Vulnerability(Erwin x Levi)

The Second

The second time Erwin seen that look in Levi's eyes was when they had first met Eren Jaeger.

They were fine and then they flared with anger and sadness and pent up emotions. They became grey and stormy, thunderstorms within the silver irises that looked ahead, dazed.

They had formed a bond throughout the years and Levi trusted Erwin and and Erwin trusted Levi. Levi had shared many personal things about himself to Erwin over cups of tea or in the privacy of Erwin's quarters or the rare times when they would be together in Erwin's bed, Erwin tracing patterns on Levi's back after a night between the sheets, connected.

Levi was a mystery to Erwin. Despite their closeness to each other there was still so much that Erwin didn't know about his prized captain. So many secrets. Sometimes Levi would push him away and other times Levi would act like he couldn't live without him. Many considered Erwin to be cunning and smart, always knowing the next move and the next plan of action, but when it came to Levi he drew a blank. Levi was a mystery that Erwin might never solve. Sometimes he felt like he was okay with that.

The entire time they had spoken to Eren Erwin knew that Levi was barely holding on. Barely holding back his tears. Nobody sensed anything was wrong but because Erwin had been with Levi for so long he knew that Levi was about to break. Levi hated showing his emotions and Erwin knew this well because of all the times when they'd come back from expeditions and Levi would be in his office just like the first time, the same look of despair and sadness in his eyes. Erwin had learned that Levi didn't like receiving sympathy and he'd asked why. Levi had said that it made him feel weak and that he felt like he was being looked down upon. Erwin respected that and made sure to never show sympathy but rather comfort and care. Levi wanted nothing more than to be treated like an equal. It was all the years in the Underground that had made him desire such a thing. Erwin would never understand that but he tried to none the less.

As soon as they were finished talking Levi had stormed away and Erwin knew where he was going.

The first thing he heard upon opening his office door was sniffling. Levi had his back turned to the door, a hand on his face while the other cupped his elbow. His back was hunched and shaking, shivering with each strangled sob that passed through his lips. Levi always held his emotions back but when he was with Erwin he let everything go. He held nothing back and sometimes it felt good to cry. One time he had cried until there were no more tears to be shed, his eyes raw and his head pounding. Erwin was the only person who had ever seen him cry.

Erwin closed and locked the door behind him, walking to Levi's side to comfort him in his time of need. He cradled Levi's head to his chest, a hand on the back of his head to gently card through silky black hair and a hand on the small of his back to rub soothingly.

"They have the same eyes..." Levi chocked out. Erwin didn't know how to respond.

"They look so similar..." He heavy sob racked Levi's body, shaking him, and Erwin could feel his shirt soaking through with his tears.

"Sh, you're okay now. You're safe." Erwin soothed. His voice was quiet and soft and the smooth baritone seemed to calm Levi to some extent.

"Keep talking..." Levi murmured. He needed to get his mind off of Isabel and Eren and Erwin's voice seemed to ground him and keep him in the present. Another sob ran through his body and he wasn't able to hold back the sound that flew from his mouth with it, his lower lip quivering as more sobs threatened to break through.

"I love you so much, Levi. You're so beautiful and amazing and you're the strongest person I know. I trust you and I would do anything for you, I promise that. I will offer up my heart to you." Erwin's words made Levi cry more because he knew that every one of them was true. It was happy tears because no one had ever told him those things before. No one ever cared as much as Erwin did.

"What's wrong?" Erwin asked after he'd sensed that his words weren't helping.

"You're such a sappy old man." Levi joked while looking up at Erwin, smiling. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and his voice was raspy and stuffy from the sobs and the snot plugging up his nose. Erwin loved it when Levi smiled but he hated it because it was such a rare sight. He wanted to bottle up Levi's smile so he could look at it whenever he wanted to.

From that day onward, Erwin's nickname that Levi gave him was old man.