A/N: I don't want to spoil the plot to anyone so, sorry about the weak summary.
Notes at the end.
Enjoy!
"Just a Little Longer"
Cold steel grey eyes flickered open as the bright morning sun washed in in-between the folded blinds, casting aside cornered shadows. A single figure lay in the sheets of clean linen as it quietly raised up, tired eyes roaming around it's surroundings.
"...Where am I?"
The soft room of simple content nowhere near familiar to the man, confused and slightly panicked, he jerked around in his thoughts for an answer.
Where was he? Why was he here? Wasn't he supposed to be on a mission with Eren right now? What the hell had happened? The last thing he could remember was-
"Ah, you're awake Levi."
Snapping up from his thoughts and turning towards an unfamiliar voice, Levi raised a red screaming flag.
"Who the hell are you."
The man stopped at the doorway, casually leaning against the door frame. Looking to be around in his mid-forties, his dark brown hair unkempt in messy locks to his shoulders, his face rugged with age and stubble. The taller male gently rested his head onto the wooden door frame, his lips tugging into an unreadable smirk.
Greatly alarmed in his current situation, Levi flung the covers from his body, quickly meeting the cold wooden floor in a defensive stance.
"Where the hell am I." Levi glowered, his gaze strong and steady yet just as threatening. "Report me back to my squad. That is a fucking order."
Silence clung to the air like a plague, Levi's breathing low, his senses sharp. He glared at the stranger, his tone dropping several notches lower.
"Take me back to the Commander of the Recon Corps. I am sure you recognize who I am."
Levi waited, watching the man intently. However, not receiving any answer other than the pregnant stillness, Levi hissed once again.
"Are you fucking deaf? Who the hell are you? Answer me."
The man lowered his head as Levi snapped, his eyes shadowed with a grim darkness. Several seconds passed that felt like hours when the man finally raised his head, gazing directly back into vicious grey.
"I'm sorry for alarming you, Corporal. My apologies. I shall report you back to headquarters as quickly as possible, but for now, under Erwin's orders, I am to keep you under my hospitality."
"Erwin's orders?"
"Yes." The man smiled.
Levi pulled a short face before retaining his usual indifference.
"So first," the man continued, "would you like to have some breakfast?"
"Wait a mi-"
And before Levi was given the chance to refuse or question further, the man had already disappeared into the hallway. Hesitant, yet unable to resist orders without any knack for his current situation, Levi humphed before walking out of the room and following suit.
Something wasn't right. Something was off. Something that he couldn't exactly put his finger on.
"Here, sit here, I'll have your food ready soon sir."
Leering at the man pulling out the chair for Levi, he plopped down into the seat, crossing his legs while keeping his guard on high alert.
"...What part of the wall is this?"
"..."
The clinking of plates and silverware filled the silent air as the man began to run the water through the dishes.
"...oi-"
The man reached for the fridge door as he managed to pull out two eggs, cracking them onto the heated frying pan. The sizzling sound of popping and cracking stirred the environment as Levi watched him silently, his dark scowl carefully observing for a single flicker of any kind of suspicious movement.
"Tch." Levi sneered. He knew the guy was ignoring him. Maybe something had happened on their last expedition? Did all of this have something to do with the fact that they were about to exploit the Titan's true nature? What wall was he in right now? Where were the others? Where was Eren? So many questions and complicated thoughts swirled around behind his cold demure.
"Oi-"
"Here you go, sir." The man interrupted Levi by setting down a steaming plate of toast and eggs.
"...Thanks," Levi muttered under his breath, unsure of what to make of his current situation.
"And you like your coffee black, right?"
Levi leered without give him a reply as the man set down the cup in front of him anyway.
"Well, it's not much but please, help yourself Corporal."
"...Yea."
He glanced up before taking the cup and sipping it quietly, slightly surprised at how good it actually was.
For one thing, Levi knew it was safe to say that the man before him was not necessarily a threat. Because if he wanted to, he could have taken him out while he was asleep. The guy was also familiar with Erwin and himself but he'd still keep an eye out, just in case. For now, he decided it'd be best to be docile.
Levi ate silently, not necessarily hungry.
"Oi, stop staring so openly like that." Levi snapped at the man sitting directly across from him. He had expected an apology and yet, the man only continued to smile, sending Levi's mood to turn sour.
"Thanks for the meal but I should get going now,"
Realizing that he had nothing in his possession since he had woken up, Levi reasoned that it wouldn't matter since they were within the walls. He'd just borrow a horse or hitch a ride to Head Quarters.
"I'll make sure to give Erwin a thorough report on your…'hospitality.'"
Turning on his heel, Levi headed for what he supposed was the exit when a rough hand grasped onto his arm. Startled and on guard, Levi quickly whipped around when the man jerked his hand away with an apology.
"S-sorry, reflex." He laughed weakly, raising his hands into the air.
"What the fuck do you want?"
"Well," Turning his gaze to the boiling teapot on the stove, the man drew out an awkward smile. "Care for some tea? I promise you, I'm just going to keep you for a little longer. Just a little longer."
Levi paused. What was this man up to? Curiosity itching at his inner desires to hopefully learn about new intel on the titans, Levi sighed.
"Tch, whatever."
"Why the hell do you keep all of your windows covered? It's gloomy as fuck in here."
Levi sneered as he held his cup, taking in quiet sips as calculating grey eyes roamed around the shadowed house.
"I...don't like the Sun." The man replied shortly after.
"How fucking depressing."
"I suppose,"
"Anyways," The china clinked as Levi gently set his cup down. "Thanks for the tea-"
"Here,"
Levi glanced down at the pile of papers shoved into his arm.
"What the fuck is this?"
"Sorry about that. I forgot but I need you to sign and read through all of these."
Sighing, Levi rubbed his temples. "Are you doing this shit on purpose? I'm going to kill you."
"Yeah, sorry about that. Didn't mean to, but it's important that I have you fill these out."
"Fucking annoying. Whatever. Go make me some more coffee."
"Yes sir."
Snatching them away with an angry scowl, Levi sighed heavily before taking a seat at the previous dining table. Leafing through the reports, Levi growled. He was definitely going to make Erwin pay for this shit.
"Ugh."
Levi groaned as he rolled his head and shoulders around, finally finishing the stack of papers well into the night. That was more than he usually had to handle and it sure as hell wasn't something he liked to do. Heaving the exhaustion out with a single crack of his neck, Levi pushed himself up from his seat.
"Finally. Going to take a warm ass bath as soon as I get back to head-"
"You're already done?"
"What the hell do you mean 'already,' and yes I'm done with all of your shit. Now escort me back."
"Sure. I will but are you sure you don't want to stay for a quick dinner?"
Levi frowned.
"No. I don't have time for that. I'm leaving right n-"
"…Please," A tight grip on his shirt, Levi halted. Pissed and irritated beyond his usual tolerance, Levi snapped, ready to punch the guy straight in the face when-
"Please, I'm sorry."
The man, at least a foot taller than Levi kept his gaze glued to the ground, his voice slightly above a shaky whisper. Levi stopped, a strange sensation paralyzing his judgments.
Forcing a strangely familiar expression, he slowly raised his head to meet Levi's skeptical glare. "Besides, good food should never go to waste," he said with a smirk.
Slightly stunned and uncomfortable at the twinge of a familiar flashback within the back of his muddled mind, Levi drawled out an awkward silence, too stunned to retort. And as they stood there, several seconds passing, a single quivering voice was the only thing that echoed throughout that empty house.
"Please...I promise you...just a little longer Corporal..."
"Oi! What the fuck!?"
Seething with anger, Levi kicked and elbowed the man who had draped him over his shoulder.
"Put me the fuck down you little shit!"
Ignoring his blatant threats, the man forcefully threw Levi back onto the bed.
"What the fuck? What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Seething grey met exhausted gold.
"I fucking swear, I will slice your head-"
Levi swallowed his words abruptly. The man gently held him against his broad chest, his face buried into the crook of Levi's neck.
"...? Oi! What the fuck. Get off-"
"I'm sorry Levi-san, just a little longer. I promise." His face rubbing against the bare skin, his grip becoming tighter and stronger by the passing second.
"OI! GET OFF OF-"
Blazing gold flickered to meet chaotic grey, his expression of mourn, lips quivering with unspoken words. The stranger's expression sent dangerous chills down his spine, the sudden pulsing of a painful headache conquering his thoughts.
"Ungh-"
"I'll see you later Levi-san!"
Accident?
"Levi-san!"
"Shut up you little shit, I am NOT going to meet your parents."
Toppling over, Levi gripped his head, groaning in pain. Quickly, the man held Levi in his arms, supporting him with his own weight.
"He's going into cardiac arrest! Quick call the goddamn Doctor! Emergency Protocol for incoming patient Levi Ackerman. Age, 34. Height 5'2. Blood Type B. Severe mobile accident, possible spinal and cranium fracture with hypertensive cerebrum hemorrhage."
"Levi-san!"
His breathing heavy, the pulsing sporadic waves of relentless pain pounded through his skull, Levi croaked, withering into the sheets.
"O-oi, you,"
"...I'm afraid he hasn't woken up...we..we did everything we could."
The tears stinging his vision, the memories seared through like hot iron,
"Y-you. What's…what's your name?"
Gripping onto his sleeve, feral steel grey burned into tender gold.
"Leeeviii-ssaaan~~ Look look! I finally passed my entrance exam! I'm definitely going to work hard and propose to you as a man!"
"…My name…"
A simple touch to Levi's face, his hands gentle, his expression calm. A dulling moment of hesitation with a silent sigh.
"Which colour tie should I wear? Please choose for me Levi-san!"
"is,"
"I'll surely treasure this one forever!"
"…Eren Jaeger."
"I love you, Levi-san."
"E-Eren?"
Cluttered memories flashing through.
"E….Eren."
A glimpse back into the last 20 years.
"I-I…."
The shock of realization pulsing through like poison.
"Eren, Eren…"
A shaky outreached hand, softly stroking away at the years.
"I'm…" A choked sob. "I'm so sorry."
"It's okay Levi-san. It's okay."
"I'm so sorry. Eren, I love you. I love you Eren."
An unfortunate accident twenty years ago for 34 year old professor Levi who had been walking home after his previous lecture at Tokyo University, hit by an escaping stolen vehicle culprit. Due to extensive brain hemorrhage, patient has been in coma for ten years before waking up with significant brain damage, resulting in erratic Alzheimer's and delusions about a nonexistent world.
"I know Levi-san. I love you too."
A desperate embrace.
"I'm, I don't-Shit, what the fuck. I-what have I done?"
Pale fingers hesitantly traced aged lines adorning golden eyes.
"How long? …What the fuck have I done to you? Fuck...FUCK!"
Tears staining a contorted expression, his thin lips muttering years of apologies and unspoken sorrows.
"I'm so fucking sorry Eren. I ca-I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to do." Pale hands grasping onto a face exhausted with regret.
"Listen to me Eren," grasping his rugged face tightly, forcing their eyes to meet, "I fucking love you. I love you with everything I have. You are everything to me. Your happiness is everything to me, Eren. So please, go make a big ass family and find someone you can love, someone who can love you back. Eren, I don't fucking want this for you. So please,"
His voice cracking, hands shaking.
"Please, I beg you. Please leave me."
A large calloused hand, softly grasping onto his,
"Please Eren,"
A weak smile.
"I fucking beg you, please,"
A string of agonizing wails muffled into the sheets, the darkened moonlight sinking in through the blinds, another chilly night rocking the lonely air in it's lullaby. A tight embrace into the night, holding the racking body, mourning in the darkness. A serene tone, soothing away the angry howls,
"It's okay Levi-san, it's okay."
Another night gone by just like any other day.
"Just...just a little longer, levi-san. I promise you, it'll be for just a little longer."
The morning sun brightly burned through folded blinds as daybreak birds filled the air with their cacophonous chirping. A cold gaze flickered to life before focusing on the ceiling, the man slowly rose from the sheets, sluggishly eyeing his surroundings. Noticing the tinge of warmth near his hand contrasting from the chilly morning dew, he whipped his attention downwards. Sleeping soundly and grasped tightly within his grip, the brunette stirred awake, his golden eyes as blazing as daylight.
"Ah, good morning, Levi-san." He yawned, sliding his hand away from Levi's.
"A little cold to-"
"Who the hell are you?"
The unfamiliar man paused in stillness, momentarily speechless.
"I...uh...haha,"
Hesitant words, furrowed eyebrows above tired eyes.
"I'm...I'm sorry."
A defeated smile.
"I'll...I'll answer your questions later, but first...would you like some breakfast Corporal?"
Note: Just in case, Levi is now 54 and Eren is 45. 20 years ago Levi got into an accident (cliche I know) and Eren took care of him for 10 years in coma but finally coming awake, Levi no longer remembers Eren before. It was 4 am when I wrote this. I am so sorry.