Chasing Summer

My Faded Fantasy

I feel bad that I haven't really introduced myself or anything on here. I initially wasn't going to post this fic on Wattpad, but after several people stole the work and posted it on this site, I decided that it would be best if I just did it myself. Anywho, my name is Trish! Hi. I don't know how many people are reading this story on here, but if you'd ever like to chat, you can find me on Instagram as dressed_in_ darkness :) Also, if you're familiar with AO3, you can find more chapters on there than here. My username is the same on there.

(x)

"What do you think?" Eren asked, sitting back on the bed so I could get a better look at my shoulder. I turned my head, analyzing the burgundy dahlia that bloomed on my skin. Before I could answer him, he brought the paintbrush up once again, adding a touch of white to one of the petals, accentuating the tip. "There."

            For over a week now, we'd been coming to my old house, creating new memories that were diluting the bad ones until they were nothing more than fragments that were easy to sweep away, to forget. Eren had made my room into our safe haven, painting a sunset of orange, red, and purple above my headboard. He had told me that it would be the last thing I'd see before I fell asleep. Little did he know that, as long as he slept by my side, he would be the last thing I'd see, because I would always be looking at him.

            "I'll never understand how you can paint something that looks so real," I told him while still gazing down at the flower that complimented my pale skin.

            He smiled, crossing his legs as he leaned over the side of the bed to pick up his film camera. "So you like it?"

            "Yeah," I said, resting my head on my folded arms. I closed my eyes, listening to the click of the camera as he took a picture of me. "I'm naked."

            "So am I."

            I grinned. "You're not taking pictures of yourself."

            "I develop the film. No one else will see these, so just keep on lying there looking unbelievably beautiful. And Levi?"

            "Hmm?" I opened my eyes halfway, getting only a glimpse of him before he snapped another picture. As I looked up at him, he leaned forward on his knees, twisting the focus ring until he was satisfied with what he saw through the lens. He pressed his finger down on the shutter button. "I have to go into work soon. I should get up, get dressed, and act civil. When's the last time we ate actual food? I swear we've been living off Pop-Tarts."

            Eren sat back to set the camera on the nightstand, and then lay down next to me, pressing his cold feet to my warm ones. "I have no idea. I could go for eggs right now, though." He paused, looking thoughtful. "My lower back hurts. I don't think it remembers how my body was before it became very acquainted with yours."

            I sat up, giving his shoulder a gentle shove in the process. He took the hint and turned onto his stomach. I began to rub the small of his back and he hummed in approval. "I should trim my undercut before I head into work. You've been distracting me, so I haven't done it in a while. It's starting to get out of hand."

            "I've actually been wanting to see you do that since you told me you do it yourself. Here, let me up. I'll go get everything set up in the bathroom for you." He went to roll over, but I kept him in place by taking ahold of his hips. He gave me a quick glance over his shoulder, but didn't say anything as I continued to massage his back.

            I liked being here with him, away from everyone and everything. When we were in this house together, the real world seemed impossibly far away, imaginary. The only thing that felt real to me in these early hours of the morning was Eren curled up next to me in this bed, kissing me and telling me about all the things he wanted to do. Listening to him talk about his dreams, his lung disease seemed made up, an awful lie.