"Say, Eren. Do you hate me?"

That's probably where it all started. Eren was sitting on the couch in one of the rooms that had been provided to the Survey corps, still all bloody after the beating Levi gave him in the court. Of course Eren didn't blame him; everyone explained that it was all staged, an act to ensure his survival.

But Levi seemed to be thinking otherwise. Eren jumped when the alpha, Humanity's strongest soldier, his idol, threw himself on the couch next to him, the monster, the titan, the enemy of mankind. Didn't he want to be as far away from him as possible? Wasn't he disgusted by him?

When Levi asked his question, Eren was able to detect a little insecurity in his body language. It wasn't obvious, Levi hid it more than well and he doubted anyone untrained would be able to tell, but the omega spent the last 6 years of his life living with Mikasa-the-expressionless.

Still, Eren couldn't quite believe it. The great Captain Levi asking him whether he hated him. The boy barely managed to stutter out his reply.

It seemed almost surreal how Levi's body relaxed with relief.

The next day the group of soldiers under Captain Levi's direct order left for the castle. The ride was long and slow and it was hell for Eren as his body was still sore even though now pretty much fully healed.

If his hurting body wasn't enough, he felt on edge the whole time, surrounded by all these skilled people, ready to kill him at a moment's notice. He just couldn't relax, couldn't even feel the tiniest bit of excitement over the fact he was now a part of this group. A part of the Survey corps' elite squad, like he'd dreamed of since he was a little kid. He could only feel the nerves. And on top of everything, he kept feeling someone's eyes on him. He knew they were going to watch him closely but to do so constantly was unnecessary! It was not like he was going to turn into a titan just like that.

He carefully turned around when he finally lost his patience. He at least wanted to know who didn't trust him this much.

His eyes widened when they met with the Captain's unfazed ones. Eren immediately turned back around in embarrassment and confusion.

Eren couldn't believe this.

Humanity's strongest was a complete clean freak.

He cleaned these rooms top to bottom at least three times already but it still wasn't enough. Where was the dirt anyway? He couldn't even tell what was dirty and what was clean anymore.

Not that he minded the cleaning, really. He just wanted to please his superior and it was so frustrating that he couldn't do it. He only kept disappointing him instead.

Eren heaved a deep sigh as he ran one last look over the final room on the top floor, trying to see if there still was something he missed. Finding no such signs, he pulled down the handkerchief covering his mouth, readying himself to report to Levi he was finished. Hopefully for the last time.

He yelped when he turned around only to find the alpha in question standing in the doorway, appraising Eren's work with critical eye. Eren saluted stiffly as Levi looked at him with a blank expression.

"This work is acceptable." Eren sighed with relief, his whole body relaxing. Levi stepped back out of the room, gesturing for Eren to follow, "I'll show you where you're going to sleep."

Eren's heart dropped as he recalled the conversation he had with the man earlier. He really didn't want to sleep in the basement but didn't dare protest. "Yes sir."

The walk down the stairs was silent until they reached the door leading underground. Levi then stopped, his hand on the handle. "This is where you're going to sleep. The closest bathroom is down the hall, the mess hall the other way."

Eren looked the ways Levi pointed to and hoped he won't get lost the first opportunity he'd get, eyeing all the doors on both sides of the hallway dubiously. At the creaking of the door opening he looked back ahead only to see Levi was already halfway to the bottom. He almost fell right down the stairs hurrying after his superior.

When he finally found his balance and looked up, he could only stare. He couldn't believe how clean and nice the basement room looked. Was it even possible for an underground, stony, moldy room to be this clean?

Levi spoke up then in an indifferent tone, also looking the room over, "This will be your room from now on. Sorry it's the basement so it's not really convenient or nice. Honestly, it's a shitty room. But those were the conditions and there's nothing we can do. I tried to make it as inhabitable as possible, though."

Eren openly gaped at the alpha. Was he being serious right now? "I... Sir, I understand why I have to sleep in the basement, you... You really don't have to apologize."

Levi slowly turned his head to look at Eren and the boy gulped loudly before continuing, "I'm sorry but... Did you say you tried to... Did you prepare this room for me, sir?"

Levi shrugged, looking away. "It was disgusting in here. And I thought it was the least I could do after yesterday."

Eren blushed. He couldn't help it; his idol especially cleaned his room for him. "I really don't blame you for yesterday, sir. Actually, I think I should thank you. You saved my life. Really, thank you very much, Captain Levi," Eren said maybe more loudly than strictly necessary, saluting.

Levi looked away again. "At ease, Eren. You really have nothing to thank me for. As Hanji said, I took it further than was necessary. Are you okay, now?"

"But I do, sir. If you hadn't made it believable, I might have been on a military police operating table somewhere right now." Eren paused, smiling a little before continuing, "Thank you; for your concern as well. I fully healed overnight so I am completely okay."

Levi looked him in the eye for a long while, not saying anything. Eren started to feel uncomfortable, taking a breath to ask what was wrong, before, "Liar, you looked ready to fall off your damn horse the whole way here."

Eren opened his mouth to deny the accusation but found he couldn't. It was true, after all; the ride wasn't the most comfortable one. He then blushed when he realized what this meant. Sure, he could be wrong but he had a feeling he wasn't. Levi wasn't watching him the whole time to make sure he didn't rebel or try to run. He watched him because he was worried. A small smile appeared on Eren's face even through the embarrassment. "I was just a little sore. No need to worry, sir, I promise."

"What the hell are you smiling about, brat?" Eren was pretty sure he didn't imagine the slight pink tint that appeared on Levi's cheeks.

"Nothing, sir."

"Thought so. Get settled here and come to the mess hall for dinner."

"Yes sir," Eren nodded, still smiling.

Levi stared at the smiling face for a few seconds before letting out a small 'tch' and walking out. As he passed by Eren, he couldn't help but ruffle the brat's hair. He wasn't sure who was more surprised by the action, Eren or himself. Levi didn't let anything show, just continued on. However, before he left the basement, he stopped and looked back down. The boy was staring right back at him with wide eyes, blushing deeply, a hand touching his hair. Levi had to swallow at the sight. "Try not to take too long or the food will get cold."

Eren could only nod as the alpha shut the door after himself.

Unknowingly, both their minds were echoing each other.

They were so fucked.

If the next day the situation wasn't so bad with Hanji's pet titans getting killed, Levi would laugh at how half-dead Eren looked. It's not like he didn't know what was likely going to happen when the whole squad left him alone with Hanji, the kid would have to learn not to provoke the mad scientist sooner or later anyway, but the look on his face was still hilariously cute.

And when the Captain saw the confused look, those cutely furrowed brows, how his mouth hung slightly open, not knowing what to say when Erwin asked his weird questions, that was when Levi decided. This omega was too precious to be left alone.

In the next few days Levi made it a point to always oversee what Eren was doing. It was not like that wasn't his job anyway.

He was always the one to spar with Eren, he was always following closely behind him during 3DMG training, he would assign cleaning duties so that Eren was always on the same floor as him. And of course he was always there when Hanji conducted her experiments.

During his careful observation the alpha learned a few things. About Eren as well as himself.

At first he wanted the kid because he was terribly cute but he was very soon reminded of the intrigue he felt when they first met in that courthouse cell. Eren was a stupidly determined young man. He didn't know how to give up until he reached his goal, whether it be washing dishes, learning a difficult new maneuver, or defeating titans (singlehandedly; how ridiculous can he get?) He was remarkably strong for an omega and although not particularly talented in any one skill, his overall abilities were well above average of typical newly recruited members.

He was also very eager to please, listening well to his senior squad members and giving them due respect, even while Auruo was making a complete idiot out of himself.

He was considerate, taking over Petra's kitchen duty one day when she hurt her hand during training.

He learned quickly. It took him only a week to learn how to clean up to Levi's standards on the first try.

Levi also learned that his stone cold heart wasn't so cold in the end as it was apparently capable of jealousy. When Eren's friends from training arrived, Levi saw how happy Eren was to see them and also how disturbingly close he was with Mikasa and Armin.

The alpha wasn't worried about Armin; he was a beta and obviously didn't care for Eren that way, but Mikasa. Mikasa was an alpha. Levi tried to reason with himself that they were siblings, he was just imagining things, but still. They weren't real siblings. Mikasa was adopted and they only lived together for a year before the wall fell. It's not like they grew up together, having to fight over toys and their parent's attention. And on top of that, he had a feeling the girl was doing her very best to keep him as far from Eren as possible.

It took him a few days of watching Mikasa monopolize Eren to realize he really, really didn't like it.

Of course, Hanji's experiments didn't always go well. Especially since no one really knew how Eren's abilities worked exactly. Especially the first time they tried a transformation. That didn't go well in any sense of the word.

They put Eren into an old, dried up well and told him to transform on signal. He didn't.

Hanji wondered if he maybe didn't see the signal but Levi knew there was no way he could miss the green flare. He could feel it in his gut that something went wrong.

When his eyes fell on Eren in that well, scared and obviously in pain, blood gushing everywhere from several deep bite marks on both his hands and running down his mouth, Levi's stomach dropped. He wanted to gag at the sight of the helpless omega who looked like he was on the verge of whining for help but biting down on the sound, fighting down his deep-rooted instincts.

The alpha immediately ordered for the experiment to be stopped and pulled Eren out.

He was glad Eren seem alright, if a little shaken and with wounds that refused to heal for some reason. It was shitty that the Titan-shifting mystery deepened even more, but at least the boy was alive and as well as could be.

When an explosion sounded behind Levi as he peacefully sipped at his tea and talked to Petra, he cursed himself for speaking too fast.

For the first time in a long time, Levi felt scared. He was scared when he saw Eren half-sitting on top of a giant arm in panic, scared when he was surrounded by Levi's own squad with their swords drawn and ready to kill, firing questions at Eren but not letting him answer. Scared of how they were obviously panicking even more than Eren and how that only made everything worse.

Never in his life was Levi happier to see Hanji or more grateful that she couldn't read the atmosphere. Walls knew what would happen if she didn't come when she did.

Levi had been scared for Eren and that in turn scared him even more. He didn't think he would ever be able to care for anyone this much since Isabel and Farlan. He realized he didn't just want to fuck Eren. He wanted the boy for himself, cute smiles and angry shouting and all.

When they got back after the incident, everyone was on edge but Hanji, who was highly excited and immediately ran off somewhere, probably to her lab, shouting back at them to wait for her in the mess hall. Moblit ran after her, as always trying and failing to keep her in check. The squad members looked at each other and shuffled off together towards the mess hall. Levi was left alone with Eren.

He glanced at the boy and saw the frustrated look on his face, the clenched fists and the stiff posture.

"Eren," Levi said quietly and watched as Eren's head snapped in his direction. "Follow me."

The Captain took off in the direction of the mess hall but passed the room and lead Eren towards the staircase a little ways behind it.

He leaned against the wall and looked at Eren who was looking right back at him, confusion written all over his face.

"Talk."

Eren gaped at him. "S-Sir?"

Levi leaned his head on the wall and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he tried to elaborate. "You obviously need to talk about this. I'm here to listen and explain the other side of things. Hanji's gonna take a while so we can take our time." God, he was so bad at this; he just hoped Eren understood what he was trying to do.

They held eye-contact for a little while before Eren looked on down and shuffled slowly towards the stairs, sitting down. The omega was silent for several more minutes and Levi let him mull over his thoughts, but finally he opened up. Levi was glad.

They talked until they heard Moblit coming down the stairs, saying Hanji was calling for them.

Levi heaved a sigh, "Let's go."

"Y-Yes sir." Eren scrambled after him, clumsily trying to get up immediately.

Levi stood a few steps above him, staring, fighting an inner battle.

He could hear Moblit left already. They were alone again.

"Sir?" There was the confused look again. Why was this kid so fucking cute?

Levi went back down again, stopping on the step just above Eren, looking him straight in the eyes. "It's gonna be okay, Eren," he said quietly before he grabbed the omega's face and gave him a quick but firm kiss on the mouth.

To say Eren was shocked would be a massive understatement. Levi let out a small smile at the blush that was rapidly spreading over the younger's face.

"We'll talk more later."

Hanji was grinning from ear to ear as Eren talked more and more quietly, blushing more and more as his story progressed.

But Hanji couldn't help it. She wasn't trying to tease him but they were just so cute, it was impossible.

"Anyway, that evening Levi came down to the basement and we talked a lot about a lot of stuff and... our... our feelings, okay?" he muttered the last part in a rush, as if hoping Hanji wouldn't understand what he was saying if he said it fast enough. Hanji's cheeks hurt from smiling so much. "We also... kind of fought if it was even possible to have a relationship... He is my direct superior and charge of me and all that... In the end we decided to leave it and see what happens. By the next week we realized we were practically together already without... consciously realizing. Might as well go along with it." Eren shrugged helplessly, looking around like something – probably Levi – might materialize out of nowhere to come to his aid.

"And?" Hanji prodded curiously.

Eren looked back at her with a confused look. "And? And nothing, we've been together since then."

Hanji rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Eren. The mating? How did you mate?"

Eren looked at her scandalized. "You want to know how we mated? No way! That's..." the omega trailed off, covering his face in embarrassment, no doubt remembering the event.

"No, no, don't worry," Hanji laughed loudly, "I don't want a step by step, it's not like I really want to hear what you two do at night, I'm just teasing when I ask about it." She winked and the boy scowled.

"Your teasing is not funny."

"Oh but it is, you just can't appreciate it," she grinned mischievously and Eren rolled his eyes at her. "No, what I meant was more about, how did it come to that? It's a big decision to make; you had to have a good reason."

"Oh..." Eren looked away, lost in thought. "Well, after we came back from the expedition where..." he gulped heavily and Hanji's smile drooped a bit, "where Petra and the others died... that evening, as soon as we were alone, Levi just announced he wanted to mate me. He said he just couldn't handle the thought that I might just die next time and he wouldn't even know until he came back inside the walls. He..." Eren closed his eyes at the painful memory. "He was crying, Hanji. Levi was. He really needed the bond and I didn't have a reason to say no since I felt exactly the same. I needed the assurance as well. I still need it and I doubt I would ever not need it. It tells me Levi is safe, that he is nearby if I ever need him."

Hanji felt like she fell down a really tall tree without her gear. One moment she was holding back high-pitched squeals and suddenly she felt like crying.

She gave Eren a soft smile, not commenting on what he just told her. Instead she stretched and moaned as her back popped. "Well, we should wrap this up. We've been here so long and I still need to write up that stupid report for Erwin. I don't understand why he wants it on paper when he's going to burn it anyway," Hanji pouted at the image of wasted work.

"Do you need to do any other tests?"

Hanji hummed; she was pretty sure she forgot something in her excitement from Eren's talking. "I can't think of anything. If I remember I missed a test, I'll call for you, okay?"

Eren nodded with a smile, "Okay."

"Great. Run along to lunch or you won't eat until dinner. I'm pretty sure the mate wouldn't like that."

"Damn right he wouldn't."

The two jumped. They didn't hear anyone coming in. "Levi! What are you doing here?" Hanji questioned, clutching at her heart.

The short alpha just rolled his eyes at her dramatics. "Checking if you hadn't killed him, yet. What the hell is taking you so long, lunch is almost over."

Hanji scratched her head in embarrassment. "Sorry, we lost track of time. But we're finished already, so go on along!"

Levi shot her a glare at her unapologetic tone, but she just had to smile when he reached out to help Eren jump off the examination table. Who knew Levi could be so sweet?

A/N: Honestly, I feel pretty insecure about this chapter so it would be really nice if you could tell me what you thought? ^^;;