…Pink Camellia...

/Warning/: This chapter contains, cursing, sadness, a little bit of violence, and drowning (?), fluff, and everyone being brats! Maybe times skip (?), and who knows what! All reviews are appreciated.

"Talking"

"Thinking"

….Dreams or flashbacks….

Chapter 5

So after that epic coming out of the closet, everything changed for Eren and Levi. Was it because of their friends or their surroundings, it didn't matter for the two. Their friends were the ones who changed the most after learning about the two of them, Hanji, of course, was supportive, she was the one who stood up for them the most and punches every female who said bad things about them, thank God for Petra or Hanji would have been expelled from school. Petra, Erd, Gunther, and Oluo, were surprisingly understanding bunch, they respect the two of them and even stood up for them, Eren counted on them to protect Levi, after all it seems like the teen always throw himself in troubles, Eren wondered if he had to put him in a bubble and watch him for 24/7 but that thought was for another time. Mike to Hanji's delight congratulate the two about them coming out, he was understanding and supportive fella, stating that his uncle was gay and he understands what the two of them are going through right now… it was Erwin that made Eren scowl and huff, he seems to be embarrassed to even be near the two of them, or be seen standing beside them, it made Levi uncomfortable to be beside Erwin, mainly because it seems like the older man lied to him, and because he was giving Levi the cold shoulder every time he tried to talk to him. Eren took it as his mission to always be with Levi when he had to talk to Erwin because, for the life of him, Eren doesn't trust that blond giant.

It seems though that Eren's overprotectiveness of Levi was wildly misinterpreted by their fellow students because students liked to gossip (Too much for Eren's liking) a rumor had spread all around the school about the two of them. Well, it states that Eren and Levi were dating and the two of them not confirming the rumors or denying them was confirmation as it is. The two of them just let the students say whatever they want, what matters to Eren is that no one was hurting Levi and it seems like no one did in fear of Eren kicking their asses. Eren may have taken advantage of that rumor so he let it be.

Another thing that became popular in the school, is Eren being the unofficial guardian of the LGBTQIA community in school, every time someone wants to come out they go to Eren and ask for his protection from the bullies, because let's face it, bullies are more scared of Eren then everyone else in the school. and Levi is the person who knows firsthand what bullies are like, always says 'Yes'… it's the reason why half of the school suddenly came out of the closet in peace, in what they liked to call the peaceful time of Eren's era… which made Eren's friends laugh so hard they fell from their chairs, it doubled the laugh when Mikasa and Armin pester Eren to join him in his noble quest of protecting the innocents…

Eren didn't have anything to say to that, he was done…

So midterms come and gone, and now it was spring breaker. After lots and lots of arguing, thinking, and planning! The gang (And their whole families, don't forget them) decided to go to the ocean, it just happened that the Ackermans owned a huge beach house, so everyone was looking forward to going and enjoy their two weeks there… everyone but Levi.

So Eren being the good friend (And Protector) he was, went to ask (Pester) Levi about the reason he seemed to hate the ocean… he may have wanted to take Levi with him to go scuba dive, but the teen's face always became white at the mention of large buds of water. So after lots of arguing between the two and Eren promising Levi not to laugh at him a thousand times maybe? Levi told him why he hates the ocean…

Unsurprisingly it turns out that Levi can't swim (Eren suspect that. After all the teen nearly faint when his friends wanted to go swimming in Erwin's house, not to mention the ocean…) surprisingly the reason for Levi not knowing how to swim, wasn't his father trying to teach him important shit and going over survival necessity… no, it was childhood trauma…

It goes back 11 years ago, when Levi not so surprisingly got kidnapped, it was a rainy day and the driver was an idiot speeding on a slippery road, it ends up with the car going over the bridge, the driver died on the impact, but Levi was able to survive… not without some serious trauma, and a huge fear of water…

Eren had to promise Levi over a million times that he will be there and won't let Levi drown, for Levi to even think about going to the ocean, thankfully it seems like Kuchel was able to calm her teenage son even more, by promising to take him to the town so he can sit in a café with her while the others enjoy their fun.

So today was finally the day!

Everyone packed their belonging and put them in the Charter bus their parents rented. And Eren had to say he met a lot of interested characters, Armin's grandfather was a sweet person, though at first, he did look at Eren like he saw a ghost, but after that he pats Eren on the head and gave him a cookie, which made Armin and Mikasa pout and demand one, only for the older man to laugh at that and tells them to wait, Eren shared his with Levi for the raven-haired boy had a sweet tooth from hell. Petra's father was a funny man, he always jokes around and embarrasses Petra making the teen blush so hard Eren had to hide his laugh as her blush. Oluo's parents made it their mission to embarrass Oluo in front of Petra, so Eren took it as them knowing about his crush on the strawberry blond teen. Eren and Hanji met Mike's older sister Nanaba, she and Eren clicked right away, was it because of their smarts or their combative personalities no one knew, but it ends with Levi dragging Eren away and glaring at the older woman making everyone laugh at that, Mike must have whispered something to Nanaba, for the blond woman's face lights up at that and start giggling like a maniac. Erd's and Gunther's parents were cool, both of their fathers work with the police force, and were friends since college, and their mothers owned a bakery, they even brought lots of their delicious cakes and sweets with them, Eren had to hold Levi back or the teen would have jumped at the boxes… the only drawback was Erwin's parents… well, his father that is, Eren was sure that the man's ego could fill a country and there will still be some left, the man always talked about his achievements like he was some big shot to be praised… Eren may have embarrassed him by mentioning his failed achievements, and mentioning some political points that the older man either didn't know about or gloss over… Erwin's mother gave him thumbs up and a smile, when her husband walked away from Eren, huffing and puffing his chest… the rest of the adults tipped their invisible hats to Eren.

So, in the end, everyone was sitting comfortably in their seats, talking, arguing, and laughing. Eren was beside Levi discussing their plan for the vacation, so far the two of them decided to go to the town and walk around the old shops and taking the history of the place, Levi even said that there may be a carnival so the two of them can go, Eren was also informed that the town they are going to host the best artists, Levi ever saw… a subject for another time… Eren never saw Levi's eyes light up at anything other than if someone mentions art.

So the two of them were having fun talking until Hanji decided to be a little shit… a big shit than normal… it starts with her singing about them kissing, that made Armin and Mikasa squeal and sing with her… Do you know that idiot song about a tree? That was their song. Anyway it was all good laugh and humor and Eren shaking his head and Levi blushing in embarrassment… until Erwin who was still annoyed at Eren for embarrassing his father, butts in… his song was disturbing on a whole different level… "Eren and Levi sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G, First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes an abrupt and tragic miscarriage, then comes blame, then comes despair, two hearts broken beyond repair, Eren leaves Levi, and takes the tree, D-I-V-O-R-C-E…" Needless to say, Mikasa and Armin were left crying making the adults turn to them and ask what's wrong, they all just pointed to Erwin who was already getting his ear pulled by Eren. Their friends gave Erwin the cold shoulder until he finally apologizes to Eren and Levi… who was disturbed on a whole new level… Eren hoped that Erwin learned his lesson after that epic ear-pull.

Anyway, it was three hours later when they finally reached the beach house… beach mansion? You decide because for the life of him Eren can't say the word house is the correct term to describe what he was seeing… Eren and Levi's ends up sharing a room which made Hanji throw kissy faces at the two, and it ends with Eren throwing his shoes at her… it made Levi wonder what's up with Eren and throwing his shoes around the place…

The rest of the day was fun, they all unpacked their belonging, the girls sharing a room, and the boys in one room, the only people who had their separated rooms were the adults… and Eren and Levi who shared Levi's room (Which was teasing material for Hanji) and Mikasa and Armin who shared Mikasa's room (Which made Levi glare daggers at the poor mushroom, until Eren dragged him away) anyway it was fun.

Their first day there, they just walked around the town, taking the sights and enjoying what the locals had to offer, Eren was dragged by Mikasa, Armin, and Levi all around the place, Hanji following him only to laugh her ass off and to have a blackmailing material to threat him with in the future… she forgets that Eren doesn't get embarrassed that easily…

Eren though learned lots about his friends and enjoyed their day… he saw how Levi's eyes lighten up as they fell on the local artists who were busy painting the sights or drawing silly caricature pictures to the people who paid them… Eren made a note to buy Levi a sketchbook… he did buy a blue-gray one after making Hanji distract their friends… he may have given Hanji a blackmailing material on him that day… but it was worth it.

In the evening they all sat around a bonfire that the adults prepared, they all sat there laughing and talking with each other, Levi joked with him about his father originally being a cowboy, it was Mikasa who pointed at her father who was wearing a black cowboy hat and the Harmonica in his hand… it made everyone gaze at Kenny who starts playing the Harmonica… he was a good player that's for sure, Eren was fascinated by the music he watched Kenny like a hawk, trying to learn how he was playing.

"Oh, come on Mr. Ackerman! Play some more." It is surprisingly Eren who asked that, which made Kenny look at the kid and smirk.

"Why don't you play us, something kid, it's not fair to leave all the work to the adults." He said throwing his black Harmonica to Eren, who catch it before it falls on the sand. Eren gaze at the Harmonica turning it in his hand, he gazes at Levi who was looking at him eagerly and hums at that.

All the eyes turned to Eren looking at him eagerly; some of them even expect Eren to give the Harmonica back and laugh it off. But to their surprise he gave it a testing blow and start playing, everyone was surprised at how good Eren was playing, some of them even though that Eren knew how to play, when Eren was done he gave the Harmonica back to Kenny, who was gazing at him with approval… in the end, it was Hanji who pointed out that Eren was able to learn how to play just from watching Kenny playing one song because Eren had never seen a Harmonica until now… it made them all wonder how smart the kid was…

They all had fun that night, talking, laughing, and eating. It was fun, it made Eren look forward to tomorrow and seeing the ocean…

If only he knew what tomorrow hid…

ExL

The next day you can find everyone sitting near the beach. The adults were either sitting or talking happily (The mothers) or preparing grill and talking about sport (Fathers) as for the teens, the girls were sitting on the sands talking and laughing, Mikasa, Armin, and Hanji took it upon themselves to build the biggest sandcastle there is, and some girls shriek at the idiot boys that throw the ball at them.

Eren and Levi were walking along the beach, with Levi far, far, far! Away from the beach without making it obvious for his friends, they were talking about art… will more of Eren questioning Levi about art and Levi answering with happy smile… Eren never knew there was lots of technics to hold a small brush, Eren even asked if Levi was intended to become an artist… he was met with silence, which confirms one of his theories.

"Eren!" They both heard Hanji calling for them which made the two stop and wave to Hanji. "Come with me! Mom says we have to bring more water bottles!" Hanji shouted, it made Eren sighs and look at Levi getting the teen's approval before running toward Hanji so the two of them can finish their mission fast.

"Hey, Levi! Come play with us!" Erwin yelled loudly, making Levi gaze at Erwin and some strange teens playing in the water, Erwin it seems had met a few strange teens and become buddy, buddy with them.

"No, thank you!" Levi shouted back and starts walking toward his sister and Armin, humming a little as he saw Mikasa look up and wave to him making Levi wave back. Suddenly Levi felt himself being pulled back and being raised high. "What the fuck? Let me go!" Levi shouted as he tried to wiggle himself away from whoever took hold of him.

"Not until you come and play with us…" Erwin laughed as he walked toward his new friends, they all were laughing not paying attention to how Levi was struggling, and panic by the second as he saw them walk toward the deep end. "Now let's play!" Erwin laughed throwing Levi in the water…

Levi's body tense as he was thrown into the water, the cold water was a shock to his system making him yell and choke at the water that entered his mouth. Oh, God, oh, God, Oh, God! He was going to die! Levi kicked his legs and arms trying to go up, but he didn't know where was up and was down… he was drowning… he was drowning and no one was coming to save him… a shape in the water that was coming closer to him, it made him scream in fear… he opened his mouth and the liquid rushed in his mouth making him choke…

Levi felt someone talking a hold of his arm, and then he was pulled, a few seconds later he was above water coughing the salty liquid, he felt his body being dragged away which made him tries to look up at his savior, his vision was blurry but he was pretty sure it was Eren who pulled him away. Levi flinches as he felt the water splashing his face and he struggled away from the water, his breath coming out in short puffs… Oh, God… he can't breathe, he can't breathe, he can't breathe! He tried to scream, but there was no voice for him to scream with, it made Levi scream harder and thrash hoping to get his body away from his supposed tomb. "Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" He was so sure that his lungs were about to burst open, he wants out, out, out of here!

"Levi!" he heard someone shouting followed by a stinging feeling in his cheek, it made him look up and he saw Eren looking at him with concern look, Levi let a sob at that and fell on Eren's chest holding him tightly… Oh, God, he nearly died. He sobs holding Eren tightly afraid that if he let go he will drown.

There was screaming in the distant making him shiver and hold Eren, and when he felt a touch on his shoulder he starts screaming, he throws himself into Eren's embrace away from everyone else… Oh, God. He didn't want to return underwater! He felt Eren rub his back and whisper something in his ear, but he wasn't focused at that, he only wanted to be away from whatever the hell he was.

"I didn't know…"

"Can…"

"… The ambulance…"

"I will take him to his room…"

"I should…"

"No…"

"… Panicking..."

Another touch to his shoulder and it made Levi jump and held his scream, trying to crawl away. "I will take care of this…" He felt himself being carried away making him shouts and screams at that. "Shh, Levi, it's me… you remember my promise, right?" He heard someone whisper in his ear, which made him stop screaming and hold tightly into Eren, hiding his face in Eren's neck… sobbing…

Levi didn't leave his room for three days…

ExL

Lots of things changed after that day…

Eren was the most affected by the events than everyone else, everyone can see it, but no one dared to mention it… they can see it in the way Eren will gaze at the wall with a blank face, sipping his hot coffee without reacting, in the way Eren will turn his eyes to the ocean and you can see the hate there… as for Eren, he can't look at the ocean anymore, his once love for the big sea turns into hate… for every time he gazed at the sea, he could only see Levi drowning, calling for help as the waves crash him to the bottom… it made him sick… he avoids looking at the sea for a long time after that.

Levi on the other hand, wouldn't allow anyone to enter his room, he locked himself inside, and the only one who can enter the room without being yelled at was Eren, even Kuchel wasn't allow to see her son, as he always hide in the en-suit bathroom if she even dare to knock at the door. It made Kuchel sad, and maybe a little bit jealous of how Eren can enter her son's room without being considered as a threat… it made her feel helpless.

Erwin tried to apologies as much as he can, he couldn't believe a harmless joke nearly ends up with someone's death, he didn't know why his body refuses to move when he can see Levi clearly struggling not to drown… he thanked God that Mikasa ran to Eren for help... if she hadn't… no one wants to think about what would have happened…

On the third day, you can see a growling Eren with a sketchbook and coloring pencils and pens walked to his room, Kuchel was already near the door trying to make Levi leave his room to eat something, she moved aside as she saw Eren walk to the room with a scowl on his face, she left after Eren gave her a nod and entered the room.

When Eren entered the room, he frowned as he saw Levi hiding under his sheets on the bed, it made him sigh but he walked toward the teen and pulled the sheets away making Levi squeak at that and throw a glare at Eren… only to fidget as he saw Eren scowling at him. "Draw me something." Eren said throwing the sketchbook and pens toward Levi…

"What…?" Levi gaze at the blue-gray sketchbook and the pens and coloring pencils, he then gazes at Eren who was still scowling but seat himself on the window seat.

"Draw me something, anything I don't care, just draw!" Eren says, resting his back to the window and narrowing his eyes at Levi, he saw the teen fidget a little before taking the sketchbook and open it… a few minute later and Levi sighs taking one of the pencils and start sketching, it made Eren relax at that and looked at the window frowning as his eyes fell on the ocean. "I'm afraid of falling in love…" Eren said after an hour or so making Levi lookup but didn't speak, letting Eren continue. "My mom… she lost everything because she fell in love… I'm afraid that I'm going to ends up like her if I did…" Eren sighs at that resting his head on the window looking out at the sky.

"I don't know what to say… and I will probably say something stupid if I opened my mouth." That made Eren snort but Levi considers it a win when he saw Eren's lips twitch into a smile. "But I don't think that anyone has the power to stop themselves from falling in love… everyone is a little bit afraid of falling in love… those who admit it and follow their hearts… those are the bravest of us…" Levi said returning to his sketch.

Eren laughed at that and shook his head. "Yeah, I guess I'm not one of them, after all." Eren said making Levi look at Eren from his sketchbook, he then smiled at Eren and shook his head.

"I'm done… I have to warn you though… I suck at drawing." Levi said standing up to hand the sketchbook to Eren… Eren took the sketch and he had to hold his breath at the beautiful drawing… Levi had drawn Eren while the teen was sitting at the window seat looking at the sky, the drawing may have been pretty much basic, but Eren could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"Well, if this is you being suck at drawing… I can't wait for you to learn how to draw… it's amazing." Eren said making Levi give a small smile at that. "Here." Eren returned the sketchbook to Levi making the older teen hold it tightly to his chest. "Every time you draw in that sketchbook… I want you to remember that I'm always going to be there for you… can you do that for me?" Eren asks making Levi look at the sketchbook then at Eren, he paused a little then leans to give Eren a small kiss on the lips, he leans away with a small smile that lights his face, it made Eren smile in return and for his heart to pound so wildly in his chest, Eren feared that Levi might have heard him…

Levi left his room on the fourth day

So what do you think?

Sorry for the short chapter, but I got sick earlier this week, I was even wondering if I butchered the chapter, I will leave you to decide.

Thank C&H for their amazing and disturbing song! Check their videos they are fun as much as disturbing… hehe.

Check out my new stories! If you are interested in Steve Rogers/Tony Stark stories, that is…

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Nazaki-Sama