(Levi's POV)
Eren and I sat holding hands for longer than I anticipated. I just couldn't find the strength to pull my hand from his. The chat with Ilse had a greater impact on me than I was letting on. It seems like my time of being alive is coming to an end. If only I knew what was going to kill me. I wouldn't try to change it. I'm just scared that it might be Eren that kills me. He doesn't really know how to control himself. What if he does something stupid and that's what kills me? I doubt he would ever be able to forgive himself.
"Levi, hey, Levi, are you okay?" Eren nudged me with his elbow.
"I'm fine." I answered. Hanji and Erwin went off to do something. I didn't ask about it.
"Are you sure?" I turned to him. My expression was all he needed to see. "Don't be mad at me. I just want to make sure you are doing alright, with what just happened and all."
"I'm fine."
"Are you absolutely sure?" Eren asked again, resting his cheek on my shoulder.
"Yes, I'm sure." I tried to sound annoyed, but it was hard with how close he is.
"I don't think you are." He paused. Probably expecting me to add something, but I didn't want to keep talking. "You've never let me sit so close to you before. What happened before, with Ilse, do you believe it? Do you think it will happen?"
"Worrying about the future only makes the bad worse." Even though the saying is true, it was never my own. Hanji, she is the one that would always say that. I never stopped worrying, and planning. I always believed if I gave it enough thought I would never make a mistake. Maybe I made a mistake already. Keeping Eren around. Though, it is one I am willing to live with or die with.
We continued to sit hand in hand for nearly an hour. It was relaxing, but didn't stop my thoughts from racing. What could happen? What could go wrong? Taking out the idea that it could be Eren's fault, there is still a bunch of different creatures and people who would want me dead.
"Eren?" I whispered. It was only a guess, but now I know he really did fall asleep leaning against me. Cute. I hate cute. I pushed him off of me and let gravity wake him. Can't start treating him differently now. Though, I can't lie and say I didn't slow down his decent a little bit.
"Huh, Levi?" He turned to face me with wide eyes. Quickly, his expression turned to laughing. "You scared me jerk." He teased.
"Not my fault you're a little bitch." I teased back.
"That's harsh Levi." He mocked. I shrugged, and Eren went back to leaning against me. We sat quietly together for another few moments.
"You know I'm going to die soon, right?" I commented. I wanted to drill the idea into his thick skull. Maybe if he realized it was going to happen regardless he wouldn't be so hurt by it later.
"No, you're not. I won't let that happen. I promise you."
"You can't change fate."
"I'm not going to talk about this with you. I already lost my closest friends, so I am not even going to consider losing you. Got it?" I felt a tug in my chest I hadn't felt in a long time. In fact, I would normally keep all of my emotions in check, but Eren, he makes that difficult. I rolled my eyes and wrapped my arm around him.
"There's no fighting you about it, is there?"
"Nope, not at all." Eren gently wrapped his arms around my waist. He yawned, letting go of my waist to cover his mouth. "Come on." He tugged at my arm. "I'm going to sleep, and you are coming with. You're not leaving my side until I know you are alright." I let him drag me to his room. Why not? My book was in there anyways. I really want to finish it before I die. I also want to spend more time with Eren. It's a stupid thought; he might be the one that kills me, but I couldn't stop the thought from surfacing.
(Eren's POV)
I laid down on the cot with Levi sitting next to me reading his book. It was probably the most relaxing moment I've had in a long time. Though the thought of losing him still tugged at my heart. Why did we even try and contact Ilse? All she gave us was a bad attitude and bad news. No help. Instead of letting that ruin the moment I studied Levi. He looked the calmest I have ever seen him while reading. How can he be like that when he is certain he is going to die soon?
"Hey guys! Idea time!" Hanji ran in and cheered.
"No." Levi answered without looking up from his book.
"First of all, just kiss already." Hanji closed one eye and brought her hands together slowly, as though picturing us kissing. "Secondly, yes. Eren, we are going to help you learn your powers through experimentation. Levi, you aren't allowed to come. Have fun chatting with Erwin. Also, I'll get you coffee Eren, don't worry." It was as though she was reading my mind. I was about to complain that I am too tired for that, then she brought up coffee. I'm always up for coffee. And maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to give him some space, what if I kill him? I know I can't control myself. However, at the same time, he wouldn't be there and I couldn't protect him. "But we aren't leaving, and getting coffee, until you two kiss. I'll give you privacy, but I know... Don't try and lie to me."
"We don't have to kiss if you don't want to." I whispered to Levi. "I can't leave you anyways." He scoffed.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." He paused for a moment before putting the book face down, opened to the page he left off on. "Don't complain."
"Me? Complain?" I was about to rant about how a kiss from him would be the greatest thing to ever happen to me, but was stopped as he hastily pressed his lips against mine. The kiss was short and emotionless. It gave me goosebumps nonetheless. Levi looked deeply pained as he backed away.
"Fucking Hanji." He began muttering to himself. He picked up the book and went back to reading as though nothing happened. I was a little disappointed, but mainly hurt. I don't think he wanted to kiss me, he was forced to. Forced emotion is worse than no emotion. I decided that after seeing his expression after kissing me that I could use some time away from him. Does he really dislike me that much?
I left the room shortly after. Hanji was waiting for me, a bag on her back. She was smiling until she saw my expression.
"Ready to go?" She dragged me out of the basement into the cool night air before I could answer. "Why do you look so sad? That's not what I wanted."
"Levi was forced to kiss me, I could tell he didn't like it." I sighed.
"Pfft! Yeah right!" She laughed. "Listen, I know him, I've known him for way too long. If he didn't want to kiss you he would have punched me in the face. Or at least try to. I'm too fast for him." Hanji started jumping around showing off her skills when she nearly tripped and fell. "He just... He needs a push."
"So, you hoped that you could get him to feel something for me by making him kiss me?"
"Hoped? I know his mind will start working now. Well, let's get going." She took me to a wide open space near where we were staying. "Experiment number one." Hanji spoke and pulled out a notebook.
"Were you planning these from the beginning?"
"Maybe. Kinda. Yeah. I just thought that if there was a better way to teach you I could just learn the answers from observing you. Could you step back five steps." I did as she told me. When I looked down I found familiar symbols. "Now try and get out." The last time I was in one of these if felt like pushing through a wall of syrup.
"So this is your first experiment. Haven't I done this already."
"Not recently. I want to see, after everything that's happened, if there is a change." I shrugged and started trying to push my way out. This time it was like a brick wall. I pushed on it until I felt too tired to push anymore.
"Where's my coffee?" I complained. I'm too tired for this.
"Don't worry, I'll get you coffee soon. This was the only test that I felt safe enough doing near where we are staying. After this we are going for a pretty long ride. We'll stop and get coffee then." I tried once more to get out of the circle.
"I give up. Bring me to coffee please!"
"Hm, I wonder." Hanji contemplated. "Give it one last try." I did as I was told and nearly yelled as I walked out as though nothing was there. "I'm bringing spray paint with. I want to try that again." She started leaving the little clearing and we walked back to the car.
Hanji kept her promise and bought me some coffee. The car ride was awkwardly silent. That couldn't mean anything good. Hanji always spoke about random things, and was rarely quiet.
"Eren, can you see the future? Levi's future to be exact." She finally asked.
"I- haven't really tried." It was a tough battle between wanting to know, but not wanting to know if there was nothing I could do to stop it. Like Levi said before, fate and all that.
"I see. That's fine. I think life it better with surprises." She sounded upbeat, but it didn't take a genius to know she felt just as uneasy as I do.
~ ~ ~
I couldn't believe the number of tests she had me run through. She made me fight my way out of two devil's traps, work as a GPS, and as a grand finale asked me to cut myself to see how my healing works. I refused the last one. She didn't try to convince me otherwise. The sun was coming up by the time we started heading back. I just hope Levi is okay. I started feeling about about leaving him about an hour after we started the experiments.