Disclaimer: I own none of these characters!

Note: This was planned and in the process of being written before episode 21. So...people are still...moving

Eren couldn't stand it. He felt silly. Embarrassed. Awful. Just sick.

He saw Levi talking to the squad members like he normally would. His expression was the same. He didn't seem bothered. But the worse part of it was, Levi was ignoring him. Intentionally ignoring him.

Eren would walk into a room and the moment Levi looked up at him, the corporal would excuse himself and leave. Without so much as a glance in Eren's direction.

And every time he did it, it hurt just a little more. The rejection hurt; being invisible was the salt on that bloodied wound.

"I'm going to go lie down, I think," Eren said, pushing his food away.

"Are you alright, Eren?" Petra asked. "You look a little pale…"

Eren smiled at her. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Heh, but you had all day to relax," Auruo chuckled. Petra hissed.

"Leave him alone! Let him go rest if he wants to!"

Eren laughed and looked over at Levi. He was looking away, his food untouched. He tapped his fork against the table, occasionally sipping at his tea. Eren sank back and stood up.

"I'll go down to the basement before I go to sleep," Eren said as he pushed in his chair. He hurried away, feeling his stomach tighten. He walked down the hallway and to one of the spare rooms. He slid down against the wall, pulling his knees to his chest.

It wasn't fair. But nothing in life was ever really fair. Something was always missing. Always loose…

He heard footsteps and stopped sniffling. He peeked through the crack in the doorway and saw the corporal's small frame gliding away. He had tugged off his jacket and was pulling the cravat around his neck loose.

Eren pressed his back against the wall and swallowed hard before jumping to his feet. He hurried after Levi, his heart pounding. His fists clenched. His shoulders shaking.

"Oi, what is it now?" Levi asked, turning around. He narrowed his eyes and Eren stopped walking.

He just stared at Levi. Blankly. Everything he wanted to say disappeared. He felt his tongue dry out. But his heart was still racing furiously.

"Well?"

"I…I….I'm sorry…"

A muscle in Levi's mouth twitched. He grew rigid and let out a long breath. Eren kept his eyes down, looking at his feet.

"I…shouldn't have…have said anything…I'm sorry…"

Eren felt his chest tighten again. He felt his throat clump. He bit his lips.

Levi rolled his eyes and snatched Eren by the arm, pulling him forward.

"Sir! What are you doing?"

"Shut up."

"Bu—"

"I said shut up, brat!"

Eren felt the grip on his arm tighten and twist. He stumbled through the hallways and right into Levi's room. He was thrown inside, falling on to his hands and knees. Levi slammed the door behind them and spun around.

He reached down and grabbed Eren by the collar of his shirt, pulling his fist back. He did not move; he hesitated. He actually hesitated.

Eren watched him, his green eyes wide and brimming with tears. Levi slowly lowered his fist, gritting his teeth. He pushed Eren away.

"You're such a fucking brat…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Stop saying that. Stop saying you're sorry. You shouldn't be. You have no right to be."

Eren blinked back tears and shook his head. Levi started to pace, rubbing his face with his hand. Eren watched him quietly.

"Eren, I don't want you to…get attached."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Don't get attached," Levi said snapped. "We can fuck all you want, but don't get attached. What happens if something goes wrong, huh? And one of us ends up dead, then what?"

"I'm confused, sir," Eren said. He sat up straight, rubbing his eyes.

"Don't let your silly…teenage emotions and hormones and shit cloud your head. Don't think that what we do is anything. You're a convenient fuck to me; and I'm sure getting pounded every other night keeps your hormones in check. Consider it a favor."

Eren sat and watched him. He looked over the corporal's expression and saw such an odd look in his eyes. Eren grit his teeth and pulled his legs up to his chest again. He let the words sink in. They were covered in such a hateful tone; dripping with intentional hurt.

His words dug into the wounds from before, the ones salted by being ignored. It was piling on top of each other. Second after second. It boiled over until Eren felt his cheeks wet and hot.

Levi looked down at him, only to look away quickly. Eren had his head down, covered with an arm. He was a shaking mess. Sobbing on the floor. And that sight…

Levi took a long breath.

"I mean it, you shit."

"You…you said…what if one of us ends up dead…You're not going to die. You can't die."

Levi stopped his pacing. "What…?"

"Don't talk like you're going to die tomorrow…or any time soon. Because you know you're not going to. I know you'll probably beat the shit out of me for this but…I don't care."

"I just called you a convenient fuck, brat. And you say that?"

"I know. I know! But I can't lose anyone else in my life!" Eren cried, wrapping his hands around the back of his neck. "You can hate me. You don't have to love me. But just…don't leave me…"

Levi slowly sank to his knees, his eyes locked on Eren.

"You're young and you're silly. You only think that you're in love."

"Sir…why can't you accept that someone cares…Why is it—"

"Because the future is uncertain. People get sick and die. They fight titans and die. They grow old and die. I have my comrades and that's as close as I need to get to people. Because…The thought of losing…someone close…it's worrisome. Disheartening. That load of sappy shit. So…hearing you say that…Knowing you feel that way. I know from the way you look at me. And knowing that you…someone so young…feels like that…"

Eren shook his head. His face was red and wet; he was crying as softly as he could in his knees. Levi reached out, touching his face and Eren looked up.

"You're not allowed to cry," Levi said, wiping away tears. "Especially not because of me."

Levi pulled him closer. Eren let him, sniffling and crawling to him. Levi pressed his lips to Eren's cheek. He kept kissing Eren's soft skin, along his jawline, moving to his neck. Eren crawled onto his lap, wrapping his arms around Levi's shoulders. The kisses continued—hot and wet, some long suckles, some little bites and the rest gentle kisses. They sent sharp chills throughout Eren's body.

"I won't leave," Levi whispered, his arms around Eren's waist.

Three words that Eren wanted to hear. Not the three but they were still comforting. And they still made him smile. He ran a hand through Levi's hair, pulling him closer.

Sir…I love you, too.