Behind The Curtain (EREN X LEVI FANFICTION)

Chapter 8: Another's Comfort

Another successful day. They talked. Eren and Levi. Both of them participated in the art of conversation together, alone while in the auditorium. The maths tutoring session had been a major success for both of them. Levi is starting to see that Eren is understanding the work more and more and it shows with the number of answers Eren got correct on his practice sheet. The language of mathematics is still very foreign to Eren, that much was clear, however considering the last sheet Levi gave him, Eren got a solid three out of thirty-five questions correct and now he's gotten fifteen. It's a tremendous improvement.

Celebrations aside, this is only one subject. Eren may finally be getting the hang of Pythagoras' Theorem, but they still have a whole year of subjects ahead of them if they're to make a maths genius out of Eren yet. Still, it's good to see that Levi's teachings aren't going to waste.

Then they move on to the script reading, the lines being exchanged between the two. Levi spoke each word as monotonously as ever and Eren gave everything he has for the good of the play, performing as if he was on stage at that very moment. Truly admirable work, one might think, but Levi couldn't help but believe how embarrassing it must be. Sure, Eren needs to make himself prepared for the show. Obviously. But putting in so much effort when there's no audience to appreciate it just seems silly and strange. That being said, Levi has never witnessed anyone else rehearsing lines before, so maybe every actor does the same. Or Eren could just be weird, which is more believable in Levi's case.

They stop to pack up after an hour of exchanging lines and Eren asking for feedback (which all Levi could say was 'Yep, good,' or 'Do you really have to do that? Looks shit,' the latter comment referring to when Eren had literally galloped across the stage). Finally, it was time to head home, however before Levi could say goodbye to their exclusive time alone, he captured Eren's wrist and with great hesitation asked him, "Is this lead role really that important to you?"

"Of course," Eren says earnestly. His gaze bore right through Levi and the look of absolute certainty was almost too strong to face. Those eyes held too much power over him and he knew it was his weakness. He used to hate the idea of being weak, and yet somehow he welcomes the feeling if it's with Eren. But this doesn't help his cause!

"Why?" Levi questions. A question he already knows the answer to but wanted to hear from Eren. At this rate, Levi just needs some sort of material to use in convincing this brown-haired theatre-loving geek to remove himself from the scene. At least try a different character perhaps, not the main lead who will undoubtedly be smooching half of the cast.

"You want to know why the lead is so important," Eren repeats as he ponders about his answer. "To prove to everyone that they're wrong," he says. The look in Eren's eyes almost darkens considerably once those few words slip past his lips. Instantly Levi can see the sense of purpose he carries just from that singular look.

"Care to explain?"

"Not for free," Eren smirks and Levi finds himself unable to stop the roll of his eyes.

"I'm already tutoring you and helping you with your lines. Isn't that enough? Or are you really that much of a brat?"

"Ah! Brat? Good sir, I am wounded!" The other fake gasps, acting phenomenally worse than what he was before, then laughing to himself at his own actions. He leans against the doorway of the auditorium and stares intensely at Levi. The cogs are ticking over in his head, Levi can sense that much. The prolonged silence almost makes Levi feel nervous had it been dragged on any longer than it was.

"So?" Eren urges.

"What do you want you shitty brat?"

"I don't want much!"