Dangerous Territory

Captive

Levi felt stunned but immensely happy. His smile was tamed back as he realized just how terrified Eren must be to have finally decided this.

"We can hide you. There's room in the basement."

"I won't be accepted."

"No, but you'll be my prisoner. According to the Geneva Convention, prisoners-of-war are to be treated well. I'll keep you safe." Levi combed back Eren's wet hair. "In this place, at least, I can protect you. Carly can help too. Hell, she'll probably let you live in this room. You've got everything you need here. I can bring you food, and we can simply stay here." A smile finally broke out on Levi's face, sad but happy at the same time. "We can live just like this."

Eren mumbled, "Until the battle comes to the city."

"This brothel has its own bomb shelter. We'll hide there."

Eren looked ashamed. "I'm being a coward."

"You're being human. I was just telling one of my men, there's no shame in wanting to survive." Levi grabbed Eren's cheeks between his hands and said firmly, "I won't let you die."

Eren's face struggled, a battle between wanting to be happy, and feeling miserable, cowardly, like a traitor. He had just won a coveted award for bravery. Now, he was betraying so many people: his platoon, his new commander, the Wehrmacht, all of Germany.

"Eren," Levi whispered as he saw those teal eyes drifting away in a sea of grief. "You're not betraying your men or your country." He suddenly grabbed Eren's wrists and pinned them above the bed. "It's not a betrayal if you can't escape."

He laughed awkwardly. "You'd let me go if I asked."

"Says who?" Levi reached down to the edge of his skirt, reached underneath to the scabbard strapped to his thigh, pulled out a knife, and held it up to Eren's throat. "Surrender, Nazi pig. You're mine!"

Those words thrilled Eren. "Can you ... make it real?"

"I'm not joking." He brought the knife closer, not enough to cut, but enough for Eren to flinch back at the feel of the cold steel on his throat. "If I have to be stubborn, if I have to be cruel, if I have to hold you at knife-point, I will make sure you don't return to this goddamn war." He lifted the knife and ran the flat of the blade along Eren's cheek like a cold caress. "I'm not letting them take you away from me again."

Eren smiled, feeling comforted by those words.

"Although, it's not really fair this way." Levi nimbly flipped the knife away and slid it into the sheath. He climbed off the bed and gazed at Eren, who was now confused and pouting. "Get dressed."

Eren looked stunned. "You want me in uniform?"

"Yes. If I'm going to take you captive, it needs to be fair. Otherwise, it looks shitty on my part."

Eren laughed and realized Levi was just playing some game. Maybe Carly was right and prisoner-of-war roleplaying was common with soldiers.

"And dry off, for God's sake! You'll catch a cold."

So caring! Even as Levi sounded cranky, he was just trying to keep Eren safe.

Eren went to the bathroom to dry his hair and wash the tears off his face. Then he pulled on all of his clothes. As he dressed, Levi wandered over to where he saw the glint of black and silver. He picked up the Knight's Cross.

"That's new."

"That's actually what the telephone call was about. There was a—what's the word—Siegerehrung? Everyone gathered, and I was presented with das Ritterkreuz."