Hello everyone. Now, I must warn you; there are no 'happy endings'. It might be a sad ending, it might be a bad ending, it might be a satisfying ending, but there is no happy ending. I am sorry if this isn't what you wanted, but I find a beauty in non-happy endings. It gives a refreshing feeling. There is your 'trigger' warning.

I truly thank everyone who has read this. Thank you for taking your time to go on this journey with me, and enjoy :)

Chapter 9 - Downfall

Alternative Title- Empty Air

Eren didn't give Levi time to wake up before he left the room.

He sprinted down the hallway and tripped down the stairs. Bruises started to form on his body, some being mixed up with hickies. That didn't matter though. He just needed to run. Run. Run as far away as he could from him.

Eren realized what he was scared of now. It wasn't particularly the dying part. Yes, that part was still extremely scary, but it was definitely not the worst. The worst part was Levi being there. Would he have to watch him die? Was the painful part him watching Eren, or Eren knowing he was there?

He bumped into the wall and slammed into Sady at the corner, both of them falling down. Eren only had some loose Capri sweat pants on, and Sady only had a loose t-shirt and boy boxers on.

"Eren…" She said, eyes wide in shock. Mascara from last night was smudged on her lower eyelid, and an imprint of her bracelet from her outfit was visible.

"What do we do?!" Eren screamed silently, dread engulfing his face. Sady stared at him, not saying anything. She gently hugged Eren while kneeling, not facing Eren.

"I don't know." She said, voice cracking. "I really don't know."

"Sady!" Jarred said, popping up from the other side of the hallway. He ran over, not particularly shocked about the hugging scene. He was, though, shocked about the tear-streamed face of Sady as she clenched onto Eren's arm. "I really don't know…"

Jarred stared at the feather on Eren's shoulder-blade, but didn't say anything about it. "I'm sorry, Eren, Sady has been-"

"How are you not chilled to the bone! How is your skin not crawling and your face not gurgling and drowning in the ocean of despair!" Sady screeched at him, breaking down. "We are going to die! Nothing is going to change! We are no different from the hundreds before us! Time isn't going to change for us, and there are no exceptions for us. We're done, Jarred. Do you understand the weight of those words!?"

He said nothing. He did not comfort her. Jarred simply stared down at Eren, looking back up after a few seconds. "… I am terrified." He whispered so gently that Eren could barely hear it.

"I'm just better at hiding it."

Levi woke up too late.

He felt to his right side, but could only feel the sheets. His hands searched and searched, eyes still closed, until he felt the empty pillow. His eyes shot open, sitting up immediately after. His eyes searched the room, not a single piece of evidence that Eren was in the room. Dammit, why did Eren need to leave so early?

He tied the silk sheet around his lower half, slowly going into the bathroom. He took a quick shower, combed his hair, and put on an outfit. Maybe if he acted normal he could ignore everything today. He could look at it with a passing glance.

He slowly walked into the hallway, starting to go down the staircase gingerly. He stepped on each step like it was thin ice, and put his hand on the rail. His hand was shaking.

Levi shook his head. Nothing happened last night, and nothing ever did. He wouldn't have time to see Eren today since he had to worry about the royals, and could just skip and prance over today like deer and grass. He wasn't scared. Prince Rivialle never felt emotion.

Hanji met him in his office along with Erwin. Levi stared at them awkwardly, slowly going to his chair like normal. Keeping eye contact with them, he sat down, and they approached his desk.

Erwin spoke first. "We are filling up the tank at the moment. Would you like to put a dye in it so the younger royals don't have to see the man in it?"

"I think the seating arrangements are going to be cramped. We might have to do the punishment 'eaten alive' without anyone seeing it. Is this a possibility?"

"What kind of drinks are we serving?"

"Should we add cushions to the chairs?"

"Can we serve alcohol?"

" Do rows of twenty sound good for seating?"

"For the chop block-"

"SHUT UP!" Levi roared, slamming his hands down on the desk. Hanji's body shook, startled, and Erwin's eyes widened just a bit. Levi's hands dug into the wood, carefully holding in his rage as he sat down. "I really don't give a shit about this whole thing. Do whatever the hell you want." He grumbled, looking at the shaky piece of paper.

Erwin rolled his eyes. "Okay, Prince Rivialle. Then I shall assign the chop block to be first and give you a front row seat."

Levi stared at him. "You have the audacity to do it? Do you know your limits?"

"Do you, Prince Rivialle?"

The room was quiet. "…" Levi said nothing, having an intense stare off with Erwin. Glares shot lightning, and Hanji didn't know what to do right now. It was better not to interrupt. "I know them, but you don't. After today, I will not require your service here anymore, Erwin."

"WHAT-" Hanji started, but Erwin interrupted.

"Understood." Erwin bluntly accepted, smirking. "Then I can say whatever I want."

He slammed his hands down on the opposite side of the table that Levi sat at, eyebrows sterner than before. "You, Prince Rivialle, are possibly one of the worse human beings alive."

"But not in a bad way. I will admit that I pitied you at first, being the son of a wealthy, busy family. I thought it would be like a book, where you craved company and wanted a parental figure to watch over you. It took me only a few weeks though to realize that you didn't mind at all. No one really mattered to you. You didn't mind that your parents were never there, and you didn't care if your most loyal servant would leave. Everyone seemed to just pass over you like a cloud."

"I hope you realize that 'Eren' is the only person that you have ever told me about that didn't involve business matters. It shocked me, thoroughly. Would you change? Would you open your heart? Would you become a better man?"

" No. Of course not. Who was I kidding? Not after that moment did you mention him to me, surrounding your world in work and becoming a lone wolf. Countless women came to me, yelling about how you broke their heart. Do you even remember the victims names? I swore you were most heartless being alive, and that the country was destined to fall into darkness with your hands."

"One word changed that. I came in, giving you your coffee, and as usual, you had fallen asleep. I was annoyed, but still put down the cup. And then you mumbled it. It was when you were about 17, and I swore that I just heard something. You mumbled,

"Eren",

"and that was it. Maybe you didn't remember him, but your consciousness did. What would I need to do to bring light back into your world? The answer was clear. I needed to bring this 'Eren' back to you. But how? Once I got my hands on him, how would I explain it to you?"

"You hadn't realized it yet, so I decided to help you deny it. Especially since he was one of the five. Your feeling would never flourish. If anything, it would sink you deeper into that hole, but ya know,

that's love.

We can't deny it. We can't escape it. There's no antidote to it. It's a simple feeling in reality, and recently, I am getting really tired of your shit."

"You love him! Don't deny it. What are you fucking doing?" Erwin took a deep breath. "He has three hours left alive, and your moping around in your office? Get your sorry ass up and tell him. Tell him that you love him, you fucking coward. A short life or a long life doesn't matter. They can still be finished graciously."

Erwin sighed, sitting up and tightening his tie. He grabbed Hanji and swung her around, smacking her on the lips with his. He put her back up afterwards and forcefully flinged the door open. "Now that both of my feelings have been told, can you two idiots do something?"

The door slammed shut.

Ha. Do they really need to dress up this neatly when all we are going to do is get blood all over it?

Eren looked at himself in the mirror. The outline of his body shivered, the shadow of Austin behind him. Austin was dressed in the same thing; all black. He put his hand on Eren's shoulder, smiling.

"Say goodbye happily," He stated. "Be thankful for the beginning and the end." Austin barely whispered, bodyguards dragging him off to a designated area. Eren shook furiously, looking at the clock. 4:49. Only 11 minutes till Austin was killed.

A woman came by, carrying around a basket of bread. Offering one to Eren, Eren barely shook his head, looking at her name tag. Sasha. The woman sighed, shoving a loaf of bread in Eren's mouth. "Don't be such a sour puss! Turn that frown upside down!" She exclaimed, smiling. You could see some tear stains on the side of her cheeks.

Eren smirked, biting the bread. "I'll try, Sasha. Thank you." Sasha grinned, turning around and offering some bread to Jarred.

Biting into the bread once more, he looked around. Only assistants and the other four. Eren huffed, chuckling to himself. Why did he think Levi was coming to see him!

Walking around, the man Eren heard of as Mr. Erwin approached him.

"Mr. Jaeger," He said, looking at a clipboard. "You are sentenced to die at 5:20, and you will walk out to the front yard. To the right, there will be a guillotine with about six to eight hundred chairs all around it. You are to simply walk up the step-ladder and kneel at the white circle placed." He swallowed thickly, thinking. "I can spare you the blood and gore of your friends, if you'd like."

Eren sighed in relief, looking up at Erwin politely. "Yes, that would be better than the alternative." Erwin stared at him, and then his surroundings.

"Has Prince Rivialle approached you at all in the past few hours?"

Erwin swallowed, eyes dimmed. In a monotone voice, he replied. "No, I'm sorry. I hadn't seen him around."

Erwin sighed playfully, as if he had given up. "I see. Well, I will send out somebody named Connie when it is time to go." He said as he turned around and disappeared behind a door. Eren nodded, walking over to a corner like a zombie.

Thirty minutes. That was all he had left.

What does somebody do in thirty minutes? Pick up their room? Make dinner? Go to the park? It seemed too small. There was nothing that Eren wanted to do that fit into this time frame. Why was it so fast? Why did he ever want to grow up as a child? He slumped down, looking in between his knees and not lifting his head up.

"You fucking brat."

Eren's head shot up, looking at the angry face of Levi. His eyebrows were tense, looking into Eren's eyes with pain. Eren had never seen this side before. No one probably ever had.

Levi pulled Eren up by the hands, bumping chests to him. Levi held him close, Eren starting to blush a bit. "Levi? Aren't you supposed to…?"

Levi rolled his eyes, just staring at Eren. "I don't have to go. I'll just miss some pointless business opportunities." He cuffed Eren's face, being hypnotized by his eyes.

5:00.

"Eren…" Levi said, knowing that both of them heard a splash in the background.

Eren started to shiver, eyes starting to get watery. "I'm scared." He whispered into Levi's ear, Levi hugging him tightly.

"I know."

"Really? Do you really?"

"I really do." He said, holding Eren tighter.

Eren held back some sobs. "I don't want to go." He hiccupped. "I don't wanna." He cried like a child.

Levi pursed his lips, not looking at Eren. "Nobody does. If it was up to me, I would hold you here forever." They stood silently.

5:05.

Eren let out a little giggle, tears streaming down his face. "Sometimes…" He swallowed some mucus. "Sometimes love is a downfall." Levi started to wipe the saltwater from Eren's cheeks. His voice was shivering. "It is my downfall."

"Say no more." Levi begged, hearing the sound of dogs and wild animals barking. "Please, Eren." He tried to keep his voice monotone, but it had a slight pitch.

"Can I kiss you?" Eren asked, Levi trying to sigh in amusement.

"Do you need to ask?"

A small, gentle peck.

5:10.

"I want you to remember me." Eren asked.

"I will."

"You forgot last time."

"I know."

"How will I know you remember me?"

"This time I'll promise."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

5:13.

"Ya know, Levi…"

"Hmm?"

Eren hiccupped, the tears never-ending. "I'm hopelessly in love with you."

Levi said nothing for a while.

5:15.

"I love you too."

Eren's eyes widened, a hand touching his shoulder.

"I'm Connie. It is time to go."

Eren felt at peace now. He understood what Austin meant.

"Levi, can you let go of my hand?" Eren asked, trying to wipe away his own tears.

Levi grasped it tightly. Kissing Eren one more time, he slowly let both hands slide away from each other. He did not say anything as Eren walked outside.

"The last of the five, Eren Jaeger."

A wide arrange of cheers and clapping.

Levi stood at a pillar, looking at the guillotine. He tried to not look at the boy who was starting to kneel down. He said nothing, lips starting to tremble.

The boy looked up at him with emerald eyes. The boy smiled at him, his eyes screaming happiness.

Levi looked down. "Bye, Eren." He whispered, the boy looking down.

Levi turned away.

…

…

…

*splat*

…

…

A single drop of saltwater.

Now, If you want to go and cry on the bed (totally not what I did), then stop right there. If you would like your heart not to feel AS crushed, then you may continue.

"God damnit Jean, I don't want to see you and Armin making out first thing in the morning!"

Jean rolled over on the couch, looking at the man, smirking. "That's what you get for being roommates with me."

The man rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault that my career doesn't pay for more than one-third of the mortgage." He muttered, combing his hair over to one side. The messy mirror aggravated him, looking back at the couple again. "And when's the last time you've cleaned the bathroom?"

Jean rolled his eyes. "What's got something up your ass, Eren?"

He sighed, patting down a stray hair. "You know I get stressed when I go to interviews."

Armin looked over the arm rest of the couch, smiling. "Oh, I forgot you had that today! Don't puke, okay?"

Eren looked over, not amused. "Thanks, Armin. You're so helpful."

The apartment's living room was quite small, including a beige couch with a little TV and a few bookshelves on the side. It was connected to the kitchen only having enough room for one person to walk three or four steps around. The dining room was left with a couple of cereal bowls and wrappers on the table, and the house hadn't been swept in quite some time. The white paint was the same throughout the apartment, the only difference in the walls being a few paintings here and there. The bland wood flooring bored Eren at times, so he covered many parts of it with decorated rugs.

Armin smiled at Eren. "Anytime." He replied cockily.

Rolling his eyes, Eren slammed the door shut, not bothering to lock it as he walked away.

They know how much I despise interviews! Eren thought, stomping down the outside stairs. He went to the vending machine and bought a Dr. Pepper before he entered his vehicle and started the engine. The car was a piece of shit, but Eren was saving up for a motorcycle.

Eren was an editor, and recently his company had to cut some people to keep on budget. This was his third interview in the past two weeks, so he was getting a bit annoyed by now. He pulled on his tie, trying to see if it would stop choking him.

After getting through traffic, he finally found the building he was supposed to be at.

Fuck 'building'. This place is a skyscraper.

Maria Editing Facility, or MEF, was one of the most successful companies in the world right now. Eren couldn't see the top of it, swearing it was at least fifty stories high.

Walking in, Eren was greeted by two women in cute, stereotypical office uniforms and a gleaming smile. They said "Good Morning!", and Eren greeted them back awkwardly. The first floor was nearly silent, the sounds of high heels and dress shoes clicking on the marble floor being the only thing heard. Everyone was dressed formally, hair tied up or combed to perfection. Eren sighed, looking around at the crowd.

I definitely don't belong here.

Eren walked up to the front counter, ringing the little bell. He pulled his face, stressed and nervous about his surroundings. A woman popped out from the door behind the counter, hair much messier than anybodies he had seen walk by. Her glasses were crooked, and you could a tiny crack in the right corner.

"Hello, sir! How may I help you?" She asked excitedly, even though she didn't look at his face.

"Um.." Eren started, trying not to look around awkwardly. He didn't want to seem too unprofessional. "I'm here for an interview."

"With whom?"

"Mr. Erwin, I think it was."

The woman started to type, hitting enter and looking at the screen. Her facial expression changed immediately. "… Mr. Jaeger, I assume?" She said wearily, starting to look up at him.

Eren suddenly felt nervous, thinking he did something wrong. "Yes, mam."

The women stared at him for a few moments. She burst out in laugher and started jumping up and down. "Of course! Yes, YES! Mr. Jaeger, my name is Hanji. Come right this way!" She was jittery with excitement, Eren not knowing what to do but follow her.

They entered an elevator, hitting the button with an eight. "How do you feel about editing manga?"

Manga? I know what it is but still… "I have never done it before, so I don't even know how to start…"

"It's not that difficult." She said, and Eren could tell that was a lie. "And that's a good thing, since you'll be working in the Manga Section from today on!"

Eren was flabbergasted. "Um, what about the interview?"

"We got the basics."

"Yes, but-'

"It will be fine! You already been to two facilities, correct?"

Eren said nothing more.

The doors opened, leading Eren into many different sections. One section Eren could identify as the romance manga, and another section horror. The workspace had a very open floor planning, and it felt much bigger and calmer than it actually was. "You can choose what type of genre you would like to work on. There are many sections."

"I don't know right now, Mrs. Hanji." Eren replied honestly. "It's a bit overwhelming…"

"Okay, I can understand that." She said, looking around and waving at the employees. "Wherever you go, there will always be people who you'll be great friends with."

"How do you know that?"

Hanji murmured something that Eren couldn't really hear. Something like 'you've already met them', I think?

Hanji smiled back at him, "You'll have a different section manager for which genre you choose, but there's always the boss that will watch over you, no matter which section you choose."

"Boss?"

"Yes." Hanji said, smiling wider than a Chester cat. She walked farther into the room, looking at an isolated desk in the back. "Mr. Levi."

… Levi?

The man lifted his head from the newspaper, hearing his name. Seeing Eren, he smiled deviously, putting down the newspaper gently. He sat his elbows down on the table, intertwining his fingers as a table for his head. Eren stared at the man, emerald locked with stone grey. "Hello, Eren."

"Remember me?"