Let this be our prayer

Chapter 11.

I'm most certain you've been told at some point that everything happens for a reason. Suppose something does happen for a reason. Would you sill believe said reason if it meant you explaining you're searching for someone from a past life?

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Erwin spoke up, "When I walked by that tea shop, I saw him." He leaned closer towards Levi, "I saw Eren Yeager, Levi. He's alive."

Levi went completely stiff at hearing the name.

"I found out absolutely everything about him. Hanji helped me gather information about him. He lives in Shinganshina and attends the same university as Mikasa. Levi, if you say the word, I can have you and Eren immediately in the same room. All you have to do is tell me."

Eren...?

Alive...?

Ever since he had found out Eren's name, there was a drive in him that simply told him he needed to find out if the brunet was even alive.

Given how there were no leads regarding his existence, he thought it was his past life playing tricks on him again.

But now hearing the news he had longed for, he wasn't quite sure how to feel.

To be completely honest, there was a part of him that wanted him to give up because of how him knowing Eren branched off.

Perhaps settle down with someone else.

Yet, the very thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Then again you are in a small relationship of sorts with your brother. So, you're not exactly a saint either.

Erwin noticed his friend's silence, "I'm sorry for suddenly throwing this at you, Levi. I just know how much you've been looking for him, and I just thought this would help you."

"I-It did. Just..." The raven leaned back in his seat, chewing on his bottom lip.

"You don't have to immediately give me your answer right now. If you still want Eren, just know that I can have him here fast."

Levi nodded, still not completely all there, "Yeah, thank you."

"Think it over and let me know."

The blonde excused himself and closed the door behind him.

Levi could faintly hear his friend telling Rico to leave him alone for the afternoon.

Normally such a thing would annoy him because he was the only one who told his secretary to leave him alone.

But in this case, he really needed the afternoon to himself.

And figure out why the inside of his mouth still tasted like ash.

Rico must have contacted one of his parents because he was told that his mother went to go pick up Farlan, and that his brother would be spending the night over at their parents.

Such a decision was fine with him because he's not sure if he could face the blonde at the moment.

There was too much internal conflict going on with him right now.

But why now? He asked himself this as he blindly tossed his suit jacket onto the couch as he laid down.

He wanted this, so why the fuck was he hesitating?

Eren was his happiness.

It was where his heart lied.

Eren was the reason why he tried so hard to find out who he was when he couldn't remember his name in the beginning.

Why he wanted those vivid green eyes to be a real thing and stare at them for the rest of his days.

And yet, knowing all this, he was still hesitating.

Was it because he felt he would be robbing Eren of his youth?

During that time, he dated some and hung out with friends, but there was never anything serious that made him stay at his old apartment.

Would Eren even want to give up his freedom and come with him? Even at this point, Levi was dead certain he would settle down with the brunet given the chance.

Did the young man have someone he was in love with? It would be completely selfish of him to make Eren give up that.

His phone went off on the coffee table making him reluctantly reach for it.

It was from Mikasa, a video attachment.

Putting in his code, he felt his breath punched out of him.

On the screen was Eren.

The brunet fidgeted for a second before looking at the small camera, squinting slightly, "Is this thing recording?"

Levi left out a soft huff of amusement.

Eren then gave a nod once he saw it was recording, "So, I don't know you personally, but Mikasa has talked a lot about you. She really looks up to you, ya know? When she got that call from her mom earlier, she looked real worried. It took a friggin miracle to calm her down and not make the trip back to Trost."

Wowza, the budget on a college student to come back from there would certainly put a damper on her grocery list.

"I really thought she would start crying when she heard you weren't feeling too well. Mikasa really loves you and while she might try to hide it with tough love sometimes, I know she would easily drop everything and rush to your side even if you only got a goddamn paper cut."

Honestly, he doesn't doubt that. As a child, Mikasa thought he needed to go to the hospital for a simple paper cut.

"And I know Mikasa is really important to you too. But just from the stories she's told me, she knows that you would just try to hide everything and not tell anyone what was wrong. Your brother Farlan must agree too. I practically had to wrestle her phone away so she wouldn't message her younger brother to check up on you. Even if your entire family is worried, sometimes you just need some alone time to figure things out. Which now that I think about it takes back my previous statement about needing to not bottle up your feelings. I'm not a straight A student if you couldn't tell."

Again, not surprised by that.

"My point is, I hope you get better. Cause if not, I'll gladly drive Mikasa down to Trost and knock some sense into you. Which, honestly, I don't think Kasa would mind. And..I guess I wouldn't either. I'd get to meet you. Still feels kinda weird to send your friend a video message to her brother who you've only heard about through stories."

Ordinarily yes, but in this case, he finds that he doesn't mind.

"Yeah, so, I hope you get better. And I hope to meet you sometime soon, Levi."

The video then ended with him getting goosebumps on his body.

Hearing Eren say his name left him too satisfied.

And if he shamelessly ended up saving that video just to stare at the brunet, well, nobody but him had to know.

It's a rare day that Levi takes a day off from work, but today, he knew his mind would be elsewhere.

He called Rico early in the morning, and all his secretary said was about fucking time, Ackerman.

Instead of staying home, Levi ended up driving to his parents house.

Every time he looked at the house, he felt an overwhelming nostalgia.

Letting out a small puff of breath, he knocked on the door and heard his mother coming from the kitchen.

"Oh Levi, come in dear!" She closed the door behind him once he walked in.

"Your father is in the living room, I was just getting something prepared for desert later in the evening. Go on."

He nodded and walked into the living room, "Hey dad."

Kenny looked up towards his son, "Hey kiddo."

Levi sat down next to him and both watched the news in silence.

"You had your mother worried when that secretary of yours called yesterday."

"Sorry about that."

Kenny reached over and pat his son's back, said man leaning forward from his place on the couch, elbows propped up, hands bunched up into fists, and his jaw resting on them quite uncomfortably.

"You know you can talk to us about anything that's on your mind."

"I know."

"I also know your hiding something."

"I know."

"You can talk whenever you feel ready."

"I know."

His mother came back from the kitchen, sitting beside his dad and all of them sat in silence for a while.

"How do you go about admitting you're in love with someone?"

Kuchel turned to her son, her eyes warm, "Well, Levi, it takes a lot of certainly from oneself."

Kenny nodded in agreement, "It does, kiddo. People nowadays go around saying I love you like it's nothing, but are really scared to say it to someone who really matters."

Levi swallowed nervously, hurting his throat slightly in the process, "What if they're noticeably younger than you and more inexperienced?"

"Look at me and your mother, she was just the same. Noticeably younger and inexperienced just like the person you're telling us about."

His mother nodded, "I'll admit, there are people that are going to judge you based on appearances. It will be hard to find a balance between caring and not caring what people think. But, I've learned, that the opinions of people who truly matter are the ones you should care about."

Levi took in the advice silently, until his dad spoke, "Kiddo, think about this person for a second, and then try to describe what you feel."

Describe what he feels towards Eren?

"God, he's like a fucking whirlwind, never stays in place, always has to have that damn desire to want to go somewhere and drag others with him because he says it's not fun unless everyone is there with him."

He stays quiet again, until a small smile makes it way onto his face, "He's got these damn bright eyes, the greenest I've ever seen, and his hair always looks like a modified version of bedhead. His laugh, I want to hear it all the time and only that because it means he's happy and I want to keep him that way for as long as I can."

His parents exchanged a smile as they listened, "He always went on and on about the ocean because he really wanted to see the waves come crashing onto the sand, wanted to get a sea shell and see if he really could hear the ocean in it."

Levi smiled down at his hands, which were now comfortable resting on his knees, "He had this thing about holidays and would always nag me about getting in the spirit of everything. Even if it was goddamn daylights savings, would always say it was a big event and needed to be celebrated in someway. So, I would tell him let's celebrate with one more damn hour of sleep."

Kuchel carefully wiped away a stray tear. So much emotion was going through her hearing her son talk about someone with so much love on his face and it being even more clear in his voice.

"He would yell at me whenever I was working myself too hard and would force me to go outside because I would get backaches from staying in my chair for too long. Said something about me becoming a grumpy old man faster."

Kenny let out a quiet snort, completely agreeing with the young man his son was telling them about.

Levi chuckled softly, "I remember the first time he brought me tea. It was nothing but burnt tea water. He looked so disappointed in himself, and would make me tea everyday until he got it right. The look on his face was priceless when I told him it was exactly how I liked it."

His parents rolled their eyes. Knowing how their eldest son was very picky when it came to his tea and would except nothing less than the perfect cup.

The room went silent for some time, no one speaking, only the television providing them with background noise.

"I love him." Such a confession sent a warm feeling throughout his body.

Kuchel let out a small sigh, a loving smile on her face, "Well, dear, then you've your answer. Even without saying that, everything else told us right away you hold strong feelings for this young man."

Kenny nodded, fake gagging, which resulted in him getting a gentle hit from his wife.

"Well kiddo, what are ya waitin' for? Relocate your balls and tell that kid how you feel."

Normally such a crude statement would result in him glaring at his father, but the man spoke nothing but the truth.

Levi stood up, a look of determination on his face, "You're right. I need to tell him."

He kissed his mother's cheek and shook his father's hand as he left, a positive aura surrounding him.

Kuchel and Kenny watched from the living room window as their son drove, off a smile on his face.

"There goes our solider."

Kenny nodded, an arm around his wife, "Yeah. There he goes."

"Our humanity's strongest."

They shared a smile, "May the wings of freedom guide you, Levi."

When Levi arrived home some hours later, he noticed his younger brother was in the living room, doing his homework.

The blonde looked up when he saw the other male come in, "Hey, Lee, you're late coming home. I thought you didn't work today."

Rico had sent him a message during his lunch at school to let him know the raven didn't come in today.

"Ah, sorry about that. I had some important personal errands to run."

Farlan raised a brow at the happy look on his brother's face, "What's up? It's not like you to take a personal day off."

"Like I said Farlan, some important personal stuff. I'll be in my office until it's time to make dinner, make sure you let me know what you want today."

The raven walked right passed him, not noticing the sour look on the other's face.

"Levi? What do I owe the pleasure of you calling me?"

"I'm calling about that offer you told me yesterday in my office." He was currently sitting on top of his desk, something he would normally never do.

"You've made up your mind about this? You looked rather uncertain about it when I first mentioned it."

"I was yes. But, thinking about it today, I realized that this is something that will complete me. Erwin, that kid made me happy."

"I am well aware that he did. Which is why it was so refreshing to see our captain not have a ten foot pole up his butt because of some young man who popped out of nowhere."

Levi laughed, catching his friend slightly off guard, "Yeah, I'll be honest, it was a nice time. Which is why, I want to meet up with him."

"Is there any particular way in which you want this to be done?"

"I found out he's friends with Mikasa, so, maybe something involving her."

"Hmm, perhaps there might be something."

"What's that?"

"Our company annually holds a day for siblings to come and assist the workers and get a feel for what they do everyday. Perhaps, I could extend an invitation to Mikasa and pass it off for her brother simply missing her. Maybe even tell her to bring her friends, as it would be a good cool down time considering all college students need one."

"If you think it will work, then go ahead, eyebrows."

"Levi?"

"Hmm?"

"I really hope that Eren can make you happy again as he did in the past. I miss seeing you so blissfully happy."

"Yeah, me too, Erwin. Eren always did have that effect on me."

The two kept chatting away, with Levi unaware that his brother was standing outside his office, listening the whole time.

Dinner went on without much trouble, Farlan helping out and both chatting about their days.

Levi was sitting on the couch, and the blonde on the floor, doing his homework on the coffee table.

The raven was still spacing off when all of a sudden he was pushed down onto the couch, his brother hovering over him, "Farlan, what are you doing?"

"I still have three days left of this agreement, Lee."

Damn, that's right, he did.

Farlan leaned down and harshly sucked on the other's neck, making him squirm at the pleasant feeling.

"H-hey, don't leave marks."

"I can since you're mine right now."

Leaving multiple marks, Farlan cupped Levi's face and kissed him, the heat he was feeling being passed onto the other.

For what felt like forever, the blonde picked up his brother and made their way towards the bedroom, continuing to kiss him until he made the other completely forget himself in pleasure.

"You think there's an ocean out there somewhere?"

"Maybe brat. Who knows? Until we take down these damn titans, we won't know for sure."

Some years had gone by and they were able to move more freely about the terrain since the population of the titans were diminishing.

The Survey corps was once again flourishing with good troops and the support from the walls they were slowly gaining back.

Information they never thought possible was coming back at a steady pace from the missions that Armin and Hanji were leading.

Eren glanced at his partner, the raven rubbing his hand through the stubble growing on his face, "You should shave sometime soon."

Levi nodded, the prickly hair beginning to bother him. However, since he had been working so hard these past few days, he hardly found himself giving a shit about his appearance.

That and Eren had once said the stubble felt nice when he kissed him. And no, he didn't keep it for that reason.

"Hey, Levi?"

"Hmm?"

"When we do find the ocean, you'll be right beside me, right?"

"Of course. Someone's got to keep you in line."

"And what better than that someone being you?"

The smile Eren gave him let him feeling very content.

"Now wake up, I think I hear a phone ringing."

"Huh?" Phones didn't exist in this world.

"Come on," Eren gestured next to him, "I think it might be important."

Levi slowly woke up to the sound of his phone actually ringing.

Moving the blonde's arms away from him, he reached out and picked up his phone, his voice still rough with sleep, "Hello?"

"Lee? Oh thank god you picked up."

The raven woke up once he heard the panicked voice of his father, "Old man, what's wrong?"

"Wake up Farlan and get ready, Mikasa's in the hospital."

Levi felt his body and blood run cold.

Not Mikasa. No, never Mika. Not his precious little sister.

"Get a move on Levi! Your mother and I will be over in half an hour, get a bag and shove necessary shit in there. We're leaving for Shinganshina."

Even when his father hung up, Levi sat still on the edge of his bed, his phone beeping from the call being ended, and his ears ringing.

Why things couldn't be simple, he would never fucking know.

End of chapter 11.