Chapter 4

Jennifer100

Pair: Levi x Eren

Beta: Patolemus

I see no one is reading my story because everyone is now, tired of Levi x Eren, But I will always be a fan of these two. If someone read this, I will be glad. Okay, enough of that, let get to the story.

Eren carefully followed Floch into the big mansion before him. According to the redhead, it was where Yelena was at, and he did not disappoint. As they closed the double doors behind them, Eren saw Yelena walking down the stairs. She had a glass of wine in her hand, and she looked much too relaxed for someone in the presence of a possibly hostile Titan Shifter as volatile as Eren could be.

She had reason to be, though. Eren wouldn't hurt her with what was at stake, and she knew it.
"I came here like you wanted me to, Yelena. Now will you promise my family will be safe?" Eren asked as he looked Yelena in the eyes.

"That depends on how you behave, Eren," she flashed him a genial smile, like she wasn't threatening to kill both Levi and Leo if Eren didn't act according to her expectations, the fucking lunatic. "Floch, was he any trouble while you brought him here? I know you admire him, just like I do, and it would be easy to take advantage of that."

"Tsk," Floch made a face of distaste. "Don't compare me with the likes of you, Yelena. I'm just doing this because I believe in him and the change he can cause," Floch gave him another look, and Eren was once again awed at the utter faith the man had in him, even if it was for all the wrong reasons.

"That's all that matters, in the end," Yelena murmured before turning around, motioning for them to follow her with her arm. "Come with me."

Eren was pushed lightly by Floch to go first, most likely an attempt to prevent him from escaping. Not that he would, not with his family at stake. They followed Yelena as she led them to a room with a balcony. The balcony had a table and two chairs, and it showed a beautiful scenery of nature, surrounded by Wall Rose.

Yelena took one of the chairs, drinking some of the wine from her glass as she looked outside. After a moment of hesitation, Eren took the other chair, leaving Floch to lean against the wall and listen to the conversation from over there. Eren almost felt like he had a bodyguard or something - which wouldn't be a first, with the many times people had wanted to kill him, specially while he was out of commission while pregnant with Leo - but he knew Floch was just as capable of protecting him as he was of hurting or killing him if he didn't comply with what was demanded of him.

"How are Levi and Leo doing? I know I told you in that letter that I would kill your family if you didn't come, but did you really think I would kill any son of yours?" Yelena threw him another of her smiles, but he just scowled at the mention of the threat to his family.

"If my brother told you to, then yes, you would kill either of them in a heartbeat," her smile became more vicious, like a wild animal's. "I'm not here to play games, Yelena. I just want my family to be safe. I came here, so tell me what you want and leave us alone," he said as calmly as he could with the anger rising inside him.
"I'm going to give you a warning Eren, because you are Zeke's brother and I quite like you," Yelena leaned forward, almost tipping the wine in her glass. "The Ackerman Clan has to go. It will happen one way or another, but you have a choice on how it will happen, I guess," Eren's nostrils bristled as the hot white rage filled him, and his knuckles turned white when he fuck his hands. "You don't have to worry about Mikasa, really, that doesn't concern you. But Leo and Levi? Well, you can kill them yourself, make things quick and painless, or you can let us handle it. While I don't think Zeke would purposely hurt your child more than he has to, he has an, uh… special kind of plan for your husband," Eren went to stand up, eyes shining with rage and promising violence, but Floch's hands on his shoulders forced him back on the chair. "Zeke won't let your son live in this cruel world. He's actually doing little Leo a favor, shielding him from the horrors before he has to live them. Let your brother take care of your son. If you convince him, Zeke would even let him live, teach him everything he knows. You just have to give Leo and Levi to him," Yelena looked excited. It made Eren want to both pummel her with his fist and vomit on the ground.

"And if I refuse? What will you do to them?" Eren asked, and this time not even Floch could stop him as he raised from the chair.

"Like I told you. Your son will be dead, and so will Levi. You will lose them both," Yelena then turned to the door, just in time to see Zeke coming in.

Floch let out a surprised huff that was more bark than laughter. Well, at least Eren knew he hadn't known about his bitch brother coming there.

"I didn't know Zeke would be here. It seems you're full of surprises, aren't you, Yelena?" Floch pulled out his gun, pointing at Zeke even if he didn't pull the trigger. Now that it would be all that effective anyways, unless Floch had suddenly become a shot good enough to land a bullet right in Zeke's forehead.

"I can't believe you really came, brother. It's been so hard for you to come spend time with me since you married," Zeke smiled at him. Eren sneered back.

"Well, I am here," his eyes were hard as steel as Zeke finally approached him. "You stay the fuck away from them, you hear me? I'm warning you, brother, you don't want to cross me," Eren growled as he stood right in front of his older brother.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come down to this," Zeke had the gall to look regretful even as he motioned to Yelena. "You know what to do."

Before he could react, pulsing pain appeared in his leg as Yelena shot him with the calm of someone who had held and used a gun for far too long.

"Mother fucker!" Eren gasped in pain as he fell to the floor, clutching his leg as it steamed, the muscles already pushing the bullet out. The thing no one told people about titan healing was that while it was fast, it still hurt like a bitch.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Eren is supposed to save this world, he's our last hope!" Floch pointed the gun at Yelena. Not that Eren appreciated his help with how things had gone until then, but he guessed Floch was the best of two evils.

"That little wound? It's nothing for someone like Eren. Look, it's already healing," she lazily pointed at Eren's steaming leg with her hand, as if it negated the fact that she had shot him. "Now, put the gun down and come with me. Let's leave Eren and Zeke alone so they can talk, what do you think?" it was phrased as a question, but the look on Yelena's face told him it was an order.

Reluctantly, Floch put the gun down and followed the blonde, though not before sending one last look at him, probably deciding he would be alright with his brother.

"If you don't get through this, then it means you weren't Eldia's savior after all. So don't die, Eren," and after those heartfelt words, he left, closing the door behind him.

A***.

Eren had bigger fish to fry, though. He could deal with the insubordination and treason of a Survey Corps member once he got out of his current problem, is, his bitch of a brother, who was currently looking at him like one would do a vaguely interesting insect. It pissed him off to no end.

Eren tried to get up, hissing in pain as his half healed leg took the brunt of his weight for a moment. Zeke closed the distance between them and pushed him back on the ground.

"I'm sorry, little brother. It didn't have to be this way, but if you won't listen to me you leave me no choice if I am to get to my nephew and get rid of Levi," reaching for his arm, Zeke pulled him close enough to touch, despite Eren's attempts at breaking free.

"Don't do this! Zeke, don't you dare!" Eren tried to get away, but it was no use, as Zeke closed the distance and put his forehead against his. Then, all Eren saw was an electric blue light.

Levi and Hange had looked everywhere they could think of before finally making the trip back to Mitras, all in their quest to find Eren. They had gone there before starting their search since someone had to take care of Leo, and now that Historia had been crowned and lived in the palace and needed a guard, she had taken to asking Squad Levi to get in the rotation system as a way to keep in touch and see them from time to time. That was one of such times, so they had gone to leave Leo with Mikasa so they could look for Eren freely.

The search had been fruitless, and so now they were all at the palace, talking about what to do now in one of the rooms adjacent to the throne room.

Mikasa and Historia were petting Leo's head while Jean gave him his afternoon bottle, the three of them keeping an ear on the conversation Armin, Hange and Levi were having. Sasha and Connie were by the door, also listening but keeping guard as was their duty to their Queen.

Levi was stressed. He just wanted to find his husband, and Hange and Armin were going over logistics and discreet operations. Didn't they know Eren could be anywhere right now? What if he was hurt? What if he needed help? They didn't have time for any kind of operation!

"Eren hasn't come by here at all. He just left home that morning, didn't even let me know. That damn brat," Levi growled before standing up. "I just can't sit around while Eren could be in danger. I'm going to look for him. Mikasa, take care of Leo for me," with that, he left the room in a hurry, ignoring the startled pleas for him to wait and plan things before storming Mitras looking for Eren.

Walking down the castle's halls, Levi wasn't even phased by the beautiful architecture of the place. He had more important things to do, and he had been to the castle enough times to stop being awestrucked every time he looked around.

He was thinking of places where Eren could be inside the city, since he didn't seem to be anywhere else. Mitras was a relatively small city, given that only the highest nobility and richest merchants lived there, but Levi knew every back alley like the back of his palm. He had grown up just under it, after all, and the easiest way of getting contraband was taking one of the less traveled staircases that connect both cities and try to blend in with the shadows to intersect the shipments.

Such were his thoughts when he was suddenly pushed against a wall. He tensed when he felt the familiar feeling of a knife's edge resting against his neck, not drawing any blood but close enough that a little pressure would tear up the skin.

He looked for his assailant's face, if only to know whose ass he would be kicking, and his eyes widened when he saw Eren. Eren, who's eyes were dulled and expression was cold and closed off. Nothing like the man Levi knew and loved, the one that laughed and yelled and cried and was so full of life despite the hand he had been given.

"Eren," he tried at first, but received no answer. "Eren, will you really kill me? Me?" nothing. "You brat, what's gotten into you? We've been looking for you like crazy since you upped and left, and now you're doing this?"
When he once more received no answer, Levi grabbed Eren's wrist, twisting it around until it was Eren that was slammed against the wall, and Levi holding him still. His husband dropped the knife, struggling to get free even if he knew it was futile against Levi's strength and skill.

"Where's Leo?" the question startled Levi so much, he almost let Eren go.

"What? Eren what are you on about?" Levi asked somewhat desperately. Who was this man, and what had he done with his Eren? "There's something different about you. I can tell from that look in your eyes," he whispered hoarsely close to Eren's face. The only reaction he got was his jaw clenching.

Huffing in frustration, Levi got a hold of Eren's shirt and dragged him to the nearest empty room. He pushed Eren inside a conference room that seemed to have little use, if the thin layer of dust was any indication. Evidently, no one stepped in the room much, which would make sure no one found them.

Eren gave little to no resistance, either because he knew it was futile to try to escape him, or because he was curious to see what Levi would do.

"Now, dear husband," Levi practically growled out. "You're going to tell me what's going on, right now. I want an answer from you," he closed the distance between them again, until he was almost flushed against Eren. He had to look up to face his husband, but he had learnt how to be intimidating despite his height a long time ago.
Eren remained silent. Levi chanced another look at his eyes, and what he saw formed a knot in his stomach. They were the same shape, and the same shade of green that had turned to be Levi's favorite color, but those were not the eyes of his husband. Eren would never look at him with such little emotion, he would never shield and close himself off from him.

Desperate for some sort of signal that his Eren was still there, Levi kissed him. His husband returned the kiss immediately, but Levi's throat closed painfully when he noticed it was different. Whoever this was, Levi wasn't kissing Eren right then, just someone wearing his skin.

He broke off the kiss, eyes narrowed as he looked at this stranger. "There's something wrong with you, Eren. I know my husband, and this… this isn't he."

Surprisingly, Eren smiled. It wasn't his usual smile, the one that seemed to light up the world. The curve of Eren's lips had something sinister about it, and it made a shot of fear crawl up his spine.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Eren laughed. His eyes were still cold. "You must be pretty tired from looking for me, I'm sorry I caused you so much stress. But I'm fine now," he smiled again, and Levi felt like he was being sentenced. "I'm tired, Levi. Let's just get Leo and go home, ok?" without waiting for an answer, Eren walked past him to the door. Levi could only look at his retreating back in shock and growing fear, knowing something had happened to Eren.

Because he may have looked like him, and his voice may have sounded like his. But that wasn't the man he had fallen in love with.