Sorry for the late update! -

I will tell you guys it will be awhile again until I post a new chapter (The reasons are in the chapter on AO3). But I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4 : Just What Is Love?

"I like you, you brat."

'What? What did he say? Did... Levi-san just say that he likes me?'

"What?" Eren answered dumbly.

"You heard me Eren~" Levi purred in Eren's ear. Sending shivers through the boy's body by using his first name.

"B-b-b-but y-you a-and P-P-Petra-san...!" Eren stuttered.

"Broke up, as I told you."

The raven said again and neared Eren's lips with his own. He gave a light peck on those soft, pink lips and continued to give small kissest to Eren's nose, cheeks, temples and forehead. He could feel how hot the boy's face became because of his ministrations.

Eren tried weakly to push the bigger teen away, but his arms felt like goo and could only submit to the raven's kisses. He didn't like the way he let the older do what he wants, because just recently Levi had had a girlfriend and now he suddenly says he likes him?!

Tears started to spill from his caribbean eyes and down his cheeks. He felt both happy and sad that Levi liked him, but… he couldn't accept the raven's feelings when his heart was still in shards. He would surely unintentionally end up hurting his beloved human. He was still a bit broken.

Noticing the wet feeling on the boy's face, Levi hastily put some distance between their faces, silver-blue eyes widening at the sight. Eren's head was turned to the side, tears sliding down his tan cheeks and eyes glazed with nothing. There was nothing seen in the merman's blue-green eyes, like his his physical body was there but not his soul, Levi felt his heart break at the sight and more so when he thought it was his fault that Eren looked like this.

Levi placed his large hand gently on his Eren's left cheek and softly whispered and pleaded:

"Eren… please Eren, look at me… Please…"

Levi wiped the tears away with his thumb and placed his other hand on the boy's right cheek and wiped the tears from that side too. He sat up on his knees and pulled the numb boy up with him. Eren still had that unseeing expression. Levi put him in a sitting position against the couch as he thought of something that could help him bring Eren back. He stood up from the couch and walked to the piano that was placed near the big windows in the living room. He opened the lid of the black grand piano and saw the white and black keys in front of him. Hoping that he still could somewhat play although it has been years since he last played the piano. He started on a ciss in the G-clef and an a in the bass clef. It was a sad but beautiful melody he had written after the accident ten years ago, when he had met Eren and lost his parents. His pale and long fingers glided gracefully over the keys, like he hadn't stopped playing for years.

Eren heard a familiar tune that he had heard once before when he was seven and had sneaked away from Shiganshina and to the beach house where he knew Levi lived. It was then he had heard this familiar sad but beautiful melody, and for the second time he saw Levi cry. He too started crying and kept crying till the melody stopped and the raven walked out to the balcony that faced the sea. He dived into the sea once again before the older boy could see him. Eren could still see Levi, who was leaning forward onto the balcony fence, although it was a little blurry underwater, he could still detect the wetness that ran down the raven's cheeks. That image never left his mind, even though many years had passed since then, he still remembers it clearly.

And it was that melody that brought him back to the world, where he could see Levi play it right before his eyes but with a small frown between his eyebrows.

'He must be holding back his tears.' Eren thought, and before he knew it he had walked behind the taller raven, and with a little hesitation, he wrapped his arms around the big and muscular frame and leaned his head on Levi's shoulder.

When those thin arms wrapped around him and Levi felt that familiar heat, the tears he had tried holding back were flowing down his cheeks in a matter of seconds. But still, he continued playing, letting Eren's warmth comfort him. He had hope that maybe, maybe someday Eren would love him back. He hardened his resolve, from now on he will do everything in his might to make Eren like him fair and square, he wouldn't use dirty tricks, or well, maybe a little but nothing too extreme.

Waking up on Monday morning, Eren felt that familiar feeling of being wrapped up in muscled arms, wondering how it could feel so natural. Today was the day Eren would go back to school, but dreaded it little. One; because the last time he was in school he had fainted — but he was excused from P.E. today because of it — and his friends would surely be very flustered and worried today, surely asking if he was alright and if he felt ill and would want to rest. Sure, he liked his friends but they were… a little overbearing sometimes so it wasn't even funny. And two; because he had to walk with Levi to school. The last time any of the pupils saw them together were either since their "fight" or when Levi had carried him to the nurse's office.

Wiggling a little so the arms around him would loosen a bit, Eren sat up and stared at the male sleeping beside him. The usual frown that seemed permanent on the older male's face was smoothed out.

'He… seems peaceful...' Eren thought as he unconsciously traced Levi's features with his tan hand.

'He also looks like his age for once.'

Eren let out a silent giggle at that thought. He thought it was cute how young Levi looked when sleeping. He withdrew his hand and tried to crawl over the bigger male to reach the edge of the bed and touch the floor.

But when his left hand was beside Levi's head, the raven woke up and what greeted Levi's eyes first was the chest of the young brunet. Levi had lent Eren a light blue tank top that was a little too big on the boy and was the cause of why Levi could see Eren's naked chest — not that this was the first time he had seen it — and it startled the raven that he abruptly sat up and ending up with Eren lying on his lap, or more likely draped over his lap.

Eren had been taken by surprise when Levi suddenly sat up and couldn't even let out a sound of surprise because of the abruptness. Now he was lying on the taller teen's lap. Fortunately so was the comforter still between them, but Eren could still feel the older teen's firm and hard muscles underneath. The young merman scrambled away from Levi's lap as fast as he could, feeling the heat crawl up to his face, ears and neck. As soon as Eren was standing on the floor he placed his hands in front of his face, trying to cool himself down.

Levi stared at Eren's back, wanting the boy to look back at him. The tank top — that Eren was wearing — was cut low on the backside, giving Levi the wonderful view of the tan and lean back. Especially the wonderful red color that tinted the merman's ears and nape. Getting out of bed, Levi located the drawer where he had placed his and Eren's school uniforms.

Eren could feel Levi's eyes on him and how they raked over his backside. He tried to stop himself from blushing, but felt the heat that he had gotten familiar with since he met Levi (again), spread over his face, ears and even his nape. Rustling sheets could be heard from behind Eren as he searched for his school uniform. A throat cleared itself and Eren turned his head to the raven, who had now risen up from bed, and saw his school uniform on a hanger the raven was holding.

With a raised eyebrow Levi beckoned the boy to come to him, so the raven could help him put his uniform on — in a platonic way of course — so he himself could put his own uniform on and then make their breakfast.

The breakfast was surprisingly casual now when Eren wasn't sick anymore and could eat anything again. That was good because Levi had run out of recipes of what a sick person should eat. So it was a really simple American breakfast with eggs and bacon, some salad and small sandwiches.

The salad was simple green salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, feta cheese, and sesame seeds.

The sandwiches had the filling of one leaf green salad, ham, tomato slices and some cheese.

Eren complemented his cooking, and said that he could ask Hannes if Levi could help his uncle in the kitchen during the summer holidays and earn some extra money. Levi said that he himself must think about it first, one; because there are a lot of surfing competitions during the summer. But then he thought he could be with his cute, green mermaid prince, almost all day because Eren would surely help around in Hannes inn and restaurant as a cute waiter.

The waiter uniform that Hannes made all waiters and waitresses wear was simple long, black slacks — that defined Eren's behind greatly — a simple half and black apron that covered the front of the slacks from getting dirty and that reached the knees, and a simple white button-up with a red and loose bow at the neck. (Of course Levi had seen Eren wearing that uniform and has had some *cough, cough* nice dreams afterwards.

Levi thought about all the pros and cons in that deal, but the greatest pro was that he could see Eren everyday, and the most unfortunate con was that he would be really busy and maybe won't be able to court Eren after working hours — because Levi is too serious to half-ass a job so he won't (or will try not to) flirt with Eren during working hours, especially since it's Hannes' inn, the raven thought as he took in Eren's appearance.

The boy's hair was it usual messy locks of soft chestnut hair, his eyes casted downwards as he continued to eat, so Levi couldn't see the eyes he loves so much, he watched as the boy took a bit of bacon and opened his pink and plump lips. The raven licked his own lips as he saw Eren's fork slowly pull at the younger male's lower lip.

Improper thoughts filled the surfer's mind as he still watched the merman eat. About what all the kinds of things that the boy could use that mouth for. How good those lips would look when the merman's eyes looked up at him with tears in the eyes as his pink, plump lips were around the raven's di... No! Nonono! He couldn't have such dirty thoughts this early in the morning and walk to school with a boner — especially with the caribbean eyed beauty beside him — Eren would be wary of him then.

As Levi was lost inside his internal dilemma, Eren had finished his breakfast and curiously sneaked glances at the raven haired male.

When Eren walked through the gate he was immediately hugged by his friends. Sasha and Connie cried that they were so worried because they couldn't contact him for a whole week, Reiner and Bertholdt just hugged him and said it was great that he is better now and patted him on the head.

Noticing black hair behind his friends, Eren peaked over their shoulders to see Marco fidgeting behind them. The freckled boy didn't seem to know how to approach the prince. Eren smiled at him and sneaked his way out from his fellow year mates and approached the freckled raven with a hug. Not noticing silver-blue eyes narrowing behind him.

"Good morning brother Marco!" Eren greeted cheerfully as he hugged the taller teen.

After a moment of surprise and a fast peak at another raven, Marco returned the hug.

"Good morning Eren."

The hug though didn't last long, because a pale arm snuck around the prince's waist and pulled him away from his brotherly friend. Eren found himself pressed against a muscled chest with his arms still in the air. Peeking at the owner of the arm around his waist, Eren wasn't surprised to see it was Levi. The raven haired surfer glared at the junior, and if eyes could kill, Marco would had died many times.

'Possessive..' the freckled male thought as he put his hands in the air as a sign of surrender, which was needed otherwise Levi would have (maybe) punched him.

Eren on the other hand was embarrassed as hell. They weren't a couple (yet) and Levi was already acting like a jealous boyfriend.

'The worst is that I kind of like it...' the green-blue eyed teen thought as he was further pressed into Levi, who used his body as a cover for Eren's body.

Levi on the other hand was green of jealousy that Eren hugged Marco without hesitation at first sight. But he himself has to cry — he will never admit that he cried to anyone — to get Eren to hug him — even with a little hesitation on the younger male's part.

Reiner, Sasha and Connie watched slack-jawed, and Bertholdt sweated profusely, as they watched their friend being embraced by the school's hottest and most popular guy in such a protective manner. It almost seemed like they were a couple. But they weren't, not yet anyway.

The school bell echoed through the halls, signaling that the last class for the day was to begin. The students are hurrying to get to class before the teacher. Eren's last class for the day was music class and everyone had to sing a piece in front of the class, no matter how tone-deaf one was. Luckily Eren had this class with Sasha and Connie, the clowns of his group, and didn't have to sing in a classroom full of strangers.

The singing order was alphabetic, so those whose last name started with 'A' would begin first. It would take a while until it was Eren's turn. Unluckily for Eren so was a junior in this class too, the one who had shouted 'gay' to Eren the first day of school, Jean Kirschtein. Who was obviously in love with his brother Marco, Eren added in his thoughts.

Soon it was Eren's turn, after a girl whose surname was Ingman, he had already decided what to sing. It kind of matched his feeling for Levi, because he couldn't stop loving him. When it was Eren's turn, the boy took a deep breath and let it out. This would be the first time that he sings in front of the humans in the surface world.

What Eren didn't know was that the music room had an inbuilt microphones that was connected to all speakers in the school. But Jean knew, and when Eren stepped on the small stage the junior — Jean — switched on the mic and at the same time all speakers. He was going to embarrass the brunet freshman who made fun of him the first day of school by making the boy sing before the whole school. He was sure that Eren had a horrible singing voice.

When Eren turned around and grabbed the mic that was given to him and the music started playing, he opened his mouth and let his voice flow through the room.

'When listening to my heart, it's bursts open and flies about, just what is this...?
When I touch my heart, I touch a small flame of burning passion. This is t he first time I've had these feelings!'

Everybody in the school stopped with what they were doing when they heard the speakers turn on, and listened to the playing music.

'I won't stop singing once I've begun! I won't stop dancing once I've begun!
I can't go back! I can't turn around! There's no way I'd ever not need love!
Swimming around in the coral in the blue sea, let me tell you of my secret - learning of love.
I'm going to continue singing until the excitement of my heart reaches you.'

Jean's mouth dropped to the floor when he heard the freshman's voice, the teacher was also gaping (how had she missed such talent?!), Sasha and Connie stared at Eren mesmerized with awe in their eyes. The rest of the room was a mix between Springles and the teacher.

' When I listen to my heart, I hear a whisper, just what is this...?
Do you know? I become drenched in my heart's excitement all the way out to my long hair. Surely, you know these feelings.
Just looking is boring. By just waiting, you won't notice.
You can't move forward. You can't say no. So let's sleep together tonight.'

Levi was having gym when the speakers turned on and the familiar singing voice flowed out from them. He was playing basket with the other seniors but soon enough ditched he the ball and was rushing out from the basket field. He was dashing through the halls to get to the music room. He almost collided with some people but he managed to continue staying on his feet. Levi continued listening to Eren's voice as he reached his destination.

'Let me tell you of my secret as my pearl sleeps in the deep sea and we dream.
I will surely continue to love that person, until I can give all of my heart to him.
I won't stop running once I've begun. I won't stop loving him. This is no lie.
I won't turn my eyes away. I won't let go of you. Right now, I can't be alone.'

The raven opened the door to the music room as unnoticeable as possible and stepped inside. What he saw then was one of his most wonderful moments in his life — until now that is. There his merman prince was singing and dancing all happily as he had everyone looking at him awestruck.

'Let me tell you of the secret of the mermaid who swims in the white waves who gave me love.
I will surely continue to love that person, until the excitement of my heart reaches him.
Let me tell you of the secret of the mermaid who swims in the white waves who gave me love.
I'll surely continue singing until these exciting feelings of mine reach you'

When the music ended Eren stopped singing and for the first time he stepped on the small stage took a good look at his audience and saw Levi standing at the door, looking at him with passionate eyes. He was going to step off the stage and approach the senior but was surprised (and frightened) when he heard the thunderous applause and cheering through the whole school. He looked around him with a confused expression, wondering why the whole school was so cheerful. Before he could ask someone he was dragged off the stage and out of the room and then from school.