Paper Airplanes (Ereri - SNK)

Damaged.

At that moment, Erwin called everyone to begin the training session, cutting Eren off from anything else he might've said or done. Still, Levi could see that look in his eyes, and he immediately began conjuring up excuses for when he was showered in questions later; he knew Eren wasn't going to let it go.

Levi managed to lose himself in the training, looking after his squad and barking orders. The simulation went fairly smoothly, but any veteran knew it would never be this easy in real life. The commander had them run through it several times. The entire thing was simply a test - would a simulation prior to the expedition itself help the strategy, help them reach their goal?

Four hours after it began, Erwin finally dismissed them. Levi hopped to the ground with about as much grace as a colt attempting to walk for the first time. He could practically feel the sweat seeping from his pores; he disgustedly ran a sleeve over his forehead to catch the perspiration. As he moved to follow the rest of the recruits from the training grounds, he was already planning a thorough shower.

"Captain," called an all-too familiar voice from his right. Biting back a sigh, he turned as Eren approached him. The kid's hair stuck up, wind-blown, and caught the light of the sunset from behind, giving it a golden glow. Watching the slight swing of his hips and the confidence in his stride, the strand of hair stuck to his cheek from sweat had Levi unable to deny the slight hitch of his breath at the sight of the teen. He easily fell into step beside his superior. "How'd I do?" he asked.

Levi narrowed his eyes a bit. It wasn't usually like Eren to ask for a critique of his performance, but Levi shrugged it off. "You could've been faster at times," he said; there was no way he'd be giving Eren a perfect analysis. "But overall you weren't horrible."

He could see the teen grin from the corner of his eye; his smile was just that bright. They entered the building together, Levi holding the door for the other and brushing off his thank you before following him inside.

They parted ways without a word, Eren headed toward the recruits end of the building while Levi headed toward his own room in the opposite direction.

He wasn't really one for cold showers, but something compelled him to set the water as cool as he could stand it as if it'd get rid of or at least distract him from the images in his mind. The images of her...

~

Eren made it a point to line up behind Levi at dinner, taking his time to fill his plate with food across the bar. The raven found himself nibbling absently on the inside of his lip, somehow just knowing what was coming next.

"Are you ever gonna tell me what's bugging you?" he murmured so only they could hear.

"I told you there's nothing bugging me, kid," Levi muttered back. He was lying through his teeth, but it didn't matter; the last thing he wanted was to talk about it.

"Shove it, Levi," Eren muttered back; Levi's stomach clenched in surprise and irritation. He shot a look at his subordinate, mustering his best glare. The only time Eren ever used his first name was when they were alone, when there was no risk of anyone overhearing, when things were more personal...more intimate.

Eren was unfazed. "When you wanna talk, you know where to find me." With that, he turned and strode away, toward his usual seat between Mikasa and Armin.

Levi was stunned for a moment, standing at the counter in the middle of preparing his tea. A bag hung from his fingertips by the string, his heart thudding strangely fast. Quickly, once his eyes refocused on what his hands had stalled in doing, he forced a swallow and finished making the tea, still a bit flustered that Eren could seemingly see through him so well.