Love Me Not - {riren au}

Love Me Not ~ 72

Y'all I graduated from college ...

-

Levi wasn't usually one to get frustrated or irritated over something of that nature.

Eren's nonchalant behavior bugged him more. Now he knew how Eren felt the time he was behaving the same way.

The whole mess was something he didn't want to be apart of as someone who was older. He had to see all of that drama in college. He thought Eren was on the same page, but he thought wrong.

Levi tapped his fingers on the steering wheel before muttering, "Fuck it." He made a u-turn and went in the opposite direction of his apartment.

-

"We thought you bailed on us for Eren?" Hanji asked, surprised to see Levi walking into the bar.

"Plans change." Levi muttered and sat at the bar. It was one they typically went to, so the bartender already knew exactly what he wanted.

"Uh oh. That doesn't sound good." Erwin mumbled.

"Care to share?" Hanji asked.

Levi picked up his glass once it was placed in front of him and drank it in three large gulps. He exhaled and slammed the cup back down on the counter.

"I'm guessing he doesn't want to share." Erwin murmured.

"No shit." Levi rolled his eyes and nodded in thanks to the bartender when another glass was put in front of him.

-

Eren stood in his driveway once Levi left with a pit in his stomach. Did the other just break up with him? He frowned and walked back into his house, slamming the door behind him. "I'm home... not that anyone is actually here to respond."

He could see Mikasa's work shoes were gone, so were his dad's shoes.

"I'm here." A voice called out.

Eren turned to see Zeke in the kitchen. He was in his pajamas and holding a mug.

Eren burst out into laughter. "Uh... you know it's like not even ten o'clock yet right?" He was still frustrated with the situation of having a brother, but couldn't help but find humor in the other's appearance.

Zeke shrugged and sipped his tea. "You seem tense." He started speaking more as time passed with him living there.

"I am. I don't want to talk about it." Eren plopped down on the couch.

Zeke sat on the opposite couch. "It'll pass. Most things we deal with as young adults is trivial nonsense. Sure, it may hurt now, but in the big picture, it was only a tiny dot in your life span."

Eren looked at Zeke. "Do you think that's how your life is? Everything you went through was just dots on a timeline?"

"Well, there are quite a few dots, but from here on out it's pretty smooth. Of course there are still those moments, like spilling your coffee on yourself and becoming late to work. Day ruined, dot."

"But uh.. do you put trauma in the same category as just spilling coffee on yourself?" Eren asked.

"I guess." Zeke shrugged and sipped his tea. "Other people might see it differently. That's just how I view it. You're still young and have barely even lived. I could say the same. I still have a while to go."

The two were interrupted by the door opening. Grisha stood in the doorway and slipped his shoes off. "I heard some good conversation. Very uh, philosophical?"

Eren rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that deep, dad." He stood up. "I'm gonna head to bed."

"I thought I was the loser for having my pajamas on before ten." Zeke murmured.

Eren laughed. "You still are. It's 10:01 now. Night." He headed up the stairs before Grisha could say anything.

He found himself more angry at his father than at Zeke. In the end, Zeke didn't ask to be born. He didn't choose the life he was born into. Grisha chose the path they were all going on. How Zeke was going to grow up.

Eren wondered what it would've been like if Grisha had stayed with Zeke's mom. He never would've been born. If he didn't exist in the first place it wasn't like he would've missed it or anything.

How was he supposed to fall asleep with his head filled with thoughts? He wasn't going to be able to relax. Everything that had just happened had him wide awake.

His best friend and boyfriend both didn't want to talk to him.

Eren took a shower and got ready for bed. He laid awake for a while and stared up at the ceiling. He pulled his phone out and went to Levi's contact. He pressed call without thinking.

-

Levi felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out. He looked at the contact name and picture. It was Eren. His contact picture was one that Levi snapped of him while he was smiling about something. It was one of his favorite pictures of him. He sighed.

"Gonna answer it?" Hanji asked, peeking over Levi's shoulder.

Levi shooed Hanji away before answering the phone call. "Hello?"

Eren sat up quickly in bed. He didn't think Levi would answer his call. "Hey. We need to talk."

"Now is not a good time." Levi said back, taking a sip of his drink.

"So you'd rather things stay like this?" Eren asked.

"I've been drinking. I'd rather not have this discussion when I'm not sober." Levi mumbled.

"You practically break up with me and end up at the bar?" Eren asked, his annoyance could be heard.

"I didn't break up with you, dipshit. I'm just annoyed. I don't want to talk to you right now about this." Levi spoke, sounding a lot harsher than he meant to. He didn't mean for his tone to come out so serious.

Eren frowned. "Fine, but we're talking tomorrow then."

"Okay." Levi hung up.

Eren set his phone aside. He felt better and worse at the same time.

What did he do with himself? He put his hands to his head and groaned. The events kept playing over and over again.

He heard a knock at the door and looked over as Mikasa poked her head in the room.

-