Aesthetic Acid | eren x levi |

♖̳: First Blood

The night was as black as the soul of the devil and the midnight air smelled of rosemary and faint bleach. The pavement of the road was cracked and moist and the everyone could feel it underneath the sole of their thin slippers and boots. The light of the shops were bleeding through the windows and the street lights were flickering like fireworks. It was a rather warm night but even so, it was raining and the droplets felt like a cold sting when in contact with skin.

Eren was walking in the rain on a chill Monday night on his way to buy bread for his family. It was very late but at the bakery they always closed down for the night and gave out their stale bread for free. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea but it was better than starving while it was the middle of fall. He was exhausted and he felt like his legs could no longer function properly; he was limping down the street, blinded by the rain on his face to anyone else he would probably look like a zombie by the way he walked.

He staggered a little faster when his tired eyes found the light of the shop and managed to show a weak grin when the baker who was also his friend waved at him. It was a small but cute looking shop in the side of the broken road which had bread and pastries behind the display window which Eren had been fantasizing since he was young; when he was a kid, his mother could never afford such a delicate and yummy looking cake and he still couldn't to this day.

It was faint light leaking out of the candle lantern but it blinded Eren, making him squint to be able to see properly.

"Eren, you really don't have to force yourself to walk all the way here just for some shitty left over bread. I wouldn't mind giving a good one for free."

"It's fine, Hanji," he said and let out a small sneeze. "I'm...I'm trying to learn not to depend on people for help."

"Are you sure?" she asked with a concerned look on her face as she frowned. Seeing her frowning was rarity since she was such a kind person. She wore glasses that somewhat resembled goggles, which kind of gave her a psychotic atmosphere around her but Eren couldn't be so sure.

"Yes, I'm sure but I appreciate the thought."

"Okay," she said sadly and handed him a medium sized burlap sack filled with the bread. "Stay safe on your way back, okay?"

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you so much, Hanji," he said and smiled brightly.

"Goodnight, Eren," she said before entering her small shop and closing the creaky, wooden door behind her.

He cradled the bag of bread in his arms as he ran swiftly home as fast as his legs could carry him but it wasn't simple at all; sure he was a bit low on money but he managed to join the military of their town and training did not treat his legs so kindly. His ankles felt like they were going to crack and his thighs felt painfully stiff but he wanted to go home before anything dangerous happened.

The moonlight was chasing his shadow and the wind howled through the trees. Sure it would have been better to just accept Hanji's offer but Mikasa told him a dozen times that she didn't want to be in debt of someone, even if she were dying. Eren worked extra hard in order for Mikasa to be healthy again but that was very rare. He just wanted to see a smile on her face and that was all that mattered to him at the time.

He was soaking wet by the time he reached the demolished door of his cramped and poorly built excuse of a house. Sure it wasn't much, but it was home. The door creaked loudly as he opened it and walked in, feeling the water of his drenched clothing pool to his feet and shivered. He closed the door gently as he hopped out of his thin shoes and hurried to Mikasa where she was sleeping in the living room. The house was unbelievably tiny and only had three rooms which was the kitchen, bathroom and the living room. Eren kind of found it ironic, really; why was it called a living room if a small part of them were dying each day?