A/N: I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for a long time, as the dance in here was one of the first things I envisioned when coming up with this fic. The song I imagine them dancing to is Dernière Danse by Indila.

The rest of November and the beginning of December passed in a flurry of holiday shopping, donations to charities and baking like a man possessed, and then before Levi knew it, Christmas was a week away and he was being invited to the Jaeger mansion yet again. This time it was for the annual ball that Grisha Jaeger liked to throw, not just for his family, but friends and colleagues as well. It was the biggest event in town, and as many people that could be fit into the dance hall was invited. So naturally, Eren asked Levi to come as well.

"Not only will Hanji be there this time, but she'll be bringing Petra and all of our other friends from the Laughing Fox," he explained excitedly. "It's the only party of my father's that I actually usually attend, mostly because the other lads and I like to rank the other men that come into the party and see who we would spend the night with if he had the choice, or we like to guess which men might secretly be mollies. It's lots of fun."

Of course part of Levi felt uncomfortable in going to such a large gathering; his heart began to pound with anxiety at the mere thought. But if his friends were there then it might be bearable. Plus, he knew if he wanted to leave at any time Eren would make sure that he would have a way to get home safely. Besides, if Eren had fun there, then there was a good chance that he would too.

But just for good measure, Eren of course had to give him the saddest, biggest eyes he could manage, akin to Prince's when Levi ate steak at the table and add, "It would mean the world if you would come too, my prettiest, best and most perfect Doll."

Levi rolled his eyes and shook his head, the boy playing him like the devil plays the violin or a faun plays a pan flute. It just wasn't fair. "Alright, you brat. But it better live up to everything you're saying it will. And if we don't sneak away at least once for some necking I'll be very disappointed."

Eren smirked and gave a delighted little growl. "Levi my saucy little jewel…anything for you. If you'd like to try, I certainly won't tell you no."

He took the other man's hand like he would a woman's and kissed the back of it delicately, noting how soft his skin was and how it smelled like lemongrass. Looking up, he saw that red was dusting across his cheeks as well, and since they were alone in Levi's apartment, just to tease him further, he pressed his lips against the tips of his fingers, kissing them one by one. Levi watched, enraptured, the feeling of those warm lips against the sensitive pads of his fingers going straight to his groin. So soft, and slightly damp…how would they feel sucking on his fingers? A hot flush went up the back of his neck, and Eren could have sworn he saw his pupils dilate just the tiniest bit. He laughed deep in his chest at his response, loving the effect he was having on this shy virgin he had been lucky enough to ensnare. He used his free hand to stroke Levi's cheek, taking his time, marveling at the fine downy hairs there that seemed to stand up under his touch, before brushing his thumb over that plump, pink bottom lip. Levi was frozen, lost in the deep green of Eren's eyes, now much better at ignoring that voice in his head that told him that this was sinful and wrong. If it was so wrong, then Eren wouldn't look so perfect to him, wouldn't be looking at him like he had never seen anything more beautiful. If this was wrong, then he didn't have the strength to break away from this and do what was right.

Then, Eren leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "You naughty little thing. And yet I'm helpless to deny you anything. You've got me good, my darling. If it's necking you want, you'll get the best necking of your life. We can start by exploring where some of your sweet spots are. I'll make you see stars, my beauty."

He blew against the shell of his ear for good measure, and that combined with those honey-sweet words nearly had Levi's knees buckling and certainly did make him release a soft, shuddering breath. Eren laughed again, kissing the other man's hot cheek as he backed away.

"And now that I've sufficiently teased you enough, I'll see you at the party in a week," he said as he saw himself out, the little demon leaving Levi cold, half-hard and just the tiniest bit furious.

But, Eren had accomplished his goal at least of making him look forward to this party.

So when the day finally arrived, Levi found him in front of his mirror almost frantically dressing and stressing over whether or not he looked good enough for such a party or just plain ridiculous. Eren had gone out and bought this suit for him not too long ago as a "pre-Christmas present" and though he hadn't been told to wear it to the party, he got the hint that that was what the other boy wanted. And well, he could have chosen not to wear it. But at the same time, he wanted to see Eren's delighted face when he walked through the doors in this finery.

And looking at it, this was definitely something Levi would have never been able to afford even if he saved up for a month and bought nothing else. It was far too rich for his blood, by both the look and the style. The suit jacket itself was black with longer coattails which Eren thought made him look mysterious, but the vest itself was silk and dark grey in color with black, embroidered patterns, the buttons a bright, shiny silver. He wore a white cravat and hat lined with beaver fur to cap it all off. It was so strange; he just wasn't used to looking this fancy, for he had certainly never gone to anything this high class before, ever.

He just prayed he didn't make a fool of himself.

After a quick dab of lavender to the base of his throat and his wrists, he told Prince to be a good boy and not burn the apartment down while he was gone, and made his way out the door at five o' clock precisely, the time Eren told him the carriage he sent to pick him up would be waiting outside. And lo and behold, when he made it outside, there it was, looking as sharp and well put together as the driver. And he knew it was Eren's carriage for sure because he recognized the horse.

"Hunter, old boy!" he gasped, and like a happy child went up to him and began scratching his nose. Hunter pushed against his hand, knowing who he was by his scent and whickering. "Well Mr. Jaeger certainly spared no expense, did he? Sends one of his prettiest carts and one of his precious Morgans to come and fetch a commoner."

The driver laughed and said in a thick Irish accent, "Tha' he dinn't. 'E said you were a special guest, Mr. Ackerman."

Levi smiled, touched by the thought. "Well that was very kind of him to say so. I'll thank him myself when I see him, and thank you for troubling yourself to come and get me in this weather. It's colder than a witch's tit out here."

The other man gave another raucous laugh. "Colder if ya ask me."

So as not to hold them up any longer, Levi hopped in the carriage and got himself settled, and then sat back to listen to the pleasant clopping of Hunter's hooves on the cobblestone street. He had to admit, so far, so good. He was actually looking forward to this party like Eren wanted him to. That damned brat; he knew just what to say and do to get Levi in a good mood and excited, didn't he? Though he supposed there was nothing wrong with that. No one else had been able to get excited for a large social gathering before. That was just the power of Eren Jaeger. And besides, the festive scenery was pretty. Being able to enjoy the various Christmas trees all lit up along the street and the children playing in the snow without being too cold himself wasn't a bad deal at all. It was something right out of a festive Christmas song, he supposed, down to the fact that he was on his way to see his sweetheart and spend time with his family and friends.

Soon enough, the mansion came into view, and it felt like the first time he visited all over again. There were bright lights shining from the mansion, and several people milling around, some of them getting out of carriages, some of them going in already, and even some visible through the large windows already mingling. However, now there were several trees decorated sitting in front of the mansion, and the frozen fountains were shining brightly with tinsel. With snow everywhere, it just added to the holiday atmosphere. When the carriage stopped, Levi hopped out, breath misting in the cold air, rubbing his gloved hands together. He thanked the driver, wishing him well and hoping that he got to go inside and enjoy the festivities soon, before heading in himself.

No sooner had he gone inside the building then he was met with wonderful warmth, the sweet smell of cinnamon and gingerbread, and the cheeriness of music playing in somewhere off to his right, most likely in the grand ballroom. One of the butlers was kind enough to take his coat, hat and gloves, and after thanking him he made his way inside. He was happy that he was less nervous now because he knew the mansion so much better now and had an idea of who he was looking for as he milled in. He scanned the room, now happy that he had dressed the way he did, because he fit right in. The men were dressed in their finest velvet and tailcoats and the women were in their silkiest dresses with all the trimmings and ruffles, every style and color on display. However, he wasn't seeing the person he wasn't looking for.

That is until his eyes finally landed on easily the prettiest person in the room. His breath left his lungs; his Aurora was dazzling, shining brightly in a deep green velvet suit contrasted by gold trim. It was wonderfully festive, and to his amusement, Mikasa was standing near him with a matching green and gold velvet dress with huge emerald earrings and a necklace. They were chatting with their friends at the Laughing Fox, the color high on Eren's face and his lips curving upward in a smile before they opened in a laugh. He couldn't hear it, and yet he could because he knew exactly what Eren's laugh sounded like. It pulled him forward like a magnet, and the fact that he had a person at one of these events that he knew would be excited to see him made him feel beyond good.

He made his way over to the group, sneaking up behind Eren, before stretching up and putting his hands over his eyes. Eren froze and began laughing once he processed his new position.

"Guess who," he heard the familiar deep voice say behind him.

"Well, it can't be the Duke of York, because the voice is so close to the ground," he guessed. "Maybe the queen of England? Has she made the journey oversees to our humble party?"

"Shut your sauce-box," Levi growled with a smile.

"Yeah Eren, this party is boring enough, don't go hoping for the queen of England to show up too," he heard Hanji heckle.

The boy burst out laughing again, taking Levi's hands away from his eyes and spun around, looking around to make sure no one was paying attention before briefly kissing his fingers. Levi lit up bright as a star, his stomach tingling at the intimate action, before in the next breath he pulled the older man into a very tight hug. Levi could have sworn he felt his spine crack with his enthusiasm, and he felt Eren lift him a couple inches off the ground. Levi squeaked with surprise, which only made the boy crack up more.

"Now it's a party," he said. "I'm so glad you made it. Otherwise I would have to show up to your door with an angry mob and we would have to drag you out by your hair."

Levi backed out of the embrace. "Well, luckily you don't have to." He looked over his shoulder. "And everyone looks wonderful."

Looking closer, there were many faces that he recognized, but also some that he didn't. Were they inverts too? If not, suddenly he found himself worrying whether or not they had been seen. Did their hug come across as too intimate? Had they seen Eren kissing his fingers? However, they seemed oblivious, most of them looking over just at that moment to meet his eyes. Eren kept his arm around his shoulders, presenting him proudly for the new people.

"Levi, you already know most of these fine people," he said. "But we do have some new faces. For example, this is Annie's husband, Lionel. And here we have Marco and Jean's fiancés, Viola and Loretta. Those are Eld, Gunter and Auruo's wives, and Reiner and Bertholt's fiancés too."

They all waved or nodded to him, and Levi found himself nodding in acknowledgement back. They looked like nice people, and for a brief moment he felt a stab of sympathy for them. Their significant others were leading double lives that were illegal and they were none the wiser. They were all wonderfully naïve. Eld, Gunter and Auruo's wives had no idea that the three of them were engaged in a threesome type of relationship, all of them deeply in love with each other. Jean and Marco's fiancés didn't know that they had half a mind to run away together somewhere where no one knew them so they could be together. Annie's husband, whom she was expecting a baby with, didn't know that she and Sasha had been intimate on multiple occasions. It was tragic in a way, that they couldn't be their authentic selves and their significant others couldn't be with someone who truly wanted to be with them. And he thought about Eren's deadline. Was this going to be their future as well?

However, there was nothing he could do about any of these situations. He wasn't a miracle worker; he was only human. So, he pushed those thoughts out of his mind for now, and instead said, "So, I smelled something really good when I walked in. Where can I find some of it?"

Wasting no time, Eren took him over to one of the tables where food was being served and let him have his pick. It turned out the heavenly smell was a multitude of holiday themed cookies, and Levi wasn't ashamed to say that he tried his best to sample one of everything, Eren encouraging him all the while of course to put more meat on his bones. Once he had had his fill, the boy nodded toward the dance hall, where many couples were either standing around and gossiping on the fringes of the room, or on the dancefloor doing their best to follow the steps of the other people with more experience. There was even a live band playing, which Levi had to admire; he hadn't seen too many live bands in his life. There was even a woman singing some of the songs going on, and he had to admit, she had a very nice voice.

"You want to dance a bit?" Eren suggested.

Levi hesitated. "I well, I've never really danced before."

"Aw, it's not that hard," the boy assured him, nudging him in the direction of the dance hall by bumping him with his hip. "There's so many people in there that no one will notice if you mess up, trust me."

He stared at the dancers longingly. Truthfully, he had always wanted to do something like this, dance in a big fancy dance hall with a live band playing. It was just too bad he couldn't dance with Eren. Well, at least they could dance together at the same time. Breaking down, he decided, "Well, I suppose I could try it for a bit. Just…don't leave me there by myself, alright?"

Eren squeezed him in a one armed hug, and assured him seriously, "Never." Then, after looking to see that no one was watching them, he leaned forward and whispered in Levi's ear, "And afterwards, as a reward for you, we could take a break and find a nice empty closet and…"

He trailed off suggestively, and then as a final punctuation, he blew a cool, tickling breath into Levi's ear. An involuntary shiver went down the other man's spine, and it took everything in him not to pull Eren to him and start snogging in front of the entire ballroom. But he held back, letting him go and he could have sworn there was a suggestive sway to his hips as he walked away. The evil little minx. He would get him back for that later.

So off he went, stepping onto the ballroom floor luckily just as the last song was ending. It gave Levi a second to take in the grand scale of the room. The entire thing was painted gold and white with glorious portraits of cherubs and dancing couples on the ceiling. The ceiling itself was high and round, with glistening beams that solidly held it in place. The floor was so shiny that he could see his reflection in it, and the room was easily triple the size of his entire floor at home. It dripped of the Jaeger's wealth, which of course it would have to, since it was made for so many guests to mill around in, as well of one of the focal points for their parties. Levi watched as some of the women broke away from their dance partners and went on the lookout for new ones, scanning the room for any unfamiliar faces. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure how these sort of matters usually proceeded; was he supposed to ask one of the ladies to dance? Was it alright if she asked him? Could he even stand to dance with a woman he had never met before?

His questions were answered for him when a thankfully familiar face approached him. It was Christa, the heir to the Reiss family fortune. She lit up in recognition when she saw him and moved a little faster, her shoes clicking on the shiny marble floor.

"Levi!" she exclaimed happily, reaching up and giving him a hug.

He hugged her back, a tad awkwardly since he hadn't spoken to her terribly much in the Laughing Fox. However, he did know that she was a very nice girl, never unkind to anyone. "It's nice to see you here, Christa. Though it makes sense you'd be here, doesn't it?" He glanced over her shoulder, not seeing the person he was expecting. "Where's Ymir? I'm surprised she let you out here alone."

She backed out of the hug, explaining, "I had to leave her home, unfortunately. She wasn't happy about it, but our hired help isn't allowed to attend these sorts of things. But I promised to bring her back lots of sweets." She tucked her hair behind her ears, asking uncertainly, "But hey, did you want to dance together for the next song? It's just, I've been dancing with a lot of men I don't know, and they all keep asking really suggestive questions that make me uncomfortable, probably because they're trying to get me to fall in love with and marry them or something to get at my family's fortune, and I know you won't do that, so…"

Levi sighed. Of course they were doing that. So, he took her hand and began leading her onto the dancefloor, saying, "Sure thing. I'll protect you from these creepy non-inverted men."

She laughed sweetly at that, and allowed herself to be led. Christa made sure to get them into an appropriate position on the dancefloor as the musicians raised their instruments to start, promising, "Don't worry. I'll lead you through what I can. Just relax and let your body go loose."

He did as he was told, placing a hand on her waist while taking one of her hands, and once they were set, he found himself looking around the room until his gaze finally landed on Eren, who was luckily very close by and holding the waist of a woman Levi didn't recognize. But when their eyes met, Eren winked at him, which made Levi blush and dip his face in response. Christa, who of course understood the innuendo, giggled at his expense, and he glared teasingly at her in response.

There was a moment of silence, before the music finally started, a soft, bouncy plucking of cello strings, accompanied by the quiet but clear vocals of the singer. The song was in French this time, and though Levi couldn't understand what was being said, it seemed to put him in the romantic mood as much as it did everyone else. Christa encouraged him to pick up his feet, and soon the two of them were gliding around the room in short, halting steps in parts where the cello was prominent, and then more smoothly with longer strides when the female singer crooned. He could at least gather that the singer was asking that they dance, and the song itself was wonderfully smooth and pretty, soft in tone and heavy in implication. It made Levi stand straighter, push out his chest and put a slight arch in his neck, like one of Eren's horses as they pranced.

Speaking of Eren…

He searched for the boy in the crowded room and found him easy enough; he was the only one wearing a deep green suit and of course tall enough that he stood head and shoulders above many of the guests. He watched him until he once again caught his eye, and when he did, that was it, Levi was gone for the rest of the dance.

The whole affair was terribly sweet and yet seductive. As they stepped lightly across the room, Levi almost completely forgot about Christa in his arms, and Eren forgot about his partner as well. They held each other's gaze for several moments at a time, before dropping them to concentrate and then picking it up again. The lights from overhead cast a hypnotic glow over them, making Eren's eyes appear more intense than usual. He was watching Levi very intently, desire pulling him in, as well as longing. Longing to be the one that Levi danced with, the one that held his waist and guided him across the marble floor. The older man fixed him with the same intense stare, trying to convey what actions couldn't, asking him to come closer, closer still…

Eventually, Eren did pass him, and when he did, he made a show of twirling both himself and his partner around at the same time, and as he spun, he passed a hand over Levi's back, unseen. It was nothing more than a soft caress, the boy brushing the backs of his knuckles over his vest, but it burned Levi as if he was touching bare skin. He tried not to arch his back into the touch, using all of his willpower to resist.

So he was going to play this way, was he?

They separated, and when they did, he went back to staring at Eren, narrowing his eyes at him and smirking suggestively. Eren met his eyes challengingly, raising his chin as if to say, "Yeah? What are you going to do, kiss me about it?"

Oh, he was so going to get it later.

Christa snickered at him, and said candidly, "You know, I've known Eren for a long time. Since he was a child of thirteen and coming to the Laughing Fox for the first time. It's amazing. He used to be so randy back then, sleeping with whatever man took an interest in him. I never saw him as the type to settle down. But ever since he met you, he's done a complete turn. He only has eyes for you now and won't shut up about how much he fancies you. He's completely besotted, Levi, like a lass in love for the first time. And perhaps he is, in love for the first time that is."

Ah. So that confirmed his suspicions, that he had in fact slept with all of the naked men Levi had seen in his sketchbook. While he was a tiny bit jealous, he supposed it didn't matter. That was in the past, and all young people did stupid things. What mattered now was that Eren was faithful to him, and so far he had no complaints.

But was Eren really in love with him? The idea was too good to be true. He could certainly hope though.

At that moment, the song ended, and a few people clapped at the musicians for their performance. Levi let go of Christa and thanked her for the dance.

"It was no problem," she told him. "Now go find your sweetheart. I've kept you away from him long enough."

With an eager smile, he did just that, trying not to trot off like a happy child and instead made his way smoothly over to the entrance of the ballroom, looking over his shoulder to make sure that Eren saw that he was leaving. He did, catching his eye again and he could see him bidding his partner goodbye and no doubt making an excuse for why he had to leave. Levi grinned to himself, and kept walking past the crowds, making his way down a hallway he knew well, as it was near where the guest bedrooms were located. He heard a pair of footsteps following him, and he didn't have to look to see whose they were.

It was only when he made his way to the guest bedroom and stopped outside its doorway that he stopped and looked around, seeing that yes, Eren was following him, but luckily no one else. He stopped beside him, also looking at their surroundings. The coast appeared to be clear, the rumble of chatter far away and no footsteps signaling that they had been followed. So, the boy took his hand and, giggling like a schoolboy, pulled him into the room.

"Come on, in here," he insisted, leading him across the room by hand and into the large, empty wardrobe. "That is, if you're still up for that necking?"

Levi huffed. "Eren Jaeger if you don't kiss me senseless by the time the night is over and make me see stars like you promised I shan't speak to you or let you touch me for a week."

His petulance only made the boy laugh harder, and without a second to spare, he yanked Levi inside the closet and shut the door tightly behind them.

The first thing Levi noticed was that it as wonderfully dark and intimate in there, the sounds of the party wonderfully distant and muffled. But he didn't have long to dwell on that fact, because in the next instant, Eren was pulling him to him and making good on his promise, gripping him around the waist and holding the back of his head, before devouring his lips in a searing kiss. Levi's whole body became a livewire, his arms which had frozen uselessly in the air for a second now coming up to grip around his shoulders, kissing him back eagerly, gripping at his hair and holding him in place. Eren tasted wonderful, warm and sweet like alcohol and gingerbread. The boy pushed him up against one of the walls gently, using the leverage to kiss him even harder but not letting go of him. God his body was so large and hot, so firm against Levi's, covering him in sensations he was too overwhelmed to process. He could barely keep up with Eren's eager kisses, and when he felt the boy nudge his tongue inside his mouth to touch Levi's briefly the older man felt a swift punch of arousal to the gut so strong he nearly collapsed. He gasped, holding onto his partner even more tightly. This was far too much; the wet sounds of their mouths separating and rejoining as they gasped for breaths in between was going to make him faint. It was so erotic to his inexperienced self.

At least, he thought it was, until Eren took his mouth away from his and began tracing the shell of his ear with his tongue.

An electric current blazed through Levi's small body, nearly making him jolt with just as much force. He clamped his lips shut to prevent any sounds from escaping, and instead felt the roof of his mouth and his nose begin tingling in a way he had only felt before when he had hyperventilated. Was he hyperventilating now? Was this small bit of stimulation too much for him? It was so ridiculous that something so odd such as licking his ear could have such an effect on him, but feeling Eren suck briefly on his lobe made delicious heat pool low in his belly. When the boy moved down to his neck, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt so he could have better access, he nearly lost it. He was breathing so hard he thought he might pass out. Eren was licking and sucking deftly on the soft, thin skin, and Levi tilted his head submissively to the side without even thinking, allowing him full access. He tightened his grip on Eren's velvet vest, as if he was afraid his boy and his wonderful stimulation would disappear.

"That's a good boy," Eren praised in a husky voice. "God you smell good. And you're so responsive. You do, um, you like it so far, yeah?"

Panting and dazed, all Levi could respond with was a faint, "Yes. God yes. Eren holy shit, you're so- so…"

He chuckled, low and dark and deep in his chest, before leaning in to breathe against Levi's ear, "You know, I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue."

The older man's breath hitched, and he gasped, "Oh God," before yanking Eren forward again for another kiss, this one more sloppy and uncoordinated than the last. It was more them breathing heavily against each other's lips while their lips occasionally touched. This time, the boy took it a step further, untucking Levi's white dress shirt and letting his hands skim up that warm, firm belly, caressing the soft skin lovingly in gently circles. It tickled a bit, and Levi's stomach jumped away from the touch at first, before he got used to it and pressed into it.

Eren kept him distracted with kisses for a while he warmed him up, and Levi could have sworn he felt the pads of his fingers dragging against the soft, downy hair on his stomach, as well as the hair on his silky back when Eren's hands travelled back there. Up and then down, and then up again, feeling those muscles flex under his fingers. Levi was too overwhelmed to reciprocate, only able to hold on for dear life and let Eren do as he wanted, which he was completely fine with. He kept a hand in his hair and held his head in place, encouraging him with soft undulations of his body and more breathless kisses.

Just as he got used to the boy's hands on his body, Eren threw another surprise for him, stepping closer to him, before he put a leg between both of Levi's. At first he didn't notice it, that is, until Eren raised it, further and further, until his thigh was nudging Levi's warm, swollen groin.

And just that slight touch was enough to make Levi tear his mouth away and breathe the softest, deepest and shakiest moan Eren had ever heard in his life. It sent blood straight to the boy's cock; the sound was too sultry, too sexual for a virgin like Levi to be making. But as soon as he realized he was making that sound, Levi clapped a hand over his mouth and froze, turning his head away. Seeing this, Eren lowered his leg, but kept his hands on his waist, stroking his sides in comfort this time.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

It took a moment for Levi to calm down enough to answer, his chest heaving and his heart hammering too fast for him to get any words out. But once he recovered a bit, he found himself saying, "Sorry, it's not you, I just- I didn't mean to make noise. I'm sorry, I've just been feeling strange ever since we started this and it just came out. You can go ahead again though, I'll be quiet this time."

Eren blinked in surprise, processing what he said, and then found himself laughing slightly. He took Levi's face between his hands and kissed him again, unable to believe how precious this man was. When he pulled away, he could see the glint of Levi's eyes through the little light available streaming in from the closet door. It held him captive, and he told him, "Levi Ackerman, don't you ever apologize for vocalizing your pleasure ever again. You have no idea how arousing it is to hear that I'm making you feel good. How arousing it is that I'm the first person to kiss your lips like this, or to touch you in such a way. Or to hear your voice like this…it's lovely. If you don't feel comfortable in letting me hear it, that's alright, but please know that there's nothing wrong with it."

Levi took a deep breath and let it slowly, shakily. He hated that he was so inexperienced, but at least Eren understood. It was going to be okay. Eren didn't think less of him because he was embarrassed. He caressed Eren's face briefly, and said, "Okay. Okay then. I'm alright now. Go ahead."

Eren smiled and nodded, and then went in to kiss him again. It didn't take long before he brought his thigh back up again, balancing against the wall and letting Levi straddle it. Once more, Levi gasped in surprise, unable to believe how this simple, firm pressure against such a sensitive area felt so good. A wicked strip of heat shot up his belly and made him crave more. But would Eren think he was odd if he sought more pleasure from his body? If he…used him the way he wanted? Well, only one way to find out.

Slowly, he began grinding against the boy's thigh, back and forth, undulating his hips, and oh this was so much better. He was so sensitive though, so sensitive. He had never really pleasured himself before, thinking it too shameful, so this was a lot to get used to. To his relief though, Eren encouraged the action, pressing his thigh more firmly between Levi's legs and holding onto him tighter.

"That's it," he whispered in his ear, "My sweet, darling Levi. Use me however you want." He hissed, Levi's musky, intimate scent rising from beneath them and making Eren practically growl with lust. "What a good boy. Keep going now my precious Doll."

Levi did as he was told, soft gasps that might have been moans that he was holding back escaping him once in a while at first, then more frequently as he kept going, punctuated by every thrust of his hips. An unfamiliar heat began to coil low in his belly, tighter and tighter, and his cock felt so heavy and swollen, something throbbing harshly as if he suddenly had to urinate. It got worse the more he more pleasured himself, and through the haze in his mind he recognized what the urge was.

With a gasp, he pulled back, halting his actions and going still again. Before Eren could ask what was wrong, Levi found himself apologizing all over the place again, gripping the other boy's shoulders tightly so that he didn't fall over.

"I was going to come," he explained. "And I don't…it's too overwhelming. I've only come a couple times when I was young, and I didn't like it. I felt sick afterwards and I just…I can't do it. I'm sorry Eren, you must find me so strange and frustrating."

He practically curled on himself with shame, but Eren put a finger under his chin and lifted it up, refusing to let him say such things about himself. He waited until those eyes glinted at him again, and he could have sworn they were wet with tears of humiliation this time. The boy crooned softly, "No don't…don't cry. It's perfectly alright, Levi. I promise I don't think you strange or frustrating. If that's how you feel, then that's how you feel. You're very right though, ejaculating can be a very overwhelming and scary experience at first. You do feel nauseous and faint and you wonder why people enjoy such a thing and why they would ever want to do so again. And not that I'm saying you do it tonight if you're not ready, but I promise the more you get used to ejaculating, the less overwhelming it is and the less of a big deal it is. So in the future, maybe, you could think about trying it. I'd certainly love to bring you so much pleasure that you come for me."

Eren's words were a lot to take in, but once he did, he felt better. It was okay; Eren didn't think he was strange. He accepted his limitations and cared about his feelings and might even want to try this again in the future. He nodded, sniffing a bit, and leaned his forehead against Eren's chest, accepting his comfort. The boy rubbed the back of his neck and kissed the top of his head.

"Alright then, sweetheart, why don't you tuck your shirt back in, calm down a bit and then we can head out into the gardens for some fresh air," he suggested. "Does that sound good?"

Levi nodded against his chest, and then slowly began to tuck his shirt back in.

After several minutes of deep breathing and getting himself together, as well as some playful joking with Eren, Levi's spirits were up again. They stepped out of the closet and, after making one last check that they were both presentable and showed no signs of their previous activities, they headed out of the room and back into the party, stopping by the entrance to grab their coats and then heading outside.

It was just as cold as before, of course, their breath misting in front of them, Levi complaining about how now his fingers and toes were numb. Eren just snickered, telling him if he moved he'd warm up soon, and let him to a part of the estate he had never been in before. The gardens here lined with hedges that were trimmed so that when the leaves were out they formed a maze. For now, they all stood like snow covered skeletons, their branches pointing toward the moon. The snow sparkled brightly up at them, almost blinding. And to Levi, it was terribly romantic.

He heard Eren sigh heavily next to him, causing him to look away from the scenery and at him. "Levi, I…part of the reason I brought you out here was because I wanted to tell you something important. Something that I wanted to make sure you could hear clearly and without all that noise of the party going on. I've been thinking about it for a while, and now I'm sure."

"Sure about what?" Levi asked, now very confused.

Eren opened his mouth again, looking like he wanted to reply, and then a devilish grin came over his face. "I'll tell you…if you can catch me first."

And with that, he took off, powder spraying behind him, leaving the other man to sputter in confusion. "Seriously Eren? What are we, children? Just tell me!"

"Catch me and I'll tell you!" he called back impishly.

Levi could hardly believe this, but it was hard not to get caught up in the silly laughter Eren was emitting. He couldn't help but join in and take off after him, slogging through the snow and winding around the bare hedges. Eren would vanish from his sight for a moment, only to reappear in a flurry of giggles, poke him and take off again, acting like a naughty, school-aged boy rather than the heir to a family fortune. It was nice to see him like this though. Here was the real Eren, a foolish, wild thing that wanted what he wanted and would accept nothing else. He wanted to be free, he wanted to be a famous artist, he wanted to love with his whole being.

And he wanted Levi.

Luckily, the boy didn't try too hard to get away, and soon enough, Levi caught up with him, running into him so hard that the two of them fell over into the snow. The older man ended up on top, hands on Eren's shoulders and straddling his waist, because of course he did. But Eren seemed to find it all highly amusing, because he broke into more peals of laughter.

"So, I wanted to tell you," he said, looking into the other man's eyes, "that I've fallen in love with you. Hopelessly and completely. I've fallen so deeply in love with you that there's no way to pull me out of it. I never thought it was possible for me, but here I am, a fool head over heels for you, Mr. Ackerman."

Oh. How simple, and yet earth-shattering. Levi laughed and shook his head. He should have expected nothing less than such a dramatic confession from his boy. He stroked his cheek, cupping it in his warm palm, and said, "That makes us both fools, then."

Eren's face was open with surprise, before he understood his meaning and leaned up, pulling Levi into a tight embrace, holding him under the mellow, bright moon. Neither of them noticed the cold snow underneath them. It was everything he could have hoped for, for how many people got to say that the person they loved most in the world loved them back? And if Eren could, he would have frozen time right there and lived in that bubble of a moment forever.