The sensation of his enemy prodding and dabbing his skin with cotton balls and tweezers sent warm pain across his entire body. It burned, and Eren recalled the time he squeezed a bunch of lemons to make lemonade after he scraped his hands and fingers after a biking accident. It was much worse; it was the kind of pain that would make one curl their toes and wanting to slam their fists down. He bit the corner of his lips and swore under his breath.
"Fuck," he cursed. "Can't you get it over with? You've been doing the same thing for a while now."
"I'm just making sure I didn't miss any spots. Unless you really do want the risk of getting infected and dying?" Levi was being overly sarcastic, but Eren couldn't tell.
Kenny had left them alone to take another smoke break, and Eren couldn't remember the last time he wanted to strangle someone so badly in his entire life. He winced as Levi pressed a cotton ball more firmly on his back.
"This is your fault. Fuck you. Fuck you and whatever you're doing," Eren spat. "For a moment I thought you were really going to help me."
Levi froze and suddenly dropped what he was holding, snatched Eren's jaw and lightly slapped his cheek, but hard enough to make him groan. "Don't talk to me like that. You're one spoiled boi, aren't you? You should feel lucky that I even bother to do this for you. You don't even know how to keep your dirty mouth shut. Maybe next time I'll shoot your legs and let you suffer through pain as you drag yourself. Wouldn't that be a cool idea? Hmm?"
Eren swallowed and shook his head. He wouldn't want that at all.
"Listen here, boi. Don't question me," he said. His face and tone of voice was calm and steady, but also cold. His eyes were dead looking and terrifying, the kind of eyes one would see in the horror movies when the murderer kills the victim. "You must be masochistic, huh? Running your mouth say whatever it wants and then you end up getting hurt." He raised a hand and smacked him hard in the head.
"I don't know you, but you're so damn annoying," he went on with a faint glare.
"I'd like to say the same-"
Smack.
"Did you not listen to what I just said?"
Eren looked down. He was already so used to the sharp sting of pain.
"I'm done now. Get to bed," he instructed calmly.
The boi returned to the scratchy blankets and overstuffed pillows and closed his eyes. Levi was leaning against the wall as he took out another cigarette and lit it up, not caring at all that he was still indoors. Eren was afraid to close his eyes, but couldn't stop himself when his eyes finally betrayed him.
---
"Wake up," a husky voice ordered. Eren could feel a blow at his chest. "I said wake up, you moron."
Eren immediately snapped himself out of sleep and sat straight up before getting pulled off the bed and dragged onto the floor by some strong force.
"We're leaving soon," Levi said without looking at him once. "There are clothes in the bathroom. Get changed in five minutes or else we'll barge in."
With an irritated click of the tongue, he slowly got up and swayed for a moment before making his way to the bathroom without saying anything. He felt groggy and he stumbled inside the cramped and smelly room. Eren locked the door behind him and looked down at the neatly folded pile of clothes waiting for him on top of the toilet seat. He picked them up gingerly and took a whiff at it. It smelled new, like it was just bought from the store.
He hastily got changed into them. They were a little loose on them, but it was nothing his belt couldn't fix. Eren turned to face the mirror and gasped with surprise. He looked different. Dark circles appeared under his eyes and his lips drooped into a constant frown. He turned the cold water tap on and splashed the cool water onto his warm face. It didn't help, and he still felt gross and icky. Everything wasn't right, and he didn't feel right either. The clothes he was given didn't suit him at all; a hoodie and jeans along with a simple black tee shirt. He always went for the sophisticated look, and this definitely wasn't not it.
