The Exchange Student

Chapter 17

"What are we supposed to be doing today ?" Eren yawned, snuggling into the cozy quilt, eyes still closed to feel like he didn't need to get up.

"Visiting the village, if you had cared to listen while Pixis was talking," Levi replied, shaking his head.

"It's not my fault Hanji decided right then that snorting peas was a good idea !"

"That's no excuse. I'll make you snort them next time I have to tell you everything again."

Eren scoffed, giving a sharp flick on the side of Levi's head. "What other use do you possibly have then ?"

"A better one than you anyway, all you're good for is hogging the bed and robbing the quilt, which by the way, is not okay."

"I'm sorry - yes, yes, I'm not sorry", Eren rectified rapidly, seeing Levi was about to tell him off again for apologizing. "But who else is supposed to be my personal secretary then ?"

"Mikasa and Armin, if you had the fucking courage to put things straight with them."

Eren winced, unwilling to think about that for the time being. He would sort it out when he returned from the trip, but in the meantime, he would avoid Mikasa, no matter how much of a cowardly move that was, and not think about it.

It pained him to not be able to speak to them, like the good old days. They had been through years and years of each other's lives, the good, the bad, the weird, and the rock hard abs from all the laughter.
Honestly they had been through some crazy moments, and he wouldn't trade those for anything.

But he was fully aware that it was his fault for pushing them away, and he sincerely regretted shutting them out like that.

You could think he should just go and explain it to his closest friends, but it really wasn't that simple, at all.

It ...

"Eren, you're doing it again..."

Eren raised his head, tugging on his chocolate locks, trying and failing to cover his prickling eyes. God, he couldn't start crying again. He was on some sort of a vacation for frick's sake. And he was certain Levi was fed up with his constant wavering state.

"I can't help it," he laughed shakily, rubbing his eyes, instinctively chewing on his thumb.

Levi's eyes softened, an extremely rare sight, sending butterflies to Eren's stomach. He gently pulled the suffering thumb away from Eren's mouth, not letting go of his hands when he laid them on his lap.

"If you continue to devour your thumb like that, I will kick your ass," he said softly. "It's bleeding again."

"I'll go and clean it up," sniffled Eren, moving to remove the quilt off him.

"Don't, you're going to stain the towels. I'll be back in a second. Don't move, brat."

Levi vanished around the corner, returning shortly with a damp paper towel and a clear band-aid. Returning to his original position, he sat cross-legged, wiping away the scarlet liquid,  before carefully applying the band-aid on his thumb, making sure there were no creases or wrinkles.
No surprise there, nothing would be left messy by Levi. Not even his hair, which was neat and tidy, and smelled nice too -

Eren poked his thoughts back into place for the millionth time.

"Thanks Levi, I appreciate it."

"Of course. Please don't chew on your thumb again, I only have a limited amount of band-aids," Levi added, still looking at Eren with that softened gaze. It reverted back to the harder version the next second, to Eren's disappointment. "Now, we're meeting up with the group in an hour, so be ready, otherwise Pixis will leave without us. Without you, actually," he rectified, standing up, "because I won't wait for you."