Sorry this chapter took so long, it took me forever to write something that I was at least half way satisfied with. I actually rewrote the second half about three times. I just don't like it when things move too fast in a story. I'm still not too happy with the way it turned out, and it's shorter than I'd hoped, but the next chapter should be a lot easier to write.
It's been brought to my attention that Eren has been OOC and I kind of agree. I didn't intend to make him look totally spineless in front of Armin's attacker. I'm going to try not to make the same mistakes in the future. Bear in mind that any fan fiction with non canon romance is going to get a bit OOC anyway. Bear with me, I'm just an amateur. I hope you can overlook some of that.
Thanks for reading/reviewing!
Eren couldn't stop himself from shaking, mostly due to his previous adrenaline rush, but also partially due to his trepidation about what was going to happen next. He dug his nails into his arms and took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. He'd almost lost his best friend to that madman, and he hadn't been able to do anything while Levi saved the day once again. Just how many times would he have to have the man save him at the last second? He hated relying on the strength of others, especially when it came to protecting the people he cared about. He'd been completely at the mercy of that pathetic excuse for a human being until Levi showed up. In fact, Eren was certain that if the older man hadn't intervened Armin would have been…
He shook his head, trying to clear the gruesome thoughts from his mind. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on what might have been. He just wished that he could make Armin see that Eren did not blame him for what happened. He would have to try and talk to the blonde and set things right.
He sighed, resting his arms at his side and looking around the small office. It didn't consist of much, just a large solid oak desk, atop which sat a map of the area with tiny figures carved into the shape of titans resting on top of it. Behind the lacquered desk sat a high backed office chair, and the now lit oil lamp which rested upon the window sill.
The entire office just seemed so…empty. It was immaculately clean, not a speck of dust or a bit of unnecessary clutter anywhere to be found. It lacked any hint of a comfortable lived in atmosphere.
It doesn't even smell like him.
A turbulence of emotion was surging through him at the moment. He felt relieved that Armin was out of harm's way, disappointed in himself for being useless, angry at the bastard that had tried to kill his best friend, grateful to Levi for saving their asses, and afraid of what the older man had in store for him now.
Eren hoped that Levi had calmed down at least a little bit since they had returned to the castle. He really had been expecting to be beaten within an inch of his life back in the forest. It might have been his imagination, but Eren could have sworn he'd seen a change in the man's brutality against him lately. It was almost as if he was being lenient towards him. Compared to the beating he'd received in the courtroom the punch was almost like a slap on the wrist. Not that he really believed that he was totally out of the proverbial woods yet. For all he knew Levi could have just been saving his strength for this evening.
As if on cue, Levi burst through the door, making Eren jump in surprise. The older man was exuding a dangerous aura, and Eren reluctantly met his gaze. His cold, grey eyes were narrowed in anger, and Eren bit his lip, doing his best not to look like prey about to be devoured by a predator. The older man slammed the door shut behind him, warding off anyone who heard it from even thinking about entering the room. His gaze never faltered, and Eren began to sweat profusely, contemplating throwing himself at the Corporal's feet and begging for forgiveness before it was too late.
No. I won't back down. I'm no coward. I'm tired of being intimidated by him. It's time to show him I'm not some pushover.
He steeled himself for any incoming blows, guarding his face with his hands. Much to Eren's surprise (and relief) the Corporal didn't beat him down right then and there; instead he stormed over to his desk, sat down in his office chair, and brought his hands in front of his face, intertwining his fingers and narrowing his eyes at Eren over the top of them. Still he didn't speak, and Eren squirmed at the uneasy silence permeating the air.
A few more agonizingly awkward minutes passed before Levi finally spoke.
"Jaeger. Do you get some kind of sick satisfaction out of deliberately disobeying my orders? " Levi, as always, wasted no time in getting straight to the matter at hand. No unnecessary pleasantries, no small talk. His demeanor was hard to read, but Eren was sure that he was like a coiled snake, ready to strike at any moment. He didn't much care for being scolded like a child, and his anger at being talked down to was beginning to bubble up inside of him.
Levi continued, his tone steady, his frustration manifesting itself when he kneaded his forehead in exasperation. "Then might I ask what was going through that thick skull of yours when you stole that horse and abandoned your training to go frolicking in the forest with Arlert? Do you have such a blatant disregard for your own life that you thought it was a good idea to cross me?" He shot Eren a smoldering look.
Eren looked the older man straight in the eye, a bold, if somewhat foolish gesture. "I wasn't frolicking I rode out to meet him because I didn't want him getting lost on his way back to the castle. I knew you wouldn't approve of me going so I didn't even bother to ask before I left" he stated, knowing that he was digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole.
Levi raised one thin eyebrow at the boy's audacity. The boy had been unquestioningly obedient up until now. He kind of liked the change. Someone who never questioned orders made good soldiers, but poor thinkers. "Oh, is that so? Was that assassin his parting gift to you, then?" he asked, dark sarcasm practically dripping from his words.
Eren clenched his fists in indignation before meeting the Corporal's stony gaze. "Don't try to blame that on Armin! He had no idea that he was being followed! He would never deliberately put both of us in danger! He's been my best friend since we were kids!" His voice grew louder with each word until he was practically shouting. Levi was completely unaffected by the outburst. However, the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"No, I suppose he wouldn't do something like that on purpose. But, the fact is that he did lead the assassin to you, regardless of whether it was intentional. He's as much of an idiot as you are for not realizing that he was being followed, most likely since he left the confines of the walls. Then there's the fact that a trained soldier let his guard down enough to be ambushed. He's a disgrace, as are you for not taking action. Rest assured, he will be punished for his actions."
Levi could tell he'd struck a nerve with boy by the way he was biting his lip and clenching his fists. Not to mention his whole body seemed to be shaking with rage. Eren's blood was practically boiling.
"No! It wasn't his fault! He's not a disgrace and I won't let you lay a finger on him!" he shouted, doing his best to refrain from attacking the other man right then and there.
A dangerous look of bestial anger flickered across those deep ocean eyes, and Levi could practically feel the boy's inner titan begging to be unleashed. The boy was dangerously close to transforming. The older man rose from his desk, pushing his chair backwards from underneath him and slamming his hands down on the desk.
"I swear, Jaeger, if you turn into a titan in my office I will not hesitate to put you down. Calm yourself, now," he hissed, emphasizing that he was serious by hovering his hands over his blade holsters. Any pretenses of civility from the man were completely gone. He would not tolerate temper tantrums.
The demand caught Eren off guard, and he willed himself to calm down before he endangered not only his own life, but Levi's as well. He took several deep breaths and tried to manually slow his racing heart by concentrating on being rational. After a couple of minutes he finally regained composure, slumping back into the rickety wooden chair facing Levi's desk, and covering his face with his hands.
How did things get so fucked up?
Eren had to use every ounce of self control to keep himself from biting his thumb and crushing Levi under his immense foot. He settled for shooting the older man a look of seething rage.
Once Levi had gauged that Eren was no longer an immediate threat he relaxed his arms and walked to the front of his desk, sitting on the top and crossing his legs. He leaned back on his hands and stared at the stone ceiling, sighing audibly. The adrenaline that had been coursing through his veins in anticipation of Eren transforming was now wearing off, leaving him weary and slightly (but not visibly) shaken. After a moment of regaining his composure he sighed, not taking his eyes off the ceiling, as if it were the most interesting thing in the room.
In truth Levi wasn't as angry with Armin as he let on. And of course he wanted to eviscerate the bastard that had followed the boy for his abhorrent behavior, but none of that pissed him off as much as Eren's blatant disrespect of his authority. If the stupid brat had stayed put, or at least asked permission to leave (which Levi most likely would have denied) then the situation might have turned out very different. He was loathe to admit it, but he'd actually been afraid that he was going to find Eren dead, or even worse, captured and experimented on.
"Listen, shitty brat, I've taken it upon myself to be your guardian of sorts. That means that if you screw up, guess who takes the fall?" he settled his gaze on the younger boy, his tone somewhat softened but still serious.
Eren just met his gaze with a look of defiance. He knew he should be grateful to Levi for saving his ass again but it took swallowing all of his pride before he could say anything resembling a thank you.
"Look, I appreciate the help, ok? But I don't need you to babysit me. I've had enough of that from Mikasa. Why does everyone think it's ok to treat me like a kid?"
The younger male's bold statement had struck a nerve with Levi. Although he didn't show it outwardly, he was beginning to get more than a little pissed off.
"I'll treat you however I damn well please, brat. In case you've forgotten you belong to me now" his eyes narrowed in anger, his voice taking on a tone of annoyance.
That did not sit well with Eren at all. He shot up out of his chair, knocking it over in his haste. His fists were clenched in exasperation as he refused to be insulted any further.
"I don't belong to you! I don't belong to anyone! I'm not some dog that you can just own!" he was shouting now, and he inwardly hoped that no one could hear his outburst from the other parts of the castle, but he just couldn't bring himself to care much at the moment.
He knew he'd fucked up, and he did his best to guard against any incoming blows. He didn't anticipate Levi using his leg to sweep his own legs out from underneath him, causing him to fall on his ass. He yelped when he landed square on his tailbone, the hard stone floor biting into the tender flesh. He didn't have time to lick his wounds, however, because Levi was on him immediately, wrestling the younger male until he ended up on top of him, pinning Eren's hands above his head in triumph.
Eren was completely baffled.
What the fuck? He moved so fast that I didn't even have time to react. I've got to stop letting him get the jump on me.
"Hey! What the hell?! Get the fuck off of me you bastard!" he shouted, flailing his body around, trying his best to escape the older male's grasp. His efforts were futile, but damned if he wasn't going to try anyway.
Levi remained calm and collected, his face not reflecting his inner irritation. "That's quite the mouth you have on you, brat. When did you become so vulgar?"
Eren squirmed around like a pinned animal. "Shut up asshole!" he spat, his turquoise eyes full of wild fury.
"Tsk tsk, what a filthy brat. How brainless can you be? Is that any way to speak to your betters?" Levi was truly enjoying this game, and he couldn't deny that having the brat squirming beneath him was exhilarating. He loved putting petulant children in their place.
Eren's struggles began to slow, his energy quickly being drained. His chest was heaving from exertion and his wrists had become sore from the older male's none too gentle hold on them.
Damn it, there's no way I'm getting out of this unless I transform…but I can't really control it yet, and he really might kill me.
Levi seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't even think about it, Jaeger. Even if you manage to escape me, which is highly unlikely, do you really think you'll be able to leave here alive? The others have been instructed to put you down immediately should you get out of control."
Eren's brow furrowed in frustration.
Shit he's right. I'd be killed immediately. Then there's no telling what they'd do to Armin because of me. But do I really have to lay here and take this? Ugh, guess I'll have to talk my way out of it.
"Fine, whatever. Just let me up" Eren said in defeat, rolling his eyes as a final act of defiance.
Levi wasn't satisfied with that, however. He wasn't going to let the brat off that easily.
"Not until you realize who's in charge here. When you admit that you're a shitty brat that needs to show me some obedience and respect I'll let you go."
Eren narrowed his eyes at the older male. He really wanted to tell him to fuck off, shove it up his ass and go die in a fire, but he was really tired of this position. Not to mention that he was likely already in deep shit for talking to his Corporal like a rebellious teenager. He sighed, finally relenting. He bit back a smartass remark and just decided to humor Levi.
"Fine. I'm a shitty brat and I'll do what you say, so just let me go, ok?" he asked, his tone betraying just how tired he was of the situation.
Levi didn't really like the way the brunette had said it, but he had to admit, his knees were getting sore from supporting his weight on the hard stone floor, and he finally relented, releasing his grip on Eren's wrists and sitting up to relieve his aching joints, not realizing that he was now straddling Eren's waist, his ass rubbing against the boy's nether regions.
Eren really hated himself for reacting to the accidental contact, heat rushing to his face, coloring his cheeks a light shade of crimson. A familiar pressure was building in his abdomen and he cursed the feeling for traveling down between his legs, bringing his arousal to life.
Ugh I don't need this right now. Damn it, why? Please don't notice please don't notice…
But Levi did notice. He could feel Eren's "problem" poking him in backside, and he looked down at the boy with a perturbed glare. Eren looked away, trying to focus on something, anything else at the moment. It was really difficult to ignore someone unintentionally grinding against your dick, however.
"You little shit, you're getting off on this, aren't you? I didn't realize you enjoyed being beneath me that much."
"Shut up! It's because you're rubbing against it, it's a natural reaction. Now please get the hell off of me before this gets even more weird than it already is."
Levi scoffed, "You're the one making this weird. I was just trying to teach you a lesson in humility."
"Ugh whatever! Look, I'm sorry! Just get off of me already!" Eren was practically begging now. He tried to throw the older male off of him now that his hands were free and he had more leverage, but to no avail. Levi was heavier than he looked. All of his struggling only resulted in more delicious friction between his crotch and Levi's soft, supple ass. Not his intention.
Levi contemplated his options. He could have mercy on the brat and get up now or he could continue to taunt him relentlessly.
He really didn't have to think hard to decide which one would be more entertaining.
This should be a lot more fun than just yelling at him for an hour. Time to make him squirm.
He leaned back over the brunette, his hands resting on either side of the boy's head. "You don't really want me to stop now, do you?" he inched his face closer to Eren's until the younger male could feel Levi's warm breath on his ear, tickling the sensitive flesh and sending shivers down the boy's spine.
"Isn't this what you've been yearning for?" he whispered, causing Eren to turn a deeper shade of crimson despite his inner protests. He hated looking like a blushing schoolgirl, but try as he might he couldn't control his body's reactions to the older male's advances. All he could do was deny any interest.
"Sorry, I don't swing that way" he protested, trying his best to sound sincere in his rejection.
Levi wasn't convinced, however. "Oh? Then why did you react like a blushing bride when I asked you to take your shirt off before?"
"B-because, suddenly asking someone to strip is just weird. Who wouldn't be embarrassed in that situation?"
"I suppose you're right. But not everyone would go and jerk off afterwards either."
Eren's eyes widened in shock and realization.
Shit, he knows about that? But how?!
Levi answered his question without him having to ask it. "I found your disgusting, crusty sheets crumpled in the corner of your cell, filthy brat. You could have at least had the decency to wash them after you tainted them."
Eren was completely mortified. He could still deny that the fantasy was about Levi, though. "So what? Is it that strange for guys my age to do that? What makes you think what happened had anything to do with why I did it?"
Levi looked thoughtful for a moment. "You're right, I don't have any way of knowing just what sick thoughts were going through your mind at the time. But don't you think you're protesting just a little too much for someone completely innocent?"
Levi was looking the boy in the eyes now, their faces so close that his breath now caressing the younger boy's lips. The way the boy was squirming told him all he needed to know. "Your body is much more honest than that filthy mouth of yours" he whispered, forcing his knee between Eren's legs, spreading them apart just enough to brush against his growing hardness.
He really doesn't have any self control, stupid brat.
Eren inhaled sharply at the sensation, stifling a moan and hating himself for reacting. A few strands of Levi's raven hair tickled Eren's face as he moved his mouth down to caress the boy's neck with his hot breath. The sensitive flesh immediately sprouted goose bumps at the contact. Levi was practically laying on top of him now, their chests pressed together with only their clothing to separate them.
Levi decided to make the next move since Eren seemed to be petrified at the moment. He slowly slid his hand underneath the younger male's white undershirt, feeling his firm, toned chest beneath. The brunette had no idea why he didn't just shove the bastard off, or punch him in the nose. He chalked it up to his hormones taking control over his common sense.
Shit. Here I am, getting felt up and not doing a damn thing about it. I guess I really am a pervert.
Levi's hand continued to travel upwards until his fingers grazed one of Eren's nipples, eliciting a sort of groan from the boy, who immediately slapped his hand over his mouth to silence himself. Levi relished the fact that he could turn the headstrong brat into a flustered mess with a few touches. He removed his hand from under the shirt, making Eren frown at the loss of contact. Although he really didn't want to admit it, he was now craving the man's touch and highly anticipating his next move.
When nothing happened he frowned. Why was he stopping now? Was he waiting for an invitation? If Eren had really not wanted it to go any further he wouldn't still be laying there. He grew tired of waiting for Levi to fucking do something and starting grinding against the older male's leg, biting his lip in pleasure at the delicious friction.
Levi had stopped on purpose, wanting to test just how much he was affecting the boy. He was pleased when the brunette sought his touch on his own accord.
"How indecent" he remarked.
Eren was too far gone with lust to care about the insult. He was rock hard now, pre-cum beginning to leak from the tip of his arousal, collecting in a moist spot on his underwear. He wasn't expecting Levi to push himself up off of him and stand up, leaving him lying on the floor a disheveled mess.
"If you're so eager, then why don't you just do it yourself, shitty brat?" he suggested, making himself comfortable in his office chair. He was feeling rather satisfied with getting such a strong reaction out of the brat.
Eren was at a loss for words.
Is he fucking with me? He's just going to leave me like this? Whatever, screw him.
"Fine, whatever. I'm just going to go now." As he started towards the door Levi spoke in a low, dangerous tone.
"I didn't give you permission to leave yet, Jaeger. Get your ass back over here" he demanded, causing Eren to look back in his direction. The man was leaning back in his office chair, his hands behind his head, looking at Eren like he was supposed to be doing something.
"What? What do you want now? If you're just gonna fuck with me why shouldn't I leave?" he asked cautiously, not really knowing what to expect. He really didn't want to remain in this room any longer, not after the awkward moment that had just happened. He was almost happy that the whole ordeal that had happened earlier in the day seemed to be forgotten, but now the anticipation of punishment was replaced with just plain awkwardness between the two.
Levi crossed his arms and gave Eren a smug look.
"Don't try to pretend that you don't want me to take care of that little "problem" of yours, Jaeger. I'm not a complete dolt, I've seen the way you're always ogling me. You must want my dick up your ass pretty badly" he stated nonchalantly, as if he was stating an indisputable fact. This wasn't anything new to him. He'd had plenty of new recruits, male and female alike, that admired him and even developed romantic interest in him. He usually ignored them or outright rejected them on the spot, and he should have done so with Eren Jaeger. But, as always, he was the exception to the rule.
Eren sputtered, trying not to turn beet red at the man's bluntness. "What? Fuck no! I already told you I don't swing that way!" Eren fervently tried to deny any interest he had in the older man. He decided to try and turn the situation around.
"You're the one who keeps feeling me up! You're the pervert, not me!" Eren waved his arms in exasperation.
Levi just ignored the accusations. It was cute how in denial the brunette was. You know what they say about protesting too much.
"And who was being obscene and humping my leg like a dog?"
Eren was at a loss for words. There wasn't much he could say to try and deny that he had indeed been rubbing himself against the older man like a wanton whore.
"Whatever" he finally relented, cheeks flushing. He hated how calm and collected the Corporal always seemed to be. It was beneficial in battle, but damn annoying otherwise.
However, he had an idea, one that might show Levi that he wasn't the only one who was indecent. He wanted the usually stone faced man to show even a hint of losing his self control. It was his turn to make the older male squirm for a change.
He slowly removed his token cape and jacket, slipping his arms out of the sleeves and letting it fall, forgotten, to the floor. He then proceeded to begin unbuttoning his shirt, fumbling with the first few buttons out of nervousness before finally getting them undone, working his way down to the bottom slowly. He bit his lip lightly as he undid the last button, letting the garment fall open and reveal his bare chest.
He's always making me feel like a pervert. Two can play that game.
Levi was a little taken aback at the younger male's sudden display of boldness.
"Just what do you think you're doing, brat?"
Eren just ignored him, standing there with his chest bared like he was revealing some intimate secret. His chest was the same as Levi remembered it, smooth, tan, toned, and with a few faint scars that were a testament to his less than luxurious life before joining the military.
"If you're trying to shock me, Jaeger, I'm afraid it isn't going to work."
It wasn't supposed to turn him on. He was supposed to just be pretending to be interested in the shitty brat. It was just a game, nothing serious. He just wanted to teach the boy a lesson, that's all.
He's doing it on purpose, the little shit. Oh well, I'll let him have his fun. For now.
Eren sauntered over to the older male casually, as if he wasn't half naked. He stopped when he was front of the large oak desk. He sat on the edge and removed his knee length boots one by one, tossing them into the corner, not particularly caring where they landed.
Normally Levi would be pissed that the brunette had the audacity to plant his ass on his nice clean desk, but much to his chagrin, his mind was...elsewhere at the moment.
After discarding his boots Eren began slowly unhooking the straps of his 3D gear, careful not to cause any damage to the vital equipment. Once he was done unfastening it he slid it off slowly over his legs and stepped out of it, scooting it out of the way with his foot. Now all that was left were the tight white pants of his combat uniform that did nothing to hide his erection. Although the boy was rather skinny and his hips were quite narrow the pants hugged his form, showing off what little curves he had around his thighs and ass. He figured he would pay Levi back for the whole sexy ass display in the stream.
He stood up from the desk, his back to the older male. He unbuckled his belt and skillfully popped open the button on his pants and unzipped them in one fluid motion. He slipped his thumbs under the waistband before hesitating for a moment.
There's no going back now.
Levi picked up on Eren's apprehension and cleared his throat, impatience getting the best of him.
"Get on with it, brat. I'm growing old over here."
"Oh, so you admit you want me to continue?" Eren gave Levi a smug, shit eating grin that made him want to puke.
"Don't get cocky, brat, I'm just humoring you and whatever little game you're playing" he replied casually, leaning back in his chair and acting rather apathetic about the entire situation.
Eren didn't feel like playing this game anymore. He buttoned and zipped his pants back up before plopping back in his chair. His plan wasn't working quite the way he'd hoped. Or so he thought.
Levi hadn't realized just how entranced he'd become in the display until the brat had stopped. It was like putting a piece of cake in front of someone only to take it away just as they were about to dig in. He hated that he'd taken the bait.
"I didn't say you could stop, shitty brat." If Eren didn't know any better, he'd say the Corporal was almost pouting.
"Yeah well, that's just too bad."
Ha! So I was actually getting to him. Payback's a bitch, isn't it?
"Whatever. Not like a brat like you has anything worth looking at under there anyway" Levi leaned back in his chair and fixed his gaze on the ceiling once again. He could tell the brunette was getting aggravated just by watching him squirm out of the corner of his eye.
Eren was trying his best not to let Levi get under his skin, but the smug look on the bastard's face was really irritating.
Ugh how did he turn this around on me? And why am I falling for it hook, line and sinker?
Instead of continuing to strip, Eren sauntered over to Levi, trying not to lose his pants in the process since they were now loose. He took a deep breath, mustered up all of his courage, and climbed into the older male's lap, making the office chair creak with their combined weight. He straddled Levi's waist and grabbed the top of the back of the chair to brace himself. Their faces were within inches of each other and Eren couldn't help but notice how soft looking Levi's lips were.
Normally Levi would have thrown the brat off of him without hesitation and left his ass on the floor. He had to admire the brat's audacity. He hadn't let anyone get this close in a very, very long time. Usually he found close contact with other people unpleasant, and he tried to avoid it as much as possible, yet here he was, letting the brat sit on his lap. Perhaps it was a testament to how much Eren really did affect him.
Eren was trying desperately to make Levi react, displaying a kind of tenacity that he usually reserved for battle, going so far as to grind his hips into the older male's lap, biting his lip to suppress a moan at the friction. His eyes were closed in concentration as he continued to gyrate against the older male, rubbing against lap, his ass brushing against Levi's inner thighs.
As much as Levi wished that the brat wasn't having an effect on him he couldn't deny that his pants were getting tighter by the second. He knew it was wrong on so many levels. One, he was the brat's superior officer, two he was older than him, and three they were both men. He hated the fact that it was so hard to bring himself to care about any of it. He hated the fact that he wasn't disgusted by Eren's touch, and he hated the fact that he'd let the brat get the best of him.
I'm going to hate myself for this in the morning.
He brushed his hands against Eren's still clothed thighs before moving them up to rest on the brunette's narrow hips, feeling the younger male lean into his touch.
Eren's shirt was still unbuttoned, revealing his lean, sun kissed chest. His breaths were coming quickly, likely out of nervousness, causing his toned chest to rise and fall in an unsteady rhythm. Eren dared to look into Levi's eyes, relishing the fact that the normally cold, aloof look they held was replaced with an almost predatory lust.
He inhaled sharply when Levi dug his nails into the sides of his hips, causing him to halt his movements. He could feel something hard pressing against his thigh and he silently congratulated himself.
So he is human after all.
He was caught off guard when Levi bucked his hips upwards, causing him to lose balance and fall against the older male's chest. He tried to use his arms to push himself back into his previous position, but he found himself pinned by Levi's arm hooked behind his back. His arms were trapped between their chests and his face was being shoved into the leather fabric of the chair. Levi's other hand was traveling around from his hip until it came to rest on his ass. He could feel Levi's warm breath against his ear as he spoke, his voice low and as smooth as velvet.
"This is all your fault, shitty brat. Now take responsibility."
Eren was glad that from the way they were positioned it was pretty much impossible for Levi to see how red his cheeks had become at the statement. He really hadn't counted on this escalating any farther. He'd just wanted to make get a rise out of the older male. He'd never dreamed that the man would actually reciprocate his advances. His heart felt like it was about to pound out of his chest.
Is this really happening? I thought he was just fucking with me. Is he actually interested?
When he felt Levi's hold on him loosen he considered just getting up and running out of the room. He just didn't know if he was ready to take it any further, especially after all that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of sleeping with his superior officer, although he'd admired the man for many years and made him an idol of sorts. It wasn't unusual to develop feelings for such an important person in your life, was it? And he owed Levi for so many things that he would never be able to repay.
He certainly didn't want a pity fuck, though. If anything was going to happen between them he wanted it to be because Levi wanted it, not because he felt that he owed the man something.
Before he could think about it any further, there was a knock on the door. A reluctant yet excited voice came from the other side.
"Corporal Levi! Our evil villain has finally awakened from his beauty sleep. Would you like to speak to him personally or shall I interrogate him first?"
It was Hanji. Levi cursed under his breath and shot the door a death glare, hoping that it penetrated the thick wood. He'd nearly forgotten about why he'd called Eren to his office in the first place. By the time he looked back at Eren the brunette had already removed himself from Levi's lap and started putting his clothes back on. It would be extremely awkward if someone walked in to see a half naked boy in his office. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration before answering.
"I'll talk to him first. Just wait for me downstairs" he begrudgingly replied.
"Yes, sir! I'll go ahead and head back. Meet you at the infirmary!" Hanji replied cheerfully, as if they were going shopping for shoes or something.
Eren finished buttoning up his shirt and looked around for his discarded jacket. Levi rose from his chair and silently stalked over the brunette, who was slipping his arms into his jacket. As the younger male turned to go Levi grabbed his wrist, causing Eren to jump in surprise and turn to face him.
"Don't think I'm letting you off the hook for what you did this afternoon," his said, subdued voice not matching his words' harshness," from now on I'll be supervising your training personally. You will report to me every hour on the hour until I decide that you can be trusted enough not to run away, understood?"
Eren's mood had been ruined by the sudden interruption, and instead of protesting all he could manage to do was nod in response, looking at the floor. He looked quite sullen. Levi didn't like it when Eren resigned himself like that. It was much more fun when he fought back. He really wanted to yank the boy into his arms and continue where they left off, but Hanji was waiting for him and would get suspicious if he didn't show. Reluctantly, Levi released his grip on the boy's wrist and Eren turned to leave, a defeated look on his face.
"I'm gonna go check on Armin. Any idea where his room is?" he asked over his shoulder.
Levi bristled a bit. He knew the two were best friends, but he couldn't help but feel a bit irritated at how concerned Eren always seemed to be about the brat. He answered nonetheless.
"Down the hall, turn left, first room on the right. Be sure to tell him that I'll make the bastard that threatened him squirm. It might cheer him up a bit."
Eren nodded before opening the door and slipping out into the darkened halls, leaving Levi alone with his thoughts.
Damn it. Why did I just let that happen? I am not interested in the shitty brat of all people.
He readjusted his clothes, dusting off his pants and straitening his cravat. He pulled a comb out of his pocket and ran it through his raven locks, smoothing them over so that they didn't have that "just almost got laid" tousled look. He really didn't want any of the other squad members getting any strange ideas, especially not Hanji. He would never hear the end of it if she saw him in such a state.
He was glad that the woman's annoying voice had been enough to make his "problem" go away on its own so that he didn't need to take a cold shower.
Eren reluctantly made his way to the room where Armin was staying. He really needed to smooth things over with the blonde, and he knew it, but he could already feel a knot beginning to form in his stomach. The closer he got to his destination, the larger it grew, and he felt like throwing up. Everything was so messed up lately. He almost wished a titan would show up, if only to return some normalcy to his life. He didn't need to think about unnecessary bullshit when he was fighting. All that mattered then was focusing on his target and eliminating it, nothing more. Suddenly the prospect of talking to his best friend seemed more daunting than facing an abnormal titan at the moment.
He knew Armin wasn't angry with him, but he still felt guilty anyway. He hated seeing Armin like that, full of self hatred and remorse. What made the situation even worse was that Armin was the most perceptive person he knew. There was no way a full grown man could have followed him without Armin noticing. Nothing ever got past the boy, so how did that would-be assassin manage to avoid being discovered? It was a mystery, one that he hoped Levi was attempting to solve tonight.
When he arrived in front of Armin's door he paused, putting his thoughts on hold. He took a deep breath and rose his hand to knock, but hesitated before his knuckles reached the wood.
What am I going to say? What could I possibly say or do to make Armin feel like this entire thing wasn't his fault?
After a minute of silent contemplation he finally bit his lip and lightly knocked on the door, not wanting to startle his friend.
"Armin? Are you awake? We need to talk" he said softly, loud enough for Armin to hear but still gentle.
At first there was no response and Eren wondered if the blonde was sleeping or just ignoring him. He really hoped it wasn't the latter.
"Armin, please open up. I just want to apologize for earlier."
Still nothing. Eren was beginning to get a little frustrated, but he didn't let it show.
"Armin...look, you don't need to blame yourself for what happened. I know you would never fail to notice someone following you under normal circumstances. That guy...I dunno, maybe he's got some kind of technique he uses to avoid detection or something, I don't know, but I do know that it wasn't your fault at all, so please, let me in."
His forehead was resting against the door as he spoke, his entire body weary. He was about to give up and just try again in the morning when the door cracked open slightly, almost making him fall. He saw one blue eye peek out from the door crack, regarding him with an apologetic look.
"Eren...sorry I didn't come to the door sooner. I was...looking through my book" he opened the door the rest of the way. He looked haggard, exhaustion apparent on his face. The cut on his neck had been bandaged so well that he almost looked like a mummy.
"Oh...uh...sorry to disturb you," he continued, realization dawning on him when the book was mentioned,"oh! The gift basket! Did you manage to grab it before we left the forest?"
Armin nodded sadly. A sheepish look crossed Eren's face as he spoke, "I'm really sorry. I know you guys put a lot of time and effort into those gifts. I just...with everything that happened I kinda just...forgot about it." He rubbed the back of his head in shame.
Armin didn't look angry, however. He smiled sadly before opening the door wider. "It's okay, Eren. You had more important things to worry about. Why don't you come in and we'll talk, ok?"
Eren smiled back at his friend, a genuine smile. A look of relief crossed his face as he stepped into Armin's room, the blonde closing the door behind him. Now that he was in better light he could see that there was a faint pink hue on Armin's cheeks, and he started to worry that the boy was sick.
That was until he spotted the opened bottle of red wine on the table, the very same one from his gift basket. He made the connection with Armin's pink cheeks and looked incredulous. As he watched his friend wobble a bit as he strode over to his chair, he couldn't stop himself from finding out just what was going on.
"Armin, have you been drinking?"
Heh, sorry to leave it at such a weird spot. I needed to wrap this up before I gotta go somewhere in a couple of hours. Thanks for reading!