Eren entered the brothel room, hesitant at first. What he saw was not at all what he had expected from an establishment like this; then again, Carly said that this was her personal room, and he had seen in the garage, her tastes were quite refined.
The room was lit by a golden chandelier fitted with electric lights. Scarlet wallpaper covered the four walls of the room, and heavy red drapes completely blocked the windows, giving privacy and dampening outside sounds. A massive mahogany wardrobe was up against one wall and looked like it came from the time of French kings. To the other side was a mahogany table and two carved chairs with plush red cushions on the seats. A bottle of wine and two crystal goblets were already set out, as well as a silver bowl of fruit and a smaller crystal bowl of walnuts.
The middle of the room was taken up by the largest bed Eren had ever seen in his life, surely wide enough to sleep three or four people. A sumptuous scarlet blanket shined on the top, embroidered with swirling gold leaves and delicate pink flowers. The carved bed frame had filigree designs, and the whole thing looked like it came out of the boudoir of an ancient king's favorite concubine.
It was almost too beautiful to be real. Was this a trap? Maybe a Gestapo setup?
"So cautious," Carly said with a titter. She leaned up into Eren's ear, close enough so her painted lips danced against his skin. "I told you, he's under my protection. You have this room for the whole night. I'll keep it available, so you can come here anytime you want. There's a secret passage, so if there's trouble, he can escape. This is probably the safest room in all of Europe for you two."
Suddenly, her lips captured Eren's earlobe. He yanked away in annoyance, and Carly giggled quietly in excitement at the glare he gave her.
A deep voice came from inside the room. "Ne touche pas à mon copain, putain de salope!" Don't touch my boyfriend, you fucking whore!
Eren gasped and felt a leap of excitement at hearing that voice again.
Carly smirked as she backed away. "I'll leave you two. Have fun. Amusez-vous bien." She stepped back and closed the door.
As soon as Eren latched the door's lock, the massive wardrobe opened, and Levi stepped out. Eren felt his throat choke up at seeing him again. He ran to Levi and wrapped him up in his arms.
"You're safe!"
"And you smell like a brewery. God, how much did you drink tonight?" Smothered in Eren's embrace, Levi felt his body shaking. "Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry," Eren blurted out with tears pouring down his cheeks. "Please forgive me. I'm so sorry. Everything I said, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." He suddenly dropped to his knees. "You can kick me across the head if you want. Whatever it takes, whatever makes it better. I'm so, so sorry!"
Levi stared at him, shocked at the outburst and sobbing emotions. Then his face softened, and he shook his head. Levi took hold of Eren's cheeks and turned his face up to him. Eren had tears streaming down his blotchy cheeks, and to Levi, this expression of deep remorse was more than enough. His thumb swiped away some of the tears.
"I'm not going to kick you in the head. At least, not while you're drunk."
"I'm not drunk. Well, not anymore. Carly gave me some medication, and it's clearing up my head."
"You took some of her drugs?" Levi cried out. "Merde."
"She said it wasn't Pervitin."
"No, her stuff is worse." Levi went from annoyed to pruriently amused. "Although, that might be fun."
Eren looked up with bright eyes. "Then, do you forgive me?"
"That depends. Do you still think I'm a terrorist?"
"No!"
"I'm now the leader of that French Resistance cell. We've carried out three missions since I last saw you. I've killed nine Wehrmacht soldiers, and my men have killed at least twenty more." Levi stared at him, challenging him to change his mind.
Eren flinched, horrified to hear this. Leader? Nine soldiers in just four days? Part of him was furious. He closed his eyes, and he could see it again: Yelena's gun against Greiz's head, the spray of blood and brains. That was only one death. If Levi had killed nine Germans since that day, then no wonder he seemed unperturbed by Yelena's actions.
Softly, Eren muttered, "I know you're fighting for your country, same as me. I don't like it, but it's part of war."
"What if I kill one of your men?"
"I know you wouldn't."
Levi's eyes narrowed. "What if I have to?"
Eren's heart stung. On one hand, he was determined to protect those men. They were like brothers! But what if one of them threatened Levi?
What if Floch, Connie, or Jarnach directly got in Levi's way?
What if he had to choose between his men and his boyfriend?
He thought back to that dungeon, with Kitz forcing him to shoot Abel or else both Abel and Levi would die. Levi forgave him. After all, what other choice did he have? It was part of war, and sometimes you had to kill people you didn't want to.
Would he be able to forgive Levi just as easily?
"I don't know," he admitted softly. "But if I want you to love me for who I am..." He turned his gaze back up. "...then I'm determined to love you for who you are."
Levi stared hard, trying to read that expressive face. After a moment, his hand reached out, palm up. Eren took it, and Levi yanked him back onto his feet. Slowly, a smile returned to his lips.
"It seems my takhshet is back."
Eren blushed at the pet name. "Are you not going to hit me?"
"I already slapped you when you called me a terrorist. That's enough."
Eren cringed. "I'm so sorry."
"I know that wasn't you. I'm just glad you came back to me. For a moment, I feared I may have lost you to the Nazis for good."
"And I feared, the last thing I'd say to you was something so awful. I went to the wine shop to apologize, but you were gone. I was scared that maybe you were captured."
"You know I'm better than that."
Eren laughed. Yes, of course, this was Levi after all.
Holding Eren's hand, Levi pulled him over to the table. He picked up the wine, read the make and year, and by the expression on his face Eren guessed it was particularly good. Levi uncorked it and poured out a glass for both of them out of habit. Then he paused and looked at Eren.
"Should you really drink more?"
"I told you, Carly gave me something. Besides, the beer in this city is getting watered down more and more every day."
"That's why I prefer wine." Levi lifted his glass and inhaled the fragrant aroma.
Eren took a sip of the wine. "Are you really staying in the brothel?"
"Carly used to hide Jews here," he explained. "We're using her secret underground rooms. It's not the best location, right underneath a bunch of horny Germans, but it's safe for the moment. A hell of a lot better than the sewers." He grumbled under his breath, "Even her basement looks like a boudoir."
He looked across the table at Eren taking a drink from his crystal goblet. With the seductive setting and low lighting, he could hardly help but realize how romantic this was ... especially with that huge bed enticing them.
Eren muttered, "I'm glad she found me. What are the chances!"
"Takhshet, she doesn't need to drive around to taverns to bring in customers. Of course she was out searching for you."
Eren reached across the table and held Levi's hand. "To bring me to you?"
"At my request."
"Really? Did you want to see me?" he asked in surprise.
Levi squeezed Eren's hand. "Of course I did. I hoped this was enough time to let you cool off."
"Cool off?" he asked, confused by the English expression.
"Not be a fucking bastard."
Eren lifted Levi's hand and gave his knuckles a kiss. Levi wanted him! That alone made him immensely happy. "How can I make it up to you?"
"I'll think of something." His thumb traced over Eren's knuckles. "Now, get out of that uniform."
Eren felt heat rush to his cheeks. He glanced at the bed and thought about what Carly said about lubrication.
Would Levi want that?
He got up, walked over to the wardrobe, and saw empty hangers inside for a client to change out of his clothes, as well as fluffy robes to wrap up in. He began to undress, removed his tunic with its medals and swastikas, and hung it away. No politics or nationalities tonight! Then he removed his hat, placed it on a shelf inside the wardrobe, and pulled off his boots and stockings.
Levi watched from the table, sipping his wine. "Trousers too."
Eren gulped and unthreaded his belt. He felt excitement already buzzing through his body as he unzipped his trousers and let them drop. It was especially humiliating as he glanced back at the table and saw Levi watching the strip show with an eye of interest.
"Do you ... Do you want it all taken off?" Eren asked, standing in just his boxers and undershirt.
"You can wear that for now. Go wash up. You smell like a brewery."
Eren saw that there was a washroom to the side with a sink, toilet, and copper bathtub. "Do you want a bath together?" he asked hopefully.
"No, just wash the beer spills off of you."
Eren went to the other room. He had drunk a lot, so he used the toilet, relieving an intense pressure on his bladder. Then he went to the sink and scrubbed his face.
He could feel the alcohol haze leaving, burning off with something new: a fiery lust that scorched away the beer fumes. Eren looked over to the copper bathtub.
He thought about sensual baths with Levi in the past. In the officer's hotel, they always had to be cautious about making too much noise.
If Carly was right and this room was soundproof...
He didn't have to hold back, and Levi didn't have to cover his mouth. They could be as loud as they wanted. He could drive Levi wild with passion, devour him, touch him all over, and listen to him moan with ecstasy.
He thought about that soldier downstairs, so horny he did not even care that he was fucking a girl in front of everyone. The act was repulsive, but the thought of taking Levi like that, having him on his lap, capturing him in an embrace, slamming up into him...
Well, maybe not that. Not yet, at least. But having him on his lap, all his to pleasure...
"What perverted things are running through your head this time?"
Eren jumped, not having heard Levi approach. The smaller man stood in the doorway, and his eyes were down, looking at the pale boxers. Eren glanced down and realized the carnal thoughts had caused his body to react, tenting the boxers with a predominant erection.
"Sorry. It's the pill she gave me."
Levi just had to tease him. He took a step closer. "What were you thinking about?"
Eren's face went pink with embarrassment.
"Be honest with me." He leaned in closer but made sure their bodies did not touch. "What were you imagining? If you tell me, I'll tell you what I was daydreaming about while I was waiting for you to show up."
Eager to know what Levi fantasized about, Eren quietly confessed, "I was thinking, I could touch you."
"You could," he said simply.
Eren bit his lip, and with words that were barely a whisper, he asked, "Do you want me to?"
"Tell me what you were thinking about first."
A swallow got caught in Eren's throat. His breathing was so hard, Levi began to seriously worry that he might pass out from hyperventilation. "I was thinking ... you could ... s-sit on my lap, and ... I could touch you."
"You already said that. Tell me more."
A change came over Eren. The boyish embarrassment melted, and the eyes that turned to him were completely different: narrow, delving, seductive.
"Or I could show you."
Now it was Levi's turned to be stunned. Where did that side of Eren suddenly come from? "I need to know what I'm agreeing to first."
Bashful-Eren was gone. Seductive-Eren now smirked deviously. "It involves me sitting on the toilet, you sitting on my lap, straddling me, and..."
Eren paused, and his brow furrowed, wanting to describe it, but he had no vocabulary for the rest. Maybe it was best to confess it in a way Levi could not understand, anyway. Eren slid his hands around Levi's waist, down to his butt, and pulled him in closer until Levi could feel just how excited he was.
"Ich will dir einen runterholen, bis dein Schwanz spritzt wie ein Brunnen, und meine Hand mit deinem Samen getränkt ist." He leaned in closer, and his eyes drank in the confusion. He could be brave like this, when he knew Levi could not understand just how deeply his lust ran. He gazed at Levi's lips, imagining them opened in passion, crying his name. "Ich will sehen, wie du kommst."
Levi gulped. He had no idea what any of that meant, other than the word Schwanz; he knew that meant dick.
"What—" Shit! Levi's voice cracked from the strain. He gulped to force it back down. "What did that bullshit gibberish mean?"
Arrogantly, Eren shrugged while his hands groped at Levi's ass. "My English is not that good. Such a shame." He smirked as one hand went up to Levi's throat, glided down his Adam's apple, and he began to flick open the buttons of his shirt. "Like I said, I could always show you."
Levi grabbed Eren's wrist, pulling his fingers back before he completely undid his shirt. "Don't think the idea of sitting on a toilet with a lover on your lap is anything new. I've done it that way plenty of times."
"But were you ever the one sitting on a lap?"
"It doesn't work that way with a woman, and I am not having your cock up my arse."
"That's not what I said."
With playful contempt, he snapped, "I don't know what the hell you were saying, now do I?"
"You asked me what I was thinking about. I told you. It's not my fault you don't speak Deutsch. Now, tell me what you were thinking. You promised."
"Not until you tell me what you said."
"I told you, I don't know words to describe it."
"Try!" Levi was not sure why he was angry. Maybe because he wanted to have a little fun with Eren, and it got turned around on him.
Eren's face showed that the playfulness was wearing off. He was annoyed now. "Fine. I said I wanted to..." His hand made a crude jerking motion.
"To jerk off?"
"To jerk off you," he clarified. "Until you ... you know ... spritzt."
Levi knew the word—the English spritz was based on it, after all—but he finally saw some of the embarrassment come back, and it improved his mood. He again wanted to tease Eren.
"What's a spritzt?"
Eren looked humiliated again. He had said it in German so he could be as crude as he wanted without embarrassment. Now that was coming back to bite him. "When you ... you ... jerk off," he said, the phrase strange to him, "until you ... um ... bis du kommst."
"Translate that."
"I don't—"
"Directly. What do the words mean in English?"
Eren now looked determined again. "I want to jerk you off until your..." He motioned down. "What is that called again?"
"Your father was a doctor. Didn't he tell you about that?"
"He always called it ein Penis, but that's the word in Deutsch."
"That's what it's called in English too."
"Really?" he asked in surprise. "You always called it something else."
"Well, it's also called a cock, dick, or knob."
"Cock, I remember that one. It's been a while," he said, laughing awkwardly. "So then, until your ... your cock ... sprays like a fountain and ... and my hand is..." He gulped, blushing again.
"Go on."
"It is ... soaked in ... in your ... you've told me this word before. Samen? No, semen?"
"The English also call it come."
"Oh! Like kommen?"
"So, let me get this right." Levi took a step closer, rubbing his body up against Eren's. "You told me, I want to jerk you off until your cock sprays like a fountain and my hand..." Even Levi blushed at this part. "...is soaked in your come."
Eren flinched as the crude words were thrown back at him. He dropped his head and muttered, "I'm sorry."
Levi's eyes narrowed. Then he suddenly grabbed Eren, slammed him against the wall, and kissed him hard. Eren gasped in shock, but melted at the aggressive lust. Levi acted so stoic, but he was shockingly passionate when Eren teased it out of him.
The sweetness of wine and bitterness of beer blended as their tongues sought each other out. Eren's fingers fumbled, trying again to undo the buttons on Levi's shirt, but his hand was slapped away.
"I'll do that. Get undressed."
Eren yanked his undershirt off and threw it aside haphazardly. Meanwhile, Levi undid his buttons, slipped the shirt off, folded it up, and neatly placed it aside. Eren was already nude when Levi began to work on his trousers.
Eren slipped up behind Levi and peppered kisses along his neck and shoulders. He listened to the jangle of the belt buckle and the sound of the zipper. His hands were already exploring, getting in the way, making things more difficult for Levi, but Eren could not help it.
He needed him!
As Levi removed the last of his clothes, Eren grabbed him from behind and pulled him flush up against his body. His cock could feel the base of Levi's spine, and he rutted up against it.
Levi spun around, not liking that position. He still felt nightmarish darkness whenever someone was behind him. Instead, he faced Eren and yanked him in until their bodies pressed together.
Levi pushed Eren over to the toilet. He followed, and as soon as he felt the edge of the porcelain seat, Eren collapsed down. Levi wasted no time straddling his lap. Their bodies began to grind against each other.
"Levi," Eren groaned.
Eren's erotic grunts were deep in his chest, a primal need for more. He kissed along the pale throat, then suddenly he latched on, sucking until Levi cried out in pain.
"Ow! Idiot! You'll leave a ... a ... suçon. Fuck, I don't know the English word."
"Knutschfleck. Kiss mark?" Eren said, not stopping as his mouth nibbled along the collarbone. "Maybe I want to. You left one on me last time."
Levi smiled to himself, remembering that moment in the wine shop, leaving his mark on Eren's throat just before he was sent off to battle. He hissed as sensitive spots along his neck and collar were attacked with the stubborn persistence of a German. This was no Blitzkrieg, though. This was a slow, methodical exploration of new territory, and Eren was laying claim to every parcel of flesh.
Then Eren's hand went down between their bodies, ready to grab Levi's cock, but he stopped just short.
"May I touch you?"
"Grab both of them together."
Eren grinned in excitement. "Jawohl, mon capitaine."
Levi scoffed and gave Eren a kiss in adoration. "You're such a brat."
Eren's hand felt Levi's erection poking against him, trying to get into his firm grip. He wrapped his fingers around both his and Levi's cocks, squeezing them together, and stroked up and down.
Levi told him, "This is what I was thinking about."
"Huh?" Eren asked, panting in pleasure.
Levi kissed Eren and bit his lower lip until he hissed. "I've been jerking myself off all week to the thought of you stroking us both together. Fuck, I'm addicted to you!"
Eren grinned boyishly. "Really?"
Levi gave him another kiss. "I love the feel of your hand." He leaned into his ear. "I love your mouth too."
Eren groaned in neediness. "I want to taste you."
"Later. Touch me for now."
Eren stroked them together, fighting between looking down at the two pressed side by side in his hand, watching Levi's enraptured face, and slamming his eyes shut so he could hold back a little longer. He quivered and moaned, especially whenever Levi let out a sound.
Oh, how he loved to listen to him moaning without any fears!
Levi pulled back, trying to catch his breath. Eren also slowed, stroking gently rather than frantically. Levi caressed along Eren's face and watched how his eyes closed in pleasure at being touched.
"Don't ever hate me like that again." Levi meant to sound demanding, so when his voice came out more like he was begging, he sneered in frustration.
Eren looked grieved. "I'm so sorry. I was upset. That man Yelena killed was a friend."
Levi closed his eyes. "I see. Then it's like when you killed Abel. I knew you had no choice. Same with Yelena; she had no choice. That German was about to kill her cousin. And I had no choice but to leave you. It was a good thing I did."
Eren gave Levi a kiss. "I heard you burned down the restaurant."
Levi looked deeply worried. "Who the hell told you that?"
"Well, I heard it burned down later that day, and I figured that must have been you."
Levi still looked troubled. "What else did you hear?"
"That the Gestapo found something in the basement, but it all burned up."
"You didn't hear about what was down there?"
Eren looked confused. "No. Why?"
Levi looked aside. He did not want Eren to know about the documents he found about Zeke and his plot. "It's nothing. So, you figured out that I set that fire, huh?"
"Did you?" he asked with a mischievous grin.
Levi leaned in and gave him a kiss. "I sure did. Someone has to protect you, takhshet."
"Then did you find something?" Eren asked in worry. "About Zeke?"
"I saw his name mentioned in a few papers. That was enough for me to burn the whole damn thing. Don't worry," he whispered, nibbling down Eren's neck. "I didn't see the name Eren Jäger mentioned anywhere."
Eren sank in relief and moaned as Levi's lips sent new tingles all through him. The small breather was over, and they both needed passion again.
Levi's heart ached. What he said was a white lie. Sure, Eren's name was never mentioned, but Operation Hunter Catch was obviously a plot Zeke had that involved kidnapping Eren.
A plot Levi had inadvertently stopped, damning Eren to remain in this war.
He pulled back again, held Eren's face in his hands, and swore, "I would do anything to protect you."
Eren squeezed around Levi's naked body and pulled him in closer. "Same here. Whatever it takes, I will keep you safe."
They kissed to seal the promise. Passion surged again, their tongues played together, and their hands clung to each other.
Eren watched the erotic faces as he rubbed along both of their cocks. He looked down to see for himself, how they were dueling together, like two swords locked in a battle. Then he squeezed them together. Immediately, they both closed their eyes and let out airy moans.
"Gott!"
"Merde!"
Levi suddenly dove down and snarled as he attacked Eren's throat. His boyfriend! All his! He could make Eren moan like this. And only Eren could break through his shell and bring out this wild side of him.
He kissed and sucked along his neck, wanting to mark him, claim him, and show the world that he was the one who got to pleasure this man.
"Ahhh! Levi!"
"Oh fuck," he cried out, feeling his whole body drawing up.
Levi let go of Eren's neck and kissed him on the mouth. Eren groaned against his lips, and Levi's tongue slipped out. Eren happily let Levi delve inside and savored the taste.
Eren started to get more frantic. His wrist sped up, and he knew he was at his limit.
"Levi!" he whimpered.
Levi watched as Eren's breathing got erratic, his strokes a little too rough, and he felt his hips starting to buck on their own.
"Touch just yourself now."
Eren immediately let go of Levi and grabbed his cock, speeding up as he felt this muscle tensing. Just a few strokes were all he needed. Then Levi leaned in and licked the side of his neck. Eren threw his head back and moaned as he burst apart, splashing out onto both of their torsos.
Levi's own hand went down to stroke himself as he watched the ecstasy play over Eren's face. Such a sensual expression! Sure, it was still a little weird to him that this was a man, but ... fuck, what a man!
As Eren slowly recovered, he saw Levi's face drawing up and felt his hand stroking. The sight caught him by surprise, but then he sank, happy to see him feeling this much pleasure.
"Du bist wunderschön." You're beautiful.
"Eren," he moaned, his wrist a blur.
As sweet as it was to watch Levi stroking himself with such desperate need, it was not what Eren said he wanted. He grabbed Levi's cock.
"Now, let me show you what I was imagining earlier."
As Eren stroked him, both of Levi's hands grabbed onto the muscular shoulders, holding on tightly. His fingers clenched more and more as the tension reached a critical point.
"Merde ... merde je vais jouir." Shit, shit I'm gonna come. "Oh fuck! Oh fuck! Oh fuuuuuck!"
Eren's eyes drank in the sight of his face. Levi's mouth hung open, and his eyes rolled back. A loud, explosive grunt burst out of his lungs just as Eren felt liquid cover his hand. It splattered all the way up to his chest, dripped down to his thighs, and drenched his fingers.
What he really loved were the loud, deep moans at each throbbing spurt, followed by a low groan fading into a sigh of wanton satisfaction. How rare that sound was!
Hot and heavy huffs followed with the slow descent from that heavenly high. A full-body weariness loosened Levi's fingers, leaving behind nail marks pressed into Eren's shoulders. His lips slowly raised into a rare smile with blissful satisfaction.
That face! Eren never, ever, ever wanted to forget that face.
Levi muttered, "I could use that bath now."
Eren chuckled as he let go and felt the thick come dripping along his hand. He raised it up and licked it.
Levi grimaced. "That's disgusting. Yours is on there too."
"Yes, but it's mixed." Eren licked again. "Yours is sweeter."
"Wash your mouth before you kiss me."
Eren stopped and looked disappointed. "Do you hate that I do that?"
Levi shrugged. "I just don't want to taste it when I kiss you."
He climbed off Eren's lap and saw the mess they both made. Viscous white fluid dripped down his waist and crotch.
"Fuck." He grabbed a washcloth, wet it, and began to clean up. "A room to ourselves, a whore's bed, and we choose the fucking toilet."
Eren laughed as he stopped licking and decided to wash the rest off of his hand. "We can use the bed later."
"Later? Who says I'll be up for more?"
"Well, I will be."
"Because you're drugged."
Eren smirked as he glanced back over at Levi. "You can watch."
Levi felt his cheeks warm up. "Brat," he grumbled. How dare he try to rile him up when his whole body was worn out!
Levi started up the bath while Eren wiped away the mess on his chest and stomach. Then Eren climbed in, and Levi settled on top of him. The water was hot and relaxing. The oil Levi added was a fragrance of roses and lilacs. It felt like soaking in a summer garden.
Eren closed his eyes and kept Levi tightly clutched in his arms as he relaxed on top of his chest. "Armin told me something earlier today about you. He said, 'You need him right now.' Armin is always right." He nuzzled against Levi's hair. "I need you."
"You're a big boy," Levi said, ignoring that his cheeks felt warm.
"He also told me to escape with you."
Levi jolted and rolled around, shocked by that. Would Eren really leave the military behind?
Eren looked torn. Out there, with the sounds of bombing drawing closer every day, the answer was obvious: of course he couldn't leave his men behind, abandon the army, and betray his country! But in here, with his arms wrapped around Levi, the thought of simply never leaving him again was sweeter than any national loyalties. He felt complete when he was here with his soul mate, and his eyes burned at how much this tore at his sense of pride, duty, and honor.
"Es ist verlockend. It's tempting," he confessed softly.
Levi pouted, seeing the battle waging on his face. A tear dripped out of Eren's eye, and Levi wiped it away. "You don't have to worry about it right now. I'm not leaving Metz. I have to look after my men. If I wasn't around, they'd be dead or captured in a week."
"Same," Eren said, knowing that was the right choice. "My platoon might have been wiped out, but the survivors need me more than ever. Jarnach, Connie, Floch: they're all hurting, all grieving. They need me." He sighed and sank back until the water almost covered his whole face. "It's still tempting."
He sank more, letting the bath cover him, sinking until water deafened his ears and blinded him to the world all around them. Levi grabbed the back of Eren's head and pulled him back up.
"You're not allowed to drown yourself."
"No. More like a ... what do you call it ... Taufe. Es ist nicht genug. Ich kann nichts machen, um mich von meinen Sünden reinzuwaschen." Baptism. It's not enough. I can't do anything to wash away my sins.
"I think it's time for you to get out of the bath."
Levi climbed out. He frowned as he watched the sluggish movements from Eren. Beyond stepping over the edge of the tub, he made no other move to help himself. Levi took a towel and set about drying Eren off.
One thing that had tortured Levi during their time apart was how Eren might react to him taking off like that. After all, Eren had confessed to almost committing suicide.
What if their argument pushed him over the edge?
Eren had said, "When I realized you were out there somewhere, I decided I didn't want to die."
What if hearing Levi say "If you can't give me that much respect, then you obviously don't want me as your boyfriend" was enough to drive him into depression and give up the will to live?
What if Eren came to the conclusion that he simply couldn't respect Levi as a Frenchman and Jew?
What if his last act was to slap Eren across the face?
On his trip to the wine shop that afternoon to clear out the last evidence of their stay there, Yelena's grandfather crossed the street to talk with him and mentioned a young soldier who came looking for him. For a moment, Levi worried if the Gestapo had already tracked down the wine shop, but after asking a few questions it became clear that he meant Eren.
Of course. Before leaving, he had told Eren "you know where to find me" but then he left the wine shop. Eren must have come looking for him, but Levi was not there.
Hope had filled Levi just to know that Eren was safe and had calmed down enough to apologize. Some of the old man's wise words about apologizing, even if you were the one wronged, also made him determined to seek Eren out.
Levi had dressed up as Louise, planning to go to the hotel and find Eren. Carly stopped him, amused by his determination to win his boyfriend back, but she was genuinely worried about him going out there with the Gestapo on higher alert. He had mockingly asked if she would go hunt down Eren in his place.
He had not expected her to say yes, nor to set up such an elaborate party just so Eren coming to the brothel was not at all suspicious, nor to give them her own private room so they could enjoy a night together.
He had never had a bad opinion about prostitutes, especially since that was his mother's profession, but now he truly realized how shrewd and resourceful such career women could be.
Once they were both dry, Levi tugged Eren into the main room. He took a robe off a hanger and wrapped it around Eren, who still gave no effort to help, looking depressed and listless. After wrapping a robe around himself, Levi led Eren over to the table and had him sit down. He poured them both glasses of wine, then took a paring knife and cut slices of a pear. Eren nibbled on the pear, ate some walnuts, sipped wine, but he still looked dejected.
"Sorry," he whispered. "That pill riled me up, but now it's like I have no energy at all."
Levi reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "That may be part of the pill as well. If I was a brothel madam, I'd have a pill that helped men to finish fast and feel too shitty afterward to bother her girls more."
"Should I head back?"
The last thing Levi wanted was for Eren to be alone if his mind was not in a good place. "She told me we had the room for the whole night. Stay here. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning."
Eren laughed wearily at the offer. "It's tempting, but probably a bad idea."
"Why? Would the Gestapo really care that you stayed here?"
"No. I ... I haven't been sleeping well."
"Aww, did you miss me that much?" Levi teased.
Eren wanted to laugh, but he also flinched at the painful reality. "I wake up with nightmares. Bad ones. Yesterday, I heard a noise in my sleep and grabbed my gun. I ... I shot a mouse," he said, still shocked that he even did that. "Then I almost shot my friend who came to check on me." His weary eyes turned to Levi. "I'm afraid I may shoot you."
Rather than tease him, Levi looked deeply worried. His poor takhshet!
"There's one solution."
Levi got up and walked over to the wardrobe. Eren had hung up his trousers with the holster still attached. Levi undid the leather flap on the holster that held his gun in place and pulled the weapon out.
"Close your eyes."
A part of Eren was instantly on edge seeing Levi holding his gun.
He could shoot me! He's with the French Resistance! They kill Germans!
He knew that part of his brain was damaged by everything he had been taught over the years. Levi would never do something like that. Knowing he could trust Levi with his life, Eren closed his eyes. He heard footsteps walking around. He thought he heard a drawer open, and then there was a cold draft of air. He heard something that almost sounded like a door creaking softly.
He peeked through one eye and saw that a whole section of one wall had opened. Carly had mentioned about a secret passage. Where was Levi going? Where did that passage go?
After a brief moment, Levi stepped out, and Eren slammed his eye back shut. The drafty breeze went away, and he heard Levi walk back over to the table.
"Okay, open them."
Eren did, and he saw Levi sitting in front of him. Eren looked over to the wall, but there was no sign of a door at all.
Levi said, "You peeked, didn't you?"
Eren pouted at getting caught but decided not to lie. "I didn't see how you opened it."
He nodded, figuring that was good enough. "If there's an emergency, I'll tell you where it's hidden. Until then, you'll have to trust that I can protect you."
"Do you have a gun?"
Levi raised a wine glass to his lips and took a sip. "Maybe."
Part of Eren did not like being unarmed. Then again, if he had to put his life in the hands of any person, it would be this man. A tension in his shoulders loosened. At least this way, he could sleep and not have to worry about shooting Levi if he had nightmares again.
They sipped wine and nibbled on the fruits and nuts, staying quiet. Once the wine was finished, they removed the robes and climbed nude into bed. It was huge, and Levi looked around distastefully at the satin sheets and sumptuous red comforter. Way too much luxury for his liking, but Eren was wiggling around, obviously amused by the slippery feel of the fabric.
"I feel—what is the word—sündig und dekadent." Sinful and decadent.
"Decadent?" Levi caught at least that word. "Just don't think too hard about what happens in this bed."
"It's the same with hotels. Any bed not yours, someone else made love on it." Eren rolled over and looked at Levi. "Even the bed in my hotel room, others must have used it in the past. And now we have used it." He reached forward and rubbed Levi's arm. "Now, we will use this bed too, another couple to add to its history."
"Will we?" Levi teased.
Eren scooted in closer. "If you want to."
Levi traced Eren's jaw. A flush was returning to his cheeks. "I can tell when you think naughty thoughts."
Eren pressed up even closer, wrapped his leg around Levi's hip, and slowly began to claim him. "Can you blame me?" He gave Levi a slow, sensual kiss, letting their lips linger and heat up. "I have such a wonderful boyfriend, one I want to spoil." He kissed again, deeper, and pulled Levi's body closer to him.
Levi chuckled in the midst of the kiss. "Perhaps that drug really does give you a second round."
"Uh-huh," Eren moaned, and he flexed his groin up against Levi's body. "I'm heating up."
Levi whispered in adoration. "My takhshet."
Eren chuckled between kisses. "I thought that meant brat."
"You are a brat. And you're my brat."
Eren smirked slyly. "A brat would tease you, like this." He pinched Levi's nipple.
"Oh fuck," Levi said in a shuddering voice.
He instantly snapped his lips shut and covered his mouth, fearing to make too much noise. Then he realized that he could be as loud as he wanted in this soundproof room. He did not have to worry about thin hotel walls and people finding out two men were in there.
Eren chuckled deviously. He knew this was a sensitive spot on Levi, far too sensitive for the German officer's hotel room. Here, though...
Eren eased Levi's hand away from his mouth. "I want to hear you more. I rarely get to touch you here." He toyed around Levi's nipple again, and a repressed groan squelched down in his throat. "Come on. It's safe here. You were moaning earlier," he pointed out teasingly as he gave the nipple another little pinch.
Levi's eyes were watering from trying to hold back. "It's ... too much."
"Which is why I want to do it." He paused and asked, "Is that okay?"
Levi hesitated and thought it over. Eren was right: they never got to truly explore everything, with one half of their brain constantly worrying about being discovered. Even down in the Resistance's wine cellar, they had to watch their voices in case a customer entered the store.
Levi realized that Eren had been holding back this whole time, all for his sake, to not push him too fast, and to not fully lose control, lest they make too much noise and get caught. Levi had been holding back as well, not allowing himself to completely indulge, always fearing a knock on the door.
Levi kind of wanted to simply go wild.
He reached forward to Eren's chest and rubbed his nipple around in small circles. Eren took that as permission and touched back. This time, when Levi cursed in French at the sensuality, he did not try to keep it to a soft whisper.
Eren relaxed, happy to know this was something Levi really did want, even if loosening up and indulging was difficult for him. He leaned over and sucked on Levi's nipple. He could feel Levi quivering, yet he was still holding back, slamming his lips shut.
Eren leaned up to his face. "Moan." His finger slid into Levi's mouth, forcing his lips apart. Then he pinched Levi, and a hedonistic moan ripped out of his throat. "Yes, like that."
Levi grabbed his hand and yanked the finger out of his mouth. "You shitty brat," he hissed.
Eren smirked deviously. He kissed Levi, then worked his lips down to his throat, hitting sensitive spots along his neck while his fingers continued to toy with him.
Suddenly, Levi pushed him, rolled them both across the satin sheets, and held Eren down. "Enough!" he growled. As revenge, he leaned over and attacked Eren's throat.
Eren moaned as Levi marked up his throat. The fingers pinching his nipples made his breathing grow quicker. His hips began to move on their own, desperate for friction. He was so turned on, it hurt to hold back.
Levi felt Eren's body reacting off of pure instincts. He raised up to look over his nude body.
It was still so weird to be this passionate with a man, yet the flushed cheeks and lust-filled eyes made his heart pound. Levi panted hard as his own body decided why the hell not! He leaned back over, and their lips met, sloppy and wild. He moved his hips, rubbing up against Eren's erection, exciting his own cock back into action.
Eren's whole body was buzzing. He needed more! He suddenly rolled them again and crawled on top. His hips thrust urgently against Levi, over and over again, while his fervent kisses pushed Levi's head deeper into the downy soft pillows.
Eren snarled, "Verdammt, I want to make love to you!"
Levi's eyes opened wide in shock. However, Eren only kissed him and humped up against him. Maybe that was also the drug making him too honest.
"We have condoms," Levi said between kisses. "Put them on us both ... and go wild."
Eren groaned at Levi giving him permission. "Where are they?"
"La table de chevet." He pointed over to the nightstand. "In the drawer."
Eren crawled over the massive bed, fighting the scarlet and gold blanket, until he reached the nightstand. The drawer was half full of condom packets, a heaping pile sitting in a box. Next to it was a bottle. Eren picked it up.
K-Y gel? What was that?
Then he remembered what Carly said. It was for anal sex.
Oh, how he wished they could do that, but it needed to be Levi who asked to go that far.
He grabbed two condoms and closed the drawer. Then he crawled all the way back to Levi.
"This bed is too big," he complained.
"I think it's meant for a ménage à trois."
"What's that?"
"Three people together."
"Three!" Eren cried out. He recalled Jean boasting in Paris about having two girls at the same time. Maybe it was a French thing.
He ripped open a condom and rolled it down onto himself. Meanwhile, Levi took one and put it on. At least this way, there would be no mess on this beautiful, sensual bed. Although, Levi reasoned, it had probably had many sex stains over the years.
Eren climbed on top of Levi again and kissed him. He felt Levi's hands stroking all over his body, and the passion quickly reignited.
His hips began to thrust up against Levi. He felt their cocks stroking together, sliding side by side, yet the condoms caused a weird friction.
"It sticks a bit," he complained. "Carly said we could use das Gleitgel."
"What?"
"I don't know the English word." He again climbed over the blankets to the drawer and pulled out the bottle. "I want to try it out."
He squirted a little clear lube into his hand and rubbed it onto his sheathed cock.
"Oh! Nice." Then he rubbed a bit onto Levi, stroking him slowly. "It's so ... um, glitschig? Schlüpfr- ... no, slippery! That's the word." He was in awe as his hand stroked so effortlessly, up and down with the smoothest glide. "I like it!"
He looked up in excitement, only to see Levi with his eyes closed and mouth opened as he breathed heavily, savoring the pleasure. Eren melted at that face. He also wanted pleasure, but he wanted to touch Levi more, to give him all the love and delight that he could. He sat on his ankles, gazing down at Levi's slender body, stroking him over and over.
After a minute of only feeling Eren's hand, Levi opened his eyes and saw him simply watching. That was boring. "Get up here!"
Eren chuckled at that dominant side and straddled Levi. He leaned fully over, kissing him while stroking him.
"Wait, wait!" Levi warned. "You're going too fast. Touch yourself for a while."
Too fast? Eren wondered what he meant. He certainly couldn't mean that this was too much, after all they had done before.
No. He realized that Levi meant he was ready to burst and wanted to wait until Eren was ready.
So Eren grabbed his cock and began to stroke while making out with Levi. He realized the slipperiness was the same on his cock, and he could easily stroke as fast and wild as he wanted.
And boy, did he want it. He needed it.
It had to be the drugs, but Eren didn't care.
"I love you, Levi," he groaned as his wrist sped up. "I love you! Verdammt, ich komme gleich." Dammit, I'm gonna come.
He grabbed both himself and Levi, at first trying to hold both together, but Levi slipped out of his grip. He tried again, but Levi's condom slipped. In frustration, Eren yanked Levi's condom completely off, slid down, and began to suck him.
"Eren!" he cried out in shock, but that mouth was relentless. "Fuck, you're so good."
Eren pulled back briefly. "Moan. Please!"
Levi did, groaning loudly as Eren's mouth pounded on him. "Oh mon Dieu, qu'on se sent bien." Oh my God, that feels good.
Eren lifted up again. "Talk in French more."
"What?" he asked, gasping for air and frustrated that Eren had stopped.
"In French. I like to hear you talk like that."
Levi chuckled, and suddenly he grabbed Eren's jaw, squeezing until his lips made a funny, squished face. In a low, sensual voice, Levi commanded, "Tais-toi, ouvre la bouche et suce ma bite." Shut up, open your mouth, and suck my dick!
Eren understood only a few words, but it was Levi's demanding voice that thrilled him. He lowered his head, taking Levi's deep into his mouth again. Levi groaned things in French as Eren bobbed on him. They could have been insults or compliments, and he would never know. He didn't care, so long as Levi was comfortable and enjoying this.
Levi's French profanity began to increase, growing more frantic. The more tense he sounded, the faster Eren went, driven on by the sound of his voice. He felt his heart racing so hard, it throbbed in his groin. He seriously needed to come, but he clenched back, holding off, waiting until Levi—
"Oh fuck!" Levi frantically patted Eren's head in warning. "Eren! Now, putain, now!"
Eren steeled back his throat and pounded his face in harder. A moment later, Levi burst with a loud moan. As his mouth was flooded, Eren stroked himself faster and released the painful clench. He grunted as he burst into the condom, all to the taste of Levi's come coating his mouth.
Levi let out a low, weak sigh just as his cock finally stopped twitching. Eren pulled up, gulped down what was in his mouth, and took a moment to simply gaze at him.
God, how he missed him!
He crawled back up to Levi and snuggled in close. "Sorry. I really wanted to taste you."
Levi grumbled, "Waste of a condom."
"Then maybe we should save on waste, and let me use my mouth more."
Levi chuckled drowsily. "You are quite good."
"It's because you're a good teacher."
Levi snorted a drowsy laugh. "Wash up. Don't forget to brush your teeth and swish with wine."
Rather than a kiss, Eren used his nose to caress Levi's face. "I'll be back."
"Your breath smells like dick."
Eren chuckled at his teasing. He discarded the two condoms, washed the lube off his hands, and brushed his teeth. Rather than wine, Carly had a small bottle of something yellow next to the toothpaste. Eren sniffed it and realized it was a potent alcohol. Carly's girls probably used it after sucking off men. He swished with that, but it tasted awful, so he spat it out.
He came back with a wet washcloth and wiped saliva off Levi's penis. Levi stroked his head as Eren washed him. Eren glanced up, feeling warm and safe here with this man.
He tossed the messy washcloth into a basket in the bathroom, came back, and collapsed onto the bed. He felt like he could sink into that mattress and escape the whole harsh world around him. Then a hand touched his chest. Eren looked over and saw Levi curled beside him, his eyes sleepy, his fingers still a little adventurous despite the weariness.
Eren reached over and caressed Levi's muscular arm. "I really missed you," he whispered.
Levi scooted in closer until he was lying on top of Eren's bare chest. "I'm a bloody mess without you."
Eren's arms squeezed around him. "Same here. I don't want us to fight like that again."
"Agreed."
They held each other, lazily stroking, simply loving the feel of each other's warm skin, until their eyelids gradually sank.
"I love you, Levi."
After a few seconds, Eren realized there was no response. He glanced down and saw that Levi had fallen asleep cuddling on top of his chest, his mouth loosened, his breathing steady, and one hand still in the middle of caressing him. He smiled and kissed his black hair.
"It truly is so tempting when we are like this," he whispered. Then Eren closed his eyes and let warm sleep march him away into dreams of a happier future.
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My apologies for vanishing without a warning. Normally I take November off for Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) but I had this chapter mostly finished, so I thought I could announce a small break when I posted Chapter 80. However, I found myself struggling to write my novel, with no free time left to proofread my fanfic. Then right as that wrapped up, I got my Covid booster shot and was feverish for a few days; meanwhile, my husband had no aches or fever at all, the lucky duck! I recovered just in time for my vacation. That ended on Monday, and I've been working ever since on proofreading this. Finally, I'm done! Hopefully, it was worth the wait.
K-Y Jelly – I honestly researched, "Was there lubricant in the 1940s?" (Another one for my weird search history, haha!) I knew people would use oil or margarine in a pinch, and Vaseline was invented sometime in the late 1800s (still used today, especially for anal sex) but was there LUBE? Turns out, mankind has been trying to make sex better ever since we discovered tools to help with the job.
In Ancient China, they boiled red seaweed to make carrageenan and used the slippery product for many things, including intimacy; carrageenan is still used in lubricated condoms. The Greeks were about as sex-positive as you get in the ancient world, and they would anoint their bodies in olive oil before sex. (Now I'm imagining Levi and Eren in Ancient Greece with a full-body lube up. Yummm!) Edo period Japan used tororo-jiru, a product made from mashed yams, for better sex and masturbation.
K-Y Jelly was created in 1904 as a surgical aid, but those kinky doctors quickly realized its OTHER use. A non-sterile version for "personal lubrication" was available in 1917. So yes, there totally would be lube in the 1940s, although it was not as widely available as it is now.
(Please note that not all "homemade" lubes are safe to use with latex condoms. Be safe.)
https://getmaude.com/blogs/themaudern/the-history-of-lube
Mouthwash – This was another one of those cases where doing research into something mundane prevented me from writing a major anachronism. I originally planned that Eren would swish with mouthwash, but paused and wondered, "What did they use for mouthwash in the 1940s?"
Turns out, it wasn't a thing yet. The Chinese swished with a mix of tea, wine, and salt water after meals. Jews swished with olive oil and "dough water." Native Americans (especially Aztecs) were centuries ahead of their time when it came to dentistry, and actually, Europeans stole a lot of their techniques.
Meanwhile, people of European origins (Americans, Canadians, etc.) were some of the last people to take oral hygiene seriously. From the 1200s to the 1800s in England and America, dentistry was the job of the local barber, who usually just yanked the bad tooth out. The nylon toothbrush wasn't invented until 1938, and although Germany had a great interest in oral hygiene starting in the 1890s, other European-dominant cultures around the world were slow to pick it up. Before the 1940s, toothbrushes were a rarity in British and American homes. Mouthwash as we know it wasn't invented until the 1960s.
Maybe as a chemist, Carly was simply ahead of her time.
.
Historical note mixed with a personal anecdote
As America prepared to enter World War II, they realized they had a problem: their troops were toothless. Literally. Many new recruits were from poor families and had never seen a toothbrush before. Coming out of the Great Depression, many Americans could not afford to have dental work done, and pulling a bad tooth was sometimes the only option in rural areas.
One of the first things they did in boot camp was to have the soldiers see a dentist who fixed cavities and broken teeth, or sometimes had to give these young men dentures because they were missing too many teeth to eat the food the military provided. The military also trained 18,000 men to deal with dental emergencies on the front lines.
My maternal grandfather was one of those men. He wasn't a doctor or dentist, never even went to college, but because he was a "family man" with a few kids, he was not sent into combat. Instead, he learned how to do basic surgery, including fixing teeth.
One time when we were visiting his farm, I was being a typical bratty kid not wanting to brush my teeth, so Grandpa said, "You can skip brushing if you let me do a dental exam." Feeling rebellious, I agreed, ignoring my mother standing off to the side and slowly shaking her head. Grandpa pulled out his old dental tools and unrolled a collection of metal scrapers and various sizes of pliers.
I was fascinated by antiques even at a young age, but this ... this filled me with utter horror! It looked like a Bond villain's torture kit. Then he raised one tool and asked, "Have you ever seen a hand-cranked dental drill before?" I screamed and ran into the bathroom. I made sure to always brush my teeth at Grandpa's house after that!