The Misanthrope

Chapter 5

xXx

Like he had promised, Eren showed up at Levi's home the next day. It was a fairly cold day and he was surprised to find Levi outside. Coming closer, he understood why, smiling excitedly.

"I haven't had roasted chestnuts in like, ages," Eren exclaimed, waving a hello to his grumpy friend. He could call Levi his friend already, right?

"Since last autumn?" Levi smirked, scoring the last few chestnuts with a sharp pocket knife.

"Yeah," Eren drawled, grinning. He couldn't help his boyish enthusiasm around the older man. He cleared his throat and nudged Levi's side. "See, I'm here, like I promised."

"I see. Look... I feel bad for, well, for yesterday. You're curious and your mouth runs faster than your brain, but it's not your fault."

"That's... That's okay," the teen looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry I pressed you with my questions."

"Like I said, not your fault. You don't know what it's like, and I'm glad you don't," Levi eyed him. "Put down your backpack and come stand closer to the fire."

Eren stared at the makeshift fire pit, which was just a shallow hole in the ground surrounded by a few rows of bricks. "You built this today?"

"No big deal. I'm guessing this isn't the only time we'll roast chestnuts, so I might as well have a hole in my garden for a month or two." He overturned a bowl of chestnuts into a large cast iron skillet and held it over the fire, looking bored.

That was the most common look he had, Eren mused, smiling to himself.

The minutes passed in a comfortable silence, the nuts crackling and the familiar scent wafting into Eren's nostrils. It was getting chilly outside, but standing near the fire made it bearable.

"Wanna eat inside?" Levi asked once the chestnuts were done.

"Yeah, I kinda do," the teen admitted, rubbing his hands together. It was getting dark anyway.

Levi carried the skillet and led Eren inside. "Butter and cinnamon or plain?"

"I like them plain," Eren smiled, sitting down while Levi searched for a pot mat.

"So," Levi joined him and snagged a nut from the skillet, peeling it quickly. "While I'm in the good mood, you can ask me stuff... You know, the stuff you're curious about."

Eren mimicked the action, hissing as he burned his fingers. "Crap," he yelped, juggling the chestnut, almost dropping it. Levi took it from him and effortlessly handled it.

"How do you do that?"

Levi shrugged and turned his calloused palms towards Eren. No wonder heat didn't bother him.

"Because... Because of the blades?" Eren almost reached out and touched the small but powerful hands. Almost, but he didn't.

"Yeah," was the short reply and Eren hadn't expected more clarification, but he got it nonetheless. "At first, though? My hands were bleeding every day when I enlisted, and that was from the practice only. My blisters had blisters. Once I got to kill actual titans, my skin was so hard that I could handle anything. I guess my hands are just gonna stay that way, even though I haven't picked up a blade in nearly six years now."

Eren just stared. He really wasn't hoping for such a long explanation. In fact, he believed it was the longest he'd heard Levi speak.

"Wow," he said stupidly.

"Wow," Levi snorted and handed Eren a peeled chestnut. "Here."

Eren accepted it, but then took a new one, determined to do it himself. They weren't too hot to handle anymore but it was still uncomfortable. Several minutes and a dozen chestnuts later, he found Levi watching him intently.

"What is it?"

"You have something on your cheek," Levi squinted at him.

Not thinking, Eren rubbed at his left cheek.

"No, your other cheek."

"What is it?"

He stared at Levi who was now making a strange face, barely succeeding to keep his mouth in a straight line. That was seconds before he started laughing, the unfamiliar sound nearly startling Eren.

"Levi, what?!"

The older man composed himself, but remained smiling. "Take a look at your hands."

Eren did and blinked. His fingers were black from the charred chestnut peels and that's when he realized he'd just smeared it all over his face.

"You're terrible!" He squeaked and laughed loudly.

"Here, let me help," Levi reached towards his face, his fingers equally messy.

"Noo!" Eren smacked his hand away, giggling all the while. Seeing a genuine smile on Levi's lips, Eren's laughter died down. He wasn't certain, but he felt privileged to see that. His stomach fluttering with an unfamiliar emotion, Eren leaned forward.

"You should laugh more often," he admitted and then busied himself with peeling another nut.

"I should," Levi nodded, somewhat pensive. "You're the first person who made me laugh in years."

"You made yourself, teasing me like that," Eren huffed but smiled. "How come you tolerate me? You looked like you didn't want anything to do with people when we met."

"You're... Different. You're not tainted."

"Tainted?"

"With hypocrisy and resentment. You've barely lived, you're not corrupted."

Eren's smile fell. "What happened to you, Levi?"

The older man stood up and went to wash his hands in the kitchen sink, motioning for Eren to do the same, plus his face. He then led him to the fireplace and settled on the sofa, while Eren took his place on the soft fur rug. He felt like a kid who'd be getting an ancient story about his favorite hero.

"I just want you to know it's hard for me to talk about this."

"I know," Eren said. "I appreciate it."

"The humanity was on the verge of extinction. The majority of people wished to stay sealed behind the walls, thinking they're safe. They didn't care about anything else. The merchants only cared about profit. Very few people cared about freedom. I've found my people, or so to say, who believed in freedom, like me. It was the Scouting Legion. Those bastards from Military police only wanted to serve there to be safe, and the Stationary Guard as well. Before titans attacked, they were a bunch of drunkards hanging around the cities and gambling all day. You asked what happened to me. I wanted to save the humanity, of course. The same humanity that mocked us every time we were going outside of the walls."

"People mocked you?!" Eren couldn't, just couldn't imagine that. Why would anyone mock an army that's fighting for the humanity?

"They mocked, booed, taunted, yelled at us. They were saying that military ate all the food, and now that we were nice and fattened, we go out to act as titan bait. That we're idiots to even try. When we would go back, all bloodied and beaten, our friends dead or screaming in agony... They mocked us again... That we just died and died and never did anything useful."

"Oh my god," Eren shivered. It was painful to hear all that and he could only imagine how hard it was for Levi to have lived through that.

"I can't tell you how we've won, it's classified. But when we did finally win, people celebrated."

Levi's eyes grew cold, his words oozing with hatred. "The same people who used to spit in my face - they now pat my back and call me a hero."

Eren stared at Levi's hands. They sat in silence, the teen not daring to make a sound.

"Human nature is vile and deceitful. I often wonder what the whole point was." Levi finally said and cast a look on Eren, expecting a comment or something from the boy.

"Not everyone's like that," Eren convinced. "You are a hero, Levi."

"Yeah right, to you maybe."

"To me definitely," the teen gave a reassuring smile.

Levi's features somewhat softened. "It would've been interesting if you had been there with me. With everyone. I dare to say it would have been fun."

"And what would you make me do, Levi-heichou?" Eren laughed lightly, but immensely glad for Levi's comment.

The corner of Levi's mouth twitched. "I'd make you mop the floors. Every day." He stood up and ruffled Eren's hair. "But now, help me clean up that mess on the table and we'll make a real dinner."

Eren snickered quietly, feeling his heart swell at the playful banter and the way Levi touched him. He followed, wishing he could somehow keep that warm hand in his hair.

xXx

To be continued...