Levi POV
Levi should have known how parties with those younglings went.
Dancing, screaming, alcohol in their veins and loud voices cheering and shouting through the room. That's why it shouldn't have surprised him to find two servants pressed up against one another, making out like the drunken boys they were.
"You brats are such a fucking problem nowadays.", he growled and saw the slight flush creeping up the boy's ears. He wiped over his mouth and straightened his posture with lowered head. Levi could still see the defensive glare in his eyes.
"Wouldn't have expected you to be like that."
"Like what?", Faris spat with the heavy accent enriching his voice. "Gay? Well, fuck you. I don't care what you think about us."
"Brats should stay quiet when they don't know what the fuck they are talking about."
Levi didn't even raise his voice and still the servant went quiet, his hands balled to fists and his arms shaking in anger.
He sighed, rubbing his neck.
Of course he knew about the rules and the prejudices in Eldia. He heard the mean whispers in the shadow, the bragging of the upper classes whenever one of them was caught with the same gender.
It wasn't easy to find love when the love was nothing natural in the eyes of many. Levi understood the defensive words, spoken in nothing but fear of what was to happen next. It wasn't unheard of that servants caught were thrown into the basement for sleeping with the same gender.
For doing what every fucking person would do, no matter who they were.
"I don't fucking care if you like girls, boys or whatever.", he said calmly and noticed the change in the boy's angry stare. His face softened a bit and he relaxed his hands just a bit. "Don't think you are the only one trying to get fucked after a good night."
Faris' snort came unexpected and Levi raised an eyebrow.
"Anything funny, brat?"
Faris lowered the hand he had pressed on his mouth and Levi was surprised to see a small smile on his lips.
"You. You are funny. Veeeeerryyy funny."
Levi rolled his eyes.
Is the brat drunk? Of fucking course he is. That's great. Just great. Should have stayed in my room tonight.
He stepped closer to the servant who supported himself on the wall.
Was Levi only imagining the seductive glances, the way he propped one hand up on those god forsaken hips like it was his job to look appealing to one's eye?
"Let's get you out of here, brat. No more party for you."
Just when he wanted to grab the boy's hand to drag him out of the corridor, he found himself staring at the servant's face. He narrowed his eyes.
He looks...familiar. Somehow.
"What is it?", Faris whispered and Levi averted his gaze.
"Nothing. Come on. Before the guards catch on to what is happening here."
"We are only celebrating.", the servant protested but followed Levi without complaint. Somehow Levi knew that it wouldn't have been that easy if the boy was sober. "Where do you live?"
The boy mumbled something under his breath, his eyes directed at nothing in specific.
"Care to repeat that, brat?"
"Servant track.", Faris answered peevish, suddenly giggling and taking Levi's hand in his.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Holding hands."
"I can see that. Why the fuck would you do that?" Levi turned around a bit and caught the offended expression of the boy who withdrew his hand and pouted with crossed arms.
"You don't want to hold my hand. You're a little meanie.", he complained and for a second Levi thought to see some tears in the corner of the boy's eyes, called up by the alcohol in the servant's system.
"Stop behaving like a child and fucking come with me." He dragged the boy with him, not minding his drunken words. "I don't have time for such nonsense."
"Then whyyyyy are you even helping meeee?", Faris asked and hiccupped.
If only I knew why.
Levi sighed and sat the boy down on a stony railing next to them.
"You are not Jeeeaaannn. You are no horse.", the boy mumbled and giggled again. Against his will Levi thought how he would like to hear that sound without the alcohol being the cause for it.
"Who is Jean?", he asked, not even knowing why. Those were the slurred words of someone not knowing what the hell they were talking about.
"He is a horse.", the answer came so serious as if he was talking about general truths of the world. "But he won't admit it. Not yet. Someday he will."
"Yeah. Sure."
"But he isn't here anymore.", Faris mumbled, looking onto the ground with trembling thighs. "He went with us. Were five months there. But then..."
Levi couldn't make out any more coherent words and sighed dejected. So that Jean boy was probably someone he lost.
"But he isn't here anymore."
"Come on.", he whispered and wrapped an arm around his waist, dragging him further down the corridor. They should be there soon.
"And my father...it's his fault. Yes. His fault. He be no pony. He be a bastard.", Faris slurred. "No pony."
"Sure isn't."
- - -
When they finally arrived at the first doors Faris leaned against him and giggled again.
"That's a dooooorrr. That's myyyy doooor."
"Where? Where is your door?"
He let the boy show him where to go and then opened it up.
As soon as there was enough space for Faris to slip through he let go of Levi and fell onto the small thing that probably represented a bed. Not even a second later was he dead asleep.
Levi stood there. Wondering. Should he go in? Should he leave? Should he wait for someone to keep the boy company in case something happened?
In the end he decided that it wasn't any of his business and just left, closing the door carefully although the boy probably didn't even hear it.
Walking back to where he had left Izzy, he had already forgotten the words that servant had slurred.
But not the image of Faris and the other boy. And the strange feeling in his stomach.
(Eren talked about what happened in those five months for the first time...
What happened to Jean? Do you think he is dead?
What about the rest? What might have happened to them out there? And will Levi be the one he will open up to about it?)