ground while looking downward with eyes cast on the dusty paved cement. His fingers still clasped in Levi's hand suddenly dropped to his side as if he had suddenly realized how exhausted he was.
Levi took this in worriedly as he reached out to grasp Eren's shoulders in an attempt to comfort the boy but was instead met with an immediate flinch causing Levi to stop all movements and only stare in utter confusion and desperation to change the situation.
"Tell me what he did to you?" Levi asked again as he was met with more stony silence, but after a few more seconds of stillness, Levi's patience was rewarded as Eren slowly lifted his head from the ground to look at Levi with eyes filled with unshed tears. Mouth rigid into a set scowl in an attempt to force back any wails before the boy finally gave out a slight sob before speaking in an angry tone.
"He told me … everything," Eren whispered quietly due to his raspy voice having not spoken for so long, but Levi could still hear the undeniable pain and anger the words caused him. His words accusing Levi.
Levi tried to open his mouth to ask Eren what he had meant but was stopped as Eren continued speaking.
"He told me you killed my parents! Tell me he was lying … Tell me!" Eren shouted at Levi with his face grim and serious.
Levi could feel his heart clench, but he continued to stare at Eren for a long moment. His eyes searching the other's to see the obvious pain this revelation had caused Eren, until finally seeing this, forced himself to lower his eyes to the ground. This was all Eren needed as the boy immediately flinched as if someone had punched him before he began to cry and all the unshed tears came lose. Levi, looking at the ground, no longer able to force himself to lie to the other, could see the tears falling and hitting the cement in droplets but still refused to look up. He wanted to say something, anything to tell Eren it was false, but he could not.
But it was too late to dissuade the situation anway as Eren began to shout, "You promised! You promised you would take me home! But how do you plan to do that if Mom and Dad are dead!? You killed them! You killed them … Why?"
Levi jerked upward to look at Eren and tried to reach his hand out in an attempt to comfort the other but was stopped by Eren's hand as the younger boy slapped his hand away in a twisted manner as if unable to control his tired limbs. The boy was slowly beginning to back away from Levi, now having revealed the latter's true nature, and Levi could not blame him, but at the same time, he could not let Eren wander the streets alone. Not with all the assassins and kidnappers out there waiting for an easy target which Eren obviously was in his hyperventilating state of mind.
Levi once again tried to grab Eren before he ran off, but the boy easily evaded him and backed away hurriedly.
"Eren-," Levi tried to say but was stopped by Eren's sob and jerk of his head telling Levi to stop talking but Levi ignored this.
"Brat, stop being an idiot and listen to me! I admit, I killed them, and I admit, I regret it. I know there is nothing I can do to change your opinion of me, and that the only thing I can give you is stupid apologies and broken promises, but try not to cry because no parent wants their child to cry, especially not yours."
Eren had stopped trying to back away from Levi and instead stood in front of the other with tears still streaming down his cheeks as the sudden realization hit him; he was alone, utterly alone with only the man who killed his family. Levi, who watched the other carefully, suddenly remembered something before reaching towards his back pocket and pulling out the stuffed toy Eren so stubbornly loved. He wordlessly handed the toy to Eren who immediately grabbed onto it and buried his face into the toy while letting out a chocked sob.
"I'm trying not to cry but … but …," Eren sobbed out as Levi continued to watch him patiently.
"Then don't cry for yourself. Cry for your parents, cry for this whole stupid, stinking world that we live in, cry for Hanji and Mikasa, and cry for me. Then in return, I'll cry for you."
Eren said nothing, but his shaking body and continuous sobs that completely shook his small frame was enough for Levi. The latter having never felt so connected to anyone to even consider calling them family could never fully understand Eren's pain, and for that he could only sympathize, but now it was just the two of them alone in the unfair world that they lived in.
AN- I have diffuculty writing emotional scenes, and yet I always end up writing them anyway. Thanks for reading and all suggestions are welcome! Only one more chapter to go.