You woke up with a dizzy head as the room spins slightly. Your eyes feel twice the size and your stomach complains loudly about the lack of food but you had absolutely no intention of getting up right now. When you try to grab your phone from its usual place beside the bed, there's nothing you could grab. Like in a trance, you patted multiple times over the same spot to grab that shitty phone before you finally noticed that this isn't your bed and blank. After your eyes adjust to the amount of light in here, you notice too late that you're not in your usual environment as you take a look around. This isn't even your apartment! What the fuck?! Where the hell are you?
Blurry memories of Levi carrying you and Erwin talking to you pop into your mind. As you look down you see you are wearing a white shirt, which is far too big for you, and it hits you! This must be Erwin's and this apartment must be theirs! You sigh in relief and drop back on the soft surface of the couch. Good for you that these two guys are reliable, otherwise you would be in terrible trouble now. Imagining what any other guy would've done in your state last night.
When you finally spot your phone on the coffee table in front of the couch, you look at the time, only to be hit by the next shock. 7:23 am. Too early. Way too early...... Too early to worry, too early to think about what could've happened, too early for anything else.....So you put your phone aside again, pull the blanket over your head and curled up underneath. The daylight kept you from falling asleep again and now that you're surrounded by the cozy and soft darkness, you roll around to the opposite side of the light to go back to sweet, sweet sleep.
~3 hours later~
It seems like minutes since you fell asleep again as you feel a heavy weight on your body, shaking you up from your sleep while a voice, so deep, calm and soft like liquid honey, speaks to you.
"Wakey wakey sweetheart. Time to rise and shine."
Still half asleep, you murmured from under the blanket "Just five minutes.......".
A hearty laughter came back in response, calling you back to the world of the living. You roll over to lay on your back as you pull down the blanket from your head. Blinded by the daylight, you blink with your eyes a few times, only to be welcomed by the divine view of Erwin, Illuminated by the sun on his back as he looked down at you with his stunning ocean-blue eyes. ~Oh my gosh....if I'm still dreaming, please don't wake me up!~
While making a few morning stretches, you hear Erwin chuckling. He kneels in front of you on the floor, his right arm supporting his face. You're a little puzzled by his reaction. Why is he looking at you like this?
"What? Do I look that funny after a good sleep?" You groaned at him with an annoyed undertone. By now he might've noticed that you're not a morning person.
"Not at all, sweetie. I'm just enjoying the view." His voice, calm and warm as always.
What view? You look down only to get the shock of your life! The first 3 buttons of the shirt had popped open and are barely covering your chest so that your breasts almost jump out to greet him with a friendly "Hello!" On top of that, you managed to shimmy the blanket down your torso as you were stretching so you were almost completely exposed to him, only wearing this lewd shirt and your slip. You quickly cover your chest with your arms out of reflex as your face takes a bright red color, turning away from him to avoid more embarrassment. Erwin chuckles again seeing your reaction. Now you're definitely awake.
While you try to fix the buttons of the shirt, Erwin puts his hand on your shoulder, like many times before, to turn you around with a gentle, yet forceful pull.
"Don't turn away. You look so beautiful when you blush and you definitely don't have to cover yourself." While he spoke in a whispering and seductive voice, he moves closer to you, leaning closer to you. His hand wanders up to your face, covering your cheek as he strokes his thumb along your lips. His mouth is now right above your ear, the deep and sonorous tone of his voice sending shivers through your body. "You have such a delightful body, it's worth a sin." You gasp, gooseflesh appears all over your skin from head to toe, as his words and warm breath against your ear begin to trigger your panic-attacks causing you to burst out in a cold sweat. You grab the couch beneath you tightly to help you move and search desperately for support, for something to hold on tight.
"E-Erwin,", you murmured "please don't do this." He pulls away, staring directly in your eyes. You discover a never known expression in them. They're half-closed, yet, they bear such a desire you're definitely not used to from him.
"Don't do what, dear? There's so much I wanna do right now..." He leans closer again, bringing his face so close to yours that you're sure that he's just about to kiss you. His grip on your cheek pulls you in his direction, but you try hard to resist as much as you can, until you feel the backrest of the couch behind you, leaving you without a route to escape. When you realize that he's not going to let you escape, leaving you entirely at his mercy. Closing your eyes tight, surrendering to the hopeless situation.
~LEVI!~ A last desperate cry for help, even if it's just inside your head.
"Oi, Erwin! What are you doing there with our guest? Looks a little uncomfortable if you ask me." Finally, Erwin pulls away from you, leaving you panting in fear and relief at the same time. Was this really happening? Was Erwin really trying to kiss you? As soon as the situation calms down again, it immediately feels like a strange and distant dream, as if it never happened, but your heart proves you wrong. Still sitting against the backrest of the couch, with your legs curled up, you try hard to regain your composure.
"Nothing Levi. Just checking if Nina is ok? Right, dear?" You just nodded multiple times in silent agreement, even if it isn't the whole truth. That's when you hear Levi clicking with his tongue again.
"And? You okay, brat? Need some painkillers? You drank a lot yesterday so I wouldn't be surprised."
You shake your head. "No thanks. I'm fine. Just a little hungry....". Finally back to your old self, you stand up from the couch, picking up the blanket you'd thrown on the ground.
"Then hurry up and get a shower. The bath is over there. I also prepared a spare toothbrush. When you're done, breakfast will be ready and for god's sake cover yourself! Someone might come up with stupid ideas!" Levi scolded you as he shot Erwin a death glare before wrapping the blanket around you in slight shock You pick up your clothes up from the end of the couch and then vanish into the bathroom.
Once inside the shower. the warm water helps soothe you and calm down again. Despite your still racing heart, itt has always been easier to sort your wild thoughts during a good hot shower where no one would disturb you in your own little world. At least until your thoughts got interrupted by foreign noises from outside the bathroom. Straining to hear what might be causing the disturbance, you could swear that you hear Levi and Erwin having a heated discussion, but you also could be mistaken since the shower was swallowing a lot of noise. By the time you finished cleaning up yourself, you finally feel like a human again. All clean and dressed up, you join Erwin and Levi for breakfast.
The meal was quiet. A strange tension hovered in the air after Erwin's past actions and after a few minutes of silence, you consider it as your responsibility to take the wheel in your hands and start some good old conversation. You ask totally random questions, but you make sure that they will be difficult to answer and long to explain. For example how Erwin came to the idea to become a personal trainer. This stretched the breakfast time a little longer than usual and the random chit-chat helped a lot to ease the tension. After you three finished eating, you help with washing the dishes and cleaning the dining table. It was the least you can do after they allowed you to sleep on their couch, drunk and probably blabbering. They even gave you a proper breakfast and you didn't have to make it, but they did. You were very thankful for it and since your mind is clear again, you have the chance to take a look around at their apartment.
First of all: it was neat and clean! You hadn't expected two men to keep their apartment all tidied up like this. The rest is kept simple. The walls are plain white, but the furniture is dark wooded. The color accents lay on black and dark gray with a hint of green from a few plants or a little spot of red from the pillows on the couch. ~A real man cave~
Then you spot a large balcony. Maybe you will be able to see where you are to figure out how to get home. You step outside to take a look around. You know the region you're in! It's not far away from your home. Just a 20 minutes walk straight to the city. When you turn around to head back into the apartment, you notice that this isn't just a simple apartment, it's even the penthouse! Wow! How much do they earn to afford this life? Once back inside, Levi is waiting for you.
"You saw something interesting?" he asks in his usual monotone voice.
"Well, quite. I noticed that my place is nearby. I just have to take a walk through the city. It might take 20 minutes."
Levi turns around to walk to the wardrobe, where he puts on his shoes and jacket. "Then come on! I don't have all day."
You rush over to him to do the same as you dress up. Erwin peeks around the corner of the open kitchen, watching your actions.
"Leaving already?" he asked slightly disappointed.
"Seems so..." you responded, also disappointed. Looks like Levi wants you out of his penthouse as soon as possible. Maybe you were wrong after all. Maybe he doesn't want you around him if he wants to get rid of you that quickly. Erwin dried his hands on a kitchen towel and joins you, embracing you goodbye.
"You have to come over again. We will always save you a place on our couch. I will see you later. Bye, sweetie." You returned the embrace before you leave, with Levi.
While you two walk into the city side by side, neither of you said a word. Although you figured out that Levi closes the gap between you with every passing minute you walk, it's strange. Even if you have the feeling that he's pushing you away from him, he seems to strive for your closeness at the same time. He's truly a very strange man, full of secrets and contradictions. When you were half way home and had reached the lively downtown area, a sudden idea pops up in your mind.
"Do you mind if I take hold of your arm, so we don't get separated? It's pretty crowded." Levi glanced at you from the corner of his eyes.
"Sure. Do as you wish." Cheering on the inside, you grab Levi by his arm and hook yourself in. Maybe you're wrong after all. If he didn't enjoy your presence, he surely would have denied your request. This fact flamed up the silent hope inside of you that maybe not everything is already lost.
Levi's P.O.V.
The moment when that brat took hold of my arm, I feel my heart skip a beat. What is this girl doing to me? This weird feeling I always have when she's around me when she touches me. It makes my stomach feel sick. I know that I long and crave for her body, that I want to leave my mark on her, but there's something else, something different, something strange. When I recall the memory of Mike, how he was holding her close to him and making his stupid and weird sniffing gesture, I feel my blood boiling. For some reason, I feel the urge to do anything that's possible to avoid any other men touching her, except myself. The last time I felt this way was so long ago that I totally forgot about it. All I know now is, that I want her beside me, that I want her to touch me and that I want her to be mine, only mine!
Arm in arm, we walk through downtown for quite a while. I slowed down my pace to make the walk longer, to feel her touch on me a little longer, to pretend a little longer that I have someone who wants to be close to me. The silence we share soon became unbearable, even for me. So I decide that it's time to break it and ask the brat about earlier.
"What was that thing with Erwin this morning? It didn't look like you liked it. Tell me." I asked her nonchalantly as her grip on my arm tightens. She's getting nervous. Looks like she already banned that thought from her mind. Is this her way of deflecting? How stupid. How will she ever be able to solve her problems by just forgetting them.
"I'll ask you again: What happened earlier? I want you to tell me."
She struggled with herself, I can tell. She bites her lower lip and her nostrils flutter from her fast breathing. Maybe she can't find the right words? I open my mouth to ask her again, but this time she finally replies.
"Erwin woke me up and I didn't recognize that my shirt was wide open, barely covering my upper body. I managed to shimmy the blanket down me as I was stretching and I guess I gave Erwin the wrong signals, I didn't notice until it was too late. He leaned towards me and I think he wanted to kiss me. I was too terrified to move or to push him away. I just surrendered to my hopeless situation, like I always do. I know, I'm a wimp. You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry."
So that's the matter. Damn it, Erwin! You've gone too far! I clench my fists inside of my pockets and keep walking, trying to remain collected and radiate calmness. She's still uncomfortable with the situation so I try to smooth the waves. I'm not good at comforting people or talking, or anything else that requires social activities, but for her, I want to try.
"Don't apologize. I guess it's just normal. I mean, he's a man after all. What man wouldn't try to make a move on a sexy half-naked woman that lay before him?" When I think about it, I think I would've done the same in Erwin's position but I don't know if I would be able to hold me back. Erwin is always the one of us with the most self-control.
Her grip around my arm loosened up again as we leave the crowded area. In fact, we'd left it behind us a while ago but she kept holding on to me and I enjoyed it. I feel the warmth of her body melting into mine. I feel her pulse, which speeds up when we look at each other. I struggle with the idea to take a turn and guide her around the city a little longer and maybe ask her about her private life, but just when I thought this was the perfect moment for some alone time, I am proven wrong when I hear a foreign voice behind us.
"Well, well well. If it isn't the witch-girl! I thought you looked familiar when I spotted you a few minutes ago."
I turn around to the manly voice to see, what kind of asshole dares to talk to her like that, but my movements are slow and heavy as if something is holding me back. But why? I turn my head around and to see what's keeping me back, but then I notice it. Nina was clinging tight to my arm, holding onto it so tight, that I thought she's going to break it. She stands beside me stiff as a statue, trembling and shaking in fear with her eyes locked to the ground and biting her lower lip. What the hell is going on? Who is this guy? When he walks ahead of us to block our way, he looks down to her.
"What is it witch-girl? You don't want to greet an old friend? How disappointing..."
Nina tries to sneak behind me, now even grabbing my hand for comfort, interlacing our fingers, searching desperately for something to hold onto. Dammit! Why is she so terrified? I have to get her out of this situation as soon as possible!
"Who are you? Can't you see that she doesn't want to talk with you? So back off and stop calling her a witch you moron!" I yelled at him, but it seems the guy isn't easy to impress. He looks down to me and I see that he really enjoys what he's doing. It makes me sick! I don't know who the fuck he is, but I hate him! I hate him so much!
"Awww. Is this your lover? How cute. I didn't think you had a soft spot for midgets. But don't tell you forgot about me, witch-girl. That would be very rude of you. After I put up so much effort to make sure, that you'll never forget me. Come on sweetie. Show me that scar of yours...Show me how much you missed me."
He laughed evilly as he bends down to us. Now it dawns on me! This is the bastard who did all these horrible things to her! My anger turns to fury and I'm really hoping that he'll dare to touch me or Nina. It will be a good excuse to beat the shit out of him! Nina didn't say a single word the whole time as hides behind me, still holding my hand. Her head rests between my shoulder blades and I feel her shaking in raw anxiety. My poor girl...
"Now come on! Don't be so rude to me!" He says as he grabs her arm to drag her out from her hideout. She gasps and jumps in shock when she feels his grip.
"Don't you dare to touch her you bastard!" I bellowed as I yank his arm away from her, placing myself in front of her to block his way. I won't allow this fucking asshole to touch her ever again! What kind of man am I if I can't even protect a woman?
"My oh my. The midget is playing tough, eh? Let's see if your lover will be able to stand upright when I'm done with him."
I heard Nina gasping again from behind me but I'm so full of adrenaline that I ignore it. When that guy tried to grab me by my collar, I duck away underneath him, taking one big step in his direction as I force my whole body upwards before giving him an uppercut underneath his chin. He falls backward and I hear his jaw break. When he falls to the ground, he holds his face with both hands while he whimpers and cries in pain. Even if it's unsporting, I place several hard and forceful kicks in his stomach afterward. With each kick he yelps and groans in agony, giving me the satisfaction I want right now to assure that this motherfucker will never treat a woman like before ever again! Suddenly, all my actions are cut off by a tight grip around my chest. It's Nina and she is crying desperately begging me to stop.
"Why should I stop? This is the payment for all the years he harassed and abused you! He deserves it! Don't hold me back!" I yelled at her, but she holds onto me even tighter, burying her head in the crook of my neck, crying her tears in despair and agony.
"Please, Levi! Please stop! It's enough. You're going to kill him! He's not worth your anger!"
Seeing her like this triggers something inside me and I really let my fists sink, taking deep breaths to regain my composure before I look down to my victim. He deserved it. He deserved every punch and kick, but Nina is right. I take her hands in mine to drag her gently in front of me before I tug her into a tender and caring embrace. Nina willingly returns my touch and she calms down again, along with me. With her face still hidden in my neck, I hear her whispering.
"Thank you so much for saving me, Levi. I owe you one."
I smiled mischievously. "I will come back to that, brat." With a simple nod from her, I suddenly lifted her up bridal style to hurry away from the crime scene.
"What the hell are you doing Levi? Someone could have seen us!"
"I don't care! Let's get you outta here as quick as possible. I'm taking the risk!" With that, she clings tight to my neck as I carry her out of the city all the way to her apartment. After an exhausting escape with some extra weight on my arms, I finally make it to Nina's place. I put her down in front of the entrance and we rush through the staircase, taking two steps at once, right into her apartment before closing the door with a loud slam behind us. With the dor shut, we both sink to the ground, panting for air. I tilt my head to the side to take a look at her. Luckily, she is unharmed. Well, sort of...
"Am I right if I guess that this was the guy who abused you in school?" She didn't look at me, but her fingers trace over the scar behind her right ear, stroking it.
"You are....I've never imagined seeing this motherfucker ever again".
Another moment of silence flows by before she stands up, offering me her hand to help me up from the ground. She guides me into the living room, where we sit down on the couch and where I watch her as she leans back, closing her eyes. It seems her thoughts are overwhelming her right now. I reach out for her hand and hold it in mine, gently running my thumb over her soft skin on the back of her hand.
"Tell me. What's bothering you? I'm here."
She finally locks her eyes with mine, although a hint of confusion glimmers in them and her expression changes into a soft smile soon when she feels my hand on hers.
"It's nothing. I'm just trying to sort my thoughts about what just happened... It seems so unreal and yet, it all happened. I always wanted someone, especially a man, who would protect me from harm the way you did. Now, someone like that is sitting right here, next to me and I don't know what I should do. I'm scared..." She started to shake again, but her words hit a nerve. I move closer to her and hold her face in my hands, forcing her gently to look at me.
"Speaking of what happened: You said you owe me one, right? Then I want to take advantage of that promise. Now." Looking deep into each other's eyes, I feel myself getting lost in her mix of blue and grey jewel-like orbs that remind me of a harsh ocean during a thunderstorm. She blushes when she finally seems to understand what I'm going to insist right now.
"And.....what do you want, Levi?" She asks carefully, but I guess she already knows the answer.
"I want you to kiss me..."