"How is he?" Eren stood from his seat the moment Kenny came down the stairs.
"He's feeling much better now," Kenny said, reaching for one of the cups and get himself some water to drink. His eyes landed on the pile of books on the table. "Why'd you have this here?"
"Oh, I was planning on reading this to Levi," Eren took one and showed it to the old Alpha. "I hope that it will distract him from what had happened."
"That's why you went with Armin's this morning?"
"Yes, we also ran into one of the townspeople. They say that the beach will open soon. I really hope that maybe we can visit it after?" Eren dragged the words, uncertain of what Kenny will react if he specified that he wanted to visit the beach with Levi once it's opened.
"You know, brat. Levi had something important to tell you." Kenny started, staring down at his empty cup. "But Levi won't utter a word unless you force him too. That's the trick." Putting the cup down at the table, he left the brunette in the kitchen.
Eren stared at his back until Kenny left the house. Once again, silence. Somehow that house is never the same without Levi's presence, the whole place is quiet and depressing.
Eren bit his lower lips, staring at the wooden marking on the table. He is still thinking over what Kenny said, does the Alpha mean that he had to force Levi to speak to him? For Eren, that is just too cruel. He can wait until Levi ready to open it up or...
He moved to the living room, pacing back and forth. Contemplating if he should follow Kenny's advice or wait for Levi to say what he had to say whenever the Omega is ready. But Eren figured that Kenny knew Levi more than he does, and sensed that letting the Omega decide when he'll open up, but that'll probably took forever.
Inhaling deeply, Eren exhaled his uncertainty. He had to trust Kenny on this one. Running up the stairs, Eren knocked at the raven's door. "Levi?"
He knocked again. "It's me, Eren. Kenny said that you have something important to say to me?" He heard Levi gasped inside and it almost made Eren aborted his plan. Kenny's words kept coming back at him, if forcing Levi to speak will help the Omega, then Eren will do it. Perhaps the old Alpha was right, on a psychological level, it is much better for the person to speak up than let whatever they had in mind kept to themselves. The best thing that Eren can do is to listen.
With a plan ahead, Eren knocked again before turning the doorknob. "I'm coming in, okay?"
Upon opening the door, Eren was greeted with raven's bitter scent, it was like Levi's sweet vanilla scent had coffee poured into it. Levi was sitting in his bed, eyes still red from all the crying but he had changed clothes and fix his hair. Yet the tiredness is imminent.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Eren asked gently as he sat at the foot of the bed, hoping that he'll make Levi feel safe with the distance. He slowly let his scent rose in the air, not dominating, but calming. "I had some books about the ocean downstairs, I want them to read them to you. Come on, let's go downstairs."
Levi lightly lifted his head and looked at Eren.
"It's amazing how vast the ocean is, there is so some to learn with all the creatures!" Eren continued. Letting his cheery scent overpowered Levi's in hopes that it will help with the raven's mood. "Also, one of the townspeople said that the beach near town will open soon! Isn't that great Levi. I can imagine it will be a lot of fun and-"
"Eren, I had something to say to you..." Levi whispered.
"Okay," Eren straighten. "Whenever you're ready." It took a good minute for Levi to finally speak.
"I... I lied to you... I changed my voice, and I don't usually wore dresses and I'm not that gentle... I did all of that because... I just want you to like me..." Levi sobbed, pulling his knees to his chest as he curled up like a ball. Bracing himself for a rejection that he greatly deserved.
Eren sighed. "Levi, I know."
"What?" Levi snapped and stared at Eren's blurry figure with wide eyes.
"Well," Eren scratched the back of his head. "When we first met, you're using your regular voice, and you wore masculine clothing. I think it was kinda hot, you also had an apron then. And the next day, I noticed that you gradually trying to change your voice and your outfits. I really wanted to tell you that you shouldn't change anything but we only knew each other for a day and I don't want to offend you..."
"You knew... Oh no," Levi sobbed as he covered his face.
"Whoa! Hey! It's okay, that doesn't affect what I feel about you. No matter what you wear, you look hot in any outfit or voice." Heat creeps into his face when Eren noticed that he actually give himself away. "Be-Because... you see-"
"You're saying that... you..." Levi felt his heart almost jumped out of his chest but the simple reminder of Armin made his mood bitter. "No, you liked Armin."
"Armin?" Eren's eyes were blown wide at the statment. He never seen the blonde Omega that way. "No, we are just friends!"
"Armin read books just fine," Levi mumbled, tears threaten to spill in his blue-stormy eyes again.
"Hey, don't say that," Eren scooted closer and place his hand on the smaller male's shoulder. "I gave you my word, remember? I will fix your vision."
Levi quietly whimpered.
"Hey, look here." Eren gently cupped his face, letting the raven Omega to look at him. "Thank you for being honest, I know that it took a lot of courage for you to say those and it might be my fault as well if I was honest with you in the first place... No, looking back at the past won't help. I'll be honest too, I liked you, Levi. From the first time we met, I knew that you're the one."
A tear fell Levi's eyes but this time, it is not because he was depressed.
"As the days go by, I got to know you, and that only strengthens my feelings for you. You're so strong and determined. You're perfect!"
"Perfect?" Levi questioned himself. He can't read, he can't see anything but blurry colors, he tripped on rocks and the list goes on and on.
"Your cooking is much better than me," Eren pouted.
"Well," Levi sniffed, smiling. "I do agree on that." Eren cooked him meals was sweet but the reason why Levi barely touch some of the meals was because it was either bland or it had too much salt.
"But the I juice is good right?" Eren beamed, like a puppy waiting to be praised.
"Yeah..." Levi sighed, it is true though. With all the food that Eren prepared for him, the juice is what Levi is looking forward to.
They both laughed quietly. Eren took the raven's hand, his thumb traced patterns on the back of raven's hand. "You don't need to change yourself for me, if you are in the mood to wear a dress then that's fine, if not, cool. I don't mind. You really don't have to try anything Levi because, you already stole my heart from the moment I first saw you." Eren raised the other's hand into his lips, placing a kiss.
Levi felt his heart leaped out of his chest at Eren's confession. He had no idea that Eren knew from the very beginning. And everything went well, Eren liked him. Maybe growing old alone was no longer in Levi's list. But then, he had another problem. "Erwin... is he... okay?"
"I guess you're not the only one who's been lying."
"What do you mean?"
"Levi, Erwin had been hiding his true feelings from you. He managed to mask his scent so that you can't tell what he really feels."
Levi took a deep breath and stared down at his hands. Taking his time to digest the new information. Erwin was lying to him? For how long?
"Levi, Erwin is a coward. He hid it all until his system can't take it, triggering his rut." Eren explained. "It was never your fault."
"I hope I will be able to talk to him and sort things out," Levi planned. He can't just leave everything like that forever if Erwin doesn't want to be friends any more than Levi will let him go.
"That's a good plan," Eren patted the raven's hair. Though the brunette doesn't want to talk about other Alphas, he tried to endure his growls every time the name of the blonde Alpha was mentioned. He quickly moved on from the topic. "You know, I should have confessed earlier so that it won't come to this but... Seriously, Levi. Kenny will kill me!" Eren exclaimed, letting go of Levi's hand,
Eren grabbed his shoulders and gently shook the raven.
Levi blinked at Eren's obvious fear towards his uncle. Maybe Kenny was the main problem after all. "I have a feeling that my uncle traumatized you," Levi humored, running his fingers on the Alpha's chocolate hair.
"He aimed a gun at me, Levi!" Eren whined, leaning his weight on Levi when he felt the raven's hand raked on his hair.
"Well, that's true." Levi chuckled, then a thought came over him. "Eren, what are we now?" the raven asked. They had expressed their mutual feelings and what are they now? Eren is typically Levi's doctor and also his tenant?
"Easy, we're boyfriends! Well, if you want to... if not then that's fine-"
"Of course, I want to be your boyfriend, idiot." Levi whacked his head.
"So, it is okay if I spread my scent on you?" Eren asked sheepishly.
Levi felt the heat spread on his cheeks but he nodded anyway. "I never have done this before," Levi whispered. He never had a boyfriend
"It's fine, me too." Eren rubbed his wrist on the crook of his neck, when he gathered a good amount of oils, he gently rubbed it on Levi's neck. Temporarily claiming the raven.
"You don't have boyfriends or girlfriends before?" Levi asked, allowing Eren to take the lead.
"I was too busy with med school. Though, learned this from med school too. Marking is a ritual that had been present in the past, way before the steam engines." Eren explained.
"Really?" Levi leaned to his touch, thankful that Eren kept talking and that distracted the raven. The scent of Eren was intoxicating, now that Levi had it on his skin. Levi shivered when Eren brushed on his scent gland.
"Hey, you wanna try scuffing?"
"I hate scuffing," Levi huffed. He recalled the times when he was in grade school, where the Alpha bullies scuffed him for fun and laugh at him. They all get a taste of Levi's fist after that.
"No, this is for medical purposes. It will help you relax," Eren explained professionally. "I need you to lay on your stomach."
"Okay." Levi did as instructed. He lay on his stomach. He almost jolts upright, a flight or fight response when he felt fingers clamped on his neck. But then Eren put the right amount of pressure, making Levi's muscles lax and his head clear. "Hmmm."
"How is it?"
"Nice," Levi sighed, feeling his eyelids grew heavy.
"With just the right amount of pressure, you can relax and sleep-"
Levi closed his eyes while Eren kept on explaining. His voice was distant as the relaxing pressure was on the raven's nape and with Eren's scent was on his skin. Levi never felt so contented with his life.
Then he heard the door opened. "What the?!"
It was his uncle's voice. And there goes the pleasant feeling of relaxation when Eren removed his hand on his nape. "Sir! This is not what think-ack!"
Levi's eyes snapped opened and the first thing he saw was his uncle's head locking Eren. "Uncle stop!"
*****
Hange stood at the porch with a box of sweets on her hands. She was about to knock at the door when a series of shouts came from the house.
"Sir! I can explain! Ackk!"
"Keep your hands away from my nephew!"
"Uncle for heaven's sake! Let Eren go!"
"Levi! How dare you punch your own Uncle!"
Hange smiled, knowing that his best friend is now okay.