The next class day, Thursday, Eren moved—yet again—to his old seat by the windows in their child development class. At this rate he'd wear a path into the scratchy, ugly, blue, high-traffic-resistant carpet in the auditorium.

Eren walked past Levi without looking at him and descended to his seat. Once there he occupied himself with taking out his laptop and checking his phone. He valiantly resisted the urge to look around at Levi. He did not succeed.

Shadis was going on about the psychology of potty training when Eren glanced back to the back of the room. He froze, mouth hanging open.

Levi was a mess. He had two black eyes and a split lip. He looked like a car crash victim with his arm still bandaged to his side and all the bruises. Levi noticed him looking and gave him a stare. Eren extended both hands, flipping them up in a 'what in the hell?' gesture. Levi shrugged then looked back at Shadis.

After class, Eren caught up with Levi in the hall.

"Dude, what the fuck?! Your face … !"

"Why do you care?"

Levi had a point. Why did he care? The hard truth was that he cared very much and thought about the other man every day. Eren rubbed the center of his chest. "I don't, I'm just … curious."

Levi shrugged again. "No big deal. Some guy whaling on his girlfriend at the playground in the park. It was not a good idea to engage when I'm working with only one arm."

"Jesus Christ, Levi! You gotta stop trying to be everyone's white knight! Was Mikasa there?"

Levi flinched. "Unfortunately yes. I am sorry she had to see that."

"The guy beating up his girlfriend or her dad getting his ass handed to him?!"

"Oh, I beat the guy,' Levi said mildly.

"Seriously?!"

"Yup. Police had to break us up."

"Jesus Christ! Did I say 'Jesus Christ?!'"

"You did."

Eren ran his hand through his hair in agitation. "You look like shit right now."

"Thanks a bunch, fuckstick." Levi turned and walked off. Eren dashed to catch up with him.

"I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that …"

Levi stopped. "That … ?"

Eren was clearly struggling with himself. "I just hate to see you hurt and you were already hurt and you keep getting into these fights and— "

"Eren."

" —And I'm afraid one day you— "

"Eren!"

"What?"

"I'm fine. Now go home. Forget about it. Forget about me." He walked away.

Eren watched him go.

"But I can't … I just can't," he said to the empty hallway.

Levi was lying in bed that night thinking of Eren. God, he had looked good. He seemed to be getting better looking the longer they were apart. And what he'd said about hating to see him hurt. He looked to the right at his dresser and the big mirror there. Yep, he did look like shit, just as Eren had said. Deep purple smears ran from the insides of his eyes down either side of his nose and arched up under each eye. His lip was swollen and split and the wound wouldn't close up because every time he spoke or ate or even smiled it popped back open.

Yep, he looked like hell. Eren, however, had looked like a hundred bucks. Utterly fuckable.

Levi hesitated, feeling guilty, then tentatively fondled his dick with his right hand. He'd never jerked off with his right hand before and he tried a few awkward strokes.

The good thing about penises was that if you're horny enough almost any steady friction can get you off. Levi paused to squirt some lube into his palm and adjusted his hand. He finally settled on something that felt pretty good.

Eren. All that soft-looking tan flesh. Those long, coltish legs. That tight, round ass. Oh Jesus … that ass.

Levi upped his speed. It was weird using his right hand, like he was getting a hand job from someone else. Levi went with that, imagining that it was Eren's hand. His eyes drifted closed. What was Eren doing right that second?

As it turns out, Eren was in his own bed, jerking off as well just then. He was farther along than Levi, having the advantage of a functional dominant hand. He grunted softly, mindful of his roommates out in the common room.

He was thinking of Levi, of course. That taut body, the alabaster skin, that sharp face with cheekbones that could cut glass, the stormy grey eyes. Eren groaned, purposely pausing his strokes to run his hand over the head of his cock slowly, teasing himself. His action left a smear of pre-cum and he brought his fingers up to his mouth to lick it off, closing his eyes at the taste and wondering what Levi's cum tasted like.

Levi grunted in time to his hand movement. It felt so good and it had been too long. Too long since he'd had sex, even too long since he'd masturbated. Working two jobs, going to school, and then coming home to parent, was exhausting and he usually just fell into bed at the end of the day.

He cupped his hand over the head of his penis, stroking lightly, picturing Eren's hot mouth on him, on his dick, teasing him with little flicks of his tongue. That was it, that was all he could stand. He started up a brisk rhythm, still a bit fumbling but definitely pleasurable and envisioned Eren below him, gasping out his name.

Eren was close, so close. His hand flew and the soft schlick sound of his frantic movements was incredibly, tantalizingly obscene.

He was going to come. His panting breaths sounded harshly in the room, Too loud? He hoped not because there was no stopping now. Levi was above him, opening him up, driving into him. "Oh, god, oh Levi, oh god …"

He turned his head to one side, gripping his pillow in his teeth and came, his cry muffled.

Levi came a few seconds later, hard, with a sharp groan, milking his cock of every drop of cum and wishing that Eren was there with him.

The next morning, Friday, Levi was lying on his couch on his back, one foot on the floor, staring at the ceiling when Hange came in the door. Levi's doctor had cleared him to leave his left arm unrestrained and he was absently flexing and extending his arm, wincing at the pull on his stitches. Hange was taking Mikasa to the zoo so Levi could do a deep clean of the house.

"Hey Levi. Is 'Kasa ready?"

"She's ready."

"What's with the long face?"

"Nuthin'."

"Big fat liar. I brought some veggies. Broccoli."

"Oh, great, I get to fight with 'Kasa. You know she hates broccoli."

"It was on sale." Hange walked over to the couch and stood at the end where Levi's head was. Levi looked at her upside down. "What?"

"You need to get your head out of your ass."

"The fuck, Hans? This over broccoli?"

"I'm serious, Levi. Just talk to the kid. He was super into you and then he suddenly wasn't. There's a reason there."

Levi scowled. "The reason doesn't matter. I don't want to date anyone. Period. End of discussion."

"Oh, bullshit," Hange said, reaching down to brush his hair gently out of his eyes and trace his bruises with her fingertip. "You're lonely as fuck. When's the last time you got laid?"

"Hush. 'Kasa's right there in her room."

"'Kasa would benefit from your getting some as well."

"How?"

"You'd be less tense."

They walked to the single chair and threw themself down in it. "Go to a bar or a club, meet somebody. There are good people out there." They pushed their glasses up on their nose. "Or better yet, actually talk to Eren. There's an idea."

Eren and Jean were on the couch playing Smash Bros. Eren was losing. Badly. Jean finally threw his controller down and scowled at Eren. "Dude, what the actual fuck?!"

"What?! Shit!"

"Bruh, you are so out of it. What the fuck is going on in your head? Is it Levi? Are you two not getting along? Did you fight?"

Eren sighed. "We … don't see each other much anymore."

"Dude! What happened? You're fucking head over heels for that guy!"

"I found something out. Something about his kid."

"What? Is he still married? Mom still in the picture?"

"No … no … but Levi doesn't want a romantic relationship and my being around is … Jean, it's hurting her!"

Jean contemplated this new info, running his hand thoughtfully through his sparse beard. "But how will you ever convince Levi to date you if you aren't around?"

"He doesn't want to date. I told you," Eren said morosely.

"Well, you gotta talk to him." Jean stood suddenly and punched Eren on the arm, hard.

"Oww! What the fuck was that for?!"

"Take control of your life, asshole! You're clearly crazy about Levi! Talk. To. Him!"

"Fine, fine, fuckhead! I will!"