A/N: OH ME GOSH IT'S 2 AM I'M DOOMED.
...anyway, really sorry about the last chapter. ^0^" -common sense appears- See, Raikun, that is why you do not update two of the fics at the same time when you are rushing and behind schedule-
-elbows common sense out of the way- Anyway, I'd just like to thank everyone who was really nice and understanding! =) No one was a jerk about it, so I'm really grateful for that. XD I'd write you all prize fics if you'd want, but my writing can really suck, just to warn you...
Anyway, onto the next chapter! So glad I could get this up...
"...Hey, Eren, this looks good. Here, hold it up like that. ...Yeah, it looks like it'll fit you. Okay. Let's just buy seven more of the same kind. All right. We're done now."
Wow! That was fast, Levi!
"I know, right?" Levi replied monotonously, holding the bags filled with Eren's new clothing. "Hmm. That was a lot less headache than I thought it would be."
The brunet grinned as he held up his notebook.
Then can we go buy plants for Grishy and Car?
"...do we have to?"
Eren gave Levi his best pleading eyes again.
Please!?
Flip. Their home seems kinda empty without anything...
"...fine." Levi mumbled as he set the bags down neatly in the backseat of the car. "But if that's the case, we need to buy them a proper bowl to live in. There's no way in hell I'm letting my cooking pot be a fish tank forever."
You could always buy a new cooking pot, Levi. Eren suggested innocently as he tossed down the bag he had been carrying.
Flip. Besides, I thought you'd be disgusted.
Flip. Having fish live in something you usually cook food in.
Levi shrugged nonchalantly. "If I didn't, you would have spent the whole time complaining on how the fish needed a better place to stay in, which would have honestly been a lot more irritating then having the damn things in my cooking ware."
Much to his slight irritation/secret happiness, he found Eren beaming at him again. "...what?"
Levi is so nice sometimes!
Flip. Even if he doesn't want to admit it!
"...shut up..." By now, they were in the pet store. Eren stared curiously at the rows of fake aquatic plants, curiously reaching out to finger the plastic leaves.
Levi, these feel really weird!
Flip. How can they be so green without water?
"...magic." The word have eventually became Levi's explanation for things he didn't feel like having to explain to the brunet.
Eren's eyes grew wide as he nodded eagerly in understanding.
Oh, I see now!
"Yeah. Should we buys some of these?" Levi asked, scanning the plants as well. If they were fake, it would be less one thing to take care of...
Eren started to write a reply, but a loud voice nearby interrupted them.
"Hey! It's Mr. Levi and Eren again!" Both males turned around to see the same group of teenagers they had seen at the festival. Chattering happily, they crowded around Levi and Eren eagerly.
"Eren! Hi!"
"You remember us, don't you?"
"What's up?"
"Ah, it's Mr. Levi!"
"I still can't believe he exists!"
"...why aren't you brats in school?" Levi inquired grumpily as Eren tentatively held up his notebook.
Hello! I remember you, but...
Flip. I'm sorry, I still don't know your names.
"Hahahaha, that's fine! I don't think we gave you our names anyway!" The boy with the buzz-cut exclaimed, reaching out to shake Eren's hand. "I'm Connie! It's nice to meet you, Eren!"
"Hang on, I don't think Eren gave you his name, either..." Levi remarked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"S'at's cuz' hoctaa Ha'shii's alkin' ll ahout uuu' eyes'! (That's because Dr. Hanji's talking all about you guys!)" The girl who had been speaking finally swallowed her mouthful of food. "I'm Sasha! I heard you really like food too, Eren! What's your favorite food!? I like eating hamburgers the most!"
"Wait a minute, exactly WHAT has Hanji been saying?"
"...I don't think you would want to know, Mr. Levi..."
"...And I think I need to pay that crazy bat a visit. Eren, I'll be right back..."
Eren nodded before replying to Sasha's question.
What's a hamburger?
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A H-" Bertholdt promptly gave Sasha another ice cream ("Hey, no food in the pet shop!"), effectively cutting off the rest of her rant. "Don't mind Sasha, Eren, she's just a food-obsessed freak. I'm Bertholdt! You remember me and Jean from the festival, right?"
The said boy, who had been standing a bit away from the whole group, looked towards Eren grudgingly. "...hey. Sorry about before. It was kind of immature of me."
Eren studied Jean carefully for a few seconds before nodding and giving him a wary smile.
Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have shoved you like that.
"Yeah."
"..."
"Hahaha!" A larger blond gave Jean an affectionate slap on the shoulder. "You've gotta loosen up sometimes, Jean! You take things way too seriously! Reiner!" He added to Eren, a friendly smile on his face. "I heard you're new in town! Are you going to go to school here?"
Hi, Reiner. I don't think so...
"Really!? How old are you?"
Levi, who had been walking out of the pet shop to find and throttle a certain doctor, stopped in his tracks, glancing at Eren warily before hurriedly speaking up. "The brat's ni-"
Eren had already written his answer and was showing it to his new friends, eyebrows raising as he did.
I'm 19.4 years old!
"Nineteen point.. four?"
"Wow! You're older than all of us! You're old, Eren!"
"You actually keep track of stuff like that!? That's so weird!"
"Shut up, Jean! That's so awesome! So that means you were born in January?"
Eren, catching sight of Levi's slightly surprised face, smiled and gave him a quick wink before turning back to the group.
Yes, that's right!
"Ooh, I'm born in January too!" Bertholdt remarked excitedly. "What day you born on!?"
25.
The brat was lying... Levi realized as Eren silently laughed with the teenagers. And... he was actually doing a pretty good job of it, contrary to Levi's expectations. Sighing, Levi gave him a small wave before buying the fake plants and sitting outside of the pet shop.
Eren was now demonstrating his talent for determining fish genders. "Say, Eren, what gender is that fish? The big blue one that looks like a potato chip!"
Female.
"Hmm... what about that one, Eren?" Connie questioned, pointing to another tank.
Male.
"This one?"
...It's still too early to see what gender they are.
"HUH!? WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN!?"
"Jean, stop being so loud! You're going to get us kicked out of here!"
"If anyone's going to get us kicked out of here, it's gotta be you, french fry girl!"
"You're still calling her that name, Jean? Anyway, you know a lot about fishes, don't you, Eren?"
Eren shrugged modestly, his green eyes twinkling. Eyes that Levi could spend his whole life-
"And we have caught it on camera!" A voice announced, doing a rather poor impersonation of a dramatic narrator. "The grumpy shrimp checking out a potential mate he plans to court!"
"..."
Hanji hastily put away her phone. "Just kidding, Levi, just kidding. I really didn't have it on recording."
"...have you finally calmed down from your insane high?" Despite his tone, Levi made no move to throttle her. "So you've been spending rumors about us, Hanji?"
The doctor chuckled, sitting down next to Levi. "Only spreading the good news that the old bachelor has finally hooked up with someone." Her smile grew as she saw the bag Levi was holding. "What's that you're holding there? Something from the pet shop? And I thought you were only going to buy him clothes today!"
Levi snorted quietly. "Damn brat. At this rate, I'll end up spoiling him too much."
"Well, you're loaded, so you won't have trouble at all supporting him and your neet lifestyle!" Hanji teased. She suddenly lapsed into a more serious expression. "Hey, Levi... do you still want to see those x-rays I took from before? Of Eren's throat?"
Levi watched Eren motion eagerly to Reiner and Bertholdt. "...No. I don't need to see them."
"Oh?" Hanji quirked her head curiously. "What do you mean?"
"I still won't believe that Eren's a former merman. But I don't care about that anymore. You know..." Levi flicked off an invisible speck from his knee. "Your psychology tests have a flaw."
"Hmm?"
"Something bad happened to that kid." Levi explained. " I don't know exactly what, but he's experienced some sort of trauma. But I'll wait. When Eren feels like telling me, I'll listen to the brat."
"You're quite serious." Hanji commented quietly, still smiling behind her glasses. "I never thought you'd act like this around someone."
Levi was still staring at Eren. "Me neither. He reminds me of... the sun. He's damn annoying, causes all sorts of trouble, and he'll eventually be the death of you. But..." His voice trailed off before continuing again. "The sun's bright. And warm. And the planet wouldn't exist without it."
"Heehee, I see..."
"..."
"..."
Hanji suddenly sprang up and threw her arms around Levi's neck, her face colliding painfully with his chin.
"Wh-what the-"
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH YOU LITTLE SHRIMP! WHEN DID YOU GET SO STRONG AND MANLY! IT'S TOO MUCH! I CAN'T!" With that, Hanji ran off, giggling and cackling madly to herself again.
Levi stared after her for several seconds before shaking his head and turning back to Eren. He would never get used to that woman's lunatic behavior.
"By the way, Eren..." Sasha whispered loudly, trying to be appear secretive and failing. "What is your relationship with Mr. Levi?"
"Yeah!" Connie added eagerly, his face full of curiosity. "The Doc's been talking about it, all right, but we all want to know the truth!"
"And everyone and their mother saw you guys almost kiss at the festival-"
"SHUT UP! WE WILL NOT TALK ABOUT THAT TIME!"
"..."
Blushing, Eren looked furtively back and forth before writing in his notebook.
Levi and I are... together. I think.
Everyone nearly fell down in excitement.
"WHAT!?"
"No kidding!"
"Woot! Way to go kid!" Connie cheered, clapping Eren on the shoulder. "I was pretty sure that he had to be, like, asexual or something!"
"So he LOVES you!?"
...I think so?
"HUH!?"
"How far have the two of you gone?" Bertholdt whispered excitedly, his eyebrows nearly disappearing in his hair.
Eren blinked in confusion.
What... I don't understand...
"Did you... like... you know, sleep together!?"
"..."
"...he's not saying anything."
"He's red as a beet."
"They must have!"
Eren froze and hastily shook his head wildly.
"Hahahahahahaha, are you sure about that, Eren!?"
I am sure! Please stop laughing!
Reiner put a comforting arm on Eren's shoulder. "Don't mind them, Eren, they're just kids being stupid.""
"...Reiner, you're not that much older than us.." Connie pointed out quietly.
"But hey, doesn't it feel weird?" Jean asked despite himself. "I mean... the guy's shorter than you, so isn't it a little..."
Eren blinked.
Why is it weird?
Flip. Isn't it normal for the smaller one to top?
"EH-EHHHHHHHHHHHH?" The teenagers promptly exploded around him.
"SO YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IT?!"
"THAT SHORTY ACTUALLY-"
WHAT? NO! WE DID NOT!
An arm suddenly draped itself over Eren's shoulders again. "You annoying brats are making too much of a racket." Levi remarked irritably, tugging Eren closer to him. "Come on, kid, let's go."
Eren's hand trembled in embarrassment as he wrote his next lines.
Okay, Levi!
Flip. Thank you everyone for today! I'll see you guys later!
"Ah, all right, bye Eren!"
"See you later!"
"Let's hang out again!"
"Remember to use protection!"
Eren waved back at them happily before allowing Levi to drag him out of the store.
"Hn. You looked like you enjoyed yourself."
Yes, I did!
"That's good."
But I like Levi the best!
"...you better." Levi mumbled, jerking Eren down to kiss his forehead.
"I was kind of surprised when you told them you were nineteen instead of one hundred and ninety four, brat." Levi admitted as he drove them back, his eyes fixed on the road.
Eren gave him a quizzical look.
Of course I told them that, Levi.
Flip. If I told them something like that,
Flip. they wouldn't have believed me!
"...then why the heck did you have no trouble telling Hanji and Erwin and me?"
Because I trust you guys!
Flip. Completely, I mean.
Oh. So he had the brat's trust. Levi clenched the steering wheel and wondered how a piece knowledge could be so gratifying yet terrifying. "...I see."
"..."
"...by the way... So I'll top because I'm smaller, huh?"
Eren almost jumped out of his seat at the words. Levi had to bite back his chuckle."So I guess my height's good for something after all..."
"..."
Stupid Levi.
"Heh..."
Eren didn't write anything for a while, and Levi didn't think much of it, since Eren was probably sulking from his last comment.
He turned once he heard the sound of scribbling again.
Levi, can I ask you something weird?
"Hm?"
If I was a bad person before, would you still like me?
"...well, if I was a bad person in the past, Eren, would you still like me?" Levi questioned, his eyes going back to the road.
Eren looked out of the window, his eyes deep in thought before he scribbled his answer.
I think I would still like Levi.
"And why would you still like me, Eren?"
Flip. Because Levi is not the past Levi.
Flip. So I don't think it matters.
Levi gave Eren a rare smile. "...And that, Yeager, is my answer to your first question."
Eren blinked in surprise. He paused, chewing the inside of his cheek, then started to write again.
Levi, I want to see the ocean.
"Huh!?" Levi almost crashed the car in shock. "WHY?! NO! Aren't you afraid you'll fall in?"
Eren smiled back at Levi's worried expression.
I believe Levi will protect me.
Flip. So I'm not that worried.
"...fine." Levi said after a reluctant , pulling the car over. "I'll take you to see the stupid ocean, but you're going to have to view it from a DISTANCE."
I'm okay with that.
The ocean glimmered and sparkled in the sun. Eren stared at it, wearing an expression of what looked like quiet sadness. Levi stood behind him, his arms wrapped securely around the brunet's waist as they stood on the cliff (very far from the edge).
"...can we go now?" Levi didn't bother to hide the impatience in his voice. "I really don't understand why the hell we had to come here in the first place."
Eren cracked a smile, reaching to write in his notebook.
Levi, you really are good at protecting me, aren't you?
Flip. I can barely see the ocean at all from here.
The black-haired man frowned deeply. "Good. That's how it should be. Now let's go."
Eren ignored him and continued to write.
The ocean's been my home for almost two hundred years, Levi.
Flip. For a long time, I didn't think I would ever want to leave it.
Flip. I didn't think I would fall in love with a human.
It was rather strange of Eren to use the word "human", but Levi was too distracted by the meaning of the sentence to care.
Eren continued to write.
It's really strange, Levi.
Flip. I haven't known you for very long.
Flip. But when I see you, I feel so happy.
Flip. Whenever you touch me, I feel even happier.
Flip. Even when I dream, I think about you.
Flip. I didn't really mind giving up my voice that much..
Flip. But sometimes I wish I had a voice just so that I could say your name.
"..." Levi tightened his grip on Eren's body. "Shitty brat. You don't need a voice to make me happy."
Eren squeezed Levi's hand before scribbling more.
I'm sorry we had to go to the ocean, Levi.
They were both too far from the cliff to notice the unusual sea waves that started to cling to the edges of the rock, as if clambering to reach above.
Flip. But I just wanted to say goodbye to it.
"Then say it already, for hell's sake, Eren!" Levi growled. "Before a fucking earthquake comes and makes you fall off the damn cliff!"
His green eyes serious, Eren began to write slowly.
Levi, I have to tell you something.
Long ago, I used to-
RUMBLE!
Without warning, the ground beneath them shuddered, knocking both of the two off balance. "Wha-what-" Levi managed to choke out in a mixture of horror and consternation, while Eren gave him a look of sheer terror.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me! Earthquakes aren't supposed to come out of nowhere, goddamn it!"
BOOOOM!
The earth suddenly split open, chunks of the cliff were falling into the sea, the waves towering over them. Levi couldn't believe what was happening in front of him. "Eren! We need to get out of here!"
Eren just stood where he was, frozen, his eyes fixed on the water below. Suddenly the ground under his feet gave way, sending the brunet plummeting down the cliff, his green eyes bulging in panic as he opened his mouth in a silent scream.
"EREN!" Before Eren knew what was happening, he was roughly thrown back onto the cliff edge, hitting solid ground with a thump. His heart pounding wildly, Eren whirled backward to see that now Levi was starting to fall off the cliff.
Levi saw Eren mouth his name in panic before quickly reaching for his hand. Their fingers brushed.
And then a particularly large wave closed over Levi, his hand slipping out of Eren's frantic grasp as the water flooded his senses, and the world became black.
...
...
...
...
...Voices. Loud voices. Frantic voices.
The voices didn't matter because Eren didn't have a voice. Eren. Where was Eren?
Levi was able to protect Eren, right? Eren was safe, right? Eren...
"...Eren... didn't fall into the ocean, right?" His voice was raspy and weak as he spoke. Levi wearily opened his eyes, realizing that he was lying on the ground. His body was drenched in sea water.
"L-Levi..." He blinked and recognized Hanji's face, her glasses were off as her eyes were full of tears. "L-Levi, I-"
"Where is Eren?"
"I... h-h-he..." Hanji hiccuped several times before attempting to compose herself. "Th... the earthquake came out of nowhere, L-Levi, the whole town is in a panic-"
"Eren?"
"He... he saved you, Levi. When you fell into the water, he... E-Eren went after you."
"Then where the hell is he?"
Hanji's voice trembled before breaking completely. "I... I don't know..."
"NO!" In a flash, Levi was up again. Waves of pain coursed through his body, but he couldn't care less. "Eren, Eren, he can't be-"
"Le-Levi," Hanji clung to his arm desperately, "C-calm down! You're in no position to move-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Levi shook his arm from her grasp and started to run. "THAT STUPID BRAT! WHY DIDN'T HE LISTEN TO ME!?"
"LEVI!" His former classmate shrieked, beginning to stand to go after him, but Erwin grabbed Hanji's shoulder, his face full of sorrow. "Hanji, leave him."
"But, Erwin-"
"Let him go. You can't stop him."
Levi went to the place where he had first found Eren. He went there because he didn't know where else to go.
At the beach, there was no sign of the chaos from earlier. The weather was beautiful.
The sky was so blue, it was nearly painful to look at it. A few white clouds drifted lazily as a slight breeze blew. Levi felt as if it was mocking him.
"Eren..." He said slowly, not able to believe what had just happened. Eren, who had just been by his side a moment ago. Eren, who had thrown his world in complete disarray. Eren, who had liked wearing a maid dress. Eren, who was a demon of the road. Eren, who had smiled and blushed for him. Eren, who had laughed and giggled with him. Eren, who kissed him. Eren, who he had woken up to. Eren, who he had kissed. Eren, who told Levi he loved him.
"EREN!" Levi heard someone screaming the boy's name, a split second later, he realized it was himself. "Ah... ah... hah..." Panting slightly, he slid down on the sand, his hands clutching his hair. "Eren..."
Levi felt like he lost his mind, so when he first spotted the mop of dark brown hair in the water, he thought he was hallucinating.
It didn't stop him, however, from desperately rushing out into the water. "Eren!?" The mop of hair rose, and Levi saw the most beautiful shade of green in the world again. He thought his heart would stop beating.
"EREN!" He cried desperately, and he was nearly convinced it was an illusion when Eren shrank back from him.
"Are you hurt!?" Levi demanded, reaching out to grasp Eren's hand. His eyes widened as he clutched the tan flesh, he could touch Eren, Eren was real, Eren was safe- "Eren, thank god-"
"D-don't come any closer!" A voice suddenly cried, a beautiful voice, Levi thought, as Eren tore his hand away from his.
"What the hell are you saying?" Levi grabbed Eren's hand again, squeezing it as hard as he could. "Wait, you can speak? No, never mind, that's not important. My god, Eren, I thought I would never see you again!" Before the brunet could make another protest, Levi quickly embraced him, holding Eren close.
And then he felt the scales.
"...Huh?" Levi glanced down. Eren took advantage of his confusion and quickly pushed Levi off of him.
"P-please get away from me... Levi..."
"Wh-what..." Utterly speechless, Levi gawked at what used to be Eren's legs. Instead, a shimmering blue-green tail swayed below the ocean's surface, twinkling in the sunlight. "E...Eren?"
There was an extremely long stretch of silence.
"...well damn." Levi said, slowly bringing his gaze back to Eren's face. "No wonder you liked wearing dresses better."
Eren promptly burst into tears. "L-Levi... I-I'm so sorry! It wasn't you, it wasn't you, Levi, it was me! I saw you fall into the water and you were drowning, and, and, I didn't think, I just dove in after you!" Wiping his face furiously, Eren shook his head. "No, I did think. I didn't want you to die, Levi... I should have just gone away but I heard you call my name and I just couldn't, I couldn't..."
"...I don't believe this..." Levi cautiously extended a hand towards Eren's waist. Eren hesitantly nodded and allowed Levi to touch the area where his skin became scales.
"I..." Eren swallowed thickly. "I... I need to tell you everything, Levi. Everything about me."
Levi's fingers slowly trailed off Eren's body, his eyes not leaving Eren's face. "...and... I'll listen..." The man said slowly, the shock still clearly etched in his face.
"I... I never knew who my father was." Eren began, his tail curling as he spoke. "But I had his surname, Yeager, and I knew his given name, Grisha, my mother used to cry it out in her sleep. My mother raised me. Her name was Carla. She was my world. But, one day, when I was only twelve years old... she was killed."
Under the water, Eren's hands formed into fists. "She was caught in a sea net. I tried to untangle her, but I couldn't make it in time. The fisherman dragged her up and, thinking she was a demon, hacked her into pieces." Eren closed his eyes, as if the action made the memory less painful. "On bad nights, I could still hear her screams."
Levi said nothing, his hair dripping with water.
"I had always despised humans, but from the day, I became obsessed with annihilating them." Eren went on, opening his eyes. "I banded with a group of merpeople and we set out to destroy the human race. We sunk countless ships... we made so many soldiers drown... I must have killed hundreds of them, Levi."
The man remained silent, still listening carefully.
"But then... at least sixty years after I began killing humans... I got caught in a net. I thought I was going to die like my mother. An old man came to me, I was certain he was going to kill me with his knife but instead... he set me free." Eren rubbed his arm, as if remembering a sensation of the net leaving his skin.
"That incident... what do humans say? Turned my world upside down? After that, I could never kill another human again. I realized... that's there was not much difference between humans and merpeople. Humans could still care and love like us. I was still obsessed with humans, but in a different way. I wanted to understand them. I wanted to understand how the very race that killed my mother could save me. As the years passed, I began to wish to be a human. To understand those feelings."
Eren smiled bitterly as he thrashed his tail. "So here I am, over a hundred years later. I turned from a deadly shark to a harmless guppy. I made a deal with the sea witch to become a human, but if I ever went back into the ocean, I would be forever a merman again. So I became human and then I met you, Levi."
Eren's eyes filled with tears, which he hastily rubbed away. "Like the idiot I am, I fell hopelessly in love with you! Imagine! Me, a human killer, in love with a human! And now I can't ever be with you... I'll never be human again!" His voice beginning to crack, Eren paused, breathing heavily.
Levi simply watched him, saying nothing.
Eren suddenly let out a hysterical laugh. "Levi, how do you feel about that!? You're in love with a merman! A merman who can never leave the sea! Now you'll leave, won't you? Now you'll stop loving me, won't you?" He finally broke into sobs, hiding his face with his arms. "Of course you will!"
Levi continued to watch him for several seconds. Then, he finally opened his mouth to speak.
"Of course I won't. I'll never leave you or stop loving you, no matter what you are, you shit-faced goddamn brat."
...yeah, I know, the action was way too rushed. I'm sorry. ;_;" It's just how the story goes, but I don't think I ended in that bad of a place...