Hello readers, Shiragami here! I will finally be done with character/plot introductions in this chapter (so sorry!), and I hope you didn't find it too tedious to read. From now on, the story will focus more on Eren and Levi's relationship development, so I hope you'll stick around! As always, information updates will be posted at the end of each chapter incase my writing gets too confusing! Thank you for reading Snow Daisy!
-Shiragami
Flickering through channels, Armin was bored out of his mind. For the first time he was free on a Friday night, yet none of his friends had the same luxury as him. Winter term was almost over and he had just finished his last exam today. Glancing over at the calendar, it read December 3rd. Sighing, he turned of the TV and placed his abused remote back on the Kotatsu. Diving deeper under the warm table, he breathed out contently at how good it felt to have his blood rush to the back to his head.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard the door open. Eren must be back. He crawled up from under the covers to greet his buddy, only to come in face with a very gloomy boy. He was about to ask what happened out of concern, but Eren quickly undressed himself from his puffy winter coat and headed straight to the washroom. Armin knew for sure something was up now, so he quietly followed Eren as the brunette ran the hot water into the tub. Even now, Eren refused to acknowledge Armin's presence.
"Eren, did something happen at work today?" Armin's tone was strong, but also careful, afraid that one wrong word can send Eren storming out of this house.
It had happened before, every time they touched on a sensitive topic, Eren would run away from it by leaving the house with an excuse. He would then come back a few hours later with a few snacks in hand, pretending that nothing ever happened, and that he was just out to buy some refreshments.
Eren was silent for a few seconds, before replying to Armin's question. "Actually, something did happen." he admitted.
The blonde was surprised by the other's honesty, he knew that only that topic can bring Eren down like this. "Do you want to talk about it?" He was concerned and worried, but at the same time, curious. Nobody at work should've known about his best friend's past so who could trigger this event?
The brunette was fighting back the urge to push past Armin and escape again. Stop it Eren, you need to stop letting this matter get you. Just let it go already! Turning off the water, he dropped a bath bomb into the steaming tub. You've lived and fought everyday since then, you are not weak enough to be consumed by the past anymore.
"You want to get in?" Eren smiled weakly, looking at Armin in the eyes.
...
For the rest of that night, Eren refused to sleep in his own bed, so the two chatted and shared opinions on everything on Armin's side. Armin consoled the slightly older young adult, whispering It's alright, it's not your fault, let the past go and live the way you want over and over again. He held Eren's head against his small frame. To Armin, that was a special night, it was the first time Eren let out his bottled up feelings, and then simply cried like a child. The child who held back his tears all this time has finally let them out twelve years later.
"Hey, Eren, do you still remember what you told me twelve years ago at the funeral?" Armin spoke in a soft voice, stroking Eren's head gently. The crying has stopped by now, but Eren refused to look up because his face was red and swollen, it was embarrassing to be witnessed in such state.
"When I childishly said that my grandpa could adopt you and you could become our family, you grabbed me by the collar and yelled at me." Armin laughed a little as he walked back into the past. "You said you would never become my family. You, who hated your father into the bones, told me that you would carry on the name of Jaeger so you would never forget what that man has done." continued Armin. "…Hey, you still listening?"
Eren let out a raspy confirmation and Armin laughed a little more at the other's abused voice.
"At that time, I viewed you in an entirely new light. We were both kids, yet you had much more maturity and determination than I could imagine at that age. Even though you just lost everything, and even though only hate kept you moving, I admired you immensely."
"I didn't lose everything." Eren quietly mumbled.
"Sorry?"
"I said, I didn't lose everything. You were still with me." he repeated. "To be honest, at that moment, I wasn't angry with you because of what you said. I was angry with myself, and I was trying to forget the pain by setting a goal in mind. I believed that accepting your kindness will make me forget who I am. However, it wasn't the right way to solve this, and it took me twelve years to realize that I am letting that man win against me, by chasing after his shadows."
Armin stopped stroking Eren's silky brown locks before something clicked in his head.
"What made you suddenly develop a resolve for your past?" he asked out of curiosity. Eren was stubborn, so for him to finally let go like this was too sudden, it wasn't normal.
The taller finally looked up to meet with steel blue orbs, it took Armin a very painful pinch on the thigh to prevent letting out a laugh against Eren's puffed up face.
"Sometimes you just need a forceful, stranger's push. I couldn't even run away, so I thought a lot on my way home today."
"Huh. That reminds me, you got home early today, how come?"
...
It was 2 am. Levi tossed and turned on his plain, king-sized bed. He was beating himself up for screwing up his first official conversation with the kid. Eren Jaeger, was it? I should've told him that we've met before, and not have him see me as some kind of stalker. Levi groaned for the n'th time that night.
He remembered how bad the mood was in the car, it was definitely a taboo topic for the younger. Levi had parents, selfish and uneducated, but they were still his parents, though Levi never felt any attachments for them. When he was little, his family lived within Wall Maria. They were so poor that his mother never cooked for him, and his father never looked at him. Money was the biggest priority in his family, his parents valued numbers more than their own son's wellbeing. He cut off all contacts with his parents when he got a full scholarship for the best university within Wall Sina, and studied there for half a decade. Then he traveled within all three walls for years before finally settling for Wall Rosa. Starting his own corporation at the mere age of twenty-seven, the company grew fast and eventually stood where it stands today.
His parents, upon hearing the new of their son, did everything they could to find him. They treated him like a king when they met again after nearly a ten years later. Pathetic, was the first thing that came to mind when he saw how pitiful his parents were acting. The raven wasn't a heartless man, after all, they did keep him alive before having to fend for himself. He could easily allow them to live a rich life with his everyday pocket changes, and he did. He located them as far away from him as possible, but he'd still get a few annoying phone calls once in a while, asking for more absurd permissions and useless materials.
Parents. I guess it's a whole different meaning for different people. I wonder if his parents loved him very much. Feeling tired from thinking of the past, Levi finally closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. His mind was now filled with the boy. It was almost 4 am.
...
Ding dong~
The doorbell rang. It was one past noon, yet Armin and Eren just woke up thanks to their late night 'man talk'. Armin being fast and agile, finished his morning routine in a jiffy and started to cook the first meal of the day before getting interrupted by the doorbell.
"Yes, coming!" he said, loudly enough for the person on the other side to hear as he turned off the stove.
Armin opened the door and looked up, but saw no one there. He was so used to being surrounded by people taller than him by at least head, that he didn't even bother looking down at first. Immediately realizing the other's presence, he quickly guided his head downwards to eye-level, and saw a man dressed in pure black, frame fitting suit and outer trench coat resting neatly on his arm. His raven hair was styled nicely, it was a clean and refresh cut. Though Armin fidgeted awkwardly under his intimidating glare.
"S-Sorry. Umm. Hi?" was all he could muster.
"Does a boy named Eren live here?" Levi tried his hardest to hide his annoyed tone. The things I do for him.
"Yes, Eren lives here. What b-business do you have with him?"
Tapping his foot impatiently, it took half the fiber in his body to not push past the blonde and enter rudely.
"I need to talk to him. In private."
His icy, straightforward glare sent chills down Armin's spine in a very bad way. Too nervous and intimidated to protest, he backed off with the questions.
"Oh, h-ha ha. Eren i-is in the washroom, showering, I think. I…umm. I can just stand outside until you finish your private t-tal-" Armin was grabbed by the arm before he could even finish his suggestion, as Levi spun their positions around and lowly mumbled a short 'thanks', before closing the door on the blonde's face.
Dumbfounded, it took a few seconds to process what just happened. D-Did I…Did I just kicked out of my own house? DID I JUST EXCUSE MYSELF FROM MY OWN HOUSE?! The poor Armin, standing alone in the cold stairway outside their entrance, was having an internal fit thanks to his own weakness.
...
The water finally toned down, Eren is probably done with his shower, Levi thought. He sat on top of the Kotatsu table, placing one slender but toned leg over the other, as Eren's apartment had practically close to no furniture at all. The place was also small and old, there were many crack and distorted colors on the walls. He had at least the decency to take off his brand named shoes in this 'dirty apartment', in respect to Eren's home.
The brunette, being completely oblivious towards the world outside his washroom, walked out like he normally would when Armin was home with a simple towel around his waist.
"Hey Armin, what are you cooki-"
Time froze, or so it felt. Eren's mouth was left dangling in midsentence and Levi just stared straight at the half naked boy…occasionally running his eyes up and down the younger's body.
It felt like an eternity before Eren snapped out of it. He retreated quickly back to the washroom and hit behind the door, only letting his head poke out angrily.
"What are YOU doing HERE?" he screamed. Levi had little to no common sense when it came to socializing, so he didn't know what was the big deal for him, a stranger, to just 'suddenly show up'. Truthfully speaking, Levi simply wanted to take the boy out for a day as an apology for last night. He woke up early in the morning, despite sleeping late the previous night, to finish his work and leave the rest of the day free. Not to mention, he also pushed half of that work onto his secretary, Hanji, who he'd have to deal with later.
He got up and started to walk towards the the half-naked kid. Eren was panicking, he was just about the slam the washroom door before a strong hand gripped the edge and held it still. Once again, Eren was amazed by the strength the shorter male possessed.
"Would you like to spend your afternoon with me today?" The brunette remained silent at the smooth and straightforwardness of the older, but in reality, Levi was just blunt about everything. Fidgeting a little, obviously uncomfortable with his choice of clothing, or should we say, cloth, Eren tried to think of an excuse to dismiss this man. The last thing he wanted to do was to hangout with a stranger, a stalker (I mean who comes back to your apartment right after they get your address?), and a man whose background he didn't know.
"Umm, I ugh…I already have something planned for today, hahahaha, t-too bad, huh!" He laughed awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. Levi was focused, but his eyes can't help but to secretly wander around a bit. Holding himself together, he replied to Eren's obvious lie.
"It's important, I have something I need to talk to you about."
Armin, still outside and feeling very cold, pressed his ears against his own door. He thanked the fact that he lived on the highest floor, so no one would pass him by and stare at him suspiciously.
"Can't you just say it right here, right now? And where is Armin?"
"It's too long and complicated to speak of it now, just come with me."
Armin couldn't hear properly. Knowing all too well that it was bad to eavesdrop on someone, he just couldn't help it. What if that man was a criminal, out to hurt Eren? Now scaring himself, he turned the door handle slightly, creating as little sound as possible and opened a small crack.
"You are getting on my nerves, just who do you think you are? Barging into my life like this, I don't even know you! What in the world do you want from me?!" Eren's patience finally snapped, he had this suspicious man suddenly show up just yesterday, and he's already pushing his way into Eren's world. Levi retained his composure, finally understood where the boy was going at (can anyone be this insensitive?), he provided an answer to the boy's desperate question by handing him a fancy business card.
"My name is Levi Ackeman. I am the President of Survey Corporation, and I request you, Eren Jaeger, to spend a day with me."
Then, only the super loud gasp emitted from Armin, peeking between the door crack, could be heard.
Information Update: tinyurl / ozqec5n