Last Time on TLM: Eren comes out to Armin only to find out he's gay too! And he brought the statue of Levi from his ship! However, Armin suddenly leaves and Grisha comes, destroying Eren's grotto and everything in it. Now Eren is in a pickle, as he's getting forced to mate Princess Mina... tomorrow!

This Time on TLM: Armin meets with Hange and Levi, what info can he give the longing prince? Back in the grotto, Levi grieves for a lost love. But is it lost? This sea witch doesn't seem to think so.

Edit 11/18/2020 1:59am:br /

sooooooo I'm alive! I'm on a writing binge right now so hopefully it lasts because I'm already writing the next chapter and I'm EXCITED. also, do any of yall play league of legends? dead ass most of the reason I haven't been writing is because of that goddamn game. ughhhh Yuumi is too damn cute. Dead ass considering writing some Aphelios x Sett fanfic once I finish my stories lmao.

Akuakua is duck in Nahuatl. say it out loud its fun (Ah Kuwah Kuwah)

Gasping his first breath of air, Armin breached the surface. The soft sand caressed his stomach as he began to lightly swim to the shore, happy to use his arms to drag himself through the waves and give his aching tail a break. Usually, it took 2 hours to get here, but Armin went as fast as his frailer body could go and got there half an hour early. The sun was still high, but the beautiful oranges and pinks were beginning to color it like a reef of coral. Maybe I can make it back before midnight. Depending on how long this meeting goes at least. Knowing Hange she'll want to know everything she can before I leave. Armin was quite surprised to realize that the same beach Eren met Levi on was the one he had been meeting Hange on. Hopefully, that means Hange will know of any newcomers and be able to give me a way to contact them. His body began to feel the weight of gravity, his whole tail now dragging across the soft sand of the shallows with small waves splashing at his back.

He learned quickly why merpeople were not made for land in the first few meetings with Hange. He found that while the strongest muscle he had was his tail, it was also the heaviest outside water. Where he used to gasp and flail, his arms burning while Hange helpfully dragged him along, he now confidently pulled himself up. In fact, he was even strong enough to pull open the boulder at the entrance of Eren's cave, but he had to pretend that wasn't the case. Eren and Mikasa had always been stronger, no matter what Armin did he felt weak in comparison. He still didn't want to tell them of his little adventures, and even now he wanted to keep it a secret. If Hange was unable to locate Levi, he didn't want to get Eren's hopes up for no reason.

He found the little circlet of rocks they always met in, the small pool big enough for him to sit comfortably in with enough water to keep him hydrated. It also provided enough cover so that humans don't see him from the outside. There were a lot of rocks on both sides, which involves a lot of climbing so if anyone other than Hange found them during their talks Armin had more than enough time to escape before they even got to him. Pulling himself forward and out of the shallows, he ignored the grating texture of the sand getting in places he really didn't want to think about. Finally, he managed to heave himself into the pool, sighing happily at the soft sand and the warm water. Now, I just have to wait for Hange to get here. I really hope she'll be here soon.

With a sigh, he shut his eyes, intending to rest for a moment before he had to talk to Hange. After all, that journey is very tiring. With the sounds of gulls calling and the waves roaring, Armin fell asleep.

~ The Little Merman ~

"Do we really have to climb all these damn rocks?" Levi groused out, effortlessly jumping from rock to rock just as Hange did. She smiled in that crazy way of hers and shrugged, nearly slipping on a particularly wet rock but her natural luck saved her.

"I mean we could always just not go talk to the one merman who could actually talk to your sweetie pie honey boo!" Hange quipped, foot nearly giving way when she stepped on a shattered piece of rock. Levi sighed, both at the stupid nickname and knowing that this was the only way. That doesn't mean I have to like it though.

"Why did you two decide that meeting beyond all these fucking rocks was a good idea? You've probably had more near-death experiences just trying to get over here than old man Cyrus!" Hange laughed, cackled really, and resorted to all fours on a particularly steep boulder. She always loved the stories Cyrus told, every time he told of near-death experiences, they got wilder and wilder.

"It builds character! Besides we're almost there sour puss. Don't get your knickers in a stitch." She admonished climbing onto a large boulder and turning to him with a finger over her lips. He immediately stiffened, knowing now that this is where the merman, Armin, must be. His heart was pounding, his whole body on edge. This was Eren's best friend, his direct line to the one he desperately wanted to see. If he didn't like him, then would he refuse to help? He could lose Eren forever if this didn't work out well.

"Armin… Armin! Wake up, buddy!" Hange suddenly called out. With a start, he realized that he was behind and quickly began climbing over the rocks until he finally reached the circle. A blonde boy sat there, Hange by his side gently trying to shake him awake. His tail was a pale sky blue, scales shimmering faintly in the sunlight. The boy was pale, much more so than even Levi, and was much less defined. His blonde hair was cut into a bob, making him look much younger than he probably was. With a groan, he slowly opened his eyes, the baby blue only a few shades darker than his tail.

"Hange?" Armin murmured, rubbing at his eyes as Hange smiled.

"Tis' I! And I know you told me never to tell anyone about our meetings but I brought a friend who needs your help." She said seriously, just about to introduce the prince when Armin gasped. His eyes were wide, mouth slack as he stared at a very familiar face.

"Y-y-y-you! Levi?! How? Hange!?" He got out, finger-pointing at the confused prince as if to further prove his point. Hange looked in between the two, confused at the sudden outburst. She had been expecting Armin to be upset that she told someone about him, but this seemed almost like he knew him. Levi was just as confused. Raising an eyebrow he pointed to himself.

"Me?"

"You! How… Hange! How did you know I was looking for him?!" Armin asked.

"Uhh… I didn't? You were looking for him?" Hange answered with a question, settling down beside him in the water. Stepping over the last rock, Levi's bare feet met the water and he squatted down, trying to avoid getting his ass wet. Armin seemed to calm down slightly, still staring wide-eyed at the prince.

"This… is incredible. I came here on behalf of Eren to see if you could find Levi… and you must've come here with Levi to look for Eren." Admin murmured, laughing lightly for a moment before smiling at Levi. "You two are truly meant to be!" He blushed at that, the light tint enough to be considered a sunburn if not for the fact he was trying his damned hardest not to smile. We truly are, aren't we?

"So Eren is looking for Levi too? How did you recognize Levi?" Hange asked, clearly the spokesperson of the prince. For that Levi was grateful, he wasn't the most eloquent with his words and he didn't want to risk fucking this up. Armin nodded enthusiastically, his drying hair whipping back and forth with the force of it.

"Of course! There are laws that stop us from seeing humans, as you know. So for Eren, it's even worse as he is the prince. He wants to be with Levi, but his father would never allow it. And I recognized Levi because I had to drag the statue of him to Eren's cave as an early birthday present. Plenty of time to remember that face." He explained, smiling at the small smile Hange had on her face.

"That's so cute~ I can't wait to meet him! Would you be able to bring him here?" Hange got to the point quickly, noting how Levi visibly straightened. Levi felt the shift of the sand below him as he watched Armin's face go from happy to a little sad. His large brows drawn together as he was clearly trying to find the right words.

"Well… before I say anything," He started, baby blue eyes quickly finding Levi's silver. "Levi, what is Eren to you?" He could see it in Armin's eyes, the need to protect his friend, the same look he wore when Hange had first met her partner Moblit. Levi could respect that, in fact, he was glad that Eren had a friend like Armin who wanted to make sure that he is safe. But what is Eren to me? I could never say a fling, at this point I love him more than should be possible for such a short span of time. The warm feeling paired with the hollow one when I remember the warmth of his lips against mine. His laugh, his smile, the dimple on his left cheek, the way his eyes sparkled when he asked about human things, they all make my heart flutter like a butterfly high on sugar. Honestly, I would marry him. No, I will marry him. If he would take me. Levi stared back into those blue eyes with as much determination as he could muster.

"He is the one I want to spend the rest of mine with. If he would have me I will marry him. Or… uh… what did he call it… mate with." He meant every word, and Armin seemed to sense that for after a moment he smiled.

"I'm glad, he is also very smitten with you. Honestly, I can't get him to stop talking once your name comes up." Armin said with a laugh, visibly relaxing now that he was sure of the human's intentions. "With that settled, I think it would be best that I explain a hypothesis I have, but I want to know a few things first. Prince Levi," He began, waiting for Levi to meet his eyes. Levi did so quickly, sensing the sudden shift in his mood. "While you and Eren were separated, did you feel out of the ordinary? Such as bouts of depression or physical sickness?" Armin asked. Hange and Levi shared a wide-eyed look, much to the amusement of Armin.

"Levi had been acting weird… scarily so. He wouldn't eat, get out of bed, clean himself… nothing. In fact, he was going through the same symptoms of withdrawal. It was… worrisome." Hange explained. Armin nodded, the blonde strands of his drying hair dancing around his face at the movement.

"That's what I suspected. As you know I'm a tablet holder of the grand archives, and Eren told me that when you two touched… it felt like electricity?" He asked, earning a nod from Levi.

"Yea, like when you rub your socks on the carpet and touch something. It didn't hurt but it was unexpected." Levi explained, a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips when he remembered the shocked face Eren had.

"Socks? Oh yes, socks. Sure. Uh, I did a little research and found something rather interesting. I think you and Eren are experiencing 'the pull'. A myth among our kingdom similar to human soulmates. The elders I asked were debating the validity of the tablets I had even found this on as the most recent case was 400 years ago. They had done experiments on the two and found that they would show those same symptoms when kept apart for too long. The scribe also noted that when they were reunited, the whole area felt like an eel's den." Levi and Hange stood stark still, Hange in bewilderment and Levi in euphoria. Eren and I… soulmates? That would explain everything, and that means he'd want to be with me the same way I want to be with him… this is the best outcome I could think of.

"The pull? Why is it called that? And what exactly does that mean for Eren and Levi?" Hange was on the edge of her seat in a figurative sense, leaning forward and into Armin's space in an uncomfortable way. Armin seemed used to it by now, not even batting an eye at the crazy scientist staring into his face.

"I think it said something like 'both of them are pulled together by the tides guiding fate' or something like that. And honestly, that's up to them. From what I can tell, it will be nearly impossible for both of you to stay apart for too long. So I doubt you could or would even want to be apart… but both of you are princes, next in line for the throne. I don't know if Eren would want to leave where he was born and grew up so easily. All his friends and family… but he can't live without you anymore. Only time will tell what will become of you." He said sagely. Armin's eyes seemed to glow for a moment, but it happened so fast that Levi couldn't be sure. The trio was quiet for a moment, the soft lull of the wind blowing through the rocks and waves lapping at the rocks surrounding them the only noise that could be heard. With a small sigh, Levi looked out towards the sea, imagining a brunet head popping out of the waves and smiling at him. Eren...

"When can I see him?" Armin sighed as well, playing with his hands.

"I… I don't know. It's not exactly easy to sneak him out of the palace. King Grisha was absolutely enraged when Eren had been gone for as long as he had and put even fiercer restrictions on him. He has to report to him every so often and if he misses it, he is punished. Not to mention his tail, just like mine, is a hindrance on land. He wouldn't be able to stay long." Armin murmured. Levi felt a weight on his chest, his heart stuttering with pain at the mention of not seeing Eren.

"We understand. Please contact me whenever you are able to come. We will wait as long as necessary to figure this out." Hange vowed, looking to her prince for approval. As much as he didn't like it, he nodded. Nothing more can be done for now. Not until I see him again anyway.

"Let's hope it isn't more than a few days. I know Eren is dying to see you too, Levi." Armin laughed, the sound almost like tinkling bells. "Well, I have a long swim back, and I want to tell Eren the good news as soon as possible. He really isn't sure about your feelings, and will be relieved that you feel the same for him." Armin smiled and waved, turning and dragging himself through the opening in the rocks. The two humans watched the dazzling blue tail shimmy its way through and down the few yards of the beach. He made it seem effortless, and soon he was flapping happily into the shallows and out of sight.

"Well, there ya go. You'll be smacking lips with your cute sexy merprince in no time!" Hange joked, and despite everything, Levi laughed.

~ The Little Merman ~

The pain in his chest was relentless, his heart breaking into pieces every moment he held the fractured face of his human prince. The remains of his beloved cave, blasted to smithereens around him, causing the tears to pour anew with every gasping sob. Small, white pearls settled around him, his hardened tears shining brightly in the fading light of the cave. I'm to mate tomorrow? How could this be happening to me? It was supposed to be a mere visit… what about Levi? How could I give myself to someone when I never got to properly tell Levi how I feel? He felt himself float a bit above the floor, pearls slowly shifting about the floor at his movements. All the shelves around him once full of amazing thingamabobs and whatsits were barren, the openings he had painstakingly carved out now cracked and broken, all that sat upon them mere debris floating about, spiraling down until they lay on the floor.

Eren didn't care how loud he was being, his hiccups and wails easily covering up the sound of shifting rocks and debris. "This… i-isn't… f-f-f-fair! Le...vi… I-" He sobbed, his throat uncooperative. He stared into the eye of his love, the cracked iris providing no warmth, the broken off nose somewhere far away, the once stone-cold lips cracked and unmoving. Like a corpse. Eren whimpered pitifully at the imagery of what his father would do to Levi if he ever found him. Horrific and bloody images filled his mind, and his sobbing started anew. He curled in on himself, body still floating above the ground, pearls rolling down his cheeks and steadily drifting to the ground.

"Poor, unfortunate soul. Daddy really did a number on this place." A voice suddenly spoke. Eren shot up, looking around wildly but not seeing anyone. He quickly pushed the unformed pearls off his cheeks and straightened. That was not a voice he recognized. The darkened cave was only lit with bioluminescent algae, so Eren could only see so much before it was tinged in darkness. He thought he saw a movement to his left, but when he whipped around, his freed hair covered his eyes, and by the time he pushed it away he saw nothing. It was eerily quiet once more, but the rustling of stones let Eren know he was not alone. He was not afraid though, as weak as he felt in his heart, his body and mind were strong.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" He growled, eyes flashing gold and the water swirling dangerously about him.

"Calm down, your highness. " The voice suddenly murmured, coming from somewhere behind him. From the sound of it, the voice seemed to be rather feminine. He whipped around but was once again met with darkness. In fact, the whole cave seemed to dim more than it usually did, like all the light had been sucked out from the walls. He knew for a fact that he had the whole cave lit up for when the sea darkened. Then he saw it, a rock that had once been in the light of the algae was slowly consumed by the dark. Wispy tendrils getting closer, inch by inch, until they were mere feet away from the mer prince. He reached forward, realizing it wasn't any sort of natural shade. When his hand made an impact, the blackness swirled tangibly around it, skillfully avoiding his hands. It moved just like-

"Ink." The voice spoke once more, directly in front of him. He squinted into the darkness, and shining blue eyes slowly appeared. They were hooded, seemingly bored as they bore into him. The light blue eyes were deep and swirling with power, even more so than the royal court mage. The ink shrouded the figure's face, but ever so slowly he could see more prominent features begin to bleed out of the darkness. Pale skin, a Roman nose, pink lips, and an oval face formed within the swirls of in, slowly manifesting a neck, hair, chest, arms, until suddenly a mer floated before him. Her pale blonde hair was tied in a bun, but some longer strands still floated astray about her face, giving her a more ethereal look. The ink swirled around her torso, covering her lower half so Eren couldn't tell what color her tail was.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Eren asked clearly, a little proud that his voice didn't show the slight fear he held. I've never met anyone with more tangible power than even Hannes. He was considered gifted among the elders, who is this? I can just manage to hold my own against Hannes, if it comes down to it, could I fight her? Her face remained impassive, painfully reminding Eren of Levi when he first saw him. She didn't answer for a moment, instead looking at his chest and tail.

"You may call me Annie. I heard the sound of anguish and came to offer my assistance." She finally answered, voice clear, but still sounding bored. Eren merely stared for a moment, looking down at the obvious evidence of his crying currently sparkling on the ground.

"Y-you could hear me?" He asked, wondering just how many other mers heard his wailing.

"I can always hear the pain in someone's heart." She turned then, ink engulfing her. He could feel the movements around him of her moving about but could see nothing but the inky tendrils that reached out to him. She reappeared moments later to his left, her figure even more prominent than before now that the moonlight shining through the top of the grotto. She was definitely smaller than him, a whole head or so if he were to guess. She wore a tight wrapping of some sort of plant around her chest, flattening her breasts to match her muscular stomach. "I'm here to help, your highness. " She said in what he could tell was a sarcastic tone, bowing her head in tribute before smirking up at him.

"What could you possibly do for me? My father is forcing me to mate the mermaid of his choosing. Unless you can somehow convince him otherwise, I'll never see my love again." He growled, heart painfully beating at the mention of his impending doom, his sealed fate.

"I don't need to convince him of anything. All your problems would be solved if you had a pair of legs right?" Eren froze at this, a tiny spore of hope burying itself deep in his heart. She's right… if my father gave me my pendant, I could just leave. I could walk right up that beach, and live my life with Levi. The thought was so happy, as he imagined that exact scenario. Walking up a beach, the breeze blowing his hair dry as he ran into Levi's arms. They would be open, because in Eren's perfect scenario, Levi loved him too. Legs… I could be human. I could leave the sea and never look back! He thought happily, a sense of anticipation filling his chest. But could you? Could you leave the sea, the palace, your friends, your family? Could you turn it all away, the crown, the kingdom? What about your subjects? Could you leave them all behind? The thought was abrupt, and Eren couldn't help but imagine the coral reefs during sun up, the way the warm colors of the sun reflected in the waters. The happy dolphin pod that came by every summer during their migration, where Eren played with the pups and helped them fish. The turtles that allowed him to ride on their backs as they looked for food. The sharks that went into a frenzy whenever he beat them in a friendly game of tag. The older mer he befriended, as she reminded him of his mother, who he helped around her house every once in a while. Armin, Hannes, Mikasa too… as much as I hate her right now, could I leave her, them, forever? Levi's handsome face came to mind, his heart fluttering and lips turning up into a small smile as he imagined his face. The tug in his heart was impossible to miss, an invisible cord pulling Eren towards the shore where he left his human behind. He knew, now knowing that this was the not so mythic pull, that no matter what he did in his life, he would always be pulled towards Levi.

"Yes… they would." He murmured, looking at her once more. She nodded holding out a hand. The ink swirled about and into her palm, forming two human figures, hugging one another. They grew bigger until Eren could make out the one as himself. The other… was very much not Levi. Small with long flowing hair and large hips, Eren realized that Annie thought he loved a woman. Should I tell her? What if she decided not to help because I'm gay? No… the risk is too much. If she can actually help and I screw it up by telling her about Levi… I don't know what I'd do.

"This… could be you. I can give you legs, human legs, without the pendant of your birth." She revealed, shocking Eren.

"Impossible! No one has had this sort of power since-"

"Since Derya? Perhaps history has been a little… skewed. I do have the power to give you legs… but at a price."

"Name it." He demands immediately. He knew then, that the kingdom, his family, his friends… they all paled in comparison to the pure agony he felt at losing his human. He may feel remorse, and maybe sad that he may never see them again… but he will have no regrets. She stills, seemingly a little hesitant for a moment before her impassive aura comes back. She closes her eyes, small veins lighting up around her face and body, piercing through the thick cloud of ink. He could see more than just her face now. Veins traveling down her arms and hands, her stomach and tail and… veins sprawling out in directions that her tail could not possibly reach. Just as they appeared, they vanished, and the darkness remained. But now in Annie's hand lay a chain with a small empty clamshell attached.

"Pick up one of your pearls." She ordered, so with little hesitation he did. The small pearl was perfectly round and white, his sadness in its most pure form.

"I will give you this necklace to wear as a sort of contract. Putting that pearl inside this clamshell and sealing it means you accept my terms. Are you ready to hear them?" He nodded, jaw set firm and eyes determined.

"I will give you this necklace, and once you put it on the girl you love will no longer remember you and you will no longer have a tail but legs." Eren inhaled sharply, not expecting such a term. If Levi doesn't even remember me, how the anemone am I supposed to find him? If he doesn't- His thoughts were interrupted by a pointed glare. "If this love is true, then surely she can fall in love with you again no? Let me finish. Once you put on this necklace, the girl will forget everything about you. You will have three days to get her to say she loves you, and seal it with a kiss. By the time of the third sundown, if she doesn't love you you will become a merman again, and you will be my… apprentice. I will be your master and you will do my bidding." She explained, eyes alight with mirth.

"My master? What does that even mean? I'm the crown prince of Eldia!" He protested, but her glare hardened.

"Those are my terms. If you touch the sea in that time, you will become a merman and end the contract as if three days passed regardless of time. If you tell her at all that you were a merman or that she knew you, you will become a merman once more. If she finds out that you were a merman at any point and that she knew you by any means, you will become a merman. Understand?" Annie said in a no-nonsense tone. Eren was shocked, not expecting such a price. Maybe food, shelter, or jewels, but me? But… if Levi feels what I'm feeling like Armin says… then I don't have anything to worry about right? If we could accidentally fall in love in the span of a few hours… surely we could fall in love in three days. Eren looked around once more at the rubble, anger slowly building as he was reminded what his father, nay, what his sister had done. Slowly treading forward, he took the little clamshell from her hand. It was an ordinary brownish-grey shell, with no special markings or patterns. He gently opened it and slowly placed the pearl inside, closing the shell. To his amazement, the shell began to glow, the lips fusing together.

"The contract is sealed. Go to shore and put on the necklace. Once it's around your neck you will grow legs, and your love will forget you. Do not forget, three days." She basically whispered, the ink around her slowly enveloping her. He watched as the ink seemed to suck itself in, all of it that surrounded him quickly making its way to her, but she wasn't there. Forming itself into a smaller and smaller ball until it finally winked out of existence. Eren was alone once again, staring at the little necklace in his palm. For the first time, he let himself believe in the hope that planted itself in his chest.

Levi… I'm coming.

Seriously I'm garbage for waiting this long to update but I'm having fun with these new plot changes, tell me what you think I'd love to know!