The Boy With Two Worlds - [Ereri/Riren]

Chapter Twenty-Two - New Growth

Eren pulled away from the soft hug after a few more seconds of letting the embrace calm the two of them and seal the misunderstandings. Eren gazed into Levi's eyes for a bit longer while the raven blinked at the unfamiliar feeling surrounding them, before the brunet decided to speak first about his own mistake. "I'm sorry, you know, for running away like that after the kiss. I'm sure that made you feel really shitty." Levi glanced up at Eren at his words, quickly shaking his head in reassurance. "No, no, I should have just talked to you about my feelings anyway instead of going about it so bluntly. It's just-- talking isn't really my forte, let alone 'feelings'." He let out a half-hearted chuckle at his words, and Eren laughed as well while nodding in agreement and understanding.

"I left so suddenly because I had no way of even processing what had happened at the time. It's difficult for me to become close like that with someone so quickly, without a full amount of trust being formed first. So much has been going on, I guess that adding to it when not even knowing you felt that way kind of caused my mind to freeze for a bit." The younger let a warm smile embrace his lips after his words as a subtle sign that he wasn't blaming Levi for it and that he didn't need to take his words in a shameful way, as they were simply just informative. And the older understood, nodding his head without speaking.

The still sprinkling rain dripped on their skins rhythmically, and Levi glanced up toward the sky with squinted blinking eyes, sighing at the clouds as they both continued getting soaked, while Eren giggled. They both silently decided by glancing at each other that they should take shelter under the roof of the cafeteria in an attempt to escape the rain. They still had more to talk about personally, of course.

When they walked the short amount of steps that would take them under it, Eren sighed softly. A few seconds of silence overcame them and the atmosphere seemed to turn soft and calm before Levi decided to speak again. "You said it's difficult to become close with someone before trust is formed," He bagan, Eren picking up his head to look at him as he spoke with a nod at his repeat of his own words prior. "Would you like to try and trust me?" Levi blinked nervously at the brunet, and Eren caught onto his hint and let a long smile overcome his expression. "That's my horrible attempt at asking you to be my boyfriend." Levi scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and his heart was squeezed by the hands of the light giggle that left Eren's lips, his cheeks slightly tinted red. "I think I got that." And Levi smiled softly at Eren's obtained amusement, enjoying the joyful expression on the younger's face.

"I've never been in a relationship before." the brunet spoke quietly, glancing at the concrete floor below them for no reason in particular. "Neither have I." There was a small pause between the older's words as he chose how to word his suggestion. "We can try together?" Levi had never spoken any words remotely similar to what he was spewing out now, and it was difficult for him to continue speaking his wishes without completely shutting down and forgetting everything. But he couldn't, even if he wanted to. Not this time.

Eren stared at him with a large, happy smile before nodding softly, "I'd like that." His respose was warm and full of certainty, no ounce of negative energy behind his decision that was only spoken in a couple of small words, and causing relief to spread through Levi and overcome his once tense emotions.

"Eren!" Both of the boys turned to look behind the brunet, spotting Mikasa standing by the school exit that lead to the parking lot. She glanced over at Levi whom stood next to Eren, quite closely she realized, and felt a noticeable wave of overprotection overcome her. But she had to let it go as much as she wanted to walk over there with her attempts at intimidating the male raven. She knew she would have to learn to do that in due time, if her little brother by only one month was going to have his first boyfriend, whom he cared about. She glanced back at Eren after coming to that conclusion with an expectant look on her face, however her silver eyes quickly widened when she realized his eyepatch was off. Noticing Eren seemed unfazed at that fact, she was forced to put two-and-two together that Levi knew about his eyes. Although she felt slightly irritated that her brother never brought up that fact, she was happy he was getting more comfortable with them nevertheless.