Levi pulled his lover close, Eren's head tucked under his chin.

"How do you always do this?" Eren asked softly, breath fanning over Levi's collarbone which made Levi smile.

"Do what, Eren?" Levi asked in return, kissing the top of Eren's head sweetly.

Eren hummed softly and nuzzled his nose into his lovers neck. "You always seem to know just the right thing to say or do to make me feel better and every time you do I fall just a little more in love with you," Eren murmured quietly, it was almost like there was a spell over them that he was too afraid to break.

Levi chuckled a little, hiding the joyful smile in Eren's wild hair. "You're such a sap," he said though he became concerned when Eren stiffened in his arms. "What's on your mind?" he asked quietly.

Eren nervously hid his head in Levi's neck as he started babbling. "You keep saying that and you act like you don't feel the same but I want you to know that I mean what I say. And I know I'm not the best with my words but I just..." Eren's rambling trailed off as Levi grasped his chin and forced the brunet to meet his eyes.

"Eren, I need you to shut up for a few minutes so I can talk because I am shit at emotions and if you interrupt me I'm never going to get through this," Levi said, looking deep into those emerald eyes to make sure the younger man understood. When Eren nodded Levi continued. "I just said, I am shit with emotions. I grew up a fucking thug, you can't show or express any emotions or else you would end up dead in the sewer. Here I am, an emotionally constipated ex-thug and somehow I have you. You stupidly sweet, loving—Eren close your mouth you said you wouldn't interrupt – somehow you love me and I don't know how to show you how I feel. I may call you a sap and act like it doesn't matter to me, but don't you think for one second that I don't take everything you to heart."

Levi cupped Eren's cheek and just stared into his eyes for a moment. "I was so alone after I lost Farland and Isabel, and I never told you that you saved my life, Eren. That day I was looking for a sign that I wasn't needed, that it would be alright for me to join them. I figured if I didn't make enough to get a decent meal then that would be my sign, and then you showed up. What I feel for you goes so far above and beyond that I'm not sure love even covers it. You are my sun and moon, you are just so bright you light everything up and so beautiful that I can't help but look at you in awe."

Eren's eyes started to tear up and he reached up wipe away the tears that gathered in the ravens eyes. "I love you, so much," he whispered and pulled Levi down into a sweet kiss. When they broke apart Eren spoke again, "I'm sorry I doubted you."

Levi pulled Eren close again, hiding his face in Eren's hair. "No, I'm sorry you felt like you had to doubt me. I'm sorry I don't show my emotions like a normal person, but thank you so much for putting up with me," Levi said. His voice was slightly horse with choked back tears. He wished like hell he could be the lover, the boyfriend, the whatever the hell Eren wanted to call them, that Eren deserved.

Eren's nails scratched lightly over the shorter hairs of Levi's undercut before he gently ran his fingers through the longer strands. "I love you, Levi. Just the way you are. We just have to get a little better at this whole communication thing," Eren teased a little, trying to lighten the mood.

Levi chuckled and started trailing his fingers over Eren's naked back again. "Sleep, baby. I'm sure we'll have to meet up with the others pretty early and you've had a rough evening. Plus I think I've done a pretty good job of wrecking your voice even more," Levi teased, biting Eren ear to make him laugh.

"Smug bastard," Eren laughed, though Levi was right about his throat. Eren wiggled out of Levi's arms, making the smaller man make a small noise in protest, and getting under the blanket. Levi chuckled a little and followed Eren's example before cuddling back up.

Within minutes of getting under the covers Eren was sleeping soundly even with the lights on. Levi couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face as he studied Eren's sleeping face. In sleep Eren lost the tiny lines of stress that Levi hadn't even noticed Eren had until they were gone, and he just looked peaceful. No matter how long of an evening he had had, Levi knew he wouldn't be able to get much sleep. He wanted to do something for the younger man, the one who trusted him and loved him.

He laid there, watching Eren sleep soundly and trying to think of something to show Eren that he cared. After a while Eren started mumbling in his sleep, something he did every now and then, and Levi listened closely to hear what non-sense was going on in his dreams. This had proven to have been an amusing pass time on nights Levi couldn't sleep as Eren's dreams were generally strange. Once Levi heard Eren mumble something about arsonist squirrels, another time there was something about Edgar Allen Ho, and Levi's personal favorite, Eren had mumbled a story about tea time with turtles from which he woke in tears rambling about the fact that turtles couldn't drink from the tea cups because they didn't have fingers. This time, however, there was no funny story, or confusing strings of words, just the murmured opening line to Wings of Freedom.

Levi smiled, he liked that the song he put his heart and soul into was the one Eren favored. Levi's eyes widened as the thought gave him an idea.

Levi gently pulled himself away from Eren, who made small whine of protest but didn't wake, and made his way over to turn out the main light. He left the bedside lamp on, grabbed the notepad by the phone and started writing after got back into bed.

0808

Eren woke slowly to the smell of coffee and rolled over to cuddle back into Levi and sleep for a little longer, but he was disappointed to find only cold empty bed instead of his warm lover.

Eren cracked an eye open when Levi chuckled at his searching. Levi was sitting with two cups of coffee sitting in front of him.

"Levi~" Eren whined, voice low and gravely even with the whining tone, "why don't you love me."

"I do love you, Eren, but Erwin is already texting me asking when we'll be back," Levi replied crossing his legs.

Eren was slightly startled by Levi actually saying that he loved him but he chose not to say anything about it. "When we're done touring, can we just spend a day in bed?" Eren asked.

Levi smiled, though he was a little concerned at how gravely Eren's voice sounded, though that could have also been from just waking up. "Yeah, now get up and get dressed so I'm not tempted to tell the band to fuck off so I can fuck you again," Levi said.

Eren could feel his cock twitch at Levi's threat, but he sat up, stretching his arms over his head and wincing at the dull ache in his lower back, and started looking around the hotel room to find his discarded clothing.

"They're on the chair," Levi pointed out before taking a sip of his coffee. He would have preferred tea but he needed the extra caffeine of coffee with how little he slept.

"Thanks, love," Eren said around a yawn, finally getting out of bed

Levi had to look away from the dark, broad, strokes of Eren's phoenix over that tan back before he decided to make good on his threat. Levi wished they could have some time together, just the two of them, but of course their relationship couldn't have come at a convenient time.

A few moments later Eren was seated in front of him, taking a long drink of the hot liquid. Levi was lost in thought, thinking about the project he did last night and when Eren would find it, when he was startled by Eren's hand cupping his cheek.

Eren's thumb gently stroked under Levi's right eye. "You didn't get any sleep, did you?" Eren asked, studying the dark circles under his eyes.

Levi smiled a little and placed his hand over Eren's. "I'm fine, baby, we should both get a little sleep on the bus today before the festival tomorrow," Levi said, kissing Eren's palm and making the younger man blush.

"When are we meeting up with the others?" Eren asked, not moving his hand.

"We're meeting at a cafe across the street, everyone else stayed at another hotel last night and Erwin wants to talk to everyone over breakfast. It's just the general monthly stuff," Levi soothed as he saw the worry over their manager needing to talk to them cloud Eren's eyes.

Eren hummed and gently took his hand back so he could take another drink of his coffee, the hot drink feeling like heaven on his sore throat.

"How's your throat?" Levi asked, noticing the look on Eren's face.

Eren blinked a few time before he smiled a little. "It's a little scratchy, nothing some hot tea and a day of quiet can't fix," he said softly.

Levi smiled at Eren's constant bright an optimistic personality, but his face turned serious as he remembered how Eren acted last night. "Are you going to tell her?" Levi asked, never one to beat around the bush.

Eren tilted his head in confusion, "Tell who what?"

"Tell your sister about your father."

Eren's eyes darkened slightly and Levi felt bad for bringing it up, but he needed to know how to react later.

Eren sighed, "I don't know yet."

Levi hummed and took another drink of coffee, nose scrunching slightly which made Eren giggle.

"What are you laughing at, brat?" Levi muttered.

Eren continued to laugh, hand coming up to cover his mouth. "I'm laughing at how big of a drink snob my boyfriend," he said through laughing fits.

Levi kept his scowl for another moment before it faded into a grin as he shook his head. "Not all of us can handle all the shit you drink on a daily basis," Levi teased.

"You love me," Eren teased, "monster breath and all."

Levi just rolled his eyes and checked his phone, sighing at the time. "Come on, brat, let's get over there before your sister shits herself worrying about you," he stood and stretched his arms before moving over to Eren and brushing his fingers gently over am already dark purple bruise on his neck. "I really did a number on you," he sighed.

Eren smiled and tilted his head so Levi could get a better look and said, "I loved every minute of it. Besides, it's more proof that I belong to you."

"Damn right it is," Levi muttered, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the hickey before turning Eren's head to plant a kiss on his lips.

Eren's smile could have lit up a whole city as Levi pulled away. "I love you," he said simply and Levi smiled softly.

0808

After breakfast and the monthly breakdown, where everyone studied Eren's bruised neck and slight limp, they made it back onto the bus and tried to decide what to do to pass the day away.

"I have a paper I've been avoiding," Armin sighed and Eren grimaced in sympathy.

"I'm going back to bed, I've got one hell of a hangover," Mikasa said, rubbing her temples.

Eren rolled his eyes, trying to stay quiet for the rest of the day to help his throat, and looked at Levi.

Levi just snorted and dropped into the seat next to his boyfriend. "Fine, I'll stay out here with you," he said although it was being forced upon him.

Within minutes of the cabin going quiet, Levi was laying with his head once again in Eren's lap and before Eren had finished the first dungeon in his new Legend of Zelda play through Levi was sleeping soundly.

Deciding he didn't want to accidentally wake Levi with his frustration when he died, he saved the game and set the DS aside, instead picking up his phone to scroll through social media. As always though, Eren couldn't go very long without fiddling with something, and in this instance it happened to be his phone case. Eren kept pulling one of the corners off the case and then snapping it back into place though he was surprised that the case didn't snap back as easily as it usually did. He took the case off, planning on cleaning the back of his phone to see if that fixed the problem, when a folded piece of paper fell onto the table.

Eren set his phone aside, curiosity taking full control, and unfolded the paper, well actually papers.

It was two pages, Eren recognized the print at the top to be from the hotel they stayed at, completely covered in Levi's handwriting.

Eren, I wanted to do something to show you how much I care about you. I know I don't have to, but I want you to know that I have nothing to hide from you and I want you to know me down to my very soul.

Eren was completely confused and looked down at the man, still sleeping, unaware that Eren had already found his letter. Eren looked back up to continue reading and found to his surprise that the rest of the note was Wings of Freedom with some notes written around the stanzas and in the margins.

When I look to the sky

I see nothing but blue

But I can't help but wonder why

Why I cannot fly too.

But those who left me, I don't need 'em

Not with these wings of freedom.

So much of this stanza was a lie I told myself. I didn't see a blue sky until I was 19. I wasn't even 5 when my mom died, I don't remember her at all and my uncle never saw the need to talk about her. Kenny taught me to fight and to steal and to protect myself, but once he felt I could defend myself, he left too. I tried to tell myself that I didn't need anyone, that I was free. I terrorized whoever I wanted, stole what I needed, picked fights, but I was a prisoner in my own head.

Protect myself

Wings spread wide

I will always be ready to fly

Always fighting

I cannot stop

Not until I find my freedom

I started realizing that I wasn't nearly as free as I thought and I was always fighting something. If I wasn't fighting others I was fighting with myself and ready to run away. I was so self centered, only worried about myself

Through thick and thin

You took my black and made it grey

In my heart you'll forever stay.

We came from the bottom

We started off fresh,

But even you were taken

and I lost my wings of freedom.

Farlan and Isabel became my siblings. We were a trio of orphans who had to fight for survival and I loved them. They lightened me, I stopped killing and starting fights, though we still had to steal. It was actually Isabel's idea to come to the surface. We got one look at the sun and blue skies and started fighting tooth and nail to live on the surface. We got to live in peace for two years before the Titans tracked us down and killed them and then I was lost again.

My wings turned dark

A navy blue night.

I looked for a sign

To fly away into the sky.

Then you were there

Your wings spread wide.

A brilliant white to cross with mine

You became my wings of freedom

It was you, Eren, always you. I was in a dark place when you found me and I told you about my wishes for that day. But you showed up with that brilliant smile and beautiful voice and I felt like I had found myself. You were so kind, innocent, and you looked so young. You had seen the darker side of the world and instead of falling into it like I did, you just lit up. You became a light for me, I didn't feel so alone anymore. I was terrified.

I feel at peace

Although my heart does race

I'm finally home

My wings can rest

As long as you don't fly away

I'm no longer alone.

As long as you let me stay

I have found my wings of freedom

I was only able to finish this once I came to terms with the fact that I cared about you. That car accident you were in last year scared me so bad and it made me realize that I couldn't lose you too. I finally figured out that you make me want to be better, you make me want to stop running, and now I have. I love you, Eren. You set me free and stopped the hurt. You are the best thing that could have ever happened to me, and I WILL protect you to the best of my ability.

Eren wasn't sure how much time had passed, all he knew was that there were tears streaming down his face and one hand was covering his mouth to stifle his sobs.

Suddenly there was a hand on his cheek and he looked down to see Levi's grey eyes stormy with his own tears.

"I meant it, Eren. Every word," Levi whispered sat up.

As soon as Levi was sitting, his back to Eren just because of how he was positioned, Eren plastered himself to the ravens back, hiding his teary face in the older man's undercut.

Levi took one of the hands wrapped around his neck and pressed his lips to it. He gently turned his body so he faced Eren, bringing one hand to cup his cheek and wipe away his tears.

"I'm sorry," Eren hiccuped quietly. "I'm not sad and I'm not exactly happy, I just know that I love you so much. I can't even begin to explain how much I respect you for everything you've gone through and how grateful I am that you trust me with this."

Levi smiled softly. "You have all of me, Eren. The good and the bad, and there was a lot of bad, but somehow you saw passed that and I wanted you to know what it meant to me," he stated. Then he had a lap full of the brunet singer.

"I have you and you have me, forever," Eren said against Levi's neck.

Once forever would have scared Levi but now it was all he ever wanted with this childish man. "Forever," he confirmed, arms tight around Eren.