A/N) I have some of the best fans in the whole world! You guys are so supportive and so sweet! To the most recent Guest reviewer...thank you so much! Your words really spurred my on to update! That was so sweet, I got a little choked up! Thanks everyone for the support, and the continued love. I love each and every one of you! I love reading reviews and to see how much everyone loves this story! I love writing it for you! Hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Scared was an understatement to how Eren felt at the moment. The look on Levi's face, commanded attention. Eren, was literally quaking in his boots. He manged to gasp out "Levi..."
Levi saw Eren getting friendly with Eld, and he did not like it. Those were his smiles! No one else deserved to see his Eren like that. With that perfect 'come fuck me' smile. Levi was seething. He originally came here to drink away his problems and lament over Eren, before finally picking up and getting over it. That was Hange's idea. When Levi had refused to drop his pride, they recommended he drink and get over it. There was one problem. There was no getting over Eren, he was actually going to get shit faced, call Eren, and beg him to come back. That would be dropping his pride. He was not expecting to run into the brat, and see him flirting it up with some other guy. Like everything they had gone through meant nothing. It had definitely meant something to Levi. Eren was still his world! He didn't do anything wrong. Why was he being punished for something he never really intended to do? It wasn't fair! Was Eren trying to get back at him for all of this? You can't not break up with someone, and then go find someone for a quick fuck. That was cheating! Eren was lucky Levi had caught him before he made a stupid choice. Levi didn't care for cheating, and no way was he willing to share either. He wrote this off as a momentary lapse of judgement on Eren's part. Now, he just wanted Eren back in his arms.
Eren had enough of the silence. He stood up "I'm out of here." He went to push past Levi, but he was grabbed and pulled into a tight embrace. No, no! He couldn't do this. He didn't deserve this. He had almost made a mistake. Why was Levi here? Why was he like some guardian angel saving him. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. Levi felt so warm, and smelled so good. Eren didn't want to get lost in those arms. He didn't deserve this forgiveness and happiness.
"Eren..." He heard the sadness in Levi's tone, and it hurt deep down in his soul. He looked down, and saw those familiar steely grey eyes. They were full of sadness. He went slack jawed, and his tears flowed "Levi!" He cried, wrapping himself tighter into those arms. They embraced for awhile and left the bar together.
Erwin and Armin watched the whole thing, braced and ready to rush if need be. They didn't have to, and when Eren and Levi left together they smiled at one another and clinked their glasses together in celebration.
They found themselves walking and talking around the town. There was a lot that needed to be talked about, and Levi started it "I don't think I did anything without thinking, Eren. You generally interested me, and you were cute. That is the whole reason I approached you. Anything after that was pure chance, and I was lucky. I...dammit, I care about you, Eren. These past few days have been fucking torture. My house is a mess, I'm a mess, everything is a mess. I need you back. Seeing you flirting with another guy, I wanted to rip out his fucking throat for seeing your smile. So will you take me back?"
"Levi, I never let go. I was upset, and may have over reacted just a little, but the initial shock hurt. I wasn't thinking clearly, and I'm sorry. I owe you so much for keeping me from making a huge mistake. I have to ask you something."
"For you, I'm an open book."
"I know you can't tell me you love me, but I want to hear something. Some kind of affirmation that you care."
Levi chuckled "It's funny you say that. I got you something. I was going to give it to you during dinner, but that backfired," Levi reached in his coat pocket for a box "It's not much, but I had it made just for you." He opened the box, and it was a simple silver chain with the design of Levi's tattoo hanging on the end, done in black and white metals.
Eren's eyes went wide "Levi, it's beautiful. I love it."
"I got it after you seemed intrigued by it on my back. Figured we could match, in a way." Levi pulled out the necklace, and motioned Eren to come down to his level, and fastened the chain around his neck. He smirked "It looks good on you, brat." He cupped the boy's face, and looked into those sparkling aquamarine eyes "I care about you, Eren. I have a question for you now."
Eren looked up from his necklace, and to Levi. He cocked his head to the side, as he saw Levi looking a little flustered with pink cheeks. He looked slightly annoyed, and utterly adorable "I thought about this, and I don't need an answer right away. I know you might need time to think. Do you, maybe want to move in with me? Just a preliminary thing! See if we are truly compatible. To be honest, I miss when you aren't there, and I would enjoy waking up to your smile every morning."
Eren inhaled sharply, and grabbed his necklace "S-seriously? Really?"
"I don't say something unless I mean it. Don't answer right away. Think about it."
"Isn't this moving a little fast? We haven't known each other for very long."
"It feels like, I've known you a lifetime, brat. We could do a trial run. Stay a week, see how it goes. Am I still invited to dinner with your parent's dinner?"
"Yes, of course! I want you to meet my mom. Not so much my dad, but definitely my mom! And the trial run sounds great!" Eren quickly embraced Levi, and smiled when he felt a kiss placed on his forehead. He had forgiven everything before an apology was uttered. What happened, and why it happened, didn't matter any more. What mattered was that here, now, Levi cared so Eren. And Eren cared for Levi. Even though they hadn't been together for very long, the way they felt for one another, was indescribable. It was love in the deepest sense, even if they didn't say it to one another. Those words weren't needed. Being together, proved their adoration for each other.
"Well let's go get your stuff. You will stay this weekend anyway, so just stay the whole week with me." Levi said, grabbing Eren's hands, and giving the boy a rare smile "Grab your art supplies too."
Eren nodded happily. He sent Armin a text, packed up a weeks worth of things, and was at Levi's home in a flash.
Levi decided that they needed to talk and set the ground rules, before falling into happy living together. While Levi made tea and got snacks, Eren took off his necklace and placed it on the easel. He sighed "I can't just draw the wings...I need something so the white shows up better. What do you think, old man?" he asked, cheekily smiling at Levi.
Levi handed Eren a tea cup, as he walked over and stared at the blank canvas. He took a drink, holding the cup by the rim "Green background."
"You drink tea so weird. Anyway, green? Really? Why?"
"Fuck you! I'll drink my tea how I damn well please. I don't know why, but a deep forest green would look really good." Levi then walked over to one of his plush couches, and sat down. He pat the seat next to him "Let's talk brat."
"I feel like I'm about to get lectured by my dad." Eren muttered. He plopped down next to Levi, and put his tea cup down on the coffee table.
"No, we just need to work out our relationship, and also rules about living here."
"There are rules to living at your place? Aren't we supposed to see if we can stand each other without rules."
"Fuck that! This is to see if you can live by my rules."
Eren sighed, and rolled his eyes "Lay them on me."
"One, this place stays fucking clean. Not picked up, clean. I want perfection, not good enough. Two, we split any chores. We are a team. There is no delicate chores or manly chores. We split them, evenly. Three, I love that you paint. Being an artist is great, but if you spill anything on the floor, it better be cleaned immediately. Four, sometimes I bring my work home with me with me. So when that happens, leave me the fuck alone. Unless I want you to distract me, which may be often. Five, if you need anything, anything at all, ask me. I told you, I want to spoil you, so just ask." he stopped to take a drink from his cup.
"So do my chores, leave you alone, and ask if I need something?"
"That's the gist of it. Can you handle it brat?"
"Well of course, I'll help the old man clean his house. I'll do all the heavy labor."
"Brat, I will fucking destroy you. Remember I'm a lawyer, I can make myself seem innocent."
Eren laughed "Yes play along like you're a distraught boyfriend...well something. We don't actually have a title."
They talked, and laughed well into the night. Confessing fears, and discussing dreams. They really got to know one another. Levi also cleared up any fears that Eren may have had about anything. They truly, and honestly, wanted to be together. And that night, Levi showed Eren the depths of his feelings, as they made slow sensual love. Taking their time to savor every taste, smell, sight, sound, and touch of each other. To adore gasps of air, or sweat soaked skin. An act so passionate and full of love, that at the climax, Eren had to wipe his tears away. This was love, this was adoration. And everything they had been through together, or would go through together was completely unexpected.
This was going to be one hell of a week.