Okay so I kinda struggled with this one because there's not much action in it. However, it was necessary to get the plot moving so I didn't want to leave a gap between updates.

The goal was to get the gang out of Rhosyn Wal so we can have zombies galore once again, they're a little too safe at the moment!

Hope that you enjoy, as always please review and/or follow if you like this story and you want me to continue.

Also I have no idea about military practices or governance so the last part may be unrealistic but that's the way I'm going with it.

See you soon!

Chapter 7 – Eren

Eren was all-too aware that he was developing feelings for the uncouth Englishman that he had been sharing a room with. He'd yet to admit it to anyone, but he could tell that Armin and Hanji knew something was up. His blonde friend consistently gave him knowing looks when he caught Eren staring at Levi as he went about his business. Hanji's knowing smiles made her look like a cat that had gotten the cream.

It was hard to hide anything from anyone in such close quarters either way. He consistently thanked every deity out there that Mikasa hadn't noticed yet. They hadn't managed to have a private conversation since their mini blow-up in the medical centre regarding her feelings. A small part of him always wished that he could return her feelings one day, she was pretty. Smart and strong. And she honestly cared about him. But he couldn't bring himself to love her in that way. She was a friend, confidant, a sister in everything but blood.

Now, his lips were moving fluidly against Levi's. The terror of what almost happened a few minutes ago fell away as Eren lost himself in the kiss. And yet, Eren found that his mind was still racing at breakneck speed even as his heart hammered almost painfully against his chest. Now that he was experiencing a kiss with his recent obsession, he knew for sure why he could never like Mikasa the way she liked him. He loved her, but he could never imagine this kind of passion in their relationship. Every touch from Levi was leaving trails of fire tearing across his flesh. His stomach bubbled with nervousness and pleasure with every stroke of his tongue. Levi's thick hair was like the finest silk as it slipped delicately through his long fingers. Eren gently scraped his nails against Levi's scalp. The other man's low groan of pleasure shot straight to Eren's groin. Why was the other man kissing him? Did he have feelings too or did he just want to get laid? Eren hoped beyond everything that it was the former and not the latter. He didn't know if his heart could take the snub.

Eren panted softly as they finally parted and he opened his eyes to look at the man hovering above him. Levi's cheeks were slightly flushed as he leaned his forehead against Eren's own and he started to play with his hair once more. What caused Eren's stomach to twist was Levi's eyes. They were a darker grey than usual, his pupils slightly dilated as he stared intensely into Eren's own. There was something else. A softness in his gaze that had Eren's throat constricting.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, you damn brat." Levi whispered; his breath wafted over Eren's cheeks pleasantly. His voice was low and intense, and Eren couldn't get enough of it.

Briefly, Eren wondered what Levi would sound like whilst having sex. That voice was addictive as hell. Eren's mind provided a rather graphic image of Levi hovering above him, his hips snapping relentlessly as he fucked Eren into the mattress. Eren didn't think that it was possible for his cheeks to get any redder than they already were.

Levi then dove in for another kiss and Eren's hands fell from his hair to Levi's shoulders; as if he was going to fall into the abyss if he didn't latch on. The second kiss didn't last as long as the first, and they parted all-too-soon. Although that didn't stop Levi from planting gentle pecks on Eren's swollen lips as they drew back from each other. One of Eren's hands released Levi's shoulder and crept up to cover his own mouth as the gravity of what just happened hit him.

He kissed me, he fucking kissed me! What does it mean? Eren mentally screamed.

"W-What?" Eren managed to choke out as Levi stared at him, looking as shocked at the situation as Eren felt. "W-Why?"

Levi cocked his head to the side and his eyes flickered down to the carpet that he was kneeling on to avoid Eren's questioning eyes. "I don't know where to start." Levi grunted before he shifted to sit shoulder-to-shoulder against the bathroom door that Eren was leaning on. "I've never done this before."

"You've never broken into someone's apartment before and decapitated them? Or you've never kissed someone before?" Eren croaked, trying to make a joke.

Levi shot Eren a mock glare. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Obviously I've kissed before, considering how much you enjoyed it, you damn brat." Levi snapped, causing Eren to grin.

Levi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Eren briefly noticed that there was small splatters of blood on the pale digits. Eren winced as he imagined the bitch-fit that Levi was going to throw when he noticed. They were quiet for a few moments, and it wasn't a comfortable one. Eren fidgeted constantly, and he kept looking at Levi out the corner of his eye. Well, if Levi wasn't going to start, he might as well. Eren took a deep breath through his nose. All right. It was honesty time. He'd go completely balls out, metaphorically speaking. And if Levi didn't feel the same way . . . Eren could make his peace with that. It would kill him, especially after finally being able to kiss him, but he'd make his peace with it.

Okay, here it goes. Do or die. Godspeed Eren, it was nice knowing you. Eren thought.

"I'll go, if you're not going to." Eren's voice felt like it was as loud and as sudden as a gunshot in the silent room. "I . . . I like you, Levi. I really like you. I wasn't going to do anything about it, but the more time I spent with you, the more that I liked you – I couldn't help it." Eren worried his bottom lip between his teeth. "I won't lie to you; I don't do flings. If I'm with someone, then I'm dedicated for however long the relationship lasts. I don't know why you kissed me but if all that you want is a fling or something then, as much as it'll kill me, I'd have to cut this shit off right now. I know we haven't known each other long but we've spent a lot of time together and-"

"Brat, you're rambling," Eren felt his heart flutter as Levi chuckled and threw him a genuine smile. The smaller man should smile more often because damn . . . that was something. "I'll be honest too. I only figured out that I liked you this morning, thanks to Eyebrows, but I think I've had my eye on you since you almost ran me over. This is all . . . new to me. I've never liked anyone before."

Eren stopped breathing and winced slightly at the reminder of their almost mishap with Hannes' car. The guilt soon fell away as he slowly processed what Levi said. Levi liked him, he liked him. He felt like the world was suddenly spinning too fast on its axis. Was he having a stroke? Is this what a stroke felt like? He didn't smell any burnt toast. You were supposed to smell burnt toast, right? Eren resisted the urge to pinch himself, this had to be a dream. A good fucking dream. Eren's eyes landed on the headless corpse in front of them. Nope definitely not a dream. Falling through the doorway with that body hurt like hell. Eren blinked owlishly as the last part of Levi's words finally sunk in.

"Wait, you've never liked anyone before?" Eren said incredulously.

"Nope." Levi drawled, popping the 'P' for effect.

"How, why?" Eren questioned.

Levi shrugged. "Well, to answer your first question, I don't fucking know. I've been on plenty of dates, obviously I slept with them, but nobody held my interest for too long. After a while they got clingy and it grossed me out. Shit happens. As for your second question," Levi sighed and looked at Eren almost apologetically. ". . . That's a story for another time. I will tell you; I promise. But not now."

Eren could feel the curiosity eating away at his insides. But, one look at Levi's face dispelled any desire to push the other man for the truth. Whatever it was, Eren was sure that Levi would tell him eventually. He just had to trust that. For the first time, Eren really looked at Levi. He took in the dark circles that were always present under his eyes, the faint stress lines around his mouth, and the almost haunted look that sometimes crossed his face before it was replaced with his usual mask. Now that he thought about it, Levi was always awake and dressed for the day before Eren had even opened his eyes. He chalked it up to Levi just being a ridiculously early riser, but now . . . that wasn't likely. The other man likely couldn't sleep for very long, no matter how much he wanted to. Eren reached over and gently covered Levi's hand that was resting on the carpet between them, with his own.

"Hey, I won't push you if you don't want to talk about it yet. But I'll be here, whenever you change your mind," Eren whispered, squeezing Levi's fingers slightly.

Eren felt Levi twist his hand so it faced upwards before he curled his calloused fingers around Eren's own. The older man looked relieved, and he flashed Eren a grateful look as he returned the squeeze. "Thank you, I haven't really talked about it with anyone but my uncle." He replied.

Eren was shocked. "Really? Not even Hanji or Erwin?"

"No," Levi said simply.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, their hands still wrapped around each other, before Eren broke it once more.

"So," Eren murmured. "What happens now?"

"What do you mean, brat?"

"Well, are we – you know – dating?" Eren felt his cheeks flare with heat at the almost juvenile way he said it.

He already thinks I'm a brat. Good job, Romeo! Eren's mind mocked.

Surprisingly, Levi barked a laugh. "Well, I can't exactly take you out on a proper date, considering the situation," Levi gestured around the flat with his free hand. ". . . But I would really like that. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing, but I'm willing to try. With you."

Eren beamed at him and leaned to the side to rest his head on Levi's solid shoulder. "You know, I was never planning on telling you about my feelings. I did run this conversation over in my head plenty of times this last week if it ever came up, though. I never expected it to turn out like this."

"Oh?" Levi murmured. "What the fuck did you think was going to happen?"

"I was picturing a lot more shouting and you kicking my ass," Eren joked. His smile widened as he felt Levi's shoulder shake slightly with restrained laughter.

"Jesus Christ," he said between chuckles. "That's hilarious. But I will kick your ass if you keep having close calls with these disgusting freaks. You're going to give me a heart attack." Levi gestured at the body still laid out in front of them.

"Okay, it's a deal then. I promise I won't get hurt and then you won't have to kick my ass. You are of the age where you're susceptible to heart problems, I've got to be careful."

"Deal. And, fuck you I'm not old." Levi quipped as Eren laughed.

"Can I ask you a favour, Levi?" Eren asked.

"Sure, brat. What do you need?" Levi replied.

"Can we hold off on telling the others for a little bit?"

"That's fine by me, I'd like to keep you to myself for a while anyways." Levi joked, laughing slightly through his nose. "Can I ask why?"

"Well, I think that I need to talk to Mikasa and Armin privately. I know you heard some of our conversation that night in the waiting room, but Mikasa- "

"She has feelings for you," Levi stated.

Eren raised his head from Levi's shoulder and looked at him seriously. ". . .Yeah. She confessed to me a couple of years ago, just before we took that gap year to Thailand. I let her down gently and we went and had a good time. I thought that it was over. But . . . it seems like she's been waiting for me to change my mind," Eren frowned as he stared in the distance at nothing. "I don't want to hurt her and seeing me with you, will hurt her. I need to talk to her first."

"Hey, if that's what you want then I won't say a word. I'll let you handle things your way." Levi placed a gentle hand on Eren's shoulder.

"Thank you," Eren breathed, flashing Levi a smile.

Eren found that he could get used to this softer version of Levi. It made him feel special, in a way. The world saw his hard foul-mouthed exterior and this other side of him – this sweet side of him – seemed reserved for only Eren. The thought made his heart stutter and his cheeks heat up. Sure, it was unnerving. Levi was unlike anyone he'd ever met. His mouth was as dirty as a sewer drain pipe. His face was as unmoving as a marble statue, consistently set in a frown that made it seem that the man would rip your face off at the drop of a hat. Levi was also brilliant. He had a talent for writing and translating languages. He drank his tea like a crazy person, holding it by the rim instead of the handle. He was strong as hell and a gifted swordsman. And right now, he was looking at Eren with so much patience and affection that Eren was sure that he was having a stroke this time.

"You're making me soft, you shitty brat." Levi said. He pressed a gentle kiss to Eren's forehead before he shifted to stand. "Come on, we have a lot of work left to do and we need to hunt down and get you some clothes that fit. We're burning that outfit at some point, you're fucking disgusting."

Ah yes, there he is. Regular Levi was back. But who was Eren kidding? He really liked this version of him too.

Eren smiled and used the sleeve that had minimal blood on it to wipe his cheeks of any evidence of his previous tears. He felt his heart swell as Levi gingerly stepped over the body and rifle through the dresser in the bedroom.

Yeah, this is a good thing. I can feel it. Eren thought as Levi looked at him over his shoulder.

"Are you going to sit there all day, Jaeger? Or are you going to help me?"

The rest of their clean-up went smoothly. Eren and Levi had met up with Armin, Ymir, and Christa in their apartment after they were done and they dumped supplies in Ymir and Christa's room. Eren had queried what they were going to do with the bodies. Armin pointed out that after they had removed anything usable from the other apartments, there would be no reason for them to go back there.

There was a debate amongst their group as to whether they should clean up one of the other units for Mikasa, Eren, and Armin to use so they could sleep in a proper bed. That was quickly shut down by Armin. The blonde man stated that it would be best for them to be in close quarters, in case anything went to hell. In a real emergency they probably wouldn't have time to waste and it would increase the risk of them getting separated if something went wrong. Adding the extra step of the group having to grab the trio or vice versa was probably not wise. Eren was inclined to agree with him. Partly because it made logical sense. Mostly because he wanted to stay in close quarters with Levi.

During their discussion, Hanji burst through the front door. Her eyes were wild with excitement, she was practically vibrating with it. Eren caught Mikasa and Erwin hovering in the doorway. Their bewildered expressions almost made Eren laugh out loud.

"We got two, my little cherub! WE GOT TWO!" Hanji screamed in Armin's face before she dragged the small blonde man out of the apartment past Erwin and Mikasa.

"What has gotten Shitty Glasses so riled up?" Levi commented. Eren did let a laugh escape this time, Levi's normally narrow grey eyes were practically bugging out of his skull.

"Have you forgotten what she said this morning, midget?" Mikasa drawled.

Eren tensed when he noticed Levi's eye twitch at the jab at his height, but the Levi merely flicked his eyes towards Eren and pressed his lips into a thin line. Eren almost wept in relief that Levi was being considerate of him and not snapping back. Thankfully, Erwin came to the rescue.

"Follow us downstairs, it was hard work but we got her two subjects." Erwin pivoted on his heel and walked off, expecting them all to follow.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Levi muttered before he and everyone else moved to follow Erwin.

They all trudged to the first floor, and Eren was miserable the whole time. He hadn't had the chance to change his clothes and the blood was seeping through the shirt and sticking to his skin. It was easy enough to find which apartment Hanji had dragged Armin into. Eren thought that he'd probably hear Hanji screaming in excitement from the States with how loud she was being. Eren saw Erwin and Mikasa, who was leading the pack, turn abruptly into an open doorway on the left. Levi was in front of them, with Eren following closely behind. Eren lost sight of Levi for a few moments after he rounded the doorway. He promptly ploughed into his back where Levi froze in the entrance. Levi didn't move or make any acknowledgement of Eren bumping into him aside from a slight grunt from the impact. Eren gradually looked up from the top of Levi's dark head to see what made him freeze, and his eyes just about bugged out of his head.

Hanji was animatedly talking at Armin, who was nodding with interest as she rambled off scientific jargon that Eren didn't understand. Mikasa and Erwin were both leaning against the far wall, watching the scientists, but that's not what caused Eren and Levi to pause.

There were two infected in the living room, both secured with metal bike locks around their necks. One was forced to an awkward hunched over position with the bike lock looped around the pipe of the radiator beneath the window. It snarled and gnashed his teeth, his clouded eyes unseeing even as he twisted unnaturally to get free. Spittle and blood dripped grotesquely down his chin as he panted. The other was a little more docile. Its bike lock was secured around the handle of a standing cabinet in the corner. The handle was narrow which didn't give the infected any freedom to move or twist. Eren briefly marvelled at how they managed to force it through there and the dead resident into it at the same time. Cabinet-guy moaned forlornly every time his buddy snarled. It made the hairs on the back of Eren's neck stand up, it was almost like the two infected were communicating with each other somehow.

"Behold!" Hanji declared, finally ceasing her relentless attention from Armin to the others as they all made their way into the room. "My stuff! This cutie by the window is Sawney, and the other one is Bean. Say hello, my babies!" Hanji crooned.

Hanji stepped forward, blowing kisses to Sawney as she advanced. Sawney's dead eyes didn't focus on her but he did lurch forward and attempt to sink his teeth into her after she got a little too close. Hanji jumped backwards, laughing manically as she wagged a teasing finger in Sawney's face.

"Bad boy, Sawney! We don't bite friends!" Hanji crowed.

"Hanji," Erwin barked. "Move back before it bites your finger off!"

Eren jumped a little at the volume of Erwin's voice. He'd never heard the other man shout before; he didn't have to. There was something about him that made the group give him attention, so there was never any need to. It was probably why the tall blonde man ended up becoming their defacto leader. Levi had told him before that Erwin grown up as a military brat, but he'd left his family to forge his own path. Eren could see it in everything Erwin did, he just commanded respect.

"Boo, you're no fun!" Hanji stuck her tongue out at Erwin and crossed her arms over her chest.

Eren snuck around Erwin and Hanji as they began to bicker. Levi soon joined the back-and-forth. The two men were berating the scientist about her behaviour whilst Hanji kept waving them off with laughter. Ymir and Christa were laughing amongst themselves at the display. Eren approached Mikasa who was silently watching the scene with an expressionless face.

"Hey," Eren said as he approached her, causing her light grey eyes to flicker to him. "How the hell did you guys manage that?" He gestured to the locked up infected as he leaned against the wall next to her.

Mikasa smiled slightly and shrugged. "Luck and brute strength. I held the one behind the arms while Erwin forced the lock through the cabinet. His friend lunged from the corridor but Hanji dodged and managed to get him against the radiator pipe."

Eren let out a low whistle. "I'm impressed, Mika."

"How did your trip with the midget go, looks like you had some action." Mikasa asked nonchalantly as she gestured to Eren's bloody shirt. "At least he didn't let you get hurt, otherwise I'd kill him."

Eren did everything in his power not to blush when he thought about what happened between him and Levi in the apartment two floors up. His eye caught Levi's from across the room and Levi offered Eren a slight, sultry, smile before he went back to arguing with Hanji. It did amazing things to Eren's stomach before he realised, he hadn't replied to Mikasa's comment. He opened his mouth, prepared to tell her everything before he snapped it shut. He didn't know how to say it, he needed more time.

"It went okay, just ran into some infected. Didn't have time to change before Hanji charged upstairs. I can take care of myself."

"Sure, you can," Mikasa drawled. "That's why your nickname in high school was 'Suicidal Bastard,' hm?"

Eren glared lightly at her. "You know that bus came out of nowhere," He hissed.

Mikasa let a slight laugh. "Sure, and most normal people look both ways before crossing a street."

"Mikasa," Eren whined.

"All right, I'll stop." She smiled slightly, ducking her face behind the red scarf wrapped around her neck. Her eyes suddenly grew slightly sad. "Eren," she mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry . . . for the other day," She shuffled from foot to foot awkwardly. "I know that we haven't had a chance to talk properly about it and now isn't really a good time – but I'm sorry." She took a deep breath. "I don't want you to think I'm smothering you; I understand that you don't feel the same way. I just need a little time."

Eren couldn't stop himself from throwing his arms around her. He felt her stiffen for a few moments before her own wrapped around him in return.

"No sorry needed," Eren smiled as he pulled back from her. "You're one of my best friends. My sister. And I'll always love my family. You're just trying to look out for me."

She coughed into her hand awkwardly as they stepped back from each other. "Thanks, Eren."

They both jumped slightly in the air when a loud ring of a phone cut through the room, throwing it into silence apart from the obnoxious sound. Mikasa stared at him, her eyes big and confused as Eren felt his phone vibrate against his ass with every ring.

The sound of the ringing phone threw Sawney into a frenzy. He twisted and strained against the bike lock, snarling, and clawing at the air. Even Bean was leaning forward, the noise as tantalising to him as an all you can eat buffet.

Levi was at his side in an instant, his expression serious but his eyes shone with interest as Eren fished his phone out of his back pocket before he froze.

He stared at the screen for a few precious moments before he flicked his thumb across the glass to answer.

"Dad?" Eren hated how his voice wabbled, how his right hand slightly shook in anticipation.

Eren wasn't one hundred percent sure whether it was in anger or nervousness.

"-ren?" Grisha's deep voice was faint and distorted.

"Dad!" Eren shouted, his hand soon stopped shaking and tightened on the phone dangerously.

Ah yes, there was the anger rearing its ugly head again. It burned white hot through his chest and turned his vision red, as familiar as his own reflection. He felt the contents of his stomach boil as his thoughts raced unchecked through his mind. Who the fuck did his father think he was? He didn't have the time of day for Eren for Eleven years. Never mind the two years of calls, texts, and emails that went completely ignored since he moved to the UK. He abandoned Eren after his parents divorced, moved across the ocean, and dropped off the fucking planet like it was nothing.

Like Eren, his own son, was nothing.

"What the fuck do you want?" Eren hissed, his green eyes blazing. "You've got a whole lot of nerve- "

"Eren, I'm sorry, I don't have much time," Grisha chuckled lightly, as if they were at a nice dinner catching up, it made Eren's blood boil hotter than magma.

"Oh, you don't have much time, you bastard?" Eren snapped. "What about me? Your only fucking son? Why did you never contact me? I'm in fucking Wales, Dad. Wales! I'm only a few hours drive away. Where the fuck do you get off calling me now?"

Mikasa was staring at Eren with sadness in her light grey orbs. She hated seeing him when he let his anger get the best of him, and Eren knew it. Eren cared that he was worrying her, but the anger was too potent, too raw, for him to reign in. He was acutely aware of Levi who was stood by his shoulder, but he couldn't bring himself to look at the other man. Would he be disappointed? Confused? Would he try to calm Eren? For a fleeting moment, Eren thought of them laying on Levi's bed, Levi tucked Eren's head underneath his chin, pressing Eren's face against his throat. Levi would stroke Eren's hair and whisper lowly to him until the anger bled from his body.

For a fleeting moment, Eren was about to give in and try to make that daydream happen. It was so perfect, so tempting to hang up and drag Levi away. But he stayed strong. Grisha Jaeger deserved his scorn, and Eren was going to make damn sure that it happened.

"You haven't changed," Grisha breathed deeply from the end of the line which hissed and spat, distorting Grisha's voice. "You're still the same boy I remember. Hot-headed, straightforward. Not afraid to tell people what you think or feel."

"Don't you dare act like you know me!" Eren shouted. "Fair enough, you and Mom wanted a divorce. I made my peace with that when I was ten fucking years old. But you left me." Eren's free hand balled into a fist at his side, the nails dug painfully into his palm. "You don't know the first thing about me anymore. You barely have the right to call me your son."

"Eren," Grisha sounded calm, patient. As if he was talking down a child throwing a tantrum. Eren clenched his teeth, the fucking nerve. "I told you I don't have much time, keep your temper in check and let me speak." He commanded.

"Don't tell me what to fucking do and spit it out – why did you call?"

"-ren." The line started to break up and Eren felt panic seize in his chest. He found that he had to hear what the son-of-a-bitch had to say for himself. "-ales is not safe. You need to get out."

"What?" Eren breathed.

"The military," Grisha's voice was accompanied by static and Eren pushed the phone closer to his ear, as if that would magically make the poor signal better. "-Sina. Come to Sina. It's not safe. Next month-"

"What do you mean it's not safe, Dad? Dad!" Eren called into the phone as the line hissed static before dying.

Eren's hand shook as he tried to redial his father's number, again and again. Each time it went straight to voicemail. He dropped the device like it scorched him as he scrubbed the back of his hand across his mouth. What the hell did Grisha mean that it's not safe?

"Eren," Levi said. His voice was like a balm to his anxious soul. Eren's eyes drunk in Levi's face. It was in his usual impassive mask, as familiar to Eren as his own even after such a short amount of time. His eyes shone slightly in concern and Eren noticed one of Levi's hands twitch at his side.

Did the other man want to touch him, try to offer him comfort and he was holding himself back because of their audience? The thought made warmth spread through him before Erwin pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Eren," The blonde man called. "Care to explain what just happened?"

"My father," Eren replied. "I haven't spoken to him in years – I've tried over and over but only got radio silence so I don't know why the son-of-a-bitch called now."

Eren sighed as he felt a small hand land on his shoulder and squeeze comfortingly before releasing it. Armin's blue eyes held sympathy and Eren had no idea when he had crossed the room to be at Eren's side. His friend's support gave him strength and he tilted his chin back with confidence as he stared at Erwin.

"The line was terrible but he said something about the military, that Wales wouldn't be safe next month, and that we should go to Sina. What is Sina? What is in Sina?" Eren asked.

Erwin stiffened and was across the room in a flash. Levi stepped to the side and made room for Erwin as he gripped Eren's shoulders forcefully. His blue eyes blazed with panic and concern.

"Is that exactly what he said Eren? What does he do for a living?"

Eren nodded. "I'm not sure where he works, but he's a doctor." Erwin then cursed so creatively that Levi raised an eyebrow looked impressed.

"What has gotten your panties in a bunch?" Ymir called from across the room.

"If Eren's father works as a doctor in Sina, he either works in a local hospital or he works in the CDC. Sina is a relatively small town just outside of London so there's not much else there. If he knows that something is going to happen in Wales, then he most certainly works for the CDC. It's the only explanation for insider knowledge." Erwin released Eren's shoulders and began to pace back and forth.

"Wait, back up a second there, Eyebrows." Levi said. "There's a big military base in central Wales, right? Not too far from here?"

"Yes," Erwin hissed. "From the sound of it, they're going to strike."

"They can't wipe out a country when there could be survivors, that makes no sense! Why would they do that?" Hanji cried.

"It might mean that they don't have a solution for the infected so they're trying to contain it by . . . annihilating the problem." Erwin growled. He pulled his fist back and punched the wall with all his strength. "Fucking bastards!" Erwin shouted.

Hanji ran over to her boyfriend and started to inspect his slightly bloody knuckles.

"That fucking missile last week," Levi growled. "Was that a fucking test run?"

"Potentially," Erwin sighed. He looked at Hanji fondly as she turned his hand this way and that. "They'll probably do tactile strikes on the areas that have a high concentration of infected and then send out firing squads to the areas that they think might have survivors." He paused to think for a moment. "They can't level the whole country, there's a large nuclear power plant in the north that powers a lot of England as well. That would cause a whole mess of radiation if they destroyed that."

"That's sick," Christa whispered, one of her tiny hands clutched onto the sleeve of Ymir's leather jacket. "Don't they care about the civilians? There's probably a whole load of people holed up somewhere like we are."

"If it's a matter of national security . . . they'll do it. And they won't want to bomb England."

"United Kingdom my fucking ass," Ymir muttered under her breath.

"So," Hanji started as she finally released Erwin's hand. "What are we going to do?"

Erwin took a deep breath and looked at each person in the eye. "We have five options: We stay here and hope that we're not one of the towns that they bomb, which is probably the naivest option. We evacuate and find somewhere else to base ourselves until we figure out what to do. We take Eren's father's suggestion and hope we find refuge in the CDC in Sina. We go to the military base directly and see if they will take us in, or- "Erwin seemed to stumble over his words as he stared at Levi directly. "Or we go to London and see if we can contact Levi's uncle."

Levi stiffened at the last suggestion which caused Eren to frown slightly. "Why Levi's uncle?" Eren asked.

"My uncle is into some shady shit," Levi huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "He probably has a good base of operations somewhere in London and he'd definitely take us in but the old bastard isn't answering his fucking phone so I have no idea where he is or what the fuck he's doing."

"We'll put that in the maybe pile then," Hanji said.

Eren found that Hanji's uncharacteristic seriousness made his anxiety skyrocket. She was usually so cheerful in the face of danger. Since he'd known the group, Eren often found himself wondering how Erwin and Hanji worked together. Erwin was so put together and calculating and Hanji was, as Levi would say, fucking insane. But, looking at them together now, Eren could see it. She made Erwin more expressive and in return, Erwin made her more cautious. It was a good match.

"Let's vote," Erwin said. "Who says we should hit the road and see if we can find somewhere safe?"

Eren didn't want to see his father at all, so he raised his hand to vote for that option. What surprised him more was the fact that Mikasa and Levi raised their hands as well.

"Okay, three." Erwin nodded. "Who wants to stay here?"

Nobody raised their hands to that option.

"Who wants to go to Sina?"

The rest of the group raised their hands and Eren felt his stomach leap into his throat, God fucking damn it.

"I suppose there's no point in voting for the other options." Erwin sighed.

"Sorry Eren," Armin said softly. "I know you don't want to see Grisha, but if he works for the CDC we might something useful there. They might even be working on a cure."

Eren opened his mouth to respond before he snapped it shut. His friend made a very good point, and for once Eren was going to swallow his pride and push forward. He made a promise to eradicate the infected, and the CDC might very well be their best option.

At that moment, the lights in the apartment flickered sickeningly before they sputtered out. Thankfully, it was still the afternoon so the dingy apartment wasn't plunged into complete darkness. Eren jumped slightly when he felt a warm hand briefly stroke his own, he relaxed instantly when he noticed it was Levi.

"What the fuck was that?" Levi barked as he stepped away from Eren slightly.

"That," Erwin muttered. "Was the power being shut off. I know Eren's father said that it would be next month but we need to get out of here in two days maximum. Hanji, Armin." The two scientists looked at Erwin at the sound of their names. "You two stay here and see what you can learn from our guests, we need all the information that we can."

"Great!" Hanji smiled and threw a mock salute Erwin's way as Armin nodded seriously; his small face set in determination.

"Ymir will go look over the van to make sure it's in working order for when we leave. Christa will help Ymir and Mikasa will go with them to guard against any stray infected whilst they're outside."

"Okay, boss-man." Ymir smiled as well. "You can count on us."

"Eren, Levi, and I will get our supplies ready to load onto the van. But we won't take them downstairs until the day we leave. We still can't risk someone taking them."

"That sounds good," Eren said.

"Good. We got two days people. Enjoy it whilst it lasts."