Chapter 8

POV – Levi

The night was clear and the water was calm. The heavy wind that carried the ship for most of the day had subsided by nightfall. Levi and Erwin stood on the Sterncastle deck. "How many days until we land?" Levi asked Erwin. "We have two days until arrival, Captain", replied Erwin. "Tonight I plan on talking to the new recruits about the three tria…" suddenly a loud voice that could only be recognized as Eren's cut Levi off. "Oh yeah, horse face? You're on! First one to the top of the ratlines and down again wins!" shouted Eren with a smirking grin. "Fine asshole!" Jean spat back at him. "And let's make it more interesting, shall we?" he continued. "Last one down has to scrub the deck solo till we reach land again," Jean said again with a bit of edge in his voice. "I hope you enjoy scrubbing the whole thing alone then! Let's do this," Eren shouted back.

Levi looked down at the spectacle happening down on the main deck. The rivalry between Eren and Jean had started the moment Eren had decided he was ready to start sparring again. Levi and Mikasa had both wanted him to wait a few more days before starting physical activities again, but Eren wouldn't hear it. "I'm feeling 100% no pain whatsoever!" Eren had replied to there comments and concern. Eren had made his way to the main deck while the rest of the crew sparred together. Eren had originally planned on sparring with Armin but he was practicing swordplay with Erwin when Mikasa walked over to Annie. Eren proceeded to ask Mikasa if she could alternate between them when Jean opened his stupid mouth. "I would just loooove to see someone like you take out an incredibly strong Alpha like Mikasa."

The reaction was instant. Jean's comment had infuriated Eren. Levi was positive he saw Eren's eyes flash gold. "Oh yeah, horse face? Are you saying that because you've heard from the shittiest rumors in the world that Omegas like 'me' are weak and that I couldn't take Mikasa?!" Eren yelled back. "Yeah right! Like you could take Mikasa. Pffft! I bet I could wipe this deck with your face in 5 seconds," Jean had spit back obviously triggered by the horse face comment.

Levi started to walk over to break it up until Eren had yelled, "Alright, horse face. I'll make you eat those words! Right here right now. Me vs. You. Let's go." Levi took a step back. The fire in Eren's eyes had sent shivers down his spine. He wanted to see what the brat could do. Eren and Jean had the entire main deck to themselves. The rest of the crew had made a circle around them and as soon as Mikasa yelled 'begin' Jean launched at Eren. Levi wouldn't lie and tell you that it was a bit anticlimactic. For all of Jean's taunts, Eren had finished the fight rather fast. Eren had whipped Jean right over his shoulder and down to the ground. Eren fell to the ground with him and held Jean in a head lock. Eren kept him locked until Jean had to tap out.

Levi was not completely surprised though. From the stories Eren had been telling him the last few nights as they enjoyed tea together, Eren had definitely fought and overpowered men Levi himself may have had a little trouble with. Since that first fight Jean had come to apologize to Eren later that night and they had become somewhat of rivals with one another. Competing in any little thing.

Levi looked down again just as Eren had made it back down the ratlines only seconds before Jean. Eren was jumping in victory while the rest of the crew cheered for him. Levi stood momentarily star struck. The smile and joy coming from Eren was almost too overwhelming. Levi could feel the happiness pulsing through the air in Eren's pheromones. Never in his wildest dreams did Levi think the boy they found so broken and tattered just a few weeks ago could look so happy. The strength Levi had seen in Eren had inspired him. Eren was so incredibly strong. Levi had started to learn quite a few things about Eren over the last couple of days and one being that Eren was extremely stubborn and never backed down from someone trying to oppress him. Levi would never admit out loud that Eren's fire was extremely tantalizing. Whenever Eren would get that fire in his eyes Levi could feel the shivers go down his spine. Levi shook his head and started to make his way down to the cheering crew to kick their asses back to work. Just as Levi made his way over to the cheering pirates, he watched in slow motion as Eren snagged his foot on a piece of rope and face planted right on to the deck.

Silence. Levi could swear even with the sound of waves hitting the side of the boat, a pin drop could be heard. The once cheering crew had gone instantly quiet and Eren laid not moving on the ground. Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. He had also learned over the last few days that on top of being extremely stubborn and a bit hot headed, Eren was a bit of a klutz. Levi walked to the middle of the circle and stood above Eren. "Eren...?" Levi had begun. "Yes, Captain Levi?" Eren had said with his face still on the ground. "What are you doing face down on the main deck?" Levi asked. "Well, captain sir, I am just simply inspecting the crew's cleaning job, sir." Levi watched as the rest of the crew now over the shock of Eren's face plant erupted into laughter.

Eren began to get up. Levi reached his hand out to help him to his feet. Eren took Levi's hand. Levi felt that electric shock he always felt when he touched Eren course through his body and then proceeded to pull Eren off the ground. The whole crew silenced again with a sudden gasp as they saw a steady stream of blood make its way down from Eren's nose. Levi turned holding Eren behind him and yelled to Jean who was looking particularly smug with Eren's latest tumble down. "Jean, be a good loser to your little match and scrub the deck of all the blood." Jean nodded mumbling some curses under his breath and ran to grab some cleaning supplies. "Eren, I am taking you to the infirmary," Levi said. He finally turned to the rest of his crew and spoke again. "The rest of you lazy ass crew, get back to you training exercises! Any more slacking off and you will all be scrubbing every crevice of this ship until your hands bleed. Understood?!" "Yes Captain!" shouted everyone in unison.

Levi turned again pulling softly on Eren to follow never releasing his hand and started to make his way to the infirmary. A comfortable silence fell between the two of them as they made their way down. Levi opened the door to the infirmary and looked for Hanji but she was nowhere to be seen. "Damn that shitty glasses. Never around when you need her," Levi muttered under his breath. Eren gave a small laugh and Levi turned slightly pink upon hearing the beautiful sound. "Okay, I guess I'll just fix you up then," Levi started. He led Eren to the hospital bed and Eren sat down. Levi walked over to the medical supplies, grabbed some cloth and walked back to Eren. Eren had been using his sleeve to prevent the blood from spilling all over the ground. "Tch disgusting," Levi muttered under his breath. Levi walked over replacing Eren's sleeve with the cloth. "Here, now look up and hold the bridge of your nose." Eren simply nodded his head and followed Levi's instructions. "Okay, you wait here till the bleeding stops. I'll get you a fresh shirt. Will you be good until I get back, brat?" Levi asked in a condescending Levi way. Eren simply nodded his head a slight smile tugging on his lips and Levi turned to leave the infirmary.

Levi ran quickly to the brat's quarters and simply grabbed a shirt off his bed and ran back down to the infirmary. The door was now only cracked open although Levi had remembered leaving it fully open. Levi proceeded to push the door open exposing a now shirtless Eren. Levi felt his face rush with heat as he laid his eyes over Eren's torso. Despite the incredible amount of hardship Eren had gone through in his life, there was not much scarring on him. Levi contributed it to the fact that Eren's healing ability probably prevented most scarring. Eren was definitely slimmer than Levi yet had clear toned muscles on his arms and stomach. He still looked on the thin side but altogether much healthier than when Levi had first found him.

Levi was startled from his thoughts as Eren cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah! Here's your shirt," Levi said much too quickly. Eren slipped the new shirt on and proceeded to sit back down as he buttoned the front. "Thank you, captain," Eren said quietly as he buttoned the shirt with a slight brush of pink in his cheeks. "Levi." Levi responded. "What?" Eren replied turning his head a little bit. "I told you when we are by ourselves you can call me Levi." "Oh… right… yes thank you, Levi." Eren responded again with a smile on his face. Levi felt his face burn again. He walked over quickly and gently grabbed Eren's chin and started inspecting his face. "Any other injuries from your tumble, brat?" Eren simply shook his head bashfully and turned a darker shade of red.

"You know, brat… I don't know how someone as clumsy as you has survived this long."

Levi jabbed playfully. Eren responded with a playful glare and said quite bravely, "Well sir, I'm not sure how someone as short as yourself has survived so long without being able to see over the helm." The room went silent. Levi gave the kid credit. Not many people made fun of Levi's height and were able to tell the tale. Eren simply stared right back at Levi's now more menacing glare without any desire to back down and apologize for his comment. The two simply gazed deep into each other's eyes. each of them burning with their own type of intensity.

As Levi held his eye contact, he began to think of all the interactions he had with Eren since he had woken up, since they had shared that first kiss. Levi in no way wanted to push Eren for more but he would be lying to himself if he said he didn't want more. But over the last few days the two of them had only shared simple brushing of each other's hands while passing. When they would drink tea together at night, they had begun sitting shoulder to shoulder. Eren had even began some playful flirting in their late night conversations.

Levi looked down at Eren inspecting ever piece of his face landing on his lips. Levi watched as Eren licked his lips slightly before slipping his hand behind Levi's head pulling their lips together. Levi felt instantly the lightning shoot through him again, same as the first time they had kissed. Levi wrapped his hands behind Eren's neck and pulled him in closer but was careful to not intensify the kiss too much. Levi didn't want to push Eren too hard. Levi was suddenly jolted as a small growl-like sound erupted from Eren and he whispered. "Please Levi, I want more. I'm not broken so please." Levi did not need to hear more. He instantly pulled Eren in harder and intensified the kiss. He swiped at the bottom of Eren's lips requesting entrance and Eren opened his mouth allowing Levi's tongue inside. Eren tasted incredibly sweet. Their tongues danced together until Eren surrendered to Levi allowing him to take the lead. Levi felt a fire in his abdomen almost explode as a moan escaped Eren's lips. The heated kiss lasted only a second longer until the door behind them slammed open.

"hohoho captain, sorry I interrupted" Levi heard the unmistakable sound of Hanji's voice.

The two of them shot apart with Eren turning an incredible shade of red and Levi turned around shooting glares at Hanji. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking, shitty glasses?" Levi said holding his glare. "Well captain you see this is myyyyy infirmary last I checked," Hanji cooed back playfully. "But please, by all means don't let me get in the way." Hanji simply turned around, left the room and closed the door behind her wearing an incredibly shitty grin.

"You know one of these days we will get an undisturbed kiss…" Eren said with a silent chuckle. Levi turned back to Eren returning his glare back into his usual non-emotion showing face. Levi simply sighed before answering. "So… listen Eren…" Levi didn't even know how to start this conversation. He cursed his struggle to handle his emotions. "I want you to know that I also want an incredibly undisturbed kiss… but I don't ever want to make you do something you are uncomfortable with." Eren broke the eye contact looking down. "I know, Levi, and I know you are always waiting for me to make the first move and I really really appreciate that." Eren paused a minute before continuing. "Levi… when I was on that RMP ship being brought back to my father and those Alpha's on board did the things they did to me… I thought I would never want to see another Alpha again without ripping their heads off… but being on your ship these last few weeks, I have never felt so safe and relaxed. Your crew has been so warm and inviting and I finally feel like I have a new place to call home."

Eren paused again looking back at Levi with that familiar fire in his eyes. "When I saw you at the back of that ship during the last battle surrounded by RMP, I thought you were going to die. I thought the crew was going to die. I thought Mikasa, Armin and I were going to be locked back up and shipped to my father never to see the light of day again. I realized that no matter what happened to me or anyone else in this fucked up world, we could die at any minute, you could die at any minute and the idea that I never explored what this is between us… what we could become terrified me. I would have lived the rest of my miserable tortured life regretting that I never even kissed you."

Levi stared back into Eren's fire-lit eyes and spoke. "Eren, I want you to know I am going to protect you and everyone else on this ship with my life. I care for you more than I have cared for anyone in my entire life and I refuse to lose you." Levi watched as Eren glanced quickly down to his wrist before meeting Levi's eyes again. "No Eren, not because we are 'fated mates' or whatever. Although I admit that in the beginning that was some of the driving force, over the last few days I have gotten to know you; the fire in your eyes has made me fall more in love with you than this mark on our wrist."

Levi watched as Eren's jaw slightly dropped with a few tears stinging his eyes. He nodded. "Eren, I want to win all of the trust you have lost to Alphas. Would you allow me to court you to one day be my mate?" Levi paused a moment taking in Eren's beautiful eyes looking directly into his. "I promise; you are in control of this relationship. I may be an Alpha but you are the only person in this world I will ever submit to." Eren looked back into Levi's eyes with the familiar fire burning. "I accept," Eren replied. For the first time in what felt like forever, Levi felt as the sides of his mouth curved upwards. Levi leaned down planting one last kiss on Eren's lips before helping him back to his feet. Levi grabbed Eren's hand again wrapping his fingers together with Eren's and they walked out of the infirmary.

Eren's POV ~the next morning~

Eren woke the next morning feeling as though some of the weight he carried on his shoulders was slightly lighter. It had been one of the first nights he didn't toss and turn in his sleep. Although Hanji's tea mostly left him with dreamless sleep, most of the night he could never completely relax into a deep sleep. His mind was always left somewhat awake and aware of his surroundings. Eren looked around his cabin. It was early in the morning. The sky filtering through the window was still slightly dark with only the small dim beginnings of sunrise shining in. Mikasa and Armin were still sleeping and Eren decided to allow them to sleep while he stood up first to get ready.

Eren padded softly over to the door and opened it quietly peering into Levi's quarters. Levi was not in his bed but simply sleeping in his chair like he seemed to do so frequently. Eren wondered if he ever actually slept in the bed. Eren made his way quietly over to the bathroom and closed the door. He turned the shower on and quickly rinsed himself not wanting to use too much of the hot water reserve. Eren finished his shower and wrapped a towel around himself. He then proceeded to brush his teeth and try and straighten out his hair. Quickly he became frustrated with it and decided to ask Mikasa to cut it later, it was getting much to long.

Eren reached for his clothes and cursed silently noticing he had forgotten a fresh pair of clothes in his room. "Shit." Eren mumbled under his breath. Eren left the bathroom to beeline back to his room praying Levi was still sleeping. "Good morning, brat." Eren jumped slightly from the sudden words from Levi. "Captain Levi, sorry if I woke you up. I just woke up early and decided to get ready first." Eren looked over to see Levi staring back at him seemingly frozen in his spot. Eren looked down at himself remembering again he was only wearing his towel. "Um… well… uh" Levi began to stutter. Eren could swear in the dim-lit room Levi was blushing but Levi continued on now more seemingly in control. "When you and the other brats are ready, come and see me in the navigation room." "Yes captain!" Eren said a bit louder than intended and walked into his room.

Mikasa and Armin were still sleeping. Eren used the time to dress himself and get himself ready. "My goodness, Eren, get yourself together! It's not like this is the first time someone has seen you without clothes on." Eren continued mumbling to himself as he heard Mikasa and Armin begin to stir in their cots. "Morning Armin. Morning Kasa," Eren said in a super chipper voice. "Mmmmm," Armin had responded. "Your voice is too loud, Eren. Shhh." Mikasa shot back. Neither of them had ever really been morning people. "Listen guys, I'm going up to the deck but as soon as you're ready, Captain Levi needs to see us in the navigation room," Eren told them in his more normal voice. "Okay," Armin replied. "Gotcha," Mikasa soon followed. Eren left the room and made his way up onto the deck.

Eren began his morning routine. First, Eren would head to the infirmary to give a blood sample to Hanji. This was his least favorite part of his routine being as she had to use a needle to draw the blood. Hanji was working on some super Omega suppressant medicine with Armin and Eren wanted to help any way he could. Next, he would climb to the top of the crows nest and watch the sunrise. During this time, he would talk to his mother. He would tell her everything that happened the day before. He would promise her to never stop fighting and that he would always try to greet the new day just as headstrong as the last. Usually after that Eren would proceed to start his morning task of cleaning the main deck but seeing as he had won a particularly awesome bet, he went to wake horse face instead. After an extremely amusing session of flipping Jean out of his hammock bed and being chased through the ship by an extremely pissed off Jean, Eren saw Mikasa and Armin walking towards the navigation room. Eren turned back again towards Jean and wished him luck on his cleaning, which earned him an extremely terrible glare. Eren then made his way to the navigation room with Armin and Mikasa.

"Good morning, brats." Captain Levi began. "Good morning, captain!" the trio responded. Eren glanced over and Levi was being joined by both Erwin and Hanji. Levi began speaking. "Alright brats listen up. So, as it is the three of you have joined my crew under very special circumstances. Usually people who want to join my crew go through a trial back on my home Island: Trost Island." Eren gulped his nervousness down. Levi's trials had always been a hot rumor throughout the world but Eren was not entirely sure the truth behind them. "As far as I'm concerned, the three of you have proven yourselves to me and my crew on board but… see the issue is the crew on my island has not seen what you can do and the trials are a bit of a tradition. From what I have seen of you during our travels together and from what I have heard from your own travels, I do not believe you three will have any trouble with the trials at all. I guess what I mean to say is at this point the trials still need to be done to officially join my crew but I know without a shadow of a doubt you three will pass with no problem." Eren nodded his head and watched as Armin and Mikasa did as well. They, like himself, were definitely a bit nervous but Eren knew in his heart none of them would fail no matter what the trail consisted of.

Eren looked back at Levi again feeling that similar feeling of determination in his gut. Levi's eyes seemed to glint in mixture of intense emotion as he continued. "So, listen up. The trials consist of three tasks. The first task: Resourcefulness. Being pirates at sea we will have many times we stop at mysterious or unexplored islands in which we will have to scavenge for supplies or battle with creatures and beasts alike. The three of you will be tasked to one at a time travel to the center of the island and collect a branch off the sacred Sakura Tree. The trip in total is about two days. Be wary that the inner parts of this island is full of wild life as well as harsh and dangerous terrain. The island becomes exceptionally cold at night." Eren nodded his head feeling that slight twist of nerves in his stomach again. It was a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Eren had been surviving his entire life with Mikasa and Armin in the harshest of terrains so the trial seemed like it may not be the hardest but they were always together. Watching each other back, taking shifts at night. During this trail, Eren would be on his own, completely alone. Eren gulped his nerves down again and Levi continued.

The second Trial: Endurance. We live on the seas most of the time, fighting RMP as well as other pirates. For this trial you will have 2 hours and 30 Minutes to finish a High intensity trail. It consists of a 1-hour mountain climb, a 1-hour run down a trail back to the village and swim across an eighth mile wide river. For this trial the three of you will be able to start and finish together. There is no real reason you can't run the course together." Eren, Mikasa and Armin nodded their heads again. Eren felt a lot more secure about the second task. Him, Mikasa and Armin had spent much more than two and a half hours running from RMP on all types of terrain.

Levi continued once again. "As for the last task, you will spar with a high rank member of the crew." Eren, Mikasa and Armin's eyes widened slightly but Levi continued. "We don't expect you to defeat us exactly but the point of the final trail is simply that throughout your times on the seas with my crew you will be fighting enemies of all caliber and you must, no matter who the opponent is, never surrender. With that being the case you will spar with your opponent until one is rendered knocked out and unable to fight any longer." Eren gulped down. His mind racing who would he possibly spar with that was not an alpha? Eren knew that, trial or not, he would not be able to keep his omega calm with an alpha trying to make him submit. "Brat… Brat… Eren!" Eren jolted back from his thoughts to Levi trying to get his attention. "Are you listening?" "Yes, sorry captain. I'm listening" Eren said quickly. "As I said, as for who you will be sparring with, Mikasa you will fight Hanji, Armin you will fight Erwin, and Eren…" Eren gulped down. But looked back to Levi again. "You will fight me."