Levi POV
It's been a few weeks since I last heard from my uncle. Well that is until Eren woke me up to tell me that "Ymir is here." After I got over the well of pissed off I felt when he remembered her name, I went to the door to the what the hell she wanted. I grab Eren's hand and lock our fingers as we make our way to the door. When I open the door, I go to tighten my grip, but he doesn't even make a move towards his...friend.
"And you're here why?" I ask.
"I told you, he told me to give you this piece of paper!"
I roll my eyes and take the paper, "Nevermind."
I unfold the slip, wondering what could be so important as to wake me up at 3 am. And since when was Eren such a light sleeper? Is he ok? Did he even go to sleep at all? I was so sure he was asleep before I was. Did he wake up? Did I do something wrong?! Fuck, what if he hates me now?!
"Levi, what's wrong?" I feel a bit of pressure on my shoulder.
I lift my head to have my vision absorbed into glittering sage orbs, filled with worry. His bangs are a mess, still ruffled from the bed, and he's chewing on his lower lip. Well, until my eyes flash in fear, so he releases it. He's been so good for me. He's accommodated to every demand I make, with little pushback, and I've done nothing for him.
He's right, we need to talk.
Not now of course, now I need to read the damn slip of paper. After I tell Eren I'm fine and nothing's wrong, and rest my back against the backboard and have Eren lay his head on my chest. Then I'll read the slip of paper.
I shake my head, "Nothing, just overthinking."
He playfully rolls his eyes, "You? Never." He clasps his hands together behind my neck, "So what'cha thinkin' 'bout?"
"That it's way too late for you to be awake."
He puffs his cheeks, "I'm not a little kid."
"Even adults should be asleep at 3:30 am."
I ruffle his already tousled hair before a lay my hand on the small of his back, lightly edging him forward. He complies, although unwillingly, and goes back upstairs. As previously envisioned in my head, we position ourselves comfortably on the bed, and I read the slip of paper that better say I won the lottery.
My eyes widen before slimming as my lips curl into a smirk. I quickly erase the expression from my face before Eren has the chance to notice, and lazily place the note inside the drawer, pretending it's nothing. That's as far as can be from the truth, but it wouldn't be so pretty if he knew that.
I'm sorry I couldn't deliver this in person, but I was preparing something for you. It'll be ready by tomorrow afternoon, say maybe 1ish. You can choose to accept or not, but you know the deal. I think you'll be mighty satisfied with what I have though.
Sincerely,
Kenny
By the looks of it, I'm going to have a lot to do tomorrow .
Eren POV
I begin to fall asleep listening to Levi's heartbeat. I don't know what the note said, but I don't think it really matters. I just want to go as long as we can without arguing, and if that means I have to make a few sacrifices of knowledge, somethings are better left unknown. Slowly but surely I can win back my freedom, not from him, I don't wanna leave Levi, but I want to be able to move on from my own mind, trusting that he trusts me. Which right now, I know that he doesn't. How can he though? I'm always getting hurt, and causing so much trouble for him. He always has to come save me, or feel like he has to get rid of someone because of me. Before I came along, his life was simple. Now he has to babysit whatever the crappcaccino I can be classified as.
I feel my body tense and curl up into a ball as tears begin to prick my eyes. All chances of a peaceful pathway into sleep is gone. I can't sink my teeth into my lip or cheek, and I can't dig my nails into my palms because it makes Levi upset. I don't know what to do. I want to do something, but everything is locking up. I can't breathe. I can't fluffing breathe. The air isn't coming- I'm gonna die! What's going on?! Why won't everything stop?! Why can't I breathe?!
My brain doesn't process as I'm lifted up into a sitting position. My mind is still fuzzy when my ear is gently pressed up against something, and I can feel my heart thumping and my hyperventilation increasing to what would be extreme if I could breathe. I feel a hand on my waist and I start freaking out. Who are they?! Why are they touching me?! What's going on?!
"Eren, try to focus on my breathing."
I try to shake my head no, but it's held in place by something. I'm sure the tears are rolling down my cheeks at this point. The hand on my waist moves to rub circles on my back, and the thing holding my head in place also happens to be a hand, the thumb rubbing circles in my hair, right above my ear.
"Sssh, it's just me, Levi, try for me, ok?"
I concede, slightly sucking on my lower lip. I can feel his chest push out and contract at a steady pace. His breaths are going in for two beats and going out for two beats. His heartbeat is nice and steady, and I could lightly nod my head to the beats.
I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the line my breathing stabilized. I open my eyes, which are now probably puffy and red, and quickly squeeze them shut once more as I throw my arms around Levi. I feel like such a kid right now, but what if I let go and he realizes that? I shove my face into his shoulder. I mentally sigh, realizing as he wraps his own arms around me, that I have to stop this. We need to talk. I squeeze him tighter. But maybe in the morning.
I mumble into his shoulder, "It's too late for this."
He laughs, "I told you."
"Mm, yeah, yeah, laugh it off."
He starts to stand up, and I wrap my legs around his waist to I don't fall, "H-hey! I was comfy!"
"Your face is sticky, I was going to get a wash cloth."
"But the bathroom is so far awaaaayyy, and wash cloths huuuuurt."
"How old are you again? And look alive, Bright Eyes, the bathroom is right across the hall."
"Hmpf, fine. But you have to carry me, slave."
My face is the definition of the color red. The color red is calling for its color back kinda red. So red that I'm the crayon in the box. I've got red to spare- red for days- red for y e a r s. Levi, however, complies and I am elegantly carried to the bathroom. He puts the seat down on the toilet and sets me down. He then takes the evil washcloth and peppers it with soap and water.
"Wait you're not putting that near my eyes right? I swear to all things holy if you put that anywhere near my eyes I will skin you ali-"
"I won't get it in your eyes."
"Just being careful isn't enough, Levi, do you want me to go blind or something? Actually don't answer that, I don't think I want to know, but if it gets into my eyes it'll hurt even mor-"
"I didn't say I was being careful, I said I wouldn't get it in your eyes, and I don't make a habit of lying."
I shut up after that. I want to be angry, but I have physically no energy left to be that way. Instead, I pettily puff my cheeks before stuffing my face inside my shirt. I can almost feel Levi's eye roll before I start freezing.
"HEY, WHAT THE FLIP FLOP WAS THAT FOR?!"
He doesn't say anything and it dawns on me. I'm shirtless in a bathroom with my boyfriend. Oh H E C K no. Even worse, I'm young, dumb, and upset shirtless in a bathroom with my boyfriend. Layer in the fact that I'm at my boyfriend's house while I'm young, dumb, and upset shirtless in a bathroom with my boyfriend. The icing on the fudging cake is that I'm at my boyfriend's house while I'm young, dumb, and upset shirtless in a bathroom with my boyfriend across from the bedroom in which we share a bed in at 3 am during winter break. This is the kinda stuff that happens in those fanfictions Armin makes me read right before Mikasa finds out and takes it away. OH YEAH AND MY FACE IS THE COLOR OF FUDGING MISTLETOE GOSH DANG IT.
I throw my bare arms around me and tuck my head in between my knees and stomach as if it hides anything. I scooch back as far as I can on the toilet seat. Levi touches my shoulder and I flinch immediately.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT, TURN AWAY YOUR EYES!"
Levi POV
Aw, it's so cute how he thinks I haven't seen him shirtless before. It's seriously so adorable I might actually have to turn away. Instead, I decide I'm gonna milk the hell out of this situation. His body is turned away from mine, so I walk up behind him, wrapping my arms around him as I crouch down, my breath fanning against his ear.
"Aw, but I haven't cleaned your face yet?"
"Hand me my shirt back first."
I feel him shiver as I put my nose in the crook of his neck, "Right after I clean your face."
"Fine! Just...stop touching me like that." He squeaks cutely.
I roll my eyes, a bit sad he gave in so easily, but I move away after a few seconds. He uncurls and I grab the washcloth. He scrunches his nose like a little rabbit when I touch the damp cloth to his cheek, and flinches slightly when I move upwards towards his lower eyelid, which is still a bit puffy from before, and I'm sure my eyes flash with discontent for a split second. I don't like it when he cries, it shatters my heart.
I finish cleaning his face, and wring out the washcloth, throwing it in the hamper. Eren makes grabby hands for his shirt, but I throw it in the hamper. Before he has time to retaliate, I slip off my own and toss it to him, giving him a wink and all of the blood in his body rushes to his face, even his ears break out into a crimson haze.
"An arm for an arm." I say, "We have a big day tomorrow, let's go to bed now."
"A big day?" He questions as he puts on my shirt.
"I have to go somewhere, so I'm leaving you with Hange for the day...and she found out about your new cooking habits, so I wish you the best of luck."
He rolls his eyes and pouts, "When will you be back?"
I shrug, "That depends on your cooking plans."
He plays with the hem of my shirt, "Soo, if I were to call you to-to say dinner was ready...?"He looks up at me with his puppy dog eyes.
"I'd be on my way." I caress his cheek with my thumb.
I lead the way back to our bed, where he finally gets some well deserved slumber. I, however, spend the entire night plotting. Plotting many different scenarios, probably overthinking most things and overlooking others. I nod off at some point, only to wake up an hour or two later. I 'awaken' when Eren starts to twist and turn in his sleep, signaling the morning. I try to sit up to get changed, but when I do, Eren slumps down and wakes up.
He pouts, making grabby hands at me to come back. I walk over to him, on his side of the bed, and raise one of my eyebrows, while crossing my arms over my bare chest. He looks at me confused for a few seconds until his eyes move down and widen dramatically. He grabs the blanket and covers his eyes, although his face is once again beet red.
"Nevermind! Go get changed! I'm awake!" He squeaks.
I sigh out before ruffling his hair and returning to the dresser. I throw on a black polo shirt and some black jeans in case I accidentally...spill a certain liquid on myself. You can never be too prepared. The detergent bill is going to be through the roof but I can't risk anything. Risks could mean losing Eren, and that is NOT an option. It is never going to be an option. Nothing in this entire universe will ever be able to change that. Not if I have anything to say about it, and I sure as fuck do.
He's still covering his face once I finish changing, so I take the opportunity to sit on the bed and hug him from behind. He keeps the blanket over his face, but leans back, into me. Eren is like holding an oven in your arms, he's always just so warm. That doesn't change how he's the greatest thing to ever come into existence though. The absolute embodiment of perfection in my eyes. He's warm, and his hair is so soft, he fits perfectly into my arms, the way he curls into me and drools in his sleep, his light airy snores, his little pouty face that ultimately makes me cave most of the time, the cute little way his nose scrunches, his laugh that makes me melt every time, the way he can just tell what I need before I even know I need it, his personality that never ceases to come out more and more, the way his eyes light up when he does something and I smile, the way he notices when something bothers me and immediately without asking questions fixes the problem- every little tiny simple thing about him is everything I believe in.
And that's why I'll protect him forever. Even if it kills me.
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Hey beans!
I'm sorry to say, that The Gift is going to be the series of parts before the finale, meaning All Mine is coming to a close.
Well, I epoh you enjoyed the chapter and I will see you all in the next one...toodleoo