After Eren recovered, they settled back into their more normal routine, with Levi going to work every day and writing more of his book when he came home, while Eren went on pest control jobs and spent his free time look for more opportunities to sell his artwork. It was definitely still a work in progress, the but more jobs he got, the more likely people were to hire him. And luckily it seemed that a fair number of businesses were looking for new ways to advertise themselves, and thought the fresh touch of a new artist might be the way to go.

For once, other than Eren's bouts of depression, things seemed to be going okay. Even when he didn't want to get out of bed, Levi seemed to be the magic medicine that at least encouraged him to interact with the outside world a bit, and would cuddle him and reassure him as much as he wanted that he was going to stay with him for as long as life would allow him. And that seemed to be what Eren needed, though he apologized over and over again for being a "burden" but Levi understood very well. He too had terrible depression when he was living alone, depression that was now being alleviated by being surrounded by so many people.

As the heat of the summer dragged on, Levi was suddenly reminded of something very important, and it came to him in the middle of a sentence he was typing indoors in a vain attempt to escape the heat: it had been a year now since he and Eren had met. A whole year already. Levi could scarcely believe that that much time had passed. A year of being with someone he loved, and still did very much so. There were many couples that were married that didn't love each other as much as they did, and yet stayed together out of duty. He believed part of the reason he was so keen to stay with Eren was because the world was so bent on keeping them apart and he just wanted to prove them wrong, but more importantly, it was because Eren was so special to him. He meant it when he said he never wanted to leave him.

But with a groan, Levi realized something else. During that whole year, despite many attempts, they still hadn't made love one single time. Not once. He supposed that was alright in a way, as courting couples were not supposed to have sex until they were married. But for people like them, there was no way they could legally get married anyway, so like Eren said the rules didn't have to apply to them.

More importantly, was Levi even ready for such an act? He had only recently come to terms with the fact that it was okay for him to be romantically involved with a man, and even then anxiety over being found out followed him at every turn. Could he really take that final, huge step and give his body to another man?

Well, it wouldn't just be any man; it would be Eren, whom he knew very well and trusted. That was how he had to think about it. It would be with his boy, his Aurora, someone he had seen jump up and down at a circus like an excited little kid and cry because he was afraid everyone he loved was going to leave him. If there was anyone that he trusted to be intimate with, it was him.

But of course that niggling thought that they shouldn't be doing this crossed his mind, that he was scared of what might happen if someone caught them in the act. And no matter what he did, he couldn't rid that fear from his mind.

So, when he finally gathered up the courage one night, he went to Eren with his news and concerns, wringing his hands the entire time and feeling as if he were about to explode. But of course, the minute the words, "I want to try having sex with you but I'm scared we'll be found out and about a million other things," left his mouth, he was pulled into his boy's embrace with a sympathetic chuckle and a hand running through his hair.

"My poor Doll," he cooed.

"Don't make fun of me," Levi grumbled, but still pushed his head further into his chest, like a cat that wanted attention.

"I'm not," Eren insisted. "I'm just remembering how nervous I was the first time I had sex. Now, I've never had sex with a woman, so I can't speak from that kind of experience. I always knew I was like this, so I didn't even attempt it. But I thought the same things you did. 'Is it right? Am I going to make a huge mistake? Is God going to strike me down for this?' And now look at me. I've joined giblets with many men and I'm still walking around. We'll be fine. And if you'd like, we can go somewhere deserted so that we won't be discovered. I know lots of places."

Levi sighed. He felt a bit better, truly, but of course the insecurity still lingered. But when he really thought about it, he still wanted this. So he suggested, "Well alright…I trust you. We could always go to my special place. You know, the one on the hill. I've never seen anyone come by there in all the years I've been visiting it."

Eren pulled away and looked down at him with a shining grin. "What a great idea! It'll be a memorable first place for a romp in the grass. Nice and quiet and warm, and more importantly, you'll be able to scream as much as you want and no one will hear you."

The older man made a strangled noise in his throat and pulled out of Eren's arms, slapping him gently on the chest in reprimand while the green-eyed boy laughed, amused by his embarrassment.

"But seriously," the boy insisted, "I'll take care of you."

"I know," Levi said when he had calmed down a bit, though his face was still very red. "But…let me take care of you too, will you? You've done so much for me…I want to return the favor a bit."

Eren growled in a way that sent some nice shivers down his spine, saying, "Of course. I'll show you what to do, have no fear."

So, days later, he and Eren left in secret one afternoon, telling anyone who asked that they were going into town and would be back by dinner time. Except they kept going, and going, walking out of town, trying to act normal, but instead every once in a while breaking out into giggles like naughty kids that were skipping school. Levi had to admit, a part of this was quite fun, knowing that they were going to break the rules. What had Eren done to him? He used to be such a stickler for the rules. He supposed when you were in love, those sorts of things became secondary and your partner eclipsed everything else. Especially when he supposed, really, they weren't doing anything wrong. No one was going to be hurt. So off they jogged, not noticing the warm weather, occasionally chasing each other past bewildered onlookers on the street.

When they made it to the small patch of forest that served as the pathway to their destination, Levi finally took the chance to pull Eren into a deep kiss, placing a hand behind his head and holding him there. Eren hummed into it, letting himself be dragged down and holding his partner around the waist. When the older man pulled away, he said breathlessly, "I've been wanting to do that since we left the house."

Eren laughed, and didn't stop, because it seemed like every few feet from there one of them kept stopping to kiss the other, small pecks, or deep, tongue-in-mouth kisses. At one point Levi even became brave enough to push the boy against a tree, pinning him against the rough bark so that he could tease him a bit more thoroughly. He licked his way into the other boy's mouth while grinding his hips against his. He laughed a bit when he felt Eren reach forward and grab his rear, squeezing it in appreciation. He certainly didn't miss how the boy encouraged him by pushing his hips forward so that he could grind against him harder.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your butt?" Eren gasped between kisses. "It was one of the best parts of drawing you. It's so small and so cute, but so firm. It fits in my hands very nicely. I can't wait to actually touch it without your trousers in the way."

"Soon," Levi promised, equally as breathless. "We have to peel ourselves away from this tree first."

Eren hummed in agreement, but made no moves to do so, instead pulling him back in for another kiss, pushing his hips forward for some more grinding. Already he could feel a subtle hardness forming in his partner's trousers, and that only made him more keen.

Eventually, they managed to stop, but only long enough for Levi to let Eren pull away from the tree trunk. They did absolutely nothing about each other's wild hair, or the fact that Eren's shirt had come untucked and the first few buttons of Levi's shirt were undone, revealing an enticing, milky expanse of skin. His collarbones were on display now for anyone to see, and they looked so delectable that Eren wanted to bite them.

Not long now, he told himself. The sooner they got up the hill, the sooner he could give into his heart's desire.

If passing through the cemetery gates was like passing into the realm of death, passing through these woods, with its dapple sunlight filtering over their bodies, green leaves glowing as they reached towards the sun, and trickle of a creek off to their left, felt like passing into the realm of the fae. Nature was all around them with not a person in sight, and in a way, it was fun to pretend that they themselves were one of those magical creatures. After all, Eren had said he looked like a fairy. If he pretended very hard, he could look at Eren and see one of the fairies of Irish legend that would roam the empty, misty moors and weep, trying to lure men to their deaths. And yet he was taking Levi into his fold, accepting him as one of his own. Though, he supposed if Eren wanted to lead him to his death, he wouldn't be opposed. At least he would die happy. Either way, he was beyond fortunate to be in the company of this beautiful person.

Many kisses and insistences later that no, they had to keep moving, they weren't there yet, yes I can give you one more kiss, alright one more, oh just one more, they were finally climbing the hill. By this point, Levi was excitedly leading Eren by the hand, his face flushed and a bright smile on his face, still unable to believe that he was here. Eren let himself be lead gladly, matching Levi's smile. When they finally made their way through that long, golden grass up onto the peak, they spared a brief glance towards the patchwork of farmland in the distance, appreciating the colorful view and the total silence. Not a person around for miles, the only sound being birds chirping and wild animals scratching around for food. The tree that sat up here was also in full flush, the leaves providing wonderful shade.

It was like a dream.

"Well, here we are," Eren sighed, the breeze tousling his hair even more. "Still think you're ready?"

Levi pursed his lips and nodded. "I mean, I'm nervous, but I suppose that's normal. But yes, I still want this. Just show me what to do."

Eren gazed into his eyes for a moment more, but saw nothing but sincerity in them. Still, he felt the need to say, "If you want to stop at any time, or if I do something that makes you uncomfortable, let me know, yeah? I promise you won't be hurting my feelings. I want this, yes, but I want you to enjoy it."

"I know," the older man assured him. "Trust me, I'll say something."

With another smile, Eren leaned up and kissed his forehead, the softest he had ever done. Levi leaned into it, his eyes fluttering shut. He very gently gripped Eren's upper arms, holding him in place.

"Relax," he breathed against his skin. "It's just me. You have nothing to fear."

"I know," Levi said, getting more into it.

He let Eren map his face with his lips; his forehead, his eyebrows, eyelids, down his nose, both cheeks and his chin. Every place was brushed with those soft lips, or kissed, Eren also running his fingers through his hair. His nerves tingled pleasantly, and with those hands in his hair, he felt like he was being forced to relax. His eyes stayed shut as he absorbed the sensations. This was very nice, Levi thought. It was so gentle, so sweet. This was like the advice that prostitute had given to him so many months ago on how to make love to a woman; soft, gentle touches. It looked like that this sort of touching worked on men as well. He had half expected Eren to just jump into things, to be rough right off the bat. He should have known better. Of course Eren would relax him and be soft with him, get him really in the mood before they worked their way towards the bigger things.

Lord, he had thought it so many times, but he knew he didn't deserve this boy. But he knew Eren would say that was only proper and he wasn't special for being so careful with him. Every man should treat their partner like this, he said.

The tension began to drain out of Levi's body into the soil beneath them, and as that happened, he began to feel more confident, his inhibitions disappearing into the wind. He leaned up and began reciprocating the affection, brushing his lips over Eren's face as well, massaging his shoulders as he worked. He felt Eren smile against his lips, and that gave Levi even more confidence. He sat up a bit more and ran his lips around the shell of his ear. At the feeling of the other man's breath in his ear, he shivered and placed his hands on his shoulders, holding him in place. At the positive reaction, Levi dared to run his tongue on the outside of his ear, tickling it slightly, before gently nipping the top of it with his teeth. He felt Eren lean into the action, sucking in a breath, letting out a tiny moan when Levi sucked on his earlobe.

He backed away for a second when he heard the sound, the sound sending that strange rush of heat towards his groin. He found himself asking, "Is- did that feel good? That wasn't too odd was it?"

Eren found himself breathing a laugh. "No, of course not. I think people underestimate how good having your ears touched feels. Levi, it's okay you know. You can just…do whatever. I'll let you know if it feels strange. Don't be afraid to do whatever's on your mind. Chances are if it feels good to you, it'll feel good to me too."

"Okay." Levi took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. "Got it. I'm sorry."

"Shh," the boy hushed him. "It's fine. Don't take it so seriously, love."

Don't take it so seriously. Alright, Levi supposed he could do that. He gave Eren a soft kiss on his cheek just before the other man scooted forward and gave him another deep, slow kiss. This time, he finished unbuttoning Levi's shirt while the older man finished shrugging out of it, setting it aside. When all of that pretty skin was revealed, Eren couldn't resist rubbing his palms over it. He was mesmerized by the way his muscles moved and his shoulders shifted under his hands. His skin was so soft, so sensitive, twitching like a horse's every ticklish place that he touched.

Without hesitation, Levi mimicked his actions, pushing himself to learn as quickly as possible. Excitedly, he pushed Eren's shirt up his chest, running his nails lightly up his abdomen as he did so. He felt the other man's skin twitch in response. They separated long enough for Levi to pull his shirt off, before it too was discarded. That was when Levi was met with the expanse of Eren's warm chest, two dark nipples now revealed to him practically begging for his attention.

Carefully, Levi bent forward to run his tongue over them, remembering how much he liked this when Eren did it and hoping the boy would enjoy it just as much. He sucked on them and bit them occasionally, alternating between one and the other. The breath Eren sucked in above his head was most definitely worth the chance he took, and so was the hand in his hair. Levi then began to kiss his way up his chest towards his neck, nibbling on the thin skin all the way up to the area under his ear. Eren leaned into it, and the touch actually coaxed a whimper out of him. What's more, Levi couldn't help but reach between their bodies and cup at Eren's groin, squeezing and fondling it, and heavens it was so warm. The action made the boy's legs clench together automatically, and the pleasure was so intense so suddenly that it made a blush rise to his cheeks and a moan leave his throat.

Levi laughed lowly against the damp skin of his neck. "Not bad for a virgin, huh Eren?"

He received no answer except for the boy pushing his groin further into Levi's palm, before saying after a minute, "My little minx…you're going to have to help me out of my pants in a minute because they're getting rather…tight."

"I'll just bet. Stand up for me then please."

Eren did as he was bid, though not without great difficulty. It was torture to pull away from that warm hand the delicious pressure it was gifting him with, but he knew an even better sensation was just up ahead if he took his pants off. Apparently, he wasn't moving fast enough, because Levi was pulling at his trousers, managing to get them and his underwear off his hips, before Eren started cracking up at his eagerness and managing to get them off the rest of the way.

Levi had never seen Eren completely naked before, never anything more from the waist up when he got out of the shower and he was wearing a towel around his hips. The most he ever got to see was an enticing trail of hair traveling down his belly down towards his groin, but it was always cut off from his view. Now, he got to see everything, and he found that his mouth had gone completely dry. Is this how Eren had felt when he saw him naked for the first time? If so he could understand his insistence in calling him beautiful despite his protests. Eren had a very pretty cod, darker than the rest of his skin, flushed darker and at half-mast because of his arousal, and a dark, firm sack beneath it. That trail of hair led to a dark patch of pubic hair that surrounded his cock, a trail that he very badly wanted to follow with his hands.

"Like what you see?" he heard his boy tease.

Levi jumped and looked away, unaware that he had been staring. He explained hastily, "Sorry you're just…you're very handsome. I've, um, I've imagined many times what you might look like under your trousers, and what's here surpasses anything I could have imagined."

A throb of heat went through Eren's body at his praise. Honestly, he had heard quite a few men tell him he had a very pretty body, but in that second none of it mattered anymore; the only person whose opinion he cared about was Levi's. He couldn't help but spread his legs a bit more so that his partner could get a better look at it.

"I'm glad my body pleases you," he said. "Now…your pants?"

Levi swore at himself, making Eren snort in amusement. The older man fumbled with his pants, so caught up in admiring the other man's body that he completely forgot about the fact that he was still far too dressed. And…now that Eren mentioned it, these trousers were getting awfully tight. So, they were pulled off and placed to the side on top of his shirt, leaving them both wonderfully bare in front of each other.

Unexpectedly, Levi felt himself tearing up, and quickly wiped at his eyes, wondering what was wrong with him. What a time to be crying, and why was he crying at all? He was so happy. But that was precisely the problem, wasn't it? He was so happy that he just couldn't hold it in. Eren sat up a bit and leaned forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. But before he could ask what was wrong, Levi was shaking his head and saying, "No it's- I just never thought I'd get this far with anyone, much less someone I loved so much. You make me feel so good just by being you, make me so happy…I just don't know what to do with all this happiness inside me. I feel like I'm going to explode sometimes."

Eren clucked with sympathy at him, kissing his temple, before he told him, "Well please don't do that. If it helps, I feel the same way about you. And I'm honored that you want to be with me in this way."

Levi nuzzled under his chin, offering him little kisses on his throat. Eren held him for a moment as he got ahold of himself. Levi sniffled a few times, burying his face in his shoulder briefly, and then asked the boy thickly, "Put your hands on me? Please…show me how much you love me."

Well, Eren did not need any more prompting. He pulled back and gazed deeply into Levi's eyes for a moment, seeing his own reflection in those dark, silvery pools, before he kissed him hard, working his jaw sinuously against his. He held him tenderly, and then carefully leaned forward, gradually pushing him back until he was laying down on that long, golden grass. The grass swayed gently in the breeze above his head, and what a pretty picture he made beneath Eren on his back in that grass.

The boy hovered over him, kissing him eagerly while Levi kissed back, wrapping his arms around his neck and keeping him in place. God, his kisses alone felt so good, addicting as the finest alcohol he had ever tasted. He couldn't stop running his hands over his body, feeling all that warm skin, the pads of his fingers catching on fine downy hairs on his back. He dug his fingernails into his skin slightly when he began kissing down his neck. Levi let loose a shuddering breath and squeezed his eyes shut at the ministrations, arching his neck into the attention. But his lips didn't stop there. He kissed down his chest, nipping at those sharp collarbones, nibbled on his nipples a bit, before kissing his ribs and down his navel. The lower his lips went, the harder Levi's heart pounded, the anticipation killing him.

Eren didn't disappoint him either, deciding to be kind this time and not making him wait for much longer. He sucked briefly on both hipbones, and then gave Levi one last look, making sure that it was still okay. But Levi just kept watching him expectantly, breathing heavily, so he went for it. Taking his cock in hand, he licked one long stripe from the root to the tip without hesitation, causing Levi's hips to jerk off the ground at just how intense the sensation was. But if he thought that was intense, it was nothing compared to Eren wrapping his lips around the tip and laving at the head with his tongue, thoroughly wetting it. Gradually, he sunk down further and further, Levi's cock filling his mouth very nicely. He moaned at the feeling of it, loving how full his mouth felt, and knowing that it was Levi. His smell was so strong and musky, so masculine and unique, unlike anything he had ever smelled before. It was thick, settling on his tongue as surely as the head of Levi's cock. Slowly, he began bobbing his head up and down, creating a soft sense of friction, sucking every once in a while. He even managed to rub at the sensitive spots that he knew were on his cock a few times.

Levi for his part was seeing stars. The stimulation was so intense, so overwhelming, that for once in his life, he couldn't hope to stay quiet. Unaware of what he was doing, he threw his head back and cried out loud enough to frighten away a small flock of birds. The sound surprised Eren so much that he actually paused in his ministrations for a moment and stared up at him. He couldn't see his face, as his back was arched, but from how quickly his belly was rising and falling, how much his thighs were twitching next to his head and how hard his toes were curling, it was obvious that he was feeling very good. Eren decided that he'd better be careful; he knew how scared Levi was of coming, and from how unused his body was to sexual stimulation, it was likely that he would come very quickly. He didn't want to spook him, so he kept his ministrations slow and easy.

When Levi finally got ahold of himself a bit, he chanced looking down between his legs to see what Eren was doing, and the sight almost made him lose it right then and there. His pretty dark head was bobbing up and down between his trembling pale thighs, providing him with exquisite stimulation. He was laying on his stomach and his arms were wrapped around his thighs, both to hold him in place and prevent his thighs from squeezing him around his neck. Oh lord, had he really almost done that? He hadn't even noticed. But he supposed that didn't matter now because he just couldn't handle how gorgeous Eren looked or how amazing he was making him feel. He hadn't even known such ecstasy was possible; it far surpassed anything he had ever seen or felt in his dreams.

Too soon, he could feel that powerful aching between his legs, that rising of the point of no return, that little death that threaten to overwhelm him. No, he still wasn't ready, not quite yet. But luckily, Eren seemed to recognize the signs. Perhaps it was the change in his breathing, how it went from rapid to more high pitched, or how restless he became, squirming and unable to sit still as the pleasure became too much. He pulled away, taking his lips off his cock, a string of saliva connecting his bottom lip to the shining, pink head.

Levi threw an arm over his eyes, shaking with all of the different sensations assaulting him, trying to regain control over himself. Eren sat back on his heels while he wiped at his mouth. Once he was finished, he suggested, "When you recover a bit, did you want to be the one to be inside me?"

That certainly gave the older man pause. He lifted his arm away from his eyes, staring at him from the ground. Had he heard that right? Levi propped himself up on his elbows, saying, "I mean- I don't mind, but I assumed since I was the one who was new at this that I'd be the one to…?"

Eren laughed deep in his chest. "Certainly not. It's exactly because you're new to this that I'm suggesting that you not be the one to take it this time. We can save that for a later date, if you're willing. For now, I'm used to being the one on the bottom, so I don't mind. I figured for your first time, it might take some of your anxiety away."

Eren really was a miracle made flesh. Though Levi would have been the one on the bottom for him if he had wanted it, the idea still made him very nervous, especially for his first time when he had other things on his mind. He seemed to know exactly what he needed, and he agreed with a relieved sigh and a nod. With a gentle smile, Eren reached for his trousers, pulling out a small bottle. He held it up for Levi to see, explaining, "Oil. Since we're not naturally wet on the inside like women."

Ah, that made sense. Levi watched as Eren coated his fingers with the oil and inserted them into his entrance, carefully stretching himself out. It looked wonderful, and for a minute Levi couldn't help but feel jealous. He wished those were his fingers inside of his partner's warm, willing body, just to see what he felt like. Well, perhaps another time. For now, he would just observe what he was doing and log it away for future reference.

When Eren was finished, very quickly since he was so used to it, he coated Levi's cock liberally in the oil. And then, after placing the bottle aside and wiping his hand on the grass, to Levi's surprise, he laid on his back. When Levi just stared at him uncomprehendingly, Eren crooked his finger in a "come here" motion.

"I want you to enter me like this," he said. "Is that okay?"

"Yes, yes of course," Levi answered. "Oh my God yes, Eren you treasure."

He laughed as he held open his arms as an invitation for the older man to dive into, an invitation he readily accepted. He embraced him hard, placing kisses all over his faces. Eren leaned into his lips, sometimes tilting his head back to catch his lips with his own. He then tried to position his entrance so that it was near Levi's cock, nudging it with his rear to encourage him to enter him. When Levi still hesitated, he reassured him, "Go ahead, Doll. You won't hurt me. Come on now, I can't wait to feel you inside me."

The older man shuddered at his words, and found that he couldn't deny him, not when he asked like that. So, carefully, slowly, he nudged Eren's entrance with the tip of his cock, watching where he placed it so that he was sure he was in the right place. When he felt himself begin to slide in, the journey made much easier because of the oil, he adjusted his position and kept going, further and further until he was buried in his body as far as he could go.

Eren adjusted his body slightly so that Levi slid inside him even deeper, his insides moving as well, caressing his cock gently. Levi could barely breathe; Eren's body was so very warm, so tight. It felt like warm velvet, conforming to every bump and ridge of his length. It took him a minute to convince himself that he wasn't going to come right then and there, and when he was sure, he spared Eren one last look, and at a nod of encouragement from his boy, he instinctively began to move.

His thrusts started slow and easy at first, warming them both up, but rapidly, when he realized how good it felt, Levi began to grow impatient, and he sped up. Eren's breathing rapidly began to grow heavier, his legs spreading further to allow his partner full access. Levi was intoxicated by the sight of himself disappearing in and out of his boy's body; it was just so erotic. The sounds of their activities began to overtake him: the sound of his hips smacking into Eren's behind, Eren's moans which were quickly becoming louder and louder, and the squelching between their bodies as his cock was pushed inside him over and over again.

"Levi, oh God," Eren cried, tilting his head further and further back the harder and deeper he went. "My Levi, my beautiful Doll- Ah! You're amazing, doing so we-well!"

Levi couldn't bring himself to say anything back, mostly because he couldn't stop moaning himself, couldn't articulate any coherent thoughts beyond how good he was feeling. He was hot and yet shivering all at once, sweat rolling down his back, though whether that was from the heat or his exertions, he wasn't sure. Either way, even when that heat began to build in his belly, he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. It felt so good, better than anything he had ever felt in his life, and Eren was making it happen. He felt the boy wrap his legs around his waist, his heels digging into the soft flesh of his rear, holding him in place, and his arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling them so close that their chests were touching. Levi buried his face in his shoulder, breathing harshly and loudly in his ear. Between the intense physical and emotional pleasure, he knew he wasn't going to last.

But now, he was ready. Being surrounded by Eren, feeling so comforted and ecstatic, he felt ready to come for the first time with his boy. He could do this. The pleasure continued to build, and it scared him with how intense it was, but he forced himself to get past the hump that he usually forced Eren to pull away when he felt it. Instead, he bore down, and thrusted as fast as his hips would allow him to go, practically sobbing as he did so. His sobs were only matched by Eren's as the boy reached between their bodies and began to jerk himself off. Levi felt the movement of his hand between them, and when he felt the heat and wetness of Eren's orgasm against their stomachs, that did it. The clenching of Eren's entrance as he came undid him wholly and completely, pushing Levi into his first purposeful orgasm.

His vision when white, and for a minute, he lost all sense of awareness. He must have fainted for a moment, because when he was aware of his surroundings again, he had been turned on his side, no longer inside Eren, but instead laying beside him. His boy was stroking his face, the sun shining behind his head, lighting up his pretty green eyes. He smiled when he saw Levi open his eyes. He was still breathing as hard as Levi was, shaking as well, and to comfort them both, he leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"My love," he breathed, "are you alright?"

"M'okay," Levi whispered. "Oh Eren, you're- I, God you're fantastic. I love you so much. I can't, I can't"-

He cut himself off, tears falling from his eyes, tears belonging to an emotion so strong that he couldn't hope to comprehend it, much less name it. But Eren understood, because he didn't ask him to elaborate. Instead, he just gathered him up in his arms, placing his head over his, stroking his back and shushing him, telling him over and over that it was okay, that he loved him so much.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," Eren said against his hair.

"And you to me," Levi mumbled against his neck. "Eren…thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you."