Most of his life he had the pressure of knowing that he had a gift, or a curse - whichever, he had, an ability to help people by channelling their emotions. Yet, he had the dilemma of trying to keep himself sain and an obligation he felt to help these people.

His friends helped to keep him grounded, to help him momentarily forget or allow himself to enjoy his life. Eren...Eren was different, he was the first-ever person to make him feel like he mattered. That he deserved his own happiness and to allow himself to be selfish and think about his happiness. He could feel everything, often to an extreme, therefore, he always has a little guard up between himself and others.

It scared the hell out of him.

As he stood there leaning into Eren's hug, his mind was on 'flight' mode - urging him to get out, he could not control what would happen. However, his body was dropping all of his guards he had erected and was melting into Eren as he had always known him.

He had resigned himself to the fact that he would live alone forever, that no one could cope with him, with his coldness, his need to isolate himself from the world, and his strange ways. Yet, Eren gave him hope.

Hope was an alien concept. His life so far had been hopeless. He felt like he would never be enough and that he was not giving enough of his time. Logically he knew he could not solve everyone's problems. But he wants to help as much as he could. Thus resulted in his pain and suffering.

Eren gave him hope that maybe, just maybe his future did not have to be all consumed by this curse. Eren gave him hope that, he could be happy, at peace - or at least whilst he was in Eren's presence.

Eren was smiling down at him, something he saw in Levi's face made his smile widen, "You worried me there for a second," he teased, "you're not looking as ill now."

Levi, not one to be cowardly, looked Eren dead in the eyes, and said, "All thanks to you," and he meant it. Eren's touch centred him, stopped him from spiralling and being consumed by negative toxic energy.

"I wasn't going to let you faint or something," he admitted, dropping his arms away from Levi but remaining close.

"So," Eren said elongating the word, "what do you want to do now?"

Levi sat on the edge of Eren's bed. That was a good question. What did he want to do? He wanted to cling to Eren and simply be. He wanted to stay here forever. What he should do, he should at least distance himself a little, he was scared he would suffocate Eren. That Eren would start to get annoyed by his sudden dependence on him. That Eren would go and take any hope he had felt with him.

Weighing this up, knowing he needed Eren, yet, realising he could not use Eren for his own good- to simply make himself feel better, he should back off. Maybe, stay with Eren, but no skin to skin contact. Eren should be free to make that choice once he had the whole picture. That meant, no more open vulnerable-ness. He took a deep breath and mentally placed his walls back up.

"That tea you offered sounds good around about now?" he answered.

Eren dipped his head in acknowledgement and headed out of the room and to the kitchen.

Levi clamped his jaw closed, repeating over and over like some new mantra, 'I cannot use Eren, not without his knowledge.' He was not ready to tell Eren about everything, he was not ready to take that risk - because if he did and Eren decided to stay away from Levi, then he wouldn't cope. Now he knew that Eren existed, that peace and hope was possible, he could not bear losing it. Therefore, for now, he would keep the truth away from Eren, and keep Eren in his life.

Eren returned with a tray of tea, he placed it on his desk, pouring a cup for Levi and handing it to him.

"I think, you'll find that is the best cup of tea you'll ever drink," Eren announced smugly as he handed over the drink.

Even Eren's smug little face made Levi feel lighter - at ease.

"I'll be the judge of that," he offered coolly.

Eren rolled his eyes and sat in a chair with his tea.

They drank and chatted, talking about nothing in particular. Eren was doing most of the talking - Levi didn't mind. He discovered that Eren had broken various bones in his body throughout his life, from clumsiness, fighting and even doing stupid stunts. Eren was shocked to discover that Levi had never broken any bones in his body - ever. He also learned that Eren disliked white chocolate, yet loved dark chocolate. That he had his first kiss when he was young, but his first gay kiss when he was fourteen.

Levi sat and listened, making sure that Eren was aware that he was listening and invested in what he was saying. Eren excused himself to the toilet, and when he returned, Levi was asleep sat leaning back against Eren's pillows.

Eren smiled at him. He gently took his cup, placed it on the tray, and returned to his chair to write up some ideas he had regarding a refurbishment of the cafe.

He was working on a new layout of the floorplan when he heard Levi stir. He swivelled around in his chair, turning to watch Levi.

"Stop staring at me!" Levi ordered, feeling strange, he rarely slept in the day, or generally slept at all. He was exhausted from his time spent with Annie. Then Eren putting him at complete ease, helped him to relax, yet to fall asleep - that was unlike him.

The smug git chuckled, "It's my room, I can stare all I want!" he threatened.

Levi sat up and swung his legs off the bed, he rubbed his hands over his face, "Shithead," Levi returned.

Eren laughed again, "You looked too peaceful to wake," Eren admitted.

"I don't believe you, even in my sleep I am menacing." He deadpanned, knowing Eren would still pick up on the fact he was joking.

"Oh sorry," Eren dramatically said, placing a hand over his heart, "did I say peaceful?" He grinned over at Levi, "of course I meant menacing."

"Damn right you did," Levi stated, standing and brushing down his clothes.

Levi tried to pretend he did not see, and sense Eren's disappointment, "You're leaving?"

"Yeah," Levi admitted, "I have stuff I need to be doing. Annie, kinda fucked up my day."

Eren also stood, moving a few steps closer to Levi, "Take care, yeah," he sincerely told Levi.

"I'll try," Levi returned, watching Eren, trying not to let Eren see how much he longed to actually stay.

Hesitating for a bit, Levi finally broke their gaze and headed for the door.

"Don't be a stranger," Eren called out.

Levi did not respond, he continued to leave otherwise he would do something stupid, like climb under Eren's covers and refuse to move for the next week.