A/N: Okay, I kind of took it easy today. I wasn't really in the mood to write, and as a result, this was about 200 words less than usual, and I only just finished it, but I didn't want to leave you hanging. I did wind up ending the chapter where I wanted to though, so please read and let me know what you think!

Rivaille sat, once again at the piano. His fingers caressed the starch white keys, tapping out the familiar tune. He looked up to see his family once again. He felt his hands moving, as if they were not his own over the piano. Rivaille's mother laughed lightheartedly at the comment of one of his other family members.

Rivaille noticed that his father was holding his mother lovingly, his arms wrapped around her on the wicker couch in the sunroom. The sun was setting, and as dusk made its way along, the birds chirped outside. Rivaille watched as they went about their business, flying to and fro. Sighing, he wished that his life could stay in this moment forever. But Rivaille knew that with the dark came the nightmare.

He relished the moment, trying to keep his hold on the happiness. He knew he could never forget his family – not as long as these nightmares plagued him. He could still feel the phantom peace that he felt those days, back when his family was still happy. Before his life had fallen irreparably apart. Rivaille's fingers danced over the keys, adding more power as the climax of the song hit. He was planning on looping the song a few more times. Whenever he played the piano was the only time that the family ever really sat together and talked. It was the only time that they actually enjoyed one another's presence. As much as Rivaille loved his family, they had their problems. His sister would constantly screech at their parents for invading her privacy. Rivaille's father was constantly focused on paying the bills. Their mother was falling further and further into a depression that their father just seemed to ignore.

His family was falling apart, and Rivaille was the only one who stepped back and realized it. He did what he could to keep them all together and keep them happy. Music and the descending sun seemed to bring them together. The sunset was a time of peace and serenity. Rivaille's father had always loved watching the birds at the birdbath – or at least he did before money became an issue.

Rivaille looked at the darkening sky, watching the pitch black clouds rolling in. He could see the lightning crashing down from them, burning the world below it. Rivaille's face tightened with worry, a bad feeling washing over him. He felt a pit in his stomach open up, knowing that the peace was ending with the coming of night. Rivaille continued playing the music, intent upon keeping his family together. The storm was coming, crashing down around them.

The lights in the house went out as the cloud of darkness washed over. Confused, Rivaille continued playing, the music creating an ominous feeling in the gloom. He couldn't see his family anymore. He didn't know if they were gone – if they were alive or not. Rivaille felt the panic set in, his hands starting to shake, but never missing a note. He couldn't upset the order of it.

Lighting lit up the room, flashing just enough for Rivaille to see one figure in the room with him before the world became dark again. Rivaille was scared, but continued his song, hoping his family would come back and that the stranger would go away.

Rivaille felt a presence sit next to him on the piano bench. The figure wrapped their arms around him, holding him for a brief moment. Rivaille felt his entire body relax; he found he was no longer shaking. The figure then began to play the harmony to Rivaille's song. Rivaille never stopped playing, not for a moment. He didn't know who was playing with him, who was bringing the peace in such a disastrous world; he had not a single idea. He didn't mind the company though. He found that playing the piano with this figure felt right though. It felt like two puzzle pieces had just snapped together, lining up and creating a full picture.

Lightning flashed once more, illuminating the room. The light accentuated the features on the face of the man beside him, and it took him no less than a moment to realize who was there with him.

Eren.

Stretching, Eren rose from his bed. He had two afternoon classes on Tuesdays, so he had actually managed to get some sleep. He glanced at the clock, and then to the window. He had about two hours before he had to be in class, and the weather was looking nice. It was much better than the day before.

Eren blushed, remembering what had occurred the previous day. He had made out with Levi – Levi of all people- on his couch after learning a few fighting tips from him. Eren scratched the back of his head, sitting up in his bed. He yawned and stretched, falling back onto his bed. Eren hated mornings, even if it was already 10:30 am. Eren mostly hated waking up to know that he had things to do.

Eren propped himself up on his elbows, rolling his eyes at the clock. He just generally didn't want to be awake. Why couldn't the clock just magically rewind time to the night before so he could get another full night's sleep?

He got out of bed, heading directly to the bathroom to shower. Eren felt his ears heat up at the idea of Levi in his shower the night before. He couldn't help but notice another place heating up too. The idea of Levi shirtless was enough to drive Eren mad, but naked – in his shower.

No. Eren internally scolded. He couldn't allow himself to think that way. The man pushed everyone away, right? Eren didn't want to emotionally invest himself if someone, just for them to push him away. That had happened to him too many times in high school with the popular girls. Now that Eren thought about it, he never really imagined himself being together with those girls. They had no substance to them – other than the pounds of makeup they caked on their faces. He never understood that – why would you try to make yourself look like someone else? He could understand using makeup to accent certain points that one liked about themselves – hell, that was how Mikasa did it. She only used the makeup in ways that would make who she really looked like better. She didn't try to cover up her flaws; she wore them proudly. It's probably what made her the most intimidating girl in the school. Well, that and because she could beat your ass into next Tuesday, but that's beside the point.

Eren stripped down and turned the shower on. He always liked taking scalding hot showers. Eren stepped in, letting the water wash over his skin, turning it pink. Eren hummed while he washed himself, cleaning the grime and dirt and Levi off of himself as he went. Eren shampooed his hair quickly, his fingers massaging his scalp. Eren nearly moaned from the sensation. He was incredibly sensitive all over his body, but a few places were especially sensitive. His hair was one of those spots.

Shutting off the shower, Eren grabbed a towel and dried off. He exited the bathroom, chilling as the cold air hit his body. He kept a towel wrapped around his waist, darting to his room. He hated the cold with a passion, cringing as he shivered. He entered his room, tossing the towel onto his bed, changing into his clothes as quick as he could. He slipped on a pair of jeans and some old tee that he couldn't quite remember where he got it. He shimmied into his clothes and entered the kitchen. Eren turned the radio on, as per his usual morning routine, shaking his hips as some new song came on. He didn't know it, but it had a steady beat and he was fond of it already. Plugging the toaster in, Eren swung the fridge open, grabbing two slices of bread. He swiftly placed the bread into the toaster, setting it to the desired time. He twirled around, in time with the music, reaching up in the cabinet to grab a plate. He then slid out a drawer, grabbing a knife.

He darted back over to the fridge, grabbing the butter, lightly tossing it onto the counter. He sat on the counter as the song finished, waiting for the next song to come on. He kicked his legs out in front of him like a child to the beat of the song. He always loved listening to the music in the morning. The radio stations all seemed to play happier music than they did at night. At night and even in the afternoon, it was more of the mainstream pop music. Though plenty of people liked pop music, Eren wasn't too crazy over it. The meaning behind the words was pointless – it was more brainwashing for the children to turn into these sex animals. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, but when you're ten years old and having sex, Eren found that to be a bit of a problem.

Jumping up when the toaster dinged, Eren nearly fell onto his face. He managed to grab the corner of the counter before he fell over though. He slowly dropped off the counter, stifling laughter. He was always startled by the toaster. Eren quickly grabbed the toast and put it on the plate. Spreading the butter evenly across the bread, Eren unplugged the toaster and put the butter back in the fridge. Eren sat down at the table, making quick work of his toast. He wiped the breadcrumbs off his face when he finished. He placed his plate in the sink, groaning as he realized that he would have to do the dishes soon.

Eren still had an hour before he had to leave for class, so he sat down on the couch and turned on the television. It automatically started on the news, as per usual, and Eren pulled out his phone. He saw that he had one text from an unknown number. Flipping open his phone, Eren wondered who it could be texting him. He already knew all of his friend's numbers. He looked at the message, which simply read 'are you free tomorrow night?'

Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, Eren replied. He had simply asked who was texting him. Of course, he felt like the world's biggest asshole when he read the message. He slammed his face into his hand. Of course it was Levi. Who else had he given his number to recently? Eren typed back a quick apology and a confirmation of his clear plans. He didn't particularly have a significant amount of work to do that week, and he only had a morning class on Wednesday.

Levi soon replied, telling Eren to meet him outside the cafeteria that evening at six in the evening. Eren squirmed in his seat, realizing that this was a date that Levi wanted to go on. He sighed, falling into the couch, excited for this date, having a generally good feeling about it. Standing up, Eren turned off the television and grabbed his keys. He swung his backpack onto his shoulder and locked his apartment door behind him. He hated class, but he simply had to do what he had to do.

The next morning, Eren woke up, feeling refreshed. He had run through his morning routine once again, choosing cereal as his award-winning meal of the morning. He couldn't help the anxiety coursing through his veins at the idea of going on a date with Levi. He had actually somehow found a way into the older man's heart, and the man allowed him to be there. Eren smiled, walking to the university. The whole world seemed to shine a little brighter. Nearly every step, Eren was bouncing, with a bright smile on his face. He walked onto campus, probably startling a few of his friends with his bright smiles and warm greetings.

Eren had said hello to Sasha, and she nearly freaked out. She was all over him in a second, checking that he was feeling well. "You're not a morning person!" She screeched into his ear. Eren pulled away from her, cringing.

"Keep that up and soon I won't be a hearing person either." Eren joked back. He turned and made his way to class, bidding a wide-eyed Sasha a farewell. Needless to say, Sasha ran directly to Connie, telling him that something was wrong with Eren because he was happy and it was the morning.

By the end of Eren's lecture, everyone in the freshman class knew that something was up with Eren. He was known for being the most unhappy, intolerable morning person anyone had ever seen. Despite his morning routine, Eren hated leaving his apartment. By the time he got to school, he would be moaning and groaning about all the work that he had to do, and how he just didn't want to do it. Everyone in the school knew to avoid Eren in the morning, and if they didn't they learned quickly enough.

It was no wonder that everyone was surprised at Eren's sudden change of heart. He was smiling, and he even wished Jean a good morning. Eren vaguely pondered the presence of a black-haired freckled boy walking with Jean, but he butted out, figuring it was none of his business. When Eren walked into the classroom smiling, everyone diverted their attention to him. Eren had no idea that he was popular enough to be known as the kid with a bad temper only three weeks into the semester. All throughout the day, Eren felt whispers traveling behind him. Nobody knew what was going on, and soon the rumors began floating around. Eren didn't really pay any heed to any of them, because they were all fairly ridiculous.

Soon enough, the day went by. Eren had returned home after eating lunch at the cafeteria. He changed into a button down shirt and black jeans, in the event that they decided to go somewhere formal. Eren had fretted for nearly an hour over what to wear, finally settling on the basic white shirt black bottoms routine. He had brushed his teeth four times after returning home, in the event that Levi kissed him.

Finally, Eren left his apartment, nearly sprinting in joy to the campus. He didn't want to seem overexcited though, knowing full well that Levi wouldn't let his emotions slip up even once. Eren walked onto the campus, and headed directly for the cafeteria. Eren waited by the doors, checking his watch. He was five minutes early, so he sat down on the bench outside the cafeteria. Eren watched the birds soar from tree to tree, letting their songs play music in the trees. Eren pulled out his phone, resting his arms on his knees as he absorbed himself into Tetris. He didn't notice as Levi walked up to him and took the seat next to him, watching the undivided attention of Eren. He smiled to himself, watching as the boy beat the round, sitting back and jumping up as he realized that Levi was sitting next to him.

"Oh!" He cried, sitting back. Levi's features softened at the wide eyed, open mouthed expression that Eren had on his face. He was absolutely adorable sometimes. Eren's eyebrows raised as Levi's mouth let loose a small smile. Eren had never actually seen the man smile. Well, he hadn't really seen the man express any emotion other than despair and anxiety. Before Eren knew what he was doing, he had wrapped his arms around Levi, squeezing the older man. "Levi, you're really adorable when you're not acting so uptight." Eren admitted, blushing. Levi couldn't see the blushing though, as Eren's face was buried in his shoulder. Levi was a bit taken back, willing his own blush away. He hadn't expected the boy to hug him, much less call him cute.

Eren let go of the shorter man, and asked where Levi had planned to take them. Levi mentioned something about a new horror film, and Eren's eyes lit up at the suggestion. He had wanted to see the new movie, because for once it was actually supposed to be scary. Levi led them to his car and Eren climbed into the passenger's seat. He breathed in deep. The car smelled clean, as if it had just come out of the factory, but Eren knew the model was a couple of years old at least.

The two men drove to the cinema in near silence. Levi attempted some conversation, promising to show Eren a new fighting technique when they returned from the movie. They pulled into the parking lot, and left the car. Eren walked next to Levi, reaching out and grabbing his hand. He felt Levi tense up quickly, but he soon relaxed. Eren found Levi's hand surprisingly warm, and the blush that he was trying to hide was equally as adorable.

They paid for their tickets and headed into the movie theater, taking their place in the back of the movie theater. They sat together, hands intertwined. Levi looked around the nearly empty movie theater just as the movie started. He looked up at Eren, who was currently staring directly at the screen in anticipation. Levi grabbed his chin, forcing Eren's face to meet his. The brunet was caught off guard as Levi's lips brushed over his gingerly. Eren blushed, eyebrows furrowing as he searched for an explanation in Levi's face. Levi simply turned and looked at the screen. Eren took the hint and followed suit.

The movie, which was supposed to be scary, was only mildly so. The effects were all really cheap, and most of the movie was just the anticipation of something happening rather than anything actually happening. There were only a few other patrons in the theater, and in one particularly dull moment, Eren screamed out just for fun to see who would react. Almost all of the other movie-goers let loose a scream too. Levi just looked at Eren, raising his eyebrows and offering a small smile while shaking his head.

When the movie was over, the two boys got back in the car. Just as Levi pulled the keys out to turn the car on, Eren leaned over and placed a kiss on his lips. He hadn't meant for it to be much, just a sweet peck on the lips as thanks. Levi grabbed Eren's head, forcing their lips together. Licking the bottom of Levi's lip, Eren sought entrance into Levi's mouth. He parted his lips as Eren's tongue teased his lower lip. Eren's hand found its way underneath Levi's shirt, exploring his muscular chest. Shivering, Levi pulled the younger man closer in need. The two boys kept at it until they heard a tap on the window.

They broke apart reluctantly, and Levi rolled down his window. "What do you want?" Levi asked his voice hard. Eren could feel the anger radiating off of him in powerful waves. Or maybe that heat was coming from the growing bulge in his pants.

"Do you two mind? We don't exactly appreciate having two people going at it in the parking lot." The chubby man outside Levi's window said. His voice was venomous, but not nearly as much as Levi's was as he responded to the heavy man.

"How about you mind your fucking business?" Levi asked in response, rolling up the window and starting the car. Eren felt bad that the man had interrupted their making out session, and more than a little uncomfortable. Levi was fuming on his way back to his apartment. He figured it was for the best though, because he was ready to ravish the younger boy in the car. Scowling, he sped up the car. Eren placed his hand on the older man's knee to calm him down. He could feel the agitation radiating off of Levi, but knew better than to try and talk about it. Levi wasn't one for much talking. Eren knew that much. Eren did have one question on his mind though, and he refused to continue any activities before he got an answer to it.

"Levi," Eren started with his voice shaking and unsure. "What are," He paused, trying to find the right way to put it. "Well, what are we?" Levi turned to face Eren, his eyes serious and mixed with some other emotion.

"What do you want us to be?" Levi countered. Eren felt a mild prick of agitation. He never really liked it when people answered his question with another question. He preferred to be blunt and honest, rather than beat around the bush. Eren liked straight up answers. Levi looked back to the road while he waited for Eren's response.

"I just want to be with you." Eren replied honestly. He didn't know how to put it. He didn't want to label their relationship; he simply stated what he knew. "I want to be near you all the time. I want to see the side of you that you keep hidden away. I want to know and love the real Levi, not the fake one that pushes everyone away." Eren said, the words just pouring out of his mouth. Sometimes, when he started talking about his feelings, the words would just keep pouring out and pouring out, and he wouldn't be able to stop them.

Levi felt tears prick at his eyes. He looked over to Eren, scanning his face for any hint of a lie. He appeared entirely sincere, and Levi choked back tears. He rounded the corner, onto the block where his apartment was. Levi took the chance that he had to give Eren any warning that he could. "Eren, you don't know what your words are doing to me." Levi admitted, his voice low and growling. Eren looked over to Levi, his eyes wide and darkening. Since when was it legal for Levi to use that voice? Eren couldn't help but notice the tears in the older man's eyes when he realized just how much his words really did affect Levi.

He also couldn't help but notice how beautiful Levi looked in the city lights. The way his features brightened and dimmed at regular intervals in accordance with the street lights. Eren sighed softly, his eyes trailing down Levi's face to his neck, and even down his shirt. Levi had his shirt buttoned fairly low, and Levi got a glance of the muscles he was already so fond of. When Levi moved, it was like water, each muscle rippling accordingly. Everything was perfect to Eren about Levi. He felt his heart leap, remembering how Levi had let Eren touch his hair, after he had made it clear how little he liked it when he touched it earlier in that day.

Levi pulled into the parking garage, immediately turning to face Eren.

"Eren, I plan on making this a night you'll remember."

A/N:Anyone guessing where they're going to go next chapter? -nudge nudge-

So please let me know what you think~! I'm exhausted and it's almost 12:30 am, and I'm going to sleep now.
This weekend, I'm going away and won't be back until Tuesday, and I doubt that I'll have another chapter done anywhere from Saturday to Tuesday. Just a heads up!
And thank you all so much, just for what you've said already. You're all amazing and I love you 3