The next week, the Maria was getting ready to dock to get some supplies.
"Change that flag!" Levi yelled up to his riggers. "We won't make it far if they see the Roger."
"Hey Levi!" Isabel said as she came down. "We're going to need more sandpaper since you made me sand the entire interior since our precious cabin boy got a sliver." She said, ending on a teasing note.
"What's with the tone Isabel?" Levi asked, cocking his only visible eyebrow. Isabel just giggled.
"Nothing, just that if it was anyone else, you'd tell them to suck it the fuck up and wait until we were on Rose to have me sand everything." Isabel said. Levi huffed and rolled his eyes as he then ignored her and went about getting ready to dock.
Once docked, everyone went their separate ways to buy what was needed, a few staying back to guard the ship. Levi went with Eren to get some more of their cleaning supplies, as was usual, but everything seemed a little different between the two. Eren was a little fidgety, not looking at Levi, but grabbing what they needed. Levi felt a little off as well, trying to wrap his head around what Erwin had said. Clicking his tongue mentally. What could that bushy browed man be thinking.
Eren was first of all a child. A baby face with beautiful tan skin, a green eye that reflected the ocean's beauty and sparkled with determination to clean, or when he argued with Jean about anything. He was tall and was getting some good upper arm muscles from all the cleaning he had been doing, and he seemed to be doing other work to beef up his legs a bit. And that ass... so Levi could now see what Erwin was talking about, but he wouldn't admit that, or allow this knowledge to change how he treated the boy.
But if Levi was going to court someone, he didn't want it to be only a physical attraction. If he wanted physical relief, he could find a man or woman in one of the ports they stop at for a night. Not that Levi would do that again. Last time had been a nightmare since the man was married, and his wife was not happy to find a pirate in her bed.
But Eren wasn't just attractive Levi slowly realised as they continued to get supplies. Eren was loyal to him, even if Levi had treated him like the barnacles attached to the bottom of his beautiful ship. Eren was a little shit, a brat, and Neptune knows he pushed all of Levi's buttons. But Levi had to admit, he was glad one of his newer crew members wasn't afraid of him, wasn't about to take his shit sitting down, and that was a nice breath of fresh air. Eren, in general, had been a breath of fresh air since he stepped on the ship. What Levi had heard and seen over the months Eren had been with the Survey Pirates, he had won over a fair share of the crew, and was very similar to Isabel in some ways, but was different in ways that attracted Levi.
Don't get Levi wrong, he loves Isabel right to death as her 'Big Bro', but Eren didn't need that like Isabel had and does. Eren needs something else, and Levi could possibly give that to him. But Levi wasn't sure still. Did he want to start a relationship with someone so young? So new? The answer, Levi will wait and see. If he finds Eren on his mind more often without needing the prompting of seeing him or thinking of Erwin's words, than Levi would act, if not, then it's all Erwin's words getting into his fucking head and he will be removing a few hairs from his Quartermaster's face.
As they loaded up, Levi sat in his cabin, looking over his maps with Farlan and Gunther.
"If the skies stay clear, we will make in to the next island in record time, and we won't need to make another port stop for at least three more months." Gunther said.
"But we should still prepare for bad weather and rough seas." Farlan said. "Or the chance that rival ships may know the treasure's location as well. We can never be too careful." Levi nodded slowly as there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Levi said, ignoring who entered until a fresh cup of tea sat in front of him. Levi looked up to see Eren putting the pot down, picking up the empty one, and turning to leave. "Wait a second brat." Levi said, causing Eren to freeze, but turn to him nonetheless. "I think I heard Erwin was having trouble with some prick down by the docks, something about not selling us rum for the price we gave, I want you to try and barter with them. I'm in the middle of something and can't be damn well bothered to deal with some stupid fucking dickhead that won't sell us some damn rum." Eren gave a single nod before leaving.
"Erwin can handle himself..." Farlan said as he watched Eren leave.
"You don't think I fucking know that?" Levi quipped. "But I need time to think a few things over and having him out of my hair will help a shit ton."
Levi regretted his decision ten minutes later when Erwin flung the door open.
"We need to leave, now." Levi didn't get to say a word before he saw Eren running past the door to get to the rooms, and loud yelling. Levi sighed, thankful that they finished loading up five minutes ago and had just been waiting on Erwin and Eren.
"What happened?" Levi asked as he stood and headed out of the cabin. "We're setting off you shits! Let's get going!" Levi yelled to the crew.
"Eren may have pissed off the rum stall salesmen." Erwin said as he watched everyone work quickly. "Good news, we got all of our rum for one gold piece, bad news...we can't come back to this port ever again." Levi let out an irritated sigh as the ship pulled away from the port and the yelling slowly began to die down. Armin, the poor soul, happened to have been walking by Levi.
"Armin." He snapped out, scaring the blond slightly. "Get the fucking cabin boy. I need to have a long discussion with him." Armin nodded and went to get his friend while Levi massaged his temples as he had the flag changed back to the Jolly Roger.